Idiots Write About Sports

Eric Byrnes hit a run-scoring double in the top of the 12th to give the A’s a 4-3 lead over the Mariners! Hooray!
Eric Byrnes bobbles a ball in the bottom of the 12th to allow a 42-year-old catcher with 16 years of wear-and-tear on his knees to score easily from second on a single to left field! Boooooooooooooooooo!
Plenty of blame to go around for tonight’s loss — we’re thinking about you, Bobby Crosby — but the temptation will be to overlook the Byrnes miscue that allowed the tying run to score or, worse, excuse Byrnes’ terrible defense because of a relatively effective night at the plate. Or as someone says here, “Byrnes was worth two runs tonight.”
He was also worth a run for the Mariners — a huge run. And a guy who scores a couple runs at the plate only to give them right back up once he puts on a glove is not a guy you should want in the lineup for your team.
Ah well, at least he hustles on his way to butchering routine plays. That’s all that counts, right?
Update: Curiously, Susan Slusser’s game account makes no mention of the Byrnes bobble.

With two on and one out, the next hitter, Randy Winn, bounced a single over Eric Chavez’s head at third to tie the game…

… because Byrnes flubs the ball, allowing the runner to score from second! If Byrnes fields the ball cleanly, then Pat Borders, in all likelihood, holds at third and you’ve got the bases loaded, one out, and a one-run lead. Maybe Seattle still wins it, but Oakland still has a shot to pull the game out of the fire. Yes, the Crosby error was more significant, but the misplay by Byrnes cost Oakland the lead! Am I the only person who thinks that’s significant?
Or to put it another way, that Bobby Crosby made a crucial error is surprising and disappointing. That Eric Byrnes made a crucial misplay is disappointing… and exepcted.