Game #20: A's 3, Rangers 2
April 24, 2006 | A's @ Texas
I barely followed this game because, oops, I forgot my radio and didn't charge my cell phone. The irony is, I'd marked this game on my calendar months ago. I thought that maybe I could plan to be in Arlington and attend a game or two of this series. As it was, I couldn't even get the frickin' score for more than half the game. It's a good thing we won or I'd be even more disgruntled than usual. Twelve LOB being good cause for disgruntlement.
Here's a question I would've never asked before on the grounds that Ken Macha knows infinitely more than I do about his roster. And yet tonight I ask, Why is Bobby Kielty with the Rivercats and not Dan Johnson? I mean, couldn't we send DJ down, platoon Kielty and Payton in LF, and station Swish at 1B? I know I'm not knowledgable enough about baseball to pose these types of headscratchers, yet I pose away.
The Swish lovefest continues. HR #9 for my boyfriend of this week. Credit Swish for getting the lead which we actually keep. Credit him for the catch that made the last out. I'll even credit him for inspiring Chavy to hit HR #8.
(Game experience: Saw the 1-0, Rangers score on Gameday. Same score when I checked in the 5th, just before my cell phone battery died. Heard the bottom of the 9th on KYCY 1550.)
A's record: 9-11 | streak: W-1 | well-A-meter: 3
I barely followed this game because, oops, I forgot my radio and didn't charge my cell phone. The irony is, I'd marked this game on my calendar months ago. I thought that maybe I could plan to be in Arlington and attend a game or two of this series. As it was, I couldn't even get the frickin' score for more than half the game. It's a good thing we won or I'd be even more disgruntled than usual. Twelve LOB being good cause for disgruntlement.
Here's a question I would've never asked before on the grounds that Ken Macha knows infinitely more than I do about his roster. And yet tonight I ask, Why is Bobby Kielty with the Rivercats and not Dan Johnson? I mean, couldn't we send DJ down, platoon Kielty and Payton in LF, and station Swish at 1B? I know I'm not knowledgable enough about baseball to pose these types of headscratchers, yet I pose away.
The Swish lovefest continues. HR #9 for my boyfriend of this week. Credit Swish for getting the lead which we actually keep. Credit him for the catch that made the last out. I'll even credit him for inspiring Chavy to hit HR #8.(Game experience: Saw the 1-0, Rangers score on Gameday. Same score when I checked in the 5th, just before my cell phone battery died. Heard the bottom of the 9th on KYCY 1550.)
A's record: 9-11 | streak: W-1 | well-A-meter: 3
posted by blank book at 10:46 PM
4 Comments:
I agree that I would rather see Kielty than Johnson right now, but Billy Beane needs to consider available options and roster balance, as well as current performance.
It may be that Johnson is out of options and the A's would have to get him cleared on waivers before they could send him down. Even with his fabulous .083 batting average, he'd never clear waivers.
It also appears that the A's are intent on never risking Frank Thomas's hammies by putting him at first base. This only leaves Johnson and Swisher, with Melhuse as a desperation third option. But if Johnson went down to Sacto, Melhuse moves up to backup, and if he's in the game, then the A's have no backup for Kendall. Even though Kendall has been unbelievably durable, catcher is the defensive position most vulnerable to injury.
Finally, much to my distress, it seems that the A's believe that Johnson probably has a brighter future than Kielty. (Johnson outhit Kielty for average and power last year.) At 30, Kielty has reached his prime (as a statistical average, although some players blossom later), while Johnson, at 27, is theoretically still on the rise.
My problem is this: Oftentimes you'll see a player slump. But usually, you'll start to see some silver linings, such as he's getting good wood on the ball, but it's right at the fielders ... or he's removed the hitch from his swing, etc. I see none of that with Johnson.
Willie Mays started his career the way Johnson has started this season. The Giants sent him back down to Triple-A, where the pitchers couldn't get him out. The Giants recalled him and the rest is history. I'd like to see Johnson sent down so he can restore that sweet swing from last season. But I think the A's would call up another first baseman, rather than Kielty.
I don't think Kielty belongs on the A's major league roster--he should go in a trade to the Royals or Pittsburgh--Not sure why we picked him up in the first place--particularly when at the time it seemed like the Blue Jays were looking for the same $/players for Frank Cattolonotto--a faster and more versatile outfielder.
I think Johnson has a hole in his swing--and I am never sure why we didn't fire hitting coaches of past-- maybe we need another hitting coach for everyone but chavez and swisher--and we keep the one we have for them. Seriously.
About Johnson--why not call up Daric Barton?
Kielty so far in his career is batting .253 with .354 OBP and .409 SLG. Is that not good?
Now let's compare. Johnson, in a year as a major leaguer, is .253 BA, .336 OBP, and .409 SLG.
Ooooh. I think I'm learning something here. I could also look up their 2005 figures, but I'll take al's word for it that Johnson was better.
Is this looking up of stats something I'm supposed to do regularly? I just like Kielty's head of hair.
Johnson was better--primarily because he was so good defensively. there is that slight difference in his OBP, but when you look at their splits--Kielty should only bat right-handed-- he hits (for the three year trend 2003-05) .296 as a RHB, with an .892 OPS--versus a .210/.641 as a LHB. (with nearly 1500 At bats). Not sure when he's going to get that he's a right handed hitter or platoon player. Melhuse-sure, Bradley, fine. Swisher, oh, yes: these guys have a better case for switch hitting.
It's not exactly fair to compare Johnson and Kielty--DJ has 375 AB's before this year, but has put up a .275/.451/.806 OPS in a short period of time. He is having the typical "sophomore slump" that some hitters have when pitchers figure out their hole in the swing, and they don't make an adjustment-- he either will, or won't (I bet he will), and the cat-and-mouse game continues.
There is no way FT plays 1B. It would seem best to get Payton in the game (to quit his whining), sit DJ down for a while, play swish there---but that won't happen now that Bradley is day-to-day
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