GAME 8 RECAP

9 ARPIL 2007 WHITE SOX (CONTRERAS) vs ATHLETICS (HARDEN) 7:05pm

Bobo (Bob Geren) is fast becoming Ken Macha without the gum. How fast? Last night's Ken Macha moment came in the 8th inning within a sequence of three batters and a grand total of 7 pitches; four of them intentional balls.


Many fans can step out on the porch and challenge Geren for allowing Jay Marshall to pitch in the 8th after retiring the side in order in the 7th inning. However, I would ask that you to take a step back and look how the 8th transpired and question if it was Marshall who is the culprit.

Scott Podsednik was putting the finishing touches on his AL MVP reel with a lead-off single in the 8th. The A's pitched him poorly all night; 3 for 4 with a double, HR and a stolen base.

Pitch 1.

Darin Erstad is a left-handed batter and Marshall is a left-handed pitcher. So the A's seemingly have the advantage in that match-up. The situation is not THAT simple. Podsednik can run. And Ozzie Guillen, the White Sox mouthpiece/manager likes to be squirrelly with the small ball. Erstad is used to laying down bunts and moving over runners from his time with the Los Angeles Orange Counties of the Angels.


At this point, with the threat of a bunt and/or a possible steal the calls of pitches, pitch location and defensive alignment are all coming from the bench. Bobo was calling the show. There are a lot of options when you KNOW a team is going to try and advance the runner with a bunt or a steal. The obvious is a throw-over to 1st base. Another is a pitch-out. The A's did neither. Erstad dropped a bunt on the first offering from Marshall.



Pitch 2.

Bobo had every opportunity to shake that off. Instead he ordered Marshall to intentionally walk Paul Konerko. Walk Konerko, a right-handed hitter, to face the left-handed hitter in the on-deck circle. Might seem like a good idea with the lefty/lefty match-up.

Pitch 3,4,5,6.

Of course,
when there is a Hall of Famer in the On Deck circle, you don't walk a guy ahead of him and challenge his manhood. Jim Thome singled in Podsednik and Erstad went to 3rd base.

Pitch 7.

Game over.

April 9, 2007 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Chi White Sox 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 4 9 0 Oakland 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0

Chi White Sox AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Podsednik, LF 4 2 3 1 0 0 1 .467 Erstad, CF 3 0 1 0 0 2 2 .300 Konerko, 1B 2 1 0 0 2 2 2 .263 Thome, DH 4 1 3 2 0 1 2 .238 Dye, RF 3 0 0 1 0 0 3 .100 Crede, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .273 Pierzynski, C 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 .136 Cintron, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .167 Uribe, SS 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 .278 Totals 31 4 9 4 3 6 12 BATTING 2B: Podsednik (1, Harden). HR: Thome (2, 4th inning off Harden, 0 on, 0 out), Podsednik (1, 5th inning off Harden, 0 on, 2 out). TB: Podsednik 7; Erstad; Thome 6; Crede; Pierzynski. RBI: Thome 2 (5), Podsednik (2), Dye (1). 2-out RBI: Podsednik. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Dye 2; Konerko. S: Erstad. SF: Dye. GIDP: Crede; Cintron. Team LOB: 5. BASERUNNING SB: Podsednik (2, 2nd base off Harden/Kendall). FIELDING DP: (Uribe-Cintron-Konerko). Oakland AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Kendall, C 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 .156 Stewart, LF 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .182 Bradley, CF 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .250 Piazza, DH 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .375 Chavez, 3B 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 .312 Swisher, 1B 3 1 0 0 1 1 4 .292 Crosby, SS 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 .222 Buck, RF 4 0 1 1 0 1 2 .238 Ellis, 2B 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 .240 Totals 31 1 5 1 4 5 11 BATTING 2B: Buck (3, Contreras). TB: Bradley; Piazza; Chavez; Crosby; Buck 2. RBI: Buck (1). 2-out RBI: Buck. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ellis 2; Swisher 2; Buck. GIDP: Piazza. Team LOB: 7. FIELDING PB: Kendall (1). Outfield assists: Buck (Thome at home). DP: 2 (Crosby-Ellis-Swisher, Ellis-Crosby-Swisher). Chi White Sox IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Contreras (W, 1-1) 6.0 4 1 1 4 4 0 10.29 MacDougal (H, 3) 1.2 1 0 0 0 1 0 2.25 Thornton (H, 2) 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 9.00 Jenks 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Oakland IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Harden (L, 1-1) 6.0 5 2 2 2 6 2 1.38 Marshall 1.1 2 2 2 1 0 0 4.15 Calero 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 0 15.43 DiNardo 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 IBB: Konerko (by Marshall). Pitches-strikes: Contreras 105-66, MacDougal 19-13, Thornton 6-4, Jenks 7-6, Harden 102-68, Marshall 23-14, Calero 7-5, DiNardo 8-6. Ground outs-fly outs: Contreras 6-8, MacDougal 3-1, Thornton 2-0, Jenks 1-1, Harden 5-7, Marshall 3-1, Calero 0-1, DiNardo 2-1. Batters faced: Contreras 26, MacDougal 5, Thornton 2, Jenks 2, Harden 24, Marshall 7, Calero 2, DiNardo 3. Inherited runners-scored: Calero 2-1. Umpires: HP: Ed Hickox. 1B: CB Bucknor. 2B: Joe West. 3B: Ed Rapuano. Weather: 62 degrees, clear. Wind: 16 mph, Out to RF. T: 2:38. Att: 35,077.

Labels: 2007 GAME RECAP