NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Trout and Gerrit Cole aren’t the only major leaguers with a big financial incentive to get back on the field.While they head a starry quartet that would take in more than $200,000 per game, 65 players would earn at least $100,000 each time their team wins or loses if the pandemic-delayed major league season get under way, according to an analysis of their contracts by The Associated Press.Most rookies and those making the minimum would get nearly $3,500 each. Every game added to the big league schedule earns players about $24 million in aggregate.Clubs would benefit, too, with huge revenue streams flowing from regional sports networks and national broadcast contracts. A contentious negotiation is likely if Major League Baseball asks the players’ association to accept salary cuts to compensate for competing in empty ballparks.“I would need to be fully informed about revenue and things like that before I would decide if I think it’s fair for us to do that,” Washington... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Trout and Gerrit Cole aren’t the only major leaguers with a big financial incentive to get back on the field.While they head a starry quartet that would take in more than $200,000 per game, 65 players would earn at least $100,000 each time their team wins or loses if the pandemic-delayed major league season get under way, according to an analysis of their contracts by The Associated Press.Most rookies and those making the minimum would get nearly $3,500 each. Every game added to the big league schedule earns players about $24 million in aggregate.Clubs would benefit, too, with huge revenue streams flowing from regional sports networks and national broadcast contracts. A contentious negotiation is likely if Major League Baseball asks the players’ association to accept salary cuts to compensate for competing in empty ballparks.“I would need to be fully informed about revenue and things like that before I would decide if I think it’s fair for us to do that,” Washington... [More]

May 41869 — Henry Chadwick published his first annual baseball handbook. The book eventually evolved into Spalding’s Official Baseball Guide.1871 — The Fort Wayne Kekiongas beat the Cleveland Forest Citys, 2-0, in the first game played in the National Association. In the 127 games during the 1871 season, there were a total of four shutouts.1910 — The Browns and Cardinals played home games in St. Louis, and President Taft, not wanting to offend either club, saw parts of each game at Robinson Field and Sportsman’s Park.1963 — Bob Shaw of the Braves set a major league record by committing five balks. In the third inning, Shaw walked Billy Williams and balked him home with three straight balks. Shaw lasted five innings before he was ejected for arguing. The Chicago Cubs beat Milwaukee, 5-3.1969 — The Houston Astros set an NL record by turning seven double plays against the San Francisco Giants. First baseman Curt Blefary participated in all seven.1975 — Bob Watson of the Houston Astros, sensing... [More]

May 31936 — Joe DiMaggio made his major league debut for the New York Yankees and had three hits in a 14-5 victory over the St. Louis Browns.1951 — Rookie Gil McDougald of New York drove in six runs in one inning to tie a major league record as the Yankees beat the St. Louis Browns 17-3 at Sportsman’s Park. McDougald had a two-run triple and a grand slam in an 11-run ninth inning.1959 — Detroit’s Charlie Maxwell hit four consecutive homers in a doubleheader sweep of the New York Yankees, 4-2 and 8-2, at Briggs Stadium.1980 — Ferguson Jenkins of the Texas Rangers became the fourth pitcher in major league history to win 100 or more games in each league. Jenkins beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 at Arlington Stadium. Cy Young, Jim Bunning and Gaylord Perry also reached the milestone.1994 — Philadelphia reliever Andy Carter made his major league debut and was ejected from the game after hitting two of three San Diego Padres batters he faced.1999 — Boston’s Creighton Gubanich hit a grand slam for his first major league hit in a 12-11, 10-inning loss to Oakland. Gubanich became the fourth player to accomplish the feat and the first since Seattle’s Orlando Mercado did it Sept. 19, 1982.2011 — Francisco Liriano pitched the major leagues’ first no-hitter of the season, throwing his first career complete game in Minnesota’s 1-0 victory over Chicago. Liriano walked six and struck out two. Liriano, the reigning AL comeback player of the year, was backed by Jason Kubel’s fourth-inning homer.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Whenever the Cleveland Indians finally get to start their season they won't have reliever Emmanuel Clase.The hard-throwing right-hander was suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball on Friday for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug.Clase was the biggest acquisition by Cleveland in the big offseason trade that sent two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber to the Texas Rangers. The commissioner's office said the 22-year-old Clase tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid.Clase was expected to have a major role at the back end of the Indians' bullpen this season.His suspension will not begin until the start of the 2020 regular season, which has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If the season doesn't cover 80 games, MLB and the players' association are still working out if any carry over will apply for 2021.The regular season was scheduled to open March 26.The Indians said they were “disappointed” by Clase's suspension.“We fully support... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Whenever the Cleveland Indians finally get to start their season they won't have reliever Emmanuel Clase.The hard-throwing right-hander was suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball on Friday for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug.Clase was the biggest acquisition by Cleveland in the big offseason trade that sent two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber to the Texas Rangers. The commissioner's office said the 22-year-old Clase tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid.Clase was expected to have a major role at the back end of the Indians' bullpen this season.His suspension will not begin until the start of the 2020 regular season, which has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If the season doesn't cover 80 games, MLB and the players' association are still working out if any carry over will apply for 2021.The regular season was scheduled to open March 26.The Indians said they were “disappointed” by Clase's suspension.“We fully support... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians reliever Emmanuel Clase has been suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug.Clase was acquired from the Texas Rangers this winter in Cleveland's trade of two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber. The commissioner's office said the 22-year-old Clase tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid.The hard-throwing right-hander was expected to have a major role at the back end of the Indians' bullpen this season.Clase's suspension will not begin until the start of the 2020 regular season, which has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If the season doesn't cover 80 games, MLB and the players' association are still working out if any carry over will apply for 2021.The Indians said they were “disappointed” by Clase's suspension.“We fully support Major League Baseball’s policy and its efforts to eliminate performance-enhancing drugs from our game,” the team said in a statement. “We have been in contact with Emmanuel, and we will welcome him back after the discipline has been served. ”Clase made his debut with the Rangers in August. He appeared in 21 games, going 2-3 with a 2.31 ERA. He struck out 21 in 23 1-3 innings.Clase is scheduled to make $564,800 this season.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — A woman who was struck in the face by a foul ball during a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field two years ago has filed a lawsuit against the team and Major League Baseball.In her lawsuit filed this week, Laiah Zuniga, 28, says the ball knocked her unconscious, caused fractures under both of her eyes and caused extensive damage to her teeth. She said it hit her because the stadium hadn't extended the netting that protects fans from foul balls all the way down the third base line, where she was sitting. “Major League Baseball and the Cubs were aware that severe injuries from foul balls could happen to its fans sitting in rows near the field because it had happened many times before,” Tracy Brammeier, an attorney at Clifford Law Offices representing Zuniga, said in a statement. ”Just last year the MLB announced that all 30 teams would extend netting, ... but it’s too late for Laiah.”The lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court also notes that the league's recommendation for... [More]

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ryan Zimmerman is a two-time All-Star infielder who has played 15 years in the majors, all with the Washington Nationals. He holds most of the team’s career hitting records, and his two homers and seven RBIs last postseason helped the Nationals win their first World Series championship. With baseball on hold, Zimmerman occasionally is offering his thoughts -- as told to AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich -- in a diary of sorts while waiting for the 2020 season to begin. In the fifth installment, the 35-year-old discusses pondering the possibility of retirement.—-It has been kind of nice to be home, spend more time with my girls. In a way, I get to see what it would be like to not go to the park every day, to not have to face Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Clayton Kershaw. My body feels unbelievable right now. Not having to go through the grind of a season, but still working out. I kind of envision myself being that way when I’m done playing: Still being active and staying... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini feels fortunate to have undergone colon cancer surgery before doctors became absorbed in treating COVID-19, and now he’s diligently and carefully working to avoid the virus while receiving chemotherapy.Mancini was diagnosed with colon cancer on March 6 and had surgery six days later. “With COVID really emerging kind of at the same time, I was lucky l got in when I did because they stopped doing a lot of surgeries the week after that,” Mancini said Wednesday in a teleconference with the Baltimore media.The same day he had the malignant tumor removed, Major League Baseball suspended spring training and announced the delay of the regular season.“That happened in the middle of my surgery, and I woke up and my mom and sisters told me they had shut down spring training,” Mancini said.The 28-year-old said he will probably miss the 2020 season, but added, “I have no doubt in my mind I’ll be back playing baseball.”Mancini batted .291 with 35 homers... [More]

April 301919 — Philadelphia’s Joe Oeschger and Brooklyn’s Burleigh Grimes pitched complete games in a 9-9, 20-inning tie. Both teams scored three runs in the 19th inning. Oeschger gave up 22 hits and walked five, while Grimes allowed 15 hits and walked five.1922 — Charlie Robertson of the Chicago White Sox pitched a 2-0 perfect game against the Detroit Tigers. Johnny Mostil, playing left field for the only time, made two outstanding catches.1940 — James “Tex” Carleton of the Brooklyn Dodgers threw a 3-0 no-hitter at Cincinnati.1944 — In the first game of a doubleheader split, New York first baseman Phil Weintraub drove in 11 runs and player-manager Mel Ott scored six runs as the Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 26-8. Brooklyn won the nightcap, 5-4.1946 — Bob Feller struck out 11 New York Yankees en route to his second of three career no-hitters, a 1-0 victory at Yankee Stadium.1958 — Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox became the tenth major league player to reach 1,000 extra-base hits in... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini is undergoing chemotherapy for stage 3 colon cancer and expects to miss the season if major leaguers return this summer.Mancini had a malignant tumor removed shortly before turning 28 on March 18. He has been undergoing chemotherapy since April 13.“My treatment will take six months — every two weeks for six months," Mancini wrote in a story posted Tuesday on The Players Tribune. "If baseball returns in 2020, it will probably be without me."Stage 3 means is defined as a cancer that has grown into nearby tissue or lymph nodes. Stage 4 is defined as a cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.Mancini acknowledged he likely would never have realized he had cancer if not for an examination by the Orioles.“I am so lucky," he wrote.Mancini received an exam at spring training that revealed his iron levels were low. He figured colon cancer was a remote possibility because of his age.“I was only 27. No way I had that," he wrote. “My dad had... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini is undergoing chemotherapy for stage 3 colon cancer and expects to miss the season if major leaguers return this summer.Mancini had a malignant tumor removed shortly before turning 28 on March 18. He has been undergoing chemotherapy since April 13.“My treatment will take six months — every two weeks for six months," Mancini wrote in a story posted Tuesday on The Players Tribune. "If baseball returns in 2020, it will probably be without me."Stage 3 means is defined as a cancer that has grown into nearby tissue or lymph nodes. Stage 4 is defined as a cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.Mancini acknowledged he likely would never have realized he had cancer if not for an examination by the Orioles.“I am so lucky," he wrote.Mancini received an exam at spring training that revealed his iron levels were low. He figured colon cancer was a remote possibility because of his age.“I was only 27. No way I had that," he wrote. “My dad had... [More]

April 291918 — Center fielder Tris Speaker executed the fourth unassisted double play of his career in the Cleveland Indians’ 8-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox.1922 — The New York Giants hit four inside-the-park home runs at Braves Field in Boston. George Kelly hit two and Ross Youngs and Dave Bancroft hit the others.1931 — Wes Ferrell of the Cleveland Indians pitched a 7-0 no-hitter over the St. Louis Browns, including his brother Rick. Wes also knocked in four runs with a homer and a double.1933 — In a strange play at home plate, catcher Luke Sewell of the Washington Senators tagged out two Yankees runners on the same play. Lou Gehrig had held up, thinking a fly ball would be caught. Dixie Walker closed up on him, and both were tagged out trying to score.1981 — Steve Carlton struck out Montreal’s Tim Wallach in the first inning of the Philadelphia Phillies’ 6-2 victory over the visiting Expos to become the sixth major league pitcher — and first left-hander — to strike out 3,000 batters.1986... [More]

The Detroit Tigers can feel certain about one thing: They have the No. 1 pick in the draft.What that Major League Baseball draft will look like, when and where it will take place and how the selections will be made still isn't clear.“It’s going to present different challenges, probably," said Scott Pleis, Detroit’s director of amateur scouting. "It’s just going to be different. It’s not going to affect the outcome, it’ll just be a different way of coming to that outcome.”The NFL experienced that last week because of the coronavirus pandemic, conducting a remote draft with video screens, Zoom chats and other tech innovations that made the event popular with fans.Normally, the college baseball season would be in full swing right now, giving major league teams a chance to monitor top prospects in the weeks leading up to the draft. But with college and high school games shelved because of the virus outbreak, front offices can only do so much in what is clearly an abnormal year.Every team faces... [More]

The Detroit Tigers can feel certain about one thing: They have the No. 1 pick in the draft.What that Major League Baseball draft will look like, when and where it will take place and how the selections will be made, still isn't clear.“It’s going to present different challenges, probably," said Scott Pleis, Detroit’s director of amateur scouting. "It’s just going to be different. It’s not going to affect the outcome, it’ll just be a different way of coming to that outcome.”The NFL experienced that last week because of the coronavirus pandemic, conducting a remote draft with video screens, Zoom chats and other tech innovations that made the event popular with fans.Normally, the college baseball season would be in full swing right now, giving major league teams a chance to monitor top prospects in the weeks leading up to the draft. But with college and high school games shelved because of the virus outbreak, front offices can only do so much in what is clearly an abnormal year.Every team faces... [More]

April 281901 — Cleveland pitcher Bock Baker gave up a record 23 singles as the Chicago White Sox beat the Indians 13-1.1930 — The first night game in organized baseball was played in Independence, Kan. In a Western Association game, Muskogee defeated Independence 13-3.1934 — Detroit’s Goose Goslin hit into four double plays, but the Tigers still beat Cleveland 4-1.1945 — Chicago’s Hank Wyse pitched a one-hitter over Pittsburgh for a 6-0 win. The only Pirate hit was by Bill Salkeld in the eighth inning.1956 — Cincinnati rookie Frank Robinson hit the first home run of his 586 lifetime homers in a 9-1 win over Chicago. Robinson homer came off Paul Minner in Crosley Field.1961 — Warren Spahn, at the age of 40, no-hit the San Francisco Giants 1-0 at Milwaukee.1966 — Cleveland’s Sonny Siebert defeated the Angels 2-1 as the Indians tie the modern major league record with its 10th straight win since opening day.1971 — Hank Aaron connected off Gaylord Perry for his 600th career home run in the Atlanta... [More]

April 271869 — Henry Chadwick published his first annual baseball handbook. The book eventually evolved into Spalding’s Official Baseball Guide.1871 — The Fort Wayne Kekiongas beat the Cleveland Forest Citys, 2-0, in the first game played in the National Association. In the 127 games during the 1871 season, there were a total of four shutouts.1910 — The Browns and Cardinals played home games in St. Louis, and President Taft, not wanting to offend either club, saw parts of each game at Robinson Field and Sportsman’s Park.1963 — Bob Shaw of the Braves set a major league record by committing five balks. In the third inning, Shaw walked Billy Williams and balked him home with three straight balks. Shaw lasted five innings before he was ejected for arguing. The Chicago Cubs beat Milwaukee, 5-3.1969 — The Houston Astros set an NL record by turning seven double plays against the San Francisco Giants. First baseman Curt Blefary participated in all seven.1975 — Bob Watson of the Houston Astros,... [More]

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ryan Zimmerman is a two-time All-Star infielder who has played 15 seasons in the majors, all with the Washington Nationals, helping them win the World Series last year. With baseball on hold, Zimmerman is offering his thoughts -- as told to AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich -- in a diary of sorts. In the fourth installment, Zimmerman discusses what it might have been like to be at Nationals Park on Thursday, when Washington was scheduled to host the Los Angeles Dodgers at 1:05 p.m. in a rematch of last season’s NL Division Series.—-For me, especially for day games, you can’t recreate walking through the tunnel -- the sound, the sight, the feel. For a 1 o’clock home game on a weekday — no batting practice — I usually leave my house at around 9:15, so I can get behind traffic. I drive in and get to the field by 9:45 or 10, and then I’m basically inside. A quick breakfast, and I’m right into my routine.Training room -- anything I need to do there -- and weight room. And then... [More]

April 291918 — Center fielder Tris Speaker executed the fourth unassisted double play of his career in the Cleveland Indians’ 8-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox.1922 — The New York Giants hit four inside-the-park home runs at Braves Field in Boston. George Kelly hit two and Ross Youngs and Dave Bancroft hit the others.1931 — Wes Ferrell of the Cleveland Indians pitched a 7-0 no-hitter over the St. Louis Browns, including his brother Rick. Wes also knocked in four runs with a homer and a double.1933 — In a strange play at home plate, catcher Luke Sewell of the Washington Senators tagged out two Yankees runners on the same play. Lou Gehrig had held up, thinking a fly ball would be caught. Dixie Walker closed up on him, and both were tagged out trying to score.1981 — Steve Carlton struck out Montreal’s Tim Wallach in the first inning of the Philadelphia Phillies’ 6-2 victory over the visiting Expos to become the sixth major league pitcher — and first left-hander — to strike out 3,000 batters.1986... [More]