New York Has Ticket Price Woes

Bud Selig has noticed those empty seats at the new ballparks in New York. Should the Yankees and Mets lower their ticket prices? The commissioner said that's up to them.

Selig said yesterday that the teams will consider adjusting the cost of their premium seats. The Yankees declined comment, and the Mets said they weren't thinking about such a move.

Selig said it was not an issue for Major League Baseball to decide, and added he wouldn't make any recommendation.

"They're going to discuss it, and whatever adjustments they want to make, they should make," Selig said. "I wouldn't be presumptuous talking about what they should or shouldn't do."

The Yankees are charging $500-$2,625 for tickets in 25 sections at the new Yankee Stadium in the first nine rows around the infield, an area that contains 1,895 seats. The seats were filled for the April 16 opener, but were more than half-empty for the rest of the homestand.

The Mets have fewer premium seats near home plate and are charging an average of $175-$495 for 1,567 club seats in 20 rows between the dugouts.

-- ROBINSON HIRED: Former Nationals manager Frank Robinson was appointed special assistant to the commissioner, a new role for the Hall of Famer who's spent more than a half-century in baseball.

The 73-year-old Robinson, the only player to win MVP awards in both leagues, also has been an assistant general manager and an executive in the commissioner's office. He was the special adviser to the executive vice president of baseball operations over the past two years.

-- BRADLEY STRUGGLING: After playing one game at far less than full speed, Milton Bradley is back on the Cubs' bench, nursing a lingering groin injury.

"When he's 100 percent, I'll put him out there," Manager Lou Piniella said, one day after Bradley played right field for the first time in more than a week.

Bradley, signed to a three-year, $30 million contract during the offseason, had only one hit in the season's first week before sustaining the groin injury April 12 at Milwaukee.

A career .280 hitter, Bradley is batting .043 this season. He's 1 for 23 and has struck out seven times.

He also was ejected for arguing a called third strike during his April 16 pinch-hitting appearance and was suspended two games for making contact with an umpire. Rather than serve the suspension while he recuperates, Bradley has appealed, telling Piniella it's a matter of "principle."

-- From News Services