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Odds steep, but Oakland A's keep hope alive:howdy:
By Joe Stiglich
jstiglich@bayareanewsgroup.com
Posted: 08/29/2010 09:22:20 PM PDT
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The A's have four games left with the Texas Rangers on their schedule. Based on their performance the past two days, it may be unfortunate for them that those contests don't come until late September.
The A's are a pretty confident bunch right now after taking a three-game series from division-leading Texas with Sunday's 8-2 victory at Rangers Ballpark.
After dropping Friday's opener, the A's outscored the home team 13-2 over the final two games and moved 7½ games behind the Rangers in the American League West.
With 33 games left, the A's face some steep odds in catching the Rangers. But they have given themselves a reason to continue scoreboard-watching when they begin a four-game series today at Yankee Stadium.
"That's very doable," second baseman Mark Ellis said of making up the deficit. "There's a whole month left in the season. We play them four more times. It's not easy to close out the division."
But to put into context the A's challenge, consider:
If Texas goes 16-16 over its final 32 games, Oakland would have to go 24-9 just to tie for first place.
Seventeen of the A's remaining 33 games come against teams that currently have winning records. Eleven of those 17 contests -- or one-third of their remaining schedule -- are against opponents that entered Sunday either leading their division or tied for the lead.
Working in the A's favor: The Rangers play 20 of their next 25 on the road and visit the Oakland Coliseum for a four-game set Sept. 23-26.
A's manager Bob Geren was asked if he felt his team could make the necessary run.
"If our offense continues to swing then bats the way they are, sure, definitely," Geren said. "We have to get that consistent offense."
The A's showed some versatility in piecing together Sunday's 12-hit attack. During a three-run sixth inning, they got a solo homer from Kevin Kouzmanoff, a well-executed safety squeeze bunt from Cliff Pennington and a run-scoring single from Coco Crisp. That rally opened up a 7-1 lead.
"We threw everything we had at them," Geren said.
Not surprising, though, was that the A's changed the tone of the weekend with their starting pitching.
Gio Gonzalez (12-8) followed Dallas Braden's four-hit shutout by pitching six solid innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked one.
"I know (Texas is) missing a couple guys, but it's a good lineup," Ellis said. "It's a tough ballpark to pitch in, and they didn't have any fear. They went right at guys."
Gonzalez has bent Braden's ear for advice all season, and he talked with Braden before taking the mound about how to handle Texas' hitters.
Apparently, Gonzalez is also picking up some of Braden's nutty tendencies. After allowing Josh Hamilton's solo homer in the sixth, Gonzalez caught himself talking to the baseball as Braden often does.
"He's rubbing off on me," Gonzalez said. "After the pitch to Hamilton, I grabbed the ball and just started yelling at it -- 'Come on, do your job!' -- The baseball even told me to calm down."
Gonzalez lowered his ERA to 3.23. Over his past five starts, he's 3-1 with a 1.36 ERA, allowing just five earned runs in 33 innings.
Odds steep, but Oakland A's keep hope alive:howdy:
By Joe Stiglich
jstiglich@bayareanewsgroup.com
Posted: 08/29/2010 09:22:20 PM PDT
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The A's have four games left with the Texas Rangers on their schedule. Based on their performance the past two days, it may be unfortunate for them that those contests don't come until late September.
The A's are a pretty confident bunch right now after taking a three-game series from division-leading Texas with Sunday's 8-2 victory at Rangers Ballpark.
After dropping Friday's opener, the A's outscored the home team 13-2 over the final two games and moved 7½ games behind the Rangers in the American League West.
With 33 games left, the A's face some steep odds in catching the Rangers. But they have given themselves a reason to continue scoreboard-watching when they begin a four-game series today at Yankee Stadium.
"That's very doable," second baseman Mark Ellis said of making up the deficit. "There's a whole month left in the season. We play them four more times. It's not easy to close out the division."
But to put into context the A's challenge, consider:
If Texas goes 16-16 over its final 32 games, Oakland would have to go 24-9 just to tie for first place.
Seventeen of the A's remaining 33 games come against teams that currently have winning records. Eleven of those 17 contests -- or one-third of their remaining schedule -- are against opponents that entered Sunday either leading their division or tied for the lead.
Working in the A's favor: The Rangers play 20 of their next 25 on the road and visit the Oakland Coliseum for a four-game set Sept. 23-26.
A's manager Bob Geren was asked if he felt his team could make the necessary run.
"If our offense continues to swing then bats the way they are, sure, definitely," Geren said. "We have to get that consistent offense."
The A's showed some versatility in piecing together Sunday's 12-hit attack. During a three-run sixth inning, they got a solo homer from Kevin Kouzmanoff, a well-executed safety squeeze bunt from Cliff Pennington and a run-scoring single from Coco Crisp. That rally opened up a 7-1 lead.
"We threw everything we had at them," Geren said.
Not surprising, though, was that the A's changed the tone of the weekend with their starting pitching.
Gio Gonzalez (12-8) followed Dallas Braden's four-hit shutout by pitching six solid innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked one.
"I know (Texas is) missing a couple guys, but it's a good lineup," Ellis said. "It's a tough ballpark to pitch in, and they didn't have any fear. They went right at guys."
Gonzalez has bent Braden's ear for advice all season, and he talked with Braden before taking the mound about how to handle Texas' hitters.
Apparently, Gonzalez is also picking up some of Braden's nutty tendencies. After allowing Josh Hamilton's solo homer in the sixth, Gonzalez caught himself talking to the baseball as Braden often does.
"He's rubbing off on me," Gonzalez said. "After the pitch to Hamilton, I grabbed the ball and just started yelling at it -- 'Come on, do your job!' -- The baseball even told me to calm down."
Gonzalez lowered his ERA to 3.23. Over his past five starts, he's 3-1 with a 1.36 ERA, allowing just five earned runs in 33 innings.
