The Pirates players had the day off yesterday but they are back on the field this afternoon at LECOM Park against the Phillies in the season’s second exhibition game. They dropped the first game, 9-7, to Toronto on Saturday.
The game this afternoon will be heard on WCCS beginning at one o’clock.
The Bucs pitchers coped fairly well with the new pitch clock rules on Saturday, except for two time violations that cost Roansy Contreras and Jarlin Garcia an automatic ball. They were not ball four so no walks ensued.
There will be some awkward moments, though, such as what happened in the game between the Red Sox and Braves on Saturday. Part of the new rules is that batters have to be “alert to the pitcher” by the eight-second mark of the pitch timer. The Braves’ Cal Conley was not focused on the pitcher soon enough and what would have been a bases loaded walk to force in the game-winning run became instead a game-ending automatic strikeout, since it was tied and there are no extra inning games in spring training.
MLB
The Padres are dealing out another big contract, this one to third baseman Manny Machado, who has reportedly to an 11-year extension worth $350 million. ESPN says the deal also includes no opt-outs and a full no-trade clause.
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