Friday, July 21, 2006
Magnante does it all for Oakland
07/20/2006
During the summer and early fall, Rick Magnante is a manager for the A's Class A team, and for the rest of the year, he is a scout in Southern California. For Magnante, it is the best combination he could hope for.
"I think I have the best job you could have in baseball," Magnante said. "I'm having the time of my life. To be able to do both is extremely gratifying."
In his scouting career, the 58-year-old is known for signing Barry Zito, Bobby Crosby and Jason Giambi for Oakland. He started scouting in the Brewers organization in 1979 and the A's hired Magnante in 1996.
His managing career is very green compared to his scouting one, and he is in his first season with the Vancouver Canadians. Magnante was given the position after managing the South African team during the World Baseball Classic in March.
The skipper took on what was arguably the most inexperienced team in the tournament.
"We had one player that was a reliever in Double-A," Magnante said. "We had another eight or nine teenagers and some 30-year-olds looking for a 40-hour work week."
The South African team almost upset Canada in its first game, but blew a one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning. It ended up going 0-3 in the WBC in a pool with the United States, Mexico and Canada.
His team was outscored 38-12 in the tournament, including a 17-0 loss to Team USA, but Magnante said he will never forget managing on a world stage.
"It was the best baseball experience I've had in my life," Magnante said. "It was a privilege to be able to manage that team, [especially when the players gave] me their best against those three teams.
He had a chance "to grow the game in the African nation, to create a greater interest, and give them an opportunity to come to the U.S. and compete against the best. It was a heartwarming experience."
Magnante, who managed in the Detroit Tigers' Minor League organization, wanted to get into coaching from the time he started scouting, and was given advice by Tom Gamboa.
Gamboa -- who has coached with the Tigers, Brewers and Angels, and is best known for being attacked by two fans at Chicago in 2002 when he was the first-base coach for the Kansas City Royals -- was an area scout for the Brewers organization in 1979, and said that scouting was Magnante's best chance to get involved with baseball.
"There were no managing jobs available," Magnante said. "[Gamboa] said to me, 'I know you want to get on the field, and scouting was the best way to get in the loop.'
"The only thing I knew was the field, I never even knew about scouting."
Magnante surely surpassed his own expectations and went on to earn the Southern California Scouts Association Scout of the Year Award and the A's Dick Bogard Memorial Award in 2001 and 2003.
He says that his scouting career has helped him in managing during the Classic and with the Canadians this season, saying the two skills go hand in hand.
Being a scout before "gives you a little bit better feel with what the scouts see in a player. You take a more creative look at the player and look at more of an upside with a player."
So far, his experience as being a scout has turned into success for Vancouver on the field. The Canadians are 19-11 in the West division of the Northwest League and are two games behind Salem-Keizer for first place.
The A's farm system has a reputation for winning and having great prospects, and this season isn't any different with the Canadians.
A few of the standout players include starter Scott Deal, center fielder Jermaine Mitchell and outfielder Matt Sulentic.
Deal is in his second year out of high school and is 5-0 this season with a 1.64 ERA, and hasn't given up a homer in 33 innings.
Magnante said that Mitchell is a "tool-orientated player with tremendous athleticism."
Mitchell was drafted in the fifth round out of UNC Greensboro in June during the First-Year Player Draft and has the numbers that usually earns a promotion in the Athletics farm system.
He leads the Canadians with 17 walks, a .463 on-base percentage and is batting .363 with 14 RBIs.
Sulentic was drafted as the A's second pick in the third round this year out of Hillcrest High School in Dallas and is hitting .327 with an on-base percentage of .368.
"To my knowledge, [Sulentic] is the only high school position player that I have seen in the [Class] A league," Magnante said. "He is a blue chip prospect, and he is giving us more than what we have expected."
Sulentic, Deal and Trevor Cahill -- this year's first selection -- show that the A's have changed their draft attitude towards high school players over the past few years.
"We were college-orientated in our selections until the last few years," Magnante said. "Teams started to emulate us in the past with the draft. I just think it shows our ability to adapt in the draft. And not going just one place for players in the draft. It seems to be paying off."
Magnante said he is much in favor of the "A's philosophy" with player development and is content with coaching at the Class A level.
"This is a perfect job for me," Magnante said. "I don't have an agenda and I don't aspire to be in the big leagues. I like being the kindergarten teacher. As long as they ask me back, I'll be back next year."
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
During the summer and early fall, Rick Magnante is a manager for the A's Class A team, and for the rest of the year, he is a scout in Southern California. For Magnante, it is the best combination he could hope for.
"I think I have the best job you could have in baseball," Magnante said. "I'm having the time of my life. To be able to do both is extremely gratifying."
In his scouting career, the 58-year-old is known for signing Barry Zito, Bobby Crosby and Jason Giambi for Oakland. He started scouting in the Brewers organization in 1979 and the A's hired Magnante in 1996.
His managing career is very green compared to his scouting one, and he is in his first season with the Vancouver Canadians. Magnante was given the position after managing the South African team during the World Baseball Classic in March.
The skipper took on what was arguably the most inexperienced team in the tournament.
"We had one player that was a reliever in Double-A," Magnante said. "We had another eight or nine teenagers and some 30-year-olds looking for a 40-hour work week."
The South African team almost upset Canada in its first game, but blew a one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning. It ended up going 0-3 in the WBC in a pool with the United States, Mexico and Canada.
His team was outscored 38-12 in the tournament, including a 17-0 loss to Team USA, but Magnante said he will never forget managing on a world stage.
"It was the best baseball experience I've had in my life," Magnante said. "It was a privilege to be able to manage that team, [especially when the players gave] me their best against those three teams.
He had a chance "to grow the game in the African nation, to create a greater interest, and give them an opportunity to come to the U.S. and compete against the best. It was a heartwarming experience."
Magnante, who managed in the Detroit Tigers' Minor League organization, wanted to get into coaching from the time he started scouting, and was given advice by Tom Gamboa.
Gamboa -- who has coached with the Tigers, Brewers and Angels, and is best known for being attacked by two fans at Chicago in 2002 when he was the first-base coach for the Kansas City Royals -- was an area scout for the Brewers organization in 1979, and said that scouting was Magnante's best chance to get involved with baseball.
"There were no managing jobs available," Magnante said. "[Gamboa] said to me, 'I know you want to get on the field, and scouting was the best way to get in the loop.'
"The only thing I knew was the field, I never even knew about scouting."
Magnante surely surpassed his own expectations and went on to earn the Southern California Scouts Association Scout of the Year Award and the A's Dick Bogard Memorial Award in 2001 and 2003.
He says that his scouting career has helped him in managing during the Classic and with the Canadians this season, saying the two skills go hand in hand.
Being a scout before "gives you a little bit better feel with what the scouts see in a player. You take a more creative look at the player and look at more of an upside with a player."
So far, his experience as being a scout has turned into success for Vancouver on the field. The Canadians are 19-11 in the West division of the Northwest League and are two games behind Salem-Keizer for first place.
The A's farm system has a reputation for winning and having great prospects, and this season isn't any different with the Canadians.
A few of the standout players include starter Scott Deal, center fielder Jermaine Mitchell and outfielder Matt Sulentic.
Deal is in his second year out of high school and is 5-0 this season with a 1.64 ERA, and hasn't given up a homer in 33 innings.
Magnante said that Mitchell is a "tool-orientated player with tremendous athleticism."
Mitchell was drafted in the fifth round out of UNC Greensboro in June during the First-Year Player Draft and has the numbers that usually earns a promotion in the Athletics farm system.
He leads the Canadians with 17 walks, a .463 on-base percentage and is batting .363 with 14 RBIs.
Sulentic was drafted as the A's second pick in the third round this year out of Hillcrest High School in Dallas and is hitting .327 with an on-base percentage of .368.
"To my knowledge, [Sulentic] is the only high school position player that I have seen in the [Class] A league," Magnante said. "He is a blue chip prospect, and he is giving us more than what we have expected."
Sulentic, Deal and Trevor Cahill -- this year's first selection -- show that the A's have changed their draft attitude towards high school players over the past few years.
"We were college-orientated in our selections until the last few years," Magnante said. "Teams started to emulate us in the past with the draft. I just think it shows our ability to adapt in the draft. And not going just one place for players in the draft. It seems to be paying off."
Magnante said he is much in favor of the "A's philosophy" with player development and is content with coaching at the Class A level.
"This is a perfect job for me," Magnante said. "I don't have an agenda and I don't aspire to be in the big leagues. I like being the kindergarten teacher. As long as they ask me back, I'll be back next year."
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
Notes: Kotsay having fun with switch
07/19/2006
BALTIMORE -- Mark Kotsay couldn't remember the last time he played first base in a big-league game, which wasn't surprising considering how hard his bell was rung by a Russ Ortiz fastball Tuesday night.
Kotsay, a center fielder by trade, stayed in the game and was feeling just fine Wednesday morning, and while his last action at first base was in 2000, he's had enough experience for the A's to trust him with a start there in the finale of a three-game series against the Orioles at Camden Yards.
"It's fun," said Kotsay, who made 12 starts at first base for the Marlins in 1999 and had made 24 appearances -- 12 starts -- at the position before Wednesday. "Any time you get to switch positions, it's fun."
And Kotsay was having a whole lot of fun before the game. A's manager Ken Macha said Kotsay was already in the clubhouse at 8:50 a.m., throwing a baseball against the wall to practice his scoops.
Kotsay said he just wanted to measure up to the "high standard" established by backup catcher Adam Melhuse, who made a pair of great digs in his first start of the season at first base Sunday in Boston.
"I think I'm fairly athletic, and hopefully that translates into catching some ground balls," Kotsay said.
Kotsay was unable to catch the one grounder hit his way, though, booting a seventh-inning ball off the bat of Ramon Hernandez. And when he recovered, he flipped the ball too far ahead of Barry Zito, who was covering first base. He was charged with two errors on the play.
"I led Z too far," Kotsay said before joking, "I thought he was an athlete. My bad."
Kotsay also said his jaw still hurts from the Ortiz fastball, which hit the ear flap of his helmet so hard that it caused some bleeding from his ear lobe and left a red welt on his neck.
"It's tough to eat," he said. "Sipping Slim-Fast [for meals] is not very fun."
Then he cracked, "I'm trying to gain weight so I can move to a corner outfield spot."
Little rest for Swisher: The need for a first baseman, Macha said, stemmed from the need to get Nick Swisher some rest. The A's tried to give him the day off Sunday, but he was forced into action when designated hitter Frank Thomas left the game with dizziness and a racing pulse.
He was forced back into action Wednesday when Macha moved Kotsay to the outfield an inning after his errors.
"I knew I'd be in there at some point," Swisher said.
Swisher, who is in an 8-for-63 slump over his past 18 games, has lost about 10 pounds since contracting mononucleosis two weeks ago, and Macha has repeatedly said he thinks Swisher's energy is low.
"It's kind of tough watching him play," Macha said. "I asked the trainer when he's going to get better, and he said, 'When he gets better.' ... This'll get him two days off in a row. We'll see how he is in Detroit."
Swisher, who disputes Macha's opinion of his energy level, said the steamy weather the A's have encountered in Boston and Baltimore hasn't helped.
"It isn't easy putting weight back on when you work in a sauna," Swisher said.
Dribblers: Catcher Jason Kendall, who started the first six games of the road trip, also is getting a two-day break. Melhuse started behind the plate Wednesday, and the A's have Thursday off. ... Through Wednesday, the Angels had won 13 of their past 14 games to pull themselves from seven back in the American League West to less than a game behind the A's, who had held at least a share of first place for 33 consecutive days. Macha attributed the surge to the Halos' pitching staff, calling it best in baseball. ... Dan Johnson, sent down to Triple-A Sacramento last Thursday, continues to tear it up for the River Cats. In a doubleheader Wednesday, he went 2-for-4 with a homer in the opener and 2-for-3 in the nightcap. He's 7-for-12 with two homers since being demoted. ... Righty Jared Lansford, the son of former A's third baseman Carney Lansford and a 2005 Oakland draftee, picked up his ninth win of the season for Class A Kane County on Wednesday with six shutout innings of four-hit work. He's 9-5 with a 3.19 ERA for the Cougars.
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
BALTIMORE -- Mark Kotsay couldn't remember the last time he played first base in a big-league game, which wasn't surprising considering how hard his bell was rung by a Russ Ortiz fastball Tuesday night.
Kotsay, a center fielder by trade, stayed in the game and was feeling just fine Wednesday morning, and while his last action at first base was in 2000, he's had enough experience for the A's to trust him with a start there in the finale of a three-game series against the Orioles at Camden Yards.
"It's fun," said Kotsay, who made 12 starts at first base for the Marlins in 1999 and had made 24 appearances -- 12 starts -- at the position before Wednesday. "Any time you get to switch positions, it's fun."
And Kotsay was having a whole lot of fun before the game. A's manager Ken Macha said Kotsay was already in the clubhouse at 8:50 a.m., throwing a baseball against the wall to practice his scoops.
Kotsay said he just wanted to measure up to the "high standard" established by backup catcher Adam Melhuse, who made a pair of great digs in his first start of the season at first base Sunday in Boston.
"I think I'm fairly athletic, and hopefully that translates into catching some ground balls," Kotsay said.
Kotsay was unable to catch the one grounder hit his way, though, booting a seventh-inning ball off the bat of Ramon Hernandez. And when he recovered, he flipped the ball too far ahead of Barry Zito, who was covering first base. He was charged with two errors on the play.
"I led Z too far," Kotsay said before joking, "I thought he was an athlete. My bad."
Kotsay also said his jaw still hurts from the Ortiz fastball, which hit the ear flap of his helmet so hard that it caused some bleeding from his ear lobe and left a red welt on his neck.
"It's tough to eat," he said. "Sipping Slim-Fast [for meals] is not very fun."
Then he cracked, "I'm trying to gain weight so I can move to a corner outfield spot."
Little rest for Swisher: The need for a first baseman, Macha said, stemmed from the need to get Nick Swisher some rest. The A's tried to give him the day off Sunday, but he was forced into action when designated hitter Frank Thomas left the game with dizziness and a racing pulse.
He was forced back into action Wednesday when Macha moved Kotsay to the outfield an inning after his errors.
"I knew I'd be in there at some point," Swisher said.
Swisher, who is in an 8-for-63 slump over his past 18 games, has lost about 10 pounds since contracting mononucleosis two weeks ago, and Macha has repeatedly said he thinks Swisher's energy is low.
"It's kind of tough watching him play," Macha said. "I asked the trainer when he's going to get better, and he said, 'When he gets better.' ... This'll get him two days off in a row. We'll see how he is in Detroit."
Swisher, who disputes Macha's opinion of his energy level, said the steamy weather the A's have encountered in Boston and Baltimore hasn't helped.
"It isn't easy putting weight back on when you work in a sauna," Swisher said.
Dribblers: Catcher Jason Kendall, who started the first six games of the road trip, also is getting a two-day break. Melhuse started behind the plate Wednesday, and the A's have Thursday off. ... Through Wednesday, the Angels had won 13 of their past 14 games to pull themselves from seven back in the American League West to less than a game behind the A's, who had held at least a share of first place for 33 consecutive days. Macha attributed the surge to the Halos' pitching staff, calling it best in baseball. ... Dan Johnson, sent down to Triple-A Sacramento last Thursday, continues to tear it up for the River Cats. In a doubleheader Wednesday, he went 2-for-4 with a homer in the opener and 2-for-3 in the nightcap. He's 7-for-12 with two homers since being demoted. ... Righty Jared Lansford, the son of former A's third baseman Carney Lansford and a 2005 Oakland draftee, picked up his ninth win of the season for Class A Kane County on Wednesday with six shutout innings of four-hit work. He's 9-5 with a 3.19 ERA for the Cougars.
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
Zito picks up 10th victory of year
07/19/2006
BALTIMORE -- The A's picked up what should have been a feel-good win Wednesday, downing the Orioles, 5-1, behind a homer and three RBIs from Frank Thomas, Eric Chavez's first homer in more than a month, and seven brilliant innings from Barry Zito.
The clubhouse vibe afterward, though, was considerably more subdued than you'd expect from a team that's opened a tough East Coast road trip with five wins in seven games. An acrimonious afternoon for Milton Bradley and a less-than-pleased Mark Kotsay, one of the team's most respected veterans, left the room strangely quiet as everyone packed up for Detroit.
Kotsay, who got his first start at first base since 2000, was openly upset by having been moved from first to center field after making two errors on the same play in the seventh inning.
"I was having fun until I got put back in the outfield after booting a ball," Kotsay said. "That was kind of embarrassing."
Bradley, who was carried off the field after a stumble on the bases in the top of the sixth but returned to his post in right field for the bottom of the frame and played the rest of the game, wasn't talking at all, leaving others to discuss his confrontations with fans in the eighth and ninth.
"He said they were getting personal with him," said firs- base umpire Rick Reed. "He said we should have more security. ... They escorted some people away. I don't know if they were removed or escorted to their seats. ... Milton mentioned to me in the ninth inning that it had been going on all three games."
Kotsay defended Bradley, who also got into a shouting match with fans in Boston on Saturday.
"I think people buy tickets just to [yell at Bradley], to see what kind of fire they can light," Kotsay said. "He's definitely a target, in my opinion."
Kotsay said the comments he's heard hurled Bradley's way are "as antagonizing" as he's ever heard, "mainly about incidents from his past; just comment after comment after comment."
Asked if he planned to have a chat with Bradley, who came to Oakland with a history of altercations with fans, teammates and coaches, A's manager Ken Macha said, "I think we've already had a talk about that."
Asked if he thought Bradley was becoming a potential distraction, he said, "I was focused on the game."
Oh yeah, the game. A fine win it was for the A's, who maintained their slim lead in the American League West by winning their second consecutive road series.
"To take three of four in Boston and two of three here, we've got some nice momentum going into Detroit," said Zito, who scattered five hits and a walk. "We're pretty happy to be where we are right now."
"We're in a dogfight every day," added Thomas, whose 20th homer of the year capped Oakland's scoring. "We've got the Angels and Rangers right on our tail, so every win's a big one."
Chavez, who has been battling tendinitis in both forearms and entered the game batting .133 (12-for-90) over his past 25 games, gave Oakland a 4-0 lead when he took Orioles starter Kris Benson (9-9) deep to right field with one out in the sixth inning.
It was Chavez's first long ball since June 16, but his mood mirrored that of the clubhouse in general.
"If you go up there enough, eventually you're going to run into something," he said of the drought-busting homer. "It didn't make me feel any better."
Thomas, who had given the A's a 2-0 lead with a two-run single with two out in the first, hit his 20th homer of the year two pitches after Chavez's blast, sending a Benson fastball 410 feet into the left-field bleachers. Oakland's third run came when Bradley, who led the A's with three hits, homered to right with one out in the third.
"The offense was great today," Zito said. "Getting that lead early was huge for me."
Zito (10-6), who idolized Benson in his late teens, was brilliant in their first head-to-head matchup; Oakland's ace faced three batters over the minimum in the first six innings while Benson was giving up five runs on nine hits and a walk.
"I don't see it as outperforming him," Zito said. "I see it more as holding the opposition down. ... I wish I could have watched him pitch more, but I have to stay kind of focused when I'm pitching."
"He's a good pitcher," Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada said of Zito. "He throws the ball where he wants to, and we swung at a lot of bad pitches, too. ... That's why he's good, because he throws a lot of strikes."
The O's finally broke through in the seventh, when Kevin Millar doubled and scored on a bloop single by Ramon Hernandez. Kotsay was then charged with two errors after mishandling Corey Patterson's grounder and flipping past Zito at the bag to put runners at the corners with one out, but Zito got out of the jam by getting Chris Gomez to hit into an inning-ending double play.
"That was a tough play for Kots," said Zito, who improved to 79-5 in his career when getting at least four runs of support. "And we got the double play, so it didn't cost us a run or anything."
That's why Kotsay was miffed at being moved to center field the next inning. Macha suggested that the move was made in part because Bobby Kielty, who started in left field, had hurt his side on a swing in the top of the sixth.
Said Kotsay, "Kielty's not hurt."
Kielty confirmed as much, saying, "I'm fine."
Bradley's day took a turn for the worse when he stumbled after rounding first base on a line drive to left in the sixth. He appeared to be injured, never making an effort to get back to the bag, and was tagged out after left fielder Luis Terrero got the ball back into the infield.
"He sprained his ankle," said assistant athletic trainer Steve Sayles, who treated Bradley after the incident. "It was already taped; we just reinforced it a little bit."
Bradley just missed catching Millar's double in the seventh with a tumbling dive, and in the bottom of the eighth got into it with some fans in the right-field arcade area. In the ninth, he got into it with fans down the right-field line, prompting three members of the umpiring crew to intervene.
"He's going to have more attention, and the more attention that gets drawn to him, some people see that as a weakness and go for it," Reed said. "I hope it doesn't get to be a problem."
Kotsay said he didn't think Bradley was becoming a distraction, adding that he likes "the fire he brings to this ballclub." Kotsay then suggested reporters talk to Thomas, who has played with "fiery guys" such as Carl Everett and Tony Phillips in the past.
"You've just got to leave them alone and let them be who they are," Thomas said. "All the fiery guys I've played with, they play better when they're like that."
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
BALTIMORE -- The A's picked up what should have been a feel-good win Wednesday, downing the Orioles, 5-1, behind a homer and three RBIs from Frank Thomas, Eric Chavez's first homer in more than a month, and seven brilliant innings from Barry Zito.
The clubhouse vibe afterward, though, was considerably more subdued than you'd expect from a team that's opened a tough East Coast road trip with five wins in seven games. An acrimonious afternoon for Milton Bradley and a less-than-pleased Mark Kotsay, one of the team's most respected veterans, left the room strangely quiet as everyone packed up for Detroit.
Kotsay, who got his first start at first base since 2000, was openly upset by having been moved from first to center field after making two errors on the same play in the seventh inning.
"I was having fun until I got put back in the outfield after booting a ball," Kotsay said. "That was kind of embarrassing."
Bradley, who was carried off the field after a stumble on the bases in the top of the sixth but returned to his post in right field for the bottom of the frame and played the rest of the game, wasn't talking at all, leaving others to discuss his confrontations with fans in the eighth and ninth.
"He said they were getting personal with him," said firs- base umpire Rick Reed. "He said we should have more security. ... They escorted some people away. I don't know if they were removed or escorted to their seats. ... Milton mentioned to me in the ninth inning that it had been going on all three games."
Kotsay defended Bradley, who also got into a shouting match with fans in Boston on Saturday.
"I think people buy tickets just to [yell at Bradley], to see what kind of fire they can light," Kotsay said. "He's definitely a target, in my opinion."
Kotsay said the comments he's heard hurled Bradley's way are "as antagonizing" as he's ever heard, "mainly about incidents from his past; just comment after comment after comment."
Asked if he planned to have a chat with Bradley, who came to Oakland with a history of altercations with fans, teammates and coaches, A's manager Ken Macha said, "I think we've already had a talk about that."
Asked if he thought Bradley was becoming a potential distraction, he said, "I was focused on the game."
Oh yeah, the game. A fine win it was for the A's, who maintained their slim lead in the American League West by winning their second consecutive road series.
"To take three of four in Boston and two of three here, we've got some nice momentum going into Detroit," said Zito, who scattered five hits and a walk. "We're pretty happy to be where we are right now."
"We're in a dogfight every day," added Thomas, whose 20th homer of the year capped Oakland's scoring. "We've got the Angels and Rangers right on our tail, so every win's a big one."
Chavez, who has been battling tendinitis in both forearms and entered the game batting .133 (12-for-90) over his past 25 games, gave Oakland a 4-0 lead when he took Orioles starter Kris Benson (9-9) deep to right field with one out in the sixth inning.
It was Chavez's first long ball since June 16, but his mood mirrored that of the clubhouse in general.
"If you go up there enough, eventually you're going to run into something," he said of the drought-busting homer. "It didn't make me feel any better."
Thomas, who had given the A's a 2-0 lead with a two-run single with two out in the first, hit his 20th homer of the year two pitches after Chavez's blast, sending a Benson fastball 410 feet into the left-field bleachers. Oakland's third run came when Bradley, who led the A's with three hits, homered to right with one out in the third.
"The offense was great today," Zito said. "Getting that lead early was huge for me."
Zito (10-6), who idolized Benson in his late teens, was brilliant in their first head-to-head matchup; Oakland's ace faced three batters over the minimum in the first six innings while Benson was giving up five runs on nine hits and a walk.
"I don't see it as outperforming him," Zito said. "I see it more as holding the opposition down. ... I wish I could have watched him pitch more, but I have to stay kind of focused when I'm pitching."
"He's a good pitcher," Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada said of Zito. "He throws the ball where he wants to, and we swung at a lot of bad pitches, too. ... That's why he's good, because he throws a lot of strikes."
The O's finally broke through in the seventh, when Kevin Millar doubled and scored on a bloop single by Ramon Hernandez. Kotsay was then charged with two errors after mishandling Corey Patterson's grounder and flipping past Zito at the bag to put runners at the corners with one out, but Zito got out of the jam by getting Chris Gomez to hit into an inning-ending double play.
"That was a tough play for Kots," said Zito, who improved to 79-5 in his career when getting at least four runs of support. "And we got the double play, so it didn't cost us a run or anything."
That's why Kotsay was miffed at being moved to center field the next inning. Macha suggested that the move was made in part because Bobby Kielty, who started in left field, had hurt his side on a swing in the top of the sixth.
Said Kotsay, "Kielty's not hurt."
Kielty confirmed as much, saying, "I'm fine."
Bradley's day took a turn for the worse when he stumbled after rounding first base on a line drive to left in the sixth. He appeared to be injured, never making an effort to get back to the bag, and was tagged out after left fielder Luis Terrero got the ball back into the infield.
"He sprained his ankle," said assistant athletic trainer Steve Sayles, who treated Bradley after the incident. "It was already taped; we just reinforced it a little bit."
Bradley just missed catching Millar's double in the seventh with a tumbling dive, and in the bottom of the eighth got into it with some fans in the right-field arcade area. In the ninth, he got into it with fans down the right-field line, prompting three members of the umpiring crew to intervene.
"He's going to have more attention, and the more attention that gets drawn to him, some people see that as a weakness and go for it," Reed said. "I hope it doesn't get to be a problem."
Kotsay said he didn't think Bradley was becoming a distraction, adding that he likes "the fire he brings to this ballclub." Kotsay then suggested reporters talk to Thomas, who has played with "fiery guys" such as Carl Everett and Tony Phillips in the past.
"You've just got to leave them alone and let them be who they are," Thomas said. "All the fiery guys I've played with, they play better when they're like that."
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
A's featured on "This Week in Baseball"
07/20/2006
The A's are known for making big trades during July, and this week they will be the team featured on "This Week in Baseball."
Oakland's ace, Barry Zito, has been surrounded by trade rumors all season, and the weekly series will feature the A's on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PT on FOX.
After three well-known player transactions -- Frank Thomas, Milton Bradley and Esteban Loaiza -- in the offseason, the A's could possibly be making another move before the July 31 trading deadline.
General manager Billy Beane has a reputation for making "A" trades, and the Athletics could be looking to add another bat to the offense, which is ranked last in the Major Leagues in batting average, slugging percentage, total bases and doubles.
Oakland has also received a lot of press recently for being in a tight race in the American League West.
The A's lead the West by 1 1/2 games, and the episode will feature an interview with manager Ken Macha about the 2006 season so far.
The A's have used the disabled list 11 times this season, yet despite the setbacks, the team has enjoyed another good run in June after a lousy May.
The A's have the best post-All Star break record from 2000-2005 (284-160), and could be primed for another run if they stay healthy.
"This Week in Baseball" mic'd sluggers Eric Chavez and Nick Swisher during batting practice and also conducted interviews with several A's players.
The show will also feature hitters Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki and David Eckstein for the Pepsi Pitch, Hit and Run.
Pat Monahan and Jimmy Stafford form the alternative band Train will also be featured in "This Week in Baseball."
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
The A's are known for making big trades during July, and this week they will be the team featured on "This Week in Baseball."
Oakland's ace, Barry Zito, has been surrounded by trade rumors all season, and the weekly series will feature the A's on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PT on FOX.
After three well-known player transactions -- Frank Thomas, Milton Bradley and Esteban Loaiza -- in the offseason, the A's could possibly be making another move before the July 31 trading deadline.
General manager Billy Beane has a reputation for making "A" trades, and the Athletics could be looking to add another bat to the offense, which is ranked last in the Major Leagues in batting average, slugging percentage, total bases and doubles.
Oakland has also received a lot of press recently for being in a tight race in the American League West.
The A's lead the West by 1 1/2 games, and the episode will feature an interview with manager Ken Macha about the 2006 season so far.
The A's have used the disabled list 11 times this season, yet despite the setbacks, the team has enjoyed another good run in June after a lousy May.
The A's have the best post-All Star break record from 2000-2005 (284-160), and could be primed for another run if they stay healthy.
"This Week in Baseball" mic'd sluggers Eric Chavez and Nick Swisher during batting practice and also conducted interviews with several A's players.
The show will also feature hitters Derek Jeter, Ichiro Suzuki and David Eckstein for the Pepsi Pitch, Hit and Run.
Pat Monahan and Jimmy Stafford form the alternative band Train will also be featured in "This Week in Baseball."
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Notes: Bradley ahead of the game
03/01/2006
PHOENIX -- New A's outfielder Milton Bradley had quite a welcome-to-me moment Wednesday, bashing the only pitch he saw in Oakland's intrasquad game at Phoenix Municipal Stadium for a three-run homer to left-center field.
A switch-hitter batting from the left side, Bradley smoked a changeup off righty Kiko Calero, quickly rounded the bases and crossed home plate with a big smile on his face.
"I didn't even think about it [being his first at-bat with the A's]," Bradley said. "I was just looking for a ball out over the plate."
He also suggested that coach Rene Lachemann's presence as the home plate umpire might have prompted him to be aggressive early in the count.
"You know he's gonna call pretty much anything [a strike]," Bradley offered. "So you have to be ready."
Calero, who is leaving the team Thursday to join Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic team, didn't pitch as poorly as his line -- one inning, three hits, three earned runs -- might indicate. Jason Kendall led off and blooped a single to center, Mark Kotsay followed with a broken-bat single to left, and after breaking Eric Chavez's bat on a flyout to left before Bradley's homer, Calero caught Dan Johnson and Bobby Kielty looking at called third strikes.
"Kiko was fine," said pitching coach Curt Young. "They got a couple bleeders there off him."
Bradley's blast was anything but a bleeder, landing about 410 feet away from home plate. That it came from the left side of the plate was encouraging to manager Ken Macha, who earlier in the week said it looked like Bradley's right-handed swing was ahead of his left-handed stroke.
"Shows you what I know," cracked Macha.
Other highlights of the 2 1/2-inning game included a double by Nick Swisher off non-roster righty Jason Karnuth, followed immediately by an RBI single from Adam Melhuse. The other run of the game came when Oakland's top pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Clifton Pennington, tripled off Chris Mabeus and scored on a fielder's-choice grounder by Mike Rouse.
"It was a good workout," Macha said. "I just wanted to get everyone one at-bat, and only one guy didn't get one."
That one guy was outfield prospect Javier Herrera, who was stranded in the on-deck circle when the game was called.
The best of Lach: As usual, Lachemann's running commentary during the game was a riot. His introductions as players stepped into the batter's box drew a steady stream of laughter from his targets, both in the dugouts and the stands, which were sprinkled with 25 or so fans.
Of Chavez, Lachemann said, "He's a 16-time Gold Glove winner from Mexico, and the only Mexican who doesn't speak Spanish."
Of Bobby Crosby, who spent two long stints on the disabled list last season, he urged fans to look into the discounted Bobby Crosby Ticket Plan: "It's a special price because you'll only see him in about 20 games."
Of Melhuse, who got only 97 official at-bats in 2005: "He caught the two games last year that Jason Kendall didn't."
Of Keith Ginter, who went largely unused while on the Oakland roster last season: "He set a Major League record last year by going 155 days in a row without an appearance in a big-league game."
And of Swisher, who is trying hard this spring to shake the reputation he earned as a high-volume rookie: "Everybody's favorite hot dog, Nick Swisher!"
"The season-ticket one with Crosby was a good one," said Macha.
Crosby's at-bat, against righty Matt Roney, ended with a called third strike.
"I thought the pitch to Crosby was low," Macha said. "So not only was [Lachemann] ragging him, but rung him up. So it was a double whammy."
Star search: Oakland's Cactus League opener is against the Cubs in Mesa on Thursday, and in a break from previous years, in which he trotted out a projected starting lineup for the spring opener, Macha is playing only a handful of regulars.
Bradley, Kendall and Kotsay won't even travel to Mesa.
"I think if we were at home, maybe those guys would play the first day," Macha said. "But it's on the road, and they're veteran guys, so they'll probably get just as much work in by staying here."
Righty Dan Haren will start for the A's, and is expected to work the first two innings. If he doesn't reach his 30-pitch limit in the game, he'll finish up in the bullpen.
Dribblers: Non-roster outfielder Hiram Bocachica, whose huge spring with the A's last year ended with a broken right wrist, hurt the same wrist while swinging a bat Tuesday, and didn't play in the intrasquad game. ... Johnson, who made the Topps All-Rookie team last year while wearing No. 11, has changed to No. 29. "I believe it was Nolan Ryan who said, 'Superstitions are for the mentally weak," Johnson said, adding that he's worn 29 most of his life. ... Santiago Casilla, the prospect formerly known as Jairo Garcia, has sorted out his visa problems in the Dominican Republic, and is expected in Arizona by Thursday night. ... Crosby, nursing a sore right shoulder, is playing catch at up to 150 feet, and said his strength is improving daily, but he probably won't be cleared for defensive action in games until March 10. In the meantime, he'll DH whenever possible. A new rule this spring allows visiting teams to use a DH in National League parks as long as they have the home team's consent. ... Righty Rich Harden was sent home with the stomach flu. ... Kendall, who hasn't homered since the Pleistocene Era, went deep on back-to-back pitches during batting practice. Kendall's next home run in a regular-season game will be his first since July 27, 2004.
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
PHOENIX -- New A's outfielder Milton Bradley had quite a welcome-to-me moment Wednesday, bashing the only pitch he saw in Oakland's intrasquad game at Phoenix Municipal Stadium for a three-run homer to left-center field.
A switch-hitter batting from the left side, Bradley smoked a changeup off righty Kiko Calero, quickly rounded the bases and crossed home plate with a big smile on his face.
"I didn't even think about it [being his first at-bat with the A's]," Bradley said. "I was just looking for a ball out over the plate."
He also suggested that coach Rene Lachemann's presence as the home plate umpire might have prompted him to be aggressive early in the count.
"You know he's gonna call pretty much anything [a strike]," Bradley offered. "So you have to be ready."
Calero, who is leaving the team Thursday to join Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic team, didn't pitch as poorly as his line -- one inning, three hits, three earned runs -- might indicate. Jason Kendall led off and blooped a single to center, Mark Kotsay followed with a broken-bat single to left, and after breaking Eric Chavez's bat on a flyout to left before Bradley's homer, Calero caught Dan Johnson and Bobby Kielty looking at called third strikes.
"Kiko was fine," said pitching coach Curt Young. "They got a couple bleeders there off him."
Bradley's blast was anything but a bleeder, landing about 410 feet away from home plate. That it came from the left side of the plate was encouraging to manager Ken Macha, who earlier in the week said it looked like Bradley's right-handed swing was ahead of his left-handed stroke.
"Shows you what I know," cracked Macha.
Other highlights of the 2 1/2-inning game included a double by Nick Swisher off non-roster righty Jason Karnuth, followed immediately by an RBI single from Adam Melhuse. The other run of the game came when Oakland's top pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Clifton Pennington, tripled off Chris Mabeus and scored on a fielder's-choice grounder by Mike Rouse.
"It was a good workout," Macha said. "I just wanted to get everyone one at-bat, and only one guy didn't get one."
That one guy was outfield prospect Javier Herrera, who was stranded in the on-deck circle when the game was called.
The best of Lach: As usual, Lachemann's running commentary during the game was a riot. His introductions as players stepped into the batter's box drew a steady stream of laughter from his targets, both in the dugouts and the stands, which were sprinkled with 25 or so fans.
Of Chavez, Lachemann said, "He's a 16-time Gold Glove winner from Mexico, and the only Mexican who doesn't speak Spanish."
Of Bobby Crosby, who spent two long stints on the disabled list last season, he urged fans to look into the discounted Bobby Crosby Ticket Plan: "It's a special price because you'll only see him in about 20 games."
Of Melhuse, who got only 97 official at-bats in 2005: "He caught the two games last year that Jason Kendall didn't."
Of Keith Ginter, who went largely unused while on the Oakland roster last season: "He set a Major League record last year by going 155 days in a row without an appearance in a big-league game."
And of Swisher, who is trying hard this spring to shake the reputation he earned as a high-volume rookie: "Everybody's favorite hot dog, Nick Swisher!"
"The season-ticket one with Crosby was a good one," said Macha.
Crosby's at-bat, against righty Matt Roney, ended with a called third strike.
"I thought the pitch to Crosby was low," Macha said. "So not only was [Lachemann] ragging him, but rung him up. So it was a double whammy."
Star search: Oakland's Cactus League opener is against the Cubs in Mesa on Thursday, and in a break from previous years, in which he trotted out a projected starting lineup for the spring opener, Macha is playing only a handful of regulars.
Bradley, Kendall and Kotsay won't even travel to Mesa.
"I think if we were at home, maybe those guys would play the first day," Macha said. "But it's on the road, and they're veteran guys, so they'll probably get just as much work in by staying here."
Righty Dan Haren will start for the A's, and is expected to work the first two innings. If he doesn't reach his 30-pitch limit in the game, he'll finish up in the bullpen.
Dribblers: Non-roster outfielder Hiram Bocachica, whose huge spring with the A's last year ended with a broken right wrist, hurt the same wrist while swinging a bat Tuesday, and didn't play in the intrasquad game. ... Johnson, who made the Topps All-Rookie team last year while wearing No. 11, has changed to No. 29. "I believe it was Nolan Ryan who said, 'Superstitions are for the mentally weak," Johnson said, adding that he's worn 29 most of his life. ... Santiago Casilla, the prospect formerly known as Jairo Garcia, has sorted out his visa problems in the Dominican Republic, and is expected in Arizona by Thursday night. ... Crosby, nursing a sore right shoulder, is playing catch at up to 150 feet, and said his strength is improving daily, but he probably won't be cleared for defensive action in games until March 10. In the meantime, he'll DH whenever possible. A new rule this spring allows visiting teams to use a DH in National League parks as long as they have the home team's consent. ... Righty Rich Harden was sent home with the stomach flu. ... Kendall, who hasn't homered since the Pleistocene Era, went deep on back-to-back pitches during batting practice. Kendall's next home run in a regular-season game will be his first since July 27, 2004.
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
Touted prospect Herrera turning heads
03/01/2006
PHOENIX -- More than a few times, A's outfield prospect Javier Herrera has been told that he looks like Mets star Carlos Beltran. He's also heard that he resembles Braves star Andruw Jones.
According to Oakland super-sub Marco Scutaro, Herrera plays a little like the aforementioned All-Stars, too.
"He's got some big-time tools," says Scutaro, who played winter ball with Herrera in their native Venezuela and has become something of a mentor to the 20-year-old center fielder. "He's going to be a great player."
Like Beltran and Jones, Herrera is a center fielder and a five-tool player. His powerful right arm is the tool that wows everyone, but Herrera, now in his first big-league camp, has the whole package. When Andre Ethier was traded to the Dodgers in the offseason, Herrera essentially inherited Ethier's unofficial status as Oakland's top Minor League outfielder.
"He has an absolute cannon," says A's outfield coach Brad Fischer. "I've only seen him in drills, but he's pretty polished for a guy his age."
"He can do a lot of different things," says Keith Lieppman, Oakland's director of player development. "And he does them all pretty well."
Signed as a 16-year-old out of his hometown of Caracas in 2002, Herrera, who bats right-handed, posted pedestrian numbers in his first two years as a pro, but everything started to come together for him in 2004. He was named the Northwest League Most Valuable Player after batting .331 with 12 homers, 47 RBIs, a .392 on-base percentage, a .555 slugging percentage, and 23 stolen bases in 24 attempts over 65 games with Class A Vancouver.
His 2005 season got off to an ugly start when he was suspended for 15 games for testing positive for steroids (he blames a tainted medication), but he still made quite an impression. Playing the bulk of his 99 games at Class A Kane County, Herrera batted .280 with 14 homers and 65 RBIs, and he led the A's organization with 27 stolen bases in 32 tries. As an emergency callup to Triple-A Sacramento in May, he went 5-for-12 with a homer and three RBIs in five games.
"I haven't seen much of him, but I've heard he's a great prospect," A's manager Ken Macha says. "He's impressed a lot of people, I know that."
The person least impressed with Herrera, it seems, is Herrera himself.
"I was happy with my year, but you can never be too happy," he says. "I was excited to go back to Venezuela and work on my game."
Intent on improving his plate discipline, Herrera got plenty of help from Scutaro, who had the same agenda when he went back home after the 2004 season.
"It was great for me to play in Venezuela, because guys like Scutaro and [fellow Venezuelans] Alex Gonzalez and Henry Blanco, guys who have been in the big leagues, they talked to me a lot," Herrera says. "They showed me everything and gave me a lot of advice, and that's something that's going to help me a lot."
Herrera more than held his own in winter ball, batting .265 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 53 games, and he helped Venezuela to the Caribbean World Series crown.
"It's a big jump [competitively] from Class A to Venezuela," Herrera says. "The experience was really good for me."
Says Scutaro: "He's only 20, and to play in the Caribbean World Series, that's pretty good. For a 20-year-old, he's a really mature guy."
Herrera, who is listed at 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, expects to start the season back at Kane County, but he's hoping to quickly earn a promotion to Double-A Midland. Asked if he has a timeline for reaching the Majors, he smiles and recites one of the many lessons passed on by Scutaro.
"I have to be patient," Herrera says. "With everything."
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
PHOENIX -- More than a few times, A's outfield prospect Javier Herrera has been told that he looks like Mets star Carlos Beltran. He's also heard that he resembles Braves star Andruw Jones.
According to Oakland super-sub Marco Scutaro, Herrera plays a little like the aforementioned All-Stars, too.
"He's got some big-time tools," says Scutaro, who played winter ball with Herrera in their native Venezuela and has become something of a mentor to the 20-year-old center fielder. "He's going to be a great player."
Like Beltran and Jones, Herrera is a center fielder and a five-tool player. His powerful right arm is the tool that wows everyone, but Herrera, now in his first big-league camp, has the whole package. When Andre Ethier was traded to the Dodgers in the offseason, Herrera essentially inherited Ethier's unofficial status as Oakland's top Minor League outfielder.
"He has an absolute cannon," says A's outfield coach Brad Fischer. "I've only seen him in drills, but he's pretty polished for a guy his age."
"He can do a lot of different things," says Keith Lieppman, Oakland's director of player development. "And he does them all pretty well."
Signed as a 16-year-old out of his hometown of Caracas in 2002, Herrera, who bats right-handed, posted pedestrian numbers in his first two years as a pro, but everything started to come together for him in 2004. He was named the Northwest League Most Valuable Player after batting .331 with 12 homers, 47 RBIs, a .392 on-base percentage, a .555 slugging percentage, and 23 stolen bases in 24 attempts over 65 games with Class A Vancouver.
His 2005 season got off to an ugly start when he was suspended for 15 games for testing positive for steroids (he blames a tainted medication), but he still made quite an impression. Playing the bulk of his 99 games at Class A Kane County, Herrera batted .280 with 14 homers and 65 RBIs, and he led the A's organization with 27 stolen bases in 32 tries. As an emergency callup to Triple-A Sacramento in May, he went 5-for-12 with a homer and three RBIs in five games.
"I haven't seen much of him, but I've heard he's a great prospect," A's manager Ken Macha says. "He's impressed a lot of people, I know that."
The person least impressed with Herrera, it seems, is Herrera himself.
"I was happy with my year, but you can never be too happy," he says. "I was excited to go back to Venezuela and work on my game."
Intent on improving his plate discipline, Herrera got plenty of help from Scutaro, who had the same agenda when he went back home after the 2004 season.
"It was great for me to play in Venezuela, because guys like Scutaro and [fellow Venezuelans] Alex Gonzalez and Henry Blanco, guys who have been in the big leagues, they talked to me a lot," Herrera says. "They showed me everything and gave me a lot of advice, and that's something that's going to help me a lot."
Herrera more than held his own in winter ball, batting .265 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 53 games, and he helped Venezuela to the Caribbean World Series crown.
"It's a big jump [competitively] from Class A to Venezuela," Herrera says. "The experience was really good for me."
Says Scutaro: "He's only 20, and to play in the Caribbean World Series, that's pretty good. For a 20-year-old, he's a really mature guy."
Herrera, who is listed at 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, expects to start the season back at Kane County, but he's hoping to quickly earn a promotion to Double-A Midland. Asked if he has a timeline for reaching the Majors, he smiles and recites one of the many lessons passed on by Scutaro.
"I have to be patient," Herrera says. "With everything."
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
Notes: New outlook for A's Haren
03/02/2006
MESA, Ariz. -- Dan Haren had a couple of very ugly outings last spring, and his outing Thursday against the Cubs was pretty ugly, too.
The difference is that this year, Haren isn't trying to impress anyone. Last year was his first with the A's after being part of the trade that sent Mark Mulder to St. Louis, and he went to Spring Training looking for results.
What he got was a team-worst 5.59 ERA in seven Cactus League starts, but after struggling for the first six weeks of the regular season, Haren established himself as one of the most promising young starters in the American League.
"It does make a difference, feeling like you belong," Haren said.
Thus, Thursday's ugliness in Oakland's Cactus League opener at HoHoKam Park isn't something over which Haren will obsess. After a fairly smooth first inning, he couldn't get through the second and finished with a line of five runs on seven hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings.
"You'd be lying if you said you went out and did what I did and didn't care about it," he said. "But the bottom line is you're preparing for the season. ... I'm not going to beat myself up over it."
Haren said he struggled with his splitter in the second inning, and paid for leaving a handful of pitches up in the strike zone. A's manager Ken Macha mentioned during the team's morning workout at Phoenix Municipal Stadium that he'd like to see Haren further develop the changeup he started toying with late last season, but Haren didn't throw any on Thursday.
"It's something I'll fool around with in the bullpen, and hopefully get it to the point where I'm working it in during games more," Haren said. "I need to get a better feel for it."
Heavy hitters: The two high-profile players imported to give Oakland's offense a jolt didn't make the trip to Mesa, but three holdovers from the 2005 club did exactly what the A's are hoping Milton Bradley and Frank Thomas can frequently do.
Trailing 5-0 going into the top of the fifth inning, the A's exploded for seven runs on the strength of home runs by Bobby Kielty, Mark Ellis and Bobby Crosby. Kielty got it going with a solo homer from the left side of the plate, Ellis connected for a grand slam, and Crosby closed the show with a two-run shot.
All of the damage was done against righty Bryan Corey, a non-roster invitee to Cubs camp.
"It felt good to get the head of the bat on the ball," Ellis said. "That whole inning was good."
Crosby, who is nursing a sore shoulder and hasn't been cleared to play defense in games, was in the lineup because the Cubs agreed to let the A's use a designated hitter.
Sloppy: Macha was pleased with several efforts Thursday, particularly those of lefty Joe Kennedy and righties Kirk Saarloos and Chad Gaudin. He was less than pleased with the handful of miscues committed by A's prospects late in the game.
"We did some things that were inexcusable," he said. "We missed two signs and had a baserunning mistake. I know they're young guys, but you can't make those kinds of mistakes, because they're mental."
Dribblers: The A's announced that they've agreed to terms on one-year contracts for 2006 with righties Saarloos, Gaudin, Justin Duchscherer, Joe Blanton and Huston Street; outfielders Nick Swisher, Javier Herrera and Charles Thomas; and infielders Marco Scutaro and Antonio Perez. ... Duchscherer has what he called a "very minor" groin pull, and isn't sure when he'll make his Cactus League debut. ... Last year, Macha made Swisher go on every road trip of the spring. He said Thursday that he's picked two players to make every trip, but wouldn't give up their names -- nor would he deny that one of them was Swisher. ... Frank Thomas hasn't yet been cleared to take batting practice on the field, but that didn't stop him from hanging around the cage Thursday morning. He even helped gather the loose balls after a couple of rounds, prompting a teammate to yell, "Look at Big Frank doing the dirty work! How bad does he miss this?"
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
MESA, Ariz. -- Dan Haren had a couple of very ugly outings last spring, and his outing Thursday against the Cubs was pretty ugly, too.
The difference is that this year, Haren isn't trying to impress anyone. Last year was his first with the A's after being part of the trade that sent Mark Mulder to St. Louis, and he went to Spring Training looking for results.
What he got was a team-worst 5.59 ERA in seven Cactus League starts, but after struggling for the first six weeks of the regular season, Haren established himself as one of the most promising young starters in the American League.
"It does make a difference, feeling like you belong," Haren said.
Thus, Thursday's ugliness in Oakland's Cactus League opener at HoHoKam Park isn't something over which Haren will obsess. After a fairly smooth first inning, he couldn't get through the second and finished with a line of five runs on seven hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings.
"You'd be lying if you said you went out and did what I did and didn't care about it," he said. "But the bottom line is you're preparing for the season. ... I'm not going to beat myself up over it."
Haren said he struggled with his splitter in the second inning, and paid for leaving a handful of pitches up in the strike zone. A's manager Ken Macha mentioned during the team's morning workout at Phoenix Municipal Stadium that he'd like to see Haren further develop the changeup he started toying with late last season, but Haren didn't throw any on Thursday.
"It's something I'll fool around with in the bullpen, and hopefully get it to the point where I'm working it in during games more," Haren said. "I need to get a better feel for it."
Heavy hitters: The two high-profile players imported to give Oakland's offense a jolt didn't make the trip to Mesa, but three holdovers from the 2005 club did exactly what the A's are hoping Milton Bradley and Frank Thomas can frequently do.
Trailing 5-0 going into the top of the fifth inning, the A's exploded for seven runs on the strength of home runs by Bobby Kielty, Mark Ellis and Bobby Crosby. Kielty got it going with a solo homer from the left side of the plate, Ellis connected for a grand slam, and Crosby closed the show with a two-run shot.
All of the damage was done against righty Bryan Corey, a non-roster invitee to Cubs camp.
"It felt good to get the head of the bat on the ball," Ellis said. "That whole inning was good."
Crosby, who is nursing a sore shoulder and hasn't been cleared to play defense in games, was in the lineup because the Cubs agreed to let the A's use a designated hitter.
Sloppy: Macha was pleased with several efforts Thursday, particularly those of lefty Joe Kennedy and righties Kirk Saarloos and Chad Gaudin. He was less than pleased with the handful of miscues committed by A's prospects late in the game.
"We did some things that were inexcusable," he said. "We missed two signs and had a baserunning mistake. I know they're young guys, but you can't make those kinds of mistakes, because they're mental."
Dribblers: The A's announced that they've agreed to terms on one-year contracts for 2006 with righties Saarloos, Gaudin, Justin Duchscherer, Joe Blanton and Huston Street; outfielders Nick Swisher, Javier Herrera and Charles Thomas; and infielders Marco Scutaro and Antonio Perez. ... Duchscherer has what he called a "very minor" groin pull, and isn't sure when he'll make his Cactus League debut. ... Last year, Macha made Swisher go on every road trip of the spring. He said Thursday that he's picked two players to make every trip, but wouldn't give up their names -- nor would he deny that one of them was Swisher. ... Frank Thomas hasn't yet been cleared to take batting practice on the field, but that didn't stop him from hanging around the cage Thursday morning. He even helped gather the loose balls after a couple of rounds, prompting a teammate to yell, "Look at Big Frank doing the dirty work! How bad does he miss this?"
Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/
