dodgers

Mookie Betts Rents Airbnb To Avoid Haunted Hotel

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Who doesn’t love a good ghost story? The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee was built in 1893 and is reportedly one of the most haunted hotels in America. One common sighting is an elderly Victorian gentleman believed to be the hotel’s founder, Charles Pfister. The Pfister is located just a few blocks away from Lake Michigan.

However, the hotel is also a common choice for MLB teams in town to play the Brewers. In 2001, then-Dodger Adrian Beltre reportedly a loud banging on the wall behind his headboard, despite his room not adjoining any others. He reportedly slept for just two hours with a bat tucked up beside him. Furthermore, in 2008, then-Twin Carlos Gomez said his iPod began vibrating so hard it fell off his bedside table.

Betts Wants No Part Of The Pfister

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – MAY 09: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at American Family Field on May 09, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Dodgers completed a three-game road series against the Brewers, going 2-1 against the Milwaukee team. As part of that trip, the Dodgers opted to stay at the Pfister. All but one Dodger that is. Starting right-fielder Mookie Betts opted to stay at an Airbnb with some friends. Now, that might seem like a perfectly reasonable thing to do when your travel intersects with that of some friends. However, Betts made it clear that the reputation of The Pfister definitely contributed to his decision. “It was a good excuse,” Betts told the Orange County Register. “You can tell me what happened after. I just don’t want to find out myself.”

Despite this, Betts ghost avoidance isn’t over for the season just yet. The Dodgers are set to stay at the Vinoy Renaissance in St Petersburg, Florida when they travel to play the Rays in late May. The Renaissance is yet another haunted hotel said to be home to trickster spirits. Many guests, including a former Pirates strength and conditioning coach, have seen a well-dressed man in their rooms. This is believed to be the hotel’s founder, Aymer Vinoy Laughner. The wife of a Toronto Blue Jays player also reported seeing the water turn on and off on its own while staying in the hotel’s Old Wing. It remains to be seen if Betts will find alternate accommodation for that road series too.

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2024 MLB Season To Start In South Korea

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Seven MLB seasons in the league’s 120-year history have begun outside the US and Canada. The first season to leave the home of the league’s 30 teams was 1999, when the season opener was played in Mexico. Five seasons have started in Tokyo, Japan, most recently in 2019. Finally, the 2014 season got underway in Sydney.

International games are becoming more and more common as the MLB attempts to replicate the success of the NFL in attracting a wider international audience. The MLB played games in London for the first time in 2019 and has returned several times after that. This year the Cubs and Cardinals will play in the British capital. What is unique about the MLB is that, unlike the NFL, there are premier baseball leagues located outside the United States. Now they will be heading to a brand new country next year.

Dodgers And Padres To Play In Korea

SAN DIEGO, CA – MAY 1: Ha-Seong Kim #7 of the San Diego Padres hits a three-run home run in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds May 1, 2023 at Petco Park in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)

According to a source who spoke with ESPN, the MLB will play its first-ever games in South Korea in 2024. Korea is a major baseball nation and serves as home to the KBO League. Furthermore, there are currently five active Korean-born players on MLB teams. However, the MLB has never played games in South Korea. That is all set to change in 2024. NL West rivals Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will face off in a two-game series in Korea. The location of the games has not been announced but it is likely that Seoul will be the venue for the two games. Sources also told ESPN that the games would be played early enough in the year to minimize the disruption for the Dodgers and Padres ahead of the rest of the season.

Of the two teams chosen, the Padres currently have Korean player on their roster. Infielder Ha-seong Kim has played with the team since 2021. Prior to joining the Padres, Kim played for six seasons in the KBO. The last time that the Dodgers had a Korean player on the roster was in 2019. That was last of six seasons that pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu spent in Los Angeles. KBO players are able to join MLB teams through a process called posting. The posting system allows MLB teams to bid on Japanese and Korean players as free agents. Are you excited to see the MLB head to Korea?

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SOURCE SPORTS: L.A. Dodgers to Pay Pitcher Trevor Bauer Over $20 Million in Release

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Trevor Bauer’s tenure as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers is officially over. The pitcher has been released, requiring the Dodgers to pay his remaining $22.5 million in his departure.

The Dodgers were attempting to trade Bauer by the Thursday (Jan. 12) afternoon deadline but were unable to find a trade partner, resulting in his release.

Bauer last pitched in 2021. He was shelved in the middle of the season after facing sexual assault allegations. Months later, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred issued Bauer a 324-game suspension, which eventually was cut to 194 games and immediate reinstation after a grievance was filed.

After signing a $100 million deal in Feb. 2021, Bauer was the subject of a domestic violence restraining order request by a 27-year-old San Diego woman. The woman stated she was assaulted in two separate sexual encounters at his home. Bauer maintained his innocence, and the case of a permanent restraining order against the pitcher was dismissed, and criminal charges were declined in Feb. 2022.

ESPN notes Bauer will be docked for 50 games of pay at the start of the 2023 season.

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