Because that’s what this year has been about, in looking on the bright side of the Oakland A’s. We’ve got a bright future, led by Suzuki, Travis Buck, and Daric Barton (he homered again today). We definitely expect that trio to be an integral part of this team in the coming 5+ years, along with Nick Swisher, Dan Haren, and maybe even Joe Blanton.
We’ll have plenty of time in the coming weeks and months to look back, look ahead, and monitor to goings-on of Billy Beane and company, but today I’m just ready to appreciate that, even though this was a diasppointing season for the A’s, good things came out of it and I still love this team with every fiber of my sports fan being. I also appreciate that this final series was not an excruciating do-or-die (hi, Mets fans). It really softened the blow of not playing in October.
So go home and get healthy, A’s. I know I will be going into 2008 with as much excitement as I do any year.
Last night’s 2-0 loss to the Angels didn’t get me very excited about watching the final two games.
John Lackey, a more likely Cy Young candidate than Dan Haren, has to be feeling good about ALDS Game 1 as he blanked the A’s and now sports the AL’s best ERA. Of course, though, the A’s offense isn’t exactly the Red Sox (it’s official folks - that and Cleveland/New York are your ALDS matchups).
So Dan Haren finishes with a 15-9 record and a 3.07 ERA. That still looks pretty good, but not Cy Young good.
Today we get Dallas Braden one more time in ‘07, and he’s just looking for his second win. Yikes.
But it’s our final weekend and we’ll finally be able to look back on the complete 162-game Oakland A’s season when this is all said and done, so let’s get to it.
Tonight, 7:05 p.m. PDT: John Lackey vs. Dan Haren
Both of these guys are going for me tonight in my fantasy team (championship round!) so I’m hoping for a low-scoring affair. Haren can pick up a respectable 16th win here, while Lackey is likely just fine-tuning as he prepares to pitch Game 1 of the ALDS.
Saturday, 1:05 p.m. PDT: Kelvim Escobar vs. Dallas Braden
Dallas gets one more shot in 2007 to give us hope for him in 2008. I’ve been a Dallas Braden appologist at times this season, but he’s going to have to show massive improvement in the spring next year. Escobar will be going on 11 days rest, trying to get back on turn and a normal schedule for the ALDS.
Sunday, 1:05 p.m. PDT: Jered Weaver vs. Chad Gaudin
Chad? I thought I told you I didn’t want to see you again this year. Sigh… OK, get out there and pitch, then get some FREAKING REST already! Weaver, the Angels’ Game 3 starter, will get his final tuneup as the A’s prepare next week’s tee times.
So I’m sitting here drinking my coffee and looking at the National League Wild Card standings, because it’s definitely more exciting than what the A’s are doing. I go back to look at the main standings and am still scanning over the National League and looking in astonishment at how much can happen in the final five days of the season.
Then my eyes scan up to the American League, and I glance at the A’s. And what’s that I see directly below? The Texas Rangers, with an identical record of 75-84.
I didn’t notice this last night as I was writing the game recap, but this morning at 6:45 a.m., it’s clear - THE A’S ARE IN LAST PLACE!!! AAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!!!
After today’s loss in Boston, the A’s now head home for good as this weekend’s series consists of the final three games of the season.
I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of relieved.
I know the A’s have faced some of the American League’s top teams in this final stretch of 2007, but it still hasn’t done much to endear me toward this team as it stands today. I’m ready to be done with it. It’s totally like when I’m playing Out of the Park Baseball and my team is out of it in September and I just want to sim as fast as I can and get to the offseason. That’s where I am with these Oakland A’s.
Joe Blanton ends his season with a 14-10 record and a 3.95 ERA. Not bad, Joe. Not bad at all. I’ll be on the edge of my seat this winter to see what happens to him. And if he stays an A, I’ll be glad to know he’ll be there to make the rotation stronger.
The Angels are hurting right now and will likely be resting Vlad and Gary Mathews Jr. at the very least. This weekend will play out like three spring training games. Even so… Go A’s!!
That’s what happened to Chad Gaudin as he walked seven batters - four in a row to start the fifth inning - in four innings last night. There’s a chance he could start Sunday and it hasn’t been announced yet, but I hope this was his last start of the year. He’s been ugly since the calendar turned to August and there’s no doubt in my mind that he is simply worn out. Throwing 191 1/3 innings when your previous career high was 64 will do that.
Daric Barton continues to excel in the presence of veteran major league pitchers, as he clubbed a home run off Curt Schilling in a 2-for-4 night. His average is up to .345 and his OPS is 1.056 as he continues to be the main attraction for the Oakland A’s. I know if I lived in Oakland I’d be at one of those games this weekend.
The A’s conclude the series with Boston today in a game I’m not sure whether to call a day game or a night game. A dight game? A nay game? Whichever it is… Go A’s!!
The A’s visit Boston for a two-game quickie starting tonight. The A’s schedule against the Red Sox has been odd this year, as this is the second time they’re traveling all the way to Boston for just two games.
Tonight, 4:05 p.m. PDT: Chad Gaudin vs. Curt Schilling
This should be Gaudin’s last start of the year unless he gets the finale, which is yet to be determined. This guy will be welcoming the offseason rest as he has been obviously tired for the past month, if not two months. Schilling, on the other hand, will be pitching on eight days rest as the Sox look to line up their postseason rotation. The last time he faced the A’s, Schilling was perfection for 8 2/3 before Shannon Stewart spoiled the party. Hopefully the A’s fare better against him today.
Wednesday, 2:00 p.m. PDT: Joe Blanton vs. John Lester
Blanton looks to cap off a good season with his 15th win of the year. A solid finish could solidify his place as good trade bait or a #2 for next year. John Lester has not faced the A’s this year and is having a fine September.
Can the A’s make a difference in the AL East race? Not that it really matters, because the Sox have clinched a playoff berth… but oh well. I’m grasping for something - anything - right now!
It’s official. The streak of eight winning seasons in a row has been snapped. The 2007 Oakland Athletics will finish with a losing record.
Today’s loss, the 82nd of the season, came to the Indians and the Tribe clinched the AL Central. Also today, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim became officially playoff-bound.
Still, I’m glad if a celebration had to happen in front of our A’s, it was Cleveland and not the Angels. It hurts a lot worse when it’s a division rival. And judging by the looks of things, my three least favorite AL teams will be in the playoffs. I’ll be rooting for the Indians in October.
On the bright side of things, I’m falling in love with Daric Barton (sorry, honey). He provided nearly all of the A’s offense today and is still batting well over .300 in playing every day since being called up. I wondered when he came up if he was being showcased for an offseason trade, but I really, really, really hope I’m wrong. The lineup actually has the looks of being very good in 2008 with Barton in it.
Tomorrow in an off day as the A’s travel to Boston for a quickie two-game series. Can Boston hang on to the AL East lead or will the A’s help make them settle for the wild card?
Keep that champagne on ice, Cleveland. Dan Haren decided tonight was the night to pick up win #15.
After five straight losses for Haren and six straight losses for the A’s, the team’s #1 finally came through to pick up a win and keep the A’s within a prayer of a shot at .500.
But with the good news comes some bad news, unfortunately. Rich Harden won’t be pitching tomorrow - or at all for the rest of 2007. Can’t say I’m really shocked, but I’m less excited to watch Dallas Braden take the hill tomorrow than I would’ve been for Harden.
I have a feeling Cleveland will get its party tomorrow. But, stranger things have happened.
The only thing this year’s team has in common with any of the A’s playoff teams is the two-strikeouts-looking-to-end-the-game crap they pulled tonight. At least that other team was in the playoffs when they did it.
This team isn’t a winning team for the first time since 1998. With the 81st loss of the season tonight, there is no chance for the A’s to finish over .500.
The last time the A’s were this bad, Mike Oquist and Jimmy Haynes were in the rotation. Man, that feels like a lifetime ago. But a I guess that’s not much different than Lenny DiNardo and Dallas Braden. Maybe in 2016, we’ll look back at those guys the same way we do at Oquist and Haynes.
The Tigers won tonight so the Indians did not clinch; their magic number is one. Maybe if the A’s can pull off a win tomorrow and the Tigers lose, they can keep the Tribe from celebrating on the field in front of them.
Here’s to keeping the inevitable pandemonium behind closed doors. Go A’s!
It seems fitting that Kurt Suzuki got the last hit of the 2007 season - the hit being a game-winner that secured the A’s finish in 3rd place in the AL West, rather than the cellar.
It’s official. The streak of eight winning seasons in a row has been snapped. The 2007 Oakland Athletics will finish with a losing record.
The only thing this year’s team has in common with any of the A’s playoff teams is the two-strikeouts-looking-to-end-the-game crap they pulled tonight. At least that other team was in the playoffs when they did it.