Tag: mlb

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Gambling is Baseball’s Mortal Sin

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Former Cincinnati Red Pete Rose seen here playing against the Atlanta Braves Aug 2, 1978 at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta. Rose who died this year 2024 has a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball for gambling on baseball. (AP file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

It was in September 1919 that several Chicago White Sox players agreed to receive a $100,000 payment from Arnold Rothstein to underachieve during that year’s World Series. This allowed professional gamblers of that time to make tremendous profits by favoring the underdog Cincinnati Reds.

Movies have depicted this moment in baseball; one of the most famous American movies was Godfather II, where actor Lee Strasberg played Hyman Roth, the fictional character for Arnold Rothstein, but that was just a scene in that movie, unlike the 1988 film Eight Men Out, where the whole film deals with baseball’s biggest scandal.

When Major League Baseball banned Pete Rose in 1989, that story became the most famous in baseball history, as far as gambling, especially for those of us who have seen Mister Charlie Hustle play the game. Ironically, the Cincinnati Reds, the team Rose managed, was involved in the scandal, the same franchise as in the 1919 World Series and one of the oldest franchises in the game.

Going back to 1919, during the “Black Sox Scandal,” the owner of the Chicago team was considered a cheapskate and was involved in bribes with players and all kinds of corruption regarding salaries and money issues.

In today’s game, players and managers gambling on games is very unlikely, and one main reason was 1953. That year, the Major League Baseball Players Association was established, and the MLBPA became a labor union with Marvin Miller as the executive director. Unlike the days of Mr.Comiskey, when the owners controlled the game and players; today it’s a ‘players’ game.

In 2024 the minimum salary for a Major League Baseball player (rookie) is $740,000, increasing to $760,000 next season and $780,000 in 2026.

In 1976, Free agency in Major League Baseball became a reality, and today, baseball players are among the wealthiest athletes in the world.

Before the 2024 season, Japanese mega-star Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and today, Juan Soto of the New York Yankees could soon sign a contract just as rich as Ohtani’s or maybe “just” $100 million short of that.

Note: On June 4, 2024, Shohei’s Ohtani interpreter pleaded guilty to two counts related to the transfer of nearly $17 million from the Dodgers star to cover Mizuhara’s gambling debts. Shohei Ohtani is considered a victim in this case,

Note: 2012 Draft Kings, the company was initially launched, competing principally with the New York-based FanDuel. In May 2018, amid the widening legalization of sports betting in the United States, DraftKings expanded into online and retail sportsbooks to leverage its brand awareness and customer base. Many fans love participating as gamblers, and Major League Baseball even promotes it. Hypocrisy? of course, but in the end, everybody loves money.

Gambling is an addiction, just like drugs and alcohol, and they all could leadto serious consequences. The American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines gambling disorder as a behavioral addiction: A persistent pattern of gambling that causes significant distress or impairment A behavior that leads to problems for the individual, families, and society A behavior that involves an increasing tolerance, requiring more gambling to feel satisfied A behavior that can cause withdrawal and irritability when someone tries to quit.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary–In 2025 Ohtani will Not visit Sacramento

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Los Angeles Dodgers Dodgers two way star Shohei Ohtani nor the Los Angeles Dodgers will not be appearing at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento against the Sacramento A’s during the 2025 season (USA Today file photo)

In 2025 Ohtani will Not visit Sacramento

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Baseball’s biggest star and Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player, Shohei Ohtani, will not visit the A’s in Sacramento in 2025. The three-time MVP and World Champion is on pace to return to the mound and pitch next season.

The Athletics will only play the Dodgers one time in 2025, at Dodger Stadium on May 13,14 and 15, and that is the only opportunity that an Athletics fan will have to see their team vs. Ohtani.

However, the Dodgers and Giants will play six (6) games next season, three at Dodger Stadium on June 13,14,15 and three more in San Francisco’s Oracle Park on July 11,12,13. If you are “into Ohtani stuff” and live in Northern California, you could visit San Francisco to watch the spectacle and do not need to spend the money and time to visit LA at a Stadium where it is not easy to find a ticket for a game, at Dodger Stadium where their home attendance is average 50,000 per game.

The world’s #1 baseball star is usually followed by a cadre of reporters wherever the Dodgers travel, from international and domestic writers, newspapers, and social media to radio and television. During the Major League season, it doesn’t matter if the Dodgers are at home or on the road; Japan is fascinated with ‘everything Ohtani,’ and in 2025, there will be even much more coverage of the superstar as he is scheduled to be a part of his team’s starting rotation.

The much-anticipated return to the mound of this baseball mega-star should be one of the biggest stories next season. Ohtani had his first Tommy John surgery in 2018 and a second Tommy John surgery in 2023.

Note: This is the way the 2025 schedule is set for the Athletics and the Dodgers; it is not like Ohtani said, “I do not want to visit Sacramento” サクラメントには行きたくない

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

San Francisco Giants podcast with Stephen Ruderman: Bumgarner might return in front office; Crawford retires; How do you replace Snell?

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Former Arizona Diamondback and San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner is being considered for a front office role with the Giants according to sources (AP file photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast with Stephen Ruderman:

1. With the Dodgers agreeing to sign Blake Snell to a five-year $182-million deal, how do you think that shapes up the Dodgers and the National League West next season?

2. With deferred money on this contract similar to that of Ohtani’s contract, what impact will this have on the game, and how will “small market” teams respond?

3. With the Giants losing out on Snell, where do they do from there?

4. Brandon Crawford has announced his retirement after a 14-year career. What stands out from his career, and what role could you see with him going forward with the Giants?

5. President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey has expressed interest in bringing Madison Bumgarner in for a role. What kind of role do you imagine?

Stephen Ruderman is a San Francisco Giants beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Former Brave Rico Carty dead at 85; Orioles to move in fences for 25 season; plus more news

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The Atlanta Braves honored Rico Carty with a tribute and photo. Carty played in the big leagues from 1963-1979 (image from the Atlanta Braves)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Former Atlanta Braves great Rico Carty has passed away at the age of 85. Carty played in the majors in 1963 the year he broke in with the Milwaukee Braves before retiring in 1979 with the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1970 Carty led the National League in hitting with a .366. The Dominican paper Listin Diario said Carty’s friend informed the paper of Carty’s death at 85 years old.

#2 Camden Yards and the Baltimore Orioles have announced that they have moved in the fences 20 feet in for the 2025 season. In 2022 the Orioles moved the fences back something that made the pitching staff appreciate. Prior to the 2022 season the hitters loved to tee off at Camden and in 2025 they can love that opportunity again.

#3 The San Francisco Giants have signed outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to a one year deal for the 2025 season at $9.25 million. The Giants also tendered contracts for first baseman LeMonte Wade, closer Camilo Doval, and releiver Tyler Rogers. How important is it for the Giants to secure those players.

#4 Sacramento A’s manager Mark Kotsay said that free agent and former Los Angeles Dodger Walker Buehler declined to sign with the A’s citing that he didn’t not want to play in Sacramento a triple A minor league park. After playing in the number 2 TV market in baseball Buehler wanted to stay clear of Sacramento which he considers a minor league park.

#5 Also MLB players have indicated that they do not like the idea of playing in Sacramento because of it’s small space, that Sacramento is just a temporary home for the A’s, the clubhouses for the A’s and visiting teams are being built as a two story facility, there is no tunnel from the dugouts to the clubhouse for the players like other big league parks. The only consolation the players got out of going to Sacramento they will play on natural turf as opposed to artificial turf.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Ichiro Suzuki First Japanese Inducted into Cooperstown

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Amaury Pi-González throws First Pitch in Seattle during Ichiro years. (Photo from the author)

Ichiro Suzuki First Japanese Inducted into Cooperstown

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The inevitable just happened. The 2025 Baseball Writers Association of America Hall of Fame ballot was released, and their #1 name for this round is Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki, who had a close two-decade Hall of Fame career in the Major Leagues. Also, C.C. Sabathia, a great pitcher and a local guy from Vallejo, is on the HOF ballot, as is closer Billy Wagner, who ended with 422 games saved, the most in MLB history by a left-handed pitcher. John Franco had 424.

During the years I broadcasted home games for the Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants (concurrently), I witnessed the greatness of Ichiro Suzuki, especially during that memorable 2004 season when he ended the season with 262 hits, breaking the all-time Major League single hits record previously held by George Sisler who in 1920 with St Louis Brown had a 257 hit season.

Interviewing Ichiro was one of the most extraordinary things I have experienced. Allen Turner was Ichiro’s first interpreter in 2001; later, others came to do the same job, home and road. Every time I interviewed Ichiro I had to pose the question in English, and the interpreter then would relay it to Ichiro in Japanese; next, the interpreter would tell me what Ichiro said(of course, translated to English), and then OK, the finished part I told the audience in Spanish for Mariners Spanish radio, what the great Ichiro just told me.

Ichiro was a distinctive, timid person who worked as hard as anybody. He stored his bats inside a particular case, like the bat(s) were Stradivarius violins. Down on the field, my broadcast partner, the late Julio Cruz, Mariner’s Dream Team Second baseman, Julio and I would stand behind the batting cage a couple of hours or so before the games at Safeco Field (the original name of the tremendous retractable stadium in downtown Seattle Ichiro would hit home runs at will, and when he took a break in between swings inside the cage, he would do some gymnastic moves. It was truly a feat to see a guy listed at 5’11, who looked like 5’7 and around 165 pounds, hit the ball as hard and many times as deep.

Ichiro Suzuki played from 2001 to 2019, a total of 19 years. It began with the Mariners in 2001 and retired with the Mariners in 2019; in between, also playing for the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. A solid Hall of Fame career. It ended with a .311 batting average, 3,089 hits, 509 stolen bases, 117 homeruns, and 780 runs batted in.

His first name was Ichiro, and that was enough. Only one other Mariners Hall of Fame player had that distinction: Ken Griffey Jr. “Junior was enough, “and everybody knew, just like Ichiro, who it was. For me, the best lead-off hitters of all time that I have known, interviewed, and covered are Rickey Henderson and Ichiro Suzuki. One is in the Hall of Fame, and the other one soon will be joining Rickey.

QUOTE: Ichiro appeared in 10 All-Star Games. I once asked him about playing in the All-Star Game and if he could tell me something about playing during those fun games. He surprised me with one word in Spanish; he told me it was “peligroso” translation=dangerous. You asked, why dangerous? Well, in one of his 10 All-Star Game appearances, the network that carried the game got his permission to insert a small microphone in his uniform so he could say something while he was on the field during the game. He did it reluctantly; he didn’t feel comfortable doing that. In the end (like I mentioned before), he was timid, reserved, and, in many ways a mysterious player.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Rays repair damage $56 million to fix the Trop; West Sacramento would like to keep the A’s

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The roof of the Tropicana Field is damaged the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the region, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Tampa Bay Rays are now being mentioned for relocation from Tampa Bay after having Tropicana Field destroyed by Hurricane Milton on October 9th. The damages for repair is estimated at $56 million and the Rays will play their 2025 season in the spring training home of the New York Yankees George M Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

#2 The move to Steinbrenner Field for the Rays puts them as the second big league club not to play in a Major League facility for the 2025 season as the A’s of Sacramento will be playing their home games in minor league park Sutter Health Park in 2025.

#3 The Rays are at a tough crossroads here as Tampa Bay Mayor Ken Welch wants to go ahead and repair the Trop but with the Rays getting a new stadium in 2029 they might end up playing their regular season games at George Steinbrenner Field until their new stadium is ready?

#4 The construction cost for the A’s Las Vegas ballpark at $1.5 billion is still yet to be seen. A’s owner John Fisher’s spokesperson Sandy Dean said recently at the Las Vegas Stadium Authority meeting headed by Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce CEO Steven Hill that the Fisher Family will be putting up the $1.5 billion to cover their share of the construction costs. The bill to help supplement SB1 is due Dec 5th.

#5 Meanwhile until things are sorted out in Las Vegas, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero has said that West Sacramento can build a 40-50 thousand seat ballpark for the A’s by the Sacramento River Bridge. The A’s are focused on playing in Las Vegas after the 2027 season.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Mayor of West Sacramento is convinced city can build 40-50 thousand seat ballpark for A’s

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Sacramento Rivercats owner Vivek Ranadive has welcomed A’s owner John Fisher at Sutter Health Park for the 2025-27 seasons before the team moves to Las Vegas (Sacramento Bee photo)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero said that the City of West Sacramento can build a 40 to 50 thousand seat stadium along the Sacramento River and Mayor Guerrero said that she’s convinced that they can bring Major League Baseball to West Sacramento.

#2 Guerrero said that West Sacramento would like to work with the land owners near the river to see how they would like to shape it. They would help with the design and the city would help navigate with the existing land that they have.

#3 A’s owner John Fisher when he came up for the press conference in West Sacramento said that he mentioned West Sacramento as an interesting place to play ball. It’s something that the A’s would consider.

#4 The Tropicana in Las Vegas already has demoed the towers and is clearing the space for the ball park. What’s left is the John Fisher family to put together the $1 billion for the construction costs of the park. The deadline to make the construction cost payment is Dec 5th where the Las Vegas Stadium Authority will be holding a meeting.

#5 One thing to keep in mind the population contrast with Sacramento vs. West Sacramento is a huge gap. Sacramento’s population is 526,384 and West Sacramento’s population 55,842. Also to keep in mind West Sacramento is in Yolo County which is much smaller than Sacramento. With West Sacramento having the smaller population and less taxes coming in how would they pay for a ball park?

Join Daniel for the Oakland A’s podcast each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Mason Miller named to All-MLB second team; Continues To Rock the Baseball World

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Athletics pitcher Mason Miller was dealing all season long finishing 2024, 2-2 ERA 2.49, with 28 saves and being named to the All-MLB second team (AP file photo)

By Barbara Mason

WEST SACRAMENTO–We watched him all season long and from that first pitch, we all knew that relief pitcher Mason Miller was something very special. Major League Baseball has rewarded that excellence by naming him to the All-MLB Second Team. He is one of just nine rookies to have won this honor since its inception.

He clocked 104 strikeouts which was second among every major league reliever and of those 104 strikeouts by a reliever this was a tie for sixth place in A’s history. Of his 1024 pitches almost half of them were 100 miles per hour or more.

The Oakland A’s had improved significantly offensively and defensively this past season and had even improved their season record by 19 games. There were a handful of players that were responsible for this encouraging sign but none more promising than the performance we saw game after game from Mason Miller.

When he took the mound it evoked fear in opposing batters and thrilled Athletic fans who gasped at the proficiency, speed and power of his pitches. His appearances on the mound were not to be missed.

It was a real shift for the young pitcher who switched from the rotation to the bullpen. Suffering from elbow concerns he was challenged making this change and it fit him like a glove. Miller missed four months in 2023 after spraining his ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow.

He adapted beautifully and became a dominant closer; a closer that struck out the best of the best in baseball. His fast ball is like no other and it always came as a surprise when a batter was able to connect. This did not happen too often as he saved 28 games.

He actually threw a 103.6 mile per hour pitch in this year’s All-Star Game. In that one inning he struck out Shohei Ohtani and Trea Turner back to back. He owned players of this caliber all season long. This guy is practically unhittable.

He won award after award last season. He was named Rookie of the Year, MLB reliever of the Month, the Dave Stewart Award and the Roberto Clemente Award. Quite a feat for a guy who came into a season in a new role, a role that he worked hard to perfect.

With all of this success, the fear is the top target that this guys is going to be as far as the dreaded “trade”. This has struck fear in the hearts of Athletic fans year in and year out. It has happened with such regularity that while it’s horribly disappointing, it is expected with this organization.

With the history that we have seen with the Athletics, the outstanding players that we have seen come and go, it seems that for the right price the trades will continue but we are holding onto the hope that next season sees Mason Miller listed on the Athletics roster.

There had been rumors in the final months of the last season of teams, high caliber teams, who were more than interested in Miller. Thankfully he was able to finish the season as a Athletic. If this team wants to build on the progress they made last season one of the first steps would be to continue to groom players like Mason Miller, Lawrence Butler, Brent Rooker, JJ Bleday, Abraham Toro, Tyler Soderstrom and Miguel Andujar and the list goes on.

Keeping this team intact would be a breath of fresh air. With the changes to start the last season the team had to learn to become a unit. It took months and there was obvious growing pains before they really got onboard. They have become a unit now and keeping them together next year would be key to a successful start to a new season. And that’s how you build a good baseball team.

Barbara Mason is an A’s beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: A’s trade Allen to Braves; Marlins hire Dodgers first base coach McCullough; plus more news

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Former Athletics shortstop Nick Allen was traded to the Atlanta Braves for minor league pitcher Jared Johnson on Mon Nov 11, 2024 (AP file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Athletics infielder Nick Allen was traded from the A’s to the Atlanta Braves minor league pitcher Jared Johnson. Allen in the 2024 season hit .175, with one home run, four RBIs, and 16 stolen bases in 81 games with the A’s triple A affiliate Las Vegas Aviators.

#2 The Miami Marlins have hired Los Angles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough as their new manager on Monday. McCullough was first base coach for the Marlins for the last four years and McCullough’s last year was this past World Series where the Dodgers won it in five games.

#3 Former Cincinnati Red Pete Rose who passed away at 83 years old on Sep 30th was honored last Sunday at Great American Ballpark by the Reds with a 14 hour visitation at the ballpark. It was a rainy day honoring Rose the all time hits leader. With the cooperation of Rose’s daughter’s Fawn and Kara who exchanged stories, hugs, and tears. “We wanted to do something like this” said Reds executive director Rick Wells, “You could see from the turnout, it means a lot to the people here. It’s a moving experience.”

#4 New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone will be meeting with Juan Soto with owner Hal Steinbrenner as they will fly to California to try and convince Soto to join the Yankees for the 2025 season. Soto is scheduled to meet with New York Mets group that includes owner Steve Cohen.

#5 Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco allegedly was in a fight over a woman that involved guns drawn in San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican Republic that police said was an altercation in a parking lot. The woman was being held for questioning by police it was not reported if there were any injuries. Franco has had previous legal problems which include him being accused of having a sexual relationship with a 14 year old girl.

Amuary Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Fisher Family finally regroups on construction cost realizing big returns on Vegas investment

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Proposed Las Vegas A’s ballpark rendering is scheduled to be completed by opening day 2028 at Tropicana and Las Vegas Blvd on the Vegas Strip. (renderings from the Sacramento A’s)

On the Sacramento A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 This week it was reported the A’s will pay $1 billion into their Las Vegas ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip at the old Tropicana site. Golden Sachs and US Bank also are contributing another $300 million in loan money towards the project. The $1 billion from the A’s is funded from owner John Fisher and his family.

#2 Fisher had tried to find investors to buy minority portions of A’s ownerships and tried to find local investors in Las Vegas as well going on a good portion of the year since December 2024 when the MLB owners approved the move to Vegas to find minority investors. Not having success in finding partners Fisher has teamed up with his family to pay the $1 billion.

#3 With the rising appreciation of Major League teams who have their own park and amenities Fisher convinced his family that this would be an investment that will no doubt have big returns. The A’s could appreciate their current worth from $1.5 billion to $3 billion once they are at their new Las Vegas digs.

#4 A meeting scheduled with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority headed by Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce CEO Steven Hill for December 5th to put the final vote for final approval and towards breaking ground at the Tropicana for the ballpark. Construction is expected to begin in March and the ballpark should be finished with a opening day target date of 2028.

#5 Long shot: Schools over Stadiums has hardly given up hope to stop the public funding of SB1. Alexander Marks Schools over Stadium spokesman who has attended many of the ballpark meetings at the Las Vegas Stadium Authority has spoke many times against the funding of public money being used when it should be used for public education. Marks hopes to get enough signatures to put an initiative on the Nevada ballot to stop the public funding of the A’s Las Vegas ballpark. If successful the A’s would be forced to find private money instead of Nevada State money or SB1 funding for the $350 million the A’s said they would use out of the $380 million.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Sacramento A’s podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com