Fantastic Bob's Boring A's Lose Another Game

In case you missed Jane Lee's tweet:

JaneMLB Jane Lee
#Athletics owner Lew Wolff on Geren: "I think Bob’s fantastic … I like the way he deals with everyone."

You know the games where your team fights really hard all the way to the last out? You know when every at-bat counts? Yeah, this game had none of that. In what was a complete snooze-fest tonight, the A's showed little heart, and even littler bat speed, as they meekly surrender to the Angels, 4-1. 

Sure, say what you want about Cahill; he didn't have it tonight. Allowing 10 hits, 5 walks, an uncharacteristic two homeruns, and either 3 or 4 earned runs (depending on an error or not from Pennington), Cahill struggled to hold the Angels even at four runs. For an average offense, this would be called "keeping your team in the game". For the A's perpetual suck-fest they throw out every night and call it a lineup? This was a blowout.

Mark Ellis is determined to keep his batting average at .200, and Landon Powell looked like he hadn't been in a game all year. Both of them cost the A's dearly in their few chances to score. The Angels hung a run on Cahill in the bottom of the second, and the game would stay 1-0 until the fifth. With back-to-back singles by LaRoche and Pennington and one out, the A's looked poised to score some runs, especially after Coco smashed a double. But Cliffy just wasn't fast enough to score from first, and the A's merely tied the game, instead of taking the lead.

The Angels would storm back in their half of the fifth; back-to-back homeruns by Hunter and Callaspo and a Willits double (his first hit of the season) would plate three for the Angels, and give them the game.

You might think that a single (DeJesus) and a double (Sweeney; side note, this is as HARD as he can hit it; I thought it was ten rows deep, and so did Torii, but Sweeney simply doesn't have ANY power), putting runners on second and third with one out would be a PRODUCTIVE thing, but sadly no. Powell refused to be walked; striking out on ball 3, 4 and 5. Ellis followed suit with a strike out of his own and the A's waste yet another opportunity.

The A's had another chance in the seventh as the Angels brought in Rodney, but after he hit pinch-hitting Jackson with one pitch, Cliff Pennington decided it would be a good idea to swing 3-1 and hit into a double-play. ON 3-1! When the best he can do is a single anyway!

The A's didn't try after that. Purcey pitched two perfect innings as he replaced Cahill. The A's do it again tomorrow as they try to split the series. I'll be your guide, heaven help us all.