The bank made the commitment years ago, when it was flush with cash. Now that Citigroup is getting billions of dollars in federal aid, Staten Island Republicans Vincent Ignizio and James Oddo say the ballpark's name should be changed to Citi/Taxpayer Field.

Citigroup and Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon have been saying that they have no plan to alter the naming-rights deal for the ballpark, which hosts its regular-season opener April 13.

Wilpon and Citigroup spokesman Steve Silverman said they had no comment on the proposal.

Yankees -- The Yankees are keeping spring-training ticket prices at their 2008 levels.

Tickets for games at newly renamed Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., will cost $17-31, the team said Tuesday.

New York opens spring training on Feb. 25 against Toronto at Dunedin, then starts the 18-game home portion of its schedule the following day against Tampa Bay. The Yankees said it was the earliest start to their spring training schedule in at least 60 years.

Included in the home schedule are exhibitions against the United States (March 3) and Canada (March 5) ahead of the World Baseball Classic.

At the start of the initial tournament, in 2006, the Yankees briefly posted a sign at their spring training home, saying they "did not vote to support this event" and "we are sorry that certain players will not be present for portions of spring training."

Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 13, with the first workout the next day. The spring training schedule ends April 3-4 against the Chicago Cubs with the first exhibitions at the new Yankee Stadium. The first regular-season game at the $1.3 billion ballpark is scheduled for April 16 against Cleveland.

Red Sox -- Boston has expressed an interest in bringing back captain Jason Varitek but have not made a contract offer, the catcher's agent said.

"We've had no financial discussions with the team as of yet regarding Jason," agent Scott Boras said. "We met briefly when the club expressed interest in bringing Jason back. And we told them we were interested in looking into it. It was something we agreed to discuss in the future. So I'm sure sometime after Thanksgiving we'll sit down and talk about it."

Varitek filed for free agency after 11 years with the Red Sox in which he grew particularly valuable for his defense and handling of the pitching staff. His offensive numbers dropped this season, when he batted .220 with 13 homers and 43 RBIs in the final season of a four-year, $40 million contract he signed in 2004 after the Red Sox won their first World Series title in 86 years.

MARLINS -- Florida's new ballpark won't open until the 2012 season, a one-year delay because a recent court challenge slowed the start of construction.

ALSO -- Roger Clemens' former trainer gave samples of his DNA to federal investigators trying to ascertain whether the star pitcher committed perjury before Congress, two New York newspapers reported.

The request for a DNA sample from trainer Brian McNamee suggests that investigators found readable DNA on the syringes, needles and gauze pads McNamee turned over to federal prosecutors in January, The New York Times and Daily News reported Monday night.

McNamee's lawyers have said the items, when tested, would link Clemens to the use of performance-enhancing drugs. They claim McNamee used those needles and a gauze pad while injecting Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone.

Investigators must determine whose DNA is on that material if it is going to be important to the probe. It's not clear whether federal authorities have a sample of DNA from Clemens.

-- ASSOCIATED PRESS