Gaudin returns, but not for long
The pitcher will have a brief stint as a starter with the Cats.
By Scott Howard-Cooper -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Tuesday, May 9, 2006
Story appeared in Sports section, Page C3
He is a starter who became a reliever who became a starter, a River Cat who went to the A's who went to the River Cats, all in a swirling opening month.
But Chad Gaudin is not confused, merely challenged to break the rhythm of 2 1/2 weeks of the bullpen life in the majors and get his body into a new routine to work longer at Triple A. And do it beginning tonight as Sacramento opens an eight-game trip with Gaudin on the mound in Oklahoma.
Gaudin began the season by going 2-0 with a 0.52 ERA with the River Cats. That earned a promotion to the majors as a middle reliever. Throwing 69 pitches last Thursday, though, meant the A's couldn't use him again for a few days, so, needing an arm, they swapped him for Sacramento reliever Matt Roney.
Oakland manager Ken Macha made it clear the move was more the situation than a demotion. But back Gaudin came anyway, to a spot in the rotation and to his old/new team struggling for wins, even after the 3-1 victory over Tucson on Monday afternoon at Raley Field.
The River Cats are 14-17 as their best arm returns to the mound. Gaudin is scheduled to make two starts before being eligible to rejoin the A's, including Sunday in his hometown of New Orleans, but to remain a candidate for another promotion, he must pitch well in the minors while trying to transition from the bullpen back to the rotation.
"Of course it is (a challenge)," he said. "It's more of an adjustment in finding your routine, having a routine and looking at it and saying, 'How am I going to keep my arm as fresh as I can?' It's tough to find that."
Catching on - Jeremy Brown is expected to be activated by the A's today and receive his first major-league promotion after hitting .333 in 19 games in his initial season at Triple A.
Brown will back up Adam Melhuse at catcher as soon as Jason Kendall begins his suspension for charging the mound last Tuesday in Anaheim. Kendall is appealing the four-game suspension.
John Baker, the starter in Sacramento a year ago, will return to his former role after platooning with Brown the first month of this season. The River Cats called up David Castillo from Class A to play behind Baker.
The pitcher will have a brief stint as a starter with the Cats.
By Scott Howard-Cooper -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Tuesday, May 9, 2006
Story appeared in Sports section, Page C3
He is a starter who became a reliever who became a starter, a River Cat who went to the A's who went to the River Cats, all in a swirling opening month.
But Chad Gaudin is not confused, merely challenged to break the rhythm of 2 1/2 weeks of the bullpen life in the majors and get his body into a new routine to work longer at Triple A. And do it beginning tonight as Sacramento opens an eight-game trip with Gaudin on the mound in Oklahoma.
Gaudin began the season by going 2-0 with a 0.52 ERA with the River Cats. That earned a promotion to the majors as a middle reliever. Throwing 69 pitches last Thursday, though, meant the A's couldn't use him again for a few days, so, needing an arm, they swapped him for Sacramento reliever Matt Roney.
Oakland manager Ken Macha made it clear the move was more the situation than a demotion. But back Gaudin came anyway, to a spot in the rotation and to his old/new team struggling for wins, even after the 3-1 victory over Tucson on Monday afternoon at Raley Field.
The River Cats are 14-17 as their best arm returns to the mound. Gaudin is scheduled to make two starts before being eligible to rejoin the A's, including Sunday in his hometown of New Orleans, but to remain a candidate for another promotion, he must pitch well in the minors while trying to transition from the bullpen back to the rotation.
"Of course it is (a challenge)," he said. "It's more of an adjustment in finding your routine, having a routine and looking at it and saying, 'How am I going to keep my arm as fresh as I can?' It's tough to find that."
Catching on - Jeremy Brown is expected to be activated by the A's today and receive his first major-league promotion after hitting .333 in 19 games in his initial season at Triple A.
Brown will back up Adam Melhuse at catcher as soon as Jason Kendall begins his suspension for charging the mound last Tuesday in Anaheim. Kendall is appealing the four-game suspension.
John Baker, the starter in Sacramento a year ago, will return to his former role after platooning with Brown the first month of this season. The River Cats called up David Castillo from Class A to play behind Baker.
