Tag: mlb

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Sox sign Grandal four years $73 M; Betts is close to being a Dodger; plus more

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photo from latimes.com: The Boston Red Sox Mookie Betts is on the bargaining table to be dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 Amaury how important is Yasmani Grandal’s role at catcher going to be for the Chicago White Sox he’s on a four year $73 million contract with the Sox.

#2 How serious is are the Dodgers in acquiring the Boston Red Sox Mookie Betts and talk about how he would impact the team.

#3 The Seattle Mariners signed Marco Gonzalez, Gonzalez will be under contract with the Mariners for under $1 million for 2020-2024 but his contract is reportedly worth $30-45 million for four years.

#4 You had a chance to sit with Frankie Montas pitcher of the Oakland A’s during Fan Fest how far has Montas put his PED suspension in the review mirror.

#5 Former San Francisco Giant Gerardo Parra is a new Giant but this time in Tokyo Parra said he’s excited about playing in Japan

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

 

Caribbean Series: Venezuela contiunes to roll stay undefeated in 3-2 win over D.R.

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photo from foxnews.com: San Francisco Giant and Venezuela player Pablo Sandoval (48) gets congratulations as Venezuela continues to roll in the Caribbean Series in Puerto Rico

February 3

By Lewis Rubman

Venezuela (2-0) 3 7 0

Dominican Republic (1-1) 2 7 0

HATO REY PUERTO RICO–When the Cardenales (Cardinals) of Lara and the Toros del Este (of the east) began play a minute or two before 9:00 o’clock last night, they knew that, when the game of over, one of them would be the only remaining undefeated team after two days of play in this year’s Caribbean Series. The other would join the pack of three teams with records of 1-1, one game ahead of the lagging Panamanians, who had lost both of their conferences.

The Cardenales, Venezuela’s entry, was the team that emerged unscathed.

They scored early, if not often. A line drive double to right by Juan Apodaca plated Adonis García and ex-Giant Gorkys Hernández to give the Redbirds a two run advantage after two innings of play. An inning later, René Reyes’s sacrifice fly to right brought in Alexi Amarista with the third Lara tally, which proved to be the winning run.

The Toros waited until the bottom of the sixth to make their charge. A single by Jordani Valdespín, a walk to Junior Lake, and another single, this one off the bat of Abraham Almonte, and the Dominicans had cut Venezuela’s lead to 3-1.

Things looked pretty grim for the team from La Romana when they came to bat in the bottom of the ninth, after midnight and with Venezuela still leading, 3-1. But Peter O’Brien dropped a single to left, and, after Almonte and Alen Hanson had made outs, Jimmy Paredes single to center, bringing O’Brien around to third.

Wilkin Castillo then hit a rule book double that bounced over the right field fence and scored O’Brien, reducing the deficit to a single run. But the same rule that granted Castillo his extra base hit required that Gustavo Nuñez, running for Paredes, stop at third. This brought the Jorge Mateo to the plate. I like to tell you that the Athletics’ prized prospect singled in the tying and winning runs, but he didn’t. He flew out to left to end the game.

The contest featured some pretty good pitching. Venezuela’s starter, Wilfredo Ledesma went five innings, giving up one run on three hits, although his four walks left much to be desired. He was the winning pitcher. José Ascancio, Francisley Bueno, Hassan Pena, and Pedro Rodríguez combined to shut out the Toros over three innings, with Bueno being the only member of the quartet to allow a hit.

Ricardo Gómez, who got his second save in as many games, gave up a run and three hits in his only inning of work. Such are the vagaries of baseball statistics.

Jorge Martínez pitched two innings for the Dominicans and earned the loss, surrendering three runs on as many hits during his brief stint. Jhan Martínez, Edgar García, Anthony Carter, and Warner Madrigal, collectively, were magnificent. The shut down the strong Lara offense, not allowing a run and surrendering just four hits over seven innings.

It will be Panama against Mexico, Dominican Republic against Colombia, and Puerto Rico against Venezuela this morning, afternoon, and night.

Caribbean Series Baseball: Mexico gets key hits in win over Puerto Rico 4-1

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tomateros.com photo

By Lewis Rubman

Puerto Rico (1-1) 2 8 2

Mexico (1-1) 4 11 0

HATO REY, PUERTO RICO–This afternoon’s match up between the Santurce Cangrejeros (Crabbers), Puerto Rico’s team, playing today as the visitors, and Mexico’s representative, the Culiacán Tomateros (Tomato Growers) began as if it might be a replay of the mornings pitchers’ duel between Colombia and Panama.

The score was tied at one all for the first four and a half innings, the Crabbers’ tally coming on a solo home run into the right field bleachers off the bat of Jan Hernández in the top of the second, the first round tripper of the Series. The Tomateros caught up in the bottom of the third by stringing together a couple of singles, a sacrifice bunt, and an infield out that brought their first run home.

Two innings later, the complexion of the contest changed. Culiacán’s right fielder, Sebastián Elizalde, who had watched Hernández’s blast sail over his head in the second, now sent his own into the cheap (or at least cheaper seats) in right. But with one difference; there were two men on board when Elizalde launched his liner. The game was no slugfest or a blowout, but the prospect of pitchers mastering batters had disappeared.

Santurce came charging back in their half of the sixth. An error by Puerto Rico’s third sacker, Emmanuel Rivera, had allowed one of the runners who scored on Elizondo’s clout two reach base. Rivera atoned for that sin by driving in Iván de Jesús, Jr., from first on a double to left.

That was all the scoring. Puerto Rico had some chances but blew them. In the seventh, they had men on second and third with no outs. It wasn’t good pitching that saved Mexico’s bacon then; it was bad base running. Reliever Derrick Loop picked pinch runner Alexis Pantoja off second to break the back of the rally.

Both teams now are tied at 1-1 with Panama for third place. Venezuela, who plays the Dominican tonight, is undefeated and leads the pack by a half a game. The Dominicans trail the three tied teams by a half a game and leads the 0-2 Panama squad by the same margin.

Manuel Barrreda, Mexico’s starting pitcher, picked up the win. He gave up five hits and one run, earned, in his five innings of work, throwing 78 pitches, 49 of which were strikes, according to baseball’s weird accounting system that considers any pitch a bat makes contact with a strike. Adalberto Baldonado, who faced three batters in the ninth, K’ing two of them, notched the save. PUerto Rico’s Giovanni Soto was charged with the loss. He gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits in four and a third innings.

Tomorrow’s schedule calls for Panama to play Mexico in the morning, the Dominican Republic to face Colombia in the afternoon, and Puerto Rico to duke it out with Venezuela under the lights.

Caribbean Series Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico edges Panama 4-3; Santiago shuts down Panama in five innings of work

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Puerto Rico pitcher Hector Santiago pitched five innings of work to shut down Panama in a one run win on Saturday. Photo from zimbio.com

By Lewis Rubman

Panama 3 8 2

Puerto Rico 4 9 3     10 innings

HATO REY, PUERTO RICO–Panama participated in the earliest years of the Caribbean Series was played, from its inception in 1949 through its twenty-one year suspension following the 1960 tournament. Indeed, with the victory of the Carta Negra Yankees in 1950, Panama won the Series title in the tournament’s second year. Carta Negra, by the way, was a brewery. It wasn’t until 2019, when the political situation kept Venezuela from hosting the games, which were moved to Panama City, That the isthmus nations returned to Series competition and the Toros de Herrera substituted for the Venezuelan entry. The newcomers surprised everybody by winning the Caribbean Crown. Panama is represented this year by the Astronautas from the the volcanic region of Chiquirí.

At 8:20 last night, Atlantic Time, the Astronautas went to bat against the Cangrejeros (Crabbers) of Santurce, Puerto Rico’s entry. Panama threatened their hosts in each of the first three innings, suffering The Curse of the Lead Off double in the opening frame, getting their first batter on base through a single and a walk in the second and third, respectively. But Héctor Santiago, Puerto Rico’s starter kept the Panamanians slammed the door to home closed on the Panamanians during all five of the innings he pitched.

They finally managed a tally in the top of the sixth, when Devin Raftery relieved Santiago when Jack López drove Jan Hernández home from second with a single to right.

Puerto Rico already had scored a run in the third on Vimael Machín’s sac fly, and they threatened to score again in the bottom of the fifth. But Andy Otero came in to strike out José Sermo with runners on first and second and two down. But one out walk to Jan Hernández, followed by another RBI single by López brought Carlos de Jesús Díaz into the fray in the very next inning. Díaz successfully closed out the frame but was not so successful in the seventh. Machín’s double, a walk, a sacrifice bunt that Díaz himself bobbled for an error, and a walk let in the tying run and left the bases loaded with Crabbers.

Puerto Rico seemed poised to break the game open. Diego Moreno put an end to that thought. Two hard hit balls, a line out to third and a 6-4-3 double play kept the game tied at three.

It stayed that way until the new extra inning, start with a runner on second rule came into play. Panama couldn’t take advantage of it, but Puerto Rico did. With Tyler Wilson toeing the rubber for the Astronautas and Henry Ramos having begun the inning at second, Jan Hernández bunted him over to third. A medium deep fly to left by Jonathan Morales was all that was needed to send the crowd home, or at least to the long lines that blocked the parking lot exits to the street.

Sunday´s games are scheduled to start at 11:00 (Colombia-Panama), 3:30 (Puerto Rico-Mexico), and 8:30 (Dominican-Venezuela).

Caribbean Series Game 2: Dominicans best Mexico 2-1; also remembering former Caribbean player Buster Clarkson

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photo from google.com: Former Boston Brave Buster Clarkson was a Caribbean player and played three months for the Braves from April to June 1952

By Lewis Rubman

Mexico 1 5 1

Dominican Republic 2 6 0

For all the patriotic passion the Caribbean Series arouses, the composition of the teams that participate in has been, and still is, surprisingly cosmopolitan. In first iteration of the Series, 1949-1960, African Americans from the high minor and Negro Leagues (often the same players) constituted a significant portion’ of their teams’ rosters.

Two of this year’s inductees to the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame, Buster Clarkson, one of the Negro Leagues’ greatest players, who, at the age of 37, finally got a cup of coffee from the Boston Braves just before they left for Milwaukee, and Bob Thurman, of the San Francisco Seals, Cincinnati Reds, and Santurce Crabbers, among other teams, are two examples of this.

The pitching rotation of the Toros del Este, the Dominican Republic’s representative in this year’s Series and the home team for this afternoon’s game, shows nationality still is not required to represent a country in the Caribbean Series.

Not a single Toros starter is Dominican. Paolo Espino is Panamanian. Carlos Hernández hails from Santa Clara. Jorge Martínez, Raúl Valdés, and this afternoon’s starter, Yunesky Maya, are Cubans.

Maya pitched efficiently in his five innings against Mexico’s Tomateros (Tomato Growers) de Culiacán, not yielding a run and allowing only two hits and one walk to go with his five strike outs.

The Cuban righty´s opposite number, Manny Bañuelos, didn’t fare as well before he was relieved after 3-2/3 innings of work, trailing 2-0 with a runner on second and two down. He did, however, strike out A’s prospect Jorge Mateo twice during his short stint on the mound.

Bañuelos’s replacement, Gerardo Sánchez, fared better, retiring the quartet of Tomateros he faced. Santiago Gutiérrez, Aldo Montes, and Edgar Torres also shut down the team from northern Mexico. Mateo singled off Gutiérrez and flew out center against Torres.

Culiacán almost tied it in the top of the ninth, but, after Dariel Alvarez blasted a lead off double down the left field line, all they could manage was a two-out run-scoring single by Alí Solís before Torres got the final out (and the save)

The loss went to Bañuelos; the win to Maya.

In the next hour or so, the host team, Puerto Rico, will take on the defending champs, Panama.

Stay tuned.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Dusty Baker the calm after the storm

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photo from newsday.com: Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker addresses the media Thursday at Minute Maid Park as Baker takes over the helm amongst the sign stealing scandal that rocked the team

Dusty Baker: The Calm After The Storm

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Johnny B.Baker Jr, (Dusty) has landed in Houston. He is now the new manager of the Houston Astros, and this is a calming and healing effect as he is coming right after the biggest baseball scandal of our lifetime. The sign-stealing scandal that culminated in the firing of the manager and general manger of the Houston Astros, manager-to-be in New York Carlos Beltrán and implicated the name of some of the games biggest stars and some managers. As baseball continues their investigation there might be more shoes to fall.

Dusty is a winner he has managed,for 10 years with Giants, Cubs, Reds and Nationals with a total record of 840-715 a .540 percentage. But he was also a winner and a very good player who played the outfield for 19 years and retired in 1986 with the Oakland Athletics,the year when José Canseco won the American League Rookie of the Year, and when the A’s began their last great championship run.

He was always a team player,he won the National League pennant for the Giants in 2002 and took them to the World Series. As a player he was a good hitter, who ended with a .278 average. His best season 1981 with the Dodgers hit for .320 with 29 home runs and 97 runs batted in. Many times in Spanish,and as a player and manager later in the 1990’s when I was working for the Giants I always interviewed him in Spanish, which he is fluent. Was lucky to travel with the Giants towards the end of the 1990’s,he was always accessible and even after tough loses, which every manager encounters,he always had a kind word

The ultimate player manager, he is liked by the players,he is a manager that brings great enthusiasm to the game, he is humble and with the baseball knowledge ‘he bring to Houston that old school mentality. One of the most remembered things on Dusty’s career was when Hank Aaron (The Real and most beloved Home Run King) on April 8, 1974, he was on deck when Aaron hit home run 715 to pass Babe Ruth in career home runs.That was a well documented moment in history,which he always remembers and feels proud to have played along the great Hank Aaron.

With roots in California and here in the Bay Area one of the handful of players that have played for the A’s and the Giants. His last four years managing, where with the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals he won between 90 to 97 games each year. This is also a great opportunity for Dusty with a team that together with the A’s are the two best clubs in the Western Division going into this season. It could be a great race.

Dusty Baker is exactly what the Astros needed, he brings that healing factor. He is not a computer manager, he is a human manager, and this is the best thing the Houston team has done since the scandal. Like attorneys would say “the Astros are trying to re-rehabilitate their image” and Dusty is the “hombre perfecto” for that job.

Felicidades Dusty, we will see you late March during the first home stand of the Oakland A’s as the Houston Astros are scheduled to visit following the first series of the season against the Minnesota Twins.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Sports community still processing Kobe’s death; A’s Fan Fest brought out a lot of baseball people; plus more

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sfgate.com file photo: The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) gets a hug from the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant on March 6, 2016 at Staples Center in Los Angeles

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 Breaking: The Houston Astros have signed Dusty Baker as manager

#2 The shock of learning of the sudden death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter and seven other passengers was surreal for many people to process

#3 The Oakland A’s held Fan Fest on Saturday, you had a chance to work with your broadcast partner Mauricio Segura and Oakland A’s pitcher Frankie Montas at Jack London Square.

#4 Spring Training is just around the corner. How much will the sign stealing scandal dominate coverage in this upcoming pre season?

#5 For the Milwaukee Brewers Ryan Braun announced that this will be his last season. This is also the last year of his five year contract with the Brewers. Will his PED use in 2013 have an impact in his Hall of Fame candidacy?

#6 Kobe was called a renaissance man spoke three different languages, was involved in many different businesses and community efforts if you had to think of anyone else who was close to a Kobe Bryant persona would you say Stephen Curry of Golden State was a little like that?

Join Amaury for all the Oakland A’s home radio broadcasts in Spanish at KIQI 1010 and News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Athletics Pitcher Frankie Montas, Exclusive Interview

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2020 Topps baseball card of Oakland A’s pitcher Frankie Montas

Athletics Pitcher Frankie Montas, Exclusive Interview

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND– In a overcast day/afternoon, but without rain,as thousands of fans visited and mingled with A’s players during the 2020 A’s Fanfest at Jack London Square young Danay García, Special Events Assistant for the A’s brought to our kiosk at The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame, A’s starting pitcher Frankie Montas.

Frankie ended his 2019 season with a 9-2 record with a 2.63 earned run average in 16 games he started. Smiling and followed by a bunch of fans with ball and pen in hand they were lining-up to get this autograph, he sat next to me as he signed for roughly 20 to 30 minutes, once in a while standing up to pose with fans in selfies as well as group/family shots.

Montas dropped by with his wife Nicolette and son Michael. The young Dominican hurler seems very happy posing with fans signing one autograph after another. I conducted the interview in Spanish and here it is translated. Montas pitched this winter for the Leones del Escogido or Escogido Lions) in the Dominican Republic professional baseball league.

He said he pitched a little bit more this season. That makes sense because he only started basically half of the 2019 for the Athletics. I didn’t wanted to dwell on why he was suspended that was not the main goal, specially at this time in history when baseball is under heavy scrutiny because of the sign-stealing scandal. This is not the place anyway, this was a Fanfest, where positivism was in the air. The last thing I wanted to ask him was about his suspension and I did not.

Montas is about 6 feet 2 inches tall,at 240 pounds with a strong powerful right arm.

Q: Welcome to Oakland. Ready for Spring Training?

A: “Yes, I am happy to be here, and ready to go to Arizona”

Q:You live in Arizona, so basically you are going back home.

A: Absolutely,should be fun…and I am really looking forward this season.

Q. Do you consider yourself a fastball pitcher (you throw around 97 mph).?

A: Yes, I do, that is my best pitch, but I can also come at a hitter with other pitches, but yes, I think you can consider me a “power pitcher”.

ThIs will be his sixth season in the major leagues and fourth with the A’s,the Dominican pitcher will be 27 years of age next month. During his abbreviated 2019 season,he recorded 103 strike-outs in 96 innings of labor and was on a pace to win 18 to 20 and throw over 200 strike outs.

Q: Many people (including me) like to know, which player is the toughest for you to get out.

A: Joe Mauer of Minnesota, I cannot get him out. Mauer has played 15 years with the Twins and is the only catcher in MLB history to win three batting titles. The veteran has been a tough out for many pitchers, last week in a ceremony at Target Field,the Twins retired his famous number 7..

Q: Now that you have been in the majors for a few years, what is the one thing that has impressed you the most?

A: The discipline here, everything is done professionally,we have a schedule for everything, the speed of the game is another thing..

Q: Oakland Coliseum is the most spacious MLB park, with all kinds of foul territory,that benefits pitchers. Aside from here in Oakland,which parks are the favorites for you to pitch, favorites for you, not necessarily because you can get more outs,but because you like those places.

A: Kansas City…Anaheim and Houston, I would say those three.

Q:Luis Rojas was just named the new manager of the New York Mets, a fellow Dominican one of the sons of Felipe Alou, your opinion?

A; Great, I know him, he is a great guy, happy for that.

Photos and selfies all over the place with the very affable Frankie Montas,as his wife and son patiently waited on the sidelines, he was just getting to the end of his signing duties at our kiosk. We also took some pictures, he signed a few Topps baseball Cards for The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum, which someday (hopeful sooner than later) we’ll have a place inside the proposed new A’s Ballpark at Howard Terminal.

My last question.

Q:When you were a little boy like this kid that was taking a picture with you here. Who was your idol?

A; :”Pedro Martínez” Not surprisingly from a young pitcher to name the great Dominican Hall of Famer Martínez

The Oakland Athletics pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to their Spring Training home February 12.

We shook hands,as I told him,next time we talk will be at Mesa, during Spring Training. which he said Okay!

Good Luck Frankie!

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Congress will be asking detailed questions as to how signs got stolen

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wkyt.com photo: The Houston Astros Jose Altuve waits his turn at bat could be called as a witness to whether he was wearing a wire or electronic device that help him indicate which pitch was coming next during the 2017 season.

Amaury does the News and Commentary podcast each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#1 There is little doubt that Congress will call witnesses and former players and current players and coaches into the sign stealing scandal to come to testify

#2 Amongst the center of the probe will be former Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch and former general manager Jeff Luhnow and current Astro Jose Altuve

#3 In the congressional inquiry congressmen will be expected to turn this scandal upside down while they get to the bottom of what exactly happened?

#4 Also in the probe look for former New York Mets manager Carlos Beltran and former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora to be asked what role they played while with Houston Astros

#5 Oakland A’s pitcher Mike Fiers said he had just about enough when he reported that signs were being stolen with high technology when he played with the Astros and guilt more than anything played a role into his coming forward.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Museum and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary Sign-Stealing Scandal: Baseball Needs a Hero

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clickondetroit.com photo: Ex Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch (left) and ex general manager John Luhnow (right) most likely will be the focus of a federal investigation into the MLB sign stealing scandal and called to congress. Illinois Rep (D) Bobby Rush is coordinating the investigation to get a vote to set up the investigation and begin calling witnesses

Sign-Stealing Scandal: Baseball Needs a Hero

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

While Commissioner Rob Manfred is playing Dick Tracy, the Players Union hires Perry Mason, baseball needs Captain America to come to the rescue. A book much older than the oldest baseball book around -The Bible, says: “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” the Golden Rule that can be applied to everything in life, including baseball. In case anybody forgot, we still swear by the Bible in court cases.

The timing for this scandal could not be worse (not to say is good at any time) we are closing-in to Spring Training, the list of Hall of Fame players eligible for Cooperstown this year. Teams getting ready for their Fan Fest, parading their players and getting fans into the mindset of another baseball season. And then this stink bomb.

A sport that is already going through changes and many challenges does not need this scandal and we can only hope that some good would come out of this, for all involved and for the sake and love of the game. MLB should be strong and punish those, not only to teach a lesson to the culprits, but in the end for the very best of baseball and generations to come.

Who is the hero here? Are there any? There were four former members of the Houston Astros who first confirmed the team was using electronic sign-stealing. Of those four, one came out publicly, it was pitcher Mike Fiers who originally said in an article to Ken Rosenthal about this sign-stealing method: “That’s not playing the game the right way”. I do not know if he is the hero, but what he said is right. For some people whistle-blowers are heroes, for others they are villains.

No matter how you dressed it up, or justify it, cheating is cheating, doesn’t matter if it is 1919 or 2020. But there is really no justification. Baseball is a strategy type of game. Since Little League we teach the kids the only thing you can steal in baseball is a base. Rickey Henderson stole 1,406 bases,more than anybody and is enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

This week will bring more news about the current scandal as this continues to unfold.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is following the base stealing scandal in MLB and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com