Category: Oakland Athletics

Power barrage: A’s hit five home runs and smash the Twins, 14-1

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Phlegley

By Morris Phillips

No one can say they’ve got a grasp on the confounding Oakland A’s.

The A’s went 20 innings scoreless as an opening act to their post All-Star-break and it wasn’t clear if the team knew that they would need to do more than put on their uniforms to be present and accounted for.

But then out of nowhere—and against a credible club in the Twins—the A’s responded with 13 runs over their next seven innings.  Two wins later, and sitting at 43-51, the A’s have escaped the cellar in the AL West (by percentage points), and remain in striking distance at nine games back.

Talk about a turnaround.  The A’s sleep-walked through the series opener, losing 5-0, but Sunday was a completely different story, a 14-1 win.  The A’s hit a season-best five home runs in the rout, and got a stellar start from rejuvenated Jesse Chavez, who allowed three hits in six innings.

Blindsided by the onslaught was former Athletic Tommy Milone, who made his first start against his former club, approximately a year after he demanded a trade from Oakland and was dealt to the Twins.  Milone’s been just as good in Minneapolis as he was in Oakland, but that changed dramatically on Sunday.  Milone allowed three of the five A’s home runs, and departed down 7-0 in the third inning.

“He never looks like he has nerves,” manager Bob Melvin said when questioned about Milone’s performance.  “He’s usually in control of what he’s doing out there. And a couple of the pitches really weren’t bad pitches.  I can’t see in and out as much, but I can see where the catcher sets up and two of the home runs were one-handed swings that looked like they might have been away.”

Jesse Chavez had an afternoon quite different from Milone’s.  The A’s starter cruised through six innings of work with nine strikeouts and only one walk allowed.  From Melvin’s perspective, the slightly-built pitcher benefitted greatly from the All-Star break.

“I saw a couple of 93’s today, life on the cutter again.  Good changeup today to be able to slow them down with that,” Melvin said.  “It was similar to what we’ve been seeing most of the year from him.”

“The break was great, it was just a good reset mentally—not physically—just mentally,” Chavez said.

Jake Smolinski—with just nine at-bats under his belt in Oakland—has made quite a first impression.  On the heels of his seeing-eye, game-tying hit on Saturday, Smolinski homered twice on Sunday.  Acquired from the Rangers with the thought he could provide quality at-bats against left-handed pitching, Smolinski has been that guy—at least in the last 24 hours.

Billy Butler homered for the second consecutive day, and Josh Reddick contributed a grand slam in the fourth to make the score 11-0.  Josh Phlegley had the other home run, off Milone, immediately following a throwing error that extended the third inning, and barely clearing the left field wall on a line.

Given all the conflicting play, where do the A’s go from here?  They won 29 of 50, an extended run of success, that seems more indicative of the club’s ability than their disastrous 14-30 start.  If they can win games within the AL West—31 of their remaining 68 games are against division opponents—they could become a factor in the race pretty quickly.  But the equation changes dramatically if Scott Kazmir is dealt before the trade deadline.

On Tuesday, the A’s continue their homestand against the Blue Jays and former teammate Josh Donaldson, having a breakout season in his first year in Toronto.  The Jays offer veteran starter Mark Buehrle in a matchup with Oakland’s Kendall Graveman at 7:15pm.

A’s snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for first post-All Star break win

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By Morris Phillips

What went horribly wrong instead morphed into a beautiful ending at the Coliseum on Saturday night.

The A’s were just two outs away from a 1-0 victory behind Scott Kazmir’s stellar pitching when the previously closed door opened for the Twins allowing them to push across a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead.

But with Billy Burns playing catalyst and motoring around the bases, the A’s backed up their run to tie in the ninth with the winning run in the 10th.  For the A’s, the win and the surprising method of victory was everything: finally a narrow win late, at home, in front of a big crowd with the Gatorade bath and whip cream chaser for game-winning hit man, Stephen Vogt.

“It’s huge to comeback and win that game for everyone’s sake,” Vogt said.

In other words, it felt like the 2013-2014, instead of the downer 2015 has been to date.

The A’s improved to 42-51 on the season, good enough to remain in the AL West conversation despite still sitting in the league’s basement, just games behind the Red Sox, White Sox and Mariners.   At 9 ½ games behind the Astros, the A’s are one of only two last-place teams (Boston) that are fewer than 10 games out of first place.

Kazmir—as well as Burns—have been outstanding at home at the O.co Coliseum this season and that continued on Saturday.   In 10 starts at home, Kazmir is 4-2 with a 1.36 ERA, and he was on his game against the Twins working in an especially effective changeup to go with his fastball.  Kazmir worked into the ninth inning, allowing four hits through eight, and calming a Twin’s offense that had fashioned a four-game win streak.

But as soon as things looked in hand, they weren’t.  With one out, Brian Dozier’s infield hit should have prompted Brett Lawrie to eat the ball when he gloved it, but instead his blind throw of the spin eluded Ike Davis at first, and allowed Dozier to move to second.  Without a plan set in concrete for the ninth, manager Bob Melvin decided that was enough for Kazmir after 112 pitches and he brought on closer Tyler Clippard.

But Clippard intensified the situation by hitting the next batter, Torii Hunter.  That mistake forced Clippard into having to pitch to Joe Mauer, and the Twins’ talented slugger delivered a game-tying double off the wall in right.  Miguel Sano’s sacrifice fly then gave Minnesota the lead.

The bottom of the ninth didn’t seem to hold much promise for Oakland, with closer Glen Perkins retiring the first two batters and getting two strikes on Brett Lawrie.  But the always-hustling third baseman sent a grounder to deep short and beat the throw by a step.

Lawrie immediately went from hustling to paying attention, advancing to second on a pass ball that never left the batter’s circle and quickly recovered by catcher Kurt Suzuki.  A couple pitches later, Jake Smolinski delivered a perfectly-placed flyball to left that scored Lawrie to tie the game,

In the bottom of the 10th, the A’s struck again with Burns leading off with a two-bagger into the right field gap.  With Stephen Vogt at the plate, Burns surprised everyone by stealing third by the slimmest of margins.

“(Reliever) Casey (Fien) had a leadoff double and the stolen base was disappointing, because we saw him bluff on the first pitch like he wanted to go, and so I tried to get their attention to try to slow him down, but it was a big play,” Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said of the sequence.

Burns’ heads-up play left Vogt with all the leverage in his battle with Fien, and he delivered the game-winning hit through the drawn in left-side of the defense.   It was Vogt’s first regular-season, walk-off hit and it set off a celebration of Oakland-ish proportions.

Burns is hitting .359 at the Coliseum and leads all major-league rookies with 85 hits.

On Sunday, the A’s look to capture the series with Jesse Chavez facing former Athletic Tommy Milone at 1:05pm.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Why Mike Trout is the best player in the game

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by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

ANAHEIM–I have been privileged to see Mike Trout from his first game, first at bat in the major leagues. Trout, the 2014 American League Most Valuable Player, made history again this week, when he won his second consecutive All Star Game MVP, something never done before. He also became the first player in 38 years in All Star Game competition to hit a home run to lead off the game.

There was a press conference for Mike Trout at Angel Stadium on Friday July 17, the first game of the second half of the season for the Angels and the first game of a long 10-game home stand. That same night he hit a two out bases loaded home run (his 27th leading the American League) in the bottom of the ninth against Red Sox reliever Koji Uehara, leaving the Sox dazzled on the field as he a hit monstrous line-drive that sailed over the left center field fence. Final – Angels 1 Red Sox 0.

Trout is 23 years of age, but he conducts himself with his teammates, the media, and the fans as a seasoned veteran, very affable and always accessible, always has a smile, and you can see he is truly enjoying playing the game of baseball. Nobody could be that good of an actor, even here close to Hollywood-land.

Once called the “Millville Meteor” born in Millville, New Jersey, he has not disappointed. He answers all the questions thrown at him. When asked if he met the Living Legends Bench, Koufax, Mays and Aaron, he said he never did, he also said he enjoyed very much this All Star Game (his fourth) because he got to hang with guys like Lorenzo Cain of the Kansas City Royals. Trout, still single, travels to be with his parents in his native Millville, like he just did during the All Star break. He does the same during the off season.

In 2012, the year when he won the American League Rookie of the Year, the great Detroit Tigers Hall of Fame player Al Kaline, said about Mike Trout: “he reminds me of Mickey Mantle”. This reporter saw Mickey Mantle play in New York, while I was living there after my years in the US Army. The only thing that Trout doesn’t have that Mantle had, was that Mantle was a switch hitter, aside from that Trout has as much talent as Mickey Mantle.

Speed and power, sensational defensive skills. The most important thing in baseball is to score runs, and nobody has scored more than Mike Trout since he came to the major leagues.

One of his attributes is his demeanor; he is as humble of a mega star that you would see in today’s game.

During our telecast here in Anaheim we call Trout “El Nino” trans:”The Kid”, as that is what he is, a big kid with a big heart and huge skills in display every day, every night. Mike Trout is considered The Face of MLB, taking over his hero, New York Yankee great Derek Jeter, now officially retired. There are many similarities between Trout and Jeter, they both have that special talent to be great on the field and great off the field and Major League Baseball has been blessed to have such players like Jeter and Trout.

Mike Trout is often compared to Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals, just like in the 1960’s people would argue who was better, Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays, today those two young stars are sharing that spotlight. There is prejudice on this from those that cover the American League and those that cover the National League. But, one thing in today’s game that is different from the days of Mays and Mantle is that today there is inter-league play. The only way in the 1960’s that you would see Mantle and Mays in the same game, would be in a World Series between the Yankees and the Giants.

There is a difference in attitudes between Harper and Trout. Harper seems to be flashier; by the way he conducts himself on the field and off the field, always available for other stuff more in line with show business, than Trout, who seems to be much more focus on the game on the field. Mike Trout never participated in the home run hitting contest, he could if he wanted, as he is always invited, but he always declines. Nothing big about that for him he just prefers the competition on the field with his team and teammates. He is the ultimate team player. Mike Scioscia on his 16th season as manager of the Angels, the longest tenured manager with one team in baseball today, is actually amazed at what Trout does on the field. Sometimes Sciosia doesn’t have the words to describe Mike Trout’s abilities, “He is one of a kind” said Scioscia.

Some compared the athleticism of Trout to Bo Jackson, and that is a good comparison since both are strong big guys with lots of speed. Mike Trout hits a routine groundball to the shortstop, and many times he beats the throw. Next at bat the pitcher throw’s him a low and outside pitch (like Greinke did on the All Star Game this past Tuesday) and Trout deposits the ball in the right field seats.

For the Los Angeles Angels, #27 has been a great number. Prior to the league MVP Mike Trout, that number was Vladimir Guerrero (another Angels MVP). The funny thing about that is that at Angel Stadium in Anaheim you can still see fans wearing #27 with Guerrero on the back, and many more with #27 with Trout on the back.

Another similarity between these two #27s is that they are both fan favorites, Guerrero also plays with that gusto, that thing that nobody can fake.

Personal note: My most sincere sympathy to George Devine Sr’s. family. I miss him greatly.

Amuary Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the A’s and the Spanish TV voice for the Angels and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Two Bad Pitches Dooms Gray’s Return After All-Star Break, Oakland Shutout By Twins

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OAKLAND, CA - JULY 17: Stephen Vogt #21 of the Oakland Athletics throws to first base in the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at O.co Coliseum on July 17, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – JULY 17: Stephen Vogt #21 of the Oakland Athletics throws to first base in the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at O.co Coliseum on July 17, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

by Kahlil Najar

OAKLAND – Trevor Plouffe and Brian Dozier spoiled the first home game for the A’s after the All Star break as the Minnesota Twins beat the Oakland Athletics 5-0.

Sonny Gray (10-4) started off rocky when he gave up a lead off homer to Dozier but then he went on and retired 15 of the next 17 batters, including a streak of 13 in a row.

Then came the dreaded sixth inning.

Gray started off the inning by walking Dozier on five pitches and then gave up a hard ground ball single to veteran Torii Hunter to put runners at first and second. After a quick strike out of Joe Mauer, Gray walked Miguel Sano to load the bases. Then on an 0-2 slider up in the zone Trevor Plouffe hit a grand slam to left field to give the Twins a 5-0 lead.

“It is a surprise when he gives up a home run. It really came down to two pitches where they scored all their runs,” said manager Bob Melvin. “He threw a lot of pitches in the sixth, something he normally doesn’t do.”

The A’s were able to spread out five hits during the game but the 4-5-6 hitters were held hitless tonight and went 0-12.

Ervin Santana earned his first win of the year in only his third start of the season after he served his 80-game suspension for the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Tomorrow the Twins will send Right-hander Phil Hughes to start the game on Saturday against the A’s Left-hander Scott Kazmir, who is 3-1 with a 1.41 ERA in his last six starts.

George Devine Sr’s last podcast from Swiss Louis Restaurant March 6, 2014

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This was George Sr’s last podcast with Sportstalk before he had to leave to take care of his brother Peter after his accident. George Sr hosted the program with Stefani Rebekah Black, Matt Harrington, Jeremy Harness,Peter Qaqundah, Morris Phillips, Kahlil Najar, and Lee Leonard (producer).

George Sr was the host on this night. George thought fondly on Stefani for her hard work in her coverage of the Oakland Raiders and her passion of covering the team they worked together for years from their days from covering the Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum.

It was a great night with seafood and lots of favorites on the menu at Swiss Louis on Pier 39. It rained that night and George Sr took the F line back downtown in order to get back home. It’s one of the few recordings we have left of George Sr. please enjoy the podcast.

https://sportsradioservice2013.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/live-from-swiss-louis-restaurant-on-pier-39-in-san-francisco/

Hahn Sidelined Longer Than Expected As Oakland Opens Second Half

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By Matthew T.F. Harrington

The Oakland Athletics might know their fate as buyers or sellers when the trade deadline comes sooner than they’d imagine. According to an interview with the Bay Area News Group’s John Hickey, A’s general manager Billy Beane does not expect Jesse Hahn to return from his flexor tendon injury anytime soon.

With the young righty, acquired from San Diego in the Derek Norris deal in the offseason, shelved for a significant period of time, the A’s rotation is now Sonny Gray, Scott Kazmir, Kendall Graveman, Jesse Chavez and either Drew Pomeranz filling in as a spot starter or another call-up for Chris Bassitt. With the trade deadline looming at the end of the month, it’s almost guaranteed that Kazmir will be out of that equation and pitching for another club come August.

Bassitt, in 8 games (3 starts), has compiled a 2.93 ERA with 17 punchouts over 27.2 innings. The sophomore righty has started in his last three consecutive outings, going 5 innings or more in all three starts. He’s surrendered 5 earned runs over 17 innings as a starter, striking out 9 while walking just a pair batters. The 26-year-old hurler came to the A’s in the offseason deal that shipped Jeff Samardzija to the Chicago White Sox, with Rangel Ravelo also coming to Oakland in the deal.

The absence of Hahn, who has compiled a 6-6 record with a 3.35 earned run average this year, hurts more due to its timing. The Oakland A’s open the second half of the season facing the Minnesota Twins for three games at O.Co Coliseum. The Twins are riding a three-game winning streak and are looking to add to their four-game wild card lead.

Once the resilient Twins leave town, the Toronto Blue Jays potent offense comes to Oakland. The Jays are trying to gain ground on the Yankees in a wide-open American League East. After that, the A’s “travel” across the Bay for the Bay Bridge series before facing the National League West leaders the Los Angeles Dodgers in Southern California.

George Devine Sr journalist and broadcaster passes away at age 74 podcast by David Zizmor

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by David Zizmor

SAN FRANCISCO–George Devine Sr our co-host of many, many local programs for Sportstalk radio, podcasts, and interviews for many years sadly passed away at the age of 74, at a time when we just don’t know how to begin expressing a terrible heartbreaking loss like this. George Sr will be remembered by his colleagues here at http://www.sportsradioservice.com as one of the most studious and yet humorous of all talk show hosts. George Sr covered the Oakland A’s for the site up until his brother Peter Devine had a near life threatening car accident in San Francisco in 2014. George Sr. also covered Cal Bears football for Sportstalk radio.

Peter later thankfully recovered and it is George Sr who sadly succomed to a short illness according to his son George Jr and passed away on Thursday night. George Sr was a native San Franciscan and lived in the Sunset District. George Sr also worked at Fox Radio Sports, worked in real estate and taught real estate at the University of San Francisco. His death comes as a shock to many of his colleagues as he was taking care of his brother Peter’s recovery when he fell sick and left us.

George Sr was one of the nicest guys in the pressbox, he never had a bad word to say about anybody and he always had a smile on his face and he was always quick with a joke. They weren’t always the best jokes amd they were very corny but they were funny becaue George Sr told them. I don’t know if anyone else could have gotten away with them but because it was George Sr they were funny. He had a way about him he was just a big sweetheart and everybody in the pressbox just loved him.

He was one of those guys who was a joy to be around and he always made you feel a little bit better it was about 2002-03 we were sitting in the Giants pressbox at AT&T Park and if don’t know exactly where the Giants pressbox is it was directly behind home plate on the lower level under the second deck. It takes a lot for a foul ball to get in there, the ball had to go up and over the screen behind the plate and get into the pressbox and it has to go straight back and it has to have a lot of zip on it.

As it turns out any ball that makes it into the Giants pressbox is kind of a rocket and it’s hard to get away from and there are more than a couple of holes in the back of the pressbox where baseballs have come through and have embedded themselves into the plaster. In 2002-03 George Sr got in the way of one of those baseballs and someone hit a foul ball and it was a rocket and if your a split second late your just not going to be able to react. George Sr took one off the upper chest in he meaty part just below the shoulder so it didn’t break anything.

What we all remember was George Sr for awhile had a baseball sized welt on his upper chest it must have hurt but he took it like a champ and it was kind of a badge of honor for quite sometime. George Sr ended up laughing it off, he was that kind of guy. Even a baseball into his chest a million miles an hour didn’t slow him down. George Sr you will be missed by all of us and your a very special friend and colleague.
George Devine Sr. gone at 74.

David Zizmor is a co-host of George Devine Sr’s and does commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to the podcast below

Sonny Days No More? Why Trading Sonny Gray Makes Sense for Oakland

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By Matthew T.F. Harrington

The Oakland Athletics have officially become Sonny Gray’s team. No player donning the Green and Gold will mean more to his team’s success and no individual in Oakland’s 25-man roster has an equal skillset and pedigree as the 25-year-old ace. That makes it all the easier to trade the fire-balling Commodore out of Vanderbilt University striking while the iron is blazing atop the hot stove that is the Major League Baseball trade deadline.

The 18th overall pick in the draft elevated his stock greatly with a first half performance that puts him in the American League Cy Young Award conversation with the White Sox Chris Sale and Dallas Keuchel of the Houston Astros. He earned his first All-Star appearance in just his second full season this year on the back of a 10-3 record and a scant 2.04 earned run average.

In his last outing, the Nashville, TN native fired a complete-game, one-hit shutout of the Cleveland Indians. It was the kind of outing that Gray’s become known for, with every fifth day becoming winning day for the Division cellar-dwelling A’s. Any chance the A’s have at making up the 8.5 games they trail the AL West leader Los Angeles Angels comes with Gray winning at least two-thirds of his go-arounds as July rolls to October.

Of course, the A’s have struggled all season to remain relevant, so in all likelihood, they will be sellers (is Billy Beane ever not considered a threat to sell?) by the end of the month. Scott Kazmir could certainly pry some decent prospects from a team looking for pitching depth. Ben Zobrist will return a blue-chipper despite being a career .264 with only one season of more than 20 homers under his belt. But Gray, Gray’s ransom could fill the cupboards of a team twice over.

The biggest hurdle in dealing Gray is the fact that he’s technically under team control until 2020, with his arbitration years set to kick in in 2017. The A’s proved in the offseason that they’re not afraid to deal away a player under club control with a bright future, dealing Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays before having to sign him to the big money no player gets in Oakland.

Gray’s contract status immediately makes him a better haul for a playoff hopeful team than the mercenary options being floated around at the trailing end of deals like Johnny Cueto or Mat Latos. A team like the cash-strapped Los Angeles Dodgers could easily handle Gray’s arbitration figure and may even jump to extend him to a long-term deal well before the expiration of his contract. With that luxury, here’s where the A’s need to play hardball.

In the offseason, Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. was criticized for demanding teams like the Dodgers or Boston Red Sox offer up two or three can’t-miss prospects for Cole Hamels, another pitcher locked up beyond this season. If the Phillies could get Boston to entertain the idea of sending over Blake Swihart, Mookie Betts and Henry Owens, why couldn’t Billy Beane try to pry the same deal (or better) for a player who younger than Hamels and will come with a cheaper price tag?

The obvious fit is dealing with the Dodgers, who would become locks to win the World Series if they could lock down a rotation of reigning Most Valuable Player Clayton Kershaw and All-Star starting pitcher Zack Greinke along with Gray. In return, the A’s could potentially pull in A+ prospects like shortstop Corey Seager and starter Julio Urias (though perhaps they’d have to throw in Kazmir or Zobrist to sweeten the pot). Plug them in with the emerging Oakland talents of players like Kendall Graveman, Marcus Semien and Billy Burns and the prospects in the pipeline in Matt Olson, Renato Nunez and Sean Nolin and suddenly you’d have a core five years from now with potential All-Stars at every position.

The reality is that the Angels window for success is coming to an end, and the Astros is just beginning to open with young stars like Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer and Dallas Keuchel being just a few of the names that litter the talent-rich organization’s depth charts. The A’s meanwhile would need a significant free-agent signing to be competitive now and in the immediate future. By the team they’ll see dividends on the current minor leaguers could very well be after 2017 when Gray will make the big bucks. So why not move Gray now and add more pieces for the run to come in a few seasons?

Everyone in the A’s organization has been adamant that Gray is off limits, but why suddenly make a player untouchable? With 5 of 7 Oakland All-stars from 2015 dealt since last July, it’s pretty clear that even the best of the best are available to depart from Alameda County. In fact, perhaps this is a move by Oakland brass to raise the price even higher. Who doesn’t covet what they’ve been told they can’t have?

It’s a longshot of a scenario, one that certainly might not play out considering there are rumblings that the A’s may be buyers and sellers at the deadline. With Beane at the helm, one thing is for certain; never say never.

Who’s the best?: No doubt it’s Trout after Angels’ slugger wins second straight All-Star MVP

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Trout goes out

By Morris Phillips

Talk about setting yourself apart.  Mike Trout’s first feat of the evening at the 86th All-Star game—a leadoff home run as the game’s first batter—hadn’t been accomplished in 38 years.

Trout’s final feat—being named the MVP for the second consecutive year—had never been accomplished.

“I just tried not to do too much,” Trout said of the leadoff homer.  “Put a good swing on the ball. Got two strikes and that calmed me down a little bit.”

“You’ve got like a 2-inch window up in the zone,” NL starting pitcher Zach Greinke said of trying to pitch to Trout.  “If you throw it higher than that, he takes it.  If you throw it lower he does what he did.”

Trout’s big night included giving his American League team the first two leads of the night on the way to a 6-3 victory.  The American League representative in the World Series will have the home-field advantage for the second consecutive year, although it didn’t work out for the Royals last year as the Giants captured Game 7 on the road.  Twenty-three of the last 29 teams to win the Fall Classic have had the homefield advantage.

Greinke had gone five consecutive starts—back to June 13—without allowing a run.  On Tuesday, Greinke was had by Trout in game’s first four pitches.

In the fifth, with the second Dodgers’ pitcher of the night, Clayton Kershaw on the mound, Trout reached on a fielders’ choice. Three batters later, Trout scored the go-ahead run on Prince Fielder’s two-strike base hit through the left side that put the AL ahead to stay. Lorenzo Cain capped the rally on the game’s next pitch with a double down the left field line that scored Albert Pujols.

The American League would go on to score two more in the seventh and one in the eighth to win going away. They forged an especially efficient attack, needing just one hit in both the seventh and eighth innings to score their final three runs. Only in the fourth inning—with Madison Bumgarner pitching for the NL-did the American League get at least one hit, but fail to score a run.

National League hitters had their hands full with Dallas Keuchel, the AL starter, and the eight pitchers that followed. Only Andrew McCutchen with a leadoff homer in the sixth off Chris Archer, and Ryan Braun, with a triple in the ninth off Glen Perkins had any, notable success.

Nine NL batters struck out, but drew only two free passes. NL pitching tallied 15 strikeouts, but was hurt by four walks. Greinke, Jacob DeGrom and Aroldis Chapman combined for 10 of those strikeouts, and DeGrom needed just 10 pitches to strike out all three batters in the sixth.

Detroit’s David Price pitched a perfect fourth inning and was declared the winning pitcher, while Kershaw took the loss.

Of the local All-Stars, none managed to get a base hit, with Buster Posey playing half the game and getting a pair of at-bats. Stephen Vogt of the A’s struck out swinging at high cheese off the arm of DeGrom in his only at-bat. Brandon Crawford’s sacrifice fly in the ninth chased home Braun with the NL’s final run.

Bumgarner got his first All-Star game action by pitching a scoreless fourth inning as NL manager Bruce Bochy elected not to save his ace for the game’s concluding inning.

Trout’s leadoff home run was the first since Bo Jackson accomplished the feat in 1989 as a member of the Giants. AL manager Ned Yost started Trout and three others that formed a quartet 25-years of age or less. In all six players 25 years of age or less started and 20 were named to both teams, both records for the All-Star game.

Trout joined a group of five that have won the All-Star game MVP twice: Willie Mays, Steve Garvey, Gary Carter and Cal Ripken Jr. were the four to previously achieve the feat. Trout also won the American League season MVP in 2014.

“He can hit with power. He can run. He can drive the gap. He’s a great defender,” Yost said of Trout. “He’s just special. When you look at Mike, you don’t look at a 23-year old. You look at a guy that is one of the best baseball players on the this planet.”

The American League has captured 21 of the last 28 All-Star games but won’t have an American League team host the game in any of the next three years.  In 2016 and 2018 the game will played in a National League park but have the AL bat last to provide equality to the arrangement.

A’s Off-Day Report: All-Star contrasts, second half playoff push?

Published on by Eric HeLeave a comment

By: Eric He

When the All-Star Game gets under way in Cincinnati in a matter of hours, the Oakland A’s will be represented by a player who was destined to be there and another who no one thought would ever make it.

Sonny Gray is the player of destiny, the hotshot prospect who burst upon the scene and had immediate success in the major leagues, starting in a playoff elimination game in his very first season. Gray leads the American League with a 2.04 ERA through the first half, sporting a 10-3 record.

By all accounts and predictions, Gray is and will be a stud in the majors for a long, long time, his stock projecting nowhere but up as the 25-year-old reaches the prime of his career.

And then there’s Stephen Vogt, a stark contrast to Gray. Vogt was drafted in the 12th round in 2007 and worked his tail off for an opportunity to play in the majors, only to go 0-for-18 in his first season with the Rays and 0-for-14 with the A’s.

But, sticking to the theme, the 0-for-32 start did not deter Vogt from achieving success. The catcher had a strong 2014 in a platoon role and became a starter in 2015. He is hitting .287 with 14 home runs and 56 RBIs in 85 games this season.

At 30 years of age, Vogt is already at his prime, and unlike Gray, whether he can sustain this performance in the future is uncertain.

Gray and Vogt may be opposites in every which way, but they have a few similarities: they are both All-Stars, and together, form a battery that is among the elite in baseball.

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Despite their first half struggles, it’s way too early to count out the A’s.

They are just 41-50 and 8.5 games back in the division, but if any team can put together a miraculous stretch of wins and get back in the chase, it would be the A’s. Remember, in 2012, Oakland was eight games back of the Texas Rangers in the division at the All-Star break, and wound up winning the AL West on the season’s final day.

But it won’t work like magic. The A’s will have to rectify whatever issues they had in the first half, and fast.

The bullpen has been a concern with. With closer Sean Doolittle suffering a setback in rehab, the A’s are having trouble holding down leads for Tyler Clippard, who has done a fine job filling in for Doolittle with a 2.43 ERA, but the A’s would like to get him some more save opportunities.

Errors have also proven costly. The A’s led the majors with 82 errors in the first half, 22 more than the next highest team, and shortstop Marcus Semien has the most in the league with 28.

Defensive miscues have cost the A’s in several games this year, and it’s part of the reason why Oakland has lost 22 games this season by one run. It also explains their +44 run differential, which is fourth in the AL despite the fact that they have the worst record in the AL. That stat alone proves the A’s are fully capable of competing against any team, scoring runs and playing in tight games.

It just seems to be little mistakes here and there that derail them, turning a close win into a heartbreaking loss and a should-be winning record into a losing one.

Can the A’s reverse course on a forgettable first half and make the postseason for the fourth consecutive year? It isn’t impossible, but their work is surely cut out for them.