This is just a quick recap of today's game before the festivities get even better, with the first of three "AN exclusive" interviews scheduled to be posted later today, two more coming within the week...
I had a chance to see Brett Anderson for the first time, and the 21 year old lefty sailed through 4 shutout innings of 3-hit ball. Two things stood out to me. One was that Anderson throws with an easy motion that does not look like "maximum effort," and he only appeared to throw a handful of pitches at maximum velocity. He seems like a relatively low risk for injury and looks like a guy who is capable of saving his best fastball for when he needs it, rather than cranking it up into the 90s all the time. The other notable was that Anderson sawed off a lot of bats, indicating good late movement on his pitches. He didn't look fantastic, and that may be the biggest compliment of all - Anderson can look like he's not doing a whole lot, and then walk away with 4 scoreless innings.
Oakland hit early and often against Jered Weaver (2.1 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER) with 2 in the first and 2 more in the 3rd, led by Nomar Garciaparra's single and double in his first two at bats, a pair of hits by Ryan Sweeney. Oakland kept the beat going against the Angels' bullpen on a mammoth 5th inning HR by Jack Cust (following two at bats in which he struck out), and later a single, double, and three RBI by Daric Barton. All in all, the A's pounded out 14 hits, without Holliday, Giambi, or Chavez in the lineup.
One final note about today's game: Though he hasn't looked all that good this Spring overall, Jerome Williams cruised through the last two innings, six up six down with the ball in the air but once. Chris Schroder also rebounded from a tough last outing, striking out two in a 1-2-3 inning ... much to the delight of his dad, who was sitting behind us.
0 recs | 56 comments
Brett Anderson comp
Somewhere somebody mentioned Mark Buehrle, and your comments on him today just scream Buehrle’s name to me. When he first came up, I remember people marveling at how a lefty who throws 91 without a devastating breaking pitch (and average K rates) could be so good. And the comments I heard were about how many bats he broke and how difficult it was to square up pitches (for Buehrle, this is/was primarily because of his cutter). Buehrle also has that easy motion. You’ve seen a small sample, but is this at all a good comparison for him?
thejd44 - March 15, 2009
Yeah, it's as good a comp as any, I'd say
Especially the easy, casual motion and reliance on movement/location rather than downright fooling, or on blowing hitters away, to succeed. I’d like to see a better changeup from Anderson, but in a four-inning sample I may just not have happened to see it. His poise is definitely impressive; I don’t know what his velocity was, but just eyeballing it I’d say his fastball was generally around 89-90MPH.
Nico - March 15, 2009
Ken and Ray were comparing him to Pettitte
Anderson sounds like what we thought Myers was going to be.
Nick - March 15, 2009
Meyer
Meyer
Meyer
Meyer
Meyer
Meyer
Meyer
vegAN ryAN - March 15, 2009
Sorry, my bad
Nick - March 15, 2009
thanks for reminding us of that name
i want to go punch something now
guy incognito - March 15, 2009
Wow, I'd love that.
Won’t take Anderson long to figure out the big leagues if that was true.
jeepers - March 15, 2009
I think Buehrle is a better comp than Pettitte
Pettitte is more of a power pitcher and uses the cutter as a main weapon. Buehrle is more of a “comfortable 0 for 4” who uses changes of speeds and location. That’s more how Anderson looks to me at a glance.
Nico - March 16, 2009
It'd be cool if Anderson had the pickoff move of those guys, too.
thejd44 - March 16, 2009
Keith Law
said that Anderson was working consistently in the 91-93mph range with the fastball when he saw him pitch earlier in the spring. With his super groundball rate so far, though, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s mainly throwing his two seamer – I would imagine it’s a tick or two off the four seamer.
oakballnack - March 15, 2009
1 strikeout
over nine and two thirds is a little alarming as far as K/9 ratios go – especially for a guy that averaged over a strikeout per inning in the minors last year. However, I wouldn’t hold too much stock in his K rate in the spring. There’s a good chance the A’s are having him focus primarily on his sinker, he may not have thrown very many offspeed/breaking pitches in games so far. His decent hit total and excellent GB/FB ratio are strong indicators that he has the stuff to work in the strike zone against advanced hitters. I’m sure, also, that he’s trying to show the A’s that he’s capable of pounding the zone (not that he’s ever done otherwise), that if they call him up, he’s not going to pull a Gio and nibble nibble nibble. He’s really forcing his way into this rotation discussion if Duke does indeed start the year on the DL. Personally, I’d like to see that K/9 go up as the spring progresses – and I have a good feeling it will.
oakballnack - March 15, 2009
Not to highjack the ST thread,
but if Netherlands loses today, do they go home?
somebodyelse - March 15, 2009
Yes, and they did
Flashfire - March 15, 2009
Write this one up on a "playing card"
and then when the Athletics visit Anaheim during the 2009 season, with Weaver on the mound for the Angles, the A’s just say, “We’re mailing this one in, ….8-1, "good guys”".
One won lost won - March 15, 2009
Holy shit! Me and my buddy MP went to see Watchmen
and it was 2-0 in the bottom of the 1st.
Came out of the movie and the ballgame was long over…good news all around for the offense and especially for Brett Anderson.
Go A’s baby!
p.s. Watchmen was off the hook……a bit long but awesome!
mrod - March 15, 2009
I, too, loved that movie
Great soundtrack as well
Helloooo 1st - March 15, 2009
I also thought Watchmen was good
a tad long and far to much manhood seen but a good movie
A'sfaninNC - March 16, 2009
One of my best friends owns a comic book store
And apparently when the movie ended he wouldn’t stop bitching about how much it sucked. I wasn’t there, but knowing the guy, if he hated it I’m glad I wasn’t around to hear him complain.
thejd44 - March 15, 2009
I've heard conflicting reports.
OldhamA - March 16, 2009
How did Barton look?
Nick - March 15, 2009
Terrific, actually
Two solid “vintage Barton” ABs where he got into a hitter’s count, found a pitch to drive and hit it hard – one up the middle and one down the left field line.
Nico - March 16, 2009
No, no, Barton SUCKS now! Don't you remember???
Having a bad season in the big leagues at age 22 means you SUCK!
mikev - March 16, 2009
Sorry - spring training and chocolate martinis
do weird things to my brain. Correction: Barton got lucky.
Nico - March 16, 2009
Was the double on a fastball on the outside corner?
Because if Dale has decided that fastball-on-the-outside-corner=liner into the leftfield corner, rather than called strike 3, he’ll get right back to being a terrific hitter.
Nick - March 16, 2009
Hmm...I don't remember. Probably, though. Good point.
Nico - March 16, 2009
Are you doing your post game posting
from Applebees?
ak_A - March 15, 2009
No - Anderson is the only hurler to talk about today
Many ANers were at the Roaring Fork, though, where I had a chocolate martini and fondled the breast of a duck for main course. The dinner took longer than the game; fortunately the company was good so I didn’t mind as much.
Nico - March 16, 2009
maybe we shouldn't use Appleby's
A’s and hurler in the same thread…
OaklandSi - March 16, 2009
Did nobody here see "Watchmen" gaddamit!!!!!!!
mrod - March 15, 2009
Read it a couple of times over the years, haven't seen the movie yet
Nick - March 15, 2009
Loved it
Flashfire - March 15, 2009
Looked Amazing!
I was a bit worried after that jingoistic and terrible 300.
But I have to say they were pretty literal and true to the book until perhaps the last 20 min or so.
Felt the last 5 minutes were awkward but overall I liked and I plan on seeing it again before its out of the theatres. IMAX was bad-ass btw.
Don’t want to talk too much and spoil it for anyone. ;)
brian.only - March 15, 2009
word...
mrod - March 15, 2009
Will say character design and the overall feel of the film was spot on!
brian.only - March 15, 2009
Ziggy now pitching for usa vs netherlands
I love ziggy and the US but i hope the netherlands win. however, it’s 8-0 USA top 7 one out.
eastcoasta'sfan - March 15, 2009
Ziggy getting lit up
3 hits, 1 run, men on 2 / 3, 1 out.
eastcoasta'sfan - March 15, 2009
I wouldn't exactly say "lit up"
First hit was a squibber Rollins couldn’t come up with the barehand on, second hit was up the middle on a dive, and the double might be caught by a faster outfielder than Dunn.
Flashfire - March 15, 2009
cmon Zig!
closetasfan - March 15, 2009
Did this become a Watchmen thread?
Because if that’s the case, it was pretty damn good.
Boonee - March 15, 2009
Guys, what number did Garciaparra wear today?
Rated-R Superstar - March 15, 2009
I thought I heard someone on the radio say he was wearing #1.
Elvez - March 15, 2009
Only in Mia's heart.
thejd44 - March 15, 2009
yup yup he was wearing #1
drmmerchk - March 16, 2009
Drama drama drama
Englehardt takes Lindstrom deep, then Lindstrom throws behind the next batter.
Though c’mon, dude didn’t stand there and really admire it like Lindstrom seems to think he did. It was nowhere near a Manny pose, at least.
Lindstrom’s just pissed he gave up a homer to a Netherlands player.
At least they’re showing a little fire.
Flashfire - March 15, 2009
I'd be pissed too, they can't hit.
OldhamA - March 16, 2009
was Nomar
leading off in order to get his 3 AB’s as quick as possible (fewer innings in the field) or is Geren possibly considering batting him leadoff on occasion? I’d think his aggressive approach at the plate would be a nice compliment to Cust/Giambi’s more patient style. Sandwiched between those guys or even batting 2nd against lefties – I think Nomar’s going to be a great addition.
oakballnack - March 15, 2009
I wouldn't read too much into his spot in the line-up
I would imagine that he was first mainly to get his at bats. As far as being a good addition, I agree completely. With Chavez having his completely foreseeable health issues it’s nice to know the A’s don’t have to entirely rely on Hannahan and Baisley to cover 3B.
OkayJay81 - March 15, 2009
They will do if Nomar plays too many games.
OldhamA - March 16, 2009
I'm sad we can't post from the games
The mobile site doesn’t allow posting and the immobile site wouldn’t let me login, so you were all spared my insightful commentary. And by insightful, I mean tipsy and biased.
stormtown - March 15, 2009
Yeah, they haven't come very far in making the SBN boards mobile-friendly
Flashfire - March 15, 2009
Even reading the mobile version is a bit of a PITA.
mikev - March 16, 2009
I know they were talking about working on a mobile posting version...
…at some point last year but it’s been a long time since I’ve heard anything more about it.
Flashfire - March 16, 2009
I'm overly concerned with speed, but Nico please indulge me..
..what was the highest you saw Anderson touch on the gun today? Reports say he can hit 95, but I’ll believe when I (or you in this case) sees it.
Pucking Insane - March 15, 2009
the thing about spring training
there are hundred old men in the ballpark with radar guns, but not a one shows up on the scoreboard.
stormtown - March 15, 2009
Yeah, I can only give you an eyeball account
and I would say he topped out at maybe 93MPH on a couple pitches, but mostly was throwing sinkers at 89-90.
Nico - March 16, 2009
Yay! I was at the game too! :) my weekend of spring training went by too fast, but I’m really glad it ended on such an awesome note. I am hoping they can hit against the Angels like this during the regular season too haha
and MAN that Cust homerun was huge. I was playing the Jack Cust game w/my dad (you know… hr, walk, k) and i called the HR so it made it that much sweeter.
drmmerchk - March 16, 2009
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