Category: Oakland Athletics

Kings of the blowout: A’s dump Baltimore 10-2

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By Morris Phillips

If any one thing personifies the 2014 Oakland A’s it’s the blowout victory. And in keeping with that theme, if one statistical measure highlights the team’s meteoric rise, it’s run differential.

The A’s were in character again on Sunday, unloading on the Orioles in a 10-2 win on Sunday, with super second-year starter Sonny Gray winning his 11th game of the season. The lopsided affair marked the 22nd time this season the A’s have won a game by at least five runs. And as manager Bob Melvin touched on in the post-game press conference, there’s an art to the blowout.

“We had a good approach today, made a tough pitcher who pitched well against us last time work, and that’s usually when we’re at our best. You make a guy work, make him a little more predictable, get in some better counts, then you pass the baton on to the next guy,” Melvin explained.

That normally tough pitcher, Kevin Gausman defeated the A’s on June 7 in Baltimore. That day the A’s fell 6-3 and Gray took the loss. This time Gausman didn’t survive the fifth inning as the A’s picked their spots and attacked him with great success. If the approach sounds familiar, it’s only because it’s one of the hallmarks of Billy Beane’s Moneyball: the ability to successfully hit deep in pitch counts.

“They pick their spots to ambush,” Gausman said. “I think they were pretty patient today and they took a lot of good pitches. They took pitches that were just a couple of inches off that I wasn’t getting called strikes.”

The A’s scored twice in the first, once each in the third and fourth and three times in the fifth to build a 7-1 lead. John Jaso was the most frequent offender with an RBI triple in the first and a RBI single in the fourth. While catcher Derek Norris took a well-deserved day off on the heels of his lengthy stint in the All-Star game and starts in the first two games of the series, backup catcher Jaso and catcher turned jack-of-all-trades Stephen Vogt took over. The duo went 5 for 9 with three RBI on Sunday.

The win ended a stretch of 17 games in which the A’s played five opponents that are also in position to play in the post-season with the disclaimer that the Blue Jays fell slightly off pace after being swept by the A’s last week. After losing the first three games of the stretch to the Tigers, the A’s responded with wins in 10 of the final 14.

Now the A’s get 16 of their next 19 games against teams with losing records. And if bad opponents translate into occasional blowouts, the A’s could be on a historical pace. Already the A’s have reached the All-Star break with the 14th best run differential (+145) in the history of the game. That number—the difference between total runs scored and total runs allowed—hadn’t been achieved at the break since the 2001 Mariners were embarrassing opponents on the way to 116 regular season wins.

Those Mariners—led offensively by rookie Ichiro Suzuki and mysteriously pumped-up Bret Boone–ended that season +300 in run differential. With 64 games remaining, the A’s stand at +150.

In keeping with the theme of clicking offensively and defensively, what sets the A’s 22 blowouts apart is the quality of pitching in those games. In 20 of the 22 blowouts, the A’s have allowed three runs or less. On Sunday, Gray was at the top of his game, allowing just two hits and a run while striking out eight.

“He’s one of the best pitchers in the American League right now,” Orioles’ manager Buck Showalter said of Gray. “Real good angle on his slider, command. It’s not like he’s picking on us. He’s been doing it most all year.”

The A’s get a day off Monday before welcoming the youthful, but suddenly respectable Astros to the O.co Coliseum on Tuesday. Scott Kazmir will take the mound for the A’s with Brett Oberholtzer going for the Astros in a 7:05pm start.

Hammel’s first start at the Coliseum ends quickly

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By Morris Phillips

With the Baltimore Orioles and home runs these days, it’s simply whatever you can do, we can do better.

On Friday, the A’s opened with their “death in six simple pitches,” a short play in which Baltimore closer Zach Britton is executed by protagonist Josh Donaldson and his blast over the center field wall. The high point of the three-minute long production: Britton—caught completely unaware—surrenders the game-winning home run just six pitches into his appearance on stage. The hero, Donaldson, is then feted in grand style–whipped cream included–as is the custom in the kingdom of Oakland.

On Saturday, the O’s responded with their “bombs away” production in which the initial execution takes just 13 pitches. Once again, the helpless pitcher, in this case the A’s newly acquired starter Jason Hammel, is victimized before the audience can even settle into their seats. But that’s just the start of the horrific acts. First Hammel is felled by former teammate Adam Jones, and just minutes later, another familiar face with whom Hammel had established trust, J.J. Hardy viciously kicks the pitcher with his solo shot.

And in the play’s final act, unpopular character Jim Johnson is thrown to wolves as Chris Davis as wields his mighty sword. Like Hammel, Johnson is quite familiar with the perpetrator who violently betrays him.

Two pretty good dramas, but in this case, Baltimore’s production had a little more oomph. The Orioles got the best of the A’s Saturday, riding their early offensive outburst to an 8-4 win over the A’s to even the three-game series. The three home runs hit by the Orioles on the evening continues a theme of summertime pop as Baltimore has a major league-best 65 round trippers in 42 games since June 1, a total that dwarfs the next-closest total of 44 in that span achieved by the Tigers, Indians and Astros.

In this case it may have been Orioles’ familiarity with Hammel that led to barrage with the 31-year old right hander spending the 2012 and 2013 seasons in Baltimore. Jones, who also chopped a seeing-eye single through the infield to knock in a pair of runs, felt as much.

“I faced him a couple of years back when he was with the Rays,” Jones said of Hammel. “Playing behind him for two years, I think we had a solid scouting report on him and what he’s done. And it was only last year when had him so it’s not like he’s a couple of years removed.”

Hammel lasted just two innings in his first start as an Athletic in Oakland, allowing the two homers, six hits in total and two walks. His troubles started almost immediately as leadoff hitter Nick Markakis escaped a 0-2 hole and singled solidly to right field.

“I played with those guys for two years so they know me pretty well and I know them,” Hammel said. “It just comes down to bad execution on my part. Markakis is a good guy to know the zone with. He’s got a good idea of where the strike zone is.”

The next batter, Steve Pearce, drew a walk. And then three pitches later, Jones redirected Hammel’s offering and the Orioles led 3-0. Hammel’s pitch was up but off the plate but Jones simply didn’t miss, depositing the ball into the left center field bleachers.

Down 5-0 the A’s fought back, scoring once in the third, and twice in the fourth. But Baltimore struck as well in the third, chasing Hammel after the first three batters reached, and then rudely welcoming reliever Dan Otero, who had a rare, poor outing.

The A’s did receive some good news when the Angels fell, 3-2 in 12 innings in Anaheim. The loss allowed Oakland to maintain its 1 ½ game lead in the West as well as the best record in majors for the 27th consecutive day.

On Sunday, the A’s Sonny Gray takes the mound in search of his 11th win. Gray will be opposed by the Orioles’ Kevin Gausman in a 1:05pm start.

A’s and Giants commentary: Jose wants to say he’s sorry about writing the book however he did tell the truth:Buster’s second half is going to be explosive

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by Michael Duca

OAKLAND–Former Athletic Mark McGwire missed out on the 1989 A’s reunion as he was coaching the hitting of the Los Angeles Dodgers who lost 3-2 to McGwire’s other former team the St.Louis Cardinals. McGwire’s former A’s Bash Brother Jose Canseco was at the Coliseum on Friday night and said he regretted writing his books about steriods which told of McGwire and other players who were involved in steroid use. The book helped indict some of the players who were at the Congressional hearings.

Canseco has a engaging and charming personality that he might be able to get away with it and he’s like Jim Bouton the former Yankees pitcher who wrote the book Ball Four who talked about his years with the Yankees, Pilots, Braves and Astros. Canseco committed the cardinal sin he told the truth. The book was a marketing fantasy and people were paying a lot of money which is taken away from the everyday world and put into a place where they have modern day gladiators going into this sort of combat and coming out with sort of a victory.

If you go back to the curtain you’ll see that the wizard has worts and thists and if your the wizard that’s real unpopular. So I don’t know how successful Canseco is going to be at getting accepted into the fold. It took Bouton a long, long time. Jose shouldn’t regret writing the book the book told the truth, and there might have been some issues of choice or style that he could have been made in the book that he might regret but the writing of the itself was the tipping point in getting baseball to a place where it decided that it had a real problem.

A’s Josh Donalson launching some gamers: I have had the privledge of being down on the field right behind the backstop when the A’s Josh Donaldson hit his prior game winning shot back in the month of May and it was pretty majestic and your first thought was are they going to be able to rule this fair as it was about ready to go over the foul pole. Major Leauge Baseball has a system that can measure the flight of the ball and in a couple of years they will have the ability to tell how far a ball is hit and how far it took someone to get it.

This technology has the ability to measure some of these balls and Donaldson has hit some balls that have gone 100 feet high that’s just astonishing, Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow’s phrase is it’s trying to leave earth and if you could get a baseball 150 feet up in the air that is almost like being able to start a cloud burst and shows that Donaldson has the ability to hit one deep.

Giants update: The Miami Marlins have two players who must have some the longest names in baseball maybe standing next to the A’s pitcher Jeff Samrdzija, the equipment manager of the Marlins would have to put some work in stitching the names of the Marlins Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Adeiny Hechavarria who are two key players in the Marlins line up. They certainly will take up the equipment manager’s vowel supply.

Hechavarria is going to help the Marlins and he’s a good enough shortstop who is good enough to be the answer to Hanley Ramirez. The Marlins are looking for great things from Hechavarria. In the meantime great things have stopped happening for the Marlins for this series with the Giants, as Buster Posey is hiting the ball well, he awoke from his three week slumber with a grand slam on Sunday against the Diamondbacks at AT&T.

Buster’s shot ended a 2-2 deadlock that ended the first half of the season at the 90th game of the season. Posey picked up right off where he left off and had three big hits on Friday night in Miami and scored two runs and had a couple of RBIs. If Posey heats up look out. His platooning at first base is something that manager Bruce Bochy is doing to keep him rested a game or two but Posey doesn’t want to do anything else but catch.

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

Donaldson’s Dramatics: 3-Run Homer In Ninth Beats Baltimore 5-4

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Oakland Athletics' Josh Donaldson (20) is welcomed after hitting the game-winning three-run home run off Baltimore Orioles' Zach Britton in the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 18, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. Oakland won 5-4. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Oakland Athletics’ Josh Donaldson (20) is welcomed after hitting the game-winning three-run home run off Baltimore Orioles’ Zach Britton in the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 18, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. Oakland won 5-4. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Kahlil Najar

OAKLAND – The fireworks weren’t over after the All-Star game for the A’s. Josh Donaldson cranked a three-run shot to deep right-center field in the bottom of the ninth to give the A’s (60-36) a 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles (52-43).

“It was an amazing game all around,” said Bob Melvin. “Being able to put up a three spot in the ninth against a really good closer without an out. We’re going to play all 27 outs.”The game played out like a heavyweight boxing match. The hated Manny Machado and the Baltimore Orioles were coming to town six weeks after Machado and Donaldson had some words at third base and the teams matched each other with beaning each others players.

The A’s were able to get on the board first in the bottom of the third inning when Coco Crisp was able to cross home plate. Crisp hit a single to get on base then advanced to second on a wild pitch by Baltimore starting pitcher Chris Tillman. With Crisp on second John Jaso hit his 15th double of the year to center field and scored Crisp easily to give the A’s a 1-0 lead.

Baltimore waited until the fifth inning to strike and take the lead from Oakland. J.J. Hardy was beaned by Samardzija to start the inning and was moved to third after a single by Machado and ground out by the Orioles. Schoop then came up and hit his seventh home run of the year to left field and make it a 2-1 game.

Oakland didn’t take long to respond as Derek Norris came up in the bottom of the inning and hit a line shot over to left field that missed hitting the net in the Overstock.com “O” and tied the game at two a piece.

In the seventh, after hearing boos all night Manny Machado hit his 10th home run of the season over the out of town scoreboard with Hardy on base to give the Orioles a 4-2 lead. The homer was a slap in the face of all 27,000 Oakland fans that were in attendance as they could feel this one slipping away.

That was until the bottom of the ninth.

The Orioles put in their reliable closer Zach Britton to close the game. Back to Back Home Run Derby champion Yoenis Cespedes was up to bat first. The crowd was anxious in anticipation on a homer from Yo but he did the exact opposite. Cespedes hit a slow roller to third base that Machado wasn’t ready for so Cespedes was able to make it to first safely. Brandon Moss was next and he hit a nice bloop single to right field that landed him at first and the speedy Cespedes made it to third. Donaldson, who had been without a hit tonight, came up to the plate representing the winning run. On a first pitch two-seam fastball down the middle of the plate, Donaldson launched his 21st home run of the year into the back of the Coliseum and sent everyone home with a 5-4 Oakland victory.

The battle between Machado and Donaldson was not lost on crowd tonight or on Bob Melvin. Nor were the lead changing home runs by each player.

“Certainly there’s a little of irony involved in the whole thing,” said Melvin. “Our fans came out and there was some heckling. I think Machado handled it pretty well and he had a huge at bat and hit a big home run. Then to see JD come up in the ninth and you think ‘Really? Could this happen?’ and it did. We’ve seen JD come up big for us in those big at bats.”

The A’s and Orioles head back at it tomorrow night when Jason Hammel takes on Wei-Yin Chen, game time 6:05 pm.

A’s Coliseum lease: A’s not happy with out clause if Raiders decide to build on Coliseum footprint

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by Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–After the Oakland County City Council approved the Oakland A’s ten year lease on Wednesday night A’s president Mike Crowley issued a statement saying the team was not happy with the terms of the approved lease by the city council, “we’ll have to take a look at it and talk about it internally” said the unhappy club executive. Sources say that the A’s are not happy with the out clause in the lease that gives the A’s notice to leave the Coliseum by the city if the Oakland Raiders decide to implode the Coliseum to build a new stadium in it’s footprint.

Alameda County is still paying for the 1994 additional seating in the bleachers section at the Coliseum know as Mount Davis and the county remains $180 million on the hook for those past expenses and will no doubt take on more expense if the Raiders set up blueprints to build at the present Coliseum location. The A’s do have an out clause if they decide to bolt the city of Oakland it allows the club to leave in 2018.

Raiders fans who attended Wednesday night’s city council hearing said for the city council not to sign the lease that the A’s plan to bolt Oakland if and when they are permitted to get to move to downtown San Jose, “don’t sign the lease, this guy (Lew Wolff A’s co-owner), is never going to work with you, he doesn’t believe in you guys” said Raider fan Brien Dixon

The A’s in the deal had their rent lowered but the city gets to keep $5.3 million in tax revenue from Coliseum parking from the A’s. Fans, commentaters, and talk show hosts who have been following the lease transition have said that their is a fork in the road with this deal, on one side those who agree with the deal say it will keep the A’s at the Colisuem for the next ten years and the other side is saying the A’s are just buying time and will eventually leave Oakland for San Jose.

Some say that San Jose might not be as easy as people think as Larry Baer Giants team CEO and the San Francisco Giants have said in the past that the Giants have territorial rights to the South Bay and will never relinquish it. Wolff has talked this issue over with baseball Commissioner Bud Selig but the road block to San Jose without a doubt is the Giants.

Also in the agreement the A’s will get a rent break for this season as they’re rent will drop from $1.75 million to $1.35 million. The A’s will install a brand new scoreboard at the cost of $10 million the A’s also are reportedly not happy with another lease clause saying that the city will collect a slice of the revenues from advertising from the scoreboard. The A’s are reportedly adding this to their laundry list of their disagreements regarding the lease.

The city, County supervisors, and the A’s more than likely will be back in discussions reagrding these issues as it’s reported that Wolff is not too happy with the terms and will again request the original lease agreement that the club had with the city. If the city is not willing to redo what the A’s are asking and if there is no agreement in hand MLB has given the A’s it’s blessing to leave Oakland at anytime when ready.

Jerry Feitelberg covers A’s baseball for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s 1989 Reunion on Tap to Start Second Half

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By Matthew Harrington

When the A’s kick off the second half of the season this weekend at home, they’ll do so with some noteworthy guests in attendance. Throughout the weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles, the Athletics will honor the 1989 squad, winners of the only Bay Bridge World Series in Major League History. On Friday and Saturday night, the A’s will celebrate the silver anniversary of their most recent World Series victory capped by appearances of many members of the championship team.

Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the Man of Steal, will be attendance. The all-time stolen base leader will be joined by Dennis Eckersley, also enshrined in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown as an Athletic. In terms of future Hall of Famers, manager Tony La Russa will take a break from the various Contra Costa county charities he supports as well as his executive role with the Arizona Diamondbacks to once again try to keep this bunch in check. The doors to immortality will open for La Russa July 27th after being selected by the Veteran’s Committee in his first year of eligibility.

While bringing back players like diamond-superstar-turned-twitter-all-star Jose Canseco and ’89 series MVP Dave Stewart can serve as nostalgia for A’s fans lucky enough to attend the autograph sessions, the reunion will be a reminder for the current players of what the season goal is and what it will take to reach greatness.

After hitting the All-Star break with the best record in baseball and riding the momentum from a blockbuster trade to acquire Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel, expectations have risen greatly for the residents of O.Co Coliseum. No more so was that evident than when the contingent of six A’s All-stars all stressed how important an AL victory and home field advantage in the World Series was.

No longer was it that case Tuesday night where a solitary Athletic, or perhaps a pair of A’s, was playing for someone else’s right to host the NL’s best in late October. Instead, the Oakland delegates were playing for themselves, seeking a win with the intention that they’d be playing when 28 other teams have packed their gear up for the spring.

This is new territory for the A’s, who under Billy Beane’s tenure as general manager, have made the postseason many times but never entered the end of season tournament as favorites. While 1989 team members Curt Young and Mike Gallego are both currently on the A’s coaching staff, Friday and Saturday will give the A’s a unique chance to pick the brains of Dave Parker, Ken Phelps and Dave Henderson, gaining insight into how to survive a 162-grind and beyond. Perhaps even a certain utility player who appeared in 37 games at third base, first base, catcher and the outfield for the A’s that season will make an appearance. Or perhaps he may be busy swinging another deal to improve the Athletics on the field today. Such is the life of one William Lamar Beane.

The modern A’s have a long way to go before reaching the level that their guests reached after winning three-straight AL Pennants from 1988-1990, but as the warm July evenings turn to the dog days of August, the 1989 team will serve as the benchmark. Perhaps their presence may be enough to get the Swingin’ A’s over the hump again for the first time in a quarter of a century.

A’s All-Stars Reflect On Game and Look Forward To The Second Half

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by Kahlil Najar

Giddy kids – high five-ing – laughing and looking in awe.

That’s what the A’s All-Stars looked like these past few days. From the excitement of seeing their own teammate come up big in the Home Run Derby to each of them playing in the All-Star game, the A’s came to play and all contributed.

Derek Norris was the star of the A’s last night as he singled and scored the go-ahead run to give the AL a 5-3 win.

With the win, the AL now has home field advantage in the World Series and that wasn’t lost on pitcher Sean Doolittle.

“Hopefully in several months we can look back and talk about how we were able to give ourselves home-field advantage. A lot can happen between now and then, of course, but we know what the goal is. It’s good knowing we had somewhat of a part in it. [Mike] Trout and [Miguel] Cabrera helped, too, which is weird to say,” said Doolittle with a smile on his face.

He continued, “That was right up there with my debut [and] first time pitching in the playoffs. It was an awesome rush. I’m probably going to have to go back and watch it, so I actually remember what happened.”

On having his teammates on the field, Derek Norris said, “To be able to have that many guys on the field with the same jersey on, it’s something special.”

Something not lost on the guys last night was that this was Jeter’s night. For the A’s players this was their first time in the game but for Jeter this was old hat.

“He’s been so influential throughout the game of baseball and for my first All-Star Game, to be beside him for his last, I can’t say I even dreamed of it, because as a kid, Jeter is on this huge platform, and it’s something you’re trying to get to but don’t actually think you will.” said Josh Donaldson.

“It’s a privilege to be out there with one of the greatest players to have ever played the game in his last All-Star Game, I’ll definitely remember this for a very long time,” echoed Norris.

This was a special time for these players and the A’s organization. Going into the second half of the year all eyes will be on these 7 All-Stars and deservedly so.

A’s Coliseum lease: With Quan wanting delay in vote Wolff says no more negotiating

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by Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–Oakland A’s owner Lew Wolff says no more negotiating regarding the A’s ten year lease at the Coliseum. Wolff said it’s time to sign the deal and get onto other business. Mayor Jean Quan has asked the Oakland City Council to delay the scheduled July 27th vote until July 30th. Quan is trying to buy time to get Wolff to agree to a new Coliseum sports village that would accomadate the A’s and Raiders.

Quan who is seeking re-election is looking into building a new ball park for the A’s and build a new stadium for the Oakland Raiders on 850 acres of Coliseum land. “Mayor Quan’s priority is keeping the A’s at home in Oakland for the long term, and she is fired up to make that happen. She is confident they will join her in supporting a lease that secures the team’s near-term future in Oakland, protects the ongoing Coliseum City negotiations with the Raiders, and let’s us all move forward working on a new ball park for both teams.” said Quan spokesman Sean Maher.

With the Warriors moving out of Oakland the goal is to clear space after the Warriors leave for the A’s and Raiders to build two stadiums in Coliseum Sports Village Complex. Negotiations have been tangled with the A’s lease and the Raiders asking the City and Oakland Alameda County Colisuem Authority to tear down the Coliseum and build a new stadium and have it ready by 2016.

The A’s have said that they doubt any such agreement would happen but want a two year out if it did, sources say that Quan in asking for the vote delay that would buy her time to get an agreement into the lease that would build a new stadium for the A’s at the Coliseum site and that Quan wants to work with the City Council and Coliseum Authority on the new stadium for the A’s and Raiders.

Councilman Larry Reid said that the city has no money for such a project and said that the city already owes $180 million for Mount Davis being built for the Raiders that was paid by county tax money in the 1990s. There also is another wrinkle the Council says that the Coliseum Authority is not looking out for the best interests for the city. There are three government agencies who are overseeing the Coliseum management and each side and even in at the city council there are divided ideas.

At the city council they are asking A’s owner Lew Wolff to approve a four year notice before the team can leave Oakland, Wolff is asking for two years, also the City Council is asking for part of the advertising revenue from the new $10 million scoreboard the A’s plan to install. Right now there are three government bodies that oversee the Coliseum Sports Management, the City Council, Coliseum Authority board, and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

These are three big groups that Quan has to hurtle over to get the A’s a new lease agreement plus keep the Raiders happy who want to tear down the Coliseum. It was suggested that one body should oversee the Coliseum instead of the three which is creating gridlock nearing the July 27th voting deadline on the lease, “part of what I think we need to be seriously considering is to change the government structure, having a two headed combination of two government agencies overseeing the management of a sports and entertainment facility is not necessarily the most effective way to run this facility.” said Rebecca Kaplan who is a candidate for mayor of Oakland.

Jerry Feitelberg covers A’s baseball for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stars of Stars: Jeter and Trout lead the AL in All-Star game at Minneapolis

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By Morris Phillips

MINNEAPOLIS–Derek Jeter and Mike Trout—a top of the order pair for the ages—led the American League past the National League, 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Jeter made a diving stop on the game’s initial play, became the oldest All-Star to collect a pair of hits, and a scored a run before exiting to an extended standing ovation in the fourth inning. And Trout—considered the game’s current best all-around player—tripled off the right field wall, doubled down the left field line and collected the game’s MVP trophy.

The mid-summer showcase–held in the Twins’ $545 million outdoor ballpark built in 2010—lived up to the hype this time with its explosive offense early and dominating pitching late. The American League won for the 13th time in the last 17 All-Star games and captured the home field advantage in this fall’s World Series.

After the game, the game’s two stars—18 years apart in age—expressed their mutual admiration.

“He’s got a bright future ahead of him,” Jeter said of the 22-year old Trout. “I don’t know how much better he can get, but if he consistently does what he’s doing, then he will be here for a long time.”

“Growing up I was setting goals to myself that when I get—if I ever get the chance—to the big leagues, that’s how I want to play,” Trout said of Jeter’s all out style of play. “The way he carries himself on and off the field, how he respects the game—always hustling—it doesn’t matter what the score is.”

Trout’s triple in the first inning scored Jeter and ignited a three-run outburst for the AL against NL starter Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals’ pitcher, having maybe his finest season in a stellar career, struggled, allowing three hits, including a two-run homer to Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, in his only inning of work.

Cabrera homered for the first time in his All-Star career, showing off his quick hands that adjusted to Wainwright’s inside fastball, pulling it down the line with a shot that got into the first couple of rows of left field bleacher seats. The Detroit star’s homer came on a 0-1 pitch and it took just 15 Wainwright pitches for the National League to establish a 3-0 lead.

The National League answered back in the second inning with a pair of runs off Boston’s Jon Lester. The Phillies’ Chase Utley doubled home Aramis Ramirez, and Ramirez’ Milwaukee teammate Jonathan Lucroy followed with a RBI double that scored Utley.

In the fourth, Lucroy struck again, doubling home the Dodgers’ Dee Gordon and the game was tied. Lucroy’s smash came off the White Sox’s Chris Sale who was a revelation in his one inning of work in 2013 All-Star game in New York. This time Sale hit Utley with a pitch, who was then taken out for pitch runner Gordon. The speedy Dodger then raced around the bases on Lucroy’s smash which came on a 3-1 pitch from Sale.

Trout gave the American League the lead for good with his RBI double in the fifth that scored Oakland’s Derek Norris. Houston’s Jose Altuve followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Alexei Ramirez who singled after Norris reached.

With the late Northern sunset still minutes away after 9pm, Jeter exited the game in the fourth inning to a standing ovation when he took his position at shortstop and was replaced by Ramirez of the White Sox. Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” played throughout the stadium as the crowd cheered the Yankee captain’s exit.

‘I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Jeter confessed. “My back was turned, and I heard (former Yankee teammate Robinson) Cano yelling. Usually when he yells, I ignore him. And then I saw Ramirez come out. So it was a wonderful moment that I am always going to remember.”

Jeter’s exit rivaled former teammate Mariano Rivera’s entrance at last year’s All-Star game. The all-time saves leader was feted at New York’s Citi Field in his final All-Star appearance as his AL teammates allowed him to take the field by himself to extended cheers before he pitched the eighth inning that night.

The 40-year old Jeter’s innate ability to stay calm in big moments was again on display Tuesday. Through his diving stop in the first inning to his two hits, the superstar remained in the moment, focused on the task at hand. This was Jeter’s 14th All-Star appearance and he finished with the second highest batting average in the game’s history (.481, 14 for 27) for hitters with more than 20 at-bats.

A’s prepared for a dogfight in the AL West with the Angels, Mariners

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By Morris Phillips

In introducing Josh Donaldson for the Home Run Derby, ESPN’s Chris Berman captured the lofty mid-summer status of the Oakland A’s succinctly as only Berman can.

“They have the best record in baseball! They have the most All-Stars!”

And with the A’s rival to the south, the Angels surging, they may have the most competition as well.

The Angels captured 26 of their final 35 games heading into the break to give the AL West the two best records in baseball. With only 1 ½ separating the two teams, a Giants-Braves circa 1993-type race could be looming in the second half.

“They’re a different beast than what we’ve seen the last couple of years, so it’s going to be a dogfight,” A’s reliever Sean Doolittle said of the Angels.

While the A’s have been dominant with their pitching and consistent, opportunistic offense, the Angels have the best home record in baseball (32-15) and arguably the game’s best player in Mike Trout.

And before the A’s and Angels get carried with themselves, it appears both will have to be mindful of the Mariners who are in place to capture the second wild card berth with their 50-41 record, When asked about the race, Doolittle didn’t hesitate to mention the outstanding rotation the Mariners are building with Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Roenis Elias, Chris Young and Tijuan Walker. Walker, the top prospect in the Mariners’ organization is expected to take a rotation spot in the second half.

While the A’s and Angels have the best home records thus far, the Mariners have the second best road record (27-18). If the Mariners simply improve their home record (24-26) they could make a move on the two leaders. Beating the A’s two of three at Safeco Field was clearly a big step in that direction.

For all three clubs, moves in the next two weeks prior to the trade deadline could be critical. The Angels have been up front about wanting to add bullpen depth, if not a closer to go with incumbent Joe Smith. The Mariners need to find another proven offensive contributor to an attack that has scored 88 fewer runs than the A’s and 100 fewer runs than the Angels.

And the A’s would seem to be in the market for infield help where the production from their second basemen has been lacking and Alberto Callaspo is currently on the disabled list.