That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary – Page 14

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Collective Bargaining could spell the 27 season’s demise; Giants not signing Imai could point to cost saving measures

Published on December 2, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Imai boldly stated he’d prefer to defeat the Dodgers, who boast some of baseball’s most elite talent from Japan, rather than join them (TV Asahi)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The talk of a MLB lock out is heating up here in the dead of winter. The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the players and owners expires Dec 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET when the contract comes up.

#2 The players have made it pretty clear their not going for a salary cap which the owners are dead set on if they don’t get a salary cap the 2027 season could see a work stoppage.

#3 It’s been said that if the cap is the only answer baseball is in trouble. Does that spell the possibility that the 2027 could be wiped out?

#4 The San Francisco Giants speaking on cutting back on spending money the Giants will not sign Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai to which sources say due to financial considerations and a preference for more modestly priced short term deals. The Giants might start going in the direction of other clubs who will use younger players and when a player is established they could go packing.

#5 Turning to the NBA. The Golden State Warriors have united the Curry brothers as the Warriors signed veteran guard Seth Curry for the rest of the 2024-25 season on Monday. Seth was at the Warriors training camp but got waived because of the team’s financial restraints.

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.

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LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: From My Baseball Notebook Strategy You Don’t see Everyday

Published on December 1, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Former San Francisco Giant outfielder Barry Bonds once walked with the bases loaded on May 28, 1998 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Here is Bonds in action trying to score at the plate at Candlestick Park. (USA Today file photo)

From My Baseball Notebook Strategy You Don’t see Everyday

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The Date and Place: May 28, 1998, at Candlestick Park/3Com Park, San Francisco, as the Giants’ Spanish play-by-play announcer on station KIQI 1010AM, San Francisco. Below is what happened.

At the time, nobody really believed it was happening. I witnessed a very rare play in baseball history during a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants, The Game: It was the bottom of the ninth inning when Arizona’s manager Buck Showalter ordered an intentional walk to the Giants’ dangerous slugger Barry Bonds with the bases loaded and two outs.

Arizona was leading 8-6, and manager Showalter chose to give the Giants a free run by giving the intentional bases on balls to Bonds. Showalter intentionally walked Bonds and made the game 8-7. The next batter was Diamondbacks catcher Brett Mayne.

The 12,066 crowd were on their feet when Mayne hit a solid line drive to deep right field as Stan Javier caught the last out, and Buck Showalter, and his counterpart Dusty Baker, manager of the Giants, both could breathe again as the game came to a conclusion in 3 hours 26 minutes.

Buck Showalter was a genius with that strategy as his Arizona Diamondbacks won 8-7 over the Giants. For most people, including me, at the Press Box and Broadcast booths, it was the first time we witnessed such a moment in a game.

That season, Barry Bonds won the NL MVP award, hitting .303 with 37 home runs and 122 runs batted in. The Ultimate Respect: A manager gets paid to win games, and uses his baseball knowledge and strategy in every game, but during this game, Diamondback’s manager, Buck Showalter, gave Barry Bonds the ultimate respect, an intentional base on balls to walk in a run (with the game on the line) in the ninth inning and prevailed.

How many times has this happened? Only eight times in history has a player been intentionally walked with the bases loaded in the Major Leagues. Here they are: Abner Dalrymple (1881), Nap Lajoie (1901), Del Bissonette (1928), Mel Ott (1929), Bill Nicholson (1944), BARRY BONDS (1998), Josh Hamilton (2008) and the most recent instance was in 2022, when the LA Angels intentionally walked Corey Seager. Of the eight on this list, two are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame: and Museum Nap Lajoie and Mel Ott.

However, what I called at the mic that night in May at a cold and windy Candlestick Park was done only by two players in history to win the game: Barry Bonds in this game,1998 and Josh Hamilton in 2008, both of whom were walked by their respective managers in the ninth inning of a game. The only time I have seen this in my life as a fan or broadcaster. What they say, “you never know what you’ll see at the ballpark”

Major League Baseball Record for Intentional Bases on Balls. For one season (Barry Bonds), 120 times in 2004, Career Record: Barry Bonds 688.

“I was such a dangerous hitter, I even got intentional walks during batting practice” -Casey Stengel.

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Holy Bat

Published on November 29, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

Pope Leo XIV receives a baseball bat that once belonged to Hall of Famer Nellie Fox. (Photo via Vatican Media)

Holy Bat

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Pope Leo XIV, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was born in Chicago on September 14, 1955. The Pope recently visited Turkey, a positive visit of religious outreach preaching Peace to the world and Christian unity. Along the way, upon his return, he received an unexpected gift.

Chris Livesay, CBS News foreign correspondent, was on assignment traveling with Pope Leo when he gifted a baseball bat to the pontiff. It was a family heirloom from Livesay. This was not any bat, but one used by White Sox legend, second baseman, and Hall of Famer Nellie Fox. “Oh, wow,” The Pope exclaimed as he received the bat featuring Fox’s initials and number. “How did you get this through security?” he then joked. Pope Leo XIV roots for the Chicago White Sox.

The Chicago native has been widely reported as a White Sox fan, even sporting their cap during public appearances at the Vatican and playfully joking about the rival Chicago Cubs. Pope Leo is the first Pope to root for a baseball team in history. The late Pope Francis was a lifelong and avid fan of Futbol (Soccer here in the US).

Growing up in Argentina, Pope Francis probably had no choice since Futbol in Argentina is like a religion. Pope Leo is the first-ever American-born Pope in history and the 266th Pope. The first Pope was Saint Peter. Peter’s real name was Simon.

When he became an apostle of Jesus Christ, the founder of the Christian faith, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy, is often cited as the largest Catholic Church in the world, with a greater seating and standing capacity and a greater height than any other.’

Pope Leo XIV was named Pope of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025, at the Vatican. Here in the United States, soon after he was elected Pope, both teams, the White Sox and the Cubs, claimed he was a fan. However, he wore a White Sox cap earlier this year and rooted from the stands during World Series Game 1 in 2016; his prayers were answered as the club celebrated its first World Series championship since 1917.

But when he gets a chance, he also roots for the crosstown Cubs. I am sure that, as a good man of Chicago, he prays for both teams. “Baseball is the only sport mentioned in the Bible. “In the Big Inning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Are you a Superstitious A’s Fan?

Published on November 27, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland Raiders fans express their disappointment in 2019 about the team moving to Las Vegas (photo from the author Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

Are you a Superstitious A’s Fan?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Just like there are some Oakland A’s fans here in the Bay Area rooting for the A’s even as they play in Sacramento, with the final stop in Las Vegas, there are Oakland Raiders fans who still follow their team, as unfortunate as they have been since they moved to Sin City.

I wonder how many are left. Since we are talking about Las Vegas, I think it’s a good bet that Oakland A’s fans are following the A’s in Sacramento much more than Raiders fans from Oakland are following them in Las Vegas. Here in the East Bay, I do not see many Raiders flags anymore. I remember a few years ago, when Raiders fans were everywhere from Oakland to Milpitas.

This season’s Las Vegas Raiders are one of the worst in recent franchise history. What’s wrong with this Raiders team? Doesn’t take a John Madden-type football brain to tell you they have a lack of consistent talent across the roster, poor offensive and defensive execution, and that the coaching staff’s and management’s recent personnel decisions have been a failure. Aside from that, they are a good team.

Attention A’s fans, does this sound familiar to you? “Because of a long-standing inability to secure a modern stadium deal in Oakland, which had outdated facilities and limited public funding for upgrades, Las Vegas offered a more attractive package with public funding for a new stadium. This made relocation feasible as the Oakland Raiders left for Las Vegas in 2020,” -SF Chronicle.

Since the Raiders left Oakland for the desert in 2020, only in 2021 did they have a winning season with a 10-7 record. Their 2-9 record with 6 games left is bad because, even if they win all 6 games (extremely unlikely), they will still finish with another losing record.

The Raiders rolled the dice and went to Vegas, and they are “crapping out”, which is one of many terms when you roll the dice and do not do well.

A’s owner John Fisher is taking magic lessons from David Cooperfield, one of the greatest magic acts in the history of Vegas, to make believe to the whole world his Oakland A’s are ln the way to that city and that with a 33,000 stadium, he will sell out every game and it will be the greatest move in the history of professional sports. What are the odds on this? Place your bet.

Do you know why turkeys don’t trust each other? Too much foul play.

Happy Thanksgiving!

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Will $1.8 billion loss force MLB to shutdown/lockout in 2027?

Published on November 25, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

New York Mets Juan Soto (22) slugs a three run home run in the fourth inning as Washington Nationals catcher Jorge Alfaro (left) watches at Citi Field in New York on Fri Sep 19, 2025. Soto is the highest paid player on the Mets. The Mets claim they lost $350 million because of their $342 million payroll in the 2025 season. (AP file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

How much of the $1.8 billion loss is due to player payroll, especially on high-spending teams?
- For example, the Mets reportedly lost ~$350 million, largely driven by their $342 M payroll.
Did declining or restructuring media revenue contribute significantly to the losses?
- Around 25% of team revenue comes from media, and teams have reportedly struggled to replace traditional regional sports network (RSN) deals.
- Also, MLB and ESPN mutually ended their $550M/year deal early, which could have left a big revenue gap.
How much of the loss is “paper accounting” versus real cash-flow problems?
- Some insiders suggest these losses are accounting losses — not necessarily indicative of a decline in franchise value.
Is there a structural imbalance in MLB’s economics ( lack of salary cap, uneven revenue sharing) that exacerbates these losses?
- MLB is reportedly considering a salary cap, which could indicate that current spending is unsustainable.
- Wealth disparities between big-market and small-market teams may be playing a role.
Are there longer-term strategic choices or risks ( media strategy, labor uncertainty) that could be contributing to the losses?
- With media rights changing and ESPN opting out, MLB’s future broadcast deals may be less lucrative.
- Also, potential labor issues loom: owners are discussing a salary cap ahead of the collective bargaining agreement expiring in 2026.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: MLB Ford C. Frick Award must go to René Cárdenas

Published on November 25, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Rene Cardenas Spanish broadcaster who is in the Houston Astros Hall of Fame is vying for a shot at the Ford C Frick Award and a spot in the MLB Cooperstown Hall of Fame (photo by the Houston Chronicle)

MLB Ford C. Frick Award must go to René Cardenas

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

The Ford C. Frick Award for Broadcasters is presented annually to one winner. The winner of the 2026 award will be announced on December 10, 2025, at baseball’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida. They will then be formally honored during the 2026 Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown, NY.

I have recently written to MLB regarding the Ford C. Frick Award and have fully endorsed my good friend, colleague, and veteran Spanish-language pioneer broadcaster, René Cárdenas, who was the first Spanish-language announcer in Major League Baseball in 1958 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The nominees for the 2026 Ford C. Frick Award are: René Cárdenas, Skip Carey, Tom Hamilton, Ernie Johnson Sr, Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper, Dave Sims, and John Sterling. When I was broadcasting for the Giants, the Giants asked me to call my mentor and broadcaster, Rafael (Felo) Ramírez, who had already won the Ford Frick Award, and ask him to vote for Jon Miller of the Giants, who then won it (2010).

René Cárdenas (born February 6, 1930) is a Nicaraguan-born sports journalist and announcer. He currently lives in Houston, Texas. In 1958, as a pioneer for the Dodgers he called the games from a studio in Pasadena while listening to the English broadcast by Vin Scully, and translated the action for the Spanish-speaking market.

When I was broadcasting for the Giants, the Giants asked me to call my mentor and broadcaster, Rafael (Felo) Ramírez, who had already received the Ford Frick Award, to ask him to vote for Jon Miller of the Giants, who then won, it was 2010.

Giants Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow are among the nominees; they are good broadcasters and good people. In the 1990s, while Hank Greenwald was the Giants’ pbp announcer, I remember Duane Kuiper broadcasting some games from a small tape recorder in his hands; he was rehearsing for what would be his first MLB broadcast for the Giants.

He took over after Hank Greenwald and has been the Giants’ pbp man ever since. Regarding my friend René Cárdenas, who is 95 years young, he deserves to win this Award. It is about time Major League Baseball recognizes him as a Spanish-language announcer in the country, a pioneer.

To date, only three Spanish announcers have won the Ford C. Frick Award: Buck Canel, Jaime Jarrin, and Rafael (Felo) Ramírez. I have worked with Jaime and Felo during postseasons for the Latino Broadcasting Network in the US, together with Cadena Caracol for Latin America .

Between 50 and 60 million people speak Spanish in the US, making the U.S. the country with the second-largest Spanish-speaking population in the world, right after México’s 130 million citizens. In 1958, when René Cárdenas began broadcasting, there was not nearly as large a Spanish population as there is today, which has become the largest minority in the United States.

In Houston, the Astros honored Mr. Cardenas and inducted him into their Hall of Fame. He also once broadcast for the Houston Colt 45s. Interestingly enough, when I got my first break in MLB broadcasting, it was a few years after the Oakland A’s won three consecutive World Series (72-73-74), when Carl Finley informed me that Charlie had given him his OK to broadcast in Spanish for the Oakland Athletics.

Yes, Charlie Finley was a controversial owner, but also an innovative and revolutionary owner who did something only the New York Yankees have done to date: win three consecutive World Series. My first MLB game was with the A’s, and my last one was also with the A’s in 2024, the last year they were called the Oakland A’s.

I used to speak on the telephone with René, who always gave me great advice. The last time I spoke with René Cardenas in person was in 2009, Miami, Florida, when I was spending a few days at Miami Beach (my old stomping grounds as a kid).

He still had a great sense of humor as we spoke about what he called “the good old days” when he was behind the microphone. We also reminisce about when he was visiting Candlestick Park working for the Dodgers, but Jaime Jarrin did not make the trip with the team, because of a family emergency.

René (who was doing a solo) asked me to give him a hand, so I did, calling a few innings with him on the Dodgers Spanish Radio Network. It is time Major League Baseball recognizes René Cárdenas with the Ford C. Frick Broadcasters Award, while he is alive.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary:Bay Area and Los Angeles Area Sports Rivalry

Published on November 24, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers face each other at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on Tue Nov 25, 2025. Los Angeles is a two team NBA market. (images from reddit.com)

Bay Area and Los Angeles Area Sports Rivalry

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

These two most populous areas of California have an interesting sports rivalry, especially in professional sports leagues. Let’s take a look at recent success stories for these two California sports regions. We are looking at the four most popular Professional leagues in the country. NFL, MLB, NBA. NHL. Looking a respective titles for each league.

Bay Area: Golden State Warriors won the NBA title in 2022. The San Francisco Giants won the MLB World Series in 2014, and the San Francisco 49ers won the NFL Super Bowl in 1995, their fifth consecutive Super Bowl title during their 1990s dynasty.

In Baseball, the last time the San Francisco Giants won the World Series was in 2014. In the NHL, the San José Sharks have never won the Stanley Cup; however, they did reach the 2016 Stanley Cup Final and lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The last title for the Los Angeles area was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ win in the 2025 MLB World Series. The Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl LVI in 2022. The LA Lakers won the NBA title in 2020.

Present: As of today, the LA Area is doing much better than the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Dodgers won the last World Series, as mentioned above. The other two teams, the Rams and the Lakers, are well-positioned to win a title this season.

The Rams, as of today, are leading the NFC West with a 9-2 record, the 49ers occupying third-place with7-4 record. While the Lakers are among the top teams in the NBA Western Conference. The Lakers are in second place behind the Thunder, but it is very early, with over 60 games left for most teams in the NBA. The other team in MLB, the Dodgers, already won the World Series, their second in a row. In MLB, the San Francisco Giants finished 81-81, in third place.

NHL. In the National Hockey League, the Southland’s two teams, the LA Kings and Anaheim Ducks, are not expected to compete for a title this season. Here in the Bay Area, our NHL team, the San José Sharks, although so far showing improvement, is also not considered a team with a good chance of making the playoffs. In the history of these NHL Franchises, the LA-Anaheim Area has the clear lead, with the LA Kings winning two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014, and the Anaheim Ducks winning one Stanley Cup in 2007.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s Pouring Cement in Las Vegas as the Betrayal continues

Published on November 19, 2025November 19, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Former Oakland A’s president David Kaval in 2016 touted how the A’s would build a new ballpark at Howard Terminal near Jack London Square in Oakland. In 2023 Kaval announced the team would move to Las Vegas and later resigned his position with the A’s. ( photo from Forbes)

A’s Pouring Cement in Las Vegas as the Betrayal continues

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

For Oakland A’s fans, this pouring of cement at their under-construction new location in Las Vegas feels like the Mafia burying them in cement. In my opinion, a relocation that did not have to happen. The Oakland media market is ranked in the Top 10 US markets by Nielsen ratings, while Las Vegas, Nevada, is ranked 40th.

In baseball terms, that is like comparing a .330 hitter in Oakland to a .220 hitter in Las Vegas. But…no problem, “pour more cement” says one guy smoking a Havana at the Tropicana location.. In the late 1950s, Brooklyn Dodgers fans felt a sense of abandonment and loss when they moved to Los Angeles, much as New York Giants fans felt heartbroken and betrayed when they moved to San Francisco in 1958.

The story of the Oakland A’s is in some way similar to that of the two New York teams. Especially because the Dodgers and Giants left New York primarily because of a stadium situation. In New York, with the city planner Robert Moses, plus also financial opportunities in untapped markets in California.

The difference is that California was indeed a huge untapped market for Major League Baseball, offering a great opportunity for these teams. Does anybody believe Las Vegas is like Los Angeles or Oakland-San Francisco? In mid-November 2016, the Oakland A’s named Dave Kaval President of the Oakland Athletics. Kaval would come into our Spanish radio booth at the Oakland Coliseum and talk about the new ballpark for the A’s in Oakland, although he did not speak Spanish, we translated very clear and remember when Kaval would tell us/radio audience: “the new A’s park would be next to the bay, a beautiful setting, just like the Giants across the bay.”

He visited many times to “update us” on the new A’s Oakland ballpark; he spoke of it ad nauseam. A good friend who is a huge baseball fan described Mr Kaval to me simply like this: “he is a weasel”. Before 1958, California had several professional minor league baseball teams, such as the San Francisco Seals in the PCL, where young players like Joe DiMaggio and his brother, Vin DiMaggio, played.

Also, here in California, the great Ted Williams played professional baseball years before the Dodgers and Giants arrived in the Golden State. The Hollywood Stars were a rival of the LA Angels. My father-in-law, (Joe)Clardy, played in the early 1950s for the Las Vegas Wranglers.. which was the only professional baseball team in Las Vegas.

The SF Giants released a statement after the A’s relocation to Las Vegas was announced, calling the move a “loss for all baseball fans” The team acknowledged the A’s as a “big part of Bay Area baseball history” and expressed sadness over the potential departure of their East Bay rivals.

Well, the San Francisco Giants were among all the 30 teams that voted to have the A’s leave Oakland. Like the famous line from The Godfather is ‘It’s not personal. It’s strictly business,” delivered by Michael Corleone and also by Salvatore Tessio.

Note: Currently, the smallest Major League Baseball stadium is Progressive Field in Cleveland with a capacity of 34,830. A’s in Las Vegas is projected to have 33,000 seats, making it the smallest in MLB. It took three months to film the movie “Viva Las Vegas” with Elvis, which also featured some scenes at The Tropicana.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: How will MLB control gambling in the sport?; Qualifying offers and reshaping free agency; plus more news

Published on November 18, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz leaves a Brooklyn federal courthouse Wed Nov 12, 2025 who is facing indictment charges for throwing certain pitches and taking bribes. (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 What are the biggest implications of the indictment of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for MLB’s integrity and its efforts to police gambling?

#2 With the deadline Tuesday to accept or reject qualifying offers, which players (like Kyle Schwarber) are most likely to decline, and how will that reshape the free-agent market?

#3 How significant is Shohei Ohtani’s unanimous NL MVP and Aaron Judge’s AL MVP win this year — particularly because they’re back-to-back, a historic first?

#4 What could be the long-term impact of the Astros’ Minute Maid Park being rebranded to Daikin Park, both from a business/sponsorship standpoint and for fan perception?

#5 What strategies should teams prioritize now as the offseason really ramps up (with owners’ meetings, free agency, non-tender decisions) to position themselves for the 2026 season?

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: From My Baseball Notebook: Bartolo Colón superstitions and retirement at 50

Published on November 15, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Former New York Met pitcher Bartolo Colon threw out the first pitch before the Colorado Rockies and New York Mets Sun May 7, 2025 at Citi Field in Flushing NY. Colon had superstitions while playing baseball and retired at 50 years old from baseball. (AP News file photo)

From my Baseball Notebook: Bartolo Colón superstition and retirement at 50

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The 2025 season is history, and the Dodgers won their second consecutive World Series. If you miss baseball already, I have some good news for you from one of my old baseball notebooks.

Bartolo Colón was one of the most superstitious Latino players that I’ve ever met. For this Dominican, his superstition was to mold the chewing gum into different shapes, sometimes into a small ball, and to insert into his glove before going to the mound.

One per game, before each game.. This became well known among his teammates, but there was no violation of any regulations because he inserted the chewing gum ball inside his glove, not outside. It could not be seen by any camera.

Bartolo pitched for 21 years in the Major Leagues until he was 50 years of age. He pitched for a total of 11 different teams, including the Oakland A’s at 39 years old. When he arrived in 2012. I spoke to this quirky and smart baseball player numerous times, before and after games; he was always cordial, insightful, and at times very funny.

In his first season with the A’s, during Spring Training in Arizona, he was in the dugout next to Cuban rookie Yoenis Céspedes; he helped Yoenis communicate because Yoenis spoke very little English. But he was always playing pranks and cranking jokes, sometimes Yoenis would put his hands up in the air and say “Oye chico tú eres comendiante ó pitcher” trans- “Hey man, are you a comedian or a pitcher?”

Bartolo once told me, “Pienso retirarme a los 60 años”. trans- “I am thinking of retiring at 60. He was 10 years short on his prediction, and he said Adiós to the game at 50! He always said he lasted this long because he enjoyed the game very much, loved working hard on his craft, and valued his friendships with other players. With the A’s, he especially enjoyed tutoring the younger pitchers.

At the beginning of his career, Bartolo regularly hit 95+ mph on his fastball. Toward the end of his career, control was his trademark, yet he remained a very efficient pitcher.

He was colorful and had a good reputation, and he won 247 games during his excellent career. In 2005, when he was a pitcher with the Cleveland Indians, he won the Cy Young Award as the American League’s best pitcher. In 2016, as a testament to his character, Bartolo won the “Joe DiMaggio Toast of the Town” Award given by the New York Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Hitting: Bartolo Colón hit his one career home run at Petco Park in San Diego on May 7, 2016, as a pitcher for the New York Mets. He hit it off pitcher James Shields, a two-run shot in the top of the second inning, and at 42 years and 349 days old, he became the oldest player to hit his first major league home run.

Career accomplishment. The Latino pitcher with the most wins in Major League Baseball is Bartolo Colón, who retired with 247 wins. The Dominican-born pitcher played for 21 seasons across 11 different teams before retiring at the end of the 2018 season. His 247 wins are two more than Dennis Martímnez (245) and four more than Hall of Famer Juan Marichal (243)

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