Generally, it's wise not to read too much into a single Spring Training result but today is an exception. How Josh Outman fares today will likely determine whether the lefty sneaks into the rotation, lands in the bullpen, or is sent to AAA. This is because Outman's performance to date has been consistently inconsistent, just bad enough to put him 6th on the SP depth chart at the moment and just good enough to keep him in the overall conversation. Watch closely, as Outman gets the start against the Royals while Trevor Cahill and Andrew Bailey try to figure out what to root for.
The A's have won 2 in a row, following 10 losses in a row that followed 4 wins in a row. The Cactus League wraps up tomorrow; then the Bay Bridge Series and then Opening Day, suddenly just 6 days from now. It is looking more and more as if Chavez and Ellis will be in the Opening Day lineup while Devine and Duchscherer begin the year on the DL. As for Travis Buck, he just has too many body parts and too many vital organs for anyone to hazard a guess at this point.
Send happy thoughts Duchscherer's way, as he goes under the Yokum knife today. Let's hope Yokum and Outman are both on their game!
0 recs | 179 comments
Maybe we should put up a picture of Devine as well?
Since he’s going on the DL. I would think Casilla would get some shots at closing along with Ziggy, although the A’s said Springer would also be in the mix. Casilla has looked great this spring, but losing Devine is a blow—hopefully he can come back in a month.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Get better soon, Joey!
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Maybe Andrew Brown will be riding his bike back to the stadium soon.
drink409 - March 31, 2009
Crosby out with a tight quad
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
I'm not going to put up a picture for him
worldblee - March 31, 2009
I hear his butt is impressive
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
Lineups
Kansas City
Maier, CF
Bloomquist, 2B
Gordon, 3B
Guillen, RF
Jacobs, DH
Butler, 1B
Buck, C
Gload, LF
Pena, T, SS
Oakland
Sweeney, R,
Cabrera, SS
Giambi, 1B
Holliday, LF
Garciaparra, 3B
Cust, RF
Suzuki, C
Buck, DH
Pennington, 2B
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
So Sweeney is playing Ryan today?
rebus - March 31, 2009
you guys don't miss a beat around here...
it’s worst than my editor
SWEENEY, CF
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
worse
mikev - March 31, 2009
touche
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
I only said something because I was assuming it was a habit from last season.
(2 Sweeneys)
rebus - March 31, 2009
News from Slusser...
Link
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
So Copeland needs a 40-man spot?
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
unless they put him on the 60 day...
unlikely, so that means the a’s will need to find at least one more spot to add Cahill and 2 if they add Bailey
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
And maybe another for Thigpen
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
petit, hannahan, webb, schroder as options to be DFA'd
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
I guess Duke & Devine could be candidates for the ...
60-day DL, which would open spots
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
Ah the bright side of losing your best starter and best reliever
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
Good to see Sweeney back
All kidding aside, I’m sorry Booby isn’t in the lineup today as it would have been good to get him more work at third or second.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Copeland - "...Feeling much better..."
DCinWC - March 31, 2009
Oh, you'll be stone cold in a second
doctorK - March 31, 2009
Hell Yeah!
EddieVegas_NRAF - March 31, 2009
Slusser
Also said that Cahill already has a rotation spot and will start game 2 vs. the Angels.
Waychill - March 31, 2009
Daily Herald link on Gaudin
Link
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
It's that growth on his face...
DCinWC - March 31, 2009
I don't see what you are talking about?
drink409 - March 31, 2009
There's a marmot on his face! Quick! Get it off!
rebus - March 31, 2009
You're anti-marmot?
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
Chad Gaudin sees what you did there.
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
One of those images was bad enough...
DCinWC - March 31, 2009
I made it atrocious.
:D
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Looks more like a Gossamer on his face
But he should still try & get it off.
drink409 - March 31, 2009
Brb, memories.
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
A's never bring them back after they trade 'em...
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
Outman in Rotation?
Given the Cahill news (he’s pitching Game Two vs. Angels next week) and Anderson’s firm place as one of the 5, who could he replace but gallagher?? Any chance of that happening?
jasonthea - March 31, 2009
I think it is possible. Gallagher might end up like 2008 Buck.
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
I'm sad that Cust is batting six again
alea iacta est - March 31, 2009
The lineups greatly disturb me.
rageon - March 31, 2009
is this game on mlb tv again
athleticsBB4life - March 31, 2009
gameday
Link
jakebmill - March 31, 2009
Outman survives the first inning
0-0 going to the bottom of the first.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
survives?
how bad was it?
rktse - March 31, 2009
a 2 out hit....not that bad
drink409 - March 31, 2009
Only one hit
But I’m trying to reverse jinx him. Shhh.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Ryan almost takes off Ponson's head
with a line drive single. Good start for the offense.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Are you watching?
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
Who needs to watch
When you have Buan to paint word pictures in your mind.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
I'm listening to the Royals guys
They’re mediocre.
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
Let's see when their description differs from Buan's
worldblee - March 31, 2009
After those Dodger asshats yesterday, mediocre sounds pretty good to me
doctorK - March 31, 2009
Ya they're not obnoxious so far
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
Checked on tv. No Royals game on. Shoot.
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
Yes, he's quite the post modern absrationist.
rebus - March 31, 2009
Cabrera follows with a single
Runners at first and second.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
So how's the game.
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
excellent so far, A's 3 for 3 and up 1-0
Keze - March 31, 2009
Ahhh, god bless Sidney Ponson.
ZeroIndulgence - March 31, 2009
slumpbuster
DCinWC - March 31, 2009
Yay Jason!
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
Giambi hit!
Scores Sweeney, Cabrera to third. Good to see Jason getting a hit. (Was 0-20.)
worldblee - March 31, 2009
RBI!
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Matt Holiday
Productive GIDP
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Would we have preferred a K?
I say no.
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
Concur
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Good thing Cust wasn't up then.
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
Boo, Holliday, DP
But we still score a run! Bases clear now.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Fail on the extra comma there
worldblee - March 31, 2009
2-0 A's at the end of one
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Inning over
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Outman K's butler
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Outman's not wild. That's good.
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
1-2-3- for outman
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
2 Ks and 1 hit through 2 for Josh
Good stuff.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
TWO SCORELESS INNINGS LET'S MAKING HIM THE ACE
now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some more overreacticting to do
alea iacta est - March 31, 2009
No problem, you're send him down once he allows a run
WaddellCanseco - March 31, 2009
We need a stock exchange for A's players
Sell Devine! Buy Outman! Sell Giambi! No, wait, he got a hit, hold those Giambi shares!
worldblee - March 31, 2009
the inevitable result
No conservative institutional investor is willing to risk their money on sub-prime (read: injury-prone) members of the A’s. But then those greedy stat-heads figure out a way to take all the risk of Chavvy’s forearms, Duke and Devine’s right arms, Buck and Crosby’s everything, and through black-magic mathematics, make a product that earns a triple-A rating from Nico.
AN members start snatching up these CDOs (stands for Could-be-Dead Oaklanders) and Beane and Wolff make a fortune selling insurance against the risk of an injury. This creates a perverse incentive for them to bring in more injury prone players, so they trade away workhorses Cabrera and Eveland for Milton Bradley and Mark Prior.
Everyone is caught off-guard when the 2009 Oakland A’s implode, setting a Major League record by using the DL 500,000 times. Eyes turn to Bud Selig… only a bailout could possibly prevent contraction, but will it be spent returning the A’s to contention, or on golden parachutes for Wolff, Beane, and our very own Blez?
colin - March 31, 2009
this amused me
alea iacta est - March 31, 2009
Recommended, excellent work
Grab yourself a stack of bills off the bank CEO bailout table.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
don't mind if I do
colin - March 31, 2009
gawd, when spring training games are the highlight of my day, i think it means i need a job
or, conversely, the regular season to start
alea iacta est - March 31, 2009
They're the highlight of my day and I HAVE a job
stormtown - March 31, 2009
hm, true enough...
i think i need a job where i can listen to baseball, then.
alea iacta est - March 31, 2009
It seems fairly likely that the long relief guy is going to get as many or more innings as the fifth starter...
and with our improved offense those innings might not be complete garbage time, so the question isn’t going to be so much who is better but who is more suited to coming in from the bullpen. I wouldn’t mess with the rookies by switching them to the pen so which of Gallagher, Outman, Eveland and Braden is the best fit for the long relief spot?
Keze - March 31, 2009
A's go 1-2-3, still 2-0 at the end of the second inning
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Anyone got a video feed link?
RJ2549 - March 31, 2009
or audio?
jakebmill - March 31, 2009
Just the standard MLB link
Here
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Sweeney 2-2
one out single
Keze - March 31, 2009
Good, I was getting concerned when his average dipped below .350
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Cabrera K'd
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
The A's are a little light on the HR this spring
26 so far
micdog2001 - March 31, 2009
if you factor out the first week of games the HRs seem okay
they started slowly
ChadGod - March 31, 2009
well, it's mostly Giambi and Holiday that haven't been hitting them
so I’m not massivelyl concerned about that – their power should pick up when this is for keeps
alea iacta est - March 31, 2009
2-0 after 3 innings
worldblee - March 31, 2009
At least ST
is almost over. Last day in Arizona is tomorrow! Will buck survive the plane trip to Oakland? Will Chavy?
alox - March 31, 2009
Kotsay wouldn't...
if we still had him.
jakebmill - March 31, 2009
Interesting S.T....
Always hear no slots will be filled during s.t. due to performance, but this year looks like 3 pitchers will earn their wings out of spring training and make the big league roster— two starting pitchers and a reliever. Just how bad things were going for starters this year.
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
Pitcher injuries had a lot to do with this
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Out Man holds Royals scoreless through 4 innings
A’s coming up to bat in the bottom of the 4th
worldblee - March 31, 2009
One out single
But Outman K’s the next and gets a grounder to finish it.
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Nice going. Good reporting as well. Thanks.
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
AOL writer says Bailey makes the club as a middle reliever
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Great deal. Like to see kids successful.
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
With Outman sliding up into Casilla's spot and Gio also in the bullpen
He is speculating; this doesn’t mean that Bailey has made it. He’s not on the 40-man roster right now.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Outman is picking a good time to have his best outing
CarGon's Jock - March 31, 2009
Definitely
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Holliday walks, Nomar singles him to 3rd
Buan talking about how good Holliday is at going first to third.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Cust walks to load the bases
worldblee - March 31, 2009
A Custian walk
Dem bases loaded.
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Zooks singles!
3-0 A’s
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Suzuki singles in one run
3-0 A’s.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Buck up, bags still loaded
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Buck clears 'em!
Doubles them in.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Sorry, I shorted him
He made it to 3rd for a triple.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Is Denorfia going to make the team out of spring trng?
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
No
tresselfan - March 31, 2009
What about out of spring training?
OldhamA - March 31, 2009
Yes
Thomas Walker - March 31, 2009
Travis freakin buck.
Bases cleared!
6-0 A’s
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
What a delerious spring...
the A’s scoring runs? Who woulda thunk it?
alox - March 31, 2009
Pennington Sac Fly
7-0 A’s
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
13 RBI for Cliff in ST
Not too bad for a ‘no-hit’ guy.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Pennington > Crosby
ChadGod - March 31, 2009
Clearly...
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Rajai grounds out
Cabrera K’d
Inning over
7-0 A’s
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Effing Rajai....
if he isn’t going to contribute to the run fest, then he needs to be dfa’d. Course with the A’s, he could be drt.
alox - March 31, 2009
Rajai does the job most days...
Love that speed of his on the basepaths.
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
+1
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Sarcasm!
And enthusiasm for the season to start! Plus, I just wanted to reference D.R.T. (Means “Dead Right There”)
alox - March 31, 2009
Yep, it is getting to be that time of year.
Can not wait either. Love to play with stats and follow all the minor league clubsof the A’s.
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
-1
Thomas Walker - March 31, 2009
Wow - Outman coming up big under pressure
4 IP, 0 BB, 0 ER is a good way to make the case.
Nico - March 31, 2009
but its the Royals..
rktse - March 31, 2009
Royals arent really that bad...
Good enough to pound Outman last time out.
Seriously though, half-way through ST they were the hottest hitting team I believe.
ChadGod - March 31, 2009
They're 16-11, so they've played better than the A's
worldblee - March 31, 2009
their scrimmage ball is to-notch.
Walton711 - March 31, 2009
AOL's Jeff Fletcher says the bullpen will be
Ziegler
Casilla
Springer
Wuertz
Outman
Gio
Bailey
worldblee - March 31, 2009
With Gio and Blevins still fighting for a spot
i.e., the 6th spot in that list could go to Blevins instead
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Blevins has been horrible this spring though
Zonis - March 31, 2009
I can live with that bullpen
Not lockdown, not without high potential.
That is an A’s BULLPEN
ChadGod - March 31, 2009
If Devine comes back healthy he is a big boost
Also, if they move Duke into the pen we’ll have a really good bullpen. Which I think will depend on his health and the performance of the young pitchers. If they’re doing at all OK I think Duke goes straight to the pen.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
im a pessimist...
i have a strange feeling that devine will be out until july
rktse - March 31, 2009
It could happen
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Cheezombie - March 31, 2009
Some bad things are happening
7-2 A’s
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
DFA OUTMAN
alea iacta est - March 31, 2009
Out Man is now Outman again
No longer a mystery to the Royals.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
7-2 A's after 5 full
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Still not too shabby for Outman
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
Especially if he's in the mix as a reliever
Good to know he can fill the long relief role when necessary.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
It is going to be a very important role on this club with such a young
and inexperienced pitching staff.
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
Nice that Outman
came back after the 2 run inning with 2 quite outs in the next frame.
Bigtoe - March 31, 2009
quick outs, that is
Bigtoe - March 31, 2009
still 7-2 A's?
jakebmill - March 31, 2009
Indeed
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
Outman's line
5.2 innings, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO. Good effort.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Looks like Outman is the OUT Man! Ok.. it was the best I could come up with at the time
Eastbayjim - March 31, 2009
Here I am!
baseballgirl - March 31, 2009
Rock you like a hurricane?
Gofro - March 31, 2009
nice
winchester5 - March 31, 2009
Now what are your next 2 wishes
theblackpearl - March 31, 2009
Hi theblackpearl!!!!!
baseballgirl - March 31, 2009
New A's pitcher - Kevin Cameron
EddieVegas_NRAF - March 31, 2009
great actor on growing pains
good show
Asfan4ever723 - March 31, 2009
I believe that was Kirk Cameron.
Rated-R Superstar - March 31, 2009
No, he said "great actor"
Nico - March 31, 2009
Oh, right. That’s my fault.
Rated-R Superstar - March 31, 2009
the greatness of fake jairo is back
probably the only guy after devine with closer type stuff…confidence and health are his biggest hurdles
lets hope his stuff lasts longer than 18inn like last yr
Asfan4ever723 - March 31, 2009
**orders Fake Jairo jersey**
EddieVegas_NRAF - March 31, 2009
Game over
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
A's win!
7-2.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
Good Win!
drink409 - March 31, 2009
Victory!
ElQuesoCapitan - March 31, 2009
now lets play the DFA game
lots of choices
hannahan
baisley
patterson
petit
gray
schroder
copeland
time to spin the wheel!!
Asfan4ever723 - March 31, 2009
If I were Schroder or Gray
I’d be concerned right now.
worldblee - March 31, 2009
I would say two off top and one off bottom DFA...
Charlie Brown - March 31, 2009
GAME RECAP IS UP
Check it out, man.
Nico - March 31, 2009
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