TAMPA — Baseball commissioner Bud Selig contacted the Yankees yesterday after reading Hank Steinbrenner’s comments from Monday on revenue sharing.
Selig reminded Hal Steinbrenner and club president Randy Levine that there is a gag order in place concerning revenue sharing in a year when the collective bargaining agreement is up.
The CBA expires after this coming season.
Monday, Steinbrenner said the Yankees will owe $130 million in revenue sharing and luxury tax. It’s likely to grow to $137 million when the final numbers are crunched.
Steinbrenner was critical of the current system and called for change. He also said Selig was in agreement.
Yesterday, likely before Selig talked to Hal and Levine, Steinbrenner brought up the revenue sharing topic.
“It’s not the American way,” Steinbrenner said. “At some point, if you don’t want the problem of minor markets, don’t leave teams in minor markets.”
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Because Bartolo Colon
pitched in the Dominican Republic Winter League, he will start against the Phillies on Saturday in the first exhibition game at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
“He is probably more ready than the other guys, even if it’s a day or two,” manager Joe Girardi
said of the veteran right-hander who is in camp on a minor-league deal and competing for the fourth or fifth spots in the rotation.
Ivan Nova
, an early favorite to land one of the two spots, starts Sunday against the Phillies in Clearwater. He is to be followed by CC Sabathia
, who threw a bullpen yesterday, A.J. Burnett
, Phil Hughes
and Freddy Garcia
.
Sergio Mitre
, another candidate, is to work in the bullpen the first time through according to Girardi.
Mariano Rivera
throws his first spring bullpen session today.
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Asked about Mark Prior’s
early-morning batting practice session, Girardi said, “I thought he threw the ball OK,” but then expressed his pleasure with all his hurlers.
Prior, who hasn’t pitched in a big-league game since 2006 and didn’t pitch at all in 2007, 2008 and 2009 due to shoulder problems, is competing for a spot in the bullpen.