2006 Random A's Ramblings

[Providence A's]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/...s/14911175.htm

While Chavez has committed just two errors and played his typical Gold Glove-caliber defense, his injuries have not allowed him to match his usual offensive standards since the first month of the season. After hitting .301 in April, he slipped to .253 in May and is batting .200 in June. Over his last 14 games, Chavez is hitting .143 (7-for-49) with one homer and three RBI, and he's 0-for-21 with runners in scoring position since June 3.

"When it's mental and your swing is messed up, you just grind it out," he said. "Physically when it happens to you, it's frustrating. When you get into a key situations you can't do what you want to do, and it messes up your whole approach. It messes up everything and you don't have a productive at-bat. To me, that's just unacceptable."

Chavez will use the All-Star break to rest his weary body, but said if there is not an appreciable improvement after he returns that he'd consider going on the disabled list.

"I'm not going to be able to run well the whole year, but if I get back and my numbers are dropping, that's going to be an option," Chavez said. "At this point I'm not considering that, but if I come back and I'm embarrassing myself and the team, I will consider that."

Let's hope he can get healthy after the break because if he ends up being out for a while, then I think that seriously hurts our chances of doing anything in the playoffs...

The rest of that article talks about how Chavez grew up in San Diego and wanted to be drafted by them...

[Providence A's]

Ellis went 0 for 2 with a walk and a k in his rehab assignment last night. The A's might want Thomas to get some rehab ABs, too...both could be activated Friday

[Providence A's]

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NAS...=.jsp&c_id=oak

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Sporting News has named Oakland Athletics pitcher Barry Zito its No. 1 Major League Baseball Good Guy for his on-going fundraising work aimed to assist America's war-wounded and their families.

congrats to Barry

[Rufio181]

Dude Zito was on Jag?

[Providence A's]

yea he was...I saw that

[Providence A's]

Thomas and Ellis are back. Rouse and Clark were sent down.

[Providence A's]

Zito is the only Athletic going to the ASG...sure to drive up his price even if just a little bit.

[Providence A's]

oh yea, it's the 3rd time he's been named to the team. 2002, 2003, and now 2006.

[Providence A's]

Well, it doesn't look like Harden will be back right after the ASG...he played catch, but isn't starting a throwing program yet. Bradley should start a rehab assignment soon. Kennedy has been throwing, but there is no timetable for his return yet.

[Providence A's]

Kennedy is supposed to start a rehab assignment during the ASG break.

What do you think of the rumor that the A's are interested in Sean Casey? He is making over $8 million, so based on that alone...no...plus he's not anything special.

http://www.examiner.com/a-167250~A_b...Bay_teams.html

[A'sDiehard]

I don't know but it's not like we'll be signing him long term and he's WAY better than Dan Johnson IMO.

Pull the trigger Billy........

[Providence A's]

A's after Maddux?

http://www.nj.com/columns/ledger/gra...l=1&thispage=8

That the A's are among the teams most active in trying to pry veteran Greg Maddux away from the Cubs, but that the Cubs don't know yet if they'll even trade Maddux.

bye-bye Blanton?

[Providence A's]

bye-bye Barry

he switched agents...Scott Boras is now his agent

oh, and even sweeter news in that article:

Pitcher Rich Harden, out with a sprained ligament in his right elbow, will travel to his native British Columbia during the All-Star break for physical therapy. He was examined Friday by team orthopedist, Dr. Jerrald Goldman, but was not given the OK to begin throwing after his session Sunday was stopped because of elbow pain.

[Providence A's]

this guy makes a good point

Put another way, if Zito's time in Oakland is down to the final days, it would be reasonable to place considerable blame on the sprains and strains and tender arms and broken bones sustained by his more luckless teammates.

For if everyone were healthy and producing at the expected level, these persistent rumors would not exist. The A's sit a dozen or so games above .500, with a nice lead in the AL West. They are the World Series contenders so many preseason prognosticators presumed them to be.

In which case, Zito would go nowhere. With a healthy Harden anchoring the rotation along with Zito, A's overlord Billy Beane has a one-two punch he doesn't dare break up in the middle of summer.

why have we been so unlucky with injuries the last 2 seasons? why?

[A'sDiehard]

Prov, sorry I was MIA this weekend. My wife had to go to New York early saturday so I didn't have a computer. Not like I missed much; this team is pizzing me off.