Several folks on the threads referred to this night as rock bottom before it even ended. I'm not so sure we can make that claim yet. Why? The A's still have to play two more games against the Royals and who knows what might happen? The way the A's bats are going right now, it very well could happen.
There is very little to say that's good news coming off losing to a team that now has a meager 12 wins on the season. But Frank Thomas is awakening. Even since Chicago, he has been raking and he has a .991 OPS in May. Nick Swisher hasn't gone into that long and protracted slump that everyone has been fearing.
Haren pitched well, but the A's need to score more runs against Setherton. This is a guy who has a 6.08 ERA and had a 6.62 ERA for the A's last season. Either that or they need to get to Mike Wood, a guy with a 5.42 ERA in his career and a 5.04 ERA this season. Or they should've gotten to Mr. 50/50, Ambiorix Burgos, who up until tonight had been 5/10 in save opportunities. He also was sporting a 7.23 ERA.
In addition to the news on Harden coming back soon (keep your fingers, toes and any other available appendages crossed), this is some of the news on the other missing Athletics:
Righty starter Esteban Loaiza, DL'd since April 29, with a strained trapezius, will pitch for Sacramento on Wednesday. His return date likely will be determined in part by the radar readings -- the A's would like to see his fastball at 88 mph or higher. He topped out at 86 mph during a simulated game in Chicago last week.
Outfielder Milton Bradley, DL'd retroactively to April 27, with a sprained knee that led to a strained oblique, will take batting practice with the team on Tuesday. Barring a setback, he's slated to start what's expected to be a brief rehab stint somewhere in the Minors this weekend.
Is this really rock bottom? Who knows, but I'm suddenly dreading the next two games in this series like a trip to the proctologist.
