A's Insert Buck, Receive Change

by louismg on Sep 17, 2008 10:14 AM PDT

Going into Spring Training, the A's outfield situation was uncertain. As I pored through the pre-season previews and tried to become acquainted with names like Ryan Sweeney and Carlos Gonzalez, only one player was practically guaranteed a starting spot. With nearly a full season in the big leagues under his belt, and even a bobblehead with his golden locks planned in 2008, Travis Buck was to be the one top of the order corner outfielder we could count on.

But, as we all know now, it wasn't to be the case. Buck started the season off with an 0-10 series in Japan against Boston, and extended his hitless streak to 20+ at bats before reaching base safely. In fact, his batting average never exceeded .189 on the campaign, and he was homerless through June 1st. It wasn't long until Buck found himself on the DL, and eventually, in Sacramento, where he saw many rookies get called up from AAA to be in the big show, where he had expected to play a major role.

Turns out, in addition to his questionable haircut, Buck has been wrong in the head all year - fighting off vertigo and a concussion, suffered on June 11th. He returned to Oakland last night, hoping to make us remember the Travis Buck with potential - the one we could count on racing toward second or third like his hair was on fire. And while he didn't knock out any extra base hits yesterday, he made his mark early against Lackey and the Angels, gathering two hits, a stolen base and 2 RBI.

Does this mean the "good" Travis Buck is back for the rest of the season, and hopefully, that we can expect him to deliver in 2009? There aren't too many games left the rest of the way, but, assuming he'll stay healthy, he should get his unfair share of playing time, and get his chance to prove himself once again - making the A's off-season decisions a little bit more clear. We'll be rooting for him.

Tweet Comment 34 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

thinking of that March-September saying

he’ll have a chance to compete in spring training next year, and if he makes the big club will no doubt be given every chance to stick.

I’m open-minded as to which of the outfielders will end up starting with the big clab and making it through.

by OaklandSi on Sep 17, 2008 10:26 AM PDT reply actions

lineup of mostly OF's

never happen, but it would be interesting

lf cunningham
cf cargon
rf sweeney
3b buck, played in college
ss patterson
2b davis – played it in minors, almost emergency 2b earlier this season
1b Cust
DH Brown
C Suzuki

by Asfan4ever723 on Sep 17, 2008 10:57 AM PDT reply actions

forgot about denorfia

good athlete he could try catcher

last yr they had langerhans, snelling, thompson, davanon, d. brown, trying scutaro, rushing putnam etc…nice to have some depth now

by Asfan4ever723 on Sep 17, 2008 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions

Buck will be playing this schedule next year...

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=oak&m=4&y=2009

by Dr Pez on Sep 17, 2008 10:57 AM PDT reply actions

GAH!

Look at the crappy travel schedule after the AS break!

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Sep 17, 2008 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions

nice to see they got it up earlier this year

looks like they both start and end the season on the road. I thought it was more alternating: that when you start on the road you end at home, and vice versa.

by OaklandSi on Sep 17, 2008 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions

July is pretty nasty...

…17 road games, even with the all star break, and 7 of those games are at Boston, with 3 each in New York and Tampa.

The rest of the schedule seems pretty decent though, nothing too out of balance.

by Dr Pez on Sep 17, 2008 11:06 AM PDT reply actions

They close with 3 at home against Anaheim...

…it’s the first weekend of October.

by Dr Pez on Sep 17, 2008 11:09 AM PDT reply actions

I just saw that

they’re back just for three weekend games against the Angels.

I thought the regular season would end in September…

by OaklandSi on Sep 17, 2008 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions

paging Ms. Slusser ...

… I’m still curious as to how and why Forst walked back the “inner-ear problem” diagnosis from August. Was that itself a wrong diagnosis? Was that something Forst shouldn’t have spilled (for either HIPAA/MLBPA or A’s-keeping-their-medical-intel-sekrit reasons)?

cocky whacko @('.')@

by monkeyball on Sep 17, 2008 11:09 AM PDT reply actions

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/01/SPHH12MA61.DTL

Overqualified to be an A's fan.

by andeux on Sep 17, 2008 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions

Fail (AN3CKMA)

Link here

Overqualified to be an A's fan.

by andeux on Sep 17, 2008 11:18 AM PDT up reply actions

that's the "when," not the why or how

cocky whacko @('.')@

by monkeyball on Sep 17, 2008 11:35 AM PDT up reply actions

trivia time

Since 1918, there have been only two players to draw a walk in their only major league plate appearance. Who are they?

I’ll hint only that both players are germane to AN.

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Sep 17, 2008 11:50 AM PDT reply actions

are you counting Eddie Gaedel?

"The Athletics at Fremont" is really bad

by ArakSOT on Sep 17, 2008 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions

Yes, that's one.

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Sep 17, 2008 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions

ok, I'll bite

what makes them germane to AN?

"The Athletics at Fremont" is really bad

by ArakSOT on Sep 17, 2008 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Melillo is obvious - he's an A.

Gaedal…well, let’s just say that we occasionally discuss stature and given who asked the question…

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Sep 17, 2008 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions

by whiteshoes40 on Sep 17, 2008 1:05 PM PDT reply actions

Buck will have some...

competition for playng time, due to the long rumored recalls of Denorfia and C-Gon.

Official Release

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s today recalled outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Chris Denorfia from Triple-A Sacramento.
Gonzalez joins the A’s for the second time this year as he hit .240 with four home runs and 23 RBI in 77 games during his first stint from May 30 to August 27. He batted .274 in 39 games before the All-Star Break but then hit .204 in 38 games after the break. Gonzalez hit .406 with two home runs and eight RBI in eight Pacific Coast League playoff games to earn Co-PCL Postseason MVP honors with Chris Denorfia.

Denorfia also returns to Oakland for his second stint after batting .260 with six RBI in 25 games during his first stint. He was on the A’s Opening Day Roster before going on the disabled list retroactive to May 7 with tightness in his back. Denorfia was reinstated from the DL and optioned to Sacramento on July 19 and hit .302 with 20 RBI in 45 regular season games with the River Cats. He then hit .486 with four home runs, six RBI and 12 runs scored in eight playoff games, helping Sacramento to its fourth PCL Championship in the last six years.

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Sep 17, 2008 6:06 PM PDT reply actions