Tag: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Baseball Umpires to check Pitchers’ Balls

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Former Cleveland pitcher Gaylord Perry was checked often for using foreign substances and doctoring baseballs which is now the case this season with the use of the spider tack baseball used by some MLB pitchers (file photo from Hobart Pulp)

Baseball: Umpires to check Pitchers’ Balls

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Being a few days since California “was opened” due to Covid, there is a new scandal brewing…… in baseball. Beginning this Monday June 21, MLB umpires will be enforcing new guidelines around pitchers using foreign substances on baseballs during games.

According to MLB, umpires will be urged to check the pitcher regularly and ask for the ball if they suspect the baseball has an unusually sticky feel to it. Also, when an umpire notices a pitcher going to his hat, glove, belt, or any place on his uniform or body to apply what may be a foreign substance, he will be checked.

Players caught will be ejected and suspended (with pay) for 10 games, even if the opposing manager doesn’t request inspection. Major League Baseball is responding to a season with: 1-Record strikeouts, 2-League batting average more than half-century low at .235 and 3-Spin rates of the ball.

This represents more responsibility for baseball umpires, who will be policing these new guidelines. MLB is not de-funding the umpires, but giving them more power. MLB investigated numerous complaints from players, tested balls, plus collected data during April and May.

Spin rates on the ball that provides pitchers with an unfair competitive advantage over pitchers and hitters who do not used foreign substances. All this has also translated to less action on the field. There have been six (6) no hitters this year (one of 7 inning thrown by Madison Bumgarner) but MLB doesn’t recognizes that as a no hitter because is less than 9 innings. The record is eight (8) no hitters in 1884.

This April, Trevor Bauer, now with the LA Dodgers and the 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner reacted sarcastically to the report on his twitter account. He also noted that many baseballs were being collected from games across baseball, not only from him.

More recently after the MLB announced on this new guidelines he told the MLB network that pitchers use the ‘rosin bag’ (a sticky substance extracted from the sap of fir trees) and is used by pitcher to improve their grip on the baseball and keep their hands dry, but Bauer said many pitchers use the rosin bad and it gets mixed with their sweat.

Gaylord Perry is 82 years old, born in Williamston, NC. He pitched for 22 years won 314 games, with 6 different teams, first pitcher to win the Cy Young in both leagues, with the Indians in the AL in 1972 and with the Padres in the NL in 1978 5 times All Star, five season with 20 or more wins, inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown in 1991.

He wrote the book “Me and The Spitter” an autobiographical confession by Gaylord Perry. This is one of Gaylord Perry’s quotes: “I’d always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to be caught out there with anything though; it wouldn’t be professional.” See you at the park.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Will $12 billion price tag make City Council balk on A’s stadium? plus more A’s news

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Artist rendering of the Oakland A’s Howard Terminal ballpark. Oakland City Council will have meetings regarding approving the new ballpark on July 7th and a vote July 20th (photo from NBC Sports)

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 A $1 billion term sheet that showed the Oakland A’s price tag for the new Howard Terminal Ball Park was the initial figure but after infrastructure needs for development of the Howard Terminal and Jack London Square the price tag inflated for total developments to $12 billion.

#2 Amaury, how safe is the Howard Terminal footprint where the A’s ballpark? They have rail that surrounds the port area and it was reported to you first hand that it’s well known by the workers and contractors that have worked there that the ground is toxic radio active.

#3 Amaury, turning to the big series in Oakland with the Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani brings with him the second highest home run total in the American League with 17 and he is just behind the Toronto Blue Jays Vladmir Guerrero who has 21.

#4 The A’s Matt Olson has been swinging the bats of late on Sunday he belted two home runs off of Kansas City Royals pitching and is leading the A’s with a .289 average.

#5 Tonight’s pitchers for game 2 of the series at the Coliseum the Angels will start Andrew Heaney (4-3 ERA 4.37) and for the A’s Frankie Montas (6-6 ERA 4.37) a 6:40pm first pitch.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Latino Power–Guerrero Jr. Tatis Jr., and Acuna Jr.

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The Toronto Blue Jays Teoscar Hernandez (right) get a hug from teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr after Hernandez hit a three run homer against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston on Sun Jun 13, 2021 (AP News photo)

The Toronto Blue Jays Vladimir Guerrero Jr hitting .344 with 21 home runs is seen here taking off after connecting with the baseball (CBS Sports file photo)

Latino Power: Guerrero Jr. Tatis Jr. Acuña Jr.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–Out in Toronto, in San Diego and Atlanta, play three of the most talented players in the game today, the three are MVP-franchise-caliber players. They have one thing in common, they are exciting in everything they do, great talent and flair all rolled into one.

These are the type of players that get the attention of the new baseball generation of young fans. More than launch-angle, and exit velocity and everything else that is served on a plate for fans today, these are the player’s baseball needs. These three are among the real “influencers” that promote the game and can bring the type of attention that many say baseball is lacking behind the NFL and NBA.

Toronto’s first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 22 years old, batting .344 with 21 home runs and 55 runs-batted-in (on top of most offensive departments in MLB) just on his third year in the majors.

His dad Vladimir Guerrero a superstar who was inducted as a LA Angel to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2018 and who could hit any pitch, wherever it was thrown, plus owned a Clemente-type of arm from right field, taught his son Guerrero Jr. how to play the game since he began to walk.

Anytime you asked Guerrero about Jr., his face broke out in a smile. Guerrero Jr. personality seems to be like his Hall of Fame father, happy-go-lucky type of player with talent that some would say is on loan from God. During this past winter he shed 42 pounds.

When his father visited Angel Stadium after his induction into the Hall of Fame he came to the Fox Sports Spanish broadcast and told us, when asked why his son was not there Sr. said he didn’t wanted his son there, that he was better to continue playing baseball in the minor leagues.

Fernando Tatis Jr., 22 years old. He is the San Diego Padres shortstop. He who signed a deal with the Padres for $330 million with a full no-trade provision through 2028, the phrase “Slam Diego” has been coined at PETCO Park since this young man arrived which has created a kind of contagious excitement that has never been seen there.

The Padres hope to win a World Series this year; they are the only major league team in California with no World Series hardware. His real Padre, Fernando Sr. who was a third-baseman for 11 years, owns a unique MLB record; he hit two grand slams in the same inning while playing for St Louis at Dodger Stadium in 1999.

I would not be surprised if Junior duplicates that record. What story would that be, there is no limit to this kid talent. At the time of this article Fernando Tatis Jr. was hitting .279 with 19 home runs and 55 runs batted in.

Ronald Acuña Jr. Atlanta Braves right fielder, he is 23 years old and the “veteran” among the trio. Acuña Jr. has been playing with the Braves for four years. In 2019 he ended the season hitting .280 with 41 home runs and 101 RBI.

This season, as of today, he was hitting .292 with 18 home runs and 39 RBI. Acuña Jr. is one of the elite players in the game in the town where the great Hank Aaron once played to my liking, Aaron is the legitimate Home run king.

There is another young player today that people have to watch all the time, Shohei Othani, the Japanese phenom is doing something that has not been done since Babe Ruth, he can pitch and he can hit, and do both very well.

Last week he hit a home run to right center field at Angel Stadium, estimated to be 470 feet which his manager Joe Maddon said “That’s the farthest ball I’ve ever seen hit here” and continued “I’ve never seen one hit there before”. Maddon served as bench coach for manager Mike Scioscia in the early 2000, winning a World Series in 2002. He had spent over 30 years with the Angels organization. Now he is back as their skipper

These are the players that can bring people to baseball. Othani is in town for three games starting tonight against the Oakland Athletics. The A’s hold a two-game lead on top of Houston in the AL West, but the Angels now in third place are red hot (even without Mike Trout) and have won six games in a row and are only six games out of first place, with a lot of baseball left this season.

See you at the park!

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Will Warriors deal Wiseman to bring in more talent?

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Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman seen here taking a shot against the Phoenix Suns DeAndre Ayton on Thu Mar 4, 2021 in Phoenix. Wiseman has been in recent discussions about whether the Warriors will keep him on the team or not (AP News file photo)

Amaury Pi-González

Just because the Golden State Warriors were eliminated prematurely by the Memphis Grizzles doesn’t mean they have to overhaul the team. They still have Stephen Curry who at 33 still one of the best players in the world. But they could use another efficient point guard to help the team during those minutes that Curry is not on the court.

Curry is a Hall of Fame player, but even Oscar winners need a supporting cast to make a movie worth the time and effort and hopefully a return on investment. James Wiseman is a young center still learning and with the potential of really helping this team that does need more help on rebounds.

Wiseman at 7′ 1″ could be trade-bait. I like Wiseman and believe he is going to be one of the top centers in the NBA in a couple of years. The Warriors said they are not going to trade him and they expect him to play with them next season, however, I am not too sure of that.

Especially because of his youth and enormous potential James Wiseman is a player that many teams are attracted to and could bring high returns to the Warriors.

When it comes to rebounds, the Warriors are not one of the best teams in the league. The Warriors could be one-trade-away from returning as an elite team in the NBA. Will they pull the trigger? A big question today is: What is the trade value of Wiseman?

There is not much clarity on this, the Warriors organization will have to make that decision, to “trade or not to trade”. One thing for sure is that shooting guard Klay Thompson should come back next season and hopefully most of the troops (like power-forward Draymond Green, who finished third for the NBA defensive player of the year) will be healthy and ready to contend again for another NBA title. This could be a key off-season for the Golden State Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors were one of the few teams in the NBA to first broadcast in Spanish during the 1990’s together with the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.

Amaury Pi-González was the first and only Spanish play by play broadcaster to date, for the Warriors, over KIQI 1010AM La Grande 1010 in San Francisco.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Sixers GM Morey tampering for Curry; Duane’s chemotherapy and how it effects brother A’s announcer Glenn plus more

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Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry’s tweet regarding brother Philadelphia 76er Seth Curry (photo from @stephencurry30)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 In a tweet by the Philadelphia 76ers general manager Daryl Morey to the Golden State Warriors free agent Stephen Curry under the caption of “Join em” with the 76ers Seth Curry in the photo. The NBA fined Morey $75,000 for tampering. Morey said he meant that he was glad that Seth was on team and he meant nothing by the “Join em” tweet.

#2 Amaury you work very closely with Oakland A’s NBC Bay Area play by play announcer Glenn Kuiper after his brother San Francisco Giants play by play announcer Duane Kuiper on Monday announced that he would be receiving chemotherapy it has to come as a shock and something Glenn had to come to grips with?

#3 Amaury, you wrote about former Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia who will be managing the 2021 USA baseball national team. Will there be games schedule for baseball in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with all of the pressure against the Olympics coming to Tokyo because of the Coronavirus spike?

#4 Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid and son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid pleaded not guilty from a car crash that hit the back of a vehicle that had a five year old girl seriously injuring her. Britt who had a DUI issue when Andy was head coach in Philadelphia has been ordered to use a breathalyzer which has been installed in his vehicle before he can drive again. 5 year old Ariel Young’s cousin Tiffany Verhulst said the charge’s against Reid were not harsh enough and that he gets to live a normal everyday life while he changed the life of little Ariel with the accident.

#5 The Oakland A’s open a two game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks which starts Tuesday night at the Coliseum. You mentioned Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner in your column on Monday he’s out with shoulder inflammation and has been mentioned as trade bait along with infielder Eduardo Escobar and outfielder David Peralta.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for all the play by play action of Oakland A’s baseball on the A’s Spanish flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: USA Baseball Back at the Olympics

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Mike Scioscia former Los Angeles Angels manager will be managing the 2021 National Team and will be at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics (photo from USA Baseball)

USA Baseball Back at the Olympics

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

First Olympic Baseball tournament since 2008 and the United States of America is back after classifying this weekend. Baseball is back after a rule change that allowed the host nation to propose adding additional sports for games.

In 2016 Baseball and Softball were confirmed as Olympic sports (both softball and baseball are very popular in Japan) baseball was confirmed along with karate, skateboarding, sports chiming and surfing. Baseball will not be back in the 2024 Paris Olympics but could be added (more than likely) to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

More on this at the end. US Manager Mike Scioscia’s team qualified in Florida with a 4-2 victory over Venezuela. The US joins Israel, México, South Korea and host Japan. The final (six spot) will go to the winner of a final qualifying tournament later this month.

Dominican Republic and Venezuela with be among those going for the last berth. Cuba, winner of three of the five past gold medals failed to make the Olympics this year and their national team is in disarray as some players that were scheduled to fly from Florida to Mexico to join professional teams in that country defected, including a team physiologist.

The US Olympic team features promising minor leagues, who were allowed by their MLB teams to participate as well as veteran ex-major leaguers like pitchers Edwin Jackson and David Robertson. No current players in Major League clubs are allowed to participate in the Olympics.

The US baseball team has won gold once, in 2000 and bronze twice in 1996 and 2008. The baseball competition of the Tokyo Olympics gets underway on July 27 and concludes on August 7. Manager Mike Scioscia, who won a World Series with the Los Angeles Angels over the San Francisco Giants in 2002 said about his US Olympic team, regarding all his players young and veterans on his team: “Your priority has to be contained to the process to getting to the gold,” Scioscia said. “I think that there is an opportunity for players to get back on the drawing board as far as where their careers might be, but that’s t the primary reason they’re here.”

Good luck to Mike Scioscia and the USA Olympic Baseball team, hope they bring home the gold. Note: I agree with Japan accepting Baseball as an Olympic Sport. As a matter of fact I believe Baseball should be a regular sport at every Olympic.

Think of this; Skateboarding began in the 1950’s when surfers in Southern California wanted something to do when the waves were flat. It was then called “sidewalk surfing”which is now popular in many cities. Yet, baseball a sport that has been around for over a century and it is played in the Americas, Asia, Oceania and some countries in Europe is not?

I understand the French not wanting baseball during the Paris Olympics on 2024. the French would probably have Chess as an Olympic Sport before baseball. Men’s Soccer was first introduced at the Summer Olympics in 1900 in Paris, but the French will probably never accept baseball.

One of my favorite quotes about the French: “France has neither winter nor summer nor morals—apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country.” -Mark Twain.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Olympics Cuban National Baseball Team Fails to Qualify More Defections

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Cuban pitcher Lazaro Blanco joined teammate Carlos Juan Vera and team psychologist Jorge Sile Figueroa in Miami as they defected on Fri Jun 4, 2021 (photo from SwingCompleto)

Olympics: Cuban National Baseball Team Fails to Qualify: More Defections

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

For the first time since 1984 (first time since baseball became an Olympic sport) Cuba will not be sending a team to the Tokyo Olympics. The Cuban national team lost its first two games to Venezuela and then to Canada, during the pre-olympics in Florida.

The Cubans made all five Olympic baseball medal finals before baseball was removed from the Olympics after 2008. With Cuba out, the US ranked No 2 in the world behind Japan, Canada, Venezuela and one of the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua or Puerto Rico will advance to the final round of the qualifier.

After their #1 player, César Prieto defected last week; two more Cuban players and one team psychologist defected. Cuban pitchers Lázaro Blanco and Carlos Juan Vera did not showed up to the airport in Miami. They were to fly to México to join baseball teams in the Mexican Professional League.

Jorge Sile Figueroa a 33-year old Cuban psychologist for the Cuban team also defected, Pitcher Lázaro Blanco said to Telemundo CH 51 in Miami “I am here because I want to play baseball and make a team in the US, it was a tough decision because I am leaving my family behind”.

These defections are not good for the Cuban government propaganda machine. It is palpable proof that even in Cuba a country crazy for baseball, Freedom ranks above the game.

Stay well

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Hall of Fame Heritage Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Olympics in Japan Money or Health

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2021 Tokyo Olympics NBC logo; The Tokyo Olympics are in jeopardy due to the spike of Coronavirus cases in Japan. The International Olympic Committee is planning to move forward with the games. (image from creative blog)

Olympics in Japan: Money or Health

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

According to the Associated Press between 50-80% of Japanese citizens do not want the Olympics to take place in Tokyo. Organizers have already announced that international fans will not be permitted. The IOC has repeatedly said that the Games will move forward safely.

Japan has extended the state of emergency in the country through mid-June in both Tokyo and Osaka. “The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee will absolutely make sure to protect the health of the athletes,” organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto told the AP. Japan’s population: 126.3 million.

Over 750,000 confirmed cases of Coronavirus since pandemic began. 13,000 plus deaths reported 3% of the country has been fully vaccinated. Originally to take place in 2020 and after the Covid pandemic forced the cancellation last year; some estimates today project Japan will have spent $35 Billion dollars to host the games this year. The original budget was about $7.5 Billion.

The opening ceremony will take place on July 23. NBC is the Official Olympic Network. Japan is 16 hours ahead of the West Coast.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez lead play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s on Spanish flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Another Cuban Baseball Player Defects – Cuban Government Furious

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Cesar Prieto Cuban star of the Cuban Olympic team has defected in Florida while the team was there, Prieto is seen here while playing for the Cuban team during a training session at Estadio Latinamericano in Havana (AP News file photo)

Another Cuban Baseball Player Defects – Cuban Government Furious

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Cesar Prieto star of the Cuban Olympic team defected and here is the statement by the Cuban Federation of Sports. “His decision, which is contrary to the commitment he made with both his country and team, has generated repudiation among his colleagues and other members of the delegation, who are willing to overcome foreign interests to be faithful to our homeland and the mission with which we traveled to the tournament”.

Typical statement by a communist government and it is loaded with BS. Most of his teammates are probably very happy Prieto left the team, because he is one of the most talented players on that squad and sometime that would soon be signed by a MLB scout.

It doesn’t matter what administration (party) is in charge in Washington, D.C, because Cuba just continues to violate basic human rights and their system reeks of confiscation, envy and pure hate for those that seek a basic fundamental of all human being, Freedom.

Cesar Prieto is just 21 years of age and one of the best Cuban players at this time. He said “no más” to Cuba while his team was in Florida in the qualifying round for the Tokyo Olympics, where baseball will be back as an Olympic sport. In other words, the communist government of Cuba is upset with this desertion.

The only reason Prieto deserted is because he is looking for the Liberty and the opportunity that his country doesn’t allows him. Cuban players play for the Cuban government, which is the largest employer in the country. They made the equivalent to $60 dollars a month, and have other duties “assigned” to them, like driving the team bus, these are requirements by a country that doesn’t offer its citizens the Freedom of travel, of thought or assembly.

Most of the over 25 Cuban players today in the MLB have either defected when they leave Cuba and arrive at a free country or have the dangerous task to escape in man-made dinghy across the treacherous Florida straits. It doesn’t matter which party is in the White House. Cubans have been defecting for decades and will continue until they are free to travel.

The Coast Guard is still looking for the 10 refugees that just defected from Cuba. From the Miami Herald: ” As Cuba descends into one of the worst economic crises since the beginning of the Castro revolution, its people are escaping in greater numbers on dangerous journeys to the United States and encountering disasters on the high seas.

In the latest calamity, two Cuban migrants died and 10 others were missing after their boat capsized in the Florida Straits south of Key West this week, while the U.S. Coast Guard rescued eight survivors Thursday and continued their search mission Friday.”

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: José Canseco Showtime Car Wash in Vegas

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Jose Canseco’s Showtime Car Wash outside of carwash in Las Vegas (photo from yelp.ca)

José Canseco Showtime Car Wash in Vegas

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

For a couple of years now, Mr.40-40/MVP José Canseco’s name is on his Car Wash operation in Las Vegas. José has done many things after his 17 year-career in MLB (which most of us that covered him with the A’s believe was on the way to the Hall of Fame).

He has done reality television shows, wrestled strange things on the boxing ring and other “out of the ordinary” stuff, too many to mention, including a couple of books about Steroids. But now he can be seen at the Showtime Car Wash in Las Vegas on Tropicana Avenue.

A place where you can have your car hand washed, or detailed and even get an autograph from the slugger and half part of the Bash Brothers during the A’s most recent glory years. Canseco is not there all the time, but at specific days of the week.

Canseco was signing autographs at a hotel in Las Vegas, last time I visited. Some are the regular baseball memorabilia shows that travel around the country as well as Las Vegas which is one of the big entertainment centers of the world, home to the Oakland Raiders and could be the future home of the Oakland Athletics. If the A’s relocate to Vegas, Canseco can always say, “I was here first”.

Hoping for a healthy Memorial Day weekend.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the radio play by play talent on Spanish flagship station for the Oakland A’s 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com