Tag: That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Oakland Ballers–Rooted in Oakland

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Oakland Ballers executive vice president of baseball Operations Don Wakamatsu speaks during a news conference Tuesday at Laney College in Oakland, Calif. (Associated Press)

Oakland Ballers – -Rooted in Oakland

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–As the sign “Rooted in Oakland” is scheduled to be removed from the west wall of the Oakland Coliseum before the beginning of the 2024 season, another team has been rooted in Oaktown. They are the Oakland Ballers or the Oakland B’s.

The group says they have raised $2 million from investors and pledged to the community that they “will never leave Oakland.” Anybody can become a part owner of the team by contributing to this initial push. Like the NFL Green Bay Packers, the Packers are owned by more than 500,000 community shareholders. Owned by the city’s fans.

This Tuesday, the independent Pioneer League announced that it will add a new expansion team, the Oakland Ballers, to the newly planned Pacific West Division. The Pioneer League is an independent baseball league that operates in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States.

Its teams are not directly affiliated with Major League Baseball. It is designated as an MLB Partner League. So, Oaklanders can now claim: “We already have an expansion team.”

Starting in 2024, the Oakland Ballers will play in the Independent League. There are two types of professional minor league systems: Independent and Affiliated. The Ballers will be Independent and, therefore, not affiliated to any of the 30 major league teams.

This league is considered a Rookie-level league. And the teams are Missoula PaddleHeads, Ogden Raptors, Rockey Mountain Vibes, and Billings Mustangs.

The Oakland B’ s are scheduled to begin their season in May 2024 and will play their home games at the Laney College baseball field in Oakland, with a capacity of approximately 800. 

Throughout the season, each team plays in 96 games, from May to September, in a split schedule between the North Division (Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Glacier, and Idaho Falls) and the South Division (NoCo, Rocky Mountain, Grand Junction, Boise and Ogden. (This was before the recent announcement of the Oakland Ballers.

Some might consider this some kind of a joke, but it is not. People who like organized baseball can enjoy a new team in Oakland since the: “old team, the one that won four World Series in Major League Baseball since 1968, has decided to tell Oakland fans, “Adiós, nos vamos a Las Vegas”.

Ballers Rooted in Oakland?  As Yogi Berra would say, “Déjà vu all over again.”

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 considering modeling Vegas park after Globe Life in Arlington

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Talk of the Oakland A’s modeling their new Las Vegas ballpark after Globe Life Field in Arlington complete with retractable roof. The Las Vegas A’s park is expected to be completed by 2028. (photo from Ballparks of Baseball)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal the Oakland A’s are looking at Globe Life Field in Arlington as a blue print for their Tropicana Ball Park. Globe Life was built in 2020 has a full retractable roof and seats 40,000. The A’s last proposal said they would seat 30,000 fans at the Tropicana in Vegas.

#2 A retractable roof at the A’s Vegas ball park most likely will only be opened maybe 10-11 times a season as it gets up to 102-1110 during the summer month of June, July and August. If the A’s have a retractable roof it will be at the cost of $100 million.

#3 Amaury, the A’s if they have the retractable roof will be using the park not only for baseball but for multi purpose events like concerts and public events. The question is can the A’s sell out every event like they say they can for the next 30 years some would say it’s doubtful.

#4 According to Dave Sampson the former Miami Marlins team president who podcasts on the show “Nothing Personal” said that the A’s deal to Vegas is not done yet despite the owners voting 30-0. There are two things that could hold things up John Fisher the team owner still needs to come up with his share of the construction money for the Vegas ballpark. Fisher is hedging his hopes that financing will be from tourism. The Vegas fan base will be too small to support the A’s but visitors from out of town are who the A’s are hanging their hats on.

#5 The question as to where the A’s play after 2024 is still up in the air as the Oakland Coliseum is the best location for the A’s to play 2025-27 in. The A’s have explored minor league parks and Oracle Park in San Francisco as places to go to but still don’t have an answer yet.

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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Legacy of the Cuban Giants

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Original Cuban Giants 1886-1990 who played in St Augustin Fla and Trenton NJ (photo provided by Amaury Pi Gonzalez)

The Legacy of the Cuban Giants

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Sixty-two years before Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues, with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Cuban Giants were the first salaried African-American professional baseball club in the United States.

The team got its name because they played in Cuba during the winter of 1885-1886. There are 21 countries in Latin America, including Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean. All the players with the Cuban Giants were born in Cuba.

Throughout history, Cuba has been the first Latin American country with proven baseball talent. Not only the Cuban Giants ball club, but many US-born black players (who could not play in the US because of segregation) went to Cuba and played there and were welcome there.

Cuba, the country, has always been linked with the origins of American baseball. Anybody who researches baseball history will find that the Cuban League was one of the oldest baseball leagues in the world.

For decades, American major leagues kept black players off their roster. They were integrated into Cuba after the Spanish-American War in 1900. This increased after Cuba won its independence from Spain in 1902.

Esteban Bellán, a Cuban-born player of white skin, was the first Latino to play in a US-organized professional baseball league in 1871 with the Troy Haymakers; Bellán later served as player-manager in 1878 for the home Havana side and led his team to three championships in 1878-1879, 1879-80 and 1882-83. As a winter league in Cuba, the season begins in late winter one year and ends during early winter of the next.

As a young kid in Cuba, I remember going with my father to the Cuban Winter League games and watching such stars as Cuban-born Orestes “Minnie” Miñoso, the first black Latino player in MLB with the Cleveland Indians as a rookie in 1949, who later found his stardom with the Chicago White Sox. Miñoso played with the Marianao Tigers.

Many US born black players went to Cuba to play in this popular league. With the Cienfuegos Elephants, I remember outfielders Lou Jackson and Jim Williams, both African-American players. Cienfuegos had such established Cuban major league stars as Camilo Pascual and Pedro Ramos.

At the end of the 2023 season, there were dozens of Cuban players in the major leagues; many established stars and among the best, like Yordán Alvarez, José Abreu, Adolis García, Randy Arozarena, Yandi Díaz, Aroldis Chapman, Luis Robert Jr., Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

The great Willie Mays signed with the Almendares Alacranes, (one of the most popular teams in Cuba) in the winter of 1950, but he would never go to play in Cuba (then as a top prospect) because the United States Army drafted him to serve in the Korean War.

Quote: “I played in Cuba; it was the best winter league back then, not only because of talent, but they paid the best” -Bill Werle, told me personally. He pitched in the majors with the Pirates, Cardinals, and Red Sox. Born in Oakland, he lived in the Bay Area and worked as a major league scout for various organizations after he retired. Bill pitched in Cuba for the Marianao Tigers and won a championship in 1957-58 season.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast with Michael Duca: MLB owners vote on A’s relocation this week; Nevada Independent calls A’s relocation mismanagement and political cronyism

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The Tropicana Hotel and Casino is on the chopping block to get demoed late 2024 and the construction for the A’s ballpark is to begin April 2025 according to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority. (photo by the Nevada Independent on May 9, 2023)

Michael Duca filled for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Michael, the Nevada Independent calls A’s coming to Vegas mismanagement, political cronyism, and a public relations disaster as the MLB owners prepare to vote on the A’s relocation this week.

#2 The article goes onto to say last week’s meeting with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority so far shows that this is throwing tax dollars away at the Tropicana ballpark and that’s it’s a worthy investment.

#3 So far the A’s have not produced how they will fund the construction costs and they have not presented a rendering of how the park will look like and the MLB owners A’s relocation vote is Tuesday night in Arlington.

#4 One other feature that’s hardly been discussed that the Independent shined the light on was the lease agreement between the team and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority this a deal similar to what Allegiant Stadium has that the A’s would not have to pay rent for 30 years and revenues go to the A’s. That would include fringe benefits of retail, hotels, and office space that the A’s will benefit from when the Tropicana is developed.

#5 One other important point there is no oversight committee to see how the public funds are allocated and managed over the project. The Independent points out that the oversight is being managed by the very same people who lobby lawmakers for public money who helped the A’s move from one binding agreement (the Rio) to the Tropicana. This is public money being thrown away to a private business that the Stadium Authority claims would be a benefit for public interests but is really helping private interests such as the Tropicana Ballpark development.

Michael Duca filled in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez who does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: Mayor’s gift boxes and letter an attempt to sway MLB owners; It boils down to MLB owners vote Nov 14th

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One of the boxes that displays a post card on of Oakland and a Los Angeles Angels baseball card of Angels owner Arte Moreno that will be mailed out to Moreno. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao included a letter letting 15 of the 30 owners know that Oakland has the funding and the infrastructure plan to build at Howard Terminal in Oakland and to vote no on the A’s relocation. (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao met with the City Council, and the Port of Oakland leadership and who City Chamber of Oakland A’s fans and media last Tuesday to present to MLB and those watching that the A’s belong in Oakland. This most likely was a last ditch effort to try and convince the owners not to move the team to Las Vegas.

#2 Thao, City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, the Port, and fans had a chance to speak and sell the idea of why the owners who are considering voting yes on moving the A’s to Vegas should change their vote.

#3 The biggest push at the Tuesday meeting was the City of Oakland has a plan in place for infrastructure that would accommodate retail, hotels and the ballpark. Mayor Thao said she is ready to pick up the phone if and when A’s owner John Fisher is willing to talk about coming back to the table.

#4 The owners since this whole relocation idea from the A’s went down last June have been air tight silent about where this will go. There has been speculation that a few teams could vote no because this would be a conflict with their marketing and broadcasting that was previously going into the Las Vegas market.

#5 It does boil down to the owners vote which is expected to take place between Nov 14-16 in Arlington Texas. One caveat that might set the relocation back is the idea of moving a sixth market team to the smallest MLB TV market with the smallest ballpark in the majors. Will this be a factor that could also bring some more no votes?

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Oakland Mayor swings for a Five-Run Homerun 

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Fans and media await Mayor Sheng Thao to address the efforts by the City, City Council and Port of Oakland to keep the A’s in Oakland (photo by Stephen Ruderman Sports Radio Service)

Oakland Mayor Swings for a Five-Run Home-run

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

November 7, 2023

OAKLAND–A new resolution by the Oakland City Council, spearheaded by the Mayor of Oakland Shen Thao was a last ditch effort today, November 7, what was a day for elections in other places across the country. It calls major league owners to keep the team in Oakland.

The owners are scheduled to vote next week, with 75% of the owners needed to approve the move of the A’s from Oakland to Las Vegas. “This is our team,” said Mayor Sheng Thao. “We are showing our good faith that we will work hard to keep our team rooted here.” Oakland has multiple sites.

There are viable options,” she said. “We continue to urge John Fisher to come back to the table and we have viable buyers should the team go up for sale.”

Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland council member, said, “It will be cheaper to build here, it will be faster to build here. “And the fan base is stronger here.” City of Oakland leaders argue they can rapidly accommodate a new stadium project and that $428 million in grants has been secured.

Meanwhile, in Carson City, Nevada. A Nevada judge threw out a proposed ballot referendum back by a statewide teachers union that would give voters the final say on whether to give $380 million in public funding (approved by Joe Lombardo, Governor of the State of Nevada) for a proposed $1.5 billion A’s stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

As a Bay Area resident since 1969, who broadcasted the Oakland A’s and the San Francisco Giants, among other teams I have made my opinion public and very clear in two different languages. I believe the A’s belong in Oakland and to the Bay Area.

They are a storied and successful franchise, having won Four World Series Titles at the much-maligned Oakland Alameda County Coliseum.

However, this last-ditch attempt by the Mayor of Oakland and the city council is like going for an impossible 5-run Home Run in baseball, or maybe a Hail Mary Pass in Football, which has a nine percent chance of completion. Quote: ‘I had only one superstition. I make sure to touch all the bases when I hit a home run. -Babe Ruth.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary weekly at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Oakland Mayor hoping to sway owners vote with A’s resolution; Schools over Stadiums to appeal Judge’s ruling

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Howard Terminal rendering. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, City Council, and the Port put on a presentation on Tuesday that City Hall hopes to sway some of the MLB owners to vote no on an A’s relocation (Rendering of Howard Terminal from the Oakland Athletics)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, among the Mayor and the City Council goals in adopting a resolution at City Hall. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the City Council are showed the infrastructure of Howard Terminal, the benefits of having a park at the Terminal and something on the drawing board that might change the MLB owners vote. After today’s meeting do you see owner changing they’re minds and giving the A’s a chance to build at Howard Terminal?

#2 Amaury, the odds are starting to dim and Mayor Thao is hoping for a ninth inning rally to stay in the hunt to persuade the owners vote. Thao says that the city does have a plan and budget to build at Howard Terminal but the A’s walked away. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said Oakland had no deal hence Manfred and the A’s are ready to open for business in Las Vegas.

#3 Nevada District Judge James Todd Russell ruled in favor of Oakland A’s lobbyists Danny Thompson and Thomas Morely who took Schools over Stadiums to Monday’s court hearing in District court to throw out Schools over Stadiums attempt to put a referendum on the Nov 2024 ballot to stop public funding for a Las Vegas A’s ballpark and that funds should be used to support schools.

#4 Judge Russell said that Schools over Stadiums would have to refile their petition and that Schools over Stadiums would need to use the full text of SB1 or appeal the case to a higher court.

#5 Thompson and Morely didn’t respond to media inquiries for comments. Schools over Stadiums spokesman Alexander Marks made it clear that they will appeal saying the decision was disappointing but not uncommon adding that Schools over Stadiums plans to refile the referendum and that there is plenty of time to refile as the signature deadline is June of 2024.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead radio 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: What’s next on the A’s relocation to Las Vegas?

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Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred talks with the media before game 1 of the 2023 World Series on Fri Oct 27, 2023 at Globe Life Field in Arlington (photo from Jason Burke former host of Locked on A’s)

Trick or Treat? What’s next on the A’s relocation to Las Vegas?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Here are the following essential steps for the Athletics Soap Opera Relocation.

1-Owners Vote: Next month, MLB owners will vote to approve or disapprove the relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas. 75% of the vote is needed to support the move.

2-Schools over Stadiums: This group is still fighting to get a referendum and attempting to collect 102,000 signatures from four different Nevada districts to get it to next year’s election in November (for those keeping score, that would be November 2024). This group has until July of 2024 to collect these signatures.

3-No funding: If they get the referendum and it wins on election day,  that would strip the funding for the ballpark in Las Vegas.

If this happens, Mr.Fisher must decide; one option is selling the team. The owner had repeatedly said the team was not for sale.

So there is the field of dreams or land mines (depending on what you wish) that the Oakland A’s still have to navigate.

Trick or treat?

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 News and Commentary podcast: Ex MLB pitcher charged with slaying a shock; Bochy and Rangers are going to the Fall Classic

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Image left: (AP Photo/Kyle Ericson) Image right: Placer County Sheriff’s Office of former MLB pitcher Danny Serafini who is up on one murder count and attempted murder

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Former MLB pitcher Danny Serafini who pitched for six teams and was a Bay Area native is up one count of murder charge and attempted murder. Serafini is being accused of shooting to death 70 year old Robert Gary Spohr and attempting to murder his long time partner Wendy Wood. Wood eventually took her own life because living without Spohr was like the killer killed her according to Wood’s daughter Adrienne. Serafini pitched in the majors for 21 years. Serafini was arrested with Samantha Scott.

#2 Bruce Bochy the manager of the Texas Rangers is in line to pick up his fourth World Series Championship as the Rangers defeated the Astros in game 7 of the ALCS at Minute Maid Field.

#3 The Rangers and Astros became the first visiting teams since 2019 in the post season to win all games one through seven in the opponents home park.

#4 The Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies are involved in a seven game back and forth. The Diamondbacks won game 6 on Monday night 5-1 in Philadelphia to tie up the series 3-3. The same clubs play the elimination game 7 on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Ball Park.

#5 Since San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin threw his hat in the San Francisco Giants manager job sweepstakes Melvin has been named the leading candidate for the job opening. Melvin managed some struggling Oakland A’s teams and made the best of what he had. In San Diego he managed a team with loads of talent didn’t get to the World Series but he could be a perfect fit in San Francisco.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary each week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Las Vegas Stadium Authority negotiates A’s Lease

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The Oracle Red Bull grandstand and Koval hospitality as seen from the F1 pit Building during the media tour on Fri Oct 20, 2023 in Las Vegas. Formula 1 will take place on Nov 16-18. One of the top sports features in Vegas. Meanwhile the Las Vegas Stadium Authority are planning to demo of the Tropicana Hotel and Casino to make way for the Oakland A’s new ballpark. (photo from the Las Vegas Review Journal)

Las Vegas Stadium Authority negotiates A’s Lease

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Although the move of the A’s to Las Vegas has yet to be approved by the majority of MLB team owners, with a vote expected to take place this next month of November, the Oakland A’s are moving ahead of that vote and beginning to negotiate a lease with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, two law firms could get to share $1 million to negotiate the stadium lease agreement in Las Vegas with the A’s. This is the #1 item for next week (October 25) agenda of the Las Vegas Stadium Authority

The two law firms could get a combined $1 million to negotiate the stadium lease agreement with the Athletics, according to agenda items leading up to next week’s meeting of the Stadium Authority Board .If the current plans move forward, the Tropicana Las Vegas Casino Resort would be demolished and the stadium will be built on nine acres at the site.

Other development is expected to fill the rest of the Tropicana site, but on-site parking is minimal.

The same company that handled the construction of Allegiant Stadium, Mortenson McCarthy will be manager for the $1.5 billion, 30,000 seat stadium for the Athletics at the corner of Tropicana Avenue and the Las Vegas strip. Other companies involved to develop the lease agreement are Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP.

Since we are talking about leases. The A’s lease at the Oakland Coliseum expires after the 2024 season. After that (like they say in Vegas) “all bets are off”.

More sports news in Sin City:

-Las Vegas Champions: WNBA: Las Vegas Aces won their second consecutive WNBA title, joining the Las Vegas Golden Knights NHL reigning champions.

-Formula 1 -Las Vegas Grand Prix will take place from November 16-18 at a 3.8-mile track right through the neon heart of the Las Vegas Strip. (ESPN)

-Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium., February 11, 2024. (CBS)

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentaries and coverage of the Oakland A’s relocation to Las Vegas at http://www.sportsradioservice.com