Chicks Dig Moneyball is now Athletics Supporter

This is my last post here at Chicks Dig Moneyball, as I've been invited to join the Sports Cartel blog network and blog at Athletics Supporter. I'll be posting all my A's rants and raves there from now on, so come by and check it out!

Thanks for your support!

A's 6, Blue Jays 4

Good Joe made an appearance tonight, for the second start in a row. Good Joe is a good thing for the A's, because Good Joe is likely on the trading block this winter. The more we see of Good Joe, the more likely Good Joe will net us some nice prospects in a trade.

Sure, Good Joe could be an A next year. But the fact that Billy was actively shopping him over the deadline means something. The fact that it's August 21 and the A's are under .500 means something. If Good Joe continues to be Good Joe, it could mean something.

But enough speculation - let's talk about Jack Hannahan. He will probably be one of those "Remember that guy?" guys in a few years, but for now, I'm enjoying watching this guy come out of nowhere and get his shot. He won that game last night for Good Joe with his three-run homer. Marco Scutaro may not be happy about his lack of playing time, but with the state of the team as it is, it makes sense to play Jack every day.

Today Dan Haren takes on the recently red-hot Dustin McGowan. Can Dan keep his grib on the Cy Young award or will it continue to slip away?

Go A's!!!!

Royals series review

Well that certainly wasn't the series outcome I expected going into a home series against the Royals with a four-game winning streak.

Granted, these Royals are better than the usual Royals. These Royals aren't even the AL Central cellar-dwellers. That honor goes to the White Sox... the team the A's swept going into this series. But these Royals are still supposedly worse than the A's.

I definitely had my hopes up too high for Dan Meyer. Really, my hopes were so high he probably couldn't even see them with the naked eye. His performance was pretty ugly, and it got him a ticket straight back to Sacramento the next day.

Chad Gaudin was next, and after having his first good post-All Star break start his last time out, he was back to his yucky form, giving up five runs in six innings and watching his ERA climb to 4.25. By season's end, we're going to look at his 2007 line and forget that he was a potential All Star back in July.

At least Lenny DiNardo was able to keep it from being a sweep. Really though, what the hell was that? Eight innings and one run? That is something good pitchers do, not "I was claimed off waivers right before spring training" guy. We'll take it, but we're not going to understand it.

The A's are on their longest flight of the season tonight, as they have to fly from Oakland all the way to the Great White North. This is what Rev. HaloFan likes to call the road trip of "concrete hell" (or something to that effect), as after three games in Toronto, the A's get a four game series in Tampa. At least Mark Kotsay is already on the DL this time.

Go A's!!!

A's 8, White Sox 5

Have I mentioned before that I heart Kurt Suzuki? Well, I'll say it now - I heart Kurt Suzuki.

I'm rooting for this guy big time. I would love to see him as the starting catcher in 2008. It's his job to lose, really, but he needs to continue to put up the numbers to support his case. I was a little worried when he struggled early on after the Kendall trade, but he's been hitting well of late, and he's got his average back up to over .250 and his OPS at a respectable .780.

The three-run walk-off home run he crushed yesterday helped matters as well.

So after the nice three-game sweep of the White Sox, the A's now have a (gasp!) four game winning streak! Tonight we try to keep it going as Dan Meyer gets the ball against the Kansas City Royals.

That's right, folks. Mission: Justify the Hudson Trade begins now. Of course, Huddy is currently a Cy Young candidate in Atlanta, so it's going to take a lot more than one good game by Meyer to justify it. Still... Go A's!!!

A's 3, White Sox 2

I had a dream last night that the A's lost a game 71-56. Maybe it's because I went to bed before last night's game started, and I knew Joe Blanton was on the hill.

But luckily the good version of Joe showed up, and another rookie drove the final nail in the coffin as Kurt Suzuki gave the A's a permanent lead with a two-run homer in the seventh inning.

Also of note was the fact that Huston Street worked the ninth in a one-run game. That's a save opportunity, folks, and save the game he did. It's nice to have our real closer back.

Today Dan Haren goes for the sweep in an afternoon game. I know it's just the White Sox, but a sweep would be definitely be nice.

3-2

That's how the A's have gone since I blogged last. That's not bad at all, considering four of those five games were against the mighty Detroit Tigers.

Let's talk about a few things:

Jack Cust - I have been extremely wary of Cust's success this season, even when he was tearing it up back in May. I mean really - this guy has been a minor league lifer. Surely the league will figure him out. And I was right - he's gone through his ups and downs, as I've watched his at-bats with a critical eye. But I'm ready to give Cust his due props. Here we are on August 15, and he is far and away the A's offensive hero. He leads the team in every category that has to do with hitting the ball a long way. The question is, can he keep it up in '08? He has definitely secured the DH job for next year already. Let's just see if this late bloomer can make something resembling a career now.

Jack Hannahan - Who? He was the A's starting third baseman last night against the White Sox, and looks to play more games there with Eric Chavez out. Fine with me - there's really no reason to not give the guy a shot. The A's traded for this Detroit minor league veteran Monday likely for this reason. There is far less reason for Marco Scutaro to be playing third right now, so it was a good move.

Esteban Loaiza - It sounds like he's on the way back and could possibly start Friday against the Royals. I know he's been out all year and he's probably super excited to come back, but I have absolutely zero excitement for this news. It's almost disappointment really, because I want to see Dan Meyer.

The A's host the White Sox again tonight as Joe Blanton tries to suck less than he did last time he pitched.

Go A's!!

Mission: Justify the Hudson Trade

I know I haven't blogged since the Tigers series began - hosting company from out of town will do that. But this is just too important of a piece of information to not blog about NOW.

The A's have called up Dan Meyer.

That could mean nothing, but it could mean a lot. If you recall, Meyer was the big-time prospect the A's received for Tim Hudson. But the injury bug bit this kid hard and he hasn't amounted to much. That is, until now. He's put up some nice numbers in Triple-A and now he's got the chance to see how that will translate to the major league level.

So, there is still time for the Hudson trade to be justified, and it all rides on Meyer. I've got my hopes up for this one.

A's 6, Rangers 3

It was amazing enough that Billy Beane was able to get actual players for Jason Kendall when he traded the light-hitting catcher a few weeks ago. But that one of those actual players played a big part in winning a game for the A's - that's absolutely astonishing.

Rob Bowen single-handedly kept this game from being of the aggravating, extra-inning variety, breaking a 3-3 tie with a solo shot in the seventh and adding a two-run homer in the eighth. It sure is nice to have a big, strong catcher who can drive the ball. No offense to Kurt Suzuki, of course. But after two and a half years of Jason Kendall, it's just nice to see.

The A's enter today's off-day with a waiver claim hanging in the balance - the Cubs claimed Shannon Stewart, and now the A's have two days to trade him, pull him back, or just give him up. I don't imagine the latter will happen, as moving him wouldn't save them much money and he might net them a supplemental draft pick. But will he be worth something the Cubs can pass through waivers? We shall see. I won't be surprised if Shannon is still an A in Detroit this weekend.

Since today is an off day, I won't tell the A's to go... so, rest well, A's!!

Rangers 8, A's 6

Chad Gaudin sure was a nice first half story. He went into the rotation in the injured Rich Harden's place and became a solid replacement, posting All-Star worth numbers for the first two and a half months of the season.

But nothing that has happened since then has been pretty, and last night was no different. His once nice 2.88 ERA has inflated to well over four, and he hasn't won since July 5. What's the matter here? Well, for one thing, his walks are way up. His old control issues have started to resurface. And his opponents' batting average, which was .246 before the break, is now .295. It seems the league is starting to figure him out.

Earlier this season, I said often that he should not go back to the bullpen. But maybe this second half nose-dive is an indication that he may be better suited there long term. The A's brass knows better than I do, so we'll see what his role is come 2008.

In other news, the A's had the bases loaded with nobody out in a crucial part of the game. They had the middle of the order up in this situation, and they couldn't score. The A's are the worst team in baseball with the bases loaded, hitting only at a .200 clip in that situation. I know we know this already, but I feel the need to reiterate just how bad in the clutch this team is.

One more game tonight (DiNardo vs. Milwood) and the A's get their first off day in three weeks. It should be some welcome rest.

Go A's!!

A's 9, Rangers 7

Ah, Texas in August - it's always a series that is talked about in the weeks leading up to it, circled on the calendar, and dreaded. Last night's game was a good example of why.

Seven-run lead? Check. Blown save? Check. Thirteen innings in sweltering heat? Check.

Luckily the A's came out on top after this horror show.

I still continue to be impressed with Dallas Braden, even though his numbers don't back me up. His pitches have nice movement and as long as he continues to rack up strikeouts (7 in 5 innings last night), he'll be successful.

But how about that Andrew Brown? This is the guy we got from San Diego in the Milton Bradley deal, and I have to tell you - I didn't think he'd amount to much. But he has been very good, including five strikeouts in two innings of work last night. He hasn't given up a run in his last 10 2/3 innings pitched. If he keeps it up, he could be a very valuable piece in 2008.

Tonight we get to see if Chad Gaudin continues to slide or if he brings it like he did at the beginning of the year. Texas in August? The odds are not good. But anyway...

Go A's!!!

The A's weekend that was

It's Monday and there's a lot to talk about.

Let's start with the games. So the A's split the series against the Angels. It would've been nice to win with a convincing three out of four, but I'm sure the Angels felt they should have won Saturday. The A's beat them that day on seven walks and two hits. Ha! Makes me laugh. That's what makes opposing teams go "Aaaarrrrghh!"

Two things happened this past weekend with regard to waivers. Mike Piazza cleared, and Joe Kennedy did not. The A's didn't pull Kennedy back when he was claimed by Arizona, so Joe is now a Diamondback. I think the A's were pretty much content to be rid of him one way or another. I am not shedding any tears over this.

As for Piazza, well, his clearing waivers pretty much means a trade is imminent. Hopefully it's not for a bag of peanuts, but I do know a bag of peanuts would clear waivers. As long as Billy thinks whatever he can get for Piazza is more valuable than whatever draft compensation we'd get, it'll happen. That's good because it should mean less Jack Cust in the outfield. It's just not a pretty sight and I wouldn't mind not seeing that for the rest of the year.

And finally, Milton Bradley is spouting off about Billy Beane and the A's organization. Is anyone surprised? I'm not. Milton seemed like a decent guy and a good player when he was here and when he actually played. He didn't exactly leave on the best terms, so I would expect some comments from him. Sadly, the race comments don't surprise me either, given Milton's history.

Hopefully the A's can move on from this distraction and continue working towards getting to .500. Today they're back on the road in Texas - Dallas Braden vs. former A John Rhienecker.

Go A's!!

A's 8, Angels 4

Sometimes all the A's need to get back on the winning track is a nice dose of Mr. Scot Shields.

I always giggle to myself when I hear accolades like, "one of the top setup men in the American League" or, "about as automatic as it gets" lauded on Shields, as the A's seem to have a knack for kicking his ass on a regular basis. This time, he got a little help from his defense as well. But it was Scot who served 'em up, and the A's took big helpings.

Although, there is one pitch Scot served up that I wish he hadn't, at that's the one that nailed Kurt Suzuki in the right hand. Suzuki stayed in the game to run, but the camera zoomed in on that hand several times and it was looking swollen and bruised. Please, please, please - let's not have Bobby Crosby Part 2 here. Suzuki needs to be playing the rest of this year, as this is his time to learn.

So a nice win tonight, but I'll feel even better about it once I hear Suzuki's X-rays are negative.

Tomorrow (or today really :)), it's Blanton vs. Escobar in a Saturday afternoon matchup that MLB.tv will oh-so-kindly black out for me. I have a feeling he'll be throwing to Rob Bowen tomorrow. If his "I only trust Jason Kendall" mentality makes him have a hard time throwing to Suzuki, imagine how tomorrow might be. Yikes. Let's hope Escobar is off his game.

Go A's!!!

IT'S ABOUT TIME

Eric Chavez has been placed on the DL.

Now get this guy some friggin' medical attention and get him ready for 2008. He doesn't need to play again this season unless he is 100% healthy. A 29-year-old man should not be crumbling to pieces like this. If it means no Gold Glove this year, so be it.

J.J. Furmaniak has been recalled from AAA to take his place.

Angels 6, A's 4

Had Vladimir Guerrero stayed mired in his homerless drought, the A's would have won this game. But, those two bombs he hit off Chad Gaudin were not just deep fly outs, and his 4 RBI propelled the Angels to victory last night.

Gaudin's ERA is up to 3.88 now as he's looking more and more ordinary. We might be back to the point where the only guy who isn't Bonus Boy is Dan Haren.

The middle infielders provided much of the positive for the A's, as Donnie Murphy put together a nice 2-for-4 game with a home run, and Mark Ellis clubbed his 14th home run, now his career high for a season.

Tonight, Lenny DiNardo goes in his 12th start of the year. Really?? Twelfth?? Way to go, waiver pickup guy with the deceiving 3.10 ERA.

Go A's!!

Moneyballphobia

mo·ney·ball·pho·bi·a (mŭn'ē-bôl-fō'bē-ə)
n. An abnormal fear of making a trade with Billy Beane.

I don't know whether to laugh or be annoyed at the genius that is William Lamar Beane. This is from Jayson Stark's latest Rumblings and Grumblings:

While the A's are trying to downplay their desire to trade Blanton, it's notable that about a half-dozen teams were in on him at various levels of interest -- and the A's were actively listening. But A's GM Billy Beane is so creative, he sometimes scares his peers just by being willing to discuss players who don't fit the mold of players who would normally get traded this time of year, or at this stage of their careers. "Any time Billy wants to talk about a guy like Blanton, who's just getting into his first year of arbitration, he makes me nervous," one GM said. Also made available by Beane, according to several clubs, was closer Huston Street. Which only caused people to wonder how healthy he is.

I just hope he has a little more luck in the offseason.

A's 3, Tigers 2

Well, this wasn't a series I expected the A's to win. But they did the the old fashioned A's way - good pitching, lots of walks, lots of runners left on base, and scoring just enough to win.

Two things I pondered as I watched the game today:

1. Dallas Braden can be a good pitcher. I hate to get overly optimistic about prospects on a regular basis, but whenever I watch him, I like him. I know, that's kind of an odd thing to say about a guy who is 1-6 with a 5.28 ERA. But can this guy actually be a reliable #2 or #3 starter by 2010? I'm responding with a hopeful yes.

2. Mark Ellis is becoming more of a power threat this year. Remember those seasons when we thought we needed to upgrade at second base to have a chance? Remember the Ray Durham acquisition? How about the Jeff Kent and Marcus Giles rumors? Well, don't look now, but Ellis has matched career-high season total of 13, and he's got two more months to play. I'd love to see the average back up to 2005 standards, but the added pop is nice for this offensively challenged team. I don't find it odd when he bats fifth sometimes.

Tomorrow the Angels come to town. I will miss the usual intensity of these upcoming games, but I still want to kick their asses.

GO A's!!!

A's 7, Tigers 3

Well, this afternoon may have been uneventful, but the A's ended the day the best way a baseball team can, and that's by winning a baseball game against a tough pitcher.

Justin Verlander and the Tigers got ahead early, 3-0, and it looked like it'd be another "ho-hum" day for the A's offense. But Kurt Suzuki came through tonight, showing the A's that he can lead them to the holy land of hitting with RISP, as he batted in three (klutch!) runs and scored one on a 2-for-3 night.

Maybe this is the start of The Great Comeback for this A's team that stood pat at the trading deadline. Or maybe it's just win #50 on the year. Either way, it was a nice display of getting runners on and getting timely hits, wrapped up in a nice package with a little bow on it for Danny Haren's 13th win of the season.

It's quite a different feeling watching the A's this year, knowing that they're likely out of the race. We haven't experienced that since 1998. Missing is that nervous feeling in my gut, the constant checking up on the upcoming opponents, and the faster heartbeat the comes with the turn of the calendar from July to August. Tonight, I just enjoyed watching the A's play some good baseball. Don't get me wrong - I'd love for them to be contending. But I don't miss the ulcers that come with it.

I'll be first in line for ulcers in 2008 though - no doubt about it.