Month: April 2017

Giants bats come alive, including Cueto’s, in win over Snakes 8-4

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San Francisco Giants’ Hunter Pence, middle, celebrates with Brandon Crawford, left, after Crawford hit a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 4, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Tuesday, April 4, 2017

PHOENIX, Ariz. – On the mound and on the basepaths, Johnny Cueto was getting it done Tuesday for San Francisco.

Cueto’s dash home from second was one of many highlights in a five-run fifth inning Tuesday, as the Giants pounded out an 8-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

“It’s not easy,” Cueto said through Giants interpreter Erwin Higueros. “But I’m just happy everything worked out for me tonight.”

Last season, Cueto (1-0) was 18-5 with a 2.79 in his first season with San Francisco. He’s 10-3 in 14 career starts against the D-Backs. Cueto gave up four earned runs on six hits and two walks in five innings, but also struck out five.

Plus, Cueto was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.

“I feel very happy about those wins, but it wasn’t by myself. It’s a team effort with all of the guys,” Cueto said. “They help me a lot.”

“That had to be one of his top games offensively,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Cueto. “He helped us out with the bat, running the bases. He was moving pretty good, wasn’t he?”

The Giants used a 15-hit attack and, besides the eight runs, stranded 13 runners. Hunter Pence and Joe Panik each had three hits, while emergency starter Gorkys Hernandez, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford and Eduardo Nunez each collected two hits.

Brandon Crawford extended San Francisco’s lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth, greeting D-Backs reliever Randall Delgado with a towering drive just inside the right-field foul pole for his first home run of the season.

Crawford’s blast provided the spark for San Francisco to bat around, sending 10 hitters to the plate in the fifth. Cueto drove in a run when he reached on an infield error to extend the rally, and scored from first when Gorkys Hernandez hit a two-RBI single.

“I took off running really hard, it was on my own,” Cueto said. “Then they told me to slow down – it’s the second game of the season – but my instincts took over.”

There was a question of whether or not Cueto touched the plate on the play, but the Giants pitcher insisted he did, saying, “

“He was moving pretty good, wasn’t he?” Bochy asked. “He could be my pinch-runner. I may have to race he and Shark (Jeff Samardzija); that might be a close one.

“That might have taken something out of him,” Bochy continued. “He did a nice job, but his count jumped up (94 pitches).”

Asked which of the other Giants starters he could beat in a race, Cueto said, “Samardzija is the fastest, then Bumgarner, so I think I’m the fifth-fastest!”

Hernandez, filling in for Denard Span (sore hip), was 2-for-5 with four runs batted in.

“Gordys wasn’t scheduled to play, but we had to inset him in the lineup and he did a terrific job,” Bochy said. “Four RBIs, gives you great defense. He got a couple of big hits.

“What really helped Gordys was this spring, when he went over to the minor league side and got some more at-bats. He got his timing back, and now you’re seeing the guy we got last year.”

Bochy added, “The bench plays such an important role in your season, and those guys need to come through for you. It makes it easier to rest guys and softens the blow of losing a regular.”

Brandon Belt doubled in a run to finish the damage against Delgado, who was replaced by Archie Bradley two batters later.

Arizona battled back in the fifth with a two-run homer by Lamb into the right-center field swimming pool.

Cueto didn’t think he had tired at that point, explaining, “I think I left a couple of pitches up high, and I paid the price for it.”

Bradley, meanwhile, did his part to try and keep the D-Backs in the game, striking out seven in 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

Though the Arizona roof fell in on Delgado, it was D-Backs starter Patrick Corbin (0-1) who took the loss. Corbin gave up three runs – two earned – on seven hits in four innings.

A two-RBI single by Hernandez put San Francisco ahead 2-0 in the top of the second. Singles by Eduardo Nunez, Joe Panik and Johnny Cueto loaded the bases with one out. Cueto pulled back from a bunt attempt and pushed a drive past Goldschmidt.

“I just felt that (Goldschmidt) was coming up too close to me, so I decided to swing away,” Cueto said.

“When he pulled back on the bunt, he couldn’t have chopped a ball better over Goldschmidt’s head,” Bochy said. “That’s something we work on and Johnny did a great job on that.”

Hernandez then delivered a slow-floating bloop single to shallow right field, falling between D-Backs second baseman Brandon Drury and right-fielder David Peralta.

In the Giants third, Buster Posey reached on an error, went to third on Brandon Crawford’s double to left-center, but was caught in a rundown between third and home on a bouncer to short by Nunez. Crawford scored San Francisco’s third run on a sacrifice fly to right by Chris Marrero.

Paul Goldschmidt put the Diamondbacks on the board when he led off the fourth with a line drive home run to left, his first of the season. After Jake Lamb walked and Drury singled, Chris Owings singled to left, driving in Lamb with the D-Backs’ second run.

The series continues Wednesday, with left-hander Matt Moore on the mound for San Francisco, facing D-Backs’ right-hander Dijuan Walker.

“This was a good bounce-back game for us after losing a tough opener,” Bochy said. “To come back and play well like this, it was a good game for us.”

GIANT JOTTINGS: The Giants are opening their regular season in Phoenix for the fourth time in the last six seasons (also 2012, 2014 and 2015). … Elias Sports reports that when P Madison Bumgarner struck out 11 on Sunday, it was the most by a Giants pitcher on Opening Day since the mound was moved to its present distance of 60 feet, six inches in 1893. …
Paul Goldschmidt tied ex-Giant Steve Finley for second place on Arizona’s all-time hit list when he homered in the fourth inning. Finley collected 847 hits as a D-Back. Goldschmidt also needs one steal to reach the 100 home run/100 stolen base club for first basemen. … Jake Lamb’s home run into the swimming pool was the 32nd-ever by a D-Back, 56th overall. … Torey Lovullo is the third Diamondbacks manager to win in his debut. The other two were Bob Brenley (April 3, 2001 vs. L.A. Dodgers) and Kirk Gibson (July 2, 2010 vs. L.A. Dodgers).

TAGS: San Francisco Giants,Johnny Cueto,Brandon Crawford,Gorkys Hernandez,Arizona Diamondbacks,Sports Radio Service,Daniel Dullum

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: W’s set for back to back games starting tonight; Curry does Carpool Karoke on Late Night

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celebmix.com photo: Stephen Curry does Carpool Karoke with James Corden on Late Night on CBS

By David Zizmor

OAKLAND–The Golden State Warriors host the Minnesota Timerberwolves, the Warriors have had trouble with the T-Wolves about a month ago it was around the time they were having their troubles in of February and March. Minnesota was one of the teams on that road trip that knocked the Warriors off and gave them some trouble in general. The Warriors were in the midst of that awful road trip they looked really tired the shots weren’t falling and the T-Wolves were playing a lot better.

That Minnesota team are a good team the T-Wolves have two young players who have made a difference and they’ve taken the time and experience to really master and as they progressed over the course of the season they’ve gotten better and better. They’re not to the point where their going to be a playoff team yet but going forward they have such good young talent, the players, the coach, that if these guys really start to put it together that’s a dangerous team.

Plus Carpool Karoke with Stephen Curry and Jim Corden on Late Night

David does the Golden State Warriors podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Brain trust: Melancon processes blown save in his Giants’ debut

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By Morris Phillips

Mark Melancon is the thinking man’s athlete, not unlike a computer in how he forms and remembers pitch sequences that more than often get big league hitters out on their final at-bat of a game.

Not just a thrower, the premiere closer in the National League over the previous four seasons, has a fastidious routine, a philosophy on how to get hitters out, and more than a decade of experience in the closer’s role dating back to his freshman year at the University of Arizona.

So after Sunday’s meltdown in the season opener in which he retired the first two hitters he faced, then allowed hits to the next four and lost the game, it’s simply back to work, and back to tried and true methods for Melancon.

“It’s something that’s just part of the job,” Melancon said of his letdown against the Diamondbacks.  “I’m sure I’ll go over it 100 times and keep the good and get rid of the bad.”

Melancon first spoke to the Giants on November 8, less than two weeks after the Cubs finished their magical run to the World Series title.  On December 5, he agreed to his then record $62 million deal with the Giants, the first free agent closer to sign a deal this off-season.

The Giants needed a guy they could trust after a franchise-record 30 games were blown in 2016.  And Melancon, again methodical in his approach to free agency, just as he is on gameday, recognized the appeal of San Francisco, after he had bounced around from the Yankees in his 2009 big-league debut to the Astros, Red Sox, Pirates and Nationals in the succeeding seasons.

Consequently, a marriage this well bonded doesn’t fall into a rocky stage overnight.  Thus, the club and its treasured acquisition go back to work on Tuesday.

Here’s a look at Melancon’s meteoric rise to prominence starting with his trade to Pittsburgh in the off-season prior to the 2013 season.

In 2013, Melancon starts the season as the Pirates’ setup guy following his trade acquisition from the Red Sox. After closer Jason Grilli is injured, Melancon assumes his role and saves 16 games. During this period, the pitcher credits catcher Russell Martin for giving him the unyielding belief in his best pitch, a mid-90’s cutter.

In 2014, the Pirates trade Grilli to the Angels, giving Melancon the permanent closer’s role.  He converts 33 of 37 save opportunities.

In 2015, Melancon leads the NL with 51 saves, and makes his second All-Star appearance.  He wins the NL reliever of the year award.

In 2016, the Pirates trade Melancon to the Nationals with his impending free agency.  Melancon helps the Nats capture the NL East crown.  He converts 47 of 51 save chances for the Pirates and Nationals combined.

The A’s open the 2017 season with a win over the LA Angels 4-2

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byJerry Feitelberg

Oakland- What an opening night for the start of the 2017 season. The A’s beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-2 before a packed house of 36,067 fans. Kendall Graveman, who was the A’s best pitcher last year, gave the A’s a quality start as he went six innings, allowing two runs, and giving up just six hits. Ricky Nolasco started for the Angels and was tagged with the loss.

Stephen Vogt had the A’s first hit and home run of the season in the second inning. Vogt drove a Ricky Nolasco pitch into the right field seats to give the A’s a 1-0 lead after two innings of action. The lead didn’t last long as the Angels scored two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Graveman struck out the first two batters but then walked Kole Calhoun on a 3-2 pitch. Current reigning AL MVP and two-time winner Mike Trout sent a Graveman fastball over the 367-foot marker in left field to give the Angels the advantage in the middle of the third.

The A’s tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Jed Lowrie singled leading off the frame. He went to second on a swinging bunt off the bat of new third baseman Trevor Plouffe. First baseman Yonder Alonso singled to left center to drive in Lowrie with the tying run. The score is 2-2 after five.

The A’s regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, A’s slugger Khris Davis, who led the team with 42 dingers last year, unloaded a blast into the left field seats. There was no doubt about it when it left the bat. Oakland leads 3-2.

The A’s added another run in the eighth. Khris Davis hit his second solo homer of the night way back into the left field bleachers. Davis became the second Oakland A’s player to homer twice on Opening Night. Jason Giambi did it for Oakland way back in the year 2000.

The A’s bullpen did the job as they held the Angels scoreless the final three innings of the game. Ryan Dull struck out the side in the 7th, Sean Doolittle, and Ryan Madson stopped them in the eighth, and Santiago Casillas recorded his first save as an Oakland Athletic.

Game Notes- Stephen Vogt hit his first homer of the year in the second inning. He hit one on Opening Night on 4/6/15.  The A’s resume play Tuesday night against the Angels. Sean Manaea will make his first start of the season, and he will be opposed by the Angels Matt Shoemaker. Game time is at 7:05 pm.

 

Opening Night festivities at the Oakland Coliseum

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Former Oakland Athletic and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Rickey Henderson waves to fans after a ceremony dedicating Rickey Henderson Field prior to the baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels Monday, April 3, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

by Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–Opening night for the 2017 season was so special at the Oakland Coliseum. A’s radio broadcaster, Ken Korach, started the festivities with a tribute to the late Bill King. King, who started broadcasting A’s games on radio in 1981 won the Ford C. Frick Award and will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York on July 30th, 2017.

Korach then announced that the Oakland A’s will name the field at the Oakland Coliseum “Rickey Henderson Field.” “Rockey Henderson is the greatest Athletic of all time. It is fitting we honor an” recognize his impact on our franchise by naming our playing field after him.’ At the press conference, Rickey said “it’s a great honor. I had no idea that this chance would ever come. It’s a special moment.” Rickey also commented on the pictures of the former great Athletic players that are now all over the stadium: “I thought they should have done this a long time ago.” Rickey said that the “stadium means a whole lot.” I got the opportunity to play on the field. And was successful and brought fans into the stadium. Oakland was always in my heart.” Team president Dave Kaval concluded by saying “we should honor our past more. The least we can do is honor such an amazing person.”

The A’s continued the Opening Night celebration as Joshua Henry, who plays Aaron Burr in “Hamilton.” sang the National Anthem.  The cast of  Hamilton is singing “God Bless America” in the bottom of the seventh inning.

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Despite blown save Melancon is the real deal

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Arizona Diamondbacks Jeremy Hazelbaker, left, scores a run as San Francisco Giants’ Mark Melancon, second from right, and catcher Buster Posey, right, walk away from home plate during the ninth inning of an Opening Day baseball game Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks defeated the Giants 6-5. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–While it’s disappointing that the Giants didn’t get their first win of the season it’s 162 games you move on obviously if they win you can point to creating momentum with the opener and how important it is to try and start the season on the right track. You just couldn’t get it better in baseball than this. Their back to work on Tuesday after having a day off on Monday in Arizona. What is disappointing they spent that money and they didn’t get that immediate reinforcement from their new star closer Mark Melancon.

It’ll be interesting to see that first save for him and in my mind he’s the guy I know Melancon’s make up, I know his method and he’s really going to be exactly what they need but he obviously wasn’t his first time out. Melancon has the goods he’s the legit closer that San Francisco picked and let’s go back to when this decision was made they had Adroldis Chapman on the free agent market in the off season and Giants got Melancon and are very happy to pick him up.

Morris Phillips does the San Francisco Giants podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Jose Sharks podcast with Len Shapiro: With Thornton and Couture out Sharks try to regroup for upcoming homestand

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San Jose Sharks’ Joe Thornton skates to the bench with an injury during the first period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

by Len Shapiro

SAN JOSE–The San Jose Sharks in recent weeks have been lacking and have been all over the ice and have lost eight of the last ten games. The Sharks had an eight game losing streak going until they were able to defeat the New York Rangers on Tuesday Mar 28th game at SAP Center. The Sharks are looking at mass rebuilding over the summer. The Sharks after losing 5-2 in Calgary on Friday night did play a better game in Vancouver on Sunday with a two goal 3-1 win. The Canucks are a weaker competitor and the Flames just took it to San Jose on Friday.

The Canucks just didn’t have any zip in their step and they couldn’t catch up to the Sharks and couldn’t give the Sharks a real competition. The Canucks tried to come back late in the game but it was way late to say least. Another problem with that game for San Jose was all the injuries, Logan Couture missed his fourth game with that facial reconstruction possibility with the puck to the mouth. Then the end of the first period the big blow the Thornton injury we haven’t heard the latest with Jumbo Joe Thornton with a possible left knee hyper extension twisted it could be worse were waiting for word from the Sharks.

Len Shapiro has a whole lot more on the Sharks podcast as the plot thickens in the Sharks up and down situation as they close out  their last three home games starting Tuesday night with Vancouver. Listen to the podcast each Monday with Len at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Dave Kaval is the right man at the right time in A’s history

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csnbayarea.com photo: Oakland A’s team president David Kaval

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

OAKLAND– As a veteran working in baseball I have seen plenty. From the late mid to late 1970’s when Mr Charlie O Finley told me “Yes Amaury you can broadcast in Mexican”, until now. Obviously Charlie forgot it was Spanish. Mexican is not a language, is a nationality. Plus, even if Mexican was a language I would not understand it, since I was born in Cuba. But that is how I’ve got my start and I have been fortunate to see this franchise through the good and the bad years.It is called history.

A new era for Oakland Athletics baseball was launched when Mr Dave Kaval was introduced as new President of the Oakland Athletics. His primary mission is to build a new ballpark for the Athletics inside the Oakland city limits. He has admitted that is his main focus. The Athletics need a new park and a new look. Since he took the job as President, he has named the Oakland Coliseum Rickey Henderson Field, has renovated areas inside the Coliseum, make it much more fan-friendly, and then we have heard some of the great players of the A’s during the glory years of the team in the 1980’s like Dave Stewart, Jose Canseco getting involved, Dennis Eckersley is now a special assistant to Mr Kaval.

Why not retire Dagoberto(Campy)Campaneris #19? he was a great shortstop during the three-consecutive World Championship titles in 1972 to 1974. And when you have great and popular players like Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Donaldson(a few years back) you must keep them. It is part of the business of baseball, keeping your star players, and the fans involved with their local heroes.

“Rooted in Oakland”is a good way to start. Since they moved from Kansas City in 1968 they won four World Championships here, for those that are counting that is one more than the San Francisco Giants. Plus while in Philadelphia (where the A’s were born back in 1901) they won five more championships for a total of nine World Series titles, Yankees 27, Cardinals 11, Athletics 9. The New York Yankees have won 40 American League titles, the most in the league’s history, followed by the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics(15) and the Boston Red Sox 13.

The history of this franchise is great.In the early years, the A’s established themselves as one of the dominant teams in the new league, winning the A.L. pennant six times (1902, 1905, 1910, 1911, 1913 and 1914), and winning the World Series in 1910, 1911 and 1913. They moved from Kansas City to Oakland in 1968 and four years later they started a dynasty, winning three consecutive World Series. Then came the Haas(Levi Strauss)ownership in the 1980’s, and they were one of the most dominant teams.

It seems to me that Mr Dave Kaval is the right man at the right time in history for this Athletics franchise. His approach as a populist (I might say)mingling with the fans and taking suggestions an affable executive with a vision for this franchise. And that is all good. Baseball is a game to be enjoyed by the fans, yes television and radio rights, merchandise and marketing are all good and part of the business, but no player like to play in an empty stadium.

There are four (4) locations the new President is looking at for the construction of a new stadium. Howard terminal, Lake Merritt, Jack London Square and the current Oakland Coliseum. When I first met and spoke with Mr Kaval was during the Oakland Athletics Fanfest(which by the way returned to Jack London Square this year)and my simple suggestion –this was many weeks before the Raiders announced their move to Las Vegas, was the Oakland Coliseum.

There are few baseball facilities in the country more accessible that the Oakland Coliseum., We have one of the Bay Area main arteries, Highway 880 to the West and BART to the East. The main problem is that there is not much of a village there, they need restaurants, theaters, more entertainment build around there. Why not blow the Coliseum and build a new park right there? 41.000 seats right there in the heart of the Bay Area. I am not opposed to the other three locations, but I believe the current location might be the best. Of course, during the construction there(at the Coliseum site) the A’s would have to play someplace else for a couple of seasons. That, as I see it is the biggest negative. While in the other locations they could begin building as the A’s still would play at the Coliseum, until is time to move to the new park.

Plus, I believe that if you build it right there at the Coliseum, there will be less opposition from environmentalist and other groups that will always opposed a sports facility.

All I have seen from the new Oakland Athletics President is positive and headed in the right direction. This franchise needed this and now I believe they are in good hands with Mr Dave Kaval. It won’t be easy to build a new ballpark, we who lived in the Bay Area most of our lives now that, this is not Kansas City or Cincinnati, but I trust that Mr Kaval will reach his objective.

 

NCAA Final Four Championship Podcast with Michelle Richardson: Zags could give Heels a battle; Final Final could be one for the ages

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Gonzaga players celebrate after the semifinals of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament against South Carolina, Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. Gonzaga won 77-73. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

On the NCAA Final Four Championship Podcast with Michelle:

#1 It’s quite a show Gonzaga put on to beat South Carolina 77-73

#2 It went down to the wire as the Oregon Ducks gave it all they had but lost by one to North Carolina 76-75

#3 So it’s Gonzaga and North Carolina for the championship Michelle picks who she likes in this one

Michelle will return next season as she podcasted NCAA Football and Basketball throughout the school season at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

The Warriors win their 11th in a row, gain revenge as they blast the Wizards by twenty-two points

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- Steph Curry showed the Wizards and the NBA why he was named the MVP the last two seasons. Steph scored 42 points as he led the Dubs to a 139-115 win over Washington. The win avenged the loss to the Wizards on February 28th. Kevin Durant was injured that night, The Dubs made sure that they did not lose Sunday night.

The Warriors outscored the Wizards in every quarter. The Wizards tied the game at 14 in the first quarter. They trailed the rest of the way. They came close to tieing the score late in the second quarter as they were down by three points 53-50. The Dubs met the challenge and were able to finish the first half with a 10-point lead 67-57.

The Warriors blazed away in the third quarter as they outscored the Wizards 39-31. Steph tossed in 15, and Klay Thompson added 12. The lead after three periods of play was 18. Steph and company did not relax as they continued the scoring onslaught and overwhelmed the Wizards 139-115.

Game Notes and stats- The Warriors won their 11th game in a row and improved to 63-14. There are five games left in the season, and four are at Oracle Arena. The Warriors magic number is 3 to clinch home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Any combination of Warrior wins or Spurs losses will give them the crown.

Steph and Klay led the Dubs in scoring. Steph had 42 and Klay 23. Draymond Green recorded his 19th career triple-double. The Warrior bench was terrific. Shaun Livingston had a season-high 17 points. David West and JaVale McGee each had 10. Andre Iguodala played another terrific game and continues to wow his coach and the fans with his ability. The Warriors continue to excel on defense. They recorded 7 steals and 14 blocks. The Dubs held John Wall to just 15 points. The Warrior defense has been outstanding in the last five games, all against playoff teams, as they have shut down the leading scorer for each team in every one of those games. Bradley Beal and Bojan Bogdanovich led the Wizards with 20 points each.

The Warriors face the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. The Dubs want to avenge the 103-102 lost to Minnesota on March 10th.