That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: The A’s will be the only big league club to stream all games (no radio); Will announcers do all games in Arizona?

Tune In image from tunein.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 When baseball does return the A’s will be introducing it’s new non radio streaming casts on tunein.com. The A’s president David Kaval said this will be the state of the art way to listen to MLB games as he said the A’s are trying to reach for a younger demographic that will use their phones and computers to stream games.

#2 Critics of the A’s leaving their last two radio stations 97.5 The Game and 860 KTRB The Answer say traditional radio is the best way to listen to A’s broadcasts and how can you listen in the car or at the ball park?

#3 Tune In will be streaming A’s games in Spanish and English for all pre season and regular season games as the regular season is expected to return if negotiations with the players works out.

#4 Critics also say that the move to go to Tune In was solely done to save money from paying airtime to the local radio stations.

#5 If the A’s do not play their home games in Oakland and play them at their Cactus League location in Mesa will A’s English announcers Ken Korach and Vince Cotroneo and Spanish announcers Manolo Hernandez-Douen and yourself broadcast all games from Arizona?

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Really Inside Baseball–Exclusive with Mickey Morabito A’s Traveling Secretary

Oakland A’s Traveling Secretary Mickey Morabito who has been with the club since 1981 (file photo sfgate.com)

Really Inside Baseball: Exclusive with Mickey Morabito Athletics Traveling Secretary

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Mickey Morabito is the longtime Oakland Athletics Traveling Secretary. Like everybody else in the baseball world he is on “stand by” but not just sitting at home watching the flowers bloom. I talked with Mickey, whom I have known since he came from New York to the Bay Area. At this time just beginning the month of May, if there is a baseball season it would be an abbreviated one, like the 1981 season.

Q: We all are living a unique experience, with basically the whole country paralyzed, including baseball. As a Traveling Secretary how has this affected your job?

MM: It’s been stressful. I had to keep in touch with all our hotels, letting them know to cancel our rooms. I have been canceling three weeks out, as of now I have cancelled all my hotel rooms through the Houston,Texas trip at the end of May. I also called to let out bus and truck companies know we won’t need their services….I feel bad for all of the hospitality industry…including our airline since we are not flying. I am hopeful we can play some kind of abbreviated season.

Q:As far as you can remember any other situation that resembles this when it comes to travel with the team?

MM: We have experienced weather situations. Once when a hurricane came through the Tampa area we cancelled our series there and flew to Baltimore, the next stop on that trip. We had also had mechanical situations with our plane that caused re-routing.

Morabito’s job with the Athletics is one that requires organization and communication all the time. To make the team performs well on the field, so that players are on time and rested, wherever they go, especially when they go on the road. To make sure all players, manager, coaches and staff are all on the same page.

Q: Can you give me an idea of some of the stuff that goes on before every road trip?

MM: I distribute a detailed itinerary for each trip…that has all charter times, bus times to airports and stadiums that the players and our traveling party can follow.

Q: I remember when you first arrived in Oakland from New York,with Billy Martin did you expect to be with the A’s organization this long?

MM: I didn’t really know what to expect when I came here with Billy…it looked like we would only be in Oakland for the 1980 season and then would be sold to Marvin Davis and moved to Denver. But thankfully the Haas family stepped up and bought the team from Finley and kept the A’s in Oakland. I have enjoyed my 40 years here.

Q:I know you are a big baseball fan. When you were growing up, who was your favorite team and player?

MM: I grew up a big Yankee fan,living in Brooklyn so it was a dream to get a job working for them…my favorite player growing up was Bobby Richardson.

Q:I do not think there is a school for your type of job. For those, especially young people that love the game and might be interested in doing what you have been doing so well for so many decades, did you have a mentor? What is your advice.

MM: I was the Public Relations Director in New York and when I came to Oakland, Finley told me I had to do both jobs to start. So it was a lot of on the job training, but since I have traveled with the Yankees I had a clue about what happened on the road. The Yankees traveling secretary at the time was Bill Kane, who was a good mentor for me. Somebody wanting to get into this job, I would recommend just getting any job,I would recommend just getting any job in baseball opportunities to get started.

Q: Can you name your best day as Traveling Secretary and your worse?

MM: Winning the ’89 World Series against the Giants, one of the worse was losing the wild card game to Kansas City.

Andy Dolich, longtime baseball executive in the Bay Area, with the Oakland Athletics, Dolich helped change the face of sports team advertising through the Clio Award winning “BillyBall” and who has also known Morabito for decades told me: “Mickey Morabito is the best in the business. He is the Swiss Army Knife of solving the complex world of moving teams around the country. He was the team’s answer to the GPS before there was a GPS”

I want to thank Mickey Morabito for taking his time for this interview. Just because there is no baseball as we can see he is busy today with his work. Hopefully we will see him soon.

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

Tony Renteria for That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Best hitters in baseball missing out on making big numbers; Can MLB make it back by June?; plus more

wikipedia file photo: New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge just one of many big league players missing out on improving their numbers this season as the shut down continues

Tony Renteria filled in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez:

#1 Taking a look at some of baseball’s big  boppers how badly are they missing this season names like New York Yankees Aaron Judge and the Philadelphia Phillies Bryce Harper.

#2 From the Oakland A’s Matt Chapman who had such a fine hitting season last year .249, 145 hits, 36 home runs, and 91 RBIs, he’s another player missing the opportunity to tee off this season.

#3 How possible could it be for MLB to start the season in June, play in two different states, hold fan interest, and hope that curve has been flatten in order to play this season?

#4 This was going to be the season that MLB was going to have a shot at increasing it’s attendance, getting a younger demographic and looking forward to improved TV ratings could that all be for not with an abbreviated season and most fans not having access to their local team?

#5 The A’s got criticized for not signing on with their former flagship radio station KTRB 860 and decided to stream all of it’s games home and away on itunes.com. Then came the shutdown for Covid 19. In hindsight considering all the advertising and business that has dried up and the A’s wanted to save money from buying air time it could very well be a good move and it might be a trailblazer move for other MLB teams.

Tony Renteria filled in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez who does News and Commentary podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: MLB: Rules changes for 2020 (English and Español) MLB: Rules changes for 2020 (English and Español)

nypost.com photo: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has changed baseball’s rules and with so many changes Amaury lists and explains them below

MLB: Rules changes for 2020 (English and Español) MLB: Rules changes for 2020 (English and Español)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

We might as well go to “baseball school”so we can learn more of the new rules.slowly but surely the National Pastime continue to go through a series of changes. These are the categories that will go into effect this 2020 season. For all fans pleasure and entertainment,here they are.

1-The Three-batter minimum. For all intent and purposes,this is “the one”.
All pitchers, starters and relievers now have to face at least three batters (or pitch until the inning is over) before they come out of a game. The only exception is an injury or illness that prevents the pitcher from being able to finish his three batters. Main effect of this rule will be on the specialist relievers (the ones used to face one batter for a favorable match-up) the perennial lefty coming out of the bullpen just to get a lefty out.

That is gone,there will be none of this beginning this season. Also could impact teams that use the “openers”, who are usually starters that are used just to pitch the first inning of a game.These “openers” are pitchers that start the game to match up specifically against the top of the opposing order. Starting this season an opener will have to face at least three batters even if he had a bad match-up in that start, –This three-batter rule is already on effect this current Spring Training Roster Limits.

2-Roster Limits: 26 man rosters.Teams active rosters are being increased from 25 to 26 players for the regular season (through August 31) and during postseason. Teams are limited to carrying a maximum of 13 pitchers.

3-Smaller Rosters in September:MLB is adjusting the size of September rosters to 28 players,including a maximum of 14 pitchers.

4-Two-way Player Designation: Totally new. A “two way player” somebody who can both hit and pitch, like Angels Shohei Otani or Reds Michael Lorenzen,who appears as a reliever and also plays the outfield.. The “two way player” has not been seen in MLB since the days of the legendary Babe Ruth*,the most famous of all “two way players”. This rule will let these players stay on the roster as a position player and pitch in games without counting their team 13 pitchers limit. If you designate someone as a “two way player” they have to stay that way through the end of the year.
*When Babe Ruth played in the 1910’s and 1920’s it took 1 hour and 51 minute on an average to complete a game.

5-Position Players Pitching:Position players are allowed to pitch only if a game goes to extra innings,or If their team is winning or loosing by more than six runs.During normal circumstances in a nine-inning game only the teams 13 designated pitchers (or two way players) are allowed to pitch.

6-The 27th man: What used to be the 26th man is now the 27th man, thanks to the new 26 man roster size.

7-Injured List and Option Periods: Pitchers and two-way players are returning to a 15-day injured list.That is once they are placed on the IL, they cannot be reinstated for 15 days. The IL (injured list) used to be 15 days for all players until the 2017 season,when it was reduced to 10 days. Position players will still have a 10 day IL under the new rules. Also,pitchers who are optioned to the Minor Leagues now have to remain there for 15 days rather than 10. The option period for position players remains at 10 days.

8-Challenge time: Managers now have 20 seconds to decide to challenge a play instead of 30.

__________________________________________________________________________________

MLB: Nuevas reglas para temporada 2020

Amaury Noticias y Comentarios

Por Amaury Pi-González

Hay que regresar a la “escuela de béisbol” para aprender más de las nuevas reglas. Lentamente pero seguro el Pasatiempo Nacional continua con una serie de cambios. Estas son las categorías que se pondrá en práctica apartir de esta temporada 2020. Para deleite y entretenimiento de los aficionados,aqui están.

1-Enfrentar un Mínimo de Tres Bateadores(en efecto desde el Spring Training 2020) Este es el cambio más importante.
Todos los lanzadores, asi sean abridores ó relevistas, deben de lanzarle mínimo a tres bateadores ó acabar la entrada para poder ser relevados por otro lanzador. La única excepción a la regla será cuando un lanzador se lesione ó tenga una enfermedad que le impida lanzarle al mínimo de rivales ó terminar el inning,los tres bateadores. El máximo efecto sería en los relevistas especialistas, por ejemplo un pitcher zurdo que sale a enfrentarse a solo bateadores zurdos. Esto no existe para el 2020. La regla también puede afectar aquellos equipos que usan un “opener” -típicos relevistas que los usan para iniciar el juego. Ahora el “opener” tiene que enfrentarse a por lo menos tres bateadores,aún si las cosas no le salieron bien contra los bateadores a los cuales se enfrentó.

2-Cambios en los Rosters: La lista se expande a 26 jugadores, De lo que eran 25 el año pasado a 26 jugadores para el 2020 con un máximo de 13 que pueden ser lanzadores.

3-Rosters más Pequeños en Septiembre:. Ahora los equipos podrán tener solo un máximo de 28 peloteros,incluyendo un máximo de 14 lanzadores.

4-Designación de Jugadores Multifuncionales: Un jugador multifuncional es uno que lanza y batea, por ejemplo Shohei Othtani de LA Angels y Michael Lorenzen de los Rojos de Cincinnati.Babe Ruth*fue l primer famoso jugador multicuncional. Esto les permite mantenerse en la lista como “jugador de posición” por ser parte de la nómina de 13 lanzadores máximo que estan permitidos en el roster. Un jugador que es designado como multifuncional tiene que mantenerse así toda la temporada.
*Cuando Babe Ruth jugó en los 1910’s y 1920’s un encuentro tenía promedio de 1 hora 51 minutos.

5-Jugadores de Posición Lanzando: Para que un pelotero de cuadro ó jardinero pueda lanzar,el partido deberá estar en extra-innings ó con una diferencia de seis carreras, a favor ó en contra. Durante un juego normal de nueve entradas,solo los 13 jugadores inscritos como lanzadores ó jugadores multifuncionales podrán lanzar.

6-El Jugador 27: Cada equipo podrá agregar un jugador más a su roster regular, de 26 a 27 jugadores.

7-Lista de Lesionados y periodo de Opcionados: Lanzadores y jugadores “multifuncionales” tendrán un periodo mínimo de estancia en la lista de lesionados de 15 días, en vez de los 10 días en el pasado. Los jugadores de posición seguirán pasando a la lista de incapacitados durante 10 días. Al igual que con la lista
de lesionados los jugadores de posición deberán permanecer 10 días.

8-Tiempo de Manager para pedir un Reto: El tiempo de los managers(en el reloj)para retar una jugada através de la repetición será recortado de 30 a 20 segundos.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Giants no longer after former Dodger Yaseil Puig; At Giants Fan Fest Pence says he loves being back

San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence is welcomed back by his teammates Alex Dickerson and Buster Posey at Giants Fan Fest on Saturday at Oracle Park in San Francisco (sfchronicle.com photo)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary:

#1 The San Francisco Giants were one of the teams that were expressing interest in acquiring former Los Angeles Dodger Yaseil Puig but no more. Puig commands a seven year worth $42 million deal. The Giants have said they are no longer interested in obtaining Puig. Was it his unpopularity with his teammates with past teams the issue or the cost of his contract demands?

#2 It was a big deal at Giants fan fest when Hunter Pence sat on stage with an untucked Giants jersey on and was happy to be back in San Francisco again

#3 Pence signed for a one year deal worth $3 million is Hunter’s value mostly in the clubhouse or what he can bring to the plate he did get some big flies when he did play in Texas last season

#4 In a San Francisco Chronicle poll of 500 voters in Oakland 62% of them said the current site should be at the Coliseum for the A’s, 29% of those polled wanted to see the A’s move to Jack London Square. Most of those polled said the Coliseum site is more practical because of it’s land space, parking, freeway access and BART.

#5 MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has made it clear that if the Oakland A’s do not get a new stadium built at Howard Terminal in downtown Oakland MLB will seek to move the A’s out of Oakland and move them to Las Vegas.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Ozzie Guillen wants to manage again

file photo from WBEZ 91.5 FM: Miami Marlins former manager Ozzie Gullien trying to explain himself to the media why he said he loved Fidel Castro back in 2012 which forced him out of baseball

Ozzie Guillén Wants to Manage again

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Ozzie Guillén, born in Venezuela,was the first Latino-born manager to win a World Series as skipper of the Chicago White Sox when his team swept the Houston Astros in the 2005 World Series. Since then, Alex Cora,born in Puerto Rico managed the Boston Red Sox to a World Series title in 2018 over the Los Angeles Dodgers,becoming the second Latino manager to win the Fall Classic. Guillén is said to be looking for a job and return to the major leagues as a manager.

Guillén was also a very colorful player,a shortstop for 16 years with the White Sox,Orioles,Braves and Rays. Later he was a coach for the Expos and Marlins prior to managing the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011. As a manager he posted a .513 winning percentage. Not short of controversy during his career. Always opinionated,he loves to talk,when he played and managed as he always had time for me and for an interview, I could roll tape forever,and many a times,I had to edit his interviews to make sure they fit the time I have on the broadcast.

In 2012 he told Time Magazine, “I love Fidel Castro” and that started a storm in Miami,a heavily Cuban populated city, Cubans who left their country because of Castro’s communist dictatorship. Later the Marlins issue a statement denouncing the Cuban dictator. Guillén was suspended five games and the fallout resulted with his ouster after the season. Marlins management at that time reported that attendance fell after those remarks and never recovered.

Jorge Ortíz, who was a writer for the US Today in 2012 called me and asked me about my opinion about what Guillén said,since I am Cuban-born and a broadcaster in the major leagues,below is part of his article:

“It’s like going to New York’s Jewish district and saying, ‘Hitler wasn’t so bad. He managed to stay in power for a few years,’ ” said veteran Spanish-language baseball announcer Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, who fled Cuba at age 17 and lived in Miami for five years. “Even a 9-year-old knows better than to say that in Miami. But I don’t think he’s really a fan of Castro or meant any harm. It’s just that he talks so much that sometimes he says things without thinking about them.”

I still feel the same way for Ozzie, a good man and a very good manager,I defended him then because here in the US we have the right to free speech, something that -by the way-still absent in Cuba for over six decades.

Ozzie GuilIén has not managed in the major leagues since 2012,he has been doing some television work and has kept-up with the game On February 2019 Guillén said “I want to manage again.“I know the game,I’m still close to it, so I see the game unfold. I watch the games now doing television and I’m still involved managing through the Venezuela Winter League.”

If not this season,I think we can expect the possibility of Guillén managing again,he would not mind going into the minor leagues to get the shot at managing again in the show. Talking with a lot of baseball fans,and recently during the Oakland Athletics Fanfest a couple of Venezuelan fans that know Guillén told me that he – Guillén (for sure) is still interested in the opportunity.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Museum, is the Spanish play by play voice of the Oakland A’s and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: A’s Semien and his future in Oakland

nbcsports.com file photo: Oakland A’s Jurickson Profar takes his swings during 2019 season

A’s Marcus Semien and his Future in Oakland

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González.

OAKLAND–It has been a very quiet winter so far for the Athletics. Nobody expected them to make any major deals,and honestly they have a very good team as it is today and going into Spring Training which will begin February 11 at their home in Mesa,Arizona.

They will begin the season (scheduled to open at home on March 26 against the Twins) with basically the same team as last season when they finished second again with a 97-65 record (same as 2018 by the way).

Nobody should expect the A’s to sign their established stars to multi-year multi-million dollar contracts in the near future. The best example is their designated hitter Khris Davis, he had his best season in 2018 when he hit 48 home runs and drove in 123 runs.

Davis was signed that winter to a two (2) year extension and a total of $33.5 million, a contract that will take him through the 2021 season. If they did not signed him then he would have been eligible for free agency after the 2019 season and most likely would have been offered much more money and a longer contract by more than a few teams.

His biggest liability is with the glove, but he doesn’t use it most of the time as a DH, which also limits him to be an American League player.

If you are expecting the A’s to sign their star shortstop Marcus Semien (29) to a four (4) year over $100 million contract you could easily be disappointed. The A’s have another year before they make that decision,although they could make easily make it today. But that is not the way the Athletics operate.

This is still Billy Ball land. Of course Semien is worth upward of $100 million in today’s market, specially since he has become not only one of the best offensive shortstops in the American League but one of the best fielders in that most important position.

He is coming off a breakout 2019 season, finished #3 for Most Valuable Player. This 2020 season will be his final year before he becomes a Free Agent. And many ponder is he really as good as he was last year. He is a hard worker, Bay Area native and a very positive young man.

Leaving Semien aside(no need to rush a decision) we already know the “biggest”story for the A’s going into this 2020 season. Who is going to be playing second base? My bet is on young Franklin Barreto,who was passed last year because the team signed veteran Jurickson Profar.

With Profar signing with San Diego, the door should be wide open for Barreto, and with the power on that infield,all he has to do is field the ball. Something that Profar was not very keen. Others in Spring Training that could be fighting for second-base are Sheldon Neuse maybe, Jorge Mateo and/or a surprise.

In 1998 the injury-prone Eric Chávez finished the season playing only in 16 games and hit .311. He won six consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Awards (2001 to 2006) and in 2004 the A’s had to make a decision of signing either him (Chávez) or shortstop Miguel Tejada.

They signed Chávez to a $66 million contract extension. Meanwhile, Tejada went to Baltimore where he played for four years(2004-2007). I thought they should have kept Miguel Tejada, then a great shortstop much more durable than Chávez, but it wasn’t meant to be.

The Chávez six year $66 million contract was the largest deal in team history. In one of my visits to Baltimore with the LA Angels in 2007 I did a pre-game interview Tejada and I asked him about his very good years with the A’s, he told me that in retrospect: “I would have loved to stay with the A’s”. But isn’t that what they all say?

I remember Jason Giambi who began his career with the A’s (1995-2001) he always said he enjoyed very much playing in Oakland and that was great. But the Yankees came in and Giambi left the A’s for the Pinstripes and a multi-million dollar contract where he played from 2002 to 2008.

Towards the end of his career “The Giambino” would return one more time in 2009 to play with the A’s, and as I recall I called his 400th home-run of his career in 2009,a thrill at the Oakland Coliseum he then played briefly for a couple of teams and retired.

The Oakland A’s have one of the best most exciting and talented infield in all of baseball a young pitching staff with unlimited potential.Their infield: Matt Olson at first base (I don’t know at second base) Marcus Semien at shortstop and their leader Matt Chapman at third base.

Not to mention an outfield with the talented Ramón Laureano,.Stephen Piscotty and company. The biggest issue for the Athletics remains building their new ballpark. A new ballpark usually draws well for the first few years,(the perennial Honeymoon).

The A’s pipe-dream is to have all these stars at their peak in 2021 when they are planning to open the season at the new Howard Terminal Park. There is an old saying in Spanish “soñar no cuesta nada” translation- “it doesn’t cost anything to dream”. And I honestly hope the dream becomes a reality.

At this time the Athletics have the 25th payroll in Major League Baseball among all 30 teams. Their total payroll is approximately $84 million,there are now five teams below the A’s: White Sox, Pirates, Orioles, Mariners, and the team who eliminated the A’s in the Wild Card game last year, the Tampa Bay Rays.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish radio play by play talent and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: A’s 30 years World Series reunion at Fremont

bostonglobe.com file photo: Former Oakland A’s pitcher, native of Fremont, and Boston Red Sox broadcaster Dennis Eckersley appeared at the 1989 World Series reunion in Fremont

A’s 30 Years World Series Reunion at Fremont

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

FREMONT CA–At an upscale restaurant in Fremont, Athletics front office workers,executives,some ex-players and broadcasters were mingling and reminiscing the last time the Oakland A’s won a World Series.

The historic 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake World Series where the A’s swept the Giants. The “time capsule”reunion took place in Fremont,where in this decade,was planned to be the new home for the Oakland A’s and today the fourth largest city (by population) in the Bay Area,closing-in 240,000 residents.just a few months before the next US Census takes place.

The gentrification of Fremont has been taken place for a while now. Some are calling Fremont, “Silicon Valley East” because of its proximity to the hub of technology in the US. Fremont is only 12-15 miles away from Silicon Valley and would have been a well-located place for their new home,specially now because today’s Fremont is much more affluent that the Fremont where the General Motors Plant employed most of the population.

But,it was not-to-be. There was a rally of people supporting the team moving to Fremont.in a popular local eatery but the opposition came right away and the proponents got cold feet. The idea of Fremont as the new home for the A’s never got to first base,even thought it was officially listed on the team’s Media Guide one year.

It is always great to see people that you work in the past,in this case 30 years ago. Part of the history of this franchise that originated in Philadelphia and has won a total of 9 World Series, five in Philadelphia and four in Oakland. Even Crazy George,the ultimate A’s Booster was in attendance,with a drum to cheer everybody.

Although the focus was the 1989 World Series, the reunion was not necessarily about baseball,but about friendships and relationships that are developed in this unique business. Just like any reunion you will see people you have not seen and many that you didn’t even knew where alive. These are the people behind the scenes that make a Major League franchise operate in the good as well as during the lean years.

Fremont was an appropriate place for this reunion,because the city was part of the history of the Athletics and it is well located,just 15 miles from San José, 45 miles from San Francisco and just south of Oakland on highway 880,and accessible via BART. In July, Fremont was named the ‘least stressed city in the United States” by a WalletHub study, according to the San José Mercury News.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Chapman and Olson win Gold Gloves; First dual winners for A’s since the ’80s

Photo credit: sfexaminer.com

On Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Oakland A’s third baseman Matt Chapman received the Gold Glove Award with first baseman Matt Olson. Chapman had a .981. fielding percentage and Olson had .993.

#2 Chapman saved 17 runs that led MLB third basemen in defense in runs saved.

#3 Olson saved 13 runs leading all first basemen in the show in defense.

#4 It’s the first time since 1980 and 1981 that the A’s had two players win the Gold Glove in back to back years. Who were they? Centerfielder Dwayne Murphy and pitcher Mike Norris.

#5 The A’s have developed some great defensive players who got nominated for Gold Gloves — infielder Marcus Semien and left fielder Robbie Grossman.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for Oakland A’s baseball on KIQI 1010 San Francisco and listen to Amaury’s podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: Raiders gain ground with win against Chicago on road trip; 49ers leave no doubt in win over Browns; plus more

Photo credit: nbcsports.com

On Headline Sports with Barbara:

#1 Which Oakland Raider (3-2) team is this? The Raider team who lost to Kansas City and Minnesota or the Raider team who beat Indianapolis and Chicago?

#2 The San Francisco 49ers (4-0)  left little doubt about their game on Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns (2-3) in a lopsided win at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

#3 The Golden State Warriors struggled in their first preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Are they showing signs or cracks of a different older team — not as fast, not as accurate — or is this a real study of them finding who they are without Kevin Durant?

#4 The Stanford Cardinal (3-3) got an important 23-13 win against Washington (4-2) on Saturday, thanks to the help of Cameron Scarlett, who carried 33 times for 151 yards and one touchdown.

#5 A tough loss last Saturday in Oregon (4-1) for the Cal Bears (4-2) and quarterback David Modster. The Bears only got one touchdown against the Oregon Ducks.

Barbara Mason does Headline Sports podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com