Nothing drives A's fans crazier than having Aaron Cunningham sit on the major league bench when he could be starting for the A's or starting for the Rivercats, but is doing neither. Thing is, the A's have done this numerous times -- with Cunningham, with Buck, with Barton -- where they have called a player up only to play very little before being sent back down.
But in some of those instances, the A's must have known what they were doing. In other words, it wasn't as if circumstance got in the way of "the best laid plans," it was that it must have been the plan. Cunningham is a good recent example. When he was called up, the A's knew he could be getting ABs every day in Sacramento and knew he was on the roster as they rather consistently passed him up for three other choices and relegated him to "defensive replacement duty." He could have started every day for Oakland, he just didn't; he could have been left in Sacramento to play every day for the Rivercats, he just wasn't.
In today's Chronicle, in a blurb titled "Everidge now a pine-time player," Susan Slusser notes that Barton's return, coupled with Nomar's presence, likely means bench time for Tommy Everidge. Now granted, Everidge is older and not the prospect that these other examples are, but perhaps he can still reap the benefits of whatever it is the A's feel are the benefits of sitting on a major league bench. Everidge says he used the first two games of the series for picking some of the veterans' brains, specifically asking Bobby Crosby about handling a bench role. So that's certainly useful -- Everidge probably now has a better understanding of how to get your father to whine on your behalf even though the real problem is that you haven't performed well for 5 years. But seriously...
My question today assumes that the A's must believe that for a young player, sitting on the major league bench soaking up whatever you can soak up by sitting on the major league bench, can at times be more useful for a young player than playing every day in Sacramento for those 2-3 weeks. Is there any validity to this?
0 recs | 59 comments
I guess there can be validity to it if they want to give the guy some exposure to things at the Major League level
But if they do that, don’t play him once every so often as a late inning defensive replacement or give him a start once a week and wonder why he doesn’t perform.
Flashfire - August 26, 2009
That's hilarious.
“Dude, what’s it like to be so bad that they don’t play you anymore?”
mikev - August 26, 2009
Yea...
I much rather he talk to Nomar or even Raj. At least those two know how to handle themselves (and their parents) professionally.
ZigFan31 - August 26, 2009
Oh, snap, Tommy
Flashfire - August 26, 2009
The players must love it
Think of it as a HUGE bonus (financially) for the players. A AAA player gets ~$3,000 a month. Major league minimum is ~$400,000. That breaks down to the minor-league player making as much in a DAY sitting on the bench as he would make in a MONTH in the minors.
Zakolantern - August 26, 2009
I've heard of that kind of stuff being done to reward AAA players.
LoneStranger - August 26, 2009
That actually makes sense:
Some guy is tearing it up in Sacramento. Front office says, “Kid, you’re doing great!”
Player says, “Yeah, well if I’m so great, how come I’m stuck here earning crappy AAA money?”
“We could call you up, but if we did you’d just sit on the bench there.”
< thinks about the money, lifestyle, etc > “I got no problem with that.”
“Well, OK, then. Here you go.”
iglew - August 26, 2009
yea I'm sure Cunningham is not complaining
dtownmbrown - August 26, 2009
Interesting article
Contradicts Mr. Crosby saying his son is healthy. Umm, if he was pushed to the DL for no reason why isn’t Bobby running yet Ed?
Didn’t we all hear the “Chavy looks great” from Geren last year? Give it up Bob.
HRH - August 26, 2009
Great topic question
I was thinking about this earlier in the week since the A’s did it so often this year with these guys. I do think that there is a value to younger guys who get called up in September to see how the major league team plays and possibly get a spot start or a few late inning at bats.
However, I do not necessarily think there is value to your top prospects who are succeeding in AAA to come up to MLB and sit on the bench. Those players should continue to play everyday at either level.
faninphilly - August 26, 2009
I'm not sure what is the right approach...
but my guess is that the Athletics’ brass doesn’t know either. How long has it been since the A’s cultivated any above average positon players? Suzuki’s it in my estimation. At this point, the A’s should be starting Buck, Cunningham and Patterson at the MLB level, just like they’re doing with Pennington. As a matter of fact, Barton should be starting and not platooning w/ Everidge and Garciaparra. They know what they have with thier current starters (not much). Give these guys 100 consistent ABs before the end of the season so the A’s brass can determine if they are going to move forward with them or cut bait. River Cats be damned – I don’t care if they get pressure-packed playoff ABs at the AAA level. I’m not sure that has that big of a developmental impact on a player. Bench the known quantities in favor of potential quality.
athleticsBB4life - August 26, 2009
I think the playoffs in AAA do affect the player.
Sure, there is nothing bigger than the World Series, but if a player has had a taste of the biggest that level has to offer, they’ll be less jittery and nervous for the pressure ones in the majors.
LoneStranger - August 26, 2009
the A's didn't think it was worth it for Barton in '07
they brought him up before the River Cats finished their title run
athleticsBB4life - August 26, 2009
Yea, but I do. Isn't that what I said?
LoneStranger - August 26, 2009
NO...it's what you wrote...
nice tone there StrangeLoner
athleticsBB4life - August 26, 2009
Touché, and touchy.
LoneStranger - August 26, 2009
Patterson?
No. No. No. No.
I’ll agree about Cunningham, Buck and Barton, though.
richwol1 - August 26, 2009
the monster
known as chris carter has been called up to AAA so let the time clock begin
tcelt - August 26, 2009
sweet...
Link?
i guess this is so he can get those
athleticsBB4life - August 26, 2009
http://www.rivercats.com/team/roster/
He’s on the roster.
iBleedGreenNGold - August 26, 2009
Cool. I'll be out there Thursday and Saturday...
…along with doing a couple more next week in Reno when the River Cats are on the road there.
Flashfire - August 26, 2009
Oooooh
That should be his nickname
Philip Christy - August 26, 2009
tmkacc
pronounced “tee-mah-kak”
colin - August 26, 2009
sounds Egyptian Godish.
DMOAS - August 26, 2009
Yeah. Tmkacc. That's the one with the cat head, right?
iglew - August 26, 2009
Yma Sumac
incan
Future Ed - August 26, 2009
I got no crystal ball, but...
I’d gander that sitting on the big league bench is a better use of Tommy Everidge’s time than it is of Cunningham’s (for example). The reason is that in the long run, Cunningham has the potential to be part of a 4 man rotation in the outfield while Everidge seems destined to be a “Right Handed Pop Off the Bench Dude.” Is that a real position?
Cunningham may also be a “RHPOTBD” but that is as certain a bet as Everidge being one. So prepare Tommy for his Time spelling Chris Carter in the field and Cliff Pennington at the plate in situations that require some pop.
jeffro - August 26, 2009
oooh....
Tommy Everidge, the new Olmeado Saenz? We need to teach him to play third base.
Philip Christy - August 26, 2009
that experiment has already failed
athleticsBB4life - August 26, 2009
It's just fun to say Olmedo Saenz, isn't it?
jeffro - August 26, 2009
You say Olmedo, I say Olmado.
iglew - August 26, 2009
+1
Well struck sir.
Wiers103 - August 26, 2009
kudos
ak_A - August 26, 2009
I covered this (somewhere) in DFA's huge thread
But to be clear: Everidge has NO SHOT at being Olmedo Saenz.
Olmedo was a great hitter (his .397 wOBA in 2000, for example, is dead sexy). Everidge, for comparison, currently has a .295 in the bigs this year. Last year, in AA, he put up a .359.
If by “next Olmedo Saenz” you mean “large player whose value is all on offense” then sure. If, however, you mean “a player anywhere near as valuable as Olmedo Saenz” you’re not even close.
nevermoor - August 26, 2009
Whoa...
That’s the last time I make a silly suggestion of the top of my head around here…
Philip Christy - August 26, 2009
It's usually a fairly poor strategy :p
PaulThomas - August 26, 2009
Just a comparison that seems to be gaining steam
And is completely and utterly wrong.
nevermoor - August 26, 2009
I took the comparison to mean
“good masher against LHP” but not an every day option at the plate or in the field. Saenz wasn’t terrible against RHP but he wasn’t anything special, either, for a guy who wasn’t a good fielder.
And while I’d agree that it would be against the odds for Everidge to approach Saenz’ overall resumé, so far Tommy’s line against LHP is .318/.385/.591 (.976 OPS). It’s a small sample (24 PA) but it’s only the only sample. In other words, I may not think Everidge can keep up that pace but until he doesn’t I can see where the Saenz comparisons come from.
Nico - August 26, 2009
As you say, tiny sample size
And if you can point me to any player with a 415 point OPS split for their career I’ll begin to consider the possibility.
Here’s how small that sample size is. Nearly all of that .976 OPS comes from two good games.
nevermoor - August 26, 2009
TWSS
dtownmbrown - August 26, 2009
I meant to say
Cunningham being a RHPOTBD is NOT as certain a bet as Everidge being one. Ugh.
jeffro - August 26, 2009
Congrats to Booby Crosby, our 2009 veteran mentor bench MVP
MMunoz33 - August 26, 2009
Congrats to Ed Crosby, our 2009 veteran meddler bum SOB
sirbed - August 26, 2009
Andrew Bailey's dad....
now that’s a baseball dad…
Gaijin_Suketto - August 26, 2009
He's the best
He sent the broadcasters DIBS.
Flashfire - August 26, 2009
Now there's a Dad who understands how to play the game!
iglew - August 26, 2009
WERE THEY IN HIGH DEF???
mikev - August 26, 2009
You have to take a drink now.
LoneStranger - August 26, 2009
You'd be better off telling mikev when NOT to take a drink.
pam5981 - August 26, 2009
I like the idea of some players getting some bench time and learning the Bigs.
What I don’t understand is lousy players getting playing time. I wouldn’t give Crosby or Nomar another at bat this season, except in case of emergency. I certainly wouldn’t start either one of them, esp. with the Sept. call-ups coming soon.
JJ Martin - August 26, 2009
My question
Why are you playing Nomar when he will be gone next season. The only reason I can see is the A"s are trying to get another team to trade for him. Let Nomar go.
Arcman - August 26, 2009
Okay, kid, I will show you how the urinals
work and this is the big leagues, no dribbles. Now, if I come up to you and nod, I want to sit in the recliner and you have to move – no talking from you.
ak_A - August 26, 2009
Clutch
I have no statistics to back this up, but, Tommy seems to have it all over Barton when it comes to important hitting. I can’t recall seeing Tommy leaving runners on third with less than two outs and not being able to put bat on the ball. This has happened frequently with Barton. Put me in Everidge camp.
Graybeard - August 26, 2009
Confirmation bias much?
Everidge’s splits.
RISP: 3/21 with a .430 OPS
Runner on third, less than two out: 0/5 with a .143 OPS
Needless to say, that means (in the tiny sample we’ve seen) he both sucks more at “important hitting” than he does at normal hitting and has NO HITS AT ALL with a runner on third and less than two outs. He has, however, struck out twice and grounded into a double play. So that’s good.
nevermoor - August 26, 2009
The park's bench? ~ J. Tull
LowcountryJoe - August 26, 2009
I slept overnight on a park bench once
very nice it was too
bobnothing - August 26, 2009
I did too, awful experience!!
MMunoz33 - August 28, 2009
Your flute rocks!
JJ Martin - August 26, 2009
Chavez is coming back to play 3B!
I’m excited, not!!!!
MMunoz33 - August 28, 2009
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