SB Nation User Blog: 67MARQUEZ

Scrapbook Memories 1989, Chapter 5

67MARQUEZ — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:43:56 -0000

Scrapbook Memories celebrates the 20th anniversary of Oakland's last World Series triumph. We near the halfway point of the season with the still-hurting A's clinging ever so precariously to the top spot in the dangerous American League West.

The A's are off today before starting a three-game set in Cleveland. So we'll look backwards today, and give a proper salute to the '89 champions. Hey, someone has to.

But first, a quick e-mail from my niece Steph, because I know you all care. Well, you should. The A's would be doing a whole lot better if she were here:

Dear Family,

I will be leaving this country very soon, I can't tell you the day but it rhymes with the 9th of July. I will be off on the 4th and will be calling all the numbers I have to say goodbye. I miss you all so very much, and am so thankful for all of your support. I will get you my address as soon as I am in Iraq. I love all of you so much, and I can't wait until I am home again sitting around Grandma's table with all of you.

OK, quick, what do the 1989 and 2009 A's have in common?

Too late. They both had a losing record in June. (Come on, and you call yourself fans?)

Tony La Russa's Bashers were more like M*A*S*Hers, what with Jose Canseco, Dennis Eckersley, and Walt Weiss recovering from injuries. Speaking of Canseco, he turns 45 years old today (really, we're that close in age?), and my scrapbook produced this funny tidbit:

"A plane flew over the Coliseum in the top of the second inning with the message, ‘Jose, I (heart) you, love Ester.' Canseco's wife spells her first name Esther."

Nice.

After dropping the month opener to Cleveland, the A's won six of eight, with the starting pitchers playing a little game of "Anything you can do, I can do Better". Of the half-dozen victories, the staff allowed two or less runs in all of them, including three shutouts. Bob Welch combined with Eric Plunk to blank the Indians on eight hits, and Dave Stewart teamed with Todd Burns and Rick Honeycutt on a four-hit shutout. Stew might have gone without relief had he not been ejected for his involvement in a bench-clearing brawl.

I was at that game with my two younger cousins, and remember it well. My cousin Scott, who was 12 at the time, was on a pay phone (!) with a girl, while his brother Nick and I stood at the back of the bleachers watching the action. With a man on second and two outs, Stewart struck catcher Andy Allanson with a pitch, and Allanson charged our ace. We shouted "fight" to Scott, who left the phone- and the girl- hanging.

The next night, hard-luck starter (and current pitching coach) Curt Young took a 2-1 loss despite pitching a complete-game eight-hitter without walking a batter. Mike Moore followed that up with the gem of the week (which is saying something considering the bar was set high to begin with); he went the full nine in shutting down the Twins on four hits, 1-0.

Oakland closed out the homestand with a 3-2 victory over Minnesota, before embarking on a ten-game road trip that would take them through Texas, Kansas City, and Baltimore. It wasn't exactly a joyous excursion. In going 4-6 away from home, the A's scored three or less runs in six games, and lost five of them.

After taking two of three from Texas, the defending AL champs went into Kansas City, where the Royals were hot on their heels, just 3.5 games back. KC chopped into the A's lead with wins in the first two contests, including an 11-inning thriller. But Stewart salvaged the series with seven-plus innings of work in a 2-1 victory.

Tony Phillips slides into third with a triple in the A's series-salvaging win over the Royals.

The bats awoke but briefly in Baltimore, as McGwire and Ron Hassey homered to lead the A's to a 7-5 triumph. That was followed by three consecutive losses to the O's, in which the offense sputtered; just five runs scored. Upon returning home, the losing skid reached four, with Stewart proving to be human after all. The two-time 20-game winner lasted only 3-2/3 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits, and four walks against the Detroit Tigers.

On June 20, the Oakland A's played a baseball game. They won 6-4. Lead-off batter Luis Polonia went 3-for-4 with a run scored. And the A's went over the million mark in attendance.

On June 21, this happened:

Polonia, Greg Cadaret, and Eric Plunk were shipped off to the Yankees, while the A's turned the baseball world on its ear with one of those either-way trades. Were the A's getting that Rickey? Or that Rickey?

While contemplating that very thing, the guys already in uniform still had to take the field to face the Tigers. Behind a Dave Parker first-inning missile, Oakland took the series with a 6-3 win. La Russa liked where his players' heads were, even on the eve of Rickey's Return:

"One way to figure you're focused is if you can lose the first game of a series and come back to win it. I was worried about the concentration tonight because of all that's happened, but it sure looked like Dave Parker was concentrating and it looked like Mike Moore was concentrating."

A rather modest crowd of 21,418 concentrated itself into the Coliseum on a Thursday evening to welcome Rickey home. He went 2-for-6 and was caught stealing in a 4-2 extra-inning loss to Toronto. Oakland fell the next night too, but thanks to a pair of hometown stars, the new-look A's broke into the win column the following day with a 7-1 victory. Rickey went deep- on the 10th anniversary of his first game- and Stew went the distance, with a dazzling four-hitter (no walks, six K's).

Rickey (wearing Number 22) gave the Blue Jays a glimpse of what the playoffs would be like, going 3-for-3, with two walks, two stolen bases, and two runs scored in a 6-3 win that earned the A's a split of the four-game series.

Taking to the road once more, Oakland was thumped by the Twins in three straight, but finished June on a good note (hey, just like the 2009 A's!) with its fourth shutout of the month (and third against Cleveland), as Bob Welch, Gene Nelson, and Rick Honeycutt played keep-away.

And when all was said and done, the A's bid adieu to a 13-14 June, still looking down at the rest of the American League West.

Barely.

This Just In - A's Late Rally Falls Short

67MARQUEZ — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:18:26 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

3 days ago: Detroit Tigers' Marcus Thames, right, is forced out at third base after being run down by Oakland Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki, center, in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 30, 2009, in Oakland, Calif. Tigers' Ryan Raburn, left, was already on third base after advancing from second. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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Yes Mr. Korach, the Tigers tried to give this one away. Sadly, the A's were not in a receiving mood.

Thus not even a sloppy effort by the American League Central leaders- nor another late rally- were enough for the A's to sneak away with a second straight victory before a lively crowd at the Coliseum (ha).

Of course when you manage only three hits through the first eight innings, chances are it's not going to end well.

Gio Gonzalez dug himself a 2-0 hole just two batters in. After a walk to Curtis Granderson, A's-killer Placido Polanco- who entered tonight's game with a career .388 average against Oakland- homered down the left-field line. The Tigers ran themselves out of a possible third run when Marcus Thames hesitated rounding second base on a double by Ryan Rayburn (3-for-3), and ultimately found himself in no-man's land between third and home. Both runners ended up at third base, with Rayburn being the odd man out. Gonzalez struck out Brandon Inge to end the inning, his first of five K's.

The A's loaded the bases in the bottom of the first off tonight's starting- and winning- pitcher Armando Galarraga, thanks to a pair of walks and an error by shortstop Adam Everett. But a 5-4-3 double play grounder off the bat of Kurt Suzuki killed the threat.

Detroit went right back at it in the second, putting runners at second and third with one out, only to make its second baserunning gaffe in as many innings, with Magglio Ordóñez caught napping off third base on a grounder to Adam Kennedy.

The blunders continued when Rayburn dropped a fly ball in left. Unfortunately for batter Ryan Sweeney, it was in foul territory. Rayburn atoned for his miff with a run-scoring single in the third to make it 3-0.

Sweeney recorded the A's first hit, a triple to right with two outs in the fourth, and scored on Jack Cust's single to center to cut the lead to 3-1.

Gonzalez exited after just 84 pitches through five, flirting a little too much with danger for most of the game, but allowing the heavy-hitting Tigers only the three runs on seven hits. His counterpart was just a little better at walking the tightrope; Galarraga left after retiring one batter in the seventh having given up one run despite walking six batters.

Rayburn doubled with one out in the sixth off Santiago Casilla, and took third on a wild pitch. Inge then dropped a base hit between three fielders to score Rayburn.

A Polanco- there's that name again- RBI single stretched the lead to 5-1 in the ninth. It was an insurance run that went unused, but not a bad plan anyway what with the nightly tease sure to occur in the bottom half.

Just like clockwork Mark Ellis stroked a two-run homerun to make it 5-3, and when Kennedy singled, the A's had the tying run at the plate in the person of Orlando Cabrera with only one out. Funny thing about teases; they're...teases, and Cabrera grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the suspense. But was there really any doubt?

And so the A's turn the page on their third straight losing month (13-15) with an eye on a series win tomorrow afternoon.

The Thread Continues: Will the A's Mount a Comeback?

67MARQUEZ — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:55:15 -0000

Or will it be a third straight losing month? Stay tuned. It's 4-1 Detroit, as they stretch 'n' sing in Oakland.

New Thread, Old Story...A's Trail 3-0

67MARQUEZ — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:06:00 -0000

A's-killer Placido Polanco homered in the first-inning, and Oakland has been unable to break through against the generous Tigers. 5 K's for Gio after four.

Open Thread: A's vs. Tigers - Kissing June Goodbye

67MARQUEZ — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:46:37 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Can Ryan Sweeney pull off another last-day-of-the-month gem?

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Tonight features a game where both staring pitchers would like to forget their last outing against the very team they face this evening.

For Gio Gonzalez, who gets another shot at proving himself worthy to stick around the bigs for a while, his start against Detroit last September 8 resulted in a 14-8 defeat.

Armando Galarraga goes for the Tigers, after snapping a personal 10-game losing streak last week against the Cubs. When he faced Oakland on May 17, he didn't even make it out of the first inning, though his teammates picked him up in a come-from-behind 11-7 victory.

The A's try to close out June on a good note; a win would bring their record for this month to 14-14. Look for a game-saving catch by Ryan Sweeney. Nearly the exact same lineup that scored seven runs last night.

Lineup

Detroit Tigers @ Oakland Athletics

06/30/09 7:05 PM PDT

Detroit Tigers	Oakland Athletics
Curtis Granderson - CF	Adam Kennedy - 3B
Placido Polanco - 2B	Orlando Cabrera - SS
Miguel Cabrera - 1B	Matt Holliday - LF
Marcus Thames - DH	Jason Giambi - 1B
Ryan Raburn - LF	Kurt Suzuki - C
Brandon Inge - 3B	Ryan Sweeney - CF
Magglio Ordonez - RF	Nomar Garciaparra - DH
Dusty Ryan - C	Jack Cust - RF
Adam Everett - SS	Mark Ellis - 2B

A's-Tigers '72 ALCS was One for the Ages

67MARQUEZ — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:44:53 -0000

I urge you to read Mustache Gang, a wonderful tale of the 1972 season, Oakland's first of three World Series triumphs. The quotes seen in this post are from Ron Bergman's book.

The Great Playoff Experiment was fizzling out. In the first three seasons (1969-71) that an additional step was required to advance to the World Series, five out of six series' were sweeps, and not one went the distance. Score one for the purists.

From 1903 (the year of the inaugural World Series) through 1968, Major League Baseball was divided into two groups; the American and National Leagues. Every season the first place teams from each circuit would meet in October to decide the championship. No playoffs or extra rounds, except in those very rare cases of a tie.

That all changed in 1969 when the sport expanded from 20 to 24 teams, and both leagues were split into two six-team subdivisions.

If there was any concern that having to win a short series (five games) might keep the leagues "best" teams out of the Fall Classic, it was emphatically squashed in those first three seasons under the new format. The Baltimore Orioles, with an average of 106 victories during the regular season, made short work of their Western adversaries in the ALCS, sweeping the Twins (1969-70) and the A's (1971).

The National League playoffs offered only an ounce more in terms of suspense, with the first two series needing only the minimum of games to complete. It wasn't until 1971 that a series saw the losing team avoid the broom, with Pittsburgh beating San Francisco three games to one.

Although the league playoffs had their moments- five of the 19 games were decided by one run, and two went past nine innings- they were sorely lacking the drama that the World Series had provided in the years leading up to the extended post-season (six of nine Series' from 1960-68 went the full seven games).

Leave it to the Oakland A's to finally give us an ALCS to remember (the NLCS would also go the full five games, with the winning run scoring on a wild pitch). The A's were owned by the eccentric Charles Finley. It was a team full of long-haired, short-tempered personalities dressed in funky uniforms.

Reggie Jackson steals home in the deciding game of the 1972 ALCS.
(the slugger tore his hamstring in the process and missed the World Series)

The Mustache Gang won the AL West crown with three straight walk-off wins, with the clincher coming after they had trailed the Twins, 7-0. One-run games would become old hat for the A's during the playoffs and World Series (9 of 12 contests were decided by that slimmest of margins).

Standing in the way of the A's were Billy Martin and his rag-tag Detroit Tigers, only four years removed from a World Series title. Game 1 was played in Oakland before a sparse crowd of 29,566. Those who didn't bother to show missed quite a game.

Starting hurlers Jim "Catfish" Hunter and Mickey Lolich (the hero of the '68 Series) showed exactly why they were penciled in to pitch the playoff opener. Hunter pitched one-run, four-hit ball before leaving with one out in the ninth, having allowed only a second-inning homerun by Norm Cash. Lolich scattered ten hits in as many innings of work. A sacrifice fly by Joe Rudi in the third tied things up at one, and that is how it stayed until the 11th, when Al Kaline took Rollie Fingers deep for a homerun. The future Hall-of-Famer clenched his fist in a rare- and premature- display of emotion as he rounded the bases.

Sal Bando led off the bottom half with a single, just another of many late-inning hits provided by the A's captain during their World Series run. Mike Epstein followed with a base hit, and like Bando, he was removed for a pinch-runner. A failed bunt by Gene Tenace allowed the Tigers to get the lead runner at third, bringing Gonzalo Marquez to the plate. Marquez singled home Mike Hegan, and when Kaline's throw to third bounced away, Tenace followed Hegan to the plate with the winning run.

Gene Tenace scores the winning run, while Mike Hegan jumps for joy.
(photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated)

On a normal day, Game 2 headlines would have belonged to Oakland's John "Blue Moon" Odom, who baffled the Tigers with a complete-game, three-hit shutout. But the A's were not that into normal.

It started out innocently enough. Campy Campaneris led off the A's half of the first inning with a base hit, swiped second and third base, and scored on a single by Joe Rudi. Oakland broke things open with a four-run fifth off three Detroit pitchers to make it 5-0, which turned out to be the final score.

Campaneris was having quite a day- 3-for-3, two runs scored, and two stolen bases- when he stepped up to the plate leading off the bottom of the 7th. There was absolutely no way of knowing this would be his last plate appearance of the ALCS. Reliever Lerrin LaGrow hit the speedy shortstop in the ankle with a pitch, and soon found Campy's bat headed towards him (click here for a quick video of the bat toss, about 30 seconds in). Detroit's dugout emptied, and Billy Martin had successfully fired up his toothless Tigers, while accusing the A's of having no fight in them:

"Did you see those A's? They didn't want to fight us. Did you see anybody come out? If they had come out, they'd have gotten their heads knocked off."

Responded first baseman Mike Epstein:

"What good would it do for me to break my knuckles on Martin's nose? Of course Martin was throwing at Campy. He's done it too many times...A lot of guys on his club have confided to me that they're tired of coming out on the field."

Bad blood between the teams was nothing new; just six weeks prior they had an all-out brawl that lasted fifteen minutes. At first Campaneris was suspended for the remainder of the playoffs and the World Series, should the A's win one of their next three games, with the ALCS shifting to the Motown area. Later it was changed to the first seven games of the 1973 season.

Campy Campaneris, just moments before heaving his bat towards Lerrin LaGrow in Game 2.
(photo courtesy of SFGATE)

As for Odom, who retired the last 16 batters and faced only two hitters over the minimum in his Game 2 masterpiece, he would be heard from again before all was said and done. Just not exactly the way he would have hoped.

Matty Alou took over for Campaneris in the top spot and produced three hits in five at-bats. Unfortunately the rest of the A's accounted for only four hits, as Joe Coleman followed Odom's gem with one of his own in a 3-0 Detroit victory. Coleman struck out an ALCS record 14 batters and went the distance for the win.

Vida Blue was supposed to start Game 4, but was pushed out in favor of Hunter. The MVP and Cy Young Award winner from the season before (and 1972's most famous holdout) did not take kindly to the switch:

"I think Charlie Finley told Dick Williams to keep me from starting any of these games. They're afraid I might pitch a no-hitter, and that would give me a good bargaining point for next year's contract...The only way I find out what the club has in mind for me is by reading the papers."

Such was life with the Swingin' A's.

Catfish was not his usual stellar self in Game 4 but kept his team in the game, leaving with one out in the eighth of a 1-1 ballgame. Blue came on in the ninth, struck out the first two batters he faced, allowed a double and an intentional walk, before getting Willie Horton to fly out. He was in line for the win, when the A's pushed two runs across in the top of the tenth.

Marquez singled with one out and scored on Alou's double. Ted Kubiak's knock brought home Alou, and the A's were three outs from their first trip to the World Series since 1931.

But this is where Oakland's odd game of musical second basemen came back to bite them.

During the season, manager Dick Williams (with advice from Finley) had tried out several second-sackers; in one game no less than six A's played there. In one game, folks (ok, so it was a 15-inning affair, but still). Often he would pinch-hit before that position's turn to bat came up, so anemic were his offensive choices after regular starter Dick Green went down with an injury (he was limited to 26 games). Green was back for the playoffs so one would think there would be no need to rearrange the furniture, but he was removed in favor of catcher Dave Duncan in the seventh inning, which left starting backstop Gene Tenace taking Green's spot at second.

What made the move even more maddening is that Duncan could have easily pinch-hit for Tenace, who was 0-for-12 in the ALCS up to that point, and whose spot in the lineup was just one ahead of Green's.

For three innings, Tenace braved the storm, while A's relievers worked in and out of peril. The Tigers had a chance to take the lead in the eighth but Dick McAuliffe was caught trying to steal home (!) with first and second, and only one out. Blue survived the ninth-inning scare, which brings us back to the bottom of the tenth.

A two-run lead with three outs to go. The A's didn't get one.

Gene Tenace's error at second base gave the Tigers the opening needed to steal Game 4.

McAuliffe and Kaline led off with single off Bob Locker, who was replaced by Joe Horlen. Horlen threw a wild pitch, then walked Gates Brown to load the bases. Then it happened. Bill Freehan chopped one to third base, where Sal Bando fielded it and, instead of going home for the force, threw to Tenace, who dropped the ball. Everyone was safe and one run was in. Dave Hamilton relived Horlen, and promptly walked Cash to force in the tying run, before Jim Northrup ended the game with a single over Alou's head to send the 37,615 fans into a frenzy. Manager Dick Williams was in a completely different mood afterwards:

"That (the error) isn't what beat us. Our relief pitching is what hurt. All I know is I've got two fucking runs and I haven't got a fucking out yet."

All momentum was on the Tigers' side and it carried into the first inning of the fifth and final game, where Detroit- with the aid of a passed by ball by, you guessed it, Tenace- took a 1-0 lead. The A's got it back in the second on a double steal, with Reggie Jackson sliding home under Bill Freehan's tag. In doing so, the star slugger tore his hamstring and would not play again in 1972.

The A's forged ahead in the fourth, and the lead run was provided by a highly unlikely source. With George Hendrick on second and two outs, Gene Tenace stepped up, 0-for-16 in the ALCS. But Tenace singled home Hendrick, and the A's were in front, 2-1. Tenace's hit would start him on a wild week, where he ended up winning MVP honors in the World Series.

But first they had to get there, and with Blue Moon Odom dealing, it looked like a sure thing. Except Odom wasn't feeling well, and he left after five innings having allowed a run on two hits. Vida Blue replaced him and shut down the Tigers the rest of the way. At long last the A's were back in the Series, and baseball had a League Championship Series it had dreamed of since 1969.

In the winning clubhouse, starter-turned-reliever Blue celebrated in a style that would come to define the A's of the early 70's:

"How come you starters can't finish what you begin", he called out to Odom. "I know why". Blue made a gesture. Later he said he was merely scratching his chin. Others saw it as a choke sign. Odom flew into a rage. Players had to hold him back from going at Vida. Blue apologized to Odom, who was pushed against a wall. Joe Rudi stood in front of him, patting the back of his head with his right hand. Odom was crying on his shoulder.

Yes, such was life with the Swingin' A's.

AN Chat with Bless You Boys

67MARQUEZ — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:11:33 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

5 days ago: Detroit Tigers' Brandon Inge (15) hits a game-winning two-run home run as Houston Astros catcher Ivan Rodriguez, left, reaches for the pitch during the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 28, 2009, in Houston. The Tigers' Marcus Thames also scored on Inge's hit. The Tigers defeated the Astros 4-3. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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The last time we saw the Detroit Tigers, they were picking A's flesh out of their teeth, having outscored Oakland 34-9 in a three-game sweep at Comerica Park. The Tigers entered that series with a 17-16 record, and have gone 25-17 since to open up a four-game lead on the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central.

They are facing an A's team that is surely giddy about not having to play another interleague game in 2009. An 8-3 start to June gave way to a 4-11 swoon, as the A's finished 5-13 against the Senior Circuit.

I had a chance to sit down with Ian Casselberry from Bless You Boys. I encourage you to check out their site. Without further ado:

67M: Bless You Boys is a reference to the '84 team that started the season 35-5, is one of only four clubs to lead its division wire-to-wire and win the World Series, and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. I remember that season well; just a magical ride for Detroit. Care to share some personal memories?

IC: I was in my infancy as a baseball fan back in 1984, but that team was definitely a formative experience for me. I remember Tigers stuff being everywhere. An anthem on the radio, bumper stickers, pennant flags, and people wearing Tigers t-shirts. I remember The Wave at Tiger Stadium.

But what I remember most about the Tigers winning the World Series that year is that it was the last time my father took an active interest in baseball. I can still visualize him sitting in his armchair and turning to me when Larry Herndon caught that final out.

(My kind of moment).

67M: How does 2006 compare to '84 in terms of what it meant to the fans? That team fell short in the Series, but after suffering through some tough times (119 losses in '03), it sort of all came together that year.

IC: 2006 was special for the reasons you mentioned. Tigers' fans were rewarded for following the team through some truly bad seasons. And it was fun to watch Detroit become a baseball town again.

But even if the Tigers had won that '06 World Series, I'm not sure it would've been the same as winning in 1984. Detroit has seen quite a few championships for the Pistons and Red Wings since then. Not to say the city and its fans have become spoiled; they would definitely appreciate the Tigers winning. But there hasn't exactly been a championship drought here. Fans probably expect winning a bit more now.

67M: Last season, with the acquisitions of Cabrera and Willis, the Tigers were the sexy pick to make a run at the title. This year it was the Indians. What do the experts know anyway, right?

IC: Don't forget the Royals being a popular "sleeper" pick. Maybe this is something others had already figured out, but I think it's becoming clearer each year that the so-called experts just look at the team that made the most changes in the offseason and think, "Well, okay - they'll be better." (Bloggers are guilty of that too, of course.) But with both the '08 Tigers and '09 Indians, I think a lot of us underestimated just how bad their pitching would be.

67M: Detroit has distanced itself just a bit from the rest of the pack, with a big series looming this weekend in Minnesota. Any chance the Tigers look past Oakland?

IC: That's certainly a possibility, as they smacked around the A's when they visited Detroit back in May. And a series at the Metrodome never seems to be easy. But the Tigers haven't been playing very well on the road lately (maybe National League rules could be blamed for that), and they'll be trying to figure out their bullpen with a couple of new pitchers, so I think they'll be taking these games pretty seriously.

67M: I noticed that your team has made a habit of making mediocre pitchers look good this season, something we can surely relate to. That could bode well for us this series, hmm?

IC: You have touched on a significantly maddening aspect of this year's Tigers team. I don't know what it is. Maybe batters lose focus against pitchers they don't think are very good. Maybe their scouting reports haven't been thorough enough on some of these opposing pitchers. But you're right. Gio Gonzalez, in particular, could end up looking very good on Tuesday night.

67M: Speaking of tonight's game, what has impressed you the most about 20-year old Rick Porcello?

IC: Definitely his poise and maturity. Porcello just doesn't seem to get rattled. And if he does, he doesn't show it. There are veterans on Detroit's pitching staff who could learn something from this 20-year-old rookie about handling adversity and maintaining focus.

Porcello also seems to have a firm idea of what kind of pitcher he is: a sinkerballer who depends on groundball outs. He doesn't have moments where he decides he should strike out more batters with the kind of fastball he can throw. He doesn't pull his slider out of nowhere. He sticks to the game plan and listens to his catcher and coaches.

67M: The A's will see Justin Verlander on Wednesday. Coming off a down year following two exceptional seasons, he seems to have re-discovered his groove. What's changed?

IC: Verlander's made adjustments mechanically and mentally. In Spring Training, he concentrated on lowering his arm slot and softening the landing on his plant foot. And both of those seemed to have helped with his velocity and location.

Regaining trust in his defense has also made a big difference. Verlander knows giving up a ground ball won't automatically result in a base hit. He also knows that he can bounce a breaking ball in the dirt or throw something wide of the strike zone, and his catchers will block the pitch. Last year, with Pudge Rodriguez or Brandon Inge behind the plate, that was a wild pitch or passed ball.

67M: Another guy who has rebounded well is Brandon Inge. Just a matter of getting healthy?

IC: I think it's more a matter of getting humble. The past couple of years, we've heard stories about Inge disregarding any coaching tips Lloyd McClendon would offer. But something got through to him this offseason, and he realized he needed to make some changes. Inge made major adjustments with where he holds his hands in his stance and got rid of his leg kick. Instead of checking his swing all the time, he's swinging with authority, reaching pitches he often missed.

67M: Like Inge, Curtis Granderson was a thorn in the A's side in the '06 ALCS, and is having another solid season. His average has slipped a bit, but his power numbers are up. By design?

IC: I think so. Unfortunately, no one has really talked to Granderson about this yet (at least that I've seen). But whether he was told to, or decided on his own, that he needed to hit for more power, that's what he's been doing and it's made him a completely different kind of hitter. Granderson's not hitting for doubles and triples right now and not utilizing his speed. In some ways, that's made him a less exciting player to watch.

Maybe that will change, now that Jim Leyland has stopped moving him down in the order to give the middle of the lineup some more pop (and more protection for Miguel Cabrera). The Tigers are definitely a better team when he gets on base and pushes the offense with his speed.

67M: What else is left to say about Miguel Cabrera? Can we borrow him this week?

IC: He is awesome, and no, I'm afraid you can't borrow him. Even for a week. The Tigers' offense needs him too much. Sorry.

67M: Any juicy rumors surrounding this team as we near the trade deadline?

IC: Nothing juicy here. Why, have you heard anything? Anything about an outfield bat or starting pitcher? Are you sure you haven't heard anything? If you do, you'll tell us, right?

(I would but it might cost you Cabrera for three games).

67M: As we all know, anything can happen in the playoffs (and often does), but what would you like to see the Tigers do to feel like they can compete with the Boston's and Anaheim's (now that the Angels are healthy)? Or do you already feel they can?

IC: The starting pitching might be enough to help the Tigers steal a playoff series (especially in the early rounds). But to compete with the top teams in the AL, they really do need to boost their offense with another hitter that the opposing team fears. Someone who can hit behind Cabrera, especially. And if he was left-handed, that'd be even better. Right now, the lineup can be too easily shut down unless everyone is hot and that would be exposed even more in the postseason.

Thanks for your time, Ian. Most appreciated.

A thread will follow this evening. There will be rally photos and a fair amount of cursing. Game time is 7:05.

AN Chats with Purple Row; A's Welcome Street Home

67MARQUEZ — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:55:03 -0000

The A's return from their trip across the Bay...oh, wait, it only felt that way.

Old home week continues as the A's welcome back Huston Street and Carlos Gonzalez to the Coliseum. Traded last November 10 for Matt Holliday, the former A's are enjoying their new surroundings, particularly of late, where the Colorado Rockies have won 17 of 20, this after dropping two of three in Anaheim earlier this week.

Two other ex-A's, Greg Smith and Matt Murton (shipped to Colorado for Corey Wimberly), are currently trying to work their way back to the bigs.

Gonzalez played in 85 games last season for Oakland in 2008, and was generally considered the team's center-fielder of the future. He has struggled- just nine hits in 50 at-bats- since joining the adult squad on June 5.

Street is certain to draw a few cheers from the locals, having saved 94 games in four seasons here, including two in the 2006 ALDS. He has successfully closed out 16 wins in 17 tries for the Rockies, as the team has recently positioned itself for a post-season run.

Street celebrates the A's sweep of the Twins in the '06 ALDS.
Photo courtesy of: http://www.daylife.com/

The Rockies were the darlings of the baseball world two years ago, winning 21 of 22 games en route to their only trip to the World Series (where they were swept by the Red Sox). With the aid of my trusty AN colleagues, I had a chance to chat away with Russ at SBN's Purple Row.

67M: They say lightning never strikes in the same place twice, but less than two years later, the Rockies are riding another breathtaking streak. Considering where they were before the streak, you surely couldn't see this coming, but 70 games in, are the Rockies pretty much where you thought they'd be?

Russ: Well, I wouldn't have predicted that the Rockies would be behind the Giants at this point in the season, but a few games above .500, yeah. Before the season began, I was quite conservative by predicting the Rockies would win the West with 85 victories. Unless the Dodgers completely fall apart, that's not going to be true.

67M: Given that we have a large group at AN who believes that our current manager is a dolt, what has Jim Tracy brought to the table that Clint Hurdle wasn't? Was it just the temperament change as Tracy is much more laid back than Hurdle? Or is Tracy making smarter in-game decisions?

Russ: It's a bit of both. For example, over the years Rockies fans witnessed Clint Hurdle make the oddest decisions when his pitcher came up to bat late in games. He'd send the pitcher out and then after the inning ended, we'd see a new pitcher on the mound. And much to the contrary of what he proclaimed, Hurdle managed like a guy whose job was on the line. The bullpen was completely out of whack as a result. No one knew their role. Huston Street was the closer for a few days, then Manny Corpas for the next, and then back to Street. That eventually stabilized, but with the relievers not having a defined role it created havoc early on. And don't let me get started on Hurdle and the "fundamentals" of baseball that he supposedly worked on in ST.

As for Tracy, he definitely provides a better temperament for this team (such as not putting all the leadership of Troy Tulowitzki and then throwing him under the bus when things go awry. Hey, look what Troy's been doing lately). While I'm certainly not a fan of the bunt, Tracy certainly has utilized it better than Hurdle ever did (i.e., not using it every fifth batter. I exaggerate . . . or do I?)

I guess what it comes down to is what the sine qua non for the Rockies turnaround is. More than anything, it was banishing Clint Hurdle from his position. Tracy just happens to the right guy at the right place at the right time.

67M: I am sure all of AN would like to know your impressions so far of the players Colorado received for Matt Holliday.

Russ: Huston Street has been a favorite of mine since he was freshman at Texas, so I was ecstatic when the Rockies acquired him. I hope he's a Rockie for years. Carlos Gonzalez is great defensively, but he needs to work on his bat. He could not be contained at the Springs, but he hasn't carried that over to the majors (again). Greg Smith, to be honest, has really gotten lost in all of this.

67M: Can you give me your perspective on AN's perceptions of Holliday (did he have a style that could be interpreted by fans as "he didn't care" or did he show some spirit and personality).

Russ: I really can't speak about AN's perceptions on Holliday, but I will say this: the dude loves to play baseball and gives it his all (he did touch the plate, after all).

67M: Baseball analysts often speculate that one of the reasons for the drastic home/road splits for Colorado players is not just because the Colorado altitude increases the distance of their hits, but also that the experience of playing at altitude hinders players on the road. In other words, a Colorado hitter is used to breaking balls not breaking much in Colorado, and then on the road/sea level, off-speed stuff has a much sharper break. So not only are they aided by playing at Colorado, but the experience of playing in Colorado actually makes it more likely that they'll be a bad road hitter, because the experience is so different than that of playing in other parks. Thoughts?

Russ: There's some truth to that, but I also think that the Rockies have historically had a lot of players that just sucked with the bat.

67M: Does their recent run change the way the Rockies view the trade deadline?

Russ: Well, the Rockies certainly won't be sellers at the end of July (oh, well, barring a complete meltdown, which could happen). Before this run, Ryan Spilborghs and Jason Marquis almost went to the Phillies for J.A. Happ and undisclosed prospects. Brad Hawpe's name was also brought up as possible trade chip. Now, not so much.

Will they be buyers? I wouldn't expect a big splash. Maybe a trade for a reliever, but that's about it.

But, please trade Garrett Atkins, Dan O'Dowd!

67M: Street's name has come up. Do you see them moving him?

Russ: I don't see the Rockies trading Street. His possible replacements are out of action. Taylor Buchholz was supposed to be back now, but it turned out that he needed TJ surgery. Manny Corpas recently went on the DL and he still hasn't recaptured that '07 magic.

67M: Who do the A's really have to watch out for this series? Who's struggling of late?

Russ: I'd watch out for Aaron Cook, who just won a franchise-best 59th career win, on Sunday. His sinker was on and he allowed only three base hits. On offense, Troy Tulowitzki has been on a tear this entire month. He's hit seven homers and has an OPS of 1.205 so far.

67M: Aside from our pitching, which really has a chance to be special, there are obvious holes that the A's need to concern themselves with sooner rather than later. What has you excited about being a Rockies fan beyond this season, and what has you worried? Is this a team that can compete for a while?

Russ: I am excited about RHP Jhoulys Chacin and LHP Christian Friedrich making their debuts in 2010, Eric Young Jr. making it to the big league team his father played for, the continued emergence of Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta.

Somewhere in between: Tyler Matzek. Matzek was just selected with the 11th pick in the draft, but there are doubts as to whether he will sign with the Rockies.

Worried: Jeff Francis - He wasn't himself in 2008 and during spring training we learned that he had a shoulder injury that was still around. Surgery. Out for season. Greg Reynolds - Does this guy have a future in the majors? He was selected second overall in 2006 and showed some good things through 2007, but he fell apart when he debuted in the majors last year.

67M: At AN we love our obscure nicknames; in fact Carlos Gonzalez picked up the name Patrol Craft. Anything like that going on over at Purple Row?

Russ: Dreamy/DOOM. Caber. Dixie. Those are just a few. We call Chris Iannetta "Dreamy" because someone commented that he looked dreamy (some of the girls on the site said his eyes were what made him dreamy). He also got the nickname DOOM because his bat brings doom to other teams. Oh, he also has the nickname of "Our Very Special Boy," but we don't use it much since it sounds creepy. Caber is for Ian Stewart. It's not used much, but someone photo shopped Ian Stewart swinging a caber. Dixie is Seth Smith's nickname since he's from Mississippi.

67M: I have to know, what do you feed Rox Girl?

Russ: We feed her pieces of the Rockies. Her teeth are indestructible and she has a strong constitution.

Awesome. Thanks, Russ!

A's and Rockies tonight at 7:05; Brett Anderson vs. Jason Hammel. Flashfire's got the thread. Oh, and here's an FB entry from an ex- who lives in Colorado, and apparently owns at least one 67M voodoo doll:

Wishin... An A Hopin..An A Prayin...That "Mr. GENERATIONS A's FAN" BRINGS HIS BAD LUCK MOJO to the A's Game 2Nite...lol

Ex-gf's suck.

DLD 6/24/09: hot dogs and headwear (for those with heads)

67MARQUEZ — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:21:51 -0000

Today is the 30th anniversary of Rickey's first major-league game. He doubled in his first at-bat and singled in his next, before stealing the first of 1,406 bases.

Not a bad start.

It wasn't a bad start for Matt Keough either, who pitched a complete game for Oakland that day but took the loss to fall to 0-9. He would lose his first 14 decisions in 1979, and finish 2-17. The fifth inning did Keough in when he gave up all five of the runs he'd allow, and seven of nine hits.

***

Pam called it The Tease (and I agree iglew because I actually thought the A's were going to break through at some point; silly me), but as heartbreaking and frustrating as those missed opportunities were (made more so by my surroundings), I was pleasantly surprised that the A's had that many chances to begin with. After the Garciaparra double play, I could not imagine being in the same situation the very next inning.

On one hand you can say our offense sucks, and you'd be right, but on the other, how often does a team get to the well with such frequency against a guy like Lincecum? He simply got the outs he needed, when he needed. I'm sure a guy like Stew, who threw out the first pitch last night, can relate.

HOMEGROWN: Rickey and Stew, last night.

Is this a recap or a DLD?

I haven't heard much else on AN day (friends were asking about it last night), but the rumor is it's 8/22, which is a fireworks night, in case the organizers were unaware.

Speaking of promotions, check out the hideous-looking cap the A's are giving away Sunday:

Well at least it's not red.

Then again, at the rate I'm going, I may not be able to wear a cap much longer:

...now if he was at the game tonight...BRING ME THE HEAD OF 67MARQUEZ...biggest home game jinx in the world!!

Despite that lovely sentiment, I will be there tonight and Friday night and a few other games this season. Sec. 119, Row 35 tonight, in case anyone wants to buy me a beer or take a picture of me with an elephant.

Dump if you want, just not on me.

A's Win 5-1; Cahill Superb, Crosby Drives in 3

67MARQUEZ — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:55:25 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

11 days ago: Oakland Athletics' Bobby Crosby swings for a two-run double off San Francisco Giants' Jonathan Sanchez in the sixth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 22, 2009, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Browse more photos »

There's just something about my threads that Rajai Davis digs.

On June 11, his walk-off single gave the A's a come-from-behind victory over the Twins. Six days later, he hit his first homerun of the season in a 5-4 win at Dodger Stadium.

And tonight he went 2-for-4 with a steal and two runs scored in Oakland's first Bay Bridge Series triumph of 2009 before 27,324 at the Coliseum.

The beneficiary of Davis' fine night at the plate and on the basepaths was Trevor Cahill, who pitched seven stellar innings in evening his record to 5-5.

Travis Ishikawa homered to right with two outs in the second inning to put the Giants on the board first. They would score no more.

The A's forged ahead with a pair of runs in the fourth. Jack Cust led off with the single through the shift, then stole second base. The A's are now 2-0 when Cust swipes a bag this season. Just thought you wanted to know that. Matt Holliday walked, setting the stage for Orlando Cabrera who hit the first of two two-baggers on the night to plate Cust. After Davis hit it to one of the few places that wouldn't score a run (third base), Ryan Sweeny followed with a ground ball to short that scored Holliday with the lead run.

For awhile there it looked as if the A's were going to keep letting scoring chances slip away (not that it mattered the way Cahill was dealing). Then Bobby Crosby came through. No, that's not a typo.

Clinging to that 2-1 lead in the sixth, and having left at least one man on base in every inning except the third, it looked to be more of the same when Ryan Sweeney stuck out with men on the corners and no outs. That brought up Crosby.

The man with the .196 batting average stroked an opposite-field two-run single to give the A's a 4-1 cushion. Cabrera had led off the frame with his second double and took third on a beauty of a bunt by Davis (he later he stole second just ahead of Bengie Molina's throw).

Meanwhile Cahill was mowing them Giants down. After inducing an inning-ending double play off the bat of Aaron Rowan to end the fifth, he needed just ten pitches to retire the side in order in the sixth, and set them down 1-2-3 in the seventh before calling it a night (7IP, 4H, 1R, 1BB, 4K).

The A's tacked on another run in the eighth when that man Rajai led off with a triple and scored on a Crosby ground out.

Brad Ziegler took over for Cahill, and he did "ok", if you're into guys who pitch two scoreless innings without allowing a baserunner, while striking out four straight batters.

Well, I am.

We do it again tomorrow. Mazzaro vs. Lincecum, Part II.