Tag: San Francisco Giants

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Tokyo Olympic Village infected will games continue?; A’s looking to add before trade deadline; plus more

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2021 Tokyo Olympics/NBC Sports logo (image from pinterest.com)

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 2021 Tokyo Olympics has 14 athletes who have tested for Coronavirus and one South African TV analyst. The captain of the Japanese soccer team Maya Yoshida behind closed doors has said the Olympic Committee should reconsider this is too dangerous. The IOC and the Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga are status quo on the getting the Olympics games played as schedule as there is too much investment in the games to turn back now.

#2 In the last three weeks the A’s have hit a snag they have lost five of their last six series, have slipped from first place to second place now 3.5 games behind Houston. The trade deadline is approaching will A’s general manager David Forst add to the roster and who do you the A’s shopping?

#3 The A’s had a great start at the beginning of the season finishing the first half 12 games over .500, they had consistent starting pitching, a good bullpen now shaky, a line up that produced runs to beat and hold off the opposition in May and June. But now Forst is looking to fill the gaps since the team has slipped and wants to get some players to help out with a recovery.

#4 How relieved are the San Francisco Giants to be getting catcher Buster Posey back and available the team is in need for some hitting and hope that Posey can help out. Back up catcher Chadwick Tromp was handling some of the catching duties in Posey’s absence.

#5 Black female group African American Sports Entertainment Group is behind the big push to get a WNBA team in unoccupied Oracle Arena in Oakland. The group is behind many efforts and hope to be a part of the Coliseum proper and in the event the A’s move they want to see if they can buy and bring the NFL back to the Coliseum.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giant Jump: Posey gets plenty of help in dispatching the Dodgers 7-2 in big series opener

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By Morris Phillips

Weren’t expecting Buster Posey to go star power on his first at-bat off the injured list? Probably weren’t expecting the Giants to move into first place in the NL West and stay there for nearly two months either.

The Giants got the jump on the Dodgers in this critical, four-game series on Monday with a 7-2 win, and they did it as only they can: with contributions from a bunch of guys, some of them virtually nameless.

Posey was the biggest name, homering in the first inning to put the Giants up 2-0. In a series involving baseball’s two best teams, his blast made a statement.

“To see him come out, step up to the plate and hit a big home run for us was incredibly impressive,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “I thought he had great at-bats throughout the night.”

The disappointment of not making the statement Posey did stung the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts sure expressed that, after his club couldn’t push across any runs for the game’s final eight innings.

“Obviously we’ve got these guys three more times” this week, Roberts said. “I know my focus is to win a baseball game tomorrow. That’s all we can control.”

The Dodgers blew anoher opportunity to catch the Giants atop the division, they’ll get more opportunities, but so far none have been cashed in. Meanwhile, the Giants continue their unlikely season with their postseason and division win probability numbers increasing substantially. The Giants moved into first place May 31, and despite some hiccups, they’ve remained there ever since.

The first inning had all the fireworks with both teams coming up with back-to-back homers. Posey and Wilmer Flores gave the Giants a 3-0 lead, then Max Muncy and Justin Turner answered against Kevin Gausman, who had a rough return from emergency leave due to complications with his wife’s childbirth.

Not much offensively happened after the first, but both pitchers were doomed. The Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin lasted just four innings, Gausman three.

“I’m not locating well with the heater,” Gonsolin said. “Slider is hit or miss. Splitter is about hit or miss. Curveball’s actually decent right now.”

Gonsolin’s only gone past the fourth inning once in seven starts. That’s an issue for the Dodgers now that Trevor Bauer’s availability is at the height of uncertainty. The Giants exploiting the issue of Los Angeles’ thinning starting rotation only exacerbated what was already a problem. The Dodgers don’t have an announced starter for Tuesday–they’ll throw Julio Urias and Walker Buehler in the series final, two games–and they don’t have the injured Clayton Kershaw either. The Giants won’t see him, but David Price is also being given an opportunity to start some games, and heralded rookie Josiah Gray could make his debut on Tuesday.

The Giants have Alex Wood taking the mound on Tuesday. Wood had a rough stretch, but four of his last five starts have resulted in Giants’ wins. Having a former Dodger facing his ex-teammates in this spot provides tremendous motivation. For the Giants, Tuesday’s matchup against the Dodgers’ unknown is a win.

Five Giants relievers followed Gausman Monday, and they completely shut everything down. Only closer Jake McGee allowed a hit, and the Giants cruised in a game that could have been filled with continuous stress.

Jason Vosler, Thairo Estrada and Austin Slater provided RBI hits in a four-run seventh inning. Estrada, the former Yankee who hit just four homers in 61 games with the Bombers the last two seasons, now has a prominent spot with the Giants replacing Brandon Crawford at shortstop. On Monday, he delivered.

The Giants also produced an impressive hit total of 12 against a pitching staff that’s been difficult for them. The Dodgers managed just four hits, and their crowd of 50,000 plus was near silent for most of the game.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Robinson’s story inspirational; Yaz seeing the ball well

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San Francisco Giant Mike Yastrzemski pictured getting congratulated by teammate Thario Estrada after hitting a two run third inning home run at Chase Field in Arizona on Sat Jul 3, 2024. Yastrzemski hit two home runs on Fri Jul 16th in St Louis at Busch Stadium (AP file photo)

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Drew Robinson will be working with the San Francisco Giants. Robinson known for his attempted suicide and lost sight of one of his eyes an inspirational story about his comeback and his coming to work for the Giants.

#2 In the series in St Louis Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski went deep a couple times on Friday in St Louis and has been seeing the ball well. 64 hits, 14 homers and batting .236.

#3 The Giants had their five game win streak come to an end on Saturday after a 3-1 loss to the Cardinals no Giants hit a home run in that contest.

#4 The Giants hold a one game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers who are just a game behind San Francisco do you so these teams battling for first place all the way till the end of the season?

#5 Speaking of the Dodgers Morris four game series starts tonight in LA as the Giants and Dodgers match up this could be one of those traditional grudge matches

Join Morris for the Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Bader wins it on a infield single for the Cardinals 2-1

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The St Louis Cardinals Harrison Bader who beat out an infield RBI single that scored pinch runner Jose Rondon for the go ahead run the seventh inning on Sun Jul 18, 2021 at Busch Stadium in St Louis (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Things did not start off well for the San Francisco Giants and it ended on a squibber up the first base line.

Harrison Bader beat out an infield single that saw John Brebbia just a second late to the base that allowed pinch runner Jose Rondon to score from third base, as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Giants 2-1 at Busch Stadium.

Matt Carpenter led off of the bottom of the seventh inning with a ground-rule double off of Brebbia, and Rondon was called on to run for Carpenter, and he went to third on a Paul DeJong fly out to right field and then scored without a throw on the infield hit by Bader.

The Giants loaded the bases in the top of the first inning against Wade LeBlanc, but the left-hander was able to get Wilmer Flores by striking him out looking and then got out of the jam, when he got Brandon Crawford to fly out for the final out of the inning.

DeJong gave the Cardinals the lead in the bottom of the third inning, as he hit a solo home run off of Johnny Cueto to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

That lead would last all of one-half inning, as Darin Ruf hit an upper deck solo home run to tie up the game for the Giants.

Once again, the Giants loaded the bases in the top of the sixth inning, as Donovan Solano singled to lead off the inning, then Mike Yastrzemski followed it up with a single of his own that sent Solano to third base. Ryan Helsley then came on to replace LeBlanc, and was able to get Lamonte Wade, Jr., to strikeout for the first out and then Wilmer Flores flew out to centerfield and it was not deep enough for Solano to score from third base.

Helsley then walked Crawford intentionally and then Mike Tauchman was not able to relive his magic of his grand slam against the Texas Rangers on June 8, as he struck out to end the inning and stranded the bases loaded.

Cueto ended up going five innings, allowing just one run on two hits, walking one and striking out five and he did not fare in the decision.

When Cueto got Bader to fly out to Austin Slater for the first out in the bottom of the third inning after DeJong hit his 13th home run of the season, it gave Cueto 2,000 career innings and he became the eighth active pitcher to join that elusive club.

LeBlanc, like Cueto also went five innings, as he allowed one run on five hits, walking and struck out three before giving way the bullpen.

Genesis Cabrera won his second game of the season, as he pitched the seventh inning, walking one and striking out two.

Despite allowing two walks to the first two batters of the top of the ninth inning, Alex Reyes was able to regroup to get the next three batters to end the game and pickup his 22nd save for the victorious Cardinals, who won four of six this season over the Giants.

NOTES: Cueto became the seventh pitcher born in the Dominican Republic to reach the 2,000 career inning milestone, joining Juan Marichal (3,507.1), Bartolo Colon (3,461.2), Pedro Martinez (2,827.1), Ervin Santana (2,461.0), Pedro Astacio (2,196.2) and Joaquin Andujar (2,153.0).

UP NEXT: Kevin Gausman will return to the team and take the ball in the opener of a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, as he looks for his 10th win of the season, while the Dodgers will send Tony Gonsolin to the mound.

Old nemesis Goldschmidt hits a big home run in Cardinals win 3-1

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The St Louis Cardinals Paul Goldschmidt watches the launch of his sixth inning home run at Busch Stadium in St Louis against the San Francisco Giants (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Paul Goldschmidt maybe on another team these days, but he continues to be a thorn in the side of the San Francisco Giants.

Goldschmidt hit a two-run home run off of Anthony DeSclafani in the bottom of the fifth inning that proved to be the winning margin, as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Giants 3-1 at Busch Stadium.

With the loss, the Giants saw their five-game winning streak come to an end; however, they still have the best record in baseball at 58-33.

Tyler ONeill put the Cardinals on the board in the bottom of the second inning, as he led off the inning with his 16th home run of the season, and his first home run since he hit against the the Cleveland Indians on June 9.

Kwang Hyun Kim pitched six innings, allowing zero runs on three hits, walking two and striking out one, as he extended his scoreless streak up to 21 innings.

Over his last seven starts, Kim has one run or less in six of those starts. The left-hander was pitching in front of his wife, Lee Sang-Hee, their two children Minjoo and Minjae, who saw him pitch in the United States for the first time after they arrived from South Korea earlier this week.

DeSclafani went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits, not walking a batter and striking out four and he saw his record fall to 10-4 on the season.

The Giants scored their only run in the top of the seventh inning, as Wilmer Flores led off the inning with a walk and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch by Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley. Flores then scored on a single by Steven Duggar, when ONeill committed a fielding error on the single by Duggar.

Following the Duggar single, Alex Dickerson came off the bench as the possible tying run with one out; however, he struck out against Genesis Cabrera and the possible threat ended when Austin Slater struck out to end the inning.

The Giants put the first two runners on base in the top of the ninth inning, as Flores singled under the glove of Tommy Edman at second base, then Brandon Crawford came off the bench to pinch hit for Curt Casali and he walked on four pitches. Crawford was then lifted for a pinch runner, as Chadwick Tromp came on to replace Crawford.

After getting huge jam, Cardinals All-Star closer Alex Reyes then got Duggar to pop out for the first out, then struck Thairo Estrada and Mike Tauchman ended the game by grounding out to shortstop.

Reyes picked up his 21st save of the season in as many opportunities, and his streak stands at 23 going back to last season. The 23 successive save opportunities by Reyes to start a career tie a major-league record that was previously set by LaTroy Hawkins.

NOTES: Crawford was not in the starting lineup after he left Fridays 7-2 win in the opener with a cramped left hamstring.

Triple-A infielder/outfielder Drew Robinson, who survived a suicide attempt last year and attempted to make a comeback despite losing his right eye announced his retirement and this weekend will be his last for the Rivercats.

Robinson will transition into a role with the Giants front office and the role will focus on sharing his personal experience, providing education, and identifying other players interested in taking on a mental health peer support role…additionally, he will work with the Giants organization to create a program to support the mental health of players, will travel to affiliates during the season to promote mental health and support the peer program, and attend portions of Spring Training and other training camps.

UP NEXT: Johnny Cueto will close out the series for the Giants, as he takes the mound at Busch Stadium looking for his seventh win of the season, while the Cardinals will send Wade LeBlanc to the hill, as he looks for his first win of the season.

Yastrzemski hits two home runs in Giants win 7-2

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San Francisco Giants Mike Yastrzemski (left) is greeted by teammate Mike Tauchman (right) after hitting a three run homer in the seventh inning. St Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina (center) can only look at the scoreboard replay (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

What a way for the San Francisco Giants than with a huge win on the road against a team that just beat them two out of three.

Mike Yastrzemski hit two home runs and LaMonte Wade, Jr., added one of his own, as the Giants took game one of a three-game series with a 7-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. It was the fifth win in a row for the Giants, who continue to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers by two games and the San Diego Padres by six games in the National League West, and continue to have the best record in the major leagues with a record of 58-32.

Logan Webb started in place of Kevin Gausman, who was placed on the Family Medical List prior to the game.

Gausman stayed in his home state of Colorado due to an emergency and it is unclear when he will rejoin the team.

Webb, who was scratched from his start with the Single-A San Jose Giants went four innings, allowing one run on five hits, walking one and striking out two, as he threw 60 pitches, as he continues rehab from his shoulder strain injury earlier in the season.

Following Webb on the mound was Zach Littell, John Brebbia, Jarlin Dominic Leone, Jay Jackson and finally Tyler Rogers.

The sextet went the final five innings, allowing one run on six hits, walking three and striking out seven and Jackson picked up his first win of the season, as he pitched 1.1 innings, allowing just one walk and striking out two.

Yastrzemski gave the Giants an early lead in the top of the fourth inning, as he hit his 13th home run, a solo home run off of Adam Wainwright.

Unfortunately, that lead would not last long, as Tommy Edman drove in Nolan Arenado with a single in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Wade, Jr., decided that the tie needed to go away, as he slammed a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning that gave the Giants the lead for good. It was the eighth home run of the season for Wade, Jr.

Yastrzemski added his second home run of the night that blew the game wide open, as he hit a three-run home run of his own in the top of the seventh inning to give the Giants a 7-1 lead over the home standing Cardinals.

Paul Goldschmidt hit his 14th home run of the season in the bottom of the seventh inning to the final touches on the scoring on the evening. Brandon Crawford was forced to leave the game early with what Giants manager Gabe Kapler said what was a left hamstring cramp, he received fluids and will be checked out prior to the game on Saturday.

NOTES: Asides from Gausman going on the Family Medical Emergency List, Jason Vosler was optioned to Sacramento and Evan Longoria was transferred to the 60-day Disabled List. Mike Tauchman returned from his rehab assignment and was reinstated from the 10-day injured list.

With three more home runs tonight, the Giants have hit 135 home runs on the season and are tied for the major-league lead with the Toronto Blue Jays, who have also hit 135 home runs after they hit five home runs in a 10-2 victory over the Texas Rangers at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, N.Y.

UP NEXT: Anthony DeSclafani will make the start for the Giants on Saturday, while the Cardinals will send Kwang Hyun Kim to the mound.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants looking forward to a healthier second half

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Kevin Gausman throws against the Washington Nationals in the first inning on Sun Jul 11, 2021. Gausman will be the starting pitcher tonight against the St Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St Louis (AP file photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 After the first half and some of the injuries the Giants have gone through how important is it for the Giants to have a healthier second half of the season?

#2 Giants manager Gabe Kapler says the Giants have been pretty good about figuring out how to keep the starting pitchers healthy.

#3 Michael what chances do you see the Giants picking up possible available pitchers like the Texas Rangers Kyle Gibson, the Washington Nationals Max Scherzer, or some of the brilliant pitching from staffs of the Minnesota Twins or Miami Marlins.

#4 Michael do you see catcher Joey Bart getting a shot at a promotion he’s been seeing the ball a lot better with triple A Sacramento Rivercats.

#5 Giants open up the second half in St Louis tonight the Giants will start Kevin Gausman (9-3 ERA 1.73) and for the St Louis Cards no pitcher has been announced as of yet a 5:15pm first pitch.

Join Michael for the Giants podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants day off report: The passing of Dick Tidrow hits the club hard

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San Francisco Giants team CEO Larry Baer (left), Giants Player Personnel Dick Tidrow (center) and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred (right) talk things over at Oracle Park in San Francisco (file photo from KNBR)

By Jessica Kwong

Thursday is the San Francisco Giants’ last day off during the All-Star break before getting back on the field for the second half of the season. They are coming out of the break with the best record in the league at 57-33 with a two-game lead over the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Giants are facing the St. Louis Cardinals for the first of a three-game series at Busch Stadium. First pitch is at 5:15 p.m. The series comes just nine days after the Cardinals beat the Giants in two of three games at Oracle Park, so it will be a chance for revenge.

In other organization news, the Giants on Wednesday announced the passing of Dick Tidrow 74, a longtime member of the front office. Tidrow, a former major league pitcher, died unexpectedly on Saturday in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

“Our entire organization is heartbroken by the news of Dick’s passing,” Giants President and CEO Larry Baer said in a statement. “So much of our success over these past three decades is directly linked to Dick’s contributions. He will be truly missed by all of us and our thoughts are with Mari Jo and his entire family during this difficult time.”

Tidrow served most recently as the president of baseball operations for the Giants. Over a span of 27 years, Tidrow was in a half-dozen different roles. He started in the 1994 season as a major league scout.

“Dick was a unique and special person whose influence and impact was legendary throughout the game and whose fingerprints are all over our three World Series trophies,” said the Giants’ Executive Vice President and Senior Adviser Brian Sabean. “On a personal level, we shared some incredible highs and lows together and I’m forever grateful for his 40 years of friendship and support.”

Giants bolstering pitching in draft; Crawford having his best season

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San Francisco Giant shortstop Brandon Crawford has had the best season of his career as exemplified in the first half of this season here he is swinging for the fences (San Francisco Chronicle file photo)

By Jessica Kwong

The San Francisco Giants are continuing to enjoy the All-Star break after an eventful Tuesday that saw both the All-Star game and the wrap up of the 2021 MLB draft.

Shortstop Brandon Crawford represented the Giants in the All-Star game. The American League beat the National League 5-2 at Coors Field in Denver. Crawford came off the bench and onto the plate just once and went 0-1 in the NL’s only error.

However, it did not matter as it was only an exhibition game. Crawford is having the best season of his career. His 3.4 WAR is 65.4 percent to his career high of 5.2, even though he has had less than half as many appearances on the plate compared to 2016.

Meanwhile, San Francisco finished the draft on Tuesday selecting the last 10 of their 20 picks. The Giants chose all pitchers until the tenth round and ended up with 14 pitchers, three infielders and three outfielders.

San Francisco first selected right-handed pitcher Will Bednar of Mississippi State with the No. 14 overall pick. The run of nine straight pitcher picks was finally broken when the Giants chose outfielder Vaun Brown in the 10th round.

The players must sign the contracts to make their spots in the organization official. Michael Holmes, the Giants’ director of amateur scouting, believes the organization has a solid chances of inking all their picks.

“I think that we’ll be competitive. We feel pretty good in some areas. We’re just gonna let the process play out,” Holmes said. “I think both parties – the players and their families – know where they’re at and we know where we’re at, but we kind of entered a lot of these ventures knowing how it’s gonna play out.”

It is officially halfway through the season and the Giants sit at the top of the NL West with a 57-32 record.

— _

San Francisco Giants Report: Giants have more draft picks than last year; Select Will Bednar College World Series MVP

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Mississippi State Bulldogs pitcher Will Bednar was selected along with the San Francisco Giants 14th overall pick. Bednar was the MVP in the College World Series seen here hoisting the MVP Trophy (file photo from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

By Jessica Kwong

The San Francisco Giants are heading into the All-Star break on a good note after sweeping the Washington Nationals in a three-game series that wrapped up on Sunday. The Giants (57-32) have maintained their spot at the top of the NL West.

Meanwhile, the biggest news for the Giants during the break is the 2021 MLB Draft. San Francisco has 20 picks this year which include one on Sunday, nine on Monday and 10 on Tuesday. That is far more than last season when they had just seven picks.

The Giants picked nine straight pitchers to start the draft. They selected Will Bednar, the College World Series MVP, with the No. 14 overall pick in the first round, and eight more pitchers after that. It was just what the organization — with many hitting prospects and not as many pitching options — wanted to do.

“We’re super excited about what we were able to do,” said Giants Director of Amateur Scouting Michael Holmes after the draft. “To be honest with you, yeah, we went on a nice little run of pitching there. I wouldn’t say it was primarily our focus when we started the day, it just started to kind of play out that way.”

Holmes said the Giants felt the draft had a lot to offer pitching-wise.

“Although there were a lot of position players that we had extensive talks about and we were in play in different parts of today’s draft, it really kind of fell by the way of the pitcher,” Holmes said. “We’re really excited about the group of arms and the one position player at the end that we were able to add.”

That position player is outfielder Vaunt Brown.

All attention on Tuesday for the Giants will be on the other half of their draft picks.

The Giants will be back to the regular swing of things on Friday to start a three-game series against the St Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.