Since the Yankees took three-of-four from the A’s in the Bronx in late July, Oakland has gone 11-9 including a split with the Red Sox and taking three of four from the now-Wild-Card-leading Rangers. Of course, the Yankees have gone 14-6 over the same stretch with half of those losses coming on the south side of Chicago as the calendar turned to August and are 5-1 against the A’s on the season.
Still, the A’s are suddenly doing something they hadn’t done all season: scoring runs. In April, May, and June, the A’s averaged 4.21 runs scored per game. In July and now half of August, they’ve scored 5.22 runs per game. What the heck happened?
The most obvious thing is Mark Ellis, who returned from the disabled list at the end of June and has hit .313/.342/.520 since, pushing Adam Kennedy to third base. Ellis thus replaces the A’s non-Kennedy third basemen, who hit a combined .195/.284/.324 in 292 plate appearances. That’s a huge upgrade at that spot in the lineup, one highlighted by his throwback walkoff in yesterday’s game. The A’s are also getting a ton of production from Rajai Davis. Since taking over in center field after Matt Holliday was traded to St. Louis (with Scott Hairston sliding over to left), Davis has hit .373/.429/.533 and stolen 11 bases in 12 tries. Less dramatically, Cliff Pennington (.296/.333/.407) has thus far been a slight upgrade on Orlando Cabrera (.280/.318/.365). I’m not sure that that adds up to a full run per game, but those are the big upgrades you might not necessarily see when looking at their lineup below.
Again the Yankees have the A’s beat, having scored 5.57 runs per game in July and August, but when you consider the disparity in the two team’s home ballparks, it’s shocking that the A’s offense has come that close to matching the Yankees over a full month and a half of the season.
As you may have noticed, the Yankees have won 12 of their last 14 games and 13 of their last 15 series. Tonight they look to keep that ball rolling by pounding recent bullpen castoff Brett Tomko, who was released just before the trading deadline after posting a 5.23 ERA in 15 relief appearances for the Yankees and has since posted a 7.94 ERA in two starts and one relief outing spanning 5 2/3 innings for the A’s Triple-A team in Sacramento. Said Girardi of Tomko after Sunday’s game, “I think we have an idea of what he’s going to do.”
Opposing Tomko tonight will be A.J. Burnett, who has turned back into A.J. Burnett in August after an awesome run of eight straight quality starts in which he went 7-1 with a 1.68 from mid-June to the end of July. Burnett’s last three starts have been a dud (4 2/3 IP, 7 R, L), a gem that still managed to include a ton of walks (7 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 6 BB), and something in the middle that included a lot of strikeouts, but also a game-tying wild pitch (6 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 7 K, 3 WP, ND).
Matsui’s out after having his knee drained during yesterday’s game. Derek Jeter will get his hits at DH, not shortstop tonight as Ramiro Peña gives him a half-day off on the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum field which has been battered by preseason football.
Update: Aaron Cunningham is the player sent down to make room for Tomko, leaving the A’s with a three-man bench.
Oakland Athletics
2009 Record: 52-60 (.444)
2009 Pythagorean Record: 55-62 (.470)
Manager: Billy Beane
General Manager: Bob Geren
Home Ballpark (multi-year Park Factors): Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (93/93)
Who’s Replaced Whom:
- Tommy Everidge (minors) has replaced Daric Barton (DL); Jason Giambi (DL) has been released
- Cliff Pennington (minors) has replaced Orlando Cabrera
- Brett Tomko has replaced Dallas Braden (DL)
- Jeff Gray and Jay Marshall have replaced Russ Springer and Eric Patterson
25-man Roster:
1B – Tommy Everidge (R)
2B – Mark Elllis (R)
SS – Cliff Pennington (S)
3B – Adam Kennedy (L)
C – Kurt Suzuki (R)
RF – Ryan Sweeney (L)
CF – Rajai Davis (R)
LF – Scott Hairston (R)
DH – Jack Cust (L)
Bench:
R – Nomar Garciaparra (IF)
R – Bobby Crosby (IF)
S – Landon Powell (C)
Rotation:
L – Brett Anderson
L – Gio Gonzalez
R – Trevor Cahill
R – Brett Tomko
R – Vin Mazzaro
Bullpen:
R – Andrew Bailey
R – Brad Ziegler
R – Michael Wuertz
R – Santiago Casilla
R – Edgar Gonzalez
L – Craig Breslow
R – Jeff Gray
L – Jay Marshall
15-day DL: LHP – Dallas Braden (infected ankle) 1B – Daric Barton (hamstring)
60-day DL: RHP – Justin Duchscherer (elbow surgery), RHP – Joey Devine (TJ), LHP – Josh Outman (TJ), RHP – Dan Giese (TJ), 3B – Eric Chavez (back surgery)
Typical Lineup:
L – Adam Kennedy (3B)
R – Rajai Davis (CF)
R – Kurt Suzuki (C)
R – Scott Hairston (RF)
L – Ryan Sweeney (CF)
R – Tommy Everidge (1B)
L – Jack Cust (DH)
R – Mark Ellis (2B)
S – Cliff Pennington (SS)
Jeter DH
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Posada C
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF
Pena SS
tonight is one of those rare times i actually wish it was a 7pm game, as i have to practice late night, and will miss the end of the game. oh well...
GO YANKS!!!
[0] Speaking of throwback, is it me, or are the throwback uniforms--in almost any major sport--an improvement on the team's current version? Yankees excepted, of course, because their uniforms are...well...already throwbacks.
Blue Jays off day = I get the game on TeeVee tonight!
[2] Part of it is the novelty factor, but often yes.
[2] When I was installing satellite dishes some years ago, I took a break and drove to a park behind where GM in Tarrytown used to be. As I slowed up to the curb, a pickup with a dozen folk in the back drove past me the other way and shouted, "DEEERECT - TEE, VEE!!!"
I ducked, because I knew there were a lot of unhappy customers in that region... >;)
Bobby Jenks is fat.
Like really, unhealthy fat.
[5]
like Joe Borowski fat?
If you feel like kvetching about the Yanks for some reason, take a look at the Mets lineup tonight ....
Cory Sullivan, CF .283
Luis Castillo, 2B .303
Gary Sheffield, LF .285
Daniel Murphy, 1B .250
Jeff Francoeur, RF .263
Fernando Tatis, 3B .245
Brian Schneider, C .188
Anderson Hernandez, SS .256
Livan Hernandez, SP
IP W-L ERA Ks BB
129.2 7-7 5.28 74 50
Given the state of the playing field the Yanks should some request some White Stripes on the p.a. system tonight. White Lines, too. Monday Night Football theme. Anything else?
[8] Vision dreams of passion. Don't do it.
wish i could stay up for the game with y'all. LETS GO YAN-KEES!
[7] they've managed to muster up a whole run tonight! whilst giving up NINE (and counting)...
[8] Pay your toll, sell your soul
Pound for pound costs more than gold
The longer you stay, the more you pay
My Yanks tix go a long way...
[11] 10 runs...
and the Halos offense think their murderers row! : /
[12] Nothing to gain but beating these A's.
Frieze.................... Where's Rocket. : D
[12] And next on the mike is my man Hank
C'mon Hank, sing that song..
different track I know but love the Hank reference..think we can get Hank S. to come out of exile and do some freestyle? Would Hal have him sequestered to the country estate afterwards?
wait a minute. jeter didn't get a hit?! does. not. commute. ; )
a real championship team would have started this game off with 4 straight home runs.
I will probably spontaneously combust if they don't hammer Tomko.
An A-Rod bomb would be nice here.
Urge to kill....rising.....
The way Tomko left town really bugged me. I don't expect guys to say "I suck," but he was a little beyond the pale.
[15] Are you kidding? Big Bank Hank? You get him started, you might not get him to shut up for a couple months >;)
[20] Was it Tomko who suggested that the Yankees didn't give him a chance?
So the Yanks won the toss and elected to receive ,,,, right?
[14] Frieze... Rocket... Blowers!
what's the over/under on wild pitches tonight?! ; )
AJ looking good so far.
[23] Just remember its preseason, after the first series or two we can expect to see the new draft picks.
[22] yeah. a guy with a wife that hot has NO reasons to complain!!!
carpenter just walked Manny to load the bases...
Wow. This field really is kind of a disgrace
Cano can't catch up with the flea flicker down the right sideline ...
Melky... dude, it's pre-season.
Uhp, there goes the ballgame... >;)
[22] Yep, and said they could "do him a favor and trade him."
Was there more to the Giambi story than a simple release? It seemed odd that he was cut while on the disabled list- I didn't even know teams could do that.
Tomko comes out for Round 2.
[28]
Tomko's batting average with women in scoring position is good, eh?
[29] Everything about Oakland is kind of depressing...except for the jazz scene which is nice..this staium is truly horrible..
[21] can't he tweet with John Henry at least?
this really has to be the most miserable stadium still in circulation
Birthday Boy to leadoff the 2nd
anybody else trying to watch the game on MLB.tv and having problems?
i can't get anything HD, regular or radio ... for ANY game, current or archived.
grrrrr.
Jorge gets the 1st down...
[38] hey man! i included you on the email blast for the big Fusion gig Wed, but i guess you have a new email addy since the job ended...
8 guys with 15 or more HRs .... I wonder what the record is ...
wow you can get seats for a Raiders game on Mt. Davis for only $26
now granted this is the Raiders...on Mt. Davis...but still, $26 at the Meadowlands might get you a pretzel
Did Singleton just say "If Tomko pitches well he could be a staff leader here"?? My god, how terrible is that? WTF is Billy Beane doing??
Okay, I've grown tired of not hitting Tomko.
Chad Pennington is playing SS for the A's???? Who knew ...
[35] Tweeting with John Henry is probably like sending mash notes to Phyllis Diller...
[42]
not before the Personal Seat License fee, right?
[45] Its preseason ;), too bad he doesn't have enough of an arm to make the throw.
Cano pops out to the 50 yard line.
[46]
winner .... we already have a winner for "comment of the night"
[49] That wasn't a punt?
[45] Bo knows...
[51]
He DID signal for a fair catch, didn't he?
Scott Hairston is the A's cleanup hitter?
[54]
Nomar was their designated hitter in the game I went to a couple of weeks ago.
[54] Tight end...
and Billy Beane has broken his first chair of the night
Not sure about that one
TOUCHDOWN
Put a tent on that circus!! : O
That was the oddest double-play I've seen this year...
I know he caught it but Damon and Swisher.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spz8_rpE0e0
[59] They're on defense... INTERCEPTION! >;)
[63]
QB was just trying to throw the ball away to avoid the sack ...
Its been so long since Nomar has been relevant that it never occurred to me that all three 90s shortstops were here tonight
[61] i just saw a replay. it sure was weird!
let's go Alex. blow the game open right here...
Oh come on you have to be kidding me.
This is embarrassing.
ITS BRETT TOMKO. HIT HIM.
Hmmm..I'm splitting time between the game and Italian variety shows (compromise with my wife). I tuned back to the game just in time for that unfortunate outcome.
good job, alex... : /
No worries. This is not going to end well for the Well-Hollerer.
[71] you see this?
http://tinyurl.com/nb6rvy
I hope I don't jinx him, but AJ looks so good tonight that any kind of lead could stand up. The Yankees need to break through on Tomko so AJ can really go to work.
A 1980s Valerie Bertinelli lookalike selling Lexus ...
[74] I had not. Obviously I tend to agree with the general sentiment of the article, but it *does* seem unfair to critique Ichiro for not being Pujols!
God damnit
this game is making me sound like Peter Boyle in 'Young Frankenstein'
uuuuhhhhnnnnnnrrrrrrrmmmmmmm!
Oh, and this tidbit from Lane Meyer over at NoMaas:
Gerrit Cole, the gift that keeps on giving.
Its BRETT TOMKO, please, please realize that.
This is ridiculous.
From Petey:
Yeah, that's about right.
This guy was the answer to our 5th starter problem, and we let him go!
Is this woman that tells us that she didn't love her kid for the first three months supposed to inspire me in some way?
so...
does Strasburg sign?
IIRC, the Yankees also couldn't hit Pavano or Farnsworth.
[80] Huh? What does that have to do with Cole?
[85]
Post-partum depression perhaps?
I really hope that Arod AB doesn't wind up keeping me up all night.
[85] ???
[91]
Its a commercial for a bank, where real people get up on a "soapbox" and talk about stuff ....
[91] Some commercial running on YES. Its the something or other Soapbox, some woman steps up and declares that she never wanted to be a mother and it took three months for her to lover her son. I have no idea what the point of this commercial is
Are we going to lose to Brett Tomko?
jesus christ.
This is a big batter AJ...the way things have gone, I don't know if the Yankees are going to score 4 runs.
[75] J'accuse!!
Incredible.
Ryan Sweeney still has the most hilarious "diving" catch I've ever seen. Early this year, he caught a ball, a full beat passed, he went down to a knee, and then finally laid flat on his belly.
It was atrocious.
We're losing to Brett Tomko. By alot
A-rod's AB is looming large. settle down AJ...
So, to sum up, A-Rod hits into a double play with the bases loaded off Brett Tomko and we *balk* home a run?
I just caught up via DVR and though this inning is annoying, that A Rod "at bat" with the bases loaded was appalling. I know A Rod is s student of the game and all that crap, but he sure does some ill-advised stuff at times. Swinging at the first pitch there was one of those times.
so this Brett Mathewson is pretty damn good, no.
[88] Pretty simple. Though our pick of Cole was protected in the sense it couldn't be lost to a free agent signing last offseason, it wasn't protected if we failed to sign the player taken with it this year.
Heathcott used that leverage to work a contract far in excess of his actual talent level.
Between the overpay him and for Murphy (3.45 actual vs approx 1.5 slot for both), another pick with the same leverage, the Yankees effectively lost their budget to sign several of the more promising signability players downstream in the draft.
None of this changes the fact that I think that the Yankees having the draft budget that they did this year is just being 'penny wise and pound foolish'.
~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, are we really GOING TO FUCKING LOSE TO BRETT FUCKING TOMKO???????
Just like yesterday, this is what happens when you allow a bad team to stick around.
alright, fuck this. i'm goin' to practice. perhaps i'll make it back before the end of the game...
please beat the shit out of tomko
I really wish Girardi would change things up and shift Posada's off day to when AJ is pitching.
It's crazy but I think the Yankee hitters need a spark. That A Rod AB had to be pretty deflating. Then this Keystone Cops half-inning ...
and of course, this Brett Koufax is pretty damn good, no.
OK, I'm back to the game full time now. Let the time of reckoning begin.
WTF was up with that balk? Did he just forget to throw the ball or what?
If the Yankees continue to embarrass themselves tonight and Tomko says something obnoxious after the game, is it wrong for me to want him to fail in a historic manner for the rest of the year?
[113] he's already failed for his entire career though...
[113] It's not wrong but neither would it be wrong for him to stick it to them a bit.
Shutout for 5 innings by Brett Tomko. Disgusting.
Girardi should make the Yankee Yankees run the football field once for every inning they don't score off Tomko
This is probably Tomko's last inning. Maybe we can score off the pen.
[118] Sadder words were never said.
[113] If the Yankees continue to embarrass themselves tonight, I really won't care what Tomko says after the game...I'll be stewing about other things.
Man, maybe we can trade for this guy?
Guys, the pennant isn't won yet, you still need to beat the Tomkos of the world.
Absolutely disgraceful.
Is Jeter the only player tring tonight on offense?
[113] I hope he says something inflammatory because maybe it will wake this team up for its two day sleep walk.
Jesus Christ, what a debacle.
Brett Tomko.
Just awful.
Brett [expletive deleted] Tomko. It could be Pavano--that's all I've got............
Really, Derek Jeter is better than Honus Wagner?
Okay, that poll helped my mood. A little levity
[127] It has been Pavano. Twice. And Farnsworth.
I bet Tomko says something about the Yankees never really giving him a chance, lying to him, he could have helped, yada yada....
[128] Could Honus Wagner make a jump throw? Huh? Could he?
This is reminiscent of that Pavano game earlier in the season. It will be sweeter for Tomko sense they let him go as opposed to his contract expiring.
I really want to strangle A Rod still.
Does this debacle really have to continue?
[133] Err, "since" not "sense" ...
[128] most of the voters only know Wagner as a baseball card, not as 'The Flying Dutchman'
[131] Well, that wouldn't be that inaccurate. Then again, he should never have been allowed on the roster to begin with, but that's another story.
Cy Tomko done for the night. Let's go, Yanks!
You see, we wore the opposing starter down and got him out of the game! Look out now!!
[137] He could have helped?
By the way, it is ****ing hot. I decided to save some electricity and turn off the AC (plus it's loud as hell). If I move from in front of the fan, it's ridiculous. Hot!
Why are the Yankees hacking away all game? Sometimes, they seem to forget what makes them a great offense. You'd think Girardi and Long would remind them.
Imagine how pleased Tomko must feel right now. That's gotta be a great feeling.
Its pretty clear that the Yankees would rather not be here tonight. [insert Oakland joke here]
[142] I honestly think part of it is they don't really respect the opposing team.
Absolutely pathetic.
[146] But not a backwards K !
I guess the Yankees want this weekend to be interesting after all.
Bobby Crosby doesn't really have the bat for 1B.
Yanks are gonna score 4 in the top of the 9th ,....
[149] Bobby Crosby doesn't have the bat for scoreboard operator.
Does Jeter hit this inning? That seems to be our only hope
[152] But only if he gets to pull a sort of Bugs Bunny and drive himself in. Or maybe the Yankees can use a few "ghostie" runners and let Jeter keep hitting.
Another first pitch swing at a ball out of the strike zone. Nice to see the Yankees completely mail this game in.
What happened to Crosby? LIDR? o_O
WOW Cano looked awful there.
His strike zone is expanding faster than the universe...he is...the most interesting man in the world.
And another first pitch swing...what exactly are the Yankees doing on the bench?
Its officially my dog's birthday in ten minutes. I find that far more exciting than this debacle.
I would not bother PHing with two outs, but it's not that bad of a move/ Hairston to SS, or Jeter (and lose DH)?
I disapprove of this game.
Is the nightlife in Oakland that good that the Yankees are rushing out of here?
Nice effort boys...a few more like this heading into Fenway sounds like a great way to win a division.
Girardi has a habit of PHing with two outs and no one on. So in that regard, this makes a little more sense.
[161] I concur.
well, at least we have the Saga of Strasburg to entertain us this evening ... at least for a few more minutes.
[164] He also has a habit of pinch running and refusing to put on a play, and when he does, its a frigging bunt.
It has something to do with tricking people.
At least Burnett should be able to finish the game, so no wasting the BP.
It's a sad waste of a good performance by Burnett, too. Absent that balk we're looking at two runs, maybe even one if you think the balk threw him off his game briefly.
[144] STOP CASTING POROSITY
(I hate missing a good set up... >:'
[168] Just wasting a good start because the lineup couldn't be bothered to have good ABs.
Anyway I'm not gonna cry cause the Yanks are seven games up instead of seven and a half. But losing this game, like yesterday, is inherently annoying cause it just seems so unnecessary.
[169] I definitely think the balk factored into the subsequent runs. After seeing the replay, it looks like Posada extended his hands before getting into position, so maybe AJ saw that out of the corner of his eye and anticipated that this was another case of Posada breaking his rhythm by calling timeout.
[172] Instead of 8 games.
The bad thing (sleepwise) about the 2009 Yanks is that I always feel they are going to win the game and it keeps me watching. Last year I would of gone to bed after the 4th inning.
OK, Captain, lead off with a grand slam.
Another three hits for Jeter.
[166] Did he sign??
Damon has hit the ball on the screws 3x. D'oh.
[172] I can accept yesterday, because you have to lose occasionally
This, on the otherhand, is a fucking debacle.
[175] This team is kind of in-between the great teams of 1998-99 and the more recent teams. They have the ability to win "every game", but seem to lay more than a few eggs.
Johnny has been reminded a couple of times tonight what happens when he hits not in NYS.
[150] You might be right on the nose...I hope you are...how many hard hit balls can we hit right at their CF?
Damon has been unlucky tonight.
[178] Lord Haw Haw reports that they are close on a deal around 15 million.
Its Sadie-Brew's birthday. I declare that she shall have a better one than Posada.
[172] I was referring to where the standings were this morning as opposed to tomorrow morning.
Strasburg signed, 15.67 over 4.
See a strike, Po.
[175] I'm with you on that.
[188] That's a good deal for Strasburg. Keeping his last two arbitration years could be lucrative.
t55r4thyhu76t
Well, there's the strikeout looking, just for Mattpat.
blech. THAT blew.
Caught looking, Po. boooooooooo That kills me.
Great job Posada.
[191] Is he arbitration elgible if he already has a major league contract though? How does that work?
nighty night
That's usually the telltale sign for disastrous games for the Yankees. When A-Rod and/or Posada start taking called strike threes for no reason anyone can discern.
That sucked monkey ass.
I think Pete Abe had a note about the Yankees not being bothered by yesterday's loss. I guess they didn't mind it so much, they decided they might as well lose another one again. Maybe it's unrealistic, but I'd like to think this team would always mind losing a game.
[197] ML deal just determines when a player must be on the 25, which indirectly *will* start their arbitration clock.
We are going to lose a game where Burnett goes 8 innings to the A's? Seriously?
For heaven's sake, why is Bruney...or anyone...warming in the BP?
[201] Yesterday didn't bother me either. Shit happens.
But today, with Burnett and FUCKING Tomko pitching. and Gaudin pitching later in the series, was an important game for us.
[202] 25 or 40-man? Brackman is on the 40, no?
[197] He is Nationals property for 6 years, the first four of which are covered by the contract, assuming it call for him being on the 40-man roster.
[207] Yeah, I guess I just thought that since he already wasn't making the minimum what it meant for his arbitration eligibility was all.
[206] They have to go on the 40, which (IIRC) starts the clock ticking on the point where they must be put on the 25, which of course = MLB service time, which = arbitration timeframe.
If that makes sense (and IIRC).
[206] 40-man...but it does start the service clock ticking. Strasburg will be arbitration eligible in his 5th season, which is usually when you start to cash in.
Not that it will matter, but Hinske should PH for Melky this inning, regardless of who's pitching.
[206] I'm pretty sure it's 40. I doubt they'll put him on the 25-man.
eh, I think William might be right here ... stupid late night games w/ drinks.
Any chance Jeter gets up again?
If Strassburg is the real deal, it stands to reason that he could make at least $20mn in arbitration over the last two years of the deal. If that''s the case, the Nationals would have made out much better giving him something like $30mn over the full 6 years.
Nice hustle there Robbie
What a mess.
That AB sums up the day...no approach and little effort. This is really a shameful performance by the Yankees. I didn't realize a 7 1/2 game lead meant winning was no longer a priority.
Pennington has a NICE arm.
[211] Or not.
That was unfun.
That was the worst game this team has played in months.
Brett Tomko.
man, I hate these west coast games ... gotta wait ALL day in between losses.
shitty, shitty performance.
Melky seems to be reverting back to the Melk Dud we remember from last year.
I hate these games. Frustrating.
Something tells me there is going to be a game in Boston this weekend in which the Yankees will have to win to maintain a level of comfort atop the division...something that could have been avoided if this team didn't absolutely lay down in two straight games. A lack of effort in one game you can live with, but when it happens in back-to-back games, I think it gives you a legitimate reason to pause.
Brett Tomko.
dominated by Brett Tomko and the overpowering A's bullpen, ah well, all you can do is tip your cap......
Two hours and 15 minutes. At least it didn't keep us up too late.
[227] I refuse to tip my cap to Brett Tomko
Again I say, it is a shameful waste of an excellent start from Burnett. They should not be losing games like this. I'm actually more disgusted than I thought I'd be. Maybe I was holding out hope for a win.
It's one thing to lose a game like this...but what makes this a shameful game is most of the lineup shut it down after Arod's AB. The lack of effort was so obvious that Girardi could have interceded, but he has never shown an ability to make an in-game adjustment, so that's not a surprise.
Better to waste a good start than for him to have had a bad start and fry the BP--then they would still have the loss and be worse off tomorrow. I'm trying to remain positive.
At the very least, games like tonight should make it very clear that this division is not over yet.
I've got that headache again. Last time I did it led to the Yankees signing Russ Ortiz and trading for Gaudin.
I'm scared
To top it off, Melky continues his slump.
They'd better win the next two games. If they're up seven games when the Fenway series starts, we're good to go. Imagine they go in there up six games and get swept. Just imagine.