Tag: Adrian Martinez

Open But Not Ready For Business: A’s go down quietly in 6-0 loss to the Angels

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By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–In 2022, the A’s were last in the American League in hits, and second to last in runs scored. If nothing else, rule changes instituted to perk up offenses throughout the industry figured to give the A’s a needed boost.

That boost hasn’t kicked in yet.

The A’s concluded an implosive, opening weekend by being shutout 6-0 by the Angels in which they managed just two occasions with runners in scoring position. In the three game series, the A’s lost twice, while compiling three runs, one homer three doubles while striking out 26 times.

Not good.

Four of the A’s five hits on Sunday were singles, and none of the four exited the infield at above 90 mph. Esteury Ruiz, the promising infielder with top-of-the-order potential, had a slow weekend with just one hit. Jesus Aquilar, who hit 35 home runs with Milwaukee in 2018, did a little more. But the total wasn’t enough, not with the pendulum swinging back towards offense.

“Offense is momentum, and we haven’t been able to put it together and string hits together,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “We haven’t had a big inning yet this year.”

The A’s again looked for signs of improvement from starting pitcher Ken Waldichuk, who had a rough spring in which he struggled with his pitch command. On Sunday, Waldichuk produced three scoreless frames and then saw things unravel with three Angels’ homers over the next two innings.

As an illustration of how far the A’s must travel, Los Angeles superstars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout homered back-to-back in the fifth to put the visitors up 6-0. Both had gone homeless in the series before they connected against Waldichuk.

The Angels were clearly frustrated on Thursday after they squandered Ohtani’s pitching performance and fell 2-1 to the A’s. But the response was to score 19 of the remaining 20 runs in the series and win easily on Saturday and Sunday.

“We’re swinging at the right pitches,” Angels’ manager Phil Nevin said. “That’s the thing. I like the way we’re controlling the zone. Keep hitting balls on the barrel, and we’re gonna score a lot of runs. We’re deep and want to be relentless and keep coming at you.”

Adrian Martinez stood as the A’s bright spot. The A’s reliever threw the final three innings scoreless, allowing just one hit.

On Monday, the A’s get a second difficult opponent in the Guardians to begin the season. Cleveland’s Zach Plesac and Oakland’s James Kaprelian are the announced starters.

What’s Wrong With The Yankees? More Like What’s Right With The A’s in 4-1 win

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By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–Mark Kotsay promised enthusiasm would be his greatest currency in what has proved to be a trying, first season as manager of the A’s.

On Saturday, Adrian Martinez matched that enthusiasm and carried into Sunday’s series finale with the Yankees.

The 25-year old rookie shut down the AL East-leading Yankees into the sixth inning, and the A’s made two, first inning runs stand up in their 4-1 win. Martinez, making his fourth appearance in Oakland this season each time summoned from Triple-A Las Vegas was impressive, mixing pitches and changing speeds to fluster the New York lineup for a second straight day.

“When I saw Adrian last night, he had a big smile on his face,” Kotsay said. “This kid just seems to feed off big environments or the Triple-A numbers don’t show how he’s able to go out and perform here. He did that today against one of the best lineups in the league.”

Aaron Judge, the Major League leader in WAR (7.4) and home runs (49) was transformed into Martinez’ poster child, striking out twice, both times on just three pitches. Judge finished the day 0 for 4.

“Got a lot of swings and misses on the changeup and threw strikes with his fastball,” Kotsay said.

The win didn’t prevent the A’s (48-81) from mathematical elimination from the AL West crown (the earliest they’ve been eliminated in Oakland history) but it did open the door to the possibility that Martinez could earn a regular turn in the rotation down the stretch. His door was opened by Kotsay’s decision to move Zach Logue to the bullpen.

“I’m going to keep on working and continuing to work will hopefully allow me to continue to be with the team,” Martinez said with the aid of an interpreter.

Meanwhile the Yankees ended a week of bi-coastal ups and downs highlighted by desperately-needed wins over the Mets on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by 18 innings of one-hit offense against A’s pitching starting with the final innings on Friday night. Yankees fans and manager Aaron Boone glossed over the five-game win streak the Gothams squeezed in and fretted over their one-series win (Mets, two games) in their last eight series.

“We should be able to put together more offense,” Boone said. “We got to if we’re going to be the kind of team we expect to be.”

A’s 20-GAME WIN STREAK REUNION: The 2002 A’s might not be the biggest fans of “Moneyball” the movie dramatizing the team and the organization with the 20-game streak being the film’s dramatic apex, but they are fans of each other and what they accomplished.

“I tell people this all the time, and all of us are in the same boat, we all won the lifetime lottery ticket,” said Rick Peterson, that team’s pitching coach.

Approximately half of the 2002 squad and many of the coaches were present for the reunion prior to Sunday’s game and the invitation-only meet-and-greet. Manager Art Howe, players Dave Justice and Scott Hatteberg, among the biggest personalities from the movie spoke to the assembled. Justice voiced his displeasure with how Howe was portrayed in the movie.

One of the team’s biggest stars, Miguel Tejada who departed for Baltimore after the 2003 season, was especially jazzed to be in the Coliseum and revisit his professional roots.

“This is the team that gave me the opportunity to come from the Dominican,” he said. “I played my first game in this stadium. Walking here makes me proud.”

Cory Lidle, who died tragically in a 2006 plane crash in which he was the pilot, and Jeremy Giambi, who committed suicide less than a year ago, were fondly remembered.

Triple Bad: A’s fall 6-4 to the Giants, lose Bay series and set a frustrating ML record

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By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–Allowing too many homers, and completely absent of hitting triples, the A’s were locked into their 2022 form on Sunday. Oh, and don’t dismiss the playing poorly at home at the Coliseum part as well.

The Giants came across the Bay on life support, but left with a couple of deep breaths, after beating the hosts 6-4 on Sunday, and sweeping the brief, two-game Bay Bridge series affair.

The A’s built momentum surrounding the All-Star break, winning 10 of 14, but that’s officially lost. They’ve dropped three straight, and six of eight following that two weeks of encouraging progress. Lately, the A’s have given up too many home runs, with three coming on Sunday, and a total of 13 homers allowed in the last three games.

Starter Adrian Martinez had Mike Yastrzemski in an 0-2 hole in the third inning when the first long ball was struck. Unfortunately, his pitch location on a potential strikeout pitch wasn’t near what it needed to be.

“It shows how slim the margin for error is,” catcher Sean Murphy said. “Those hurt.”

Reliever A.J. Puk was also in an advantageous 0-2 spot facing Thairo Estrada in the sixth, but he too caught to much of the plate with his next pitch, and the Giants’ lead increased to 4-1. Yastrzemski struck again in the eighth off Austin Pruitt, not on an 0-2 pitch, but that capped the A’s hat trick of bumbles.

Other than that, A’s pitching competed. Martinez picked it up, leaving the door open for another start for the prospect that was acquired from the Padres in the Sean Manaea deal.

“He was more in line. His change-up had a lot of depth to it,” manager Mark Kotsay said of Martinez. “His slider had more depth, it wasn’t side to side. I think he’s moving in the right direction.”

Pitching actually kept the A’s in it, as they sliced the deficit to 6-4 in the eighth when Seth Brown connected. Overall, the A’s limited the Giants to 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight base runners.

The A’s went a 69th consecutive game without a triple which is lengthiest stretch for any Major League club since 1901. The A’s set the AL record on Saturday, and surpassed the 2021 Mets on Sunday for eliminating a key piece of offense from their repertoire. Hitting just .216 as a team with a .276 on-base percentage has the A’s poised to break a few more records for offensive futility, which hopefully doesn’t come to pass. In winning 12 of their previous 20 prior to Sunday, the A’s hit .244 which shows a little improvement not only goes a long way, it could keep you out of the unsightly portions of the record book.

On Monday, the A’s draw the Angels which is significant in that it may be their last chance to avoid a last place finish in the AL West. Cole Irvin will face Anaheim’s Jose Suarez in the 6:40pm opener.

A’s HALL OF FAME CEREMONY:

Joe Rudi, Eric Chavez, Sal Bando, executive Keith Lieppman, clubhouse man Steve Vucinich and the late Ray Fosse were inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in a pre-game ceremony. Present for the occasion were Reggie Jackson, Rickey Henderson and Dave Stewart, a subtle reminder of the better days for Oakland’s baseball jewel.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Sean Manaea traded to San Diego for two prospects

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Former Oakland A’s pitcher Sean Manaea seen here pitching against the Houston Astros on Oct 1, 2021 at Minute Field in Houston was dealt to the San Diego Padres on Sun Apr 3, 2022 and quickly switch uniforms pitching against his old teammates the A’s in Peoria AZ (AP News file photo)

Sean Manaea traded to San Diego

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Lefty Sean Manaea was traded to the San Diego Padres. In return, the A’s received two prospects from the Padres minor league system. Infielder Euribiel Angeles No.12 on their system, plus Adrián Martínez, a pitcher and No.26 prospect. The Athletics also send minor league pitcher Aaron Holiday with Sean Manaea to San Diego.

A mainstay for the A’s rotation, the 30-year old lefty Manaea spent the first six years of his major league career with the Oakland A’s. With a win-loss record of: 50-42 a 3.86 earned run average. Started 128 games for the Green and Gold and on April 21 of 2018 threw a no-hitter at the Oakland Coliseum against the red hot Boston Red Sox (who had won 8 games in a row) by the score of 3-0, and struck out 10.

The A’s are continuing to rebuild and Manaea was rumored to be one of the three A’s starters with tradable value. The Yankees, Twins, Royals and others have been talking to the A’s about trading for Manaea. Chris Bassitt was already traded to the New York Mets (for a couple of prospects) and Frankie Montás is still rumored to be on the trading block and could go at any minute now or possibly during mid season, to a contending team.

The New York Yankees are one of the teams that has been very much interested in Montás, but it is believed that the A’s want more value for Montás, who is 27 year old and they are seeking some of the Yankees top prospects.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish radio play by play lead announcer heard on flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Manaea dealt to Padres pitches against old team on day one; Lawsuit against A’s has team seriously looking to Vegas

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The Tropicana Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip is being considered for a future destination for the Oakland A’s new ballpark if the A’s and the Howard Terminal project is voted down on Jun 2, 2022 by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)  (photo from troplv.com)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 The East Bay Alliance who have filed a lawsuit with co plaintiffs Schnitzer Steel, Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, Harbor Trucking Association, California Trucking Association, International Longshore and the Warehouse Union. At issue is their dispute regarding the California Environmental Impact Quality Act regarding non compliance.

#2 The East Bay Alliance wants the A’s to stay at their current site at the Oakland Coliseum saying that the Coliseum meets all the standards of traffic, public transit, freeway access and plenty of room with no jobs to be concerned about getting cut.

#3 A’s team president David Kaval disputes that notion saying that the East Bay Alliance and the plaintiffs lawsuit is absolutely crazy, “We think they should drop the lawsuit. It’s an odd way to use an environmental law to prevent the environmental review from being completed.”

#4 Meanwhile in spring training at Mesa: Former A’s pitcher Sean Manaea started against the A’s on Sunday after being traded to the San Diego Padres for two prospects Infielder Euribiel Angeles No.12 on their system, plus Adrián Martínez, a pitcher and No.26 prospect. The Athletics also sent minor league pitcher Aaron Holiday with Manaea to San Diego. Former A’s manager and Padres manager said that Manaea could have started with an A’s hat and a Padres jersey.

Join Jerry F for the A’s podcasts every other Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com