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30	Januar 2019

BOSTON (AP) � Baseball Commissioner

Rob Manfred doesn�t foresee any problems if the World Series winner is invited to visit the White House.Both World Series teams have minority managers for the first time Jason Castro Jersey , and President Donald Trump has had tense relationships with many minority groups.�I think as an institution, Major League Baseball has always had the greatest respect for the office of the presidency,� Manfred said. �That doesn�t change, no matter who�s there. Often we�ve had situations where individuals, players, whatever, don�t agree with all of the policies of the individual that occupies the office. I think the important thing is respect for the office.�Manfred addressed a number of topics prior to Game 2 of the World Series on Wednesday night, including start times and length of games. Boston�s win in the World Series opener took 3 hours, 52 minutes and ended at 12:03 a.m. EDT. Manfred said complaints about World Series start times reflect an East Coast prejudice.�When you start games at 5 o�clock Eastern, it�s the middle of the work day in LA. That�s not quite right either,� he said. �We�re trying to strike a balance and get the point, the window, where we can get the most people all across the country having a meaningful opportunity to watch the game.�Nine-inning games in the league playoffs averaged 3 hours http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-phil-hughes-jersey , 35 1/2 minutes, up 6 minutes from the 2017 postseason and more than a half-hour longer than this year�s regular season.�I am always less concerned about it in the postseason,� Manfred said �It is human nature when the stakes go up, things slow down a little bit.�Manfred anticipates a new round of negotiations with players� union head Tony Clark and his members over pace of play and game rules. Management had the right to unilaterally implement a pitch clock before the 2018 season but did not, and it retains the right to install pitch clocks for 2019. MLB did institute a limit on mound trips without pitching changes for 2018.�I spent a lot of time between the All-Star Game and here talking directly to Tony, trying to map out the things that we�d like to have meaningful conversation about during the offseason, putting him in a position to get prepared to do,� Manfred said.Baseball is monitoring rapid changes to the game caused by analytics, including shorter average outings for starting pitchers � and some teams going entirely with relief pitchers.�I do think that starting pitchers being on the field less presents yet another challenge for us in terms of marketing the game,� he said. �You look historically, right, some of our greatest stars are starters, and if they�re out there less Jose Berrios Jersey , it has a predictable effect.�Tampa Bay used a so-called �opener� instead of a starter in 78 games. Oakland and Milwaukee had bullpen games during the playoffs.�I do think it can be a useful strategy for clubs in certain types of economic situations,� Manfred said. �It�s really hard to argue with that based on the early returns. We�ll see how the returns look over the long haul.�Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw expressed concern this week that teams may favor relievers over starters because they are less costly.�The market�s going to answer that question, right? We�ll see what happens in the market,� Manfred said. �I�m not sure that that trend at this point is persistent enough to have a market effect, but we�re going to have another market here in just a few weeks and we�ll see what happens.�Strikeouts exceeded hits over a season for the first time in major league history, causing worry that there are too many pitching changes based on matchups that decrease offense.�I don�t spend a lot of time worrying about whether analytics are a good thing or a bad thing, and the reason for that is they are a real thing,� Manfred said. �We have them. They�re going to continue to use them. There�s nothing you can do to stop people from thinking about the game, however the heck it is they want to think about the game. I think what�s incumbent upon us and what we try to do is pay attention over the course of the season � think about we�ve learned during the postseason and see whether we may need to make some change in response to what we�re seeing.�On other topics:SIGN STEALINGWhile MLB cleared Houston of breaking rules on electronic surveillance, additional rules could be put in place for next season.�Sign stealing in and of itself is not a violation of our rules. It�s been a part of the game since Lassie was a puppy,� Manfred said. �Where it becomes a problem is where there is a use of technology that otherwise violates our rules to aid the sign-stealing process. I think technology is evolving at a rate that it is incumbent upon us to constantly review and update our rules.�TAMPA BAY BALLPARKManfred remains hopeful the Rays will have a plan in place for a new ballpark by Dec. 31, the end of their agreement with St. Petersburg that allows the team to explore sites throughout the Tampa-St. Petersburg area. The Rays hope to leave St. Petersburg�s Tropicana Field and build a ballpark in Ybor City.�I love the site. I think that in terms of its geographic location in the region it�s a good one,� he said. �We have some work to do in terms of getting a financing plan together that will get that stadium built.�ANGELS BALLPARKManfred said the Angels� decision to opt out of their ballpark lease is part of a negotiation and should not cause worry the team would leave the area. A doubleheader Saturday at Camden Yards is not an ideal scenario for the Houston Astros.The defending World Series champions are steamrolling their way into the postseason and do not need any injuries or pitching issues to get in the way in their quest to win the title again.Nonetheless http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-erick-aybar-jersey , Houston and Baltimore will play a single-admission doubleheader after the game Thursday was postponed because of rain. The nightcap will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the opener.Article continues below ...Houston took the opener 2-1 on Friday. The Astros clinched their second straight AL West title on Tuesday. The Astros open a best-of-five Division Series matchup against Cleveland at home on Oct. 5.Houston manager AJ Hinch wants to make sure his players don�t get complacent against the hapless Orioles. �I have stressed to them not to get sloppy,� Hinch said. �You don�t want to play like it�s spring training, then have to go back into playoff mode.�As a result, the series in Baltimore will simply be a tuneup for the postseason. Justin Verlander (16-9, 2.60 ERA) will start the first game Saturday, looking to boost his chances for the 2018 American League Cy Young Award.Verlander has a career-high 280 strikeouts and will likely add to the total against the struggling Orioles. Verlander is 10-5 with a 3.75 ERA in 20 starts against Baltimore. �He�s had some pretty good ones as an Astro,� Hinch said. �When he comes out and sets that kind of tone and gets those swings and misses and the strikeouts, it�s a pretty special day for us.�Dallas Keuchel (12-11, 2.75 ERA) has already set a career high with 272 strikeouts. The left-hander is 5-0 with a 3.54 ERA with 65 strikeouts in his last seven starts.In Keuchel�s last outing against Toronto, he picked up his first win since Sept. 3, (12-11) allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings. He also amassed more than 200 innings in a season for the third time in his career.�It means more to me now than it did the first time,� Keuchel said, alluding to the Astros� stellar run during the past two years.Keuchel is 3-2 with 2.80 ERA in seven starts against the Orioles. Meanwhile Anibal Sanchez Jersey , Baltimore is on course to endure the worst season in franchise history The biggest question facing the Orioles during this final weekend of the season is whether manager Buck Showalter will return to the club in 2019. He was not worried about the uncertainty or expects anyone from the front office to update his status until the final pitch Sunday. �I�ve got a contract through the end of October, so nobody needs to or has to do that,� Showalter said. �There�s a lot of people in this world like that. Who am I? I mean, really? Is it that important? No.�For Baltimore, Dylan Bundy will start the first game of Saturday�s doubleheader and Yefry Ramírez will start the nightcap. Bundy (8-16, 5.49 ERA) has struggled in the second half of the season. Ramirez (1-7, 6.07 ERA) is trying to make his case to be part of the rotation in 2019. Nonetheless, both pitchers will play a part in the Orioles� rebuild. �I think in today�s game a lot depends on how quick the young pitching comes,� Showalter said. �You look at what separates the Houstons. You talk about all the things they do on the field and the good position players, but you�ve got three guys throwing 200 innings, it lets you do a lot of things with your bullpen that other people can�t do.�You try to do it as fast as you can, but you�ve got to do it with your nose down and grind each day and you might be surprised where you stand when those days are behind you.�