Newsmakers

Retired Veteran left-hander Mike Hampton retired Saturday in Phoenix, ending a 16-year big league career after giving up on a bid to earn a roster spot with the Arizona Diamondbacks. “I just knew it was time,” the 38-year-old Hampton said. “The fire is there and the passion will always be there, but physically it was just time to shut it down.” The oft-injured Hampton was 148-115 with a 4.06 ERA in 419 games, including 355 starts. He began his career with Seattle in 1993 and played for the Houston Astros, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Braves and Diamondbacks.

Demoted Chicago Cubs right-hander Carlos Silva has been told he will not be on the team’s 25-man roster when the season starts Friday. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry announced that Andrew Cashner will be the club’s fifth starter, leaving Silva without a spot. Hendry said Silva would be offered a minor league assignment, but Silva said there was “no chance” he would report to Triple-A Iowa. If Silva opts to be released, the Cubs are on the hook for his $11.5 million salary this season.

Sidelined Houston Astros shortstop Clint Barmes has a broken left hand, the result of getting hit by a pitch, and is expected to miss four to six weeks. Barmes had X-rays that revealed the injury. He was hit just above the wrist by a pitch from the Yankees’ Ivan Nova in Friday night’s exhibition game in Tampa, Fla. Tommy Manzella was called back up from the Triple-A roster.

• The New York Mets shut down backup catcher Ronny Paulino because of concerns over the results of blood work done when he arrived at camp. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson did not identify the doctors’ concerns. Paulino already was scheduled to miss the first eight games of the regular season to complete a 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance- enhancing drugs last year.

• Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love has been upgraded to questionable for Minnesota’s NBA game against Boston today after improvement in his strained left groin.

Signed The New Orleans Hornets signed forward Patrick Ewing Jr. to a 10-day contract. The move comes a day after the NBA club learned leading scorer David West will be lost for the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his left knee.