Protection discussed

With worries about terrorism following attacks in France and California, baseball owners began their two-day meeting in Coral Gables, Fla., on Wednesday by discussing threat protection with the U.S. Homeland Security secretary. Presenting more than 2,400 games a year in venues that attract large crowds, Major League Baseball has tightened checks in recent years. Starting last year, fans were required to go through metal detectors at all 30 ballparks. “There’s got to be more security than there is now. I don’t know what it will be,” Chicago White Sox owner Jerry

Reinsdorf said Wednesday. “Everybody realizes that the world has changed and these people are never going to give up, so we have to give up some of our comforts.” After arriving in a seven-car motorcade, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson addressed owners for approximately an hour and took about a half-dozen of their questions. “He pointed out some very interesting things that we all need to pay attention to, because we are part of maintaining public safety,” Miami Marlins President David Samson said. “What we try to do is walk the line between safety and enjoyment. … The balance is really hard to walk, and what Secretary Johnson pointed out is that our most important job is to walk that balance and to be very aware when you’re getting too far one way or the other.” The meetings, which end today, are the last before the likely start of collective bargaining with the players’ association for a labor contract to replace the deal that expires next Dec. 1. Even before talks with the union, owners have to determine their bargaining positions on key economic issues such revenue-sharing, the luxury tax threshold and rates, and whether management wants to push harder for an international amateur draft.