Category: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Forget the game it’s all about Kelce and Swiftie; Warriors Green to nurse ankle for nearly 2 months; plus more news

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Travis Kelce’s mom Donna #87 and Taylor Swift (right) watch the action from a luxury suite at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City in a game between the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs on Sun Oct 1, 2023 (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 What the betting odds on how long that Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs Travis Kelce will be staying together?

#2 Tickets for Chiefs home games tickets, Kelce jerseys, and Swift themed merchandise have been going off the racks at 25 percent mark up or more.

#3 Amaury, talk about how you see Golden State Warriors 33 year old Draymond Green’s bad ankle being a part of the aging process or age had nothing to do with it he’s just 33 and he got an ankle injury.

#4 How surprised were you when Jimmy Butler came out for his new look at Media Day at the Miami Heat with long hair and pierced lips and Jimmy Buckets saying to the media present “go ahead laugh.”

#5 Amaury, talk about how surprised you are at the top two base stealers in baseball the Atlanta Braves Ronald Acuna Jr with 73 and the Oakland A’s Esteury Ruiz with 67.

#6 Amaury, check it out the odds makers have the Atlanta Braves winning the World Series by plus 260. The Braves liked you say are stacked with superstars, just for example the Braves had eight All Stars representing them in July.

#7 The Braves finished well ahead of the pact in the NL East 14 games on top over the second place Philadelphia Phillies. Do you see the Braves going through the post season like butter?

#8 Amaury, Best for last to talk about, the Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and the award that Camilo Doval received on Sat Sep 30th at Oracle Park.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame at Fiesta Gigantes

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From left to right:  Gabriel(Tito)Avila Jr. President, Amaury Pi-González Vice President, Joe Angel Broadcaster, Erwin Higueros, Broadcaster, Camilo Dovial, Giants pitcher at the Award ceremony at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Oct 1, 2023

Photo credit: Mauricio Segura, HHBMHOF

The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame at Fiesta Gigantes

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

SAN FRANCISCO–Fiesta Gigantes this season took place at Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, on the penultimate game of the regular season before the Giants hosted the LA Dodgers on September 30. The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum presented (on the field) before the game their awards.

Hall of Fame plaque to ex-Giants play-by-play announcer Joe Angel, the only Colombian-born to become an English broadcaster in the major leagues for the Giants, as well as other teams during his career. Erwin Higueros, current Spanish play-by-play for the Giants, and Camilo Doval, from the Dominican Republic, who won the José Uribe Award.

Doval lead the National League in game saves this 2023 season with 39. The Giants won the game with a final score of 2-1.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Lawsuit filed against Nevada Schools Over Stadiums; A’s lobbyists say educators leave out crucial information on petition measure

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Laborers Union Local 872 retired political director of Laborers Thomas Morely is one of the plaintiffs who filed a challenge in First District Court of Carson City challenging Schools over Stadiums from putting an initiative on the Nevada ballot to stop public funding of the Tropicana Hotel Ballpark for the Oakland A’s. If Schools over Stadiums get enough signatures in four Nevada districts the measure would go on the ballot Nov 2025. A no vote against funding the ballpark with public money would stop the ballpark funding unless the A’s can raise the money privately. (photo from Laborers International Union 872)

Lawsuit filed against Nevada School Over Stadium

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

ByAmaury Pi-González

A Lawsuit by two labor leaders in Nevada challenges the Nevada teacher union-led PAC “School Over Stadium.” A petition to repeal public funding for the new proposed stadium for the Oakland A’s in Las Vegas. Who filed it? Once the head of the Nevada AFL-CIO, Danny Thompson was joined by Thomas Morley, a retired political director of Laborers Local 872.

Morley is currently a private consultant. The filing took place in the 1st District Court in Carson City, the capital of the State of Nevada, where all legal challenges are filed. Oakland A’s representatives deferred comment to the attorney working on the case.

According to The Independent of Nevada, Bradley Schrager represented a broad, emerging coalition of business and labor interests. The Oakland A’s are part of that coalition, according to Mr.Schrager, who said, “SB1 passed with majorities in both houses,” referring to the bill that authorized public financing to help the A’s construct a 33,000-seat ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip. “The governor approved it, so it’s no surprise that support exists.”

The lawsuit argues that the School Over Stadiums petition “doesn’t include the full text of the proposal as required by Nevada State Constitution and alleges the referendum is “inaccurate, misleading and argumentative, and therefore is legally inadequate and does not meet the requirement of Nevada State law.”

This is a battle between the educators in Nevada (not all but the School Over Stadium group) vs. Labor and Business interests in Nevada. Organized labor backed the A’s when the bill was before the Legislature. The Southern Nevada Building Trades has a project labor agreement with A’s for the ballpark construction.

Culinary Workers Local 226 has an agreement with the team to organize workers at the stadium once it opens. The A’s were also the main sponsors of the Nevada AFL-CIO Convention in August at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno.

The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is the largest labor union in Nevada and alongside the Bartenders Union Local 165, represents 60,000 guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, laundry and kitchen workers statewide in Nevada.

This is very interesting, schools are very important any place in the country, but Nevada is the one place in the US where the hospitality business has ruled since Las Vegas was founded from the days of the first hotel resort, El Rancho Vegas, on the Las Vegas Strip in 1941, to this day.

Could the Schools over Stadiums group have been late to the party? The PAC behind the ballot measure was launched in June by the Nevada State Education Association following the approval of SB1. The Legislature approved the funding bill, and the A’s are waiting for Major League Baseball to vote for the team’s relocation request, which the Commissioner expects to take place this November, with the beginning of the construction of the new Las Vegas ballpark in early 2024.

In 2024, the American League schedule calls for the Oakland A’s to play their 81 home games at the Oakland Coliseum, where they have been playing since 1968. So what happens now? Who is going to win this? Only God knows when lawyers decide this type of stuff; if you do not understand it, you are not alone. Q:What do you get when you cross the Godfather with a lawyer? A: An offer you can’t understand.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary Podcast: Mayor and MLB Commissioner very far apart on any baseball future in Oakland

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Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao (pictured) and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred (not pictured) seem much further apart after Manfred said in a recent San Francisco Chronicle report that there was no discussion between he and Thao about an expansion team for Oakland or the city keeping the A’s name (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says in a San Francisco Chronicle report, that everybody likes to pile on MLB adding that you have to look at what Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has done and hasn’t done. She is great saying MLB did this wrong and that wrong but did she handle this well, “I don’t think so” said Manfred.

#2 It should be noted that Mayor Thao was only in office four months when the A’s announced that they would leaving Oakland and prior to that she said she was in negotiations with the A’s to secure a deal that was nearly 10 percent of the way being completed before the A’s said they had a binding deal with the Rio in Las Vegas.

#3 It also was reported that Manfred was agitated during the interview saying that Thao should be blamed for losing it’s third professional team after Oakland lost the Raiders and Warriors under previous Mayor Libby Schaff.

#4 Manfred went onto say that there was never a discussion about expansion in Oakland and keeping the A’s name, that it was simply not true, and that he and Thao never discussed these alleged demands.

#5 Amaury, the way you see the relationship between the Commissioner and the Mayor of Oakland being so far apart would say the chances of getting anything for baseball done in Oakland is almost all but dead?

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Brooks Robinson, the Greatest Third baseman has passed away at 86

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Brooks Robinson the Baltimore Orioles third baseman snares a line drive hit by the Cincinnati Reds Johnny Bench in the top of the sixth inning on Oct 13, 1970 at Memorial Stadium during the World Series in Baltimore (AP file photo)

Brooks Robinson, the Greatest Third baseman

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

As a kid in Cuba when my father took me to the Cuban Professional Winter League in Havana, around the late 1950s I remember a skinny slick fielding third baseman that played for the Elefantes de Cienfuegos, (Cienfuegos Elephants), with the green and gray uniforms, his name was Brooks Robinson, they won the Cuban Winter League title in the 1959-60 season.

He was since that moment together with Cuban-born Orestes (Minnie) Miñoso my two favorite players. Miñoso played for the rivals Tigres de Marianao, Marianao Tigres and with the Chicago White Sox in the major leagues. I had the privilege of meeting Miñoso not in Cuba (although I saw him play in Cuba, like I just wrote) but here in the Major Leagues as a player and later as a Front Office employee of the Chicago White Sox, as I interviewed him in many occasions including in 2005 when he sat with me in Chicago during a game as I was broadcasting for the LA Angels Spanish radio, he did commentary for most of the game. Both Minnie and Brooks played at a very young age in that Cuban professional league. Both became established stars in the major leagues.

Today, September 26, 2023 the news broke. Brooks Robinson has died at the age of 86. There was no better defensive third baseman, He was selected to 18 All Star Games and won a total of 16 Gold Gloves, the most of any position player, only one player won more Gold Gloves in history, pitcher Greg Maddux,18.

In 1983 third baseman Brooks Robinson was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York. His nickname “The Vacuum cleaner” was given to him by Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson after his legendary performance for the Orioles in the 1970 World Series. “I’ve never seen anything like what he did to us in that series, He killed us”. In 1970 Brooks won the MVP in the World Series.

He played his entire 23 year career with the Baltimore Orioles. Hit for an average of .267, 2,896 games, 2,848 hits, 1,357 runs batted in, 1964 American League MVP, 1970 World Series MVP and 2-time World Series Champion.

The Human Vacuum Cleaner” or “Mr. Hoover” because of his defensive prowess. But mostly known as “Mr. Oriole.”

Why do they call third base “the hot corner”? Because right handed hitters pull balls down the third base line with with lots of heat.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Acuna 5th player to join 40-40 club; Marlins Alcantara suffering from forearm tightness; plus more news

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Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. watches his solo home run in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park in Cumberland, Cobb County, GA on Tue Sep 19, 2023. Acuna Jr becomes the fifth MLB player to join the 40-40 club on Fri Sep 22, 2023. (AP News photo)

#1 Amaury, the Atlanta Braves Ronald Acuna became the fifth player in MLB history to become a 40-40 player, Aucna joined the club after hitting his 40th home run of the year against the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

#2 In triple A baseball the Miami Marlins Sandy Alcantara who is on a rehab assignment suffered forearm tightness on Thursday night the Marlins announced on Friday night. Alcantara who won two Cy Young Awards struck out four hitters in four innings is headed back to Miami and will be evaluated by team doctors. Alcantara has not pitched since Sep 6th.

#3 MLB announced they will be selecting 12 of the top clock operators for the post season as the time clock rule will be in place for the post season. The league upon selection will use the same time clock operator for that specific series. The rule remain the same with the exception of the ghost runner in extra innings which will not be used.

#4 Amaury, Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton finds Chicago Cubs manager David Ross’ comment that the Pirates “are not a very good team” comment unfortunate. The Cubs are the third team in the NL Wild Card and the Pirates are two games behind them. Will Ross’ comments fire up the Bucs and make it an interesting run for the Wild Card in this last week of the season?

#5 The Oakland A’s conclude their final homestand of the 2023 season on Sun Sep 24th against the Detroit Tigers. The A’s have a lease with the Oakland Coliseum through the 2024 season is there any chance that the A’s could break the lease and choose to play somewhere else maybe Las Vegas Ballpark for next season or will they honor the lease and play here in 2024?

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice for the Oakland A’s on the A’s Spanish radio network and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Tampa Bay Rays announce new Ballpark with 30,000 capacity

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The proposed Tropicana Field in St Petersburg the future home of the Tampa Bay Rays (renderings from the Tampa Bay Rays)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The Tampa Bay Rays announced the construction of their new ballpark in St. Petersburg. Their new park will have a capacity of 30,000. Inauguration and first pitch are scheduled for the 2028 season.

The Oakland Athletics in Las Vegas. Their new ballpark with capacity of 30,000 fans, scheduled inauguration also for the 2028 season.

The Kansas City Royals new stadium will have 34,500 seats with the city’s iconic fountains. Kansas City is known as the “City of Fountains” with hundreds of unique water sculptures all over the city.The Royals announced plans to leave Kauffman Stadium about two years ago.

But progress has been slow in deciding on a path forward, given the myriad factors involved in the proposed $2 billion-plus ballpark and entertainment district.

The Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred wanted the A’s and the Rays to finish their plans for their new ballparks before he “opens the doors” to other cities across the country looking for expansion teams.

So, why are the new ballparks smaller in capacity?

Why are the MLB stadiums getting smaller? It is not only baseball but professional sports teams have been changing course and building smaller facilities. The low attendance and new generations (millennials) viewing habits, the internet/social media, where sports now can be seen by millions even inside one of the most important gadgets we humans have today, the essential cell phone.

Baseball is a special case as MLB is a traditional game with great history. There was a time the only way to see a baseball game was in person, then radio was invented, then Television came around. Today we are in a totally different new world of communications.

In the years come franchises will be looking to build new stadiums and most of them are probably going to be similar, with an average of 30,000 capacity. However, all these park also have the potential to expand by a few more thousand seats. Did You Know? The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum the home of the Oakland A’s is the biggest MLB stadium by capacity with 56,782.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: O’s and Rays headed for post season; ex-Phils manager Manuel improving after stroke; plus more news

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Philadelphia Phillies hitting coach Charlie Manuel looks on prior to the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Aug. 14, 2019, in Philadelphia. The Phillies announced Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, that former manager Manuel has suffered a stroke. Manuel was undergoing a medical procedure in Florida when he was afflicted, the team revealed. Sun, Sep 17, 2023 doctors said 12 hours after the procedure Manuel was showing signs of improvement (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays both teams who have great seasons clinched for the AL playoffs after the Texas Rangers lost to the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday.

#2 Good news after the scary experience that ex-Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel 78, had a stroke while going through a medical procedure in Florida. Doctors were able to remove a blood clot from the 79 year old manager Sunday and reported that Manuel has shown improvement. While Manuel was manager for the Phillies he won five NL East titles between 2007-2011. Manuel was fired by the Phillies in 2013 after a 53-67 start of that season.

#3 Cuban born designated hitter and outfielder Jorge Soler of the Miami Marlins hit a home run upon his return from the 10 day IL. Soler had been placed in the IL due to a right oblique strain. Soler said he was feeling discomfort taking swings on Sep 5th but feels alright now going 2-3 with a home run on Sunday.

#4 Pitcher Corey Kluber will not pitch again for the rest of the season for the Boston Red Sox due to right shoulder inflammation. Kluber announced that he has ended his minor league rehab assignment and will not make his third rehab assignment at Triple A Worcester last Saturday. Kluber is a two time Cy Young Award winner.

#5 The New York Mets threw a huge bash for Bartolo Colin at Citi Park in Queens on Sunday. The Mets celebrated Colin’s home run he hit on May 7, 2006. It was Colin’s first home run off the San Diego Padres James Shields and Colin became the oldest player at age 42 years and 349 days to hit a home run. Colin pitched in the big leagues for 21 years. Colin also was a former pitcher for the Oakland A’s and made a big splash with fans and teammates during that time as well.

Amaury PI Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice for the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsadioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Bucs Hayes says it’s time for the auto umpire forthwith; Brewers lose no hitter and game in 13 innings; plus more news

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Pittsburgh Pirates’ Ke’Bryan Hayes follows through on a solo home run off Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta during the first inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Wed Sep 6, 2023. Hayes said the need for the auto umpire needs to be in place ASAP saying there are too many umpire mistakes that are costing hitters (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, Ke’Bryan Hayes of the Pittsburgh Pirates is calling for the auto umpire as soon as possible. During Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves pitcher AJ Minter threw a 3-1 pitch that was outside and was ruled strike two by plate umpire Bill Miller. Hayes thought he was taking ball four and headed up to first base but had to come back. The Bucs were down 5-2 in the top of the eighth. Hayes is calling for the auto saying some umpires don’t care. He questioned Miller after the game about the call and Miller told him you had your chance to hit a homer.

#2 The Brewers on Monday night took a no hitter going into the 11th inning. Brewers pitchers Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams, Abner Uribe, and Joel Payamps almost made baseball history as they were two outs away from the game’s first 11 inning no hitter. The New York Yankees not only ended the no hitter but came back and won the game as the Yankees Kyle Higashioka doubled in the ghost runner in the bottom of the 13th inning.

#3 The Milwaukee Brewers called up third baseman Josh Donaldson from triple A Nashville and optioned Owen Miller to help the Brewers in their playoff drive. Donaldson started at third base on Monday night against the Miami Marlins. Donaldson was released by the New York Yankees hit .142, .434 slugging percentage, with 15 hits and 10 home runs and 15 RBIs.

#4 The Los Angeles Angels are open to trading superstar outfielder Mike Trout. Trout has seven years and $248 million left on his 12 year deal with the Halos on a contract worth $430 million. Trout had been plagued with back injuries. Trout has been out since July 3 with a broken hamate bone. Trout was hitting .263, 81 hits, 18 home run, 44 RBIs.

#5 The USA Today reports that the Oakland A’s would be one of two cities who would get a expansion team once the A’s move to Las Vegas at Tropicana Park in 2028. The other city under consideration is Nashville. High ranking baseball officials say that the city of Oakland needs to get a ballpark site in place (most likely the Howard Terminal), an ownership group who will secure the site. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said that in order for the city to extend the A’s extension before they move out of Oakland MLB needs to assure the city will get an expansion team and the A’s name brand stays with the City.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for all the action of Oakland A’s baseball on the A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Dodgers Latino Fan base Shaken up by Julio Urías

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Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, in Los Angeles (AP News photo)

Dodgers Latino Fan base Shaken up by Julio Urías

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

At any given time during a Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium, one of every two fans is a Latino, most of Mexican heritage. The Los Angeles Dodgers are averaging close to 48,000 in attendance per game and are closing in 4 million in attendance.

Those are the best attendance numbers in major league baseball. Since the 1980s, when Fernando Valenzuela was the team’s ‘número uno star’ the Dodgers have not had a more giant Mexican star than lefty starter Julio Urías, originally from Culiacán, México, whom the Mexican fans affectionately called “Culichi.

However, his recent arrest for domestic violence has shaken the Latino community of the greater Los Angeles Area. On September 3, Urías was taken into police custody in a parking lot near BMO stadium, where soccer superstar Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF played against Los Angeles FC in an MLS game. The pitcher was charged with felony corporal injury against a spouse.

The news is sad for all Dodger fans, including team Manager Dave Roberts, who said, “it is very sad; that is all I’ve got to say”. Urias is currently on administrative leave “until further notice”. This was not the first time for Urías.

In 2019, he was suspended for 20 games under MLB domestic violence policy. During the past few years, Julio Urías became the #1 starter for a team just a few magic numbers away from winning the National League Western Division again. The Dodgers are within days of winning their 21st NL West title.

Urías was a World Series champion in 2020, National League wins leader in 2021, and National League ERA leader in 2022. He could have taken the third position of the best three left-handers in Dodgers history behind the incomparable Sandy Koufax (Hall of Fame) and currently Clayton Kershaw, a future Hall of Fame member, but this for Urías was the second time and first player since the MLB policy on domestic violence to be punished twice.

Ironically, another big-time pitcher, 31-years Trevor Bauer, who won the Cy Young Award with the Cincinnati Reds in 2020, only pitched one year (2021) for the Dodgers and was given an unprecedented two-season suspension without pay by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred for violating the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy. Bauer is out of baseball.

At this time, the final decision by MLB on Julio Urías has not been made; he was supposed to become a Free Agent after this 2023 season. Urías is facing the same fate as Trevor Bauer, as the Los Angeles Dodgers Latino fan base is waiting; many have shown their disappointment.

The Mexican star has become a fan favorite, especially for the Mexican fan base, with many comparing Urías as the best Dodgers Mexican pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela, who had an exemplary career and is still adored by fans all over Los Angeles.

Domestic violence is a serious charge, as it should, and the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball is investigating the Julio Urías situation.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice for the Oakland A’s on the A’s Spanish radio network 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com