Is Alan Embree the New Jim Mecir?

by TommyTSlice on Jul 1, 2008 11:41 PM PDT Comment 24 comments

Last year Alan Embrees performance was much better than this season. Last season i did not care if he came in as i felt the lead was always safe. But this year different story and after allowing 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th tonight it just got me thinking maybe he is the new Mecir.

Jim Mecir I am sure you all remember him. Everytime this guy came in i just knew the A's were going to lose. Now I am starting to think the same for Embree any body else feel the same?

0 recs | Comment 24 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

No, not Jim Mecir

Jay Witasick

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Jul 1, 2008 11:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No

He had a bad game.

by bear88 on Jul 2, 2008 12:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No

he is bad

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Jul 2, 2008 12:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He is bad....

by 33SwisherSweet on Jul 2, 2008 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's not bad at all -

He’s decent and durable, and that’s it. He is not a super LOOGY and we don’t have one, which is too bad, although it’s arguably a poor use of a roster spot to have someone best used to pitch to one batter.

Embree is also not a great set-up man in the company of Shields or Duke, but he is an above-average reliever who can pitch 3 days in a row or 4 out of 5 without losing anything. That’s worth something, but would be worth a lot more if we had a top-notch set-up man slotted ahead of Embree. For example, if Casilla or Devine were healthy and dealing, Embree would be a great asset as a durable 7th/8th inning guy. As it is, he’s pitching ahead of where he should and it’s making him look worse than he is.

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 Jul 2, 2008 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's decent and durable

but not above average. Career ERA of 4.52 and ERA of 96+ pretty clearly places him in the slightly below average reliever category.

by windyfelix on Jul 2, 2008 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

A lot of his career stats reflect his earlier seasons

If you look at his stats from 2001-08, I’d say he’s been above average over a 7.5 year stretch.

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 Jul 2, 2008 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Embree sucks.

Geren is killing me with his refusal to make pitching changes in the middle of innings. Is it just me our can you tell when both Embree and Foulke are on and when they are off. There is nothing worse than losing a huge divisional game due to poor pitching enhanced by poor managerial decisions.

Hot dogs, get your hot dogs.

by jjham15 on Jul 2, 2008 1:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Fear Mecir

Still one of my favorite ballpark signs

"When arguing with an idiot, make sure they are not doing the same thing"

by RIPHalsey on Jul 2, 2008 1:48 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah me too.

Except as A’s fans, I think we were the only ones in the ballpark “fearing” Mecir.

What about Barry?
"Barry who?" Forst said, and I felt like I was in the middle of a knock-knock joke.

by KMoAsFan on Jul 2, 2008 6:49 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

qotm

"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 Jul 2, 2008 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know all the numbers, but...

I do know Garret Anderson had a lifetime 165 BA vs Embree entering last night’s game. He made a bad pitch—what can you do?

As for the rest, until Casilla and Devine both show they are fully healthy and reliable, Geren’s options are basically Embree and Foulke for the 8th—partic. when he used Ziggy in the 6th and 7th. Now maybe that will change—but last night his hands were tied—I think bringing Ziegler on for a 3rd inning was also a pretty substantial risk.

by windyfelix on Jul 2, 2008 7:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He's got a 100 pt platoon differential

With Kotchman batting first and Anderson 4th that inning, hard not to go with Embree. Big decision may have been the infield in/pitch to Vlad—but if Anderson goes yard, outcome of game is still same

by windyfelix on Jul 2, 2008 7:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oops

Anderson was batting 5th—forgot about batting Hunter.

Do you really want to put the winning run on base with one out? But infield being in may have been the mistake. Get Vlad and Hunter out and it’s a tie game and Anderson doesn’t even come up.

by windyfelix on Jul 2, 2008 7:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It wasn't the bottom of the 9th inning. It would have been the go-ahead run, not the winning run.

That said, I’d rather make Torii Hunter beat me than Vlad.

by mikev on Jul 2, 2008 8:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah Anderson was batting .165 against Embree but

but even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while. Which is made easier when Embree has allowed 12 earned runs in 16 innings over his last 19 appearances since May 13, after posting a 2.60 ERA in his first 20 appearances. So first 20 = good job but last 19 = epic fail. Embree would have been better (if thats possible) to have been brought in before Ziggy last night and pitched one inning or maybe 1.2 or so and not more then had ziggy in for the 7th and 8th.

by A'sfaninNC on Jul 2, 2008 7:13 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

good point

Let’s see if Embree loses the set up role now.

by windyfelix on Jul 2, 2008 7:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i will always recommend

any post with “epic fail” in it

"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 Jul 2, 2008 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's not forget HE BLEW THE GAME before the Anderson DONG.

There is no way we were scoring another run after the Ellis Bomb. We are the A’s. We don’t have much of an offense to speak of. We have to protect those one run leads. Embree had already given up the lead before the Anderson home run.

The mistake was bringing in that chump in the first place. Don’t tell me you felt comfortable with him coming into the game to protect a one run lead.

by 33SwisherSweet on Jul 2, 2008 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's not forget, though, that on the first 3-2 pitch

Vlad just about struck out, barely foul-tipping a pitch to stay alive. If he Ks and then Torii Hunter Ks, we’re feeling a whole lot better about Alan Embree right now.

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 Jul 2, 2008 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let you not forget that he didn't get the job done.

Furthermore, I was opposed to bringing him in in the first place (stated as much BEFORE he gave up the lead off double etc.) and I am opposed to using him in that situation again.

He simply is not that good!

by 33SwisherSweet on Jul 2, 2008 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

is what he always has been

career whip 1.32 this yr 1.32. career era 4 point freaking 52. this yr 4.59. on a pace for most career games in a year at age 38.

owner of a lonely tarp

by oakath on Jul 2, 2008 8:06 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

best sig

"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 Jul 2, 2008 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I knew it as soon as I saw him warming up.

It was gonna be a bust as soon as he came in. Not unlike the most of his other performances upon entering a game with a lead all season, I knew he was going to blow it again. Surprise. He should only be brought in to keep a game close if the A’s are behind in later innings, as he always throws it away when there’s pressure as of late.

"Yeah, all I could find was Triple-Sec and rootbeer...What?! You mean you had tequila the whole time?!"

by talex on Jul 2, 2008 1:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs