NewsA's shift rotation, rest Anderson
Oakland (31-41) vs. Colorado (38-35), 6:05 p.m. PT
By Mychael Urban / MLB.com
06/27/09 1:36 AM ET
OAKLAND -- Earlier this week, the A's didn't have any plans to shuffle their starting rotation in the wake of Thursday's day off. |
The plan has changed.
Rookie left-hander Brett Anderson, who has allowed 14 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings over his past three starts, is suffering from general arm fatigue and was bumped from his scheduled start Friday. The new plan: Anderson will next pitch Monday at home against the Tigers "His arm is fine," said A's manager Bob Geren of Anderson, who gave up three runs on five hits and a walk over five innings of a no-decision last Sunday in San Diego. "[His arm is just] a little tired." Anderson, 21, is in his third year of professional baseball, and his single-season high in innings pitched is 130 1/3, in 2007. Last year, he worked a total of 105 frames while splitting time at High-A Stockton and Double-A Midland. He's thrown 69 innings this year and is on pace for 157. The A's have said they plan to closely monitor the workload of all of their young starters, particularly Anderson and righty Trevor Cahill, a fellow 21-year-old who will start Saturday evening in the hump affair of a three-game set against the visiting Rockies at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. "We felt like we needed to give him a day or two extra," Geren said of Anderson, who is 3-7 with a 5.74 ERA in 13 starts. Actually, Anderson will be getting an extra three days of rest. Cahill and Sunday's scheduled starter, righty Vin Mazzaro, will be pitching on their regular four days of rest, as did Friday night's starter, lefty Dallas Braden. If lefty Gio Gonzalez gets another shot as injured lefty Josh Outman's replacement in the rotation, he'll pitch Tuesday on five days of rest. Pitching matchupOAK: RHP Trevor Cahill (5-5. 3.68 ERA)
Cahill, 21, had one of the best outings of his rookie season on Monday against the visiting Giants, rolling through seven innings on 99 pitches while giving up one run -- a solo homer to Travis Ishikawa -- on four hits and a walk while striking out four. A sinkerball pitcher with a low-90s fastball, Cahill has been on a roll of late, allowing more than two earned runs once in seven starts since May 17. This will be his first career start against the Rockies. COL: LHP Jorge De La Rosa (3-7, 5.85 ERA)
De La Rosa recovered from a messy start against the Rays to beat the Pirates on Sunday, but not without some trouble. He had a mechanical issue in the first inning, opening his front shoulder too quickly. Although he gave up one run, he faced seven batters and had to get the final two outs with the bases loaded. He wound up going 5 2/3 innings and giving up four runs, then turning it over to an effective bullpen. De La Rosa held the Pirates to one baserunner in the third through fifth innings. Dribblers ...
Outman, on the disabled list with a sprained elbow, will take the film from his recent contrast MRI exam to noted surgeon Dr. James Anderson, in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday. Andrews performed ligament-replacement surgery on A's reliever Joey Devine earlier this year. ... Righty Justin Duchscherer, who has been on the DL all year after spring elbow surgery but recently had to shut down his throwing program -- again -- because of back pain, is scheduled to visit a doctor on Tuesday in hopes of being cleared to resume throwing. If he is and doesn't suffer any further setbacks, it'll be five or six weeks before he's ready to re-join the A's. "He'll basically be starting from scratch," Geren said. ... In anticipation of the return of starting second baseman Mark Ellis (left calf strain), who will be activated off the DL on Sunday, Adam Kennedy, who has been filling in for Ellis and is the team's leading hitter, has a new first baseman's mitt. ... Waiting outside the A's clubhouse like an eager little boy some 3 1/2 hours before the game Friday was Rockies first baseman Todd Helton, in full uniform, trying to get someone to find his friend and former teammate, Matt Holliday. Tickets
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• KTRB 860, KDIA 1640 (Español) Up next
• Sunday: Athletics (Vin Mazzaro, 2-2, 2.56) vs. Rockies (Aaron Cook, 7-3, 4.00), 1:05 p.m. PT
• Monday: Athletics (Brett Anderson, 3-7, 5.74) vs. Tigers (Rick Porcello, 8-4, 3.55), 7:05 p.m. PT
• Tuesday: Athletics (Gio Gonzalez, 0-1, 8.03) vs. Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 4-7, 5.65), 7:05 p.m. PT
Mychael Urban is a national writer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
