April 30, 2006
Pick Your Pitcher
As I write this, Kirk Saarloos has been brought in to mop up a rare A’s blowout win. As this is the second time in three days that Saarloos has pitched, one would conclude that he’s been removed from consideration as the stand-in for the newly disabled Rich Harden when the A’s face the Yorba Linda Angels of Fullerton at Angel Stadium of Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Since Chad Gaudin also threw two innings and 32 pitches in today’s game, he’s out, too.
Among the players on the 25-man roster, that leaves Brad Halsey, last seen on Wednesday against the Rangers. And indeed, in scaring up that Yahoo link to Halsey, he’s listed as making the start on May 2.
So it looks like we can break some news on this site — sources are telling this reporter that Brad Halsey gets the start Tuesday night. Remember — you heard it hear first, unless you read it in the same place I did. In which case, the hell with you for not coming here first.
The question as to who pitches at home against Cleveland Thursday afternoon remains open. Normally, that spot would fall to Esteban Loaiza, who was last seen serving up batting-practice fastballs to the fearsome mashers of the Kansas City Royals lineup. While the rain may have washed away the stats from Saturday’s debacle, it certainly can’t erase the impression that Loaiza has no business on a pitching mound — not until his fastball consistently tops 90 mph on the speed gun at any rate. And it might take a lengthy stay in Sacramento for that to happen.
Presumably, if Loaiza is sent up the I-5, either Saarloos or Gaudin would be rested enough to fill in then, assuming neither one pitches in the Anaheim series. Or, as the Chronicle speculates, it could be Randy Keisler, especially if Loaiza gets sent to Triple-A, and someone has to be promoted to take his place.
We’ll find out for sure soon enough, since Billy Beane will be waiting in Anaheim to talk things over with Ken Macha. I’d like to helpfully point out to the A’s brain trust that there’s an Amtrak station just beyond the outfield wall of Angel Stadium, and that a ticket to Sacramento could be had for $52 that would have Loaiza in the capital city just after sundwon. Gotta save your pennies when you’ve committed $21 million over the next three years to a guy who can’t pitch past the second inning, after all.
