Well, I Think That Went Well
by baseballgirl on Aug 12, 2007 1:35 PM PDT
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PrintAssuming, of course, we completely ignore the bottom of the second. After the A’s put a 2-spot on the board for Braden in the top of the inning via a homerun off the bat of Marco Scutaro (who had quite a day), Dallas Braden absolutely imploded in rather impressive fashion. His bad inning saw eight runs score, started and ended by a bookend pair of homeruns by Ordonez. I think it qualifies as a bad inning when you have the same player homer off you twice in the same inning. I don’t think that has happened since 1955. (My source for that stat is Rex Hudler; please take it for what it is worth.)
Lugo, Calero and Marshall weren’t that bad, giving up three runs between them the rest of the game, and thanks to Marco Scutaro’s banner day, the A’s managed to throw a six-spot onto the board. But thank you very much to Dallas Braden; it was only about half of what they needed. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s two pretty lousy pitching performances in one series. The A’s simply don’t have the offense to win games with more than six runs very often.
And if I was running SportsCenter’s webgems tonight, I would absolutely have to include Jack Cust in the highlight reel, simply because as our outfield watched hit after hit drop in front of them, Cust used all of his power and all of his baseball skills to dive (and successfully catch) the flare out to his field. It was a beautiful play considering all the factors.
And I must offer a correction from this morning’s opening thread: The A’s and Tigers actually hook up one more time tomorrow, so the A’s still have a chance to even this series. We’ll see you back here for all the action. Hopefully Buck will be with us.
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Fernando Tatis...
didn't he once hit two grand slams for the Cardinals in the same inning? My memory is probably failing me.
Yes, 1999 against Chan Ho Park
Link here
Wait, there was a bottom of the 2nd today?
I thought I had successfully blocked that from my memory.
I bailed in the 7th today, but glad to see we chipped away a little bit more at the lead, although that may lead to negative runs tomorrow. Who knows with these guys. I know as soon as I said this the other night Scoot got tagged with an error, but he really is starting to settle down now that he's playing regularly. It's been a nice surprise to watch him.
All in all - thank goodness for our infield today.
Scutaro is horrible at 3B
he does not have the arm, the instincts, or the confidence. He butchers routine plays, I cringe every time the ball is hit to him. I believe 3B is where Crosby's future may lie
Um, ok.
I don't think he's Eric Chavez on D or anything. BUT he does seem to perform better when he plays with some semblace of regularity, and he has been providing us with good offense as of late.
sorry
to be so blunt- the welts from the last two days are still tender
I'm still at a loss as to what you mean by
Crosby's future at third. At this point I think it's safe to say that Crosby's future in baseball is in doubt period. Why would a guy who can't hit decently for a SS have any future at 3B?
true dat
I am just trying to find the best place for him if the A's decide to stick with him. He does have alot to prove
IF the A's decide to stick with him,
the best place for him is SS.
Crosby at Third????
Yea hopefully on the Rivercat's....
We need to brorrow some bats from the River Cats!
- They don't break every 2 minutes &
- They Just put up a 10-spot in the 6th inning!!
Btw - This guy Piedra's stats look more and more impressive...
And one more thing - and this is probably a dumb question - Is anybody going to the A's games in Tampa? I'll be there for a couple of them...
by anAfromfaraway on Aug 12, 2007 2:05 PM PDT reply actions
Another Beane reclamation project
Piedra had a few good years in Colorado but they were tainted by a suspension for steroids.
I think we'll see him in September callups, but not before then. He's not on the 40-man roster, and this late in the season with no playoffs in sight, there's no reason to even consider moving him there.
Where The Rays (and A's) Don't Play
The Rays play in St. Petersburg, not Tampa... though I suppose if the A's were the "San Francisco Bay Athletics", folks from out of town might ask "Going to San Francisco to see the A's?"
chinks
It seemed like many of the Tiger's hits in the 2nd inning off of Braden were little chinkers. The Tigers scored their second run, for example, on a weak chop over the mound that Ellis could only play to first. I still hope the A's let Braden have a few more starts. Is he throwing his screwball?
by AlBowe on Aug 12, 2007 2:51 PM PDT reply actions
doesn't matter about the Scrooge
Braden can't control his fastball. he has a devastating changeup though. if he could control the heat he would be a very viable option as a starter because the kid has stones.
LOL!
Major LOL! Anyone watching the Nats and Diamondbacks? Holy crap. Serious LOL!
no
what happened? I need a good laugh
by SwisherThresher on Aug 12, 2007 3:09 PM PDT up reply actions
I won't do it justice.
You need to see video. But I'll try.
Owings is pitching for AZ, who is up 5-0, I believe. Top 5, two out. Belliard walks, bringing up Tony Batista. First pitch, Batista is hit on the hand or arm. He spins out of the batter's box, sort of runs in a circle and charges the mound. AZ's catcher, Chris Snyder, runs after Batista. Half way to the mound, Batista runs to first. Snyder then runs to the mound and talks to Owings like that's what he was doing the entire time. No one knew what was going on, but everyone was laughing his or her ass off.
Tony Batista is now up again.
thanks for the description!
I'll have to check the boxscore on MLB.com and watch that inning
by SwisherThresher on Aug 12, 2007 5:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Gracie's quote:
"Well, that was interesting."
He did that in Japan too!
If it's the same Batista I'm thinking of (huge open stance?).
He did that in Japan a couple years ago. It's on youtube...
by Travis Buck Nuckin on Aug 12, 2007 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Yes, that Batista.
That's almost exactly what happened!
BTW, futs?
Sounds like I picked an excellent game to miss
today. Problem is, there have been far to many of those this year.
Memory, don't fail me know!
Anyone else remember this? Was he even a switch hitter? (I'm at the San Jose Jazz Festival right now, or I'd research it myself...)
by PositionPlayerProd on Aug 12, 2007 4:03 PM PDT reply actions
You're close
But Mueller actually hit grand slams from both sides of the plate, albeit in back to back innings. Of course he did it in Arlington (where, as we all know, traditional baseball goes to die), but it's still a pretty impressive feat.
1955
According to Yahoo! Sports, that was the last (and only other) time a Tiger, that one being Al Kaline, hit two homers in an inning. (No word in the article on whether Kaline hit both against the same pitcher.)
According to the same story, the last person to hit two homers in an inning off the same pitcher was Juan Rivera (MON), June 19 2004, against Arnie Munoz (CWS). So, it's not that uncommon. Which isn't to say that it doesn't make, as you said, for a bad inning (on the part of the pitcher).
Turns out Kaline did it against the KC A's.
Unfortunately Retrosheet doesn't have boxscores up from 1955.
I missed most of the game
I tuned in late. Therefore, I don't believe this is Cust:
It must be Buck and a good Photochop job :)
by SwisherThresher on Aug 12, 2007 5:10 PM PDT reply actions
Why isn't anyone talking about Murphy?
Donny Murphy made two unbelievable plays at SS the last two days diving for balls in the hole, jumping up, and throwing lasers to 1B both times. I don't believe he got the runner either time but the fact it was even close was amazing. This guy has alot of web gems ahead of him- I wouldn't mind it at all if he gets most of the time at SS the rest of the way. Plus, he already has great DP chemistry with Ellis. Way fun to watch!
Every SS
has great DP chemistry with Ellis. It's part of what makes Ellis great.
Excellent point
By contrast, the year Ellis was out with the Crosby'd shoulder we heard a whole lot about middle infield chemistry.
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Aug 12, 2007 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Bengie Molina did it earlier this year
for the Gigantes against Oliver Perez. (Although, before that the last time a Giant had done it was in something like 1975.)
Tough one for Braden
He's not quite ready. Send him down when Loaiza comes back next week. Way to go Scutaro! And what a catch by Cust. I think Donnie Murphy is awesome and should definitely play every day.
by A'sfansince1970 on Aug 12, 2007 6:26 PM PDT reply actions
SportsCenter did play Cust's catch
Or maybe it was Baseball Tonight...anyway, watched it in an oyster bar in Boston. Great stuff. On the way in to the bar we passed a couple of Red Sox fans earnestly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
"They're only FOUR GAMES behind."
"Yes, and last week they were SEVEN GAMES behind."
"We're doomed."
hahhaha..
I live in Boston too.
I bet someone at my work that the Yankees would finish within 3 games of Boston...they thought I was "wicked re-tah-did" back then...Looks like I'll be right.
by Travis Buck Nuckin on Aug 12, 2007 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Beane's decision
Looks like the way Murphy is playing it going to give Beane a tough decision in the offseason. Who does he trade?? Scutaro, Crosby, or Murphy?? I don't see Ellis being traded. I would vote for Crosby but he will be getting more money next year and the takers will be scarce. How about crosby to the giants for a minor leaguer? Vizquel might not be back and they need a SS.
Oh that it would be true
the A's part ways with Crosby, he now becomes expensive and from what we have seen no improvement in sight. I can just hear Fosse in June next year while Crosby is hitting .230 telling us how Crosby has missed two years and it takes time to get your timing back, then he gets hurt again and we do it the following year, I have seen enough. Let him go to the NL and become a star, even Kendall hits in the NL.
by china bob on Aug 12, 2007 9:05 PM PDT up reply actions
I know Fosse Kills me
with his blind love for Crosby..... Sort of reminds me of when Peter Gammons picked Crosby for Al MVP on baseball tonight before the 2005 season. I just don't know what to think about Crosby anymore.... I wish he would be the player that Fosse insists that he is but I just do not see it. He has NO discipline at the plate, his D is solid, but he is no Ozzie Smith, and if your not the Wizard, than a .220 avg with 15 HR is not gonna cut it at short. At least not if you want your team to contend....
Crosby...
...Every time I almost throw in the towel with Crosby, I check his baseballcube page and see his minor league stats. Then I look at his college stats. And I ask myself, "WHY THE HELL CAN'T HE HAVE A NORMAL PROGRESSION LIKE TRAVIS BUCK, NICK SWISHER, AND ERIC CHAVEZ (before he started sucking)??????????????????"...
I hate to agree with Fosse (who IS annoying w/ his Crosbylove), but I think Cros could have been a superstar/mvp talent if he hadn't had so many unfortunate injuries. I mean he didn't OPS .916 in AAA by luck.
Sad thing is that it's probably too late with Crosby. He'll probably never progress like he would have.
by Travis Buck Nuckin on Aug 12, 2007 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions
i think it's becoming quite clear...
that crosby's aaa stats were a fluke b/c they don't fit with his A+, AA and major league stats.
so i do think his aaa stats were luck or a fluke. it's not normal to make a 140 point jump in ops from aa to aaa. and now we know it was anomalous.
but i'm also a very biased crosby h8er
Re: Crosby's AAA stats as fluke
Well, his AAA numbers are a much bigger sample size than his A+/AA stats which were split between one season. Still, he had decent AVG and OBP numbers at all stops but his power went way up in AAA. Either way, he hit the ball at all levels and hit with power his rookie year and appeared to be a good enough "all around" hitter his second year to inherit the three hole in the batting order for years to come.
Then like 5 impact injuries later he's barely a 7 hole hitter. I would DEFINITELY say it's more likely that his injuries messed him up than the idea that he was a fluke in AAA...
by Travis Buck Nuckin on Aug 12, 2007 11:11 PM PDT up reply actions
i disagree...
1.) his ba and obp at A+ and AA were not good. a major league talent hits better than .280 or .300 at the lower levels of the minor leagues. compare his number to travis buck's numbers, which pointed to major league level talent. there will be degradation from minor league results to the major leagues and that makes crosby's low minors stats not so good.
2.) his rookie year slg % was .426. i would not call that hitting with power.
3.) his 2005 stats were cruddy except for a 5 week stretch in which he went on a hot streak. by the way, his hot streak happened against the NL teams that didn't have a good scouting report on him. other than that stretch, his '05 stats point to levels of production similar to '06 and '07. anybody hoping his stats improve in '08 or '09 is just asking to be disappointed.
he wasn't hurt when he put up mediocre stats in the minors. he wasn't hurt when he put up mediocre numbers in his rookie year. his 2005 stats were weak except for a hot streak against the nl. so we're hanging our hat on his AAA stats and his '05 stats that don't fit with the rest of his results. i'll take the under on him as a major league talent.
I know Crosby isn't Pujols
His rookie power numbers weren't off the map, but would I take 22hr and 34doubles from our starting shortstop? Sure I would.
And he played only 59(!) games in AA, and sure his numbers there don't project to being a superstar, but what do you feel is more indicative an athletes true performance: 59 games in AA at age 22 or, 111 games in AAA at age 23?
Look up Nick Swisher's low level stats. They're awful.
49 games in Visalia .240/.340/.399
57 games in Midland .220/.321/.360
by Travis Buck Nuckin on Aug 13, 2007 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Those are about Swish's major league
numbers since the All-Star break. :-(
dude,
if you're going to argue, make sense.
his number sucked after mid year promotions but in his next year at those same levels he blew up.
he went from a- to a+ and yes his number sucked. to start the next year in a+, he hit .296/.418/.550.
again mid year he got promoted to aa and struggled. the following year, he went to aaa and hit .269/.406/.537.
yes, his batting average sucked but he's an obp/slg % guy. beane will take a high obp even if its delivered with a subpar ba.
lastly, i didn't introduce swisher into the discussion. YOU DID. you're the one that liked his progression. now you're saying his low minors numbers sucked? dude. c'mon.
When I said progression...
...I was simply referring to AAA-->Majors. (AA-->Majors for Travis). I probably didn't make it clear. Then we were talking about how you thought his AAA numbers were a fluke because he sucked in A, AA. THen I posted Swisher's as a way of saying it is possible for a player to struggle in low levels and do well in AAA and have their numbers progress from AAA-->MLB. That's all I was trying to say.
by Travis Buck Nuckin on Aug 13, 2007 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions
gotcha...
but i still disagree. swisher is a high obp and slg % hitter. his ba is irrelevant. he's maintained his obp and slg % at a high level at every level that he's played. college, low minors, high minors and the majors.
i don't doubt that crosby's progress has been stunted by injuries. but based on the numbers that i've seen, i doubt he would've developed into anything that we'd be proud of. in order for me to be impressed, crosby would need to put together consecutive seasons of success and he hasn't since college. heck, i wouldn't call his 1995 or his AAA season successes either. they were absolutely average. therefore, any success he has should be called a fluke. the good/great players make it obvious and i don't see that in crosby.
i apologize for my aggressive tone earlier. didn't mean it. crosby inspires me to be evil.
hahaha...
..that's because Cros is a touchy subject. Obviously replacing Tejada was hard enough.
Even if Crosby could duplicate his rookie year for the remainder of his contract I'd be happy.
His rookie year 6.4 WARP3 ain't bad, and it sure as hell beats anything that Scutaro, Murphy, or any SS we could afford will ever put up.
I understand the agression. My mom always tells me, don't ever discuss politics, religion, or Bobby Crosby with strangers. :-/
by Travis Buck Nuckin on Aug 13, 2007 8:45 PM PDT up reply actions
His development has been...
hindered by the injuries, but I believe more of it has to do with his attitude and approach. He either won't make the necessary adjustments or he's just plain dumb when it comes to hitting. It seems like he's the only one who doesn't see what he's doing wrong. That's the frustrating part.
by alamedagirl on Aug 12, 2007 11:03 PM PDT up reply actions
i disagree
his development may have been stunted by his injuries, but he was never performing at a very high level in pro baseball.
he had a fluke year in AAA and 5 good weeks in 2005 in the major leagues. other than that, his numbers have not been indicative of a major league level talent.
i do agree that he's not helping himself with his approach and his hard headedness. the problem is that at the age of 27, he should be reacting not thinking. changing his approach at this time will take him another 2 years to adjust.
the same thing is true of chavez. he's been hurt and its stunted his performance. also, opponents have picked out his weakness and he hasn't been able to adjust at all. injuries or stubborness? i don't know but both guys are very hard to watch.
crosby can't see
Watching him hit is like watching a blind man swatting a fly. He probably has bad eyesite like his dada and needs glasses. He lunges at balls off the plate like he doesn't see they are on the outside part of the plate. Myabe his ego is so big he doesn't want to wear glasses but watching him bat you can tell he can't see the ball clearly.
Even a blind man doesn't
try to swat a fly when the fly is on the other side of the room.
Ordonez - meh
Why, just the other day, Suzuki struck out twice in the same inning. When was the last time that happened? Huh? HUH?
Braden Sucks
Come on, I'd rather have Kennedy back, NOT, Give someone else a shot. Enough of Dallas Braden.
by Huskerland A s Fan on Aug 13, 2007 9:43 AM PDT reply actions
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