Thanks, 67MARQUEZ, for getting my psychic message that someone should put up a post today! A few random thoughts on this off-day, before the A's start a surprisingly important April series with the Texas Rangers...
* It's rather remarkable that if the A's do something relatively ordinary -- win three out of four at home in a series -- they will end the month just a game out of first place. I, for one, would even highly recommend doing exactly this. It really hasn't felt like the A's are a "series win" away from being neck and neck with Texas. Yet they are.
* I am officially sick of the meme "Wait until the weather warms up" in regards to the A's disappointing offensive showing. No, I will not wait until the weather warms up. I would like, please, for you to hit somewhere close to your capabilities amidst a wide range of barometric readings -- I'm funny that way. If you can only lay off slider in the dirt when the sun is shining, then please don't apply for the job of "hitting for my favorite team," and if you intend to start your "real" season in June then could you make yourself useful in April and May and at least get me a latte?
* I'm baffled by -- and hoping someone might have some actual insights on this -- why the have been A's playing Adrian Cardenas mostly at DH, and then in LF, the past two weeks.
The explanation that the A's "have too many infielders at AAA" makes no sense, in that the guys actually playing there are Steve Tolleson (a 27-year old journeyman who couldn't even make the team as backup SS despite being the only candidate who actually plays SS), and Josh Horton, an "all glove no hit" infielder who is currently batting .190/.306/.286 for the Rivercats.
Meanwhile, 3B is a real concern in the organization starting right at the top and the scouting report on Cardenas defensively has generally been that he didn't have the arm for SS, might lack the range to make it at 2B, and as a result was likely to wind up at 3B. How is he not the guy to play every day at 3B right now? He's batting .394/.463/.479, by the way and was described after the draft as someone who could "hit .300 in his sleep". He is still only 23, so he's not thriving at the plate just because he's "old for his league". He is exactly the kind of actual prospect you play where he needs to play -- unlike Tolleson, for example.
When I saw Cardenas was DHing for several games, I thought perhaps he had some minor injury that allowed him to hit and run but not field -- though I couldn't quite figure out what kind of injury that might be. Then he played LF and I'm thinking "what the huh"? I really don't get it. Does anyone know something I don't about what might be motivating the A's to DH Cardenas and play him in LF, when 3B has been identified as likely his best position, is certainly one of his most familiar positions, no real prospect is blocking him there, and the A's have such a pressing need at 3B right now?
