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That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2021 Opening Day Hangover from Covid

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The Oakland A’s Matt Chapman running the bases in this spring training photo on Feb 22, 2021. Played only 37 out of 60 regular season games last year. Is looking to play the full season this year. (AP News photo)

2021 Opening Day: Hangover from Covid

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The hangover from covid could be coming to an end this next Thursday on April 1. Opening Day. Hangovers typically go away within 24 hours, but 24 hours can feel like an eternity. The last 12 plus months have been an eternity in our lives, but baseball is coming to the rescue, and this hangover is just about done. Baseball is like the proverbial bowl of Menudo, that many believe is the best “cure” for a hangover.

April 1, 2021, will mark the first time since 1968 that all major league teams open their season (all 30) on the same day. Last year was a 60-game sprint this year should be the regular 162-game marathon, one thing that makes baseball unique among all major sports.

This is how I see the American League West this year (how they will finish):

1- Oakland Athletics: Although they lost some key pieces this off-season like Marcus Semien (Jays) Liam Hendricks (White Sox) Tommy LaStella (Giants) Robbie Grossman (Tigers) Joaquim Soria (Arizona) Khris Davis (Texas) and pitcher Mike Minor to Kansas City, they still hungry after elimination by the Houston Astros in the AL Division Series.

The A’s on their division without their star third-baseman Matt Chapman who played part time in 37 of the 60 game-season. Their pitching rotation still young, specially their starters, with real breakout potential, Jesús Luzardo, Chris Bassitt, Sean Manaea and Frankie Montás, and A.J Puk, Puk’s gone through Tommy John and shoulder surgeries in the last four years, but had a terrific Spring Training.

Mike Fiers could give them more experience on the mound, but he will begin season on the Injured List with left hip inflammation. Towards the end of the off season they did picked-up veteran shortstop Elvis Andrus from Texas, together with catcher Aramis García (who played for the Giants in 2020) he is the #2 catcher behind regular Sean Murphy.

Revamped their bullpen early in the post season with left handed pitcher Nik Turley from the Pirates, veteran reliever Sergio Romo (Twins) and closer Trevor Rosenthal who pitched for the Padres last season, to a one year deal for $11 million, plus lefty Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers, while retaining Jake Diekman, Yusmeiro Petit and Lou Trivino.

To replace the vacant DH position for Khris Davis, the A’s acquired veteran first-baseman and DH Mitch Moreland. Jed Lowrie is back and he could be alternating at second base with Tony Kemp or ‘all around’ utility extraordinaire Chad Pinder. Ramón Laureano, Elvis Andrus, Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Jed Lowrie, Stephen Piscotty, Mark Canha, young-talented catcher Sean Murphy, they should have enough offense.

A new name in town, will be 26 year-old outfielder Ka’ai Tom, born in Honolulu, Hawaii, who made the team during last week of Spring Training. Why the A’s did not keep their home-born favorite player Marcus Semien, who signed for 1-year in Toronto for $18 million, I still do not understand. Bob Melvin is one of the best managers in the game and in my opinion very underrated.

2- Los Angeles Angels: Finished ten games behind the Athletics and in fourth place. They have one of the best one-two punches of any line-up in baseball with Mike Trout (the best player in baseball) and Anthony Rendón. And a supporting cast of future Hall of Famers: Albert Pujols (his last year of his 10-year contract) Justin Upton, David Fletcher, plus two veterans acquired this winter slick-fielding shortstop José Iglesias and outfielder Dexter Fowler, who is an insurance policy for the club, while young Jo Adell will begin the season in their minor leagues.

After a breakout rookie year, young Jared Walsh is expected to be their first baseman, most of the time over veteran Albert Pujols. The pitching still a big question mark . They were mentioned as the favorite destination for right-hander Trevor Bauer, the NL Cy Young Award winner last season, but he decided to go a few miles up north on Hwy 5 and signed with the LA Dodgers.

The Angels rotation with Shohei Ohtani (who will also be a DH) Andrew Heaney, Dylan Bundy, Griffin Canning, Alex Cobb and new acquisition José Quintana. Any combination of those six should be their starting rotation. José Quintana was an interesting acquisition, he was starting pitcher for the Cubs but suffered a thumb injury on his left hand while washing dishes at his Miami home and only pitched in five games for the Cubs, starting only one game, he has good stuff and could be a key factor for the Halos.

Weakness is depth of starting pitching. Their offense should be formidable, led by Mike Trout. If anybody could surprise here and challenge the A’s, is this team, with their great manager Joe Maddon. They finished in fourth place a third place finish is a conservative pick.

However, if their pitching performs well, they could rival the Athletics for the division title. I think the Angels are the most interesting team in this division. Mike Trout has only made it to one playoff since 2014. For a while I pondered about where they will end the season. Pick’ em for second place.

3- Houston Astros: The Astros would had continued to be the Athletics biggest foe, until they lost Frember Valdéz to a Spring Training injury and subsequent surgery, he will miss most of this season. Pitching star and Número Uno starter Justin Verlander underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on Sept. 30, 2020, and he is doubtful to pitch during the 2021 season.

Verlander is a two-time Cy Young winner and future member of the Hall of Fame. Everyday he is not pitching, it would represent a big advantage to the Athletics, not to mention the other teams in the West. The starting rotation; Zack Greinke (who was their best pitcher last season) and will open the season for the club, Lance McCullers Jr, José Urquidy, Cristian Javier, who finished third in the running for Rookie of the Year in 2020.

Their bullpen is not their best department, although they picked up veteran reliever Pedro Báez who was with the Dodgers since 2014. Their offense still excellent. Even without George Springer, who signed a 6 year $150 million contract with Toronto, the Astros still have one of the best lineups, with José Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Michael Brantley, Yuli Guriel, Josh Reddick, Kyle Tucker and the return of their young slugger and Designated Hitter Jordan Alvarez (23) whose knee is healthy, he is the key in this powerful lineup, if he stays healthy, watch out.

The Astros escaped the wrath of the fans in 2020, with no fans allowed, after their sign-stealing scandal the previous season. Ironically, the covid pandemic helped the Astros in that regard. But, it is not like this happened 20 years ago, so it would be interesting to see the fans reaction during this season.

They are still a very good team, now with 38-year old Opening Night starter Zack Greinke, but the Astros will begin the season with a wounded rotation. Dusty Baker back at the helm trying to go deeper in the post season, as they were eliminated after they took the Atléticos in the Divisional Series.

Dusty with 1,892 wins is #15 in the old-time manager’s winning list and second among active managers to Tony LaRussa, back with the White Sox as manager, Tony is #3 all time manager with 2,728 wins.

The last team the A’s played last season, Houston, will be the first they play this year. Third place is the place for the kids from the “Space Center”. But do not bet on it.

4-Seattle Mariners: Center fielder Kyle Lewis won the AL Rookie of the Year getting all 30 votes. The Mariners could use a few more like Lewis in their lineup. Their veteran third baseman Kyle Seager led the club with 40 RBIs. Their No.5 prospect Taylor Trammell could open the season as their rookie left-fielder.

Just days before Spring Training veteran lefty James Paxton came back after pitching for the Yankees last year to join the team he had played who drafted him in 2010 and played for since 2013. Paxton is now part of their pitching rotation headed last season by lefty veteran Marco González with a 7-2 and 3.10 ERA in 11 games started, Yusei Jikuchi, Justus Sheffield, Justin Dunn.

There is no Mariano Rivera in the Seattle bullpen, but there is nobody remotely close to a Mariano Rivera anyway. They are not better than the A’s, Astros or Angels, so they should probably dock their ship in fourth place. Any finish above sea level for these Mariners should be a big improvement.

Last year they finished in third place with 27-33, actually not that bad. Seattle is a great city, with great regional fans, they come from hundreds of miles north, south, east and west, even from another country, Canada, to one of the best baseball facilities in MLB, Safeco Field. They remain the only team in this division never to have made it to a World Series, since their first season in 1977. They are definitely not going to a World Series this year.

5-Texas Rangers: They built a new park last season, Globe Life Field, a $1.1 billion retractable Texas palace (that is the value of the Oakland A’s franchise today) The Rangers still have not played a regular season game at their new digs.

The 2020 World Series was played there last year, and their first home game is scheduled for April 5, against the Toronto Blue Jays. That will be the first time they will play at their palatial new ballpark. Nobody would envy the job of manager Chris Woodward with these Texas Rangers.

They lost two of their star regular players in Elvis Andrus (A’s) and Nomar Mazara (Tigers). Rougned Odor had a tough season, hit .167 in 38 games, still hit ten home runs and drove-in 28 runs. They still have Joey Gallo (who every year is mentioned as possible bait for a big trade) Still have Isah Kiner-Falefa, and newcomers, Khris Davis, Nate Lowe and David Dahl.

Starters in their rotation; Kyle Gibson, Mike Foltynewicz, Dane Dunning, and Kohei Arihara. Best they can hope is a fourth place finish same as last season when they ended with 22-38, 14 games behind the division champion Athletics. I think the Mariners will push for the cellar.

One of my old friends favorite saying was “the more things change, the more they stay the same”, they finished last in 2020 and should do same this year. Biggest positive for their fans in 2021, their new ballpark was to be inaugurated in 2020, but covid-19 derailed that possibility, but not this year.

Texas was first State in the country lo lift their lock-down restrictions and this team was first in MLB to announce they will sell all 40,000 seat plus for their first game of the season at home. Good Luck to the Rangers, they are going to need it.

Notes: The Oakland Athletics will open their 53rd season at Oakland this Thursday during a 7-game home stand, when they host the Houston Astros in the first of four games to be followed with three games against the World Champions Los Angeles Dodgers.

Opening Night: Bob Melvin will send Chris Bassitt to the mound, while Dusty Baker inked his veteran Zack Greinke to open the season. In case you are counting. It has been 32 years since the last time the Athletics won a World Series, when they swept the San Francisco Giants in the famous “Earthquake World Series” in 1989.

First pitch 7:07 960AM-A’s Cast—(Spanish) KIQI 1010/KATD 990AM Bay Area and Sacramento/Stockton — TV- NBCSCA

Did You Know? Charlie O Finley owner of the Oakland Athletics said he chose ‘green and gold’ for the uniforms in honor of his favorite college football team Notre Dame.

Stay well and stay tuned.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Rangers announce capacity for opening day; What are the risks?

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Opening day in Texas as the Texas Rangers line up on the foul lines at Globe Life Field in Arlington TX on July 24, 2020. The Rangers expect a full house for Opening Day Apr 5, 2021 but mask wearing enforced. (AP News file photo)

Texas Rangers Announce Capacity for Opening Day

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The Texas Rangers are the first team to announce that Globe Life Field will be open for the full capacity when they play their first game of the 2021 season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 5.

Although every seat will be available for 40,518 fans, fans will be required to wear masks. Also, they will be required to maintain social distancing while they enter and exit the stadium as well as standing in line at concession stands.

This includes their two final exhibition games as well. For this Opening Day in Texas the team announced that they are going to sell tickets in “pods”.

Therefore, the Texas Rangers are the first professional team to open to a full capacity since the beginning of the Covid-10 pandemic. The front office also announced they are working with Major League Baseball on other protocols regarding player health and their safety.

With populations of approximately 30 million, Texas is the second most populous State in the country behind California.

The Oakland Athletics announce they are planning for a limited capacity at 20 percent to start of their season opener April 1 at the Oakland Coliseum vs. the Houston Astros, while the San Francisco Giants will soon announce their plans for fans allowed. The San Francisco Giants open season on the road and their home opener will take place on April 9 vs. the Colorado Rockies.

Stay well and stay tuned.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for his weekly podcast of That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: For 2020 Predictions Los Atleticos My predictions for this upcoming 2020 season

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file photo from sfchronicle.com: Oakland Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien fields a grounder by San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey, who was out at first during a baseball game in San Francisco. Semien will look to build momentum from a career season that included being top three in the AL MVP voting. He was rewarded with a new $13 million, one-year contract to avoid arbitration, a raise of $7.1 million

2020 Predictions: Los Atléticos

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

My predictions for this upcoming 2020 season.

(American League West)

1-Oakland Athletics 2-Houston Astros 3-Los Angeles Angels 4-Texas Rangers 5-Seattle Mariners

Oakland A’s  (Offense) This is the year everything will come together for the Athletics. For the second year in a row finished with an excellent 97-65 record and behind the Houston Astros. They will catch and pass the scandal-riddled Houston Astros.

A’s are a powerful offensive force with numbers that do the talking. Among all 30 teams,the A’s finished fifth in home runs with 257,number eight in runs scored 845 and number ninth in runs driven-in with 800.

The team of the greatest base stealer ever, and in my opinion the best all-around player in the history of the Oakland A’s,Rickey Henderson who stole 1,406 bases during a stellar Hall of Fame career,only stole 49 bases last season,which put them close to the bottom,only three teams in baseball stole less bases.

But nobody is perfect,that is not their game, only the Giants, Twins and Cubs stole less bases than the A’s. Unfortunately (if you are old school) at this time in history where 30 homers for a player is “normal” and many say boring,the stolen base is like the bunt,”Breaking News”when it happens.

(Pitching) Bob Melvin A’s had the sixth best earned run average for a pitching staff in baseball with 3.97. Only Astros, Dodgers, Rays, Indians and Cardinals showed a better ERA. Their 2020 staff is one of the youngest and most talented in the game. Sean Manaea, Jesús Luzardo, Frankie Montás, A,J Puk, Mike Fiers starting and leading the way.

(Bullpen) Liam Hendriks (25 saves and 1.80 ERA),who took over Blake Treinen as closer was robbed of the Reliever of the Year Award by New York Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman,but was one of the reasons the A’s got to the AL Wild Card game.

The only reason Hendriks did not win the award is because he pitches for the A’s and Chapman for the Yankees. The market was the deciding factor. However,the Astros had the top bullpen in the AL West and third best in baseball last year with ERA (3.75) and batting average against (.226). Roberto Osuna led the Astros with 38 saves,second in baseball only to San Diego’s Kirby Yates with 41.

(Defense) Los Atléticos finished tied with the Atlanta Braves as the fourth best defensive team in baseball,with a .987 fielding percentage. and committed total of 80 errors,only Cardinals,Royals, Houston and Braves committed less. It all starts with the Golden Corners; Matt Chapman and Matt Olson, both Gold Glove winners,plus a mostly improved Marcus Semien at shortstop,and very a talented outfield with Ramón Laureano in center field. Ramón’s arm is one of the best – nobody runs on him.

2020 A’s are very similar to 2019.The second base position still wide open, they acquired veteran Tony Kemp but also have A’s minor league star Jorge Mateo as well as Franklin Barreto who already have some major league experience with the club, as well as Sheldon Neuse and then there is Rule 5 pick Vimael Machín.They are all candidates at the second-base position that Jurickson Profar left vacant after he signed with the San Diego Padres.

Conclusion: It will be a battle for the division between the A’s and the Astros. Now under Dusty Baker,the Houston team still one of the best group of players in baseball,it should not be easy for the A’s, but they are ready for battle. It is of great importance that the A’s win the division,because they are starting to get the label that they cannot win a Wild Card game.

The LA Angels with the addition of one of the finest hitters and all around players in third-baseman Anthony Rendon, who will now be in a lineup with MikeTrout, Justin Upton,Shohei Othani and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols hitting sixth or seventh,they will score tons of runs, but they are still short of pitching.Good luck to a great baseball guy,Joe Maddon, now back in Anaheim as manager.

Texas will be Texas,Joey Gallo might hit 50 home runs,so what? and the Seattle Mariners will continue to look up to the others in the division. Seattle a great city that once had stars such as Ken Griffey Jr. Edgar Martínez, Randy Johnson, Ichiro Susuki, Féliz Hernández, Jaime Moyer, Raúl Ibañez and others, but for this season they will be a sad again. Mariners remain the only team in the division never to win the pennant.

Atléticos First Homestand features two Divisional champions. A’s Open 2020 this Thursday March 26th at 1:07PM with the first of a four games against the Central Division champion Minnesota Twins followed by the Western Division champion Houston Astros for a three game series starting Monday. The Twins loaded with power set a new MLB record last season with 307 home runs and the Astros lead the regular season with 107 wins.

Coronavirus Note: WHO(World Health Organization)tips about this virus. 1-Wash hands frequently 2-Maintain social distances 3-Avoid touching,eyes, nose and mouth 4-If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s Spanish radio broadcasts and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Lynn’s command a big factor in keeping runs down against A’s

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Photo credit: beyondtheboxscore.com

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 On Sunday, it was too much Lance Lynn of the Texas Rangers. Lynn struck out 12 A’s hitters, walked one and allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of work as the Rangers avoided getting swept at the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 Seth Brown and Khris Davis’ hitting in the five and six holes combined for seven strikeouts,.Davis was able to get a double in the eighth off the Rangers.

#3 Attendance is up for the A’s at home. The A’s increased their attendance by 88,595. They drew 38,453 to boost their season home total to 1,662,211.

#4 The Texas Rangers’ Shin-Soo Choo tied the Rangers’ all-time record for leadoff home runs matching Ian Kinsler. The Rangers had five homers off the A’s on Sunday.

#5 The A’s are in Anaheim and they’ll be starting Homer Bailey (13-8). The A’s heavily depend on Bailey as every win counts at this juncture of the season.

Charlie does the A’s podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum: Buyers remorse-Cubs regret $43M deal with Kimbrell; A’s Semien closing in on 200 hits; plus more

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photo from uk.movies.yahoo.com: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone shows the location and how much a pitch call was squeezing his pitchers after he was ejected for the fifth time for this season on Saturday at Yankee Stadium by Umpire Joe West against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays

On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel:

1 Craig Kimbrell blows another save now 0-4, 6.53 ERA, Cubs start to regret $43 million contract

2 A’s Marcus Semien reaches base six times against Texas, chasing 200 hits

3 Padres fire manager Andy Green after four seasons 274-366 won loss record.

4 Tampa Bay Rays keep rolling with third straight walk-off win

5 Umpire Joe West ejects Yankees skipper Aaron Boone a day after blowing a strike call

Join Daniel every Sunday for the MLB podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Saturday game wrap: It’s a laugher, A’s trounce Texas 12-3; A’s could sweep Rangers Sunday

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photo from sfgate.com: Oakland Athletics’ Marcus Semien (10) celebrates with Matt Olson, right, after hitting a home run against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, in Oakland, Calif.

Texas: 3 | 8 | 2

Oakland: 12 | 14 | 0

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND — Before today, the only time the A’s had faced Brad Burke, tonight’s starter for the Rangers, was last week in Arlington on Friday 13th. It was an unlucky day for Texas, who lost the game, 14-9, and the left handed rookie, who was lifted after six innings of work with his team leading 7-6. In his brief stint on the mound, all of the six runs scored against him were earned, coming on six hits, three of which were home runs.

Nonetheless, Burke is a promising youngster. He came to Texas in the three way trade between the A’s, Rangers, and Rays that brought Jurickson Profar to Oakland this past off season. Before that, he had been in the Tampa Bay organization, where he was the 2018 pitcher of the year, with a combined record in advanced-A and double-A of 6-2, 3.08 ERA. It’s noteworthy that his numbers were better in the higher classification. His main pitch is the four-seam fastball, which he mixes with curves, sinkers, change ups, and the very occasional slider.

His opposite number tonight was Sean Manaea, whose long awaited return from shoulder surgery and its consequent rehab assignments he celebrated with a 2-0, 0.50 ERA record in his three starts. One of those was on the road against Texas, where he threw six innings of three hit shutout ball, chalking up three strike outs in the process. That was a week ago Sunday.

Manaea got off to a shaky start, but a timely double play and a running catch in right by Laureano with a runner on second got him out of trouble. Burke, on the other hand, had a nightmare of a first inning. Two-thirds of an inning, to be exact. The A’s batted around, with hits by Chapman, Olson, Laureano (a double) off Burke and by Phegley and Chapman off his replacement, Luke Farrell, bringing in seven runs, all charged to Burke. A wild throw to first by third baseman Danny Santana on what would have been a double play ground ball by Canha allowed runners to advance, but they would have scored any way. So, after one inning of play, Oakland was up by seven.

Manaea continued to be unsteady in the second frame, allowing two hits before the second out was made, but, once again he followed the Lefty Gomez plan for successful pitching, clean living (we assume) and a fast outfield, to escape unscathed.

There was no reason for Farrell, who had surrendered two hits and a walk in his one-third of an inning performance, to remain in the game, and he didn’t. Jonathan Hernández was didn’t fare any better. He gave up two hits and three walks and already had allowed two runs when he left with the bases loaded and two outs in the second. Adrian Sampson, the Rangers’ fourth pitcher in two innings, came in and struck out Chapman on a full count.

The Rangers’ third was notable for two spectacular defensive plays: Laureano’s diving, rolling over catch of Andrus’s fast falling foul in right and Chapman’s backhand grab in the shift of Willie Calhoun’s hard shot towards left and then his off balance throw to get him at first.

Sampson’s effective relief work restored a semblance of order, so when Shawn Kelliey replaced him to face the top of the A’s lineup in the bottom of the fifth, the score still was 9-0. That expectation lasted three pitches. On the fourth Semien blasted Kelley’s 80 mph offering into the left center field seats for his 35th home run of the year. Three men later, Canha made it 11-0 by going long for the twenty-sixth time of the season, slamming a 368-foot drive over the left field fence. Kelley finished the inning but gave way to Joe Palumbo, who pitched the home sixth without allowing anyone except Davis, who got to second on a throwing error by Odor, to reach base.

The top of the sixth finally saw the Rangers get on the board. Elvis Andrus led off with his 11th dinger, a no doubter to center. Danny Santana hit his 26th two outs later, a fly to left that narrowed the gap to 11-2. The long and short of it is that Rougned Odor then dropped a bunt down the third base line against the shift for a single, and JB Wendelken came in to relieve Manaea, who either was tiring or had lost his concentration. He had worked 5 2/3 innings, allowed two runs, both of which were earned, on six hits, two of them home runs. one walk, a wild pitch, and a hit batter. His ERA ballooned to 1.14. He would get the win.

Wendelken got his man, DeShields, out on a grounder to Neuse at second.

Joe Palumbo took care of the A’s with a scoreless bottom half of the sixth, and Jesús Luzardo answered the bell for the visitors’ seventh, punching out two of the four Rangers he faced. Of the remaining two, one walked, and the other flew out.

Ryan Bouchter took his turn on the mound for Oakland in the eighth and coughed up the Rangers’ third solo home run. It came from the bat of Nick Solak and ended up over the left field fence.

Jeffrey Springs was the last Texas pitcher the A’s had to face. They touched him for their 12th and final run, Phegley driving in Davis from third on a single to left.

Once Manaea had lost his touch, hitting was the story for the A’s. Semien went three for three; Chapman, two for four; Canha, two for four; and Neuse, three for four. Semien and Canha homered.

Daniel Mengden closed out the game, throwing a shut out ninth with the help of two splendiferous plays by Franklin Barreto at short.

Because Tampa Bay pulled another victory out of the jaws of defeat back in St. Petersberg, they stayed two games behind Oakland in the race for home field advantage. Cleveland’s loss to the Phillies dropped the tribe to a game behind the Rays in the battle for the second wild card slot. The A’s magic number dropped to six. The magic number to eliminate any threat from Cleveland now is five.

Tomorow will be September 22nd, an appropriate time for number 22 Ramón Laureano bobblehead day. Game time is 1:07 p.m.Tanner Roark will try continue the A’s winning ways, facing Lance Lynn, who will take the mound for the Rangers.

In a brief ceremony before tonight’s contest, the A’s inducted Rickey Henderson, Walter Hass, Campy Campanaris, Vida Blue, Mark McGwire, and Tony LaRussa into the team’s Hall of Fame.

Fiers dominant in A’s 8-0 blow out win over the Rangers

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Photo credit: @Athletics

Texas: 0 | 2 | 1

Oakland: 8 | 8 | 0

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND — Major League Baseball players are a motivated group. They dedicate years in the minors to learning their craft in small towns and all-night bus riders until, when they reach the top, they report for what we call spring training, although the calendar insists it’s winter. They toil through 162 games, sometimes playing day games after night games, in what can be grueling weather, and travelling through three time zones (or more if they play in an overseas series) to face (or throw) a hard pellet at speeds of more than 95 mph. If their team qualifies, they play in a post season tournament that can last as long as twenty games. These men are driven. They’re also well paid at this level, which is a huge incentive for them to perform well in spite of the hardships and dangers they face. They also take a good deal of legitimate pride in their accomplishments.

When September rolls around a new layer of motivation is added. By Labor Day, the field of contending clubs in each of MLB’s six divisions narrows considerably, and the teams with a reasonable chance of making the playoffs push and shove, claw and gnaw to make the cut for postseason play and, once they’ve achieved that, to gain home field advantage throughout the remainder of play by having the best winning percentage of the lot.

But contenders aren’t the only teams who play with added intensity in the season’s waning days. They also have a chance to avenge five and a half months of being kicked around by spoiling the more successful teams’ bids for the different championships up for grabs in September. On the first of the month, the active rosters are expanded, and Spoiler Schadenfreude joins every non playoff team.

These are some of the reasons why stretch drive baseball can be so compelling even when the opponents are going in opposite directions. Not every game will provide as much drama, anticipated and realized, as the last three games of the 1951 National League season, which culminated with Bobby Thompson’s shot heard ‘round the world, or even the final game of 2012 when the A’s defeated the Rangers to occupy first place for the only time all season, which enabled them to advance to the playoffs.

Late season intensity wasn’t the only reason the teams had to be motivated for tonight’s contest. The stadium give away was a bobble head honoring the A’s starting pitcher, Mike Fiers (14-4, 4.09 ERA), who was coming off two dreadful starts. The statuette saluted him for his May 7 no-hitter against Cincinnati, but his bid to repeat that feat ended with his first pitch of the evening, which Shin-Soo Choo slapped into center field for a single. A double play and fly to left, however, set things straight. Fiers allowed only one more hit—and that was his only other base runner—in the rest of his eight inning stint. So you could say that he rose to the occasion.

His opposite number, Texas southpaw Mike Minor (13-9, 3.33 ERA) also had a bitter taste in his mouth from his most recent outing, in which he gave up seven earned runs in as many innings to the same A’s he was facing tonight. Just as Fiers’ recent bad experiences had been break in his pattern of success, Minor’s year had been a good one until recently. It included a spot on the AL roster for the All-Star Game, and brought a career-high 188 punch outs to the Coliseum mound tonight.

Minor’s troubles began later, but were more serious than the one Fiers had faced. With Laureano and Murphy on base and one down in the bottom of the second, the slumping Chad Pinder slammed a 94 mph four-seamer over the center field fence fore his 13th round tripper of the year, which gave the A’s an early 3-0 lead.

Oakland tacked on another run in the third on a walk to Chapman, who advanced to second on a ground out to first by Olson and scored on Canha’s two ball, two strike double to right. The A’s made it 5-0 in the fourth when Semien’s two-out two-bagger to left plated Sean Murphy, who had walked, advanced to second on Pinder’s single and to third on Neuse’s DP grounder to short. Canha’s lead off dinger to lead off the fifth brought his total to 25 and stretched the A’s advantage to 6-0.

After throwing five innings and 105 pitches (61 strikes) and allowing six runs, all earned, Minor’s exercise in frustration was over. He had surrendered six hits, giving his numbers a certain symmetry. He struck out only two, but this raised his year’s total to an impressive 190. He was replaced by Ariel Jurado, who set the side down in order before being replaced, in turn, by Yohander Méndez.

The A’s resumed their scoring ways once Méndez, like Minor a left handed hurler, entered the fray to pitch the seventh. With one out, Olson walked, as did Canha. Then Laureano doubled to right center, scoring the former and sending the later to third. A walk to Davis loaded the bases. This brought up Seth Brown, who had been brought in to pinch hit for Pinder when the Rangers switched pitchers from the left-handed, ineffective Minor to the right-handed, effective Jurado. Brown and Méndez went to a full count before the A’s rookie whiffed on a changeup, When Fiers got his first out in the eighth, a strike out of Nomar Mazaro, it was the deepest he’d gone in a game since August 9th, when he’d thrown seven innings of shutout ball in US Cellular Field. He finished tonight’s performance having thrown 95 pitches, striking out five Rangers, and allowing two hits and nothing else. He improved his record to 15-4, 3.91 ERA.

Taylor Guerrieri gave away the A’s final run with a wild pitch to Canha with Chapman on third. Canha eventually struck out.

Then Chris Bassitt set the Rangers down 1, 2, 3 in the ninth.

The loss went to Minor, who now is 13-10, 3.52 ERA.

The A’s hefty offensive was a relief after they had managed to score only three runs in their last two games, both of which they still managed to win. That the pitching, or at least Fiers and Bassitt didn’t let up in spite of a comfortable margin also was good news.

With Houston’s victory tonight, the A’s were mathematically eliminated from the AL West pennant race. Cleveland and Tampa Bay’s wins kept them tied with each other, two games behind Oakland in the struggle for first wild card honors.

Sean Manaea (2-0, 0.50 ERA) will go against Brock Burke (0-1, 5.19 ERA) in a battle of left-handers starting at 6:07 p.m. tomorrow evening and followed by a fireworks display celebrating the evolution of pop.

MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum: Braves advance to LDS, quiet celebration after Culberson hit in face; A’s sit all alone at the top of AL wild card; plus more

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photo from investing.com: Atlanta Braves hitter Charlie Culberson (8), who squared around to bunt, took a 91 per hour fast ball in the face throw by Washington Nationals pitcher Fernando Rodney on Saturday September 14th’s game at National’s Park in Washington DC.

On the MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum:

1 NL East-leading Braves clinch postseason berth

2 A’s club four homers in win over Rangers; now occupy top AL Wild Card spot; Surging Rays right behind Oakland in second Wild Card

3 Twins sweep doubleheader from Tribe; back to 5 1/2 game lead in AL Central

4 D-Backs extend GM Mike Hazen; head off possible return of Hazen to Red Sox; Meanwhile, Paul Goldschmidt swinging a hot bat for the Cardinals

5 MLB won’t fine Mets’ for Pete Alonso’s 9/11 tribute

Catch Daniel right here for complete MLB podcast coverage through the postseason and World Series at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s beat the Rangers 8-6 on Saturday night, but it might’ve been a costly win

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

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Graphic: @Athletics

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Oakland Athletics won their fifth consecutive game on Saturday night in Texas as they downed the Rangers 8-6. The victory keeps the A’s in sole possession of the AL Wild Card Slot #1 by 1/2 game over the Tampa Bay Rays. The other Wild Card contender — the Cleveland Indians — have dropped back 2.5-games in the standings.

The A’s will go for the sweep in Arlington on Sunday.

It may have been a costly win

Mike Fiers started the game for Oakland Saturday night. Fiers set the Rangers down in order in the bottom of the first inning, but things changed in the bottom of the second inning.

Nomar Mazara led off for Texas by flying out to center fielder Mark Canha. Danny Santana then singled to left-center field. Fiers committed a balk that moved Santana to second base.

Fiers then threw a wild pitch to Odor and Santana advanced to third base. Odor then hit a two-run home run to center field. Fiers then issued a walk to Delino DeShields.

Bob Melvin and the medical staff came out to check on Fiers and removed him from the game.

After the game, Fiers explained that he felt a shot of numbness and pain in pitching hand after throwing a “cutter” to Odor. He went on to explain that he was trying to avoid feeling that again, but he did not want to alter his pitching motion.

Fiers went on to say that he will undergo more medical examinations on Monday in the Bay Area.

The loss of Fiers for any time as the A’s are in this stretch run would be devastating

Oakland used six pitchers in the game

Paul Blackburn relieved Fiers working 2.0-innings and gave up two runs off four hits. Ryan Buchter worked 1.1-innings giving up no runs on two hits. Buchter earned the win.

Lou Trivino, Yusmeiro Petit, Jake Diekman, and Liam Hendriks also pitched for the A’s. Hendriks was credited with his 22nd save of the season.

The A’s used their power again on Saturday night

Matt Chapman hit his 33rd home run of the season — a three-run shot — in the third inning off Mike Minor. Chapman’s 33 home runs are a franchise record for third basemen.

Josh Phegley hit his 12th round-tripper off Minor the fourth inning. Mark Canha put his 24th HR over the wall in the fifth inning — again off Minor. Matt Olson hit his 34th home run of the year in the sixth inning — a solo shot — but this time it was off reliever Luke Farrell.

Minor took the loss

Mike Minor was a trade target for many contending clubs at the trade deadline, but the Rangers decided to hold on to their star pitcher. He was charged with the loss on Saturday night, and his record is now 13-9 for 2019. His ERA stands at 3.33.

Up next

The A’s will send LHP Sean Manaea to the mound for the third time this season on Sunday afternoon. Manaea is 1-0 with 0.75 ERA and is coming off a win over the Tigers on September 8th.

The Rangers will start RHP Jonathan Hernandez (1-0, 1.93 ERA). Hernandez will be “the opener” in what will be a “bullpen game” for the Rangers.

A’s fend off Rangers 14-9

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Ana Kieu

After winning the series against the Astros three games to one at Minute Maid Park, the A’s continued their dominance with a 14-9 win over the Rangers at Globe Life Park on Friday night.

A’s starter Chris Bassitt pitched just three innings allowing five hits, six runs (all earned) and three strikeouts. The A’s relievers in the bullpen weren’t much better. JB Wendelken pitched three innings with two strikeouts, AJ Puk pithced two innings with one strikeout and Blake Treinen pitched one inning with two hits, two runs (both earned) and one strikeout.

The A’s got on the board first. Matt Olson homered on a fly ball to right center field for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

The A’s added two runs in the top of the second inning. A’s DH Khris Davis homered on a fly ball to center field and Sheldon Neuse singled on a line drive to Willie Calhoun and Sean Murphy scored on Neuse’s play. Neuse moved to second. It was 3-0 A’s after the top of the second.

The Rangers got on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Ronald Guzman doubled on a line drive to Ramon Laureano and Danny Santana scored on Guzman’s play. Shin-Soo Choo homered on a fly ball to left center field for a two-run home run. Guzman and Jose Trevino scored on Choo’s play. It was 4-3 Rangers after the bottom of the second.

The A’s regained the lead 6-4 in the top of the third inning. Khris Davis homered on a fly ball to right center field for his second of the game and 22nd of the season.

The Rangers got ahead 7-6 in the bottom of the third inning. Danny Santana homered on a fly ball to right field for a two-run home run. Willie Calhoun and Nick Solak scored.

The A’s tied the ballgame 7-7 in the top of the fourth inning. Ramon Laureano hit a sacrifice fly to Danny Santana and Sean Murphy scored on Laureano’s sac fly.

Ramon Laureano powered through in the top of the sixth inning. Laureano homered on a fly ball to left field for a three-run home run that scored Sean Murphy and Marcus Semien. It was 10-7 A’s after the top of the sixth.

It was all A’s in the top of the ninth inning. Sheldon Neuse singled on a ground ball to Delino DeShields for a two-run single. Seth Brown and Sean Murphy scored on Neuse’s play. Marcus Semien homered on a fly ball to center field for his 29th home run of the season. Neuse scored on Semien’s play. It was 14-7 A’s after the top of the ninth.

The Rangers capped off the scoring in the bottom of the ninth inning. Elvis Andrus singled on a ground ball to Mark Canha. Rougned Odor and Deline DeShields scored on Andrus’ play. Ronald Guzman moved to second.

Despite the Rangers scoring the final run of the game, the A’s won 14-9 for their fourth straight win. Additionally, Sheldon Neuse had his first four-hit game.

The A’s and Rangers resume their series on Saturday at 5:05 p.m. PT.