The Difference

The Oakland A's find ways to win. The Angels find ways to lose.

I mentioned it in a previous post, but there's just something this team doesn't have. They simply do not find ways to win. They are, however, experts at coming up with creative ways to lose. Physioc mentioned in the 10th inning that the A's just find ways to win. They've been doing it for the last three months.

We saw what it took in 2002. That was a team that was never dead. They never gave up. This team just simply does not have that ability. Part of it was the fact that that the bullpen was good enough to keep giving them opportunity after opportunity. That may be the real measurable difference between 2002 and 2005.

Bartolo was terrific, getting tons of early count outs, and keeping his pitch count low enough to get himself into the 10th inning. After surrendering a runner to second base with no one out, Frankie got the job done. But with the pressure off and the freedom to nibble, he got behind in the count in the 11th, and grooved a pitch that Kielty crushed. And that, as they say, was that.

They'll try it again tomorrow, but they face their biggest deficit of the season, and things don't figure to get better so long as they can't score more than one run. I fear that this will make Stoneman do something stupid, like trade for Mike Sweeney. I'll say it right now. I'd rather lose than make a ridiculous trade like that. And if they make a trade for a bat that costs them a top 10 prospect, ANY top 10 prospect, I won't watch another game this season.

Now they have to win twice, Sean.