NEW YORK, N.Y. - Rob Manfred knows hell get pounded now that hes baseball commissioner — his name is printed in blue script on the sweet spot between the seams of every big league ball.Probably good if I get hit hard, he said, smiling and laughing, during an interview with The Associated Press. A little more offence. We dont have to deal with that issue.Manfreds desk on the 31st floor of baseballs Park Avenue offices was tidy on Monday morning, the first business day after he succeeded Bud Selig and started a five-year term as commissioner. Having worked for MLB since 1998 as an executive vice-president and then as chief operating officer, he didnt have to move into a new office.The issues are piled up, perhaps not physically, but the to-do list is lengthy: Oakland and Tampa Bay want new ballparks; negotiations are ongoing with players over pace of play and domestic violence; Baltimore and Washington are fighting in court over broadcast revenue; there is widespread agreement initiatives must be undertaken to develop young fans and players.A pitch clock must be considered and decreased offence scrutinized along with increased defensive shifts.Tighter balls? Shorter fences? A lower mound? Banning defensive shifts?Perhaps they can be talked about in the future.I do think its important for the game to continue to modernize, he said. That modernization has to proceed at a pace that allows us to be very respectful of the traditions of the game and keeps us from making a hasty error, as they say.He opened his regime Sunday by releasing an open letter to fans, promising development in urban areas and increased emphasis on partnering with high school, college and amateur ball.He left his home early on a snowy Monday and took the commuter train from Tarrytown to Grand Central Terminal, as he has most days since he was hired by MLB after 11 years as an outside counsel with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.Born Sept. 28, 1958, Manfred grew up in Rome, New York, and is thought to be the first commissioner to have played Little League Baseball. He started when he was seven and quit when he was 12 or 13 because it conflicted with tennis.It was a painful and not-particularly successful experience, he said. I played some shortstop, some second base.He attended his first big league game on Aug. 10, 1968, sitting in the lower deck between home plate and first base at Yankee Stadium for New Yorks 3-2 loss to Minnesota. Mickey Mantle went deep twice in his last multihomer game.It was a big trip for us as a family, Manfred said.He wears conservative suits and has a gap-toothed smile and a receding hairline, looking every bit the corporate lawyer he was. His Cornell undergraduate and Harvard Law School diplomas are on the wall behind his desk, to the side of his computer. A flat-screen television on another wall broadcasts sports news.The contrast between the 56-year-old Manfred and the 80-year-old Selig is clear. The longtime Brewers owner ruled baseball from Milwaukee with grandfatherly charm. Selig claims to have never sent an email during his 22-plus years in charge.Bud I and are actually very different, Manfred said. Buds not much of a technology guy. I am the original plugged-in technology guy. Bud is an expert at the politics of managing owners. He does it with an art of persuasion. I think I can effectively manage the owners as well, but my style will be more based on information, rational persuasion, argument, than just politics.Labor strife remains the biggest danger. Following five strikes and three lockouts from 1972-95, baseball negotiated three straight deals without a stoppage and is ensured labour peace through the 2016 season.A labour disruption would be a real setback for this game, Manfred said. I think that weve taught people to expect that we can solve our problems or issues with the players in a constructive way without disrupting the play of the game on the field, and I think a failure to be able to do that would be a step backwards for us, obviously.The ever-increasing speed of high-tech innovation is the No. 2 issue. Regional sports networks and national broadcasting contracts have helped pushed baseballs revenue to nearly $9 billion last year, a more than fivefold increase under Seligs reign.Obviously, the cable model has served us well, Manfred explained. We hope it lasts a very long time. But its something you have to be concerned about.One change could be a 20-second pitch clock. While Selig ruled it out for the big leagues this year, it will be experimented with at Double-A and Triple-A.Manfred said MLB executive Joe Torre and Atlanta Braves president John Schuerholz both approved after watching an experiment in the Arizona Fall League.Im a fan of the pitch clock, he said. I think the best endorsement of it is that some of the people involved in the game that you would regard to be on the more traditional spectrum were converts.He also wants stricter interpretation of the rule-book strike zone, a process that began with computer evaluation of umpires ball-strike calls starting in 2001.A lack of strike zone uniformity is kind of like dandelions, Manfred said. If you dont pay attention, it comes back.The big league batting average dropped to .251 last year, its lowest level since 1972. Manfred told ESPN in an interview released Sunday that he was open to banning defensive shifts.I said somewhere down the road its something Id be prepared to have a conversation about. Nothing more, he said Monday,Still, MLB forwarded the players union a list of radical ideas, Fox reported Monday, such as tinkering with the ball, mound, fences and strike zone, and extending the DH to the NL. Manfred also says he doesnt see a DH change happening, but the height of the mound could be open to debate. It was cut from 15 inches to 10 after the 1968 season.I dont see that as a revolutionary idea, he said.He does want to push ahead with international play, saying Id like to play on a more sustained basis outside the United States if thats possible. But games in Asia and Europe are difficult because of travel.The Western Hemisphere is probably more realistic in that regard, he said.And baseball is monitoring the U.S. governments opening to Cuba.Its a great source of talent, and whenever you have a talent source, our people are very interested, he said. Obviously the president has announced an important policy change. What that means at the nuts-and-bolts level that we operate, were just not sure yet.On his first day at the office, New York prepared for a blizzard. Not exactly baseball weather.Manfred beamed when discussing his plans. And when talking about the new baseballs with his name on them.He sent the first one that arrived to his father.It really is a very interesting and exciting, tangible evidence that you are in fact the commissioner of baseball, Manfred said.Howard Smith, MLBs senior vice-president of licensing, made him sign Robert D. Manfred Jr. over and over and over with different pencils and pens. More than a million balls will be manufactured this year.I actually can write if I take the time to do it, Manfred said proudly. It turned out OK. Yeezy Schuhe Günstig Amazon . The 36-year-old said a few months ago he would hang up his boots at the end of the season, but has since changed his mind. "Its a pity the season is ending now, as I am in good physical shape and enjoying myself," Di Natale said. Yeezy Boost 750 Deutschland . The victory strengthened Liverpools position in the top four after Tottenham lost 1-0 at Norwich in the days late kickoff, cutting the north London club six points adrift of fourth place and the final Champions League slot for next season. http://www.yeezyschuhe.de/nmd-schuhe-deutschland.html. -- Ben Bishop had a milestone game against one of the NHLs greatest goalies. Ultra Boost Deutschland . Quarterback Drew Willy appeared to injure his throwing hand on the third last play of practice Thursday. Fake Yeezy Kaufen . With their coach gone, they finally played offence the way he would have wanted. Amare Stoudemire made all seven shots in the first half, Anthony passed and shot well, and the Knicks shook off the surprising departure of their coach to rout the Portland Trail Blazers 121-79 on Wednesday night, snapping a six-game losing streak. NEW YORK -- The Cleveland Indians know that Corey Kluber is the probably biggest reason they are still in the hunt for a playoff spot. He showed why Saturday. Kluber pitched four-hit ball for a superb six innings and Jose Ramirez hit his first career homer among three hits as the Indians ended a four-game skid with a 3-0 victory over the New York Yankees. "Every time he toes the rubber its a win," Reliever Cody Allen said. Michael Brantley also connected and had three hits for Cleveland, which won at Yankee Stadium for the first time in eight games and improved to 57-58. Ramirez hit a two-run drive in the second inning. Derek Jeter had an infield single in the sixth inning to pass Honus Wagner for sixth on the career list with No. 3,431. But New York was 0 for 9 with six strikeouts with runners in scoring position in losing for just the second time in eight games. "I try not to think about it but today, Honus Wagner, hes the last one on the list that has played short at all -- so that one hits home a little bit," Jeter said. "But anytime youre passing guys that have had the careers that theyve had, its kind of overwhelming." Kluber (13-6) did not allow a hit until Jacoby Ellsbury doubled with one out in the fourth and struck out 10. The right-hander has allowed only one earned run in his last 31 1-3 innings over four starts. He has won six straight decisions. "Just stick with my same approach. Maybe just executing a little better," Kluber said of his recent success. Scott Atchison, Bryan Shaw and Allen each pitched an inning with Allen finishing striking out two to finish the five-hitter for his 15th save. Brandon McCarthy (4-1) lost for the first time in six starts with New York. He received a scare in the third when he took a liner off his right foot but he continued for 6 1-3 innings, yielding two runs and seven hits. McCarthy was hit in the head by a liner in 2012 and looked briefly shaken this time. "I dont thiink about it," McCarthy said.dddddddddddd "Its one of the things when I was coming back that I had to accept the reality that things can come back at you -- you still have to play." Yankees manager Joe Girardi said x-rays of McCarthys foot were negative. TRAINERS ROOM Indians: Left fielder David Murphy was lifted after the fifth inning with soreness in the right side. He said his side has been bothering him the last week but got worse Saturday. He will have an MRI. ... Right fielder Nick Swisher was lifted for the eighth inning because of his troublesome right knee. Yankees: Catcher Brian McCann was placed on the seven-day concussion list. He was hit in the facemask by a foul ball Friday night in the third inning and was feeling foggy when Girardi pulled him for a pinch hitter in the sixth. ... First baseman Mark Teixeira missed a third straight game with an injured pinkie. He said it was too sore to play. UP NEXT Indians: Carlos Carrasco (3-4) will make his first start since April 25 for Cleveland, taking Danny Salazars spot. Salazar was demoted to the minors last week. Carrasco was 0-3 with a 6.95 in four starts before being relegated to the bullpen. He has a 2.30 ERA in 26 appearances. Yankees: Hiroki Kuroda (7-7) is 14-4 with a 2.48 ERA in 24 day games since joining New York in 2012. SLEEPING ON THE JOB Indians manager Terry Francona slept on the couch in the visiting managers office after Friday nights 10-6 loss that took nearly four hours. "I was out cold, man," he said. K-ZONE Kluber has seven games with at least 10 strikeouts this season, the most by and Indians pitcher since Dennis Eckersly did it eight times in 1976. NO FREEBIES McCarthy has walked three or fewer batters in each of his last 105 starts dating to 2009, the longest active streak in the majors. TRADE BAIT The fan who caught Ramirezs homer asked for two autographed balls from Jason Giambi, a former Yankee. The Indians said they made the deal. ' ' '