Rays Top A's and Secure Series Split
by jeffro on Aug 22, 2010 4:40 PM PDT
Email
PrintThe Rays won today, in Oakland, 3-2. It was a good game, but I wish to take us all on a short detour through the land of Lucasville.
There was this point in Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke Skywalker had just made like the trench on the Death Star was Beggar's Canyon and the exhaust port was a womprat. Han Solo was "Yeeeehhhhawwww" ing. Chewie was making that noise that he makes. All was right with the universe. The Rebel Alliance had a shot!
I felt like that around the 7th Inning of last night's game. And then the last 11 Innings came along and here I am in some frozen bunker on Hoth riding around on some giant hybrid kangaroo/rat/boar tusked thing, trying to avoid any "Imperial entanglements."
Dallas Braden was excellent today. He had the changeup rocking. Rays batters were off balance pretty much all game. It wasn't enough.
The problem, today, wasn't even that the A's offense was bad. It was more that Matt Graza was just that much better. Outside of a questionable balk, he dominated the A's, baffling them with his varied assortment of breaking balls and excellently located fast balls.
We all know by now that baffling the A's hitters isn't exactly something to write home about, but today was different.
I feel like, maybe, Gabe Gross deserves some special recognition today. As much grief as he takes around here, deservedly so at times, he was very impressive at the plate today. 2 hits and a walk in 4 plate appearances is good, but the way Gross grinds out at bats is impressive. He reminds me a lot of Scott Hatteberg, especially when has 2 strikes and he is still (comfortably) looking to find a pitch to drive.
But, back here on Hoth, it is hard to give recognition to anyone. Cause, the A's are heading out to try and pick off an Imperial Probe droid in Cleveland on Tuesday. And we all know what will follow that... A giant white Wampa (in the guise of the Texas Rangers), followed by a potential back breaking invasion by the Galactic Empire (in the guise of the Yankees).
It is "Do. Or do not." time.
77 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Whether the A's are really still in the race or not, Geren continues to manage like the season is over
Braden didn’t look all that great in his last inning but it sounds like he was fine based on this. Shouldn’t that be the more important factor than getting the others some work? Bailey could have still pitched the ninth and the other two could have been used in the eighth.
Geren said that Braden came out after six because he wanted to get Rodriguez, Wuertz and Bailey work with a day off tomorrow. #Athletics
http://twitter.com/susanslusser/status/21868036570
Last of the Ninth - Photography
I would have liked to see Braden out sooner.
From where I sat, something was off about him in the sixth, right from the get-go. He didn’t look comfortable and didn’t seem to be making his pitches.
But that’s kind of a tomayto tomahto thing. The A’s had a lot of chances to score. We had some hard-luck moments (Crisp and Ellis both almost had huge hits) and we just screwed the pooch a few times at the plate. Tough one to watch.
Reliever Craig Breslow, the Yale graduate dubbed "the smartest man in baseball," said he doesn't have any theories. "Statistical variance?" he suggested. "I don't know at what point you attach statistical significance."
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Aug 22, 2010 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, that sounds like spring training
Bob would make an excellent spring training manager. This, however, is the season.
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
Bailey, I get. Back from the DL, want to get him in a game before the trip
Rodriguez or Wuertz could’ve thrown a bullpen session after the game was over.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
Not really, though --
Wuertz had the 9th and the situation wasn’t right for Rodriguez.
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
whiskey tango foxtrot?
that is unbelievable. not that I have delusions about the season, but come on!
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
Henry Rodriguez was impressive in his inning
especially against Sean Rodriguez, whose BA is nearly 100 points lower against right handed pitchers.
wonder if Geren couldn’t have given Henry “some work” on Saturday night, like, oh, the 8th inning when Sean came up against lefty Breslow?
I'm pretty sure Henry would have faced lefties (Joyce, Jaso)
pinch-hitting in that 8th inning, which I believe makes the decision to stay with Breslow reasonable. But definitely the last 3 outings are the best that I’ve ever seen H. Rodriguez look. Curt Young and Ron Romanick are pretty amazing, so I’m not going to write Henry off just yet.
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
Has he managed to get any breaking pitches in the strike zone yet?
I’m always amazed by how easily he seems to get the ball up to 100 mph. He’s not that big a guy, and he doesn’t look like he’s trying to throw the ball through a brick wall. But the ball sure does jump out of his hand.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Yes, that's one of the encouraging things
He has thrown sliders for called 3rd strikes, where before every slider was just hung or bounced.
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
If he can throw a slider for a called strike, he's got a chance to be really great
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
{If he can do the same with his fastball}
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
One of these days, I'm gonna jump the damn fence dressed as a pirate and comandeer this freaking ship before Geren sinks it.
"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."
by Kyli on Aug 22, 2010 9:17 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Can you dress up like Captain Jack Sparrow?
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
Yes. Complete with Orlando Bloom as my sidekick.
"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."
Mmm. Thank you.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
Sorry about that
Had a sudden desire for daiquiris. Got outa hand. My bad.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
If nothing else, they made it exciting til the end.
I really, really didn’t expect those Powell and Gross hits in the 9th, so I salute them.
The offense… makes my soul hurt for Braden.
"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."
A couple notes...
Carter HRed today for Sacramento (1 for 4 with a BB). Very strange report from CT on Pennington not starting yesterday. One of those “He..wasn’t getting a day off, he was..just..not in a position to play at the beginning…” Reading between the lines I get either disciplinary action or diarrhea.
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
He got it watching the team hit.
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
Maybe he was out with Shoes?
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
{Translation: I was too drunk to remember}
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
15 quality starts in a row....
… and the A’s go 7-8. Sigh.
That's special.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Our pitching is awesome.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
Agree with Nico on Geren
He manages games like spring training, uninspiring, just getting guys in and out of the
games. Probably because he’s not been under any pressure to win. Many times he’s
a day late and a move short. Wuertz or Rodriguez should have been used LAST night,
right after Breslow gave up the double to Aybar. A right hander should have been
brought in to face the right handed hitter Rodriguez who homered.
Note: Had a RHP been brought in to face Sean Rodriguez,
undoubtedly Joe Maddon would have pinch hit Matt Joyce (and then hit John Jaso for Shoppach). The A’s were not going to get the platoon advantage there.
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
yabut
it’d be nice to make the other team’s manager actually, well, manage once in a while. At least try.
Your second place Oakland A's.
by eastcoasta'sfan on Aug 22, 2010 8:04 PM PDT up reply actions
That still might have been worth it.
Because supposedly pinch hitting is really, really hard.
Why don't you make like a tree, and get out of here.
by thelincolndude on Aug 23, 2010 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions
son of a btch
I took after the 4th inning or so. Damn last nights hr.
alaska A currently residing in northern Idaho. --- theme for august = remain calm and try to truly enjoy a .500 team.
Are you listening, Geren?
JaneMLB
A troubling stat: Kouzmanoff and Suzuki are a combined 19-for-134 (.142) with 0 HR in the month of August.
26 minutes ago via web
"You're all like big fat failure turtles." - Edge
by Rated-R Superstar on Aug 22, 2010 6:37 PM PDT reply actions
Why we are 7-8 in the last 15.
Zooks and Kouz slumping terribly by trying too hard to be the MAN are the biggest reasons why. It’s natural if you are a 6 or 7 hitter to put pressure on yourself if you are moved up two/three slots.
"It's better to live rich than die rich" -- The Fat Lady
Who would do better on the current roster?
Larish?
by jeffro on Aug 22, 2010 7:23 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I am going to write a fanpost about too many pupouts
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
Please mention Willie Mays Hayes
I hate Bob Geren and his peanut brain so much -- lenscrafters
by WaddellCanseco on Aug 23, 2010 5:58 AM PDT up reply actions
Kouzmanoff is approaching the Hannahan line
Hannahan was about .650 OPS in his last full year with the A’s, Kouz is .660 and dropping. Of course, Hannahan’s obp was a lot better as opposed to the out-generating machine that is Kouz. Sure would be nice to remove the black hole of offense that has been the case since Chavez broke.
Kouzmanoff is definitely better than Hannahan.
Kouzmanoff has produced a 1.9 WAR in 118 games. Hannahan produced a 1.1 WAR in 143 games in 2008. You’re right in that Kouzmanoff is approaching Hannahan status offensively, though. In 2008, Hannahan had a .289 wOBA in 143 games and 501 PA. In 2010, Kouzmanoff has a .294 wOBA in 118 games and 487 PA. Kouzmanoff is trending downward as well, not upward. His OPS has been under .600 in the last 50 games.
"You're all like big fat failure turtles." - Edge
by Rated-R Superstar on Aug 22, 2010 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Interesting stuff
I’m no judge of range, Kouzmanoff must be radically better than Hannahan. By observation, Kouzmanoff’s throwing strikes me as less accurate than Hannahan – Barton has done Kouzmanoff a lot of favors. Interesting that he covers much more ground than Hannahan.
There's no pressure to win
Geren’s job is secure so he feels no pressure to move people in and out of the line-up or bullpen in order to get the win. He feels no pressure to rise to the occasion because there’s no occasion to rise to. He moves players in and out not based on whether they’re playing well or poorly at the moment, whether they’ll be helpful or not. One guy needs playing time, okay bench a guy who’s just gone 4-4. Suzuki’s not hitting? That’s okay, keep Landon Powell on the bench six days a week because Suzuki is penciled as the starter. Things go bad? Don’t take the blame, don’t put it on the team. Say that the hits weren’t falling and boy, we tried.
The theory that managers don’t matter is based on statistics that show crappy teams perform badly no matter who the manager is, and great teams perform well no matter who the manager is. So it averages out. But what about mid-range clubs, clubs that have a =/- 8 games over .500 - and by managing, I don’t just mean in-game managing, I mean setting the tone for the club in terms of training, discipline, preparing for games - it HAS to make a difference, even if that difference isn’t quantifiable (well, actually, it is…Mike Scioscia consistently gets better W-L records than the Pythagorean numbers suggest, and some players actually do play better for one manager than for another).
There’s no way of knowing because it’s not quantifiable, but I keep thinking that if the A’s had a real manager, they’d be three or four games closer to Texas, at least.
Honestly, with this group of hitters
I would say you could put them in any order under any manager and this team would be … around .500.
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
I've got an idea
let’s bat our best hitters in the bottom half of the order.
wait, we already tried that.
and . . . you’re right, we’re about a .500 team. with the pitching staff of a contender.
Your second place Oakland A's.
by eastcoasta'sfan on Aug 22, 2010 8:08 PM PDT up reply actions
We bat our best hitters on other teams.
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
That's why I didn't mention batting order
But there’s no pressure on them either, no rewards for good playing, no benching for bad playing, no moving them in the order much if they don’t perform.
My current theory: put an electroshock collar on Geren.
All seats have buttons in front of them. During the game, if enough people hit the button during an unknown but predetermined time span as a response to certain decisions, Geren receives a mild shock.
This would also raise attendance.
"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."
by Kyli on Aug 22, 2010 9:20 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
So we'd all agree to keep on pressing the button ad nauseum?
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
You mean until he vomits?
I hate Bob Geren and his peanut brain so much -- lenscrafters
by WaddellCanseco on Aug 23, 2010 6:01 AM PDT up reply actions
Certainly there can be built in "fail-safe" processes.
Such as…. only one button press, per fan then it cuts off. Having only pre-screened select population of fans holding the “manager-shot-xross-the-bow control”. Also having a select few in the press-box too, including, and this would be done secretly, a control box in front of our tv and radio guys.
Perhaps, as to not disrupt the game or the managers mental functioning adversely, the total sum of the collective voted on manager mistakes would be applied in one massive or series of shocks immediately after the game. The manager would be privy to the outcome on each mistake, so he would know what was coming to him upon the final out. If a victory ensues, then the amperage would be proportionally reduced…..based on a vote….heck, he might even get clemency…to be voted on for sure ahead of the feedback.
alaska A currently residing in northern Idaho. --- theme for august = remain calm and try to truly enjoy a .500 team.
I agree.
Wuertz was scratched from a minor league game on Wednesday, but bounced back quickly on Thursday, throwing mostly fastballs and sliders, although he did mix in three sliders. -Rotoworld
by ElQuesoCapitan on Aug 23, 2010 1:30 AM PDT up reply actions
You'd all be arrested for murder.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Hmm...Still seems worth it.
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
.
it HAS to make a difference, even if that difference isn’t quantifiable (well, actually, it is…Mike Scioscia consistently gets better W-L records than the Pythagorean numbers suggest, and some players actually do play better for one manager than for another).
Managers have an impact by causing their teams to win more games relative to their runs scored, but specifically NOT by actually causing their teams to score or prevent more runs?
Ok.
There’s serious confusion out there (deliberately abetted by demagogue columnists of the Plaschke mold, to be sure) about what “beating your Pythagorean record” means. It does NOT just mean playing better than expected!
Why the heck would “training” and “discipline” and even in-game managing (if they are effective) not cause a team to score more runs or allow fewer runs? How likely is it that they are completely ineffectual upon run total but somehow allow teams to win more games in spite of that?
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
I think you're overlooking one truth, though:
When he lets Kazmir give up 13 runs, or lets Bootcheck pitch in a 6-2 game that becomes 11-2, the team is still 0-1 that day but the Pythag gets changed a lot.
So it’s not that Scioscia is “causing his team to score more or allow fewer.” It’s that he’s doing the opposite — he’s causing his team to allow more — which helps the Angels beat their Pythag by lowering their Pythag while winning the same amount.
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
Oh, and in case it's not clear
none of this is important as you don’t get playoff berths for beating your Pythag. I’m not suggesting this explains any Angels’ success, just perhaps their tendency to beat their Pythag.
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
Got it, Paul. I see that now.
Then the question still comes up…does a manager make a difference in terms of training, discipline or in-game managing? It may be that’s not the case in the short term, but we’ve seen managerial changes that have had immediate, short-term effect on how a team performs.
But can you objectiely say that the manager is the reason for the change?
I am thinking of Jim Tracy taking over the Rockies last year, or was it the year before? He was hailed as the awesomest thing since sliced bread and here we are a year later and the Rockies are “underachieving.” Not to mention he didn’t do much in Pittsburgh.
Those are pretty much the definition of post hoc rationalization.
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on Aug 23, 2010 6:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Not really
The assumption you’re making is that changing managers implies that a specific manager is better than another specific manager, rather than that the change itself has something to do with the shift in momentum. The clubhouse changes, and the players somehow shift. The idea that workplace environment is meaningless is something that seems to only exist in baseball blogs and not in the real world.
I’d guess there are managers who are better than other managers - the real example of course was Billy Martin, who may have blown up several pitching staffs but achieved massive overnight change with several clubs, until his act got very old.
I think managers mostly burn themselves out. After a time, they hit a brick wall with the players and with the organization. But there are those few who make a difference one way - like Martin; and presumably there are others who make a difference the other way, like say Jackie Moore.
don't forget Gene Hackman in Hoosiers.
alaska A currently residing in northern Idaho. --- theme for august = remain calm and try to truly enjoy a .500 team.
I'm not assuming anything.
You’re attributing a fluctuation in a team’s record to the change in managers. Everything else, like players “shifting”, is your attempt to rationalize why you think the change in record is due to a change in managers. Whether or not you’re right is unknowable and untestable. It is, however, still post hoc reasoning.
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on Aug 23, 2010 8:16 PM PDT up reply actions
It may be post-hoc
But it happens fairly frequently. Not all the time, to be sure, but frequently enough to be a bit beyond mere coincidence.
It’s also post-hoc reasoning that I’m happy when I come back from a vacation, oddly enough it’s every vacation. That doesn’t mean though that the vacation made me happy, right?
Managers are often changed midseason when talented teams underperform
Assuming that those teams will, on average, play to their talent level after the change, you would expect a correlation (without any causation at all) between managerial changes and better performance.
When everyone knows the team is frickin’ lame, the manager doesn’t get changed. What’s the point? The team is obviously not his fault.
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
Not if the team was underperforming because of issues involving the manager
You can’t claim causation, but you also can’t claim a lack of causation either.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
