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by Tyler Bleszinski on May 2, 2005 11:04 PM PDT in News

So far, the A's have played nine series (10 if you include tonight) and they've lost the opening game a lot lately, only to take the series. Four of the last six series they've lost the first game to either win the series or tie it. Will this series make it five out of seven? We shall see. It would be nice to get victories for our starting pitchers on occasion.

You want an illustration of just how meaningless win-loss record can be for pitchers? Check out the ERAs and corresponding win totals of our pitching staff:

Zito: 1 W, 5.84 ERA
Harden: 2 W, 1.82 ERA
Haren: 1 W, 4.11 ERA
Blanton: 0 W, 2.67 ERA
Saarloos: 1 W, 5.33 ERA

Yes, the starting staff has a grand total of five wins right now. The bullpen has eight wins. This is more of a reflection on the struggling offense right now.

As for the game itself, the A's want to have Mark Kotsay at bat with the game on the line. The only other player you could ask for would be Marco Scutaro. Nine times out of ten, I'll take those two guys with the game on the line any day of the week.

Only tonight it didn't hold true. All trends come to an end.

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agreed

sure the offense sucked once again, but they came through in the ninth, in a sense.
they got kotsay up with a runner representing the tying run on third. you can't ask for much more than that in an otherwise mediocre performance all around (aside from harden, of course).

by xbhaskarx on May 2, 2005 11:10 PM PDT reply actions

Not only that, he had a nine pitch AB

by Tyler Bleszinski on May 2, 2005 11:19 PM PDT up reply actions

can you believe that...

Kielty gave away that game with his ballet lesson in right field! He should absolutely not be in the outfield. Horrendous! I'd rather have Ginter out there. Geez! That guy couldn't find a flyball the size of a beachball if he had the Hubble telescope strapped to his eyeballs! I can't believe Harden gives up one earned run and Kielty costs him the friggin' game! Un-friggin' believable!

"The sun was bad, but was it any worse than it's been the last 10,000 years? I'm gonna say no." -- Eric Byrnes

by FoolshGame22 on May 2, 2005 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions

He's a nightmare out there...

and couldnt be slower.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on May 2, 2005 11:36 PM PDT up reply actions

yep, it appears none of the corner OFs can field..

by xbhaskarx on May 2, 2005 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions

ellis too

If you're going to blame someone you have to blame the other. Ellis cost us a run. You have to remember though that both Kielty and Ellis had two hits though.

by vignette17 on May 3, 2005 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions

sorry...

not defending Kielty, but nothing in the first inning loses the game for you. The team had looots of ABs to make up for Kielty's mistake in the top of the 1st. Should he have caught the ball? Yes. Did he "lose the game?" No... that was a team effort.

fax machine anthems, get yer damn hands up.

by eastbay on May 3, 2005 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions

Flu bug

Last night the announcers kept talking about how sick everyone was, Kielty included. So why do you play sick people and leave the healthy ones on the bench? Send Durazo home to get well, let Kielty DH and put Thomas or Clark in right field. Same offense and one less mistake.

There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.

by kkdaz on May 3, 2005 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions

Come on guys...

Kielty has made nice plays in the OF, Swisher has made nice plays, Thomas has made nice plays, Byrnes has even made nice plays. No one is as consistent defensively as Kotsay, but that doesn't mean that none of them can field the ball....

by LD on May 3, 2005 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Marco did his part

though I was thinking during the ninth inning, wouldn't it be nice to have someone like Matt Watson to pinch hit for Byrnes

by OaklandSi on May 2, 2005 11:16 PM PDT reply actions

Don't you just swell with pride

knowing that we lead the league in complete-game losses?

by Checkswing HR on May 2, 2005 11:19 PM PDT reply actions

no

I'm still pissed we missed our team record of consecutive scoreless innings. COME ON PEOPLE. TRADE EVERYBODY.

by Apricot on May 2, 2005 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Aww.

Blanton makes me sad inside.

by Kyli on May 2, 2005 11:27 PM PDT reply actions

Although Scutaro did come through, Kotsay did not

but Kotsay can't do everything.

by robber23 on May 2, 2005 11:34 PM PDT reply actions

Sad, but...

Still rather have Kotsay in that AB than T Long.

by timed exposure on May 2, 2005 11:43 PM PDT reply actions

Why is that sad?

I think most everyone here would feel that way.

by Tyler Bleszinski on May 2, 2005 11:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Sorry,

I meant the result of the game was sad. I'm very happy that it was Kotsay at the plate.

by timed exposure on May 3, 2005 12:54 AM PDT up reply actions

Actually

Ellis' error in the ninth cost us the game, since it would have been 2-2. Kielty's error was bad but it gave up one run if i'm not mistaken. We can blame this all on Kielty... (this is mostly a response to foolshgame i suppose). Besides, on a decent offense Harden wins this game anyways.

Also, Kenny Rogers just plain owns us. It's unbelievable. I always expect the worst when he pitches against us..

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 3:20 AM PDT reply actions

The offense producing 0 runs in 8 innings

is about 70% responsible for this loss. The other 30% is split evenly between Kielty and Ellis. (Though both of them hit.)

Uh oh. The A's are making me talk like a tort lawyer.

by Checkswing HR on May 3, 2005 8:10 AM PDT up reply actions

I thought he only owns us at the Coliseum?

Doesn't he have an absurd record like 18-1 at the Coliseum? Outside the Mac, he's human and very beatable.

Vote Miggy to the All-star game. Make Jeter a has-been.

by sf drift king on May 3, 2005 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions

it would be comical if it wasn't so sad

we entered the season with 5 outfielders, other than Kotsay, none is a real major league outfielder. This is shaping up to be Seattle 2004, good pitching, terrible offense. When is it going to change? I fear it will not. The A's are now the lowest in every offensive category in the AL. And last years strength, the defense, is not even the strength it was last year. I look at the roster and look for optimism, but I just can't see it anywhere, I can't even blame Macha, sure I would like to see him play Ginter a little more, and Melhuse a bit, but can anyone even suggest they are the answer to the offense? Crosby? Yeah, he might help, but he will not carry this team. Does anyone remember the last HR the A's hit? I don't get to see the games, just read about them and check the box scores, I can't remember the last HR. The pitching which we all worried about is the best part of this team. BB has got to pull the trigger on something, have no idea what he can do. We have little of value to give in everyday players.

by china bob on May 3, 2005 3:45 AM PDT reply actions

we are 13-13

it isn't all that bad. Many of the hitters who are struggling will nit much closer to their career averages than they have been.

I own 2 Tony Armas jerseys! I am an A's fan for life.

by Athletics fan and runner on May 3, 2005 6:54 AM PDT up reply actions

the last A's homer

was by Durazo in the last series, i think.

Its funny, the reason i remember is because i was watching Baseball Tonight waiting for highlights, missed (???) the A's game but caught 'Touch Em All' ....

... and they didn't show Durazo; the only thing I positively knew happened in that game.

by popcornjames on May 3, 2005 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions

Only Pittsburgh (15) has fewer HRs than A's (16)

... in all of MLB and the Pirates have played two fewer games than A's.

A's have hit one HR in last 7 games.

2002 A's hit 205 HRs and scored 800 runs (almost 5 per gaes)

2005 A's on pace to hit fewer than 100 HRs and score 586 runs.

by HerbWashington on May 3, 2005 11:37 AM PDT up reply actions

Since the A's Don't Hit Home Runs ...

... or many extra-base hits, for that matter, shouldn't they be stealing bases and hit-and-running and bunting more?

I generally agree with the "don't give up an out" philosophy, but that assumes the team is bunching together a few big hits. Gotta get from first-to-second-to-third-to-home, somehow.

Guys have been getting on base. The problem has been getting around all four of them.

by Eck on May 3, 2005 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree, about the "boring" part anyway

Today's game was such a drag that I wished it would just hurry up and end already. I have to admit it got exciting in the ninth, but I pretty much zoned out through the 6th-8th innings. In fact, I didn't even notice two people got on base, only for Chavez to strike out. I was really looking forward to watching the game too. Harden is great and all, but sometimes I wish he'd do something crazy. We almost expect a great, if not perfect, preformance from him each and every time he goes up. Yet no one got on base for Oakland for the first 5 innings or something. Maybe if Harden hit a few people with pitches, then Texas might decide to start up another fight and make the game more heated... I mean, no, fighting = bad. Yeah. Bad.

by Melody on May 3, 2005 5:21 AM PDT reply actions

I really don't think it's too early

in the season to say that the A's need at least one (and maybe two) more players who can hit, and with some pop, in their lineup. Surrounding Chavvy with lots of singles hitters who have walked alot in the past does not give the offense enough firepower. I fear that it's not simply that most everyone is going through a slump together.

by OaklandSi on May 3, 2005 5:43 AM PDT reply actions

Hmmmm

Just read over the game threads. It's getting increasingly more frustrating to read them. First there are the troll types who are undyinig pessimists looking for bad in a good situation and hand out blame like a blackjack dealer.

Then there are the half and halfs, the ones who aren't trolly but still make really annoying comments like "This is all Macha's fault".

Then the people who never use their brains and logic and go by heart 100 percent of the time, even if it is wrong (like blaming Macha for this loss).

Athletics Nation will never get to the point when i stop coming here, but some people here make me want to scream in anguish and disgust.

Macha doesn't control Kielty and Ellis making errors.

Macha doesn't control the offensive woes. We had the best situation possible: Oour best hitter up with a runner on third and the game on the line. I suppose it's his fault Cordero threw an unhittable slider (when Kotsay is looking for something else).

Blaming Macha for not bringing in pithching doesn't cut it. Harden is just plain dealing, and he may have asked Macha to stay in. You never know. I also thinks he wanted to get him a win. If Ellis turns that DP, we wouldn't even be talking about this.

Not getting a pinch hitter for Byrnes is questionable, but think about what it would do to the guys psyche. Winning comes first, but he can't just do that to Byrnesy. Besides, then what? Pinch hit with Melhuse? Then there is no backup catcher. IF we really needed( only in extreme situations) Melhuse could play third (so we could keep him in the game available for position switch to catcher) and Chavez move to the outfield or something like that, but that seriously hurts our defense if we get to extra innings. If Byrnesy will ever get out of this, it will be by getting a key hit in a key situation likes this one.

Blaming Macha for this loss is something an un-intelligent, heart on sleeve not thinking type person who can't take an A's loss and have to go off.

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 5:57 AM PDT reply actions

yep

Alaska-A, Number-one-A's-fan-in-southern-southeast-Alaska.

by ak_A on May 3, 2005 7:02 AM PDT up reply actions

This reminds me...

of last seasons game against the Cubs when Mulder was dealing but the A's offense was once again hibernating. Macha decided not to turn to the bullpen (for obvious historical reasons), leaving a tiring Mulder to pitch the game. While this shows great faith in your starting pitcher, it also screams with overuse. I would hate to see King Rich topple like the Mulder of last year due to this similar overuse.
So you have to understand, when some people were screaming for Macha's head in the 9th, it's because we fear seeing our premier pitcher runned into the ground so early on in the season. With such an improved bullpen, Macha shouldn't hesitate to turn to it this season...

"IDIOT RUINS GAME - Springfield forfeits pennant"

by franks a lot on May 3, 2005 7:46 AM PDT up reply actions

Thats true

And from that point there is no rebuttal. But i was trying to say that being mad at him is something else, and had no affect on the loss. This was about people being mad at Mock for losing this game.

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 8:34 AM PDT up reply actions

2 points

I wonder if Macha has looked at the schedule and the way the entire rotation is pitching and is seeing that Harden and Zito will be getting extra days of rest here and there. Yes, Saarloos has a 5.33 ERA, but surprisingly we have won quite a few of the games he has started, so skipping him every opportunity may not be that important.
Harden was throwing 98MPH strikes in the 9th.

by Donner on May 3, 2005 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions

well

There were some of us who questioned Macha's moves without going off on the guy. We never said that he lost the game. We mentioned some concern.

I hope you're not referring to us, ohad.

by Sharon on May 3, 2005 8:11 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not

In my above post i'm only mentioining a few of the types all of which were blaming macha for a loss one way or another.

You can question moves any talk you want, it will always happen. But i didn't say anything about your type that questioned whether he should have pinch hit (1 example) because you didn't specifically say it's macha's fault (the loss) (and i assume that you didn't say it's his fault because you knew that if Kielty and Ellis didn't make errors the A's win this game among other things)

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions

in another game thread

one in which you were in, I asked why Macha replaced Duke with Street to pitch against Boone.

You jumped on me right away. And all I did was ask someone to tell me what the reason for it was.

If the people in the game thread are to be held to a standard in which they must use logic, then you should be held to the same standard. History should tell you that I'm not one to go on rants OR blame Macha for losses.

I like you, ohad. And it troubles me that I felt the need to respond to your post. But I don't appreciate being the victim of your policing. Especially when I know that I, among others, don't deserve it.

If other's should be more careful with their words...and it's seems like that what you're asking...I'd like you to do the same.

by Sharon on May 3, 2005 8:48 AM PDT up reply actions

I jumped on you?

I don't remember this at all. Is this when Street walked Boone? It couldn't be me, as i didn't know either.

How am i policing you? I just said in the previous post that i wasn't referring to you in my little rant....

I didn't tell people to be careful with their words. The point of my post was that i was annoyed with people who weren't thinking before they spoke and doing baseless ranting.

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 9:03 AM PDT up reply actions

Hi

I just went back and looked and i found what you talked about. I guess it came off as "jumping on you" but that wasn't the intention.

so
can anyone explain why Macha took Duke out and put Street in to face Boone?

by Sharon on Sun May 01, 2005 at 12:24:50 AM GMT
[ Reply to This ]

Numbers maybe
Can we not look for things to blame Macha on? It's most of the time not his fault, but i always read posts like "why wasn't he pinch hit for" and blah blah and so on. Macha has reason that you don't know about.

This is what happened. I answered your question actually in my title, and the way you said it it came off as a blame on Macha. This wasn't an attack on you though at all. The body isn't attacking, the last line is though. Sorry.

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 9:08 AM PDT up reply actions

I accept your apology

and I don't think you had ill intentions.

I do think you tend to get annoyed so much to the point that everytime you see someone wonder about Macha's moves, you assume it's b/c they think Macha is crap.

by Sharon on May 3, 2005 9:26 AM PDT up reply actions

maybe

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions

thinking before they speak

It's not fair to ask others to think before they speak and go on baseless rants if you don't do the same.

http://www.athleticsnation.com/comments/2005/4/30/1989/24159/69#69

That's what I'm talking about. If that's not policing...then I don't know what is. In that post, you're obviously annoyed with with people asking why certain players aren't pinch hit for...something I did in last night's thread. That's why today's post from you is relevant to me.

You say that you're only targeting the people who hang losses on Macha, but you seem to be annoyed, in general, with anyone that questions Macha's moves. I think you're letting all of this get to you...b/c two days ago, what I wroter bugged the heck out of you, but today, suddenly, it's okay.

And for the record: I have no problem with people who blame Macha for losses. Their just opinions. They could be wrong, they could be right. Like most, I don't like the crazy ranting and extreme negativity. I know how suffocating it can be.

by Sharon on May 3, 2005 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't get thisi

I thought you were saying this as an attack on Macha that wouldn't have been justified. Thats it. I didn't say it like meanly, perhaps frustratingly.

The reason it's ok now and it wasn't before is because i know the intention.

Why are you taking that comment as somethign it wasn't. It didn't bug the heck out of me, i was just annoyed. Againt, i tried to answer your question, even though it came off as a baseless attack (which again, i realize that wasn't the intention)

Policing: To regulate, control, or keep in order with or as if with a law enforcement agency (from the dictionary)

Did i really "police" you? Or did i express frustration in what i thought was in attack on someone who didn't deserve it (Again, i realize now that it's not what i thought) I order and control what you say. I started the sentence with "can we not". Thinking back to writing this, there was no mean, policing intention at all. I just misunder stook your comment, thats all.

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions

you should ask yourself why

my post came off as an attack on Macha.

by Sharon on May 3, 2005 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions

but

we're letting this tree go off into two different directions.

So I'm going to close by saying that you're an intelligent person(notice I didn't use "kid") :)

And I enjoy discussing the A's with you. Also, AN is much more enjoyable when the A's win.

by Sharon on May 3, 2005 9:54 AM PDT up reply actions

Ok

Lets drink to an A's win tonight! (i of course am drinking apple juice....)

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions

I would drink apple juice with you

but I hate it. Way too sweet.

by Sharon on May 3, 2005 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions

STOP IT!

Why is it obvious to everyone, except you two, what the problem is here?

You two are in love with each other!

Now why don't you go off and have a few beers and make up?

Oh right, Ohad's not legal yet. Well, I'll step up and take one for the team, and have a few beers for him.

Ohad, if you need me, I'll be off having a few beers with your soon-to-be-future-ex-wife.

Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects. - Will Rogers

by McFood on May 3, 2005 10:00 AM PDT up reply actions

awww

I do love ohad! How did you know?!

Every couple argues from time to time.

But I'm not ready to start drinking right now...that's for later...during the game.

by Sharon on May 3, 2005 10:03 AM PDT up reply actions

By the looks of this comment.....

You look to have had enough beer.....

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 10:03 AM PDT up reply actions

ha!

by Sharon on May 3, 2005 10:05 AM PDT up reply actions

Glug...glug...burp!

Hu-wha?

Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects. - Will Rogers

by McFood on May 3, 2005 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions

There is a belief that Ohad

is in fact BB. However, based on this thread I think Ohad is Macha, defending himself to the end.

"When you consider the other choices, manure is actually pretty refreshing." - George Costanza

by Awesomus on May 3, 2005 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions

I could still be Billy Beane

Who is defending his "puppet" Ken Macha...k

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

True, but

the apple juice comment sounds like something an old man like Macha would say.

"When you consider the other choices, manure is actually pretty refreshing." - George Costanza

by Awesomus on May 3, 2005 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions

prune juice!

also, replace my light bulbs, sonny.

by Apricot on May 3, 2005 1:14 PM PDT up reply actions

what's "meaningless"?

I agree that in the context of judging our starters' performance, "Wins" is a meaningless stat, but, for the team, "Starters' Wins" is telling us a lot about the OFFENSIVE performance. If we could score some runs, the win totals for the starters would be more reflective of their performance.
The A's are still on a pace to score fewer than 600 runs this year. If we continue on this offensive pace, we will be VERY lucky to get 85 wins (we've been awfully lucky to win as many as we have already). Last night was a perfect example of the kind of game we can expect to play: minimal offense and one or two little mistakes cost us the game.
Plus, I was there last night and I have to admit that it did feel like the only fans who were there were "friends and family" of the team. Walking over the ramp from BART I could hardly believe there was going to be a game. Maybe I'm wrong, but I could almost feel Harden (and maybe Kielty and Chavez) reacting to the empty stadium in that first inning. Kudos to the fans who were there, though, they were a good group of loyal rooters.

by Brian in 317 on May 3, 2005 7:58 AM PDT reply actions

Noticed that on TV too.

In Kotsay's last at bat though (so maybe all but the hardcore faithful had gone on to warmer locales), he hit a foul ball right behind the A's dugout and there were about 10 people there to catch it. Yikes.

I'm gonna be out there tonight though. Hope to see a few of you guys out there too.

by almostreggie on May 3, 2005 8:10 AM PDT up reply actions

you bet

i'll be there. I'll be the one guy up in 317.

by Brian in 317 on May 3, 2005 8:39 AM PDT up reply actions

I'll be there too

I'm due a night off. Don't know where I'll be sitting yet though, prob LF bleachers. That section rocks!

Vote Miggy to the All-star game. Make Jeter a has-been.

by sf drift king on May 3, 2005 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions

I was there last night

Very disappointing turn out, however. I agree. There were more seagulls in Parking Lot B than there were cars a half hour before the game.

by migueltejada on May 3, 2005 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions

On TV...

10,000 fans were surprisingly loud in the ninth.

by Donner on May 3, 2005 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions

Nobody Gets It Yet.

You don't walk a batter to get to Scutaro. He'll punish you for it.

I believe it's happened three times this year already. The guy in front of Scutaro walks and he drives in an RBI or two. If not for the Kielty shuffle in the first inning, it would have been extra innings with momentum in the A's favor.

However, in his defense, I heard on the TV broadcast that a flu bug was going around and Kielty was one of those bit. When they showed him in the dugout later in the game, he looked absolutely miserable like he should be laid out in bed.

Kotsay was also down with the flu (he said he was "at 60%"), which probably explains why he didn't club a two run double to win the game against Cordero.

by almostreggie on May 3, 2005 8:16 AM PDT reply actions

When will we see Melhuse?

I disagree that we can't blame Macha. Sure, lots of his players are slumping, but Byrnes had no chance against Cordero. He looks awful; he didn't hit a ball hard all night. He almost over ran the single in the first that scored Texas' first run, and he snowconed a weak fly ball to end an inning (4th maybe?) with two runners on that nearly cost us another two runs (anyone at the game catch Kotsay's evil stare on that one?). He needed to be replaced in the ninth for someone who may have a chance to hit Cordero (I'd like to see Melhuse, but Ginter or Jermaine Clark if you really think you need Melhuse as "insurance" in that situation).
Chavez and Durazo continue to do nothing (neither hit the ball hard all night), and Macha won't take him out of the 3-hole.
The hitting is woefully weak, as I think there was only one ball hit out of the infield (Hatteberg) until the sixth inning.
Melhuse and Ginter are both power threats, and Macha's dogmatic approach is keeping them rotting on the bench while mediocre pitchers shut the A's down night after night.
On a final rant, Rogers wasn't even dealing last night. He was all over the place the first few innings and the A's were just having bad AB's.

by iceplant on May 3, 2005 9:41 AM PDT reply actions

Chavez and Durazo

Chavez has had risen his OPS in the last seven days from 532 to 617, until last night moved it back down to 593. Chavez has seeming been coming out of it of late.

As for Durazo: He has a six game hit streak and has moved his OPS from 557 on april twenty fourth to 687 as of now. He's seriously coming out of it and is even batting .250

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. Galileo and Einstein weren't conventional. Neither am i.

by ohad on May 3, 2005 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions

I know, what a waste.

Does he even have 5 AB's this yr?

We all know Melhuse can hit and has some pop, so why doesn't Macha use him more in situational hitting is just puzzling to me??

Vote Miggy to the All-star game. Make Jeter a has-been.

by sf drift king on May 3, 2005 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not saying to bench Chavez ...

He can still come out of his slump from the 7 or 8 hole. But he is killing the A's in the 3 spot, and has been all season. I think Ginter and/or Melhuse should hit in the middle of the order for awhile. Maybe not forever, but the lineup needs to be shaken up a bit. It's predictable, frustrating and boring to watch. Ellis and Kielty looked like they were hitters last night - the middle of the order put up pathetic AB's ... again.

by iceplant on May 3, 2005 10:56 AM PDT reply actions

Amazing to be Even

Considering how bad our offense is, it's amazing we're at .500.

In the outfield we've got one starting MLB stud with Kotsay and he's surrounded by 4th/OFs. All of them are backups, except Swisher who's a genuine prospect who is genuinely out of the lineup.

This offense is just not working. And there's no reason to believe we're going kick into a higher gear. Yes, many players are performing below their career averages, but even at their career numbers this would be an incredibly light hitting team.

I don't mean to sound so pessimistic - I'm not. I think that many of the pieces are in place for a championship team. But I would also like to contend this year, and we can't do it with this lineup. No way.

Bet on Billy making a trade for power before the end of May. That's the only hope for this season.

by DavidS on May 3, 2005 11:49 AM PDT reply actions

True enough ...

I'm hoping for Macha to shake things up and find the "hot" bat for awhile. It sure doesn't seem like a long term solution, though, as there is just a derth of good, powerful hitters.

by iceplant on May 3, 2005 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

It's only may

I hope Kendall just breaks out one day and hits 3 Hr's one day and scores all the runs, that way I won't regret Billy getting him, somebody just get some fire going in the dugout, even if they aren't playing. Macha looks like he is sleeping half the time, but hey at least he has kept the team in contention. I'd rather see Melhuse play 3rd base but he could play cathcer too, so that is cool.

You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club wont be worth a dime.-Babe Ruth

by doublehustle22 on May 3, 2005 3:17 PM PDT reply actions

Patience

This team is too good offensively to continue this performance for very long. Chavez and Durazo are starting to drive the ball. As soon as our catcher and Byrnes start hitting, it will be different.

You can't blame Kielty for the loss. This team should score more than three runs. The A's have won a few games with breaks this year and they will lose a few too.

Jim

by jarforcefatherofforce on May 3, 2005 3:23 PM PDT reply actions