The Associated Press

The Houston Astros will wear the mission patch from the space shuttle Columbia throughout the season to honor the astronauts who died earlier this month.

The Astros received permission from NASA and the families of the astronauts to wear the patch. The team also will conduct a special ceremony on opening day, April 1, at Minute Maid Park.

"The astronauts on this mission are true American heroes, and we are deeply grateful to be afforded the opportunity to pay tribute to these incredible people," Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr. said.

RANGERS: Outfielder Juan Gonzalez took part in agility drills Monday, then was held out of the rest of the workout because of a continuing problem with his back.

"He was ready to go, and I probably would have played him if there was a game," manager Buck Showalter said. "At this point it's just better to let him rest."

Gonzalez, a two-time AL MVP, hit .282 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 70 games last year. He was sidelined by an injured right thumb that put him on the disabled list on July 31.

METS: Offense wasn't a problem in the first intrasquad game under Art Howe.

The new manager saw his players combine for four homers and 25 hits Monday as the John Stearns squad beat the Bobby Floyd team 6-4. New York struggled at the plate for most of last season, finishing 11th among the 14 NL teams with 690 runs.

"I thought we swung the bats extremely well today," Howe said. "Far better than any team I've had the first time we've had intrasquad."

INDIANS: Baseball is fun again for Matt Lawton.

"I'm pain free and doing what I love, playing baseball," Lawton said.

Just five months ago, the 31-year-old outfielder's 2003 season was in jeopardy after he had surgery on his right shoulder He had a cyst removed and a torn labrum and frayed rotator cuff repaired.

"I was really a mess in there," he said. "Baseball is not much fun when you are in a lot of pain."

Lawton, who injured the shoulder in April, saw his batting average tumble to a career-low .236 before he finally agreed to have surgery Sept. 13.

SHORT HOPS: Second baseman Homer Bush told the Padres that he is retiring, ending his attempt to make the squad as a non-roster invitee.

Bush, 30, was troubled by pain in both hips. He had surgery on his right hip near the end of the 2000 season.

• Hideki Matsui went 0-for-2 Monday in his first intrasquad game with the New York Yankees. The three-time MVP of Japan's Central League started in left field and hit fifth for starters' team.

"It's been a while since my last actual game," Matsui said through an interpreter. "I felt pretty good playing."

• The Angels' Edison Field is getting a new synthetic warning track.

Attention was brought to the surface when San Francisco's J.T. Snow slipped on the warning track while chasing Tim Salmon's foul pop in Game 1 of the World Series.