A's to face a phenom tomorrow.

by 31Boots on Aug 6, 2006 6:50 PM PDT Comment 24 comments

http://sports.myway.com/news/08062006/v3592.html

Edinson Volquez. Kip Wells is being skipped and sent to his doctor to check out some shoulder soreness. Volquez is a top 50 prospect and one of the DVD trio. He's been pretty good in AAA. 120 innings with 130 Ks, but 72 BBs (9 HR). He's got a great live arm, and swing and miss stuff, but he's lacking command.

Seems the kind of guy the A's have trouble with sometimes, but if they stay patient, there is a good chance Volquez will get himself into trouble. He shouldn't last more than 5 innings either way, and the Rangers' pen is fairly chewed up after Eaton being ejected in the 1st today. Should be interesting.

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Seems more like

the kind of guy the A's usually eat up, actually. Especially second time through the order.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Aug 6, 2006 6:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

re

It's been a while since the A's had guys who can hit big fastballs. I guess it's a little different now with Payton, Bradley, and Swisher.

by 31Boots on Aug 6, 2006 7:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Joe Saunders

pitched very well against the A's. I don't like this matchup.

by DKNJ on Aug 6, 2006 7:12 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Saunders has better control. Volquez can be

wild against patient players, which are most of the A's minus, Kotsay and Payton.

by theblackpearl on Aug 6, 2006 7:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What's weird about Kotsay

is that he is one the very most likely A's hitters to swing at, and put into play, the first pitch. But when he doesn't, he becomes one of the A's hitters who runs the deepest counts and has the longest at-bats (the ultimate example being the marathon against B. J. Ryan).

Feast or famine on the pitch count for Kots.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Aug 6, 2006 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And it seems

9 times out of 10 when he swings at the first pitch, it's an out. When he works the count, the results are better. With that in mind, shouldn't someone say "Quit swinging at the first damn pitch, Kots!"

Anyone who knows anything about baseball knew that, which is why Macha didn't-TexasAsfan

by gatling on Aug 7, 2006 7:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It may seem like it,

but in fact when he hits the first pitch, Kotsay is batting .306. Of course, he never strikes out on the first pitch, and when he misses or fouls it off he never has a 1-0 count--which is a problem in that he hits .246 on an 0-1 count and .375 on a 1-0 count...

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Aug 7, 2006 9:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So....

That lasts a dozen games and then its "Throw the first pitch down the middle 'cause he aint gonna swing" I mean, how many times did you see that happen to Hatteberg? Watching the sweet pitch in wheelhouse equal an 0-1 count?

"Knucklehead over there is second or third in the league in home runs."Billy Beane talking about Nick Swisher

by 510inDenver on Aug 7, 2006 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

One or two seasons ago ANY rookie

pitcher would look like Koufax vs the A's bats.

Frank, MB, & JP bring what the offensive line up was missing but now the rest of the line up IS missing!

Scutaro, & Kendall seem to be all that is left of our offense since the all star break!

Swisher (mono) looks physically out of it out there, sleep-walking. Today's HR was nice but now is the time to bring DJ back. (If Macha will play him)

Stats since the all star break;

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/Statistics/Team/playerstats?team=oak&seasonYear=2006&split=182 &seasonType=2&type=reg&pagetype=batting

"-1 is our runs margin after 109 games"

by A s Eh on Aug 6, 2006 7:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

wow--those stats are somethin'

six guys (the five you mention + Kotsay) hitting .297 or better since the break. And everybody else hitting .215 or worse.

Re: your subject line ... one or two WEEKS ago any rookie pitcher would look like Koufax. We are a streaky bunch, us A's.

by rubin sierra on Aug 7, 2006 1:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have a plan!

We should bring up Jered Lansford tomarrow. We'll see how their young stud like to pitch against ours....and sadly, even at a Low A level of pitching he'll probably have a better outing then Loaiza.

by Threepwood XX on Aug 6, 2006 11:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Loaiza-bashing?

He pitched well in his last start. I'd like to see him pitch another CG and watch AN love this guy. I'm sure Zito and Haren have dared Esteban to step up and keep the streak going. Let's see what he can do.

"If you think there's a solution, you're part of the problem." -George Carlin

by eshock on Aug 6, 2006 11:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heh

Sadly it's entirely possable. He's got SO much talent but it only seems to show up every other year. I fully expect him to have a 3.4ERA next year and prove AN wrong.

I really hope you're right, there is nothing I'd like to see more then a Laozia dealing for the rest of the year.

by Threepwood XX on Aug 6, 2006 11:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope you're both right

I must however quibble with the word choice "prove AN wrong." I don't think Loaiza's performance is a matter of proving anybody right or wrong. Loaiza-haters on AN aren't ominously predicting crappy Loaiza starts based on nothing. Rather, they're miserably enduring one crappy Loaiza start after another. If anything, the only thing Loaiza is trying to prove wrong is the objective conclusion anyone would come to by watching his 2006 season thus far.

And like I said, I'm with you, I hope he does.

by rubin sierra on Aug 7, 2006 1:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, I know

his game is similar to that of pitcher, Armando Benitez. Has one good yr followed by one bad yr.

"I don't know if you know but France made it to the World Cup final. They all tested positive for being assholes" -Lance Armstrong

by sf drift king on Aug 7, 2006 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Volquez

was horrible last year when he was called up going 0 - 4 with an ERA over 14...he didn't win a spot out of ST with the Rangers...yea, the RANGERS...his numbers at AAA are OK...I'm not that impressed and until he shows he can do it at the major league level, I won't be...

But if your life is such a big joke, then why should I care?

by johnspaz7 on Aug 7, 2006 7:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

you are right

I recall he also pitched very poorly against the A's in a start last year, so technically the A's have sen him.

Here are his stats from 6 games last year:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=6401

"Pitching," "Phenom" and "Texas" just don't sound right here.

But the A's have made worse pitchers look like Cy Young.

by oaktownmario on Aug 7, 2006 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"seen him"

by oaktownmario on Aug 7, 2006 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Isn't that because

they've given away a lot of their "pitching phenoms" by way of trades.

"I don't know if you know but France made it to the World Cup final. They all tested positive for being assholes" -Lance Armstrong

by sf drift king on Aug 7, 2006 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not sure . . .

Who are you referring to? I can't honestly think of any recently.

by oaktownmario on Aug 7, 2006 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chris Young.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Aug 7, 2006 1:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You don't honestly think Chris Young

is a "pitching penom" do you?

Yes, he's had a solid year (9-5, 3.78 era) for the Padres in a weak league (with only 6 - 7 real hitters per lineup) and weak division, but "pitching phenom." C'mon.

by oaktownmario on Aug 7, 2006 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mostly tongue in cheek.

Young is the best pitcher the Rangers have given up lately, and -- like you said -- he's not exactly a phenom.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Aug 7, 2006 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

he also

went 1 - 2 with an ERA over 8 trying to win the #5 spot during ST...I wouldn't use the word "phenom" when describing this guy...this year is really his 1st decent, full year in the minors.

But if your life is such a big joke, then why should I care?

by johnspaz7 on Aug 7, 2006 1:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs