Phillies Receive Three Extra Home Games

From this link:

The Phillies will have the rare fortune of playing 84 regular-season games on their home field this year.

 The Toronto Blue Jays and Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that they have moved the June 25-27 series against the Phillies from Rogers Centre in Toronto to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia because of the G20 Summit.

"After reviewing all of the options with the parties and taking all of the security considerations into account, it was determined that the best course of action is to play the series in Philadelphia," Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. "I appreciate the cooperation of the Blue Jays, the Phillies and all of the parties who have helped resolve this challenging situation."

The G20, which hosts many of the world's political and financial leaders, is scheduled to be held June 26-27 at the Metro Convention Center, and there are massive security and congestion issues with the two sites just feet away

Aroldis Chapman has Agreed to a $30MM Offer from NL Team

according to a tweet from Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

The question now is, "which team?"

Last we heard on Chapman, the main suitors were American League teams (the Angels and Blue Jays) and the largest offer he'd received was around $23MM, so this would qualify as a major surprise.

Passan reports:

Cuban left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman, whose defection sparked a bidding war among major league teams that coveted his 100-mph fastball, agreed Sunday morning to sign for $30 million with a National League team, according to a source close the negotiations.

The 22-year-old Chapman’s value has steadily climbed since a Dec. 15 workout in Houston in which he wasn’t throwing at full speed and still hit 97 mph. His potential as a front-of-the-line starter intrigued teams from coast to coast, as the Los Angeles Angels, Florida Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays were reportedly strong suitors.

The bidding increased from an initial $15.5 million offer from the Boston Red Sox in early December when Chapman to the highest reported proposal of $23 million from Toronto. In recent days, the unidentified National League team trumped them all with an offer still far short of the $50 million Chapman initially sought.

Few NL teams beyond the Marlins have been linked to Chapman. The Houston Astros and Washington Nationals sent their general managers to the workout. The New York Mets are an intriguing possibility as well, fulfilling Chapman’s desire to play in a big city. The Cincinnati Reds were “going after him like crazy,” according to a source, but were skeptical about landing him.

The increased interest around baseball coincided with Chapman firing Edwin Mejia, a fledgling agent who helped him establish residency in Andorra after he defected from the Cuban national team over the summer. His new agents, Randy and Alan Hendricks, are well-respected around baseball, and officials said they appreciated the transparency the Hendrickses applied to Chapman.

More to follow.

UPDATE: There is no definitive word, but it looks like the Reds are the team.

Fonzie Rising: A Comeback in the Offing

Edgardo Alfonzo, yes THAT Edgardo Alfonzo, is making a bid to return to the big leagues.

Remember when we had the best defensive infield ever? Magical times my friends...magic.

In a story reminiscent of Fernando Tatis, Fonzie was last seen in a big league uniform in 2006, when he hit a paltry .126 for the Angels and Blue Jays. He was a former star and still young when he departed. It seems as if his true promise was never met.

He has now dropped a few pounds and is raking in the Venezuelan leagues to the tune of a .322 BA, with 8 dingers and 42 RBIs in 60 games.

It would be great to see this past Mets star make a comeback and play some worthwhile games for a contender. He's obviously not a good fit for the Mets, but he would be an excellent fit for the Devil Rays, Cubs or Yankees as a pinch hitter and role player.

If nothing else he is a fantastic teammate and can help younger players on their technique.

Good luck Fonzie!

Ex-Met Geremi Gonzalez Killed by Lightning

The AP is reporting we lost an ex-Met under shocking circumstances.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A government official in Venezuela says former major league pitcher Geremi Gonzalez is dead after being hit by lightning in the South American country.

Emergency management official Herman Bracho says the 33-year-old pitcher was at the beach in western Venezuela and was on a pier when lightning struck him on Sunday night.

Gonzalez started in the major leagues for the Chicago Cubs in 1997 and later played with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Boston Red Sox, the New York Mets and the Milwaukee Brewers.

He last played in the major leagues in 2006 with the Toronto Blue Jays and also pitched last year for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan