Tag: Chicago Cubs

Headline Sports podcast with Michael Duca: Blue Jays and Dodgers at top of Ohtani sweepstakes; A’s owe $48 million for Oakland Coliseum real estate; plus more news

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The Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after connecting for a two run home run against the New York Yankees at the Big A in Anaheim on Mon Jul 17, 2023 (AP News photo file)

On Headline Sports with Michael Duca:

#1 Michael, the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes continue to with the latest sources saying that the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are top contenders for the two way player. Can you see either of these two teams in bidding war for Ohtani?

#2 Michael, some critics can’t see the San Francisco Giants signing Ohtani because of the above teams are pretty much at the top of the list for Ohtani. Where do you the Giants chances in signing Ohtani?

#3 Michael, it was reported in a the next day or two Alameda County Councilperson Donna Ziegler per vice president David Haubert of the five person Alameda County board will be reaching out to Oakland A’s owner John Fisher that he owes the county $45 million part of his $85 million purchase of the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum site. The deadline was for 2026 but a stipulation was made if the A’s made an announcement that they’re leaving Oakland the payment would be due 180 days after the team made that announcement which was made on April 19th. The A’s could say they did not make any announcement of leaving Oakland. How do you see this being worked out?

#4 Michael, longtime Boston Red Sox play by play announcer Joe Castiglione was voted into the Major League Baseball Ford C Frick wing of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Castiglione has called Sox games for the last 41 years beat out three Bay Area broadcasters San Francisco Giants TV announcers Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow and Oakland A’s radio play by play announcer Ken Korach.

#5 Michael, Giants manger Bob Melvin said that he’s happy that coach Alyssa Nakken will remain on the coaching staff in San Franicsco. Melvin said that her becoming the first woman in MLB history to coach first base was “really cool she broke ground like that.” You’ve had several conversations with Alyssa tell us your thoughts of her breaking ground and returning to coaching with Melvin at the helm.

Michael Duca is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Dusty Did it His Way

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Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker (right) greets Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy (left) before game 1 of the ALCS at Minute Maid Field in Houston on Sun Oct 15, 2023. Baker announced his retirement from baseball after game 7 of the ALCS on Mon Oct 23, 2023 (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Dusty Baker announced he is retiring after concluding the seventh game of the American League Championship. His team lost in seven games to the now-American League Champion Texas Rangers.

As a player, Dusty had a stellar career as an outfielder during 19 seasons with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Oakland Athletics; he hit 242 home runs with 1,981 hits with a .278 batting average. In 1986, he retired as a player with the Oakland A’s, the team that showcased the Rookie of the Year that season in José Canseco.

Dusty, a gracious man whom I would often interview in Spanish many times, was always thinking baseball, and It did not surprise me when he launched a managerial career. I never met a player that said anything that wasn’t complimentary about Dusty Baker, the ultimate player manager.

I had the privilege of covering and traveling with Dusty Baker’s San Francisco Giants, the first major league team he managed from 1993 to 2002. I remember many conversations we had and interviews pre and post-game, especially during the first years of his managing with the Giants. He told me that “minority managers want that first interview, the opportunity to show what they can do.”

He won the 2002 NL pennant and took the team to the World Series against the Anaheim Angels, who won it all that year. He would continue as skipper with stops in Chicago with the Cubs, Cincinnati with the Reds, Washington with the Nationals, and finally, the last four years (2020-2023) with the Houston Astros, culminating with a World Series title in 2002.

During this 2023 season, he took the Astros to game seven of the ALCS and lost to the streaky Texas Rangers. In one Spring Training with the Cincinnati Reds as manager, Dusty introduced me to a young pitcher from Cuba named Aroldis Chapman who was then throwing at a velocity of 105 mph.

Dusty was an “old school” manager; not many left these days. After announcing his retirement from managing just hours after the Rangers beat his Astros, he is now free from the grind of managing, and his baseball on-the-field duties are done during a successful Hall of Fame career. Dusty ended #7 on the list of all-time winning managers with a record 2,183-1,862.

Only Connie Mack, Tony LaRussa, John McGraw, Bobby Cox, Joe Torre, and Sparky Anderson ended ahead of Dusty Baker. All these managers ahead of Dusty are in the Hall of Fame. If elected to the HOF, as he should, Dusty Baker will be the first African-American manager in Cooperstown.

Johnnie B. “Dusty” Baker will not have to deal anymore with some 25 year-old in the front office telling him about the science of baseball, known now as Sabermetrics; the analysis of baseball through statistics. We might see Dusty talking baseball on television, maybe MLB Network and such, but I do believe he will not return to managing, he has a lot of life left to live with his family, after all Baseball was his life, but not all of life is Baseball.

Felicidades Dusty!

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB podcast with Augie Mesenburg: Astros could be a force if they can just clinch a playoff spot; Braves add Morton to IL; plus more news

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Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker is hoping to lead the Astros into the post season, in the Wild Card the Astros are in third place and are 1.5 back in the AL West. (AP file photo)

On the MLB The Show podcast with Augie:

#1 Augie, the Houston Astros just holding onto the third position in the AL Wild Card and they are 1.5 games back of the Texas Rangers in the AL West. If the Astros get into post season they will be as tough as anyone in the American League playoffs.

#2 One thing the Atlanta Braves have to be concerned about is their pitching rotation which added Charlie Morton to the 15 IL today. Morton is suffering from a right sprain finger and can’t pitch NL Division Series. Morton (14-12 ERA 3.64) how much will he be missed for the beginning of the post season?

#3 Los Angeles Dodgers Mookie Betts set an Major League record for the most RBIs for a leadoff hitter in a season with 105. Betts hit an eighth inning double on Saturday night against the San Francisco Giants pitcher Ross Stripling to score Dodgers Austin Barnes and David Peralta.

#4 The Los Angeles Angels had already shut down Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon now they have officially ended outfielder Mike Trout’s 2023 season as the injuries pile on the Angels. Trout who returned Aug 22after fracturing a hamate bone but was still in discomfort and returned to the 30 day IL. It was announced by the Angles Trout would be out for the rest of the season on Sunday.

#5 After the Pittsburgh Pirates took two out of three games from the Chicago Cubs in a previous series the Pirates came right and and rallied for nine runs against the Cincinnati Reds to come back and win 13-12. The Reds who have been suffering all season had their bullpen meltdown as the Pirates came back with nine runs to win it. The last time the Pirates came back to win scoring nine runs was way back in 1882.

Augie Mesenburg is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants day off report: Struggles Continue, SF looks to end six game skid Friday against Rockies

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San Francisco Giants’ Luis Matos celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring on a double hit by Casey Schmitt during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field on Wed Sep 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

It was not so long ago that the San Francisco Giants seemed to have a clear shot at a post season spot. Everything offensively and defensively was working but lately there has been a major shift and not for the better.

Going all the way back to mid-August the Giants can see the decline. They dropped two series to the Braves, then it was the Phillies and then they won a series against the Reds. When it looked like things might be turning around, it didn’t.

The team went on the road starting with a four game series with the Padres. San Francisco did win the first game of that series but was manhandled in the next three games. Next the Cubs swept them and the Giants were looking at a six game losing streak. The team now heads home and the way things are going right now, home is looking pretty darn good.

A closer look reveals a lack of offensive production, as well as problems on the mound. The inability to hold onto leads has been obvious and come from behind wins, well for right now, just are not happening.

This team continuously finds a way to lose. Right now they are 70-70 and in danger of falling below .500. If the season ended today, there would be no wild card for the Giants this season. Thankfully the season has a bit more to go but it is waning with only 22 games and San Francisco cannot continue on the course that they are on right now.

So who is to blame? Right now there is plenty of blame to go around. Many players are struggling and they do have some promising rookies but they need time to mature. So who wants to be accountable for this decline.

So far the answer is no one. It’s hard to believe that the team’s batting average is .214 since the break. There is someone falling short in this conversation whether it is the players, the coaching or the front office. Someone is responsible for the downfall of this team.

They are in a free fall right now and how long will fans continue to support this uninspiring, and at times ugly baseball. It wasn’t that long ago that the Giants won 107 games in a season, that being 2021.

We have heard they’re still “in the hunt” ad nauseum. Offensively, this team needs to wake up the bats. They are not in a slump anymore, this is a trend and it could very well spell missing the playoffs this season.

Right now they are below average offensively with a high strikeout rate, the fourth worst in baseball. They have hit 136 homeruns this year which is 20th in baseball. The only bright spot is Wilmer Flores who is the exception on this team right now.

Leaving runners stranded has become commonplace. San Francisco is in a tough place right now and righting this ship has happen sooner rather than later because they are running out of later.

The Giants will begin a three game series with the Colorado Rockies Friday night. Colorado is a team that has struggled this season and San Francisco under most circumstances would be a favorite to win the series. The Giants will send Kyle Harrison to the mound with a 1-1 win/loss record and a 4.70 ERA. Ty Blach (2-1 ERA 4.33) will get the nod for Colorado with first pitch at 7:15PM.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Did SF’s Alex Wood make some bad pitches in Cubs loss or did the Cubs just see the ball well?

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Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki follows through with a three-run double during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Thu Sep 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 The SF Giants are getting further and further away from a NL Wild Card birth on Wednesday at Wrigley Field they were crushed again by the Chicago Cubs 8-2 getting swept in three games.

#2 The Cubs Seiya Suzuki got a key hit against the Giants with a three run double in the bottom of the first which opened the scoring.

#3 Michael, Alex Wood who started got touched up going 2.1 innings five hits, five runs all earned, with a walk and a strike out. Is Wood’s arm just tired or is he just making some bad pitches?

#4 The Cubs picked up their fourth straight win while the Giants picked up their fifth straight loss. The Cubs are now 3.5 games up for second place in the Wild Card and Giants now drop 2.5 games back for a shot at the Wild Card.

#5 The Giants have Thursday off and return to Oracle Park Friday night to host the Colorado Rockies. Rockies starting pitcher TBD and for the Giants left hander Kyle Harrison (1-1 ERA 4.70) a 6:40 pm PT first pitch.

Michael Duca does the SF Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants get handled by Cubs again 8-2; SF gets swept in Windy City

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By Mary Anne

San Francisco Giants right fielder Mitch Haniger (17) chases down a 3-run double hit by Chicago Cubs’ Seika Suzuki during the first inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Thu Sep 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

The San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs played their series finale on Wednesday. The Giants lost 8-2 to the Cubs at Wrigley Field. San Francisco fell to 70-70, while Chicago improved to 76-64.

The Cubs got on the board first. Seiya Suzuki doubled on a sharp line drive to Mitch Haniger. Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, and Dansby Swanson scored for a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

The Cubs extended their lead in the bottom of the third inning. Cody Bellinger doubled on a line drive to Mitch Haniger. Ian Happ scored for a 4-0 lead. Nick Madrigal singled on a line drive to Austin Slater. Bellinger scored for a 5-0 lead as Dansby Swanson went to third base.

The Cubs added a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Miguel Amaya homered on a fly ball to left center field for a 6-0 lead.

The Cubs extended their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Christopher Morel singled on a sharp line drive to Luis Matos. Mike Tauchman scored for a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Giants finally got on the board in the top of the seventh inning. Casey Schmitt doubled on a line drive to Mike Tauchman. Luis Matos scored to reduce the Cubs’ lead to 7-1. Joey Bart was out in a sacrifice fly to Mike Tauchman. Casey Schmitt scored to cut the Cubs’ lead to 7-2 with two outs.

The Cubs wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the seventh inning. Cody Bellinger homered on a fly ball to right field for an 8-2 lead.

Notes: The Giants recalled Joey Bart and Luis Matos from Triple-A Sacramento. Wade Meckler was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. Patrick Bailey was placed on the 7-day injured list.

Up Next: The Giants will return home to host the Colorado Rockies on Friday at 7:15 pm Pacific. Kyle Harrison (1-1, 4.70 ERA) will start for the Giants. The Rockies’ starting pitcher is TBD.

Giants Suffer Fifth Loss in a Row to Chicago 11-8

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San Francisco Giants’ Joc Pederson (23) greets J.D. Davis at home after they scored on Davis’ two-run home run off Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Hayden Wesneski during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Tue Sep 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (70-69) took on the Chicago Cubs (75-64) in game two of their series Tuesday evening at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Giants are struggling, watching their hopes of a wild card in the playoffs starting to slightly dim. They have lost four games in a row and dropped 17 of their last 25 games.

They are tied with Arizona and Miami for the final NL postseason spot. They desperately needed to win Tuesday night’s game and while it looked good in the early innings, the Giants could not hold onto several leads throughout the game losing 11-8.

Tuesday game recap: San Francisco wasted no time putting runs up on the board scoring in the first three innings. They needed some solid offense and they got it in the early innings of this game. They led 3-0 after three innings.

LaMonte Wade Jr. homered in the first inning giving the Giants an early 1-0 lead. Wade Meckler singled J.D. Davis home in the second inning and the score was 2-0 in favor of San Francisco. Another home run in the third inning off the bat of Mike Yastrzemski extended that lead to 3-0. The Giants had a great start in this game.

The Cubs fought right back taking the lead 4-3 in the third inning. Nico Hoerner scored off a Dansby Swanson single. Cody Bellinger scored the Cubs second run of the game when Jeimer Candelario walked with the bases loaded. Chicago would finish up the third inning with a Yan Gomes double sending Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki across home plate for the 4-3 lead.

San Francisco had some work to do if they wanted to put an end to this losing streak. It was a quiet fourth and fifth inning but the Giants had a very productive sixth inning. Joc Pederson doubled Wilmer Flores home and J.D. Davis hit a two-run home run taking a 6-4 lead. The San Francisco defense would now need to protect that lead.

You just cannot keep this Chicago ball club down. They tied up this game in the seventh inning 6-6. Suzuki homered with Swanson on board for the two runs and it was a new ball game. The Cubs went on to take the lead 7-6 when Nike Madrigal grounded into a fielders choice and Candelario scored. Chicago extended their lead thanks to Christopher Morel who hit a three-run home run and the Giants watched their lead dissolve now trailing 10-6.

San Francisco had two innings left in this game to right the ship or lose their fifth game in a row. The Giants got right to work scoring in the eighth inning when Brandon Crawford singled J.D. Davis home.

San Francisco had gotten one run back but needed a whole lot more still trailing 10-7. With runners on first and third and two outs the Giants had the tying run at the plate. The top of the eighth came to an end and San Francisco left the two runners stranded and were three outs away from yet another loss.

The Cubs were not finished and continued their hit parade scoring another run when Suzuki singled Swanson home increasing their lead to 11-7. The Giants defense kept the damage to a minimum with the one run but were three outs away from dropping another game. They had a huge offensive task in front of them.

Wilmer Flores, who has been playing some terrific ball, hit a solo home run in the ninth inning and San Francisco was desperate to salvage this game. With one out, J.D. Davis came to the plate and hit into a double play and that was the ball game 11-8 in favor of the Cubs.

This game that started out with such promise crumbled in the later innings. Game three will be played Wednesday with first pitch at 11:20. At the time of this post starting pitcher for San Francisco was undecided. Jordan Wicks will take the mound for Chicago with a 2-0 win/loss record and a 1.80 ERA. The Giants will be trying to prevent the sweep.

Giants Don’t Get Job Done; Shutout 5-0 by Cubs on Labor Day in Hot Sunny Chi Town!; SF still half game out of NL Wild Card

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San Francisco Giants shortstop Paul DeJong throws Chicago Cubs’ Nico Hoerner out at first during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Mon Sep 4, 2023 (AP News photo)

CHICAGO, Ill. — The San Francisco Giants’ (70-68) batters unintentionally observed the National Holiday designated for American workers, as the Chicago Cubs (74-64) put in Work, 5-0 on the North Side of the Windy City.

The Giants were unwelcomed guests of the home team, as their starting pitcher, right-hander Justin Steele (16-3, 2.58) had them handcuffed with his career-high 12 strikeouts and only two hits allowed. Steele was as effective as a steel trap door, by pitching eight innings, giving up two walks, tossing 92 pitches, with 62 strikes.

Chicago’s righty relief pitcher, Jose Cuas also got in on the action with his own strikeout on the woeful Giants. His action gave SF the Baker’s Dozen, or in some circles, unlucky 13 K’s.

Although the offense was essentially nonexistent, starting pitcher Logan Webb (9-12, 3.51) was holding his own through 6 innings with a one-run deficit on a second inning deep homer (432ft.) by Seiya Suzuki. However, while the bullpen was warming up pitchers to come in for him, the seventh turned the game into a no contest, with two more runs, and knocking him out of the game, with 6 2/3 innings pitched, five hits, three earned runs, four strikeouts on 94 pitches.

The Cubs were not satisfied with that tally, so they decided to add on two more in the eighth stanza. This included their fifth and final run on a fielder’s choice rundown play, where Cody Bellinger creeped into home before the tag was applied to the runner in the aforementioned play.

As for the Giants’ feeble two hits: Third baseman Casey Schmitt hit a single to right field in the top of the second inning. Shortstop Paul DeJong slapped a base hit to leftfield in the top of the eighth inning. Other than that, the Giants bats were cold as popsicles, despite the temperature hitting 89 degrees at first pitch in the Midwest’s largest Metropolis.

Besides Steele putting in a hard day’s work, Susuki followed up his HR blast with a RBI double, and fielder’s choice RBI. He also scored two runs himself. As Disco sensation Donner Summer intimated in her hit song, these two worked hard for their money, on Labor Day.

The Giants have a chance to redeem themselves Tuesday evening (6:40 pm CST), September 5, as they face the Cubs for game 2 of the three game series. San Francisco will start RHP Ryan Walker (4-2, 2.16), while Chicago plans to put RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-7, 3.59) on the hill.

Notes: With the last loss San Francisco is 1-4 on this current road trip and 1-3 against the Cubs in 2023. In their last 28 games, they have managed to only win nine games, Despite that horrible winning percentage since August 5, they are still two games above .500 and continue to be in playoff contention.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Soto slugs HR for third straight game as Pads shutout Giants at Petco 4-0

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San Diego Padres’ Juan Soto, left, celebrates with teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning at Petco Park in San Diego on Sun Sep 3, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 Michael, talk about the San Diego Padres Juan Soto who slugged a home run in three straight games now that was key in the Padres 4-0 win at Petco Park in San Diego.

#2 The Padres Manny Machado who was overshadowed by Soto’s hot streak got a home run in his own right. Machado can do damage at any given time and the Giants had to cautious with him.

#3 Michael, talk about Padres reliever Seth Lugo who improved his record to 6-6 and held the Giants to just three hits in six innings of work stranding a running in scoring position he was key in this win.

#4 Giant starter Alex Cobb who threw a one hitter against the first place Cincinnati last Tuesday couldn’t keep the Padres in check Sunday going just three innings, six hits and four earned runs. The Padres were able to spot his pitches. You talked about having a good outing then the next outing you can bomb and that had happened to Cobb and pitcher Kyle Harrison in their next outings.

#5 The Giants head to the Windy City Monday to take on the Chicago Cubs who are trying to close the gap in the NL Central. The Giants will be going with Logan Webb (9-11 ERA 3.49) and going for the Cubs Justin Steele (15-3 ERA 2.69) first pitch 11:10AM PT.

Michael Duca is filling in for Marko Ukalovic who does the SF Giants podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants get shutout 4-0 and drop three out of four to Padres

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San Diego Padres Juan Soto (left) celebrates his home run with third base coach Matt Williams (right) against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park in San Diego on Sun Sep 3, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Francisco Giants (70-67) are really struggling against the San Diego Padres (65-73) having lost games two and four. They couldn’t tie up the series with a win Saturday losing to the Padres 4-0. The Giants offensively and defensively they are not looking good.

Yes, they might get lucky enough to get a wild card but what then? Playing the way they are right now even winning a round in the playoffs is a long shot. They have to turn things around and Sunday would be a good time to do it.

It was not to be for the Giants. They had four hits in this game but they were shut out by the Padres. San Diego played a huge first inning scoring three runs. Juan Soto started the first inning with a two-run home run.

Fernando Tatis Jr. was on base when Soto crushed one to left center for a 2-0 lead. Xander Bogaerts doubled Manny Machado home for another run and San Diego had a great first inning leading 3-0. The Padres would add one more run in the third inning courtesy of Manny Machado extending the San Diego lead to 4-0. That would be the final.

The Padres won the last three games of this series after dropping game one in this four game series. After the third inning neither team would score for the rest of the game. It became a purely defensive game for the remaining six innings.

Soto homered in his third straight game. He has been terrific along with Manny Machado who also homered in this game. San Diego hit eight home runs in their three wins against the Giants.

This series was an important one for the Giants as they fight for a playoff spot. They were tied with the Diamondbacks coming into this game vying for the final spot in the NL. Arizona lost today losing to the Orioles 8-5.

San Francisco pitcher Alex Cobb went three innings and gave up six hits and four runs with three strikeouts. Relief pitcher Keaton Winn went five innings and gave up four hits and no runs. Padres pitcher Seth Lugo got the win going six innings giving up four hits and had four strikeouts.

It is a very nervous time for the Giants. They cannot continue with this lack of offense and defense. It just won’t fly. Even if they somehow get into the post season, they won’t go far unless they completely turn things around.

The Giants have obviously seen these guys play amazing ball. They’ve seen great starts, they’ve seen come from behind wins and the Giants have certainly seen their bats going crazy. Right now the bats are eerily silent. It is far too deep in the season to fall into the current trend we are seeing right now.

Sunday afternoon the Giants will start a three game series in Chicago with the Cubs. Logan Webb will take the mound for the Giants. He has a 3.49 ERA and a 9-11 win/loss record going for the Cubs Justine Steele (15-3 ERA 2.69).

San Francisco will try to right the ship as they head into this series. It will not be an easy series. The Cubbies lost their last series to the Reds but Chicago crushed the Reds Sunday in game three 15-7. First pitch right now is scheduled for 11:20 AM.