Month: September 2017

A’s Sean Manaea helps the Green and Gold snap the 8-game losing streak as they down the Halos 3-1

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Sean Manaea throws to the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

by Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND- The A’s, behind a terrific outing by starter Sean Manaea, snapped an eight-game losing streak as they defeated the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 Wednesday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. Manaea went six plus innings and allowed no runs and just four hits. His record for the season is 10-9. The Angels’ starter Tyler Skaggs also went six innings, but he gave up five hits and three runs. Skaggs’ record is now 1-5

The A’s Khris Davis put one on the board when he led off the fourth inning with a solo home run that cleared the scoreboard in right field. For Davis, it was his 39th homer of the year, and he is now leading the American League in that department.

Oakland scored two more runs in the fifth. Only one was unearned. With one out, Marcus Semien doubled. Chad Pinder followed with a single to drive in Semien with the A’s second run. They scored the third run when Khris Davis hit a very high fly ball to left. Angels’ left fielder, Justin Upton, lost the ball in the sun. He did get a glove on the ball but couldn’t put it away. Pinder scored all the way from first, and Davis landed on second. Upton was charged with an error. Tha A’s lead 5-0 after five.

The Angels plated a run in the eighth. The big blow was Kole Calhoun’s triple into the corner in right field. Andrelton Simmons scored on the play.  The A’s bullpen did not allow another run as the A’s snapped the eight-game losing streak. Chris Hatcher earned his first American League save.

Game Notes- With the loss and the win by the Minnesota Twins over the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday, the Angels fall a half-game back of the Twins in the race for the second Wild Card in the AL. The Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, Tamp Bay Rays all have a chance, and each game is so critical for these teams. The Angels really wanted to sweep but to the A’s and Bob Melvin deserve credit as they team refused to quit, and even though they lost two very close games to the Angels, they came to play on Wednesday.

A very strange event occurred in the fourth inning, A’s third baseman Matt Chapman was about to hit when he and Angels’ catcher Juan Graterol got into a bit of a heated exchange. Graterol jumped up from his crouch and confronted Chapman. Home plate Umpire Mike Everitt tried to intercede, and A’s manager Bob Melvin raced out of the dugout to quiet things down. Melvin appeared to have the situation in hand and headed back to the dugout. Chapman must have said something to Everitt as Everitt turned to Chapman and gave him the boot. Renato Nunez replaced Chapman in the lineup.

The Angels’ Mike Scioscia used just three pitchers in the game while the A’s used four. It was quite a contrast from the last two games when both teams used twenty on Monday and fifteen Tuesday.

The A’s are off Thursday and resume play Friday night against the Houston Astros. They will play single games on Friday and Sunday, and there will be an old-fashioned single admission doubleheader on Saturday. The A’s Jharel Cotton, with a record of 7-10, will pitch for the Green and Gold. Collin McHugh (2-2) will handle the pitching chores for the Astros.

Time of game was three hours and ten minutes and 10,544 faithful A’s fans were on hand to see the Green and Gold defeat the Angels 3-1.

Raiders visit Tennessee Titans Sunday in key Week 1 matchup that could be playoff preview

Published on by jhawkes51Leave a comment

AP File Photo: Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) smiles on the sideline during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND — Finally, the NFL regular season is here.

For me, the preseason schedule is nothing more than a dinner salad. It’s just there to help me pass the time until my main course (preferably a grilled salmon with broccoli and red potatoes or homemade spaghetti), is brought to my table.

Bring on the “meal” that is the NFL regular season.

Week 1 has some great matchups that can set the tone for the 2017 season: Kansas City traveling to Foxborough to take on the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Thursday night in the league’s kickoff game, Seattle at Lambeau Field to take on the Packers and Dallas hosting the New York Giants on Sunday.

Add the Raiders against the Titans in Nashville to that list of games.

Oakland has been picked by many national publications and experts as a trending opponent to play New England in the AFC Championship Game (the Raiders “host” the Patriots on Nov. 19 in Mexico City), but the true test starts against Tennessee at 1:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. CT/10:00 a.m. PT) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

The Raiders are making their second straight trip to Nashville for a regular season game. Oakland defeated the Titans 17-10 in Week 3 last season.

Derek Carr threw for 249 yards with one touchdown and an interception, while the defense forced three turnovers to pace the Silver and Black to victory that day.

Carr posted his second consecutive season with at least 25 touchdowns passes (28) and 3,900 yards (3,937) after throwing 3,987 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2015.

The Raiders raced out to a 10-2 start in 2016 before a 2-2 finish, highlighted by Carr’s season-ending leg injury that doomed Oakland’s chances in the playoffs. Oakland had no chance against the Texans in the AFC wild-card playoff game with rookie Connor Cook under center and lost 27-14 in Houston, there first playoff appearance since 2002 when I was just a freshmen in college.

With additions like running back Marshawn Lynch, tight end Jared Cook and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson in the offseason through free agency to go along with wide receivers Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper and Seth Roberts, Oakland has the offensive talent to match any team in the league score-for-score.

The Silver and Black finished with the NFL’s sixth-ranked offense averaging 26 points per game last season so its a virtual guarantee that the offense can score more this season.

Will longtime kicker Sebastian Janikowski still handle the kicking duties for Oakland this season? Janikowski and the team are at crossroads on a contract that the Raiders want to restructure that pays Oakland’s all-time leader in games played (268) $4.05 million this season, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

At 39, Janikowski said he wanted to kick for the Raiders when the team moves to Las Vegas in 2020. The veteran kicker has been dealing with back issues that kept his out of the team’s final two preseason games.

On Monday, the Raiders worked out three kickers: Mike Nugent, Josh Lambo and Marshall Koehn.

With Janikowski still on the roster Tuesday, he’s collected $238,000, representing one-seventeenth of Janikowski’s salary or one game-check. If Janikowski is still on the roster Saturday at 1:00 p.m. PT, the remainder of his contract becomes fully guaranteed.

Defensively?

The strength of the unit will come from defensive end Khalil Mack, the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year after recording a team-leading 11.0 of Oakland’s league-low 25 sacks in 2016.

Mack is tougher than sandpaper to block.

Double- and even triple-teams seems to not work on a guy that also registered a pick-6 (interception returned for touchdown) last season. Mack had a stretch where he recorded at least one sack in eight straight weeks.

Linebacker Bruce Irvin finished second on the team with 7.0 sacks, but has double-digit sack talent. Irvin was tied with Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley for the league lead with six forced fumbles in 2016.

Oakland is high on rookie defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, the team’s third-round pick in this year’s draft out of UCLA. Vanderdoes had an impressive training camp and showing in preseason games and has cemented a starting spot on the defensive line.

But Oakland still has a bag of footballs at middle linebacker, with rookie Marquel Lee as a starter and second-year player Tyrell Adams as the backup. Lee was decent against the run in preseason, but still has to improve in pass coverage against running backs out of the backfield and tight ends over the middle of the field.

In the secondary, David Amerson is Oakland’s best cornerback. TJ Carrie is expected to start at the other cornerback spot since high-priced free agent addition Sean Smith can’t cover speedy wide receivers. Smith was working as a hybrid safety/linebacker in training camp covering tight ends with the second-team defense, and lined up as the fourth cornerback when the offense deployed four wide receivers in drills.

The hope is once this year’s first-round draft pick, cornerback Gareon Conley steps onto the field, he’ll surpass the entire group. Conley didn’t play in the preseason and barely took reps with the team during training camp as he dealt with legal issues and litany of nagging injuries.

Second-round draft pick Obi Melifonwu, who the team hoped would contribute at safety, was placed on injured reserve Tuesday after battling a knee injury during training camp.

The earliest that Melifonwu could return would be Week 8.

Some pundits are questioning with players like linebacker Perry Riley Jr., who was signed by Oakland off the street last season and was the team’s starting middle linebacker the rest of the way and cornerback Joe Haden available via trade this season, why didn’t the Raiders, a legitimate Super Bowl contender, upgrade those key spots on a defense that finished ranked 26th in total defense last season?

The overlooking of a strong middle linebacker and a sturdy cornerback may come back to bite the Raiders in key situations this season, as it did last season.

Like Oakland, Tennessee has a hot, young signal-caller that is returning from a leg injury of his own and have the Titans thinking playoffs for the first time since 2008 in quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Mariota had Tennessee on the brink of the playoffs last season at 8-7 before finishing tied at 9-7 with division rival Houston for the AFC South title, but Houston won the division due to a better division record (Houston was 5-1, Tennessee was 2-4) that left the Titans outside of the playoffs.

The former No. 2 overall pick by Tennessee out of Oregon threw for 3,426 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2016. Mariota, just like Carr, is a mobile quarterback that will use his legs to get out of trouble.

Just like Carr, Mariota suffered his season-ending injury on Christmas Eve while being sacked by the opposing team’s defense.

The Titans’ running game could spell trouble for Oakland, especially with the physical running styles of both DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. Tennessee boasted the NFL’s third-ranked rushing attack averaging 136.7 yards and Murray was a big reason for that.

The seventh-year running back from Oklahoma finished third in the NFL in 2016 in rushing with 1,287 yards and nine rushing touchdowns in his first season with Tennessee after a forgettable season 2015 season in Philadelphia.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, the Titans called 44-percent of rushing plays (2nd in the NFL) and was fourth in the league averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

Henry, a former Heisman Trophy winner, was selected by the Titans in the second round in the 2017 NFL draft, was second on the Titans with 490 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in his rookie campaign.

Wide receiver Rishard Matthews gives the Titans a big-play threat downfield that they haven’t had in forever.

Matthews quickly became one of Mariota’s trusted receivers last season in his first season with Tennessee after four seasons in Miami, finishing tied with tight end Delanie Walker for the team lead in catches with 65 to go along with 945 yards and leading the team with nine touchdown catches.

Walker gives Mariota a pass-catching threat that is tough as nails that Raiders safety Karl Joseph will have to keep an eye on come Sunday. After not playing in last season’s contest, Walker could be the difference maker this time around as Oakland has had trouble in recent years covering agile tight ends with linebackers and safeties.

Especially agile tight ends like Walker, who has been targeted by Mariota 159 times over the past two seasons. The 12-year veteran from Central Missouri State racked up 800 yards receiving and seven touchdown catches last season following a career-high season in 2015 when Walker had 94 catches for 1,088 yards and six touchdowns.

Tennessee’s first-round pick, wide receiver Corey Davis who didn’t play in the preseason while dealing with a hamstring injury, is expected to see action on Sunday but its unknown how many plays the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Davis will line up for.

The Titans did sign eight-year veteran wide receiver Eric Decker in the offseason to bolster the wide receiving corps for Tennessee, and has a hidden gem in rookie wide receiver Taywan Taylor in the event Davis doesn’t start.

It might not be the best week to start a Davis on your fantasy team, just some friendly advice.

On defense, Tennessee is quietly won of the better defenses in the league that no one really talks about led by defensive tackle and space-eater, Jurrell Casey, who is the 6-foot-1 and 305-pound clog in the middle of the Titans’ 3-4 defensive scheme ran by legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

Casey recorded 44 tackles for 5.0 sacks for a Titans defense that ranked 20th in total defense in 2016, finishing second in the league against the run surrendering just 88.3 yards per game and 30th against the pass yielding 269.2 yards through the air per game.

Tennessee’s pass rush is powered by outside linebackers Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan. Orakpo led the Titans with 10.5 sacks and Morgan was second on the team with 9.0 sacks.

Casey, Orakpo and Morgan combined for 23.5 of the Titans’ 40 sacks in 2016. Tennessee was just one of seven teams to record 40-plus sacks last season.

Inside linebackers Avery Williamson (team-leader in tackles with 104) and Wesley Woodyard (57 tackles) aren’t household names, but are consistent and provide additional support in the running game.

The player that I’m most intrigued to watch Sunday is second-year safety Kevin Byard.

The MTSU product didn’t record an interception during his rookie season after recording 19 interceptions (a career-high six during his junior season), but did finish third on the team with 58 tackles, four passes defensed and a sack in 16 games played. His seven starts were the most for a Titans rookie safety since Michael Griffin’s 10 starts in 2007 according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

At 5-foot-11 and 212 pounds, Byard isn’t the biggest safety, but his instincts and attention to detail is an important element for Tennessee’s defense.

Throw in free agent addition in cornerback Logan Ryan, a Super Bowl champion with New England and the drafting of USC’s speedster and highlight-maker Adoree’ Jackson, the Titans have talent in the secondary to compete with top-end wide receivers.

Sunday’s matchup between the Raiders and Titans could very well be a playoff preview that may not be decided until late in the fourth quarter.

The game’s outcome could be reminiscent of last season’s game when Tennessee had a would be game-tying touchdown from Mariota to wide receiver Andre Johnson that was called back due to an offensive pass interference call before the Raiders took over on downs two plays later.

Prediction: Raiders 27 Titans 23

 

 

 

San Francisco 49ers Podcast with David Zizmor: Former Stanford alums Thomas and McCaffrey match up on Sunday’s Panthers-49ers opener

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (94) runs in pursuit during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 32-31. (Scott Boehm via AP

On the SF 49ers podcast with David:

1 It’ll be the NFL debuts of the 49ers rookie defensive tackle Solomon Thomas a No.3 draft pkck and former Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey who is the No.8 draft selection. Dave talks about their match up making all Stanford alums proud.

2.  The Carolina Panthers are pretty set on offense with starting quarterback Cam Newton and running back help from McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart can the 49ers contain them or will they circles around the 49ers defense?

David Zizmor does the 49ers podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Extra Extra innings read em and weep: Angels torment the A’s again as the Halos send the A’s down to their eighth loss in a row 8-7

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Los Angeles Angels and Oakland A’s continued to battle tooth and nail. The game was a thriller as both teams refused to quit as each team rallied to take the lead. The contest was very similar to the Monday marathon which the Angels won. The Angels won again on Tuesday night by a score of 8-7. The Angels used eight pitchers, and Oakland sent seven to the hill. The A’s lost their eighth straight game. With the win, the Angels took over the second spot in the Wild Card Race and now lead the Minnesota Twins and Baltimore Orioles by just 1/2 game.

The A’s starter Kendall Graveman lasted just five innings. Graveman gave up five runs and threw over 100 pitches and did not get a decision. The Angels’ Garrett Richards, making his first start since April 5th, threw just 53 pitches before leaving in the fourth. Richards missed most of the 2016 season with an arm injury and he was on the DL for most of the 2017 season.

The Angels put a crooked number on the board in the top of the third. The Angels scored three runs on just two hits. A’s starter Kendall Graveman could not find the strike zone as he issued three walks and uncorked a wild pitch. He walked C.j.Cron to start the inning. Martin Maldonado singled to put men on at first and third with no out. Brandon Phillips singled to drive in Cron with the Angels’ first run. Maldonado went to third on the play and Phillips went to second on the throw.  Mike Trout walked to load the bases. Graveman issued a walk to Justin Upton to force in a run. Albert Pujols hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in the Angels third run. Right fielder Kole Calhoun hit a scorcher that A’s first baseman Matt Olson fielded cleanly and Olson’s throw home nailed Mike Trout who was running on contact. The Angels lead 3-0 in the middle of the third.

In the bottom of the fourth, Oakland put a run on the board. The human doubles machine, Jed Lowrie, led off the inning with his 42nd double of the season. He went to third on a Khris Davis single and scored when Chad Pinder doubled. Davis stopped at third. Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia did not hesitate and removed his starter. He brought in Blake Wood to pitch and Wood struck out Bruce Maxwell and Matt Chapman to end the threat.

The Angels tacked on another run in the top of the fifth. Brandon Phillips led off with a single. Phillips was out at second when Mike Trout hit into a fielder’s choice. Trout promptly stole second. Justin Upton followed with a single. Trout, attempting to score from second, was thrown out at home on a very close play. Upton went to second on the throw home. Graveman had two strikes on Pujols but could not retire him. With the count 3-2, Pujols singled o drive in Upton. The A’s, with two out in the bottom of the fifth, exploded for four runs to take the lead 5-4. Matt Joyce started the fireworks with a solo homer. Jed Lowrie singled, and he scored when Khris Davis hit his 38th of the year. The crowd was still cheering when Matt Olson followed with his 15th long ball. Olson now has fifteen in his first 53 games. Only Mark McGwire had 18 in his first 53 games as an Athletic.

The Angels regained the lead in the sixth. A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in lefty Sam Moll to pitch. Moll struck out Andrelton Simmons for the first out. The next batter, Luis Valbuena, walked. That was it for Moll. Melvin brought in righty Liam Hendriks to pitch to C.J.Cron. The strategy did not work as Cron went yard and put the Angels ahead 6-5. The A’s came right back and tied the game. Angels’ reliever, Troy Scribner, walked Matt Chapman and Boog Powell to put men on at first and second with no out. Marcus Semien doubled to drive in Chapman. Powell was held up at third by Steve Scarsone. Matt Joyce struck out. Jed Lowrie walked to load the bases. Davis struck out, and Matt Olson ground out to end the inning.

With two out in the eighth, the Angels scored the go-ahead run. Luis Valbuena started the rally with a walk. A’s pitcher could not get past C.J.Cron. Cron, who homered his last at-bat, struck again as he tripled down the right field line to drive in Kaleb Cowart who was running for Valbuena. The Angels now lead 7-6 with the A’s coming to bat. The A’s wasted no time as they scored a run to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. Boog Powell led off with a double. Marcus Semien laid down a perfect bunt to send Powell to third. Matt Joyce, a former Angel, drove in Powell with a sac fly to left.  The game is tied at seven after eight.

Santiago Casilla is now pitching for Oakland in the ninth. Casilla retired the first two batters. He walked Justin Upton and had to now face Albert Pujols. Casilla won the battle but it wasn’t easy as Pujols hit a long fly to right field that was caught for the third out and the fans let out a collective sigh. The A’s fail to score in the bottom of the ninth and the game is now in overtime.

In the tenth, with two outs, Blake Treinen hit Kaleb Cowart with a pitch. C.J.Cron had his third hit of the night when he singled. Ben Revere, pinch-hitting for Martin Maldonado, singled to left. Matt Joyce made a valiant effort to catch the ball but the ball was just a smidge out of his reach and Cowart scored the Angels’ eighth run. Eduardo Paredes is in to pitch for LA.  The A’s rally fizzled in the bottom of the tenth. The A’s loaded the bases with two out, but Jed Lowrie hit a fly ball to center to end the game. The Angels win 8-7.

Game Notes- The A’s and Angels conclude the three-game series Wednesday afternoon at 12:35 pm. Lefty Sean Manaea with a record of 9-9 will pitch for Oakland, and the Angels will counter with lefty Tyler Scaggs. Scaggs is 1-4 for the season, but one can be sure he will be out of the game as soon as he runs into a bit of trouble. Mike Scioscia has used twenty pitchers in the last two games, and Tuesday’s game was the fourth game in a row that the Angels have played that went past the four-hour mark.

The last time the A’s lost eight in a row was from May 22nd to June 1st, 2112.

Time of game was four hours and twelve minutes and 11,110 people were on hand to see the A’s lose again.

 

San Francisco 49ers-Carolina Panthers preview: Panthers give 49ers daunting challenge with one of a kind offensive unit

Published on by jeremy2878Leave a comment

AP File Photo: Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton throws a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

By Jeremy Harness

 SANTA CLARA–The regular season is only days away, and the 49ers will have a stiff test right out of the gate.

 The Carolina Panthers figure to have a dynamic offense this season, particularly after drafting multi-faceted running back Christian McCaffrey out of Stanford in the first round. To make things more daunting for the 49ers is the fact that Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, who had surgery on his throwing shoulder in the offseason, is expected to play Sunday.

 Not only does he have Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olson to throw to, but he also has budding star wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin as well, and when you put all of this together, it means that the 49ers’ young defense will have all it can handle, to say the very least.

 Carolina opens up as five-point favorites over the 49ers, with the over/under reportedly listed as 48 points at press time.

 In the meantime, the 49ers have one fewer recognizable name on the roster this year. In order to trim the roster to the league-mandated 53 players, the team cut receiver Jeremy Kerley, who led the 49ers in receptions in 2016.

 On Tuesday, the New York Jets, Kerley’s original NFL team, signed him to a one-year contract.

 There will be a new face at tight end as well. The 49ers traded last year’s starter, Vance McDonald to the Pittsburgh Steelers, meaning that George Kittle, who first impressed the team’s coaching staff in the second preseason game against Denver with a third-quarter touchdown catch-and-run, is listed as starter on the team’s Week 1 depth chart.

The 49ers will see its younger, revamped, Robert Saleh-led defense in an obviously more-extended way on Sunday, and given the weaponry that Carolina possesses on offense, that should make for a very interesting matchup.

 

Rockies streak up to 10 against the Giants with 9-6 victory

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants’ Pablo Sandoval strikes out swinging against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Antonio Senzatela during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in Denver. Colorado won 9-6. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

By Jeremy Kahn

With the season coming to an end in less than a month, the San Francisco Giants are limping towards the finish line.

Chris Rusin won his fourth game of the season, as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Giants 9-6 at Coors Field.

It was the 10th straight win for the Rockies over the Giants this season, as the Rockies continue their push for the second wild-card spot in the National League.

Rusin was part of an eight-man reliever crew on the evening, as Tyler Chatwood made the impromptu start for the Rockies and pitched three innings.

It was the first start for Chatwood since August 2, and he threw 61 pitches in those three innings.

Ty Blach, who is from the Denver area, gave up five runs in 5.1 innings on the first anniversary of Blach’s major league debut at Coors Field.

After falling behind 7-3 going into the top of the eighth inning, the Giants began to mount a late inning comeback.

Denard Span got the rally started, as he hit a two-run double and then Joe Panik hit a single for his fourth hit of the game. Adam Ottovino came on, and struck out Buster Posey on a pitch out of the strike zone to end the rally and the inning.

Nolan Arenado tied Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins for most RBIs in the major league with 112. Trevor Story also hit a home run for the Rockies.

Pablo Sandoval went 0-for-4 on the evening with a walk, as he is now 0-for his last 37, tying the Giants team record for longest streak without a hit. Johnnie LeMaster set the record in 1984.

NOTES: Johnny Cueto make his second start since returning from the disabled list with blisters and a strained flexor tendon.

Posey was forced to leave the game in the bottom of the eighth inning after he was hit on his throwing hand on a foul ball.

Two Giants pitchers made their major-league debuts, Reyes Moronta was recalled from Sacramento and Roberto Gomez’s contract was purchased from Sacramento.

Oakland A’s Podcast with Charlie O: Any solutions for the A’s will have to come out of their prospects and minor league system

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo courtesy of athleticsnation.com: Oakland A’s Franklin Barreto promises to lead the club in offense for the future

On the A’s Podcast with Charlie O:

1) The A’s seem to be in a death spiral right now – what’s wrong with the team right now?

2) There were four more call-ups today, who’s joining the A’s and will they have an impact?

3) Three of the A’s minor league affiliates are headed to the playoffs!

4) What’s ahead for the A’s

Catch Charlie O each week on the Oakland A’s podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Amaury only announcer in MLB covering two different teams interviewed by KRON 4 News

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo courtesy KRON 4 News San Francisco: KRON 4 News anchor Marty Gonzalez interviews Amaury Pi Gonzalez about being the only announcer in MLB to broadcast for two different teams the Oakland A’s and the Los Angeles Angels on the link below

By and Published: September 2, 2017, 12:03 pm  Courtesy of KRON 4 News San Francisco

 

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Today KRON4’s Marty Gonzalez interviewed a one-of-of-a-kind baseball announcer.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish language play-by-play announcer for the Oakland A’s and the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim.

That’s right – Two different teams, two different cities, 500 miles apart.

You might be wondering, “how does he do it?”

Amaury says he broadcasts the home games for each team.

This means he’s radio play-by-play voice while the A’s are at home at the Coliseum, and when the Angels are at home he travels to Southern California to handle play-by-play duties for Fox Deportes.

Amaury has handled broadcast double duties before.

He was the Spanish language voice for the San Francisco giants and the Seattle Mariners for three years beginning in 2003.

Amaury has also broadcast Golden State Warriors games, the Super Bowl, and championship boxing matches.

Still, the native Cuban says beisbol remains his first love.

In Studio: Baseball announcer Amaury Gonzalez talks double-duty broadcasting

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News and Commentary: A look back on former Chicago White Sox manager Al Lopez; Angels set team record of most pitchers in a game; Irma could force Rays and Marlins to neutral sites

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Parker Bridwell who started and would be preceded by a record 12 more pitchers works against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

On That’s Amaury’s Podcast:

1 Former Chicago White Sox Manager Al Lopez born to Cuban parents came to Florida and Tampa Bay was the birth place of this 19 year baseball veteran player turned manager. Lopez managed Cleveland from 1951-1956 and moved onto manage the famous 1959 Chicago White Sox known as the Go Go Sox a team that led the American League in stolen bases that season. Lopez passed away four days after the White Sox won the 2005 World Series at 97 years old.

2. 13 pitchers count em, 13 that’s what the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim used on Monday to beat the Oakland A’s 11-9 in the opening game of their series at the Oakland Coliseum it was a wild and willy game that saw the Angels use the most pitchers in a game in their franchise history and the A’s didn’t do so shyly using a total of seven pitchers in said same contest. The A’s Matt Olson clobbered two home runs but for not as the A’s fell two runs shy and lost their seventh straight game.

3 Hurricane Irma is gaining speed and it reportedly baring down on the Caribbeans. Packing winds of 185 miles per hour Irma rated a category 5  is expected to make landfall of the Caribbeans and then will make it’s way to Florida. This one packs more power than Hurricane Katrina which was a category 4. After what Florida has learned about Hurricane Harvey and it’s devastation of Texas the state of Florida and the Caribbeans both are hunkering down and calling for a state of emergency. The Miami Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays like the Houston Astros might have to find a neutral site to play their games until the emergency has been called off. The Rays Tropicana Field was used as a neutral site for the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers right after Hurricane Harvey.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the only announcer in MLB that works for two different big league teams doing the play by play for Amaury that’s the A’s on radio and Angels on TV both Spanish language and also does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Walked off by a walk? At Coors, the Giants find creative ways to lose

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment
AP17247820181173
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Cory Gearrin heads to the dugout after giving up a bases-loaded, walkoff walk to Colorado Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez in the ninth inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, in Denver. The Rockies won 4-3. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

By Morris Phillips

Giants win one at Coors Field? In 2017, that’s complicated.

The NL West cellar dwellers couldn’t decipher a familiar foe on Monday, the seventh time this season the Giants failed to get a win in Denver against the Rockies.

Chris Stratton started, looking to build on his previous three starts, and was a staked to an early lead.  But that 2-0 lead didn’t last much longer than an expedited, inning break, then the Giants’ offense went cold. The big finish was simply predictable, a bases loaded walk drawn by Carlos Gonzales, as reliever Cody Heard in failed to throw the slugger one strike with the bases loaded.

“It’s about getting the job done,” Gonzalez said. “We needed this win. We need wins. Any at-bat, whatever it is, if it’s a groundball, error, or a single, whatever gets the job done to win the game is always exciting.”

The Rockies became the first team to win games on a walk twice in a season since the 2014 Rangers. The win was the Rockies’ third against the Giants this year on the game’s final at-bat.

The Giants haven’t won at Coors Field since September 2016, losing eight straight. And the Rockies couldn’t have been more vulnerable, losing five of six in their current home stand coming in.

But the trends facing Colorado mattered little once leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon got involved.

In the midst of his finest major league season, Blackmon, contributed three hits, including a long home run, his 33rd. With the game on the line, Blackmon doubled, then later scored the winning run in the ninth.

Giants’ pitcher’s paved the path to victory for the Rockies by issuing eight walks, four by Stratton. In contrast, Rockies starter Chad Bettis and four relievers didn’t walk anyone. Bettis allowed home runs to Joe Panik and Denard Span, but limited further damage while pitching into the sixth inning.

Pablo Sandoval went 0 for 4, and is hitless in his last 33 at-bats, the longest such streak for a Giant since Johnnie LeMaster went 0 for 37 in 1984.