McNamee wants suit thrown out

Brian McNamee asked a federal judge Tuesday to throw out Roger Clemens’ defamation suit and to disqualify the pitcher’s lead attorney.

McNamee’s lawyers filed motions in U.S. District Court in Houston, where the case was moved after Clemens filed it in Texas state court.

Clemens claims he was defamed when McNamee, his former personal trainer, said the pitcher used steroids and human growth hormone from 1998 to 2001.

“Rather than acknowledging the truth of Mr. McNamee’s allegations, Mr. Clemens has chosen to wage a public-relations battle against Mr. McNamee in the media and the Halls of Congress,” the motion stated.

McNamee’s lawyers also asked that Rusty Hardin, Clemens’ lead lawyer, be removed from the case because he also represented Andy Pettitte for a period last year.

The president of the Dominican Republic’s baseball league said the nation will pull out of next year’s World Baseball Classic if it is not chosen as a site.

“If they do not give us the opportunity of being a host, like we have requested, the Dominican Republic will not participate,” Leonardo Matos Berrido said.

The tournament is run by Major League Baseball and the players’ association. Both declined to comment.

When the WBC began in 2006, sites were Anaheim; Kissimmee, Fla.; Phoenix; San Diego; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Scottsdale, Ariz.; and Tokyo.

Tournament organizers have said the 2009 event will include the same 16 teams that were in the 2006 tournament, which was won by Japan.

Brad Hawpe and Colorado agreed to a $17,425,000, three-year contract, making the right fielder the fourth key Rockies player to receive a long-term deal after the team’s first World Series appearance last October.

Colorado also recently agreed to long-term deals with right-hander Aaron Cook ($34.5 million over four years), shortstop Troy Tulowitzki ($31 million over six years) and closer Manny Corpas ($8,025,000 over four years).

A day after a wild outing, Giants pitcher Noah Lowry was diagnosed with tendinitis in his left wrist and sent back to San Francisco to see a hand specialist. The left-hander is expected to be inactive for at least three or four days. On Monday, he walked nine of 12 batters against Texas. . . . St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright, who won 14 games in his first season in the rotation, agreed to terms on a one-year contract.