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SPORTSFriday 2 February 2018

MLB would drop 2018 pitch clock if players agree to phase-in

By BETH HARRIS Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred speaks tant in negotiations but has whether or not to impose
AP Sports Writer not set a specific deadline last offseason’s proposal.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Major during a news conference at the baseball owners meetings in for a deal. Training camps “This is just abiding by the
League Baseball has of- open in mid-February deal we already made
fered to ditch its proposal the Four Seasons Hotel, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, in Los Angeles. and big league exhibition with the players,” Manfred
for a pitch clock this year games start Feb. 23. said.
and also would go without Associated Press “We are waiting for a re- In other news:
one in 2019 if the average sponse,” he said. “They are —Manfred said MLB’s latest
time of a nine-inning game about pace of play this game in 2019 is 2:50 or high- well aware we have a cal- pace-of-game proposal
drops to at least 2 hours, 55 endar that is ticking.” to put a runner on second
minutes this season. season.” er, a 20-second pitch clock The union acknowledging base at the start of the 11th
Speaking after a quarterly that pace of play is an is- inning of the All-Star Game
owners meeting ended At a Jan. 23 meeting in with runners on base would sue but has resisted a pitch and each additional in-
Thursday, baseball Com- clock, which has been used ning, and used in the 10th
missioner Rob Manfred New York attended by be added for 2020, the per- at Triple-A and Double-A inning of spring training
said owners authorized him for three seasons. games is “a limited purpose
to implement manage- Manfred, deputy com- son said. MLB did not set a “They think it could be ad- tool” and wouldn’t be used
ment’s proposal from last dressed without a pitch in regular season games.
offseason, which calls for a missioner Dan Halem and specific deadline for the clock,” Manfred said. “I He said it could be used in
20-second pitch clock this don’t see it as something the World Baseball Classic.
year, if an agreement can- union head Tony Clark, union to reach an agree- that needs to be the source —There will be no change
not be reached with the of great contentiousness in the 10-day disabled list
players’ association. MLB said its latest proposal ment, the person added. between us and the play- after Manfred expressed
Management has pro- ers.” concern last season that
posed a deal that would was for an 18-second pitch The average time of a nine- MLB also has proposed lim- teams were manipulating
phase in new rules over the its on trips to the pitcher’s it, especially around the All-
next three seasons clock with no runners on inning game was a record mound. Star break.
“We remain 100 percent Clark, who departed the — All 30 major league clubs
committed to the idea that base in 2019 if the average 3:05 last year and has not meetings before Manfred have agreed to extend
we need to make changes spoke to media, did not re- protective netting to at
to address pace of game time of a nine-inning game been at 2:55 or below since spond to an email seeking least the far ends of both
and the best way to ad- comment. dugouts this season to pro-
dress pace of game for is higher than 2:55 this year, 2011 and at 2:50 or under Under baseball’s collective tect fans from foul balls.
us, the players and, most bargaining agreement, —Jerry Reinsdorf of the Chi-
importantly, for our fans is a person familiar with the since 2006. management has the right cago White Sox replaced
to get an agreement with to implement on-field rules Ray Davis of Texas on the
the players,” Manfred said. plan told The Associated Talks began after the 2016 changes with one year of executive council and Mil-
“There is a strong sentiment advance notice, so in the waukee’s Mark Attanasio
among ownership that Press. The person spoke on but Manfred said just one absence of a deal MLB’s took over from Pittsburgh’s
we need to do something choice would be limited to Bob Nutting.q
condition of anonymity be- meeting that included

cause the details were not players was held during the

announced. 2017 season, last August in

MLB proposed if the aver- Washington, D.C. He said

age time of a nine-inning the next 10 days are impor-

Injured Arizona RHP Miller wins in arbitration; players 2-0

lost in arbitration after ask- along with outfielder Ender James Oldham, Steven
ing for $5.1 million. Inciarte and pitcher Aaron Wolf and Mark Burstein for
Houston closer Ken Giles Blair. He then went 3-12 a raise from $552,500 to
and Miami first baseman with a 6.15 ERA for the Dia- $3.4 million. Miami offered
Justin Bour went to hearings mondbacks. $3 million to the 29-year-
Thursday. A decision also is All-Star outfielder Mookie old, who hit .289 last year
pending for Miami catcher Betts beat the Boston Red with 25 homers and 83 RBIs.
J.T. Realmuto, whose case Sox on Wednesday and will Realmuto requested a raise
was heard Wednesday. get a raise from $950,000 to from $562,500 to $3.5 million
A 27-year-old right-hander, $10.5 million instead of the from Elizabeth Neumeier,
Miller was 2-2 in four starts team’s $7.5 million offer. Allen Ponak and Strongin,
last year. He left an outing Giles asked Phillip LaPorte, and the team offered $2.9
against the Los Angeles Andrew Strongin and Sk- million. He hit .278 with 17
Dodgers on April 23, and ratek for a raise from homers and 65 RBIs in his
Arizona said four days later $555,100 to $4.6 million — third full season.q
he had a partially torn ulnar $400,000 more than Hous-
In this April 12, 2017, file photo, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher collateral ligament. He had ton’s offer. He had 34 saves
surgery May 10. in 38 chances and went 1-3
Shelby Miller (26) throws against the San Francisco Giants during Miller became an All-Star with a 2.30 ERA last year for
with Atlanta in 2015. He had Houston. While the Astros
the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco. a 3.02 ERA but went 6-17 won their first World Series,
and led the major leagues Giles had an 11.74 ERA in
Associated Press in losses. the postseason and 27.00
He was traded after the ERA in a pair of World Series
PHOENIX (AP) — Pitcher Miller was awarded a season to Arizona in the appearances, when he al-
deal that brought highly lowed five runs in 1 2/3 in-
Shelby Miller won his salary $200,000 raise to $4.9 million regarded infielder Dan- nings.
sby Swanson to the Braves Bour asked arbitrators
arbitration case on Thurs- by arbitrators Robert Her-

day against Arizona after zog, Gary Kendellen and

missing most of last season Sylvia Skratek, who heard

because of a torn elbow the case Wednesday. The

ligament, a decision that Diamondbacks argued he

gave players a 2-0 record should be paid the same

this year. salary as in 2017, when he