Alanna Rizzo talks Contreras' message to Cubs fans, PCA's MVP aspirations

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Rahimi & Grote Show 11 min 4 speakers 4 chapters transcribed 2 months ago

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Marshall Harris 0:04

You're listening to Rahimi Harrison-Grody on Sports Radio 104.3, The Score.

Unknown 0:11

Doors closing. Congratulations on being in the home of the Derby, and congratulations on the great year that you've had so far. You're healthy, off the I.L. What do you hope to accomplish in the second half?

Munetaka Murakami 0:23

I mean, as a team, we're in a very good, healthy condition right now, so we're just going to try and be better and hope for the World Series.

Unknown 0:31

Do you guys like the fact that you're kind of an underdog? Nobody gave the Chicago White Sox much credit, but look at where you are.

Munetaka Murakami 0:37

We don't really think that we're really underdogs. I think we can prove the other teams that we're up there, and then we just have to prove ourselves, and that's pretty much it.

Vinny Rotino 0:47

That is Alana Rizzo, our next guest, talking to Munataka Murakami and his interpreter, Kenzo Yagi, here on 104.3 The Score. Now we bring in Alana, kind enough to join us after covering the All-Star festivities. Seven-time Emmy Award-winning sports journalist, foul territory contributor, regularly appearing on Dodgers territory and fair territory with Ken Rosenthal. She is at Alana Rizzo on X. Alana, how are you today? I'm good.

Alana Rizzo 1:15

Layla, great to see you. Marshall, nice to meet you. How are you guys doing?

Marshall Harris 1:17

Oh, we're good. We are having a good time trying to enjoy the All-Star break. Kind of reminisce on a first half, but get excited and ready for the second half, which I guess for some teams already started with this Brewers deal. They're getting all the starting pitching, apparently not waiting for the trade deadline to get any closer. How are you, Alana? Tell me about your experience.

Alana Rizzo 1:36

It was a lot of fun. It's always a good time to be at the All-Star game. I mean, it is a busy time, right? It's funny. Somebody was joking that the best players in the game have to play an extra day, an extra game, and the guys that aren't the best players in the game are on vacation. It doesn't seem fair, but it's a blast. It's great to be among the game's best, not only in terms of players, but obviously all of the journalists that descend upon the All-Star City. Philadelphia was a great host. They did a phenomenal job, I thought, Fox Sports and MLB on Fox did a great job with the pregame ceremonies and the broadcasts. And it was a lot of fun. It was great to see and a pleasure to be a part of it.

Vinny Rotino 2:14

Well, and I know I'll just get it out of the way now. I made the case for Miguel Vargas who hit the game's home run, you know, the one with the extra bases that he should have been the MVP. I know Cody Bellinger was ultimately the game's MVP. And I said, I was like, a lot of will probably say that Belly should have been the MVP, but we want to ask you to get your opinion.

Alana Rizzo 2:35

Well, the only reason I think Belly is the MVP is because the two run single is all of the offense that the American League needed, apparently. So that's why I'm going to go ahead and say that Belly is the MVP in that respect, only because Miguel Vargas with the home run and giving him I think it was a four to nothing lead at that time. Um, you know, it didn't factor necessarily into the decision of the game, but what I think we need to talk about more so Layla is the fact that Miguel Vargas, um, was like such a sad puppy two years ago, three years ago when the Los Angeles Dodgers traded him away. And I think obviously everybody knows about the, uh, you know, him sitting in the dugout, uh, when they were playing the athletics and he looks so sad, it looked like he, you know, had just lost his dog.

Alana Rizzo 3:16

Um, And from what he went through to become an All-Star this season and kind of reinvented himself and proved to the world why they shouldn't have traded him away, I think is the bigger story. And I'm so grateful that he was able to find success in Chicago. I know that he was very proud to be named as an All-Star, not only for the White Sox in terms of a representative, but also for his Cuban brothers. I think there were more Cuban players there. on the all-star roster this year than ever before. He's very close to Andy Pahez.