Category: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Bill for A’s funding to Nevada Legislature this week

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

A rendering of what the Oakland A’s Tropicana ballpark would look like from the outside. If the Nevada legislation approves the $395 million needed to build the ballpark construction would start as early as 2027 (photo from @SportingTrib)

Bill for A’s funding to Nevada Legislature this week

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

(Monday May 15, 2023)

OAKLAND–The Oakland Athletics and Ballys Corporation struck a deal that will enable the A’s to build a park on a portion of where the Tropicana Las Vegas property is located. That property expected to be demolished this summer.

“The Tropicana has been a landmark of Las Vegas for generations, and this development will enhance this iconic site for generations to come,” Bally’s president George Papanier stated in the news release. “We are committed to ensuring that the development and ballpark built in its place will become a new landmark, paying homage to the iconic history and global appeal of Las Vegas and its nearly 50 million visitors a year.”

The Tropicana is one of the oldest Hotel-Casinos in Las Vegas. — one of the oldest operating casinos in the city — Bally’s president hinted at demolition in his statement, calling a potential ballpark a “new landmark” that would be “built in its place”: We are excited about the potential to bring Major League Baseball to this iconic location,” Athletics President Dave Kaval stated in the prepared release. “We are thrilled to work alongside Bally’s and GLPI, and look forward to finalizing plans to bring the Athletics to Southern Nevada.”

GLPI agreed to fund up to $175 million toward “shared improvements within the future development” of the property, in exchange for a rent increase. As of September 2022, Bally’s had agreed to pay $10.5 million annually as part of a 50-year lease agreement with GLPI.

Bill to the Nevada Legislature to be introduced this week: Nevada State Sen. Scott Hammond told Channel 13 Las Vegas that he has seen language for legislation, and that the public funding portion to build a stadium would total $395 million and include a tax district.

That legislation is expected to be introduced early this week, with enough time to get a deal done during this legislative session. Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred had maintained now for over a year that a move to Las Vegas by the Oakland A’s would be satisfactory for Major League Baseball since the A’s deal with Oakland was not a success, Manfred believes the A’s needed a new state-of-the-art baseball facility.

If the bill for funding is approved, next step will be to begin the construction of the park. If it doesn’t pass, then we will have another chapter of the A’s saga, but as of today, there is little doubt that the Oakland A’s now have bet “all their chips on the table” for Las Vegas.

Where will the A’s play while their new radium, planned to be inaugurated in 2027 is under construction still not certain, and even though the A’s own 50% of the Oakland Coliseum, there is a possibility that they could begin playing at Aviators Park in Las Vegas as soon as 2025, although that remains to be determined.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play talent 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: Countdown to $395 M less than 30 days for A’s new Vegas ballpark

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The front of the Tropicana Casino and Hotel entrance in Las Vegas site of the proposed 9 acre new ballpark location of the A’s set to open in 2027 (photo from WJAR 10 Providence)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Oakland A’s proposed new ballpark site in Las Vegas at the Tropicana site is facing opposition by casino owners and slowing traffic on the strip.

#2 Amaury, wanted to get your thoughts on the long shot possibility of A’s owner John Fisher selling the team to Bally’s who owns the Tropicana property and Bally’s would run the team from that point.

#3 If the tax credit fails or time runs out for the $396 million that the A’s are seeking for the Tropicana project and it’s not likely that Bally’s would put in their own money for the project unless they have ownership of the team.

#4 State of Nevada residents have sounded off that they don’t want to spend anymore public money on state funded arenas or stadiums. The Tropicana site is a nine acre site that has a reduced price tag from the Wild Wild West location that was $500 million to $395 million but that’s still not sitting well with the local tax payers.

#5 It’s been said with the expiration of last Friday’s deadline to extend the Howard Terminal plan that ship sailed and if the $395 million in tax credits fails if MLB or someone comes up with the $395 million the A’s may not have end up in a homeless situation.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for all the play by play of Oakland A’s baseball on the A’s Spanish radio network at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Memories of Oakland – (2nd in a Series) The 1979 Athletics

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Former Oakland A’s infielder Mario Guerrero circa 1979 once recorded a 45 and was told by the author to keep his day job (photo from Amazon.com)

Memories of Oakland – (2nd in a Series) The 1979 Athletics

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–The similarities between the 1979 Oakland A’s and the 2023 Oakland A’s are truly remarkable. The 1979 team ended last (7th place) with a 54-108 record. Their attendance was 306,763, an average of 3,984 per game, the worst since the days in Philadelphia. It involves, (a) Owners, (b) City of Oakland, (c) poor performance on the field (d) very low attendance (e) one of the lowest payrolls in Major League Baseball and (f) a future Hall of Fame player.

That season Charlie O Finley nearly sold the team to buyers who would have relocated to New Orleans, but back then the City of Oakland had smarter representatives and much more community-minded than today and the city refused to release the A’s from their lease with the Oakland Coliseum.

A year later in 1980, Finley was forced to turn to local buyers and sold the A’s to Walter Haas, Jr., president of Levi Strauss & Co for $12.7 million. This 1979 A’s team had many colorful personalities.

I remember Mario Guerrero, who played shortstop whose hobby was singing, as he gave me a copy of his 45rpm recording in Spanish of “A Mi Manera”, the classic Frank Sinatra “My Way’ one of his many big hits. When I listened to Mario’s version I had nothing but to tell him, “do not quit your day job”, he was a good guy but not a good singer. He took it well and laughed all the time with me about it.

Tony Armas had an arm from right field. Many used to say his arm was raw and not educated, but he was one of their best players and in Spring Training he (who was shy) would give me some great interviews. His good friend on that team was Dwayne Murphy who played center field.

Mitch “The Rage” Page. Who can forget him? He hustled all the time and played with a lot of passion and then there was catcher Mike Heath, Wayne Gross at third base and guys on the mound like Matt Keough and Mike Morgan and many others with personality.

Rickey Henderson. That was the brightest note in 1979 playing left field as a rookie, very fast who would go on to steal 1,406 bases, current record. After a 25 year career with various teams (including the Yankees) he seems to always come back to Oakland where he had four different stints from 1970 to 1998.

He is “The Hall of Fame” player of that 1979 team. Rickey was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009. When the team was in a hitting slump, he would get a free pass to first, steal second ( and maybe third) and then score of the sac fly. That became known as “The Rickey Run”. Rickey. Nothing more needs to be said.

“There was only one Rickey Henderson in baseball,” said George Steinbrenner, former Yanks chairman. “He was the greatest leadoff hitter of all time.”

In 1979 Julio González was my broadcast partner as the A’s carried all home weekend games, plus other selected games on BOX 19, to our left was Larry Baer, now a top executive with the SF Giants, he was a student at Cal and was broadcasting weekend games, since the A’s owner never contracted a commercial radio station, he gave the rights for $1 to the Cal Berkeley campus radio station. Yes, 1979, was a year to remember.

(Port of Oakland) The A’s lease with the port of Oakland for the site, where the baseball team hoped to build a multi-billion dollar waterfront ballpark and surrounding development, named Howard Terminal, is set to expire today, Friday May 12, 2023.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer 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: Royals Yarbrough out on 15 day IL for facial fractures; Yankees clobber A’s to open 3 game series; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Kansas City Royals Ryan Yarbrough gets assistance from Royals trainer after taking a line drive in the face off the bat of Oakland A’s Ryan Noda at Kaufman Stadium on Sun May 7, 2023 (photo by USA Today)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, Kansas City Royals pitcher Ryan Yarbrough who took that shot off Oakland A’s hitter Ryan Noda’s comebacker during Sunday’s game at Kaufman Stadium. The shot hit Yarbrough in the face and laid him out. The Royals on Monday said that Yarbrough has been placed on the 15 day IL for facial fractures.

#2 The Oakland A’s opened up their three game road trip in New York with a 7-2 loss at Yankee Stadium on Monday night. The A’s pitching got clobbered in the middle innings with New York runs with two in the fifth, three in the sixth, and two more to close out the scoring in the seventh.

#3 Amaury, You knew Vida Blue for decades when he first broke into the Major Leagues and when he was a three time World Series Champion in 1972-74, an All Star, and Hall of Fame pitcher who passed on Sun May 7th at 73. Talk about Vida the pitcher but most important the person.

#4 Amaury, We didn’t get a chance to speak to you about the indefinite suspension of Oakland A’s TV play by play announcer Glen Kuiper. Kuiper suspended for using a racial slur on live TV Friday night before the A’s and Kansas City Royals game. You knew Glen since he started doing A’s TV in 1992.

#5 Turning to NBA basketball playoffs the Los Angeles Lakers go up 3-1 in game 4 defeating the Golden State Warriors for the second straight game 104-101. Stephen Curry led Golden State in scoring with 31 but it wasn’t enough. The Lakers defense shutdown the Warriors key scorers to get away with a three point win. Game 5 is at Chase Center in San Francisco on Wednesday a 7:00pm tip off.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer 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: Vida Blue a Special man, great Pitcher

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Cy Young and All Star pitcher Vida Blue is seen here dealing in this circa 1971 photo at the Oakland Coliseum. Vida passed away at age 73 on Sun May 7, 2023 (AP photo file)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

By Amaury Pi-González

In Spanish the word Vida means Life. And Vida Blue was that type of guy, he loved life and people, he loved life and never took himself very seriously, he knew what he did as a baseball player and that was that. He was a pitcher that won three World Series in three consecutive years, a Cy Young winner and many other awards playing for the real dynasty of the 1970s and one of the greatest dynasties of baseball, definitely “the” true dynasty for baseball in the Bay Area.” The last time I spoke with Vida at length was last year during the A’s 1972 players reunion.

Vida was a people’s person, last time we spoke in some length was in June 2022 as the A’s held their 1972 World Series reunion at the swanky and historical Claremont Hotel in Berkeley. A’s players of that year (and other years), since even Rickey Henderson made an appearance, we were on hand with their families as they mingled with A’s employees.

Vida looked very good as he was ready to talk to anybody that approached him, he knew a lot of people and he seems always to remember when I spoke with him about people of years past, like my first partner doing A’s broadcast in the 70’s Julio González or his good friend (now retired and living in Florida) Adalberto “Ucho” López. Ucho knew Vida and all those guys including his Cuban compatriot, shortstop Dagoberto Blanco (Campy) Campaneris, whom as a very young player stayed in Ucho’s house in the Bay Area, during the 1970s.

Vida’s memory was very good and clear all the time, he seemed to be happy when talking not only about his great baseball career, but the many friends he had made because of baseball throughout the years.

I will personally miss Vida. May he Rest in Peace.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead radio talent on the Oakland A’s Spanish 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: Memories of Oakland – The Athletics Last World Series Title

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

October 17, 1989. The third game of the A’s vs Giants World Series. Amaury Pi-González and Evelio Areas Mendoza, at Candlestick Park, San Francisco minutes before the 6.9 Loma Prieta Earthquake shook the Bay Area and postponed it for 10 days. KNTA 1430AM Radio, Santa Clara.  (Photo APG Sports)

Memories of Oakland – The Athletics Last World Series Title

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Some things in life are truly unpredictable, like an earthquake during a World Series. And that was the story in 1989. The first and only time in history.

That year the Oakland A’s won 99 games and their division by seven games over the Kansas City Royals. The San Francisco Giants also won their division with 92 wins by three games over the San Diego Padres. In October they both had a date for the 1989 World Series.

Game One: October 14 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Dave Stewart threw a gem as he pitched a complete game blanking the Giants on 5 hits as the A’s won 5-0 in front of 49,385 fans. In 1989 Stew ended with a 21-9 record, a 3.32 ERA during his penultimate season of 4 years in a row of 20-plus wins.

Game 2 is back at the Coliseum. A’s won 5 to 1 and took a two games lead. Mike Moore “took his time” and dominated the Giants lineup for seven innings and the bullpen did its usual job the rest of the way. That year Moore ended with 19-11 and a 2.62 earned run average pitching 241 2/3 innings

Game Three: October 17 it was a very warm day with temperatures between 80 and 90 degrees around the Bay Area. A temperature of 81 was registered in downtown San Francisco, hours before the first pitch of the game, a very muggy day. What people call here in California “Earthquake Weather”. I left earlier than usual from Fremont, to Candlestick Park, about a 40 mile drive. Since it was the World Series between the two bay area teams, I knew there was going to be traffic and there was. An hour plus drive time.

As I arrived at Candlestick, I first went to check the A’s Spanish broadcast booth. It was an auxiliary booth just a few feet away under the roof of the stadium. My broadcast partner was Evelio Areas Mendoza, who lived near San Francisco. Our engineer Erwin Higueros was working our broadcast.

After checking our booth, I went down to the field to conduct “The Tony LaRussa Show”, a short three minute pregame show and then returned to my booth. In 1989 we needed broadcast lines, and a couple of telephones in case we went off the air, which little I knew at that time, were going to be the case a few minutes after 5 PM.

The hectic moment was about to happen. Our pregame show was usually 15 minutes, but because these were World Series games, we got 30 minutes of pregame air time. The General Manager at KNTA 1430AM in Santa Clara was Gene Hogan, one of the real good guys running radio stations those years, he loved sports. We played the Tony La Russa pregame segment, which this time was a little longer than the usual three minutes on regular season games.

I remember Evelio Medoza and yours truly were talking about the difference between A’s and Giants fans and other topics, like the history of both teams since their arrival in the Bay Area, and regular baseball stuff. At that same time, when we were on the air that little auxiliary booth shook like somebody had pushed us up to the roof, I honestly thought I was “buying the farm” we kept talking but we have lost the broadcast lines.

We were lucky the telephone line was still “alive” so we chatted for a few minutes and sent it back to the studios via the telephone. I was surprised the radio station never went off the air, although some others in the bay area did lose their signal.

The earthquake happened at 5:04 PM take or give a minute or so, and before the game was scheduled to start at 5:35 our time, 8:35 PM east coast time. Later as I went down to the regular press box, I watched KPIX CH 5 on a monitor as Ana Chávez, Anchor, was showing a video of the Bay Bridge, the tremors caused a portion of the Bay Bridge to collapse onto the lower deck, also ragging fires of various homes in the Marina District in San Francisco. It was a 6.9 Earthquake, called Loma Prieta Earthquake, and also acquired the name The World Series Earthquake.

A couple of hours later when it was quiet, I drove out of Candlestick Park parking lot, but the Bay Bridge was closed as well as other bridges and I had to drive all the way down south on Hwy 101, around the bay. I was taking Erwin back to his place in Oakland and later Evelio in San Francisco.

At a service station maybe a quarter mile from Candlestick Park, José Canseco wearing his A’s uniform at a gas station filling gasoline in his car. I also stopped to check on my mom. She was fine, however scared and shaken like many others. However there were others in the Bay Area were not that lucky.

That was one of the longest days of my life. I got home before midnight. The Fall Classic was postponed for 10 days, they played again on October 27, and the Athletics won the last two games and took the trophy via sweep. A’s #1 pitcher Dave Stewart won the MVP.

Because the game was at 5:00 PM, it has been attributed to saving lots of lives. Everybody was either home, watching the game, or left earlier to get to “The Stick” on time, for the game.

I recommend “Goodbye Oakland” a great book by Andy Dolich and Dave Newhouse. A fascinating tour of Oakland sports history and a look toward the future of professional sports in the East Bay. Oakland is a sports city like no other.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: $500 million in public money about to get answered in Las Vegas for A’s

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

An aerial view of the potential site of the Oakland A’s new ballpark at Dean Martin Drive and Tropicana Avenue located near the T-Mobile Center, Allegiant Stadium, and New York New York hotel and casino. (photo by Las Vegas Review Journal)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

From Casinos to the Chamber of Commerce, the state of Nevada and the City of Las Vegas it’s looking more and more likely the A’s last and most important step to move to Las Vegas and finance their new ball park at Tropicana and I 15 would be a reality.

Currently in Nevada the A’s are pushing for a bill that would put together $500 million from a special tax district being arranged. That special tax district would include amphitheater and restaurants near the A’s new ballpark. Red Rock Report who is a parent company of Red Rock resorts are relying their hopes that the A’s would get some sort of public assistance.

There is opposition like every other new stadium idea. Nevada tax payers say that the Las Vegas Raiders when they moved to Las Vegas already paid $750 million in public taxes now the A’s are asking for $500 million there has been some blow on using public funds.

The other opposing voice has come from Raiders owner Mark Davis who said the A’s who shared the Oakland Coliseum with the Raiders signed a ten year lease and became the Coliseum main tenant forced the Raiders to move to Las Vegas. The question on how the Raiders and Davis will respond to having the A’s and John Fisher A’s owner who he blames for the Coliseum tenant debacle will Davis go and try and play politics to try and keep the A’s out.

With all the support the A’s are getting from the state of Nevada, the Nevada Chamber of Commerce, local Casinos and Red Rock it might be too much for Davis to try and oppose the new stadium and he just might have to try and get along with his old “roommate.”

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Difficult to build Sports stadiums in Bay Area

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Las Vegas Aviators Field could be the Oakland A’s interim home while their stadium is being built on the Las Vegas Strip with a ready date of 2027 (photo from lasvegassun.com)

Difficult to build Sports stadiums in Bay Area

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Is it just a “coincidence” that Oakland has lost three professional teams in the last 5 years? Or does anybody here question Oakland’s politicians’ leadership?

Oakland is on its way to losing their third professional league team in the last five years, Raiders, Warriors, Athletics. The Bay Area has always been a difficult place for teams to build stadiums/arenas. Many factors, like very expensive to build anything here, also the lack of land/location availability, plus a very sensitive area for environmental issues which always take preference in the Bay Area.

In 1992 Bob Lurie, owner of the San Francisco Giants agreed to sell the Giants to a Florida group that would relocate the team to Tampa Bay. That same year, the A’s ownership under Walter Haas, gave the San José territorial rights to the Giants, who were thinking of building a stadium in San José, they never did. Years later after failed elections, the Giants build their own park (inaugurated in 2020) mostly with private money.

  • 49ers could not build in San Francisco: The San Francisco 49ers with a great history and tradition, with five Super Bowl titles, could never build a new park in San Francisco. In 2014 they packed their helmets and move to Santa Clara, where they build their current home, Levi Stadium. So, the San Francisco 49ers play in Santa Clara, but that is “small potatoes” because the Warriors have played since 1971 at Oakland and now San Francisco and they are still The “Golden State” Warriors, so if they win another NBA title I suppose it will be a State win?
  • Oakland A’s could not build in Oakland for 20 years. The A’s proposed Howard Terminal Park is a very nice plan, next to the water in Oakland, 35,000 seats in what was going to be a revitalization of the city of Oakland, a $12 billion project. But now, that plan looks like a thing of the past, and a trivia question for future generations after last week A’s announced they have a binding agreement to buy 49 acres of land a mile from the Strip in Vegas where they hope to build their $1.5 billion half-dome stadium. Las Vegas is a growing city now looking to its third pro-league sports team, NHL Golden Knights and NFL Las Vegas Raiders. With time, they will probably welcome the NBA and MLS teams to their gambling town, with time, it will happen. In Las Vegas, the A’s are being promised half a billion dollars from the state of Nevada for their new ballpark.

Who is to blame for the Oakland A’s leaving the Bay Area, the owners of the Oakland A’s, the City of Oakland politics, climate change? Whatever your opinion there are facts to be presented to the jury; as the City of Oakland precedent is not a good one when it comes to sports franchises, that (and the jury) must take into consideration.

Oakland is not a city ran with great competence and good results for its citizens, all you have to do is watch the news every day.

The Verdict: What comes first, the chicken or the egg? 2022 A’s attendance was the lowest in all of major league baseball. Why fans are not attending? The owners do not put any money on the field to keep their stars, they rebuild every few years and it is a vicious cycle, very tough for any fan to keep involved with the team, plus it has been 34 years since the last time the team won a World Series.

Oakland A’s fans are good loyal fans. Fans do not attend? Well, they can only take so much and the City of Oakland Mayor said they wanted to keep negotiating with the A’s, until when, the year 2500? This could be a hung jury because there is enough guilt on both sides, seems the City of Oakland and the Oakland Athletics deserved each other. In this case, the perfect divorce. Case dismissed.

Note: A question often asked: Where will the A’s play while their new ballpark is build in Las Vegas? A’s President Dave Kaval said last week that the team has an option with the Howard Hughes Corporation, which own the Aviators, to play at Las Vegas ballpark for the 2025 and 2026 seasons with 2027 the target date to inaugurate their new ballpark a mile from the strip.

What this means, is that more than likely the 2024 season for the A’s could be played at the Oakland Coliseum. 2024 is the last year of the lease with the Coliseum. However, that could also change since the A’s are 50% owners of the Oakland Coliseum.

The NHL California Golden Seals Seals ended up playing nine seasons in California before relocating to Cleveland in the mid-1970s, but their beginnings go all the way back to the early 1960s when they were a minor league team in the now defunct Western Hockey League known as the San Francisco Seals.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s lead play by play Spanish announcer 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: A’s might sell source; A’s have deal with contractors to build Vegas park ; Kings Fox hopes to be in game 5 line up

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland A’s owner John Fisher could be considering selling the A’s according to a source, the A’s despite low attendance are making money this season and could sell to an owner who could keep the team in Oakland (file photo SF Gate)

On That’s Amaury podcast:

#1 Amaury, Oakland A’s owner John Fisher amongst all the negative publicity of moving the team to Las Vegas and having crowds of 3,000 to 6,000 fans on average per game is actually making money is considering selling the team according to news reports on KRON 4 and Scott Ostler at the San Francisco Chronicle.

#2 Ostler who did not name any of the groups who are interested in buying the A’s said that he heard from a source that is reliable that Fisher would consider selling the team as the cost and value of the team continues to increase. Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob expressed interest in buying the team and that’s a standing offer.

#3 On Monday MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred apologized to Oakland fans saying he’s really sorry for any hurt the A’s fans are feeling but it’s not Fisher’s fault. The city of Oakland couldn’t get a deal done in a timely fashion. In the same breath Manfred said that Vegas will present a real revenue enhancing opportunity.

#4 Turning to the NBA the Sacramento Kings De’Aaron Fox has fractured his finger on his shooting hand. Fox lead all scorers in game four during Sunday afternoon’s game against the Golden State Warriors with 38 points and has been a crucial player in the Kings line up. Fox injured the tip of his left index finger. It’s got to be an impact when you lose your leading scorer.

#5 With Fox the Kings have not ruled him out of the line up for game five on Wednesday and cold wear protective covering over his index finger. If Fox suffers more pain the next two highest scorers Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray will need to step up. Fox is one of the guys who got the Kings this far it’s been quite a ride for Sacramento but without Fox it’s a sure test for the Kings.

#6 The Green Bay Packers have dealt quarterback Aaron Rogers to the New York Jets. Rogers quarterbacked for the Green Bay Packers for 18 seasons and will wear No. 8 instead of No.12 which was formerly worn by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namith who gave his consent for Rogers to wear the number. Rogers declined and will wear the No.8 which he wore when he quarterback at Cal.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer 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: A’s after 2024, where do they Play?

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Las Vegas ballpark could be the home of the Oakland A’s for the 2024 season. The A’s minor team the Las Vegas Aviators and the A’s could end sharing the park starting 2024 until the A’s stadium is ready in 2027 (photo by the Las Vegas Review Journal file)

A’s after 2024, where do they Play?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

A’s fans are very upset, after the announcement a few days ago by Dave Kaval that the A’s are buying land, have a binding agreement in Las Vegas to build their new ballpark. This is a wound that will take time to heal to all the people in the bay area, especially Oakland and the east bay.

On one hand many fans were under the impression the team was still working with the city of Oakland, as Kaval has said many times “we are working on parallel plans”, but on the other hand for anybody following this soap opera, the possibility of the team leaving was greater than 50%. Honestly, I was not surprised.

According to Kaval the plan is to inaugurate the new park in Las Vegas in 2027. But many are asking the question: where will the A’s play after 2024 when the lease with the Oakland Coliseum expires. Where will the A’s play in 2025 and 2026, while they are building the new park?

Oracle Park the home of the Giants could be one option, but it is unlikely. MLB will have to work on a big schedule modification. At the Oakland Coliseum. Extending the Coliseum (what happened to the Raiders) when they were waiting for their new park.

This is a possibility, if both sides agree to terminate the lease early. But this whole story has not been distinguished by people agreeing in much. At Aviators park in Las Vegas. Dave Kaval said the Aviators will remain in Las Vegas, the Aviators are their AAA affiliate and they could possibly play regular season games there while they build their new park close to the strip. Aviators Park is located in Summerlin, a suburb of Las Vegas with a capacity of 10,000.

If you think both teams, Aviators and A’s could not play close by, I remind you that currently the Minnesota Twins have their Triple A affiliate in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015, which is 10 minutes away from Target Field in Minneapolis home of the major league Twins.

Ex A’s and Hall of Fame player Reginaldo Martínez (Reggie) Jackson recently told the NY Post “what was the city of Oakland thinking?” And mentioned that they had already lost the Raiders and the Warriors and now the Oakland A’s. Two weeks ago Reggie predicted “they will not have a team in Oakland”.

Commissioner Fred Manfred wanted the A’s to leave Oakland and he knows the baseball owners are in agreement. The chances for Oakland to keep the A’s were never good. Baseball historians will have the task to record this moment in history. Once is all said and done, the A’s will become the first franchise in baseball to have played in four different cities; Philadelphia, Kansas City, Oakland and Las Vegas all keeping the same name of Athletics.

Perhaps the most famous move of major league teams happened on May 29, 1957, when National League owners voted unanimously to allow the Brooklyn Dodgers to relocate to Los Angeles and the New York Giants to San Francisco.