Tag: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: NBA Season to Begin December 22 –Without Fans–

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media during a presser announcing the 2022 NBA All Star game would be held in Cleveland. Silver, the owners and the Players Association this week has agreed on playing a 72 game schedule starting Dec 22 (file photo from cleveland.com)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

NBA and the Players Association set their opening of the 2020-21 season for December 22. It will not be in January, as both sides discussed another starting date. This is the fastest season-to-season turnaround in history for the NBA.

The LA Lakers won the title over the Miami Heat on October 11 that was the last game of the season. By starting on December 22, it means they will be back in less than three months. According to Elias Sports Bureau, this is in fact the quickest turnaround in history from one season to the next among all major professional leagues in the United States.

–72 game season. Not the regular 82 games as usual.

–Training camp will open on December 1.

–Playoffs middle of May until July

–Where they play. Teams to play in their home markets

–Traveling. There will be travel, but it will be cut by 25%, limiting the coast-to-coast traveling

–Players and staff will be tested daily for Covid-19

— Fans. Doesn’t look like fans will be allowed. It is a good bet thatCovid-19 will still be around by this December.

Precautions for players: Usually the biggest danger of virus contamination doesn’t happen on the court, but when players are not on the court. It will take lots of discipline by everybody in the sport to abide by all protocols.

Where will the Toronto Raptors play? Just like in baseball, when the Toronto Blue Jays were not allowed to play because Canadian government rules trying to control Covid-19 and they played in Buffalo, New York, it looks the same might happen with the NBA Toronto Raptors. Buffalo is also interested in hosting the Raptors. At this time, also Newark, New Jersey and Kansas City, Missouri.

Since spring some of the United States giant pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson and others as well as around the world have been working on a vaccine for Covid-19. Some have trials going on right now, with the hopes of getting it approved and out into the public. However, with 330 million people we are not a country that can vaccinate everybody in a couple of months, so patience is paramount.

Stay tuned and stay well.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the former Spanish radio voice for Golden State Warriors basketball and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Baseball Is Cheating Rewarded?

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AJ Hinch gets a new lease on life after spending the 2020 season suspended from the Houston Astros scandal. Hinch will be at the helm for the Detroit Tigers for 2021. (photo from the Detroit Free Press)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Alex Cora was hired by the Boston Red Sox as their new skipper for the next two years running through 2022 with a two-year club option for the ’23 and ’24 seasons. In 2017 Alex Cora was the bench coach for the World Champion Houston Astros.

Because of a coordinated cheating of signs, he was suspended for a year, together with manager A.J Hinch as well as General Manager Jeff Lunow, who is a very good General Manager, proficient in Spanish who sat with us during a few innings of a broadcast, a few years ago as the Astros visited Oakland.

Alex Cora’s suspension expired immediately after Dodgers eliminated the Rays in this most recent World Series. Cora also assumed the manager’s position (during that 2017 cheating season with the Astros) every time manager Hinch was ejected; which was in three occasions. To refresh our memories: The 2017 Astros team won the West with 101-61 record, 21 games over second place LA Angels. A’s finished in last place, 26 games behind. Then the Astros took the World Series from the Dodgers. Obviously, the cheating paid off.

Not a surprise Cora is returning to Boston, he is well regarded by the Boston Red Sox organization. As a rookie manager Cora guided the Red Sox to 108 victories and a World Series title in 2018. However, the next season (2019) under Cora, the club ended with a 84-78 record, in third place 19 games behind the NY Yankees.

The most famous baseball scandal was that of the 1919 World Series, between the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds, most well known as The Black Sox Scandal. In 1920 four players admitted to a Grand Jury they had thrown the 1919 World Series in return from a bribe by a gambling syndicate led by Arnold Rothstein and his associates.

A total of seven players were involved. “Eight Men Out” is an excellent movie about that most famous scandal. 1920’s and 2020, are two different planets in baseball. The highest paid player in 1920 was the great Ty Cobb, $20,000 a season with the Detroit Tigers. The Detroit Tigers franchise in 2020 is worth an estimated $1.25 billion.

Major League teams have the right to hire whomever they want, they are a private business and that is their right. And, granted, Cora won a World Series as Manager of the Red Sox and nobody accused the Red Sox of cheating that year.

However, I would think that the memory of the 2017 Houston Astros cheating and winning a World Series, still very much fresh in our minds. In a way looks like you can cheat and wait a couple of years and you are back in the game. I do not want Alex Cora suspended for life, that would be ridiculous, but coming back this soon? I do not think is a very good look for Major League Baseball. The wounds are not healed yet.

If there is cheating inside an organization, the most culpable are those in charge, from the top down, General Manager, to the Field Manager, then the players, and in some instances, maybe even the owner. During these times, owners are not that involved with what happens down on the field.

Unlike the days of black and white television, and prior, where some owners were really “hands on” with the teams. Not that very long ago, owners that come to mind are Charlie O. Finley with the Kansas City and Oakland A’s and George Steinbrenner of the New York Yankees, those were hands-on owners, they were really bosses with lots of passion for the game and they were not shy to show it.

Back in the days of the Black Sox Scandal, things were different, teams were mostly owned by families with certain affinity to the game and not big corporations like today. Not to mention a record that will never be broken, that of the Owner and Manager of the Philadelphia Athletics for over 50 years. Connie Mack who won 3,731 games, tops in major league baseball, he also played prior to his managing-owner years and never wore a uniform while managing, famous for his white straw hat.

“Cheating is baseball’s oldest profession. No other game is so rich in skullduggery. -Thomas Boswell.

Stay tuned and stay well.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Betts could be best Bet for NL MVP; How soon will the A’s see a front office shake up; plus more

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Mookie Betts is one of the odds on favorites to win the National League MVP for 2020 (@ Dodgers image)

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Los Angeles Dodger Mookie Betts has been named a candidate for National League MVP. Betts hit .292, 64 hits, 19 HRS, 39 RBIs for the 2020 regular season and was a standout during post season.

#2 Amaury the Oakland A’s front office is on the cusp of seeing a shake up with A’s vice president Billy Beane considering being a partner with owner John Henry at the Boston Red Sox, A’s assistant general manager Billy Owens would welcome an interview for the LA Angels general manager job, and A’s general manager David Forst has had some big league clubs express interest in his handy work.

#3 This week in the NFL: The San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo reinjured his high ankle sprain in the game in Seattle against the Seahawks and is expected to out six weeks and the 49ers George Kittle is expected to be out eight weeks this is a big hit for the San Francisco offense as they prepare to host for Thursday Night Football this week.

#4 The Las Vegas Raiders got by the Cleveland Browns for a road win for the Silver and Black. The Raiders held Cleveland to just two field goals in the 16-6 win. Raider quarterback Derek Carr threw for 112 yards and one touchdown.

#5 Finally the NBA might be close on negotiating a salary cap but the owners and players are asking for two different things to get the season started. The Players are asking for a January start. The owners want to get the season started in December with a 70 game schedule and they might play as little as just 50 games for the new season with no fan or very limited amount of fans.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: NBA Starting Date–Up In the Air–

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NBAPA Executive Director Michele Roberts says the players and owners are close on a salary cap agreement but are apart on whether to start in December with a 72 game schedule or in mid January (file photo from clutchpoints.com)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

NBA owners and players are not on the same page when it comes to Opening Day for the 2020-2021 season. It is all about revenue. The league wants a 72-game schedule beginning around Christmas, the players want something around mid-January 2021.

There is also a possibility the the NBA would offer players a short 50-game regular season that could begin in January. According to the NBA they believe that starting in January, however, could cost $1 Billion in losses.

The NBA Finals ended on October 11, as the LA Lakers won the title in six (6) games over the Miami Heat. If the season starts around Christmas some believe that veterans players of teams who went deep into the Postseason might not be ready, that they need more rest.

Obviously, the Pandemic figures big in the equation. If the NBA has no guarantee that games will be again played in empty-arenas. That is what the owners are saying when they prefer to begin the season in December instead of January.

This looks like ‘Groundhog Day” in comparison to what Major League Baseball went through recently and could be up for again next season.. The CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) also figures here. Depending what happens, players salaries could drop big time between the CBA 50-50 split between the NBA and the Players Union.

Some kind of agreement or decision on when to have the Tip Off for the season should be made soon.

Stay well and stay tuned.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: 32 Years later the Dodgers win the World Series

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The Los Angeles Dodgers Cory Seager swings for an RBI single in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game 6 of the 2020 World Series on Tue Oct 27, 2020 at Globe Life Field in Arlington (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers as they completed the mission, by winning the 2020 World Series in six exciting games against the Tampa Bay Rays. Game Six: Dodgers 3 Rays 1. There are a lot of stories to be told in every World Series, in this one that of the young Cuban-born Tampa Bay Rays rookie outfielder Randy Arozarena who established a new postseason record with 10 home runs, 28 RBIs, the affable Cuban-rookie was a highlight reel by himself.

Corey Seager, Dodgers shortstop won the Willie Mays MVP Award he hit .400 with 2 home runs and 5 RBI and no errors. Seager had a tremendous postseason spearheading this great offensive Blue Machine; he is now a Free Agent. Dodgers are a very rich organization and he should be rewarded with a juicy contract.

Seager gets a World Series ring, and also said he is buying two more rings as he announced he is getting married, right after their victory. Mookie Betts who came alive offensively with a double and a home run driving all three runs in that game six, and told David (Big Papi) Ortíz an analyst for FOX, when Ortíz told him he (Ortíz) would buy a present for himself after winning a World Series, (Mookie) was going to do something similar: “I think I am going to buy a Rolls Royce”. His contract-extension with the Dodgers was around $380 million, so he could buy more than one Rolls if he so desires.

The Dodgers did not have a positive Covid-19 test during the whole season, the Dodgers had the best record in baseball winning their division again for the eighth time-in-a-row, this time with 43-17 record during an abbreviated 60 game season. Dodgers veteran third baseman Justin Turner was removed from the series-clinching game six in the seventh inning, due to positive Covid-19 test, he was not there after the game to join his teammates for the celebration. This was announced after the game.

One move that will haunt Ray’s manager Kevin Cash for the rest of his life was removing his best pitcher, lefty Blake Snell in the six inning with a 1 to 0 lead, after totally dominating the powerful and difficult Dodgers lineup. But with this manager (like many other managers in today’s game) you win with the bullpen and you lose with the bullpen. His decision will be like a ghost that would be with him until he gets to win a World Series for his team.

You might have been too young, or maybe not even born, but it was in 1988 when the Los Angeles Dodgers upset the baseball world by beating the much superior Oakland Athletics in five games. This Series is mostly remembered as the pinch-hit walk-off home run hit by Dodgers Kirk Gibson against the best closer in baseball at that time, Fremont’s own Dennis Eckersley in Game 1. Gibson would never bat again in that Series. I was there with the A’s, the first of three World Series in a row for Tony LaRussa’s A’s.

Kirk Gibson could barely walk after some injuries he suffered during the NL Championship Series. I remember saying on the radio after the game something like: “It was Game One, but it had a Game Seven feeling” and also a bad omen for the Athletics.

When you talk about that ’88 Series most people remember it as the “Kirk Gibson moment”. It was pitcher Orel Hershiser who would be the MVP. He won it all that year as he led the league with 23 wins and 267 innings pitched winning the Cy Young, setting the all time scoreless streak at 59 innings. He also won the Gold Glove.

Orel was Superman, he won Game 2 and Game 5, pitched both complete games (18) innings allowed a total of seven hits, struck out 17 and had a 1.00 earned run average. In today’s baseball and in World Series history, that is one of the most dominant pitching performances, against the excellent and powerful offensive Oakland A’s team.

The 1988 AL Champion Oakland Athletics won 104 games and was maybe the best Tony LaRussa A’s team he managed during his 10 years as manager at Oakland. The A’s would go on to win it the next season, 1989 against the SF Giants in a historic Series stopped by 11 days because of an earthquake. That was the last time the Athletics won anything of significance in October.

Fast forward to 2020, the Year of the Dodgers, but not as the underdogs this time. They had the best record during the Covid 60-game season, with 43-17. After winning their eighth consecutive Western Division, they went into the playoffs swept the Milwaukee Braves in the two game Wild Card Series then eliminated the Atlanta Braves in an exciting seven game NL Championship Series. Stayed at Globe Life Field in Arlington to host the AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays.

In 1988 the Dodgers were not the best team, but they beat the Athletics. But now 32 years later, the Dodgers had the best team and they won the World Series. For the Dodgers franchise this was their six World Championship title, one in Brooklyn in 1955 the other five in Los Angeles. LA crowned the Lakers NBA Champs just a couple of weeks ago, now herer come the Dodgers. I picked the Dodgers in six, in a previous article on this website,

So, we say Adiós to this historic 2020 season and until next Spring Training.

Stay well and stay tuned

Join Amaury each week for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Rays Snell goes up against Dodgers Gonsolin in game 6 tonight

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Los Angeles Dodgers Max Muncy rounds the bases as he’s cheered on by Cody Bellinger (35) and the Dodgers dugout in the fifth inning of the World Series game 5 at Globelife Stadium in Arlington. Both teams had Monday night off before game 6 on Tuesday. (LA Times photo)

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 Amaury it might have been a brief 60 game schedule for the regular season and a different format for the post season, and the Dodgers didn’t play at Dodger Stadium for the post season but none the less after losing three of the last three World Series the Dodgers have one more game to get a shot at the ring.

#2 Amaury Joe Pederson added to the Dodgers run tally with a home run in game 5 it proved to be important as the Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays by two runs 4-2.

#3 The Dodgers got some great pitching from starter Clayton Kershaw pitching over five innings and giving up two runs striking out six.

#4 Max Muncy also hit for a key home run in the fifth inning a 406 foot shot to center right and it was enough for the Dodgers to come away with the two run victory.

#5 A crucial game for both teams tonight at Arlington as the Rays need to win game 6 to tie and stay alive in the series and for the Dodgers to win game 6 to wrap their first World’s Championship in their last four World Series tries.

Join Amaury each Tuesday for an edition of That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Broadcasting Road games from TV screen is nothing New

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Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Charlie Steiner is one of many MLB broadcasters who are doing games virtual from his own living room as no broadcasters will be traveling for the Division Series because of Cornonavirus (file photo from LA Times)

Broadcasting Road games from TV screen is nothing New

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Baseball broadcasters this year are not traveling, because of Covid-19 restrictions by Major League Baseball. So, they are calling the games from Television monitors at their home park, while their teams are on the road. In some cases, some broadcasters like LA Dodgers play by play man Charlie Steiner are doing the games (when Dodgers are on the road) from his living room.

As unusual as that might seem, I have done that for many years, depends on the teams philosophy and how they market their product into the community. As a matter of fact, there have been many games I have done from the home broadcast booth at the home park, when the team was on the road.

In the 1980’s, I did broadcast games in the radio station inside a studio in front of a 19 inch television. There was no internet, no 45″ television I would call the media representative for the team on the road and ask him/her, to fax me the lineup and the media notes, so I can get ready for the game.

This was not easy. There was a time when, for example; if the team was playing in Baltimore (could be anyplace else) an engineer at the radio station here in the Bay Area would play an ‘endless cart-loop with continuous sound of crowd noise, to give the illusion I was in Baltimore (I did say in a disclaimer I was not broadcasting from the park where the team was playing) but still presented many challenges.

This was done legally with the consent of the team. Today, a game can be called and you can pipe the LIVE original crowd noise from the park where your team was playing. I had many experiences in this regard on radio as well as television.

Early 2000’s as I was hired to broadcast two Caribbean World Series of Baseball. Traveled to Century City, Los Angeles and called those games in English language for Fox Sports International, inside a studio with monitors in front of me of the games that were taking place in México and Venezuela.

However, 2020 there are no crowds allowed at ballparks, so even local stadiums use their own artificial crowd noise, or the radio station can originally use their own to give the illusion. Radio is imagination and creativity, so there is always a little acting you would have to do and create the ‘ambiance for a game that you are watching on a screen that might be 3,000 miles away from where you are sitting in front of a microphone.

Decades before he became the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan recreated college football games and called Chicago Cubs on the radio, just by reading the telegraph (there was no TV) using his imagination and honing his communicating skills, which later as an actor, Governor of California and President would become very handy.

Although there is nothing like calling a game at the location the game is taking place. In this always challenging world of broadcasting you have to be ready to work under all kinds of circumstances. 2020 has taken everybody to the limit in what can be done and what cannot be done.

This “season” as I spoke with various colleagues who are not traveling for the first time and have to do the games this way, I sympathize with them, but totally understand, because I have gone through that. However, they do have the advantage of today’s technology, unlike of the old days, when I had to deal with telephone calls and faxes.

As of Monday the Divisional Series get under way, all teams are now, and for the rest of the year, playing outside their home city. A bubble has been established and sometime prior to Halloween MLB will crown a champion. Stay well and stay tuned

Amaury has been broadcasting baseball for radio or television for various Major League teams for 43 years; he has been nominated for the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasters. Inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame (BARHOF), Cuban Sports Hall of Fame in Miami and The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame in California. Amaury is here for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Can the Athletics win their Fifth World Series?

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Four World Series trophies sit in a case at the Oakland A’s offices at Howard Terminal the future home of the A’s new ball park. The A’s won each trophy in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1989. Their hoping to get a fifth one but have some tough roads with the Astros coming up (file photo from glassdoor.com)

Can the Athletics win their Fifth World Series?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary Amaury Pi-González

Although they do not give MVP awards during the Wild Card series, there is no doubt Chris Bassitt will be the man to win it in my book. In a world where the baseball world seems to revolve around east coast teams, Bassitt is the best pitcher going in the business that nobody has ever heard of.

Playing without their main star third baseman Matt Chapman, who will not be back until next Spring, so far the A’s have gotten just enough offense to advance to the next round after eliminating a very dangerous offense in the Chicago White Sox, and the depth in their pitching continues to be the key.

Since they will not be back, because the rest of the postseason is on neutral sites, i.e. Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles and Glove Life Field in Arlington, Texas, is they are fortunate enough to make it that far. The only time we will see them is when they return, as an eliminated team, or on a Victory parade in downtown Oakland. They will be on the bubble the rest of the 2020 journey.

The first of four World Series victories for the A’s was in 1972, the biggest picture was The Godfather, the Vietnam War was raging and there was a powerful earthquake in Managua, Nicaragua. Latino Legend Roberto Clemente lost his life that year as he chartered a DC-3 plane filled with help to the Nicaraguan people, when his plane disappeared.

The 1972 Oakland Athletics great victory over the Cincinnati Reds in that World Series brought the Bay Area its first title among all the main professional teams. The A’s were the first of three different teams to win consecutive World Series. With this run, the A’s also became the only other Major League franchise besides the Yankees to win at least three straight World Series titles.

With another World Series title the Oakland Athletics will tie the most by a Bay Area professional team. Five (5) Superbowls’ by the San Francisco 49ers. Warriors have won (4) NBA titles, Raiders three (3) Superbowl’s, San Francisco Giants three (3) World Series and San José Earthquake two (2) MLS titles. San José Sharks have not won a Stanley Cup. Note: San José Sharks have been in existence for 29 years and the San José Earthquakes for 21 years.

Beginning next Monday, when the Athletics face the Houston Astros in the best of five (5) ALDS, Bob Melvin’s club will have to navigate a Monday through Friday playoff series with no days off.

So far the team offense is not really clicking in all cylinders and the depth in their pitching could be what keeps carrying this team all the way to the World Series, where, it seems the guys waiting there for them will be the Los Angeles Dodgers, this time in Texas. Of course nothing like the last time these two teams met in 1988. And if that happens, the A’s dream is to win their Fifth World Series.

This is 2020. The Miami Marlins are still playing; they just eliminated the Chicago Cubs in the wild-card series. Founded in 1993, the Miami Marlins have never won a division, yet they have won seven (7) consecutive playoffs series since they were born and most importantly they have won two (2) World Series.

At this point in the playoffs, the Marlins are the biggest story. Their odds to win this year’s World Series were among the longest shots.

Stay well and stay tune.

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

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: A’s glad wild card series best possible 3 games instead of one and done

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Oakland A’s pitcher Frankie Montas will get the start for Oakland tonight at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles as the A’s open a three game series in the Southland in the battle of two first place teams (file photo from the San Francisco Chronicle)

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

#1 Amaury one thing you can say about this year’s post season for the A’s they don’t have to play a one game wild card game unlike last season they went to New York and were one and done. This year’s wild card is the best two out of three.

#2 How badly will the A’s miss Matt Chapman for the post season as he’s out with a hip injury and Jack Lamb has been playing at third in his place?

#3 Lamb has provided some offense since taking over for Chapman Sunday he got a two run RBI single in the sixth and he’s hitting .200 and has been instrumental on defense during the series against the Giants at the Oakland Coliseum over the weekend.

#4 The A’s got two shutouts during the series with the Giants on Friday Chris Bassitt pitched over six inning giving up just three hits and on Saturday Jesus Luzardo pitched six innings of shutout ball and gave up five hits. The A’s pitching staff should be ready by next week when post season starts.

#5 Starting pitching to open the series with the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight at Dodger Stadium for the A’s Frankie Montas (3-4 ERA 5.86) for the Dodgers Dustin May 1-1 (ERA 2.86) first pitch is at 6:40pm.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Nats GM tossed from game in luxury box; This past Labor Day could bring spike in virus; plus more

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The Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo was thrown out of Sunday’s game vs the Baltimore Orioles for yelling out of the luxury box at the umpires. Here is Rizzo in the luxury box the day before on Sat Sep 5th (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury the talk during Labor Day weekend the fear was that the spike would go up and put face masks, gloves and social distancing aside during the scorching heat.

#2 Baseball is planning to have bubbles for the post season in Texas and Los Angeles for the playoffs and World Series do you see it working the same way it worked for the NHL and NBA.

#3 Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo was ejected for yelling at umpires from the luxury boxes on Monday telling umpire Joe West and his crew they were brutal. With the stadium empty everything can hear everything that anyone is saying.

#4 The Los Angeles Angels TV announcer Victor Rojas said that a home run hit by the Angels in the top of the seventh was a walk off three run home run by Anthony Rendon. Which in some ways is understandable because the Angels were playing a make up doubleheader as the visiting team in Angels Stadium in their home uniforms. Rojas quickly walked back the walk off and said the Angels took the lead.

#5 On Wed Sep 9th at PNC Park the Pittsburgh Pirates will be wearing #21 in dedication to Roberto Clemente a tribute to one of the greatest Pirates ever who died trying to deliver relief to Nicaragua Dec 31st 1972.  Clemente got his 3000th major league hit to end the 1972 season on Sep 30th and it would be his final MLB game.

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