San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Pitchers may face more checks
Major League Baseball is asking umpires to make more random checks of pitchers for sticky substances after watching its crackdown become less effective late last season.
MLB instituted regular checks last June 21 for grip aids. Seattle’s Hector Santiago was ejected on June 27 and Arizona’s Caleb Smith was tossed on Aug. 18, and both received 10-game suspensions.
“After an initial dip in spin rates as a result of the periodic checks, unfortunately the data showed that spin rates started to rise toward the end of the season as players grew accustomed to the circumstances of routine umpire checks,” MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Mike Hill wrote in a memorandum Friday to team owners, executives and managers, and all major and minor league players. “As a result, umpires have been instructed to be more vigilant and unpredictable in the timing and scope of their checks during the 2022 season.”
Karinchak might miss season’s start
Guardians reliever James Karinchak could miss the start of the regular season with a shoulder strain suffered earlier this week in camp.
One of Cleveland’s top bullpen arms, Karinchak
underwent an MRI on Thursday that revealed a mild strain in his right teres major muscle. The team said Karinchak has already shown improvement, but won’t throw for up to 10 days before being re-evaluated.
The Guardians open the season on April 7 in Kansas City.
The hard-throwing Karinchak, who also has a devastating curveball, went 7-4 with a 4.07 ERA and 11 saves last season. Manager Terry Francona has used Karinchak in a set-up role and as a closer.
Karinchak has pitched in 92 games over the past three seasons with Cleveland.
Also, Guardians backup catcher Luke Maile could be out for a month with a strained hamstring. Maile got hurt while running the bases in an exhibition game this week.
Maile spent last season with Milwaukee. The 31year-old has also been with Toronto and Tampa Bay. He signed with Cleveland on March 14.
Yankees’ Judge to get new offer
New York Yankees star slugger Aaron Judge will soon get a proposal for a long-term contract extension, general manager Brian Cashman said Saturday.
“Between now and opening day we’ll make an offer and he’ll obviously receive an offer and all the conversions will have taken place and will either resolve into a multiyear deal or it won’t,” Cashman said. “We’re committed. We’ll make an offer and hear what he has to say in response and then it will be pencils down before opening day.”
Judge said Saturday he was “pretty sure” he doesn’t want to negotiate a new contract during the regular season. The outfielder, who turns 30 next month, is eligible to become a free agent after the World Series.
“We haven’t decided yet, but for right now that’s what we’ve got,” Judge said. “I want to be here.
Get a chance to play here for quite a few more years, that would be great. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I’m not too worried.”
The Yankees and Judge so far have failed to reach a deal for 2022, which could result in the two sides heading into arbitration during the season. He asked for a raise from $10,175,000 to $21 million, and the Yankees offered $17 million.
Rays acquire Cubs’ Ramirez
The Tampa Bay Rays acquired outfielder Harold Ramirez in a trade with the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Ramirez batted .268 with seven homers and 41 RBIs in 99 games with Cleveland last season. He was acquired by the Cubs for cash in November.
Chicago got minor league infielder Esteban Quiroz in the deal with Tampa Bay. The 30-yearold Quiroz hit .268 with 12 homers and 48 RBIs in 68 games with Triple-A Durham last year.