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Powell broadening his talent and utility
Oakland (68-78) vs. Cleveland (61-85), 7:05 p.m. PT
By Eric Gilmore / Special to MLB.com
09/18/09 2:42 AM ET
OAKLAND -- A's rookie Landon Powell's first love in baseball is catching. But if it helps him get in the lineup, he's willing to learn to love playing first base and taking cuts as a designated hitter, too. "As a competitive person all you want to do is just try to get in the lineup, try to help the team," Powell said before Thursday night's game against Cleveland. "I'm going to do whatever I can do to help the team and try to get in there and establish myself as a player." Powell started at designated hitter against the Indians, hitting fifth in the lineup, directly behind A's catcher Kurt Suzuki. Powell was taken in the first round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, one round ahead of Suzuki, but Suzuki got to the big leagues first and has a hammerlock on the starting job. "Kurt's a great player," Powell said. "I know he's going to be in there. I just hope that I can prove good enough to help the team and get my bat in the lineup however we can. "I'm going to take a lot of ground balls at first this offseason. I'm going to work on DH-ing and hitting, and I'm still going to work on catching because I still feel my future is catching in this game, whether it's with the A's or another team." Powell has started 27 games at catcher, four at first base and three at designated hitter this year. Going into Thursday night's game, he had only 123 at-bats in 40 total games, but he has definitely taken advantage of his opportunities. He had 29 RBIs, the second-best single-season total by a player in Oakland history with fewer than 50 games. In 1978, Rico Carty had 31 RBIs in 41 games for the A's. Powell has shown an uncanny knack for producing with runners on base. In his first Major League at-bat, he drilled a two-run double against the Mariners. Before Thursday, he was hitting .306 (11 for 36) with runners in scoring position. He was even better with the bases loaded, hitting .429 (3 for 7) with a double, home run and 10 RBIs. "As a rookie, bench player and backup catcher and earlier in the year hitting lower in the order, I know the pitchers are going to come after me pretty good," said Powell, who had a rough Thursday night, going hitless in four at-bats. "They're going to throw me a lot of fastballs and try to get ahead. "In the Minor Leagues I walked a ton every year. Up here that's not the kind of hitter I can be in my role. They're going to challenge me." Pitching matchupOAK: LHP Brett Anderson (9-10, 4.37 ERA)
In his past two starts, Anderson has picked up back-to-back wins for the third time this season. The lefty pitched seven strong innings in a winning effort against Minnesota last Saturday, allowing just two runs on five hits while collecting four strikeouts. It was the fewest hits Anderson had allowed since July 29, when he gave up just four to Boston. Anderson also did not surrender a walk on Saturday -- the first time in 10 starts he did not allow a free pass. He'll be facing Cleveland for the first time in his career. CLE: LHP David Huff (10-7, 6.14 ERA)
Huff, who joined the Indians' rotation in mid-May, became the club's first 10-game winner this season when he turned in six innings against the Royals on Sept. 12, allowing three runs on seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts. Huff has won five of his last six starts. He's shown improved command and aggressiveness of late, as his rookie season winds to a close. Tidbits
The versatile Ryan Sweeney started in left field, instead of his usual right, and hit third in the lineup. He went 0-for-2, snapping his seven-game hitting streak, with one RBI and two walks. "He's a tough out right now," A's manager Bob Geren said before the game. "There's not one way you can pitch him any more." ... Geren said rookie pitcher Trevor Cahill made his best start of the year Wednesday against Texas. He pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just one hit and striking out seven. "All the way around I'd say yes," Geren said. "He's been working on his slider and changeup and both of them were significantly [improved]. An improved slider is going to increase his strikeouts." ... Reliever Jay Marshall wasn't available Thursday night because of a sore shoulder. ... Andrew Bailey's 25th save tied Jorge Julio (Baltimore, 2002) for seventh most ever by an American League rookie. He has converted 20 straight save opportunities, one shy of tying Huston Street, Dennis Eckersley and Mudcat Grant for the second most in Oakland history. Eckersley has the record of 40 straight. ... Adam Kennedy tied a career high with two doubles. He's done it 18 times overall and three times this year. Tickets
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• Saturday: Athletics (Gio Gonzalez, 5-6, 6.31) vs. Indians (Jeremy Sowers, 6-9, 4.49), 1:05 p.m. PT
• Sunday: Athletics (Dana Eveland, 1-3, 7.26) vs. Indians (Fausto Carmona, 3-11, 6.58), 1:05 p.m. PT
• Monday: Athletics (Dana Eveland, 1-3, 7.26) vs. Rangers (Kevin Millwood, 10-10, 3.94), 7:05 p.m. PT
Eric Gilmore is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
