Category: MLB

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: If A’s can score Howard Terminal will it come back and bite the Giants on SJ territory rights?

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Artist rendition of Oakland A’s Howard Terminal ballpark on the left outside view and on the right inside view from behind the plate (illustration from the San Francisco Chronicle)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 Amaury, Howard Terminal in Oakland is a lot closer to Oracle Park in San Francisco than the city of San Jose. In the event that the A’s do pull it off and get a waterfront ballpark at Jack London Square could that possibly cut into some of the Giants revenue fan base?

#2 If the A’s do get to move to Howard Terminal would Giants team president Larry Baer and the team ownership have taken a gamble blocking the A’s from moving to San Jose and if the A’s could pull off a coup in getting a new park at Howard Terminal.

#3 Economically, the A’s will be all the rage if they can get a new waterfront ballpark as the Giants and Oracle park novelty has worn off. The Giants have been drawing less than 25,000 on weeknights and are not selling out like they used to. Do you see it becoming a competitive two team market if the A’s can get the waterfront park?

#4 The Bay Conservation and Development Commission recommended on Friday to move the port designation on the 56 acre property giving way to strong possibility that they will vote in favor of the A’s ballpark and Howard Terminal project on Jun 30th.

#5 Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff will be termed out at the end of this year and there are some key candidates running for Mayor. The A’s president David Kaval had expressed that there will be a new mayor and new city council so which way will the new ballpark end up once that election happens?

#6 Your familiar with former Oakland City Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente who is a two time Councilman from 1992-2013. De La Fuente is throwing his hat in the ring for Mayor. De La Fuente lost twice when he ran for mayor to Jerry Brown and Ron Dellums. Mayor Schaff has not endorsed a candidate yet but is a close ally of councilwoman Loren Taylor. Knowing De La Fuente where does he stand on a new A’s ballpark and where does Councilwoman Taylor stand?

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s on flagship station Le Grande 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Tense, Tight: Giants-Braves opener has playoff feel, Arcia propels Atlanta to a 2-1 win

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

Supposedly there have been a bunch of lopsided results between the Giants and Braves over the last ten seasons, just not one on Monday night.

The opener of the four-game series at Truist Park was a pitcher’s duel with the Braves sneaking past the Giants with Orlando Arcia’s game-winning RBI single in the ninth. Max Fried and Logan Webb were brilliant, allowing just one run each, but neither was around when Arcia’s hard-hit, ground ball to the left side of the infield saw daylight.

The Giants had a pair of opportunities late to knock in a go-ahead run with a runner at third and just one out, but failed both times. Wilmer Flores struck out with the bases loaded in the eighth, and Thairo Estrada struck out facing Kenley Jansen in the ninth with runners at second and third.

With less than 70 games played this season, the Giants and Braves have already eyeballed each other with both trying to at least take advantage of the new postseason format and finish with the best record among non-division winners and gain homefield advantage in the opening round. Currently, both teams are looking up at the first place teams in their division, the Mets in the NL East and the Dodgers in the West.

Camilo Doval walked Matt Olson to leadoff the ninth on four pitches. The only free pass issued by the Giants all evening would be their undoing Marcell Ozuna singled to move Olson up, ahead of Arcia’s base hit with two outs.

Fried went seven innings, striking out eight and walking two. He was saddled with a no-decision when the Giants pushed a run across in the eighth. Fried has yet to lose to the Giants after five starts and one relief appearance.

Webb also pitched seven innings and allowed a run, while striking out seven and walking none. Travis D’Arnaud’s second inning homer was the only blemish for Webb, who has allowed six home runs this season–all on the road.

Joc Pederson received his World Series ring before the game, he was a late season acquisition by the Braves last year that contributed to their run to the title despite getting limited at-bats in the World Series. Pederson, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford were all absent from the Giants’ starting lineup, but all three got pinch-hitting assignments.

The Giants will activate Anthony DeSclafani for a start in Tuesday’s game, his first action since being injured in April. Spencer Strider will get the start for the Braves, who have won 16 of 18.

Preview of Seattle Mariners-Oakland A’s: Three-game series gets underway Tuesday night

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Oakland A’s catcher Sean Murphy hits a bottom of the sixth inning home run in front of Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Jun 19, 2022. Murphy and the A’s host the Seattle Mariners Tue Jun 21, 2022 in Oakland. (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s have an off day on Monday. The players can savor the win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. Jared Koenig earned his Major League victory as he and the bullpen pitched a 4-0 shutout.

The A’s return to the field Tuesday night as they meet the Seattle Mariners for the second time this season. The Mariners dominated Oakland last season, winning 15 out of 19. When the A’s visited Seattle from May 23rd to 25th for three games, they stunned the M’s by winning the series two games to one.

Both teams are not playing well in 2022. The Mariners find themselves ten games under .500 at 29-39. The M’s bolstered their starting rotation when they signed lefty Robbie Ray as a free agent. Ray in 2021 Cy Young Award-winning pitcher. Ray is slated to pitch Thursday afternoon. His record is 6-6, with a 4.25 ERA.

The A’s have lost 17 of the last 22 games played. They have won only three games in June. The A’s are in fifth place in the AL West, and they trail the first-place Houston Astros by 19 games. A’s manager Mark Kotsay has not allowed his players to quit. He gets maximum effort from every player on the squad. They may not be winning, but it’s not for lack of effort.

The pitchers for the three-game series will feature on Tuesday night the A’s James Kaprielian on the hill. Kaprielian is still looking for his first win. He is 0-4, with an ERA of 6.31. Lefty Marco Gonzalez will pitch for Seattle. Gonzalez is 3-7, and his ERA is 3.41.

Wednesday night’s game will see the A’s best pitcher, Paul Blackburn, going for his seventh win. Blackburn went eight innings in his last outing. The A’s are thrilled with his improvement. Settle will counter with George Kirby. Kirby is 1-2, 3.56 ERA.

As mentioned above, Robbie Ray goes for Seattle on Thursday afternoon. Frankie Montas (3-7, 3.53) will pitch for Oakland.

The key players on the Seattle roster are shortstop J.P.Crawford, first baseman Ty France, third baseman Eugenio Suarez, centerfielder Julio Rodriguez, and outfielders Jesse Winker and Justin Upton. Suarez and Winker are in the first season with the M’s.

The M’s made a trade with Cincinnati to bring them to Seattle. Justin Upton has played in only four games since signing as a free agent after the LA Angels designated him for assignment.

Upton is a lifetime .262 hitter and has recorded 324 homers and 1000 RBIs in his 16 years in the big leagues. Rookie Julio Rodriguez, who hails from the Dominican Republic, is hitting a solid. 265 with eight homers and 24 RBIs’

The M’s bullpen has used two pitchers to close out games. Paul Sewald and Diego Castillo each have four saves. Other bullpen stalwarts are the 39-year-old Sergio Romo, Eric Swanson, Andres Munoz, Penn Murfee, and former A’s pitcher, lefty Tommy Milone.

The A’s would love nothing better than to sweep the M’s. It’s possible, but the hitting has to improve. The A’s as a team are hitting .210.

The team on-base=percentage is .274, and the on-base plus slugging OPS is .608. The A’s have a woeful record of 8-24 at the Coliseum. The M’s are 14-21 on the road. As a team, they are hitting .232. Their OBP is .315, and their OPS is 6.89.

The stats indicate the M’s should win the series. The problem in baseball is that one never knows what will happen on any given night. The A’s have unveiled a new third baseman, Jonah Bride. Bride has shown that he can handle Major League pitchers.

He is playing third base, and it has been easy for him handling the rocket shots coming his way. The A’s are confident he will improve as he gets more playing time. Christian Bethancourt plays both first base and can handle the catching and has wielded a hot bat lately.

Sean Murphy hit a big three-run blast on Sunday to help the A’s get the 4-0 win over Kansas City. If they are to improve, the A’s need the hitters to put the bat on the ball.

Each team will be looking for silver linings in this series. The A’s want to get good hitting and good pitching. The same goes for Seattle. Several scouts will be at the game as the teams are getting close to the August 2nd trade deadline. It should be interesting.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Bucs Suwinski was one man show in 4-3 win over Giants; SF opens 3 game series in Hotlanta tonight

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Pittsburgh Pirates Jack Suwinski gets mobbed by teammates after hitting a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth at PNC Park on Sun Jun 19, 2022

On the Giants podcast with Marko for Morris:

#1 The Pittsburgh Pirates Jack Suwinski teed off on San Francisco Giants pitching on Sunday with three home runs fourth, sixth and ninth innings.

#2 Suwinski hit home runs off Giants pitchers Alex Cobb in the fourth, Sam Long in the sixth, and hit a slider off Tyler Rogers in the bottom of the ninth for the game winner.

#3 Suwinski a Pirate rookie is the first rookie to hit three home runs since former Pirate and former Giant Andrew McCutchen did it on Aug 1, 2009 as a Pirate.

#4 The Giants fell short after Thairo Estrada started off the top of the ninth inning with a home run off Pirates reliever David Bendar.

#5 The Giants are in Atlanta starting tonight in Cobb County. The Giants will go with Logan Webb (6-2, 3.43) for the Braves Max Fried (7-9, ERA 2.90) a 4:20 pm PDT.

Marko was filling in for Morris Phillips who does the Giants podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: Koenig shows improvement pitches 5 plus innings of shutout ball against KC

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s starter Jared Koenig fires against the Kansas City Royals line up in first inning action at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Jun 19, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 Oakland A’s starter Jared Koenig and three relievers shutout the visiting Kansas City Royals 4-0 at the Oakland Coliseum to avoid a sweep.

#2 The three hit shutout was Koenig’s first Major League win of his career after having two rocky starts. Koenig pitched 5.2 innings, two hits, four walks and no strike outs.

#3 On Father’s day Koenig’s father Greg watched his son pitch to his first MLB victory and what made it sweeter Koenig who grew up 75 miles south of the Coliseum.

#4 The A’s bats were alive for Sunday’s game against the Royals, Seth Brown had three hits and a home run. A’s catcher Sean Murphy hit a home run in the cause.

#5 The A’s will take Monday off as they prepare to host the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night at 6:40 pm PDT starting for Seattle Marco Gonzalez (3-7, 3.41) and for Oakland James Kaprielian (0-4, 6.31) at the Oakland Colisuem.

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

This Time, Almost Everything Runs Smoothly: A’s break through with 4-0 win over the Royals

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–Jared Koenig, a 28-year old pitcher who’s never been anything special according to scouting reports, was just that on Sunday afternoon.

Koenig, who’s seemingly toiled professionally everywhere except the Major Leagues until now, pitched into the sixth inning, allowing two hits and no runs to pick up his initial big league win in front of friends and his father, Greg, up from Aptos, CA.

“He didn’t strike anyone out but he got through 5 2/3 with a lot of contact and a good defense behind him,” manager Mark Kotsay said of Koenig. “For him, his journey through independent ball, through Australia, through the minor leagues, it’s a great reward for him.”

“It’s a great feeling to know that I’m able to be successful out here,” Koenig said with a big smile on his face. “Today was awesome.”

Good news couldn’t come any sooner for Koenig, who lost his first two Oakland starts, and the A’s, who had lost 25 of 32, and the first two games of their series with the Royals. But on Sunday, with 14,341 in attendance at the Coliseum, the defense was staunch, the pitching stingy and Seth Brown and Sean Murphy supplied big home runs to end an eight-game slide at home.

The Royals ended a week in the Bay Area with little noise. They managed rallies in the third off Koenig, and the sixth but both were quelled with Domingo Acevedo coming on to retire Michael Taylor Jr. to end the sixth. Kansas City had won three straight, but starter Brady Singer allowed the home run to Seth Brown and he set the table in the sixth, prior to Murphy’s home run off Jose Cuas that put the A’s up four runs.

“Cuas has been really good,” manager Mike Matheny said. “He did a great job of getting that first out. Made a really good pitch to get that pop-up, then unfortunately got too much of the middle of the plate against Murphy and it cost us three runs.”

The A’s have won just 3 of their last 18, but they avoided getting swept by the Royals, who have the second worst record in the American League but looked “noticeably worse” in comparison according to local journalist Ben Ross, who covered Friday’s game.

The A’s afternoon had its moment when Tony Kemp, running hard from first base looked to take advantage of a base hit that was booted by centerfielder Taylor enough to keep Kemp churning to home plate. But after a beautiful slide eluded Salvador Perez, replay showed that Kemp’s back pocket, turned inside out and flapping was tagged by Perez, something only replay could catch. Kemp, on review, was called out.

“The most 2022 Oakland A’s play ever…” Kemp termed it.

The A’s are off on Monday and open a three-game set with the Mariners on Tuesday. James Kaprelian will face Marco Gonzales of Seattle in the opener.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The winds of change no more shift

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The extreme shift by the Los Angeles Dodgers (CBS photo file)

The Winds of Change: No More Shift?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The Major League Baseball laboratories are not in Transylvania, but in Pennsylvania and other States where minor league teams are currently playing. Looks like beginning in 2023, teams no longer will be allowed the now famous shift. No longer will a team be allowed to have more than two infielders on one side of second base. All the reports from these “laboratories” where they are experimenting create the incentive of hitters to put the ball in play.

1.The Shift: Calling games live in major league baseball I have seen it with my own eyes, how many “ground balls” that used to be hits are easy outs because of the shift. If you wonder does this contributes to lower batting averages? Legendary baseball author, statistician, writer Bill James who has written more two dozen books said the shift erased 22 per cent more hits than it gave away last season (2021), According to James, the shift took away over 4,800 hits that otherwise would have gotten through the infield for at least a single. And it turned out into hit on fewer than 4,000 occasions. So far this MLB season the combined average for hitters in both leagues in around .230. When the Boston Red Sox visited Oakland a couple of weeks ago, Alex Cora’s team had an American League high .260 combined average.

  1. Pitch Clock: It is also on a trial run in the minor leagues. I do not believe in clocks in baseball. One of the best things in baseball is that it is timeless, literally. We are told what time the first pitch is to take place, but I have never found one expert that can predict exactly at what time the last pitch will take place. In the minor leagues reports are showing that the average game is around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Now, I love the game of baseball and have been involved in it for over 45 years, but I also like to go home, we all do, unless you like to live in the park. But, seriously, baseball should not have a clock as a governor; it is not football, basketball or soccer/fútbol. It is an idiosyncratic game where people pay to go and enjoy relax, watch, see strategy and just pass the time with friends and family. Baseball was designed for the fans. They are the ones that pay to see the games. It was not designed for the media. But, (like many things in our lives) it has to do with money=dinero. Games that are short fit perfectly in many radio and television formats. Through the years I have spoken with many radio executives and most of them complain that the games go way too long and that prevents them from selling other programs. Television, which generate the most revenues could be much different, they are not that affected. And social media is the thing today, they are always inventing something new from twitter (where everybody is an expert) to Facebook where everybody is a photographer to those who multi-task until they go to sleep at night.
  2. Appealing Balls and Strikes: According to Baseball America: During this 2022 season, during certain Low-A Southeast games, the home plate umpire will call balls and strikes, but both teams will get three chances to appeal to the automated ball-strike system if they believe the umpire missed the call. The new appeal system is the most significant of the experimental rules changes that are being adopted around the minors in 2022. Is that also coming to the major leagues?

How will baseball look 20 years from today? If you have any futuristic ideas, please let me know you could be the next Commissioner.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s heard on flagship station Le Grande 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Three Suwinski Home Runs Beat Giants 4-3

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Three Suwinski Home Runs Beat Giants 4-3

The Pittsburgh Pirates Jack Suwinski hits his third home run of the day in the bottom of the ninth a walk off to defeat the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park on Sun Jun 19, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the San Francisco Giants (37-28) took on the Pittsburg Pirates (26-39) in the final game of their three-game series looking for a sweep. The Giants won a close game Saturday 7-5 turning in ten hits. They were looking for another big offensive day in Sunday’s game but the Pirates got enough pitching and hitting to edge the Giants 4-3 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

The Giants got a nice start in the first inning scoring two runs and taking the early 2-0 lead. Joc Pederson hit a single that drove Luis Gonzalez and Mike Yastrzemski home.

The Pirates got up on the board in the third and fourth innings with solo home runs. Hoy Park hit one to right in the third inning and Jack Suwinski had another in the fourth inning to knot the game 2-2.

Pittsburg would break the tie in the sixth inning when Suwinski hit his second solo home run of the game to give the Pirates the lead 3-2.

San Francisco would tie up the game in the ninth inning off a Thairo Estrada solo home run. Going into the bottom of the inning the score was 3-3. It was a monster day for Pittsburg’s Suwinski hitting his third homer of the day and giving the Pirates the walk off 4-3 and avoiding the sweep.

Monday evening the Giants start a four game series with the Atlanta Braves in Cobb County. Logan Webb (6-2, 3.43 ERA) will be on the mound in game one for San Francisco. The Braves will start Max Fried (7-2, 2.90 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 4:20.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s can’t get it together drop two straight against Royals; A’s need a win Sunday to avoid sweep

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s left fielder Seth Brown literally leaves it all on the field and can’t catch the Kansas City Royals Michael A Taylor’s drive which turned into a triple in the top of the seventh inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Jun 18, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Kansas City Royals starter Brad Keller who had not won in two months came out Saturday against the Oakland A’s pitching no hit ball through six inning and was lifted in the seventh and was the winning pitcher in a 2-0 pitcher duel at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 A’s starter Cole Irvin pitched 6.1 innings, giving up just three hits and an earned run it would have been good enough to win if the A’s just got some hitting.

#3 In relief for the Royals Jose Cuas got two batters out and gave up a double in the bottom of the eighth inning. Then Royal reliever Scott Barlow followed up facing four hitters and setting them down and the Royals came away with a two hit shutout.

#4 The win was Keller’s first win since May 3 and he kept the A’s line up off balance all game long retiring 17 of his first 18 batters and he looked like he might have a shot at no hitter going into the seven inning.

#5 The A’s have one more chance at the Royals and to avoid a sweep. The Royals will start right hander Brady Singer (3-1, 4.24) and for the A’s left hander Jared Koenig (0-2, 11.25) a 1:07 pm PDT first pitch at the Coliseum.

Join Charlie O every other Sunday for the A’s podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Clutch hitting and pitching lead Royals past A’s 2-0

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Kansas City Royals’ Brad Keller pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Jun 17, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Saturday, June 18, 2022

Timely RBIs by Ryan O’Hearn and Whit Merrifield provided all the offense the Kansas City Royals (23-41) would need Saturday to compliment a quality pitching performance at the Coliseum, as the Royals blanked the Oakland A’s (22-45) 2-0.

The win was the third in a row for Kansas City before an announced crowd of 10,936, who saw the A’s lose their eighth straight home game. It was also the Royals’ third straight road win.

It was a tough loss for Cole Irvin (2-4), who threw 6 1/3 strong innings. Irvin surrendered one run on three hits, walked two and struck out six.

The Athletics’ bullpen – Domingo Acevedo, Zach Jackson, A.J. Puk and Dany Jimenez – combined for six strikeouts, two walks, and gave up one run on four hits over the remaining 2 2/3 innings.

Brad Keller (2-8), Jose Cuas and Scott Barlow combined for a two-hit shutout. Keller struck out six, walked three and retired the first 17 batters he faced until giving up a two-out double to Jonah Bride in the bottom of the sixth. It was Keller’s first win since May 3.

Barlow struck out one in a scoreless 1 1/3-inning effort to earn his eighth save.

With one out in the Kansas City seventh, Michael A. Taylor tripled to left center and scored with when Acevedo surrendered a double to O’Hearn, who was pinch-hitting for Emmanuel Rivera.
Going into Saturday’s game, O’Hearn was hitting .546 with a home run and three runs batted in as a pinch-hitter this season.

The Royals made it 2-0 in the ninth when Kyle Isbel was hit by a Puk pitch, was sacrificed to second and scored on Merrifield’s base hit to left-center.

Luis Barrera had the only other Oakland hit, his fifth double of the season.

The Royals will go for the sweep on Sunday, with Brady Singer (3-1, 4.24) on the mound, facing Oakland’s Jared Koenig (0-2, 11.25). Game time is 1:07 p.m.