Tag: Sports Radio Service

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s host Marlins tonight at Coliseum; Oakland hopes to extend win streak to five

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Oakland A’s starter Ross Stripling throws to the Pittsburgh Pirates line up, Stripling went six innings of perfect ball against the Pirates on Wed May 1, 2024 at the Oakland Coliseum. (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Oakland are on a roll they have won four straight games going into tonight’s game against the Miami Marlins. The A’s have turned heads and have turned a corner having won series road games in April against the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and split a four game series against the New York Yankees. The A’s just swept the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 In the A’s last game against the Pirates on Wednesday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum, Oakland starter Ross Stripling was dealing pitching six innings, no runs, three hits and two strike outs. Stripling and five other pitchers combined in a four hit shutout of the Pirates.

#3 The A’s hit two home runs Wednesday afternoon Abraham Toro and Tyler Nevin that helped them beat the Pirates 4-0 it was the A’s first season sweep.

#4 Stripling had been struggling previous to the win on Wednesday he had a combined ten loses over this season with the A’s and last season with the San Francisco Giants. At least for Wednesday’s game he found himself on the winning side of a shutout in Oakland.

#5 The A’s host the Marlins tonight at the Coliseum. Starting for Miami LHP Ryan Weathers (2-2 ERA 4.55) for the A’s LHP JP Sears (1-2 ERA 4.64) first pitch 6:40 pm PDT. The Marlins have been struggling and are last in the NL East at 9-24.

Join Jeremiah for the A’s podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s hope LA firm can find investors who can come up with $500 million for Vegas ballpark

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Rendering of the Sydney style Opera House ballpark that would take up nine acres at the old Tropicana Hotel and Casino location at Tropicana and Las Vegas Blvd. Construction is scheduled to start in April 2025 (Renderings from the Oakland A’s)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 The Oakland A’s have hired Los Angeles investor Galatioto Sports Partners to help look for one or more private investors. The investors are trying to help raise $500 million of A’s owner John Fisher’s share of he construction costs for the Las Vegas ballpark.

#2 Daniel, the plan is to have the ballpark sit on nine acres of the 35 acres at the Tropicana. Fisher needs to come up with $500 million of $1.5 billion for his share of he costs and the A’s are counting on Galatioto Sports Partners to find enough investors to make those payments. If that happens 42% of the team’s ownership costs will be financially bought up closing in on half of he value of the team.

#3 Galatioto Sports Partners has helped over 100 sports financing deals and that includes the sale of the Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno in 2004 who bought the team from Walt Disney Co., Broadcom co-founder Henry Samueli and his wife who own the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2005 also had help from the partnership. While their reputation is solid some minority partners might come in saying they’ll invest only if they have say in running the club. That might not be acceptable for Fisher under those circumstances.

#4 The Tropicana Hotel and Casino who closed for business in March is set for demolishment in April 2025. Fisher wants to make certain that the $500 million of the $1.5 billion towards stadium construction costs will be paid by investors who could very well own up to 42% of the club.

#5 Written into the agreement is Flip Tax that would require Fisher to pay 20% tax on the full price of the team in the event Fisher decides to sell the club before 2028.

Daniel Dullum does the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants avoid sweep comeback and beat Red Sox; Giants open series in Philadelphia next

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San Francisco Giants Mike Yastrzemski (5) is greeted at the Giants dugout after hitting a top of the third inning home run against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Thu May 2, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the SF Giants podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 How special is it for Mike Yastrzemski and those who follow to see him come to Fenway Park and hit one out in grampa’s old backyard.

#2 The Giants pitcher Ryan Walker pitched perfect baseball into the sixth inning giving up three hits and one run before leaving talk about what’s been working for him.

#3 Camilo Doval has had picked up his sixth save in the ninth inning of relief. Another reason why the Giants have so much success and confidence in Doval.

#4 San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin said in his post game presser, “Six hits. Scratched three runs out of it today, but there’s still more out there.”

#5 Giants open up a four game series that runs through Monday at Citizens Bank in Philadelphia. First pitch on Friday 3:40pm PDT. RHP Jordan Hicks starts for San Francisco (2-0) and for Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (4-1).

Michael Duca does the San Francisco Giants podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

#1

Harrison solid, Giants eke out late 3-1 win to salvage game; Yaz homers at Fenway

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Top of the third inning home run by San Francisco Giants Mike Yastrzemski at his grandfather Carl Yastrzemski’s old place of business Fenway Park in Boston on Thu May 2, 2024 (AP News photo)

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Fenway Park

Boston, Massachusetts

San Francisco Giants 3 (15-17)

Boston Red Sox 1 (18-14)

Win: Kyle Harrison (3-1)

Loss: Zack Kelly (0-1)

Save: Camilo Doval (6)

Time: 2:21

Attendance: 30,065

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants scored two runs in the seventh inning to beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 and avoid the sweep at Fenway Park.

The Giants dropped the first two games of this series, and were now in danger of getting swept for the the third time in their four series at Fenway Park. The Giants were swept by the Red Sox in their first series at Fenway Park in 2007 (June 15-17), as well as in a short two-game set in 2016 (July 19-20).

The Giants needed a win to avoid getting swept for the third time at Fenway, and in order to do that, the Giants’ offense, which was held to only two runs over the first two games of this series, would have to wake up. The Giants would also need a solid outing from their young left-hander, Kyle Harrison, who despite coming into today’s game with a 4.09 ERA, has been off to a decent start this season.

The Red Sox sent Josh Winckowski to the mound for today’s game, and he started things off with a scoreless top of the first inning.

Harrison ran into trouble in the bottom of the first after hitting Rafael Devers and walking Tyler O’Neill with one out. Harrison struck out Rob Refsnyder, but he walked Connor Wong to load the bases. Harrison was in the jackpot early, but he got Garrett Cooper to fly out and escape the inning unscathed.

Both pitchers pitched scoreless innings in the second, and Mike Yastrzemski hit a home run to the Red Sox’ bullpen beyond the short fence right-center field to put the Giants on the board. It was a special moment for Yastrzemski, who was playing in his second series at Fenway Park, where his grandfather and hall-of-famer Carl Yastrzemski called home for 23 years. Carl Yastrzemski had paid a visit to his grandson prior to the game, and it truly paid off dividends.

Yastrzemski, who is the second-longest-tenured Giant, was facing uncertainty after starting the season 1-for-20, but he has since heated up, and has swung the bat much better.

Devers singled on a ground ball up the middle to start the bottom of the third, and O’Neill doubled high off the Green Monster in left to tie the game. Harrison then walked Refsnyder, and the Red Sox appeared to pounce. However, Harrison struck out Wong swinging, and got Cooper to ground into a 5-3 double play to end the inning and escape any further damage.

With the game now tied 1-1, Winckowski pitched a 1-2-3 inning. Harrison ran into trouble again in the bottom of the fourth after giving up a one-out double to Ceddanne Rafaela. Harrison struck out Zack Short looking, and Jarren Duran hit a line drive up the middle into center field that seemed destined to fall and give the Red Sox the lead, but center-fielder Jung-hoo Lee dove and made a spectacular catch to end the inning and keep the game tied.

After Thairo Estrada grounded out to third to start the top of the fifth, Red Sox Manager Alex Cora lifted Winckowski for Brennan Bernardo. Bernardo set down Yastrzemski and Nick Ahmed to combine with Winckowski for a 1-2-3 inning.

Harrison walked Tyler O’Neill with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but he induced a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Refsnyder to end the inning. That would be it for Harrison, who did not throw a single 1-2-3 inning in five shaky innings of work. However, he did his job, which was to have a solid outing, as he gave up just a run and three hits, and struck out seven. What really hampered Harrison was five walks and a 95-pitch pitch count.

Bernardo and Zack Kelly combined to throw a scoreless top of the sixth. Ryan Walker came in for the bottom of the sixth, and pitched through a one-out single.

Patrick Bailey lined a single the other way to left to start the top of the seventh, and Matt Chapman singled to left to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Thairo Estrada then came through with a big hit for a Giants’ offense that has struggled to get them with a single the other way to right to put San Francisco back ahead.

Cam Booser came in for Kelly, but the Giants were not done yet. Austin Slater struck out swinging, but Nick Ahmed knocked in Chapman with a sacrifice fly to right to extend the Giants’ lead to 3-1.

Erik Miller, who was the Giants’ opener last night, came in and pitched a shutdown 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh. There would actually not be another base-runner the rest of the game. Japanese import Naoyuki Uwasawa threw a 1-2-3 top of the eighth in his major league debut, and Tyler Rogers threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth.

Uwasawa threw another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth, as he set down all six men he faced in his debut. Camilo Doval then came in and pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for his sixth save of the year.

Harrison got the win, and Zack Kelly took the loss. With this win, the Giants were indeed able to avoid their third sweep in four series at Fenway Park, as they improve to 15-17.

The Giants will now head to Philadelphia for the second leg of this three-city road trip, where they will take on the red-hot Phillies for a four-game wraparound series. Jordan Hicks will open the series for the Giants with first pitch at 6:40 p.m. in Philadelphia, and 3:40 p.m. back home in San Francisco.

Portland beats Bay FC in close game 3-2 in San Jose; Bay FC suffers fifth loss and third loss in a row

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Try as hard as they can Bay FC couldn’t run away with the ball enough as the Portland Thorns won by one goal in Wed May 1, 2024 match at Pay Pal Park in San Jose (Bay FC X photo)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC returned home to PayPal Park on Wednesday night to take on the Portland Thorns. Bay was looking to end a two-game losing skid while Portland was looking to extend their winning streak to three following a coaching change in the middle of April. Interim Head Coach Rob Gale has been undefeated since taking over the job after the previous coach Mike Norris was reassigned within the organization following a winless start to the season. Bay couldn’t take advantage of home field lost in a razor close game 3-2 to the Thorns.

Bay FC Starting XI: Proulx, Menges, Beattie, Malonson, Moreau, Shepard, Anderson, Bailey, Princess, Castellanos, Kundananji

Thortns Starting XI: Hogan, Klingenberg, Sauerbrunn, Hubly, Reyes, Sugita, Moultrie, Coffey, Linnehan, Beckie, Smith

Given the fact that they’re playing three games in eight days, it’s not surprising that Albertin Montoya went with a much different lineup than we saw on Saturday in San Diego. Jen Beattie, Alyssa Malonson, Maddie Moreau, Jamie Sheppard, and Princess all came into the starting lineup.

Despite some injury concerns at the end of Bay’s last match, Asisat Oshoala was available as a substitute. As were Kayla Sharples, Savy King, Caprice Dydasco, and Tess Boade amongst others. Scarlett Camberos though was not selected either as a starter or as a substitute. Portland’s lineup was also affected by this, as they’re playing a similar schedule, with three games in seven days.

Portland took the lead on their first attack of the match in just the second minute. Payton Linnehan got past the defense and was essentially one-on-one with Lysianne Proulx, the goalkeeper had no chance and it was 1-0 in favor of the visiting team.

After the ball was taken away from Moreau in midfield, a quick pass to Sophia Smith resulted in a second early goal for the Thorns, this time in the seventh minute. Despite the turnover, Moreau was playing well early on. She was heavily involved in the play and had a key takeaway that led to a strong pass upfield and almost led to a scoring chance.

For a 23-year-old playing in her second professional game, she was certainly making an impact. Notably, Joelle Anderson was taking the corners in place of Deyna Castellanos. Typically Anderson would do so once Castellanos had been substituted, but she took them from the beginning on this occasion.

As a result of their early deficit, Bay had to go for a more attacking approach early on. Their wingbacks were playing pretty high up the pitch given the fact that it was less than 20 minutes into the game, however it did lead to some potential scoring opportunities.

In the 31st minute, Bay got their best opportunity of the night so far however a shot by Castellanos would go just wide. In the 35th minute, Rachael Kundananji and Olivia Moultrie collided with one another. Both got some medical attention, causing a short delay in the game but got to their feet fairly quickly Portland nearly extended their lead to three in the 40th minute however the ball sailed just over the crossbar.

A minute later, Bay FC launched an attack down the field, it ultimately fell to Kundananji inside the box, who slipped past a defender and fired a shot that found the netting to get her team on the board before halftime. For the remainder of the half, Bay was relentless in their attack as they attempted to even it up before the break. They were unable to do so though, and at the half, it was still 2-1 with the Thorns leading.

Montoya made a substitution to start the second half, bringing Boade on for Dorian Bailey. Bay got a scoring chance right at the start of the half, however Kundananji’s shot went high and just wide. In the 50th minute, off of a corner kick the ball landed on Kundananji’s head and it went just wide after deflecting off of a defender in front.

The ensuing second corner kick wouldn’t create a strong attack though. Montoya had made a change on the set pieces though, as Castellanos was back to taking corner duties. In the 60th minute, Kundananji and Castellanos got a two-on-two rush, Kundananji carried the ball for quite a bit, into the box before passing it to Castellanos who tied the game at two a piece.

Bay nearly took the lead just a couple minutes later, a shot from Princess went into the box. The ball bounced around and Castellanos fell attempting to knock it into the net. It went out for a corner and the game remained tied for the time being.

A similar situation happened in the 71st when a Boade shot was saved by Shelby Hogan and bobbled in front of the net before a foul was called against Bay FC. After a short delay, Jen Beattie left with an injury being replaced by Kayla Sharples.

Maya Doms also entered the game replacing Anderson. Immediately afterwards, Portland once again took the lead with Smith’s second goal of the night, this time from distance.In an attempt to restore the tie, Asisat Oshoala came into the game in the 82nd minute replacing Princess.

Still trailing by one, Bay FC was given 8 minutes of stoppage time to attempt to tie it up. Following a collision with Proulx, Morgan Weaver had to be carried off the pitch due to an apparent leg injury. Due to the injury, Portland had to finish the game with ten players since they had already made all possible substitutions which gave Bay a chance.

Despite a few quality attacking opportunities, they were unable to tie it up and Bay FC’s losing streak grew to three games. The 3-2 win for Portland also extended their winning streak to three games, continuing to be undefeated since their coaching change.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast with Len Shapiro: Maple Leafs live another day with win over Bruins; Hurricanes move to next round with win over Islanders; plus more news

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The Toronto Maple Leafs left winger Matthew Knies (23) celebrates scoring an overtime goal on Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) in game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden in Boston (AP News photo)

On the NHL podcast with Len Shapiro:

#1 The Toronto Maple Leafs survived being eliminated defeating the Boston Bruins 2-1 in overtime. The Leafs trail the Bruins in this first playoff round 3-2. The Leafs Matthew Knies scored at 2:26 in the overtime stanza for the game winning goal.

#2 No time like the present with the New York Islanders playing for their lives down 3-1 they were in a 3-3 tie until the third period and couldn’t hold on as the Carolina Hurricanes rallied with three goals in the third period with goals from Jack Drury, Stefan Noesen, and Evgeny Kuznetsov for the come back 6-3 as the Hurricanes advance to the next round.

#3 The Colorado Avalanche had a 3-2 lead going into the third period in game five and the series lead as well at 3-1 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Avalanche added three more goals in the third period to put away the Jets and came away with a three goal 6-3 win in Winnipeg.

#4 The Nashville Predators came into game 5 down 1-3 against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver and were facing elimination and defeated the Vancouver Canucks in razor close game 2-1. All the scoring took place in the third period with the Canucks Nikita Zadorov scoring to start the period at 3:11 on a wrist shot, then the Predators came back with two unanswered goals by Roman Josi at 7:15 to tie it 1-1 and Alexander Carrier at 12:46 for the winning goal for a 2-1 final.

#5 Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said on Tuesday that signing Steven Stamkos is a priority. BriseBois told the media two days after the Florida Panthers eliminated the Lightning at locker cleanout day in Tampa Bay that Stamkos “needs a contract and we want him part of that group.”Stamkos signed an eight year $68 million contract back in 2016 with the Lightning

Len does the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcasts each Wednesday or Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants’ offense struggles again in 6-2 loss to Red Sox at Fenway

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Boston Red Sox second baseman Emmanuel Valdez completes a double play after forcing San Francisco Giants base runner Matt Chapman (26) in the top of the ninth inning at Fenway Park in Boston on Wed May 1, 2024 (AP News photo)

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Fenway Park

Boston, Massachusetts

San Francisco Giants 2 (14-17)

Boston Red Sox 6 (18-13)

Win: Kutter Crawford (2-1)

Loss: Daulton Jeffries (0-2)

Time: 2:14

Attendance: 30,787

By Stephen Ruderman

The San Francisco Giants’ offense was stymied again at Fenway Park, as the Boston Red Sox beat the Giants 6-2, and now have won the first two games to take the series.

After the Giants took two of three from the Pittsburgh Pirates to complete a 6-4 homestand, the Giants went to Boston hoping to get back to .500 for the first time since March 30. Unfortunately for the Giants, the Red Sox shut them out last night, and the Giants would have to bounce back in a bullpen game.

For the Red Sox, Kutter Crawford made the start. Jung-Hoo Lee lined a base-hit to right to open the game, but Crawford set down the next three men he faced in order. Erik Miller would be the opener for the Giants, and he survived a pair of walks in the bottom of the first inning.

Crawford pitched a 1-2-3 top of the second, and Daulton Jeffries replaced Miller, as he threw a scoreless bottom of the second. Tom Murphy then led off the top of the third with a home run over the Green Monster in left field for the Giants’ first run of the series.

Jeffries gave up a leadoff single to Ceddanne Rafaela in the bottom of the third, and then proceeded to walk Jarren Duran. Rafael Devers came up and hit a double to left to tie the game, and then Rob Refsnyder grounded out to short, which knocked in Durran to give Boston the lead.

The Giants bounced back with a two-out rally in the top of the fourth. Michael Conforto walked, and Thairo Estrada doubled him to third. Mike Yastrzemski, who is playing in his second series at Fenway Park where his grandfather and hall-of-famer, Carl Yastrzemski once played, laid down a bunt along the third base line to tie it up.

Jeffries immediately ran right back into trouble in the bottom of the fourth, as Connor Wong led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a ground out off the bat of Dominic Smith. Enmanuel Valdez doubled the other way off the Monster in left to put the Red Sox back ahead, and two batters later, Duran tripled in Valdez to make it 4-2.

Following back-to-back two-run innings for the Red Sox, the Giants’ lethargic offense went down 1-2-3 against Sanchez in a true shutdown inning. The submariner Taylor Rogers, who finished the bottom of the fourth, gave up a single to Refsnyder to start the bottom of the fifth.

Rogers then induced flyouts from Tyler O’Neill and Wilyer Abreu. Bob Melvin lifted Rogers for Luke Jackson, who immediately surrendered a base-hit to Wong, as well as a base-hit by Smith to knock in Refsnyder and make it 5-2.

LaMonte Wade Jr. walked to start off the sixth, but Sanchez then retired the side in order. Jackson pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, and Sanchez did the same in the top of the seventh. That would do it for Sanchez, who struck out six, and gave up just four hits and two runs against the struggling Giants’ offense.

Mitch White came in for the bottom of the seventh and retired the first two men he faced. However, Abreu singled, and Wong doubled to tack on another run for the Red Sox to make it 6-2.

Chris Martin came in for Boston, and he and White each pitched 1-2-3 innings in the eighth. Red Sox Manager Alex Cora went to Greg Weissert for the ninth. After giving up a leadoff single to Matt Chapman, Weissert struck out Michael Conforto, and got Thairo Estrada to line into a 6-3 double play to end the game.

Kutter Crawford got the win, and Daulton Jeffries took the loss. The Giants fall back to three-games under .500 at 14-17, and they will try and salvage a game in this series with Kyle Harrison on the mound. First pitch will be at 1:35 p.m. in Boston, and 10:35 a.m. back in San Francisco.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: When the A’s brought The Beatles Interview with Nancy Finley

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Beatles ticket from concert scheduled Thursday September 17, 1964 8:00pm at Municipal Stadium Kanas City (photo from Nancy Finley)

When the A’s brought The Beatles –Interview with Nancy Finley–

That’s Amaury News and Commentary–

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

When most baseball fans think about Charlie O. Finley, owner of the Kansas City and then the Oakland A’s, they return to the three consecutive World Series he won for the Swinging A’s in 1972,73,74. By winning three consecutive World Series, Finley’s A’s became only the second team to date that accomplished such a feat. During their dynasties, the New York Yankees were the only other team.

Reggie Jackson, the centerpiece for those winning teams, said of Charlie O. Finley, “He was great for baseball, years ahead of his time,” Reginaldo Martínez Jackson, a Hall of Fame outfielder, played for the A’s from 1967 to 1975. Charlie O.

Finley’s innovations in baseball are legendary, from Charlie O, the mascot Mule of the team, to pioneering the idea of night games in the Postseason play/World Series to many other ideas that baseball adopted, innovations, including all sorts of promotions.

During the Kansas City years, Mr.Finley had one of the most significant music bands in history, The Beatles, who performed in Kansas City as part of one of many Charlie O.Finley promotions. Time Magazine included the Beatles in its list of 100 most influential people in the 20th century.

I interviewed Nancy Finley who tells me that Charlie (her uncle) sent her the 45 LP “I Wanna Hold Your Hand”, while her mother repeatedly played that song in the house. She tells me, “Dad (Carl Finley), the minority owner and General Manager, and Charlie were sitting with the group in a conference room waiting for performance time.

Dad said they were “a group of polite young men.” Spoken like a High School Principal. Charlie O.Finley left his mark in baseball and in American history, truly an innovator who brought the A’s the Gold and Green uniforms, the first team to let the players have facial hair, the Ball Girls, he was strong proponent of Inter league Play, decades before MLB adopted it in 1997.

Also, there is Night Playoff baseball, plus the Designated Hitter and Runner. He suggested the “alert ball,” also called the orange ball, to make it easier for the fans to follow the baseball because white was not that easy to see, and although that was never adopted, it was talked about.

I do not believe Mr.Finley would like any clock ruling in the game, the “free runner” at second base when a game spins into extra-innings, and some other radical changes during the last few years. Undoubtedly, when A’s Charlie O. Finley brought The Beatles, he left his mark on US pop culture forever. He was a visionary a showman and a man for the ages.

Quote: Dagoberto Blanco (Campy) Campaneris, who played more games than any other Athletics player, (1,795 games) a great shortstop born in Cuba, told me years ago talking about Charlie O. Finley ” Charlie no era solo dueño del equipo, pero hablaba y conocía de baseball” -Trans: “Charlie was not only the owner of the team, but he could talk and was knowledgable of the game of baseball”.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer 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

A’s female TV play by play announcer Cavnar getting support after fans pushing petition to get rid of her

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Oakland A’s lead TV play by play announcer Jenny Cavnar of NBC Sports California has received support after it was learned a petition was being circulated in an effort to have her fired for what some say poor announcing. (photo from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and @NBCSAthletics)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland A’s and Major League Baseball’s first full time lead TV play by play female announcer Jenny Cavnar is under an avalanche of scrutiny from viewers of A’s televised games as announced by Cavnar. A petition is being circulated that as of Tuesday had over 620 signatures that demand the Oakland A’s fire Cavnar forthwith.

Some of the signers cite that she has no emotion in her home run calls, that she’s not a voice for baseball, that she went against former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf because Schaaf didn’t do anything to get a ballpark built in Oakland for the A’s at the time Schaaf was mayor.

Others who wrote on Awful Announcing’s X platform quoting RichDT “She really is not good. She needs more experience somewhere else. She hardly starts conversations during the game. Her calls of HR’s for the A’s are not good. Chris Caray does a better job in my opinion and comes from a legendary broadcasting family.” also JWP303 wrote, “No excuse for outright misogyny but she’s always been a tough listen as a broadcaster. As a reporter, calling games, in the studio… never was a fan in CO. Doris Burke, she is not.”

Those who criticize Cavnar showed one video one of her calling an RBI double hit by he A’s Abraham Toro that went over Orioles centerfielder’s Ryan McKenna’s head in Baltimore scoring Brent Rooker from second and her saying “over his head it goes and coming in home, how about we have ourselves and even up game.”

Cavnar who is in the broadcasting wing of the MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown for becoming the first lead full time play by play announcer in MLB history just completed her first month of announcing in that role. Cavnar has been defended by other media outlets namely the San Francisco Chronicle who said basically it’s Cavnar’s first year as a full time announcer in the lead role maybe she needs some time to review and improve on some her calls.

From all appearances some say Cavnar is being criticized because she is a woman, she doesn’t know how to make the right calls on home runs and that she has no emotion and some said she was just awful. The Chronicle would argue regarding Mayor Schaaf was what the criticism of Schaaf was at the time when anything on an Oakland ballpark seemed stalled and that Cavnar’s home run calls are fairly standard.

To have a petition now after her first month of work is premature take a look at her work after the entire regular season has been completed. Fans demanding that she should be fired doesn’t seem really fair. She’s in a new job, a new market, and yes maybe she made some tough calls at the mic but Cavnar should be given the chance to work on some things rather than blow it up now.

There are some rough patches but if Cavnar puts her shoulder into it she can make the necessary improvements. Also there is no way that team president David Kaval or owner John Fisher will let go of Cavnar they stand behind her and are proud to have a pioneer like her who represents the team in the Hall of Fame.

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

A’s Complete 3 Game Sweep Against Pirates In 4-0 Win at Coliseum; Oakland now 2.5 games back of first place

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Oakland A’s pitcher Ross Stripling works on the Pittsburgh Pirates line up in the top of the sixth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed May 1, 2024 (AP News photo)

Wednesday, May 1st, 2024

By Troy Ewers

In the final game of the series, the Oakland Athletics with Ross Stripling on the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates with Quinn Preister on the mound. The A’s took the final game of the series defeating the Pirates in a shutout in front of 4679 fans at the Oakland Coliseum. This was Oakland’s fourth consecutive win a streak that started on Sunday in Baltimore.

Oakland won the game 4-0 and Stripling got his first win since 2022. Stripling broke a 10 game losing streak with six shutout innings. Two strikeouts and only giving up three hits, Stripling survived his outing to hold off the Pirates. With the win the A’s now are 2.5 games behind first place Seattle in the AL West. The Mariners lost Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves 5-2.

The A’s had two solo home runs off Preister to put them on the board first. Abraham Toro in the second inning, his third of the season and Tyler Nevin in the third inning, with his fourth of the season, that put the A’s up 2-0 early. Nevin continued his nine game hitting streak and the A’s in this series against Pittsburgh hit five home runs. 

Toro was up again with the bases loaded and when a routine play at shortstop to end the inning resulted in an error, not only did Toro get to first safely, but a run was scored as well, 3-0 A’s.

An RBI single from Kyle McCann put the A’s up 4-0 in the eighth. McCann single drove in Esteury Ruiz, who had a stolen base while pinch-running for Toro, who got a walk to lead off the inning.

Mason Miller came in for a non-save situation and retired the Pirates in order with one strikeout, capping the series where Oakland pitching gave up three runs and 11 hits in three games. 

Next game for the A’s will be against the Miami Marlins for a three game series in Oakland. Probable pitchers for the first game on Friday, May 3rd will be JP Sears (1-2, 4.64) for Oakland and Ryan Weathers (2-2, 4.55) for Miami first pitch at the Oakland Coliseum 6:40pm PDT.