Category: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Baseball: Elefantes de CIenfuegos- -Cuba’s last professional League Champion

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Baseball: Elefantes de CIenfuegos- -Cuba’s last professional League Champion

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Elefantes de Cienfuegos (Cienfuegos Elephants) was a Cuban baseball team that played in the old Cuban League from 1878 to 1961. In 1961, the last year of existence for the most popular winter league in the world, where many American-born stars also played with Cuban players after the primary league season.

In 1961, the Cuban communist government eradicated all professional sports, including professional baseball, which is the #1 sport on the largest island in the Caribbean. The Cienfuegos team won five Cuban League championships, including the last one in 1960-61; they also won two Caribbean Series, in 1956 and 1960.

Cienfuegos was one of the four teams that played in the Cuban Winter League, also Leones del Habana, (Havana Lions), Alacrames del Almendares (Almendares Scorpions) and Tigres de Marianao, (Marianao Tigers).

Although back then, Cuban baseball was very much like US baseball, and the green logo of the Elephants of Cienfuegos was not an affiliate of the Philadelphia, Kansas City, or Oakland A’s, who also had an Elephant as their logo. Below is the list of some players who proudly played for the Cienfuegos team; if you are a real baseball fan, you will recognize over 90 percent of these names.

Adolfo Luque, George Altman, José Azcue, Octavio “Cookie”Rojas, Martín Dihigo, Sandy Consuergra, Cool Papa Bell, Leo Cárdenas, Don Zimmer, Alejandro Olms, Sam Maglie, Camilo Pascual,Curt Roberts, Pedro Ramos, Willie Wells, Napoleón Reyes, Humberto “Chico”Fernández, Tomy González. Every team in the Cuban Professional Winter League had a distinctive narrative about their logo; in the case of the Elefantes de Cienfuegos it was: “El paso del Elefante es lento pero aplastante”. Translation- “The pace of the Elephant is slow but crushing.”

The Alacranes del Almendares, who had a Scorpion as their logo, read: “El que le gane al Almendares se muere” Translation- “Whoever beat Almendares will die”. The passion of the Cuban people ran high among fans of these four teams. Some people never sat down during a game; people would take bets on their team against the other team they were playing, and some fans were real characters.

Fans attending these games did it with pleasure and great passion and a celebration of the game. One of the best Cuban-born players in recent history made his debut with the Oakland A’s in 2012, Yoenis Céspedes, The Cuban baseball star had fled Cuba with other Cubans in search of a prosperous life with the opportunity and the freedom that is not available for the citizens of Cuba, it was not easy to escape as well as for Céspedes family who escaped later.

Céspedes, born in 1985 (25 years after Cienfuegos won the last Cuban title), only heard about this league from his parents and older folks. Quote: “My life has changed in many ways, both economically and personally. All major league players are accorded the respect they deserve.

In Cuba, it was not that way. National team players were not respected. The treatment was not adequate. -Yoenis Céspedes.

Amaury Pi-González is a member of SABR (Society for American Baseball Research). He has spoken about the Elefantes de Cienfuegos and other historic teams during SABR conventions. He is a co-founder and vice president of The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.https://hhbmhof.com/

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Oakland Ballers–Rooted in Oakland

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Oakland Ballers executive vice president of baseball Operations Don Wakamatsu speaks during a news conference Tuesday at Laney College in Oakland, Calif. (Associated Press)

Oakland Ballers – -Rooted in Oakland

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–As the sign “Rooted in Oakland” is scheduled to be removed from the west wall of the Oakland Coliseum before the beginning of the 2024 season, another team has been rooted in Oaktown. They are the Oakland Ballers or the Oakland B’s.

The group says they have raised $2 million from investors and pledged to the community that they “will never leave Oakland.” Anybody can become a part owner of the team by contributing to this initial push. Like the NFL Green Bay Packers, the Packers are owned by more than 500,000 community shareholders. Owned by the city’s fans.

This Tuesday, the independent Pioneer League announced that it will add a new expansion team, the Oakland Ballers, to the newly planned Pacific West Division. The Pioneer League is an independent baseball league that operates in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States.

Its teams are not directly affiliated with Major League Baseball. It is designated as an MLB Partner League. So, Oaklanders can now claim: “We already have an expansion team.”

Starting in 2024, the Oakland Ballers will play in the Independent League. There are two types of professional minor league systems: Independent and Affiliated. The Ballers will be Independent and, therefore, not affiliated to any of the 30 major league teams.

This league is considered a Rookie-level league. And the teams are Missoula PaddleHeads, Ogden Raptors, Rockey Mountain Vibes, and Billings Mustangs.

The Oakland B’ s are scheduled to begin their season in May 2024 and will play their home games at the Laney College baseball field in Oakland, with a capacity of approximately 800. 

Throughout the season, each team plays in 96 games, from May to September, in a split schedule between the North Division (Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Glacier, and Idaho Falls) and the South Division (NoCo, Rocky Mountain, Grand Junction, Boise and Ogden. (This was before the recent announcement of the Oakland Ballers.

Some might consider this some kind of a joke, but it is not. People who like organized baseball can enjoy a new team in Oakland since the: “old team, the one that won four World Series in Major League Baseball since 1968, has decided to tell Oakland fans, “Adiós, nos vamos a Las Vegas”.

Ballers Rooted in Oakland?  As Yogi Berra would say, “Déjà vu all over again.”

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: A’s considering modeling Vegas park after Globe Life in Arlington

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Talk of the Oakland A’s modeling their new Las Vegas ballpark after Globe Life Field in Arlington complete with retractable roof. The Las Vegas A’s park is expected to be completed by 2028. (photo from Ballparks of Baseball)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal the Oakland A’s are looking at Globe Life Field in Arlington as a blue print for their Tropicana Ball Park. Globe Life was built in 2020 has a full retractable roof and seats 40,000. The A’s last proposal said they would seat 30,000 fans at the Tropicana in Vegas.

#2 A retractable roof at the A’s Vegas ball park most likely will only be opened maybe 10-11 times a season as it gets up to 102-1110 during the summer month of June, July and August. If the A’s have a retractable roof it will be at the cost of $100 million.

#3 Amaury, the A’s if they have the retractable roof will be using the park not only for baseball but for multi purpose events like concerts and public events. The question is can the A’s sell out every event like they say they can for the next 30 years some would say it’s doubtful.

#4 According to Dave Sampson the former Miami Marlins team president who podcasts on the show “Nothing Personal” said that the A’s deal to Vegas is not done yet despite the owners voting 30-0. There are two things that could hold things up John Fisher the team owner still needs to come up with his share of the construction money for the Vegas ballpark. Fisher is hedging his hopes that financing will be from tourism. The Vegas fan base will be too small to support the A’s but visitors from out of town are who the A’s are hanging their hats on.

#5 The question as to where the A’s play after 2024 is still up in the air as the Oakland Coliseum is the best location for the A’s to play 2025-27 in. The A’s have explored minor league parks and Oracle Park in San Francisco as places to go to but still don’t have an answer yet.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Legacy of the Cuban Giants

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Original Cuban Giants 1886-1990 who played in St Augustin Fla and Trenton NJ (photo provided by Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

The Legacy of the Cuban Giants

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Sixty-two years before Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues, with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Cuban Giants were the first salaried African-American professional baseball club in the United States.

The team got its name because they played in Cuba during the winter of 1885-1886. There are 21 countries in Latin America, including Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean. All the players with the Cuban Giants were born in Cuba.

Throughout history, Cuba has been the first Latin American country with proven baseball talent. Not only the Cuban Giants ball club, but many US-born black players (who could not play in the US because of segregation) went to Cuba and played there and were welcome there.

Cuba, the country, has always been linked with the origins of American baseball. Anybody who researches baseball history will find that the Cuban League was one of the oldest baseball leagues in the world.

For decades, American major leagues kept black players off their roster. They were integrated into Cuba after the Spanish-American War in 1900. This increased after Cuba won its independence from Spain in 1902.

Esteban Bellán, a Cuban-born player of white skin, was the first Latino to play in a US-organized professional baseball league in 1871 with the Troy Haymakers; Bellán later served as player-manager in 1878 for the home Havana side and led his team to three championships in 1878-1879, 1879-80 and 1882-83. As a winter league in Cuba, the season begins in late winter one year and ends during early winter of the next.

As a young kid in Cuba, I remember going with my father to the Cuban Winter League games and watching such stars as Cuban-born Orestes “Minnie” Miñoso, the first black Latino player in MLB with the Cleveland Indians as a rookie in 1949, who later found his stardom with the Chicago White Sox. Miñoso played with the Marianao Tigers.

Many US born black players went to Cuba to play in this popular league. With the Cienfuegos Elephants, I remember outfielders Lou Jackson and Jim Williams, both African-American players. Cienfuegos had such established Cuban major league stars as Camilo Pascual and Pedro Ramos.

At the end of the 2023 season, there were dozens of Cuban players in the major leagues; many established stars and among the best, like Yordán Alvarez, José Abreu, Adolis García, Randy Arozarena, Yandi Díaz, Aroldis Chapman, Luis Robert Jr., Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

The great Willie Mays signed with the Almendares Alacranes, (one of the most popular teams in Cuba) in the winter of 1950, but he would never go to play in Cuba (then as a top prospect) because the United States Army drafted him to serve in the Korean War.

Quote: “I played in Cuba; it was the best winter league back then, not only because of talent, but they paid the best” -Bill Werle, told me personally. He pitched in the majors with the Pirates, Cardinals, and Red Sox. Born in Oakland, he lived in the Bay Area and worked as a major league scout for various organizations after he retired. Bill pitched in Cuba for the Marianao Tigers and won a championship in 1957-58 season.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: How serious is a deal for A’s playing last 3 years in San Francisco?; Dodgers top pick so far for Ohtani

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Former Los Angeles Angels two way player Shohei Ohtani won the 2023 AL MVP and is an odds on favorite to join the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2024 season. It’s yet to be determined. (AP News file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Insiders have said that Oakland A’s president David Kaval after the MLB owners vote to move to Las Vegas that Oracle Park home of the San Francisco Giants could be the home of the A’s for the remaining three years 2025-27 while they wait for the Tropicana ballpark to be completed by 2028. How strong do you see that possibility.

#2 It’s ironic if the Giants were to allow the A’s to play at Oracle Park for the 2025-27 season in San Francisco after not allowing the A’s to have territorial rights to move to San Jose and now will allow them to come to Oracle and play their final three years in the San Francisco.

#3 No surprises here as former Los Angeles Angel Shohei Ohtani was named the AL MVP, Ohtani the two way player was 10-5 with an ERA of 3.14 pitching and hit .305 with 151 hits, 44 home runs, 102 runs, and 95 RBIs.

#4 Atlanta Braves Ronald Acuna Jr won the NL MVP hitting .337, 149 runs, 41 home runs, and 106 RBIs. Both Acuna and Ohtani won by unanimous decisions which is a first in the 92 years of the award.

#5 Ohtani is up for free agency is still waiting through the bidding and what team he would like to go and play for. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the odds on favorites in the Ohtani sweepstakes followed by the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Oakland has been a Successful Sports town; Fisher sends Dear John letter to fans

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The A’s have not determined where they’ll play for the 2025-27 seasons but it has been suggested they could play in Mexico City’s ballpark for the interim until their permanent home in Las Vegas is completed in 2028. (photo from CBS Sports)

Oakland has been a Successful Sports town

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–Today, the MLB owners unanimously approved Oakland A’s move to Las Vegas. One of the most popular used quotes in the world, not only in baseball but in every walk of life, engraved into our culture, is New York Yankee legend Yogi Berra’s famous, “It ain’t over ’till is over”.

With all respect to “Schools not Stadiums” the teacher’s Union in Nevada, who are still trying to derail the move, let’s face it… it is over. It did not surprise me that all MLB owners voted the same; the Yes vote for the Athletics to move to their fourth city in their storied franchise was expected. The A’s, from Philadelphia, with stops in Kansas City in 1954 and Oakland since 1968, are moving again in 2024.

However, Oakland’s professional sports history is still a very good one. Teams in Oakland won ten championships; the Oakland A’s won four World Series, the Golden State Warriors also won four NBA titles, and the Oakland Raiders won two Super Bowls. The only cities in the country with more combined championships in MLB/NBA/NFL are Los Angeles, Boston, and New York.

A’s owner, John Fisher, sent a letter today to Oakland A’s fans, thanking them for their support.

The Dear John letter’s first paragraph reads: I know that today is a challenging day with the vote by MLB owners allowing for the A’s relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas. I share many of those emotions – sadness that our team will be leaving its home since 1968, pride in what we have accomplished together on and off the field in Oakland, and hope and optimism about the future of the A’s in Las Vegas.

What else can I say that hasn’t been said yet? To be said, for like ten years now, we have heard all the opinions regarding the situation, and there are still other stories (I am sure) to be written.

Yes, it is sad for everybody here in Oakland and the A’s Bay Area fans, especially those who are very good A’s fans; it is terrible for the economy of Oakland, an economy in a situation today that many political commentators and experts in financial matters are comparing to the year 1979 with high gasoline and food prices, high living expenses, homeless all over the place.

By the way, two crazy wars are going on, and yes, the unemployment probably will get a little higher in Oaktown. A good friend of mine told me today, “BART is going to lose riders to the game and more money”, but it is more than BART. When a city loses a team, they’re losing a part of its identity, part of the fabric of the community, the total name recognition, and especially Oakland, as previously mentioned, has been a very prosperous city in Sports.

Except for one key, keeping them in Oakland. The A’s will play in Oakland in 2024, and my educated guess is that they might still work a deal with the City of Oakland to play in 2025, 2026, and maybe 2027 at the Coliseum until they inaugurate their stadium in Las Vegas.

However, that makes a lot of sense, and common sense is not abundant nowadays. So, who knows where the Athletics will play for the next four to five years since they built in Las Vegas. I even heard the suggestion of Mexico City.

Have a great weekend, and get ready for Thanksgiving!

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 with Michael Duca: MLB owners vote on A’s relocation this week; Nevada Independent calls A’s relocation mismanagement and political cronyism

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The Tropicana Hotel and Casino is on the chopping block to get demoed late 2024 and the construction for the A’s ballpark is to begin April 2025 according to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority. (photo by the Nevada Independent on May 9, 2023)

Michael Duca filled for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Michael, the Nevada Independent calls A’s coming to Vegas mismanagement, political cronyism, and a public relations disaster as the MLB owners prepare to vote on the A’s relocation this week.

#2 The article goes onto to say last week’s meeting with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority so far shows that this is throwing tax dollars away at the Tropicana ballpark and that’s it’s a worthy investment.

#3 So far the A’s have not produced how they will fund the construction costs and they have not presented a rendering of how the park will look like and the MLB owners A’s relocation vote is Tuesday night in Arlington.

#4 One other feature that’s hardly been discussed that the Independent shined the light on was the lease agreement between the team and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority this a deal similar to what Allegiant Stadium has that the A’s would not have to pay rent for 30 years and revenues go to the A’s. That would include fringe benefits of retail, hotels, and office space that the A’s will benefit from when the Tropicana is developed.

#5 One other important point there is no oversight committee to see how the public funds are allocated and managed over the project. The Independent points out that the oversight is being managed by the very same people who lobby lawmakers for public money who helped the A’s move from one binding agreement (the Rio) to the Tropicana. This is public money being thrown away to a private business that the Stadium Authority claims would be a benefit for public interests but is really helping private interests such as the Tropicana Ballpark development.

Michael Duca filled in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez who does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Oakland Mayor hoping to sway owners vote with A’s resolution; Schools over Stadiums to appeal Judge’s ruling

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Howard Terminal rendering. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, City Council, and the Port put on a presentation on Tuesday that City Hall hopes to sway some of the MLB owners to vote no on an A’s relocation (Rendering of Howard Terminal from the Oakland Athletics)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, among the Mayor and the City Council goals in adopting a resolution at City Hall. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the City Council are showed the infrastructure of Howard Terminal, the benefits of having a park at the Terminal and something on the drawing board that might change the MLB owners vote. After today’s meeting do you see owner changing they’re minds and giving the A’s a chance to build at Howard Terminal?

#2 Amaury, the odds are starting to dim and Mayor Thao is hoping for a ninth inning rally to stay in the hunt to persuade the owners vote. Thao says that the city does have a plan and budget to build at Howard Terminal but the A’s walked away. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said Oakland had no deal hence Manfred and the A’s are ready to open for business in Las Vegas.

#3 Nevada District Judge James Todd Russell ruled in favor of Oakland A’s lobbyists Danny Thompson and Thomas Morely who took Schools over Stadiums to Monday’s court hearing in District court to throw out Schools over Stadiums attempt to put a referendum on the Nov 2024 ballot to stop public funding for a Las Vegas A’s ballpark and that funds should be used to support schools.

#4 Judge Russell said that Schools over Stadiums would have to refile their petition and that Schools over Stadiums would need to use the full text of SB1 or appeal the case to a higher court.

#5 Thompson and Morely didn’t respond to media inquiries for comments. Schools over Stadiums spokesman Alexander Marks made it clear that they will appeal saying the decision was disappointing but not uncommon adding that Schools over Stadiums plans to refile the referendum and that there is plenty of time to refile as the signature deadline is June of 2024.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead radio voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network on 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: Diamondbacks plan to continue to leave roof open for game 4; Ex-Senator Frank Howard dead at 87; plus more news

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A look at Chase Field home of the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix on Apr 22, 2023 against the San Diego Padres. The Diamondbacks had the roof open for game 3 of the 2023 World Series and plan to leave it open again for game 4 against the Texas Rangers on Tue Oct 31, 2023. (AP file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 Things in the Arizona corridor has cooled off a bit and no rain in sight so the Diamondbacks opened up the roof and they plan to do the same for game four tonight. It’s rare that happens because it gets pretty toasty during the regular season.

#2 Amaury, former Washington Senator Frank Howard has passed away at age 87. Howard lived a good long life and was a slugger of 382 home runs and batted .273 and won a World Series with the 1963 Los Angeles Dodgers. Howard played not only with the Dodgers and Senators but he moved to Texas when the Senators relocated to Texas in 1972. He was known as Hondo and was known as a gentleman of a giant at 6’7.

#3 Milwaukee Brewer manager Craig Counsell who is on his last week of his contract is set to meet with the Cleveland Guardians for the vacant manager job. Counsell is also being sought by the New York Mets who financially can offer Counsell more money than either Milwaukee or Cleveland.

#4 Tommy Pham did something that surprised manager Troy Lovullo asking Lovullo to insert former Oakland A’s infielder Jace Peterson in the line up as a pinch hitter in game 2. Pham already had four hits and the D-Backs were in front of the Rangers 7-1. It gave Peterson to get a swing in the World Series. Peterson ended up hitting into a force out but got a thrill to play in the World Series.

#5 Amaury, Looking back on some of these division and championship games. No one thought a number of these series would involve sweeps and teams like the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros winning all their road games. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says he likes the playoff format. Meanwhile MLB Union Executive Tony Clark said that a 84 game winner like the Diamondbacks for example made it to the World Series where you had 100 game winners like Orioles, Braves and Dodgers who were eliminated early. Clark said he was concerned about the value of being a 100 game winner but getting canceled early in post season.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: What’s next on the A’s relocation to Las Vegas?

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Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred talks with the media before game 1 of the 2023 World Series on Fri Oct 27, 2023 at Globe Life Field in Arlington (photo from Jason Burke former host of Locked on A’s)

Trick or Treat? What’s next on the A’s relocation to Las Vegas?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Here are the following essential steps for the Athletics Soap Opera Relocation.

1-Owners Vote: Next month, MLB owners will vote to approve or disapprove the relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas. 75% of the vote is needed to support the move.

2-Schools over Stadiums: This group is still fighting to get a referendum and attempting to collect 102,000 signatures from four different Nevada districts to get it to next year’s election in November (for those keeping score, that would be November 2024). This group has until July of 2024 to collect these signatures.

3-No funding: If they get the referendum and it wins on election day,  that would strip the funding for the ballpark in Las Vegas.

If this happens, Mr.Fisher must decide; one option is selling the team. The owner had repeatedly said the team was not for sale.

So there is the field of dreams or land mines (depending on what you wish) that the Oakland A’s still have to navigate.

Trick or treat?

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