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SPORTSThursday 3 March 2016
Yankees closer Chapman agrees to accept 30-game suspension
RONALD BLUM New York Yankees pitcher Aroldis Chapman throws a ball during a spring training baseball firing eight shots into a wall
AP Baseball Writer workout Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, in Tampa, Fla. and window while locked
NEW YORK (AP) — New in his garage.
York Yankees closer Aroldis Associated Press The Davie Police Depart-
Chapman agreed to ac- ment and Broward Assis-
cept a 30-game suspension taken responsibility for his ers. Colorado shortstop an Oct. 30 incident at his tant State Attorney Ste-
under Major League Base- conduct.” Jose Reyes was given an house in Florida. Chap- fanie Newman declined
ball’s domestic violence Chapman became the first indefinite paid suspension man’s girlfriend, 22-year- to file charges, saying con-
policy, a penalty stemming player penalized a finite last week, pending a trial old Cristina Barnea, told po- flicting accounts and insuf-
from an altercation with his number of games under scheduled for April 4, fol- lice he pushed and choked ficient evidence made a
girlfriend last October. the policy, which MLB and lowing an alleged alterca- her. Chapman said there conviction unlikely. Under
Under the discipline an- the players’ association tion with his wife in Octo- was an argument but that MLB’s domestic violence
nounced Tuesday, the agreed to in August fol- ber. he was pushed down by policy, discipline does not
four-time All-Star will serve lowing several high-profile Baseball’s investigation of Barnea’s brother, eventu- have to be predicated on
the penalty from the start incidents among NFL play- Chapman stemmed from ally getting a handgun and a conviction.
of the Yankees’ season on
April 4. He will lose 30 days Chapman, 28, the hard-
of pay — $1,856,557 of his est-throwing pitcher in the
$11,325,000 salary. The major leagues, was traded
agreement specifies he will from the rebuilding Cincin-
be eligible for free agency nati Reds to the Yankees
after this season barring in December. He had said
any additional suspension he would contest any sus-
for off-the-field conduct pension, but a deal was
that would cost him the reached following negotia-
necessary service time. tions with MLB.
“I want to be clear, I did
“I found Mr. Chapman’s not in any way harm my
acknowledged conduct girlfriend that evening,”
on that day to be inap- Chapman said in a state-
propriate ... particularly his ment. “However, I should
use of a firearm and the have exercised better
impact of that behavior on judgment with respect to
his partner,” baseball Com- certain actions, and for
missioner Rob Manfred said that I am sorry.
in a statement. “I am grati-
fied that Mr. Chapman has Continued on page 22
Cadillac played much together in Jordan Spieth signs autographs during a practice round at the errors along the way.
a three-ball,” McIlroy said. Cadillac Championship golf tournament, Wednesday, March 2, “I was too aggressive last
Continued from page 17 “So the next two days are 2016, in Doral, Fla. year, so I think a little bit
going to be enjoyable. more conservative on the
“Everyone’s fighting for It will be good out there, Associated Press par 5s,” Day said. “I don’t
the same prize,” Spieth hopefully a little bit of buzz play the course that bad.
said. “When we get out around that group, very It gives me a lot of con- last year’s final round and It’s just the mistakes that kill
there, we’re playing our much looking forward to me. I’ve got to try and be a
own game. I don’t think that.” fidence coming into this wound up losing two shots little bit more conservative
any of us are buying into Buzz won’t be in short sup- that way.”
any added motivation or ply this week. week and like I said, I just to par in that stretch be- Spieth remembers making
excitement because of The winners of the last 13 an 8 on the par-4 14th two
the pairing. I don’t think major championships are want to put myself in posi- cause his five birdies were years ago at Doral, a mis-
we would at any point. in the field, Dustin Johnson take that could have cost
Not trying to downplay is back to defend the title tion to have the chance to more than canceled out him a shot at a top-10 finish.
it, but for me personally, I he won at Doral a year ago He wound up tied for 34th.
would say it’s going to be when he overtook J.B. Hol- win on Sunday.” by a triple, a double and So this week, his thinking is
a lot of fun ... but I don’t mes in the final round and that any blunder will come
think any of us are buying it’s all going to play out on The Blue Monster rewarded two bogeys. with a stiff penalty.
into the ‘Big Three.’” a course owned by Repub- “If I can play this tourna-
Spieth’s last outing was a lican presidential front-run- Johnson’s patience last Day and McIlroy each ment under par, I think that
rare-for-him missed cut at ner Donald Trump — who would be a good, solid
Riviera. Day was tied for is expected to appear at year and plenty of players made 17 birdies at Doral a goal,” Spieth said. “I think
11th at Pebble Beach in some point before the final I can certainly improve on
his most recent event, and putt drops on Sunday. were talking about taking a year ago — just like John- that. But that’s something
McIlroy missed the cut last “Obviously, this is a great I haven’t done in my two
week at The Honda Clas- tournament,” Johnson said. similar approach this week. son did — and were no- trips here. It’s a challenging
sic. It’s their first time being “It’s got a great field. I won course.
in the same tournament here last year, but since last Spieth went nine consecu- where near the winner by And that’s what I’m con-
since September. year we’ve played a lot of sidering; solid momentum
“I’ve played a lot with Ja- tournaments. So it’s not like I tive holes without a par in the 72nd hole, doomed by going forward from here
son and a lot with Jordan just won here and I’m com- would be trying to beat
over the past few years, ing back. It’s been a year this golf course instead of
but we haven’t really but it definitely feels good. it getting the best of me.”
