GAME 9 - RECAP

Bobo (Bob Geren) is skating on thin ice without any skates. The A's have scored two or fewer runs for the fifth straight game. The same problems exist for the A's as they have for the last 8 seasons; getting runners on base and when runners are able to get on base and they are stranded. This is not an Elephants in Oakland 'negative arrogant prick' comment. Oddly, even when I present statistics it is labeled as such. But, look below.


I am not asking you to make an argument. And I certainly am not asking you to start making rationalizations and excuses. I don't even need you to bring up the topic other than raise an eyebrow or nod your head. They A's offense is not good. Okay? Can we just staple that to our foreheads and move on?




Last night the A's started to work Jon Garland on his pitch count early. 27 pitches in the first inning, stranding two runners (Shannon Stewart and Milton Bradley). Nick Swisher started off the 2nd Inning by swinging at the first pitch and flying out to left. Bobby Crosby ground out on two pitches. Travis Buck, who is fast becoming the Oakland Athletic fans want to see up when it counts, walked on 9 pitches. Mark Ellis flew out to right on two pitches. The A's stranded another runner.




Might be something to look at when players from other organizations, or in Buck's case - not in the organization long enough to know better, do not seem to offer the same detrimental effects in the batting orders. The A's players who have been around for a few seasons seem to have a penchant for NOT working the count and an innate ability to fail with their approach at the plate with runners on base.


Let's get to the good stuff. Chad Gaudin has one more start to position himself for the 5th starter slot in the rotation when Esteban Loaiza returns. Gaudin threw 90+ pitches last night, struck out 6, Konerko and Crede TWICE, and allowed only six base runners in 5 and 2/3 innings. Gaudin only allowed a single run on an RBI single to Juan Uribe. It was a faltering spot for Gaudin against the bottom third of the White Sox batting order.




Travis Buck had a great night at the plate, a triple and two walks, but a terrible night in the field. Indecision on his part in the top of the 7th led to Mark Ellis trying to catch a routine fly in rightfield over his shoulder. Jeremy Giambi could have gotten to that ball, but Buck hesitated and Ellis tried to take charge and do more than he should. The ball bounced off his glove and Alex Cintron ended up on 3rd with nobody out. Alan Embree followed up with a ground out, strike out and a batter's interference call to get out of the inning.




In the 8th, Bobo went to Justin Duchscherer. Which was and is a mistake. And Bobo coupled that mistake in the next inning. Duchscherer is best used over multiple innings. Not a single inning. With Joe Kennedy starting today, Duchscherer would be saddled as the long man. Duchscherer is not as effective on back-to-back appearances. Duchscherer got a 1-2-3 8th and Bobo went to Huston Street for the 9th inning.




This is how Ken Macha lost his job.

YOU DO NOT USE HUSTON STREET AS AN INNING EATER

Street should not be used when down 1-0 going into the 9th at home. Huston Street finishes games one the road and slams doors at home. Bobo had Duchscherer, why bring in Street? Jay Witasick is not an option, but that's Billy Beane's problem to resolve. Further, once the A's into the bottom of the 9th, there was nobody warming up in the bullpen. Bobo used his long man (Duchscherer) and his closer (Street) and if he needed to go into extra innings he did not have anyone warming up in the bullpen.




If you said something about "Geren knew the A's were going to win" I really don't understand that ignorance. If you were joking, fine. But there are way too many A's "fans" who don't think and it drives me up the Jagged Edge.




Yes, the A's won. They also looked very, very pedestrian in doing so.

Team	GP	RUNS	Runs/Game	GDP	LOB
Baltimore Orioles	8	34	4.25	3	55
Boston Red Sox	7	33	4.71	6	51
Chicago White Sox	7	25	3.57	6	44
Cleveland Indians	4	30	7.50	2	35
Detroit Tigers	7	28	4.00	3	42
Kansas City Royals	8	26	3.25	7	57
Los Angeles Angels	8	34	4.25	8	55
Minnesota Twins	7	23	3.29	7	43
New York Yankees	7	51	7.29	3	52
Oakland Athletics	9	25	2.78	10	68
Seattle Mariners	4	15	3.75	3	11
Tampa Bay Devil Rays	7	39	5.57	6	42
Texas Rangers	8	39	4.88	4	60
Toronto Blue Jays	7	45	6.43	4	52

 

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

Chi White Sox AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Podsednik, LF 4 0 1 0 0 1 3 .421 Erstad, CF 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 .250 Konerko, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 .217 Thome, DH 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 .217 Crede, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 .231 Pierzynski, C 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .115 Cintron, 2B 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 .111 Mackowiak, RF 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 .167 Uribe, SS 3 0 1 1 0 2 1 .286 Totals 31 1 3 1 3 8 13   BATTING TB: Podsednik; Mackowiak; Uribe. RBI: Uribe (4). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Crede; Erstad; Podsednik. Team LOB: 6. BASERUNNING SB: Podsednik (3, 2nd base off Gaudin/Kendall). FIELDING E: Podsednik (1, throw). DP: (Crede-Cintron-Konerko).   Oakland AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG Kendall, C 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .167 Stewart, LF 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 .189 Bradley, CF 3 1 1 0 1 1 0 .258 Piazza, DH 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 .361   1-Scutaro, PR-DH 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .100 Chavez, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 2 4 .278 Swisher, 1B 3 0 0 0 1 1 2 .259 Crosby, SS 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .190   a-Walker, PH 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .400 Buck, RF 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 .261 Ellis, 2B 4 0 1 1 0 0 2 .241 Totals 32 2 7 2 4 5 14   a-Singled for Crosby in the 9th. 1-Ran for Piazza in the 9th. BATTING 3B: Buck (1, Garland). TB: Kendall; Stewart; Bradley; Piazza; Walker; Buck 3; Ellis. RBI: Walker (1), Ellis (9). 2-out RBI: Walker; Ellis. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Chavez; Stewart. GIDP: Stewart. Team LOB: 8. FIELDING E: Ellis (1, fielding).   Chi White Sox IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Garland 7.0 3 0 0 3 3 0 3.65 MacDougal (H, 4) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.80 Jenks (BS, 1)(L, 1-1) 0.2 4 2 2 1 1 0 3.86   Oakland IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Gaudin 5.2 3 1 1 3 6 0 2.53 Embree 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Duchscherer 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2.08 Street (W, 1-0) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 IBB: Buck (by Jenks), Thome (by Gaudin). Pitches-strikes: Garland 113-66, MacDougal 14-8, Jenks 25-15, Gaudin 91-57, Embree 14-11, Duchscherer 12-9, Street 7-5. Ground outs-fly outs: Garland 8-10, MacDougal 0-2, Jenks 0-1, Gaudin 8-3, Embree 2-1, Duchscherer 1-1, Street 1-2. Batters faced: Garland 26, MacDougal 3, Jenks 7, Gaudin 23, Embree 5, Duchscherer 3, Street 3. Inherited runners-scored: Embree 1-0. Umpires: HP: CB Bucknor. 1B: Joe West. 2B: Ed Rapuano. 3B: Ed Hickox. Weather: 60 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 17 mph, Out to RF. T: 2:37. Att: 15,153.