In brief

BASEBALL

Prosecutors eye Segui
to testify in Clemens trial

Prosecutors finally have some momentum in their perjury case against Roger Clemens, even if it means dragging in former major leaguer David Segui, a witness who is apparently so reluctant to testify that the judge threatened from the bench: "If he doesn't show up, he'll be arrested like anyone else."

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton indicated Wednesday in Washington, D.C., that he was leaning heavily toward allowing prosecutors to call Segui and another witness to counter an overall impression left by Clemens' lawyers during the six-week-old trial. Segui is expected to say that sometime around 2001, he was told by Clemens' strength coach, Brian McNamee, that McNamee had saved evidence from injections of players to placate a nagging wife.

That would be consistent with McNamee's testimony last week - that he kept waste from an alleged steroids injection of Clemens in 2001 and stored it in a beer can to soothe things over at home. McNamee's wife, according to McNamee, was concerned that he would become the fall guy if his involvement with drugs in baseball were exposed.

But there's a catch. Prosecutor Courtney Saleski said Segui, who retired in 2004 after 15 major league seasons, "doesn't want to come," even though he's under subpoena.

Judge Walton's response: "You just tell him if he's under subpoena, he'd better be here." Or else, added the judge, "he'd better be on the run, because the marshals will be after him."

Also: Manny Ramirez might not be ready to play for the Oakland Athletics by Wednesday, when his suspension ends.

Manager Bob Melvin said the A's want to make sure Ramirez is fully prepared and comfortable with his swing before he plays in major league games following his stint with Triple-A Sacramento. Melvin said he still hopes that could be on time.

Torii Hunter is expected to rejoin the Los Angeles Angels at some point next week after they return from their trip. Manager Mike Scioscia said he still wasn't sure when during the homestand that might be.

The right fielder has been on the Angels' restricted list since May 14, after Hunter's teenage son was arrested in Texas.

The St. Louis Cardinals placed Matt Carpenter on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right side muscle. Carpenter was batting .288 with three home runs and 20 RBIs in 39 games, with most of his starts at first base in place of injured Lance Berkman.

MISCELLANEOUS

Heat star James leads
NBA's all-defensive team

NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James was the leading vote-getter for the league's all-defensive team.

Thunder forward Serge Ibaka, Clippers guard Chris Paul, Grizzlies guard Tony Allen and Magic center Dwight Howard joined the Heat star on the first team. James totaled 53 points, including 24 first-team votes. He averaged 1.9 steals and 7.9 rebounds as Miami ranked fourth in the league in opponent scoring.

The NBA's 30 coaches vote on the all-defensive team by position and were not allowed to pick their own players.

Also: Sprint Cup champion Rusty Wallace led a group of five picked for the NASCAR Hall of Fame's 2012 class. Owner Leonard Wood and drivers Cotton Owens, Herb Thomas and Buck Baker joined Wallace in the Hall's fourth class.

UNLV's Lucia Batta took the first set from 14th-ranked Zoe Scandalis of Southern California but couldn't pull off the upset, losing 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the NCAA Women's Tennis Singles Championship in Athens, Ga.

Alabama grabbed an 11-stroke lead, and Crimson Tide senior Brooke Pancake shot 2-under-par 70 to take the individual lead after the second round of the NCAA Women's Golf Championship in Franklin, Tenn.

Alabama shot 3-under 285 for a 5-under 571 total, with UCLA, North Carolina and Virginia tied for second. Pancake had a 6-under 138 total.