Play Ball!

Hello A’s fans this is Charles here for our first installment of our series recaps for the 2008 MLB season. The A’s opened up their first homestand in the beautiful city of Oakland against the Boston Red Sox. After splitting the two game Opening Series in Japan, the A’s proceeded to be swept in the two game Opening Series in Oakland. Before we recap the two  games, allow me to discuss the significance of Opening Day. Opening Day is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of the preceding year, and to be formally introduced to the newest members of the team. For one day only everyone is tied, and everyone has lofty expectations for the season. For one day only, the prior claims of “next year” being our year, become “this year.” From an image and public relations standpoint Opening Day is one of the most significant days on the baseball calendar. However from a practical  standpoint it is one of the most inconsequential games of the season. This year Opening Day was a bit watered down because of the Opening series in Japan, but it was also more intriguing than most because of the level of uncertainty surrounding the team. With all of the festivities out of the way, the A’s laced up the white shoes and played some baseball.

In game 1 Joe Blanton started for our Oakland A’s against Dice-K and the Boston Red Sox. Joe Blanton had a very effective start going 6 inning and surrendering 2 runs. Blanton tamed the Red Sox vaunted offense but the A’s bats came up cold. The A’s could only muster 3 hits the entire game, with the key hit being a Jack Cust solo home run. Travis Buck continued his bad start going 0-4 now making him 0-14 to start of the season. Casilla came in for relief and threw 2 scoreless innings, while Keith Foulke threw one scoreless frame. For the Sox, Dice-K was brilliant going 6 and 2/3 innings while giving up 1 run and striking out 9 batters. Youkilis went 3-4  and scored 2 runs, while my boy Jacoby Ellsbury and Jason Varitek each tallied an RBI as Boston won 2-1. So the streak of consecutive Home Opening losses reached four as the A’s have not won a home opener since 2004 versus the Texas Rangers. 

Game 2 brought us a day game that featured Rich Harden versus John Lester. Rich Harden lasted 5 innings while not giving up a run and striking out 6 and walking 4 batters. Harden was fortunate to escape a nightmare first inning where he loaded the bases. Alan Embree and Lenny DiNardo each gave up 2 earned runs, which ultimately doomed the A’s. The A’s were shutout by John Lester, Bryan Corey and Manny Delcarmen as the A’s only recorded 4 hits en route to a 5-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

As the A’s gear up for a series versus Cleveland, the A’s record stands at 1-3. It will be vital for Travis Buck to record a hit this weekend and end this nightmare start to the season. As of right now the A’s offense will need to pick it up or this is going to be a long series against Cleveland and an even longer season. A day off might help the A’s, but I think we are going to learn a lot about Travis Buck this series. If he comes out of this series without a hit, that could shatter his confidence the same way it did to Charles Thomas and Antonio Perez. I expect Buck to pick up a hit in the first game, and hopefully we won’t have to worry about that. Email us with any comments or questions at hosts@athleticscast.com, call us at 415-691-6185, or post a comment on the blog about you impressions of the first home series! Go A’s, and try to make it out to the ballpark this weekend, and always remember to live smooth.