Pac 12 podcast with Michael Wagaman: ACC schools to join Pac 12; 11 schools won’t have to pay exit fees

Pac 12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff addressing the new media at media day on Fri Jul 21, 2023 is at a crossroads in repairing the Pac 12 after eight teams have announced they will leave after this season. (AP News file)

On the Pac 12 podcast with Michael:

#1 Michael, the league has shrunk down to four teams with Cal, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State, their Commissioner George Kliavkoff needs to get a TV package together soon and his job could be on the line but who else would the four remaining teams get in his place?

#2 The College Football Playoff gives a generous $80 million to the Pac 12, SEC, Big 12, ACC and Big Ten. Do you see the Pac 12 with any chance of getting additional schools to make up for the loses of the eight schools who dropped out?

#3 Cal and Stanford wanted to stay at the Power 5 level but with the Big Ten taking a pass on the two colleges and the ACC talks breaking down and not very much choices it looks as if Cal and Stanford must rebuild the conference. Can they pull it off?

#4 Can Cal and Stanford keep their Autonomous Five status it would come down to a vote from the other four Power 5 leagues.

#5 Wags what about the student athletes who might consider going else where since the Pac 12 schools have broken up and continue on with an University conference that is stable during their education.

Michael Wagaman is an AP beat writer and does the Pac 12 podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Troy Ewers: Giants bats come alive Tue after Mon night beating; Giants opener Walker starts today

On the San Francisco Giants podcast with Troy Ewers:

#1 Troy, it looked like Giants manager Gabe Kapler’s ejection from last night fired up the team, they responded with a four pitcher combined shutout and went on a hitting attack to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-0.

#2 It was the Giants debut of rookie centerfielder Wade Meckler who got his first hit in the bottom of the sixth inning that jump started his career. Meckler went onto get two hits and and score a run.

#3 Meckler was at bat when he took a pitch that looked liked a ball which Kapler came out and argued about. Meckler said he didn’t argue the call because he was just in his second day on the job and didn’t want to come off as disrespecting the umpires.

#4 Troy, talk about the two home runs that the Giants got from Thairo Estrada and Wilmer Flores both hit home runs in the 7-0 landslide of the Rays on Tuesday night. For Estrada it was hit tenth home run of the season and for Flores it was 17th home run.

#5 The Tampa Bay Rays will be starting Aaron Civale (5-3 ERA 2.61) will be matched up against the San Francisco Giants Ryan Walker (4-1 ERA 2.28) expect Walker to be an opener a 12:45pm PT first pitch at Oracle Park.

Troy Ewers is a http://www.sportsradioservice.com beat writer and podcast contributor

Headline Sports podcast with Bruce Magowan: 49ers Lance needs more chances; Which Giants team will show up; plus more news

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) throws under pressure from Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Jordan Willis (99) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP News photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Bruce:

#1 Bruce, what is your take away regarding all the criticism that 49ers quarterback Trey Lance had been receiving about his performance last Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.

#2 Which Giant team will show up, the Giants before last night who lost 10-2 on Monday night or the Giants of last night who got some hitting and used four pitchers to get a 7-0 shutout of the Tampa Bay Rays.

#3 Bruce what do you make of the possibilities of the Baltimore Orioles relocating. It sounds preposterous but Orioles managing partner John Angelos said recently that the Orioles would never leave Baltimore but Orioles are looking for prime downtown property and although they would get $600 million for Camden Yards improvements Angelos whose wife owns a music entertainment company in Nashville makes the idea of moving all the more interesting.

#4 Bruce the Pac 12 reportedly will incur 11 teams from the ACC. It was first mentioned the four remaining Pac 12 teams Cal, Stanford, Washington State, and Oregon State would join the ACC but that has been reversed with the ACC planning to not charge 11 schools exit fees and move to the Pac 12.

Join Bruce Magowan for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Is Lance truly a bust?; Niners host Broncos Saturday night

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) drops backs to pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP News photo)

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor:

#1 David, the 49ers despite their loss to the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday at Allegiant Stadium came away with very few injuries.

#2 Still questions about quarterback Trey Lance’s role and will he remain a 49er or will he have the third or second string role going into the regular season. He was sacked four times in his first three possessions and is he a bust?

#3 The 49ers host the Denver Broncos this Sat Aug 19th at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara tell us what are some of the things that head coach Kyle Shanahan will be looking for this weekend.

Join David for the 49ers podcasts Wednesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants find their offensive strength in late innings for 7-0 shutout of Rays

San Francisco Giants’ Wade Meckler hits a single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Aug 15, 2023 (AP News photo)

Tampa Bay (72-50). 000 000 000 – 0. 3. 2

San Francisco (64-56). 000 003 22x.- 7 9 1

Time: 2:15

Attendance: 26,322

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants this evening once more used an opener to get them through the early going of the second of this three game transcontinental battle of the bays. The task fell to John Junis, who was 3-3, 4.36 when the day started although he’d allowed only three earned runs in his previous 13-1/3 innings.

Junis pitched four shutout innings in San Francisco’s overwhelming 7-0 triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays tonight. In that stint, Judis faced 16 batters and allowed two hits and one base on balls while striking out seven. This performance brought his ERA more than a quarter of a run to 4.10.

Zack Littell, who started for the visitors, has been both a Giant and an opener. He went 5-2, 4.68 for San Francisco in 2021-22. Although this was his seventh start and 20th appearance of the season, it was only his fifth traditional start of the year.

Littell had walked just one batter in his last 33 innings of work. He relies on a mix of fast balls and about, throwing one or another of them about 72% of the time. Tuesday night, in his first appearance against his old team, Littell pitched an excellent game until he didn’t.

Littell lasted 5-2/3 innings and gave up two runs, both earned although the second was posthumous, on three hits, one of them a homer. He struck out five and didn’t walk anyone. He threw 59 pitches, 52 for strikes and was tagged with the loss, ending the night with a record of 2-4, 3.99.

With the game still a scoreless tie after four innings of play, Sean Manaea entered the fray. He pitched brilliantly, yielding only one hit and two walks over 3-1/3 innings to earn his fourth win against three defeats and lower his earned run average to 4.89. He was relieved by Tyler, the right handed Rogers twin, with one out in the eighth.

Thairo Estrada broke that tie with his one out line drive home run into the left field bleachers, over the SF Nothing Like It sign in the bottom of the sixth.. The blast was the Giants’ second sacker’s tenth round tripper of the year and travelled 374 feet.

The crowd had more to cheer about two batters later when Wade Meckler got his first major league hit, a single to center. that drove Littell from the mound. The rookie got his second safety lone inning later, beating the throw on a grounder to second.

But that wasn’t all. Wilmer Flores took Kevin Kelly, Littell’s replacement, deep on the first pitch he threw. It was almost a replica of Estrada’s four bagger, landing in the left field bleachers 373 feet from home. Just like that, the orange and black were ahead, 3-0.

They continued their attack in the seventh, loading the bases with none out on a single by Conforto, a walk to Bailey, and an error by the Rays’ first baseman, Yandy Díaz, on Blake Sabol’s grounder. Then the attack stalled But that didn’t stop the Giants from scoring twice more.

Crawford went down swinging. Estrada forced Conforto out at home on a grounder to third for the second out. Then Tampa Bay’s catcher, René Pinto, tried to pick Bailey off at third and threw the ball into left field, allowing Bailey and Héctor Ramos, pinch running for Sabol, to cross the plate. The seventh ended with San Francisco enjoying a 5-0 lead.

Erasmo Ramírez pitched the bottom of the eighth for Tampa Bay. He gave up Mecker’s second hit. Flores was retired on a soft liner to short. Meckler was forced out at second by Pederson. Then Conforto doubled to left, bringing Peterson home on a call that was reviewed and upheld. Ramos followed by a single to center that brought Conforto home for the Giants’ seventh tally.

Luke Jackson mopped things up in the top of the ninth. He struck out all three batters he faced.

Gabe Kapler was ejected by home plate umpire Chad Whitson in the top of the fourth for arguing balls and strikes. It was the second time this season that the skipper had received the heave-ho.

The rubber game of this three game series will starts Wednesday, afternoon at 12:45. The Rays expect to send righty Aaron Civale (5-3, 2.61) to the mound. The Giants haven’t yet announced their intentions.

Liberty Continues Las Vegas Domination 82-63

Image from Las Vegas Aces Twitter

Liberty Continues Las Vegas Domination 82-63

By Barbara Mason

Nine days ago the New York Liberty (24-6) put the hurt on the Las Vegas Aces (27-3) 99-61. Tonight the Aces played the Liberty in Las Vegas in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup and dropped another game to New York by 19 points at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas 82-63 on Tuesday night. The Aces loose their second straight game to the Liberty after the beating they took at the hands of New York on Sun Aug 6th.

Tuesday game recap: Neither team scored in the opening 3 1/2 minutes. It was a low scoring quarter for both teams. The Liberty led by as much as 9 points and after the first quarter New York had a 17-11 lead.

The Liberty had a great game plan in their last meeting and the question would be, can they repeat. They did keep the highest scoring team in the WNBA to a mere 11 points in the opening quarter of this game.

The Aces had an 11-0 run to end the second quarter. In their last meeting Las Vegas trailed the Liberty 49-44 at the half. The halftime score in this game was in favor of the Aces 34-32. They won the second quarter 23-15 turning the tables on New York. We knew this was a rivalry and it would be a dog fight to the end.

The Liberty won the third quarter 24-14 and the Aces were in trouble falling further and further behind. They trailed after three quarters 56-48.

With each possession in the fourth quarter, Las Vegas continued to struggle and the Liberty had taken a 72-57 lead with under five minutes left in the game. With three minutes left in the game, A’Ja Wilson had not scored a single point in the final quarter. Once again, New York came into the evening with a great game plan especially in the second half putting this game away.

The Liberty put the stops on A’Ja Wilson who only scored nine points in the game. The Aces only shot 33% from the floor and 19% from beyond the arc. The Liberty had 49 rebounds to the Aces 28. Las Vegas will have some work to do figuring out New York going forward. With the season winding down the Aces have some serious work to do.

Thursday night the Aces will face the Liberty again in Las Vegas looking to figure out New York. In the past two games against New York, it was the Liberty that controlled the flow of the game The Aces will really need to win this next game Thursday night not only for their season record but for the all- important mental aspect of the game.

Cardinals beat A’s again 6-2 to extend A’s losing streak to five games

Oakland Athletics’ Lawrence Butler celebrates as he arrives home after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning against the St Louis Cardinals on Tue Aug 15, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s continued their losing ways as they lost for the fifth consecutive game in St. Louis. The A’s gave the start to 30-year-old Spenser Watkins. Watkins was pitching for his third team this year. Watkins started the season with the Baltimore Orioles.

The Orioles traded him to the Houston Astron on June twenty-third. Watkins’ stay with the Astros was short. The Astros designated him for assignment on August eighth, and the ‘s signed him a few days later. Watkins was filling in for Freddy Tarnok, who went on the IL a few days ago.

Unfortunately for Watkins, the Cardinals’ first three hitters put three runs on the board before Watkins retired a single Cardinal hitter. Watkins pitched better, but the A’s offense failed to support him. The Cardinals went on to beat the A’s 6-2.

The Cardinals’ leadoff hitter Lars Nootbar doubled to get things rolling for the Cardinals. The Redbirds’ big first baseman Paul Goldschmidt doubled to drive in Nootbar with the game’s first run. Third baseman Nolan Arenado sent a Watkins’ changeup into the left-field seats to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

It was Arenado’s 25th home run of the season and the 324th of his storied career. Watkins retired the next two hitters. Rookie sensation Jordan Walker, the hero of Tuesday night’s game, blasted his 11th big fly of the 2023 campaign over the fence in right field. The Cardinals led 4-0 after one inning.

The Cardinals tacked on another run in the fourth. Watkins walked Jordan Walker leading off the inning. The Cardinals’ catcher Andrew Knizner, filling in for the injured Willson Conteras, doubled to left field. Walker scored to give St. Louis a 5-0 advantage.

The A’s plated two runs in the top of the seventh. The Cardinals’ starter Dakota Hudson had allowed the A’s just three hits in the game’s first six innings. With one out in the seventh, A’s catcher Tyler Soderstrom singled. Rookie centerfielder Lawrence Butler blasted his first Major League home run to make it a bit closer as they trailed the Cardinals 5-2 midway through the seventh. 

The Cardinals scored the game’s final run in the bottom of the eighth. Cardinal shortstop Tommy Edman homered to put the CArdinals in the driver’s seat. The A’s failed to score in the ninth. St. Louis wins 6-2.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 33-87. The Cardinals improved to 54-66.

The line score for Oakland was two runs, six hits, and no errors. The line for St. Louis was six runs, 14 hits, and no errors.

Dakota Hudson was the winning pitcher. Spenser Watkins was the losing hurler.

The hitting stars for the Cardinals were Nolan Arenado, with a home run and three singles. Paul Goldschmidt had two doubles, and Andrew Knizner had a single and a double.

Lawrence Butler’s first Major League home run was the big hit for the A’s. 

The A’s end the six-game road trip Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis. The A’s Paul Blackburn (2-3 ERA 4.52) will be on the hill looking for his third win of the year. The Cardinals will send lefty Matthew Liberatore out to pitch. Liberatore is 2-4 and has an ERA of 5.72.

The game will start at 3:45 pm.

MLB The Show podcast with Augie Messenburg: Umpire loses racial discrimination case; Broadcaster is bat boy for a night for losing fantasy football; plus more

Umpire Ángel Hernández during the first inning of a baseball game between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Hernández lost again in his race discrimination lawsuit against Major League Baseball when a federal appeals court refused to reinstate his case on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. (AP News photo)

On the MLB The Show podcast with Auggie:

#1 Auggie, umpire Angel Hernandez lost a racial discrimination case against MLB accusing baseball of passing over him for a crew chief job and MLB passed over him for a World Series assignment. MLB said that Hernandez miss 15 calls last Saturday between the Miami Marlins and Seattle Mariners which might be their reasoning for keeping him off some of the assignments he’s been asking for.

#2 San Francisco Giants bat boy at least for a night and broadcaster Dave Flemming filled in picking up the lumber, shin and elbow guards, helmets and batting gloves on the field. Flemming was given the punishment of being bat boy on Monday night for losing the fantasy football league last season.

#3 The Tampa Bay Rays roster as of Tuesday night did not list Franco Wander anywhere on the roster sheet or the restricted list, Franco was accused of being in social media relationship with a 14 year old girl who allegedly was not given hush money and reported the relationship. Wander had addressed his teammates this week saying he is not in a relationship and that the accusations are not true and is one the restriction list until this current road trip is over.

#4 The Oakland A’s sent outfielder JJ Bleday to the ten day IL and pitcher Angel Felipe is on the 15 day IL. Bleday sprained his left knee. Bleday is hitting .203, 10 home runs, and 27 RBIs and Felipe is suffering elbow sprain going 1-1 with an 4.20 ERA. The A’s got swept in Washington and are trying to pick up at least one win in St Louis. The series ends on Wednesday afternoon.

#5 Auggie didn’t get to catch up to you and ask you about the Milwaukee are requesting funds from the state of Wisconsin for improvements at American Family Park. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers proposed $290 billion as a package that the Brewers would sign as an extension through 2043. The Baltimore Orioles and the NFL Baltimore Ravens are to receive $600 million each for bond authorization for stadium improvements. The Orioles have said they would consider moving out of Baltimore if they don’t get money for stadium improvements.

Join Auggie for MLB The Show podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Could Orioles and Brewers relocate over lack of funding upgrades?

A general aerial view of Oriole Park at Camden Yards is seen, June 27, 2020, in Baltimore. A Maryland official on a powerful state board says there’s “too much foot-dragging” between the Maryland Stadium Authority and the Baltimore Orioles to renew the team’s lease at Camden Yards. Treasurer Dereck Davis, who is one of three members of the Maryland Board of Public Works, expressed his concerns at the end of a board meeting Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, the Baltimore Orioles are in first place, have the best ballpark in Major League Baseball and are getting a $600 million commitment from the state of Maryland and Orioles owner John Angelos is not satisfied. He wants deal similar to what the Atlanta Braves got in Cobb County stadium improvements (in the case of the Orioles) Braves had their stadium paid by the county also the Orioles want prime downtown real estate in Baltimore.

#2 Camden Yards was built in 1992 and is the tenth oldest park in MLB and it has so many nuances with it’s wide concourses, lots of food varieties, it’s throw back look and rated as one of the best parks in the majors. It’s hard to imagine that anything needs to be added to improve Camden yet the Orioles want improvements and if they don’t get it they could ask to relocate.

#3 The Milwaukee Brewers were ordered by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to do stadium improvements on American Family Park and the state of Wisconsin is offering up $290 million towards those improvement as approved by Governor Tony Evers.

#4 The Brewers have also threatened to move out of Milwaukee if they don’t get financed for improvements for their ballparks. If the Brewers don’t get funded to their satisfaction it would take years to prepare their move.

#5 To name some of the cities that would like to have MLB and welcome the Brewers and Orioles two that come to mind Charlotte and Nashville. It would be ashamed if Baltimore and Milwaukee would lose their teams due to relocation. Also chances are they would not have to pay a relocation fee.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Stephen Ruderman: Giants just couldn’t stop Rays on Monday night

San Francisco Giants pitcher Luke Jackson gives up a home run to Tampa Bay Rays hitter Luke Bethancourt in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Mon Aug 14, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Stephen:

#1 The Tampa Bay Devil Rays got lots of support on Monday night from their starting pitching Tyler Glasnow was in command of the San Francisco Giants line up pitching six innings, three hits, one earned run, three walks, and seven strikeouts as the Rays landslide the Giants 10-2.

#2 Glasnow had come back from back from back spasms and threw 98 MPH and broke the webbing of catcher Christian Bethancourt’s glove.

#3 Bethancourt got a homer and a single to score a run and Glasnow chalked up his fourth straight win the Rays are 72-49 and one of the dominating teams in the American League they trail the first place Baltimore Orioles by three games in the AL East.

#4 Giants reliever Tristan Beck got the worst end of it from the Tampa Bay hitters giving up ten hits, five runs and two strikeouts. Giving up the most runs for the Giants.

#5 The Rays and Giants go at it again at Oracle Park on Tuesday night going for the Rays Mack Littell (2-3 ERA 4.10) and the Giants have . First pitch at Oracle 6:45pm PT.

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