SB Nation - Dallas Braden

Thursday Rockpile: The Jim Tracy Conundrum

Rox Girl — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:09:01 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

2 months ago: Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy, left, talks to second base umpire Tim Timmons about a call at second base, during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies of Game 4 in a National League baseball division series in Denver on Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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The Washington Post's Dave Sheinin wrote a piece titled "How Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy lost the Division Series", in which he goes hard after Tracy's decision to go after Ryan Howard with a right handed pitcher with the game on the line, which kind of left me disappointed in the article given that the Howard decision would rank a bit further down in my list of questionable moves by the Rockies manager during the divisional series.

I guess my biggest problem with the way Tracy managed the NLDS was how conservative he was. He seemed to me to be trying to manage not to lose rather than to win, and he has this odd double standard when it comes to certain players, particularly in this case Garrett Atkins and Ian Stewart. Tracy would keep on talking about getting the June Atkins back as if to say that one month of production from him outweighed the five other months of slow swinging and poor defensive work.

In particular, Tracy seemed to be nostalgic for a stretch in June, especially three games against Oakland and the Angels where Atkins had three multi-hit games. In fact, in June Atkins had five of his twelve multi-hit games of 2009. I wonder though, if Tracy really allows a selective memory to keep him from making wise judgments that are in the best interest of the team. If you take a look at the opposing starters for those June games that Atkins had multiple hits in, you see Dallas Braden, who averages 87.9 mph on his fastball, Trevor Cahill who averages 89.8 and Jason Vargas at 87.6. These are not exactly the kind of pitches you're going to see from Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. Wandy Rodriguez was a decent pitcher at the start of this season, but in that June game, all the Rockies were hitting him well.

The one game where Atkins truly shined was a June 24th game against the Angels and Joe Saunders, in which he was pretty much the only Rockies player who seemed capable of getting solid contact. But if we're down to one game that's making you upend the lineup that got you to the playoffs in the first place (the Rockies were 62-47 in all Ian Stewart starts, 45-46 in all Atkins starts,) I've got to wonder whether you'll be able to make the right decisions for the team going forward. This isn't a situation as in the case of Yorvit Torrealba or in Los Angeles where Joe Torre is going with Ronnie Belliard over Orlando Hudson (a move against a popular veteran that I've got to say that I doubt Tracy makes) where a hot hand is forcing their way into the lineup. In September/October, Atkins only hit .233 with a .313 OBP. Stewart wasn't any better at the plate, but he is the better defender and a bigger threat to go deep and provide the team instant runs and the fact is that the Rockies seem to do better as a team with a Stew/Tulo/CarGo left side.

Really, that's a big lead in to my main issue. I really don't know if I want Jim Tracy back as manager next season. He's going to win the Manager of the Year award, he led the Rockies to the playoffs, but I really don't know if he understands how the Rockies won, and how it was mostly done without him. He's got to lay back off tweaking the lineup so much. He's got to understand when platoon splits should be made priorities (in the case of Howard) and when they shouldn't be given so much weight. Anyway, I suspect this might cause some discussion, what's everybody else's opinion?

Poll

Should manager Jim Tracy be extended by the Rockies?

Yes, he should be given a multi-year extension. Shut your trap, Rox Girl.

220 votes

Yes, but only conditionally, a one year extension is all I'm comfortable with.

158 votes

No. I agree, we can do better.

38 votes

416 votes | Poll has closed

Billy Beane Exclusive Athletics Nation Interview: Season End 2009 Part II

Tyler Bleszinski — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:00:22 -0000

Yesterday was part one of the Beane season ending Athletics Nation interview. Today is part two. I won't set this one up, I'll just let the interview speak for itself.

Hope you enjoy and can start looking forward to 2010. I know I am.

Blez: The starting pitching has really matured nicely with quite a few early ups and downs which you said you expected. The overall team ERA is fourth best in the AL.

Beane: Is it really? I didn't know it was that high. We fluctuated back and forth.

Blez: Not the starting pitching on its own, the whole staff together. It includes the bullpen.

Beane: And the bullpen has been spectacular. Numbers-wise, we'll have somewhere around 113-114 games started by rookies, which is an incredible number. I'm guessing that's the highest in the major leagues.

Blez: I'm guessing no one else is close.

Beane: It has been as we expected and we've had some good days and had some bad days. If you look at the guys who've been in there regularly, certainly Brett, who has gotten progressively better there from the start of the season and certainly Trevor Cahill has as well. Particularly look at his last six or seven starts. You remember the kid is 21 years old. He would've been a junior in college this year and eligible for the draft and here he is in the majors with double digit wins in our league too. The American League is not a forgiving place for a rookie pitcher, so I think he's shown himself nicely. Gio (Gonzalez) who came up and had some really tough starts, but he's definitely shown flashes of what he can be. I think overall we have to be pleased with some of these guys. The thing that was tough was losing (Josh) Outman who was pitching very well and you saw what this kid could become.

Blez: I was just going to ask about some of the progress of the injured pitchers like Dallas Braden, Vin Mazzaro, Joey Devine and Michael Ynoa?

Beane: Yeah but finishing up on the starting pitching, we certainly expected some ups and downs with the young starting pitching, there have certainly been more ups than downs. All the guys have justified our faith in them from their time in the minor leagues. I think they have a chance to be even better this year. We've stretched them out a bit in September here. Some of the guys we lost, we had to patch a starting rotation together in an effort to reduce some of the innings of some of these guys and in Vinny Mazzaro's case we were just very conservative in shutting him down. In another situation if we were fighting for a division, Vinny would probably still be out there but we want to be very, very conservative in how we treat these young guys. Some of the success, and the fact that we're fourth in the league, the credit goes to the bullpen which as I said has been absolutely phenomenal. After taking arguably our best reliever out of the equation in spring training in Joey Devine, it gets us very excited with what that bullpen will be like next year to think we'll be adding Devine to it.

To address the injury situation, Joey is doing great. He's right on schedule to be on a normal routine from the first day of spring training on. So we have complete faith that he's going to be back and at 100 percent next year. In Josh's case, he had the surgery a little later but he's doing great. If anyone knows Josh, he's a real hard worker. As far as his timetable, it's a little early now, but it's almost a full calendar year. There are cases where some guys come back a little earlier, some a little later, but you have to assume it's going to be a full calendar year. All indications are Josh is on that timeline.

Blez: It seems like it might be a little difficult to put a rotation together next year given all the candidates you have. Pleasurably difficult, if that makes sense.

Beane: Yeah definitely, it will be a good problem to have. I don't think you can have enough good starters with the injury factor and how difficult it is to go out and find them when you lose one. If it's a problem, it's one I welcome. In Dallas' (Braden) case it was just unfortunate with that infection in his foot, but when a starting pitcher has missed as much time as he has, there becomes a cutoff point where it becomes unrealistic that he can come back at any point during the remainder of the season. Dallas, in a very short time, established himself as a very good major league starting pitcher and one of the best ones we had on our staff so it's disappointing to lose him as he would've had a major impact on how we're finishing up now.

Blez: I was going to get into the bullpen, but it must be nice to feel like you already have one aspect of the team covered going into this offseason. You've got Ziegler, Bailey and Wuertz still around and if you throw in Joey Devine. That's four solid rocks of your bullpen already set for next year.

Beane: Breslow has also pitched very well for us and Blevins and Kilby have done very, very well in coming up. We've got a very good bullpen right now and looking ahead to 2010 it's one that could conceivably be better. We feel very good about that position.

Blez: You also add to that mix one of the starting pitchers that might not make the rotation because of all the starting pitching candidates you have.

Beane: These are all good problems to have and it isn't something we've had lately. Still you have keep injuries in mind and be careful. We do have high hopes that Joey will be 100 percent ready to go come the spring. The past few years have proven that you have to have depth if you're going to be successful for 162 games.

Blez: The situation with Justin Duchscherer is obviously very sad and it almost seems callous to talk about baseball in terms of him, but do you anticipate him being a part of the team in 2010 or is the situation too tenuous right now?

Beane: First and foremost, contractually, he's a free agent. It's not a unilateral decision we can make. In short, we hope he is doing well. We need to respect what he's going through right now and from a professional standpoint, also monitor it and deal with it when the time comes. But anyone who has seen Justin pitch for the five years he's pitched for us, it's pretty easy to recognize he's a really good pitcher and will be valuable to anybody. As to how we go forward, we'll know once we get into winter, but not one we can answer right now. I don't think there's any shortage of people around here who aren't fans of the person and also fans of the talent.

Blez: How do you feel about your draft this year? You drafted Grant Green and addressed the need for a shortstop. But when you're looking at Max Stassi, he slipped to later in the draft because of concerns over signability. Is that something that you're looking at to spend a little more of the organizations' dollars in terms of going after someone who other teams might have passed on because of the concerns of signability?

Beane: Yeah, that's why we were able to get him where we did. If you look at an organization that's trying to rebuild from within, it's one area you can improve yourself, it was a conscious decision this year to take some chances on guys who might be difficult signs but we thought were very talented players. We had not done that in previous years and we're a little bit behind the curve because of it. If you look at the lifeblood of an organization like ours, it's going to come from within. If we're going to compete, we're going to try and bring in as many good young players as we can because that's really where the bulk of our future lies. In Max's case, this is a really impressive 18-year-old kid. We thought that and a lot of teams did as well. We weren't unique there. But based on what I've seen so far, we couldn't be happier that not only did we draft him, but we signed him. We think he could be a really good major league player and that it could happen quicker than most people think for a high school kid. He's really impressive and has been since the first day he put on our uniform.

Blez: Do you think he was ultimately first round talent?

Beane: That's what we saw him as is a first round talent. We did and hence why we had to compensate him as he had a full ride to UCLA. I just feel fortunate we were able to get him and able to sign him.

Blez: You said the lifeblood of a small market organization comes from building from within, but the 2009-2010 free agent season is right around the corner. I know you can't really talk about any upcoming free agents or anything, but if you had to look at your shopping list for next season what are areas you'd like to improve for your team?

Beane: Free agency usually starts five days after the World Series and it isn't really an area historically we've been involved in. In understanding what we're trying to do here especially long term, when you sign free agents, you're giving up draft picks. We have to be cognizant of that in that whenever you're bringing players in it isn't just cost, but what you're giving up in terms of standing in the way of long-term development of a younger player who might be there for a long time. Historically, we haven't been in the free agent market early. It doesn't mean that we don't go through the exercise of looking at the club needs and how they will addressed either short term or long term. We usually start a little earlier than people think, at least internally, but we will be looking at it over the next month or month and a half. I would expect us to try to continue what we've been doing here, particularly in the second half, which is creating a young team that has a chance to get better and better each year and one that can stay around for a while.

Blez: Speaking of free agents, Adam Kennedy is going to be a free agent at the end of the year. He obviously came in and did some amazing things for the team. Is he someone you're interested in bringing back, especially as he has already expressed interest in coming back? He seems like he'd be a good stop gap solution at third base until Brett Wallace is capable of taking over that position.

Beane: There are some things that you have to address pretty quickly. I agree with you in that Adam Kennedy has just been outstanding for us this year. If you consider the fact that he'd never played third base as we put him over there when Ellie (Mark Ellis) came back and he was learning the position at the major league level, we're very happy with not only what he's provided on the field but in the clubhouse too. He's a grinder and he brings a certain mentality to the game that I think is very positive. That's going to be one of the things I'm going to have to deal with pretty quickly after the season. The best thing I can say is that we've been very pleased with Adam and he's been great to have around. As far as him coming back next year, it will definitely be a topic of conversation. But from Adam's end, Adam is a free agent and he has the ability to choose where he wants to go. Rest assured we'll be having conversations internally and we'll be having a conversation with his representative as well as Adam himself.

Blez: What about Jack Cust? The team is seemingly pretty desperate for power and that's one thing that Cust does well.

Beane: You have to respect what Jack has done and the fact that he does have power on a team that doesn't have significant power. Once again, I'm not sure we could answer that question now. But he's arbitration-eligible so it isn't like he's a free agent. You have to respect Jack has hit 30 plus homers for us in a year and he probably isn't going to reach that this year but he's still our leading home run hitter. He and every other player on the team will be subject to evaluation going forward, not just for next year but for many years ahead. These are the things we get to do in October and November.

Blez: There was a lot of discussion heading into the season that Jack was going to try and cut down on the strikeouts so he could hopefully bring up the batting average. It didn't seem to work out. Do you think the focus on cutting down on those strikeouts wound up hurting his performance?

Beane: It would be better for Jack to answer that one. Jack is going to hit home runs. He's going to strike out. He's going to take his walks. The other thing about Jack is that 99 percent of the season, on a team that has more than its share of injuries over the past few years, Jack is ready to go out there every day. He keeps himself in good shape. There has rarely been a day that Jack has been here when Bob can't put him in the lineup. With the situation we've had the last three years, it's been nice that he's been healthy and available.

Blez: This is year three of the five-year rebuilding plan if you count the rebuilding starting after the 2006 season, but this would be the third year of the remaking of the team (Beane corrected me stating that the rebuilding actually started with the trading of Haren in late 2007). I know it's really early because we haven't even finished 2009 yet, but how do you feel about the team, especially because teams like Texas are on the rise and Anaheim remains a good team? Do you think the team will take that giant leap forward in year four of this rebuilding process?

Beane: I don't think you can really say until you start to go into the offseason and formulate next year's team. I think in the last couple of months, I've seen us put in some building blocks for a team that's going to be good. There's still a lot of areas that we need to improve on and some of that improvement will come by adding players from the minor league system but also just through these players getting better over time. I think it's hard to put a timetable on it, but anyone who follows this team on a regular basis can look at some positions, whether it be the pitching staff or in the field and say, this guy is a good young player and he has a chance to get better. As far as the timetable, it's tough to do. We're putting together a team that has a chance over the next few years to continue getting better and better. At what rate is hard to predict because sometimes young players will surprise you and develop quicker than you think, particularly when there is a lot of them that have a lot of confidence, but in some cases they can disappoint. When you take a guy like Brett Anderson over the course of a full season and chart his improvement, I think everyone is excited to see how good he can actually be next year after having a full year under his belt. And if you multiply that by say 25 guys, sometimes they can surprise you. The building blocks are in place and when that happens I certainly couldn't predict. I'm definitely very excited about what they could become.

Blez: Do you think Bob Geren is an ideal manager for this team simply because one of his strengths appears to be working with younger talent?

Beane: Absolutely. If you look at going into August in last place and you've traded away some of the most experienced and in some cases the best players, it's impressive to do what this team has done over the last couple of months. Case in point is this past weekend in Anaheim. The Angels had a chance to clinch the division and these guys never let up. I think that's the best indication in getting these guys to play the way they're playing in the month of September when other teams have more to play for than you do. He's been a young player himself at the major league level. He's managed at every single level. He's coached at every level. So he brings a lot of experience and a lot of it comes from dealing with younger players. It's been very much a positive that's revealed itself over this transition for us.

Blez: Is it the type of situation where maybe he grows up as a manager as the team grows up? Meaning that he becomes more comfortable in being a manager and dealing with veterans and veteran personalities as the team heads towards being more competitive.

Beane: Everybody in any position usually grows a lot the more you deal with those different circumstances. I'm sure there are some things Bob might do different today that he might not have done his first year. I think that comes with experience. Bob is gaining that and gaining it on the job. He's organized and guys are playing hard for him. He's prepared and Bob has all those things.

Blez: As usual, thanks so much for all your time.

Also, in case you're interested in a little more Beane, I did a more general interview for SBNation.com that ran yesterday. And please remember to participate in giving on behalf of AN to the Donor's Choose Social Media Challenge. It's for a great cause. Thank you.

Could it be...? No, it can't be... OMG it really is! It's a Minor League Update!!!

grover — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:00:25 -0000

Hello again.

Work called me away for a while and it’s been tough getting back into the groove of things. For those who don’t know, I’m a wildland fire fighter and August got a little busy for those in my career field. So when I disappear again for a couple weeks just remember… I envy your access to in-door plumbing.

Anyways, I want to focus this week’s minor league update on the 40 man roster and the options that are going to have to be decided upon in the coming months. Why do this now instead of waiting until September 1st? The topic tickles my fancy, that’s why. As I seem to have (once again) misplaced my Cap o’ Omnipotence I’m forced to resort to basic logic and common sense reckoning to try and deduce the future roster.

That’s right… none of what I’m about to tell you is guaranteed!

The way I see it, there are 28-29 spots on the future 40 man roster all but guaranteed. On the pitching side, Brett Anderson, Andrew Bailey, Jerry Blevins, Dallas Braden, Craig Breslow, Trevor Cahill, Joey Devine, Gio Gonzalez, Jeff Gray, Jay Marshall, Vin Mazzaro, Clayton Mortensen, Josh Outman, Henry Rodriguez, Michael Wuertz and Brad Ziegler all seem certain to have jobs in the Oakland organization next year. That’s 16 pitchers of varying combinations of success/cheapness/options that aren’t going to be released just to make room on the roster. (There’s a pretty good chance that Outman will open next season on the 60-day DL, opening up an additional spot on the 40 man.) Santiago Casilla and Edgar Gonzalez are both arbitration eligible next season but neither pitched so well that the A’s are going to be eager to give them big pay raises, which could mean either or both players could end up as trade fodder or possibly even released. Dana Eveland is still on the 40 man roster as well, but his poor performance led to a demotion that will keep him from seeing any arby money next season. Unfortunately, Mr. Eveland’s suckitude forced the A’s to use his last option this season; meaning he can’t be stashed on Sacramento’s roster next season without first passing through waivers. Chances are Eveland isn’t going to be one of the 5 best SP candidates for the A’s come Opening Day 2010 and as a lefty with a pulse he’d probably get snapped up by some other team desperate for pitching. Therefore, I think this is good-bye to Mr. Eveland.

As it just so happens, it looks as if the A’s are going to need maybe 3 openings on the 40 man roster just to protect some arms that should attract a lot of interest in the Rule 5 draft. Pedro Figueroa hasn’t advanced past High-A ball but he’s a lefty with a low-90’s fastball. Brad Kilby is another lefty who’s put up back-to-back quality campaigns in Sacramento’s bullpen. Fautino De Los Santos is still trying to bounce back from 2008 TJ surgery but he wouldn’t last long if the A’s made him available for the Rule 5 draft. Jason Ray is in the same boat but I don’t think there’s much risk of someone grabbing him and keeping him on a 25 man roster all season.

There’s also a chance the A’s might be interested in bringing back Brett Tomko or Justin Duchscherer next season. Dan Giese should be fully recovered in time for next season; maybe the A’s are still interested in him as a swing man type. Plus, guys like Sam Demel and James Simmons could be knocking on the door next season and they’d need a spot on the 40 man to do so. Like I said, I could see 3-4 spots going to the guys I just listed and we haven’t even looked outside the organization to find help.

The hitting side of things is even more in flux.

Kurt Suzuki, Landon Powell, Eric Chavez (who?) Mark Ellis, Daric Barton, Travis Buck, Aaron Cunningham, Rajai Davis, Scott Hairston, Ryan Sweeney, Jack Cust, Tommy Everidge, Cliff Pennington and Gregorio Petit have spots on the 40 man roster. (Although I’m not sure if Petit has another minor league option available to him in 2010… if someone has a conclusive answer I’d appreciate hearing it.) C Anthony Recker is the most prominent bat in the A’s system that would be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter and I’m not sure if the A’s would consider his departure to be a great loss. So any Recker fans out there can protect him on their 40 man lists, but I’m thinking the A’s leave him off the protected roster. Chris Denorfia and Eric Patterson are both out of options, so if they aren’t in Oakland come Opening Day there’s a good chance they’ll be playing for another organization in 2010. I can maybe see Patterson as a back-up at 2B and in the outfield but I’ve got to squint and angle my head to one side to see it. I think it’s more likely that the A’s will try to bring back Adam Kennedy to serve as a deluxe back-up option/veteran mentor type.

The real twist comes when you consider the minor league bats that the A’s have in AA or higher that aren’t yet on the 40 man roster. Sean Doolittle, Adrian Cardenas, Josh Donaldson, Corey Brown, Chris Carter and Brett Wallace highlight the next wave of Oakland offense… which could be much more refreshing than the current ripple in the still waters we’ve experienced as of late. Yet again we haven’t looked outside the current organization to determine if maybe there’s another bat to be had.

So bring back Kennedy, add the newbies and you’re looking at 38-39 players on the 40 man roster before the Rule 5 draft. Does anyone see any glaring omissions?

Until the next time...

A's moving to six-man rotation?

Eli Greenspan — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:06:37 -0000

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The Oakland Athletics are keeping an eye on their promising young three - Vin Mazzaro, Trevor Cahill, and Brett Anderson - as the season winds down in an attempt not to overwork them.

The A's are watching with some concern as the innings mount for their young starters, who are pretty much the focal point of the season - the team's rebuilding hopes center around Vin Mazzaro, Trevor Cahill, and Brett Anderson.

Manager Bob Geren wanted to use Justin Duchscherer or Dallas Braden in the sixth spot, but both pitchers will be out till mid or late September. And with John Smoltz and Vicente Padilla heading to rival ball clubs, the A's do not have many options to choose from.

They could pursue former Athletic Mark Mulder, who should be cleared to play in the next week or so. When the rosters expand in September, you can count on the A's bringing up a plethora of young pitchers to give some of their guys a rest.

The Projectability Problem

Nico — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:29:18 -0000

Like most fans, I enjoy watching young players and trying to figure out whether they will get better, never progress, get worse. Some guys, like Brett Anderson, will make big strides, some guys, like Travis Buck, will suddenly stall, some guys, like Eric Patterson, will keep getting new chances with old results, and some guys, like Trevor Cahill, and Vin Mazzaro, and Aaron Cunningham, will...?

Here's what I think makes projecting future performance so especially tricky. I had Dallas Braden pegged as a 4th starter because while I liked his demeanor, fastball command, and changeup, I also saw that his fastball lacked great movement, and that his only other weapon, a curve, was primarily effective against lefties but that did he didn't have a lot of weapons against right-handed batters other than to spot the fastball and pull the string with the changeup.

And on this one, I don't think I was exactly wrong. The Braden I projected was a different Braden than the one who has taken the mound in 2009. He learned to add and subtract on the fastball and then he learned a cutter, and I think this pitcher has a chance to be more than a 4th starter. So how do you look at a drafted player, or a young player you see in the big leagues, and project whether or not they will able to add new skills that might elevate their game in important ways?

Will Cahill be able to repeat his delivery better, in which case the pitches he has right now could make him a #2 starter, or does he not have that particular potential, in which case he'll likely stall? Are we only seeing 2/3 of what Mazzaro's arsenal will be as a 24 year old starter, or is he stuck trying to make it with a good fastball, decent slider, and "show me" changeup? Will Cunningham take his excellent swing and minor league numbers to match, and converge them at the big league level due to one of Jim Skaaaaaaalan's famous "timing devices," or will Mark McGwire get to him first and Cunningham won't hit .474 until he joins the Cardinals?

My question for this discussion is: When trying to project a player's future, how do you factor in the additions and changes they might be able to make? Not everyone can learn how to add and subtract on the fastball, or can adjust their hands to suddenly stay back better on offspeed pitches, no matter how good the tutelage may be. Yet a player with poor results now may be a star in the making, if you just imagine the changes they are capable of making between now and when you want to count on them to be good.

I didn't see it coming with Braden, but maybe I should have. Maybe I should have seen a guy with the perfect competitive makeup, excellent fastball command, the intelligence and resolve to learn new things, and realized that he would, and could, learn whatever he needed to learn to get a lot better. What should I see about Trevor Cahill, Vin Mazzaro, Aaron Cunningham, Gio Gonzalez, Tommy Everidge, Cliff Pennington, that I can't see now because it hasn't actually happened yet?

Davis and Sweeney Lead A's to 8-5 Victory.

baseballgirl — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 05:19:42 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

Oakland Athletics center fielder Rajai Davis plays the role of Clark Kent on offense and defense as the A's prevail over their neighbors from the North.

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The A's offense didn't miss a beat with the absence of Orlando Cabrera, as Rajai Davis, playing the part of a great #2 hitter, and Ryan Sweeney's 3 RBI's led the A's to a win over the Toronto Blue Jays tonight, as Dallas Braden rebounded from 2 rough starts in his 3 three outings to notch his 8th win.

The A's scored two in the first on a two-run single by Ryan Sweeney which came after Davis walked and Suzuki reached on an two-base error by Alex Rios, doing his best Jack Cust impersonation.

They scored again in the second on an RBI single by Davis and again in the third on a single by Eric Patterson.

Their big inning was the fourth when they opened up the lead with four more runs on another RBI single for Davis, a bases-loaded walk, a groundout by Everidge and another Jays error (Cowboy Up!).

Meanwhile, Braden breezed through the first six innings allowing six hits and only two runs; getting a lot of fly balls, but most of them were outs. The 7th, however, got a little skecthy for Braden. After retiring the first 2 hitters, he hit Joe Inglett and that was followed by an Aaron Hill double and a prodigious homer to CF by Adam Lind.

The pen took over after the Lind bomb with Springer finishing the 7th and Ziegler throwing a scoreless 8th aided by Pennington showing us some range with a Web Gem on a chopper up the middle. Bailey closed the door with a perfect 9th to lock down his 14th save and sent everyone home happy.

We head into Rickey Henderson Weekend as winners of 3 of 4 against the powerful AL East. Tomorrow gives us a battle of two highly-touted young hurlers with Trevor Cahill facing Brett Cecil. See ya tomorrow with a game time of 6:05.

Baseball Second Half Storylines: Bloggers Roundtable

Rev Halofan — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:00:18 -0000

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): What surprising story lines from the first half of the season have shaped the standings the most?

Rev Halofan (Halos Heaven): The ability of Mike Scioscia to keep a piecemeal Triple A Team in contention has to be the story of the season. I know that every team has injuries, but the Angels have had multiple key players go down, our #1 pitching prospect died, Twelve pitchers have started for the Angels at one time or another this season. I have always appreciated Scioscia, but to even be at .500 would be respectable in the face of this onslaught of misfortune. But to have delivered this team into or near first place his deep in July might be a bigger achievement than his slew of division titles.

Another amazing piece to this story is that the Angels have done this without the aid of infielder Brandon Wood. It is painfully obvious that the team is auditioning Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis, if not also Howie Kendrick, for midseason trades, expecting to get value in return for making way for Wood as a regular major leaguer.

Jeff Sullivan (Lookout Landing): That the Angels have stayed alive through everything they've faced is a minor miracle, but I guess I'm here to talk about the Mariners, so our surprise is being right there in the thick of things despite having one of the lowest-scoring offenses in baseball. The M's are only on the edge of the race (as of this writing on July 11th) and haven't made a strong move for the lead, but to still be playing important, competitive baseball this late in the season with an offense that doesn't score has felt all kinds of rewarding. Pretty much every single one of us is waiting for the other shoe to drop so that we can have 2007 all over again. Bill Bavasi may be gone, but the mindset endures. I wonder how much longer that'll last because I'll be honest with you, it's kind of a downer.

Adam J. Morris (Lone Star Ball): For Texas, the story line has been how the a team defense that has gone from one of the worst in baseball to one of the best has resulted in the Rangers being in first place for much of the first half of the season. With the departure of Milton Bradley, Josh Hamilton being hurt and ineffective, and Chris Davis falling off the map after looking like an All Star in 2008, the offense has taken a big hit from last season, but the team is playing better because of improved run prevention. Most of the focus amongst the mainstream media has been on Nolan Ryan and his philosophy of having pitchers work deeper into games, but the reality is, the pitching isn't really any better for the Rangers in 2009 than in 2008...what has improved is the defense, particularly in the middle of the infield, along with a certain amount of regression to the mean in regards to things like strand rate (where the Rangers were awful last year and would be expected to improve anyway).

67MARQUEZ (Athletics Nation): The expectations going in was that the A's had enough offense to carry the young pitching this season, and more often than not, the opposite has occurred. Jason Giambi looks to be on his last legs. Matt Holliday, though surely not horrible, has not produced in a manner that was expected of him.

What is equally frustrating is how poorly the A's are being managed. Whether it's been an overall attitude and/or philosophy (or lack thereof), questionable in-game decisions, or the mysterious use of select players, Bob Geren doesn't appear to have what it takes to manage a ball club. That said, it is hard to put the entire blame on him.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): What specific things has MIke Scioscia done to affect the on-field performance of the Angels? Why not give the farm system and the bench players credit, in other words?

Rev Halofan (Halos Heaven): He and Figgins have been the only constant on this team in the chaotic season from hell.

Jeff Sullivan (Lookout Landing): You know how in other sports you end up in situations where teams start to copy the previous year's champion? It's only a matter of time now before dozens of coaches and managers around the league start practicing their best whiny face.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): When and where does Brandon Wood get his chance? He just hit his first home run this year, but it's obvious to many he should be in the majors. Is it obvious to the Angels?

Rev Halofan (Halos Heaven): It is obvious to them that they have to market Kendrick and/or Izturis and/or Aybar as legit major leaguers in order to get trade value from them when they finally do make room for Wood. They have the luxury of patience in this underachieving division.

Adam J. Morris (Lone Star Ball): The Brandon Wood situation is interesting as an outsider, particularly since I examined him pretty closely last season in trying to figure out what a realistic expectation for Chris Davis, a very similar hitter, would be. Guys with K rates as high as Wood's generally have a smaller margin of error, and there's always the risk that at the higher levels they'll have such problems making contact that they can't be quality major league hitters. I also think that those guys often seem to take longer to get it together at the major league level -- you look at how long it took Carlos Pena and Jack Cust, to take a couple of example of highly-regarded high-K prospects who bounced around before they stuck. And fans, managers, everyone hates Ks in general...guys who strike out a ton are going to draw more criticism when they struggle than someone who is making contact. So while Rev is closer to the situation that I am, and probably has a better handle on what the Angels are going to do, I'm just not sold on the idea that they are going to move someone to make room for him, particularly given how reluctant the Angels have been to give him playing time up to now.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): Does Matt Holliday's approach look significantly different? What types of pitches are getting him out that didn't in Colorado? Or is he just not able to make the ball carry as far?

67MARQUEZ (Athletics Nation): I don't see anything different to his approach. Some A's fans felt he was just going through the motions earlier in the season, that his body language spoke of someone who really didn't want to be here. I don't really buy into that. While I (and everyone else) was expecting more out of Matt, especially power-wise, I can't say that I am terribly disappointed in what he has given the A's so far.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): Which of those surprises are most likely to continue throughout the rest of the season? I.e. which are flukes and which are for real?

Rev Halofan (Halos Heaven): The Angels are not necessarily for real and their health will dictate who wins the American League West. No matter how great Scioscia is, he is no Lewis Yocum.

67MARQUEZ (Athletics Nation): Sadly, I expect the A's to continue at their inept offensive pace, and it is doubtful that Holliday will be around much longer. I like the Hairston pick-up so maybe he can give the team a lift in the second half. I think Jack Cust is better than his average suggests.

Not that I ever thought Geren was great anyway, but I don't see the lightbulb suddenly going on this late in the season (though he did bench Ryan Swweney this week for not hustling). I should say that I'd be surprised to see him back next season, but the truth is, I wouldn't be.

Jeff Sullivan (Lookout Landing): I won't guarantee that it's going to happen, but the M's could very well wilt once regression hits the bullpen and Jarrod Washburn. Erik Bedard could really do us a solid by not getting hurt again. Basically, what it comes down to is that the M's are two games over .500 right now with a run differential of -23. How you feel about them going forward depends on whether or not you think their roster as currently built is better than the performance we saw through the first three months. I personally think it is, but I should know better than to get my hopes up.

Adam J. Morris (Lone Star Ball): I think any of the three teams that are in the race in the West right now could win the division. None of these teams is, I think, an empirically 90+ win team right now, but one of them will probably win 91 or 92 games to take the division. It will probably come down to health and who gets the breaks the rest of the way.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): Which big local stories aren't getting as much attention from the national media? Should they be?

Jeff Sullivan (Lookout Landing): Franklin Gutierrez has blossomed into one of the best all-around outfielders in baseball before our very eyes. That seems like the sort of thing more people should notice. Other than that, uh, well basically the national media thinks this team is Griffey and Ichiro, and if I cared about the national media more than I do then that would probably get on my nerves.

Rev Halofan (Halos Heaven): I gave up on the national media, but seeing as Josh Beckett is on the all star team it is obvious they are deepthroating the same boring organizations. Do they ever run out of lube?

Adam J. Morris (Lone Star Ball): Most of the national stories seem to focus on Nolan Ryan and how he's improved the pitching staff, or how the Rangers can hit a bunch of home runs. But the biggest story vis-a-vis the Rangers' success this year is the improved defense, and the player who has had the biggest impact on that is Elvis Andrus. And yet, when Jayson Stark runs a midseason review, he lists 13 players in the A.L. who he seems to think deserve Rookie of the Year consideration, and Andrus isn't mentioned. Andrus debuted this season as the youngest position player in the majors. He's 20 years old -- younger than Stephen Strasburg, for example -- if he were an American kid and had gone to college, he'd be starting his junior season in September. And yet he's holding his own offensively (BP has him at just a half-run below average for a shortstop this season with the bat) and has been one of the best defensive players at the position this year. And he's a guy who is, by all accounts, a great kid that oozes charisma and wants to take on a leadership role with the team. Elvis Andrus is a special player, and his is a special story, and I'm a little disappointed more people aren't talking about him.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): Why pick on Josh Beckett (8.8/2.3 K/BB, 3.39 FIP) when Tim Wakefield made the team? Oh, and can I point out that the media and fans don't pick the All-Star pitchers?

Rev Halofan (Halos Heaven): Dood, Wake haz more WINZ, Beckett just has last year's rep and a lame-o necklace.

67MARQUEZ (Athletics Nation): The A's get national attention? Ha, that's rich. We got a kid at catcher Kurt Suzuki, who is a relative unknown. Zooks has been the A's most consistent hitter, and has gained the trust of the young pitching staff.

Speaking of, no secret what Mazzaro, Anderson, and Cahill are capable of, but Dallas Braden has assumed the role of ace this year. And it's not just his credentials, it's his make-up and mentality. He's a wonderful interview, and does lots of community-related things. His is a story worthy of being told well beyond the outskirts of Oakland.

Adam J. Morris (Lone Star Ball): Being the A's most consistent hitter is damning with faint praise. That's like being the most reasonable opinion offered by John Kruk during BBTN. Lots of fans were up in arms over Wakefield making the team over Kevin Millwood, but I don't have a real big issue with Wakefield getting a "lifetime achievement" nod and giving Maddon someone who can go all night if the game goes into extra innings. And Beckett has pitched a lot better than his ERA suggests this year...I don't have a problem with him getting in.

67MARQUEZ (Athletics Nation): I see your point but that should in no way diminish how well Suzuki has played this season.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): I have a weird curiosity about Trevor Cahill. His K/BB ratio was awful initially, but he's started to turn it around. What's been different and is there any obvious key to his success? His stuff doesn't appear very hittable when he decides to put it in the zone.

67MARQUEZ (Athletics Nation): Cahill has actually struggled of late. And as is the case with many young pitchers, it doesn't take long to for a start to go sour, which happened this past week in Fenway. There has been concern among the locals that his velocity is down, and that he has given up far too many homeruns for a sinkerball pitcher. He'll be fine, though.

Adam J. Morris (Lone Star Ball): I thought the A's moved too quickly with Cahill and Brett Anderson, both. I prefer what the Rangers are doing with their stud prospects, Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz, letting them get their feet wet in the bullpen before being thrust in the rotation. And by plugging Cahill and Anderson both in the rotation from Opening Day, rather than letting them debut around Memorial Day, the A's have potential cost themselves a year of team control over those guys.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): For the teams probably out of the running, what acquisitions and decisions based on the 2010 and future seasons would you consider a "win"?

Rev Halofan (Halos Heaven): I think if any team besides the Angels draws more than 2 million fans it will be a "win" for them. If the Rangers gets sold to a Chinese mutinational and moved to Myanmar it will be a win for them. If the Athletics get San Jose as their territory it will be a win for them, not having to move to Portland and all. If Stephen Strasburgh ends up getting an 8 figure signing bonus it will be a big win for the Mariners.

67MARQUEZ (Athletics Nation): Teams out of the running, ok, this one is for me. Well it's always a win to see the Angels lose in the playoffs if only to see Mike's face. Small victory, sure, but we take 'em where we can get 'em these days. But seriously, the A's aren't all that far off. Give these kids another year under their belt, and look out. And there's talent in the lower leagues, too. In short, Rev should be getting nervous real soon. Admit it, you've missed the competition.

Adam J. Morris (Lone Star Ball): The past several years, the Rangers have been sellers at the deadline, and doing so has helped re-stock the farm system. But now, the team is really working on building a winning atmosphere and trying to generate some buzz and momentum going into 2010. Being out of the playoffs for the last 10 years, and getting off to horrible starts the previous two Aprils, resulted in the Rangers turning into an afterthought in the D/FW sports market. Spending a couple of months of 2009 in first place has helped get folks excited about the Rangers again, but there always hangs around the team a cynical, "Well, Texas always fades when it gets hot" mindset amongst some fans, and finishing strong -- even if the team is several games out of first at the end of the day -- is a priority for the organization in order to keep the momentum built among the fans going. And it makes things a lot easier for the business side when the team is playing well and there's excitement about them out there.

So...that was a little bit off-topic. But I think the team would consider staying in the race and finishing solidly a "win," even if it means they don't move a Marlon Byrd or a Hank Blalock for a prospect or two at the deadline. Besides, other than Byrd or Blalock, Vicente Padilla is the only other prominent soon-to-be-free-agent, and I don't think any of those guys are going to generate the type of interest that would bring back a blue-chipper.

Jeff Sullivan (Lookout Landing): We may shortly end up sellers, so with that in mind, it would become important to unload Washburn, test the market for Bedard, and try like all hell to bring in a longer-term shortstop. Finding a shortstop would be a big win. A high-level 3B or SP prospect would also be of use.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): What story lines will we see in the second half of the season that most people aren't expecting?

Rev Halofan (Halos Heaven): I've been wanting to end the prelude to the Brandon Wood Cooperstown Chronicles to end for a season and a half. People are genuinely expecting a dogfight in this division and if the Angels are hurt they will get one, but health is really all we are going to need and fans of other teams expect to somehow be able to compete with that.

67MARQUEZ (Athletics Nation): I actually think the A's will have a strong second half, and not just because it's been their wont for most of the decade. Look for them to do a little spoiling. Winning in Tampa twice over the weekend is no small feat. Any positives from Oakland are sure to be unexpected considering how far under the radar they are currently flying.

Jeff Sullivan (Lookout Landing): The improvement of the Mariner offense to something a little less below average? I don't know. It's hard to know what people expect and don't expect because I only ever talk about the Mariners with my own community and we're all pretty smart. I have no idea what idiots think about this team. Guess I could ask Dayton Moore. Nobody expects a hey-Bedard-is-healthy! storyline but then I don't either so I guess that doesn't count.

Adam J. Morris (Lone Star Ball): That's hard to say. The Ranger offense continuing to struggle, I guess... there still is the mindset out there that the Rangers have this great offense, but they've been awful this year, particularly in the last couple of months.

Sky Kalkman (Moderator): How about ending with one bold prediction we won't hold you accountable for if you're wrong, but we'll worship at your feet for if it comes true?

Rev Halofan (Halos Heaven): I will get interviewed on ESPN before Jeff Sullivan ever does.

67MARQUEZ (Athletics Nation): Texas and/or Seattle hang around, and the A's knock the Angels out of the playoffs on the last day of the regular season.

Jeff Sullivan (Lookout Landing): Brandon Morrow will get placed on the DL and contemplate offseason shoulder surgery. Is this supposed to be happy bold or sad bold?

Adam J. Morris (Lone Star Ball): Chris Davis is an All Star in 2010.

5 Questions with Athletics Nation

Ed Valentine — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:00:32 -0000

The Yankees take on Oakland tonight at Yankee Stadium to open a four-game series. Here's a quick set of '5 questions' with '67Marquez' of our Oakland blog, Athletics Nation, to help you get to know the A's a bit.

Pinstripe Alley: The Yanks always seem to struggle against pitchers they aren't familiar with. Who are the A's throwing in this series that fits that description?

Athletics Nation: Well if that is truly the case, that can only be good for the A's. You get Vin Mazzaro on Thursday, who is making his 10th career start. The Yankees beat Friday's starter Brett Anderson in April, but he's been terrific of late: a 2-hit shutout at Fenway (you're welcome) and 6-2/3 perfect innings against the Angels. Then there's Gio Gonzalez on Saturday, and Dallas Braden on Sunday. The former, like Mazarro, has never faced New York, and the latter has pitched to 15 Yankees in 3 relief appearances.

PA: Are the A's going to be sellers at the trade deadline? If so, does it bug you that despite having good teams a lot of years Oakland always seems to be getting rid of guys?

AN: We've probably seen the last of Matt Holliday, but it's hard to wax nostalgic over a guy who just got here. I can lie and say as an A's fan, I've gotten used to it, but you never really do. Best thing to do is not to get attached in the first place. But I am envious that- although it's a lot more rare in this day and age- some teams have been able to keep their stars for the duration; Ripken Jr.and Gwynn for example.

PA: Catfish Hunter should be remembered as an Athletic or a Yankee? Why?

AN: Ah Catfish, our first to leave for greener pastures, if you know what I mean. No matter what the Hall-of-Fame cap says (or in his case, doesn't say), he is an A. Threw his Perfect Game here, won a Cy Young here, 3 led World Series champions here; I think you understand where I am going with this.

PA: I know we won't see Jason Giambi this series because he is hurt. But, is he really as washed up as his .193 batting average would seem to indicate?

AN: Jason is done. It happens to everyone. It's too bad. I was hoping for a more memorable swan song. I've always liked him. Sure it hurt to see him leave, especially for the Yankees, but I could not help pull for him.

PA: This season is, obviously, not turning out well for the Athletics. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about their ability to contend again in the next couple of years? Why?

AN: I believe you will get a glimpse of the future this weekend with our young arms. They are why we remain optimistic that better days are ahead.

-- Don't forget to check out my answers to AN's questions.

-- Athletics vs Yankees coverage
-- Athletics vs Yankees preview

A's Massacre Twins Behind Strong Start By Cahill

baseballgirl — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:35:49 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

I want to play!

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Buy your tickets to AN Day VI now!

Auctioneer: So, on the auction block today, we have 14 extra runs from the series. Who will start the bidding?

Dallas Braden: You've GOT to be kidding me.

After the A's put together 22 hits and 14 runs in their win on Monday night, and 18 hits and 16 runs on the board today, Dallas Braden probably feels a bit slighted. All it would have taken for the series sweep, and a win for a pitcher who fought hard for it, was a single run in last night's game. Instead, the A's have to settle for two out of three against the Twins, building an insurmountable lead in today's game to win the series.

Cahill got off to a rocky start; walking the leadoff man (who was later thrown out at second), and giving up a monster homerun to Justin Morneau. The A's were down 1-0 early, but Cahill would make sure the Twins wouldn't score again. He finished with the sparkling line of 7IP, 6H, 1R, 2BB, 4K; something very different from his last four starts. He also got the win as the starting pitcher; a rarity for the A's.

The A's offense immediately took Cahill off the hook for the first inning deficit. In the bottom of the first, Cabrera, Hairston, and Holliday hit back-to-back singles to drive in the tying run, and the team never looked back.

Cust walked to load the bases, Barton grounded out and was unable to score the runner from third, but Landon Powell walked to drive in the A's second run. Then it got fun. Rajai Davis tripled everybody home to make the score 5-1, and after Cahill shut the Twins down in the second, Hairston hit a 3-run homerun to knock out Glen Perkins. The A's weren't any nicer to the bullpen, as Holliday singled, Cust singled, Powell singled, Ellis singled, Kennedy singled, and Cabrera singled, bringing in 5 more runs, and giving the A's a 12-1 lead.

They did not let the Twins back in the game; and just for good measure, the A's put 4 more runs on the board. After Powell left with a sore leg, Kurt Suzuki drove in two more with a single. Rajai Davis picked up his fourth RBI with another single to bring the score to 15, and a tough error (probably should have been a hit) from Suzuki in the seventh plated the last run of the day.

Every A's player in the game, with the exception of Barton, recorded at least one hit; Hairston and Holliday had three.

So the A's win the series, and hopefully gain some offensive momentum going into what will be a tough roadtrip; four at Yankee Stadium and three at Fenway. We can hope for the best.

Remember the A's makeup game is tomorrow night; 4:05.

Cuddyer's Revenge: Twins win in 10, 3-2

Flashfire — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:22:47 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

The A's came back down to earth tonight with 4 hits. This was not one of them.

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Last night, Michael Cuddyer was the victim of a game-ending call at the plate. Tonight his triple in the 10th inning put the Minnesota Twins on top before closer Joe Nathan worked a quick bottom half of the inning in a game that was, as expected, nothing at all like the one before it.

Dallas Braden had another one of those games where he's just good enough to skate by without giving up a bunch of runs but Anthony Swarzak was a bit better. Overall they both allowed a pair of runs in seven innings of work. The A's got theirs in the third courtesy of a ground out by Adam Kennedy, then Orlando Cabrera followed with a run-scoring single.

Braden's worst inning would follow right after as he failed to get the shutdown inning. With one out, he gave up a double, triple and sacrifice fly and things were evened up at 2-2. It looked like things would have been a little different if not for some trouble from Scott Hairston in center field as the triple bounced off the wall and skipped past him to go along with a couple weak throws.

Braden and Swarzak settled down after that before the bullpens took over. Matt Guerrier worked two scoreless innings for the visitors while Michael Wuertz and Andrew Bailey went an inning apiece for the A's. Bob Geren sent Bailey back out for the 10th and for his second outing in a row, he ran into trouble. Joe Mauer singled with one out and after Justin Morneau flied out Cuddyer came through with a shot to the right-center gap. Problem was, it sure looked like Ryan Sweeney should have made the catch, overrunning the ball as it came down. From there, Nathan finished it off.

The rubber game of the series is tomorrow, an afternoon start.