Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: MLB proposal 60 games full prorated salaries; Dr.Fauci-second wave fears MLB should end post season by Sep 30th

Baseball America file photo: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred (left) and MLB Players Representative Tony Clark (right) in 2017 at the World Baseball Classic sat down on Wednesday to discuss starting the MLB season in July sources report there is progress

On Headlines with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry Dr. Anthony Fauci said that baseball should wrap up it’s playoff season meaning the World Series by the end of September to avoid the coming second wave in the cold months.

#2 Dr. Fauci in an interview with the Los Angeles Times said he would end the season in September during the core summer months and avoid the cold months of October when temps can get down to the low 30s in some parts of the US and the flu season is back. Fauci felt the fall is the most vulnerable time for Covid-19.

#3 Baseball is at the tipping point and negotiations between the MLB players union and MLB are starting to show progress according to reports on Wednesday between the two sides. As MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Union Chief Tony Clark said one on one to iron out roadblocks to get the season started.

#4 One of those roadblocks is prorated play. The owners last offer a 70 plus game schedule at reduced pay for the players that was rejected by the union. In talks with Manfred and Clark on Wednesday the l proposal salaries will be at the full prorated pay and a 60 game schedule starting July 19th. Sources say they had a serious talk about expanded post season play.

#5 Clark and Manfred know there is really not much choice don’t play you already have a dwindling fan base you could lose more than 50% of your fans or play July through September and try to win more fans over. Choosing to play is really the only choice now.

Jerry joins Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Will owners take 89 game proposal from the players? Spencer Torkelson #1 overall draft pick to Tigers; plus more

Arizona State University’s Spencer Torkelson is the center of attention as he’s MLB’s overall number one draft pick headed to Detroit (photo file from ASU Athletics)

On Headlines with Jerry F:

#1 The MLB Players Association has proposed an 89 game schedule with the players getting paid full prorated salaries. The season would begin on July 11th and the World Series would be completed on October 11th weather permitting.

#2 The owners last proposal called for a 76 game schedule with the players taking another pay cut on top of their prorated salaries. How the owners will see the players latest proposal is yet to be seen but one thing for sure they don’t want to pay anymore than the have to.

#3 In the baseball draft the top ticket is Spencer Torkelson who played for the ASU Sun Devils is the number one overall pick and joins the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers wasted no time selecting Torkelson whose expected to add punch to the Tigers line up for the future.

#4 Torkelson says he studied Barry Bonds style of hitting, he hit .337 with a .463 on base percentage. His ASU career home run total of 54 home runs puts him two behind Bob Horner who played for the Atlanta Braves and Japanese baseball.

#5 Turning to the NFL, the San Francisco 49ers Richard Sherman has been very vocal about events surrounding the George Floyd killing and has said that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodall apologizing to the league’s players for taking a knee was acceptable but the next step is to get former 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick a job in the NFL protect players from being punished for taking a knee during the national anthem going forward.

Join Jerry each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com for Headline Sports podcasts

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Grosscup and Starkey had a great working relationship; Attles and Unseld battled during NBA Finals in 75; plus more

Lee Grosscup who quarterbacked for Utah and was a color analyst with play by play announcer Joe Starkey for Oakland Invader games 1983-1985 and the Cal Bears from 1986 to 2004 passed away on Monday (photo Kelly L Cox KLC photos)

On Headline podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry talk about former Cal Bears color announcer Lee Grosscup who called games with play by play announcer Joe Starkey. Joe said that “the Cupper” was always prepared and had all his notes down in his head and put on a fantastic broadcast game after game.

#2 Grosscup and Starkey worked Cal broadcasts from 1986 to 2004 and was a post game analyst from 2005 to 2018 and retired and came out of retirement and contributed to Bears broadcasts last season.

#3 A lot of people didn’t know this but Grosscup and Starkey both called Oakland Invaders of the USFL games on KGO Newtalk 810 during the 1983 to 1985 seasons and they had great ratings for the games until the league started to fold in 1986.

#4 He was chosen number 50 as one of the NBA’s greatest players in history, won a NBA title with the Washington Bullets in 1978 and remembered for his brawl with Golden State Warriors coach Al Attles in the 1974-75 NBA Championship game, Wes Unseld one of the NBA greats passed away at age 74.

#5 Jerry under the NBA’s 22 team playoff format the oddsmakers have the Boston Celtics as the best chance to win it all. The Celts are loaded with players such as Jason Tatum (ppg 23.6), Kemba Walker (ppg 21.2), Jaylen Brown (ppg 20.4 )and Gordon Hayward (17.3 ppg).

Join Jerry for Headlines podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Players and MLB far apart on salaries for return of the game; plus much more

New York Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman said negotiations with players are not going well as cuts in salaries are not sitting too well for the higher paid players (newsday.com file photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Sounds like MLB hit a snag in negotiations to get the game up and running with a July 4th target date. MLB proposed to the players to return taking a sliding scale with the highest paid players taking the biggest hit and the lowest paid players taking a less of a hit and remaining mostly whole. The players have let MLB know they need to go back and make another offer.

#2 Jerry time is of the essence to get a deal done how much time do you see is needed before it’s too late for baseball by July?

#3 The New York Mets third highest player right hand pitcher Marcus Stroman was brutally honest saying that the proposals by baseball doesn’t look very promising and Stroman plans to dive into some life after baseball projects if there is no agreement.

#4  Oakland A’s owner John Fisher had sent out notices to over 150 full time employees stating that the A’s will furloughing pro scouts by June 16th, business operations will downsize next week in furloughs and salary cuts. Fisher who hardly says anything publicly even to his employees said in the statement he realizes how much this impacts everyone on hand and apologized to everyone.

#5 Oakland A’s longtime scoreboard operator Chester Farrow who passed away last Sunday at age 77 kept track of runners, outs, balls, strikes and information since he joined the team in 1969. We got to know Chester when we started covering the Oakland A’s in 1983 and often sat with Chester and former A’s PA announcer Roy Steele for pre game dinners in the A’s media room for many years.

Jerry is an Oakland A’s beat writer and does Headline Sports podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Offer still sits on the table for MLB players; Dr.Fauci says there could be a second wave from opening up

Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry interviewed Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday March 26th during the early days of the sheltering in. Fauci said without a vaccine opening up will not bring down the curve. Protesters say it’s their constitutional right to leave the house and go back to work. (file photo from npr.org)

On the podcast with Jerry F:

#1 We all know in order for baseball to return they must play in empty stadiums, check temperatures, there will be no showers for the players, social distancing for all players and employees while working in the park. How practical is this going to be.

#2 There have been a number of high profile athletes and celebrities coming out for Dr. Anthony Fauci. Dr. Fauci simply said that continuing to open up America will lead to a second wave, raising the curve, and those who are screaming that it’s unconstitutional to shelter in will be the very same people that will have to shelter in in a second wave.

#3 The San Francisco Giants have said they will be keep their 350 full time employees at least through September. The ball club will furlough it’s 60 part time workers and employees who make over $75,000 a year will get a 25% pay cut.

#4 The A’s have a Cornavirus relief fund for their contract employees from ProPark, Aramark, Landmark, Allied Universal and AEG have applied for the tax free grant. Oakland A’s full time employees are being paid through May. Everyone on board at the A’s are hoping that the players vote to come back by July 4th which means if the games are in Oakland. However with games played in front of an empty stadium it will still be a skeleton crew if the players comeback.

#5 Jerry with all this opening up going what chances is there that a spike of the virus could repeat itself and could force everyone back to shelter in?

Join Jerry each Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com for Headline podcasts.

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: MLB could play in Texas, Florida and Arizona by July 1st

A cameraman walks through a crowd of spectators who are masked up for Korean Baseball between Hanwha Eagles and the SK Wyverns on May 5th at Incheon South Korea as MLB negotiates to return July 1st (AP photo)

On Headline Sports with Jerry F:

#1: Talks continue between MLB and the players to get the season started there have been reports that the two sides will get a deal done and opening day will be on July 4th.

#2 One idea that’s on table having baseball in three southern states Texas, Arizona, and Florida where they have re-opened and have ended shelter in place.

#3 Rules to be implemented social distancing, face masking, wearing gloves, to use a few house rules.

#4 Baseball is a gate driven league much more than football they are exploring the possibility of getting fans back in the stands and they have to make money some way.

#5 Talks have been about getting the season started in July the owners and players had one sticking point that was the revenue the players are asking for their full salary and the owners want to share 50-50 of the gate after they get started in July.

Join Jerry each Thursday for Headline Sports on http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: ESPN documentary “Long Gone Summer” featuring McGwire and Sosa in 1998; plus much more

Former St Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire (left) and Former Chicago Cub Sammy Sosa (right) celebrate their home run filled season in 1998 which is part of a ESPN documentary “Long Gone Summer” debuting in June (Chicago Tribune file photo)

On Headline Sports pod with Jerry F:

#1 Businesses are starting to open up but there have been reports from places like Tyson Meats and Amazon of recurring cases of Covid-19 is it a no brainer to say baseball is something that is in the far distant future.

#2 Jerry the ESPN documentary “Long Gone Summer” is coming out which features the Summer of 1998 the home run derby between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa do you see this one being as successful as “The Last Dance”.

#3 Neither Sosa or McGwire give many interviews and especially on the subject of steroids how much will viewers need to expect that the subject of steroids and that their records are tainted with Sosa and McGwire will come up in the documentary?

#4 MLB PA representative Tony Clark says not so fast to coming back July 1st as MLB is reportedly setting a date to return to action. Amongst the issues at hand for the players union Clark said the players need to know what is happening and the players union hasn’t got a formal proposal.

#5 The ESPN deal to broadcast Korean Baseball Organization games have gone over big. With millions of unemployed people due to the shutdown they can stay up late watching live baseball from South Korea during the wee hours of the morning.

Join Jerry F each Thursdays for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Fauci says sports is just simply not ready to come back yet; Staley had stellar career; plus more

San Francisco 49ers tackle Joe Staley who announced his retirement over the weekend has been receiving warm mentions from teammates, fans, and even in the press (Detroit Free Press file photo)

Headline Sports with Jerry F:

#1 Dr. Anthony Fauci said he would love for sports to come back but as a health physician and scientist he said the country is not ready for that yet.

#2 Jerry offensive tackle Joe Staley had a stellar career with the San Francisco 49ers before announcing his retirement over the weekend. Staley had a career, two Super Bowl appearances, six pro bowls and 181 games.

#3 A’s and Giants fans are lining up to receive their refunds and season tickets holders are getting their money back as well. The Giants plan to start their refunding plan on Wednesday and the A’s have partially started refunding money to A’s fans. The A’s did not bill their fans for April.

#4 In the Michael Jordan documentary “Last Dance” 1992 Olympics Dream Team architect Rod Thorn was asked if he had anything to do with keeping Isiah Thomas off the team at Jordan’s request. Thorn replied he never spoke to Jordan about Thomas while selecting the team. Thomas said he thought he should have made the Dream Team and he said he was not part of it and quote “that hurt me”

#5 It’s very realistic that baseball will be played in front of empty stadiums under a baseball plan that has three divisions and if games are held in neutral site locations in Arizona. The plan is still under study from MLB and the MLB union.

Join Jerry for Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s players wondering what could have been; 49ers looking for a wide receiver in draft; plus more

Marcus Seimien of the Oakland A’s one of many players on the A’s left wondering of a season that could have been? (AP file photo)

On Headline Sports with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry there’s no doubt about it the Oakland A’s were really looking forward to playing this season with some key players that could have lifted them to post season with the likes of Matt Chapman, Marcus Semien, Matt Olson, and Jose Luzardo. They could only what could have been?

#2 The San Francisco 49ers plan to go big in the first round of the draft tonight. They also might make a trade according to general manager John Lynch as Lynch said the Niners lost a great player in DeForest Buckner.

#3 The 49ers in the last 17 drafts have drafted a wide receiver you can almost count on the 49ers drafting a wide receiver tonight again.

#4 Minor league baseball is looking to cut 42 teams before the Covid 19 shutdown. Now with the shutdown MLB is considering cutting 42 minor league teams it came down to a matter of economics.

#5 Jerry California or New York is standing pat with the shutdown and social distancing but places like Georgia where the curve has not gone down they plan on opening up this Friday. Is this a responsible or irresponsible decision on the part of the Georgia Governor Brian Kemp?

Join Jerry every Thursday for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Could a second wave of Covid-19 hit if the games were to open with just players and working staff

Hohokam Stadium in Mesa Arizona after it’s completion for the Oakland A’s spring training home. Still the discussion is on to have games there without fans and will it be safe for players and working personnel? (file photo arizonarepublic.com)

On Headline Sports with Jerry F:

#1 MLB executives have said to listened to the scientists and have faith that they can make the right decisions during this long pandemic to get us through it

#2 California Governor Gavin Newsom said that the possibility to reopen is “negligible” at best adding until a vaccine is available everything is on hold

#3 The basic bottom line from Newsom is until there is a vaccine expect not to go see any sporting events which could be as long as the 18 months or September 2021.

#4 Major League Baseball has taken part in a anti-body study that antibodies are developed so the virus or a bacteria is recognized in the body. The research is taking place in Santa Clara and Los Angeles as well as at USC. It was reported that the Oakland A’s are also on board with the program.

#5 Events are possibilities to be held without fans but what about at risk personnel, the players, medical staff, EMTs, trainers, security, engineers, custodians, front office personnel and the media?

Jerry does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com