Athletics Nation

The ball was within a step and a bit to BoCro's right

and he didn’t even get glove on it. So it wasn’t that weak. Even so, leaving Embree in to face Vlad was the wrong move regardless of the results.

vignette17 - July 1, 2008 reply

Uhhh, it was weak, and he got him into a bad count before that

I don’t know if it was the right move, but I don’t think it was a bad move.

Embree is garbage

Whenever I see him pitching for us, I have the bad feeling that he’s going to blow a save or worse, lose the game.

Many times my fears come to fruition.

He took our win and transformed it into a loss. He wears this one tonight.

Embree or Rincon?

I’m with you Hulk Man. I can’t look at Embree without thinking of Rincon. The put him in constantly even when the entire stadium proclaimed VERY LOUDLY that it was the wrong decision. As for options. Looks like Harden had only thrown 91 pitches. He could have stayed a while longer. Ziggy could have faced the line up once through. What would have been the problem with that? Or Chad. I would have been happy with anyone but Embree. Hopefully they are trying to showcase him for a trade. But, like Blanton, that strategy seems to be backfiring.

steeraw - July 2, 2008 reply

well, we're very scared of putting Street in for two innings

Why is a middle reliever some special thing where three innings is OK, but two innings is bad for a closer?

It’s very bitter indeed, but you try not to burn out the middle relievers in one game.
And Embree – well, who else would you put in and not have the same chance today?
Street – no
Casillia – no
Brown – no
Gaudin – well, maybe (what’s up with Gaudin being used for a nothing burger always)
??? (we must have some other pitcher I don’t recall) – yes?

MobiusKlein - July 1, 2008 reply

Foulke

No chance.

Eh, hard to argue with the decision.

Not that it was written in stone

but it didn’t take any imagination to see any of the possible relievers doing just about the same thing.
Perhaps it would not have gone that way . . . but still.

perhaps Gaudin would be the choice, ideally?

MobiusKlein - July 1, 2008 reply

Gaudin, then Street

I'd have saved Gaudin in case of extras

Raymond St. Martin (Saint) - July 1, 2008 reply

In The Words Of Ken Macha:

Dur Uh Dur Uh Dur…Be-uh-cause-uh Alan is our uh 8th inning uh guy…

+1

At least he can save himself, if he learns from his mistakes. Highly doubtful.

33SwisherSweet - July 2, 2008 reply

Ziggy had pitched or warmed up four days in a row

and thrown 2 innings. And he is not good against left handed hitters. No sane manager would send him out there to start the inning. Foulke/Brown/Casilla are all ?s at this point, and there was a lefty and a switch hitter coming up. I would have been WAY WAY more pissed to see Foulke or Brown against Vlad than Embree. Embree can at least control his fastball off the plate against Vlad, which he did.

Geren’s worst decision was playing the infield in yet again, which cost us the the game.

That cost us the lead.

Anderson’s bomb cost us the game.

Would have been three outs by then (although it doesn't work like that)

and was there anyone you’d rather have pitch to Anderson?

to Anderson? Embree was probably the right guy, but it didn't really matter at that point.

The problem was Embree facing the first 3 batters of the inning.

Pitch Selection

What about the pitch selection vs. GA? Fastball – Fastball – Fastball – Fastball – Fastball – Fastball – Fastball … Who’s calling these pitches, and why is Embree throwing 90% fastballs to a lefthanded hitter who steps in the bucket every single swing.

Colorado Fan - July 1, 2008 reply

He threw 3 sliders to Kotchman -

didn’t work out so well. The problem was location. Winning run at first, two out, you’re avoiding the XBH, which means pitch away. You don’t get beat if he slaps a single to left, but if you come inside, well – you’d better hit your spot.

I think it's safe to say he didn't hit his spot

since Anderson swung at what was clearly ball four.

With that said, you don’t normally expect a home run on a ball.

Because FB-FB-FB-FB-FB is like 95% of Embree's game?

Playing the infield in cost us the game?

With the infield back, the grounder makes it 3-3 and at best the inning ends 3-3. K-Rod pitches the 9th and you go to the bottom of the 9th 3-3.

It lost us the game as opposed to the game still going on, with an uncertain outcome.

one out in the 8th, up 1....

You really dont being the IF in? All 30 MLB managers would…..they probably know best. You have to try and protect the lead there.

Exactly - if you don't want to play in the infield in,

fine, but then you have to walk Vlad and play DP depth.

Agreed....

No way you can pitch to him with IF back there…..and walking him puts go ahead run on base…..I think they did it right for his AB…just didnt work out.

It almost did -

Vlad very nearly k’d on the first 3-2 pitch.

Well, I don't know

Certainly it helps to maintain the lead and also increases the odds of giving up the lead, so I’m not sure… I think most managers are too worried about what might happen on the immediate play (and I definitely think they play the IF in too often). But I don’t know if that was the right call or not in that situation, and wouldn’t be surprised if it was the right call.

Really?

First, I have no problem w/Geren’s decision to start the inning w/Embree…and to play the infield in when Vlad came up. Critical decisions are always gambles. If they always worked out, they wouldn’t be gambles. It’s just a bummer that it didn’t work out this time.

Every pitcher is going to give up runs eventually…whoever they are. If managers could always predict when and where, they’d be prophets, not managers. And second, I wondered where you came up with ”...and he [Ziggy] is not good against left handed hitters”? As of today, righties are batting .185 against him, and lefties are batting .222. That’s with 19 lefty plate appearances and a 6.75 hits per 9 innings ratio vs. lefties. Interesting comment. What does it take to be good against lefties?

captain bubblehead - July 2, 2008 reply

casilla sooner or later u have to get him out of his funk

GREAT POINT

Seeing as we are supposed to be “re-building” Don’t we need to be testing the guys that are going to be around for a while. I don’t think Embree has proven he can hold one run leads at all. If someone has the stats to prove me wrong I would tip my cap to them but I don’t feel good when he’s out there. If we are going to roll the dice anyway why not at least learn something from it. Casilla and Brown will have to perform in those situations down the line.

steeraw - July 2, 2008 reply

Geren did what we all knew he was going to do...

And, like you said, what most managers would have done. Since Ziggy was untouchable, why not let him pitch the 8th until the Angels started getting a bead on him? I guess that’s just too unconventional for Bob, though.

FoolshGame22 - July 1, 2008 reply

Only 24 pitches?

Sounds like he could have gone 3 innings, though that may have been a way to turn a great night in his career into a disastrous one.

I would have pulled him after two. Then I would have put in Casilla and had two pitchers throwing in the pen: Brown/Gaudin/Foulke and Embree.

See what Casilla has, and if it’s what he’s had lately, take your chances with Brown/Gaudin/Foulke versus Guerrero and Hunter. Embree gets Anderson, if it comes to that.

I just like the 8th much better handled with multiple options.

RLangford - July 1, 2008 reply

I definitely would have been fine with Casilla

they should of walked Vlad and then get to hunter strikes out alot

You never let a lefty face a right in the situation the A's were in tonight, they see the ball to well out of a leftys hand

Has geren still not figured out how to use this bullpen

I think he usually does a fine job

And what I was wishing for tonight would have been unconventional – but the right move, IMO.

Embree throws hard, his offspeed is below average, should of never faced Vlad

I want Devine back NOW!

The Big Hurt, too!

FoolshGame22 - July 1, 2008 reply

Will they ever come back?

mikeA:

I get your rage at all the irrational bashing of Geren and Embree when something goes wrong. But why not play the infield in? It’s a risk worth taking with a one-run lead and one out. I’d always have it in there.

RLangford - July 1, 2008 reply

Most of the bashing started before things went wrong.

Then it got quite a bit worse after the blowup.

You HAVE to play the infield in (or walk Vlad)

You can’t let the game go 3-3 to the 9th with K-Rod in. Against a team without a good closer, like Cleveland, you could make an argument. Not against the Angels.

Should of walked Vlad anyways

Agreed.

In that situation, Vlad always seems to put the bat on the ball, and usually in the air, at that! Now if Vlad walks, and Hunter hits a sac fly…hey, that’s baseball!

Have u seen hunters numbers the past 14abs, alot of K's

I rather take my chance with him then Vlad

Oh yeah! That's what I mean!

I rather have Hunter beat us in that situation than Vlad. And you’re right: the odds are better of Hunter striking out.

Hunter also hits into DP's

often

I would agree with walking Vlad 96% of the time -

but right now he was pressing and swinging at unhittable (even for him) pitches. And in this AB, Embree came within an eyelash of striking Vlad out (on the previous pitch) with exactly that approach. I understand why they pitched to Vlad, even though most times I would have opted to walk him in that situation.

And

There seems to have been a precedent set up to that point through this series. They haven’t been pitching around Vlad because he’s been pressing so much. They’ve been pitching at him, so I don’t know why, even in that volatile situation last night, they wouldn’t go after him again. Embree took it on the chin for us last night. We’ll get ‘em today.

Leopold Bloom - July 2, 2008 reply

No, I don't agree

You have to accept the possibility of a tie game there, with one out, and playing the infield in just increases the odds of losing the game that very inning. And F-Rod is really the only scary arm in their bullpen and probably would have only pitched one inning.

Just wondering?

How many innings do they allow K-Rod to pitch. And who do they have after him. Especially if Shields already pitched. Tied with K-Rod might not be so bad for us.

steeraw - July 2, 2008 reply

Arredondo, probably for 2 IP, then Speier

We would have Foulke, Casilla, A. Brown.

Well, in that situation it is close, but

playing the IF in increases the opponents batting average by roughly .100. I would much rather see it in a tie game where you really need to prevent one run than when up by a run when you are marginally increasing the odds of preventing the tying run from scoring, but greatly increasing the odds of letting the winning run score that inning.

In my case

You should walked Vlad and brought a righty in to face hunter who has been striking out on a big rate and maybe get that ground ball but hey lets face a guy who has drove in over 100 RBI’s for the past 8 seasons

It seems ridiculous to pull a pitcher just because of a certain number of innings pitched.

24 pitches is not very many pitches, really. Managers seem to get stuck on pitch counts regardless of how well a pitcher is pitching. I say let them stay out there as long as they feel okay and are still effective. I know I’m not an expert here, but it only seems logical.

Ziggy was dealing, and the Angels hitters looked totally lost. Why take him out if he’s still effective?

Though you have to keep in mind, it was pretty flukey. Garret Anderson is a terrible hitter.

Pitch counts...

... when you’re talking about starting pitchers running up to the neighborhood of 100+ is one thing. I don’t care how well the guy is pitching, you have to be careful. But 24 pitches from Zig? Let him play.

I know what you mean.

I wouldn’t be comfortable with a guy like Harden going 100+ any day.

Kotchman, Itzturis, and Vlad hadn't faced Ziggy yet

and the closest the six hitters came to a hit was a weak, routine ground ball. He was that dominant, and the Angels’ swings told you everything – they couldn’t come close to doing anything against him. And Kotchman is among the league leaders in BA against LHP, by the way.

+1

I was pissed the moment I saw Embree coming in the game. I said to my wife (also diehard A’s fan)...here comes at the very least a blown lead.

The dude throws the same 92-95 mph fastball, every pitch, to every f’n hitter… no need to bring the clown in when ziggy is dominating.

33SwisherSweet - July 2, 2008 reply

Platoon splits

Do modern day managers rely on them too heavily, leading to endless pitching changes and the accompanying game delays? Yes.

But the fact is, the platoon split exists.

So when Geren has already decided to pull Zig, and he looks down that lineup card and sees Kotchman, Izturis, Guerrero, and Hunter, why doesn’t he have both a right- and left-hander warming up in a 1-run game? Even if he was hoping Embree goes 1-2-3, as soon as Kotchman gets on, why didn’t he get any right-handers warming up, whether it was to pitch to Vlad with 1 out or walk Vlad and go for the double play with Hunter?

Yes, the righties in the bullpen have done their fair share of blowing late leads, too. But why hamstring Embree by making him face guys who traditionally feast on left-handers? Why not use the platoon split to his advantage, whatever small advantage it provides?

To me, that’s mismanagement. Pure and simple. Especially in light of the fact that the A’s were playing against the division leader and going for the series win. I don’t think it’s enough to call for the guy’s job, obviously, but this loss is on him.

And for the record, I would have preferred Casilla.

Geren screwed this one tonight and im sure a shell he knows it to

I think it's fair to say that Embree screwed up and knows it

Embree has 33 K's in 32 and 2/3 IP this year

If a guy is on 3rd with 1 out and Vlad is at the plate, do you want to a guy who pitches to contact on the mound? Embree hosed this game, but Geren was the one who should have known better than to put him in that position.

I don't understand this comment

33 Ks in 32 2/3 IP is pitching to contact? That is simply false.

1 K per inning isn't all that high for a reliever, is what I'm getting at

Leastways, not a guy I want in the high-leverage situation I described.

Though I may have to reform that opinion, since Casilla isn't much better...

It sure isnt low..

Casilla is about the same, Street close, Foulke lower…..Who exactly did you want in there? Zumaya isnt in our pen.

Fair enough

You’re right, I checked our other guys and they ain’t much better. I still stand by my faith in the platoon split, though.

yes it is

True

This one was hudge game for us and good time to jump on the angels when there bats are struggling. I would of walked Vlad and went to hunter. Vlad has only had 100 RBI’s past 10 seasons

IBB to put winning run on base is bad too

We would have complained just as vociferously in that case too (had Vlad scored in that alternate reality)

MobiusKlein - July 1, 2008 reply

Which theoretically could have happened

by way of an IBB to Vlad, Hunter Ks, Anderson 3-run HR.

Yeah but in that case you get beat, but you made the right moves.

Embree was set up to fail – and did.

It also would have set up an inning ending double play.

And a righty could have been brought in to face Torriiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

I’d have been MUCH happier with that set of moves, even if the end result was still a tie game.

Yeah, and I think Geren left Embree in an impossible situation.

I think for any pitcher, that’s an impossible situation.

+1 to you Coach

And I think a win tonight just wasn’t in the cards. It happens, Let’s move on and get over it together as a Nation!

A'sfansince1970 - July 1, 2008 reply

Right on!

+1

But it’s one game, and there were limited options. Maybe Ziggy pitching one more inning with Casilla coming in shortly after would have been better, but who knows. Embree could also get Vlad out on a weak ground ball or a strike out, which he will probably do tomorrow. 2 out of 3 in Anaheim would be pretty good. And at least Santana didn’t get the win. I don’t like him, too greasy.

A'sfansince1970 - July 1, 2008 reply

Put Gaudin in for long relief for crying out load

Ran - July 1, 2008 reply

+1

Instead of a guy who should be a starter coming in for relief on a razor thin lead, we put up a tomato can like Embree.

I know a lot of people defend him, but Embree shouldn’t have been up there.

Gaudin is in the pen for a reason. Use him next time, Geren.

southofcruiseamerica - July 1, 2008 reply

These games count double

Mr. Athletic puts them up a run with a bomb in the 8th and Geren/Embree immediately unravel with the entire fan base expecting it. Momentum and a game in the standings go poof in the wind. If they lose tomorrow it makes it that much worse.

4.5 instead of 2.5 is a big difference!

I agree it was one of those "go for the jugular" games

where you do what it takes to win, but that doesn’t mean you can necessarily win. No matter who you put in, they may fail. So while I would totally support putting Street in for 2 innings there regardless of availability tomorrow, that wouldn’t necessarily give us the best chance to win. That’s the judgment call – who had the best chance to succeed that inning. And I say Ziggy – because I suspect the Angels would say Ziggy.

Nico tomorrow a must win

I feel going into Chicago the way there playing, we have to get this one, but i hate say it to, Rangers are playing well to

His style of pitching

Seems perfect for that type of lineup. He has a lot movement on his pitches and gets a lot of ground balls. That, and he’s a funky submariner. I could easily see him making Vlad, Hunter, and Anderson looking foolish.

He made 6 out of 6 look foolish,

and he wasn’t letting up at all.

Wouldn't have minded Street or Casilla there

Casilla -- 2 IP, 7 H, 4 R since coming back from the DL

I’d prefer Embree until Casilla can get at least one good outing. I can’t help but think Street is still hurt somewhat and is best limited to one inning. I’d also prefer Embree to Foulke or Brown.

Agreed on Casilla - at the very least,

his confidence is not where it needs to be for holding a one-run lead in the 8th.

southofcruiseamerica - July 1, 2008 reply

Correct, any outcome

is acceptable mentally if the manager gives the team the best chance to win, which he obviously did not. This kind of situation has to run through his head and not be treated like just another game on the schedule. Of course July is way too early for landmarks, but without the hindsight gained on October 1 this hurts badly.

angels have that confedence back

We have to win tomorrow, were going into Chicago where there playing unreal ball

hudler...then Hawk?!?

ugh, kill me.

sourstuff - July 1, 2008 reply

20$ says

MLB Extra Innings gives us Hawk for 3/4 games.

You dont get both feeds?

I get both feeds on my Extra Innings so I can choose as long as both are broadcast.

Sometimes.

Sometimes I only get one feed.

Actually

the worst was that Cleveland series early in the season that we either swept or nearly swept. They just kept ranting about how lucky the A’s are and how they wouldn’t keep up their pace.

Weird, I always get 2

if 2 are being broadcast..course I only get 1 if A’s are on 36 or not on TV….but if they are on, I always get the choice.

During the Giants series

I got the A’s feed for exactly one game.

Well yea....

They share the channel so it was either or….Both teams couldnt both put the game on.

Can we have Hannahan on the bench tomorrow

Give Donnie Murphy his spot. He’s 4 for 8 off Saunders which while a very small sample size is much better than Hannahan who is looking very bad of late at the plate.

As far as Eveland goes, lets hope he is economical and goes 8 innings.

They probably will -

Murphy hits lefties well, can’t hit righties, so they’re probably going with a straight platoon right now.

Ziggy in the 8th:

He had bad numbers in minors against lefties. The arm slot is a disaster against lefties. Chad Bradford etc. never did well against lefties. He had already pitched two innings, and thrown the three previous nights. 0/30 managers would send him out again against 2 lefties to start off the inning with a one run lead.

I agree....

He was nasty tonight and 8th might have been good, but would have been very against the grain and I think 0/30 is about right.

Did you see the ABs Anderson, Matthews, and Figgins had?

I did.....

I thought he threw one hittable pitch in all 3 of those AB’s, the 0-1 to GA was a bit up. The change ups for the K and the groundout were nasty…...He was just dealing tonight and throwing strikes where he wanted them. The new changeup certainly is a weapon to lefties.

Im just agreeing that no manager would have done it….would have been very agaisnt the grain….Sure couldnt have worked worse though, no doubt.

You're right about the 0-1 to Anderson - I cringed

But hitters, left and right both, are just not picking him up right now, and their swings are terrible.

He's given up several hard line drive outs against lefties

in relatively few PAs.

Agreed there...

And the changeup to lefties is a nice weapon as the slider is dangerous to lefties and it ends up low and in where most lefties like it. The changeup at least makes guys think…..I like hie is mixing that pitch in to lefties more.

It may have worked, sure,

and couldn’t have been worse, but Embree is not typically that bad, and you have to weigh “pitching well tonight” against “bad against leftys for his whole career” as well as “all similar pitchers bad against leftys.”

I understand that

but Embree is a lefty, and Kotchman and Vlad both kill lefties.

But the first lefty that was up in the inning absolutely mashes LHP.

If you’re going to use Ziggy’s minor league numbers against lefties against him, why don’t you use Kotchman’s numbers against lefties?

That is a fair point

but Ziggy is still risky due to the arm slot, and the other guys in the pen do not really inspire much more confidence than Embree regardless of platoon advantage.

He was hitting 8th last night

Methinks, strange as it is, that the Angels have the better understanding of small sample size here.

Overall, you have to be excited about 2009!

With Ziggy, Smith, Eveland, Gonzalez, Sweeney all a year older and a little bit of experience…look out!

Agreed!!

This team is going to be so much better with their experience

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080701&content_id=3044007&vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak

Frank Thomas needs another MRI (damn it)

SIGN BONDS.

+1

I hate to say it, but

...agreed…

I really don't understand the delay, either.

He’s offering to play for the minimum, at least according to his agent, and he isn’t due in court till next year.

Bonds in the lineup can nab us +6 games

That’s huge toward the end.

I hate to say it again, but we signed Frank for the reason we would now sign Barry.

All because he legged it out against his old team

Talk about a jinx

I said it last week.....

I think this lingers a long time….Id be surprised if he is full strength before amybe mid-August….if 100% at all.

I guess in the bigger picture,

if we lost today and Harden’s ok, we’re still in the hunt. Win or lose, if Harden’s lower velocity was a bad sign, we’re done. So…let’s hope it was just “one of those days” without the “best stuff” and nothing more.

Even the Angel announcers noted it.....

The velocity was certainly off…....Anyone else I would assume he just didnt have the normal pop, but Rich makes me cringe when something is a tad off.

well, they certainly would have

Even the announcers noticed it? Those dicks look for anything to badmouth the opposition, even if it’s just a hitter’s back pocket being inside out, or a pitcher’s sleeve showing.

hunter - July 2, 2008 reply

Does anyone have any idea what was up with that?

I think he only topped 94 tonight. He did not look really sharp the last 3 innings either.

I'm guessing an Urban column tomorrow on the official site will mention it

I saw 97

on a pitch to Vlad in the 5th Inning (I believe). But yeah, I’m a little bit scared after seeing Geren and Harden talking between innings in the dugout.

Colorado Fan - July 1, 2008 reply

Few and far between, unfortunately.

The first three innings he was hovering around 92 the majority of the time.

Hudler said the stadium gun was 2 MPH slower than the Fox Gun so 95 was about it

if that was the case.

After we were up 2-0, I was smelling a Harden win

Horrible night: A’s and Cubs lose, Giants and Angels win

I wasn't, but only because

from the start, Harden just didn’t look great. He had to pick an Angels’ start not to be electric. Grrrr…

I was gamedaying and radio-ing it

and I was bouncing around traveling while paying attention

I suppose I had too much faith in the pen

From ESPN Front Page on Inoa

Inoa and his parents turned down more lucrative offers from the Cincinnati Reds and the Texas Rangers due to Oakland’s positive results developing young pitchers. The Reds offered a $5 million signing bonus and a major league contract, while the Rangers offered $5.2 million, according to Inoa.
“After careful thought, my parents and I decided that Oakland has a better pitcher development program, and that will be more important for my career in the long haul,” said Inoa, who became eligible to sign with any major league ballclub on Tuesday at the strike of midnight.

Inoa (6 foot 7, 210 pounds) is a right-handed hurler with a three-pitch repertoire consisting of a fastball (93 mph), changeup and curveball.

A’s general manager Billy Beane was expected to make an official announcement Wednesday at noon from Santo Domingo.

“I think the personal treatment that Beane put into this was the determining factor so that Inoa’s parents opted to stay with Oakland even though there were higher offers,” said Edgar Mercedes, president of the Born to Play baseball academy where Inoa played since he was 12.

Jerk - he didn't even mention

the tremendous ERA, collectively, of AN’s front-page writers.

Not a shocker.

Smart move by the kid. It’s easy to take a horde of money like that, but he probably figures that if he develops properly he can make a lot, lot more.

Hope Beane reminds the kid

that most pitchers who leave Oakland don’t do nearly as well.

STAY IN OAKLAND, INOA!!

Harden had 91 pitches through 5 innings. He had to come out. When is Gaudin going to be used? I thought Ziegler was capable of 3 innings, but that is unconventional for a reliever (which is stupid logic, IMO – why “SAVE” relievers? You don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow so play for the win today).

But why not Gaudin in the 6th? And if he was dominate like Ziegler, for the 7th? Than Ziegler could have pitched the 8th inning, or the 7th & 8th.

I don’t trust Street with a one run lead in the 9th, but he’s the closer, and he would have had the 9th.

What i don’t understand is, you have young, talented relievers in Gaudin, Ziegler, Brown, Casilla, Devine and they continually get bypassed for Foulke, Embree. For instance, if Harden would have thrown 7 innings, it would have been Embree in the 8th. The team to me is rebuilding offensively, I think we should rebuild in the bullpen as well. These young guys need important innings, like the innings tonight, to learn with.

I posted two days ago how I felt about Foulke/Embree, and I think they are doing the same thing Emil Brown is doing: taking valuable innings away from young players.

Often times, young pitching comes in without a track record and they can give a team fits for awhile. The Angels have minimal to no exposure against Ziegler and look at the results.

Every Angels hitter has faced Embree a billion times – they know he’s coming with a belt high 92-95MPH fastball 90% of the time, and a 86-89 MPH slider 10% of the time.

I also disagree that Embree is the right matchup against Anderson. It holds true usually that a LH hitter has trouble against a LH reliever, but in this case, it does NOT hold true. Anderson is a career .297 hitter against righties.

Against lefties? .290. And he homers against righties every 28 at bats, every 33 against lefties.

He isn’t some kid coming from the minors that swings a power lefty bat. He’s had 2,346 AB in his career against lefties, I don’t think it matters that much against him at this point in his career.

Also, as a left hander myself, what the hell were we doing inside? We love inside pitches, and inside pitches from a lefty we merely turn and react on. The less mental you are at the plate, the better, it’s all about reacting. Lefties facing lefties have to trust their reaction as it feels the ball is on you a lot quicker and it feels like it’s in tight. For this reason, many lefties “cheat” and open up. Left handed pitchers should tease inside but live outside on lefties. The ball is traveling away from the left handed hitter naturally, anyways, so an inside pitch is traveling towards the plate.

The pitch to Anderson was supposed to be an inside fastball, which it was, but Anderson simply reacted, and the ball was running towards the plate. The result? A very unfortunate BOMB.

BillMoresi - July 1, 2008 reply

I agree, except for the homer to GA. Suzuki was set up down and away

Embree just made a really, really bad pitch.

Well, I don't know

I mean, it was a bad pitch because it was ball four. Given that Anderson was going to swing at it, I’d say it was an excellent pitch, because it was well outside the strike zone.

Bad pitch in that he horribly missed his location.

A fastball in on the hands probably wasn’t the best pitch anyway since Anderson pretty much falls off every single time he swings.

Down and away was the right pitch to make, Embree just missed badly.

mikev - July 2, 2008 reply

Agreed, GA only hit it because he bailed out and the pitch was in his wheelhouse

Not that i think bringing in Embree was a bad decision...

but that home run honestly might have just cost us the season…

demarius12 - July 1, 2008 reply

LOL

Flashfire - July 2, 2008 reply

we're all gonna die.

mikev - July 2, 2008 reply

True

It was a big game and all....

But it is July 1st…Cmon.

OaktownPower - July 2, 2008 reply

Harden says he has a "dead arm kind of feeling".....

Harden said he had a dead-arm kind of feeling, which he has had in the past and which is normal for pitchers around midseason; he said just never felt great, especially with his location off as well has his velocity. He’s fine physically, he said, but he will fine-tune some mechanical issues on the side this week.
“It was just one of those days you have every once in awhile,” Harden said. “My command felt really awful. I guess I was fortunate to get through five innings with only two runs, battling every hitter, and that’s a tough lineup to do that against. I’ve felt like that before, but not for a couple of years. ... There are definitely certain games where your arm feels kind of dead and you don’t feel you can find a consistent arm slot. Hopefully, it’s just one start, but everyone goes through this. Usually I have this at Toronto or Boston.”

Tuesday was Harden’s first start in a month working on four days’ rest rather than five, and it was just his third start of the season on four days’ rest. Harden said he didn’t think that the four days of rest made any difference.

Harden’s velocity was off from the get-go on Tuesday. He was around 90-91 mph initially, a dip of about 4-5 mph from his norm, but he did hit 93-94 several times as the game wore on and notched at least one fastball over 95 mph. He retired the first six batters he faced but was in trouble every inning thereafter and allowed two runs in the third, which started when he hit Garry Matthews Jr. Howie Kendrick doubled, and Matthews came in on a sacrifice fly and Kendrick an RBI groundout.

Even with his fastball down a notch, Harden’s changeup was as deadly as ever – with two men on in the fourth, he struck out Kendrick with it to end the inning, and in the fifth, same situation, he struck out Vladimir Guerrero with it to end the inning. Harden credited catcher Kurt Suzuki for getting him through the fifth without his best stuff.

I'd be relatively unperturbed about the "dead arm" line if...

A) It wasn’t coming from Rich “ah, my elbow’s just a little sore, no big deal” Harden

B) Rich had actually pitched an “around midseason”’s worth of starts

Joey C. - July 2, 2008 reply

Almost another mistake ...

Everyone’s talking about Embree, and rightfully so. I was there tonight, and I in no way felt good with Embree coming in with a one run lead.

However, there was another thing that Geren did that ended up being meaningless but could have been disastrous. It’s something Geren’s been doing all season. In the 8th, he pulled Cust for Davis, and not when Cust was on base or something. The idea is to improve defense with a one run lead late, but once the game was tied, I started getting worried that Davis would be the 4th man up in the 9th, in Cust’s spot. Why take Cust out for an inferior hitter when the game was far from decided? We might well have needed Cust’s bat in the 9th or later. Why do it?

Crosbino - July 1, 2008 reply

ohtobe21likehuston

sold his soul for nothing

he needs a refund

oaklandSMASH - July 2, 2008 reply

The outcome of this game really sucked but I had a really fun time anyway. Got new pictures with Rich Harden after the game which was fun. He is the most adorable boy on the face of the planet I’m pretty sure. I just want to hug him!

drmmerchk - July 2, 2008 reply

Going at this pace

I doubt they can send Ziggy down when Devine comes back

At this point, maybe they might consider trading Street and making Ziggy the closer

closetasfan - July 2, 2008 reply

Why would you want to get Hannahan in the lineup Bob?

“If we were playing in a National League park, he’d be at third base,” Geren said. “Swinging and throwing put two different stresses on [the shoulder], and I’d like to keep it down to one.”

Geren said another reason he didn’t play Chavez at third base was because he wanted to get Jack Hannahan, who started at third in Chavez’s stead, in the lineup.
Hannahan entered the game batting .136 (8-for-59) over his previous 21 games, with the AL’s second-worst overall batting average (.219), third-lowest average with runners in scoring position (.157), and the fourth-lowest slugging percentage (.330).

Trainman - July 2, 2008 reply

I think I know the answer to my question

The same reason he wanted to get Embree in there.

To give the opposition a fighting chance.

Go A’s…..................................... We need a big fat W today

Trainman - July 2, 2008 reply

Against E. Santana it made sense

to stack the lineup with lefties. The only alternative choices were Emil Brown, Donnie Murphy, and Rajai Davis. And something called a Bowen. I don’t blame Geren for thinking Hannahan was a good choice.

It is Bob Geren, haven't you figured out any decision he makes is the wrong one.

theblackpearl - July 2, 2008 reply

The more I think about it, the more certain I am

that leaving Ziggy in was the best choice. Regardless of his minor league L/R splits or anything else, in that game he was as "especially on" as Harden was "especially not at his best," plus guys were coming up who hadn’t yet faced Ziggy, and the great thing about Ziggy is that if he gets into trouble you have time to react because the trouble is station-to-station.

Embree should have been saved for Anderson (3/18 career against Embree before last night) if Ziggy couldn’t get out of the inning with the first four hitters. You don’t gain any advantage going L/L with Kotchman and the next three hitters would bat righty against Embree. Casilla isn’t the right choice right now, and while Foulke would have been as good a choice, platoon-wise, as Embree, it’s no better an option. And while pitching Street for two innings would have been appropriate because he’s well rested and it was a chance to snatch a big game, it’s unclear how effective he is in extended stints.

If you want to know that Ziggy was the right choice, ask the Angels, who undoubtedly breathed a huge sigh of relief when he didn’t go back out there.