Tag: mlb

The Houston Astros and Oakland A’s stand for the national anthem and later walked off the field to an empty stadium at Minute Maid Park on Jackie Robinson day postponing Friday night’s game in recognition of Black Lives Matter, shooting victim Jacob Blake and racial injustice in America (@Athletics photo)

A’s Astros Walk Off Field In Solidarity Against Racial Injustice

By Barbara Mason

The players took the field and nothing seemed amiss. The players stood along the field on either side to honor the National Anthem. They removed their hats because they love this country and wanted to honor it.

Again nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was at this point that the players solemnly and silently walked single file off the field. A Black Lives Matter shirt was placed on home plate with an Astro jersey alongside on the right and an A’s jersey on the left side It was a simple yet powerful symbol as was the way they walked off the field.

This was two teams that a short three weeks ago were slugging it out over Ramon Laureano being hit twice in the game. Now they were living in unity and supporting a cause that many of us, black, white , or brown are deeply involved in.

They are not alone. The NBA, NHL, WNBA, NFL, MLS, and now MLB have joined forces voicing their disgust of the latest police shooting of an unarmed black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I need to say his name.

Jacob Blake is his name and he is now paralyzed for life, short of a miracle. Unbelievably shot in the back seven times we now have another horrendous video that is emblazoned into our minds. How can any caring human being watch this and tolerate this is unconscionable.

The White House will not address the reasons that are behind all of the demonstrating, the looting and the damage. Donald Trump is a whistle blower of hate; he thrives on this. People are mentally exhausted because of the racial unrest.

I believe that a lot more eyes have been opened lately throughout this nation. People are on the streets because they are tired of the non-action in the federal government. People at the top are ignoring this; they are not hearing and instead have used this to further their racist cause.

Doc Rivers head coach of the Clippers was clearly distraught with the state of this nation. “Why do we keep loving this country and the country doesn’t love us back. We’ve got to do better,” he said. He is not alone in his thoughts.

We do need to do better and we are not. Not much has really changed since we watched George Floyd die in Minneapolis Minnesota on May 25th. Yes the streets are filled with peaceful protestors but until they clean out this White House it will fall on deaf ears because the federal government simply does not care.

Now we have athletes like the Oakland A’’s and the Houston Astros stepping unto the political stage making a stand for racial justice because we have a hate-filled government. The NBA started a real movement that has crossed into every facet of the sports world. MLB is predominately white (only 6% are black) as is the MLS and the NHL yet they stand with the NBA and WNBA and also the NFL.

It is sad that racial injustice now lies on the shoulder of athletes. This is not their job but they do realize the power that they command. I believe that every player in every sport should speak to all their fans and urge all of them to vote and take the measures that need to be taken to cure the epidemic that has infiltrated this country.

Although as I said this is not their job the voice they have will reach far and wide. So be warned—if you believe in this government, you support racism, white supremacy, the KKK and QAnon. I am not saying that you are those things but you support them. Years ago we would have never seen an uprising of this magnitude but it is here now and it will not be silenced.

The Oakland A’s will be back on the field with heavy hearts to take on the Houston Astros in a double header Saturday. The first game will be played at 1:10 and the second at 4:10. We will continue to support the sports world in their endeavor to achieve racial justice and the belief that Black Lives Matter.

La Stella comes to A’s from Angels in trade: The Los Angeles Angels traded Tommy La Stella to the Oakland A’s for Franklin Barreto both play second base. La Stella is hitting .273, 27 hits, 4 homers, and 14 RBIs and Barreto scored five runs and is batting 0.00 for the season.

Starting pitchers for Saturday’s doubleheader: In the front game for the A’s Chris Bassitt (2-1 ERA 2.97) and for the Astros Lance McCullers Jr (2-2 ERA 5.74) and in the night cap for the A’s Frankie Montas (2-2 ERA 5.22) and for the Astros Zack Greinke (1-0 ERA 2.29)

 

The Oakland A’s statement regarding their postponing Thursday’s game vs. the Texas Rangers at Arlington on Thu Aug 27, 2020 (@Athletics) 

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s notified the Texas Rangers that the team would not play Thursday afternoon. The team voted to bring awareness to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last Sunday. Three other games were also postponed. The Phillies-Nationals, Red Sox-Blue Jays, and the Twins-Tigers joined the other teams protesting systemic racism in America. The A’s statement is below:

“We will not take the field tonight to help raise awareness for these social issues, not just tonight, but for our collective future.”

The A’s discussed not playing Wednesday’s game, as a handful of MLB teams had done, but they ultimately decided to play because the discussion occurred too close to first pitch.
“It was really close to game time,” manager Bob Melvin said after the A’s 3-1 win Wednesday. “And we decided to play. I did give the option for anybody who did not feel comfortable playing not to play.”

First pitch was originally scheduled for 5:37 p.m. at Globe Life Field. The Rangers statement is as follows:

“We respect the decision by the Oakland A’s players to postpone tonight’s game. We stand with all those who condemn racial injustice and are committed to helping bring about an end to systemic racism,” said the Rangers organization in a statement.

The game will be rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on Sept. 12 when the A’s are scheduled to return to Arlington.

Major league baseball, The NBA, WNBA, NHL have all had teams postponing their games. As a society, we have come along way since the San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who took a knee to protest racism in 2016.

The killing of George Floyd was the match the lit the fuse. The shooting of Jacob Blake added fuel to the flame. It is time for the United States to end systemic racism in all settings. The time is now.

The Oakland A’s will be starting pitcher Chris Bassitt today at 3:37pm against the Texas Rangers as Bassitt looks to pick up his third win of the season. Bassitt is seen here throwing against the LA Angels on Mon Jul 27, 2020 ( file photo from AP News)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry do you agree that the A’s should stand pat and stay with what they got as the trade deadline nears this Monday?

#2 The A’s have one of the strongest bullpens in baseball in a short baseball season a lot of saves can get you into a good position to keep your lead in the division.

#3 Talk about catcher Jonah Heim he got his first big league hit on Tuesday night against Texas Rangers. Heim who got called up this week said he was shocked when the call came and in the line up Tuesday night.

#4 Heim found out he was in the starting line up when manager Bob Melvin grabbed him and had Heim look at the line up card which had his name on it for his first big league start.

#5 The A’s conclude the four game series today at 3:37pm the starting pitchers for the A’s RHP Chris Bassett (2-1 ERA 2.97) for the Rangers RHP Jordan Lyles (1-3 ERA 9.25) Jerry how do you see this match up.

Jerry does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

The Oakland A’s Ramon Luareano scores on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth inning for a 2-1 A’s lead at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington on Wednesday night against the Texas Rangers (photo from sports.yahoo.com)

By Jerry Feitelberg

As people know, baseball is a strange game. One night the ball is flying out of the park. The next night, hits are hard to come by. On Wednesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, the A’s struggled to put runs on the board.

The Rangers’ young lefty, Kolby Allard, did not allow a hit for the game’s first five innings. Somehow, in the top of the sixth, the A’s put two runs on the board with just one hit. The A’s starter, Mike Fiers, also pitched well. Fiers went six innings and allowed three hits and one run, which was unearned. The A’s added a run in the eight to win 3-1.

The Rangers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third. With one out Shin-Shoo Choo singled. Fiers walked Rangers’ first baseman Danny Santana to put men on at first and second. The Rangers attempted a double steal. A’s catcher Sean Murphy’s throw to second sailed in centerfield, allowing Choo to score. The Rangers lead 3-1 after three.

Allard, who had been fantastic for the first five innings, lost his mojo in the top of the sixth. With one out, Allard walked Marcus Semien and Ramon Laureano. Stephen Piscotty, hitting third, singled to drive in Semien to tie the game.

Allard Walked Mark Canha to load the bases. Rangers’ manager Chris Woodward, brought in Luis Garcia to pitch. With Matt Olson at the plate, Garcia uncorked a wild pitch. Laureano scored to give the A’s the lead 2-1. It was a strange inning. It featured four walks, a single, and a wild pitch.

The A’s added an insurance run in the top of the eighth. Three straight singles by Piscotty, Canha, and Olson loaded the bases with no out. Rangers’ reliever Jonathan Hernandez hit Robbie Grossman with a pitch to drive in Piscotty.

Joakim Soria, Jake Diekman, and Liam Hendriks each pitched an inning. The relievers did not allow a hit as the A’s won 3-1

Game Notes- With the win, the A’s are now 22-10 for the year. They lead the second-place Houston Astros by four and 1/2 games in the race for the AL West division crown. The Rangers are now 11-19.

Liam Hendriks recorded his tenth save of the year. Fiers improved to 4-1.
The game featured a lot of strikeouts and walks. Neither team hit a home run. The A’s hitters struck out eleven times and received six walks. The A’s pitchers struck out twelve and issued three walks.

Khris Davis continues to struggle at the plate. Davis has not regained the form that he had in his first three seasons with Oakland. The slugger is hitting just .158 for the year. Ramon Laureano’s woes continue.

Laureano’s average dropped to .208. Matt Chapman almost had the night off. Chappie, who struck out three times in each of the first two games with the Rangers, was on the bench Wednesday night.

Chappie escaped a severe injury Tuesday night when he was hit with a pitch. As Chappie turned to get away from the pitch, the ball hit his batting helmet bill. A’s manager Bob Melvin inserted him into the game in the ninth as a defensive replacement. Chappie made a great defensive play to end the game. He made a bare-handed stab of a slow roller and his throw to first retired Nick Solak for the final out.

The A’s line was three runs, five hits, and one error. The Rangers’ line was one run, three hits, and their defense committed three errors.

The A’s and Rangers meet Thursday again at Globe Life Field. The game will start at 3:37 pm. Chris Bassitt (2-1, 2.97 ERA) will pitch for Oakland. Jordan Lyles (1-3, 9.25 ERA) goes for the Rangers.

By Jerry Feitelberg
The A’s bounced back to beat the Texas Rangers 10-3 Tuesday evening at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The A’s scored four runs on two two-run home runs. They scored a run in the fourth without the benefit of a hit. In the seventh, they scored five runs on just two singles and a double. Each team had eight hits, but the A’s scored ten times compared to Texas’ three.
A’s lefty Sean Manaea won his second game of the year. He struggled earlier in the season. Manaea went five innings and gave up six hits and three runs. Only one run was earned. The A’s bullpen allowed just two hits and no runs over the last four innings.

The Rangers scored the first run of the night in the bottom of the second. Designated hitter Jose Trevino doubled with one out. Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to drive in Trevino to make it 1-0. The A’s tied the game in the top of the third. Rangers’ starter Kyle Gibson walked Tony Kemp and Jonah Heim to put men on at first and second with no out. Marcus Semien hit into a 5-4-3 double play. Kemp went to third on the play. Kemp scored when Gibson uncorked a wild pitch.

Oakland took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth. With one out and Mark Canha on first, A’s first baseman, Matt Olson, slammed his tenth big fly into the deep right-centerfield. The ball went 453 feet. Oakland added two more in the fifth. A’s second baseman started the inning when a pitch hit him on the back of his left foot. Marcus Semien hit his fifth dinger of the year to make in 5-1. Texas scored twice in their half of the inning. Manaea hit Rangers’ catcher, Robinson Chirinos, with a pitch. Kiner-Falefa singled. Marcus Semien committed a fielding error that allowed Yadiel Rivera to reach safely. Manaea struck out Leody Tavares for the second out. Left fielder Nick Solak singled to drive in Chirinos and Kiner-Falefa. Manaea retired Todd Frazier to end the inning. Both runs were unearned—the A’s lead 5-3 after five.
In the top of the seventh, the A’s broke the game open. They had two singles, a bases-clearing double, two walks, a hit batter, and an unusual fielder’s choice. Tony Kemp singled to get the rally going. Catcher Jonah Heim, playing in his first Major League game, singled to send Kemp to third. On the next play, Semien hit a sharp ground ball to Rangers’ third baseman Todd Frazier. Frazier threw home to get Kemp. Kemp was caught in a rundown. Somehow, Kemp was able to slide back into third base safely. It was unbelievable as he eluded Frazier’s attempt to tag him out. The A’s now had the bases loaded with one out. Robbie Grossman walked to drive in Kemp. Mark Canha was hit by a pitch to force in Heim, and the bases were still loaded. A’s right fielder Stephen Piscotty doubled to left to clear the bases. The A’s lead 10-3.
The A’s relievers, T.J.McFarland, Lou Trivino, and Jordan Weems, kept the Rangers off the board to preserve the win for Manaea.

Game Notes- with the win, the A’s improved to 21-10. The Rangers are now 11-18. The A’s have a four-game lead over the Houston Astros in the race for the top spot in the AL West.
The A’s, as a team, are hitting just .225. They rank 25th in that department. They are eighth in baseball in home runs. They are hitting .215 with runners in scoring position. They struck out ten times Tuesday night and have struck out 311 times so far this year. Matt Chapman struck out three times for the second night in a row.

Chad Pinder was not with the team as he is on paternity leave. The A’s recalled Seth Brown to take his place.
Game three of the four-game series will be played Wednesday night at Globe Life Field. The game will start at 5:05 pm.
Mike Fiers (3-1, 5.81 ERA) will go for Oakland. Lefty Kolby Allard will be on the hill for Texas.