Brett Tomko practices secret cross-sports ritual allowing baseballs to appear the size of golf balls when he throws them.
The A's cracked 7 doubles (not one, not two, but THREE from Ryan "Swoubles" Sweeney off 3 different pitchers) to further damage the Rangers' ever-slimming postseason chances, with the occasion sweetened yet more by the 100th career W for Brett Tomko, who tossed a complete-game fore five-hitter for his 2nd career shutout.
This game, which through five innings went by faster than Kanye West's career, really turned on the first of the Ryan Sweeney two-baggers, where the relay had a chance to nail Adam Kennedy at the plate but Elvis Andrus, no doubt distracted by the strains of Are You Lonesome Tonight wafting through his head as he pictures Andrew Bailey hoisting the AL Rookie of the Year trophy, clammed it and AK scored easily, extending the inning and the Feldman pitch count for the mayhem that followed in the 7th. There the Athletics batted around and plated four: the dagger being the second double from Sweeney, this time off Jason Grilli, who lasted a third of an inning that must have seemed like half his life.
Ryan Sweeney's big push for an NBA contract continues unabated with a triple-double to burn Texas
Like I alluded to in the pre-game, Scott is a lot closer to Marty or even Morton Feldman down there in the bandbox (he is 12-1 on the road), and tonight the Athletics made him into Corey Feldman the 3rd time through the order, turning the Rangers into Lost Boys on a night they really needed to prevail to keep their dwindling October hopes alive. I have always thought that one everything's-big-in-Texas reason the Rangers haven't ever won anything since they built that place is the stadium, the most hitter-friendly park in MLB and kind of a hopeless cause in the summer, when the ball flies like an eagle and causes the Rangers brass to lament their inability to find a soluuuution to their pitching woes for yet another season.
Come to think of it, the only guy that I remember ever doing well in the Arlington National Cemetery for Pitchers was Barry Zito, who used to just flog the Rangers whenever we'd play them in TX... but then, we all know what happened to him *strum*
0 recs | 39 comments
Tomko's an artist with charcoal and pad
And tonight, with a baseball
(Buan is interviewing Chris Carter on Extra Innings)
OaklandSi - September 14, 2009 via mobile
So when do we start believing
that Tomko may be for real? I for one look forward to him bashing our dreams sometime next April. But until then, I guess I’ll enjoy the ride.
alox - September 14, 2009
maybe he'll have some trade value
maybe he’ll be in the mix, who knows? But for now it doesn’t hurt to have him.
emperor nobody - September 14, 2009
He's a FA
Helloooo 1st - September 15, 2009
yeah you right
all the football talk had me thinking we could do a sign-and-trade for a punter.
emperor nobody - September 15, 2009
I think it would be good to keep Tomko around
If no other reason than to make sure Edgar Gonzalez never pitches for the A’s again, as a starter or reliever. All kidding aside… well, not really… EGon really does suck. But it would be good to have Tomko back in that mentorship role that Alan Embree once filled. It’s clear there are still innings in that well-traveled arm
cuppingmaster - September 15, 2009
Tomko is not for real
He’s 36 and has a career ERA of 4.68 and career WHIP of 1.37.
However, though small sample sizes are not meaningful in terms of evaluating a player, they can be super fun. So what I’m saying is: enjoy it while it lasts, which won’t be long. But that’s not to say it ain’t a fun ride.
ORthey - September 14, 2009
It happens
But it’s very rare. Some pitchers suddenly, at any age, take a leap forward. It happened to John Tudor at the age of 31 when he went from being a mid-rotation guy to a top of the rotation guy. It happened to Jamie Moyer well into his career. It happened to Dave Stewart when he’d been around for a while.
The odds are good that Tomko is on a really good run. But the thing is, he changed his motion, he changed his delivery. I don’t think this means that Tomko went from garbage to ace…but it could mean that he’s gone from garbage to mid-rotation guy. Everything depends on his consistency, but at this point, I’m open to the possibility that this is the new Brett Tomko.
richwol1 - September 14, 2009
Ya, I'm very skeptical, but
Tomko’s always had the stuff to be way better than he was. His problem (at least it seemed this way to me) was hitting spots. When he was on the Giants, everything he threw was right down the middle. Now, it seems like he’s mixing his pitches and hitting spots. Maybe it won’t last, but it’s nice to see.
travdog6 - September 14, 2009
Agree, also, with what I wrote below....
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
mrod - September 14, 2009
exactly
He is not all that bad and I do find it amusing that rotoworld has dissed him a few times and been wrong but his track record is well established. He is a fair starting pitcher, a number 3 or 4 on a good team. He is 36 and won’t get better. We should it enjoy it for what it is, a veteran starting pitcher who is having a good run. He is probably pitching himself into another year or two’s worth of big league work. Good for him. And good for our A’s for reaping the benefits of that.
Athletics fan and runner - September 15, 2009
hats off to Tomko
Whatever the future may hold, he can be proud of tonight.
DDroney - September 14, 2009
Do you think we'll consider resigning him?
I know he’s not going to be anything special. He’s a 5th starter at best, but really, we need a guy who’s cheap and really who are the other options?
Mulder? Pass.
Penny? Isn’t interested.
Pineiro? Too expensive
Marquis? You’re buying high.
Really, there aren’t any other real options.
I dunno, just figure we need a guy who can eat innings.
There is ONE other option, and it hasn’t been brought out here, but if the D’Backs don’t pick up Webb’s option (per Bob Nightengle’s twitter: http://twitter.com/BNightengale/status/3988393446 plus, if it’s on twitter you know it’s true…). But is that option worth a fanpost, the idea of signing him to an incentive-laden deal and having him help mentor Cahill.
Let me know what you guys think, and I (or somebody else if they beat me to it) should bring it up for discussion in a post…
stranahanahan - September 14, 2009
tomko is not very good
anderson, cahill, braden and 2/4 of gio / mortensen / mazzaro / outman (not sure when he will be back) should be a pretty decent rotation.
xbhaskarx - September 14, 2009
but there has to be a need for an older guy
we can’t expect a year of those guys staying healthy, we need to think about a guy who will be able to give us a full season, 150ish IP, ERa between 4 and 5. If we aren’t competing, than we need someone to take the innings load off the young guys for one more year. Then by 2011 we can expect MAC to give us 200+.
stranahanahan - September 14, 2009
Tim Hudson
mikev - September 14, 2009
Braves are talking about picking up his option
and even extending him in order to trade away Vazquez or Kawakami for some bats.
If he was available, I’d be all up ons like StrongBad.
cityplANner - September 14, 2009
TROOOGGGGGGGGDDDOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
mikev - September 14, 2009
Then get Vasquez
He isn’t as good as he should be, but he’s good.
Nico - September 15, 2009
If Tomko could turn in a Saarloos-esque performance next year
I’d consider it great production indeed from a 5th starter.
Give our boys a little more AAA seasoning, protect the arms, veteran presence, all that jazz.
I mean, we’re not contending in 2010, but we are 2011, so let’s plan accordingly.
cityplANner - September 14, 2009
Yup
Giving him a spring training invite.
travdog6 - September 14, 2009
Still up, too amped to sleep yet.
I think Tomko has shown that he’s worth taking a look at in 2010 at least…and I really like the fact that Curt Young seems to have a really good way of rubbing off on journeyman pitchers who never quite made it past mediocrity in their respective big league careers. The guy has more than impressed me so far and shutting out Texas and going the distance tonight ain’t chumpchange, baby!
Plus, who’s to say that Tomko can’t at least be a good influence on the kids the next year plus?
mrod - September 14, 2009
Also, I'd totally be down to bring Huddy back if he's interested...
He’s still the one that got away…..for me at least.
mrod - September 14, 2009
Tomko is the answer to our offensive woes.
Shut-out, schmut-out … look at that run support!
Runs scored by the A’s in games started by Tomko:
3, 9, 7, 4, 8, 9.
That’s an average of 6 2/3.
iglew - September 14, 2009
I'd be enjoying the A's victory a lot more if the Raiders had found a way not to lose again...
Dammit!
Tomko looked fantastic tonight and Sweeney was awesome so hats off to the A’s….Raiders put up a great fight tonight but one really bad call by the refs in the first half and shitty defense on the Chargers last possession basically doomed the Silver & Black. good night……
mrod - September 14, 2009
Didn't they move to LA some time ago?
MobiusKlein - September 14, 2009
Can we send them back?
mikev - September 14, 2009
we don't want them here, either
Rather have the Rams back.
cuppingmaster - September 15, 2009
Man, that's saying something
Joey C. - September 15, 2009
emperor nobody is getting scary good at these things
Lost Boys reference + Breakdown of the history of Feldmans = Post-game win.
Joey C. - September 14, 2009
considering I accidentally lost the page
and had to rewrite this one from scratch (whilst cursing loudly), this comment makes me feel good, thank u Joey =)
emperor nobody - September 14, 2009
yea, an Emperor truly
you are quickly becoming my favorite front pager.
cityplANner - September 14, 2009
only cuz I'm not on the front page right?
right? RIGHT???
mikev - September 14, 2009
thanks so much
it’s nice to know people are appreciating it so far, given that half of what I write is incomprehensibly obscure references to 20th century avant garde composers and has less-than-nil to do with baseball LOL
emperor nobody - September 15, 2009
"obscure references to 20th century composers"
Are there any other kind?
iglew - September 15, 2009
+1
rightbackin - September 15, 2009
(cries)
baseballgirl - September 15, 2009
You're still in the Top 10, BBG.
mikev - September 15, 2009
I'm still solid at #11 with a bullet
Nico - September 15, 2009
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