Manfred bullish on European, not Asian, market
LONDON — Major League Baseball has scrapped plans to open its 2020 season in Asia and hopes to play more games in Europe.
MLB started its season in Tokyo for the fifth time in 2019, and its labor contract with the players’ union called for a 2020 opener in Asia.
“We just decided it probably wasn’t the right time to try to do it,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said Saturday.
In addition to Tokyo and London, MLB had two series at Monterrey, Mexico in 2019.
Union head Tony Clark said baseball is focusing on a 2020 offseason tour.
“So we still have Asia tentatively on the calendar as far as we’re concerned,” Clark said in a text. “The 2019 events have taxed the initial play plan that was anticipated during the term of this agreement.”
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox play MLB’s first games in Europe this weekend at London’s Olympic Stadium, the home of the Premier League soccer club West Ham. The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals are to play at the same venue next June.
Manfred said 70% of the tickets for the Yankees-Red Sox games were sold in Britain and 30% in the U.S. Red Sox season ticket holders purchased an average of 5,831 seats per game and Yankees buyers 4,752 during the presale.
“We’re trying to bring baseball to the UK, so that 70% is important to us,” he said. “That 30% is our most loyal, devoted, interested fan base, and the fact that those people want to travel either from New York or Boston to see a Yankee-Red Sox game, it’s not bad news for us, either.”
’69 METS REUNION: The out-ofnowhere 1969 World Series champion New York Mets were honored for their lasting legacy Saturday at Citi Field. Fifteen members of the Miracle Mets paraded down Seaver Way in classic cars, received keys to New York City from Mayor Bill de Blasio and told the same stories for what felt like the millionth time.
Players started the day by recreating the parade route from that unexpected ’69 championship. Driven in vintage vehicles, they were cheered by hundreds of fans along the street recently renamed for ace Tom Seaver. The club announced Thursday it would erect a statue of Seaver outside Citi Field, too.
The 74-year-old Seaver has dementia and could not attend.
De Blasio presented each player with a key to the city and recalled watching “the ultimate underdogs” as an 8-yearold. The devout Red Sox fan confused a few details, though, citing as inspiration the “Ya gotta believe” slogan that wasn’t coined until 1973.
The team gave fans orange pennants featuring names of the ’69 players, and the crowd packed in early before an afternoon game against the Atlanta Braves for an on-field feting.
Players attending were Jerry Grote, Jerry Koosman, Cleon Jones, Ed Kranepool, Bud Harrelson, Wayne Garrett, Ron Swoboda, Art Shamsky, Rod Gaspar, J.C. Martin, Duffy Dyer, Jim McAndrew, Jack DiLauro, Bobby Pfiel and Ron Taylor. Family members for late teammates were also invited onto the field, as was the widow of manager Gil Hodges, Joan Lombardi.
TIGERS: Former St. Louis Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal agreed to a minor league deal after he threw a bullpen session Saturday at Comerica Park. The veteran right-hander pitched in 12 games this season with the Washington Nationals, posting a 22.74 ERA.
CUBS: Left-hander Cole Hamels went on the injured list Saturday, a day after he left a game with discomfort in his left side,. Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez was designated for assignment.