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sports Tuesday 1 december 2020

MLB launches wood-bat league for draft-eligible prospects

By JAKE SEINER the Scrappers again soon."
AP Sports Writer New Jersey Gov. Phil Mur-
NEW YORK (AP) — Major phy announced the "Tren-
League Baseball is creating ton Thunder is saved" during
a minor league for top eli- a COVID-19 press briefing
gible prospects leading to Monday.
the summer draft. The draft league will be op-
The wood-bat MLB Draft erated by Prep Baseball Re-
League is launching with port — a scouting, events
five teams and could add and media organization fo-
a sixth, MLB said Monday. cused on youth ball — and
Teams will play a 68-game former Cape Cod League
regular season that includes coach Kerrick Jackson has
an All-Star break coincid- been appointed president.
ing with the draft in early MLB said in a statement
July. MLB also announced that players will "receive
that the eight-team Pio- unprecedented visibility to
neer League will lose its af- MLB club scouts through
filiated status and become both in-person observa-
an independent "Partner tion and state-of-the-art
League." MLB has pledged scouting technology, and
to provide initial funding for educational programming
operating expenses and In this June 20, 2006, file photo, teams line up along the baselines during the playing of the na- designed to prepare them
will install scouting technol- tional anthem before the first game, in the inaugural season, of the State College Spike baseball for careers as professional
ogy at league stadiums. team in State College, Pa. athletes."
The Pioneer League spans Associated Press Morgan Sword, MLB's ex-
Colorado, Idaho, Montana league baseball. school, college and junior communities, including pol- ecutive vice president of
and Utah and had been The founding members of college players. Follow- iticians. A trio of U.S. sena- baseball economics and
a Rookie-level affiliated the MLB Draft League are ing a multiday break for tors — Sherrod Brown of operations, called the
league since 1964. located in Ohio, Pennsyl- the draft, rosters will be re- Ohio, Joe Manchin of West venture a "one-of-a-kind
Teams in the MLB Draft vania, West Virginia and stocked with the best play- Virginia and Shelley Moore league" that will allow fans
League are going to com- New Jersey: the Mahoning ers passed over by MLB Capito of West Virginia to "see top prospects and
munities that lost franchises Valley Scrappers, the State teams who are still interest- — praised the MLB Draft future big-league stars in
when MLB began shrinking College Spikes, the Trenton ed in signing. League as a way to keep their hometowns." He add-
the affiliated minor leagues Thunder, the West Virginia The start of the season will high-level baseball in their ed that MLB is committed
from 160 to 120 teams. The Black Bears and the Wil- overlap with the College communities. to "preserving and growing
reduction this offseason liamsport Crosscutters. MLB World Series, meaning "I'm glad that MLB listened," baseball in communities
followed the expiration said it is in discussions with some top players won't be Brown said. "The formation around the United States."
of the Professional Base- a sixth team that it hopes to able to join until after open- of the MLB Draft League MLB announced in Septem-
ball Agreement, which announce soon. ing day, similar to other col- is good news for baseball ber that the Appalachian
governed the relationship The season will run roughly lege summer leagues like and for fans in the (Mahon- League, formerly a Rook-
between the majors and from late May through mid- the Cape Cod League. ing) Valley, who will get to ie-level affiliated league,
minors. MLB has planned August, broken into halves. MLB's push to shrink the mi- continue to see high-lev- would be transformed into
to eliminate the separate The first half will be a show- nors had drawn criticism el prospects in their own a wood-bat college sum-
governing body of minor case for draft-eligible high from many in minor league backyard and rally around mer league.q

Bou scores twice, New England reaches MLS Eastern finals

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Gustavo box. Bou gave New England a 2-0
Bou scored his second goal of the lead in the 26th off a rebound off
game in the 86th minute to help the the post, and Orlando City scored
New England Revolution beat 10- in the 33rd when Júnior Urso's capi-
man Orlando City 3-1 on Sunday talized on a loose ball in front of
in the Eastern Conference semifi- the goal. Orlando City's Mauricio
nals. Eighth-seeded New England Pereyra was sent off in the 60th for
will play at Columbus next Sunday a studs-up tackle of Matt Polster.
for a spot in the MLS Cup final. The Crew 2, Nashville SC 0, OT
Crew advanced Sunday night with COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Pedros
a 2-0 overtime victory over visiting Santos and Gyasi Zardes scored
Nashville. Fourth-seeded Orlando three minutes apart early in over-
City had a chance to tie it at 2 in time and the Columbus Crew beat
the 74th minute, but Matt Turner expansion Nashville SC 2-0 on Sun-
stopped Nani on a penalty kick. day to advance to the MLS Eastern
Twelve minutes later, Bou ran to Conference finals.
Carles Gil's through ball and sent it The third-seeded Crew will host
between goalkeeper Brian Rowe's eighth-seeded New England next
legs for a 3-1 lead. The teams Sunday for a spot in the MLS Cup. New England Revolution forward Gustavo Bou (7) scores a goal past Orlando
combined for three goals in the The Revolution beat Orlando City City goalkeeper Brian Rowe, bottom, during the first half of an MLS playoff soccer
opening 33 minutes. Gil opened 3-1 earlier Sunday. match, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020, in Orlando, Fla.
the scoring in the 17th minute on Santos scored in the 99th minute off Associated Press
a penalty kick after Uri Rosell was a feed from Zardes near the center Nashville's shutout streak at more the 102nd on a breakaway off Luis
taken down at the edge of the of the net, ending seventh-seeded than 200 minutes. Zardes struck in Díaz's deft lead pass.q