A’s Fan for 35+ years.

Sorry I can’t stand to watch this. Bought the tv package just to watch the A’s.
Let Billy know I won’t pay to watch this next year. Spend some money – let’s get some offence in here and some veteran pitchers that these youngsters can learn from.
Look out- here comes Seattle!!

Since everytime Street gets hit he has a excuse ready. So here are his top 5 excuses for today.
5. The rain bothered me
4. Not a save situation so not sure how to pitch when team is behind
3. Trade rumors is still bothering me
2. I messed up so they will put me back into closer role
1. Oh well it just another game we would have lost anyway

I experienced the joy of listening on the radio. Even the A’s apologists are at wits end. These guys are beaten before they even set foot on the field. Rebuilding or not, there is no excuse for 0 and 28 at the plate or a team effort of 3 and 21. Hannahan has to go, and the sooner the better. Street is a shell of his former self, and he ought not be put in the position of failing on the MLB stage yet again. He needs to go to the minors and work on whatever he needs to work on without the pressure of pitching on the national stage. The pieces on this team that are contributing need confirmation from the front office that their efforts are not un-noticed. Cut some dead weight, and do it quickly. It doesn’t matter if the new pieces are up to speed, just as long as the dross is gone. Trial by fire is the way to go from here.

I saw Sheff strike out on a ball way off the plate the inning before. Those were not good pitches but throwing the same pitch over and over again. Street has a arm injury and he is trying to cover it up. You don’t lose the fastball and changeup that badly. He could still be a good pitcher but needs to go on the DL and rest his damaged arm.

Dan Johnson would be hitting atround 250 with a 350 OBA and Barton is batting 212 with a 312 OBA. So if we kept Johnson we would have a slightly better firstbaseman. Barton could have used another year in the minors as you can tell he is over matched right now.

Honestly, the fact that we’ve been doing so poorly is probably going to force some aggressive promotions to the majors. And frankly, it’s about time we get the young guys up here with some time to gel and learn whether they can hit. I think 2009 is out of the question right now for contention. There’s too many holes on this team (namely, the whole infield).

First - I’d bring up Gregoria Petit to play shortstop. Then I’d move Crosby to third, getting Hannahan out of the line-up. I’d bring up Patterson and Pennington, and see if Ellis could play 1B. If he could, I’d send Barton down to work out his troubles there. I’d bring up Cunningham immediately and take the chance that he could hit major league pitching, and I’d DFA Rajai Davis. I would also DFA Emil Brown, and would see if I could work Cust into the line-up every now and again. Hannahan would be my super-backup for outfield, 3B and 1B.

At the pitching end, I’d send Huston Street down, and bring up Kirk Saarloos as the long man. I’d move Meyer into the bullpen and see if he could fly there. I’d try to work out a trade for Embree. If I could get Rich Aurelia for Alan Embree, I’d do it in a second, and move Aurelia to 1B for the rest of the year and keep either Patterson or Pennington in Sacramento til September 1st with Elllis as back-up (Carter and Barton could fight it out next year for 1B).

but desperate times call for desperate measures. I’m assuming Ellis can play 1B and Crosby can play 3B. I’d rather see\ Cunningham get AB’s than Cust because he’s got a higher upside. But Cust does need to get ABs, however he can be a part-time player for the rest of this year and it wouldn’t matter. We know what he can do, and he knows what he can do.

I’m also saying that both Patterson and Pennington should get shots this year, and see if they can handle 2B. At this point, replacing what’s there was minor leaguers who are more or less ready, or who could be ready, makes sense. Get the ball rolling to see if the next generation will fly.

And if Carter is ready, he should go from AA to the majors, like Will Clark.

Let me rephrase. At this point, replacing the people in the field with minor leaguers who are more or less ready, or who could be ready, makes sense.