The A’s finally won a game 4-1 beating the Rays in the 11th inning Tuesday night in rare dramatic fashion.

The blow came off the bat of Matt Holliday’s three-run, no-doubt home run to left field and an insurance run was added later in the inning by Adam Kennedy’s single.

Josh Outman stopped the bloody-mess which is the last four games from a pitching standpoint.

Outman was great, keeping the Rays off their game all night and coming up huge with some big K’s. Outman (1-0) went six, striking out six. He gave up three hits, and walked one without allowing a run. Following up Outmans performance was Michael Wuertz, Andrew Bailey, and Santiago Casilla, all pitching shutouts in the  seventh, eight and ninth, and tenth innings, respectively.

Matt Holliday came up in the ninth with one out and a chance to end things a bit earlier with men on first and second, but struck out on three consecutive pitches. Lucky he had the chance to redeem himself.

Jason Giambi could have been cut some slack tonight if he could have gotten a hit in a couple of key circumstances but failed. What a shock.

Home run friendly Russ Springer tried to add to the drama in the bottom of the 11th by surrendering a solo shot. No faith in that guy anymore.

At least tonight we don’t have to avoid tonight’s ESPN.

So it looks like two things will happen this year, either the A’s turn it around, which seems unlikely, or the A’s will be transformed once again with many trades coming before the deadline. The question is which one should we root for?

Personally, I love trades, but also love to watch the A’s play competitive ball, however; If the A’s have no chance of securing a playoff spot, why root for the competitive, not playoff-bound team and instead root for a better 2010? What do you guys choose and why?

One things for sure, I will always be an A’s fan and Bob Geren will be gone in the next month, hopefully.

Go Michael Ynoa!

It sure looked like the A’s offense was facing a stud-pitcher, Cy-young in the making, however, they weren’t. They faced a guy who basically has two pitches-fastball (not overwhelming), curveball (good)- and those two pitches have produced mediocre results so far this season. That is, until he faced the Oakland Athletics.

The A’s (13-22) lost 13-4 to the Tampa Bay Rays. The A’s offense managed nine hits, two hit games coming from Jack Cust, Adam Kennedy, and Travis Buck.

Notables:

Orlando Cabrera hit his second home run in as many days and Jack Cust hit a meaningless two-run home run in the eighth to give him six long balls on the season.

The pitching was again, horrendous and it looks like more changes will be made soon, as starter Sean Gallagher gave up seven runs (all earned) on THREE hits, FIVE walks, and one strike out in 2 1/3 innings. Replacement, and recently recalled pitcher, Gio Gonzalez allowed four earned runs on six hits, THREE walks (yep, more walks), six strike outs in 3 2/3.

My favorite moment of the game was manager Bob Geren’s bullpen, speciffiocally Gio Gonzalez. Remeber that game in Seattle where the A’s blew the lead in the 13th? The one where the bullpen seemed to be running with their heads cut off? Well, it happend tonight with GIo Gonzalez. Bob Geren, “get Gonzalez up…wait sit him down, no up..” How about you, Bob Geren, sit down!

Six runs in the first two innings, one there after , you would think seven runs equates to a win, not for the A’s.

Oakland lost 11-7 to the Detroit on Sunday after giving up two three-run home runs, one served up by Santiago Casilla (which is rare) and one by Russ Springer (not so rare). Trevor Cahill had the six-run cushion which lately would have suggested a win, as he has won his last two starts after receiving ample run support, but not today. Cahill (2-3) lasted only 2 1/3 innings, surrendering seven earned runs and seven hits, while walking two with zero strike outs.

The bullpen gave up four of the 11 runs, three by recently instated Casilla who came in very early-too early maybe- to replace cahill and one by home run friendly Springer.

Please don’t refrain from giving me your full opinions!

A’s (13-19) lose 14-1 to the Detroit Tigers.

Who knows how this game might have ended up have the A’s not committed two costly errors (four total) that led to a grand slam.

The A’s had a chance to get out of this filthy game, but Mother Nature thought differently. After Detroit ended their side in the bottom of the fourth, the game was delayed for over an hour, the A’s were losing 9-1, but unfortunately for the A’s, the game resumed, and the butt-kicking continued.

Starting pitcher Brett Anderson (0-4) looked good through the first two batters of the game, but then Jason Giambi completely dropped a little-league throw that hit his glove in the sweet spot. Next Bobby Crosby-who I know cant stand being on the A’s-botched a routine grounder. After a hits batsman came an unfortunate grand salami…Game over. After the second of two rain delays, another grand slam a occurred. Get them out of here. Pretty much a nightmarish evening for the A’s

An inning later Bobby Crosby (coincidentally) left the game with a “stomach ache”. Gimme a break!

Aaron Cunningham has been recalled from Sacramento and might be starting tonight at Detroit. Also Santiago Casilla is back with the team after his rehabilitation went as planned.

Anyone excited about Cunninghams promotion? Doesn’t anyone think it’s time Rajai Davis takes a hike, he’s been so ineffective at the plate, and not good on defense.

Does anyone think the A’s should promote Double-A first/third-baseman Tommy Everigde? He’s a right-hande power hiiter, that has been stuck in Double-A becacuse of a “log-jam at the position”. Just to put out there, he led the league last year in RBI’s with 115 and had 22 home runs to go along with a .279 batting average. This year he has four home runs and 32 RBI’s in 32 games, and a batting average of .309, plus he has been steller with his walk-to-k ratio (15/18).

Would it hurt to give this guy a chance instead of Rajai Davis?

A’s 7, Royals 2.

After a night filled with runs galore on Tuesday, Wednesday was shaping up to be the opposite, as the A’s had only a 2-1 lead going into the seventh, but a couple of walks, an error, and some pure capitalization by the Oakland offense led by jack Custs’ bases-clearing-double with two outs, and the A’s were back on the board in a big way, make it 7-1! The only (meaningless) remaining run was  Mike Jacobs solo-shot off Andrew bailey in the ninth.

What seemed to be another Bob Geren moment in the making surfaced in the seventh when the transparent- nerves of the manager brought him out of the dugout fast, as he like many A’s fans, were in need of another win, went to the bullpen.

78 pitches and a lead-off walk and Geren removes starting pitcher Josh Outman, what faith Geren has, however; Outman did (1-0) have his most efficient outing of the season, allowing only one run in six-plus innings of three-hit ball, striking out four and walking two. Funny how a manager can seem so worried one night about an overused bullpen and another night, remove his starting pitcher after only 78 pitches, one more time, what faith. At least it ended up as a win. Outman was good tonight.

A’s record, 13-18, five games back of the first place Rangers,

It’s alive! At least it was Tuesday night. The A’s beat up on the Kansas City Royals 12-3.

After a short pep talk-initiated by Orlando Cabrera-with the offense, it didn’t take long to notice it had worked, as the A’s slaughtered the Royals pitching in the first four innings for 12 runs. The offense was led by whom else but motivational expert himself, Orland Cabrera.

Not only was it a great offensive performance, but the pitching didn’t disappoint either.

Starter Trevor Cahill (2-2) started things off shaky through the first two frames by loading the bases with two out ion the first, but he survived. The second inning was similar as Cahill gave up two hits but got out of the jam as well. He cruised through then next two innings before giving up solo home runs to Coco Crisp in the fifth, and Mike Jacobs in the sixth. His line was six innings, two earned runs, seven hits, two walks, and two strike outs.  Overall he pitched an effective game, although he still needs to work on his command, at times it looks as if he has no idea where his pitches will go. However, he does have an ERA of 3.69, not bad for the rookie.

This is what Billy Pitt paid for…

Orlando Cabrera had three hits to go along with four RBI’s while Matt Holliday, Jack Cust, and Kurt Suzuki each had two hits a piece. Cust had three RBI, all coming on a three-run sky-rocket home run to center. The remaining RBI’s went to Matt Hollday (2), Jason Giambi (2),and Jack Hannahan (1).

The A’s rallied in the ninth scoring three times, two runs coming on Jason Giambis two-run home run, but with the bases loaded and two out, the A’s trailing six to four, Landon Powell fouled out to right to end the game.

Brian Tallet continued his dominance over the A’s Saturday, as he limited them to one run on two hits over seven innings, as the A’s reverted back to the old, losing 6-4 to the Blue Jays. The A’s fall another game back in the division to 11-17.

Sean Gallagher (1-1) took the loss as he surrendered one run in the first, second, third and fifth inning. He allowed 10 hits, and struck out three in five innings of work. The other two runs were credited to reliever Jerry Blevins, both were earned runs. He now has an era of 23.14, bye bye Blevins.

Jason Giambi chose today to come out of his funk by driving in three runs for the A’s, with a solo home run off Tallet over the right field wall in the seventh, and a two-run shot to right in the bottom of the ninth. The offense had nine hits, five of which came in the ninth. Recently-added infielder Adam Kennedy added to the rally in the ninth, by driving a run in on a single.

I’ve never seen a team make a mediocre pitcher look son not once, but twice. If it wasn’t for the A’s, Tallet would have an era upwards of seven, but that’s not the case. The kryptonite for the A’s is a lefty pitcher, they’d have a better chance against Kansas City’s Zack Greinke than brian Tallet.

Something’s gotta give.

A’s beat the Blue Jays 5-3

Record now at 11-16

A five-run fifth inning ignited by Ryan Sweeney’s two-run shot to right was just what the doctor ordered. Jack Hannahan and Kurt Suzuki both drove in run’s with doubles, and Orlando Cabrera getting his RBI with an single.

The bullpen held their own tonight with 4 2/3 of shutout ball, with MIchael Wuertz (2-1) early entrance making him the winning pitcher. Starter Josh Outman (o-o) unfortunately labored through the third inning, costing him the win as he needed over 100 pitches to get through 4 1/3 innings. His third inning, in which he gave up the three runs, lasted over 35 pitches.

This is the kind of baseball I think were going to have to get used to, big innings from both our offense and pitching. The pitching seems to yield all of it’s runs in  one big inning, if they can minimize it-like they did tonight- they can be successful.

Other news from the game has to be the ugly defense.

Bobby Crosby at second and the unlikely Orlando Cabrera at short, both committing what looked like costly errors, fortunately the pen held down the fort.

At least they got a win.