Hey, everyone! Sorry this wasn't posted earlier this morning...I've been a little under-the-weather the last few days, and I slept in later than I anticipated...but better late than never, I hope!

Well, a lot has happened since I last wrote. I’ve gotten my first few saves in the big leagues, which is VERY exciting. I’ve enjoyed the late-inning role, and whether I’m closing or not, I hope I can continue to help our team in tight situations near the end of games. I feel like our team still has a lot of confidence in me, even though it’s been something like 12 outings since I’ve had a 1-2-3 inning.

I’ve been on a trend of walking nearly one batter per outing, dating back about 14 outings…which is NOT very exciting. I guess it's just another one of those minor obstacles along the way, and I'm working to correct it while still refining my delivery.

We’re in Detroit to open up a 3-game series tonight against the Tigers. Comerica is my favorite stadium that I’ve been to so far, as far as aesthetics. I love the tigers on top of the scoreboard (brought over from the old Tiger Stadium). I like the ivy for the hitting background, the fountains above the ivy, the statues of the all-time-great Tigers, and the well-lit infield. I just think it’s really pretty, and has everything a ballplayer would like in a ballpark.

I want to say "thank you" to all the fans that supported me when I had the streak going, when it ended, and even to this very day. You all have been awesome, and I really appreciate it. I can’t tell you how bittersweet it was to get a standing ovation after I gave up a run in the 9th inning of a tie game. But when I got the ovation last week when the A’s celebrated the records, I was extremely grateful. Even though this has been a tough 2nd half for our team, we greatly appreciate the continued and loyal support and encouragement you, as fans, bring to the field every night.

That was a fun night during the last homestand when the A’s celebrated the record with a brief ceremony and cheap tickets for the upper levels. I got to have my entire family in town (11 people besides myself) with which to share the moment. Uncle Tony and Aunt Adena, thank you for your help!! And the plaque the A’s gave me was VERY nice…it’ll make a nice addition to my small (but growing) memorabilia room at home.


2008 MLB Stats: 1-0, 6 SV, 0.54 ERA, 37 G, 49.2 IP, 31 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 22 K, 19 BB

2008 AAA Stats: 2-0, 8 SV, 0.37 ERA, 19 G, 24.1 IP, 15 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 20 K, 4 BB


Several of the players the A’s are counting on to be the core of the team a few years from now have been called up recently to get their feet wet and to try to help us win some games down the stretch. It’s a great time to come out and check out these new faces and see a possible glimpse of what the future holds. Enjoy these last few weeks! See ya at the ballpark!

Hey, everyone! Well, I can honestly say my life has slowed back down a little, and I’ve been able to relax a lot more since I last wrote. I’m getting used to the scheduling, and I’ve been able to spend a lot more time with my family, which has been really nice. I’m looking forward to coming back to Oakland and getting to throw in front of the home fans again, but we still have 4 games to go before that chance presents itself.

It’s been a tough stretch since the all-star break, and I’m sure you are all well aware of the team’s struggles. It’s frustrating, because no one enjoys losing. I feel like we’re close to reeling off a stretch where we win 8 out of 9 or something…but we just need a win or two to kick start us and get us over the hump. We have Duchscherer going tonight, and that alone gives us a tremendous chance to win a game.

This is my first time ever in Canada, and I like it. Toronto’s a very clean city, and there is some fantastic architecture here. If you haven’t seen it ever, find a picture of the CN Tower. It’s right next to the Rogers Centre, and it’s absolutely incredible. Supposedly, it’s the tallest, free-standing structure in the world. Standing underneath it, the size is so incredible…it’s tough to fathom the process it would take to build something that big. I’m debating going up in the tower and taking some pictures today, but we’ll see if time will allow for that…

I was informed yesterday that I was back on the ballot for AL Rookie of the Month for July. It’s nice to be mentioned again, but I think the odds of getting picked over a couple of the great rookie hitters in the AL are pretty small. Chris Davis (Rangers) has exploded this year, and I know he had a monster month in July. Counting the minor leagues, he’s hit 34 HR this year…that’s ridiculous. And Alexei Ramirez, the other player on the AL ballot, hit .341 in July. Either way, it’s fun to be talked about among the top rookies in the league.

I want to take a quick second to thank everyone for the support I received as I approached and eventually surpassed the Major League record for consecutive scoreless innings to start a career. I honestly didn’t think the record would be that big of a deal…it’s such an obscure record, and it had been held for so long that I honestly didn’t know that it was something that would be kept track of. However, at Elias, I think they keep track of the amount of sunflower seeds spit in a dugout each night. Consequently, I got a lot more attention with it than I anticipated, and that really surprised me. My teammates have been very supportive, which has been really nice, since they’re the main reason the streak exists in the first place. It’s obvious I’m not a strikeout pitcher, so I rely on my defense so heavily night-in and night-out. And, from what I can recall, I think we’ve made 1 error in my 34 innings so far. And at any point, if there had been an unearned run that scored, the streak would’ve been over. But they keep making the plays, so I keep doing my best to get groundballs.

Real quick, I’ll answer a series of questions by closetasfan from the last journal entry. I know there have been more questions, and I’m sorry I likely can’t get to them, but he reeled off several in a row, and I figured I could answer a few of them pretty quickly…

How have Embree, Foulke, Street and some of the other guys affected you in that they’ve dealt with a lot of success and some recent tough losses?
Those guys, as well as pretty much everyone else, have been great. Anytime I’ve needed to know something, I know I can ask them and get an honest, up-front answer. We have a really young team, especially the pitching staff, and to have those guys to look up to and learn from has been a tremendous help.

How is it dealing with all the national attention?
Like I said earlier, it shocked me how much attention I’ve gotten. I’m a middle reliever on a team that’s fallen out of contention, and I feel like I’m just doing my job: going out and getting outs. But Kristy Fick, who is our Player and Media Relations Manager, has been EXTREMELY helpful in scheduling interviews and coordinating it with our on-the-field schedule. I don’t know if she reads this or not, but if so, "THANK YOU SO MUCH, KRISTY!"

What kind of avatar do you envision yourself getting for some of the MLB based games next year??
Hopefully one that portrays me well! Not one that I have to go in and fix all the attributes on after I get the game! :)

Have you thought about a Brad Ziegler bobblehead at all?
YES!

How much nicer are the travel accomodations in the MLB?
Very nice. We don’t have roommates anymore, the hotels are usually very nice, and we fly first-class charter flights all the time. It’s a long way from the 14-hour bus trips in the New York-Penn League.


2008 MLB Stats: 1-0, 0 SV, 0.00 ERA, 26 G, 34 IP, 19 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 15 K, 9 BB

2008 AAA Stats: 2-0, 8 SV, 0.37 ERA, 19 G, 24.1 IP, 15 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 20 K, 4 BB


It was exciting to see Gio Gonzalez make his debut last night. Hopefully he can give us a little spark in the rotation, and we can reel off a stretch of wins. Duke gets it rolling for us tonight! Enjoy the weekend! See ya at the ballpark!

Hey, everyone! What an exciting month it’s been since I’ve been in Oakland. It’s been such a whirlwind of emotion, as well as a drastic increase in appointments and other things to do over the course of my day-in, day-out schedule. I’ve had a blast getting to pitch against hitters I’ve grown up watching, as well as playing alongside them. And it’s been great getting to share the experience with my family, friends, and the many ANers who’ve come out to the park to introduce themselves.

One of the big highlights for me so far came pretty early in the month. On Sunday, June 8th, I was called on to pitch in the 11th inning of a tie game against the Angels. They had runners at 1st and 2nd with one out, and Garrett Anderson was coming up. I coaxed him into a soft liner to short, and Gregorio Petit snagged it and flipped the ball to Mark Ellis to double the runner off 2nd and end the inning. After we failed to score in the bottom half, I went back out for the 12th, and promptly walked Vladimir Guerrero to lead off the inning. Torii Hunter then grounded into a fielder’s choice, and the Casey Kotchman followed with a groundball to short that we turned into a double play. Then came the exciting part…

With 2 outs in the bottom of the inning, we loaded the bases for Mark Ellis. He smashed the first pitch he saw from Chris Bootcheck off the left-field foul pole for a walk-off grand slam, giving us a big victory and allowing me to earn my first win as a big leaguer. What a way to get it…

Since then, I’ve pitched in a variety of game situations…including a mop-up inning in a blowout loss to the Giants and coming into a tie game in the 6th inning against the 1st-place Angels. One thing that’s been nice so far is the amount of home games we’ve had. We were on the road for 8 games in June, including 3 games in San Francisco. So we essentially had 5 road games all month, which allowed me to get settled in and learn some of the ropes while being in the comfort of the same bed night after night. That, however, is about to change quickly, as we’re about to embark on a stretch of several road trips over the next couple months.

A second highlight is being mentioned in the espn.com insider blogs of Peter Gammons (May 31 & June 27)and Buster Olney. I'm pretty sure I don't deserve the media attention I've received so far, but it's still fun to see.

One more highlight I’d like to mention was the opportunity to catch up with an old college teammate: Ryan Howard of the Phillies. While I didn’t get to pitch in the series, I got to visit with Ryan several times, get a photo with him (click Howard and Me to view the photo), and got to share the spotlight with him in an article written by Jane Lee for mlb.com. I’m glad I was able to be around for a series against the Phillies (the team that originally drafted me and released me less than a year later).

It will be a very intriguing month of July, as the front office and coaching staff will have to decide if we’re going to make a run at the playoffs and possibly acquire a player as the trade deadline approaches or if we are still committed to rebuilding and possibly trade some of our established players for more prospects. Of course, maybe neither will happen and they will let us run with the team we have and see what happens. It’s a very interesting situation, and it’s fun to be right in the thick of everything.


2008 MLB Stats: 1-0, 0 SV, 0.00 ERA, 14 G, 15 IP, 9 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 7 K, 2 BB

2008 AAA Stats: 2-0, 8 SV, 0.37 ERA, 19 G, 24.1 IP, 15 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 20 K, 4 BB


The last couple days have given us tough losses against the Angels in Anaheim, but we’re now in Chicago to hopefully bounce back and get a big series win against the AL-Central-leading White Sox. Tonight we send Justin Duchscherer to the mound in his last start before he’s hopefully named to the AL All-Star team. He’s been lights-out since I’ve arrived (hasn’t allowed more than 1 run in any start since I’ve been here), and his numbers show that he’s been lights-out all season long, holding a relatively large lead on every other big-league pitcher in ERA. Enjoy the weekend! See ya at the ballpark!

Hey, everyone! I get to do a big league diary! Thank you all for the amazing amount of support you’ve shown since I was called up to Oakland last week. It’s been an absolute whirlwind of a week, but extremely exciting! I’ll try to give some details of what’s happened since last Thursday…

After our team scored 5 runs in the top of the 9th Thursday night to beat Portland, our manager, Todd Steverson, called everyone into the clubhouse right away. He proceeded to tell us that 4 River Cats were headed to the big leagues, including 2 for the first time. Travis Buck, Kiko Calero (activated off the DL from his rehab stint), Carlos Gonzalez, and me were all going up.

I was shocked…totally caught off-guard. But I instantly became very excited, and the team congratulated all of us. Then I went straight for my phone to call my closest friends and family. I woke most of them up, since this occurred around 1:00 AM central time, but they didn’t seem to mind.

After getting the logistics figured out, we boarded a plane early the next morning for Dallas, off for a 3-game series with the Rangers. My entire family was able to make it to the series, which thrilled me. So many people have played a part in supporting me to get to this point, and I’m glad many of them were able to make it to my opening weekend in the majors. It felt great to be asked to pitch for one of the top pitching staffs in baseball this year.

Carlos wasted no time getting his first big-league hit in his first AB, doubling to left field that night. The next night, I debuted with 2 outs in the 8th inning. I gave up a groundball RBI single up the middle to Ian Kinsler, but then proceeded to pick him off to end the inning. What a way to get my first big-league out!

Many people have asked me what that feeling was like. I told them the hardest part was the run in from left-center field. My legs felt like jelly, and I just kept telling myself, "Don’t fall down…don’t trip and fall." When I got to the mound and toed that rubber, I was fine. In my head, I said, "I’ve done this thousands of times…I’ve been on a mound before…I can do this"…and I really felt pretty relaxed. I know I still had some adrenaline going, but not as bad as it was when they called down and told me to start warming up.

After returning home, I got to experience my first taste of The Coliseum as a member of the A’s. I’ve since pitched in 2 more games (the last 2 games of our 3-game sweep vs. Detroit), allowing 1 hit over 2.2 innings. My first taste of big league time was in a pretty low-stress situation, which was perfect for getting my feet wet. Then my 2nd outing came with the bases loaded, 1 out, and Miguel Cabrera coming to the plate. He hit a sac fly, but that was the only run they scored, and we came back to get a walk-off win in that game. It’s been GREAT being a part of 2 wins in my last 2 outings. And I feel like each outing has given me a new level of comfort, and I have yet to show my best stuff at this level. Hopefully, with each outing, a greater level of relaxation will occur, and I can continue to improve as a reliever.


There is one thing I would like to say before I wrap up this edition of GZWI. This is something that all athletes feel at times, and I want to try to make sure fans understand this. When you, as fans, come to a game – that fuels us as players. The more fans, the more excitement, and the better intensity we play with. However, as players, we have a greater commitment than just what you see out on the field (in practice and games). We don’t always have time to sign autographs, especially for every single person who wants one. We can’t give away a ball to every single person who asks for one. And we don’t always have time to stop and visit with every fan that says ‘hi’ to us.

We have many things to tend to in the clubhouse. Such things include interviews with the media, lifting weights, injury-prevention and maintenance workouts, scheduling public player appearances for the coming weeks, etc., as well as our focus and preparation in getting ready for the game. We also have scouting report meetings, and, of course, we need to eat when we have time in between workouts.

I guess what I’m asking is that you please don’t get upset if we sign autographs for a few people, but can’t stick around and sign for everyone. Don’t feel offended if we throw someone a ball, but you don’t get one. And when you yell ‘hi’ to us and we don’t acknowledge you, it’s not necessarily because we’re stuck-up jerks – most of the time we’re focusing on the task at hand, whether it’s an actual game or a workout session to get us physically ready for our next game. We have a lot of demands on our time, and we can’t keep every single person happy.

I’m not saying any of that to get you to shy away from asking for such things. But please understand that we can’t respond to every single fan. It’s a grueling job with the long road trips, the time spent away from those closest to us, and the physical demands of the job itself. Please be considerate of that when you attend your next game… That being said, I can’t thank you enough for the support you’ve already provided me!


2008 Major League Stats: 3 G, 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB

2008 AAA Stats: 2-0, 8 SV, 0.37 ERA, 19 G, 24.1 IP, 15 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 20 K, 4 BB


A 4-game winning streak has kept us within striking distance of the Angels (3.5 GB), as they come to town for a 3-game set over the weekend. The team is resting up today to give L.A. our best shot and let them know our record is not a fluke, as some so-called ‘experts’ are saying – we’re here to contend for an A.L. West title. See ya at the ballpark!

Hey, everyone! It’s good to be back up and running on AN! I’ve had a little extended period of time without much Internet access, and now it looks as if I’ll be good to go for virtually the rest of the season.

The season’s gotten off to an up-and-down start for the River Cats. We’re currently 12-11 (tied for 1st place in the PCL Pacific South) and looking forward to opening up an 8-game homestand tonight.

Our first homestand was awesome! We had great crowds, received our championship rings from last season, and went 5-3 to get our season going in the right direction. This last road trip took us to a couple good hitter’s parks (actually, isn’t most of the PCL that way?!?). Las Vegas (always a fun trip) and Colorado Springs (maybe the prettiest city in America) hosted us for 4 games apiece. Now we’re back home to face Omaha and Iowa for the next 8 nights.

The A’s have already gotten some help from the AAA club, calling up Joey Devine, Kirk Saarloos, Dallas Braden, Greg Smith. Also, we had Chad Gaudin and Justin Duchscherer make rehab starts for us, so the River Cats seem to be doing their part to help the parent club thus far.

The season’s gotten off to a pretty good start for me personally. Dating back to last season’s all-star break, when I really started feeling comfortable with the submarine delivery, I’ve posted a 1.36 ERA over 33 innings. This year, we haven’t really had too many defined roles in the bullpen, so the opportunities have come in a variety of situations. I’ll try to keep the stats updated with each journal entry throughout the year…

My 2008 Season Stats: 7 G, 9 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 7 K, 0 BB


Quick Q & A:

For a guy in your position, how much do Spring Training numbers matter in terms of the club's perception of you vs. how good your pitches were? Does the club keep track of "good pitches" vs "bad pitches" in addition to the results of the pitches? -- WaddellCanseco

I’m sure the numbers didn’t overly excite the coaching staff, but I think they knew (and they told me so) that I pitched better than the numbers indicated. Plus, spring training, while it is a chance to show a little of what you can do, is a time where everyone is still trying to get into mid-season form. So I think a little rustiness from most players is to be expected. Facing hitters 4 times in a 4-week span isn’t going to keep very many relief pitchers sharp, which is why it was important for me to get to minor league camp and start facing hitters more regularly before the season started.


If I'm in town working a game with credentials, is there a good time to say hello before the game? -- Flashfire

I think you found the perfect time. The pictures on your website from one of our Tucson games look great. Thanks for introducing yourself, and feel free to say ‘hi’ anytime you see me when I’m not in the middle of a game.


Hope to make a Rivercats game this year and see you pitch! I hope that I get a chance to meet you too and give you a present for the baby. Will your family be joining you in sac this year? -- IM4Oakgal

That’d be great. Please make it a point to introduce yourself! There are some outside circumstances that have an affect on it, but Kristi and Kaylin have spent some time in Sacramento already this year, and I’ll definitely be seeing them a lot more this year than in the past. Hopefully it will be permanent sooner rather than later.


It’s great to see the A’s doing well, isn’t it? Hopefully they can keep it up and make this an exciting season for at least PART of the Bay Area :-) Have a great week! See ya at the ballpark!

The end of spring training is FINALLY in sight for those us still at minor league camp! The grind of repetitious drills and mostly-meaningless games is nearly over, and opening day is fast-approaching. While I definitely don’t want to take anything for granted, I’m still working out with the AAA team, and I’m hoping that’s the club that I will break camp with. However, there are still many roster moves to be made in the coming days, so we’ll see what happens…

As many of you are probably aware, I had a bit of a rough big-league camp, statistically-speaking. While I feel like I pitched better than my numbers showed, I was never able to find a rhythm in my short time there. However, since I’ve been at minor league camp, throwing on a regular schedule (similar to how it will be in the season), things have progressed nicely. I’ve now thrown 10 and 1/3 scoreless innings, with each outing getting slightly better than the one before it. In a scrimmage last Sunday, I recorded 5 outs (1 K, 0 H) on 10 pitches. Then, the following day against Milwaukee’s AAA team (pitching on back-to-back days for the first time this year), I struck out the side in the 9th on 12 pitches, preserving a 2-1 win. While that one will be tough to top, I feel very confident about where I am mechanically right now…starting to feel similar (or maybe slightly better) than I did in the second half of last season. Hopefully that will continue into the season, and I can play a big role in a winning start to the season for our defending PCL Championship team.

I have two more scheduled outings (today and Saturday, if all goes according to plan), and then we’ll break camp this Sunday. If I go to Sacramento, we’ll play a couple exhibition games against our high-A Stockton club next week (Tuesday in Stockton, Wednesday in Sac – both games scheduled for 6:30 PM), then we’ll head off to Portland for our first regular season game Thursday night.


Q & A:
(In an effort to save some personal time this season, I’m not going to jazz it all up with block quotes, etc…but hopefully it will be obvious where the question stops and the response begins…)

Would it make sense to protect your noggin whilst you're on the mound? Can your skull bones be tested in some fashion to learn whether they're unusually fragile? And if you choose against protection for comfort reasons -- are you well-insured? -- The Dogfather

According to the doctors, any injury I receive to my head (now that the fractures have fully healed) would be no different than any other person receiving a similar injury. So there’s no need to protect my head anymore than any other pitcher…which is probably something that should happen, but also not something I want to be known for. I want to be known as a good pitcher and a good person, not just a guy who’s survived 2 scary accidents and can pitch okay.

My bones could be tested, but they haven’t been. However, I’m quite certain that any other person who received the 2 blows that I did would’ve suffered the same consequences…if not more severe. Those who know me well would probably tell you my head is harder than the average person, and therefore, the blows HAD to be severe to crack my skull. :-)

I am well-insured, just like all minor leaguers, but anything that happens on the baseball field during the season is a workman’s comp issue…nothing to do with my insurance.


Did you know David Forst called you an internet superstar or something at FanFest? Haha. -- gotgreen

I did not, and I’m shocked that my name even came up. But I guess, if nothing else, I’m being talked about in SOME fashion…now I just gotta go and make it to where people are talking about my pitching on the field!


One question: Have you had contact with the kid since? Man, that'd be the kind of accident that would shake a kid to his core, I'd reckon... -- Ozzz

I have – a week after the incident. He was definitely hesitant to approach me, but I made an effort to make sure he knew I was going to be fine, and he didn’t need to be too concerned. Hopefully he’s forgotten about it, and he’ll never think about it again!



I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of you at the games this season…and hoping to make my major league debut sooner rather than later. But there’s only so much I can control, and (cliche alert!) I’m just going to take it one game at a time, one inning at a time, and one pitch at a time. :-) See ya at the ballpark!

Hey, everyone! The 2008 season has arrived (for the players, anyway), and I couldn’t be more excited! It was a very eventful off-season, and I’m excited to be back on-board for another season of journaling for AN…

As most of you know from my post early in the fall, my wife and I celebrated the birth of our first child: Kaylin Brooke. She was born on October 24, and weighed 5 lbs. and 7 oz. She’s been an absolute joy in our lives, and she’s growing SO fast! I feel very blessed to be having such a wonderful experience as a dad.


Also, in mid-January, I suffered a pretty severe injury. I know Blez posted about it, but in case you hadn’t heard, I’ll detail exactly what happened...

I was working a youth camp all day on a Saturday for my college. After the camp was over and all but one of the kids had gone home, I was playing catch with a friend (and fellow Missouri St. alumnus with whom I had worked the clinic) to get my throwing workout in for the day. The kid that remained was standing there talking to me, and as I was reaching to catch a ball, the kid reached in front of me trying to catch the ball, also. The ball deflected off the tip of his glove, hitting me square in the middle of the forehead (I wasn’t wearing a hat at the time). It opened up a sizeable cut on my forehead, and also gave me a skull fracture (my 2nd from a baseball-related injury in a 3½-year span) and severe concussion.

Physically, I didn’t have to alter much (I even completed my next scheduled workout 2 days later). However, I had a little problem with motor skills in the 7-10 days following the accident. I occasionally asked the same question multiple times over the span of a single conversation. Also, I got confused easily and had to slow down the speed of my talking to be sure I would actually say the words that my brain was trying to output (which, my wife would probably tell you was a blessing). :-)

After meeting with a plastic surgeon, we decided it wasn’t necessary to put a titanium plate in my head, and as long as I used some sort of appropriate device as protection for the fractured area, my workouts would continue as normal until the fracture healed.

My recovery has gone extremely well, if I may say so. I don’t feel as if it was a set-back at all, and I feel tremendous so far in the early workouts at spring training. It was such a fluke situation that I haven’t had a bit of apprehension getting back on the mound.


I’m extremely anxious for spring training games to start on Thursday. It appears everyone is healthy and ready to disprove a lot of the “expert’s opinions” about what this team can accomplish. I hope I can contribute to a great season for the A’s this year, but time will tell if I get that shot or not. For now, I’m just trying to focus on every opportunity I get to make a positive impression at my first big league camp.

I hope everyone that makes it down to spring training makes a point to come say “hi” while you’re here…I’m #47 for spring training. Enjoy your week, and we’ll see ya at the ballpark!!

She's finally here!!!

Kaylin Brooke Ziegler was born on Wednesday, October 24th, at 4:58 PM. She weighed 5 lbs, 7 oz. (yes, she's TINY!!) and was 18 and 1/2 inches long. Both Kaylin and her mama are doing very well - 100% healthy. They were able to leave the hospital together on Friday afternoon. We're extremely excited, extremely happy, and extremely tired, all at once! :) It's great being a daddy.

Also, I noticed that Blez mentioned that I had signed a minor league contract with the A's. I'm very happy with the contract, and I eagerly await the opportunity to try to make the big league team out of spring training.

Here are a few of the hundreds of pictures taken over the weekend of my newborn daughter...

RIVER CATS: AAA CHAMPS!

AAA Champions! It has a nice ring to it. Even though I don’t believe you can determine a champion in baseball by a 1-game playoff, the t-shirts we got after winning the Bricktown Showdown said "AAA Champions" on it, so it must be true! :-)

The Showdown was a lot of fun. We jumped out to a big early lead, then cruised to a 7-1 win over Richmond. Game MVP (and team captain) Lou Merloni had 2 hits and 4 RBI to lead our offense. He had a 3-run homer, which started the scoring in the 3rd inning, and Brant Colamarino followed shortly after with a 2-run homer to give us the big cushion. Shane Komine left the game in the 2nd with a little shoulder stiffness, and Kaz Tadano came in and gave us 4.1 outstanding innings of relief to pick up the win. Julio Manon and Ron Flores closed it out the rest of the way to end the year on a great note.

Lots of questions to get to, so answers will be short – I want to try to get to all of them that I haven’t answered so far...

FINAL PLAYOFF STATS...
River Cats record: 6-2 (now 9-0 all-time in the PCL championship series)
My stat line: 5 G, 1-1, 2 SV, 2.45 ERA, 7.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 K, 2 BB

FINAL REGULAR SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 84-60 (PCL Pacific Southern Division Champions)
All-level Cumulative: 12-3, 2 SV, 2.41 ERA, 78.1 IP, 26 R, 21 ER, 65 H, 62 K, 18 BB

AAA stats: 8-3, 2.96 ERA, 54.2 IP, 20 R, 18 ER, 46 H, 44 K, 14 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.14 ERA, 23.2 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 18 K, 4 BB


Q&A:

Whose idea was it for you to become a submariner?  Did you take to the idea right away, or did you have doubts? What was your major in college?  Have you thought about what you plan to do after retirement? Have you picked out a name for your daughter? -- ozzman99

The A’s came to me about it at the end of last season. I had doubts at first, but they assured me they’d give me a legit chance for this to work, and I could always go back to the overhand at any point if it wasn’t working. I worked on it all off-season, then tweaked it again right at the end of spring training. By June, it was starting to get comfortable, and at the end of the year, I felt great.

My college degree is in mathematics. After retiring from playing, I’d love to get into front office work in baseball, or maybe coaching somewhere.

Our daughter’s name is going to be Kaylin. :-)

How big of a deal is the September call-up for the AAA team? I guess you haven't gone through it before but does it seem like the organization tries to set up the Rivercats for a championship, or is it mostly trying to make the big league team as good as it can be? It seems like it could really shake up the roster. Also did you ever have a chance to meet Chad Bradford? His delivery seems like the extreme of the sidearmer style you've taken up. Your numbers look pretty good with over 3 to 1 K/BB and less than one hit per inning, I'm sure we'll be seeing you up in Oakland. Do you imagine yourself against guys like Vlad Guerrero? I'd guess the biggest nightmare for you would be an endless lineup of lefties like Hafner, Ortiz, and Bonds. -- niallmack

I think the A’s will call up any players they feel are ready when they have the roster room. They’ll let the AAA team worry about itself, for the most part, which we were able to do this year because of an outstanding coaching staff and a great core of veteran players leading the way.

I did meet Chad. He rehabbed with us in Stockton in ’05 when he was coming off a back injury.

I imagine facing guys like Vlad often, but I figure when it’s on the line, and it’s playoff time, it’s more likely that I’ll be facing A-Rod, Jeter, or Manny. Would love every minute of that challenge. And I’m not scared of any lefty. I retired something like 16 of the last 17 lefties I faced this year (the 1 that reached was on a walk), and I felt way more comfortable against them in August and September than I did in June.

Suppose your daughter wasn't due on October 27th, 2007 ... but, rather, October 27th, 2009, when you are a key setup guy in the 'pen of an Athletics team on it's way to its 11th World Series championship. That would likely be game 3. How would you deal with it? -- devo

As long as the doctor says it’s okay, induce labor on the travel day :-)

Because of the nature of not only maturing as a pitcher, but the changes you've chosen to attempt (i.e. throwing from various arm slots as a starter...and then switching to a submariner full-time), how difficult is it to remember from outing to outing, or month to month, or year to year, how to throw?  I'm talking about the subtle things...grip, posture, arm slot, follow-thru, picking up the target, etc.  Pitching reminds me a little of a golf swing and I marvel at the consistency it takes, especially of the guys who do it best.  For young pitchers, would you recommend keeping notes?
by captainbubblehead

Definitely. Keeping notes is one of the most important things to help me remember what I need to do to be successful. Especially when I’m struggling with a certain aspect...once I figure it out, I go write it down in case I ever run into the same problem again sometime down the road. And as far as the "subtle things" you mentioned, the most important thing is repetition. The more you do it, the easier it is to repeat it without having to think about every little step. That’s why pro golfers hit thousands of balls each day...they can focus on little things then, because the big things happen without thinking.

How about walking us through your outing in game 4 with SLC in the playoffs?  I would love to hear what you were thinking and feeling as you entered the game.  How nervous were you, especially during the ninth? -- alox

I wasn’t nervous at any point. Lots of adrenaline, and lots of excitement, but no nervousness. I wanted to be aggressive, but I didn’t want to get beat by a mental mistake. I was doing everything I could to keep the ball down and get the Bees’ hitters to hit grounders. The crowd was electric that night, and it really fired up our whole team. When Danny hit the homer, the excitement couldn’t be contained. No idea what I looked like jumping around, but didn’t care one bit. Incredible feeling that I haven’t felt at any other point in my pro career.

If you were given the choice to join the big league team while the Rivercats are in the playoffs while the A's are trying to stay out of last place in their division, would you choose to join the A's immediately or stick with the Rivercats until the postseason is over? and why? :) -- gotgreen

I'm curious though about how you guys feel about losing Barton and Blevins to the big league club after they had such an impact in AAA, especially during the playoffs?  On the one hand, you have to be happy for these guys getting their shot in the majors, but isn't it difficult to lose a couple of your big weapons just as you're trying to win it all? -- LoveDemAs

For the record, it’s never a choice. But if I had a choice, I’d go to the big leagues. That’s the ultimate goal. You never know what next year will bring, and while you hope it’s not your only chance, you don’t want to miss out on fulfilling a lifelong dream. Minor league playoffs are nice, but it’s still the minor leagues.

Losing Barton and Blevins was big, because they were integral parts of our success. But they both deserve the opportunity they’re getting, and we had players step up and take their place more than adequately. That’s one thing this team did all year. We had nearly 200 transactions (I’d guess average for a season is 60-80?), and we won the league. That success comes from a lot of unselfishness and guys just understanding and executing what they need to do to help our team win night in and night out.

Looking back, now that the season is over, was the transition to submarine worth it? Did you do better than you would have if you still threw over the top, or did this new style of pitching improve your game enough to stay with it, and perfect it? Will the change make you a Major League pitcher? -- Zonis

At this point, it definitely feels worth it. I’d like to think I’d have still had success overhand, but I can’t for sure answer that either way. Statistically, it was my best season by far, especially in the categories the A’s told me to focus on. I hope I can keep progressing to the point that I become a big league pitcher. I feel like I can pitch at that level, and I hope I get the shot soon.

If I missed a question at any point during the season, I’m sorry. It was totally unintentional, because I tried hard to get to every one.

This will probably be my last GZWI, unless I re-sign with Oakland. I don’t think it’d be right to be regularly posting on a fan website for a team I don’t play for. Plus, my wife and I are expecting our baby girl in less than a month, and I want to spend as much time preparing for that as I can. Whenever I sign a contract, whether it’s with Oakland or someone else, I’ll find a way to let everyone know – probably through Blez. I’ll try to get pictures of our baby girl for everyone to see, too. But if I do sign with someone else, let me say that this has been a great experience for me. I’ve loved the questions, getting to meet ANers at games, and getting fans’ perspectives on various aspects of pro ball. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed posting. Even if I’m with another team, please feel free to say "hi" to me at games (preferably before the game starts). See ya at the ballpark!

RIVER CATS WIN THE PCL!!!

That’s right, we did it! We came back from an 0-2 deficit against Salt Lake City to win the opening series in 5 games. Then we carried that momentum to a 3-game sweep of New Orleans in the PCL finals.

We gave up late leads in the first 2 games of the Salt Lake series, losing both of the first 2 games in walk-off fashion at their place. But despite the disappointment, our clubhouse stayed loose as we eagerly returned to our home field. Sacramento fans came out in droves, and they provided an absolutely electric atmosphere all 3 games. Brad Knox gave us a good performance in game 3, and that 7-3 victory gave us some hope. Then game 4 put us over the top...

We were in a tight, neck-and-neck battle the whole game, and you just had a feeling it would come down to who could get one clutch hit. Well, we got it: Danny Putnam hit a walk-off, 3-run homer in the 10th to give us a 7-4 win and put the series into a 1-game showdown. Game 4 was the absolute most-fun game I’ve been a part of in pro ball. Incredible. Great atmosphere, very well-played game, and phenomenal ending. Still get goosebumps thinking about it...

Then, on Sunday, Daric Barton’s 3-run homer was the big blow in a 4-2 win in game 5, sending us to the PCL Championship Series. We got strong pitching, fantastic defense, and the timely hitting needed to win a close series like that. Thrilling, to say the least...

We fed off the excitement from the 1st series, taking the momentum down to New Orleans for games 1 and 2 of the championship series. We played a very solid game in the series opener, coming away with a 5-3 victory. Jorge Piedra had the big hit, breaking a 2-2 tie in the 7th with a 2-run single.

Then in game 2, we trailed 2-1 going to the 9th inning. With 1 out, Piedra came up huge again, hitting a solo homer to tie the game. That was followed by a 2-out single by Brant Colamarino and a clutch double off the left field wall by Brian Stavisky that scored Brant all the way from 1st. After closing out the 3-2 victory, we headed home, needing just 1 win out of a possible 3 games at home.

Sacramento fans were incredible on Friday night, filling the stadium to capacity in anticipation of a league championship. A pitching duel ensued early, as the game was scoreless going to the bottom of the 4th. It was then that we took advantage of a couple New Orleans miscues and put up 4 big runs to give us a comfortable lead (esp. the way Brad Knox was throwing). Knox took a 1-hit shutout into the 8th inning, but gave way to Jerry Blevins after giving up a 3-run homer with 2 outs. Blevins proceeded to strike out 3 of the last 4 hitters, including the final batter in the 9th, setting off a wild celebration.

As a team, we flexed our muscles in the playoffs, hitting 15 homers. Leadoff hitter and PCL Playoffs MVP Nick Blasi was the table-setter for us, just as he was all year. He had hits in all 8 games, finishing 16-for-35 (.457) with 12 runs scored. Blevins was fantastic in the post-season, striking out 20 batters while giving up just 4 hits and 2 walks over 9 scoreless innings of work.

Most of the fans stuck around to celebrate with us, which I hope they enjoyed as much as we did. And I hope we, as players, were able to express through our gestures of gratitude just how much we appreciated the support all year long, and especially at the end when it really mattered. We led the PCL in attendance for the season, averaging just over 10,000 fans a game, and we definitely had the best fans in all of minor league baseball.

I've been very fortunate in my short pro career. This is the 3rd championship team I've been on in 4 years of playing (Modesto '04, Midland '05). I think that's a HUGE tribute to the coaching staffs and players the A's have put in their farm system recently. And with class A, AA, and AAA championship rings, I think we all know what the next step is for '08. :)

We’re now in Oklahoma City, ready to play in the PCL Championship on Tuesday night...the Bricktown Showdown! We play the Richmond Braves (champs of the International League) in a 1-game playoff for AAA bragging rights. The game’s televised on ESPN 2, and it starts at 7 PM central time (5 PM pacific).

If you didn’t notice, I’m not going to answer any questions in this entry. I still have all the Q’s from the last 2 blogs (#’s 22 and 23) ready to go for the start of the off-season. I’ll probably try to get to all of those in the next entry, as well as give a brief re-cap of the Bricktown Showdown. I hope everyone has a great week!

Playoff Stats...
River Cats record: 6-2 (now 9-0 all-time in the PCL championship series)
My stat line: 5 G, 1-1, 2 SV, 2.45 ERA, 7.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 K, 2 BB

FINAL REGULAR SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 84-60 (PCL Pacific Southern Division Champions)
All-level Cumulative: 12-3, 2 SV, 2.41 ERA, 78.1 IP, 26 R, 21 ER, 65 H, 62 K, 18 BB

AAA stats: 8-3, 2.96 ERA, 54.2 IP, 20 R, 18 ER, 46 H, 44 K, 14 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.14 ERA, 23.2 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 18 K, 4 BB

Hello again! Our regular season has come to an end, and we are preparing to open up the playoffs tonight in Salt Lake City in the first game of a best-of-5 series. The last couple of weeks, we had been matching Tucson win-for-win and loss-for-loss and held a 5 game lead with 5 games to play. We had one more game at home, and then we were heading to Tucson for the last 4 games. We wanted badly to clinch the division at home, but we lost a heartbreaker to Colorado Springs, 3-2 in 12 innings.

Our first night in Tucson (up 4 games with 4 to play), we played a game characteristic of our "Scratch & Claw" clubhouse motto. Trailing 2-0 after the 1st, we came back and tied the game in the 4th. In the bottom of the 4th, we allowed a couple of home runs that put us down, 5-2. But in the top of the 7th, Jeremy Brown hit a CLUTCH 3-run homer to tie the game, and Danny Putnam singled home the go-ahead run in the 8th to put us up, 6-5. Then our bullpen nailed down the game, setting off our division-clinching celebration. It was an exciting time. This is the 4th straight year I’ve been on a team that has celebrated either a division title or a league championship.

After clinching the title, we were able to relax and reeled off 3 more wins in Tucson to finish the season on a great note. Our last 2 games were started by pitchers called up from Stockton to help us save a couple of our starters for the playoffs. And both of them were OUTSTANDING. Brad Davis threw 7 shutout innings on Saturday night, allowing 6 hits. Then, in our season finale, Andrew Bailey threw 6.2 innings without allowing a hit and ended up with 8 innings, 3 hits, and 1 run allowed. They both did tremendous jobs in their first upper-level experience.

I finished the season throwing the ball pretty well. In the last month of the season (including the 1 inning I pitched in September), I threw 15.2 innings, allowing 6 hits and 2 earned runs.

Since the last GZWI...
River Cats record: 10-5
My stat line: 6 G, 2-0, 9 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 K, 2 BB

FINAL REGULAR SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 84-60 (PCL Pacific Southern Division Champions!!)
All-level Cumulative: 12-3, 2 SV, 2.41 ERA, 78.1 IP, 26 R, 21 ER, 65 H, 62 K, 18 BB

AAA stats: 8-3, 2.96 ERA, 54.2 IP, 20 R, 18 ER, 46 H, 44 K, 14 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.14 ERA, 23.2 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 18 K, 4 BB


Q&A:

I've been following your progress all year, and I hope you get a chance at making the 40-man and getting a cup of coffee in September, you've been Death to RH hitters. Lefties, however, are pounding you at a .408 clip. What's the plan for getting the port-siders under control? -- grover

Well, I’ve worked really hard at this. My AAA numbers were blown up against lefties back in early June when I gave up 9 hits and 6 runs in 2.2 innings (over 2 outings) against Tucson – and I think all 9 hits were by lefties, if I’m not mistaken. I don’t want to be known as a guy who absolutely can’t get lefties out. And I think it showed in my numbers the last couple months. I was able to get their BAA down to .349 by season’s end. Baseball is a game of constant adjustments, and I now feel confident I can have success against any hitter, no matter what side of the plate they hit from.  

3 questions from Colorado Fan ...
1. It seems like "Pitching-Inside" is a lost art form in the game today. How much does the organization as a whole emphasis pitching-inside to help set up the outside corner/change-up, etc.?
2. Do you ever intentionally aim at a batter’s hip/knee/lower leg, so a batter can't just "dig-in" on you...knowing the batter will have to move their feet a little bit?
3. Have you ever been asked/told by a player/coach/manager to hit a batter on purpose - whether it be H.S., College, Summer League, Minors, etc...? Is there ever a place in the game for something like that? Thoughts on protecting your STAR Players, etc.

1. I think everyone emphasizes it, but it’s a very difficult thing to master. A baseball great (I won’t say who so it doesn’t sound like I’m name-dropping) once told me: "You pitch inside for effect, not for strikes. You get hitters out on pitches away, but you gotta keep them from diving out there and hitting those pitches." I think it’s very true.

2. Most definitely.

3. Yes and yes. I’m not wild and crazy about hitting guys intentionally, but I do think you need to protect guys on your own team, whether they’re a star or not. My only major rule: NEVER intentionally throw at a guy’s head. That’s taking a risk on killing him, and the risk isn’t worth it. Knocking a guy down, or hitting him in the ribs/back is one thing...trying to hurt him is another.

Have you ever been brought in to face a right-handed batter, sent to the outfield while a RHP comes in to face a lefty batter, then brought back to the mound (no extra warmups) to face another righty?  Do you think your manager would ever consider it?  Are your outfield skills good enough to play there for a batter or two, especially considering Jay Marshall or some other GB pitcher might be the other half of your pitching platoon? -- ervance

No. I think I could play OF for a batter or two and not embarrass anyone, but I’ve never been asked to do it. I did play OF in a couple innings late in games in collegiate summer ball when we were out of position players. And I had a college pitching teammate who played OF for a batter or 2 one game in a situation like you were describing, but I’ve never been involved in it.

Have you ever been charged before (at any level)?  If so, did you intentionally hit the batter or provoke his charging somehow, and who won? -- JJ

This reminds me of something I 've always wondered Brad.  Have you ever been involved in a bench clearing brawl? I use the word "brawl" in a very general way.  They always crack me up. It always seems that two guys from opposing teams have a few words because they are angry for whatever reason and then both teams end up milling around together on the field. It just strikes me as odd because there is almost never any actual fighting....which is good. My question is, have you ever found yourself standing around out there wondering what is going on only to end up in an extended conversation with one of the other team members?  Maybe exchanging numbers or arranging to meet up after the game for dinner or something? -- alox

I’ve never been charged. But I’ve been involved in a couple bench-clearing incidents. Only one of them involved punches thrown, etc., and that was in independent ball. And I don't think it's ever an "extended period of time" unless it’s a serious fight. But you gotta go out there on the field and protect your teammates. I think everyone's hope is that cooler heads will prevail...every time.

I've wondered how helpful it is to a struggling pitcher when the catcher goes up to the mound.  What are the usual comments you hear from a catcher, and what are the more unique or non-baseball-related conversations you've had on the mound?  And how much good do you think these conversations do? -- sec119:

Most of the time, he’s just giving the pitcher a breather, or giving a reliever time to get loose. Another option is if they’re discussing what sign set they want to use with a runner on 2nd base. They also could possibly be discussing what pitches they want to throw to the hitter. The conversations are usually very productive, believe it or not.

The funniest thing a catcher ever told me was this year...our catcher at the time was hit by a foul ball, and he came out to let the pain wear off. It was a classic conversation, but one I can’t detail publicly. :-)

Do you hate the wave as much as I do? And a follow up, does it ever distract you when the wave starts up when you're on the mound? -- batgirl

I don’t hate the wave, and I know it’s popular among fans. But I do think there is a time and a place for things like that. Earlier this year, we had a pitcher make his first start at a new level, and he threw 7.2 shutout innings. Instead of getting a standing ovation when he was removed, he walked off the field to the crowd doing the wave. I felt he deserved better, but that’s just one isolated event. Most of the time, I know the wave’s done in good fun.

I hope everyone has a great week! We lost 3 of our starting pitchers in the last week, with Colby Lewis, Dallas Braden, and Dan Meyer getting called up. Hopefully we can step it up a little to make up for the lack of their presence in our rotation. We’ve been playing good ball lately, so we just need to keep it rolling in the playoffs. Games 3, 4, and 5 are at home this weekend (if necessary – Fri, Sat, Sun), so come out and cheer us on! See ya at the ballpark!

Hey, everyone! We’re in the midst of the longest road trip of my short pro career – 12 games! We started off the trip sweeping a 4-game set at Las Vegas. We then split a 4-game series in Portland and have lost the first 2 games in Tacoma. We have 2 more games here before returning home and starting a 9-game homestand. Tucson has been able to hang with us, just 5 games back in the division with 15 games to play. It’s gonna be tight down the stretch!

If you didn’t see it, Flashfire put together a neat group of pictures from an outing I had in Sacramento. Click HERE to see it.

This trip has been especially eventful and fun for me, as I’ve been able to meet and spend time with the immediate (Tacoma) and extended (Portland) family of my brother-in-law. In Portland, I was also able to renew an old friendship from when I was growing up in Odessa, MO. My parents are visiting here in Tacoma, and it’s been great seeing them for the first time in awhile.

On the field, our offense has done a remarkable job of staying cohesive on this trip, as we’ve had a ton of player movement since we left. When we started the trip, we sent Nick Blasi to Midland to make roster room for the newly-signed Jeff DaVanon. While we were still in Vegas, we traded OF Jason Perry to Detroit for Jack Hannahan (who was sent straight to Oakland), leading to J.J. Furmaniak being optioned to us. Furthermore, while we were in Portland, DaVanon was called up (with Blasi returning from Midland), and then Dee Brown was re-called 2 days ago. Then, yesterday, J.J. Furmaniak was re-called to Oakland. So we’ve had a different lineup virtually every day, and we’ve still been able to put together a 6-4 road trip so far. The return of Dan Meyer will boost our pitching staff, and hopefully we can put together a good run and put ourselves in position to clinch.

On a side note, I want to share something I read this week. In 2005, I, along with a few other players, had the privilege of speaking to the crowd at Faith Night in Stockton, sharing my testimony after a game. To give us some support, a couple players from the other team (Lake Elsinore -- Padres' high-A team) came out on the field and sat with us, including pitcher Dirk Hayhurst. Since then, I’ve made it a point to visit with Dirk every time we run across each other’s path (usually at spring training). Well Dirk has been writing a "non-prospect diary" for Baseball America this season, and this week, his entry tells an absolutely heart-wrenching story -- in my opinion, as well as that of almost everyone I’ve shared it with so far. I highly suggest reading it. Click HERE to check it out.

In an attempt to answer more questions, I’m gonna save some space and not talk about my outings specifically. I’m trying to get caught up to the current questions... Of note: I now have more wins this year (10) as a reliever between the 2 levels than I did last year as a starter (9)...kinda bizarre! :)

Since the last GZWI...
River Cats record: 10-7
My stat line: 6 G, 2-0, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 K, 4 BB (3 BB in one inning!! ugh!)

UPDATED SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 74-55 (1st place – 5 games ahead of Tucson)
All-level Cumulative: 10-3, 2 SV, 2.73 ERA, 69.1 IP, 26 R, 21 ER, 64 H, 57 K, 16 BB

AAA stats: 6-3, 3.55 ERA, 45.2 IP, 20 R, 18 ER, 45 H, 39 K, 12 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.14 ERA, 23.2 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 18 K, 4 BB


Q&A:

What do big leagers do when they go on rehab in the minors, such as Sacramento or Stockton? Do they hang out with the rest of the team, or do they go their own separate ways? Do they spout knowledge and talk about their experiences in the majors, or do they shy away from such topics? In short, how do they act compared to the other players and how are they treated differently, if at all? -- Zonis

For the most part, they definitely hang out with the team. Those guys are a lot of fun, and I think they enjoy the relaxed atmosphere in our clubhouse (not that they don’t get that in Oakland – but our clubhouse is easy for anyone to walk in and fit right in). They’re never hesitant to talk to us about any aspect of their career that we ask about, especially if we do it 1-on-1. The A’s have a bunch of great veterans that are great assets to the younger players in the system. Also, they usually buy us a nice post-game spread (meal), which is always a plus!

Ziggy, with the way you've been pitching, it seems likely that you'll get called up at some point, with the bullpen and injuries as is.  How much anticipation is there, and do you stay awake thinking about it?

Also, do you think Daric Barton would have success in the majors today?  Seems like an obvious move for a lot of fans, but for some reason A's haven't moved on this.

Also, how does it feel knowing that you'll probably have a lot of people from AN rooting strongly for you when you get called up? -- closetasfan

Obviously, I’d love a call-up. It’s been my goal since I was young, and I feel like the switch to submarine is my ticket. I just don’t know when, or if, it will happen. That’s something that’s out of my hands, and I try not to focus on it a whole lot. I just want to keep doing my job every time I’m put in a game, no matter what level I’m at.

I definitely think Barton would have some success at the big league level. He’s still young (just turned 22), and still developing as a player.

And it’d be great to have fans from AN cheering for me. It’s already happened in Midland and Sacramento, and I hope it has a chance to happen in Oakland someday!

I think Duke [Justin Duchscherer] is my favorite pitcher on the team. I love when he is on, with pinpoint control of all his pitches, it's awesome to watch him set up hitters. As an ex-pitcher (in an adult amateur league), I appreciate that and try to guess his pitch selection and location each time. Curveball, strike one! Curveball, strike two! Then I say watch, fastball on the low outside corner. BAM! Strike three! The hitter heads back to the dugout. Duke seems very calm and unrattled on the mound. What's he like in person? I urge you to pick his brain and study how he does things because I see him as an ideal model for a pitcher. -- McFood

Obviously, Duch’s rehab got cut short before he was able to pitch for us in Sacramento, but I met him in spring training, and I have absolutely nothing negative to say about the guy. He’s very nice, easy to talk to, a good mentor for young pitchers, and he’s also VERY heavily involved in community outreach, which I really admire.

Brad, does the altitude of Colorado Springs affect your pitches? If so, has it flattened out your breaking pitches or not so much? -- Gerard

Yes, it does...a lot. My slider is a flat pitch anyway, but the altitude does take away some of the break in the pitch. Also, my sinker doesn’t sink nearly as much as it does in, say, Sacramento, which is nearly at sea level. So location becomes much more important when pitching at high altitudes.  

Do you play video games at all?  There's a PS2 game series with a cyborg named Ziggy which leads to the question: If you were a cyborg, would you use your powers for good (striking out opposing hitters) or evil (world conquest)? -- JLeverenz

Why would world conquest be evil? :-)

When is your daughter's arrival expected? Congrats on the forthcoming addition to your family! -- sarajune13
Congratulations to you and your wife! Is your daughter due in the off season? -- kapers

Thanks! Due date: October 27

I hope everyone had a great weekend! By the way, if you liked The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy, I highly recommend The Bourne Ultimatum. I loved it! Come out and see us on our 9-game homestand while Oakland’s on the road. If you do, make sure you swing by the bullpen to say ‘hi.’ I’ll post again soon in an effort to get to some of the more recent questions. See ya at the ballpark!

Hello again! It’s SO nice to be back in Sacramento after the long road trip. To say the least, our team continued to bond the last 4 days of the trip in the EXTREMELY cozy confines of the Nashville visiting clubhouse. We played some pretty good ball on the trip, and going into the last 30 or so games, we put ourselves in great position for a shot at the PCL playoffs. To continue the bonding, the beginning of August marked the start of a very grizzly time for the River Cats – we’re all growing beards to give us an increased amount of team unity as we head down the home stretch in hopes of a postseason run. Hopefully the arrival of the facial hair will help us end our 3-game skid tonight!

Of note on the road trip: J.D. Closser hit his 100th career minor league home run. He launched it into our bullpen in Memphis, so I decided to have a little fun with him. I quickly grabbed the ball and tossed it to Jeff Gray before anyone in the dugout noticed. Then I grabbed another ball and threw it into the mob of fraternity guys sitting in left field. The whole dugout, including Closser, thought I’d thrown his HR ball into the crowd. They all looked down to the pen with outstretched arms as if to say, "Ziggy, did you not know?" Someone even called down to the bullpen on the phone, asking that very thing. At that time, we let them in on our trick. It was a good time and neat to be on a team with a player commemorating a special event.

Since the last GZWI, I’ve had 4 outings. On July 20, I threw 2 scoreless innings after Dan Meyer gave us 6 strong ones. I came in with our team leading 10-1. I ended up striking out 2 while allowing 2 hits (1 in each inning).

Then two Sundays ago, I got a chance to be a closer (our regular closer, Ruddy Lugo, had pitched the 2 nights before). I came into the game at the beginning of the 9th inning with our team holding onto a 1-0 lead, thanks in part to a brilliant 15-up, 15-down performance by Colby Lewis (limited pitch count) and Jeremy Brown’s 7th-inning homer. I was able to record strikeouts on the first 2 hitters, and then got a 1st-pitch groundout on the 3rd guy to wrap up the game and notch my 1st AAA save.

In the 3rd game at Memphis, I came on in relief of Meyer (7.1 scoreless) with runners on 1st and 2nd and 1 out in the 8th inning of a 0-0 game. I was able to get the first hitter to hit a grounder right back to me, starting a 1-6-3 double play to get out of the inning. Then in the 9th (still 0-0), I got a groundout and a strikeout on the first 2 hitters, but then walked the 3rd hitter. I was taken out of the game, and, unfortunately, that runner came around to score, resulting in a 1-0 defeat (and me credited with the loss).

Our 3rd game in Nashville was the scene of my next outing, as I came in while we were trailing 4-0 in the 8th inning. The 1st 2 hitters, both lefties, flew out and grounded out. Then I struck out the lone righty of the inning, ending my night as we failed to score in the 9th.

In the month of July, I was able to find a groove and somewhat settle into my role on the team. I finished the month with 11 K’s, 1 BB, a .200 batting average against and a 7.67 GB ratio (7.67 groundouts per flyout/line out).

Since the last GZWI...
River Cats record: 9-5
My stat line: 4 G, 0-1, 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 K, 1 BB

UPDATED SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 64-48 (1st place – 4 games ahead of Tucson)
All-level Cumulative: 8-3, 2 SV, 2.73 ERA, 62.2 IP, 23 R, 19 ER, 59 H, 52 K, 12 BB

AAA stats: 4-3, 3.69 ERA, 39.0 IP, 17 R, 16 ER, 40 H, 34 K, 8 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.14 ERA, 23.2 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 18 K, 4 BB


Q&A:

I mean no disrespect with this but how does a pitcher get "tired" after throwing 44 pitches?  Particularly since I believe you came up as a starter, where you're expected and prepared to throw much longer, why the difference in stamina now that you're relieving? Does the smaller margin for error that you mention create more stress on a reliever (thereby causing fatigue to set in sooner) than on a starter?  Or is "tired" another way to say "doesn't have it today" or "had it but is losing it"? -- camperdog

No disrespect taken. It’s all about how you condition yourself. I’ve been conditioning myself for short relief since last September (lots of sprints and other things involving short, explosive bursts). As a starter, you do a lot of distance running to build up endurance. As a reliever, you usually go in and go full-bore for 20-30 pitches, whereas a starter paces himself over 100-110. Mental stress, to me, doesn’t change my energy level, because a lack of focus for one pitch could ruin a start, just like it can blow a game as a reliever.

There's not a lot of information out there on how hard Dan Meyer is throwing now that he's back and pitching well. Although we're all very happy with the recent results either way, can you give us the mph range of his fastballs? -- xbhaskarx

It would be a lot easier to give you an answer if I was charting in the stands with the radar gun like I did when I was a starter. But if the stadium radar guns are accurate (only thing I can go by), I think he’s in the 86-92 range, sitting at about 88-89. He’s been throwing the ball EXTREMELY well (1.91 ERA in 6 July starts), and his last couple outings, he’s gone deeper into games than he had been, doing a great job of maximizing his allotted pitch count.

What is the MOST pitches you had to throw to a batter before you as the pitcher won and got the out? -- Yas822

I can’t remember an exact at-bat, but I know I’ve had a couple that have gone 10-12 pitches...but most were as a starter. The longest I can think of this year was in my July 20 outing vs. Salt Lake City. Adam Pavkovich had about a 9- or 10-pitch at-bat before being called out on strikes.

From user: Bottom of the 9th...
This is only the second or third post of yours I've read, so a couple questions I ask may have been covered before.

Shame on you! Haha :-)

Anyway, my questions:
1. What sort of learning curve have you gone through with each of your pitches?
2. How far along do you feel you are with each pitch you throw?
3. How challenging is it to avoid tipping any of your pitches?

1. Well, with the conversion to submarine, I’ve had to totally re-learn how to throw. The mechanics of every pitch are different than anything I ever threw overhand. Pitching is a contstant mental battle to keep things consistent, and I’m just getting to the point where I can repeat my delivery nearly every time without really having to focus on something specific.

2. I really like where my fastball is right now. I’m locating it down in the zone most of the time, and staying out of the middle of the plate, and it’s creating a lot of groundballs (and even a few swings-and-misses). My slider and changeup are effective at times, but I’m just trying to rely heavily on my fastball to get outs.

3. This is something I’m dealing with right now. Trying to keep a similar arm slot and release point with my off-speed pitches in relation to my fastball release. It’s just a matter of repetition. I've seen guys tip pitches before by their pre-pitch posture or movements, but as far as I'm aware of, I've never done that.

A few questions from richwol...
The A's pitchers talk about how incredible Kendall is at calling a game. For you, how much difference does a catcher make in that regard and can a catcher make the difference between having a good or bad outing? How often do you yourself shake off your catcher? In terms of calling games, how do you rate Suzuki (if he's caught you) and Landon Powell? What can they learn from Kendall? What can you learn from a guy like Kendall?
Also, Kendall is starting to hit now, but let's say for argument's sake that he continued to bat under the Mendoza Line. At that point, is his pitch calling (or any catcher's pitch calling) so important that you can keep such a dead bat in the lineup?

Any pitcher will tell you that being in-sync with a catcher is one of the most important things to getting in a rhythm on the mound. If you trust a catcher who has proven he knows how to pitch to certain hitters, it’s one less thing to have to worry about on the mound. Suzuki and Powell are both good at calling games, but more importantly, they’re both good at making adjustments to fit the pitcher’s strengths the more they get to work with each guy.
And I don’t think you can ever over-estimate the importance of a catcher’s game-calling skills. If a catcher can call a game, receive, and throw well, I don’t care if he goes 0-for-6 every game.

I've really enjoyed following your progress over the years, Brad. Hang in there. We're all pulling for you. Brian Reeves. -- Brian R

Awesome! One of my favorite teachers from high school! Thanks for the comment, Mr. Reeves. Great to hear from you!

You do realize your veteran teammates are going to extract a heavy price from you in Oakland because of this blog don't you?  Hopefully you look good in a sheer pink teddy with matching purple stillettos.  It's not a look many guys can carry off with success. ;) -- alox

If not this, it’d be something else. They’ll get my kangaroo court money one way or the other. And, no matter what it’s for, it’d be well worth it to be in the big leagues.

I hope everyone has a great week! We’ve got 8 games at home before the chance to enjoy our only off day of the 2nd half. Also looking very forward to the release of The Bourne Ultimatum this Friday! Then, after the day off, we’re on the road for 12 straight games – a trip that could factor heavily into making or breaking our playoff chances. I’ll try to post again before we go on the road. Come out and catch a game! See ya at the ballpark!

Hello, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the All-Star break. I definitely did. I was able to fly home to Missouri and spend some time with my family for a couple days. We’re starting a grueling stretch in our season now, as we have just one day off the rest of the 2nd half in AAA. So the 3-day break was much-needed. We ended the first half on a high note, sweeping a 5-game series at Fresno. They entered the series in 2nd place, 2 games behind us – and finished in 3rd place, 7 games back. Tucson, however, has kept pace with us, and is still only 4 games back in 2nd place.

We’ve played well since the break, too. With continued movement all over the system, our mix-and-match lineups every night keep grinding out wins, and it’s a lot of fun to be a part of. Also, it was cool to get to have a couple big leaguers rehab with us. Great seeing Travis Buck again, and his swing was looking good after his 2-game stint with us. And, of course, it was neat to play with a future Hall-of-Famer in Mike Piazza. He’s a great guy, and he was swinging a hot bat during his 3-game stint with us.

I appeared in five games since the last GZWI, and my brief streak of scoreless innings came to an end at 12 and 2/3. My first outing consisted of facing two batters in the 8th inning vs. Tucson, with our team winning 3-2. The first batter reached on an error, and then the 2nd hit into a fielder’s choice, forcing the runner at 2nd. We were able to hold onto the 3-2 lead to get the win.

In the 2nd game of the 5-game Fresno series, Mike Madsen was on a strict 50-pitch limit to ensure he wasn’t sore when he represented the A’s in the Futures Game, so he came out after the 3rd inning. I pitched the 4th, 5th, and got 2 outs in the 6th (coming out of the game with a runner on 3rd – he ended up scoring). Our bullpen was able to hold on to the lead, so I was credited with the win since I was the pitcher of record, having completed the 5th inning.

After the break, my first outing was one of the least fortunate I’ve ever had. Leading 5-0 in the 6th, I threw one good inning, allowing one hit. I went back out for a second inning of work. After striking out the first batter, the 2nd hitter hit a chopper to 1st base. The 2nd hop hit the lip where the grass meets the dirt cutout, and kicked sharply to the right, past our first baseman over toward the wall in foul territory, with the hitter ending up on 2nd with an infield double. Then the next hitter chopped a ball up the middle and beat out an infield single. I was removed from the game, and both runners later scored on a triple. So I gave up 2 runs without allowing a ball out of the infield in that inning. Probably just baseball's way of evening out the times I've given up rockets right at a fielder. :)

Two nights later, we played one of the most exciting games we’ve played all year. After trailing 6-0 after the first inning, we scratched our way back to tie the game at 6 after 6 innings. Madsen was our starter this game, and he did a tremendous job of keeping us in the game after the rough 1st inning. He was able to pitch til there were 2 outs in the 5th without giving up any other runs, and our offense crept back into the game. After Portland got 1st and 2nd with no outs in the 7th, I came into the game. The first hitter unsuccessfully tried to bunt, and ended up striking out. Then I got a potential double play ball, but we were only able to get an out at 2nd. With 1st and 3rd, 2 outs, I got the last guy to ground out to 3rd to end the inning. We scored that inning, and later held on for an 8-7 win, with me getting credited with the win.

Two nights ago, I threw in a game in Colorado Springs. The first guy grounded back to me, the 2nd got an infield hit, and the 3rd struck out. Then I was removed from the game, and lefty Ryan Meaux got an infield pop-up to end the inning. We ended up losing that game, 4-2.


Since the last GZWI...
River Cats record: 9-5
My stat line: 5 G, 2-0, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 K, 0 BB

UPDATED SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 55-43 (1st place – 4 games ahead of Tucson)
All-level Cumulative: 8-2, 1 SV, 2.83 ERA, 57.1 IP, 22 R, 18 ER, 57 H, 46 K, 11 BB

AAA stats: 4-2, 4.01 ERA, 33.2 IP, 16 R, 15 ER, 38 H, 28 K, 7 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.14 ERA, 23.2 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 18 K, 4 BB


Q&A:

A series of questions from xbhasharx...
2 2/3 IP in both games [back in May], that seems like a lot for you (I assumed you were somewhere between a ROOGY and a 1 IP guy, but i see you averaged 1 2/3 in AA). IS it a lot for you? Is your bullpen role different now that you're on the AAA team? Obviously you'll do whatever the team asks, but would you prefer going 1 inning more frequently or 2+ innings every three days? Do such differences have an effect on your preparation? [and from a separate post...]Does every team in the A's organization wear white cleats?

Yeah, I would say 2 and 2/3 innings is quite a bit for me (especially when I was working deep into counts early in my AAA stint). I’ve been groomed mentally and physically to be a late-inning, short-relief guy, mostly facing right-handed hitters, and that’s what I’d probably prefer. It’s not like I have 4 pitches to keep hitters guessing at all times. At the same time, I like being versatile, and the experiences in the longer relief have been good for me in my development as a submariner...and the more I’ve done it, the better success I’ve had with the longer relief, and I’m even feeling better facing lefties, even though the numbers probably don’t show it. I’ve done a better job of getting softer contact against lefties, even though they seem to still keep getting hits. But I’m to the point now that I feel pretty comfortable coming in no matter what the situation, and no matter what, I have to just be ready at all times. And, yes, all of the A’s minor league teams wear white cleats.

For folks like me (and probably the vast majority of people on this site) who don't know that much about the way the minor leagues function on a daily basis, what differences have you observed so far in terms AA vs. AAA? I'd be interested in anything you have to say, from size of crowds to organizational attitudes. Does a AAA club have a different level of pressure than a AA? -- LAXile

I don’t know that there’s more pressure in AAA, because every night we’re trying to win no matter what level it is. When the game starts, it’s just baseball. You don’t think about what level you’re at during the game. But there are some major differences, starting with the umpires: the strike zones are smaller in AAA, and the umps are definitely more consistent. And not to criticize AA umpires in any way...they're trying to improve and work their way up just like we are as players. It took me a bit to adjust to the AAA zone, but I’ve done a better job lately working ahead in counts, which helps. We definitely draw more people in Sacramento than we did in Midland, but Sac and its suburbs are probably about 5x the size of Midland/Odessa. The stadiums are nicer and we get better food in the clubhouse (while also paying more than what we paid in AA for clubbie dues). But I’d say the primary difference is how closely everyone pays attention to the big league team in AAA. At any time, we’re just a call away from being in the show, and it seems like everyone talks way more about the moves the A’s make. Plus, it helps being in the same time zone as Oakland, because we get to follow their games much easier. It’s a lot of fun.

Since I am unable to come to Sacramento to your games, it has been nice to pay the money to watch your games LIVE. $30.00 for an all year ticket is pretty cheap. My question is--is there quite a bit of difference with the media/reporters from place to place,or Single A to Triple A,or do you find pretty much all media the same?  Who, in the media, have you met famous or not famous that has made an impression on you? -- StrikeThree

There are some differences in the media as you move up, with the biggest probably being the number of reporters that follow the team. As a middle reliever, I’m not speaking to the media after games as much as I did when I was a starter. But I see 3-4 reporters in the clubhouse every night after games, whereas in Midland it was usually just one (or maybe 2).

I haven’t met a lot of famous reporters, but the one well-known journalist I did meet that really left an impression was Peter Gammons. I met him in 2001 in the Cape Cod League, and he was so down-to-earth. Seeing someone on ESPN every night leaves you with an impression of them, and I just always had thought of him as a big-time reporter. And he definitely is, but when you talk to him, you’d never know. He showed up to one game out there in sweat pants and a t-shirt, just as a fan to watch the game. It was great.

A series of questions from fridaynightfan...
1. I know the catcher puts down fingers for what kind of pitch.  But how do they call location?
2. Isn't it hard to see finger in a crotch (no offense) esp. under A AA and AAA lights?
3. Do batters "study up" on particular catchers and how they call a game as well as on how a pitcher throws, etc.?

1. They kind of cock their hand to the side, as if to point with the fingers which side of the plate they’re calling for. If you pay attention to big league games, you might notice the same thing there. Granted, with a runner on 2nd, it’s totally different. But I can’t give away any secrets. :)

2. None taken. Sometimes, especially late in the game, it IS tough to see. But usually the catcher will just go through the signs a little slower, or put chalk from the batter’s box on the back of their fingers so that the white stands out in the shadows.

3. I’ve never heard of this. I know hitters study pitchers’ tendencies, and that’s definitely the most important, because if the pitcher doesn’t like what the catcher calls, he’ll just shake until the catcher puts down the sign he wants. So ultimately, the tendencies lie with the pitcher.

How did the wife and kids react to the news [of the promotion to AAA]? -- alox

Well, she had just arrived in Midland to visit for a weekend, and after finding out about my promotion, we knew that I’d have to fly out to meet up with the Sacramento team the next morning. We ended up seeing each other for about 12 hours – and that was mixed with having to pack, make travel arrangements for her to get home, and trying to get some sleep before the long day of travel. However, after things settled down, she was extremely happy for me, and I’m pretty sure my baby-girl-on-the-way would be excited if she understood what was going on. :-) It would've been nice to see her for a longer period of time, but sometimes that's just the nature of this game.

I hope everyone has a great week! We have a day game today in Colorado Springs, then fly home tonight. After 4 games at home against Salt Lake City, we go on an 8-day road trip. I’ll try to post again right after the trip. On the trip, I’m unsure of our Internet access (we’re going to Memphis and Nashville, 2 cities I’ve never been to before). But I’ll try to keep blez informed of my schedule so he can let you know when to keep an eye out for the next installment(s) of GZWI. Come out and catch a game! See ya at the ballpark!

Hello, everyone! First of all, let me apologize for not posting in so long. I’ve had a lot going on (on AND off the field), and things are just now starting to return to the normal, hectic state of life as a ballplayer. Our team continued its solid play, as we’re still holding down first place in the PCL by 1 game over Fresno. Our team is preparing to grind out the last week of games before the all-star break, when we’ll get a much-needed 3 days off (everyone except Daric Barton, who will represent us on the PCL All-Star team). After we return from the all-star break, we have one scheduled day off from that point until the end of the season. So it’s going to be a brutal stretch for us as we hopefully head toward the PCL playoffs.

Things have gone better for me the last 2 weeks, as I’ve kinda settled into the middle relief role. I’ve been getting more groundballs, and I’ve started to have some success against left-handed hitters. I’ve also done a better job of working ahead, throwing strikes, and minimizing the number of pitches thrown in each outing.

I won’t get into much detail on my outings, just to save time. But my last 2 outings produced something new for me. On Wednesday, I pitched 2.1 innings in relief of Dan Meyer (who gave us a really good start). Then the next night, we went extra innings, and I pitched 3 more innings in a game we ended up losing in 16 innings. So I threw 5.1 innings on consecutive nights. While my body was a little stiff, my arm really never got too sore, so that’s a sign to me that the submarine motion probably IS, in fact, much easier on the arm (before, I didn’t know if it was the motion or just the fact that you throw less pitches in each outing as a reliever).

On a side note: Daric Barton went 0-for-4 on Saturday night, ending his 24-game hitting streak. During the streak, he had a stretch of 10 consecutive multi-hit games. It was pretty phenomenal to watch. When I arrived in Sac, he was hitting about .240. After bouncing back with 3 hits today, his average now sits at .330.

Since the last GZWI...
River Cats record: 7-6
My stat line: 5 G, 1-0, 9.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 5 K, 1 BB

UPDATED SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 46-38 (1st place – 1 game ahead of Fresno)
All-level Cumulative: 6-2, 1 SV, 2.63 ERA, 51.1 IP, 19 R, 15 ER, 51 H, 41 K, 11 BB

AAA stats: 2-2, 3.90 ERA, 27.2 IP, 13 R, 12 ER, 32 H, 23 K, 7 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.14 ERA, 23.2 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 18 K, 4 BB

Q&A:

2 questions, along the same lines, by mikedaviswhereareyou...

(1)As a submariner, you have an idiosyncratic arsenal of pitches. They look different to batters than their overhand equivalents. Do most catchers appreciate the offerings, or do you find yourself controlling your own pitch selection more than other pitchers?  Are the same combinations of pitches as used by overhand pitchers effective for you...or does the submarine delivery require an entirely different approach?  Does anyone ever give you feedback as to what your pitches look like from the plate?

(2)Speaking of the inside, can you do me a favor and explain a little bit about the submarine pitches?  I mean, is there even a curveball when throwing underarm like you do? Are there sliders and circle changes and such?  I mean, what on earth, beside ruining your elbow, would a split finger fast ball do underarmed? Or are the pitches completely different. I have heard Chad Bradford talk about throwing a "frisbee" pitch. In short, can you tell me your pitch selections, and how they differ in movement and bite from what they do when thrown overhand?

When I threw overhand, I had a fastball, sinker, curve, slider, and changeup. Submarine, I have a fastball, slider, and changeup. My slider would be similar to what Bradford calls his "frisbee"...it’s called that because the movement on it is totally horizontal (no drop in it like an overhand slider). I think a splitter would be impossible to throw from a submarine angle...I’m not even sure it would be effective.

As far as pitch selection, submarine is an entirely different approach. I tend to get myself into trouble when I revert back to pitch sequences that I used when I threw overhand, because they don’t have the same effectiveness when used submarine. When I am first working with a new catcher, I usually do shake them off quite a bit. But as we get more comfortable, all the A’s catchers have learned my style quickly and it helps keep the pace of the game going when I’m not having to shake them off.

2 questions from gojohn10...

(1) Who's a better pitcher: Brian Synder, Myron Leslie, or Vince Faison?

(2) If you were to ever play the field, what position would you play?

(1) Myron Leslie. He threw strikes, and even hit 90 mph on the gun.

(2) 3B, SS, LF, C...any of those :-) I caught quite a bit growing up, and then moved to the left side of the infield. I still occasionally catch bullpens when it’s necessary in pro ball. I started shagging batting practice a lot in LF, to the point that I wouldn’t be lost if I were thrown there in an emergency situation. But SS/3B would be where I’d be most comfortable.

As a reliever, does it make it easier when you have a good idea that you will be called into that particular game? Or is it usually "all-hands-on-deck" and you have to be mentally prepared to go into any game? -- emiyeric

It was nice meeting you in San Antonio, Eric. Yes, it makes it easier when you have an idea that you’re probably the guy that’s gonna be warming up next. But at the same time, you have to be mentally prepared at all times, because the coaches let the game dictate who they think is the best guy to bring in. Situations change, and they may alter their pre-game thinking sometimes. But the longer you play for a particular coaching staff, the more you have an idea of what guys they like to bring in in certain situations.  

With Putnam and Braden being called up, how does it feel to be playing with a guy one day,and seeing him play in the majors the next day? Do other team members stay informed on how they're doing? Is there some kind of special gathering to watch a former teammate make his ML debut? -- J Rod

It’s awesome. You’re happy for them, and at the same time, you know that it could happen to you at any moment. Makes you want to prepare better each day and try to "stick out like a sore thumb in a good way" (a favorite saying of one of our pitching coaches) by your performance on the field. We definitely keep up with the big league team, and how ex-teammates are doing. When Braden debuted, we were able to watch some of the game in the clubhouse in Corpus Christi. And when Putnam would hit, the whole clubhouse would stop what they were doing to watch. It’s awesome, and I hope to get that experience someday.

Have you always enjoyed writing and telling stories? What helped prepare you to be so good at writing for AN? -- Blez

I’m actually not a big fan of writing. I’m more a big fan of talking, and letting someone else do the typing/writing. :-) At the same time, along with my parents’ help, I had a great English/Literature teacher in high school that taught me most of what I know. And I enjoyed classes like that in college, even though I only took what was necessary to graduate. I’ve also done a lot of off-season work in the media: covering high school sports for the Springfield News-Leader(newspaper), sitting in on sports talk radio shows in Springfield, etc. Between that stuff and the occasional interview, I’ve been exposed to the media a lot over the years to hopefully have an idea of what fans like to read/hear about. I’m just glad everyone on the site seems to be enjoying this feature.

2 questions from bbnewbie...

(1) When you're on the mound and maybe things aren't going so well, and you see someone start to warm up in the bullpen, does it affect you in any way? How do you refocus? When a catcher visits you on the mound, what does he usually say?

(2) Also, in a previous post, you described how a minor-league salary provides little to no financial buffer. What do you to make ends meet during the off-season?

(1) If I see someone else warming up, that means 1 of 3 things to me: either I did my job, I'm about to exceed my pitch count, or I need to be taken out because I haven't been effective. Either way, I just try to focus on 1 pitch at a time and hope that I can do what my team needs me to.

When a catcher visits the mound, usually it's just to make sure we're on the same page with finger signs or to discuss exactly what pitch needs to be thrown in that particular situation. Occasionally, too, the coach will send the catcher out just to give a reliever in the pen a few more pitches in case he's not quite loose yet.

(2) In the off-season, I give private baseball instruction, mostly to kids in middle school and high school. I enjoy it, because I like working with kids, and the hours are pretty flexible.

2 questions from homerun13...

(1) Some pitchers throw a splitter which is hard to grip. Most of them have the splitter grip on the ball when they start the set position and then change to another grip since that is easier then the other way around and probably hitters would pick up if you had to grip the splitter in the glove. But what happens when they have the splitter grip and have to throw a pick-off? Do they throw over with the splitter grip? Last time I wondered was when I saw Curt Schilling doing it, especially since it didn't seem like he had time to change grip.

(2) Another question: where you always a pitcher when you started baseball? Did you play an other position before, and, if yes, when did you concentrate on only pitching?

(1) No, they wouldn’t throw a pickoff with a splitter grip. He switched the grip sometime. When you’re job is holding a baseball, you get to be really quick with your fingers and moving them around the ball.

(2) See the 2nd question from gojohn10 above. I started exclusively pitching in college.

Is anyone else disappointed that Ziggy didn't post this diary [referring to the diary posted by the colonel announcing my promotion to Sacramento]? It would be kind of gangster to post your own diary about getting called up to AAA on a fansite for your organization. Presumably he would be one of the first to know, right? Hopefully if he gets called up to the show he can trade on his inside info and get a diary up about it. -- TempletonPeck

As I stated before, I’m sorry I wasn’t the one to tell you. I was definitely the first to know other than the ones making the decision. And I can assure you that if I get called to the big leagues, you’ll hear it from me first (unless someone hears something straight from the mouth of the Oakland front office). I just knew that I was going to be extremely busy for a couple days with travel, getting my wife back to Missouri, etc., so I asked the colonel if he would post something about it for me.

If you become our closer, I think Bowie has a song you can use. Do you play guitar? -- giambizombie

Not yet. I really want to learn, and I love to sing, but I haven’t taken the time to learn to play. I do have a guitar, though, and maybe this off-season I can start pickin’ it up.

I hope everyone has a great week! My next post will probably come shortly after our all-star break (which coincides with the big league break: July 9-11). Milton Bradley and Rich Harden finished their rehab stints with us since my last post. Bobby Kielty is rehabbing with us at the moment, and we still eagerly await the arrival of Justin Duchscherer and Mike Piazza. Come out and catch a game! See ya at the ballpark!

Hey, everyone! It’s been a frustrating week-and-a-half for me since I last posted. I’ve faced some serious adversity on the field, having my worst stretch of the season. It all started in Tucson, a place that seems to give any pitcher fits (we gave up 45 runs in a 4-game series). It’s a very hard playing surface (ok, we may as well have played on a concrete parking lot, as one of my teammates put it), meaning a lot of grounders get through that wouldn’t on most fields. Also, the Candlestick-Park-like wind blows out (which isn’t uncommon in the PCL) to right field. To make matters worse for me, and other right-handed pitchers, Tucson had 7 or 8 lefties in the lineup every single night we were there.

My Outings

Thursday, June 7@ Tucson
We were up 14-6 going to the 7th inning. In the 7th, Tucson hit a grand slam, and then got another hitter on base when I entered the game with two outs. The first batter lined a ball to our first baseman, but he wasn’t quite able to snag it, as it hit his glove and caromed away into foul territory, leaving runners at 1st and 2nd. I jammed the next hitter, a lefty, with a slider, and he hit it up in the wind to right. It seemed like it would be a routine fly ball off the bat, but the breeze carried it all the way to the fence, where our right fielder leaped in an unsuccessful attempt at what would've been a spectacular catch. The ball hit off the top of the wall and bounced back into right field, giving the hitter a 2-run triple.

Then in the 8th, winning 14-12, I got the first guy out. On the 2nd hitter, I threw a 3-2 slider that was called ball four...a pitch I thought was strike three. Then the next hitter, a righty, chopped a ball into the ground to 2nd base. It bounced WAY up in the air, and by the time it came down, he beat it out for an infield hit, making it 1st and 2nd with 1 out. The next hitter lined a single to left, scoring one with the other runners advancing to 2nd and 3rd on the play. I was pulled from the game at that time, having thrown only 2/3 of an inning. The reliever after me got a strikeout for the 2nd out, but then allowed a single to center, scoring both runners. We ended up losing 15-14, and I was credited with the loss after allowing 4 runs (3 earned).

Saturday, June 9 @ Tucson
I came in with our team trailing 7-1 in the 7th. I gave up 3 straight singles to score a run. Then I got a flyout and 2 groundouts to escape further damage. In the 8th, I gave up a leadoff single and a 2-out double to allow another run...a ball that I thought was foul as it passed first base, but it was ruled fair (and our catcher confirmed that it looked fair to him).

Monday, June 11 @ Fresno
All year, my slider has been my best pitch to go to for a strikeout, but on this particular night, I didn’t have a good one. Twice, I gave up base hits on bad sliders (slow-breaking and over the heart of the plate), and ended up giving up a run on 2 hits and a hit batter. The good news about this outing was that I regained the command and movement on my fastball that I hadn’t consistently had since my promotion to AAA.

Thursday, June 14 vs. Las Vegas
I entered the game with our team trailing in the 8th inning and a runner on 3rd with one out. We were playing with the infield back, so to keep the run from scoring, I needed either a strikeout or a shallow fly ball. Early in the count, I was pitching the right-handed hitter away in an attempt to get him to hit the ball to Jason Perry, our right fielder who has a great throwing arm. On the 2nd pitch, the hitter flied out to right, and Perry made a great throw, but it had been hit just a little too deep to keep the runner from scoring. I allowed a leadoff hit in the 9th, but that runner was erased on a double play.

Saturday, June 16 vs. Las Vegas
Maybe the most unfortunate night I’ve had since I’ve been submarining... My stuff was as good as it’s been all year. I was keeping my fastball down, it was sinking well, and I had a good slider. I came in to start the 6th inning, while we were trailing 6-2. The leadoff hitter chopped a ball to my right. If I had let it go, it would’ve been a routine play for the shortstop. But, out of instinct, I lunged for it and deflected the ball, allowing an infield single. After striking out the next 2 hitters, I made a good 0-2 pitch off the plate, but the hitter poked it softly into right field for a single, making it 1st and 3rd. The next hitter lined a single to right, scoring the runner on 3rd. I struck out the last hitter that inning.

Then, in the 7th, the leadoff hitter grounded out to 3rd. After a walk, the next hitter (a lefty) chopped a ball about 10 feet over my head up the middle, and it bounced into center field, leaving runners at 1st and 3rd. Then the next hitter, a righty, chopped a ball right in front of the plate that bounced clear over the 1st baseman’s head and down the right field line for a double. With 2nd and 3rd, we pulled the infield in. The next hitter grounded to short, and we got the guy on 3rd trying to score. Then I got out of the jam by using the fake-to-3rd-throw-to-1st pickoff move, nabbing the guy at 1st.

In the 8th, I struck out the leadoff hitter, and then retired the 2nd hitter on a slow bouncer back to me. I was pulled from the game, confident with the way I was throwing the ball, but frustrated with the final line.

One of the other relievers asked me after the game, "What did you do to tick off the baseball gods? Brutal luck, man." But, at the same time, there have been nights in the past when my stuff was terrible and the other team was crushing the ball, but it seemed as if everything was hit right at our fielders, and I ended up having a great end-result. Just part of the game...

I’m hoping that I’m passed the big rough stretch, and now I can get in a good rhythm, using the good stuff I’ve had the last 2 outings to translate it into better results. What’s most frustrating about the choppers is that hitters are actually closer to missing the ball totally than squaring it up on the barrel when they beat it straight into the ground, and they’re still getting hits on them. I need to talk to our grounds crew about softening the dirt up in front of the plate. :-) I’ve been doing a pretty good job getting ground balls, especially lately, but seems like a lot of them are finding holes, and there’s not much I can do about that...

On a side note, Midland completed the game I had pitched in that was suspended because of rain. So my AA stats got just a tad better since I last posted.

Since the last GZWI...
River Cats record: 5-7  
My stat line: 5 G, 0-1, 8 IP, 17 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 5 K, 3 BB

UPDATED SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 39-32 (tied for 1st place with Tucson)
All-level Cumulative: 5-2, 1 SV, 3.24 ERA, 41.2 IP, 19 R, 15 ER, 46 H, 36 K, 10 BB

AAA stats: 1-2, 6.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 13 R, 12 ER, 27 H, 18 K, 6 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.14 ERA, 23.2 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 18 K, 4 BB

Q&A:

I'm wondering how much credence you give to the underlying theory of DIPS, that pitchers don't really have much control of what happens to balls that are put in play, and that the result comes from positioning and luck? -- sarchasmic

I am not too familiar with the theory, but I agree with the statement you made (at least, after my outings that I described above). :-) I’ve been getting lots of ground balls, but they seem to be finding more holes here than they did earlier in the year. Hopefully that will turn around, but once the ball is thrown, there isn’t much the pitcher can do. You hope the hitter doesn’t make good contact, and you hope he hits it where your fielders are playing. But it doesn’t always work that way.

Have you ever faced a submariner? What was that like? As far as I know, there aren't any submariners who start games...why is that? Would it be possible? -- JJ

I’m assuming you meant back in the glory days when I hit. I don’t remember ever hitting off one. But I know from what hitters say, the more movement a pitcher has, the less hitters like facing him. And while submarining usually adds movement, that’s not always the case, so that’s something I’m constantly working on.

The only sidearmer/submariner I know who has started is Byung-Hyun Kim. It’s tough, because dropping down limits the variety of pitches you can throw. Overhand, you can use gravity to help your pitches move, but that’s not the case with some of the submarine pitches. In fact, sometimes you’re fighting AGAINST gravity, and that limits the effectiveness even more.

You mentioned that Jeff Coleman (a Midland reliever) retired, a 21st Round pick for the A's in 2001. I was wondering if you knew why he retired, and how such things affect the ballclub and you personally. He's a young guy, yet his baseball career is apparently over. How tough is it to see a guy quit who's actually a year younger than you?

Your description of the roster volatility is very interesting. Is there anything the coaching staff or the players do to help keep things cohesive despite the turnover? -- andyinfremont

I don’t really know why he retired. Some guys just get tired of the everyday grind, especially when they have family back home. I’m sure he missed being away from his wife and kids, and maybe that played into his decision some. Either way, I don’t think it was a knee-jerk reaction...I hope it’s something that he is content with, even though I’m sure it was tough to walk away at first.

Honestly, that type of stuff doesn’t bother me much. I feel like, in a way, my whole career has started over with the move to the bullpen and submarine motion. And there are guys much older than me in AAA, still living the dream.

As far as trying to keep cohesiveness in the clubhouse despite heavy turnover, I think the easiest thing to do is just laugh. Guys play cards, dominoes, etc...but nothing makes guys gather around like a hilarious story. And when you get to AAA, there are enough veterans that have seen some crazy things in this game...and this Sacramento clubhouse is definitely no exception. I think right now we have 7 guys on the active roster who were in Sac to start the year. But we’re still having a lot of fun being around each other, and we’re getting to know each other better every day.

I’ll try to answer a few more questions next time, as I had a lot of game-recapping to do in this entry. But we have an off-day tomorrow, and I’m playing in the River Cats golf tourney. Then we have a 4-game series at home with Tacoma starting Tuesday, followed by a 4-game road trip to Salt Lake City. Milton Bradley is rehabbing with us right now, and we've heard rumors of Mike Piazza and Bobby Kielty joining us in the near future. Come out and catch a game! See ya at the ballpark!

Gettin' Ziggy With It will be posted on Sunday sometime after the completion of the A's day game vs. St. Louis.

Hey, everyone! It’s been an up-and-down week for the River Cats. After winning the last 3 games of a 4-game series with Albuquerque, we proceeded to lose the first 3 games against Round Rock. But we picked up a big, come-from-behind win yesterday to salvage a .500 homestand. Kevin Melillo was the hero Tuesday, with a 2-run walk-off homer in the 12th inning, giving us the 6-5 victory.

This week was also notable, in that Santiago "Willie" Casilla was promoted to the big leagues, the first player to do so since I’ve been in Sacramento. As a fellow bullpen mate, I’m happy for him, and so far, he’s making the most of his opportunity up there.

As far as my outings this week, I entered in the 6th inning of the final game vs. Albuquerque, with us hanging on to a 2-1 lead. After allowing a 1-out walk, I gave up a triple, scoring the runner on 1st. But I was able to strike out the next 2 hitters to get out of the inning without further damage. A leadoff infield single started the 7th inning, but the next hitter hit into a double play. I struck out the last batter, and then we proceeded to score 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th. The bullpen held our lead, and I was credited with the win in the 4-2 victory. In slang terms, we call this "vulching" a win. This happens when you give up a lead that another pitcher had, but then get the victory yourself. Even though I knew this had happened, as soon as the game was over and we were walking out on the field to shake hands, Danny Putnam was following me in the line, and started making a loud "CAW" noise. Knowing what he was getting at, without even looking at him, I started flapping my arms to let him know that I knew I’d vulched the win, leading to a good laugh.

Then 3 nights later, I was summoned to the game with 1 out in the 5th inning. Round Rock had runners on 1st and 3rd, and we were trailing 5-2. I made a good pitch on the first batter, shattering his bat. But he was able to fist the ball into shallow center, scoring one runner and sending the runner on 1st around to 3rd. I coaxed a groundball out of the next hitter, but it was too softly hit to get a double play, and the runner on 3rd scored. I struck out the last hitter that inning. I was able to pitch around leadoff singles the next 2 innings, striking out 4 more guys. I was sent out to start the 8th inning, somewhat fatigued after having already thrown 44 pitches. I quickly walked the leadoff hitter, and Tony D. (our manager) noticed my tiredness and quickly pulled me for a reliever. With 2 outs, the runner (having advanced to 3rd base) scored on a wild pitch, charging me with another earned run.

While throwing well and racking up several strikeouts, it’s frustrating to me to give up a run in both outings, and to allow the inherited runners to score, despite making quality pitches. But it’s part of the game, and I’m still getting used to the smaller margin for error for relief pitchers. I’m also trying to adjust to the longer outings for which I’ve been called upon. In Midland, I had only gone over 2 innings twice in my 14 outings there. Here, I’ve already done it 3 times in my first 4 outings.

Since the last GZWI...
River Cats record: 3-3  
My stat line: 2 G, 0-1, 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 9 K, 2 BB

UPDATED SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 34-25 (in 1st place -- 2.5 games ahead of Tucson)
All-level Cumulative: 5-1, 1 SV, 1.91 ERA, 33.0 IP, 10 R, 7 ER, 29 H, 30 K, 7 BB

AAA stats: 1-1, 3.60 ERA, 10.0 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 10 H, 13 K, 3 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.17 ERA, 23.0 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 17 K, 4 BB




Q&A:

* Brad, [is] it weird playing with Kaz Tadano with his history?  Also, was it upsetting that he got called up and you were not?  Did you have any inkling of hope that you might be called up instead of Ron Flores, as I saw you and Kaz Tadano being mentioned as possibilities from Double A? -- closetasfan

No, not at all. Kaz is a good teammate. Very respectful and very polite.

I wasn’t bothered at the time when Kaz got called up to Sacramento from AA (a week or two prior to my call-up). He’s a starter, I’m a reliever, so he fit the River Cats’ needs much more than I did at the time. Plus, he’d been throwing very well, and he has much more experience than me at higher levels.

And I never even considered a big league call-up a possibility straight from AA. I’m doing something very new to me, and I need the experience in AAA before I’m ready. Plus, Flores had been lights-out in AAA and had a lot of experience in Oakland from the last two years. I’m happy for him – he deserves this shot.

I finally have a question of my own. In both the majors and the minors, there often come times when the player is going to get some bad news, such as a demotion. I'm wondering: how is it usually handled? Is the player called into the manager's office? I'm wondering how this is handled in a way that does not damage a player's confidence, yet doesn't encourage unrealistic expectations either. -- OaklandSi

I can only speak from experience on this one. I don’t know what other guys have dealt with, but I’ve experienced bad news twice in baseball:

• When the Phillies released me, it was the 4th week of spring training in 2004. I showed up at the complex early on a Monday morning and was immediately summoned to the farm director’s office. Inside was our pitching coordinator, Gorman Heimueller, and our farm director, Mike Arbuckle. I took a seat, and Gorman told Mr. Arbuckle who I was (yes, it was tough to deal with the fact that he needed an introduction to know who I was). Then Mr. Arbuckle proceeded to tell me that I was too old (24) for them to send back to Short-Season A ball in Batavia (NY), but I wasn’t good enough to pitch in Low-A Lakewood (NJ). They released me and gave me info on a flight home later that morning. They were very direct and to-the-point, even though I felt like I’d never been given a fair chance with them. My numbers while pitching with them were good, even though there wasn’t a large sample size to go on. And almost all of my outings in spring training that year were on the road, which meant the minor league personnel weren’t present for those games. The Phillies also had brought in nearly 90 pitchers that spring, and probably only about 60 were given jobs out of camp.

• When the A’s demoted me from Sacramento to Midland last August, it happened on an off-day. Jay Witasick came off the DL, which sent Shane Komine down to Sacramento from Oakland. I was called by our manager and told I was going to be heading to Midland the next day to make room on the AAA roster for Shane. Shortly after, I was called by our trainer and given flight information for my trip to Texas. Again, very direct.

In the times when I’ve been on teams where other guys have been demoted, it seems like they were rarely told when other players were around. It’s done in a very professional way so as not to cause embarrassment and to allow the player time to deal with the frustration that comes with a demotion.

*Something in your first GZWI gave me the impression that you are a deeply religious man.  Does your faith play a role in your development as a player and your attitude on the field? -- atomopawn

I do feel like my faith plays a major role in my life. I’m not sure it affects my physical development as a player, but it definitely affects my attitude toward baseball and my actions on the field. I do realize that there is life beyond baseball, even though I love the game immensely, and I put a lot of effort into it. As a person, I know I’m far from perfect, even though I’m trying my best to live a good life, and my faith is the #1 most important thing in my life.

*Will Carrol at Baseball Prospectus has gone on at great lengths about the need for pitchers to wear protection on the mound to protect themselves from hard hit comebackers. What are your thoughts on the topic? Have you had any close calls? Why do you think it hasn't happened yet? -- devo

I’ve had many close calls, and been hit several times. The worst was definitely the one off the right side of my head that sent me to the hospital for nearly a week. I'll copy and paste part of an article written about me by Kevin Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus:

Ziegler would go 9-2 in 16 games for Modesto as the team won the California League title, but the year ended on a scary note as Ziegler's last playoff start lasted less than a minute when San Jose's Fred Lewis lined the second pitch of the game right up the middle, nailing Ziegler just above the right temple and delivering a 1 ½ inch skull fracture that would lead to five days in an intensive care unit. Ziegler's recollection is a simple one: "It wasn't a good pitch." Doctors would not clear him to pitch again until the following January.

"Until the fracture was totally healed, I was at risk for seizures and hemorrhaging," he recalled. "I was on anti-seizure medication and they said any increase in my heart rate--like pitching--becomes high risk."

As far as wearing protection, I don’t think it’s really feasible for a pitcher to wear it. When I was recovering from my injury, the A’s trainers tried to think up a protective device I could wear, but nothing was possible that would still be practical. As violently as a pitcher’s body is twisted and thrown toward the plate, any extra equipment would surely get in the way. And I’m not sure it happens often enough for anything drastic to be done about it. It’s just a risk that we take every time we walk on the field, and I hope no pitcher ever has to go through what I went through (or worse).

* Question: This week you pitched a lot more innings relative to what you had thrown in previous weeks.  Is this due to the injuries/pitching situation you mention above or is it a sign of the progress you've made with the new delivery? (or both?) -- JLeverenz

Even though this is an older question, I think it could be appropriate for this week, as well. I’d like to think it’s more of a combination of the progress I’ve made and the success I’ve had so far. At the same time, we have been somewhat depleted by injuries and big league call-ups so that several guys are being stretched a little beyond what they’ve been used to. But that’s just part of the game – doing what is asked of you, no matter what the situation is with the game on the field or how many guys are available in the bullpen on any given night.

*You mention attending a little league game in the story above.  I have an eight-year-old who currently plays little league and loves it...and I love that he loves it, volunteer coaching and all.

Couple questions:
Any tips?  Anything you did as a youngster that helped you out? Did your interest in baseball ever wane while growing up?  If so, how did you get it back? -- easyraider

Keep your eye on the ball! Whether hitting or fielding, that’s always a good idea. And practice, practice, practice!

My interest in baseball never waned, because I love the game so much. The one bit of advice I can give: if you know a kid who doesn’t love the game and doesn’t really enjoy playing it, don’t force him/her to play. Try to find something else he/she likes to do, because being happy is most important, especially while growing up.

* Who is the best table tennis player on the [Midland] team, and can i get an autographed ping-pong ball from that player? -- Satchmo22

Bring one to a game, and I’ll sign it for you. :-)

I hope everyone has a great week and weekend! After a much-needed, relaxing day off yesterday, we’re start a 7-game road trip in Tucson tonight. After 4 games here, we head to Fresno for 3 more...then back home for an 8-game homestand. If you come out to visit Raley Field in Sacramento (or anywhere on the road that we play), make sure you come say ‘hi’ in the bullpen or when I’m signing autographs down the 3rd base line before the game. And make sure and tell me your screen name so I can put a face with the name! See ya at the ballpark!

Hello from Sacramento! I was ready to post this yesterday, but the Internet service at the hotel wasn’t working properly. I apologize for the delay.

***SPECIAL NOTICE: TOMORROW, JUNE 1, THE RIVER CATS ARE HOLDING AN OPEN AUTOGRAPH PROMOTION. NEARLY THE ENTIRE TEAM (EXCEPT FOR MAYBE THE STARTING PITCHER/CATCHER) WILL BE SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS BEFORE THE GAME FROM 6:15-6:45. SHOW UP EARLY, AND MAKE SURE YOU SAY 'HI' WHEN YOU SEE ME!***

OK, so if you didn’t hear or read about it, at the end of last week, I was promoted to AAA and joined with the River Cats on Saturday on a road trip in Colorado Springs. Click here for details on my crazy Memorial Day Weekend travel schedule.

I had my first outing for Sac on Sunday – my first appearance in 8 days. I wasn’t hurt or anything...just never called upon to get in a game during that stretch. The rust was obvious to me, as I had a hard time getting ahead of hitters. I came in to start the 5th inning, and pitched until there was 2 outs in the 7th. The game was tied at 4 when I came out, with runners on 1st and 2nd. The next hitter bounced a ball through the right side, scoring the runner on 2nd, and giving me the loss in the 5-4 defeat. All-in-all, I felt like I pitched alright – just need to get in some more games to get the sharpness back that I had in my last few outings in Midland.

We flew home Monday evening after a day game, and it was another crazy travel night for me. One of my bags was not on the luggage carousel at the Sac airport, so I had to go file another missing luggage report. Then I went to pick up my rental car, which was originally a PT Cruiser (yuck! ...no offense to anyone that has one!). For starters, everything on the instrument panel was digital, and it was all set to use the metric system ("kilometers per hour" for my speedometer, "liters til empty" on the gas gauge, and "degrees Celsius" on the temperature indicator). On my way to the hotel, I got a call saying my lost bag (which was a baseball equipment bag I had used in college) had been taken to the clubhouse with the rest of the team’s equipment. I drove to the field to get it, and when I returned to my car, I tried to change the instrument panel to readings that were more familiar. As I was cycling through the system, I realized the gas tank was just a little more than half full. So I drove clear back to the airport, told them of their error, and they gave me a different car – a much sportier one. :-) So I finally got to the hotel around 2:30 AM pacific time that night.

Then last night, I came in at the start of the 7th inning at home vs. Albuquerque. We were down 4-3, and I pitched until there were 2 outs in the 9th (at that time, we were tied at 4). Then I walked a guy, and went 1-0 on the next hitter (I was starting to wear down), so I was taken out of the game, and Santiago Casilla came in and punched out the hitter to get us out of the inning. Then we scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the 9th, and won 5-4. Things were much better last night, command-wise. I was ahead in the count more and got several groundball outs.


Since I joined Sacramento...
River Cats record: 3-3  
My stat line: 2 G, 0-1, 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 K, 1 BB

UPDATED SEASON STATS...
River Cats record: 31-22 (in 1st place -- 1.5 games ahead of Tucson)
All-level Cumulative: 4-1, 1 SV, 1.59 ERA, 28.1 IP, 8 R, 5 ER, 24 H, 21 K, 5 BB

AAA stats: 0-1, 3.38 ERA, 5.1 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 4 K, 1 BB
AA stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.17 ERA, 23.0 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 19 H, 17 K, 4 BB




Q&A:


*You're around the Midland club full-time...batting practice, bullpen sessions, etc... So, who has been most impressive this [season]? And who can we expect to see in Oakland by 2008 or 2009 (September Call-Ups included)? -- Colorado Fan

Obviously, early in the year, Danny Putnam was very impressive, and it earned him a big-league callup. Jeff Gray threw well for Midland before his promotion to AAA, as did Kaz Tadano.

Of the guys still there, Mike Madsen was tremendous on the mound while I was there. Mad-Dog was wrapping up strikeouts at an extremely high rate over the few starts I got to see him. And Gregorio Petit stood out among the position players. He’s probably the most spectacular fielder I’ve ever seen on a baseball field, major leaguers included. And this year, he’s off to a great start hitting, getting on base often while batting at the top of the Midland order most of the year.

There are several other guys that are off to good starts this year as well, and there isn’t a single player I’ve played with this year that I would say has no chance to make it to the big leagues.

It's a well-known fact that the A's don't look for the stolen base as much as other teams. As a pitcher, do you worry less about the runner on first if you know he's not going to steal? Conversely, doesn't it affect your concentration at all if you think the guy is going to run? In other words, can the threat of a SB rattle a pitcher? -- mookyee

Absolutely – a fast runner can definitely distract a pitcher. When I’m on the mound, after I get my sign from the catcher, I take a quick look at the runner. I decide RIGHT THEN whether I’m going to pick to 1st or throw a pitch. After I make my mind up, I try not to let the runner affect my pitch at all. After all, unless I really mess up, a runner on 1st is not going to score without help from the hitter. So if I make good pitches, I’ve got a really good chance of keeping him from scoring.

Front office job: I totally second this...you've proved yourself the master of the politically correct response. On the one hand, I have to say that baseball's culture of civility is something I really like--respecting the people around you is something that I think is cool, and something we need more of today. (It's noticeably lacking in other pro sports: for instance, the normally docile NBA player Tim Duncan's accusations of a "vendetta" when a ref went off on him on Sunday--almost no baseball player, save maybe TB's Delmon Young, would consider saying such a thing, whether or not it was true!) On the other hand, clearly the Bull Durham-esque PC line is to some degree contrived, to put it kindly. I'm curious how strong this code is among the players you've been around at all levels, and how you think everyone learns to do it. -- BerkeleyDawg

I think, for most people, it’s inherent. It’s easy to say things to try to keep everyone happy (especially in a team sport where the dynamic of the team is crucial). When that changes is when a person gets an adrenaline rush. Whether it’s the heat of the battle, or someone getting defensive after a comment made to/about them, or whatever else it may be...when someone’s blood pressure goes up, it’s a lot harder to control what is said, and more of what’s said is based on a knee-jerk reaction. It’s similar to when a player and a coach get in a jawing match in the dugout...or when a player lashes out in front of the media. Usually, the intensity of the game has a lot to do with it. If you just give the situation time to calm down, most of the time, people aren’t going to say anything to offend anyone else. Not that it doesn’t happen, but I think most people have a trait of wanting people around them to like them and not be unnecessarily angry with them. That said, if you do have a point that needed to be made, there are ways you can be tactful about it so that you get your message across without sacrificing truthfulness.

Posted by notsellingjeans:

Any aspect of [the comments Brad Halsey made to the media] that you are able to comment on would be especially useful to us. Things that we would be curious about:

a.) How much are you in contact with the minor league training staff? Do you know if that communication ends up filtering up to Larry Davis and the major league staff? In other words, does the organization's collective medical team work together, or are they fairly independent during the year? The possibility that Beane and Co. would be unaware that Halsey had an MRI scheduled seemed strange to us.

b.) Have you ever told a team or coach that you were sore or felt hurt, and they asked you to push past it? What were the circumstances?

c.) Anecdotally, how much does a player who is "on the cusp" of the big leagues think about things like, "I gotta get to the big leagues this year, or I gotta crack the 40-man roster, so that I can hit arbitration, so that I can make more money?" Is that weighing on some guys' minds during their downtime, or even while competing? I could see that being a major distraction - and for people trying to provide for their families, it's probably in the back of their minds somewhere.

First of all, let me say I’m not going to get into details about injuries and specific comments other players make. I like Brad, and we’re teammates in pro ball right now for the first time. We played together for a few weeks in the Cape Cod League in college in the summer of 2001, so we’ve known each other awhile.

a) We’re in contact with our team’s trainer on a daily basis. They’re always readily available for whatever we need, no matter how major or minor. As far as their communication with the big league training staff and with each other, I have no idea. You’d have to ask them.

b) In college, I had a severe case of tendonitis in my shoulder during my senior season. But I tried to battle through it while our team was on our run to the 2003 College World Series. Until I joined the Phillies, I didn’t know how severe it was, but there was no way I was going to miss out on that opportunity at the end of my college career. Our coaches, however, never asked me to push through any injury. It was totally on me as to whether or not I could pitch.

c) I think, in a way, it probably does affect guys. But I can’t answer for everyone. I just know that I love playing baseball, and I want to succeed at it and have a lengthy big-league career. I’m not playing for the money – I just enjoy it so much that I want to give myself the best chance possible to be a big league pitcher. If that means converting to submarine, then that’s what I’m committed to. But I don’t let anything like that weigh on my mind, because to me, the worrying isn’t worth it. I don’t like anxiety...I just want to enjoy what I’m doing, no matter what it is, and live life as happily as I can.

I hope everyone has a great week and weekend! I’m almost finished with all the questions through GZWI #11. So if you’ve posted since then, I’ll be getting to it soon. And now that I’m in Sacramento, I expect more of the loyal AN body to come out and introduce yourself at a River Cats game! See ya at the ballpark!

In case you haven't seen the diary posted by the colonel, I'm in AAA now! I found out after our game on Thursday night, and I'm extremely excited about the opportunity! We're here in Colorado Springs for 3 more games (last one is at 11:30 AM on Monday)...then we head back to Sactown.

I'm sorry I didn't post anything myself right away, but it was a hectic day-and-a-half for me. My wife, Kristi, had just flown into Midland Thursday afternoon, and I got to see her for the first time after the game outside the dugout...about 10 minutes before I found out I'd be leaving the next day.

So I packed everything up, found a flight home for Kristi, then tried to get a little rest. As you can guess, making last minute travel arrangements on Memorial Day weekend wasn't easy, and it made my travel schedule pretty tough...and, of course, there were complications. There were no flights available all weekend into Colorado Springs, so I flew from Midland to Albuquerque to Las Vegas to Denver. Then had to get a rental car and drive to Colorado Springs to meet the team. When I got to Denver, I found out my luggage was lost, so I spent some time describing my bags to the airline attendants there. He didn't believe me when I told him there were 3 pairs of white baseball cleats in one of the bags. He said "WHITE?!?" Haha.

So, anyway, I got into town late last night. My luggage showed up at the hotel this morning, so I'm ready to go! Can't wait to get out on the field and get the ball rolling again! Have a great holiday weekend, and I'm looking forward to meeting many of you out on the west coast!

Hey, everyone! Sorry I didn’t post yesterday, but I got to do something no Rockhound had done in 32 days...I enjoyed a day off! After a grueling stretch, we finally had a day without a game, and I took advantage with a solid day of fun mixed with relaxation. Even got to take in a little league baseball game last night! Hopefully the team will feel rejuvenated from the day of rest, and we can go on another big run to get ourselves a little cushion at the top of the division.

On a side note, I go back and check the past journal entries at least once a week to check for new comments that someone might have left. So if you’ve missed out on some of the older columns, here’s a link to the entire Gettin’ Ziggy With It collection.

As far as the last week goes, we alternated losses and wins everyday, not counting a game suspended by rain in Midland on Wednesday. In that game, we were tied at 1 with Frisco with 1 out in the top of the 5th when we were delayed over an hour by rain. The lengthy delay made Luis Ramirez, our starting pitcher, unable to continue. So I was summoned from the pen when the game resumed with a runner on 1st and rain still coming down. The first hitter grounded into a fielder’s choice, and the second struck out to end the inning. After we failed to score in the bottom of the 5th, I went back out to warm up in the 6th, but the umpires decided the field was getting unplayable, and they suspended the game at that point until sometime in June. The stats from that game will not be counted in the official stats until the game is completed.

The next night, in Corpus Christi, we got a great start from Ben Fritz – 6 scoreless innings. It was still a 0-0 game when I was called from the pen and had a 1-2-3 7th inning. In the top of the 8th, Gregorio Petit hit a 2-out, 2-run homer to give us a lead. I threw a 3-up-3-down 8th, and then gave way to closer Steve Sharpe who sealed the 2-0 victory for his 7th save. Teammates were quick to give me a hard time after the game about having 4 wins already this year, which is approaching what I had at the all-star break last year AS A STARTER!

Two nights later, a similar situation arose. We were in a 2-2 game, and Mike Madsen had pitched well for 6 innings. I was told to get loose, and that I would be going into the game in the 7th inning. Well, we promptly scored 6 runs in the top of the 7th, causing 2 pitching changes by the Hooks, making my warm-up time seem like an hour. I went in and had a good 7th inning. Then with 1 out in the 8th, I walked a guy. After getting a strikeout, I gave up a double down the 3rd base line just out-of-reach of Jeff Baisley. But our defense was positioned well for the next hitter, and a bloop to right was caught by RF Myron Leslie to end the inning, and we went on to win, 8-3.

This week, we have a 6-game homestand against two teams in the Northern Division: Tulsa and Wichita. Then we travel to their home fields for a 6-game road trip next week.

Since the last GZWI...
Rockhounds record: 2-3 (one suspended game)
My stat line: 2 G, 1-0, 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB (not counting the suspended game)

UPDATED SEASON STATS (after game on Monday, May 14)...
Rockhounds record: 26-13 (in 1st place -- 1.5 games ahead of Frisco)
My stats: 4-0, 1 SV, 1.17 ERA, 23.0 IP, 19 H, 17 K, 4 BB

Q&A:

*I was wondering how much players keep up with things like trade rumors and rule 5 drafts and such. I, for one, certainly don't know all the ins-and-outs of the rule 5, but do players know it and look forward to it?  Or is it more of their agents let them know about it when it seems likely? Also, players obviously don't have a lot of control on if they are traded and such, but do teams tend to give them a warning that they may be shopping them? -- SuperBean

I would say, for the most part, players are very knowledgeable about what’s going on in the system. As far as trade rumors go, most of the time, rumors about minor leaguers don’t exist. We might hear a rumor that the A’s are looking to acquire someone, but we never know what minor leaguers are being offered. At the same time, similar to when we acquire a Jack Cust or Ryan Langerhans for "a player to be named later." That’s usually a minor league guy, and everyone is wondering who will get sent off to the other team later in the year. We just never know, and they don’t give players any kind of notice until the trade is complete.

The Rule V draft is something that’s on a lot of players’ minds, especially this year. The A’s have lots of good players who are in their "protection year" this year – the first year they’re eligible to be selected in the Rule V. So the front office has some decisions to make about who goes on the 40-man roster in the off-season. Guys are very in-tune with this, and pay a lot of attention when the winter meetings roll around. It was weird last year to see Jared Burton get taken by the Reds, after he’d been my teammate and friend for 2 and 1/2 seasons. I hope things are working out for him, but that was the first time I’d had really any personal contact with the Rule V. This off-season will be very interesting from our perspective.

*What's the mood like in the Midland bullpen? Are you guys pretty intent on the game, or is there a lot of crowd-watching/horsing around as a lot of movies and books portray it? What do you guys talk about? Also, how do you react on the mound after a big strike-out? -- nickolai

I would say, for the most part, guys are pretty intent on the game. We’re keeping a chart in the pen that gives us an idea of our starter’s pitch count, as well as how certain hitters have done in the game so far. We also do a lot of communicating, especially when someone is warming up, about how to pitch the hitters that are coming up. We do have a lot of fun, as you have to to help stave off boredom when our pitcher is dealing. It’s a loose, enjoyable group, but also very focused on what we’re there to do.

After a big K (or better yet, a inning-ending double play with the tying run on 3rd), I’ve been known to give a fist pump walking off the mound. I’m not very animated on the mound, though.

There is one player in particular I've followed for 5 years.  I look forward to each season in hopes his hard work will finally pay off.  He did get a Sept call up in 2004, and I know he's aching to get back. He declared FA in Oct and was never signed.  Now he's working out with his HS team, hoping to still get signed this season.  With this in mind, I have several questions about what the process is when this happens. -- kapers (questions follow)


*How hard does an agent work to find a team when the payoff may not be that much?

For starters, agents don’t make money from a minor leaguer’s salary. They get a portion of a first-year player's signing bonus, and they start getting their commission from a big league contract. So their job is to try to help their player get in a system and a situation that will benefit him, and hopefully it will pay off with a big league call-up. My agent works very hard for me year-round. I don’t have any experience with other agents, but I’ve never had trouble getting a contract to this point.

Do teams know he's out there?

Yes.

*Do you try out for the minor league club or the major league club?

That’s a possibility, especially if he’s not playing in an independent league somewhere.

*How long would he wait before it's obvious it won't happen this season, and what are the odds he'd have a chance to sign next season if no one wants him now?

I honestly have no idea on either one. I know it’s possible to get signed after taking a year off, but I don’t know the likelihood.

*Wouldn't he need extended spring training or something before joining a club?

Very likely, but that depends on how bad the team that signs him needs him right away, and what type of shape he’s in when he signs.

*If he's going to go [to an independent league team], doesn't he need to make a decision soon?

From my experience, once the season starts, it’s a lot harder to get signed if you’re not playing somewhere.

*When your team is down in the game, say 7 - 0 and you are called in to pitch the "last inning"... what type of mind-set do you have to go to before pitching?  I mean, you probably know that the game is "done"... yet you need to come in and still "shut down" the last of the batters.  Any insight you could share on that? -- Yas822

The biggest thing for me is that I know at any point, one bad outing could put a damper on what’s been a good year so far. I don’t want to give the other team any edge on me. I want them to be nervous when they see me in the pen, no matter what the situation of the game is. I don’t know if that ever happens, but it’s fun to think about. :-)

From a coach’s standpoint, I would think that if a guy could come into a situation like that and pitch well, that shows a good amount of focus, and I’d be more tempted to put that guy into tighter situations, too. It’s a lot easier to pitch when the game’s on the line, because the concentration level is naturally high. But there’s something to be said for a guy who can come in and get his team some good quality innings to save the rest of the bullpen when the starter was knocked out early.

*As a former college player, during BP, I'd always see our pitchers shagging balls in the outfield. Usually, to make things interesting, they play a game where if they catch it in the air, it's like 3 points, if they catch it on one hop it's 2 points, and on two hops it's one point. I was just curious as to if you play any games like that at all? Also, are you familiar with the games "flip" and/or "2-ball"? These were common games among our team. Do players in the minors know of these games? Just a little curious as to if there were any baseball related games that you guys play on the field... -- ChavyFan03

In college, these games were very common. Not so much the shagging game, but Flip, 2-ball, and Speed-ball were played often at Southwest Missouri State. The problem with the shagging games is the risk of injury with multiple guys racing after balls, and that’s often highly-discouraged by the coaches. However, we don’t play any of these in pro ball. I think a lot of the reason is because our schedule is much more demanding than it was in college, and we just relax as much as we can. Plus, there are some pretty competitive table tennis games in the Midland clubhouse. :-)

This year, in spring training, we (as pitchers) got to play pepper for the first time since I’ve been with Oakland. Apparently, a few years ago, Kirk Saarloos suffered a minor injury in a game of pepper, and it was outlawed until they brought it back this season.

I hope everyone has a great week! I’m looking forward to getting to some of the questions and comments from the recent weeks. See ya at the ballpark!

WOW! Amazingly-busy week for the Rockhounds!

What an unbelievable 2-game stretch our team had over the weekend. Saturday night, we were down 8-1 to San Antonio after the 3rd inning. It was still 8-1 going to the bottom of the 8th, but we scored 4 runs in the 8th and 4 more in the 9th to win the game. Then Sunday (against Frisco), we were trailing 8-1 AGAIN, this time going to the bottom of the 7th. But we rattled off 7 runs that inning and scored the go-ahead run in the 8th to win 9-8, again. Two nights in a row, overcoming 7-run deficits late in the game...absolutely INCREDIBLE!

I don’t know the stats, but I’d venture to guess that we’re close to .500, if not better, when trailing after 7 innings. We have a team that never gives up – lots of character – and it’s bringing us a lot of success so far early this season!

Also, on Tuesday, we had a long, memorable day. Monday night in Frisco, a bad rainstorm came through the Dallas area. Apparently, the Frisco grounds crew had not put the tarp on the night before, so the field was absolutely soaked. So, in an effort to get the game in, the grounds crew spent all day ripping out about 4"-6" of mud from the third base line over to approximately where the 2nd baseman would play. They were going to attempt to bring in new (dry) dirt from somewhere else, but the process was just too time-consuming. About an hour before game time, they realized the field would be unplayable, and we packed our stuff up and headed for Midland. At around 11 PM, we were driving on a Texas interstate when a pickup truck driving the opposite direction crossed over the grassy median onto our side of the highway. Our bus driver, Eddie, did a superb job of avoiding a catastrophe. He slammed on the breaks and jerked the bus to the left. At the same time, the pickup’s driver jerked his wheel to the left, sending him into a spin. The trucked glanced off the side of the bus, and we ended up stopped in the median. Then, after about 30 seconds, the pickup driver just drove off in the direction we had been traveling. For some reason, it appeared he didn’t want to stick around and wait for the police to show up. Thankfully, no one on our end was hurt, and after a couple hours of waiting for the police report to be finished and the tow truck to wedge us out of the muddy median, we were back on the road.

We have 2 more games left on our 8-game homestand, both against 2nd-place Frisco. Then we travel to Corpus Christi for a 4-game series.

Since the last GZWI...
Rockhounds record: 5-2
My stat line: 1-0, 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB

UPDATED SEASON STATS (after game on Monday, May 14)...
Rockhounds record: 24-10 (in 1st place by 3.5 games)
My stats: 3-0, 1 SV, 1.42 ERA, 19.0 IP, 18 H, 13 K, 3 BB

Q&A:

A series of 8 questions from niallmack...

#1 What are some of your favorite baseball quotes that you hear all the time?

Pretty much anything Yogi Berra said... :-)

#2 How does a good pitching coach help the team?

Lots of ways...for one thing, a good PC can spot mechanical issues in a pitcher’s delivery, and give him ideas on how to make in-game adjustments or do some drills to correct problems in between outings. Also, he can help instill a good idea of how to attack certain hitters, give us quality pitch sequences to use, and ensure that we’re under control mentally all throughout the year. Furthermore, one of the toughest things is probably keeping everyone in the bullpen sharp while keeping them content with their amount of playing time. You’d like to go to the hot hand, but can’t wear him out (especially in the minors). And you can’t neglect guys, just because they struggled in their last outing. Scott "Emo" Emerson, our pitching coach here in Midland, does a great job with ALL of this stuff. He’s also good at keeping the mood light, so we’re having fun all of the time, too.

#3 What does a good training staff do to keep the team healthy and effective?

The biggest thing a trainer can do is to be available when a player needs some treatment, and the A’s trainers always are. They give us a quality stretching program to prepare us for each day’s workout, and they provide us with a strength and conditioning plan to keep us in shape during the season, as well as during the off-season. Plus, the player needs to be smart about things he does, such as workouts, eating, etc.

#4 How do you prepare mentally for an appearance, and how much does that make a difference for you and your teammates during a game?

I would venture to say that if you’re not mentally sharp as a pitcher, you will struggle in your outings 99% of the time. There’s such a fine line between a great pitch and a mistake pitch, and if you’re not on your game, especially as you get to the higher levels, you’ll be punished for it. The biggest key to being mentally prepared is just paying attention to the game...knowing the game situation, what hitters are coming up while you’re warming up, and what you need to do to best help your team. The hardest part is being ready every single time the phone rings in the pen, because you never know who they’re going to want to go in the game.

#5 What differences have you seen between different fan bases? Do you see major differences between minor league fans and major league fans? Are there really better fans of one team than another?

The fans here in Midland, while sometimes sparse, are very supportive and fun to play in front of. And the fans in Sacramento and Stockton are great fans, as well!

There are HUGE differences, even within our own league. A lot of fans can be passionate about their teams, but there are certain areas of the country when fans, as a whole, seem to have a better knowledge of the inner-workings of the game. For instance, I mentioned last week that Corpus Christi had great fans. They’re smart, they’re vocal, and they’re just good baseball fans. I threw a game there last year where I came out of the game after 7+ shutout innings, and some of their fans gave me a standing ovation. But the moment I was in the dugout, it was back to heckling the new reliever. St. Louis is that way in the major leagues. Just a really fun atmosphere.

I think the biggest difference between major league and minor league fans is the level of contact with the players. Minor league fans are down on the field every half-inning for a promotion of some kind, and they’re always talking to the players before and after the game. The security at major league games is much tighter, and I think that leads to a slightly greater separation.

#6 Is momentum really a factor in a game? Do you pitch differently in a blowout vs. a tight game? Are there times that you pitch differently according to the situation, and why would you do so?

I think our games over the weekend were a good indication that momentum can be HUGE in baseball. We got down early, and for awhile, we couldn’t get anything going. But the moment we did, the other team seemed to tense up, we got confidence, and our hitters reeled off monster innings to get big come-from-behind wins.

One thing I will say about those 2 nights...walks played a HUGE part in both comebacks. On Saturday, there were something like 5 walks in the last 2 innings. And Sunday, after hitting the first batter of the inning, the Frisco starter walked the next 2 guys before they took him out and we put a run together against the bullpen.

That said, you do have to pitch differently. Sometimes when you have a big lead, you need to give in and throw a pitch down the middle, just to keep from walking a guy...and hope he still makes an out. And there are times when you need a strikeout or need a groundball for a chance at a double play, so those situations affect the pitches you throw, as well.

#7 Do you believe that a coach gets better with more experience? Have you seen somebody who has gotten better through experience?

Yes. I think everyone gets better with experience, no matter what you’re doing. Todd "Trick" Steverson, our manager here in Midland, is an even better manager now than in 2005 (and he wasn’t bad then). But you can see he’s developed, and he’s got a better understanding of his players and does a great job of handling the team.

#8 Have you ever played on a recreational team (adult league baseball) when there was no other team to play for to stay in shape?

No. I don’t play on a team in the off-season because of the chance of injury. I do my own workouts, and will occasionally pitch against the hitters at Missouri State (my alma mater) prior to spring training.

5 questions from Jay...

#1) Who do you think has the most talent/tools among your current (or past) teammates? That is, which guys would get an old-school scout's heart beating a little faster?

Sticking with guys that have been here just since I’ve been with the A’s, probably Buck. He’s big, strong, fast, he’s a great hitter, and he’s good in the outfield. A close 2nd would be Nelson Cruz (big leagues with Rangers). Tools-wise, he’s pretty special. If he puts it together, he’s a scout’s dream.

#2) If you had to bet on one current (or past) teammate becoming an impact major leaguer, who would you take?

Ryan Howard. :-) Is that fair? If you’re talking with Oakland, I would’ve said Putnam, Buck, or Kurt Suzuki. They’ve hit at every level, and they all have great mental make-up.

#3) If you could add one pitch to your repertoire, what would it be? (Other than a 100 mph heater...)

A 99 mph heater.

#4) What would be tougher, starting Game 7 of the World Series or closing it out?

I have no idea. I’ll let you know when I get there... :-)

#5) Any thoughts on Daisuke Matsuzaka? Does the gyroball exist?

He seems to be a pretty good major league pitcher. And, sure, the gyroball exists. I don’t know what it is, but he can call it whatever he wants. :-)

Enjoy your week! Next week’s post may be on Tuesday, also, just because of our travel schedule. I’m trying to get to all the questions from past weeks...just might shorten the answers a little to get to more of them.

We’ve had a wild week-and-a-half since my last journal entry. The day I posted (April 26), we lost to Corpus Christi in 18 innings, 7-6. We ended up using 3 different position players to pitch (Leslie, Faison, Snyder), and even took a 2-run lead at one point in the top of the 17th, but couldn’t pull it out. Made for a long night, to say the least.

After a 4-game series in San Antonio (during which, SP Brad Knox and RP Jeff Gray were promoted to Sacramento), we returned home for a 4-game series with Corpus. The first night of that series, I had my worst outing of the year so far. I was struggling to get the ball down in the zone, and ended up giving up 5 hits in 2 innings (2 R, 1 ER). Along with the hits came 4 flyball outs and only 1 groundout. Thankfully, the bad night came in a game where we had a comfortable lead at the time.

Two nights later, I got another shot at Corpus, and things went much better. Even though my final stat line wasn’t tremendous (2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER), two of the three hits allowed were infield hits, and I got 4 groundball outs and 1 flyout. That alone let me know that I was doing a better job of keeping the ball down and hitters seemed to be having trouble picking it up off of me. That night, I picked up my first career save in pro ball. Striking out the last hitter with the tying run on 1st base was a major adrenaline rush.

We’ve won 6 games in a row, and last night, OF Jason Perry was sent to Sac. So things, lately, have been going well for the Rockhounds. We’re leading the league in pitching with a 3.02 team ERA (San Antonio is 2nd with a 3.73), and we’re 3rd in the league in hitting (.275) while leading the league in OBP (.355) and SLG (.454).

Since the last GZWI...
Rockhounds record: 7-4
My stat line: 1 SV, 6.2 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 K, 2 BB

UPDATED SEASON STATS after game on Sunday, May 6...
Rockhounds record: 19-8 (in 1st place by 2.5 games)
My stats: 2-0, 1 SV, 1.88 ERA, 14.1 IP, 17 H, 9 K, 2 BB



Q&A:

*I was wondering what some of the double-A ballparks are like.  Do you play to mostly filled stadiums?  What are some of the nicest and some of your least favorites? -- Blez

The Texas League has some pretty nice stadiums, especially with the addition of a new stadium in Little Rock. Some of the teams draw well on a regular basis (Springfield, Corpus Christi, Frisco) while some really struggle in attendance (Wichita, Tulsa). Springfield’s obviously my favorite place for a road trip, since I get to go home. Aside from there, my favorite road trip is Corpus. They have a beautiful ballpark, right on the gulf, and their fans have a superb knowledge of the game and create a fun atmosphere every night.

My least favorite stadium in the league is probably Wichita. It’s an old stadium, and it has an Astroturf infield (I think you’ll have a hard time finding a pitcher who enjoys that). However, this is the last year of the team in Wichita. They are moving that franchise to Springdale, Arkansas, in 2008.

Midland is probably right in the middle as far as attendance and stadium. We draw well on the weekends, but crowds are pretty sparse Mon-Wed, usually. The stadium isn’t very old, and the playing surface is in outstanding condition.

I’d rank the stadiums in this order: Corpus, Springfield, Frisco, Midland, Arkansas, San Antonio, Tulsa, Wichita.

Here are some pictures I took when I first got promoted to AA back in 2005 (use the left arrows to slow it down):

*Since you mentioned the weather (and since I'm in Southern NJ, which has gotten drenched for a couple of days), I have a question about rain delays. Have you ever had to pitch on either side of a delay?  How did you stay warm?  Did you lose a pitch or your location after sitting down for the delay, or did you pick up where you left off? -- Nick

I’ve pitched on each side of rain delays at different times in my career (relief in college), but I’ve never done both in the same game. If a game’s delayed more than maybe 15 minutes, there’s usually very little chance of a pitcher continuing in the game after the delay. For the most part, trying to stay warm would consist of riding an exercise bike and possibly throwing in a tunnel somewhere. In today’s game where there’s a premium on taking care of pitchers’ arms, I think you’ll find it’s extremely rare to see a pitcher pitch on both sides of a single rain delay.

*I'm curious about the training the A's players receive? Is the physical training left up to the player or does the organization have a more formal training program? Do the A's offer any type of mental (peak performance) training? Do other organizations differ in their approach?-- NW As Fan

The organization definitely has a plan in place, but they’re ok with us adjusting it to fit our needs as long as we have communication with our strength coordinator, Judd Hawkins. However, it pretty much boils down to how much effort the individual player wants to put into the training. We have many resources to use in this area, but it’s up to the player to access them. And the higher up you go in pro ball, the more self-disciplined you have to be, because the organization expects you to have a clue about how to take care of your body by that point. However, they still provide ample resources at the upper levels, as well.

As far as mental training, for me every day is a mental workout: watching the game, picking apart the other team’s hitters, paying attention to effective pitch sequences, etc. We don’t really have a sit-down, classroom session for peak performance training. But all of our coaches at every level are very schooled in mental aspects of baseball and life in general. Also, we have an organizational psychologist that we can call at any time for any confidential assistance we might need. The A’s do a great job of making sure that we have no off-field excuses for our performance.

I’m really not sure how other teams handle this stuff. I wasn’t with the Phillies long enough to get involved in this aspect of the game. But I know when players come over from other teams, they like how laid-back the system is and how the A’s don’t try to totally control our lives on and off the field.

*Watching Jay Marshall in the bigs, and considering how he jumped from single-A ball to the Majors and seems to be holding his own, would you say the difference between each level of minor league (and major league) ball is a lot less than we think? And as a submariner now, do you watch him making his way upstairs and feel like he's the guy you'll need to displace? -- HollywoodOz

To begin, Jay had phenomenal numbers in high-A ball last year (62 IP, 46 H, 44 K, 8 BB, 1.02 ERA, .210 BAA, 2 HR allowed). I think the difference is still pretty big, but that doesn’t mean a few guys can’t make huge strides in one off-season to help shrink that gap. I would think that the success rate is pretty rare, but Jay’s a nice guy, and I’m happy he’s holding his own in the big leagues so far.

I don’t, at all, feel like he’s a guy I’m competing for a spot with. For starters, he’s left-handed. So, for the most part, he’s going to be brought into a game to face lefties (LH hitters batting .118 off him so far in 2007). I’d be a guy that would be brought in primarily to face right-handed hitters. I hope it’s not too long, and I’ll be pitching along side him in the A’s bullpen, and we can complement each other’s roles.

*What's life like in Midland, Texas, as a minor league ballplayer?  Ever get recognized at the local grocer?  Live by yourself in an apartment or share with some other farmhands to defray the costs? -- Tim J

Life in Midland isn’t too bad. Midland’s kinda out in the middle of nowhere in west Texas, so you can’t really go anywhere as an alternative to the city. But the city supports the team well, and they take care of the players, too. We get to watch movies for free at the local theater, and we get huge discounts on rounds of golf (free green fees, pay for cart) as well as free haircuts, etc. I’d think it’s pretty rare that someone recognizes us out in public, but I’m sure it’s happened at some point.

Most players live in apartments together to save money on rent. However, I’m in a very fortunate situation. I met a family at church here at the end of 2005 who offered to take me in for the last season and this one. Also, when Danny Putnam returned to Midland near the end of last season after rehabbing his knee, he moved in with us (he had his own host family from the same church earlier in that season). The family I stay with is a lot of fun and really nice, and they have helped me out in so many ways. They’re also big supporters of the team, attending games on a regular basis. Host families are very common in lower levels, but having one in AA is pretty rare.

*I always hear the announcers chattering on about pitchers "working on things" in Spring Training that they can't work on during the regular season. Does that have to do with mechanics or pitch location, or what? Is it really like a grand experiment just to see what works and what doesn't? I would guess that guys trying to make the team would be a little less concerned with working on things and more about the results...is that true? Have you been experimenting with anything or just trying to get good results? -- cirquegirl16

Most of the time, as pitchers, I would say they’re either working on mechanics, refining their current pitches, or developing a new pitch. The thing about baseball is that it’s a game of constant adjustments. If you’re not working on improving your weaknesses, you will be exposed before long and someone will take your job. At the higher levels, the scouting reports on a player get more in-depth, so they’re more useful in finding someone’s weaknesses. In the big leagues, with the video and technology they have available, players must constantly make adjustments or they’ll simply not last.

My entire spring training this year was an experiment in switching to submarine. I even made a major adjustment on the next-to-last day of spring, which I’ve been trying to get comfortable with this whole season (after doing things differently all off-season). The results have been pretty good so far, but I’m still working on getting everything comfortable and consistent. Hopefully it will keep developing and I can worry more about the pitches I’m throwing instead of what my body’s doing each time.

My parents are excited, because tomorrow night, they’re going to the A’s game in Kansas City to see Putnam and the team play the Royals. I hope someday I get the chance to play 30 minutes from where I grew up. :-) After tomorrow’s game, we finally get an extended (8-game) homestand. Can’t wait to sleep in my own bed for a week. Till next Monday...

Blez asked me to postpone this post til Thursday morning, even though it was ready Tuesday night...blame him! :-)

This was an amazing week. Sunday afternoon, I got to experience the coolest moment of my baseball career. I’ve been very blessed with many things in this game, including pitching in the College World Series, being drafted, being promoted twice, winning 2 championships in pro ball...but Sunday topped them all. I got to be at the field when my best friend with the A’s, Danny Putnam, was taken out of the game in the 7th inning and told he was being called up to the major leagues. Never before in this game have I experienced a moment of joy and excitement like I did at that time. It was so cool! I’m really happy for Danny and his wife, Becky. They’re great friends, and I hope they enjoy every minute of his big league career.

Back in Midland, it was a pretty good week for me. I pitched an inning last Monday in Little Rock. After giving up back-to-back singles to start the inning, the 3rd hitter hit into a fielder’s choice, leaving runners at 1st and 3rd with 1 out. Then I used the "fake-to-3rd" pickoff move and caught the runner on first stealing. We tagged him out in a rundown, and then I struck out the last batter to get out of the inning unscathed. We ended up winning that one, 2-0. Then on Saturday night, I pitched 2 scoreless innings, striking out 2 while giving up one hit. We lost that game, 3-1. In Corpus Christi two nights ago (Tuesday), I pitched 2.1 innings of relief, allowing 2 hits and 0 runs, picking up the win in an 11-5 victory.

Since the last GZWI...
Rockhounds record: 6-2
My stat line: 1 W, 5.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4 K, 0 BB

Updated season stats after game on Wednesday, April 25...
Rockhounds record: 12-4
My stats: 2-0, 1.17 ERA, 7.2 IP, 7 H, 6 K, 0 BB


Q&A:

*Over at www.baseball-reference.com, I found 2 Zieglers who have played in the major leagues, both of them for about a year's time, and both over a hundred years ago: Charlie Ziegler and George Ziegler. Any chance either of these guys is related to you? -- Philip Christy

Not that I’m aware of.

*Brad, a couple of weeks ago you mentioned that the meal money for minor league players is pretty skimpy.  Would you say that most players maintain a well-balanced, nutritious diet?  Or do a lot of the guys stay on the Taco Bell, Burger King, Domino's rotation?  Does the organization lean on you to eat well? -- Soaker

Well, when we’re at home, we don’t get any meal money. We are living just on our salaries at that point. On the road, we get $20/day. It’s tough to eat more than fast food, especially when $4 (+ tip) of that goes to clubhouse dues for the day (at home, we pay $6/day). We always try to find little sandwich shops and delis that will allow us to eat somewhat healthily, but it’s often difficult. The team doesn’t preach to us about healthy eating, although they do hint that they’d prefer we did as well as we can. A lot of times, guys will try to eat as much as they can at the clubhouse, but often there isn’t a lot available when we’re on the road. It’s a difficult scenario, but we make do.

*You're back in Midland? Isn't that a bit of a disappointment considering you finished last year in AAA? I know you resigned as a minor league FA. Does this demotion (for lack of a better term) effect how much you get paid? And were you given a reason why the organization sent you back down to Midland? -- grover

Well, for starters, I didn’t finish last year in AAA. I was sent back to Midland with about two weeks left in the season (when Jay Witasick came off the big league DL) to make a couple more starts. But now that I’m a submarine reliever, it really didn’t surprise me that they sent me to Midland to start the year. Yes, it affects how much I’m paid (as would be the case for almost every player). And the main reason they told me I was starting in Midland is because they wanted me to get used to my new role and mentality as a reliever while I was still getting comfortable with the submarine motion.

*This question is about the Midland staff. Being early in the year can you describe how the rotation and pen is set up? I saw Dallas Braden threw the first game, but what other 4 are slated to start? Plus how are the roles in the bullpen defined? Are you slated to be a late inning situational right hander? Last but not least, how is it throwing to Landon Powell since he was rated the best defensive catcher in the cal league? Does he call the game or is it from the dugout? -- Bud Light

Originally, our starting rotation was set to be these guys, in this order:
Dallas Braden, Brad Knox, Ben Fritz, Kaz Tadano, Kevin Deaton.

Braden’s now in the big leagues, so yesterday, we received Dan Meyer from extended spring, and he started for us Monday. His velo was great (88-92 most of the night), but we just found out he's leaving for Sacramento on Friday. Michael Rogers started for us Tuesday, and Andy Shipman is moving to a starter's role this Saturday. It’s been a hectic year so far, but we’re hanging in there as a staff, trying to keep our team in as many games as we can.

Our bullpen’s been a little short-handed, with the retirement of Jeff Coleman, but Shipman gave us 4 outstanding relief innings Monday to give the pen a little rest. Also, we’ve promoted Brad Kilby from Stockton, and we're hopefully getting another player soon (Friday is the word). Jeff Gray seems to have established himself as the closer (threw 2.1 outstanding innings last night while the pen was still short-handed), and everyone else is pretty much on-call at any time.

Powell is great to throw to. He works hard at learning each pitcher’s likes and dislikes, as well as studying the other teams’ hitters. He’s possibly the best throwing catcher I’ve ever played with, as it seems like he’s gunning down a couple would-be base stealers every night.  All of the catchers I’ve thrown to in the A’s system have been tremendous, and I have no problem with whoever is back there.

1. Have you had any managers or coaches you couldn't stand? Teammates?
2. Have you ever thrown at a batter intentionally? Why?
3. Have you ever been charged or involved in a brawl? -- McFood

1. Nah. Everyone has disagreements at times, but I’ve gotten along with pretty much everyone I’ve been on a team with.

2. Yes, but not since I’ve been with the A’s. I’ve done it twice, and both times it was to protect my teammates - guys on our team that had been hit. There are unwritten rules about this, and I’ve always followed them...

3. I’ve never been charged, but I’ve been in 3 bench-clearing incidents with various teams. Only one of the incidents had punches thrown, but I wasn’t involved physically in any of the altercations.

I hope everyone is having a great week. Hopefully Putnam will rake, Buck will get 100% healthy, and Braden & Marshall will continue to pitch well, and the young A’s can help keep the team in 1st place. We’re in Corpus Christi, and tonight’s the 4th game of an 8-game road trip (after tonight's game, we leave to play the last 4 games in San Antonio). Keep the comments/questions coming! :-) And FYI, I’ll probably just wait till next Monday (May 7) to post again. THANKS!

The next installment of Gettin' Ziggy With It will be posted sometime Tuesday or Wednesday. Crazy travel schedule has made it tough the last couple days. Get your questions ready!

Well, since there's no A's game tonight, I'll go ahead and post this in the early evening. We played at 10:30 AM this morning, so it's been a relaxing afternoon.

This week has been pretty uneventful baseball-wise, as weather is wreaking havoc on our schedule (just as it is all over pro baseball). We played the first game of our series in Springfield last week, winning 4-3. Then the last 3 games of the series (which were scheduled to be played over 2 days) were rained/snowed out. So we drove to Little Rock, AR, where we’ve split the first two games of the series (losing 9-3 Sunday and winning 15-1 today). We’re supposed to play tomorrow night in Little Rock, but thunderstorms are forecasted for the area, so cross your fingers on our behalf...we need to get this game in! After tomorrow’s game, we’ll board the charter bus and head back to Midland for a 4-game homestand.

The road trip wasn’t a total washout, though, as I was able to see my wife and spend some time with family and friends in Springfield and Little Rock. Springfield is my hometown, and my sister lives just outside of Little Rock. Traveling so much during the season, I don’t get to see them often, and I enjoyed the time I got with them.

I have yet to pitch on the road trip thus far, so my statistics are the same as they were last week...

Rockhounds record: 6-2
My updated season stat line: 1-0, 3.86 ERA, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K, 0 BB

Q & A:

*As a pitcher it has to be tough when the UMP has a small strike zone. Mentally, the pitcher feels like he is throwing in the strike zone but not getting the call from the UMP. How does a pitcher "regroup" when this happens? -- Yas822

My biggest key with an umpire is he has to be consistent. I can handle a small strike zone as long as it stays the same the entire game. To succeed as a control pitcher, you have to know as soon as the catcher catches the ball if it’s a strike or not, even before the umpire makes a call. If you are always having to wait for his call to know, that’s when it’s the most frustrating (unless he calls everything a strike, of course).

*Is it frustrating for some players in the minor league system who might feel like a more highly rated prospect gets several opportunities to succeed at the major league level whereas a guy who might not be as high on the "prospect" rankings is putting up the numbers in the minors, but still doesn't seem to get that chance. I mean, if you're a high draft pick or one of the organization's favorites you get every chance to succeed, but if you aren't in that position does it get tremendously frustrating? -- Blez

The bottom line, in all circumstances, is that baseball is a business. The organization makes investments, and they want the bigger investments to pay dividends. And the big league team wants to win.

If you make an investment, you’d want it to pay off, too. In the grand scheme of things, a $1000 investment for a baseball team doesn’t involve a lot of risk. When you give $1.3 million to a player, you hope to get big returns. At some point, the talent was there, and they keep giving chances to the player in hopes that it clicks for him and he’s the big league regular they foresaw in him as an amateur. But if a minor leaguer who is NOT a top prospect is playing lights-out, I guarantee he’ll get a shot at a higher level (especially if the team sees him developing into a potential big-leaguer).

*I pitch myself a little bit in a league here in Switzerland/Europe, and there is always a batter or two that i just don't feel comfortable to pitch against. It always feels like they know what is coming, and I have no confidence that I could throw anything by them. On the other hand there was this other hitter, actually one of the best in the league, that I totally owned. I see him in the on-deck circle, and I'm already looking forward to get him out. Do you have similar experiences with hitters and if yes, who is it? -- homerun13

In 2005, as a starter in Stockton (high-A), I was striking out a lot of batters. I had a great changeup going all season, and occasionally, I knew before I even threw it that guys were going to swing and miss at it. However, Clay Timpner from San Jose (Giants) would not miss that changeup. He’d always at least foul it off, and then he’d seem to catch another pitch (even a good one) and smoke it for a hit. The most frustrating thing was that he was their leadoff hitter, so it felt like I was always pitching with runners on base. If you checked stats, there were probably other guys who hit me well, but Timpner always stuck out in my mind.

*A lot of recent statistical research has shown that a pitcher has little influence on the outcome once a ball is put in play. That is to say, the Batting Average on Balls put in Play (BABIP) is fairly random for any given pitcher. Does that strike you as totally counter-intuitive, or does part of it ring true (sometimes good pitches get hit hard, and guys pop up a fat changeup down the middle)? -- MrIncognito

There are definitely hard-hit balls on good pitches, and mistake pitches that get missed by the hitters. But there is so much more to it than that. I don’t know the statistical research that well, but I know my job as a submariner is to get ground balls. If they hit a ball on the ground and it gets through for a hit, I did my job and there’s nothing I can do about it at that point (except go after the next hitter). And if they hit a fly ball off of me, even if I get an out, I need to make an adjustment to try to get the ball sinking more and lower in the strike zone. There are a lot of stats that I don’t think are good measures of a pitcher, and BABIP would probably be one of them. They may have some use, but I think a pitcher’s value can be seen in other more-common stats (WHIP, BAA, etc.).

2 questions from captainbubblehead...

*[This was right after I pitched my first inning in a big league spring training game...] Do you think the adrenaline will be similar next time out or will it help to have been there?

I think it will definitely help to have been there. I got the first experience out of the way, and I had some success. At the same time, I know I’ll have adrenaline. I get adrenaline going as soon as they call down to the bullpen and tell me to get throwing, even if we’re losing 9-1 (like my last outing). It’s just a matter of harnessing the adrenaline and using it to benefit me instead of it being a hindrance.

*What's the funniest thing you've ever seen a fan do or heard a fan say at a ballgame? What's the funniest thing you've ever heard a manager say to an umpire?

I don’t think my response to either of these would be appropriate in a public forum. :-)

Thank you all for continuing to read and respond. Enjoy the week, and hopefully the weather will allow us to get in a full schedule of games this week.

Hello again! First off, let me apologize for the delay in posting this week. It’s been a pretty hectic schedule since we got our season started, most of which has been caused by weather. On Thursday, we opened up at home vs. Springfield (St. Louis’ AA) and got off to a good start, winning 7-1.

On Friday, a cold front started moving through town (yes, in Texas), dropping the high temperature for the day into the low 50’s. Along with the cold temps came a 25-30 mph north wind. At game time, wind chills were in the high 20’s, and by the end of the game, it was sleeting and the wind chill had dropped to single digits. Our bats were cold most of the game, as we trailed 3-0 going to the bottom of the 9th. But Brian Snyder hit a 3-run homer to tie the game, and we added another run in the 10th to take home the victory.

That night, the wintry mix of weather moved on into town, and our game Saturday was snowed out. On Sunday, Arkansas (Angels’ AA) came to Midland to start a 3-game series, but there was still too much ice and snow on the field to play. So we scheduled a double-header for Monday evening. (As a side note, all minor-league double-headers are scheduled as two 7-inning games.)

On Monday, we started out in a little bit of a hole, but rallied to take a 6-5 lead on the strength of a 3-run double by Danny Putnam. After Arkansas tied the game, we went on to play 12 innings. We won the game on a walk-off homer by third baseman Jeff Baisley, his 2nd homer of the game. I pitched the 12th inning, so I was able to get my first win since converting to relief pitcher. In the top of the 12th, Baisley and shortstop Gregorio Petit made back-to-back TREMENDOUS plays on grounders. Those are a lot of fun to watch when you’re standing on the mound...

After the game, a thunderstorm moved in and washed out the 2nd game, so a double-header was scheduled for Tuesday. We got beat up a little bit in the first one, losing 9-1, but we came back in game two and got another walk-off win on a double by Eddie Cornejo in the bottom of the 7th.

Then we loaded up the bus and took off for Springfield, MO, leaving at around 10:15 PM. We got into Springfield around 10:30 AM, and we have a day off today.

Rockhounds record: 4-1
My updated season stat line: 1-0, 3.86 ERA, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K, 0 BB

<ins>Q & A:</ins>

Do you have any superstitions before a game? -- gotgreen

I really don’t. I have a routine that I go through, but it’s not disruptive to me when it’s interrupted. And sometimes, I have to take time out to play some ping pong or card games in the clubhouse. In college, I wore eye black for every game I pitched, and that’s something I’d like to bring back at some point after I’ve established myself in the big leagues. :-)

What is your typical day like during spring training, and how does that change once the regular season begins? -- gojohn10

In spring training, we have a lot of early-morning meetings. Often, we’ll have a meeting at 8 AM and be out on the field stretching at 9. We’ll do our conditioning right after our stretch, then begin our throwing program. At that point, we’ll break up into 12-minute stations where we work on a variety of things, including team defense (bunts, rundowns, pickoffs, etc) and pitchers’ fielding practice (aka PFP). Then we’ll go shag in the outfield while the hitters take batting practice, usually wrapping up around noon for a home game (a little earlier for road games). After eating a sack lunch, we’ll play a regular game at 1 PM. There are changes to that sometimes, but that’s a very standard day in minor league camp.

In the regular season (for a night game at home), pitchers are usually on the field stretching around 2:15. After running and throwing (bullpen sessions also), we start shagging for team BP around 3:30. We’ll hang out in the clubhouse after BP (while the other team is hitting), and then get ready to go. In Midland, early in the year, the night games are at 6:30 PM (a little earlier start than it will be later in the summer – most likely to allow kids who are still in school to make it out to the games and still get to bed at a decent hour).

2 questions from Henduland in Texas...

How much do you change your approach based on the hitter? Do you have a scouting report for each individual?

Everything we do is based on each individual hitter and the game situation. We try to pick up as many tendencies on each hitter as possible so we can try to keep them off-balance and uncomfortable at the plate. We do have scouting reports, but early in the year, they’re very limited. They get much more in-depth as the season goes on. There are many guys we’ve faced in the past, but a lot of times they’ve fixed their weaknesses from previous years, so we have to adjust our approach.

How big of a role does the catcher play for you? Do you work better with some than others?

Catchers play a huge part, especially for a reliever. It’s sometimes hard to tell from the bullpen what pitches and locations their hitters were seeing early in the game. So we come into the game and rely heavily on the catcher to help mix up the sequences. It’s always more comfortable to work with a catcher the more you get to throw to them, but I’ve never had any trouble getting in-sync with any of the catchers in the A’s system. They’re all very intelligent, and they do a great job of remembering our pitchers’ strengths and gameplans.

A series of questions from HollywoodOz...

Which team do you root for (other than the A's)?

Living just outside of KC, I grew up rooting for the Royals. After Pujols was drafted by the Cards, I started following them more closely (my dad had grown up a Cardinals’ fan, too). But I followed the A’s before they ever drafted me, because Tim Hudson has been my favorite pitcher since he reached the big leagues.

If you weren't a ballplayer, what would you do for work?

If I had never gotten into pro ball, I’d probably be teaching high school math and coaching HS baseball. However, the more I’ve been around pro ball, the more I would like to eventually either be a coach, an advanced scout, or get some sort of job in a big league front office.

Do the A's put you through any courses or programs to prepare you, as you roll through the system, for things like the media spotlight, dealing with nasty fans, handling money - that kind of thing? Basically, do they teach you the Bull Durham cliches?

I went through a one-hour session like that in my first spring training with the Phillies. But since I already had pro playing time when I joined the A’s, I haven’t done anything like that with them. I’m not sure what they offer to the draft picks and other first-year players. But I know if we have any issues or questions, they have a variety of people in place to help us handle our situations and lead us down the right path.

I know in the lower levels of the A's minor league system, pitchers only take batting practice when they get a shutout the day before. But as you get closer to the majors, do the A's begin to put work into your batting - you know, so you're not looking all Zito in a World Series or inter-league game?

No, we don’t do any hitting preparation for inter-league play. I have been on teams that have taken pitchers’ BP when a shutout is thrown, but even that starts tapering at the higher levels. I’m not sure how that will be handled this season, but I do know on warm days in Midland, the ball carries very well to left field. :-)

When pitchers take BP, how do you fare? And which other pitchers hit hardest, and suck most?

I’m not going to claim to be the best-hitting pitcher, but I wouldn’t say I’m the worst, either. I’m just somewhere in the middle. Connor Robertson is the best BP hitter of all the pitchers I’ve played with in the A’s system. He’s not afraid to put some balls well over the fence.

Thanks again for the great response to this journal. Hopefully our schedule this coming week will allow me to post on Monday or soon after. Enjoy the week, and keep the questions coming!

Just a quick note...

We had a 12-inning game tonight in the first game of a double-header...then waited for nearly 45 minutes before the postponed the 2nd game because of rain. So I will post GZWI tomorrow night after our double-header. Enjoy the A's home opener!

Good evening, everyone! What an exciting time! It’s good to get to the end of spring training healthy, and I’m so excited for the season to start. Today’s been a lot of fun, just sitting back and watching MLB games all day. I wasn’t able to watch the A’s game, but I tried to catch it intermittently on XM Radio...sandwiched around a "welcome" dinner for our team here in Midland. Sounded like a tough game...

Camp ended on a positive note for me, as I was able to tweak my delivery a little bit and add a little more velocity to my pitches, improve my breaking ball, and hopefully keep the deception that’s created by the submarine delivery. I was able to get in one game after making the adjustment, and I had an 8-pitch inning against the Angels’ AA team. Our entire staff was outstanding that day, as we played 9 and ½ innings (our team batted in the 10th to give the Angels’ pitcher some more work) in 1 hour, 53 minutes. Brad Knox, Jeff Coleman, Steven Sharpe, and I combined to 2-hit the Angels’ team on 106 pitches. It was a great tune-up to lead us into the season.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), we have our media night as well as holding a practice that’s open to the public. After a workout Wednesday, our first game is scheduled at home on Thursday against the Springfield Cardinals (St. Louis’ AA club). Dallas Braden will take the hill on opening night for us.

Now, I’ll attempt to tackle a few more of your questions...


*Given the transient nature of minor league ball, is it hard to make lasting friends on the clubs you join?  Who are your best buds on the team right now, and what do you think of them as ballplayers? -- rickeyrocks

For me, it’s been easy to make friends in baseball. I’ve always been a pretty outgoing person, and I enjoy meeting players from other teams, as well as getting close to guys on my team. I have several friends that I keep in touch with that are no longer playing or have moved on to other teams.

My best friend in the A’s system right now is Danny Putnam, an outfielder who will start this season in AA. Danny and I have gotten along great ever since we were first teammates at the beginning of the 2005 season. We have a lot in common off the field, and that helps make it easy to keep in touch in the off-season.

*My question revolves around a former top prospect Dan Meyer. I have been extremely high on him since he came over in the Huddy deal. I was disapointed to here he has been sent down to minor league camp already. Can you let us know how he is throwing, and if you think he is finally healthy and ready to join the rotation in 2008? -- Bud Light

I know people are curious about the health status of various players, but that's really not up to me to discuss. It's basically a private issue between the player and the ballclub. I will say that Dan has been pitching throughout spring training, and he is scheduled to start the season in extended spring training.

3 questions from IM4Oakgal...

*How you feel about other minor league pitchers? Jim Bouton always said he wanted other pitcher's to win the game but "not at his expense." Did you ever read Ball Four?

I touched on this in another column, but I’ll briefly reiterate...I feel like if I’m good enough to get to the big leagues, then somehow I’ll end up there. And either way, I want to have fun playing, and it’s no fun to lose. So I choose to root for all my teammates, because I want to enjoy the time that I have playing this game. (No, I did not read Ball Four.)

*How about adding a few personal observations about players? For instance who do you think is the smartest player? Hardest worker etc. I realize you can't insult anyone but it would be interesting to read about some of your observations.

I've played with a lot of great, intelligent, hard-working ballplayers. I don't think there's any way I could separate them based on their intangibles, and there are way too many to try to name them all.

*Why is the print back to gigantic size again on the site?

I have no idea. Haha.

Sorry today's column is shorter than previous ones. I'm extremely tired from the long drive to Midland yesterday. Thanks for your questions. Keep them coming! I’m still planning to address everything that has and will be asked, even if I don’t get specific to safe face. Next week, I’ll give you an update on how our season is going through the first few games, and I’ll briefly talk about any outing(s) I’ve had up to that point. Enjoy the week of games!

Hey! Hope everyone’s had a great week! There has been a lot of player movement in the minor leagues this week, as opening-day rosters are being finalized. We break camp on Sunday, and without taking anything for granted, it’s looking like I’m headed to AA Midland to start the season (Colorado Fan, that answers your question). I’m excited for the opportunity to take my new delivery into the season and try to help a team win some ballgames. I got to dress for a few more major league games this week, but no more game action.

To get to more of your questions, I’m going to keep the intro short and sweet and just start answering...

*Do you have any thoughts on or feelings that you would be willing to share about the PEDs issue? -- IM4Oakgal

I’m totally against them. To me, there’s more to life than making money, and I’m not someone who will do absolutely anything to make the major leagues. I try to work as hard as I can on a daily basis, but if I get to the majors, I want to know that my God-given ability and hard work are what got me there, not help from illegal drugs.

From a player’s standpoint, one minor thing I wish they would change about the plan is this: I wish they would notify a player when his sample was tested, and that he came back clean. In the minor leagues, when we’re tested, every non-40-man player in the locker room gives a sample, and then MLB randomly selects which samples are tested. However, no one ever knows if their sample was selected unless they have a positive test. Many players take dietary health supplements, protein shakes, etc., to try to benefit themselves as much as possible. However, we never really know if what we’re taking is 100% ok, or if we were simply not selected to have our sample tested. I just wish they would notify guys if their sample came up clean.

*Can you tell us who some of your favorite MLB players have been over the years? -- baseballgirl

Without going into a lot of detail (I’ll try to put them in chronological order)...
Bret Saberhagen, Mark McGwire, Kurt Stillwell, David Justice, John Smoltz, Billy Wagner, Tim Hudson, Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, Grady Sizemore, David Wright.

Justice was my favorite for a long time, and Hudson’s always been my favorite pitcher since he first broke into the majors with Oakland. There are a lot of other guys that I really admire and I think play the game passionately. Two that come to mind: Mike Piazza & Derek Jeter. I love watching those guys run to first on infield groundouts – it’s truly 100% hustle.

*Do any players follow any particular publications, websites, or blogs? Ever hear anybody mention, oh I dunno, AN for example? -- Sixto

Every time a new issue of Baseball America comes out, we get copies in the clubhouse. Also, I’ve had several players who have asked me about my blog, and I’m not sure how they originally found out that I was doing it. The reaction has seemed to be very positive, and a few players (no names) have been reading on a weekly basis.

*Why do pitchers have better stuff on some days and not on others? Along a similar vein how does the organization try and keep pitchers healthy and consistent? -- niallmack

To answer your first question: I have no idea...and if you get an answer, please let me know -- I'll split the profits with you. That was always one of the toughest things to figure out when I was starting. One philosophy I’ve always had, though: it’s easier to pitch when you feel great...it’s the days where you’re really having to battle that make the difference between a good season and a mediocre/bad season. Those are the days that can either kill an ERA or you survive, control the damage, and start getting ready for the next start.

I think the biggest thing a pitcher can do is find a routine that works for him and try to stick to it as much as possible. So much of baseball is muscle-memory, and getting your body into a habitual pattern often breeds success.

*I went to spring training last week, and got to see you throw a bullpen in Peoria against the Padres.  However, as you were in there, a lefty submariner was pitching in the game.  Does that make you regret your decision to change at all, or do you feel your chances to excell have not diminished? -- GOakland

Absolutely no regret. For one thing, Jay Marshall (the lefty) is a really nice guy. His motion is designed specifically for him to get left-handed hitters out, while hoping to be able to get righties out, as well. Mine is the opposite: designed to get righties out. If we’re ever on the same team together, I’d hope we’d be able to complement each other well to allow a manager to pick match-ups late in games.

*Who is the best hitter you've faced so far at all levels and why? What stadium has the most fun atmosphere and also which one is the hardest to pitch in so far? -- StrikeThree

In high school, Albert Pujols. In college, Ryan Howard (in intrasquads). I think those two need no explanation. In pro ball, the best hitter I’ve faced is Howie Kendrick. While I had some success against him (as did other guys on my teams), I’m not sure I ever got him to swing-and-miss at any pitch. And he’s a guy that many people have predicted to win a batting crown at some point in his career.

One of the best atmospheres for me to pitch in was in Springfield, MO, because of all the friends and family that came to watch me pitch in my hometown. But as far as going to watch a game as a fan (or charting pitches in the stands), Corpus Christi has a great stadium with a fabulous atmosphere – very knowledgeable and enthusiastic fans. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed going there the last two years.

The hardest stadium for me to pitch in, to this point, is Tulsa. The ball carries well there, and I had a horrible outing in my first start there last year (6 home runs allowed in 3 innings...including the first 3 batters of the game). I just seemed to have trouble keeping the ball out of the top of the strike zone, for some reason, and they weren’t missing my mistakes.

I hope everyone has a great week. Next Monday’s edition will be exciting, because it will be Opening Day of the Major League season! Also, rosters will be finalized, and I’ll have a better idea of what the early season schedule holds for my teammates and me. And to everyone on the west coast: enjoy the Battle Of The Bay!