ROME (AP) - Baseball and softball's joint bid for Olympic reinstatement is still lacking a guarantee that major league stars would be freed up to play ahead of a key presentation to the IOC next month.
International Baseball Federation President Riccardo Fraccari is still holding out hope that Major League Baseball will commit its players for at least the semifinals and finals, but tells The Associated Press that "we have to be realistic."
Baseball and softball have been out of the Olympics since 2008 and merged in a bid to return for the 2020 Games. They are competing against seven other sports for a single spot on the program.
On May 29 in St. Petersburg, Russia, the IOC board will select one or more sports to submit for final consideration in September.
