Category: MLB

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez broadcasting last time the Oakland A’s were in the Postseason. October 3, 2018 At Yankee Stadium. American League Wild Card Final score: Yankees 7 Athletics 2. (Photo credit: APG Sports)

2022 Season – My Predictions–

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The season is here, even though we just had an abbreviated Spring Training and the CBA negotiations went deep into extra-innings, this will be a full 162-games season. And that is great news. Of all other sports, baseball (without a doubt), offers the most fun when it comes to predictions, there are more games, more ups and downs, more drama and great surprises. So here we go!

AL West

Houston Astros The more I look at the Seattle Mariners, the more improvement I see all over their roster. I like what they are doing in “Rain City”. They are already crowning Rookie Julio Rodríguez as the new “J-Rod” as the Rookie of the Year.

But I have to go with the Houston Astros, although they lost Carlos Correa to the Twins. Justin Verlander is returning to the mound, this is a veteran team with a good skipper who keeps everybody happy and knows how to win, in Dusty Baker.

I would not be surprised if the Mariners win the division. The A’s have a new look and it will be fun watching some of their future stars recently acquired, but they will not be in this race, they will play role of spoilers. Last time A’s were in a Postseason was in 2018.

Back to, the Angels line-up (all healthy) might be the most dangerous in baseball, but since Adam and Eve, without pitching nobody has won anything. Noah Syndergaard, aka “Thor” left the Big Apple for the Big A. But the Angelinos need more from the mound.

What a waste of a lineup it they do not win; Othani, Trout, Rendon and company. Last time the LA Angels made the playoffs was in 2014. Angels Owner Arturo (Arte) Moreno who spends more money than the US Congress would love nothing more than to be in the postseason. Arte is a good guy. Ay Caramba!

AL Central

Chicago White Sox The Minnesota Twins have a scary lineup and a good pitching staff, but the Chicago White Sox. this season are built not only to win this division but to go all the way to the World Series.

This will not be a tight race, White Sox by plenty. Last year they won the division by 13 games over Cleveland. There is a team now named the Guardians in Cleveland, they just signed José Ramírez, maybe one of the most underrated players in the game, he finally got paid, a multi-year $124 million contract.

But this is LaRussa’s division. We related to each other, Tony and I, were born on exactly threw same day, month and year, about 200 miles apart, Havana-Tampa, and not the cigars! This year is like the old Sinatra classic “My Kind of Town” Chicago!

AL East

Winner: Toronto The Blue Jays might be the team to watch and you cannot close your eyes when you see this team play. They are fun personified. Hard to have more fun than to watch this lineup, their solid pitching and the athleticism is by far the class of this division.

They’re young talented stars with some experience and they are going to compete in this always the most watched division in baseball. Tampa Bay Rays will be there and Boston Red Sox could compete all the way into September, they have Alex Cora, at 46 years old one of the most intelligent and accomplished managers in the game.

The Yankees always find a way, but they will not win the division, they wanted Frankie Montás of the A’s, and they still might get him, if they are in the race by July-August. If the Yankees win it, that is a surprise. You might get your passport ready, right now, for the postseason because you are not going to the Bronx, you are going to Canada.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers should win this division again with 100 plus wins. Games in the 2021 MLB season were initially played with limited capacity before being gradually increased to full capacity over the course of the season. Dodger Stadium will be rocking again this year between 3 to 3.5 million or more in attendance.

That’s a lot of Dodger Dogs. Further south the Bob Melvin Padres will survive a month or so without injured mega-star Fernando Tatís Jr, but they do not have the depth on their roster like the Dodgers, it is a must for Tatís to comeback healthy and stay healthy all season long.

I like the Giants rotation, even though they lost Kevin Gausman, they picked up Carlos Rodon, and if he can stay healthy, he will help. Their offense is not as good on paper compared to LA or SD. Giants could have signed Khris Bryant, but he signed with the thin-air Rockies in Colorado.

They open the season with their third-baseman, veteran Evan Longoria on the injured list. Attention, Giants fans; do not forget there are more opportunities for a wild card spot this year. But it will be tougher this year to “Beat LA”.

NL Central

St Louis Cardinals. For some reason I like the St Louis Cardinals, maybe is because they have the greatest of all baseball uniforms. The reunion between good friends and future Hall of Famers, Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols, might be all the inspiration they need, in a city personally I consider the best, bar-none, for baseball and fans in this country.

One of the very best organizations in the game, the Cards always manage to make it interesting. History has it they have won the most World Series in the National League, with eleven, and only the Yankees with 27, have won more in the same city among all teams in history..

NL East: New York Mets

Do we have enough drama in New York? Never! And this season will have more drama as veteran skipper Buck Showalter takes the control as first year manager of the Metropolitanos. The World Champion Atlanta Braves lost their heart and soul, the great first-baseman Freddy Freeman, who was one of the most popular players ever in Atlanta since Larry “Chipper” Jones.

They gained A’s Matt Olson so they did not lose much power there. The Bravos won 88 games last year and won the World Series. I see the Mets ascending and like the improved Philadelphia Phillies, it could be a three-team race.

When everything is right, the Mets might have the best trio of starters in the game, #1 Jacob DeGrom, #2 Matt Scherzer and #3 Chris Bassitt. Whatever happens, I still Love New York, I lived there after my US Army service and there is no city like it.

To expedite things, let’s go-by the playoffs and land in the World Series.

League Champion AL: Toronto Blue Jays NL: Los Angeles Dodgers

World Series Champion: Toronto Blue Jays

Adiós muchachos.

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

Artists rendition of what the Howard Terminal ballpark would look like if built. The project is meeting lots of opposition from a number of plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits including Amtrak and Union Pacific just this week (photo from the Port of Oakland)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amtrak Capital Corridor has joined Southern Pacific in a lawsuit to stop the Oakland A’s Howard Terminal build. Both plaintiffs claim that public safety risk which involved traffic, pedestrian safety where railroad tracks encircle the entire Oakland Port location. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) is the A’s last chance at building at the terminal and the A’s need a two thirds vote on June 2 if the Commission votes it down the project is dead.

#2 Amaury, Couldn’t start the podcast without mentioning the passing of the late Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Tommy Davis who passed away on Monday at age 83. Davis had a .294 career average, 153 home runs, and 1,052 RBIs.

#3 Davis said towards the end of his career that he was bitter for being released so much he played for 11 different teams including the Oakland A’s two different times. Davis said that he was released because he was too laid back and argued he played better that way. He was noted for shaving or reading a book between at bats when he was a DH for the Baltimore Orioles between 1972-75.

#4 Former Oakland A’s designated hitter Khris Davis was signed by the Mexico City Red Devils for a one year deal. Davis’ mother is Mexican and who speaks Spanish is from Guadalajara and this has to be very special for Davis to play in the Mexican League.

#5 Mark Kotsay said Saturday that he was debating whether to start Sean Manaea or Frankie Montas for opening day on Friday but that answer was made for him when Manaea was traded to the San Diego Padres on Sunday morning. The A’s were scheduled to play the Padres that morning and Manaea got to start against his former team and heard some all in fun chirping from his ex-teammates during his first game with the Pads.

#6 Former Houston Astro Carlos Beltran admitted that the Astros crossed the line in 2017 stealing signs electronically. Beltran who is now a analyst for the YES Network calling New York Yankee games said “the cheating was working did you truly expect us to stop.”

#7 Amaury, MLB’s hottest prospect the Seattle Mariners Julio Rodriquez not only is up and coming but he made it to the opening day roster. The 21 year old from the Dominican hit .419 this spring and the Mariners were so impressed what he did at the plate hitting three home runs and and eight RBIs. Rodriguez can also play left, center and right defensively and are hoping for big things from his this season.

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