CLEVELAND -- Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is hopeful an agreement on a new labor contract will be reached before the current deal expires Dec. 1.Negotiators for management and the players association have been meeting in New York this week. The 2006 contract was announced during the World Series and the 2011 agreement on Nov. 22.There are certain natural deadlines that kind of flow around the end of the World Series and then through the expiration date of the agreement, Manfred said Wednesday before Game 2. Each of the last couple of times weve either gotten it done during the World Series or a few days afterwards. I remain optimistic that were going to be in that same window in terms of getting it done.Primary issues include luxury tax thresholds, managements desire for a draft of international amateur players, changes in schedule rules to ease travel and international play such as regular-season games in London. Baseball has not had a work stoppage since the 1994-95 strike that led to the cancellation of the World Series for the first time in 90 years.Manfred was managements primary negotiator for the last three labor deals, then succeeded Bud Selig as commissioner in January 2015. Former All-Star first baseman Tony Clark is leading players in talks for the first time; he took over as union head following the death of Michael Weiner in November 2013.Manfred said whether an agreement is reached during this years Series depends on how long the World Series goes.On other topics:RATINGSClevelands 6-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night drew the highest rating on Fox for a Series opener since 2009. Viewers are intrigued by the Cubs quest for their first title since 1908; the Indians have not won since 1948.An average of 19.4 million viewers watched on Fox, up 30 percent from the 14.9 million average for Kansas Citys 14-inning Game 1 win over the New York Mets last year.We define our postseason challenge as finding narratives that takes our tremendous season-long, local audiences, and draws them into the postseason, even if their team is not there in the postseason, Manfred said. I think that the narrative surrounding 68 years in Cleveland and 108 years in Chicago is exactly the recipe that we need to take that tremendous local fan interest that goes on all season long and draws it into the postseason. And the rating last night was a first indication that that narrative is going to be powerful.OLYMPICS/WORLD BASEBALL CLASSICIt is imperative that our sport continue to develop a broader international footprint, he said. It is the way that the media landscape is going to evolve, attracting international audiences is going to be absolutely crucial. I think its an area where we need to continue to focus. Our players need to be prepared to go to different countries and play, because I think its crucial to building the popularity of the game in other countries.The next WBC is scheduled for March.Given the difficulties associated with playing major league players in the Olympics, I think its important for baseball to continue to have a premier international event. We need to work hard to make sure that the WBC is that event, he said.INDIANS LOGOManfred plans to meet with Indians owner Paul Dolan following the Series to discuss the teams continued use of the controversial Chief Wahoo logo. The smiling, red-faced symbol has stirred strong opinions for years. Manfred said he understands that particular logo is offensive to some people, and all of us at Major League Baseball understand why.Manfred also appreciated the segment of fans who are attached to Chief Wahoo, which still appears on some of the Indians caps and sleeves of game jerseys.The Indians dropped Chief Wahoo as their primary logo three years ago, replacing it with a block C, but that isnt enough for some groups who want it abolished completely.Manfred said he and Dolan agreed to put of discussion until after the Series.OAKLAND AND TAMPA BAY BALLPARKSI think both Tampa and Oakland are major league markets, and we need major league-quality facilities in those two markets, Manfred said.The St. Petersburg City Council voted in January to give the Rays permission to search for new ballpark sites on both sides of Tampa Bay. The teams current lease at Tropicana Field expires in 2027.I dont see me in a position of making an immediate timetable or putting a timetable out there immediately, because were far enough away from the end of the lease, Manfred said. Vada Pinson Indians Jersey . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Jake Bauers Indians Jersey .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. https://www.cheapindiansonline.com/348u-john-lowenstein-jersey-indians.html . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5. Jim Thome Indians Jersey .Y. -- Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse have another World Cup gold medal after winning the two-women bobsled race on Saturday in Lake Placid, N. Ryan Flaherty Indians Jersey . As the crowd erupted, Davis knocked the ball off the glass and back into his hands. With 1:14 to go in overtime, Davis sixth block also became his 17th rebound. That, along with his 32 points -- which tied a career high -- proved too much for Denver to overcome, and the Pelicans held on for their third straight victory, 111-107 on Sunday night. Ben Youngs insists George Fords accelerating development means the England fly-half is pulling the strings like a veteran international.Fords vision and range of passing was imprinted all over Saturdays 58-15 victory against Fiji as the Grand Slam champions amassed nine tries to extend their winning run to 12 Tests, 11 of them secured under Eddie Jones.While the 23-year-olds goalkicking remains a concern after missing two of three conversions once Owen Farrell had left the field, the assured timing of his distribution identified him as the undisputed ringmaster at Twickenham.Jones views Saturdays man of the match as a rare talent, declaring that his alignment on phase ball was absolutely outstanding, the best I have seen for a long time, and his half-back partner Youngs was equally impressed.George plays far beyond his years in terms of his rugby knowledge and how he plays the game, Leicester scrum-half Youngs said. It was another performance in which he looks 28 or 29 and as if hes been playing for years.Hell continue to grow and the exciting thing is theres way more to come because hes still only a young guy. George puts people into space, gives them time on the ball and makes the right decisions at the line. He knows how to play flat and how to play deep.This game was another example of how he gives the ball at the right time, giving guys one-on-one collisions and then pulling it out the back to guys like Elliot Daly so that they can do their thing.Its the right thing at the right time when under the microscope. It was an incredible performance from him and hes going from strength to strength.Fiji were repeatedly opened up by Fords ability to pick the correct pass as they slipped to a record defeat in the fixture and Youngs believes the challenge now facing the Bath playmaker is to develop his own running game.For him the next thing is to be able to actually take the line on, Youngs said. Its about being confident to transfer that froom club to international level.dddddddddddd This game wasnt a day where he could do that, but he automatically attracts defenders which creates space for other guys.You have split seconds to make decisions and he makes those decisions look incredibly easy. And then he has to execute the pass as well. Hes patient....waiting and waiting and then boom, theres a pass over the top and Semesa Rokoduguni walks in.Rokoduguni, Jonathan Joseph and Joe Launchbury scored two tries each as the outclassed Fijians were put to the sword, but the performance was not without its flaws as England leaked three soft tries either side of half-time.We could probably be a bit more ruthless when we get chances because we left a few out there - it could have been 12 or 13 tries, Youngs said. The tries we conceded were annoying and we should have done better in holding them out. How to keep our intensity and foot on the throat is a lesson for us.Theres certainly more to come and thats exciting, we just need to iron out certain areas.Emphatic victories over South Africa and now Fiji have left England on course for an unblemished year that continues with Argentinas visit to Twickenham next weekend before concluding against Australia on December 3.The Pumas finished bottom of the Rugby Championship, although Jones views them as the second best team in this years competition, and Youngs is wary of their threat despite their 19-16 loss to Scotland on Saturday.Ive watched them closely in the Rugby Championship. Theyre exciting and theyve changed their style from scrum, maul and kick to becoming an adaptable side, Youngs added.They move the ball a lot and at times we got caught by Fiji so they will be looking at that and thinking they can exploit us. Theyre a physical, fast, expansive team with the ability to use a tight game if they need to. ' ' '