Pace of play remains key issue
Major League Baseball is having conversations with the players’ association over possible rule changes designed to speed the pace of play, and Commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday at the conclusion of the owners’ meetings in Chicago that he hopes to reach an agreement instead of implementing any measures unilaterally.
The average time of a nineinning game is a record 3 hours, 5 minutes this season, up from 3 hours last year and 2:56 in 2015, Manfred’s first season as commissioner. Management proposed making changes for this year, such as installing pitch clocks and limiting trips to the mound by catchers, but players association head Tony Clark said his side would not agree. MLB can implement changes by itself with one-year advance notice.
“We met with Tony Clark and a group of players last week,” Manfred said. “The tone of those conversations (has) been very positive. Hats off to Tony and the players on that, and I remain confident that we will have changes for next year on the issue of pace of game that will be significant.”
Manfred declined to get into any specifics about possible changes.
In other topics covered at the quarterly meeting:
1 Manfred is unconcerned about reports that Bruce Sherman’s signed $1.2 billion agreement to purchase the Marlins from Jeffrey Loria might be in danger because the group is seeking more financing.
“The group led by Mr. Sherman has presented us with a financial structure that would allow them to close the transaction consistent with baseball’s rules,” he said.
1 An electronic strike zone isn’t on the horizon. Manfred said the technology isn’t quite there just yet, and he sounded reluctant to make the move when it arrives.
“It would be a pretty fundamental change in the game to take away a function that has been performed by our umpiring staff really with phenomenal accuracy,” Manfred said.
Ailing closer: The Cardinals braced for news on closer Trevor Rosenthal after placing him on the 10-day disabled list with irritation in his right elbow. The right-hander is back in St. Louis awaiting the results of an MRI exam.
Rosenthal has experienced
tightness in the area where the ulnar collateral ligament operates — and sometimes frays or tears and needs Tommy John surgery to repair. Right-hander Luke Weaver was brought up from Triple-A Memphis to take Rosenthal’s roster spot. Surgery set: Arizona righthander Rubby De La Rosa will undergo Tommy John surgery, the second of his career, and could be sidelined until the 2019 season, manager Torey Lovullo said.
De La Rosa first underwent the surgery in 2011 near the end of his rookie season with the Dodgers and missed most of the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Briefly: Washington placed former A’s reliever Ryan Madson on the 10-day DL with a sprained finger . ... Minnesota’s three-time All-Star closer, Glen Perkins, was reinstated from the disabled list after missing more than 16 months because of a torn labrum . ... The Yankees put first baseman Garrett Cooper on the 10-day disabled list with tendinitis in his left hamstring and promoted Tyler Austin from Triple-A Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre . ... Mets infielder Jose Reyes was placed on the 10-day DL with a sore left ribcage.