AL Wildcard Gameday Thread: A's @ Royals - 9/30/14

[DW711]

You guys can talk about Lester and his 'six earned runs' all you want.

What you should be talking about is:

-Gio Gonzalez being traded for Norris (who gave up six steals today)

-Chris Carter being traded for Jed Lowrie (who should have been subbed out in the 8th or 9th inning)

-Seth Smith being traded for Luke Gregerson (who promptly gave up two inherited runners in about three minutes with a hanging slider and a wild pitch)

Those three guys gave up appx. 5-6 runs by themselves.

Lester did fine...his defense around him was awful and you can't have unearned runs when:

-your catcher has no arm.

-your shortstop has no range.

-your set up man is making bad pitches.

Losing Soto just killed them.

They would have been on the plane for Anaheim two hours ago if he stayed in.

Edited October 1, 2014 by DW711

[Brandon]

Just talked to my cousin leaving the game. Super pumped for them all. Reminds me of 2002 where I grew up watching a lower that finally did something.

Good for them.

[SoWhat]

Be honest, I think the baseball gods did us a disservice. Royals are the tougher team for the Halos.

Yep. KC shouldn't be underestimated

[Hollyw00d]

Sorry DW, you've always been classy. Tough way to end it, we angels fans know how you feel

[ukyah]

i consider bob melvin not getting adam dunn one at bat in a 12 inning post season game a massive slight. it may not have been on purpose, but either way that is totally bush league by melvin. how can you not get a homerun threat an AB in extra innings? especially, when you know he's never played in a post season game AND he's retiring. not cool.

Edited October 1, 2014 by ukyah

[fan_since79]

I said it earlier when the Failos flooded this thread with the "A's are hot now, they're gonna kill us " bs. Melvin is a moron and will make a dumb move in this game. It's guaranteed.

 

Earlier it appeared Yost made the dumbest move of the year by replacing Shields with the rookie who threw 73 pitches on Sunday.

Edited October 1, 2014 by fan_since79

[Lou]

Bean trades Russel (Top Prospect) for Shark an Hammel

Bean trades Cespedes for 1 year of Lester

In Wildcard Game:

Lester gives up 6 ERS

Hammel gives up game winning hit.

What a HUGE Fail for Beane. Gave up their future shortstop and their big bat for nothing.

 

but he did it with s small payroll

 

or something

[fan_since79]

Smartest play of the night: leaving Ibanez on the bench.

[Lou]

i consider bob melvin not getting adam dunn one at bat in a 12 inning post season game a massive slight. it may not have been on purpose, but either way that is totally bush league by melvin. how can you not get a homerun threat an AB in extra innings? especially, when you know he's never played in a post season game AND he's retiring. not cool.

 

wow, forgot all about him. 

 

another Beanius move. 

[DW711]

Sorry DW, you've always been classy. Tough way to end it, we angels fans know how you feel

 

 

Thanks buddy...I appreciate it...but I don't think the Angels have lost this amount of do-or-die games consecutively!

 

As for Dunn...I feel bad for him too BUT Fuld got on base three times and Moss  basically had the game of his career (and almost had more rbis if he didn't line into a double play).

 

Where/when would you guys have used him?

 

The only time I can think of is the bottom of the 9th for Lowrie...but I'm sure they probably had a lefty waiting for him.

 

This isn't some switch hitter who plays great defense...it's Dunn.

 

It's just too bad he can't catch.

[mancini79]

Sorry DW, you've always been classy. Tough way to end it, we angels fans know how you feel

Agree! Amazing that DW just didn't go AO here on the board. Very tough ending to a disappointing season. DW, thanks for being a good sport on a rivalry's message board.

[HeavenlyHalos]

Thanks buddy...I appreciate it...but I don't think the Angels have lost this amount of do-or-die games consecutively!

 

As for Dunn...I feel bad for him too BUT Fuld got on base three times and Moss  basically had the game of his career (and almost had more rbis if he didn't line into a double play).

 

Where/when would you guys have used him?

 

The only time I can think of is the bottom of the 9th for Lowrie...but I'm sure they probably had a lefty waiting for him.

 

This isn't some switch hitter who plays great defense...it's Dunn.

 

It's just too bad he can't catch.

 

Completely agree. If you PH Dunn, then you would have to use him in the field or remove Brandon Moss from the lineup who was easily Oakland's best player this game (and has just as much power as Dunn). He could have started Moss in the field and benched Fuld, but Fuld actually had a good game, so while it sucks Dunn didn't get to play, Melvin made the right call in that regards. He also made the correct choice selecting Soto to start over Norris. He should not have gone to Hammel though. Once I saw him entering the game I thought for sure the Royals would win.

[ukyah]

dunn over callaspo. i know callaspo got a hit in that ab, but that hit was as defensive and flukey as can be.

[SoCALkid]

dunn over callaspo. i know callaspo got a hit in that ab, but that hit was as defensive and flukey as can be.

This is not an all star game. They're not out to start every player that's retiring or sh*t like that. I dislike Melvin greatly but even I can't understand this argument. Dunn could have DH'd and I'm sure would not have done better than Moss, also, Callaspo got a slappy base hit when it counted. Say what you want but not PH'ing Dunn was a smart move by Melvin. Just like not PH'ing Ibanez was a smart move by Yost. 

[DW711]

Agree! Amazing that DW just didn't go AO here on the board. Very tough ending to a disappointing season. DW, thanks for being a good sport on a rivalry's message board.

 

 

A lot of the stuff I expect.

 

Choakland is the equivalent to saying "You suck!" to a random player at the game.

 

I wouldn't say they choked...they did come back from 3-2 and got the lead again when it was 7-7...but my goodness.

 

I'd rather they just got swept by the Angels than deal with more of this...but this time it was just worse.

 

They could have won that game 3-4 different times.

[DW711]

Completely agree. If you PH Dunn, then you would have to use him in the field or remove Brandon Moss from the lineup who was easily Oakland's best player this game (and has just as much power as Dunn). He could have started Moss in the field and benched Fuld, but Fuld actually had a good game, so while it sucks Dunn didn't get to play, Melvin made the right call in that regards. He also made the correct choice selecting Soto to start over Norris. He should not have gone to Hammel though. Once I saw him entering the game I thought for sure the Royals would win.

 

Abad probably should have been in there vs Hosmer or at least Pomeranz.

 

Why bring in Hammel with a runner on 1st? At least act like you're trying to hold the runner on

 

and a 1-2 pitch out to a guy who is 0-5 with 2 k's?

 

WHATS THE POINT!

[DW711]

dunn over callaspo. i know callaspo got a hit in that ab, but that hit was as defensive and flukey as can be.

I honestly haven't even seen Callaspo's hit yet.

I was busy pacing around and occasionally watching the tv.

The Royals had their share of fluky hits, btw.

The three I saw lead to three runs K.C.

Edited October 1, 2014 by DW711

[Adam]

I would've hit Dunn for Lawrie against Holland. I don't think Yost would remove his closer. You've got the bases loaded, a guy on the mound who can't find the zone. Dunn has a great eye and could sit dead red. There was a chance to blow the game open. You can move Sogard to SS and lose nothing defensively. 

[bloodbrother]

Callaspo over Dunn was the right call. You have the go-ahead run at 3B with 1 out...you need to put that ball in play. Dunn, as we all know, is prone to the strikeout. Callaspo has always had good contact ability

 

Dunn should have pinch hit later in that inning when they had a runner on base with 2 outs and I think Nick Punto batted. Punto isn't a threat to do anything...at least with Dunn you'd be hoping he turned an 8-7 game into a 10-7 game with one swing

 

Melvin's management of that 8th inning was just awful. Lester was at 97 pitches entering the 8th with a 4 run lead...why mess around? Go to your pen immediately. Instead, he leaves him in to face 4 more batters in which he gave up 2 hits and a walk. The moment he gave up that leadoff hit, Melvin should have pulled him. He waited too long

[fan_since79]

A lot of the stuff I expect.

 

Choakland is the equivalent to saying "You suck!" to a random player at the game.

 

I wouldn't say they choked...they did come back from 3-2 and got the lead again when it was 7-7...but my goodness.

 

I'd rather they just got swept by the Angels than deal with more of this...but this time it was just worse.

 

They could have won that game 3-4 different times.

 

Well, KC left men on third base in the 8th, 10th, and 11th innings, so it works both ways.

[Hollyw00d]

A lot of the stuff I expect.

Choakland is the equivalent to saying "You suck!" to a random player at the game.

I wouldn't say they choked...they did come back from 3-2 and got the lead again when it was 7-7...but my goodness.

I'd rather they just got swept by the Angels than deal with more of this...but this time it was just worse.

They could have won that game 3-4 different times.

you guys will recover. I'm one of the few on here that respect beane, and if I were an A's fan, I would trust him to do the right things. Even now.

a lot of people blasted his trades this season, but I think they were sound baseball moves. It just didn't work out, things didn't go your guys way. Can't blame anything but baseball.

this offseason will be interesting for the A's

[DW711]

Well, KC left men on third base in the 8th, 10th, and 11th innings, so it works both ways.

 

Yeah, but Kc wasn't up 2 and 4 runs.

[Angel Oracle]

Both managers had moves that left you shaking your head.

 

Both bullpens had their struggles, although KC's toughened up after the 6th inning and allowed just one more run.