MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum: Braves and Phillies battling in NL East, Cardinals and Brewers battling in NL Central ; A’s can move into first today…if they can beat Houston

Photo credit: @Cardinals

On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel:

1 Pennant race deck getting shuffled–Braves, Cardinals making a move in NL, Houston trying to hang on in AL.

2 Swingin’ A’s tied for first in AL West, take first two of weekend series against Astros.

3 Tigers add Nolan Blackwood as player to be named later in deal with A’s for Mike Fiers.

4 Matt Harvey takes no-hitter into the sixth, Reds beat Bumgarner, Giants 7-1.

5 Indians retire Jim Thome’s #25.

Daniel Dullum does the MLB podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s giving Astros a good run as Houston just hanging on by two games with five key injuries

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On the A’s podcast with Joey:

How tight will this race go in the American League West? The Houston Astros are holding onto a two-game lead over the Oakland A’s, who open a very tight playoff-like series tonight at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s have fallen to the Astros in all of their meetings at the Coliseum this season in the month of May and June and are hoping to turn that around. The A’s swept the Astros the last time the two teams met at Minute Maid Field.

The A’s Brett Anderson last Wednesday (the A’s had Thursday off) pitched 7.2 innings, going 7.2 innings, five hits and two strikeouts in a brilliantly pitched game at the Coliseum that went 12 innings. The Astros are snake-bitten right now with injuries to second baseman Jose Altuve (knee), outfielder Jake Marisnick (groin), catcher Brian McCain (knee), pitcher Lance McCullers (forearm) and shortstop Carlos Correa (back). Will these missing Astros help give the A’s an advantage?

Here are the starting pitchers for tonight: For the A’s, Edwin Jackson (4-2), and for the Astros, Charlie Morton (12-3).

Joey does the A’s podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s nearly sweep Mariners in another exciting series: Oakland opens up against Houston Friday night for 3 games

Photo credit: @Athletics

On the A’s podcast with Jerry:

The Oakland A’s nearly got a three game sweep past the Seattle Mariners in a battle that lasted 12 innings on Thursday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. In a pitchers duel, the entire ballgame went 0-0 until the bottom of the ninth when the M’s Dee Gordon lifted a two-run homer just over the center right field fence for the 2-0 lead and eventual win.

A pair of pitchers dueled it out in their starting performances the Seattle Mariners’ Mark Leake, who went eight innings, two hits and one walk, and for Oakland, Brett Anderson 7.2 innings, five hits, and two strikeouts. The A’s got excellent relief help from pitchers Lou Trevino, Fernando Rodney, and Jeurys Familia. A’s reliever Yusmerio Petit drew the short straw, giving up the two-run homer to Gordon for the 2-0 loss.

The A’s have the day off and get ready for the Astros on Friday night at the Coliseum.

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Lots of chatter about postseason for A’s; Race tightens in the AL West

Photo credit: @Athletics

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

1) A’s fans now are talking about winning the Western Division, not just making the Wild Card Game. Is that a realistic goal for this Oakland team?

2) Last week, you said that August 10th to the 22nd were the 12 most important days of the 2018 season for the A’s. Do you still feel that way? How are they doing so far?

3) The Seattle Mariners have been on the move and are nipping at the A’s heels just 2.5 games back in the standings. On Tuesday night, the M’s got Robinson Cano back after his long suspension. What kind of impact will Cano make on his team?

4) A’s players are making appeals to fans to come out and see them play. Why aren’t the fans filling the seats at the Coliseum?

5) There is a group called the Portland Diamond Project that is drawing up plans for potential downtown ballparks in Portland. Should Bay Area fans be worried about that group?

6) The A’s announced on Tuesday the establishment of the Athletics Hall of Fame. What are thoughts about the concept and the Class of 2018?

Charlie O does the A’s podcasts each Tuesday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: A’s now 2 1/2 behind first-place Astros; A’s open nine-game homestand tonight

Photo credit: @Athletics

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 The Oakland A’s new ticket plan called “A’s Access” gives the fans the opportunity to buy passes to all games for low ticket prices. It gives the working, middle-class a chance to buy affordable tickets at lower prices.

#2 The A’s continue they’re winning ways getting a 8-7 win over the LA Angels and are now closing in on the Houston Astros for first-place in the AL West. The A’s are now just 2 1/2 games back.

#3 The A’s recent acquisitions of pitchers like Fernando Rodney, Jeurys Familia, Shawn Kelly, and Mike Fiers, put the A’s in a very good place to go deep in the postseason.

#4 The A’s open a long homestand tonight against the Seattle Mariners. M’s Marco Gonzalez (12-7) against the A’s Sean Manaea (10-8).

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s on the road for brief three-game series in Anaheim; Oakland coming off 7-1 homestand

Photo credit: @KPOD1240AM

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman:

The Oakland A’s went 7-1 on their last homestand against the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was like the A’s were a knife going through butter as they made it look so easy. The A’s are playing with a lot of confidence and after acquisitions of pitchers Mike Fiers from Detroit, Sean Kelly from Washington, Jeurys Familia from the New York Mets, and picking up Fernando Rodney from Minnesota on Thursday night, the A’s have a real pitching nucleus.

Fiers, who pitched on Wednesday night for five innings plus, didn’t get the win, but was instrumental with 5.1 innings, four hits, one earned run, and eight strikeouts. A’s third baseman Jed Lowrie started working on his leg by doing sprints, treadmill, and lower body workouts.

Tonight, the A’s open a three-game series in Angels Stadium as they’ll start Brett Anderson (2-3, 4.64 ERA) going up against the Angels Felix Pena (1-3, 4.97 ERA).

Joey does the A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Sources–A’s not happy with flagship station The Game; Fiers and his pitching debut for A’s; plus more

Photo credit: @Athletics

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry:

The Oakland A’s front office according to sources say they’re not too happy with their flagship station, The Game 95.7, because the station is dedicating too much time to the San Francisco Giants and less airtime for the A’s. The A’s are the hottest team in baseball. According to the source, are asking what do they have to do to get more airtime on their own flagship station? Do they have to play like the 1927 New York Yankees?

The A’s starter Mike Fiers, making his A’s pitching debut on Wednesday night pitched himself a game with some good off speed pitches, painted the corners, worked a pitch that dropped to the bottom of the strike zone, and kept the Los Angeles Dodgers off balance all night, which is no easy task for five-plus innings.

The A’s, who had a six game win streak going into Tuesday night’s game, but lost 4-2; but still monumental with the winningest record in baseball. The Dodgers are no pushovers as they’re hanging in there with Arizona a half-game back and the footsteps of the Colorado Rockies just two games behind. There’s some competition to be had in the NL West.

Jerry Feitelberg does the A’s beat and does the podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: A’s proving to be buyers, getting Kelly and Fiers; Halos’ Trout out day-to-day with wrist injury; Willie Mac takes the plunge at 80

Photo credit: @SFGiants

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary:

#1 The Oakland A’s are loading up proving that their buyers and they’re trying to seal the deal for the post season as they acquired pitchers from the Washington Nationals, Sean Kelly, and from the Detroit Tigers, Mike Fiers, this past week.

#2 The Los Angeles Angels’ outfielder Mike Trout is suffering from a right wrist contusion after an awkward slide last Wednesday to avoid a tag from the Tampa Bay Rays’ third baseman Matt Duffy. Trout will be day-to-day, according to Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia.

#3 Former San Francisco Giant first baseman and Hall of Fame legend Willie McCovey got married for the second time–his first marriage in the 1960s–with his longtime girlfriend Estela last week. McCovey had a great career and he was the other fence buster with his former teammate Willie Mays during the great ’60s.

#4 The Chicago Cubs’ Javier Baez hit a curve ball in the sixth inning in Monday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals for his 25th home run of the season. Baez now has three home runs in his last four games.

#5 The Houston Astros are on pace to win 100 games as they came back in the top of the ninth down 1-0 and got a three-run home run from Marwin Gonzalez for the 3-1 win at AT&T Park over the San Francisco Giants. There are three teams in MLB on the 100-win pace: the Boston Red Sox (113 wins), the New York Yankees (100 wins), and the Astros (101 wins).

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish play-by-play announcer, the vice president of the MLB Hispanic Heritage Museum Hall of Fame, and does News and Commentary each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Daniel Dullum: Giants’ injuries mounting, key players missing; Angels’ manager Scioscia to retire after 19 years; A’s win streak hits at 5 games

Photo credit: @MLB

On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel:

1 Giants try to salvage final game of series vs. Diamondbacks. Buster Posey passes concussion test and was back in the Giants’ lineup on Sunday. Giants have mounting injuries to key players.

2 Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia will review stepping down after 19 years at the helm.

3 A’s rookie Ramon Laureano is the hero in Friday’s 13-inning win over Detroit. Swingin’ A’s keep rolling.

4 Astros’ All-Star Alex Bregman rips President Trump over LeBron James’ tweet.

5 Mets offers its fans free therapy to cope with team’s woes.

Daniel Dullum does it all–reporter covering Giants baseball in Arizona and does the MLB podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

MLB The Show podcast with Matt Harrington: How bad is Posey’s concussion?; Have the Mariners derailed?; Astros edge Dodgers Friday in World Series reunion

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On the MLB The Show podcast with Matt:

#1 Talk about taking one for the team on Friday night! San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey took one for the team as the Arizona Diamondbacks Paul Goldschmidt hit a foul tip right into Posey’s mask. It rung Posey’s head so much that he had to be helped to the dugout by the trainer. Posey might be in his closing days as a catcher.

#2 The Seattle Mariners have completely derailed! They lost their fourth straight game and dropped the first two games of this four game series with the Toronto Blue Jays 7-2. The M’s are now 1 1/2 games back of the A’s for the AL Wild Card race.

#3 The Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers had a 2017 World Series reunion with the Astros taking the first game of the series 2-1 on Friday night. The Astros’ starter Justin Verlander struck out 14 hitters to keep the Dodgers under control.

#4 The Chicago Cubs continued their winning ways with a one-run win over the San Diego Padres 5-4. The Cubs are holding onto first place in the NL Central with a one-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs’ Javier Baez hit his 23rd home run of the season, tying Baez’ all time best for homers.

#5 The Oakland A’s Ramon Laureano got a walkoff base hit that won it for the A’s in 13 innings as the A’s shutout the Detroit Tigers 1-0. The A’s continued to pour it on being the hottest team in baseball. The A’s are only five games back in the AL West of the Atlanta Braves.

Matt Harrington does the MLB The Show each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com