Category: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Cleveland Indians to Change Name – Who cares?

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The University of Richmond’s logo the Spiders. One of the very few teams in college or pro sports to use the name. (photo richmond.com)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Sometimes professional sports loses focus and gets silly in many ways. The NBA looks the other way about China, because that represents a huge money market for them, yet they speak about justice. Last year China’s Tech-Giant Tencent reached a deal of $1.5 billion to remain the league’s exclusive digital partner and the US largest partnership outside the US.

A market of one-and-a-half billion people, they buy many more Lebron jerseys than the rest of the world combined. But Communist China to this date is one of the world’s leading countries when it comes to human rights violations. Amnesty International, a worldwide (non-political organization) whose mission is about human rights, says about one million Muslims ethnic groups Uyghur’s, Kazakhs and others are still missing.

Amnesty International has interviewed more than 100 people outside of China whose relatives in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR) are still missing, as well as individuals who said they were tortured while in detention camps there.

There are forced-labor concentration camps in China. They have interviewed these people who are family of those missing and have knowledge of what’s going on. To be fair to the NBA, they are in the business of selling basketball, lawmakers in Washington make policy; but anybody can see that money is over principal many times over Back in July, ESPN investigation finds coaches at NBA China academies complained of player abuse and lack of schooling.

The NBA has a “complicated” relationship with China, and unfortunately that might continue. This covid-19 came from China, but the vaccine was Made in the USA, so there, we definitely look much better. Here in America we feel good when the Cleveland Indians say they are going to change their name.

Nobody should oppose to the Cleveland Baseball Club changing their name. They are a private business and they can do that, just like anybody else who owns a business. They want to look good in the eyes of the public.

The Atlanta Braves (who are still named Braves) had Chief Noc-A-Homa, a fan for two decades who retired before the 1986 season. This was a fan of the Braves, who paid for his admittance to every game, but chose to dress like an Indian Chief and the team basically adopted him, he was not an employee of the team.

Maybe the Cleveland Indians can change to the Cleveland Baseball Club, just like the NFL Washington Redskins a year ago, or the Cleveland Rockers, for the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in that city. But with all our problems during this 2020 and everything that is going on in this world, does anybody really cares about changing the name of a team?

Who knows what the sports landscape might look 20, 30, 40 or more years from today? Pacifist could eventually revel against team’s names like: Raiders, Pirates, Chiefs, Vikings, Buccaneers and such.

Atheists and Agnostics will do the same against teams that are named: Padres, Angels and Saints. Maybe the National Audubon Society will get upset about the: Cardinals, Orioles, Ravens and Blue Jays or the ACLU about the exploitation of ‘man by man’ with teams names like Athletics, Giants, Twins, Royals and Patriots. I think Houston and NASA will always be happy with the Astros and New York with the Yankees, so they are…Safe!!

Felíz Hanukkah and Felíz Navidad !

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Barbara Mason: Florida’s Johnson in medicated induced coma; Spiders leading name for Cleveland Baseball Team; plus more

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Florida Gators forward Keyontae Johnson who is currently in an induced medical coma after collapsing on Saturday at Florida State. Johnson’s grandfather Larry DeJarnett said he’s under ICU medical care. (AP News file photo)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Barbara:

#1 Barbara talk about Florida basketball player Keyontae Johnson whose been in a medically induced coma after collapsing in a game at Florida State on Saturday. Nothing has been said as to what caused Johnson to collapse his grandfather Larry DeJarnett said that “He may have had activity in the brain, so they induced the coma,”

#2 Cleveland is taking a look at some new names to replace the Indians name. The first name that came up was Spiders a name that the Cleveland franchise had back in the late 19th century. The name Spiders is very seldom used in sports the University of Richmond used the name and the defunct San Francisco Spiders of the International Hockey League used the name for one season (1995) before folding. From the sound of it Cleveland might be going with the Spiders name because of the civic connection and it’s been pretty popular with fans.

#3 ESPN is making all sorts of concessions in terms of how their schedule televising MLB games which would include the post season first round of the playoffs if that sounds like the Wild Card that might go the best three out of five. ESPN is considering televising 30-40 games down from 90 when Fox and TBS’ contract expires.

#4 The Brooklyn Nets Kyrie Irving who had not spoken to the media since joining the Nets said his boycott against the media is over. Irving had been fined $25,000 for issuing statement through Instagram regarding the media. After getting fined he also called the media “pawns” the boycott is supposedly over but know one really knows how long he’ll talk to the media before putting the brakes again.

#5 St Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright who won the MLB Roberto Clemente Award one week ago. Wainwright pooled with 150 other big league players, including Garth Brooks Teammates for kids and Home Plate Project involving Texas Ranger pitcher Kyle Gibson. What does it mean for someone to win the Roberto Clemente Award?

Barbara Mason filled in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez heard Tuesdays for News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: 2020 Worse News for Baseball? –No Minor Leagues–

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Reno Aces ballpark the Triple A team in Reno NV announced they will return for the 2021 season in a press release Dec 9th, 2020. The Aces are an affiliate for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Aces are a survivor of many of the minor league teams who are being cut in MLB (sierrasun.com file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Major League Baseball, after all, came out “very well”, during an abbreviated 60-game season, compared to other sports, playing during a worldwide Pandemic. But (in case some forgot) there was no Minor League Baseball in 2020.

As of 2018 there were 14 ML-affiliated Minor League teams. A total of 160 teams in large, medium and small markets across the country and also in Canada, plus a total 80 teams in three ML-affiliated rookie leagues in Arizona, Florida and the Dominican Republic.

It was on June 30, 2020 that it was announced there was not going to be Minor League Baseball this year. The announcement explained that the season had been shelved because Major League Baseball will not provide players. It was the first time the Minor League season was cancelled since the Minor Leagues were founded in 1901.

However, it was actually in (pre-covid) 2019 that Major League Baseball were planning to eliminate 42 Minor League teams, most in the lowest levels, with more than half of those 42 either at the Rookie League level or Short-Season, Class A. MiLB (Minor League Baseball) also is a revenue-generating business. Most minor league teams are not owned by major league clubs, but they have contracts as affiliates.

Generally teams in organized minor league baseball are generally owned and operated independently but most are directly affiliated with a major league team. Very important Milb, because they have contracts with MLB teams for player development. Because of what happened in 2020, MLB teams lost hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and therefore had furlough employees, some were told their services terminate at the end of this year.

In the Minor League with zero games played, and even with some payroll protection loans issued early, more jobs were lost. If MLB suffered by playing 60-games in 2020, you can imagine how much the Minor Leagues suffered with no season at all, not one game played. It is very important for baseball to keep their minor league structure for the future.

The game of baseball needs a lot of practice, repetition, seasoning “if you will” of their young talent. All players in the Minor League system have one goal. To be promoted to the Big Leagues, as simple as that. When I was playing as a kid in Cuba with my brother, or just playing catch with my father and on teams in the area.

I always dreamed of playing for a Major League team, I do not recall as a kid I ever dreamed of playing for the Cuban Sugar Kings of the Triple-A, International League, although that was a popular league as well as the Winter Leagues, kids dreams always relate to their Major League teams and stars, heroes.

Baseball has been always like that, and hopefully it will continue. We must remember than the overwhelming majority of the Major League stars began their professional careers and ascent to the Big Show in…yes, the Minor Leagues.

You cannot over emphasize the importance of the Minor Leagues. I can only hope 2021 will be played normally, and that there is a Minor League with younger players ready to come-up to the big team.

We all talk about how terrible 2020 has been, but we also must be positive and realize that we are ending this year with sort of a miracle. The development and approval of covid-19 vaccines, which took around 9 month from beginning to completion.

What Warp Speed Operation accomplished was unprecedented in the history of vaccines, we should be grateful that because of these vaccines (in days made available) millions of lives will be saved in the US and around the world, and this is exactly the news Baseball wanted to hear prior to 2021 Spring Training in Arizona and Florida, which is just two months and a couple of weeks away.

The Minority: These are some well known Major League Players, (some in the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown) who never played in the Minor Leagues. They came directly from High School or College to the Big Show: Al Kaline, Sandy Koufax, Bob Feller, Harmon Killebrew, George Sisler, Frankie Frisch, Joe Nuxall, Dick Groat, Dave Winfield, Mike McCormick, Mel Ott, Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Herb Washington.

Felíz Hanukkah and Felíz Navidad

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Is Baseball Strategy Out the Window?

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The Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman who hit .341 last season will DH when needed at American League parks as the DH will not be in effect during National League games this season (file photo from Atlanta Journal Constitution)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González.

The last time I remember seeing  a ‘hit and run’ I was in the parking lot outside the park, before the game started. I am afraid we will eventually see a defensive alignment of five outfielders when a guy that seldom hits a ground-ball comes to the plate.

A complete game thrown by a starting pitcher would be tantamount to a perfect game. Bullpen games would be regularly scheduled, in other words, the manager will give his lineup and also a “pitching lineup” of the seven pitchers he is planning to use in any given game.

In other words, there will be two lineups, the regular one with every player place in the batting order as well as position the he is playing and then the seven pitchers to be used. Plus, other stuff that would make it look like a game from the planet Pluto.

Those that were against the Designated Hitter rule will find that as a “traditional” part of the game, almost like wood burning in a fireplace on a cozy Christmas Day, compared to what is coming down the pike with more Analytics and more regulations and changes.

We have strayed so much from the game of baseball as it was meant to be, that it is soon coming to the point of no recognition. Are hitters so lazy that they cannot adjust to the shift? If the third-baseman is playing in mid-right field, and the shortstop and second-baseman can shake hands behind second base and the hitter cannot hit to the left side of the infield, which is vacant of fielders.

What do we have? Atlanta’s first-baseman, Freddie Freeman won the National League Most Valuable Player this year, he hit .341 and he can find the hole in the infield when the shift is on, that is why he hit .341. Freeman is the exception in today’s game.

Image a quarterback that every time he goes back to throw to the end zone, there are 4 unobstructed receivers standing there just waiting for the ball? Or in basketball a 7’4″ center waiting under the basket with nobody allowed to check him or block a shot? OK, baseball is different, I get it.

Still the biggest changes in the game of baseball throughout the years have been mostly by their players. They are faster and stronger. There is more advances in the science of conditioning, surgeries, rehab programs and such.

The equipment has changed, catchers (unlike years past) do not have to wear 60 lbs of protections, today’s material is lighter and more resistant to impact, the ball is lighter than it was, the gloves are better, the playing surfaces are in immaculate condition and we have many parks with re-tractable roofs, so there can always be a game, with rain or shine. Players today are stronger and faster than ever, however that doesn’t mean they are better ballplayers, they might be better all-around-athletes.

Today’s players make ridiculous amounts of money and the advances in technology are now part of the game. Analytics, finances and technology as we head to 2021 is what really rules the game. Yet, baseball has long had the goal of moving things along, shortening the time of the game has been one of the topics, but baseball will never be what it was meant to be if we begin looking too much at the clock.

This is why one of my favorite quotes was by one of my all-time favorite managers, the great Earl Weaver of the Baltimore Orioles who said: “In baseball you can’t kill the clock. You’ve got to give the other man his chance.”

That’s why this is the greatest game”. We agree that is ‘the truth and nothing but the truth’. In baseball strategy, every move counts. An extra-base hit, a walk, an error, can gain a run, one run can win a game, one game can win a division and one game can win the World Series. Statistics are a great part of the game.

What would it be without? Scoring a game you need a road-map to know what happened, and watching the game is much more fun when there is a strategy at play. It is a game of averages and a mathematician dream, but we should not be carried away, because stats are not always what they seem.

In the words of ex-baseball player Toby Harrah: “Baseball statistics are like a girl in a bikini. They show a lot, but not everything”. I hope and pray for today and future generations this great game is played correctly and doesn’t become just another video-game of quick self-gratification.

I still love the game of baseball, otherwise I would be writing about something else. Most of my life, since a kid, it is the game I mostly compare to life, because it like life, everyday is different.

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.

Join Amaury for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Buffalo offense just too much for SF; Colts take winning record into Vegas to face Raiders; plus more

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie (19) scores a touchdown as San Francisco 49ers defensive back Tarvarius Moore (33) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. Ross D. Franklin/AP

That’s Amaury’s podcast for News and Commentary:

#1 The San Francisco 49ers were coming off a big win against the Los Angeles Rams from week 12 and last night they played host in Glendale at State Farm Stadium against the Buffalo Bills. One thing about the switch from Santa Clara to Glendale is the 49ers will be not be doing much traveling in three of four games.

#2 The Las Vegas Raiders narrowly beat the winless New York Jets last Sunday on a Hail Mary pass from quarterback Derek Carr to receiver Henry Ruggs for a 46 yard game winning touchdown and as a consequence that last play was Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams who was fired right after the game.

#3 The MLB winter meetings started on Monday and for the Oakland A’s they are expected to keep things on the down low due to the pandemic the A’s have taken a financial loss which included refusing to pay rent at the Oakland Coliseum just before the beginning of last season’s brief 60 game schedule.

#4 Like the Philadelphia Phillies who are also feeling the pinch and had a hard time trying to sign TJ Realmuto which they didn’t the report is out that Philadelphia lost $ 2 billion because of overall loses. The Oakland A’s may not have lost that much but they are behind the financial eight ball during these winter meetings.

#5 Also talk is that the A’s most likely will not offer A’s infielder Marcus Semien a deal because it will be relatively much lower than what other clubs are expected to offer him which has been in the neighborhood of $100 million. Who have you heard that is interested in obtaining Semien, Cubs, Cardinals, Reds, Yankees, Astros, Dodgers or maybe others?

Join Amaury for News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday morning at http://www.sportsrasdioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Two Warriors Players test Positive; Training Camp Delayed–

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Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Meyers made the announcement on Tuesday that two players have tested positive for Coronavirus and that the team training camp has been put on hold. (sportsnet.com file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Bob Meyers, Golden State Warriors General Manager made the announcement that two Warriors players tested positive for covid-19 and therefore the Training Camp has been delayed.

The Warriors first exhibition game was schedule for December 12 and the team’s opener of the regular season is scheduled for either the 22nd or 23rd of December. This stuff is day-to-day, and decisions have to be made quickly, but it is not an easy Lay-up.

Last week the NBA stated in a health-and-safety protocol guide that was distributed to teams that any player who tests positive, must wait 10 days and then be monitored in individual workouts for two more days.

For the player to return to work (even if they were asymptomatic when tested positive) and to return to work the players must go 10 days or more after the first positive test or onset of symptoms or test negative at least 24 hours apart via PCR testing.

Just like all sports leagues, the NBA is at the mercy of what happens with this novel virus. The virus does not have or cares about any schedule. People here in California are in a state of awareness and have all the information they need, but still people will test positive.

It is disheartening when officials like Governors, Mayors and other elected officials have such contempt to “say one thing and do another” for the people that are actually paying their collective salaries. This surely doesn’t help.

A lot of people say, well if they do not care, why should I care? Many at the beginning of this Pandemic predicted vaccine would take years, are startled that it has taken less than 1 (one) year to develop (under the government operation Warp Speed) by bio-pharmaceutical companies, like Pfzier Moderna and AstraZeneca, and others on the way, are waiting for approval from the FDA.

Interestingly enough, The United Kingdom already approved the Pfizer vaccine to give to its population. Bureaucrats here in the US usually take their time, the red-tape is always the obstacle, but we can only hope these vaccines will get the green light soon to help the people of the United States and other countries that are for sure ready to acquired and use. Talking about our Bureaucrats, isn’t ironic that the United Kingdom has approved the US vaccine before our own FDA?

Stay tuned and stay well.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Blue Jays want new stadium but can’t play in the one they have; Despite missing key players Giants almost made playoffs; plus more

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A look from outside of the Rogers Centre in Toronto. The Toronto Blue Jays would like to tear down Rogers Centre and build a new ball park (photo from onsitenews.com)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary:

#1 The Toronto Blue Jays have new stadium plans on the drawing board and are considering tearing down their current baseball home Rogers Centre. The argument in Toronto is why not spend millions instead of billions on getting some super star players instead of a new stadium. Also the Jays didn’t even play in Rogers Centre last season as they were relegated to play in Buffalo due to Coronavirus protocol restrictions in Canada.

#2 After the San Francisco Giants last season nearly made the playoffs without Madison Bumgarner who signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and catcher Buster Posey who opted out because he didn’t want to chance getting Covid and spreading to his newborn child how much credit do you give to team general manager Farhan Zaidi and Giants manager Gabe Kapler.

#3 The Miami Marlins general manager Kim Ng made her first deal as the Marlins acquired pitcher right hander Adam Cimber from Cleveland Cimber had a 4.30 ERA and this deal will be part of history as Ng is MLB’s first woman general manger and this is her first deal.

#4 In Pro Football: A lot of game cancelations and Covid-19 spreading the Denver Broncos weren’t too shocked about their results after losing to the New Orleans Saints 31-3. The Broncos lost all their quarterbacks to positive Covid-19 tests and Kendall Hinton who was on the practice squad as a receiver was put into service as the starting quarterback for Denver and had a rough time of it throwing for only 13 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

#5 In an article you wrote about Santa Clara County which has a strict stay at home order and Coronavirus protocols that ban all sports from not just the fans but no players or games. The San Francisco 49ers will be playing weeks 13 and 14 in Arizona as they will not be allowed to play at Levis Stadium until after Dec 21st.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Diego Armando Maradona “El Pibe de Oro” dead at 60

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Former soccer great Diego Maradona who died at 60 on Wednesday will be remembered as one of the game’s greatest all time players (AP News Photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The legendary Argentinian-born soccer player, Diego Armando Maradona is dead at 60 years of age. Maradona was recently rehabbing from a recent surgery for a brain hematoma, a blood clot to the brain. He died of a heart attack after his release from the rehab-center.

He had an addiction to alcohol and drugs for years, often going in and out of rehab facilities.. An icon in Argentina as well as one of the most famous names in sports all over the world. Maradona was so good he made his professional debut at the age of 15 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the team Argentinos Juniors.

Maradona as well as the legendary Brazilian player Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé are ranked among the best soccer players ever. I had the privilege of interviewing both of them when some of the matches for World Cup ’94 were held in the Bay Area (San José) to be exact, while I was covering sports for Telemundo Bay Area.

The FIFA 1994 World Cup was the only time the United States hosted what it is considered the greatest sporting event in the world. They both came as FIFA Ambassadors.

Maradona who also came to the Bay Area to play a friendly game with the Italian Club Juventus, had a turbulent relationship with the press in his native Argentina as well as around the world, he was not an easy interview. A great international player, he was also a manager and occasionally a soccer commentator. He had great passion for the game, born in a country were Fútbol/Soccer is more than a sport, but like a religion.

Maradona will always be remember for the game against England during World Cup ’86 in Mexico City, a quarterfinals match, were he scored two goals against England. The first called (although protested by the English team) as the goal “Mano de Dios”(God’s Hand) because he used his hands, something that is illegal in this sport.

Maradona himself said after the game “it was part with my head and part with the Hand of God”. Since then the international soccer press baptized the goal as “Mano de Dios”. The second goal was not controversial but was named “Gol del Siglo” (Goal of the Century) as his team Argentina beat England 2-1.

Maradona, at 25-years of age was the captain of that team, who later beat Germany 3-2 in the finals, to win the World Cup. That was the second FIFA World Cup title for Argentina and last one.

Maradona played 490 official club games during his 21-year professional career. Scoring 259 goals. For Argentina he played total of 91 games and scored 34 goals.

An Internet poll conducted by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association named Maradona the top player of the 20th century.

Note: The last FIFA World Cup was held in Moscow, Russia in 2018 and France won the title. The next FIFA World Cup will take place in 2022 in the country of Qatar, first time an Arabic country will host the worldwide event.

Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez did Soccer coverage on Telemundo TV and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: How Bazemore fits into Warriors plans; Kings happy to sign Fox for blockbuster $135 M deal; plus more

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Former Sacramento King Kent Bazemore is re-joining the Golden State Warriors as their key shooting guard. The question is will he be able to compliment the loss of injured Klay Thompson who is out for the rest of the season? (photo from San Francisco Chronicle)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary:

#1 Amaury after the injury to the Warriors Klay Thompson last week the Warriors need all the help they can get. Rookie James Wiseman can only help and learn from Draymond Green and will Steph Curry’s ankle hold up. Now they pick up shooting guard Kent Bazemore will he be enough to cover for the loss of Thompson?

#2 The Sacramento Kings finally got what they wanted a new deal with D’Aaron Fox who was one of the big keys for the Kings. He signs with the Kings for $135 million for five years and the Kings really rely on his offense coming into this season.

#3 The San Jose Sharks CEO Jonathan Becher update: Becher said he was pretty optimistic from what he heard from Monday’s San Jose City Council planning commission meeting. Becher’s big concerns were keeping Autumn and Santa Clara Streets open and not have development that would shut fans access off from that side of the SAP Center. Also development in the parking lots in front of SAP Center that would cut out the City and the Sharks agreed 4850 parking spaces. Becher said the team would consider moving if the City and Sharks could not come to some sort of agreement and from the sound of Monday’s meeting there might be some happy medium. The San Jose City Council will be holding a meeting concerning street closures for the Dirdon Street area on Dec 3rd.

#4 Former 2011 Tampa Bay Rays prospect Brandon Martin was convicted for life for the 2015 three counts of first degree murder for killing his father, a security technician and his uncle with a baseball bat. Martin had previously had his mother in a a headlock and had scissors in his hands. It was reported that Martin had unspecified psychiatric issues and came to his parents house while the security technician was installing security cameras at the home.

#5 New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman with heavy furry winter jacket and outdoor camping sleeping bag slept outdoors on Sunday night at Yankee Stadium which Cashman does annually for raising awareness for homeless teenagers. Temps have been in the low 40s overnight in New York.

Catch Amaury for News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Players of the Past– Leonardo “Leo”Cárdenas — The Lost Bullet-

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From left to right, Scott Horstmeier, HHBMHOF Representative, Leo Cárdenas and George “Buzz” Guckenberger, Biographer. (Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame Cincinnati Ohio photo)

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Leonardo (Leo) Cárdenas was born in Matanzas, Cuba on December 17, 1938 and arrived in the major leagues in 1960 with the Cincinnati Reds. An excellent shortstop from the same country that produced such major league shortstops as Willie Miranda, Dagoberto Blanco (Campy) Campaneris, Zoilo (Zorro) Versalles, Humberto (Chico) Fernández, Alexei Ramírez, Rey Ordoñez, José Iglesias plus others.

He would play in the major leagues from 1960 to 1975, his first nine years with the Cincinnati Reds, later with California Angels, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, a total of 16 years, mostly as a shortstop.

In the year 1956 Cárdenas was signed at the age of 17 by a Reds scout and was sent to Tucson, in the minor leagues where he hit .316 with 23 home-runs, but his specialty, from the start, was his glove. The next two years he was part of a great double-play combination with fellow Cuban second-baseman Octavio (Cookie) Rojas at Savannah in the Sally League.

In 1959 played for the International League (AAA) Cuban Sugar Kings and next season, 1960 with Jersey City. Finally arriving to the Big Show on July 25, 1960, where he plays in 48 games with the Cincinnati Reds of manager Fred Hutchinson.

The Lost Bullet: On July 25, 1959. During a game he was playing with the Cuban Sugar Kings at Estadio de El Cerro in Havana, against the Rochester Red Wings of the AAA International League, a riot broke between Fidel Castro’s supporters and the opposition when shots were fired from the stands, and one bullet grazed Cardenas sparing his life.

It was mayhem on the field, people running all over the place, umpires, players, military soldiers, fans. They were not shooting at the shortstop, but he was almost an accidental victim. A victim of the moment, when Castro had not yet established his dictatorship.

On August 8, 1966 with his first and original team, the Cincinnati Reds, he hit 4 home runs in a double-header against the San Francisco Giants. His 6th and 7th homers of the season and two (2) of those were against Giants ace Juan Marichal.

That year the slick-fielding Cuban shortstop ended the season with 20 home-runs. For a shortstop to hit 20 home runs during those years was quite astonishing, there were not very many shortstops named Ernie Banks.

First time I saw Leo Cárdenas was in the old Cuban Winter Professional League with the Elefantes del Cienfuegos ballclub (Cienfuegos Elephants) in 1960. My father would take me to the games every weekend at Estadio de El Cerro, in Havana.

Camilo Pascual a curveball specialist was also with that Cienfuegos team, as well as other Cuban and American-born players who participated in what was called the best professional baseball league after the major leagues at that time. American major league players like Brooks Robinson, George Altman, San Maglie and even Cool Papa Bell (they were some American-born players with Cienfuegos) who played in Cuba in the winter.

At that time the players did not have any representation/Union in the major leagues, and most needed another job in the off-season, and Cuba played the best among all pro-leagues in Latin America, it was a prestigious and very famous league. However and sadly, 1961 would be the last year Leonardo Cárdenas played in his homeland.

Soon after the Fidel Castro government would eradicate all professional sports in the island, as its government declared itself a communist country and took control confiscating American and Cuban interests (private businesses) including all the sports. If you played baseball in Cuba, you only had one employer, the Cuban government.

The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame inducted Leonardo Cárdenas and presented him his HHBMHOF plaque on September 27, 2016 at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Field representatives of the museum Scott Horstmier and Rich Walls Director of the Cincinnati Reds Museum did the honors. Cardenas was one of the first established regular position players from Cuba and Latin America in major league baseball.

Cardenas played on the 1961 World Series with Cincinnati against the New York Yankees and as a member of the Minnesota Twins in the American League Championship Series of 1969 and 1970. Leo Cárdenas had a 16 year major league career, participating in 1,941 games, 7,402 plate appearances a .257 batting average with 118 Home runs and 689 runs batted in. He was an excellent defensive shortstop.

Leonardo Cádenas is available for speaking engagements and baseball shows https://www.athletespeakers.com/speaker/leo-cardenas

Stay well and stay tuned.

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