Hanshin Tigers: 12   Athletics: 6

The pitching was not nearly as sharp as it was in their first exhibition game, in fact they gave up 12 more hits, 12 more runs and 4 more walks than their first game.  This was the final exhibition game before their series against the Mariners, so maybe they were just getting it out of their system…?

Lines of the Day: 

• Evan Scribner: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB.  Scribner was the only pitcher (besides Schlichting who recorded the last out in the eighth) to not allow a run.
• Kurt Suzuki: 2 AB, 1 H, 1 R, 3 RBI.  Kurt Suzuki hit his second home run of the day, at least in our time zone and his 3 RBI lifted his daily total to 5.

Ugly Lines of Day:

• Tyson Ross: 4 IP, 10 H, 8 R (6 earned), 1 BB, 1 strikeout.   Tyson Ross did the exact opposite of what Tom Milone did in his start and I am pretty sure that he’s happy that these games don’t mean anything.
• Andrew Carignan: .2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 earned), 2 BB.  After retiring the first two batters, Carignan allowed a single, a walk, a single, a walk and a single, which led to three runs and him needing to be relieved by Travis Schlichting.

A’s Extras: 

• There were 3 errors in this game, Kila Ka’aihue committed 2 and Cliff Pennington committed 1.
• Bob Melvin says he is leaning towards starting Brandon Allen at first base on opening night, but Susan Slusser tweets that Melvin is considering using two different first basemen in the series.
• The A’s also announced that Wes Timmons, Evan Scribner and Travis Schlichting will not be on the roster for the series.

The A’s get an off day before their Opening Night series against the Mariners, the game will begin on Wednesday at 3:10 AM (PST).  The probable pitchers for the game are (RHP) Brandon McCarthy and (RHP) Felix Hernandez.

Brandon Allen is one of the three players fighting for the first baseman job.

Spring Training doesn’t mean a whole lot for a team whether they lose or win, but it does mean a lot on individual performances, especially for those who are trying to make the team.  The A’s have quite a few players vying for spots on the opening day roster, so over the next few “off days” I will be taking a look at who did what this Spring, and who I think should make the team.

I’ll start off with the players we know already have their jobs locked up:

Jemile Weeks: second base: Weeks played in 13 games this Spring, he ended up with a .364 AVG, 7 R, 3 HR, and 7 RBI.  He also had 3 doubles and 2 stolen bases.  Defensively, he committed 3 errors this Spring.

Cliff Pennington: shortstop: Pennington also played in 13 games this Spring, he hit .364 and had 7 R, 0 HR, 3 RBI and 6 BB.  Defensively, Pennington committed 6 errors this Spring (ouch), more than any player on the team.

Kurt Suzuki: catcher: Suzuki played in 12 games this Spring, he had a .300, 6 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 2B and  3 BB.

• Anthony Recker: catcher: Anthony Recker is assumed to be the backup catcher this season, he also played in 12 games, he hit .310 with 4 R, 1 HR and 3 RBI.

First Baseman Battle: 

Brandon Allen: Allen had a .303/.359/.576 slash line this Spring, he also had 7 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 13 RBI and 2 BB over 13 games.

Daric Barton: Barton played in 7 games this Spring, he hit .176 (3-17), he had 4 R, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 5 BB and 4 SO.

Kila Ka’aihue: Ka’aihue played in 14 games this Spring, in 33 at-bats he hit .242 with 5 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB and 9 SO.

I said before that I believe Daric Barton should have a second chance at first base, but for now I would give the job to Brandon Allen.  I still stand by my original choice of giving Daric Barton the job, however, I think he still needs time down in Sacramento to get in more at bats and continue his recovery from shoulder surgery.

With Ka’aihue out of options he will probably make the opening day roster as a bench player, but I am guessing that the team will agree that Allen gets to start for now.

Third Baseman Battle: 

Josh Donaldson: Donaldson played in 17 games this Spring, he had 12 hits in 52 at-bats (.231 AVG) with 3 R, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB and 14 SO.

Wes Timmons: Timmons had 36 at-bats in 18 games this Spring, he had 10 H (.278 AVG), 6 R, 10 H, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 4 SO and 5 BB.

Eric Sogard: Sogard played in 18 games this Spring he had 44 at-bats, 15 hits (.341 AVG), 13 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB and 4 SO.

Adam Rosales: Rosales played in 12 games, he had 18 at-bats and 3 hits (.167 AVG), 3 R, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB and 4 SO.

I honestly am not comfortable with any of these four players being our every day third baseman.  All four players would be very good backup infielders, but I would prefer that the A’s look outside the organization for third baseman help.

Jemile Weeks and Cliff Pennington combined for three errors today

Athletics: 5  Cubs:  5

Down by three in the ninth, the A’s were able to come back and the tie the game after a 3-run rally, which started off with a solo home run from Jonny Gomes.  The A’s tried to win it again in the 10th, but fell short after Yoenis Cespedes hit into a game ending double play.

Lines of the Day:

• Kila Ka’aihue: 2 AB, 2 H, 1 Run, 2 RBI. Ka’aihue hit his second home run in three days today, he was also resposible for the game tying RBI, which came in the form of a double.

Ugly Lines of the Day: 

• Brandon McCarthy: 4 IP, 5 H, 4 R (2 earned), 3 BB and 1 strikeout.  McCarthy may have struggled due to a finger nail that was tearing off his middle finger, but he tells Joe Stighlich he’s not worried about it.
• Jemile Weeks: 4 AB, 0 Hit, 2 Errors.   Weeks was not the only player today to go O-fer, but he happened to be the only player today to have two errors in the game (his 3rd this Spring).

A’s Extras: 

• Bob Melvin announced earlier today that Grant Balfour will be A’s closer come opening day.  Balfour had a 5-2 record last season with a 2.47 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, 8.56 SO/9 and 2.90 BB/9 over 62 innings of relief.  Balfour also had 2 saves in 7 opportunities last season.
• The A’s also announced that Brad Peacock was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.
• Following today’s game and throwing another clean inning for the A’s this Spring, Pedro Figueroa was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.
• Along with Week’s 2 errors, Cliff Pennington tacked on his own in the 9th (5th this Spring), 2 of those 3 errors lead to 3  unearned runs.
• The A’s now have their 30-man roster set for Japan, which includes three non-roster invitees, Travis Schlichting, Evan Scribner and Wes Timmons.

Tomorrow the A’s face the Royals in what will be their final game of Spring Training.  Probable pitchers are (RHP) Graham Godfrey and (RHP) Luis Mendoza.

(RHP) Jarrod Parker will face the Diamondbacks today.

Today’s lineup: Collin Cowgill LF, Eric Sogard SS, Yoenis Cespedes CF, Manny Ramirez DH, Josh Reddick RF, Kurt Suzuki C, Brandon Allen 1B, Josh Donaldson 3B and Wes Timmons 2B.

In case you missed it:

More moves have been made the past day, yesterday the A’s optioned  pitcher Neil Wagner, infielder Chris Carter and outfielder Michael Taylor to Triple-A Sacramento.

Today, catcher Derek Norris was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento, while non-roster invitees outfielders Brandon Moss and Jeff Fiorentino and catcher Ryan Ortiz have been reassigned.

The A’s also announced that Yoenis Cespedes will start in center field on opening day in Japan, which moves Coco Crisp to left.

Another good day for Cliff Pennington this Spring

Athletics:  4  Cubs: 3

I’ll start with the good news, the A’s beat the Cubs today!  It wasn’t a pretty win, but a win is a win.  They only had 6 hits, but scored 4 times.  There were also a few good defensive plays, which essentially won the game for them.

Lines of the Day:

• Cliff Pennington: 3 AB, 2 H, 1 R.  Pennington is now 15-31 this Spring (.484 AVG) with 6 runs, 3 RBI and 4 BB.
• Seth Smith: 3 AB, 3 H, 2 RBI.  After going 3-3 today, Seth Smith is now hitting .333 this Spring.

Ugly Lines of the Day: 

• Yoenis Cespedes: 4 AB, 0 H, 2 Strikeouts.  Not a good day for Cespedes at the plate, who is now hitting .188 after going O-fer today.

Worth Mentioning:

• Travis Schlichting allowed 2 hits, 1 run (1 earned), 1 BB and 1 strikeout over 3 innings of work.
• Top prospect Sonny Gray threw 2.1 innings today, he allowed 1 hit, 1 unearned run, 2 BB.
• Two errors in today’s game, a Spring first for Sonny Gray and a first for Adam Rosales.

» Continue reading “A’s Play Two; Win One and Lose One”

Third baseman turned pitcher, Travis Schlichting. (Photo: mwlguide/Flickr)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!  It’s A’s day so don’t forget to wear your green (and gold)!

Today (RHP) Travis Schlichting takes the mound at Phoenix Muni.

Today’s lineup against the Cubs: Jemile Weeks 2B, Cliff Pennington SS, Yoenis Cespedes CF, Manny Ramirez DH, Jonny Gomes LF, Seth Smith RF, Anthony Recker C, Brandon Allen 1B and Adam Rosales 3B.

Today’s game can be heard on 95.7 The Game.

Over at Scottsdale Stadium Tom Milone will face the Giants.

Today’s lineup against the Giants: Collin Cowgill LF, Eric Sogard SS, Coco Crisp CF, Josh Reddick RF, Kila Ka’aihue DH, Josh Donaldson 3B, Daric Barton 1B, Derek Norris C and Wes Timmons 2B.

This game can be heard on MLB.com

(RHP) Jarrod Parker takes the mound for the A’s today against the Brewers.

Today’s lineup:  Cliff Pennington SS, Seth Smith LF, Yoenis Cespedes CF, Manny Ramirez DH, Josh Reddick RF, Kurt Suzuki C, Brandon Allen 1B, Josh Donaldson 3B and Wes Timmons 2B.

You can hear today’s game on MLB.com.

In case you missed it:  The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that there are two suitors interested in purchasing the A’s.  However, it might be kind of hard to buy the team when the owner doesn’t want to sell.

“No one has contacted me,” Wolff said in a phone interview with the Mercury News. “It’s not for sale, but no one has contacted me. Someone made that story up, I think.”

Dodgers: 7  Athletics: 2

The A’s that everyone has been expecting showed up today, they only had 5 hits over 9 innings, they struck out 10 times and went 0-7 with runners in scoring position.

Lines of the Day:

• Jordan Noberto: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 strikeouts.  Norberto wins by default for striking out the side.
• Wes Timmons, Cliff Pennington, Adam Rosales, Jonny Gomes and Collin Cowgill for being the only five A’s players to record a hit today.

Ugly Lines of the Day:

• Jarrod Parker: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 runs (2 earned), 3 BB, 1 strikeout.  Parker was not as sharp as his first outing with the A’s, he really struggled with command in the first inning.  He didn’t allow a run in the second inning, but it started off with a hit batter and a single.  He did strike out Matt Kemp to end the inning with two runners on, so there’s a bit a good news coming from him today.
• Joey Devine: 2/3 IP, 1 H, 4 runs (4 earned), 3 BB, 1 strikeout.  Normally I wouldn’t be concerned about a pitcher in Spring Training, but Devine was sent down to Sacramento last season to work on his control issues and today he walked 3 batters.

Worth Mentioning: 

• Another day, another error, this time committed by Wes Timmons in the seventh inning.

Tomorrow the A’s will face the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields, the game will begin at 12:10 PST.  Probable pitchers are (RHP) Brandon McCarthy Vs. (RHP) Juan Nicasio.

(RHP) Tyson Ross will take the mound today at Phoenix Muni against the Dodgers.

Today’s lineup: Coco Crisp CF, Eric Sogard 3B, Kurt Suzuki C, Manny Ramirez DH, Brandon Allen 1B, Cliff Pennington SS, Michael Taylor RF, Brandon Moss LF and Wes Timmons 2B.

Today’s game can be heard on MLB.com.

In case you missed it: Two of the A’s starting pitchers from last season made their debuts for their new teams yesterday:

Gio Gonzalez pitched 3 impressive innings for the Washington Nationals, he allowed 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 BB and 2 strikeouts.

Guillermo Moscoso pitched 2 innings for the Colorado Rockies, he allowed 5 hits, 4 runs (4 earned), 2 BB and 1 strikeout.

For those of you who are interested, Trevor Cahill will make his debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks today and the game can be seen on MLB Network at 12:00 PST.

Athletics: 6  Brewers: 0

The pitching was superb today for the A’s, the entire pitching combined only allowed 2 hits (one in the second inning and one in the ninth), they allowed two walks and had 8 strikeouts.

Lines of the Day:

• Tom Milone: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 runs, 1 BB, 3 Strikeouts.  I said before that I thought Milone would be one of the pitchers who make the rotation coming out of Spring Training, and he has made a great case for himself so far.  I know it’s only Spring Training, but it’s hard not to get excited about him.
• Ryan Cook: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 runs, 0 H, 2 strikeouts.  The way Cook has been pitching so far, it’s hard not to see him making the bullpen on opening day.

Ugly Lines of the Day: 

Lucky for everyone, no one really stood out as being “ugly” today.  There were a couple O-Fers but, all in all, everyone had a pretty good day.

Worth Mentioning: 

• Finally, a game with no errors!
• Seth Smith has 5 hits in 10 ABs in 4 Spring Training games, he also has 3 runs.
• Jemile Weeks, Wes Timmons and Chris Carter also had a multiple-hit game.

Tomorrow (RHP) Tyson Ross takes on the Dodgers at 12:05 PST, he will face off against (RHP) Aaron Harang.