Tag: Sports Radio Service

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: Koenig shows improvement pitches 5 plus innings of shutout ball against KC

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Oakland A’s starter Jared Koenig fires against the Kansas City Royals line up in first inning action at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun Jun 19, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Barbara:

#1 Oakland A’s starter Jared Koenig and three relievers shutout the visiting Kansas City Royals 4-0 at the Oakland Coliseum to avoid a sweep.

#2 The three hit shutout was Koenig’s first Major League win of his career after having two rocky starts. Koenig pitched 5.2 innings, two hits, four walks and no strike outs.

#3 On Father’s day Koenig’s father Greg watched his son pitch to his first MLB victory and what made it sweeter Koenig who grew up 75 miles south of the Coliseum.

#4 The A’s bats were alive for Sunday’s game against the Royals, Seth Brown had three hits and a home run. A’s catcher Sean Murphy hit a home run in the cause.

#5 The A’s will take Monday off as they prepare to host the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night at 6:40 pm PDT starting for Seattle Marco Gonzalez (3-7, 3.41) and for Oakland James Kaprielian (0-4, 6.31) at the Oakland Colisuem.

Join Barbara for the A’s podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The winds of change no more shift

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The extreme shift by the Los Angeles Dodgers (CBS photo file)

The Winds of Change: No More Shift?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The Major League Baseball laboratories are not in Transylvania, but in Pennsylvania and other States where minor league teams are currently playing. Looks like beginning in 2023, teams no longer will be allowed the now famous shift. No longer will a team be allowed to have more than two infielders on one side of second base. All the reports from these “laboratories” where they are experimenting create the incentive of hitters to put the ball in play.

1.The Shift: Calling games live in major league baseball I have seen it with my own eyes, how many “ground balls” that used to be hits are easy outs because of the shift. If you wonder does this contributes to lower batting averages? Legendary baseball author, statistician, writer Bill James who has written more two dozen books said the shift erased 22 per cent more hits than it gave away last season (2021), According to James, the shift took away over 4,800 hits that otherwise would have gotten through the infield for at least a single. And it turned out into hit on fewer than 4,000 occasions. So far this MLB season the combined average for hitters in both leagues in around .230. When the Boston Red Sox visited Oakland a couple of weeks ago, Alex Cora’s team had an American League high .260 combined average.

  1. Pitch Clock: It is also on a trial run in the minor leagues. I do not believe in clocks in baseball. One of the best things in baseball is that it is timeless, literally. We are told what time the first pitch is to take place, but I have never found one expert that can predict exactly at what time the last pitch will take place. In the minor leagues reports are showing that the average game is around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Now, I love the game of baseball and have been involved in it for over 45 years, but I also like to go home, we all do, unless you like to live in the park. But, seriously, baseball should not have a clock as a governor; it is not football, basketball or soccer/fútbol. It is an idiosyncratic game where people pay to go and enjoy relax, watch, see strategy and just pass the time with friends and family. Baseball was designed for the fans. They are the ones that pay to see the games. It was not designed for the media. But, (like many things in our lives) it has to do with money=dinero. Games that are short fit perfectly in many radio and television formats. Through the years I have spoken with many radio executives and most of them complain that the games go way too long and that prevents them from selling other programs. Television, which generate the most revenues could be much different, they are not that affected. And social media is the thing today, they are always inventing something new from twitter (where everybody is an expert) to Facebook where everybody is a photographer to those who multi-task until they go to sleep at night.
  2. Appealing Balls and Strikes: According to Baseball America: During this 2022 season, during certain Low-A Southeast games, the home plate umpire will call balls and strikes, but both teams will get three chances to appeal to the automated ball-strike system if they believe the umpire missed the call. The new appeal system is the most significant of the experimental rules changes that are being adopted around the minors in 2022. Is that also coming to the major leagues?

How will baseball look 20 years from today? If you have any futuristic ideas, please let me know you could be the next Commissioner.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s heard on flagship station Le Grande 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Ace squeak past Lynx in a marathon 96-95

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Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) is all smiles as the Aces get a one point win over the Minnesota Lynx on Sun Jun 19, 2022 (@LVAces photo)

Aces Squeak Past Lynx In a Marathon 96-95.

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the Las Vegas Aces (13-2) took on the Minnesota Lynx (3-13) at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The Lynx have been struggling and on the opposite end of the spectrum the Aces have been playing lights out basketball led by Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson. The Aces continued their winning ways picking up their 13th win against the Lynx 96-95.

A real offensive and defensive battle between the two teams resulted in a tie after the first quarter of play. The two teams were knotted at 22. Moriah Jefferson led the Lynx with seven points and Chelsea Gray led the Aces with 6 points.

The Lynx outscored the Aces in the second quarter 28-17 and led at the half 50-39. It was a stunning first half for Las Vegas struggling against Minnesota. They were having a tough time offensively in this game.

Las Vegas turned this game around in the third quarter tying it up at 56 with 2:37 left in the quarter. With 54.0 ticks left in the quarter the tie persisted at 69. As the quarter came to an end the Lynx had taken a slim lead 74-73.

Minnesota refused to back off and continued to lead the Aces by the slimmest of margins in this roller coaster of a game. It wasn’t until the final three minutes of the game that Las Vegas locked in the win. The Aces fought through this game from the tipoff. The final was 96-95.

A’Ja Wilson finished with 25 points and Kelsey Plum turned in 21 points in this marathon.

The Aces will be taking on the Sky Tuesday night with tipoff 7:00 PM.

Three Suwinski Home Runs Beat Giants 4-3

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Three Suwinski Home Runs Beat Giants 4-3

The Pittsburgh Pirates Jack Suwinski hits his third home run of the day in the bottom of the ninth a walk off to defeat the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park on Sun Jun 19, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Sunday afternoon the San Francisco Giants (37-28) took on the Pittsburg Pirates (26-39) in the final game of their three-game series looking for a sweep. The Giants won a close game Saturday 7-5 turning in ten hits. They were looking for another big offensive day in Sunday’s game but the Pirates got enough pitching and hitting to edge the Giants 4-3 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

The Giants got a nice start in the first inning scoring two runs and taking the early 2-0 lead. Joc Pederson hit a single that drove Luis Gonzalez and Mike Yastrzemski home.

The Pirates got up on the board in the third and fourth innings with solo home runs. Hoy Park hit one to right in the third inning and Jack Suwinski had another in the fourth inning to knot the game 2-2.

Pittsburg would break the tie in the sixth inning when Suwinski hit his second solo home run of the game to give the Pirates the lead 3-2.

San Francisco would tie up the game in the ninth inning off a Thairo Estrada solo home run. Going into the bottom of the inning the score was 3-3. It was a monster day for Pittsburg’s Suwinski hitting his third homer of the day and giving the Pirates the walk off 4-3 and avoiding the sweep.

Monday evening the Giants start a four game series with the Atlanta Braves in Cobb County. Logan Webb (6-2, 3.43 ERA) will be on the mound in game one for San Francisco. The Braves will start Max Fried (7-2, 2.90 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 4:20.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s can’t get it together drop two straight against Royals; A’s need a win Sunday to avoid sweep

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Oakland A’s left fielder Seth Brown literally leaves it all on the field and can’t catch the Kansas City Royals Michael A Taylor’s drive which turned into a triple in the top of the seventh inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Jun 18, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Kansas City Royals starter Brad Keller who had not won in two months came out Saturday against the Oakland A’s pitching no hit ball through six inning and was lifted in the seventh and was the winning pitcher in a 2-0 pitcher duel at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 A’s starter Cole Irvin pitched 6.1 innings, giving up just three hits and an earned run it would have been good enough to win if the A’s just got some hitting.

#3 In relief for the Royals Jose Cuas got two batters out and gave up a double in the bottom of the eighth inning. Then Royal reliever Scott Barlow followed up facing four hitters and setting them down and the Royals came away with a two hit shutout.

#4 The win was Keller’s first win since May 3 and he kept the A’s line up off balance all game long retiring 17 of his first 18 batters and he looked like he might have a shot at no hitter going into the seven inning.

#5 The A’s have one more chance at the Royals and to avoid a sweep. The Royals will start right hander Brady Singer (3-1, 4.24) and for the A’s left hander Jared Koenig (0-2, 11.25) a 1:07 pm PDT first pitch at the Coliseum.

Join Charlie O every other Sunday for the A’s podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Real Salt Lake shut out Earthquakes 2-0

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Real Salt Lake played their toughest defense yet shutting out the visiting San Jose Earthquakes at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy Utah in MLS action on Sat Jun 18, 2022 (photo from @SJEarthquakes)

by Marko Ukalovic

SANDY, Utah — Jefferson Savarino was a one man wrecking crew.

Savarino tallied a goal and an assist in leading Real Salt Lake to a 2-0 shutout victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Real Salt Lake has won four of its past five matches. San Jose has lost two of its past three matches.

RSL (8-4-4) drew first blood in the 22nd minute off a set piece. Savarino sent in a corner kick into the middle of the box where Mareclo Silva beat Quakes goalkeeper with a right footed shot for his third goal of the season.

San Jose (3-7-6) played on the back of their heels for the majority of the first half and did not generate a shot on target in the first 45 minutes.

Marcinkowski kept the Quakes in the game with back to back point blank saves in the 48th minute.

Rubio Rubin’s header off a cross by Savarino was knocked away by Marcinkowski. Immediately after, Sergio Cordova’s shot attempt was gobbled up by Marcinkowski.

RSL put the game away in the 81st minute thanks to a turnover by Jackson Yueill. His header went back into the box where Savarino one touched it up in the air before buying a shot past Marcinkowski for his second goal of the season.

The Quakes best chance to score came in the 89th minute when Nathan’s header hit off the crossbar from a corner kick.

RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath only needed to make one save to earn the clean sheet. Marcinkowski finished with four saves on six shots on target in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished the match with three corners kicks. Real Salt Lake had 10.

San Jose is 14-13-11 all time against RSL, including 5-7-7 on the road.

The Quakes were without Cade Cowell and Nico Tsakiris who were both playing for the USMNT U-20 squad. Each scored a goal in USA’s 10-0 win over Saint Kitts and Nevis.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday 6/25 at 7:00pm at Stanford Stadium in the first installment of the California Classico.

NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Len Shapiro: Aves jump all over Lightning from first period till end of game 7-0

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Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) looks up after a fight during the third period in Game 2 against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver on Sat Jun 18, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Len:

#1 Len how do the Tampa Bay Lightning a two time World Champ explain what happened to them in game 2 of the Finals getting blown out 7-0 the Colorado Avalanche just dominated in the first period scoring three unanswered goals.

#2 How embarrassing is this for the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy who faced 30 shots and allowed seven goals?

#3 After getting defeated in game 1 4-3 in overtime in Colorado do you find that the Lightning were intimidated by the Aves or did the Aves just catch the Lightning on an off game and really took it to them?

#4 It pretty much looked like a game where the Aves had their way with the Lightning, great skating, great passing, the Aves Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin both made work of the Lightning scoring two goals a piece in the effort.

#5 Game 3 goes back to Tampa Bay for Monday night and Wednesday nights for games 3 and 4. Could the Lightning right the ship and get in the win column on home ice and how grateful are the Bolts that they don’t have to play this whole series in Denver?

Join Len for the NHL Finals podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Clutch hitting and pitching lead Royals past A’s 2-0

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Kansas City Royals’ Brad Keller pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Jun 17, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Saturday, June 18, 2022

Timely RBIs by Ryan O’Hearn and Whit Merrifield provided all the offense the Kansas City Royals (23-41) would need Saturday to compliment a quality pitching performance at the Coliseum, as the Royals blanked the Oakland A’s (22-45) 2-0.

The win was the third in a row for Kansas City before an announced crowd of 10,936, who saw the A’s lose their eighth straight home game. It was also the Royals’ third straight road win.

It was a tough loss for Cole Irvin (2-4), who threw 6 1/3 strong innings. Irvin surrendered one run on three hits, walked two and struck out six.

The Athletics’ bullpen – Domingo Acevedo, Zach Jackson, A.J. Puk and Dany Jimenez – combined for six strikeouts, two walks, and gave up one run on four hits over the remaining 2 2/3 innings.

Brad Keller (2-8), Jose Cuas and Scott Barlow combined for a two-hit shutout. Keller struck out six, walked three and retired the first 17 batters he faced until giving up a two-out double to Jonah Bride in the bottom of the sixth. It was Keller’s first win since May 3.

Barlow struck out one in a scoreless 1 1/3-inning effort to earn his eighth save.

With one out in the Kansas City seventh, Michael A. Taylor tripled to left center and scored with when Acevedo surrendered a double to O’Hearn, who was pinch-hitting for Emmanuel Rivera.
Going into Saturday’s game, O’Hearn was hitting .546 with a home run and three runs batted in as a pinch-hitter this season.

The Royals made it 2-0 in the ninth when Kyle Isbel was hit by a Puk pitch, was sacrificed to second and scored on Merrifield’s base hit to left-center.

Luis Barrera had the only other Oakland hit, his fifth double of the season.

The Royals will go for the sweep on Sunday, with Brady Singer (3-1, 4.24) on the mound, facing Oakland’s Jared Koenig (0-2, 11.25). Game time is 1:07 p.m.

Giants win second game in series over Pirates 7-5

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San Francisco Giants’ Austin Slater, right, celebrates with Wilmer Flores (41) after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jose Quintana during the fifth inning at PNC Park Pittsburgh on Sat Jun 18, 2022 (AP News photo)

Giants Win Second Game In Series Over Pirates 7-5

By Barbara Mason

Saturday afternoon the San Francisco Giants (37-27) took on the Pittsburg Pirates (25-39) in game two of their series. Friday the Giants got the win 2-0 to open the three game series. The Giants continued winning 7-5 on Saturday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Wilmer Flores got the Giants going in the first inning with a home run to left for the early lead 1-0. The Pirates would answer with a Diego Castillo sacrifice that would drive Ke’Bryan Hayes home to tie up the game 1-1.

In the third inning Darin Ruf singled driving in Curt Casali for a short-lived lead 2-1. The Pirates scored four runs off a Diego Castillo home run driving in Hayes and Michael Chavis taking back the lead 4-2.

The Giants scored in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Austin Slater hit a solo home run in the fifth inning narrowing the Pirate lead to 4-3. Brandon Crawford singled in the sixth inning driving in Thairo Estrada tying up the game 4-4. San Francisco was not finished. Joc Pederson scored when Mike Yastrzemski hit a sacrifice fly giving San Francisco back the lead 5-4.

The Giants would get an insurance run in the seventh inning. Luis Gonzalez doubled driving in Joc Pederson for a 6-4 lead.

A solo home run in the eighth inning from Daniel Vogelbach cut the Giants lead to 6-5. The Pirates had a great opportunity in the inning when they loaded the bases with two outs but were unable to cash in and it was on to the ninth inning.

The Giants would put another insurance run up on the board that would solidify the win and with their second win guaranteed taking this series.

San Francisco will finish this series tomorrow with a 10:35 start. Alex Cobb will start for the Giants and Mitch Keller will take the mound for the Pirates.

NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Matt Harrington: Lightning and Avalanche face off tonight in game 2

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The Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) takes a leap over the Colorado Avalanche forward Erik Johnson (6) during second period action in game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals at Ball Arena in Denver on Wed Jun 15, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the NHL Stanley Cup Finals podcast with Matt:

#1 The Colorado Avalanche are a team that never says die. They swept the Edmonton Oilers in the third round the playoffs and advanced to Finals and took the first game of the Finals in overtime 4-3 to take a 1-0 lead over the visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning.

#2 The Avalanche came right out and lived by their namesake scoring three goals in the first period to take a 3-0 lead.

#3 Never count the Lightning out of it they scored a goal in the first period and two in the second period to tie up the game 3-3.

#4 The Aves Andre Burakovsky scored the tie breaker in the overtime stanza at 1:23 for the 4-3 win. Colorado is a team that you can never turn your back on.

#5 Same clubs meet Saturday for game 2 at Ball Arena in Denver. Tell us how you see the goaltenders in this contest for the Lightning Andrei Vasilevskiy matched up against the Avalanche’s Darcy Kuemper.

Join Matt for analysis on the NHL Finals podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com