I am sure that some of the AN regulars will be able to have fun with that Fanpost title -- but I want to say that in general I have been happy with Geren, his lineup decisions and usage of the bullpen.  My main point here is that I am getting a little upset by the fact that Geren does not seem to think that some of our guys need days off. 

First, I would like to point out that Kurt Suzuki is NOT Jason Kendall.  Even though he is young, he needs to take a day off more then once every three weeks.  He has appeared in 37 of 40 games this year (36 of those were starts).  He leads the entire MLB in innings and Games Started by catchers.  The second place catcher in both of those stats is.... Jason Kendall (stunned silence).  Should we really be running Suzuki out there this much?  Is the Bowen-Geren relationship somehow similar to the Macha-Melhuse one?  I am not saying we need to sit Suzuki because he is struggling offensively, but maybe he is struggling because he is not getting any rest at a very tough position to play every day.  I don't know about you, but it makes me VERY nervous to have a rookie catcher that is leading MLB in innings and starts.  Just not the way to keep him healthy.

Problem number two is Mark Ellis.  He is currently 4th in innings played by second basemen (and would be third if he had not missed yesterday's game with a pulled hamstring).  He has played in all 39 A's games prior to yesterdays injury, and started 38 of those games.  Maybe a day or two off would not have prevented the hamstring injury that might land him on the DL, but it could not have hurt.  Not to mention that Ellis has struggled a bit at the plate and a day or two off would also possibly help keep him rested. 

Finally, our oft-injured shortstop Bobby Crosby.  This is the guy that has been injured for us constantly throughout his career.  This is the guy that management wants us to believe that his health is a key for potential success this year.  Yet, this is also the guy that has not had ONE day off this year.  He has played (and started) all 40 games the A's have played this year.  He leads all of MLB in innings played at shortstop.  This is how we take care of one of our more fragile players?  Crosby has also not been hitting so great of late, and couldn't a day off here and there help keep his bat fresh and rested as well?

I realize the depth at middle infield has been sparse this season, but Murphy is on the bench and can play these positions.  For once, rather rhen watching our guys drive themselves into the ground later in the season, lets actually use our bench and give some of these guys an occasional day off.   Would it be so terrible if Murphy got one start during a week at 2B and then one start the next week at SS (giving Ellis and Crosby a day off every two weeks)?   And Suzuki should get a day off almost every week.  We could even try and get matchup advantages by using Bowen against tough right handers.  Not a platoon, but just looking ahead at the schedule and thinking about scheduling Suzuki's off day for a matchup where Bowen might have a slight offensive advantage based on being a switch hitter. 

I am rambling a bit at this point, so I will finish up and just say that if we want to actually keep these guys playing all season (and we may already have lost the chance for Ellis to do that) we need to give them days off.  They are playing the most demanding (and important) defensive postions on the field and to not give them even an occasional off day is just downright stupid.