If won/loss percentage told you anything about a manager, we would know that Bob Geren wasn't very good but day-am was he consistent. In Geren's first season, the 2007 A's were 76-86. In 2008, 75-86. In 2009, the A's have achieved 86ness again, 75-86 with one to play.
Dana Eveland started for Oakland (please let this be the last time I ever have to type this. Please, please, please) and speaking of consistent, Eveland consistently pitches really terribly. He keeps the ball in the park, but sadly this is his only attribute as he gives up walks and hits at a frightening pace. Today it was just hits -- 8 of them in 4.2 IP -- as Eveland neither issued a walk nor recorded a strikeout. Eveland was touched for 4 ER -- two in the 2nd, two more in the 4th -- and the A's trailed 4-0 until the 8th.
Oakland started the teAse early, rallying for two in the 8th on an Eric Patterson RBI triple with one out. Then in the "what could have been" moment, Cliff Pennington ripped one down the right field line that either picked up 4 grains of chalk (as Ken Korach suggested could have been the case) or landed three blades foul (Korach's other hypothesis). Pennington struck out on the next pitch -- Rajai Davis doubled to make it 4-2, but the A's could not get any closer.
Davis had two hits to lift his batting average to .306 and ensure a .300+ season unless tomorrow's game goes about 23 innings. John Meloan quietly extended his scoreless string with Oakland to 8.1 IP of 3 hit, 2 BB, 11K bullpen work, and Andrew Bailey tossed another 1-2-3 9th to lower his ERA to 1.86. There's that pesky "86" again.
Tomorrow, the A's try to avoid ending the season with 7 consecutive losses. The starting pitcher may be "the bullpen." Meaningless baseball...gotta love it.
