Franchise Notes

USA TODAY reports the Mets signed 16-year-old OF Fernando Martinez to “one of the richest deals for a prospect from the Dominican Republic,” $1.4M, even though “he can’t play in the [U.S.] until he turns 18.” The package also includes $100,000 to pay for a college education (USA TODAY, 7/12).

D’RAYS: In N.Y., Murray Chass writes D’Rays Managing General Partner & CEO Vince Naimoli “raced for the protection of a curtained off-limits area” when asked if he planned on relinquishing control of the team to D’Rays General Partner Stuart Sternberg at the end of the season (N.Y. TIMES, 7/12).

TITANS: In Nashville, Jim Wyatt reported the Titans last Saturday sold the 30,000 available single-game tickets for the ’05 season in “less than an hour.” Only 3% of the tickets were sold at the box office, with 68% sold online, 23% via Ticketmaster and 6% over the phone. The sellouts this season will extend the team’s streak to 73 games (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 7/10).

BENGALS: In Cincinnati, Mark Curnutte reports ticket packages for the Bengals’ first four home games sold out “after heavy weekend sales.” Tickets for those games are now “available only through the purchase of season tickets,” which are “expected to sell out before the season, too, ... assuring that the first four games of the season will be sold out in total and shown” on local TV. That would extend the team’s sellout streak from 11 to 15. The Bengals in ’04 sold out their entire home schedule for the first time since ’92 (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 7/12).