Tagged: All-Star

2 Runs and a Shutout

Sadly the A’s game today was not televised because Moscoso turned in a brilliant performance worthy of a starter in the Majors.  Moscoso only gave up two hits, walked one, and struck out five over seven innings of work. Moscoso’s position  when Tyson Ross is eligible to be called up after the All-Star break  should not be questioned. His 2.16 ERA is a good case of why he should stay on the major league squad. No win is complete without runs which the A’s actually scored today. I was shocked!  Scott Sizemore with one out in the first hit a home run deep to left. It was Sizemore’s third homer of the season, and he drove in the A’s only other run with an RBI Single in the fifth. It wasn’t a sizable lead but thanks to standout pitching it was enough to secure a win. The final score was the Mariners 0 – A’s 2 with the M’s taking the series.

 

Both Jemile Weeks and Gio Gonzalez  received big honors this week so congratulations must go out to them.   Named the American League Co-Rookie of the Month for June was Jemile Weeks with Ben Revere of the  Minnesota Twins.  Since being called up June 7th Weeks has provided much-needed spark to the A’s and has hit .309 with 6 stolen bases.  It is always great to see former River Cats doing well in the Majors!

Gio Gonzalez also received co-honors this week.  Named the American League Co-Player of the week with Jose Bautista,  Gio posted a 2-0 record, while allowing one  run and striking out sixteen through fifteen innings. All of this the same week he got named to the All-Star Team? I can only imagine what he is feeling now.  Must be the week of his life!  Always fantastic when good things happen to nice people.

 

*Wordpress keeps trying to respell Moscoso’s name as Moscow. Funny, but not his name.

 

** The River Cats just lost their 9th game in a row, and Daric Barton has been with them for 10 days. Barton holds the lowest average on the team, but possess stellar defense. I have to wonder how long the A’s are going to be patient with him. Hopefully not much longer, but I cannot imagine he is worth much at this point in the season.

Daric Finally Did it and the A’s have an All-Star

“It’s awesome, I am so happy for Gio. He’s been flashing signs of brilliance, and now the rest of the country can see it. They’re in for a real treat.”- Dallas Braden on Gio Gonzalez to the SF Chronicle

The River Cats may have lost last night against the Tucson Padres 6-4, but Daric Barton collected his first Minor League hit of the season with a double.  Barton’s double came with one out in the first inning, and Jai Miller followed suit with a two-run home run.  The first baseman was finally able to break his .000 batting average and recorded two hits on the night. The sky exploded with fireworks above the Tower Bridge skyline to cap off the evening, and a near sell out crowd was on hand to watch the game.

A little over an hour away the Athletics also celebrated the holiday weekend with fireworks. They may have lost Saturday’s game, but Sunday the A’s bats exploded.  Both Conor Jackson and Scott Sizemore hit two-run home runs in the 6th inning! It was the first time all season the Athletics have had two home runs in the same inning. David DeJesus hit a 2-run single to give the A’s a lead in the fourth and overall it was a very exciting game to watch! Everything worked well, and the game gives die-hard fans hope for the second half of the season.

Entering Sunday’s game Gio Gonzalez had the 4th lowest ERA in the American League at 2.38.  Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks Gio struck out seven, walked three, and allowed five hits. So it is no surprise the Athletics lone All-Star this year is Gio.  There is no player on the team more deserving than Gio at this point in the season.  A fantastic pitcher and genuinely nice guy.

In order to make room for Brandon McCarthy after a rehab stint in the Minors the A’s have sent out pitcher Josh Outman. This would put Gio’s next start around Friday, which places him in a prime position to pitch during the All-Star Game. He would be pitching on three days rest, so theoretically could go two innings in the game. Very exciting for Oakland and Gio both.

Vacation from Baseball? No, Baseball Vacation!

Unless you are someone either playing in the All-Star Game,  Home Run Derby, Futures Game, or behind the scenes producing the whole show, the time of year in July is called the All-Star Break or really vacation.  My team will be playing away games the week before and then the glorious 4 day All-Star break.  But what might you ask is a young woman hopelessly obsessed with and working in baseball going to do with herself? Plan a Baseball vacation of course! So right now I am trying to plan out a road trip to the 41st Annual SABR Convention in Southern California. 
SABR-41-logo.jpg I always love to expand my Baseball Horizons and love the work that SABR does. So this Convention seems right up my ally. Currently I am reading a book titled Minor League Baseball Community Building Through Hometown Sports, and the author credits SABR with helping her research the book. I wonder who else on MLBlogs is going to this event? I also really want to join my local chapter of SABR and just be 110% even more involved in baseball than I already am. Also Scott Boras is the guest speaker and who wouldn’t love to hear him talk? Plus my brother attends school  in Southern California so I can trick him into thinking the trip is not about baseball and about a visit instead. Maybe he will believe me. Doubtful.