2014 Oakland Athletics Thread

Over the past 1+ month, Sonny Gray hasn't been awful but also not real good, definitely not what you want from your #1...he has got to be much more Ace-like over 2nd half if they're going to hold off the Angels.

So what's this $1 pitcher like?

Originally posted by DelCed2486:

Over the past 1+ month, Sonny Gray hasn't been awful but also not real good, definitely not what you want from your #1...he has got to be much more Ace-like over 2nd half if they're going to hold off the Angels.

Our whole rotation has been average.

Originally posted by socalfan21:

Originally posted by DelCed2486:
Over the past 1+ month, Sonny Gray hasn't been awful but also not real good, definitely not what you want from your #1...he has got to be much more Ace-like over 2nd half if they're going to hold off the Angels.

Our whole rotation has been average.

Yeah, it seems like they've been doing it with smoke & mirrors for past few weeks, they struggle on offense and get some shaky pitching from starters and the pen, but you look up and they're 20+ games over .500 and have a 6 or 7 game lead.

And speaking of .500, it's the mid-point of the season and of course I'd like to see the A's go on a tear and bury the Angels, but even if that doesn't happen, A's really only need to play just a few games better than .500 ball the rest of the way and that should be good enough to win the division.

Let's Go Oak-Land!

Originally posted by Aussie49ah:
So what's this $1 pitcher like?

Mills...Nothing spectacular, but not terrible, kinda doing probably just what Beane hoped, gobble up some innings without looking like he's serving up BP. I don't know how much he fits into the plans over the longer term this season, but for now he's an adequate fill-in.

Moved apartments this weekend and caught up last night on the Miami series. The team gutted out a sweep, which was good to see. Here's to winning 2 of 3 in Detroit!

Just getting back into the Bay. Caught two games in Miami this weekend. Marlin park is super nice...but right smack dab in the middle of Little Havana. One of the worst neighborhoods in south florida. No retail, entertainment, or other venues surrounding it. Just a nice big baseball yard in the middle of the hood. LOL

Tommy Milone always seems to get into trouble early, settle down in the middle innings, then pitch himself out. Yet, he had a nice performance yesterday. Really encouraging to see that dude with a 6-3 record and an ERA under 4.00.

Our staff is such a nice surprise!

The bullpen this year is overall pretty great, but when one of them blows a game they blow it in epic style.

Yikes, that was like watching the Giants blow it at the end.

And I hate former A's players more than any other type of player. Ex-A's always seem to murder the current ones at key moments.

Well that was fun.

That sucked

Ho-hum, another nightmare finish in Detroit...for as good as Doolittle can and has been for the most part, he has got to develop a consistently good secondary and even a third pitch. He relies on the fastball too much, and if hitters are disciplined enough to lay off the high fastball he likes to throw, then he has to give in and bring it down into the hitting zone. Granted, he can still get guys out there, but he's not nearly as effective. Even though Chapman is pumping up to 103 MPH gas, he's cut back on his fastballs, throwing more sliders and has even increased his change-ups.

ouch

Originally posted by DelCed2486:
Ho-hum, another nightmare finish in Detroit...for as good as Doolittle can and has been for the most part, he has got to develop a consistently good secondary and even a third pitch. He relies on the fastball too much, and if hitters are disciplined enough to lay off the high fastball he likes to throw, then he has to give in and bring it down into the hitting zone. Granted, he can still get guys out there, but he's not nearly as effective. Even though Chapman is pumping up to 103 MPH gas, he's cut back on his fastballs, throwing more sliders and has even increased his change-ups.

Doolittle threw Austin Jackson 9 fast balls in a row a guy who went 0-5 the day before with 4 strikeouts and was 0-3 last night with this huge walk
awesome job by Jackson fouling off 4 heaters in a row Jackson. He doesn't care for the curve ball and just after striking out Suarez on two straight curves have no idea why he didn't throw Jackson at least one?

Then he throws Davis who loves to hit the curve two straight curves LOL
Even the Tigers radio guy was like he's not gonna throw him another curve is he?
BEWM

Great comeback for the Tigers should be an awesome couple games coming up.