Jorge Soler will be joining the Cubs in Cincy tomorrow. The future really is now.
2014 MLB Season: How Many Pitchers Will Die For Our Sins?
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We can hope that's not the case. It's been decades since they had this much (potential) talent at the same time.
I figure if Starlin Castro can walk more and strike out less, Baez can do it, so Baez should be OK sooner or later.
Castro hasn't really figured out how to walk more (he's on pace to maybe hit 40, which would be a career high, but still terrible), and he's only 33 strikeouts away from matching last year's total (a career high), so I wouldn't say he's learned how to strike out less.
As for Baez, I'm just really concerned about him. Right now, the key to getting him out is to spam low or outside curveballs at him like you're playing a video game. I mean, Baez has an amazing power tool, but his hit tool is so terribly weak -- historically speaking, pitch recognition isn't something that sees vast improvement at the major-league level when there was no measurable improvement in the minors. (It very occasionally does, and that's the upside, but Baez's downside is absolutely ridiculous -- what's good is great, but the flaws are just devastating.)
The most worrying part is that Baez just doesn't have any cognizance of how he's being pitched to, and teams aren't even bothering to hide it. There's no reason to throw him anything other than low breaking balls, and that's no secret. Dude's averaging a strikeout every other AB. I get that he's young, but when he gets anything other than a fastball, he's clueless -- he averaged a K per every three AB at AAA, and that was in the PCL, in which most stadiums are launching pads and the pitching is mediocre at best.
If he ever figures out even mediocre MLB pitch recognition, he could be a 500-home-run candidate, but as it is, he’s Mike Hessman with more power.
Okay, here we go. 4 games between Oakland and Los Angeles. Angels have a one game lead, and 3 actual starting pitchers...
Oh, I made myself sad...
Let's get it on!
Considering how this season has gone, the A's will probably split and remain one game behind...
I would love a sweep, but will take 3 out of 4
It's a shame only one of our teams can go to the Series.
Well, that was...interesting!
The A's are protesting the obstruction call. I don't know what to make of that, since it's a judgment call, and the Angels didn't score that inning anyway...
As far as I understand, you can't protest a judgment call, but they will anyway and it won't change anything. The A's loaded the bases in the 6th and then Vogt proceeded to strike out.
Doolittle getting hurt has killed our bullpen, there just aren't any stoppers in our pen. Well lets see how it goes tonight. Must-win situation. Got to take the next three.
The A's loaded the bases in the 6th and then Vogt proceeded to strike out.
That was very stressful...especially since he swung at ball four.
Sorry to see him injured, not sorry we won't face him this series.
The A's loaded the bases in the 6th and then Vogt proceeded to strike out.
That was very stressful...especially since he swung at ball four.
Sorry to see him injured, not sorry we won't face him this series.
Yeah, and the pitch Vogt swung at wasn't even close.
We have the Shark pitching for us tonight. Go A's!
ETA: Correction, it's Lester.... even better
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Well, that was...interesting!
The A's are protesting the obstruction call. I don't know what to make of that, since it's a judgment call, and the Angels didn't score that inning anyway...
It was a terrible call. What are the fielders supposed to do, move out of the way? It's also awful in that Aybar was inside the baseline, which to my view was more than the 3 feet that the rule book says. It ended up not really changing the game much, but it's another example of the rules this year being messed up.
ETA: Correction, it's Lester.... even better
Lester vs. Weaver
Should be a good one!
A's fans have been pretty quiet this weekend...
Actually I think Jedi said he was off the board for some real life fun (whatever that is)...
Anyway, two shut-outs in a row have the Angels up by 4 in the west. Shark pitched a great game last night but Oakland's bats have gone silent for some reason.
Actually I think Jedi said he was off the board for some real life fun (whatever that is)...
Anyway, two shut-outs in a row have the Angels up by 4 in the west. Shark pitched a great game last night but Oakland's bats have gone silent for some reason.
Bo Porter has been fired. I saw Justin Verlander's penis. Weird weekend.
Phillies foursome no-hits the Brave today. Hamels only went six innings because his command was nowhere to be found. Fortunately the Braves hot/cold offense couldn't take advantage.
A's fans have been pretty quiet this weekend...
Actually I think Jedi said he was off the board for some real life fun (whatever that is)...
Anyway, two shut-outs in a row have the Angels up by 4 in the west. Shark pitched a great game last night but Oakland's bats have gone silent for some reason.
What a terrible series.
Couldn't hit, pitching got shelled, bullpen choked, no life whatsoever. The results of Melvin trying to figure out a workable lineup from all these late additions is starting to show. Norris and Vogt are falling apart. Ugh.
Howeverrrr, there is a lot to be hopeful about.
Hammel seems to have gotten himself under control with three quality starts in a row. Adam Dunn chose us over the Dodgers, which is a compliment. He brings much needed power, and can't possibly strike out more than some of the cupcakes Melvin has had to shoehorn into the lineup. Jed Lowrie is back, which is HUGE as he is a fantastic SS and a good solid bat.
In addition, with the focus now on the Angels, the A's can hide in obscurity- which is where they do best. ESPN can eagerly stroke the 'egos' of the LA market, and if the A's can put up a few good series in a row, there is a chance they can sneak up and pick up another division title.
I suspect part of Dunn's decision hinged on his not having to play either first base or the outfield, as he's brutal defensively. I watched him play RF during the Sox recent trip to AT&T Park--an endeavor that saw him fail to run down a fly-ball hit into the RCF gap by Buster Posey and crash into a teammate who had already waved him off, resulting in a two-run error during a disastrous seven-run inning.
Dunn's home run in his first at-bat reminded me of when Frank Thomas joined the A's in 2006. I doubt Dunn makes the kind of impact that the Big Hurt did, but he might help the A's hang on to their WC spot.
--Sran
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