Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Pitching of Rays’ Morton was worth his salt; A’s get clobbered 6-2

Photo credit: @Rays

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Charlie Morton stayed undefeated with a 6-2 win over the visiting Oakland A’s at Tropicana Field. Morton improved his record to a perfect 8-0, 2.10 ERA.

#2 The Rays improved their overall record in first place in the AL East, a half game up on the New York Yankees.

#3 The Rays also have won six of their last seven games and are the hottest team in baseball 41-24.

#4  The exhausted A’s didn’t get into Florida until 3 AM for the 7 PM game. The A’s, who played in Texas on Sunday, had their flight delayed and got out very late for the Tampa Bay touchdown. The team’s plane got damaged, which caused their flight even further. They played a doubleheader on Saturday before leaving Texas on Sunday and manager Bob Melvin said the team had five straight power naps.

#5 A’s starter Mike Fiers (5-3, 4.76 ERA) and the Rays will start Ryne Staneck (0-1 ERA 2.78) , the Rays are getting the best consistent pitching in baseball right now.

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s get swept up in a double dip by nemesis Texas

photo from sfgate.com: Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson reaches up but is unable to catch the throw to the bag as Texas Rangers’ Delino DeShields (3) sprints to first in the fourth inning of the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, June 8, 2019. DeShields reached on the throwing error by Athletics third baseman Chad Pinder. …

On the A’s podcast with Joey:

#1 The Oakland A’s got swept in a doubleheader on Saturday by the Texas Rangers after the A’s had won three of their last four games. A’s dropped the first game at the Ball Park in Arlington 10-5 the A’s starter Paul Blackburn struggled to get hitters out.

#2 The Rangers wasted no time scoring three runs in the first and two runs in the third inning to start a 5-0 lead.

#3 The A’s a team never to give in scored four runs in the top of the fourth but their pitching collapsed in the bottom of the fifth surrendering four runs and the Rangers with the eventual win in the front game.

#4 In the night cap the A’s got some good pitching out of starter Chris Bassitt who went 5.2 innings, five hits, three earned runs and five strike outs but it wasn’t enough as the A’s offense couldn’t get Bassitt any runs in the 3-1 loss.

#5 A’s and Rangers mix it up again Sunday in the conclusion of the four game series the A’s will be starting Frankie Montas (7-2 ERA 2.83) and for the Texas Rangers Drew Smyly (1-4 ERA 7.93)

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Four lead changes ends up in Halos’ 10-9 win over A’s

Photo credit: @KPODFM

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 The A’s lead by 7-5 until the Angels came back to take a 8-7 lead, but the A’s, who never give up, scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to take a 9-8 lead over the Angels. It ain’t over til it’s over and the Angels rallied scoring two runs to get by Oakland 10-9.

#2 Khris Davis is swing the bats like he’s never been out of the game with an hit and an RBI. Bob Melvin has to be glad Davis is back in the lineup.

#3 The Angels reliever Ty Buttrey gave up two runs to help the A’s to the lead. Buttrey pitched 1,2 innings, three hits and two runs for the loss.

#4 A big offensive night for Marcus Semien with three hits, two runs and three RBIs.

#5 A’s and Texas Rangers open their series on Friday night in Arlington. The A’s have not yet announced a starter and the Rangers have starter Lance Lynn (7-4, 4.50 ERA). It’s the A’s and Rangers Friday night at Globe Life Park.

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

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Warriors’ Green looked as the “quarterback” of the team; A’s look to have a better week on 9-game road trip; plus more

Photo credit: @nbastats

On Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 How key has Golden State’s Draymond Green for this Golden State team? He has been called the quarterback of the team.

#2 Green was called for a foul on the Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam. It was Green who said he would stop Siakam after he scored 32 points on Green in Game 1 and got an earful from rapper Drake on the way back to the dressing room after the game.

#3 What happened to the A’s? They’ve lost five straight games after winning 10 straight and are in Anaheim vs. the LA Angels for three straight games the A’s snapped the losing streak with a win over the Angels on Tuesday night.

#4  The Philadelphia Phillies’ Jay Bruce was added to their lineup for some power, but low and behold former San Francisco Giants outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who tore his ACL and will be out for the rest of the season. The Phillies, who are in first place by a half game over the Braves, will miss McCutchen’s bat out of the lineup.

#5 Back to basketball, how does Golden State handle the absence of a couple of their key players Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant?

London Marq does the Headline Sports podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s try to figure how to snap out of funk; Keuchel’s the hot commodity as free agent; plus more

Photo credit: crawfishboxes.com

Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez:

#1 The A’s are in the middle of a five-game losing streak. They took Monday off and open up a road trip in Anaheim and Texas after getting swept by Houston. Is this a laundry list of things that manager Bob Melvin has to be concerned about?

#2 Frankie Montas will start on Tuesday night and has pretty much been the bright note in the A’s pitching rotation at 6-2, 2.81 ERA. Sometimes, it takes a spark to get things going again and Montas has had some games where he has been lights out.

#3 Free agent Dallas Keuchel is still up for grabs. He hasn’t pitched all season. Once signed, could he jump right in and help a ball club right away?

#4 Another free agent is the former Boston Red Sox pitcher Craig Kimbrel, who can also help a club. He hasn’t thrown a pitch since the World Series. Could Kimbrel be ready once he’s called on.

#5 The Giants are playing on the road this past week against two last place clubs, including the Baltimore Orioles. What does getting a couple win off the Orioles mean for the Giants after struggling much of this season and opened up the series in New York with a 9-3 win over the Mets ?

Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez this week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s try to end 5-game skid as they open 5-game road trip Tuesday

Photo credit: theathletic.com

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The A’s are in the midst of a six-game skid. The Houston Astros will do that for a club after the A’s took a three-game sweep.

#2 The series with the Astros saw two ejections on Saturday as the A’s Marcus Seimen was thrown out for arguing that a ball he hit was fair, but ruled foul, then on Sunday, the A’s Stephen Piscotty took a third strike that he protested and was thrown out arguing balls and strikes.

#3 The A’s got through a 10-game win streak and now have gone the other way. What does manager Bob Melvin tell the club at this point?

#4  The A’s Matt Chapman said after Sunday’s game that the Astros have had the A’s number all season long.

#5 The A’s open up a road trip in Los Angeles and Texas for Tuesday night in Anaheim. The A’s will start Frankie Montas (6-2, 2.81 ERA) vs. the Angels Griffin Canning (2-1, 3.06 ERA).

Charlie O does the Oakland A’s podcasts for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s have dropped three straight, what changed between now and their 10-game win streak?

photo from houstonchronicle.com: The Houston Astros’ Derek Fisher (21) crosses the plate past Oakland A’s catcher Josh Phegley (19) after Fisher’s eighth inning home run at the Oakland Coliseum on Friday night.

On the A’s podcast with Joey:

#1 The A’s lost again a tough one with A’s pitcher Mike Fiers going with a 2-0 lead, but the Astros touched him up in the top of the seventh for two runs to tie the game and he was then lifted for reliever Lou Trivino.

#2 The Houston Astros have a potent lineup and even with a two-run A’s lead, the Astros are very unpredictable when they could break out the bats.

#3 The A’s kept Astros hitter Michael Brantley ,who was hitting in three hole at bay. Brantley hit .329 and went 1-4 on Friday night.

#4 How tough is this third straight loss after the A’s had won 10 straight games?

#5 For Saturday night’s starters: Houston Astros’ Justin Verlander (8-2) vs. the A’s Brett Anderson (6-3)

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

Preview of the A’s series with the Astros this weekend

click2houston.com file photo: Carlos Correa #1 of the Houston Astros reacts after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the 2017 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 29, 2017 in Houston, Texas.

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Houston Astros will be in town to play three games against the A’s this weekend. The Astros are in first place in the AL West. The Astros have a record of 37-20 and have a comfortable 7 1/2 game lead on the second-place Oakland A’s who are 29-27. The A’s and Astros have played five times this year, and the Astros lead the series 4-1.

The Astros, who won the 2017 World Series, are loaded. They have several All-Stars on the team, but they have been bitten by the injury bug. Jose Altuve, who was the 2017 MVP, is on the 10-day IL with a hamstring strain. There are reports that he will be coming off the IL on Friday.

The strangest injury is to Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, who said he fractured his rib while getting a massage at his home.

“I’m extremely disappointed about not being on the field with my teammates. I sustained the rib fracture during a massage at my home on Tuesday,” Correa said.

Correa added that getting the injury the way he did was strange and unusual.

“To sustain an injury in such an unusual way makes it even more frustrating. However, I will work hard to get back on the field as quickly as possible to help our team achieve our goal of winning another championship.”

Correa is expected to miss four to six weeks of action.

The shortstop, went on the IL yesterday with a broken rib. The injury occurred while he was getting a massage in his Houston home. He will be out for four to six weeks.

Centerfielder George Springer has a grade two left hamstring strain and will not play this weekend.

Aledmys Diaz, who was filling in for Altuve at second base, is also on the 10-day IL with a hamstring strain.

Nevertheless, the Astros are still an excellent team. They have a solid rotation featuring Justin Verlander, a former Cy Young award winner and MVP, Gerrit Cole, Brad Peacock, and Wade Miley. Their bullpen is solid with Will Harris, Chris Devenski, and closer Roberto Osuna.

The Astros probably will move Alex Bregman from third to shortstop. Bregman is a power hitter and will be a candidate for MVP this year. First baseman Yuli Guriel will move from first to third. The Astros brought up Jack Mayfield to play second. Tyler White will fill-in at first.

The Astros signed Michael Brantley as a free agent. He is playing well in left field. Jake Marisnick will be in centerfield, and former A’s fan favorite, Josh Reddick will be on patrol in right field. Reddick is having a solid season for Houston and is one of the reasons the Astros are in first place.

The A’s will face Brad Peacock on Friday night. The former A’s pitcher found a home in Houston and has really improved. Peacock is 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA. He pitches well in night games as he has an ERA of just 1.38. Peacock is 3-0 since going to a full windup. Mike Fiers will go for the A’s. Fiers is 4-3 with a 5.00 ERA. Fiers is 1-2 with a 7.32 ERA in four career starts against Houston.

The A’s will have to be on the top of their game as they face Justin Verlander on Saturday and Gerrit Cole on Sunday. Lefty Brett Anderson (6-3, 3.86 ERA) has been consistent for Oakland this year and has gone six innings or more in four of his last five starts. Chris Bassitt (3-1, 3.27 ERA) starts on Sunday.

The A’s, who won 10 in a row before being beaten in the last two games by the LA Angels, would like to get back on the winning track against the Astros. It may be difficult, but the A’s have players that can do a lot of damage. Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Marcus Semien, Stephen Piscotty, Mark Canha, and Josh Phegley all can send the ball flying out of the park. The A’s DH Khris Davis may return soon.

The A’s have played solid defense this season, and the offense can be formidable. The starting rotation has been better of late. The bullpen has had its ups and downs, but it is still one of the better ones in the American League.

The A’s would like to take two out three from the Astros. The club would love to have the stand packed to see two good teams have a go at it.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s get the long ball from Chapman and Canha

photo from sfgate.com: Oakland Athletics’ Matt Chapman, right, is congratulated by Robbie Grossman (8) after hitting a two-run home run off Seattle Mariners pitcher Mike Leake in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 26, 2019, in Oakland, Calif.

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 How annoying in the A’s win streak was that game that was canceled on the count of no rain in Detroit two Sundays ago that very well could have been win number 4 and the A’s could have 11 straight on Monday?

#2 During the Mariners series in Oakland, there was little doubt that the struggle they had with them in Seattle to start the road trip last week was on their minds.

#3 The A’s got off to a shaky start after opening up their season in Tokyo. To go from a regular season line up with a 15-hour time difference and then revert to the preseason. Was that all part of their rough start?

#4 Charlie O, you said this was going to be a good A’s team at sometime this season with all the talent they have here with Canha, Semien, Chapman, Olson, Profar, Laureano, and Phegley, that they were eventually were go to break out the bats.

#5 Mariners manager Scott Servais got tossed for arguing a challenge call in the bottom of the seventh inning that saw Canha slide into second that he felt was an out. Later, the A’s got two runs on M’s shortstop Roenis Elias’ error and Profar later hit a groundout RBI. A’s manager Bob Melvin said he would have argued the umpiring crew waited to long to make a decision on the play.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Welcome back Amaury after two months off from surgery; Amaury talks about A’s win streak

twitter.com file photo: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez (left) with broadcast partner Manolo Hernandez Douen (right) prepare to call another Oakland Athletics game in Spanish at the Oakland Coliseum.

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

#1 Amaury you were out for some two months after one of the longest layoffs in your broadcast career. What was that like being away from the mic?

#2 The A’s are currently on one of the longest streaks they’ve had in recent memory. It’s early, but folks have been talking about that 2002 season when they won 20 straight games

#3 In order to put together a win steak like that, you have to have a lot of things working for you and they’ve been getting timely hitting and long ball help from Mark Canha in place of injured Khris Davis.

#4 The Oakland A’s story has almost overshadowed the Golden State Warriors and their NBA Finals appearance starting in Toronto on Thursday night

#5 Amaury, you covered the Stanley Cup Final three years ago when the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins teed it up, This year, San Jose missed the finals by this much and now it’s going to be the St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins. What was it like to be there at a very electric Stanley Cup Final when you got to cover it three years ago?

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for Oakland A’s baseball on KIQI 1010 San Francisco, the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum, and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com