Twenty is Enough, A's Are in Control Of Playoff Berth
In Las Vegas, you receive odds when trying to roll 10 the hard way at the dice table. The A’s rolled twenty the hard way on Wednesday night, barely beating the odds after surrendering an 11-0 lead, finally winning 12-11 over KC in the bottom of the ninth.
The winning streak has a life of its own, it will not die.
The A’s lead the Mariners by seven and the Red Sox by 10 with 23 left to play. The playoffs are a done deal as far as I am concerned, the division isn’t too far away either, but the streak needs to go because it is making the team press and wearing them out.
Last night’s game saw the A’s play their sloppiest game in weeks, one that exposed some weaknesses which may hurt them come October.
Here’s what I mean.MVP Miguel Tejada misplayed a potential double play for the second consecutive game and then later in the game threw wildly home when an easier force play was available at third, both mistakes causing the A’s to lose their sizeable lead.
Mental and physical errors can be overcome against weaker teams, but they will demolish a team in the playoffs. Miguel still has some room to grow when making on field decisions.
Jeff Tam gave up a three run homer to Mike Sweeney on a hanging slider, Tam’s forte is a moving sinker, by giving in to Sweeney with the slider Tam showed me he has little confidence in his sinker in a crucial situation.
In a tight moment in the eighth inning, Chad Bradford walked two batters who scored in the inning, then failed to cover first base on a grounder to the first baseman allowing Nefi Perez to reach safely. The A’s need their set up man Bradford to continue his excellent season long work down the stretch and not make these kinds of mistakes with the real money on the line. Bradford has never been in this type of pressure before in his career.
Big players step up in big games, Bradford will be tested now to see how he measures up.
Billy Koch is overthrowing the ball. He is being used three, four days in a row during the streak. He looks mentally drained when he gets to the mound. He needs to work in a normal sequence, a day off here and there, he has never been in a playoff before and is trying to do too much when coming in to save the streak.
It is just the way the streak has worked out, when you win 20 in a row, your closer sees a lot of action.
What worries me about Koch is that he tries to throw the ball through the wall and thrives on adrenalin instead of locating his pitches in strategic spots.
Not a good formula for success in October.
Tim Hudson pitched brilliantly until his defense hurt him, then he gave up a five spot allowing KC to get back into the game. Huddy’s concentration shouldn’t waver like that. He is the veteran pitcher and needs to set the tone for the younger guys.
Dave Justice misplayed another line drive in left and didn’t reach a sure fly ball which turned into a single in the scorebook. Art Howe has to figure a way to keep Justice’s bat in the sixth spot, while not allowing the aging veteran to hurt the team in the field.
Good luck working out that dilemma.
The hitting was clutch. The A’s came out smoking scoring 11 runs in the first three innings. Then they didn’t score again until the bottom of the ninth.
In the playoffs, a game like last night will sink this team. I think the players became mentally tired chasing the all time AL record for wins, maybe that is why no team in the league had ever won 20 in a row before last night. It wears you down.
The A’s have not played fundamentally sound baseball the last three days, I think it is because of chasing the record.
With three in Minnesota this weekend ( I think it will help the team to go on the road), then four in Anaheim, the team needs to go back to relaxing and accept the fact that the streak will end on its own and it is no big deal, they have proven to the world that they are the only team to win 20 in a row in the 102 seasons of AL baseball, a miraculous legacy.
All their acheivements will be properly memorialized in Cooperstown for future generations to see.
Now they must play solid baseball and nail down their playoff spot.
It’s OK to lose one to the Twins.
Twenty in a row is enough.
0 comments
Hi Marty: You’ve hit it right on the head with this piece. I couldn’t agree more. -Derek
I, too, agree.
I think the A’s really wanted to have the record to themselves–and especially get the Yankees out of the record book. Billy Koch said tying the record was not good enough. So they pressed too hard and almost blew it. Now, they have the record, and they should start preparing for the post-season. No one will win 20 in a row for a long, long time.
The run has been great. I was at Monday’s game and it was so awesome. It is why I love baseball. But I want to see us go all the way in the post-season, and last night’s messy play will not get us there. Tejada needs to relax and so does Koch. They have really been the backbone of this team, but they can’t do everything all the time. Concentrate on playing good baseball, and we will win enough games for a post-season berth.
Go A’s
I agree, 20 is enough, but playing to keep the streak going might toughen up the team and prepare them for when and if they’re in the playoffs. They’re getting so much media attention now so it won’t be such a shock in October. Wednesday’s game was almost a painful lesson, but let’s hope it was a lesson in staying focused. Go A’s!!
Carrie
p.s. love your site and pregame shows, Marty!
I agree, 20 is enough, but playing to keep the streak going might toughen up the team and prepare them for when and if they’re in the playoffs. They’re getting so much media attention now so it won’t be such a shock in October. Wednesday’s game was almost a painful lesson, but let’s hope it was a lesson in staying focused. Go A’s!!
Carrie
p.s. love your site and pregame shows, Marty!
I agree, 20 is enough, but playing to keep the streak going might toughen up the team and prepare them for when and if they’re in the playoffs. They’re getting so much media attention now so it won’t be such a shock in October. Wednesday’s game was almost a painful lesson, but let’s hope it was a lesson in staying focused. Go A’s!!
Carrie
p.s. love your site and pregame shows, Marty!
Right again, Marty. I’m especially concerned about the overworking of Koch. Look, I know he claims to be ready to pitch every single day, but it will catch up with him in the playoffs. I had qualms about this earlier in the season, and I do even more so right now. By the way, he deserves the least blame, probably, for last night’s game. He gave up the lead, sure, but a closer is going to blow a few. He does continue to impress me in one way. He does not lose his head when he blows a save and he usually manages to at least preserve a tie. Here is the reason for that gaudy 78-0 when leading after eight innings. He has blown some saves, but usually he keeps the team in it.
That was one of the worst games I have seen them play all season. Tejada’s two plays. The fly ball between Long and Justice. Bradford’s failure to cover (not to mention that Mabry ventured way to far off first base for a ball that Ellis had easily–this is why Bradford stopped; he saw Ellis and thought it was his play). Hudson losing concentration (they never score five runs that inning if the score is 2-0). General panic throughout the squad.
I hope Art Howe gave them an ear-full, and I hope they don’t come out of this game feeling even more bulletproof than before. These kinds of mistakes will kill them against good teams.
Steve B.
Well said as always, thanks for your insight on Koch.
Marty
Marty, Good Call but I would like to see the A’s win 21 in a row. As for Koch it lokked as though he was laboring and exhausted. I love his attitude about wanting the ball every game but last night I think his fatigue showed. His fastball usually in the upper nineties, never got above 95, as so in turn his low nineties fastball was very hittable. He definetly needs a few days rest. As for hudson, I feel for him. I think he is arguablly the best pitcher on this staff. The a’s bullpen never ceases to amaze me when he is on the mound. what is that now the seventh time hudson has left a ballgame with a lead only to have the bullpen blow it. Had the A’s bullpen done their job this season Hudson would probably be having another 20 win season and his name would be in cy young consideration along with zito, pedro and lowe.
Arizonabrett signing off
Marty: excellent evaluation of last night’s game. In regards to Koch, I don’t think he’s tired. I think he overthrows in the bullpen. I’ve watched him warm up and you would think that he had to win the game right there and then. By the time he gets in to the actual game he’s half worn out! A one run lead is never enough with Koch. Also, yes, Hudson pitched well but he hung, and has been hanging too many pitches this year. This will hurt him against a team like the Yankees.
Let’s face it. Miguel Tejada had a terrible night. But, had Ramon Hernandez had his head in the game, which he hasn’t all year, he would have been prepared for any play. The ball was there in plenty of time. All Hernandez had to do was catch the darn ball and step on the plate.
Hey, when you play poorly and still win you know things are going your way. Go A’s!
Lorraine
Right you are. A winning streak like this makes everyone overlook a great deal of mistakes.
The boys need to get their fielding together, as well as their relief pitching. Otherwise, they are going to be in big trouble come the play-offs.
It was a good point about Billy Koch being too pumped up to pitch sometimes. He has a crazed look on the mound. I had originally attributed this to Marty giving him a case of wine for every save, but it likely is far too much adrenalin. – David and Steve
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