Hal Steinbrenner disappointed in team

Yankees co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner emerged from a closed-door meeting in manager Joe Girardi's office yesterday to say he was disappointed in the Yankees' performance this year yet reluctant to trade prospects for veterans in hopes of a spark. He cited injuries, plus inconsistent hitting and pitching. He specifically mentioned the performances of young pitchers Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, counted on to be regulars in the rotation. Both are on the disabled list after combining to go 0-7 in 15 appearances. "The young pitchers at the beginning of year," he said, "it was upsetting at times. It wasn't what we thought. It didn't go exactly the way we thought it would go. But, you know, that's the way it is. We're highly confident in Kennedy and Hughes and that they're going to come back strong when they do come back."

Injured Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano won't be able to play in the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium next week. Soriano has been on the DL since June 12 with a broken left hand . . . The White Sox placed righthanded closer Bobby Jenks (bursitis left shoulder) on the 15-day disabled list . . . Other players put on the DL were Mets reliever Tony Armas Jr. (strained abdominal muscle); Blue Jays righthander Dustin McGowan (rotator cuff); and Rockies outfielder Ryan Spilborghs (strained left oblique) . . . Reds righthander Aaron Harang (3-11) will have an MRI on his right forearm after experiencing discomfort . . . Don Mattingly will resume his duties as the Dodgers hitting coach after the All-Star break. Mike Easler, who has filled the post on an interim basis, will remain with the organization . . . Nationals outfielder Elijah Dukes underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and is expected to be sidelined 4-6 weeks . . . Demolition crews began smashing the historic walls of Tiger Stadium, punching through to the interior of the ballpark that stood for decades. Detroit city officials say an Aug. 1 deadline still stands for a nonprofit group to raise enough funds to preserve the field and part of the stadium between first and third base.

Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman, whose pending salary arbitration case is linked to the Glen Murray buyout decision, has been scheduled to appear before arbitrator Richard Bloch July 30. Per league rules, Bloch must render his salary decision within 48 hours of the hearing. Once the award has been made, the Bruins then have a 48-hour window to reconsider the structure, and payroll, of their 2008-09 roster . . . Coach Ken Hitchcock signed a three-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets, saying he welcomes the chance to turn the only NHL team never to make the playoffs into winners. "This is a challenge I want badly," said Hitchcock, whose The new deal will keep Hitchcock behind the bench through the 2011-12 season. The 56-year-old has an NHL record of 470-314-117 at Dallas, Philadelphia, and Columbus . . . The Capitals rewarded Brooks Laich's career season with a three-year, $6.1 million contract. The 25-year-old center had career highs in goals (21) and assists (16) last season and was one of four Capitals to play in all 82 games. He finished his third full NHL season with 12 goals and 20 points in the final 22 games as the Capitals made a run to clinch the Southeast Division title . . . The Islanders signed alternate captain Brendan Witt to a two-year contract extension worth $6 million through the 2010-11 season . . . Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff re-signed with the Sharks, agreeing to a three-year deal worth $9.3 million . . . The Predators agreed to terms with forward Josh Gratton on a one-year, two-way contract . . . Defenseman Josh Gorges signed a three-year, $3.3 million contract with the Canadiens . The 23-year-old Gorges played a career-high 62 games after being a healthy scratch for most games early in the season. He played in the final 52 regular-season games and all 12 playoff games . . . The Thrashers re-signed forward Eric Boulton, an unrestricted free agent, to a multiyear deal. The 31-year-old led the team with 127 penalty minutes. and matched career highs with four goals and five assists . . . The Hurricanes signed forward Chad LaRose to a one-year, $875,000 contract.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy was grilled about rumors of a Brett Favre comeback - not by the media, but by kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay. Standing at a podium to announce a $100,000 donation to the club in conjunction with the team, McCarthy was asked by 11-year old Miranda Black of nearby Oconto Falls the biggest question in the state these days: "Um, is Brett Favre coming back?" McCarthy politely punted. "I want to know which one of those media individuals made you say that," McCarthy said, referring to reporters standing in the back of the room. "Those are things we'll obviously, we'll get to down the line. But great question." But it didn't stop there, as other kids in the audience of about 75 shouted out questions about Favre, who retired in March but might be having second thoughts. Meanwhile, ESPN.com reported that Packers team president Mark Murphy said he took Favre at his word when he announced his retirement. "I think it's pretty reasonable that, as an organization, we're going to move on," said Murphy.

Former West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez and the University of Michigan have agreed to pay a $4 million buyout and settle a lawsuit that WVU filed after he broke his contract in December. Rodriguez will pay $1.5 million in three annual payments beginning January 2010. The Wolverines athletic department, his new employer, will pay $2.5 million by the end of July and cover Rodriguez's legal fees. "To help Rich focus on the challenges ahead, we have worked with him to resolve the dispute between him and West Virginia University over the terms of his buyout," Michigan athletic director Bill Martin said. "Although he continues to disagree with the validity of the terms, Rich and the rest of us at Michigan felt that it would be best to get this distracting issue behind us." The WVU Board of Governors held a special meeting and approved the agreement . . . Michigan running back Kevin Grady pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge in Wyoming, Mich. Grady faces up to 93 days in jail if convicted of operating while intoxicated. Jury selection will begin Aug. 14 . . . Providence College hockey coach Tim Army signed a multiyear contract extension to remain with the Friars through 2013.

Top-seeded Mardy Fish lost his first match at the Hall of Fame championships in Newport, R.I., for the second straight year, falling to qualifier Rohan Bopanna, 7-6, (8-6) 7-5. The No. 1 seed hasn't won the title in the tournament's 32-year history. In other matches, fourth-seeded Igor Kunitsyn defeated Mikhail Ledovskikh, 6-1, 6-1; and Prakash Amritraj, son of former three-time Newport winner Vijay Amritraj, beat Jesse Levine, 7-5, 6-3 . . . Potito Starace defeated Wimbledon semifinalist Marat Safin, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the Swedish Open at Bastad. Safin, playing in the event for the first time since 1998, won their only previous meeting at the 2004 French Open.

Working to resolve his financial problems, former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield reached agreement in a child-support case and avoided a court hearing in Atlanta that could have led to a call for jail time. Randy Kessler, attorney for the mother of Holyfield's 10-year-old son, said the boxer paid $9,000 in back child support . . . Real Salt Lake will host the 2009 Major League Soccer All-Star Game next July . . . WNBA stars Tamika Catchings, DeLisha Milton-Jones, and Kara Lawson earned the final three spots on the US women's basketball team going to the Olympics . . . Betty Lennox scored 24 points to spark the Atlanta Dream past the host Minnesota Lynx, 73-67 . . . Candace Parker scored a career-high 40 points, but Los Angeles still needed overtime to beat visiting Houston, 82-74 . . . Complications stemming from a toe injury, including Achilles' tendon and calf ailments, knocked 400-meter hurdles world champion Jana Rawlinson of Australia out of the Beijing Olympics . . . Kentucky's racing officials are preparing to vote soon on whether to ban steroids for racehorses. Movement against steroids gained steam after the Triple Crown races this year. Big Brown cruised to victory in the Derby and Preakness with a legal steroid in his bloodstream., then didn't get a dose before the Belmont Stakes and was eased by jockey Kent Desormeaux, finishing last.