The Athletics announced on Thursday that right-hander Jharel Cotton has been optioned to Triple-A Nashville. While Cotton has been impressive at times, he’s also allowed five or more runs in three of his starts, including a seven-run drubbing at the hands of the Angels on Tuesday. As Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle writes, GM David Forst suggested that Cotton merely needs to improve his consistency and may not be long for the minors. ““Jharel has pitched better than what his overall line shows,” said the GM. “…[H]e just needs some more consistency with his performance. The bottom line is that we currently have six starters who are probably deserving of being in the big leagues; Jharel needs to continue to improve in Nashville so he’s ready when the next opportunity arises.” Cotton’s demotion will clear a spot in the rotation for lefty Sean Manaea, who is returning from shoulder troubles early next week. Manaea will be joined by Sonny Gray, Kendall Graveman, Andrew Triggs and Jesse Hahn in the starting five.
More from the AL West…
- While there’s been plenty of talk about Yonder Alonso altering his launch angle and adopting a more fly-ball-heavy approach, Athletics hitting coach Darren Bush tells Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area that Alonso hasn’t fundamentally changed his approach at the plate. Rather, Alonso has adopted a leg kick that has improved his timing and the quality of his contact. “All he’s trying to do is be in position and execute a good swing, and the by-product is the ball is going the way that it should,” says Bush. “…This year, his leg kick is just on time. He’s given himself time to read the pitch, he’s given himself time to execute his swing. … He doesn’t have a two-part swing. It’s just one fluid swing.” Alonso, once one of the game’s to overall prospects, has been a light-hitting first baseman for years but is off to a ludicrous start in 2017. To date, he’s batting .303/.389/.687 with 11 home runs and five doubles through 113 plate appearances.
- Mariners southpaw James Paxton, on the disabled list due to a forearm strain, has already been cleared by doctors to begin throwing, tweets Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Word of Paxton’s injury — particularly the ever-ominous forearm strain — was a disheartening blow the Mariners and their fans, though GM Jerry Dipoto expressed optimism that Paxton would only miss two starts at the time of the injury. While it’s not yet certain that his absence will be that brief in nature, a return to throwing just six days after landing on the DL is certainly encouraging.
- In his latest Angels mailbag, Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times tackles a number of topics, ranging from Yunel Escobar’s trade candidacy to the dearth of production the Halos have received in left field. On right-hander J.C. Ramirez, Moura notes that pitching coach Charles Nagy urged Ramirez to ditch his erratic four-seam fastball for a two-seamer late last season, and the results have somewhat quietly been excellent. The hard-throwing 28-year-old has a 3.21 ERA with 7.7 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 46.6 percent ground-ball rate in 47 2/3 innings dating back to last September. Moura notes that scouts to whom he’s spoken still don’t know what to make of Ramirez in the long run, but his early work as a starter in 2017 has been a bright spot for the Halos — especially as they deal with injuries elsewhere in the rotation.
I think its kind of sad that the hitting coach for the A’s doesn’t realize how much Alonso’s swing plane has changed. It’s a pronounced change, enough that even an untrained eye can see it, and he doesn’t get it.
In the past, it was as though Alonso was chopping wood and now it’s a definite uppercut.
Agree, it’s probably because a lot was made of Alonso asking his friends who are all very good to elite hitters, and going over the hitting coach’s head. I mean the whole no grounders thing is directly taking shots at all coaches who made power hitters try to hit liners all the time, instead of flyballs. Justin Turner, JD Martinez, Josh Donaldson, the list is growing and Alonso is the new adapter. It appears Jed Lowrie might be doing it too.
Interesting, hope to see Alonzo maintan the success, just as Justin Turner, JD Martinez and Donaldson are doing
Charlie Lau was a proponent of pretty much the opposite: Among other things, hit down through the ball; hit where the pitch is, don’t try to pull everything; the power will come.
He did okay with a young kid named George Brett, plus his direct teaching or his legendary technique helped Hal McRae, Amos Otis, Willie Wilson, Greg Luzinski, Tony Gwinn, young A-Rod, and Harold Baines, among many, many others. Walt Hriniak was his student and taught Lau’s approach.
Sorry to see that wisdom seemingly being discarded.
That same technique failed all these current guys who have much more power than the guys you mentioned. Both work for their types, but the problem is the old type was adapted for everyone, and, as these guys are proving, that was wrong.
Really? “All these current guys” have more power than A-Rod (even before juicing), Brett, or Luzinski had throughout their careers?
Plus, I’m no hitting coach myself, but I can appreciate a well-rounded approach. Isn’t it odd that the current fad goes hand-in-hand with strikeouts being at an all-time high?
A strikeout is better than double-play ground ball.
Strikeouts eat pitch counts and only cause one out, not two. They are one of the best outs you can make. Get out of 1983 and join 2017 already.
No response to my comment on the new guys having more power? Didn’t think so.
p.s. I don’t make the trends. I am observing them and noting some of the differences. If you choose to take the issue as a personal point of honor, that’s your problem.
I’ll take a guy who can work pitch counts, hit to all fields with good average, OBP, and power — e.g, a guy like George Brett– and not tend to strikeout in the clutch, over two-outcome guys all day. That’s what Lau’s legacy is.
Lmao that’s one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever seen. Strikeouts eat pitch counts? No having a good eye and working the count does and no strikeouts are one of the worst outs you can make you conveniently mention the only thing worse than a strikeout which is a double play but you fail to mention that a strike out is much worse than moving a runner over or sac fly or sac bunt or anything else other than double play.
You know nothing about baseball if you think a strikeout is one of the best outs you can make.
No they don’t have more power necessarily, but the swing through the ball approach doesn’t work for every hitter the same. You need to find the right approach for each batter. Not everyone can be successful hitting fly balls and not every hitter can be successful with a more well rounded approach.
Players today have the advantage of using technology like the Zepp, Blast Motion, and Diamond Kinetics sensors to analyze their swings. In the past players would be filmed during BP, head to the media room and analyze the footage, then take more BP and try to put it all together. Now with each swing they get instant feedback on their launch angle, bat angle, hand speed, bat speed at impact, and 3D swing model with every swing.
This allows them to both see and feel minor adjustments in their swing changes which in turn leads to establishing quicker muscle memory. I use the Zepp with youth baseball players and it helps them improve hitting skills a lot quicker than the old fashioned BP sessions, so I imagine that skilled pro baseball players pick it up even quicker.
link to twitter.com
I’m sorry…you were expecting an A’s coach to pay attention to something going on? Note the article doesn’t mention it’s anything Darren Bush did – Alonso worked with Carlos Beltran over the winter.
You got it backwards, listening to Darren Bush and all the other coaches he’s had in the last 6 years is what hindered him in the first place. Alonso worked with Machado, Beltran, Cano and Valencia, that’s who is responsible for his current swing, approach and results. Darren Bush sucks at his job, hence the A’s offenses over the last few years. .
As an A’s insider I am sad to say that I never saw this coming from Alonso. I was wrong and hope he continues to hit.
Lowrie is doing the same thing too, pretty sure no one saw a career year from him would happen in 2017.
So, the Oakland A’s AAA team is in Nashville and the NY Met’s AAA team is in Las Vegas?
They should make a trade.
Makes too much sense.
Jharol is a stud and will be back stronger… Alonso and Lowrie are both free agents after this season… Tick-Tock for the A’s… Barreto and Chapman are ready for infield duties… If Alonso were to leave then there are other choices…
J u i c e ?
Contract yr..? Wouldn’t be the 1st…Welcome To MLB 2017!