Category: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: MLB International Cancellations, plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

London Stadium in preparation of last year’s London Series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox on June 27, 2019. This years meeting between the Cubs and Cardinals has been canceled for Jun 13-14 series. (AP file photo)

MLB International Cancellations,plus.

Amaury Pi-González

The London Series, between the St Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs on June 13-14, has been canceled due to the COVIC-19 pandemic. These were going to be the second set of teams to play at London, after the Yankees and Red Sox had played two regular season games there in 2019.

According to MLB this series will not take place at any time this season. Also canceled previously other international baseball events that were scheduled for this 2020 season like the Mexico City Series between the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks,as well as the New York Mets vs. Miami Marlins in Puerto Rico.

Major League Baseball latest directive, states that the 2020 season will not begin until at least mid-May. This is a very fluid situation and there will be more information coming from Commissioner Rob Manfred in the days to come.

(Tennis)Wimbledon Cancelled:  This was scheduled to run from June 29 to July 12.This is the first time it will not be played during peacetime. Wimbledon was canceled from 1915 to 1918 because of World War I and from 1940 to 1945 due to World War II.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: With Covid cases rising will there even be a MLB season?; Greatest double play combos of all time; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

sfgate.com file photo: The Oakland A’s second baseman Marcus Semien fields a grounder hit by the San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey in the August 13th 2009 game. Semien signed a contract for $13 million last season which equates to a $7.1 million raise.

On That’s Amaury’s pod:

#1 According to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred the season could be pushed back to start as early as late May or early June. With Covid-19 cases multiplying will there even be a season?

#2 Marcus Semien the A’s second baseman will he get a new contract before the season starts or will the A’s wait until they get the clear when baseball comes back to negotiate terms with Semien?

#3 Taking  a look who was the best all time double play combinations in the game let us know your thoughts on these favorites double play combinations, From the Chicago Cubs Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance, From the Brooklyn Dodgers Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, and Gil Hodges, From the New York Yankees Phil “Scooter” Rizuto, Jerry Coleman, and Moose Skowron, from the Los Angeles Dodgers  Bill Russell, Davey Lopes, and Steve Garvey, and finally from the Cincinnati Reds Dave Concepcion, Joe Morgan, and Tony Perez.

#4 Who to you were the greatest Oakland A’s teams the 1972-74 A’s? or the 1988-90 A’s?

#5 The A’s have transgressed they could very well lose most of this season to the virus shutdown, they have not secured Howard Terminal during this delayed season, and they will not broadcast any of their games on English radio.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Musuem please visit the Museum at the Oakland Coliseum during all A’s home games also Amaury does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: 2020 Major League Baseball season scenarios

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

March 28, 2012 photo shows both the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A’s standing for the US and Japanese national anthems at the Tokyo Dome on opening day 2012 (AP photo)

2020 Major League Baseball season: Scenarios

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Some of the most affected States (except Washington,one team Mariners where the first Covid-19 case was reported) are large States with multiple teams. The first coronavirus case was in a convalescent home in Kirkland, a suburb east of Seattle. But nobody is close to California. We lead the way with five teams: Angels, Athletics, Dodgers,Giants and Padres. We could be a country by itself with a population higher than France. Florida with two: Marlins and Rays. Texas with two: Astros and Rangers; Illinois with the Cubs and White Sox. Since this virus is afflicting the whole nation, we can also throw-in Pennsylvania where the Phillies and Pirates play and Ohio with the Indians and Reds. This developing story makes it hard to predict if the major league season could begin during these following dates. Here are my four most logical scenarios. From best to worst

Here are some scenarios that have been shared by others regarding this season. I generally agree with these options. 1-Late May,which would mean the All Star Game in Los Angeles Dodger Stadium in mid-July could take place. The best scenario (pending the situation of a virus who has a mind of its own) would mean 100 to 105 games season. 2-Begins in middle of June, no All Star Game and about 70-75 games. 3-Nothing more American than the National Pastime beginning with Fireworks the 4th of July. With some necessary schedule adjustments like 80-81 games, basically half a season. 4-Cancel the Season, anything after that day. It would be unreasonable to believe MLB will play a season of just August and September.

Thought history Major League Baseball seasons have been disrupted by wars,strikes/work stoppage by owners and players, national events like September 11,2001 from a terrorist attack in New York City. In 2003 Athletics vs Mariners in Japan,was postponed until later in the season,because of the threat of a military action in Iraq. That year the opener did not take place the Tokyo Dome in Japan. First game of the season was on March 30 between Seattle and Texas. We all remember the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake when then intern Commissioner Fay Vincent Jr.postponed the World Series between the A’s and Giants for 11 days. And if you research all the history of incidents that have stopped or delayed games,or seasons, I do not think a Virus is what comes to our mind. But that is the case during this 2020 season. One of the casualties is the Olympics in Japan,where that country has been preparing for years to showcase the best athletes in the world in. Yes,we can go back to 1918 and the deadly Spanish Flu, but that was a different world of much less populations as well as sports leagues. As a matter of fact KDKA Pittsburgh was the world’s first commercial radio station began broadcasting in 1920. And also the first radio station to broadcast a major league game, the Pittsburgh Pirates. Adios. Stay well.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: SF Mayor considering closing down parks; Pirates donate 400 pizzas to hospital staff; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo from sfgate.com: From March 16th press conference announcing shelter in place San Francisco Mayor London Breed (center) with police chief William Scott (left) and Dept of Public Health director Dr. Grant Colfax (right).

On That’s Amaury’s pod:

#1 San Francisco Mayor London Breed said that in some of San Francisco’s parks no one is paying attention to the shelter in place policy and people are picnicking and going about business as usual and the Mayor said she would close parks down if people continue to gather instead of practicing social distancing. The parks are kept open for those who want to exercise and then leave.

#2 Amaury it was reported that after a lot of people lost their jobs they have no turned to can collecting so they can as much buy a sandwich and survive the rest of the day. Also it should be noted after the NBA season was suspended on March 12th some 15,000 employees who worked at Chase Center are supposed to receive help benefits from the Warriors to cover the costs of lost wages.

#3 Amaury it’s a slow news day in sports so ESPN is going to show Made in America the OJ Simpson case which shows the Southland chase and the trial in two parts. The last time they showed it it was well reviewed.

#4 The Pittsburgh Pirates have donated some 400 pizzas to staff at Allegheny General Hospital to staff who are working up to their limits dealing with Coronavirus victims. Some medical staff have worked some 16-20 hours straight in dire conditions.

#5 Toronto Blue Jays team president Mark Shapiro said that it will take at least one month for everybody to get ready for the regular season once MLB is given the go sign to return. Baseball could return as early as June when the flu season is over and the regular season could start in July and the season could run for three months and post season abbreviated in October.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: MLB big decisions remain like All Star game in Los Angeles

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The All Star game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles most likely will be called off in July 15th due to the nationwide lockdown due to Coronavirus. If held the Dodgers were planning to unveil a statue for former Dodger pitcher Sandy Koufax whose statue would be right next to former Dodger second baseman Jackie Robinson in photo (cbslosangeles.com photo)

MLB: Big Decisions remain like All Star Game in Los Angeles

That’s Amaury New and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Decisions loom in the horizon regarding the possibility of cancelling the All Star Game at Dodger Los Angeles, scheduled for July14 this year. Think for a moment this: let’s say the season begins June 1st. It will be a challenge to pick the players for the All Star Game,when they have only played one month of baseball.

The ASG will be cancelled. Such scenario in a way, would mean, at least the season will begin during the first half and not the second half. Dodger Stadium has renovations of approximately $100 million- “Centerfield Plaza”. Legendary southpaw Sandy Koufax will have a statue next to Jackie Robinson whose statue was unveiled last July. Dodgers (unlike many other teams) have not been an organization that have built statues for some of their great players. But that could be changing beginning this season.

In 1945 the All Star Game scheduled for July 10, was cancelled on April 24, just two weeks into the season. This was due to WWII and wartime travel restrictions.That was the only year since 1933 when the first All Star Game took place that the mid-season event has not been played.

The future of this 2020 season is resting on how fast we get a handle on this deadly virus, Covid-19. There will probably be at least a week for players to stretch their legs and take a few swings and pitchers get into the groove they were getting-into a couple of weeks ago.

It is not like you can sit down 600 plus players, then “turn the switch on” and they can begin the season. I do not envy the Oakland Athletics great traveling secretary Mickey Morabito, one of the most competent and experience traveling secretaries in baseball.

The first game in the Bay Area was scheduled for Tuesday when the Giants were to host the Athletics in the first game of the Bay Bridge series, signaling the end of Spring Training. Both clubs were to begin playing for real Thursday the 26th.

The A’a at home against the Twins. Giants in Los Angeles vs.Dodgers. The best scenario for the A’s would be to open their season mid-April. They already postponed the first home-stand of seven games, four vs Twins and three vs Astros.

April had the most games at home for the Athletics a total of 18 and against very popular drawing teams, aside from Twins and Astros, Yankees and Boston scheduled to make their only appearance at Oakland. Then comes Seattle for four and Tampa Bay for one game before we turn into May.

It doesn’t look pretty either for the Giants who open their season in Los Angeles and Arizona and are schedule to open their season at home on April 3 for three vs Dodgers and four vs.Arizona. That first home-stand for the Giants is very much in jeopardy.

MLB states: “The league will continue to evaluate ongoing events leading up to the start of the season. Guidance related to daily operations and workouts will be relayed to Clubs in the coming days. MLB and its Clubs have been preparing a variety of contingency plans regarding the 2020 regular-season schedule. The league plans to announce the effects on the schedule at an appropriate time, though MLB also said it “will remain flexible as events warrant, with the hope of resuming normal operations as soon as possible.”

All the experts. CDC professionals, who study and manage this type of crisis agree that this next two weeks are crucial for the country, and which way this is headed. As we speak, some laboratories per instructions from the CDC and the US Federal government are working with a couple of well known drugs that could have some good results.

It may not to solve the problem, but in the sense of therapy in trying to alleviate those afflicted,(treatment) until eventually in the future a vaccine is developed and available. When it comes to medicine, the US is very innovative and is result oriented country and we should all stay positive and think that better days lie ahead. Everybody is this country wants a quick solution, but not every problem in life has a quick resolution.

In the meantime, enjoy more time at home, listen to the instructions take care of yourself and your family and hope for the best.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish radio talent heard on KIQI 1010 San Francisco and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: A’s 1981 season short and bittersweet

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Tony Armas as an Oakland A sitting on the dugout steps for a Mother’s Cookies baseball card photo (Mothers Cookies baseball card photo)

A’s 1981 Short and Bittersweet

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

In 1981 there was no baseball in the major leagues from June 12 to August 10. A total of 713 games were lost. The strike was about free agent player compensation.The owners were in favor of a system in which they got a player of similar value for each player they lost in free agency.

The Oakland Athletics ended the 1981 season with a 64-45 the best record in the American League and second best in all of baseball, and also they qualified by posting the AL West’s best record in the first half (37-23) of the shortened season.

In 1981 the Athletics had one of the best outfields in the game, with Rickey Henderson in left-field, Dwayne Murphy in center and Tony Armas in right-field. Henderson led the club in batting average with .319 as well as in stolen bases with 56, Armas led the club in home runs with 22 home runs and with 76 RBIs, while Murphy was second with 60 RBIs. That was a top notch outfield offensively as well as on defense.

Tony Armas was a humble but very focus player on the field,with excellent power at the place and also a powerful arm from right field, he always told me that he was lucky, but he was really an underrated player who played hard all the time.

A couple of years after he left the A’s in 1984 with the Boston Red Sox,Tony led the Major Leagues with 43 home runs and drove 123. He was the only player in both leagues to hit over 40 home runs.A proud man from Venezuela,he was a gentleman and conducted himself professional all the time on and off the field.He retired with back problems,his son Tony Armas Jr, was a pitcher in the major leagues.

The 1981 A’s was the team of Mike Heath, Shooty Babbitt (now back with the A’s as a scout) Rob Picciolo, Cliff Johnson, Wayne Gross, Jim Spencer, and one of the all time favorites in Oakland Mitchell “The Rage” Page and many other players that contributed to that success.

Their pitching was one of the best, a very strong rotation that became even more famous the previews season (1980) with Steve McCatty, Matt Keough, Mike Norris, Rick Langford and Brian Kingman, five young starts that graced the cover of Sports Illustrated in April.

During the shortened 1981 season,Julio González (RIP) and yours truly were doing the Spanish broadcast. We traveled to Kansas City during the AL Divisional playoffs for the first two games,as the A’s swept the Royals in three games.

That was a good Royals team with George Brett, Frank White Willie Wilson,Dan Quisinberry and others,then we moved on to New York where the Yankees eliminated the A’s in a 3-game sweep.

A’s lost the first two in New York then back to Oakland where they lost 4-0 as Dave Righetti beat Matt Keough,to send the Yankees to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Reported that World Series,with interviews,pre and post game stuff, for the three games that took place in Los Angeles for local bay area radio. It took six games for Tommy LaSorda’s Dodgers to beat Bob Lemon’s New York Yankees.

And that is how the crazy 1981 shortened season ended in baseball.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Construction halted for Raiders new Vegas stadium due to C 19 virus; A’s Piscotty with public reminder; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

cbssanfrancisco.com photo: The Oakland Raiders might play the 2020 season at the Oakland Coliseum because construction has stopped on their new Las Vegas stadium due to the shelter in place law

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

#1 The thing about the new nationwide ordinance for Shelter in Place it will stop construction on the Raiders new stadium in Vegas forcing the project to miss the better part of the beginning of the 2020 season and that might force the Raiders to play another season at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 The Oakland A’s Stephen Piscotty has gone on board with some new hash tags he tweeted out regarding the recent shelter in place policy saying, “it’s time to stop #the spread by practice social distancing.”

#3 Piscotty also added “There’s so man wonderful things you can do like washing your hands and remaining six feet away from each other.”

#4 The San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt said regarding the team’s plans after the team was told to go home after the season was suspended. Some of the players have decided to stay in Arizona and work out on their own.

#5 How does a quarantine and the suspension of the season really impact minor league baseball one of the minor league players came up positive for Coronavirus.

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

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Without Sports? Things to do.

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

mecurynews.com file photo: An alternative of going to see professional sports is to go to the Alameda County Fair this July in the event that the MLB or MLS season is cancelled

Without Sports? Things to do.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Let’s face it.No country on the face of the earth has more variety of sports,and great leagues than the USA. The best players in the world,that play baseball play in Major League Baseball, in Basketball in the National Basketball Association in Football, in the National Football League, in Hockey in the National Hockey League.

They all come to the USA,the most talented athletes in most sports in the world. Except in Soccer (Fútbol) with all respect to the US Major League Soccer, the only thing Major is their name,because the best soccer in the world is played in Europe i.e,Premier League (England) Bundesliga (Germany) and La Liga (Spain) are three of the very best in the world,with most of the best players in the world.

Many addicted to sports in our great country,might be looking to replace the vacant left by the Coronavirus pandemic cancellations.

Here are 10 thing to do. I am sure you have thought of these and many others,or maybe not.

1-Read a good book,it is relaxing.Don’t want to buy it,Libraries still open,check a book. Free. 2-Go to the beach,take a nice long walk in the sand next to the ocean,is as relaxing as anything. Free. 3-At home.Binge on sports movies,baseball movies are the best,there are many,so what if you have seen it?

Free 4-Support and visit your local Little Leagues most are still operating. Free 5-ESPN and other sports channels will be running big sporting events from the past. Free. 6-Car Racing. NASCAR already announced they are still doing the races, with no people in the stands, but they are televised LIVE.

Free 7-You might like Horse Racing. Go to a race,even if you are not a gambler. Alameda County Fair and others coming soon.You do not have to bet on a horse. They way this sport is going,with so many dead horses,it might not be around much longer.Free, if you’re not betting. 8-Batting Cages,it is always fun with a friend to see if you can hit the ball thrown from a machine,it is fun.

I have done it. Reasonable. 9-Bowling still open.Take the family or a friend,or join a league. Bowling is the “game”sport with more popular participation in the US with around 43 to 45 million people going at least once a year. Reasonable. 10-Fishing. Dusty Baker favorite.We live in the Bay Area,ocean,lakes, rivers,you name it. Reasonable.

Finally, like most Cubans,if they are not eating,playing music or talking politics,more than likely they will be playing Dominoes for pleasure,but you can lose money too.

Have fun!

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

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: NBA season suspended; Quakes cancel home game Mar 21st; Giants and A’s could cancel games soon enough

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

desertnews.com file photo: The Utah Jazz Rudy Gobert was tested positive for the Coronavirus on Wednesday leading to the cancellation of the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder and suspension of the NBA season.

NBA season suspended due to Coronavirus/A’s Opener in Doubt

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–The NBA who announced they have suspended their season until further notice. The Utah Jazz’ Rudy Gobert was making some fun about Coronavirus during a press conference before their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder started touching the surfaces and microphones that were there. Later that night he was diagnosed with the Covid 19 virus and the game was canceled leading later to the suspension of the NBA season.

The San Jose Earthquakes have canceled their home game on Saturday March 21st and it’s possible the MLS season could be suspended as well. The San Jose Sharks and the NHL have not suspended their season yet but the cost of having games and teams traveling to play in front of empty arenas will cost too much for the gate driven sport and they may end up canceling as well.

The Pac 12 Tournament is being played at T Mobile Center in Las Vegas as both the Cal Bears and the Stanford Cardinal faced each other on Wednesday night. The game was played in front of an empty arena as the rest of March will be unless the NCAA suspends March Madness as well.

The Coronavirus pandemic is starting to reach havoc in Bay Area sports. After Alameda County joined San Francisco in recommending events with 1,000 or more people be cancelled or postponed,it looks like the Oakland Athletics home opener on Thursday the 26th of March against the Minnesota Twins is very much in jeopardy. The Giants earlier today announced that the pre-season game against the A’s at Oracle Park Mon Mar 24th had been canceled after the city announced a two-week ban on all events (sports included) of 1,000 or more people.

Today the Oakland Athletics issued the following statement: Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our community. We will adhere to any government directives, and work with Major League Baseball on all alternative arrangements to ensure the health of our fans and our community remains a top priority.

While the A’s Opening Day is this 26th, the San Francisco Giants will be opening the season on the road for the 11th consecutive year, also the 26th at Dodger Stadium vs Dodgers. As of today that game is “on” as far as the Dodgers are concerned, but the situation about Coronavirus is very fluid, so things can change at any given time.

Meanwhile,the new Giants neighbors, the Golden State Warriors who announced today that the team will play its next home game without fans this Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets. Later after that announcement came the NBA has suspended the season.

Earlier this week, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS. These four major active sports leagues in the U.S. decided to bar nonessential individuals, including reporters, from clubhouses and locker rooms. It will be left to local communities/cities to play with or without fans,depending what part of the country the events take place.

The biggest sporting event in the world this year is the Olympics and If the Olympics can’t go ahead this summer in Tokyo because of the Coronavirus pandemic, the most realistic option would be to delay the event by one or two years, a member of the executive board for the Japanese organizing committee recently said.

All over the US,sporting events have been affected.

Note: Last time we had a flu pandemic of this magnitude(or close) was in 2009 when the virus was commonly referred to as “swine flu”,which began in the spring of 2009, the virus had spread to the US from an outbreak in Veracruz,Mexico. CDC estimated that about 59 million Americans contracted this virus strain, 265,000 where hospitalized as a result and 12,000 died.

California was the most affected State with 10,545 reported and confirmed cases and 657 dead. (World) 150,000 to 575,000 died. One quick note the Spanish flu lasted two years in 1918 killing an estimated 20-80 million people. Coronavirus is expected to dissipate at some point as the epicenter of the virus Wuhan China is now getting back to normal.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: A’s getting some hitting production Barreto, Olson, Krizan and Allen

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo from sfchronicle.com: Franklin Barreto hit three doubles on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers in pre season action for the Oakland A’s

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 Amaury talk about A’s second baseman Franklin Barreto he doubled in three at bats, scored two runs and got an RBI on Sunday.

#2 A’s first baseman Matt Olson with bases loaded went 0-2 against Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Hader. Olson worked the count to 3-2 and fouled out, “it’s just fun for the fans to watch that” said A’s manager Bob Melvin

#3 The A’s Jason Krizan hit a two run home run in the eight inning Sunday. Krizan came from the Mets minor league rule 5 draft.

#4 Vismel Machin is another rule 5 draftee who tried to make it to the A’s but will be going back to his former club after Melvin said that Machin was “further down the pecking order”

#5 The A’s Austin Allen hit two doubles and got three RBIs on Sunday. Austin was replacing catcher Jonah Helm who was 0-2 for the game.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez can be heard on KIQI 1010 Spanish radio home of the Oakland A’s Friday, Saturday and Sundays for A’s home games and for News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com