A’s environmental report for Jack London Square ballpark released: City of Oakland goal park to be a destination

Oakland A’s team president David Kaval stands by the glass door at the Oakland Coliseum. Kaval  hopes if everything works out the construction of the A’s new park at Howard Terminal at Jack London Square should break ground by 2023 (file photo from the San Francisco Chronicle)

By Jerry Feitelberg and Joe Hawkes (SRS staff writers)

OAKLAND–The City of Oakland released an environmental impact report on Friday that proposes a new state of the art stadium for the Oakland A’s on the waterfront site at Howard Terminal. The new park would included 35,000 seats, 3,000 units of residential condos, housing, apartments, office working space consisting of 1.5 million feet and retail business space of 270,000 feet.

The A’s who have offices at Jack London Square will move the rest of their operations from their offices at the Oakland Coliseum to Jack London Square when the park is ready. The city said that they had envisioned big plans and ideas for the waterfront site and to convert it into a neighborhood for living, shopping, entertainment, and the A’s new park.

This is the A’s second attempt to get a park built in downtown Oakland their first attempt was at the Laney College location located at Lake Merritt but that was shot down after the college’s faculty staff objected to the A’s building a stadium at the site and it would disrupt business and traffic.

The A’s are now seeking the Howard Terminal site this time they have the city behind them on this project not to mention the 2018 legislation bill AB734 which the legislature passed which requires all complaints against the construction of the new park be filed under 270 days.

If the A’s can not move to Howard Terminal it had been suggested that the A’s could stay at the Oakland Coliseum location but the A’s and Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred are all in for moving to Howard Terminal and that the Coliseum location for a new park is not an option.

Kaval said that he was pleased about getting the environmental impact report out and looked at it as a step forward towards getting started on the new Howard Terminal ballpark “We are really excited to get our draft out there, and to advance the project forward so it can be voted on by the City Council this year, which is really our key goal.”

Opponents to the new park have stated that traffic, parking, poor transit access are some of the issues that dockworkers and maritime residents have said they are concerned about. The port is concerned about conducting their business while their are ball games taking place, traffic from retail, restaurants, and housing residents.

Stadium opponents spokesman Mike Jacob vice president of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association said “that Oakland’s working waterfront is no place for a stadium, office and luxury condominium complex at this location.”

Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s beat reporter and Joe Hawkes is a news contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings snap nine game losing streak defeat Pistons 110-107

The Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) struggles to get away from being fouled by the Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, left as the Pistons Dennis Smith behind Barnes watches Fri Feb 26, 2021 at Little Cesar’s Arena in Detroit (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Simply put, the Sacramento Kings are in trouble. Offensively they are struggling and their defense is atrocious. Their Head Coach Luke Walton is having meltdowns on the sidelines out of pure frustration.

Their rookie phenom Tyrese Haliburton is out with a calf injury and to top it all off, they have lost nine games in a row. The last time they won was February 7th a win over the Clippers 113-110. Since then it has been a goose egg. The Kings finally woke up at Little Cesar’s Arena in Detroit with a 110-107 victory to snap their nine game losing streak on Friday night.

The Kings took on the Detroit Pistons another struggling team. The Pistons have the second worst record in the NBA and the Kings are not far behind. Thursday night the Kings allowed 140 points against the NBA’s worst offense the New York Knicks.

Sacramento’s nine game losing streak ties their longest losing streak in 12 years. De’Aaron Fox had a very productive game shooting for 29 points and eight assists. Harrison Barnes had 22 points and Bagley had 19 points.

Very decent numbers but the team still managed to lose the game. Off the bench Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points. The Knicks had some firepower off the bench with Julius Randle who had 21 points. The Kings just could not handle the Knicks.

The Kings three point attempts were better in the Knick game, all fingers point to the defense which is still lacking. The question is can the Kings pull it together to beat the worst team in the Eastern Conference. Can they break this losing streak tonight.

At the half the Kings held a slim lead 55-52. The Kings were setting a nice pace in the first quarter and led 35-25 as time elapsed. They stumbled in the second quarter struggling to maintain that lead and didn’t get a whole lot of help off the bench in the absence of Haliburton. The possibility of losing a tenth game in a row loomed over their heads heading into the second half.

In the third quarter it was a close one with both teams trading the lead. In the final minutes of the third quarter the Pistons started to show up and led by the score of 80-75 after three quarters. Every one of the Sacramento starters had shot double digits but the bench had only contributed two points the entire game.

Midway through the fourth quarter the Kings had tied the game at 91. After trailing by as many as eight points Sacramento was fighting to end their losing streak and getting back to the business of winning.

With 7.4 left in the final quarter and a 110-107 Kings lead Sacramento was finally able to get back in the win column. De’Aaron Fox finished with 27 points and Harrison Barnes had 21. Bagley and Holmes each had 19 points while Buddy Hield had 14.

The King’s bench was a real disappointment with only ten points in the game to the Pistons 34 points off the bench. It wasn’t pretty and it was as close as they come but it was a win and it has been a long time coming.

Sunday night the Kings will take on the Charlotte Hornets in a game that will be anything but easy. If Sacramento can get Haliburton back on the bench and play with the confidence they gained in this win they just might be able to compete with Charlotte. Tipoff is at 7:00 PM PT.

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings can’t control worst offense in NBA as Knicks score 140 points

The New York Knicks leading scorer Immanuel Quickley guard (5) is congratulated by forward Obbi Toppin (1) after scoring on the Sacramento Kings on Thu Feb 25, 2021 at Madison Square Garden New York (AP News photo

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah nine straight loses in the row how bad does it have to get for Sacramento (12-20)?

#2 140 points by one of the worst offenses in the NBA the New York Knicks (16-17) was this a game the Kings defense just let down or was it a Knicks team that just keep running up the score and doing the right thing to move the ball?

#3 Immanuel Quickley led New York with 25 points, Alec Burks 24 points, Julius Randall 21 points, and Derrick Rose followed up with 18 points they made it look easier than in other games with previous opponents.

#4 If De’Aaron Fox 29 points and Harrison Barnes 22 points carried the team last night  and no one is helping out on the defense end and everyone is at a lose for the Kings right now?

#5 Tonight the Kings are in Detroit to face the Pistons (9-23). The Pistons have won four of their last ten games which includes a win over the Brooklyn Nets 122-111 on Feb 9th. How do you see this match up tonight turning out at Little Caesar’s Arena?

Join Jeremiah for the Kings podcasts each Friday morning at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson Fri Feb 26, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Cal Bears podcast with Michael Duca: Cal can’t win on the home floor either; Tipped by OSU 59-57

The Cal Bears forward Andre Kelly (right) puts the pressure on the Oregon State Beavers center Roman Silva (left) in the first half of the Beavers and Bears game at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Thu Feb 25, 2021 (AP News photo)

On the Cal Bears podcast with Michael:

#1 Cal (8-18) who suffered another loss their tenth out of their last 11 games this time in close fashion to the visiting Oregon State Beavers (12-11) on Thursday night 59-57.

#2 Michael did you think it would get worse after they lost in Seattle to a struggling Washington Huskies (5-19) team on their last road trip last Saturday?

#3 Cal had a good first half taking the lead at intermission 33-28 they were getting some good defense and the Beavers just couldn’t covert enough to keep up going into the locker room five points down.

#4 In the second half the Beavers outscored Cal by seven and it was Cal who couldn’t keep the defense up and to make matters worse a tough loss on the home floor.

#5 Cal hosts it’s last game of the regular season against the Oregon Ducks (15-5) on Saturday night at Haas Pavilion the Ducks have won seven of their last eight games. The Ducks in their last game against Stanford (14-10) won on Thursday night 71-68 how do you see this last home game for Cal against Oregon on Saturday night.

Michael Duca did the Cal Bears basketball podcasts for the 2021 season and will do the San Francisco Giants podcasts mid March for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears podcast with Michael Duca Fri Feb 26, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Ducks win 71-68, despite second-half surge by Cardinal

Photo credit: gostanford.com

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Thursday, February 25, 2021

Chris Duarte’s 24 points topped a balanced Oregon attack on Thursday, as the Ducks held off Stanford 71-68 in Pac-12 men’s basketball at Maples Pavilion.

Stanford’s Ziaire Williams had a chance to tie the game with 0.4 seconds remaining, but missed his 3-point attempt.

Oregon took the lead for good at 65-64 on a Duarte 3-pointer, Chandler Lawson’s dunk made it a three-point lead 48 seconds later, and the Ducks sank 4 of 6 at the foul line down the stretch to secure the win.

Williams scored seven points in a 13-4 run that gave Stanford a 56-50 lead with 9:06 left in the second half. In this competitive battle, there were four ties and five lead changes.

Duarte scored 17 of his points in the final 10 minutes. He also had two steals, two blocks and three rebounds while hitting 9 of 16 from the field. LJ Figueroa was next for the Ducks with 13 points and three assists. Figueroa and Duarte each made three 3-pointers.

Eugene Omoruyi scored 10 points, Eric Williams Jr. was next with 10 and Chandler Lawson added nine points for Oregon (15-5 overall, 10-4 Pac-12). Omoruyi pulled down 10 of the Ducks’ 32 rebounds.

Jaiden Delaire was the Cardinal’s top scorer with 15 points, followed by Daejon Davis with 13 points and Spencer Jones with 11 points. Delaire was 7 of 14 on field goals, while Davis and Jones each hit three 3-pointers.

Bryce Wills led Stanford with seven boards, with Delaire, Davis and Jones each grabbing five rebounds.

Oscar da Silva, Stanford’s leading scorer and rebounder, did not play due to an undisclosed injury.

Stanford (14-10 overall, 10-8 Pac-12) lost the game despite outscoring the Ducks 36-30 in the paint and 18-9 off the bench. Oregon outscored the Cardinal 14-8 off turnovers and 12-7 on second-chance points.

The Cardinal shot 53 percent from the field in the second half, 49 percent for the game. Oregon, meanwhile, shot 41.9 percent on field goals and 9 of 13 at the free throw line.

Stanford hosts Oregon State on Saturday for Senior Day with a 3:30 p.m. tipoff at Maples.

Kings fall to Knicks 140-121, lose 9th straight game

Photo credit: reuters.com

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

The Sacramento Kings are floundering around like a dying duck. The Kings had an off day on Wednesday as they prepared to take on the upstart New York Knicks on Thursday night. The Kings came into Thursday on an eight-game losing streak. They lost to the Brooklyn Nets in their previous game. On Tuesday, the Kings lost to the Knicks in blowout fashion 140-121 at Madison Square Garden.

The Kings weren’t able to snap the streak against maybe the best team in the NBA. The Kings were set to play at 4:30 PM PST at Madison Square Garden. 

In the first half, the Kings played terribly. In the first quarter, the Kings allowed the last ranked offense in the NBA to score 38 points. The Kings offense was able to put up 29 points, but it was not enough to outpace the Knicks. In the second quarter, it was more of the same. The Knicks added another 39 points in the quarter and managed to score 33 themselves. Even though the Kings managed to score 60 first half points, they still went into halftime losing 77-60. It would take a miracle in the second half to snap the losing streak. 

The second half started better than the first. In the third quarter, the Kings held the Knicks to 24 points and scored 32 themselves. It looked like the beginning of a comeback. However, it didn’t last long. The Kings allowed the Knicks to score 39 points in the fourth as the Kings only managed 27 points. The Kings would lose their ninth game in a row 140-121 to the Knicks.

The Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox, who managed to score 29 points. Immanuel Quickley led the Knicks with scored 25 points and Alex Burks scored 19 points in the fourth quarter. It was an embarrassing loss for the Kings as they will have to look to their game on Friday to right the ship. 

Up Next: The Kings have a back to back game against the Detroit Pistons in Detroit on Friday at 5 PM PST. 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Latino Power The Top Sluggers in Baseball

The Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols poses for a portrait on Feb 18, 2020 at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe during last year’s spring training in Arizona (Orange County Register file photo)

Latino Power The Top Sluggers in Baseball

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The 2021 baseball season is scheduled to begin on April 1. Today, among all active players, the top four (4) active sluggers with the most home runs are all Latinos. Albert Pujols (Angels) 662, Miguel Cabrera (Tigers) 487, Edwin Encarnación (Free Agent) 424, Nelson Cruz (Twins) 417.

They all play with teams in the American League and are the only active Latino players with 400 plus home runs. 1-Albert Pujols (Dominican Republic) will begin the last year of a $240 million ten-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols played 2001-2011 with the St Louis Cardinals and since 2012 to date with the Angels.

This would be his 20th season. His most impressive statistic is his runs batted in, which shows his great and consistent hitting excellence. Pujols is #3 among the all-time RBI leaders in history with 2,100 runs-batted-in.

Only Henry Aaron (2,297) and Babe Ruth (2,213) is ahead of him. He doesn’t like to talk about his statistics while playing, he always told me; “hablaremos de eso cuando me retire, pero no ahora” -trans: “when I retire we can talk about it, but not now”.

Pujols is #5 on the All-Time home run list behind, Barry Bonds, Henry Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Alex Rodríguez.  Pujols begins 2021 with 662 home runs; no other active player is remotely close. 2-Miguel Cabrera (Venezuela) Detroit Tigers. He is also at the twilight of his career, one of the top clutch hitters of his generation.

I once asked Cabrera how he manages to hit so well – over .360 with runners in scoring position: “I don’t know, but I have the same approach every time I come to the plate.” Cabrera began with the Florida Marlins in 2003 and played there until 2007.

From 2008 until today with the Detroit Tigers Cabrera is the ninth player in history to win three (3) consecutive batting titles. In 2012 became first player since Carl Yastremski (1967) to win the Triple Crown. He has won most hitting awards. Hard working and an easy going player that is also a future Hall of Famer.

Cabrera is a lifetime .313 hitter in his 18 years of play. Cabrea begins 2021 with 487 round-trippers. 3-Edwin Encarnación (Dominican Republic) at the time of this article he is a Free Agent and looking to return for his 17th Major League Season.

The Chicago White Sox declined their $12 million club option for his services last November, after a disappointing 2020 season he played 44 of the 60 game-schedule with the White Sox hit .157 with ten home runs and 19 RBIs.

During his years in Toronto Encarnación produced the best power numbers at the plate and is considered the best Designated Hitter in the history of the Blue Jays. Played with the Reds, Blue Jays, Indians, Mariners, Yankees and White Sox. Colorful and happy-go-lucky player, after he hits a home run he sticks out his right arm and holds it parallel to the ground as he rounds the bases, the fans called it “Walking the Parrot” – he said, he is fine with it.

He stands today with 424 home runs. 4-Nelson Cruz (Dominican Republic) Cruz is back this season as the Designated Hitter for the Minnesota Twins, a heavy-laden home run line-up. The Twins own the current single season record for most home runs by a team with 307 in 2019.

From 2005-2020 a 16-year career for “Nelly “considered one of the most dangerous and impressive home run hitters in the game, many of his shots flirting with the 500 foot distance are real mammoth shots.

When younger players talk about ‘launch angle’ it is like they’re talking about this man swing, Cruz always swings for the fences. There is no joke to his nickname, “Boomstick”. One of his most memorable quotes: “I always have high expectations for me” At 40 years of age, Cruz is still a very dangerous hitter. He will begin 2021 with 417 home runs.

MLB is altering the baseball slightly this season. A memo was sent to all 30 clubs citing an independent lab that found the new balls will fly one to two feet shorter on balls hit over 375 feet.

However, this will not affect Pujols, Cabrera, Encarnación or Cruz, because for these types of power guys when they square a ball, it would not matter if the ball is heavier or not, it will fly. Latinos not active (all-time home run list) #4 Alex Rodríguez 696, #9 Sammy Sosa 609, #13 Rafael Palmeiro 569, #14 Reggie(Martínez) Jackson 563, #15 Manny Ramírez 555, #17 David Ortíz 541, #20 Ted Williams 521 #31 Adrián Beltré 477, #34 Carlos Delgado 473, #37 José Canseco 462, #40 Vladimir Guerrero 449, #46 Carlos Beltrán 435, #47 Juan González 434, #55 Alfonso Soriano 412.

There are many more great Latino players who retired with less than 400 home runs’ Longest Home Run ever? George Herman “Babe” Ruth (NY) in 1921 hit a 575 foot blast at Navin Field in Detroit; there are stories of Ruth hitting some even longer.

Stay well and stay tuned.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s Spanish radio Network and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Stanford Cardinal podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Cardinal and Ducks coming off tough loses face off tonight at Maples

The Stanford Cardinals’ Oscar da Silva (13) drives on the USC Trojan defense. The last meeting between the two teams was postponed and rescheduled for March 3 in Los Angeles. The Cardinal will host the Oregon Ducks tonight at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto (gostanford.com file photo)

On the Stanford Cardinal podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, the Cardinal (14-9) are coming off a tough loss to Washington State (14-10) 85-76 in triple overtime Sat Feb 20th and their last scheduled game against the USC Trojans (19-4) was canceled. The loss to the Cougars a tough one in Pullman.

#2 Normally when you get five players in double figures your chances go up for a win but the Cardinal were outscored and the Cougars defense just held them in check to stay ahead.

#3 The Cougars had come off a win against the Cal Bears the Tuesday before they faced the Cardinal. WSU had four scorers in double figures but key factor was Noah Williams who wound up the lead scorer with 40 points an impressive total in college basketball.

#4 The Cougars defense was able to contain Oscar da Silva who scored only 11 points and Michael O’Connell was the Cardinal lead scorer with 17.

#5 The Oregon Ducks (14-9) are at Stanford tonight. The Ducks got whipped by USC in their last game 72-58 Monday night in Los Angeles. The Cardinal play host and after getting beat by the Cougars their going to be pressing too. Jerry, how do you see this match up tonight.

Join Jerry F for the Stanford Cardinal podcasts each Thursday mornings at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal podcast with Jerry Feitelberg Thu Feb 25, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

 

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria: Will Kings be able to snap 8 game loss streak tonight against Knicks?

The Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III tries to get his hand on the ball as the Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving tries to go for the score at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn on Tue Feb 23, 2021 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony R:

#1 Anytime you look at the schedule and it says your going to play in Milwaukee (18-13) and Brooklyn (21-12) and in the case of the Sacramento Kings (12-19) instead of bringing your A game you bring your A for effort game.

#2 The game in Brooklyn on Tuesday night started out rough for the Kings but in the second half they actually made a game of it in the third quarter before Brooklyn was able to pull away in the fourth quarter for the 127-118 win.

#3 The Nets usual suspects led by James Harden and Bruce Brown each scored 29 points each and Kyrie Irving scored 21.

#4 The Kings had four scorers in double figures on Thursday night led by De’Aaron Fox with 27 points and Richaun Holmes and Harrison Barnes had 18 points but not good enough to catch the Nets.

#5 With the loss the Kings are on a eight game losing streak their next task is against is against the New York Knicks (15-6) at the Garden tonight for a 4:30pm jump time. The Knicks are coming off a tough loss to Golden State on Tuesday night 127-118. The Knicks have won five of their last nine games how do you see this match at MSG tonight.

Join Tony for the Kings podcasts every other Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria Thu Feb 25, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Sharks Hertl tests positive for Coronavirus; Vegas-San Jose match canceled for tonight

The San Jose Sharks Tom Hertl tested positive for Coronavirus forcing tonight’s game at SAP Center versus the Vegas Golden Knights to be postponed. Hertl in this Wed Jan 20, 2021 photo against the St Louis Blues in St Louis will quarantined. The Blues and Sharks game for Fri Feb 26, 2021 has also been postponed (AP News file photo) 

By Mary Walsh

Wednesday afternoon, the San Jose Sharks and the NHL announced that Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights would be postponed under the league’s COVID-19 protocol. The NHL also announced the game for Fri Feb 26th between the visiting St Louis Blues and the Sharks also has been postponed. The press release read, in part:

“Despite having only one player (Tomas Hertl) currently impacted, the decision to cancel the team’s practice and training activities on Wednesday, and postpone the game on Thursday was made out of an abundance of caution.”

It is the first time a postponement has been triggered by the Sharks.

The San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks’ AHL affiliate, have also postponed their Thursday game in Bakersfield against the Condors.

Join Mary Lisa for the San Jose Sharks podcasts each Wednesday morning at http://www.sportsradioservice.com