Author: Sports Radio Service

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcast with Joe Lami: Blues look to even series, but Sharks look to move two games up tonight

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Photo credit: @NBCSSharks

On the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcast with Joe Lami:

#1 Joe explain the overtime goal from San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson that got guided in from teammate Timo Meier with the glove hand to teammate Gustav Nyquist, who stick passed it to Karlsson and shot it past St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington.

#2 The Sharks got the Wednesday night comeback win from a 4-3 deficit as the Sharks’ Logan Couture scored the tying goal in the third period at 18:59. The Sharks, again, played like their playoff lives depended on it and made a comeback.

#3 Couture also leads NHL playoff leaders in goals with 13 goals and 19 points. He’s having a fine offensive postseason.

#4 The Boston Bruins swept the Carolina Panthers in four games with a 4-0 shutout Thursday night. The Bruins didn’t show any lows at all in the series and have been very consistent throughout the playoffs.

#5 The Bruins now wait for the winner of the St. Louis and San Jose series. Joe tells us who he thinks the Bruins prefer to play in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Joe Lami does the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Earthquakes podcast with Ana Kieu: Quakes move up in MLS power rankings

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Photo credit: @SJEarthquakes

On the San Jose Earthquakes podcast with Ana:

1. The Quakes moved up 12 spots in the MLS power rankings from Opening Night.

2. Quakes defender Nick Lima was recognized for his performance vs. FC Cincinnati on May 4.

3. The Quakes tweeted a photo of head coach Matias Almeyda and assistant coach Benjamin Galindo on Teacher Appreciation Day. Was that really necessary?

4. The San Jose Earthquakes Foundation partnered with the Spartan East Side Promise for the second year in a row.

5. Quakes midfielder Shea Salinas was named April’s Innovator of the Month presented by Audi.

Ana does the San Jose Earthquakes podcast each week for SportsRadioService.com

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs/San Jose Sharks podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh: Another controversial no call; this time, it goes Sharks way

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Photo credit: @theScoreNHL

On the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs/Sharks podcast with Mary Lisa:

#1 How controversial was that no call against the St. Louis Blues after the San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson scored the game-winner?

#2 The Sharks Joe Thornton and Karlsson were key in St. Louis for Game 3. They both scored a goal each.

#3 The Sharks gained a whole lot of momentum after winning Game 3 after losing to the Blues 3-2 in San Jose. The win on Wednesday night to take a 2-1 series lead was crucial.

#4 The Blues had one hot period when they scored four goals that got them in the second period.

#5 The Sharks are in St. Louis for Game 5 and a chance to take a 3-1 series lead. The Blues are playing pretty even with San Jose, and if they turn it up a notch, they could win and tie the series again 2-2 if they can beat San Jose on Friday night.

Mary Lisa does the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: How much of a force are the Bucks?; Warriors look to take second game against Blazers; plus more

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Photo credit: @BleacherReport

On the Headline Sports podcast with Tony:

#1 The Milwaukee Bucks are truly a force to reckon with. The Bucks opened their series with the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night with a game one 108-100 victory in Milwaukee.

#2 The Bucks’ Brook Lopez led the Bucks in scoring with 29 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points. The Bucks have this great punch at the top of the offensive lineups.

#3 Kevin Durant not expected to be back for game two of Golden State’s playoff game against the Portland Trailblazers. We ask Tony if the Warriors will rest Durant for the rest of the series.

#4 Even with Durant out, the Warriors managed to get a 22-point win in game one. The Blazers are predicted to be overmatched in this series.

#5 The Oakland A’s went 1-8 on their last road trip, The A’s are on a nine-game trip this time and have already lost the first two games by just a run in each game. What’s lacking — hitting or pitching not closing the deal in the end of games?

Join Tony for Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s look to improve on their road record; play in Detroit tonight

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Photo credit: @NBCSAthletics

On the A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 The Oakland A’s enjoyed a rare Wednesday off and are ready to open a four-game series with the Detroit Tigers on Thursday at Comerica Park.

#2 The A’s are struggling on the road with a 5-15 record and the A’s were 1-8 on their last nine game trip.

#3 The A’s lost the first two games of this trip to Seattle by one-run games 6-5 and 4-3.

#4 A day gives a team a lot to think about. What are some of the things that the A’s need to consider in trying to make this a good road trip the rest of the way?

#5 The A’s will be starting Chris Bassitt (1-1, 2.55 ERA) for the Tigers Spencer Turnbull (2-2, 2.42 ERA). Talk a little about this match up and the job Bassitt has done for the A’s.

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

ShotTracker partners with Mountain West

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Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

ShotTracker, the revolutionary sensor-based system that delivers real-time statistics and analytics to teams, fans and broadcast networks, today announced it has partnered with the Mountain West to provide basketball data tracking and analytics services during all conference basketball games through the 2023-24 season.

ShotTracker will install its system across 23 practice and game facilities at all 11 MW schools for both men’s and women’s basketball programs. Each student-athlete will wear a ShotTracker player sensor and use the ShotTracker-enabled version of their school’s basketball provider. The sensors track player and ball movement in real time, providing MW programs with 70+ unique statistics. This provides the MW with access to instantaneous data that no conference has unilaterally had access to before.

The MW and ShotTracker worked together during select 2018-2019 regular season basketball games and the Air Force Reserve MW Men’s Basketball Championship at the Thomas & Mack Center to test the technology. That pilot program enjoyed massive success, prompting the MW to become the first conference to integrate ShotTracker’s technology across men’s and women’s basketball programs for its conference games and practice facilities.

“The Mountain West prides itself on innovation and we’re proud to be the first conference to partner with ShotTracker conference-wide,” MW Senior Associate Commissioner Dan Butterly said. “Our coaches understand that real-time data, analytics and reporting are going to be invaluable for improving team performance. Our student-athletes will have access to post-practice and game analytics data that can help them better understand their specific performance and help them find ways to improve. Plus, Mountain West fans will, for the first time, have access to real-time analytics to better follow their favorite teams.”

Currently, the NCAA doesn’t permit the transmission of data to the bench during game play. The conference-wide partnership with ShotTracker allows the MW to submit a waiver request to the NCAA competition committee to get access to ShotTracker’s data and video on the bench during every conference game via the ShotTracker app. ShotTracker has been involved in testing for teams to provide feedback to the NCAA as it relates to a possible change to this rule. Bench access to ShotTracker’s team app could be granted to visiting non-conference teams who also approve the use of the system. This partnership uniquely positions the MW to help redefine the use of technology and instantaneous analytics at the NCAA level.

ShotTracker’s data is also provided to conference broadcast partners, offering commentators unparalleled opportunities to integrate these statistics into their commentary. During the 2018-19 pilot, MW broadcasts featured real-time shot charts, player spacing and ball movement metrics, as well as offensive and defensive trend comparison graphics that supported the announcer’s commentary live and during replays — all with sub-second latency.

The MW partnership represents the next monumental step for ShotTracker to revolutionize the sport and become as integral to basketball facilities as WiFi is to coffee shops.

“It is incredibly exciting getting to work with conferences like the Mountain West that recognize and understand ShotTracker’s vision for how it can overhaul sports,” ShotTracker president and co-founder Davyeon Ross said. “We’re proud to provide teams with unparalleled game and practice data while also giving their fans an enhanced viewing experience.”

This is the latest example of the MW’s commitment to innovation. In September 2006, the MW became the first conference to launch its own 24/7 linear television network, The Mountain West Sports Network, also known as The MTN. The conference also was the first to work with DVSport to design and implement the basketball instant replay system that is now utilized in the NCAA Tournament and across the nation. In 2003, the MW became one of the first college basketball conferences to sign with Precision Timing Systems.

“The Mountain West continues to stand out for being a pioneer in adopting the latest cutting-edge technologies,” Ross added. “As the sports world continues to embrace technology, ShotTracker and the Mountain West have set a new standard for what teams and fans can expect for the speed and detail of basketball player tracking data. We know other conferences will soon follow their lead to ultimately increase on-court performance through our technology.”

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Warriors make easy work of Blazers; Raptors-Bucks series feels almost like NBA Finals itself; plus more

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nba.com photo: Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) drives the lane against the Portland Trail Blazers defense in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals last Tuesday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

On the Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 The Golden State Warriors head into Game 2 Thursday night at Oracle Arena after coming away with a 116-94 win over the Portland Trailblazers. Is the 22-point win an indication of where the Warriors are in this series?

#2 You talk about the best versus the best. The Toronto Raptors with Kawhi Leonard and the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo. It’s a series that very well could go seven games.

#3 The San Jose Sharks and the St. Louis Blues, who were a tough pick on who wins this series, are all tied up. The Sharks, who opened with home ice, set the tone with a three-goal 6-3 win in Game 1, lost Game 2 in a 3-2 squeaker that had the Sharks trying to figure out the Blues all night. Game 3 Wednesday night in St. Louis will prove no different as these teams are expected to provide a close contest and an unpredictable game.

#4 The San Jose Earthquakes host the Chicago Fire at Avaya Stadium this Saturday. The Quakes are coming off a 3-1 loss last Saturday in New England to the Revolution, but were undefeated previous to that in four games with two wins and two ties. The Quakes are ninth in the West with three wins, six loses and two draws. For the Fire, they are eighth in the East with four wins, four loses, and four draws.

#5 In baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias was arrested and put on administrative leave for domestic abuse. Urias was arrested at a Los Angeles parking lot at a shopping mall. Details of what happened were not forthcoming, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said no matter this is not the ideal situation.

London Marq does Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants feature: He was a Giant? A Foster Folly; Former Giants outfielder George Foster

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photo provided from autographwarehouse.com: Former San Francisco Giant outfielder George Foster who was dealt to Cincinnati in 1971 part of Tony the Tiger’s feature He was a Giant?

THE FOSTER FOLLY

By Tony “the Tiger” Hayes

SAN FRANCISCO — On the night that Nick Vincent was Be-Bop-A-Lulaed by Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. — in the worst opening act experiment San Francisco has witnessed since Country Joe & the Fish warmed up a 1978 Winterland audience for the Sex Pistols — we take a look back at another disastrous Orange & Black event: the botched 1971 trade of George Foster.

He Was a Giant?
The Giants never considered Foster more than a backup to Willie Mays.

So it was pretty ironic that six years after SF dealt Foster to the Reds for next to nothing, the late blooming star would became the first slugger to bash 50 HR in a season since… Willie Mays.

Foster had not shown much in his 54 game audition in SF, so it wasn’t much of a shocker when he was dealt to Cincinnati for a pair of nobodies in 1971.

At first, nobody thought much of the swap – either way.

The pair of players the Giants received washed out of SF quicker than an Ocean Beach riptide and Foster stalled initially in the Queen City.

But after Foster had established himself as one of the ferocious power threats of the 1970s, the trade was forever cemented as one of the most atrocious swaps of Giants history, right alongside the blundering bartering of Orlando Cepeda.

Why Was He a Giant?
Foster actually replaced Mays in the Giants lineup mid-game in his big league debut in 1969. The club was auditioning farm talent as potential replacements for the aging Mays, but the painfully shy, still developing Foster — who was disqualified from the Vietnam War draft due to an old back injury — didn’t scream future star.

He saw just limited action in ‘69. The pattern repeated itself in 1970.

The Giants were on their way to their first ever western division title in 1971 when they swapped Foster to the Reds in late May for SS Frank Duffy and RHP Vern Geishert.

Before & After
A Giants third round pick out of Southern California, Foster began opening eyes at Single-A Fresno in ‘69, driving 14 HR and batting a gaudy .321, prompting the late season cameo with SF.

In 1970 he leapfrogged Double-A and starred at Triple-A Phoenix- resulting in another September call up to Candlestick Park.

The Giants were on their way to their first ever western division title in 1971 when they swapped Foster to the Reds in late May. In 36 games. Foster was batting .267 with 3 HR for SF

The star stacked Reds would show patience with Foster easing him along until he finally ripened.

Beginning in 1976 – when he was voted All-Star Game MVP – , Foster would lead the NL in RBI for three straight campaigns. In 1977 – the season he crushed 52 long balls, Foster was the run away NL MVP. Foster ended with 348 career HR and 1135 RBI.

He Never Got A (Giants) Bobblehead. But…
Shortly before his trade away from the Giants, Foster produced his first four- hit big league game, batting 4-for-4, with 3 RBI with a double and solo HR off Mike McQueen in a 5-3 win at Atlanta (4/28/71).

Giant Footprint
The returns the Giants received for Foster are legendarily ignominious, but if you’ve blotted the painful memory from your brain pan, here’s a refresher.

First, Geishert. Most followers of horrible Giants trades know the right-handed never did play for the Giants in the big leagues. But according to his Baseball Reference page Geishert never even appeared in a game in the minors for SF as well!

Duffy, a Stanford man, batted 5-for-28 in 28 games for the Giants through the end of ‘71 and then was dealt as part of another of the Giants careless trades. This time, Duffy exited town, going to Cleveland along with great Gaylord Perry for the catastrophe that was pitcher Sam McDowell.

By the way, it was the SF based punk group the Avengers who actually opened for the Sex Pistols in ‘78.

Guerrero Jr. homers twice in Blue Jays’ 7-3 win over Giants

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-In his first ever appearance as a major leaguer at Oracle Park, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., did not disappoint the allegiance of Toronto Blue Jays fans in the crowd.

Guerrero Jr. launched a solo home run deep over the center field wall, helping the Blue Jays to a 7-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a crowd of 31,230 at Oracle Park.

Once again, the first inning was a troublesome inning for the Giants, as with the three runs that the Blue Jays scored in the first inning, the Giants have been outscored 45-5 in the opening frame.

In his next at-bat, Guerrero Jr. singled and then walked in his third at-bat, as the rookie is proving to everyone why he was the number one minor league prospect coming into the 2019 season.

Nick Vincent was the opener for the Giants, and pitched the first inning, allowing three runs on four hits and threw 31 pitches in that opening frame.

This was the second start of Vincents career, as he started a game on August 21, 2018, while pitching for the Seattle Mariners against the Houston Astros at Safeco Field. In that game, Vincent threw two perfect innings.

Vincent gave way to Tyler Beede, who pitched 2.1 innings, striking out five, including the side in the top of the third inning.

Trent Thornton went the first 5.2 innings for the Blue Jays, as he allowed two runs on three hits, walking five and striking out seven, as he won his first major league game.

Thornton also picked up his first major league hit, as he singled in the top of the fourth inning off of Beede. He liked hitting so much that he added a single in the top of the sixth inning off of Reyes Moronta.

Guerrero Jr. added a second home run in the top of the sixth inning, as on the first pitch he saw from Moronta, it landed about one-quarter up into the left-center field bleachers.

The home run was measured at 451 feet, a three-run shot that scored Thornton and former Oakland As second baseman Eric Sogard, who was hit by a pitch just prior to the Guerrero Jr. home run.

Pablo Sandoval gave Giants fans their only bit of excitement in the bottom of the third inning, as he hit his fifth home run of the season that scored Joe Panik, who led off the inning with a single.

Sandoval walked in the fifth and seventh innings, and it marked the two walks of the season for him.

NOTES: With those four hits in the first inning, opponents are now 55-for-172 in the first inning, a batting average of .320. On the other side of things, the Giants are now 23-for-135, a .167 clip in the first inning.

Aaron Altherr was added to the 25-man roster, while to make room for Altherr, the Giants designated Catcher Erik Kratz for assignment.

UP NEXT: Shaun Anderson will make his major-league debut for the Giants in the series and home stand finale on Wednesday afternoon.

This season for the Sacramento Rivercats, Anderson was 2-1 with a 4.11 earned run average, as he walked 11 and struck out 37 in 35 innings.

Edwin Jackson will make his season debut for the Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon, and will make major-league history in the process.

The Blue Jays are the 14th major league team of Jacksons career, breaking a tie he currently shares with Octavio Dotel.

In his career, Jackson has worn the uniforms of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa (Devil) Rays, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, and Oakland Athletics, prior to signing with the Blue Jays.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Barbara Mason: Will Irving reunite with LeBron in L.A.?; Leonard’s 4-bouncer rim shot gets Raptors in the semi Finals; plus more

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Photo credit: @AFordTaurus

Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury on That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 What about all the talk from ESPN radio that they can see a LeBron James and Kyrie Irving reunion at the Los Angeles Lakers especially if Jason Kidd had come on board as head coach but Frank Vogel got the job as Lakers head coach? Stephen A Smith says that not going to happen that his sources tell him that Irving is going to the Knicks and Brooklyn is trying to weigh in on Irving, but Irving is focused on going to the Knicks and Madison Square Garden.

#2 The Toronto Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard sunk a four-bouncer on the rim and got the Raptors into the next round defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 92-90 on a buzzer beater. Leonard had himself a game finishing with 41 points in a Game 7 elimination contest to advance to face the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals.

#3 The Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lilliard will be all the rage as the Blazers are coming off a narrow 4-3 win past the Denver Nuggets. It took seven games for the Blazers to advance. Do the Blazers have enough to go deep with Golden State? In game one the Warriors rolled past Portland 116-94.

#4 In hockey, the San Jose Sharks and St Louis Blues played Game 2 Monday night in the best of seven in this third round of the NHL Stanley Cup Western Conference Final. The Sharks have been getting help from all around, but the Sharks’ Timo Meier has been on fire with two goals scored in Game 1. The Sharks had home ice in game for the first two games.

#5 The Oakland A’s opened up a two-game series in Seattle on Monday night the A’s got five homers but couldn’t win it in the end. The A’s and M’s are battling for that third place spot in the American League West and are two games out of second place but eight games behind Houston. The A’s and M’s have almost identical records in a short series that could prove to test the A’s on the road and the M’s against an A’s team who’s capable to break out the bats and get good pitching.

Barbara does That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary every Tuesday night and is a freelance writer for Area Grande Spanish papers at http://www.sportsradioservice.com