The Oakland Athletics have acquired Chris Young from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for infielder Cliff Pennington and Yordy Cabrera, who was immediately shipped to the Miami Marlins in exchange for reliever Heath Bell. The Diamondbacks also receive cash considerations from the Marlins.
The majority of you don’t know how well you have it.
Yes, your team hasn’t reached the playoffs in a while. Haven’t even been close, really. That was the Detroit Tigers’ fate for an 18-year stretch, which in NO WAY had anything to do with trading away low-level prospect John Smoltz. It was a period of numb feelings, prized pitchers who blew out arms, and shoulders – at least the ones that did remain intact – primarily being used to help the body turn around and see how far the ball traveled. It was a dark comedy that never ended. It was “Fargo” turned into a TV series.
The hope — and when futility spans three decades, that’s all that remains — is that a terrible team transforms into a mechanical war machine capable of producing terror and timely hits. At some point your team will become this, if only for one season. They’ll have a rotation that stays healthy, a lineup that doesn’t chase pitches, and a manager that’s suddenly brilliant.
And then October is going to be the worst month of your life.
The Detroit Tigers became the second team to advance to a League Championship Series following a 6-0 walk over the Oakland Athletics in Game Five. The Tigers landed in Oakland up two games, but a strong pitching performance by the Athletics in Game Three and delicious Jose Valverde blown save in Game Four evened up the series. Jim Leyland handed the ball to Justin Verlander tonight and cut off contact with his bullpen.
Verlander was nearly untouchable in Game One, surrendering just three hits and striking out 11 in seven innings. He dialed up the nasty once again on this night, fanning 11 in a complete game shutout. He needed 122 pitches to get the job done, which leads one to wonder why Leyland was so cautious while holding a six run lead heading into the bottom half of the seventh. YOLO, or something.
The Athletics hitters had nothing for Verlander, although Yoenis Cespedes legged out a double in the first inning. Hope was sporadic from that point forward before being extinguished forever as the Tigers began to build a lead in the third inning.
It was a series rife with defensive lapses, silenced star hitters and a manic display of judgement from Coco Crisp in the outfield. I can’t say that the Tigers were ultimately the better team, but they were tonight and that’s all that matters.
Just when we thought the Oakland Athletics were all out of luck and struck with a devastating case of bad defense, they pull us back in. A pair of highlight catches via Coco Crisp and Yoeni$ Ce$pede$, plus a zillion ground balls to Stephen Drew, backed an outstanding effort from Brett Anderson and the Oakland bullpen in Game Three to force a second date with looming elimination for the A’s.
Oakland should have their work cut out tonight if Max Scherzer shows no ill effects of a fatigued shoulder or a celebration induced ankle injury. The A’s counter with rookie A.J. Griffin on the mound.
Check back with us later tonight for a full recap complete with all the appropriate media, analysis and GIFfy goodness.
Game Four lineups:
There’s still a glimmer of hope for a Bay Bridge World Series.
The San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics won close contests on Tuesday night, and stayed alive in their best-of-five Division Series. The Giants entered the game against the Cincinnati Reds down two games to none, and eked out a 2-to-1 road victory in ten innings. The A’s lost the first two games of the series on the road but beat the Detroit Tigers 2-to-0 before a raucous home crowd at the Oakland Coliseum.
Both teams won with superb pitching, outstanding defense, and just enough offense. Both teams will need to repeat that formula in today’s action to force a decisive Game 5 on Thursday.
Game Three at the O.co tonight. You can expect sporadic updates and stuff, definitely stuff.
Here are your starting lineups
Detroit Tigers:
1. Austin Jackson (R) CF
2. Omar Infante (R) 2B
3. Miguel Cabrera (R) 3B
4. Prince Fielder (L) 1B
5. Delmon Young (R) DH
6. Jhonny Peralta (R) SS
7. Andy Dirks (L) LF
8. Avisail Garcia (R) RF
9. Gerald Laird (R) C
Oakland Athletics:
1. Coco Crisp (S) CF
2. Stephen Drew (L) SS
3. Yoeni$ Ce$pede$ (R) LF
4. Brandon Moss (L) 1B
5. Josh Reddick (L) RF
6. Josh Donaldson (R) 3B
7. Seth Smith (L) DH
8. Derek Norris (R) C
9. Cliff Pennington (S) 2B
I feel conflicted about relaying this information for a few different reasons: 1) It’s sad news; 2) It’s not directly related to baseball; and 3) I’d hate to capitalize in terms of page views or attention from what is a tragic circumstance for someone else, especially when me writing about it will do nothing in terms of easing pain or making things better for those who are currently suffering.
Nonetheless, this is a baseball blog, and we tend to write about things that might not be directly related to baseball from time to time. Also, on the off-chance that prayers or collectively hoping the best for someone might have the slightest effect whatsoever, perhaps it’s worth sharing the following sad news.
Mere hours after this:
It’s a boy Gehrig John Neshek…8 lbs 5 oz, born 10/2/12. Pat flew Oakland to FL just in time for birth!#playoffbaby twitter.com/StephaneeNeshe…
— Stephanee Neshek (@StephaneeNeshek) October 3, 2012
Pat Neshek, a pitcher for the American League West Division-winning Oakland A’s, shared this:
Please pray for my family.Tonight my wife & I lost our first & only son 23 hours after he was born with no explanation.
— Pat Neshek (@PatNeshek) October 4, 2012
Obviously, our thoughts remain with the Neshek family throughout this awful, awful time.
