Singer/actor Marc Anthony announced in a press release today that his entertainment company, Magnus Media, has launched a sports division and has signed Reds closer Aroldis Chapman as a new client. Anthony’s group announced the launch as a joint venture with veteran agents Barry Praver and Scott Shapiro, who will team with Magnus Media CEO Michel Vega to oversee the operations of the newly formed Magnus Sports.
Praver/Shapiro has a long history of representing Hispanic players, which is one element which attracted Anthony to partnering with the duo. “Baseball, like music, is an ingrained cultural passion for many Latinos throughout the world and there’s no shortage of amazing stars of Hispanic origin,” said Anthony in the press release. “Despite that, until now there hasn’t been an enterprise specifically designed to meet their needs. With MAGNUS Sports, we are changing the existing dynamics and building a new kind of Management Company that understands the culture and knows how to build big media. Beyond the cultural connection, social media is also bringing fans closer to their heroes than ever before. That means that athletes, like other entertainers, need management that can help them with both, managing their career and building their brand.”
Pairing with Praver/Shapiro will bring a lengthy list of Major League clients onto the newly formed Magnus Sports’ client roster. Praver and Shapiro represent players such as Jorge Soler, Adeiny Hechavarria, Raisel Iglesias, Eduardo Escobar, Tommy Milone, Juan Uribe and Alejandro De Aza, to name a few. Their joint venture with Anthony and Magnus Media has been updated within the MLBTR Agency Database.
The addition of Chapman to that already sizable list is well-timed, as the 27-year-old (28 in February) will be a free agent next offseason. Assuming another characteristically dominant season, Chapman seems well-positioned to secure what will be a record-breaking contract for a relief pitcher on next year’s market. Five-year pacts for relief pitchers are more or less unheard of — B.J. Ryan’s five-year, $47MM pact was notoriously ill-fated — but heading into his age-29 season in 2017, Chapman will have a case for such a deal at a premium annual rate that should allow him to surpass Jonathan Papelbon‘s four-year, $50MM contract.
Well that’s…interesting.
I guess no different than Jay Z representing players though.
Rangers should trade for chapman
I would hate to see what we would have to give up for 1 year of Chapman. We gave up a lot last season to get Diekman who is very similar stuff-wise to Chapman.
Gave up a lot to get Diekman? Diekman was a throw in. Rangers have up so much in the deal because they got Cole Hamels
Lived in philly my whole life. Diek is nowhere near close to Chapman
Diek did very well for Texas. He, combined with Cole, were two HUGE reasons the Rangers won the west. With Diek, Dyson, Kela, Freeman, Tolleson and getting Wilhelmsen….Texas has a pretty good bullpen for next year. They need to concentrate on another starter and a RHB with some power…not Chapman.
Every team should trade for him.. who couldnt use that arm?
Et tu, Ardoldis?
So do all his players have to use Vivir Mi Vida as their walk-up music at the plate?
Chapman will do well because Jonathan Paplebon worked out so well for Philly! 🙂
Not that they’re related in the first place, but Papelbon was fine for the Phillies. His personality was a huge distraction, of course, but in terms of production, he threw 237 2/3 innings with a 2.31 ERA, 9.5 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9. He was a shutdown reliever at the back of the bullpen, which is what they paid him to be.
But rangers need a true closer
Go Angels
This is the guy who wasn’t allowed to sing the national anthem because he’s Mexican.
I love how it’s a bunch of Hispanic players and Tommy milone
Will the yankees get chapman??
I… I need to know