Category: MLB

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: So, Let’s Not Play Ball! Is this The New Normal?

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PNC Park in Pittsburgh will most likely remain unused for the 2020 season as the players and owners are far apart on revenue issues and a second pay cut for the players (WPXI 11 News file photo)

So,Let’s Not Play Ball! Is this The New Normal?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Another week has come and gone, and like an old friend used to say to me all the time “the more things change, the more they stay the same” that old friend is not around anymore, and baseball is also going the same way as my old friend. Nothing to report from the MLB/owners and the MLPA/Players Union regarding the baseball situation.

The stakes are high in this art of negotiating, each side wants to get what they want, many call it a negotiating game, but just like politicians can talk forever and never get anything done, this current “negotiations” between the owners and players have not produce one grain or results. Let’s be positive and safe…so far.

It surely looks like is coming down to money, and ‘what else is new’? This is the same old flick we have seen with these protagonists. It also looks like both sides were satisfied with the plan for the health and protection of players and staff, although the player’s representative presented some additional recommendations to the owners and that was well received.

Although no deadline was imposed, sources had said all along that a deal had to be in place by the first of June, for teams to have time to report for a few weeks of Spring Training, before playing for real by the Fourth of July. Since then, some have said, negotiations could go into mid-June, and then the season would begin in August. If that is the case, everybody would see that they are just playing for money, no good faith here will be seen. You mean a season of two months? Who in the right mind will like to have the playoffs, if not for pure money since the postseason generates a lot of revenue for both sides.

I heard a good buddy telling me, “Owners should just play with replacement players”. Others said “no Minor Leagues, no problem, bring them in to play, set some rosters and play, let the regular players stay at home, since “staying at home” is “the new normal” these days and since “we are all together” is a phrase in vogue, let all the players stay together at home and give a chance to the poor inexperience players.

The problem for baseball seems to be that what is happening today is “the old normal”. A lot of distrust between owners and players like cats and dogs, oil and water.

The ultimate alternative might be the one we are headed towards anyway “Let’s Do Not Play Ball!” Wait until 2021, by then there will be no equivocation between a scientist who told us early in this pandemic one thing about the mask and then later another thing, or one model that would kill so many and then changed it later. Come Spring 2021 if there is no vaccine yet, we will know much better about the treatment of this virus and we shall be in a much better position to live with it than today.

It is just my opinion. I am sure you have your own and I respect that.

Have a great weekend

Stay well and stay tuned.

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: A look back on Roy Steele A’s PA announcer; Kaepernick says Minneapolis right to fight back; plus more

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Former Oakland A’s PA announcer Roy Steele who passed away on Thursday worked A’s games from 1968-2005 and returned to make appearances in the 2007-2008 seasons (mercurynews.com file photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 He was known as the voice of God and the voice of summer Oakland A’s PA announcer Roy Steele passed away Thursday at his Auburn home and was the A’s PA announcer from day one when the A’s moved to the Oakland Coliseum in 1968 to 2005 and made appearances during the 2007-2008 seasons. Roy was also a kind gentleman and a Baptist minister when not working at the A’s. Roy now joins his long time friend scoreboard operator Chester Farrow who passed away at age 77 on Sunday. Chester also worked at the A’s since day one in 1968.

#2 On Thursday following the protests in Minneapolis following the murder of George Floyd who was choked out by Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin with his co officers  Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng assisting. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick weighed in saying the people of Minneapolis have a right to fight back.

#3 After Kaepernick’s statement CNN’s Don Lemon said that it should be very clear to everyone why Kaepernick led the way in taking a knee during the national anthem and why there is injustice. Lemon said Trump calling football players SOBs for taking a knee was a bad message to NFL players who wanted to demonstrate in their way injustices.

#4 NFL owners viewing that a fourth and 15 to replace an onside kick would be an advantage for certain teams declined to move forward with the rule change. The league said that they did not rule out revisiting the rule change at a another time.

#5 The Washington Nationals Max Scherzer says the owners need to show financial transparency as they owners claim they are taking a financial hit and can not pay the players their full salaries when they come back based on revenue sharing. Players have questioned why ownership are willing to pay top salaried players 70% of their salary and lower paid players 47% of their salary. Scherzer said there is no reason the players should have to take a second pay cut.

London does Headline Sports each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Players and MLB far apart on salaries for return of the game; plus much more

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New York Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman said negotiations with players are not going well as cuts in salaries are not sitting too well for the higher paid players (newsday.com file photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Sounds like MLB hit a snag in negotiations to get the game up and running with a July 4th target date. MLB proposed to the players to return taking a sliding scale with the highest paid players taking the biggest hit and the lowest paid players taking a less of a hit and remaining mostly whole. The players have let MLB know they need to go back and make another offer.

#2 Jerry time is of the essence to get a deal done how much time do you see is needed before it’s too late for baseball by July?

#3 The New York Mets third highest player right hand pitcher Marcus Stroman was brutally honest saying that the proposals by baseball doesn’t look very promising and Stroman plans to dive into some life after baseball projects if there is no agreement.

#4  Oakland A’s owner John Fisher had sent out notices to over 150 full time employees stating that the A’s will furloughing pro scouts by June 16th, business operations will downsize next week in furloughs and salary cuts. Fisher who hardly says anything publicly even to his employees said in the statement he realizes how much this impacts everyone on hand and apologized to everyone.

#5 Oakland A’s longtime scoreboard operator Chester Farrow who passed away last Sunday at age 77 kept track of runners, outs, balls, strikes and information since he joined the team in 1969. We got to know Chester when we started covering the Oakland A’s in 1983 and often sat with Chester and former A’s PA announcer Roy Steele for pre game dinners in the A’s media room for many years.

Jerry is an Oakland A’s beat writer and does Headline Sports podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Baseball 2020 Season in Peril

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mlb logo from mlb.com

Baseball 2020: Season in Peril

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Both sides returned to the negotiating table this Tuesday, but the new proposal by the MLB team owners was rejected in just a few minutes by the Players Association. The Union will now move to inform there members where they stand. Although no deadline for a deal,the consensus is that by June 1st, both sides must be inked,  the agreement for Spring Training to begin in June and the season by July 4th. We felt “disappointment”after reviewing this new proposal, said the Players Union.

The players received a plan that would impose bigger salary cuts to the players making the most money while the players in the lower salary scale would receive a bigger portion of their pro-rated salaries. This plan will cost the players more than the current deal. It is known that the players have lost 40% to 50% of their salaries,with half the season having been lost, since the proposed date to go back to play is early July.

All the 30-teams have lost hundreds of millions of dollars and some owners have said (according to sources) that they are not in the mood to lose more money, therefore throwing the ball back to the players. Some teams have already reduced their front office staffs as well as scouts.

Looks like the money part of the proposed deal is the one where both sides are further apart than last week. The safety and health of the players was countered last week with players giving the owners feedback on the frequency of testing, and how to proceed when players are tested positive, especially some players that are in the high-risk categories. There are players that are diabetic and this virus could complicate any given player with such condition if they tested positive with Covid-19.

The clock is ticking. This week is paramount for the future of the game, not only this season, but for years to come. If they cannot close a deal,this would present economic problems that have never been seen before in the history of baseball.

The negotiations continue.

Stay well and stay tuned.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio play by play voice for the Oakland Athletics on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Pro teams get ok to train in NY; Colon looking for next club to pitch for; plus more

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Former Texas Rangers pitcher Bartolo Colon is just 46 innings short of former San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marichal on the all time innings pitched list (AP file photo)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary:

#1 Amaury New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has given the okay for re-opening sports training facilities in pro sports. Meaning teams like the Mets and Yankees can start throwing around the old horse hide and get ready for the 2020 season.

#2 In terms of the MLB players getting back on the field the remaining sticking point is the money. The safety concerns covered in the Commissioner 67 page outline to return to action is pretty much agree upon by the players it’s the 50-50 revenue sharing the players have a problem with.

#3 Former Los Angeles Dodger Carl Crawford said his heart is heavy after the loss of two visitors in his home Bethany Lartigue 25 and a five year old boy. It was the first time since the May 16th drownings of the boy who was found by Lartigue who jumped in the pool to save the boy in Crawford’s pool that she spoke out about the incident. Crawford tried to save both victims to no avail. He spoke for the first time about it saying his heart is heavy and it’s the first and last thing he thinks about.

#4 Former Oakland A’s pitcher Bartolo Colon says he’s not retiring and is determined to find a team that will pick him up. At age 47 Bartolo who didn’t pitch in 2019 is looking for a club to join. Colon The Big Sexy is 46 innings behind former San Francisco Giant Hall of Famer Juan Marichal in innings pitched all time. Colon has 3,461 and Marichal has 3,507. Colon last pitched for Texas in 2018.

#5 New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard is being sued by his landlord for failure to pay rent during the Coronavirus epidemic for $250,000. Syndergaard says the landlord is trying to extort him for $250,00 the full value of the lease at $27,000 a month. Syndergaard said he paid two months ($50,000) on an apartment he never was going to use. Syndergaard’s attorney informed the landlord that Syndergaard was not moving in and had paid the two months. Syndergaard was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery in Florida and after learning the season was suspended didn’t need the apartment anymore and wanted to rehab in Florida.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish play by play voice on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headlines Sports podcast with Morris Phillips: If things go to schedule Cal to open Aug 29th in Vegas; Giants and A’s developments

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Allegiant Stadium on the Las Vegas Strip where the Cal Bears will open up the 2020 season on August 29th against the UNLV Rebels (quarantine not withstanding) athlonsports.com photo

On Headline Sports with Morris:

#1 At the Cal campus there is news that the NCAA Division I council voted to return on June 1st through June 30th on a voluntary basis signaling that the football season will be on a fast track to start when school opens.

#2 The Bears 2020 season is scheduled to start on Saturday August 29th when Cal plays the UNLV Rebels at Allegiant Stadium in Vegas. By that time it’s the hope there is a vaccine and you can come to the stadium and not worry about social distancing. Worst case social distancing and the game will be played with no fans.

#3 The UNLV Rebels who have a good program in their own right have a new head coach Marcus Arroyo who took over for former head coach Tony Sanchez. Arroyo is from Oregon and was an assistant offensive coordinator for the last three seasons.

#4 The San Francisco Giants broke ground near McCovey Cove on their 27 acre parking lot  the team is constructing ten buildings for apartments, retail, a parking garage and a five acre park which is expected to be finished in seven to eight years.

#5 This week a group opposed to the building of an Oakland A’s Howard Terminal Stadium filed a lawsuit last Monday in Alameda Superior Court from the shipping, trucking and steel companies who work at the Port of Oakland. The lawsuit plans to slow down or stop a legislature that was signed by former California Gov Jerry Brown AB 734 a law that would fast track the construction of a new arena or stadium in California. The lawsuit is trying slow down the path of construction for the A’s. The opposing group says that Gov Gavin Newsom has no authority to certify the construction of the A’s park under AB 734.

Morris Phillips does Headline Sports each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Players and Commissioner still working on a deal; A’s refuse to pay rent to Coliseum Authority

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As the Oakland Coliseum sits empty the A’s organization refuses to pay for something their not using and didn’t pay the rent for the 2020 season to the Oakland Coliseum Authority (AP file photo)

On Headline Sports pod with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah baseball negotiations is on between the players and the Commissioner and his staff as to how the 2020 season will start. Amongst some of the key concerns revenue sharing and how the players will get paid?

#2 Another concern is where the games will be played will baseball will they be in Arizona and Florida contained only to their spring training locations? Or will they play in their home parks which would mean more air travel involved and playing in front of empty parks?

#3 Baseball’s biggest concern is social distancing, no interacting with the fans, no high fives, celebrations after games, no sitting together in the dugout, and a new baseball must be in play after every closing play.

#4 Oakland Coliseum management said on Thursday that the Oakland A’s are using the Covid-19 pandemic to get out of their rent they said that they didn’t use the Coliseum in April and will not pay the $1.2 million they annually pay to the Coliseum.

#5 The A’s said they were of the understanding the Coliseum would be used and reserve for potential Covid-19 victims and housing them at the Coliseum where needed. With that understanding the A’s have said they can not pay rent. Coliseum Authority Board member Ignacio De La Fuente said, “It’s just an excuse to try to not pay when the city needs the money the most.”

Join Jeremiah every other Saturday for Headline Sports podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: Former Sac Bee Kings beat writer Marty McNeal dead at 64; MLB 67 page proposal to players

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Marty McNeal, sports reporter for the Sacramento Bee, squeezes between two other journalists to interview Shaquille O’Neal at the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta. Hector Amezcua Sacramento Bee photo file 

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred and MLB presented MLB Players Association representative with a 67 page operations manual to Player Representative Tony Clark which included health and safety issues there was nothing about the 50-50 sharing revenue issues.

#2 We’ll go over some of the proposed safety rules, no spitting, no sitting next to each other in the dugout or in the bull pens it may sound simple but in the Show that’s some old habits that’s tough to break.

#3 One of the key things to get the players interest is the 50-50 gate revenue split as Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Blake Snell said “I want my money” the other thing he said “I risk my life” can MLB get a deal done with such stringent policies from the Commissioners office?

#4 Our former colleague former Sacramento Bee beat writer for the Sacramento Kings Marty McNeal passed away from Leukemia at age 64 on Thursday. He was surrounded at a Dallas Hospital by family. Marty as we knew very well in covering Kings games for 13 years was a friendly and knowledgeable writer he was very funny and he was just great with the TV-radio reporters. He will really be missed.

#5 There were so many stories about Marty a favorite as told by the Sacramento Bee in Thursday’s edition that Marty was involved with not only covering the team but almost was like an assistant coach former King Mike Bibby was having a bad night as the reporters were seated at courtside. As Bibby was walking off the court Marty would say to him “What the hell is wrong with you” Bibby and Marty would end up talking.

Charlie O is a Sacramento Kings beat writer and podcasts every other Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: MLB By Tuesday maybe good news

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photo of MLB image

MLB: By Tuesday maybe good news

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Another week has gone by (two weeks to date) and there still no final agreement to begin an abbreviated 2020 season. But early next week, maybe by Tuesday, there could be the news the sport is waiting for. Let me explain.

During this week, MLB presented to the players union a 67-page proposal on a plan to keep the players and staff safe from Covid-19 and still open the season. The MLPA went through it and had over 130 players on-line, many posting questions, seems players want more testing and more often. So, they seem receptive and MLB will probably take those recommendations and amend the proposal. The union on behalf of the players they represent sent the notes on the MLB health and safety plans during this pandemic.

Now for the economic side of things. Remember originally the MLB/owners 50-50 revenue sharing proposal was basically DOA, (dead on arrival). Now we know the MLB/owners plan to deliver a “new economic proposal” and it might be the one that the players union agrees with. In that case, there could be an agreement.

This next week, could determine the future of baseball for the next few years. This Pandemic has left 40 million Americans, (size of California) unemployed and so far thousands of businesses that might never comeback. The country will comeback, because this country always does, but image if the power-to-be in baseball didn’t come to an agreement. How can they justify this fight between billionaires vs. millionaires? Baseball would suffer serious damage much more than in previous work-stoppages by strikes and lockouts. It would truly be unconscionable.

If settled,Spring Training for two weeks in June and season starts by Independence Day July 4th,the biggest American holiday,with the National Pastime.

Baseball could go from goat to hero, if they even only play 82 games. This would be the best medicine for the American people in 2020. Let’s hope it happens, because life will eventually be normal sometime in the future.

Both sides will enjoy this Memorial Day weekend and will return to the table next week.

One thing is for sure, if by the end of next week there is no agreement, there will not be a season

I hope everybody enjoys the summer-type weather here in the Bay Area. Go out get some sun/vitamin D,enjoy yourself and stay well

Hasta la vista.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Museum vice president and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: The New Constitution for Baseball 2020

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Former Pittsburgh Pirate Dave Parker wore a mask at one time while playing for the Bucs. This illustration gives you an idea what some creative looks are to come. (espn.com file photo)

The New Constitution for Baseball 2020

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

This week the Commissioner of Baseball, Rob Manfred, presented to Tony Clark, in charge of the Major League Players Association a 67 page “Operations Manual” for the players union, to review, give their input, recommendations/amendments, and ultimately approval. This one is all about the health of the players and not about the 50-50 sharing of revenues, which still has not been approved. These are all for the 82-game “regular” season. No Spring Training rules are listed here, but they are also very stringent

These are some of the key new “rules”.

-No spitting. -No chewing of gum or anything, including seeds -No sitting next to each other in the dugout -No fighting -No traditional pregame exchange of lineup cards -Coaches must wear masks and no touching of their faces with their hands (including to give signs) -Balls that are in play and touched by player(s) should be removed and exchange for a new baseball. -After an out, players are discouraged from throwing the ball around the infield. -Pitchers should bring their own rosin bag to the mound -Hitters should have their own pine tar and batting donuts that they bring with them to and from the on-deck circle -First and third base coaches must remain in or behind the coach’s box and shall not approach a base-runner, fielder or umpire. -Using the indoor hitting cage is discouraged -Players are not to high-five or any type of demonstration even after a walk-off -No use of saunas, steam rooms or other hydrotherapy at the ballparks clubhouse are prohibited -The duties performed by bat boys/girls will be performed by existing team employees -No Mascots allowed

Traveling to hotels also has restrictions, like no venturing outside the hotel on the road. Cannot use Uber, Taxi, Public Transportation, but only buses provided by the team. While at the hotel, limit the amount of players on each elevator. No congregation in the lobby, player family or friends. And there are more not listed here. Like for team charters to try to use smaller airports if possible. But these will give you an overall flavor of what it would be.

And of course, no fans.

Spring Training rules not listed here.

Stay tuned and stay well.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio play by play voice for the Oakland Athletics and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com