Falling Behind Early? Never a Good Strategy
by louismg on May 3, 2008 10:05 PM PDT
31 comments
Slipping down to a 20-game season package from our usual 40-game package has me scuttling around the stadium from night to night. Yesterday, I was in section 112, behind the visitor's dugout. Tonight, I was in section 122, along the third base line. But regardless of the new vantagepoint, you could see from any angle in the park that giving up a 3-run shot in the first inning would reduce your chances of winning.
The game's 6:05 start had the Rangers playing in relative sunlight, and David Murphy's shot went out, whereas similar blasts by Cust and others the night before had been stopped by the cold and wind.
As the A's struggled early, failing to capitalize with the bases loaded in one inning, and squandering two men on in another, I could sense this wasn't going to be the back and forth battle we witnessed Thursday in Anaheim. Even if Gaudin was throwing his best stuff tonight, and he wasn't, us answering the first frame's 3 with corresponding zeroes the next four innings wasn't going to get it done. Sweeney's 2-run double in the fifth came with the game already in our deficit, 5-0, and Crosby could get us only one run closer, to 5-3, before the angel wings fell off Andrew Brown, and his spotless ERA was dirtied by Chris Shelton, who's back in the majors after pulling a disappearing act the last season and a half.
Meanwhile, our big guys couldn't get it done. Thomas had an extremely meager 0-4, barely getting the ball out of the infield, and we had another promising chance disappear on the back of a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play that caught Crosby trying to take second.
After splitting the series with the Angels in Anaheim, the A's have now seen the basement-dwelling Rangers come to our house and take two, putting us down to second place, as the Angels won today. While some fans might have been happy only to get the 1968-style caps from today's give-away, I was hoping for a win, and we didn't get it. There will be one more chance tomorrow, at 1:05.
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hello?
this is what was expected from A’s games this year.
I liked the starting time though.
by Future Ed on May 3, 2008 11:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Antiprops to Geren for sending Crosby,
when Hannahan was facing the one pitcher he most reliably can’t handle – someone with a plus fastball. It’s not just that Hannahan has struck out so many times this year, it’s that he has swung through so many strikes.
Losing to A.J. Murray thanks to effective bullpen work from Jamey Wright and Joaquin Benoit is not my idea of a good time. :-(
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 3, 2008 11:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
that was weird.
did you hear KenKo and vince on that. VC: do they send him? KK: I could tell you what I think the as will do. (meaning not run) KK:Runner goes…
by Future Ed on May 3, 2008 11:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah, I heard that
as I saw Crosby go
by OaklandSi on May 4, 2008 6:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Milton
THe first inning at bat by MB was the game breaker. i miss that. A guy who can work the count and foul off pitches. Of couse, I missed that 3/4 of the time he was an A too.
by Future Ed on May 3, 2008 11:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Off topic
But I find it rather hilarious that the first website that comes up when I google “Milton Bradley” is the Hasbro Toys website.
"We were s--, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on May 4, 2008 12:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why hilarious?
Seems only natural to me. Of course Milton Bradley the company is going to show up more prominently than Milton Bradley the baseball player.
Or did you not know that Hasbro owns Milton Bradley now? Hasbro owns everything. The toys and games industry went through a process of mega-mergers in the 1980s and Hasbro came out on top. Pretty much every old American game company is a subsidiary of Hasbro now: Parker Brothers, Milton Bradley, Selchow & Righter, Avalon Hill, Wizards of the Coast. Even TSR.
formerly known as mdl
by iglew on May 4, 2008 2:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Uh
I kinda meant it as a joke about Bradley’s name…but thanks for the explanation about Hasbro’s corporate assets.
"We were s--, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on May 4, 2008 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gaudin mentioned that at bat with Bradley in the 1st
as helping cause him problems with Murphy.
However, several of his pitches to Bradley weren’t even close—Suzuki had to stand and lunge to his left to catch them…and he was 1-2 on Murphy when he lobbed in that fat pitch that ended up with the Rangers up 3-0.
by OaklandSi on May 4, 2008 7:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Last night I put the sound up on the TV
as Fosse was interviewing Greg Smith during the game. Smith gave a nice interview, with lots of details and showing a nice personality. He actually sounded like a broadcaster (a good one). Fosse mentioned that to him and threw out the idea that after Smith’s baseball career ends (hopefully a long time from now!) he could be a broadcaster. Smith replied that others have told him the same thing.
But today i want him to be a pitcher—a stopper, in fact. I’ll be there to cheer him and the rest of the A’s on…Let’s Go Oakland!
by OaklandSi on May 4, 2008 7:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Yes, I noticed
his voice has a robust, mellifluous timbre. Hope he kicks the Rangers ASSES today.
by Brian in 317 on May 4, 2008 7:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was impressed with him on air too
He had more to say than the standard run of cliches, and seemed comfortable on camera.
The candy and the baseball all night long :)
by Englishmajor on May 4, 2008 8:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So tell me, Ray,
how good does it feel to interview a guy who an actually speak a complete sentence on his own without having it spelled out for him in the question?
formerly known as mdl
by iglew on May 4, 2008 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm a bit concerned about Thomas not hitting the ball hard.
Hopefully he’ll snap out of it by Memorial Day. After that we’re likely to have to decide between him and Mike Sweeney.
by WaddellCanseco on May 4, 2008 7:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
when Thomas was with the A's in 2006
- and in the lineup every day from the start of the season - it took about til the middle of May before his bat really heated up. He didn’t get enough at bats in Toronto, then missed a week when they released him. So there’s still time. Of course, at his age you never know whether his bat is finally slowing down irreversibly…but it’s too soon to know. (The A’s will find out, though, since they’re playing him every day.)
by OaklandSi on May 4, 2008 8:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Plus, even at half-mast, Thomas has a presence
that just makes the lineup seem more legit – ultimately he’ll walk and hit for enough XBH power to be worth it whether he is more 2006, 2007, or over-the-hill Big Hurt.
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 4, 2008 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Plus,
he’s someone the average fan has heard of.
by Hot Cup Joe on May 4, 2008 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mark Ellis
“That was really one of our few chances,” Ellis said. “I set a bad tone with a bad at-bat and didn’t hit the ball hard. Sometimes, that can kill a rally.”
_____________
Yes it can kill a rally an so did about 55 of your other at bats so far this season when you did the same thing.
Maybe a spot down the order until you get it together might help
by Trainman on May 4, 2008 10:18 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
To make room for one of our many
accomplished top-of-the-order threats…I think Ellis only bats #2 (or sadly, for a while, #3) because the A’s have so many hitters (Hannahan, Bad Sweeney, and on a good hitting team, probably Ellis, Suzuki, Crosby, and Brown too) who really should be in the bottom third of an order. We have a lot of #7 hitters on our team, but they can’t all bat 7th.
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 4, 2008 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It is an odd conundrum...
A lot of #7 hitters, and yet a lot of DH-type hitters.
More than just ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/
by louismg on May 4, 2008 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not to make to make the offense worse but what are your opinions on Davis in CF
What about Davis in CF when Cust is in left to help with the defense. Davis in CF would save us many runs compared to Sweeney and Denorfia. He is barely going to hit .200 but he is going to run down anything within a mile of him.
I think his defense is so valuable that I could put up with him being a poor hitter. He has hit well so far but let’s be honest here, he is not going to be a good hitter.
He sure can help out the corner fielders with that blazing speed of his and he does make highlight reel plays. I have seen them when he played in the crappy league
by Trainman on May 4, 2008 11:17 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
As per my Tuesday morning post, I think it's essential
for the A’s to emphasize defense in CF, especially whenever Cust is in the OF. I think Denorfia is fine, but if you want to sacrifice a little more offense for a little more defense then Davis is a perfectly acceptable choice. At least he becomes a true base stealing threat in the lineup when he does get on.
It’s interesting to me that Davis started, and Denorfia sat, against the LHP yesterday. Does that mean Denorfia is not 100% healthy and the A’s haven’t said anything publicly, or that Davis has passed Denorfia on the current “vs. LHP” depth chart? We’ll find out Monday/Tuesday because the A’s face LHP each night vs. the Orioles.
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 4, 2008 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
upcoming roster moves
What is going to happen when Buck, Chavez (that one is clear), Foulke, Calero, and Harden come back? There are already too many outfielders and the pitchers are doing just fine – certainty there aren’t three pitchers who deserve to go.
by sacto on May 4, 2008 12:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Braden has to be the first to go
When Foulke or Harden comes back. Whoever is first off DL. That is a no brainer.
I would put Duke back in the pen even though he does not want to be there. Eveland has control problems at times but he does throw wth good velocity so it is between those two I would think.
We do have a great Bullpen though and with Foulke coming back that makes it so much better.
Nice problem to have in the pitching department. Calero is fine staying on the DL for ever. As I said, the pen is fine without him.
by Trainman on May 4, 2008 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm sold on Smith and think Duke can be a solid #3 starter
I’m not sold at all on Eveland and think he should be the one to the pen or AAA for as long as Harden stays healthy (prediction: 2 starts).
I think once Buck is back, something has to give among Thomas, Cust, and the Sweeneys. My choice would be Ryan Sweeney, with Denorfia and Davis your CFers, Buck, Brown, Cust your corner OFers. If the A’s aren’t willing to do that, though, then maybe Mike Sweeney and his .311 batting average are odd man out. More likely, considering he’s the only backup 1Bman, a .300 hitter, and a clubhouse leader, it’s Rajai Davis who gets burned.
Foulke/Calero might replace Devine, who would wait for another pitcher to go down – someone is always banged up.
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 4, 2008 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
MLB rules allow
a maximum of 20 days for rehab assignment in the minors.
By strange coincidence, I think that’s exactly how long it will take Travis Buck to finish healing.
formerly known as mdl
by iglew on May 4, 2008 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gee thanks, Carlos Silva, for giving up
11 hits and 8 ER in 3 IP against the Yankees. Derek Jeter is 4 for 4 but if there were any justice in the world he’d be 5 for 4 because he’s just that damn good. And handsome.
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 4, 2008 12:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
M Sweeney
I think management is making a huge mistake to use Mike Sweeney so rarely. i hope Cust is in his last week of audition and that somehow management can think outside the box and keep two righthanders in Thomas and Sweeney. I’d actually be ok with Thomas getting released if he doesn’t pick it up but I know that won’t happen. The knock on Mike Sweeney is that he doesn’t hit for power any more – but if Frank just keeps walking and hitting singles, Sweeney, with a 300 average is a much better choice at DH.
by sacto on May 4, 2008 12:40 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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