Melhuse, You Got It Only Half Right...
by louismg on May 27, 2007 2:07 PM PDT
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PrintLook out everyone, the A's have a new leading home run hitter. After seeing his lengthy locks shorn in the most recent homestand, I was concerned that Nick Swisher would have seen the source of his power drained away with every scissor snip. But we've learned that when all else fails, a quick visit to Camden Yards will do ya good, as Swisher bombed a three run shot for his third home run in as many days against the Birds.
With the home run, Swisher raised his season total to 9, trumping the once-heroic Jack Cust, whose 8 home runs remained steady as the A's designated hitter went 0-10 on the series, seeing his once lofty average continue its freefall all the way down to .231. Was the mighty Cust a one-week wonder? Or is even he allowed a slump?
Which brings me to the next topic - finding hitting options where there weren't any before. Adam Melhuse, in an extremely rare start, was two for three, with a walk, raising his average to .227, and reminding us that, yes, you can actually get offense from the catching position. Unfortunately for us, and for Adam's cause, his pitch calling and throwing didn't do him any favors, as Joe Blanton got tagged for 8 runs and 10 hits in 6 innings, with five stolen bases (none caught) thrown in. A nice shutout could have quieted those Kendall apologists still out there who claim our sub-Mendoza marvel is the better option behind the plate. Adam, thanks for the offense, but you missed a great opportunity to help your cause in a big way.
And Miggy? Why does thou hate us so? We preferred the time when you were an easy out against us (see: Friday's game) and not this new model who posted the Orioles' first two runs on the board, putting the A's in a deficit from which they would never recover. We didn't like yesterday's homer either, so cut it out. As for Mora's homer, we get that. The man's got six mouths to feed at home and has to put food on the table. More power to him. Should we ever be ahead comfortably against the Orioles in future games, I wouldn't go against our staff grooving a pitch to the man now and again.
But by Joe, just when we thought we could win today's game, following Swisher's blast, we had to have our hopes crushed again. After Melhuse couldn't throw out Roberts or Patterson in a double steal on a day when the O's ran wild, Markakis finished us off with a 3-run bomb. And that's not approved.
With the series complete, the A's see their record fall to one below .500, a full six games behind the hated Halos. But don't you worry, May is almost over, and the calendar gods will shine our way soon. Right?
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A bad day with Melhuse
Is worth two decent days of Kendall.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 2:16 PM PDT reply actions
I'd like to think so...
I'm a huge Melhuse fan. But I'd take 0-4 from Jason if the pitcher throws a shutout. And unfortunately for Adam, Jason is seen as this demi-god when it comes to game calling. A Blanton/Melhuse shutout with Adam going 2-3 would have been an excellent development.
I agree with you
But Kendall can't get anyone out either and hasn't called an extrordinary amount of shutouts either. I want Melhuse to do well in all areas but its hard when you got your last start, like 10 days ago.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions
As I recall we gave up 8 runs yesterday too
when Kendall was behind the plate. The only obvious difference between today's catcher & yesterday's was the offensive performance. Part of the equation necessary for Kendall's 0-4 with "good game calling" to be tolerated is if the offense provides us with more runs than we give up 60/70% of the time, not %50. You can say all you want for the injuries and it would be valid, but as a whole we're giving up too much offensive because of injury, right now we don't need to give up even more from the guy behind the plate.
Melhuse
Kendall let 29 straight runners steal so I think Melhuse should get a break. Melhuse should get more playing time. Im so passionate about this I want to write a letter to Melhuse telling him he has support and to stay positive even though its hard.
It's time to break out the Excel
I started doing this to show Adam's record behind the plate as well as at the plate. Today being the exception, I think some would be surprised how little the results differ between him and Kendall. Only problem is "small sample size", of course.
Can you add this to documentation
For the questions for Geren? Ohh Ohh, we could do a power point presentation! I'm only slightly joking.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 2:26 PM PDT up reply actions
yeah but
a bunch of Melhuse's starts were with the good versions of Hudson, Zito, Mulder you know the Big Three. His lifetime stats aren't very good and he is 35. Kendall's lifetime stats are very good. The A's in recent history have been a team that does not speak ill of someone while on the team, once they leave they let it fly though, i.e. Damian Miller, Ken Macha. I think it speaks volumes that you never hear about Mehuse's game calling or pitcher handling abilities from the A's pitching staff. There is a reason he is a 35 year old back up. Also catcher is a position you don't really expect much offence from. Only because of the other positions players offensive woes does it magnifies Kendall's poor performance. I also believe that by the team’s management seeming indifference to Kendall’s poor performance to date can only really be explained by that he is hurt and playing through it with there full knowledge and support.
by Athletics Fan In London on May 27, 2007 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions
If Kendall is hurt
He needs to sit out. I'm not saying that Melhuse is starting material but whatever is wrong with Kendall is effecting the whole team. You need an offensive catcher right now since the offense is less than stellar. I have heard pitchers say that Melhuse is good but you're not going to say you prefer Melhuse to Kendall in front of Kendall. Not unless you really want black eye.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions
Kendall's not hurt.
He looks no different now than he did last year or the year before except now his weak little dribblers aren't finding holes. I think the fact that catching all those game over his career is finally starting to catch up with him.
by Helloooo 1st on May 27, 2007 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions
A blogwriter
suspects that Kendall had secret surgery (twice) on a hand ligament back in Fall 2001. That writer claimed Kendall hurt it in April 2001, and played the whole time hurt.
Perhaps after five years, it's finally come home to roost.
by One won lost won on May 27, 2007 4:43 PM PDT up reply actions
that wouldn't surprise me at all
Not that I'm necessarily endorsing the speculation ...
And speaking of speculation, I'm still of the opinion that Kendall could potentially be suffering from repeat concussions. In which case he should immediately sit for his own safety.
and by immediately sit
you mean immediately retire. Multiple concussions are not something to mess with.
Really
Poor Matheny found out the hard way.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 7:11 PM PDT up reply actions
He might not look different
but his stats and peripherals are different, big time. He has already struck out almost half the total of what he did all last season in a little less than 2 months. He is not walking at all and contrary to belief Kendall does (did) hit doubles. Now with good old fashioned scouting logic it means he has lost a tremendous amount of bat speed and has to cheat the ball which has dramatically reduced his walks while increasing his strike outs. He must swing much earlier to hit a fastball so now he does not have the same amount of time to wait on the ball hat he did before so he is swinging at more bad pitches. The lack of doubles is the big giveaway. Even last year he hit 22 doubles and slugged .342. No doubles is a big giveaway that his bat has slowed considerably. I don't think catching so many games has anything to do with it. Catching affects the legs, knee’s and lowers back. If his legs or knees were bad or hurting he would be running much slower and you would see it with him behind the plate. I have a hunch that there is something wrong with his left arm, wrist, hand or upper back. It is bad enough to affect his swing but not bad enough to keep him from catching.
by Athletics Fan In London on May 27, 2007 5:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Interesting
But it IS effecting him behind the plate. He can't throw anyone out. Your analysis might be right about his wrist. Regardless, he needs to sit on the bench a little more.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Having caught a lot
by Helloooo 1st on May 27, 2007 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Catching is brutal...
but the implication is not that he's "injured," but that a past injury has been exacerbated, and/or is the cause of his total loss of power...
by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on May 27, 2007 10:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Things I Sort of Expect in June
- Angels will cool off a little bit: if they were to go "stone cold swoon" that would be ideal, but we'll settle for some normal cooling.
- Athletics get healthy or healthier: maybe not 100 percent but I'm looking for Bradley, Duke, Kotsay back by maybe the Minnesota series; then we will need Street back for sure; and eventually Piazza, Kielty, Snelling and our exiled pitchers Harden and Loaiza; some trades or releases may be in order if there is an outfield logjam.
- Athletics will start their usual "streak" sometime in June.
If these things happen, we will get back into the race. If not, we will be like the Yankees appear in the East, with dwindling hopes in the face of a surging opponent. But I'm hoping for the former. :)
by Randy Bell on May 27, 2007 2:33 PM PDT reply actions
Agree on all these...
but I'm doubtful of Loaiza coming back effective, Harden and (to a lesser extent) Street coming back at all. I think we can still put it together without them though. Our pitching has been there for the most part and if the offense finally takes the pressure off them, they'll do fine with the re-addition of Duke.
Street ..
Agree, with the caveat: IMHO we cannot succeed (longterm) without Street .. Harden will probably be back but how long he will stay is the question. Loaiza was able to get back last year and be effective in the 2nd half but that torn meniscus surely doesn't sound like something he can pitch through successfully - time will tell. Robert Buan keeps saying he thinks Street will be back - (he says he has talked to Street himself) - but we as fans have to just wait and hope .. I think we're in trouble if we're without our closer for any extended period of time - but I'd love to be proven wrong - actually I'd love, we'd all love, to see Huston back, and not have to speculate on how it will go without him. :)
by Randy Bell on May 27, 2007 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions
These days I'm not really
sure how much someone like Buan would actually know, but I think we can survive long-term without Street ONLY if we have a fully functioning Duke. Where Gaudin has made Harden's lost easier, Duke would/could have done the same for Street. Without both we don't have much of a chance.
Trying to make meaningful comparison ..
Athletics are without:
- Kotsay (CF)
- Street (closer)
- Duke (setup man)
- Bradley (RF/CF)
- Piazza (DH)
- Harden, Loaiza (SPs)
- Kielty, Snelling (backup OF)
- Connor Robertson (RP)
Angels are without:
- Izturis (3B/2B)
- Garrett Anderson (LF)
- Justin Speier (RP)
- Juan Rivera (LF/CF)
Above lists ignore DeNorfia of the A's and McPherson of the Angels, as insignificant factors. But imagine if the Angels were also missing:
- K-Rod (closer)
- Shields (setup man)
- Colon, Santana (SPs)
(One could substitute Escobar or Weaver for Colon). That might even things up a bit talent-wise, dontcha think? I'm not making excuses for the A's performance to date, nor am I wishing any of the Angels players to get hurt, I'm only saying we have been playing much of this month with less than a full deck - let's wait until June and see how we match up with some of our regulars back. :)
by Randy Bell on May 27, 2007 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions
I believe that besides the guys you listed
for the Angels, Kendrick, Figgins, Colon, Weaver, Escobar also missed time.
Right - my listing was based only on current DLs
Athletics:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/oa...
Angels:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/la...
I didn't mention Dan Johnson of the Athletics either - he has missed time but is not on current injury list. :)
by Randy Bell on May 28, 2007 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions
Hard to tell on radio
The A's should have had a lot more than 4 runs off Cabrera. Three failed attempts at productive outs (Chavez twice, Cust once), and a baserunning blunder by Johnson didn't help. It sounds like the A's pitching, hitting, and defense (Scutaro) all left quite a bit to be desired.
One more series without Kotsay, Bradley, and Duke, and then we'll see what this team is made of--which includes seeing whether the latter two can even stay healthy.
Regarding Vince...
I did not a lot of dead air. I swear at one point it sounded like this:
"And Flores throws the 1-2 pitch, outside, 2 and 2."
Pause... crickets.
"And Flores winds up with the 2-2 pitch."
Korach, Fosse, anybody else would have kept talking between pitches. Did Vince run out of stuff to say?
It's Play-by-play 101
Listening on the radio
Makes me too nervous. I like the commentary but can't stand the silences.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Exactly
That is the kind of foul ball call that annoys me to no end. Bill King used to do it more than occasionally.
How about, "Swung on and hit foul. Just a little bloop, traveling just over the coach's box at first base, and no chance for Konerko to catch up with it."
???
I don't recall whose style it was, but I like it best:
"...and the two-two-pitch...FOULED. Fouled at the plate, dribbling toward the A's dugout."
For me, the sooner you indicate that it is foul, the better it is. Korach usually limits his filler up to the actual word "foul" but he still does the "extended description" from time-to-time. Vince is waaaay too much filler, too frequently.
I haven't heard Vin Scully in a while, but as I recall, he pretty much gets the foul call in there right away.
I also don't like that "wide of first" or "wide of third" call either. To me, that is not an indication of fair or foul.
by One won lost won on May 27, 2007 3:08 PM PDT up reply actions
as oposed to Buan ...
... who apparently has only taken Play-by-Play 666.
I was unfortunate enough
to witness this game in the 94-degree heat, and you're right: There wasn't anything Melhuse could have done to prevent those steals.
engrossed in work at the time
so I wait til I get home to check the outcome. So bad, so sad.
You caused us to lose
pants, gasp, sweat on brow, flush
reviews time sheet....no I was still in the office when the final out came. (gee fellows, what's the Bungo Straits?)*
*Run Silent Run Deep. Rube sailor on submarine picks Bungo Straits for destination guessing pool....not knowing that is death trap...is shunned by crew.
Talk about bad pitching, Saarlos
crashed today. Started for Cincinnati, didn't get anyone out! Five runs in "Zero" innings. Never got out of the first inning, and the Pirates won 14-10.
I wonder if Blanton has any explanation about today's performance. He's had games even with Kendall where it's all gone bad. So I would not nec lay it at Melhuse's feet.
Cust must've been pressing with family in attendance. He needs to get with Ty vB and get some strategy that gives him confidence, now that the league is pitching him well.
by One won lost won on May 27, 2007 2:57 PM PDT reply actions
Poor Capt Kirk
I think Cust needs some confidence building as well. I hope he's not a fluke. You want to see a guy like that succeed.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions
Bonds just hit one so maybe our Cust will too
maybe against good texas pitching! :)
by Randy Bell on May 27, 2007 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions
I think the explanation
What makes Blanton especially valuable is that even when he gets lit up he can give you 6 IP, which we really need right now. But he was due to hit a wall and he has the last two starts. I expect he'll rebound and pitch fine.
Agree - he had to come down to earth a bit
.. but he's an innings eater and our little 4-lefties RiverCats pen, with only a few seasoned MLB hurlers still standing out there, doesn't need to get taxed ..
by Randy Bell on May 27, 2007 3:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Blanton
will bounce back. Heck, he might end up with the most wins again this year.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions
There are basically 2 types of backup catchers
Guys who provide a little pop off the bench and defensive specialists (if they did both well enough at least some of the time, they'd be starting). Melhuse is pop-bat guy. The A's have been focusing on defense and pitching to compensate for mediocre offense, and Kendall is a part of that. The differences between Kendall and Melhuse's offensive capabilities are nothing relative to the chasm of differences in their respective defensive games.
They can't sacrifice consistent quality behind the plate for a .250 average (at best) from either side of it.
I respectfully disagree
This year the chasm between Melhuse and Kendall has shortened defensively. He can't throw anyone out and he can't bat. Therefore Melhuse is a good alternative at least once a week. If not two. Kendall needs to sit out, if only to help him do better when he is behind the dish.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions
hey, everybody...
THEY BOTH SUCK!
There, I said it...
by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on May 27, 2007 6:23 PM PDT up reply actions
albeit...
Kendall seems to call less hanging curveballs than Melhuse does...
by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on May 27, 2007 6:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Good point--now tell us
Colby Lewis
sucks slightly harder than Erasmo Ramirez...
I'm thinking that if someone had to be dropped from the 40-man to bring up Ramirez, they shoulda just brought up Ziegler...
by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on May 27, 2007 6:26 PM PDT up reply actions
Speaking of whom,
In any event, I think the
The situational hitting needs to be better, because the A's don't have a lot of ways/chances to score runs. If Chavy had lined to second one of his "second nobody out" ABs, I would say, "good AB, unfortunate result." But he and Cust gave away 3 ABs between them, Johnson gave up Scutaro's AB with a baserunning gaffe and Scutaro put Blanton in immediate trouble with a very poor fielding decision.
It happens, but when your team is missing so much of its talent you have be a lot closer to fundamentally perfect than the A's were this weekend.
True Enough
The fundamentals are missing. There have been far too many gaffes, not just this weekend, but this season as a whole. Having so many starters either out or performing below expectations is frustrating at best. The Melhuse/Kendall thing is merely a symptom of a bigger problem.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 5:43 PM PDT up reply actions
hey, everybody...
THEY ALL SUCK!
There, I said it...
Mind you, this is not a permanent state of being...
It's just May-itis.
by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on May 27, 2007 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions
for Cust, anyway ...
... I don't know if traditional "situational hitting" is such a great idea. Yes, he's in a bit of a tailspin right now; and yes, with the A's low SLG, they need all the sac flies and oppo-field dribblers they can get; but it seems to me that if we start mucking with Cust's Moneyberg-to-the-Nth-degree plate approach, we'd likely lose what little value we can still squeeze out of him offensively.
Me, I'm willing to see Cust strike out (especially looking) with men on base, so long as it keeps him relatively consistent at the plate (i.e., 3 true outcomes, around .240/.350./.480).
Agreed, and also:
.240/.350/.480 is a reasonable projection for him going forward (I'd say a tad low since he did better the year in Baltimore and has done better thus far), and that is plenty of offensive value.
yeah, I'm just ...
... trying to keep my expectations low so that I'm pleasantly surprised all over again when Cust hits his next hot streak.
Which, I'm guessing, will come during the next interleague swath (fewer breaking balls, fewer AL-devoted scouting reports).
the issue with Cust
is his approach. I know he's been praised on this site for "waiting for his pitch" which is good, but when you can only hit fastballs, you're not going to see a lot of them 0-2, 1-2, 2-2 in the count. He gets a lot of first pitch fastballs, so maybe he should be open to swinging at those rather than waiting for pitch #3 to swing at something. In general his approach is correct, but I'm not sure it matches his talents, ie only hitting fastballs.
damien miller....he was around before
i got badly infected with AN....what was the take on him?
Users 1-154, your recollections?
by FreeSeatUpgrade on May 27, 2007 6:56 PM PDT up reply actions
I am not a number!
I am a free monkey!
I'd rather discuss the tree
that just spontaneously combusted and not waste my time discussing the bulldozers ready to deforest our green & gold forest that the tree is in.
And even though he can't hit right now
Kendall's presence stabilizes the team, as does Kotsay's, who is coming back Friday (yay!) thank goodness. The team overall seems to respond better to normalcy, and Kendall is normalcy. Let's get the Rangers tomorrow! And C'mon Mariners, beat the stupid Angels!
by A'sfansince1970 on May 27, 2007 6:16 PM PDT reply actions
I really do believe that when
1. Bradley and Duke stay healthy
2. Other guys don't get hurt
Really we need to clean house ..
.. not just the medical staff but whoever is in charge of mystical warfare is just, well, failing miserably. Why cannot anyone conjure a sufficient spell or curse to even the playing field with the Angels? Why do we have to get struck with higher incidence of injury bug? Fire that bum in charge of hexes and curses, he couldn't slow down one of the Angels' old grandmas much less any of their players .. totally ineffective! ..
by Randy Bell on May 27, 2007 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions
"It's my first day?"
I'm not going to belabor this
Because people who post prophesies of doom over and over again get tiresome. But I'm not expecting much of a summer hot streak this year. The previous pattern's always been: underachieve in April/May at a losing clip, then overachieve in a good hot summer run to get back into/on top of the division. But this year, the A's are already overachieving...dramatically, even...to a .500-ish opening eight weeks result despite the myriad injuries. The 2007 version of the hot streak we "always" see in the summer may in fact be the spring months we've already seen.
Hoping for Loaiza and Kotsay to save us, for example, feels just a bit desperate.
by FreeSeatUpgrade on May 27, 2007 7:03 PM PDT up reply actions
It is desperate
But desperate times calls for desperate wishful thinking.
by mlleaimee on May 27, 2007 7:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Also
we just finished up a long stretch that was the easiest part of the schedule (TB 6, KC 7, Bal 3, SF 3) where we actually lost ground. If they make another run, it would be pretty surprising, especially since the guys likely to come back soon (Bradley, Kotsay, Duke) aren't enough to make us a better team than the Angels who have a nice head start.
I don't really buy the
If the A's get healthy and are playing well, they can beat better teams easier than they could do much against the weaker teams in May.
But it's pretty tough to
go on the kind of run they'll need to against good competition, especially since the Angels are just better (and a 7-deep rotation makes them fairly losing-streak-proof). I would bet at this point that the Angels finish ahead of one of Detroit/Cleveland.
But I guess I wouldn't really want to say that the schedule is a "key issue" especially since the entire league seems a lot weaker than last year. So... I'm not sure what my actual point is.
I think it's that when both teams
I do think the team Beane assembled for spring training was on par with the Angels, but that included Harden and Bradley, who have absolutely no track record of actually playing a lot of games.
I think the run the Angel's are on is as much
a fluke as it is anything special. They're running on all cyclinders right now but there's no guarantee they'll keep it up (good pitching or not). If Kotsay comes back healthy and is more 2004ish than 2006ish then that gives a strong solidity to our outfield, keeping Swish & Milton out of center. If Milton comes back and spends more time on the field than off for the rest of the season that makes an outfield of Kotsay, Swish & Bradley (great defensively, vastly improvedly offensively). It allows Buck, Johnson & Stewart to both fight it out for the last spot (3rd outfielder & 1st baseman) and gives the main trio plenty of opportunity to rest and stay healthy. It also allows Chavez to step further out of the limelight, all things that vastly improve our offense just with one or two guys back. If Duke comes back as Duke and not the reliever formerly known as Duke, that helps stabilize a bullpen both in need of it and a bullpen holding relatively stable all things considered. Getting these guys back and healthy could allow us to go on a tear, especially based on the treading water the guys we currently have are pulling off without them.
Completely agree
AND the Angels have had very little injuries. Surely the tide will turn. AND if and when we ever get Harden back... I haven't heard anything about him. Is he dead? Seriously, this team is competitive for the wild card without Rich and capable of winning the division with him and all the others coming back off the DL. The tide turns tomorrow night!
by A'sfansince1970 on May 27, 2007 9:48 PM PDT reply actions
I wouldn't say the Angels
I don't think the Angels are a fluke, either. I think they're a good team--but not as good as a 14-4 team, which is what they've been for the last 3 weeks. What goes up must come down; I don't see the Angels plummeting but I do see them returning to earth--or, as we like to say, "Jack Cust-ing".
Agreed and look at the home & division records ..
LAA is 17-6 at home including early sweeps of Texas and Seattle at home. Will they continue to play at a .739 winning percentage at home? If so then they deserve to win the division but let's hope their home record comes down to earth a bit. Meanwhile Oakland has got to, I mean absolutely has to, start winning at home! 11-12 at home doesn't cut it! Meanwhile LAA has pulled back to .500 (14-14) on the road. Early in the season they were losing on the road, that pattern may return but we'll see ..
Also let's hope for more competitive balance in the division: Seattle/Texas are a combined 2-11 against LAA and a combined 6-2 against us. That's a 4-game swing in the loss column right there (i.e. Sea/Tex beating us 6 times while only beating LAA 2 times). Somebody in this division other than Oakland has to start beating the Angels a few times. I'll be rooting for Seattle to make some dent right now ..
Finally, if the Angels continue a torrid pace at home, keep tearing up Seattle/Texas, and maintaining a .500 pace on the road - then tip your cap they deserve to win the divison but gosh I did not think their offense was this good? Come down to earth LAA and play like the good ol' boyz you seemed to be when we beat you twice here in Oakland in April and when Boston/Cleveland beat the stuffings out of you on the road ..
by Randy Bell on May 28, 2007 2:14 AM PDT up reply actions
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