After player input, MLB allows some pitch clock delays

NEW YORK » Major League Baseball has clarified its new rules to allow umpires to delay the start of the pitch clock after big swings in which a hitter loses footing or when a pitcher covers first base, third or home, in addition to other clarifications announced Wednesday.

The commissioner’s office said in its memo that if a catcher ends an inning on base, at bat or on deck, an umpire may determine the catcher needs additional time and allow the pitcher another warmup throw and the catcher to throw to second base.

The MLB also said whether a defensive team violated the new shift restrictions will be subject to a video review only involving the first player to touch a ball after a pitch.

The league also said that after a batter uses his one allowed timeout during a plate appearance, the clock shall start when the hitter indicates he is ready in addition to the previous specification when he returned to the batter’s box.

The clarifications ahead of March 30 openers were contained in a four-page memo sent by MLB senior vice president Michael Hill to managers, general managers and assistant general managers, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press.

“They’re important in my mind because they’re responsive to things players said to us,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday night before Japan beat the United States 3-2 in the World Baseball Classic

championship game.

Baseball’s 11-man competition committee, established in the labor agreement last March, adopted the pitch clock and shift limits last September over the opposition of the four players on the panel. MLB set the pitch clock at 15 seconds with no runners and 20 seconds with runners.

The average time of spring training games through Monday was down 25 minutes to 2 hours, 36 minutes. Violations per game were 1.03 during the past week, down from 2.03 during spring training’s first week, according to the memo.

Teams were told bat boys and girls in the visiting dugout will meet with the visiting club before each series to discuss the player preferences. MLB said it will monitor the bat boys and girls to determine whether they contribute to non-compliance with the pace of game procedures.

Sakamoto leads after short program at figure skating worlds

SAITAMA, JAPAN » Defending champion Kaori Sakamoto took the lead after the women’s short program at the world figure skating championships on Wednesday.

Aiming to become the first Japanese skater to win back-to-back world titles, Sakamoto received 79.24 points at Saitama Super Arena for a routine that featured a double axel, a triple lutz and a triple flip, triple toeloop combination.

Russia’s typically dominant skating team has been excluded from the world championships for the second straight year because of the invasion of Ukraine. That ruled out Olympic champion Anna Shcherbakova and teammates Alexandra Trusova and Kamila Valieva from the women’s event.

Sakamoto is 5.62 points ahead of Lee Hae-in of South Korea going to Friday’s free skate. Mai Mihara of Japan was third with 73.46 points.

“Hearing the crowd cheering reminded me of the last time the worlds were held here four years ago,” Sakamoto said. “I was pleased with today’s short program and will just try to stay focused for the rest of the competition.”

American teenager Isabeau Levito was fourth. The 16-year-old Levito, last year’s world junior champion, received 73.03 points for a strong routine that featured a triple flip, a double axel and a triple lutz, triple toeloop combination.

Russia, Belarus barred from next season’s ice hockey worlds

ZURICH » Russia and Belarus teams were excluded by the International Ice Hockey Federation on Wednesday from all its world championships next season, including the women’s event in the United States.

The IIHF cited security concerns for players, competition staff and fans — because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — to extend the exclusion that will stretch beyond two years when the 2023-24 season is over.

“It is too soon,” IIHF president Luc Tardif said about letting Russia return. “Too many risks.”

The women’s worlds is set to be played in U.S. cities in March or April next year and the men’s event in the Czech Republic is scheduled next May.

Ice hockey is a favorite sport played by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

The Russian Hockey Federation dismissed the IIHF’s security concerns as a “contrived reason” to keep its teams out of competition.

Fury-Usyk fight unlikely as talks about for rematch terms scuttle deal

The proposed fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk to become the first undisputed world heavyweight champion since 2000 appeared to be off Wednesday, with the boxers seemingly unable to agree to rematch terms.

Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, told British broadcaster talkSPORT that his fighter broke off negotiations with Fury because his rival was “putting so many obstacles in front of making the deal.”

Frank Warren, Fury’s British promoter, responded by saying the big stumbling block centered around a dispute over the split of earnings from a rematch.

Warren said he hoped negotiations can resume but time was running out for a deal to be reached for what would be one of the biggest fights in a generation.

The last heavyweight to be the undisputed world champion was Lennox Lewis in 1999-2000.