Final Score: Blue Jays 6, A's 4
Pitching, hitting, fielding. Generally it helps to do at least one of those things well, or at least not to do them all badly - as the A's showed today for 8 painful innings before making a last-gasp scramble for respectability in the 9th.
Pitching: Of the 10 hits Sean Gallagher allowed in his 5 innings of work (4 runs, 3 ER), some were bleeders but one was a homerun by Lyle Overbay and it's hard to construct a context in which Gallagher's performance was overly inspiring - except for the fact that he did not walk a batter, perhaps the one pitching-related positive the A's can take away from this game. In relief, Kevin Cameron threw 28 pitches, only 16 strikes, a ratio that was still slightly better than it was for his throws to first. Jerry Blevins, aka "The Centerfield Foul Pole," served up the last two runs and four hits, as Toronto had 15 hits overall.
Hitting: Through 6 innings, the A's only hit of Brian Tallet was Matt Holliday's bloop single, and Tallet finished 7 innings with only 2 hits and 1 run (a 7th inning HR by Jason Giambi) on his ledger. The one hitting positive for the day? Giambi HRed again in the 9th, giving him 399 for his career and 2 in his last 2 ABs. But overall, the A's got 5 of their 8 hits in the 9th inning, far too little far too late.
Fielding: Good grief. A high pop fly fell in between Ryan Sweeney (started back) and Orlando Cabrera (big yellow circle in sky! where ball?), leading to an unearned run off of Gallagher, Kevin Cameron uncorked a wild pickoff throw and Ryan Sweeney missed the cutoff man as the Blue Jays scored their 6th run.
The 9th was fun. With the A's trailing 6-1, Cabrera singled and one out later Giambi HRed. Then after Holliday flied out, Cust singled, Sweeney singled and Crosby walked to load the bases. Adam Kennedy, representing the winning run, singled for his first A's hit to make it 6-4 and keep the bases loaded for Landon Powell. However, Powell swung at the first pitch and fouled out to right.
Winning series is crucial and the A's still have a chance to win the series behind Dallas Braden tomorrow. However, when you start out in a 9-16 hole you need to string some wins together at some point and the A's need to sweep some series if they're going to get back in the hunt for real. And they'll only do that by playing well for more than one inning on a given day.
0 recs | 97 comments
So if Bailey had pitched in place of "the center field foul pole"
we might be in extras right now, right?
Kallus - May 9, 2009
And Bailey would be on the DL, but yeah.
Nico - May 9, 2009
I'm sure Geren is working on that
javaball - May 9, 2009
Availability
and use of pitchers are a definite problem the A’s are struggling with this year. I agree with the non-use of Bailey tonight. I also believe that Blevins should be labeled the “we give up” pitcher until he can show us otherwise. There is no reason until a pitcher has pitched 4 times in one weeks time, he cannot be ready to go. That goes for any pitcher that pitches 1-2 innings at a time. And if you have to sacrifice a pitchers availability for the next few nights to preserve a lead, you do it. Tonight was not the case. Maybe Wuertz would’ve been a better choice, or anyone else for that matter, but, Blevins has now been given his chance. I also believe that once you warm up one pitcher you have to warm up a second. Always. I don’t like, “this is so and so’s game to win or lose”, after we’ve had a lead. You’ve got to be ready for someone not to have their best stuff.
SFBAsportsfan - May 9, 2009
I think dispite the 10 hits and 4R and no BBs...Gallagher pitched okay.
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
Yeah - I'm hoping it's the start of some better pitching as he regains confidence and rhyhtm and strength
and not the zenith
alea iacta est - May 9, 2009
Most of those hits were LINE BLOOPS or FIELDING FAILURES.
ElQuesoCapitan - May 9, 2009
Maybe it was Powell catching! Has anyone thought of that?
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
3 in a row.
I’m too lazy to look this up / too stupid to remember, but has Oakland managed to win three in a row yet this season?
Pucking Insane - May 9, 2009
No
I think our ceiling is two in a row.
ElQuesoCapitan - May 9, 2009
The trademark of a bottomfeeder team
javaball - May 9, 2009
the bottom teams feed on us
what does that make us?
ElQuesoCapitan - May 9, 2009
butts.
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
that can'be tasty
javaball - May 9, 2009
are we big?
ElQuesoCapitan - May 9, 2009
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
OH DEAR GOD NO.
ElQuesoCapitan - May 9, 2009
YES.
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
OW MY EYES
walkoff baltimore chop - May 9, 2009
YOu know the husband is going to lie. :D
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
as he should
stm72 - May 9, 2009
she's asking a question...
that she clearly doesn’t want the honest answer to. why tell her the truth?
stm72 - May 9, 2009
I sure would not ask it! ;D
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
um...um...say did you see that giambi hit 2 HR's today?
stm72 - May 9, 2009
blackout restriction.....so.......No.....I didn't...I heard it. :D
It’s only a joke. Chillax! :D
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
i know...just playing along...
stm72 - May 9, 2009
i know!! :D
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
...the end...
excellent 2 person comedy/drama
stm72 - May 9, 2009
Applause.
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
YES HONEY, IT MAKES YOU LOOK FAT.
FAT AS AN ELEPHANT.
ElQuesoCapitan - May 9, 2009
Douche!!!
;D
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
I speak the truth and nothing but the truth
So help me, Billy.
ElQuesoCapitan - May 9, 2009
word
stm72 - May 9, 2009
Just reflecting on this game
there’s a case to be made, that if Gallagher goes one more innings, the A’s win this game. Assuming it were a scoreless inning. Which is clearly not a given, but still. It would have pushed the bullpen back one slot, so no Blevins, so the A’s rally to win in the ninth.
Small comfort, obviously, but still – they might be closer to winning games than it would appear.
Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you scrape the barrel for any sort of hope
alea iacta est - May 9, 2009
I love it! Optimism is PRIME!!! ;D
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
Optimus is prime...
ChadGod - May 9, 2009
How about tomorrow the a's actually take batting practice.
Going without it today, didnt seem to really work out that well.
Athletix Man - May 9, 2009
They didn't have bp today? rEally??
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
yep, just got back from the game.
Only Blue Jays took BP today
Athletix Man - May 9, 2009
No time, or what?
LiZaRdReVoLuTiOn - May 9, 2009
Nah they just chose not too.
there was nothing special going on or anything. When it was the A’s turn to take BP. They just had some relievers playing catch in the outfield.
Athletix Man - May 9, 2009
How remarkably unprofessional of them.
OldhamA - May 10, 2009
I know sometimes managers cancel a BP
when they feel that their players have been pressing too much.
But they might have at least taken BP from a lefty…
OaklandSi - May 10, 2009
I'm tired of Blevins
I was tired of him after his ST performance (or lack thereof), tired of his early season performances, tired of his less-than-stellar performance in AAA, and extremely tired of his performance today. For his sake I hope he pulls it together and re-learns how to pitch.
Helloooo 1st - May 9, 2009
Was Buck available in 9th?
If so, i do question Geren’s decision not to pinch-hit him for Powell and put Suzuki at catcher. He has been hitting better lately and Powell has not. Yeah I know we lose the DH, but that would be at least two more innings away and I think Hannahan and Davis would still be able to pinch-hit
jasonthea - May 9, 2009
Geren got ejected.
mikev - May 9, 2009
oh, OK
I’ll blame his substitute
jasonthea - May 9, 2009
Ehh prob can blame Geren still
Most managers will still make the call from the clubhouse after they get ejected
Athletix Man - May 9, 2009
Yeah, I thought about Buck PHing
but there were no great options – Powell, Buck, Hannahan, Davis against a LHP? Buck might be the best of the bunch but coming off the bench cold vs. Powell already in? Probably a wash.
Nico - May 9, 2009
This is where we miss Nomar.
OldhamA - May 10, 2009
You need a catcher
Moving Suzuki behind the plate costs you the DH.
designatedforassignment - May 10, 2009
I have no doubt that had Nomar been available,
he would have been used there. Giving up the DH is no big deal. First of all, it is guaranteed that if the next hitter gets out you will lose, so getting the best hitter up is far more important than losing the DH even could be. Plus the pitcher won’t come up until the 11th inning, at which point you would choose a one-inning pitcher for the top of the 11th and then pinch hit Hannahan or R. Davis. It’s not some huge problem, like Powell getting out was.
Nico - May 10, 2009
You'll never see
a manager voluntarily take the DH out of the game. If there’s an injury sure, but not if everyone’s healthy. And he sure as hell wouldn’t have put Buck in there then because he hasn’t been starting him vs. LHPs so he’s not going to throw him in there against a LHP reliever.
Helloooo 1st - May 9, 2009
oh. OK...
didn’t realize the reliever was lefty. I think he would/should have done it against a RHP. It was a game situation, after all— base hit ties it up. And he still had a couple of bench players who could PH for a reliever down the line
jasonthea - May 9, 2009
Seriously, buck's not that much better than Powell, is he?
MobiusKlein - May 9, 2009
At this point id say Buck is a lot better
Projection-wise, experience-wise. The only argument is that its too small of an upgrade if you factor in being cold off the bench and losing the DH.
ChadGod - May 9, 2009
Nah they just chose not too.
there was nothing special going on or anything. When it was the A’s turn to take BP. They just had some relievers playing catch in the outfield.
Athletix Man - May 9, 2009
meant to be reply above
Athletix Man - May 9, 2009
I guess you can't totally blame Gallagher or Blevins for giving up all those runs.
Granted, I didn’t watch the game with my own eyes (only through Gameday), but it seemed like both were peppering the strikezone pretty heavily, which is what the coaching staff has been hoping the starters at least would start doing a lot more of. It’s not pretty to see all those hits fall, but if Gallagher especially can go out his next start and throw a few more quality strikes instead of just strikes, and then builds off of that, then I think he’ll be trending in the right direction…
Basically, I’ll take outings like those from the young starters just as long as you can see some sort of effort to improve and make adjustments the next time out…
Taj Adib - May 9, 2009
there are just some games that you're supposed to lose...
the Jays are a pretty damn good hitting team. they have patience and hit for power.
the no walks is the big takeaway for gallagher
stm72 - May 9, 2009
Gallagher definitely had a mixed night
Holding those hits down to three earned runs and not walking anybody, combined with 3 strikeouts is certainly not great nor horrible. I think there’s some good stuff to take away from it. He threw 60 out of 92 pitches for strikes. A bit more run support for him earlier on and it may even be viewed as a start of higher quality relative to how it’s perceived now. That being said, he did get 10 hits knocked off him…
Also, it was nice seeing Giambi knock those two out to pretty much the exact same spot. I’m glad that with his return to Oakland I can wear my old A’s t-shirt from 2000 with Giambi’s name and number again after kinda avoiding it for seven years.
Jackson23 - May 10, 2009
I was at the game
and it felt nice seeing Giambi hit not one, but two no-doubt HR’s. Just wish the rest of the offense came out today also. On a side note, I got to the game at 1 PM and they still had TONS of Duchscherer bobbleheads left. Seemingly small crowd today, seeing as there were 15,000 bobbleheads for the giveaway.
thesteve9x - May 9, 2009
the team was supposed to be an optimistic mix of productive veterans and talented rookies...
we were also supposed to have our first bonafide superstar in some time in Holliday…
instead the rooks play like rooks, the old guys play (if they play at all) like one step slow vets) and our superstar has been more cold than hot…
who can blame the fans for staying away on a gorgeous day in the Bay Area
stm72 - May 9, 2009
indeed
last weekend was cold and wet, so schedules postponed from last weekend bumped up to today. So, no walkup crowd.
One won lost won - May 9, 2009
Let's hope that when
Gio comes back up that Blevins goes back down. From ST to now is nothing but a disaster. We have so many talented arms for the pen, we can do without gascans such as Blevins I would think. Let him work his struggles out in AAA where it does not matter as much
Trainman - May 9, 2009
sound thinking
Blevins did NOT deserve a call up at this point. Because of the struggling SP, he got caught up in “numbers” situation, the reverse of the usual bad effect.
One won lost won - May 9, 2009
I think you have to blame the A's offense for Blevins being in
He’s mop up right now – just an extra arm – and that’s who you go to in a game you’re trailing 4-1 in the 8th when your bullpen is taxed. In a game you’re trailing 4-3 you might go to someone a little higher up on the “depth chart.” Heck, 4-4 and you probably see Ziggy.
Nico - May 9, 2009
This is true
I never thought of that.
Good to see Giambi hit a couple.
We are seeing someone new tomorrow so either we score 10 or get 1 hit.
I hope it’s the first.
Trainman - May 9, 2009
Wow, looks like I missed some late inning drama...
oh well……same result for the A’s anyhow. They did not really deserve this game so no real disappointment there.. I’m pretty sure Gallagher is on his way back from his early season doghouse thing…and he is pitching very well, in my opinion. Good to know Giambi is starting to find that power stroke again and tomorrow is a new day for the GNG. Here’s to better fortunes on Sunday afternoon!!!!!!!!_MRod
mrod - May 9, 2009
"Assets. Expendable assets." - Carl Weathers in "Predator"
I think Blevins falls into this category.
That being said, I dig his gutsy move to wear his uniform on the “snug” side with his physique. As somebody who is tall and thin as well, I respect it and must confess I would probably add a size or two’s worth of extra bagginess to fill it out a bit. But good on him. Now, if he can just use those highly visible flailing limbs to his advantage and confuse the batters with them.
Jackson23 - May 10, 2009
If Gio's start tonight is a sign, he's still not ready
5 IP and he gave up 6 walks while striking out 7, allowing 3 hits and 4 runs.
93 pitches. 45 strikes.
Flashfire - May 9, 2009
Good lord.
Nico - May 9, 2009
If I had to pick, I'd much rather someone give up, say, 10 hits and no walks...
…instead of 6 walks and 3 hits. At least you’re around the plate and people are forced to put it in play rather than you giving them free passes. Granted, 10 hits over a handful of innings isn’t all that good either, but…
Flashfire - May 9, 2009
eveland...got crushed w/ rivercats last night
6.0 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
54 strikes, 84 pitches…decent strike %, but clearly he was hittable…of the 10 hits – 2 were doubles and 1 was a big fly.
84 pitches through 6.0 IP is decent but the other results were not
stm72 - May 9, 2009
patterson
had a big game. 3 for 5, with a double, triple and HR.
yeah, he’s 4A
stm72 - May 9, 2009
jeez, nobody in AAA can hit
stm72 - May 9, 2009
alright i'll give you doolittle, but sheesh...barton, baisley...garbage
stm72 - May 9, 2009
Garbage?
Who’s that? Can he play 3rd?
Nick - May 9, 2009
He's actually platooning with Trash
Garbage starts against the recyclables (# 1 and 2 containers) while Trash starts against the non-recyclables.
Nico - May 9, 2009
I refuse to dignify this with any more of a response than this.
Flashfire - May 9, 2009
slegnA win due to KC inept hitting and execution
Yes, Saunders pitched a great game and the slegnA tried to give it to KC in the 8th but KC decied not to hit for Grienke. KC had two on and no outs twice and failed to score including having 2nd and 3rd with 1 out in the 8th.
There are two things I root for in a season
1) The A’s winning as many as possible
2) The slegnA losing as many as possible.
When the opposite happens, it is not a good day.
Trainman - May 9, 2009
What does slegnA mean?
I mean, it’s the Angels…but what does it mean?
richwol1 - May 9, 2009
Just the name backwards
And it sounds better I guess.
Trainman - May 9, 2009
The Angels beat Grienke while the A's lose to Tallet
The projected ultimate AL West standings in a nutshell.
Nico - May 9, 2009
I've always liked slegnA because it sounds like a medical condition.
Maybe a rash or something.
Jackson23 - May 10, 2009
The slegnA
Sounds to me like a race of hideous alien monsters in a cheesy low-budget sci-fi flick. The kind you might flip over to on a Saturday afternoon when the A’s game is in a commercial break.
Faust - May 10, 2009
Hope we win tomorrow
Would sure be nice to take this series. Those Blue Jays are tough. It’s sure nice to see Giambi coming around. Maybe we should start that guy Blevins so he can take the losses in the games he helps put out of our reach…. j/k Go A’s!!!
SFBAsportsfan - May 9, 2009
Sean Gallagher
sure built a nice little picket fence to start the game. He helped the Blue Jays keep up their batting average without letting them score a bunch of runs…. cooled off Aaron Hill, who was red hot coming into this series and all year for that matter. I think we are sure spoiled with our bullpen. They sure keep the opposing team quiet. If they don’t, they suck and get sent off to AAA. Most other teams bullpens give up more runs. It would sure be nice if Blevins figures out how to get outs and we don’t have to make another roster move.
SFBAsportsfan - May 9, 2009
as Giambi came up to bat in the seventh
I stood up in section 225 and yelled, “Hey Giambi, prove to me you’re not too old to play!”
It’s fun when they actually produce…
OaklandSi - May 9, 2009
I think I heard you say that.
I was in row 11. Were you with the guy who said he loves Scutaro?
LoneStranger - May 9, 2009
no -- you mean someone else also yelled this?
OaklandSi - May 10, 2009
LOL...I love productive heckling.
Jackson23 - May 10, 2009
LOL
Joba Chamberlain is paying for striking out all those hitters last start.
Velocity down to 89, location terrible and getting torched 4 batters into game. The only out was a line drive and Huff judt hit a 3 run homer.
Trainman - May 10, 2009
He broke a blood vessel in his right thumb during BP yesterday
It was unclear whether or not he’d make the start today – sounds like he shouldn’t have.
Nico - May 10, 2009
I see he settled down a little
gone thru 5 and it’s still 3-1 Baltimore
Trainman - May 10, 2009
LOL listening to slegnA announcer
He was talking about the staring pitching for them and said “Even when the horses come back etc etc”
How appropriate that he refer to Lackey as a horse. Of course he means for the innings he can pitch but we all know Lackey is a horse in a different way
Trainman - May 10, 2009
Well hung?
Nico - May 10, 2009
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