The Associated Press

Baseball's average ticket price increased by nearly 4 percent this year, and the Boston Red Sox charge the most for the seventh straight season.

The average price of a major league ticket is $19.82, the Chicago-based Team Marketing Report said Monday. That's up 3.9 percent from last year's revised average of $19.08.

Among the major sports, the NFL has the highest average ticket price of $50.02, according to TMI, followed by the NBA at $43.65 and the NHL at $41.56.

Boston, which plays in tiny Fenway Park, has the highest baseball average at $40.77.

DEVIL RAYS: General manager Chuck LaMar was given a two-year contract extension following six straight last place-finishes.

The agreement will tie LaMar to the team through the 2006 season.

ANGELS: Left-handed reliever Yoshitaka Mizuo agreed to a one-year contract after pitching in Japan for the last 12 years.

The 35-year-old Mizuo pitched for the Seibu Lions the last three years, but appeared in only two games last season. He went 7-9 with a 3.42 ERA and two saves in 269 games for Yokohama (1992-94), Orix (1995-2000) and Seibu.

SHORT HOPS: Athletics rookie shortstop Bobby Crosby drove in five runs with a pair of homers - his fourth and fifth of the spring, in a 6-5 victory over the Mariners.

• Left-handed reliever Mark Guthrie and utilityman Orlando Merced were released by the Pirates, a signal they are speeding up their youth movement.

• Dontrelle Willis pitched six strong innings after receiving some advice from Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax in the Marlins' 5-1 win over the Dodgers. Willis, the 22-year-old NL Rookie of the Year last season, allowed one run and five hits while walking one and striking out five.

• The Cardinals traded Kerry Robinson to San Diego for Brian Hunter in a swap of speedy outfielders.