Category: MLB

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s not enough hitting in first game but got both hitting and pitching in second game

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Oakland A’s pitcher Zach Logue delivers a top of the first inning pitch to the Detroit Tigers in the front game of a doubleheader at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jul 21, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The A’s hosted the Detroit Tigers in the first game of the doubleheader got handled 7-2 in a game that they just couldn’t get any hitting.

#2 In that first game the Tigers Javier Baez the designated hitter had his way with A’s pitching with two runs and three hits and help provide some crucial offense.

#3 A’s pitcher Zach Logue whose had his struggles in the starting role pitched six innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs, with four strikeouts.

#4 In the second game the A’s got the pitching and the hitting holding a five run lead and shutting out the Tigers with A’s pitcher Frankie Montas going three innings, two hits and five strikeouts. Montas was proceeded by five relievers who managed to keep the shutout in tack for the 5-0 win.

#5 The A’s coming off a doubleheader split will open up a three game series against the Texas Rangers on Friday night starting pitcher for the Rangers Spencer Howard (1-1, 6.97) and for the A’s Cole Irvin (4-7, 3.21) a 6:40 pm first pitch at the Oakland Coliseum.

Join Jeremiah for the A’s podcasts Thursdays or Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podast with Marko Ukaloic: Giants need to shore up defense and bullpen needs to shut it down in second half

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Brandon Belt San Francisco Giants first baseman is expected to help lead the way for the second half of the season (mercurynews.com file photo)

On the Giaints podcast with Marko:

#1 Going into the second half of the season how important is accomplished players like Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford.

#2 Also taking a look at the second half with infielders Marco Luciano and Thairo Estrada they’ve been a big help and manager Gabe Kapler can insert them in the line up at anytime.

#3 Evan Longoria has entertained the possibility of retiring at the end of this season playing away from his family who live in Arizona could this be his last season?

#4 Carlos Rodon who starts tonight for the Giants at Dodgers Stadium after resting in LA during the All Star Game had a great first half and is looking forward to the second half.

#5 Marko for the second half the Giants have some talent in their bullpen but can they keep it together in the middle and late innings with pitchers like Dom Leone, John Brebbia, Jarlin Garcia, Tyler Rogers, Camilo Doval and Trevor Rosenthal.

Marko filled in for Daniel Dullum for the Giants podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s Take Second Game of Double Header 5-0 Oakland Shuts Out Detroit in the night cap

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Oakland A’s catcher Sean Murphy connects for a bottom of the sixth three run homer against the Detroit Tigers in the night cap of a doubleheader at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jul 21, 2022

A’s Take Second Game of Double Header 5-0 Oakland Shuts Out Detroit

By Barbara Mason

OAKLAND–After losing the first game of a double header, the Oakland A’s (33-62) took on the Detroit Tigers (38-56) in game two at the Oakland Coliseum.

The A’s lost game one 7-2 but turned the tables on the Tigers big time in the second game. The A’s did not get on the scoreboard until the sixth inning but the A’s and catcher Sean Murphy it was worth the wait. Murphy homered to center with Machin and Laureano on base to take a 3-0 lead.

Stephen Vogt hit a sacrifice and Seth Brown scored to extend their lead to 4-0. Oakland finished off the inning with a Tony Kemp single and another run scored. The A’s would take the 5-0 lead into the ninth inning.

Frankie Montas was on the mound for the A’s and went three innings allowing only two hits and had five strikeouts. He only played the three innings and was pulled when some fatigue seemed to set. There was no pain but the A’s wanted to get him back on the mound slowly.

Lou Trivino closed the game beautifully. He had two strikeouts to finish off the Tigers in the ninth inning, the final score 5-0.

In the sixth inning the A’s had four hits in a row winning their sixth shutout of the season. They had some great at bats in this game. Oakland pitchers had 12 strikeouts. It was a very solid game for the A’s.

The Tigers Garrett Hill was having a great game until the sixth inning. The A’s outhit the Tigers 10-4 which was great to see for A’s manager Mark Kotsay as the A’s needed to start stringing those hits together.

Oakland will be back on the field Friday night at the Coliseum taking on the Texas Rangers. Cole Irvin (4-7) will be on the mound for Oakland. He comes in with a 3.21 ERA. The A’s will face Spencer Howard (1-1, 6.97). First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM PT.

Tigers win front game of doubleheader 7-2; A’s can’t get enough offense again

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Detroit Tigers’ Jeimer Candelario, left, celebrates with Javier Baez after both scored on Robbie Grossman’s two-run double during the third inning in the first game of the doubleheader at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jul 21, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND- The Oakland A’s (38-55) started the second half of the 2022 season by hosting the Detroit Tigers (32-62) for a rare doubleheader Thursday afternoon. It is a matchup of two teams not having a great year. The Tigers are in fourth place in the AL Central.

The A’s are in the AL West cellar with the worst record in the American League. Thursday’s first game features two left-handed pitchers. Left Zach Logue was hoping to tame the Tigers. Detroit sent Tarik Skubal to the hill. Logue gave the A’s six innings.

His line was six innings, five hits allowed, three runs, and only two earned. Skubal did not allow a hit in his first four innings of work. He worked six innings and allowed two hits and one run. He was the winning pitcher.

The Tigers put two runs on the board in the top of the third. Tigers’ third baseman Jeimer Candelario led off the frame with a single. Logue retired the next two hitters. Tigers’ DH Javier Baez singled, sending Candelario to second. Former Athletic Robbie Grossman doubled over Chad Pinder’s head in leftfield to drive in bother runners. The Tigers lead 2-0 midway through the third inning.

The Tigers did a little more damage in the fifth. With two out, center-fielder Riley Greene singled. Greene advanced to third on a fielding error by A’s second baseman Sheldon Neuse. Robbie Grossman doubled to drive in Greene with Detroit’s third run. The run was unearned.

The Tigers lead 3-0. The A’s put their first run of the game on the board in their half of the fifth. Seth Brown’s pop-up into shallow left field was lost in the sun by third baseman Jeimer Candelario. The ball was untouched, and Brown was credited with a double.

He went to third on a passed ball. Stephen Piscotty’s sacrifice fly drove in Brown. Tarik Skubal had not allowed a hit until the fifth. The run was unearned.

Domingo Tapia was now pitching for Oakland in the seventh. The Tigers’ Jeimer Candelario blasted his seventh homer of the campaign over the wall in center field. Detroit leads 4-1. Alex Lange was now pitching for Detroit.

Seth Brown homered on an 0-2 pitch, leading off the bottom of the seventh. The A’s trail 4-2. The A’s put men on at first and third with one out but failed to score. The Tigers lead 4-2 after seven.

Detroit plated their fifth run of the game in the top of the eighth. Tapia walked Tigers’ catcher Eric Haase. Second baseman Johnathan Schoop doubled to drive in Haase. The A’s failed to score in the bottom of the inning. As the game heads into the ninth, the Tigers are in the driver’s seat with a three-run lead, 5-2.

The Tigers put two more on the board in the ninth. Tigers’ shortstop Zack Short walked to start the rally. Short stole second and scored on a single by Riley Greene. A single by Javier Baez and a walk to Robbie Grossman loaded the bases with no out.

Greene was out at home trying to score on a ground ball to A’s shortstop Nick Allen. Detroit challenged the call, but the call was upheld after the review. Johnathan Schopp drove in the Tigers’ second run of the inning with a sacrifice fly. The A’s went down in order 1-2-3 to end the game. Detroit wins 7-2.

Game Notes- with the loss, the A’s are 32-62. They are now 30 games under .500. The Tigers improved to 38-55.

The hitting star for Oakland was Seth Brown, with a double and a home run. Brown scored both of the A’s runs. The hitting stars for Detroit were Jeimer Candelario with a single and home run. Riley Greene had two hits, Javier Baez three, and Robbie Grossman two.

The line score for Detroit was seven runs, ten hits, and no errors. Oakland’s line was two runs, five hits, and one error.

The day’s second game will see Frankie Montas (3-9, 3.26ERA) going against the Tigers’ Garret Hill (1-1, 5.73 ERA).

The time of the game was 2:58.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: MLB Commissioner says A’s owner trying everything to stay in Oakland; plus more

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MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred addresses the media at the MLB Draft Day on Sun Jul 17, 2022 at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 During the All Star break MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said that Oakland A’s owner John Fisher has committed significant dollars trying to get baseball in Oakland. No doubt Fisher has made every effort to stay in Oakland but on the field the team has suffered and whatever the A’s have left might go before this month’s trade deadline.

#2 To give you an idea how the A’s are trying to save money they booked A’s lone All Star representative Paul Blackburn to fly commercial from Houston after last Sunday’s game to Los Angeles for the All Star Game but the Astros said that Blackburn can join their All Star players who were flying charter to LA.

#3 Manfred who speaking at the annual Baseball Writer’s Association of America on Tuesday before the All Star Game saying that the A’s Howard Terminal situation is, “an extraordinary difficult situation with their ballpark request.”

#4 A’s are coming off ending their first half with seven wins in nine games and hope to get some traction in the second half but a key factor is will they hold onto some of their players that have some experience to get those wins like Frankie Montas, Paul Blackburn, Sean Murphy, Chad Pinder, and Ramon Laureano.

#5 The Detroit Tigers come in Thursday for only one day at the Oakland Coliseum to play a doubleheader against the A’s as the front game starts 12:37pm PDT followed by the night cap. No starters have been announced for either game as of Wednesday night.

Join Jerry for the A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Pederson says it would take whole team to get Juan Soto; Pablo Panda says he regrets Sox deal in 2014

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San Francisco Giants All Star representative Joc Pederson (23) is stunned after striking out against Oakland A’s representative pitcher Paul Blackburn at the 2022 All Star Game at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Tue Jul 19, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 During the All Star break Joc Pederson was commenting that it would take the whole team including key players Mike Yastrzemski, Logan Webb, and Joey Bart to get a player like Juan Soto. Is Soto’s value on a different universe?

#2 It’s pretty rare that players comment on trades, trade rumors or players who would be in a deal. Michael you’ve heard outfielder Joc Pederson during interviews in the first half of the season he’s pretty outspoken.

#3 Michael former Giant Pablo Sandoval said he should have remained a Giant instead of leaving the team in 2014 to join the Boston Red Sox for a five year $90 million contract. Pablo said he should have stayed and that he learned his lession.

#4 San Francisco Giants team president of operations Farhan Zaidi is going to look at getting some younger players through free agency who are more athletic can what players do you see him achieving that through getting draft pick or prospects by trade deadline moves?

#5 The Giants open a four game in Los Angeles against the Dodgers tonight. The Giants will start Carlos Rodon (8-5, 2.66) for the Dodgers Mitch White (1-2, 4.20) a 7:09 pm PDT first pitch. Rodon didn’t pitch in the All Star Game to get some extra rest how wise of a move was that and it also gets him the opportunity to open the series tonight?

Join Michael Duca for the Giants podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Back-To-Back Spectacular: Buxton, Stanton light up the sky and power AL to ninth straight All-Star win

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By Morris Phillips

LOS ANGELES–The National League started fast, and finished smoothly, but that fourth inning was all the destruction needed to end their aspirations.

Giancarlo Stanton and Byron Buxton hit mammoth, back-to-back shots that gave the American League the lead, and they made it stand up, shutting out the host NL team for the game’s final eight innings in a 3-2 win. The first All-Star game at picturesque Dodger Stadium in 42 seasons was over-the-top and full of explosions, but in the end, the American League pitchers shut the door.

Stanton had never experienced a hit in his previous All-Star Game appearances, going 0 for 6. Given that, the response was loud and clear, a two-run shot scoring Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez that traveled 457-feet, longer than any home run hit at Dodger Stadium thus far this season.

“That’s probably one of the hardest balls I’ve seen hit from the on-deck circle,” Buxton said. “I don’t even know if you can put it in words how hard he hit the baseball. So for me to see him in person, be on the same team, finally be up close, it was like, ‘Wow.’ You know, like, I literally sat down.”

Buxton sat down, but immediately got up and did the same thing Stanton did. Again facing the Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin, Buxton sent a line drive down the left field line that measured 425-feet.

Eight AL relievers followed, none more impressive than Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase who struck out the final three hitters of the ballgame on 10 pitches. Houston’s Framber Valdez pitched a scoreless third inning and earned the win. And Stanton was named the game’s MVP, a nice addition to his award’s shelf that also includes a Home Run Derby win.

The AL pitching staff retired 20 NL hitters in succession at one point, only the fourth time that many consecutive batters have been retired in All-Star competition.

The local stars both got All-Star moments with the Giants’ Joc Pederson getting two at-bats, striking out twice, in his return to Dodger Stadium. The A’s Paul Blackburn pitched a scoreless, fourth inning earning a hold.

Shohei Ohtani, the game’s singular two-way star earned his moment with a leadoff single as the game’s first batter. But Ohtani then got caught sleeping by the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw, who picked off Ohtani creeping away from first base.

Alex Manoah, a rising pitching star for Toronto, struck out the side in the second inning while keeping a running commentary on the mound as he was mic’d up for Fox Sports.

Mookie Betts had a first inning RBI for the NL, and Paul Goldschmidt homered in the first after Manny Machado hit into a double play, which could have short circuited a bigger inning for the hosts.

Albert Pujols and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera each got pinch-hit at-bats without success, although Pujols sent a drive to the warning track that was caught. Pujols and Cabrera were commissioner’s picks as outgoing All-Stars.

Next year’s All-Star Game will be held in Seattle, which means more late afternoon shadows and likely another low-scoring game. Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez will be under hometown pressure to repeat his outstanding performance in the Home Run Derby.

Soto Doesn’t Turn Down Home Run Crown: Nationals’ slugger wins Derby over impressive Rodriguez

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Winner of the 2022 Home Run Derby before the All Star Game at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles the Washington Nationals Juan Soto is shown taking a hack during the contest on Mon Jul 18, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Morris Phillips

LOS ANGELES–These days with baseball sluggers more capable, and itching to show their wares, you’ve got to do a little more to win the T-Mobile Home Run Derby.

Just ask Julio Rodriguez. The Mariners’ 21-year old, breakout star hit 81 homers, knocked off the two-time defending champion Pete Alonso, and still came up short–by one home run–as Washington’s Juan Soto captured the title at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.

The 23-year old Soto vowed he would win it, but he would have been surprised to know that he would have to get past fellow Dominicans Rodriguez and Albert Pujols to do it. Both Rodriguez and Pujols were surprise advancers as sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Corey Seager both took early exits.

Rodriguez started the competition with 32 homers against Seager, as he took advantage of not only his power but the positioning of the sun and shadows to start the event. He then came back and eliminated Alonso with 31 homers, as the defending champ could never seem to string together big flies and gather momentum. Alonso was eliminated with just 23 homers despite earning the full minute of bonus slugging.

Meanwhile, Soto gained momentum as the event progressed, first knocking off the Guardians’ Jose Ramirez, then taking down Pujols, who was the surprise, first round winner over Schwarber. By the third round, and Soto’s third as the finishing competitor already knowing what his opponent had done. Against Rodriguez, Soto patiently pursued the younger sluggers’ 18 blasts, and then made up the final four home runs needed in his bonus minute.

“It feels amazing. It feels tiring. I just tried to concentrate to square off the balls because I know I have the power,” Soto said.

Speculation is that Soto will be traded after turning down the Nationals’ offer of $440 million dollars over 13 seasons. That move, which will likely involve a bid or inquiry from the Giants, could happen in the coming weeks.

“Right now I’m not even thinking about it. I’m a champion, and I will be a champion for the Nationals,” he said.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Giants end first half winning seven of their last nine games

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San Francisco Giants designated hitter Brandon Belt showed what the meaning of splendid splinter means breaking his bat for a bottom of the second inning RBI single. Belt would later hit a home run against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Jul 17, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic:

#1 Marko, San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb is on a roll he picked up his ninth win on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers with an outing of six innings pitched, four hits, two earned runs, and five strikeouts.

#2 The Giants got some long ball help in the four run win over the Brewers 9-5 with a bottom of the third inning home run by LeMonte Wade Jr for 372 foot for a three run blast.

#3 Brandon Belt also got into the act with a 368 foot two run blast in the bottom of the sixth that put the Giants up 9-1 Belt is seeing the ball very well in the end of the first half of the season.

#4 Marko, wanted to talk to you about the Giants All Star selections starting with pitcher Carlos Rodon 8-5 ERA 2.66 and Joc Pederson .252 with 35 runs, 17 home runs, and 42 RBIs both who will represent the Giants at the All Star Game.

#5 Lastly the Giants have come on strong to close out the first half with seven wins in nine games talk a little about how they had that success and how you see them for the second half of the season.

Marko Ukalovic is filling in for Morris Phillips for the Giants podcasts heard Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: Vogt’s single in 8th gets A’s 4-3 win over Astros to take series

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Oakland Athletics’ Seth Brown, bottom left, slides safely past Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado to score on Stephen Vogt’s sacrifice fly during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 17, 2022, in Houston. (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 Barbara what a way to end the first half of the season as the Oakland A’s beat the second best team the Houston Astros in baseball at Minute Maid Field Sunday 4-3.

#2 Stephen Vogt slugged a key single RBI in the top of the eight as the A’s and Astros were tied Vogt’s knock put the A’s on top which proved to be the game winner.

#3 The A’s Ramon Laureano contributed with a home run and his bat has been key going into the All Star break.

#4 The Astros got home run help from Kyle Tucker and Jeremy Peña the Astros in the first half of their season had been getting help from different hitters up and down their line up.

#5 The A’s hope to have a better second half but if hey have a huge fire sale that could bring in more inexperienced players that might further add more loses to their loss column.

Join Barbara for the A’s podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com