NEW YORK, NY — Major League Baseball’s annual Winter Meetings concluded in Dallas, Texas earlier this month, and followed with a multitude, or in other words, ‘splash’ of signings and trades after the fact.
The Yankees quickly pivoted from Juan Soto leaving them to join the Mets as a free agent, by acquiring closer Devin Williams from the Brewers, and outfielder-first baseman Cody Bellinger from the Cubs, in trades. Their bigger splash, however, was their signing of free agent starting pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract.
At his Yankees introductory press conference, manager Aaron Boone recalled how Fried was able “to cut up” the Yankees offense with ease when the Yankees played the Atlanta Braves. He will slot Fried into his starting rotation right after ace Gerrit Cole.
Gerrit Cole and Max Fried will make for one of the best one-two punches in all of baseball – Image Credit: MLB
Hopefully, Max Fried will perform better when he takes the mound at Yankee Stadium than he did at the podium during his press conference. He was uncomfortable to the point of being wooden.
Fried may have been unsure of how to come across given the stuffy Yankees corporate culture myth. That may have been true at one time, but the Yankees have changed with the times. Fried may not have realized that.
Max Fried wore the pinstripes for the first time last week at his introductory press conference in the Bronx – Image Credit: MLB
Happily, he loosened up when he met with the print media in a more informal breakout session. I asked Max if he had ever crossed paths with former Mets infielder Josh Satin since they both attended the famous Los Angeles prep school, Harvard-Westlake. “Oh yes. Josh’s younger brother was the third baseman on our high school team. I think he has joined Josh in the family real estate business,” he said with a smile that was missing during the press conference.
He showed a quick wit when NJ.com Yankees beat writer Randy Miller asked him what extravagant purchases he would make given his new contract. “I will get better food for my dog! His name is Apollo Fried!” he quipped. The media appreciated his clever play on the name of the late Carl Weathers’ character from those Sylvester Stallone “Rocky” boxing films.
Max Fried agreed to a $218 million/eight-year deal with the Yankees during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings in Texas – Image Credit: Simon Lindenblatt/Latino Sports
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman also held a Q&A session with sportswriters. I asked him if his job has gotten more pressurized. In the last two years he has had to deal with the free agencies of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto; high-stakes big contracts which are becoming more routine; and the fact any unwise decision gets scrutinized quickly and for a long time by the public.
“No, it’s just another baseball winter for me. I have a terrific staff who are prepared for all contingencies,” he replied.
Cashman admitted he was interested in signing free agent infielder Willy Adames, but he told his agent he could not do anything until the Juan Soto situation was resolved. Unwilling to wait, Adames signed with the Giants.
Willy Adames signed a massive $182 million deal with the Giants this offseason – Image Credit: Emma Sharon/Latino Sports
He was also happy to finally land Cody Bellinger. “I acquired his dad, Clay, and now I traded for his son,” he said with a chuckle, reminding us of his lengthy tenure as Yankees’ GM.
More from Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman
Cashman also spoke about the Yankees’ young talent. He said Jasson “The Martian” Dominguez would either be the starting centerfielder for the Yankees, or he would be the starting centerfielder for the team’s Scranton-Wilkes Barre farm team. “Either way, he is going to play. He will not be sitting on the bench here.”
Jasson Domínguez will reportedly get a legitimate opportunity in 2025 in the Yankees’ starting lineup – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
He also dashed the hopes of Yankees fans who were dreaming of power-hitting prospect Spencer Jones being in the Opening Day lineup. “It seems as if it takes longer for big baseball players to put it all together. That was the case for us with both Dellin Betances and Aaron Judge.”
“Players and their agents always want to know about the Yankees when we meet with them, just as we want to know about them,” Cashman told the press. I asked him if he ever has to promote New York City, or deal with its liabilities, when he is pitching his team to free agents. “It has come up. One reason Robinson Cano left for the Seattle Mariners after the 2013 season was because we did not want to compensate him for the extra income taxes he would have to pay by playing here.”
Annual Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame induction ceremony with Mary Carillo and Colin Cosell
As per custom, the movers and shakers of the television world came together for the annual Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. The event had a Queens feel to it as the on-stage host was former tennis pro, longtime TV tennis analyst and sports and news correspondent, Douglaston native Mary Carillo. The offstage announcer was Colin Cosell, who is the Mets public address announcer at Citi Field.
Mary Carillo during the 2024 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Induction ceremony – Image Credit: Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame
Former Knicks head coach, and longtime NBA broadcaster, 91-year-old Hubie Brown was named to the Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Brown was not able to attend in person, but his current employer, ESPN, used the occasion to break the news that Brown would be calling his last game on February 9 in Milwaukee when the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Bucks that day.
Bryant Gumbel, whose television career has spanned more than fifty years, was an honoree. He could not attend so Mary Carillo, who was a correspondent on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” for much of the show’s 29-year-old run, made the acceptance speech.
More from Annual Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame induction ceremony
The term “pioneer” is thrown around liberally in the worlds of sports and entertainment, but it is certainly appropriate in the case of Philadelphia native Andrea Kremer who was one of the first women to work on the production side of NFL Films, and later for ESPN. She was also well-known in Philadelphia for covering the Eagles for local TV and radio outlets.
Kremer’s longtime friend and competitor, Lesley Visser, was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame seven years earlier, was on hand to celebrate her induction. Hopefully, Hannah Storm, a contemporary of Kremer and Visser, will be honored by the Hall of Fame soon.
The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Class of 2024 – Image Credit: Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame
Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBC Universal Group, was the only television executive honored this year by the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He was in the news this month when Comcast announced it would be spinning off most of its cable television properties into a separate company with Lazarus assuming the CEO role of the new venture.
Lazarus told me that sports will be an integral part of the spinoff. “We will have the Golf Channel and the USA Network. College sports and the WNBA will be a part of it!” he told me before the ceremony.
Netflix strikes deal with partnership for 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup
The world’s largest streaming service, Netflix, views live sports as a subscriber growth area. After getting the rights to this year’s Christmas Day NFL games, Netflix announced Friday it had secured the rights to the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup. FOX Sports had long held the rights to both the men’s and women’s World Cup tournaments.
NY State Baseball Hall of Fame announces the induction of late Mets photographer, Marc Levine
A tip of the hat to the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame for announcing the late Mets photographer, Marc Levine, will be part of its class of 2025. Marc passed unexpectedly during the summer.
The Mets honored Marc Levine throughout the 2024 season in several touching tributes – Image Credit: Latino Sports
He snapped photos of over 2,000 players in his 35 years as the official Mets photographer.
Howard Eskin leaves WIP after 38 years
Howard Eskin has been part of the Philadelphia sports media for nearly a half-century. He announced Friday on social media he had left his radio home of 38 years, WIP. Eskin had made headlines this past summer when the Phillies announced he had been banned from Citizens Bank Park for trying to kiss a stadium employee. Audacy executives did not suspend him at the time. They knew his contract was expiring at the end of 2024 anyway, so it did not pay to add to his misery. Given their poor financial shape, the odds are they would have let him go even if he behaved like a Boy Scout.
Howard Eskin announced he will be leaving WIP – Image Credit: WIP
The 73-year-old Eskin says he is not retiring. In many ways, Howard Eskin is the Mike Francesa of the City of Brotherly Love. Both were must-listens for sports fans no matter whether they loved them or detested them because they knew their sports and were consummate entertainers. I would not be surprised if Eskin’s next gig is a podcast backed by a gaming establishment. Mike Francesa is currently doing one which is backed by the Bet Rivers Casino.
SNL set to celebrate 50 years on NBC with three-hour special on Saturday, February 16th, 2025
“Saturday Night Live” is celebrating its fifty years on NBC with a three-hour special on February 16. The Peacock Network announced last week it will have a companion special, “Ladies & Gentlemen, 50 Years of SNL Music” which will air on NBC on Monday, January 27. Expect clips and commentary from many of the biggest names in the music biz, including one of the first musical guests in the show’s history, Forest Hills High School alum, Paul Simon.
50 Years of SNL on NBC – Image Credit: SNL
Frankly, it is surprising it has taken SNL mastermind Lorne Michaels this long to do any kind of retrospective of his show’s rich musical legacy considering he has repackaged clips annually for Christmas-theme specials, and every four years for presidential political satire primetime presentations.
Mariah Carey, SNL, and “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
Mariah Carey has appeared on “Saturday Night Live” a few times, but these days she is synonymous with the holiday season thanks to her hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” which is marking its 30th anniversary. Just as Manischewitz signed popular Brigham Young University QB Jake Retzlaff to promote its lines of matzoh and latkes, the Dublin-based Black Irish spirits company, a rival to Bailey’s, has inked Mariah Carey to promote a line of its liqueurs. Black Irish by Mariah Carey mixes Irish whiskey with chocolate, white chocolate, or salted caramel, depending on your variety preference.
You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.
