As we watched with excitement and anticipation on Monday night as the A’s clobbered the Mariners 13-2, you had a sense that the A’s can possibly leave Seattle in first place.

Afterall, the A’s are hitting the cover off the ball, pitching well, and Seattle is missing 3 starters in their batting lineup.

Well, Seattle put a wrench in those plans right away. In fact, after last night’s loss, the pressure is on Zito to keep the series at a draw. No one said it would be easy.

Seattle eased the streaking A’s with starting ptching. First by two crafty veterans in James Baldwin and Jamie Moyer, which shows that statement so true , “Momentum is the next day’s starting pitcher.”

The A’s were scorching hot going into Tuesday nights game, but starting pitching killed the momentum. The A’s also benefit from this concept as they are often the momentum killers to other teams as one of their aces pitches.

So, with all of the injured players out of the Mariners starting lineup, once again here’s evidence that good pitching is the momentum killer for any team. [Read more →]

Enjoy Miguel Tejada today, because

there is a change after 2003 he will

be Adios ! [Read more →]

BUBBA TRAMMELL

L: Marty Lurie here on Right Off the Bat, today with Bubba Trammell of the Padres. First of all: Bubba. Is that a given name or is that a nickname?

T: No, it’s my middle name. I don’t know why Dad did that to me, but he named me that five years before I was born. [Read more →]

Check out these newly added audio interviews:

[Read more →]

Every night some batter complains because a pitcher threw a pitch too far inside for his comfort.

Last night, Barry Bonds was moved off the plate in the ninth inning of an 8-3 game the Giants were losing to the Devil Rays.

In Florida, Ryan Dempster was thrown out of the game after hitting Travis Fryman in a 3-0 game, he was leading in the seventh inning after two batters were hit in the sixth inning, one on each team.

This game has been around for 125 years. The game is simple.

The pitcher is supposed to get the batter out. The hitter is supposed to hit the ball.

Anything thrown by the pitcher is fair as far as I’m concerned.

Here’s why. [Read more →]

ERIC GAGNE

Marty Lurie here on Right Off the Bat today with Eric Gagne of the Los Angeles Dodgers, now a closer in baseball. That is a rare bird, and it takes a real professional to get the job done. This year you’re the closer for the LA Dodgers. [Read more →]

The San Francisco Giants will celebrate
Latin American Player Reunion at Pacific
Bell Park, Sunday June 23, 2002.

By Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]

by Charlie Danrick

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Have you stopped to consider what would happen in the event of another strike? Would fans be as forgiving as they were after the ’94 one and I have news for you…..too many never forgave and I ought to know because for 20 years I was an entrepreneur in the BUSINESS of baseball and sales receipts were much better pre-’94 than post. And here’s some scary info I took off the NY Post today, 6/14/02 but first….

Click “Read More” to continue reading. [Read more →]

The Athletics aim for their seventh straight win Wednesday against US Gold Medal winner Ben Sheets and the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mark Mulder, a 21 game winner last season starts for the A’s against the Brewers.

The lefty is a different pitcher this year.

Arm tightness has changed Mulder into what I now call “The New Mulder.”

Click “Read More” and I’ll tell you what I mean. [Read more →]

Things change over the course of a baseball season. Players come and go, batting orders are tweaked, and pitcher’s turns are skipped when they struggle.

A’s righthander Cory Lidle falls into the latter class.

Now what do the A’s do with their number four starter after another inexplicable meltdown Monday night against the Brewers?

Click “read more” and see. [Read more →]