Page 17 - ARUBA TODAY

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Friday 18 august 2017

MLB’s Manfred
working on
pace of play BUNKER
with Clark,
players’ union

By JAY COHEN
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) — Major BUSTER
League Baseball is hav-
ing conversations with the
players’ association over
possible rule changes de-
signed to speed the pace
of play, and Commissioner
Rob Manfred said Thurs-
day he hopes to reach an
agreement instead of im-
plementing any measures
unilaterally.
Manfred also said the Bruce
Sherman-led ownership
group trying to purchase
the Miami Marlins has pre-
sented the league with
a financial structure that
would work for finalizing
the deal, and he expressed
confidence that a major
league franchise can be
successful in the market.
Speaking at the conclusion
of the owners meetings, he
also expressed surprise with
veteran umpire Joe West’s
reaction to his suspension
for his comments about
Texas Rangers third base-
man Adrian Beltre.
The average time of a
nine-inning game is a re-
cord 3 hours, 5 minutes this
season, up from 3 hours last
year and 2:56 in 2015, Man-
fred’s first season as com-
missioner. Management
proposed making changes
for this year, such as install-
ing pitch clocks and limit-
ing trips to the mound by
catchers, but players’ as-
sociation head Tony Clark
said his side would not
agree. The league can im-
plement changes by itself
with one-year advance
notice.
“We met with Tony Clark
and a group of players last Stenson opens with 62 in rare Wyndham appearance
week,” Manfred said. “The
tone of those conversa- Henrik Stenson hits out of a bunker on the 15th hole during the
tions have been very posi- first round of the Wyndham Championship golf tournament,
tive. Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, in Greensboro, N.C.
Associated Press
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