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Down the Wrong Street

Oakland_tiny by Blez on in News

I put the blame for this loss squarely on the shoulders of Huston Street.  Street had a remarkable rookie season and was heralded as the second coming of Mariano Rivera.

He hasn't been any such thing this year.  He's blown three out of 11 save opportunities and he's almost blown as many saves this season as all of last year (4).  But we'll come back to that.

The A's have lost a series at home to a team that had won only three games all season away from Kansas City.  The truth is that this likely does make the A's the worst team in baseball right now.  That doesn't mean that they're going to be the worst all season or even a week from now, but right now, this team is just pulling a May '05 routine.

On top of it all, Eric Chavez left the game with a bruised left hand, which we all know could mean anything from a bruised left hand to gout to hand, foot and mouth disease to a missing kidney.  That would leave the A's offense with Nick Swisher and, uh, Nick Swisher.

All that positive energy surrounding the impending return of players like Bradley, Harden and possibly Duchscherer is now tempered with the reality that the only other consistent offensive performer this year could be down.  Now there's no reason to overreact, except that this is the way the A's season has been going.

It would be foolhardy to call the season over at this juncture, but every single sign seems to be pointing to the water rolling around in the sink.  Whether it makes it to the drain is another question.  The fact remains that this team is just bad right now.

The offense can't score and when they do, the starting pitching or bullpen isn't there.  When the starting pitching pitches well, the offense can't score.  When the starting pitching struggles, the offense might score, but then the bullpen implodes.  

Which brings me back to my original point...Street is suddenly hittable (nearly .300 batting average against this year - .194 batting average against last year).  The A's absolutely needed this win tonight to just stop this miserable slide, and Huston couldn't step up.  That doesn't mean that he won't turn things around.  It's just par for the course in the life of an Oakland A's fan right now.

On the sliver of a positive side, Crosby seemed to suddenly find his stroke tonight and Gaudin was impressive in relief.  He should get more opportunities now.  It isn't like the other bullpen guys have earned much trust.

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Nobody f^&ks with DeJesus
Nico and I were just talking and we both thought it was a bad call to work around DeJesus.  Then again, it wouldn't have mattered with the way this team is going.

by Blez on May 30, 2006 11:14 PM PDT   0 recs

Dude.
It's a shame that families get torn apart by something as simple as wild dogs. -Jack Handey

by JediLeroy on May 31, 2006 6:37 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

What on earth is wrong with Street?
Could he be ailing ? Maybe pushed himself to come back too soon?

by IM4Oakgal on May 30, 2006 11:14 PM PDT   0 recs

It's his change up
he shouldn't be throwing it. if i've been following things correctly, it his new pitch this year, and it doesn't seem to be a good one. tonights hit looked like a change. the blown save in texas on the dinger was a change. i guess he looked good coming out of spring, but it seems like it gets hit a lot.
Zito: You ever think about the space time continuum?
Huddy: Uh... no.

by mendelbob on May 31, 2006 1:02 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Street said it was a fastball
that Nevin hit for the blown game HR. he even said that Nevin later commented to him that Street shouldn't throw his fastball to Nevin. In the game the A's won Street said he got Nevin out throwing nothing but sliders.

by OaklandSi on May 31, 2006 9:13 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

we're both right (sort of)
nevin's dinger was a fastball. the blown save in chicago a few days earlier was a change-up:

"First-pitch changeup, I definitely didn't think he'd hit a homer," Street said. "I was just trying to get ahead, 0-1. He was coming off the bench, and I figured he'd be sitting on a fastball the first pitch. Credit him for whacking it."
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20060522&content_id=14665 23&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak

and i'm pretty sure the one last night was a change also.

Zito: You ever think about the space time continuum?
Huddy: Uh... no.

by mendelbob on May 31, 2006 10:23 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

he's relying too much on the slider
He's got to throw the fastball to set up the slider and change.  I don't know why, but he didn't throw fastballs last night.

by Brian in 317 on May 31, 2006 6:53 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Fear not if Chavez is out...
Ginter to the rescue!
I like Mickey Morabito's hair.

by franks a lot on May 30, 2006 11:14 PM PDT   0 recs

Ginter...
is not even on the 40 man roster.  I wouldn't mind him coming up.  Maybe send down Perez.  If they bring up Ginter someone has to get knocked off the 40 man roster.  I think Ginter can play first base too.

by What Would Rickey Do on May 31, 2006 5:45 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

based on his experience playing first?
believe it or not it does take some skill to play there.

by OaklandSi on May 31, 2006 9:14 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

not optimistic re: Harden
if he can stay healthy longer than one start it will be a miracle

hey it's not 17-32 like last season

but then again I don't think the A's are gonna go 49-16 in the next 65, one of the best stretches in baseball history.

I gotta rock, I gotta rock, good sweet Christ do I gotta rock

by Lloyd Bonafide on May 30, 2006 11:14 PM PDT   0 recs

Just how is Roney better than Casilla?
I realize the front office is facing a tough situation, but this merry-go-round approach to relievers is somewhat ridiculous. None of them look like they can handle pitching in a game in ANY circumstance - blow out or not.

Meanwhile, unless Bradley hits a HR every at bat, it's difficult to see how he's going to make such a dramatic impact. Crosby's return last year was NOT the same situation, because that coincided with Chavez heating up and good offense from Kendall, Kotsay, and Ellis. Any combination of Scoot/Perez/DJ/Kielty/Payton/Melhuse on any given day is just terrible.

HOW can the front office think this team can just HANG IN THERE? Obviously, we don't know what they're doing, but it would be really effing nice to see them do something rather than shuffle pieces on the sinking ship.

by nycfan on May 30, 2006 11:16 PM PDT   0 recs

Hold your breath for news on Chavy's injury
report.  That could define what happens the rest of this season.

by Blez on May 30, 2006 11:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I didn't notice the severity
when it happened. He did come out again for a few innings, so I'm desperately hoping that it was precautionary.

by nycfan on May 30, 2006 11:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't think they'd take him out
for precautionary reasons.  Judging from past times, it takes a lot for Chavy to come out of a game.

by Blez on May 30, 2006 11:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't have FSN Bay Area
so I wasn't able to hear any updates - if there were any - that Fosse might have given. Did they say anything in particular about it?

by nycfan on May 30, 2006 11:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I said this in my diary
I felt tonight like I felt last May when Dotel blew that game in Boston after Byrnes hit a homer to put the A's ahead. Sure a win would have been nice, but it wouldn't have made our team any better, and if anything, it would only have masked the changes that needed to be made.

I felt this way then and I feel this way now. Just pile it on, boys. The lower we sink, the greater the chance for rebound, for shakeup in the ranks. A win against another bad team would have done little for us. Yet another demoralizing loss, on the other hand, may prove beneficial in the long run, if you catch my drift.

by Crosbino on May 30, 2006 11:16 PM PDT   0 recs

The only way I agree with you
is if this loss shakes the management into doing something about this team.

Other than that runs like last year don't grow on trees. They happen when you have opponents who are really weak ...and I don't think we can get easy wins from the Texans like last year do you ? So I don't think we will go on some winning rampage.

by IM4Oakgal on May 30, 2006 11:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree
But at the same time, this team is playing FAR below expectations. Even a return to the lowest expectations we had for them in March would put them in much better shape than they are now.

The bottom line is injuries. If Chavez is hurt, we might just be screwed. We don't have the pitching to win a bunch of 2-1 games.

by Crosbino on May 30, 2006 11:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

This is the most dysfunctional relationship
I've ever been in.

I keep telling myself that they can change, that they won't hurt me, that the good times certainly outweigh the bad and I end up emotionally drained after each horrible loss. I think the A's and I need a break - Ross and Rachel style. And yet, I know that I will be spending tomorrow afternoon with my ear next to the radio.

Surely it can't get worse from here.

Kettlecorn! Swishercorn!

by TurnTwo on May 30, 2006 11:17 PM PDT   0 recs

Ginter is only a Vegas plane flight away
and could concievably play tomorrow while we promote Perez to a paying customer. How did that guy ever get the pre-season cred he had? He looks terrible, on a really bad team!

by groversson on May 30, 2006 11:17 PM PDT   0 recs

Don't disagree with you
But isn't it funny how quickly Ginter's become the savior? This is the guy who we couldn't wait to run out of town last year! He's only on our AAA team because he didn't want to forfeit his plum salary for this year. If he had, he wouldn't even be in the conversation.

by Crosbino on May 30, 2006 11:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Come on
Gaudin was impressive in relief?  We're hanging our hat on that??  We've got multiple guys in the pen that belong in AAA...at best, and maybe not even a good AAA team.  Gaudin?  Roney?  Flores?  Karsay?  Not to mention at least two guys in the rotation who are long relievers / mop-up types.  The pitching is pathetic.  You score 7 runs at home against the FREAKING KANSAS CITY ROYALS and you have to win that game.

Don't even get me started about the offense.  I'll refrain for tonight because at least they put some runs on the board and didn't pack it in after one of the aforementioned mop-up guys gave up 4 in the 1st.

by bigthree17 on May 30, 2006 11:17 PM PDT   0 recs

Gaudin and Halsey are NOT
mop up guys. Yes, Halsey should have made better pitches, but he was also royally (sob) screwed by some poor plays by Crosby and Chavez. Gaudin has really good stuff and for the most part Halsey has been an adequate starter, if not sometimes much better than adequate.

by nycfan on May 30, 2006 11:20 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Actually...
...when I said long-relievers / mop-guys in the rotation I was talking about Halsey and Saarloos.  Gaudin doesn't belong up here.  What's his WHIP?  1.6?  1.7?  Horrendous.  This is supposed to be a playoff-caliber club.

Neither Halsey nor Saarloos can get through a lineup a third time with any effectiveness.  Thus, they can't be effective starters.

by bigthree17 on May 30, 2006 11:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

After the performances of some of the
other relievers lately, Gaudin looked like Rollie Fingers out there tonight.

Then again, that's expectations.

by Blez on May 30, 2006 11:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

agreed
Gaudin having a decent few innings against one of the worst teams ever to play ball and that's the silver lining

BAH

I gotta rock, I gotta rock, good sweet Christ do I gotta rock

by Lloyd Bonafide on May 30, 2006 11:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Graph.
I don't want to go over it.

Sorry, it's big. I need to start homework.
This took a while, between the long KC names, and the fact that this game had 100 plays in it.

Damn! Street is so imposing, he even causes the earth itself to freeze in fear! - monkeyball

by Jjjsixsix on May 30, 2006 11:19 PM PDT   0 recs

Certaintly
This will ring true, another 1-run loss, that is a result of a less than stellar bullpen.
"Talk about impressive. My point is this: Break's over."- Josiah Bartlet

by doublehustle22 on May 30, 2006 11:20 PM PDT   0 recs

Crosby
Suddenly, he's 9 for his last 16. I've been critical of him too, but he "appears" to be turning the corner. We'll see how it progresses.

by Crosbino on May 30, 2006 11:21 PM PDT   0 recs

Why doesn't it EVER happen at once?
That's the heartbreaking thing about this team. At any given moment it feels like we have guys who are really stepping it up, but never more than 1-3 at a time. We go through stretches where we see flashes of what this team COULD be, but they never seem able to piece it together.

by nycfan on May 30, 2006 11:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It DOES happen all at once
See June/July/August 2001-2005.

by Crosbino on May 30, 2006 11:24 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm actually hoping for a full SEASON
and not just two or three month stretches, after which we come up short.

Also, it's unfair to compare this team to teams we've had since 2001. We had superior offense on those teams and during certain stretches much better pitching. Those were just better teams. Last season we just died out and fell apart in the last month.

by nycfan on May 30, 2006 11:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

but
THEY MISSED THE PLAYOFFS IN '04 & '05.  So who cares how good the second half was. The first halves were a bit too lousy.

by robsf on May 30, 2006 11:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

robsf...
I agree with your post completely. People seem to think a miracle run would get us in the playoffs. It's like reading AN gives a person amnesia.

by IM4Oakgal on May 30, 2006 11:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Amnesia?
All I know is that I've never ever seen a game as bad as tonight's!
FIRE LARRY DAVIS NOW

by GreenNGoldSooner on May 31, 2006 12:07 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

wow
I have.  How about a game where you're absolutely BURIED?  

This is a game that was about as frustrating as they come, but it had some positive elements:

  1.  The A's came back
  2.  Crosby looked comfortable at the plate
  3.  Gaudin was very impressive.  The Royals were going to try to steal on him, and with two throws over he totally had the guy on a leash. I thought after Halsey, Gaudin looked like a pro.
  4.  Calero looked terrific. I think automatically going to your closer is not always the smartest move (unless he's been lights out).  I know it goes against normal baseball logic, but I would have left Kiko out there for the ninth.
Most frustrating game ever? Maybe.  Worst? Not even close.

by Brian in 317 on May 31, 2006 6:49 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Should have added a /snark tag...
I was kidding...hence the subject "Amnesia?"
FIRE LARRY DAVIS NOW

by GreenNGoldSooner on May 31, 2006 2:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Crosby
Nice to see him change his approach at the plate.  Let's hope he can keep it up.  His defense is still horrible though. He arguable cost the A's at least 2 runs tonight.

I am totally mystified by the offensive suckness of everyone not name Chavez or Swisher.

by Bearcat on May 30, 2006 11:23 PM PDT   0 recs

Tomorrow's bright spots
Dough boy Blanton gets his ERA below 6

Perez raises his batting average to .037

I gotta rock, I gotta rock, good sweet Christ do I gotta rock

by Lloyd Bonafide on May 30, 2006 11:27 PM PDT   0 recs

as I said earlier and it bears repeating
this team is just a shameful excuse for an allegedly professional sports franchise, period.  If any one thing is to blame it's the conditioning and training staff... what kind of example is it when your trainer looks like a beached whale in sunglasses anyway?  Injury after injury, pulled muscle after pulled muscle, when you can't keep a single lat or oblique functioning that means something is pitifully, horrifically WRONG.  These "trainers" or whatever they claim to be should be FIRED LAST FRIDAY, just like I would be if I crapped my job to the extent that these clowns have done for 2 years now.

And I believe not for a Canadian Minute that Harden won't land himself right back into the Dugout Sunflower Seed Olympics on the DL after a couple of starts, I'll believe that guy can stay healthy for even 15 minutes 47 seconds when I see him do it.  Clearly he doesn't listen to them when they tell him to lay off the goddamned weights, so they need to hire somebody that will scream it in his face until he wipes the post-adolescent smirk off his face and does what they tell him, period.  Either that or he can pitch in the Vancouver League, if there is such a thing.

Speaking of oblique muscles last seen attached to 98 year old men, where's Bradley already?  Do we need to manufacture some milk cartons with his face on there?  Back in the day when this beautiful, sacred game was played by working class guys and not pathetic bourgeouis billionaires, dudes would play until their limbs fell off.  Mickey Mantle couldn't WALK after like 1960 and he played and played and played until they carried him off on 12 separate stretchers.  Now they stub their toe and you don't see them again until 3 months later.

I've just had it with this crap, just done with it.  They should refund the people's money that paid to see this sh*t these last 2 nights... I won't go to $2 Wednesday tomorrow because this team should have to pay ME $2 to sit through mortifying displays like these.

1972...1973...1974...1989...2006

by emperor nobody on May 30, 2006 11:27 PM PDT   0 recs

It seems mildly ridiculous
to blame trainers like Larry Davis for chronic injuries, freak accidents, or day to day game accidents that occur during the course of the season.

Let's not forget, Larry Davis has been around for a while. If the A's haven't had this kind of injury problems before, it's safe to say it isn't his fault that we have relatively fragile players - Bradley, Duke, Kotsay (back), and Harden.

Shameless excuse for a sports franchise? That just doesn't even warrant a response.

by nycfan on May 30, 2006 11:31 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Larry Davis
has been around long enough that he clearly has gotten too comfortable and needs to be replaced.  And the conditioning coaches, whoever they are?  Come on, when you see the same muscles being pulled and tweaked over and over and over again that means they don't enforce a cohesive, strict policy around weightlifting and that means they are delinquent in one of the most important facets of their jobs and they should be kicked through the goalposts of Hell yesterday.

In Harden's case in particular, it's as obvious as blueberry pie with whipped cream that he is off the reservation when it comes to conditioning, particularly in the offseason, and he's the one domino in the whole enchilada that guarantees us an extended stay in the toilet when (not if) he goes down for some interminable period of time.  If these coaches can't impress upon a 23 year old kid the reality that he is the cornerstone of this franchise and needs to start acting accordingly, then a team that continues to employ such people in the critical position of mentoring to someone that has the potential for Nolan Ryan-caliber greatness and keeping him on the rails is itself squandering their future and that qualifies as pathetic, whether it's May, August, or December on Neptune.

What I wanna see is people in positions of critical import in glitzy shows like pro sports held to the same standard of performance that working people who get canned for taking the day off to go to an immigration protest get held to.

Clown time, and the laughable excuses that accompany it, needs to be OVER.

1972...1973...1974...1989...2006

by emperor nobody on May 30, 2006 11:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

While I don't think that he
is to blame, Larry Davis needs to understand that this is MLB, not Rock Med.

by southofcruiseamerica on May 30, 2006 11:54 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Simile when you say that, podner
Wow.  A single sentence takes us from blueberry pie with whipped cream, off the reservation, to a domino in the enchilada on the way to the toilet.  You've churned my stomach in more ways than I can count.  Needless to say, I'm going easy on the dollar dogs tomorrow.
Better luck is just a standard deviation away.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on May 30, 2006 11:59 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Come on...
So, it's come to this?  Attacks on the appearance of the head trainer?  Please.  The A's were phenomenally lucky with regards to injures for almost their entire run of success over the last six or seven years.  This year...this one freakin' year...they've been phenomenally unlucky.  As with most things in baseball, injuries tend to even out over the course of a season or several seasons.

by Aaron C on May 30, 2006 11:34 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

so if you wanna get and stay in shape
you gonna hire a morbidly obese dude to take you there?  
1972...1973...1974...1989...2006

by emperor nobody on May 30, 2006 11:44 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

and how soon you forget that
Harden's "mystery obliques" cost us the division LAST year.
1972...1973...1974...1989...2006

by emperor nobody on May 30, 2006 11:46 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Ugh
Well, it's obviously that there's nothing I can say that's going to change your mind, so I'll leave it at this:  Davis has been the A's assisstant or head trainer since 1984.  His record speaks for itself and it's wrong to use his physical appearance as one of the basis of your argument.  Carry on.

by Aaron C on May 30, 2006 11:54 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Very dynamic argument
I do agree with how many ball players (i.e. Bradley) are quick to shut it down with minor injuries.  Of course, this may also be due to over-protective management.  Bottom line is that we have two parties with a great deal of investment in the financial aspect of the game.  Bradley needs to confer with his agent before he can "gut out" an oblique injury.  The A's brass needs to DL their players for precautionary measures just in case the injury becomes more serious.  In sum, this isn't the same sport that Mantle played, unfortunately...
I like Mickey Morabito's hair.

by franks a lot on May 30, 2006 11:36 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

exactly
this isn't baseball, it's, well, MONEYball.  Dudes have to call their broker now before they can decide whether to swing 3-0 or make the pitcher throw a strike.  Now a guy strains a lat and all he can see when he closes his eyes is the zeroes on the bank account s-h-r-i-n-k-i-n-g.

All part of the way quantitative judgement has wiped out qualitative judgement, apparently forever.

1972...1973...1974...1989...2006

by emperor nobody on May 30, 2006 11:50 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

best post Ive seen in awhile...
totally agree about these guys being "trained" or whatever..they pull up lame when tripping over a coin...
tdwclark

by tdwclark on May 31, 2006 5:00 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

In the meantime...
the Halos are winning their games ...while finding out that they have a good farm team.

by IM4Oakgal on May 30, 2006 11:27 PM PDT   0 recs

I'm feeling great
Gutsy comeback, summer is here, and you know what, Nyquil tastes GREAT right out of the bottle.

5 games under .500 at the end of May with our AAA team, with our big league club slowly coming off the DL.  It's a hideous streak, losing 10 out of 11, but it's more painful because we should have won 5 of them and screwed them up in gawd-awful ways.  

I don't know what people were expecting, but you can't throw a AAA team out there and expect to win. We're doing better than I expected, and only bad luck and bad Street is keeping this from being a hanging-in-there stretch. And you know what, it's going to get worse before it gets better. The Twins always give us trouble, then we visit the excellent Indians and Yankees, then host the revitalized Mariners. We have to just hope to not lose too much ground during that stretch.  But then... we get the NL West this year for interleague and maybe they haven't scouted us as well as the AL has. The end of June will make or break this season.

Luckily, I remember how to survive May from last May's experience.  Lower your expectations. Hang in the race. Check the DL every day. And when our guns are finally reloaded... make our big run with no apologies.

See you in the DLD.

by Apricot on May 30, 2006 11:28 PM PDT   0 recs

is there any hope for tommorows
game? Any at all.
"Talk about impressive. My point is this: Break's over."- Josiah Bartlet

by doublehustle22 on May 30, 2006 11:30 PM PDT   0 recs

NO
one word

Blanton

I gotta rock, I gotta rock, good sweet Christ do I gotta rock

by Lloyd Bonafide on May 30, 2006 11:31 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

at least
the A's didn't spend over a hundred million to have a shitty team like the Angels did... :) :) :)
I gotta rock, I gotta rock, good sweet Christ do I gotta rock

by Lloyd Bonafide on May 30, 2006 11:31 PM PDT   0 recs

Who cares ?
It's not our money. I would be delighted to see them loosen the purse strings ... no matter the result.

by IM4Oakgal on May 30, 2006 11:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

no way
only if it results in a championship

I'd rather the A's go 0-162 with the lowest payroll than lose in the playoffs with the highest

I gotta rock, I gotta rock, good sweet Christ do I gotta rock

by Lloyd Bonafide on May 30, 2006 11:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

well ...
can't change your mind. But I have to say I envy teams that can go buy some help when they get in a fix. Would love to see some money buy us a Roger Clemens.

by IM4Oakgal on May 30, 2006 11:41 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

so true
ya gotta spend money to make money...ask Wally Haas.  Some fans might show up if the team got a couple of great players.  the new owners are spending more and took some gambles.  remind me to see what Andre is doing doing in LA.  That my be the one big mistake Billy has made.

MY big beef is the lack of small ball fundamentals.  To remember what that looks like, watch a St Louis game.  Leadoff gets on, steals second and eventually scores.  At the Giants game last week, they scored on a  walk, steal, and two ground outs.  That's coaching at its best.  

by robsf on May 30, 2006 11:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Good points Rob.
I am proud of the fact that we have a great farm system...but it's nice to dream of having owners who will do what it takes to win.

by IM4Oakgal on May 30, 2006 11:50 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, but with a lineup
that includes Pujols, Rolen, Edmonds, Eckstein, Taguchi, etc. Hell, Macha could just not show up to the game and we would win more games with a lineup like that.

by nycfan on May 30, 2006 11:52 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

even the Royals
took over the lead for good last night by sacrificing the leadoff runner into scoring position, then singling him in. I have no doubt that had they gotten that lead runner to third with less than two outs that they would have attempted a sac fly.

If the Royals can do it the A's should be able to do it.

by OaklandSi on May 31, 2006 9:25 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

That's not a shitty team
they were really underperforming - like we are (I hope) - but they have great prospects and key players injured. We have key players injured, but unfortunately it doesn't seem like we have the young talent to infuse us with a little life.

FREE KEITH GINTER! <dies>

by nycfan on May 30, 2006 11:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

their prospects
all HYPE

McPherson, Kochman, buncha stiffs

lol they signed Jeff Weaver

he makes Loazia look like Cy Young!

I gotta rock, I gotta rock, good sweet Christ do I gotta rock

by Lloyd Bonafide on May 30, 2006 11:36 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Vent thread up.
Have fun.
Damn! Street is so imposing, he even causes the earth itself to freeze in fear! - monkeyball

by Jjjsixsix on May 30, 2006 11:32 PM PDT   0 recs

When things go awry
There's too much wrong with this team.  I'll assume that Chavez isn't seriously hurt, but it doesn't matter.  The offense is not very good even with him in the lineup.

Street was almost ridiculously good last year.  He saved everything; shoot, his "blown saves" ended up as victories.  This year, he gives up two dunks and then Matt Stairs... well, I didn't like the sight of him in the 9th inning.  Street is struggling, as young players often do, but you can't place too much blame on him for tonight's loss.  It takes a village to lose to the Royals twice.  That 10th inning first-pitch swinging was really, really annoying - the sign of a bad team pressing against a team that wants to beat itself.  The A's didn't give them the chance.

The depressing part about the season is that it may turn out to be hopelessly dreary.  The A's were built, to a large extent, to win this year.  But they're not winning, and even if they can hang around in the crummy AL West, are simply no match for the better teams in the league.

Shoot, the Angels actually have more of an angle.  They may suck too, but they're playing their promising farmhands and finding out what they have.  The A's don't have much in the minors, and what they do have isn't ready for The Show.  

There's no reason to just assume that the sight of "June" on their calendars is going to transform the A's into a good team.  If Harden comes back healthy and able to pitch effectively for more than a few innings, that will certainly help.

Some of the injury problems aren't so easily fixed.  Duchscherer has arm trouble.  He could be out all season, or ineffective when he tries to come back.  Who knows about Kennedy?  Loaiza may never find his fastball.  Milton Bradley is injury-prone, and Frank Thomas - finally hitting - is due to go down sometime.

Some of the underperforming players - Johnson, Blanton, Crosby - may continue to struggle.

Meanwhile, the players Beane traded - in Rheinecker's case, for essentially nothing - are performing well for their new teams.  He may have outsmarted himself with a few of these deals.  We'll see.

I don't want to go overboard with the negativity, because we've seen the A's turn things around before.  And the only team ahead of Oakland is Texas, which has vulnerabilities of its own.  But it's hard to get excited about this season anymore.  The realistic best case scenerio looks to be a first round exit.

Meanwhile, the Zito trade chatter will start.  Oh, goody.

by bear88 on May 30, 2006 11:34 PM PDT   0 recs

Great post
But there is hope:

Thomas, assuming he remains healthy, might be able to carry our offense for a while. He certainly has the talent.

Swisher is still awesome, showing no signs of slowing down.

Crosby has been really good of late.

Zito and Haren have been very good.

And ... that's all I got. But it's something!

by Crosbino on May 30, 2006 11:38 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Counterpoint
Thomas can't carry the offense, because unless he hits a bomb, he'll clog up the bases.  He can't score from 2nd on a single, and he can't tag and score on a fly ball.  Don't get me wrong, I still like him in the lineup, but his limitations prevent him from carrying the offense.  Plus, HRs are only worth so much if the guys in front of you can't get on base with any consistency.

Swisher: agreed.