Category: Oakland Athletics

A’s Mark Canhas walk off home run sends the fans home happy in the final home game of the year in Oakland

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Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha, right, is embraced after hitting a walk off home run off Seattle Mariners’ Shae Simmons in the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND– Wednesday’s game was the final home game for the A’s this season. The A’s, winners of fourteen of the last nineteen games played, did not want to be swept at home by the Mariners. Both teams played hard, and neither team wanted to lose. The A’s took an early lead, lost it, regained it, lost it again but was able to prevail when Mark Canha homered in the bottom of the ninth to give the A’s a well -deserved 6-5 victory.

Kendall Graveman started for Oakland and left after six innings in position to pick up a win. That didn’t happen as the M’s tied the game in the eighth. The Mariners’ starter Erasmo Ramirez went five innings and allowed five runs and eight hits. Two of the runs were unearned. Liam Hendriks and Blake Treinen pitched well, but Chris Hatcher was not able to keep Seattle off the board. The game summary follows below.

The A’s put one on the board in the bottom of the first. A’s right fielder Matt Joyce lofted a high fly to left that Mariners’ third baseman Kyle Seager lost ion the sun. Left Fielder Ben Gamel made a valiant attempt to catch the ball, but it eluded his grasp and dropped safely for a double. Joyce went to third on a single by Jed Lowrie and scored when Khris Davis hit a sacrifice fly to center field. A’s ahead 1-0 after one inning of play.

The A’s added a run in the third inning. Franklin Barreto, starting at second base on Wednesday, led off the frame with a double to center field. Jacob Hannemann, playing center field for Seattle, bobbled the ball and Barreto motored to third on the miscue. Marcus Semien drove in Barreto with the A’s second run when he hit a sacrifice fly.

The M’s put two on the board in the fourth. With one out, Robinson Cano singled to get things started. Big Nelson Cruz, who loves to torment the A’s, crushed Graveman’s pitch and sent it on a line into the seats in left field near the Barbeque Terrace to knot the score. The tie didn’t last long as the A’s scored three runs in their half of the fourth. Two of the runs were unearned, but they still count. Ryon Healy started the rally with a double. He went to third when Erasmo Ramirez dropped the throw as he was covering first for an error. With Healy on third and Chapman on first, Bruce Maxwell singled to center to drive in Healy and Chapman went to third on the throw home. Mark Canha hit a sac fly to drive in Chapman. Matt Joyce hit his third double of the game to drive in Maxwell with the fifth run of the contest. The A’s lead 5-2 after four complete.

The Mariners, however, refuse to go away. The M’s made it a 5-3 game on the strength of three singles. With one out, M’s catcher Mark Marjama singled to start the rally. It was Marjama’s first big league hit, and the ball was sent back to the M’s dugout. Hannemann hit a force play for the first out. Ben Gamel and Mitch Haniger followed with singles to get the third run home for Seattle.

Liam Hendriks set the M’s down in order in the seventh, but Bob Melvin brought in his eighth-inning setup man, Chris Hatcher, to pitch. Hatcher gave up a single to Mitch Haniger and then the M’s All-Star second baseman, Robinson, Cano, homered to tie the game. It was Cano’s twenty-third of the year. Hatcher retired the next three hitters.

Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless ninth, and that set up the scene for a fantastic finish for the A’s. Bruce Maxwell started the ninth by striking out. The next hitter, Mark Canha, hit his fifth homer of the year to win it in a walk-off for Oakland.  There was no doubt about it when the ball left Canha’s bat. The crowd knew it as did Canha and he was pummeled by his teammates when he crossed the plate. Needless to say, Canha took a pie to the face and got the Gatorade bath, and he absolutely loved it.The A’s win 6-5 and snap the eight-game losing streak to the Mariners.

Game Notes- Kendall Graveman did not get a decision, but he pitched a “quality start.” Graveman went six innings and allowed 7 hits and three runs. Chris Hatcher gave up a two-run dinger to Robinson Cano in the eighth that tied the game. Canha’s blast off M’s reliever Shae Simmons in the bottom of the ninth sent the A’s fans home happy as there will be no more baseball in Oakland until next year.

 

 

 

 

 

Yonder Alonso and Danny Valencia homer to beat their former teammates 6-3

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Seattle Mariners pitcher Edwin Diaz works against the Oakland Athletics during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. Seattle won 6-3. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Seattle Mariners rallied in the bottom of the seventh to beat the A’s and Daniel Mengden 6-3 Tuesday night at the Coliseum. The game was the last night game of the season, and the A’s were hoping to get a win for their starter Daniel Mengden. Mengden entered the game with a streak of sixteen consecutive scoreless innings. He increased it to nineteen, but the Mariners broke through in the fourth on a two-run dinger by former A’s favorite Yonder Alonso. The Mariners sent their best pitcher, James Paxton, out to pitch. Paxton gave up a solo homer to Marcus Semien and a two-run blast to Khris Davis. Paxton would have been the losing pitcher had the M’s not rallied. Each team hit two home runs in the contest. However, the Mariners homers produced five runs while the A’s blasts netted them just three. The game summary follows below.

The A’s put one on the board in the bottom of the first when shortstop Marcus Semien led off with his ninth homer of the season to give the A’s a 1-0 advantage.

The Mariners scored two in the fourth to snap Mengden’s nineteen innings of scoreless ball. With one out, Mariners’ DH Nelson Cruz singled. The next hitter, former A’s first baseman Yonder Alonso, blasted his career-high twenty-seventh homer to give the M’s a 2-1 lead. Alonso also homered Monday night against his former team.

The A’s regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Jed Lowrie singled to start the rally. The next hitter, Khris “Khrush” Davis hit a towering fly to deep right-center field that went over the 388-foot marker and landed in the seats about twenty rows back. Mariners’ manager Scott Servais removed Paxton from the game and brought in Emilio Pagan to pitch.

The Mariners plated four runs on four hits to regain the lead. Mengden gave up a single to Yonder Alonso and then walked Mike Zunino to put two men on with no out. A’s manager Bob Melvin removed Mengden from the game. Mengden received a tremendous ovation from the fans as he exited. Ryan Dull was brought in to face another former Athletic, Danny Valencia. Valencia thanked the M’s for trading for him when he slugged his 15th dinger of the year to put his new team in the lead 5-3. The Mariners added another run before the A’s get the final out of the inning.

The Mariners’ bullpen did its job as they allowed just three hits and no runs in the last 3 and  2/3rds innings of the game. The M’s win 6-3.

Game Notes- With the two home runs, the A’s have now hit 228 for the year. The A’s are 14-5 in their last nineteen games. The A’s did not commit an error Tuesday night for the eighth straight game, a season high.

The A’s finish the home season Wednesday afternoon at 12:35 pm.  Kendall Graveman will pitch for the Green and Gold, and he will be opposed by Seattle’s Erasmo Ramirez.

Time of game was two hours and forty-five minutes and 13, 513 fans were on hand to watch the A’s drop their record to 72-85.

Bruce Maxwell explains why he is “Taking a Knee”

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Mark Canha offers support to his teammate Bruce Maxwell

by Charlie O. Mallonee

According to the latest count, there are 64 black players in the Major Leagues. One would think that after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier 70 years ago the number of black players in majors would be much higher, but it is not.

The smaller number of players does not mean that those who play professional baseball have not been affected by the words of the President and the controversy they stirred about athletes being active in social issues “on the job”.

A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell was moved by the events that followed the President’s remarks and decided he needed to take action. Last Saturday evening before the game versus the Seattle Mariners at the Oakland Coliseum, Bruce Maxwell took a knee during the presentation of “The national anthem”.  His actions were reported nationally.

After the game on Sunday, Maxwell spent some time answering questioning from the press about his stance and the reactions to his choice to take a knee.

Maxwell disclosed that he has received support not only from current players but from former players as well. Maxwell appeared to really appreciate that support.

The Athletics catcher also expressed his hope that he would be cleared through the Concussion Protocol in order to return to the playing field. Maxwell took a hard foul tip direct to the mask in Detroit last Wednesday in the bottom of the ninth inning and had to come out of that game.

Maxwell did return to the lineup on Monday going 0-for-3 versus the Seattle Mariners.

No matter how you feel about Bruce Maxwell taking a knee — do not doubt his sincerity. This is no stunt or show. This is a young man who is acting on his conscious to speak out on issues he sees as critical to racial justice. And, he is willing to face the consequences if there are any that come his way.

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News, & Commentary: A’s rookies and call ups make next season an interesting place for the A’s

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AP File Photo: Oakland Athletics’ Matt Olson celebrates his solo home run with Ryon Healy (25) against the Detroit Tigers in the second inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

On That’s Amaury’s Podcast:

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

OAKLAND–The way I see it A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell whose taking a knee during the national anthem each night for the A’s didn’t get a hit in Monday night’s game against the Seattle and if he doesn’t hit after taking an knee he might have to take the bench. The A’s are now without Olson at first base with a hamstring injury. Here’s a kid who hit 24 home runs in his first 15 games and has been a real sensation. Imagine if Olson had started the season how many hone runs he would have ended up with.

Aaron Judge broke the American League record held by a rookie when he hit his 50th home run breaking the A’s Mark McGwire record from 1987 and I remember that year I called some those home runs. McGwire hit 49 that year. On Maxwell the knew thing is fashionable now he gets paid to hit and he gets paid to catch. I like Maxwell a lot he’s got a lot of fire, he’s got a great arm.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does the Podcast, News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Oakland A’s Podcast with Charlie O: Last podcast for A’s 2017 but loads of interesting moves and big future ahead

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AP File Photo: Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin, left, and general manager Billy Beane during a media conference Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin has received a two-year contract extension that takes him through the 2018 season. General manager Billy Beane made the announcement Wednesday with the A’s sitting as the worst team in the American League this year following three straight playoff seasons. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

On the A’s Podcast with Charlie O:

OAKLAND–It really has been an interesting season for the Oakland A’s and it’s been a season of transition. They haven’t had overwhelming expectations that began the season. We expected something to transpire. We didn’t think former A’s pitcher Sonny Gray would be here at this point in time and of course he’s not. We expected to see some players moved out and to see some new players brought in and that indeed has happened.

There’s some transitions here not only on the field but off the field that have been so significant to the team overall we look at the whole organization what transpired off season with A’s owner Lew Wolf suddenly no longer being part of the organization with John Fisher being the majority owner and the one in control. With Dave Kaval coming in and taking over as president of the organization.

The dynamic change of momentum that move alone brought and the drive to get a stadium going but not just a drive to get a stadium going but the whole concept of Made in Oakland and a commitment by the city of Oakland and then a commitment that they made to the fans and to the players and to saying to team vice president Billy Beane “Billy we really appreciate what your trying to do with a minimal budget but how what we want you to do is build a ball club long term.”

Charlie has much more to close the Oakland A’s 2017 season on the podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Mariners snap the A’s seven-game winning streak; M’s take A’s to task quite handedly 7-1

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By Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The visiting Seattle Mariners beat the A’s Monday night 7-1 behind A’s killer Felix Hernandez six innings of two-hit ball. Hernandez allowed just one run, and that came on Marcus Semien’s eighth blast of the season. Daniel Gossett started for the A’s, and he exited the game in the fifth inning with just one out. The Mariners tagged him for four home runs, and all seven of their runs were a result of the homers. Gossett, coming into the game, had allowed sixteen in just 84 innings of work. He has now allowed twenty in less than ninety innings. His record is now 4-10 for the year. His position in the rotation for next season may be in jeopardy.

The Mariners scored three in the second, one in the third, one in the fourth, and two in the fifth. Mitch Haniger hit two, Mike Zunino had one, and our old friend, Yonder Alonso hit his twenty-sixth of the year and the first against his former teammates.

The A’s only tally came in the sixth when Semien hit a solo home run to get the A’s on the board. The Mariners’ Feliz Hernandez won his sixth game of the year and improved to 6-5. Felix went six innings and allowed just two hits and one run. Hernadez is bow 25-9 lifetime against the A’s. He is now 13-3 at the Coliseum and has passed Tommy John for most all-time by a visiting pitcher. John was 12-6 against the A’s here in Oakland.

Daniel Mengden (2-1) will go for Oakland Tuesday night. Mengden has been brilliant in his last two starts, and A’s manager Bob Melvin hopes the Mengden can continue to do well. Seattle will counter with lefty James Paxton. Paxton is 12-5 with an ERA of 3.03. Game time will be at 7:05 Tuesday night.

The A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell, who played Monday, knelt for the third game in a row as the Star-spangled Banner was played. Teammate Mark Canha showed his support as he placed his hand on Maxwell’s shoulder. The fans at the Coliseum also gave Maxwell a lot of love each time he came to bat. The Anthem was played by the Oakland Unified Marching Band and many members of the band played their instruments while kneeling. The band’s protest probably will make the news locally and nationally.

Injury Report- First baseman Matt Olson suffered a grade 2 hamstring injury that will probably sideline him for the rest of the season. Chad Pinder and Boog Powell are hoping to recover and come back and get on the field before the season ends but it may be doubtful as there are just six games left.

Time of game was a relatively quick two hours and twenty-two minutes. Attendance was a meager 9,329, one of the smallest crowds of the year.

A’s announce Liam Hendriks as the 2017 winner of the Dave Stewart Community Service Award

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Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Liam Hendriks throws against the Detroit Tigers in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Monday, Sept. 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND- The Oakland A’s announced Liam Hendriks as the winner of the 2017 Dave Stewart Award for community service. The text of the release follows below.

Liam Hendriks to Receive Dave Stewart Community Service Award

Dave Stewart will present award pregame on Wednesday

 

OAKLAND, Calif. – A’s pitcher Liam Hendriks has been named the recipient of the 2017 Dave Stewart Community Service Award, the team announced today. Stewart will present Hendriks with the award prior to the game on Wednesday, Sept. 27 in a special on-field ceremony.

 

The Dave Stewart Community Service Award is given annually to an A’s player in recognition of charitable contributions throughout Northern California and across the nation.

 

Hendriks teamed up with Big League Impact and Striking Out Poverty with the mission of ending poverty in the Dominican Republic. Hendriks designed a “K” poverty T-shirt, and proceeds from shirt sales benefit this mission. During the 2017 season, he also pledged to donate $100 per strikeout and $200 per walk to the poverty campaign.

 

In addition, Hendriks has supported many A’s community initiatives and programs, including serving meals at the St. Vincent de Paul free dining room for Thanksgiving in June; participating in Youth Sports Nation’s Play Ball Tour, which combines music, sports, and community to celebrate the game of baseball in Oakland schools; A’s Root Beer Float Day, which raises funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; A’s Bowling Bash, which raised more than $100,000 for the Oakland A’s Community Fund; Habitat for Humanity, where Hendriks helped build a playhouse at the Coliseum.

 

The award originated in 1996 in honor of Stewart’s many years of community service in the Bay Area. Throughout the years, Stewart has been involved in many non-profit organizations, including the Oakland Boys & Girls Club and Team-Up for Youth, a program that supports healthy development for young people living in low-income communities through after-school sports and physical activity programs.

 

Previous winners of the Dave Stewart Community Service Award include: Ernie Young (1996), Scott Spiezio (1997), Tom Candiotti (1998), Art Howe (1999), Jason Giambi (2000), Terrence Long (2001), Tim Hudson (2002), Scott Hatteberg (2003), Eric Chavez (2004), Barry Zito (2005), Mark Kotsay (2006), Mark Ellis (2007), Dana Eveland (2008), Dallas Braden and Kurt Suzuki (2009), Craig Breslow (2010), Josh Willingham (2011), Jonny Gomes (2012), Sean Doolittle (2013), Jed Lowrie (2014), and Stephen Vogt (2015, 2016).

There’s a method to the madness in the A’s season-ending win streak

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Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha (20) places his hand on the shoulder of Bruce Maxwell as Maxwell takes a knee during the national anthem prior to a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–For a last place club, the A’s sure have a way about themselves. Maybe, that’s because they’re not going to be a last place club much longer.

Winning 14 of 17 in September has the A’s within striking distance of the fourth place Mariners, who visit the Coliseum for the final three home games starting Monday. The A’s have been stuck in the AL West cellar since May 30, and haven’t had a winning month in well over a year. The monthly streak is likely to end, while catching the Mariners will be significantly trickier.  But either way, the A’s biggest winning roll since 2013 portends better days ahead.

With a youthful club stripped of almost all of its veteran presence, the A’s haven’t stepped back, they’ve stepped forward, sweeping the Rangers with a 8-1 win Sunday to backup a rare, succesful road trip. Manager Bob Melvin’s list of needed improvements wasn’t short or easily achievable, but his club made all the checkmarks anyway.

“We needed to play better against Houston and we swept them,” Melvin recounted. “Second was we had to play better on the road, and we had a good road trip. And then we want to finish up here and play well within our division because we have not played well within our division this year.”

In a season where the norms for winning big league ballgames has shifted dramatically, the A’s have been ahead of the curve. Scoring is up slightly, home runs are being hit at a record pace, and the percentage of at-bats that end with either a strikeout, a walk or a home run has never been higher.

Wait for the big inning then pounce? You could term it that. It’s definitely not Moneyball, but maybe Moneyball 2.0. Whatever you call it, the A’s are good at it, with Sunday’s five-run fifth the latest example.

With Rangers’ starter Martin Perez softened up by being forced to throw 71 pitches through four innings, the pitcher reached the breaking point in the fifth by allowing singles to Josh Phlegley and Jake Smolinsky.

Marcus Semien then popped out trying to advance the runners with a bunt. Martin’s next pitch was roped by Matt Chapman for an RBI double, then four pitches after that, Jed Lowrie contributed a two-run double. That chased Perez before he could finish five innings, and qualify for a win.

Capping the inning, Khris Davis greeted effective reliever Tony Barnette with a 445-foot bomb with a man aboard, and the A’s led 5-0. Davis has now homered 40 times in consecutive seasons, a first for an Oakland Athletic.

The A’s would add two in the sixth, and one more in the eight and the rout was on.

Currently, the A’s rank in the top five in the American League in homers, walks and strikeouts. While Melvin and the A’s would love to see the strikeouts reduced (the A’s average more than nine a game) the additional pitches extracted from the opposing pitcher have the desired effect of elevating pitch counts as Perez’ number grew burdensome on Sunday.

Jharel Cotton was the beneficiary of the runs against Texas, pitching five innings to earn the win, his ninth.

For the A’s on Sunday, that’s hitting, pitching, and defense as the club committed no errors, and turned a nifty double play. Check, check and check.

“Let the teams in our division know we’re on our way back,” Melvin said. “This three-year period we’ve gone through is hopefully over.”

 

 

Athletics sweep the Rangers out of town by winning 8-1 on Sunday in Oakland

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
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Jed Lowrie loads up to hit a two-run double Photo Jordan Chapin Sports Radio Service

by Charlie O. Mallonee and Jordan Chapin

Oakland – The Athletics have now won seven games in a row after sweeping a three-game series from the Wild Card contending Texas Rangers. The A’s completed the sweep with an 8-1 win on Sunday in front of 18,706 fans at the Coliseum on “Hecho en Oakland” Day.

This was also the second consecutive series sweep for the Athletics who took a three-game series from the Tigers in Detroit to wrap up a nine-game road trip. Oakland has now won seven consecutive games. That is their longest winning streak of the season.

The Athletics (72-83) have won 14 games in September – the most in any month this year.

Warning!

Many experts will tell you not to fall in love with “September baseball”. There is some great wisdom in that statement. Rosters have been expanded. Players may be playing over their heads as they try to impress the front offices. Some veterans are just going through the motions. It is not a true barometer of what is going to happen in the future.

In the case of the Athletics, two very important things have happened in September that are worth noting for the future:

  • This young Oakland roster has learned to win on the road. The A’s have been tough at home all season but have been terrible away from the Coliseum. This newly constituted roster of “young guns” has taken on the challenge from Bob Melvin and learned how to win on the road. That is a lesson that can carry over into April of next year.
  • The Athletics also became a team that plays their division opponents tough. The A’s swept a four-game series from the Astros in September. Now they have swept the Rangers. Taking care of business with the teams in your division is the key to becoming competitive and moving toward becoming a playoff contender.

Pitching was a real key for the A’s

Jharel Cotton started the game for Oakland. He had to be scratched from his scheduled started start in Detroit due a strained groin. He showed no signs of having any problems with that issue during the game on Sunday.

Cotton threw his fastball at speeds of up to 95 mph and then would stop-down the change-up by as much as 15 mph. The Rangers hitters were just completely off-balance.

Cotton worked 5.0 – innings allowing no runs on just one hit. He walked one Texas batter while striking out six. Cotton threw 77 pitches (51 strikes).

Cotton set the side down in order in the third, fourth and fifth innings.

After the game, Cotton had nothing but compliments for the way his teammates played in the game.

Cotton is now 9-10 on the season and has the most wins for any rookie pitcher in the American League.

It was revealed after the game that Cotton experienced some tightness in his throwing elbow and that is why he did not continue after the fifth inning. He appeared to be fine in the clubhouse after the game.

Oakland exploded for five runs in the fifth, two in the sixth and added one in the eighth

The Athletics insured the win for Cotton by posting five runs off Texas starter Martin Perez (12-12) in the home half of the fifth inning. Catcher Josh Phegley led the inning off with a base hit and eventually eight batters would come to the plate.

The big hit of the inning came off the bat of Khris – yes you can call me “Krush” – Davis who hit his 41st home run of the year off Perez. It was a two-run shot that hit off the concrete wall just under the windows of the suites in straightaway center field.

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Khris Davis at the plate against the Rangers Photo by Jordan Chapin Sports Radio Service

Athletics in the batter’s box

  • As a team: 8 runs on 10 hits, six men left on base, 5-for-13 with Runners In Scoring Position
  • Phegley 2-for-3 with a double (11) and an RBI (10)
  • Chapman 2-for-5 including two doubles (21) and two RBI (36)
  • Khris Davis also recorded his 105th RBI

Oakland relief pitching

The relievers did not have a perfect outing as all four were not able to post “Goose Eggs” in the run column. Simon Castro – who worked 1.2-innings of relief – did give up one run on a solo home run to Normar Mazara (20). That was the only run the Rangers would score.

Daniel Coulombe, Santiago Casilla and Liam Hendriks combined to work 2.1-innings of scoreless relief for the A’s and preserve the victory.

A’s manager Bob Melvin was pleased with his team after the game

Melvin also spoke about team goals, the health of Matt Olson and Bruce Maxwell’s kneeling.

Texas Rangers

There has not been much mention of the Rangers in this article because for all intensive purposes their season came to an end today. They came into this weekend series still contending for a potential spot as a Wild Card team in the American League Playoffs. After the loss on Sunday, the Rangers are 5.5 games behind the Twins for the second Wild Card slot with seven games remaining to play.

The Rangers final seven games are all home games. They have a three-game series with the Astros that begins on Monday and a four-game series with the A’s that begins on Thursday.

The Twins are on a four-game winning streak.

Up next

The A’s begin their final three-game home series of the season on Monday night with Seattle Mariners. RHP Daniel Gossett (4-9,5.38) will start for Oakland while Seattle will send “King” Felix Hernandez (5-5,4.57) to the hill.

Oakland A’s Saturday Post Game wrap: Expect more players to join Maxwell during anthem Sunday; A’s get 1-0 shutout win in pitcher’s duel

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abcnews.go.com photo: A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell takes a knee during the national anthem before Saturday’s game against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland Coliseum in concern for the country’s current racial divide

By London Marq

OAKLAND–You can expect more players to join Oakland A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell Sunday to take a knee at the Oakland Coliseum during the national anthem after Maxwell took a knee the first MLB player to do so on Saturday. After President Trump called NFL players SOBs on Saturday during a townhall in Alabama saying about players who protest the anthem “get that son of a bitch off the field right now he’s fired.”

For many athletes that was a signal a fire across the sports community’s bow, everyone weighed in from the Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James, to even the NFL owners like the Jacksonville Jaguars Shahid Khan who locked arms with his players during the anthem before Saturday’s game. Khan was one of seven owners during Trump’s campaign to donate $1 million. But it took his statement about calling NFL players SOBs to finally realize that Trump has now crossed the line.

Also another campaign contributor New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he “was deeply disappointed by the tone” of Trump’s comments and that even a Trump supporter the staunchest Kraft had to side with his players and employees. The pressure is on the NFL owners to side with it’s players. During the Ravens-Jaguars game players took a knee or were locked arm and arm during the anthem. The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry said, “this is not what leaders do” regarding Trump’s comments. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell even said that what Trump said caused “divisiveness.”

Maxwell before Saturday’s game at the Coliseum told his teammates that this was something he was going to do and he had the support of A’s manager Bob Melvin and later the A’s organization and his teammates. “This goes beyond the black community” said Maxwell to the media after Saturday’s contest against the Texas Rangers “it goes beyond the Hispanic community right now were having a  racial divide in all types of people, it’s being practiced from the highest power we have in government basically saying it’s OK to treat people differently. I’m kneeling to symbolize the fact that I’m kneeling for a cause. But I’m no way disrespecting my country or my flag.”

Oakland A’s Spanish broadcaster Amaury Pi Gonzalez didn’t quite see things Maxwell’s way a veteran in the US Army and a Cuban immigrant he feels that Maxwell’s kneeling or any other professional athlete is disrespectful to the flag and the military, “Tonight at Oakland, Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell took a knee during the National Anthem prior to the Texas Rangers, Oakland A’s game. I respect his right as a free American, but I do not respect his action, as many have died for that Anthem and that Flag to keep him/us free. That is my honest opinion as a US Army veteran (during the Vietnam conflict) and as an American. There are many forums to show you discontent and express yourself about anything you feel you should, but disrespecting the National Anthem, should not be one of those forums. And I did mentioned on my broadcast on Spanish radio.”

Davis’ homer the difference in pitchers duel: A’s starting pitcher Raul Alcantara set the tone on Saturday night at the Oakland Coliseum in going five innings walking two and surrendering two hits as it took five pitchers Ryan Dull, Daniel Coulumbe, Chris Hatcher and closer Blake Treinen to shutout the visiting Texas Rangers 1-0.

The Rangers for their part got good starting pitching from Miguel Gonzalez whose only mistake was giving up a solo shot to A’s left fielder Kris Davis in the second inning a 392 foot blast to deep right centerfield. Gonzalez who dropped his record to 8-12 went six innings, gave up four hits and Davis’ earned run in the second. Gonzalez was followed up by relievers Matt Bush and Alex Claudio who did not give up any runs to the A’s.