Tag: Tampa Bay Rays

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

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

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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

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

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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.