by Michael Duca

Oakland A’s update: The Oakland A’s relief pitching was really solid all the way through the entire series against the Boston Red Sox over the weekend. As A’s manager Bob Melvin said before Sunday’s game the players don’t quit and if their seemingly out of a game and their down 6-1 in the eighth inning they still don’t think their out of the game and Sunday they weren’t.

Major League players, coaches and managers would never admit to being blown away even if they are, this season still has 100 games to run almost 90 games to run anyway. They are impressed with the way the A’s play, they’ve got a bunch of guys that aren’t well known outside of Oakland.

The A’s seem to perform in a variety of circumstances, Sunday in the tenth inning they had to give up the designated hitter because one of their catchers took another knock to the noggin on a back swing. Sooner or later their going to have to take a hard look at whether or not they have to start telling players to limit their back swings because a 360 degree back swing is just flat out dangerous and it doesn’t accomplish anything but it certainly endangers catchers.

They wound up giving up the DH and the pitchers spot was going to hit in the tenth inning and the A’s went to Sean Doolittle as their hitter and he made the last out of the game and Doolittle is a guy who as recently as four years ago counting A ball and fall league had impressive seasons. The A’s have versatility almost everywhere you look.

San Francisco Giants update: Giants pitcher Madison Baumgarner is the staff ace you aticipate him having no hit stuff everytime he goes out to the mound. His only rival is a left handed starter in the National League and that’s the Dodgers Clayton Kershaw. Baumgarner and Kernshaw are similar guys, they’re country kids with probably not the prettiest beards in the world. Their hard throwing lefties that can easily strike out ten, 12, or 13 guys on any given night he’s been absolutely rock steady and that’s what you expect from your staff ace.Baumgarner is working hard, he works quickly he throws to contact, he’s willing to trust his defense because he works quickly his defense is trustworthy.

The Giants Joe Panik had two hits in his first Major League start Sunday night at Chase Field and also did a fine job with the glove in his debut. Panik is a nice looking young player but people shouldn’t put too many expectations on him. I don’t want him to get too tied up in the structure in the pressure of this pennant race.

If Panik is able to do what a rookie is able to do which is play within his self and do what he was doing at the previous level that’s good enough. You can find somebody to play second base on a everyday level who’s a solid fielder and who can bring a .850 OPS to bear on the game that’s absolutely all you could ask for. Panik doesn’t need to try and be better now that he’s a Major Leaguer he doesn’t need to push himself.

Michael Duca does A’s and Giants commentary for http://www.sportsradioservice each week