Weekend Thoughts
Tim Hudson is the best pitcher on the A’s staff right now. Mark Mulder is the best pitcher on the A’s staff right now. Barry Zito is the third best pitcher on the A’s staff right now.
They all are what they are. The best three pitchers on any staff in baseball.
This weekend is strikingly familiar to the Arizona series two years ago when the A’s played an amazing three game set against the Diamondbacks just before the all star game and rode their pitching all the way to the playoffs.
Friday night was the Giants night, the rest of the weekend they will be tested facing Curt Schilling, for at least five innings, and then the hot rookie Brandon Webb.
How far can Minnesota slide, the A’s are hoping very far because they go to Minneapolis for four games beginning Thursday.
Lloyd McClendon gets an extension in Pittsburgh and Randall Simon gets suspended for knocking over a sausage in Milwaukee. How would you like to be a Pirate fan this week?
Dontrelle Willis will make the all star game worth watching.
The Orioles need two more starting pitchers and one big bopper in the lineup and they might be able to play in the AL East. Problem for them is deciding what to do with free spirit Sidney Ponson. They don’t want to sink 40 million into this potential headcase who right now is one of the best pitchers in the league.
Someone will and will get one helluva pitcher.
The Angels keep winning, don’t discount the talent on this club.
Former Cardinal Bill White described how the Cards sneaked to the pennant in 1964. He said they were so far back, about ten games in August, that no one noticed them. All of a sudden, the leaders (Phillies and Reds) faltered in September and they found themselves in the race. They just kept playing solid baseball along the way and the flag fell into their lap.
Take heed: Florida, Colorado, and Anaheim all may not be lost.
That’s baseball.
See you on the 17th.
Marty Lurie
0 comments
Marty
My compliments on another fine article.
So the first half is done and A’s have finished with a flourish to trail Seattle by 4. I should be happy shouldn’t I? So how come I have these nagging worries?
The following are:
THINGS THAT MAKE ME CRAZY
1. The A’s lack of situational hitting. The Mariners have 3,4, and 5 hitters who know how and when to hit behind runners, make a smart out (as the great Bill Rigney use to say) to get a runner over etc. The A’s currently only have two hitters like that: Durazo and Hatteberg. We are gonna need more in the second half.
2. The A’s lack of small ball. For the most part I like Macha ok and I dont know that this is entirely his call, but in Saturday’s game, its the 8th inning, no outs, Ellis with good speed on first, Byrnes, arguably the fastest player in the bigs, at bat, and he doesn’t even show bunt in a tie ballgame! Ok, even if I give the A’s management that one (which I dont) how about Sunday’s game. Again 8th inning, again no outs, again a tie (scoreless) ballgame, Singleton, with good speed, on SECOND, Byrnes at bat, SURELY he bunts the runner over to third. Not a chance. THIS HAS GOT TO CHANGE!!!
3. Continued criticism of a certain A’s first baseman. The stats tell the story enough here: He is in the top 5 in the AL in average with runners on base. There are only two AL firstbaseman with a higher fielding percentage. Oh by the way, He won another game with a 2 run homer in the 8th inning.
4. Lack of disciplined at bats. Saturday I saw Chavy wiff at 3 pitches above his shoulders. On Sunday, in the 8th inning with the bases loaded, facing a lefty fresh from the bullpen, the situation screaming for making the pitcher throw a strike, Chavy swings at 3 of the first 4 pitches thrown, two of which were sliders way out of the strike zone. I like Chavez, but the boy is long overdue to grow into a man and quick. We need him.
Conclusion I have is the A’s are living on borrowed time. We have lived a charmed existance in the first half. Our young team has experience and fresh legs and great starting pitching for the stretch run so the potential is there. BUT, we need to play smart, situational, and sometimes, small ball, to overtake the leaders and make the playoffs.
Aw never mind. BB will just go get B. Giles and we’ll slug our way to postseason.
Reno Bill
Marty
My compliments on another fine article.
So the first half is done and A’s have finished with a flourish to trail Seattle by 4. I should be happy shouldn’t I? So how come I have these nagging worries?
The following are:
THINGS THAT MAKE ME CRAZY
1. The A’s lack of situational hitting. The Mariners have 3,4, and 5 hitters who know how and when to hit behind runners, make a smart out (as the great Bill Rigney use to say) to get a runner over etc. The A’s currently only have two hitters like that: Durazo and Hatteberg. We are gonna need more in the second half.
2. The A’s lack of small ball. For the most part I like Macha ok and I dont know that this is entirely his call, but in Saturday’s game, its the 8th inning, no outs, Ellis with good speed on first, Byrnes, arguably the fastest player in the bigs, at bat, and he doesn’t even show bunt in a tie ballgame! Ok, even if I give the A’s management that one (which I dont) how about Sunday’s game. Again 8th inning, again no outs, again a tie (scoreless) ballgame, Singleton, with good speed, on SECOND, Byrnes at bat, SURELY he bunts the runner over to third. Not a chance. THIS HAS GOT TO CHANGE!!!
3. Continued criticism of a certain A’s first baseman. The stats tell the story enough here: He is in the top 5 in the AL in average with runners on base. There are only two AL firstbaseman with a higher fielding percentage. Oh by the way, He won another game with a 2 run homer in the 8th inning.
4. Lack of disciplined at bats. Saturday I saw Chavy wiff at 3 pitches above his shoulders. On Sunday, in the 8th inning with the bases loaded, facing a lefty fresh from the bullpen, the situation screaming for making the pitcher throw a strike, Chavy swings at 3 of the first 4 pitches thrown, two of which were sliders way out of the strike zone. I like Chavez, but the boy is long overdue to grow into a man and quick. We need him.
Conclusion I have is the A’s are living on borrowed time. We have lived a charmed existance in the first half. Our young team has experience and fresh legs and great starting pitching for the stretch run so the potential is there. BUT, we need to play smart, situational, and sometimes, small ball, to overtake the leaders and make the playoffs.
Aw never mind. BB will just go get B. Giles and we’ll slug our way to postseason.
Reno Bill
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