Of course the A’s couldn’t keep the Rangers quiet all game, but hey, a wins a win and with this team we’ll take any they can get. The A’s salvaged the four game series with a win Sunday 5-4 in the top of the ninth on Adam Kennedy’s second home run of the day.He’s been the best offensive player since being acquired from Tampa Bay, no doubt.

Dallas Braden (no-decision)was in the middle of a dominant one-hit performance through six innings but as the seventh inning begun, back-to-back hits and an abrasion to Bradens pitching hand ended his day. After the bullpen was done with his runners, his line looed like this: Six-plus innings, two earned runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

The bullpen combined to pitch three innings and gave up five hits and two earned runs. Andrew Bailey got the win after Bob Geren chose to bring him in for a FIVE out save with two on. He gave up the game-tying single but hung in there to get the win in the ninth. Oh it was his 25th birthday too so that worked out well for him.

The offense was pretty anemic once again, aside from Kennedy’s two bombs and Jason Giambi’s solo shot. Through the first six innings the A’s had only five hits, after that a run scored on a balk and another on a bloop single by Jack Cust.

So goes Travis Buck, making it 10 times the A’s used the DL this year according to Slusser of the SfGate. How excited can we get when Cunningham gets the starting nod but Petit is sat over “can’t handle an off-speed pitch” Hannahan. Even if it’s a righty pitching.

Maybe Geren is taking a turn for the better, his previous philosophy-I recall-was to put the recently called guys in the lineup immediately? Sorry guys, I’m still in the denial phase.

I’m calling it, the A’s put up seven runs tonight but give up nine. Any takers?

Another wasted pitching performance by Josh Outman who got the no decision. Outman went 6 2/3 and allowed three runs but was pulled by Geren because there was a runner on first and two out… Oh no, not the ninth place hitter who is 0-2! Quick get Outman out of there! The best reliever (aside from Bailey) was used instead, for a third of an inning, nice management.  Next inning of course the A’s get lit up, and eventually lose 6-3.

Two home runs off Santiago Casilla gave the Rangers a three-run lead in the bottom of the eighth. Casilla looked bad, barely able to find the strike zone. Why not use Casilla instead of Wuertz for one batter in the seventh and use the much better reliever for a whole inning? I know what Geren was doing, he was planning ahead for the second loss of the day.

Oh by the way, anybody else see a far better manager in Clint Hurdle get canned today? Get a clue Billy!

Home run and three hits by Travis Buck, and also three hits by Kennedy.

Hopefully game two will be the PLAYERS fault, and not partially the managers.

*UPDATE TO THIS COMMENT* A’s lose second as well, 5-2

Game two’s fault goes 95% to Geren for intentionally walking a sub .200 batter who strikes out the most in the majors and 5% to pitcher, Gonzalez who gave up the tw0-run single that followed.

As the Athletics continue to put up runs inconsistently, their minor league affiliates, especially Midland (AA), continue to swing the hot bat collectively. You could make an easy argument that the AA team offensively, is pound for pound better than AAA. The most notable right now who is on the verge of being a career minor leauger, is 26-year-old right-handed-hitting first baseman (sometimes third baseman) Tommy Everidge. His line looks like this through 45 games:

.306 7HR, 43RBI, BB/K ratio 18-25.

Everidge isn’t slowing down and he won’t, the questions is, will the A’s or even the RIvercats give him a look? He’s not getting any younger.

Adrian Cardenas shortstop, is another Double A Midland player who since being demoted from triple A has been on fire. His AAA-AA combined stats are (through 43 games):

.307 5HR, 38RBI, BB/K ratio 23-27.

He probably deserves a spot on the Rivercats but there’s no room. Billy Beane better get busy.

Triple A Sacramento:

Outfielder Aaron Cunningham, who was given a sip of the show this year before being domoted. Why he’s spending his time in Sacramento while Rajai Davis is in Oakland is beyond me. Cunninghams line is the follwing:

.315 3HR, 11RBI, BB/K ratio 3-15 (not great) but the key here to me is he hits left-handers at a .412 clip! Rajai Davis, also a right hander, .160. That’s .160 folks…HORRIBLE.

The farm system looks interesting, maybe some hitters, of course some pitchers but only time will tell.

Who needs a promotion?

Trevor Cahill vs. Erik Bedard round two, fight!

It was a great fight today boys, but somebody had to win and it went to the team who doesn’t retain the anemic, non-existent force, who is Rajai Davis and the recently looney Russ Springer.

Mariners 6, Athletics 1

The offense was limited to five hits, one home run and the rest singles..Yes singles. Bobby Crosby hit the home run of all people. The 7-8-9 lineup should never look like this: Crosby, Rajai Davis, Jack Hannahan. Why can’t the A’s have Travis Buck or Aaron Cunningham in the lineup instead of Rajai Davis, who might as well of been a lefty facing another lefty today.

More ranting I know but it needs to be said.

Russ Springer, or “old-man Springer” which I like to call him, for some reason can barely get outs. Today he came into the ninth with a 4-1 Mariner lead and gave up three straight single, one that led to two runs, an out, another single, before getting out of the inning with a doulbel play. Something must me going on with Springer, family related or injury related I don’t know, but something needs to be done. Maybe a DL stint.

It’s a shame the A’s can’t back up a solid rookie performance from Cahill. Cahill (2-5) today went six innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out five and walking one.

The A’s were silenced for the first six innings by Mariners starter Jarrod Washburn, who just happens to be “another lefty.” But after Washburn left, the A’s offense wasted little time, and took the lead  with four runs in the seventh to put them up one and that proved to be just enough, as they beat the Mariners 4-3.

Dallas Braden held on long enough to get the his fourth win of the season. The offense came in the form of three walks and two singles.  Orlando Cabrera’s single scored Rajai Davis, followed by a bases loaded walk that scored another by Matt Holliday. The final two runs came with the bases loaded and two out by Jason Giambi’s single.

Finally, we have a closer…I think. Andrew Bailey came in for the save and got a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

The good news is the A’s finally held onto a win to beat the Diamondbacks 6-2, the bad news is manager Bob Geren is still making random moves with his pitching staff. Back to this issue in a minute.

Josh Outman was fantastic once again, lasting 7 2/3 innings while allowing only four hits. Outman (2-0) walked five and didn’t strike out a batter. His ERA on the season now stands at 3.12, best among A’s starters. Outman lasted just long enough for his offense to come around as the A’s were being shut out up until the sixth when they struck for three to take the lead. Landon Powell hit his first ever Major League home run and almost failed to get around the bases, and Jason Giambi hit another home run, his fifth on the season.

Back to Geren.

Two things that surely tell us that Geren has screwed up lately were his decisions with his starting pitcher, and bullpen usage.

First: Starter Josh Outman was already over the 100-pitch mark after the seventh but Geren chose to leave him into the eight, should he have done this a little earlier in the season the A’s might have not lost some of those heart-break games.

Second: The bullpen needed some rest of course, and thankfully Outman was allowed to surpass the 85- pitch mark, but the question here is why Ziegler came into close tonight and not last night? Last night he came into the game in the seventh, today the ninth? I’ve never seen this before, not even with a closer by committee based bullpen.

Anything to add guys?

Bullpen fails, A’s lose 8-7 in eleven innings to the Diamondbacks.

Yeah, that’s how it’s going for the A’s, four home runs off one of the most dominant pitchers in the National league in Dan Haren, still doesn’t equate to a win. Way to go bullpen, especially you Springer.

After another shaky outing in the eighth inning by reliever Russ Springer-whom for whatever reason is still the setup man- the A’s saw a five-to-one lead erased in one inning. Springer never recorded an out, Chat it up guys, plenty to discuss here. Instead of having Brad Ziegler come in late in the game, Manager Bob Geren chose to bring him in for the seventh. Ask yourselves this, who would you rather have late in the game right now, Springer or Ziegler. Where was Casilla in the eight?

Too bad for recently-recalled pitcher Edgar Gonzalez who pitched a solid game but failed to pick up the win after leaving the sixth inning with a five to one lead. Gonzalez went five-plus innings giving up one run on four hits, he struck out four and walked two.

The bright spot in the game was obviously the long-balls, one more special than the others. Jason Giambi hit his 400th career home run in the fourth inning off Dan Haren. Jack Cust started the home run parade with a two-run shot to right center in the first, followed by solo variety’s from Giambi, Adam Kennedy in the fourth and Nomar Garciaparra’s coming in the fifth.

PS: Jack Hannahan and Bob Geren are spies.

There are a couple former A’s prospects I have kept my eye on. Two in particular, outfielder Nelson Cruz of the Rangers, and recently turned first baseman Jesus Guzman of the Giants.

Guzman was recently called up to the Giants Friday night so the verdict’s still out on him on whether he can play solid enough defense to warrant a spot on a national league team. We all know he can hit. I think it was a huge mistake to not give this guy a chance. He is a power-hitting right handed bat.

Nelson Cruz was another mistake. He has more home runs, RBI’s, and stolen bases than anyone currently on the Athletics roster, 11, 30, and 6. He also bats from the right side, and has a batting average of .287.The A’s could have used Cruz this year, but gave up on him.

Do you guys think these were huge mistakes or what?

I have to let my frustration out on someone, who better.

Maybe the whole closer controversy has come back to bite Manager Bob Geren in the rump. Instead of putting in so-called closer Brad Ziegler in the ninth inning with a two-run lead, Geren elects to keep Andrew Bailey in for his second straight inning of work, and he serves up a two-run home run. The winning run was credited to Ziegler, who finally came in with the game tied. Rajai Davis had a play at the plate but fumbled the ball and the Rays walked away with the win, 6-5.

More on Davis later.

Starting pitcher Dallas Braden, coming off his worst outing of the season in Detroit, rebounded nicely today, However; a few mistake pitches cost him a victory. Four of the six hits by Rays batters off of Braden came on  0-2 counts, including Bartlett’s go-ahead solo home run in the six. Braden (3-5) allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings of work. He struck out four and walked two.

For anyone who watched the game, is it incorrect to say that Rajai Davis should be fired? He will be buying Adam Kennedy dinner after his base running mistake almost cost the game. With men on first and second and one out, Jason Giambi hits a towering fly ball to center that looked like it could be gone, but Rajai Davis runs to third and then prematurely  goes back (in the meantime Holliday almost laps him) to tag before the center fielder plays the ball, which wasn’t caught. Result? the most inefficient single in A’s history.

This might have been worse than the Seattle loss.