Before we get to the crazy game recap, I have a list of immediate complaints. (I’ll spare you the suspense; the A’s lost again--and despite scoring seven runs, did nothing for their batting averages. They scored seven runs off CC Sabathia, and couldn’t score another for seven innings, just waited for the Yankees to end the game.)
Absolutely maddening.
The A’s can’t quite seem to put pitching and hitting together in the same outing; if one is there, the other one isn’t. That even goes for the same game. Today, innings 1-7 was all offense, no pitching; and innings 8-14 were all pitching, no offense. On a rainy New York day, the A’s offense managed to put seven on the board by the seventh, but Anderson could not manage a shutdown inning when needed; he allowed the Yankees five runs in his five plus innings, and Wuertz blew up in his inning, allowing two of his own. The rest of the bullpen would keep the Yankees off the board for six innings, before the inevitable walk-off. By the time the game ended, it was more of a mercy loss; there’s only so many innings you can watch your entire team get out, when you likely just need one run to win the game.
The A’s started the scoring in the second inning today, plating as many runs in the inning than in any game this week. After a walk to Holliday and a single by Cust, Suzuki homered; it was reviewed, the A’s got the call, and would lead the game 3-0.
Brett Anderson, who would not be the same pitcher as he was last week, gave most of the lead right back, giving up two solo bombs to Matsui and (Melky) Cabrera in the bottom of the inning.
The A’s would pick up another run after Giambi reached base on an error in the third, Holliday singled him around to third, and he would score as Jeter chose to throw home to a missing Posada (he was covering first) instead of completing the double play.
The Yankees would tie the game in the bottom of the third, as Anderson continued to struggle, and they would take the lead in the fourth on a homerun by Derek Jeter.
The A’s would come back.
After Cust walked with one out, a groundout by Suzuki moved him to second, and a clutch 2-out hit by Mark Ellis drove him in to tie the game. But as would be the trend for this frustrating game, the tie wouldn’t last long. Anderson opened the inning with an out and a walk, and then would be pulled in favor of Wuertz. In what would end up being an important run at the time, Suzuki got the runner at second with a perfect throw. With two outs, the A’s looked to be in good shape, but Wuertz fell apart; allowing two runs on a ringing double, a hustling double, and a single; giving the Yankees a 7-5 lead.
The A’s would come back.
The seventh opened with a leadoff single by Crosby and a walk by Sweeney. Cabrera bunted them over, and Giambi got a bad-hop on his ball, or he would have driven both runners in. He got one in, closing the gap to 1. Luckily, Holliday picked him up, and tied the game on a single of his own.
The seesaw game looked to continue in the seventh, as Russ Springer loaded the bases with no one out, but he managed to get out of the huge jam by retiring the next three batters. Amazing work, and it would turn the pitching around. Bailey, Ziegler, Outman, and Giese wouldn’t allow anything else until the fourteenth. By that time, you have to figure that if the A’s were going to score again, they would have done it.
The Yankees used Rivera in the ninth inning, and Cabrera broke his 0-18 streak with a single, but that’s all they would get. The A’s would counter Rivera with their own closer; Ziegler walked the leadoff hitter, but got the DP and a K, and the game went to bonus baseball.
The A’s wasted a golden chance to score in the tenth, as Cust worked a leadoff walk and was replaced by Rajai Davis, who did a beautiful job of stealing second base, not even drawing a throw. But Suzuki (who has been hitting well) was unable to move him to third; striking out on a bad pitch. The lack of baserunning execution is just killing the team. Ellis would follow with a perfectly serviceable sacrifice fly, with no one on third to score. Powell would walk to put runners on 1st and 3rd, but Crosby would get out. Again.
Ziegler would get his nemesis Teixeira to end the tenth inning, and we would move on.
Sweeney opened the eleventh with a single, but was thrown out on Cabrera’s botched hit-and-run. Outman would close out the eleventh with minimal drama, and we would move to the twelfth. The A’s got out in approximately five seconds, and Dan Giese would come in. He would get out of that inning, but after the A’s went just as quickly in the thirteenth, he had to face the heart of the order in the bottom of the inning. He managed to get out of that inning, as well, but couldn’t walk the tightrope forever; after the A’s went 1, 2, 3 in the top of the fourteenth, Giese finally surrendered the walk-off.
So the A’s head home after an absolutely abysmal road trip. They have every chance in the world to compete in the AL West, and they are being out-hit, out-managed, and just flat-out look terrible right now.
We can hope for a rebound at home; Cahill takes the mound on Friday night.
1 recs | 193 comments
Um, I really only have one thing to contend.
Ellis was .239/.300/.283 coming into the game, and went 1-5.
mikev - April 22, 2009
Fair enough...he's a proven hitter, though.
Powell and Crosby, not so much.
baseballgirl - April 22, 2009
He's proven to be a mediocre hitter.
OldhamA - April 22, 2009
Again...fair enough.
What I was trying to say is that I’d rather have Ellis up swinging than Crosby or Powell.
baseballgirl - April 22, 2009
I like Powell hitting in that situation.
Switch hitter with power.
and like I said in the game thread, I’d rather be in a position where ONE hit gives you the lead, rather than hoping for 2 out of 3 of them to get a hit.
mikev - April 22, 2009
I didn't want 2 out of 3...I wanted Ellis to single him to third.
I guess I wanted the hit and run on with Ellis.
baseballgirl - April 22, 2009
Then contact scores the run.
Either way was okay; the bunt by Ellis was a good one. It’s just so damn frustrating that NOTHING worked out for us.
baseballgirl - April 22, 2009
Ellis has been evolving into the master of the weak popup, though.
You can’t say that one player who is scuffling is right to bunt (O-Cab) and then another player isn’t (Ellis), when both situations put the team one base hit away from taking the lead.
mikev - April 22, 2009
And that's fair.
The bunt was probably the right call in both situations, then.
baseballgirl - April 22, 2009
Obvioulsy these situations can be debated,
but one could also glean from your comments that Geren has been way too over zealous with the bunts, which I would certainly agree with. Its like he never wants to score more than one run in an inning. If there’s a man on first and no outs Geren puts on the bunt pretty much every time it isn’t Cust, Giambi, or Holliday coming up. The end result, regardless of whether the bunt is successful, is that to have a man on base, for the A’s, is to have an out, so that the A’s are too often trying to score with just two outs to work with.
Generally a hitter will give you a 30 to 35 per cent chance of not getting out (and moving over a runner from first in doing so). I’d rather take my chances on those odds than continue with the frequently unsuccessful bunt attempts.
You could argue that the offense is in a slump, and therefore it makes sense to bunt. But regression to the mean suggests that almost everyone in our line up is going to get better than they are now, including Cabrera and Ellis. Why not give them a more chances to find their swing sooner?
If Suzuki hadn’t fouled his bunt attempt, he never would have hit that homerun.
scromulus - April 22, 2009
Yeah, I tend to think that both bunts were mistakes
rather than both being appropriate. I probably would have had both hitters just swing away.
Nico - April 22, 2009
I would have had Miguel Cabrera in the lineup
Buck Turgidson - April 22, 2009
judging from Giese's two appearances for the A's
he’s good for two innings, not so good for three
I don’t blame him…the A’s had their chances to win this one
OaklandSi - April 22, 2009
I dont blame him...
I Blame Anderson. I cant blame Offense that much. I mean they did score 7 runs.
Syphon - April 22, 2009
but in 14 innings it is not that great, and 1 run was unearned
+ leaving runners in scoring position is the 2nd most frustrating thing to do IMO. (GIDP is worse)
micdog2001 - April 22, 2009
What's funny about that is Gallagher is being completely shit on by the organization right now.
If he’s hurt, DL him.
If he’s not hurt, keeping him on the bench in favor of a guy who was rejected by the Yankees and already gave up a walkoff homer in his first appearance with the team is going to fucking RUIN whatever confidence Gallagher had remaining.
mikev - April 22, 2009
exactly...
the A’s are embracing an unknown who sucks and has limited talent vs a guy that they do know who has talent but needs to learn to harness it.
yes, this makes sense.
stm72 - April 22, 2009
+1
The A’s management is weird sometimes.
micdog2001 - April 22, 2009
+1
Truly baffling, and incredibly frustrating.
CapgrasDelusion - April 22, 2009
The Gallagher situation is just bizarre.
I’m enough of a kool-aid drinker that I’m willing to believe they have some good reason. I just wish I knew what the heck it is. Right now, it’s just baffling. What on earth are they thinking?
iglew - April 22, 2009
I think I died just a little bit today.
LoneStranger - April 22, 2009
+1
I’m sick about that loss.
baseballgirl - April 22, 2009
The new A's moto
The Oakland Athletics just good enough to lose in extra innings
adragon - April 22, 2009
Ouch
but it’s the truth.
kaweahkaweah - April 22, 2009
even mychael urban agrees...
either gallagher should be at AAA or used in game situations AND davis should never start over buck.
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090422&content_id=4378374&vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak
stm72 - April 22, 2009
Davis didn't start the game today
he was used correctly to pinch run for Cust late in a tie ballgame, and did what he was supposed to do — get into scoring position…
OaklandSi - April 22, 2009
understood...but today is not the point
buck has played in 6 games and has 20 ABs
davis has played in 8 games and has 17 ABs.
those #s shouldn’t even be close
stm72 - April 22, 2009
and i'm not even a buck fan...i just think rajai should be selling life insurance or something
stm72 - April 22, 2009
his play late last season, during the winter and spring
justified the A’s choosing him as their fifth outfielder, with a job primarily as a late innings defensive replacement and pinch runner. He has not looked good early in the seaso, but he also has not exactly been used to best advantage.
OaklandSi - April 22, 2009
I agree that Rajai's previous play justified him being the 5th OFer over Norf,
but it does not justify him starting more often than the 3rd/4th OFer (Buck), even against lefties. Over their careers, Buck has hit better against lefties than righties (although 50% fewer times) and he hits better against both than Rajai.
I don’t understand Geren’s logic of keeping Buck on the bench and I am so tired of seeing Cust in RF. Once in a while is ok if another supposed BIG bopper needs a day to DH only, but Cust needs to DH more often than not.
jakebmill - April 22, 2009
that's why I wrote that Davis hasn't really been used
to best advantage. I’m also really curious as to why Buck hasn’t started more. I also think that it’s really over optimistic to expect Giambi to be able to play 1B on a daily basis. Were they also expecting Nomar to be healthier?
OaklandSi - April 22, 2009
Yes, A's have 3 guys that can't play everyday...
and all 3 are ailing only 2 weeks in. Kind of expected with Chavez and Nomah though.
jakebmill - April 22, 2009
I sell life insurance
does this mean I should be the A’s 5th outfielder?
VORP is too nerdy - April 22, 2009
It means you probably shouldn't sell me a policy right now
Nico - April 22, 2009
Unfortunately, he wasn't removed after running so that Buck could play the outfield and hit if the lineup spot came up again.
mikev - April 22, 2009
Unfortunately, he wasn't removed after running so that Buck could play the outfield and hit if the lineup spot came up again.
mikev - April 22, 2009
That was such an egregious FAIL on Geren's part, that it deserved to be said twice.
doctorK - April 22, 2009
That's Urban's best and most honest mailbag ever.
vegAN ryAN - April 22, 2009
+1
Helloooo 1st - April 22, 2009
Yeah I was confused by that lack of shilling for Beane and Crosby...
you sure it’s his?
designatedforassignment - April 22, 2009
Do we all remember the 2-18 stretch in Late July/Early August last season?
I remember during that month why I even bother watching this team. Of course I’m a fan, and I’ll support this team through good times and bad, but it had gotten to the point when it was almost a chore to watch my favorite team play baseball. Of course that was somewhat late in the year after we had already traded Harden and Blanton, not to mention Haren, Swisher, and Scutaro before the season. I had told myself that there would be times when we would be bad while the new guys got adjusted. I told myself to look for the good signs while I waited in anticipation for a better tomorrow.
I feel very similar right now. The harsh things just add up: Now we’re not even building on Gallagher by either pitching him out of the bullpen (seems like a great candidate in a long extra inning game) or sending him to AAA to work on his mechanics, like Gio is doing. The guys we signed to hit just aren’t hitting, and we continue to do silly things like not play Buck.
I know it’s early April, but I was sure hoping that after the Holliday/Giambi/Nomar signings, the A’s offense would improve to the point where I might actually be excited when the middle of the order came up. At this point I feel like it’s inevitable that we trade Holliday and this coming Summer will be much like the last, which is depressing to say the least.
Rebuilding Season - April 22, 2009
I also remember the 2001 season
Being 10 games below .500 on May 1st after suffering an 8 game losing streak during which we got swept by the Mariners and Rangers.
We won 102 baseball games that year.
GusanoQuemador - April 22, 2009
The 2001 team was much much more talented that this team.
lenscrafters - April 22, 2009
Or at least the talented players actually got to, you know, play.
Nico - April 22, 2009
picky, picky, picky
kaweahkaweah - April 22, 2009
We don't know how talented this team is yet
GusanoQuemador - April 23, 2009
Your last paragraph sums up my feelings as well
I thought Giambi and Holliday would have at least 1 HR each by now. That is whaat I get for having high expectations. Aim low and you will always hit it, maybe.
micdog2001 - April 22, 2009
I forgot too add Dana Eveland to
the list of changes I made in the other post
Send to AAA
Trainman - April 22, 2009
the same points i've been making after every game
-lineup (eg cust)
-gallagher
-buck
-giving away outs by bunting/stealing
-DL nomar
-bullpen will be dead in a month
geren is an idiot, the front office needs to take a more hands-on approach.
xbhaskarx - April 22, 2009
you are correct on all points
stm72 - April 22, 2009
shockingly xb
I actually agree with you on all counts.
mrod - April 22, 2009
So do I
I can’t recall a time when I have been so unimpressed with the field manager or the GM.
Nico - April 22, 2009
"David Forst......come on down!"
mrod - April 22, 2009
+1
If there’s some kind of “trick up the sleeve” mentality with the current strategy, I fail to even begin to guess what it is.
Again, I can’t help but to wonder if Buck and/or Gallagher are hurt somehow. It’s the only explanation that makes sense based on what we’ve seen.
Jackson23 - April 22, 2009
There HAS to be something we don't know about.
I just don’t see Beane as someone who doesn’t have his finger on the pulse of this team. And Geren is his finger.
lynnzgal - April 22, 2009
"Get that finger out of your ear! You don't know where that finger's been!"
Seriously, though…if it’s not injuries, what is it? Unless there’s some stuff going on the clubhouse that we don’t know about (as others speculate below), or that Geren hates Buck and Gallagher’s hair (as another speculated below), it has to either be injuries, a total and inexplicable lack of confidence in Buck/Gallagher over the other options, or the crack pipe was passed around one too many times. Given that the people calling the shots are pros and should know what they’re doing, I’m going to hold out hope that it’s something we don’t know about yet as opposed to general incompetence (or the crack pipe).
Jackson23 - April 22, 2009
"Injuries" doesn't really add up either,
in that they have been not used for so many days in a row – while Nomar has been unavailable – that you’d have to say that the A’s decided to go with a 22 man roster for over a week.
Nico - April 22, 2009
22 is a nicer looking number than 25 and has more numerological connotations. That must be it!
Jackson23 - April 22, 2009
Or Beane is too busy boning up on Brad Pitt movies.
Jackson23 - April 22, 2009
Me too.
baseballgirl - April 22, 2009
That actually might be part of the problem.
UncleLeo - April 22, 2009
I have to imagine we hear SOMETHING about Buck
being hurt…..Just too weird that he doesn’t start 5 straight games (even vs lefties) and then doesn’t get in the game when it goes 14 innings? The majority of the last 7 with right handed pitchers?
OaktownPower - April 22, 2009
He's not hurt
He’s just a victim of terrible managing. I’m so fed up with this LH/RH split crap I’m going to puke.
bababooey - April 22, 2009
Geren's "Managing"
doctorK - April 22, 2009
Geren should
ElQuesoCapitan - April 22, 2009
it's an insane to repeat obviously bad decisions over and over
stm72 - April 22, 2009
Geren Needs to go
Something’s telling me Beane’s focus on soccer means he’s just not paying attention. You think Howe or Macha would have gotten away with bunting this much? Do you think he’d let Howe Or Macha sit our second best OFer (cust doesn’t count) for five straight games?
And also, please don’t tell me Geren’s done a good job managing the bullpen. When we had a bad bullpen, he did a terrible job of managing it. Now that we have a good bullpen, he still does a terrible job. As people said, if Gallagher wasn’t going to pitch today, he shouldn’t be on the team. And using his go-to reliever for two innings last night in a very low leverage spot (fifth inning, down two, bottom of the order) was inexcusable.
If Rajai isn’t in Sacto tomorrow….
swatnick - April 22, 2009
Why are the A's losing so many games?
Melky Cabrera had more homers in this game than Giambi, Chavez, Holliday, Sweeney, Buck, Ellis, and Garciaparra have this season.
Combined.
Nick - April 22, 2009
the lack of power is disturbing...
LVElephant - April 22, 2009
I refuse to believe that anybody named "Melky" can be good at baseball
Or anything else, for that matter.
doctorK - April 22, 2009
What about dairy farming or astronomy?
designatedforassignment - April 22, 2009
udderly no way
ak_A - April 22, 2009
very very well played
designatedforassignment - April 22, 2009
That makes me want to cry
Helloooo 1st - April 22, 2009
the depressing thing is
you could say that about a buttload of players. Edgar freakin Renteria has as many homers as them combined.
micdog2001 - April 22, 2009
Just when I thought
I couldn’t be any more annoyed about this game…
day-to-day - April 22, 2009
Things suck right now...
Everyday is seems to be something else. There is too much talent on our team to be playing like this.
LVElephant - April 22, 2009
Is there talent?
Syphon - April 22, 2009
Gas manifesting as "talent"
ElQuesoCapitan - April 22, 2009
sniff sniff, yahhhhh daz iz gassss
ak_A - April 22, 2009
There is talent
I just hope it coalesces soon.
oaklandSMASH - April 22, 2009
Gallagher and Buck are pretty talented, yes.
Nico - April 22, 2009
Who?
walkoff baltimore chop - April 22, 2009
New players
I think there was too much hype over the “new and improved” offense.
Giambi is old.
Nomar can’t stay healthy
Holliday has a career OPS of .800 away from Coors Field.
Cabrera has a career OBP of .322
Yes, those players should be an improvement over Barton, Emil Brown and Bobby Crosby, and whoever else played last year, but perhaps not as much as will be needed?
McBain - April 22, 2009
hhmmm
could be right.
micdog2001 - April 22, 2009
I'm really hoping for
one of those second half hot streaks like a couple of years ago. Those were fun. But if we don’t stay close, Holliday goes.
A'sian - April 22, 2009
Is that good or bad that Holliday goes?
streetisclosedin08 - April 22, 2009
Depends on the prospects we get back.
Syphon - April 22, 2009
just wanted to say
really good write up. you have a really nice writing style BBG
closetasfan - April 22, 2009
Thanks...wish it was a happier one!
baseballgirl - April 22, 2009
I left when I saw Giese coming in
I knew the situation was bound to be just like the Toronto game. I came back just now to check what the final score was. I guessed before looking: A’s lose in the 14th because Giese was pitching. If I had found out Gallagher had gotten the loss, I would have actually been happy. But what do you know? Perhaps I should become a psychic.
Now to Travis Buck and Sean Gallagher. Either they’re injured (in which case Billy needs to let Forst take over and let Forst take a more proactive approach) or Bob Geren needs to be fired. I don’t really think managers can change much about the games but when Raj Davis is getting ABs in extras and Buck sits and watches, AND they’re not even fucking lefties, there’s a problem. When Dan Giese is pitching in the highest leverage situations for your team, and Sean Gallagher is fresh, something is wrong. And please tell me you weren’t saving Casilla for a save. When your team is bunting, stealing, hitting and running 3-4 times a game and failing 2-3 times a game, there is something wrong. And something needs to be done, because it’s April and I hardly even want to watch the A’s (not that I can where I am anyways).
vignette17 - April 22, 2009
I think organizationally the A's have a very poor approach to April
They seem to feel it’s a lackadaisical time to assess, “get going,” figure out what they’ve done wrong and learn from it around the 12th time it goes wrong.
That’s what Spring Training is for. Giving away games in April, because you play the wrong guys and ask them to do the wrong things, just makes the rest of the season more difficult.
Nico - April 22, 2009
I am going to reply to this but
I have several drafts of it to do, I want to get it just right.
ak_A - April 22, 2009
Don't give it to Dan Giese. He'll walk off with it.
Nico - April 22, 2009
What's the chance that Bucks gets to start tomorrow,
considering it’s the sixth straight lefty they’ve faced?
LoneStranger - April 22, 2009
0%...there's no game tomorrow.
ZigFan31 - April 22, 2009
Doh!
How about Buck’s chances on Friday?
LoneStranger - April 22, 2009
lefty Scott Kazmir starts for Tampa Bay
what do you think Geren will do with the lineup?
OaklandSi - April 22, 2009
RAJAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
FTL
LoneStranger - April 22, 2009
I'll give it a shot
Nomar and Chavez Healthy lineup:
Sweeney
Che Cabrera
Giambi
Holliday
Nomar
Cust
Suzuki
Chavez
Ellis
Nomar and Chavez hurt lineup:
Sweeney
Che Cabrera
Giambi
Holliday
wait, oh shit, fuck, I have to bat Cust 5th? Fuck that I am out.
Buck Turgidson - April 22, 2009
AW MAN I didn't know we could say those words!
shit and fuck and bitch and now I know!!!
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - April 23, 2009
flagged
Buck Turgidson - April 24, 2009
I cannot even begin to guess.
But based on how its been so far….10%.
ZigFan31 - April 22, 2009
Zero
It’s a day off.
Rebuilding Season - April 22, 2009
We can't lose!
oaklandSMASH - April 22, 2009
That's a win in my book!
LoneStranger - April 22, 2009
Excelent Points!
drink409 - April 22, 2009
Losing Pattern
It’s not like our seven runs today was the result of some wild offensive outburst.
I think those seven scored when the box score showed a total of six hits. It is once
again painful to observe our beloved A’s struggle with the basics. Giving up an out
by sacrificing is the least of our problems, and we have even got the bunt down a few
times lately. We are simply not executing in game changing and key situations. Please
do not attribute our current malaise to soley to a lack of power, in many situations
simply putting the ball in play would be a great improvement. This is not some recent
development, several of us have ovserved this tendency for the past several years.
skeeter1 - April 22, 2009
There's nothing wrong with scoring 7 runs on 6 hits
In fact, that’s what teams with power hitters do all the time, and it’s actually a lot more sustainable than scoring 7 runs on 13 singles.
Nick - April 22, 2009
of course, you hope that along with that
your pitchers don’t give up as many runs
OaklandSi - April 22, 2009
nothing wrong, just not sustainable
It’s a real outlier if you score more runs than hits you get.
MobiusKlein - April 22, 2009
At least now we can claim
sole possession of last place. Yipppeeeee.
somebodyelse - April 22, 2009
OK that was a hard fought game -- the offense showed up, the pen was good and
Anderson had the inevitable bad game. The team came back in both games in a very tough place for visitors to play. I see a lot of positives.
OTOH, I’m not sure what the heck Geren in thinking with the bunting, and I’d really like to see Gallagher pitch someplace and Rajai not to bat as much. If that means trading Gallagher in for Denorfia I’m for that. I’m also counting the days till Cardenas can replace Crosby. I’m hoping around Aug 15.
WaddellCanseco - April 22, 2009
I'm hoping Cardenas tears up the minors this year and is left there,
with the promise of a ST invite next season.
OldhamA - April 23, 2009
I think if he tears up the minors he'll be up unless Chavez and Nomar miraculously become
iron men. You can’t really stick with Crosby and Hannahan if you have an alternative.
WaddellCanseco - April 23, 2009
I'm hoping Crosby tears up the MLB and is traded away with little of his salary responsibilities in the A's hands.
Ah hell, if he starts tearing it up, I’d keep him.
But if not, I’ll start tearing up.
LoneStranger - April 23, 2009
Let's play A's jeopardy
A: April 15
Q: last time Gallagher pitched
A: 3.1
A: total innings pitched this year by Gallagher
A: 26
Q: #SO in 15IP by Harden who we traded for Gallagher
faninphilly - April 22, 2009
ouch!
mrod - April 22, 2009
Now, it's not Gallaghers fault let's point that out.
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - April 23, 2009
Although things would be less bad if you traded a dozen of Davis's ABs for a dozen by Buck
Buck isn’t the key to the offense. As long as Giambi, Chavez, Sweeney, Holliday and Garciaparra have a combined 1 HR in 228 ABs (along with a grand total of 11 2B and 1 3B), the offense will be pretty bad.
It won’t stay quite that bad, but if Giambi and Nomar are indeed basically done as productive hitters, and Chavez is still injured and ineffective, and Holliday plays down to his career road numbers, this team isn’t going to compete.
Nick - April 22, 2009
If Sean Gallagher isn't a pitcher you want to put into a tie game in extra innings
before Dan Giese, should he really be on your major league roster? The A’s have lost two out of 14 games this year with Giese on the mound in extra innings, and Gallagher sitting around available in the bullpen. How can this be? Seriously, I can’t think of a reason that wouldn’t require Gallagher to be on the DL (nursing an injury) or at AAA (figuring out how to pitch better).
Nico - April 22, 2009
Can't we get Susan Slusser to ask Geren this?
lenscrafters - April 22, 2009
Or Korach...
who does a pregame show with Geren (not that I ever listen to it).
Even Ken and Vince were WTF’ing about Gallagher in the later innings today. Korach said something along the lines of, “Well obviously the manager and coaching staff have no confidence in Gallagher” but they didn’t really pursue it the way I would have liked.
I’m beginning to wonder if the Buck and Gallagher situations are evidence of dysfunction in the clubhouse. Sometimes those things can spill onto the field in subtle ways, such as odd baserunning/apparent failure of runners to communicate with the third base coach. I’m not ready to declare that “Geren has lost the clubhouse” but I’m keeping an eye out for possible evidence.
Soaker - April 22, 2009
Yeah, I'm mystified about what they've done with Gallagher
They’ve used the BP so much that the 7th reliever could actually play an important role on the team. But he’s not doing the team any good pitching 3 innings in the first 2 weeks, and I can’t imagine what good it’s doing him.
Maybe they’re teaching him to become a LOOGY. I could see how that could take a couple of weeks.
Nick - April 22, 2009
He's kind of a ROOGY -
Righty One Outing Guy.
Nico - April 22, 2009
saint agrees with you 100% Nick
But, I still think Geren’s just begging ti get his ass fired!
mrod - April 22, 2009
Moronic comments from game
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090422&content_id=4377398&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak
Our bullpen has been good this whole road trip," A’s manager Bob Geren said. Giese, however, walked Nick Swisher to open the bottom of the fateful 14th, and Cabrera’s walk-off shot ended what everyone in the A’s dugout apparently knew was going to be a test of patience.
“Our players were going back into the clubhouse and grabbing some quick snacks, knowing they were in for a long one,” Geren explained.
As they quietly dressed and paid their clubhouse dues before heading for the airport and a long flight back to the Bay Area, Geren’s players did their best to provide a positive perspective on the trip. But whatever favorable light they tried to cast upon it was dim at best.
“It’s a rough road trip, but what can you do?” Suzuki offered. “You run into good teams and good pitching, and things don’t always go your way.”
Geren raved about the effort of his players and coaches, saying he’d take it “every single game,” but Giese didn’t even try to put a happy face on his performance.
“It’s pretty frustrating,” he said. “Coming to a new team, you want to establish yourself. Getting two losses on the road isn’t the way to do it.”
Trainman - April 22, 2009
Yeah
The bullpen has been great except for where it counts at the end.
I was thinking how sad it is when we get 5 innings of no hit ball from the pen and cannot score a run.
I wish Geren would say something negative because he could be under the guillotine as it drops and would still find a silver lining. He needs to go period.
Trainman - April 22, 2009
Last words: "That blade sure is shiny! I'll take it every time!"
Chop.
Nico - April 22, 2009
Let them eat Saags
ak_A - April 22, 2009
What do you expect Suzuki to say?
“Man, Geren’s a freaking moron. Leaving Rajai in to bat? Doesn’t he know that guy totally sucks at hitting? What about all these effing sac bunts? Are they ever working? Giese sucks. We just got that guy and he’s already proven himself to be totally worthless. Gallagher sits on the bench doing nothing all season because Geren doesn’t like his stupid haircut. Same thing with Travis Buck. Bob’s a total haircist. He can’t stand those long, flowing goldie-locks.
Oh, and Ryan Sweeney sucks against LHP, and he has no power. I have more power than he does, and I’m a freaking short catcher."
VORP is too nerdy - April 22, 2009
I know what he probably thinks
I know he cannot come out and say what he thinks, he has to be diplomatic.
Trainman - April 22, 2009
that’s… actually the most plausible explanation i’ve heard yet.
xbhaskarx - April 22, 2009
I like how he said "stupid haircut" nice complement! THe guy is suffering and you are
criticizing his hair! lol
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - April 23, 2009
beane just called me
and told me he would like some more caught stealings
9Custs - April 22, 2009
The thing that scares me the most
is that Holiday and the A’s have a terrible first half. Alot of people here on AN assume that Holiday is going to require a few top prospects to aquire him. We are getting close to1/5th of the way to the trade deadline. Alot of people were already sceptical about Holiday playing half a season at Coors Field. A horrible first half could confirm some of the fans and GM’s concerns.
asfaninpismobeach - April 22, 2009
Well...
Greg Smith probably is no more than a fifth starter. The A’s really have no need for him anyway. Huston has fallen off of his horse, and who knows where Cargon will actually go.
At least Holliday could yield some results, either via a trade or the draft.
VORP is too nerdy - April 22, 2009
i think his point might be
that if holliday doesn’t increase his value in the next couple of months, we’d be screwed. 1. because we’ll probably be out of contention and 2. getting a gonzalez type prospect in return for holliday would not be assured. point taken on the draft possibility, but that’s still far off.
chipper1001 - April 22, 2009
It's going to take a lot of hard work to fall out of the AL West race this year
Though I have confidence in Geren to pull it off.
Nico - April 22, 2009
how many games
behind would we have to be for holliday to be traded? we agree that the west is pretty weak, but if we stink worse than the mediocre teams, something would have to be done. i would put the number around 8, but i’d like to hear others opinions.
chipper1001 - April 22, 2009
I think it depends more on outlook than "games back"
Last year’s trades happened when the A’s were only a handful of games back but Beane could see that the team was in for a rough time ahead with or without those pitchers. If the A’s are 8 games back but the young pitchers are emerging, the hitters are healthy and productive, and it looks like the team has the potential to go on a 15-5 run, it’s a lot different from if the team is only 5 back, but is in fact playing just .480 ball overall and is about to put Chavez and Cahill on the DL.
Nico - April 22, 2009
good point
though truthfully neither of those scenarios are good at all and i can’t imagine us making the playoffs if we are faced with that. to me, we are less capable (pitching-wise) of pulling off a 15-5 run than we were at all-star break 08. too many growing pains with the rooks and not enough consistency in the rest of the rotation. it would take a major duke revival and some rookie miracles but i guess as A’s fans we always have to bank on a lot of things going right and sometimes they do
chipper1001 - April 22, 2009
I think young players with higher ceilings
always have more potential to go on a streak that is great or awful. It’s not hard to imagine Cahill, Anderson, Gio, and Gallagher having a two-week stretch where they are collectively unhittable. Just as it’s not hard to envision a two-week stretch where they collectively can’t get anyone out.
Nico - April 22, 2009
i see what you're saying
but i think the odds point them having their best and worst moments at different times, not simultaneously. i was going to make a joke about women who live together who end up…going through the same thing at the same time….but then i realized it kind of disproves my point. and is mildly inappropriate for a male to joke about.
chipper1001 - April 22, 2009
Yet, still funny.
LoneStranger - April 23, 2009
My note to Bob, if he leaves...
“Thanks for having consistently failed to live up to the low standards you have set for our team.”
ak_A - April 22, 2009
Ah -
You mean…
Nico - April 22, 2009
A new manager shoulda look like a manager.
ak_A - April 22, 2009
I really was feeling bad about being so hard on Geren
right out of the gate this year – the whole contract extension thing really irked me. Thanks for helping me become one with my anger.
EastVillageA - April 22, 2009
Oh now you want to go anti-Geren?
:)
mrod - April 22, 2009
Thanks for the help
That’s exactly what I meant and was in a hurry when I posted.
asfaninpismobeach - April 22, 2009
+++++! VORP!
mrod - April 22, 2009
Painful to watch
Feels like last July already. The lack of power is disturbing. Chavez looks done at the plate. Holliday was made by Coors Field. And we get the Rays this weekend! Woo hoo.
sprtsnwyn - April 22, 2009
Cubs might release Luis Vizcaino
Send Giese back to AAA and bring back Vizcaino.
What Would Rickey Do - April 22, 2009
Or...PITCH SEAN GALLAGHER.
Nico - April 22, 2009
And then trade him for Justin Duchscherer!
WaddellCanseco - April 23, 2009
Baseballgirl is Right
I didn’t watch or listen to the game but what Baseball girl describes resonates true with me. There IS such a thing as overmanaging. What she describes. My issue is runs. Sure, the A’s put up 7 runs today. But they’re averaging about 4 runs/game and 5 games
(out of 14, that’s a lot) of 2 runs or less. The A’s definitely have the pitching to go deep in the season – even with their lack of experience. These guys are good. But we can’t expect them to throw a shutout every other day. Where is the offense we added this year? And, Geren, put the best 8 on the field every day and let them play. Everyone else
gets to earn their way into (or out of) the lineup.
OkieBill - April 22, 2009
Aha! "The players make up the lineup"
Clearly, Travis Buck is too busy actually constructing the lineup to find time to play.
Nico - April 22, 2009
What would it take to add Billy Martin's cap to the 40-man roster?
Nick - April 22, 2009
it really makes me wonder about our recent trades
we traded Harden & Gaudin for Murton & Gallagher. We tossed Murton, which is fine, but leave Gallagher to rot on the bench. After that we traded CarGon/Street/Smith for Holliday. I don’t mind losing Street & Smith, but the whole plan was to either trade Holliday or reap the compensation picks after the season, since we couldn’t afford to keep him long term…just to hopefully get a prospect with the potential of…Carlos Gonzalez? WTF!
Kallus - April 22, 2009
CarGon at least had a little power, eh?
how many doubles did he start out with, 7?
MobiusKlein - April 22, 2009
And his defense is very good -- probably better than Rajai
WaddellCanseco - April 23, 2009
Justin Verlander used to be a good pitch
Now he is a total gascan.
given up 7 runs and still in
Trainman - April 22, 2009
He's an odd case - seems fully healthy and suddenly awfully ineffective
Nico - April 22, 2009
Five teams
were shut out today.
The A’s were not one of them, so they have that going for them.
I mean, if you’re into things like the bright side.
67MARQUEZ - April 22, 2009
I usually am...and just seeing 7 runs scored makes me feel a little better.
But only a little.
Jackson23 - April 22, 2009
Always look on the bright side of life...
{whistles}
lynnzgal - April 22, 2009
Life's a piece of s--
Where was I?
Nico - April 22, 2009
When you think of it...
lynnzgal - April 22, 2009
It's painful
In two of them Haren & Zito pitched 7 innings each
Tatewaki - April 23, 2009
Im really disappointed in Giambi and Holliday this far.
Really not getting it done. Also expected OC to be better. Never thought Chavy would be great.
Syphon - April 22, 2009
In a way, Cabrera's been everything he should be
Which is a #9 hitter who makes a lot of contact and plays a plus defensive SS. The fault lies in batting him 2nd more than in Cabrera failing. (His numbers were solid in general until this recent mini-slump.)
Nico - April 22, 2009
If Cust was not on the team I would leave him in 2 hole
But I think he is better than a #9 hitter with Ellis on the team. OCab is a much better hitter than Ellis IMO.
I would like to see Cust in the 2 hole given his much better contact etc.
Trainman - April 22, 2009
LOL Scot Shields 4 batters and none retired
8-7 Anaheim but Detroit has bases loaded and no outs in the 7th.
There’s another who has been awful the last year and this season to date.
I guess the rubber arm that he had is no longer rubber. Scioscia has beat him to death with repetitive appearances.
Trainman - April 22, 2009
Tigers score 2 on an infield hit
Single and Error on Aybar LOL
Keep er going. Nothing like misery inflicted on a division rival
Trainman - April 22, 2009
LOL another infield hit
Detroit is slegnAing the slegnA to death
Trainman - April 22, 2009
Oh...
And stop putting Cust in RF! Put him at DH. Giambi at 1st and Buck in Right for the love of god.
Syphon - April 22, 2009
Lets just all hope Doolittle/Cardenas/Carter
save us from this crap we’ve had to watch over the past 2 weeks. Should all be in AAA or higher by the end of the year.
Syphon - April 22, 2009
One thing I do love is how Cust is now looking like
he should have a year ago.
He gets a pitch to hit be it the first one or whatever. He is more agrressive and does not try to take a walk as they come anyway.
You will notice he has more singles and he shortens up with 2 strikes. something he should have done last year. Amazing how a little instruction that works and he is buying into it.
That is what they should all do. This OBP shit is overated in my opinion. See the ball and hit it. If it’s not there to hit the walks will come. Gotta be more aggresive with RISP though as they seem to try and walk in that situation or try to do too much when the pitch isn’t there to hit.
Trainman - April 22, 2009
He's off to a great start, both stat-wise and process-wise
He and Bailey are two real positives so far.
Nico - April 22, 2009
Yep
Now if we can do something about the non-positives.
There are quite a few of them.
Trainman - April 22, 2009
Unless one is talking about a blood test,
a lot of non-positives is rarely a good thing. :-(
Nico - April 22, 2009
some of our guys...
could use a little sumpin’ sumpin’ to help them generate some power
if you know what i mean
stm72 - April 23, 2009
Had the Swat team here tonight in my complex
They were here for over 2 hours.
About 20 cop cars along with 2 police dogs and all cops with guns drawn. Some gang banger ran thru here after they pulled him over. He took off and apparently had a gun and had a large bag of dope which they found. As of a couple of hours ago, they had not found him.
The office manager said he ran by her when it started and had a big smile on his face. Then a minute later he ran the other way and then along came the first wave of cops.
This is in Garden Grove which is near the slegnA ballpark.
Trainman - April 22, 2009
how fast can he run?
and can he hit better than Rajai?
Kallus - April 22, 2009
Yep
That’s a given on both counts
Trainman - April 22, 2009
Jesus! Sounds pretty scary Trainman.
Be safe bro….
mrod - April 22, 2009
Playing Rajai actually makes sense to me.
The way I see it, they had to make a choice on Rajai. He’s out of options so either they keep him or he’s gone gone. Coming out of spring training it was a close call, so they figure, “OK, give him a month to prove himself. If he works out, great; if not, bye-bye and bring up Denorfia.” If that’s the case, then you have to play him, because if he just sits on the bench and pinch-runs occasionally, you haven’t really learned what you need to learn.
Of course if my reasoning is right, that means his time is almost up. He’s only got another week or so to either turn it around or get waived. If this is still going on by the end of next week, then I change my tune.
Another thing that makes sense to me, but only till now, is batting Cabrera #2. I’m basically in agreement with the whole bat-Cust-#2 sentiment, but I also think it’s important to remember the other thing that “the Book” says, which is that lineup actually doesn’t make that much difference. Not messing with the players’ minds is more important than who will get one more at-bat every nth game (and maybe not even then if he’s pulled for a pinch-runner).
The way I see it, O-Cab sees himself as a #2 hitter. So long as he’s doing his job, you don’t make a switch that he’ll see as an undeserved demotion. Maybe the odds are slightly better putting him lower in the lineup, but it’s not enough difference to justify the perceived snub. For several weeks, O-Cab was getting the job done. His hitting wasn’t fabulous but it was OK, and his defense was stellar. He was one of the better players on the team.
Now, however, he’s in a mini-slump, so now is the chance to move him down. I wouldn’t put him all the way to #9, but maybe #7 or so. He won’t like it, of course, but he will understand that he hasn’t been getting the job done lately, and if the #2 spot goes to Cust he’ll understand that Cust has been getting the job done. He will perceive it as a fair move, and figure it’s his job to earn his way back up in the lineup.
That’s my theory anyway.
So if Cabrera bats 7th on Saturday, and Rajai is DFA’ed on Monday, then I’ll figure I’ve read the team’s thinking correctly. If not, I’ll have to reassess.
iglew - April 23, 2009
In that case I'd rather have Cust #3 than Giambi. Giambi at #5 would be fine with me.
Cust needs to bat ahead of Holliday.
WaddellCanseco - April 23, 2009
Agreed, WC. And Cabrera #7 works fine for me, iglew,
because his high contact, high BA style makes him useful at the end of the “heart of the order.”
Nico - April 23, 2009
And I HATE THE A'S 2009 COMMERCIALS!!! Talk about Boring!!!!
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - April 23, 2009
Y'all remember the Bobby Crosby rookie hazing one!?! Where he has that tight suit on with the little balls to produce a video game? lol
CLASSIC
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - April 23, 2009
I haven't seen them all
But I do like the one with Suzuki and the 100% Owned. That one makes me chuckle.
GreenSocks - April 23, 2009
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