CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) – Agent for free agent Bryce Harper and many of the best baseball players claim that the rebuilding teams have become a "competitive cancer" that has resulted in a decline in attendance. 4% this season.

As sports officials began to consider possible rule changes to spark off the offensive and accelerate games, Scott Boras fiercely criticized several of the 17 clubs that have attracted fewer fans this year than last year.

Boras said the Louisiana State baseball team had a higher average attendance for their 37 home games than the Miami Marlins for their 81 – 10,786 at 10,014.

"Florida fans have certainly brought the MIA to Miami," he said Wednesday in a court outside of the general managers' meetings.

He asserted that "when divisional clubs go to Minnesota, it has become so serious that only one of the Twins presents itself".

And he criticized the Toronto Blue Jays, which recorded the biggest drop in the leagues this year, with a drop of 878,000 fans to 2.33 million.

"They have lost almost a third of their fans because of the blue flu caused by the fact that they do not bring attractive players that fans find interesting for their market," he said. .

Boras has an interest in encouraging spending, wanting fewer clubs to give up veterans for the benefit of young people, and more to distribute lucrative contracts – especially to its clients.

Major League Baseball's average attendance fell to 28,830, its lowest level since 2003 after 30 consecutive seasons, reaching 30,000, and six baseball fields broke records. Boras tied the fall to non-competitive clubs: there were three teams of 100 defeats for the second time since 1985 and the first since a record four in 2002. And there were eight teams of 95 losses for the first time from the history of the big leagues.

"The reality is that they are losing their fan base and it is costing millions and millions of dollars to rebuild the fan base," he said.

Boras is looking for a record deal for Harper, surpassing the $ 325 million over 13-year deal struck by the Giancarlo Stanton Golf Club until 2027 with the Miami Marlins, who They traded to the Yankees in New York last December. Boras seemed to have repeated his zingers like a comedian.

"Harper's bazaar has certainly started," he said. "It's fashionable, it's historic, it's an elite, it's global, it's safe, and it certainly has inspirations that deal with great shoes." and beautiful hair. "

Washington made an offer late in the season before Harper became a free agent at the unusually young age of 26. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Harper was not responding.

"He will go about his business and we will take care of our business," said Rizzo. "We recruited him, signed him, developed him, he became one of the best players in the league with our uniform."

While the Directors-General meet and meet with their agents, the official sessions deal with the mechanisms of the sport and Commissioner Rob Manfred and his staff are concerned about the decrease in the number of mistakes and the increase in the number of withdrawals. stick. The batting average of the big leagues dropped seven points to .248, its lowest level since 1972 – the last season before the adoption of the hitter appointed by the American League.

Strikeouts set a record for the 11th consecutive year and broke records for the first time in its history.

"I think the fans like to play the ball a little bit more," said Chicago Cubs baseball president Theo Epstein. "I adhere to the MLB's efforts to think about how to steer the game towards the most compelling product for fans.If this involves more the ball in play, then you find subtle ways to." influence."

Los Angeles Angels General Manager Billy Eppler does not think changes are needed.

"I think we should accept it, I do not think we should fight it," he said. "Why do people argue more often?" Probably because the pitchers launch about 3 1/2 miles to the hour stronger than it was seven years ago. There is more technology in the game and you can really very precisely decide where you want to throw a baseball and practice it for particular hitters. "

While a lot of teams are turning the backs of their teams with their Triple-A teams to have more depth in every game, the starting innings have dropped to 5.36 from 5.51 the previous year and 5 , 89 in 2012, and the number of team relays and per match went from 3.2 last year and 3.0 in 2012. Tampa Bay began experimenting with a relief launcher as "opener" instead from a traditional starter, a move adopted by Oakland and Milwaukee even in the playoffs.

It is likely that discussions will continue when owners meet next week in Atlanta and that the players' association will seem ready to consider at least some changes – a radical change from the almost constant refusal of recent years. But first, MLB must formulate what it wants to propose, a process likely to extend during winter meetings next month in Las Vegas and possibly in January.

"We live in a time when we are waiting for answers very quickly, and I think we have to remember that in the history of baseball, many times and many styles of baseball were played," said the director. Philadelphia General Matt Klentak. "A dead ball era occurs, then the teams start to adjust their behavior, and all of a sudden, you hit more points, then the teams adjust, and the speed and defense take more control of the game And then, the teams try to exploit all the data PITCHf / x and the data TrackMan The game will evolve naturally To a certain extent, we must have patience with the game and let it evolve naturally. will do it. "

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AP Sports Editor Bernie Wilson contributed to this report.

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