Bob Geren's Judgment Day

Oakland Athletic pitcher, Brian Fuentes, criticizes his manager, Bob Geren, for his handling of the pitching staff over the last several games. Specifically, Fuentes is upset about being brought into non save situations on the road. Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley, comments, “'From the outside looking in, just pitch.'” This episode, along with questions regarding double switches and bunting bring Geren's judgment into question. It is hard to question his handling of the pitching staff. They have about the best ERA in baseball. Although he makes some mistakes with regard to the offense, it is hard to lay much of the blame on Geren. Take for instance, the other night the one of the post game talking heads scolds the A's for not bunting and playing “small ball.” The problem here is that when the A's bunt, they just move the runner 90 feet farther along to be stranded. The A's do not hit and this is well known.


The rebuke belongs to Billy Beane. It appears as though he has fallen in love with Eric Chavez, even though he is no longer part of the team. Chavez is a good hitter when in the order with a couple of great hitters like Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada or Frank Thomas and Milton Bradley or with the Murders Row in New York. He is never going to be the guy to carry the lineup. Beane finds three new hitters for this year and so far they have not produced. It looks like they may have been productive hitters in other lineups but the sum of the parts is less than what they have been. Beane needs to find a really good hitter or two, or fans are condemned to watching a great pitching staff in frustration and a boring team hovering around five hundred.

Andrew Bailey = Houston Street?

Last year I would have said Bailey = Eckersley, who is the gold standard by which all A's closers are judged. Street is more like the aluminum standard. Last year Bailey was Eck-like in the way he just got batters out and let few runners get on base. After his rookie of the year performance, he seems to be a little off. He has two blown saves and lately his saves have approached Streetian, i.e. he comes in with a multiple run lead and gets a one run save or gets out of the inning, but puts the issue in doubt by allowing base runners. Maybe it is a sophomore slump and I hope he gets back to Eckersley like pitching.