The A's fell further and further behind the pack in the AL West this week. A's manager, Bob Melvin, said that the team would come home from a sloppy road trip and start winning some games. He was wrong. This week (week #6), the A's went 1-5 dropping 2/3 to Boston and getting swept by the Chi Sox. Despite only being outscored 25-27 this week, the A's ended up on the wrong side of 3, 1-run games. The team's losses were a combination of sorts all too familiar: poor pitching, unreliable bullpen and crappy defense. The A's now have twice as many losses as wins, good for a 13-26 record. The A's have been in dead last in the AL West for two consecutive weeks now, and it sure seems that they'll be there for a long while. Next week, the A's will play in a 3-game set in Houston, then a 4-game series with the Rays.
Game #34) L 4-5 - 5/11/15 (Mon):
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Concerns:
Game #35) W 9-2 - 5/12/15 (Tue):
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Game #36) L 0-2 - 5/13/15 (Wed):
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Game #37) L 6-7 - 5/15/15 (Fri):
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Game #38) L 3-4 - 5/16/15 (Sat):
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Game #39) L 3-7 - 5/17/15 (Sun):
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Wrap-Up & Next Week:
Combined with bad luck, a bullpen that can't hold a lead for anything at all, and a scuffling defense AKA Marcus Semien... the A's find themselves well over 10-games out of first, and 13 games below the .500 mark. Unfortunately, Melvin was wrong when he said that the A's would play better baseball when they came home from their road trip. They won, one game. They've one two games in the last two weeks. I'm normally an optimist about baseball, and a lot of things in general, but the A's are just in a funk, a coma, an unbreakable trance whatever you wanna call it. I'm not sure if they have an answer. It's not like the A's are just going to miraculously win 20 games in a row and get back in the hunt. That's not happening again. A's starters threw 5/6 quality starts this week and walked away with 1 win. The A's scored 25 runs, 4.2 per game, which is above their season average, and still only managed one victory. There are still many games to be played. The season will ebb and flow, but these past 2 weeks have really hurt the Athletics' chances of even thinking about a postseason birth. The A's will head to Houston to face the first place Astros in a 3-game series, then will travel to St. Pete to face the Rays at the Trop Dome for four games. Go A's... sigh.
Game #40) W 2-1 5/18/15 (Mon):
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Game #41) L 4-6 - 5/19/15 (Tue):
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Game #42) L 1-6 - 5/20/15 (Wed):
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Game #43) L 0-3 - 5/21/15 (Thur):
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Game #44) L 2-5 - 5/22/15 (Fri):
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Game #45) W 5-0 - 5/23/15 (Sat):
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Game #46) W 7-2 - 5/24/15 (Sun):
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Wrap-Up & Next Week: The A's went 3-4 this week and ended on a only their second, 2 game winning streak in 46 games this season. They lost the series to the 1st place Astros, but split with the 1st place Rays. The A's are sitting at 16-30. At the beginning of the month, I projected the A's to end up around 7-8 games under .500 by the end of the month. They're gonna have to win out the rest of the month for my prediction to be right! Maybe they can drop a game... they're probably gonna drop more than a game. The A's will finish this month at home. They've got a 3-game series against the 3rd place Detroit Tigers (boo), and a 4-game set with the Bronx Bombers (more boo). Ben Zobrist & Sean Doolittle are supposed to be back this week! Hopefully those guys will boost our team chemistry and will help produce some victories. It's a long season A's fans... hang in there.
Game #34) L 4-5 - 5/11/15 (Mon):
Highlights:
- The A's were in the game til the very last out, as they always are
- After the bullpen gave up the lead, the A's offense showed their resiliency and tied the game back up in the 7th inning
- Scott Kazmir gave a quality start going 6.0 innings while giving up 4 hits on 2 runs, 4 walks and 3 strikeouts
- A's were 3-9 with RISP
Concerns:
- A's blew a 3-2 lead in the 7th inning thanks to our 'most reliable reliever', Evan Scribner
- A's had chances to re-take the lead in the 8th, and Great chances to win the game in the 9th and 10th
- As it goes, if you don't capitalize during scoring opportunities, you're bound to lose more times than not
- The A's left 11 men on base
Game #35) W 9-2 - 5/12/15 (Tue):
Highlights:
- It was all Oakland this evening! 9 runs on 12 hits off of Justin Masterson
- The A's played a COMPLETE game: Excellent starting pitching from Drew Pomeranz, great defense, and the A's cashed in with RISP (6-11)
- Semien 3-5, 2R, RBI, 3B
- Reddick 4-5, 2R, 3RBI, Solo HR
- Vogt 1-3, 2R, 2RBI, BB, 2-R HR
- Lawrie 2-4, R
- Sogard 2-3, 3RBI, 2B
- Pomeranz's best outing of the year, pitched through 7 complete innings, around the zone, no walks, all of his pitchers were working
- Bullpen was solid 2.0 IP 2 K's nothin else
- Hopefuly this'll get the A's on the right track!
Concerns:
- The A's need to get on a winning streak... or at least win. a. series.
- They need to click, and click fast
Game #36) L 0-2 - 5/13/15 (Wed):
Highlights:
- Sonny Gray had an outstanding outing: 7.0 IP 3 H 1 ER 0 BB 9 K's...
Concerns:
- Josh Reddick Tweeted about how horrible the A's offense was.. & I couldn't agree with him more
- After the A's put on an offensive clinic last night, they went 0-13 with RISP.. ESPN says the A's went 0-14, but I only count 0-13... same difference -.-
- 1st Inning: 2 BB - 0-3 RISP
- 2nd Inning: Walk, Single - 0-2 RISP
- 3rd Inning: LEADOFF TRIPLE - 0-3 RISP
- 4th Inning: Double - 0-2 RISP
- 5th Inning: Leadoff single and nothing
- 6th Inning: Single, Walk - 0-3 RISP
- 7th-9th Innings: Nothin, absolutely nothin
- The A's clearly didn't deserve to win this game.. 9 runners left on base
- It's not the lack of effort.. it's our inability to cash-in with runners on base
- We can do the Billy Beane thing - getting runners on base, but we can't quite figure out a way to bring em around to score
- Lost the series, off-day tomorrow then we face the White Sox
Game #37) L 6-7 - 5/15/15 (Fri):
Highlights:
- Jesse Hahn really pitched well... even after a rough first inning, and 6th inning
- 1st Inning: Ground rule double (almost a HR), walk, single (bases loaded), walk (1 run in, still no outs), force out at home, rbi single (2 runs), force out, force out
- A's scored 4 in the 4th, 1 in the 5th and 1 in the 6th
- 4th: Phegs hit his first HR as an Athletic, Reddick 3-RBI Triple
- 5th: Sogard RBI single
- 6th: Butler RBi single
Concerns:
- The bullpen blew a 6-2 lead in the 7th inning. Yes, a 4-run lead going into the 7th inning STILL WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR A WIN. Sorry.
- Sox 7th Inning: line out, Error E-5 (UGH) sorta tough play on a ground ball, but should have been made... of course by the way the A's are going.. the play wasn't gonna be made then a single (1st-2nd), Fernando Rodriguez in for Hahn (maybe should have just left Jesse in at 103 pitches 60 strikes), ground ball to who? Where? Short. Semien. Of course. Should have been an inning ending double play, but no, Semien failed to get the ball out of his glove in time, so it went for a force out. 2 outs and a runners on the corners with a 4 run lead in the 7th. Single (3-6 game), HBP (loaded), 2-RBI double (5-6 game)... MINIMIZE? MAINTAIN THE LEAD?! NOPE! Scribner in, hanger right down the middle - double 2-RBIs. And that. Was that. Nightmare inning. A's lose
Game #38) L 3-4 - 5/16/15 (Sat):
Highlights:
- Billy Butler hit a 2-run HR in the first inning giving the A's a 2-0 lead!
- Jesse Chavez pitched a decent game (good enough, but not good enough for a win): 6.0 IP 8 H 2 ER 2 BB 3 K's
Concerns:
- I don't know how many times I can say this... the bullpen. blew. the. game
- Fernando Rodriguez blew the 2-2 tie surrendering 3 hits and 2 ER in 0.2 IP
- Pathetic
Game #39) L 3-7 - 5/17/15 (Sun):
Highlights:
- Max Muncy hit is 1st MLB HR, too bad it was a complete waste
- There really isn't much to say
Concerns:
- The A's committed 4 errors... yes, 4 errors in a single game
- The A's have now made errors in the last 14 consecutive games
- Coco is hitting .050
- Shark went 8.0 innings for the WhiteSox
- Not looking good at all...
Wrap-Up & Next Week:
Combined with bad luck, a bullpen that can't hold a lead for anything at all, and a scuffling defense AKA Marcus Semien... the A's find themselves well over 10-games out of first, and 13 games below the .500 mark. Unfortunately, Melvin was wrong when he said that the A's would play better baseball when they came home from their road trip. They won, one game. They've one two games in the last two weeks. I'm normally an optimist about baseball, and a lot of things in general, but the A's are just in a funk, a coma, an unbreakable trance whatever you wanna call it. I'm not sure if they have an answer. It's not like the A's are just going to miraculously win 20 games in a row and get back in the hunt. That's not happening again. A's starters threw 5/6 quality starts this week and walked away with 1 win. The A's scored 25 runs, 4.2 per game, which is above their season average, and still only managed one victory. There are still many games to be played. The season will ebb and flow, but these past 2 weeks have really hurt the Athletics' chances of even thinking about a postseason birth. The A's will head to Houston to face the first place Astros in a 3-game series, then will travel to St. Pete to face the Rays at the Trop Dome for four games. Go A's... sigh.
Game #40) W 2-1 5/18/15 (Mon):
Highlights:
- The A's improved to 2-12 in 1-run games this season...
- The Astros failed to win their 13th come-from-behind victory this season
- A's somehow got an RBI single with 2 outs by Eric Sogard
- Bullpen was unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. They combined for 4.2 IP of scoreless baseball with 6 K's, only allowing 1 BB and no hits! Wow.
- Sam Fuld made an outstanding catch in CF to rob George Springer of extra bases
Concerns:
- Drew Pomeranz walked 5 batters and left the game early... can't be good
- Can we win 2 in a row?
Game #41) L 4-6 - 5/19/15 (Tue):
Highlights:
- A's were in the game for the most part... up until the bullpen ended any chances for the A's to come back
- Muncy hit his 2nd MLB HR
Concerns:
- Again, the A's failed to win their second, 2-game win streak of the season
- Sonny was off his game, and the bullpen surely didn't help either
- Sonny went: 5.0 IP (shortest outing of the season thus far) 7 hits 3 ER 3 BB and 4 K's on 104 pitches 60 strikes
- Both Fernandos were awful, they combined for: 2.2 IP 3 H 3 ER, Abad gave up 2 home runs in the 8th
Game #42) L 1-6 - 5/20/15 (Wed):
Highlights:
- Jesse Hahn pitched very well through 5.2 IP, but made one bad pitch to Evan Gattis which went for a 2-run HR...
- A's were in the game, but couldn't do anything with RISP
Concerns:
- Astros are 17-2 when scoring first...
- A's had plenty of chances to score in this game... could have won their first series this season, but no. Nope. Not yet...
- This is alarming, the A's stranded 6 of their 8 runners in scoring position... couldn't cash in
- Couldn't capitalize against Dallas Keuchel, one of the game's best pitchers, then you're not gonna win
- Dan Otero really gave the game up in the 8th: 1.1 IP 3 H 3 ER 1 BB 2 K
Game #43) L 0-3 - 5/21/15 (Thur):
Highlights:
- Sigh... there's still a chance to win the series?
Concerns:
- The A's can't give Jesse Chavez any freekin run support
- Billy Burns lead-off with a triple, then Marcus Semien hit a deep-enough sac fly out to center field... Billy Burns however, didn't tag up and score. Apparently, he left too early. He could have easily just re-tagged the bag and took off and scored, but he didn't think he could beat the throw from deep center field... the A's started the game off on the wrong foot, and it set the tone for the whole game
- The A's were shut down by a guy with a 6.05 ERA...
- They had the bases loaded with 2 outs in the 4th, but failed to score
- The A's got the tying run to the plate in the 9th, but nothin...
Game #44) L 2-5 - 5/22/15 (Fri):
Highlights:
- .... maybe we can split the series? :/
Concerns:
- Poor pitching, poor offensive execution, bad bad bad
- A's pitchers gave up 3 home runs: Longoria (location was way up from Kazmir), Souza Jr (ball was right down the middle), and Beckham (ball was even more.. right down the middle, as center cut as can be)
- Way too many runner stranded on base and in scoring position:
- 1st Inning: runners on 2nd & 3rd - nothing
- 3rd Inning: runners on 1st & 2nd - nothing
- 6th Inning: bases loaded, one out - nothing
- 8th Inning: runner on third - stranded/nothing
- 9th Inning: Sac Fly & nothing more. Nothin nothin nothin
- Scribner/Leon - not good: 1.2 IP 3 H 2 ER 2 HR
Game #45) W 5-0 - 5/23/15 (Sat):
Highlights:
- ALL HAIL KENDALL GRAVEMAN! WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO
- Maybe, just maybe, he's back: 6.0 IP 3 H 2 ER 2 BB 6 Ks
- A's cashed in, in the 6th with 2 outs and RISP!
- Sogard RBI single, Sam Fuld single to center that cleared the bases; the Rays kicked the ball around in CF & also at the plate - they looked like the A's defense
- Pen held it down, good overall win
Concerns:
- Can. We. Possibly. Win. Two. In. A. Row. !>!!?!?!
Game #46) W 7-2 - 5/24/15 (Sun):
Highlights:
- Sonny Gray is a grinder
- He took a line drive, that fortunately skipped first, off the shin
- Gray managed to stay in the game and finish the inning, but was pulled after that: 5.0 IP 4 H 0 ER 0 BB 4 K's
- Otero came in and did a very nice job 2.0 IP 0 ER
- Fernando Rodriguez... might have to worry about him: 0.1 IP 2 H 2 ER BB K
- Offensively: Billy Burns lead off the game with a HR, Mark Canha also had a 2-run HR, and Josh Reddick had a solo shot
- In the 1st inning, the A's made an excellent relay from Sam Fuld to Marcus Semien to Stephen Vogt to gun down Steven Souza Jr. at the plate. Souza Jr. tried to take out Vogt, but he held on (toughness)
- No errors committed, there's yer 2 in a row!
Concerns:
- Still an inconsistent bullpen... can the A's possibly win 3 games in a row?
Wrap-Up & Next Week: The A's went 3-4 this week and ended on a only their second, 2 game winning streak in 46 games this season. They lost the series to the 1st place Astros, but split with the 1st place Rays. The A's are sitting at 16-30. At the beginning of the month, I projected the A's to end up around 7-8 games under .500 by the end of the month. They're gonna have to win out the rest of the month for my prediction to be right! Maybe they can drop a game... they're probably gonna drop more than a game. The A's will finish this month at home. They've got a 3-game series against the 3rd place Detroit Tigers (boo), and a 4-game set with the Bronx Bombers (more boo). Ben Zobrist & Sean Doolittle are supposed to be back this week! Hopefully those guys will boost our team chemistry and will help produce some victories. It's a long season A's fans... hang in there.