Role Call

Pitching?
Here!

Jay Payton?
Here!

Offense?
(crickets chirping)

Offense?

Anybody? . . . . Bueller?

Chavey, I will give you $1000 everytime you do not swing at the first pitch of an at bat. If I see you come up and swing at the first pitch again I am going to scream. Tonight there was nobody on in front of you, but over the past week I can't count how many time you have had somebody on and swung at the first pitch only to pop out. I have come to not expect a whole lot of clutch hits out of you, but I expect you to at least make the pitcher work to get you out. I know we can count on you to hit the ball with nobody on and two outs, but I would like to see you have a little freakin' patience at the plate. You get three strikes.
I want to give kudos to Joe Kennedy. He had some hitters looking very foolish up there tonight. He deserved much better.
I don't want to take anything away from the Angels starting pitchers, but there is no way this team should have been held to 3 runs over a three game series. The Angles, even though they were struggling coming into this big series, stepped up. The A's stepped back. I know we are banged up, it's part of the game. If having a couple of guys hurt, no matter how key they are, brings this ride to a grinding halt, it is not a good sign. It doesn't get any easier with the Skankees coming to town. At least we miss Unit.
We need a statement series with the Yankees after this performance.