Tag: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Reggie believes A’s are done in Oakland; Warriors-Kings could go seven games

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Former Oakland A’s outfielder Reggie Jackson hoists the 1973 World Championship trophy at the Oakland Coliseum during the reunion of 1973 World Series A’s players on Sun Apr 16, 2023 (@Athletics photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

Former Oakland A’s superstar Reggie Jackson addressed the future of a baseball in Oakland before Sunday’s 1973 reunion here at the Oakland Coliseum saying having 3,000 to 6,000 fans a game in attendance isn’t going to quite get it and that the way Reggie saw Oakland is not going to have a team.

Jackson said that the A’s have no suites sales, no revenues to impact the team budget. The team is not marketing the team and that the team is not making profit in like 20-30 million a year saying if the A’s can’t compete they won’t be able to contend.

Other A’s players who came out for the reunion Vida Blue, Bert Campaneris, Rollie Fingers, Dick Green Darold Knowles, Ted Kubiak, Bill North, John Blue Moon Odom, Joe Rudi, and pitching coach Wes Stock. Family representatives: Sandy Bando (Sal Bando), Keisha Conigliaro (Billy Conigliaro), Carol Fosse (Ray Fosse), Helen Hunter (Jim Catfish Hunter) Kathy Lindblad (Paul Lindblad), Debby Noren (Irv Noren), and Kathi Williams (Dick Williams), and staff and executives: Jimmy Bank, Paul and Nancy Finely, Monte Moore, Ron Pieraldi, and equipment manager Steve Vucinich.

The Golden State Warriors who won who have won 11 road games all season out of 41 and won their last two road games only because their opponent the Sacramento Kings on Apr 7th rested their starting players or the Portland Trail Blazer were going down hill at the end of the season.

The Warriors are good enough to win this series against the Kings but must win on the road. The Warriors in past post seasons regardless how they did in the regular season always had break out playoff games but this series could be a real test for Golden State who is suffering from a mental block in winning on the road or the fans just get into their heads everytime they go out on the road.

Amuary Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s on the A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 The KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Study Says Climate Change is Affecting Baseball?

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San Francisco Giants broadcaster Mike Kurkow once said to the author Amaury Pi Gonzalez about the effects of the weather changes “Let’s see which way the wind is blowing.” In this photo it rains at Oracle Park and climate change has been playing a part in baseball. (photo from shutterstruck.com file)

Study Says Climate Change is Affecting Baseball?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

A study by Associate Professor of Economics Eric Fesselmeyer found that Major League Baseball (MLB) umpires call pitches less accurately in uncomfortable temperatures, with a performance at its worst in extreme heat conditions. Dartmouth researchers analyzed more than 100,000 major league games between 1962 and 2019 and found about 1 % of recent home runs can be linked to global warming.

It has always been like that, a game in very hot and humid weather will make it uncomfortable for the umpires, players, and even fans, but that is not Breaking News. (More on this towards the end of this article).

Dartmouth is an Ivy League school in New Hampshire ranked sixth most expensive in the US, at $76,480 per year. However, those who follow baseball for years always knew that weather affects baseball more than any other sport.

Universities are centers for learning, but sometimes they do studies like this when we all know that baseball is as much ruled by weather as, for example, there are rain-outs in baseball and not in Football, we all understand that windy conditions make the ball travel further or much less on a field with little or no wind.

If you visited Chicago, especially Wrigley Field, before games the pitchers scheduled to pitch that day or night, are always curious for watching which way the wind is blowing. If it is blowing from home plate to the outfield, pitchers know they might have a tough day, but if it is blowing the other way, it could be a good day for pitching.

Back in the 1990s when I was broadcasting Giants baseball and traveling with the team, I remember one trip to Wrigley Field. On that trip I remember Mike Krukow telling me “Let’s see which way the wind is blowing”, although he was not pitching, doing TV commentary, he always told me he checked the wind, earlier in his career when he pitched for the Cubs and later when he visited and pitched for the Giants.

Baseball parks are all different; they all have different dimensions (unlike most other sports where the field is exactly the same dimension). In Yankee Stadium more than likely you will have a stronger wind blowing to right-center field, but when you go to Seattle or other teams with retractable roofs or permanent roofs, hitting is affected.

You do not need to go to Dartmouth to know that humidity makes the air less dense and a ball will go farther on a humid day than it will on a dry day, so you can save that $76,000. At the Oakland Coliseum is never easy to hit a home run during a night game; however, the first week of this 2023 season a couple of cold nights with lots of wind carried what usually are regular fly balls for outs, to go over the fence for home runs.

If you watch baseball for years, you come to understand that is a unique game that is affected not only by the weather but by many other factors including by the clock beginning this season.

Baseball and Weather Quote: “There are three things you can do in a baseball game, you can win, or you can lose,or it can rain: -Casey Stengel.

Nothing to do with Climate Change: Since the average game, this season is down 31 minutes, MLB teams are now experimenting with extended alcohol sales as game time shortens due to the pitch clock. These teams have extended alcohol sales through the eighth inning: Arizona, Texas, Minnesota, and Milwaukee.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s Fans might need Reparations

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Baltimore Orioles catcher Andy Rutschman 25 year old who was the number one pick in the 2019 MLB draft and is off to an amazing start this season is seen here Mar 30, 2023 against the Boston Red Sox on opening day at Fenway Park in Boston (AP News)

A’s Fans might need Reparations

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

In my last article, I wrote about the “new” or unfamiliar words we have not seen or used in the English language in recent memory. Well, the way the Oakland A’s (2-7) are playing this season, so far, one of those words comes into my mind; r e p a r a t i o n s, a word that is all over the news these days.

If anything the last Saturday and Sunday in Tampa where the A’s were shut out in back-to-back days with the same score 11-0 might be enough at least if not reparations for the A’s fans (all joking aside) mitigate their pain and suffering with some free promotions for games at home.

Forget they might move, they are still in Oakland and they’re still the Oakland A’s, as they have been since 1968. In the recent three games at Tropicana Field, the Tampa Bay Rays (9-0) outscored the A’s 31 to 5.

True, the Tampa Bay Rays have started the season with a red-hot 9-0 record, which is the best start in a season for a team in the wild-card era. Tampa Bay is the only unbeaten team so far in 2023, During a 162-game season there is no weak team or invincible team.

But let’s also remember the Rays’ 9-0 record to start this season has been against three of the less talented teams in all of baseball. Opening the season at home in Tropicana Fields, they faced Detroit, Washington, and Oakland, so they swept all 3-game series and open this week on top of the major league world.

The Rays also matched the best start to a major league season in 20 years and outscored the opponents 75-19, the most runs scored so far this season while allowing the fewest. The last team to win the first nine games of a season where the Kansas City Royals in 2003.

The Rays have won each and every one of those nine games by four or more runs and they trailed only a 13-game run by the 1884 St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association.

The A’s left Tampa on a 2 hours and 15 minutes flight to Baltimore, where they will open a four-game series against the much improved Orioles, before returning home and facing the New York Mets on April 14.

The Orioles in 2022 outperform in many ways (previous season ended 52-110) but last season with an 83-79 record, and a .512 winning percentage and finished the season in fourth place in that very competitive American League East division, where the Yankees, Red Sox, Tampa Bay, and Toronto play, considered the strongest division in the game.

The Baltimore Orioles leader is their young 25-year-old catcher Adley Rutschman, who was the #1 Pick in the 2019 baseball draft, he is the man among men in this Orioles team that are poised to get better with many young and talented players.

The A’s will play the Orioles in Baltimore in a 4-game series and then return to Oakland where they will open a 6-game home-stand, three games against the New York Mets, starting Friday the 14th of April, to be followed by three games against the Chicago Cubs.

Today’s quote: “Hitting is 50% above the shoulders” -Ted Williams.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary Baseball 2023: Not only new Rules but a new Pitch, the sweeper

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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels delivers the sweeper pitch a pitch that fools Angels catcher Max Strassi. Catchers have had a tough time handling the pitch this one coming on Jun 9, 2022 (file photo mlb.com)

Baseball 2023: Not only new Rules but a new Pitch, the sweeper

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

When Shohei Othani (Japan) struck out his good friend and teammate with the LA Angels Mike Trout (USA) to seal the 2023 World Baseball Classic title for Japan, Shohei did it with a “sweeper” what is always been known as a slider. You can ask any broadcasters and they will tell you that is what a slider is now called in all 30 major league parks this season.

According to baseball statisticians, Shohei Ohtani threw more sweepers in 2022 than any other pitcher. Did they change the slider to sweeper because of the Japanese sensation? Not really, but it is indeed a sweeper now all the time, at every game in every park/city.

I recently spoke with my good friend, Enrique Oliu, Nicaraguan-born Spanish broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Rays, where the Oakland A’s open a series this weekend at Tropicana Field, and he told me; “yes it is a sweeper here in Tampa too”.

So there you have it, like it or not, baseball now has changed the name of one of the most used pitches in baseball. Another good friend told me, “I think baseball is in the mood to change everything since they have set new rules this season also. Maybe the Fuller Sweeper will have a selling re-birth this season.

You probably have heard radio and television announcers using “sweeper” for a slider already, so it might not be news to you, but in the words of many baseball philosophers “it is what it is”. So what is the sweeper? Driveline classified sweepers in 2021: 77mph, 6.5 inches of glove-side movement after 40ft of ball flight, and -two inches of depth after 40ft of ball flight.

In 2021 Fangraphs chart contrasting pitch types by movement depict how the sweeper fits in with other pitches. Driveline is a Data Driven high tech company that lists these as their clients: MLB, NPR, New York Times, Rapsodo, AXE, KMotion and Lululemon.

Some pitching coaches like Peter Maki of the Minnesota Twins speak about one of his best pitchers, Pablo López and his new sweeper pitch and so it goes around baseball with terminology. But to be fair we live in a time of change in language.

Not long ago if an area of the country was going to get hit by a storm, the weather person would call it a “storm” basically “lots of rain and wind”, now they call it “atmospheric river”, basically the same thing but sexier to say. Some other things in our culture are changing, and thinks that were deemed offensive now have changed.

A good example in baseball would be Eddie Gaedel who played with the St Louis Browns in 1 game in 1951; he was the smallest player to ever appear in the history of the major leagues, at 60 pounds and 3 feet 7 inches in height. Not very long ago, he was called a midget, today that is considered an insult. Today the correct way to call Gaedel, would be a “vertically challenged player.”

Whatever Gaedel was called he was very short. The same thing happens with the slider and the sweeper, it is the same thing, but baseball is now in a changing mood, so things get changed for whatever reason, commercially or socially.

The great Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry pitched for 8 different teams in a career from 1962 to 1983, won 314 games, and was the first pitcher ever to win the Cy Young in both leagues. He threw his very famous “spitball”, which would be considered today gross and totally out of all norms.

There is nobody throwing the spitball anymore, although players are famous for spitting during games all the time, but obviously, not on the ball anymore.

In 1849 French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote “plus ca change, plus c’est la méme chose” – the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Like the great Al Jonson said in the first talkie “The Jazz Singer” in 1919 “You ain’t heard nothing yet”

Wait until AI (Artificial Intelligence) gets hold of baseball.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio networks 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s is it Oakland or Las Vegas? The case for both sides

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Las Vegas Aviators Stadium at dusk, the Oakland A’s possibly could end up playing here while they wait for their new ballpark to be built if they come to an agreement with Vegas officials and if they don’t get an agreement in Oakland (file photo by the Las Vegas Review Journal)

A’s is it Oakland or Las Vegas? – The case for both cities

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–The 2023 season just began and the clock is doing the job the Commissioner expected. Most games are way less than three hours. Last Sunday in Seattle the Guardians and the Mariners played a game in 2 hours and 3 minutes. 2023 is also the year to fish or cut bait for the Oakland A’s franchise. Do they leave Oakland after over half a century and four World Series titles in this city (that is one more than the Giants) or like the Sinatra standard “Come Fly With Me” they leave for Las Vegas?

The case for Oakland: The City of Oakland is not a huge metropolis with just over 400,000 residents inside their city limits, but it is the third largest city in the nine-county Bay Area, only San José and San Francisco have a larger population. It doesn’t matter because we have between 6 to 7 million people in this area and two major league teams. One (Giants) have played in San Francisco since 1958 and the A’s since 1968.

Yes, the A’s are rooted in Oakland, and common sense tells us this is where they should stay. They already have a planned ballpark, Howard Terminal. Oakland is not famous for keeping their pro teams; they lost the Raiders to Las Vegas and the Warriors to San Francisco.

The track record of keeping their teams in Oakland is not that good. Yet, it makes sense since they are already ahead with the plan with a designed new park ready to go. But then there are the problems with the funding for affordable housing at the Howard Terminal area a plan that would change Oakland forever, a $12 billion project.

As of today, the Mayor of Oakland Sheng Thao says it is all fine and that they are optimistic, but they do not even have a binding agreement and it might never happen because not everybody in the city council is in favor of Howard Terminal and some will say they want the team to stay in Oakland and build a new place at the same location. But the Commissioner says that is a “no go”.

The case for Las Vegas: Nevada is a desert, sometime in the future they could run out of water, the chance of running out of water, that is their biggest problem, but they have the room and they could have the will and the money if the State decide to use funds to help the construction of the A’s park.

Joe Lombardo, Governor of Nevada did not rule out public funding for the A’s. Team management has been traveling to Vegas and has looked at three different sites; with the Rio Casino Hotel might be the one preferred location. Sooner or later, Las Vegas is going to get a major league baseball franchise, maybe by expansion, but it is not that easy.

Expansion might take more than two or even three or more years to happen. The A’s seem to be hanging on a tree like a ripe mango to take. There are other cities like Portland and Nashville (ex-A’s great Dave Stewart is involved with Nashville trying to get an expansion team).

However, and very important is that the A’s know Nevada legislation will not meet in 2024, they have to get a deal done this year, 2023. If not, then what? Oakland/Bay Area is the 5th media market in the US, Las Vegas is 40th. Even Sacramento is a larger media market than Las Vegas, as the State Capital comes in as the 19th media market.

These three famous ex-players, the first two in the Hall of Fame, had said publicly that Las Vegas would be the place to the A’s to relocate, George Brett, Greg Maddux and Jason Giambi. This is what they said:

George Brett “They should come here,” he said. “I was talking to some guys earlier, and I said if I was in the Oakland organization, I’d rather play Triple A than in the big leagues.

Greg Maddux – Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux said he’s all for bringing an MLB team to Las Vegas, be it the Oakland Athletics or an expansion team. “Any team would be great as a fan,” said Maddux, a longtime Las Vegas resident.

Jason Giambi played for the A’s from1995 to 2001, then came back to play for the A’s in 2009 and on the 23rd of May hit a home run in Oakland against the Arizona Diamondbacks, it was the 400 home run of this career.

I called it in Spanish for A’s radio and remember giving him a disc with the recording which he appreciated. This is what Giambi said “the affordability of living in this area compared with California will be a big draw for free agents”.

In conclusion: I want the A’s to stay in Oakland. I have been a resident of the Bay Area since 1969 and I have worked for both the A’s and Giants calling many of their games, with the Giants doing all 162 games home and away traveling with the team.

I am afraid Oakland is playing with fire as they might take it for granted (that they will stay), but I am not sure. The city of Oakland has big problems; crime, they’re short of cops, all you have to do is watch the news every day, homelessness is a tough problem to resolve.

They need to build more affordable housing and projections now show a growing potential current year deficit of $72M. This is one of the most serious financial challenges the City of Oakland has ever faced. Also, Oakland never got the $182 million grant they needed from the Federal Transportation Department’s Mega projects.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Dodgers still looking for a second ring after a decade of winning; plus more news

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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts watches his three-run home run during the eighth inning of the team’s baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, July 21, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, can the San Diego Padres catch the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers who have won the National League title every year for the last decade and won one ring during that time are trying to secure a better position to win another ring and this year might be their best chance.

#2 The Dodgers with Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, and Will Smith all healthy and should be ready to battle. With this line up of key players do the Dodgers chances to win a World Series vastly improve.

#3 Amaury, Philadelphia Phillies JT Realmuto was ejected on Monday for moving his glove when the umpire went to put a new ball in his glove and ended up having the ball thrown away. Realmuto wanted to know why he was ejected and umpire Randy Rosenberg said he was retaliating for the previous pitch that he called on Phillie pitcher Craig Kimbrel.

#4 Amaury, opening day Thursday night you and Manolo calling all the play by play for the Oakland A’s 71 home games. You and Manolo don’t travel and we know you have pointed out that the Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays are not traveling their broadcasters do you think this will be a regular trend in baseball not traveling their broadcasters?

#5 The New York Mets Kodai Senga struck out nine batters in five innings of work, the Mets Tommy Pham in the same game hit a two RBI double and Mets second baseman Luis Guillorme hit an RBI double. The Mets have some talent and Senga can keep hitters off balance.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s lead play by play announcer on the A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD PIttsburg and read That’s Amaury News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Freedom of Religion is Older than Any sports League

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In 1965 LA Dodgers southpaw Sandy Koufax refused to pitch in Game One of the World Series because it was Yom Kippur, a Jewish Holiday part of exercising his religious rights and beliefs. Koufax is seen here in this photo, the Hall of Famer smiles as the Los Angeles Dodgers unveil a Sandy Koufax statue in the Centerfield Plaza to honor the Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young Award winner prior to a baseball game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

In the United States of America, freedom of religion is older than any of the sports leagues in the country and is protected under the US Constitution.

Recently James Reimer of the San José Sharks refused to take part in wearing Pride-theme jerseys during LGBT night at SAP Center, Reimer cited conflicted Christian beliefs.

“…In this specific instance, I am choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions which are based on the Bible, the highest authority in my life.

I strongly believe that every person has value and worth, and the LGBTQIA+ community, like all others, should be welcomed in all aspects of the game of hockey.”

The  San José Sharks accepted his decision and added this statement “Our hope is that this content will serve as a reminder that there are issues more important than goals, highlights, and wins,” said the team on Twitter. The evening also included partnerships with local LGBTQ+ organizations, themed lighting and music at the arena, and pride-themed merchandise for sale.  I believe the San José Sharks handled it correctly.

In this quick social media world, when some people are just waiting to disagree as divided as the country is today, we sometimes forget how important this is to the fiber of this country and to its citizens. There are many cases, of athletes exercising their religious beliefs, here below are two superstars of their respective sports.

–In 1965 LA Dodgers southpaw Sandy Koufax refused to pitch in Game One of the World Series because it was Yom Kippur, a Jewish Holiday.

–In 1960s Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the US Armed Forces. He refused to cite his religion (Islam) and was forbidden from serving. It cost him. Boxing stripped Ali of his heavyweight title, however, the US Military respected his decision. Ali was one of the most famous people around the world, not only in boxing circles. Twitter and all the other “instant” media outlets did not exist. There were some that disagreed (it is America after all) but by far it was accepted and people moved on with their lives.

US Constitution – First Amendment.

Personal religious beliefs are protected by the laws of the United States under the First Amendment of the Constitution: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play talent for the Oakland A’s Spanish Radio network heard on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and catch his podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: 2023 WBC Great Ratings

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Team Venezuela’s Jose Altuve gets hit on the fingers on his right hand and had to leave the game during an at bat against Team USA at LoanDepot Park in Miami during the World Baseball Classic on Sat Mar 18, 2023 (AP News photo)

2023: World Baseball Classic Great Ratings

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The World Baseball Classic tournament began in 2006. Major League Baseball wanted to manufacture a World Cup Soccer-like event after baseball was dropped from the Olympics. It is now played every four years.

The current 2023 WBC has been exciting reporting a substantial increase in ratings on television and sold-out baseball parks from Miami to Phoenix and also outside the US. The attendance had increased by 24 percent, in last Tuesday’s night semifinal 1.7 million on MLB Network was that network’s most-watched non-playoff game.

 The Japan-Korea game drew a 44.4 rating in Japan, a higher rating than any sport featured in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Taiwan, Puerto Rico, Korea, and the Dominican Republic all saw significant increases in viewership numbers for the 2023 WBC.

Some wonder about countries like; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Perú and other South-American countries. Those countries are heavily into Fútbol (Soccer, in the US) and they do not really follow the game of baseball as these other countries in the WBC, such as; Australia, Canada, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Japan, Dominican Republic, Venezuela,  México, Colombia, Panamá, Nicaragua and of course the United States of America, where baseball was born.

Also, other countries participating in 2023 are Chinese Taipei, South Korea (where they have professional baseball leagues)  Great Britain, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. In the case of the Netherlands, some of their best players play in the major leagues and come from the small Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Saint Martin, all part of The Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The popularity of baseball in Latin America continues to be as passionate as ever, especially since some of the great superstars in Major League Baseball are Latino players and should not go unnoticed by baseball teams here in the US, the strong Hispanic audience, the largest minority in the US.

According to the US Census data, there are 62.1 million Hispanics living in the US (many reports say it is close to 75 million) because lots of people do not register/take part in the Census. There are an estimated 11 to 15 million Hispanics who live in the US who do not have the documents necessary, however, those people are part of the economy of the US

The four remaining games of the World Baseball Classic at LoanDepot Park in Miami have been sold out, The ratings and the popularity during this tournament is growing like never before.

Catch Amaury Pi Gonzalez and Manolo Hernanez Douen for all the Oakland A’s play by play in Spanish on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and That’s Amaury News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Clock is Ticking toward New Baseball Season

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Oakland A’s infielder Jace Peterson (6) tosses bubble gum out of the A’s dugout in Hohokam Stadium in Mesa AZ during an A’s photo shoot at spring training (Oakland A’s Facebook photos)

The Clock is Ticking toward New Baseball Season

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–2023 is The Year of the Clock, and the clock is ticking towards a new baseball season as the Oakland A’s will punch the clock and go to work on Thursday March 30 at 7:07 at the Oakland Coliseum against the Los Angeles Angels. It will be the 55th season for the A’s at their historic Oakland Coliseum.

The same place where the A’s hoisted four World Championship flags. This place had survived many great and not-so-great moments, crazy games and one of the four World Series championships played in the middle of an earthquake in 1989, but for some of us who were there, it didn’t get any crazier than that.

This 2023 Oakland A’s team has players that you have seen like Tony Kemp, Nick Allen, Seth Brown, Christian Pache, and Ramón Laureano (among others), and many that you have seen but with another team, like Jesús Aguilar, Aledmys Díaz, Esteury Ruíz, or never seen at all, like the most interesting addition to this ball club, Japanese pitcher Shintaro Fujinami, who although he pitched for 10 years in Japan, will be a rookie in the majors.

An assortment of players will keep manager Mark Kotsay and his staff busy all summer long, looking for that ‘winning combination’ and will try to play as a unit and bring some positive results and fun moments to the A’s fans. One young A’s player that will become a star this year and take charge is catcher Shea Langeliers.

A’s No.1 prospect (# 39 MLB) Tyler Soderstrom, catcher, and first baseman survived the last cut and is still in Spring Training with two weeks until Opening Day. Will he make the roster? There is always a surprise or two in Spring Training.

To predict how the A’s will do this year is not that difficult, because nobody is expecting them to contend. Even the staunchest A’s fan will tell you that to play .500 all year will be the biggest goal for a team with these many moving pieces, but even that is unrealistic.

Any A’s fan should be happy to see the 2023 A’s version ending with 81 wins, which can also be said of many other teams that are not considered contenders. I know this 2023 year will be key for one A’s player; Ramón Laureano, trying to capture that 2019 season magic, his best for the A’s when he hit .288 with 24 home runs and 67 runs batted in.

His defense has always been there and owns one of the best arms from the outfield in the game. During the off-season rumors had Ramón leaving for the Yankees, the Phillies, and even the Marlins.

Ramón needs to stay healthy for the A’s. The team lost 102 games last season, positive minds believe 2023 should be a better year. Among my own survey, I ended with an average of a season for the A’s, this 2023 with a 76-86 record.

In 2022 (among all 30 teams) A’s last in combined average .216, #28 in home runs with 137, and #29 in RBI with 537. Their pitching had a 4.52 era which ranks #23 in all MLB. The Coliseum holds the distinction of containing the largest foul territory of any ballpark in the Major Leagues and this always helps their pitchers.

2023 is another rebuilding year for the A’s but could be also a year where this franchise announces a change of “geographic” direction to another State or maybe a change of address from the Oakland Ring Central to just six miles north on highway 1-80 by the Port of Oakland, a place called Howard Terminal.

I have friends on both sides, those that believe the A’s can’t leave Oakland but that they need a miracle for that to happen, and others who are gamblers and you know what they are thinking.

The disparity in baseball. Are you kidding? In 2022 there were four 100-win teams and four 100-lost teams, both tying the all-time record.

Famous winner and great baseball philosopher catcher Yogi Berra holds the MLB record for the most World Series rings, with ten, and was quoted as saying when it came to baseball knowledge; “In baseball, you don’t know nothing”.

Happy Weekend everybody!

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for all the play by play of Oakland A’s baseball on the A’s Spanish radio network 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Ex-A’s manager LaRussa wants his memorabilia back from animal foundation

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Former Oakland A’s manager Tony LaRussa handles all he can at his non profit ARF in 2009. LaRussa in 2023 is demanding his property returned to him that included rings, trophies, and other sports memorabilia that he left in the ARF offices in Walnut Creek. (San Francisco Chronicle file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 Former Oakland A’s manager Tony LaRussa’s attorney said that LaRussa wants his baseball memorabilia back that he left in the offices of his foundation ARF Animal Rescue Foundation which includes, trophies, rings, and other awards and memories that LaRussa left. LaRussa and his foundation will part company after a final dispute over the adoption of a dog named Lovebug.

#2 LaRussa founded ART in 1991 and was inspired to help animals after he picked up a stray cat at the Oakland Coliseum during his time with the A’s. LaRussa a Hall of Famer has won World Championships with the A’s in 1989 and the Cardinals in 2006 and 2011.

#3 LaRussa finished his managing career with the Chicago White Sox for two seasons 2021 and 2022. At his animal rescue foundation LaRussa has demanded through his attorney that his property is returned to him. The foundation has refused to return the property although ARF has not said the property belongs to the non profit they are holding onto the momentos non the less.

#4 A’s outfielder JJ Bleday was optioned to the A’s triple A farm system Las Vegas. Bleday, Cristian Pache and Esteury Ruiz all were competing for a the centerfield job. Who do you see being the everyday centerfielder?

#5 A’s pitcher Shintaro Fujinami says he focusing on fitting in and being one of the guys in the A’s clubhouse and adjusting to learning English as a second language and has said he’s very excited about the upcoming 2023 season. Fujihami’s interpreter it should be noted is also the Oakland A’s strength coach and wears the interpreter hat when Fujinami is speaking with the media before and after ball games.

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