Category: San Francisco Giants

Preview of A’s series with San Francisco Giants; Two game series begins Tuesday night at Oracle Park

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Oakland A’s manager Mark Kotsay pictured here during 2022 Spring Training Cactus League will lead the A’s into Oracle Park in San Francisco for a two game series beginning Tue Apr 26, 2022 (photo from the San Francisco Chronicle)

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO–After playing 17 straight games, the Oakland A’s have a day off on Monday to rest up before facing the San Francisco Giants in the annual Battle of the Bay interleague series. The A’s were 9-8 in that stretch and surprised many baseball experts.

Many still think the youthful A’s will end up near the bottom of the standings in the AL West. A’s manager Mark Kotsay doesn’t feel that way. He knows he has some talent on his team, and he implores his players never to quit.

The young A’s have quite a task ahead of them. They have to find a way to make up for the loss of key players such as Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Mark Canha, Starling Marte, and pitchers Chris Bassitt and Sean Manaea.

This past weekend, the A’s offense was nearly non-existent in the series with the Texas Rangers. The Rangers took two out of three from Oakland. Cole Irvin’s great pitching helped the A’s earn a win in Sunday’s game.

The A’s lineup will feature catcher Sean Murphy. Either Billy McKinney or Christian Bethancourt will play first base. McKinney can also play in the outfield, and Bethancourt can also catch. Tony Kemp has been busy for Oakland this season.

Kemp is usually at second base. He has played several games as the left fielder. Christian Lopes or Nick Allen are backup choices to play second. Elvis Andrus will be at shortstop. A’s manager Mark Kotsay will use Nick Allen to backup Andrus. Sheldon Neuse will be at third base.

Neuse can play other infield positions, too. Rookie Cristian Pache will be in centerfield. Stephen Piscotty is off the IL and will resume his position in right field. Chad Pinder is on the IL. Ramon Laureano, currently serving a 27-game suspension for using a banned substance, will be eligible to return to the A’s on May 8th.

The A’s bullpen is a work in progress. Yusmeiro Petit, who was a stalwart in the bullpen, is gone. Lefty Jake Diekman now works for the Boston Red Sox. Sergio Romo left as a free agent. Lou Trivino, the closer, is on the 10-day IL.

Dany Jimenez has the job for the time being. The new names in the bullpen are righties Domingo Acevedo and Dany Jimenez. The A’s have four left relievers. They are A.J.Puk, Kirby Snead, Sam Moll, and Adam Kolarek.

The Giants swept the Washington Nationals three straight in the Nation’s Capitol. The Giants have started the season and are 11-5 this season. The Giants are playing a one-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee Monday before returning home to face the A’s for two games starting Tuesday night.

The Giants, who won a team record 107 games last year, had most of their key personnel return for the 2022 season. However, several of their key players are on the injured list. They include third baseman Evan Longoria, second baseman Tommy LaStella, outfielder La Monte Wade, Jr, Steven Duggar, Mike Yastrzemski, and pitchers Anthony DeSclafini, Alex Cobb, and Matthew Boyd.

Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler is fortunate to have players on his squad who can play different positions. Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf, Austin Slater, and Mauricio Dubon all can play well at different positions in the Giants’ lineup.

The Giants signed Palo Alto product Joc Pederson to a one-year deal. Pederson, a member of two World Series championship teams, the Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves, has started the season well. He has hit five dingers and is hitting over .300.

Even with all the players on the IL, the Giants can put a very good lineup on the field. Brandon Belt, the Captain, will be at first base. Thairo Estrada will be at second. Brandon Crawford, who won the Gold Glove last year, will be at shortstop, and Wilmer Flores will play third base. Joc Pederson will be in left field, Austin Slater in center, and Darin Ruf in right field.

The probable pitchers for the two-game series look to be righty Daulton Jefferies going for Oakland Tuesday night. Jefferies has pitched well in the early going. He is 1-2 and owns a sparkling 1.17 ERA. The Giants’ lefty, Carlos Rodon, has also been impressive.

Rodon, who came over to San Francisco as a free agent from the Chicago White Sox, is 2-0 with a minuscule ERA of 1.06. He has struck out 29 hitters, too.

The A’s Paul Blackburn will pitch Wednesday night. Blackburn is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA. The Giants have not announced their starter yet. The Giants have three starters on the IL right now.

The teams are meeting very early in the season. They usually don’t meet until later. Nevertheless, it should be an entertaining set. There will be a lot of fans in the seats at Oracle Park. The first game of the series will start at 6:45 pm Tuesday.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Jeremy Harness: Giants face Brewers in one game match today at Miller Park after three game sweep of Nationals

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San Francisco Giants Brandon Crawford (35) adds to the score on an RBI single by Wilmer Flores as Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz, left tries to apply the tag in vain at Nationals Park in DC on Sun Apr 24, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Jeremy:

#1 The Giants have had a lot of success in the early innings of games this season and they went right to work in the first two innings of Sunday’s game leading after two innings 4-1 in Washington. Joc Pederson hit a home run to lead off in the first inning and he did not look back.

#2 The Giants continued to extend their lead in the second inning when Joc Pederson hit a sacrifice and Thairo Estrada scored from third base. Pederson at the plate has been keeping the offense going and the Giants continuing to pile on in the three game series sweep of the Washington Nationals.

#3 Brandon Belt came to bat and tripled in the second driving Joey Bart home to extend the lead 4-1. Belt seeing the ball well and contributing in big ways towards Giant leads.

#4 The Giants added six more runs in the top of the ninth inning and ran away with an uncontested game 12-3 this was second in this three game sweep where the Giants have won by six or more runs.

#5 The Giants get right back at it again with a one game match up later today in Milwaukee’s Miller Park against the Brewers (10-6) starting for the Giants Sam Long (0-0 ERA 0.00) and for the Brewers Corbin Burnes (1-0 ERA 2.37) a 3:10 pm PDT first pitch.

Join Jeremy Harness filled for Morris Phillips for the San Francisco Giants podcasts heard Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s vs. Giants Bay Area Rivalry on Tap

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The Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants open up a brief two game series at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Apr 26, 2022 (photo from sfgate.com)

A’s vs Giants: Bay Area Rivalry On Tap

That’s Amaury News and Commentry

By Amaury Pi-González

SAN FRANCISCO–The two Bay Area teams will face each other in a quick two-game set at Oracle Park this Tuesday and Wednesday, with both games’ first pitch scheduled for 6:45. Two teams right now on different paths. A’s rebuilding and with an uncertain future, the Giants try to prove they can win again over 100 games and advance into the playoffs over the heavily favorite LA Dodgers.

This is a friendly rivalry, with many families split with their support of their favorite team. April is usually the lowest attendance month of the baseball season but there should be no problem with attendance at Oracle during this mid-week series between the A’s and the Giants, maybe not sellout crowds but definitely plenty of people.

This regional rivalry had it’s epic moment during the 1989 World Series, interrupted by a strong Earthquake which postponed that October Classic for 11 days.

The A’s swept the Giants during that historic and memorable 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Those were different times, the Giants were playing at Candlestick Park one of the most maligned major league stadiums in history and the A’s were playing in the middle of their very successful late 1980’s when they advanced to three consecutive World Series with the direction of their Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa.

In 1988 World Series the A’s lost to the Dodgers, in one of the biggest upsets in history. 1989 they swept the Giants and in 1990 they lost to Cincinnati.

Nobody was talking about the Oakland Coliseum and how bad it was because the team was winning, and winning cures everything. For many hardcore A’s fans they still talk about the great team that should had won those three consecutive World Series.

The A’s are only the second team do to such when they won three consecutive World Series in 1972,1973 and 1974. Only the New York Yankees under various dynasties, winning as many as five World Series in a row during the 1950’s.

The A’s have a rookie manager in Mark Kotsay and a cast of inexperienced players, mixed with veterans like Jed Lowrie and Stephen Vogt. The Giants under skipper Gabe Kapler in his second season trying to disprove most of the experts that predicted they will not win as many games again as last season.

That prediction is not fair, because 2021 was a great surprise for the Giants as many of their players (including veterans Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford) enjoyed their best season. In a way the Giants have a chip on their shoulders.

They still are not getting a lot of respect from the national baseball media. The Giants organization would like nothing more than to win this year’s World Series, and in the process, tie the A’s with a fourth World Series title.

The history of these two major league franchises is similar in many ways. With the A’s today threatening to possibly leave Oakland for Las Vegas, if the plan for the new Howard Terminal stadium is not approved.

In 1992 the Giants under owner Bob Lurie who agreed to sell the Giants and move them to Florida almost came to fruition. The Giants have longer roots in the Bay Area, they arrived from New York (1958) 10 years prior to the A’s arriving from Kansas City (1968).

Oracle Park is one the most attractive major league parks. I broadcast their inaugural game in the year 2000, doing their Spanish play by play, today, the park that has shared four names: Pac Bell, ATT, SBC Park and now Oracle Park, is 22 years old, hard to believe.

It is always fun to see the A’s and Giants playing on the same field.

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

Joc Pederson Slugs His Way To SF Win 12-3; Giants sweep Nats in three games

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San Francisco Giants hitter Joc Pederson slugs a first inning home run a solo shot against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in DC on Sun Apr 24, 2022 (AP News photo)

Joc Pederson Slugs His Way To SF Win 12-3

By Barbara Mason

In the past the Giants have had problems with the Washington Nationals. That was then and this is now and the San Francisco Giants (11-5) were playing today for a sweep of the Nationals (6-12). They beat Washington in the first two games of the series the first game a 7-1 beatdown Friday night.

The Giants have had a lot of success in the early innings of games this season and they went right to work in the first two innings of this game leading after two 4-1. Joc Pederson hit a home run to lead off in the first inning and he did not look back.

As this game progressed it became obvious that he was just getting warmed up. Wilmer Flores singled in the first innings driving Brandon Crawford home to lead 2-0.

The Giants continued to extend their lead in the second inning when Joc Pederson hit a sacrifice and Thairo Estrada scored from 3rd base. Brandon Belt came to bat and tripled in the second driving Joey Bart home to extend the lead 4-1

Yadiel Hernandez had a single for the Nationals in the 1st inning and hit a homer in the third inning pulling to within a single run of San Francisco 4-3. The Nationals would fail to score for the rest of the game.

San Francisco had a single in the fifth inning from Wilmer Flores driving Joc Pederson home. Joc Pederson had his second home run of the game in the seventh inning for a 6-3 lead.

The ninth inning of the game was a monster inning for the Giants scoring 6 runs. Brandon Belt scored on a single from Flores who had an incredible game. Luis Gonzalez would single and drive in Crawford and Mauricio Dubon.

Estrada hit a sacrifice and Flores would score. Next up at bat was Austin Slater who hit a single and Gonzalez and Jason Vosler scored for a final score of 12-3. This was one of the most productive innings from the Giants all season.

San Francisco had a great start in this game and an equally strong finish in the ninth inning. The Giants had swept the Nationals not an easy feat in today’s game. Joc Pederson was the heavy hitter in this game and kudos to Wilmer Flores who also contributed so much to this win.

Monday the Giants will take on the Milwaukee Brewers. Carlos Rodon will be on the mound to start tomorrows game for San Francisco and Corbin Burnes will start for the Brewers. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 PM PT.

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

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

By Daniel Dullum
Friday, April 22, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On the SF Giants podcast with Daniel:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Jessica Kwong

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

It happened in the first inning.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Giants Rodon throws five effective innings; Captain Birthday Boy Belt slugs HR in second inning in SF’s 5-2 win at Citi Field

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San Francisco Giant shortstop Brandon Crawford singles in the top of the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field in Flushing on Wed Apr 20, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK — The San Francisco Giants (8-4) bounced back after falling in both games of a doubleheader, with a 5-2 win over the New York Mets (9-4) at Citi Field Wednesday night – on Brandon Belt’s birthday.

The Giants had three runs in the first inning and in the second, Belt hit a homer to put them up 4-0 over the Mets. It was Belt’s team-high fourth home run of the season. Belt, who turned 34 the same day, is tied for fourth in homers in the MLB.

“Better than my first year – I got sent down on my birthday,” said Belt.

Giants starter Carlos Rodón overwhelmed the Mets, striking out eight. Rodón’s slider was not working well, so he threw mostly fastballs: 77 of them, making up 81% of his pitches for the night.

“My breaking stuff wasn’t very good, so we just decided to go with the fastball attack and luckily it worked in my favor,” Rodón said.

Giants manager Gabe Kapler said it was a unique fastball, one the team had not seen many of over the past couple of years.

“The quality of that fastball is exactly what we should be talking about because these are really good hitters who are set up to handle that style of pitching and still are swinging and missing at balls in the zone, sometimes in the middle of the plate,” Kapler said.

New York, without their manager Buck Showalter who was out for a medical procedure, tried to rally in the seventh inning. But Starling Marte ran for second base with Francisco Lindor at the plate and runners on the corners. The Giants’ Joey Bart threw to second base, ending the inning.

In the eighth inning, the Mets hit three straight singles off Giants pitcher Tyler Rogers. However, Wilmer Flores caught Dominic Smith’s two-out liner to third base that would have made it a one-run game.

The Giants (8-4) avoided their first three-game losing streak of this season. Meanwhile, the Mets (9-4) had their three-game winning streak snapped.

First pitch for the finale of the four-game series is at 10:10 a.m. PT.

Giants get swept in double dip at Citi Park by Mets 5-4 (10 innings) and 3-1

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New York Mets starter Max Scherzer pitched for seven innings giving up a hit and one run against the San Francisco Giants in the second game of a doubleheader at Citi Field in New York on Tue Apr 19, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK — The San Francisco Giants (7-3) fell to the New York Mets (8-3) in both games of a doubleheader at a frigid (44 degrees) Citi Field on Tuesday.

The Giants lost 5-4 in an extra inning in Game 1, and could not get in a swing and lost 3-1 in Game 2 of the doubleheader owed to Monday’s game postponement due to rain.

San Francisco started Game 1 strong with two runs in the second inning and two runs in the third inning. In the fifth inning, the Mets scored back-to-back doubles to cut the Giants’ lead to 4-3. In the second of those, Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb injured his right groin. He has been placed on the 10-day injured list, but hopes for a quick return.

“That was a brutal game for us,” Cobb said. “Having two nine-inning doubleheaders and then the starter coming out as early as I did, is putting the team in a bad position, so, you know, whatever they need to do.”

The Mets’ Pete Alonso made a key defensive play in the tenth inning and Francisco Lindor hit a walk-off RBI single to secure a 5-4 victory over the Giants. Initially, it appeared that San Francisco hit a go-ahead run on an error at the top of the tenth inning. After review, however, the close call was overturned and the top half of the inning ended.

New York fans were very vocal in Game 2, cheering on their team as they scored three runs in the third inning, despite cold temperatures in Queens.

Mets starter Max Scherzer nearly finished the night with a no-hitter. He had two outs in the sixth inning and gave up one hit. Scherzer struck out ten in seven innings, leading the Mets to a 3-1 victory over the Giants.

Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb said he did not have a good feel for the ball, with the cold likely playing a role.

“It was cold out there. I was trying to rub up the ball as much as I could,” said Webb, but added he did not want to use it as an excuse.

Webb suffered his first loss since May 5, putting an end to his franchise record of consecutive undefeated outings at 24, including a pair in the postseason.

“I wish I could’ve kept it going. It’s cool, definitely, to be able to say I was able to do that,” Webb said. “I think I’ll be alright. It was just a bad day. Unfortunately I needed to give the guys some innings and I wasn’t able to do that.”

Giants manager Gabe Kapler said the Mets beat one of the best pitchers in the league, and that the loss hardly damages Webb’s impressive record thus far.

“When you reflect back on who this young pitcher has been since May of last year, he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball,” Kapler said. “But now this is not just a run, it’s who he is. And we expect that performance from him going forward.”

The Giants (7-4) lost consecutive games for the first time this season. The Mets (9-3) swept a doubleheader from the Giants for the first time since July 13, 1079 at Shea Stadium.

First pitch for Game 3 of the four-game series is at 4:10 p.m. PT.