Tag: mlb

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum for Jerry Feitelberg: Can A’s stay MLB’s hottest team as they host Giants Friday?

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On the Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel:

The Oakland A’s start their second half of the season against the San Francisco Giants Friday night at the Oakland Coliseum after taking two out of three from the Giants last weekend in San Francisco. Daniel talks about the A’s starting rotation for the second half–Sean Manaea, Trevor Hill, Brett Anderson, and Edwin Jackson.

Will the A’s be sellers before the trade deadline? Will the A’s hold onto Jed Lowrie, Khris Davis, and Jonathan Lucroy? How impressive was the A’s hitting during the series in San Francisco last week? After the Bay Bridge Series, the A’s are in Texas for four games and in Colorado for three the weekend after next week.

Daniel is filling in for Jerry who does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Back in race, Giants face big decisions in 2nd half

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Harness

The San Francisco Giants have an uphill battle on their hands as they attempt to make their way to the playoffs after missing out last season. Their quest to win the National League West, however, just got a little tougher.

The Giants enter the second half the season only four games behind the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers and sporting a record of 50-48.

However, they have two immediate obstacles to overcome as play resumes Friday night. The Giants will head to the other side of the bay to face the A’s, who took two of three from them when the two teams saw each other at AT&T Park this past weekend, for a three-game set at the Coliseum.

Also, the Dodgers made a big move on Wednesday, trading for All-Star third baseman Manny Machado.

Now the question remains, will the Giants make a big splash before the trading deadline, or will they stand pat?

The last time the Giants made a big trade before the deadline was in 2012, when they made a move to get outfielder Hunter Pence, which helped ignite the Giants on their way to a World Series title. Ironically, Pence has been the talk of some trade rumors lately.

There are two factors that will likely prevent pence from being traded this year: Even though he is entering the final year of his contract, he has a full no-trade clause, and he also remains a fan favorite although his playing time has diminished significantly.

After their series with the A’s concludes, the Giants will head to Seattle to face the Mariners for a two-game series before going back home for a four-game set versus the Brew

A’s are the surprise American League team right now

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

The second half of the 2018 season begins on Friday when the Oakland A’s host the San Francisco Giants for three games at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s, without question, are one of the biggest surprises in the MLB this season. They’ll resume their quest to make the playoffs. The A’s, picked by many pundits to finish last in the American League West and win no more than 67 games, are sitting in third place in the AL West and just three games behind the Seattle Mariners in the quest for the second Wild Card seed.

The A’s went 7-3 on the 10-game road trip just before the All-Star break and picked up four games on the Mariners, who went 3-7 in their last 10 games. The A’s won two out three at Cleveland then won three out of four from the Houston Astros. They almost had a sweep, but they lost a game on a very unusual play that most fans and people in the media cannot recall ever seeing. But the A’s refused to fold. They regained their composure and were able to hold their own with the Astros. The Astros arguably have the best starting rotation in baseball. The A’s were unfazed as they faced Gerrit Cole, Justin, Verlander, Lance McCullers, and Charlie Morton. They then finished the trip by winning two out three against the Giants.

The A’s, under manager Bob Melvin, shows no sign of quitting. They are very resilient and play with a ton of confidence. They know that no game is out of reach and that they have shown a propensity for scoring runs late in the game.

The starting rotation has been a work in progress all season. The A’s were counting on Jharel Cotton and A.J. Puk to be in the starting rotation. Both players are on the DL as they have had season-ending Tommy John surgeries. Paul Blackburn, Daniel Gossett, Daniel Mengden, and Andrew Triggs have all been sidelined due to injury. Mengden is off the DL, but has been optioned back to the Nashville Sounds.

The A’s current rotation consists of lefties Sean Manaea and Brett Anderson. Edwin Jackson, Trevor Cahill and Frankie Montas are the right-handed starters. Cahill and Anderson have spent time on the DL. Both have had a couple of good games, but have not been consistent. Montas is 5-2 and has impressed even the biggest critics.

The A’s bullpen has been one of the best in baseball. Emilio Pagan, Yusmeiro Petit, Ryan Buchter, Lou Trivino, and Blake Treinen have been outstanding. Chris Hatcher did well earlier in the season, but has not been effective lately. Ryan Dull and Danny Coulombe did not do the job, and both are in Nashville. Liam Hendriks and Santiago Casilla have been designated for assignment and are probably not in the A’s upcoming plans. The A’s added lefty Jeremy Bleich and righty J.B. Wendelken, but they have to prove that they can stay in Oakland.

The A’s offense is led by Jed Lowrie. Lowrie, at age 34, made the All-Star team this year. Lowrie, who set a club record with 49 doubles last year, is probably having the best year in his career. Lowrie is hitting a smidge under .290 and has 16 home runs and about 60 runs batted in so far.

The A’s have power guys up and down the lineup. Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Mark Canha, Stephen Piscotty, Marcus Semien, and Khris Davis all are capable of sending a baseball into the stratosphere.

The catching chores are handled by Jonathan Lucroy and Josh Phegley. Lucroy doesn’t have much power, but he knows how to get the most from the pitching staff and has been invaluable to the A’s.

The A’s are on the right track. The big question right now as the trade deadline nears is whether the A’s will be sellers or buyers or will they do nothing? Many think the A’s need to make a move to get another quality starter. The price could be too high for Beane and Forst to make a move. The fans would be upset if the A’s traded any of their young stars. Many people speculate that the A’s might move Lowrie and play Barreto at second base.

Time will tell, and in the meantime, the team has to keep on winning.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Crawford still thrilled to be at All-Star extravaganza; Giants could make a run at Dodgers, just 4 games out

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On the SF Giants podcast with Marko:

#1 San Francisco Giants’ All-Star representative Brandon Crawford, who has two World Series rings, three Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and a Willie Mac Award, enjoyed basking at the All Star-game in Washington D.C. on Tuesday night.

#2 At 31 years old, Crawford is the oldest amongst the shortstops and this is the first time he got to start being the top vote-getter for NL shortstops.

#3 For the second half of the season for the Giants, we’ll be taking a look at the upcoming rotation–take one at a time–and tell us what’s their outlook on Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto, Andrew Suarez, Dereck Rodriguez Derek Holland.

#4 The Giants are four games back in the NL West behind the Rockies, Diamondbacks, and the Dodgers. Four games is not a lot of games, as the Giants can jell and make a run for first.

#5 They’re taking the tarps off Mount Davis and this is the first time the Oakland A’s will be doing that in 13 years on Saturday, as the Giants will be at the Oakland Coliseum for three games. The A’s expect a capacity crowd at the Coliseum of 56,782.

Marko Ukalovic does the Giants podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 89th MLB All-Star Game 2018: American League dominance continues; Jr Circuit defeats Sr Circuit 8-6

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By: Amaury Pi-González

There should be little doubt by now on which league has been the best during the past 12 to 15 years–the Junior Circuit! The American League beat the National League 8-6 in 10 innings to win its sixth consecutive All Star Game and its 12 of the last 15. Also, a record for an All-Star Game of 10 home runs (five apiece).

Houston Astros’ third baseman Alex Bregman won the MVP in his first ever All-Star Game. Chevrolet gave him a choice of a brand-new Chevy truck or a sporty Camero, he chose the Camero and said, “I am giving it to my mother.”

For the second year in a row, Max Scherzer (Nationals) started for the NL and Chris Sale (Red Sox) for the AL. The DH was in play at Nationals Park, the home of the Washington Nationals. This All-Star Game reflects today’s baseball, which is heavy on home runs. After all, the MLB established a record in 2017 for total home runs in a single season, and right now, that record could be in jeopardy.

AL home runs: Aaron Judge (Yankees), Mike Trout (Angels), Jean Segura (Mariners), Alex Bregman and George Springer (Astros).

NL home runs: Willson Contreras (Cubs), Trevor Story (Rockies), Christian Yelich (Brewers), Scooter Gennet and Joe Votto (Reds).

The previous record for home runs in an ASG had last been reached in 1971 by Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, and Roberto Clemente–all Hall of Fame legends!

FOX’s production was a good one, as it showcased some of the game personalities, wired with microphones while playing on the field. For example, Angels star Mike Trout, who is an amateur weatherman in the off-season in Vineland, New Jersey, on a local television station, Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor, and Colorado Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon.

Most of the players were busy with their phone cameras, filming from the very beginning when they were introduced and throughout the game from their respective dugouts, and sometimes spilling into the field after a home run was hit.

Kudos to the MLB, who honored two dozen U.S. Armed Forces Veterans–all of whom were Medal of Honor winners. What better city than Washington, D.C. for this very nice ceremony? We should always honor the men and women who served, are currently serving, and who help to preserve the freedom we enjoy.

The 2019 All-Star Game will take place at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish play-by-play talent and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Raiders notes: Papa out, Musburger in?

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Photo credit: @TheRaidersWire

By Jeremy Kahn

When the Oakland Raiders take the field for the first time in the preseason on August 10 versus the Detroit Lions at the Coliseum, there will be a new coach on the sidelines and possibly a new play-by-play man on the radio.

According to multiple reports, Greg Papa, who took over as the play-by-play man of the Raiders in the mid-1990s, is going to be replaced by veteran play-by-play man Brent Musburger.

The Raiders, who are moving to Las Vegas in 2020, would like to hire a play-by-play man who lives in the area, and Musburger, who retired during the 2017 NCAA Basketball season, now lives in Las Vegas.

If he is hired, Musburger and the Raiders will have agreed to a three-year deal that will include the Raiders first season in Nevada’s largest city.

Since retiring, Musburger is writing a weekly column for the Las Vegas Review Journal and is dabbling in the sports betting business.

Prior to retirement, Musburger worked for CBS from 1973-1990, and then moved to ABC/ESPN, where he worked from 1990-2017.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: All-Star break gives needed rest to pitching staff’s arms; What representing the A’s at the All-Star Game means for Lowrie and Treinen

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 How important was the break for everyone, considering all the arm and pitching injuries the club had endured in the first half?

#2 A’s second baseman Jed Lowrie and pitcher Blake Treinen both represented the A’s Tuesday night at the All-Star game. No doubt, that had to be a very special honor for both players.

#3 The A’s finished the first half the hottest team in baseball. They struggled in April and part of May, but really turned it on in June with the lineup they have. Can you see them keeping it going?

#4 There’s been talk that if this keeps up, A’s manager Bob Melvin could be voted the A.L. Manager of the Year.

#5 The A’s open the second half of the season this Friday against the San Francisco Giants after what happened in the City, the Giants are going to look to at least win the series in Oakland.

Charlie O has the A’s podcast each Tuesday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: 2018 MLB All-Star Game in Washington DC–Crawford, Lowrie, Treinen worked hard to get to this point

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Photo credit: @NBCSGiants

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 Amaury, let’s talk about the Oakland A’s reliever Blake Treinen, who made 24 saves for the first half of the season, which helped the A’s be the winningest team in baseball. Also, it helped Treinen get selected for the All-Star Game.

#2 How important is it for Treinen to have had the first half that he had? Does that give confidence to the ball club going into the second half?

#3 The A’s Jed Lowrie hit .285 with 103 hits, 16 HRs, and 62 RBIs. He had a great first half. Amaury talks about how important his role was to the club.

#4 Three San Francisco Giants had three players in the running for the All-Star game, including a last minute push to stuff the ballot box for Giants first baseman Brandon Belt, who fell short in the voting; Buster Posey, who was elected chose to sit out the All-Star game get a cortisone shot for his hip and rest during the break, and Brandon Crawford, who will be in the National League lineup tonight at second base.

#5 Tonight’s the big night American League All-Stars versus National League All-Stars. Who do you like in this game?

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish play-by-play talent, the vice president of the MLB Hispanic Heritage Museum Hall of Fame and  does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

MLB 2018 All-Star Game podcast with Morris Phillips: Crawford to represent Giants; Lowrie and Treinen to represent A’s

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On the 2018 MLB All-Star Game podcast with Morris:

The San Francisco Giants had three players who were favorites to make this year’s MLB All-Star game: Brandon Crawford, Buster Posey, and Brandon Belt. Posey and Belt didn’t make it this year, Belt lacked the votes, Posey is resting a sore hip and got a cortisone shot on Sunday. Crawford will be the lone Giants representative.

Crawford has 94 hits, 39 RBIs, 10 home runs, .289 and a Gold Glove kind of first half. Crawford is looking forward to an exciting second half, but first, Morris talks about what kind of an All-Star game Crawford will be looking forward to having.

For the Oakland A’s, they’ll be represented by second baseman Jed Lowrie, who has 103 hits, 62 RBIs, 16 home runs, and a .263 average for the first half. For reliever and closer Blake Treinen, 5-2, 0.96 ERA, and 24 saves.

Morris has covered his fair share of MLB All-Star games and will take a look where this year’s mid summer classic in Washington D.C. rates with the ones in the past.

Morris Phillips does the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s rout Giants 6-2 in laugher, thanks to Manaea

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By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — This was not the way that the San Francisco Giants wanted to go into the All-Star break with back-to-back losses against a team that will face when they return from the break, the Oakland A’s.

Andrew Suarez gave up four runs in five innings of work, as the A’s took the finale of the Bay Bridge with a 6-2 victory over the Giants before a sellout crowd of 42,098 at AT&T Park on Sunday afternoon.

Asides from the four runs that he allowed, Suarez also gave up four hits, walked two and struck out five in his final start prior to the All-Star break.

This was the first series loss for the Giants at home since dropping two out of three against the Arizona Diamondbacks from April 9-11, as they went 10-0-2 in that span. The two series that the Giants split were with the Colorado Rockies from May 17-20, and the St. Louis Cardinals from July 5-8.

The A’s got to Suarez in the top of the fourth inning, as five straight batters reached and four of those five scored to give the A’s the only runs that they would need on the afternoon.

American League All-Star second baseman Jed Lowrie got the inning started, as he walked to lead off the inning and then scored on a Stephen Piscotty single to tie up the game for the A’s. Matt Olson then gave the A’s the lead for good, as he drove in Mark Canha with a single of his own.

Matt Chapman then made it three hits in a row, as he singled to score Piscotty with the A’s third run of the frame. Jonathan Lucroy drove in the fourth run of the inning, as he hit a sacrifice fly to score Olson from third base.

The four-run inning made a winner of Sean Manaea, who pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking and striking out one, as his record improved to 9-6 on the season.

The Giants took an early lead 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, as Gorkys Hernandez doubled with one out and then scored on a Gorkys Hernandez single.

Piscotty extended the A’s up to 5-1 in the top of the sixth inning, as he took a Reyes Moronta pitch and put it into the left-field bleachers. It was the 12thhome run of the season for Piscotty.

It was the first hit allowed by Moronta since he gave up a single to Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 16 at Dodger Stadium. The last run allowed prior to Piscotty’s home run came on June 13 against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park, and it was the just the second home run he allowed this season. (April 19 at Arizona).

Chase d’Arnaud cut the A’s lead down to 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he took a Manaea offering and put it into the Garden beyond the center-field fence. It was the second home run of the season for d’Arnaud.

Lucroy put the finishing touches on the scoring in the top of the ninth inning, as he singled to centerfield off of Will Smith to score Chapman, who doubled with one out in the inning.

NOTES: Dereck Rodriguez will open the second half for the Giants, as they head across the Bay Bridge to face the A’s at the Oakland Coliseum beginning on Friday night.

Following Rodriguez out of the All-Star break will be Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto and then Suarez will start the series opener against the Seattle Mariners on July 24 at Safeco Field.

Steven Duggar’s major league career is only a week old and he is setting team records already. Duggar is the first Giants in the live-ball era (since 1920) to have five or more doubles in his first five games, this according to STATS, LLC.

When the Giants went to the break last season, they were 34-56, their worst record at the break since 2008, when they were 40-55. This season at the All-Star Break, the Giants are 50-48.

UP NEXT: The Giants and A’s will battle it out in round two of the Bay Bridge Series at O.co Coliseum on Friday night at 6:35 pm PDT.