Union chief: Yanks’ president ‘unprofessional’ in arbitration

Baseball union chief Tony Clark called the public comments surrounding the salary arbitration hearing involving Yankees reliever Dellin Betances “unprecedented” and “unprofessional.”

On Saturday, New York Yankees president Randy Levine said Betances’ representatives had “over-the-top demands based on very little sense of reality” seeking a $5 million salary for 2017. The Yankees won Friday’s hearing and are set to pay Betances $3 million for this season.

Betances called it “unfair” to take him into a room to “trash me for about an hour and a half.” Levine accused the pitcher’s agents of using him to chase what Levine considered closer-like money though Betances is a setup man.

Betances, 28, a three-time All-Star, went 3-6 with a 3.08 ERA and 12 saves in 17 opportunities last year. He also had 126 strikeouts, leading big league relievers for the third straight year.

Clark also said he needs to meet with more players before the union can come to a decision on any rule changes — such as raising the strike zone, and there’s a split among players on that issue so far.

“There is nothing that more directly affects players than rule changes,” Clark said.

ANGELS — Albert Pujols is almost ready to get a running start on the second half of his mega-contract with Los Angeles.

Pujols, 37, is making steady progress in his recovery from foot surgery. The three-time National League MVP is rehabiliting at the Angels’ spring training complex in Tempe, Arizona, BASEBALL NOTES with the goal of being ready to play on Opening Day.

“It’s been really good,” Pujols said Sunday. “No soreness at all afterward. That’s a good sign, anytime you get to start hitting in the cage and moving around and doing agility (drills).”

DODGERS — Los Angeles traded veteran left-hander Vidal Nuno to Baltimore for minor league right-hander Ryan Moseley.

The Dodgers needed to open a spot on their 40-man roster before announcing the signing of free-agent outfielder Franklin Gutierrez.

Nuno, 29, never pitched for Los Angeles, which acquired him from Seattle in November for catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Nuno has a 4.02 ERA in 126 games, including 42 starts, over four seasons with the New York Yankees, Arizona and Seattle.

Moseley, 22, had a 3.20 ERA in 12 relief appearances last year for Class-A Aberdeen in his pro debut.

INDIANS — Don’t pencil in Corey Kluber as Cleveland’s Opening Day starter just yet.

Manager Terry Francona said the team will take a slow approach this spring with Kluber, 30, a workhorse for the Indians a year ago who has started Cleveland’s opener the past two seasons.

Kluber pitched 215 innings during the regular season last year and another 34 1/3 innings while helping the Indians reach the World Series for the first time since 1997.

During the postseason, Kluber started on short rest three times, including twice in the World Series against the Chicago Cubs.