Los Angeles Times - 24.02.2020

LATIMES.COM/SPORTS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020D3

2018. Seager isn’t a fan of the
      proposed measure, and he
      isn’t alone.
      “I would definitely be a
      proponent of it not going
      away,” Seager said.
      Commissioner Rob Man-
      fred last week said the
      league is discussing with the
      players’ association how to
      police video access during
      games. He believes the
      league needs “to drastically
      restrict in-game access by
      playing personnel to video.”
      He communicated that
      opinion in a meeting with
      Cactus League managers.
      Dodgers manager Dave
      Roberts emerged convinced
      the league will eliminate ac-
      cess to video by the start of
      the season.
      “It just has caused a lot of
      problems,” Manfred said.
      “And I think a really across-
      the-board restriction on vi-
      deo will help send a message
      to our fans that it’s really im-
      portant for this institution
      right now that we’re serious
      about cleaning this up.”
      The Astros and Red Sox
      cases are different. The
      Astros were accused of using
      a camera in center field that
      focused on the opposing
      catcher to pick up his signs
      at home games in 2017 and
      into the 2018 season. The
      feed would transmit to a
      monitor behind their dugout
      and someone would bang a

trash can to relay the type of

pitch to the Astros hitter.

The scheme allowed them to

steal signs in real time with-

out a runner at second base.

The Red Sox investiga-

tion centers on their alleged

illicit use of the video replay

room in 2018. That system re-

quired a baserunner and

was less streamlined. MLB

is expected to impose a ligh-

ter punishment than the

sanctions Houston received

last month.

Manfred said a report

and sanctions will be made

public by the end of this

week.

Both the 2017 Astros and

2018 Red Sox defeated the

Dodgers in the World Series.

The fallout from the Astros

scandal has evoked strong

feelings within the Dodgers

organization. Most of the in-

dustry considers the Astros’

cheating egregious and their

apologies empty.

Dodgers players fronted

the charge in criticizing the

perpetrators for the cheat-

ing and the commissioner

for the penalties levied. Sev-

eral Dodgers have bluntly

spoken their minds. Every-

one still around from the 2017

team wonders what

would’ve happened if the

Astros hadn’t cheated. And

they are dissatisfied with the

punishment.

But there isn’t a consen-

sus within the Dodgers on

the direction the league

should take regarding in-

game video access. Some are

for completely eliminating

it. Others want the league to

pursue other avenues to pre-

vent cheating. A few are in-

different.

Pitcher Ross Stripling

reasoned that the game was

played for a century without

constant video use. Now, he

sometimes looks around

and finds the dugout empty

because everyone else is

watching video or hitting in

the tunnel. Outfielder A.J.

Pollock wondered whether

cutting off the video room

could liberate hitters from

overthinking.

Justin Turner argued

that removing access would

also improve player-umpire

relations. His rationale:

Players frequently head to

the video room to replay a

disputed strike call and

often get angry even if the

pitch was barely off the

plate. The intense scrutiny

seeps into the next at-bat,

building tension, which oc-

casionally erupts.

“I think, as an old-school

guy, I don’t think that’s nec-

essary,” the 35-year-old

Turner said. “I think guys

can wait until after the game

to go back and watch their

ABs.”

A few colleagues agreed

with Turner. But a subset of

Dodgers still oppose swing-

ing the pendulum all the way

back. Max Muncy pointed to

rules the league has im-

posed since video shenani-

gans began surfacing in 2017.

For example, MLB first

installed officials to oversee

every video replay room dur-

ing the 2018 postseason and

had all game broadcasts in

clubhouses run on an eight-

second delay beginning last

season.

“When technology was

implemented, I don’t think

MLB or the players really

understood the ramifica-

tions that it could poten-

tially have, of being able to

get things in real time like

that,” Clayton Kershaw said.

“But now that we do, and

we’ve unfortunately learned

the hard way, I don’t think

we have to go completely

crazy and eliminate every-

thing.”

Walker Buehler main-

tained that eliminating ac-

cess to broadcasts in the

clubhouse would negatively

affect starting pitchers. In-

stead of going into the club-

house or training room after

pitching an inning, they

would have to remain in the

dugout for their team’s third

out before heading back to

the mound because they

have a limited time to warm

up. Buehler said the time

limit, implemented last sea-

son, already sped him up.

Cody Bellinger wondered

whether an organization

would dare use video to

cheat again.

“I don’t think anyone will

anymore, right?” he said.

Andrew Friedman, the

Dodgers’ president of base-

ball operations, said he only

wants the league to ensure a

level playing field and allow

clubs to continue using vi-

deo for player development

outside of games. He doesn’t

believe those benefits and

preserving the integrity of

the sport are mutually exclu-

sive.

Eliminating access to the

video room would not neces-

sarily eradicate the use of in-

game technology. Batters,

for example, use tablets ap-

proved by MLB to examine

scouting reports and watch

short videos in the dugout.

They are also available to

pitchers in the bullpen.

Whatever the league de-

cides will displease a faction.

In-game video use has be-

come embedded across the

sport, from the minors to the

highest level.

Withdrawing access

would require routine

changes for players across

the majors. Some would

transition easier than oth-

ers. Some, such as Seager,

hope they won’t have to

worry about it.

“Obviously, you’d have to

adjust, I guess,” Seager said.

“It could be no choice.”

Dodgers don’t see eye to eye about video issue

[Dodgers,from D1]

Martez Carter rushed for

two touchdowns and added

a touchdown reception as

the host Los Angeles Wild-

cats rolled past the previ-

ously unbeaten DC Defend-

ers 39-9 on Sunday for their

first XFL victory.

Carter carried 11 times for

34 yards and had three

catches for 41 yards. Josh

Johnson completed 18 of 25

passes for 278 yards and

three touchdowns with no

interceptions.

Former NFL quarter-

back Cardale Jones had a

long day for the Defenders

(2-1), completing 13 of 26

passes for 103 yards. He was

also sacked three times and

tossed four interceptions.

The Wildcats (1-2)

opened a 27-0 lead late in the

second quarter when Carter

scored on a one-yard run

and Larry Rose III ran for

the one-point conversion.

L.A. earns first XFL victory

WILDCATS 39

DC 9

wire reports

Daniel Jeremiah, draft

analyst for the NFL Net-

work, calls Young the best

player in the draft and ranks

him up there with fellow

Buckeyes and pass-rushing

terrors Joey and Nick Bosa,

brothers who anchor the

defenses of the Chargers

and the San Francisco

49ers, respectively.

“I actually had a little bit

higher grade on Nick com-

ing out than Chase,” Jere-

miah said. “I had a higher

grade on Chase than Joey.

Obviously, Joey has been a

perennial Pro Bowl player;

he’s outstanding.”

No one is expecting this

to be a big year for schools

from Southern California.

The combine features four

players from UCLA and two

from USC. They are Devin

Asiasi, Darnay Holmes,

Joshua Kelley and J.J. Mol-

son of the Bruins and Austin

Jackson and Michael

Pittman of the Trojans.

Then again, there are

plenty of success stories

involving eventual NFL

stars who were not invited

to the combine, among

them receivers Julian Edel-

man, Adam Thielen and

Doug Baldwin as well as

tight end Antonio Gates,

whose five-year Hall of

Fame clock started with his

retirement this offseason.

As receivers go, this draft

class is flush with them.

Jeremiah has given 27 of

them top-three-round

grades, “and consider an

average of 31 are taken” in all

seven rounds, he said.

Three of the top pass

catchers in this crop are

Alabama teammates Jerry

Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III

and Oklahoma’s CeeDee

Lamb.

Last year’s No. 1 pick,

Arizona quarterback Kyler

Murray, is already lobbying

his team to use the No. 8

selection on Lamb, his

college teammate.

“I would obviously be

very fond of that pick,”

Murray recently told the

Arizona Republic. “Obvi-

ously, I don’t make the

choices. I’m here for whatev-

er, but I’m looking forward

to free agency and us adding

some great players and

adding more of them in the

draft so we can continue to

grow this thing.”

Burrow is a foregone

conclusion for the Bengals

at No. 1, even though there

are indications the LSU

phenom — who grew up in

Ohio and started his college

career at Ohio State —

might resist going to Cincin-

nati.

During a reception in

Fort Worth in which he

accepted the Davey O’Brien

Award, given to college

football’s top quarterback,

Burrow made comments

about the Bengals that

could be interpreted as

ominous. According to the

Fort Worth Star-Telegram,

he said: The Bengals “have

their process and I have my

process. We haven’t even

gotten to the combine yet.

There’s a lot of things that

happen leading up to the

draft and a lot of informa-

tion gathered.”

Forcing a team’s hand

wouldn’t be unprecedented

for a No. 1 pick. Baltimore

made John Elway the top

selection in 1983, but the

Stanford star refused to

play for the Colts. Eli Man-

ning did the same in 2004,

when he was unwilling to

even don the cap of the San

Diego Chargers, who traded

him to the New York Giants

within an hour.

Besides Burrow, the

most highly regarded

quarterbacks in this year’s

draft class include Ala-

bama’s Tua Tagovailoa

(though saddled with injury

concerns), Oregon’s Justin

Herbert, Utah State’s Jor-

dan Love and Washington’s

Jacob Eason.

Young

creates

buzz at

combine

‘I would

obviously be very

fond of that pick.

Obviously, I don’t

make the choices.’

— Kyler Murray,

Arizona Cardinals quarterback,

on the idea of the team drafting

Oklahoma wide receiver

CeeDee Lamb, his former

college teammate

[Farmer,from D1]

Angels 7

Rockies 4

ON THE MOUND: Right-hander Jaime Barría pitched two

scoreless innings with little incident. One batter reached on

a single and another on a forceout. Barría, 23, is competing

for a spot in the rotation. ... Prospect Adrian De Horta,

invited to his first big league camp, walked a batter andgave

up an unearned run in the ninth inning. The 24-year-old

from West Covina struck out three batters to earn a save.

AT THE PLATE:Top prospect Jo Adell drove in No. 2

prospect Brandon Marsh to give the Angels a 1-0 lead in the

first inning. Marsh had walked. Both worked deep counts.

Adell also stole a base. ... Arismendy Alcantara and Adell led

the Angels with two hits apiece.

EXTRA BASES:Shortstop Andrelton Simmons had not been

expected to make his spring-training debut until Tuesday,

when other Angels regulars are scheduled to begin their

Cactus League work. But Simmons, who was limited to 103

games last season because of ankle injuries, played three

innings and walked in his second plate appearance. “I’ve

heard all about his intellect and his baseball intellect,”

Maddon said. “And it’s all true. It’s very obvious. He’s eager

and he loves to play this game. ... Doesn’t surprise me he

wanted to play today.” ... Former Angels prospect Eric

Stamets, a light-hitting shortstop most valued for his

defensive prowess, hit a three-run home run against

nonroster invitee Hoby Milner to tie the score 4-4 in the fifth

inning. Stamets was traded to the Cleveland Indians for

outfielder David Murphy in 2015. Stamets, selected in the

sixth round of the 2012 draft, made his MLB debut with the

Indians early last season.

UP NEXT:Left-hander Dillon Peters will start for the Angels

on Monday at noon against the Milwaukee Brewers at

Phoenix. TV: FS West. Radio: 830.

— Maria Torres

Dodgers 5

Cubs 2

ON THE MOUND:Alex Wood tossed a scoreless first inning

in his first appearance as a Dodger since re-signing with the

team last month. The left-hander struck out two batters and

gave up a two-out double to catcher Victor Caratini. ...

Kenley Jansen followed Wood with a clean second inning

and struck out two. The closer, who had a modified

offseason routine that included more throwing, said it’s the

earliest he has pitched in a Cactus League game.

AT THE PLATE: Mookie Betts, the 2018 American League

most valuable player acquired this month, went 0 for 2 with

two flyouts and a fifth-inning sacrifice flythat drove in the

Dodgers’ second run. He is scheduled to start Monday. ...

Outfielder DJ Peters hit a two-run double in the seventh

inning to give the Dodgers the lead.

EXTRA BASES:Clayton Kershaw threw a live bullpen

session after having it pushed back a day because of rain

Saturday. The left-hander faced five hitters. Outfielder

Anthony Garcia, a nonroster invitee, homered on Kershaw’s

final pitch. ... Joc Pederson, still dealing with “side”

discomfort in recent days, according to manager Dave

Roberts, has not resumed swinging a bat.

UP NEXT:Ross Stripling is slated to go against the Chicago

White Sox on Monday at noon PST at Camelback Ranch.

Right-hander Alex McRae will start for Chicago, the home

team in the matchup between spring neighbors.

—Jorge Castillo

MOOKIE BETTSmakes his first Cactus League plate appearance with the Dod-

gers. The right fielder was 0 for 2 with a sacrifice fly against the Chicago Cubs.

Kent NishimuraLos Angeles Times

TEMPE, Ariz. — Four

spots in the Angels rotation

were claimed before the

team reported to spring

training, leaving one spot for

four pitchers to win.

Right-hander Jaime

Barría on Sunday became

the first of the group to

throw, giving up one hit in

two scoreless innings in the

Angels’ 7-4 victory over the

Colorado Rockies.

A focus on throwing first-

pitch strikes was key. Barría,

who was touted for his abil-

ity to get early-count outs as

a minor leaguer, threw in line

with new pitching coach

Mickey Callaway’s philoso-

phy and didn’t walk anyone.

“I think that’s my forte, is

throwing strikes,” Barría

said in Spanish. “I want to

control all the corners, in

and out, against the batters.

All my pitches were in the

zone and I was able to domi-

nate.”

Barría, 23, is in a strange

spot. In 2018, his rookie sea-

son, he had a 3.41 earned-run

average and struck out 98

batters over 129^1 ⁄ 3 innings in

26 starts. But he spent 2019

being shuttled to and from

triple A. He ended the sea-

son with a combined 7.63

ERA over 131 innings.

The instability affected

Barría. So did the former

coaching staff ’s insistence

that he throw fewer two-

seam fastballs and more

sliders, which was his most

effective pitch as a rookie.

The Angels tossed that for-

mula. Barría was encour-

aged to throw his sinking

fastball again. He was also

reminded that four-seam

fastballs are effective in cer-

tain situations, such as when

facing left-handed hitters.

So on Sunday, he threw only

two sinkers.

“I think because it’s

straight sometimes pitchers

underestimate the four-

seam fastball,” manager Joe

Maddon said this month. “It

looks straight, but they

don’t understand that the

hitter has a hard time catch-

ing up with that.”

The Angels rotation will

include veterans Andrew

Heaney, Julio Teherán and

Dylan Bundy, and second-

year pitcher Griffin Can-

ning. Another spot will even-

tually go to two-way player

Shohei Ohtani, once he is

cleared to pitch in his first

major league game since

2 018.

The other opening in the

rotation is up for grabs.

Barría, Félix Peña and Matt

Andriese are in contention,

and left-handers Patrick

Sandoval and José Suárez

are also under consider-

ation, but they were emer-

gency call-ups last season.

Barría was supposed to

be on the Angels’ opening-

day roster last year for the

first time. Being cut at the

last minute stung.

He leaned on that feeling

in the offseason. He shed 14

pounds to put himself back

in position to succeed.

“I am the Barría from 2017

and 2018,” the 6-foot-1 native

of Panamá said. “I feel more

aggressive, I feel more flex-

ible and I think that’s going

to help me.”

Short hops

Anthony Rendon re-

joined the Angels after

Thursday’s birth of his sec-

ond child. “Mama and baby

doing well. Except for my

oldest daughter, she’s a little

pissed,” he said. “She’ll get

over it eventually.” ... Ohtani

had a light bullpen session

for the first time this spring.

He will begin to ramp up the

intensity of his throwing pro-

gram in a few weeks so that

he is ready to start in the ma-

jor leagues in mid-May.

Angels’ Barría pursues rotation spot

By Maria Torres