San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Stratton and Syndergaard engage in pitching duel, but Mets’ early hits hand the Giants a loss

Photo credit: @MLB_News247

On the SF Giants podcast with Morris:

San Francisco Giants starter Chris Stratton on Sunday pitched what would be called a quality start, but Stratton and the Giants lost the game to the New York Mets 4-1. Stratton pitched six innings, two runs, three hits, a walk and two strikeouts.

Stratton gave up a two run-homer to Michael Conforto and a double to Todd Frazier. The Mets’ starter Noah Syndergaard pitched his first complete game and gave up one run and two hits, walked one, and struck out a season-high 11. The Giants start a six-game road trip in Colorado and open up a three-game series in Milwaukee on Friday. Two teams the Giants face that are both in the run for postseason play in a crucial road trip for the Giants, who are trying to get some day light for postseason themselves.

Morris does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Piscotty’s inspiration on team is part of the reason for record run at postseason

Photo credit: @retrosimba

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

Oakland A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty’s home run total at 21 is a career-high and is truyly having a remarkable season at the plate. Piscotty was pronounced with 60 extra base hits in 2016 with the St. Louis Cardinals, but his hitting hit a slump in 2017 as Piscotty’s mom was suffering from ALS.

In the offseason, Piscotty worked out a deal moving from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Oakland A’s so he could be closer to his mother in Pleasanton, Calif. Piscotty cared for his mother after each home game, putting her to bed and feeding her.

Piscotty’s care for his mother Gretchen lasted until May at her passing and later Piscotty began to swing the bats with great production. The team was inspired and now the A’s are in the hunt for an AL West title.

Amaury does the A’s Spanish radio play-by-play, serves as vice president of the MLB Hispanic Heritage Museum Hall of Fame, and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Khris “Krush” Davis joins Jimmie Foxx in three straight years of hitting 40 home runs or more

photo from athleticsnation.com file: Oakland A’s slugger Khris Davis (2) joins former A’s slugger Jimmie Foxx for hitting at least 40 or more home runs per season for three consecutive years

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND — On Saturday September 1, 2018, Oakland Athletics’ designated hitter Khris Davis hit his 40th home run at the Oakland Coliseum against Seattle reliever Alex Colomé. Davis joined Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx (1932-34) of the Philadelphia Athletics as the only two players in three consecutive years to have 40 home run seasons in the A’s franchise. Khris Davis came to the A’s in 2016–that season he ended with 42 home runs and 102 runs batted in, 2017–43 home runs and 110 runs batted in, and as of the conclusion of Sept. 1–40 home runs and 105 runs batted in. Originally a left fielder, he is the A’s everyday DH. A quiet player that goes on with his business. Davis is a 30-year-old, Lakewood, Calif. native. His mother was born in Guadalajara, México. He has played on a “year to year” contract since he arrived with the A’s, making $10.5 million this season.

Here is the all-time list of players who have accomplished this feat: Babe Ruth, NYY 1926-32, Alex Rodriguez, 1998-2003, Sammy Sosa (1998-2003), Ken Griffey Jr. (1996-2000), Ralph Kiner (1947-1951), Ryan Howard (2006-09), Albert Pujols (2003-06), Jim Thome (2001-04), Mark McGwire (1996-99), Ernie Banks (1957-1960), Duke Snider (1953-56), David Ortiz (2004-06), Barry Bonds (2000-02), Vinny Castilla (1996-98), Andres Galarraga (1996-98), Juan Gonzalez (1996-98), Jay Buhner (1995-97), Frank Howard (1968-1970), Ted Kluszewski (1953-55), Eddie Mathews (1953-55), and of course, Jimmie Foxx (1932-34).

Listen to the A’s games on KIQI 1010AM/990AM in San Francisco, Oakland, San José, Sacramento, Stockton and the Valley. Also, on the SAP line on A’s television.

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: After dropping three of their last four, A’s looking to regroup against Mariners tonight

Photo credit: @Athletics

On the A’s podcast with Joey:

The A’s have lost three of their last four games. They played a challenging Houston team with a couple of one run games in the series and dropped the opening game of the current four-game series to the Seattle Mariners 7-1. A’s starter Frankie Montas got shelled on Thursday, surrendering five runs in the first inning. Montas left pitching six innnings, seven runs and eight hits.

The Mariners’ starter Wade LeBlanc pitched seven innings, holding the A’s to one run and three hits. The A’s were never a threat. The A’s only run accounted for a Jed Lowrie single in the eighth that scored Marcus Semien from second to break up LeBlanc’s shutout.

The Mike and Mike show: The A’s try it again tonight at the Oakland Coliseum. For Seattle, Mike Leake (8-8 ERA 4.03), and for Oakland, Mike Fiers (10-6 ERA 3.15) a 7:15 pm PDT first pitch.

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Astros avoid losing series to A’s; Cahill gets lit up for four runs in start

Photo credit: astros.mlblogs.com

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 The Houston Astros avoided dropping the three-game series to the visiting Oakland A’s on Wednesday at Minute Maid Field with one-run 5-4 win.

#2 The game changed hands until the Astros’ Tyler White hit a home run into the left field seats off A’s reliever Jeurys Familia for a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth.

#3 A’s pitcher Trevor Cahill continues to struggle on the road. Cahill went 3.1 innings, five hits, four runs and three unearned runs. Cahill’s record drops to 1-3 with a 6.92 ERA.

#4 The Astros would not be denied scoring twice in the first and after they got their streak snapped at six games on Tuesday night. The Astros have won six of their last seven games.

#5 The A’s leave Houston and head back to the Coliseum for Thursday night’s contest with the Seattle Mariners. A big series with Seattle in third and the A’s in second 5 1/2 games in front of Seattle in the AL West.

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s drop their second straight–have only lost back-to-back twice this season

sfgate.com photo: Oakland Athletics’ Matt Chapman sits on second base after doubling off Minnesota Twins pitcher Kohl Stewart in the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, in Minneapolis.

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman:

#1 The Oakland A’s have only lost back-to-back twice this season. The first time was last month when they lost to the Colorado Rockies and the second was when they lost to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday and to the Minnesota Twins 6-4 on Thursday night.

#2 The loss didn’t stop A’s slugger Khris Davis, who continues to go deep, hitting his 39th home run and his fourth dinger in five games.

#3 The Twins, who had lost some players, are still coming to play and brought it on Thursday as they knocked around A’s starter Trevor Cahill for five runs and Cahill continues to struggle on the road.

#4 A’s catcher Jonathan Lucroy said following the game that they’ll be back out to try and turn things around and get the Twins in game two of the four-game series on Friday night.

#5 The A’s will need a little of everything some solid starting pitching and some key hitting to get back in the win column in a crucial road trip to try to stay neck-and-neck with the first-place Houston Astros.

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

 

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Jackson couldn’t figure out Rangers’ lineup Wednesday; Melvin pleased with 6-3 homestand

Photo credit: @Athletics

On the A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 The A’s had the Texas Rangers down on the mat for the final count, but just couldn’t pin the Rangers down for a win in game three of the three-game series and saw some good pitching from Rangers’ starter Mike Minor on Wednesday afternoon. Minor went six innings, one hit, four strikeouts, and one walk.

#2 The Rangers also struck early with runs in the top of the first and the third. Shin-Soo Choo set the tone early with a first pitch of the game, a home run off A’s starter Edwin Jackson. For Choo, it was his 21st home run of the season, a blast in the left field bleachers.

#3 A’s starter Edwin Jackson struggled going four-plus, seven hits, four runs, three walks and two strikeouts. Jackson, who had been going well before Wednesday, just couldn’t get tracked against the Rangers’ lineup.

#4 Despite the loss, A’s manager Bob Melvin said during the postgame presser he was happy with the homestand as the A’s won series meetings with the Mariners, Astros, and Rangers, going 6-3 at home.

#5 The A’s open a seven-game road trip starting tonight in Minnesota then head to Houston on Monday in crucial games as the A’s are just one game behind the Astros in the AL West.

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s win homestand, start seven-game road trip Thursday

Photo credit: @MLB

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie said the 12 games from August 10th to 22nd were the most important games of the season. In Charlie’s opinion, how did the A’s do in those games?

#2 What does the schedule look like for the next two weeks for the A’s?

#3 The 2019 season schedule was released today. Any thoughts on next year’s schedule?

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Baseball…A Hispanic World!

Photo credit: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The last national census was taken in 2010 and the next one is scheduled for 2020. As of July 1, 2016, the HIspanic population in the United States was 57.5 million. This is the largest ethnic or racial majority in the country with around 18 percent. In the Bay Area in 2010, over 1.6 million Hispanic resided in nine counties for 23.5%, which is over six million people. Today’s estimates are between 1.8 and 2 million Hispanics who have made the Bay Area their home.

Baseball is no different. According to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), 27.4 percent of all players in the Major Leagues were Hispanic as of 2016.

On Sunday, September 9, the Oakland Athletics will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Day. During this season at the Club Level entrance at the Oakland Coliseum, there is big mural from the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame–a non-profit organization founded in San Francisco in 1998–dedicated to the research, history and recognition of all Hispanic players. On that mural, fans can enjoy flags of Latin American countries and some of the history of the contributions made to baseball by Latinos. On that day, the A’s will be giving a Sugar Skull Bobblehead to the first 35,000 fans.

Currently, the A’s have one position player and three pitchers of Hispanic descent. The brilliant rookie outfielder Ramón Laureano, who is 23 years old, was born in the Dominican Republic, relievers Yusmeiro Petit from Venezuela, and Jeurys Familia and Fernando Rodney from the D.R. plus Emilio Pagán, who is of Puerto Rico descent, and Lou Trivino, who is of Ecuadorian descent. Santiago Casilla was also with the A’s this season from the D.R. and young infielder Franklin Barreto, who was born in Venezuela, future A’s second baseman.

The Latino presence is palpable with upbeat salsa music playing before a game in the clubhouse. The Texas Rangers, who played a three-game series in Oakland, had a regular starting lineup featuring Ronald Guzmán, Rougned Odor, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltré, Nomar Mazara, Carlo Tocci, Robinson Chirinos and in some cases, the ageless 45 year-old Bartolo Colón or the 22-year-old rookie Ariel Jurado from Panamá.

Some of the biggest Hispanic stars in the game are J.D Martínez, José Altuve, Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor, José Ramírez, Carlos Correa and more.

The World Baseball Classic showcases to the world the great passion for this game from their biggest protagonists: Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Cuba and México. Baseball is played more and more around the world. Latinos have some of the greatest history to go along from Cuban-born pitcher Adolfo Luqye, who in 1923 with the Cincinnati Reds finished with a 27-3 record and 1.93 ERA, pitching 322 innings to the great “Cometa de Carolina” with Roberto Clemente.

The influx of Hispanic players will continue to increase in years to come.

Listen to the A’s in Spanish on KIQI 1010 AM/990 AM, covering the Bay Area, Sacramento, Stockton and The Valley. Also, on the SAP on your television as NBC Sports California.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Davis getting close to setting some home run records

Photo credit: @numberFire

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 The Oakland A’s Khris Davis hit two home runs on Sunday and both of them coming off Houston Astros’ starter Justin Verlander. Davis needs five more to break Mark McGwire’s record for home runs in three consecutive seasons at 125 through 1995-97.

#2 Davis is also in position to join former Philadelphia Athletic Jimmie Foxx (1932-34) to hit 40 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons. Davis needs four more home runs to achieve that status.

#3 Verlander pitching against the A’s got the win (12-8) going five plus innings, seven hits, four earned runs, one walk and six strikeouts. We ask Amaury was it a matter of Verlander being dominate or were the A’s hitters just a little off on Sunday.

#4 It’s an A’s lineup that has everybody doing something: Nick Martini .300, Matt Chapman .276, Jed Lowrie .270, and Khris Davis .259.

#5 The A’s will start pitcher Mike Fiers (8-6) to open the three-game series against the Texas Rangers tonight at the Coliseum.

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