Tag: Oakland A’s

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Boycott will last only two hours but Oakland fans plan to make the best of it

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Aerial view from Copter Sky 7 of the Oakland Coliseum where fans plan converge at the Coliseum parking lot before opening night on Thu Mar 28, 2024 for a boycott protest two hours before the game (ABC Sky 7 file photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Oakland A’s fans, the Oakland 68s and the Last Dive Bar are hoping to pull off a successful boycott at the Oakland Coliseum tonight as fans will enter the parking lot a little before 5pm try and set up their tailgates and prepare to boycott going into the Coliseum for opening night.

#2 The less than four hours for entering the park decision was made last week when the A’s decided to shorten the parking lot hours from four hours to two hours opening the parking lot just before 5pm. The A’s reasoning was attendance will be small and there is no need to open the lot four hours earlier.

#3 The Last Dive Bar and the Oakland 68s said that the A’s are playing mind games by opening the lot just two hours before game time which at 7:07pm PDT.

#4 Fans in the parking lot are hoped to be heard from inside the park when they plan to all chant for A’s owner John Fisher to “Sell the Team” if successful this would definitely be a national story.

#5 The A’s open up against former A’s catcher and now Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. The Guardians will start right hander Steve Bieber he’ll be opposed by the A’s left hander Alex Wood at the Coliseum first pitch 7:07pm PDT.

Join Jerry F for the A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2024 Opening Day – Last Hurrah for the A’s in Oakland?

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Oakland Coliseum memories:

Amaury Pi-González interviewing Hank Aaron in 1976, at the Oakland Coliseum when Aaron was playing with the Milwaukee Brewers of the American League. He had already broken Babe Ruth’s Homerun record wearing the Atlanta Braves uniform in 1974. (photo from the author Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–Opening Night is tomorrow, Thursday, March 28, 2024, 7 PM at the Oakland-Alameda-County Coliseum. This could be the last Opening of a Season for the Athletics at Oakland, or maybe not.

Oakland city officials and the Oakland A’s have been meeting to discuss extending their lease at the Oakland Coliseum after this 2024 season for about three years before the team relocates to Sin City. But why worry? This is just like the weather; we cannot control it.

For A’s fans and some of us in the media, memories of the Oakland Coliseum go back for decades. I think many great moments no one could take away from my memory are engraved in what an old friend of mine used to call the Oakland Mausoleum.

This was the first team I broadcast in Spanish, and for one reason or another, I always find my way back to the A’s and the Coliseum, although I have also broadcast for the Giants, Angels, and Mariners throughout the years.

Although for years, since I could not do enough baseball games at Oakland, I broadcast two teams (home games) during the same years it was once the A’s and the Mariners, the Giants and the Mariners, and the A’s and the LA Angels radio and then Fox TV down in Anaheim.

However, the Bay Area has been my home, where I raised my family since I first arrived here in 1969 after serving in the US Army. This is my home, and the Oakland Coliseum is my park, for better or for worse.

Postseason playoffs included World Series, three of them 1989-90-91. I enjoyed broadcasting for the Green and Gold. Also, the 1987 MLB All-Star Game took place here at the Oakland-Alameda-County Coliseum, which I covered. Since 1977, when the owner of the A’s, Charlie O Finley, told me, “You can broadcast the games in Mexican”.

I think Mr. Finley thought that Mexican was a language, not a nationality; I remember telling him and Carl Finley that it is called Spanish (a politically correct language that did not exist back then).

The Coliseum has been my second home for many years. I have met and interviewed many great major league league players, from rookies who became Hall of Famers, like Rickey Henderson, to other players from visiting teams. There are many more memories, too many to list here.

For years, the Oakland Raiders shared the Coliseum with the A’s and the Warriors. The Warriors played next door at the Oakland Arena from 1971 to 2019. I was an employee of the Warriors as their only history Play-by-play announcer in Spanish, doing all games home and road in the 1990s.

Before inter-league became a reality in 1997, many of the greatest players in the American League played against the A’s at the Coliseum, including the great Henry(Hank) Aaron, among many others.

In 1997, I remember calling the first-ever regular-season inter-league game, which took place on June 12, 1977, at The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, as the Rangers faced the San Francisco Giants.

I wish the A’s continued playing for a few more years here at the Oakland Coliseum until they depart for Las Vegas, but if this is their last year here, so be it. And like the great Bob Hope’s signature song says, “Thanks for the Memories.”

Quote: “Nobody ever said, “Work Ball”. They say, “Play Ball!” To me, that means having fun!” – Willie Stargell

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for all the action on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Pablo gets hit in final at bat; SF loses in final pre season game to Oakland 3-1

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San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval ends his active baseball career with a broken bat flare to right against the Oakland A’s at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Mar 26, 2024 (San Francisco Giants X account)

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Athletics. 001 101 000. 3. 6. 0

San Francisco. 000 000 001. 1. 8. 0

Time: 2:24

Attendance: 27,706

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants advertised this evening’s exhibition against the Utopian A’s as, perhaps, a last chance to see Pablo Sandoval play in a San Francisco uniform. Then they saluted him in their opening announcement.

The fans cheered the portly veteran, and they cheered JD Davis in his first at bat as an A in his old Oracle home. Sandoval got another ovation, a standing one, when he entered the game to play third in the top of the sixth. .But those of us who remember Brandon Crawflord’s long farewell say “maybe.” We shall see what we shall see.

Personally, I’d like to see the Panda suit up in an Oakland Ballers uni. And, by the way, I call the A’s “Utopian,” because the word is derived from the Greek for “nowhere.” Perhaps “peripatetic” would be a better choice. I’m open for suggestions; feel free to send them to me at lrubman@sportsradioservice.com.

Looking at the starting pitchers for the encounter between the San Franciscans and the team that once was their trans bay rivals, you’d want to run to Las Vegas and put your money on the A’s. Manager Mark Kotsay gave the nod to staff ace Paul Blackburn; Bob Melvin called Spencer Howard over from the minor league camp to open for the Giants. The result was a thrilling win for the visitors.

Blackburn went 5-2/3 innings, shutting San Francisco down on only a pair of singles without allowing anyone else to reach base. He struck. out six, and 48 of his 74 offerings were counted as strikes, while Howard was removed after Nick Allen’s hard line drive in the second bounced off him, forcing Matt Chapman to make a spectacular grab and throw for the inning’s second. out.

That cost the right handed hurler a contusion on his pitching arm. The young pitcher gave up one hit and struck 0ut two in his brief, 25 pitch outing. As could be expected in 21st century baseball, especially in spring training, there was a lot of relief pitching.

The A’s used four relief pitchers, Austin Adams, who closed out the sixth with a strikeout; Kyle Muller(one inning, one hit, one strikeout); Tyler Ferguson 9 (one inning, two hits, no runs); and Vinny Nittoli, who was on the bump. in the bottom or the ninth when Pablo lifted a 1-2 cut fastball over Abraham Toro’s head into right for a single, which was greeted by thunderous applause.

The Panda was lifted for a pinch runner Dalton Walton, who scored on Joey Bart’s single to center, closing the gap to 3-1. But Nitoli. buckled down to strike out Luciano and Slater, to earn the save.

The Giants’ list was composed of Cody Stashak, who retired the only batter he faced. Blayne Enlow, another minor league righty, came on to pitch the top of the third. He allowed a run on a walk to Carlos Pérez and Ryan Nola’s double down the right field line, and was the victim of some bad luck (although not as bad as Howard’s).

Lawrence Butler led off with a single to left and advanced to second on a one out weak infield grounder to Chapman, Butler came home on Esteury Ruíz’s shallow sac fly to right. Butler was just, but clearly, safe at home, and the A’s were up, 2-0.

Enlow gave way to Taylor Rogers after going 2-1/3 frames and yielding two runs, both earned but not fully deserved, on three hits and two walks, Taylor, the left handed, Rogers took over for him with the bases empty and one down in the fifth and got his two batters.

The next Giant on the mound, Camilo Duval, was greeted by Butler with a resounding triple to left. He scored on Nick Allen’s sacrifice fly to left, making it 3-0 in favor of the green and gold Duval hung on to give up another hit, a single, and get four more outs before making room for Tyler, the right handed submarining, Rogers. in the eighth. Nick Avila set the Athletics down to a conga beat, 1-2-3, in the top of the ninth.

Blackburn got the win; Enlow, the loss, and Nittoli, the save.

The Giants will embark on a brief tour of southernCalifornia to open the National League season, visiting San Diego andLos Angeles. The will begin on Thursday the 28th against the Padres, where they’ll send LogannWebb to the mound. He’s expected to be opposed by Yu Darvish. The orange and black will return home to face the Padres at Oracle Park on Saturday, April 6, at 1:05 in the afternoon.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Stephen Ruderman: A’s and Giants close out spring training tonight; Pablo’s last hurrah at Oracle Park leaves lots of memories

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San Francisco Giants utility man Pablo Sandoval trying on the catchers glove during spring training. Sandoval is making what is expected his last appearance as an active player at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Mar 26, 2024 in an exhibition game between the Giants and Oakland A’s (photo from the San Francisco Giants X account)

On the SF Giants podcast with Stephen Ruderman:

#1 Stephen kind of a big night for the Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval who tried as hard he could will most likely be bidding farewell tonight to the Oracle Park crowd.

#2 It’s the Giants final spring game closing it out with the Oakland A’s which is a back drop to Sandoval saying good bye and lots of memories a few World Series rings.

#3 Stephen the Giants are pretty solid looking around the diamond and who they have position by position.

#4 Some of the Giants acquisitions that made big news in the off and pre season with Blake Snell, Jordan Hicks, Matt Chapman, and Jung Hoo Lee.

#5 Didn’t get a chance to talk to you ab out the Giants not renewing PA announcer Renel Brooks Moon’s contract. The Giants say they’re going to rotate PA announcers and decide on a permanent PA announcer during the season.

Stephen Ruderman is a MLB beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Ohtani says interpreter stole money to pay off gambling debts; Interpreter never graduated or worked at Sox or Yanks; plus more news

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Will Ireton Los Angeles Dodgers manager of performance operations (left) interprets for Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (right) at a pre game press conference at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Mon Mar 25, 2024 (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 A look into Los Angeles Dodger’s designated hitter Shohei Ohtani’s personal trainer Ippei Mizuhara stole the money from Ohtani to pay off his gambling debts. It was learned that Ohtani did not pay for Mizuhara’s gambling debt Ohtani said the $4.5 million to pay the debt was stolen by Mizuhara. Ohtani made it clear he did not know about Mizurhara using the stolen money to pay an illegal bookie.

#2 Mizuhara’s background was found to be suspicious as well it was discovered he never attended UC Riverside and never graduated there in 2007, Mizuhara never was an interpreter for the Boston Red Sox pitcher Hideki Okajima from 2007-2011. The Red Sox released a statement saying that Mizuhara never worked for the Red Sox. It was also reported that Mizuhara was an interpreter for the New York Yankees in 2022 but the Yankees said that Mizuhara never was an interpreter for them in 2022.

#3 Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that it was good that Ohtani addressed the media before Monday night’s game at Dodger Stadium. It gave Ohtani a forum to clear the air and address some of the questions about his knowledge that money was going to an illegal bookie to pay Mizuhara’s debts.

#4 Although no one will admit it in the Dodgers clubhouse that this whole thing is a distraction but has to be the largest paid athlete of all time tied to a gambling scandal and it’s turned into a federal investigation and questions where is this going to end up?

#5 Turning to the Oakland A’s the A’s have announced that they have cut the time in half on Thursday opening night and will open the gates at the Oakland Coliseum parking lot from four hours to two hours early. The A’s have said they did that because there was no sense opening up the lot when they are expecting a low paid attendance to show up. Two large A’s fan groups the Oakland 68s and the Last Dive Bar said that cutting the parking lot times from two to four hours will cut their boycott time down to just two hours and they also planned to have tailgates before the game now that time has been cut in half. The 68’s said the A’s are playing mind games.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Luciano double and Slater homers in 4-1 win

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The San Francisco Giants did the bulk of their scoring in the top of the fourth and fifth innings against the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum in pre season play on Mon May 25, 2024 (San Francisco Giants X photo)

Monday, May 25, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

San Francisco. 010 120 000. 4. 6. 0

Athletics. 000 001 000. 1. 4. 1

Attendance: 7,580

OAKLAND–The rootless Athletics came back to Oakland to wind up their spring training with an uneventful 4-1 losss ti the San Francisco Giants in the first of a two game crash pad-home series at the Coliseum this evening.

The green and gold entered the fray with a 13-13 Cactus League record and an interesting assortment of veterans, including JD Davis, Abraham Toro, 29 year old 4A slugger Miguel Andújar, and an improved Paul Blackburn; inexperienced but clearly of major league calibre like Zach Gelof, with his 2023 Baseball Reference WAR of 2.6 and Esteury Ruíz, who stole 68 bases, whether the game situation called for it or not, to go along with his .248 batting average; and youngsters who are on the verge of establishing their bona fides, like Seth Langeliers, who hit only .205 (with an OPS of .683), but whose 2024 spring training numbers going into today were .372, 9.75) and Brent Rookie, who made the 2023 all-star team and then went into free fall until September, finishing the year with a mediocre batting average of .248 but an exciting OPS of .817).

And then there’s non-roster invitee Ho Jun Park, who’s seen considerable Cactus League action and was hitting over 500 when the team broke camp.

Before the gates opened, the A’s announced that they had bought right-handed pitcher Austin Adams’ contract from the Mets. Adams was added to the 40-man roster, and his fellow right handed pitcher Trevor Gott was placed on the 60-day injured list.

Matt Chapman, returning to the Coliseum in a Giants uniform, received a nice round of applause on his first plate appearance from the 7,580 fans who bothered to show up.

In on field action, San Francisco jumped to an early lead on a leadoff 375.foot line drive home run to left by Tom Murphy off a 93.2 four seamer. He duplicated that feat with another round tripper over the left field auxiliary, a 405 foot blast scoreboard that left the Giant catcher’s bat at 106.2 mph.

This one came off an 84.6 mph changeup. One out later, right handed Michael Kelly replaced the southpaw Sears, who hadn’t allowed any hits except for Murphy’s two dingers, in 3-2/3 innings, during which he threw 70 pitches, 39 for strikes. He walked four and struck out three, and was the losing pitcher, leaving him at 2-2, 2.70 for the spring.

The Giants increased their lead in the top of the fifth on a lead off double by Marco Luciano that got past a diving Lawrence Butler in right, followed by Jung -Hoo Lee’s productive ground out to second, Austin Slater’s sac fly to right and a homer to left by Wilmer Flores. By now, it was 4-0, Giants.

Zack Jackson hurled a scoreless top of the sixth before giving way to Dany Jiménez, who retired the side in order in the seventh. Lucas Erceg rode the bullpen merry-go-round in the eighth, the inning that produced the loudest response from the select gathering in the stands, cheers for a single to left by Pablo Sandoval, who had entered the game in the bottom of the seventh to play third base. Mason Miller put the visitors down in order in the ninth.

Lefty Juan Sánchez relieved Hicks, who left after holding the A’s to one base runner, Gelof, who walked in the opening frame, over five innings, in which he threw 72 pitches, 45 of which counted as strikes, and striking out 10 batters he was credited.

Another southpaw, minor leaguer Erik Miller relieved Sánchez with two on and one down in the bottom of the sixth, and he surrendered an RBI single to Toro, who had replaced Gelof as the A’s second sacker. Ryan Walker kept the A’s off the board ij the seventh, and RJ Dabvoich, a minor leaguer, unleashed two wild pitches and yielded an equal number of bases on balls but escaped unscored upon thanks to a crisp inning ending 6-4-3 double play on Rooker’s sharp grounder. Another minor league righty, Justin Garza earned the save by setting the Athletics down in order.

Both teams will wrap up their preseason activity tomorrow, Tuesday afternoon, with a 5:05 game at Oracle Park. The A’s will send Paul Blackburn to the mound; the Giants haven’t announced who will start for them.

Oakland A’s game wrap: Oakland A’s Lose To The San Francisco Giants 4-1, JP Sears Gives Up 2 Homers To Tom Murphy

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Lawrence Butler (2) of the Oakland A’s stands in at the plate against the San Francisco Giants at the Oakland Coliseum on Mon Mar 25, 2024 (Oakland A’s X photo)

Monday, March 25th, 2024

By Troy Ewers

The Oakland A’s host their cross the bridge rivals the San Francisco Giants in a Spring Training game at the Oakland Coliseum. 

The game was off to a hot start for the Giants as Tom Murphy hit a second inning lead off home run off A’s starting pitcher JP Sears making it 1-0. Sears in the third inning started off by walking Jung Hoo Lee, but got out of that jam and kept it at 1-0, but in the fourth inning Murphy banged another homer off Sears and that led to a pitching change for the A’s as they went into the bottom of the fourth down 2-0. 

Michael Kelly was the new pitcher for Oakland and he started his first full inning in the fifth giving up a leadoff double to Marco Luciano. Luciano would move to third on a Lee groundout, then would score off an Austin Slater sac fly, 3-0 Giants.

Wilmer Flores would then follow up Slater with a solo homerun, 4-0 Giants and again when the A’s would get to the plate, would have no hits as Jordan Hicks ended his outing with just a walk against him. 

Giants pitcher Juan Sanchez gave up the A’s first hit in the sixth inning to Lawrence Butler and he would then score from an Abraham Toro single with the new SF pitcher Erik Miller, 4-1. The A’s looked like they had a chance to deliver a real comeback with the bases loaded, but a ground out from Esteury Ruiz and Miller escaped the jam. 

In the 8th inning Oakland had Lucas Erceg start the inning on the hill and he faced off against Giants hero Pablo Sandoval and gave up a single. It looked like Sandoval would get a run when he would make it all the way to third after a single and a walk, but a ground out ended the inning for Oakland.

The 8th inning looked like the A’s would have a chance from Ryan Noda who made it to third off two wild pitches and it looked like they’d close the gap, but a double play would get San Francisco out the 8th and closer to a win. 

Mason Miller would stop the Giants from any insurance runs by striking out the side, but the A’s would go three up and three down at the plate and lose to the Giants 4-1. 

Before the A’s go into their opening series against the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday, they face the Giants one more time for Spring Training, tomorrow in Oracle Park in San Francisco. Still no announcement on who will be pitching.

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s meet with Coliseum Authority next week on April 2

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Oakland A’s officials are to meet with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority on Tue Apr 2, 2024 at the Oakland Coliseum (AP News file photo)

On the A’s Relocation podcast:

On the A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Sources are saying the Oakland A’s are no longer accepting comments from fans or the public on what their plans are for financing the Las Vegas Tropicana and other than the artists rendition of the Sydney Opera House ballpark people want to see the blue prints.

#2 Also it was reported that the Las Vegas community, businesses, and casinos who have been approached about becoming minority owners of the A’s have not taken the bait and have expressed no interest in entering a business with the A’s after observing how the stadium project has been handled.

#3 The A’s have tuned off their X comments page so the public cannot write to them with questions and comments as to what is happening with the relocation of the A’s. As of yet the A’s still have not decided where they will play for the 2025-27 seasons and have a scheduled meeting with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority on Tue Apr 2.

#4 Daniel with there being no tangible renderings and blue prints to back it up and no financing since the unveiling of the Sydney Opera House style ballpark A’s fans in both Las Vegas and Oakland are trying to find out what the A’s plans are and have not got a response.

#5 Vegas fans and the business community are really getting turned off after a Wall Street Journal article came out with a headline that read “The Oakland A’s have plans for a new home in Vegas. Now they need a plan to get there.” As this drags out and there is no financing things are becoming more doubtful if this will ever get off the ground.

Daniel does the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2024 Oakland A’s Outlook

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Radio Espanol 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg will bring you all the play by play action with author Amaury Pi Gonzalez and Manolo Hernandez Douen (Graphic work by Mauricio Segura)

2024 Oakland A’s Outlook

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

This is the time of the year when you want to know what to expect from your favorite team. In this case, I am talking about the Oakland Athletics. The biggest question is not how they will do on the field (we will get to that later) but where they are playing in 2025 and the next few years while building in Las Vegas.

By April 2, we should know if the A’s have agreed with Oakland for a new lease for the next three years to keep playing at the Coliseum. But the soon approaching season for the A’s is now the talk, and this is major league baseball, the best baseball league in the world, and the Oakland A’s have a lot of young intriguing talent.

Manager Mark Kotsay announced this week that ex-Giants lefty Alex Wood is scheduled to pitch on Opening Night in Oakland next Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians, at the Oakland Coliseum, this is the first time Wood opens a season in his 11 year career, he has also pitched for the Braves, Dodgers and Reds.

The A’s have been acquiring Giants players this off-season; also, suitable right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling is coming to the East Bay. Saturday, the A’s signed another Giants veteran, third baseman, J. Davis (who, according to reports), was convinced by Alex Wood to follow him to Oakland.

Davis, a good veteran hitter, with power, who signed a $2.5 million, one-year contract, a deal that allows him to earn $1 million more in performance bonuses. These ex-Giants are all veterans who will now play for the A’s, giving the young team an adrenaline shot of experience, and most important, leadership.

These four everyday players (below) are essential for this ball club in 2024 and beyond.

1-Zack Gelof. He was the top breakout player for the team last season. The second baseman showed in 2023 that he was a major-league talent; nobody should have any doubt about that. The 25-year-old was one of the top players for the team, and in half a season, he hit 14 home runs and had a .840 OPS.

The 2021 pick #60 in the second round for the A’s should be the team second baseman, period. It is conceivable that Zack could hit the 30-home run mark; his power is evident.

2-Brent Rooker, the A’s All-Star Designated Hitter. He led the club with 30 home runs. At 28 years of age, he is what they call a late bloomer. A great pick by the A’s he was claimed off waivers in 2022 from the Kansas City Royals. So far a great move by the team.

3-Shea Langeliers. The ‘número uno’ catcher had an excellent first full year in the majors, slugging 22 home runs and showing his skills as an outstanding defensive catcher. Although A’s are very high on Tyler Soderstrom, their #1 pick, he is not ready for the big time so Tyler will begin this 2024 season in the minor leagues. It is conceivable, if he does well in the minors, he will be brought up later in the season. Tyler Soderstrom will not begin the season as the #2 catcher for the A’s.

4-Esteury Ruíz. A star was born? We will have to wait for this season, but the young Dominican set a new American League rookie-record with 67 stolen bases. He is an exciting player, usually playing center field, with speed to burn. In 1979, I was there when the A’s brought a young kid by the name of Rickey Henderson, who, in that rookie season, stole 33 bases in 89 games, usually playing left field and the rest is history. Esteury offers more than the excitement of the stolen base and art that has been on hiatus like the bunt for a while.

Then we have and infield that could be shared by J.D. Davis, Abraham Toro, Ryan Noda, Aledmys Díaz and young Darell Hernaiz.

Another ex-Giant, (mentioned earlier) Ross Stripling, is a right-handed pitcher with experience. But there is still a big question about how the rest of their pitching be in starting roles. It is a big puzzle yet to be resolved, and Spring Training allows manager Mark Kotsay to pick the top five on that rotation: Paul Blackburn, who is having a great time in Arizona, Adrián Martínez, and Luis Medina. J.P Sears, Kyle Mueller, Ken Waldichuch, plus…you pick’em.

Bullpen. In 2023, Trevor May retired after recording 21 saves for the team. The possibility that young Mason Miller opens the season as the team’s closer is accurate, together with a variety of young arms. The athletics manager indicated recently that he would like to see Miller gradually move up the bullpen hierarchy rather than anointing him as a closer right away.

As of today, M&M has an excellent position to open and win the rubber in the night inning. A’s young pitchers could be starting in one game, relieving in other, a plethora of arms, Zack Jackson., Dany Jiménez, Joe Boyle and it goes on and on and on.

Finally. 214 is an Ugly number: The number of games the Oakland A’s have lost in the last two years. However, in this fast internet/social media/Artificial Intelligence world, it is easy to forget that the A’s posted a 579 winning percentage from 2018 to 2021 and qualified for the postseason three times. Nobody is expecting the A’s to contend this year. The two Texas teams now control this division, The World Champion Rangers and the always contenders Dusty Baker Houston Astros, they suck all the oxygen in the West.

The 2024 Oakland Athletics have an ensemble cast, with an assortment of actors on a film as long as “The Longest Day”(1962)

Let’s Play Ball and enjoy the season!

Quote: “A home opener is always exciting, no matter if it’s home or on the road” -Yogi Berra.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com