Archive for the ‘Oakland Athletics’ Category

Them too? Seriously?

So that was a hell of a game last night, eh? Or… a game, at least. Or… something. Not that I watched it, or anything, but I did catch the end via Twitter while coming up for air after a night in Montreal’s absurdly sweaty bars– which isn’t to say that Toronto shouldn’t absolutely strive to have a place like L’Esco, or that more bars shouldn’t adopt their policy of giving bands playing a liberal amount of free drinks, then charging them staff prices once they’re past the allotment of freebies, it’s just… holy sauna. And I also caught the accompanying post-game roster moves and marvelling at Aaron Loup actually taking an at-bat.

Word now, via a tweet from Barry Davis of Sportsnet, that Brett Lawrie and Colby Rasmus are not seriously injured, but still sore, which necessitated the call to the minors for Adeiny Hechavarria… to play third base– a position he hasn’t played in a game one single time since coming to the Jays’ organization in 2010. But who’s counting! And who’s counting his platoon splits either! (.736 OPS against right-handers, .954 against lefties).

No, seriously, who cares? Would you rather see Chris Woodward get the call?

Meanwhile, Andrew Carpenter– the bad carpenter, not David, who was acquired from the Astros along with JA Happ– was designated for assignment, Jesse Chavez was recalled, and Brett Cecil was sent to Las Vegas. He’ll join the rotation there, but after John Farrell’s bang-the-fuck-on comments yesterday that his long-term future may be as a lefty specialist out of the bullpen, one wonders if maybe we’ve seen his last turn as a member of the Jays’ rotation. Y’know, unless someone else goes down with injury, which… at this rate, that’s entirely possible.

Ugh.

Happ joins the rotation in Cecil’s place, and will start on Thursday in Tampa, according to another tweet from Davis.

And in another cable on the Rogers-owned Jays from Davis of the Rogers-owned Sportsnet, we have Saturday afternoon’s lineup. Those of you who are either pregnant or afflicted with a heart condition may want to avert your eyes…

Y. Escobar SS
K. Johnson 2B
E. Encarnacion DH
D. Cooper 1B
R. Davis LF
Y. Gomes C
M. Sierra RF
A. Gose CF
A. Hechavarria 3B

R. Romero LHP

2012, you guys!!!!!!

Oh, hello. Season still going huh? From Oakland, you say? Well… OK, then, I guess I’d better have some kind of a Game Threat.

Scuttlebutt

Richard Griffin tweets that he thinks John Farrell today took a “backhand swipe at lineup. Asked about 1 walk by last 86 Jays batters: ‘walks are a by-product of good hitters.’ Hmm.”

Elsewhere, Barry Davis tweets that Farrell suggested today that Brett Cecil– tonight’s starter– might be more suited to a bullpen role as a lefty specialist, due to his prominent splits.

A tweet from Oak Sports Mgmt tells us that the Jays have re-acquired Frank Gailey, who you may remember from such trades as the Ben Francisco piss in the ocean.

Apparently Jose Bautista has a new Reebok commercial, and apparently Getting Blanked has it.

Lastly, since I didn’t post it earlier– and it was a real cracker of a show– here’s today’s Getting Blanked Podcast.

TV: Sportsnet One

And now the lineups, by way of the live box score at theScore.com. And for those of you who’ll be out and about, be sure to follow all the action on your phone with Score Mobile…

Toronto Blue Jays

B. Lawrie 3B
C. Rasmus CF
E. Encarnacion DH
K. Johnson 2B
Y. Escobar SS
D. Cooper 1B
R. Davis LF
J. Mathis C
A. Gose RF

B. Cecil LHP

Oakland A’s

C. Crisp CF
J. Gomes DH
J. Reddick RF
Y. Cespedes LF
C. Carter 1B
B. Inge 3B
D. Norris C
A. Rosales SS
J. Weeks 2B

D. Straily RHP

Image via Jed Jacobsohn/Getty.

How apropos? I’m writing this from inside a beautifully-architectured Montreal row house, and the Jays’ opponent tonight for the A’s is one-time Expo, and all-time subject of the most flattering pictures in the universe, Bartolo Colon.

Shit, I might even pay attention to this one.

Scuttlebutt

Barry Davis of Sportsnet tweets that Adam Lind was in Florida to see a specialist about his back. There is nothing structurally wrong with him, he says, but he’ll continue rehabbing in the sunshine state, and there’s no timetable for his return.

According to a Jays’ team release, the Jays have re-upped their Player Development Contract with Lansing– which totally makes sense. No early announcement of a deal on their PDC with Vegas though, huh? Yeah, that totally makes sense too.

Speaking of the 51s, hitting coach Chad Mottola spoke to Gregor Chisholm of BlueJays.com, the transcript of which is at his North of the Border blog.

Shi Davidi of Sportsnet has a feature on Anthony Gose, who hopes to stick around with the Jays.

Lastly, for your between-inning viewing pleasure, here’s today’s edition of Getting Blanked…

TV: Sportsnet One

And now the lineups, by way of the live box score at theScore.com. And for those of you who’ll be out and about, be sure to follow all the action on your phone with Score Mobile…

Toronto Blue Jays

B. Lawrie 3B
C. Rasmus CF
E. Encarnacion DH
K. Johnson 2B
Y. Escobar SS
D. Cooper 1B
R. Davis LF
Y. Gomes C
A. Gose RF

H. Alvarez RHP

Oakland A’s

C. Crisp CF
S. Smith DH
J. Reddick RF
Y. Cespedes LF
B. Moss 1B
B. Inge 3B
G. Kottaras C
A. Rosales SS
E. Sogard 2B

B. Colon RHP

Image via Steve Schaefer/Getty.