MIAMI -- The outfield fence will be easier to clear this year at Marlins Park, and Miami Marlins newcomer Wei-Yin Chen says that's not all bad, even though he's a pitcher.
"We have a very good hitting coach in Barry Bonds," the Taiwanese left-hander said through a translator. "So with the fence moving in, maybe he will help me to hit some more home runs."
Marlins Park will likely remain pitcher-friendly, but work is underway to make the dimensions less daunting for hitters. The center field wall is being moved 11 feet closer to home plate and will be 407 feet away this season (see full story).
Brewers: Catcher Lucroy wants a trade
MILWAUKEE -- Veteran catcher Jonathan Lucroy says the Milwaukee Brewers should trade him as the team begins a rebuilding process.
Lucroy says he wants to win, to go to a World Series, and that's not going to happen with the Brewers in the foreseeable future. The 29-year-old catcher tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that "rebuilding is not a lot of fun for any veteran guy."
In six major league seasons, all with Milwaukee, Lucroy has batted .282 with 66 home runs and 337 RBIs.
Lucroy says he hasn't demanded a trade and wouldn't show up at spring training with a bad attitude. He has two years left on his contract that includes $4 million this year and $5.2 million next year (see full story).
MLB
Yankees: Chapman's guilt must be proven
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner says reliever Aroldis Chapman is "innocent until proven otherwise."
New York acquired Chapman from Cincinnati last month, after a proposed trade between the Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers came apart when a Florida police investigation into an accusation of domestic violence involving the Cuban left-hander became public.
"In this country, when allegations are brought against a person, that person is completely innocent until proven otherwise. Not the other way around," Steinbrenner said Wednesday at baseball's owner's meetings (see full story).
MLB: Owners meet with Homeland Security
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- With worries about terrorism heightened following attacks in France and California, baseball owners began their two-day meeting Wednesday by discussing threat protection with the U.S. Homeland Security secretary.
Presenting more than 2,400 games a year in venues that attract large crowds, Major League Baseball has tightened checks in recent years. Starting last year, fans were required to go through metal detectors at all 30 ballparks.
"There's got to be more security than there is now, I don't know what it will be," Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf said Wednesday. "Everybody realizes that the world has changed and these people are never going to give up, so we have to give up some of our comforts," (see full story).