CHICAGO -- Commissioner Rob Manfred says baseball wants to study high-profile positions within the sport to see if certain qualifications predict success, a step that has everything to do with minority hiring.Baseball had no Latino managers before Rick Renteria took over the Chicago White Sox last month. Dusty Baker of the Washington Nationals and Dave Roberts from the Los Angeles Dodgers are the only black skippers among the leagues 30 teams.But there were 10 minority managers as recently as 2009, according to Richard Lapchick of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida.Certain perceptions develop as to what people are looking for in particular positions and then people write stories saying, Oh, thats a problem on the minority front because, you know, maybe minorities are less likely to share these characteristics, Manfred said Thursday at the conclusion of two days of owners meetings.I think a first step in addressing those concerns is identifying which ones really matter and then you start to identify candidates who have all those qualifications and say, hey this may be the perfect guy for you and I have some science behind it in order to demonstrate that he is the best candidate, or she.Major League Baseball hired Korn Ferry last year in part to help top minority candidates in their interviews for positions in baseball operations. But Manfred said the search firm is going to focus on openings for individual clubs when its retained because of the potential for conflicts when it works for the central office and teams at the same time.When the White Sox announced Renterias promotion, they highlighted his ability to communicate in English and Spanish. But Manfred said there are all sorts of factors that could be considered.You could name probably 20 things off the top of your head, he said. The question is, once youve named them, do any of them really predict success on the field?While MLB briefed the owners on baseballs highly successful postseason and the upcoming World Baseball Classic, the ongoing labor talks with the players occupied a significant portion of the meetings at a downtown Chicago hotel, already decked out in its best Christmas decorations.The collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1. Negotiators for owners and players have been meeting since spring training.I remain optimistic that were going to make a deal, Manfred said. This process is not predictable in terms of time. I said there were certain natural deadlines out there. The beginning of the market was one and the expiration of the agreements another, and Im hopeful that were going to get a deal done before that latter deadline.Manfred declined to address any details from the bargaining sessions, but he said an international amateur draft remains on the table.Manfred also touched on several other fronts with the sport and the owners quarterly meetings:-The owners approved changes with the leadership structures in Oakland and Philadelphia, with John Fisher becoming the control person of the Athletics and John Middleton taking over the same position with the Phillies. The As announced that Lew Wolff will be transitioning from managing partner to chairman emeritus, and that he had agreed to sell most of his interest to the remaining owners.Fisher and Middleton each controlled the biggest stake in their specific teams before taking over their new roles.I think the ownership committee has a strong preference that the individuals who are either the largest or one of the largest equity owners in clubs be the individual who is the baseball control person, Manfred said.-Manfred also reacted to supermodel Kate Uptons online support of fiance Justin Verlander after the Detroit Tigers ace finished second to Bostons Rick Porcello in voting for the AL Cy Young Award. Verlander was left off the ballot by two voters, prompting a series of tweets by Upton that were widely circulated on social media.The particular content of the tweet Im not going to comment on, a chuckling Manfred said. I do think that engagement on social media by players and people close to players is important in todays world. I think that it brings attention to the sport at a point during the year when its our offseason and we have less going on.-The Cubs first World Series title since 1908 helped generate great ratings during the playoffs, and there is talk around the sport about how to build on the success from the postseason.Were not going to have the Cubs and 108 years every year, Manfred said. But I think there are lots of compelling baseball stories that can help us produce the kind of postseason popularity that we enjoyed this year.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Puma Basket Baratas . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. Puma Baratas España . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. http://www.pumabaratas.es/ .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Zapatillas Puma Baratas . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Puma Rihanna Baratas . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. UCLA has talented freshmen, experienced returners and a veteran coach, but what might set the 16th-ranked Bruins apart this season is their versatility.They went from making 18 3-pointers in a 119-80 win over Pacific in the opener last week to attacking the basket when perimeter shots werent falling in a 102-87 victory over Cal State Northridge in their second game Sunday.UCLA (2-0) hosts San Diego (0-2) at 11 p.m. ET Thursday night. The Toreros, who have lost to San Diego State and Samford, dont know how UCLA will attack them, but they know the Bruins will likely be potent.When the Bruins struggled in the first half against Northridge, trailing 42-40 at halftime, UCLA coach Steve Alford urged his team to attack the basket more instead of settle for 3-point attempts. The tactic resulted in a 62-point second half in which the Bruins shot 58.8 percent and scored 30 points in the paint.At halftime, its what coach was drilling us about, just being able to take the ball hard to the basket and being aggressive, said UCLA junior center Thomas Welsh, who had 10 points and 13 rebounds.UCLA made 5 of 16 3-pointers and took just six shots from beyond the arc in the second half, a contrasting style to when it attempted 30 3-pointers and made the school-record 18 against Pacific.Two different styles. Two games with more than 100 points.UCLAs starting backcourt of Isaac Hamilton (22 points against Northridge) and Bryce Alford (15 of his 20 points in the second half) is an experienced complement to freshman standouts Lonzo Ball (13 points, eight rebounds and six assists) and T.J. Leaf (22 points and 15 rebounds against Pacific).San Diego is coming off an 83-65 loss at home against Samford on Sunday. The Toreros gave UCLA a scare last year, losing 75-68 at Pauley Pavilion. They will be hard-pressed to make that kind of threat to the Bruins again.ddddddddddddhe Toreros like to shoot the 3-pointer, like UCLA, but they made only 9 of 29 attempts against Samford. They tried seven fewer field goals within the arc, failing to solve Samfords 2/3 zone.We settled for way too many threes, said guard Olin Carter III, who led San Diego with 15 points.San Diego coach Lamont Smith, in his second year as head coach at his alma mater, is taking responsibility for how the Toreros struggled to score against Samford.We just didnt execute, he said. And thats on me. I didnt do a good enough (job) of communicating how we should attack their defense.Rebounding is another concern for San Diego, which was beat on the glass 43-29 against Samford. UCLA beat Northridge on the boards 44-31 on Sunday.San Diego point guard Nassir Barrino (14 points) was the only other Torero in double-figure scoring against Samford. He led the Toreros as well with seven rebounds.UCLA had seven players in double figures against Northridge.Two of the best players on San Diegos roster are sitting out this season after transferring. Isaiah Wright is a 6-foot-2 guard out of Utah and Isaiah Pineiro is a 6-6 wing from Portland State.While San Diego is struggling to find itself, the greatest concern for Steve Alford is finding a definitive leader among his array of talent at UCLA.Some of the guys arent fully there, fully following what weve got to do, said Alford, who expects Hamilton and his son Bryce Alford to eventually fill that leadership role. I just need them to be more vocal, whether its in their personality or not, because were a fairly quiet team.Were great guys. Were just quiet. And I need somebody to rile them up a little bit. ' ' '