Stewart, Putnam, And Scutaro For Crying Out Loud!
by Nico on Apr 24, 2007 3:06 PM PDT
in News
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PrintPretty much the standard A's fare:
* Injury to key player, preferably the current centerfielder: check.
* Key run-producing at-bats are an inning-ending DP ball, a routine grounder to second, and a walk: check.
* Overused bullpen features a couple shaky performances and a pitcher throwing for the third day in a row: check.
* A's starting pitcher gives up 3 runs or fewer, certainly nothing in the first inning: check.
* In first place for another day, somehow: check.
Then again, Alan Embree didn't pitch, so that was different. Speaking of different, our current outfield of Shannon Stewart, Danny Putnam, and Marco Scutaro is probably a tad off from our pre-season prognostications--which likely also didn't have Chad Gaudin or Dallas Braden starting. It's so absurd, it's funny, especially since unlike May, 2005 the A's are actually holding their own and then some. For now.
Right now the A's are doing it with mirrors--apparently the same mirrors that someone dropped less than 7 years ago. Gawd.
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this isn't may 2005 it's june 2006
when we were winning with jay payton batting 3rd,brad halsey setting up,mike rouse making his ml debut...
by J Rod @ Athletics Nation on Apr 24, 2007 3:12 PM PDT reply actions
I really hope we get good news
by larrysgurl on Apr 24, 2007 3:13 PM PDT reply actions
Just heard the post-game interview with Braden...
That guy's got the sound of a seasoned vet, just listening to him on the radio. No idea what he looks like, but if I didn't know he was a AA call-up, I'd never have guessed.
no idea what he looks like
Well, let's just say no one would confuse him for Utter Hotness.
Even his anagrams are ugly. Badlands Earl is the best he can aspire to, and that ain't no pretty boy.
Yeah, remember Goose Gossage?
.. not very pretty to look at, but MAN could he pitch {dominate, intimidate} .. for a pitcher maybe "the uglier the better"? Hehe ..
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 6:10 PM PDT up reply actions
This is clearly also our
Top 8th, 2 outs, bases juiced, KRod pitching
and the last person you want to see up, Neifi Perez. What the heck is up with the Tigers and why isn't Polanco PHing?
polanco IS batting
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Man, the vagarities of Fantasy Baseball
I sit Magglio (usually doesn't start for righties) and start T-Buck. Polanco is my starting 2B.
T-Buck sits today, Mags starts and goes 2/2 2 BB, 2 R, 1 BI. and Neifi Perez gets the nod over Mr. Batting .358 Polanco?!
Ouch
by methodrampage on Apr 24, 2007 3:40 PM PDT up reply actions
Actually
he's walking.
by methodrampage on Apr 24, 2007 3:20 PM PDT up reply actions
And it looks like the Tigers
have realized that they shouldn't swing at F-Raud ... two batters, two walks and a run so far :-)
by green star oakland on Apr 24, 2007 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions
holding their own? doing it with mirrors?
Kinky.
Mirrors on the ceiling
Non-alcoholic champagne on ice
We are all just prisoners here
Of Jennifer's device
Ernie Young, Ryan Christenson, Craig Paquette
is probably the last time the OF looked as bad on paper
(guessing that that was an actual OF)
by fadedash on Apr 24, 2007 3:20 PM PDT reply actions
Offensively, perhaps
Defensively, the Giambi-Mashore-Stairs outfield is pretty hard to beat. Today's OF may have surpassed that high standard.
by BlameChannel53 on Apr 24, 2007 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Tigers
have figured out that K-Rod doesn't throw strikes.
Polanco walked but granderson grounded out
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 3:22 PM PDT reply actions
UGH Hamstrings!
I think the A's should invest in some kind of stretching specialist or something haha (I know, I know, they should invest in an entirely new medical staff... but at least they could do SOMETHING). There has to be something wrong when so many guys on the team are having hamstring problems. :(
Either that or we should just call up the entire Rivercats roster and let them play for a couple weeks while everyone on the A's heals. I think it would be interesting hahaha
I don't know Jennifer here on AN
but by all accounts on AN, maybe they should hire her to stretch the players out. She may have more creative uses for those rubber stretch tools I see the players using on the field.
was it really swisher's hamstring? I know that's
what the orioles announcers said, but it definitely looked like his ankle.
by larrysgurl on Apr 24, 2007 3:28 PM PDT reply actions
Yeah - I watched the play, and that was
definitely an ankle. I don;t know how/why they kept saying knee/hamstring when he clearly rolled his ankle when he stopped to head back to third.
And I don't think it's serious... When he got up to walk back to the trainer's room, he was doing so with a slight limp and minimal grimace on his face.
From the Chronicle
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfga...
Fast one from the A's post-game clubhouse: Nick Swisher said the left hamstring strain he incurred in the first inning isn't that bad.
"I'm walking around, I'm fine,'' he said. "There's no wheelchair.''
He confirmed he did also roll his right ankle, too, when he put on the brakes rounding third, but that didn't bother him at all.
Manager Bob Geren said the A's will know more about Swisher's condition today and he said that Danny Putnam is likely to be in center field tonight.
Judging by Swisher's remarks, he won't be going on the DL, which would be a real relief for the A's, considering they have five men out already.
No wheelchair yet, Nick.
The night is still young... ;P
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 24, 2007 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Swish is one of us.
Note the use of the word "yet"
LOL
.. that definitely made me laugh .. Nico you might think about an appearance on Letterman or Leno if you lose your job here at AN .. j/k
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 5:56 PM PDT up reply actions
You would think
That given the propensity of injuries on this team the last few years, that the organization would do some sort of comprehensive review of training, conditioning, injury prevention strategies etc. The fact is, this is not happening on other teams to the degree and frequency as it's happening to ours. Do you all agree? Why has there not been some sort of review, or why hasn't it been made public if it has? A's fans have a right to know.
You're right.
Does anyone have the Larry Davis quote when he talked about how a player was going to try acupuncture, "if I can figure out what that actually is", or something to that effect?
Clearly this isn't a coincidence. Heck, even the players are bitching about it - Crosby, Halsey, it's a parade.
I'm loving our farm system right now.
Putnam and Braden may have been the decisive factors in winning this series.
Welcome to the show!
by 510Fever on Apr 24, 2007 3:33 PM PDT reply actions
well considering Bradley only has 1 hr, and until
last night Swish only had 2. They haven't done the dance much this year.
by theblackpearl on Apr 24, 2007 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Must be the other way then.
by Loon from Left on Apr 24, 2007 8:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Wow...shef stole 3rd!
he hit that ball SO HARD.
Boom
Shakalaka!
Magglio HR
Tigers up 8-7
YEAH BABY!!!!
Magglio HOMERS, Tigers LEAD!
Unreal...Angels were up 7-0!
Detroit has scored 4 runs off the Angels Bullpen
so we're not the only team with a great pen that is looking like crap.
K-rod probably pissed
Struck Pudge out on three pitches.
hard to believe, i know
but it's more fun to watch their bullpen implode, then watching our bullpen wobble their way to today's save.
yipes.
Kill two birds with one stone
Let's call up Marcus McBeth. He was a defensive wizard in center and a top rated prospect until we discovered he couldn't hit a breaking ball, so he gave up the offensive side of things and became a pitcher. Now he's our best reliever in AAA. Bring him up to the bigs and start him in CF. Later in the game he can head to the mound for a shut down inning then head back out to the outfield for the final inning or two. Remember, he can't hit a lick, so he'd fit right in to this offense!
Haren, however ...
... could probably get stoned with two birds ...
Vlad doubles...
...at least not a HR
rather
be dead than red, tie goes to homophobe
by methodrampage on Apr 24, 2007 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions
But the wild pitch
makes it a win for the douche.
by green star oakland on Apr 24, 2007 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions
the douche
flied out
by methodrampage on Apr 24, 2007 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Flied out
moving Guerrero to 3rd, from where the wild pitch scored him.
by green star oakland on Apr 24, 2007 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions
fine
douche wins with the sac fly
by methodrampage on Apr 24, 2007 4:01 PM PDT up reply actions
I vote for
the turd sandwich
Vlad
He's hitting over .400
ew
Glad I'm not actually a Tigers fan.
This game is pathetic!
Come on Tigers! Win this thing already!
The Angels have already pitched Fraud, Shields and Speier. Oliver is next, I think.
worst coaching ever
why is todd jones pitching to vlad? walk him. nobody else on that team can hit worth a lick.
Advantage
El Tigres
IBB
They're pitching to Granderson.
19 wins and a 3.6 era in the AL East...
Is he not?
by OaktownPower on Apr 24, 2007 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions
I swear there must be an Angel Fan operating GDay
Top 10TH B:4 S:0 O:1
Francisco Rodriguez intentionally walks Placido Polanco.
Top 10TH B:4 S:0 O:1
Francisco Rodriguez intentionally walks Curtis Granderson.
Quoting Joe Schmoe
"What is going on?!"
And Tigers score
2?
hahah gameday must be way wrong
Going to the bottom 10th now. Still tied.
Granderson struck out, Moseley in relief
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 4:07 PM PDT reply actions
then Monroe flied out to end the threat
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions
chopper, going foul,
Jones catches it anyway, has absolutely no play at first, throws it anyway, throws it away, runner on second no outs.
Wait - Casey homered so the Tigers up 9-8
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 4:11 PM PDT reply actions
no Casey singled, and was stranded.
Gameday is wrong
by theblackpearl on Apr 24, 2007 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions
Yahoo GameChannel and ESPN also wrong
.. shucks sorry ..
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions
now the Angels are arguing that the bunt was fair
luckily the umps are not buying it.
Molina just bunted back to the pitcher. 2nd and 3rd. 1 out.
Yahoo Sports also show Casey homers
Then it shows Infante coming in to pinch run for Casey. Who's ever pinch run on a homer? Gotta be wrong.
Two outs now, yeah?
by baseballgirl on Apr 24, 2007 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Oops...
I thought I clicked on a thread that was the post game wrap for the A's but somehow it took to me the LAAAAAA/Detroit gamethread.
Hmmm. ;)
Nothing to see here folks
by baseballgirl on Apr 24, 2007 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Aybar Ks!
thats my prediction
man, the Tigers gave that one away
The Angels just won
I can't believe they left Todd Jones in that long. Ew.
So are the guys running Yahoo GameChannel
because they are idiots.
Still saying that Sean Casey hit a homer in the top of the 10th! ;-(
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions
that would have been TERRIBLE for them.
;-)
by baseballgirl on Apr 24, 2007 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions
OH MY bbg we would have been in TEARS
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 4:21 PM PDT up reply actions
but Matthews sucks at baseball
lots of injuries, look at Toronto and Yankees
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 4:22 PM PDT up reply actions
my point is, we can blame
(rightly or wrongly)the medical and/or training staff for the seemingly chronic and endless injuries on one or two clubs. But if this is a phenomenon hitting many (most?) clubs this season, it doesn't seem reasonable to blame all of those clubs' staffs...
Yeah
I agree with you but it's hard to convince people of that - the word 'fan' is short for 'fanatic' which implies: "emotional, resistant to reason" and also possibly: "myopic, seeing through the lens of only one team namely that which the fanatic is rooting for" {Grin} .. but I'm all for any improvements to the medical staff, advances in sports medicine, better training, etc - whatever be possible to reduce the DL list ..
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 6:02 PM PDT up reply actions
For that we have to defer to the 'experts'
Seriously, there seems a wealth of knowledge here at this Site, maybe that would make a good diary? Several people here seem to have knowledge of sports medicine and practices ...
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 6:18 PM PDT up reply actions
steroids testing
amphetamines testing
also
baseball is such a huge business and players make so much money that i'm sure they're less likely to play through minor injuries than in the past.
I blame it on Al Gore
It's been a cold spring so far, because Al Gore turned off the heat.
Are you hinting?
Could it be some profession wide change in the medicines some players are said to take?
by MobiusKlein on Apr 25, 2007 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions
Dallas Braden is cool.
This non-Angels post was brought to you by the letters H and H.
Roadmap for the 2007 MLB season:
Time to weigh in...
What a ride, huh? This broadcast of A's baseball is brought to you by Super Glue and Band Aid Brand bandages. Oh yeah, also by Aflac and Duct Tape....
Who else can pluck AA players and still dominate? This is just pure fun and has to be the funniest non-funny situation I can remember. It seems like I just listen nowadays to see who is going to get hurt and what "nobody" is going to step up and shine. It's like NASCAR and watching for the crashes!
Scooter is my hero! Chavez, Ellis or Crosby could not have gone into the outfield like that.
Braden...what poise! And another Supplemental Draft Choice making Billy look better, if that is possible.
Putnam...RESPECTABLE!
I love my A's and it is so unnerving and yet so amazing what they are doing. I'm telling ya, the "HeartAttack Kids" are daily living up to the name!
Our starting pitching is on some kind of a streak
though...
She's Right
A's starters have allowed one run or less in seven of eight games. It was the 18th consecutive game in which an Oakland starter gave up three runs or fewer, the longest such streak since Cleveland went 18 straight in 1998.
and also:
In the bottom half, Oakland set a major league record by keeping Baltimore scoreless. It was the 20th straight game in which the A's failed to allow a first-inning run, a record for the start of the season. The previous mark of 19 was held by the 1990 Milwaukee Brewers and 2005 Boston Red Sox, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 6:05 PM PDT up reply actions
Well, if the string is broken tomorrow nite ..
Will you hang me or BBG, or both? If there is a (cyber) hanging at high noon on AN the following day, to administer justice to the "jinxer", I have to nominate BBG for scapegoat, - and, well, I guess I'll be hard to find about that time .. {g} ..
by Randy Bell on Apr 24, 2007 6:15 PM PDT up reply actions
He played in 9th today.
by larrysgurl on Apr 24, 2007 4:45 PM PDT reply actions
Sums up the A's offense pretty well.
This is from the MLB writeup.
And the A's took advantage of some less-than-brilliant Baltimore defense while scoring all of their runs without the direct benefit of a base hit.
Alan Embree
Wasn't he supposed to be a major prospect for the Boston Red Sox? What ever happened to his "talent"?
by JMEnglish on Apr 24, 2007 6:15 PM PDT reply actions
"major prospect" for the red sox??
what ever happened to your baseball "knowledge"?
lol
harsh, but funny
by Cutthemullet on Apr 25, 2007 1:02 AM PDT up reply actions
no doubt about it
Think what you want...Putnam is the real deal. If he doesn't stick immediately (and he might), he'll be back. Bank on it.
by captainbubblehead on Apr 24, 2007 6:16 PM PDT reply actions
A-Rod who?
Carl Crawford of TB just hit a grand-slam against Mike Myers of the damm Yankees and give TB a 6-3 lead. Speaking of the Yankees, talk about overworked bullpens.
by bolt on Apr 24, 2007 6:31 PM PDT reply actions
crap crap crap
news of injuries can't possibly be good for my blood pressure. We have so many rookies, what are we, the Devil Rays? The Marlins?
by secret ASian man on Apr 24, 2007 6:35 PM PDT reply actions
another call-up tomorrow?
If Swisher, Buck and Kietly are all day-to-day I would think the A's have to place one of them on the DL and call someone up (Thomas?). Otherwise we'll have Scutaro in the OF and no backup middle infielder.
by bolt on Apr 24, 2007 6:38 PM PDT reply actions
or send down a bullpen pitcher
to make room for another position player.
by bolt on Apr 24, 2007 6:50 PM PDT up reply actions
What they could do,
Yes, that's my point:
Day 6 (Sunday): Position player down, Halsey (or equivalent) up to make start (Kielty, Buck now healthy)
Day 11: Braden back up if desired, someone down or DLed, e.g., Halsey.
Braden only has to miss one start in this scenario, while the A's are never shorthanded in the field.
Why not send Kielty down for 10 days
If he can't play for a little bit, we might as well dump him since he still has an option. Let Braden not miss his turn, bring up someone who can do more than warm the bench Geren.
hamstrings and hamstrung
I work for a tissue bank and I can get all the ACL'S you need, but hamstrings?? That's a tough one. Maybe I oughta bring it up in the next product devolopment meeeting.
What is up with the A's and injuries?? Man, is somebody sticking pins in little dolls somewhere??
even if hamstrings are hard to come by...
report to the Coliseum ASAP
by Cutthemullet on Apr 25, 2007 1:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Swish
Thought you would want to know but I spoke with Nick and he's doing OK. He said he is extremely sore but walking isn't a problem. Should have more info tommorow morning when he has an MRI.
by grapefruitsandbeebies on Apr 24, 2007 7:32 PM PDT reply actions
you...spoke with Nick?
How do you know him? This reminds me of the time that some player's dad posted on AN, the father of a minor leaguer I think...can't remember who it was.
by Cutthemullet on Apr 25, 2007 1:10 AM PDT up reply actions
Why no screwball?
From here
Why would we take away Braden's out pitch? Do they not want other teams to see it or what? Maybe bring out in his second start?
I'm thinking it would be more
wow, that is strange
weird
makes his major league debut all the more impressive. Nico's theory is decent, but mine is that if everyone else on the A's is playing with a handicap of some sort, Braden had to, also--it's only fair.
by Cutthemullet on Apr 25, 2007 1:13 AM PDT up reply actions
what will it take to dismiss the training staff?
The difference in this and the last 2 years is that these kids (Buck, Putnam, Braden) seem ready to do the do and stick in the Show. Without them we are f*kt like a $2 Tenderloin whore.
As crowded as the DL is, I gotta say that the Angels look worse and that's with their regular squad intact. Thank you, O Crappy Division Gods.
Probably nothing
Billy probably scores his reefer from Davis, so he's indispensable.
They haven't made reefer
C'mon
this is Oakland we're talking about ... no one is indispendable when there are so many dispensaries.
by green star oakland on Apr 25, 2007 7:54 AM PDT up reply actions
Last year it was obliques, this year hamstrings,
Larry Davis and his group must be magicians if they can make multiple people have the same injury each year. They must also sleep at the players house during the offseason to make sure the players neglect said body part so it does get injured. They might be misdiagnosing the occasional injury, which all doctors do, but they can't be blamed for every injury
by theblackpearl on Apr 24, 2007 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions
How does the saying go?
Davis isn't in charge of conditioning.
if I'm not mistaken, that's Clarence Cockrell. Davis is just a patch him up until the team doctor can look at them guy, nothing more. He seems to always take the blame when it's not really his fault.
not really
your point was that none of the team doctors/training staff can be blamed for the rash of injuries. DMOAS' point was only that Larry Davis shouldn't be blamed for the rash of injuries. And to complicate things further, I don't really agree with either point--the track record of the whole staff is horrible here. We're not going to be getting away with some of these lucky wins much longer...we need to get guys healthy. But we shouldn't even need to get them healthy...they should already be healthy.
by Cutthemullet on Apr 25, 2007 1:21 AM PDT up reply actions
This is true--my guess
beef? duck? which is it?
I'm hungry now.
though he's only one of the multitudes
wasn't Swisher throwing heifers into the hayloft of his barn this winter instead of lifting weights. He's the poster boy for "functional" fitness.
Bonds vs MB
who do you think will play in more games this year, Bonds or MB? MB is one of our few consistent hitters but he's turning out to be very fragile.
by bolt on Apr 24, 2007 9:00 PM PDT reply actions
BB
easily
by Cutthemullet on Apr 25, 2007 1:23 AM PDT up reply actions
Who walked??
by anAfromfaraway on Apr 25, 2007 1:58 AM PDT up reply actions
Swisher, apparently
He said he didn't need a wheelchair
by Cutthemullet on Apr 25, 2007 2:42 AM PDT up reply actions
In May...
things are supposed to get worse, according to the script. But what else could happen!!?
Now, if they have a winning record in May... I think we can call the season a success.
Also, the only part of the A's where no injuries have occurred is in the bullpen. But right now, the bullpen is under performing. What is wrong with those guys?
Obviously they're the only ones
who are paying attention to the company-wide memo of sucking in April & May. The others are just phoning it in.
no CG's
Thing is, the A's are getting a quality start almost every game...but they have to keep trotting out the top bullpen guys because it's 3-2 at the 7th inning stretch every single time (ok, 16-4 W over Texas and 9-0 over Seattle excepted. I can't even think of any blowout losses, which means nearly all the games have been tightly contested...or my memory sucks). So other than in those two games, they haven't been able to let DiNardo or someone mop up. A's are turning into an NBA team...just tune in for the final couple innings, you'll see all that you need to see.
by Cutthemullet on Apr 25, 2007 1:29 AM PDT up reply actions
and I get real tv with FSNW
tomorrow...yay!
Mariners in town? Bound to be a rainout.
heh
by Cutthemullet on Apr 25, 2007 1:30 AM PDT up reply actions
Braden
Funny how similar his stats from this game were to his last (only? I think so...) game in AAA:
last start in Sacramento: 6 IP, 3H, 7K
MLB debut: 6 IP, 3H, 6K
That's the real reason Geren took him out after six innings despite a low pitch count...he didn't want to mess with the congruity of that.
Naw
It means the Orioles hit like a AAA team.
Hard to believe they were so hot before our visit
Hadn't they won something like 8 out of 9 games before this two-game series with the A's? They played so badly against us, it is hard to believe .. poor defense, bad base-running, mental errors, and practically giving us the first game by bunting with one out and runners at 2nd and 3rd .. we were fortunate to get those ugly wins but like the fish you shouldn't have caught, you won't throw it back! :)
by Randy Bell on Apr 25, 2007 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions
They're not really that bad
I was kidding, actually. The Orioles are a damn good team, and a lot the criticism for their play against the A's is unjustified.
On that play in game 19 where Corey Patterson took a couple steps back toward second before going on to third, the replay shows Crosby running toward the ball. He needs to make sure Cros isn't going to get it before he takes off to third or he's dead in the water. And you don't want to make the third out at third base. And Mora's crazy bunt attempt was just an attempt to get on base, freelancing.
Granted, their fielding wasn't too sharp in game 20, but it was still better than the Yankees did against our boys in Oakland. Braden looks like a good bet to make the starting rotation, especially if Geren does the right thing and permanently assigns China Doll Harden to the bullpen.
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