Heavy rain washed out play Monday afternoon across the Cactus
League, but there was still some intrigue involving the Oakland
Athletics. With Brett Anderson getting his start postponed against
the Los Angeles Dodgers, Athletics manager Bob Geren said the lefty
would pitch Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds, which moves Gio
Gonzalez back one day to throw Wednesday against the Chicago
Cubs.
PHOENIX
Heavy rain washed out play Monday afternoon across the Cactus League, but there was still some intrigue involving the Oakland Athletics.
With Brett Anderson getting his start postponed against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Athletics manager Bob Geren said the lefty would pitch Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds, which moves Gio Gonzalez back one day to throw Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs.
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The upshot — Anderson now lines up to start the April 1 regular-season opener. Gonzalez, who has a 1.76 ERA through four spring starts and was on turn to pitch the first game, no longer appears an option.
The A’s would have to pitch Gonzalez on short rest to get him back on turn for the opener, and that seems unlikely.
Geren has remained tight-lipped on the subject the entire spring, but he said he might have an announcement as early as Thursday.
Some consider Anderson to have the best stuff of all the A’s starters.
He went 7-6 last season with a 2.80 ERA but made just 19 starts because of elbow problems. He’s 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four outings this spring.
There remains a chance the A’s most veteran starter, Dallas Braden, could get the call. He and Brandon McCarthy both pitched Sunday and would be on turn to go Friday. If the A’s pushed Braden back a day, he would line up to pitch the opener on five days’ rest.
Braden took the ball in the A’s 2009 opener.
Surprisingly, the only one of Oakland’s top four starters who hasn’t appeared an option — based on how the spring rotation has unfolded — is Trevor Cahill, who won 18 games last season.
— Center fielder Coco Crisp, still nursing a left hamstring strain, would have been held out again had Monday’s game been played. Crisp, who suffered the injury Friday, was a late scratch from Sunday’s game.
He was getting dental work done Monday morning and not available for comment.
Geren said he’s not concerned about his leadoff man.
“He has a little bit of soreness, so obviously we’re going to take time to make sure he’s up for it,” Geren said. “It’s very mild.”
— Joey Devine allowed a homer during a 23-pitch outing in a minor league intrasquad game and said his mechanics still need work. Devine has missed two full seasons while recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery, and he recently was delayed because of irritation in his biceps.
“I’ve still got some work to do,” Devine said. “It’ll happen. Whether it happens tomorrow or three or four weeks from now, it’ll come.”
It’s appearing unlikely that he’ll open the season in the big league bullpen.
— Geren said he’ll likely name his fifth starter by the weekend. McCarthy, Tyson Ross and Bobby Cramer are the candidates.
— Story by Joe Stiglich, Contra Costa Times
