by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

AP photo: St.Louis Cardinal pitcher Mike Leake meets the press on Tuesday during his signing with the Cards

SAN FRANCISCO–Former San Francisco Giant Mike Leake who signed with the St.Louis Cardinals on Tuesday will get $80 million for five years and an option bonus that will pay him $94 million and a no trade clause as Christmas comes early for Leake. Leake met the with press on Tuesday afternoon and said upon joining St.Louis “I think we can be the best, if they name me the number five guy that’s fine with me.”

The shift is on: Major League Baseball met with official scorekeepers and decided to make rulings and decisions based on the players original position in the starting line ups on defensive plays.  So if the shortstop is at second and the second baseman is in right field and the second baseman gets a fly in right and throws to the shortstop covering second base to get a runner trying to come back the play goes fly out 4 and an assist on the out going to the shortstop 6 covering second.

Longtime Boston Red Sox and former Tampa Bay Devil Ray Wade Boggs will have his #26 retired by the Boston Red Sox. Boggs hit 338 for 11 seasons with the Red Sox. Boggs is looking forward to the honor and the celebration will take place at Fenway Park when the season gets underway in April.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Museum and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com