The A's showing against the Mariners in two games exposes a disturbing trend that does not bode well unless changes are made.  The obvious one is the offense.  There is no punch, but even worse, a lack of plate discipline.  Exhibit A was the Buck strike out in the 8th inning.  He just kept swinging as each pitch went higher out of the strike zone.

Defense.  Terrible.  How many games in a row with an error is it....10!   Even the reliable Mark Ellis made  minor league plays on the double plays in both the third and eighth innings.  It is stating the obivious that you can not give up outs.  No team has enough talent to be successful throwing away as many outs as the A's have been doing.

Pitching.  Lenny DiNardo is regressing to his average, which is terrible.  He could not find the plate at all, and even walked one of the worst hitters on the Mariners, Willie Bloomquist.  You don't have to be clever with a hitter like Bloomquist, just get the ball over the plate.  That is all Silva did, and the A's got themselves out over and over again.  DiNardo should not be on this team with a performance like tonight.

The optomism of the recently concluded road trip has faded away....someone pull off the bridge.