Sometimes Things Break Right And Sometimes Things Break, Right?

by Nico on Mar 27, 2011 6:54 PM PDT

There's still time -- it was in the Bay Bridge series last year that Coco Crisp dove headfirst into the DL -- but the Cactus League ended today with the A's in an unfamiliar position: relatively healthy compared to other teams.

It seems like this spring has seen a high number of casualties, with most teams reeling, starting with Zack Greinke's pickup basketball revelation and Adam Wainwright's Tommy John surgery -- rather significant losses to teams planning to contend in 2011 -- and Houston's loss of talented catcher Jason Castro to a torn ACL and meniscus. More locally...

...In the AL West, the Rangers are in flux courtesy of Adrian Beltre's calf, Tommy Hunter's hamstring, Brandon Webb's setback, and a starting rotation led by CJ Wilson (whose start yesterday was halted after 2 IP with hamstring tightness), Colby Lewis, and a series of question marks that have David Bush, Michael Kirkman, and Eric Hurley in a conversation the Rangers would rather not have.

With Derek Holland and Alexi Ogando also in the mix, Texas still looks to be ok right now, but the scare with Wilson shows the fragility with which Texas begins the season: Lose Wilson and the whole thing could implode quickly.

The Angels are relying on their starting rotation to keep them in the hunt, but will start the season with Joel Piñeiro on the DL, and are looking more and more each day like "Weaver and Haren, and the rest is barren."

Meanwhile, the A's have suffered mostly scares. The one injury of impact is the loss of Andrew Bailey in April, but not only are the A's pretty deep in the bullpen, the news on Bailey has been "best case scenario" since he clutched his surgically repaired elbow and hopped off the mound in pain. Josh Willingham keeps getting creamed by pitches, but keeps dodging the bullet if not the pitch -- he figures to be good to go on Friday, if not tomorrow.

Rosales, Harden? Those are "par for the course" amounts of injury no team will escape. The bottom line is that if the season started today (yes, please), the A's would be in good shape, physically, and not many teams can say that right now.

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Comments

nothing to do with this post but

watching the simpsons right now and its about sabermetrics. awesome

by sballdayerday on Mar 27, 2011 7:12 PM PDT reply actions

Awwww Jason Castro injured?

He went to my high school and I was really excited for his first full year this year…

WHAT!??!?!?!?!?!?!

by true torture on Mar 27, 2011 7:14 PM PDT reply actions

Really bad, too.

A torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee. Sad.

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 Mar 27, 2011 7:21 PM PDT up reply actions

My step dad went to school with him too..

Interesting.

"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
hell hath no fury like a Cowboys fan scorned. -Leopold Bloom

by MissOakland on Mar 27, 2011 7:57 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

is your step dad like 25?

You don't need a religion, you have the A's. - My girlfriend

by designatedforassignment on Mar 27, 2011 8:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Seconding this question.

He lived on my hall freshman year. And I’m 23.

Adopted father of Chris Lincecum, without whom (quite literally) Timmy would not exist.

by speckops on Mar 27, 2011 8:27 PM PDT up reply actions

Miss Oakland's step dad lived on your hall freshman year?

Cree. Pee.

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 Mar 27, 2011 8:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, who knows.

Maybe they went to school together later at Stanford or earlier (middle or high school?).

Adopted father of Chris Lincecum, without whom (quite literally) Timmy would not exist.

by speckops on Mar 27, 2011 8:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Stanford

hey I was Stanford 09 too! Not many A’s fans over there unfortunately.

by ryder1650 on Mar 27, 2011 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Cool!

Any chance we crossed paths? I was a chem major.

Adopted father of Chris Lincecum, without whom (quite literally) Timmy would not exist.

by speckops on Mar 27, 2011 10:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Probably

I was EE, so on that side of campus all the time. Small world man.

by ryder1650 on Mar 28, 2011 9:25 AM PDT up reply actions

...and I've been a grad student at Stanford since '08

Indeed, not enough A’s fans on campus.

by DDroney on Mar 28, 2011 9:28 AM PDT up reply actions

Most people thought...

my A’s hat was a fashion statement, not a life statement.

by ryder1650 on Mar 28, 2011 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions

Sorry to hear that this phenomenally talented guy is injured

Jason Castro

There is an evening coming in/Across the fields, one never seen before,/That lights no lamps. -- Philip Larkin, from "Going"

by Ray of Lite on Mar 28, 2011 8:36 AM PDT up reply actions

I just have to zen out for the upcoming bay bridge

pretend games to arise and pass….hopefully crisp will make it thru unscathed.

alaska A in northern idaho

by ak_A on Mar 27, 2011 7:22 PM PDT reply actions

I read the title and it scared the hell out of me.

Then I read the line about Coco and I almost fainted.

Good thing I’m just tired and can’t read right now.

I would dance and be merry, life would be a ding-a-derry, if Bob Geren had a brain.

by Boonee on Mar 27, 2011 7:23 PM PDT reply actions

If posts here had subtitles

This one would be called “THE KNOCK ON WOOD THREAD”.

by PL78 on Mar 27, 2011 7:28 PM PDT reply actions

The knock on Wood...

is that he can’t hit big league pitching.

Zing!!!!!!

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 Mar 27, 2011 7:36 PM PDT up reply actions

haaaa

knew someone would go there as soon as I posted.

by PL78 on Mar 27, 2011 7:40 PM PDT up reply actions

You better knock (knock knock knock) on wood...... baby.

by LoneStranger on Mar 28, 2011 8:00 AM PDT up reply actions

Jinx!

by OaklandSi on Mar 27, 2011 7:44 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Please no head first

slides in the Bay Bridge series, at least not on the part of the east bay team.

by robertmelvin on Mar 27, 2011 8:36 PM PDT reply actions

We need something to make this Bay Bridge Series more interesting.

Play for territorial rights to San Jose.

by DDroney on Mar 27, 2011 9:54 PM PDT reply actions

the loser gets Petaluma

by DDroney on Mar 27, 2011 9:54 PM PDT up reply actions

The loser gets the status quo

Pergatory

Hey dad, I got this guy's autograph, Rollie
Fingers. Who's he?

by WhizDad on Mar 27, 2011 9:58 PM PDT up reply actions

HEY!

I’m from Petaluma…

by gunnero on Mar 27, 2011 11:29 PM PDT up reply actions

I grew up there.

by LoneStranger on Mar 28, 2011 8:00 AM PDT up reply actions

I grew up there too

I went to the public school that didn’t have A’s colors. That was tough to cope with for a while.

by TempletonPeck on Mar 28, 2011 1:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Heh. I went to the HS that did have A's colors.

by LoneStranger on Mar 28, 2011 2:06 PM PDT up reply actions

What's wrong with Petaluma?

by LoneStranger on Mar 28, 2011 8:00 AM PDT up reply actions

It sounds funny

Hey anyone can join in...as long as they talk about me. - Mr. Bed

by cuppingmaster on Mar 28, 2011 8:11 AM PDT up reply actions

Well... hey... uh.... you... smell funny.

by LoneStranger on Mar 28, 2011 8:27 AM PDT up reply actions

I can pet a llama

but what’s a luma?

by jeffro on Mar 28, 2011 9:06 AM PDT up reply actions

A monetary unit of Armenia worth one hundredth of a dram.

by LoneStranger on Mar 28, 2011 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't know, but it sounds dirty

Hey anyone can join in...as long as they talk about me. - Mr. Bed

by cuppingmaster on Mar 28, 2011 9:32 AM PDT up reply actions

nothing, I just picked somewhere that probably didn't promise a lot of revenue

by DDroney on Mar 28, 2011 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions

Petaluma has tossed the idea around of building a Single-A park at the Fairgrounds.

by LoneStranger on Mar 28, 2011 9:38 AM PDT up reply actions

Just stumbled upon

this bad boy.

"Some of us know him as the a-hole who piled into Ray Fosse in an All-Star game (it's why Ray is the way he is folks)" - OptimistPrime

by travdog6 on Mar 27, 2011 11:40 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

paging danbot. white courtesy phone. paging danbot.

the artist formerly known as inbillywetrust

by stm72 on Mar 28, 2011 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Captain Oveur, white courtesy phone. Captain Clarence Oveur, white courtesy phone.

by LoneStranger on Mar 28, 2011 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions

Oooh, fun.

by danmerqury on Mar 28, 2011 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Ahhhh, that was a fun weekend.

If anybody asks, I'm not here.
I'm never here.

by harensheir15 on Mar 28, 2011 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Was just thinking about this

Spring training injuries are like the eleventh plague, and so far this Passover, the A’s are playing the role of the Israelites… let’s hope no one forgot the blood on his locker!

(Okay, that’s a stretch. There’s a reason I’m not doing stand-up. In all seriousness, it’s all good so far. Now just cut Jackson and we’ll be good to go.)

"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.

by PaulThomas on Mar 28, 2011 12:30 AM PDT reply actions