MLB wants delayed start
Major League Baseball has proposed a onemonth delay in starting spring training due to the coronavirus pandemic and pushing back opening day to April 28, two people familiar with the plan told The Associated Press.
Under the plan presented to the players’ union on Friday, the regular season would be cut from 162 games to 154.
Also, the playoffs would be expanded from 10 teams to 14, the designated hitter would extend to the National League for the second straight season and MLB would keep the experimental rules for seven-inning doubleheaders and beginning extra innings with a runner on second base.
All players would report for spring training on March 22, back from the current calendar that calls a voluntary reporting date of Feb. 17 for pitchers, catchers and injured players, and Feb. 22 for others.
Opening day would be pushed back 27 days from its currently scheduled April 1 and the regular season would end Oct. 10 instead of Oct. 3. The postseason would extend into November.
Seven teams in each league would make the playoffs, and only the division winner with the best record would receive a bye in the best-of-three first round.
While the plan says players would receive 100% of pay if all 154 scheduled games are played, Manfred would have an expanded right to stop spring training, the regular season or the postseason under certain conditions.
The Major League Baseball Players Association is expected Monday to reject MLB’s proposal after having discussions among the sub-executive council and player representatives, two people with knowledge of the talks told USA TODAY Sports.
AUTO RACING
Wayne Taylor Racing won its record-tying third consecutive Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, using a new car and a new lineup to beat some of the best racers in the world.
Filipe Albuquerque held off Kamui Kobayashi and Renger van der Zande – both part of WTR’s winning teams the last two seasons and both seeking to become the first winners of three consecutive Rolex races – to give the overhauled Taylor team its fourth win in the last five years at Daytona.
Albuquerque was challenged over the final 25 minutes by van der Zande, driving a Cadillac for Chip Ganassi Racing, until the team suffered a second tire failure with seven minutes remaining.
Kobayashi cycled into second but didn’t have enough to catch Albuquerque, who closed out the first overall victory for Acura in the prestigious twice-round-the-clock endurance race.
Wayne Taylor Racing left General Motors after 28 years at the end of last season to become a factory Acura program and the team needed every minute of the last two months to get its car ready for Daytona. Wayne Taylor replaced his entire lineup for the move to Acura and hired Albuquerque, as well as his oldest son, Ricky Taylor, Helio Castroneves and Alexander Rossi. The trio all drove the Acura the last three seasons for Team Penske but needed new jobs when Penske closed at the end of last year.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Imani Lewis scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to help Wisconsin earn its first Big Ten victory of the season, a 69-57 win over Illinois.
Wisconsin (4-12, 1-11 Big Ten) held the Illini to five points in the second quarter as the Badgers built a 36-22 halftime lead.
Sydney Hilliard finished with 18 points and eight rebounds and Estella Moschkau made hit four of her five three-point tries for 12 points.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Marquette swept previously undefeated Drake (25-23, 25-14, 25-15) at Northern Iowa on Sunday.
The No. 25 Golden Eagles went ahead 21-20 on a Savannah Rennie and Taylor Wolf block in the first set and Hope Werch closed out the frame with a kill to give Marquette an early advantage.
MU (3-1) coasted in the second set after sprinting to an 11-2 lead and closed out the match with a Katie Schoessow ace in the final frame.
SOCCER
Lionel Messi’s most recent contract with Barcelona is worth up to $673 million over four seasons, the El Mundo newspaper reported Sunday.
The Spanish daily said it had access to the document Messi signed with the Catalan club in 2017, which included fixed incomes and variables that could reach nearly $167 million each season. The newspaper said it is the most expensive contract ever agreed with an athlete in any sport.
The report said the 33-year-old player has already secured more than $619 million of the total.
Barcelona denied responsibility for leaking the document and said it would take legal action against the newspaper.