Tag: Bob Melvin

A’s hit five homers, but still lose 6-5 to Seattle in extra innings

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

photo sfgate.com: In this multiple-exposure photo, Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 13, 2019, in Seattle.

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s were in Seattle to start a nine-game road trip. Mike Fiers, who pitched a no-hitter against Cincinnati last Tuesday, started for the A’s. The Seattle Mariners countered with lefty Yusei Kikuchi. Fiers lost his bid for a second no-hitter in the first inning when Mitch Haniger led off with a solo blast.

The A’s hitters hit four solo homers to give the A’s a 4-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. The M’s tied the game in the 8th when they scored three runs. The A’s reclaimed the lead when Ramon Laureano hit a solo home run with two out in the top of the tenth. It was the A’s fifth dinger of the night. The M’s answered with two runs in their half of the tenth to win 6-5.

The A’s had home runs from Mark Canha in the second, Khris Davis in the sixth and in the eighth, Matt Olson in the seventh, and Laureano in the 10th.

The M’s scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game. Trivino walked Haniger to start the frame. Haniger was erased on a fielder’s choice. The next hitter, the ever-dangerous Edwin Encarnacion, walked on a 3-2 pitch.

The pitch was over the lower part of the plate and above the knees, but the home plate umpire called it a ball. A’s manager Bob Melvin was seen screaming at the umpire from the dugout. The next hitter, big Daniel Vogelbach, hit Trivino’s pitch over the 401-foot marker in center field to tie the game. Melvin went after the ump again and was tossed out of the game.

As mentioned above, Laureano homered with two out in the tenth to give Oakland the short-lived lead. Joakim Soria, who struck out the side in the ninth, issued a walk to Vogelbach with two out in the inning.

The Mariners had the speedy Dee Gordon run for Vogelbach. Gordon then stole second to get into scoring position. Domingo Santana doubled to left to drive in Gordon with the tying run. M’s catcher Omar Narvaez singled to end the game as the M’s won 6-5.

Game Notes: Mike Fiers went five innings and allowed just two hits and one run. Yusmeiro Petit did not allow a run in his two innings of work. Trevino allowed three runs, and Soria took the loss.

Up Next: The A’s conclude the two-game series Tuesday night in Seattle. Brett Anderson goes for Oakland, and he will be opposed by Seattle’s Mike Leake.

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s get that walkoff feeling as the comeback team in series with Cleveland

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo from mercurynews.com: Oakland Athletics reliever Liam Hendriks (16) throws in the ninth inning of their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 4, 2019.

On the A’s podcast with Joey:

#1 The Oakland A’s came away on Saturday with their second straight walkoff win over Cleveland in a narrow 2-1 win. In baseball, the critics once said signs of a good club is one that can come back from behind.

#2 The A’s have improved their home record to 14-9 at the Coliseum and have taken the first two games of this current series with Cleveland.

#3 The Oakland A’s Liam Hendricks, who started the ballgame as an opener, succeeded in striking out a batter, surrendering one hit and pitching one inning the opener concept in this one worked out.

#4 The A’s reliever Aaron Brooks came in the second inning and pitched four innings giving up four hits and striking out four and his game plan worked out in setting the Cleveland order down.

#5 The A’s and Cleveland conclude this three-game series at the Coliseum. Jefry Rodriguez (0-2, 2.41 ERA) he’ll counter against newly recalled Daniel Mengden (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who was just recalled from the A’s triple A affiliate Las Vegas.

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

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

Published on by Sports Radio Service2 Comments

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.

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Fiers’ no-hitter was the 300th in MLB history; Cubs looking for fan who made racist gesture; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @NBCSAuthentic

On the Headline Sports podcast with London Marq:

#1 Oakland A’s pitcher Mike Fiers made history pitching in baseball’s 300th no-hitter on Tuesday night against the Cincinnati Reds at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 The Chicago Cubs are investigating the fan who flashed a “white power” sign behind Cubs broadcaster Doug Glanville, who is black, on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. The interpretation of the gesture an upside down OK sign is a racist gesture used by white nationalist trolls. The Cubs say once they identify this fan, he will be banned for life from Wrigley Field.

#3 How important is it that former Oakland Raider and San Francisco 49er Jerry Rice be named as NFL Ambassador for the NFL Academy in London with other football greats?

#4 San Francisco Giants Mac Williamson, who suffered a concussion in April 2018, has said that for safety reasons, the Giants should remove the bullpen mounds from the field. Williamson tripped on one of the mounds for the concussion.

#5 The series is all tied up 2-2 between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. Game 5 is at Oracle Arena in Oakland. London sets up the game prediction.

London Marq does Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Fiers’ no-hitter against Reds is lights out after 1:38 delay in 2-0 win

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

photo credit nbcsports.com screen shot by @adriangarro: Oakland A’s pitcher Mike Fiers is exuberant after tossing a complete, no hit game against the Cincinnati Reds as A’s catcher Josh Phegley prepares to meet Fiers on the mound Tuesday night at the Oakland Coliseum.

by Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — People in baseball say “you never know what you are going to see at a baseball game.” Tuesday nights game featured Mike Fiers tossing his second career no-hitter. Fiers had everything working for him as he did not allow the hard-hitting Cincinnati Reds a single hit. The A’s won the game 2-0. The game was delayed about an hour and forty minutes due to a malfunction of the lights in left field, Play started at 8:45 pm.

In most games when a no-hitter occurs, pitchers are helped out by excellent fielding. The A’s made two great defensive plays in the sixth inning. Second baseman Jurickson Profar, who has been maligned for his poor defensive play this season, made a sensational catch robbing Kyle Farmer of a hit. The ball was hit into short right field and Profar made a diving catch to prevent the Reds from recording their first hit of the game. The next batter, Joey Votto, slammed a ball to deep left-center-field. Ramon Laureano made a leaping catch and robbed Votto of a home run. Fiers walked two hitters in the seventh, but he was helped when the A’s made a 6-4-3 double play.

In the bottom of the second, the A’s put a run on the board to grab an early 1-0 lead. With two out and Stephen Piscotty on first, Profar doubled into the right-field corner. Piscotty scored all the way from first and was called safe when the Reds’ catcher missed the tag.

The A’s added another run in the bottom of the seventh. With two, out, Profar slammed his third dinger of the year over the right-center-field wall. The A’s led 2-0.

Fiers continued his mastery of the Reds as he set them down in order in the eighth and ninth innings to record his second career no-hitter.

Game Notes: Jurickson Profar was not only a defensive star Tuesday night, but he also drove in both runs for the A’s, He drove in Piscotty with the A’s first run in the second, and his home run in the seventh gave the A’s their second run.

Bob Melvin said that “it was a great night.” He also said that it was no fun for me after he reached 120 pitches.”

Fiers threw 131 pitches as he won his second career no-hitter. His first came when he was a member of the Houston Astros and he no-hit the LA Dodgers.

Melvin also said that Fiers “was using all his pitches to be more effective.”

Mike Fiers had this to say about Bob Melvin: “I was ‘really thankful for him leaving me in.'”

When asked about the one hour and 40 delay due to the malfunction of the lights in left field, Fiers replied: “it didn’t affect me.

Fiers also said this about his performance: “I had to keep them off balance.” He did exactly that.

The line score for the game was this: A’s: two runs five hits and one error. Reds: no runs, no hits and one error.

It was the eighth no-hitter in Oakland history and 13th in A’s history. Fiers’ no-hitter is the 300th in MLB history, and he is the 34th pitcher with multiple no-hitters.

Matt Olson played his first game of the season. He was placed on the IL on March 25th after breaking his right hamate bone.

The A’s improved to 16-21 and the Reds dropped to 15-21. Tyler Mahle’s record fell to 0-5, and Fiers evened his improved to 3-3.

Time of game was two hours and 25 minutes. 11,749 people watched Fiers pitch his historical masterpiece.

Up Next: Game two of the three-game series will be at the Oakland Coliseum Wednesday night. Game time will be at 7:07 pm. The A’s will send lefty Brett Anderson to the hill and Sonny Gray, the former A’s ace, will pitch for the Reds.

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

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: sf.curbed.com

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

 

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s crumbled after great start, which has Melvin concerned after four losses

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie:

#1 The Oakland A’s opened up Monday night’s game with four runs after two innings and the start of the contest looked promising. The A’s Jurickson Profar started things off with a second inning, two-run single.

#2 It didn’t last long as Profar committed an error when he couldn’t handle an inning-ending double play ball in the third and the Boston Red Sox went on to score six runs.

#3 The loss now is the A’s fourth in a row as they dropped the first of three to the Sox to open the series. How concerned is manager Bob Melvin with a lot more of this road trip left?

#4 Profar is hitting just .165 and has been struggling, but the A’s need him at second base as they don’t have many choices at the moment. Do they stay with him or start to scout for another second baseman?

#5 The A’s will start Aaron Brooks (2-2, 5.33 ERA) and the Red Sox Rick Porcello (1-3, 7.43 ERA). Porcello had to have five starts to get his first win and Brooks got his second win after pitching five innings in good outing against the Rangers.

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

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

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @mercnews

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Bassitt sets the tone with great bullpen help in Monday’s win over Texas

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

sfgate.com photo: Chris Bassitt pitched five innings of shutout ball against the Texas Rangers Monday night at the Oakland Coliseum for the win.

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 A’s starter Chris Bassitt pitched five scoreless innings on Monday night, surrendering two hits and striking out seven and walking four a great line to help the A’s keep the Texas Rangers’ runs under control.

#2 Ryan Dull came into relieve for Bassitt. He struck two hitters in 1.1 innings

#3 The A’s bullpen, after Dull was lifted, came through with relievers J.B. Wendelken, Joakim Soria, and Fernando Rodney going 2.2 innings to shut the Texas offense down.

#4 The A’s Stephen Piscotty continues to hit the ball this time. He went yard for his fourth homer of the season in the second over center.

#5 You had a chance to speak with Oakland A’s president Dave Kaval in Sacramento on Monday regarding legislation in getting the environmental impacts and all the ground rules of constructing a new stadium at Jack London Square.

#5 The A’s and Rangers match up again tonight at the Coliseum for the Rangers Lance Lynn (2-1, 4.44 ERA) and for the A’s Frankie Montas (3-1, 2.70 ERA).

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s looking at getting swept by Jays, having lost four of last five

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @NBCSAthletics

On the A’s podcast with Joey:

#1 It was Oakland A’s Matt Chapman bobblehead day alright, and the A’s did just that on Saturday, bobbled the game away to the Toronto Blue Jays 10-1 in a no mercy rule game.

#2 The Jays’ first baseman Rowdy Tellez hit for his fourth homer and got a double as part of the Jays offense was hitting .191.

#3 The Jays’ Brandon Drury hitting .147 went 3-4 and hit for two RBIs and two runs scored.

#4 The A’s rough day continued after using six relievers they called on their first baseman Kendrys Morales as a closer in the ninth inning.

#5 The A’s and Jays conclude the series today at the Coliseum with the Jays Aaron Sanchez (2-1, 2.86 ERA) and the A’s Brett Anderson (3-0, 2.63 ERA).

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