Idiots Write About Sports

I don’t have quite the same problem with Frank Menechino that most A’s fans seem to have. Frankie’s name has been mud around here since The Great Roster Purge of Aught-Two, when he, Jeff Tam, and Carlos Pena were sent down to Triple-A for a trio of warm bodies. Tam eventually returned to the big club, and Pena got dealt to Detroit in the Ted Lilly trade—Menechino spent the remainder of 2002 in Sacramento.

Still, Frankie came up big in 2001, as that year’s version of Marco Scutaro — a career bench-warmer/minor leaguer who came up big when the team’s best-laid plans for second base fell apart. Menechino tallied a OBP of .369 that year in 578 plate appearances; he socked 12 homers, more than half his career total as of this writing. Jason and I play a dice baseball game, and we’re currently using the stats from the 2001 season — Menechino’s a regular starter and a pretty good offensive player.

But, as anyone who has access to a calendar can tell you, 2004 is a long way away from 2001. Menechino’s on-field contributions in the intervening years have been few and far between, and it was time for the team to cut its ties, especially with Scutaro stepping up and a competent back-up in Mark McLemore coming off the DL. Thanks for that 2001 effort, Frankie, and no hard feelings.

At least, that was my attitude until Monday night, when Menechino made his debut with Toronto, where he was trade for a sack of loose change. In that one game, Frankie got as many hits as he had all season for the A’s.

So don’t expect a warm reception next month on your return to the Coliseum, Frank.