Remainder of 2009 Season - Key Questions

by Yellowhorse on Jun 10, 2009 10:40 PM PDT Comment 14 comments

Right now as we approach the inter-league games might be as good as a time as any to look at the key questions for the team for the rest of the 2009 season.

First, the AL West. I may be fooling myself but I still don't see a team that will run away with the division. This makes in my view all of the close losses up to now so painful as I really believe that this season was there for the taking. The Rangers pitchers usually wear down in that heat and the Angels injuries have kept them from rolling. I still think with improved play from Oakland they can battle for a playoff spot.

Second, the starters. I think that barring an injury the A's should stick with the 5 and see how they develop. They were thought to be the biggest weakness on the team in the Spring but they are far from it right now. It will be interesting to see who can improve the most. I really think they can be the start of something special. Will be interesting to see how the AL hits them once they get thru inter-league. For many AL opponents it will be the 2nd 3rd time seeing our pitchers, will our staff keep up the decent work.

Third, injuries. IF ( I know its a major IF) IF Duke, Ellis and Garciaparra can come back and play the 2nd half that would be huge for this team. I think they should put Duke in the pen to pitch in the close ones like tonight. He is a major upgrade over the chumps in the bull-pen. I think both the GM and Manager share in the blame for the selection and mishandling of the bullpen this season. Nomar even if he could play only 2-3 games a week is an upgrade in hitting over Crosby and Hannahan (neither at this point should be considered up and coming talent, thus there is no fear that a rookie is loosing valuable playing time). Kennedy may cool down and thus Ellis can platoon or they can stick one at 3B to upgrade the offense from that spot.

The biggest question however has to (or the 2nd year in a row) be will the team start hitting. I never thought that Giambi and Cabrerra would be so unproductive so far, will they turn it around. If not its another year fighting with the Mariners to stay out of the cellar. Also, Holliday and Cust need to improve as well. Yes, the lower part of the order is killing us (possibly solved with the return from DL of GArciaparra, Buck, Sweeney) but the top of the line-up is not pulling its weight either.

I think that Beane should give the team until the ASB to see if the team can 1- get healthy and 2- start hitting. If so then he should make a move or two to add another piece to the team to see if they can sneak into the playoffs in a weak AL West. Once in the playoffs (heck even with a 85 or so win total anything can happen).

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Not happening.

Take this draft as a sign, they are looking to improve long term, and anyone they can deal for prospects will be dealt. It was a fun little winning streak while it lasted, but its over. They are just not as good a team as the angels. They need to deal Holliday while his stock is high, and if guys like Springer and Duke could string together a decent outing they should be gone too. They tried to go for it and it didn’t work out, so they need to get back on track to what they were originally doing, rebuilding.

What you fail to understand in your joyless myopia is that baseball is the key to life-- the Rosetta Stone, if you will. If you just understood baseball better all your other questions your, your... the, uh... the aliens, the conspiracies they would all, in their way be answered by the baseball gods.

by winchester5 on Jun 11, 2009 8:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

And I think at some point they have to send down Cahill and Anderson.

They could both use some seasoning in AAA, and even better yet if they get sent down the A’s get an extra year of control on them…seems like a no brainer. Its not like they have no one to call up, Gio has been pitching better in AAA, still walks a million guys but he is worth a shot. Even though Eveland is just an innings eater he is still a guy down there, and everyone knows the potential of Gallagher. Even better yet with Eveland and Gallagher, if they come up for a month and pitch decent they could be trade bait and then after the all star break bring Cahill and Anderson back up…after we get the extra year of control.

by winchester5 on Jun 11, 2009 8:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like how you describe Eveland

“He is still a guy down there.”

I think that pretty much sums up everyone’s opinion of Eveland; he’s just a guy down there.

"To this day and dating back 25 years, before every game he plays, Henderson stands completely naked in front of a full length locker room mirror and says, "Ricky’s the best," for several minutes."

by VORP is too nerdy on Jun 11, 2009 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There isn't much more to say about him....

other than that hes there…lol

by winchester5 on Jun 11, 2009 1:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

shoot, better there than here!

Your 2009 Oakland Athetics: This time, it's personal.

by Kallus on Jun 11, 2009 7:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think it's a no-brainer at all.

Yes, there are reasons to send them down, but there’s also reasons to keep them up. If one of them starts to falter and starts getting lit up, then it’s an easier choice, but if they’re pitching reasonably I don’t think you can send them down solely to preserve time on the arbi clock. You can’t hide something like that, and when everyone knows that’s the type of relationship the organization has with its players, I think you pay a price for that in goodwill.

"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan

by iglew on Jun 12, 2009 6:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Though the prices one pays at goodwill are usually pretty darn good

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 Jun 12, 2009 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No offense

That is what I mean , no offense. This team just does not have enough good offensive players to make the playoffs.

I say stick with the young pitchers and build for the future.

by KCa's on Jun 11, 2009 10:45 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I have asked this in a few threads

1. Should a team risk having young pitchers throw a full MLB seasons worth of pitches?

2. How many innings should a young pitcher be allowed to throw in his first full season?

I see alot of people on AN talk about Dusty Baker and Nolan Ryan risking their young pitchers arms. Isn’t that exactly what the A’s are doing right now? Taking a bunch of AA pitchers last year and throwing them in the rotation for a full season?

I see very little on the field that would make the A’s front office go for it. I know its a weak division but Beane gambled on a few guys staying healthy and a few other players performing better then they have and it just didn’t work out.

As a fan I really do appreciate Beane’s gamble and effort for the 2009 season, it gave me some hope for a miracle season, now I hope he does the right thing and builds for the future.

by asfaninpismobeach on Jun 11, 2009 4:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

"The Verducci Effect"

states that a pitcher aged 25 or younger is at an increased risk of injury if his innings total jumps by 30 or more from one season to the next. This is no exact science, but there really isn’t any when it comes to this stuff.

This is tricky for Anderson and Cahill, since they both threw in the Olympics last season, but their minor league innings total from last season is 105 and 117, respectively. They’re both on pace for about 170 innings at this point.

I’ve thought all along it was a mistake to push them, but the decision has been made. I doubt at this point that the A’s will reverse course and give them additional AAA time, while monitoring their workload closely. I sure think it would be the best long-term decision, though.

by CapgrasDelusion on Jun 11, 2009 8:40 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree. I thought they should have been in AAA all season.

And now with the team not playing like contenders….they could really use time in AAA. It is scary how often the verducci effect is correct. look at who he predicts to get hurt….they seem to always do just that. It would be crazy to risk anderson and cahill on a losing team….send them to AAA and decrease their innings.

by winchester5 on Jun 12, 2009 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You can talk about the Verducci Effect

and I’d say that it’s not the best thing to boost their innings pitched way above what they did last year but there’s been a lot more written about this than just the initial idea.

I’m going to have to apologize since I don’t remember the site or have the time to look it up right now, so bear with me a little.

The most compelling correlation of the past few years is with the amount of breaking pitches a pitcher throws. The more the bigger the injury risk. And to bump up a player that throws a bunch of curve balls and sliders is much more dangerous than someone who lives on their sinking fastballs like Cahill. I don’t know the percentage of fastballs these two kids through but it seems high to me so I’m not exactly worried about the increased workload. The workload of the arm isn’t nearly as traumatic for throwing a fastball or changeup than the breaking stuff.

Sorry for not linking.

by CliveWarren on Jun 12, 2009 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They also would have thrown all these innings in the minors

Not sure what the difference is – innings are innings. It’s just a matter of how many innings the A’s let them throw, wherever.

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 Jun 12, 2009 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs