Brad Ziegler Called Up!!!!!!!!

by baseballgirl on May 30, 2008 11:38 AM PDT Comment 84 comments

I'm working on rumors here; stay tuned to AN for the day for further developments, but it looks like our very own Ziggy has been called up to the A's!!!!

From Baseball Prospectus :

After the 2006 season, I wrote a feature on A’s prospect Brad Ziegler, and how the organization had decided to convert him into a sidearmer. Year one of that experiment was overall quite the success, as Ziegler has a 1.14 ERA at Double-A Midland in 15 games before moving up to Triple-A Sacramento, where he had a 2.96 mark in 35 games, while compiling the usual outstanding groundball ratio that goes with the style. This year, he’s been even better as the River Cats closer, going 2-0 with eight saves and a 0.37 ERA in 19 games; allowing only 15 hits in 24.1 innings while walking four and striking out 20. His groundball ratio is nearly 3-to-1 and right-handers have nearly no shot against him, batting just .118/.135/.137. Now a quick note in the interest of full disclosure – Brad is a friend of mine. We talk quite a bit during the season over IM and text messages, and we made sure to have dinner together when I was in Arizona for spring training. He’s a good guy, a 28-year-old who was drafted in the 20th round five years ago, cut during the 2004 spring training, and now re-created as a different kind of beast. I woke up this morning to a text message from Brad – he got the call and is flying today to meet him with the A’s in Texas for a series with the Rangers. And whether you know Brad or not, it’s a pretty great story.

More to come!

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Wooo!

Amend your signs:

Our BZ>>>Your BZ

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 30, 2008 11:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

amend that

Our BZ>>>Yorman Bazardo>>>Your BZ

I'm handy, but I've never built anything of consequence. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 30, 2008 11:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where's Ziggy when you need him, he coulda told it to us himself...

then again, he probably doesn’t have net access on the plane.

by Zonis on May 30, 2008 11:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The plane

from Sacto to Oakland?

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on May 30, 2008 11:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The A's are in Arlington aren't they?

by theblackpearl on May 30, 2008 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oops

my bad

still living in the past

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on May 30, 2008 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Only the best for Ziggy, man!

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on May 30, 2008 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because that is what press releases are for....

Cant comment officially until it is announced.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on May 30, 2008 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

woo ziggy!

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on May 30, 2008 11:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I hope to see a "Getting Ziggy with it" one line diary saying

I just got called up to the big team, so watch me!!

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on May 30, 2008 11:45 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I want him to do a Blez Q&A from the mound in-game

I'm handy, but I've never built anything of consequence. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 30, 2008 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We're going to see the first comebacker

hit a blogger during a game!

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on May 30, 2008 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not on the 40-man is he?

Someone else will need to be DFA’d

by train80 on May 30, 2008 11:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

D. Braden

I heard he pitches well in Sacramento.

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on May 30, 2008 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You know, I know Braden is kind of a popular whipping boy around here

but he actually has pitched pretty well this season when you look further than his ERA. His FIP (fielding independent pitching) is 2.62.

Used properly (i.e. predominantly against lefthanders), he’s a valuable piece to a bullpen.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 30, 2008 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can't see Braden getting DFA'd

He at least has some value, as evidenced by the fact that he’s bounced up and down this year. Plus as a lefty he’d be almost certain to get claimed.

by train80 on May 30, 2008 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is a good point.

I don’t want him to ever be a starting pitcher again, but making him a LOOGY would be fine.

So it goes.

by jeepers on May 30, 2008 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's also useful as a long man

He might not have been good yesterday, but giving up a couple runs in 2 2/3 in a lost game is valuable. Somebody has to fill those innings, ideally a guy making the league minimum.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 30, 2008 12:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Eating innings

It would be interesting to see Frank Thomas pitch.

So it goes.

by jeepers on May 30, 2008 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hatteberg for reliever!

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on May 30, 2008 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Scott Hatteberg, pitchin' machine

I'm handy, but I've never built anything of consequence. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 30, 2008 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i've been saying that for weeks

braden is useful, concentrate your anger on jeff gray, people!

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on May 30, 2008 12:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Congrats to Ziggy!

Oughta make it a little tougher to get in touch with him for a bit, but this is a little more important. ;-)

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site
jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on May 30, 2008 11:52 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

maybe he could use a blackberry...

...and blog from the mound.

by little A on May 30, 2008 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully this news is true. All the best Brad.

by OldhamA on May 30, 2008 12:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow, AN really has arrived.

Blez asks Billy about Brad’s chances to conclude the last interview…a coincidence that he’s being called up? I think not. Billy wants to make AN happy.

The downside of this is that presumably, someone else is going on the DL (I’m looking at Ryan Sweeney).

So it goes.

by jeepers on May 30, 2008 12:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

that would also explain how Beane is making room on the 40-man

He’s trading Harden to the Vatican for the Sistine Chapel.

I'm handy, but I've never built anything of consequence. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 30, 2008 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hear Mikey threw a mean splitter

Big hitter, the Lama

by madmongoose on May 30, 2008 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Contrary to everyone else's thoughts...

I actually have a bad feeling about this. If all 4 of these guys really are being called up, I feel like the only explanation for this is that there will be at least 1 or 2 players who will go on the DL who we are not expecting to do so. I hope I’m wrong , but just have a bad feeling that we’ll see a Harden or Duke go down…afterall Harden has started what 3 games since coming off the DL ..thats about where he caps out at.

by GusanoQuemador on May 30, 2008 1:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i love your name....

do you really burn up worms…

by little A on May 30, 2008 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a contact hitter

And yes most of the time I beat it into the ground. Double play candidate for sure

by GusanoQuemador on May 30, 2008 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

harden or duke

if you’re picking a SP, wouldn’t eveland be more likely?
he feels a pop in his arm, gets hit by a ball yesterday and gets torched…

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on May 30, 2008 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It could be Eveland

But if he was DL bound, don’t you think he would have been hurting enough after those comebackers to take himself out of the game?..Either way I think we’ll get a surprise today and I don’t think it will be a nice one.

by GusanoQuemador on May 30, 2008 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

let me clarify, i don't think harden, duke, or eveland are going on the DL today.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on May 30, 2008 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

But we are down 3 pitchers from the pen, so Ziggy and Calero make sense. Buck and Cargon

are a different issue. RS, might be hurt more than thought initially.

by theblackpearl on May 30, 2008 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rick Hurd - Today's Paper

“But not all the news on the injury front was bad for the A’s on Thursday. X-rays on Ryan Sweeney’s left foot came back negative, and the outfielder is day-to-day. Sweeney fouled a ball of his foot Wednesday.”

This makes me think (fingers crossed) that Sweeny really is day to day.

by GusanoQuemador on May 30, 2008 1:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The next thing Rick Hurd gets right will be the 1st.

by theblackpearl on May 30, 2008 1:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok Lets Try Steve Kroner, Chronicle

“The A’s did get some good news regarding outfielder Ryan Sweeney, who fouled a ball off his left foot and had to leave Wednesday night’s game against Toronto. X-rays on Sweeney’s foot were negative and he remains on the active roster”

by GusanoQuemador on May 30, 2008 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Looks like both of them were wrong

I’ll go ahead and eat my own foot now

by GusanoQuemador on May 30, 2008 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let this be a lesson to all prospects

Post diaries on AN, and when you are even speculated to come up to the big club, it will be a very big deal.

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on May 30, 2008 1:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

imagine if Todd Linden's mom had gotten called up!

I'm handy, but I've never built anything of consequence. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 30, 2008 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

I love Zig

by ChadGod on May 30, 2008 1:12 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It looks like I'm going to have a bunch of late nights up

watching games on mlbtv.com, waiting to see Ziggy’s major league debut!

Congratulations Brad!

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on May 30, 2008 1:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Drumbeat

Susan Slusser just confirmed on the Drumbeat that all 4 will be called up.

Wholesale changes here in Texas: Carlos Gonzalez will be making his major-league debut tonight, playing center and batting eighth, and reliever Brad Ziegler also got his first callup in a massive four-man shipment from Triple-A Sacramento on Friday.
Travis Buck is back and he’s leading off tonight, and Kiko Calero returns to Oakland’s bullpen.

DH Mike Sweeney (knee), outfielder Ryan Sweeney (foot) and reliever Joey Devine (forearm) were all placed on the DL and Lenny DiNardo was sent out.

More details to come, but it’s unusual to get so many callups all at once.

“Everyone was like, ‘What?’ But here we are,’’ Gonzalez said. “But we all deserve it and we’ve all been waiting our turn.’‘

by Coffee13eans on May 30, 2008 2:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

wow

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on May 30, 2008 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Awsome...

Should be great to watch!

When will then be now? Soon.

by Syphon on May 30, 2008 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exciting news!

Bummed about Ryan, though.

I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.

by franks a lot on May 30, 2008 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sad about losing Devine to the DL

by Coffee13eans on May 30, 2008 2:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sad and worried

I'm handy, but I've never built anything of consequence. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 30, 2008 2:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep forearm almost always leads to elbow

by train80 on May 30, 2008 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Devine DL was the surprise I was worried about

by GusanoQuemador on May 30, 2008 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know

I hope Brad makes the adjustment to the majors well but with Devine, Casilla, and Brown out. The bullpen worries me with Embree, and Foulke as our setup men to Street

by Coffee13eans on May 30, 2008 2:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah. :-(

When those three fellas make it back, it’s going to be like a whole new ‘pen again. But Embree’s the only one in that pen I trust to hold a tight game right now (..okay, and Street, but I still have lingering terror).

Ziggy’s gotta make a quick adjustment. Moreso than any of the other callups. Otherwise, there’s gonna be trouble.

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on May 30, 2008 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.

by franks a lot on May 30, 2008 2:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dinner-Do is a bit of a surprise

considering Braden is probably unavailable for a few days and got shelled yesterday.

I guess Emil plays left and Cust DHs for the time being

Let's have our Piazza and eat the Cust too - SPWC

by closetasfan on May 30, 2008 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

where's Zonis?

Buck RF
Crosby SS
Cust DH
Chavez 3B
Ellis 2B
Brown LF
Barton 1B
Gonzalez CF
Suzuki C

I'm handy, but I've never built anything of consequence. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 30, 2008 2:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is Eric Chavez really going to hit well enough to be placed in cleanup spot?

by Coffee13eans on May 30, 2008 2:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wait and See.

When will then be now? Soon.

by Syphon on May 30, 2008 2:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The real question:

is anyone on this team going to hit well enough to be placed in the cleanup spot?

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on May 30, 2008 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wait and See.

"You have to have a catcher or you'll have all passed balls."- Casey Stengel

by Gaijin_Suketto on May 30, 2008 4:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Holy shit, man.

This situation being reality absolutely boggles my mind.

Devine going to the DL concerns me a lot, I love Ziggy, but he’d better watch out—it seems like there’s a curse on being one of the best in the ‘pen. I feel like that’s going to be a visible hurt for the team in late innings.

Poor Sweeneys. :-( It seems like Jack Cust is going to get out of the OF, at least. Oye.

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on May 30, 2008 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

so

who got DFAed?

Let's have our Piazza and eat the Cust too - SPWC

by closetasfan on May 30, 2008 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

DinnerDo

will surely get claimed. That is a surprise to me

Let's have our Piazza and eat the Cust too - SPWC

by closetasfan on May 30, 2008 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow.

I didn’t expect Melillo.

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on May 30, 2008 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was my question, noone has yet been removed from the 40 man, for Ziggy and

Calero

by theblackpearl on May 30, 2008 2:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Michael Massaro has now been added to the Rivercats roster.

by theblackpearl on May 30, 2008 2:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd just read on Yahoo! sports A's page

that Devine had an MRI during the Toronto series…he was unavailable for the Toronto series because of pain in the forearm.

by OaklandSi on May 30, 2008 2:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Crap.

At least 2 more weeks of Emil.

Get well soon, RSweeney.

"Looks like you brought two too many."

by BWH on May 30, 2008 2:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

lol

I'm handy, but I've never built anything of consequence. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 30, 2008 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Emil may not be great, but he is by far not the main reason the offense is struggling. That

is the only thing I can’t understand.

by theblackpearl on May 30, 2008 2:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chavy and CarGon up within

1 days of each other?!? Im not sure I can handle this!

When will then be now? Soon.

by Syphon on May 30, 2008 2:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Alright, can we confirm the "extra year" date for TBuck?

Is today the 1st day we can call him up without losing that extra year of club control? I think I’ve seen both the 30th and the 31st as dates—does it depend on whether the Basic Agreement counts inclusively or exclusively?

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on May 30, 2008 2:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Melillo/DiNardo is pretty surprising

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 30, 2008 2:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

DiNardo is not particularly surprising

Melillo baffles me. He’s actually been playing well this season.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 30, 2008 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm going back to my 'Billy Beane drinking binge wacky adventure' theory.q

Which may explain where Gray got pictures from.

Oh yes. It’s aaaall coming together…

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on May 30, 2008 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe that means they are planning..

on bringing Ellis back.

When will then be now? Soon.

by Syphon on May 30, 2008 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Now we know why Pennington is up in AAA.

by theblackpearl on May 30, 2008 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boy would I love for Pennington

to amount to something. But I think Horton is out future SS. Hes playing well and if he progresses at a normal rate he would be a nice SS.

When will then be now? Soon.

by Syphon on May 30, 2008 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Eh

.742 OPS and he’s 26. Still beats Jeff Gray by quite a bit.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 30, 2008 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hoping he won't get claimed?

Maybe they are hoping that with the flurry of moves today that a fairly middle-of-the-road prospect like Melillo has a good chance of sliding through waivers. As someone who has never really appeared on a top prospect list or spent a significant amount of time in the majors he might not be on the radar for most GM’s. I would think one of the benefits of announcing a bunch of moves at once like this is the increased chance of burrying a name in the transaction sheet.

by DiegoAsFan on May 30, 2008 2:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs