Remember when the A’s had the Big Three and the Anaheims had starters like Lackey, Washburn and Santana and a shutdown bullpen (except for the occasional sulk-off)? Man, have times changed at the Big A. Matt Harvey, an $11M band-aid for this season, has been horrible and after serving up 4 homers in 2-2/3 innings vs. the Twins the other day grabbed his back and went on the IL. The rest of the starting pitching has been as bad or worse.
Other high-paid players producing nothing include Justin Upton ($18M, IL all season with turf toe) and Zack Cozart ($12.666M for a can-this-be-right? .124/.178/.144; has to play a lot with Andrelton Simmons out). Albert Pujols gamely soldiers on but that’s $28M for a .721 OPS which is about as much as they can hope for anymore (still owed $59M for 2020 and 2021). Watch out for Jonathan Lucroy though (.617 OPS in 2018, .788 with 7 HR so far this year).
Today at 1:05: Chris Bassitt vs. Trevor Cahill (6.43 ERA, 14 HR in 49 IP)
Tuesday at 7:05: Frankie Montas vs. TBA (probably an “opener”) Edit: Cam Bedrosian as opener, then Nick Tropeano
Wednesday at 12:35: Liam Hendriks opening for Daniel Mengden vs. TBA (could be Griffin Canning, not Skaggs or Heaney) (it’s Canning)
I can’t think of another team in at least last 15-20 years that has burned money the way Anaheim has. Maybe the mid-80s Yankees of Jack Clark and Ken Phelps?
Slusser has Melvin saying the team is considering using Puk and Cotton out of the bullpen this season.
god dammit
Thanks, and go As.
I think I’m on board with this plan. Assuming at least one of Manaea/Luzardo makes it into the second-half rotation, there should be enough competent starters that innings-limited Puk’s highest and best use this season would be as a weapon out of the pen. Cotton…who knows what he is at this point.
as long as kuechel gets signed…
…by the Yankees?
Besides Manaea, who knows what any of them are at this point?
Puk looked like he might make the rotation out of spring training last year, but he also has never pitched at all above AA. Luzardo is similar (16 innings at AAA last year). Combine that with the uncertainty of coming back from injuries, and any major league value from them this year seems like a bonus.
This. As much as I like the idea of getting a rotation of Aces back at the All-Star break there is no reason to believe any of them will become saviors.
I mean, it’s not like Brooks/Estrada are so amazing that they can’t be skipped in the rotation.
Thanks, and go As.
Let’s say that by August the rotation is Montas, Manaea, Fiers, Bassitt, Estrada/Anderson (whichever isn’t injured).
I probably wouldn’t feel the need to force Puk into that group coming off TJS, but I might get him some innings out of the pen. It sounds like the workload concerns for Luzardo coming off of the shoulder injury might not be as acute, so he might have a better chance to work his way into the rotation.
All of this assumes that these guys get through their recoveries cleanly, and that they are dominating at AAA, both of which are big assumptions.
Couple things.
1 – wouldn’t the same worry apply to Manea who actually did have a season as a SP and get hurt
2 – if that is truly the case, just let them get stretched out in AAA. Rodney aside, this team still manages to find good relievers all over the place. I still don’t like taking SPs and breaking them in as RPs in the bigs.
Thanks, and go As.
Theee cheers for the occasion-appropriate poppies teams are wearing today instead of stupid camo crap.
And I am ok with GBA today only
Can we choose a different (better) faux patriotic song instead?
America, FK Yeah?
Thanks, and go As.
@GM: The players are not wearing camo but Stomper did not get that memo.
At least he took them off to “go streaking.”
RIP Bill Buckner. His stats don’t look very good through the modern lens, but he probably deserved to be remembered for more than an epic gaffe.
Though it was a little before my time, I try to remember him for getting thrown out at 3rd in game 5 of the 74 series.
I feel Gallego as 3B coach has potential to set up another epic Lazer Ramon moment.
Damn it Phegley!
The Hound left that curve up in the zone one too many times
Go far with Profar!
The Jurk store called. They’re out of the ballyard!
Phegley hitting .795 with 22 HR and 79 RBI in my 9 games this year.
Ray’s apologies are bogus, that short hop throw was perfect.
Pregame moment of silence for Buckner.
Pregame moment of silence for Memorial Day.
3 p.m. moment of silence for Memorial Day (middle of the 6th).
GBA (7th inning stretch).
I think we’re done.
its fine for today
With Treinen struggling this hypothesis that Soria is “actually good” will get further testing.
They both looked pretty good today.
After that disgusting strike two to Trout, I jokingly told my dad “he should probably throw that exact same pitch again” and then he went and did it.
OK, I held up my end of the deal. Will leave it to you guys to finish the homestand and will retake the baton a week from Friday in Texas.
I’ll wave my fk flag high tomorrow. Sounds like winter is still awaiting you back at home.
With all the snow this year I deliberately piled on extra spring games while waiting for it to melt. The Sierra will be wonderful from late June onward. Most likely no road trips after Texas, just whatever further trips I make to the Coliseum.
Chapman in the postgame with Vince said Davis is “the best player on our team.” Chapman is a good teammate and a good liar.
Glen and the A’s twitter is pissing me off with the 10 in a row bullshit
Opinion is divided this morning:
Baseball Reference and Fox Sports.com: 9-0 in Last 10, Streak is W10.
ESPN.com and CBSSports.com: 10-0 in Last 10, Streak is W10.
MLB.com: 10-0 in Last 10, Streak is W7.
Soaker’s opinion: NOTA. 9-0 in Last 10, Streak W7.
L10: 9.79 – 0.21
Streak: W .79*11 + .21*7 = 10.16
Fresnoooooooo
stupid use of a video aside, I am betting the dipshit in charge had no idea who AOC was.
Impossible. I’m betting the dipshit in charge is a Fox News hound who sees these kinds of videos all the time and thinks they are normal.
fair point
my guess is average workplace laziness. that the dipshit chose this vid without making it to minute 3 of the full 3:30, where the added images first change from puppies, rivers and flyovers to AOC, KJU, and antifa.
I support this view. And I guess some of it goes to where “in charge” lies. Politics aside, The Grizz have been really great in the community and with PR type things the last several years. To see them step in it this bad is very odd.
The organization appears to have been sincerely ashamed of this, and to have properly apologized, which is good.
It gets easier every day to let my Raiders fandom go. I’ve already ditched the tickets, come Sept I expect Sundays to no longer be appointment viewing. And now they’ve signed Richie fucking Incognito. Yuck.
Speaking of Bobby, this profile in GQ is a good read.
Very nice, thanks for the link. And if you haven’t seen The Other One, the film referred to near the end, check it out.
Yeah that was a pleasant renewal of acquaintances, I’ve largely ignored all the post-Jerry presentations. Bobby sounds very happy and grounded. Good for him. The Thin Man spits!
Toward the end:
Is that a straw man, or are there actually people who are territorial enough to think that? I’ve never met one, and they wouldn’t have this “Dead and Company” renaissance if Bob weren’t doing some of Jerry’s songs.
I would suspect that if you went into the comments section of Dead related sites you’d find some of that, but probably a lot less now than a few years ago. But, you know what comments sections bring out in people.
Overstated but real to some extent. Depends on the context.
If it is one of the full post-Dead bands then I think everyone expects the usual mix of songs including Jerry’s, especially if there is someone like Hornsby or Trey (Probably Mayer too, but I haven’t seen Dead & Co.) who can do a sort of OK job on the vocals.
If it’s Weir’s own band (Ratdog, or the new one they talk about) it’s a little weird if he’s doing more of Jerry’s songs than his own, as I think has sometimes been the case.
Also depends on the song. Bob singing Touch of Gray is fine, Bob (or Phil) singing Stella Blue I could live without.
Rodney: If there’s no other team interested I guess I’d be willing to pitch in Las Vegas.
Beane: Well I suppose we could…
Melvin: FUCK NO
I’m not NOT enjoying watching the Giants crap themselves every day.
The Marlins were on the ’62 Mets road. However, 3-game sweep vs. Mets, then 3-game sweep @ Detroit and now 3 at home vs. the Giants has put them on a detour, although looking at their June schedule 3-24 looks like a reasonable guess.
I’m hoping the Farhan led Giants would be willing to trade us Will Smith.
Apparently they put Cozart on the IL and called up an outfielder, which makes very little sense.
Happy Nurses Night! They may seriously make up a third of this otherwise sparse crowd.
It’s disappointing that a winning streak plus free parking can’t drive a decent walk-up anymore.
And 2/3 of the alcohol sales?
At least
But most of it is rubbing alcohol.
dammit frankie, don’t walk terrible hitters
don’t go 0-2 to 2-2 to a terrible hitter with the bases loaded
or that
Ugh. Looks like Wang Dang Doodle will be featured prominently in the setlist tonight.
or that.
that was a bad inning. it also featured ray opining on the Calhoun option. he has no idea the angels have a top ten outfield prospect waiting to take his place
At least the Angels scored the minimum for a (true) bat around.
Stop swinging at ball 4, christ.
Semien gave Chapman a bit of a dirty look. “Yeah I know you’re good but you need to remember that I don’t suck anymore.”
No way I thought Frankie makes it thru 4, after that interminable 2nd. Gutsy bounce back. A hard-knockin ride.
The A’s don’t waste umpire challenges very often but they wasted that one.
Not a bad debut for the new kid
Fosse keeps referring to “Mandrian Chinese.”
I expect the island of Formosa is next in his notes.
Oly!
My section agrees that Olsen is the dreamiest A. We have one holdout for Laureano.
that sounds right. Although, despite the ages being reversed, olson seens more like a teen heart throb
The A’s could certainly win this game but the journey through the depths of the bullpen to get there will be interesting to say the least.
Soria needed a call but that was going to be tough in any case.
can’t be that mad. Soria did OK, he has been used a lot.
I’m mostly really happy with the four innings leading up to him.
I’m starting to think Hendriks is good. Please don’t prove me wrong.
Ok I’m convinced as long as the velocity is still there.
phegley? Phegley.
why did scioscia change from a right hander to a right hander?
Because the senior care nurse forgot his pm meds?
hendriks is done after lucroy, yes?
I do love how fosse knows the ball boy names and loves to throw them around
Catch the FKing ball
Should have still been called a strike.
Yes, but until robot strike zone becomes a thing, umpires will always be affected by good/bad framing.
That pitch didn’t even require a good frame job. Phegley literally just needed to catch the ball.
That non strike 3 call looked like some serious bullshit from here (in my oblique angle Sec 105 seat).
Ump missed the call but Soria had lots of opportunity to get out of that inning without it coming to a borderline strike like that one.
Did you just have a foul ball go a couple rows over your head?
Yes. Corralled by one of the adorable kids behind us that kept up great A’s chants all game long.
Really wish Bob would stop moving Chapman out of the #2 spot.
grossman getting on is good, but doesn’t help solve this problem
Strike 3 on Ohtani not called again, this time on a check swing.
But I also remain puzzled as to why Hendriks was “opening” in the first place after pitching two innings last night.
Very much this. I tried refreshing my computer because I was sure something was wrong showing it.
with no trout, why open at all?
Seriously, Hendriks threw 30 pitches and 2 innings last night?
Same ump too.
nervermind, i get it
pardon?
I get the general idea of an opener, but I dont see how a tired Hendricks was that much of a benefit over Mengden just starting. This is also a bit of backcasting too-if he had gone 1 2 3 I wouldnt think much of it.
This is great news for arsenal.
a semien
Oly Toledo
LOL
Christ, Treinen just cannot be trusted anymore.
Thank goodness they didn’t get beat by Luis Effing Rengifo.
Spoke too soon.
Not really; that part of it was self-inflicted. Teams bunt so infrequently now that nobody knows how to execute defensively.
This has been a very silly game.
Sweet Jesus-I saw 5-1 at one point and just went back to trying to work.
Please win now, I don’t want to see Brooks.
Brooks vs. Trout and Pujols
Brooks would be preferable at this point.
Gameday makes it look like they are really trying to hurt Jurk store.
Ugh
The new guy is already our most reliable reliever.
not gonna sit here and talk about josh phegley’s catching
It’s been pretty phugley lately.
Um……ok
Unlike the rest of these guys, doesn’t Billy have an actual job to focus on?
Oakland = Tupac, ok. SF = Steve Jobs, makes sense. Emeryille = Draymond, sure. Berkeley = Ben Affleck? WTF?
https://pudding.cool/2019/05/people-map/
Apparently he was born there.
Huh, today I learned.
My “what I learned today” from that is that Clint Malarchuk is a local resident. He may have been in the news when he shot himself but that was a few months before I moved here.
I’ve never even heard of the person from my hometown.
long beach gets snoop dog.
compton gets… marilyn monroe. she lived there like for a month once. she did have attitude, tho.
I did not know that Charles Manson was born in Cincinnati
Yeah, “most Wikipedia’ed resident” seems pretty arbitrary. Affleck born in Berkeley, but not really associated with it. Mark Twain for Buffalo, not born there and only ever lived there for a couple years. And then Tommy Hilfiger for Elmira, a much smaller town where Twain lived for longer.
My hometown has Gronk, which is what I would have guessed.
The map interface is pretty slick (fast and smooth zooming to different levels of detail).
Fresno has Cher who lived there like a year in High School. Sorry Tom Terrific.
Hit him up.
It’s already flat pricing for the 10 game plan, and that price is significantly higher than what those seats go for if bought individually for most (possibly all) games.
Yeah the 10 game flat price made sense to me at the time, and I might still make the same decision today, but I’m quite curious about their rationale in doing 10 so differently.
As long as they keep the $10 parking and half price beers it’s a slam dunk money saver for me.
I assumed it was done that way to make the bigger plans more attractive.
It’s definitely not a money saver for me – we don’t always drive (though at $10 parking is cheaper than two round trip BART tickets), don’t drink a whole lot at games, and just about the only decent food in the stadium is from the food trucks which don’t have the discount. OTOH, those discounts do make up for some of the extra ticket price, and some of the other perks like being able to exchange tickets easily are worthwhile too. I haven’t decided if I’ll end up renewing next year or not.
I feel like the food inside the stadium might actually have gotten worse this year.
I’m completely addicted to the discounts now. Not just the food and parking – the 25% off individual game tickets is also pretty sweet.
Getting share partner credentials out before half the season has passed would be nice.