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Diabierna 1 aPriL 2022

MLB, players keep automatic runners in extras for 2022

from opening day on April 7 extra-inning adjustments gest was the Dodgers’ 16-in-
through May 1 this year, due will also serve to protect the ning win at the San Diego
to the delayed start of spring health and safety of players Padres on Aug. 25.
training. during what will be a unique
2022 season.” The modification for 2020
Another new rule benefits and 2021 that shortened
Angels two-way star Shohei The “zombie” runner modi- doubleheaders to scheduled
Ohtani. With the desig- fication was applied to the seven-inning games was not
nated hitter adopted in both 2020 and 2021 regular sea- continued for 2022.
leagues, pitchers who start sons as part of adjustments
games in the batting order due to COVID-19. Active rosters will be 28 from
can remain in the game as a opening day through May 1;
DH after leaving the mound. There were 78 extra-inning 26 from May 2 through Aug.
A DH can also enter the game games during the pandemic- 31; and 28 for the rest of the
to pitch. That change will ap- shortened 2020 season, and regular season. Last season,
ply to multiple seasons. the longest by innings were the limit was 26 from open-
(AP) — Major League keep the controversial rule a pair of 13-inning contests ing day through Aug. 31,
Baseball finalized the that starts each team with a “The expansion of the des- at Houston, won by the Los then 28.
rules change Thursday to runner on second base dur- ignated hitter and giving Angeles Dodgers on July 29
bring back automatic run- ing extra innings for the 2022 two-way players enhanced and by Oakland on Aug. 7. Rookie qualifications going
ners in extra innings for a regular season. flexibility to showcase their Every previous season since forward will remain the same
third straight season. talents will benefit the game 1901 had at least one game of as in 2021, when September
The agreement regarding on- for the foreseeable future,” 15 innings or longer days were not excluded to-
Despite an easing of pandem- field rules modifications also union director of player ser- ward the threshold of 45 days
ic restrictions, MLB and the includes expanding active vices Kevin Slowey said in a There were 233 extra-inning for the exhaustion of rookie
players’ association agreed to rosters from 26 players to 28 statement. “The roster and games last year, and the lon- status in future seasons.

Viva Las Vegas: F1 adds Strip as it expands to 3 US stops

(AP) — It’s been 40 years had more than 300,000 last received a massive boost especially here in the U.S.,” fei said.
since Formula One last year and is already sold out from the Netflix docuseries Greg Maffei, President and
ventured into Sin City for for its October race. “Drive To Survive.” CEO of Liberty Media, told Added Stefano Domenicali,
back-to-back Las Vegas The Associated Press. the CEO of F1: “The best
races staged in the park- “Before we opened, there was Season four dropped ahead racing on the planet will be in
ing lot of the Caesars Pal- very little interest or aware- of the F1 season opener this F1 will promote the event the entertainment capital of
ace hotel. ness in America about For- month and Netflix said the alongside Liberty, which is the world. Formula One has
mula One because they had behind-the-velvet rope peek taking on the additional role huge momentum and we are
The European-headquar- no presence here,” Epstein inside the series ranked No. because of its belief in the growing around the world
tered series raced in Las Ve- told The Associated Press. 1 in 33 countries its opening market. F1 signed an initial and the United States is a
gas in 1981 and 1982, then “The first few years, it’s hard weekend. ESPN, meanwhile, three-year contract for the massive focus for us, there is
packed up with little incen- to know if you have a bright said viewership for Sunday’s race, but the exact race date no doubt about it.”
tive to return. Then came new shiny object or you have race in Saudi Arabia broke the was not revealed beyond that
new ownership, slick mar- something that people really week-old record for the net- it will be a Saturday night in No other country hosts more
keting, a Netflix docuseries love and come back for and work and was ESPN’s largest November on a temporary than two races a season. Ne-
and a historic championship aren’t just curious about. F1 audience since 1995. 3.8-mile street course that vada Gov. Steve Sisolak said
battle that all helped F1 ex- will utilize the iconic Las Ve- the city expected 170,000
plode in popularity through- “What you can’t buy is his- “The momentum of For- gas Boulevard. visitors on race weekend to
out the United States. tory and you can’t buy tradi- mula One has been demon- account for 400,000 nights of
tion. You have to make it and strated over the last several “This is somewhat different hotel rooms and an estimated
The U.S. will be the only earn it. The crowds here have seasons and we’ve seen that for us in that we’re taking a economic impact of half a
country on the 2023 calendar told us we’re absolutely do- potential turn into a reality as larger role because of our be- billion dollars.
to host three F1 races in one ing something right.” we watch our fanbase really lief in the opportunity and
season following Wednes- grow around the world, but our belief in Las Vegas,” Maf-
day’s announcement of a NASCAR is the top U.S.
Saturday night race down the series and already races 13
famed Las Vegas Strip. F1 has miles away from The Strip
raced at Circuit of the Amer- at the oval at Las Vegas Mo-
ica’s in Austin, Texas, since tor Speedway. NASCAR last
2012, and in May it will make week made its second ap-
its debut in Miami. pearance at COTA.

Barring any surprises, ex- IndyCar is the American ver-
isting races in Mexico City sion of F1 and the most di-
and Montreal will bring F1 verse series in the world with
to North America five times its mix of road and street
next season. courses, as well as ovals. But
the open-wheel series has
Is it too much for one mar- never challenged F1, even
ket? as European drivers are now
migrating to IndyCar.
Bobby Epstein, president
of COTA, believes there’s F1 didn’t much focus on
enough interest to sustain the U.S. until Liberty Me-
three U.S. races. He could dia Corp. bought the rights
barely draw 100,000 specta- to the series in 2017. The
tors over a three-day week- American company has since
end five years ago; COTA targeted U.S. expansion and