News
A's find aggression on the basepaths
Oakland (70-78) vs. Cleveland (61-87), 1:05 p.m. PT
By Eric Gilmore / Special to MLB.com
09/19/09 9:48 PM ET
OAKLAND -- Not that long ago, the A's were a team that played it safe on the bases, waiting for the three-run homer.That was then. Now the A's are stealing bases and taking the extra base. They've gone from being the Swingin' A's to the Runnin' A's.
"If we were going to wait for the three-run homer, we'd be waiting a long time," A's second baseman Mark Ellis said. "We aren't hitting a lot of home runs, so we have the guys who can steal bases and run.
"Rajai [Davis] is the catalyst for our team. He's making things happen on the basepaths. We've just got to play with what we have, and so far that's worked out pretty well."
Since the All-Star break, the A's have stolen 71 bases, the most in the Major Leagues. That's the most post-break steals they've had since swiping 71 in 1991.
The seeds for this transformation were actually planted before the season began, said bench coach Tye Waller, who serves as the A's baserunning coach.
"We started out in Spring Training trying to create an image of good baserunning, not just the basestealing but overall going from first to third, scoring from third. What we tried to do as an organization was present an opportunity for everybody to excel.
"We started out kind of slow at the beginning of the year. When you're behind in games you can't run as much."
The A's are finishing the season with an aggressive flurry on the basepaths. Of course it helps having Davis in the lineup as the regular center fielder. He swiped his career-high 40th base on Friday night, taking third. He's the first Athletic to steal 40 bases in a season since Rickey Henderson stole 66 in 1998.
"I think it's just a managerial statement, and it's everyone coming on board and realizing that running helps and it puts more pressure on a defense for them to make more plays," Davis said. "We've been utilizing that really well."
"A lot of the guys at this level can run. Anybody can be a potential threat at any time. Given the right situation, they can help the team and get in scoring position for the next guy."
Ten other current A's have stolen two or more bases this season for Oakland. Adam Kennedy has 19 steals, Ellis nine, Cliff Pennington and Kurt Suzuki seven, Ryan Sweeney six, Jack Cust four, Scott Hairston three, and Bobby Crosby, Nomar Garciaparra and Eric Patterson have two.
"It's becoming a team effort," Waller said. "And now there's talk in the dugout, 'What do you see from this [pitcher]? How quick is he to the plate?' It's become a good atmosphere for guy to keep it on the forefront of their minds.
"And the biggest thing, I think, is it puts pressure on the defense, and it's something they have to contend with. So it adds another dimension to our club. ... Don't get me wrong, I definitely like homers, but if you can just give that pitcher one more thing to think about and maybe in his efforts to rush a pitch home he leaves a ball out over the plate or he falls behind trying to rush and now the hitter's ahead in the count."
If the three-run homer doesn't happen, the A's still have a way to score runs.
"We're just a better baserunning team," Ellis said. "We've got to score runs any way we can. We don't have a really powerful team so we need to do whatever we can."
Pitching matchup
OAK: LHP Dana Eveland (1-3, 7.26 ERA)
Eveland has pitched in the bullpen since Sept. 1 when he was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento for his third stint with the A's this season. He's pitched three innings of relief, allowing five hits and one earned run. Eveland made the A's Opening Day roster as a starter but was sent down May 5 after going 1-2 with a 7.40 ERA. He was recalled July 6 to start against Boston but lasted just 2 2/3 innings, giving up four earned runs, and was sent down the next day. Eveland made his only career start against Cleveland on April 5 last season and got the win, going seven innings. He struck out seven and allowed one earned run. CLE: RHP Fausto Carmona (3-11, 6.58 ERA)
Carmona got through the first inning against the Twins on Sept. 15, so that was progress over his two-thirds of an inning clunker against the Rangers in his previous start. But Carmona nevertheless turned in an outing that served as another bit of evidence that his rough 2008 and '09 seasons are more rule than exception. Carmona gave up five runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings against Minnesota. Carmona has allowed 19 runs over his past four starts. Tidbits
Outfielder Travis Buck had his bags packed and was ready to head home to Arizona after the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats' season ended with a third straight loss Friday night to Memphis in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series. Then Buck got the good news. He was headed back to the big leagues. "When I found out I was headed back up I was excited and anxious to see all my boys I haven't seen in months," Buck said. ... The A's also recalled two relief pitchers from Sacramento, John Meloan and Henry Rodriguez, he of the triple-digits fastball. This is Rodriguez's first stint in the big leagues. In 43 2/3 innings at Sacramento, he struck out 71 batters, but he had a 5.77 ERA. "You don't see that fastball very often," manager Bob Geren said of Rodriguez. "In all the years you travel around the game, it's very rare when a guy can hit triple digits." The A's claimed Meloan off waivers from Pittsburgh on Sept. 2. The A's are his fourth organization this season. ... Right-hander Brett Tomko, who has a nerve problem in his pitching arm, will see a nerve specialist. ... Outfielder Ryan Sweeney, who's battling sore knees, was out of the lineup but will start Sunday's game. ... Power-hitting first baseman Chris Carter was not among the callups from Sacramento. "Chris had a great season, obviously MVP," Geren said. "He's going to be forcing his way onto the picture next year. Not just right at the moment." ... Rookie Matt Carson had his first Major League hit, a fifth-inning single. He singled again in the seventh. ... Davis extended his hitting streak to seven games with a double in the seventh inning on Saturday. Tickets
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• Monday: Athletics (Edgar Gonzalez, 0-2, 4.74) vs. Rangers (Kevin Millwood, 10-10, 3.94), 7:05 p.m. PT
• Tuesday: Athletics (Clay Mortensen, 2-2, 6.12) vs. Rangers (Brandon McCarthy, 7-3, 4.97), 7:05 p.m. PT
• Wednesday: Athletics (TBD) vs. Rangers (TBD), 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.
