Crisp gets a day off, plus a little Matsui discussion
By Joe Stiglich
Thursday, July 28th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
in 2011 regular season.
Slow news morning for the A’s … Coco Crisp is getting a day off, with Ryan Sweeney playing center field after his big night Wednesday.
–Hideki Matsui was a big topic in Bob Melvin’s media session, no surprise considering how he’s hitting. I asked Melvin about whether he thinks the outfield time that Matsui is getting might be benefitting him on the offensive side. Melvin said he definitely thinks that’s the case, and that Matsui told him after interleague play ended that he’d like to continue playing some defense in addition to serving as DH.
“I think it helps with his focus,” Melvin said. “He’s so in tuned to the game, you’re almost not using the full potential of him by just DH’ing him.”
Today’s lineups:
A’s — Weeks 2B, Pennington SS, Matsui DH, Willingham LF, DeJesus RF, Jackson 1B, Sweeney CF, Suzuki C, Sizemore 3B; Harden RHP.
Rays — Jennings LF, Damon DH, Longoria 3B, Zobrist 2B, Kotchman 1B, Upton CF, Joyce RF, Chirinos C, Rodriguez SS; Davis RHP.
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July 28th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
I like this new offensive surge. Hope it continues.
July 29th, 2011 at 9:41 am
Surge is good. Quietness on Beane adding to the team is like the sound of silence…silence like a cancer grows.
Add the 49ers and Raiders to that song..
July 29th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
Good lord, I am so sick of saying there is always next year…at the All Star break no less…
July 29th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
Hey Joe,how’s Slick Billy’s attitude? is he going to go get ‘em and bring some players to Oakland and make a run for the west with deft trades and brilliant hunches?..oh,wait that’s fiction as in moneyball. It’s second to last for Oakland..reality sucks.
btw,Where is Slick Billy? Sabean is all over the papers, nothing but crickets in Oakland.
July 29th, 2011 at 5:19 pm
You don’t read much from Beane in the papers because he doesn’t address trade rumors, or engage in much trade discussion at all, publicly. Looking back over the past few years, most of the “deadline deals” he’s done really haven’t come at the deadline. They’ve come earlier in July. That doesn’t mean he won’t do anything before Sunday’s deadline. But it would definitely be a move with the future in mind, Stan, as opposed to upgrading for this season.
July 30th, 2011 at 8:57 am
Thanks Joe..