Manfred won’t predict changes in strike zone
Alterations require approval from players’ association.
Commissioner Rob Manfred says he can’t offer a prediction on how likely it is that baseball will be altering the strike zone this season.
Manfred discussed that a nd ot her potenti a l r ul e changes Thursday at the Detroit Tigers’ spring training complex in Lakeland, Fla., which was hosting a Grapefruit League media day. Manfred says there are ongoing discussions with the Major League Baseball Players Association, and it’s not clear what changes might be made for 2017.
“You’d think given my career path that I would be a little better at predicting the outcome of negotiations with the MLBPA than I am. I just don’t know at this point,” Manfred said.
MLB has studied whether to lift the lower edge of the strike zone from just beneath the kneecap to the top of the kneecap. Any change for 2017 would require an agreement with the players’ association.
Manfred has pushed for faster games since he became commissioner two years ago, although he said raising the bottom of the strike zone isn’t really a pace-of-play issue.
“We’re not suggesting that we change the strike zone to shorten the game. We’re suggesting that we change the strike zone to get more action in the game,” Manfred said. “The theory is that the pitch below the knee is being called a strike more frequently, that particular pitch is hard to hit, and that forcing pitchers up in the zone would produce more action.”
Manfred sought to clarify that it’s not the overall length of a game that’s the issue.
“Pace of game is different than time of game. Pace relates to dead time caused by bat t e r s s t e ppi ng out , pitchers not working quickly, trips to the mound,” he said. “What we want is a wellpaced game, with action, regardless of the actual time of the game.”
Yankees: Chris Carter, who tied for the NL lead in home runs last season, finalized a $3.5 million, one-year contract. The deal includes a $500,000 signing bonus, a $3 million salary and $500,000 in performance bonuses.
Orioles: Reliever Brad Brach asked in arbitration for a raise to $3.05 million rather than the team’s offer of $2,525,000. A right-hander who turns 31 in April, Brach was 10-4 with a 2.05 ERA in a career-high 71 appearances last year and made $1.3 million.
Nationals: Neither Max Scherzer nor manager Dusty Baker is certain the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner will be ready to pitch by opening day. That’s because Scherzer is dealing with pain from a broken knuckle on the ring finger of his throwing hand, an injury that arose late season but wasn’t diagnosed until December.
Marlins: The Kushner family, which has close ties to the White House, put the brakes on its negotiations to buy the franchise because of a report team owner Jeffrey Loria may be nominated by President Trump to become ambassador to France.
Blue Jays: Right-hander Mat Latos agreed to a minor league contract and reported to Toronto’s camp.
Mike Condon made 21 saves in recording his fifth shutout of the season, and Dion Phaneuf scored on a power play.
Andrew Ladd scored twice for the Islanders, and Thomas Greiss stopped 25 shots. Nick Holden and Jimmy Vesey scored for the Rangers, who saw a season-best six-game win streak end.
Sidney Crosby scored with 21 seconds left in overtime. He also assisted on two goals and the first assist, on a goal by Chris Kunitz in the opening period, gave Crosby his 1,000th career point. He’s the 86th NHL player to reach that milestone and the 12th-fastest to do it (757 games). He’s also the third Penguin to hit 1,000 with the franchise, joining Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.
Sam Reinhart and Evander Kane scored, Robin Lehner made 23 saves, and Buffalo moved within three points of Toronto for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Buffalo has won consecutive games for the first time since a three-game winning streak from Jan. 20-24. Lehner got his fifth career shutout.
Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen scored power-play goals in the third period to lift streaking St. Louis to its sixth straight win.
Darcy Kuemper stopped 34 shots, and Erik Haula had a goal and an assist for Minnesota. Late
Late
Ducks forward Antoine Vermette has been suspended for 10 games for slashing a linesman in apparent anger after a faceoff. The NHL announced the suspension Thursday. Vermette slapped his stick against the back of linesman Shandor Alphonso’s legs after losing a faceoff to Minnesota’s Mikko Koivu during the third period of the Ducks’ 1-0 win Tuesday. After a disciplinary conference call Wednesday, the NHL issued the automatic 10-game suspension under league rules for applying physical force to an official without intent to injure.