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Brown Single-Handedly Ruins A Perfectly Nice Night

Goat_tiny by Nico on

Emil Brown's inability to catch a fly ball Dr. Earl Holloway could have handled allowed the Rays to score three unearned runs in the 8th and render useless brilliant pitching by Greg Smith and Joey Devine. Final Score: Rays 3, A's 2.

Everything else went swimmingly. The A's offense, even if not mistaken for robust, got the one run Greg Smith needed to beat one of the best lefties in the game, Scott Kazmir. Smith was sensational for 7 shutout innings, Joey Devine even better under dire circumstances. Frank Thomas even homered late.

All of which was offset when Emil Brown, with the bases loaded and two outs in the 8th, and the A's leading 1-0, lost a fly ball in the "I've never actually been very good at any part of the game, which is why no other team wants me, but I had a month where I drove in a lot of runs so they'll let me hurt the team for a while longer."

The ball will find you. Cust was out of the game at this point, which was supposed to be the reason we didn't have to hold our breath when the ball was hit, and when Ryan Sweeney came in, Geren could just as easily have put him in LF or RF. We only had one liability out there at this point in the game and it was Brown, now in LF - and the ball found him. Too bad he didn't find the ball.

No, we shouldn't have called Buck up by now. To lose a full year of his service time to get him back a week sooner would be dumb. No, we shouldn't have called Carlos Gonzalez up by now. He is still raw, inconsistent, learning - a guy you call up later rather than sooner because his skills are ahead of his "readiness for prime time". And no, Brown is not the answer to anything - not the present, not the future. Just a nice April, 2008, that's it. Eventually, soonish, our OF will get better. Right now, it's like the rest of the team: not quite good enough, frustrating, just bad enough to lose. 

I hate May.

 

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ugh....just, ugh

time to go to bed

tomorrow is a new game

by OaklandSi on May 20, 2008 10:10 PM PDT   0 recs

I'm still extremely frustrated

... why the hell did we not attempt to steal a bag with Sweeney on and one out?? All of a sudden we’re going to string a couple hits together?? We’re lucky to get one hit an inning, for cryin’ out loud. So Sweeney just sits there and doesn’t budge until there’s two strikes on Bowen. When the team is slumping, you have to try anything to manufacture runs.

I needed a team so I wouldn’t turn into one of the eighty million pink hat-wearing Bud Light-drinking mulleted idiots at Fenway.

by Vacafan on May 20, 2008 10:15 PM PDT   0 recs

haha

before the end of the season youll see cust come in as a defensive replacement for brown in a game. it is that bad. and isnt it time for barton to start shopping apts in sacramento???

ANY QUESTIONS???

by KennySeagle on May 20, 2008 10:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Ryan Sweeney's career season high in steals is 8

His career stolen base percentage is 56.5%.

To break even with a runner at 1st, 1 out, bottom 9, down by one, you need to steal successfully ~69% of the time.

With 2 outs, you need to steal successfully 65% of the time.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 20, 2008 10:57 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Plus, Daric Barton was supposed to triple

He must have missed a sign.

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 May 20, 2008 10:59 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

What are the percentages

we get two more hits in the inning?? Way worse than Sweeney’s stolen base percentage, guaranteed.

I needed a team so I wouldn’t turn into one of the eighty million pink hat-wearing Bud Light-drinking mulleted idiots at Fenway.

by Vacafan on May 21, 2008 12:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

This is another one of those situations

where:

a. People have already done the math, and it is not necessary for me to redo it,
b. They’re better at it than I am, since I would be cutting corners and using approximations anyway, and
c. debating you is pointless in any case.

Yes, it is probably true that a stolen base followed by a base hit is more likely than two base hits. It should be (but apparently isn’t) blindingly obvious that that does not automatically make the stolen base a better play. The most obvious reason why is that two singles puts the winning run in scoring position. There are many, many other possible scenarios. People who study win probability have accounted for those scenarios. You have not. That makes it quite easy to figure out whose opinion to take seriously.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 21, 2008 1:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

You know PT

Is there some reason why you need to be such a prick when you respond to people? I mean it … explain that to me. I can only imagine the kind of childhood you must have had … and frankly, I don’t care if I get in trouble for this at all … you’re a little jerk. And you’ll make a lousy lawyer unless you learn to respect people. What’s going to happen one day is someone is gonna knock your head off (which probably happened a lot in school—that’s why you’re so friggin’ bitter) ... it’s a shame, because you seem like a highly intelligent person … but you lack class and humility. You need a good ass-kickin’, it would seriously do you good.

I needed a team so I wouldn’t turn into one of the eighty million pink hat-wearing Bud Light-drinking mulleted idiots at Fenway.

by Vacafan on May 21, 2008 6:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh my God. F*** Emil.

Just….

Fuck him. He sucks. He has a .280 something OBP. He’s dogsh*t.

Get well soon, Denorfia/Buck.

Or just have Davis and Sweeney play at the same time. Would that be so bad? Jesus.

"Looks like you brought two too many."

by BWH on May 20, 2008 10:15 PM PDT   0 recs

Davis is worse...

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 20, 2008 10:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Not on defense

"Evidently, a large number of people said, 'We really need more vermin at the ballpark, Artie.'" - Nick (AN), 10/7/07

by doctorK on May 20, 2008 10:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Not defensively...

If he can get his OBP up to, like, .300 (which is still awful, but Davis did have a .360 OBP last year in 211 ML PAs) he’d be better than Emil, when you factor in the D.

Emil falls to his knees on every line drive hit to him.

"Looks like you brought two too many."

by BWH on May 20, 2008 10:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

He's signifigantly better on defense.

And, quite frankly, I’m not sure he can do much worse than Brown has been doing so far.

At this point, I’d rather see Davis play every day, hit 9th, and try to bunt every single time he comes to the plate than have Brown in there.

by mikev on May 20, 2008 10:27 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Funny thing is, when I was saying that a while ago

the response was less than enthusiastic – it’s amazing what a few absurd clunkers by Cust and Brown can do to make vivid what is too abstract on paper (or in this case, on screen). Though a few more lame-o K’s by Rajai and we’ll all be pining for a worse defender who can at least…

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 May 20, 2008 10:29 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

There are other players in the A's system

who are also better on defense and can actually hit a ball more than 10 feet at a time.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 20, 2008 10:36 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Then get rid of Brown and bring Linden up.

Just stop running him out there expecting him to be good. He’s not. He’s old, doesn’t have any upside, and makes a SHITLOAD of outs.

by mikev on May 20, 2008 11:12 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

But they're productive outs!

< /Joe Morgan >

"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL

by oblique on May 21, 2008 12:27 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Released

"Dude, you have to teach me the 'Tack and Stilt'" Shannon, after 5 hours at the local watering hole.

by tresselfan on May 21, 2008 5:11 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm still trying to find confirmation on that.

As of today, Linden isn’t listed on the roster at rivercats.com

If he was really let go, that’s a terrible move. I have no doubt that he would be better than Brown.

by mikev on May 21, 2008 9:44 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I have a feeling

this is going to be a move that the A’s management is going to regret in a year or two. I don’t see Linden becoming a superstar, but i think he will be a serviceable major leaguer. I’m sure this is a very unpopular opinion to most people on this site, and I have no stats to back up this assesment, it’s just more of a feeling i have.

"Put some ice on it. After that, there's nothing a few beers won't take care of. " -Pink

by OrlandoAsFan on May 21, 2008 12:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It was

in yesterday’s River Cats game notes.

My guess is that Linden would be roughly as crappy as Brown. He’s never hit in in the majors, and he doesn’t have a plus glove. Either one would be ok as a 5th outfielder, but neither is someone who should be playing every day. Unfortunately, we don’t seem to have an even halfway decent third starting outfielder right now to go with Cust and Ryan Sweeney, and even those two have some pretty obvious flaws as well.

"Tomorrow it may rain." - Leo Durocher

by andeux on May 21, 2008 10:10 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't think Linden would have a .280 OBP

So I kinda doubt he’d be as crappy as Brown.

by mikev on May 21, 2008 10:13 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

His career OBP is .303

Not exactly a major improvement.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 21, 2008 10:35 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

He seemed to be putting up solid numbers this year

Both in ST and in Sacramento.

To be outright released instead of being given a shot in Oakland when Emil Brown is making outs like crazy is the wrong decision IMO.

by mikev on May 21, 2008 10:39 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

He had an out clause in his contract

Either he exercised it, or he made it clear to the team that he was going to do so and they released him in advance of the formality.

This can’t come as a tremendous shock to anyone, given his sullen attitude throughout the entire process.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 21, 2008 10:51 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

There could also be a roster crucnch happening. They

may have found a way to keep Denorfia down with Sacramento, and I read somewhere Robnett was getting close to returning.

by theblackpearl on May 21, 2008 11:12 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

His batting this year notwithstanding...

...he really hasn’t shown all that much over the course of his career to get excited about. Maybe he has “turned the corner” and “figured it out”, but odds are not.

Some read stats. Others actually watch the game.

by UncleLeo on May 21, 2008 12:05 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

altihy

lets just be hapoy with good pithing.
just got back frolm the xos game. hammerded.

i knew the offense would be questionable. patience. ,

by oakinboston on May 20, 2008 10:16 PM PDT   1 recs

awesome

"It's not my fault your team's so shitty." -Steve Friend, head coach, Chabot College, to Laney College's head coach, who asked why we scored so many runs after we beat Laney 30-3 in 2006

by flipgatey3 on May 21, 2008 10:09 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Exhibit #093459075

on why intentional walks are frigging retarded.

Seriously. If I ran a baseball team, I would tell the manager that if he ever intentionally walks someone who is not an irrelevant runner in the bottom of the ninth inning, I will fire him on the spot.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 20, 2008 10:17 PM PDT   0 recs

Also

we needed a K there, and ibb’d the AL K leader to load the bases with a guy on the mound with BB problems.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 20, 2008 10:27 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I really didn't like that move -

in fairness to Geren, it basically “paid off”. But I still thought it was the wrong move.

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 May 20, 2008 10:27 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It didn't pay off though,

given that Pena scored and we lost by 1. Errors are something that sometimes happen.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 20, 2008 10:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It paid off in that Longoria struck out and Navarro flied to LF

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 May 20, 2008 10:31 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I can't complaint about the int walk in the 8th. Why?

Because Devine did what he had to do with the next batter and Brown is probably the only outfielder in the major leagues who fucks up that play.

What if the batter was not intentionally walked and then hits a home run. Many of us would be complaining about why he was not walked.

by oaktownmario on May 20, 2008 10:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I said before the IBB that I thought they should pitch to Pena

What happened didn’t really have to do with why or why not.

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 May 20, 2008 10:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It should be fairly obvious

that I would not be one of those “many.”

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 20, 2008 10:31 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

So you honestly would be satisfied with the move to pitch

if Peña hit a three run bomb given his HR total last year?

Because at that time we don’t know Thomas is going to hit a solo HR off TP.

by oaktownmario on May 20, 2008 10:34 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I would - I prefer to decide what a manager should do

when it’s in “real time” (when if I were managing, I could still make the decision. Then I don’t second-guess if it doesn’t work out. You can make the right decisions for the right reasons – you can’t guarantee the outcomes.

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 May 20, 2008 10:36 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Exactly

If the other team gets lucky, so be it.

Not to mention the fact that it’s much harder to pitch for a K with the bases loaded (although Devine got one anyway).

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 20, 2008 10:38 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Also, folks should remember that he fell behind 2-0

with the bases loaded – a bases loaded walk was a real possibility, as was getting a legitimate hit from being in a hitter’s count with “nowhere to put him”. With Pena, you can pitch on your terms; with Longoria/Navarro, you couldn’t.

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 May 20, 2008 10:41 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

If we don't walk Pena

And Devine gets a ground ball that squeaks through scoring 2 runs on a drawn in infield, then everyone would be talking about how we should have walked Pena and been out of the inning with a double play.

by GusanoQuemador on May 21, 2008 9:43 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yes Brown's play was unfortunate

But the loss clearly rests on the offense’s shoulders. As I said during the game thread, the approach at the plate is atrocious. Over the past few games we’re getting into good hitter’s counts (3-1 and 2-0) and then swinging at bad pitches and grounding out feebly or popping up. Granted a lot of these hitters are young, but you should have an idea by the age of 24 or 25 that when you’ve got a pitcher on the ropes you do not bail him out repeatedly. Scott Kazmir did not have good stuff tonight. His fastball was topping out at 92 and he was leaving a lot of those meatballs right over the heart of the plate. We either laid off those pitches or just swung right through them. Van Burkleo better be working with these guys to improve the mental side of hitting or the season could go down the drain in a hurry and he could find himself in the enemployment line very soon.

Smith looked good though but he shouldn’t have gone out to start the 8th. Not that it really matters, you can’t score 1 run through 8 innings and expect to win very often.

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin

by Helloooo 1st on May 20, 2008 10:17 PM PDT   0 recs

I really disagree about Smith not starting the 8th

You’re talking about a guy who’s pitching a shutout, with a bullpen that is down Casilla and A. Brown (both on DL), Street and Embree (probably both unavailable). Put in context, I think it made sense to let Smith pitch until he wasn’t effective. And probably the only reason he pitched to Crawford was the lefty-lefty matchup (and Crawford was 0 for 3 against him) – and Crawford just served a soft liner to CF on a good pitch.

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 May 20, 2008 10:25 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Um

Did you actually watch this game?

By actual count:

2-0 or 3-1 counts: 4
0-2 counts: 9

Kazmir was hitting corners at will and getting ahead of every hitter. You literally could not have picked a worse game to complain about this.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 20, 2008 10:29 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I still don't really get what makes Kazmir so good

He really doesn’t throw that hard. He was hitting corners here and there, but we still swung through quite a few pitches that were hittable. Frank did it a few times and Brown did it a few times on pitches right down the middle or even mistakes a little up in the zone. He didn’t even throw his off-speed stuff that much. The pitch that really doninated us was the 91-92 mph fastball. I guess his delivery must be deceptive or he has some late movement on his fastball though I couldn’t see it from where I was sitting..

by GusanoQuemador on May 21, 2008 9:55 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Read my comment again jackass

I did not say we were getting into a lot of those counts just tonight, I said over the past few games. And no, we swung through a lot of pitches that were fat, but as there’s no way to actually prove this short of you and I sitting down and reading a replay of the game then you’re going to think you’re right and I’m going to think I’m right.

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin

by Helloooo 1st on May 29, 2008 8:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

"Evidently, a large number of people said, 'We really need more vermin at the ballpark, Artie.'" - Nick (AN), 10/7/07

by doctorK on May 20, 2008 10:20 PM PDT   0 recs

lol!!!

(Formerly Nobody Girl)
"We are a complete freak show." -- Billy Beane

by day-to-day on May 20, 2008 10:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

If I had the skills

I’d make an ani-gif of the ball going right through him, like the one of Podsednik playing one off his head last season.

"Evidently, a large number of people said, 'We really need more vermin at the ballpark, Artie.'" - Nick (AN), 10/7/07

by doctorK on May 20, 2008 10:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Friggin' A

3 errors in the game… this is not A’s baseball. I’d rather see them lose 1-0 and play solid D. I really like the idea of having Davis play OF for the rest of the season and dumping Email before his numbers start to get crappier.

by VallejoA'sFan on May 20, 2008 10:20 PM PDT   0 recs

The only bit of good news

Oakland RHP Santiago Casilla, on the DL with inflammation in his throwing elbow, will begin playing light catch in a few days. “That’s really good news,” said manager Bob Geren, who initially thought the injury could be worse.

by Trainman on May 20, 2008 10:24 PM PDT   0 recs

more good news

Another homer by Frank!!

formerly known as mdl

by iglew on May 20, 2008 10:25 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, that's good news

I mean news after the game

by Trainman on May 20, 2008 10:25 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Clarification

Smith gets the loss, not Devine because Smith was “responsible” for 2 of the 3 runners that scored. Of course we all know who was really “responsible” . . . or should it be “irresponsible.”

by oaktownmario on May 20, 2008 10:25 PM PDT   0 recs

Oh crap, you're right - for some reason

I forgot it was 1-0 at the time. My bad. I’ll fix it.

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 May 20, 2008 10:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree with Valejo A's fan.

Time to cut and run on Emil. Put in Davis and Sweeney and let them play daily. Very frustrating game. Nice homer by Frank, though.

by A'sfansince1970 on May 20, 2008 10:26 PM PDT   0 recs

agree on Brown

but not on Davis. The guy is terrible. Both Brown and Davis will likely be cut by late June, should Buck/Gonzalez come up.

by Crosbino on May 20, 2008 10:37 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I have to say this, though

Given the chance of catching a little lightning in a bottle, it wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world to go with Linden – who is a decent defensive OFer – instead of Brown. Linden can outhit Davis and out-defend Brown.

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 May 20, 2008 10:42 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Linden would at least ...

make his at bats interesting. When Davis is at the plate I never even hope for a big hit.

by IM4Oakgal on May 20, 2008 10:46 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

FWIW

Before Brown’s screwup, Davis had the game-winning hit.

by bear88 on May 20, 2008 11:03 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I saw it.

and good for him, but his hits are too little and too infrequent to make me feel any sense of excitement for his at bats.

by IM4Oakgal on May 20, 2008 11:06 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

That's true of most of the team

Davis is a spare part who probably won’t end the season with the team. But at least he can play defense and run. He’s a late-inning defensive replacement/pinch runner/platoon guy.

I’ll agree that Linden is almost certainly a better, and more dangerous, hitter.

by bear88 on May 20, 2008 11:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

and I agree with your

assessment of Davis. The kid can fly…and I like seeing him come in to run for Thomas and the big guys,.

by IM4Oakgal on May 20, 2008 11:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't

As things stand I expect the A’s to lose like 60% of their extra inning games, because they keep replacing their few good hitters with dreck in the late innings.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 21, 2008 10:37 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm guessing the plan is...

...that it won’t have to go extra innings because the move worked as planned.

Kind of brings up a (rhetorical) question, though. We’ve talked here about roster crunches, more worthy players than roster spots, and so forth. Is it because everybody is so good, or everybody is so mediocre? And if they’re all so good, what’s the problem?

Some read stats. Others actually watch the game.

by UncleLeo on May 21, 2008 12:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The roster crunch

is because the A’s are attempting to evaluate a whole bunch of different players at once. Yes, most of them are mediocre—but we don’t know which are the gold flakes, and which are the river mud, until we see how they pan out.

(Get it? Pan out? Heh.)

That being said, I personally don’t think there is much of a crunch. We know that some of the guys on the roster right now can’t play. When the need arises, they can be waived without compunction.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 21, 2008 12:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

that makes sense

scoring wise. nobody touched it. But scireing “rules’ are kind of stupid

by Future Ed on May 20, 2008 10:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Nobody touched it?

It hit Brown in the chest before rolling away, did it not?

by mikev on May 20, 2008 11:14 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

don't remember

didn’t see a lot of replays, but if it landed before it hit him, it a hit. if he touched it after then the third run would be unearned. Again, scoring rules are dumb.

but who cares, it was a crappy play that shoul