by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

ANAHEIM–Mike Trout went 4 for 4, hit a Grand Slam and drove in five runs(he also walked once, so he was on base five times) and the Angels beat the Texas Rangers 13-7 and left town on their way to Houston in first place one game over the Astros. Another “day at the office”:for the best player in the game. I had a chance to speak with him right after the game and after Fox English did their postgame interview: Q: How do you feel today? Trout: “Great, I was happy to help the team, we are heading into August and this is what we need” Q: You have been hitting the ball more to right and right-center field recently, both of your home runs today went that way…” Trout: “Yes, well they are pitching me low and outside and I do not try to do much with those pitches, just try to put a good swing…and the ball left, I was sure about the first home runs but the second one with the bases loaded I wasn’t too sure, but I am glad it went over”. Q: the trip to Houston now, how important is it? Trout: “Well –like I said we are going now into the most difficult part of the season, our pitching has been terrific and we seem to get the hits when we need them, these guys are good” Q: This long homestand for you guys ended with seven wins and three loses, talk about that. Trout: It was good man, we put some good numbers on the board, we have to keep doing that…. this is going to be a great race”.
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Texas’ Josh Hamilton returned to Anaheim and it was brutal. Booed during the pregame lineup introductions, booed during each of every at bat, booed when he made a play in the outfield. Josh smiled every time and seemed to take it in stride. After all Josh Hamilton is no a bad guy, he is a guy with a lot of bad habits and that has spilled onto the field and hurt his career. He definitely is not the player he was when he won the 2010 American League MVP for the Texas Rangers. But he seems to be happy now back at home with the Rangers in Texas, prior to the first game of this three game weekend series at Angel Stadium and during practice on the field, he spoke with Angels first baseman Albert Pujols and other Angels, all is forgotten. It is baseball after all, and his life is more important. I hope the best is store in the future for Josh Hamilton, the short time he was here he was always courteous to the fans and the media and he seems to be a good teammate on the Angels squad.
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Will not mention his name here, he is not worthy of any recognition. The ESPN coleague who made those remarks about Dominican Players is not anymore working for ESPN, it never ceases to amaze me how some people are so ignorant and stupid when they open their mouth.
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Copperstown, July 26, 2015. For the first time in history three pitchers were in the 2015 class inducted to the cream of the crop of the game. Former Giant pitcher Randy Johnson, with over 300 victories and second in history in strikeouts, Cy Young, World Series, All Star a super pitcher from the Bay Area, Livermore and Walnut Creek. Former Brave Jon Smoltz a guy that was a unique type of pitcher, won as a starter and also was a closer, the great Dominican former Red Sox Pedro Martinez a guy not that big in stature, but with lots of guts. control and perseverance won over 200 games and became the second Dominican born(Juan Marichal 1983)inducted to the Hall.

And the versatile Craig Biggio, over 3,000 hits, and a brilliant 20 year career. Johnson went as a Diamondback, Smoltz as a Brave, Martinez as a Red Sox and Biggio as an Astro. Love the long speech by Pedro, half in Spanish. 83 players today are from the Dominican Republic among all 30 teams. Next from that country in a couple of years will be Vladimir Guerrero.I started a campaign in San Francisco in 1982 where I was the Sports Director for KIQI 1010AM radio, trying to get Juan into the Hall of Fame, he was not elected the first time, but yes the second time. I still have that Award of Merit given to me by the then Mayor of the City,the Honorable Dianne Feinstein, now a US Senator for the State of California. At Cooperstown yesterday,Juan Marichal and Pedro Martinez posed for photos with the Dominican flag, one word I always have reserved for Juan is, class.
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John Edward “Jed” York and Steve Kerr.. Maybe the owner of the 49ers should concentrate on Football and leave the Warriors alone, different game, different owners, different cities. Why bother? Anyway, here are my two cents on what York said. Jim Tomsula the ex-defensive line coach of the Niners is now the new 49ers coach, he seems to agree with York a lot. Is that why he got the job? On the other hand: Jim Harbaugh was a proven winner, but he didn’t agree much with York’s regime and way of doing things. We all know what happened. It is not a change of culture — like Jed York says about comparing Tomsula to Steve Kerr coach of the Warriors—. It was a change that York just wanted to do, he owns this decision win or lose with the new coach, who according to York will bring a “change of culture”to the Niners.
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Finally: I heard a great quote this weekend, which I have not heard in a long time. “A man that loves his job is always on vacation”.

Hasta la Vista.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez will be behind the microphone for Spanish radio coverage of the A’s and Cleveland starting this Thursday night at the Oakland Coliseum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com