NEW YORK - In a convention of Hall of Fame catchers, Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench, Gary Carter and Yogi Berra gathered Friday night to honor Mike Piazza, who this season broke the home run record for catchers.
Piazza snapped Fisk's mark of 351 homers May 5 and entered Friday with 355 while playing the position. Now, he is primarily a first baseman.
He caught for the first time since May 23 Thursday and was behind the plate again Friday night.
"It's a real honor that these men changed their schedules to come here," Piazza said. "It's a tribute to the game, to the position of catcher. It's a celebration of the game and the position of catcher more than the home run mark.
"I guess I feel like I'm retiring."
YANKS DEAL RELIEVER: New York traded struggling left-hander Gabe White back to the Reds for minor-league left-hander Charlie Manning. Cincinnati also gets a player to be named and cash.
Yankees right-handed reliever Steve Karsay resumed throwing four days after canceling a scheduled rehabilitation start because of shoulder trouble.
Reds outfielder Austin Kearns was scratched from a rehabilitation start for Triple-A Louisville and sent to Cincinnati because of a persistent sore inside his right thumb.
PETTITTE PITCHES: Astros left-hander Andy Pettitte allowed two runs in three innings of a rehabilitation start for Double-A Round Rock. Pettitte, on the disabled list since May 27 with a strained left forearm, struck out four and gave up a home run in front of a record 13,415.
BREWERS: First-round pick Mark Rogers, a right-hander from a Maine high school, agreed to terms. Terms were not disclosed. Rogers, the fifth choice overall, is the second-highest pick to come to terms after high school shortstop Matt Bush, the top overall pick by the Padres.
CARDINALS: With Mike Matheny activated off the 15-day disabled list, manager Tony La Russa has decided to go with three catchers, keeping rookies Yadier Molina and Cody McKay and optioning right-handed reliever Jason Simontacchi to Triple-A Memphis.
MARLINS: Right-hander Josh Beckett expects to make his next start despite a strained back muscle.
ORIOLES: Leftfielder B.J. Surhoff left in the fourth with a strained left calf.
PIRATES: Right-hander Salomon Torres was suspended for four games for throwing at Oakland's Damian Miller on June 12, and manager Lloyd McClendon was suspended for one game because Torres' actions came after a warning had been issued. ... Right-hander Kip Wells will miss his scheduled start today with irritation in his right middle finger.
RANGERS: First-round draft pick Eric Hurley, a right-hander from Jacksonville Wolfson High, signed and received a $1.05-million signing bonus.
RED SOX: An MRI exam on right-hander Curt Schilling's sore right ankle showed no damage that would require him to miss his next start, team doctor Bill Morgan said.
ROCKIES: Centerfielder Preston Wilson, out since April after surgery on his left knee, was activated from the disabled list. Wilson returned after six games at Double-A Tulsa, skipping the expected stop at Triple A.
ROYALS: Catcher Benito Santiago will miss six to eight weeks after breaking his left hand.
