Giants, Angels test odd rule
Thanks to the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels, baseball got a new twist on the old Abbott and Costello gag of “Who’s on First?”
For confused players and fans at Scottsdale Stadium on Friday, it was “Who’s on Second?”
A day after Major League Baseball announced it would begin extra innings by putting a runner on second base in spring training games, the Giants and Angels jump-started the experiment — they did it to start the ninth with the score tied at 5.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy knew what was going on. Only one problem: He hadn’t told his team.
“For the rest of the spring, they’re taking a look at it, so we did it today,” Bochy said after the game. “Actually, I’ve got to tell them it starts today.”
So as Giants reliever Trevor Gott entered in the top of the ninth and began warming up, third base umpire Alfonso Marquez signaled to the Angels bench to put a runner at second. The split-squad Angels sent Jhoan Urena to the bag.
Gott was confused. “I turned around and asked the umpire, ‘Is he supposed to be here?’” Gott said. “He said, ‘Yeah,’ but he looked like he was kind of joking. I was like, ‘For real?’ He said, ‘Yeah, it starts today.’”
In fact, MLB teams can mutually agree in exhibition play to begin the ninth inning of a tie game with a runner on second base by informing the plate umpire — MLB has asked each team to try it once. If the game is still tied after the ninth, the teams can agree to either end the game or play a 10th inning.
“For here, it’s OK,” Bochy said. “I wouldn’t want to see it during the season. It’s a little different. I’m not sure everybody knew what was going on.”
Phillies
Bryce Harper sustained a bruised right foot when he was hit by a pitch during a spring training game, but manager Gabe Kapler said the team doesn’t have major concerns about the injury. Initial X-rays were negative. Harper went down to the dirt after being struck by a 96 mph fastball from Toronto rookie Trent Thornton. Harper stayed on the ground for a few moments, was checked by a trainer and limped toward the dugout in the sixth inning. “Bryce has a right foot contusion,” Kapler said after a 3-2 win against Toronto. “Right now we don’t have reason for major concern, but obviously we want to go inside and take a look first.” “Certainly extra scary given where we are in camp,” he said. “We’re confident and we understand we have a good club on the field and we’re confident that Bryce is going to be all right.”
Yankees
New York ace Luis Severino will miss all of April because of right shoulder inflammation. Severino had been scheduled to start on opening day on March 28 but was scratched from his first planned spring training appearance on March 5. He felt discomfort after throwing his first slider in a pregame bullpen session. “He’s going to have to start from scratch and have his spring training,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “If it needs to be more, we’ve got to make sure we don’t have a problem with it.”
Nationals
Outfielder Michael A. Taylor will be sidelined with a sprained left knee and sprained left hip, leaving the club thin at that position with opening day less than two weeks away. “I think he’s going to miss a significant amount of time,” manager Dave Martinez said. Taylor favored his left leg as he limped through the clubhouse earlier in the day before going for an MRI.
Indians
Cleveland Indians reliever Tyler Clippard is expected to miss three to four weeks because of a mild pectoral strain. Clippard, who signed a minor league contract on Feb. 23 with an invitation to spring training, left an exhibition game early on March 9 against Colorado. The former AllStar would get $2.5 million if he makes the 40-man roster.