Category: MLB

SF Giants game wrap:Webb torched for six runs in worst start of season, and Royals’ bullpen shuts down Giants in 8-4 win to take series

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Kansas City Royals Salvador Perez circles the bases after connecting for a two run home run in the top of the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants on Wed May 21, 2025 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Kansas City Royals 8 (28-23)

San Francisco Giants 4 (29-21)

Win: Jonathan Bowlan (1-0)

Loss: Logan Webb (5-4)

Time: 2:39

Attendance: 29,064

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Royals torched Logan Webb for six runs, and their powerful bullpen shut down the Giants’ struggling offense in an 8-4 to take the series Wednesday.

The Royals took the series opener behind seven shutout innings by Kris Bubic on Monday night. Then Tuesday night, Hayden Birdsong was strong over five innings in his first start of the season, and that carried the Giants to a 3-2 win to even the series.

Wednesday, the Giants looked to take the series with their ace, Logan Webb, on the mound. On the surface, Webb was the perfect guy to have going Wednesday, but in baseball, even the best pitchers have their bad days. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened today to Logan Webb Wednesday.

The Royals started off the game with three-straight singles off Webb to plate a run. Webb then followed that up by striking out the side. It was three base-hits followed by three strikeouts. How very Logan Webb of him.

Kansas City went with the old bullpen game, a move they could make with one of the best bullpens in the game.

Daniel Lynch IV took the ball as the opener in the bottom of the first. Matt Chapman walked with one out, and Wilmer Flores singled him over to third base with two outs. Willy Adames came up as the Giants looked for their response, but Adames flew out to end the inning.

Webb’s troubles continued in the top of the second, as the Royals once again scored a run on three straight singles. However, they would tack on an extra run this time on a sacrifice fly by Bobby Witt Jr. to make it 3-0.

Lynch walked Patrick Bailey and LaMonte Wade with two outs in the bottom of the second, and Royals Manager Matt Quatraro brought in Jonathan Bowlan to face the potential tying run in Heliot Ramos. However, Ramos grounded out to third, and the Giants wasted it.

Webb escaped another jam in the top of the third, and the Giants looked to finally get on the board in the bottom of the third. Matt Chapman would do that on his own, as he led off the inning with a home run to left field.

Jung Hoo Lee then doubled, and the Giants appeared to have a rally going. Unfortunately, Bowlan retired the next three, and it was another wasted opportunity for the Giants

Things fell apart for Webb in the top of the fourth. It started when Kyle Isbel reached on an error by Wade at first. Maikel Garcia then hit a chopper back to the mound, and Webb appeared to be ready to throw to second to get the lead runner, but he bizarrely hesitated and lobbed it over to first to barely get Isbel.

That would prove to be extremely costly for Webb, as Witt lined a double out to left-center to get the run right back and make 4-1. Webb struck out Vinnie Pasquantino, but Salvidor Perez, the longtime Royals’ catcher, and lone remaining Royal from the world series teams in 2014 and 2015, hit a two-run home run to right-center to open it up to 6-1.

Webb finished the inning, but he was done after four in what was his shortest and worst start of the season. He gave up six runs on ten hits, and he plain and simply just did not have it today.

Patrick Bailey hit his first home run of the year to center off Steven Cruz with one out in the bottom of the fourth to make it 6-2. The Giants then loaded the bases, and once again brought up the tying run to the plate in Wilmer Flores. However, it would be another wasted opportunity, as Wilmer lined out to center.

Spencer Bivens came in for the top of the fifth as the mop-up guy, and he gave up two runs over three innings. Jordan Hicks, in his second appearance out of the bullpen, threw a one, two, three, inning in the bottom of the eighth. Lefty Erik Miller then worked around two walks in a scoreless top of the ninth.

Despite the amount of wasted opportunities today, the Giants kept fighting it out every single inning. There was no reason they wouldn’t continue to do so down to their final three outs against Lucas Erceg in the bottom of the ninth.

Wade led off the inning with a line-drive base-hit off the top of the glove of Royals’ right-fielder Drew Waters. Heliot Ramos then hit a two-run home run to left-center to cut the deficit to 8-4, and suddenly, this crowd had something to cheer for. Jung Hoo Lee then walked with one out, and the crowd started getting into it.

Wilmer came up and looked to keep it going. It appeared he was going to when he hit a line drive to right, but it was right to Waters for the second out. That seemed to suck the life out of any potential comeback, as Adames struck out swinging to end it.

It is Jonathan Bowlan, who took over for the opener, Lynch, in the bottom of the second, who got the win for Kansas City. Logan Webb suffered his fourth loss of the season.

The Giants fall to 29-21, and while they lost the series, they still end up with a 5-4 homestand. The Giants swept the A’s, but lost two of three to the Diamondbacks and the Royals. Not your usual homestand.

The Giants will now hit the road for their second of three three-city road trips this season. First up, they will go to the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Nationals for three starting Friday night. After D.C., the Giants will head to Detroit for three against the Tigers, and then to Miami for three against the Marlins.

Neither the Giants nor the Nationals have announced their starters for Friday night. First pitch will be at 6:45 p.m EDT. in D.C., and 3:45 p.m PDT back in San Francisco.

Angels Hand A’s Seventh Straight Loss Despite Early Power Surge 7-5

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Lawrence Butler on Tuesday in the game against the Angels (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — There was an air of desperation Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park. The A’s entered the game riding a six-game losing streak and were 2-8 over their last 10. The Angels extended that skid to seven with a 7-5 victory.

The A’s continue to struggle, unable to put together consistent pitching and offense in the same game. On Tuesday, starter Gunnar Hogland lasted just 4.2 innings and took the loss. Hogland was sharp through three innings before hitting a snag in the fourth when Logan O’Hoppe launched a solo homer to left to tie the game at one. Though it seemed like a minor setback at the time, trouble returned in the fifth. After a grinding at-bat by Luis Rengifo, Yoan Moncada followed with a three-run shot to right-center, tying the game at four. Hogland gave up a double to the next batter and was pulled. He finished with six hits and five earned runs allowed, along with five strikeouts and two walks.

The bullpen held things down until the ninth, when Anthony Maldonado surrendered two runs on three hits in his lone inning. Between Hogland and Maldonado, Justin Sterner, Hogan Harris, and Grant Holman combined for 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.

The A’s offense came out swinging early but failed to build momentum late. Luis Urías opened the scoring in the second with an RBI single. In the fourth, Shea Langeliers crushed a solo homer to center, followed by a two-run opposite-field shot from Nick Kurtz to give the A’s a brief 4-1 lead. Their only other run came in the ninth, when Seth Brown delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to cut the deficit to 7-5. That’s where the rally ended.

Hogland took the loss, while Kyle Hendricks earned the win for the Angels. Closer Kenley Jansen locked down his 10th save of the season.

The series wraps up Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. PST at Sutter Health Park. The A’s will send JP Sears (4-3, 3.31 ERA) to the mound against Jack Kochanowicz (3-5, 4.71 ERA) for the Angels.

Note of the day: A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz snapped an 0-for-21 skid with a single in the second inning — his longest hitless stretch of the season.

Birdsong shines in first start, and Giants pull off 3-2 win over Royals on city connect night

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Hayden Birdsong (60) San Francisco Giants pitcher delivers to the Kansas City Royals line up in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue May 20, 2025 (AP News photo)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Kansas City Royals 2 (27-23)

San Francisco Giants 3 (29-20)

Win: Hayden Birdsong (2-0)

Loss: Michael Lorenzen (3-5)

Save: Ryan Walker (9)

Time: 2:36

Attendance: 32,118

By Stephen Ruderman

Hayden Birdsong shined in his first start of the season, and the Giants got just enough offense to pull off a 3-2 win over the Royals on Tuesday.

As exciting as this weekend’s sweep of the A’s, the somewhat-harsh reality was that it was mostly Wilmer Flores carrying a struggling offense. That showed again last night when the Royals took the series opener. Tonight, on city connect night, the Giants would have a secret weapon.

Hayden Birdsong showed promise in his 16 starts for the Giants in his rookie season last year. At the start of this season, Bob Melvin placed him in the bullpen, where he has shined. In 11 games this season, Birdsong posted a 2.31, struck out 25 and established himself as a reliable force for the Giants. Before he gave up three runs to the Diamondbacks last Wednesday, his ERA was 1.33.

Birdsong’s skipper rewarded him for his hard work and dominance with a spot in the rotation. Tuesday night, he made his well-earned first start of the season. Birdsong pitched a pair of scoreless innings to start things off, and then he ran into his first test in the top of the third.

Drew Waters led off the top of the third with a base-hit to center field. Birdsong then tried to pick Waters off with a throw over to first base, but he flung the ball into right field, which allowed Waters to go all the way to this. Kyle Isbel stepped up and got Waters in with a sacrifice fly to center, and the Royals fired the opening salvo.

The veteran right-hander, Michael Lorenzen, took the ball for the Royals. Lorenzen escaped a jam in the bottom of the first, and then he threw a one, two, three inning in the bottom of the second. He was then picked up by his defense, who stymied the Giants’ response in the bottom of the third.

After Birdsong got through a scoreless top of the fourth, the Giants would have their response in the bottom of the fourth. Lorenzen hit Willy Adames with one out, and Willy Adames shot a three-bagger out to Triples Alley in right-center to tie it. LaMonte Wade walked, and Casey Schmitt hit a base-hit to left to give the Giants the lead.

Birdsong pitched through a two-out double by Isbel in the top of the fifth. Birdsong got Jonathan India to end the inning with a flyout to left, and his night would be over. Birdsong gave up a run and five hits over his five innings. He didn’t walk anybody, and he struck out four.

Birdsong had done his job, and the Giants had more for Lorenzen in the bottom of the fifth. Mike Yastrzemski reached on an infield hit to start the inning. Wilmer Flores than hit a ground ball off the end of the bat to first-baseman Vinnie Pasquantino on the right side, but as Pasquantino threw to second to try and nail the leading runner, Yastrzemski, he winged it into left field.

The Giants had runners at the corners with nobody out for Jung Hoo Lee. Lee worked the count full, and then Lorenzen hung a curve right down the pipe that Lee shot up the middle into center field for a base-hit. Yastrzemski scored, and the Giants led it 3-1.

Randy Rodriguez entered for the Giants’ starter, as he has done many times this season, in the top of the sixth and threw a scoreless inning. Kyle Harrison then came in and threw a one, two, three top of the seventh.

Harrison was back out for the top of the eighth, but he gave up a leadoff double to the now-journeyman, Hunter Renfroe. Jonathan India grounded out to move Renfroe over to third, and Melvin brought in Camilo Doval.

Bobby Witt Jr. came up and knocked in Renfroe with an infield hit. It was now 3-2, and Witt was aboard as the tying run. Witt tried to steal second, but he was gunned down by Patrick Bailey for the second out. Doval got Pasquantino looking on a cutter right at the bottom of the zone to end the inning.

Melvin then went to his closer, Ryan Walker, in the top of the ninth. Walker shut the Royals down with a one, two, three inning, and the Giants won 3-2.

Kyle Harrison got the win in his first start of the season; Michael Lorenzen took the loss; and Ryan Walker picked up his ninth save.

The Giants are now 29-20—2-2 in the funky city connects—and they can take the series with a win in the rubber match Wednesday. It will be another midweek matinee at the corner of Third and King. The Giants will have their ace, Logan Webb (5-3, 2.42 ERA), on the mound. The Royals will counter with a bullpen game. Daniel Lynch IV (3-0, 1.29 ERA) will take the ball as the opener for Kansas City.

First pitch will be at 12:45 p.m.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Dodgers lose fourth straight; Mets Soto asked to hustle out of batters box; plus more MLB news

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Los Angeles Dodgers two way star Shohei Ohtani grounds out in the bottom of the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodgers Stadium on Mon May 19, 2025. The Dodgers are struggling of late and are on a four game losing streak. (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 What happened to the Los Angeles Dodgers after taking two out of three from the Sacramento A’s at Dodger Stadium. Then the Dodgers got swept by in three games by the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend and the Arizona Diamondbacks came to town on Monday night and jumped all over Dodger pitching losing 9-5.

#2  New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza will speak to Juan Soto about getting out of the hitter’s box a little faster. Soto was watching his handy work of what he anticipated would a home run instead of running the bases. The ball ended up bouncing off the Green Monster in Boston for a long single on Monday night at Fenway Park. Soto said he thinks he been hustling out of the box pretty hard.

#3 Jose Alvarado might have disappointed his teammates at the Philadelphia Phillies after coming up positive for external testosterone. Major League Baseball suspended Alvarado for 80 games on Sunday. The Phillies were predicted to be a post season team but with Alvarado out that could set them back.

#4 Former St Louis Cardinal Kolten Wong has announced at 34 he will be retiring at 34. Wong finishes his career with a .256 average and finishes just 27 hit short of getting 1,000 hits in his illustrious 11 year career. He finishes with 86 homers, 511 runs scored, and stole 120 bases. Wong won the Gold Glove Awards in 2019 and 2020. Finishing his career in 2023 hitting .183 with four homers over 87 games.

#5 The Kansas City Royals pitcher Kris Bubic pitched a no hitter into the sixth inning only to get charged with a hit by the Giants Wilmer Flores who broke up the no hit bid on Monday night. The Royals got enough good pitching to win the ball game 3-1 in spite of Giants starter Robbie Ray’s great performance pitching seven innings, six hits, no walks, and struck out seven. Ray remains undefeated at 6-0 he didn’t get the loss.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria: A’s drop sixth straight game; At one time 2nd place Sac has fallen to nearly last place

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Los Angles Angels Nolan Shanuel (left) and Jorge Solar (second from right) celebrate the home run by Taylor Ward (3) while Sacramento A’s catcher Shea Langeliers (right) can only let it pass in the top of the third inning at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on Mon May 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria Tue May 20, 2025:

#1 For the sixth straight game the Sacramento A’s have lost. After a dismal road trip losing two out of three to the Los Angeles Dodgers who are having their own issues. Then getting swept in San Francisco by the Giants. The opened the series against the Los Angeles Angels with a 4-3 at Sutter Health Park.

#2 The Angels Taylor Ward ripped a two run home run and Nolan Schanuel hit a deep home run and the Angels just got by the A’s 4-3 to open the four game series in Sacramento.

#3 The Angels pitcher Kenly Jansen struck out Tyler Soderstrom for the last out and stranding a runner at second base. The Angels who had won a three game series at Dodgers Stadium won their fourth in a row while the A’s have lost their sixth in a row.

#4 A’s starter JT Ginn was no mystery for the Angels pitching four innings, allowing six hits, four earned run with seven strikeouts. Starting pitching has been struggling for the A’s these last three weeks and some games giving up large amounts of runs.

#5 Game two of the series Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park with starting pitchers for the Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-5 ERA 5.18) for the A’s RHP Gunnar Hoglund (1-1 ERA 3.78) a 7:05pm PDT first pitch.

Join Tony Renteria for the A’s podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Angels Spoil Ginn’s Return as A’s Fall 4-3 in Series Opener

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

J.T. Ginn in his first start coming off the IL with elbow inflammation. (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — The Athletics returned home Monday after a six-game road trip that took them through Los Angeles to face the Dodgers and San Francisco to take on the Giants. Back at Sutter Health Park, the A’s welcomed starter J.T. Ginn, who had been briefly sidelined earlier this month with elbow inflammation. However, the Angels spoiled Ginn’s return with a 4-3 victory.

The A’s bats haven’t had many answers lately, especially with runners in scoring position, and Monday was no exception. They went just 2-for-10 in those situations and managed only three runs against Angels pitching.

The A’s got their runs in the first and fifth innings but struggled to capitalize on their chances. In the first, Brent Rooker grounded into a double play that brought in the A’s first run, followed by a Shea Langeliers RBI single that scored Jacob Wilson. The offense stalled until the fifth inning, when Rooker singled home Tyler Soderstrom to trim the Angels’ lead to 4-3. That would be the final scoring threat, as the Angels’ bullpen shut things down the rest of the way.

Ginn pitched reasonably well in his return, going four innings and allowing six hits and four runs while striking out seven. Two home runs, however, proved costly and were the biggest blemishes in his outing.

The A’s bullpen was sharp on Monday. Mitch Spence delivered 2.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out three. Matt Krook retired the only batter he faced, and Michel Otanez followed with two dominant innings, striking out three and not allowing a hit.

In the end, the A’s couldn’t come up with the offense needed for a comeback. The loss was charged to Ginn, who fell to 1-2 with a 5.60 ERA. Angels starter Jose Soriano earned the win, improving to 3-4 with a 3.57 ERA.

The A’s and Angels continue their series Tuesday night with Gunnar Hoglund (1-1, 3.78 ERA) taking the mound against Kyle Hendricks (1-5, 5.18 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. PT.

Bubic and bad luck shut down Giants, and Pasquantino’s eighth-inning home run carries Royals to 3-1 win in series opener

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Kansas City Royals starter Kris Bubic (50) had a no hit bid going into the sixth inning but lost it on a Wilmer Flores base hit at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Monday May 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

Monday, May 19, 2025

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Kansas City Royals 3 (27-22)

San Francisco Giants 1 (28-20)

Win: Kris Bubic (3-0)

Loss: Tyler Rogers (2-2)

Save: Carlos Estevez (14)

Time: 2:24

Attendance: 28,432

By Stephen Ruderman

Kris Bubic shut down the Giants’ offense, and Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-run home run off of Tyler Rogers in the top of the eighth inning to carry the Royals to a 3-1 win in the series opener.

The Giants were riding high off their sweep of the A’s over the weekend. Monday night, they welcomed the Kansas Royals to Oracle Park for a 2014 World Series rematch, and they looked to return to their season-high ten games over .500. Robbie Ray, who came in 6-0, was on the mound, and the Giants were 9-0 in his starts.

Ray was his usual self Monday night. He had to work around a couple of jams, but he struck out seven over seven shutout innings. 

Ray was good Monday night, but Kris Bubic, the young left-hander who took the ball for Kansas City, was lights out. Bubic took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, which ended with a two-out base-hit by Wilmer Flores.

The Giants finally had their first rally of the night going against Bubic in the bottom of the seventh. Willy Adames walked with one out, and Casey Schmitt, who was activated off the injured list prior to the game, roped a double down the left field line to put runners at second and third with one out. 

Tyler Fitzgerald came up and hit a bullet, but it was right to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Adames, who had no time to react, was doubled off third to end the inning. It was just bad luck. Fitzgerald hit the ball on the screws, but just to the wrong place. That’s baseball, and that is why certain things like exit velocity don’t always mean everything.

That did it for Bubic, who only gave up two hits over seven shutout innings. He walked three, and he struck out five.

The bad luck that bit the Giants in the bottom of the seventh would rear its head in the top of the eighth when Tyler Rogers came into the game. Jonathan India doubled with one out, and two batters later, Vinnie Pasquantino hit an absolute bomb over the 24-foot-high wall in the deepest part of the yard in right-center field to give the Royals a 2-0 lead. It was only the second home run the usually-reliable Rogers gave up this season.

The Giants looked to respond against left-hander Daniel Lynch in the bottom of the eighth. Sam Huff and Heliot Ramos got base-hits to put runners at first and second with one out. 

John Schrieber was then brought in for Kansas City to face the white-hot MLB RBI leader, Wilmer Flores. Wilmer worked the count full, and was prepared to take Schrieber to a long at-bat. However, Schrieber threw an inside sinker that Wilmer surprisingly chased, and there were two away.

Jung Hoo Lee was now at the plate. Lee took a fastball high for ball one, and then he lined a double to right. Huff scored to put the Giants on the board, but Matt Williams held Ramos up at third. It was up to Matt Chapman, but he popped up to Royals’ catcher Salvidor Perez in foul territory to end the inning.

The Giants were unable to tie it, and the Royals got that run back against Jordan Hicks in the top of the ninth. Hicks was making his first appearance out of the bullpen after getting bumped from the rotation, and his struggles only followed him to the pen.

Maikel Garcia led off the inning with a base-hit to center, and he moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Darion Blanco. Hicks walked Hunter Renfroe with two outs, and then Kyle Isbel lined a base-hit to center that scored Garcia to make it 3-1.

Carlos Estevez came in for the bottom of the ninth. The Giants, as they always did, kept fighting until the very end, as LaMonte Wade lined a base-hit to right-center with one out. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t get anything started, and Estevez set down the next two to close it out.

Kris Bubic was rewarded for his dominant seven-inning performance with the win. Tyler Rogers was tagged with the loss, and Carlos Estevez picked up the save.

The Giants fall to 28-20.

Tuesday, the Giants will look to bounce back behind Hayden Birdsong (1-0, 2.31 ERA), who has just been brought into the rotation, in his first start of the season. Countering Birdsong for Kansas City will be the veteran right-hander, Michael Lorenzen (3-4, 3.76 ERA).

First pitch will be at 6:45 p.m.

Giants News and Notes:

  • With Schmitt’s return from the IL, the Giants designated infielder David Villar for assignment. 

Villar had been up with the Giants at various points since 2022, and hit exactly .200 in 118 games with the Giants over four seasons. He also hit exactly .200 in nine games this season.

San Francisco Giants podcast Morris Phillips: Giants hoping to make it four wins in a row; Open series with Royals tonight

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants starter Robbie Ray (left) is greeted back to the dugout by manager Bob Melvin after the top of the first inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Wed May 7, 2025. Ray is the starting pitcher for the Giants against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Mon May 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Morris Phillips:

#1 The San Francisco Giants looking to win their fourth straight game after their win against the Sacramento A’s at Oracle Park on Sunday. The win Sunday represented the Giants third sweep this season.

#2 Speaking of more streaks the Giants have a four game win streak over the Kansas City Royals who the Giants host tonight. The win streak over the Royals started back on April 9 2023.

#3 The Giants during their win streak over the Royals in the four meetings since 2023 have only allowed two Kansas City runs which is the fewest runs over four games against an interleague opponent since interleague started in 1997.

#4 The Giants made some roster moves returning infielder Casey Schmitt from rehab. Schmitt has returned from the ten day IL. Also infielder David Villar who played in Sunday’s game against Sacramento was designated for assignment.

#5 Morris talk about tonight’s pitchers for the Royals LHP Kris Bubic (4-2 ERA 1.66) Bubic who went to high school in San Jose at Archbishop Mitty High makes his fourth MLB appearance and his third start. For the Giants LHP Robbie Ray who been throwing smoke and is now 6-0 ERA 3.04. The last Giant to start 6-0 was John Burkett who did it in 1993. Bill Swift in 1992 won his first 11 games.

Morris Phillips does the San Francisco Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com Morris was filling in for Marko Ukalovic.

San Francisco Giants podcast Augie Mesenburg: A’s fans who visited San Francisco felt welcome was insincere

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee signs for fans before their contest against the Sacramento A’s at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri May 16, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Augie Mesenburg:

#1 Augie I know you had got a chance to mention that A’s fans who came to Oracle Park in San Francisco whether they traveled from Sacramento or Oakland got to spend some of their funds in the City but it was when they got to Oracle Park they felt their welcome was patronizing. They even played the A’s old victory song Celebration by Kool and the Gang after the Giants won that didn’t go over very well the East Bay fans.

#2 It is the goal of the Giants to try and woo A’s fans since the A’s have moved to Sacramento and try to target the East Bay which is now void of Major League Baseball.

#3 Some of the fans who attended Sunday’s game said the whole make the East Bay fans feel welcome was not sincere. The Last Dive Bar co founder Bryan Johanson who was of the organizers who help create the reverse boycott last season said the welcoming by the Giants didn’t really fool any of the A’s fans who came out to Oracle Park and the Giants were the ones who voted to relocate the A’s and really were after having the entire Bay Area to themselves.

#4 Giants Chief Marketing Officer Rachel Heit told SF Gate that connecting the 510 Oakland base to the San Francisco Giants is important to the Giants fans and wanted to make them feel welcome.

#5 The A’s fans who in San Francisco for the series from the East Bay still had difficulties knowing the Giants were all part of the plan to get the Athletics to move out of Oakland. They mentioned also the Giants prevented the A’s from moving to San Jose using the A’s very own territorial rights that they gave the Giants so they could stay in the Bay Area but used it against them so they couldn’t move to San Jose.

Augie Mesenburg is a San Francisco Giants podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amauery News and Commentary-A’s Spanish Radio did not Broadcast the Series in San Francisco

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Spanish radio flagship stations for the Sacramento A’s 890 AM KMJE and Fox Sports 104.7 FM Sacramento did not broadcast A’s baseball from Oracle Park in San Francisco between Fri May 16-18 (logos from La Ranchera 890 AM KMJE and Fox Sports 104.7 FM)

A’s Spanish Radio did not broadcast the Series in San Francisco

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

SAN FRANCISCO–Now, they call it the First I-80 Series. The Sacramento A’s drove 175 round-trip miles and were swept in three games at Oracle Park by the San Francisco Gigantes.. For the first time in their short history since leaving Oakland and temporarily relocating to Sacramento, the A’s Spanish radio was not at Oracle Park to broadcast against the Giants.

You will think the ATH needs all the best publicity in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Chinese, Japanese, Tagalog, Dutch, and other languages.

Everybody knows that since the A’s announced their Oakland departure, the publicity has been overwhelmingly negative from fans and media alike, locally and nationwide, not to mention against their owner, which has been brutal across this country and some foreign countries also as I was speaking today to a colleague from Venezuela who told me the A’s are “persona non grata” in that oil rich country.

A’s has not sold out a game yet at 14,000-seat Sutter Health Park, West Sacramento, even with a recent visit by the New York Yankees, who have a nationwide fan base. The Latino community is not that important for the A’s, even in a town with a rather large Hispanic population like Sacramento—much larger than their future planned home in Las Vegas.

But what the heck? “Only 11 million people in California speak Spanish, (some estimates are much more), and A’s management believes that is not enough. In past years, I lobbied the team management to broadcast the games against the Giants during the regular season, from San Francisco, when we visited, on the A’s Spanish radio station.

This is only natural; it makes sense. However, ‘common sense’ today is not common for some people. Of course, it all culminated in 1989 when the two Bay Area teams played the historic Loma Prieta Earthquake World Series, which I broadcast for the A’s.

During the Walter Haas ownership, the best for the Oakland A’s. Of course, that will never happen again, unless the A’s return to Oakland, and if you believe that, you also believe in Mickey Mouse, the Tooth Fairy, and Santa Claus.

I went to Oracle Park this Sunday for the last regular-season game in San Francisco between the A’s and the Giants. These two teams have a special place in my heart since I broadcast for both. Yours truly is among only a handful of broadcasters who have called many games for both teams.

I share that distinction with other legendary Bay Area colleagues: Bill King, Lon Simmons, Hank Greenwald, Jon Miller, and Ted Robinson. Until 2024, the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants were two teams of an MLB group that were neighbors, but not anymore, separated by the Bay Bridge and 12 miles.

Others that remain in that category are the Mets and Yankees(12 miles apart), Cubs and White Sox(11 miles apart), Angels and Dodgers(26 miles apart), Orioles, and Nationals(44 miles apart).

Note: The 1989 San Francisco (Loma Prieta Earthquake) occurred on October 17, 1989. It was the only time in history that the World Series was interrupted for anything other than inclement weather.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com