I met him in a clubhouse down in Old Oakland
Where if the players aren't in pain they've got exotic diseases like ebola
e-b-o-l-a ebola

He walked down to first every time he had a chance
I asked him about his "projection" and then the Voice of God said PECOTA
P-E-C-O-T-A PECOTA P-E-C-O-T-A PECOTA

[Original lyrics here. OK, yeah, I've finally officially crossed over into Weird Al territory. So be it.]

[Full Poetic Interlude after the jump.]

Continue reading this post »

It's almost here. Yes, we're on the verge of Spring Training. P's and C's report to Papago at 10 a.m. Duke, Dana, Gio, Ziggy. Mazzaro, Anderson, Cahill. Wuertz and Springer. Zooks, Bowen, Powell.

                         Of course 
                         you want something. You must have 
                         hopes, wishes, dreams.

 

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Tony Reagins is possibly interested in signing Bobby Abreu or Adam Dunn.

This concerns me greatly: for all the positive steps taken by the A's this offseason, by all reckonings (quantitative and qualitative) they have only really just drawn even with the Slegna. Beane has once again pushed the team into a position where they project to be competitive, not dominant, with several obvious and deep holes in the roster (shortstop, starting rotation, health status of Chavez and Ellis and Duchscherer).

Now, granted, this Dunn/Abreu-to-the-Slegna development could end up being merely the counter to the A's signing Garrett Anderson. In particular, the logjam of OFs (including the deadweight GMJr contract) on the Slegna roster, Kendrick at 1B, and Vlad's need (though not desire) to DH would seem to mitigate against Reagins inking Dunn.

Yet Dunn would certainly represent an upgrade over any of their OFs except Vlad (and perhaps Hunter) and a direct replacement for Teixeira in their batting lineup, and it's looking more and more likely that he'll be able to be obtained for a modest 1- or 2-year contract. It would certainly be a <i>smart</i> signing for the Slegna, to counter the A's developments while still leaving them financial flexibility to deal with their needs in '10 and beyond.

So my (rhetorical) question is this: If the Slegna were to sign Dunn (or, for that matter, Abreu, though if both are available for roughly equivalent costs I don't see any reason to choose Abreu, but whatev), what, if anything, could Beane do to make up the talent differential?

We've spent the entire winter Slap Chopping all the possible upgrades at SS and SP -- not only is there very little available, but what's available doesn't come close to Dunn's value.

I think a Dunn signing by the Slegna guarantees them the division by a healthy margin (and ensures that Holliday is gone by July 31st). If Beane's serious about contending in '09, he needs to either block Dunn from signing with the Slegna, or trade for JJ Hardy or a frontline SP. Me, I'd advocate packaging Holliday to fill either/both of those needs, and sign Dunn to replace Holliday's projected production, corner defense be damned.

 

[Original lyrics here.]

88 Lines About 44 Athletics

Durazo was the Holy Grail,
he held out for a better pitch.
Emil was a different type,
he's the one who drove runs in.
Barry had a wack curve,
and umps were afraid of a curve like that.
Melhuse earned his paycheck sitting down
where the coaches sat.

[Full Poetic Interlude after the jump.]

Poll

The eighties: awesome, totally awesome, or the most awesome decade evah?

34%

You can dance if you want to

46 votes

5%

You can leave your friends behind

7 votes

4%

'Cause your friends don't dance

6 votes

5%

And if they don't dance

7 votes

15%

Then they're no friends of mine

21 votes

14%

What? You mean EIGHTEEN-eighties, old man?

19 votes

20%

I have no response to your poll question because I'm sorely disappointed that you didn't put Swisher in the "Judy comes from O-hi-ho" couplet

27 votes

133 votes | Poll has closed

Continue reading this post »

Nico made an intriguing suggestion the other day at the bottom of EddieVegas_NRAF's The bottom of the shortstop barrel post: that the A's should explore signing free-agent second baseman Orlando Hudson, and convert him to shortstop. WaddellCanseco did some yeoman basic research in that exchange (which exchange, I think, may have gotten overlooked at the bottom of that post; hence, my shamelessly ripping it off on a slow-news offseason Saturday elevating their good work to the front page for a thorough discussion).

The upshot is this: Cabrera Hudson (thanks, WC) has an established track record as a genuine, non-Michael Young/Rafael Palmeiro Gold Glove defender at 2B, and is demonstrably capable of putting up a .750-.800 OPS year in and year out that's heavily dependent on a .275-.300 AVG -- in other words, about the same or better batter than Orlando Cabrera, and with better defense -- albeit, of course, at a different position which (a) requires more range and a better arm, and (b) he's never played in the majors or minors.

He's also available, and likely cheap and undervalued. (And, yes, that undervaluing is as a second baseman, not as a shortstop; the position switch, if it worked, would make him less of  -- though still likely -- a bargain.)

The biggest issue, to me (and as pointed out by several commenters in the initial thread) would be his range covering ground at SS. By all indications (fan projections plus the fact that he came up in the Blue Jays system playing both 2B and 3B) he has a decent arm -- and, heck, if David Eckstein can be a starting Major League shortstop ...

Personally, I think the idea is worth a shot -- as in, Beane should explore the idea with Hudson and Hudson's agent. Obviously, if Hudson isn't even interested in the plan, then it's a nonstarter. Given the lack of interest in him, though, I would have to think that he'd at least consider it -- not only would it give him a job more quickly for '09-10 (-11?), but it would help position him down the road for more and better offers, as he'd demonstrate the flexibility (psychologically and physically) to play SS, could increase his WAR if he plays competent defense at SS, and would instantly make him one of the leading SSs in the game, given (as we've all seen from beane's fruitless search to replace Crosby) the paucity of talent at the position right now.

And here's one last argument in favor of signing Hudson: he'd provide a massive insurance policy in the event that Mark Ellis isn't able to come back successfully at full strength at 2B. I know that all publicly disseminated signs point to Ellis rehabbing successfully after his surgery, and that Beane did indeed get a good value deal when he extended/re-signed Ellis, but ... I have a bit of a Jermaine Dye vibe myself from Ellis's extension.

In any event, what's the mass opinion: explore signing Hudson, or is it folly to try converting him to SS? I would think that, at this point, a reasonable 2-3 year deal at, say, $7M-$9M per (to give him a premium to entice him to switch positions) would do it.

Poll

Should the A's explore signing Orlando Hudson to play SS?

65%

Yes

829 votes

26%

No

343 votes

7%

I don't know

100 votes

1272 votes | Poll has closed

[Original lyrics here. Bobby Z cribbed the melody from this trad tune, which may soon become its own PI. And FWIW, do you know how hard it is to find a non-CGV youtube of this song? DFHs.]

[Full PI to be completed later this afternoon.]

Statnerds of W.A.R.P.

Come you statnerds of W.A.R.P.
You that count all the runs
You that use those big brains
You that live in the basements of your moms
You that throw chairs through walls
You that type behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your stats

You that never won nothin'
But rebuild to destroy
You're nothin' but nerds
Just a-playin' with toys
You reject running out of hand
And you scorn RBIs
And you run some regressions
When the bunt batters try

Like Boras so bold
You lie and deceive
A World Series can be won
You want me to believe
But I see three-true-outcome guys
And I see strike-swings abstained
Like I see runners not moved over
With productive outs again

[To be continued ...]

 

Or, a series of koans illustrating the mystery of the backup backstop ...

[Original lyrics here.]

Bowen on the Bench

How many Rhodes must a GM live down
Before you call yourself a fan?
Yes, 'n' how many Grieves must in white cleats fail
Before we sign Garret And'?
Yes, 'n' how many usernames must the Internet trolls try
Before they're forever bANnEd?
The catcher, AN, is Bowen on the bench,
The catcher is Bowen on the bench.

How many trades must a fan cook up
Before a free agent we buy?
Yes, 'n' how many beers must one man have
Before he forgets Slide, Jeremy, Slide?
Yes, 'n' how many DLs will it take 'til we know
That Beane to the press has lied?
The catcher, AN, is Bowen on the bench,
The catcher is Bowen on the bench.

How many years can Mount Davis exist
Before it's brought down with TNT?
Yes, 'n' how many years can Mark Ellis compile assists
Before his Gold Glove they concede?
Yes, 'n' how many times can Jack Cust take those strikes,
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The catcher, AN, is Bowen on the bench,
The catcher is Bowen on the bench.

Poll

How many Rhodes must a GM live down before you call yourself a fan?

5%

0

10 votes

7%

1

14 votes

6%

1,000

12 votes

17%

The number of Angels who can dance on a pinhead

31 votes

6%

The number of ears it takes to hear one hand clapping

11 votes

56%

Trick question: if one is a fan, the number of Rhodes is limitless

100 votes

178 votes | Poll has closed

As gotgreen alerted us last night, Garret Anderson is apparently a potential free-agent target for Billy Beane.

Before I allow my panic and disgust to reach full gorge, I will point out that it seems to me that GA is most likely either a false-flag operation (intended to drive down the asking prices of Abreu and Giamsorri) or at best the trailing third option. I mean, this paragraph all but spells that out:

The Chronicle has learned that the team has had preliminary conversations about free-agent outfielders Bobby Abreu and Garret Anderson as possible options should Giambi stick firmly to his wish for a three-year deal. A's general manager Billy Beane has had brief contact with the agents for Abreu and Anderson.

None of that indicates any serious interest.

However ... the Rays are apparently pretty serious about Giamsorri, and if Beane wasn't willing to pay above-market price for Furcal, he sure as heck won't for Abreu, who's asking for ... well, an above-market price. (And if Beane is willing to pay above-market price for Abreu but not Furcal ... well, more about that below.)

So if Giamsorri and Abreu do spurn the A's (for whatever reasons), is GA really someone that Beane would sign?

I sure hope not, because if that does come to pass, I'm walking away. Done. Handing in my keys to front page. Turning a blind eye to the A's and baseball entirely.

Continue reading this post »

Since we don't seem to be done with all of that yet, given the comment counts and server churning of the last couple threads ...

Poll

Why is it, you think, that you never do get what you want for Christmas?

9%

Because I don't celebrate Christmas, you insensitive jerk

31 votes

13%

Because I have been, remain, and always will be a bad, bad boy

46 votes

28%

I don't know what you;re talking about. I *always* get what I want for Christmas. And the world is ok by me. I do hate the Yankees, though.

95 votes

17%

FIRE CLAUS NOW!!!!

60 votes

30%

My cat's breath smells like cat food

103 votes

335 votes | Poll has closed

UPDATE:  Lew Wolff just wrote to me and said, "You can tell your fans that I never heard of the guy until the news of his scheme broke."  - Blez

A joint AN release from the Department of Irresponsible Speculation and the Idle Hands Division ...

Bernie Madoff, the Wall Street titan who recently admitted to running a massive Ponzi scheme, apparently numbered among his marks both Mets owner Fred Wilpon and a wide swath of New York/East Coast real estate developers.

Now, granted, Lew Wolff is a Hollywood/West Coast guy, and a member of a different slice of high society than the Wilpons. But he is a major real-estate player, and there have been some local institutions and individuals who lost money to Madoff.

I'm not at all alleging that Wolff does have losses (or, heck, early-participant gains) from Madoff's scheme; but I do think it's a question that could reasonably be asked of him.

If it was the case, that could potentially explain some of the financial whipsawing by the A's this offseason, with regard to both roster and stadium deals. Other considerations, to be sure, could also explain this offseason.

In any event, it does seem as if the economy is taking a toll on the team's stadium development plans (though Beane seems to be in good shape with cash for free agents, his non-highballing of Furcal notwithstanding).

What's the community guess on the timetable for the--heck, any--new A's stadium?

Poll

When--and *where*--will the new A's stadium open?

6%

2012, Fremont (ballpark village location)

69 votes

6%

2012, Fremont (Warm Springs BART location)

65 votes

2%

2012, Oakland

27 votes

6%

2012, San Jose

70 votes

5%

2013, Fremont (ballpark village location)

55 votes

5%

2013, Fremont (Warm Springs BART location)

51 votes

1%

2013, Oakland

15 votes

8%

2013, San Jose

84 votes

2%

2014, Fremont (ballpark village location)

30 votes

5%

2014, Fremont (Warm Springs BART location)

53 votes

4%

2014, Oakland

44 votes

6%

2014, San Jose

65 votes

19%

The A's won't get a new stadium for the foreseeable future

193 votes

18%

The A's will move out of state

191 votes

1012 votes | Poll has closed

So, this morning's news is that the Slegna have apparently succumbed to temptation, collapsed on their previous reluctance to go above 6 or 7 years, and made an 8-year, $160 million offer to Mark Teixeira.

Even before this news, I was starting to think thnat the A's should be going after Teixeira; now, I'm leaning even more strongly toward that position.

My relatively disordered, composed-in-the-midst-of-rinsing-diapers argument after the jump ...

Poll

Should the A's jump into the bidding for Teixeira?

24%

Yes, with the intent of signing him

290 votes

25%

Yes, but only to drive his price up for the Slegna

311 votes

50%

No

602 votes

1203 votes | Poll has closed

Continue reading this post »

*UPDATED: Now with poll!*

[Prefatory note: Big thanks to JediLeroy, who lent his kreepy Photoshop skilz to the illustrations, and to FreeSeatUpgrade, who inspired me to do this with his latest installment of Peanutball.]

Chavvy and the Athletic Factory

Chapter One: "I've Got a Green and Gold Contract"

Over a SICKENING MONTAGE OF OUT-MAKING—T-Long and Melhuse taking called third strikes, Jeremy’s Jetered jeté, Tejada and Byrnes Knoblauching their way into infamy, Big Hurt popping out against the Tigers—the opening credits roll:

CHAVVY AND THE ATHLETIC FACTORY

Directed by Billy Beane. Written by Billy Beane. From the novel by Billy Beane. Produced by Lew Wolff. Edited by David Forst. A Crywolffisher Production.

We hear the TOLLING OF A BELL. Fade up on a CLOCK TOWER striking four o’clock:

[Click on the jump for the rest of the Cinematic Interlude.]

Poll

Wonka meets American Idol time: regardless of the narrative of the original book or movie, which of the little brats should be dispatched first in next week's chapter? I'll off whomever the poll tells me to first.

49%

Giambus Gloop

60 votes

19%

Verukot Say

24 votes

15%

Leftyvet Barrygarde

19 votes

14%

Rich Dee Ell

18 votes

121 votes | Poll has closed

Continue reading this post »

Switching gears for a moment from all the acquisitiveness lately ... we've all been arguing about what Billy should do by way of roster additions (or deaccessions) this offseason; I got to wondering about the things that he shouldn't do--and whether some of those might be some of the very moves that some folks are arguing in favor of.

Personally, I think over-committing guaranteed money to a known high injury risk (Furcal) in addition to Chavez should be on Billy's "to-don't" list. I think it would be setting us up for a couple more seasons with Hannahan and Petit/Pennington starting on the left side of the infield (which I'm not opposed to per se) while throwing away money that could otherwise have been used to acquire a bat or arm. But that's just me.

And while I'm in favor of signing Dunn, Manny, or Teixeira, some folks would say that over-committing a ton of money to a slugger who's likely to be declining (possibly dramatically) after 2 or 3 years would be a cardinal sin given the team's current situation.

Then, of course, there's the option of doing nothing at all (mitigated somewhat by the Holliday acquisition), which I think we all agree shouldn't be on the table.

(And I'm excluding the ludicrous/improbable/vomit-and-aneurysm-inducing option of "Overpay for an elite free agent closer.")

So what do y'all think? What's the one thing Billy should definitely not do this offseason?

Poll

What's the one thing Billy should definitely NOT do this offseason?

12%

Sign a major injury risk (Furcal)

182 votes

13%

Sign a really expensive batter who will likely decline after a couple years (Dunn/Manny/Teixeira)

207 votes

9%

Sign a washed-up old pitcher (Unit/Maddux)

151 votes

12%

Sign a non-washed-up-but-requiring-too-large-a-commitment pitcher (Lowe/CC)

187 votes

19%

Stand pat

303 votes

23%

Keep Crosby

352 votes

8%

Continue to withhold FREE KRAUT in '09

134 votes

1516 votes | Poll has closed

[Original lyrics here.]

[Full Poetic Interlude after the jump.]

Holliday in Alameda

So you hit in Coors
For a year or two
And you know how to work four balls
In mile-high air
Hitting yours go far
Bay East your type Beane don't call

Continue reading this post »

Here's the thing about minor-league free agents: if you've heard of any particular MiLFA (some terms just shouldn't be acronymized) minor-league free agent, odds are he's a washed-up marginal major-leaguer who can't bring himself to concede that his glory days are over. Or, occasionally, a highly-touted prospect who flamed out (or rusted) early.

And, hey, who can blame 'em? We all like to think there's that late-in-life shot we have to finally make it big, in whatever field of endeavor. And this forced obsolescence comes earlier in life for professional athletes than it does for other folks. It's hard to face career mortality at age 30.

What's more, it's a really thin line (a semi-permeable membrane, sometimes) separating steady employment at the left-most edge of the MLB talent curve from the self-delusion of AAAA status. All of these guys are in the top percentile of baseball players in the world (or at least in the Western Hemisphere). The absolute difference in talent at this level doesn't add up to a whole lot.

In any event, those are the thoughts running through my head as I peruse this list.

Now, obviously, someone like grover or PT or devo or David Forst is going to be able to glance at this pile of poo and pick out the few undigested kernels of corn. But a primate like myself, all I see is the human waste.

He's Still Alive?!?

Pokey Reese, Eric Milton, Ben Broussard, Jeff Weaver, John Halama, Morgan Ensberg, Todd Linden

One-Hit Wonder

Bret Batflip Boone

Hey, Didn't We ...

Brant Colamarino, Kiko Calero, John Wasdin, Ron Flores D’Angelo Jimenez, Mike Rouse, Ruddy Lugo, Marcus McBeth, Keith Ginter

Wait: Who? Aw, Darn.

Rob Cosby

 

This has been your "There but for the grace of God ..." public-service post for the offseason. Count your blessings, folks. Now is the Ginter of our discount tent.

Well, damn. With all the rain today, a lot of my favorite vendors weren't at the market this morning. I had a whole list of stuff I was looking for: locally-grown green pitchers, a free-range shortstop, a brace of hot corners ... 'course, there's limits to being a committed locavore. Some things you just can't grow or manufacture in these parts. So I had been thinking about going on-line to order the industrial-strength bats; I kind of don't care where they're made or how much they cost, because ... well, some things you can only take bargain-hunting and self-imposed ethical limitations just so far. So what's on your off-season shopping list?

 

It Takes a Parking Lot With a Mayor To Laugh, It Takes a Trade To Cry

Well, I ride on a BART train, baby,
Make at least three mill.
Well, I've been up all night, baby,
Warmin' up on the bullpen hill.
Well, if high flies
Are hit off of my pill
And if I don't save it,
You know that Ziggy will.

[Original lyrics here.]

[Full Poetic Interlude after the jump.]

 

Poll

Will Huston Street be traded this off-season?

85%

Yes

371 votes

14%

No

65 votes

436 votes | Poll has closed

Continue reading this post »

Noon Pacific Time press conference scheduled by the Brewers to announce the hiring of former A's manager Ken Macha as the new Milwaukee skipper:

they will name Macha, 58, as the 16th skipper in club history.

I had forgotten (or never known) about this:

Macha passed on the Brewers' offer in October 2002 to remain in Oakland

Congrats to Ken for rejoining the ranks of the MLB managerial brotherhood. Here's hoping he never has to pull a Milton on CC.

How many balls have hit the catwalks?

Keeeeeeeep on threadin'.

Well, let's hope this is the deciding game, eh? Shields vs. Beckett in the MyMom'sBasementDomeIfMyMomWasAnAutisticModernistArchitect. Game time is at 5:07 Pacific Time.

Elimination day (yes, my favorite day) for the NL today. The Phillies try to close things out against the Brewers (Methuselah Moyer vs. Bush) at 3:35 Pacific Time in Milwaukee, and the Dodgers likewise against the Cubs (Kuroda vs. Harden) at 7:05 PT in LA. Fun fact: Manny is 3/11 lifetime vs. Harden ... with 3 HRs (and 3 BBs).

I don't suppose there's any chance of seeing anything as satisfying as dor-K's Big Fail last night, and the announcing promises to be awful as usual, but it is still playoff baseball ...

A certain event just may intervene with my Internet/computer access today, so if this thread starts getting too long, someone please open up another one.

Someone must have punk'd the A's by telling them it was Little League Day at Safeco today.

Greg "Nibbles" Smith lived up to his nickname in the bottom of the first, and, aided by Daric "Buckner" Barton and the Mariners groundskeeper, surrendered 6 runs to the Mariners right off the bat. It really did look like a Little League half-inning: lots of off-target pitches, a grounder through the legs, a bases-loaded walk ...

Smith actually ended up pitching fairly well after that disastrous first (garnering yet another pickoff along the way to 7 full innings), and the A's offense (led by Barton and the rejuvenated Travis Buck, who laid down a nice RBI bunt with a runner on third) did manage to chip away at the Seattle lead, but it was all too little too late after the opening frame.

I have to say, it doesn't suck merely to lose two games to woeful Mariners, but to give up 10 and 7 runs to them in successive games. This Seattle squad has a truly sucky offense, and I'm more than a little disheartened to see Gallagher and Nibbles lose focus, even at the frayed end of an unraveled season.

Ah well, only one more thread of it to endure. A's and Mariners close out '08 tomorrow at 1:10.

---

---

Honestly, the only things missing from this game were a position player pitching and someone pulling off the hidden-ball trick.

We had lousy pitching, good pitching, and unlucky pitching; lousy hitting, good hitting, and lucky hitting; a handful of outstanding defensive plays; startling developments on the basepaths; A's playing out of position and shifting all over the field; and all this in a see-saw battle that went back and forth all afternoon.

The game started out poorly for the A's, as Kirk Saarloos gagve up runs early and often to the anemic M's offense. Jerry Blevins came in and stopped the bleeding -- and then Alan Embree decided to rip off the scab, surrendering a 3-run 2-run homer to Johjima. Street and Ziegler both gave up a few too many baserunners for comnfort, but the A's (assisted by both the Mariners' overeagerness at the plate and third-base umpire Bill Miller's 4:30 tee time) managed to keep the Mariners off the board for the last three innings.

The top performers for the A's today were chimeras: third baseman Jacric Barnahan made several outstanding plays, and #8 batter Jefflos Baizalez went 4/4 with 5 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Yes, Barton ended up at third today -- and we also saw Rob Bowen playing first, and the outfielders looking like they were playing the cap caper. Baisley himself drove in 4 runs (two on a bloop single, two on a more solid hit) and Carlos Gonzalez stung the ball after coming in as part of the A's complex of defensive rotations.

The top of the ninth was especially madcap: Mariner second baseman Luis Valbuena led off with a Crosby-style double down the first-base/RF line -- and then was called out at third when he tried to go for the triple and Pennington made an outstanding relay throw that ... apparently, from all first-hand accounts, came nowhere close to actually beating Valbuena to the bag. The Mariner third base coach and manager got themselves tossed arguing the call, but to no avail. Ziggy then walked Ichiro, but induced Yuniesky Betancourt to ground to, yes, third baseman Daric Barton, who started a 5-4-3 DP to end it.

Whew!

One more game left at the Coliseum this year: tomorrow at 1:05, the A's try to send the M's to their eleventh consecutive loss.

You know, I feel kinda sorry for the Mariners. Not sorry enough to enjoy the fact that it's kinda nice to have a division whipping boy, or to not hope that the A's send them to their tenth consecutive loss today, but ... well, OK, I don't really feel all that sorry for them after all, I guess.

Kirk Saarloos returns to the rotation today for the A's in place of the injured Justin Duchscherer, who's done for the year. (In other related A's injury news, Mark Ellis had his cartilage-repair shoulder surgery, and the docs cleaned up his labrum while they were at it.) He'll be opposed by Carlos Silva.

Expect to see Slide, Emil, Slide in the lineup today. Brown's been absolutely unconscious in his career against Silva, to the tune of 13/31, with 4 2Bs, 1 3B, and 1 HR -- with only 1 K. Hopefully he and Travis Buck can swing a couple of hot bats. I'm also rooting for Jack Cust to join the 30/100/200 club.

Well, OK, so, no Emil. On the one hand, I'm happy; on the other, with his numbers against Silva, it doesn't make any sense (one start here or there in the last two weeks ain't gonna color the future of Cunningham, Sweeney, or Buck).

---

---

For most of the game this afternoon, the only player on either side who seemed especially interested in helping his team win was Nelson Cruz.

Cruz, who finished the day 3/5 with 2 doubles, drove in all four of the Rangers' runs and had a solid at-bat against every A's pitcher he faced.

Fortunately for the A's pitchers, Cruz was just about it for the Ranger offense today.

The A's managed to spread their offense, such as it was, out over a broader range of contributors. Or, put another way, the A's garnered their usual plethora of walks -- 10 in all, inflated by the standard poor Texas pitching -- and mixed in enough bloops and bleeders to push across enough runs to match Cruz' single-handed output.

Then, in the bottom of the eighth, with the A's seemingly on the verge of letting another peck of free baserunners wither in the vine, Aaron Cunningham lofted a high, high fly ball to the left-field corner ... and I think that it may still be hanging up there -- in any event, its trajectory was definitely beyond the fence, and Cunningham had his first career MLB HR, the A's had a 7-4 lead, and it was up to Brad Ziegler to shut down the Rangers in the ninth for the win. Ziggy gave us a bit of scare when he surrendered a long, hard fly double off the straightaway centerfield fence to Marlon Byrd (very, very nearly the first MLB HR surrendered by Ziggy), but a weak grounder to Crosby (what goes around comes around) salted the game away for the A's.

Dana Eveland started out strong through the first two innings, showing very good break and command on his curve, and keeping the Rangers off-balance. He started to wobble, walk, and nibble in the third, though, and Cruz' first double plated two for the Rangers. Eveland's pitch count and control never quite recovered, and he was done after 5 innings of 4-hit, 4-walk ball. Embree, Street, and Blevins managed to cobble together 2 quasi-effective innings before Devine and Ziggy shooed the Rangers away in the eighth and ninth, respectively.

On the Rangers' pitching ledger, Ass-Hunter Vicente Padilla wasn't any more effective than Eveland, walking 3 and hitting 2 (his assball to Sweeney looking especially suspicious, and earning him a new nickname). Just what is it, exactly, about Ranger pitching that makes them afraid to throw strikes, even away from Arlington? What a parade of futility!

So congratulations to Cunningham and Ziegler and the A's -- and to Jack Hannahan and Daric Barton, who, despite going hitless for the day, not only worked 5 walks between them, but contributed a handful of sterling defensive plays.

A's have a home off-day tomorrow before hosting the Slegna on Tuesday.

The A's look to break even in this series with Rangers, sending Dana Eveland to the hill. Eveland is opposed by Vicente Padilla.

It's hard for me to believe we're already halfway through September, with only 14 games remaining including today's. As depressing as the second half has been this season, it's flown right by.

I'm not sure whether Ray Fosse and Mark Ellis addressed this in Ray's pregame interview show, but Ellis is apparently leaning toward having two offseason shoulder surgeries: one to clean up his recent cartilage damage, and another to fix the labrum tear caused by Crosby in 2004.

Also, apprently Buck, Gonzalez, and Denorfia will all be coming back up to the parent club once Sacto's season ends. Many questions remain for the A's here at the tail end of the season -- time to see what the various fellas have to potentially contribute in '09.

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Per the Chron's Drumbeat blog, Susan Slusser reports that:

Mark Ellis has a torn labrum in his right shoulder and will miss the remainder of the season

The report goes on to say that it's "not related to the right shoulder injury that caused him to miss the 2004 season."

UPDATE (courtesy of calgbear in comments below):

Mark Ellis will miss the rest of the season with cartilage damage in his right shoulder [...] Chips in the shoulder caused the catilage damage, and Ellis believes that he will require surgery to remove the chips and clean up the cartilage damage. He is waiting for a second opinion before moving on the surgery [...] Recovery time is expected to be three to four months, and Ellis said he will be completely ready for spring training.

Well, this should certainly render Ellis cheaper ... whether it renders him not worth re-signing/extending is another question entirely.

No indication in the brief item as to what his recovery timetable will look like -- though the dreaded "s" word is raised.

I don't think anyone's sold on EPatt's defense (though his range looked good initially, he's just not a "natural second baseman") or offense (certainly not good enough to justify his defensive inadequacy); and this development would certainly explain why we've been seeing Pennington at second occasionally.

Grover, you got any second-baseman trade scenarios ready to go?

 

Jack watches and waits for one of Cust's homeruns to land in the rightfield seats.

Say what you will about the absolute value of the A's active roster or the sagacity of Beane's long-term rebuilding project, at least the A's are a far sight better than this Baltimore team.

Even after a few unsuccessful mound adventures of late, this transitional A's pitching staff usually keeps the A's in the game -- and does so by not dispensing walks with alarming frequency.

And despite the underpowered offense and the debatable (I agree with it, but many don't; hence, debatable) A's patient plate approach, the A's do have a plan when they come to the plate.

And even both teams started out this series with near-identical records, at least the A's baserunners aren't giving up entirely at the tail end of a likely -- but by no means guaranteed -- loss.

Yes, old friend Jay Payton, on first with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th, either gave up entirely or "merely" forgot how many outs there were, and was doubled off when Rajai Davis hauled in a fly ball at the warning track.

And with that, the A's "swept" this weekend series (with the opener of today's doubleheader getting postponed, perhaps not to be rescheduled at all).

The story today for the A's started out as a continuation of last night's ugly affair, with Oriole starter Daniel Cabrera walking the bases loaded on the first three batters of the game. Jack Cust delivered a sac fly, and that was to be all the A's would make of the promising start to the inning.

As the game developed, though (and as A's starter Greg "Nibbles" Smith had his own control struggles, ultimately walking 5 in 7 shutout innings), the story turned to focus on the Two Jacks: Cust, who followed up his sac fly with a solo HR in the 3rd and one in the 4th (both prodigious, Custean blasts to deep RF), and Hannahan, who delivered a solo Jack of his own and made some exceptional plays at third, contributing greatly to keeping the Orioles' hit total down to 5 (only 3 off of Smith).

As Nico opined in the game thread, it's difficult to give Smith too much credit for pitching "well" when he's so consistently outside the zone. Yes, 7 shutout innings and only 3 hits -- but 5 walks and a 58:45 strike:ball ratio.

Some credit, as well, should go to Rajai Davis, who pitched in an RBI triple and ranged all over CF to haul in fly balls.

So tomorrow is an off-day (with today's not-doubleheader having been scheduled to avoid conflict with the Ravens game Sunday), and then the team is in Detroit on Monday.