Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: Orioles Gunnar Henderson key to team success; Yankees Judge ejected for first time in career; plus more news

After 869 consecutive games without an ejection New York Yankees Aaron Judge (99) was ejected by home plate umpire Ryan Blakney (center) and manager Aaron Boone trying to keep them separated in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on Sat May 4, 2024 (AP News photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Talk is the Gunnar Henderson is one of the big reasons why the Baltimore Orioles are a half game ahead just ahead of second place New York Yankees. Henderson hitting .279, 25 runs, 24 RBIs and ten home runs.

#2 Charlie, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was ejected for verbalizing his displeasure on being called out on a strike call by home plate umpire Ryan Blakney which Aaron disapproved of saying the pitch was outside and got tossed out for the first time in his career. What was surprising about it it was the first ejection for Judge in 869 games. Judge said he’s said worse things when he struck out so he was surprised when he got the heave ho.

#3 For the first time since March Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole threw off the mound as Cole shoots to get back on the hill. Cole had been suffering from a elbow injury. Cole came in hours before the Detroit Tigers and Yankees match at Yankee Stadium on Saturday at 10:40 AM. Cole said ” It was exciting, this was a good day for me. I was fired up.”

#4 The Giants lost four of their last five games they faced the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. The Phillies scored five runs in the first inning and four runs in the second and beat up on Giants pitching for a 14-3 laugher. Plus Giants catcher Patrick Bailey is on the 7 day IL after taking a ball off the mask on Friday. Giants back up catcher Tom Murphy has taken Bailey’s place.

#5 The Oakland A’s have been rolling they won their seventh straight game they crushed the Florida Marlins 20-4 on Saturday. The A’s have been getting clutch hitting and have been getting great relief pitching to close out games from closer Mason Miller.

Join Charlie O for the Headline Sports podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#5

MLB The show podcast with Charlie O: Dodgers Kershaw rocked in game 1 against D-Backs; Phils 7 pitchers shutout Braves 3-0 in NLDS; plus more news

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw with face in his hands didn’t get out of the first inning in the NLDS game 1 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles as the Arizona Diamondbacks pounded Kershaw for six runs on Sat Oct 7, 2023. (AP News photo)

On MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw got rocked by the Arizona Diamondback for six runs in the first inning facing eight hitters and didn’t get out of the first inning at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night. In the first game of the NLDS in the Southland the D-Backs came away a winning in a laugher 11-2 to take a 1-0 series lead.

#2 The Atlanta Braves had momentum going into the NLDS but that sharpness got dulled as the visiting Philadelphia Phillies got some good pitching from starter Ranger Suarez who went 3.2 and gave up one hit. Suarez’ relief staff teammates seven pitcher in all shut the Braves out for the rest of the way for the 3-0 win. As the Phils take a 1-0 lead in the series. This was the first time the Braves had lost all year at Truist Park in Cobb County.

#3 Charlie, how key was Houston Astros starter Justin Verlander’s pitching six inning of shutout ball against the Minnesota Twins in game 1 of the ALDS. The Twins tried to comeback in the top of the seventh at Minute Maid Field with four runs but the Astros relievers held the Twins hitting back and came away with a 6-4 win.

#4 Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Gunnar Henderson’s second base steal attempt a miscommunication in the bottom of the ninth. The O’s were down to the Texas Rangers 3-2 and Gunnar said he saw the steal sign and took off on a 2-1 Aaron Hicks pitch. Henderson was thrown out on a Jonah Heim throw. Hyde was seen on TV saying “What the F—.”

#5 Charlie sad news former San Francisco Giants pitcher Jim Poole who pitched for seven different MLB teams and the bulk of his time was with Baltimore Orioles died of ALS Lou Gehrig’s decease at 57. Poole had been diagnosed two years ago with ALS. Poole made 431 appearances and was 22-12 with four saves and a career ERA 4.31.

Join Charlie O for the MLB podcasts throughout the 2023 post season at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: MLB The Three biggest Failures are the three biggest Payrolls

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Gunnar Henderson is unable to stop an RBI double by Colorado Rockies’ Elias Diaz that scored Charlie Blackmon from first base during the third inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Fri Aug 25, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

With approximately 30 to 35 games left for most teams this season, here are the three teams with the biggest payrolls this year and their records today.

1-New York Mets 60-71 in the cellar, 2-New York Yankees, 62-69 in the cellar, 3-San Diego Padres, 61-70 in penultimate place. The chances of any of these teams for the postseason is at best slim and none for real, as they would have to play at an .800 winning percentage clip the rest of the way. Can we say that money is not the key for a winning team?

Yes and No, because at the end is a combination, a balancing-act for front offices to draft, trade and buy players at the same time. A team most draft and develop well, make trades to improve their roster and in some cases open the bank and pay the huge salaries. But money alone is not the solution in the most difficult sport.

The Baltimore Orioles are leading the American League East, with the #29 payroll, only the Oakland A’s have a smaller payroll, the A’s do not really count because their owner has “De-funded the Team” . But, how have the Orioles done it?

They have the best minor league system today. As a matter of fact, this 2023 season the Orioles have the best minor league system for the fourth consecutive year. The best example is Gunnar Henderson, which was one of the eight total guys in the Top 100 prospects, Henderson is a regular in the young and exciting Baltimore Orioles lineup this season.

They have players waiting in the minors, like the highly rated Jackson Holliday, the son of ex major league All Star Matt Holliday. Jackson Holliday is the #1 prospect in Major League Baseball, currently playing shortstop and second base at AA level affiliate, Bowie Baysox in Maryland.

The Birds from Baltimore success was not instant. Here are the last three years record:

2021: 52-100, 2022: 83-79, today the Orioles have a 81-49 record. which is the second best record among all 30 MLB teams, only the Atlanta Braves with 84-45 leading the NL East by miles have a better record in baseball.

The Yankees, Mets and Padres will have a very interesting off-season, the Padres might just tweak their roster, my hope is they keep their manager Bob Melvin, but the two New York teams, only God knows what their management is going to do.

Mets owner Steve Cohen is the richest owner in baseball, but he could not buy the title this year, he is insatiable for high prize talent, and will make a run at Shohei Ohtani. The Yankees? Well there is always next season for their 28 World Series title.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A Look inside the Baltimore Orioles: O’s Sweep A’s With Dominating 12-1 Victory

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jordan Westburg, left, throws to first base after forcing out Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof (20) at second on a double play hit into by Athletics’ Jonah Bride during the ninth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Aug 20, 2023 (AP News photo)

Sunday, August 20th 2023

By Troy Ewers

Oakland, CA – At Rickey Henderson Field, it’s the final game of the series between the Oakland A’s and the Baltimore Orioles. If the A’s lose, they will officially be out of playoff contention. The Orioles on the other have the second best record in the MLB behind Atlanta.

On the hill for Oakland is JP Sears and for Baltimore is Kyle Brandish and this game started off with a bang for Baltimore. Ramon Urias grounded into a fielder’s choice which scored the leadoff man Adley Rutschman who got on base with a single. 1-0 Orioles.

When Brandish got on the mound against the A’s, he had one goal, sit them down, and sit them down fast. Brandish struck out the side in the first inning and then in the second and third inning he retired the side with ease, 1-2-3. On the other side of the coin, Baltimore’s bats were  in go mode.

Jorge Mateo hit an inside the park home run, making it 2-0 in the second inning. In the third inning the momentum didn’t end when Ryan Mountcastle and Gunnar Henderson got back to back hits to start the rally and then they scored when Austin Hays hit a single, but he was thrown out trying to take second, but the damage was done, 4-0 Baltimore.

The fourth inning was no different for the O’s where a leadoff double by Jordan Westburg got the spark going, then after two ground outs and a Rutschman walk, Mountcastle hit a two out, three run home run and the game was blown wide open 7-0 Baltimore.

Rookie Gunnar Henderson hit a triple to follow up the homer, but it looked like a home run that would’ve been his 21st of the season, but after umpire review the ball hit the fence and resulted in a triple. Bradish finally got a hit knocked off of him when Zack Gelof got a one out single, but Seth Brown struck out and Brent Rooker grounded out, so Gelof’s hit didn’t turn into anything.

The A’s took Sears out and put Zach Neal on the mound in the fifth inning and he was able to retire the Orioles side for the first time all game.

The Orioles offense slowed down once Neal got in the game and in the sixth inning A’s first baseman Seth Brown got all three outs. Brown caught a line drive and tagged Ryan McKenna out at first for the double play, then grabbed a grounder from Rutschman to end the inning.

Henderson broke the two inning run drought with a loud dinger of a home run and there was no review with this one, it went 396 feet to deep right field, 8-0 Orioles. The insurance runs didn’t stop for Baltimore after Westburg singled to right and scored Ramon Urias, 9-0 Orioles.

In the seventh inning the O’s changed pitchers from Bradish to Nick Vespi and it didn’t start out well for him after Brent Rooker hit his 20th homer of the season to lead off the inning for Oakland and give the A’s their first run of the game. 9-1.

Jorge Mateo led off the eighth inning with a double and then was brought home by a Rutschman double, 10-1 Baltimore. Gunnar Henderson hit his second double and third hit of the game, but this one counted for an RBI as he scored Rutschman making the game a runaway 11-1 and then Henderson got across home plate when Urias hit a two out single. 12-1.

To close out the game Baltimore brings in former Oakland A’s pitcher Shintaro Fujinami. Even though Fujinami let a leadoff single get past him, a double play followed, and then struck Brent Rooker out looking.

The game ends with Baltimore winning decisively 12-1 with 17 hits and they recorded their eighth sweep of the season and they continue their streak of not being swept. Kyle Bradish walks away with the win (8-6) and JP Sears walks away with the loss (2-10).

The O’s go home with a day off then the following day it’s a series against Toronto. The current record for the Orioles is 77-47 and they maintain their position as the second best record in baseball.

The A’s host the Kansas City Royals at the Oakland Coliseum. The Royals have not decided on a starter yet and the A’s will be going with Paul Blackburn (3-3 ERA 4.09) for a 6:40pm PT first pitch.