By Tim Byrnes
Sure, Athletics fans can talk about their hitting protege.
In the last two series, SS Jacob Wilson went 10-for-24 with a home run, three runs, and five RBIs and has upped his batting average to the second-best in the American League at .357.
The Athletics fans can be thankful and discuss the return of Brent Rooker and his bat. He is 9-for his last 20, with three runs, five Rbi’s, and a power that has returned. He clubbed three doubles and a home run in the previous five games.
As a team, the A’s can applaud the second-best batting average in the AL, behind only the Yankees, .259 to .256.
The team and its fans can point out they are Top 5 in the AL in hits, doubles, and home runs. The offense is hitting quite nicely.
However, Athletics fans aren’t discussing our new star and the high team batting average.
The fans are talking Mark Kotsay!
What does it take for ownership to give this guy his walking papers?
What are fans saying?
Ownership, meaning John Fisher, is always a touchy subject, with just about every A’s fan owning a Fisher voodoo doll.
Fisher stops trying to keep the team in Oakland. (Pin in doll)
Fisher dismantles a playoff team and uses MLB money to keep The Gap afloat during Covid. (PIN!)
Fisher lets the Coliseum rot from the inside. (Pin in doll)
Fisher moves the team to a AAA ballpark. (Pin to doll time)
Fisher tells the new city he doesn’t want their name, alienating an expanding fanbase.
(“Mom, we need more pins!”)
Now, we see Manager Mark Kotsay lose 11 in a row, get ejected, and the team wins, only for him to return and get swept in his next two series.
Kotsay has lost his last 17 games in a row, and Fisher has said nothing.
(“Forget the pins, Mom, get me a 3-inch nail and the hammer!”)
Fans are done with Athletics leadership.
Fisher destroyed the fanbase, dismantled his team, moved them, and now is ignoring his team completely.
Kotsay was an odd choice, to begin with. His 3rd base coaching wasn’t particularly respected by the players before he was called to lead the team. Players largely ignored his signaling for most of the second half of the season under Bob Melvin, which was surprising given that he got the job.
While a fan favorite as a player, Kotsay has overseen the mismanagement of his pitching staff, which has led to the current state of the team.
The Colorado Rockies are 9-50 and possibly one of the worst teams in MLB history. The Rockies’ team ERA is currently 20 points better than the A’s, who rank last in baseball with a horrible 5.71 ERA.
What began as an exciting, winning season has turned into a nightmare, and pitching usage is the primary issue.
Even during the nice start to the season, Kotsay would leave his relievers in too long, and the A’s would get shelled once a series.
He pitched reliever Tyler Ferguson four consecutive days to start May after heavy usage in April.
Four consecutive days for a pitcher hadn’t been done by an A’s skipper since 2010, and the result was as expected. He got shelled after over 20 pitches during the fourth game, ruining an excellent .52 era.
Most of the relievers have been left to self-destruct on the mound with no pep talk trips to the mound, and they go with inflated eras.
It has gotten so bad that there aren’t many pitchers still with salvageable statistics. Pitchers like Matt Krook and Carlos Duran were brought in, left to die on the mound, and demoted.
In every series, there seems to be a blowout, with questionable usage of the pitching staff.
As a recent example, Justin Sterner has pitched three times in the last five days. He has managed three outs in three appearances, allowing seven earned runs, and is struggling, but Kotsay kept throwing him in there. He couldn’t manage even one out in the 8-4 finale loss in Toronto.
The relief corps is so shell-shocked that Kotsay began leaving starters in when they struggled.
In the last week, Sears (3.1 inns, nine earned runs), Lopez (1.2 inns, seven earned runs), and Hoglung (6.0 inn, eight earned runs) have all been left to their struggles as the relievers are gassed.
Hoglund gave up two doubles, two walks, and four home runs before he was pulled. He was struck every inning, and it reminded this writer of the home opening 18-3 loss to the Cubs. Starter Joey Estes served up three round-trippers for six earned runs in four innings.
It was batting practice, according to many who attended.
Kotsay has gassed his pitching staff with no end in sight.
Ownership is counting size 12 jeans at The Gap, and fans are fed up.
How many more blowouts or series sweeps must fans endure before a change is made?
Loading ...
We can then say that A’s shortstop Jacob Wilson is both a protege and a prodigy. I hope the A’s can get some pitching soon, because it appears that they have a good young lineup (which reminds me of the Dodgers’ in 1973-74).
I would be happy to see some American League West races between the A’s and the Angels; Houston has had its time of dominating that division. However, both California teams have flawed and/or financially insecure owners.
@ Anonymous: Thanks for your insight; I didn’t know much about Jacob Wilson’s father, except that he was a former major leaguer.
Jacob Wilson’s dad was Jack Wilson, a journeyman, 12 year veteran of MLB and thus protege seemed an appropriate word. His dad was known to spend endless hours working with his son on his game. Jack was a defensive specialist and was a career .265 hitter. His son has benefitted from that mentorship, hitting around .350. Everyone but Colorado is playing better than the A’s right now and the Angels sweeping the A’s proves they are better right now.
The Angels are now performing better than the A’s, which is a thought that might’ve seemed impossible a month ago!
Just a minor point, considering all the stuff that’s going on with the Athletics’ owner and manager: I believe you mean that Jacob Wilson is a hitting prodigy, and that he has been. I think the Dodgers wouldn’t mind having him, but right now they really need a few good, healthy pitchers.