President Obama goes low with All-Star Game’s first pitch

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS — President Barack Obama was true to his word: He didn’t bounce it.

Obama’s ceremonial first pitch at the All-Star game barely reached the plate Tuesday night. St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols helped the president, moving up on the plate and reaching out to scoop the low toss.

Obama had warmed up on the White House grounds Monday night, and was determined his pitch would get there on a fly.

“We did a little practicing in the Rose Garden,” he said during a half-inning with the FOX broadcasters. “This is as much fun as I’ve had in quite some time.”

Wearing a Chicago White Sox jacket, jeans and sneakers, and cheered by the sellout crowd at Busch Stadium, Obama walked out of the National League’s dugout on the first-base side, shook hands with Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial and trotted to the mound.

From right on the rubber, 60 feet and 6 inches away, Obama wound up and bit his lip as he let go. The left-hander grimaced slightly, and gave a fist pump when Pujols — a Gold Glove first baseman — made the neat grab with a specially made black mitt with “Obama 44” and an American flag on it.

“I did not play organized baseball when I was a kid and so, you know, I think some of these natural moves aren’t so natural to me,” Obama said.

Halladay keeps waiting

Roy Halladay, once again, was inundated with questions about a potential trade.

“It’s definitely different. I can’t say I anticipated it working out this way,” Halladay said Tuesday.

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi recently said he would listen to trade offers for the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner. Halladay is signed through 2010 and would have to agree to a deal.

The deadline for making trades without waivers is July 31.

Martinez agrees with Phils

A person familar with the negotiations says Pedro Martinez has agreed to a one-year contract with the Phillies.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner was in town for a physical, and the Phillies plan a news conference for today.

Martinez went 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA for the New York Mets last year. The free agent pitched in the World Baseball Classic before this season.

Tampa exploring new stadium

A private group examining stadium options for the Tampa Bay Rays doesn’t believe renovating Tropicana Field is a viable alternative to building a new home for the AL champions.

A subcommittee of A Baseball Community — the coalition of political and business leaders created last summer to explore ways to broaden support for a new ballpark — said it would be too costly to transform The Trop into a facility with the amenities of newer major league stadiums.

The preliminary conclusion was presented during a coalition meeting Monday.

The advisory group formed by St. Petersburg mayor Rick Baker is exploring potential sites for a new stadium, as well as discussing ways to bolster attendance and strengthen corporate backing for the franchise.