Tag: Thats Amaury's News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Asian Connection MLB Open 2024 Season in South Korea

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San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee is bringing a lot of excitement to the Giants for the 2024 season at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

The Asian Connection -MLB Open 2024 Season in South Korea

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

For the first time, Major League Baseball’s regular season will open its 2024 season in Seoul, South Korea, as the Los Angeles Dodgers will face during a two-game series on March 20 and 21, where each team will play once as the home team. “There are a lot of baseball fans in Seoul, and it’s a beautiful city, so the MLB proposed that it would like to hold the opening games here, and of course, we agreed,” Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, 63, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

The series will be played at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, the home of the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO. It was also the host site of first-round games in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The domed stadium was built in 2015 and has a capacity of 16,744

Although only 4% of all Major League players are Asian, fans in Seoul, South Korea, are hoping to see Dodgers players like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, both from Japan as well as San Diego Padres Yu Darvish, from Japan and also a nice homecoming for South Korean Ha-Seong Kim.

Chan Ho Park, the pitcher, was the first South Korean former professional baseball player to play in the major leagues and was the first South Korean player to be named an MLB All-Star. But there is little doubt that the most significant baseball star that fans want to see, Shohei Ohtani, has become the most well-known international figure of American Major League Baseball; Ohtani has excellent global traction.

Talking about this two-game season opener in South Korea, Commissioner Rob Manfred, “We’re going to get off quick. We’re opening in Korea, and it’ll be Ohtani’s first game (with the Dodgers),” he said, before adding with a smile, “every once in a while, you get lucky in terms of the way things shake out.”

Baseball is the most popular professional sport in South Korea, with around 6.4 million spectators during the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) in 2022.

American missionaries introduced baseball to Korea in the 19th century. South Korea played baseball under Japanese colonial rule under the Joseon name. Lee Young-min hit South Korea’s first-ever home run in 1921.

Local interest: Are there any South Korean players in the Bay Area? Last December, the San Francisco Giants signed signed 25 year old South Korean star outfielder Jung Hoo Lee.

ESPN will carry the Dodgers-Padres two-game opener of the 2024 MLB season from South Korea. “Why do people sing Take Me Out to The Ballgame when they’re already there? -Alex Rodríguez.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: California Politicians and Shohei Ohtani Taxes

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Shohei Ohtani designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers is all smiles while he greets fans at the Dodger FanFest at Dodger Stadium on Sat Feb 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

California Politicians and Shohei Ohtani Taxes

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Shohei Ohtani, today the biggest baseball star in the world, signed a 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers for 700 million dollars. The State of California Controller, Malia M.Cohen, who was born and raised in San Francisco, wants Congress to change the tax code to cap deferred payments. If this happens, Ohtani would owe more taxes to the State of California.

The two-way star contract with the LA Dodgers contains $680 million in deferred payments due from 2034 to 2043. California wants to tax Ohtani much more; however, if he is not living in California when he receives the deferred money, the State of California would not be legally allowed to tax Ohtani the 13.3% income tax plus 1.1% payroll tax in this State.

According to a calculation by the California Center for Jobs and the Economy, Ohtani can save $9.8 million per year in California taxes and $98 million throughout the contract with the deferred agreement in place. It was Ohtani and his financial team the ones who pitched the idea of the current contract structure.

This should not surprise anybody. California has one of the highest taxes in the nation, and California continue to lose residents, specially high earners who have moved to States with lower taxes, as well as corporate businesses who also relocated from the Golden State across the nation.

Not to mention the middle-class (or whatever is left of it) as they leave California for Nevada, Arizona, Florida and Texas. Funny with so many other problems in California, including a $68 Billion deficit, as a result of revenue decline in 2022-23 they are pointing at Ohtani’s contract.

William McBride VP of Federal Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation said this about the Ohtani and California tax debacle: “If Congress enacted restrictions on deferred income, it would put the state in a worse position in term of its ability to collect revenue from this high earners and star athletes, because they wouldn’t be here.”

By the way, Shohei Ohtani revenues extend beyond playing on the field, he also has other income from endorsements, commercial contracts and everything else for this international superstar, here and in Japan.

Let’s face it. Shotime is a worldwide star,and I for one, cannot blame him to look for his own interest, after all this is still America. Looks like Ohtani’s financial team outsmarted California politicians, and some in government are resentful.

Quote: Winning depends on where you put your priorities. It’s usually best to put them over the fence.” – Jason Giambi

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Gurriel Jr signs 3 yr $42 million deal with Diamondbacks; Ohtani and Acuna win the Hank Aaron Award; plus more news

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Arizona Diamondbacks Lourdes Gurriel Jr joins the Arizona Diamondbacks agreeing to a three year $42 million deal on Sun Dec 17, 2023 (USA Today photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 Lourdes Gurriel Jr will be returning to the Arizona Diamondbacks on a $42 million three year deal. Gurriel gets a fourth year option on his three contract. The deal also includes an opt out on the second year of the contract. Gurriel hit .261, with 144 hits and 24 home runs. How much of a good deal is this for Gurriel and the Diamondbacks.

#2 Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna are both racking up trophies. This time they both win the Hank Aaron Award for most offensive performer. Ohtani hit .304, 151 hits, and 44 home runs. Ohtani will not pitch but be the Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter for the 2024 season. Acuna hit .337, 217 hits and had 106 RBIs.

#3 Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer who had off season back surgery will not be expected to be back until June or July. Scherzer was suffering back pain and was removed from last season’s World Series. His pain didn’t stop when he got home to Florida and was later diagnosed with a herniated disc.

#4 Over the weekend Amaury, the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox threw their ball caps into the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes joining the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers. Yamamoto has met with the Mets twice. These clubs have each put in a starting bid of $300 million for Yamamoto. The pressure is mounting Amaury which team will it be?

#5 It didn’t take long after being acquired by the Atlanta Braves from the San Diego Padres Matt Carpenter was released after one week. The Braves will lose around $4 million on the deal in 2022 Carpenter hit .305, with 15 home runs and 37 RBIs. Carpenter played for the Yankees from May 26 to Aug 8th. Carpenter he broke his foot on a foul ball and got back into post season on going 1 for 12 with nine strikeouts.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Oakland A’s Nevada Assembly vote could be razor close

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From left to right Jeremy Aguero, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Hill, and A’s President David Kaval, at the 35th Special Session of the Legislature regarding SB1 the $380 million in public funds for the Tropicana Ballpark in Las Vegas on Jun 7, 2023. The second special session reconvenes on Mon Jun 12, 2023 (Nevada Independent photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Nevada State Assembly are suppose to meet and vote today on SB1 the Tropicana ballpark initiative that will send the bill to the senate for another vote. Sources say that the votes are close the legislation were suppose to vote last Thursday but that vote was adjourned and now it’s supposed to be today.

#2 This is a second special session do you think the reason for the hold up on the vote is because some in the assembly are under pressure to get this bill through while other assembly people are holding out because they don’t want to vote for a $385 million bill that helps pay for a ballpark with public money?

#3 One of the other questions that has been weighing heavy was if the A’s were to get the Las Vegas ballpark they need to meet selling out every game plus concerts or shows at the Tropicana venue to meet the annual payments to pay for the ballpark. How big of an ask is to say that every game and every concert at the A’s Las Vegas ballpark needs to be sold out to meet the economic need?

#4 The issue of government involvement from Congresswoman Barbara Lee who represents Oakland and Alameda County the 12th Congressional District wrote a letter saying that she and many of her constituents are frustrated that MLB and the Oakland A’s failed to deal in good faith and that they had a deal with Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao that was almost ten percent complete.

#5 The A’s walked away saying they had a binding deal in Las Vegas fast forward they have moved again from the Wild Wild West location to the Tropicana location. Could congress make a move saying the A’s and MLB failed to let the process of the Howard Terminal deal works its way through but dropped the deal and took the offer in Vegas.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Giants Webb says beware of Dodgers; A’s hope things will get better in Baltimore

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) throws a pitch during the first inning at Sun Trust Field in Miami against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, June 4, 2022. (File AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury just wanted to start off asking you about the Dodgers-Giants series that got started on Monday. The Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb said that the Dodgers are a juggernaut that no one should be fooled by the Dodgers before the series started with a three game losing streak and a .500 record.

#2 The Giants catcher Roberto Perez had been placed on the 60 day injured list with a rotator cuff strain and it got Austin Wynns the opportunity to start Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Royals however the next day Monday Wynns was moved off the 40 man roster. Blake Sabol has been doing his share of catching.

#3 The big news is that Giants catcher Joey Bart was reinstated after suffering a back strain, Bart rehabbed over the weekend with triple A affiliate Sacramento and started against the Dodgers on Monday night.

#4 Amaury, How bad do things have to get for he Oakland A’s (2-8) dropping the home opening series against the Los Angeles Angels two out of three and dropping two out of three to the Cleveland Guardian and getting swept by the Tampa Bay Rays.

#5 The Rays went yard on the A’s losing twice by scores of 11-0 on Saturday and Sunday. The The A’s opened a three game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night at Camden Yards. The Rays went yard on the A’s losing twice by scores of 11-0 on Saturday and Sunday. The A’s had a lot expectations from starter Shintaro Fujinami but for the second consecutive game Fujinami got lit up.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for all the play by play of Oakland A’s on the Spanish radio network 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and for News and Commentary 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: 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: MLB Veterans Committee Fred McGriff voted to the Hall of Fame

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Former Atlanta Brave Fred McGriff is all smiles after being informed that he has been voted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown (AP News file photo)

MLB Veterans Committee: Fred McGriff voted to the Hall of Fame

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Fred McGriff is 59 years old and played for six different teams during a 19-year career that ended in 2004. With 493 homers he ties with another Hall of Famer, Lou Gehrig as the only two with less than 500 home runs in Cooperstown.

McGriff could not get over the hump in ten appearances on the BBWAA ballot mostly in part of a backlog of controversial (steroids era) candidates and never got out of 69 votes (39.8), but on Sunday December 4, he was elected with 16 votes on the 16 member committee, unanimously. 100%. A player needs a minimum of 75% to get elected to the Hall of Fame.

“What an honor,” McGriff said in a Zoom call with the media from his home in Florida. “It’s a beautiful night in Tampa. I did it. I got in there. I feel as if I’ve been totally blessed my whole life and I continue to be blessed. It’s an honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.”

Because of a backlog of controversial candidates from the steroid era, McGriff could not get over the hump in ten appearances on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot, topping out at 69 votes (39.8%). A player needs a minimum of 75% for election to Cooperstown.

Fred McGriff hit 30 or more homers during a season for five different teams; Toronto, San Diego, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Chicago Cubs. He was a member of the 1995 World Champion Atlanta Braves and now joins four (4) other Hall of Fame players of that great Braves team; Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Larry “Chipper” Jones and Tom Glavine.

Not surprised Fred McGriff was elected or that Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Rafeal Palmeiro were not for obvious reasons, also not a surprise that Curt Schilling received 43% of the vote, as controversial as he was, it was because of comments he made on twitter on political issues, which everybody is entitled as we all have the rights to free speech. Schilling was never involved or was suspect of using steroids. It will be no sooner than 3 years from today that they would be considered again for election. Here is the final vote:

Fred McGriff 16 votes, (100%) Don Mattingly 8 votes, (50%) Curt Schilling 7 votes (43.8%) Dale Murphy 6 votes (37.5%) Albert Belle Less than 4 votes Barry Bonds Less than 4 votes Roger Clemens Less than 4 votes Rafael Palmeiro Less than 4 votes

The Winter Meetings began today in San Diego. Expect this week some news regarding signing of free agents and trades. The Braves, Cardinals, Indians and others have been talking to the Oakland A’s in trying to reach a deal to acquired catcher Sean Murphy, he is one of the most sought after players this off season and the A’s are expected to trade him for a bunch of prospects.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Why Aaron Judge will stay a Yankee

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Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has lots to smile about. Here is Judge in the Yankees dugout on Wed Oct 5, 2022 in Arlington. The Yankees host the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium in New York for game 1 of the ALDS Tue Oct 11, 2022 (AP News photo)

Why Aaron Judge will stay a Yankee

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Aaron Judge will be named the MVP of the American League. He had one of the most remarkable seasons ever for a player in the major leagues. Ending with a new American League record of 62 home runs and without any doubt the most valuable of all players on his team.

Judge was hitting throughout the whole season when his teammates were also hitting early in the season and later when the Yankees struggle to score runs. He was the only Yankee hitting the ball and driving in runs.

Brian Cashman, the Yankee’s General Manager on behalf of the Yankee ownership, offered Judge a 7-year deal worth $213.5 million, prior to the start of the 2022 season. Judge did not swing at it. This past June, the Yankees and Judge agreed to a one year (2022) deal, signed for $19 million just to play this season and avoid arbitration.

Now that Judge established the new AL record, his price has skyrocketed to be much more than the $213 million (peanuts contract) that the Yankees originally offered him. We are looking at minimum of between $300 to $400 million, to start, for his services in a multi-year deal.

There are rumors that some teams will go after Aaron Judge this off season, among those mentioned are the San Francisco Giants. Judge was born in the town of Linden in San Joaquin county, a small town of around 1,700 residents, some 95 miles from San Francisco, a two hour drive.

The Giants haven’t had a real slugger since the days of Barry Bonds, and Judge would be a great improvement for the Giants, or in the middle of other teams lineups.

However, it makes all the sense in the world to expect the Yankees to retain Aaron Judge. The storied franchise now can claim how they got to 62 home runs, after all it was Babe Ruth who originally established the record of 60 in 1927, to be broken by another Yankee, Roger Maris 61 home runs in 1961 and yet to be broken again with another Yankee, this time Aaron Judge, this season 2022 with 62.

All three Yankees! It sounds so good and rhythmic that it could be written, and probably will, into a song. I doubt the Yankees want to break that chain.

The New York Yankees can now offer Aaron Judge the money he wants in order for him to end his career as a Yankee, the only team he has played for. Judge will make the Yankees all the money and then some, to easily give him that great contract, marketing, merchandise, publicity and prestige plus.

The Yankees in my opinion offer Judge a better opportunity to be in a World Series than the San Francisco Giants. Why? Because they are the Yankees! They spend all the money and each and every year they have only one goal, to win the World Series, and they have won 27 of them.

The Yankees won the AL east, and this Tuesday. the 11th will host the Cleveland Guardians, who won the AL Central Division, at Yankee Stadium for the ALDS best of five.

Aaron Judge led the Major Leagues in runs scored with 133 in home runs with 62, runs-batted-in 131, on-base percentage .425, slugging percentage, total gases, led in walks with 111. Was second in the American League in batting average with .311, missing the Triple Crown by six points.

It was the Minnesota Twins Luis Arraez who won the batting crown in the American League with a .316 average. Without Arraez winning the batting title, Aaron Judge would have been the first man to win the Triple Crown since Miguel Cabrera (Detroit) in 2012.

“Pot of Gold awaits Aaron Judge, it’s yet to be determined how much it weighs, but it’s a pot of gold, no doubt about it” -Yankees GM, Brian Cashman.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: MLB 2022 Season back to the Past and Future

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You won’t see Arizona Diamondback pitcher Madison Bumgarner taking swings at the plate anymore with the new Universal Designated Hitter rule starting this season (AP News file photo)

MLB 2022 Season: Back to the Past and Future

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

After a short Spring Training because of the 99-day lockout by owners, each team will embark on their regular 162-game journey for the 2022 season, beginning on April 7.

New this 2022 Season

  • DH (designated hitter) now will be Universal. Sorry “old school” National League fans.
  • Pitchers will no longer have a spot in the batting order. Sorry for Madison Bumgarner.
  • Playoffs will expand from 10 teams (five each league) to 12 teams (six each league) Owners happy more money.
  • Three Divisional winners and 3 Wild Card teams in each league. The top two division winners in each league will receive byes to the Division Series. The other four teams in each league will play best-of-three series in what will be called the Wild Card round, with the higher seed hosting all three games.
  • No re-seeding for Division Series. The No. 1 seed plays the winner of the 4-5 series, and the No. 2 seed plays the winner of 3-6. – No more games known as (Game 163) to decide playoff spots. Playoff spots will be determined through tiebreaker formulas.
  • The Rule 5 Draft has been canceled for this season. Usually held each December, the Rule 5 Draft allows clubs without a 40-man roster to selected certain non-40 man roster players from other clubs. Clubs draft in reverse order of the standing from the previous season. No more.
  • There will be complete 9 inning games for Double Headers. (Double-Headers made-up from games lost because of lockout or rainouts this year.)
  • No “automatic runner” at second base at the start of extra-innings. It didn’t look like baseball.
  • Players’ uniforms will feature advertising, including patches on jerseys and decals on batting helmets. More revenue.

-The number of times a player can be optioned to the minor leagues in one season will be limited. –

Back to the Future: Beginning in 2023 – A Joint Competition Committee comprise of four active players and six members appointed by MLB plus one umpire will be tasked with making decisions on other changes, such as pitch clock, limits on defensive shifts, larger bases, and the automatic ball/strike system. Any rule changes that committee adopts can be implemented with 45 days’ notice to the players.

Pitch clocks will be used. There will be a ban on defensive shifts, an automatic ball/strike zone will exist and there will be larger bases. In 2023, teams will play five fewer games against division opponents, instead of playing one series against every team in the other league. Teams will continue to play their “rival” Inter-league team four times, twice at each ballpark.

(More on Pitch Clocks) In 2021, MLB implemented a pitch clock in the Low-A West five weeks into the season, giving pitchers 15 SECONDS WITH NO ONE ON BASE and 17 SECONDS WITH RUNNERS ON. The average time of a nine-inning game dropped from 3 hours and 2 minutes to 2 hours and 41 minutes after the pitch clock was introduced, with offense jumping across the board.

MLB & MLPA agreed to host games or tours in the following locations over the next 5 years: México, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Asia, London and Paris.

Social Media News: Apple takes a Bite at Baseball. Apple now owns rights to the Friday-night package of MLB games. They will have exclusive rights to telecast two “Friday Night Baseball” games each week, a total of about 50 games per year, in the U.S and eight countries overseas, via Apple TV Plus.

So let’s make if fun again, because in the end, it is a kid’s game.

Hasta la vista.

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