Tony Clark Major League Players Association executive director, resigns
By Amaury Pi Gonzalez
ESPN reported today that the Major League Baseball Players Association executive director, Tony Clark, resigned Tuesday after an internal investigation revealed an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, who was hired by the union in 2023, sources told ESPN.
The union, which was scheduled to start its spring training tour of all 30 clubhouses on Tuesday, abruptly canceled its 8 a.m. ET meeting with the Cleveland Guarduians in Goodyear, Arizona.
His resignation comes months before the MLPA will face an “almost certain” lockout by a good man and leader in negotiations will not be in charge of one of the country’s top labor unions when they face the owners next December.
During the union’s internal probe — which came in the wake of a wide-ranging and still-open federal investigation into the MLBPA’s finances and other alleged improprieties, including nepotism — the relationship between Clark and the woman came to light, sources said, and prompted him to step down after more than a dozen years as the union’s leader.
The federal investigation was triggered by a whistleblower complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board in November 2024, alleging self-dealing, misuse of resources, abuse of power, and nepotism. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires December 1, 2026, and then here comes the labor battle. What could be the “Main Event” in Baseball this year? A Lockout happens, and big money will be lost by both sides, and fans will sour on the game again, as they have done during previous strikes and lockouts. No es bueno.
No official successor has been named; the union is expected to select an interim leader shortly.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
Cleveland Guardians’ Will Brennan follows through with his swing against the Cincinnati Reds during the second inning of a spring training baseball game on March 17, 2025, in Goodyear, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
By Vince Cestone
The San Francisco Giants are back in Arizona for spring training, as pitchers and catchers reported for duty last week.
The Giants are getting ready for their opener against the New York Yankees on March 25. The game will be televised exclusively on Netflix at 5:05 p.m. PDT. This will be the first game broadcasted in the 2026 Major League Baseball season.
Here are some news and notes from big league camp this week:
The Giants signed outfielder Will Brennan to a major league deal this week but it’s a split contract. That means he will get $900,000 when he’s playing in the big leagues and $400,000 when he’s playing in the minor leagues. While not a splashy move, Brennan can add addition depth to a Giants outfield that was ranked one of the worst in all of baseball last year.
The Cleveland Guardians non-tendered Brennan in November. The 28-year-old hit .267 with a .307 on-base percentage throughout his four year Major League career. His best year came in 2024, when he hit .264 with eight home runs and a .309 on-base percentage. The only issue is he’s been injury prone. If he can stay healthy, the Giants may have a solid backup outfielder or a steady fill-in if one of the starters get injured.
On the pitching side, the Giants signed right-hander Rowan Wick to a one-year major league deal. The problem? Wick is recovering from Tommy John surgery and won’t pitch in 2026. The deal does include a club option for 2027, so there’s a chance that Wick can pitch for San Francisco next year.
Wick, 33, spent the past two years pitching in the Japanese league, where he had a 1.75 ERA in 87 2/3 innings. He could prove to be a solid arm at a bargain price for the Giants if he comes back healthy in 2027. Wick previously pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 2019-2022, even briefly becoming their closer in 2022. However, he faltered in late 2022 and started the 2023 season in the minors. Who knows? The Giants may be able to work their magic at rehabbing injured pitchers, and he may help them in the bullpen next year.
New Giants manager Tony Vitello is bonding with his new team in a way you don’t see every day. During practice last week, the Giants posted a video of Vitello taking grounders with the team during pitcher’s fielding practice. Vitello was feeding the ball to Logan Webb after fielding a grounder. Already, Vitello may be showing that he’s going to be a more hands-on manager when bonding with the team. Only time will tell if we’ll see more of Vitello on the field during practices.
The Giants signed Vitello to a three-year, $3.5 million annual contract. Vitello replaces Bob Melvin. After the 2023 season, Melvin was hired by former Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi, who was dismissed at the end of the 2024 season.
The Giants will kick off their spring training schedule on Saturday, Feb. 21, as they will take on the Seattle Mariners at 12:10 PST from Peoria, Arizona. The game will be televised on NBC Sports Bay Area, and you can also listen to the game on KNBR. Of course, Sports Radio Service will have all your San Francisco Giants coverage.
Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob is the leading candidate to buy the San Diego Padres but will have to keep the Padres in San Diego and will not be able to move them to Oakland. (file photo New York Times)
Joe Lacob is still the favorite to buy the Padres
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi Gonzalez
Joe Lacob tried to buy these teams in the past: the Oakland A’s, the Los Angeles Angels, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Today, he is considered the favorite to buy the San Diego Padres, who are officially on the market. Bids are expected by the end of February 2026. The San Diego franchise is valued between $1.9 billion and $2.3 billion; however, the current ownership may seek around $3 billion.
While some reports label Lacob a leading suitor, other potential buyers are involved as well. Lacob, who also owns the NBA Golden State Warriors and the WNBA Golden State Valkyries, confirmed he has toured Petco Park in San Diego. While he has not yet committed to a final decision, all reports indicate he remains the leading suitor for the franchise.
Joe Lacob attempted to buy the Oakland Athletics in 2005 , reaching a verbal agreement to purchase the team from then-owner Stephen Schott for approximately $180 million. However, then-MLB Commissioner Bud Selig blocked the sale, favoring a bid from John Fisher and Lew Wolff, which ultimately led to Lacob purchasing the Golden State Warriors instead.
Lacob maintained a standing offer to buy the Oakland Athletics from John Fisher for over a decade, while expressing interest in buying the team for many years (over a decade). His standing offer to buy the team from Fisher and keep it in Oakland until 2022.
The A’s under Fisher are on their way to conclude a 3-year stay at Sacramento, the city they are using as a stopover until he inaugurates his new indoor park Las Vegas, Nevada. How much have MLB franchises appreciated during the past 40 years? Walter Haas Jr., then-chairman of Levi Strauss & Co., purchased the Oakland Athletics from Charlie O. Finley for $12.7 million on August 23, 1980.
Quote: “The Stock Market is a better investment than owning an MLB team” – Rob Manfred (2022), Commissioner of Baseball.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and the owners will be taking on the MLB Players Assciation in bargaing talks over the next Collective Bargaining Agreement contract for the 2027 season. It could be a season that will see a lockout over a salary cap in MLB. (AP News photo)
That’s Amaury News and Commentary:
Say Adiós to the multi-year Mega Deal in Baseball
That’s Amauiry News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez
I do not know if Las Vegas oddsmakers take any wagering on this, but I believe that after the 2026 season, which is soon to begin, we will not see any more deals like the Mets’ signing of Juan Soto in December 2024 for 15 years and $765 million or the one prior to Soto for Shohei Ohtani, also over $700 million.
The chances of another such contract occurring are zero. The much-anticipated owners’ lockout is coming by early next December. It is all about the salary cap, which is what the owners want. But it is much more than a cap, because there will also be a floor.
It goes like this: the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and some others will have no problem, but some of the other franchises could be in for a financial awakening. A floor is the mandatory minimum amount of money a professional sports team must spend on a player’s payroll during the season.
Rob Manfred, Commissioner of Baseball, works for the owners and is paid by the 30 teams. Manfred’s job is to make money for the owners and will always act as the owners’ representative in the labor negotiations. Nobody should be fooled; that is his job. The Commissioner serves at the pleasure of the MLB team owners.
Philosophically, he is the representative of Major League Baseball, but he is paid by the owners, so he will never take the players’ side, which is the job of the MLBPA, which is considered the strongest and most powerful in professional sports.
Among all the main professional sports leagues in the US, the NFL,NBA, NHL and MLB, Major League Baseball is the only one without a soft or hard salary cap(s);
While the Union is as powerful as any union in the United States, the owners always make money, as it should, since we are a capitalist system. It reminds me of the famous line from one of the greatest movies in history, The Godfather Part II, when Johnny Ola says, “Hyman Roth always makes money for his partners.” Some of you have told me you love the quotes I include in most of my articles. Below is one more, and if you are a real baseball fan, I know you will agree.
Quote: While the Commissioner holds great power over baseball, and some even call him the “face of the game”, the truth remains the fans pay to see Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and the stars that make the game the greatest; those are the faces of the game: -APG.
I believe the next baseball conflict will be won by the owners.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) is calling for an inquiry for indecency regarding Bad Bunny’s halftime show at Super Bowl LX at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara on Sun Feb 8, 2026 (AP News photo)
That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:
#1 Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) said in an X post that he’s calling for an investigation into Bad Bunny’s halftime show that the show displayed sexual indecency and that this was carried over the airwaves where childeren and women saw sexual displays of smut and indecency. The NFL, NBCUniversal and Apple Music could be held into account for broadcasting the halftime show as indecent. Opponents of Rep Ogles say that he’s attacking the halftime show because it was in the Spanish language and that the indencey charges is an overreach and that there were no indeceny to speak of.
#2 In Major League Baseball headlines will the latest roster projections and Opening Day lineups shape expectations for every team’s 2026 campaign?
#3 How will Juan Soto’s move to left field impact the New York Mets’ defensive strategy this season? — Mets front office announced Soto will shift positions in 2026.
#4 Can teams leverage this offseason’s free-agent and trade activity to close gaps before Opening Day? — Rumors and signings remain MLB hot stove headlines, with big names in play.
#5 What are the biggest storylines as pitchers and catchers begin reporting for Spring Training across the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues? — Multiple clubs are holding press sessions as Spring Training gets underway.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
Chciago Cubs outfielder Rick Monday snatches American Flag from two fans William Errol Thomas Jr. (from Eldon, Missouri) and his 11-year-old son who attempted to light it in the outfield at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Apr 25, 1976 (photo from Getty file)
American Flag going to Cooperstown
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
On April 25, 1976, during the US Bicentennial Year, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Cubs outfielder Rick Monday rescued the American flag from a man who ran onto the field and tried to set it on fire. Monday was assisted by a Marine Corps reservist, ran over and snatched the flag, and sprinted away just as they attempted to light it.
The Dodgers beat the Cubs 5-4 in front of 25,167 in the friendly confines of Dodger Stadium. 50 Years later, that same flag will be exhibited at Cooperstown all summer long this year when the United States of America is celebrating its 250th Year of Independence, and will debut Memorial Day as part of the Hall of Fame Military Classic festivities.
What is Rick Monday doing today? As of 2026, former All-Star outfielder and 1981 World Series champion Rick Monday continues his long-standing tenure as a broadcaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers in his 31st season with the World Champion as play-by-play man on the radio. Monday was recently honored with the Bob Feller Award of Valor Patriot Award.
The Museum continuously adds to its collection, which includes historically significant items like a 1921-1922 Babe Ruth scrapbook and a 4,108-photo collection from Look Magazine. The Baseball Hall of Fame does not purchase artifacts but relies on donations to preserve baseball history.
Every baseball fan should visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New York. It is a must, where you will find everything about the game and learn a great deal about its history. I visited a few years ago and plan to visit again soon.
One of the most impressive items I remember is the handwritten notes” from the exact moment that Jackie Robinson made his major league debut in 1947, there are also letters, and scouting reports, like the report by scouts on a young Roberto Clemente. For more information, visit the website https://baseballhall.org/
Quote: Cooperstown is the greatest place on Earth” –Bob Feller.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
FILE — Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks back to the dugout after flying out in the ninth inning during Game 3 of the 2018 World Series against the Boston Red Sox at Dodger Stadium. Oct. 26, 2018. Rob Tringali/MLB via Getty Images
Yasiel Puig short lived Baseball career is now headed to Prison
That’s Amaury Pi-González
In 2012, a young Yasiel Puig escaped communist Cuba via a smuggling operation arranged by Florida-based businessman Raul Pacheco, who paid smugglers $250,000. The trafficking ring transported him by boat, holding him in México until the payment was secured in exchange for 20% of his future MLB earnings.
On February 6, former Major League outfielder Yasiel Puig was found guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators regarding his involvement in an illegal sports gambling operation. The man from Cienfuegos, Cuba, who enchanted baseball fans with his innate talents on the field now faces up to 20 years in federal prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 26, 2026.
Originally signed with the LA Dodgers, he was an electric, high-energy player, but also known for a controversial playing style that Dodgers Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully nicknamed “The Wild Horse”. In 2013, during his first major league season as a young outfielder for the LA Dodgers, I had the opportunity to interview the rookie Yasiel before a game in Anaheim against the Angels for our pre-game show on Fox Sports Los Angeles.
He was shy but very grateful to be playing in the major leagues, and he was very happy to be here in the United States playing baseball. As of late 2025, Yasiel Puig, 34, expressed a strong desire to return to MLB and finish his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers saying he loves the city, the fans, and the stadium, and that his passion to continue is strong.
That short (around 3-minute) interview with Yasiel was the only time I had the opportunity to talk with him. I remember that everybody in the Los Angeles media requested an interview with the young Cuban sensation at the time. The Dodgers appointed an interpreter since he didn’t speak English.
One of the Dodgers’ media people told me they were getting requests from media all over the US and from other countries to interview the young rookie. His life in Cuba, since he was a young boy, and his education was focused mostly on baseball.
Under the Cuban communist system, they train their kids to play baseball right after they can walk. Baseball has been the sport in Cuba for over 100 years. However, he only had a third-grade education. His focus was always baseball. Yasiel played professionally on the Serie Nacional de Béisbol de Cuba (National Baseball Series of Cuba), where he played for the Cienfuegos team from 2008 to 2009 and 2010 to 2011.
Was Yasiel Puig ever incarcerated in Cuba? Yasiel Puig was not formally incarcerated in a prison by the Cuban government, but he was detained by authorities during one of his failed attempts to defect. Before successfully escaping, he was detained for six days during a raid on a safe house during his third attempt to leave Cuba as a 2013 rookie, the Dodgers’ young Cuban was famously compared to Joe DiMaggio because of the record-setting pace of his debut month. His impact in 2013 was ranked second only to Joe DiMaggio’s 1936 debut Yasiel Puig played for seven years in the major leagues, six of those with the Dodgers, and later briefly with the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
Photo of the author standing in front of Diablo Stadium in Tempe AZ the spring training home of the Los Angeles Angels (photo from Amaury Pi Gonzalez)
From My Baseball Notebook: Spring Training is Baseball’s Appetizer
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez
Beginning in 2026, during Spring Training in the Arizona desert or Florida near beach resorts, every one of the 30 Major League Baseball teams is in first place. The Cactus and Grapefruit League schedules open on February 20th, with the Cubs playing the White Sox and the Yankees playing the Orioles.
A slate of games follows on Saturday, February 21st. But there are also exhibition games against World Baseball Classic games for March 3-4. An interesting game, especially for scouts, will take place from March 19th to March 22nd.
An English poet wrote in the 1700s that “hope springs eternal in the human breast.” In baseball which is a marathon of a season, where a team could play close to 200 games in a year, between Spring Training games, regular and postseason games, marathon applies perfectly for this game of balls and strikes, and even teams that usually live in or around the cellar, like Nationals, White Sox, Pirates, A’s, Angels or Rockies, erverybody, they all have hope in Spring Training.
Rookies and Veterans both report as they start their engines for another season. Rickey Henderson, in my opinion, the best position player ever to wear an Oakland A’s uniform, was always available and a joy to speak with the media at the A’s camp in Arizona. Rickey once told me with a smile, “Every Spring Training feels like the first time to me,” as he always called me “Chief”. Rickey already stolen 1,000 bases in Heaven since he left us.
Vladimir Guerrero was in Tempe, Arizona, for his first Spring Training with his new ballclub, the LA Angels of Anaheim, in 2004, after playing for the Montreal Expos for most of his career. Vladi, as he is affectionately called, sat with me for an interview in Tempe, in which he told me he felt very melancholic for leaving Montreal, Canada, where he was living for years, and where his son Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was born, today one of the game’s top players, his father was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown in 2018. Many times after he stopped playing, Vladi would sit inside our Fox Sports Net/Spanish broadcast booth in Anaheim. He is truly one of the guys that I have met who truly enjoys the game of baseball.
José Canseco was the most fun to talk to in Arizona during Spring Training. I covered José since his first year (1986, when I was in Houston to cover the All-Star Game and he, along with another young star named Darryl Strawberry), José always seemed carefree and talked a lot about music and other things besides baseball.
Like his father, Jose Sr., whom I met and was his “número uno” fan. I always spoke in Spanish with José, who was born in Regla, a little fishing town across Havana Bay. In Spring Training, he was a joyful Canseco, always telling me stories about his childhood, his career, and stuff. When I once asked him who his favorite singer or group was, he responded, ‘Foreigner’. José arrived in the US very young, so although I wanted to ask him for real Cuban music, he was not up to date with it. But José (pre-roids) was as pleasant of a player I ever met. I told him I wanted to write a book about him (en Español), he seemed to be fine with it. Later in his career, for obvious reasons, I dropped that project.
In the San Francisco Giants camp, one of the most interesting players I interviewed was Marquis Grisson. He was toward the end of his excellent and long career. He told me about reporting to Spring Training, when I asked him, as a veteran, what are your goals ” I know there is a young man here someplace that will replace me, so I have to work very hard every year to keep my job”.
Stan Javier played for both Bay Area teams during his career. The A’s and the Giants, he came from a baseball family, Royalty in the Dominican Republic, his father Julián Javier was an All-Star second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals. Stan was kind of shy, but I always appreciated it when he talked. He always felt optimistic about his season. Stan Javier began his career with the Oakland A’s and, towards the end, also played for the San Francisco Giants, among other teams. The versatile outfielder played for 17 seasons. Stan would tell me, “What are we going to talk about? This is only Spring Training.”, However, later he came back to me and told me, “ok, vamos,entonces:” trans “OK, let’s go then…” He was a hard worker, intelligent, and always a gentleman. He was part of the 1989 World Champion A’s who beat the Giants during the Loma Prieta earthquake. He would fill in for Canseco when José needed some rest or was injured. Stan Javier was an excellent outfielder and a great asset to the A’s during those championship years.
Spring Training is indeed Baseball Season Appetizer.
Quote: For some reason in Spring Training, everything just clicked. You don’t try to do anything in Spring Training but get ready, but things fell into place. -Bobby Bonilla
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
Former St Louis Cardinal Brendan Donovan (33) runs the bases after hitting a home run off of the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sep 23, 2025. Donovan now joins the Seattle Mariners for the 2026 season. (AP News file photo)
That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: How Donovan improves M’s line up; Six MLB teams asking for broadcast help; plus more news
#1 How will the Seattle Mariners’ acquisition of All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan impact their 2026 AL West prospects and roster construction?
#2 What are the implications of six additional MLB teams requesting that the league produce their local TV broadcasts amid ongoing financial and RSN challenges?
#3 Carlos Beltrán announced he will wear a New York Mets cap on his Hall of Fame plaque — what does this signify for his legacy and how are fans reacting?
#4 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred are backing a new Rays stadium proposal in Tampa — what hurdles remain and how could this affect the franchise’s future?
#5 Following his announcement, what will Miami Marlins outfielder Avisail Garcia’s retirement mean for the team’s outfield depth and veteran leadership?
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874
From the second you step in the front door, the sounds of Latin America will gently seduce your ears and continue as you relax outdoors with your favorite cocktail enjoying the view. The wonderful flavors and aromas of our cuisine will not disappoint.
We use only the finest, freshest, local ingredients in every dish and every dish is prepared to order. Enjoy live mariachi music weekly and on special occasions, catch balet folklorico dance performances among other live entertainment. Come visit us and have a great time! Enjoy fast, friendly service, fantastic food & cocktails, music and allow us to share our beautiful Mexican heritage with you.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.
San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer hasn’t made a comment to the news media yet about the lawsuit against the Giants regarding junk fees by plaintiff Juan Flores. The Giants are one of three teams being sued regarding junk fees on inflated ticket prices. (San Francisco Chronicle file photo)
Giants and two other Teams sued for Junk Fees on tickets
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
With Spring Training ’26 around the corner, Major League Baseball made news in the litigation side of things when the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, and Washington Nationals all faced class-action lawsuits. Allegedly, these teams used hidden “junk fees” to inflate ticket prices.
These three teams are accused of misleading advertising tickets at lower prices when they are only for mandatory fees, such as processing and “facility fees”. It is called “drip pricing,” which, at checkout, often doubles the cost the fan/buyer was originally told it would be. Giants: A class action lawsuit (Flores v. San Francisco Baseball Associations LLC) was filed in Federal Court in San Francisco on January 26, 2026, by plaintiff Juan Flores, represented by Almeida Law Group LLC and Tycko & Zavareel LLP.
Alleges the Giants added mandatory “Service”, “Convenience”, and “Order Processing” fees at the last second, increasing the cost of the ticket by 45%. Cinics will say, “Hey It is San Francisco, one of the most expensive cities in the world”. That is true.
San Francisco is considered among the top five cities in the world with the highest cost of living. The San Francisco Giants have experienced a notable decline in attendance. From their winning/peak seasons, with average attendance falling from 3 million in 2016, when they had their best start in MLB through mid-season, they collapsed in the second half and made the postseason as a Wild Card, beating the Mets, but lost the NLDS to the Chicago Cubs.
Boston Red Sox: The plaintiff’s suit alleges the team used “bait-and-switch” tactics to add “junk fees” that ultimately increase ticket prices by as much as 150%. Washington Nationals: Their proposed class-action lawsuit is different from the Giants’ and Red Sox’s in scope, but also about tickets.
The Nationals are fighting a proposed class action lawsuit filed in September 2025 in a Washington, D.C., federal court by a consumer alleging the team charged similar hidden fees for years. Teams increase their ticket prices, for many reasons like high demand, rising players’ salaries, and special premium seating experiences .
The San Francisco Giants have experienced a notable decline in attendance from their peak seasons, with average attendance falling from over 3 million in 2016 to around 30,000–33,000 per game in recent years. Contributing factors include an “unexciting” on-field product, a lack of major, long-term player signings, high ticket/parking prices, and a significantly eroded season-ticket base, which dropped from nearly 30,000 in 2017 to roughly half that in 2022.
The fans want to be repaid for the extra fees that were not included in the initially advertised prices. The suit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, seeks to have the Giants repay fans who were charged extra fees not included in the initially advertised price, according to local reports.
Looks like a touch of greed from some owners who want a leg up before they lock out the players by December 2026, in what is expected to be a very tough situation for Major League Baseball. A “Battle Royale” when owners will demand a hard salary cap, and the players’ union will continue to oppose it. This could result in something “very malo para el baseball.”
Quote: On Economic Realities: “People don’t want to go to the stadium, pay a high ticket price, then get cleaned out when they go to the ballpark… Until you have more disposable income, pricing is going to be a problem.” — Michael Cramer, former president of the Texas Rangers.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874
From the second you step in the front door, the sounds of Latin America will gently seduce your ears and continue as you relax outdoors with your favorite cocktail enjoying the view. The wonderful flavors and aromas of our cuisine will not disappoint.
We use only the finest, freshest, local ingredients in every dish and every dish is prepared to order. Enjoy live mariachi music weekly and on special occasions, catch balet folklorico dance performances among other live entertainment. Come visit us and have a great time! Enjoy fast, friendly service, fantastic food & cocktails, music and allow us to share our beautiful Mexican heritage with you.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.
Sports Radio Service 