Category: MLB

Miller’s eighth inning single gets Texas 2-0 win over Oakland

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The Texas Rangers Brad Miller swings for an eighth inning two run single that was all the Rangers needed to defeat the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Apr 23, 2022 (AP News photo)

The Oakland A’s were back in action on Saturday as they took on the Texas Rangers in the middle game of the series. The A’s lost the opener against the Rangers on Friday by the final of 8-1. On Saturday, the A’s would look to get back on track against the Rangers at RingCentral Stadium in Oakland. The A’s were unable to pull out the win on Saturday losing in a shutout 2-0.

The A’s couldn’t get much of anything started on the offensive side of the ball. The A’s had three line hits in the ballgame and none of them came to threaten the Rangers.

The first hit was a third inning two out double that didn’t amount to anything as Tony Kemp struck out as the next hitter. The A’s second hit was a two out single from Christian Pache, and their final hit was a one out double from Stephen Piscotty. Overall, the A’s had no runs, three hits, and two walks.

For the Rangers, they received all of their offense in the eighth inning. The Rangers scored twice on a Brad Miller single that ended in an interference call at home plate to score the second run. The Rangers didn’t do much on offense but it was just enough to move past the A’s. The Rangers finished on offense with two runs, five hits, and one walk.

On the pitching side of the ball, Frankie Montas pitched a great game for the A’s. Frankie went 7.1 innings allowing two runs, three hits, and a walk. It was a solid mine that would ultimately be spoiled by the way it ended in the eighth inning.

For the Rangers, Martín Pérez pitched six innings of shut out ball allowing two hits and a walk. Matt Busch got the save in the game pitching the ninth inning.

The A’s will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday as they play in Oakland at 1PM PST.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Frankie Montas-Will he be traded?

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Oakland A’s pitcher Frankie Montas pats the glove after teammate outfielder Nick Allen makes a nice catch on Texas Rangers Brad Miller’s fly at the Oakland Coliseum Sat Apr 23, 2022 (AP News photo)

Frankie Montás – Will he be Traded?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–Frankie Montás started Saturday afternoon for the Oakland A’s during the second game of a three game series against the Texas Rangers. He pitched a season-high 7 2/3 innings allowed just 3 hits and 2 earned runs, struck-out 8 and threw 96 pitches.

His team’s anemic bats only produced 3 hits. A’s lost 2-0 and the series vs. Texas. Frankie Montás record is 2-2 with a 3.28 earned run average. 9,120 was the paid attendance on a beautiful Oakland afternoon.

As this 2022 season got underway, the Oakland A’s had one established starting pitcher, one that has won consistently and was not trying to make the team. Frankie Montás. The three respectable starting rotation members (until last season) were Chris Bassitt, Frankie Montás and Sean Manaea. Since then Frankie Montás has ascended as the ace of the staff.

A’s fans are cynical and expect Frankie Montás to be traded like Bassitt, Manaea and other A’s established players like Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Mark Canha, Josh Harrison, Jake Diekman, Andrew Chafin, Sergio Romo.

Will Frankie Montás be traded this season? Nobody will bet their house (if they own one) or any other valuable possession, to tell you one way of the other. But common sense tells everybody that this A’s organization will not hesitate to trade their players that have value and can bring a haul of prospects.

In the trade with Atlanta, the A’s sent All Star Matt Olson to the Braves and in return they got four players; highly regarded catcher Shea Langeliers, their 2021 first-round pick pitcher Ryan Cusick and another good arm from the mound in Joey Estes. Also from Atlanta the A’s got a 23-year old Dominican-born outfielder with limitless potential, Cristian Pache.

He was the #4 prospect inside the Braves organization; So far, Cristian Pache has become a fan favorite at the Oakland Coliseum in front of the scant attendances during this first month of the season. Prior to games at the Coliseum, I walk among fans and ask for their comments about some of the new crop of young A’s players, and just about everybody mentions Pache.

A’s fans compare Pache to Ramón Laureano, who is only a few weeks away from his return after an 80 game suspension dating to last season. They both can play defense, cover all of center field and then some.

The only doubt about Cristian Pache, (according to most scouts) was, can he hit major league pitching the? He has shown some promise so far, but the whole season is still ahead. The best ‘focus group’ in baseball is the fans.

For baseball players, it is a job, they do not care where they play, they want to be in the major leagues, so asking A’s players how they feel to play in front of 3,000 people is not the question. They are professionals, they get paid to perform in front of 3,000 or 30,000.

Regardless where the A’s play in the future, Oakland, Las Vegas or Hong Kong (that would be some road trip) the fact remains that A’s management would not hesitate to trade anybody at any given time early or late in the season which would be a trade deadline between July 29 and August 3.

I know some A’s fans that repeat themselves that Frankie will not be traded this year, like you want to “self brainwash” and the more you say it the more you believe it, but they also admit, they will absolutely would not be surprised if the A’s do pull the trigger.

Good young starting pitcher is very coveted at this time and many contending teams have already called the A’s involving Frankie Montás. Among those are the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels.

How can anybody blame the Oakland A’s fans that complain about good players getting traded? Nobody can. Because they have seen the same Rodeo for years and years, there is nothing new here. The Oakland A’s of the 2012 season were picked to finish last in their division; they won it with a 94-68 record. So there are always surprises. Are the A’s going to win this division this year, most probably not?

Are the A’s going to trade Frankie Montás? I think there is definitely more than a 50-50 chance that they will. Why? Because that is their track record and that is what they do. I do not like to see Montás leave Oakland, but I also have my feet on the ground and I still believe the world is round.

Adiós muchachos!

NOTE: Refreshing our collective memories. These were some of the names of that surprising 2012 A’s team that most “experts” expected very little: Adam Rosales, Eric Sogard, Jamile Weeks, Kurt Susuki, Chris Carter, Daric Barton, Josh Donaldson, Cliff Pennington, Bartolo Colón, Tyson Ross, Jerry Blevins, Brian Fuentes, A.J Griffin and Sean Doolittle, among many others. Remember?

Catch Amaury Pi Gonzalez and Manolo Hernandez-Duen for all the play by play on the Oakland A’s Spanish flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and Amaury does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB podcast with Bill Gould: Why was Don Orsillo the late Jeremy Remy’s broadcast partner at the Red Sox left out of Remy’s tribute?

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Autographed signed photo of former Boston Red Sox broadcasters Jeremy Remy (left) and Don Orsillo (right) (photo from worth point)

Former Boston Red Sox broadcaster and former Sox second baseman Jeremy Remy who passed away after the 2021 season on Oct 30, 2021 had a tribute at Fenway Park at the Sox home game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thu Apr 21.

What overshadowed the tribute was Remy’s longtime broadcast partner Don Orsillo was left out of the tribute. Orsillo and Remy broadcasted together on NESN Sports for 15 years. Remy did not renew his NESN contract and left the Sox broadcasts after the 2015 season and Orsillo left to do play by play TV for the San Diego Padres.

Remy who was given the tribute but most notably was Orsillo who was his broadcast partner all those years who had a prepared speech recorded on video was not presented on the Fenway Park video board. This was widely noticed by the media, fans, employees and front office people. Orsillo couldn’t make the tribute in person because he had to broadcast a Padres game but was also surprised when the video was not played during Thursday night’s tribute at Fenway.

Bill Gould Sportstalk analyst shares his views as to what happened and what a shame it was that the Orsillo video was not played recognizing one of the Red Sox most memorable TV analysts Jerry Remy.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s Murphy ends slump with a flurry a HR and three RBIs to defeat O’s 6-4

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Oakland A’s catcher Sean Murphy belts a single in front of Baltimore Orioles catcher Anthony Bemboom in the bottom of the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Apr 21, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 The Oakland A’s catcher Sean Murphy who came into Thursday’s game 0-10 ended the slump with a home run, double and three RBIs to help lift the A’s to a 6-4 win Thursday over the Baltimore Orioles at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 Baltimore’s Trey Mancini was yanked after trading barbs with first base umpire Rob Drake when Drake called Mancini out after he ran through the bag at first base. Mancini said he only turned left and was not headed for second base once being called out he and manager Brandon Hyde were later ejected.

#3 Mancini said during the post game presser that he wanted to apologize to Drake for the language he used to get booted from the game. That said Mancini didn’t agree with the call.

#4 A’s pitcher Paul Blackburn had himself an outing going five innings allowed a run, three hits, striking out four hitters and didn’t walk a batter. Blackburn picked up his second win of the season.

#5 The A’s meet the Texas Rangers for three games starting Friday night. Adam Oller (0-1 ERA 13.50) will pitch for the A’s, and Spencer Howard (0-0 ERA 18.00) for the Rangers will oppose him.

Jerry F filled in for Jeremiah Salmonson on the A’s podcasts heard each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Slater’s big game with glove and bat lifts Giants past Nats 7-1

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San Francisco Giants’ Austin Slater singles during the third inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington on Fri Apr 22, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Friday, April 22, 2022

Austin Slater had himself a night to remember on Friday in the nation’s capital.

The San Francisco outfielder saved a pair of runs with a sparkling catch in the field, then clubbed his first home run of the season, sparking the Giants to a 7-1 win over the Washington Nationals.

In the bottom of the first inning, Slater, batting .105 and making his third start of the season, made a diving catch on a sinking liner to left field off the bat of that likely prevented two runs from scoring.

Just minutes later, in the top of the second, Slater hit a three-run homer to right-center,
Slater’s blast sparked a seven-run rally that chased Nats starter Patrick Corbin (0-3).

San Francisco batted around in the second, with six hits and two walks, including a three-run double by Brandon Crawford. Mike Yastrzemski’s RBI single to center started the rally.

Crawford finished 3-for-5 with a run and three runs batted in. Slater, Yastrzemski, Darin Ruf and Thairo Estrada each collected two hits.

The Nationals’ lone run came in the bottom of the eighth, when Maikel Franco hit his second home run of the season to left field off Giants reliever Yunior Marte.

Corbin worked 1 2/3 innings and has an ERA of 11.20 through four starts. Washington owes him $70 million on a free agent contract he signed after the 2018 season.

With Alex Wood’s next start pushed back to Saturday, the Giants forged a bullpen game with Sam Long serving as the opening pitcher, throwing two scoreless innings. Jakob Junis (1-0) worked the next five innings, striking out four and giving up three hits and no walks, to get his first win of the season, Jarlin Garcia gave up one walk in s scoreless ninth.

Off the field, the Giants placed outfielder Steven Duggar on the 60-day injured list with a strained left oblique, and pitcher Anthony DeSclafani is on the 10-day IL to address right ankle inflammation.

On Saturday, Wood (1-0, 1.93) will face Washington starter Paolo Espino (0-0, 4.91) in a 10:05 a.m. PDT start.

Rangers take opener of three-game set with A’s 8-1

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Oakland A’s reliever Sam Selman (40) delivers in relief against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland Coliseum on Fri Apr 22, 2022 (photo from Oakland A’s twitter)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s welcomed the lowly Texas Rangers to Ring Central Coliseum Friday night to start a three-game weekend series. Texas Rangers’ manager Chris Woodward was hoping to have his team upset the A’s applecart in the opening game of the series.

Despite their acquisition of star players Corey Seager and former A’s shortstop Marcus Semien, the Rangers started the season with a record of 3-9. On the other hand, Oakland surprised the league and came into the game with an 8-6 record.

However, as the fans know, baseball is a strange game. Anything can happen on any given night. Poor teams can beat the better ones. That is what happened at the Coliseum Friday night. In the second inning, the Rangers put a five-spot on the board as they coasted to an easy 8-1 victory.

A’s manager sent righty Adam Oller to the hill. Oller was looking for his first win of the year. The Rangers had Glenn Otto handling the pitching chores. Oller was hoping to pitch better to keep his spot in the rotation.

His hopes faded in the top of the second when the Rangers put five runs on the board. Adolis Garcia got things going for Texas when he reached on an infield single. Rangers’ first baseman, Nate Lowe, sent Oller’s offering over the wall in center.

The blast traveled 387 feet to give the Rangers an early 2-0 lead. Oller retired Kole Calhoun for the first out. The next batter, Andy Ibanez, made it 3-0 when he hit a 390-foot blast over the fence in left field. Oller’s problems were not over.

He walked Rangers DH Willie Calhoun. Former A’s catcher Jonah Heim doubled, sending Calhoun to third. Shortstop Brad Miller drove in Calhoun on an infield single. Former A’s shortstop Marcus Semien drove in Heim with a sacrifice fly. The Rangers lead 5-0 midway through the second inning.

The A’s managed to put a run on the board in the bottom of the fourth. With two out, back-to-back doubles by Sean Murphy and Seth Brown produced the only run of the game for Oakland. The two doubles were the only hits the A’s could muster Friday night. The A’s trail 5-1 after four.

There was no more scoring in the game until the top of the ninth. Adam Kolarek was now pitching for Oakland. The Rangers nailed him for three hits and three runs as they made it an 8-1 game. Rangers’ reliever Garrett Richard set the A’s down in order in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win for Texas.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 8-7. The Rangers improved to 4-9.

Adam Oller was the losing pitcher. His record is now 0-2, and he owns an 11.70 ERA. Glenn Otto earned his first win of the season. Otto and Oller were high school classmates at Concordia Lutheran High School in Tomball, Texas.

The A’s announced that they would retire Dave Stewart’s number 34 in a ceremony at the Coliseum on September 11th, 2022. Stewart won 119 games over eight seasons, pitching 49 complete games, and nine shutouts while compiling an ERA of 3.63. 

The A’s will send their ace, Frankie Montas, to the mound Saturday afternoon. Montas is 2-1 with an ERA of 3.63. Lefty Martin Perez (0-2, ERA 6.75) will go for Texas. The game will start at 1:07 pm.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Daniel Dullum: Mets Carrasco strikes out seven goes seven in 6-2 win

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The New York Mets starter Carlos Carrasco pitches to the San Francisco Giants in the first inning on Thu Apr 21, 2022 at Citi Park in New York (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Daniel:

#1 The New York Mets (6-8) starter Carlos Carrasco pitched 7.2 innings, four hits, two earned runs, no walks, and seven strike outs in their 6-2 win over the San Francisco Giants (8-5) on Thursday.

#2 The Mets Francisco Lindor had three hits and a homer and teammate Eduardo Escabar also hit a home run to help the Mets in their four run victory on Thursday.

#3 The home run by Escobar was the go ahead run as the Mets took three games from the Giants at Citi Field to conclude the long series for the Giants.

#4 Lindor exclaimed after the game “Were the New York Mets” and “Were a good team” also it was the return of manager Buck Showalter after he was out for a medical procedure on Wednesday and managed Thursday’s win.

#5 The Giants starting pitcher Sam Long (0-0 ERA 0.00) goes in Washington against the Nationals for Friday night at Nationals Park. The Nats will start Patrick Corbin (0-2 ERA 7.50) at 4:05 pm PDT

Join Daniel Dullum for the San Francisco Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Mets get to Giants DeSclafani early; New York gets four run win 6-2

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San Francisco Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani pitches against the New York Mets at Citi Field in New York on Thu Apr 21, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

The San Francisco Giants lost a series for the first time this season, falling 6-2 to the New York Mets at Citi Field on Thursday afternoon. Along with getting defeated in the series 3-1, the Giants had their longest streak in the majors without an opposing player hitting a homer, snapped.

It happened in the first inning.

“We weren’t not going to give up a home run all year,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “When you go through a stretch where those things are not happening, you are pleased with the results. But you also always know there are going to be some times that aren’t perfect.”

Giants starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani had a slow start, allowing the Mets to get nine hits and five earned runs in five innings. DeSclafani has allowed 22 hits in his first 13 1/3 innings. Kapler said “he doesn’t have his best stuff right now.”

“I think it’s just one of those things where we have to hang in there with him. We trust Tony, he was a great pitcher for us last year, and he went through some starts last year where he didn’t have his best stuff as well,” Kapler said. “I think they were getting some pretty good swings off but there were some balls that weren’t hit particularly well – that happens, that’s just part of it.”

Too many balls stayed up, DeSclafani said, including the pitches resulting in homers. The second one happened on a changeup to Eduardo Escobar.

“I definitely don’t feel crisp at all,” DeSclafani said. “I feel like I’m kind of coming off the ball early, not staying back, and (pitches) are kind of left up in the zone.”

The Giants had a run in the second inning and one in the eighth, but the Mets also had one in that inning to lead San Francisco 6-2.

Giants center fielder Steven Duggar suffered a left oblique injury as he fouled off a pitch against Mets starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco in the second inning. He will go on the injured list.

The Giants (8-5) continue their East Coast road trip with a three-game series against the Washington Nationals. First pitch for Game 1 is at 4:05 p.m. PT.

A’s down O’s take three out of four from Baltimore in 6-4 win

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The Oakland A’s Sean Murphy (12) forearm bashes teammate Tony Kemp (5) after belting a two run home run as Baltimore Orioles catcher Anthony Bemboom (right) can only watch at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Apr 21, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s rebounded from a tough 1-0 loss Wednesday night to down the Baltimore Orioles 6-4 Thursday afternoon by four runs. The A’s won the four-game series three games to one. A’s starter Paul Blackburn won his second game of the year.

He went five innings and allowed no runs and just three hits. Blackburn struck out four and did not walk a batter. He threw 62 pitches. Here’s how the A’s did it.

The A’s put the game’s first run on the board in the top of the third. Rookie centerfielder Cristian Pache sent Tyler Wells’ 2-2 pitch 381 feet over the leftfield wall. For Pache, it was his second dinger of the season. With one out, Tony Kemp doubled.

The A’s third baseman, Sheldon Neuse, followed with a single to drive in Kemp with the A’s second run. Sean Murphy ended Wells’ day when he singled to put two on with two out. Orioles’ manager Brandon Hyde brought in Joe Krehbiel to get the final two outs of the frame. The A’s lead 2-0 at the end of three complete.

The Orioles’ offense made the game a wee bit closer in the top of the fifth. O’s first baseman Ryan Mountcastle started the rally with a single. A’s starter Paul Blackburn retired Rougned Odor for the first out.

The next hitter, O’s right fielder Austin Hays doubled to drive in Mountcastle. Blackburn retired the next two hitters to end the threat. The A’s came back in their half of the inning to put two more on the board. With one out, Tony Kemp singled to get the rally going.

O’s reliever, lefty Keegan Akin, retired Sheldon Neuse for the second out. The next hitter, A’s catcher Sean Murphy, blasted Akin’s first pitch 411 feet over the wall in left field to give the A’s a 4-1 advantage after five innings.

The Orioles rallied to plate two runs in the top of the seventh. Ryan McKenna to start the rally. A’s reliever Justin Grimm nailed Ryan Mountcastle with a pitch to put two men on with no out. The O’s Rougned Odor singled to drive in Mountcastle. Austin Hays followed with a single to make it 4-3.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay brought in Domingo Acevedo to pitch. Acevedo retired the next three hitters to get put the fire out. The A’s maintain a narrow 4-3 advantage halfway through the seventh.

The A’s answered by pushing two more runs across the plate in their half of the seventh. With one out, rookie Nick Allen, who made his Major League debut Tuesday night, doubled for his first hit in baseball.

O’s reliever Dillon Tate retired Tony Kemp for the second out. Sheldon Neuse followed with his third hit of the game to drive in Allen. The next hitter, Sean Murphy, doubled to drive in Neuse with the A’s sixth run. Oakland leads 6-3.

The O’s refused to go quietly into the night. O’s centerfielder Cedric Mullins led off the eighth with a double. He went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly. The A’s failed to score in their half of the eighth. The A’s still lead 6-4.

Game Notes- With the win, the A’s are 6-4. The Orioles’ record is 4-9.

The hitting stars for the A’s were Sheldon Neuse, Sean Murphy, Tony Kemp, and Cristian Pache. Neuse had a double and two singles and drove in two runs. Murphy had a single double and a home run. Murphy drove in three. Tony Kemp had two hits. Cristian Pache also homered. For Pache, it was his second of the season.

A’s reliever Dany Jimenez recorded his second save as he set the O’s down in order in the ninth.

Oakland’s line score was six runs, eleven hits, and one error. Baltimore’s line was four runs, seven hits, and no errors.

The A’s meet the Texas Rangers for three games starting Friday night. Adam Oller (0-1 ERA 13.50) will pitch for the A’s, and Spencer Howard (0-0 ERA 18.00) for the Rangers will oppose him.

The time of the game Thursday was 2:50 today’s attendance 4,429 fans watched the A’s win their eighth game.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Rodon goes five shutout innings; Belt hammers solo shot in second in Giants 5-2 win

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The San Francisco Giants pitcher Carlos Rodon throws to the New York Mets in the first inning of action at Citi Field in New York on Wed Apr 20, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 One thing that San Francisco Giants (8-4) first baseman Brandon Belt didn’t have to count on on his 34th birthday on Wednesday was former New York Met (9-4) manager Casey Stengel popping out of Belt’s birthday cake after hitting a second inning home run up in the second deck.

#2 Giants starter Carlos Rodon threw for five innings not giving up a run, three hits, two walks and eight strikeouts and kept the Mets line up off balance all night line.

#3 Met’s manager Bucky Showalter was out for an disclosed medical procedure after sweeping the Giants on Tuesday and Showalter how much of a difference did that make for the Mets not having him on the bench on Wednesday night?

#4 For Rodon he’s struck out 29 hitters over a 17 inning period in three starts the most since New York Giant Cliff Melton had 26 strikeouts back in 1937.

#5 The Giants and Mets conclude the four game series at Citi Field this afternoon the Giants will be sending starter right hander Anthony DeSclafani (0-0 ERA 4.32) and starting for the Mets Carlos Carrasco (0-0 ERA 0.84) at Citi Field first pitch 10:10 AM PDT

Join Michael for the Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com