That's Amaury News and Commentary – Page 5

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Reasons remain the same why Bonds and Clemens weren’t elected; Kent hit production gets him elected

Published on December 9, 2025December 9, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens (left) and former Miami Marlins coach Barry Bonds (right) were once again denied entry to the Hall of Fame this time by the Players Committee. (Getty file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury just wanted to ask you if you not surprised that former San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds was not elected to Cooperstown.

#2 Considering the reasons why Bonds was not elected this year were they the same reasons as before his connection with admitting during grand jury testimony that he unknowingly took steroids and his bad relationship with the media?

#3 Fernando Valenzuela also missed election. Valenzuela was a well respected figure in the game was his denial to making it to the Hall due his overall career where some writers felt his overall career didn’t meet the typical Hall-of-Fame bar for pitchers in terms of longevity and sustained excellence.

#4 For former New York Yankee and Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens the most given reason for Clemens rejection to being elected to the Hall of Fame was the chair of the Hall acknowledged that the committee’s decision likely mirrored many of the same “Steroid Era” concerns that affected the writers’ votes.

#5 Talk about former San Francisco Giant second baseman Jeff Kent and his election to the Hall of Fame. Some writers state that he has the most home runs for a second baseman in MLB history with 377 in his 17 year career, high run production, and hit consistently hit for average at .290. Was Jeff Kent the best candidate out of those other players for this year’s Hall of Fame candidates?

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

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We use only the finest, freshest, local ingredients in every dish and every dish is prepared to order. Enjoy live mariachi music weekly and on special occasions, catch balet folklorico dance performances among other live entertainment. Come visit us and have a great time! Enjoy fast, friendly service, fantastic food & cocktails, music and allow us to share our beautiful Mexican heritage with you.

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: MLB Steroids Era Committee?

Published on December 9, 2025December 9, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Cover of the book Juice: Wild Times, Raging Hormones, and the Untold Story of Steroids in Baseball. In 2004 by author Jose Canseco

MLB Steroids Era Committee?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The original committee that began voting for the Hall of Fame alongside the Baseball Writers Association of America was the Veterans Committee, established in the late 1930s and later evolving into the current system of Era Committees.

Over the years, various committees have formed. Writers don’t vote across these committees; they vote for the standard ballot, while the designated Era Committees handle the older or post-BBWAA-eligibility players, with the Contemporary Player ballot (voted by a special committee, not all writers) being the primary path for recently retired stars.

The Steroids era in baseball spans from the late 1980s to the early 1990s and through the late 2000s. We all (covering baseball at the time) witnessed a surge in home runs and offensive stats. Steroids were banned in 1991.

The US Federal Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, and then later, when Commissioner Fay Vincent’s 1991 memo to teams added steroids to the banned list. However, enforcement and testing in MLB came in the late 2000s. Not only the 2004 Senate hearings but José Canseco’s book in 2005 brought widespread awareness, as it was well publicized and many bought it, titled Juice: Wild Times, Raging Hormones, and the Untold Story of Steroids in Baseball. In 2004,

Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, and Rafael Palmeiro faced questions and testified before the Senate Commerce Committee regarding the use of steroids, with emphasis on the BALCO scandal. Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) had its headquarters and operations primarily in Burlingame, California.

During the hearings, among players who testified before the Senate Commerce Committee regarding steroid use, Rafael Palmeiro tested positive shortly after his denial, and Bobby Bonds later faced perjury charges. This was the “highlight” of the Steroids Era.

Many people in the business of Major League Baseball have suggested including an “asterisk” when somebody from this steroids era is officially inducted into the Hall of Fame of Baseball, and there is doubt about whether they used steroids or not.

To make it easier, I suggest they create another committee that can include a new slate of players who are not currently in the Hall of Fame but are suspected; they would not need an asterisk, because being on that list would be self-explanatory.

That new committee will be named: “Steroids Era Committee.”

Quote: “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives” -Jackie Robinson, MLB Hall of Fame (1962)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2026 FIFA World Cup is a Win Win for the United States

Published on December 7, 2025December 7, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the match schedule for the 2026 World Cup in Washington DC on Sat Dec 6, 2025 (AP News photo)

2026 FIFA World Cup is a Win Win for the United States

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

For the second time in history, the FIFA World Cup will be held in the United States. The first time was 1994. As a Sports Anchor/Reporter for Telemundo 48 San José, it was a privilege to cover the 1994 US World Cup, a truly spectacular event unique in the world, in the final match, in which Brazil beat Italy 3-2 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in a penalty shootout to win it all.

The 1994 World Cup was the most financially successful in history and set attendance records that have yet to be broken, but will be broken this next year, and again here in the US. I will explain further in this article. It was an unforgettable event.

At that time, the 1994 US World Cup (Fútbol, Soccer) was not very popular in the US. At Telemundo 48 in San José, I used to get lots of calls from people in the Bay Area asking me to give scores on the air of many regular Fútbol games in Latin American Pro-Fútbol leagues, which came from México to Argentina, to Europe, and other countries.

Most of the people who called us at Telemundo 48 in San José were not Hispanics, but they were real Fútbol fans. Stations here in the Bay Area, affiliates of ABC, CBS, and NBC (non-Spanish speaking stations), did not report on any soccer games in the US or around the world.

In 1994, Soccer in the US didn’t rank high as a sport. But 30 years later, this international sport has grown in popularity in the United States.. During that USA ’94 World Cup, my good friend Tony López, who was Sport Anchor for Univisión CH 14 San Francisco, and yours truly at Telemundo 48, were able to interview the greatest and most famous Fútbol player ever, the great Pelé, is full name; Edson Arantes de Nascimento, a Brazilian national treasure, and basically the Babe Ruth of Fútbol.

He was traveling with Brazil as a World Ambassador of the sport. Although our stations were competitors, Tony and I have been good friends to this day, 31 years after that great event. It was an excellent experience for me to cover that World Cup.

The Bay Area (San Francisco/Palo Alto) hosted six games at Stanford Stadium during the 1994 World Cup, including group matches for Brazil, Sweden, Cameroon, Russia, Colombia, Romania, and the USA. I have a great picture with Pelé here at home that I am still trying to find and download to my computer, and I hope I can find it before the next World Cup to write about this extraordinary man, Pelé.

This 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the greatest, not only because it is one of the most significant sporting events in the world, but also because it is the only other sporting event that brings this much international interest, besides the Olympics.

It will be hosted by 16 cities, 16 in North America, 11 in the US, 3 in México, and 2 in Canada. Of all the countries in the world, the US is the one with the largest population, is diverse and rich, and is uniquely qualified for this event.

Estimates by FIFA and the United States suggest over $30 billion in economic output, creating thousands of jobs, especially from international visitors, plus the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first with 48 teams/countries.

The last 2022 FIFA World Cup had close to 5 billion fans who watched in some form or another. Only the Olympics come close to that global viewership. These are the favorites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup; Spain, England, France and Brazil.

The US is not considered a serious contender, with odds of 80 to 1,after the recent draw which translates to a 2% chance. Fútbol/Soccer originated in England. The first official rules were drafted in 1863 by Ebenezer Cobb Morley, who is credited as the “father of soccer” when he formed the English Football Association (FA) FIFA means: Fédération Internationale de Football (French) Federación Internacional de Fútbol Asociado (Spanish) International Federation of Association Football (English) US Host Cities for the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco/Bay Area

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: San Diego Padres might have a New Owner, with a Bay Area connection

Published on December 3, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob had been shopping to buy the Oakland A’s before they moved to Sacramento but the A’s weren’t for sale. He might be interested in the San Diego Padres who are up for sale. (Joe Lacob photo)

San Diego Padres might have a New Owner, with a Bay Area connection

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The San Diego Padres are up for sale, and with Joe Lacob’s history of interest in MLB teams, he could be a potential buyer. Lacob’s previous attempts to purchase baseball franchises, including the Oakland A’s and the Los Angeles Angels. Lacob currently owns the NBA Golden State Warriors and the WNBA Golden State Valkyries. Could Lacob be expanding his sports empire?

Joe Lacob offered to buy the Oakland A’s in 2005 when Lewis Wolff and John Fisher were the owners. As a matter of fact, in an interview with John Shea, then with the San Francisco Chronicle, now with the San Francisco Standard, Lacob went into detail about when he offered to buy the A’s in 2005 for $180 million.

It is well known that Lacob had a “standing offer” to purchase the Oakland A’s from John Fisher for years, and always maintained that the team belongs in Oakland. As recently as 2023, Lacob and Fisher reported interactions regarding a potential purchase, but Lacob did not actively pursue it when Fisher seemed committed to his team.

Ownership history of the San Diego Padres: C.Arnholt Smith, followed by John Kroc and Joan Kroc of Mc Donalds’s fame, next Tom Wernes, John Moores, and the group led by Ron Fowler. The most recent/current owners were Peter Seidler and John Seidler, who became the principal owner in 2023 following Peter’s death.

The San Diego Padres franchise began in 1936 in the PCL, playing in San Diego until 1968. In 1969, they became an expansion team in the Major Leagues, playing in the National League. The First Manager of the San Diego Padres was Cuban-born Preston Gómez in 1969.

The first Latino Major League managers in history also born in Cuba: Miguel “Mike” González, who served as the interim manager of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938.

Padres are one of five teams who never won a World Series; Padres, Mariners, Brewers, Rockies, Tampa Bay Too bad for Oakland and A’s fans that Lacob couldn’t buy the A’s; he is a winner, unlike the man who owns the team today.

Quote about baseball owners – Stewardship and fan accountability “It’s a stewardship. We have an obligation. We are accountable to the fans and to the city. If you don’t approach it that way, you shouldn’t be an owner in my opinion,” said Phillies owner John Middleton.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: From My Baseball Notebook Strategy You Don’t see Everyday

Published on December 1, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Former San Francisco Giant outfielder Barry Bonds once walked with the bases loaded on May 28, 1998 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Here is Bonds in action trying to score at the plate at Candlestick Park. (USA Today file photo)

From My Baseball Notebook Strategy You Don’t see Everyday

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The Date and Place: May 28, 1998, at Candlestick Park/3Com Park, San Francisco, as the Giants’ Spanish play-by-play announcer on station KIQI 1010AM, San Francisco. Below is what happened.

At the time, nobody really believed it was happening. I witnessed a very rare play in baseball history during a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants, The Game: It was the bottom of the ninth inning when Arizona’s manager Buck Showalter ordered an intentional walk to the Giants’ dangerous slugger Barry Bonds with the bases loaded and two outs.

Arizona was leading 8-6, and manager Showalter chose to give the Giants a free run by giving the intentional bases on balls to Bonds. Showalter intentionally walked Bonds and made the game 8-7. The next batter was Diamondbacks catcher Brett Mayne.

The 12,066 crowd were on their feet when Mayne hit a solid line drive to deep right field as Stan Javier caught the last out, and Buck Showalter, and his counterpart Dusty Baker, manager of the Giants, both could breathe again as the game came to a conclusion in 3 hours 26 minutes.

Buck Showalter was a genius with that strategy as his Arizona Diamondbacks won 8-7 over the Giants. For most people, including me, at the Press Box and Broadcast booths, it was the first time we witnessed such a moment in a game.

That season, Barry Bonds won the NL MVP award, hitting .303 with 37 home runs and 122 runs batted in. The Ultimate Respect: A manager gets paid to win games, and uses his baseball knowledge and strategy in every game, but during this game, Diamondback’s manager, Buck Showalter, gave Barry Bonds the ultimate respect, an intentional base on balls to walk in a run (with the game on the line) in the ninth inning and prevailed.

How many times has this happened? Only eight times in history has a player been intentionally walked with the bases loaded in the Major Leagues. Here they are: Abner Dalrymple (1881), Nap Lajoie (1901), Del Bissonette (1928), Mel Ott (1929), Bill Nicholson (1944), BARRY BONDS (1998), Josh Hamilton (2008) and the most recent instance was in 2022, when the LA Angels intentionally walked Corey Seager. Of the eight on this list, two are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame: and Museum Nap Lajoie and Mel Ott.

However, what I called at the mic that night in May at a cold and windy Candlestick Park was done only by two players in history to win the game: Barry Bonds in this game,1998 and Josh Hamilton in 2008, both of whom were walked by their respective managers in the ninth inning of a game. The only time I have seen this in my life as a fan or broadcaster. What they say, “you never know what you’ll see at the ballpark”

Major League Baseball Record for Intentional Bases on Balls. For one season (Barry Bonds), 120 times in 2004, Career Record: Barry Bonds 688.

“I was such a dangerous hitter, I even got intentional walks during batting practice” -Casey Stengel.

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LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Holy Bat

Published on November 29, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

Pope Leo XIV receives a baseball bat that once belonged to Hall of Famer Nellie Fox. (Photo via Vatican Media)

Holy Bat

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Pope Leo XIV, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was born in Chicago on September 14, 1955. The Pope recently visited Turkey, a positive visit of religious outreach preaching Peace to the world and Christian unity. Along the way, upon his return, he received an unexpected gift.

Chris Livesay, CBS News foreign correspondent, was on assignment traveling with Pope Leo when he gifted a baseball bat to the pontiff. It was a family heirloom from Livesay. This was not any bat, but one used by White Sox legend, second baseman, and Hall of Famer Nellie Fox. “Oh, wow,” The Pope exclaimed as he received the bat featuring Fox’s initials and number. “How did you get this through security?” he then joked. Pope Leo XIV roots for the Chicago White Sox.

The Chicago native has been widely reported as a White Sox fan, even sporting their cap during public appearances at the Vatican and playfully joking about the rival Chicago Cubs. Pope Leo is the first Pope to root for a baseball team in history. The late Pope Francis was a lifelong and avid fan of Futbol (Soccer here in the US).

Growing up in Argentina, Pope Francis probably had no choice since Futbol in Argentina is like a religion. Pope Leo is the first-ever American-born Pope in history and the 266th Pope. The first Pope was Saint Peter. Peter’s real name was Simon.

When he became an apostle of Jesus Christ, the founder of the Christian faith, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy, is often cited as the largest Catholic Church in the world, with a greater seating and standing capacity and a greater height than any other.’

Pope Leo XIV was named Pope of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025, at the Vatican. Here in the United States, soon after he was elected Pope, both teams, the White Sox and the Cubs, claimed he was a fan. However, he wore a White Sox cap earlier this year and rooted from the stands during World Series Game 1 in 2016; his prayers were answered as the club celebrated its first World Series championship since 1917.

But when he gets a chance, he also roots for the crosstown Cubs. I am sure that, as a good man of Chicago, he prays for both teams. “Baseball is the only sport mentioned in the Bible. “In the Big Inning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Are you a Superstitious A’s Fan?

Published on November 27, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Oakland Raiders fans express their disappointment in 2019 about the team moving to Las Vegas (photo from the author Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

Are you a Superstitious A’s Fan?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Just like there are some Oakland A’s fans here in the Bay Area rooting for the A’s even as they play in Sacramento, with the final stop in Las Vegas, there are Oakland Raiders fans who still follow their team, as unfortunate as they have been since they moved to Sin City.

I wonder how many are left. Since we are talking about Las Vegas, I think it’s a good bet that Oakland A’s fans are following the A’s in Sacramento much more than Raiders fans from Oakland are following them in Las Vegas. Here in the East Bay, I do not see many Raiders flags anymore. I remember a few years ago, when Raiders fans were everywhere from Oakland to Milpitas.

This season’s Las Vegas Raiders are one of the worst in recent franchise history. What’s wrong with this Raiders team? Doesn’t take a John Madden-type football brain to tell you they have a lack of consistent talent across the roster, poor offensive and defensive execution, and that the coaching staff’s and management’s recent personnel decisions have been a failure. Aside from that, they are a good team.

Attention A’s fans, does this sound familiar to you? “Because of a long-standing inability to secure a modern stadium deal in Oakland, which had outdated facilities and limited public funding for upgrades, Las Vegas offered a more attractive package with public funding for a new stadium. This made relocation feasible as the Oakland Raiders left for Las Vegas in 2020,” -SF Chronicle.

Since the Raiders left Oakland for the desert in 2020, only in 2021 did they have a winning season with a 10-7 record. Their 2-9 record with 6 games left is bad because, even if they win all 6 games (extremely unlikely), they will still finish with another losing record.

The Raiders rolled the dice and went to Vegas, and they are “crapping out”, which is one of many terms when you roll the dice and do not do well.

A’s owner John Fisher is taking magic lessons from David Cooperfield, one of the greatest magic acts in the history of Vegas, to make believe to the whole world his Oakland A’s are ln the way to that city and that with a 33,000 stadium, he will sell out every game and it will be the greatest move in the history of professional sports. What are the odds on this? Place your bet.

Do you know why turkeys don’t trust each other? Too much foul play.

Happy Thanksgiving!

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874

LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Will $1.8 billion loss force MLB to shutdown/lockout in 2027?

Published on November 25, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

New York Mets Juan Soto (22) slugs a three run home run in the fourth inning as Washington Nationals catcher Jorge Alfaro (left) watches at Citi Field in New York on Fri Sep 19, 2025. Soto is the highest paid player on the Mets. The Mets claim they lost $350 million because of their $342 million payroll in the 2025 season. (AP file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

How much of the $1.8 billion loss is due to player payroll, especially on high-spending teams?
- For example, the Mets reportedly lost ~$350 million, largely driven by their $342 M payroll.
Did declining or restructuring media revenue contribute significantly to the losses?
- Around 25% of team revenue comes from media, and teams have reportedly struggled to replace traditional regional sports network (RSN) deals.
- Also, MLB and ESPN mutually ended their $550M/year deal early, which could have left a big revenue gap.
How much of the loss is “paper accounting” versus real cash-flow problems?
- Some insiders suggest these losses are accounting losses — not necessarily indicative of a decline in franchise value.
Is there a structural imbalance in MLB’s economics ( lack of salary cap, uneven revenue sharing) that exacerbates these losses?
- MLB is reportedly considering a salary cap, which could indicate that current spending is unsustainable.
- Wealth disparities between big-market and small-market teams may be playing a role.
Are there longer-term strategic choices or risks ( media strategy, labor uncertainty) that could be contributing to the losses?
- With media rights changing and ESPN opting out, MLB’s future broadcast deals may be less lucrative.
- Also, potential labor issues loom: owners are discussing a salary cap ahead of the collective bargaining agreement expiring in 2026.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary:Bay Area and Los Angeles Area Sports Rivalry

Published on November 24, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers face each other at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on Tue Nov 25, 2025. Los Angeles is a two team NBA market. (images from reddit.com)

Bay Area and Los Angeles Area Sports Rivalry

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

These two most populous areas of California have an interesting sports rivalry, especially in professional sports leagues. Let’s take a look at recent success stories for these two California sports regions. We are looking at the four most popular Professional leagues in the country. NFL, MLB, NBA. NHL. Looking a respective titles for each league.

Bay Area: Golden State Warriors won the NBA title in 2022. The San Francisco Giants won the MLB World Series in 2014, and the San Francisco 49ers won the NFL Super Bowl in 1995, their fifth consecutive Super Bowl title during their 1990s dynasty.

In Baseball, the last time the San Francisco Giants won the World Series was in 2014. In the NHL, the San José Sharks have never won the Stanley Cup; however, they did reach the 2016 Stanley Cup Final and lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The last title for the Los Angeles area was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ win in the 2025 MLB World Series. The Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl LVI in 2022. The LA Lakers won the NBA title in 2020.

Present: As of today, the LA Area is doing much better than the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Dodgers won the last World Series, as mentioned above. The other two teams, the Rams and the Lakers, are well-positioned to win a title this season.

The Rams, as of today, are leading the NFC West with a 9-2 record, the 49ers occupying third-place with7-4 record. While the Lakers are among the top teams in the NBA Western Conference. The Lakers are in second place behind the Thunder, but it is very early, with over 60 games left for most teams in the NBA. The other team in MLB, the Dodgers, already won the World Series, their second in a row. In MLB, the San Francisco Giants finished 81-81, in third place.

NHL. In the National Hockey League, the Southland’s two teams, the LA Kings and Anaheim Ducks, are not expected to compete for a title this season. Here in the Bay Area, our NHL team, the San José Sharks, although so far showing improvement, is also not considered a team with a good chance of making the playoffs. In the history of these NHL Franchises, the LA-Anaheim Area has the clear lead, with the LA Kings winning two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014, and the Anaheim Ducks winning one Stanley Cup in 2007.

Happy Thanksgiving.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s Pouring Cement in Las Vegas as the Betrayal continues

Published on November 19, 2025November 19, 2025 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Former Oakland A’s president David Kaval in 2016 touted how the A’s would build a new ballpark at Howard Terminal near Jack London Square in Oakland. In 2023 Kaval announced the team would move to Las Vegas and later resigned his position with the A’s. ( photo from Forbes)

A’s Pouring Cement in Las Vegas as the Betrayal continues

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

For Oakland A’s fans, this pouring of cement at their under-construction new location in Las Vegas feels like the Mafia burying them in cement. In my opinion, a relocation that did not have to happen. The Oakland media market is ranked in the Top 10 US markets by Nielsen ratings, while Las Vegas, Nevada, is ranked 40th.

In baseball terms, that is like comparing a .330 hitter in Oakland to a .220 hitter in Las Vegas. But…no problem, “pour more cement” says one guy smoking a Havana at the Tropicana location.. In the late 1950s, Brooklyn Dodgers fans felt a sense of abandonment and loss when they moved to Los Angeles, much as New York Giants fans felt heartbroken and betrayed when they moved to San Francisco in 1958.

The story of the Oakland A’s is in some way similar to that of the two New York teams. Especially because the Dodgers and Giants left New York primarily because of a stadium situation. In New York, with the city planner Robert Moses, plus also financial opportunities in untapped markets in California.

The difference is that California was indeed a huge untapped market for Major League Baseball, offering a great opportunity for these teams. Does anybody believe Las Vegas is like Los Angeles or Oakland-San Francisco? In mid-November 2016, the Oakland A’s named Dave Kaval President of the Oakland Athletics. Kaval would come into our Spanish radio booth at the Oakland Coliseum and talk about the new ballpark for the A’s in Oakland, although he did not speak Spanish, we translated very clear and remember when Kaval would tell us/radio audience: “the new A’s park would be next to the bay, a beautiful setting, just like the Giants across the bay.”

He visited many times to “update us” on the new A’s Oakland ballpark; he spoke of it ad nauseam. A good friend who is a huge baseball fan described Mr Kaval to me simply like this: “he is a weasel”. Before 1958, California had several professional minor league baseball teams, such as the San Francisco Seals in the PCL, where young players like Joe DiMaggio and his brother, Vin DiMaggio, played.

Also, here in California, the great Ted Williams played professional baseball years before the Dodgers and Giants arrived in the Golden State. The Hollywood Stars were a rival of the LA Angels. My father-in-law, (Joe)Clardy, played in the early 1950s for the Las Vegas Wranglers.. which was the only professional baseball team in Las Vegas.

The SF Giants released a statement after the A’s relocation to Las Vegas was announced, calling the move a “loss for all baseball fans” The team acknowledged the A’s as a “big part of Bay Area baseball history” and expressed sadness over the potential departure of their East Bay rivals.

Well, the San Francisco Giants were among all the 30 teams that voted to have the A’s leave Oakland. Like the famous line from The Godfather is ‘It’s not personal. It’s strictly business,” delivered by Michael Corleone and also by Salvatore Tessio.

Note: Currently, the smallest Major League Baseball stadium is Progressive Field in Cleveland with a capacity of 34,830. A’s in Las Vegas is projected to have 33,000 seats, making it the smallest in MLB. It took three months to film the movie “Viva Las Vegas” with Elvis, which also featured some scenes at The Tropicana.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com