Nice to read that Shapiro and Antonetti have put together a mid-August 2012 team that is looked at as a patsy and a schedule breather for a team hoping to contend with a 2012 payroll of about 33% less than ours.......

http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/ ... ries/team/


http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/


Visit From Indians Could Help A’s Bats Get On Track

By KATE HEDLIN


STATS Writer

(AP) -- The Oakland Athletics have admittedly been pressing at the plate recently, but a visit from the Cleveland Indians could help take the pressure off.

The Athletics open a six-game homestand Friday night with the first of three against the slumping Indians.

Oakland avoided a three-game sweep at Kansas City with a 3-0 win Thursday. Coco Crisp and Yoenis Cespedes homered to back rookie Daniel Straily's first major league win.

Crisp's home run in the sixth broke a scoreless tie and came following an umpire review.

"It felt we were starting to grind a little harder than we should," manager Bob Melvin said. "You start digging and it doesn't feel like anything is going to happen. At the time, that was certainly the key hit of the game and it ended up being the key hit."

The Athletics (62-55) scored two runs in the previous two games of the series and have struck out at least nine times in the last six games - the longest streak in franchise history.

Part of Oakland's offensive slump can be traced to Cespedes' lack of production. His homer Thursday was his first since July 28, also the date of his most recent extra-base hit.

The Athletics lineup could have an easier time against the Indians (54-64), who have fallen 10 games below .500, matching a season high, behind a struggling pitching staff.

Cleveland has dropped 12 of its last 13 road games, with those 12 losses coming by an average of 4.9 runs.

Tommy Milone (9-9, 3.91 ERA) will try to pitch Oakland to a third straight home win after receiving some extended rest this week.

After recording a 0.91 ERA through his first eight home starts, Milone struggled in the last two. He gave up five runs in six innings of a loss to Tampa Bay on July 31, then allowed six runs in six innings of a 6-5 defeat to Toronto on Aug. 5.

That was the third straight start overall in which he surrendered at least five runs.

Looking to rest the rookie left-hander, Oakland pushed back his start, with Milone originally scheduled to have pitched last Saturday.

"It's a mental grind once you get to this time of the year," Melvin told the Athletics' official website. "Tommy's last few games haven't been his best, but it really isn't about that. We've been looking to potentially do this for a while now."

Milone faces a Cleveland team that lost the final two games of its three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels this week.

Roberto Hernandez struggled in his season debut Wednesday, allowing eight runs over six innings in an 8-4 loss. He wasn't helped by his defense, which committed three errors during a five-run second, including two by recently acquired Brent Lillibridge.

"We won the second half of the game. But you have to play nine innings, and unfortunately the second inning killed us," manager Manny Acta said. "Hernandez threw the ball a lot better than his numbers indicated. He deserved better. But we played terrible defense behind him."

The Indians won two of three in Oakland in April and has taken eight of the last 11 meetings overall.

They'll turn to Zach McAllister (5-4, 3.46) hoping the right-hander can win a second consecutive start.

McAllister gave up two runs and three hits over a career-high eight innings in a 5-2 win over Boston on Saturday. That was in stark contrast to his previous appearance when he failed to make it out of the second inning in a 14-3 loss to Minnesota.

"Though I have no idea of the fat content of the tomato basil soup and duck based pate I consumed from C Level last night..... "

Hey! We forgot I hope we can try that dinner with you guys at C-Level soon for they might close soon for the Hurricane season.

loufla wrote:"Though I have no idea of the fat content of the tomato basil soup and duck based pate I consumed from C Level last night..... "

Hey! We forgot I hope we can try that dinner with you guys at C-Level soon for they might close soon for the Hurricane season.

We did the place tonight that you pointed out used to be "Gatsby's." We love their pizza. Later, my wife took her first night time stroll down 5th Avenue and we had a drink in the piano bar at Truluck's. The former Gatsby's is going to close from the coming 20th until September 19th. I think Tony at C Level is doing OK. He had a moderate crowd this past Wednesday.

For over ten years I have watched much night Tribe Baseball while sitting in the west coast daylight. Odd now watching from the east coast late night seeing daylight in the Oakland stadium where I have watched The Tribe live and in person most games there of the past ten plus seasons.

Ray Fosse is doing the telecast I have, and he points out a Fan in the stands in a Bernie Kosar jersey.

His partner says, "Ray, only you would know that is a Bernie Kosar jersey."

Grand slam us.

Shelly Duncan, in the stadium where his Dad played a whole bunch of seasons as an Oakland A and picked up two World Series Championship rings.

4-0 Tribe.

Tampa Steve likely happy tonight as his Rays have chased Weaver in the 4th tagging him with 9 earned runs before departure with 3 innings to his box score credit.

Zack McAllister may not know how to hang wallpaper, but he's been darned good at hanging pitches this inning.

A's thus far have 3 of the runs back from Duncan's Granny in the bottom half of the same inning.

Jason Donald with a very nice foul catch down the left field line in the A's on the field pen. He slid on the edge of the elevated mound and gloved the ball as he met the fence. Most players give up on the ball when it's around those bullpen mounds.

Joez's touted off season pick Yoenis Cespedes doubles into the left field corner, steals third without a throw, and scores on the sac fly.

4-4 game.

Joe West applying the rarely used full strike zone on Jason Donald, punching him out for called strike three at the letters.

We get to our 7th, McAllister at 91 pitches, and still tied at 4-4.

A win gets us to 10 1/2 off the division lead, and 9 1/2 back in the wild card with 43 to play. It's marginally notable since both Chicago and Detroit have played .500 ball in their last ten games.

Marginally.

Sipp is on the mound for the bottom of the 7th, and his first batter will be Coco Crisp, 0-3 on the night.

Ray Fosse notes regarding McAllister, "if your team gives you a 4-0 lead, you shouldn't be leaving after six innings with a no decision."

Sipp and Smith work the 7th with precision combining for a 1-2-3 inning.

A run for us in the top of the 8th would help Acta set his 8th and 9th inning pitching plan. Let's get one.

Choo stays alive as I note that Yoenis Cespedes barely went after a nearly identically foul hit where Jason Donald made that stellar catch on the bullpen mound awhile back.

Then Choo is HBP, which seems common for him in The Bay Area. Last year his horrible injury was in San Francisco.

Choo takes 2nd on a medium fly out, successfully challenging the weak arse arm of Coco Crisp.

Brantley K's swinging on a good pitch.

Up to Jason Donald to bring Choo in.

A's announcers note we apparently have an extra pitcher on the roster, giving Acta just three position players as subs and all are left handed.

Donald still battling.

But then hits a flair out to Chris Carter to end the inning.

That Chris Carter guy seems to have been around forever in multiple sports at all levels. He must be a heckuva athlete.


4-4 and to the Oakland 8th.