Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong: Five possibilities for the Nats Soto; D-Backs #2 draft pick hurt in batting practice; plus more

Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals is standing by to see what deal he could get as he is on the bubble before the MLB trade deadline on Aug 2, 2022 (AP News file photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Jessica:

#1 Jessica, the Washington Nationals Juan Soto sweepstakes are on there are five possibilities, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, St Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres, where he can go after turning down a 15 year $440 million offer by the Nationals.

#2 Unfortunately injury for one of the big draft picks for the Arizona Diamondbacks #2 draft pick Druw Jones who hurt himself with shoulder injury swinging the bats during batting practice before Tuesday’s game before playing the San Francisco Giants.

#3 Jessica, It was an emotional return for Toronto Blue Jays Buck Martinez who had returned to the broadcast booth from cancer treatment. Martinez had been out since the middle of April and got a rousing ovation from the Blue Jays crowd, players and his grandkids in attendance. Martinez by the way looked great you would have never known what he had gone through.

#4 It was in the making since 2008 the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York Jackie’s wife Rachel 100, watched the ribbon cutting along with daughter Sharon 72 now in a wheelchair and son David 70, for the opening of the museum. In 80 degree heat outdoors in New York City Robinson’s children spoke about the life and career of Robinson.

#5 San Francisco Giants pitcher Carlos Rodon apologized to Thairo Estrada who he kicked a bat leaning up against the bench into Estrada’s knee after giving up a three run home run to the Arizona Diamondbacks Christian Walker in the top of the third inning. Rodon apologized to Estrada, his teammates, and had a meeting with manager Gabe Kapler who said that things had been worked out with Rodon.

Join Jessica for Headline Sports podcasts every other Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: What would Jackie Robinson say today? -About Baseball

Jackie Robinson Day will acknowledge the Brooklyn Dodgers pioneer who broke the color line in Major League Baseball in 1947 (image by the Philadelphia Tribune)

What would Jackie Robinson say today? -About Baseball

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

April 15, 2021 will be the 74th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color-barrier and playing with the major league Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. But what would Robinson say today, about today’s game? His answers, I would leave to your imagination.

1-For starters, Jackie Robinson stole home 19 times. That is not taking into consideration that in the first game of the 1955 World Series, Sept. 27, 1955 against the Yankees, he stole home. Today a straight steal of home is not what you will see in any game. Maybe your chances of winning the Lotto are greater than witnessing the daring play, in person, listening to radio or watching television.

2-Jackie Robinson ended his 10-year major league career with a combined .311 average. We all know that the batting average is not the thing now in the game of baseball. It is all about Launch Angle, which is the vertical angle at which the ball leaves the bat, after it is hit. You will need to find a professor at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), to explain that in more detail.

3-During his ten year career Robinson earned a total of $296,000 in salary. In today’s game that is around $3 million. At the start of this 2021 a rookie salary in the major leagues is $570,500. Let’s take it to the extreme. In March 2019, LA Angels Mike Trout signed a contract extension for $426.5 million dollars and for 30 years.

This year Trout makes $36 million, the equivalent of $222.222 per game, that means in one (1) game Trout makes almost as much as Jackie Robinson made in his 10-year career in salary. However, some perspective about entertaining, and baseball is part of that, also in television where Judy (Judge Judy) Sheindlin makes $47 million every year in just 52 days of taping her shows. In 2016 Daniel Craig aka James Bond was given $150 million to film two more Bond movies.

4-During World War II in 1942, Robinson was drafted into the US Army and assigned to a segregated cavalry unit. In 1973 the draft ended and since then it is an all-volunteer force. Players do not have to worry about that anymore. Among those who volunteered to fight in WW II was Yogi Berra who saw action on the assault on Normandy on D-Day and Bob Feller who left a six-figure contract to join the Navy after Pearl Harbor.

5-Jackie Robinson like Roberto Clemente is revered in Latin America. Robinson Canó born in the Dominican Republic got his name because of his father José, who played briefly in the majors in 1989 and named his son Robinson name which is known thorough the world as a historical figure as well as a baseball icon.

On this anniversary of Jackie Robinson playing in the major leagues, now more than ever, we should teach our youth the importance of this iconic figure in American and world sports history. Playing baseball and reaching the major leagues is never easy and even harder back in 1947 when there were a total of 16 teams (eight in each league). Number 42 was a great baseball player, but most important, a great man and a great American.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Jackie Robinson Legacy is International

Jackie Robinson who broke the color line in Major League Baseball in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers takes a swing at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn (jackierobinson.com file photo)

Jackie Robinson Legacy is International

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

April 15,2020 marks the 73rd Anniversary of Jackie Robinson as the first African-American player in MLB,with the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. His legacy and career was honored and his uniform number 42 retired by Major League Baseball by Commissioner Bud Selig 33 years ago on April 15,1997.

Robinson’s #42 was the first and only number retired by all MLB 30 teams. Generally people focus on African Americans who followed Robinson into baseball,but the great pioneer also opened the door for Black Latino players.

Jackie Robinson’s legacy goes beyond US borders.  Because of Robinson, Latino players of dark skin were also able to come and play in the big leagues with their American brothers.

Today almost 33 percent of all players in MLB are born in Latin America(higher percentage in the minor leagues)and after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier,some great Latino black players,like Cuban-born Orestes(Minnie) Miñoso who signed as a rookie in 1949 with the Cleveland Indians, before becoming the last player in baseball history to play for five (50 years) different decades.

Minnie played from 1949 until 1980. The Cuban-born Miñoso was the first unquestionable black Latin American in the major leagues, although some others with some black ancestry had played in MLB. By early 1950’s other Latino’s of black skin included, Luis Márquez(Puerto Rico)signed by the Boston Braves and Cuban catcher Rafael(Ray)Noble with the New York Giants as well as Ozzie Virgil Sr.from the Dominican Republic.

According to SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) in 1947; 98.3 perfect of players were white,0.9 percent African-American, 0.7 percent Latinos and 0.0 percent Asian. Decades later, especially in the mid 1950’s the great Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico) and 1960’s many more came from Latin America, like Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda, Manny Mota, Felipe, Jesús and Mateo Alou, Tony Oliva, Luis Tiant, Leonardo(Leo) Cárdenas, Tony González, Francisco(Panchón)Herrera, José Cardenal, Dagoberto(Campy)Campaneris and more not mentioned.

Some of these Latino players are remembered with statues in the cities where they played,the one and only Roberto Clemente not only with a Statue at PNC Park but with the Roberto Clemente Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh over the Allegheny River.

Today all baseball fans around the world honor the great #42 Jackie Robinson,because he is also a historic figure in countries like Cuba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Panamá, Puerto Rico, México,Nicaragua,Venezuela, Jamaica and all countries where baseball is a major sport, not to mention in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

“I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect” -Jackie Robinson.

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