Another nailbiter, indeed

by monkeyball on Aug 11, 2007 7:41 PM PDT in News

Until the Tigers put the game away for good with a couple insurance runs off Casilla in the 8th, this game pretty much delivered on its advance notice.

The A's were actually successful in being able to get men on in bunches against Verlander -- just not in big enough bunches.

Haren was sharp and effective in the zone -- but surrendered a couple of meatballs to the strong Tiger lineup.

The fundamental difference between the two teams' lineups was thrown into sharper relief today. The A's current 5-9 offers a weak brew (Kotsay, in particular, seems to have caught Kendallitis, with his SLG on the verge of following his OBP beneath .300), whereas the Tigers, even with Inge a fixture in the lineup and A's-slayer Polanco out today, present a challenge up and down the lineup.

Haren made fewer mistakes than Verlander today (and the A's made fewer fielding miscues), but the Tigers were better able to exploit mistakes than the A's were.

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2 questions...

1.) what happened to casilla? he had a 0.43 era in his first 5 weeks and since then his era has to be north of 5. ever since he blew a save in minnesota (morneau hit a big bomb off of him), casilla hasn't been the same.

2.) wow, the offense was back to its usual level of suckiness today. what the heck happened? don't normal teams have offensive upswings?

by inbillywetrust on Aug 11, 2007 7:51 PM PDT 0 recs

We've burnt out Casilla he needs a rest.

by OldhamA on Aug 11, 2007 10:38 PM PDT up 0 recs

Kotsay

Is his defense really worth his putrid "hitting". I think we'd be better off with DJ at first, Swisher in CF, and Kotsay on waivers.

WOOHOO - YES! Yay, homerun

by doctorK on Aug 11, 2007 7:55 PM PDT 0 recs

amen

so far billy beane is halfway through the dump of talentless players...kielty and kendall. now we need to dump crosby and kotsay.

by inbillywetrust on Aug 11, 2007 8:29 PM PDT up 0 recs

dont leave out Chavez!!!!

tdwclark

by tdwclark on Aug 12, 2007 6:22 AM PDT up 0 recs

Agree

A 5th OFer wouldn't stay in the league with his numbers. Beane needs to DFA him as this isn't the type guy who will accept a greatly reduced role without disrupting the clubhouse.

Geren is adding losses to his ledger by playing him so much.

my remaining goals are a .500% season and jettisoning Kotsay.

by DKNJ on Aug 12, 2007 4:40 AM PDT up 0 recs

Ludus magnopere tormentum aequiparavit.

I'm starting to enjoy watching Kotsay's at bats. The mechanical preciseness of his routine is amazing.

Virtuti melius quam fortunae creditur

by azagtooth on Aug 11, 2007 8:25 PM PDT 0 recs

too bad it doesn't...

help him hit the fricking ball productively.

by inbillywetrust on Aug 11, 2007 8:28 PM PDT up 0 recs

Didn't get to watch the game

Sorry to hear Haren lost it, but the best pitcher didn't win today.

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Aug 12, 2007 2:00 AM PDT 0 recs

I was watching the Mariners whip the Chisox

and saw a kid with an A's cap sitting right behind home plate...that was nice to see.

by OaklandSi on Aug 12, 2007 6:24 AM PDT up 0 recs

DFA Kotsay

and bring up Davanon. They just need another guy they can put in CF for the time being.

by boilerdan on Aug 12, 2007 7:17 AM PDT 0 recs

Kotsay

My guess is that his back is still bothering him, which is why his numbers are reduced. Yet I still agree his best days are behind him, most of the time players are just "never the same" after those type of surgeries. Clearly the A's need to rebuild, so -- yes, let him go. These players who have had chronic injuries, the A's just have to stop giving them chances. One injury season and/or incident I can understand, but after that I think the track record of being injury-prone is pretty much established - Harden, Crosby, Kotsay.

by murlow on Aug 12, 2007 9:42 AM PDT 0 recs