Tag: Ryan Walker

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Giants Pride Cap Controversy goes Coast to Coast

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San Francisco Giants reliever JT Brubaker pitches to the Chicago Cubs line up on Pride Night at Oracle Park. San Francisco on Fri Jun 12, 2026. Brubaker wrote the bible verse Gen 9:12-16 on his Pride cap. (AP News photo)

Giants Pride Cap Controversy goes Coast to Coast

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

In the world of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence, everything, both inside and outside of sports, sometimes becomes a source of controversy, even when it has nothing to do with sports. San Francisco Giants pitcher Sam Hentges refused to wear the Giants rainbow Pride Night cap during the team’s Pride event. Three other pitchers,Landed Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker altered their specialty rainbow Pride hats by writing Bible verses (Genesis 9:12-16) on them.

All the Giants needed after having a terrible season on the field, looking like the mediocre 81 wins they had last season, might be unattainable this 2026 season. The team is lining up player sales, some with big, lucrative contracts, and deals with other teams that still have hope of postseason play. So, all of a sudden, this Pride Cap controversy is not an ESPN story; the rest of the non-sports media are joining in with all kinds of editorials on both sides of the issue, from the NY Times, to The Wall Street Journal, to USA Today, to La Opinión, and more.

The US Department of Justice is opening an investigation into Major League Baseball regarding the San Francisco Giants Pride Caps controversy. MLB Commissioner and the league state that warnings issued to three SF Giants pitchers were routine uniform violations. And clarifying the warning: had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” and that identical wording is given for family tributes.

This ordeal reverberated across the country, with the Texas Rangers replacing their Pride Night for Faith and Family Day. Oak Revolution, a minor league baseball team in Pennsylvania, forfeited a game scheduled for its annual Pride Night on Thursday because players did not want to be associated with the “promotion”. And so it goes. Virtue signaling is popular in the US these days on all topics, political, non-political, sports, and in the category of “you name it”

Such is the world we live in today, where a baseball cap goes viral and nationwide. To me, it actually makes me sick that we are even talking about this. Baseball is a beautiful game, in my opinion, the greatest. Why do we have to make everything a conflict in this country today? Why? We are all entitled to our own opinions. I respect your opinion and hope you respect mine as well: this story has no place in baseball. But these are the promotions in baseball at this time in our history. I am old-fashioned; I like Bat Day, Little League Day, fireworks, and the other boring-but-fun stuff that UNITES everybody. Can we do more of that?

Baseball Promotions 1979: The Chicago White Sox hosted “Disco Demolition Night,” during which fans brought records to be blown up on the field, resulting in another game forfeiture.

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.

In the vibrant center of downtown San Francisco, Hotel Nikko offers a serene retreat defined by calm, understated luxury and the thoughtful precision of Japanese-inspired service. Each detail is designed to create a restorative experience where modern comfort and wellness come together effortlessly.

Guests are welcomed into spacious, contemporary rooms that blend clean design with subtle Japanese influences and intuitive, tech-enabled amenities. Throughout the hotel, a sense of tranquility is balanced with engaging, on-site experiences that elevate every stay.

At the top of the hotel, a glass-enclosed indoor pool offers a peaceful escape above the city an inviting space to unwind or, during the summer months, transform into a lively “dive-in” movie experience. Every Friday and Saturday night, families can enjoy classic kids’ films poolside, creating memorable moments in a truly unique setting.

Dining at Hotel Nikko is equally distinctive. ANZU Restaurant is home to San Francisco’s only Japanese breakfast buffet, offering an authentic and refined start to the day. In the evening,

Kanpai Sushi Lounge delivers an experiential dining atmosphere where craftsmanship and flavor meet in a sophisticated setting.

For entertainment, Feinstein’s at the Nikko brings world-class live music and cabaret performances directly to the hotel, offering an intimate and vibrant nightlife experience without ever leaving the property.

Located at 222 Mason Street near Union Square, Hotel Nikko places guests steps away from the city’s premier shopping, dining, and cultural attractions while offering a peaceful sanctuary to return to.

San Francisco Giants podcast Bruce Macgowan: Pride Night has become a national story; Will the Pride/Gen 9:12 caps be a clubhouse distraction/ DOJ starting investigation

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Landen Roupp wears the Gen 9:12 /Pride Night cap while pitching against the Chicago Cubs on Fri Jun 12, 2026 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast with Bruce Macgowan:

#1 Last Friday when San Francisco Giants pitcher Landen Roupp, Ryan Walker, and JT Brubaker wrote Genesis 9:12 on their Pride Night caps and it became a controversy for Pride night it’s been the lead story since then and has had reporters asking the Giants players about it. Will this become a distraction in the clubhouse?

#2 Roupp said that there is no hate at all regarding and he said the verse was geared towards God’s covenants and he wanted to express his position on Pride Night.

#3 The Genesis verse was a promise from God to Noah that it wouldn’t rain again and that’s the purpose of the rainbow and Roupp didn’t come out and say it didn’t belong to the LGBTQ community. How did the fans at large read into it?

#4 The Republican party are supportive of Roupp, Walker, and Brubaker’s stand but the LGBTQ community says that this is hate against the Community and the controversy has taken a life of it’s own. With baseball stepping in ordering the players not write on their caps and wear the pride caps as this is part of their job.

#5 How much do you see this being a PR disaster for the Giants and from the sound of it the players might continue to protest future Pride Nights?

Bruce Macgowan is a San Francisco Giants podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

In the vibrant center of downtown San Francisco, Hotel Nikko offers a serene retreat defined by calm, understated luxury and the thoughtful precision of Japanese-inspired service. Each detail is designed to create a restorative experience where modern comfort and wellness come together effortlessly.

Guests are welcomed into spacious, contemporary rooms that blend clean design with subtle Japanese influences and intuitive, tech-enabled amenities. Throughout the hotel, a sense of tranquility is balanced with engaging, on-site experiences that elevate every stay.

At the top of the hotel, a glass-enclosed indoor pool offers a peaceful escape above the city an inviting space to unwind or, during the summer months, transform into a lively “dive-in” movie experience. Every Friday and Saturday night, families can enjoy classic kids’ films poolside, creating memorable moments in a truly unique setting.

Dining at Hotel Nikko is equally distinctive. ANZU Restaurant is home to San Francisco’s only Japanese breakfast buffet, offering an authentic and refined start to the day. In the evening,

Kanpai Sushi Lounge delivers an experiential dining atmosphere where craftsmanship and flavor meet in a sophisticated setting.

For entertainment, Feinstein’s at the Nikko brings world-class live music and cabaret performances directly to the hotel, offering an intimate and vibrant nightlife experience without ever leaving the property.

Located at 222 Mason Street near Union Square, Hotel Nikko places guests steps away from the city’s premier shopping, dining, and cultural attractions while offering a peaceful sanctuary to return to.

The Ryan Walker Era Doesn’t Come With Frills and Extras

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Ryan Walker embraces opportunity and upward mobility. But he’s not ascending with thoughts of adding an entourage, theme music, or a mood-setting game entrance.

Instead, Walker’s setting the tone with his sinker and the maintenance of his low-key demeanor. Yeah, he’s got a beard and a hint of swag, but no, he’s not Brian Wilson 2.0 or Sergio Romo.

He’s Ryan Walker, selected by the Giants in the now-defunct 31st round of 2018 draft, and he doesn’t pontificate. Actually, he mumbles a bit. And he’s the Giants’ new closer in place of the demoted Camilo Doval.

“I was really excited for the opportunity,” Walker said. “I never really thought this could happen.”

What’s happened is quite unlikely. Beyond Walker being drafted so late, four years passed before he got his big league promotion. And when he arrived in San Francisco, his ceiling was being a setup man, or so he thought.

But the Giants started to think differently when Walker’s sinker, slider combination showed refinement, and his strikeout numbers increased. The final step was harnessing his control and lowering his walk rate.

Then the unforseen happened when Camilo Doval struggled to the point he went from National League All-Star closer in 2023 to Pacific Coast League reclamation project. First, the fans built a groundswell of support for Walker–along with disdain for Doval’s shortcomings–and team president Farhan Zaidi and manager Bob Melvin shockingly followed suit.

“Could we have put (Doval) in a lesser role?” Melvin pondered. “I don’t know that it would help. I think that some of the issues that he needs to work on would be easier to do somewhere else than the big leagues. He’s an All-Star. We expect him to come back and be an All-Star.”

Melvin also stated Walker’s case beyond his effective sinker, slider combo that mirrors Saturday’s starter, Logan Webb.

He’s pretty good,” Melvin said prior to Saturday’s game. “Probably had our toughest role in that he would come in with guys on base all the time, and a lot of times go out for the next inning.”

Walker’s been described as a pitcher who sets the table with his sinker, which tops out at 97 mph, and confounds hitters with his slider at 84 mph. Called on to protect a 3-1 lead, the right-hander threw nine sliders and nine sinkers, and struck out Dillon Dingler and Javier Baez to end the game. Walker also ramped up the tension by allowing two of the first three hitters, Gio Urshela and Bligh Madris, to reach, giving the 28-year old a true first test as closer.

“Awesome. Nerve-racking,” he said.

Already this season, Walker has compiled a major-league leading 59 appearances, including eight in which he’s pitched more than an inning. Even more appealing, he has 73 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings work. His 2.20 ERA is half of what Doval built up, and he’s all business.

Could Walker take this once-in-a-baseball-life opportunity and run with it?

He could. Just don’t expect him to expound on his good fortune in a show of self-promotion.

SF Giants and 49ers podcast with Bruce Magowan: Can Giants close the gap in NL Wild Card race?; Ex-Niner Lance to face Raiders tonight

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Kyle Harrison is all the rage as the rookie pitcher made his debut on the last road trip for the San Francisco Giants in Philadelphia at Citizens Bank ballpark in Philadelphia (file photo McCovey Chronicles)

On the SF Giants and 49ers podcasts with Bruce Magowan:

#1 The Giants are just a game out of the NL wild card chase despite their losing seven of their last ten games.

#2 How big is the acquisition of rookie left hand pitcher Kyle Harrison to the starting rotation and talk about his last outing.

#3 Wade Meckler is making good contact he’s been on base in eight of his last 12 ball games going back to last Tuesday in Philadelphia.

#4 The Giants the last time had some success when they face Atlanta Braves starter Max Fried who came into Oracle Park 4-1. Last Sunday the Giants touched him up for two home runs from Luis Matos and Wilmer Flores.

#5 Talk about Saturday’s match up here at Oracle with Fried going against the Giants right hander opener Ryan Walker (4-2 ERA 2.14) what is the Giants best chances with an opener to beat the Braves?

#6 Bruce talk the passing of former Giants beat writer Mychal Urban and former MLB official score keeper Art Santo Domingo.

Join Bruce Magowan for the SF Giants and 49ers podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com