MLB, union make more progress in labor talks
Major League Baseball withdrew its plan for more limited salary arbitration on Tuesday, a day after the union withdrew its demand for greater free agent eligibility.
In the second straight day of talks aimed at an agreement to end a lockout that started Dec. 2, clubs also accepted the union’s framework to funnel additional money to pre-arbitration-eligible players from central revenue, offering a $10 million pool based on awards and WAR. The union has asked for $105 million for the group, usually about 30 players annually.
In addition, management increased its offer to increase the minimum salary for players with less than one year of major league service from $600,000 to $615,000, but with a provision teams couldn’t pay more than that amount. Players have proposed a $775,000 minimum next year, up from $570,500.
Management also withdrew its proposal that would have delinked pensions from inflation, which under the current plan results in automatic increases.
Details of the roughly one-hour bargaining session were disclosed by a pair of people familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because no public statements were authorized.
Given the sides didn’t even speak about central economic issues for six weeks before talks resumed Jan. 13, incremental progress over two days was positive as the bickering sides try to end baseball’s ninth work stoppage and first since 1995.
Still, time is dwindling before the scheduled start of spring training on Feb. 16. Opening day on March 31 will be threatened if there is not a deal by the end of next month.
College men’s basketball
AUBURN SURVIVES SCARE FROM MISSOURI >> K.D. Johnson scored 17 points, including five straight within the final 90 seconds, and No. 1 Auburn survived a scare from Missouri, winning 55-54 in the program’s firstever game as the nation’s top-ranked team.
Johnson converted a three-point play with 1:29 remaining to put Auburn ahead 53-51, then added a layup with 45 seconds left for a fourpoint
advantage, and the Tigers (191, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) held on from there.
Walker Kessler had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Auburn, which shot 30% from the field.
Javon Pickett led Missouri (8-11, 2-5) with 17 points, and Jaron Coleman added 10.
Missouri got off to a roaring start, opening a 10-point lead in the first six minutes while Auburn missed 10 of its first 11 shots.
NO. 24 ILLINOIS HOLDS OFF NO. 10 MICHIGAN STATE >> Trent Frazier scored a game-high 16 points, and No. 24 Illinois held on to beat No. 10 Michigan State 56-55 and take sole possession of first place in the Big Ten.
Illinois (14-5, 7-2) was without AllAmerican center Kofi Cockburn (concussion) and guard Andre Curbelo (COVID-19 health and safety protocols).
The Illini led by as many as 15 points early in the second half before Michigan State (15-4, 6-2) mounted a furious comeback in the final four minutes.
NO. 9 DUKE BEATS CLEMSON >> Paolo Banchero had missed two straight shots when Clemson took a late lead over Duke. With the game on the line, Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski continued to call plays designed for the star freshman.
Banchero scored four of his teamhigh 19 points in the final 90 seconds as ninth-ranked Duke pulled away late from Clemson for a 71-69 win.
Wendell Moore Jr. scored 13 points
for Duke (16-4, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), Joey Baker added 11 and Mark Williams registered his fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Banchero also had seven rebounds and four assists.
PJ Hall led Clemson (11-9, 3-6) in scoring and on the glass with 14 points and 10 boards. Hunter Tyson scored 13 points while Chase Hunter had 12.
College women’s basketball
IOWA’S CAITLIN CLARK SETS BIG TEN RECORD WITH 17 ASSISTS >> Caitlin Clark had 20 points, a career-high 17 assists and seven rebounds, nearly missing her third triple-double in four games, and No. 23 Iowa beat Penn State 107-79 to spoil Makenna Marisa’s third 30-plus performance of the season.
Clark, who was named the Big Ten player of the week for the fourth consecutive time on Monday, was 6 of 17 from the field with four 3-pointers — one from the logo. Clark set a Big Ten record for assists in a conference game, breaking the mark on a pass in the lane to AJ Ediger for a 98-73 lead, and she was taken out a few seconds later.
Marisa, second in the league in scoring behind Clark, finished with 32 points to surpass 1,000 for her career. She was 9-of-18 shooting from the field and 12 of 14 at the stripe to become the 40th Lady Lion to reach the career mark.
Iowa (13-4, 7-1) had a program-record 39 assists on 43 field goals, with three players reaching 20 points. McKenna Warnock, who didn’t score in double figures in the past four games, scored 12 of her 25 points in the third quarter. Monika Czinano added 24 points and Gabbie Marshall scored 12.