40º

BOB MELVIN

Fungo golf for Giants pitchers; fans for MLB spring games

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Right-hander Kevin Gausman’s impressive day at spring training had nothing to do with any of the usual statistics, like strikeouts or innings pitched. Batting practice for San Francisco's pitchers took on a non-traditional look Thursday at Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona. But the stands won't be empty — or full — when the Giants host their spring training opener Sunday. Scottsdale Stadium will have the lowest capacity at 9%, which is about 1,000 fans for Giants home games. Spectators at Scottsdale Stadium may get to see Gausman throw his lively fastball, but not a look at his Fungo golf skills.

Spring training '21: New year, but COVID-19 protocols remain

FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2014, file photo, Atlanta Braves batting helmets sits on the field under a shining sun during a spring training baseball workout in Kissimmee, Fla. Major League Baseball revamped its spring training exhibition schedule because of the pandemic, cutting travel for Florida-based teams in an effort to avoid the novel coronavirus, the league announced Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)NEW YORK – Completing the 2020 season required MLB to rewrite its rule book. Offers by MLB to delay opening day were rejected by the players' association last month, defaulting the league into an on-time start. The Grapefruit League schedule was reworked to limit travel, and clubs won’t play exhibitions against local colleges — usually a spring staple. MLB has claimed billions in losses after playing the 2020 season almost entirely without fans, and free agents were met by a sluggish market this winter.

MLB renews 7-inning doubleheaders, runners on 2nd in extras

The deal did not include last year’s experimental rule to extend the designated hitter to the National League or expanded playoffs. After allowing 16 teams in the postseason last year instead of 10, MLB had proposed 14 for this year before withdrawing that plan last month. “We’re comfortable with both rules,” San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler wrote in a text to the AP. About 12% of games were part of doubleheaders, the highest percentage since 13.6 in 1978. “I actually liked both the seven-inning doubleheaders and the runner on second,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin wrote in a text to the AP.

Bad-boy Astros, fun-loving Rays set to face off in ALCS

The Astros are in the ALCS for the fourth straight year, looking for a third trip to the World Series in that span. The Rays are trying to get to their second World Series after losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. You start fresh and go from there,” said George Springer, MVP of the 2017 World Series. Baker’s San Francisco Giants lost to the Angels in seven games in the 2002 World Series. The former big league catcher played parts of eight seasons with five teams, including 20 games with the Astros in 2010.

Pinder's HR helps rally A's past Astros 9-7, trail ALDS 2-1

Oakland Athletics' Chad Pinder, right, celebrates with manager Bob Melvin after the Athletics defeated the Houston Astros in Game 3 of a baseball American League Division Series in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020. And just in case Laureano's words did not get the message across, he ripped a double as the A's got a pair of sacrifice flies in the eighth to rally past the Houston Astros 9-7 on Wednesday and avoid elimination in their AL Division Series. “It was awesome.”Houston leads the best-of-five series 2-1 and can advance to its fourth straight AL Championship Series with a victory in Game 4 on Thursday. Pinder hit a first-pitch slider to the opposite field for Oakland's fifth homer, a drive chased by right fielder Kyle Tucker until he ran out of room at the short wall. Houston took a 7-4 lead with five runs in the fifth, when the Astros sent 10 batters to the plate.

Astros out to 'silence the haters' in ALDS against Athletics

FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2017, file photo, the Houston Astros celebrate after Game 7 of baseball's World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles. On Monday, Oct. 5, the Astros and the Oakland Athletics will open their ALDS matchup at Dodger Stadium. The coronavirus pandemic largely has protected the Astros from having public scorn heaped on them this season. He hasn't been particularly effective this season, and didn't start against them when the A's took seven of 10 games from the Astros this season. “We never did anything in our rotation to make him miss the Astros,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said.

Pinder delivers timely hit, A's advance in playoffs at last

Oakland stopped a nine-game losing streak in winner-take-all postseason games, a major league record that dated to the 1973 World Series. “I woke up this morning feeling like this was going to be a hard game and it was a hard game,” Melvin said. The low-budget A's had not captured a winner-take-all postseason game since beating Hall of Famer Willie Mays and the New York Mets. That prompted White Sox star Tim Anderson to say, “I guess they haven’t done their homework.”“It’s a tough one to swallow but we've got to keep going,” Anderson said. HURLING ITThe 17 pitchers, nine by Chicago, were the most in a nine-inning postseason game.

Greinke gets 200th win, pitches Astros past A's 4-1

Zack Greinke #21 of the Astros pitches in the top of the second inning against the Oakland Athletics at Ring Central Coliseum. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)OAKLAND, Calif. - Zack Greinke threw seven smooth innings for his 200th win, pitching the first-place Houston Astros past the Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Sunday to avoid a four-game sweep. Yuli Gurriel added an RBI double in the sixth for undermanned Houston, which had a two-man bench but snapped Oakland's four-game winning streak. Oakland saw its home winning streak end at six games, matching the club's season high. AGAINST THE AL WESTThe A's also had a five-game winning streak against division opponents snapped, their longest vs. the AL West all season.

A's edge Astros 3-2 in 13 to inch closer in playoff chase

Robbie Grossman singled home the winning run with two outs in the 13th inning to give Oakland a 3-2 victory over the Astros on Friday night. Corban Joseph singled leading off the bottom of the 13th against Cy Sneed (0-1) and was sacrificed to second. Canha hit his 18th homer in the second, and Semien added his 20th on a 2-0 pitch from Verlander in the sixth. Unhappy AltuveJose Altuve went 1 for 6 but the Astros second baseman was particularly unhappy with plate umpire Tripp Gibson after flying out in the 10th. Armenteros has been in the minors since July 22 because Houston had no need for a fifth starter.

A's hold off Astros 7-6 in a home run derby with 10 homers

Matt Chapman hit two home runs for the second straight day, connecting for the tiebreaking shot in the eighth inning to lead the Athletics past the Houston Astros in a 7-6 home run derby of sorts Thursday night. Four players hit two home runs: Chapman and teammate Matt Olson along with Houston's Michael Brantley and Carlos Correa. It was a little bit of 2019 home run derby with the ball flying out of the ballpark everywhere." Correa homered leading off the fifth and seventh innings for Houston, the second giving him 100 for his career. Chapman hit a tiebreaking homer estimated at 453 feet leading off the sixth before Olson's second of the night and No.