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Power shortage in Oakland
By Jerry Feitelberg July 7, 2010 |
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There is a shortage of power in Oakland. Not the kind of juice supplied by PG&E but the kind of power that generates extra base hits such as double, triples and home runs. The A's offense, if you can it that, does not have hitters that are big boppers their lineup just does not scare opposing pitchers. Halfway through the season and the A's leading home run hitter is their catcher who has 10 homeruns so far. The next player, Kouzmanoff, has 8 and Adam Rosales, a utility player, has 6. Most teams have power hitters at the corners, first and third base as well as the right and left fielders. In addition, the Designated Hitter is usually a guy that can put the ball out of the park. So far this season, the A's DH has just 2 home runs. The A's are trying to win by playing small ball. A single or a walk then stolen base and pray for a timely hit. It may work against the bad clubs in the league but they have trouble winning against the elite teams. Their opponents this week, the New York Yankees, have players that can put the ball out of the park. Jeter, Swisher, Texeira, Rodriguez, Cano, and Posada can all wreak havoc on a pitching staff. Tonight's starting lineup for the Bronx Bombers have produced 65 home runs this season and the lineup did not include their All Star second baseman, Robinson Cano. Cano has 16 dingers so far. The A's lineup has hit but 32. The Yanks are never out of a game. They seem to get to pitchers in the late innings. Other teams have big boppers, too. Tampa Bay, Boston, Detroit, Texas to mention a few. Oakland had Nick Swisher but traded him away and got Frank Thomas in 2006. Thomas and Swisher lead the A's into the playoffs that year. Thomas came back in'08 but was done as a player and Swisher was now in Chicago. The power shortage started then and the juice still has not been turned on. |
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