Owners intend to make White House visit

FORT MYERS — Red Sox principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner announced yesterday they would be attending the White House when the Sox visit May 9 to celebrate their World Series title.

Players in the clubhouse have been fairly split over who will attend, who won’t and who hasn’t made up their mind yet. And manager Alex Cora still doesn’t know if he’ll go, having previously expressed concerns over the derogatory way President Trump has accused Cora’s native Puerto Rico of misrepresenting the number of deaths during Hurricane Maria.

But Henry, who also owns the Globe, and Werner don’t want to make a political statement, they said.

“I intend to go,” Werner said.

Said Henry, “Yes. It’s purely optional. I think it would be a political statement for us not to go and we try and keep politics out of the Red Sox. It’s a tradition and something a lot of our players really look forward to.”

The trip originally was supposed to be Feb. 15, but was pushed back because of the government shutdown. Team president Sam Kennedy said it was inappropriate to visit during the shutdown when so many federal workers were without pay.

The Sox will be in Baltimore for a series with the Orioles beginning Monday, May 6, and will attend the White House during the offday that Thursday.

Clocking in

Spring training games should fly by in 2019.

Commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters there will be 20-second pitch clocks phased into spring training games. It’s to be seen if MLB wants the clock used in regular-season games this year.

Henry said he’d prefer a 12-second pitch clock.

“That’s the rule so why shouldn’t it be?” Henry said. “Anyway it’s a step in the right direction. We need to shorten the time of these games. We feel strongly that pace of play is really important. We’re not in the 1950s. People have a lot of other things to watch and to do, other forms of entertainment. We need to have the game moving.”

Said Werner, “There’s going to be no penalty in spring training if you exceed it, but you’ll get a warning from the umpire. … I think it’s up to the umpire to tell him to step in the batter’s box.”

Dealing with Dombro

The Sox are hoping to come to an agreement to extend president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who signed a five-year contract with the team when hired in 2015.

“This day in age it probably doesn’t make sense for your general manager to go into his final year without a contract, so that would mean something should happen this year,” Henry said.

As for the team signing free agent closer Craig Kimbrel, Werner said flatly, “I think it’s extremely unlikely.”

Shawaryn time

Minor league right-hander Mike Shawaryn will start for the Red Sox to kick off spring training against Northeastern University on Friday, Cora announced.

Shawaryn was a fifthround pick in 2015 and may not have electric stuff, but has demonstrated pitchability in the minors as he put up a 3.44 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A last year . ...

After Henry and Werner said they’re engaged with Chris Sale in contract negotiations, Cora sounded excited.

“It would be great,” the manager said. “Got one more guy who can pay dinners and all that. (Mookie Betts is) already paying for a team dinner before Opening Day. Mookie’s making 20 (million dollars). He crushed the arbitration thing. He took advantage of the process, so he’s paying for that one.

“You talk to (Sale), the interviews and how he handles everything, he handles Boston, he loves it. Very humble guy. He’s been around this area for a while so, he loves his family, and it would be great.”