Click here for newly added interviews, including:

Billy Beane Brian McRae Dave Campbell Jim Palmer Mike Quade Pam Pitts Paul White Rene Lachemann Ron Fairly

Jim Palmer

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June is the month when the baseball races start to come into focus.

I recall the phrase “June Swoon” first describing a faltering Giants team in the late 50’s.

Then each year the writers would bring it up as soon as the Giants had a June losing streak.

Today, the “June Swoon ” is feared by every major league team. I think I know why.

June separates the fake early season contenders from the solid teams. You can see it happening as the month unfolds.

When June ends, three months of the season is gone, about 80 games.

You know where you stand.

Are the Giants due for a “June Swoon?” How about the A’s? Is it too early to tell whether June will be kind to the Cincinnati Reds? Are the White Sox fading in the first definitive month of the season?

Here’s what I think. [Read more →]

Ever wonder what umpires think of the new strike zone, how they prepare for a game, if you do, listen to Right Off The Bat, Tuesday at 5:50 PM Pacific as our guest will be major league ump, Paul Schreiber. The show can be heard on LOTGP.com, the A’s website, or KFRC 610 AM, in Northern California. [Read more →]

With the amateur draft coming up this week, A’s talent evaluator Matt Keough has been very busy giving last minute advice to the A’s GM, Billy Beane. Matt Keough is our guest on Right Off The Bat beginning at 9:00 AM Pacific, right here on LOTGP.com, the A’s website, and 610 AM KFRC in Northern California. [Read more →]

You see it every year as May turns into June during the baseball season.

Runs, runs, runs everywhere, and not a stopper in sight.

Unless your name is Bartolo Colon.

Colon threw a 122 pitch shut out against the reeling Chicago White Sox Friday night.

Colon is the hottest commodity on the open market.

He’s out of Cleveland, but where will he go? [Read more →]

By Charlie Danrick

What manager uttered these rather harsh statements?

“A sense of humor (needs for successful manager) and a good bullpen.”

“Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it.”

“Down there (New Athens, Illinois), we’ve got more taverns than grocery stores. I walked in, threw down a bill and said, ‘Give everybody a drink.’ Nice gesture I thought, but down the bar somebody yelled, ‘Hey big shot, your brother is still a better ballplayer than you are.” [Read more →]

Robin Yount is back in uniform with the Arizona Diamondbacks as their first base coach. Yount tells us what brought him back to the field during Friday’s guest interview on Right Off The Bat beginning at 3:00 PM Pacific right here on LOTGP.com, the A’s web site, or KFRC 610 AM, in Northern California. [Read more →]

Mark Grace, Arizona Diamondback’s firstbaseman, just wants to be remembered as a player who could beat you. He’s the guest today on Right Off The Bat beginning at 3:00 PM Pacific here on LOTGP.com, the A’s web site, or on KFRC 610 AM, in Northern California. [Read more →]

Erik Hiljus sealed his own fate Tuesday night with another subpar performance in a starting roll.

Baseball coaches are well known for masking their true feelings when assessing a player’s performance, but pitching coach Rick Peterson was less than complimentary when he described Hiljus’ poor outing.

Now, the question becomes when do you pitch Aaron Harang, Sunday or Monday?

Here’s what I think. [Read more →]

Brent P. Kelley has written a book on the SF Seals, the title is “The San Francisco Seals, 1946-1957.”

It covers briefly the history of the team through WW II, then it has a history of each season from 1946 through the end of the franchise in 1957. Twenty- five former Seals are interviewed, including Ferris Fain, Con Dempsey, Reno Cheso, and Leo Righetti. The publisher is McFarland and Co., Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640. 1-800-253-2187.

You can find it in any bookstore or on the net.

I’ve seen the book and it is a wonderful recollection of one of the most colorful eras in Pacific Coast League history.

You’ll enjoy reading “The San Francisco Seals 1946-1957.”

Reviewed by Marty Lurie [Read more →]