News: Piazza as A's backup catcher
by OaklandSi on Apr 25, 2007 5:19 PM PDT
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Printno, this isn't an opinion piece on what the A's should or shouldn't do. According to the Chron they called up DJ and optioned Melhuse to Sacramento. Besides making Piazza effectively the backup catcher, Melhuse may not get much playing time in Sacramento either!
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Jeremy Brown is hurt, so Melhuse might
catch a little in Sacramento unless Suzuki is like Kendall and never gets a day off.
Dan Meyer pitched his first game in a year in Midland yesterday, got rocked for 4 runs, two HR's and 4 walks, not surprising since it has been so long since he pitched.
by china bob on Apr 25, 2007 5:20 PM PDT reply actions
it would be hard to imagine
Suzuki pouting on the bench when not starting...so Melhuse may get a little bit more work. But I really do't want to see Piazza behind the plate, especially with that arm of his.
i doubt Piazza will get to catch a game
unless Kendall decides to charge the mound again....
by oak1 on Apr 25, 2007 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions
will Melhuse pull a Halsey?
More importantly, who's our backup third baseman?
that presumes we don't need Scutaro in the OF
Scoot/Walker
Will share the backup infielder and outfielder
duties until Swish/Buck/Kielty get back
by oak1 on Apr 25, 2007 5:26 PM PDT up reply actions
I wonder...
how Melhuse feels about being sent down to
Sactown for no fault of his own. Nevertheless,
that was probably the best move the A's could
make though I wonder why they didnt put
Kielty on the DL or send him down instead?
Maybe Swisher's availability is still up in the air?
by oak1 on Apr 25, 2007 5:23 PM PDT reply actions
If I were Melhuse, I'd actually be relishing it.
At least he'll get to play a little, and if Kendall goes down, he'll be able to come back up and actually be in some sort of form.
yes!!!
i have wanted melhuse off this team for two years!
<puts away melhuse voodoo doll>
hey... I like Millhouse!
by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on Apr 26, 2007 12:31 PM PDT up reply actions
ironically....
Melhuse may catch fewer games this year under
Geren than he caught last year for Macha.
by oak1 on Apr 25, 2007 5:29 PM PDT reply actions
About time!
I thought the A's should have traded Melhuse in the off-season, so this is great news! And with all the off-days coming up, Kendall won't get worn out right away (if a all). I don't mind Piazza is an occassional backup at all, and I suspect he'll relish the increased role.
Longer term, I hope the A's do trade Melhuse and move up Brown (if he's healthy) or Suzuki. It's silly to sit on Melhuse and pay him $815,000 when we have cheaper and possibly better options in the minors. Get something in return for Melhuse and give the kids some time in the Big's.
Incidentally, Melhuse's name just showed up on the AAA roster.
Lastly, how does AP know DJ started at first base when the game hasn't started yet?
The short-handed A's decided they needed Johnson's bat in the lineup and he started at first base Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners.
Geren
Has said in multiple publications that DJ is his starter when he's activated, so there you go.
by Helloooo 1st on Apr 25, 2007 6:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Nobody wants him.
If the A's want to get rid of Melhuse, they'll have to release him.
I suspect
that this is only temporary: a way to get Johnson, a (sort of) healthy player who can (sort of) hit major league pitching, onto the roster without having to DL one of the ailing outfielders.
DJ conspiracy theory.
Was Dan Johnson actually hurt or did the A's tell him he wouldn't make the opening day roster but they would put him on the DL if he kept his mouth shut? It's a little fishy how quickly he recovered and just when we needed another player. If Swisher is out for any amount of time I'm guessing Hiram Boccachica will be up soon.
He was gonna make the roster
We added Todd Walker because Johnson got hurt. Had Johnson been healthy, he'd be at first, Swisher in left, Bradley in center, stewart in right to start...after bradley went down it becomes an OF of Swisher, Stewart and Buck...pretty simple.
by David Fucillo on Apr 25, 2007 5:59 PM PDT up reply actions
I am biased...
I really like Melhuse. This is sad. I hope it's not a precursor to him leaving the A's, but that looks like the trajectory.
I like melhuse too
for his sake, I hope he'll get playing time in sac and then get a trade to get on a big league team playing more than once a year.
This scares me.
I like Piazza but... no.
Poor Melhuse. I feel bad for the guy. :-( Things were going so well for him when we had Ramon and Miller, he started to get to catch more... and then along came Kendall. It must suck to be him sometimes.
I like Adam, it saddens me to see him tossed down to AAA.
"No. It's Oakland."
Lineup posted
Johnson at 1B as promised, Buck back in RF, Putnam in CF. Presumably Kielty is still hurting as he's not playing against a LHP.
Younguns,
time to impress.
Melhuse
could get time at 1st. The A's seem to want to try Barton at 3rd. I doubt they sent Melhuse down to get time behind the plate, rather this was done to get him some at-bats. Let's face it, his glove isn't why he's the back up catcher. Piazza is just as good defensively.
by IndianaAsfan on Apr 25, 2007 8:16 PM PDT reply actions
this chron article states
that Suzuki is the starting catcher, and Melhuse will be listed as a catcher and DH. Geren also commented that Melhuse will get into playing shape and will be recalled "when and if we need him."
Needless to say Melhuse isn't thrilled, as he made clear in this article:
In that article
in the line about Loaiza, "disc" is misspelled. The "disk" spelling is only for computer disks (derived as a short form of "diskette"). For any other kind of disc, it should be spelled with a "C".
... oh, and for whoever copy-edits at MLB.com, it's the K that should be changed to a C, not the S....
sorry kid, but...
at this stage in their careers, Melhuse is better defensively.
Let me put it another way...
Scott Hatteberg has more of a chance of throwing out a runner at 2nd from behind the plate than Piazza does.
On a side note, the Reds are coming to town this year. That's going to be fun. I hope Saarloos and Harang pitch and Hatteberg hits three homers and the A's sweep anyway...
by The Pilots Dared Me To Die on Apr 26, 2007 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Melhuse
has so many passed balls when he's behind the plate he doesn't even get the chance to throw out a runner. Melhuse is a terrible defensive catcher. If he was even average he'd be starting somewhere rather than being a perpetual pinch hitter.
Piazza's only problem behind the plate is his arm, and that never kept the A's from starting Kendall (over Melhuse I might add) two years ago.
by IndianaAsfan on Apr 26, 2007 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Melhuse will be back
as soon as enough outfielders are healthy to send Putnam back down. Then he'll resume his role as the veteran backup catcher who almost never plays.
Sucks for Adam, but that's life. In the larger view he's been luckier than most. At least he spends most of his time in the bigs. Things have played out worse for plenty of other guys with roughly equal talent.
Piazza will never catch a full game. He's the backup in case something happens to Kendall, but the next day if Kendall can't start, either Melhuse will be back or Suzuki will be called up.
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