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SPORTS Wednesday 18 July 2018

MLB Stoppage

Continued from Page 18 contract runs through the the field. Strikeouts (24,537)
2021 season, and Clark left are on track to surpass hits
Clark repeatedly main- open a possible return to (24,314) for the first time.
tained players are reluc- the era of strife. Strikeouts also are likely to
tant to change as “stew- “To the extent there are set a record for the 12th
ards of the game.” challenges to those rights, straight season, and this
“We may get to a point historically I would suggest year’s average of 17.0
where those coming to the those have manifested per game is up from 12.6
ballpark or have an inter- themselves in a particular in 2005. The current big
est in coming to the ball- way,” he said. league batting average of
park for whatever reason The union filed a grievance .247 would be the lowest
aren’t 100 percent certain in February against Miami, since 1972. In this Feb. 19, 2017, file photo, Tony Clark, executive director of
that what they are see is Oakland, Pittsburgh and There have been 20,587 the Major League Players Association, answers questions at a
the type of game that they Tampa Bay, accusing the shifts on balls in play, ac- news conference in Phoenix.
want to see,” he said. teams of failing to appropri- cording to Baseball Info Associated Press
More than 100 free agents ately spend revenue-shar- Solutions. That projects to cent) early, we were back with.”
remained unsigned when ing money in an effort to a full-season total of 34,668 to like 5.5 percent down, While he wouldn’t cite
spring training began this improve their on-field prod- — up 29.8 percent from and I’m optimistic.” teams for tanking, he said
year. Many agreed to uct. Manfred dismissed last year and an increase Lack of competitiveness it appears many clubs are
deals at a fraction of the the allegations, saying the from 6,882 for the entire among rebuilding teams deciding to rebuild if ana-
price they thought they grievance was filed “really 2013 season. That has de- also is a likely factor. Three lytics tell them they can’t
were worth and for fewer for publicity reasons.” creased the batting aver- teams are on track to lose compete to win the World
years than they expected. Manfred said the lack of age of stars such as Wash- 100 or more games, which Series.
“What we experienced last interest in free agents was ington’s Bryce Harper, who would match the record “This is only what I am hear-
offseason was a direct at- due to the dearth of qual- is hitting just .214. set in 2002, and five oth- ing, that teams are mak-
tack on free agency, which ity. “At the end of the year And the average atten- ers are on a pace for 90 or ing decisions against the
has been a bedrock of our you’ll look at the perfor- dance of 28,568 is down more defeats. backdrop of what they
economic system, and if mance of those players,” from the 30,159 at the Clark called the atten- believe their roster is going
that is going to be different, he said, “I’m pretty sure, break last year, when the dance drop “dramatic” to yield and the landing
then we have some very based on what’s already final figure was 30,042. MLB and said while weather is place of where their team
difficult decisions to make in the books, you’re go- has not dropped below partly to blame “the con- is going to be at the end of
moving forward,” Clark ing to make the judgment 30,000 since 2002. cerns that fans have in re- the year, that those data
said. that the clubs made sound Manfred blamed early sea- gards to the competitive points suggest if you’re not
Baseball had eight work decisions as to how those son bad weather. integrity piece is one of in a particular place, then it
stoppages from 1972-95 players should be valued.” “We’ve made up some them” along with “players may make more sense not
but has had labor peace Management is alarmed ground,” he said. “We were being moved from teams to look to be the last team
since. The current five-year by what is taking place on down as much as 8, 9 (per- that fans had a connection standing,” he said.q

FFA cool on Usain Bolt’s A-League bid

SYDNEY (AP) — Football sional footballer. “If the trial anteed,” a club statement
Federation Australia has goes ahead and Central said. Bolt’s long-time agent,
responded cautiously to Coast Mariners decided it Ricky Sims, confirmed the
reports Usain Bolt hopes to stacks up and they want to Jamaican athlete is con-
play for the Central Coast offer him a contract, then sidering the Mariners’ offer
Mariners in the A-League. we will have a discussion of a trial. “Usain has made
Reports on Tuesday said the with them around that and it quite clear that he’s in-
31-year-old Bolt, an eight- what might be possible.” terested in playing profes-
time Olympic sprint gold Bolt, who quit the track last sional football,” Simms told
medalist, has agreed to year, has already trialed the Australian Associated
trial with the Mariners next unsuccessfully with Ger- Press. “We’re looking at a
month and may receive a many’s Borussia Dortmund number of options and this
one-season A-League con- and South Africa’s Mam- is one of them.” Australian
tract if he impresses. elodi Sundowns. player agent Tony Rallis,
However, in order to make Many regard reports he who first revealed Bolt’s in-
a deal possible the FFA might trial with the Mariners terest in playing in the A-
would have to top up any as a public relations stunt. League, said Bolt was gen-
salary offered to Bolt from His previous trials were with uine in his desire to play for
its $3 million fund to attract clubs which shared his ma- the Mariners. “If he meets
“marquee” players. The jor sponsor. the benchmarks set by the
Mariners owner reportedly Mariners chief executive coaches, he’ll be given a
has offered to meet 70 per- Shaun Mielekamp said he contract,” Rallis said. “He’ll
cent of Bolt’s salary but the hoped to have details of be treated like another
FFA’s contribution might still any trial finalized by late one of the players and he
be around $900,000. August. “It is crucial to doesn’t want to be treated In this Tuesday, June 12, 2018, file photo, former Olympic and
In a statement late Tues- note that all discussions be- like a different player. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt controls the ball during a charity
day, the FFA said, “While tween the Central Coast “He’s got a point to prove soccer match between members of the 1998 World Cup winning
Usain Bolt is one of the most Mariners and Bolt require and he’s determined French team and a team of international veteran players who
famous athletes on the an initial six-week trial peri- to prove he’s worth a were also involved in the same tournament, at the U Arena in
Nanterre, north of Paris, France.
planet, he’s not a profes- od and no contract is guar- contract.”q Associated Press