Rangers unveil diversity internship plans
ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers have established a fellowship program named after the late Charley Pride that will offer 10-week paid internships for students from diverse backgrounds to have the opportunity to work in the team’s front office.
Five rising college juniors or seniors will be chosen each year for the Charley Pride Fellowship Program, which is part of an effort to diversify baseball off the field and in the front office. The program was unveiled Thursday, which would have been the Country Music Hall of Fame singer’s 87th birthday.
Rangers CEO Neil Leibman said the program was Pride’s idea and that details were being discussed before Pride died in December of complications from COVID-19.
Pride, who had a half-century connection with the Rangers and was part of their ownership group the past 10 years, was the first Black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. His music career came after he played baseball in the Negro American League and the independent Pioneer League in the 1950s.
During the 10-week program, each student in the program will rotate through three different front office departments, which they will select based on their interests. There will be able to chose from a variety of departments in the team’s baseball, business and ballpark operations.
Yankees, Mets to have 20 percent capacity
The New York Yankees and Mets will be allowed to start the season with a maximum 20 percent capacity.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at a news conference Thursday that the Yankees could have up to 10,850 fans for their April 1 opener against Toronto at Yankee Stadium and the Mets could have up to 8,384 for their April 8 home opener against Miami at Citi Field.
Attendees will have to provide proof of immunization against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test. That requirement will be re-evaluated in mid-may.
All teams are expected to have fans for the start of the regular
season and all but Detroit and Houston have made announcements, the baseball commissioner’s office said. Only the Texas Rangers will be at 100 percent capacity.
MLB to test computer strike zone in minors
Major League Baseball plans to use Automated Ball-strike technology (ABS) in eight of nine ballparks at the Low-a Southeast League, which starts play May 4 across Florida as minor league baseball resumes after a one-year break caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Major League Baseball Umpires Association agreed in its labor contract that started in 2020 to cooperate and assist if commissioner Rob Manfred decides to utilize the system at the major league level. MLB intends to include the subject in talks this year to replace the agreement with the players’ association that expires Dec. 1.
MLB tracks the accuracy of ball-strike calls by its plate umpires but doesn’t release the figures.
The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional league to let a computer call balls and strikes at its All-star Game in July 2019 and experimented with ABS during the second half of that season. It also was used in the Arizona Fall League for top prospects that year, drawing complaints of its calls of breaking balls.
Mets’ Carrasco hurt during conditioning
New Mets pitcher Carlos Carrasco strained his right hamstring during conditioning after throwing batting practice Thursday and seems certain to miss the start of the season.
Carrasco, a righthander, who turns 34 on Sunday, has has not appeared any any exhibition games this year.
He is in remission from leukemia and had the coronavirus vaccine, causing him to start spring training workouts behind other players. He then stopped throwing for a stretch because of elbow soreness.
Carrasco was traded by Cleveland with All-star shortstop Francisco
Lindor on Jan. 7 for young infielders Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario, and two minor league prospects in righthander Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Green.
Carrasco had been projected to be part of rotation with two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob degrom, Marcus Stroman, Taijuan Walker and David Peterson.
Carrasco went 3-4 in 12 starts with a 2.91 ERA in 2020, his best since a career-best 2.55 ERA when he split 2014 between Cleveland’s rotation and bullpen. He has an 88-73 career record with a 3.73 ERA.
Carrasco is signed at $12 million for each of the next two seasons, part of a deal that includes a $14 million team option for 2023 with a $3 million buyout. The option would become guaranteed if he pitches 170 innings in 2022 and is found to be healthy for the 2023 season.
Woodruff gets start in opener for Brewers
Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Brandon Woodruff will start the Brewers’ season opener for a second straight year. He will face Kenta Maeda when the Brewers host the Minnesota Twins on April 1.
Woodruff, 28, went 3-5 with a 3.05 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 732⁄3 innings last season.
Counsell said Corbin Burnes will start the Brewers’ second game April 3 against the Twins.