LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick is hoping Major League Baseball and the players’ association can work out a deal to improve pace of play without imposing changes on the union unilaterally. Commissioner Rob Manfred has long vowed to put new rules in place for the upcoming season with or without an agreement, but says his preference is for a deal and he is willing to negotiate the changes involving a pitch clock or limits on mound visits. “We need to improve the pace of play and as the Commissioner said very well we need to really try to do it as partners with the players because that will make it work better than if Rob made a decision to do it on his own,” Kendrick said Wednesday after the first of two days of owners meetings near Beverly Hills.