Tag: O.co Coliseum

Preview of the A’s upcoming 3-game series with the Astros

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Photo credit: youtube.com

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — This is the time of the year that fans hunger for. Oakland A’s fans have not seen their team in a playoff race since 2014. The A’s made the playoffs as the second Wild Card team that year. They traveled to Kansas City, Mo. and were eliminated by the Kansas City Royals. Since then, the A’s have been in rebuild mode. The last three seasons found the A’s finishing last in the AL West. Attendance was significantly down as fans were tired of seeing the A’s trade their best players for subpar prospects. The team wants to build a new stadium, but plans to build one at Laney College were scuttled after the A’s thought they had a deal. All the experts picked the 2018 A’s team to finish as cellar-dwellers once again, but this year’s team has put eggs on all the faces of the pundits that picked them to finish last.

Last year, the A’s front office decided to bring up Matt Chapman and Matt Olson to play in first and third bases, respectively. Chapman is fantastic at third base, and his hitting has improved. Chapman may win a Gold Glove this year. Olson is a big power bat and he is also good defensively.

The A’s signed catcher Jonathan Lucroy before the season started. Lucroy is one of the best gunning down runners attempting to steal. He has picked off 20 so far and is tied for the MLB’s lead.

The A’s pitching rotation has been a work in progress. Sean Manaea is the current ace. The big lefty threw a no-hitter against the red-hot Boston Red Sox in April. The A’s also brought back two former players to pitch. Trevor Cahill has been good at home, but not so good on the road. The big righty still can pitch. The other pitcher is Brett Anderson. While the lefty is not a flamethrower, he knows how to pitch and has been a valuable asset in Oakland. In addition, the A’s acquired Edwin Jackson and Mike Fiers–both of whom are veterans who know what to do on the mound. Fiers won a ring with the Astros last year.

The A’s rebuilt their bullpen by sending two of their arguably best relievers, Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson, to the Washington Nationals for Blake Treinen. Treinen has 32 saves and is a cool customer on the mound. They traded Ryon Healy to the Seattle Mariners for Emilio Pagan. They traded for Jeurys Familia. They signed Shawn Kelley. They acquired Fernando Rodney. They brought up rookie Lou Trivino from Triple-A Nashville. This year’s bullpen is loaded.

The A’s have surprised everyone in baseball this year. They are 38-13 since June 16th. They passed the M’s in the race for the second Wild Card slot, and they are now just two games behind the Astros for first place in the AL West.

The A’s players know that they can beat any team in the MLB. They are playing with a lot of confidence. They have one of the best managers in baseball, Bob Melvin. So, the baseball gods in their infinite wisdom, have scheduled the Astros to show up in Oakland this weekend. The Astros, who are defending World Series champions, own a 74-47 record. They are 9-4 against the A’s and have beaten them in all six games played here.

However, the worm has turned as the A’s took three out of four from the Astros in Houston in July. The Astros still have the third best record in the AL, but their express train to the AL West crown has gone slightly off the tracks due to several injuries. The Astros’ All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve has been sidelined with a knee injury and will not be available this weekend. The reigning AL MVP may be back before the end of the year, and he is missed by Astros fans. Shortstop Carlos Correa was activated last week, but he went 1-for-15 before he hit a three-run double Wednesday afternoon. George Springer will be activated off the DL Friday night. Relief pitcher Chris Devenski, catcher Brian McCann, and outfielder Jake Marisnick are still on the DL.

The A’s will still have to deal with a very good Astros’ team. Astros’ catcher Evan Gattis, who probably will DH, gets fired up when he comes to Oakland. He loves to hit here, and he has killed A’s pitching in the past. The A’s shut him down the last time they were in Houston, and they hope to do it again. Astros’ third baseman Alex Bregman has blossomed into a terrific player. He can hit for average and power. First baseman Yuli Gurriel is solid. The Astros will likely use Tyler White or Tony Kemp at second base in place of Altuve. White hit two homers on Wednesday in the Astros’ 12-1 rout. The Astros’ outfield of Marwin Gonzalez, George Springer, and Josh Reddick is solid. All three can hit the ball out of the park.

The A’s will counter with Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Marcus Semien, and Jed Lowrie. Lowrie started the season on a high note, but he fell off a bit due to an injury, yet he has returned to be the same hitter he was earlier this season. Nick Martini has been doing a solid job as the leadoff hitter and has played well in left field. Mark Canha has been playing in center, but Melvin will move him to left if a lefty is pitching.  Ramon Laureano is a terrific defensive player who will see playing time this weekend. Stephen Piscotty has been solid all year. DH Khris Davis is third in the AL with 34 bombs and is second in the MLB with 93 RBIs.

The Astros have penciled in Charlie Morton to pitch Friday night. Morton is 12-3 and has a 2.88 ERA. Morton has thrown at least six innings in each of his last four starts. He is 4-1 with a 2.73 ERA in 10 road starts this season.

The A’s will counter with Edwin Jackson. Jackson has performed well since being reclaimed from life in the minor leagues. Jackson is 3-0 in his last three starts and has allowed no earned runs in that span. He went 7 1/3 innings against the Angels last Saturday for his longest start of the year.

Astros’ lefty Dallas Keuchel will pitch on Saturday. Keuchel, a former Cy Young award winner, got off to a slow start this year. However, he has evened his record at 9-9 and has a respectable 3.43 ERA. He has been Houston’s best starter the last two months as he went 6-1 and had a 2.19 ERA.

Trevor Cahill will pitch for the A’s. Cahill did not have a good outing last week against the Angels. He allowed four runs and seven hits in just 4 2/3 innings of work. Cahill is 4-2 with a 3.39 ERA.

On Sunday, former MVP and CY Young winner Justin Verlander will be on the mound for the Astros. Verlander has been struggling lately. His record is 11-8, but he is 2-6 with a 3.94 ERA in his last 11 starts. He started the season with a 9-2 record and a 1.61 ERA in his first 15 starts. His next win will be the 200th of his career.

The A’s Sean Manaea will be seeking his 12th win. Manaea went 7 2/3 innings against the M’s Monday night as he picked up his 11th win of the year. Manaea has not allowed more than three runs in any of his starts since May.

This is what baseball is all about. The defending champs going up against the up-and-coming A’s. One team is expected to repeat as the AL representative in the World Series and one team is hoping to dethrone the defending champs. The underdog is going to face the Goliath. The series should be fun. Be there!

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Having Fun at A’s Tailgate Party With Some Old Amigos

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @ThompsonScribe

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Last Wednesday, I had the time to join some good old A’s baseball amigos during an afternoon game at the Oakland Coliseum against the Seattle Mariners. When the A’s play a day game, anytime between Monday and Friday, those are not in our schedule to broadcast in Spanish. Decisions that simply out of nowhere, but it is what it is. A long time ago, I learned I should not get upset with stuff that I can’t control. It’s simple as that.

Mi amigos, they are all retired, and true A’s fans for decades. Gilberto Crespo from San Leandro since 1968 when the A’s first moved to Oakland. Dagoberto Blanco Campaneris, also known as “Campy,” who is arguably the best shortstop in A’s history and three-time World Champion. I stayed as a rookie at Crespo’s home. My friend Crespo, who was also born in Cuba, was joined by Stan, who is an Irishman, but can speak a good amount of Spanish. Also, Juan and Jorge were there, they are all A’s fans during the good and bad years, so they do not subscribe to the theory of the bandwagon fans.

Crespo told me, “I used to come to A’s games when Charlie Finley was the owner and we were winning but seldom there were sellouts here.”

Stan, who is retired and an avid A’s and 49ers fan, could not believe the crowd for a Wednesday afternoon. Stan told me, “Well, they are winning and now everybody is an A’s fan.”

Jorge and Juan were born in Costa Rica–where fútbol is the national sport–but they also have been in this country long enough to assimilate, so they are old baseball fans who love to talk about strategy and share their opinions.

Jorge said, “Amaury, there is no hit and run, no bunt, everybody is hitting home runs, but I love this young A’s team because they hit a lot of home runs … Yes, but what happens when they do not hit home runs, they do not win?”

For the record, that game went into extra innings and the Mariners won 2-0 in 12 innings on a two-run home run by Dee Gordon, who is one of the fastest players and perhaps a top base thief–in the game and anything, but a hom run hitter.

There was a nice big pick-up truck and a great BBQ a couple of hours prior to the game. Good eats, beer and even Jack Daniels was there, I am not a drinker at ballgames, but I did had a couple of beers with very good food with my amigos. And then we watched the game on a sunny perfect afternoon at the Coliseum. Our talk was mostly about the A’s and baseball in general. Though, Stan goes to Alaska every year to fish for salmon, and he went last month.

Stan told me, “No, esta vez no me fue muy bien.” Translation: “This time, it didn’t go very well.” He didn’t catch as many fish as last time, but he took it in stride, as he knows there will always be fish waiting for him to catch in Alaska. He is also a 49ers fan who used to have season tickets, but told me a long time ago that he was unable to afford the tickets since they moved to Levi’s Stadium.

It is always fun to catch a ballgame outside of the press box. With the fans in the stands, the conversations are priceless, the food keeps coming, the talk gets better, some fans cheer when a Mariner strikes out, while others suffer when an A’s hitter hit into a double play. There were fans wearing M’s jerseys, but more A’s, like, say, Matt Chapman jerseys. Baseball fans are arguably the greatest, especially the older fans who can talk about the game forever.

One thing for sure is that no fan is in a hurry if the game drags–like this one–and there is basically a pitching match between Leake and Anderson with a lot of ground ball outs. I never saw a fan looking at the clock as if they were in a hurry. Chapman is more than a leader of this team, as the 25-year-old is also the guy who asked fans to come and support the team, which is a refreshing sight to see. Players make very good money, even a rookie makes 10 times the average annual salary of the average American, but some players are class acts and they want to see fans supporting them. Chapman spoke from the heart, and fans appreciated that candor.

It is ironic that baseball has been trying to speed up the game, to keep up with the social media culture. They do all kinds of research, but they never ask the fan if they think the game is slow. And you know why? Because they know the answer they are going to get. Of course not, I mean there is nothing better that a great tailgate party with some good old friends with great conversations and to watch a ballgame in the middle of the afternoon on a sunny day at the Coliseum. The Coliseum is the one sports facility in the Bay Area with the best access to transporation with BART to the east and Highway 880 to the west. Like many others, I would welcome a new ballpark for the A’s at Howard Terminal, so I support A’s President Dave Kaval in this particular endeavor, but the current Coliseum location is like the A’s these days–tough to beat!

A’s unable to stop Gordon, Mariners in 2-0 loss in 12 innings

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @KING5SPORTS

By: Ana Kieu

OAKLAND, Calif. — It was August 15th and the Oakland A’s were loud and proud about the fact that they’re just one game back of the Houston Astros just moments before the home game versus the Seattle Mariners at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum on Wednesday afternoon. The A’s haven’t been this confident in a long time.

Both teams engaged in a pitching duel and a very defensive battle through seven innings. Wednesday’s seventh inning stretch was extremely exciting, thanks to the talented in-stadium host Kara Tsuboi (@karashotcorner).

The A’s Twitter managed to make the scoreless innings sound thrilling as they tweeted, “The late innings have arrived. You know what that means.”

A’s manager pulled starter Brett Anderson out of the game, and rookie reliever Lou Trivino entered in relief. Trivino pitched just 1/3 of the eighth inning.

Veteran reliever Fernando Rodney stepped onto the mound for the A’s. Rodney pitched 2/3 of the eighth inning.

Newly acquired reliever Jeurys Familia warmed up in the A’s bullpen just moments before he had to get on the field.

Neither team was able to score in the standard nine innings, so the game went into extra innings. Fans in attendance got the chance to watch additional baseball for free, which was a wonderful thing–especially for the kids.

The Mariners finally broke open the scoring in the top of the 12th inning. The M’s Dee Gordon hit a two-run home run for his 24th RBI of the season. Gordon hit the two-run homer off of A’s reliever Yusmeiro Petit, who has played for the Giants from 2012 to 2015.

The M’s shutout the A’s 2-0 in a three-hour, 13-minute game in front of 17,078 fans. The M’s James Pazos was the winning pitcher. Pazos’ record upped to 3-1. Petit, who was the last A’s reliever, got the loss. Petit’s record dropped to 1-2.

The M’s moved up on the A’s in the AL Wild Card standings. The M’s are now 2 1/2 games back of the A’s and also gained one full game on the A’s.

Notes
Three A’s players made appearances on television and radio Wednesday morning. Stephen Piscotty was on air on Sports 1140 KHTK at 8:35 am PDT. Marcus Semien joined Jim Rome on CBS Sports Network at 9:30 am PDT. Trevor Cahill spoke on MLB Network Radio at 9:35 am PDT.

A’s 50th anniversary moments
In 1976, Joe Rudi collected his 1000th hit as an Oakland Athletic in the A’s 8-7 win against Boston…In 1980, Rick Langford pitched a six-hitter as the A’s defeated Seattle 11-3…It’s his club record ninth consecutive complete game victory…The win came in the midst of a club record 22 consecutive complete games…In 2009, Adam Kennedy was a perfect 5-for-5 in the A’s 8-1 loss to Chicago…It’s Kennedy’s second of two five-hit games in 2009.

Up Next 
The A’s have a much-needed day off on Thursday. They’ll welcome the Astros for a three-game series starting this Friday night at 7:05 pm PDT.

A’s win a thriller over Mariners 3-2; close in on first place in the AL West

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s won their fourth game in a row as they defeated the Seattle Mariners 3-2 at the Oakland Coliseum in a very close and competitive contest. With the win, coupled with the Houston Astros’ 5-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies, the A’s found themselves just one game behind the Astros in the race for the AL West division crown.

The A’s are now 72-48, and most of the pundits who predicted this team would finish last in the AL West now have an egg on their collective faces. This team is for real. They have relatively good starting pitching, one of the best bullpens in all of baseball, power up and down the lineup and sensational defense.

636575966572545642-032518-mlb-record-projectionsM’s right fielder Mitch Haniger doubled into the left-field corner to start the game. Mike Fiers retired Robinson Cano for the first out, but Haniger was able to advance to third on the play. With the infield drawn in, Fiers got Jean Segura to ground out. Jed Lowrie made sure Haniger stayed at third base. Nelson Cruz hit a blooper to right field that Stephen Piscotty could not catch. Piscotty was playing deep as Cruz loves to torment the A’s pitching. He had a long run for the ball. It looked as if he caught the ball, but he trapped it. Haniger scored on the play.

In the bottom of the first, Marcus Semien tied the game with a blast off James Paxton that landed in the seats in left field. Jed Lowrie was the next hitter. Lowrie lined a shot off Paxton’s shoulder for a base hit. Paxton’s shoulder dropped, and he was unable to continue and exited the field. Felix Hernandez was brought in to pitch for the M’s. Hernandez walked Khris Davis to put two men on with one out. A’s manager Bob Melvin had Matt Olson pinch-hit for Mark Canha. Olson hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the first inning.

In the bottom of the third inning, Jed Lowrie homered with a man aboard to give the A’s a 3-1 lead. King Felix had retired six in a row since coming in to relieve Paxton. With two out, he walked Matt Chapman. Jed Lowrie then hit his career-high 19th home run of the year and upped his RBI total to 76, which was a new career-high for him.

The M’s plated a run in the top of the fifth when lead-off hitter Cameron Maybin hit his fourth home run of the season over the left field wall. Fiers regained his composure and retired the next three hitters in order The A’s led 3-2 in the middle of the fifth inning.

Fiers retired the M’s in order in the sixth inning. Melvin then turned the game over to his bullpen. Ryan Buchter, Yusmeiro Petit, Fernando Rodney, and Blake Treinen allowed three hits and no runs. The A’s won 3-2.

Game Notes and Stats: The M’s announced the negatives on James Paxton’ left forearm. He suffered a bone contusion and is listed as day-to-day. The M’s, A’s and their respective fans wished him a speedy recovery.

The A’s Matt Chapman continued to play fantastic defense. Chapman lit up the crowd when he made a fantastic catch off Robinson Cano’s popup in foul territory. Chapman made a running catch as he head to lean over the tarp in foul territory. The crowd went crazy.  Chapman extended his career-long on-base streak to 28 games. With his double in the eighth, he has now hit in 12 straight games.

Jed Lowrie hit has 100th career home run. It was the third home run this year off Felix Hernandez.

Jonathan Lucroy threw out Dee Gordon, trying to steal second in the top of the eighth. Lucroy has nailed 20 runners, and that ties him for the Major League lead with Jorge Alfaro of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Felix Hernandez made his first appearance of his career. Hernandez took the loss and is now 8-11. Mike Fiers improved to 8-6.

The A’s are now 38-12 since June 16th. They are 50-0 when leading after the seventh inning. They are the only team in baseball that is undefeated when leading after seven.

The final game of the three-game series will be played Wednesday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. Game time is at 12:35 pm. Lefty Brett Anderson (2-4, 4.53 ERA) will pitch for Oakland, and the M’s will send Mike Leake (8-7, 4.11 ERA) to try to stop the A’s

Time of game was a crisp two hours and 28 minutes and 17,419 fans saw the A’s win a thriller over the M’s.

Up Next: The A’s wrap up their series versus the Mariners on Wednesday afternoon at 12:35 pm PDT. Brett Anderson (2-4, 4.53 ERA) will pitch for the A’s, and the M’s will send Mike Leake (8-7, 4.11 ERA) to try to stop the A’s.

They are off on Thursday before starting a crucial three-game series with the Astros on Friday at 7:05 pm PDT.

A’s win a nail-biter 7-6 over the Mariners

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s beat the Seattle Mariners 7-6 at Oakland Coliseum on Monday night before a crowd of 10,400 fans.

The A’s were cruising along with a 7-1 lead with two out in the eighth when things began to go south. The A’s starter Sean Manaea, who did not pitch well last week against the Los Angeles Dodgers, returned to form. He was in complete control for 7 2/3 innings of work. He left the game with the A’s in front and all the bullpen had to do was get the last four outs of the game. The A’s bullpen, which is so reliable and one of the best in baseball, almost failed to get the job done Monday.

A’s manager Bob Melvin removed Manaea after he gave up a single with two outs in the eighth. He had thrown just 86 pitches, and it looked like he would stay in the game to finish the eighth. His replacement, Emilio Pagan faced two hitters, and both singled to make it 7-2. Melvin brought in rookie Lou Trivino to get the final out. The first hitter he faced singled to make it 7-3. Trivino struck out Kyle Seager to end the inning. Things got tense in the ninth. The M’s scored three more runs to close within one, and they had the tying run on at second with two out and a very dangerous slugger, Nelson Cruz, at the plate. Blake Treinen, the A’s All-Star closer struck out Cruz to end the game and put smiles on the fans’ faces that stayed until the bitter end.

The A’s jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, third baseman Matt Chapman lined a shot that bounced off M’s third baseman Kyle Segura. Chapman ended up on second base with a double. Jed Lowrie, batting from the right side, singled to right to drive in Chapman with the A’s first run of the night.

The A’s put three more on the board in the third inning. M’s starter, Marco Gonzalez, walked the first hitter of the inning, Marcus Semien. Semien then stole second. Matt Chapman blooped a double into short center field. Semien had to hold up as it appeared the ball might be caught.  The A’s had second and third with no out and Jed Lowrie coming to bat. Lowrie, who had been mired in a slump due to a leg injury, doubled to drive in Semien and Chapman. Gonzalez retired Khris Davis and Mark Canha. A’s first baseman Matt Olson singled to drive in Lowrie with the A’s third run of the inning and the fourth of the game. The A’s led 4-0 after three complete.

In the top of the fourth, the M’s plated their first run of the game. Mitch Haniger led off with a double. Manaea retired Cameron Maybin and Jean Segura for the first two outs of the inning. Melvin signaled the umpires to issue an intentional walk to DH Nelson Cruz. Seager singled to drive in Haniger with the M’s first run. Manaea retired former Athletic Ryon Healy for the third out. The A’s did not score in their half of the frame. The A’s led 4-1 in the middle of the fourth.

The A’s tallied three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Chad Pinder started the rally with a single to the left. Jonathan Lucroy walked to put men on at first and second with no out. M’s reliever Casey Jackson struck out Semien for the first out. He had to face Matt Chapman. Chapman doubled to drive in Pinder and Lucroy. It was Chapman’s third double of the night, and that tied an A’s team record. The next hitter, Lowrie, also doubled to drive in Chapman. It was Lowrie’s third hit of the night. The A’s were in the driver’s seat with a 7-1 lead after six innings of play.

The M’s rallied to score two runs in the top of the eighth after two men were out. Manaea retired the first two M’s hitters to start the inning. He then gave up a single to Haniger. Melvin walked to the mound and took Manaea out of the game. Manaea received a standing ovation from the fans. Pagan was the new A’s pitcher, and he did not get anyone out, He gave up singles to Maybin and Segura. Haniger scored on Segura’s single. Melvin brought in Trivino to pitch. Cruz, singled to drive in Maybin with the M’s third run of the game. Trivino struck out Seager to end the inning. The A’s led 7-3 after eight.

The A’s brought in Jeurys Familia to close out the ninth. However, there was just one little problem–Familia couldn’t find the strike zone. Not only did he commit the cardinal sin of walking the leadoff hitter in the ninth, but he also walked the next two batters to load the bases with no out. The fans were getting nervous, and so was Melvin. Melvin removed Familia and brought in Treinen to pitch. Treinen struck out pinch-hitter Chris Herrmann for the first out. With Haniger hitting, Treinen uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Healy to score from third. Haniger then singled to drive in Mike Zunino and Denard Span, and it was a 7-6 game with a man on first and one out. Treinen struck out Maybin for the second out. Segura, with two strikes on him, reached on an infield single to move Haniger into scoring position. Treinen now had to pitch to the ever-dangerous Cruz. Cruz, who has beaten the A’s many times in the past, was not able to punish the A’s as Treinen struck him out to end the game. The A’s won 7-6.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the A’s improve to 71-48. They are 37-16 since June 16th. They are now just two games behind the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West. They increased their lead over the Seattle Mariners to 2 1/2 games in the race for the second wild card slot in the American League.

The A’s are now 49-0 when leading after seven innings and are still the only team that is undefeated in that department.

Sean Manaea was the winning pitcher and is now 11-8. Marco Gonzalez absorbed the loss, and his record dropped to 12-8.

Jed Lowrie had three hits and four RBIs. He has driven in 74 runs so far this year and is just one behind his career-high of 75.

Matt Chapman had three doubles in the game and is the first A’s third baseman to have two three-double games in a season since 1948 when Hank Majewski did it for them when the A’s were in Philadelphia.

Up Next: Game two of the three-game series will be played Tuesday night at 7:05 pm PDT in Oakland.

The A’s Mike Fiers will make his second start as a member of the Green and Gold. The M’s will send their ace, James Paxton, to the hill as they try to even the series.

Cook leads Raiders to 16-10 preseason victory over Lions

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @RAIDERNATlON

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND, Calif. — It may be just the preseason, but it was the first game back on the sidelines for Jon Gruden, who coached for the Oakland Raiders from 1998-2001 before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Connor Cook threw a touchdown pass in the second quarter, helping the Raiders to a 16-10 over the Detroit Lions at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Friday night.

“It was awesome,” Gruden said. “I saw some recognizable faces that had gotten a little bit older. I saw some old friends who mean a lot to me. Like I said all along, this is a great responsibility. The nostalgia has worn off. We have to do something with the opportunity. But it was sure great to see the Raiders fans.”

The last time Gruden was on the Raiders’ sidelines was in January of 2002, when the Raiders defeated the New York Jets, but then lost to the New England Patriots the following week in “The Tuck Rule” game.

After being dismissed by the Buccaneers after the 2008 season, Gruden was an analyst for ESPN’S Monday Night Football until this past season.

When the Raiders did not return to the playoffs after making it in 2016, Raiders’ owner Mark Davis dismissed Jack Del Rio and gave Gruden a 10-year, reported $100 million contract to come back to the Raiders.

Marshawn Lynch gave the fans an early treat, as he raced down the sidelines for what looked like a 60-yard touchdown run, but it was called by after a holding penalty on rookie tackle Kolton Miller, out of UCLA.

“I was really ticked off after watching that get called back,” Gruden said. “Chucky came out for a brief moment tonight.”

The Raiders were forced to settle with a punt on the only series with Derek Carr on the field, but Cook led the Raiders to the 16-10 victory over the Lions.

Cook ended up going 11-for-19 for 141 yards and a seven-yard touchdown pass to newcomer Ryan Switzer. The Raiders also got two field goals from rookie Eddy Piniero.

In his first preseason game as Lions head coach, Matt Patricia decided to rest Matthew Stafford and inserted Matt Cassel into the starting lineup and Cassel went 10-for-18 with 81 yards passing.

Cassel led the Lions on three drives, and Ameer Abdullah scored the only touchdown for the Lions, as he scored on a one-yard run.

Jake Ruddock, who is competing with Cassel for the backup spot at quarterback for the Lions went 12-for-19 with 84 yards passing.

It looked like the Raiders were going to score on their first series of the third quarter, as they got down to the Lions six-yard line, but E.J. Manuel fumbled the ball and the Lions recovered the ball.

The Lions eventually kicked a field goal after an 18 play 88-yard drive that took 8:10 off the clock to get the Lions within three.

Piniero gave the Raiders a six-point lead, as he nailed a 45-yard field goal that came off the infield dirt with just over two minutes remaining in the game.

“I remember when we drafted (Sebastian) Janikowski, it was like being on a foreign planet for him when he got here and started kicking off the dirt,” Gruden said of Oakland’s first-round pick in 2000. “We did manage to get him a couple of looks.”

Cassel replaced Rudock for the Lions final series of the game, and the Lions got all the way down to the Raiders 35-yard line, but James Cowser sacked Cassel, who fumbled the ball and Frostee Rucker recovered the fumble to clinch the game for the Raiders.

NOTES: After returning for the final three days of training camp in Napa, the Raiders will head to Los Angeles to face the Rams on August 17.

UP NEXT: The Raiders head to the Southland to take on the Rams on Saturday, August 18 at 1 pm PDT.

5 Takeaways From Raiders vs. Lions Preseason Game

Published on by jhawkes51Leave a comment

Photo credit: @nflnetwork

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

OAKLAND, Calif. — Football was back at the Coliseum Friday night as the Oakland Raiders began the second stint of the Jon Gruden era against the visiting Detroit Lions in the 2018 preseason opener for both teams.

Check out five things that stood out to me from Oakland’s 16-10 win over Detroit.

Welcome back Gruden!
Is it 1998 because I sworn that was Jon Gruden on a Raider sideline?

Gruden, sporting his traditional Raiders visor, returned to the Raiders after spending the last nine years in the booth as a color analyst on Monday Night Football, reintegrated himself to Raider Nation by visiting the “Black Hole” prior to kickoff.

“It was awesome. I saw recognizable faces…saw some old friends,” said Gruden after the game.

Like I said all along, this is a great responsibility and the nostalgia has worn off and we got to do something with the opportunity, but great to see to the Raider fans and they stayed with us to the end I appreciate it.”

Clearly, the game didn’t look like it passed Gruden by on Friday night as the Raiders racked up 345 yards offensively against the Lions, but penalties were an issue for the Silver and Black who accumulated nine for 75 yards on the night.

“Beast Mode” is ready for the season.
As expected, Oakland’s first-team offense played one series but Raider Nation got a glimpse of running back Marshawn Lynch who looked in midseason form. On his first carry of the game, Lynch took the hand-off from quarterback Derek Carr and ran down the Raiders’ sideline for a 60-yard touchdown before it was called back by a holding call by rookie left tackle Kolton Miller.

Connor Cook should be Derek Carr’s primary backup.
Cook took over for Carr after Oakland’s first-team offense was forced to punt on their opening drive of the game and led the Raiders to a 13-7 lead at halftime. The third-year quarterback out of Michigan State finished the game completing 11-of-19 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown.

Cook’s touchdown went to backup wide receiver Ryan Switzer for seven yards that pushed Oakland’s lead to 10-0 in the first quarter.

“He did some good things,” said Gruden of Cook. “There’s still a couple of things decision-wise I think he needs to correct, but he moved the football, he put points on the board, and I like the two-minute drill at the end of the half.”

Veteran quarterback EJ Manuel played in the second half but didn’t look good, driving the Raiders to the Lions’ six-yard line before fumbling the snap allowing Detroit to recover the football at their own seven-yard line.

Detroit drove down the field and added a 24-yard field goal by kicker Ryan Santoso to pull closer to Oakland, 13-10 early in the fourth quarter.

Manuel finished the game 4-of-6 for 46 yards, is listed third on the team’s depth chart behind Cook in training camp and heading into next Saturday’s game against the Rams in Los Angeles, that shouldn’t change.

P.J. Hall was impressive, Kolton Miller was not.
OK, it was just one preseason game, but rookie nose tackle P.J. Hall had an impressive showing Friday night, recording one sack and a batted pass on his first two NFL Series. The Sam Houston State product had 14 blocked kicks in his career for the Bearkats.

Unlike Hall, Miller didn’t fair well in his first NFL start.

Miller started at left tackle in place of Donald Penn, who is currently on the physically unable to perform list (PUP),  appeared to be shell-shocked at the speed of the game in the NFL. His holding penalty on the team’s opening drive negated a 60-yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch.

Oakland’s first-round  draft choice this past April from UCLA was replaced by second-year tackle Jylan Ware on Oakland’s third offensive possession.

Raiders stay healthy, sort of.
Cornerbacks Antonio Hamilton (ankle) and Dexter McDonald (hand) were the only players appeared injured in the game.

Hamilton limped off the field twice in the second half, while McDonald was seen shaking his left hand in the second quarter while attempting to make a tackle.

Raiders to take on Lions in preseason opener Friday night

Published on by jhawkes51Leave a comment

Photo credit: raiders.com

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — The Oakland Raiders open up the 2018 preseason schedule Friday night at the Oakland Alameda-County Coliseum where they will host the visiting Detroit Lions. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PDT.

The two teams held two days of practice sessions in Napa this week and per Raiders beat reporter Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group, outside of a minor dust up early in practice that was broken up quickly, both teams appeared ready for their first preseason game.

Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, yes, that Jon Gruden, leaves the comfy broadcast booth of Monday Night Football and returns to the NFL sidelines for the first time in nine years. Gruden replaces Jack Del Rio, who was fired after last season’s 6-10 record following a 12-4 season in 2016; resulting in the team’s first playoff appearance since 2002.

Coincidentally, it was Gruden, following a trade to Tampa Bay after three seasons as Oakland’s head coach, that defeated the Raiders in the Super Bowl that season giving the Buccaneers their only championship in the team’s history.

Its almost certain that Raiders starting quarterback Derek Carr won’t play, meaning that backup quarterbacks Connor Cook and EJ Manuel will each play extensively. Cook is entering his third year in the league (all with Oakland) and is currently ahead Manuel, who is in his sixth season (his second season in Oakland) on the Raiders’ depth chart.

Veteran running back Doug Martin adds depth to a running back group that includes returning starter Marshawn Lynch, and holdovers Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington.

Martin, who spent the past seven seasons in Tampa Bay where he was the bellcow when healthy, has two seasons in which he’s rushed for over 1,400 yards. Like Lynch, Martin is from Oakland and looks to rejuvenate his career playing for the Silver and Black.

Lynch is unlikely to play against the Lions, giving opportunities for Martin, Richard and Washington to solidify themselves as Lynch’s primary backup.

Undrafted rookie running back Chris Warren III has had an impressive training camp, per numerous reports out of Napa and could factor into Oakland’s offensive equation.

During a scrimmage with Detroit, the former Texas Longhorn took a running hand-off from Cook and drove his shoulder right through second-year starting linebacker Jarrad Davis that went viral on the internet.

Warren III’s father, Chris Warren II, played 11 seasons in the NFL earning three Pro Bowl nods with the Seattle Seahawks. Warren II finished his NFL career rushing for 7,696 yards.

With defensive end/outside linebacker Khalil Mack a training camp holdout due to a contract negotiation (or lack there of depending on what day of the week it is), Oakland’s defense will be an interesting watch against Detroit.

Rookies in defensive end Arden Key and nose tackle P.J. Hall are expected to play heavily Friday night and per reports out of Raiders’ training camp, both players should help improve a defense that finished 23 in total defense in 2017. Key, who left LSU after his junior year, had some off the field issues while in school, but Gruden raved about the 6’5″, 238-pound Key’s ability to rush the passer and Oakland drafted him in the third round of this year’s draft.

Key recorded 20 sacks, 11 coming during his sophomore season for the Bayou Bengals.

The 6’1″, 308-pound Hall was a selected by Oakland in the second round this year and was a clog in the middle at Sam Houston State, but maybe more valuable on special teams for Oakland early in his career.

While at Sam Houston State, Hall blocked 14 kicks.

Detroit will also have a new face on the sidelines Friday night in first-time head coach Matt Patricia, who replaces the fired Jim Caldwell.

Caldwell had winning seasons in three of his four seasons, but back-to-back 9-7 finishes culminating with the hiring of Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Bob Quinn, who didn’t hire Caldwell initially,  ushered Caldwell’s exit.

Patricia brings a defensive wizardry to Detroit, coming from the Bill Belichick coaching tree after spending 14 seasons in New England, six as their defensive coordinator. Patricia hasn’t worked for any other organization in the NFL outside of the Patriots before agreeing to takeover the Lions.

Detroit finished 27th in total defense in 2017, a ranking that will likely improve under Patricia. Since 2012 when Patricia was first named defensive coordinator of the Patriots, Patricia has never ranked outside of the top 10 in scoring defense while winning two Super Bowls during that span.

Cornerback Darius Slay is Detroit’s brightest star on defense. Slay was voted to his first Pro Bowl last season after finishing tied with Tennessee safety Kevin Byard with eight interceptions.

The head coach with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering, will have franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford to lead a Lions offense that finished 13th in the NFL in total offense last season. Stafford engineered the NFL’s sixth-ranked passing offense, averaging 261.4 yards per game which featured the NFL’s only starting wideouts to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a season in Marvin Jones (1,101) and Golden Tate (1,003).

Tate led the Lions in receptions last season with 92 (seventh in the NFL), while Jones led Detroit with nine touchdown catches.

Running back LeGarrette Blount, fresh off of winning his third Super Bowl after spending last season in Philadelphia, reunites with Patricia in Detroit and should help out the Lions’ poor rushing attack. Patricia and Blount won a pair of Super Bowls in New England together.

The Lions finished 32nd in the NFL in rushing averaging just 76.3 yards per game with running back Ameer Abdullah leading the team with just 552 yards in 14 games (making 11 starts) as the team’s primary ball-carrier.

Blount was Philadelphia’s leading rusher, racking up 766 yards as the Eagles went with a committee in the backfield with Jay Ajayi and Corey Clement splitting time also.

Following Friday night’s game, Detroit will head home to host the visiting New York Giants on Aug. 17, while Oakland will face the Rams in Los Angeles on Aug. 18.

Notes: The Raiders signed free agent safety Quincy Mauger Thursday. Mauger originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 2017, spent his rookie season on the reserve/injured list with a knee injury. A four-year player out of Georgia (2013-16), he appeared in 50 games, recording 186 tackles (128 solo), 0.5 sacks, seven interceptions, 12 passes defensed, and one forced fumble.

A native of Marietta, Ga., the 6-foot, 206-pound Mauger played in 12 contests as a senior in 2016 with the Bulldogs and tallied 20 stops (12), two interceptions, and two passes defensed.

A’s edge the Dodgers 3-2 for a series split

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Oakland A’s and the Los Angeles Dodgers played a very close and very entertaining game Wednesday night at the Oakland Coliseum. It was the type of game that one would expect between teams that are contending for a playoff berth. The A’s sent newly acquired starter Mike Fiers to the hill to face the powerful LA Dodger lineup. The Dodgers had their ace, Clayton Kershaw, handling the pitching chores. The A’s would have to work hard to win, and they did just that as they beat the Dodgers 3-2.

Fiers was terrific for the first four innings. He retired all twelve hitters he faced and struck out eight along the way. The Dodgers scored a run in the fifth on a  Yasmany Grandal home run, and Fiers allowed two more hits in the inning but did not allow another run. He retired the first hitter in the sixth, but Manny Machado sent Fiers to the showers when he hit a double. A’s manager Bob Melvin removed Fiers from the game at that point and turned the game over to the bullpen. Fiers received a standing ovation from the A’s fans as he left the field. The game summary follows below.

The A’s scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Khris Davis and Mark Canha singled to put men on at first and second. Kershaw retired Matt Olson on one pitch for the second out of the inning. With the count at 3 and 2 and the runners on the move, Stephen Piscotty singled to drive in Davis. Canha stopped at third. Rookie Ramon Laureano singled to drive in Canha with the A’s second run. The A’s lead 2-0 after four.

The A’s starter, Mike Fiers, who had been perfect for the first four innings of the game, gave up a home run to Dodgers’ catcher Yasmani Grandal. Grandal blasted his 20th of the year into the seats in right field. The Dodgers nicked Fiers for two more singles in the inning, but he was able to escape with no further damage.

The Dodgers tied the game in the top of the seventh inning. Cody Bellinger led off the frame with a single. Reliever Lou Trivino retired Yasiel Puig on a foul out to first baseman Matt Olson for the first out. Max Muncy, a former Athletic, hit a sharp ground ball to Olson. Olson didn’t field the ball cleanly. He was able to retire Muncy, but Bellinger was able to get to second safely. Dodger shortstop Chris Taylor singled to drive in Bellinger with the tying run.

The A’s regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth. The A’s rally was started by Marcus Semien who singled to start the inning. Matt Chapman flew out to center for the first out. Jed Lowrie, mired in a 3-for-28 slump, singled to right sending Semien to third base. The next hitter, Khris Davis, hit a slow roller to Dodgers’ third baseman Manny Machado. Machado threw home in an attempt to Nail Semien for the out. The umpire called Semien out but reversed the call when Grandal could not hold onto the ball. Davis was safe at first on a fielder’s choice. Nick Martini, pinch-hitting for Mark Canha struck out, and Matt Olson hit into a fielder’s choice for the third out. The A’s lead 3-2 as the teams head into the ninth.

A’s closer Blake Treinen did his job as he earned his 29th save of the year.  He struck out Cody Bellinger for the first out. Yasiel Puig then walked. Muncy hit a ground ball to A’s first baseman Matt Olson. Olson made an unassisted play at first for the second out, but Puig moved into scoring position. Treinen had to get Chris Taylor for the final out. He got Taylor to hit a soft fly ball that Jed Lowrie was able to catch for the final out of the game. The A’s win 3-2.

Game Notes- With the win the A’s improve to 68-47. The now lead the Seattle Mariners by three games as the Mariners lost to the Texas Rangers 11-7. The Dodgers are now 63-52 and fall 1/2 game behind the Arizona D-Backs who beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-0.

The A’s end the homestand with a record of 7-1. They also split the four-game series with the Dodgers. The A’s are now 34-11 dating back to June 16th. It matches the best 45-game stretch in the majors this season. The A’s end interleague play with a record of 12-8.

Jeurys Familia was the winning pitcher, and he is now 3-0 with Oakland. Treinen recorded his 29th save. JT Chargois took the loss for Los Angeles.

The A’s are off on Thursday, and they start a three-game series on Friday with the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. Lefty Brett Anderson will go for Oakland, and Felix Pena will pitch for the Angels.

Time of game was three hours exactly and 33, 062 fans packed the Coliseum to see the A’s prevail.

Dodgers snap A’s win streak with 4-2 victory

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland A’s hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers for a brief two-game set at the Oakland Coliseum starting Tuesday night. The A’s sent their best pitcher, Sean Manaea, out to face the powerful Dodger hitters.

The Dodgers had seven players in the lineup that are in double-digits in home runs hit this season. Rich Hill, who was with the A’s in 2016, went for the Dodgers. The Dodgers sent Manaea to an early shower in the third inning and went on to beat the A’s 4-2. The win for LA was important as it broke a virtual tie for first-place in the NL West with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-Backs lost and the Dodgers reclaimed the lead with the win.The A’s lost ground to the New York Yankees in the race for the first Wild Card slot in the AL. The first Wild Card hosts the one-game all or nothing contest in October. The A’s, on the other hand, did not lose ground to the Seattle Mariners as the M’s lost.

The Dodgers scored the first run of the game in the top of the first. Second baseman Brian Dozier led off with a single to left. Dozier was erased at second on a nice fielding play by Jed Lowrie. Machado was safe at first on the play. Third baseman Justin Turner doubled to deep right-center to put men on at second and third. Machado scored when Kike Hernandez grounded out. Manaea struck out Matt Kemp for the final out of the first.

LA added a run in the second. Manaea walked Chris Taylor to start the inning. Manaea retired Cody Bellinger for the first out. Right fielder Yasiel Puig singled to send Taylor to third.  Catcher Austin Barnes laid down a bunt that scored Taylor. Manaea threw Barnes out at first on the play. Puig stole third, but Manaea was able to retire Manny Machado for the final out of the inning. The Dodgers led 2-0 after two innings of play.

In the top of third, the Dodgers knocked Manaea out of the box as they plated their third run of the game. Justin Turner started the rally with a single to left. Hernanez fouled out. Matt Kemp walked to put men on at first and second. Manaea retired Taylor for the second out. Bellinger singled to center to drive in Turner. A’s manager Bob Melvin finished Manaea’s night when he walked to the mound to bring in Emilio Pagan to pitch. The A’s have not been able to do anything against Hill and they trailed 3-0.

The A’s put two runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Matt Chapman led off with a double. Hill struck out Lowrie for the first out. The next hitter, Khris Davis, crushed an 88-MPH four-seam fastball to bring the A’s within one run of tying the game. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed Hill from the game. The Dodgers used two pitchers to get the last two outs of the inning.

In the top of the seventh, the Dodgers had Joc Pederson pinch-hit for Kike Hernandez. Pederson doubled off the wall in left-center field. The ball missed going out of the park by just a few inches. Kemp then singled to drive in Pederson with the Dodgers’ fourth run of the game. A’s pitcher Yusmeiro Petit walked Bellinger to put men on at first and second with one out, Petit then got Puig to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning. The Dodgers led 4-2 halfway through the seventh. The Dodger bullpen shut the A’s down the last three innings of the game to preserve the win for LA and Hill.

Game Notes: With the win, the Dodgers improved to 63-51 and regained the lead in the NL West. Roberts used five pitchers and Jansen recorded his 32nd save of the season. Hill’s record improved to 5-4.

Manaea took the loss and his record dropped to 10-8. It was Manaea’s shortest outing since August 12, 2017. He pitched just 2 2/3 innings and gave up three runs, six hits and walked three batters.

Davis was the hitting star for the A’s. Davis blasted his 32nd home run of the season with Matt Chapman aboard in the bottom of the sixth. Davis now has 88 ribbies for the year. It was the third game in a row that Davis has homered.

The Dodgers’ line score was four runs, nine hits, and no errors.

The A’s line was two runs, four hits, and no errors.

Time of game was three hours and 21 minutes and 33,654 fans watched the two teams play a very entertaining game.

Up Next: The finale of the two-game series will be played on Wednesday night at 7:05 pm PDT.

The Dodgers will send their ace, three-time Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw, to the mound.

The A’s will counter with righty Mike Fiers. Fiers came to Oakland on Monday when the A’s made a trade for his service from the Tigers.