MLB – Page 2 – North Platte Post Archive

MLB Players to Undergo Mandatory Domestic Violence Education

Posted on February 24, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — All major league players on 40-man rosters will attend a mandatory education program on domestic violence during spring training.

Major League Baseball said Tuesday the sessions, which will be held for every team under an agreement with the players’ association, will be coordinated by San Francisco-based Futures Without Violence.

MLB officials began meeting with groups about domestic violence last fall after a series of high-profile domestic violence cases involving NFL players. Esta Soler, president of Futures Without Violence, said in September that MLB reached out to her group, which works to prevent domestic and sexual violence and child abuse.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said Monday there also will be an education program for players who are not on 40-man rosters.

The program begins Thursday with Kansas City, Oakland and the Chicago Cubs participating.

Manfred Says Pace of Game Rules Crucial to Luring Young Fans

Posted on February 23, 2015

PHOENIX (AP) — Commissioner Rob Manfred says new rules intended to speed up the pace of games are aimed at luring younger fans to baseball.

Manfred, speaking publicly on the changes for the first time since they were announced last Friday, says the rules are a “measured” approach worked out with the MLB Players Association.

The new commissioner, who took over when Bud Selig retired in January, says he has four children in their 20s, and that the attention span for that generation “seems to be shorter than the rest of ours.”

This season, batters will be required to have one foot in the batter’s box and pitchers and batters will be required to be ready to go at the conclusion of television commercials.

MLB Makes Small Pace of Game Changes, Passes on Bigger Steps

Posted on February 20, 2015February 20, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is making some changes to speed up the length of games but it won’t implement some of the more radical proposals to make games shorter.

The league and the players’ union announced an agreement Friday to enforce the rule requiring a hitter to keep at least one foot in the batter’s box in most cases. MLB also will post stadium clocks timing pitching changes and between-inning breaks.

MLB did not institute many of the ideas experimented with during the Arizona Fall League, such as a 20-second clock between pitches, a limitation of pitcher’s mound conferences involving catchers and managers, and no-pitch intentional walks.

Penalties for violating the new rules start May 1 and will involve only fines. In the AFL, strikes and balls were called against violators.

NL and AL will Bat Last in All-Star Game in Alternate Years

Posted on February 14, 2015

MIAMI (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says the National League and American League will bat last in alternating years in the All-Star Game, regardless of where it’s played.

Manfred disclosed the plan Friday when Miami was awarded the 2017 All-Star Game. The game will be played in an NL city three years in a row for the first time, beginning this summer in Cincinnati.

The American League will be the home team, wear white uniforms and bat last in 2016 in San Diego, Manfred said.

Manfred says: “We will alternate years in terms of who bats last. We will be making that change going forward.”

Manfred Faces Long List of Issues as New Baseball Commish

Posted on January 26, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — Rob Manfred’s desk on the 31st floor of baseball’s Park Avenue offices was tidy on Monday, the first business day after he succeeded Bud Selig and started a five-year term as commissioner.

Having worked for MLB since 1998 as an executive vice president and then as chief operating officer, he didn’t have to move into a new office.

The issues are piled up: Oakland and Tampa Bay want new ballparks; negotiations are ongoing with players over pace of play and domestic violence; Baltimore and Washington are fighting in court over broadcast revenue; there is widespread agreement initiatives must be undertaken to develop young fans and players.

A pitch clock must be considered and decreased offense scrutinized along with increased offensive shifts.

Tighter balls? Shorter fences? A lower mound? Banning defensive shifts?

Perhaps they can be talked about in the future.

AP Interview: Selig says MLB could Expand Internationally

Posted on January 24, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — On his final day as baseball commissioner, Bud Selig predicts a future that could include expansion to other countries.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday, Selig says he leaves with no regrets after nearly 22½ years in charge of the sport.

Selig says “my dream is for this sport to really have an international flavor. Does it need teams in other countries? … If one uses a lot of vision it could.”

There has not been a major league team outside the U.S. and Canada.

Selig’s reign saw expanded playoffs and wild-card teams, the start of interleague play, the use of video review to aid umpires, expansion to Arizona and Tampa Bay, the formation of baseball’s Internet and broadcast companies and the start of drug testing.

Rob Manfred, Selig’s top deputy, becomes baseball’s 10th commissioner on Sunday.

Selig gets Emotional in Final Owners Meeting as Commissioner

Posted on January 15, 2015

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) — Bud Selig concluded his final baseball owners meeting as commissioner after two days of basking in praise for the job he’s done during more than 22 years in charge of the game.

The meeting of all the owners Thursday followed a gala in Selig’s honor the previous night.

Selig said there was more emotion than he thought there would at the dinner and at the end of Thursday’s meeting. Selig noted that there were three generations of owners during his time on the job.

Selig, 80, will be replaced by Rob Manfred on Jan. 25.

Manfred said every speaker at the dinner talked about how Selig had unified the owners after taking over a game that was, in Selig’s words, “a mess” in 1992.

San Diego’s Petco Park to Host Baseball’s 2016 All-Star Game

Posted on January 15, 2015

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) — San Diego’s Petco Park will host baseball’s All-Star game in 2016, making the second straight year the game will be played at a National League site.

This summer’s game will be played in Cincinnati on July 14. The same league hasn’t hosted the game in consecutive years since 2006 at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park and 2007 at San Francisco’s AT&T Park.

Bud Selig made the announcement Thursday at the conclusion of his final owners’ meeting as baseball commissioner.

MLB Average Salary Exceeds $3.8 Million

Posted on December 23, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball’s average salary has shot up to more than $3.8 million following the steepest rise since 2001.

According to final figures from the players’ association, the increase put big leaguers on track to top the $4 million barrier for the first time next year.

The union said Tuesday the 910 players on big league rosters and disabled lists as of Aug. 31 averaged $3,818,923. The 12.78 percent hike was the biggest since a 12.83 percent rise from 2000 to 2001.

Player salaries are increasing after several years of more modest increases. The gain is fueled by record revenue in the $9 billion range, much of it from national TV contracts and regional sports networks.

The average topped $1 million for the first time in 1992, crossed the $2 million barrier in 2001 and the $3 million mark in 2010.

Selig to Become Baseball Commissioner Emeritus Next Month

Posted on December 19, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Bud Selig will be given the title of baseball commissioner emeritus when he retires next month.

The 80-year-old Selig has led baseball for 22 1/2 years. He will be succeeded by Rob Manfred, baseball’s chief operating officer, on Jan. 25.

Selig helped force commissioner Fay Vincent’s resignation in 1992 and was put in charge as chairman of the executive council. He was elected commissioner in July 1998, and his time in charge is second only to that of Kenesaw Mountain Landis from 1920-44.

MLB said Friday that Selig will be available to advise Manfred and assist with special projects. Manfred says “this role will allow the game to benefit from his unmatched institutional knowledge, experience and relationships.”