Month: July 2019

Alonso’s Derby Debut a Dandy: Mets slugger outlasts Vlad Jr. in epic Home Run Derby

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

CLEVELAND — Imagine a village of Paul Bunyans, each man equipped with tree trunk legs, bulging biceps and granite necks.

Yes, in that environment, Mets rookie Pete Alonso might not stand out.

But in home run derby featuring mere mortal, major league sluggers doing their thing in the presence of a jacked up, sold out crowd at Progressive Field on Monday, Alonso stood out in a major way, by methodically and decisively taking control of the T Mobile Home Run Derby one blast at a time.

“You’ve got to go in with kind of a killer instinct. It doesn’t matter how many you hit, you just need to have one more than the guy you’re at,” Alonso said.

Alonso’s focused approach was a necessity in the presence of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who thrilled the Cleveland fans with 91 total home runs–34 more than Alonso hit–a feat so prodigious and taxing, that 20-year old had little left in the contest’s last minute, falling one homer short of matching Alonso in the final round.

Both the 24-year old Alonso and Guerrero earned more than they will make as rookies this season for the Mets and Blue Jays with Alonso capturing the $1 million first place prize.

Not only did Guerrero equal his salary by capturing the second place prize money of approximately $500,000, he validated the contest’s selection process that tabbed him despite the fact he’s homered just eight times in first 61 major league games.

Guerrero decimated Oakland’s Matt Chapman 29-13 in the first round before outlasting the Dodgers’ Joc Pederson in an epic second round, 40-39. His battle with Pederson required two swingoffs to break ties and separate the sluggers.

At one point in his battle with Pederson, Guerrero homered 19 times in 25 swings. The feat was reminiscent of Josh Hamilton’s epic derby at Boston’s Fenway Park in which he homered 28 times in a span of 38 pitches. In both cases, the crowds howled with appreciation.

But in the end, Guerrero didn’t have enough to outlast Alonso.

“I’m happy I didn’t face him in the early rounds because he would’ve knocked me out,” Alonso said of Guerrero. “I gotta tip my cap. He’s a hell of a hitter, and he’s gonna have a really long career.”

“I got tired, but that’s not why I lost. There are no excuses,” Guerrero conceded. “He hit more home runs than me and he won.”

While Guerrero peppered the left field stands with his home runs, Alonso with his powerful base, sprayed homers from foul line to foul line. Alonso also maintained a relaxed motion, rarely repositioning his feet between swings, and as much as could, conserving energy.

In the end, it was the exact approach he needed to get past hometown slugger Carlos Santana in the opening round, and Ronald Acuna Jr. in the semis.

“I’m happy that I was able to conserve as much energy throughout the event, and that was huge,” Alonso said.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: US Women’s World Cup Champions? Equal Pay!

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @marceloclaure

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Yes, the FIFA Women’s World Cup champion US women’s soccer team should get equal pay like their male counterparts, but what they have to do is for their attorneys to re-negotiate their contracts. However, when it comes to this recent international World Cup, the ruling organization is FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) and FIFA has been a very corrupt organization for a long time.

FIFA would say that the Men’s World Cup is watched by half of the world, while the Women’s World Cup is not. While that is true, here in the US, the latest World Cup where the US women won their fourth World Cup accumulated a total rating bonanza for the FOX network. The last time they won the Women’s World Cup four years ago, they had an impressive 25.4 million viewers, making it the most watched soccer game in American TV history.
Yesterday, 14.3 million viewers watched the 2-0 win over the Netherlands in Lyon, France for the now four-time World Cup champs, which is up 22% over the 2018 Men’s World Cup Final.

The US women’s team that just won have a great argument to make, especially here in the US, to get paid as much as the US men’s team. This however, will be played out in a legal arena as attorneys are already involved. Today, this female championship team today has great leverage and enjoys tremendous popularity in this country. I cannot see why they cannot get equal pay.

When it comes to fútbol (soccer) in World Cup competition, the male teams always show higher ratings than their female counterparts. That is the whole world. In some countries where soccer is king, women still have to walk behind men, they are prohibited to get an education, and in some countries, they are not even allowed to drive.

But we are different that the rest of the world, so my prediction is that the US women’s team have an excellent opportunity to finally have equal pay and this is their best time for that argument.

Regardless of whether or not they get equal pay, we must congratulate them for a great World Cup. New York will welcome them with a ticker tape parade this Wednesday.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Hendriks and Chapman represent A’s at the All-Star game; Each player thrilled to be there

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @nypost

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 The Oakland A’s Liam Hendriks gets the call to represent the Oakland A’s after the Tampa Bay Rays’ Charlie Morton is a scratch. Morton, who pitched on Sunday, was not available for the All-Star game because he only got a day’s rest.

#2 Hendriks posted a 3-0 record (1.27 ERA). Hendriks is fourth in strike outs (58) and fifth in innings pitched (46.2).

#3 The Oakland A’s third baseman Matt Chapman took Sunday off to rest up to play in the All-Star game in Cleveland. Chapman hit .265, 21 home runs, 52 RBIs, 59 runs scored.

#4 Chapman will participate in the Home Run Derby. He has been hitting quite a few of them during the season and should be a great challenger on Monday night.

Jerry does the Oakland A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Will Smith had an outstanding first half, represent Giants at All-Star game

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @sfgiants_fanly

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Last Wednesday Giants reliever Will Smith and All-Star team representative pitched in relief against the San Diego Padres pitched an inning, struck out two and gave up one hit, to get his 23rd save

#2 Smith’s save looked easy in that Wednesday ninth inning. He went right through it and many of his saves have been that way.

#3 Smith has pitched so well this season he has yet to get his first blown save. He has been money in the bank closing ball games.

#4 The other report on Smith is he’s being showcased. He pitched on Saturday in relief at Oracle Park on Saturday pitching one inning, giving up one hit. He didn’t get the save, but got of the Giants out of the inning.

#5 In the last seven games, he pitched in relief he’s saved four games. Smith is a very focused reliever and doesn’t take too much time to get out of an inning.

Morris does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com also is covering the All Star game in Cleveland

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Former Cleveland second baseman Roberto Alomar honored at All-Star game

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo from Amaury Pi-Gonzalez: The Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame sign is on display at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland site of the 90th All Star Game this week.

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary:

The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame is in Cleveland, Ohio, for the 90th MLB All-Star Game, and we will be inducting to our Hall of Fame, Cleveland Indians second baseman Roberto Alomar, who is 51 years old and born in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Our exhibit will be at the Huntington Convention Center at the MLB All-Star Game in Cleveland.

Futures Game ends in a tie after eight innings. A tie? Eight innings?

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

CLEVELAND — The last time a game ended in a tie on All-Star Weekend all hell broke loose.

This time the mood was considerably lighter.  Here’s how:

The 21st addition of the showcase for the top prospects in each big league club’s stable promised to be different, and it was. For the first time, instead of the USA vs. the World format, the teams were split traditionally, National League versus American League. Also, the ballgame was shortened from nine innings to seven, in part to limit the exposure to the pitchers, in keeping with how the precious commodities are treated on the minor league circuit where young arms routinely–but sparingly–hit 100 mph on the radar gun.

Home runs, wild innings? Sure, after last year’s 10-6 slugfest in Washington D.C. in which the clubs combined to hit eight home runs, why not run it back?

Well, the slugfest never materialized. Instead, the hard throwing proliferated, and the two clubs did all they could to scratch out some runs, but after eight innings–one more than scheduled–the game ended in a 2-2 tie.

In a nod to how things are currently done at the minor league level, extra innings began with a runner at second base to promote a quick ending, again to spare young arms, and minimize the number of marathon ballgames.  But in this case, neither club was able to push across a run in the eighth.

“Guys need their (mid-season) break, so you can’t play forever, and you only have so many pitchers here,” said Nationals prospect, shortstop Carter Kieboom.

So instead of a dramatic ending, all the late drama was contained in one at-bat from Rangers’ prospect Sam Huff, who came up with a 418-foot home run off Colorado’s Ben Bowden with one on and one out in the seventh to break up a 2-0 NL shutout. Ironically, Bowden was 20 for 20 in save chances at the Double-A level this year. But on Sunday night, he walked the leadoff man, Jo Adell, then one out later, gave it up to Huff.

“He got a pitch to hit and put a great swing on it,” said Jim Thome, the legendary Cleveland slugger who managed the American League squad.

Huff was named Futures Game MVP for his dramatic homer that exited Progressive Field at more than 109 mph.

Last year’s Futures Game MVP, Cincinnati prospect Taylor Trammel knocked in a run in the fourth to put the NL up 2-0. Then with Trammel on third, and lefty Kris Bubic on the mound, Trammel attempted to steal home. But Bubic recovered from being unaware and threw a perfect pitch low and outside that garnered an out call from the home plate umpire. But replay showed that Trammel got his hand across the bag just ahead of catcher Jake Rogers’ tag. But without a replay system legislated into the Futures Game, the call stood.

The Giants’ two top prospects–catcher Joey Bart and outfielder Heliot Ramos–got into the game, but didn’t factor into the headlines. Ramos grounded a single through the middle of the infield in his only at-bat, and Bart–wearing matching, rainbow-themed gloves and cleats–went 0 for 2.

Bart did make his mark defensively, throwing out Wander Franco trying to steal second base. Franco, only 18 years old and considered the consensus, number one prospect in baseball as a Rays minor leaguer, currently plays at the Double A level. But Bart’s release and throw were perfect, reaching second base in fewer than two seconds, faster than the current, effective standard for major league catchers.

A’s prospect, Jorge Mateo, a shortstop ranked as Oakland’s eighth-best minor leaguer, singled in his first at-bat, but came up empty as one of the batters in the eighth inning given an opportunity to end the game with a runner placed on second base at the beginning of the inning.

Aces pound Liberty behind McBride and Cambage, 90-58

Published on by psushawnLeave a comment

Untitled

Photo credit: Las Vegas Aces

By Shawn McCullough

The Aces won their third straight game with a 90-58 victory over the New York Liberty at Westchester County Center.

Kayla McBride led the Aces with 24 points while hitting five of seven from three-point range.   Liz Cambage added 21 with 11 rebounds.

The Aces held the Liberty to just 29.7% from the field as defense was their primary focus against New York.

“We talked about defensive intensity, something we have been lacking the last three games,” said head coach Bill Laimbeer.  “Tonight was defensive and that was the game plan.”

“We wanted to come out and set the tone on defense first, and let our offense take over,” said McBride.  “I thought we all did a great job across the board from the bench to the starters. We came in with the mindset that we are going to get stops on defense and win this game.”

With the win, the Aces improved to 9-5 on the season and moved into a 2nd place tie with the Connecticut Sun heading into Wednesday’s game in Indiana against the Fever.

Las Vegas Aces – http://aces.wnba.com

Game Notes:

  • Liz Cambage scored in double figures for the 45th straight time, which is the longest active streak in the WNBA (season-high 21 points).
  • The Aces outscored the Liberty 42-28 in points in the paint.
  • The Liberty committed 19 turnovers.
  • Only 1, 971 fans attended the game.

Game Starters:

F – 22 A’ja Wilson
F – 21 Kayla McBride
C – 8 Liz Cambage
G – 0 Jackie Young
G – 10 Kelsey Plum

Back In Stride Again: A’s stay hot, head into All-Star break with 7-4 win over Seattle

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

Matt Chapman’s headed to the All-Star Game as a reserve, and as a last-minute addition to the Home Run Derby.

Not a bad choice. But the American League could probably do just as well with Matt Olson, Chapman’s Oakland teammate.

While Chapman enjoyed a well-deserved day of rest ahead of his flight to Cleveland, Olson showed off his All-Star worthiness with a first inning, three-run homer in the A’s 7-4 win over the Mariners. Olson’s shot was his sixth in his last 10 games, and his 19th of the season, all of them hit since May 12, five days after Olson’s delayed season debut due to a broken bone in his hand.

“You hear a lot about the hamate injury and the strength not coming back for a while,” manager Bob Melvin said of Olson. “But when you look at his home runs per at-bat, I can’t imagine it’s not right at the top of the league.”

While the A’s switched into blast-off mode in the first two innings of Sunday’s series finale, taking a 6-0 lead after Marcus Semien led off the second with a home run, the host Mariners were self-destructing, that according to manager Scott Servais.

After Olson’s blast, the next two A’s reached, then found their way around the basepaths when Dylan Moore inexplicably allowed Chad Pinder’s base hit to slide through his legs and go all the way to the wall. Chad Pinder and Ramon Laureano scored on Moore’s error.

“It was the walk. Somewhere in the middle there’s always a walk. You have to stay aggressive, and that led into the Olson three-run homer. We really couldn’t stop it after that,” Servais said.

Seattle’s response–single runs in the second, fourth, sixth and eighth innings, all of those four runs courtesy of Omar Narvaez–wasn’t enough to get the Mariners even, or knock A’s starter Daniel Mengden out of the winner’s circle. Still Narvaez’ outburst was impressive; he homered twice sandwiching a pair of run-scoring singles in a 4 for 4 performance.

Mengden’s been the perfect follow-up to Frankie Montas’ suspension, winning four of five decisions for the first time in his disjointed big-league career. On Sunday, he pitched into the sixth inning, allowing three runs on six hits and no walks.

“When you come out of the game after the fifth inning with a lead, you’ve done your job. He’s done that,” Melvin said of Mengden.

The A’s recent ascension in the standings couldn’t be more reminiscent of what the club did in 2018. At 50-41, they’re only one game off their pace of last season, the precursor to the major’s best second half record that took them to 97 wins and a wild card playoff spot. But there are a couple of key differences.

Unlike last season, the A’s still have a realistic shot at winning the AL West. The Astros have a sizeable lead at 7 1/2 games, but they A’s still have 11 of the 19 games in the season series between the clubs to make up ground. Of course, the A’s will have to quickly reverse course in the rivalry, they’ve lost seven of the first eight to the Astros in 2019.

Also unlike 2018, the A’s haven’t found a couple of opponents to take advantage of like they did with the Tigers and Blue Jays (14-0 in 2018). Instead they’ve been dominated by the same Jays and Astros (1-13 in 2019). They could find some vulnerable opponents in the second half: the A’s have season series left with the improving White Sox, the downtrodden Royals and the dominant Yankees (seven games against each club).

Most importantly, unlike 2018, the wild card race is wide open. The A’s are right in the middle of a tight race with the Rays, Indians, Red Sox and Rangers with none of the five running away with the top spot as the Yankees did in 2018. That means the A’s have a realistic shot at hosting the game this time, and if they don’t finish on top, not having to play on the road against a clearly, superior club as the Yankees were last October.

 

Longoria wins it on home run in seventh SF wins 1-0

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants’ Evan Longoria, left, is congratulated by third base coach Ron Wotus (23) after hitting a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Sunday, July 7, 2019.

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Evan Longoria ended two things against Jack Flaherty with one swing of the bat.

Longoria hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, breaking up both a shutout and a no-hitter and it helped the San Francisco Giants to a 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals before a crowd of 33,841 at Oracle Park.

This was only the third shutout of the season for the Giants and the first since April 24 against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

On the afternoon, the Giants only got two hits, and this was the fewest hits in a game where they won since a two-hit over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 30, 2018.

Flaherty was throwing a perfect game until he walked Alex Dickerson to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning.

After the Longoria home run, Dickerson singled to left, but then Flaherty got Stephen Vogt to fly out to Dexter Fowler and then Kevin Pillar lined out to Paul DeJong to end the inning.

It was the 12th home run of the season for Longoria, and his fifth in his last six games. During the six-game stretch, Longoria is hitting .429 (9-for-21) with seven extra base hits (two doubles and five home runs), 10 RBI and eight runs scored.

Longoria is no stranger to breaking up no-hitter, as it was the fourth time in his career that he broke up a no-hitter in the 7th inning or later.

With DeJong on first base in the top of the seventh inning, Paul Goldschmidt hit a line drive into the right-center gap; however, Pillar flew through into the air and made a fantastic catch that kept the game scoreless.

The Longoria home run made a winner out of Jeff Samardzija, who pitched a tremendous game, as he went seven innings, scattering four hits and striking out two on his way to picking up his sixth win of the season.

This was the first time since August 28 and September 2, 2017 that Samardzija went seven innings with two or fewer runs. That was also the last time he pitched at seven innings in consecutive starts.

It was a tough loss for Flaherty, who also went seven innings, allowing one run on just two hits, walking one and striking out six and saw his record fall to 4-6 on the season.

Sam Dyson pitched one inning, allowing one hit and struck out three. Closer Will Smith came on in the top of the ninth inning and despite giving up a single to Goldschmidt, he picked up his 23rd save in 23 chances, as Fowler grounded into a double play to end the game.

Over his last 19 outings, Smith has not allowed a run in 17 of those games and is possessing a 0.96 earned run average (two earned runs in 18.2 ip) with 30 strikeouts and opposing hitters are hitting .156 against him.

NOTES: Pillar also drove in the only run of the game on April 11, when he homered against the Colorado Rockies in a 1-0 Giants victory that made a winner out of Samardzija.

The Giants are now 18-9 in one-run games and 4-7 in final games of the series.

This was the seventh time this season that the Cardinals have been shutout, and it was the first time that the Cardinals have lost a series to the Giant since May 19-21, 2017 at Busch Stadium.

UP NEXT: Following the All-Star break, the Giants begin a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.

Shaun Anderson will open the series against the Brewers at Miller Park on Friday night, followed by Madison Bumgarner and Tyler Beede. The Brewers starter has yet to be determined.

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s chipping away at Astros first place lead in AL West

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Khris Davis and the A’s came into Seattle for their series with the Mariners on a roll. (AP)

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey F:

#1 Joey tells us about A’s catcher Chris Herrmann’s big day on 4th of July last Thursday a grand slam, four hits and a run scored it was the last time Herrmann was in the line up but he made the best of it.

#2 The A’s are going well right now winning four of their last seven games. They’ve won two out of three from the Los Angeles Angels, A’s won two out of three from the Minnesota Twins, and on their trip to Seattle the A’s took the first game 5-2 and lost the second game on Saturday 6-3.

#3 The A’s have been getting pitching even in the loss on Saturday they got some substance from their starter Tanner Anderson who went 4.2 innings, nine hits, one earned run with two walks and three strikeouts.

#4 You can never tell what can happen on any given day in baseball the Mariners are a last place team but they battled A’s on Saturday and scored run in the middle innings but the A’s on the other hand are chipping away at the Houston Astros seven game lead in the AL West.

#5 A’s and Mariners conclude their three game series on Sunday the A’s will start Daniel Mengden (3-1 ERA 4.67) the Mariners starter Matt Carasiti (0-0 ERA 1.80). This will be the last game ending the first half of the season before the All Star game in Cleveland on Tuesday night.

Joey does the A’s podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com