Yanks president Levine calls for talks to resume

NEW YORK » Yankees President Randy Levine called on the players’ association to resume negotiations with Major League Baseball to start the pandemic-delayed season.

Levine said the money difference between the feuding sides was not the primary obstacle but rather issues such as health and safety protocols and determining how to deal with a second wave of the new coronavirus.

“So what I believe needs to happen is that the parties need to get together as soon as possible to resolve those issues so we can get the season going,” he said Tuesday. “All 30 clubs want to play. The commissioner wants to play. The players want to play. So let’s get these issues solved so we can begin playing baseball. The March agreement said the players would negotiate these issues. The commissioner has assured me he’s ready to do so. The players should get in a room and start negotiating so we can get going.

MLB has made three proposals, the last for a 72-game season starting July 14 that would guarantee about $1.23 billion of salaries that originally totaled roughly $4 billion and would increase the total to $1.45 billion if the postseason is completed.

Players insist they get the full prorated salaries called for in the March 26 agreement with MLB.

“I’ve been talking to the commissioner on a daily basis. He has been and continues to be dedicated to play a 2020 season,” said Levine, who was MLB’s chief negotiator from 199597. “We all recognize that the players are the heart and soul of the game. I’ve called them patriots in the past and I believe that today.”

Cy Young winner McCormick dies

CORNELIUS, N.C. » Longtime Giants pitcher Mike McCormick, who won the Cy Young Award in 1967, has died. He was 81.

The Giants say McCormick died Saturday at his home in North Carolina after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

McCormick played 16 years in the majors from 1956-71 with the Giants, Orioles, Senators, Yankees and Royals. He had a 134-128 record with a 3.73 ERA and his greatest accomplishments came with the Giants.

He was traded by the Senators back to the Giants following the 1966 season and had a remarkable bounce-back campaign. He went 22-10, leading the league in wins, and posted a 2.85 ERA. He completed 14 games and had five shutouts.