Manfred pleased with MLB's strong global presence

BOSTON -- In front of a crowd of local business executives that included Red Sox owner John Henry and his wife, Linda, club president and CEO Sam Kennedy had a little fun with Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred when introducing him on Wednesday, teasing Manfred about his love for the Yankees as a kid.

Joking that he could be banned for his line of questioning, Kennedy carried on as host and moderator for Boston College’s Chief Executives Club luncheon, where Commissioner Manfred served as keynote speaker, touching on a bevy of important topics within the baseball world, with a heavy focus on diversity at all levels, growing the game globally and maintaining continuity when dealing with labor issues.

“It’s not just what you do when you are a year away from expiration,” Manfred said on the importance of labor peace within the framework of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. “For better or worse, you have to find a way to get along.”

Manfred called the game’s addressing of diversity and inclusion an “ambitious goal,” aimed at investing in underserved areas, building up inner-city leagues and academies to provide more opportunity for players, while noting a focus on the 31 annual Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars as qualified options for front offices.

On the topic of the game’s global growth, the Commissioner cited the strong passion for baseball in countries like Japan and Korea, underscoring the sport’s viability as a worldwide product.

“We think we have the greatest game in the world,” said Manfred, who also talked about a program the league has recently implemented at 300 schools in India to help cultivate a culture of baseball there. “You could have places around the world where you have a great domestic product.”

In recognition of the league’s ongoing role in fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease), Boston College Chief Executives Club executive director Warren Zola presented Manfred with a maroon No. 3 Pete Frates Boston College baseball jersey, with a “Strike Out ALS” ribbon on the sleeve.

Frates, a Boston College baseball alum who was diagnosed with the disease in 2012, has helped raise awareness and more than $200 million to fight ALS through the Ice Bucket Challenge, which he brought to the forefront in 2014.

“Pete Frates and the entire Frates family are not only someone we were involved with in terms of raising money -- they’re friends of the game, part of the baseball family,” Manfred said of the Frates family. “I can’t think of a gift I’ve received more meaningful than this one.”

Manfred also addressed tough subjects, from the recent potential Bryce Harper tampering violations (“We’re in the process of gathering information.”) to the possibility of an Election Day process for All-Star team selections (“It’s a fan engagement issue for us.”) to the continued drive to improve pace of play, as well as free agency.

“We’ve been focusing on pace of game and the time it takes to play games,” Manfred said. “I’m hopeful we’re going to have an agreement with the Players Association to provide additional steps forward this year and for a couple of years to come.”

“I think free agency has functioned in the way we have seen it function historically. We have record-setting contracts that were signed last year. There are a small number of players who are out there looking for jobs, but I suspect, just like last year, that market will eventually clear.”

In a question-and-answer session with the audience, Manfred also hit on the importance of building a strong relationship with college baseball to help aid player growth as well as the idea of women playing professionally. About the latter, Manfred noted the continued efforts of MLB to expand the game at the youth level.