A’s day off report: A’s open weekend series with Rangers

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Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien is congratulated after scoring against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City on Wed Apr 19, 2023. Semien a former Oakland A will host his old team beginning Fri Apr 21, 2023 at Globe Life Field in Arlington (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s, owners of the worst record in baseball, 3-16, open a three-game series against the AL West Division leader, the Texas Rangers, Friday night in Arlington, Texas.

Former San Francisco skipper Bruce Bochy manages the Rangers. Bochy managed the San Francisco Giants to three World Series Championships and has his team at 12-6. They are 6-3 at home and 6-3 on the road. The Rangers beefed up their starting rotation by signing former New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom, and former Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi.

The Rangers are salivating to face the A’s starters this weekend. The A’s starting rotation has an abysmal 7.14 team ERA, the worst in all baseball. Nevertheless, A’s manager Mark Kotsay has named his starters for the series. Lefty JP Sears goes for Oakland Friday night. Sears is 0-1 and has an ERA of 4.60.

The Rangers will counter with Jon Gray (1-1, ERA 5.21). Saturday’s game will feature Oakland’s Shintaro Fujinami (0-3, ERA 11.37) facing off against Lefty Andrew Heaney (1-1. ERA 4.47). Fujinami’s first two starts were not good, but he did well in his last start. Lefty Kyle Muller (0-1, 7.23 ERA) will go for Oakland on Sunday. Muller pitched well in his first two starts but not well in his last outing. The Rangers have yet to announce their pitcher for Sunday’s game.

The A’s pitchers must be at the top of their game this weekend. The Rangers have players that can put runs on the board very quickly. The Rangers’ key players include three former A’s regulars. Catcher Jonah Heim has done a good job for the Rangers since coming over in the trade for Elvis Andrus.

Heim, a switch-hitter, loves to beat his old team. The Rangers’ second baseman is Marcus Semien. Semien left the A’s as a free agent at the end of the 2020 season. He starred for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021 and set a record for home runs by a player in that position. He sent 46 big flies out of the park that year.

Texas signed Semien to a very lucrative contract last year. The third former A’s player on the Texas roster is outfielder Robbie Grossman. The Rangers’ first baseman Nathaniel Lowe had a monster 2022 season. Lowe won a Silver Slugger award, and his slash line for 2022 was .302/.358/.492. Rangers’ shortstop Corey Seager signed a free-agent contract before the start of the 2022 season.

Seager, a former All-Star, is on the 10-day IL with a grade two hamstring strain and will not play this weekend. Outfielders Adolis Garcia, Bubba Thompson, and Travis Jankowski all can do damage with their bats. The Rangers’ DH is Brad Miller.

The A’s offense produced just three runs in the series against the Chicago Cubs this week. The pitching gave up 27 runs. The A’s were swept by the Mets last weekend. Oakland has lost seven straight and 13 of the last 14 games. The A’s bullpen has yet to have the desired results the team hoped. The offense did well against the Baltimore Orioles last week. Although they lost three of the four games, the A’s scored eight runs in two games and seven in another.

The A’s are off to the worst start since the 1951 Philadelphia A’s squad. Oakland needs to turn things around soon. It is said that you cannot win the pennant in the first month of the season. However, a team can lose it by falling so far back it will not recover. A couple of wins will help Kotsay sleep better.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants Meet the Mets tonight to open 4 game series

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San Francisco Giants right fielder Michael Conforto, right, follows through on a two-run home run as Miami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes, left, looks on during the eleventh inning at LoanDepot Park in Miami on Wed Apr 19, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 The San Francisco Giants who avoided getting swept on their latest road trip at LoanDepot Park in Miami on Wednesday afternoon getting home run help from Mike Yastrzemski and Michael Conforto to help defeating the Miami Marlins 5-2.

#2 Miguel after the Giants had a five game losing streak going how important is it that they snapped this skid coming into tonight’s game against the New York Mets at Oracle Park?

#3 Things really got concerning for Giants manager Gabe Kapler as the Giants didn’t even have a hit until the fourth inning and they later got a pinch hit that tied the ball game by Conforto a rope over the rightfield wall against Miami starter Devon Smeltzer.

#4 If you had to point to one area that was the cause for the losing of five road games in a row on this trip. Was it the lack of outfield help or the Giants catching situation is has been in flux.

#5 Giants host the Mets on Thursday night at 6:45 pm Giants will go with the Mets Koda Senga (2-0 ERA 3.38) for the Giants Sean Manaea (0-0 ERA 4.76) to open a four game series at Oracle.

Follow all the Giants podcasts Thursdays with Michael Duca at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Adiós Atléticos – Oakland Lost in Sports World; Map shows where park would be on Vegas strip

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A map which outlines who and where businesses and where the Oakland A’s Tropicana ball park would be located on the Las Vegas Strip. The Oakland A’s have announced that they have a binding agreement with the state of Nevada to move to Vegas and their new ball park in 2027. (Las Vegas Review-Journal photo)

Adiós Atléticos – Oakland Lost in Sports World–

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–While the Mayor of Oakland Sheng Thao was attending a film screening at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland to watch the new documentary “Stephen Curry: Underrated” on the opening night of the San Francisco Film Festival and Oakland police was investigating a number of car burglaries in that area, one of which was the car of Mayor Sheng Thao, about 560 miles east in Las Vegas, the Oakland A’s were closing in on a binding agreement to construct a $1 billion baseball stadium north of the Allegiant Stadium (home of the Raiders) with the support of Nevada Governor.

Nevada Gov Joe Lombardo and top lawmakers in a deal that will not involve new taxes, as it was reported by multiple sources. Stadium is planned to be ready for the 2027 season.

It remains how history will judge all protagonists, who are to blame, and all the details, but the fact remains that the city of Oakland has lost the Raiders to Las Vegas, the Warriors to San Francisco and now the Athletics to Las Vegas, completing the Trifecta in Sports (hard to do) and leaving the city of Oakland lost in Sports land.

Southern Nevada would be the fourth home for the franchise that started in Philadelphia in 1901 as the Philadelphia Athletics, later Kansas City A’s, and then since 1968 Oakland A’s that has captured nine World Series titles, leading the way in Bay Area baseball with four World Series titles in Oakland.

Although the move was expected, is sad news for Bay Area baseball fans, especially A’s fans who since they moved to Oakland in 1968 had supported the team. The City of Oakland was named the “City of Champions” during the 1970s as their three professional sports team, A’s, Raiders, and Warriors all captured titles during that period.

“We understand that it’s a difficult message for our fans in Oakland,” Kaval said. “We want to thank Oakland and express a tremendous amount of gratitude for all the years it has hosted us as a franchise. We’ve loved our time there. Incredible memories and championships.”

More to come.

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

A’s and Nevada have binding deal for new Las Vegas ball park; A’s could be in Vegas by 2027

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Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo seen here during his inauguration is on board with the new binding deal to bring the Oakland A’s to Las Vegas. The A’s have identified a 100 acre location north of Allegiant Stadium near Tropicana and Interstate 15 (AP file photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s have closed in on a $1 billion ball park located north of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and they have the support of Nevada governor Joe Lombardo. Sources said that there will be no new taxes. The A’s will put their own money into building the 30,000-35,000 retractable roof ball park near Tropicana and Interstate 15.

The site is 100 acres and the A’s will buy the land from Red Rock Resorts. An unnamed spokeswoman for the A’s said that the A’s have purchased 49 acres at the Tropicana site and that the A’s are prepared to develop retail, condos, and other forms of transportation.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred who is waving the relocation fee said that the Oakland Coliseum location is not viable and Howard Terminal needed to be settled but after the city of Oakland was rejected for the $185 million grant by the US Dept of Transportation that pretty much torpedoed the Jack London Square effort.

The State of Nevada said that they will have a special taxation bill that have sales proceeds that would allow them to invest in the area. Relocation tax credits is worth $500 million and Clark County would have to sign off a new taxing district. Lombardo was very open about the binding deal saying that it’s great news for Southern Nevada, that it would bring jobs, economic development and bring a historical franchise to Nevada.

Meanwhile the Oakland A’s played the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday afternoon and fans turned out almost double the usual 6,000 drawing 12,112. A reverse boycott was planned for Tue Jun 13th to fill up the Oakland Coliseum to show A’s owner John Fisher and MLB there are fans that still support the A’s and it would be an effort to show A’s leadership and MLB the fans can support the team.

With the recently binding deal between the state of Nevada and the Athletics the reverse boycott might be all for not. What miracles the city of Oakland and Mayor Sheng Thao can come up with looks unlikely. Thao was disappointed that the A’s didn’t speak with her before the binding agreement was made as she and city officials were still in the process in trying to secure Howard Terminal which now looks off the table with this new binding deal the A’s have announced on Wednesday night.

Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cubs rout A’s 12-2 sweep three-game series at Coliseum

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Chicago Cubs’ Nick Madrigal, right, is tagged out at second by Oakland Athletics shortstop Kevin Smith on a steal-attempt during the fifth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Apr 18, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s woes continued as they lost again. The Chicago Cubs trounced the A’s 12-2 to sweep the three-game series. The Cubs scored 27 runs in the series, while the A’s offense produced only three. The A’s lost all six games on the homestand- three to the New York Mets and three to the Cubs.

The A’s have lost seven straight and 13 of the last 14. The A’s are tied with the 1951 Philadelphia A’s for the worst record in A’s history after 19 games. The A’s started the highly touted Mason Miller on Wednesday. The Six-foot five-inch righty impressed many people as he went four and 1/3rd innings allowing two runs and four hits.

He struck out five and walked one. 15 of his pitches were recorded AT 100 miles per hour or more. Miller had this to say after the game: “All morning, I couldn’t wait for it to get started,” Miller said. “My control was a little sporadic, but I chalk that up to nerves, and I think I settled in as the game went on. I’m happy with how my outing went today. There are some things I’d like to change, but I try not to be super critical of it today and just enjoy the moment.” Miller threw 81 pitches; 51 were strikes. As good as Miller was, the same could not be said for the bullpen. The Cubs pounded five A’s relievers for ten runs after the fifth inning. The A’s had one hit after the fifth inning.

In the top of the fourth, the leadoff hitter, Dansby Swanson, walked to get things started for the Cubs. Swanson advanced to second on Miller’s wild pitch. The Cubs’ left fielder, Ian Happ, doubled to drive in Swanson with Chicago’s first run of the game. The Cubs lead 1-0 midway through the fourth.

In the A’s half of the inning, manager Mark Kotsay was tossed after the home plate umpire, Adam Hamari, called a clock violation third strike on Aledmys Diaz. Diaz didn’t get back into the batter’s box in time. The next hitter Jesus Aguilar walked. Aguilar was out at second. Shortstop Dansby Swanson’s throw to Hosmer to complete the double play went past Hosmer. Langeliers was now at second. A’s DH Carlos Perez’s soft line drive went down the right field line for a double. Langeliers scored to tie the game.

Eric Hosmer reached on an infield single in the top of the fifth. Nick Madrigal singled Hosmer to third. Tyler Barnhart’s sacrifice fly to center drove in Hosmaer with the Cubs’ second run. The A’s answered in their half of the frame. Tyler Wade, playing in left field, walked. Second baseman Jordan Diaz doubled to right field to drive in Wade with the A’s second run. The game is tied 2-2 after five complete.

In the sixth, A’s reliever Chad Smith walked Swanson and Ian Happ to put two men on with no out. The A’s brought in lefty Sam Moll to pitch to Cody Bellinger. Moll threw a wild pitch, allowing the runners to advance to second and third. With the infield in, Bellinger hit a ground ball to A’s first baseman Jesus Aguilar.

Aguilar’s throw home was off the mark. Swanson scored the Cubs’ third run. Moll struck out Torrens for the first out. The next hitter was the hot-hitting Patrick Wisdom. Wisdom homered twice Monday night in the 10-1 win. On Wednesday, Wisdom tripled to deep right field to drive in Happ and Bellinger. Bellinger scored on Moll’s wild pitch. The Cubs lead 6-2.

The Cubs added another run in the eighth. With two out, first baseman, Eric Hosmer belted his first home run of the season over the fence in left field. Chicago leads 7-2.

The onslaught continued when the Cubs put five more runs on the board in the ninth to lead 12-2. The A’s went did not score in the ninth. The Cubs won 12-2 and swept the three-game series.

Game Notes: The A’s are now 3-16. The Cubs improved to 11-6. Chicago is in second place in the NL Central Division.

The line score for Chicago was 12 runs, 11 hits, and one error. The A’s line was two runs, five hits, and one error. Eric Hosmer’s blast in the fifth inning was the only home run hit in the game. The Cubs’ second baseman, Nico Hoerner, had three hits. Patrick Wisdom, who homered twice Monday night, had a triple and two ribbies on Wednesday. Nick Madrigal also drove in two runs. 

Oakland had five hits in the game-three of the five were doubles.

The winning pitcher was lefty Justin Steele. Steele is now 3-0 for 2023. A’s reliever Chad Smith took the loss. 

The time of game was two hours and 53 minutes. The A’s had 12,122 fans on hand to see the game. 

The A’s are off on Thursday. On Friday, they are on their way to Arlington, Texas, to play three games against the AL Western Division leader, the Texas Rangers. The game will start at 5:05 pm. The A’s will start JP Sears (0-1 ERA 4.60) the Rangers are going with Jon Gray (1-1 ERA 3.21)

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg and Troy Ewers: A’s get clobbered in 12-2 laugher by Cubs; Oakland rookie starter had good outing

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Oakland A’s pitcher Mason Miller was the highlight of the game for the A’s pitching four plus innings giving up two runs before being lifted in the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Apr 19, 2023 (@Athletics image)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg and Troy Ewers:

The Oakland A’s starter Mason Miller making his rookie start pitched a decent outing against the visiting Chicago Cubs going 4.1 innings, four hits, two earned runs, five strike outs one walk and was replaced in the fifth inning. After that the Cubs went to work on the A’s releivers with four in runs in the top of the sixth and five runs in the top of the ninth coming away with a three game sweep of the A’s and a 12-2 win at the Oakland Coliseum. The Cubs averaged nine runs a game during the three game series.

Join Jerry Feitelberg for the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants Avoid Sweep Beating Marlins In 11 Innings 5-2

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San Francisco Giants’ Michael Conforto is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Miami Marlins during the 11th inning at LoanDepot Park in Miami on Wed Apr 19, 2023 (AP News photo)

Giants Avoid Sweep Beating Marlins In 11 Innings 5-2

By Barbara Mason

It’s no secret that the San Francisco Giants (6-11) have been struggling for awhile now. Wednesday afternoon they took on the Miami Marlins (10-9) hoping to avoid a sweep. The losses by one run, the extra inning losses are starting to mount and are becoming a far too familiar scenario. While the Giants are not getting blown out in any of these losses they are not getting many positive results with poor offense. Hot starts with cold finishes has been the order of this road trip. The Giants got that turned around in game three of this series with a 5-2 win avoiding getting swept by the Marlins at LoanDepot Park in Miami.

There was not much going on for either team in the first three innings of this game. Darin Ruf got the Giants up on the board in the fourth inning with a one-run double. Wilmer Flores scored and the Giants had a 1-0 lead. The Giants would not have another hit for the remainder of the game.

The Marlins would tie up the game in the fifth inning 1-1. A one-run single from Garrett Cooper drove Garrett Hampson home and this game was even.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Marlins had runners on first and second with two outs and the Giants had some work to do trying to get to a tenth inning and prevent the walk-off. Miami was unable to close out the game and we had extra innings coming up.

The Giants had runner Joey Bart on third base in the tenth inning, couldn’t bring him home and the Marlins had another walk-off chance. Miami had a double steal in the tenth and had the bases loaded with one out. The Giants had two huge strike outs to end the inning and relief pitcher Camilo Doval got San Francisco out of a very sticky situation, getting this game into an 11th inning.

The hit that the Giants had been waiting for all game came off the bat of Michael Conforto hitting a two run homer and San Francisco led 3-1. The Giants had finally gotten the hits they needed to close out a game. San Francisco was not done yet. Mike Yastrzemski took advantage of a hanging breaking ball hitting his second home run of the series, a two-run homer, and the Giants had a 5-1 lead.

Despite the lead this win did not come easy for the Giants. The Marlins loaded the bases with two outs trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the eleventh. San Francisco got out of it with some great pitching and finally won a game.

The Giants had avoided the sweep as they finish up this road trip and head home for a four game series with the New York Mets which starts up Thursday night. Sean Manea (0-0 ERA 4.76) will take the mound for the Giants and Kodai Senga (2-0 ERA 3.38) will start for the Mets. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Without Green Kings can take advantage in game 3

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Golden State Warriors guard Draymond Green states his case after getting ejected at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Apr 17, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with David Zizmor:

#1 How will Draymond Green’s suspension impact Golden State going into game 3.

#2 Critics have said that Draymond has had the last straw for awhile now going back to his bench argument with Kevin Durant in 2016 and said Green should have been let go then. After everything that has gone down with Draymond should the Warriors have let Draymond go long ago.

#3 Warriors down two games to none no Draymond, Kings are finding different ways to beat Golden State. Former Warriors head coach and current Kings head coach Mike Brown has the playbook of the Warriors in his head and it’s showing.

Join David Zizmor for the NBA Playoff podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cubs rally in eighth caps 4-0 win against A’s; Oakland drops it’s sixth straight game

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Chicago Cubs’ Cody Bellinger hits an RBI single against the Oakland Athletics during the eighth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Tue Apr 18, 2023 (AP News photo)

Chicago (NL) 000 000 040. -4 8 1

Oakland. 000 000 000 -0 2 1

Time: 2:54

Attendance: 5,196

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–Your Oakland Athletics reported for work today dragging a five game losing streak and a won-lost record of 3-14 behind them. That record, incidentally gave them a winning percentage of .176. If that were a batting average it would be 12 percent below the Mendoza line. Their starting pitchers had an ERA of 9.39; the bullpen, one of 5.97. The team’s fielding percentage over its initial 17 contests was .981, third worst in the American League and only four percentage points over the league worst Boston Red Sox.

So it came as a surprise that the A’s battled the Cubs through seven innings tonight before succumbing to a four run eighth inning Chicago outburst in the episode that doomed the host to their sixth consecutive loss 4-0.

Before game time, the A’s announced that they had placed Dany Jiménez on the 15 day injured list, effective yesterday and in his place recalled pitcher Adam Oller from their Las Vegas Aviators affiiliate in the PCL. Before being optioned to Vegas, he had an ERA of 9.00 and an opponents’ BA of .320 with Oakland.

Oakland’s starting pitcher, Ken Waldichuk woke up this morning with an 0-2, 10.20 record.. He was in trouble early, loading bases with only one down in the first but escaping unscathed. He held the Cubs at bay for the next nine hitters and exited after having throw five shutout innings, in which he allowed five hits, including the dreaded curse of the leadoff double and three walks.

He notched five Ks and threw 102 pitches, 60 for strikes. He reduced his ERA to 7.65 but, leaving with the score tied at zero, was deprived of any chance of being credited with the win. Sam Moll replaced him on the mound to open the sixth and held Chicago scoreless before turning the ball over to James Kaprielian, the erstwhile starter.

The North Siders’ starting pitcher, Starboard Sider Marcus Stroman, pitched excellently in two of his previous starts and had what is called a “quality start” in the other, giving him a record of 2-1, 1.00 so far this season. He tossed six scoreless innings of two hit, two walk ball, striking out five. He threw an even 100 pitches, 63 counting for strikes. Mark Leioter, Jr, relieved him for the seventh frame and preserved the scoreless tie.

It was Trevor May on the mound for the green and gold inthe top of the eighth. And it was May who proved to be the weak link in the chain of Athletics hurlers. He walked Seiya Suzuki on four pitches. Patrick Wisdom followed that with a double to left that moved Wisdom to third.

Yan Gomes sent a liner off Mays’ glove over to shortstop Kevin Smith, who threw Wisdom out at first, allowing Wisdom to score. That brought Richard Lovelady in from the bullpen. After Eric Hosmer grounded out to first, moving Bellinger to third. Nick Madrigal, who had run for Luis Torrens in the seventh, singled to enter, plating Bellinger and upping the Cubs’ lead to 3-0.

Conner Capel then dropped Hoerner’s fly ball to right for a two base error, and it was 4-0. That was it for Lovelady. The newly recalled Adam Oller stopped the bleeding, getting Swanson to fly out to Capel. This time he held on to the ball.

Leiter was the pitcher of record when Michael Fulmer relieved hin for the home eigth , allowing nothing but a walk to Noda. That made Leiter the winning pitcher. He now stands at 1-0, 0.00.

Oller stayed on too pitch the top of the ninth for Oakland and held A’s deficit to a seemingly insurmountable four runs.

Michael Rucker showed it was insurmountable, earning his first save.

May took the loss. His record now stands at an ugly 2-3, 12.00.

The series will continue tomorrow, Wednesday, at 12:37. Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Justin Steele (2-0,1.42) will face the Athletics’ Mason Miller (0-0 ERA 0.00)

Warriors Green suspended for game 3 by NBA for stomping on Kings Sabonis

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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green reacts after he was ejected from Game 2 in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs after stomping on the chest of Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Apr 17, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

After losing two straight playoff games to the Sacramento Kings and having a dismal season on the road the Golden State Warriors problems in the post season are surmounting as the NBA suspended guard Draymond Green for stomping on the chest of the Kings Domantas Sabonis with 7:03 remaining in the fourth quarter. Green will be suspended for game three for one game.

During the fourth quarter on Monday night in game 2 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento Green stomped on Sabonis’ chest at which time the Warriors were trailing the Kings by four points when the infraction took place. Sabonis had held Green’s foot to the floor and it frustrated Green and Green reacted by stomping on Sabonis.

It didn’t help Green much when he jumped on the Warriors bench and started yelling and trying to pump up the Kings crowd in the section behind the Warriors bench. Green was accessed a flagrant 2 foul. Green’s behavior and his foul on Sabonis puts him out of game 3 at Chase Center in San Francisco for Thursday night and it no doubt hurts the Warriors chances to win this first round without their star guard who has a problem keeping his cool.

Jerry Feitelberg is a Golden State Warriors beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com