Tag: Oakland

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Fiers and Kelly for a song can help launch A’s even further

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Photo credit: Photo collage of Mike Fiers (left) and Shawn Kelley (right) from @AthleticsPR.

On the A’s podcasts with Charlie O:

1. We said the MLB trade deadline would not be the end of the trading season from the A’s and we were right! They’ve added two new pitchers. What kind of impact will Mike Fiers and Shawn Kelley make on the A’s?

2. The A’s made a flurry of roster moves Tuesday. What do we need to know about those transactions?

3. Oakland has won six straight games and moved into second place in the AL West and Wild Card. Can they sustain their position?

4. It’s an all LA rest of the week. Two with the Dodgers and three in Anaheim. How important are these games?

5). You say August 10-22 may be the most important 12 days of the season for the A’s. Why?

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

MLB The Show with Daniel Dullum: Trade deadline is here, they’ll be some surprises; A’s still hottest team in MLB, despite losing series in Colorado; plus more

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@Jed_Lowrie photo: Oakland A’s infielder Jed Lowrie takes a leap while playing the hot corner would be a valuable asset to any Major League club for his ability to play many positions on the infield diamond so much so that many clubs have inquired about Lowrie. Will the A’s deal him or hold onto him and contend? Only team vice president Billy Beane and manager Bob Melvin knows.

On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum:

1 Wheeling and dealing as non-waiver trade deadline approaches on Tuesday.

2 A’s still baseball’s hottest team, hanging tough in AL Wild Card race. They lost outfielder Chad Pinder on the 10-day DL when he got stitches in his arm after getting into a car accident in downtown Denver on Saturday before the game with the Rockies.

3 Matt Cain, Ryan Vogelsong, and Brian Wilson newest additions to Giants’ Wall of Fame.

4 Andre Ethier retires; Matt Holliday returns to Rox with minor league deal.

5 RIP Tony Cloninger – good hitting pitcher for Braves, Reds, and Cardinals.

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

MLB The Show podcast with Matt Harrington: Would Giants really deal Bumgarner?; Will A’s start to cool off after loss in Colorado?; plus more news

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Photo credit: @MLB_News247

On the MLB The Show podcast with Matt:

#1 The San Francisco Giants have dropped three straight games. There’s been talk about dealing their ace pitcher Madison Bumgarne. Would any kind of move of Bumgarner be surprising?

#2 It was going to happen sooner or later. The Oakland A’s, who had won 27 out 34 games prior to Friday night, snapped their six-game winning streak. Could they start to cool off?

#3 The Los Angeles Dodgers continued to roll on Friday. Starter Clayton Kershaw allowed one run and struckout eight in seven-plus innings, Kershaw also helped his own cause with a single and an RBI.

#4 The St. Louis Cardinals handed the Chicago Cubs a 5-2 loss at Busch Memorial Stadium on Friday. The Cards’ Paul DeJong had three hits and three RBIs.

#5 The Cleveland Indians continues to roll with a 8-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor hit two home runs out of the four homers Cleveland would get on Friday night.

Matt does the MLB The Show podcast each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s head to pitcher’s park Coors Field with six-game win streak; Can Rockies cool down the red-hot A’s?

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Joey:

The Oakland A’s are rip roaring with 27 wins out of their last 34, a four-game sweep, four triples in a four-game series with the Rangers. The A’s led the way with the four triples and the A’s outfielder Steven Piscotty said there’s a new hero everyday in this ball club.

The A’s leadoff hitter Nick Martini in two at bats on Thursday connected for two hits and scored two runs himself while picking up an RBI. All the runs counted in this one as the A’s got by the Rangers by a run, 7-6.

The A’s open a three-game series in Denver starting tonight at Coors Field. It’s not a hitter’s park. The Rockies have a shot at being that one club that could cool down the red-hot A’s. They’re at home at Coors. They’re third in the NL West, just two games out of first behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers and they have the talent to make a run at the postseason. Come to think of it, so do the A’s.

Joey Friedman does the A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s rolling with 26 wins out of their last 33 games; A’s take on Rangers in bid for sixth consecutive win

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

It’s time to come back to another comeback! The A’s have now won 26 of 33 games taking the first three games of the four-game series in Texas on comeback wins. Pitching hasn’t done it, but the A’s offense had to come back and get these wins, but eventually.

The A’s will need some help from their starting pitching to hold opponents early in the games. Closer Blake Treinen, who picked up his 26th save of the season on Wednesday night continues to shut the door. A’s designated hitter Khris Davis has gone deep six times since Sunday through Wednesday. No matter what you throw him, he can find it.

A’s play game four of this four-game series tonight in Arlington as they try to win their sixth straight game. It’s a classic match up–A’s Trevor Cahill (1-2) vs. Rangers starter Barolo Colon (5-8).

Jerry Feitelberg does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland Raiders podcast with Tony Renteria: Carr looking to overcome last year’s injuries; Lynch expected to have big season; plus more

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Photo credit: @Raiders

On the Raiders podcast with Tony R:

Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is looking at improvements over last year and who got injured last season. Will Carr be under pressure to impress head coach Jon Gruden coming into this 2018 season? Carr is backed up EJ Manuel and Connor Cook. Tony takes a look at how much confidence does Gruden have in Manuel or Cook in case they’re called into duty if Carr is out?

Running back Marshawn Lynch didn’t hit 400 yards in either 2015 or 2017, but Gruden knows that Lynch has game and will utilize Lynch who will get more carries this season. At wide out, Amari Cooper, Jordy Nelson, Martauis Bryant, Ryan Switzer, and Seth Roberts are in the wide receiver core and we take a look at how Gruden sizes up his receivers.

Gruden is hoping that Carr can get time to throw how much confidence does he have in his offensive line to get Carr time?

Tony Renteria takes an indepth look at Raiders football each week on the Oakland Raiders podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Familia part of the A’s family; Will the A’s look to make more deals before the deadline?; plus more

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O:

1) What’s your reaction to the Jeurys Familia trade?

2) Are the A’s are done in the trade market or will they make more deals? If they aren’t done, who do they need to add to their roster?

3) Should the A’s only goal be to make the Wild Card game?

4) After Oakland finishes this short seven-game, two-city road trip, their schedule really gets crazy!?

5) Finally, the A’s got some bad news concerning pitcher Kendall Graveman.

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

Bay Bridge Series: A’s and Giants–Two Teams Going in Different Directions

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Photo credit: twitter.com

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland A’s took four out the six games from the San Francisco Giants these past two weekends and the A’s won the first ever Bay Bridge Series trophy. The A’s won two out of three at AT&T Park and did the same at the Oakland Coliseum. The two Bay Area teams crossed path like two ships in the open sea with one full steam ahead and the other one just trying to stay afloat.

The A’s acquired Mets closer Jeurys Familia, and on his first day with the A’s on Sunday, the Dominican native saw action as he pitched two effective innings in relief and won the game. Now, Familia is 5-4 and comes from the Mets–a team going nowhere with perhaps a seize of taking the cellar-dweller status away from the Marlins–with 17 saves in 21 opportunities. The A’s are contenders and still looking to land a starter.

On Saturday, a new attendance record was set at the Oakland Coliseum since 1968–a record-setting 56,318 in attendance as Mount Davis was opened to the public for the first time in 13 years. On Friday, 45,606 followed by Sunday’s 44,379. A grand total of 146,303 attended for part two of the Bay Bridge Series.

It is good to see this great rivalry. Also, the Bay Area Champion Trophy was a great idea. At the Coliseum this weekend, a lot of families were in attendance–many of whom had different loyalties. So it was not rare to see,some A’s fans and some Giants fans in the same family. As I walked around for an hour before game time, I noticed nothing but joy among the fans during this great series, the first in Oakland since the All-Star Break, with good weather.

Right now, the Giants have a much different look. Right now, the A’s are young, aggressive and exciting as they’re hitting home runs in bunches, while the Giants are pretty much a veteran ball club trying to hold on and return to the form of their most recent odd-year dynasty.

The Giants have a superb fan base and likely do not want to mention the word “rebuild” and they are hoping against hope that their team have enough to make a comeback. They’re playing in a division, where it looks like the Dodgers (now with Manny Machado) are the favorites to win for a six straight time and maybe earn themselves another trip to another World Series. Duggar, Slater, Moronta and Suárez are some of the young blood on the Giants’ roster trying to make an impression compared to the veterans. Only time will tell, but if the Giants continue to hover around the .500 mark, the powers-to-be might have to star selling players before July 31. In a way, they are very lucky to be playing in the NL West, where nobody has gotten really hot, taken first place and opened a big lead.

But I notice that these two teams are going in different directions. The A’s are playing four games starting tomorrow at Arlington, Texas, against the last-place Texas Rangers, three at Denver against the contending Colorado Rockies, and then return home on July 30 for a eight-game homestand over 10 days–three versus the Toronto Blue Jays, three versus the Detroit Tigers, and finally, a two-game set versus the Dodgers.

The Giants head to Seattle for a couple of games at Safeco Field against the Mariners next Tuesday and Wednesday, travel back to San Francisco to host the contending Milwaukee Brewers for four games and then fly to San Diego to close out July against the Padres for a brief two-game series.

Will the Giants ‘back up the truck’ if by then? If they have not made a run? Only the shadow knows. Stay tuned.

Obviously, the Giants want to continue with this cast and hope that Joe Panik and Evan Longoria get back to play and roll the dice! It’s interesting enough that the Giants’ No. 1 pitcher Madison Bumgarner and No. 2 pitcher Johnny Cueto have not fared that well after coming out of the DL. This Sunday, Cueto gave up four home runs–two to Khris Davis and two to Matt Olson. When Cueto was pitching this week, he doesn’t give the long-ball with that frequency, but the A’s continue to hit home runs with the best of teams in baseball this season.

The Giants have a lot of big contracts locked to players like Cueto, Samardzija and Melancon, while they will have to make a decision with Bumgarner…to extend his contract or even trade him in the current market where everybody is looking for pitchers. We will also find out if other guys like veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen will say ‘adios’ to San Francisco.

Amaury Pi-González is on his 41st season of broadcasting the MLB. He’s currently broadcasting for the A’s (his first team in 1977) and has also broadcasted the Giants, Angels and Mariners. In 2010, the Cuban-born broadcaster was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame (BARHOD) alongside Jon Miller and Gary Radnich. As far as baseball in Spanish, Pi-Gonzalez is only the second broadcaster in the country as the longtime Spanish voice of the Dodgers, trailing Jaime Jarrin, who has been broadcasting for over 50 years.

Chapman’s walk-off single wins it for the A’s 6-5 over the Giants in extras

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND — Matt Chapman ended the weekend with one swing of the bat, and gave the Bay Bridge Series to the Oakland A’s.

Chapman hit a single off of Brandon Crawford’s foot and bounced into the outfield, to give the A’s a thrilling 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants in 10 innings before a sellout crowd of 44,374 at the Coliseum on Sunday.

Marcus Semien led off the bottom of the 10th with a walk off of eventual losing pitcher Ty Blach, Semien stole second with Stephen Piscotty at the plate. Piscotty then flew out for the first out and then Blach intentionally walked Khris Davis to get to Matt Olson, who flew out for the second out and then Chapman ended it with his single.

With the loss, the Giants are now just one game over .500 at 51-50, and are now five games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

This game went back and forth in the later innings, as Andrew McCutchen hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning that gave the Giants a 5-4 lead. However, that lead was short-lived, as Davis hit his second home run of the afternoon in the bottom half of the inning to tie up the game.

Sean Manaea was outstanding for the A’s, as he did not allow a base runner until Nick Hundley singled with one out in the top of the fifth inning and then two batters later, Austin Slater broke up the shutout for Manaea, as he doubled off the right-center field wall.

Manaea went 6.2 innings, allowing just two run, while scattering four hits, not walking a batter and striking out five, but he did not fare in the decision.

Johnny Cueto went seven innings, allowing four runs, on six hits, walking two and striking out three, but did not fare in the decision.

Cueto struggled to get to seven innings pitched, as he gave up three home runs, before giving way to Melancon in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Davis hit a home run, a two-run blast and that was the first of three home runs allowed by Cueto on the afternoon, as he gave up two home runs to Matt Olson in the bottom of the fourth and sixth innings, respectively.

Nick Martini got the A’s first inning going, as he legged out an infield single and then three batters later, Davis hit the first pitch he saw from Cueto into the left field seats to give the A’s an early 2-0 lead.

Olson extended the lead up to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, as he took a Cueto offering and put it into the right field seats for his 20th home run of the season.

After the Slater double that scored Hundley in the top of the fifth inning, Olson launched his second home run of the game and 21st of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning.

It was the second two-homer game of the season for Olson, and the fourth of his career.

The Giants put together a rally in the top of the seventh inning, as Hundley picked up his second hit of the afternoon, and then two batters later, Slater followed up his second hit of the afternoon.

After Brandon Crawford made the second out of the inning, Manaea was replaced by Emilio, who immediately gave up a single to Slater and that was all for Pagan, as Leo Trivino came on to face pinch hitter Pablo Sandoval, who then cut the A’s lead down to 4-3, as he doubled off the right-center field wall.

The Giants were not done, as pinch-hitter Alen Hanson then singled to score pinch runner Steven Duggar to tie up the game.

NOTES: This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams, as they split a two-game series at AT&T Park on April 3 and 4.

UP NEXT: After an off day on Monday, the Giants continue to play the American League West on the road, as they travel to Seattle and open a brief two-game series against the Mariners on Tuesday night at 7:10 pm PDT. Andrew Suarez will take the ball in the opener, while the Mariners will send James Paxton to the mound.

Lucroy’s walk-off single lifts A’s past Giants 4-3 in extras

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND — Jonathan Lucroy ended the game with one swing of the bat when the Oakland A’s needed it the most.

Lucroy hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning, helping the A’s to a 4-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants before a sellout crowd of 56,310 at the Coliseum on Saturday night.

“Hard fought game,” said manager Bruce Bochy.

It was the second walk-off of the season for Lucroy, with his first coming on June 17 against the Los Angeles Angels and it was the seventh game-ending RBI of Lucroy’s career.

Things looked bleak for the Giants in the top of the ninth inning, as A’s closer Blake Treinen came to close it out; however, a funny thing happened on the way to the game ending.

Treinen was able to retire Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval, but then Alen Hanson reached on a wild pitch after he struck out with the game on the line.

Hunter Pence then tied up the game with a double down the right field line that easily scored the speedy Hanson from first base.

A’s manager Bob Melvin came out to argue that the Pence ball was interfered with in the bullpen area; however, after a 1:18 review, the play stood and the game was tied.

“It is a ground-rule, and Hanson scored easily,” said Bochy.

The A’s loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Tony Watson gave up back-to-back singles to Matt Olson and Matt Chapman and then Reyes Moronta came on to replace Watson.

Moronta then got Chad Pinder to sacrifice Olson and Chapman to second and third, and then after an intentional walk to pinch hitter Nick Martini, Moronta then got Marcus Semien to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Andrew McCutchen drew walk against Treinen in the top of the 10th inning with one out, but Treinen struck out both Brandon Crawford and Buster Posey to end the inning.

Madison Bumgarner gave up four walks and a base hit in the bottom of the fifth inning that gave the A’s a 3-1 lead on the Giants.

Olson led off the fifth with a single, then Chapman, Chad Pinder, Josh Phegley and Marcus Siemen all walked against Bumgarner and that was the end of the night for the left-hander.

“First four innings, I was cruising and then in the fifth, I could not find the corner,” said Bumgarner.

Phegley’s walk tied up the game, then Semien’s walk gave the A’s lead for the first time and after Bumgarner was lifted for Sam Dyson, Mark Canha grounded into a double play that scored Pinder with the final run of the inning.

“Dyson kept it close for us,” said Bochy, as the reliever went two innings, and allowed a walk and a strikeout before being replaced by Ray Black in the top of the seventh inning.

The combined five walks in the fifth inning are the most in an inning for the Giants since they walked five in the bottom of the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on July 3, 2007 at Great American Ballpark. Barry Zito allowed the five walks in that fourth inning, a game that the Giants would lose 7-3 to the Reds.

Bumgarner went just four innings, allowing three runs on two hits, walking six and striking out and he did not fare in the decision. The streak of 89 consecutive starts that Bumgarner went at least five innings came to an end, the 89 consecutive starts were a major league high.

The six walks by Bumgarner were a career-high, as he gave up five walks four times in his career, with the last time coming against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 4, 2016 at Miller Park.

Brandon Belt returned from the paternity list after the birth of his son August (Augie), and hit his 14th home run of the season in the top of the fourth inning to give the Giants a 1-0 lead.

The Belt home run was the first hit that the Giants got off of Trevor Cahill on the evening, and was just the second runner that Cahill allowed to reach prior to the sixth inning, which was the end of the line for Cahill.

In all, Cahill went 5.2 innings, allowing just one run on two hits, but he did not fare in the decision.

Cahill got into a jam in the top of the sixth inning, as he gave up a leadoff single to Hunter Pence, then Cahill regrouped to strikeout both Gorkys Hernandez and Steven Duggar consecutively. Unfortunately, Cahill then walked to load the bases and Cahill’s night was done and Ryan Buchter came on to replace Cahill.

Buchter then was able to get Crawford to strikeout to end the inning and the threat for the Giants.

Crawford made the defensive play of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he ran from his position at shortstop to make a running catch off of foul ball from Olson. Pablo Sandoval was in the shift, and nowhere near third base and Crawford reached out to make the running catch in the Coliseum’s very deep foul territory.

In the bottom of the 11thinning, Crawford made another great defensive play, as he slid to catch an Olson fly ball that would have easily fallen in for an easy double for Olson with one out.

As fate would have it, Will Smith then gave up back-to-back singles to Chapman and Pinder and then Lucroy ended it with a single.

Pence got the Giants within one in the top of the seventh inning, as he singled up the middle to score Posey easily from third base.

The Pence single came off of Leo Trivino, after he replaced Buchter with one out in the inning after Hanson hit a single that sent Posey to third base.

All in all, Pence went 3-for-5 at the plate, including that double in the top of the ninth inning that tied up the game.

“Nice game by Hunter,” said Bochy.

Trivino was able to get out of the jam, as he struck out Hernandez and then was able to get Duggar to ground out to Jed Lowrie at second base to end the inning.

Treinen came on in the top of the ninth inning, and was unable to pick-up his 25thsave in 28 opportunities. In all, Treinen threw 44 pitches, the most by the reliever since April 18 against the Chicago White Sox and it was the sixth time in his career that he threw 40 or more pitches in a game in his career that spans 254 games.

NOTES: Ryder Jones was optioned back to Sacramento after Belt was activated from the Paternity List to the game.

Belt’s newborn’s full name is August “Augie” Kyle Belt, and he joins older brother Grayson, who will be four years old in August.

The baby is named after Belt’s former head coach at the University of Texas, the late Augie Garrido, whom Belt played for in 2008 and 2009.

Garrido, who passed away in March of 2018 was the winningest coach in NCAA Baseball history until current Florida State Head Coach Mike Martin passed him. The veteran coach led both Cal State Fullerton and Texas to the College World Series 15 times, winning five of them for the Titans and Longhorns.

The 56,310 in attendance broke the record of 55,989 that packed the Coliseum on June 26, 2004, when the A’s’ defeated the Giants 8-7 in 10 innings, when Marco Scutaro singled in Bobby Kielty. Octavio Dotel picked the win for the A’s, while Jim Brower took the loss for the Giants. This was also the largest crowd in the Major Leagues during the 2018 season.

UP NEXT: The Giants and A’s will meet again Sunday afternoon at 1:05 pm PDT.

Johnny Cueto looks for his fourth win on Sunday afternoon, as he takes the mound for the Giants in the last regular season meeting against the A’s this year. Sean Manaea will go for the A’s, as he looks for his 10th win of the season.