Post-Game Show: A’s 9, Rangers 4

Posted on May 7th, 2009 5:15pm by Evan Grant
Filed under Uncategorized

Not a lot to talk about today. Brandon McCarthy lost command in the fifth inning and things just kind of got out of hand there. Seems to be a lot of discussion about some of the guys at the end of the bullpen, so let’s just dive into that stuff while I’m down visiting the clubhouse.

Discuss:

• Kris Benson’s relief debut

• Eddie Guardado’s ninth inning. Any signs of recovery there?

• If you are going to go find another long man, tell me, what do you suggest you do for a guy? The Rangers had no real confidence in Luis Mendoza. What makes you think they’d have any more confidence in Doug Mathis (A.J. Murray is not a long relief option; he’s a situational guy)?

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22 Comments to “Post-Game Show: A’s 9, Rangers 4”
  • Patrick A. @ May 7th, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    B-Mac didn’t have it today, and K-Bens’ gets a mulligan on his first career relief outing. I was just glad to see some of the guys at the bottom of the order get a flurry of hits at the end (MurphMan, Crush, Salty), hopefully give them some confidence going into the CWS weekend series. Bottom of the order has been an abyss so far this season.

  • scooper @ May 7th, 2009 at 5:25 pm

    Benson did ok (for a first relief appearance and first time coming back from the disabled list).
    Eddie will be OK if he’s healthy.
    If you are going to try another long man (and I don’t think you do yet), try Mathis. Why not? He can’t do much worse. Also, he did pitch up here last year and he did OK.

  • alan @ May 7th, 2009 at 5:32 pm

    Benson get a mulligan!?!?!?!?! Benson did ok!?!?!?!?!?! What about the 9.00+ ERA BEFORE today?. Cut this washed up excuse for a pitcher today and bring up ANYBODY. A 25 year old minor league pitcher will learn something and he won’t be one bit worse that Benson. I can’t believe all of you Benson apologists.

  • scooper @ May 7th, 2009 at 5:36 pm

    Wow! Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.

  • Sriram @ May 7th, 2009 at 5:42 pm

    I’ll give McCarthy a pass since he’s been reasonably effective outside of a bad outing today. Benson, however, needs to go. I’ll second scooper’s suggestion to give Mathis a try in the long relief role.

  • Jack Daddy @ May 7th, 2009 at 6:07 pm

    Evan,

    I just like the idea of getting as many young guys in here as possible that we can build around for the next 5 years. Remember when Benoit was “just” the long guy? He evolved into one of our best bullpen guys in 07. Benson is just a placeholder. I’m fine with an aging veteran taking a spot if he truly is the clear cut guy and is doing the job (i.e., Jennings this year, but not last).

    Roll Mathis out there. If he falters, roll Diamond (but only if he strings together some strong outings in OKC). What about Bannister?

    Re/ Murray, as soon as he shows he can go back-to-back, he needs to replace Guardado for the same reason. I want to win this year, I do. But I want to win BIG next year. Guardado and Benson won’t be the reason we win this year. Right now, they are liabilities.

    Mayb Poveda gets a shot in a couple of months. Maybe its Moscoso.

    Maybe its a waiver pick up (see O’Day). But make it a young guy.

  • becca @ May 7th, 2009 at 6:42 pm

    i bet eddie gives good hugs. keep they guy around!

  • Chris @ May 7th, 2009 at 6:49 pm

    I give good hugs, Becca.

  • J. Blake @ May 7th, 2009 at 7:09 pm

    Isn’t Jennings considered a long man? And won’t Feldman surely fall back into that role when Holland goes into the rotation?

  • morgan @ May 7th, 2009 at 7:14 pm

    Wasn’t Benson a first round pick once upon a time?

  • Fai Mao @ May 7th, 2009 at 7:33 pm

    Benson was a 1st pick in the draft at one time.

    As to replacing him, if that becomes necessary, then the Rangers should simply release him and use the roster spot created to bring up one of these guys: Brian Gordon, Beau Vaughan, Elizardo Ramirez or John Bannister.

  • alan @ May 7th, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    Fai Mao just made my point..release him and you’ve got 4 or more young guys to give a chance.. I guarantee NONE of them will be worse than a washed up Benson and keep bringing them in and trying them until you find one who can pitch…there are others you can add to that list too…Moscoso, Hunter, Diamond (when healthy)..there is NO reason to keep Benson. I thought the minor league strength was pitching

  • scooper @ May 7th, 2009 at 7:47 pm

    @becca – he does seem like he would be a good hugger! I’ll go back to something I said earlier today: Eddie’s value is about more than his pitching. He is a leader and others pay attention to what he says and does. When he’s healthy, he still pitches OK. The combination is enough for me to keep him around.

  • gordosan @ May 7th, 2009 at 9:21 pm

    It too early to judge Benson, but I doubt the experiment works and Feldman has earned his spot in the rotation. I give Benson one or two outings to see if he can adjust to the pen. At that point, I look to the minor; but not to Murray. Murray will replace Guardado if the lefty doesn’t give Washington a productive showing in his next outing. Vaughn is my choice to come up to replace Benson; though Ramirez and Moscoso are good options as well.

  • Tim Perkins @ May 7th, 2009 at 10:15 pm

    McCarthy is such a frustrating guy. Never can string success together for very long. Hard to get good back-to-back games from him and sometimes, hard to get good back-to-back innings.

  • walrus @ May 7th, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    If it’s a long relief guy you want to bring up, why not bring up a starter from AAA and let them adjust to life in the big leagues? That seems to be the plan with Holland and looks to be working pretty well. It would seem that their are AAA starters with more upside than AAA bullpen guys, so let’s see those guys.

  • JustSaying @ May 7th, 2009 at 10:29 pm

    I’m with Mao I think Beau Vaughan gets the next bullpen call……..great story……great clubhouse guy…….fans will love him………LOL……..

  • rob m @ May 7th, 2009 at 10:35 pm

    Wash doesn’t have confidence in anyone who lays an egg right out of the gate. Except Benson of course, who will end up getting multiple opportunities to prove he sucks.

  • Dr. Pepper presents Batface McGee @ May 7th, 2009 at 10:37 pm

    What has Benson done to deserve any benefit of the doubt or even a 2nd chance. He is exactly want he is; a former talent that never lived up to any resemblance of expectations that now has a falty arm in a situation he has never been in and doesn’t want to be in. Like I said before, I don’t know who you bring up (what about Lizard?) but there has got to be SOMEONE somewhere that can do a better job. I really think this thing has a very good chance to win the west, and if we don’t even partly due to Kris Freaking Benson then there will be he’ll to pay.

  • JustSaying @ May 7th, 2009 at 11:15 pm

    I think Benson is on a real short leash…….

  • Fai Mao @ May 8th, 2009 at 2:03 am

    What is the story with Beau Vaughan?

    I know nothing about the guy. I was simply looking at the Redhawks roster and he appears to be a relief pitcher who has very good numbers though it is an admitted small sample. He also looks like he generally goes about 2 innings which is the need.

    I would not bring up a #A starter at this point for several reasons.
    1. They are not doing that great
    2. I believe that this is the first year at 3A for them and I’d like to see them get regular work. The exception might be Neftali Perez if they think he is really a reliever

  • Erabbrimb @ May 15th, 2009 at 1:41 pm

    223