Tag: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s Relocation to Havana

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Estadio Latinamerico in Habana Cuba seats 31,000 if the Oakland A’s are interested (Trip Visor photo)

A’s Relocation to Havana

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Forget Las Vegas, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Portland, or forever negotiating with Oakland. Havana, Cuba, is as crazy for baseball as any other place.

The ten reasons: A’s relocate to Havana.

1-The Stadium is already there, Estadio Latinoamericano, with 31,000 capacity. (You already have a Stadium)

2-There will be no owner of a team because in Cuba, there is no capitalism, and no private property is permitted. (You get rid of the owner)

3-There is no Commissioner making $25 million a year. In Cuba, the government Ministro de Deportes-Sports Minister runs it. (You get rid of the Commissioner)

4-You pay 5 pesos to watch a game if you are Cuban, more if you are a tourist; you can “negotiate.” (Affordability)

5-Cuba’s weather is perfect for baseball. The average temperature is between 77F and 80F (There is baseball all year long)

6-Fans Fest? You do not need that; the fans in Cuba are always celebrating. (In Havana’s Central Park, people know more baseball than you)

7-Traffic is not a problem in Havana. You cannot afford electric cars or new combustion-engine regular vehicles. (The best cars still running are 1955 Chevrolet’s)

8-There is no gambling allowed. The government busted all Casinos and organized betting 65 years ago. Havana was Las Vegas before Las Vegas. (You save)

9-Air is healthy; Pollution is not a problem in Havana; the government doesn’t care about climate change, and hurricanes change yearly. (Good health)

10-Last but not least. Housing is not that cool, kids. However, if you ascend to the ranks of the communist party, you can live in a great, big, lovely house.

You might not like it, but who knows, maybe you will. Take it from me, and I endorse this message, an authentic Cuban.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: City of Oakland wants an Expansion team 

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Oakland A’s team president David Kaval has been negotiating with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority and said the negotiations have been positive from last their last meeting on Thu Feb 15, 2024. (AP News file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

City of Oakland wants an Expansion team 

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

The season for the A’s begins on March 28, 2024, their last year in the lease with the Oakland Coliseum. Working on the premise that the A’s will be playing in Las Vegas by 2028, the City of Oakland and the Oakland A’s are currently negotiating (preliminary talks) to extend the lease for a few more years, possibly 2025-2026-2027—three more years until their inauguration in Sin City.

The City of Oakland wants a guarantee that if the A’s leave, as expected as of today, in return, Major League Baseball will let Oakland have an expansion team. Sheng Thao, the Mayor of Oakland (currently under a recall campaign), might save her job if she can get such a deal.

Still, it is not a sure thing since the main reason for the recall by Oakland citizens is not about the A’s but about the crime in her city and lack of security. A year after she fired the Police Chief, a new Police Chief has not been named yet.

The Oakland Athletics inauguration in Las Vegas is scheduled for 2028, but expansion teams might not come until 2029. Oakland is not seen today as a possible city for an expansion team. Oakland would have to wait in line after Nashville and Salt Lake City, the current front runners for a new franchise. Commissioner Rob Manfred said, as recently as last week, that MLB will name two expansion cities by the time he retires, according to ESPN.

Let’s suppose the A’s move and open in Las Vegas in 2028, just like they have it planned. Oakland might or might not be one of those two expansion teams until 2029, five years from today. But, since Michel de Nostredame, aka Nostradamus, died in 1566, I do not believe there is anybody today alive in ESPN, the New York Times, Associated Press, Reuters, the San Francisco Chronicle, or the Wall Street Journal qualified to predict how this is going to end.

BREAKING NEWS: Drakes Brewery, a famous San Leandro brewery, just pulled their sponsorship three days before Fans Fest. Last Dive Bar, one of the organizers wrote on Facebook. The fan group said it had incurred expenses including “sponsor banners, a digital marketing package” and “rented equipment to set up a Drakes beer both.” The Oakland A’s deny they have anything to do with this

Around and around it goes, where does its stops nobody knows”. This was one of the lines from “Major Bowes Amateur Hour” a popular radio show that ran from 1934 to 1948, later made the transition to television as “Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour” and to their credit many stars were discovered in his show, including the one and only Francis Albert Sinatra.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish 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 podcast: Cubs biggest move in off season was signing manager Counsell; Angels Rendon says baseball is not a priority; plus more news

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Chicago Cubs president of operations Jed Hoyer and manager Craig Counsell speak to the media from the Cubs spring training camp facilities in Mesa AZ on Wed Feb 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Chicago Cubs seem pretty comfortable with the players that they have and didn’t have any big signings over the winter. The one big move they did make is signing manager Craig Counsell from their division rival the Milwaukee Brewers for $40 million. Not a bad pay day for a manager.

#2 How surprised are you that Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon said that baseball is not a priority for him and that he only plays the game for a living. Rendon was injured for most of the 2023 season and is back at the Angels spring training camp.

#3 The New York Yankees Juan Soto said that he won’t talk about his future past the 2024 season as makes his debut at George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa Florida for spring training. It been theorized that Soto wants to be a Yankee for life and would like an extension before the end of this season.

#4 Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that designated hitter Shohei Ohtani will not play in the spring training opener Thursday against the San Diego Padres. Roberts said that Ohtani is coming off elbow surgery and Roberts added he’s not sure when Ohtani will be in the line up this spring. Roberts did report that Ohtani is making progress coming off surgery.

#5 Amaury, we didn’t get a chance to talk to you about the recent signing of Jorge Soler with the San Francisco Giants for a three year $42 million deal. Soler told the media at the Giants training facility in Scottsdale AZ that he expects to have big numbers this season.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Coliseum to the Rescue? A’s wouldn’t have to shut down operations

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Oakland Alameda County Coliseum at night (photo file by Ticketmaster.com)

The Coliseum to the Rescue? A’s wouldn’t have to shut down operations

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

In the never-ending saga of the only baseball franchise in Bay Area history to have won four World Series, the Oakland A’s are now to meet with the City of Oakland and County of Alameda to renew a new lease past this 2024 season (last year for the current lease).

As Spring Training in Arizona is getting underway, the Oakland A’s, who are scheduled to inaugurate a new ballpark in the Las Vegas strip by 2028, have obstacles still on the horizon, the most important being the financing for the $1.5 billion stadium in Sin City as well are the renderings of the proposed new 30,000 seat facility.

If you call the Tropicana Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas today hoping to get a reservation for a stay, you can do so until April. The iconic Tropicana has already officially announced that they will not take any reservations after April 2 because they are making way for the demolition, which is also scheduled for this year.

While the A’s build their new park in Las Vegas, the one city that makes the most sense for the team to keep playing is Oakland, which is common sense, but as we all know, in this current story, ” common sense is not common anymore.”

If the Oakland A’s were to extend their lease with the City of Oakland and Alameda County for 2025 and beyond, that would ensure the team keeps playing in a major league facility. As dated as the Coliseum is today, granted, it is not the most attractive baseball park.

However, it is still a major league facility, and the Players Union will probably never approve of the A’s playing in a smaller setting, barnstorming in minor league cities outside the Bay Area.

So get ready. More discussions are underway. This makes sense, there is money for everybody, if they extend it, plus the A’s will still keep the millions they get in television broadcasting revenue, and the city and county also will benefit financially. This is not amateur sports; this is the Big Leagues, and when there is money to be made, everybody likes to talk about it.

Let’s see what happens now.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Tropicana to offer Severance Pay

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Secretary-Treasurer of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 Ted Pappageorge addresses the media at the Culinary Union Hall in Las Vegas Feb 2020. Pappageorge says union workers at the Tropicana will receive a severance pay for their service when the Tropicana is torn down to make room for the Las Vegas A’s new ballpark in April 2025. (Las Vegas Review-Journal file photo)

Tropicana to offer Severance Pay

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Severance pay is granted to employees terminated by employment in cases where employees are victims of business decisions where they have no say. In the case of the Tropicana in Las Vegas is about to happen.

That is when the Tropicana Casino-Hotel closes its doors on April 2 to free the way for the A’s to build their new ballpark. According to the Union, the Tropicana employees will receive $2,000 per year they worked at the iconic Las Vegas location, and many of the senior employees could receive up to $60,000 of severance pay.

This is excellent news, especially for the seniors who will get the notice and the severance money because there is a good chance most of these people will decide to retire. “It’s a significant part of that workforce that has been working there for decades,” Secretary-Treasurer of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 Ted Pappageorge said during a Zoom news conference earlier this week.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows leisure and hospitality employment was over 302,000. Las Vegas is a destination vacation entertainment city primarily dependent on the hospitality industry for its economy.

As of October, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows leisure and hospitality employment was over 302,000, approximately 10,000 more employees than in February 2020, and nearly 5,000 above the previous peak in 2019. It is a huge union, almost half of the total population of Las Vegas, 602,000 people.

The A’s in Las Vegas will probably have a marketing plan in association with all the Hotel Casinos. Earlier in the process of their relocation, these were strong supporters: The Nevada AAPI Chamber of Commerce and Henderson Chamber of Commerce will attract most of their attendance, coming from out-of-towners.

Also supporting the A’s move earlier in the process were the Latin Chamber of Commerce, the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce, and the Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

Note: Las Vegas, Nevada, known as the “Entertainment Capital of the World,” takes the top spot on the list of cities worldwide with the most hotel rooms. With over 150,000 hotel rooms, Las Vegas offers visitors a wide variety of accommodations. From an average of $29 per night to $100,000 suits for high rollers.

What does the saying “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” mean? This was created in 2003 by the Las Vegas tourism department and an ad agency.

Do not forget that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and what mostly stays in Vegas is your money.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for That’s Amaury podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Tropicana to cease operations Apr 2; Vegas hotel and casino property to make way for A’s ballpark

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The Tropicana Hotel and Casino are prepared to close up business on April 2, 2024 according to Tropicana general manager Arik Knowles. The towers will be imploded to clear the way for a Las Vegas A’s ballpark and new plaza. (photo by the Nevada Independent)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Tropicana Hotel and Casino will will ceasing operations on Apr 2, 2024 and will no longer be accepting reservations for after that date as the Hotel and Casino will be clearing the way to implode the towers and grounds to build a new Las Vegas A’s ballpark and plaza.

#2 The Tropicana has a lot of history going on seven decades as an institution and hosted many of Las Vegas top celebrities in their showroom like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, Angie Dickinson, Don Rickles, and Johnny Carson.

#3 For many who walk down memory lane this sound of the imploding buildings will bring those memories down for the people of the Oakland those famous A’s teams that won three championships in a row and the 1989 World Series with Bash Brothers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. For the people of Las Vegas all those great memories that the Tropicana brought for 70 years.

#4 Tropicana General Manager Arik Knowles said once the plans renderings and concept plan is in place the Tropicana can be cleared and the beginning of construction for the new ballpark will begin. Construction is expected to start Apr 2025. Once those towers are imploded at the Tropicana that will signal the beginning of the end for the A’s history in Oakland.

#5 The A’s are not expected to return next season at the Oakland Coliseum after the 2024 season is completed. The A’s have been looking for temporary sites in Sacramento and Salt Lake City. Oracle Park and the Coliseum will not host the A’s 2025 and beyond according to reports.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Tropicana to close April 2, 2024 to make way for the A’s

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Statement issued by Tropicana Hotel and Casino general manager Arik Knowles regarding the closing of the Tropicana to make way for the Las Vegas A’s new ballpark on the Vegas strip (below)

Photo: Outside of the Tropicana Hotel and Casino which will close on Apr 2, 2024. The construction on the site to clear the way for the Las Vegas A’s new ballpark will start on Apr 2025. (photo by the Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Tropicana to close April 2, 2024, to make way for the A’s

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The second oldest hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, Tropicana, will close on April 2, 2024, and later in 2024, imploded to make way for a stadium for the A’s. Below is today’s official statement by the Tropicana Las Vegas.

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

That’s Amaury Newsand Commentary: Jesús Luzardo only Major Leaguer born in Perú – Could be traded again

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The author Amaury Pi Gonzalez (right) poses with former Oakland A’s pitcher Jesus Luzardo (left) at the A’s Fanfest 2019. Luzardo who now pitches with the Miami Marlins (photo from Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

Jesús Luzardo only Major Leaguer born in Perú – Could be traded again-

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The South American country of Perú’s population is over 34 million people. Fútbol (Soccer in the US) is their number one sport. However, pitcher Jesús Luzardo, currently with the Miami Marlins starting rotation and previously with the Oakland A’s,(his first team in the major leagues), was born in Lima, Perú. His parents are Venezuelans, a country where baseball is undoubtedly the #1 sport.

Luzardo debuted with the Oakland A’s in 2019, as the A’s No. 6 prospect. Just a year before, On February 13, 2018, in his Alma Mater in Parkland, Florida, a former student killed 17 people when he opened fire inside the high school.

Luzardo intended to work out at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on that same afternoon of the shooting, he was warned not to come by his former coach, and that might have saved his life. During the shooting, Luzardo stayed in contact with people inside the school via text messages.

In 2019, before the team reported to Spring Training, Luzardo was at the A’s Fanfest in Jack London Square; he sat with yours truly and Mauricio Segura at the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame and signed autographs for dozens of A’s fans who stood in line. He was gracious and pleased and, as he told me, “lucky to be in the major leagues”.

But a couple of years later, he wasn’t happy to be traded to the Miami Marlins, he felt good pitching here at Oakland and enjoyed the Bay Area. But the life of a major leaguer always included the possibility of being traded. He started with the A’s, went to the Marlins and he might changed uniforms soon again.

Luzardo could be traded again before this 2024 season gets underway. In his first years with the A’s, he did not pitch much and struggled, but it was a learning process like it is many times with young pitchers.

Last season, the lefty with the Miami Marlins ended with a record of 10-10 and a 3.58 ERA in 32 games he started. He owns an outstanding fastball, especially among left-handed starters who, in 2023, threw at least 200 fastballs; he ranked second out of 57. The southpaw was one of 12 pitchers to reach 205 strikeouts in 2023, when he fanned 208. Was that good?

Well, only Blake Snell,two-time Cy Young winner, Gerrit Cole, won Cy Young in 2023, Kevin Gausman, finalist this past seasons to win the Cy Young, Zac Gallen, who finished second in the NY for the Cy Young in 2023 and and Luis Castillo, still one of the best pitchers who will soon win a Cy Young.

Jesús Luzardo is maturing as a pitcher, and if the Orioles, Pirates, or anyother teams currently pursuing him could land a pitcher ready to be a winner at the young age of 26.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s owner John Fisher, spoke at Las Vegas event- -It is like the Groundhog Day movie; Fisher open to selling shares of team

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Mary Beth Sewald president/CEO of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce (left) and Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (right) sit down to discuss the A’s move to Las Vegas and all the ballpark intangibles at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Wed Jan 24, 2024 (photo by Nevada Independent)

A’s owner, John Fisher, spoke at the Las Vegas event– It is like the Groundhog Day movie

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The first public comments by A’s owner, John Fisher, were made on Wednesday in Las Vegas. He said he would like local Las Vegas investors to help him pay for the $1.5 billion A’s stadium at the Tropicana hotel-casino location on the Strip. Fisher spoke for about 20 minutes at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce event. He wants to find local capital for the stadium in Las Vegas as a way of engaging his new city.

He said about the Las Vegas park renderings: “We’ll release our renderings when you know when it’s the right time to do so,” Fisher said.

Speaking about the funding: “That will be funded mostly with equity from my family,” Fisher said. “We would like to consider raising capital, especially from local investors. That creates a connection to the community, and we’ve seen that with many other teams become a successful thing.”

Meanwhile, back in Planet Oakland, Mayor Shen Thao’s office told the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “When the Athletics leave the Bay Area ahead of the team’s planned Las Vegas relocation, they won’t be missed.” The mayor’s office also responded to whether they have discussed extending the team’s Oakland Coliseum lease past its expiration date at the end of the 2024 season.

Leigh Hanson, Mayor Thao’s chief of staff, said no and then ripped into the club. According to the Review-Journal, Mr. Hanson added; “To date, they have not contacted or requested an extension to their lease from the Mayor, Alameda County, the joint powers agency that oversees the Coliseum, and perhaps most notably from the fans.”

The situation in Oakland is not a pretty one when businesses close because of a spike in crime as they continue to make news nationwide, not how they wanted. As a matter of fact, the A’s story is not as crucial for the city of Oakland as the current situation, where some Council Members are now asking the Mayor to declare a State of Emergency.

When a profitable In ‘n Out Burger restaurant announces they are leaving Oakland because of too much crime in their parking lot, the Mayor has a bigger problem than the baseball team.

From Amaury’s desk: This whole story is extremely close to the script of the 1993 Hollywood film: “Groundhog Day” where a cynical television weatherman relives the said day repeatedly. Actor Bill Murray’s predicament drives him to distraction until he sees a way of turning the situation to his advantage. Las Vegas has become Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 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: A’s looking at Sacramento and Salt Lake City for 2025-27

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The Salt Lake City Bees are aiming to lure the Oakland A’s to play their home games at Smith’s Ballpark in downtown Salt Lake City for the 2025. Salt Lake City is on the list of temporarily homes for the A’s after the 2024 season. (photo by News Radio 102.7 FM)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 Amaury, the A’s owner John Fisher and team president David Kaval this past week visited Sacramento’s Sutter Health Field and Salt Lake City Smith’s Ballpark. They will eventually decide where the A’s will play after the 2024 season.

#2 The other 2025 options are Summerlin, Reno, and of course Salt Lake City and Sacramento.

#3 Amaury, is the relationship between the A’s and the City of Oakland so bad that Fisher won’t even consider finishing up at the Oakland Coliseum despite Fisher owning half of the Coliseum property?

#4 How much opposition do you see the A’s and MLB getting from the Players union about having to play in a minor league park when they can finish up at the Coliseum.

#5 Amaury, no renderings and no money to pay for construction no word or latest word where John Fisher is on the renderings and construction money for the Vegas ballpark?

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