Tag: Amaury Pi Gonzalez

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Both Bay Area teams in bottom of standings; Nothing new on Western Front

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nbcsports.com file photo: San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner gets ready to deliver, Bumgarner has been the talk of trade rumors which includes going to the Boston Red Sox.

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Sometimes you can tell how a baseball season might end after one-quarter of the season already is in the books. That might very well be the case this 2019 season. Some teams are so bad, that you really do not need two to four months to evaluate (find out their identity) because you know they just do not have it. It is simple as that. In the A’s case, we knew their identity of this young team last year, and the question was can they duplicate that success? In the Giants’ case, we knew they were not going to be in the picture, and during Spring Training, the big interest was to trade Madison Bumgarner.

The Houston Astros are ruling the American League West and the Los Angeles Dodgers the National League West. These two teams have an excellent possibility of facing each other in the World Series. This is not a prediction, but a good possibility, and not because they are on top as of today, but because they have the players and depth. It didn’t matter that the Seattle Mariners had their best start for season since 1977 in their inaugural season or that the Diamondbacks, who are almost like the M’s, trade a lot of their key players in the off-season and nobody expected them to be playing this well.

Of course, let’s get to our two Bay Area teams.

The A’s who surprised the world and won 97 games last year and made it to the postseason, did not have a set rotation from the offset of Spring Training. Hopefully, their #1 starter Shawn Manaea will be back soon to anchor their hurting pitching staff. Some injuries have hurt the A’s, who basically had the same team as last year, with some exceptions like Jurickson Profar at second-base, taking the place of the reliable veteran All Star Jed Lowrie, who went to the Mets, but has not played yet and is recovering from an injury in Syracuse, N.Y.

For the Giants, the time is getting close for trading Bumgarner with a high probability of trade before the July 31 deadline. It is all a matter of whether they can get a couple of young prospects for the future — nothing more, nothing less — rebuilding is in the air at Oracle. But there is a chance the Giants roster might look very different soon. Although their problem is that they are stuck with older players with large contracts.

For the A’s, the most important news is not on the field, but that they have cleared the way to eventually build their new ballpark. What location remains the big question. The chances of the A’s making it to the postseason again are as good as ever inside a weak division. They look like a Wild Card team.

Outside baseball, the Sharks and Warriors are in the middle of their respective playoff series, and that is nothing new.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez writes That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary and Barbara Mason does That’s Amaury’s podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Liam Hendriks for “openers”

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Photo credit: athleticsnation.com

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

On Saturday, the Oakland Athletics against the visiting Cleveland Indians, started a game with Liam Hendriks, as an “opener” for the first time since October 3, 2018 at Yankee Stadium for the one-game Wild Card elimination game, which the Yankees won 7-2. After Hendriks was slated to open the game and pitch only the first inning, he allowed no runs, walked one and struck out one. A’s manager Bob Melvin followed with a parade of pitchers: Aaron Brooks, Yusmeiro Petit, Lou Trivino and Blake Treinen, who was accredited with the A’s 3-2 win over the Indians.

Thirty years ago, there were 622 complete games in MLB. Last season, just a total of 42 and just 13 pitchers threw for 200-plus innings. That was the way pitching has gone, and with just about every team hitting lots of home runs so far this season, with the exceptions of the Marlins and Giants, pitching is so deluded now, that I would not be surprised “openers” are here to stay.

I know it is the wrong sport, but the great Al Davis used to say “just win baby” and the same thing applies in baseball. Use whatever formula works. Soon the National League will adopt the DH rule. It is inevitable, you know it and everybody knows it. So there are some general changes and regulations that MLB will establish, but there are others that just happen and the “opener” is one of those.

Pitching is becoming a commodity as hard to find as diamonds, the hardest mineral to find on earth. Not many years ago, pitching coaches will tell their starters on the rotation “give me six good innings”.  Today, that is for the “opener” give me one good inning — three outs in the first inning and your are out of the game.

I am not the one who likes to predict the future, but I predict one record that will never be broken is that of Cy Young, who pitched 7,356 innings in 22 seasons. Of course, different eras. Back then, the only count was that of the attendance, but no count of pitches thrown. But that was then and it’s something that we will never see again.

Bob Melvin is one of the best managers in the game. In a perfect world, he would have had at least a semi-set rotation and would have never used the “opener”, but it is not easy to win a game in the majors.

After he retired and did TV commentary, I once asked my all-time favorite manager Sparky Anderson: “In your opinion how many games does a manager win during a season using pure strategy?” He told me: “Maybe 10 to 15 games.” Sparky and many others never had to manage “openers” because a pitcher that begins a game, if not abused in the first inning, is expected to go a long way.

The defensive shift, is slowly changing as hitters are adjusting. but you better get used to the “opener”, and if it becomes a common thing, there will also be a stats for openers and their success. Why not? Baseball is filled with changes. Remember there was no RBI recorded until 1920.

So, the tale of the story, you better get use to “openers”, because they could be as valuable as closers.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Barbara Mason: Decision at Kentucky Derby impacts the event; Warriors-Rockets could be evenly matched teams; plus more

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

#1 How much of an impact was the decision of the officials at the Kentucky Derby to eliminate and disqualify Maximum Security and allow Country House the winner? The first time a winning horse has ever been disqualified in 145 years.

#2 With the Golden State Warriors, you never know what team is going to show up, They handled the Houston Rockets in first two games with a four-point win in Game 1 and a six-point win in Game 2, but it was Game 3 where they lost to the Rockets by five and lost another one in game 4 on Wednesday night as the series is tied 2-2.

#3 After having two comeback victories against the Cincinnati Reds during their four-game series, the San Francisco Giants split with the Reds, losing Monday. Giants starter Drew Pomeranz got lit up in 1.2 innings, nine hits and seven runs. While striking out two batters, Pomeranz continues to labor in the 12-4 loss.

#4 The LPGA Mediheal Championship was held at Lake Merced in Daly City from April 29th through May 5th. The leaderboard showed Sei Young Kim taking the $270,000 winnings finishing on top with a par 281 on Sunday.

#5 The San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche battled in Game 6. The Avs came away with a 4-3 win to tie the series in overtime 3-3, to force a Game 7, bringing the game back to San Jose.

Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury Pi-Gonzalez for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast at www,sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Spanish Broadcasts in the MLB

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Demographics show that there are 52 million people of Hispanic/Latino descent in the United States of America. This is 16.7% of the population and the largest minority. The next Census will be in 2020. There are a lot of opinions and controversy regarding those Hispanic/Latinos who did not report in the past Census because they may be undocumented. The first US Census was taken in 1790, and since then, it has been taken every 10 years.

Since 2000, legal immigrants as a whole to the US number approximately 1,000,000 per year. The US leads the world in this category. Recent US government statistics project that at the conclusion of this year, the US might have another million that came in as undocumented, most of whom would be Hispanic/Latinos.

Here are the MLB who schedule Spanish broadcasts: Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers.

Some teams employ their Spanish broadcasters, while others are employed by radio stations. With these stats, the Hispanic/Latino audiences are increasing, especially now that the MLB has become more international, playing regular season games in Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Depending on the size of the Hispanic/Latino market, the local teams should not ignore this potential source of revenue. This segment of the population is very passionate and loyal following their respective teams. Also, sponsors should not be ignored. Regardless of legal status, we all work, pay taxes, buy soda pop, hot dogs, beer and nachos.

I have witnessed this growth of the Hispanic market during the last 40 years.

Hasta la vista amigos!

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: A’s, Giants on the road for Cinco de Mayo weekend

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, and it is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, Mexico in 1862, which marks a Mexican military victory over the French forces of Napoleon. It is NOT Mexican Independence Day, that is on September 16. But Cinco de Mayo is a popular day that ironically is celebrated much more in the US than in Mexico.

What? How can that be.The San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose Bay Area is one of the most wealthiest areas of the country. The South Bay and Silicon Valley is leading the way when it comes to the world’s technology. Today, the nine-county Bay Area has a population of over seven million people and we are denied to have one our teams at home? For the record, it also happens in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, three metropolitan areas with two major league teams who play less than 50 miles apart.

The MLB’s 30 team schedule is truly a crazy one, with interleague games since 1997, beginning with the Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants in Arlington, Texas. That day, Texas and three other games on the West Coast, teams from the National League, played teams from the American League during the regular season for the first time. In the end, they played a total of 214 games spread over three periods, the last ending on September 3.

I was working that first ever interleague game, broadcasting for the Giants when they played the Rangers in Arlington. On June 12 ,1997, a historical first interleague game where the Giants beat the Rangers 4-3. Mark Gardner (7-2) got the victory for the Giants, while Darren Oliver (3-8) was charged with the loss for the Rangers, and Rod Beck saved his 20th game for the Giants. I remember it well and I still have a souvenir they passed in the press box for that historical day.

It is a shame with the great weather we are enjoying in the Bay Area, baseball fans will not be able to attend a game this Cinco de Mayo. However, on Monday, September 16, the A’s will be at home hosting the Kansas City Royals, so you can celebrate Mexican Independence at the Coliseum that day. Also, on September 16, the Giants have an off-day in Boston and will begin a three-game set against the Red Sox the next day. Oh, yes…interleague play!

Anyways, Feliz Cinco de Mayo amigos!

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s waterfront ballpark no longer just a dream

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Barbara Mason filling in for Amaury Pi-Gonzalez on That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 How important is it for the Oakland A’s to have received Legislative approval on two bills SB293 and AB1191 to build at Jack London Square’s Howard Terminal?

#2 The park will be privately financed, which will have affordable housing, commercial properties and retail. This is a moment that A’s president David Kaval and the A’s have longed for.

#3 The A’s will be the only remaining team left in Oakland after the Golden State Warriors and Oakland Raiders move. Everything after last week’s legislative meetings regarding the A’s new ballpark had fallen in place, and after the meetings, it looks much better than before for the A’s to start their move to Howard Terminal.

#4 How much would you agree that it’s almost like four on one when the Houston Rockets play the Golden State Warriors particularly during the postseason? It’s the Warriors’ Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green vs. the Rockets’ James Harden.

#5 The San Jose Sharks are in a 1-1 series tie with the Colorado Avalanche. The Sharks opened the series with a 5-2 win and dropped game two 4-3. In all, the Sharks have battled in each of the games and did it without their team captain Joe Pavelski, whose recovery from being knocked out in round one, Game 7 against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Bruce Maxwell with the Acereros de Mexico

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Ex-Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell is playing baseball with the Acereros de Monclova (Steelers) in Mexico. Maxwell hopes that he will be noticed by a major league scout and a return to the major leagues.

In 2017, Maxwell took a knee during the National Anthem in Oakland. To this day, he is the only major league player to do so, but things got more complicated for the catcher when he was later was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Eventually, the A’s let him go after the 2018 season, a season where they won 97 games and made it to the one-game wild card playoff against the New York Yankees.

During his three years in Oakland (2016-18), Maxwell played in 127 games, recorded a combined .240 batting average, five home runs and 42 runs batted in. The A’s obviously expected more productivity. The German-born catcher is looking for another opportunity and a fresh start. I think wverybody deserves a second chance since it is not like today’s major leagues are super-rich with great catchers. The Philadelphia Phillies’ J.T Realmuto is in his prime, while the St. Louis Cardinals’ Yaider Molina and the San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey are nearing the end of their respective careers.

Maxwell is 28 years old. He is working in Mexico to impress a major league team. I hope he succeed and can return to play for one of the 30 teams in the majors.

As of today, Maxwell’s club Monclova is 14-7 for third place in the Norte (North) Division and two games behind Tijuana.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Venezuelan MLB Players Are Moving Families to the US

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

According to the United Nations’ estimate, more than three million Venezuelans have left Venezuela. Most of them left by foot into neighboring Colombia. Nicolas Maduro, the socialist dictator of Venezuela and disciple of Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro, has destroyed the economy of what was once the richest country in Latin America. Venezuela was one of the world’s top oil producers. Venezuela’s current exodus is the biggest in the world at this time. No country has lost more people during the last two years than Venezuela.

Since last season, I have spoken to numerous Venezuelan-born MLB players. They are second to Dominican Republic-born players as of today — as far as Latin American-born players playing in the big leagues goes. The majority of them, especially the ones established as stars, could not take the risk of coming to the US to play for their teams and leave their families behind. It is way too risky, especially in the case of MLB players who everybody knows makes millions of dollars. They expose their families to kidnapping for money and violence against women and children of these families. Because of the untenable situation, and the internet, which is read by people all over the world, I did not wanted to disclose the names of these players.

It is a sad state of affairs for the land of Simon Bolivar (El Libertador).

Translation: The Liberator, who fought against Spain for the independence of Venezuela in the 1800’s. To make it simpler, Simon Bolivar was like the Abraham Lincoln of Venezuela. One of Bolivar’s revolutionary ideas was to make all of South America, one big nation like the United States of America, but the United States of South America. It would have to include Brazil, the largest country of South America and Latin America. Obviously, history has it as a great idea, which would have made South America one of the richest and biggest countries in the world, but it never materialized.

Venezuela is the home country of Hall of Fame player Luis Aparicio and many other players that have played in the US. It is the land of great shortstops: Chico Carrasquel, Luis Aparico, Dave Concepcion, Omar Vizquel, Ozzie Guillen and vice versa. In the future, Venezuelan-born playersmimi like Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera will be inducted into the HOF.

We can all hope that Venezuela’s situation can be resolved soon and the country can make a comeback and be a democracy for their people. Like in most of Latin American countries (and dictatorships), the government does not suffer, it is the common people that today in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, which was once a thriving metropolis, have to wait hours in line just to get clean water. The hospitals are in shambles and in need of medicine. Food is scarce and when there is a demonstration against Maduro, it is not a few thousand that take to the streets, but hundreds of thousands.

As of today, some 51 countries in the world, including the US, recognize Juan Guaido, the young opposition leader, as the real Venezuelan President. I pray that there will be no civil war in Venezuela because that would be a bloody one for a great country.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary with Barbara Mason: It’s a miracle, Sharks back home for Game 7; LA Clippers on brink, face Warriors for Game 5; plus more

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Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury Pi-Gonzalez on That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 It’s a miraculous comeback playoff for the San Jose Sharks, who were down 3-1 in the series with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Sharks won games 5 and 6 by scores of 5-2 and 2-1 to force a Game 7 and not much thought they would get this far. Faceoff is on Tuesday night in San Jose for Game 7.

#2 After that horrific 31-point lead they had in Game 2 that got erased, the Golden State Warriors have now been cruising on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors now have a 3-1 series lead and are just about ready to put the final touches in the elimination game on Wednesday night in Oakland in Game 5.

#3 After going through a 191 at-bats against the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey finally broke out and got a home run, which proved to be the game-winner on Sunday. The Pirates were the only National League team that Posey had not hit a home run off of.

#4 The Oakland A’s not only got swept by the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend. A’s pitcher Brett Anderson rolled his ankle coming off the mound to field a grounder hit by the Jays’ Randal Grichuk in the top of the third inning and had to leave the game. Anderson is hopeful for his next scheduled start on Saturday in Toronto.

#5 With the loss on Sunday to Toronto, the A’s have lost four straight in Saturday’s 10-1 loss. A’s manager Bob Melvin was upset up about the lack of hitting. The A’s pitching staff was exhausted using six pitchers, including first baseman Kendrys Morales as a ninth inning reliever.

Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury Pi-Gonzalez for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: A’s should sign Gio Gonzalez

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The New York Yankees released Gio Gonzalez from their minor league system and Gonzalez is looking for a new team. The perfect fit for Gonzalez is the Oakland Athletics. The way the weak A’s rotation is these days, Gonzalez would be a welcome addition back in Oakland, and he will probably be their #1 starter as of right now. Some of the injured pitchers will be returning starting with Sean Manea, who is the legitimate #1 starter for the team. But regardless if Manaea returns soon, Gonzalez would fit perfectly on the A’s rotation.

We all know that it all comes down to money, personality and politics of baseball. But Gio loved it in the Bay Area. Gonzalez was the most popular A’s on the A’s Amigos program, talking to young bilingual students as soon as they came to the Oakland Coliseum. There will be absolutely nothing wrong for the A’s to take a flyer and give Gonzalez a one-year deal in Oakland. He is a total asset to the A’s.

If the A’s do not pick him up, he will be picked up very soon by one of the other 29 teams in the majors. Gonzalez will likely be signed within the next 48 hours. I hope the A’s will be that team.