ALCS Game 1 Analysis---Oakland Beat Themselves
I had promised myself that I would keep away from writing about the playoffs, believing that if I did write, it would jinx the A's. But after watching last nights fiasco displayed by Oakland, I can't just sit back and not write about it.
After watching Oakland's performance against the Twins in the ALDS, I started to think to myself that maybe Macha knew what he was doing after all. WRONG.
Macha once again showed how inept he is when it comes to managing in big games---and this does not include the fact that he is starting Rich Harden in Game 3, instead of Dan Haren.
First, Zito was missing the strike zone. Yes, he did get squeezed on some calls, but his fastball was missing high and away on right handed batters. He wasn't using his 12-6 curve often enough, instead relying on his fastball when he was ahead in the count. Macha should have picked up on this.
By looking at the box score in the first 2 innings, and hearing that Zito sat down the first 8 batters to start the game, one would think that Zito was off to a great start. But the fact is that of the 21 batters Zito faced, he started off 13 of those hitters with a ball, starting himself behind in the count.
His command was off, forcing him to use a fastball more often (see Inge's HR in the top of 3rd), but even when he was up in the count, or even at 2-2, he failed to use his breaking ball.
Zito did get squeezed on a number of calls by the inconsistency of the home plate umpire. There were 3 distinct instances that had major impacts on the game.
The first came in the top of the 3rd. With 2 outs, Inge, the number 9 hitter, had just homered, and Granderson followed up by hitting a double to right field (after, of course, Zito had a 2-0 count on him). Polanco followed and didn't take the bat off his shoulders. Zito started Polanco off 2-0, and then came back with 2 fastballs to work the count back to 2-2. His next pitch was a ball up high and out of the zone. He was forced to throw another fastball, which was taken by Polanco. The ball was knee high, over the plate, but called for ball 4. An obvious strike, which would have gotten the A's out of the inning, but instead was called ball 4, extending the inning even longer. At this point, Macha should have gotten someone up in the pen. He had started 3 of the first 5 hitters with 2 consecutive balls, obviously getting squeezed, and not having pin-point control, which is what makes Zito an effective pitcher.
The second time came to the following batter, Sean Casey. He stepped to the plate with runners now on 1B and 2B, 2 out. Zito once again starts Casey off with a 2-0 count (at this point Macha should have been on the phone and getting someone warmed up without question). Zito was lucky enough to work the count to 3-2. He finally uses his breaking ball on the 3-2 pitch, and it drops into the strike zone for a strike, but somehow was called a ball. Absolute non-sense. Now, Macha should have been yelling at the ump, making a scene, showing emotion, and of course, should have had someone up warming up in the bull pen. One more run scores in the 3rd due to a play that Chavez should have made on a hard ground ball hit by Magglio Ordonez (and yes, was jinxed by a text I received from a buddy of mine saying "Chavez is silly" after a nice backhanded play Chavez had made on Magglio Ordonez the inning before, and the mistake made by me texting back "Gold Glove")
The third time came after Milton Bradley had grounded into an inning ending double play in the bottom of the 3rd (I'll get to that). Zito came out to start the 4th (with no one warming up in the bull pen). Pudge was leading off the 4th, and Zito, of course, starts him off with a ball out of the strike zone. Pudge fouls off the next pitch, so Zito then throws a 1-1 breaking ball that was dead in the zone, but somehow is called a ball. Instead of the count being 1-2, it is now 2-1. Zito's next pitch is a fastball at the knees. Home Run, 3-0, Tigers.
It fell apart from there. Zito walked the next batter Craig Monroe. He was able to get Marcus Thames to hit a ground ball, although a hard hit ground ball, to Chavez, who made and nice play and excellent through, only to be botched by D'Angelo Jimenez, who is replacing the sure handed, slick fielding, Mark Ellis. Jimenez had enough time to set his feet on the pivot, and make an accurate throw. Instead, he tries to do it all in one motion, and threw the ball away, allowing Thames to take second base.
At this point, you would think that Zito would come out of the game and be replaced by a righty. Nope, Macha leaves Zito in the game to face Inge, a right handed hitter, who hit a line drive home run in his last at-bat. This time Inge hits a double off the left centerfield wall, just missing another homerun by about 2 feet. Another run scores, 4-0 Tigers. Curtis Granderson comes to the plate, grounds out to the Scutaro, which should have been the final out of the inning, but instead, allows Inge to go to third, and allows Polanco to come to the plate. Again, at this point I was screaming for Macha to take Zito out of the game. Bring in Gaudin to face the righty. Instead, he leaves him in and Polanco singles to center, 5-0 Tigers. Macha finally replaces Zito after the next hitter, Sean Casey, singles to right center. A little late at this point.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all Macha's fault for them losing. But he could have stopped the bleeding by pulling Zito in favor for his bullpen, which was strong, pitching 5 1/3, allowing just 4 hits and 2 walks. The bullpen at least kept them in the game, but it was their hitting their ultimately did them in. This is where I am frustrated.
6 out of the 9 innings, Oakland was able to get at least a runner to 2B with less than 2 outs. They were unable to score them. They were 0-13 with RISP. Inexcusable. Pathetic. They grounded into 4 double plays. That’s right, 4 Double Plays.
The best chance for the A's to do something offensively came in the Bottom of the 4th. They were down 5-0, but still, it's not like Robertson was dominating them (Robertson allowed 6 hits and 3 BB thru 5 innings, hardly dominant). Big Hurt led off the inning with a walk. The next batter, Jay Payton, doubled to left. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, No Outs. Infield playing back, ready to surrender 2 runs. Let me repeat that just to make sure you get this straight, as long as the A's next two hitters, Eric Chavez and Nick Swisher, just put the bat on the ball, they were going to allow Thomas and Payton to score which would make it a 3 run game. Of course this is when the impatience of the hitters comes to play.
Robertson started Thomas and Payton out with two consecutive balls. You would think that Chavy would at least take the first pitch. Nope. Instead, he swings at the first two, fouling off the pitches. He was able to work the count to 2-2 on two straight junk sliders that were down and away. On the next pitch, Chavy ended up striking out on a slider down and away, the same pitch that Robertson threw for 2 consecutive balls. An obvious junk pitch that Chavy had no business swinging at.
The next batter Nick Swisher steps in. At least this time Swish takes the first two pitches for balls. 2-0. The next pitch he should be taking, but instead swings and fouls off the pitch. He fouls off the 2-1 pitch to bring the count to 2-2. On the next pitch, Robertson throws a pitch high and outside about chin high that Swisher decides to swing at. Strike 3. 2 out, runners still stranded. Scutaro steps up. He worked the count to 3-2, but decided to take a strike on the insider corner. A borderline pitch, but at this point, you can't be looking to take a walk with D'Angelo Jimenez up next. You have to be swinging the bat on close pitches, especially with runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 out, down 5-0.
Let's make one thing straight here, Robertson didn't dominate. He didn't have electric stuff. Oakland was able to get to him, but when there were runners on base, they helped Robertson out. There's a big difference between Oakland helping him out and Roberts making quality pitches and hitting his location, like what Kenny Rogers did to the Yankees. Oakland just swung at garbage pitches that they usually do not swing at. They were impatient, therefore helping out Robertson.
There were a lot of factors that were involved in this loss. Macha leaving Zito out there too long, the home plate umpire being inconsistent on his calls, the A's hitters not capitalizing on many scoring opportunities, and their defense letting up. But ultimately, Oakland beat themselves.
After watching Oakland's performance against the Twins in the ALDS, I started to think to myself that maybe Macha knew what he was doing after all. WRONG.
Macha once again showed how inept he is when it comes to managing in big games---and this does not include the fact that he is starting Rich Harden in Game 3, instead of Dan Haren.
First, Zito was missing the strike zone. Yes, he did get squeezed on some calls, but his fastball was missing high and away on right handed batters. He wasn't using his 12-6 curve often enough, instead relying on his fastball when he was ahead in the count. Macha should have picked up on this.
By looking at the box score in the first 2 innings, and hearing that Zito sat down the first 8 batters to start the game, one would think that Zito was off to a great start. But the fact is that of the 21 batters Zito faced, he started off 13 of those hitters with a ball, starting himself behind in the count.
His command was off, forcing him to use a fastball more often (see Inge's HR in the top of 3rd), but even when he was up in the count, or even at 2-2, he failed to use his breaking ball.
Zito did get squeezed on a number of calls by the inconsistency of the home plate umpire. There were 3 distinct instances that had major impacts on the game.
The first came in the top of the 3rd. With 2 outs, Inge, the number 9 hitter, had just homered, and Granderson followed up by hitting a double to right field (after, of course, Zito had a 2-0 count on him). Polanco followed and didn't take the bat off his shoulders. Zito started Polanco off 2-0, and then came back with 2 fastballs to work the count back to 2-2. His next pitch was a ball up high and out of the zone. He was forced to throw another fastball, which was taken by Polanco. The ball was knee high, over the plate, but called for ball 4. An obvious strike, which would have gotten the A's out of the inning, but instead was called ball 4, extending the inning even longer. At this point, Macha should have gotten someone up in the pen. He had started 3 of the first 5 hitters with 2 consecutive balls, obviously getting squeezed, and not having pin-point control, which is what makes Zito an effective pitcher.
The second time came to the following batter, Sean Casey. He stepped to the plate with runners now on 1B and 2B, 2 out. Zito once again starts Casey off with a 2-0 count (at this point Macha should have been on the phone and getting someone warmed up without question). Zito was lucky enough to work the count to 3-2. He finally uses his breaking ball on the 3-2 pitch, and it drops into the strike zone for a strike, but somehow was called a ball. Absolute non-sense. Now, Macha should have been yelling at the ump, making a scene, showing emotion, and of course, should have had someone up warming up in the bull pen. One more run scores in the 3rd due to a play that Chavez should have made on a hard ground ball hit by Magglio Ordonez (and yes, was jinxed by a text I received from a buddy of mine saying "Chavez is silly" after a nice backhanded play Chavez had made on Magglio Ordonez the inning before, and the mistake made by me texting back "Gold Glove")
The third time came after Milton Bradley had grounded into an inning ending double play in the bottom of the 3rd (I'll get to that). Zito came out to start the 4th (with no one warming up in the bull pen). Pudge was leading off the 4th, and Zito, of course, starts him off with a ball out of the strike zone. Pudge fouls off the next pitch, so Zito then throws a 1-1 breaking ball that was dead in the zone, but somehow is called a ball. Instead of the count being 1-2, it is now 2-1. Zito's next pitch is a fastball at the knees. Home Run, 3-0, Tigers.
It fell apart from there. Zito walked the next batter Craig Monroe. He was able to get Marcus Thames to hit a ground ball, although a hard hit ground ball, to Chavez, who made and nice play and excellent through, only to be botched by D'Angelo Jimenez, who is replacing the sure handed, slick fielding, Mark Ellis. Jimenez had enough time to set his feet on the pivot, and make an accurate throw. Instead, he tries to do it all in one motion, and threw the ball away, allowing Thames to take second base.
At this point, you would think that Zito would come out of the game and be replaced by a righty. Nope, Macha leaves Zito in the game to face Inge, a right handed hitter, who hit a line drive home run in his last at-bat. This time Inge hits a double off the left centerfield wall, just missing another homerun by about 2 feet. Another run scores, 4-0 Tigers. Curtis Granderson comes to the plate, grounds out to the Scutaro, which should have been the final out of the inning, but instead, allows Inge to go to third, and allows Polanco to come to the plate. Again, at this point I was screaming for Macha to take Zito out of the game. Bring in Gaudin to face the righty. Instead, he leaves him in and Polanco singles to center, 5-0 Tigers. Macha finally replaces Zito after the next hitter, Sean Casey, singles to right center. A little late at this point.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all Macha's fault for them losing. But he could have stopped the bleeding by pulling Zito in favor for his bullpen, which was strong, pitching 5 1/3, allowing just 4 hits and 2 walks. The bullpen at least kept them in the game, but it was their hitting their ultimately did them in. This is where I am frustrated.
6 out of the 9 innings, Oakland was able to get at least a runner to 2B with less than 2 outs. They were unable to score them. They were 0-13 with RISP. Inexcusable. Pathetic. They grounded into 4 double plays. That’s right, 4 Double Plays.
The best chance for the A's to do something offensively came in the Bottom of the 4th. They were down 5-0, but still, it's not like Robertson was dominating them (Robertson allowed 6 hits and 3 BB thru 5 innings, hardly dominant). Big Hurt led off the inning with a walk. The next batter, Jay Payton, doubled to left. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, No Outs. Infield playing back, ready to surrender 2 runs. Let me repeat that just to make sure you get this straight, as long as the A's next two hitters, Eric Chavez and Nick Swisher, just put the bat on the ball, they were going to allow Thomas and Payton to score which would make it a 3 run game. Of course this is when the impatience of the hitters comes to play.
Robertson started Thomas and Payton out with two consecutive balls. You would think that Chavy would at least take the first pitch. Nope. Instead, he swings at the first two, fouling off the pitches. He was able to work the count to 2-2 on two straight junk sliders that were down and away. On the next pitch, Chavy ended up striking out on a slider down and away, the same pitch that Robertson threw for 2 consecutive balls. An obvious junk pitch that Chavy had no business swinging at.
The next batter Nick Swisher steps in. At least this time Swish takes the first two pitches for balls. 2-0. The next pitch he should be taking, but instead swings and fouls off the pitch. He fouls off the 2-1 pitch to bring the count to 2-2. On the next pitch, Robertson throws a pitch high and outside about chin high that Swisher decides to swing at. Strike 3. 2 out, runners still stranded. Scutaro steps up. He worked the count to 3-2, but decided to take a strike on the insider corner. A borderline pitch, but at this point, you can't be looking to take a walk with D'Angelo Jimenez up next. You have to be swinging the bat on close pitches, especially with runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 out, down 5-0.
Let's make one thing straight here, Robertson didn't dominate. He didn't have electric stuff. Oakland was able to get to him, but when there were runners on base, they helped Robertson out. There's a big difference between Oakland helping him out and Roberts making quality pitches and hitting his location, like what Kenny Rogers did to the Yankees. Oakland just swung at garbage pitches that they usually do not swing at. They were impatient, therefore helping out Robertson.
There were a lot of factors that were involved in this loss. Macha leaving Zito out there too long, the home plate umpire being inconsistent on his calls, the A's hitters not capitalizing on many scoring opportunities, and their defense letting up. But ultimately, Oakland beat themselves.
posted by Mark D. Miller at 8:08 AM
4 comments
