Well, that sucked. I really don’t know how else to sum it up. I’m just glad that the interminable beating Oakland laid down on the Halos tonight is finally over.
In all seriousness, I’m not all that upset about tonight’s clobbering. Yes, it was embarrassing. Yes, the offense was pathetic. Yes, Chatwood was lousy. Yes, the bullpen still stinks. But you know what? Nights like these happen to every team a few times per year and tonight it was the Angels’ turn.
Game Notes:
- This was a truly alarming appearance for Tyler Chatwood. Normally, his trouble is caused by him giving up a bunch of walks, but that really wasn’t the case tonight. Instead, the A’s hit him hard and hit him often tagging him for seven hits in 2.1 innings. For the most part, Chatwood hasn’t been all that hittable this year and that was a big reason for hope with him, which is why I am starting to get really concerned for him now since he basically turned into a human pinata tonight. And this extends to his last start too. The ChiSox got to him for eight hits in his last start and they were another team that had seen him previously, so I really worry that things could go south for Tyler now that everyone is starting to get the book on him.
- Oh, Kevin Jepsen. Blow out or no, just another awful performance. I wish I knew how he got so bad this season and I don’t think he knows either. Let’s just say that I hope he didn’t give up the lease on his apartment in Salt Lake.
- Speaking of poor relief performances, Rich Thompson didn’t do himself any favors tonight. I could normally excuse a guy for not having great concentration when entering a game during a blowout, but it wasn’t like Rich was just a little off. His control was all over the place and he got touched up for two homers too. I hate to say it, but he may have just pitched himself out of the setup job because he was so bad in a game where his team was trailing by double digits. (EDITOR’S NOTE: Chopper didn’t give up any homers, I just can’t read a box score and didn’t watch the end of the game because I am not a sadist. Still, he wasn’t very good, so my basic point stands.)
- We got to see some good and bad of Howie Kendrick learning left field on the job tonight. On one hand, he played a ball off the wall poorly early in the game and missed a chance to save a run (at least temporarily), but a few innings later, he also made a very nice running catch in the gap. This fulfills my contractual obligation to say something kind of positive depsite the terrible nature of this loss.
Halo A-Hole
NOBODY
With a loss this lopsided, it is unfair to single any one player out. More importantly, there is no sense piling on either, so I’m giving the boys a free pass tonight.