NEW YORK (AP) – Starting extra innings with a runner on second base during the regular season was made a permanent rules change by Major League Baseball after three seasons of use during the coronavirus pandemic. Use of position players as pitchers also was tightened by the joint competition committee. They will be limited to extra innings, when a player’s team is losing by eight or more runs or is winning by 10 or more runs in the ninth inning. Last year, a position player could pitch only in extra innings or if his team was losing or winning by six or more runs. Meanwhile,  Spring training opens Monday in Florida and Arizona. And there’ll be lots of new changes, like pitch clocks, limits on defensive shifts and larger bases. Players are reporting early ahead of the World Baseball Classic. Opening day is March 30. This season will see some star players in new places: Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts. There also are four new managers: Bruce Bochy, Matt Quatraro, Pedro Grifol and Skip Schumaker.