GAME 2 - BLANTON v WASHBURN (RECAP)

AND SO IT CONTINUES
Two games into the season and Bob Geren has already been Macha'd. I think 'Bobo' is going to be Geren's nickname from here on out. It fits.

ELEPHANTS IN OAKLAND MANTRA

THERE'S NOTHING IN THE RULE BOOK THAT SAYS AN ELEPHANT CAN'T PITCH!

There were lots of things to second guess Bobo about last night. And some things he did that were just wrong.

First, starting Eric Chavez agianst a left-hander. Specifically Jarrod Washburn.

Eric Chavez	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Jarrod Washburn	64	15	2	1	1	4	3	21	.234	.269	.344	.612

Yah. That's what I want out there in the lineup.

Marco Scutaro	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Jarrod Washburn	19	6	3	0	0	2	3	2	.316	.409	.474	.883

I like Skootch, but I also know his limitations. But when Marco Scutaro is a better option than a guy you are paying $12 Million a year, you really need to take a few m o r e steps back and figure out why people still think Eric Chavez is anything but a 'veteran'. I'll put this all together in an Eric Chavez post later, but if your only argument is defense, then trade for another shortstop and put that guy at 3rd base. Eric Chavez was supposed to be a .330/.430/.500 hitter. He's not even close. He's not even the best 3rd baseman in the AL West. He's not the second best 3rd base,an in the AL West. . . Do you get where I am going with this?



I can understand letting Bobby Kielty start in rightfield. Fine. But in the 7th inning Bobby Kielty came up to bat against Ruben Mateo. Why? Kielty simply should not hit left-handed. At all. Bob Geren should have watched that be another nail in Ken Macha's coffin the last few seasons. Kielty does not get to bat left-handed.

		G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
vs. Left		323	653	104	195	53	0	30	107	84	96	.299	.383	.518	.900
vs. Right		533	1055	144	243	49	6	22	134	155	250	.230	.333	.351	.684

Now Kielty was able to move the runner to 2nd base on a ground out to the 2nd baseman. Swisher eventually scored and the A's tied up the game. The A's added Todd Walker to the roster for a reason. They have Adam Melhuse on the bench. More over, they have Travis Buck, the doubles machine on the bench.

• Buck pinch hits for Kielty, goes into right field.



• Walker pinch hits for stays in the game at 1st base, Swisher to right.



• Walker pinch hits for stays in the game at 1st base, Buck to right.



• Melhuse pinch hits for Kielty stays in the game at catcher, Buck to right.

Later, the same opportunity came up in a crucial situation, in the 9th down by four against a pitcher who could not find the strike zone. Kielty squibbed a hit to left. Good. Tactically the better move was to sit Kielty against a right-handed pitcher. There's a reason the A's have other players on the roster. Sometimes they are a better option.



Bobo also made the wrong decision to pull Joe Blanton after 81 pitches. Blanton was at 69 pitches through 5 innings which is great for him. Fat Joe was dealin' in the 6th inning, his best of the night and got through with only 12 pitches. He had at least another inning and 5 batters left he could have faced. Blanton is not a top of the rotation pitcher. He will eek out 13-15 wins a season with an ERA in the 4.50 arrea. That's just who he is. Or he isn't. Blanton is Dr Jekyl and Dr Jekyl. 2005 he was unlucky. 2006 he was lucky. So, 2007 is still a toss up but the number project Blanton as a solid number 4 starter.



Many will point to the box score and say that Kiko Calero cost the A's the game. Yah. Bobby Crosby and the strike zone helped, too. Calero got screwed on the 0-1 pitch to Jose Guillen. Guillen at 1-1 is a hell of a lot more dangerous than with an 0-2 count. Guillen hit a routine grounder to short which Bobby Crosby then attempted to through into short right field. They called it a hit. Sort of like Patch Adams was a hit.



Yuniesky Bettancourt hit a fat pitch out and the 0-1 pitch that was called a ball was a bit close, too. Jose Lopez cranked a hit six inches off the plate and Calero did a nice job of jamming him. But, that was the end of the line for Calero and the A's. Justin Duchscherer, who had been warming up for about 12 minutes came into the game and threw his own brand of gasoline onto the smoldering rubble.



The game wasn't over as Brandon Morrow did his best to try and get J.J. Putz into the game. But the A's blew it.



THE GOOD STUFF: Milton Bradley, Fat Joe Dealin', Swisher getting on base 3 times.