Pena and the A's

[Torridd]

I just watched the condensed game and the A's were tattooing Pena. Question: are the A's that good or was Pena just off? Even Pena's pitches off the plate were being hit at just the right spots.

[Jay]

Is Pena our #2 or #3 now? I forgot.

 

[Stradling]

Does that matter jay?

[mulwin444]

 The A's have knocked Pena around this year in 2 "starts" - 5.1 IP 12 H 11 ER 3 BB 6 K 19.41 ERA 2.941 WHIP

Everyone else - 46.1 IP 32 H 15 ER 12 BB 48 K 2.93 ERA 0.954 WHIP

He had some similar stuff happen last year with the M's in 1 start - 0.1 IP 6 H 7 ER 2 BB 1 K - and the A's in another - 4.0 IP 6 H 6 ER 1 BB 3 K - while the rest of his starts:

85.2 IP 70 H 26 ER 25 BB 79 K 2.75 ERA 1.115 WHIP

I think he should still make his next few "starts" to see if this is reality or an anomaly 

[Inside Pitch]

Just now, mulwin444 said:

 The A's have knocked Pena around this year in 2 "starts" - 5.1 IP 12 H 11 ER 3 BB 6 K 19.41 ERA 2.941 WHIP

Everyone else - 46.1 IP 32 H 15 ER 12 BB 48 K 2.93 ERA 0.954 WHIP

He had some similar stuff happen last year with the M's in 1 start - 0.1 IP 6 H 7 ER 2 BB 1 K - and the A's in another - 4.0 IP 6 H 6 ER 1 BB 3 K - while the rest of his starts:

85.2 IP 70 H 26 ER 25 BB 79 K 2.75 ERA 1.115 WHIP

I think he should still make his next few "starts" to see if this is reality or an anomaly 

Or some teams just own him..  like the Rangers owned Finley, and the Yankees owned Weaver, and the Red Sox/Rangers owned Lackey.

[Jay]

8 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Does that matter jay?

It matters to me, therefore I asked the question.

I take it you don't have the answer.

 

[mulwin444]

2 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Or some teams just own him..  like the Rangers owned Finley, and the Yankees owned Weaver, and the Red Sox/Rangers owned Lackey.

Yep, or it could be that when he's off in a game he's just really off...he needs more starts

[Stradling]

Just now, Jay said:

It matters to me, therefore I asked the question.

I take it you don't have the answer.

 

Ok my opinion is Canning, Heaney and Skaggs are ahead of him. 

[Inside Pitch]

Just now, mulwin444 said:

Yep, or it could be that when he's off in a game he's just really off...he needs more starts

Talent wise -- you'd have to think he's our 4, but performance he was top man going into last night's game.

Canning, Skaggs, Heaney isn't a bad start -- Pena as a 5.5 inning guy behind those three won't hurt you.    

I do wonder if we don't see a 6 man rotation for a bit to try to both save wear and tear on Canning and attempt to give one of the two FA baddies the innings to sink or swim.   At this point...   Cahill/Harvey should get the tandem starter action if they have to be in the rotation at all.

I'd personally cut bait, bring up Barria and let him show he can improve on what he's shown this year.

[mulwin444]

8 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Talent wise -- you'd have to think he's our 4, but performance he was top man going into last night's game.

Canning, Skaggs, Heaney isn't a bad start -- Pena as a 5.5 inning guy behind those three won't hurt you.    

I do wonder if we don't see a 6 man rotation for a bit to try to both save wear and tear on Canning and attempt to give one of the two FA baddies the innings to sink or swim.   At this point...   Cahill/Harvey should get the tandem starter action if they have to be in the rotation at all.

I'd personally cut bait, bring up Barria and let him show he can improve on what he's shown this year.

I'm on board with bringing up both Barria and Suarez, running a 6-man rotation of Skaggs, Canning, Heaney, Pena, Barria and Suarez, and seeing what they have from there.  With Ohtani in the rotation next season, they are going to have a 6-man anyway so might as well although it may be a question of who stays and who goes on 25 man and if there are enough relievers to provide quality innings because if you are running a 6 man rotation you either lose a BP piece or a position player.  

[Stradling]

3 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

I'm on board with bringing up both Barria and Suarez, running a 6-man rotation of Skaggs, Canning, Heaney, Pena, Barria and Suarez, and seeing what they have from there.  With Ohtani in the rotation next season, they are going to have a 6-man anyway so might as well although it may be a question of who stays and who goes on 25 man and if there are enough relievers to provide quality innings because if you are running a 6 man rotation you either lose a BP piece or a position player.  

I think more than likely instead of seeing a 6 man rotation this year, you will see 6 different guys take consistent starts while sending guys (Barria and Trop or Suarez) down after each start and use that roster space to bring up another relief pitcher.  This team does not have depth of starters who can go deep into a game to be down a guy in the pen.  

[Inside Pitch]

2 minutes ago, mulwin444 said:

I'm on board with bringing up both Barria and Suarez, running a 6-man rotation of Skaggs, Canning, Heaney, Pena, Barria and Suarez, and seeing what they have from there.  With Ohtani in the rotation next season, they are going to have a 6-man anyway so might as well although it may be a question of who stays and who goes on 25 man and if there are enough relievers to provide quality innings because if you are running a 6 man rotation you either lose a BP piece or a position player.  

I'm feeling the same -- future is now.   Lets see what we have.   Take whats left of this year and get a solid look at what we already have.    We would be going into the offseason with a very young rotation with a ton of team control -- makes planning the off-season a lot easier IMO.

[Inside Pitch]

5 minutes ago, Stradling said:

I think more than likely instead of seeing a 6 man rotation this year, you will see 6 different guys take consistent starts while sending guys (Barria and Trop or Suarez) down after each start and use that roster space to bring up another relief pitcher.  This team does not have depth of starters who can go deep into a game to be down a guy in the pen.  

They could do either to be honest -- especially with guys like Pena and Ramirez coming back.   The greater point is that they have the arms to try it.  Cahill and Harvey are obstacles at this point.  I'm fairly certain they will try to give them time to right the ship between now and the deadline to try to establish some value, but the best thing for this team long term is to turn inwards and see what those young guys are capable of. 
 

[Mark PT]

34 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Talent wise -- you'd have to think he's our 4, but performance he was top man going into last night's game.

Canning, Skaggs, Heaney isn't a bad start -- Pena as a 5.5 inning guy behind those three won't hurt you.    

I do wonder if we don't see a 6 man rotation for a bit to try to both save wear and tear on Canning and attempt to give one of the two FA baddies the innings to sink or swim.   At this point...   Cahill/Harvey should get the tandem starter action if they have to be in the rotation at all.

I'd personally cut bait, bring up Barria and let him show he can improve on what he's shown this year.

If he is the # 4 does that make Cahill the #8?

[Torridd]

3 minutes ago, Mark PT said:

If he is the # 4 does that make Cahill the #8?

LOL!

[Inside Pitch]

7 minutes ago, Mark PT said:

If he is the # 4 does that make Cahill the #8?

I dont consider him at all...  

[Stradling]

My fear isn’t who we replace Harvey and Cahill with it is when one of the guys that is taking the ball every 5th day or so gets hurt, who replaces them once Harvey and Cahill are gone.  I know I am alone with this thought process because people are worried about the wins now, which I completely get.  But rushing a Suarez or a Sandoval up here to take the ball because of injuries isn’t in their best interest.  

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

Is Pena our #2 or #3 now? I forgot.

 

He's normally a #3.9874 pitcher, but last night, he pitched more like a #5.8472 pitcher.

[Angel Oracle]

3 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Or some teams just own him..  like the Rangers owned Finley, and the Yankees owned Weaver, and the Red Sox/Rangers owned Lackey.

Lackey finally got the Red Sux solved in the 2009 ALDS, with a great start at home as he and Weave held them to ONE run in two games.

[Angel Oracle]

Pena, just channeling his inner Bridwell (also totally struggling vs the A'th)

At this point, it's:   Canning, Heaney, Skaggs, Pena, Cahill.

Hopefully by July it's:  Canning, Heaney, Skaggs, Pena, Suarez.

Send Cahill to long innings relief work.  Send Harvey to DFA.

[Docwaukee]

4 hours ago, Stradling said:

My fear isn’t who we replace Harvey and Cahill with it is when one of the guys that is taking the ball every 5th day or so gets hurt, who replaces them once Harvey and Cahill are gone.  I know I am alone with this thought process because people are worried about the wins now, which I completely get.  But rushing a Suarez or a Sandoval up here to take the ball because of injuries isn’t in their best interest.  

Suarez is ready to be a major leaguer whereas Sandoval needs more work.  The latter will benefit from getting shellacked in AAA this year.  

I doubt they DFA Harvey or Cahill any time soon.  Cahill could be serviceable in the pen.  Who knows what to do with Harvey.  They should at least send him on a rehab assignment to see if he can work some stuff out.  I wouldn't mind seeing if he can add an extra level of velo out of the pen.  

[Angel Oracle]

I'm willing to try Harvey in the pen, maybe airing it out for 1-3 innings in a game will yield something, anything better than the Dark Knight we've seen so far.  

Pitch well in the pen, and maybe a contender bites in late July and the Halos get someone of any value for him in a trade.