ErinOak.org http://www.erinoak.org Erin's Oakland Sport Picks Wed, 16 May 2012 03:34:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Where Does Jarrod Parker Rank Among A’s Recent Top Young Arms? http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/where-does-jarrod-parker-rank-among-as-recent-top-young-arms/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/where-does-jarrod-parker-rank-among-as-recent-top-young-arms/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 03:34:25 +0000 Erik Reitmeyer http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1184914-where-does-jarrod-parker-rank-among-as-recent-top-young-arms Though his major league career is still extremely young, it's hard not to notice why the Oakland A's were willing to part with a player like Trevor Cahill to acquire Jarrod Parker.  

After a few late shaky starts during the spring, Parker was demoted to AAA Sacramento.  He was able to rebound, however, going 1-0 with a 2.18 ERA, and more importantly, surrendering only six walks in 22 innings.

He was then able to continue that success once promoted to Oakland in late April.  Allowing only two earned runs or less in each of his four starts, he has surpassed expectations thus far this season, but his control is still a concern.  In his last two starts, he has given up a combined nine walks in only 12.2 innings pitched.

If he is to continue this level of success, then control is one aspect of his game that needs to drastically improve.  Otherwise, it's only a matter of time until opposing teams take advantage of all the free passes that Parker gives up over the course of a game.  Should he straighten out his control issues though and live up to his potential, then expect him to join the long line of young talented pitchers that have recently graced the mound in Oakland.

Beginning with Trevor Cahill, the young righty has been mightily inconsistent thus far in his career.  Coming off a 2010 campaign in which he went 18-8 and garnered Cy Young consideration at the ripe old age of 22, Cahill followed that up with an extremely disappointing season last year.  Finishing with an ERA over 4.00, Cahill was repeatedly roughed up late in the season, giving up as many as 10 earned runs in his starts.  This prompted Oakland to move Cahill this past offseason, trading him to Arizona for Parker, among others. 

With Cahill, the ability is clearly there.  Possessing one of the game's best sinkers when it's on, he has put up top of the rotation numbers in years past.  Like Parker, he just needs to remain more consistent.

He needs to focus on repeating the same arm slot with each pitch, throwing more over the top when he throws his sinker, thereby allowing him to get more on top of the ball, resulting in much more sinking movement.  As of now, Cahill has a slight edge over Parker because he has shown that he does possess the stuff to be one of the game's best pitchers.  Parker is still very inexperienced at this point, so his longevity over the course of a season is still unknown.

One player who like Cahill was traded far too soon this offseason was Gio Gonzalez.  Traded to Washington, Gonzalez established himself as one of the game's top lefties last year, finishing with an ERA of 3.12.  He has managed to top that number thus far this year, dominating with an ERA under 2.00.

Like Parker, Gonzalez had control issues early in his career.  Once he was able to manage that aspect of his game, his overpowering stuff was able to shine.  With these two pitchers, it's not a matter of talent, it's merely harnessing it.  

Gonzalez was known to be a bit temperamental while on the mound, occasionally letting his emotions get the better of him.  So far, Parker hasn't shown anything that would leave one to believe that he could lose his cool while pitching, but at this point Parker is still a liability every time he takes the mound. 

Both possess tremendous breaking balls; for Gonzalez it's his curveball, for Parker it's his slider.  If Parker can get an overall better feel for his pitches, then reaching Gonzalez's level is only a matter of time.

The other member of the big three that came up in Oakland a few years ago, and the only one still with the club, is Brett Anderson.  Potentially the most talented of the three, and I say potentially because we've hardly seen him play, Anderson coming up had every look of an ace.

Anderson and Parker do actually share a similarity, but it's an unfortunate one because the similarity I refer to is that they have both undergone Tommy John surgery despite neither being over 24.  It's a pity because in the short amount of time Anderson has pitched for Oakland, the potential for greatness is there.

Like Parker, Anderson has overpowering stuff, possessing a fastball that can reach the mid-90s consistently.  What separates Anderson from Parker, though, is his feel for pitching.  Anderson has much better command with all pitches, being able to throw any pitch in any count.  Hopefully for Anderson, he's able to regain his form just as Parker did when he came back from the injury and be that top of the rotation starter the A's still see him as.

There is no question Parker has the ability to be a dominant pitcher.  With more experience and guidance, there is no reason why Parker can't equal or even surpass the other young pitchers that have come through Oakland in recent years. 

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Though his major league career is still extremely young, it's hard not to notice why the Oakland A's were willing to part with a player like Trevor Cahill to acquire Jarrod Parker.  

After a few late shaky starts during the spring, Parker was demoted to AAA Sacramento.  He was able to rebound, however, going 1-0 with a 2.18 ERA, and more importantly, surrendering only six walks in 22 innings.

He was then able to continue that success once promoted to Oakland in late April.  Allowing only two earned runs or less in each of his four starts, he has surpassed expectations thus far this season, but his control is still a concern.  In his last two starts, he has given up a combined nine walks in only 12.2 innings pitched.

If he is to continue this level of success, then control is one aspect of his game that needs to drastically improve.  Otherwise, it's only a matter of time until opposing teams take advantage of all the free passes that Parker gives up over the course of a game.  Should he straighten out his control issues though and live up to his potential, then expect him to join the long line of young talented pitchers that have recently graced the mound in Oakland.

Beginning with Trevor Cahill, the young righty has been mightily inconsistent thus far in his career.  Coming off a 2010 campaign in which he went 18-8 and garnered Cy Young consideration at the ripe old age of 22, Cahill followed that up with an extremely disappointing season last year.  Finishing with an ERA over 4.00, Cahill was repeatedly roughed up late in the season, giving up as many as 10 earned runs in his starts.  This prompted Oakland to move Cahill this past offseason, trading him to Arizona for Parker, among others. 

With Cahill, the ability is clearly there.  Possessing one of the game's best sinkers when it's on, he has put up top of the rotation numbers in years past.  Like Parker, he just needs to remain more consistent.

He needs to focus on repeating the same arm slot with each pitch, throwing more over the top when he throws his sinker, thereby allowing him to get more on top of the ball, resulting in much more sinking movement.  As of now, Cahill has a slight edge over Parker because he has shown that he does possess the stuff to be one of the game's best pitchers.  Parker is still very inexperienced at this point, so his longevity over the course of a season is still unknown.

One player who like Cahill was traded far too soon this offseason was Gio Gonzalez.  Traded to Washington, Gonzalez established himself as one of the game's top lefties last year, finishing with an ERA of 3.12.  He has managed to top that number thus far this year, dominating with an ERA under 2.00.

Like Parker, Gonzalez had control issues early in his career.  Once he was able to manage that aspect of his game, his overpowering stuff was able to shine.  With these two pitchers, it's not a matter of talent, it's merely harnessing it.  

Gonzalez was known to be a bit temperamental while on the mound, occasionally letting his emotions get the better of him.  So far, Parker hasn't shown anything that would leave one to believe that he could lose his cool while pitching, but at this point Parker is still a liability every time he takes the mound. 

Both possess tremendous breaking balls; for Gonzalez it's his curveball, for Parker it's his slider.  If Parker can get an overall better feel for his pitches, then reaching Gonzalez's level is only a matter of time.

The other member of the big three that came up in Oakland a few years ago, and the only one still with the club, is Brett Anderson.  Potentially the most talented of the three, and I say potentially because we've hardly seen him play, Anderson coming up had every look of an ace.

Anderson and Parker do actually share a similarity, but it's an unfortunate one because the similarity I refer to is that they have both undergone Tommy John surgery despite neither being over 24.  It's a pity because in the short amount of time Anderson has pitched for Oakland, the potential for greatness is there.

Like Parker, Anderson has overpowering stuff, possessing a fastball that can reach the mid-90s consistently.  What separates Anderson from Parker, though, is his feel for pitching.  Anderson has much better command with all pitches, being able to throw any pitch in any count.  Hopefully for Anderson, he's able to regain his form just as Parker did when he came back from the injury and be that top of the rotation starter the A's still see him as.

There is no question Parker has the ability to be a dominant pitcher.  With more experience and guidance, there is no reason why Parker can't equal or even surpass the other young pitchers that have come through Oakland in recent years. 

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/where-does-jarrod-parker-rank-among-as-recent-top-young-arms/feed/ 0 Game 37 Recap: Ervin Santana Performs Black Magic on A’s Bats as Angels Win 4-0 http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/game-37-recap-ervin-santana-performs-black-magic-on-as-bats-as-angels-win-4-0/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/game-37-recap-ervin-santana-performs-black-magic-on-as-bats-as-angels-win-4-0/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 01:41:24 +0000 Clarence Baldwin Jr http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1184947-game-37-recap-santana-performs-black-magic-on-as-bats-as-angels-win-4-0 Ervin Santana went 7.2 shutout innings and Mike Trout and Albert Pujols paced the Los Angeles Angels' offense as the Oakland A's fell 4-0 in Anaheim.

Losing pitcher Bartolo Colon allowed four runs on 12 hits in 6.2 innings while striking out four. He is now 3-4 on the season. The A's only managed five hits and could not get a big hit with two chances late in the game.

In the sixth inning, the A's loaded the bases on walks by Cliff Pennington and Josh Reddick and a single by Jemile Weeks. But the threat was ended when Seth Smith struck out. In the eighth inning, the A's had runners on the corners, but pinch hitter Jonny Gomes grounded out to second. Beyond that, the A's did not do much against Santana, who struck out nine. 

Good: N/A. Nothing good about being shut out and having your starting pitcher allow 12 hits in less than seven innings.

Bad: Bartolo Colon. He was not terrible, but another uneven start has his earned run average at 4.13. This is more indicative of the pitcher the A's signed. He is good, but not great.

Ugly: N/A.

Now 19-18, the A's will head to Arlington to face the Texas Rangers for two games starting Wednesday. Tom Milone will start against Japanese sensation Yu Darvish. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Ervin Santana went 7.2 shutout innings and Mike Trout and Albert Pujols paced the Los Angeles Angels' offense as the Oakland A's fell 4-0 in Anaheim.

Losing pitcher Bartolo Colon allowed four runs on 12 hits in 6.2 innings while striking out four. He is now 3-4 on the season. The A's only managed five hits and could not get a big hit with two chances late in the game.

In the sixth inning, the A's loaded the bases on walks by Cliff Pennington and Josh Reddick and a single by Jemile Weeks. But the threat was ended when Seth Smith struck out. In the eighth inning, the A's had runners on the corners, but pinch hitter Jonny Gomes grounded out to second. Beyond that, the A's did not do much against Santana, who struck out nine. 

Good: N/A. Nothing good about being shut out and having your starting pitcher allow 12 hits in less than seven innings.

Bad: Bartolo Colon. He was not terrible, but another uneven start has his earned run average at 4.13. This is more indicative of the pitcher the A's signed. He is good, but not great.

Ugly: N/A.

Now 19-18, the A's will head to Arlington to face the Texas Rangers for two games starting Wednesday. Tom Milone will start against Japanese sensation Yu Darvish. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/game-37-recap-ervin-santana-performs-black-magic-on-as-bats-as-angels-win-4-0/feed/ 0 Oakland Raiders’ Terrelle Pryor Is in the Right Place at the Wrong Time http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/oakland-raiders-terrelle-pryor-is-in-the-right-place-at-the-wrong-time/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/oakland-raiders-terrelle-pryor-is-in-the-right-place-at-the-wrong-time/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 22:08:18 +0000 danny o'connor http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1184704-terrelle-pryor-is-in-the-right-palce-at-the-wrong-time The Oakland Raiders have begun their OTAs this week, and for the first time head coach Dennis Allen has his veterans and rookies together on the field.

News articles have come out claiming that, despite the signing of Matt Leinart, quarterback Terrelle Pryor was looking good in 7-on-7 drills. "QB Terrelle Pryor displayed nice zip and accuracy on 7-on-7's" said the team's website.

That's not the first "endorsement" of Pryor this offseason. Newly signed linebacker Phillip Wheeler talked about how much he likes to use the Raiders in Madden video games, and his offensive attack is to use Pryor as a mobile, strong-armed QB.

Wheeler is not the Raiders' offensive coordinator though. That job belongs to Greg Knapp. But it might as well be the same thing, right?

Knapp, and the West Coast offense he brings, will be asking the Raiders' staring QB Carson Palmer to use his feet and to move around as opposed to standing still in the pocket.

It's not a secret that the freakishly athletic Pryor is better suited for the West Coast offense than the older, less athletic Palmer.   

While I am a Palmer supporter, I can't help but wonder how explosive the Raiders' offense would be if Pryor was in the game. With his mobility, plus the speed of the Raiders receivers, the Raiders' offense could be even better than the Atlanta Falcons were under Knapp when he was coaching Michael Vick.

Perhaps when Allen hired Knapp to run the offense, Allen was thinking about the future with Pryor as the Raiders' QB. Everyone in the new Raiders organization, from general manager Reggie McKenzie to Allen, have publicly supported Palmer as the franchise QB.  

Although the offensive scheme may be better suited for Pryor, it looks like the starting job is Palmer's to lose.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

]]> The Oakland Raiders have begun their OTAs this week, and for the first time head coach Dennis Allen has his veterans and rookies together on the field.

News articles have come out claiming that, despite the signing of Matt Leinart, quarterback Terrelle Pryor was looking good in 7-on-7 drills. "QB Terrelle Pryor displayed nice zip and accuracy on 7-on-7's" said the team's website.

That's not the first "endorsement" of Pryor this offseason. Newly signed linebacker Phillip Wheeler talked about how much he likes to use the Raiders in Madden video games, and his offensive attack is to use Pryor as a mobile, strong-armed QB.

Wheeler is not the Raiders' offensive coordinator though. That job belongs to Greg Knapp. But it might as well be the same thing, right?

Knapp, and the West Coast offense he brings, will be asking the Raiders' staring QB Carson Palmer to use his feet and to move around as opposed to standing still in the pocket.

It's not a secret that the freakishly athletic Pryor is better suited for the West Coast offense than the older, less athletic Palmer.   

While I am a Palmer supporter, I can't help but wonder how explosive the Raiders' offense would be if Pryor was in the game. With his mobility, plus the speed of the Raiders receivers, the Raiders' offense could be even better than the Atlanta Falcons were under Knapp when he was coaching Michael Vick.

Perhaps when Allen hired Knapp to run the offense, Allen was thinking about the future with Pryor as the Raiders' QB. Everyone in the new Raiders organization, from general manager Reggie McKenzie to Allen, have publicly supported Palmer as the franchise QB.  

Although the offensive scheme may be better suited for Pryor, it looks like the starting job is Palmer's to lose.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/oakland-raiders-terrelle-pryor-is-in-the-right-place-at-the-wrong-time/feed/ 0 Matt Leinart: Bust Won’t Find Redemption with Oakland Raiders http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/matt-leinart-bust-wont-find-redemption-with-oakland-raiders/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/matt-leinart-bust-wont-find-redemption-with-oakland-raiders/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 20:37:22 +0000 David Daniels http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1184503-matt-leinart-bust-wont-find-redemption-as-raider Matt Leinart isn’t a bust—he’s simply waiting to blow up.

Or, at least, that’s what he believes.

But the former USC Trojan won’t find redemption in his return to California.

According to Jerry McDonald of the Contra Costa Times, Leinart believes that he fits in on the Oakland Raiders like a missing puzzle piece.

What would make the mediocre quarterback believe he fits in well anywhere? Well, Houston Texans quarterback coach Greg Knapp—who apparently Leinart got comfortable with down in the desert—accepted the job as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator.

Leinart said during a conference call with the local media that, “It made perfect sense for me to come here because this is a brand new offense for almost everyone on the offensive side of the ball except for myself and (guard) Mike Brisiel, who is from Houston, as well.”

His only shot at seeing the field will be if Carson Palmer goes down with an injury. But, apparently, Leinart is okay with that because, like I said before, he’s just waiting to take off. He drew this hopeful ridiculous comparison and said: “Everyone's path is different. (Warner) didn't start a game until he was (28). He's probably a Hall of Famer.”

Yeah, their career paths are perfect parallels.

Leinart was selected 10th overall, while Warner went undrafted. Leinart held a clipboard. Warner stocked shelves. And just like Warner needed Trent Green to go down to receive his big break, Leinart is just waiting for his opportunity.

Oh, I forgot this key detail in our timeline comparison: Leinart couldn’t beat out Derek Anderson, Max Hall and John Skelton for a roster spot. Warner shattered AFL records.

Leinart is a bust. His comparison to Warner is a joke. And I wouldn’t be completely shocked if Terrelle Pryor beat him out for the Raiders’ second-string quarterback job.

 

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Matt Leinart isn’t a bust—he’s simply waiting to blow up.

Or, at least, that’s what he believes.

But the former USC Trojan won’t find redemption in his return to California.

According to Jerry McDonald of the Contra Costa Times, Leinart believes that he fits in on the Oakland Raiders like a missing puzzle piece.

What would make the mediocre quarterback believe he fits in well anywhere? Well, Houston Texans quarterback coach Greg Knapp—who apparently Leinart got comfortable with down in the desert—accepted the job as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator.

Leinart said during a conference call with the local media that, “It made perfect sense for me to come here because this is a brand new offense for almost everyone on the offensive side of the ball except for myself and (guard) Mike Brisiel, who is from Houston, as well.”

His only shot at seeing the field will be if Carson Palmer goes down with an injury. But, apparently, Leinart is okay with that because, like I said before, he’s just waiting to take off. He drew this hopeful ridiculous comparison and said: “Everyone's path is different. (Warner) didn't start a game until he was (28). He's probably a Hall of Famer.”

Yeah, their career paths are perfect parallels.

Leinart was selected 10th overall, while Warner went undrafted. Leinart held a clipboard. Warner stocked shelves. And just like Warner needed Trent Green to go down to receive his big break, Leinart is just waiting for his opportunity.

Oh, I forgot this key detail in our timeline comparison: Leinart couldn’t beat out Derek Anderson, Max Hall and John Skelton for a roster spot. Warner shattered AFL records.

Leinart is a bust. His comparison to Warner is a joke. And I wouldn’t be completely shocked if Terrelle Pryor beat him out for the Raiders’ second-string quarterback job.

 

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/matt-leinart-bust-wont-find-redemption-with-oakland-raiders/feed/ 0 Raiders 5th-Round WR Juron Criner Paints a Masterpiece in 2nd OTA Practice http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/raiders-5th-round-wr-juron-criner-paints-a-masterpiece-in-2nd-ota-practice/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/raiders-5th-round-wr-juron-criner-paints-a-masterpiece-in-2nd-ota-practice/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 20:01:01 +0000 Sigmund Bloom http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1184440-raiders-5th-round-wr-juron-criner-paints-a-masterpiece-in-2nd-ota-practice Denarius Moore may go down as the steal of the 2011 draft at WR. The first real clue that Moore was going to be much better than his humble draft status indicated was a pack of reports from beat writers - many usually reserved - about Moore's cavalcade of circus catches in practices. Fast forward to the first full-team OTA practice open to the media for the Raiders, and you would swear the reporters are stuck in a time warp - except this year, the rookie fifth-round wide receiver they are swooning over is Juron Criner.

Steve Corkran of InsideBayArea.com reports that Criner "made at least four head-turning plays in a 20 minute span" and called Criner "a guy to keep an eye on". Corkran writes that head coach Dennis Allen said Criner's performance today is consistent with what they have seen from the rookie since he joined the team. Corkran also invoked Moore's name as a comparison for Criner's level of play today. 

Another InsideBayArea.com Raiders beat writer, Jerry McDonald, called Criner the "2012 version of Denarius Moore" with a qualification of "for a day anyway". ESPN's AFC West blogger, Bill Williamson, said Criner "stole the show". Williamson cited Criner's hands and leaping ability, and wrote that Criner was "terrific", noting that the rookie walked off the field with starting QB Carson Palmer while Palmer gave him "pointers and talked business".

The full list of exploits per Corkran and McDonald:

- He snared a ball thrown up for grabs in double coverage (Corkran)/Beat the coverage of DeMarcus Van Dyke and safety Tyvon Branch with a tumbling catch that brought hoots and shouts from his teammates (McDonald)

- Caught a pass in that was tipped in heavy traffic (Corkran)

- Reached back for an off-the-mark throw (Corkran)

- Made an over-the-shoulder catch on a deep pass down the right sideline (Corkran)/(Caught) a sideline throw by Terrelle Pryor that carried between 55 and 60 yards in the air, with cornerback Pat Lee the victim (McDonald)

Williamson also cautioned that he was "hesitant to get carried away" because these OTAs are "designed for receivers to shine". Still, with the eerie similarities to the reports out of Raiders practices about Denarius Moore last year, and the eventual result on the field, he'll have to forgive us for getting excited about Criner... for a day anyway.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Denarius Moore may go down as the steal of the 2011 draft at WR. The first real clue that Moore was going to be much better than his humble draft status indicated was a pack of reports from beat writers - many usually reserved - about Moore's cavalcade of circus catches in practices. Fast forward to the first full-team OTA practice open to the media for the Raiders, and you would swear the reporters are stuck in a time warp - except this year, the rookie fifth-round wide receiver they are swooning over is Juron Criner.

Steve Corkran of InsideBayArea.com reports that Criner "made at least four head-turning plays in a 20 minute span" and called Criner "a guy to keep an eye on". Corkran writes that head coach Dennis Allen said Criner's performance today is consistent with what they have seen from the rookie since he joined the team. Corkran also invoked Moore's name as a comparison for Criner's level of play today. 

Another InsideBayArea.com Raiders beat writer, Jerry McDonald, called Criner the "2012 version of Denarius Moore" with a qualification of "for a day anyway". ESPN's AFC West blogger, Bill Williamson, said Criner "stole the show". Williamson cited Criner's hands and leaping ability, and wrote that Criner was "terrific", noting that the rookie walked off the field with starting QB Carson Palmer while Palmer gave him "pointers and talked business".

The full list of exploits per Corkran and McDonald:

- He snared a ball thrown up for grabs in double coverage (Corkran)/Beat the coverage of DeMarcus Van Dyke and safety Tyvon Branch with a tumbling catch that brought hoots and shouts from his teammates (McDonald)

- Caught a pass in that was tipped in heavy traffic (Corkran)

- Reached back for an off-the-mark throw (Corkran)

- Made an over-the-shoulder catch on a deep pass down the right sideline (Corkran)/(Caught) a sideline throw by Terrelle Pryor that carried between 55 and 60 yards in the air, with cornerback Pat Lee the victim (McDonald)

Williamson also cautioned that he was "hesitant to get carried away" because these OTAs are "designed for receivers to shine". Still, with the eerie similarities to the reports out of Raiders practices about Denarius Moore last year, and the eventual result on the field, he'll have to forgive us for getting excited about Criner... for a day anyway.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/raiders-5th-round-wr-juron-criner-paints-a-masterpiece-in-2nd-ota-practice/feed/ 0 Breaking Down the Raiders’ QB Depth Chart http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/breaking-down-the-raiders-qb-depth-chart/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/breaking-down-the-raiders-qb-depth-chart/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 19:17:22 +0000 Sigmund Bloom http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1184426-breaking-down-the-raiders-qb-depth-chart The Oakland Raiders traded a first- and second-round pick for Carson Palmer last year to solve their quarterback situation for the long haul. While Palmer will most definitely be the starter to open the season, the longer view remains cloudy under new GM Reggie McKenzie.

Palmer was rough at first, which was to be expected when he was thrown into an unfamiliar offense with unfamiliar receivers after having no training camp or practices with the Raiders until the week he played. He improved as the season went on, but it wasn't enough to get the team into the playoffs. He'll start for the whole season barring injury.

With a salary of $13 million in 2013 and $15 million of 2014, McKenzie will be watching Palmer closely to see if he is worthy of those hefty paychecks. If he's not, the Raiders are still unlikely to turn to recently signed backup Matt Leinart, who is familiar with offensive coordinator Greg Knapp's scheme from the time the two spent together in Houston. 

Leinart can be a good game manager, but he lacks the arm strength to get the vertical passing game going. The Raiders know he can keep them in games if Palmer goes down. They must be unsure about second-year QB Terrelle Pryor's ability to do that, otherwise they wouldn't have signed Leinart.

Pryor, the third-string QB, was acquired in the third round of the supplemental draft last year, so he's yet another QB that McKenzie was stuck with by the previous regime. He's big and athletic, but he's very raw as a passer. If the team is pleased with his development this year and Palmer falters, he could get a shot to start in 2013.

Be sure to sound off and let us know what you think in the comments below. If you like what you see, click here for more from Bleacher Report Productions. 

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

]]> The Oakland Raiders traded a first- and second-round pick for Carson Palmer last year to solve their quarterback situation for the long haul. While Palmer will most definitely be the starter to open the season, the longer view remains cloudy under new GM Reggie McKenzie.

Palmer was rough at first, which was to be expected when he was thrown into an unfamiliar offense with unfamiliar receivers after having no training camp or practices with the Raiders until the week he played. He improved as the season went on, but it wasn't enough to get the team into the playoffs. He'll start for the whole season barring injury.

With a salary of $13 million in 2013 and $15 million of 2014, McKenzie will be watching Palmer closely to see if he is worthy of those hefty paychecks. If he's not, the Raiders are still unlikely to turn to recently signed backup Matt Leinart, who is familiar with offensive coordinator Greg Knapp's scheme from the time the two spent together in Houston. 

Leinart can be a good game manager, but he lacks the arm strength to get the vertical passing game going. The Raiders know he can keep them in games if Palmer goes down. They must be unsure about second-year QB Terrelle Pryor's ability to do that, otherwise they wouldn't have signed Leinart.

Pryor, the third-string QB, was acquired in the third round of the supplemental draft last year, so he's yet another QB that McKenzie was stuck with by the previous regime. He's big and athletic, but he's very raw as a passer. If the team is pleased with his development this year and Palmer falters, he could get a shot to start in 2013.

Be sure to sound off and let us know what you think in the comments below. If you like what you see, click here for more from Bleacher Report Productions. 

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]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/breaking-down-the-raiders-qb-depth-chart/feed/ 0 Fantasy Baseball: Time to Dump Oakland Athletics 2nd Baseman Jemile Weeks http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/fantasy-baseball-time-to-dump-oakland-athletics-2nd-baseman-jemile-weeks/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/fantasy-baseball-time-to-dump-oakland-athletics-2nd-baseman-jemile-weeks/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 18:50:08 +0000 nathaniel jue http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1184101-fantasy-baseball-time-to-dump-oakland-athletics-second-baseman-jemile-weeks The MLB season is already roughy seven weeks old. By now, players should be settling into their comfort zones, shaking off the winter rust and acclimating themselves to the 2012 campaign. Some players are egregiously on fire right now (e.g., Josh Hamilton, Matt Kemp, Lance Lynn), while others are struggling mightily (Albert Pujols, Tim Lincecum, Clay Buchholz). Fantasy owners are paying close daily attention to these upward and downward trends, trying to determine if the past month-and-a-half are blips on the radar or thumbnails of the bigger season-long picture.

The thing about determining who's hot and who's cold is that fantasy owners generally look at cold streaks with short-sightedness more so than they do hot streaks. If a player is slumping, it's easier to drop him from the lineup, or the roster altogether. But a fantasy owner is more inclined to keep a hot player in the lineup, overlooking the fact that the law of averages should catch up at some point during the year.  

It's like sitting at a cold blackjack table: Why wait out the bad mojo knowing that at some time, you're bound to win a couple of hands? Not knowing when that hot streak will occur, why not leave now while you still have a few chips? 

In fantasy baseball, cold hitters are the same. If they are slumping for an extended period of time, it makes sense to sit them for the time being. Especially if they are unestablished players who are not among baseball's elite. Players with solid reputations, like Pujols and Lincecum, can be waited out until they warm up. But others who are not yet proven are destined for the fantasy bench. 

Take Jemile Weeks, for example. The Oakland Athletics second baseman is only in his second year in the majors—his first full season. The A's had high hopes for Weeks after his impressive rookie campaign in which he batted .303 with 123 hits, 26 doubles and 22 stolen bases in only 97 games. The feeling around the organization is that a full season as a starter would only provide better all-around numbers for the speedy leadoff hitter. Makes sense, right?

Alas, that has not been the case so far this year. After Weeks' strong performance last season, he is currently the weakest link in 2012, sporting a "that's not my weight" batting average of a-buck-ninety-eight. Weeks' putrid showing thus far exacerbates Oakland's already challenged lineup. At the top of the order, Weeks was supposed to ignite team's offense, getting on base, stealing bags and scoring runs. Unfortunately, he has done very little table setting. 

Of all the second basemen in MLB, Weeks is ranked second-to-last in batting average (.198), ahead of, ironically, his older brother, Rickie. In fact, the Weeks brothers are holding up the rear among second basemen, and it makes sense to dump either or both of them right now.

Jemile ranks last in OPS (.574), second-to-last in runs batted in (five) and fifth-to-last in total hits (26), with only eight of them going for extra bases. He does, however, lead second basemen in stolen bases, but that hasn't exactly compensated for his at-the-plate performance.

One of the contributing factors to Weeks' slow weekly performance is his health. The 25-year-old has had a couple of small injuries, a groin strain earlier this month followed by an ankle turn just last weekend. These leg injuries could be nagging enough to keep the speedster grounded a bit. It might be the perfect time to sit him or drop him if there are suitable second basemen available.

Unfortunately for fantasy owners, the pool of second basemen is considerably shallow. There are a bunch of them currently hitting under .240, so it's not as though there's a ton of options to replace him. However, any other candidate is worth considering if you're looking to replace Weeks. 

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Freddy Galvis, though just a rookie, is a suitable replacement, especially considering Chase Utley's unavailable status. (He has yet to field grounders, according to SI.com, and there's no timetable for his return.) Galvis is hitting only .231, but he has 11 extra-base hits and has driven in 15 runs. He has eight hits in his last 18 at-bats and has bumped his batting average 46 points in his past 10 games. He's not the speed demon that Weeks is, but at least Glavis is trending upward.

Comparatively, Weeks has only one extra-base hit and two RBI in his last 10 games; his average has risen five points since May 1.

Additionally, Chicago Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney is likely eligible in some fantasy leagues. The 26-year-old is also entering his second full season in the bigs and is looking to put up some solid numbers after a respectable 2011. So far this year, Barney is batting .250 with 29 hits (nine for extra-bases), 14 runs scored and eight RBI.

His numbers aren't that glaringly better than Weeks', but Barney has been more consistent throughout the year. He's only gone hitless in seven starts this season; meanwhile, Weeks has done so a whopping 13 times already. By comparison, Weeks went hitless in 23 starts in all of 2011.

Though it's still early enough in the season to completely give up on Weeks at second base, fantasy owners must be conscious of his disappointing start. Sophomore slumps do exist, and it's possible that Weeks' success last year was a product of his newness to the league. Pitchers and scouting reports may have a beat on him early on this season, and though it's possible he will eventually right himself, would it be too much to expect him to climb all the way to the .300 batting average he posted in 2011? 

Probably. Maybe. Who knows? 

Unfortunately, Weeks is not seasoned enough for fantasy owners to have a pulse on whether his rough start is a temporary lull or a sign of things to come. And just like a cold blackjack player, fantasy owners of Jemile Weeks should know when to walk away. 

That time is now.


Follow me on Twitter: @nathanieljue

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> The MLB season is already roughy seven weeks old. By now, players should be settling into their comfort zones, shaking off the winter rust and acclimating themselves to the 2012 campaign. Some players are egregiously on fire right now (e.g., Josh Hamilton, Matt Kemp, Lance Lynn), while others are struggling mightily (Albert Pujols, Tim Lincecum, Clay Buchholz). Fantasy owners are paying close daily attention to these upward and downward trends, trying to determine if the past month-and-a-half are blips on the radar or thumbnails of the bigger season-long picture.

The thing about determining who's hot and who's cold is that fantasy owners generally look at cold streaks with short-sightedness more so than they do hot streaks. If a player is slumping, it's easier to drop him from the lineup, or the roster altogether. But a fantasy owner is more inclined to keep a hot player in the lineup, overlooking the fact that the law of averages should catch up at some point during the year.  

It's like sitting at a cold blackjack table: Why wait out the bad mojo knowing that at some time, you're bound to win a couple of hands? Not knowing when that hot streak will occur, why not leave now while you still have a few chips? 

In fantasy baseball, cold hitters are the same. If they are slumping for an extended period of time, it makes sense to sit them for the time being. Especially if they are unestablished players who are not among baseball's elite. Players with solid reputations, like Pujols and Lincecum, can be waited out until they warm up. But others who are not yet proven are destined for the fantasy bench. 

Take Jemile Weeks, for example. The Oakland Athletics second baseman is only in his second year in the majors—his first full season. The A's had high hopes for Weeks after his impressive rookie campaign in which he batted .303 with 123 hits, 26 doubles and 22 stolen bases in only 97 games. The feeling around the organization is that a full season as a starter would only provide better all-around numbers for the speedy leadoff hitter. Makes sense, right?

Alas, that has not been the case so far this year. After Weeks' strong performance last season, he is currently the weakest link in 2012, sporting a "that's not my weight" batting average of a-buck-ninety-eight. Weeks' putrid showing thus far exacerbates Oakland's already challenged lineup. At the top of the order, Weeks was supposed to ignite team's offense, getting on base, stealing bags and scoring runs. Unfortunately, he has done very little table setting. 

Of all the second basemen in MLB, Weeks is ranked second-to-last in batting average (.198), ahead of, ironically, his older brother, Rickie. In fact, the Weeks brothers are holding up the rear among second basemen, and it makes sense to dump either or both of them right now.

Jemile ranks last in OPS (.574), second-to-last in runs batted in (five) and fifth-to-last in total hits (26), with only eight of them going for extra bases. He does, however, lead second basemen in stolen bases, but that hasn't exactly compensated for his at-the-plate performance.

One of the contributing factors to Weeks' slow weekly performance is his health. The 25-year-old has had a couple of small injuries, a groin strain earlier this month followed by an ankle turn just last weekend. These leg injuries could be nagging enough to keep the speedster grounded a bit. It might be the perfect time to sit him or drop him if there are suitable second basemen available.

Unfortunately for fantasy owners, the pool of second basemen is considerably shallow. There are a bunch of them currently hitting under .240, so it's not as though there's a ton of options to replace him. However, any other candidate is worth considering if you're looking to replace Weeks. 

Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Freddy Galvis, though just a rookie, is a suitable replacement, especially considering Chase Utley's unavailable status. (He has yet to field grounders, according to SI.com, and there's no timetable for his return.) Galvis is hitting only .231, but he has 11 extra-base hits and has driven in 15 runs. He has eight hits in his last 18 at-bats and has bumped his batting average 46 points in his past 10 games. He's not the speed demon that Weeks is, but at least Glavis is trending upward.

Comparatively, Weeks has only one extra-base hit and two RBI in his last 10 games; his average has risen five points since May 1.

Additionally, Chicago Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney is likely eligible in some fantasy leagues. The 26-year-old is also entering his second full season in the bigs and is looking to put up some solid numbers after a respectable 2011. So far this year, Barney is batting .250 with 29 hits (nine for extra-bases), 14 runs scored and eight RBI.

His numbers aren't that glaringly better than Weeks', but Barney has been more consistent throughout the year. He's only gone hitless in seven starts this season; meanwhile, Weeks has done so a whopping 13 times already. By comparison, Weeks went hitless in 23 starts in all of 2011.

Though it's still early enough in the season to completely give up on Weeks at second base, fantasy owners must be conscious of his disappointing start. Sophomore slumps do exist, and it's possible that Weeks' success last year was a product of his newness to the league. Pitchers and scouting reports may have a beat on him early on this season, and though it's possible he will eventually right himself, would it be too much to expect him to climb all the way to the .300 batting average he posted in 2011? 

Probably. Maybe. Who knows? 

Unfortunately, Weeks is not seasoned enough for fantasy owners to have a pulse on whether his rough start is a temporary lull or a sign of things to come. And just like a cold blackjack player, fantasy owners of Jemile Weeks should know when to walk away. 

That time is now.


Follow me on Twitter: @nathanieljue

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/fantasy-baseball-time-to-dump-oakland-athletics-2nd-baseman-jemile-weeks/feed/ 0 Oakland A’s Trying to Catch Texas as Bartolo Colon Hopes to Rebound vs. Angels http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/oakland-as-trying-to-catch-texas-as-bartolo-colon-hopes-to-rebound-vs-angels/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/oakland-as-trying-to-catch-texas-as-bartolo-colon-hopes-to-rebound-vs-angels/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 10:00:54 +0000 Michael Nargi http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1183650-oakland-as-trying-to-catch-texas-as-bartolo-colon-hopes-to-rebound-vs-angels It is halfway through May and the Oakland A's are only four games out of first place in the AL West with a 19-17 record. They trail the Texas Rangers who are proving to be one of the best teams in baseball.

The team that many believed would challenge the Rangers for the division sits in last place and are the A's current opponents. 

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are having a rough season and have a 15-21 record entering the second game of the series against the A's. 

The A's can help to keep themselves close to the Rangers as well as bury the Angels a bit deeper with another victory on Tuesday night. The A's will send Bartolo Colon to the mound to take on the Angels lineup that was successfully shut out on Monday evening.

Colon is coming off his worst outing of the year against the Detroit Tigers in which he only lasted 2.1 innings while allowing seven earned runs and nine hits.

Colon could not have asked for a better matchup to get back on track.

He pitched arguably his best game of the season against the Angels in Anaheim when he pitched eight shutout innings of four hit ball. He struck out five and did not walk a batter in that outing in April.

Colon would love to rebound from his previous outing and try to keep the Angels at bay and in last place in the division. 

The A's have enjoyed impressive success in their last four games against the Angels. After dropping their first matchup of the season, the A's have won the last four meetings while outscoring the Halos 20-5. 

If Colon has a solid outing and shuts down the potent but slumping Angels offense, then the A's will be one step closer to the top of the division.

 

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> It is halfway through May and the Oakland A's are only four games out of first place in the AL West with a 19-17 record. They trail the Texas Rangers who are proving to be one of the best teams in baseball.

The team that many believed would challenge the Rangers for the division sits in last place and are the A's current opponents. 

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are having a rough season and have a 15-21 record entering the second game of the series against the A's. 

The A's can help to keep themselves close to the Rangers as well as bury the Angels a bit deeper with another victory on Tuesday night. The A's will send Bartolo Colon to the mound to take on the Angels lineup that was successfully shut out on Monday evening.

Colon is coming off his worst outing of the year against the Detroit Tigers in which he only lasted 2.1 innings while allowing seven earned runs and nine hits.

Colon could not have asked for a better matchup to get back on track.

He pitched arguably his best game of the season against the Angels in Anaheim when he pitched eight shutout innings of four hit ball. He struck out five and did not walk a batter in that outing in April.

Colon would love to rebound from his previous outing and try to keep the Angels at bay and in last place in the division. 

The A's have enjoyed impressive success in their last four games against the Angels. After dropping their first matchup of the season, the A's have won the last four meetings while outscoring the Halos 20-5. 

If Colon has a solid outing and shuts down the potent but slumping Angels offense, then the A's will be one step closer to the top of the division.

 

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/oakland-as-trying-to-catch-texas-as-bartolo-colon-hopes-to-rebound-vs-angels/feed/ 0 Oakland Raider Rookies Who Can Surprise in 2012 http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/oakland-raider-rookies-who-can-surprise-in-2012/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/oakland-raider-rookies-who-can-surprise-in-2012/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 06:57:04 +0000 Clarence Baldwin Jr http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1183651-oakland-raider-rookies-who-can-surprise-in-2012 For the Oakland Raiders to win in 2012, they will need key stars (see: McFadden, Darren) to stay healthy and be productive. However, in a season that is being used as a prologue to the changes expected under new owner Mark Davis and general manager Reggie McKenzie, rookies will have to have some impact to blunt offseason losses.

Here are five rookies that make a surprise impact for the Oakland Raiders in 2012.

Begin Slideshow

]]> For the Oakland Raiders to win in 2012, they will need key stars (see: McFadden, Darren) to stay healthy and be productive. However, in a season that is being used as a prologue to the changes expected under new owner Mark Davis and general manager Reggie McKenzie, rookies will have to have some impact to blunt offseason losses.

Here are five rookies that make a surprise impact for the Oakland Raiders in 2012.

Begin Slideshow

]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-raiders/oakland-raider-rookies-who-can-surprise-in-2012/feed/ 0 Oakland A’s Blank Angels 5-0 as Tyson Ross Is Boss Again http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/oakland-as-blank-angels-5-0-as-tyson-ross-is-boss-again/ http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/oakland-as-blank-angels-5-0-as-tyson-ross-is-boss-again/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 05:12:56 +0000 Clarence Baldwin Jr http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1183632-game-36-recap-ross-is-boss-again-in-anaheim-as-as-blank-angels-5-0 Based on the results, Tyson Ross should only pitch against the Los Angeles Angels.

Ross was sharp, throwing six shutout innings. Ross threw 94 pitches in six innings, with 60 for strikes. That is a marked improvement in control from his struggles of just a few starts ago. He allowed five hits and just a single walk while striking out two.

And Josh Reddick's solo home run in the top of the first inning was all the A's would have needed to win this 5-0 affair. Grant Balfour, Jordan Norberto and Ryan Cook combined for three shutout innings as the A's won for the fourth time in five games in Southern California. 

In the fourth inning, the A's got a run on a Josh Donaldson sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. A fifth-inning Seth Smith double and an eighth-inning Kurt Suzuki single closed the scoring. This was the fifth overall shutout by the A's, the best in the majors so far in 2012.

Good: Tyson Ross. Can not say it enough—this was a huge start for Ross. He looked like a guy who should be in the rotation again. Fantastic mix of pitches and threw pitches for strikes consistently.

Bad: N/A

Ugly: N/A

With the win, the A's move to 19-17. The final game of this short series will be Tuesday with Bartolo Colon facing Ervin Santana. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. PT.

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> Based on the results, Tyson Ross should only pitch against the Los Angeles Angels.

Ross was sharp, throwing six shutout innings. Ross threw 94 pitches in six innings, with 60 for strikes. That is a marked improvement in control from his struggles of just a few starts ago. He allowed five hits and just a single walk while striking out two.

And Josh Reddick's solo home run in the top of the first inning was all the A's would have needed to win this 5-0 affair. Grant Balfour, Jordan Norberto and Ryan Cook combined for three shutout innings as the A's won for the fourth time in five games in Southern California. 

In the fourth inning, the A's got a run on a Josh Donaldson sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. A fifth-inning Seth Smith double and an eighth-inning Kurt Suzuki single closed the scoring. This was the fifth overall shutout by the A's, the best in the majors so far in 2012.

Good: Tyson Ross. Can not say it enough—this was a huge start for Ross. He looked like a guy who should be in the rotation again. Fantastic mix of pitches and threw pitches for strikes consistently.

Bad: N/A

Ugly: N/A

With the win, the A's move to 19-17. The final game of this short series will be Tuesday with Bartolo Colon facing Ervin Santana. The first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. PT.

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

]]> http://www.erinoak.org/oakland-athletics/oakland-as-blank-angels-5-0-as-tyson-ross-is-boss-again/feed/ 0