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The First Pitch: March 19, 2024

Blake Snell is a San Francisco Giant. The reigning NL Cy Young winner agrees to a two-year deal worth $62 million; there is an opt-out after the first season. The deal is similar in scope as those for two of agent Scott Boras’ other clients who also signed well into Spring Training: Cody Bellinger, who re-upped with the Cubs, and Matt Chapman, who has also joined the Giants. All three have contracts short in years but high on annual salary, with opt-outs included after each season. 

Another Boras client, pitcher Jordan Montgomery, remains at large—er, on the free agent market. 

This is the sixth time a team has brought on two former Cy winners in one offseason. The previous time it took place occurred in 2017 when Atlanta signed Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey


For San Francisco fans, the news of Snell’s signing will (perhaps) offset the other news of the day involving the Giants; the letting go of beloved public address announcer Renel Brooks-Moon, the team’s ballpark voice since the opening of Oracle Park in 2000. Per a statement from the Giants, it’s said that the move is mutual and amicable—though some of Brooks-Moon’s friends tell the San Francisco Chronicle that it’s more of a shove out the door. Brooks-Moon has featured as the team’s cheerful vocal soul at Oracle Park; regardless of who takes her place, her absence will not sit well with Giants fans for at least the short term—fans like the one who sums up the dismissal on X: “It’s like getting a ‘get well’ card from the mob after they break both your legs.” 

For the record, Brooks-Moon is not the first female PA voice for an MLB team; she was preceded by Sherry Davis, who worked for the Giants during their last seven years (1993-99) at Candlestick Park.


It Was Whatever-Something Years Ago Today

2019: The Angels tear up Mike Trout’s existing contract and replace it with the biggest yet in North America pro sports history, totaling 12 years and a whopping $426.5 million with no opt-outs. It’s nearly $100 million more than the previous MLB high of $330 million, set just three weeks earlier by Bryce Harper and his megadeal with the Philadelphia Phillies.


You Say It’s Your Birthday

Future Hall-of-Fame Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is 36; Cubs manager David Ross is 47; 22-game winner from 1980 Mike Norris is 69. Born on this date is Hall-of-Fame outfielder Richie Ashburn (1927), outfielder of 1,991 hits Gee Walker (1908) and turner of unassisted triple play in 1920 World Series Bill Wambsganss (1894).


Shameless Link of the Day

Check out our interview with 1950s part-time slugger Bill Renna.


To Whom It May Concern

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