Tag: mlb

Giants hire Bob Melvin as 39th manager in franchise history

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San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin met with the media after being hired as the new Giants manager on Tue Oct 25, 2023 at Oracle Park in San Francisco (@SFGiants photo)

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–The San Francisco Giants officially announced that Bob Melvin will be the 39th manager in franchise history this morning.

After the Giants dismissed Gabe Kapler as manager on Sept. 29, it seemed that with Melvin’s situation in San Diego, there was a very good chance he was going to end up managing the Giants. The Giants were granted permission by the San Diego Padres to interview Melvin, who had managed the Padres the last two seasons. In just 48 hours, the Giants knew they had their man.

We are so excited to have [Melvin] leading our club,” said Giants Chairman Greg Johnson. “I can’t think of any other person in Baseball with the level of integrity, respect and achievements Bob has had in his career.”

“We view Bob as the perfect manager, and the perfect leader for this team and this organization right now,” said Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi. “There are so many players out there who played for Bob, who to this day will say he is the best manager they ever played for, and that carried so much weight for us in this process.”

For Melvin, he returns back to the Bay Area, where he grew up; where he went to college at Cal; where he played for the Giants as a backup catcher from 1986 to 1988; and where he managed the Oakland Athletics from 2011 to 2021.

“This is kind of a surreal moment for me,” said Melvin, who described it as coming full circle. “To be able to not only play here, manage here, go to Cal [and] manage the A’s, it’s not even something you even dream about.”

Melvin will bring a healthy mix of old-school baseball and new-age analytics to the table. While Melvin comes from an old-school background, he quickly got acclimated to analytics in his time managing under Billy Beane in Oakland.

“[Analytics are] very important,” said Melvin. “Every team, even the teams you see now that are playing deep into the playoffs, analytics are part of it

“Coming from Oakland, without analytics, we wouldn’t have had the success that we did there,” Melvin added. “There’s always a balance to everything…….I learned from my days in Oakland that there [are] a lot of smart people that contribute to this game; and there [are] also a lot of old-school baseball people, who understand what it’s like to go out there and compete, and the one thing analytics doesn’t show you is the competitive[ness] in certain people and certain players.”

Melvin coming to manage the Giants doesn’t just connect Giants History in terms of him playing for the Giants, but it connects in terms of the fact that he played for Roger Craig, who made an indelible mark on this team, as well as the city of San Francisco.

“There are certain things I learned from every manager, but really for me, Roger was the guy that made me watch the game like a manager,” said Melvin. “To this day, I will always be indebted [to him] for that.”

Just over two and a half months ago on Aug. 4, the Giants were 12 games over .500 61-49; held the first wild card spot in the National League; and held a four-game lead over the Miami Marlins for a playoff spot. They then went 18-34 the rest of the way, finishing under .500 at 79-83.

Melvin also credited Phil Garner, Billy Beane and Sal Bando for the manager he has become today. Melvin was the bench coach under Garner in 1999 with the Milwaukee Brewers, and in 2000 with the Detroit Tigers. Melvin credited Garner with teaching him old-school philosophies, while he also credited Beane for introducing him to analytics.

Zaidi dismissed Manager Gabe Kapler on Sept. 29 prior to the team’s game against the Dodgers that night. Bench Coach Kai Correa managed the final three games against the Dodgers.

It was believed that Kapler had lost the clubhouse, as a sense of a lack of urgency, as well as Baggarly’s report that Outfielder Joc Pederson had the clubhouse enthralled in the filipino card game, ‘Pusoy.’

Melvin was hired by the Padres following the 2021 Season in almost the exact same situation he is set to be hired by the Giants. The Padres went 36-24 in the shortened 60-game COVID sprint season of 2020, and were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division series.

On Aug. 10, 2021, the Padres were 18 games over .500 at 67-49, and half a five-game lead for the second—in 2021, the final—wild card spot. They then collapsed, and went 12-34 the rest of the way, finishing at 79-83, the same record the Giants finished at this season. The Padres dismissed Manager Jayce Tingler, as the Padres had clubhouse issues in 2021, which was highlighted by a dugout spat between Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado on Sept. 18 in St. Louis.

Melvin was brought in, and the Padres had a much more solid clubhouse in 2022, as they went 89-73 to get the second wild card spot; upset the New York Mets in the National League Wild Card Series; and upset the 111-win Dodgers in the NLDS before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the National League Championship Series.

The clubhouse issues returned in San Diego this season, but Melvin’s handling of the Padres’ clubhouse in 2022 shows that he can fix an uneasy clubhouse situation. He will be walking into a calmer situation, and he will have the immediate backing of clubhouse leaders, such as Logan Webb, Mike Yastrzemski, Wilmer Flores and Thairo Estrada.

Melvin is also a former Giant, and was a prodigy under one of the greatest managers in Giants’ history, Roger Craig. Melvin played with the Giants from 1986 to 1988, and was a part of the 1987 Giants team that got within a win of the National League Pennant, but ultimately lost the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in the NLCS.

After retiring as a player, Melvin was a coach under Bob Brenly on the 2001 World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, and was hired by the Seattle Mariners to manage prior to the 2003 Season. The Mariners went 93-69 in 2003, and missed the sole American League Wild Card by just two games. After a disappointing 63-99 2004 Season, the Mariners let Melvin go.

Melvin was then hired to manage the Diamondbacks in 2005, and after a pair of subpar seasons in 2005 and 2006, he took Arizona to a 90-72 National League West division title in 2007, as they swept the Chicago Cubs in three games in the NLDS, before being swept in four games by the Colorado Rockies, who were on an historic 21-1 run, in the NLCS. The Diamondbacks went 82-80 in 2008, but after a slow start in 2009, Melvin was let go on May 8.

After falling short of the Houston Astros’ managerial opening, Melvin spent the 2010 Season as a scout for the Mets, and then returned to the Diamondbacks in a front office role in 2011, following unsuccessful interviews for the Mets’ and Milwaukee Brewers’ managerial openings.

On June 9, 2011, Melvin was hired to manage the Oakland Athletics, following their midseason dismissal of Bob Geren. In 2012, Melvin took the A’s to an improbable division title, but he ran into a buzzsaw in Justin Verlander, as they lost the American League Division Series in five games to the Detroit Tigers. The A’s ran into the same buzzsaw in Verlander, and lost the ALDS to the Tigers in five again in 2013.

The A’s led the American League West for most of 2014, but a midseason trade of Yoenis Cespedes to the Boston Red Sox, and a late-season collapse barely netted them the second wild card spot, as they ended up losing a thrilling American League Wild Card Game to the Royals in Kansas City.

The A’s traded away their talent, and suffered in the standings from 2015 to 2017, but they were back in the playoffs after another improbable run in 2018, which saw them get the second wild card spot with 97 wins. They lost the wild card game in both 2018 and 2019, and then lost the 2020 Wild Card Series to the Chicago White Sox.

The A’s contended with an 86-76 record in 2021, but there was every indication that season that the A’s would once again trade their talent following the end of the year, which they indeed did, and Melvin left for San Diego.

Melvin will not be the former Giant returning to the team. It is expected that Matt Williams, who has been a part of Melvin’s coaching staff in Oakland in San Diego, will join Melvin in San Francisco. Williams was a fan favorite in San Francisco, as he spent a decade with the Giants from 1987 to 1996, and would have had a chance to break Roger Maris’ single-season record of 61 home runs if it was not for the Strike in 1994. Williams hit 43 home runs through 115 games.

Former Giants, Pat Burrell and Ryan Vogelsong, are also rumored to be back in Giants’ uniforms on the coaching staff, with Burrell as the hitting coach, and Vogelsong as the pitching coach.

Zaidi expressed gratitude to the Padres for allowing the Giants to interview Melvin, and said that the Giants will not have to compensate the Padres. The only compensation will be from Melvin to Giants’ young infidler, Casey Schmitt,” whose number six will be worn by Melvin for the 2024 Season.

Johnson also said that the team expects to announce soon that Zaidi will be extended through the 2026 Season.

Giants expected to hire Bob Melvin as next manager

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Former San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin is expected to take the helm at the San Francisco Giants. A press conference is expected this week introducing Melvin to the San Francisco media at Oracle Park in San Franciso (AP file photo)

By Stephen Ruderman

The San Francisco Giants “are poised to announce” that they will hire San Diego Padres Manager Bob Melvin as their next manager, according to Andew Baggarly, the Giants Beat Writer for the Athletic.

The Giants were granted permission by the Padres to interview Melvin, and according to Barragrly, nothing in the process “dissuaded” the Giants from going through with Melvin.

Just over two and a half months ago on Aug. 4, the Giants were 12 games over .500 61-49; held the first wild card spot in the National League; and held a four-game lead over the Miami Marlins for a playoff spot. They then went 18-34 the rest of the way, finishing under .500 at 79-83.

Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi dismissed Manager Gabe Kapler on Sept. 29 prior to the team’s game against the Dodgers that night. Bench Coach Kai Correa managed the final three games against the Dodgers.

It was believed that Kapler had lost the clubhouse, as a sense of a lack of urgency, as well as Baggarly’s report that Outfielder Joc Pederson had the clubhouse enthralled in the filipino card game, ‘Pusoy.’

Melvin was hired by the Padres following the 2021 Season in almost the exact same situation he is set to be hired by the Giants. The Padres went 36-24 in the shortened 60-game COVID sprint season of 2020, and were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division series.

On Aug. 10, 2021, the Padres were 18 games over .500 at 67-49, and half a five-game lead for the second—in 2021, the final—wild card spot. They then collapsed, and went 12-34 the rest of the way, finishing at 79-83, the same record the Giants finished at this season. The Padres dismissed Manager Jayce Tingler, as the Padres had clubhouse issues in 2021, which was highlighted by a dugout spat between Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado on Sept. 18 in St. Louis.

Melvin was brought in, and the Padres had a much more solid clubhouse in 2022, as they went 89-73 to get the second wild card spot; upset the New York Mets in the National League Wild Card Series; and upset the 111-win Dodgers in the NLDS before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the National League Championship Series.

The clubhouse issues returned in San Diego this season, but Melvin’s handling of the Padres’ clubhouse in 2022 shows that he can fix an uneasy clubhouse situation. He will be walking into a calmer situation, and he will have the immediate backing of clubhouse leaders, such as Logan Webb, Mike Yastrzemski, Wilmer Flores and Thairo Estrada.

Melvin is also a former Giant, and was a prodigy under one of the greatest managers in Giants’ history, Roger Craig. Melvin played with the Giants from 1986 to 1988, and was a part of the 1987 Giants team that got within a win of the National League Pennant, but ultimately lost the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in the NLCS.

After retiring as a player, Melvin was a coach under Bob Brenly on the 2001 World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks, and was hired by the Seattle Mariners to manage prior to the 2003 Season. The Mariners went 93-69 in 2003, and missed the sole American League Wild Card by just two games. After a disappointing 63-99 2004 Season, the Mariners let Melvin go.

Melvin was then hired to manage the Diamondbacks in 2005, and after a pair of subpar seasons in 2005 and 2006, he took Arizona to a 90-72 National League West division title in 2007, as they swept the Chicago Cubs in three games in the NLDS, before being swept in four games by the Colorado Rockies, who were on an historic 21-1 run, in the NLCS. The Diamondbacks went 82-80 in 2008, but after a slow start in 2009, Melvin was let go on May 8.

After falling short of the Houston Astros’ managerial opening, Melvin spent the 2010 Season as a scout for the Mets, and then returned to the Diamondbacks in a front office role in 2011, following unsuccessful interviews for the Mets’ and Milwaukee Brewers’ managerial openings.

On June 9, 2011, Melvin was hired to manage the Oakland Athletics, following their midseason dismissal of Bob Geren. In 2012, Melvin took the A’s to an improbable division title, but he ran into a buzzsaw in Justin Verlander, as they lost the American League Division Series in five games to the Detroit Tigers. The A’s ran into the same buzzsaw in Verlander, and lost the ALDS to the Tigers in five again in 2013.

The A’s led the American League West for most of 2014, but a midseason trade of Yoenis Cespedes to the Boston Red Sox, and a late-season collapse barely netted them the second wild card spot, as they ended up losing a thrilling American League Wild Card Game to the Royals in Kansas City.

The A’s traded away their talent, and suffered in the standings from 2015 to 2017, but they were back in the playoffs after another improbable run in 2018, which saw them get the second wild card spot with 97 wins. They lost the wild card game in both 2018 and 2019, and then lost the 2020 Wild Card Series to the Chicago White Sox.

Giants expected to hire Bob Melvin as next manager

The A’s contended with an 86-76 record in 2021, but there was every indication that season that the A’s would once again trade their talent following the end of the year, which they indeed did, and Melvin left for San Diego.

Melvin will not be the former Giant returning to the team. It is expected that Matt Williams, who has been a part of Melvin’s coaching staff in Oakland in San Diego, will join Melvin in San Francisco. Williams was a fan favorite in San Francisco, as he spent a decade with the Giants from 1987 to 1996, and would have had a chance to break Roger Maris’ single-season record of 61 home runs if it was not for the Strike in 1994. Williams hit 43 home runs through 115 games.

Former Giants, Pat Burrell and Ryan Vogelsong, are also rumored to be back in Giants’ uniforms on the coaching staff, with Burrell as the hitting coach, and Vogelsong as the pitching coach.

This is a developing story, and the Giants are expected to officially announce the hiring on Wednesday.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Dusty Did it His Way

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Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker (right) greets Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy (left) before game 1 of the ALCS at Minute Maid Field in Houston on Sun Oct 15, 2023. Baker announced his retirement from baseball after game 7 of the ALCS on Mon Oct 23, 2023 (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Dusty Baker announced he is retiring after concluding the seventh game of the American League Championship. His team lost in seven games to the now-American League Champion Texas Rangers.

As a player, Dusty had a stellar career as an outfielder during 19 seasons with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Oakland Athletics; he hit 242 home runs with 1,981 hits with a .278 batting average. In 1986, he retired as a player with the Oakland A’s, the team that showcased the Rookie of the Year that season in José Canseco.

Dusty, a gracious man whom I would often interview in Spanish many times, was always thinking baseball, and It did not surprise me when he launched a managerial career. I never met a player that said anything that wasn’t complimentary about Dusty Baker, the ultimate player manager.

I had the privilege of covering and traveling with Dusty Baker’s San Francisco Giants, the first major league team he managed from 1993 to 2002. I remember many conversations we had and interviews pre and post-game, especially during the first years of his managing with the Giants. He told me that “minority managers want that first interview, the opportunity to show what they can do.”

He won the 2002 NL pennant and took the team to the World Series against the Anaheim Angels, who won it all that year. He would continue as skipper with stops in Chicago with the Cubs, Cincinnati with the Reds, Washington with the Nationals, and finally, the last four years (2020-2023) with the Houston Astros, culminating with a World Series title in 2002.

During this 2023 season, he took the Astros to game seven of the ALCS and lost to the streaky Texas Rangers. In one Spring Training with the Cincinnati Reds as manager, Dusty introduced me to a young pitcher from Cuba named Aroldis Chapman who was then throwing at a velocity of 105 mph.

Dusty was an “old school” manager; not many left these days. After announcing his retirement from managing just hours after the Rangers beat his Astros, he is now free from the grind of managing, and his baseball on-the-field duties are done during a successful Hall of Fame career. Dusty ended #7 on the list of all-time winning managers with a record 2,183-1,862.

Only Connie Mack, Tony LaRussa, John McGraw, Bobby Cox, Joe Torre, and Sparky Anderson ended ahead of Dusty Baker. All these managers ahead of Dusty are in the Hall of Fame. If elected to the HOF, as he should, Dusty Baker will be the first African-American manager in Cooperstown.

Johnnie B. “Dusty” Baker will not have to deal anymore with some 25 year-old in the front office telling him about the science of baseball, known now as Sabermetrics; the analysis of baseball through statistics. We might see Dusty talking baseball on television, maybe MLB Network and such, but I do believe he will not return to managing, he has a lot of life left to live with his family, after all Baseball was his life, but not all of life is Baseball.

Felicidades Dusty!

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Ex MLB pitcher charged with slaying a shock; Bochy and Rangers are going to the Fall Classic

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Image left: (AP Photo/Kyle Ericson) Image right: Placer County Sheriff’s Office of former MLB pitcher Danny Serafini who is up on one murder count and attempted murder

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Former MLB pitcher Danny Serafini who pitched for six teams and was a Bay Area native is up one count of murder charge and attempted murder. Serafini is being accused of shooting to death 70 year old Robert Gary Spohr and attempting to murder his long time partner Wendy Wood. Wood eventually took her own life because living without Spohr was like the killer killed her according to Wood’s daughter Adrienne. Serafini pitched in the majors for 21 years. Serafini was arrested with Samantha Scott.

#2 Bruce Bochy the manager of the Texas Rangers is in line to pick up his fourth World Series Championship as the Rangers defeated the Astros in game 7 of the ALCS at Minute Maid Field.

#3 The Rangers and Astros became the first visiting teams since 2019 in the post season to win all games one through seven in the opponents home park.

#4 The Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies are involved in a seven game back and forth. The Diamondbacks won game 6 on Monday night 5-1 in Philadelphia to tie up the series 3-3. The same clubs play the elimination game 7 on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Ball Park.

#5 Since San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin threw his hat in the San Francisco Giants manager job sweepstakes Melvin has been named the leading candidate for the job opening. Melvin managed some struggling Oakland A’s teams and made the best of what he had. In San Diego he managed a team with loads of talent didn’t get to the World Series but he could be a perfect fit in San Francisco.

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

MLB The Show Post Season podcast with Augie Messenburg: Rangers-Astros elimination game 7 tonight; Bob Melvin top contender for Giants manager job; plus more

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Texas Rangers pitcher Max Scherzer is getting the starting call for game 7 of the ALCS Mon Oct 23, 2023 against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Field in Houston. (AP News photo)

On the MLB The Show Post Season podcast with Augie Messenburg:

#1 This American League Championship Series has been a nail biter and a foot race between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros. It’s been about visiting teams winning in their opponents ballparks and both team literally fighting to get by.

#2 With the Astros holding a 3-2 lead going into game 6 the Rangers at Minute Maid Field came away with a seven run 9-2 win in game six tying the series 3-3.

#3 Nathan Eovaldi pitched 6.1 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs and the Rangers got home run help from Mitch Garver and Jonah Heim who hit for a home run early in the game and it was Adolis Garcia who hit a ninth inning grand slam to put it out of reach.

#4 The Rangers are going with Mad Max in game 7 Max Scherzer. Scherzer pitched game 7 in the 2019 World Series so he know about pitching in big games like the one tonight.

#5 The San Diego Padres granted permission to manager Bob Melvin to interview for the vacant San Francisco Giants managing job. Melvin was assured to have his Padres job but asked Padres management about interviewing for the Giants job which was granted. Melvin is considered to be the top contender to win the job as the new Giants manager.

Join Augie throughout the 2023 World Series for analysis and commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB The Show Post Season podcast with Charlie O: Will there be more bad blood tonight between Rangers and Astros?

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The Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez (44) tries to calm the Texas Rangers Adolis Garcia (left) after Garcia was hit by a pitch from Astros pitcher Bryan Abreu at Globe Life Field in Arlington Fri Oct 20, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the MLB The Show Post Season podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, the beaning of the Texas Rangers Adolis Garcia by Houston Astros pitcher Bryan Abreu resulted in Abreu facing a two game suspension for what six umpires said was an intentional pitch in game 5 of the ALCS on Friday night.

#2 How would Abreu’s suspension impact the Astros as they host the Rangers for game 6 tonight at Minute Maid Field?

#3 Astros manager Dusty Baker said it was the maddest that’s he been a in long time after arguing the ejection of Abreu and getting kicked out of the game.

#4 The Astros took all three games in Arlington after losing the first two in Houston. Now games 6 and 7 return to Houston can the Astros use Minute Maid Field to their advantage or do you see it being another struggle for the Astros trying to win on their home field again against Bruce Bochy and the Rangers.

#5 Starting pitchers for the game six for the Rangers Nathan Eovaldi (3-0 ERA 2.29) and for the Astros Framber Valdez (0-2 ERA 11.57) a 5:03pm PT first pitch at Minute Maid Field in Houston.

Join Charle O for the MLB The Show Post Season podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Las Vegas Stadium Authority negotiates A’s Lease

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The Oracle Red Bull grandstand and Koval hospitality as seen from the F1 pit Building during the media tour on Fri Oct 20, 2023 in Las Vegas. Formula 1 will take place on Nov 16-18. One of the top sports features in Vegas. Meanwhile the Las Vegas Stadium Authority are planning to demo of the Tropicana Hotel and Casino to make way for the Oakland A’s new ballpark. (photo from the Las Vegas Review Journal)

Las Vegas Stadium Authority negotiates A’s Lease

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Although the move of the A’s to Las Vegas has yet to be approved by the majority of MLB team owners, with a vote expected to take place this next month of November, the Oakland A’s are moving ahead of that vote and beginning to negotiate a lease with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, two law firms could get to share $1 million to negotiate the stadium lease agreement in Las Vegas with the A’s. This is the #1 item for next week (October 25) agenda of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority

The two law firms could get a combined $1 million to negotiate the stadium lease agreement with the Athletics, according to agenda items leading up to next week’s meeting of the Stadium Authority Board .If the current plans move forward, the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino Resort would be demolished and the stadium will be built on nine acres at the site.

Other development is expected to fill the rest of the Tropicana site, but on-site parking is minimal.

The same company that handled the construction of Allegiant Stadium, Mortenson McCarthy will be manager for the $1.5 billion, 30,000 seat stadium for the Athletics at the corner of Tropicana Avenue and the Las Vegas strip. Other companies involved to develop the lease agreement are Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP.

Since we are talking about leases. The A’s lease at the Oakland Coliseum expires after the 2024 season. After that (like they say in Vegas) “all bets are off”.

More sports news in Sin City:

-Las Vegas Champions: WNBA: Las Vegas Aces won their second consecutive WNBA title, joining the Las Vegas Golden Knights NHL reigning champions.

-Formula 1 -Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place from November 16-18 at a 3.8-mile track right through the neon heart of the Las Vegas Strip. (ESPN)

-Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium., February 11, 2024. (CBS)

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentaries and coverage of the Oakland A’s relocation to Las Vegas at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Mayor Thao has been silent on A’s relocation since July; No mention of A’s in state of city speech on Tuesday

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Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao speaks at the state of city of Oakland address on Tue Oct 17, 2023. Thao did not address the Oakland A’s relocation at the address and has been pretty much silent on the A’s move to Las Vegas since the MLB All Star break in July (photo from oaklandside.org)

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao for the most part has not said a word regarding the A’s move since her journey from last July’s All Star game. Mayor Thao flew to Seattle with an Oakland delegation to present MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred with 30 books showing that the City of Oakland was in the middle of negotiations for the Howard Terminal ballpark when the A’s broke off talks to announce they had a binding deal in Las Vegas.

#2 Manfred did have some stinging comments back in September saying that if Thao was close to a deal why didn’t she throw $100 million on the table. Thao said the deal for Howard Terminal was ten percent of the way there but Manfred said the deal wasn’t even close.

#3 Manfred did have a working relationship with former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf but after Schaaf’s term was up and Thao took over as new mayor A’s owner John Fisher and Manfred said that they couldn’t get anything going with Thao hence turning their attention to Las Vegas.

#4 There are some theories why various teams might vote no to an A’s relocation, the Angels, Dodgers, Padres, and Diamondbacks beam their broadcast signals, stream, and market their brand in Las Vegas that would all go away if the A’s make Vegas their home base, the Mariners could object being the only AL team in the Northwest and that would put them geographically alone with the nearest American League in Anaheim and you guessed it Las Vegas.

#5 Another objection going into the owners vote in November is the A’s would be moving into the smallest TV market and have the smallest capacity of all the ballpark in MLB. The A’s could very well be the number four team behind the Aces, Raiders, Knights, and drop to fifth if an NBA franchise moves into town.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with inside analysis and updates on the A’s relocation and MLB owners relocation vote Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A Star is Born in 2023 and it is Esteury Ruiz

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Oakland A’s Esteury Ruiz heads home after hitting a two run homer off the Detroit Tigers on Sep 23, 2023 at the Oakland Coliseum. Ruiz led the American League with 67 stolen bases in the 2023 season. (AP News photo)

A Star is Born in 2023 and it is  Esteury Ruíz

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

The Oakland A’s rookie, Esteury Ruíz stole a rookie record 67 bases this past season, born in Azua, a town of over 120,000 people west of the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, 100 kilometers – 62 miles away.

Numerous players were born in Azua, including the Miami Marlins Sandy Alcántara who in 2022 unanimously won the Cy Young Award in the National League. The 24-year-old rookie was tutored by Major League Baseball Rickey Henderson, the undisputed stolen base king of all time.

The stolen base record for a rookie established by Ruíz this past season is the new major league record. The record of 66 was previously held by Kenny Lofton, in 1992 with the Cleveland Indians (that was the name of that team, today the Cleveland Guardians).

Esteury Ruíz established the new MLB record for a rookie in stolen bases during his 132nd game of the season. It was in Anaheim, with two games left in the 2023 season, a sunny Sunday when in the third inning the Dominican kid broke the Lofton record, stealing his 67 base of the season.

The rookie will never forget this 2023 season “nunca se me olvidará este año” trans- “I will never forget this year”. Yet, he knows he needs to exhibit more patience at the plate, as he only walked 20 times in 449 plate appearances.

It is unfair to compare this kid with Rickey Henderson, because one season doesn’t makes a career. However, not a power hitter, Ruíz has many other good tools, like his defensive play in center field, just one season after the A’s had another young kid playing that position, Christian Pache, now playing with the best team in the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies, probably on his way to the World Series.

Esteury Ruíz, who mostly hits in the lead-off position or last in the lineup is a good kid, enjoys the game, works hard and loves, I mean loves, to run the bases. He also knows there is only one Rickey, Because there is nobody like Rickey: In 1982 Rickey Henderson stole 130 bases, the current one-season record, then also became the first and only three time over 100 stolen bases per-year-player in history, in 1980-82-83, ending with 1,406 stolen bases, also the current record in history.

2023 a good year to steal? Yes. The bases are slightly larger, the pitchers are limited in how often they can throw over to first base, Second base is where the majority of the bases are stolen, it is “donde está la acción” trans- “where the action is”.

This 2023 season stolen bases were at an all time high 81% success rate. And Ruíz did his part, Felicidades Esteury!. Quote: I was stealing all the bases, and when you had to go to arbitration they say, “You know, only the big boys make the money “So I got to try and figure out how to hit a Home-run too”. -Rickey Henderson.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Wisconsin legislators approves over $500 million to keep the Brewers

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American Family Field is seen Sept. 15, 2023, in Milwaukee. The Wisconsin state Assembly was set Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023, to approve a Republican-authored plan to spend more than half-a-billion dollars to help cover repairs at the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium. (AP News photo)

By Amaury Pi-González

Wisconsin State Assembly just approved a plan to keep the Milwaukee Brewers in Wisconsin until at least 2050 in exchange for spending nearly $550 million in state and local money to finance the team’s stadium. After legislators raised the prospect of the Brewers leaving Wisconsin is the state didn’t fund repairs at America Family Field.

Mark Attanasio, owner of the Milwaukee Brewers also chairs the Major League Baseball committee regarding the Oakland A’s move to Las Vegas. The Brewers needed the funds to repair the stadium in Milwaukee. Mr.Attanasio fortune is estimated to be $700 million.

The State of Milwaukee has a total population of 5.8 million people, Milwaukee is the largest city, although a small baseball market, it represents a lot of the economy and name recognition of this state in the world of sports.

Mr.Attanasio who chairs the MLB committee regarding the relocation of the A’s from Oakland to Las Vegas, recently said about the owners committee; “The committee, we are literally in the middle of our process, which therefore, I can’t comment,” Attanasio said. “Even if I were to comment, we’re still doing our work. In fact, we had a meeting a couple of days ago. We have another meeting scheduled this week, so we’re addressing it in a broad context and there’s a lot to address.”

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred expects the vote by the owners regarding the approval of the A’s move to Las Vegas will take place this November. Three-quarters of the owners votes are needed for the A’s to move to Las Vegas.

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