The A’s put up two runs on five hits, two hits and both RBI’s coming off the bat of Matt Holliday’s two-run blast to left. It wasn’t enough as they fell to the Chi-Towner’s from the south, 6-2. Two runs isn’t going to cut it. Coming into tonight’s game, opposing pitcher Gavin Floyd had a six-plus ERA . The A’s probably did him a favor and reset his season as they have done with several struggling pitchers this season.

Trevor Cahill started things off a bit shaky with some first inning walks but calmed down quickly and lasted 52/3 innings surrendering only two runs. Cahill (2-5) allowed only three hits, walked two and struck out three. No one can say these young guns (Cahill, Outman, Anderson) haven’t pulled their own weight given the circumstances, the offense however is not. Six of the nine starters tonight have .250 or below averages which obviously won’t cut it.

The Holliday watch has begun, if he continues to get hot will the A’s receive a bounty of prospects or was the deal to aquire him (C-Gon. Street, Smith) too much? If the A’s can aquire one solid prospect I won’t complain, conisdering the former haven’t panned out anyway.  Or would you guys prefer a type-a amount of picks next year? This team is obviously built for the future, I wonder what Mr. Bean has in mind…

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.

7-6 A’s.

Ryan Sweeney, AKA. mr. clutch, the savior, did it again. What else can be said for his amazing, meaningful web-gems. Sweeney, with two out in the bottom of the ninth, up one run and the tying run at first, made an all-out diving catch which would have been the game-tying double off of BJ Upton’s bat.

Now Geren. Geren, Geren, Geren

He almost blew it again. Luckily Brett Anderson came away with his first career win.

With one on and nobody out in the seventh inning, starting pitcher Brett Anderson was pulled after throwing 80 pitches, the result? Nailbiting for all of us, as releiver Michael Wuertz gives up two hits and a run, but was bailed out with an inning ending doulbe-play, at home, I might add.

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!

Four A’s players (Garciaparra, Ellis, Anderson, Casilla) left Tuesday’s game versus the Rangers with injuries, Garciaparra and Ellis with calf injuries, Anderson a blister, and Casilla an apparent leg injury.

By the way, the A’s (7-10) lost 5-4thanks to some spotty defense, and what I’m calling some awkward circumstances. Two pitchers left the game injured (Anderson, and Casilla) with at bats still in progress and both resulted in two runs, which proved to be the difference.

The A’s are more than on pace to meet last years 54 appearances on the DL, hope I’m worng.

The offense tonight did manage to get 10 hits, although they were all singles aside from Sweeney’s home run. Brett Anderson had a pitching line as such: five plus innings pitched, four runs (one earned), three hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. Too bad he had to leave early.  Orlando Cabrera went three for four, Ryan Sweeney, two for four with one RBI, and Bobby Crosby had two hits in three at bats.

Trends:

Matt Holliday’s inability to hit, Matt Holliday’s inability to hit, and… forget it, he just looks awful, and me using the Woosah phrase too much.

Wishful trends:

Ryan Sweeney hitting the long ball, Orlando Cabrera going three for four, and Brett Anderson pitching like a veteran, all on a consistent basis.

Don’t panick just yet, Woosah Woosah

The Oakland Athletics were absolutely hammered on Wednesday afternoon by the Texas Rangers. The Rangers jumped all over the A’s and went on to win the ballgame by the score of 14-4. The A’s dropped two out of three games on the road to the Rangers in the series.

All four A’s pitchers that got into the game were charged with atleast one run as it wasn’t a good day to be a pitcher on the Athletics staff. Starting pitcher Dana Eveland was charged with eight hits and seven runs in just five innings to take the loss. Eveland is now 9-9 on the year.

Relief pitcher Santiago Casilla gave up four runs, while Jeff Gray gave up two runs. Dan Meyer gave up one more run and three hits over his two innings of action. Just a terrible outing by all the A’s pitchers.

Chris Denorfia and Jack Cust both hit solo home runs to finish with one rbi each for the A’s. The A’s also got single rbi’s from Cliff Pennington and Rob Bowen. That was all the offense could muster against the Rangers.

The A’s will now be off on Thursday before beginning their final series of the year against the Seattle Mariners.

Athletics Blog

On Monday night the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers played 11 innings with the A’s coming out on top with a 4-3 victory. The A’s had blown the save in the bottom of the ninth inning, so it was nice to see them battle back and still get the victory.

Brad Ziegler blew the save when he gave up a solo home run to Hank Blalock in the bottom of the ninth inning. Alan Embree ended up being the winning pitcher in the game after throwing the tenth inning. Santiago Casilla got his second save of the year when he finished off the Rangers in the eleventh inning. Greg Smith had started the game for the A’s but only lasted five innings as he gave up six hits and two runs.

At the plate for the A’s, Travis Buck had the game winning hit when he singled and Cliff Pennington scored. Pennington also had a rbi single of his own while Jack Cust had a rbi double. There wasn’t much offense for the A’s but on Monday night it was enough to get the victory.

Athletics Blog

The Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays played 12 innings of baseball on Thursday and the A’s were on the wrong end of the scoring as they lost 7-6 in. With the one run loss, the A’s lost two out of three games against the East Division leading Rays. All three games in the series were one run games so it was a pretty competitive series.

A’s starting pitcher Sean Gallagher lasted only four innings as he was taken out after giving up four hits and three runs. Gallagher had problems with control as he walked four batters and struck four others out. Dan Meyer and Brad Ziegler both allowed earned runs in the game out of the bullpen. It was the first earned run allowed by Zigler as he had tossed 39 scoreless innings. Santiago Casilla who took the loss was charged with two runs in the twelfth inning. Casilla gave up a solo home run to Tony Pena and then rbi single to Dioner Navarro.

Daric Barton and Carlos Gonzalez both had two rbi while Frank Thomas chipped in with one rbi himself. Thomas was the one that tied the game in the ninth inning with a rbi single to deep right field. The A’s offense left 26 runners on base while taking eight walks and striking out ten times.

The A’s will now welcome in the Chicago White Sox for a three game series this weekend.

Athletics Baseball Blog

The Oakland Athletics couldn’t come back all the way to beat the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon.  Starting pitcher Greg Smith gave up back to back homers in the fifth inning as he took the loss for the A’s.  I was really hoping the A’s would be able to win on Wednesday as they would have won the three game series on the road.  However that was not the case as the A’s lost 4-3.

Santiago Casilla gave up one hit while only recording one out and was taken out of the game in the 7th inning.  Alan Embree recorded the final two outs of the 7th inning and then Jerry Blevins tossed a scoreless 8th inning.

The A’s had some trouble with James Shields who got the start for the Rays.  Shields tossed 8 1/3 innings and limited the A’s to three runs.  Emil Brown and Carlos Gonzalez both hit solo home runs off of Shields and that was all they had until the 9th inning.  The A’s then scored a run in the 9th inning when Ben Zobrist singled off Troy Percival.  However, Bobby Crosby grounded out with the tying run on first to end the game.

The A’s will now be off on Thursday and then start up a weekend series against the Texas Rangers. A’s Baseball Blog

The Oakland Athletics ran into a tough Tampa Bay Rays team on Monday night as they were shutout 4-0.  This was not the way the Athletics wanted to start there weekday series with the Rays.  I suppose this is why the Rays are at the top of the East Division and playing well.

Dana Eveland took the loss and is now 7-7 after throwing five innings and givng up seven hits and four runs.  It wasn’t a quality start for Eveland as he was hoping for.  He just didn’t have his pitches working for him on Monday night.  Eveland also gave up two solo home runs in the game.

Andrew Brown threw two scoreless innings before Santiago Casilla threw a scoreless inning in the 8th inning.

Ryan Sweeney and Jack Cust both had one hit each and that was all the A’s could get at the plate.  Not a whole lot to blog about as the A’s were shutdown by Scott Kazmir and the Rays.

Athletics Blog