Yankees call Graman's number

The New York Yankees purchased the contract of left-hander Alex Graman from Columbus on Wednesday, and optioned left-hander Wayne Franklin to the Triple-A team a day after he gave up a big home run and was the losing pitcher.

Franklin was 0-1 with a 12.27 ERA in five games with the Yankees. He gave up three hits, including Hank Blalock's two-run homer, while getting just two outs in the eighth inning of a 2-1 loss at Texas on Tuesday night.

Graman had been a starter in the Yankees minor league system until they moved him to the bullpen last month at Columbus. After going 4-5 with a 3.38 ERA in 16 starts for the Clippers, Graman made his first relief appearance June 29. He went 1-1 with a save and a 1.64 ERA in seven appearances, allowing two runs over 11 innings with 16 strikeouts.

"They just basically wanted to try me in the bullpen. They saw what I had done as a starter," Graman said. "I had no problem whatsoever when they make the change. I'm to the stage that whatever helps me take the next step."

Graman, 27, was a third-round pick by the Yankees in the 1999 amateur draft. His only previous major league experience was three appearances (two starts) last season, when he gave up 11 runs and 14 hits over five innings.

RED SOX ACTIVATE GRAFFANINO: The Boston Red Sox activated infielder Tony Graffanino on Wednesday and optioned third baseman Kevin Youkilis to Triple-A Pawtucket. Graffanino was in the starting lineup at second base against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays one day after he was acquired from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday for two prospects. Youkilis hit .286 with a homer and nine RBIs in 31 games for Boston.

PIRATES, CLUB REACHES AGREEMENT ON TROPHY: A bankrupt club has agreed to return the 1979 World Series trophy to the Pittsburgh Pirates if the team helps the group sell the rest of its memorabilia.

The Pirates and the former Allegheny Club reached a deal Tuesday regarding the ownership of the trophy, now on loan to the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Sen. John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center.

But the club's creditors and a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge must approve the deal before it can move forward.

The Allegheny Club operated a restaurant at the Pirates' former home, Three Rivers Stadium. The club declared bankruptcy in 2002. It has since merged with the HYP Pittsburgh Club and now is known as The Allegheny HYP Club.

The Allegheny HYP Club wanted to sell the trophy and other memorabilia to satisfy debts of the former Allegheny Club.

But the Pirates maintained the trophy and memorabilia belong to the team and that the items were only on loan to the Allegheny Club.

Under the deal, the Pirates will receive the trophy and a rebuilt section of the outfield wall from the former Forbes Field, now on display at the Carnegie Science Center.