file photo from Cincinnati.com: Former Miami Marlins Tony Perez (left) and Andre Dawson (right) who were fired by Marlins owner Derek Jeter will most likely skip Jeter’s Hall of Fame induction in Cooperstown. Also, former Marlins Jeff Conine and ex-manager Jack McKeon are also considering sitting out Jeter’s HOF speech.
On the MLB The Show podcast with Matt:
#1 Former Miami Marlins Andre Dawson, Jeff Conine, Tony Perez and Jack McKeon most likely will not attend Marlins owner and former New York Yankee great Derek Jeter’s Hall of Fame speech at his induction. The four former players and McKeon the manager were unceremoniously fired when Jeter took over as team owner.
#2 It was the Houston Astros’ Gerrit Cole who was the pitcher who reached 200 strikeouts the fastest in the majors this season. Now, the team who has reached 200 home runs the fastest, are the Minnesota Twins making no secret they’re a fences swinging club.
#3 Speaking of home runs, the Boston Red Sox Mookie Betts’ three-home run game. He’s the fourth player in the last four days to hit three runs in a game.
#4 The New York Mets’ Robinson Cano, who had hit only six home runs all season, got three home runs on Tuesday starting the multiple home run derby for the last four days.
#5 The San Francisco Giants’ Madison Bumgarner sweepstakes is over, according to sources. Multiple teams inquired about acquiring the Giants superstar pitcher, but there were not enough prospects that clubs could up with to get MadBum. While the deadline is July 31st, the team is confident that Bumgarner is staying.
OAKLAND, Calif. — A future Hall of Fame player’s career was recently tainted when Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Canó was suspended for 80 games for using a diuretic. Here is the description of what caused his suspension. He tested positive for the diuretic furosemide, violating MLB’s joint drug agreement. Furosemide is a diuretic, commonly known as Lasix, that is used to treat horses.The Mariners open a three-game series this Tuesday at the Oakland Coliseum against their western division rivals, Oakland Athletics.
There is a good chance Canó will make his return against the A’s when they visit Oakland again in the middle of August. Born in the Dominican Republic, the veteran Canó has been one of the best second basemen in the game since he arrived and played with the New York Yankees in 2005. A stylish-fielding veteran of 14 seasons, 2005-13 with the Yankees and since 2014 with Seattle. He is on his fifth year of a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. 24 million per year. And he will be sitting for a while under suspension. His friend, who played with him in New York, Alex Rodríguez said: “It will be a long road back for Robinson,” but he believed he will land on his feet. He knows about the situation, Rodríguez is no novice to the word “suspension” as he also was suspended for the use of PEDs.
Dee Gordon has been playing second base for the Mariners since Canó’s suspension last week. The absence of Canó could be costly for this Mariners team who has been playing very well recently, just like the A’s, and this will be a very interesting first series of the season between these two divisional rivals.
The A’s return home after a triumphal road-trip that took them to New York, Boston and Toronto, winning seven and losing three and now have a 14-13 record on the road and 11-9 at home. The A’S will open this 10-game homestand tomorrow, three vs. Seattle, three vs. Arizona and four vs. Tampa Bay.
Currently,the A’s hold a 25-22 record and are in fourth place with 4.5 games from first place Houston, while Seattle is in second place 27-19 just two games behind the World Champion Astros and have been playing well on the road with a 15-9 record outside Safeco Field.
Tuesday’s game will match a pair of veteran right-handers: For Seattle, Mike Leake 4-3 6.00 ERA, who had a no decision against the A’s on April 13 in Seattle. For the A’s Trevor Cahill will make his sixth start of the season with 1-2 and 2.79 ERA. The Golden State Warriors will also be playing next door at the Oracle Arena as they have a 2-to-1 game advantage over the Houston Rockets in the Western Finals. I recommend you take BART to avoid the traffic jams.
Listen to the Atléticos in Spanish on KIQI 1010AM/990AM covering the Bay Area and Sacramento/Stockton.
The Oakland Athletics have a major problem to solve between now and the beginning of the 2018 season. They have to figure out how to win games on the road.
Winning at home has been a positive for the 2017 Athletics. They have posted a 37-31 record at the Coliseum this season. The Mariners who swept them this weekend have 37-32 record at home this year. The Athletics home record would make them competitive in any division in baseball.
The Athletics road record is where the team hits the wall at 100 miles per hour. With the loss on Sunday, Oakland is now 21-47 on the road which is the worst record in the MLB. Turning that trend around will not be easy with a team that is as young and inexperienced as the Athletics. They will have to learn the art of winning on the road.
That is all a part of the rebuilding process. If an organization commits to a true rebuilding plan, it involves pain. No one likes pain — owners, executives, coaches, players or fans. But simply put … there will be pain.
Seattle took charge early on Sunday
Mitch Haniger had a 4-for-5 day at the plate*
The Mariners jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. Seattle added another run in fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead.
While the Mariners were scoring runs, their starting pitcher Andrew Albers was shutting the Athletics down. He allowed the A’s just one hit over the six innings he pitched. Matt Olson hit his 12th home run of the season off the first pitch Albers delivered to him in the sixth inning.
The M’s came right back and scored solo runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings. The A’s added their second and final run in the top of the eighth when Matt Olson hit a single that drove Mark Canha home to make it a 5-2 game in favor of the Mariners.
Then came the disastrous bottom of the eighth inning. The A’s sent Michael Brady to the mound to hold the Mariners at five runs. Carlos Ruiz led off with a double to center field and Gordon Beckham was sent in as a pinch-runner. Jean Segura — who was on fire at the plate the entire series — bunted his way on base and Beckham moved up to third.
With the infield drawn in, Yonder Alonso (yes, another former Athletic) hit a single through the shortstop position as Semien moved toward second to cover the base runner. Beckham scored and Segura stopped at third.
Robinson Cano singled to right field which drove Segura home and moved Alonso up to second. Nelson Cruz singled to left which allowed Alonso to score and sent Cano to second base.
Pitching coach Scott Emerson made a visit to the mound to explain to Brady that no help was coming from the bullpen. The A’s have an afternoon game on Labor Day so they were not going deep into the pen when they were six runs down and there were no outs in the inning.
Kyle Seager singled to left field which allowed Cano and Cruz to advance 90 feet. Mitch Haniger grounded into a force out that erased Seager at second base but Cano scored and the bases remained loaded.
Ben Gamel grounded into a force out that allowed Nelson Cruz to score the fifth and final run of the inning for the Mariners. When the dust settled, Seattle held a commanding 10-2 lead which led them to their third consecutive victory.
Seattle is now just 2.5 games out of being a Wild Card team in the American League.
On the mound
Oakland
Daniel Gossett struggled in his start on Sunday*
Daniel Gossett made the start for Oakland and never was able to take control of the game. He worked 3.2-innings giving up three runs (all earned) off seven hits (one home run). Gossett walked five and struck five. He threw 89 pitches (49 strikes) to the 22 batters he faced. Gossett was tagged with the loss and now has a record of 3-8 for the season.
Liam Hendriks was strong in his 1.1-innings of relief work. He faced just four hitters allowing no runs on one hit and striking out one.
The rest of the A’s relievers broke the rule “Goose Eggs” in their three innings of work. All three relievers gave up at least one run when the goal is to give up no runs — a “Goose Egg”. Cassilla gave up one run, Moll allowed a run and Brady had five runs scored during his one inning on the hill. All seven of the runs allowed by the relievers were earned runs.
Seattle
Andrew Albers pitched six strong innings on Sunday
Andrew Albers did everything the Mariners hoped their starter would do on Sunday. He pitched 6.0-innings to make it a quality start allowing the A’s just one run (earned) on one hit (one home run). He walked one and struck five. Albers was credited with his third win of the year to go with just one loss.
Emilio Pagan relieved Albers and was credited with 1.0-inning of work. He did face one hitter in the top of the eighth. Pagan allowed one run on two hits but was credited with a hold (5).
Marc Rzepczynski took over for Pagan in the eighth and faced two batters giving up one hit.
Then it was “Goose Egg” time for the Seattle bullpen. Nick Vincent took over for Rzepczynski and shut the A’s down posting all zeros. Vincent was credited with his 26th hold of the season.
Shae Simmons worked the ninth in a non-save situation allowing no runs on one hit and striking out two Athletics.
In the batter’s box
Matt Olson hit his 12th HR of the year Sunday
Athletics
Matt Olson was the real story at the plate for Oakland on Sunday as he went 2-for-3 with two Rbi and a run scored. He hit his 12th home run and upped his Rbi total to 26.
The A’s had just five hits in the game. They had just one hit — Olson’s home run — in the first six innings.
The Athletics were 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position (notice the lack of opportunity) and left four runners on base.
Mariners
Robinson Cano was the man of the day with the bat going 4-for-5 with four Rbi and scoring two runs. He hit his 21st home run of the season — a two-run shot in the first inning — off Gossett.
Mitch Haniger also had a 4-for-5 day that included two Rbi and run scored. He hit his 10th home run and his 18th double of the year in the contest.
Jean Segura had a 3-for-4 day scoring three runs. He upped his doubles total to 27 and upped his stolen base total to 20.
The M’s scored 10 runs on 17 hits and left 10 men on base.
Seattle went 6-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
The Mariners and Athletics have three games left to play against each other in Oakland on September 25, 26 and 27.
Up next
The A’s come home for Labor Day to play a day game with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at 1:05 p.m. Rookie RHP Parker Birdwell (7-2, 3.52) will start for the Angels while the Athletics will counter with RHP Chris Smith (0-4, 6.27) who is still seeking his first victory of the year.
The Oakland Athletics lost their fifth game in a row as they dropped a 7-6 decision to the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night at Safeco Field. The A’s (58-77) have lost the first two games of the three game series in Seattle to the Mariners (68-68).
The game was tied 6-6 going into the bottom of the ninth inning. The A’s sent Blake Treinen to the hill to hold the game at 6-6 and to take it into extra innings. That plan did not work out as intended.
Jean Segura led off the ninth inning for the Mariners and reached base safely on a fielding error by Matt Olson. Former Athletic Yonder Alonso then singled to right field which allowed Segura to move to third base. The A’s then decided to intentionally walk Robinson Cano to load the bases with no outs.
The M’s Nelson Cruz went down on strikes and the A’s followed that with a defensive substitution moving Matt Joyce to left field and inserting Boog Powell into center field while having Khris Davis exit the game.
Kyle Seager then flied out to left field for the second out of the inning. That left everything up to the Mariners Mitch Haniger. With the count at 1-1 to Haniger, Treinen threw a wild pitch that allowed Segura to scamper home giving Seattle the walk-off win 7-6.
A’s manager Bob Melvin did not see the pitch as a wild pitch in a quote given to Reuters. “He (Treinen) gets himself a position to get out of it, we don’t handle the ball behind the plate and it costs us the game,” said Melvin.
Oakland blows a big lead
Matt Joyce hits his 21st home run of 2017*
The A’s let another solid lead be eroded on Saturday night. Oakland scored individual runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead. Seattle came back and scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 2-2.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Mariners made a pitching change. Seattle pulled their starter Yovani Gallardo and sent Casey Lawrence to the mound. The A’s capitalized on that change.
Matt Chapman led off the inning by grounding out to first. Bruce Maxwell then drew a walk. Marcus Semien then hit his 13th double of the season off Lawrence that moved Maxwell up to third base.
Matt Joyce came to bat with runners at second and third. He hit a three-run home run (21) off Lawrence to give the A’s a 5-2 lead.
Jed Lowrie was the next hitter and he drew a walk. After a visit to the mound by the pitching coach, Khris Davis stepped into the batter’s box and hit a double (24) to left field and moved Lowrie up to third base. That would be the end of the game for Lawrence as he was removed and replaced by reliever Ryan Garton.
Ryon Healy was the first Athletic to face Garton. He hit a fly ball to center field that would be caught by Jarrod Dyson but Lowrie was able to tag up and score the A’s sixth run of the game. Davis was able to advance to third base on Healy’s sacrifice fly.
Matt Olson flied out to left fielder Ben Gamel in foul ground to end the inning.
That would be the end of the scoring for the Athletics in the game. Seattle would add two runs in the fifth inning, one in the sixth, one in the eighth and then the final winning one in the bottom of the ninth.
It is tough to win when you allow your opponent to score five unanswered runs and take away your four-run lead.
On the mound
Oakland
Jharel Cotton started the game for the A’s and lasted four innings. It was the long-ball that did him in on Saturday night. Cotton gave up three home runs in his four innings of work which resulted in four Seattle runs (all earned). He gave up seven hits, walked two and struck out one.
The Athletics used six relievers to finish the final five innings. Combined they gave up three runs (one earned) off three hits while walking two and striking out five. They also gave up one home run. It was not a picture perfect “Goose Egg” night by any means.
Treinen was charged with loss and his record fell to 1-4 for the season.
Seattle
Yovani Gallardo did not have a quality start for the Mariners. He lasted just three innings on Saturday night giving up two runs (all earned) off five hits. Gallardo walked two, struck out two and gave up two home runs.
The Mariners relief corps had an odd night. Lawrence lasted just 0.1-inning while giving up four earned runs of three hits. After he left the game, the Seattle bullpen settled down and did its job.
The Mariners final three relievers did their job almost to perfection. They posted the coveted “Goose Eggs”. They gave up 0-runs. Over those final 5.2-innings, the three Seattle relievers allowed just three Athletics to reach base.
In the batter’s box
Athletics
The A’s hit three home runs in the game. Bruce Maxwell (3) and Khris Davis (37) each hit solo shots. Matt Joyce (21) hit a three-run blast in the fourth inning.
Two A’s went 2-for-5 in the game — Marcus Semien and Khris Davis. They both scored a run and Davis had an Rbi.
Matt Joyce went 1-for-3 in the game with two walks, a run scored and three Rbi. His one hit was a home run.
The glaring stats of the night for Athletics offense has to be that they were just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and that they left nine men on base in the game.
Mariners
Mariners catcher Mike Zunino hits a home run*
Shortstop Jean Segura led the way for Seattle against the A’s on Saturday night. He went 3-for-5 in the game with two Rbi and two runs scored.
Former Athletic Yonder Alonso had a nice against his old mates as he went 2-for-4. He scored two runs, had two hits and had one Rbi in the game.
The M’s catcher Mike Zunino also had a good night with the bat. Zunino went 2-for-3 scoring two runs and adding one Rbi.
Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 at the plate posting two Rbi and scoring one run.
Up next
The Athletics and Mariners will close out this three-game series on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. PDT.
The A’s will send rookie RHP Daniel Gossett (3-7, 5.21) to the hill. Gossett took the loss last Monday night in Anaheim against the Angels.
The Mariners will counter with LHP Andrew Albers (2-1, 4.20). Albers came to Seattle from the Braves in a trade last month.
American League’s Seattle Mariners Robinson Cano (22), second from left, congratulated Cleveland Indians pitcher Andrew Miller, after winning the MLB baseball All-Star Game, Tuesday, July 11, 2017, in Miami. Cano hit a home run in the tenth inning to win the game. The American League defeated the National league 2-1. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
By Morris Phillips
More than three hours before Robinson Cano clubbed the 10th inning home run that decided the 88th All-Star Game, the veteran slugger had his All-Star moment. In a pre-game ceremony Cano took the field with Juan Marichal, Rod Carew, Orlando Cepeda and the late Roberto Clemente’s wife, Vera. The ceremony celebrated the contributions of Latin America to Major League Baseball, a history as vast as those assembled on the Marlins Park field on Monday.
Cano added his own contribution to the story with his home run off Wade Davis that would catapult the American League, 2-1. Ironically, Cano was a late replacement, his eight All-Star appearance which had been uneventful until the 10th inning Monday. Cano had just eight at-bats, one hit in All-Star competition previously.
In the pre-game ceremony Cano was one of eight catchers for the legends that threw out the first pitches. Cano received his pitch from Marichal as the cameras flashed.
“I can’t wait to get to social media and get that picture and put it in a frame in my home,” Cano said.
The American League won for the fifth straight time, but it won’t secure home field advantage in the World Series for the AL. That rule was abolished by new commissioner Rob Manfred prior to the game, and Cano wasn’t initially aware the rules had changed.
Yadier Molina homered for the National League–their only run–as the two 34-year olds stole the show from the younger All-Stars, 28 in all making their first All-Star appearance. Molina and Cano were the oldest, and most voluminous All-Stars with eight appearances each.
Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, the biggest names on the marquee for the Home Run Derby, both went 0 for 3.
A’s starter Jharel Cotton labored but picked up the win on Saturday Photo Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Athletics now have the longest winning streak in the American League with five consecutive wins. They have also taken the first three games of the four-game series with the Seattle Mariners by recording 4-3 win on Saturday in Oakland.
The A’s fell behind quickly in the game when Robinson Cano hit his third home run of the season off of A’s starter Jharel Cotton with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the first inning. It looked like Seattle was ready to put up a fight in game three of the series.
The Athletics did not allow the M’s to hold the lead for long as Adam Rosales did his best Ricky Henderson imitation by hitting a leadoff home run over the center field wall to tie the game at 1-1 off Seattle starter Ariel Miranda.
The A’s were not done scoring in the bottom of the first. After Jed Lowrie singled, Ryan Healy took Miranda deep for two-run homer (3) over the left field wall. Oakland staked their starter Cotton to a 3-1 lead after the first inning.
Both teams scored again in the third inning of the contest. The Mariners added a run when Nelson Cruz hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Mitch Haniger to score. The A’s posted a run when Ryan Healy doubled to left driving Jed Lowrie home from third base. After four innings, Oakland held a 4-2 lead.
The Mariners gave the A’s a scare in the top of the eighth inning. Cano led off with a single. After a pitching change, Nelson Cruz drew a walk off of Oakland reliever Liam Hendriks. Taylor Motter grounded into a double play but Cano moved up to third on the play. Kyle Seager was brought in as a pinch-hitter and hit a towering fly ball to center field that grazed the wall and fell in for a triple. Cano came home from third to score the third and final run for the M’s.
Ryan Madson picked up the save for the A’s on Saturday Photo Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
The Athletics tapped Ryan Madson to come out of the bullpen to closeout the eighth inning which he did by getting Guillermo Heredia to ground out four to three.
Madson returned in the top of the ninth to close the came game out for Oakland and preserve the 4-3 win.
On the hill
Athletics
Starter Jharel Cotton (2-2, 4.76) picked up the win going 6.0-innings giving up two runs (both earned) on six hits. Cotton struck out two and walked two. He still had a tough day. After the game, A’s manager Bob Melvin said that Cotton was not able to get into his regular rhythm. Melvin said it was a growth opportunity for Cotton who pushed through the difficulties.
Ryan Madson earned his first save of the season going 1.1-innings allowing just no runs on one hit. He struck out three and walked none.
Daniel Coulombe and Liam Hendriks also appeared in relief for Oakland.
Seattle
Ariel Miranda started the game for M’s and took the loss. His record is now 1-2 on the season. Miranda went just 3.0-innings giving up four runs (all earned) on seven hits. He struck out three and walked none, but Miranda gave up two home runs.
Chase De Jong worked four innings of relief allowing no runs on just one hit. He struck out two and walked two.
Edwin Diaz closed out the game for the M’s tossing one inning of scoreless baseball
In the Batter’s Box
A’s
Ryan Healy hits a two-run home run Photo Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Ryan Healy was the man with the bat for the Athletics on Saturday. He went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Healy hit his third home run, his fifth double and upped his RBI total to nine.
Jed Lowrie also had a big day for the A’s. He went 3-for-4 at the plate and scored two runs on Saturday.
Adam Rosales hit his second home run of the young season.
M’s
Robinson Cano led the offense for Seattle with a 3-for-4 day at the plate scoring two of the M’s three runs.
Jarrod Dyson had a two for five day in the batter’s box. Dyson had one stolen base and one caught stealing.
Looking ahead to Sunday
Seattle (7-12) and Oakland (10-8) will meet in the fourth and final game of the four-game series on Sunday at 1:05 PM. RHP Yovani Gallardo (0-2, 6.19) will take the hill for the Mariners. The man who has become the “Ace of the Staff” – Andrew Triggs – will start for the Athletics. Triggs is 3-0 with an 0.00 ERA in 17.2 innings for the A’s this year.
AP photo: The Seattle Mariners Leonys Martin hits a two run walk off homer to lead the M’s to a one run win over the Oakland A’s at Safeco Field on Tuesday night
The Seattle Mariners rallied from a three-run deficit to score two runs in the eighth and two runs in the ninth to beat the A’s 6-5 Tuesday night in Seattle. The A’s Kendall Graveman went for the A’s and pitched fairly well, but Bob Melvin took him out with one-out in the bottom of the fifth. Graveman walked a batter and then gave up a single. Melvin removed him as the next batter was Robinson Cano and Melvin brought in the lefty, Daniel Coloumbe, to pitch to Cano. Coloumbe was up to the task and retired the side without any damage. The scoring summary follows below.
The Mariners scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first. Robinson Cano doubled to drive in former Athletic, Seth Smith. The A’s tied the game in the top of the third when Coco Crisp hit a solo home run. For Crisp, it was his fourth of the year. The Tie didn’t last long as the Mariners scored again in their half of the inning.Singles by Leonys Martin and Seth Smith put men on at first and second with no out. Cano grounded into a double play, but Nelson Cruz singled to give the Mariners a 2-1 edge.
The A’s drove Nathan Karns out of the game in the sixth. They scored four times to put the A’s up 5-2. Khris Davis drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Marcus Semien doubled to drive in a run and Coco singled with the bases loaded to drive in two more.
The game was now in the hands of the bullpen. Sean Doolittle retired the Mariners in the seventh. The A’s brought in John Axford to pitch the eighth. The Mariners’ Franklin Gutierrez double off the center-field wall to start the inning. The next hitter was the ever-dangerous Robinson Cano. Cano entered the game leading the AL with forty RBIs. He added two more to that total when he took Axford’s offering over the right-center-field wall to make it a 5-4 game. Melvin removed Axford and used Rzepczynski and Rodriguez to close out the eighth. Ryan Madson was brought in to pitch the ninth. Madson had been 11-for-12 in save opportunities so far this season. He retired the first two batters he faced. Nori Aoki blooped a double down the left-field line. Crisp made a valiant effort to catch the ball, but it just eluded him. Madson had a count of 1-2 on Leonys Martin. The A’s were just one strike away from a victory. Martin killed that thought when he blasted a home run into the seats in right field. The Mariners win in a walk off 6-5.
Game Notes- Ryan Madson took the loss, and the winning pitcher was Mike Montgomery, who pitched 3 and 1/3rd innings of relief for Seattle. The A’s and the Mariners will play the rubber game of the three-game series Wednesday night in Seattle. The A’s will send Zach Neal to the mound and he will be opposed by Hisashi Iwakuma. Game time will be at 7:05 PM. The A’s are off on Thursday and return home to face the Detroit Tigers this weekend.
OAKLAND–You will not see any baseball owners this Christmas,going through the garbage bins behind your local Safeway searching for food.
According to Forbes Magazine(the authority in financial matters), Major League Baseball established a record of over $8 billion in revenues this 2013 season.. According to this report, Major League Baseball will see revenue double for new broadcasts deals with national network partners; FOX, ESPN and TBS, that will add an additional $788.3 million a year to the league’s coffers.
Leading the way are the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the communications giant Time-Warner, with a broadcast rights deal of over 20 years between $7 to $8 billion, to be approved soon by Major League Baseball.
I know many have written the epitaph of Major League Baseball, specially since the National Football League has become the dominant league in America, but meanwhile, baseball has been prospering like never before. As a matter of fact, during the last 18 years, Major League Baseball have seen revenues grown by an incredible 264 percent.
Many fans that follow baseball have been amazed at the signings is this, off-season, beginning with the $240 million contract for 10 years the Seattle Mariners gave ex-Yankee second baseman Robinson Canó, if you are not a Red Sox fan, Canó is the best second baseman in baseball, if you are a Red Sox fan you will say Dustin Pedroia. But, joking aside, Robinson Canó is not only the best second baseman in baseball, but one of the very best players in the game today.
And there could be soon another big deal if Masahiro Tanaka is available to sign with a major league club. The pitcher was 24-0 with a 1.27 earned run average starting in 27 games for the Rakuten Eagles. The amazement comes not for guys like Canó, (although I believe to give a 31 year old player a 10-year deal for that money is crazy), but for the mediocre players that have been signings very lucrative contracts.
Granted, it has become such a large business, that teams sometimes keep players whose numbers have been dwindling, just because they are drawing cards to their parks. Best example, the $35 million contract for 2 years the San Francisco Giants gave pitcher Tim Lincecum.
The popularity of Major League Baseball was also helped by the MLB Network, a 24X7 only baseball channel, that covers the game as good as anybody, during the past decade they have provided great coverage, including during the off season, but especially during the regular season, when they cut to the live broadcast from game to game around both leagues. Giving you(the fan)a live and instant look at different games, key moments on those games, and history records, as they happen.
Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president for the Major League Baseball Hispanic Museum and does News and Commentary each week for Sportstalk Radio
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