Tag: Rob Manfred

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Injuries adding up for Yankees Gil out with lat strain; Astros Altuve moving to left field from second; plus more news

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New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil and a former American League Rookie of the Year is out with shoulder and injury and will miss the start of the season (AP News file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The New York Yankees injuries are starting to adding up Giancarlo Stanton (elbows), DJ LeMahieu (calf injury) and now pitcher Luis Gil a starting pitcher has been diagnosed with a high grade lat strain in his right shoulder. With these injuries it’s got to have manager Aaron Boone concerned this early in spring training.

#2 The Houston Astros Jose Altuve is expected to play in left field this season. Altuve is an All Star and a three time MVP and has played second base in 1767 games. A gold glove winner in 2015 and 2020. The idea of putting Altuve in left was brought up when Alex Bregman was with the team but signed with the Boston Red Sox. The Astros will use Isaac Paredes at second base and play Altuve in left.

#3 Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy will miss the beginning of the start of the season due to a rib injury. Murphy is an All Star and Gold Glove winner and the Braves announced that he will be on the Injured List for four to six week with a cracked rib on his left side. A big name out of the line up.

#4 The big news this week is Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is considering lifting the lifetime ban against Pete Rose who has been banned from baseball since 1989 for betting on baseball. If reinstated will that also open the door for Joe Jackson who was accused of being in on the fix during the 1919 World Series. Jackson has the numbers to be a Hall of Famer.

#5 The Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles are finished with their litigation over TV rights that dates back to 2012 when MLB announced Monday the Nats will be freed up from their deal with Mid-Atlantic Sports Network after the 2025 season.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Sounds unusual and strange as A’s no longer use Oakland moniker for first time since 1968

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Sacramento A’s catcher Shea Langeliers sporting a Rickey Henderson T shirt at Surprise Stadium in Surprise AZ before their game against the Kansas City Royals on Mon Feb 24, 2025 (Sacramento A’s X photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury the Sacramento A’s open this first week at spring training in Mesa for the first time since 1968 without the Oakland moniker while it was expected it still sounds and feels very strange to those are following the A’s in Oakland and those who are following the club in Sacramento.

#2 Amaury, talk about the talk in spring training that baseball is moving down the list as a sport that no longer one of the most popular sports in America. That it’s viewership and interest has fallen and it might fall even worse now that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and ESPN are no longer working together.

#3 Amaury, matter of fact when you go to ESPN’s headline banner on the main page of their website MLB no longer appears as one of the major sports in the banner. It now just shows NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAM, and More Sports you have to now hunt for MLB on the banner. MLB is buried on the main page banner and ESPN barley mentions MLB in it’s news reports through it’s programming.

#4 How much responsibility does Manfred hold since he has two MLB teams playing in minor league parks for the 2025 regular season, the Tampa Bay Rays are going up for sale and they might move to Orlando, the A’s will not play any post season games in their interim park in Sacramento but at a neutral site if they make to the playoffs, the players are not happy that Manfred is using the robo umpire and they prefer the human umpire, and baseball could move to a salary cap after the 2026 season something the players oppose and could trigger a players strike.

#5 Just how confident are the San Francisco Giants in starting a 42 year old Justin Verlander and how successful will Verlander be in helping the Giants contend. There are those who say Verlander who suffered neck and shoulder pain last season at best could be a ten game winner. Some other critics say that Verlander is washed up.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame

Athletics Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: All of sudden A’s in the chips with Severino signing and covering Vegas ballpark costs

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Luis Severino A’s pitcher (right) who signed for a two year $67 million deal shakes hands with A’s general manager David Forst (left) at the Severino press conference at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento on Fri Dec 10, 2024 (Athletics X photo)

On the Athletics relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 A’s owner John Fisher who has owned the A’s for 20 years and had signed pitcher Luis Severino to the largest contract since they had third baseman Eric Chavez. Severino signed for two years at $67 million. In 2004 Chavez had a six year deal with the A’s worth $66 million.

#2 The criticism about the Severino deal is that the A’s and the city of Oakland back in 2023 couldn’t reach a deal for Howard Terminal which fell some $36 million short for it to close the deal but the A’s were able to find the money to sign Severino for $67 million this month.

#3 It was pointed out that Fisher said of the reasons to move the A’s was that the attendance was horrible, nobody shows up, it’s the ballpark, and now they have to play in a minor league park in Sacramento but they couldn’t afford to pay the City of Oakland $90 million to play their remaining three interim years at the Oakland Coliseum before moving to Vegas.

#4 Also the A’s who originally were to pay $1.5 billion for the construction costs for the Vegas ballpark those costs have gone up to $1.75 billion and that cost could go up even further to $2 billion. It’s amazing what can happen if the A’s need to get something but couldn’t find the money for Howard Terminal?

#5 What about Commissioner Rob Manfred was he duped thinking the A’s had no money for Howard Terminal therefore they could get some love from the State of Nevada in public funding to build the park but who’d a thunk the A’s found funding with the Severino deal and covering their Vegas ballpark costs all this month?

Join Daniel Dullum Sundays for the A’s relocation podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Will players union, Scott Boras sign off to play on artificial turf in Sacramento?

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Sutter Health Field in Sacramento the future interim home of the Athletics for the next three seasons 2025-27

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 Daniel, this is the last week at the Oakland Coliseum for the A’s as they embark for Sacramento after the regular season. It’s been a reunion of sorts with lots of reporters, employees, front office, former players coming to bid the fans and each other a farewell.

#2 Rickey Henderson came out on Saturday to watch his daughter throw out the first ball as the A’s played the New York Yankees. It was a huge treat for fans watching on the field that was named after Rickey.

#3 Some reporters believe the move to Sacramento is a done deal because MLB has approved the move and Sacramento Rivercats are renovating the ball park.

#4 There are those who believe there is that very small chance that the A’s deal in Sacramento will fall apart because of the artificial turf the players do not want to play on. The Players union sill has not signed off on it yet.

#5 On the other side of the coin A’s owner John Fisher, A’s team president David Kaval and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred look very much forward to getting things started and getting the A’s out of Oakland. They do realize that that last step of getting the union to sign off on Sacramento might not be as easy as they think.

Daniel Dullum does the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: MLB Players break out the strange bats for Players Weekend; Rangers deGrom to face live hitters soon; plus more news

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Toronto Blue Jays Ernie Clement stands in at the plate with his pencil bat during “Players Weekend” the weekend where players used unusual looking bats on their trips to the plate. (photo by mlb.com)

On Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie wanted to ask you about something kind of fun yet very strange it’s “Players Weekend” Major League players are using bats painted like a giant pencil, lightsabers, team bats, and green colored bats. No doubt this was a marketing ploy to get fans to buy these “freaking bats” as they call them.

#2 You might remember Jacob deGrom who starred with the New York Mets, deGrom who now pitches for the Texas Rangers has been rehabbing and pitched to live hitters for the third time in recent weeks. deGrom hopes to pitch for the Rangers for the first time since June 2023.

#3 Charlie do you believe MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s new rule change for starting pitchers requiring them to pitch six innings with the exception if a pitcher throws over 100 pitches, gives up four or more runs or gets injured. This new rule for pitchers will be implemented starting next season. Will this put a pitcher’s health in jeopardy?

#4 Last Monday a host of cameras and photographers and broadcasters near the left field line where the Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani was throwing and playing catch with intensity. Ohtani made 71 throws with a wide legged spread apart set while the trainer using the radar gun. While it was said that Ohtani will not return as a pitcher this season and he’s been the DH he is making a attempt to return after having two elbow surgeries.

#5 The San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s play what will be their final Bay Bridge series game today at the Oakland Coliseum. Bob Melvin who managed with both the A’s and Giants and broke in at the Coliseum after coming up with Cal Berkeley said he will leave a lot of memories out on the field after Sunday’s game in completed.

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB All Star Game/That’s Amaury News Commentary podcast: National League and American League All Stars battle in the Mid Summer Classic tonight

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Los Angeles Dodgers Teoscar Hernandez (37) slugged 14 Home Run Derby home runs just edging the Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt Jr who had 13 home runs at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Mon Jul 15, 2024 (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, Teoscar Hernandez became the first Los Angeles Dodger to win the home run derby winner at the All Star Game contest on Monday at Globe Life Field. Hernandez edging out the Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt Jr 14-13.

#2 Amaury, there were a number of hitters invited to the Home Run Derby but took a pass saying it could hurt a player and it could effect their swing going into the second half of the season.

#3 On the national stage at the Home Run Derby four time Grammy nominated artist Ingrid Andress’ rendition of the national anthem almost overshadowed the derby itself. Andress was off key during her rendition but there have been worse versions sang. But since this was in front of a national audience at the Home Run Derby it was a discussion.

#4 The American League announced they are starting Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes to start the All Star Game. Burnes is 9-4 with 2.93 ERA. The Orioles have had much luck this season occupying first place in the AL East and Burnes has been one of the O’s best starting pitchers.

#5 Each time you get to the All Star Game it give you a chance to ask questions of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and as usual the questions of the Oakland A’s playing at a minor league facility in Sacramento should come up. Reporters who have walked around at Sutter Health Park said it’s going to be challenging to fit all the media, fans, and players accommodations during A’s home games in Sacramento and games are expected to be sold out with almost no room in the ballpark.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice 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

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Manfred is certain Vegas deal for A’s is a sure thing

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Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred addresses the news media at spring training Tampa Bay Fl Thu Feb 15, 2024 at the Grapefruit League (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred said that if there was any doubt about the Oakland A’s going to Las Vegas Manfred wanted to assure everybody that the move is “solid” in spite of A’s owner John Fisher who has not come up with his share of the construction costs for his share of the Las Vegas ballpark.

#2 Manfred also wants the A’s to decide where there going to play in the interim for 2025-27. Manfred would like the A’s to decide to play in one location and not move say from Portland to Salt Lake City or even Oracle Park in San Francisco for example.

#3 As you may recall A’s president David Kaval said talks with the Oakland Coliseum will continue as it was reported their first meeting two weeks ago went well. Manfred who doesn’t have the best relationship with Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao might have to come back and have talks with Thao and work out something to get the A’s some place to play for the next three seasons after 2024.

#4 The Las Vegas stadium idea has run into it’s share of problems, there are no renderings, there is no funding plan from Fisher, Schools over Stadiums is appealing language for their petition drive in the Nevada Court of Appeals once up and running they need over 100,000 signatures to place an initiative on the November ballot to block the A’s public funding for the ballpark and the Nevada State Education Association has filed a $380 million lawsuit against the State of Nevada to block public funding of the park.

#5 After Fisher got a luke warm reception when he was introduced to a paid crowd in Las Vegas sponsored by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said that the A’s would be better off in Oakland with a waterfront ballpark. Manfred said Las Vegas is solid and that Goodman was the first person to talk Manfred about getting a baseball team in Vegas.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: City of Oakland wants an Expansion team 

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Oakland A’s team president David Kaval has been negotiating with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority and said the negotiations have been positive from last their last meeting on Thu Feb 15, 2024. (AP News file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

City of Oakland wants an Expansion team 

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

The season for the A’s begins on March 28, 2024, their last year in the lease with the Oakland Coliseum. Working on the premise that the A’s will be playing in Las Vegas by 2028, the City of Oakland and the Oakland A’s are currently negotiating (preliminary talks) to extend the lease for a few more years, possibly 2025-2026-2027—three more years until their inauguration in Sin City.

The City of Oakland wants a guarantee that if the A’s leave, as expected as of today, in return, Major League Baseball will let Oakland have an expansion team. Sheng Thao, the Mayor of Oakland (currently under a recall campaign), might save her job if she can get such a deal.

Still, it is not a sure thing since the main reason for the recall by Oakland citizens is not about the A’s but about the crime in her city and lack of security. A year after she fired the Police Chief, a new Police Chief has not been named yet.

The Oakland Athletics inauguration in Las Vegas is scheduled for 2028, but expansion teams might not come until 2029. Oakland is not seen today as a possible city for an expansion team. Oakland would have to wait in line after Nashville and Salt Lake City, the current front runners for a new franchise. Commissioner Rob Manfred said, as recently as last week, that MLB will name two expansion cities by the time he retires, according to ESPN.

Let’s suppose the A’s move and open in Las Vegas in 2028, just like they have it planned. Oakland might or might not be one of those two expansion teams until 2029, five years from today. But, since Michel de Nostredame, aka Nostradamus, died in 1566, I do not believe there is anybody today alive in ESPN, the New York Times, Associated Press, Reuters, the San Francisco Chronicle, or the Wall Street Journal qualified to predict how this is going to end.

BREAKING NEWS: Drakes Brewery, a famous San Leandro brewery, just pulled their sponsorship three days before Fans Fest. Last Dive Bar, one of the organizers wrote on Facebook. The fan group said it had incurred expenses including “sponsor banners, a digital marketing package” and “rented equipment to set up a Drakes beer both.” The Oakland A’s deny they have anything to do with this

Around and around it goes, where does its stops nobody knows”. This was one of the lines from “Major Bowes Amateur Hour” a popular radio show that ran from 1934 to 1948, later made the transition to television as “Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour” and to their credit many stars were discovered in his show, including the one and only Francis Albert Sinatra.

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

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: MGM says lack of A’s ballpark blueprints is putting them behind schedule for construction; NBA All-Star contest winners; plus more news

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The MGM Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is waiting for an answer from the Oakland Athletics on a design that will connect a pedestrian bridge to the new ballpark. Without the design the MGM can not proceed with construction and the A’s non decision is holding up their plans. (Nevada Independent photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Top topic lack of Las Vegas A’s plans are stalling MGM Grand remodeling plans. The MGM is waiting for the future Las Vegas A’s to come up with with blueprints so they can figure in their remodeling plans. MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle said he’s been shown three different plans as to where the ballpark will sit on the site. Problem is the A’s do not have a definite design that has been decided on and Hornbuckle wants to get on with his construction at the MGM so he can build a pedestrian bridge to the ballpark.

#2 The A’s further have met with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority and have not come to an agreement for a lease extension that would have them play at the Coliseum from 2025-27 three years. Major League Baseball is in a bit of a pickle the A’s need to make a decision soon as the 2025 schedules come out in July but the City of Oakland wants MLB to guarantee an expansion team for Oakland and Rob Manfred said the Bay Area already has a team and that should be good enough.

#3 The Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry edged out the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu in the three point contest at the NBA All Star Game in Indianapolis Saturday night 29-26. Ionescu hit seven straight three points for the 26 points.

#4 Mac McClung won back to back slam dunk contests and is now the fifth NBA player to have back to back wins in the slam dunk competition. McClung surpassed Shaq O’Neil with a 50 point slam over all people Shaq who was holding the ball above his had for the record setting dunk.

#5 Wanted to get a chance to ask you about the firing of former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks who got the blame for the 49ers loss in the Super Bowl. Talk about what mistakes he made and how does a defensive coordinator who contributed highly on his defense takes a team to the Super Bowl and ends up getting fired?

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Commissioner Manfred says Bay Area needs only one team; How much influence do the Giants play in keeping an Oakland team out?

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Does San Francisco Giants and team CEO Larry Baer play a influential role in encouraging MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to make sure Oakland never gets an expansion team so the Giants will have the East Bay as their territory as well? (AP News file photo)

On Oakland A’s relocation podcast:

#1 Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s Chief of Staff Leigh Hanson said on Friday after meeting with Oakland A’s team president David Kaval that in order for the A’s to get a three year lease at the Coliseum MLB has to agree that Oakland will get an expansion team. That decision rests with baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred.

#2 Manfred said of any expansion team or any idea of another MLB team coming to Oakland “First of all we do have a major league team in the Bay Area.” Manfred was referring to the San Francisco Giants it’s been everyone’s understanding that Giants team CEO Larry Baer and the Giants who voted to have the A’s moved out of Oakland to Las Vegas during the owners vote on Dec 16th that the Giants would like to have the Bay Area including the East Bay as Giants territory and their market. Do they want the Commissioner not to allow any team to expand or move to Oakland and Oakland would become Giants territory.

#3 After the A’s announced and got confirmation from the Nevada State Legislature to the tune of $380 million for the Tropicana ballpark the A’s and MLB were confident that this was going to be smooth transition but the offering was rushed they left out where John Fisher A’s owner was going to get his share of the $1.5 billion for the construction costs and also where the A’s were going to play between 2025-27. Now Manfred is under pressure to find a place for the A’s to play for those remaining three years and Fisher doesn’t want to walk away from $70 million in TV money for those three years.

#4 Who will blink first. The City of Oakland and the Coliseum Joint Authority will lease out the Coliseum to the A’s only if Oakland is guaranteed an expansion team this boxes in Manfred who wants to get out of Oakland all together and is being counted on by the Giants to make sure that happens. The A’s must have a place to play decided by July. The Players Association will not sign off on playing in a minor league park and the Coliseum is the only practical viable place to go.

#5 Sharing a ballpark with another MLB team won’t especially if the A’s leave the Bay Area to play their home games and they lose the $70 million TV money.

Jerry Fetielberg is an Oakland A’s beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com