San Diego Padres third base coach Matt Williams pauses on the field during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. The San Diego Padres third base has colon cancer and will have surgery on Friday, March 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin,File)
On Headlines Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong:
#1 Diamond Sports Group is hoping to hold as they restructure after filing for bankruptcy protection on Mar 14th. Diamond had a two week grace period a time which Diamond tried to negotiate the streaming rights. During restructuring Diamond will carry games. Diamond just paid the San Diego Padres their rights fees on Wednesday. MLB is putting together a streaming network and plans to take over for some 14 MLB clubs. There are NBA and NHL clubs who also effected by the Diamond bankruptcy.
#2 The pitch clock has shaved off 26 minutes off in spring training. Games during the 2022 season averaged 3:01 and now are pacing at 2:35. Comparing the World Baseball Classic games the spring games are 35 minutes shorter. Opening day is Thursday and MLB is waiting to see how this pitch clock works out in the regular season.
#3 San Diego Padres third coach Matt Williams 57, has been diagnosed with colon cancer and will be away from the team for an undisclosed time. The news was announced to the media some 24 hours before the Padres open their regular season against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday afternoon at Petco Park in San Diego. Williams will have surgery on Friday to remove growth near his colon.
#4 There’s a lot of expectations that the Los Angeles Angels are expecting from top catching prospect Logan O’Hoppe. Catcher Max Stassi has been placed on the injured list due to hip soreness. O’Hoppe will get the call to start and catch Angels ace and starter Shohei Ohtani in the season opener in Oakland against the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum on Thursday for a 7:07pm first pitch.
#5 The New York Yankees will open their season against the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The Yankees will start Gerrit Cole and the Giants will be going with Logan Webb. The Yankees are trying to get the bad taste of the American League Championship Series loss to the Houston Astros out of their mouth from last season losing four out of five to the Astros and missing the World Series.
Jessica Kwong does Headline Sports podcasts every other Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
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