Tag: Tampa Bay Rays

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: Coyotes quick exit out of Arizona; Kings will be remembered for taking out Warriors; plus more news

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The Delta Center in Salt Lake City Utah which will be the home of the NHL Utah team for the 2024-25 season (AP News photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Short notice came from the NHL and the Arizona Coyotes when they had announced during the last week of the season that they were moving from the Mullet Center at ASU in Tempe to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City in Utah.

#2 The Sacramento Kings will be remembered for their win over the Golden State Warriors in the play in game. The Kings took down one of the most experienced teams in the NBA and were underdogs going into that game.

#3 The Kings as everyone knows were eliminated on Friday night by the New Orleans Pelicans. The Kings went into that play in game 0-5 against the Pelicans and the odds were not in the Kings favor. Talk about the mismatch between these two teams.

#4 New York Yankees radio voice John Sterling is hanging up the mic after 36 years as the Yankees voice and after a 64 year career. Sterling was honored before Friday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium with his family and a long list of Yankee greats. Sterling 85 years old first worked Yankee games since 1989. Sterling got a jersey with the number 5631 which represents the games he had called.

#5 The Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jordan Montgomery had a good first outing with the Diamondbacks pitching six innings, four hits, one earned run, three strikeouts in the Diamondbacks crushing of the San Francisco Giants 17-1 last Friday night. The Diamondbacks in that first game from Jordan got what they expected from him.

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

Giants’ bats come to life for Logan Webb in much-needed win over Rays 11-2 at Tropicana

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San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb delivers a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the bottom of the first inning at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg FL on Sat Apr 13, 2024 (AP News photo)

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Tropicana Field

St. Petersburg, Florida

San Francisco Giants 11 (6-9)

Tampa Bay Rays 2 (8-7)

Win: Logan Webb (1-1)

Loss: Ryan Pepiot (1-2)

Time: 2:27

Attendance: 17,411

By Stephen Ruderman

The Giants’ offense came to life to give their ace, Logan Webb, some rare run support, and to give the Giants themselves a much-needed win, as they hammered the Tampa Bay Rays 11-2 in St. Pete.

Following a tough 2-1 loss at the Trop last night, in which the offense went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base, the Giants sent their ace, Logan Webb, who has severely suffered from a lack of a run support to the mound. Webb would be matched against the right-hander Ryan Pepiot

LaMonte Wade Jr. singled with one out in the top of the first, and after Jorge Soler struck out, Michael Conforto lined a double down the right field line to score Wade. Webb threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, as he set down the first five men he faced.

The Rays got to Webb for a run in the bottom of the third when Jose Siri scored on a double play ball off the bat of Yandy Diaz. The Giants struck back with two outs in the top of the fourth when Thairo Estrada hit a long home run to left to put San Francisco back ahead.

Webb pitched a scoreless bottom of the fourth, and Pepiot set down the first two men he faced in the top of the fifth. However, Jung-hoo Lee lined a double to right, and Wade hit a home run to right-center to make it 4-1. Like the fourth, Pepiot retired the first two batters, and the Giants worked some two-out magic.

Webb pitched a 1-2-3 shutdown bottom of the fifth, and Rays Manager Kevin Cash brought in Chris Devenski for the sixth. Devenski walked the bases loaded to start the inning, and Mike Yastrzemski, who has been off to a brutally-slow start at the plate, singled on a ground ball to right to score a pair and pad the Giants’ lead at 6-1. Patrick Bailey hit an opposite-field ground-rule double down the left field line to knock in a run and make it 7-1.

The Giants’ offense had finally come to life, but they were not done yet. Jorge Soler hit an absolute bomb just to the left of straightaway center with one out in the top of the seventh, and Thairo Estrada hit a two-run shot to left with two away for his second home run of the game.

Webb pitched through a single and a walk in the bottom of the seventh, and that would be it for the Giants’ ace. Webb gave up six hits over seven innings, and while he didn’t have his greatest outing, he was able to wiggle his way out of trouble. Most importantly, he had some real run support today.

“[We got] a good solid seven innings out of him,” said Manager Bob Melvin.

With the Giants up 10-1 and the game a blowout, Cash opted to have his starting catcher, Ben Rortvedt, pitch the top of the eighth. The Giants loaded the bases off Rortvedt with a double by Bailey and a pair of walks, but Rortvedt escaped the inning unscathed. It wasn’t a 1-2-3 inning,k but it certainly wasn’t the worst-pitched inning for a catcher.

Nick Avila came in for the Giants in the bottom of the eighth and surrendered a run. Rortvedt stayed out for Tampa in the top of the ninth, and Matt Chapman led off the inning with a home run to left to make it 11-2. Erik Miller came in and pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to close it out.

The Giants’ offense clicked on all cylinders, as Wade, Chapman and Bailey all had two hits. Thairo Estrada led the way with a 3-for-4 day with a pair of home runs.

“I didn’t make many adjustments,” said Estrada, through interpreter Giants Spanish Play-by-Play Announcer Erwin Higueros. “I just kept my same adjustment, which is just looking for a good pitch to drive.”

Believe it or not, the Giants hit five home runs today after not hitting a single home run in their prior seven games. Their last home run came off the bat of Patrick Bailey at Dodger Stadium 10 days ago on April 3.

“Certainly the homers help[ed],” said Melvin, who said this was a win the Giants needed. “Scoring first in the first inning, that was big for us too. Then to be able to add on, especially in the middle innings, guys on base, got some big hits, hit some home runs. So it’s a much better feeling today for sure.”

“The conversation was all about going game-by-game, at-bat-[by]-at-bat, see your pitch,” said Estrada. “The season is just starting, we have 162 games and we knew we were going to get out of this bad slump.”

Not only did Logan Webb finally get some run support, but he also finally got his first win of the year. Ryan Pepiot took the loss for Tampa.

“We’re happy with the win,” said Estrada. “I mean, especially the way the offense worked, Webb did a great job. Seems like everything worked for us today.”

The Giants improve to 6-9, and they will try and take the series with a win tomorrow morning. Blake Snell will return to where his major league career started for the first time since his trade from the Rays to the Tampa Bay Rays following the 2020 Season. First pitch will be at 1:40 p.m. in St. Pete, and 10:40 a.m., a morning start, back home in San Francisco.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Tampa Bay Rays announce new Ballpark with 30,000 capacity

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The proposed Tropicana Field in St Petersburg the future home of the Tampa Bay Rays (renderings from the Tampa Bay Rays)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The Tampa Bay Rays announced the construction of their new ballpark in St. Petersburg. Their new park will have a capacity of 30,000. Inauguration and first pitch are scheduled for the 2028 season.

The Oakland Athletics in Las Vegas. Their new ballpark with capacity of 30,000 fans, scheduled inauguration also for the 2028 season.

The Kansas City Royals new stadium will have 34,500 seats with the city’s iconic fountains. Kansas City is known as the “City of Fountains” with hundreds of unique water sculptures all over the city.The Royals announced plans to leave Kauffman Stadium about two years ago.

But progress has been slow in deciding on a path forward, given the myriad factors involved in the proposed $2 billion-plus ballpark and entertainment district.

The Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred wanted the A’s and the Rays to finish their plans for their new ballparks before he “opens the doors” to other cities across the country looking for expansion teams.

So, why are the new ballparks smaller in capacity?

Why are the MLB stadiums getting smaller? It is not only baseball but professional sports teams have been changing course and building smaller facilities. The low attendance and new generations (millennials) viewing habits, the internet/social media, where sports now can be seen by millions even inside one of the most important gadgets we humans have today, the essential cell phone.

Baseball is a special case as MLB is a traditional game with great history. There was a time the only way to see a baseball game was in person, then radio was invented, then Television came around. Today we are in a totally different new world of communications.

In the years come franchises will be looking to build new stadiums and most of them are probably going to be similar, with an average of 30,000 capacity. However, all these park also have the potential to expand by a few more thousand seats. Did You Know? The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum the home of the Oakland A’s is the biggest MLB stadium by capacity with 56,782.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland Athletics Spanish radio network and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: O’s and Rays headed for post season; ex-Phils manager Manuel improving after stroke; plus more news

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Philadelphia Phillies hitting coach Charlie Manuel looks on prior to the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Aug. 14, 2019, in Philadelphia. The Phillies announced Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, that former manager Manuel has suffered a stroke. Manuel was undergoing a medical procedure in Florida when he was afflicted, the team revealed. Sun, Sep 17, 2023 doctors said 12 hours after the procedure Manuel was showing signs of improvement (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays both teams who have great seasons clinched for the AL playoffs after the Texas Rangers lost to the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday.

#2 Good news after the scary experience that ex-Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel 78, had a stroke while going through a medical procedure in Florida. Doctors were able to remove a blood clot from the 79 year old manager Sunday and reported that Manuel has shown improvement. While Manuel was manager for the Phillies he won five NL East titles between 2007-2011. Manuel was fired by the Phillies in 2013 after a 53-67 start of that season.

#3 Cuban born designated hitter and outfielder Jorge Soler of the Miami Marlins hit a home run upon his return from the 10 day IL. Soler had been placed in the IL due to a right oblique strain. Soler said he was feeling discomfort taking swings on Sep 5th but feels alright now going 2-3 with a home run on Sunday.

#4 Pitcher Corey Kluber will not pitch again for the rest of the season for the Boston Red Sox due to right shoulder inflammation. Kluber announced that he has ended his minor league rehab assignment and will not make his third rehab assignment at Triple A Worcester last Saturday. Kluber is a two time Cy Young Award winner.

#5 The New York Mets threw a huge bash for Bartolo Colin at Citi Park in Queens on Sunday. The Mets celebrated Colin’s home run he hit on May 7, 2006. It was Colin’s first home run off the San Diego Padres James Shields and Colin became the oldest player at age 42 years and 349 days to hit a home run. Colin pitched in the big leagues for 21 years. Colin also was a former pitcher for the Oakland A’s and made a big splash with fans and teammates during that time as well.

Amaury PI Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice for the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsadioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: MLB teams relocation threats are to get local tax money for improvements

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Camden Yards in Baltimore, John Angelos and family who own the Baltimore Orioles want improvements on the ballpark. They were offered $600 million from the state of Maryland and the Angelos wants more they want to build a downtown complex for hotels, retail, offices, and to own the land if not the team will relocate possibly to Nashville (AP file photo)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, there are now seven MLB clubs who are interested in relocating for various reasons how much of a role did A’s owner John Fisher play in opening the door to relocation in his case Las Vegas and now MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred can capitalize on mass taxpayer municipalities who will feel like hostages to try and keep their teams.

#2 All of sudden the idea of relocating might not be half a bad idea they could get expansion money out of it or best yet they can get state and local tax money to do the relocation and best yet baseball doesn’t have to worry about the relocation fees.

#3 Daniel, tell us about the teams who are interested in moving unless their local government comes up with tax payer money for stadium improvements or to pay for new stadiums are Tampa Bay, Arizona, Milwaukee, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore, Kansas City and the Los Angeles Angels.

#4 It was stated the national past time is not designed to be there for generations of fans, loyal fans, long time season ticket holders it’s there for the mean green almighty dollar and to serve the MLB owners including Fisher.

#5 At Howard Terminal where the A’s originally were going to try and move to before A’s team president David Kaval said the A’s had a binding agreement in Vegas. The A’s are suing longtime Howard Terminal tenant Schnitzer Steel for toxic waste. There is also an investigation into why Schnitzer has had fires at their plant between 2018-2020, there have been five fires involving hazardous materials at the plant. Schnitzer had a most recent fire last Wed Aug 16th.

Join Daniel for the A’s podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com Fridays

MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O: Ohtani a Sho in for 2023 MVP; Dodgers Gonsolin on 15 day IL; plus all the latest

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Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates with Nolan Schanuel (18) after hitting a grand slam during the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on Fri Aug 19, 2023 (AP News photo)

MLB The Show podcast with Charlie O:

#1 They’re already talking about who is going to be the AL MVP and it’s an easy guess once again the Los Angeles Angels MVP from 2022 and sure fire 2023 season two way player Shohei Ohtani.

#2 Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin has been placed on the 15 day IL and manager Dave Roberts told reporters before today’s game that Gonsolin will not pitch again for the rest of the season. Gonsolin got racked up by the Miami Marlins for five home runs on Friday and Roberts had but no choice to put him on the shelf.

#3 New York Mets Starling Marte who has been plagued by injuries all season, this season has felt bad coming off of surgery to repair of core muscle on both sides of his groin. Marte’s legs were bothering him and he looked slower on the field and looked slow going after simple fly balls. Marte also was complaining of migraines.

#4 The Mets first baseman Pete Alonso got some ink over throwing St Louis Cardinal rookie Masyn Wynn’s first big league hit ball into the stands. They had to promise that fan a song to get that ball back. Alfonso felt bad and apologized to Wynn but Wynn in essence said don’t worry about it I wasn’t paying attention to the ball either.

#5 The Los Angeles Angels are just have just having a tough time of it on Friday night they got a grand slam from Ohtani and a triple play and lost on Saturday as in the Tropical Storm doubleheader the Angels lost the front game to the Tampa Bay Rays 7-6 and lost the night cap in a laugher 18-4.

Join Charlie O for the MLB podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: No Baseball in the Southland due to Hurricane Hilary on Sunday

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Hurricane Hilary moving up the west coast from Baja California to the San Diego and Los Angeles areas is expected to be a Category 1 tropical storm that could pack wind speeds up to 60 MPH. The Padres, Dodgers, and Angels have moved their games to Saturday for day night doubleheaders. (Axios still photo of Hurricane Hilary)

On That”s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Major League Baseball has been encouraged to change it’s Sunday schedule a day ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Hilary which is expected to be a Category 1 tropical storm in the San Diego and Los Angeles areas. Hilary is expected to bring winds of 60 MPH. The forecast has forced the three teams in the Southland to move all games to Saturday.

#2 MLB has announced on Friday that the games between the Arizona at San Diego, Tampa Bay at Los Angeles Angels, and Miami at Los Angeles Dodgers all will be played as double headers on Saturday. Forecasters have said that this hurricane could rival nothing California has ever seen before with winds, rain and gusts that could do severe damage to the Southland.

#3 Amaury, the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins know all about hurricanes what all the teams plan to do after Saturday night’s game will they hunker down in a solid building structure in downtown LA or downtown San Diego or will they charter a plane out of town until the coast is clear?

#4 Angels manager Phil Nevin said he’s lived in the Southland for 52 years and has never seen anything like this and says while he’s curious and excited it’s down right scary what could happen. There are millions of people who could get trapped by this hurricane and causalities could be shocking.

#5 Amaury, the last time a tropical storm hit the Southland was on Sep 25, 1939, Joe DiMaggio was in his third year in baseball, no MLB was in the Southland yet and Anaheim wasn’t even a twinkle in Walt Disney’s eye.

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

Giants Face First Place Braves Friday night at Truist Field

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Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe, left, turns a double play next to San Francisco Giants’ Joc Pederson, right, during the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Aug 16, 2023 (AP News photo)

Giants Face First Place Braves Friday night at Truist Field

By Barbara Mason

We got to see history made in Wednesday’s pinch-hit, inside-the -park home run. It was however the Tampa Bay Rays who celebrated that milestone, the first in Rays history as they beat the San Francisco Giants 6-1 winning the three game series.

San Francisco has lost six or their last eight games and have lost quite a bit of ground in the NL West now trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers by a full ten games. It was not so long ago that the Giants were a single game out of first place but they have really struggled recently.

San Francisco did shut out the Rays in game two of the series 7-0 but the offense of Tampa Bay in games one and three was spectacular. They had 18 hits to the Giants six in game one and 14 in game three.

The Giants did have the bases loaded in the seventh inning with one out but could only manage the one run. Despite being an exciting addition to the bullpen San Francisco pitcher Ross Stripling had a rough outing giving up 11 hits and five runs in six innings. He relieved Ryan Walker who was relieved in the second inning after giving up one hit and one run.

So now the question remains; what can the Giants (64-57) do to get back those late inning come from behind wins and their dominating offense. Management will be discussing these and more issues currently facing the team on their day off before taking on the mighty Atlanta Braves who right now are sporting a 78-42 record and have a strangle hold on the NL East.

This three game series will begin on Friday night in Atlanta at Truist Park with first pitch schedueld for 4:20 PM. We do have probable starting pitchers for both teams. San Francisco’s Alex Cobb may get the nod with a 6-4 win/loss record and an 3.62 ERA. Spencer Strider is a good bet to start for the Braves with a 13-4 win/loss record and a 3.75 ERA.

The Giants will need some fire power against Atlanta looking to Wilmer Flores, LaMonte Wade Jr. and J.D. Davis to get this team back on track. They will be facing former A Matt Olson who leads the Braves with the most home runs, an unbelievable 43 scored and 107 RBIs. Another threat from Atlanta will be Ronald Acuna Jr. with a .335 batting average.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Rays defeat Giants as Raley pinch hits into history books; San Francisco opens series in Atlanta

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The Tampa Bay Rays Luke Raley makes for home plate for a inside the park home run in the top of the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco against the San Francisco Giants on Wed Aug 16, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 The Tampa Bay Rays Luke Raley pinched hit into Rays history with a top of the sixth inning inside the park home run. It was the first Rays pinch hit inside the park home run in franchise history.

#2 Rays pitcher Aaron Civale pitch six strong innings as a starter with five hits and five strikeouts it was a strong outing for Civale.

#3 After getting clobbered by the Giants on Tuesday night 7-0 the Rays turned things around in Wednesday’s matinee with a comeback win 6-1. Raley said of his contribution that the inside the park homer wasn’t designed that way and that he would have rather hit it over the wall and take a nice jog.

#4 Relief pitcher Ryan Walker who came in for starter and opener Ross Stripling in the second inning. The Rays tagged Stripling pretty good in six innings of work, giving up 11 hits, five runs and three strike outs.

#5 The Giants give it another go they open up a three game series with the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Cobb County for a 4:20pm PT first pitch. The Giants have not announced a starter for the Braves Spencer Strider (13-4 ERA 3.75).

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

Giants Lose Rubber Match Against Rays 6-1 at Oracle

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Tampa Bay Rays Christian Bethancourt (left) congratulates Luke Raley (right) at home plate after scoring the first pinch hit inside the park home run in Rays history in the top of the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco (AP News photo)

Wednesday, August 16 2023

By Troy Ewers

San Francisco, Ca – In Oracle Park, the San Francisco Giants play the Tampa Bay Rays in the rubber match of this 3 game series. The Giants are 5-8 in rubber games this season and hope to make it six wins at the end of this game.

On the hill for the Giants was Ryan Walker for his 10th start of the game against Aaron Civale for the Rays and they got on the board in the first inning when a single hit by Isaac Paredes scored Brandon Lowe, 1-0 Tampa Bay.

The Giants replaced Walker in the second inning and called in Ross Stripling. The Rays didn’t stop the pressure in the fourth inning when Josh Lowe hit a lead off home run to right center field, giving Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead.

The next inning the Rays weren’t done getting on Stripling. Brandon Lowe hit a 2 run home run to center field and it scored Yandy Diaz, making it a 4-0 lead, but the Rays weren’t done. Randy Arozarena hit a double and then scored off a Paredes single to extend it to 5-0 for Tampa Bay.

After five innings, the Giants only had four hits and no runs and the air deflated out of the park. The scoring avalanche kept rolling in the sixth inning when Luke Raley came in to pinch hit and hit the ball off the triples alley wall and it bounced off the top of the wall in right center, Meckler slipped trying to get the ball, and Raley goes all the way around for an inside the park home run, 6-0 Rays.

As the Giants entered the bottom of the seventh inning, the Rays made a pitching change and called Hector Perez to the hill. Civale put together a scoreless six innings with five hits and five strikeouts.

The Giants take advantage of the pitching change and finally get on the board when Sabol, who got on from a fielder’s choice and Estrada & Camargo hit back to back singles to load the bases. With the bases loaded, Lamonte Wade Jr. pinch hit for Heliot Ramos and got walked, giving San Francisco their first run of the game. 6-1 going into the eighth inning.

The Rays took out Perez after 17 pitches and put in Colin Poche who escaped the inning when Meckler grounded into a double play. The Giants replaced Stripling after six innings and allowed five runs with Scott Alexander and he got the first three up, three down inning since the third for SF.

The eighth inning for the Giants was where fans decided enough was enough, where the Giants grounded into their fourth double play of the game and struck out for the sixth time.

Alex Wood was the pitcher for the Giants in the ninth, but the damage was done, San Francisco had to comeback from five runs in the bottom of the ninth. Pete Fairbanks, the closer for the Rays, retired the side on 12 pitches and the game ended 6-1 Rays and they also took the series.

The winning pitcher for today was Aaron Civale (6-3) and the losing pitcher was Ryan Walker (4-2). The Giants have a needed off day before their next series on Friday, August 18th as they shake off this high scoring series.

The Giants open a three game series Friday night at Truist Park in Cobb County against the Atlanta Braves for a 4:20pm PT first pitch. Starter for San Francisco has not been announced and going for Atlanta Spencer Strider (13-4 ERA 3.75).

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