Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Tuesday 20 March 2018
AP source: MLB

hopes for Yanks-Red

Sox in London in 2019

By RONALD BLUM on Olympic Stadium, which
AP Baseball is in its second season as
NEW YORK (AP) — Major home of West Ham of the
League Baseball is working Premier League. Because
to finalize a two-game se- it originally was built for a
ries between the New York 400-meter track, it is wider
Yankees and Boston Red than other large stadiums
Sox at London's Olympic in the London area and
Stadium on June 29-30 in can best accommodate
2019, the sport's first regular- the dimensions of a base-
season games in Europe. ball field.
The Red Sox have the op- MLB chose the June win-
tion of having both games dow because it is after the This Aug. 3, 2012, aerial file photo shows the Olympic Stadium at Olympic Park, in London.
be Boston home games, Premier League season Associated Press
a person familiar with the and before the stadium
planning told The Associat- must be made available agreement. Cubs-New York Mets), 2004 opener in Toyko. Addition-
ed Press. The person spoke for summer track and field MLB is playing regular-sea- (Tampa Bay-Yankees), al regular-season games
on condition of anonymity events. MLB hopes to make son games in San Juan, 2008 (Boston-Oakland) and were played at Monterrey
Monday because no an- an announcement within Puerto Rico, and Monter- 2012 (Seattle-Oakland); in 1996 (San Diego-Mets);
nouncement had been the next two months. rey, Mexico, this year. and at Sydney, Australia in and at San Juan in 2001
made. Each player would get Baseball opened its season 2014 (Los Angeles Dodg- (Toronto-Texas), 2003-04 (a
Baseball officials have long $60,000 for participating in at Monterrey in 1999 (Colo- ers-Arizona). The collec- total of 43 Montreal home
hoped for games on Lon- the games, according to rado vs. San Diego); the To- tive bargaining agreement games) and 2010 (Mets-
don and settled last year the collective bargaining kyo Dome in 2000 (Chicago had a provision for a 2019 Florida Marlins).q
MVP JOSE ALTUVE
Continued from Page 17 Braves send top
So, Jose, you're the heart prospect Acuna to
of the team. We're happy
to have you for the long- minor league camp
term." The 27-year-old sec-
ond baseman had been By DICK SCANLAN
among baseball's best KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Top
bargains. He agreed in prospect Ronald Acuna Jr.
2013 to a deal that origi- was sent down to the At-
nally guaranteed $12.5 lanta Braves' minor league
million from 2014-17 and camp.
included club options for The 20-year-old Venezu- Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acu-
2018 at $6 million and 2019 elan outfielder hit .432 with na Jr. (82) gets high five from
at $6.5 million. four home runs in 16 spring Freddie Freeman, right, after
His new deal keeps those Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) signs auto- training games when the hitting a home run in the third
inning of a spring baseball
graphs for fans before a spring training baseball game against
salaries and adds a $21 the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, March 9, 2018, in West Palm Braves sent him down after exhibition game, Thursday,
million signing bonus, of Beach, Fla. Monday's 6-0 win over To- March 15, 2018, in Kissimmee,
which $1 million is payable Associated Press ronto . "We feel like it would Fla.
upon the deal's approval probably be best overall, Associated Press
by the commissioner's of- single day," manager A.J. and Gerrit Cole in a trade from a philosophical stand-
fice and $10 million each Hinch said, "and to think during the offseason. point, to give him more de- want them, when they're
on July 1 in 2018 and 2019. that he's going to be the "We'd love to keep all the velopment time," general up here, to stay up here for
He gets annual salaries of franchise player for years guys I'm looking at here for manager Alex Anthopou- long, productive careers
$26 million from 2020-24. to come is good for him, it's their entire careers," gen- los said. "There's no manual and hopefully not have
"This a very important day good for the organization, eral manager Jeff Luhnow on how to handle a play- the yo-yo of going up and
for me," he said. "It was a it's obviously good for me said. "Jim is committed to er's development. They're down," Anthopoulos said.
priority, because that way as a manager and most keeping the best team on not all the same." Acuna rose through three
it doesn't take attention importantly is good for his the field for as long as possi- Acuna had 19 hits, a .519 minor league levels last
from the season." teammates because he's ble and giving us a chance on-base percentage and season, his third year in pro-
Altuve would have been the most reliable player to win multiple champion- a .727 slugging percent- fessional baseball. He hit
eligible for free agency I've ever been around." ships, and part of that is age in spring training. If .344 with nine home runs in
after the 2019 season. The After winning its first World developing our own play- Acuna does not appear on 54 games at Triple-A .
5-foot-6 Altuve hit .346 last Series title, Houston also ers and keeping our own the Braves' roster during the "We said we would keep
season to win his second hopes to reach more long- players and bringing in the first 15 days of the season, an open mind, but what
straight AL batting title and term deals. Pitcher Dallas right types of players. And his eligibility for free agen- we did talk a lot about
third in four seasons. He Keuchel and designatted we've done that. We'll see cy would be delayed by was he ran through the
had 24 homers, 82 RBIs and hitter Evan Gattis are eli- what the future holds but a year until after the 2024 minor leagues last year,"
32 stolen bases. gible for free agency after we certainly have a desire season at the earliest. Anthopoulos said. "Having
"There's some stability that this season. Houston add- and an intention to keep "Our No. 1 priority is going more development time,
comes with writing Jose's ed pitcher Justin Verlander our core together as long to be the development of no one's ever been hurt by
name in the lineup every for its stretch run last fall as possible."q each player because you that."q