Joe Mauer had five of Minnesota's season-high 20 hits as the Twins absolutely demolished the A's 12-2 Friday night at the Coliseum.
Jack Cust provided the lone highlight for the A's with a two-run homer, his 24th of the season.
Dan Meyer's error in the second inning meant that only two of the six runs that scored in the top of the second innning were earned, but that only spared his ERA and not the A's. In reality, his performance was simply inadequate. He only lasted 1.2 innings and was responsible for all six runs that crossed the plate in the second. Before he was chased, he had walked two and given up four hits, and had further eroded any confidence that he's a long-term answer as a back-end starter for the A's.
If nothing else, perhaps he can be the team's 2009 long reliever, because right now the team doesn't have one of those lined up either. Kirk Saarloos, like Lenny DiNardo before him, has lost some of the magic pixie dust he had in past. He too was shelled in relief of Meyer, to the tune of 12 hits and 5 earned runs over five innings. But it was his job to mercifully get the A's to the end of the game, and he nearly did after 96 pitches.
Santiago Casilla threw 2.1 innings to close it out.
Zooks and Frank Thomas had two hits apiece for the A's.
0 recs | 38 comments
Meyer truly horrific
If he gets another start, it will be only because they have no one else they would rather see until Gallagher returns..
Once again, the A’s are strike out machines, 13 more tonight, and a step back for Barton with 2 Ks.
Are we looking at the 2009 2bman in Eric Patterson? Not encouraging.
geogrman - August 29, 2008
Even worse on Staplehead: two straight Ks looking at what surely appeared to be strikes.
On the bright side, his pop-up catching skills are much improved over the early season dropsies.
The Dogfather - August 30, 2008
Glad I missed this one!
Ouch! What’s up with Dan Meyer? Did the A’s brass and coaches do this to him? Terrible. What time is game time tomorrow? See you all then! Go A’s!
A'sfansince1970 - August 29, 2008
6:05 pm start
OaklandSi - August 30, 2008
Well, I was in favor of giving Meyer his "one last shot" this season to see if he's going to be worth sticking with.
Right now, the magic 8 ball is saying “All Signs Point To NO”
mikev - August 29, 2008
You know, most people have no idea of the exact moment when their careers end.
Dan Meyer, however …
The Dogfather - August 30, 2008
The streak ...
… ends.
The Dogfather - August 30, 2008
With hat trick.
lynnzgal - August 30, 2008
Is that called "being affronted"?
Nico - August 30, 2008
Full frontal interruptus
lynnzgal - August 30, 2008
A policeman's lot is not an 'appy one
Englishmajor - August 30, 2008
I'm glad I was at the water park with Galt...
and, didn’t have to watch. Well, I wasn’t there the entire time… but, when I got home and saw the score, I decided that Tom & Jerry On-Demand cartoons (which we’ve seen 10 or 12 times in the last month, but which Galt nevertheless demanded to watch) were actually a better option than watching the A’s get trashed. And, hey, Galt made the right call.
FoolshGame22 - August 30, 2008
Rotoworld's saying that Gallagher will come off the DL Sept. 5.
With the off day on Monday, that probably means we’ve seen Meyer’s last start, and Gallagher will take his place next Friday with the other four lefties pitching on normal rest.
notsellingjeans - August 30, 2008
What about the double-header Saturday?
Smith will pitch one game, but no one will be on normal rest for the other – so I think they have to slot in Meyer, Saarloos, or Gallagher/Duchscherer.
Nico - August 30, 2008
Has anyone figured out why there's a scheduled doubleheader?
Did Baltimore schedule Tropical Storm Wanda for that Sunday or something?
PaulThomas - August 30, 2008
there was an article a while back
that had another event in the Orioles’ park on Sunday
OaklandSi - August 30, 2008
No, it's the Ravens opener and their stadium is close enough for major traffic problems
Flashfire - August 30, 2008
that's it
I thought it was because of football, but was a little confused since the Ravens don’t play in the Orioles’ ballpark
OaklandSi - August 30, 2008
Ravens play afternoon football game Sunday
Not in same stadium, but Baltimore didn’t want both games at same time.
A’s had option of playing Sunday night instead, then flying late to Detroit. Since that breaks union travel agreement, A’s players—led by union rep Huston Street—were allowed to choose the rare Saturday doubleheader instead.
FreeSeatUpgrade - August 30, 2008
posted this on the last game thread
after returning from the game last night:
I heard Meyer on Extra Innings say over and over the he has to stuff to be a MLB pitcher, and that his problem is mental. When asked what that meant he kept repeating that he needed to attack the zone.
someone sitting behind me kept saying in the second and third innings as Meyer pitched “give him a chance, he’s been injured so much.” As soon as Meyer was mercifully lifted from the game his fan left.
Quite a few of the Twins’ hits last night appeared catchable, had the outfielders been properly aligned. Was it just a case of lucky “hit ‘em where they ain’t”, or a breakdown in communication with the outfielders?
Hoping for a better game tonight.
OaklandSi - August 30, 2008
I can't spell today
Meyer said that he “had the stuff”
OaklandSi - August 30, 2008
Yeah, if he has TO stuff to be an MLB pitcher
then he should go old school and just wear a cup.
FreeSeatUpgrade - August 30, 2008
I don't know that he has the stuff,
but he certainly does not have the command. I don’t think that’s a FITZ thing; I think it’s a command thing.
Nico - August 30, 2008
maybe he needs to see a sports psychologist
He looked all kinds of messed up last night — wandering off/around the mound after every pitch, muttering, tons of nervous twitches. Looks to me like he has no idea where the ball’s going half the time.
monkeyball - August 30, 2008
I went to the game..
and left early. I always stay for the entire game…but that was one lousy game to watch and on top of it it was much colder than I had planned for. I only brought a sweatshirt and I needed a full-on coat! Brr!
IM4Oakgal - August 30, 2008
I almost made the drive
from Fresno in order to secure a Cust bobblehead. I was happy I didn’t because of the on field result, but now that you mention the weather, I wish I would have. It’s 105 degree’s here in the sunny valley.
alox - August 30, 2008
It's hot out here in Contra Costa too...
but I usually know better. My husband said he had checked online and that it was going to be a fairly warm night in Oakland…but it wasn’t. I bet the blanket sales were up last night because I saw an awful lot of shorts and jorts being sported around the park.
IM4Oakgal - August 30, 2008
I was fine with a sweatshirt and shorts
but I sit in the middle of 225, not near the aisles. The aisle seats often get the windtunnel effect, which is alot colder.
OaklandSi - August 30, 2008
I was sitting in 107...row 21.
It’s right in front of the bar leading to MVP…and it was cold, cold. It is warmer near the back and my husband did go to a back row to watch a couple of innings. That and a visit to the Pub kept him there at the game a little longer lol.
We haven’t been to many games lately because my daughter has had a complication in her pregnancy and has been hospitalized since Aug.6. So, we are spending our free time hanging out with her . She’s pretty bored…and not expected to be released until the baby is born. She will deliver early but her due date is Oct 22. So we are only going to games that we have already purchased tics for. The next game we have tics for is on Sept 16 …against the Halos.
IM4Oakgal - August 30, 2008
Sorry to hear about your daughters
complications, but I hope that all goes well. My middle daughter was born on the 23rd of October. 19 years sure do roll by fast.
alox - August 30, 2008
TY Alox.
We are all praying for her and the baby and so far so good! 85 percent of women who have ruptured membranes deliver within two weeks and she is still holding on. The baby is up to almost 4LBS so…her chances are very good.
You think 19 years goes by quickly? My daughter is almost 30 and having her own little girl. And the time has flown by… I am very happy with my children and count myself very blessed but I do miss those years with a busy family buzzing around the house. However, getting to games is much easier now…so that’s a positive that you will enjoy when your kids are grown and on their own.
IM4Oakgal - August 30, 2008
Being no medical professional,
that sounds like good news indeed! She’s far enough along that the baby’s chances are most excellent should she deliver early.
No kidding about time flying by….although I think I’m in a most peculiar situation. My oldest is almost 22, and none of them are leaving the nest yet. They seem to harbor no great ambition to do so either. The rare teenagers who actually believe that it’s better staying with the parents and contributing nothing to their own existence, rather than believing it’s all the rage to support ones self. Perhaps I made it to comfortable for them. I used to believe that I would have a disposable income at this point in my life. I do, but the damn kids are disposing of it for me. Living with three daughters age 17, 19, and 21 is a trial. At least I have my son for some testosteronal sympathy, though he’s only six. The girls stopped being girls when I wasn’t looking. Now they are women, with all the drama and complications that go along with such an unfortunate (for me) condition.
alox - August 30, 2008
Two-edged sword...
If they go off to college…housing them is an enormous expense too. and BTW? Even when they move out they still hit ya financially. My youngest is 24 in grad school and we are still paying her car insurance and helping her out with all kinds of random bills…it never really ends. The middle daughter talked us into going in on a condo with her a few years back so we have half of that mortgage to pay every month and so on and so on. I always wonder how other families seem to disconnect so well from all of that. We always want to help our girls whenever we can but sometimes the thought of no obligations and spending it all on us is pretty tempting.
Take heart your girls will grow out of the drama stuff…and then you will findout that they are your best friends. :-)
IM4Oakgal - August 30, 2008
Sadly, you make the case
that there is no hope for me. Mine are in school too, and I get the luxury of paying for their insurance and tuition also! The condo is out of the question! Though now that you mention it…..if it’s far enough away….lol. They’re good girls, it’s just a living hell for me to have to put up with four women in the house. In a lot of ways, my dear young bride is the worst. Queen bee syndrome and all that!
I miss being the smartest man in the whole world, and the best looking! Little girls are so much more fun than little women.
alox - August 30, 2008
You will feel differently as the girls mature and move out.
Kids do grow into the loveliest people…but as for the wife? can’t help ya with that one! Haha
IM4Oakgal - August 30, 2008
are you coming tonight?
the game starts at 6:05 and fireworks follow the game — should be fun
OaklandSi - August 30, 2008
No. I was planning on taking my son,
but my sister came into town from Bakersfield so we are going to BBQ at our parents house. I think I’ll go when the Rangers are in town. As bad as the team is, I need at least one more series to hold me over for the winter.
alox - August 30, 2008
I stayed till the end
Probably one of the more lopsided games I’ve seen in a while. When I got home I was able to catch this lil’ blip on Rotoworld to help temper my anonmosity toward Meyer:
I felt better
SwisherThresher - August 30, 2008
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