Now working for MLB, former Athletic and Cleveland Indian bench coach, Jeff Newman joins Marty on Right Off The Bat. Jeff is working with Bob Watson in MLB’s effort to shorten the time of major league games. Jeff also shares with us some of his baseball wisdom in an entertaining show. Listen live on this site or the A’s website at 5:52 PM Pacific. Heard in the Bay Area on 610 AM KFRC. [Read more →]

DAVE STEWART MUST NOW STARE DOWN DAVE STEWART

BY ALAN GOLDFARB

This is how the telephone conversation must have gone between Bud Selig — the father of baseball — and Brewers’ president Wendy Selig-Prieb — the daughter of the father of baseball — last Wednesday night:

“Wendy? Dad here.” [Read more →]

The Seattle Mariners keep rolling along and are starting to remind veteran baseball observers of another team from the 90’s.

No, it’s not the Yankees. [Read more →]

Michael Meyers, director of public relations, from the 3DO Company, talks with Marty about their new “High Heat” video baseball game. The game is incredibly realistic with amazing graphics. We’ll talk about how baseball video games are produced in an interesting show airing at 11:52 PM Pacific on 610 KFRC. Also, you can hear us through the A’s website or right here on loveofthegameproductions. [Read more →]

Giambi is falling into gigantic disfavor with Yankee fans. He simply is not hitting; fanning a lot and leaving a lot of men stranded. His excuse:”I’m coming around slowly.” He’s being booed every time he steps on the field or at bat in Yankee Stadium because he’s making a zillion and is performing like a has been or never was.
I vividly remember playing catch in my Passaic,NJ home driveway and listening to the 1948 World Series at the same time. I remember walking home from school at the end of game 1 of the 1949 WS with a portable held to my ear. Henrich is up, last of the ninth, no score and then hits one into the rightfield seats. I remember hearing the last of the 9th called by Russ Hodges on 10/3/51 on a large Philco in the room of Miss Weber, our 8th grade science teacher. She was old, fat, ugly and smelly but quite loved because of that radio.

Charlie [Read more →]

Karl from Sonora, California writes

Why did the Mets choose the colors they did for their uniforms…orange and light blue? Leonard Koppett, Hall of Fame writer answered this one for me. The colors are the official colors of the city of New York, not to remind folks of the old Dodger (which was a darker blue) and Giant hues. Check the New York Knicks uniforms and the flag of the city of NY. Same colors.

Michael from Phoenix,

Why did the A’s switch from the elephant mascot to the mule when Charlie Finley bought the team in Kansas City?

Charlie was very stubborn and realized that a stubborn Missouri Mule reminded him of himself. Hence, Charlie O, the mule was named and the elephant was gone until the Haas family brought it back in Oakland.

Two that I need help with: Jon and Heather from Alameda ask,

Ichiro can tie a record this season that has only been accomplished once in the early part of the twentieth century, what is it? Hint Ty Cobb..

Hallie from Oakland asks,

Who was the last lefthanded player to play third base in a major league game?

First correct answers receive two vouchers to any A’s game. [Read more →]

The Mariners were trailing 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning. Three more outs and the game would be official. Then, if the skies opened with the A’s holding the 2-0 lead, the Mariners would be defeated. [Read more →]

Tonights guest, Ernie Lavagetto is the son of former Brooklyn Dodger, Cookie Lavagetto. Cookie had a long career in baseball as a player, manager, and coach. Ernie recalls some of his favorite moments growing up around major league baseball and the Pacific Coast League. Cookie may be best remembered for his two out double off Yankee Bill Bevins in the ninth inning of the fourth game of the 1947 World Series which broke up Bevins’ no hitter and won the game for Brooklyn. Hear the show live through the A’s website or right here by clicking the MLB icon to the left or listen in the Bay Area on 610 KFRC at 5:52 PM Pacific. [Read more →]

This is a significant week for teams struggling at the start of the season. Are they just slow getting out of the box or are the problems going to last much longer? [Read more →]

Tonight at 5:52 PM, I will have one of my most interesting shows. Sharon Jones, former A’s front office executive assistant, made a taped statement of Happy Chandler, Baseball Commissioner in 1947, available to me. This taped 1987 statement from Chandler, explains in his own words the stance he took with the major league owners when he approved the contract of Jackie Robinson with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Don’t miss this authentic piece of baseball history. Yesterday, April 15th, marked the day Jackie debuted in the NL with the Dodgers, thanks to a major assist from Happy Chandler. Hear this show through the A’s website or KFRC 610 AM. [Read more →]