Marty: The season is only a few short weeks away. It is time to check in with you, to ramble on about the Giants and how they look for the coming one hundred and sixty two games. When I started thinking about the makeup of this club, I realized that Sabean had put together an intriguing collection of ancient, over the hill, ball players.

Ed’s fans have been waiting patiently for his award winning analysis of the Giants. Welcome to the 2006 NL West. Thanks Ed.

Marty

[Read more →]

THE INAUGURAL showing of Bud Selig’s baby, the World Baseball Classic, got a fairly warm reception from the American sporting public, but the reaction of sportswriters covering the event was often off the charts.

I saw references to “the real World Series” and comments that “the World Series will never be the same again.”

Get a grip, fellas. [Read more →]

Josh Suchon – 1/6
Gary Hughes – 2/6
SF Chronicle’s Susan Slusser – 3/6
Aaron Lurie – 4/6
Memories of the Game – Roger Craig – 5/6
Rattle the Lumber with Ken Korach – 6/6
[Read more →]

What a difference a year makes. In 2005, the Angels were clearly the best team in the Cactus League.

This spring the A’s can match the Halos position for position. Both teams have excellent starting pitching, deep bull pens, talented veterans, and exciting young players.

For Oakland, youngsters Dan Johnson, Nick Swisher, and Bobby Crosby all are swinging the bat very well this spring. [Read more →]

Saturday’s Show:

Part 1/6 – Vince Cotroneo
Part 2/6 – Marty
Part 3/6 – Marty
Part 4/6 – Marty
Part 5/6 – Memories of the Game – Bill King
Part 6/6 – Rattle the Lumber w/ Ken Korach

Sunday’s Show:

Part 1/5 – Vince Cotroneo, Joe Roderick
Part 2/5 – Brett Topel
Part 3/5 – Interview – Reggie Sanders
Part 4/5 – Memories of the Game – Randy Johnson
Part 5/5 – Rattle the Lumber w/ Ken Korach & Paul Weaver

Thanks Raf, Alma, and Thomas, great job! [Read more →]

by Glenn Dickey
Mar 17, 2006
EVERY SPRING the question arises: Will this be the year Eric Chavez reaches his potential? The answer may finally be yes, but more because of what the A’s have done in the offseason than because of Chavez himself.

Since Chavez hit .311 in the final month of the 1998 season, when he was still 20 (his birthday is Dec. 7) extravagant predictions have been made for him, some in this space. Historically, when a player can demonstrate at that early an age that he can hit major league pitching, the Hall of Fame is most likely in his future. [Read more →]

As I am in Phoenix for Spring Training a lot of
the players in many of the camps here, specially
the Hispanic players are trying to follow, when their
time allows this first World Baseball Classic and
it is nice to see the passion they are exhibiting.

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez [Read more →]

As I sit here at Phoenix Municipal Stadium about 90 minutes before the start of today’s Right Off The Bat show, I’m looking out at the first rainfall in the Phoenix area in over four months.

I would say the the A’s will do everything possible to get this game in today because you don’t like to give up crowds in excess of 10,000 which is what they expect today.

Sounds just like the big leagues where teams struggle with rain issues all the time.

This rain might knock the game out, it’s that steady.

Rich Harden pitched yesterday, seemed strong although he tired in his third inning.

Frank Thomas is threatening to run during his on field workouts next week. When he does that a lot of people will be holding their breath.

Haven’t seen a real solid team down here most likely reason, so many players are in the WBC, watered down rosters.

Even with the rain I’ll do the show. Guests include A’s director of player personnel Billy Owens and Cubs GM Jim Hendry. Plus I have a bonus Memory of the Game with the late Kirby Puckett.

I’ll probably play that interview Sunday morning. Both shows start at 10:30 AM Pacific.

Marty

Saturday’s Show:

Part 1/6
Part 2/6
Part 3/6
Part 4/6
Part 5/6
Part 6/6

Sunday’s Show:

1/6 – Vince Cotroneo
2/6 – Kirby Puckett
3/6 – Frank Thomas
4/6 – Ray Fosse
5/6 – Ron Washington
6/6 – Ken Korach
[Read more →]

Here is March 2nd’s Inside Baseball show:

Part 1/4

Part 2/4

Part 3/4

Part 4/4

[Read more →]

by Glenn Dickey
Feb 27, 2006
WHEN I WROTE on February 16 that the A’s inability to get an AM radio station with a strong signal was the chief reason they remain the second team in the Bay Area market, readers insisted there were two other reasons the Giants are No. 1:

–They were here first, coming to San Francisco in 1958. The A’s came to Oakland 10 years later. [Read more →]