Trevor Cahill, the A’s lone All-Star this year and CC Sabathia’s opponent Tuesday night, was on the disabled list with a scapula problem when the Yankees took two of three from the A’s in Oakland in April. Since then, he’s gone 8-2 with a 2.47 ERA while three other members of the A’s rotation (Brett Anderson, Justin Duchscherer, and Dallas Braden) have landed on the DL. That leaves tonight’s starter, the brittle Ben Sheets, as the only member of the A’s intended Opening Day rotation not to hit the DL this year.
If that wasn’t troubling enough for the A’s, Sheets has been struggling through his worst major league season (3-7 with a career worst 4.98 ERA and 1.85 K/BB). Mind you, Sheets hasn’t been awful, he has just been consistently unimpressive. Out of his six June starts (1-4, 5.11 ERA), he lasted six innings in five (seven in the exception) and allowed four runs in five (five runs in the exception). When he faced the lowly Pirates, he struck out nine against no walks. Against everyone else he struck out 14 against 11 walks over five starts, and he has allowed a home run in each of his last seven outings.
Consistently unimpressive pretty much describes this A’s team as a whole. They’re scoring just 4.1 runs per game, but in this pitching-dominated year there are seven teams that score even less often, including the Yankees’ next opponent, the Mariners. The pitching has been solid when healthy, though even Cahill isn’t particularly threatening or exciting, their ballpark helps, and 31 of their games (37 percent of their schedule to this point) have come against the Mariners, Orioles, Indians, Cubs, and Pirates, five of the teams below them in runs per game.
The A’s enter this series hot because they just played three of those teams and went 7-2 against the Pirates (sweep), Orioles, and Indians (two of three, each). Tonight they face Javier Vazquez, who struck out eight Mariners in a futile quality start against Felix Hernandez his last time out. Javy posted a 3.23 ERA in June and his first win of the season came in Oakland back on April 20. With the Yankee bats having shown some life the last two days, the all signs point to a good series for the Yankees this week. If only they could bring that glaring summer afternoon Bronx sun with them to these three night games in Oakland.
With Jorge Posada day-to-day with a sprained left ring finger, Joe Girardi tries a new look lineup tonight. Brett Gardner leads off with Derek Jeter batting second and Nick Swisher hitting in Posada’s vacated sixth spot. I can dig it. Swish is the DH tonight, Colin Curtis plays right field and bats ninth behind Francisco Cervelli.
Oh, and it has nothing to do with the game, but Andy Pettitte is indeed going to the All-Star game, as Clay Buchholz’s injury replacement.
Oakland A’s
2010 Record: 41-42 (.494)
2010 Pythagorean Record: 41-42 (.494)
Manager: Bob Geren
General Manager: Billy Beane
Home Ballpark: Oakland Coliseum
Bill James Park Indexes (2007-2009):
LH Avg-94, LH HR-106
RH Avg-94, RH HR-77
Who’s has replaced whom:
- Conor Jackson has replaced Travis Buck (DL)
- Coco Crisp (DL) has replaced Eric Patterson
- Jack Cust has replaced Eric Chavez (DL)
- Landon Powell (minors) has replaced Jake Fox
- Trevor Cahill (DL) has replaced Justin Duchscherer (DL)
- Vin Mazzaro (minors) has replaced Brett Anderson (DL)
- Clayton Mortensen (minors) has replaced Dallas Braden (DL)
- Michael Wuertz (DL) has replaced Edwar Ramirez
- Cedrick Bowers (minors) has replaced Chad Gaudin
25-man roster:
1B – Daric Barton (L)
2B – Mark Ellis (R)
SS – Cliff Pennington (S)
3B – Kevin Kouzmanoff (R)
C – Kurt Suzuki (R)
RF – Ryan Sweeney (L)
CF – Coco Crisp (S)
LF – Conor Jackson (R)
DH – Jack Cust (L)
Bench:
R – Rajai Davis (OF)
L – Gabe Gross (OF)
R – Adam Rosales (IF)
S – Landon Powell (C)
Rotation:
R- Ben Sheets
R – Trevor Cahill
L – Gio Gonzalez
R – Clayton Mortensen
R – Vin Mazzaro
Bullpen:
R – Andrew Bailey
R – Brad Ziegler
R – Michael Wuertz
L – Craig Breslow
L – Jerry Blevins
R – Tyson Ross
L – Cedrick Bowers
15-day DL:
LHP – Brett Anderson (left elbow tendonitis)
LHP – Dallas Braden (left eblow stiffness)
OF – Travis Buck (strained right oblique)
DH – Eric Chavez (neck spasms)
60-day DL:
RHP – Justin Duchscherer (left hip inflammation)
LHP – Josh Outman (Tommy John surgery)
RHP – Joey Devine (Tommy John surgery)
RHP – Jon Meloan (elbow ligament tear)
Typical Lineup:
S – Coco Crisp (CF)
L – Daric Barton (1B)
R – Conor Jackson (LF)
R – Kurt Suzuki (C)
L – Ryan Sweeney (RF)
R – Kevin Kouzmanoff (3B)
L – Jack Cust (DH)
R – Mark Ellis (2B)
S – Cliff Pennington (SS)
uh-oh ...
Ace suffered a setback in his bullpen today. full post at lohud, pregame notes...
doc halladay shut down the braves. 7th complete game already this season. i'm glad he's in the other league now!
Stoudamire? I’m about to return my Knicks fandom ID card.. any thoughts, Chyll or Ms. October??
Yanks – A’s…yawn….
[1] He's cooked. I gave up weeks even thinking about Ace returning. In fact, I had sort of forgotten he was on the team at all until you reminded me.
[1] [4] Been out of the loop a few days...have the DFA'd Park Chan-Ho yet? Any day now, Cashman...
[3] if we sweep them, you'll rejoice, not yawn!
did you see shaq is mulling a 2-year deal with atlanta? he & i could be buds! ; )
[4] sorry! i really like Ace. the 2 games i saw last year at turner field, i got their early and watched him in the outfield, playing catch, shagging flies, stretching and communicating with the fans. he seems like such a great guy. i'm also a fan of his pitching. he's proven difficult to replace this season...
[5] unfortunately, no. i wish they'd dfa Pepto already...
according to lohud, romulo sanchez was transferred to the bullpen today. we may see him again soon...
[6] I love him too, especially the fact that he can be used like an old time reliever (multiple innings, early or late, even a spot start)...or at least that the manager is willing to use him as such.
But I think he's finished.
[8] yeah, i can't really see him coming back and being "vulture" again. esp if he has surgery, which is certainly a possibility. i'm glad he got a ring! wish mikey moose did...
Evening, banterers. Can't wait for another week of West Coast games...
Did John Flaherty just say the Yankee bullpen has been "great" this season?
fuck. it's CHOATE! 5-5 game. bases loaded. 2 outs. 7th inning.
c'mon CHOATE!!!
randy choate, ladies and gentlemen.
he struck out beltre to end the threat!
wait, i think it was nancy that struck out. either way... bravo!
[13]
psst ... I just ordered this ... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003J27WFW/ref=ox_ya_os_product
yo thelarmis, how's the gigging? was away a few days here but back to work now. BTW, just saw that Jason Stark at ESPN was in Italy for awhile..so was monkeypants...Hmm...if I remember, they both love John Sterling & Barry Bonds...could it be...?? :)
no Kay .... hurray!
[14] NICE!!! i can't wait to see that... i also need to order the cd single. i think it's only at the rush backstage website, or something...
[15] hey buddy! unfortunately, i'm barely gigging right now. mainly teaching, and not a ton of that since it's summer. but enough to stay afloat...
i've been making some headway on my cd and new compositions...
hey, how much do you know about Anthony Braxton?
[17]
cd single
http://www.mp3sale.ru/release.php?ms_releaseid=360609
ouch...ARod grabbing his hip after grounding out.
rays go up 7-6. headed to the 8th...
i really really really hope this stays the course...
[18] btw, Rush received a hollywood star on june 25th...
i'm looking for the physical copy of the cd single, not mp3 downloads. i believe this is the only place to get it:
http://www.rushbackstage.com/rushbackstage/compact-discs/caravanbu2b-cd-single-.html
i really need to get the cd, dvd and 2 new metal discs. it's just hard with such little work right now...
Dear Rob Thomson ... don't SEND SWISH :-)
[17] Got to go meet a customer (yawn...) but back later if you are up. Anthony Braxton..one complex dude! Composer, plays every possible reed-instrument, has worked with both huge ensembles and small groups. He's released more than 150 albums, written hundreds more. Once wrote a sypmphony for intergalactic space stations that will only be performed when the technology is available in the future... (yes, he's a bit "out there".) But he's also totally versed in the blues.. more on that later. Go Go Yanks!
i dig the early lead!
[23] dude, you rule! when you're back later, we'll talk a little braxton. if you can wrack your brain, please think of an album - or three - i should get of his. i know how varied he is and i'll tell you later what i know of him (not nearly as much as you). i don't have any of his solo material and i'd like to get something. no clue where to start...
Record for most XBH allowed in season since 1961, 116 by Rick Helling of Texas in 2001. Most doubles allowed ... also Rick Helling (68) in 2001.
Sheets had given up 29 doubles and 51 total XBH coming into game.
beantown only has 3 outs left...
[26] that's a cool stat!
remember that game when Moose gave up 137, 314 doubles in one game? i think that was in detroit...
omg, i just saw the matt laporta collision at 1st. scareeee!!! thankfully, he's okay...even homered.
My boy Jeter is killing me.
Randy Johnson ... in a GEICO commercial .... and he WASN'T a caveman!
But a nice defensive play by Jeter.
That looked alot worse the first time around
fuck. get it together, soriano.
ugly up. 2 out. man on...
i really don't like cereal crisp.
i saw the catch he made on cano before...
[3] Okay, I'll bite. First, you should have torn it up and peed on it when they traded Ewing.
Second, LeBron would have to be a complete moron to fall for anything the Knicks have to say. The only way I would have liked to have seen him in a Knicks uniform was if he was drafted by the Knicks in the first place. Too bad, let's move on.
Amar'e? does he even qualify as a consolation or a building block at this point? If Phoenix didn't offer him max money, why should you?
Next, the Knicks have seemingly perfected the art of turning even marginally productive players into confused, resentful and washed-up journeymen. Quentin Richardson, Jamal Crawford, Al Harrington, Dikembe Mutombo, Zach Randolph; the list goes on... oh, not to mention the requisite Money Pit Player (Jerome James, Eddy Curry, et al)
Lastly, that whole Starbury thing... he has a lot of friends around the league, and you don't think any of them had not watched what happened with him in NY and said to themselves, "You're my dog, but I'm glad it wasn't me" or if they didn't like him, they'd think "haha, I'm glad it was you and not me." ... in other words, playing against the Knicks might be inspiring, but playing for them is like playing on death row, and throwing Starbury money at them will only make the media frenzy worse than ever.
So basically; hold your nose, not your breath.
ugly ends it! sux lose!
Slasher!
[37] there you are! i knew that would bring you out : )
The ESPN site has a nice video interview of Derek Jeter by... Dave Winfield!
[38] Howdy!
And speaking of Dave Winfield, suddenly Vazquez is Dave Winfield!
Robertson was Dave Winfield up to his last outing, wasn't he?
So.... could Leiland straighten out Dontrell?
It's a shame the guy has fallen so far. He still has nasty stuff and a difficult delivery... he just can't find the plate.
Is that Reggie Jackson's wife sitting next to him?
[39] thank you for that!
Uh, oh ... we're already shorthanded behind the plate.
Shake it off, Frankie!
[41] i'm still miffed that they turned Donovan Osbourne into your golden god the first spring training andy was in houston.
[42] Leyland couldn't figure him out, that's why they sent him to the desert! if dontrelle throws strikes on an eiland would anyone be there to see it? ; )
I haven't been around for a few days, did everyone see the awesome video piece on Mo's cutter over at the NY Times?
[42] in all seriousness, i don't think willis is worth the chance. i mean, i like the guy, and my brother has always wanted him on the yanks, but i just don't see it working out. i doubt it'll ever happen, either. thankfully...
[47] yup. alex linked to it. the article was too long and didn't get great reviews, but the video clip was hella cool. neyer linked to it, also (iirc)...
woulda been cool if you came to atlanta phor the phish shows on the phorth... one of my (older) students went and said it was great.
[48] I dunno, we could use a lefty DH partner for Thames ...
[49] Yeah, I've heard they're playing well right now.
Going to see them in a month up in Berkeley, should be some great shows.
[50] zambrano can bat lefty!
Dallas Braden just comes off as a thoroughly unlikeable human being.
Hey Weeping. Just settling in for the night. I am at Conesus for the week. Although I was at Keuka on Sat. night. Good times. If this cottage had YES I would be in Shrangi-La. Decompressing with some late night tv. : )
Hola Isabel!
Nice that the BS ox lost, I know that there is a lot of baseball left between the Yanks, sOX, and Rays, but it would be great if the Yanks and Rays can bury them before their injured return. One of the teams have to be the odd one out, and for the sanity of us fans, the sOX should be it.
Who would catch if Cervelli has to sit this game out?
[54] amen to that!
[46] (Hey, 46!) I don't have any recollection of that, thank god. What blasphemy!
Teix!!!
[53] :)
[52] I agree, he seems like a central valley thug. But...he pitched a perfect game and will always be remembered for it. He hasn't won since.
After the weather we seeing now in NY, and what's coming the rest of the week, the Yanks might be fortunate to play in Oakland and Seattle before the ASB. Lot of people in the stands wearing hoodies and jackets. The cool weather in the Bay Area is a primary factor as to why the Giants and A's have solid second half records, the rest of the teams are fatigued by the heat in the last part of the July and August.
Yay!
Teix!!!
i'm glad Tex is waking up!
i hope our offense as a whole does the same thing...
[56] you blocked it out of your memory banks! shit, i didn't even realize my post was #46. beshert!
MarTex! He really looks different up at the plate the last 10 days. His self flagellation might be over.
Holy mother of God.
Wow!
Fuck!
I wish someone had the radar gun on ARod's throw from 3rd! Man, he has a cannon.
Swish is determined to get his average over 300 before the on line voting deadline on Thursday.
Hey.... JD, Matsui and AJax all currently have a 102 OPS+. What's Gardy's OPS+?
[63] It's ungodly, isn't it?
[65] 130 !!!
We have some *good* fucking fielding!
Wow!
God!
Look how much fucking ground he covered!
Another one!
go javy!!!
hell yeah. that's a very pretty 7 innings!
Little CC can dive for one too!
[3] Sigh...back to a pile of work, will hit you back on that later..but yeah...Go Go Brooklyn Nets??
thelarmis, if you're up in 2 hours maybe catch you for some Braxton chat. His most famous album though is "For Alto", solo alsbum from late 60s that blew everyone away.
Oh boy, time for Joba, a one man bullpen roulette.
Wonder which one will show up tonight?
[73] thanks man! no worries. we'll hit it at some point... he's a super interesting cat!
Farmaduke in for the eighth?
seatbelts folks.
[bulletproof vests and helmets, optional. though highly recommended!]
NICE!!!
that was *fast*! 11 pitches. 2 k's. that's the way ta do it, kid!
[75] The mid-80s Braxton group with Marilyn Crispell and Gerry Hemmingway is consdered to be his finest group, some legendary live recordings from that era. I actually don't have any but a buddy of mine is a huge Braxton fan and swears by that group.
I saw Braxton play a few years back, he brought five of his students to play with him. One hour performace with no braeaks, was excellent!
[3] Chyll Will, if you are still out there..got a LOT to ask you about Marbury..stand by for that..
[78] Is Joba back???
Mr. Mo!!!
Thanks be to Mo.
[81] Always and Forever!
[79] i wouldn't count on joba being "back", but he rocked the house tonight!
MO!!!!
cool on all the braxton stuff. i'm listening to him now on chick corea's *amazing* Circles album on ECM. a buddy of mine was kind enough to burn it to disc for me. unfortunately, it's never been released on cd. i was in a record store last year and they were playing the vinyl. some of the sickest, greatest 'out' shit i ever heard. i was in heaven. the guy behind the counter tried to change the record and i wouldn't let him! : )
i saw a cd from the group you mentioned. i'll get that. i've got gerry hemmingway on a trio disc w/ coolass trombone player ray anderson. i also saw a recent duo cd brax did w/ fred frith. that guy is super cool. maybe i'll check both out.
i'd always known brax's name and a little about him. but i'm REALLY into this amazing drummer named gerry gibbs (terry's son). gerry very much looks up to brax and has played with him (i think just live and not on any records, but i'm not positive). gerry has covered some of brax's material and the melodies are just gorgeous. he even named a song after brax!
last time i was in NYC (feb), i picked up this excellent jazz 'zine and brax was the cover story/interview. it's waaaaay deep. i finally finished reading it tonight and he's a real heavy cat. blew me away. i wanna know more. not a ton more. but i'd like to get an album or two of his. now i know where to start and i thank you very very much for that!
i need to hip the guitarist from my old fusion trio to this guy. i kept thinking of him when i was reading the interview. ditto when i hang with my friend who burned me the brax/corea cd. 3 brilliant folks there...
2 up on TB
2.5 up on Bos
and a solid 26 games ahead of BAL ; )
Nice to get that first game won.
Hell ahead?
After this, they get the A's all star, Cahill, and then 4 good to great lefties out of 5 games, with the only righty thrown in there being Felix Hernandez.
That's pretty rough.
[85] let's hope we go at least 3-2 in the next 5.
i guess it's a good thing thames is back. hope he's not in the field too very much though...
[83] Circle were awesome, I got the Live in Paris 2-cd set. Very "out" but in control playing by 4 masters.
[86] I think I'd be very, very satisfied with 3-2 and then head for the break. Let's hope.
[87] that's what i'm listening to!!! it's been officially released on cd?!?!
[87] dude, you RULE!!! not only did i see that ecm officially released this on disc, but when looking, i discovered something called "early circle", which were studio sessions w/ this quartet done the year before the paris concert, in 1970. and freaking blue note released it! how did i not know this??? you know what happened next... i should have it in a week, or so! : )
[90] Man, I want that cd but I have stopped buying this year! Your collection must now be filling out your new house?
Oh, I know you don't like the World Cup but you WILL like the them song and the video done by Shakira...Mamma Mia!!!
[91] i hear ya. i've been good. i bought a bunch of stuff tonight, unexpectedly. that's one of the very many great things about the new house - i have all kindsa room for new cd's. i have room to buy cd's for years and years with shelf space to spare, even by my standards! : )
yup, no world cup for me, but i'm sure the shakira vid is slammin'!
i'm about to hop off here. thanks again for the brax talk!
[25]
Good places to start with Anthony Braxton: Conference of the Birds (1973) (with Dave Holland, leader), Creative Orchestra Music (1976), Seven Standards Vols. 1 & 2 (1985),
[93] thanks!
i have conference of the birds, so i'm familiar with that. i love dave holland!
i appreciate the other 2 recommendations!
[93] Yes, "Conference of the Birds" is amazing. Dave Holland, Braxton & Sam Rivers and some great percussion from...can't remember off hand...
[95] barry altschul. same guy who's on Circle. yeah, he's great!