News
A's to give young Gonzalez starting nod
Oakland (31-39) vs. San Francisco (38-32), 7:05 p.m. PT
By Mychael Urban / MLB.com
06/24/09 1:10 AM ET
OAKLAND -- Gio Gonzalez reported for Spring Training this year as a candidate to claim a spot in the A's starting rotation, but a shoulder injury cost him a couple of weeks and any hope of opening the season in Oakland. |
Gonzalez, a 23-year-old left-hander, was sent to Triple-A Sacramento, and he's since done enough to earn another look as an A's starter.
With fellow southpaw Josh Outman scratched from his scheduled turn Wednesday, Gonzalez will be called up to take on Giants lefty Randy Johnson in the finale of a three-game series at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Outman, 24, left his most recent start after 1 2/3 innings, and an MRI of his elbow on Monday created enough cause for concern to prompt the A's to send him for a contrast MRI on Tuesday. A power outage at the MRI facility, however, prevented the exam from taking place, further clouding Outman's status for the near future. Thus, Gonzalez might be with the A's for a lot longer than he was with them during two odd stints as a long reliever this season. Called up on May 2, he pitched five innings during a 15-ininng loss in Seattle on May 3 and was sent down the following day. Recalled again on May 18, he was brought into that day's game at Tampa Bay with the bases loaded and nobody out and worked 3 2/3 innings -- and again was sent down the next day. As was the case when Gonzalez went 1-4 with a 7.68 ERA for the A's in 2008, command was the biggest bugaboo against the Mariners and Rays. In those two games, he gave up seven earned runs on 11 hits and seven walks. But he also struck out 11, and his location has improved significantly in Sacramento, where his strikeouts-to-walks ratio is better than 2-to-1. Oakland manager Bob Geren wouldn't say before Tuesday's game that Gonzalez would be Outman's replacement, but he did say that Gonzalez would get the ball if Edgar Gonzalez, a righty reliever for the A's and the other logical candidate to start Wednesday, were to pitch that night. Edgar Gonzalez entered Tuesday's game in the seventh inning. Pitching matchupOAK: LHP Gio Gonzalez (0-0, 7.27 ERA)
Acquired in the deal that sent Nick Swisher to the White Sox in Janaury 2008, Gonzalez was named to the PCL Postseason All-Star team last year after going 8-7 with a 4.24 ERA with 128 strikeouts in 123 innings. He made seven starts for the A's last season, going 1-4 with a 9.32 ERA, before being moved to the bullpen and finishing the year with three scoreless appearances (six innings). Gonzalez has a low-90s fastball and a plus curveball. He's never before faced the Giants during the regular season. SF: LHP Randy Johnson (6-5, 5.00 ERA)
Johnson's ERA crept back up to five after allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings of work against the Texas Rangers on Friday, taking a no-decision. The lefty had won three of his previous four starts. Johnson allowed two earned runs on three hits over seven innings in his last start against the Oakland Athletics on June 13. He's 14-9 all-time when facing the A's. Dribblers ...
Third baseman Eric Chavez underwent his long-scheduled back surgery Tuesday, his second microdiscectomy and fifth surgery overall since September 2007. Head athletic trainer Steve Sayles said he'd received a text from Chavez saying it went well. No more detail was provided. ... Geren said second baseman Mark Ellis (left calf) won't be limited in any way when he's activated from the 60-day disabled list Saturday, but he didn't guarantee that Ellis will be in the lineup every day, noting that his lineup decisions will be based strictly on performance. ... Adam Kennedy is downplaying the notion that he could represent Oakland in the All-Star Game next month. Matt Holliday, a three-time All-Star with the Rockies, is doing the same. The consensus seems to be that catcher Kurt Suzuki will make the team, in part based on his position. Joe Mauer of the Twins and Victor Martinez of the Indians are the only American League catchers having appreciably stronger seasons than Suzuki, and the AL will carry three catchers for the Midsummer Classic. Tickets
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• Thursday: Off
• Friday: Athletics (Brett Anderson, 3-7, 5.74) vs. Rockies (Jason Hammel, 4-3, 4.41), 7:05 p.m. PT
• Saturday: Athletics (Dallas Braden, 5-6, 3.26) vs. Rockies (Jorge De La Rosa, 3-7, 5.85), 6:05 p.m. PT
Mychael Urban is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
