Tag: Amaury Pi Gonzalez

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Baseball–Sabermetrics, Launch Angle and Statcast

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Sabermetrics: The first-hand analysis of baseball, especially baseball statistics that measure in-game activity.

Launch Angle: When Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs in 2001, everybody was talking about the “bat speed” in his swing. Adios to “bat speed!” Today, the “launch angle” has become an obsession with hitters. According to the experts–along with the ball speed–the launch angle is a primary component to determining the height and distance of a home run. It is said that every golfer should be fitted to achieve the optimal balance of launch angle and spin based on their club speed and ball speed. There is a reason when a team goes on a road trip, you will see dozens of suitcases and golf bags.

​Statcast: Major League Baseball’s Statcast is a high-speed, high-accuracy, automated tool that was developed to analyze player movements and athletic abilities. The Statcast was introduced to all 30 MLB stadiums in 2015. There is a leader-board for Statcast:  Giancarlo Stanton (117.9 mph), Mike Trout (116.9 mph) and so on. It shows how fast the ball leaves the bat after a home run.

Today, we have self-driving cars today that can drive and park by themselves. We do not have to visit the bank and see the face of a bank teller. We go to a machine punch a number and we get money. In China, the Shanghai branch of the China Construction Bank (CCB) opened a branch run entirely by robots, first person-less bank branch where humanoids manage everything. Texting has replaced writing, as kids barely can write anymore. If you lose your cellphone, you probably will feel lost, depressed and abandoned, and may require therapy. People are working with their laptops at Starbucks while the local libraries are empty and continue to close.

Many fans at a baseball game are taking pictures, filming the action or just capturing themselves. At the ballpark or anywhere else, you can track a ballgame, pitch-by-pitch and you will know if it is a slider, curve, split or 96 mph fastball. More people are getting hurt by foul balls. You need more than two eyes to look at  your smartphone screen and at the game on the field at the same time. And only God knows where we will be in the next few years. Back in 1989, actor Michael J. Fox in the movie “Back To The Future II” had a line that read “the Cubs win the World Series!” and they did just that.

We have come a long way since the days when the US Army timed the fastest pitch ever thrown by a pitcher in 1958. Bob Feller at 98 miles per hour was recorded on the old US Army Chronograph. That was a big deal and it was even shown at your local movie theater before the main feature that was narrated by the legendary Lowell Thomas of Movietone Newsreel fame on the glorious Black and White.

Today, Elon Musk wants to go to the Moon and Richard Branson wants to colonize Mars

¿Qué hay de nuevo? Translation:  What else is new?

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News and Commentary: A’s continue roll; go 7 out of 8 to start road trip

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On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 The A’s have got red-hot, winning seven of their last eight games with a win to start the nine-game road trip over the Texas Rangers on Monday night 9-4 in Arlington last night.

#2 The A’s, if they aren’t getting great pitching, they’re getting great hitting and last night they got contributions from Marcus Semien, two runs and two hits, Stephen Piscotty scored a run, Jed Lowrie two hits a run scored, Khris Davis, two RBIs and a run scored.

#3 MLB records: MLB baseball had a record 32,884 strikeouts in 2008. In 2018, baseball will surpass that record on a pace of 43,163 if the swinging for the fence hitters keep this up.

#4 The LA Angels’ Shohei Ohtani pitched two innings against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night, but had to leave due to a blister on his throwing hand.

#5 The Pittsburgh Pirates are off to their best start since 1992. Third place in the central only a game and a half out of first just behind St. Louis and Milwaukee.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish radio talent, is the vice president of the MLB Hispanic Heritage Museum, and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Red Sox, Hottest Team in Baseball, Head to Oakland to Take on the A’s

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The Red Sox are the hottest team in baseball and they’re coming to Oakland this weekend to take on the Oakland A’s.

The Red Sox won last night at Anaheim, they have won six games in a row and have the best record in baseball of 15-2. That is the best start of a season for the Red Sox in their 118-year history.  They are first team in baseball to begin a season 15-3 since the 2003 San Francisco Giants. Red Sox rookie manager is 42-year-old Alex Cora, who was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico. The Red Sox will play one more game against the Angels at Anaheim tonight before coming to Oakland for a big weekend series and only visit of the Red Sox to Oakland.

The A’s just ended a sweep of the woeful Chicago White Sox. They scored a total of 30 runs on those three games. Yesterday a 14 inning 12-11 slugfest victory took 5 hours and 48 minutes.  Today, on a day off, they have an 9-10 record and are in fourth place 4.5 games behind the leading LA Angels.

The American League West is a tough division, with Astros, the 2017 World Champions, much improved LA Angels, the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers. The A’s are trying to finish at least .500 this month.

Last year on the 1st of June, the A’s were already 14.5 games out of the first place Astros, who went on to beat everybody the rest of the way to capture their first ever title.

The Boston Red Sox, just like the New York Yankees, traditionally bring lots of fans to the Coliseum every time they visit.  It should be a fun place to be with perfect weather this weekend at the O.co. Coliseum.

Play Ball!

Oakland Athletics
KIQI 1010AM/990AM ESPAÑOL
NBC SPORTS CA on the SAP Channel ESPAÑOL

Saturday April 21
Red Sox vs Athletics will be televised nationwide on MLB Network.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Charlie O. Finley Was Controversial and Innovative

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

When Charlie O. Finley, the controversial but successful businessman and owner of the Oakland Athletics, told me in 1977: “Yes, you can broadcast in Mexican,” little could he have envisioned that Hispanics would be the largest minority in California and in the United States some 40 years later.

I never really knew if Finley believed Mexican was an actual language when in fact it’s a nationality. Today, there are 33 different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean–most of them with Spanish as their main language. In Brazil, the largest country in Latin America, Portuguese is the official language. So, regardless of what Finley believed, the fact remains that he was an old school baseball owner who was much involved with his team as he had a passion of the game. He could talk baseball with the best of them. He was an insurance magnate, and when he became involved with baseball as owner, he challenged tradition and changed the game in many ways, especially the marketing with his loco promotions. By the way, the classic A’s Front Office was just a handful of folks–mostly his relatives–who actually used the three World Series trophies to file the mail.

This is what Glenn Dickey wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle about Finley in 1996: “The irony of Charlie Finley’s life was that everybody seemed to focus on what he did poorly and ignore what he did well. His promotions were farcical, often disastrous, but the man put together a baseball team that was the only non-Yankee team to win three straight World Series for the American League.”

But among his many crazy promotions–like the live mascot, a mule called Charlie-O–my all-time favorite was Harvey the Rabbit. And this season, the A’s brought the rabbit back. We now see this mechanical rabbit prior to each game at the Coliseum.

The original Harvey the Rabbit was something special. He was a mechanical rabbit who rose from the grassy ground behind home plate near the umpire with a basket full of baseballs for the umpire to put in play.

Among Finley’s promotions
  • Orange baseballs: Tried in a few exhibition games, but hitters found it too hard to pick up the spin.
  • Hired Stanley Burrell (who would later gain worldwide fame as rapper MC Hammer) as Executive Vice President when he was just a teenager to be his “eyes and ears.” Burrell would called Finley on the telephone to give him exclusive updates of what was happening in the game. Sometimes, Burrell will bring us coffee or soda to our broadcasting booth. Burrell was a great kid.
  • Offered players $300 bonuses to grow mustaches during the championships. For star Hall of Fame relief pitcher Rollie Fingers, the handlebar mustaches he grew for Finley became a trademark.

Finley lived in Chicago, where he died in 1996. He was a great salesman who made a fortune. His flamboyant marketing revolutionized baseball. He changed the traditional uniforms that were white and gray with black shoes and dressed his A’s with Green and Gold uniforms with white shoes, allowed facial hair, which has been making a comeback in baseball in recent years.

Finley owned and operated the Kansas City and Oakland A’s for 20 years. He would come to Oakland for a series of games, sit behind the A’s dugout many times wearing a green blazer and waving an A’s pennant on his right hand. He was passionate and involved like George Steinbrenner was with the New York Yankees years later.

More often than not, Finley would be in his “owners box” at the Coliseum. You could see his reactions to the game. When the team lost, he would not be happy and depending. When they lost, he would be furious. I remember him walking by the press box many times with Sarge (bodyguard) and his friends and/or associates screaming and complaining about a play, an umpire or even his own manager.

Finley was not what they call “politically correct” today. He said what he had in mind. After winning three consecutive World Series, he refused to pay his players millions of dollars to stay with the A’s. So one by one, Catfish, Reggie, Campy and others said “adios” to Oakland.

Finley was the A’s owner as well as their Numero Uno fan. Seldom an owner dominates such way that becomes the face of a franchise, but he was that man.

The only owner today among professional sports that reminds me of Finley is Dallas Mavericks billionaire owner Mark Cuban, but aside from Cuban, who also appears on TV on Shark Tank, most baseball owners today are not like Finley. Depending on what you like, that could be good or bad for the game of baseball.

Different times, different baseball…

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Memories of the 1988 World Series–Athletics vs. Dodgers

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Photo credit: halloffamememorabilia.com

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The Athletics are visiting Dodger Stadium for a brief two-game inter-league series for their first interleague series of the year.

In 1988, the Dodgers turned the baseball world upside down with a huge upset of the A’s in the World Series. That season, the A’s were one of their best teams in history as they won the American League pennant with a 104-58 record.

The team made history when Cuban-born Jose Canseco became the first 40/40 man in baseball with 42 home runs and 40 steals. He also ended the season with a .307 batting average and drove in 124 runs. Not only that, he was the American League MVP.

Canseco recently told me during the A’s 50 Players in 50 Years reunion at the Oakland Coliseum: “Mi mejor temporada.” English translation: “My best season.”

When Canseco first came to the A’s, he was afraid to speak Spanish, but after a couple of years, I had no trouble speaking to him in Spanish. After he retired, he told me his Spanish was terrible. Well, it wasn’t completely terrible, but it wasn’t the greatest either.

For the record, the interview I did with him on that day this season in Oakland, I began asking questions in Spanish, but after two minutes into the interview, he listened to my questions in Spanish, but replied in English. I decided not to play it on our pregame show that night. Yes, that’s Jose for you.

During that 1988 World Series, Manolo Alvarez of WQBA radio in Miami was covering it, and I had to convince Canseco to finally give an interview for the Spanish-speaking folks in Miami to Alvarez. Jose refused to talk to Alvarez, so I had to convince him to give that interview because it was important. Years later, when the Marlins were born in 1993, Alvarez started doing color for Spanish radio in Miami with Rafael “Felo” Ramirez.

Rickey Henderson, who started his Hall of Fame career of 25 years, started with the A’s in 1979 and played there until 1984. After that, he went to the Yankees, so he was not part of that championship team.

In 1988, Mark McGwire had a huge season with 32 home runs and 99 runs batted in, Dave Stewart won 21 games (his second of four consecutive years winning 20 or more games), Bob Welch ended with 17 wins, Storm Davis won 16, Curt Young 11 and Todd Burns won eight games, and the great Hall of Famer and Fremont native Dennis Eckersley–arguably the best closer of his time–saved 45 games.

The first game at the end had the feeling of a seventh and deciding game when Kirk Gibson won the National League MVP that year and hit that memorable home run to the right field seats a pitch in the ninth inning from Eckersely, that would leave the A’s on the field as the Dodgers scored two runs and won it 5-4. After that first game, the A’s won only one game and lost the series in five.

I share many stories on the field prior each game at Dodger Stadium and the Oakland Coliseum with many reporters from all over the country and were talking about a sweep by the A’s, because on paper, they were a highly-superior ball club.

I remember Evo Luis Alonso, a reporter for Voice of America, on an interview. Before the first game, he asked me if I thought the A’s where going to sweep. That was the talk then, because if you really compared both teams, the A’s were the better team and almost nobody disagreed with that. Well, maybe Tommy LaSorda, who’s never at a loss for words, and told me in his unique Spanish prior to the series that his team had a great chance. And he was right! But that’s Tommy and how he communicates with others.

Interestingly enough, the Dodgers who are hosting the A’s for this brief, two-game interleague middle of the week series in Los Angeles, have not won a World Series since 1988 since they beat the A’s.

For anybody that was with the A’s in 1988, that was probably the most unfortunate story, to lose to the Dodgers. The A’s went on to win the 1989 World Series vs. Giants, which was interrupted by the Loma Prieta Earthquake, but the A’s were the better team beating the Giants before and after the earthquake, then went to Cincinnati in 1990 and the Reds won that World Series.

Baseball is a funny game. In retrospect, I believe the A’s could have won three straight again like they did in 1972-74, but the baseball Gods were not in the Atleticos’ favor.

I will never forget the 1988 World Series or the two that followed for that matter. I felt fortunate that I was with the A’s during those three consecutive World Series. I mean, not a lot of teams would go to three World Series in a row. We do not see a lot of that today. Anyways, there were lots of memories and people I met during that 1988 World Series, one of them was the great Spanish tenor, Placido Domingo, who came to my broadcast booth at the Oakland Coliseum prior to a game there and told me he was a big baseball fan and a fan of Jose Canseco.

A few of us are still with the A’s and remember that 1988 was a very special and successful year, which ended with a very bad memory. I do remember saying something after that first game lost to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium like, “I hope this is just not the precursor of what is going to happen the rest of the series,” because that first game felt like it was the seventh and deciding game. Many historians consider the 1988 World Series as one of the greatest upsets in World Series history.

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News and Commentary: NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs coming to San Jose and bringing back memories; Ohtani named AL Player of the Week

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@KOANewsChad Photo: The Stanley Cup awaits the NHL team that wins the finals as the puck drops for the playoffs on Thursday night

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 The Stanley Cup Playoffs start on Thursday night. Amaury takes a look if the Sharks can make this a memorable postseason.

#2 The big moment for Amaury was covering the NHL Stanley Cup Finals when the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks faced off in San Jose’s first final. Amaury covered the event for Telemundo TV. You just might see him back on Telemundo covering the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs again.

#3 Turning towards baseball a big week for the Los Angeles Angels. Shohei Ohtani who was named this week’s AL Player of the Week. Ohtani hit a home run in each of three games last week and Ohtani pitched into the seventh inning against the Oakland A’s on Sunday with a perfect game going. The A’s Mark Semien broke it up with a hit in the seventh.

#4 The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher James Tallon was named the NL Player of the Week. Tallon threw a first career shutout, with 110 pitches, striking out seven, for a one hitter.

#5 The price of lumber went up to it’s all-time high at $516 and its stock is at $6.69, meaning the price to manufacture baseball bats are going up. Baseball will be spending a few more bucks to make the lumber bats. Also, minor league teams will be feeling the hit of paying for the more expensive lumber.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the MLB Hispanic Heritage Museum, the Spanish radio voice of the Oakland A’s and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s First Homestand, Promotions and Attendance

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

I believe the Oakland Athletics’ future is bright, especially since they brought Mr.Dave Kaval as their President. He has the energy, vision and leadership to guide this great franchise into their next great chapter. The first homestand of the season ended today. There’s more on that below.

If you owned a restaurant and nobody was walking in, you might want to go on the street and grab five homeless souls and bring them in to eat for free, right? It would be a charitable mission but not profitable.In that case God will bless your heart, but not your pocket. But baseball is totally different. Unlike a restaurant, baseball is a seasonal business, where you have six months and days to sell as many tickets as you can. Baseball and professional sports in general sells in advance, like for example to season ticket holders, which gives you a guarantee revenue stream. When your season tickets holders are not plentiful, then you move to Plan B. The team’s 50th Anniversary in Oakland is part of Plan B. With countless of special days and promotions already programmed prior to the season. Nothing wrong with that, this is a great franchise with a total of nine World Series titles, only the New York Yankees with 27 and St. Louis Cardinals with 11, have won more than the A’s, who have been playing at this Oakland Coliseum since 1968.

The Oakland Athletics are on their way to their first road trip of the 2018 season. They will first travel to Anaheim to face Othani and Trout for three games, then by bus up North on Highway 5, some 35 miles to Dodger Stadium for a two-game inter-league set against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and conclude their trip with three games at Safeco Field in Seattle, before returning to Oakland for the last home-stand in April, where they will face the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox.

As they leave for Orange County, the first home-stand of the season was not that great at the box office. This was the attendance for the first eight games of the season in Oakland. Against the Angels on Opening Day, Thursday 27,764, followed by 27,655 the next day, Saturday 17,012 and then 14,644 on Sunday. The Texas Rangers came in on Monday for four games, Monday 7,416, Tuesday 9,597, Wednesday 7,909 and then last game of the home stand on Thursday afternoon 10,132. The first homestand, and first eight games of the season ended with a 3-5 record.

The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night games against the Rangers, brought me memories of the days when Charlie O Finley owned the team, and after he won the three consecutive World Series in 1972, 1973, 1974 when he didn’t wanted to retain those players because he just didn’t believe an owner should pay millions of dollars to baseball players. Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Campy Campaneris, among others, they all said Adios to Oakland, they wanted to get paid, and Finley would not paid them, as simple as that. Yes, those years after those three championships were really the dog days, I remember well because that is when I began in this business. The A’s average per-game attendance: 1976: 9,697, 1977: 6,157, 1978: 6,506.

After that, Finley sold the team to the Haas family and things changed for the better. There where pennants and World Series at the Oakland Coliseum. The Haas family revived this great franchise in Oakland, with Roy Eisenhardt, Andy Dolich, and a front office that went to work on marketing and reaching the community. But most importantly, they had the best promotion that all fans appreciate the most–winning. In 1988, the A’s were the first baseball team in the Bay Area to draw over two million fans, which at that time was considered very impressive for this market, and then they followed the trend by winning pennants and going to three World Series.

Celebrating their 50th Anniversary in Oakland has been fun already, with the reunion of 50 players in 50 years during that first home-stand, there is also the Tree House in left field, a new attraction for people to mingle, relax, drink, watch the game, inside or outside on the porch. There is a New Farm area in right field, which is very interesting. The A’s are also giving free tickets to the North Bay residents affected by the fires of 2017. On June 10, a Sunday vs the Kansas City Royals, and will include tributes to the first res-ponders and firefighters.

When the A’s return to Oakland Monday, April the 16 vs. Chicago White Sox, and the next day, April 17, everybody will be admitted free at the O.Co Coliseum.

A franchise in transition trying to build a new ball park in Oakland, with young promising players that could some day be All-Stars is moving ahead after a rough start at the box office. Yes, is has been cold, but there were other things happening, like the Warriors next door ending their regular season and limping on their way to the playoffs trying to repeat as champions.

Note: Now, outfielder Trayce Thompson is with the A’s, so he can just walk next door and watch his brother Klay Thompson (guard) with the Warriors during the playoffs.

March Madness with Villanova winning the national championship along with many other events in this very complicated entertainment world might have been a factor on the A’s attendance. The Bay Area offers many attractions and the entertainment ticket for sports here is always challenged. We are just beginning April and there is a long season ahead.

Among the many optimist here below is one of my favorites, and remember, the world belongs to the optimist.

“Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.”
–Victor Hugo, Les Misérables.

Amaury Pi-González is the Spanish Voice of the Oakland Athletics, and a pioneer in establishing Spanish baseball radio in the Bay Area. Inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2010. Games are on KIQI 1010AM/990AM radio in the Bay Area and Northern California. They can also be heard in Spanish on the SAP on NBC Sports California. Total of 74 games (71 home games plus three on the road) from AT&T Park in San Francisco.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Cesar Chavez Day to be held on March 31st at the Coliseum

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

On Saturday March 31st, the Oakland Athletics will be celebrating a special day for César Chávez, the ex-UFW (United Farm Worker) leader. Over 200 members of his family, including his sister and son, will be there on the field for the ceremonial first pitch.

It is about time a Bay Area sports team chose to recognize such a great leader, which I happened to interview in the late 1970s in Salinas, for KOFY 1050 AM Radio Bay Area, during one of his famous marches.

Chávez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association. He was a very strong activist who defended the rights of legal migrant workers, who had to have a permit to come from Mexico and work on the fields back in the day. He was a man of great integrity and dignity. He passed in 1993, but members of his family will be honored on this special day at the Oakland Coliseum, home of the Oakland A’s, who are celebrating their 50th Anniversary in Oakland.

As a Hispanic, I said: “about time this man gets the recognition he deserved” and I applaud the Oakland A’s for being the first professional MLB team to do so.

Saludos,
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Oakland Athletics’ Spanish Announcer

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: 2018 MLB Predictions on West and East

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Photo credit: awfulannouncing.com

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

2017 was a great season for Major League Baseball, culminating with the Houston Astros defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers and winning their first-ever World Series.

After another great season in 2017, José Altuve will hang around for at least another seven years with the champs signing a brand-new $163.5 million contract on this month of March.

Many other exciting things happened in the 2017 season like the Minnesota Twins, who finished in last place in 2016, reaching the playoffs. The Cleveland Indians set a new American League record with 22 victories in a row. Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols reached the magical 600 home run mark. Pujols ranks #7 with 614 on the home run list and he is just 32 hits short of 3,000. Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltré reached 3,000 hits. The Los Angeles Dodgers won their fifth consecutive division title.

However, it wasn’t very good overall for our two local Bay Area teams, the Athletics and Giants, as both finished in last place. This was the first time they both finished as cellar-dwellers the same year. In 1995, they both ended up at the bottom with identical records of 67-77, but that season was shortened by a labor dispute.

So this is how I see this 2018 season that is just around the corner…

American League West
1. Houston Astros
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Texas Rangers
5. Oakland Athletics

The World Champion Astros are an easy pick to win this division again as they got even stronger after acquiring Gerrit Cole along with Justin Verlander.

The Angels picked up young Japanese prospect, Shohei Ohtani, considered by many as “The Babe Ruth of Japan.” Ohtani is a right-handed pitcher who hits left-handed with power. Angels also addressed their infield needs as they acquired Ian Kinsler who will play second base and Zack Cozart (shortstop). who will play at third for Mike Scioscia’s ball club. Scioscia will be on his 19th season as manager, at the start of this 2018 season, currently the longest consecutive tenure for a manager. The Angels watched the playoffs pass by them for the third consecutive season after finishing five games behind the Twins in the American League Wild Card race in 2017. They haven’t won a postseason game since 2009, even with the incomparable New Jersey native Mike Trout on their roster for the past six seasons. Trout is arguably the best player in the game. Because of an injury to his left thumb, Trout played in 114 games, hit .306, hit 33 home runs and drove in 72 runs.

For the Halos, their lone playoff appearance with Trout came in 2014, when they were swept by the Royals in the American League Division Series. Trout remains signed through 2020, but the Angels’ window to capitalize on the 26-year-old superstar in his prime is shrinking.

I had the pleasure of covering Trout for the past seven seasons in Anaheim since his rookie year. In my opinion, he is not only the best player in the game, but he is a great man who is talented, dedicated and always joyful to take the field. He is the whole package.

The biggest question mark for the Angels will be: Can their pitchers stay healthy?

They still have a young and talented rotation with Richards, Othani, Shoemaker, Heaney, Skaggs and Ramirez. They could go to a six-man rotation sometimes during the season, like when they have long stretches of consecutive days, without any days off. It will be fascinating to see how the young Ohtani will do and how would he be used.

I believe the Angels are a serious Wild Card contender. The Angel Stadium in Anaheim will be rocking this year, not only because they have Trout, but Pujols will begin the 2018 season with 614 home runs with the titles of only active player with over 600 and #7 on the top 10 all-time home run list. The Dominican is only 32 hits shy from 3,000.

Not to mention they were the team to sign Japanese super prospect, pitcher and hitter, Shohei Ohtani. The Angels will debut the third-largest electronic message board in baseball in Anaheim. All of this could make their owner, Arte Moreno, very happy this year, but most of all, contingent play all the way until October.

The Mariners are basically the same team as last season. 2017 was a disappointment. It looks like the great Felix “The King” Hernandez is not the same dominant pitcher. Also, most of their starting rotation has been hurt. They are still a great offensive team with Segura, Canó, Cruz, Seager and company, provides enough runs for them to stay in games, but just like the Angels, their pitching is suspect. Ichiro is returning to Seattle (his first team in 2001) on a one- year contract because the M’s said that he is going to play. Ichiro reportedly said he wants to play until he is 50. He is 44 to start the season.

The Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics have not been picked to win this division, but both teams have lots of talent. In this case, the A’s have a lot of younger talent compared to the Rangers. For Texas, Adrian Beltré, who reached the 3,000 hit mark last season, and a sure pick for Cooperstown, is on his last contractual year. Elvis Andrus, Joey Gallo and Rougned Odor provide solid leadership and offense. The starting rotation has four lefty starters: Cole Hamels, Martín Pérez, Mike Minor and Matt Moore. Their bullpen needs a boost. Bartolo Colón signed a minor league deal with the team, but we all know no team would sign Colón to play in the minor leagues. Well, at least not with his control.

Question: Who will play the longest, Colón or Ichiro? My bet is on Colon since the Dominican Republic native will be looking to win at least six more games so he could pass Nicaraguan Dennis “El Presidente”Martinez as the Latin pitcher with most wins in history (245). Dennis Martinez won two more games than Juan Marichal, who ended his Hall of Fame career with 243 wins. But even with Colon, a very-respectable number five pitcher on any rotation, the Rangers are likely going to be the underdogs this season. My guess, if Colón wins those six games, he will consider retirement.

The Oakland Athletics finished last for the third consecutive season in 2017 with a 75-87 record, but manager Bob Melvin was always an optimist with an abundance of hope.  One of the best home run hitting teams in baseball that plays in one of most difficult home run parks, Khris Davis returns for at least another year, as he signed for 2018, for $10.5 million. Davis hit 43 home runs and drove in 110 runs last season and is the highest paid player in the roster. Davis became the fifth A’s player to hit 40 home runs in a season, alongside Reginaldo Martinez “Reggie” Jackson, José Canseco, Mark McGwire and Jason Giambi.

Strong in the infield with a young, talented Matt Chapman at third and Matt Olson at first, at the corners–“The Matt Boys” supply lots of power. Marcus Semien will enter his sixth major league season and third with the A’s at shortstop. Veteran Jed Lowrie, who gives them an all-around performance at second base.

The A’s picked up Stephen Piscotty of the Cardinals to play in the outfield. He returns to the Bay Area after spending three years in St. Louis. He attended Stanford University.

The A’s also addressed their catching situation shortly after they signed veteran Jonathan Lucroy.

The A’s bullpen improved as they acquired left-handed pitcher Ryan Buchter, signed Yusmeiro Petit as a free agent and acquired right-handed pitcher and young hardthrower Emilio Pagán early after his season ended from Seattle on the trade that sent the talented Ryon Healy to the M’s.

Melvin will have a young pitching staff. The A’s are starting off as pitching challenged. Jharel Cotton will be out for the entire season with Tommy John surgery, To replace Cotton, they signed Trevor Cahill for this season. Yes, the same Cahill who began his career with the A’s in 2009 and was an 2010 All-Star in Arizona.

Another familiar face in Oakland is returning, lefty Brett Anderson  who pitched with the A’s from 2009 to 2013. Kendall Graveman will be their Opening Day starter for the second year in a row also against the Angels, followed by Sean Manaea, and then guys like Daniel Mengden, Andrew Triggs, Paul Blackburn will all be in the mix.

This year, it could be a challenge for Bob Melvin as well as pitching coach Scott Emerson when it comes to pitching and looking for the winning combination.

The A’s are a glorious franchise that dates to 1901 as a charter member of the American League as the Philadelphia Athletics. They have won nine World Championships, the third-most of all current MLB teams. Only Yankees and Cardinals have won more World Series than the A’s. The A’s have a young and powerful offense, they were the fourth team with most home runs last year, with 234. When a team can hit for power, like the young A’s, they are always entertaining.

Sure, the A’s could surprise us. After all, it is baseball, and there are always surprises each season. Some say, “What excitement these young guys will bring!” and that could be true as the sky is the limit especially for guys like Davis,Chapman,Olson. But at the end of the day, it will probably be another tough season for the Green and Gold.

Note: There’s a new attraction at the Coliseum called “The Treehouse,” which is a new destination area above the left field bleachers in the Oakland Coliseum that is set to debut during the 2018 season. The Treehouse will be open to all fans and will feature two full-service bars, standing-room and lounge seating, numerous televisions and pre and post game entertainment. In good conscience, I had to pick the A’s to finish last again, but I would love it if they were to prove me wrong.

Significant A’s note: Celebrating their 50th Anniversary in Oakland. On April 17, the A’s game vs. Chicago White Sox will provide free admission for everybody. During every Wednesday home game in the regular season, fans can pick the price they pay for their tickets. In addition, there will be more Fireworks at the Coliseum this season.

National League West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers

2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Colorado Rockies
4. San Francisco Giants

5. San Diego Padres

I do not see anybody better here than the Dodgers. Although, they will begin their season without their top clutch hitter and third baseman, Justin Turner, who was hit by a pitch in Spring Training on his left wrist, causing a fracture, but no surgery was necessary. He will begin 2018 on the DL.

I think the Dodgers will shoot for a sixth consecutive division title this year. 2018 is the last year on the contract for the best pitcher in the game Clayton Kershaw. With a solid offense, good defense, great bullpen, they should be able win the west.

Arizona is a serious candidate for a wild card as well as Colorado. Arizona signed Japanese right-handed reliever Yoshihisa Hirano as well as veteran catcher Alex Avila. This season, they should take advantage of a window of opportunity since outfielder A.J Pollock, and left-handed pitcher, Patrick Corbin, are eligible for free agency after the season. Their superstar first baseman, Paul Goldschmidt, is just two years away from the same situation.

The Rockies have a good young rotation, but lack a #1 pitcher, a stopper to halt losing streaks. Well-balanced, all-around players like Nolan Arenado–an MVP contender every year–are hard to come by. He finished 2017 with a .309 average, 37 home runs and 130 RBI. He became the first and only third baseman in history to win five Gold Gloves in his first five years in the majors.

Charlie Blackmon is arguably one of the best players in the game. The center fielder enjoyed a tremendous 2017 where he hit .331 with 37 homers and 104 batted in.

Ian Desmond and Carlos González were held back due to injuries, but are two solid players that could easily bounce back. The Rockies appear to hope to improve on the wild card finish they had last season. This Rockies team can hit anyplace, not only in Coors Field.

In 2017, the San Francisco Giants finished 64-98. This offseason, the Giants acquired veterans Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen to play in the outfield, while trying to complete revamping their outfield by picking up veteran Austin Jackson.

Madison Bumgarner was struck in his pitching hand by a line drive hit by Kansas City’s Whit Merrifield in the third inning of a game on March 23 and was diagnosed with a left hand fracture, so he will begin 2018 on the DL. Also, Jeff Samardzija will begin this season on the DL with strained pectoral muscles. That being said, the Giants need a healthy closer in Mark Melancon, who was on the DL three times in 2017.

Brandon Crawford and Brandon Bell, also known as “The Brandon Boys,” will need better years offensively. Longoria and McCutchen provide much-needed power to a team that finished last in both leagues last season with a puny 128 home runs and last in runs batted in with 612.

Although Buster Posey hit a solid .320, he only hit 12 home runs and drove in 67 runs. During his nine-year career with the Giants, only once has Posey drove in over 100 runs in 2012. Despite all that, Posey remains the face of this franchise.

Pablo Sandoval is looking for some at-bats to regain the magic he had during the Giants’ three World Championships. Every projected starting position player with the Giants, with the exception of second baseman Joe Panik, is in his 30’s.

At the beginning of Spring Training, the Giants signed left-handed reliever Tony Watson for two years, with a third year option. He is 32, so he fits right in with the Giants over 30 crowd.

It’s hard to believe that AT&T, once SBC and PAC Bell Park is 18 years old! I remember calling their first game there. The San Diego Padres, who finished in the cellar in 2016, passed them last year. The Friars’ big deal this offseason was signing free agent first baseman Eric Hosmer to a sweet eight-year, $144 million contract.

I would place the Giants on top of the Padres this season because they seem to have a deeper club, and they shall start the season with a healthy Madison Bumgarner, unlike 2017. The Padres deserve a lot of respect, they are an overall young club that’s continuing to improve.

The Giants will have to win 17 more games this year to reach the .500 mark with 81 wins. It will not be easy. But if they do, a wild card for Bruce Bochy’s Giants could be in sight.

In today’s game, it doesn’t matter if you win 100 games during the regular season as many teams have won just over 80 games and won the World Series.

Case and point: Last World Series they won in 2014, they ended season with 88-74.

Significant Giants note: On August 11, Barry Bonds’ #25 will be retired at AT&T Park, in a series against his first team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Rest

American League
East: The Boston Red Sox have to win this division, just because they have more pitching than the Yankees plus they also improved their offense signing free agent J.D. Martinez. The Yankees have a serious and perhaps the best bullpen in the world. However, the Red Sox’s starting rotation is much more superior, so I see the Yanks good for a Wild Card berth.

Central: I think the Cleveland Indians to win the division, and should be easy for the Tribe.

The Twins did great last year. This offseason, they signed underrated starter Lance Lynn, and they be back as a wild card. Look for their young-powerful third baseman Miguel Sanó to have a monster year. Also, Paul Molitor is an excellent skipper.

West: Houston Astros are going to win the division again. Angels, Yankees, Twins and Toronto will be among wild card contenders.

Duo to watch? Yankees’ Judge and Stanton. Together, they both could produce over 100 home runs.

National League
East: Washington Nationals on a class of their own, should win by 10 games, they won it by 20 last year. There is nobody close to them.

Mets would need two more Céspedes in their lineup, but their pitching should be good.

Central: The Chicago Cubs can win it again with St Louis coming in a close second.West: The Los Angeles Dodgers can win the division again. Arizona, Colorado, Milwaukee and San Francisco will be fighting for those wild cards.

Atlanta and Philadelphia should be better, fighting for .500 record.

World Series: Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals.
A’s Opening Day on March 29 vs. Los Angeles Angels at 1:05 pm PST.
Giants Opening Day on March 29 at Los Angeles Dodgers at 4:08 pm PST.

Play Ball!

Athletics in Spanish – Oakland A’S Baseball on KIQI 1010AM and KATD 990AM Spanish Language Radio, covering the Bay Area, Oakland,San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Stockton. Broadcast of 74 live A’s homes games.including three on the road from San Francisco. SAP in Spanish on TV.

Athletics in English – NBC Sports California/MLB Net/FOX Sports 1. Radio: 95.7 FM The Game, the flagship station for the Athletics Radio Network.

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News, and Commentary: Can A’s pitching hold up?; With Cotton out, AJ Puk being sent down won’t fill Puk’s roster spot

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Photo credit: @EndowPhoto

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 A lot of stuff was expected for A’s pitcher AJ Puk. He started spring without giving up a run in 10 innings, but on Wednesday gave up four runs and was reassigned to their minor league camp and will not likely replace A’s pitcher, Jharel Cotton, who is being placed on the DL for the rest of the season for Tommy John surgery.

#2 Puk, at one time, was being considered as the opening day starter but will be relegated to try and work his way back to the big club at the A’s Triple-A affiliate Nashville Sounds.

#3  Cotton, who tore his UCL Monday, will be preparing for surgery and his absence from the rotation will be felt by the pitching staff.

#4 A’s pitcher Sean Manaea is looking to having a great 2018. That’s all it takes is for someone to get going and maybe the others can follow.

#5 The A’s are looking at former Athletic pitchers Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill to make the club and help with some badly-needed pitching.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez is the Spanish play-by-play voice for Oakland A’s radio and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com