Covering the bases

Tom Tresh dies at 71

Tom Tresh, the 1962 AL Rookie of the Year and part of three New York Yankees teams that reached the World Series, has died. He was 71.

Tresh died Wednesday after a heart attack, according to the funeral home handling the arrangements.

Tresh was an 1962 All-Star as a shortstop and made the team again in 1963 as a center fielder. He later earned a Gold Glove in the outfield.

"Tommy was a great teammate," Yankees great Yogi Berra said in a statement. "He did everything well as a ballplayer and was an easy guy to manage."

The Yankees were nearing the end of their decades-long dominance in the AL when Tresh became a regular, taking over at shortstop when Tony Kubek went to serve in the Army. He hit .286 with 20 homers and a career-high 93 RBIs in 1962.

Tresh joined a powerful lineup that already boasted the likes of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris and helped the Yankees reach the World Series from 1962-64.

Overall, Tresh hit .245 overall with 153 home runs and 530 RBIs. He was traded by the Yankees to Detroit during the 1969 season and retired after that season.

A memorial service will held Sunday in Venice, Mich., and Oct. 24 on the Central Michigan campus.

World Series Game 6 delayed

Major League Baseball has agreed to push back the start time of a potential World Series Game 6 by eight minutes to allow Democrat Barack Obama to purchase a half-hour of air time on the Fox network.

Baseball spokesman Pat Courtney said Thursday that the game time would now be set for 8:35 p.m.

Chamberlain may start in 2009

Hank Steinbrenner says Joba Chamberlain likely will return to the New York Yankees' rotation at the beginning of the 2009 season.

"The plan as of right now is Chamberlain is going to be a starter," the Yankees co-chairman said Thursday.

Chamberlain began this year in the bullpen, joined the rotation on June 3, then was sidelined after his Aug. 4 start because of rotator cuff tendinitis that caused him to go on the disabled list. When he returned Sept. 2, he went back to the bullpen.

SHORT HOPS: The Cleveland Indians exercised their $2.5 million option Thursday on utility infielder Jamey Carroll.

* The manager of the Dominican Republic team is still hoping Albert Pujols can play in the World Baseball Classic despite his elbow surgery.