Tag: Las Vegas Aviators

Oakland named as one of two expansion sites once A’s leave for Vegas in 2028

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao addresses the media during a Wed Feb 15, 2023 press conference at Oakland City Hall. Mayor Thao has said the City of Oakland would consider extending the A’s lease through the 2027 season if the city would retain the A’s name and the city gets an expansion team. (AP photo file)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez and Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–You might recall Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said that if Oakland A’s are looking for extending they’re lease between 2025-27 before moving to Las Vegas the city of Oakland wants assurance of an MLB expansion team. According to USA Today reports two high officials in MLB said that Oakland and Nashville have been named as the top two cities for expansion.

The A’s ballpark is expected to be completed at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip by 2028. The A’s are committed to play at the Oakland Coliseum through the 2024 season. Then after 2024 where do the A’s play? Several sites have been suggested Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Aviators park, Reno, and San Francisco.

Mayor Thao said as long as Oakland is assured an expansion team when the A’s leave in 2028 the city would grant the A’s an extension to play at the Coliseum for an additional three more years until they pack up and leave for Sin City.

With the two high ranking officials saying Oakland is on the list for expansion Thao will most likely extend the A’s lease through the 2027 season. The officials who were not named said the city of Oakland needs to secure an owner who will build a new ballpark most likely at the Howard Terminal location. Mayor Thao would most likely need to identify an owner who will build the new ballpark and take charge of the expansion team to make it happen.

Thao had said that the city in part of extending the Oakland Coliseum lease for the A’s would retain the Oakland A’s name and brand. A’s owner John Fisher had said that the A’s will not relinquish the name when they move to Vegas and intends to keep the A’s brand.

It was also mentioned in the report that the city and the A’s were close to a deal in before the A’s announced they were leaving for Vegas. Thao had said the city and A’s were ten percent of the way to finalizing a deal but the A’s broke off negotiations and said they had a binding deal with the Rio in Las Vegas. The deal at the Rio was later broke off and now the A’s are trying to build at the Tropicana location which the A’s are waiting for MLB owners approval a vote that is expected to take place in December.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network and Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s reporter at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s get blown out 8-2 by the Nationals

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Mary Anne

The Oakland Athletics and Washington Nationals started this weekend with a three-game series at Nationals Park. The A’s lost 8-2 to the Nationals in their series opener on Friday. Oakland fell to 33-83, while Washington improved to 51-66.

The A’s starting lineup consisted of Esteury Ruiz, JJ Bleday, Zack Gelof, Seth Brown, Jordan Diaz, Tyler Soderstrom, Shea Langaliers, Lawrence Butler, Nick Allen, and Paul Blackburn. Blackburn (2-3, 4.52 ERA) took the loss after pitching 5 2/3 innings and giving up eight hits, four earned runs, four walks, and three strikeouts.

The A’s quickly got on the board with two runs in the top of the first inning. Jordan Diaz singled on a line drive to Stone Garett. JJ Bleday and Zack Gelof scored for a 2-0 lead.

The Nationals cut the A’s lead in half and tied the score in the bottom of the second inning. Ildemaro Vargas singled on a ground ball to Lawrence Butler. Keibert Ruiz scored to cut the A’s lead to 2-1 as Dominic Smith went to third base. Stone Garrett singled on a ground ball to Butler. Smith scored to tie the game 2-2 as Vargas went to second base.

The Nationals took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jake Alu was out on a sacrifice fly to JJ Bleday. Ildemaro Vargas scored for a 3-2 lead with two outs.

The Nationals extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Keibert Ruiz homered on a fly ball to right center field for a 4-2 lead.

The Nationals expanded their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Ildemaro Vargas homered on a fly ball to left center field. Lane Thomas and Keibert Ruiz scored for a commanding 7-2 lead.

The Nationals added to their lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Jake Alu homered on a fly ball to right center field for an 8-2 lead.

Notes
The A’s recalled Lawrence Butler from Triple-A Las Vegas, placing Tony Kemp on the paternity leave list on Friday.

On Thursday, Zack Gelof became the fastest to reach six home runs in A’s history.

Up Next
The A’s and Nationals will continue their series on Saturday at 4:05 pm Pacific.

River Cats survive late error, walk off Aviators 4-3 to snap four-game slide

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Sacramento Rivercats celebrate the winning walk off run on a Las Vegas Aviators error at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on Thu Jun 8, 2023 (@RiverCats photo)

By Stephen Ruderman

SACRAMENTO–The River Cats walked off the Las Vegas Aviators on a bizarre play to cap off a thriller, and to snap their four-game losing streak 4-3.

Patrick Sanders took the ball for Sacramento, and he was rudely welcomed, as the second batter of the game, Trenton Brooks, hit a home run to right to put the Aviators on the board early. Sanders then gave up a base-hit to Jordan Diaz, and got Cody Thomas to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. Sanders walked Tyler Soderstrom to start the second, and escaped the inning thanks to a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Conner Capel, which would do it for his night.

Kyle Muller made the start for Las Vegas, as he pitched through a jam in the bottom of the first, and he pitched through a two-out single in the second. Muller got Bryce Johnson to ground out to third to start the bottom of the third, but Luis Matos then hit a towering home run to left-center to tie the game.

Chris Wright followed Sanders for the River Cats, and pitched through a one-out single in the top of the third, but ran into trouble in the fourth. Cody Thomas singled with one out, stole second and scored on a double off the bat of Soderstrom to put the Aviators right back ahead. Wright struck out Garcia, and walked Capel, which led Wright to be pulled for Tanner Andrews, who struck out Zack Gelof to end the inning.

Muller set down the River Cats 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth, and got Bryce Johnson to fly out to right to start the bottom of the fifth. Luis Matos then hit a towering double off the wall in left-center; advanced to third on an infield hit off the bat of Tyler Fitzgerald; and scored on a base-hit by David Villar.

Andrews pitched a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, and got Capel to pop out to third to start the seventh, but he was pulled after giving up singles to Gelof and Yohel Pozo. The left-hander, Joey Marciano, then came in, and he hit Tyler Wade to load the bases with one out. Marciano was on the ropes, but he then struck out Brooks and Diaz to get out of the inning with the game still tied.

Chad Smith, who followed Muller with a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, gave up a home run to Will Wilson that just got out just to the left of straightaway center on the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh, which gave the River Cats their first lead of the night. Marciano and Erik Miller then combined to strike out the side in a 1-2-3 top of the eighth.

The River Cats threatened to break the game open against Aviators’ right-hander, Norge Ruiz, in the bottom of the eighth, but were unable to extend their lead, which sent the game to the ninth with the River Cats up 3-2.

Miller came back out for the ninth, and on a 2-2 count, got Capel to hit a routine fly ball to left, which was dropped by Shane Matheny, who had come in for Will Wilson for defense. Miller was then clearly rattled, as he walked Gelof on four pitches. Miller got Pozo to hit a chopper back to the mound for the first out, but that also advanced the runners to second and third.

That brought up the top of the order in Tyler Wade, who hit a ground ball to River Cats’ second-baseman, Brett Wisely, who was playing in; Wisely then threw home, but Joey Bart was unable to come up with the ball, and Capel scored the tying run. Miller then got out of the inning without further trouble, and the game was tied going to the bottom of the ninth.

Garrett Acton then came in for the Aviators, and walked Bryce Johnson on four pitches to start the bottom of the ninth. Luis Matos then played some old-school baseball, and laid down a sacrifice bunt to get Johnson to second. It was then up to Tyler Fitzgerald, who hit a high fly ball to left-center; Aviators’ center-fielder, Conner Capel, had the ball in his glove, but left-fielder, Cody Thomas, ran into Capel and knocked it out of his hand; Johnson had gone towards third, turned around and headed back towards second, but came in to score once the ball was dropped to win it for the River Cats. The play was ruled an error on Thomas—E7—due to an official scoring rule, which gives an error to a fielder, who in the act of colliding with another fielder, knocks the ball out of the other fielder’s hand.

Erik Miller ended up with the win to improve to 1-0, and Acton got the loss to fall to 5-2. This win snapped a four-game losing streak for the River Cats, who improve to 27-33, but remain in last place and seven games behind the first-place Reno Aces in the Pacific Coast League West.

As for Joey Bart, who is still on his rehab assignment, he went 0-for-4 with a hat trick. His third strikeout marked his eighth in 11 plate appearances.

Game 4 of the series will be tomorrow night at 6:45, as Kyle Harrison will take the mound for the River Cats.

Matos goes 0-for-5, as Aviators edge River Cats 2-1 in series opener

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Final score says it all from Sutter Health Park in Sacramento as the Las Vegas Aviators defeat the Sacramento RiverCats by a run 2-1 in triple A action (@RiverCats photo)

By Stephen Ruderman

SACRAMENTO–Luis Matos’ eight-game hitting streak came to an end with an 0-for-5 night, as the Las Vegas Aviators beat the River Cats 2-1 in the opener of a six-game series in Sacramento.

It was a mild and overcast day in Sacramento, as the tarp covered the field at Sutter Health Park following a late-afternoon thunderstorm. The rain cleared out, and the game started without delay.

Sean Hjelle took the mound for the River Cats, and he was opposed by the Aviators’ right-hander, Adam Oller. Both pitchers pitched well early on, and neither one of them gave up a hit until the third inning. The Aviators broke through with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, when center-fielder, Max Schuemann, knocked in a pair with a single down the right-field line.

Hjelle got out of the fifth without further damage, but he was pulled after five innings, as he gave up four hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Oller, meanwhile, pitched six shutout innings, walking three and striking out six, giving up just three hits.

Nick Swinney pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning for the River Cats, and he retired the first two men he faced in the seventh, but was pulled following a two-out walk. Spencer Patton pitched a 1-2-3 seventh for Las Vegas, and Nick Avila pitched through a leadoff walk in the top of the eighth for Sacramento.

The Aviators brought in the right-hander, Chad Smith, for the bottom of the eighth. Luis Matos flied out to center to start the inning, but Bryce Johnson reached on an infield hit up the third-base line, and Tyler Fitzgerald singled Johnson over to third on a perfectly-executed hit and run.

David Villar knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly to center to put the River Cats on the board, but Joey Bart swung out swinging on a slider off the outside to end the inning.

Cole Waites pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for Sacramento, and Las Vegas brought in Garrett Acton for the bottom of the ninth. Ford Proctor singled to right to start the inning, and then Colton Welker, who had already been hit by two pitches tonight, struck out, as he ended up going around on a pitch that got his wrist for a painful first out.

Will Wilson flew out to center, and Michael Gigliotti walked, which set things up for the red-hot Luis Matos, whose eight-game hitting streak was on the line along with the game. Matos fouled off three two-strike pitches, but on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, he popped up to the Aviators’ second-baseman, Zack Gelof, out in shallow center to end it.

Adam Oller got the win to improve to 2-2; Sean Hjelle got the loss to fall to 1-1; and Garrett Acton got his third save of the season. The River Cats fall to 26-32, and into last place in the Pacific Coast League West, as they are seven games back of the first-place Reno Aces.

On a side note, Joey Bart went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, as he continues his rehab.

Game 2 of the series will be tomorrow night at 6:45.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: LeBron gets one game suspension Stewart two in Malice at the Pizza Palace; Warriors Thompson could return late Dec; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

You can’t keep the Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart down after getting elbowed in the face by Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James he had to be restrained twice after trying to get back at LeBron. Both players have been suspended by the NBA. (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James received a one game suspension while the Detroit Pistons Isaiah Stewart received a two game suspension for their third quarter brawl at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit Sunday night. LeBron gets the one game for elbowing Stewart in the face and Stewart gets two games for continuing to charge LeBron two times after being restrained and told to stop.

#2 The Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson was reported to be cleared to return to action from his cruciate ligament and Achilles injuries but Warrior head coach Steve Kerr said he didn’t hear anything about Thompson being cleared and Thompson’s return is scheduled for late December.

#3 Amaury, Associate coach Alvin Gentry is now interim head coach replacing former Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton. The Kings had lost seven of their last eight games before Walton was replaced. Gentry lost his first game as head coach against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night at the Golden One Center. The Kings have now lost eight of their last nine.

#4 The San Jose Sharks who came off three loses out of four game on the road returned to San Jose (9-8-1) on Monday night with a 2-1 win over the best team in the NHL the Carolina Hurricanes (14-2-1)

#5 Turning to baseball the Oakland A’s are moving forward in an offer to buy land for a new ballpark located in the same city as minor league team the Las Vegas Aviators in Summerland Nevada. The estimated price of the new ballpark is around $1 billion, the A’s who have tried to build at the Howard Terminal site in Oakland that project cost is around $12 billion.

#6 Busy day for the San Francisco Giants they signed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani for three years worth $36 million. DeSclafani went 13-7 with an ERA 3.17 in 2021. The Giants are reported in advance talks with Los Angeles Angels pitcher Alex Cobb 34, a right hander who went 8-3 with a 3.76 ERA. One more thing to unpack regarding Giants retired catcher Buster Posey he was named the 2021 National League comeback player of the year.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Maddon excited to face his old team Cubs; Will Matz meet the Mets; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo Angels manager Joe Maddon

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 What’s it like for former Chicago Cub manager Joe Maddon to play against his former team the Cubs as Angels manager.

#2 What does it say for the Angels organization formerly working in Anaheim picking up a manager like Joe Maddon.

#3 The New York Mets are inquiring about Steven Matz of the New York Yankees. Matz has a 4.05 ERA over the last four seasons and could turn free agent what are the Mets chances of getting Matz?

#4 The Oakland A’s Jesus Luzardo threw for three innings on Sunday in his second start this spring. Luzardo pitched for the Las Vegas Aviators last season in seven starts and had an ERA of 3.19.

#5 A’s manager Bob Melvin says that Tony Kemp may not end up being the A’s lead off hitter but he’s been getting some good at bats, Kemp hit a double and went 8-18 and Melvin says that Kemp is seeing left handed pitching pretty good too.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for A’s baseball on KIQI 1010 San Francisco hear all A’s home games on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Amaury does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: China pulled out of NBA over Rockets GM tweet; A’s consider getting rooted in Vegas

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

file photo from Washingtonpost.com: In this April 19, 2011, file photo, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey discusses the direction of the team with the media during a basketball news conference, in Houston, after the decision to part ways with NBA basketball head coach Rick Adelman. Morey tried Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019 to defuse the rapidly growing fallout over his deleted tweet that showed support for Hong Kong anti-government protesters, saying he did not intend to offend any of the team’s Chinese fans or sponsors.

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

China’s mad over tweet by Rockets GM: A political triangle has the NBA’s Houston Rockets apologizing over a tweet by Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong” as soon as that tweet was known China ended its relationship with the Houston Rockets and sponsors pulled out of all radio advertising in China.

The Rockets are the most popular team in China because of its relationship with former NBA player Yao Ming. The Rockets’ James Harden and Russell Westbrook quickly tried to go into damage control.

“We apologize, we love China. We love playing there. Both of us, we go there once or twice a year. They show us most support so we appreciate them,” said Harden.

The Chinese response was too late for the Rockets as a Chinese statement read, “Deeply disappointed by the inappropriate remarks.” Hong Kong has been protesting for the last four months about China having the ability to use extradition any Hong Kong citizen if they are wanted for any crime, espionage, or whenever deemed necessary to extradite a Hong Kong citizen when necessary.

Texas representative and presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke has said that the apology from the Rockets and the NBA is an embarrassment. That the NBA and the Rockets should stand pat on Hong Kong standing up to China and protesting extradition of any Hong Kong citizen and not to cave to China.

The Rockets and the NBA are in panic mode now as the league could face losing millions of dollars in revenue in NBA properties, NBA paraphernalia, and NBA branding not to mention their broadcast rights in China. The NBA and the Rockets have apologized but it may be a little too late as the Hong Kong issue is an extremely sensitive issue to China.

Oakland A’s consider getting rooted in Las Vegas: Sources say that baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is getting tired of the situation that’s gone back and forth between the city of Oakland and the A’s  There has been a lot of posturing between the A’s and the city regarding how to get started on working the land at Jack London Square the A’s were in discussion with the City Manager on Tuesday the day before the A’s wild card game with Tampa Bay. 90 minutes after the meeting with the city manager, Kaval found out the city was suing the A’s to stop them from developing at the Coliseum.

When the city handed the A’s a lawsuit on Tuesday to stop the team from developing on the Oakland Coliseum site, it baffled A’s team president David Kaval, who has been very guarded with his statements about the lawsuit. Kaval has been the spearhead of the new stadium for the A’s and for a brief moment it looked like the A’s were going to work something out with the city, but the city council are split on the A’s getting a downtown stadium. To clarify, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff and City Council president Rebecca Kaplan are both not on board with suing the A’s.

Because of the lawsuit, Kaval and the A’s are regrouping and considering something they never thought they would and that’s moving the A’s out of town to Las Vegas. Fighting the city of Oakland is not on the A’s radar and it will be a sad day when the A’s make the official announcement that it’s over in Oakland. The A’s triple-A team, Las Vegas Aviators, are playing near the Vegas strip.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio talent for the Oakland A’s on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and on http://www.sportsradioservice.com for News and Commentary.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: After 10 days on the road, A’s host Astros on Thursday night

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: athleticsnation.com

On the A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 Stephen Piscotty has been out with the flu and had an injury earlier this season. How important is it to have him back in right field and back in the lineup?

#2 A’s second baseman Jurickson Profar continues to struggle with the glove and the A’s have called up minor leaguer Corban Joseph. Joseph was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas. Joseph hit .371, an OPS of 1.006, 13 homers, 73 RBIs, 63 runs in 381 at-bats.

#3 The A’s started Chad Pinder at second on Tuesday night against the Giants’ Pinder, whose been clutch in late innings, and wasn’t able to help the A’s overcome a one-run deficit. He struck out four times and was 0-4 against the Giants at the plate.

#4 A’s pitcher Sean Manaea is a work in progress, going 5 2/3 innings against in rehab at Triple-A Las Vegas in the game. He gave up a run and had 10 strikeouts and A’s manager Bob Melvin is anxious to get him back.

#5 The A’s host the Houston Astros on Thursday night. It’s the A’s first time back home after a 10-day road trip. The Astros, who lead the AL West will start Aaron Sanchez (5-14, 5.60 ERA) and for the A’s Mike Fiers (11-3, 3.30 ERA).

Join Jerry for the A’s podcast each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: Piscotty working on a come back rehabbing in Vegas; Canha filling just fine in right field; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

mercurynews.com file photo: Stephen Piscotty #25 is helped off the field by by manager Bob Melvin #6 and Matt Chapman #26 of the Oakland Athletics after he injured his right leg as he avoids the tag by Luis Rengifo #4 of the Los Angeles Angels sliding into second base in the sixth inning of the game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 29, 2019

On the A’s podcast with Joey:

#1 A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty who has been out for a month due to a sprained knee who injured himself on June 29th in Anaheim is not too sure when he’ll be back but has been rehabbing.

#2 Piscotty will be joining the Las Vegas Aviators the A’s Triple A affiliate for rehab the Aviators will be using Piscotty as a designated hitter in his first game back and as an outfielder in his second game back.

#3 The A’s Mark Canha has started in right field in 18 of his last 20 games during Piscotty’s absence Canha has hit 18-68 for average .265 and on base percentage of .375.

#4 The A’s opened up Mount Davis for fireworks night on Saturday night sections 335-355 are obstructed views of the outfield but the tickets for those locations are half off.

#5 Starting pitchers for Sunday’s game at the Coliseum for the Texas Rangers Pedro Payano (1-0 ERA 1.50) for the A’s Mike Fiers (9-3 ERA 3.57).

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