West Sacramento – When things go wrong, it is sometimes better to try to change things, and that’s what athletics has done.
By entering the day on a terrible section of 1-18 in the last 19 games – their worst record on a section of 19 games since it spent 1-18 from August 13 to 29, 1943 – chose them have chosen to use the opening strategy for the first time this season, starting Grant Holman during the Tuesday evening match against the twins of the Sutter Health Park.
But the decision was double. Holman, who emerged earlier this season as one of the most reliable readers of manager Mark Kotsay in high -level situations, had granted nine points in his last five games.
Jacob Lopez, whose turn in the rotation was on Tuesday, was agitated for a career summit of seven points deserved against the Blue Jays last week in Toronto. So having opened Holman in a low -effect location and Lopez prevents the top from the range to start its outing was a chance for both to strengthen some confidence.
“Our pitch in the situation in which we are at the moment, we are trying to make changes and give guys the best successful opportunities,” said Kotsay. “For Holman and (Justin) Sterner, these guys who have launched the lever effect in recent weeks, we consider it a way to give them a softer landing point. Start a game and do not come for a high level situation in the seventh round and see how to help them go ahead.”
At first, the results were promising. Holman launched a perfect first round on 10 throws, then recorded the first in the second round before being pulled after allowing the following two strikers to reach the base. Lopez followed Holman out of the lift enclosure with a withdrawal in the second and continued to withdraw eight from his first 14 faced strikers.
Then, the same game as A saw the playing so often during the last month. Bearing an advance in a race in the sixth, Lopez lost his head after allowing solo circuits to Trevor Larnach and Willi Castro. Despite a career career with nine stick withdrawals, he left with a withdrawal from the sixth and a deficit in one.
From there, the misfortunes of the end of the round of the enclosure of the lifts continued, Osvaldo Bido, Tyler Ferguson and Elvis Alvarado combining to grant five points on six strokes while the game was still touched.
“I thought Grant had done a good job,” Kotsay said. “Obtaining a first handle was great. Lopez entering the match there was a good place, and he did a decent job. The Home Runs are something on which you are looking at the statistics at the moment, we are running the league in the circuits. This is something we really have to focus on.”
The A mention the majors with 94 circuits authorized as pitching staff. Kotsay also stressed that the club leads the League moreover Flyball. The lift enclosure gave in 34 of these circuits, which ranks second in MLB, behind only the 36 of the angels.
How did this problem solve it?
“Bringing down baseball into the lower third of the area to succeed,” Kotsay said. “These are two areas that we must certainly improve.”
Of the three Lopez circuits went, all three came to land that were left in place or in the middle of the area.
“Some locations that I gave them cookies for three circuits,” said Lopez. “I thought I had launched decent. But I sort of let my exit escape at the end there. ”
The A are likely to use an opener again on Wednesday, with Jeffrey Springs to follow the enclosure of the lifts, and plan to do it perhaps a few times in the future in order to put their pitch in order.
“This is the current conversation right now,” said Kotsay. “The enclosure of the readers has launched a lot. But they launched a lot because they have trouble crossing the sleeves. At one point, they must take care of each other. This is really what the mentality must be. In terms of presentation, we will continue to focus on it. We know that this is the domain that we have to approach, and that is a big subject.”
