PITTSBURGH — Right-hander Elmer Dessens signed a minor-league contract Monday with the Pittsburgh Pirates, nearly 15 years after first signing with the team.

Dessens, who turns 36 next week, was 2-8 with a 6.12 ERA in 61 games with Pittsburgh from 1996-98. He was with three clubs last season, going 2-2 with a 7.15 ERA in 17 games with the Dodgers, Brewers and Rockies.

Pittsburgh also signed right-hander Adam Bernero to a minor-league contract. Bernero underwent reconstructive elbow surgery last Feb. 28 and missed the season after previously signing with Boston.

The 31-year-old Bernero is 11-27 with a 5.91 ERA in 150 career games with the Tigers, Rockies, Braves, Phillies and Royals. He was a combined 1-14 with the Tigers and Rockies in 2003.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled defenseman Ryan Lannon and center Ryan Stone from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL before leaving Monday on a three-game road trip.Coach Michel Therrien wanted more roster flexibility as the Penguins play tonight at Florida, Thursday at Tampa Bay and Saturday at Atlanta.Lannon had two goals and seven assists and a plus-6 rating in 35 games with the Penguins' top farm club. Stone, a second-round draft pick in 2003, had seven goals and 12 assists in 34 games.

HOUSTON — Roger Clemens' former trainer said he was willing to go to jail and repeatedly asked the pitcher "what do you want me to do?" during a 17-minute telephone conversation last week.A recording of last Friday's conversation between Clemens and Brian McNamee was played Monday at the start of Clemens' news conference. Clemens' lawyers said that because McNamee didn't deny Clemens' claims that he never used steroids, it amounted to proof that Clemens was telling the truth."I'll go to jail, I'll do whatever you want," McNamee said during the conversation."I need somebody to tell the truth," Clemens said.During the tape, McNamee never said he lied when he told baseball investigator George Mitchell last year that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone in 1998, 2000 and 2001.Late Sunday, Clemens filed a defamation suit against McNamee in Texas state court.

NEW YORK — Bob Sanders' impact on the vastly improved Indianapolis defense, not to mention his impact on opposing ball carriers, earned the Colts safety The Associated Press 2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.Sanders earned 31 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. That was particularly impressive because it was a strong season for individual defensive performances.Next closest in the balloting were Seattle end Patrick Kerney and Tennessee tackle Albert Haynesworth with four votes each.