That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: MLB will not charge A’s with relocation fee if they move to Vegas; A’s back in loss column after losing lead to Yanks

An overview of the Resort Corridor located by the Stratosphere and the Mirage Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip is a location that the A’s and the city of Las Vegas are interested in building a new ballpark. (file photo Las Vegas Review Journal)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 MLB is leaning towards Las Vegas make no mistake about it and didn’t hide the fact announcing Monday that the Oakland A’s will not be charge a relocation fee if they end up moving to Las Vegas.

#2 When the hockey Golden Knights moved to Vegas they were charged a $500 million relocation fee and the football Raiders were charged $378 million for a relocation fee. When asked why MLB will not charge the relocation fee to the A’s MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred refused to make a comment.

#3 The A’s are averaging 8,358 fans per game at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s are 30th the bottom in MLB attendance behind the 29th place Miami Marlins. MLB by waiving the relocation fee makes the appearance that they want to make the path to Las Vegas as easy as possible for the A’s.

#4 The Resort Corridor is a area that the A’s and Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft were pleased with MLB’s waiving of the relocation fee and the location is not far off the strip close to the Mirage Hotel.

#5 With all this under consideration if the Bay Commission passes the Port usage for the A’s the A’s need to get past the two environmental lawsuits from Southern Pacific and Amtrak. Then the next hurdle the affordable housing between the A’s and the City of Oakland.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish play by play on Le Grande 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Drummers of the Coliseum

The Drummers of the Coliseum

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The drummers of the Oakland Coliseum bang the drum either slowly or fast to keep A’s fans and players in step or awake at A’s games from Oct 2, 2013 game (file photo sfgate.com)

OAKLAND–It doesn’t matter if there are 2,500, of 12,500 fans in attendance during an A’s day or night game at the Oakland Coliseum. The Drums are there banging in the outfield during each and every game. They bring the energy inside the empty spaces of one of the oldest major league ballparks.

These drummers devoted A’s fans that show all the enthusiasm regardless of how the team is doing on the field. Their mission is to bring pure energy, the energy the players recognize and admire, and to the fans, who also show their respect for their commitment. This season with the very small attendances these guys keep ‘drumming away’ as that drum sounds echoes all over the Coliseum.

In 2018, prior to covid showing up in the world, I was talking with A’s slugger Khris Davis inside the dressing room prior to a game and among other things, I mentioned to him were the drums, he told me “I love those drums man” and “they are very cool and the players here love them”.

This April Khris Davis signed a one-year contract with the Diablos Rojos of México City of the Mexican League. In case anybody forgot in the land of Oakland; only two men in Athletics franchise history have slugged 40 or more home runs over three consecutive seasons in A’s franchise history, Hall of Famer Jimmy Foxx from 1932-34 and Khris Davis from 2016 to 2018.

Davis bat is sorely missed on a 2022 team where the lack of home run power is evident. During those three years of 40 plus home runs, Khris Davis struck out a minimum of 166 times and a maximum of 195, but he could still hit it a country mile.

The A’s do not have one player this season that could hit at least 20 home runs (maybe Sean Murphy, who hit17 last season) and forget any A’s hitting 40, but that should not be a surprise since they traded all their established stars.

Meantime, win or lose, the loyal A’s Drummers of the Coliseum do not miss one game.

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

Jacobs gives the Raiders another late win, 26-24

Photo credit: @iAM_JoshJacobs

By Jeremy Kahn

OAKLAND — Unless there is a chance that the Las Vegas Stadium is not done, this will be the last Oakland Raiders game versus a team from the AFC West.

Josh Jacobs scored on an 18-yard run with 1:02 remaining in the game, helping the Raiders to a 26-24 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers before a Thursday Night crowd of 51,954 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

The Raiders got off to a fast start, as Eric Harris intercepted a Philip Rivers pass on the Chargers initial series of the game and Derek Carr led the Raiders down the field and Daniel Carlson got the Raiders on the board with a 40-yard field goal.

Not even two minutes after the Carlson field goal, Harris picked off a Rivers pass for the second time in as many possessions and returned this one 56 yards to the end zone to give the Raiders a quick 10-0 lead.

Rivers regrouped to take the Chargers on a 16 play 77 drive to get within three, as he found Hunter Henry for a two-yard touchdown pass. That drive took eight minutes and 14 seconds to cut the Raiders lead down to 10-7.

Melvin Gordon III gave the Chargers the lead, as scored on a three-yard run; however, the Raiders were not behind for long.

Undrafted rookie Alex Ingold scored his first NFL touchdown, a nine-yard pass from Carr to give the Raiders 17-14 lead at the half.

Carlson extended the Raiders lead up to six on their first series of the third quarter, as he kicked a 22-yard field goal.

Michael Badgley kicked a 22-yard field goal to cut the Raiders lead in half at 20-17 late in the third quarter.

Rivers put the Chargers in front with 4:02 remaining in the game, as he found Austin Ekeler for a six-yard touchdown pass. This was the second drive for the Chargers that took over eight minutes off the clock, as the Chargers traveled 12 plays in 80 yards that took a whopping eight minutes and five seconds off the clock.

Unfortunately for the Chargers, that left too much on the clock for Carr and the Raiders, who drove right down the field and ended when Jacobs scampered thru the Chargers defense to give the Raiders the eventual game-winning touchdown.

Rivers and the Chargers got the ball back with just over a minute remaining in the game, and on eight plays including a penalty on fourth down, the Chargers traveled just five yards. Rivers went 0-for-7 on that final drive that ended when Karl Joseph intercepted a Rivers pass at their own 35-yard line that clinched the game.

Carr went 21-for-31 for 218 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders, who are now 5-4 on the season and one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.

Jalen Richard and Hunter Renfrowe each caught four passes for the Raiders, and Richard led the team in receiving yards with 43.

Jacobs continues to impress everyone, as he carried the ball 16 times for 71 yards and that game-winning touchdown.

NOTES: Carlson missed a 53-yard field goal and also missed an extra point after the Jacobs touchdown.

UP NEXT: After being on the road for 49 days, the Raiders will host their third straight home game, when the Cincinnati Bengals travel to the Coliseum on November 17.

Headline Sports podcast Pt. 1 with Barbara Mason: Warriors just a bad club or a rebuilding year?; Kings put together two wins in a row; plus more

Photo credit: goldenstateofmind.com

On the Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Are the Warriors 2-5 just down on their luck or are they just outright a bad ball club since their offseason mass exodus?

#2 How much would would you allude to the Sacramento Kings’ struggle and their recent two straight wins? Were the wins looked at as encouraging for the Kings?

#3 The Cal Bears opened up their men’s basketball season against Pepperdine tonight at Haas Pavillion. The Bears are looking to have a much better season than they did last year.

#4 The San Francisco 49ers might be facing their toughest challenge this season yet when they host the Seattle Seahawks for Monday Night Football on Nov. 11th at Levis Stadium.

#5 The Oakland Raiders just got by the Detroit Lions with a 31-24 win on a Hunter Renfrow fourth quarter touchdown that help put the Lions away at the Oakland Coliseum.

Headline Sports with Barbara Mason is heard each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Fan hurt at Dodger Stadium; Safety at MLB parks

AP photo: A young fan holds ice to her head after being hit with a foul ball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, June 23, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press)

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

A young woman was struck at Dodger Stadium by a line-drive hit by Cody Bellinger. She was taken to a hospital for precautionary tests. She was sitting just beyond the protective netting.

“I saw it literally hit her face,” Bellinger said “It was tough.”

While the odds are higher that you will have an automobile accident while driving to the baseball park as opposed to getting hit in a head by a baseball at the park, the fact remains that most stadiums are “fan friendly”and the fans are closer to the action. It is also true that today’s players are stronger than eve — pitchers can throw faster than ever and hitters can hit harder than ever. So if this is all true, the fans most pay more attention than ever, right? Not really.

Today, there are more distractions when you attend a baseball game than ever before. For starters, everybody carries a cell phone and many have one eye on the cell phone and the other eye on the action on the field. We are busier than ever. I remember when you went to the park to relax, enjoy the game and pay attention to the game and maybe even score the game, which is something that you seldom see today. Maybe with the older folks.

A line drive can hit anybody in the stands at any park at any given moment, even if you are paying attention to the game. One of the great things in baseball is that you feel part of the game, unlike any other sport, you can go home with a ball that you caught, show to your friends, save it as a souvenir or use it for a future player autograph.

Stadiums are protected by small screen/netting,most behind the dugouts and in other places. Ironically, the dated Oakland Coliseum, might be one of the safest parks to attend due to all that spacious foul territory. A line-drive doesn’t get to you as quick as most other places, so you have less of a chance of getting injured.

Nevertheless, baseball games offers fans a unique experience. It is the ultimate game to take you family on a sunny Sunday afternoon to enjoy. There will always be accidents, but I believe that if you pay attention, you are more aware and therefore, you can see a ball if it is coming your way.

The largest stadium in the MLB is Dodger Stadium with a capacity of 56,000. As of today, the Dodgers have the largest attendance in all of baseball — 2,049,295 in 43 home games. That is an average of 47,658. They have the best record in the game, 54-25 leading the NL West, 13 games over the Colorado Rockies and on their way to their seventh consecutive divisional title. The current record is 14 in a row by the Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 2005.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez is heard on the Oakland A’s Spanish flagship station KIQI 1010 San Francisco and can be heard weekly on That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Fiers’ no-hitter against Reds is lights out after 1:38 delay in 2-0 win

photo credit nbcsports.com screen shot by @adriangarro: Oakland A’s pitcher Mike Fiers is exuberant after tossing a complete, no hit game against the Cincinnati Reds as A’s catcher Josh Phegley prepares to meet Fiers on the mound Tuesday night at the Oakland Coliseum.

by Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — People in baseball say “you never know what you are going to see at a baseball game.” Tuesday nights game featured Mike Fiers tossing his second career no-hitter. Fiers had everything working for him as he did not allow the hard-hitting Cincinnati Reds a single hit. The A’s won the game 2-0. The game was delayed about an hour and forty minutes due to a malfunction of the lights in left field, Play started at 8:45 pm.

In most games when a no-hitter occurs, pitchers are helped out by excellent fielding. The A’s made two great defensive plays in the sixth inning. Second baseman Jurickson Profar, who has been maligned for his poor defensive play this season, made a sensational catch robbing Kyle Farmer of a hit. The ball was hit into short right field and Profar made a diving catch to prevent the Reds from recording their first hit of the game. The next batter, Joey Votto, slammed a ball to deep left-center-field. Ramon Laureano made a leaping catch and robbed Votto of a home run. Fiers walked two hitters in the seventh, but he was helped when the A’s made a 6-4-3 double play.

In the bottom of the second, the A’s put a run on the board to grab an early 1-0 lead. With two out and Stephen Piscotty on first, Profar doubled into the right-field corner. Piscotty scored all the way from first and was called safe when the Reds’ catcher missed the tag.

The A’s added another run in the bottom of the seventh. With two, out, Profar slammed his third dinger of the year over the right-center-field wall. The A’s led 2-0.

Fiers continued his mastery of the Reds as he set them down in order in the eighth and ninth innings to record his second career no-hitter.

Game Notes: Jurickson Profar was not only a defensive star Tuesday night, but he also drove in both runs for the A’s, He drove in Piscotty with the A’s first run in the second, and his home run in the seventh gave the A’s their second run.

Bob Melvin said that “it was a great night.” He also said that it was no fun for me after he reached 120 pitches.”

Fiers threw 131 pitches as he won his second career no-hitter. His first came when he was a member of the Houston Astros and he no-hit the LA Dodgers.

Melvin also said that Fiers “was using all his pitches to be more effective.”

Mike Fiers had this to say about Bob Melvin: “I was ‘really thankful for him leaving me in.'”

When asked about the one hour and 40 delay due to the malfunction of the lights in left field, Fiers replied: “it didn’t affect me.

Fiers also said this about his performance: “I had to keep them off balance.” He did exactly that.

The line score for the game was this: A’s: two runs five hits and one error. Reds: no runs, no hits and one error.

It was the eighth no-hitter in Oakland history and 13th in A’s history. Fiers’ no-hitter is the 300th in MLB history, and he is the 34th pitcher with multiple no-hitters.

Matt Olson played his first game of the season. He was placed on the IL on March 25th after breaking his right hamate bone.

The A’s improved to 16-21 and the Reds dropped to 15-21. Tyler Mahle’s record fell to 0-5, and Fiers evened his improved to 3-3.

Time of game was two hours and 25 minutes. 11,749 people watched Fiers pitch his historical masterpiece.

Up Next: Game two of the three-game series will be at the Oakland Coliseum Wednesday night. Game time will be at 7:07 pm. The A’s will send lefty Brett Anderson to the hill and Sonny Gray, the former A’s ace, will pitch for the Reds.

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Coliseum says there will be no coming back for Raiders in 2019; Players have nothing but respect for former GM McKenzie

nbcsports.com file photo: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (left) and Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis (right) have a laugh. The Raiders will be leaving Oakland despite the city of Oakland’s lawsuit suing the Raiders

On the Raiders podcast with Joe:

#1 With the lawsuit by the city of Oakland against the Oakland Raiders, could it mean that the Raiders will need to seek the team’s relocation site in either Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, UNLV in Vegas or Qualcomm in San Diego or will the Raiders and the city settle on the Coliseum?

#2 Oakland Coliseum Authority executive director Scott McKibben said there no will be proposal. “There’s no longer a lease extension in play, lawsuit or no lawsuit” McKibben said.

#3 Taking a look at some of the Raiders’ choices to play in the 2019 season: Oakland Coliseum, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Sam Boyd Stadium at UNLV, Stanford, Cal, SJSU or San Diego.

#4 Raider players have voiced their respect for former general manager Reggie McKenzie. The players agree that McKenzie had built a team that had the potential to go far in the postseason. This season, much of that team that McKenzie had built had been dismantled.

#5 Will the move of the Raiders in 2019 and the firing of McKenzie impact the team going into Cincinnati for this Sunday’s game?

Joe Hawkes Beamon does the Raiders podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

This is the place the Athletics have chosen for their new $500-mil ballpark

A mock-up of what a new Athletics ballpark could look like on the proposed site from Newballpark.org

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The day that all Oakland Athletics fans have been waiting for has finally come. On Wednesday, the Athletics announced that they have selected a site for their new $500-million privately financed baseball only ballpark. That site will be will be known as the Peralta Ballpark Plan.

The location is between Lake Merritt and I-880 and is currently occupied by commercial warehouses, parking lots and the administrative offices for the Peralta Community College District.

Plans call for more than a ballpark on the site

This plan calls for a complete makeover of the area that will include more than the Athletics new facility. It will include:

• New housing
• There will be emphasis on affordable housing
• Small business space will be available
• Restaurant and retail space that will serve the locals and fans
• Parks will be a part of the overall development
• Commercial real estate will also have a place in the plan
• If this sounds a lot like what happened in China Basin when AT&T Park was built, that is exactly the hopes and plans for this development.

What is the proposed schedule for the project?

An aerial shot of the proposal ballpark site

• Year one: Community Process – the residents, businesses and city government of Oakland have buy into the project in order to make it work.
• Year two: Permitting (this is California), environmental approval and final ballpark design
• 2021: Groundbreaking ceremony
• 2023: Play ball!

What about financing?

• The ballpark will be privately financed by the Oakland Athletics similar to how the Giants and the Warriors have built or are building their own facilities. Details to follow.
• What about financing for the remainder of the project? Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher has made his fortune in commercial real estate. He is exactly the type of person who can pull together developers who will want to invest in this type of project, and because Oakland has been an economically challenged city, they are positioned nicely to receive federal and state money to help make a project like this successful.
• The other factor this project has going for it is the overcrowding in the Bay Area. Oakland is really the last place where commercial office and work space can be developed. It may be last place in the Bay Area where “Transit Oriented Development” that includes work space, affordable housing, shopping and entertainment without needing a car can be made a reality. Would tech companies rather have employees and offices in Iowa or Oakland? It is an easy choice.

What about access to the ballpark?

The Coliseum offers some of the easiest in and out access of any sports complex in America. The new site would offer:

• BART
• Access to several freeways
• The ability to walk and bike from downtown Oakland and surrounding communities
• AT&T proved you do not have to have a 25,000 car parking lot to make a stadium work in California

The Coliseum with its beautiful views before the blight of Mt. Davis

What about the view?

How about a view of Lake Merritt, the Oakland skyline and the Oakland Hills? It might remind you of the great views from the Coliseum before “Mt. Davis” was built.

What would happen to the Coliseum site?

• The A’s would work with the City of Oakland and the County of Alameda on a plan to develop what is undoubtedly a very valuable piece of land. Remember John Fisher is a major developer of real estate and knows how to bring people together for big projects.
• The site is ideal for housing, hotel, retail and office development. Remember “Transit Oriented Development”? BART and Air BART are already at that location. That airport is one mile away. The land sits on I-880. It is prime real estate in an area that is running out of room.
• The other part of the plan for that site is really exciting. The Athletics plan to build a multi-use sports complex and an Urban Youth Academy for baseball and soccer (remember John Fisher also owns the San Jose Earthquakes). This where Major League Baseball can really get involved as part of their initiative to reach out to urban youth.

Oakland Athletics President David Kaval said on Twitter, “A great day for Oakland and the @Athletics #rootedinoakland”.

This is a day many thought would never come, but it is just the beginning. There is a great deal of hard work to do between now and April 2023.

Oakland Raiders-San Diego Chargers preview: Raiders host Chargers in AFC West battle

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

AP file photo: Oakland Raiders Michael Crabtree (15) runs a pass route against the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday Crabtree who scored three touchdowns is looking forward to the challenge of the San Diego Chargers next Sunday

OAKLAND, Calif — It’s been three weeks since Raider Nation has seen their team up close, and the last time the Silver & Black were at the Oakland Coliseum, their home opener, they lost to the Atlanta Falcons 35-28 in Week 2 dropping Oakland’s record to 1-1.

After playing three of their first four games on the road, Oakland (3-1), will play their next two games at home, both against AFC West opponents, first hosting the San Diego Chargers Sunday in Week 5 action at 1:25 p.m. PT.

Oakland welcomes the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 16 (Week 6).

The Raiders slipped by the Ravens, 28-27, in Baltimore last Sunday.

Quarterback Derek Carr, as cool as a cucumber, drove Oakland 66 yards in six plays, and found wide receiver Michael Crabtree tip-toeing the back of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown with 2:12 left in the fourth quarter.

The third-year quarterback from Fresno State has played more like a 10-year veteran during the first month of the season,  throwing for 1,066 yards, nine touchdowns, to just one interception.

“He is a guy that is very well-prepared,” Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio said via CBSSports.com. “He’s really, I think, taken a step forward in terms of emotional control, the poise to be, kind of, surgeon-like and just be accurate with the ball and let his playmakers do their thing.”

Crabtree, who is off to a tremendous start to the season as well, dominated the Ravens’ second-ranked defense, scoring three touchdowns on seven catches for 88 yards.

The eight-year veteran from Texas Tech has become Carr’s big-play guy, leading the Raiders in receptions (26), touchdowns (4), and is second behind fellow wide out Amari Cooper (318) in receiving yards with 308.

Rookies are being thrust into live action for Oakland, especially as injuries begin to pile up.

The Raiders’ fifth-ranked rushing attack could be down a man Sunday, as starter Latavius Murray (toe) is not expected to play, so Oakland will rely heavily on rookie running backs DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard.

Washington, who will likely start, is second on the team with 147 rushing yards on 23 carries, while Richard is third with 144 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries.

Middle linebacker Ben Heeney and tight end Lee Smith, who were both placed on season-ending injured reserve this week, will rely on rookie middle linebacker Corey James to fill Heeney’s void.

James, who took over for Heeney during Oakland’s 17-10 road victory in Tennessee during Week 3, recorded a team-high 15 tackles (3 assisted) in Week 4.

Smith, who was key in Oakland’s ground game with his strong blocking, leaves those duties to second-year tight end Clive Walford and fourth-year tight end, Mychal Rivera

The offensive line has been dealing with some injuries at tackle with Menelik Watson and Austin Howard. Rookie Vadal Alexander stepped in against Baltimore and solidified a unit that didn’t allow a sack in the game to a Ravens team that entered Week 4 with six sacks.

San Diego (1-3) travel to Northern California as a broken down team,  blowing three leads in the fourth quarter in the team’s final five minutes of the game this season.

The Chargers blew a 13-point second half lead in a 35-34 loss to the New Orleans Saints, thanks to fumbles by wide receiver Travis Benjamin and running back Melvin Gordon.

Benjamin, who signed with San Diego in the offseason following four years in Cleveland, leads the Chargers with 21 catches for 277 and two touchdowns.

San Diego’s season has been decimated by injuries, with 14 players on injured reserve.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries have taken out top-flight wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back  Danny Woodhead on the offensive side, but that doesn’t seem to bother Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers.

Despite all of the season-ending injuries, and with security blanket in tight end Antonio Gates dealing with a hamstring injury, Rivers has continued to put up arcade-like numbers throwing for 1,110 yards, seven touchdowns, and just one interception.

Rivers’s 104.5 passer rating ranks seventh in the league behind Carr’s 104.6, while engineering an offense that averages 30.2 points per game.

Defensively, San Diego lost star linebacker Manti Te’o (Achilles) in the third game of the season, but linebackers Denzel Perryman and Jatavis Brown have filled in nicely combining for 44 tackles and two sacks.

The loss of Pro Bowl cornerback Jason Verrett for the season with a partially torn ACL really hurts San Diego’s pass defense, especially against Cooper and Crabtree.

Cornerback Casey Hayward has recorded three of the team’s six interceptions, while outside linebacker Melvin Ingram is the team leader with three sacks.

On paper, Oakland should dominate San Diego, but Rivers, who is 14-6 with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for his career against the Raiders, is the quarterback who can prevent Oakland from earning their first win at home Sunday if he gets hot.

Oakland took both meetings last year against San Diego.