BaseballBiz On Deck

Mat Germain joins BaseballBiz On Deck and takes a look at the Tampa Bay Rays stadium plans

• Tampa Bay Rays new stadium plan
• Downtown development plan omits a Rays Stadium in Ybor City
• St. Pete Mayor, Ken Welch, announces acceptance of Hines & Tampa Bay Rays proposal
• Benefits for St. Pete, Rays, and fans
• Brian Auld's excitement about the new stadium plan but uncertainty about who will pay for what
• Decisions to be made before the first shovel of dirt is tossed
• MLB catching up with Mat Germain's proposal for a balanced schedule
• World Baseball Classic and the possibility of it becoming like the Soccer World Cup
• Possibility of Mike Trout facing Ohtani in the WBC
• Impact of star players participating in the WBC on young players making it to spring training
• Jason Adam's current status
• Extensions signed for Yandy Diaz, Pete Fairbanks, and Jeffrey Springs
• Yandy Diaz delivering nightmares to opposing pitchers with his strike zone awareness
• Potential starting lineup for the Rays (Yandy Diaz, Randy Arozarena, Brandon Lowe, Isaac Paredes, Josh Lowe)
• Mat's breakdown of starting pitchers and their expected playing time
• Who will be the Rays' "clubhouse guy" bringing positivity to the team
• Rays Fan Fest on Saturday, February 18
• Spring Training games in air conditioning at the Tropicana
• New faces that may be seen at Fan Fest (Kevin Kelly, Coby White, Zach Eflin, Curtis Mead, Kyle Manzardo). 
  (show notes by ChatGPT)

Mat Germain can be found on Twitter @Mat_Germain_

 BaseballBiz can be found on iheartradio, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify & Google podcasts & @TheBaseballBiz on Twitter 
 
Please like, follow and remark. Let us know your thoughts about the show. DM Mark on Twitter @TheBaseballBiz
 
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward" 

Sources & Links:

• Rays Fan Fest - https://www.mlb.com/rays/fans/fan-fest 
• St Pete Mayor announces moving forward with Hines & Tampa Bay Rays proposal, Channel 10 Tampa Bay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG8VDa2Dmm8 
• Brian Auld - Tampa Bay Rays what needs to go right and who will pay for what, Channel 10 Tampa Bay:   https://www.youtube.com/live/VFjOWs7cxxM?feature=share 

RaysUp! Neil Solondz, pre-game, post-game announcer, podcast host & occasional play by play guy for the Tampa Bay Rays

• Working with Andy Freed & Dave Wills
• “Living in Life’s Candy Store” – Dave Wills
• Tampa Bay Rays strength of Finding, Evaluating & Teaching Young Players
• Team has been strong and in the running 4 years in a row
• Change with loss of Zunino, Kiermaier . . . 
• Rays 2023 Potential Rotation – Shane McClanahan, Tyler Glasnow, Drew Rasmussen, Jeffrey Springs & Zach Eflin
• Zach Eflin – hometown boy – most of career with Phillies – Now 3 year contract with the Rays
• Rays Minor League players on the cusp to rise this year include Curtis Mead, Taj Bradley & Colby White & Kyle Manzardo
• Great Minor League team partners
• Post- Hurricane Ian damage - Spring Training  – in Orlando for the first few weeks and then move to Trop for most of the home games.
• New 2023 Rays interleague printable schedule
• Rays have one of the longest & most tenured group of broadcasters
  • Neil praises Dave & Andy 19 years as Rays broadcasters as being 2 of the best broadcasters & kudos to the entire broadcasting team
  • Broadcasters Enrique Oliu & Ricardo Taveras - Spanish Radio Tampa Bay Rays
• Manny Navarro translator for the team 
• What preparations Neil takes in preparing for the upcoming season 
• What will the 2023 roster look like
• How will new schedule impact Rays “It’s not who you play it’s when you play them” -  reflecting on Reds & Rays games in July 2022
• Tampa Bay Rays Podcast news & interviews with Neil Solondz
• Neil's Advocacy on Pancreatic Cancer Awareness. We all can help you can reach Neil on Twitter  @neilsolondz 

Notes:
Dave Wills & Andy Freed - Tampa Bay Times Story
Twitter: @AndrewFreed33 & @davewills34

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness
Neils Advocacy: https://secure.pancan.org/site/TR/PurpleStride/PurpleStride?fr_id=2692&pg=entry

General: https://secure.pancan.org/site/TR/PurpleStride/PurpleStride?px=1274265&pg=personal&fr_id=2692

Neil Solondz website
Rays Radio: https://www.mlb.com/rays/fans/radio
Twitter @neilsolondz

Photo of Neil Solondz used in Social Media 
courtesy Will Vragovic – Tampa Bay Rays

BaseballBiz is also on iheartradio, Stitcher, Spotify, Apple & Google podcasts 
You can reach Mark @TheBaseballBiz on Twitter & Brandon @SportsBlitzPod 
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"

Phil Terrano The Gift of Giving Back in Baseball

• Baseball community & giving - Pete Alonso - Battle of the Bay
• Phil Terrano – working with over 20 clients. Finding the right talent for the right team for local and international leagues
• Student of technology, advance with the times at identifying what teams are looking for in free agents
• Off-season -  getting to visit & know his clients & working with free-agency. Making sure that players and their families are secure
• Works with more than 57 teams between 30 in MLB, 12 in Nippon NPB, 10 in KBO & 5 in Taiwan
• Off-Season - plenty to do with Winter Ball. Several opportunities with teams and player in Dominican Ball, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela
• Phil began making baseball part of his life full-time at East Boynton Beach League, dragging the fields, watering & cutting the lawns, & cooking up food
• Phil's goal to to give back to his community
• Terrano worked with City of Boynton Beach to develop indoor facility that would aid the athletes to increase speed, agility and strength.
• Mission Statement: “No kid get’s left behind” across all sports,  
• The City dreams Big and ask Phil to increase the size of the proposed East Boynton Beach facilty
•  Phil gets great support from other professionals
  • Mike Barwis, professional successful trainer and others work with Phil’s clients.
  • Eric Cressy shared a great model for Phil’s project, The Cressey Sports Performance facility in Palm Beach Gardens 
• The City dreams Big  and shows confidence in Phil's plan. They ask him to increase the size of the proposed East Boynton Beach facility.
• A week in the life of Phil Terrano look like.  Open up the calendar
• Would like to break ground on new facility in Spring 2023 & celebrate 2003 East Boynton Little League World Series team
• Players that visitors may see at the new facility include Kyle Marman with the Guardians, Jake Noll with Washington Nationals, D'Shawn Knowles with Angels, Warren Saunders with the Mets, Carmine Lane with the Marlins

Notes:
Coastal Star article on Phil Terranow
https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/list/tag/little+league
First Step Foundation
Mike Barwis works with paraplegic children
https://www.barwis.info/first-step-foundation/
Eric Cressy
http://cresseyperformance.com/staff-florida/
Phil Terrano – past podcasts on BaseballBiz
https://www.stitcher.com/showm/baseballbiz/episode/phil-terrano-veteran-baseball-sports-agent-on-scouting-recruiting-88892849
Pete Alonso foundation
https://alonsofoundation.networkforgood.com/events/50176-pete-alonso-s-battle-for-the-bay

BaseballBiz is also on iheartradio, Stitcher, Spotify, Apple & Google podcasts 
You can reach Mark @TheBaseballBiz on Twitter & Brandon @SportsBlitzPod 
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"

• Carlos Correa looks for new home amidst Giants & Mets
• Scott Boras & Steve Cohen’s next steps
• Christmas Miracle with the Red Sox? 
• Free Agency began with Curt Flood and his Christmas Eve letter to the commissioner, Bowie Kuhn
• Brad Snyder, Author of "A Well-Paid Slave" 
• Curt Flood cerebral man, civil rights activist, 7x Golden Glove player, 6x MVP
• Racism in Reds minor leagues 
• 1961 integrated spring training in St Petersburg
• Curt works with Jackie Robinson, Medgar Evans for Civil Rights in Mississippi
• Cincinnati All Black outfield would not stand and Curt was traded to Cardinals
• Philadelphia trade – black players faced a lot of racism
• Howard Cosell interview 
• MLBPA Players Representatives including Roberto Clemente & Reggie Jackson
• Marvin Miller would have selected different counsel for Curt
• The Reserve Clause – a reserve system of perpetual ownership of the sport. An illegal monopoly.
• NCAA recent challenge in Supreme Court – One Justice sites Flood v Kuhn as ridiculous
• Justices’ Baseball Fandom gets in the way of justice for Flood
• Curt Flood lost in Supreme Court
• Flood’s efforts opened doors for change and empowered players beginning with Grievance Arbitration
• Curt Flood 10 & 5 rule allows qualified players to veto any trade 
• Marvin Miller kept Curt Flood’s efforts top of mind reminding young players of how they enjoyed the fruits of his efforts
• Gerrit Cole gave credit to Curt Flood as he signed his contract with the Yankees.
• Jackie Robinson was the Guardian Angel for Curt Flood
• Floods exclusion in Hall of Fame
• What's Next Santa

BaseballBiz is also on iheartradio, Stitcher, Spotify, Apple & Google podcasts 
You can reach Mark @TheBaseballBiz on Twitter & Brandon @SportsBlitzPod 
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"

MLB Winter Meetings, Mat Germain visits - Aaron Judge, Trea Turner Xander Bogaerts & big money contracts

• Yankees pay up for Aaron Judge
• Judge bets on himself and gets a raise from $230 million to $360 million
• Nimmo not an option for Yankees
• Cashman & Hal Steinbrenner had some pain with 
• Blue Jays - what happened to their George Springer investment
• Pay up Early or it will cost you Later - signing early extensions like Wander Franco
• Aging players on Bronx team with 30+, Boston Red Sox have a younger team
• Will Chaim Bloom keep Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Nate Eovaldi & Whitlock
• Looking back at Boston's Mookie Betts trade
• Gibson to Orioles - Why?
• Cody Bellinger moves to Cubs with Taillon 
• Phillies big buy with Trea Turner - joins Bryce Harper to build a stronger lineup with Schwarber, Realmuto
• Tampa Bay Rays will the Rays bring on a new catcher
• How will the loss of the Shift impact some batters results
• Aaron Judge's journey to California talking with Giants & Padres - $400 million
• Mat evaluates how California taxes impacts players' choices
• What are the Toronto Blue Jays doing - are they sitting on the sidelines?

Tampa Bay Rays 2023 pitching with Zach Eflin similar to Kluber?

• McClanahan, Glasnow, Chirinos, Springs are all part of the Rays pitching solution
• Mat saw a lack of grit in 2022 Rays
• Josh Lowe could make a big difference for Rays with his power bat and versatility
• Rule 5 draft results
• $200 million a year contract with Cristiano Ronaldo 
• Future Tampa Bay Rays Stadium - is it a reality in St. Pete
• Baseball Economics - who pays, Naming Rights, City & Owner- 3-way split
• Tampa is a TV market gold mine for the owners
• Jon Heyman reporting Arson Judge
• Masataka Yoshida from Japan signs with Red Sox - 5 year / $90 million
• What is Xander Bogaerts thinking?

Mat Germain can be found on Twitter @Mat_Germain_
BaseballBiz can be found on iheartradio, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify & Google podcasts & @TheBaseballBiz on Twitter 
Please like, subscribe and remark. Let us know your thoughts about the show.

Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"

MLB Awards : Cy Young:  Justin Verlander & Sandy Alcantara
MVPs: Aaron Judge & Paul Goldschmidt
Managers of the Year  brief history
AL 3X Winner: Tony "Tito" Francona, Guardians
NL 4X Winner: Buck Showalter 4 decades & 4 teams

Goofy Gobbler Awards
Grandpa Politics: Colin Cowherd:
Announcing he knows someone that’s in the know that MLB is going to ban the shift. Only problem was it was announced many months ago 

Druncle Award: Michael Kay:   Compared Aaron Boone showing the Yankees showing the 04 collapse to the Red Sox to showing Lincolns assassination to his family to prevent theater shootings. 

Leaky Stove Award:  MLB Sponsorship with FTX. Ohtani, Ortiz, promoting a company filing for bankruptcy. Other  near the Leaky Stove when it blew up, Tom Brady & Stephen Curry

“You brought them?” Award: ESPN & Aaron Judge Look-ins during college football - Getting live look-ins during his at bats in pursuit of the AL home run record, during college football games. If I wanted to watch the Yankees I would, but I don’t. Let me watch Houston-Tulane on a Friday night, by myself, in peace.

Green Bean Award: SD Padres Fans - having to accept something you may like not the taste of or something difficult than they like. Fernando Tatis Jr.

Dry Turkey: It fell flat with no real exciting games. Maybe over time it’ll get better but after year one as randy Jackson would say “it’s a no from me dawg”

Back Porch Seat:
Pete Rose was not invited inside for the Thanksgiving Feast – Pete Rose sits outside Cooperstown this Thanksgiving
Shouldn't Pete Rose be forgiven and receive the HOF in face of his gambling. 
Rose’s most recent letter to Manfred/MLB

All American Award:
 Phil Kessel  - NHLs new Iron man with now 1000 consecutive games played. As a Maple Leaf was called out by Toronto media for his “love for hotdogs”. When he won a cup as a penguin, his day with the cup he filled it with hot dogs in celebration. 

Turkey of the Year: Detroit Tigers - Many thought they could be a wild card threat. Went onto be one of the worst teams in baseball. They went onto fire their GM, Al Avila, after letting him run a trade deadline, which is bad enough on its own.

Special Thanks to Brandon Now, creator & presenter of the Goofy Gobbler Awards
Apologies to Chris Rock for not being invited as potential host for 2024 awards.
Brandon Noe can be found @SportsBlitzPod
BaseballBiz can be found on iheartradio, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify & Google podcasts & @TheBaseballBiz on Twitter 
Please like, subscribe and remark. Let us know your thoughts about the show.
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"

Happy Thanksgiving!

• Part 1 with Chris Smith can be heard Here & on Apple Podcasts
• 230 innings
• Spring Training & First Yankee bullpen
• A crunch in his arm throwing bullpen & misses first year with the Yankees
• Yankees organization treatment is top-notch - great help from Greg Spratt
• Working out, side by side with other injured players at the complex w/ Yankees  Kevin Youkilis, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter & Mark Teixeira & Mariano Rivera
• Sharing a Cold Tub with Derek Jeter
• Good teammates & leaders, It will motivate you
• New York Yankees 2 Gulf Coast League (GCL) – very eye opening experience 
• Justin Pope – Yankees Pitching Coach helped Chris retake the mound with a new mindset
• Must be willing to work & have coaches who are willing to invest their time & experience with you 
• 2014 Chris is now pitching for the Charleston River Dogs, an Affiliate team. 
• Feels the Monkey on his back
• Gave up a home run to Mike Yastrzemski in Low A
• Chris gets promoted to High A in Tampa
• Playing in the minors with Aaron Judge, Mike Ford, Mason Williams, Dante Bichette, Gary Sanchez & Aroldis Chapman
• Pitching to Yankees catcher, Kyle Higashioka 
• Aaron Judge “one of the nicest human beings, not just in baseball but on the planet.” 
• Grinding away with good friends in High A,  Sleeping on air mattresses and paid very little
• Good year in 2014 with Trenton Thunder
• Off to Major Leagues as a back up in 2015 Yankees Spring Training
• Chris pitching speed 93 to 94. Gave up only 2 hits and 1 run during Spring Training
• Chris gets released by Yankees
• Chris signs an independent contract & returns to Louisville and plans to go to the Kentucky Derby
• Yankees Pitching Coach, Danny Burrell gives Chris a call and re-signs him 
• Chris breaks into the Double A Yankees team
• Future with The Blue Jays, Trades 
• Vlad Jr. remarks on Yankees - "I would never sign with the Yankees, not even dead."  - Weakens leverage
• "You're not just playing for us, you're playing for 29 other teams . . . "

Special Thanks to Chris Smith for sharing part of his baseball journey with us. We look forward to having him back soon.
Chris is a Real Estate executive and can be reached at  [email protected]
Chris is also on Instagram

BaseballBiz can be found on iheartradio, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify & Google podcasts &
@TheBaseballBiz on Twitter
Please like, subscribe and remark. Let us know your thoughts about the show.
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"

Research sources included:
Wild Things Dream Team: : Chris Dugan, Observer-Reporter.com

Chris Smith Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Smith_(pitcher,_born_1988)

Chris Smith on Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=smith-011chr

• Chris & classmate Adam Duvall @ Butler High School in Louisville. Both made the Varsity team in their sophomore year
• 4 years at Kentucky Wesleyan    played as a position player but later became a closing pitcher
• Lake Erie Crushers in Avon – Chris was 6th pick out of 350 players for workout
• No pressure – by the way you are now starting in the 10th inning &  a Grand Slam against Chris
• Independent ball is cut throat – not much room for player talent development
• Chris returns to Louisville as a fitness consultant & freshman baseball coach  @ Butler High School
• Chris’ goal & vision for his career changes as new opportunities arise
• Traverse City Beach Bums later call Chris back to the game. 
• The Bums had called up 42 pitchers to try out for 12 spots. 
• Training was brutal but . . . 
• Chris gets a tap on the shoulder. He is being cut by the Bums and he returns home.
• A turbulent Red Radar flight in a matchbox plane – next stop Pecos League
• White Sands Pupfish & Motel 6
• Bring your own uniform pants
• Chris’ Professional baseball contract  - $0  salary
   Some players were paying $350 to play with the Pupfish
• Chris delivers 13 punchouts – bonus payouts
  Washington Wild Things in 2011
• Chris Dugan, Observer Reporter puts Chris on the Wild Things Dream Team.
• Chris @ 2nd pitching start with the Wild Things  – parents in the stands.   First 6 batters get on base and score. Turning point in Chris’ career - Darin Everson, Pitching Coach & Manager visits Chris on the mound and helps him turn it around.
• Tampa Bay Rays  - strong tryout throwing 92 –to 95 and striking out 4 of 5 batters at Charlotte
• Spring Training, Bubbles & Chopping Blocks
• Chris continues to expand his game traveling on a 16 hour flight to Brisbane to play in Australian Baseball League
• Chris throws his first No-Hitter in Australia, ABL
• Field Announcer counts down each strikeout as Chris pitches another strikeout record
• Houston Astros come a courting
• Chris accepts contract with New York Yankees 
• Chris' journey into Major League Part 2 coming soon

BaseballBiz can be found on iheartradio, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify & Google podcasts &
@TheBaseballBiz on Twitter 
Please like, subscribe and remark. Let us know your thoughts about the show.
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"

Research sources included:
Wild Things Dream Team: : Chris Dugan, Observer-Reporter.com

Chris Smith Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Smith_(pitcher,_born_1988)

Chris Smith on Baseball Reference
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=smith-011chr 

Baseball writer Ben Sabin joins BaseballBiz this week & shares haunting tales from Wrigley Field & beyond

• Charlie Grimm “Jolly Chollie” & his ghostly bullpen calls
• Who is buried in a left field private box?
• Cubs were swept by Yankees in 1932 World Series
•  Yankees swept in 2022 ALCS
• Harry Caray apparition @ Wrigley & Field of Dreams
• Chicago Cubs & the 71 year Billy Goat curse
• Nick Sianis - Billy Goat Tavern
• Cleveland curse with Rocky Colavito
• Haunted Hotels
• Renaissance Vinoy in St. Pete, Florida 
• The Translucent Man & the White Lady haunt the baseball guest
• Pfister in Milwaukee
• A dark Tropicana Field cans send chills down the spine
• Shrieks & Boo's from ghastly Yankees fans
• Will Aaron Judge be boo'ed to San Francisco & join the land of the Giants wearing Halloween Orange & Black
• Buster Posey Jersey appears in Judge's Home
• Ghosts of Maris Jr continues to appear
• Dodgers & Yankees ghosted this season
• Scared Shiftless & Larger Bases - 2023 rules
• 2020 World Series - Game 6
• Kevin Cash - Blake Snell  & The 5 stages of 2020 grief for Tampa Bay Rays

Ben Sabin, knowledgeable baseball writer and dedicated fan can be found at
Twitter @b_e_sabin
Instagram:   b.e.sabin
website: www.benjaminsabin.com
Thanks Ben for sharing your Wrigley Haunting stories.

BaseballBiz can be found on iheartradio, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify & Google podcasts &
@TheBaseballBiz on Twitter
Please like, subscribe and review. Let us know your thoughts about the show.
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"

Special thanks to Damiano Baldoni for the music Funeral Battle

• Yankees, Astros, Padres & Phillies - ALDS & NLDS begins 
• Mat Germain shares his PostSeason vision with a #RaysUp attitude
• ALDS is finally over  - After Guardians fell to the NY Yankees 
• ALCS  - New York Yankees & Houston Astros 
• NLCS  - San Diego Padres & Philadelphia Phillies
• Will not be watching ALCS – not interested in Astros or Yankees franchise
• Nestor Cortes is the most likeable Yankee
• Aaron Hicks, Josh Donaldson & Oswaldo Cabrera  - need to use peripheral vision to avoid collision
• Collisions and concussions can be Career-Enders – Justin Morneau
• Dangerous pitching from Nolan Ryan to Aroldis Chapman
• Phillies & Padres – How much weight has Juan Soto taken off of the Padres front office
• Phillies Bryce Harper is ready – “Put a Ring On It”
• PostSeason with a Tampa Bay Rays perspective
• Former Rays on Phillies with José Alvarado & Andrew Bellatti 
• Padres with former Rays: Blake Snell, Jake Cronenworth  & Wil Myers
• Rays “had a serious lack of grit” this postseason
• We need that high intensity, commitment & grit that we had in the past with Kiermaier, Zunino, Brosseau, 
• Randy Arozarena & Yandy Diaz dilemma siphoned off energy  from the team
• Kevin Cash - we have to stop playing like sh*t
• Harold Ramirez & David Peralta carried a heavy load. Would Josh Lowe have made a difference
• Rays what’s next – Loaded with prospects, who will come up and who will go
• Mat’s considerations for future Rays players include: Josh Bell, Jose Abreu, Trey Mancini, Josh Lowe, Daulton Varaho, Austin Slater, Adam Duvall, José Azocar
• Shohei Ohtani would be a dream piece for the team, but highly unlikely
• Eury Perez or Max Meyer could be a good deal for the Rays in a trade with the Marlins if the Rays traded Randy Arozarena
• Taj Bradley & Eury Perez a future pitching combination for the Rays
• Hunter Harvey could be a strong relief pitcher much like Nick Anderson 
• Rays need someone to bring the team together like an Adames. Mat suggests Jose Abreu as a bridge to build love between Yandy & Randy
• Will Rays shop Randy away
• Preparing for 2023 keep an eye on Rule 5 Draft decisions, Winter Leagues, Mason Auer in the AFL (Arizona Fall League),
• Mat list of top Rays Prospects – keep an eye on Ronnie Simon – over 20 Home Runs & over 30 stolen bases

Mat Germain can be found on Twitter @Mat_Germain
BaseballBiz can be found on iheartradio, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify & Google podcasts &
@TheBaseballBiz on Twitter 
Please like, subscribe and review. Let us know your thoughts about the show.
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"