Oakland Athletics

Generations

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Gene Strenzel was born in 1935 and remembers attending the 1951 All Star Game with his grandfather at Briggs Stadium.  He saw “The Georgia Peach”, Tyrus Raymond Cobb, throw out the first pitch and he saw George Kell and Stan Musial hit home runs.

For most Americans the love of baseball is something you’re born with.  It is passed down from generation to generation.  For me, baseball was passed down to me from my Mother.

It all started with game 6 of the 1977 World Series.  I was watching the game with my Mom.  I watched Reggie Jackson hit three home runs on his last three swings.

I was hooked.

Reggie was my man.

Baseball was my game.

Baseball had been passed down to another generation.

On October 7th, 2013, Gene Strenzel attended game four of the American League Division Series with his daughter Jill and Jill’s daughters Elli and Jodi.  Three generations of one family taking in an important baseball game.

Baseball is passed down to another generation.

Here are some photos of their experience.

Jill_daughtersJill_family Jill_family_1 Jill_sign

Gene Strenzel Jill_family2

“It isn’t heaven but it’s pretty darn close.” -Ray Liota

“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural

A’s 8 Tigers 6

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The bottom line is that the Tigers didn’t pitch well enough to win tonight.  Anibal Sanchez and the bull pen had a rough outing.

That being said, the Tigers had plenty of chances to even the score or take the lead.  They left the bases loaded in both the seventh and eight innings.

As the Tigers head down the stretch, Prince Fielder needs to start coming through or Cabrera will never get a chance to hit in crucial situations.  In the 7th inning, with two out, the A’s walked Miggy to load the bases preferring to pitch to Prince.  Fielder flew out deep to center field to end the inning.

Early in the season, Prince seemed to respond when a team walked Miggy to pitch to him, but he hasn’t lately.

On yesterday’s post, in the comments section, Sark asked, “Could you imagine this team with a good JV?”  I’d like to add to that, how good would the Tigers be if both JV and Fielder were performing?

I’m getting afraid that the team is counting too much on Miggy to get it done every night.  He just can’t come through in every situation, in every game.  That’s why it was so nice see Dirksy get the big hit in yesterday’s game.

Perhaps it’s time to move Fielder down to the 5 spot and Victor up to clean up?

The loss tonight makes the Tigers 1-3 in their last 4 home games.

Besides Fielder not coming through, it was disappointing to see the pitching give the lead back up twice, immediately after the Tigers came back to tie it.  But, really, we can’t complain too much about the pitching.

Torii Hunter left the bases loaded in the 8th when he struck out on 3 pitches.  Not the at bat the Tigers were looking for in that situation.

Coco Crisp was flashin leather tonight.  He robbed Tui of an extra base hit, thwarting a rally in the 8th, after Victor lead off with a solo homer.

Verlander is on the mound tomorrow and I’m not sure what to expect.  Just when I think he’s regaining his form, he goes out and takes a dump.

The Tigers need at least a split of this 4 game series with the A’s.

“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural

Blown Save…

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So, I’m listening to the A’s and Indians.  The A’s were leading 2-1 entering the top of the 7th.  I’m not exactly sure why, but the A’s brought in their closer, Sean Doolittle.  Doolittle ended up allowing the tying run.  The A’s announcers said that Doolittle would be charged with a blown save.  This is interesting and something I never thought of.

MLB rules state that a blown save will charged to a pitcher who enters the game with an opportunity to earn a save.

Here’s a link to the rule on wikipedia.

To earn a save a pitcher is required to:

That rule states the official scorer shall credit a pitcher with a save when such pitcher meets all four of the following conditions:

  1. He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team;
  2. He is not the winning pitcher;
  3. He is credited with at least ? of an inning pitched; and
  4. He satisfies one of the following conditions:
  1.             He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning
  2.             He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, at bat or on deck
  3.             He pitches for at least three innings

So was Bob Melvin hoping that he could get his closer to pitch 3 innings?  Hmmmm, I’m not sure what’s going on but this seems a bit odd.

If there are any A’s fans out there that can help me with this, I’d appreciate it.

Update:  I think I got it.  Doolittle is not the closer, Balfour is.

“God, I love baseball.” – Roy Hobbs | The Natural