A group weblog for Oakland A's fans
Saturday, April 15, 2006
A loss but a good Zito outing
The A's lost last night 6-3, Zito gave up 5. By looking at the box score you might not see the whole story though. Zito gave up 2 in the 2nd and 3 in the 4th, and was very close to being pulled early. But he found it. In the first 4 innings his fastball was up, his curve was almost sailing over Kendall..he was struggling mightily out there. But then something clicked. He started to get batters out. At one point he got 9 out of 10 batters out. The pinacle was when he K'ed last years batting champion Michael Young on a viscous curveball that Young swung at. It is one thing to drop one in for strike 3, but I think the pitch is even better if you can get a good hitter to swing and miss not by inches, but by feet. What changed in the middle innings? I have no idea, but something changed. Zito warmed up, cooled off, got his head straight, something. If he had been like that the whole game, this is one the A's would have won. But it is April and this is a marathon not a sprint.
The A's lost last night 6-3, Zito gave up 5. By looking at the box score you might not see the whole story though. Zito gave up 2 in the 2nd and 3 in the 4th, and was very close to being pulled early. But he found it. In the first 4 innings his fastball was up, his curve was almost sailing over Kendall..he was struggling mightily out there. But then something clicked. He started to get batters out. At one point he got 9 out of 10 batters out. The pinacle was when he K'ed last years batting champion Michael Young on a viscous curveball that Young swung at. It is one thing to drop one in for strike 3, but I think the pitch is even better if you can get a good hitter to swing and miss not by inches, but by feet. What changed in the middle innings? I have no idea, but something changed. Zito warmed up, cooled off, got his head straight, something. If he had been like that the whole game, this is one the A's would have won. But it is April and this is a marathon not a sprint.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Another Close Loss to the Twins
Last night the Twins had their opener at the Metrodome. They painted a big 34 in centerfield for Kirby Puckett. It was sad and sweet and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes. It was fitting that the Twins won the opener, but tonight I was rooting hard for the A's and Loaiza. But they lost another close one 6-5. Ray Fosse said you gotta win the close ones, and the A's do need to win the close ones. Maybe tomorrow.
Last night the Twins had their opener at the Metrodome. They painted a big 34 in centerfield for Kirby Puckett. It was sad and sweet and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes. It was fitting that the Twins won the opener, but tonight I was rooting hard for the A's and Loaiza. But they lost another close one 6-5. Ray Fosse said you gotta win the close ones, and the A's do need to win the close ones. Maybe tomorrow.
