Major League Baseball roundup

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[February 14, 2015]  Feb 13 (The Sports Xchange) - Major League Baseball is considering shrinking the strike zone to help increase offense, according to a Yahoo Sports report.

Any formal rule change would have to be approved by baseball's playing rules committee. Yahoo reported the committee will monitor the strike zone this season and potentially look to implement changes in 2016 at the earliest.

Offense has been on the decline in recent years and strikeouts are at an all-time high.

Over the past five seasons, the strike zone has expanded about 40 square inches, from 435 square inches in 2009 to 475 square inches in 2014, according to research conducted by Hardball Times writer Jon Roegele. The largest part of that expansion is in the lower area of the strike zone, with umpires more frequently signaling strikes for pitches below the kneecap.

The last time MLB changed the definition of the strike zone came after the 1996 season, when the boundary for the bottom of the zone was lowered from the top of the batter's knees to the bottom.

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The Cincinnati Reds and left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman avoided arbitration Friday by agreeing to a one-year contract.

Chapman reportedly will earn $8.05 million. He had filed for $8.7 million and the Reds had offered $6.65 million.

Chapman had a base salary of $5 million last season as part of the six-year, $30.25 million contract he signed in January 2010 following his defection from Cuba.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks and right-handed closer Addison Reed reportedly agreed to a one-year contract worth $4.875 million.

Reed filed for $5.6 million while the Diamondbacks offered $4.7 million. He earned $538,500 last year.

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Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson reportedly lost his salary arbitration case and will receive $4.3 million in 2015.

Donaldson, heading into his first season in Toronto, was seeking $5.75 million. He earned the $500,000 minimum last year playing for Oakland and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

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Miami Marlins right-hander David Phelps reportedly lost his arbitration case and will make $1.4 million in 2015.

Phelps, who made $541,425 in 2014, had requested $1.875 million.

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The Kansas City Royals and right-handed closer Greg Holland avoided salary arbitration when they agreed to an $8.25 million, one-year contract.

Holland made $4.725 million last year and had asked for $9 million. The Royals had offered $6.65 million. He is eligible for free agency after the 2016 season.

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Atlanta Braves reliever Shae Simmons will miss the 2015 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Simmons was shut down for the remainder of the 2014 season in late July due to a right shoulder strain. However, he experienced elbow discomfort when he started his offseason throwing program in early February, leading to an MRI exam that diagnosed a torn ulnar collateral ligament, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. (Editing by Andrew Both)

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