San Francisco, CA
Giants add OF Jorge Soler to boost lineup ahead of spring training
PHOENIX (AP) — The San Francisco Giants and slugger Jorge Soler agreed to a $42 million, three-year deal on Tuesday, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations, taking one of the remaining marquee free agents off the market as most of the 30 teams reported for spring training in Arizona and Florida.
San Francisco President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi was still hopeful of upgrading his roster ahead of the start of spring training this week and will have a slugger to give new manager Bob Melvin more depth in the outfield.
But there’s still plenty of talent available — especially considering its mid-February.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, lefty Jordan Montgomery, third baseman Matt Chapman, slugger J.D. Martinez and former MVP Cody Bellinger are all still looking for homes as camps got underway.
Eighteen teams start workouts on Wednesday and the final 10 begin Thursday. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres began early because of their March 20 opener at Seoul, South Korea.
Soler provides the Giants with a formidable power threat. He made his first All-Star team with the Marlins last season, hitting .250 with 36 homers, and led the American League with 48 homers in 2019 while with the Royals.
The well-traveled Cuban was the 2021 World Series MVP for the Atlanta Braves after hitting .300 with three homers.
Soler played 137 games for the Marlins last season, spending 102 games as DH.
The games played were third-most in his 10-year big league career with the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City, Atlanta and the Marlins. He appeared in all 162 games for the Royals in 2019, then 149 during with Kansas City and the Braves in 2021.
San Francisco also acquired infielder/outfielder Otto López from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash. He had been designated for assignment Friday. San Francisco designated outfielder T.J. Hopkins for assignment to clear roster room for López.
San Francisco hopes to contend in the NL West after hiring Melvin from division rival San Diego to replace Gabe Kapler following two straight years missing the playoffs. The Giants won a franchise-record 107 games and the division crown in 2021.
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For some businesses, Saturday is the most wonderful day of the year as thousands of Santas visit San Francisco watering holes for Santa Con.
But for others, the festive event is more trouble than it’s worth.
Kevin Sully Sullivan and his wife, Deb, met at the Marina Lounge in the 1980s. Sully then went on to work at the bar for 30 years and just two years ago, took over the business from the prior owners.
“We’ve loved this bar for such a long time and it’s a dream come true to actually have our names in it,” Sully said.
While Sully loves celebrating the holidays and supports Santa Con, he has posted this sign on the door of the Sully’s Marina Lounge, officially making it a Santa-free zone. For him, the extra customers aren’t worth the hassle.
“Some of these bars that encourage it, that participate, they do months of business in one day,” he said. “But many of them have to replace sinks in their restrooms. They get it torn off the wall and toilets that have all kinds of things go wrong.”
On the other hand, Westwood has beefed up its staff and is looking forward to all the Santas coming to town.
“It’s really good,” Kwame Wright said.
“It pumps in a lot of money into the economy,” Westwood said. “Local businesses, we benefit from it as well. So, we’re really happy and we’re excited that we get to host. Santa’s are welcome here.”
Aside from Halloween, Santa Con is one of the biggest events of the year for Westwood. This place normally has long lines to get in on weekends and it’s expecting an even bigger crowd Saturday. Westwood is taking steps to make sure all the Santas behave.
“Security does really hard work, and we have extra security to make sure everybody is safe,” said Wright.
But for those willing to wait until Christmas for a Santa sighting, Sully says his place will be the place to be.
“It actually ends up being a really nice day here because they know it’s a sanctuary haven from the Santa Con,” Sully said.
A large fire burned at a six-story residential building in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District early Friday morning, leaving dozens displaced, officials said.
The fire started at around 3 a.m. at a building on Golden Gate Avenue near Taylor and Market streets, adjacent to the Golden Gate Theatre. The San Francisco Fire Department said the fire started on the top floor and reached three alarms, spreading to the attic and roof of the building. Over 100 firefighters at the scene were able to prevent it from spreading to lower floors and nearby buildings, the department said.
Multiple people were rescued and self-evacuated, and a total of 45 residents were displaced, but there were no injuries, the department said. Two cats were also rescued, one that was treated by medics at the scene and another cared for by Animal Control.
Evacuated residents were provided temporary shelter at the corner of Golden Gate and Jones Street aboard a Muni bus. The Red Cross and other city agencies were called in to assist the displaced residents, the department said.
The fire was contained by 5:30 a.m., and firefighters remained on the scene for several hours. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
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