Tag: Sacramento A’s

That’s Amaury News and Commentary–Athletics Loading-Up and Spending money in Sacramento

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Sacramento A’s two way player Shotaro Morii (gold A’s jersey) is introduced at press conference in Sacramento. Morii signed a minor league contract for $1,520,500. (photo from the New York Post)

Athletics Loading-Up and Spending money in Sacramento

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

When a team relocates, it brings a lot of new challenges, aside from the city they’re moving to, marketing strategy, new players, who is gone and who is returning plus changing the team’s identity. For the Oakland A’s, who made Oakland their home from 1968 to 2024 are now starting a new phase of their history in Sacramento, California. Aside from the new players, more on that later.

For this first season in Sacramento, 2025, the Athletics have added a new sleeve patch to their uniform that features the Tower Bridge and the word Sacramento. No, it is not as famous as the Bay Bridge or the Golden Gate Bridge, nevertheless is an emblem of Sacramento.

For this first year in Sacramento, the team also signed Dominican-born right-handed pitcher Luis Severino in December 2024. Severino (a veteran with the Yankees and Mets) got the largest contract in the history of the Athletics, a three-year, $67 million contract. Previously, Eric Chavez hsd signed the largest contract in athletics history twenty years ago, a six-year contract extension of $66 million in 2004.

The A’s went to Asia to find young talent. They recently signed 18-year-old Shotaro Morii, who made the rare decision to bypass Japanese professional baseball entirely and agreed to a minor league contract with the Athletics, including a signing bonus of $1,520,500.

Morii is trying to become another two-way player from his country after the great Shohei Ohtani with the World Champions Los Angeles Dodgers. The minor league contract is the largest ever for a Japanese amateur outside of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)

The spending spree came after the team extended slugger Brent Rooker’s contract to five years and $60 million. The A’s DH was their MVP in 2024, with a .293 batting average, 39 home runs and 112 runs batted in. Since last season, many teams where interested in Rooker, but the A’s did well in retaining him.

The A’s signed a one-year contract with Dominican-born right-hander José Leclerc for 1 year and $10 million. The team expects José’s acquisition will bolster the back end of the bullpen, with their #1 star sensational closer Mason Miller, on his third season with the A’s.

The team also signed experienced third baseman Gio Urshela to a 1 year contract worth $2.15 million with up to $400,000 in incentives. Urshela, a native of Cartagena, Colombia, signed with Cleveland in July 2008 at age 16. He made his MLB debut for the Indians on June 9, 2015, and played two-plus seasons in Cleveland before being traded to the Blue Jays in May 2018. The team was looking for a guy with this experience to be part of their infield this year. Saludos and Adiós, for now.

Amaury Pi-González was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2010 for his work as a Spanish-language Major League Baseball. Amaury is the vice president of the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Hall of Fame Museum catch Amaury’s podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Does season ticket sell outs signal success in Sacramento for A’s or just a honeymoon?; AI says Clemente most popular Hispanic player of all time; plus more news

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Lawrence Butler of the Athletics conducts an interview at the Sawyer Hotel in downtown Sacramento on Mon Jan 6, 2025 regarding the A’s upcoming 2025 season in Sacramento (still from ABC 10 KXTV Sacramento)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Athletics selling out season tickets at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento does that signal that this relocation by the A’s was a successful idea or this is just a honeymoon in Sacramento and the A’s will eventually struggle in the standing like they had in past seasons?

#2 According to AI the most popular MLB Hispanic player of all time is former Pittsburgh Pirate Roberto Clemente who began his career in 1955 and in his second year in 1956 hit .311. After 1956 he hit above .300 in seven different seasons. He was defined as a pure hitter who drove in runs as well as being able to scores runs as well.

#3 According insiders three MLB teams were taken off Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki’s desired list the New York Yankees and Mets and the Texas Rangers. Sources are saying that Sasaki is down to three clubs the Toronto Blue Jays, the Los Angeles Dodgers, or the San Diego Padres. The San Francisco Giants have backed out of pursuing Sasaki. Sasaki is under 25 years old and is classified as a amateur and his salary will be limited from $5.1 million to $7.5 million per year. He will be regarded as a rookie phenom and could conger up endorsements that could add more to his finances depending how he performs in his MLB debut.

#4 Sasaki is another big signing possibility that has passed up the Giants. The Giants over the last two seasons missed signing in 2024 the likes of Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, and Shohei Ohtani. For 2025 the Giants so far have missed out on the following free agent signings Juan Soto, Ha Seong Kim, and Corbin Burnes. They managed to sign Willy Adames and Justin Verlander. The Giants last Thursday avoided going to arbitration with LaMonte Wade Jr, and relivers Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers. Are there a number of big name free agents avoiding San Francisco for specific reasons based on how the team has been a revolving door for managers, general managers, and team president changes and how CEO Larry Baer and team managing partner Greg Johnson who have final say have not been able to sign high profile players?

#5 The Seattle Mariners agreed to a one year deal with infielder Donovan Solano for $3.5 million. Also Solano could earn up to $1 million for plate appearances that ramp up to $200,00 for at bats totaling 300, 350, 400, 450, and 500. Solano hit .286, eight home runs, and 35 RBIs in 96 games with the San Diego Padres.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports with Charlie O: All games will not be sell outs in Sacramento; Jays sign Guerrero Jr for $28.5 million for one year; plus more news

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Sutter Health Park the interim home of the Sacramento A’s between 2025-2027 is sold out of season tickets. Each home game is expected to be sold out for 2025 with a capacity of 14,000. (AP file photo)

On Headline Sports with Charlie O:

#1 The incoming Sacramento A’s have announced they have sold out all their season tickets for their first interim year in Sacramento. Sutter Health Field where the Athletics will play is expected to be sold out for every game this season.

#2 When the A’s move to Las Vegas the A’s are hoping that will be the same goal sell outs for every single home game when they move there for their target date 2028.

#3 The Toronto Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr have come to an agreement avoiding salary arbitration when Guerrero had agreed on a $28.5 million one year deal. Guerrero hit .323, 199 hits, 30 home runs, and 103 RBIs.

#4 The Houston Astros are relieved to reach a deal with left hand pitcher Framber Valdez in a contract worth $18 million for one season. Valdez was 15-7 with an ERA 2.91 last season. The Astros were hoping to hold onto some of their key pitchers going into the 2025 season.

#5 Major League Baseball has banned the two fans who interfered with Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Mookie Betts when Betts was reaching over into the first base stands at Yankees Stadium for a pop foul. One fan pried open his glove with the ball in it and the other tried to hold onto Betts right hand when he was resisting the two fans trying to get the baseball. For their trouble the two fans Austin Capobianco and John P Hansen have been banned from all MLB events and game indefinitely according to MLB.

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

Athletics Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Did fans and media put the pressure on Kaval to eventually resign?

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Outgoing Athletics president David Kaval resigned this week and said he would seek other ventures and will remain living in California (file photo Oakland Athletics)

On the Athletics Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 The reaction of the resignation of A’s president David Kaval is one of good riddance in commentaries on social media, main stream media and by former Oakland A’s fans.

#2 Kaval had once said that the A’s are rooted in Oakland when all of that changed in June 2023 when Kaval announced the A’s had a binding deal to move to Las Vegas that was pretty much the beginning of the end of any hope to stay in Oakland but also Kaval is remembered for rubber stamping the idea rather resigning right then and there instead of doing it after Christmas 2024.

#3 Daniel, do you feel the resignation of Kaval was caused by all the last two years of criticism from fans, media, MLB fans around the country, social media, the heart break of the A’s moving out of Oakland and that Kaval was the face of this move.

#4 To what degree does the announcement have a shock value or are people really surprised at all considering the way this relocation had been handled. No money for the construction costs have been announced for the Vegas ballpark as of yet. Did owner John Fisher’s role in all of this and getting negative reaction from the fans and media prove too much for Kaval where he just really had no choice but to walk away?

#5 Fisher family business associate Sandy Dean who had spoke at multiple Las Vegas Stadium Authority meetings in helping cement the financial plans to finance the Vegas ballpark will take over Kaval’s job as team president.

Daniel Dullum does the Athletics Relocation podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Athletics Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s should have stayed in a big league park

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Sutter Health Ballpark future home of the Athletics for the 2025-27 seasons before they move onto Las Vegas in 2028 (AP file photo)

Athletics Relocaton podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 Big splashy talk about the A’s move . The Athletics who were on a tight budget and couldn’t afford to bridge the $36 million gap in 2023 with then Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao to make a deal to build Howard Terminal park couldn’t get that money together and now is finding money hidden in the many Oakland A’s couches to cover the construction cost the new Las Vegas stadium and sign some expensive players.

#2 Fans were duped into thinking the A’s didn’t have the budget to surpass the $62.1 million they had on their rosters for the last two years in player salary that was ranked a fifth of what the New York Yankees and Mets payroll was.

#3 The A’s who moved from the fifth largest TV market Oakland move to Sacramento the 20th mid size TV market for the interim 2025-2027 seasons and leaves for the 40th sized TV market Las Vegas in spring of 2028. On paper at least it looks as if the A’s will lose money but that might happen after a honeymoon with Sacramento and Las Vegas fans.

#4 The A’s during their last three years in Oakland had lost 307 games and one of the worst records in the game. Now the A’s had signed Luis Severino and are banking on Severino and newest signed pitcher Jeffrey Springs to hold the line for the upcoming 2025 season.

#5 The move to Sacramento helps keep the A’s within the same TV price range they were getting when they played in Oakland at $45 million.

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

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: Rickey’s passing comes as a shock to sports world

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Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A’s waves to the crowd at the Oakland Coliseum after he stole third base to break Ty Cobb’s stolen base record in the seventh inning at the Oakland Coliseum May 30, 1990 (AP file photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The passing of Rickey Henderson at age 65 comes as a shock. Rickey looked like a picture of health the last time he made two public appearances. The first one was at the A’s last home game ever in Oakland on Sep 26, 2024 and at the Reggie Jackson Classic one month later on Oct 27, 2024 all at the Coliseum.

#2 Rickey’s family made the sad announcement confirming Rickey’s former teammate Dave Winfield’s X tweet that announced Rickey’s passing on Friday night.

#3 Charlie, Rickey’s playing days he had that swagger once he came on the scene. Rickey even waved his glove at the fans in leftfield during his playing days.

#4 Rickey’s most famous moment came when he stole his 939th stolen base that broke Lou Brock’s stolen base record in 1991. Rickey holds the record for stolen bases in season at 130 and holds the record for the most bases stolen of all time at 1406.

#5 Charlie, I have to ask you in closing you and coachie had the opportunity to interview Rickey numerous times during his tenure with the A’s in Oakland. How special was that and what was that relationship like?

Charlie O does Headline Sports Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s most expensive player; Severino signs 3 year deal worth $67 million

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Former New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino signs with the Sacramento A’s for three years in a deal worth $67 million on Thu Dec 5, 2024 (AP file photo)

A’s most expensive player

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Ex-New York Yankee pitcher Luis Severino agreed to a 3-year, $67 million contract with the Oakland A’s. The A’s made franchise history with their most expensive signing. This surpasses Eric Chávez’s 2004 contract of 6 years and $66 million in 2004.

Severino, a nine-year veteran born in the Dominican Republic, will become the number one starter for the A’s rotation in 2025. Luis Severino’s best season with the Yankees was 2018, when he ended with a 19-8 record and 3.39 ERA, starting 31 games and 191 innings.

Other popular Latino players with the A’s,(Cubans both) José Canseco had a five year contract with Oakland A’s for $23 million and Yoenis Céspedes, who began his career in Oakland, but made all his money later with other teams specially signing a $110 million deal with the New York Mets. He was a very popular player with Oakland A’s fans, but for some inexplicable reason(maybe money) the A’s let him go.

Severino is an  established pitcher who the team hopes can help other younger pitchers to support a good nucleus of young players. Some of those younger position players have been mentioned by other teams, but the A’s want to keep them as a winning group.

The A’s were interested in pitcher Walker Buehler from the LA Dodgers, but according to manager Mark Kotsay, Buehler did not show much interest leaving the World Champion Dodgers going to Sacramento. The deal would surpass the club’s previous most lucrative contract it gave out to Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez in 2004

A’s have financial house in order, ready to come up with $1.75 billion for ballpark construction costs

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Las Vegas ballpark rendering. A’s are hoping for completion of stadium in April 2028 opening day. (AP file photo)

By Stephen Ruderman and Jerry Feitelberg

In a meeting Thursday with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority the Sacramento A’s soon to be the Las Vegas A’s in 2028 have come up with the financing of their share of the construction costs to pay for their Tropicana Las Vegas Strip ballpark which should be ready to go opening day 2028.

The Las Vegas Authority is expected to approve a 30 years lease on the A’s non relocation and development that consisted of four documents that should be the last step to clear the way to get shovels in the ground at the intersection of Tropicana and Las Vegas Blvd.

Clark County will continue to discuss a develop agreement otherwise the target to begin groundbreaking in spring 2025. Both Clark County and the State of Nevada are going forward with SB1 public funding for the ballpark at the cost of $380 billion, the A’s say they will spend $350 million to build the 30,000 seat armadillo looking ballpark.

The State of Nevada will not spend the $380 million until the A’s have put in $100 million. So for the A’s have invested $40 million. The deadline to meet the construction costs for the A’s share was due Thursday which they cleared in their meeting with the Stadium Authority.

Sandy Dean an A’s executive whose been a spokesman for owner John Fisher at previous Stadium Authority meetings said that Fisher’s family have increased their construction pledge to $1.1 billion. Dean said that Goldman Sachs and U.S. Bank will loan the A’s $300 million towards the development.

The four documents that Dean presented to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority are: #1 A loan commitment from both banks. #2 Fisher and his family have the ability to meet their financial pledge. #3 The commitments to Athletics StadCo LLC, an entity created to handle the private capital investment. #4 U.S. Bank’s review of the owner’s finances backs up that Fisher has the money in place.

Stephen Ruderman and Jerry Feitelberg cover A’s baseball for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary–In 2025 Ohtani will Not visit Sacramento

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Los Angeles Dodgers Dodgers two way star Shohei Ohtani nor the Los Angeles Dodgers will not be appearing at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento against the Sacramento A’s during the 2025 season (USA Today file photo)

In 2025 Ohtani will Not visit Sacramento

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Baseball’s biggest star and Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player, Shohei Ohtani, will not visit the A’s in Sacramento in 2025. The three-time MVP and World Champion is on pace to return to the mound and pitch next season.

The Athletics will only play the Dodgers one time in 2025, at Dodger Stadium on May 13,14 and 15, and that is the only opportunity that an Athletics fan will have to see their team vs. Ohtani.

However, the Dodgers and Giants will play six (6) games next season, three at Dodger Stadium on June 13,14,15 and three more in San Francisco’s Oracle Park on July 11,12,13. If you are “into Ohtani stuff” and live in Northern California, you could visit San Francisco to watch the spectacle and do not need to spend the money and time to visit LA at a Stadium where it is not easy to find a ticket for a game, at Dodger Stadium where their home attendance is average 50,000 per game.

The world’s #1 baseball star is usually followed by a cadre of reporters wherever the Dodgers travel, from international and domestic writers, newspapers, and social media to radio and television. During the Major League season, it doesn’t matter if the Dodgers are at home or on the road; Japan is fascinated with ‘everything Ohtani,’ and in 2025, there will be even much more coverage of the superstar as he is scheduled to be a part of his team’s starting rotation.

The much-anticipated return to the mound of this baseball mega-star should be one of the biggest stories next season. Ohtani had his first Tommy John surgery in 2018 and a second Tommy John surgery in 2023.

Note: This is the way the 2025 schedule is set for the Athletics and the Dodgers; it is not like Ohtani said, “I do not want to visit Sacramento” サクラメントには行きたくない

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com