Tag: KNBR

Loss in Giants clubhouse and post season could spell Zaidi and Kapler’s demise; Could Wotus be next in line for manager’s job?

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San Francisco Giants special assistant and former third base coach Ron Wotus could possibly be in line for the Giants manager job. (AP file photo)

By Barbara Mason

San Francisco Giants team president Farhan Zaidi was asked by the Giants flagship station KNBR on Thursday did he see manager Gabe Kapler returning next season. Zaidi gave a non answer saying he appreciated that Giants owner Greg Johnson gave assurances that both Kapler and Zaidi would be returning for the 2024 season.

Zaidi talked about Kapler losing the clubhouse saying culturally when things are going right this group loves being together, they’re having fun. “But when you’re not doing well those things can be seen in a negative light,” he said.

On Monday night the Giants returned to Oracle Park taking on the San Diego Padres in a three game series. San Francisco pitcher Logan Webb had a sound outing winning 2-1. Instead of patting himself on the back for a fine outing when it was mentioned that he could be a NL Cy Young Award winner Webb gave credit to his opposing pitcher the Padres Blake Snell. He said that Snell should be the Cy Young Award winner and that he pitched a fine game.

Webb added that it’s not fun anymore. He said that the joy and fun just isn’t there right now. The Giants on Wednesday night lost after going into the top of the tenth inning with a 2-2 tie but saw three runs score for San Diego on a throwing error allowing a run and a two RBI base hit. There seems to be some malcontent in the locker room.

It was the quickest exit by the fans after the Padres scored the last two runs that had been seen at Oracle Park in a long time. The culture that Zaidi was talking about is just about all but gone. The Giants at one time had a shot at getting a Wild Card spot but went 2-8 on the previous road trip losing two out of three in Colorado, swept in two games in Arizona, and losing three out of four in Los Angeles.

The Giants really needed those wins on that road trip but it got away from them. The clubhouse after that road trip was strained at best. Kapler was stoic when answering questions at his post game meeting with the press after Wednesday night’s loss to the Padres.

When the Giants bombed on that last road trip Webb spoke up about the clubhouse mood. Then they lost two out of three to the Padres at Oracle and that mood was even more strained than on this last road trip. Johnson who seemed to be assured that Zaidi and Kapler would be back next season puts that statement in doubt.

Ironically special assistant coach Ron Wotus whose been with the Giants through four managers, Dusty Baker, Felipe Alou, Bruce Bochy and now Kapler could be a successor as manager if Kapler were to be fired. It was reported when Wotus spoke to the clubhouse all the players gave him their attention.

Webb questioned, “Why would you get to this position and not give it your best? Give it your all. I think it’s a great message, right. Because no matter what happens at the end of the year, we’re just going to go right back to the offseason and show up in spring training,” he said. He also believes that the team will do their best to try to get back into a possible post-season scenario much like the one they just blew in 2023.

Barbara Mason covers Giants baseball on the road for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Willie Mays Happy 90th Birthday Tribute podcast with Bruce Magowan

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Willie Mays before a New York Mets and San Francisco Giants game on Aug 19, 2016 at Oracle Park in San Francisco. Celebrated his 90th birthday on Thu May 6, 2021. (AP News file photo)

Longtime and former KNBR 680, KGO 810, and KCBS 740 talk show host/broadcaster Bruce Magowan relives some great memories of Hall of Fame San Francisco Giant Willie Mays who turned 90 today on the Happy 90th Birthday Willie Mays Tribute with Bruce Magowan:

The A’s need to look to the Dodgers as a model to solve their radio problems

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Oakland Athletics and their president–David Kaval–have not made any secret about being unhappy with their flagship radio station 95.7 FM The Game and their parent corporation Entercom Communications. The A’s major complaint has been that 95.7 FM  The Game spends more time covering the Giants and 49ers than they do the A’s.

By the way, without belaboring the point and going in-depth on the historical reasons why it is a logical editorial move for the station, the A’s complaint has some real validity to it.

Unlike the Giants, the A’s have been the nomadic professional sports team on the Bay Area airwaves. They have been heard on 50,000 watt powerhouse radio station KNBR and tiny college FM station KALX (it’s a long story that also involves the Giants’, Larry Baer). In total, the A’s have been heard on 14 different radio stations in the Bay Area including three different stations in one year back in 2011.

In 60 years, the Giants have been on two stations. Originally, they were heard on 560 AM KSFO before moving to 680 AM KNBR.

Kaval obviously wants to have the kind of relationship with a radio station like Giants have with KNBR. Here is the problem Kaval has in establishing that kind of bond, KNBR/Cumulus Media are also part owners of the Giants. When KNBR promotes and sells the Giants, they are promoting and selling themselves. It’s a perfect business synergy.

It is totally understandable as to why Kaval wants that kind of broadcast relationship for his baseball team. The ongoing conversation about the team and its players help to gin up excitement among the fans year around. That has to be helpful to a team’s bottom line. The problem is the A’s do not have an investor that owns a radio station.

The Dodgers and Angels ran into a very similar situation in Los Angeles and took matters into their own hands. In this writer’s opinion, the Dodgers have done a better job of handling the situation.

The Dodgers established a partnership and purchased their own radio station with iHeart Radio. Together, they operate AM 570 LA Sports–Home of Dodgers Radio & Los Angeles sports. AM 570 LA Sports is also the radio home of the Chargers, Clippers, Fox Sports Radio, and several locally produced sports talk shows, but make no mistake–it is “Dodger Radio.”

The Dodgers control their broadcast situation and create their own profit center from their efforts. Not only do they have a 24 X 7 X 365 self-promotion channel but they have a sports-related broadcast business profit center for the team as well.

The Angels have done the same thing with AM 830 in Orange County, which they call Angels Radio. They are also the home of the Anaheim Ducks, USC Basketball, multiple play-by-play syndicated feeds plus some ESPN network programming and a locally produced talk show.

AM 570 LA Sports does much better in Nielsen Radio Ratings than does Angels Radio AM 830, which means they can charge more for their commercials. They also have the sales and marketing force of iHeart Radio to work with to sell their product. Not that the Angels are losing money, but the assumption would be the Dodgers are making more money with their venture at this point.

If the A’s want to establish stability on the radio and have some control over their broadcast product, then they must put some “skin” in the game. The team is going to have to invest in their own product by finding a broadcast partner to help them build a radio station from the ground up. It will cost some money, but the team will have their choice of Entercom, Cumulus, iHeart, Bonneville, Salem and even possibly Disney to become their broadcasting business partner.

There is plenty of room in the sports broadcasting segment in the Bay Area for more programming. Think “Green & Gold AM 610 ESPN Radio.” There is no full-time ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio or CBS Sports Radio affiliate in the Bay Area. Take the programming from one of those outstanding networks, add a killer local afternoon talk show to go with specialty programming for the A’s to enhance the play-by-play and you have the foundation of a strong sports station. Add to the baseball programming play-by-play coverage of pro and college sports from around the nation plus Bay Area college basketball and you have a station worth listening to if you are a sports fan.

The A’s will need to select the right partner and then buy the correct radio station or stations to make the plan come together, but it can happen? More importantly, as the Dodgers and other professional teams have proved, it can work very successfully.