Category: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2023 For the A’s “This Is It”

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Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred takes a walk on the field before Game 2 of an American League Division Series game between the Houston Astros and the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Field in Houston, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. Manfred has repeatedly said that the Oakland Coliseum location is not viable and is only focused on the Howard Terminal location in downtown Oakland (AP News photo file)

2023 For the A’s: “This Is It”

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Like one of the Top 100 Songs on Billboard in the year 1979, Kenny Loggins “This Is It”. This 2023 Is It for the Oakland A’s. We will know if they are staying in Oakland while they build their new planned baseball park at Howard Terminal. Or leaving Oakland for Las Vegas.

Or new owners buy the team and pledge to keep them in Oakland. Pick one. Those are the most likely scenarios. They will not build their new park at the same location (in my opinion the best) the Oakland Coliseum; that is out of the question since Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred had repeatedly stated that is not an option.

The A’s have played in Oakland since 1968 and won 4 World Series at the Oakland Coliseum, only the Los Angeles Dodgers since 1958 have won more World Series among all five California teams with six titles.

What scenarios are left?

1-The current ownership of the A’s comes to an agreement with the City of Oakland to build Howard Terminal. Currently. There are no talks with Sheng Thao the new Mayor elected of Oakland. How likely is that? Depends on who you talk to. The city of Oakland had agreed to publicly fund the transportation and infrastructure around the privately funded 35,000-seat, 55-acre ballpark at the Port of Oakland complex named Howard Terminal.

The city applied for a federal grant estimated at a cost of $366 million, with the city’s request for $182 million, but that city application for $182 million was not approved. The funding is not there. That is not good news for those that want the A’s to stay.

But the City of Oakland and the Oakland A’s do not have a binding contract. So far all is non-binding. Difference? What is a binding contract? A “binding contract” is any agreement that’s legally enforceable. That means if you sign a binding contract and don’t fulfill your end of the bargain, the other party can take you to court.

2- Las Vegas, Nevada. The A’s have talked with multiple site owners, all adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip. Two sites primarily, one next to Circus Circus owned by Phil Ruffin, and the other one at the current site of the Tropicana, recently purchased by Bally’s Corporation.

Bally’s corporation and Sinclair Broadcasting acquired a group of stations from Fox Regional Sports which currently have the broadcast rights for various major league baseball teams. For a while, A’s were talking with Phil Ruffin regarding the Las Vegas Fairground site, (according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal), but that is not the case anymore. It seems as of today, the Las Vegas Review-Journal confirmed the A’s have the Tropicana site as their favorite. Looks like the A’s have picked their site.

3- If the Oakland A’s get an offer from a new owner to buy the team. Although the A’s are not officially for sale, there are two teams currently for sale, the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Angels. Since 2005 Joe Lacob and Peter Guber have expressed their interest for buying the A’s and keeping them in Oakland but the A’s current ownership was not interested. Now Lacob and Gruber are interested in the LA Angels, but in the world of business there are always surprises. So for those that want to keep the A’s in Oakland it would be very good news that a new owner buys the team.

The Oakland Athletics will have their relocation fee waived if they decide to move to Las Vegas, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says 2023 is a big year when it comes to the future of the franchise. Yes indeed, “This Is It” 2023 is here. Fish or cut bait.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s lead Spanish radio play by play announcer on flagship station 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Correa close to signing six year $200 million with Twins pending physical; Curry to return tonight after missing 11 games for Golden State; plus more

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Minnesota Twins shortstop Carolos Correa is expected to rejoin the team pending passing physical. Correa seen here on Thu Sep 29, 2022 against the Chicago White Sox is now dealing with his third club since failing two previous physicals. (AP News file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Minnesota Twins have put a six year $200 million deal on the table if free agent Carlos Correa can pass a physical. Correa injured his leg in 2014 and failed two previous physicals with the San Francisco Giants and the Minnesota Twins. The Twins are expected to accept the deal and work with doctors regarding Correa’s physical condition.

#2 The Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry whose been out with a shoulder injury since Dec 14th is expected to return tonight against the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center in San Francisco. Curry got injured when battling for a rebound and has missed 11 games.

#3 Amaury the Brazilian Football Confederation has made it no secret that they have condemned far right rioters who wore Brazilian national soccer uniforms while using police barricades to smash windows at some of Brazil’s government buildings. Thousands of protestors smashed Brazil’s congress, presidential palace to protest the Brazilian election results in protest for former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro who lost the election.

#4 One Championship fighter Victoria Lee death cause is being kept private many fans and call in shows speculate anything from suicide, CTE, to head trauma could have been the cause. Amaury talk about the dangers of someone young like Lee to die at the age of 18 years of participating in a risky sport like ultimate fighting?

#5 Amaury, the 2023 Caribbean Series which starts Feb 2-10 will be the 53rd annual series this time being held in Venezuela. The games will be played at Estadio Forum La Guaira. The series started as a five team event and now has grown this years games will include a record high eight teams with Curacao added and Cuba returning after three years absence.

#6 The San Francisco Giants have made it perfectly clear that they will not include former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer to their pitching staff. Bauer who had been suspended from baseball for two seasons is currently looking for a team who will sign him. Bauer’s last outing was June 2021 and was accused by multiple women of physical abuse.

Join Amaury for News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Who is buying the Los Angeles Angels?

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Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob is exploring the possibility of buying the Los Angeles Angels. (USA Today News photo)

Who is buying the Los Angeles Angels?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Arturo (Arte) Moreno bought the LA Angels in 2003 for $184 million. It is now worth about $2 billion. Moreno’s is the first Hispanic-American ever to own an MLB franchise, and now they are for sale. Among the people looking to buy the Angels is Joe Lacob, owner of the Golden State Warriors, who has previously expressed interest in buying an MLB team.

Mr. Lacob once offered to buy the Oakland A’s and said he believes the team belongs in Oakland. According to an interview with John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, Lacob told Shea his offer to buy the A’s was for $180 million in 2005. How much are the A’s worth today? Most MLB teams are worth a minimum of $1 billion.

Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber could have some competition from other interested parties like LA Rams owner Stan Kroenke, LA Lakers part owner Dr.Patrick Soon-Shiong, a Japanese consortium, and even a minority group of LA Dodgers owners, maybe in the picture. Or somebody else could also be out there with a potential offer.

It makes all the sense for Moreno to sell (if the price is right) to the owners of the Golden State Warriors, the most successful sports franchise in the past 10 years in the NBA and in the Bay Area, bringing the Warriors to an elite level of teams in the NBA with multiple championships and a great fan base.

The Warriors always had a good fan base. I covered them when they first won an NBA Championship in Oakland 1974-75 under coach Al Attles and the ownership of the great Franklin Mieuli. In the 1990s during the Chris Mullin era under owner Jim Fitzgerald, and as their play-by-play (Español) for all their games, I remember all the excitement that they brought to Oakland and Bay Area fans.

Those were very exciting teams, and although they never won an NBA championship, their front office was very much involved with the community, The Oakland Arena was sold out most of the time during those years. David McGahey an innovator in Marketing and Broadcasting in the Bay Area for various media outfits, who passed in 2002, was a great VP of Broadcasting.

At that time the Warriors were one of the first NBA teams to broadcast all their games, home and away on the radio in Spanish language, only the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, LA Lakers, and Chicago Bulls at the time had Spanish radio.

Arturo Moreno greatly improved his team since he bought them in 2003. One of his first moves was to sign Vladimir Guerrero (now in the Hall of Fame) and later other superstars like Mike Trout and Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani. Moreno bought the team from Disney one year after they won the World Series against the San Francisco Giants in 2002, but the Angels have not been able to win again.

Lots of frustrations for a team whose lineup seems to be always very formidable but their consistent lack of pitching has been their Achilles heel drowning their hopes for the big trophy in October. In baseball, many things change, like stadiums, salaries, and rules changes, and even Mr. Moreno changed his team’s name from Anaheim to Los Angeles, but there is one thing that has never changed “without pitching, you cannot win”.

It’s too bad Arturo Moreno’s LA Angels could not win a World Series. Now, sooner or rather, the new owner(s) will be taking over the franchise in Orange County. In any sport winning is the key. Like the great NY Yankees owner, the ever-present George Steinbrenner used to say; “Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing”.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Bills Hamlin vitals normal on breathing tube; Nevin acquired by Tigers for cash; Plus more news

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Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin (right) takes a hit from the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (left) in Cincinnati on Monday Night Football Mon Jan 2, 2023 (still photo from ESPN Monday Night Football)

On That’s Amaury podcast:

#1 Amaury, We’ll start the podcast with the tragic Monday Night Football story as last night the Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin took a hit that appeared to be in head and upper body area from Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins who was charging full speed on a carry. Hamlin got up after the hit and then collapsed, medics applied CPR and he was taken immediately to a local Cincinnati hospital where it was learned that Hamlin listed in critical condition and was out to sleep to have a breathing tube down his throat according to his marketing agent Jordan Rooney.

#2 Staying with football Amaury, this a rough and tumble game if you stand on the sidelines no matter what league it is the CFL, Arena football, high school, college, or the NFL it’s a collision sport and guys know a serious injury can result and medics have to make quick decisions how to treat a player such as the case in Damar Hamlin last night.

#3 We switch to MLB, the Detroit Tigers have acquired infielder Tyler Nevin from the Baltimore Orioles for cash last Saturday. Nevin hit .197 in 58 games for the Orioles hit two home runs and 16 RBIs. Nevin is the son of Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin.

#4 San Francisco Giants team president Farhan Zaidi said that the move to end their agreement with the Carlos Correa was not an 11th hour decision and that the Zaidi said the Giants that as soon as the Giants had the information regarding Correa not passing the physical he shared it with the media.

#5 The Giants are ready for the Taylor and Tyler Rogers bullpen show to begin. Taylor who did a introduction call with the media on zoom said that this was a too good to be true situation and that this just so happens to be with the Giants and he said that if happens great if not great too.

#6 New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge named as the 16th captain in Yankees history has been voted the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for 2022. Judge who set the American League record for the most home runs with 62 edged out other pro athletes Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Angles who finished second and Golden State’s Stephen Curry finished in third.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: MLB Big Winter Free Agents Signings

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Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani walks to the dugout after pitching against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning at Oakland Coliseum on Wed Oct 5, 2022. Ohtani will be a free agent after the 2023 season (AP News photo)

MLB: Big Winter Free Agents Signings

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

The $500 Million man?

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Nobody so far has signed a $500 million contract in Major League Baseball, yet, but hold under your hat, because LA Angels Japanese mega-star Shohei Ohtani will be a Free Agent after the 2023 season and he might be the first ever to sign such a contract,

However, Othani’s teammate and good friend in Anaheim Mike Trout did sign a $400 million deal a few years ago (below). Ohtani, a superstar pitcher, and hitter is going to get an out-of-this-world offer. Rumors have been circulating that Steve Cohen, owner of the NY Mets wants Othani to be wearing a Mets uniform in 2024 for at least a decade. The Mets will pay a luxury tax larger than the actual total payrolls of team like the A’S and Pirates.

The Past: The $400 million man:

During Spring Training in March of 2019,m Mike Trout signed a 12-year, $426,500.000 contract with the LA Angels including a $20 million signing bonus. $426,500,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $35,541,667. In 2023, Trout will earn a base salary of $35,450,000, while carrying a total salary of $37,116,666. The LA Angels are currently for sale.

Big Winter Free Agent Signings after 2022.

Right after the Baseball Winter Meetings in San Diego in December. The biggest signings were made by teams in the east; Yankees, Mets and Phillies, followed by some other teams closing their deals.

1-The biggest signing was by the New York Yankees as they kept slugger Aaron Judge the 2022 AL MVP in the American League and AP Male Athlete of the Year. and new home run champion with 62. Hal Steinbrenner owner of the Yankees gave Aaron Judge a 9-year $360 million contract and also make him the 16th Captain team’s history.

He will spend the rest of his baseball career with the Bronx Bombers. The Yankee deal was challenged by the San Francisco Giants, who went hard after the man born in Northern California and offered the 6’7″ outfielder also $360 million.

However, it was learned later the San Diego Padres offered Judge $400 million, but at the end he chose to stay with the Yankees. Ex-Giants lefty Carlos Rodón also signed with the Yankees for 6-years and $162 million, Rodón struck out 237 batters, third best in all of baseball.

2-The New York Mets Owner Steve Cohen dealing with Carlos Correa’s super agent Scott Boras offered Correa a 12 year deal with the Mets estimated to be $315 million, but that deal (at the time of this article) is on hold for medical reason. Days before, the Giants were just a couple of hours away from announcing Correa’s signing in a Press Conference at Oracle Park, which never took place because a physical examination of Correa showed a “medical situation”.

There was a disagreement between Correa and the Giants, who then withdrew the offer. The Giants who were looking for a superstar to please their fans struck out twice, with Judge and Correa. Not what the Giants had in mind this off-season. More on the Giants below.

The NY also Mets signed to an 8-year extension outfielder Brandon Nimmo of $162 million, and extended their closer Edwin Díaz to 5-years for $102 million, the largest contract extension for a relief pitcher in history. Mets signed Japanese import rookie right handed pitcher Kodai Senga for 5-years and $75 million.

3-Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent shortstop Trea Turner, who was a Free Agent after playing the last two seasons in LA for the Dodgers. The National League Champions Phillies gave Turner 11 years and $300 million.

4-San Diego Padres signed free agent shortstop Xander Boagerts for 11-years and $280 million.

5-Texas Rangers. Signed free agent pitcher Jacob d’Grom to a 5-year $185 million and also starter Nathan Eovaldi for 2-years and $34 million

6-Chicago Cubs signed free agent shortstop Dansby Swanson for 7-years and $177 million.

7Boston Red Sox signed outfielder Masataka Yoshida for 5-years and $90 million.

8-Atlanta Braves, two weeks after trading for A’s regular catcher Sean Murphy extended his contract for 6 years and $73 million

9-World Champion Houston Astros signed José Abreu ex-first baseman of the Chicago White Sox for 3-years and $58.5 million.

By the Bay:

San Francisco Giants looking to improve their defense (overall Giants were 23rd among all 30 teams) signed ex-Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger for 2 years and $43.5 million. He has been often injured, with his best season of his previous six years in Seattle in 2021 when he hit .253 with 39 home runs and 100 runs batted in.

The Giants also signed ex-Mets Michael Conforto on a 2-year deal worth $36 million (with an opt-out option after 2023) why the opt-out option? Conforto did not play last season and in April underwent right shoulder surgery. Giants also signed ex A’s and Padres left-handed starter Sean Manaea as well as Ross Strippling a right-handed pitcher for two years with Toronto, giving the Giants more depth on their starting rotation since they lost lefty Carlos Rodón to the Yankees during December. Giants also acquired reliever Taylor Rodgers to a 3-year $33 million contract who now joins his twin-brother Tyler in San Francisco’s bullpen.

Oakland A’s signed Jace Peterson, a veteran who played for nine years with teams in both leagues to a 2-year contract for $9,5 million, he can play infield and outfield. Free Agent Aledmys Díaz, previous with Houston signed a two year $14.5 million; just like Peterson he is a utility player.

Traded catcher Sean Murphy to Atlanta in a three-team swap in which they acquired catcher Manny Piña and pitching prospects Kyle Muller, Freddy Tanok and Royber Salinas from Atlanta and outfield prospect Esteury Ruíz from Milwaukee. As of this article, the versatile Chad Pinder still a free agent.

The Crums left: The LA Dodgers signed veteran DH JD.Martínez to a 1-year $10 million contract…Corey Kluber, who won two Cy Young Awards for Cleveland signed a 1-year $10 million with the Boston Red Sox…After playing five years with the Giants, the team opted out to pay him the $5 million buyout, instead of picking up his $13 million club option, Longoria signed a 1-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $4 million. Yankee utility player Marwin González signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal to play in Japan with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball.

As we begin the New Year there are still players available, not the super star kind of players but some good players with experience like Giants first baseman Brandon Belt who still a Free Agent; however Belt who has been with the Giants for the past 12 years is in a difficult situation after he underwent another right knee surgery (number three for him) in early September which ended his season.

Happy New Year!

Amaury does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Ice Wars International a new Sport…Really?

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Ice Wars International a new Sport…Really?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Ice Wars International is an attempt to create a new combat sport with the components of Ice-hockey fights and boxing. “It’s a play on something that has been part of hockey lore and tradition… but it’s not hockey”. -A.J. Galante, President, and Founder of Ice Wars.

One of my favorite stand-up comedians was Rodney “I Get No Respect” Dangerfield who used to say; “I went to a fight the other night, and a hockey game broke out.” We all know that is a very common saying in the US and Canada, the two countries where the NHL plays, the best professional ice hockey league in the world.

But Ice Wars is different, Mr.Galante who is in charge of this new “sport” is currently a boxing manager and a promoter in Danbury, Connecticut. And for you, hardcore ice-hockey fans, if that name ‘rings a bell’… he was the teenage president of the Danbury Thrashers, a UHL, United Hockey League team from 2004 to 2006.

It was featured on a Netflix documentary titled Untold: Crime and Penalties. The team was backed by Galante’s father James Galante, a former mafia-connected businessman in the trash/garbage hauling industry among other criminal activities, a convicted felon, and an associate of the Genovese crime family.

The NHL did a study a couple of years ago and released a report citing much of a decline in fights inside the games, mostly attributed to the league having access to more fast and skilled players. They do not rely on intimidation. Ice Hockey as well as baseball is a sport of great skill and coordination, and fights during a hockey game, do not really bring much to a game.

It is common sense that hockey is a fast pace sport and players play rough, there is a lot of contact and fights are going to take place, it is only normal. In the NHL the game already shows a lot of excitement and fights but does not bring much to the sport.

Boxing on-the-other hand is probably the purest of competitions/sports since it features a confrontation of one man against another, it is the ultimate pure physical competition, but also requires great training, concentration, and dedication, it is one of the oldest sports on record, although the oldest combat sport is considered to be wrestling.

Will Ice Wars make it as a business and, most important, as a sport.? I doubt if it will ever become something big across the country. They will need television to get real exposure, and that is not cheap. But it is coming.

“Ice Wars” first event is scheduled for May 2023, at the River Creek Resort & Casino in Edmonton, Canada, featuring an eight-man heavyweight “King of The Rink” tournament. Each fight will consist of two rounds and will be judged should a knockout not occur.

(Following is in one of their advertisements) “Experience the non-stop action with each fight as each professional and semi-professional fighter is at the top of their game. The fighters will drop their actual hockey gloves to start the fight” join us for the most extreme combat sport ever invented. See a fascinating new world where only those rough enough, tough enough, and skilled enough will come out on top.

Comprised professional and semi-professional fighters at the top of their game in top fighting condition We begin this 4 series event in the Spring of 2023All fights consist of two 1-minute rounds on the ice Next fight, March 4, 2023, at Events Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming Wishing everybody a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Carlos Rodón from Giant to Yankee

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Former San Francisco Giant Carlos Rodon will be delivering pitches for the New York Yankees for the next six years for $162 million (AP News file photo)

Carlos Rodón from Giant to Yankee

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

SAN FRANCISCO–The New York Yankees signed Carlos Rodón to a 6-year $162 million contract.

Carlos Rodón had the best year of his career in the 2022 season with the San Francisco Giants, ended with a 14-8 record and 2.88 ERA with 237 struck outs in 178 innings. The lefty born in Miami who has been in the major leagues since 2015 with the Chicago White Sox, and in 2022 with the San Francisco Giants signed a 6-years $162 million deal with the New York Yankees.

Rodón is now second in the Yankee rotation behind Gerrit Cole, who led the major leagues in strikeouts with 257, while Rodón (now his teammate) was #3 in major league in strikeouts with 237.

Giants got the best of Rodón and were lucky the lefty was healthy during the whole season, which in his case was the main reason he got the Yankees to that six year deal. Rodón dealt with shoulder injuries in 2016 and 2021 and in between had Tommy John surgery. And even with his best season in 2022 with the Giants, making 31 starts he averaged just 5 2.3 inning per start, which was his career high.

Many say the Yankees overpaid Rodón, but the same could be said about the Giants for Carlos Correa giving him a 13 year deal for $250 million. We must have in mind Correa played most of his career with the Houston Astros (previous to his one season in 2022 with Minnesota) and with the Astros he was surrounded by some great players like José Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yuliesky Gurriel.

Starting in 2023 we will see if Carlos Correa can become the leader of the Giants. The Giants are still in need of that big slugger, like the one they went after in Aaron Judge.

While the Yankees were able to keep their slugger Aaron Judge and now acquiring left handed pitcher Carlos Rodón, among all these big names some might have forgotten that the Giants a few weeks ago signed Bay Area native outfielder Mitch Haniger, although a few injuries have limited him over the years,

Haniger when healthy was one of the Mariners best hitters for a decent average and good power, having a couple 25+ Home Run seasons including 39 in 2021. As a matter of fact Correa has never hit 39 home runs or driven 100 runs in a single season, something that Mountain View native Haniger has done with the Seattle Mariners in 2021.

The Giants also signed Haniger to a three-year $43.5 million contract on the second day of the 2022 MLB Winter Meetings in San Diego. Haniger’s has an opt-out clause in 2024. That deal, not as big as the Correa’s, could prove to be much productive for the Giants. The one downside to Haniger is that he is prone to injury, but when healthy he is very much underrated and could be a key for the Giants if they want to compete next season.

As far as I am concerned, the Giants are probably to finish again in third place. The San Diego Padres are loaded, with great pitching and one of the best lineups in the game and the LA Dodgers still formidable division winners, and they know how to win.

I am still not totally sold on that the Giants fans are very happy with Correa’s signing, but Giants management had to do something after missing on Aaron Judge they when after the next best option. Nobody in history before has signed an infielder to that type of a contract.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Giants “nervous money” goes to Correa

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Carlos Correa joins the San Francisco Giants on Tue Dec 13, 2022 for 13 years and a deal worth $350 million (photo from ESPN)

Giants “nervous money” goes to Correa

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

SAN FRANCISCO–National baseball reporter Jon Heyman said about the Giants signing Carlos Correa for 13 years and $350 million; “Grossly overpaid, and so not worth it”.

A few weeks ago the Giants told their fans and the whole baseball world they were going after Aaron Judge, the Yankee slugger who established a new home run record in the American League this past season, hitting 62 home runs, that they (Giants) had all the money to make the 6′ 7 Judge a San Francisco Giant.

Among the reporters in San Diego Jon Heyman covering the winter meetings, wrote the news that the Giants had signed Aaron Judge, a few minutes letter he had to apologize as he retracted the so-called breaking news. Judge is the guy the Giants needed, to create that buzz that is not there anymore at Oracle Park, a true slugger with devastating power to all fields.

At the end, Judge decided to stay in the Bronx with the Yankees, the legacy of the most famous franchise in American history. Let’s face it, the Giants haven’t had a good farm system since GM Brian Sabean, so they were desperate to give this no opt-out, full-no trade deal to Carlos Correa, whose agent is Scott Boras, the best there is.

The San Francisco Giants needed a power bat, a hitter with power of around 40 home runs and 100 runs batted in. As good as a shortstop Correa has been, he is not your typical slugger, of that kind. But the Giants had “nervous money” that had to be given to a player in order to try to please their fan base that have been waiting for that home run, that offensive savior since they had Barry Bonds, who retired in 2007 with 762 home runs.

Giants are feeling the pressure and they want to bring another title to San Francisco, especially now when just three blocks away the Warriors play at Chase Center and have become the most successful team in San Francisco. The Giants want to recoup that “mojo” they had when they won three World Series in a six-year span. But this signing might not do it. Carlos Correa is a great defensive shortstop and a very good hitter, but he is no Aaron Judge.

The 13-years $350 million contract is the largest for an infielder in history of baseball. Correa will be 41 years old when he retires. In the history of the game only Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout ($426.5 million) Los Angeles Dodgers Mookie Betts ($365 million) and New York Yankees Aaron Judge ($360 million) have been guaranteed more in a contract.

Giants and the Western Division. The San Diego Padres lineup is indeed a scary one: Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatís Jr. and Xander Bogaerts, not necessarily in that order, but all very productive and dangerous hitters. Tatis Jr. will miss the first 32 games of the 2023 season as he will complete his 80 game suspension from last season when he proved positive for illegal substances. San Diego manager Bob Melvin might be the team to beat in 2023 in the west.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Have A’s really thrown in the towel by dealing Murphy?

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Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy, left, tries to tag Chicago White Sox’s Adam Engel (15), who scored the tying run during the ninth inning at the Oakland Coliseum Sep 9, 2022 (AP file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 Amaury, the recently traded Sean Murphy heads from the Oakland A’s to the Atlanta Braves how much is this a reflection of the A’s pretty much throwing in the towel for the 2023 season?

#2 Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said that while it’s hard to trade players away this is a great opportunity to get some great defense in a catcher like Murphy.

#3 Amaury, The Milwaukee Brewers are getting All Star catcher William Contreras and the A’s are getting catcher Manny Piña and pitchers Kyle Muller, Freddy Tarnok and Royber Salinas who are prospects from Atlanta and from the Brewers outfield prospect Esteury Ruiz.

#4 Murphy was third ranked amongst catchers only trailing the Phillies J.T. Realmuto and the Baltimore Orioles Adley Rutschman. Murphy hit .250, 134 hits, 18 home runs, and 66 RBIs in 2022. Besides his bat the Braves main reason for Murphy’s acquisition is defensive prowess.

#5 Murphy’s resume is incredible coming to the Braves he won the 2021 Gold Glove Award and was fourth in voting for the AL Rookie of the Year in 2020. The A’s are going to miss Murphy behind the plate and in the clubhouse.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez and Manolo Hernandez Douen are the Oakland A’s Spanish radio play by play announcers on flagship station 1010 LeGrande KIQI San Francisco and Amaury does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Basketball player traded for Merchant of Death; Aledmys Díaz now Highest Paid A’s player

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Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner will be returning to the US after a prisoner exchange for the Merchant of Death Viktor Bout in a one person prisoner exchange between the US and Russia (AP file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The United States and Russia have exchanged prisoners. WNBA Phoenix Mercury basketball star Brittney Griner for famous arms dealer Viktor Bout aka “The Merchant of Death” who was in an American prison for 12 years.  Brittney Griner was held for nearly 10 months in a Russian prison on drug charges and was released Thursday in a one-for-one international prisoner swap.

The US still has work to do, as Paul Whelan, a U.S. Marine veteran was sentenced to 16 years in 2018 for espionage charges which the United States said are false, he was not involved in the exchange. Some experts in this matter were expecting that maybe the Russian government will also release the Marine.

Brittney Griner was arrested when at the Moscow airport she was trying to board a plane headed for the United States when it was found that she was carrying vape cartridges containing hashish oil. Griner a center for the Phoenix Mercury went to Russia to play for UMMC Yekaterinburg, and was earning a reported, at least $1 million from the team, far more than the WNBA maximum base salary of about $230,000.

The US and Russia are two countries with very tense relations these days, especially since Russia invaded Ukraine, the US has been sending billions of dollars to Ukraine (including some sophisticated weapons) and Russia’s Vladimir Putin considers the US a big contributor in a proxy war against Russia.

Brittney Griner was a victim of the situation when the Russian-Ukraine war was just getting started.  According to the Associated Press Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout is widely known abroad as the “Merchant of Death” who fueled some of the world’s worst conflicts, many countries consider Bout one of the biggest professional mass murderers in the world.

Aledmys Díaz now Highest Paid A’s player

Utility man Aledmys Díaz who played for the Houston Astros last four seasons agreed to a 2-year $14.5 million contract with the Oakland A’s. He immediately becomes the highest paid A’s player on the current roster. Díaz born in Cuba, is 32 years old, began his career with St Louis in 2016, then played in Toronto and since 2019 with the Houston Astros, winning a championship with Houston win over the Philadelphia this most recent World Series.

Ironically the only free agent on the current roster for the Oakland A’s is another utility man, Chad Pinder who last season signed a one-year deal for $2.7 million and together with Tony Kemp who singed for one-year in 2022 for $2.2 million.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com