Tag: mlb

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca and Morris Phillips: Giants two below .500, but are only two games out of first place

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the Giants podcast with Michael and Morris:

Giants outfielder Mac Williamson who is missed and has missed about three weeks since his concussion injury. When Williamson was in the lineup, he hit some of the hardest hit balls on the team at that time. On Tuesday night, it was the 17th time in 49 games that the Giants have struck out 10 times.

Hard hit balls, strikeouts, the Giants are two games under .500. It might suggest that their not getting the most out of their hard hit balls. There’s a lot of contrary things going on with the Giants’ statistics.

This could be the season that baseball surpasses its previous strikeout record. Clubs are striking out at a fast pace. The Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer is on a pace to reach 100 strikeouts at the fastest pace in the history of the game.

The game is changing there’s no doubt about it and if the Giants can get through April and May if they can get within hailing distance of the division leaders.  The Giants are still within hailing distance after tonight’s game as they are trailing first place Colorado and Arizona by two games. ‘

Listen lots more with Michael and Morris on the SF Giants podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Mariners rally late to edge A’s 3-2 in 10 innings

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Photo credit: @Mariners

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s, returning home after a successful 7-3 road trip to New York, Boston and Toronto, wasted another excellent outing bt the veteran Trevor Cahill as they lost the opener of the three-game series to the Seattle Mariners 3-2 at Safeco Field Tuesday night.

The Mariners’ Mike Leake and the A’s Trevor Cahill both pitched well. Each pitcher received a no-decision for their effort, but each could have won with a little more run support from their respective teammates. The A’s scored an unearned run in the fourth. Leake did not help his cause as he was the player that committed the error. He gave up an earned run in the fifth. With two out, he hit Mark Canha with a pitch. Matt Joyce singled to send Canha to third and Canha scored when Marcus Semien singled.

The Mariners tied the game in the seventh. With one out, Cahill walked the M’s designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach. The next hitter, catcher Mike Zunino, took Cahill deep to tie the score at two apiece.

Neither team could score in regulation, and the game went into extra-innings. In the top of the 10th. The Mariners took the lead. Shortstop Jean Segura singled to right. Guillermo Heredia doubled to center. Segura was sent home on the throw by third base coach Scott Brosius. Segura’s hand touched home plate before A’s catcher Jonathan Lucroy could apply the tag.

The Mariners brought in Edwin Diaz to close out the game. Diaz retired the first two hitters. Marcus Semien nearly tied the game when he sent a Diaz fastball over the fence in left field. There was just one problem. The ball was about three feet foul. Diaz then struck out Semien to end the game.

Game notes and stats: With the win, the M’s are now 28-17 and remain just two games behind the first-place Houston Astros. The A’s drop to 25-23.

The A’s Trevor Cahill went seven innings and allowed just four hits and two runs.

The line of M’s Mike Leake was 6 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed six hits and two runs, one of which was unearned.

The A’s Yusmeiro Petit was charged with the loss, and Edwin Dian recorded his 16th save of the season.

The M’s announced that they placed Dee Gordon on the 10-day DL with a fractured toe.

The M’s designated hitter Nelson Cruz was not in the lineup Tuesday night.

The M’s manager, Scott Servais, was ejected late in the game for disputing calls on ball and strikes.

Up Next: The A’s will send Daniel Fossett to the mound to pitch on Wednesday. Gossett was recalled from Nashville to make a start. Marco Gonzalez will hurl for Seattle. Game time will be at 7:05 pm PST at the Oakland Coliseum.

Cole dominates as Astros cruise past Giants 11-2

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Photo credit: @BR_MLB

By Jeremy Kahn

Like a fine wine, the defending World Champion Houston Astros got better with age, especially when they added another great pitcher to their vaunted starting rotation.

Gerrit Cole, who was the Pittsburgh Pirates first overall pick in the 2011 draft came to the Astros in an offseason trade and he continues to be dominant.

Cole pitched six strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking three and striking out eight and the Astros defeated the San Francisco Giants 11-2 at Minute Maid Park.

The two runs that Cole allowed was a family affair of sorts, as he allowed a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning to Brandon Crawford, the Giants hottest hitter and who is the brother in-law of Cole.

Crawford’s sister Amy is married to Cole, who improves to 5-1 in his first season with the Astros, who continue to lead the American League West.

The Astros got on the board in the bottom of the third inning, as former Oakland A’s catcher Max Stassi doubled off of Andrew Suarez to score Evan Gattis. George Springer, the World Series MVP in their run to the World Championship over the Los Angeles Dodgers then singled in Stassi, and followed Alex Bregman doubled in Springer.

Tony Kemp added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he singled in Yuli Gurriel and J.D. Davis, who scored three runs and walked three times on the night.

Crawford finally got the Giants on the board in the top of the fifth inning, as he a Cole offering for his fifth home run of the season.

It was another tough night on the mound for Suarez, who went just four innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out two.

The usual consistent Giants bullpen was roughed up against the Astros, as the trio of Pierce Johnson, Reyes Moronta and Josh Osich went the final four innings, allowing six runs on six hits walking four and striking out four.

The Astros blew the game wide open in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Kemp hit a sacrifice fly to score Davis. Bregman then picked up his second double of the night that scored Gattis, and then reigning American League Most Valuable Player Jose Altuve got in on the act, as he hit a two-run single that scored Stassi and Bregman.

Kemp finished off the blowout, as he hit a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning that scored Gurriel and Davis.

It was a career night for Kemp, who ended the night with two hits and a career-high five runs batted in and the Astros have won five out of their last six.

NOTES: Jeff Samardzija goes to the mound on Wednesday afternoon, as the Giants look for the split against the Astros Justin Verlander, who leads the major league with a miniscule 1.05 earned run average.

Samardzija is coming off a season-high 6.2 inning outing on Friday night against the Colorado Rockies, as he received a no-decision in a game that the Giants eventually lost in 12 innings.

Verlander threw a complete game against the Los Angeles Angels, where he allowed five hits and the Astros shutout the Angels 2-0 at Anaheim Stadium.

Madison Bumgarner, who is currently on the 60-day disabled list with a broken left pinkie, threw 30 pitched to live hitters for the first time since his injury and it was indicated by Bruce Bochy, that Bumgarner could begin his rehab assignment this Saturday for the Sacramento Rivercats at Raley Field.

Closer Mark Melancon, who like Bumgarner is on the disabled list, began his rehab assignment on Monday with the Rivercats and threw just six pitches. Melancon could throw again on Wednesday, as he threw just six pitches on Monday.

Osich was recalled by the Giants earlier in the day, as Jose Valdez was placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to Saturday with inflammation in his right elbow.

UP NEXT: The Giants and Astros finish the two-game series Wednesday at 11:10 am PST.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s four game sweep lands A’s a 7-3 record; A’s and M’s play three-game series starting Tuesday

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O:

1) The A’s are 25-22 and coming off a 7-3 road trip. Let’s talk about their success by the numbers. How are they doing as a team at the plate?

2) Defense has been a problem for the team in the past few seasons, how are they doing this year?

3) Finally how is the pitching stacking up?

4) The MLB Trade Deadline is on July 31st. Will Jed Lowrie be wearing green & gold when the deadline passes?

5) What’s coming up on the schedule for the A’s?

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

Giants nearly 50 games into 2018: steady with room for improvement

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Morris Phillips

In a lot of ways, the 2018 Giants haven’t tipped their hand in regards to what type of team they’ll eventually become.

First of all, they’re 24-24, after they were 19-19 and 14-14. That’s as .500 as a team can get with a sample size of 48 games, still not a third of the way through a 162-game schedule. The Giants are 13-14 against the NL West. They’re 7-7 in one-run games, 2-2 in extra innings, they were 13-13 in April, now they’re 9-10 in May.

The most games they’ve been over .500? Four.

The most games they’ve been under. 500? Four.

Immediately after winning a season-best four in a row, they lost six straight, their worst slide. And the Giants have 12 wins against right-handed starting pitchers, and 12 wins against left-handed starting pitchers.

Again, if the Giants were a poker-faced, Vegas-based, card wizard, they be a pretty good one.

But if they’re a post-season contender, one year after they lost 98 games, then we can’t quite confirm that to be true even as they sit just two games off the pace of division-leading Arizona, and a game-and-a-half behind second-place Colorado.

So what might happen next for baseball’s current over-the-hill gang?

While they eagerly wait for the return of Mark Melancon, Madison Bumgarner, Hunter Pence and Joe Panik (likely returning in that order), the schedule remains unrelenting. On Tuesday, the Giants wash down a challenging four-game set with the Rockies, with two at the home of the World Series champion Astros. They’ll see familiar face Gerrit Cole, the former Pirate with the uncanny ability to unleash 96 mph heaters on the black.

The Giants most immediate need? Not letting Cole get comfortable and mowing down San Francisco hitters in waves. Remember, Cole’s struck out 10 or more opposing batters in five of his nine starts, while the Giants collectively have fanned 10 or more times in 16 of their 48 games, exactly one-third of their contests.

No wonder the Giants languish at No. 22 in the latest ESPN Power Rankings while the defending champion Astros are No. 3: they haven’t proven anything yet.

The Giants could succeed or fail with or without their four, returning stars. They could go either way as well with their near, completely healthy offensive attack, or surge or regress once their starting rotation becomes whole. No outcome seems implausible.

But whatever happens, it starts with Cole on Tuesday, Justin Verlander on Wednesday, and continues Friday in Chicago with the Cubs’ Kyle Kendrick.

Now that’s challenging.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Diuretics Taint Robinson Cano’s Hall of Fame-Worthy Career

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Photo credit: @mlbtraderumors

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

OAKLAND, Calif. — A future Hall of Fame player’s career was recently tainted when Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Canó was suspended for 80 games for using a diuretic. Here is the description of what caused his suspension. He tested positive for the diuretic furosemide, violating MLB’s joint drug agreement. Furosemide is a diuretic, commonly known as Lasix, that is used to treat horses.The Mariners open a three-game series this Tuesday at the Oakland Coliseum against their western division rivals, Oakland Athletics.

There is a good chance Canó will make his return against the A’s when they visit Oakland again in the middle of August. Born in the Dominican Republic, the veteran Canó has been one of the best second basemen in the game since he arrived and played with the New York Yankees in 2005. A stylish-fielding veteran of 14 seasons, 2005-13 with the Yankees and since 2014 with Seattle. He is on his fifth year of a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. 24 million per year. And he will be sitting for a while under suspension. His friend, who played with him in New York, Alex Rodríguez said: “It will be a long road back for Robinson,” but he believed he will land on his feet. He knows about the situation, Rodríguez is no novice to the word “suspension” as he also was suspended for the use of PEDs.

Dee Gordon has been playing second base for the Mariners since Canó’s suspension last week. The absence of Canó could be costly for this Mariners team who has been playing very well recently, just like the A’s, and this will be a very interesting first series of the season between these two divisional rivals.

The A’s return home after a triumphal road-trip that took them to New York, Boston and Toronto, winning seven and losing three and now have a 14-13 record on the road and 11-9 at home. The A’S will open this 10-game homestand tomorrow, three vs. Seattle, three vs. Arizona and four vs. Tampa Bay.

Currently,the A’s hold a 25-22 record and are in fourth place with 4.5 games from first place Houston, while Seattle is in second place 27-19 just two games behind the World Champion Astros and have been playing well on the road with a 15-9 record outside Safeco Field.

Tuesday’s game will match a pair of veteran right-handers: For Seattle, Mike Leake 4-3  6.00 ERA, who had a no decision against the A’s on April 13 in Seattle. For the A’s Trevor Cahill will make his sixth start of the season with 1-2 and 2.79 ERA. The Golden State Warriors will also be playing next door at the Oracle Arena as they have a 2-to-1 game advantage over the Houston Rockets in the Western Finals. I recommend you take BART to avoid the traffic jams.

Listen to the Atléticos in Spanish on KIQI 1010AM/990AM covering the Bay Area and Sacramento/Stockton.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Ex-Giant Romo starts his first career game; Belting them out of the yard, Belt with 3-run jack

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@SFGiants photo: San Francisco Giant Brandon Belt goes yard for a three-run homer against the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park Sunday.

Morris Phillips on the SF Giants podcast:

Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Sergio Romo pitched in his first career start for the Tampa Bay Rays. Romo used as a closer or reliever in his Giants, Dodgers and now Rays days, pitched an inning plus no runs, walking two, and striking out three against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

Brandon Belt: Belt has been hitting the ball out of AT&T Park like he’s auditioning for the Hall of Fame. Belt hit another majestic home run this time a three run shot that helped put the Giants in the win column with a four-run 9-5 victory over the visiting Colorado Rockies.

Manager Bruce Bochy said Belt’s been hitting as hard as anyone else and getting as many home runs as he has in a short amount of time this has been an incredible ride for him.

Next up at AT&T: The Giants are off Monday, but will hit the road starting with Houston on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then they get another day off on Thursday 24th then open up a three-game series in Chicago on Friday night against the Cubs. Then they close out the road trip in Colorado next Monday night at Coors Field.

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

 

 

A’s cap sweep, impressive road trip with Mengden’s gem in 9-2 win over the Blue Jays

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By Morris Phillips

Ten-game roadie through three of the toughest venues the American League has to offer, seven wins, at least one home run hit in every game, a signature moment in Chad Pinder’s eighth inning, grand slam on Saturday, an aggressive approach to every at-bat that brought definition to the Oakland A’s offense, and one, significant injury that will be of concern going forward.

With all that happening and more, starter Daniel Mengden could have struggled to carve out his own niche of notoriety, but his pitching performance Sunday afternoon at the Rogers Centre was too good for that.

Mengden went seven innings, allowing two hits as the A’s romped, capping a rare, four-game road sweep with a 9-2 spanking of the Blue Jays.

“We went right after it the first couple times through and then started pitching backwards,” Mengden explained. “We just tried to pitch unpredictable as much as we could, and the defense was extraordinary behind us.”

Sunday’s stellar performance marked yet another breakthrough for the former Texas A&M starter who needed 13 starts to win at the Coliseum in Oakland for the first time. Now, Mengden can say he’s the prince of daytime baseball, having won a day start for the first time in 2018 after coming up short on four occasions.

As for the A’s, they came into their own on the completed 7-3 road trip: the starting pitching continued its steady, incremental improvement after a rough start over the first 15 games of the season. Meanwhile, the bullpen was needed early and often over the duration of the trip, and delivered consistently. The offense was carried by the long ball, with Marcus Semien’s fifth inning blast on Sunday the 19th of the trip through New York, Boston and Toronto. And as Mengden mentioned, on Sunday, while he dealt, the A’s defense ran circles in support.

 

Belt continues power surge in Giants’ 9-5 win over Rockies

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO–Brandon Belt gave the San Francisco Giants the lead for good with one swing of the bat.

Belt hit a three-run home run off of Jake McGee in the bottom of the seventh inning, helping the Giants to a come-from-behind 9-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies before a crowd of 40,334 at AT&T Park Sunday.

“You feel good when he is up there,” said Bruce Bochy.

With the victory, the Giants gained a split in their first series against the Rockies, who they will see beginning on May 28 for a three-game series at Coors Field.

The Giants also finished the home stand on a high note, as they won the final two games of the home stand and went 4-3 against the Cincinnati Reds and Rockies.

Gorkys Hernandez hit his fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning, a two-run blast to straightaway centerfield that looked like a lazy fly ball; however, the Bay Area wind let it sail over the centerfield wall to get the Giants within a run of the Rockies. Miguel Gomez hit a pinch-hit single just before the Hernandez home run.

“Gorkys had a huge hit, Tommy (Tomlinson) had a huge hit into the gap,” said Bochy.

Just one inning later, the Giants took their first lead of the game, as Kelby Tomlinson tripled to the left-center field wall that scored both Belt, who singled to lead off the inning and Brandon Crawford, who walked with one out.

“Just trying to put together a nice at-bat, swung the bat well today and yesterday,” said Tomlinson.

The Rockies tied up the game in the top of the seventh inning, as Ian Desmond walked to lead off the inning, then stole second and went to third on a Nick Hundley throwing error. Nolan Arenado then tied up the game with a single up the middle off of Giants reliever Sam Dyson.

Ty Blach went just 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out one, as he did not fare in the decision.

Like Blach, Tyler Anderson did not fare in the decision for the Rockies, as he went 5.1 innings, allowing five runs on six hits, walking one and striking out four.

Hernandez got the rally started in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he singled to lead off the inning, and after a Buster Posey fly out to centerfield, Evan Longoria then walked and then Belt hit his 11thhome run of the season. Hundley then extended the lead, as he hit his fifth home run of the season.

The Giants took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Posey tripled to the 421’ mark in right-center field and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Noel Cuevas, who made a terrific catch to take an extra base hit away from Longoria.

The Rockies finally broke through in the top of the fourth inning, as Trevor Story doubled in Arenado, who led off the inning with a single. Cuevas then singled to score Story from second base.

Blach was then sent to the showers in the top of the fifth inning, as Anderson helped out his own cause, as he singled to lead off the inning and then on a Story single. After Chris Iannetta popped out for the second out of the inning, Cuevas drove in his second run of the game, with a bases loaded walk to give the Rockies a 4-1 lead.

Will Smith continues to make great strides as he comes back from Tommy John Surgery that kept him out for the entire 2017 season. In his only inning of work, Smith struck out the side.

“He has been throwing the ball so well,” said Bochy.

NOTES: After an off-day on Monday, the Giants open a brief two-game series at Minute Maid Park against the defending World Champion Houston Astros. Andrew Suarez will take the mound in the opener for the Giants, while Gerrit Cole will take the mound for the Astros.

The off-day on Monday, will be their first off-day since May 3, the day before the beginning of their three-city, 10-road trip thru Atlanta, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. During the streak of playing 17 days in a row, the Giants went 8-9.

Mac Williamson continues to swing the bat well, as he through his first two games with the Sacramento Rivercats on his rehab assignment, Williamson is 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double and two home runs and six runs batted in.

Hunter Pence went 2-for-5 on Saturday night with an RBI, and is now hitting .321 (18-for-56) with two doubles, six RBIs, and four walks in his 14 games with the Rivercats, as he recovers from his sprained right thumb.

UP NEXT: The Giants will return to action Tuesday against the Astros at 5:10 pm PST.

MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum: Pinder’s slam gets A’s third straight win over Jays; Giants’ Melancon may not close for SF; Giants Utility man Panda likely to fill in at second

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photo from sbnation.com: Chad Pinder clears the bases with this swing a grand slam that helped the A’s win three straight over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. The A’s and Jays meet again on Sunday.

On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum:

1 Chad Pinder hits grand slam in A’s win at Toronto.

2 Mark Melancon not likely to jump back to closer’s role with Giants; Bumgarner making progress.

3 Panda may see action at second base for Giants before Joe Panik returns.

4 Brandon Belt hears from Joe Torre for comments about umpires.

5 Twins put former MVP Joe Mauer on DL with concussion symptoms.

6 Tim Tebow having great month at Double-A, could move up.

Daniel Dullum does the MLB The Show podcast each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com