San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips and Michael Duca: Break out the bats, Giants starting to find their offensive mojo

Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Michael Duca and Morris Phillips

The San Francisco Giants season at best has been difficult and sometimes hard to watch. The Giants finally find their power stroke on the road. Giants catcher Buster Posey awakens from nine months of hibernation to go deep in Pittsburgh and steal a come from behind victory there. Then, they go to Toronto and hit four home runs in one game.

They were the least home run hitting team in the majors and then they hit four home runs in a game and of course two of those home runs are from guys who are hitting their first home runs of the season. It looks as if the Giants have a new weapon. It’s interesting that their doing this on the road we know that Oracle Park is a pitcher’s park and we know it suppresses home runs but they haven’t been hitting any on the road either.

Michael Duca and Morris Phillips does the Giants podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Will Posey’s HR mean more to come?; Posey was hitting just over .200

@SFGiants photo: Buster Posey swings for the fences, ending his 191 at-bats drought without a home run, against the Pittsburgh Pirates Sunday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh off Pirates starter Chris Archer.

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey hit a three-run homer off Pittsburgh Pirates starter Chris Archer to help San Francisco hang onto a 3-2 win on Sunday.

#2 The Giants were in need of some offense and just a little helped them on Sunday.

#3 For Posey, it was the longest drought going without a home run. Sometimes, it takes something like this to spark a team.

#4 It was Posey’s first home run in 191 at-bats, which includes playoffs and regular season games against the Pirates. The Bucs were the only National League team that Posey had not homered off of.

#5 The Giants have the day off Monday before opening up a two-game series in Toronto Tuesday night against the Blue Jays, who are coming off a three-game sweep of the A’s over the weekend.

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

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Ice meltdown in Vancouver–Sharks can’t answer Canucks’ 3 goals in third period; Quakes’ best game in 0-0 draw against Colorado so far; plus more

Photo credit: @NBCSSharks

On the Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 In one that you can call just a big meltdown, the San Jose Sharks started a two-game road trip in Vancouver Tuesday night, had a 2-1 lead and looked like they might actually win this one against the Canucks, but all for not as the Canucks scored three unanswered goals to hand San Jose its ninth loss in 10 games 4-2.

#2 The San Jose Earthquakes are a team that is all shook up. They have not won one a game yet this season and have played six games and their best game was against Colorado in a 0-0 draw. London tells us from he has seen of the Quakes what the problem is?

#3 The San Francisco Giants have shown some improvement on the current road trip taking the first game against the Dodgers on Monday night 4-2, thanks to Brandon Belt’s home run to help pace the win. On Tuesday night, the Giants lost by a run, but it’s been something to look forward to after they struggled in San Diego losing three out four.

#4 The Oakland A’s are getting plenty of pitching they got a 7-0 shutout over the World Champion Red Sox on Monday and then on Tuesday they got a 1-0 shutout with great A’s starting pitcher Mike Fiers and A’s reliever Blake Treinen.

#5 The Sacramento Kings just couldn’t do anything with James Harden and the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night in Golden One Center. Harden put away 36 points and he was again a scoring machine in a 130-105 win.

London Marq does the Headline Sports podcast for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria: Baer will lose control of team when he comes back from suspension; New CEO Dean to take Baer’s spot

Photo credit: @Deadspin

On Headline Sports podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 Tony, the San Francisco Giants have decided to have acting CEO Rob Dean as their frontman. In a statement from the team on Tuesday, the Giants have said that upon returning from suspension on July 2nd, Baer will no longer have control of the team, although he will retain his title as CEO and president.

#2 The players have stated that regardless of the off-the-field issues regarding Baer, they are determined to stay focused, and outfielder Steven Duggar says playing between the lines has been a safe haven for the players.

#3 The Giants have been struggling in spring training are are now open their regular season today in San Diego. They do have one of the best defensive infield in the National League coming into the season.

#4 The Oakland A’s, who were left for dead after their starting rotation either went on the DL or underwent surgery, came back later in the season and made it to the Wild Card. You just can’t count a Billy Beane team out.

Tony does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports with Tony Renteria: Raiders getting Brown for draft picks–a steal; Despite dysfunction, Warriors still a winner; plus more

photo from nbcsports.com:  Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown (center) receives his new jersey standing at podium during Wednesday’s presser with head coach Jon Gruden (left) and general manager Mike Mayock (right)

On Headline Sports with Tony Renteria:

#1 Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown said he can lift the rest of the team offense for the rest of the season

#2 Brown is a seven time Pro Bowler as the Raiders sent a third and fifth draft pick to Pittsburgh for Brown.

#3 Brown will get $54.125 million for the next three seasons with Oakland

#4 On the Warriors their well published dysfunction didn’t stop them from picking up a win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night 106-104

#5 San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey trying to come off his off season surgery caught in Monday’s game but manager Bruce Bochy decided to rest Posey on Tuesday. Bochy expects Posey to go full strength once the regular season begins

Tony Renteria does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Giants considering hiring woman for GM spot

newsday.com photo: Then-Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng walks through the hotel lobby during the first day of MLB annual general managers meetings in Orlando, Fla., on Nov. 5, 2007.

By Amaury Pi-González

SAN FRANCISCO — The Major League Baseball General Manager meetings are scheduled to begin November 5th.

The San Francisco Giants are searching for a new General Manager, and many are asking, will they have one in place by then? The organization needs somebody to take charge and make important decisions pertaining their immediate future. Kim Ng is among the qualified people for the job. She has overseen international operations and talent development for the MLB. She also worked for the LA Dodgers as Vice President and Assistant to then-GM Ned Coletti as well as the front offices of the Yankees and White Sox. Her reputation is impeccable.

Among others candidates, the Giants have also shown interest on Milwaukee Brewers GM David Stearns, but the owner of the Brewers, Mark Attanasio, declined the Giants permission to speak with Stearns. Bobby Evans, who was the GM, was fired last month and the Giants announced they are searching for another executive to take that position. Maybe the Giants will find the person they want during those winter meetings starting on November 5th and conduct the interviews of the people available for the job. Who knows, and maybe make news with the announcement then.

If the Giants sign Kim Ng, it will obviously make news nationwide, and it would make sense since they play in San Francisco–one of the most diverse and progressive cities in the country.

On the other hand, the main priority for any baseball club seeking such an important position is to find the most qualified person regarding of gender or ethnic background. Whomever takes over will have to go to work right away. Trade Madison Bumgarner or not? Also, evaluate the scouting for the club. The Giants will have to take a different direction and look for younger talented players.

The Warriors will be playing within walking distance from AT&T Park at the Chase Arena next basketball season and they are the perennial winners currently in the Bay Area, dethroning the Giants, who were the winners from 2010 until 2016.

Baseball is at a very important crossroad in history as the international scouting, the sabermetrics side and the old school methods are at an intersection. It would make sense that the person for this job will grasp the understanding of all these and show the leadership required to revive a financially healthy franchise than until a couple of years ago enjoyed great success on the field.

If Ng has all those qualifications, she could be the one.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips and Michael Duca: Happy Days! Giants have now landed on the .500 mark 25 times this season

Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the Giants podcast with Morris and Michael:

The San Francisco Giants have landed 25 times on the .500 mark this season and they are 61-61 after arriving the .500 mark that 25th time on Thursday night in a 12-inning, 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium. Which means they’ve been either one above or one game below, they haven’t been either four games above or under at all or at any point in the season.

The very definition of mediocrity and they are still in the pennant race. This division is still winnable even the wild card is a little bit difficult to obtain, but no one has run away with it; but the Giants are at the bottom of that list in order for them to move up with 40 games left, they’re going to have to win 30 of them.

Join the Giants podcast with Morris and Michael each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Game one of the preseason kicks off Thursday with Cowboys; Dallas’ Prescott will be asked about his anthem remarks

Photo credit: @wfaa

On the 49ers podcast with David Zizmor:

Game one of the preseason kicks off this Thursday for the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers. The Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott has been a central focus this last week on NFL talk shows. Prescott spoke out against players taking a knee during the national anthem and has got a lot of national flak for his comments, saying “it takes away from the joy and the love that football brings to a lot of people.”

Will the statements of Prescott bring divisiveness to the Cowboys’ dressing room? Will there be resentment for what Prescott said? Will there be even more players taking a knee on the Cowboys? Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he has warned his players against taking a knee and Prescott could have fueled the players to take a knee even more. Ironically, if some of the Cowboys players take a knee on Thursday night, it will be in the stadium where it all got started–Levi’s Stadium, where former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick founded the movement.

David Zizmor who does the 49ers podcasts each Tuesday and Joe is the 49ers beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Have Giants run out of patience after most recent Strickland meltdown?

thenational.com file photo: Fist Bump — San Francisco pitcher Hunter Strickland (60) tangles with the Washington Nationals Bryce Harper (34) during last season’s bench emptying brawl at AT&T Park

On the SF Giants podcast with Marko:

San Francisco Giants pitcher Hunter Strickland has had his fair share issues dealing with emotions going back to the 2014 World Series, where he got into a shouting match with the Royals’ Salvador Perez, which emptied the benches. In 2017, he beaned Washington Nationals’ star Bryce Harper, which sent Harper swinging at Strickland and emptying the benches, and a game he coughed up a right field single to allow the game-winning run to score in the top of the ninth. On Monday night against the Marlins going back to the clubhouse, he punched a door breaking his hand and forcing him to be out of action for six to eight weeks.

Strickland has had problems controlling his emotions. This is something manager Bruce Bochy admitted to during Monday’s press conference following the Giants’ loss. We asked Marko is that more a detriment or will the Giants look the other way and keep the relief pitcher? Strickland did save 13 of his last 17 games but has two consecutive blown saves in his last two games.

Today’s starters for the Miami Marlins: Jose Urena (2-8) goes up against the Giants’ Derek Holland (4-7) at a 12:45 pm start at AT&T Park.

Marko Ukalovic does the Giants podcasts each Wednesday and is a beat reporter covering the Giants at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O: From Oak to Ok–A’s Murray will rejoin A’s next year; Giants looking to get tracked with road win tonight

photo from normantranscript.com: The Oakland A’s Kyler Murrray joined the A’s for workouts on Saturday at the Coliseum. Murray signed with the A’s to play on the club next season as he will join the Oklahoma Sooners as quarterback in August for the 2018 NCAA season

On the MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O:

Today’s opponent for the Oakland A’s, the Los Angeles Angels, came in Friday night with a five-game losing streak, which they ended and the A’s extended their four-game losing streak to four in the loss to the Angels.

The A’s will try and reboot and get game two of this home three game series today at the Coliseum today. The A’s got a little pick me up when Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Kyler Murray was selected and worked out with the team over the weekend. Murray said he would quarterback at Oklahoma and after football season Murray will be back swinging the bats for the A’s for spring training in February.

Murray has a deal worth over $4 million with Oakland and his contract allows him to play football and go to school at Oklahoma which would be during August through early January.

San Francisco Giants update: The San Francisco Giants’ road problems continue after they dropped the opener of their three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night 3-2 at Dodger Stadium. The Giants are suffering on offense and couldn’t rally on Friday night.

The Dodgers are fighting to get into first place and they know the Giants are in a world of pain, losing four of their last five games, and are out their All-Star caliber players: pitcher Johnny Cueto and third baseman Evan Longoria with injuries.

The Giants were missing Brandon Belt due to an appendix surgery. Belt is scheduled to be suited up at Dodgers Stadium tonight and he was on a roll before he had to have the surgery. Belt made a fast recovery and is anxious to start swinging the bats.

Charlie O does the A’s podcasts weekly and is filling in for Matt Harrington on the MLB podcast today at http://www.sportsradioservice.com