Toronto ? Even when he was put on a Hall of Fame ballot, Pete Rose failed to get elected.

Rose missed out Monday on making the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, falling short of the necessary 75 percent vote from the selection committee.

“It was a tremendous honor just being nominated,” Rose said on his Web site. “My 4,000th hit that came as a Montreal Expo will always be a special moment in my baseball career. Congratulations to those players that are being inducted. I would like to thank baseball fans throughout the world for their continual support.”

Baseball’s career hits leader, who spent part of the 1984 season with Montreal, was among 46 nominees for the Canadian hall.

Former Toronto All-Star Joe Carter, Canadian pitcher Kirk McCaskill, administrator Richard Belec and the Vancouver Asahi team were elected. The hall did not release the vote totals.

Rose is ineligible for the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., because of his permanent ban from baseball.

Carter played 1,039 games for Toronto and finished with 396 career homers and 1,445 RBIs.

McCaskill spent 12 years in the majors. His 106 victories are second to Ferguson Jenkins (284) in major-league wins by Canadians.

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Affeldt to start for KC: Jeremy Affeldt will start the first exhibition game of the season for Kansas City, continuing a comeback from a finger injury that forced him to miss 50 games last year. Affeldt passed his first test without a problem, throwing 30 pitches in the bullpen and 51 pitches in batting practice Sunday. He’ll get the ball Thursday when the Royals open their exhibition schedule against Texas.

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Astros to honor Columbia: 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.

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Henson sticking with baseball: NFL fans and officials take note. Drew Henson remains committed to baseball. The New York Yankees had originally hoped the former Michigan quarterback would be ready to play third base in the majors this season. But struggles at Triple-A Columbus last year put those plans on hold and fueled speculation again that a pro football career might instead be ahead for Henson. The 23-year-old reconfirmed Monday that his future was in baseball, even though he remains eligible for the NFL draft.

Henson hit .240 with 18 homers and 65 RBIs in 128 games last year at Columbus, striking out 151 times in 471 at-bats. Henson signed a $17 million, six-year contract in 2001.

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Bush retires: Second baseman Homer Bush told San Diego he was retiring Monday, ending his attempt to make the squad as a non-roster invitee. Bush, 30, was troubled by pain in both hips. In six major-league seasons with the New York Yankees, Toronto and Florida, Bush batted .287 in 400 games.

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Indians prospect breaks leg: Third baseman Matt Whitney, a first-round pick by Cleveland last June, broke a leg while playing basketball and could miss the season. Whitney had surgery Monday to repair fractures to his left tibia and fibula. The 19-year-old is regarded as one of the top prospects in the Indians’ organization. He hit .286 with 10 homers and 33 RBIs in 45 games last year in Class A.

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Tigers sign five: Detroit signed starting catcher Brandon Inge and four pitchers to major-league contracts Monday. The Tigers signed right-handers Franklyn German and Gary Knotts, and lefties Mike Maroth and Jamie Walker.