sf giants press clips friday, march 3,...
TRANSCRIPT
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SF Giants Press Clips
Friday, March 3, 2017
San Francisco Chronicle
Hunter Pence embraces ‘social’ in social media
John Shea
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Being Hunter Pence means being open to the public and inviting fans into
a world extending well beyond baseball.
It also means being a bit different. OK, a lot different.
“I don’t really see myself as that big of a deal,” said Pence, speaking in a self-deprecating way
that makes him even more of a big deal.
Pence, the Giants’ quirky right fielder, is approaching his 11th big-league season and first as a
married man. He said he’s the “same Hunter,” at least in how he carries himself as a ballplayer.
He’s still unorthodox when he throws, swings and runs. He still has wild hair and wears his
pants legs above his knees.
He’s still the most positive guy in the clubhouse. He’s still an easy person to know and
appreciate.
His offseason marriage to Alexis Cozombolidis hasn’t changed his willingness to share his
private life. In fact, he seems even more willing.
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“A lot of people highly value their privacy, and I totally respect that,” Pence said. “We really
enjoy sharing this journey and what it’s like behind the scenes.
“Alexis inspired me to do a lot more on social media. She kind of pushed me. It is fun to show
your personality and let fans know what’s going on, and she kind of encouraged me to let them
know who I am.
“She’ll say ‘Tweet that.’ Or ‘send out that picture.’ OK.”
Pence is on Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat and Facebook, a far cry from many players who
prefer their privacy once they walk off the field. It’s easy to understand considering they’re
already in the limelight, on the Internet and spread across the nation’s sports pages.
Pence uses social media, often cleverly, to communicate and motivate. Promote a charity or
upcoming event. Provide a thought for the day. Or just get goofy.
For example: “Suspenders are the fanny packs of suits.”
And: “I think they should do a re-make of Captain Planet.”
And: “My #ThursdayThought is drink coffee, hit homers, repeat.”
When Pence fouled a ball off his face (as only he could) and was left with a nasty black eye, he
posted a picture of himself in a Pence-ian pose with these words: “I forget that I have a black
eye and scare people.”
When he posted a picture of the couple’s spot-on Halloween costumes — he as Napoleon
Dynamite, she as Pedro — it went viral.
Did we mention he posted the video of his proposal to Alexis at Disney World?
“Alexis said whenever I proposed to her, she wanted it filmed,” Pence said. “If you saw the
actual proposal, I sounded like an idiot. Good thing for the editing, it made me look a lot better.
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I did a terrible job of proposing. Even she was like, ‘What were you doing?’ Yeah, I was
nervous.”
Pence has taken his openness to a new level since Alexis came into his life. She’s a video
aficionado, worked at the gaming outfit IGN and, like Hunter, is an open book on social media.
Her video clips chronicling the couple’s unique adventures are must-see for Giants fans.
“People want that,” Pence said. “I mean, it’s good for players to grow themselves, too, by
building a following, by showing the world who they are, what their interests are. It’s only
beneficial, really.”
Is it all positive?
“Mostly positive. Not all positive,” Pence said. “You can’t please everyone no matter what you
do.”
Is it ever a distraction?
“People can claim anything’s a distraction,” Pence said. “I get tweets saying, ‘You should be
hitting off the tee.’ Trust me, you can’t hit off the tee 24/7. If you make an out, you’re told, ‘You
need to be practicing more.’ That’s now how it works.”
Coffee tastes and video games are hot topics for Pence, who’s known to some people for his
motorized scooters and Hunter Pence signs, which were the rage a few seasons back and a
forum for fans to poke fun at him.
Those signs became popular after Pence, with the help of his then-girlfriend Cozombolidis,
posted a picture of him holding a coffee mug in a straight-out-of-“Seinfeld” diner in New York
with the words: “These pretzels are making me thirsty.”
Suddenly, fans around the majors were compelled to bring signs to games:
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“Hunter Pence puts ketchup on his hot dog.”
“Hunter Pence eats pizza with a fork.”
“Hunter Pence can’t parallel park.”
Pence used social media to solve a crime, too, notifying the public that his scooter was stolen
from outside the Epic Roasthouse on the Embarcadero. Pence, who got his scooter back — he
thanked Batkid — wound up having his wedding reception at Epic with this theme: “Game of
Thrones Meets Harry Potter.”
The wedding day was so epic that the Giants signed an outfielder as a result. General manager
Bobby Evans invited fellow wedding guest Michael Morse to try prolonging his career. He’s in
camp as a non-roster player.
The Pence-Morse bromance continues.
“It’s awesome,” Pence said. “He looks incredible. He’s got that presence, personality, charisma,
leadership, the X factor with the bat. He brings that world-class power to the plate. It’s nice to
have lurking.”
Pence, who turns 34 in April, has a new goal for 2017. Not to play every game as he did in 2013
and 2014, but to stay healthy all season. He says now that playing every game “was detrimental
to me. I think if you take a day here or there, it refreshes you and helps you out a lot.”
Injuries limited Pence to 52 games in 2015 and 106 last season. He’s no longer stubborn about
demanding to be in every day. He’s about staying healthy and getting max production when he
does play.
He’s also about letting the public know all about it.
Life goes on. And it goes on for all to see.
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John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle’s national baseball writer.
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @JohnSheaHey
Pence’s social media channels
Twitter: @hunterpence
Instagram: @hunterpence
Snap Chat: hpiece8
Facebook: www.facebook.com/hunterpence8
San Francisco Chronicle
Cueto on his way to Giants camp, will skip WBC first round
Henry Schulman
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Johnny Cueto is coming to the desert, and the Giants could not be
happier.
The No. 2 starter finally secured a passport and a visa for his ailing father, and the two were
expected to fly to Arizona late Thursday or Friday morning. When they arrive, Cueto will have
more than a month to prepare for his first regular-season start, which should be sufficient.
“Oh yeah, no problem,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “Especially the way he’s been throwing. We
had him on a program. In a way it’s similar to last spring, and that worked out well.”
Had Cueto reported on time nearly three weeks ago, he would have headed to Florida for the
World Baseball Classic on Sunday. But the Giants understand he will skip the first round of the
tournament, with decisions on subsequent rounds to come.
Cueto has faced hitters at the Giants’ academy in the Dominican Republic and might not need
much time before he appears in a Cactus League game, although Bochy might have him throw
batting practice first.
General manager Bobby Evans shed more light on Cueto’s delayed arrival.
Cueto phoned Evans before the Feb. 13 report date and said he wanted to bring his father to
Arizona as Domingo Cueto’s primary caregiver. Giants officials in the Dominican attempted to
fast-track a U.S. visa for the elder Cueto only to learn his passport had expired.
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Domingo Cueto needed to renew the passport in person, which was difficult given his physical
condition. Once that happened, the Giants helped the pitcher secure his father’s visa. But that
can take two weeks even if accelerated.
Cueto’s arrival should enliven the camp at a time when things can drag.
“We’re all excited to see Johnny,” pitcher Matt Moore said. “He’s a very big part of what’s
going on around here. He’s got good energy. Hopefully everything is all right with him.”
WBC boys: Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford are leaving for the WBC on Monday. Both have
work to do.
Posey missed his second consecutive game with a stiff neck. Bochy said Posey felt much better
than Wednesday and wants to catch Friday’s game against the A’s.
So far, Posey has totaled just nine defensive innings and batted four times. Bochy hopes Posey
can catch six or seven innings Friday and again Sunday.
“He said his legs feel as good as they ever have in spring training,” Bochy said. “My biggest
concern is, we’d like to send him off with his timing at the plate, but he’s only had four at-bats.”
Crawford has been playing, but an 0-for-3 Thursday left him 1-for-11 on the spring. He said he
cannot be concerned with results, despite the looming international competition, because
finding his timing is more important.
“Once I get out there it will be pretty easy to get in game mode,” Crawford said. “You want
everything to be a little more season-ready because you want to do well in the WBC. The last
couple of years I’ve started out slowly, but by the end of the spring I’ve gotten my timing down.
I think I’m close.”
Yucky day: The Giants lost to the White Sox 8-6 in a game with 10 errors, six by the Giants, two
each by center fielder Steven Duggar, second baseman C.J. Hinojosa and catcher Nick Hundley.
Hundley committed one error when he threw to second with nobody covering on a very
delayed steal by Rymer Liriano. Crawford should have been at the bag but was caught flat-
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footed by Liriano’s delay in running, a first for the shortstop, who said in Yogi-esque fashion,
“I’d never gotten got before.”
Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
Email: [email protected]: @hankschulman.
White Sox 8, Giants 5
Angels 5, Giants 4
Notable: In the home game against Chicago, Matt Moore allowed four first-inning runs, three
on a Danny Hayes double, but rebounded with 12/3 shutout innings. ... New closer Mark
Melancon has retired all nine hitters he has faced the spring, including three White Sox. ... Tyler
Beede started the road game against the Angels and pitched two shutout innings. ... Chris
Marrero hit his second homer of the spring, but Jarrett Parker, who had been 4-for-9, went 0-
for-3.
Quotable: “He looked like he’s been doing it for years. It says a lot about his athletic abilities
and willingness to learn a new position after being a shortstop for so long.”
— Brandon Crawford, praising Jimmy Rollins, who started at second base and made a quick
turn and throw to start a double play despite speedy Peter Bourjos running to first base.
Friday’s game: Giants vs. A’s, at Mesa, 12:05 p.m. Radio: 680
San Jose Mercury News
Jimmy Rollins thrilled to pass WBC shortstop torch to Brando Crawford
Andrew Baggarly
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jimmy Rollins made the first start of his professional baseball life at second
base on Thursday, and he flipped a nice feed to Brandon Crawford to start a 4-6-3 double play.
It was a deft bit of choreography from one Gold Glove shortstop to another. But it is not the
most important exchange they will make this spring.
Rollins is passing the torch to Crawford, too.
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Crawford leaves on Monday to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. He’ll be their
starting shortstop. He takes over for Rollins, who was the American team’s primary shortstop in
the 2013 tournament and alternated between short and designated hitter with Derek Jeter on
the 2009 squad.
Rollins already took Crawford aside and let him know what to expect.
“It was a fun uniform to put on – the funnest,” Rollins said. “You’re not representing a city
against other cities. You’re representing your country. You hear the anthem every single day,
but you really listen to it when you play in the WBC. It just sounds different. It’s our Olympics.
It’s like the biggest All-Star game.”
Rollins shone brightly among them. He hit .417 with a home run, two triples and a double in 24
at-bats for the squad in 2009 that advanced to the semifinals. In the elimination loss to Japan at
Dodger Stadium, Rollins was the DH and went 4 for 4.
He said he couldn’t wait to compete again in 2013 and hit .321 (9 for 28), but made the final out
against Puerto Rico – popping up to Angel Pagan in center field – in the loss that eliminated
Team USA in the group stage.
Rollins, 38, is ecstatic that he’s turning over the honor not only to someone from his current
clubhouse, but a shortstop whose skills he has admired for a long time.
“He’s not taking over for me — I didn’t start it — but he’s carrying the torch for the shortstops
who came prior,” Rollins said. “The first time you hear about it, on the outside, it’s `Oh, the
WBC, whatever.’ But once you experience it … I mean, man. I’m telling you. He’ll understand
when he gets there.
“And the next time it comes around,” Rollins said, raising a hand, “he’ll be like, `I’m here.””
Crawford isn’t there yet. He was 0 for 3 and is batting .091 this spring, which is not uncommon
for the first week of exhibition games. Crawford said he often doesn’t get his timing at the plate
until later in the spring. He was hoping to accelerate the process this time.
“I’m close right now,” Crawford said. “I’m not getting the results, but I don’t care about the
results as long as I feel good.”
The bigger concern might be Crawford’s WBC teammate, catcher Buster Posey, who has had
just four plate appearances this spring and whose neck stiffness kept him in the trainer’s room
for a second consecutive day. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Posey was improved and hoped
to catch Friday’s exhibition against the A’s at Mesa.
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Bochy said there has been no discussion of Posey potentially pulling out of the WBC.
“Right now, he’s not showing any concern,” Bochy said. “If he can go (Friday), take a day off,
then catch six or seven innings (Sunday), he should be good to go.”
One potential advantage for both Posey and Crawford: they won’t have to dig in against
teammate Johnny Cueto, whom the Dominican Republic had eyed for a start in its second game
against Team USA. Cueto, who was expected to arrive in Giants camp on Friday after a lengthy
delay while tending to his father’s poor health, informed Dominican officials that he wouldn’t
consider competing until the second round.
The Americans and Dominicans are the favorites to advance from a group that includes
Colombia and Canada.
While Crawford is away, Rollins will do more than soak up innings at shortstop. He’ll continue to
get work at second base, and a start at third is coming soon as well.
Rollins said he was happy to get tested in the second inning of the Giants’ 8-6 exhibition loss to
the Chicago White Sox, when speedy Peter Bourjos slapped a ground ball his way with a runner
on first base.
“I’m glad it was Bourjos,” Rollins said. “We had to be quick.”
They were.
“He looked good. He looks like he’s been doing it for a lot of years,” Crawford said. “It says a lot
about his athleticism and his willingness to play another position.”
Rollins had played exclusively at shortstop over his 17 big league seasons, with the exception of
one brief moment in 2002 when he got hit by a pitch on his elbow in the eighth inning. He
moved to second base for one inning rather than exit the game.
Moving around the diamond should be a challenge. Playing with Crawford is making it easier.
“Everything he does is very clean,” Rollins said. “He’s consistent with where he throws the ball
and how he makes the play. When he goes a certain way, I should know where he’s going to
put the ball. You get a guy who’s got a hitch or something, you’re like, `All right.’ The timing can
be a little weird. But he’s just A, B, C. He’s special.
“It’s more him getting used to me than anything else.”
—
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Neither Rollins nor Crawford were responsible for any of the six errors that the Giants made in
their home loss. But Crawford did get fooled by a delayed steal from Chicago’s Rymer Liriano –
the first time in his career that has happened to him, he claimed.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever gotten got,” Crawford said. “It was a super delayed steal. I
checked and he wasn’t going, and then he went the one time I decided to stretch my leg. I was
in mid-stretch. So good job. I tip my hat.”
Left-hander Matt Moore used similar terminology, calling it “a super duper delayed steal.”
With nobody covering, catcher Nick Hundley’s throw went into center field.
—
Mark Melancon worked his third consecutive 1-2-3 inning of the spring, and Derek Law struck
out two in a scoreless inning. … Moore gave up four runs in 2 2/3 innings but was victimized by
some bad luck. … Joe Panik went 1 for 2 and lowered his spring average to .600 in the road
squad’s 5-4 loss to the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Chris Marrero hit his second homer of
the spring, and right-hander Tyler Beede scattered two hits and a walk over two scoreless
innings. Former Giant Yusmeiro Petit tossed three scoreless innings for the Angels. Giants
catcher Trevor Brown might have had the most impressive day in Tempe; he caught three
Angels trying to steal second base.
San Jose Mercury News
Johnny Cueto to join Giants on Friday, bows out of WBC’s first round; Buster Posey remains
sideline
Andrew Baggarly
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – At long last, the Giants finally have a hard date for Johnny Cueto’s arrival in
camp. They expect him to travel from the Dominican Republic on Friday.
Cueto has booked travel arrangements for himself and his 71-year-old father, Giants GM Bobby
Evans said. The right-hander’s arrival in camp has been delayed because of his father’s chronic
health issues; Cueto wanted to continue to care for his father, who had to renew an expired
passport and apply for a U.S. visa before he could be cleared to travel.
With those issues resolved, Cueto should arrive 18 days after the scheduled reporting day for
pitchers and catchers. Cueto originally was scheduled to leave Giants camp on Monday to join
his Dominican teammates in Florida for the World Baseball Classic, but he has informed officials
that he won’t participate in the first round.
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Cueto has indicated that he would join the Dominican team for the second round in San Diego if
the club advances past the group stage. Originally, it appeared that Cueto would face Giants
teammates Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford when the Dominican squad faced Team USA in
the second game of the group stage in Miami on March 11.
Cueto has been throwing live batting practice to teenage prospects at the Giants’ complex near
Santo Domingo, but Manager Bruce Bochy said he would hold off on setting an exhibition
schedule for the right-hander until coaches can evaluate his progress in person.
It’s likely that Cueto would throw live batting practice here in Arizona before he would appear
in a Cactus League exhibition game, Bochy said.
—
Bochy insisted that Posey’s participation in the WBC was not in jeopardy, even though the
Giants catcher was scratched from Wednesday night’s exhibition lineup because of a stiff neck,
and plans to DH him in one of Thursday’s Cactus League games did not come to fruition.
Posey has gotten just four plate appearances this spring and also is due to leave Monday to join
Team USA in Florida for the WBC.
“Right now he has not shown any concern,” Bochy said. “He says he feels good.”
Bochy said if Posey could catch on Friday, then log six or seven innings behind the plate on
Sunday, that should be enough to get him ready for WBC games.
—
Jacob Heyward, the younger brother of Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward, is among the minor
leaguers filling out the home split squad roster. Jacob Heyward, an 18th-round pick out of the
University of Miami last year, debuted by posting a .488 on-base percentage in the rookie-level
Arizona League.
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San Jose Mercury News
Sports and immigration: What’s with the visa hold-ups for Giants’ Cueto, A’s Casilla
Elliott Almond
The Trump Administration’s approach to immigration probably has nothing to do with visa
issues involving pitchers Johnny Cueto and Santiago Casilla and other athletes trying to report
to training camps.
The state department hasn’t exceeded the standard wait time this year when issuing special
visas for athletes, according to a source familiar with the process. The Giants’ Cueto is expected
to arrive Friday after working to secure a visa for his ailing 71-year-old father.
ADVERTISING
However, the spring training absences of the Bay Area pitchers highlight a continuing trend as
American professional sports embrace globalization. The United States’ complicated
immigration system has caused hundreds of foreign athletes over the years from arriving on
time although there is a process designed especially for them.
Here is a brief explanation of how it works:
Why isn’t a passport good enough?
The U.S. Immigration Act requires foreigners working in the United States to obtain a visa that
could be best described as a temporary work permit. The country offers foreign workers an
assortment of these work permits. In 1990, the Immigration Act was amended to address the
growing number of foreign professional athletes and entertainers working in America.
The United States’ complicated immigration system has caused hundreds of foreign athletes to
be delayed from reporting to preseason training camps although they have a special visa
designed especially for them.
What visa do athletes need?
The most common work permit for athletes is called a P-1 visa. According to
immigration experts it the easiest documentation to obtain for a professional athlete. P-1 visas
are issued for the length of the season or a player’s contract up to five years. It is renewable.
The other type of permit involving athletes is an O-1 visa, which is for performers with
“extraordinary ability” and is good for three years. The requirements to obtain an O-1 visa are
more difficult.
What are the requirements for a P-1 visa?
Athletes need proof of a contract with a U.S. league or team as well as at least two other pieces
of documentation, such as evidence of having appeared in a U.S. league for a significant extent
of the previous season and proof of his or her recognized ability as an athlete.
How does it work?
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According to a spokeswoman for Homeland Security, the department must first approve P-1
and O-1 applications. Then the document is sent to the state department’s national visa center
for processing. From there, the application goes to the U.S. embassy where the athlete resides
for final approval. The final segment takes about three weeks.
Why are there so many delays?
According to a New York Times report in 2011, one of the biggest reasons for a delay is an
applicant’s criminal record. Officials at the corresponding U.S. embassy will request additional
information to determine whether a certain crime renders the athlete ineligible for a visa. The
applicant can apply for a waiver if denied, but it will cause a long delay.
The Times also reported that some visa delays were the result of a more careful evaluation of
an application because of identity fraud issues. In other cases, the delays were caused by simple
mistakes, such as athletes forgetting to renew passports or failing to show up for their
interview.
What can teams and leagues do to help speed up the process?
Teams need to avoid filing paperwork late or having incomplete applications. A baseball official
told the Times that teams must make sure everything is signed properly as well as every
question is answered. In the case of the single-entity MLS, the league has to complete the
documentation with the team, adding another layer to the process.
MLB.com
Rollins embraces challenge at second base
Chris Haft
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Jimmy Rollins earned all A's in his continuing education as an infielder
Thursday. His healthy attitude complemented his aptitude and adaptability.
Having spent all but one-third of an inning of his 17-year Major League career at shortstop,
Rollins furthered his conversion to utility man with a tidy performance at second base in the
Giants' 8-6 split-squad loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Rollins assisted on four putouts in five innings and particularly distinguished himself when he
fielded Peter Bourjos' grounder and made a slick pivot to flip the ball to shortstop Brandon
Crawford, thus starting a second-inning double play.
"He looked like he's been doing it for years," Crawford said. "I think that's saying a lot about his
athleticism and willingness to learn a new position after being a shortstop for so long."
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A three-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner and the 2007 recipient of the National
League's Most Valuable Player Award, Rollins readily acknowledged that playing second base
initially seemed foreign.
"Going to the other side of the field -- the ball's spinning the other way; the coverages are
different; I never had to cover first base before," the 38-year-old said. "Those are the things
that I need practice at."
After fielding Omar Narvaez's first-inning grounder, Rollins underhanded the ball to first base,
which is acceptable for second basemen. But Rollins looked more at home three innings later
after he ranged to his glove side to snare Laury Garcia's bouncer. Rollins employed the quick,
almost-sidearm flip that all second basemen must master as he threw to first.
"I was happy, because it made me get over there and set my feet to give a good, firm throw,"
Rollins said.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Rollins also will be tried at third base to gauge his versatility.
But Bochy doesn't want to rush the veteran.
"We don't want to throw too much at him. We have a month here," Bochy said.
Rollins expressed confidence in his ability to handle the hot corner.
"I'm a little more comfortable on that side of the field, just because of the angles," he said.
Rollins has long been comfortable as a leader, a trait he demonstrated with left-hander Matt
Moore.
"Between innings, he came up to me a couple of times and said, 'Right there. Stay on them.
Keep going at 'em,'" said Moore, the Giants starter who worked 2 2/3 innings against the White
Sox. "He's definitely in the game. ... I think that's really cool of him."
Rollins' intangibles could become a factor when Bochy and the rest of San Francisco's braintrust
select the team's reserve infielders. Rollins' competitors for a backup role include Kelby
Tomlinson, Gordon Beckham, Conor Gillaspie, Aaron Hill and Jae-gyun Hwang.
Rollins has embraced the challenge. Asked if he was enjoying himself, he responded
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affirmatively.
"As an athlete," he said, "you're always learning something."
MLB.com
Source: Cueto may not pitch for D.R. in WBC ‘17
Chris Haft
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto will not pitch for the Dominican
Republic in the first round of the World Baseball Classic, a source told MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez
on Thursday.
"I heard discussion of that," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who would not elaborate.
Additionally, Cueto's status for the later rounds of the Classic remains unknown. Cueto
conceivably could skip the first round and pitch afterward. However, Bochy said, "I'd like to talk
to Johnny to really find out what he's going to do."
Giants general manager Bobby Evans said Cueto has made travel arrangements for him and his
father to arrive in Scottsdale sometime Friday. Cueto has remained absent from Spring Training
since pitchers reported to camp Feb. 13. He has been caring for his 71-year-old father, who has
struggled with chronic health issues.
San Francisco's status as contenders in the National League West is directly linked to Cueto's
effectiveness. He was the club's winningest pitcher last year, finishing 18-5 with a 2.79 ERA and
earning the assignment as the NL's starter in the All-Star Game.
Cueto, who can opt out of his six-year, $130 million contract after this season, has kept his arm
limber by throwing off a mound and pitching live batting practice at the Giants' Dominican
baseball academy at Boca Chica.
Bochy felt certain Cueto will have sufficient time to prepare for his first regular-season start,
which likely would be April 4 at Arizona.
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"That'll be no problem," Bochy said. "Especially the way he's been throwing."
Cueto's last appearance in the Classic for Team Dominican Republic came in 2009, when he
earned a win after throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts against Panama.
The World Baseball Classic runs from Monday through March 22. In the U.S., games will air live
exclusively in English on MLB Network and on an authenticated basis
via MLBNetwork.com/watch, while ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN will provide the exclusive
Spanish-language coverage. MLB.TV Premium subscribers in the U.S. will have access to watch
every tournament game live on any of the streaming service's 400-plus supported devices.
Internationally, the tournament will be distributed across all forms of television, internet,
mobile and radio in territories excluding the U.S., Puerto Rico and Japan. Get tickets for games
at Marlins Park, Tokyo Dome, Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Estadio Charros de Jalisco in Mexico,
Petco Park, as well as the Championship Round at Dodger Stadium, while complete coverage --
including schedules, video, stats and gear -- is available at WorldBaseballClassic.com.
MLB.com
Posey hoping to ramp up activity soon
Chris Haft
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Giants catcher Buster Posey, who was sidelined for the second straight
day with a stiff neck, hopes to play Friday against Oakland and thus further his preparation for
the World Baseball Classic, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday.
Posey has been expected to combine with Jonathan Lucroy and A.J. Ellis to form the catching
corps for the United States squad. But Posey has appeared in just two Cactus League games and
is 0-for-3 with a walk in four plate appearances.
Conventional wisdom indicates Posey must be able to play a nine-inning game for Team USA,
which will convene in Florida early next week. Bochy said Posey should be able to gain enough
stamina if he can withstand a quick buildup of activity this weekend.
"Right now, he has not shown any concern about not being able to catch nine innings," Bochy
said. "If he can [play Friday], probably take a day off and catch one more game -- get six or
seven [innings] out of him -- I think he'd be good to go. My bigger concern, obviously, [is] you'd
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like to send him off having his timing at the plate."
Posey underwent treatment Thursday, one day after he was scratched from San Francisco's
lineup before a Cactus League game against the Dodgers.
MLB.com
Marrero homers as Beede shines in start
Maria Guardado
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Angels scored three runs in the seventh inning to fuel a 5-4 comeback win
over the split-squad Giants on Thursday at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
After the Giants scored twice in the top of the seventh to seize a 4-2 lead, the Halos quickly
rallied to erase the deficit in the bottom half of the inning. Kaleb Cowart ignited the comeback
with a leadoff single and then scored on a throwing error by Jae-gyun Hwang to bring the
Angels within one. Matt Thaiss tied it with an RBI single, and Matt Williamsfollowed with a
sacrifice fly to bring in the game-winning run.
Full Game Coverage
The Angels, who improved to 6-0 in Cactus League play, are the only undefeated team in the
Majors this spring and are unbeaten in their last 17 spring games, dating back to last season.
The Giants are now 3-4.
Giants second baseman Joe Panik went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored, while Aaron
Hill finished 2-for-3. Chris Marrero also drilled a solo home run that briefly tied the game at 2 in
the sixth.
The Angels were led by third baseman Luis Valbuena, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles and
two RBIs, and first baseman C.J. Cron, who added a pair of singles.
Right-hander Ricky Nolasco, the first of the Angels' top starters to make his spring debut,
allowed one run on two hits while striking out three over two innings.
"It was good," Nolasco said. "A little extra adrenaline than all the bullpens and the Spring
Training work. It was good to get it out of the way. [I was] trying to get the timing going. I
thought I was rushing a little bit and was struggling to get down the glove a couple of times, but
[I] felt good. Got through it. On to the next."
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Angels right-hander Yusmeiro Petit, a candidate for a rotation or bullpen job who is gearing up
to pitch for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, piggybacked off Nolasco and pitched three
scoreless innings, allowing four hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Right-handed prospect Tyler Beede gave up two hits while walking one and striking out one
over two scoreless innings in his second Cactus League appearance for the Giants.
Giants Up Next: On Friday at 12:05 p.m. PT, Jeff Samardzija is scheduled to make his second
appearance against Oakland in as many Cactus League starts. In one inning Monday, Samardzija
surrendered two runs and three hits, including Matt Joyce's home run. Chris Stratton, a
contender for the fifth starter's vacancy, also is expected to pitch.
Angels Up Next: Right-hander Matt Shoemaker will make his first Cactus League start of the
year Friday when the Angels host the Brewers at Tempe Diablo Stadium. It will be Shoemaker's
first game action since being hit on the head by a line drive in September. First pitch is
scheduled for 12:10 p.m. PT, and it can be viewed on MLB.TV.
MLB.com
Moore hurt by defense in 1st
inning vs. White Sox
Chris Haft
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Danny Hayes' three-run double fueled a four-run first inning Thursday for
the Chicago White Sox, who hung on to defeat the San Francisco Giants, 8-6, in a Cactus League
exhibition.
Though all the runs in Chicago's first-inning outburst against Giants starter Matt Moore were
earned, a pair of errors by Minor League center fielder Steven Duggar abetted the scoring.
Full Game Coverage
Duggar bobbled ex-Giant Melky Cabrera's ground-ball single that drove in Chicago's first run.
That enabled Cabrera and Tim Anderson to advance an extra base. One out later, Rymer
Liriano walked to load the bases, setting up Hayes' bases-clearing hit. Duggar also mishandled
that ball, and though Hayes received credit for three RBIs, the fumble guaranteed that Liriano
would cross the plate. In all, San Francisco was charged with six fielding errors.
However, Giants manager Bruce Bochy cited a factor that annoyed him more than the errors.
"We were 2-for-13 [actually, 2-for-15] with runners in scoring position. That was the
difference," Bochy said.
The Giants rallied after White Sox starter Derek Holland worked two scoreless innings. Duggar
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atoned for his defensive lapses by contributing an RBI single to a two-run fourth inning. C.J.
Hinojosa's two-run double and a run-scoring error generated the Giants' three-run sixth inning.
That wasn't enough for San Francisco, as Anderson's two-run, fifth-inning homer and Yoan
Moncada's sixth-inning RBI single cushioned Chicago's advantage.
Tim Anderson hits an opposite-field two-run home run in the 5th inning, giving the White Sox a
6-2 lead
White Sox Up Next: Dylan Covey, a Rule 5 addition for the White Sox, gets the start Friday
night as the White Sox travel to Peoria to take on San Diego with a 7:40 CT first pitch. Tyler
Danish, Michael Ynoa and Spencer Adams also are expected to throw, and Jose Abreu is
expected to be back in the lineup.
Giants Up Next: On Friday at 12:05 p.m. PT, Jeff Samardzija is scheduled to make his second
appearance against Oakland in as many Cactus League starts. In one inning Monday, Samardzija
surrendered two runs and three hits, including Matt Joyce's home run. Chris Stratton, a
contender for the fifth starter's vacancy, also is expected to pitch.
CSNbayarea.com
Giants spring training day 18
Alex Pavlovic
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — If the World Baseball Classic organizers were following the news out of
Giants camp on Thursday, they couldn’t have been thrilled. Johnny Cueto, who will finally arrive
at Scottsdale Stadium on Friday, will likely announce that he’s pulling out of the first round of
play. Buster Posey missed a second straight game with a stiff neck.
That leaves Brandon Crawford as the only Giants who is currently healthy and ready for the
WBC. He went 0-for-3 against the White Sox, dropping his average to .091 during an
accelerated spring.
“I saw Christian Yelich had a home run. Adam Jones, too. (Nolan) Arenado hit one,” a smiling
Crawford said of his Team USA teammates. “So we’re good.”
There’s no reason for Jim Leyland to be concerned about his incoming shortstop. Crawford has
gotten plenty of early at-bats and there have been no concerns with a throwing arm he usually
rests during spring training.
“Once I get out there in games, it’s going to be pretty easy to get into game-mode,” he said.
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“You want everything to be more season-ready because you want to do well in the WBC. I think
I’m close. I’m just not getting results.”
Crawford will combine with Arenado to form a frightening defensive duo. Bochy said that even
with Posey’s minor hiccup, the Giants expect him to be fine to start alongside Crawford. Posey,
who leaves Monday, hopes to catch a significant portion of Friday’s game and then start on
Sunday. Thus far, he has just four spring plate appearances and nine innings behind the plate.
“Right now, he’s not showing any concern about being able to catch,” Bochy said. “He’s said his
legs feel as good as they have in spring training.”
Cueto threw regular bullpen sessions while waiting for a visa for his father. He’ll have a physical
on Friday and meet with the staff, at which point the Giants should get more clarity on how
much he plans on throwing in the WBC. The expectation right now is that he will pull out of the
first round but keep his options open to join should the Dominican Republic advance.
GAME RECAP: The Giants and White Sox combined for 10 errors. Ten! Bochy took the six Giants
errors in stride, pointing out that four were from young prospects — Steven Duggar and C.J.
Hinojosa. Duggar, making his first start in center, had two early errors but bounced back to
reach base four times. He’s a really interesting prospect, with speed that has been on full
display through the first week. The sloppiness hurt Matt Moore, who gave up four of the runs in
an 8-6 loss to the White Sox.
SPLIT-SQUAD: Over in Tempe, Tyler Beede pitched two scoreless innings, giving him four for the
spring. The Giants lost 5-4. They made just one error in the road game … Chris Marrero hit his
second homer of the spring … Mac Williamson, Aaron Hill and Kelby Tomlinson had two-hit
days … Trevor Brown caught three guys trying to steal second.
STOCK RISING: To my eyes, Jimmy Rollins has to be a slight favorite for the second backup
infielder job at the moment. He’s had a good first week of games. Here’s a story about his
debut at second base.
FAMILIAR FACE: Over in Tempe, the Giants faced Yusmeiro Petit. If you missed it, here’s a look
at Petit and all the other former Giants who are in big league camps as non-roster invitees.
ROSTER UPDATE: If you were waiting for Josmil Pinto to arrive, I have bad news for you. His
locker has been cleared out. Apparently he won’t be in camp.
QUOTABLE: “That was the first time I’ve gotten got on a delayed steal. It was a super-delay. I
could’ve sworn I checked. I was mid-stretch and he’s going.” — Crawford on Rymer Liriano
taking second on a delayed steal. Nobody covered the bag.
21
CSNbayarea.com
Rollins sharp in spring debut at second base: Let the instincts take over
Alex Pavlovic
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — In his second inning at second base, where he hadn’t played in 15 years,
Jimmy Rollins got a needed test.
Speedy White Sox outfielder Peter Bourjos came up with a runner on first and hit a grounder to
second. Rollins fielded it cleanly and made a perfect feed to the bag, giving Brandon Crawford
enough time to fire a strike back to first for the double play. Rollins smiled and pointed to
Crawford. He then tipped his cap toward the seats alongside the Giants dugout, where Ron
Wotus, who has been working with Rollins every morning, was sitting.
“I’m happy it was Bourjos,” Rollins said. “We had to move quickly.”
Rollins looked just fine in his spring debut at second base. He had previously played 13 innings
at shortstop, and he’s going to get time at third, too. That’s the life of a utility infielder, and it’s
a job Rollins is hoping to win.
"I thought he looked pretty good," manager Bruce Bochy said. "In the early going, he's looking
pretty good. That was a nice pivot to Craw for that double play."
The switch to the second-base side — where Rollins jokes that it looks like the catcher is
throwing with the wrong hand — will be the biggest adjustment. Rollins has said that turning
his back to a runner will be the weirdest part, and he didn’t have that situation Thursday. He
did get three grounders, handling all easily.
“When the game starts, you just use your athleticism and let the instincts take over,” he said.
Rollins was 0-for-3 at the plate and he’s 2-for-10 this spring, with two walks. Through a week of
games, none of the backup infielder candidates have really separated from the pack.
"I knew this coming in," Bochy said. "I expected it to continue to be a fierce competition. It's not
going to be easy to make the final decision. In the early going, Jimmy looks sharp. He's swinging
the bat well and playing well defensively."
22
Daily Gammons.com
Dodgers and Giants primed for another race in 2017
Peter Gammons
GLENDALE, AR—They seem to have been bolted to one another since the end of World War
II. Jackie Robinson, then Monte Irvin, and when the Dodgers tried to trade Jackie to the Giants,
he refused. The Shot Heard ‘Round the World. Willie and The Duke. The Giants won in ’54, the
Dodgers in ’55, and together they moved to California three years later.
There was the ’62 playoff. Koufax and Drysdale vs. Marichal and Perry. Bumgarner and
Kershaw.
And now it seems like ’55 all over again. The Dodgers have won the National League West four
straight seasons, with the Giants second behind them the last three years, and yet the Giants
have won three world series in this decade, the Dodgers haven’t won one since Ronald Reagan
was president.
The perception is that the Dodgers are the Red Carpet team decked out with a $275M payroll,
the Giants have stars, sure, but as Bruce Bochy puts it “when your stars are as humble
as Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner, the tone is set.”
When you come go to Scottsdale every spring and then talk to scouts advancing the Giants in
September for the playoffs, they always talk about the fundamentals; this team, with such
remarkable organization, continually carries what they practice into October.
They practice fundamentals. Remember in 2014, when Brandon Crawford threw out three
runners at home plate in one week in June? When he was shown the video of the three plays,
he said, “I love baseball, I love being on the field, I love practicing relays.”
Then Crawford proceeded to recall the play in Game Two of the 2012 World Series in San
Francisco when Prince Fielder hit a ball into the left field corner that eluded Gregor Blanco.
Crawford was supposed to be the cutoff man, but Blanco overthrew him, only Marco
Scutaro anticipated the play, sprinted from second base to the left field line, grabbed the
overthrow and nailed Fielder trying for an inside-the-park homer and saved the 2-0 win. As
coach Ron Wotus often says, “that was the biggest play of the series.” A Giant sweep.
Rangers manager Jeff Bannister Wednesday talked about his team’s spring work on outfield
fundamentals, pointing out that Texas led the majors in outfield errors in 2016. “When an
outfielder makes an error, it usually results in big trouble,” says Bannister. The Giants in 2016
had the fewest, 8.
Wonder why their pitchers led the National League in RBIs and were in the top three in OPS?
Their pitchers work at their hitting. Remember how they beat a superior Cardinals team in
seven games in the NLCS? Their pitchers had five hits in that series, and Barry Zito—who was,
well, not exactly Bumgarner, had a key RBI hit and laid down a critical sacrifice bunt.
And, for a team whose park limits their runs to the bottom half of the league, there is the
Giants’ two strike approach. When they got to two strikes last season, their on base percentage
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trailed only the two best approaches in the game, the Red Sox and Cubs, as opposed to an
undisciplined offensive team like the Dodgers, who were 28th, slightly worse than the Rays. San
Francisco’s OPS with two strikes was in the top third in the majors, better than the Blue Jays.
“We have to play that way,” says Bochy. “We’re not a big offensive, home run-hitting team. We
play in a ballpark that isn’t conducive to offense. We have to do the little things from defense to
situational hitting to getting the bunts down against the shift if we’re going to win.” And despite
a season in which the bullpen collapsed and Bumgarner left seven games with leads that the
pen wasted, they still made the wild card play-in game, beat the Mets and gave the Cubs a
legitimate scare in the NLDS. With Mark Melancon and younger arms, they believe those
bullpen woes are solved, and if Matt Cain doesn’t make it all the way back, they expect former
number one pick Tyler Beede to come up to the rotation during the season, and the same is
true of lefthander Ty Blach, who beat Clayton Kershaw 1-0 in September.
_______________________________________
TEAM OBP W/ 2 STRIKES (2016)
Red Sox .277
Cubs .273
Giants .263
_______________________________________
Dave Roberts, Andrew Friedman and all the Dodgers people are well aware of that two strike
approach number for the Giants, and that the Dodgers were dropping their back shoulders,
trying to yank to the pull side and were 29th. “It’s what we’ve emphasized all spring,” says
Roberts, and you hear hitting coaches Turner Ward and Tim Hyers talk about it constantly at
the cage. “It is getting better,” says Roberts. “Things are very different.”
Understand, two and three years ago, in the earlier stages of this ownership and with so many
name players, the Dodger culture was often called “toxic;” there’s a reason Don Mattingly left.
But the culture now is totally different. “This is a fun place to be,” says first base coach George
Lombard, a thought echoed by hard-nosed Justin Turner. Roberts, like Joe Maddon, brings
something to his clubhouse meeting every morning. Wednesday, he arranged to have a piano
brought in so that rookie pitcher Trevor Oaks could play a mini-recital. Oaks, incidentally, is one
of their young pitchers whose hard sinker may play big in the second half.
Almost everyone in the clubhouse points to the impact Chase Utley has on the team, especially
the young players. When Utley was unsigned during the off-season, Friedman said the
manager, coaches and players—especially Corey Seager—were constantly calling begging him
to re-sign Utley. Friedman and GM Farhan Zaidi kept Utley informed, and when Friedman
explained that he had to first get a righthanded-hitting second baseman, Utley called him back
and suggested Logan Forsythe. Which they did, and now, on either side of the superstar Seager
they have classic intelligent, skilled baseball lifers in Turner and Forsythe.
If Adrian Gonzalez, who is recovering from elbow problems, needs a rest during the season, the
24
next potential star in line, Cody Bellinger, could come up, and Roberts believes Bellinger can
play all three outfield positions. Or Utley can play there, second or third.
Chase is really intense, and he can say things to players no one else can,” says one of the star
pitchers. He’s at the park studying video, reports, Pitch/FX, then hitting from two on for a night
game. During games, he takes preparation swings and studies video of relievers he might face if
inserted into the game. But that’s who he is. When Utley played for Brewster in the Cape Cod
League, he once got to the field at one for a seven p.m. game, hit, ran, took grounders. But
when the game started, he’d forgotten to eat, so he paid a batboy to get him a breadbowl of
clam chowder from the concession stand.
Problem is, the three hitters in front of him all swung at the first pitch, one a hit, so when it
came time for him to get out of the on-deck circle, Utley had to chug the remainder of the
chowder, hand the breadbowl to the batboy, go up to the plate…and rip the first pitch off the
right field fence. I know a Marlins executive that was on that team, Yankee scout Matt Hyde
who was the pitching coach, and they swear to it. “That’s the kind of guru every team needs,”
says Hyers. “And when it’s a potential Hall of Famer who is one of the most respected persons
in the game, it carries a lot of weight.”
Perhaps the most surprising Dodger storyline of the spring has been the remake of catcher
Yasmani Grandal. During the winter, Grandal adopted a plant-based diet, and while he has good
framing numbers and hit 27 homers, he looks completely different in every phase of the game.
“I love this game,” says Grandal, “and I needed to get my body better. I want to be really good,
and that requires a price.”
“Yaz is the player that most sticks out this spring,” says Roberts. “He genuinely loves the game.
Andrew (Friedman) and I will often be in my office talking about the game, everything, past
midnight, and most nights Yaz is in the video room going through the calling of the game, as
well as at-bats, and video of the opposing team. He is a great team guy who may be in for his
breakthrough season.”
What Friedman has tried to do is construct a roster with depth and alternatives. George and
Judy Lombard and their kids took Yasiel Puig to dinner. Judy is Cuban, trusted by Yasiel, and
they have built a relationship to try to eliminate the gaps that Yasiel sometimes lapses into
when he doesn’t get things. He will play, if the gaps lessen. Pederson will play center, but has to
cut down on his strikeouts and stay in on lefthanders to utilize his power. Andre Ethier has had
a good spring; he has told the Dodgers he won’t waive his no-trade if they want to send him
somewhere he doesn’t want to go, and would love to get released and go to Boston and rejoin
his college buddy Dustin Pedroia; in addition, his grandfather is from Worcester, and grew up
playing against J.P. Ricciardi’s father.
They have Andrew Toles and Scott Van Slyke and Trayce Thompson, as well as Bellinger and
Alex Verdugo.
Then they have close to ten potential starting pitchers. “After what we went through (using 15),
we have to start with at least eight,” says Friedman.
25
They have Kershaw, the best there is. Then Rich Hill. And Kenta Maeda. Most people then say
20-year old Julio Urias, but he only threw 122 innings last year between Oklahoma City and Los
Angeles. He is so good, they want him being a significant contributor in September and October
and finish the season at or around 170 innings, so they will mix, option and match other
starters: Brandon McCarthy has been impressive and on a marine mission; Alex Wood is
healthy, can work out of the pen or start. Scott Kazmir seems healthy. Hyun-Jin Ryu, whom
Roberts has seen pitch once for 14 outs, has been a surprise, “has got his athleticism back”
according to one club official, and Roberts says could be ready for the regular season. They like
Brock Stewart and Ross Stripling. And down on the minor league fields, Orel
Hershiser compares the arm-speed of Walker Buehler.
Buehler was the 24th pick of the 2015 draft, but the Dodgers knew that after Vanderbilt won
the College World Series he needed Tommy John Surgery. He signed, pitched five innings last
season, went to the Ariziona Fall League and now is throwing so well he might be a late season
factor. Amazingly, Buehler, Carson Fulmer (White Sox) and Beede off that Vanderbilt staff could
be in the major leagues this season, all with top prospect projections.
What is also very different about these Dodgers is the staff, which is nurtured and supported by
Friedman, who to anyone knows him, is at heart a baseball lifer with extraordinary people skills
and appreciation of the players. Roberts could run for congress. Lombard could, as well.
And this staff was clearly assembled with the all due respect for the Giants in mind. What Brian
Sabean has assembled is an organization with uncanny continuity; hey, Sabean, scout Joe
LeFebvre and mental skills coach Bob Tewksbury all went to Concord High School (NH).
Bochy, future HOF manager, has been with the Giants since 2007. Pitching coach Dave
Righetti has held his job since 2000, and his assistant pitching coach Mark Gardner joined him
in 2003. Ron Wotus has been there since 1998, although he could well have left to manage.
Hitting coach Hensley Meulens, another future manager, has been there since 2005. Sabean
was made GM in 1996 by then-owner Peter Magowan and his assistant Larry Baer, who came
when Magowan bought the team in ’93, and present GM Bobby Evans has been with the
organization since 1994.
So the Dodgers and Giants have been attached in history, and while they have dominated the
National League West in this decade and they each should be very good in 2017, there is no
easy road to October for the two teams.
It is easy to consider this division the best in the game. Many consider the Colorado Rockies to
have the best position players in the major leagues right now. When the Diamondbacks came
up at a Dodger meeting, several of their executives cautioned. “They have really good pitching,
and anyone who knows Mike Hazen knows that if he’s left to run it, he will change that
franchise and the division.”
So, if you’re the Giants or Dodgers, you play 57 games against your traditional rival and the
Rockies and Diamondbacks. It makes having two, much less three, teams going out of the
division to the post-season extremely difficult.
26
But there was no expressway to the World Series when the Giants and Dodgers shared New
York in the decade before Walter O’Malley and Horace Stoneham went to California. The
rivalry, the song remains the same. But this year, it’s even more complicated, because the
Rockies and the Diamondbacks are far from the Rocks and the ‘Backs of the past.
CBSsports.com
Intentional walk, 30-second limit on challenges among MLB rule changes
Dayn Perry
On Thursday, MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association announced a number of
new rule changes for the 2017 season. Here are those seven changes:
• The start of a no-pitch intentional walk, allowing the defensive team’s manager to
signal a decision to the home plate umpire to intentionally walk the batter.
Following the signal of the manager’s intention, the umpire will immediately award
first base to the batter.
• A 30-second limit for a manager to decide whether to challenge a play and invoke
replay review.
• When a manager has exhausted his challenges for the game, crew chiefs may now
invoke replay review for non-home run calls beginning in the eighth inning instead
of the seventh inning.
• A conditional two-minute guideline for replay officials to render a decision on a
replay review, allowing various exceptions.
• A prohibition on the use of any markers on the field that could create a tangible
reference system for fielders.
• An addition to Rule 5.07 formalizes an umpire interpretation by stipulating that a
pitcher may not take a second step toward home plate with either foot or otherwise
reset his pivot foot in his delivery of the pitch. If there is at least one runner on base,
then such an action will be called as a balk under Rule 6.02(a). If the bases are
unoccupied, then it will be considered an illegal pitch under Rule 6.02(b).
• An amendment to Rule 5.03 requires base coaches to position themselves behind
the line of the coach’s box closest to home plate and the front line that runs parallel
to the foul line prior to each pitch. Once a ball is put in play, a base coach is allowed
to leave the coach’s box to signal a player so long as the coach does not interfere
with play.
The new intentional walk rule, which will allow free passes without any pitches being
thrown, has been much discussed , and now it’s official. As well, the 30-second rule on manager
challenges has been an anticipated step, as is the limit on how long replay officials can take. The
change to Rule 5.07 noted above may be considered a response to Carter Capps’ much-
27
discussed delivery .
No real surprises here, but commissioner Rob Manfred’s continued emphasis on improving
pace of play is evident once again. Further steps to this end, however, might be a bit more
complicated, as Manfred is starting to get some pushback from players on this front .