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Friday, June 11, 2010
Braden's next start will be pushed back
From Chronicle Staff Writer Susan Slusser at AT&T; Park
Dallas Braden said an MRI showed he has inflammation in his left forearm, with tendinitis the primary culprit, and he also has epicondylitis - tennis elbow. That's what Andrew Bailey had earlier this year. Braden got the MRI today after a doctor's appointment yesterday determined the need for one. I'd been told he'd already had one yesterday but that the results weren't back yet; guess that's why there were no results.
Braden said that he'll be pushed back from Tuesday to Thursday next week; the A's offday Monday will allow them to do so because they can have Trevor Cahill (sorry, said Ben Sheets initially, brain cramp) and tonight's starter, Gio Gonzalez, go on a normal five days' rest.
That decision isn't entirely firm, Braden said. If he feels much better, he might start earlier, or, if he needed a few more days, the A's could push him all the way back to Saturday if need be (though at that point, they'd probably be considering the DL as a possibility).
Braden left without speaking to reporters the other night, though I later caught him by phone to get a pool report. That's unusual for a media-friendly fellow such as Braden, and it's frowned upon for starting pitchers not to speak, anyway, because it leaves teammates to answer the questions, which isn't cool.
As it turns out, Braden left us a note, which we never saw. He said it said:
Forearm tightened up.
Ankle is fine.
Foot still numb.
Couldn't get the big out when I needed one.
That's pretty funny. So I won't chastise him more for ducking out any more than I already have, but you hate to see the best quote on the team flying out the door without stopping.
Rajai Davis is available to play defense tonight, according to acting manager Tye Waller. It's unlikely he'd be used as a pinch runner; the team wants to make sure that left hamstring strain is all healed, and Davis said he doesn't think he can keep from going all out. Really, that's probably a good reason to keep him out of the outfield, too, you'd think.
As expected, Landon Powell was called up with Kurt Suzuki on the bereavement list following the death of his paternal grandfather.
This is the lineup, which Waller said he and Geren came up with together, which isn't unusual, he said. There's a lot of collaboration with the staff, according to Waller: Ellis 2b, Barton 1b, Sweeney rf, Kouzmanoff 3b, Gross cf, Powell c, Patterson lf, Pennington ss, Gonzalez p
| Jun 11 at 05:54 PM
Possible power bats
MLB Trade Rumors did this list of available power bats, citing the Oakland A's and San Diego Padres as two contenders who could use one. The A's have hit lefties poorly -- a .680 OPS compared to .719 against righties. It seems as if a right-handed outfielder to play in left would improve the team the most -- Corey Hart and Austin Kearns are hitting well. Is it worth giving up a high-level prospect to get one of them? It may depend on whether center fielder Coco Crisp can finally get healthy and be effective, bumping Rajai Davis to left.
Draft review: Here's John Sickels' review of the A's draft, which was long on power potential and short on pitching. Oh Yordy, their second-round pick looks like a ballplayer.
Non-smack weekend: Our annual smack post comes only before the first A's-Giants series. Given how Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy have discovered in the last three weeks that a lineup requires hitting, this one won't be so easy.
No Fish! The Marlins' new stadium will contain one travesty of a feature that the A's had better not imitate (tip to New A's Ballpark Blog). Luckily, even baby elephants couldn't squeeze into that space.
| Jun 11 at 12:05 AM
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Notes from the final game of the homestand
From Chronicle Staff Writer Susan Slusser at the Coliseum
Here's the lineup today in the last of a four-game set against the Angels: Patterson LF, Barton 1B, Sweeney RF, Suzuki C, Cust DH, Kouzmanoff 3B, Gross CF, Ellis 2B, Pennington SS.
Manager Bob Geren said Rajai Davis looks good for this weekend at San Francisco, and after running in the outfield, Davis said his left hamstring feels "fabulous."
If you missed it this morning, I had Travis Buck and Brett Tomko updates in the Chronicle A's beat.
Eric Chavez, as expected, will head to Triple-A Sacramento for a rehab assignment all next week.
Matt Carson said his jaw is feeling better today; he couldn't close it all the way after slamming face-first into the wall last night. He hit on the right side of his face, but the left side of his jaw hurt, which I thought sounded alarming; the jolt apparently pulled something in there, though, and nothing seems to be broken. Thank goodness.
It looked so crazy with Carson running at top speed, that it provided everyone a good laugh - A's players, too - but he could have been seriously injured hitting the wall that hard. I ran into Torii Hunter in the hallway this morning and he asked how Carson was, because Hunter has collided with a few walls in his time. "He's really fast," Hunter said, marveling that Carson came out of it OK.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia last night said it appeared to him as if Carson was accelerating when he hit the wall, and it turns out that he was, because he was preparing to take a step up the wall and jump. As Carson said last night, he thought he had one more step. He's only played here a handful of times, so that's understandable. Ouch.
UPDATE: Gabe Gross just ran headlong into the wall in center chasing a double by Hideki Matsui. Not as hard as Carson, and he looks fine, but it was also face-first. Are they not paying attention to the warning track out there? Watch out for the wall!
Today's funny moment was provided by Ben Sheets. Sheets usually wears his pants CC Sabathia-style, big, baggy pajamas. For a laugh, though, he put on Justin Duchscherer's uniform pants this morning, and they're painted on, ala Lenny DiNardo or Rick Peterson. Sheets didn't look very comfortable in them, but it was definitely amusing.
UPDATE TWO: Both of today's managers, Geren and Scioscia, have been named coaches for the All-Star Game in Anaheim. Comment away.
| Jun 10 at 12:31 PM
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Rajai Davis update, plus an unusual lineup
From Chronicle Staff Writer Susan Slusser at the Coliseum
Rajai Davis jogged and did some stride work before tonight's game, and he also took batting practice, but he definitely will not play before Friday, according to manager Bob Geren. The team wants to make sure Davis' left hamstring has adequate time to heal. Davis feels as if there's been significant improvement, but few teams know like the A's that there's nothing wrong with caution. How many Oakland players now have had recurrences of previous problems? Mark Ellis with his hamstring earlier this season, Brett Anderson's left elbow/forearm, etc.
So with no Davis still and the team wanting to load up with right-handed hitters against lefty Joe Saunders, it's an odd lineup: Ellis dh, Barton 1b, Suzuki c, Kouzmanoff 3b, Rosales 2b, Sweeney rf, Fox lf, Carson cf, Pennington ss. Geren wanted to get Rosales into the lineup, and he saw a chance to get Ellis some limited rest with the DH spot.
Eric Chavez took regular batting practice with the team today - he had been taking early batting practice but not jumping in during in the real pre-game session - and he said there is still no exact plan for him to go on a rehab assignment. He's just taking things day-to-day, anyway - I think he's never going to get ahead of himself when it comes to saying when he's going to play after all the injuries and setbacks he's had over the years - so he'll just go wherever they want to get at-bats when the team goes on the road, whether that's batting practice or actual rehab games.
Gabe Gross said he's OK to play today despite some back stiffness, the result of a weird slide into home last night; catcher Mike Napoli managed to catch Gross' foot with his own, vaulting Gross up and sideways.
Some fun names in the final day of the draft: Oakland took a right-hander named Andrew Bailey (the A's big-league closer Andrew Bailey said he got numerous texts this morning asking how he could be drafted twice) and they also took Bobby Geren, Geren's son, who is a senior at San Ramon Valley High School. Bobby Geren is heading to Princeton in the fall, and his younger brother, Brett, is considering some Ivy League possibilities, too.
| Jun 09 at 06:33 PM
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Davis is considered day-to-day, Carson called up
From Chronicle Staff Writer Susan Slusser at the Coliseum
As expected, the A's sent a reliever to Triple-A Sacramento today to bring up a position player because center fielder Rajai Davis is out for two or three days with a hamstring strain. What wasn't necessarily expected was which reliever: Henry Rodriguez, who was still a topic of conversation in the Angels' clubhouse today, was sent back to Triple-A Sacramento after a nice outing last night in which he clocked 101 mph on one pitch.
Davis said his left hamstring, strained on a fifth-inning triple last night, is much improved, and the discomfort is limited to a small area.
Outfielder Matt Carson was recalled and he's likely to start tomorrow night against lefty Joe Saunders and on Saturday against Barry Zito, if still here by then. (Four days would be a reasonable time to make sure Davis is OK, though, if Carson's right-handed bat makes a difference in giving him an extra day.)
When I was in Sacramento last week, Carson hit two homers and looked terrific. I've always thought he'd be a good extra outfielder at the big-league level because he can hit left-handers well, he's a good defensive player and very fast, so he can pinch run. He's also got a great attitude, which is not true of every potential part-time player. I think he could handle limited time and do well, sort of like Gabe Gross, who's made a nice career of it.
Here's the lineup: Patterson LF, Barton 1B, Sweeney RF, Suzuki C, Cust DH, Kouzmanoff 3B, Gross CF, Ellis 2B, Pennington SS.
Manager Bob Geren says he got a text from Justin Duchscherer today saying his left hip surgery went well. There was a lot going on, and a lot of work needed, so Duchscherer was happy he'd had the procedure and was feeling positive about it, Geren said. Duchscherer is out for the rest of the season but he plans to try to sign with a team next year.
The A's made 29 more draft picks today, and took high school players with the first four of those: Yordy Cabrera, a third baseman from Lakeland, Florida; outfielder Aaron Shipman, from Brooks County, Georgia; third baseman Chad Lewis from Marina High School in Huntington Beach (Daric Barton's high school) and right-hander Tyler Vail of Notre Dame HS in Pennsylvania. It's the first time since 1978 that the A's took high school players with four of their first five picks.
Ryan Sweeney's brother, Kellen, was drafted in the second round by Toronto. Kellen Sweeney is a high school shortstop; Ryan Sweeney said he's very excited about his brother's selection and he's looking forward to working out with him in the offseason. There's a 7-year age difference, so Ryan hasn't seen his brother play since 2003, he said, when Kellen was still in middle school.
The A's watched Stephen Strasburg's debut today with as much interest as everyone else. The TV was tuned to Strasburg before and after batting practice.
| Jun 08 at 05:09 PM
Monday, June 07, 2010
Chavez does some hitting, Crisp update
From Chronicle Staff Writer Susan Slusser at the Coliseum
For those of you looking for the A's draft blog, Vlae posted that below; he and John Shea are all over today's goings-on, with Oakland using the 10th pick to take Texas-Arlington outfielder Michael Choice.
While that was all going on, I was watching Eric Chavez take early batting practice. He said everything went fine, and the week-plus of rest and traction therapy for the two bulging disks in his neck appears to have calmed things down. Chavez said that trainer Steve Sayles is coming up with a plan for Chavez's rehab assignment, but it still appears as if that will happen next week, when the A's head off to Chicago and St. Louis.
That could point to Chavez's return on Oakland's next homestand - although Chavez, after so many injuries over the years, won't hazard guesses about any timetables. He's just going to do all he can every day to get back on the field. I'm sure the debate will rage on about whether he should just retire, but why shouldn't he give it a try? The A's are paying him $12 million no matter what. He's back to feeling good. It's not like the rest of the Oakland offense is setting scoring records. He's not taking away time from a great prospect. Let's see what he can do if and when he's really healthy.
Manager Bob Geren said that Coco Crisp (ribcage strain) will play in an intrasquad game at extending spring training in Phoenix a week from today. He'd probably head out on a rehab assignment after that if all goes well. Could he then head to St. Louis to join the A's? That sounds like a reasonable guess.
Here's the lineup: : Davis CF, Barton 1B, Suzuki C, Kouzmanoff 3B, Rosales SS, Sweeney RF, Ellis 2B, Cust DH, Fox LF.
Geren said Cliff Pennington is back at shortstop tomorrow night. He wasn't sure if Andrew Bailey would be available to close but he thought that would be a good possibility.
Apparently, Geren is just getting hammered around the blogosphere for his decision to have Brad Ziegler intentionally walk Justin Morneau with one out and none on on Saturday.
| Jun 07 at 06:33 PM
A's choose UT-Arlington outfielder Michael Choice
5:05 p.m. UPDATE:: The Oakland A's selected UT-Arlington center fielder Michael Choice with the 10th selection in the MLB draft. He has a ton of power to all fields and runs well. The main knock has been that his swing mechanics will lead to strikeouts. Here's a scouting report.
* * *4:47 p.m. UPDATE: The Indians, D-Backs and Mets, drafting 5-6-7, all took pitchers, including a couple who were forecast to go later. This could open it up for the A's to get a player who was not projected to be available.
* * *Today's MLB draft starts at 4 p.m. on MLB Network. Here's John Shea's preview.
Mock drafts, usually pointless in baseball because of the unpredictability, link the A's to third baseman Zack Cox (Arkansas), outfielders Bryce Brentz (Middle Tennessee State) and Michael Choice (Texas-Arlington) and pitchers Dylan Covey (Maranatha High, Pasadena), Stetson Allie (St. Edward High, Lakewood, Ohio) and Alex Wimmers (Ohio State).
I expect the A's to take a position player with the 10th pick-- that's their need, they've had much better luck developing pitchers from further down, and the injury risk is lower. The A's got way behind in hitter development in the mid-'00s and are only now making it up.
Specifically, I'm hoping for Zack Cox (scouting report). He changed his swing this year, which has meant more contact and less power. A line of .432/.524/.606 in a strong conference is a pretty strong hint there's a solid major leaguer there. He'll be expensive to sign, which may have scared the Astros off him at No. 9, but the A's haven't been cheapskates in their signings the last couple years. As always, other opinions welcome.
| Jun 07 at 05:05 PM
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Closer than it had to be
Just back from the game, a nice afternoon that was more nail-biting than it had to be. The hitters teed off on Nick Blackburn, 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings. Jack Cust and Kevin Kouzmanoff are starting to look very comfortable at the plate. Gio Gonzalez had a great seven innings, getting stronger as he went along. It almost went waste when Tyson Ross came in with two out and one on in the eighth. He got behind 2-0 to Delmon Young, the next pitch was crushed to make it 5-4.
If the A's have to use Ross in high-pressure situations because of a tired bullpen during the current 20-straight-game stretch, they'd probably be better off sending him to the minors. His ERA has ballooned from 3.32 to 6.14 since May 11.
Michael Wuertz closed, as the A's wanted to give Andrew Bailey consecutive days off after pitching three innings the previous two games, so at least they're going in to the important Angels series with him rested.
| Jun 06 at 04:40 PM
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Hit left-handed? Take a seat
John Shea from the Coliseum on a warm Saturday night . . .Bob Geren stacked his lineup with right-handers against Minnesota lefty Francisco Liriano, who's far more successful when a left-handed batter stands in the box.
Oakland's first six batters: Davis, Ellis, Suzuki, Kouzmanoff, Rosales (first start at first base), Fox.
Then Gross (who swings lefty), Pennington (switch-hitter), Patterson (lefty).
No Barton (for the first time in 2010). No Sweeney. No Cust.
Lefties hit .200 (10-for-50) off Liriano, righties .275 (56-for-204).
While Liriano has walked 19 right-handed batters, he hasn't walked a single lefty.
Liriano doesn't have great career numbers against the A's: 1-2, 5.08 ERA, eight games, six starts. At the Coliseum, he's 0-2 and 8.31 in four starts.
For in-game news, go to Twitter @JohnSheaHey
| Jun 05 at 05:18 PM
Friday, June 04, 2010
Anderson on DL with tendinitis; he'll rest for 10 days
From Chronicle Staff Writer Susan Slusser at the Coliseum
It's "relatively good news" here, as manager Bob Geren put it: a contrast MRI this afternoon showed that left-hander Brett Anderson has elbow tendinitis. So the team placed him on the DL and he won't throw for 10 days - which isn't ideal, since Anderson is the A's most talented starter, but it's a heck of a lot better than season-ending surgery, which was the fear.
Anderson told me that's what he was worried about, too, so he's relieved, even though, he said, "It's not fun to go on the DL. But this is the best-case scenario."
The contrast MRI showed no structural damage, no tears, just inflammation, so Anderson will be allowed to get on the mound when he's symptom-free. Typically, that can take 10 days to a month, and the fact that Anderson missed five weeks with a forearm strain in May means that it could be on the longer side: No one wants to take any unnecessary chances with a 22-year-old who was just given a long-term contract.
Vin Mazzaro will take Anderson's spot in the rotation for now, Geren said.
Ryan Sweeney is back in the lineup despite taking a knee to the noggin yesterday in Boston when he and Mark Ellis collided going after a foul ball. He said he's sore, but he's giving it a go. A CT scan and X-rays were all fine, though Sweeney's told his pupils were tiny after collision, and he said, "I was kind of out it."
Here's the lineup: Davis CF, Barton 1B, Sweeney RF, Suzuki C, Cust DH, Kouzmanoff 3B, Gross LF, Ellis 2B, Rosales SS.
I asked if we might see more of Rosales at shortstop, considering Cliff Pennington's recent hitting woes, and Geren said Pennington will be back in tomorrow - but Rosales might make his debut at first base soon. I'd be pretty tempted to leave Rosales at shortstop for a while, but it's clear the A's are committed to Pennington there.
Eric Chavez is feeling better since going on the DL with bulging disks in his neck, and he might come back to the Bay Area next week to resume working out.
In regularly scheduled news, the A's sent down catcher Landon Powell for what seems like the 10th time this season. Fourth time, I believe, counting before Opening Day. He is the designated luckless one this season. Left-hander Cedrick Bowers and righty Henry Rodriguez are back to help the weary bullpen.
| Jun 04 at 05:36 PM
This digital dugout is the yap zone for the A's on SFGate.com.
By Susan Slusser, Vlae Kershner, Read Bios
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