Encouraging signs abound in the A's 6-1 victory this afternoon. First off, what a fantastic way for Dana Eveland to start his A's career as he gets the win today after putting up this line:
7 innings pitched, 1 run allowed on 6 hits, with 7 K's and 1 walk
Dana was really able to keep the Tribe off-balance all day, spot his off-speed pitches well and dial up his fastball up to 94 consistently. Even the hits he gave up were of the lucky variety: weakly hit and bloops that just evaded the grasp of the A's defense, which, not coincidentally, played a solid game to back the starter.
The offense exploded for 12 hits from up and down the order and some clutch hits to boot! As per my prediction, Emil Brown fared well against Sabathia by going 2-for-3 against the lefty, with an RBI single in the 1st that scored Barton who had TRIPLED to start off his 3-for-5 day. The offense took off from there, with key contributions from Cust (1-for-2 with a two-run double that he stretched into a 3-base hit in the 1st to go along with 2 walks) and Ellis who busted out of his 1-for-17 start to go 2-for-5 with a homerun and a two-run single in the 8th. Even Crosby and Denorfia got into the act, as Bobby had an infield single and several well-struck balls, while Denorfia was able to lay down a pretty good sacrifice bunt to set-up Ellis's single with the infield drawn-in.
All in all, the game was about as flawless as you could hope for with this young team, with one key exception...while both pursuing a lazy fly ball into left field in the 3rd inning, Jack Cust and Donnie Murphy had a brief, grazing collision. Cust would stay in the game, but Murphy would be replaced by HanRAhan in the bottom of the frame, as Donnie suffered what is likely a strained middle finger. For a team already dangerously thin on infielders, this is not the greatest news. Hopefully, Murph's finger injury is mild and he'll back on the field by the road trip next week. I'll be crossing my fingers, because I can...take that Murphy!
Tomorrow is Joe Blanton vs. Cliff Lee...same place, same time as today. Let's bring out those brooms!
0 recs | 59 comments
If the A's can win on Sunday
I think they'll be in a great frame of mind for the road trip.
Which, in turn, could lead to a winning trip. Not the most formindable of opponents, so they have a good chance.
One won lost won - April 5, 2008
Toronto and Cleveland seem pretty formidable to me.
Chicago...less so.
WaddellCanseco - April 6, 2008
My Recent Memory...
Tells me we should win 2 of 3 in Toronto. Cleveland and Chicago are always tough places to play... especially early in the year. .500 Road Trip is a succesful one.
Colorado Fan - April 6, 2008
Well, with the last 2.5 games against Cleveland
I'd say the A's go in with a nice feeling in Cleveland.
Toronto is not such a "hole" for visiting clubs, like Boston or NY. And, after sweeping the Red Sox, they won't be quite as "hungry".
Chicago looks like they could get you, real bad. Or, snore through the game. The White Sox=schizo team in MHO.
One won lost won - April 6, 2008
A nice treat to come home to
after a day of opening ceremonies for the local little league. The A's tied the Angels in the opening tilt (mini minor) division. The pitching was atrocious while the base running was Emil Brown-esque. My son is barely old enough to play in this age bracket, and it shows. He's a small guy anyway....but he's on a team of alleged 2nd graders. Why does it always seem as though the other team is made up of giants? I looked over at them in their dugout and noticed a couple of them forgot to shave this morning. At least they drove up in nice cars....
alox - April 5, 2008
I spent part of yesterday
applying the old shaving cream treatment to start breaking in my son's first baseball glove.
FreeSeatUpgrade - April 6, 2008
Next comes the "ball in glove"
with rubber bands wrapped around it! I remember doing these things when I was a kid.... never would have thought that it would be more fun doing it with my son. I was partial to the mink oil treatment verses shaving cream. Perhaps we need a diary to debate their relative merits!
alox - April 6, 2008
Flashback: I can smell Gloveoleum!
Word of advice if you don't already know: Instead of matching the "thumb" up to the "pinky finger" when you clamp the glove shut, go over - put the "thumb" past the "pinky finger". The glove always wants to recede, so you need to overshoot how you want it to actually line up.
Nico - April 6, 2008
I had a couple of gloves ruined by that oil + oven treatment
I usually didn't use oil or shaving cream, just broke it in by good old-fashioned catch. I never did the rubber band thing either, I thought it closed the pocket too much. I just twisted the tips of the mitt every once and a while to give it a slight curve on the edges. And I never, ever, pushed my hand on the back of the glove like so many kids do. You ruin the stiffness and you end up with a dried salmon for a glove.
baseb3383 - April 6, 2008
In which case you might want to use cream cheese
instead of shaving cream.
Nico - April 6, 2008
whoever uses that mitt would be a lox for a Gold Glove
monkeyball - April 6, 2008
just got back from the game
note to Donnie Murphy: never flip Cust the bird (just kidding -- when it happened we weren't sure if both players were getting knocked out).
Eveland was impressive; by contrast, I don't remember Sabathia ever having a good outing here in Oakland, and today was no exception.
Crosby came close to hitting a grand slam in the eighth inning; the ball was caught basically against the wall in deepest centerfield.
on the first base side it was still kind of cold in the shade. Then again, maybe I was still cold from last night.
OaklandSi - April 5, 2008
It was really nice out in the "bleachers"
You have to be out in the sunshine for most of the April day games.
Even knowing C.C.'s history against the A's I had some trepidation walking into a Sabathia-Eveland matchup. Eveland was maybe a little over-amped in the 1st inning...I think I saw one fastball register 94 on the stadium gun, but after that he settled in very well, consistently ahead in the count, fastballs at 91.
Seeing Cust trying to catch fly balls always makes me cringe, but that was his ball all the way. Murphy needed to get his
assfinger out of Cust's way.Soaker - April 5, 2008
Crosby
Huzzah for Crosby for having such excellent ABs today. I know he only ended up with the one hit, but he didn't chase anything and made solid contact in the zone. A great game for him, to be sure.
Eveland hit 94 a few times today, but I was most impressed with his last inning. His fastball was down to 89, but he was locating his offspeed pitches and got a bunch of ground balls on his slider, which was an excellent sign.
MrIncognito - April 5, 2008
Kudos to Geren for some smart lineup decisions -
Giving Buck the day off against such a tough lefty, sitting R. Sweeney for the same reason despite the 4/4, and getting Murphy's bat in there (for as long as he had 10 fingers), taking advantage of the career matchups with Emil Brown (whose name sounds like "Email" when Ken says it) and Mike Sweeney, putting Ellis in the leadoff spot (where he's well suited against LHP). Well done.
I love how C.C. walked 4 left-handed batters all year in 2007, but walked Cust twice and Hannahan once today.
Nico - April 5, 2008
a-ha, E-Mail Brown
I've been calling him E-Mail Brown since that tater in Tokyo! I thought it sounded cool like Encyclopedia Brown or something.
Buck Turgidson - April 6, 2008
How about Wikipedia Gonzalez?
monkeyball - April 6, 2008
I went to the game today.
I met Poppy(and her sis) and told her that I was afraid today we'd lose...but tomorrow we'd win with Blanton. I was glad that I was wrong about today!
I bought the stomper puppet... . It is smaller than I thought. But I think it is cute.
I was very cold at the game. We sat in the shade in 107...and it was nippy! But when I was visiting with Poppy in her section in the sun I was so warm I had to take my coat off. That's Oakland for Ya.
The game was great. Watching the guys play so well ...really jazzed me up. Ellis delivered the bomb. ..and Crosby is looking like a different hitter at the plate.
I am going again tomorrow. Sititng in 119 MVP...that will be in the sun thank goodness.
IM4Oakgal - April 5, 2008
Hey, assuming I'm alive (I've been ill with the plague)
I'm going tomorrow and sitting in section 117 - maybe I can finally meet the famous IM4Oakgal? Look for a guy who weighs 300 pounds, has a hook for a left hand, and a tattoo of Estelle Getty on his forehead. For all you know, I could be sitting in front of him.
Nico - April 5, 2008
Well sure...
Is the goat coming too? Email me your seat number and I will come up and give you both a hug. :-)
IM4Oakgal - April 5, 2008
PS I hope that the hug doesn't make me catch the plague.
Typhoid Nico?
IM4Oakgal - April 5, 2008
117-13-12 and 117-13-13
Not sure which seat I'll be in but if you lean in for a hug and it smells like wool and syphilis, it's me.
Nico - April 5, 2008
I sat in 119 last night.
It's a great section to watch a game from because the angle of sight is perfect in order to call balls and strikes. That, and it's a short walk to the railing to get high-fives after the game (and a lineup card which I am now a proud owner of thanks to Bob Geren).
Helloooo 1st - April 5, 2008
Getting the lineup card is so cool, you lucky one.
I love section 119. It's always fun. it was a a little sad that the seats were available . We purchased them today at the game. It's a weekend game... you would think that section would be sold-out...
IM4Oakgal - April 5, 2008
Yeah the tickets were a gift
So as if being there for the game wasn't enough of a treat I got a lineup card and a couple high-fives out of it as well. That and a surprisingly funny drunk guy sitting behind me...
Helloooo 1st - April 5, 2008
Bedard=scratched with hip injury
mikeA - April 5, 2008
The folks over at LL...
will be crying themselves to sleep at night if Bedard goes on the DL.
IM4Oakgal - April 5, 2008
to sleep...
No more, and by a sleep to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir too...
'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wish'd.
grover - April 5, 2008
to sleep...
perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub. For in that sleep what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause; there's the respect that makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
MrIncognito - April 5, 2008
well ain't we edumacated
grover - April 5, 2008
OK whoever wrote that should get a D+
in Ms. Sheridan's English class. No seriously, my last essay only gets a C- and it is WAY easier to follow. Only Ms. "Bad-hair-idan" hates me and has to invent issues with my work to try to mark it down (did I mention she hates me?). We have to write about an animal that's special to us, but I don't have a pet 'cause dad ran over the last one by mistake when he was drunk and so the SCPA gets involved and says we can't have another one - anyway, so I look up "Shih-tzu" on Wiki and it's this really cool massage technique that really, really gets into your deep tissue and stuff and I'm not sure what that has to do with animals but I
copiedwrote a really good essay and she has the nerve to give it a C-??? Grrr....Anyway, that paragraph above about the calamari of long life or whatever? D+, tops. Unless you're one of Ms. Sheridan's kissy-uppy little favorites (did somebody say Carri?) in which case I guess you just automatically get an A+++++++++.
Go Hotties!!! Good night everyone!!!! :}}}}}}
-Cindi
Nico - April 5, 2008
Injuries suck and they seem to be getting more and more common
Lack of steroids or Larry Davis clonings or whatever, it's so frustrating to look forward to one roster and then never get to see it through. Hope Bedard is ok - he's a great talent.
Nico - April 5, 2008
Stockton
Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Anderson 6.0 3 0 0 1 6 0 0.00
mikeA - April 5, 2008
Awesome! He's an exciting prospect
Though it's cool to think of how many pitchers I can say that about.
Nico - April 5, 2008
woo hoo
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2008
Are you working for WaMu these days?
Nico - April 5, 2008
Then it would be "Whoo hoo!"
But that doesn't make any sense to me. I saw one of their billboards before seeing/hearing any commercials, and all I could think was, "what does who hoo have to do with banking."
(The thing is, they spelled woo like who, as in Who's on first?)
RickeySteals - April 6, 2008
If I'm not mistaken
that's 3 out of 3 dominating performances by the A's prospects in Stockton so far.
Who's up next, Rodriguez?
PaulThomas - April 5, 2008
so arnold leon
is not a starting pitcher for stockton?
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=524
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2008
I don't like that either. Maybe they're trying to save his arm
so he doesn't get worn out in the Mexican League.
WaddellCanseco - April 6, 2008
I suspect this is exactly what's going on
He pitched, what, 75 innings last season? If you stretch him out by 30 innings this year, that's still only 105 innings... and if he makes 12 starts for Stockton before heading to Mexico, that's already 60-70 innings prior to sending him south.
I don't think you take any chances with an arm like his.
PaulThomas - April 6, 2008
Whereas Duchscherer's arm...
Grrrr....
Nico - April 6, 2008
I blame Geren, Young and the trainers for that
You've got to exercise some discipline in that situation.
Hey, it could be worse.
PaulThomas - April 6, 2008
True - Duke hasn't been dubbed
"The Franchise"...Though he is my favorite pitcher, the one guy I'd "like to see signed to a multi-year deal even though I know it makes no sense."
I just can't believe the A's sent him back out there when it was so cold and they had jumped out to a 5-0 lead.
Nico - April 6, 2008
Duke
Has anyone said that Duke's "injury" could have just been a cramp? Duke sounded pretty promising yesterday in interviews.
Colorado Fan - April 6, 2008
I wish, but I think he felt the pull on it
Hopefully not a tear kind of pull, but more than a cramp I fear. Personally I think they should hold Duke out of one start no matter what - give DiNardo a spot start and make sure Duke has a little extra time to heal whatever he felt. He felt something and it wasn't good.
Nico - April 6, 2008
the other way to interpret it ...
... is that Duke was extremely candid Friday, and then got spoken to by management to tamp down on the candor and amp up the optimism for the press.
monkeyball - April 6, 2008
Been a while since Los Kirk was mentioned...
apparently he dropped an "o" from his name.
Anyone know when Gio's slated to pitch? I'm trying to make it out to Sacto to watch him within the next 2-3 weeks.
BWH - April 5, 2008
You may not need to go all the way to Sacramento
if the A's pitchers keep going down at their usual rate...
PaulThomas - April 6, 2008
Greatest win of the year!
Well at least that I've witnessed in person.
I really thought Crosby had a grand slam.
It was freezing in the stadium unless you were in direct sunlight.
Free calendar looks good. For some odd reason all players are with dogs then the last month Suzuki is holding a fish bowl with "Red, a Beta fish". Weird
fansince1980 - April 5, 2008
The fish may still have a few bugs
but it's feature complete.
oblique - April 6, 2008
Interesting spelling in that article
Is the name pronounced marn-yay, mar-neer or mar-nee-yer? Clearly the name is French in origin, so probably the safest thing is to say marn-yay until corrected.
TomB - April 5, 2008
Reminds me of my late mother
Who didn't drink much, but when she did was partial to a liqueur she referred to as Grand Mariner, and none of her children had the heart to correct her.
Englishmajor - April 6, 2008
That's awesome!
Vacafan - April 6, 2008
Marnie? Yay!
monkeyball - April 6, 2008
Me Like Barton
Go Daric Barton. Go A's. Go Blanton.
Constance BH - April 6, 2008
I have work to do at home
so I won't be at the coliseum today...of course, I'll have the game on, so the work wont' get done that quickly!
OaklandSi - April 6, 2008
It's an old news now. I've seen some details before at myinterracialmatch.c o m There also has some hot stars profile with their photoes and blogs.
millersbn - April 7, 2008
Gratuitous ad alert? Or Gary Radnich looking for still more attention?
The Dogfather - April 7, 2008
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