Campaign contributions to be vetted more carefully

NEW YORK » Major League Baseball will put in place new procedures for vetting political contributions after giving $5,000 to Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Republican senator from Mississippi, and then asking for the money back following her controversial remarks.

MLB’s political action committee donated

$472,500 from the start of

2017 through this Oct. 17, according to Federal Election Commission records. Among the distributions were two $2,500 contributions to Hyde-Smith’s Senate campaign on June 26 and Sept. 24 this year.

“Our lobbyists had a lot of discretion as to what they were doing, particularly with contributions of that size, and there’s just going to be additional oversight here in New York,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday. “We did not review in advance contributions of that size.”

MLB intends to have its legislative affairs committee discuss new procedures before making any decisions.

Manfred did not want to comment on Charles Johnson, one of the San Francisco Giants’ principal owners, and his wife Ann each making a contribution to Hyde-Smith for $2,700, the individual maximum.

Riggleman knows score with Mets

NEW YORK » A day after he was hired as the New York Mets’ bench coach, Jim Riggleman acknowledged he may be viewed as a manager in waiting should Mickey Callaway be fired.

“I certainly understand that, but I just don’t let myself go there,” Riggleman said Tuesday. “I really fully anticipate that the ballclub is going to pick itself up where it left off in the second half last year. I know the Mets did some really good things and got things going in the right direction.”

New York started 11-1 last season in Callaway’s first season as a manager, then struggled with injuries and faded to 44-63 by early August before finishing fourth in the NL East at 77-85.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any issue with any perception because I think we’re going to get that out of the way real quick by the way we work in spring training and the way we get out of the blocks in April as to what our ballclub is going to be able to do,” Riggleman said.

Riggleman, 66, was Cincinnati’s bench coach and became interim manager for the final 5½ months last season. He led the Reds to a 64-80 record after the team’s 3-15 start under Bryan Price. David Bell was hired by the Reds on Oct. 21.

Chisenhall agrees to deal with Pirates

PITTSBURGH » Outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall has agreed to a $2.75 million, one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, leaving the Cleveland Indians after eight seasons.

The Pirates are in need of help in the outfield while right fielder Gregory Polanco recovers from surgery on his left shoulder. Polanco is expected to be out until May after dislocating the shoulder during an awkward slide into second base in September.

The Pirates initially selected Chisenhall in the 11th round of the 2006 first-year player draft. He opted not to sign and was later selected by Cleveland in the 2008 draft.

Chisenhall hit .321 in 29 games and 84 at-bats during an injury-shortened 2018 season.