This Week in Baseball – Altuve, Polanco, Chief Wahoo, London Baseball, Turner
Show Me the Money…
Jose Altuve, the shortest guy in MLB, just signed a 5 year contract extension that begins in 2020 for a whopping $150 million bucks. The reigning 2017 MVP is due to be paid $6 million this season and $6.5 million next season, but will now also receive an $11 million signing bonus for 2018 and a $10 million signing bonus in 2019. Altuve will average $30.2 million a year from 2020-2024. With that kind of money, he can finally quit his second job at the Lollipop Guild.
Suspension of Belief…
Minnesota Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, Stanozolol, the league announced. Polanco accepted the suspension but said that he did not intentionally consume the steroid. He also explained that “I just read Playboy for the articles” and “I’m trying to stay away from carbs” and “the check is in the mail.”
No Way Wahoo…
Jim Thome will go into the Hall as a member of the Cleveland Indians, but the hat on his plaque will not feature the controversial Chief Wahoo logo. After being announced as one of baseball’s newest Hall of Famers, Thome said he does not want the Cleveland Indians’ controversial Chief Wahoo logo to appear on his Hall of Fame plaque, and he is getting his wish. The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced the Chief Wahoo logo won’t appear on any plaque going forward. Maybe now Native Americans will finally lighten up about the hundreds of years of systematic oppression.
Cheerio, Yanks and Sox…
The Yankees are coming! Er, so are the Sox?? The Yankees and the Red Sox are nearing a deal to play a regular season series in London, England. MLB has staged games in Tokyo and Mexico. But these would be the first MLB games played in Europe, where NFL games are played annually. If they don’t rename the Red Sox to the Red Coats for this series, then why are they even bothering?
That’s Gonna Leave a Mark…
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner suffered a broken left wrist Monday night on a hit-by-pitch and is out indefinitely, probably several weeks. Turner was hit by a Kendall Graveman pitch in the first inning of a spring training game against the Oakland Athletics. The X-rays showed a small, non-displaced fracture. Non-displaced fracture? What does that even mean? The bone is either sticking out or you rub some dirt on it and get back in there.
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