A's News Clips, Wedneday, March 10, 2010 Cliff Pennington Looks
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A’s News Clips, Wedneday, March 10, 2010 Cliff Pennington looks to nail down starting shortstop job with Oakland Athletics By Joe Stiglich, Oakland Tribune A's shortstop Cliff Pennington became a father in November. But when he wasn't busy changing diapers, he was keeping up with the A's offseason maneuverings. He's aware the team explored other shortstop options, reportedly offering Marco Scutaro a three-year contract to return to Oakland. Such news didn't bother Pennington, but he acknowledged it provides motivation this spring as he tries to prove he's the full-time answer at the position. "If they want to bring somebody in, that's fine. I go out there and play my game and do what I can do," Pennington said. "They're trying to make moves to improve the team." The A's think highly of Pennington, a 2005 first-round pick. That's why he received a 60-game trial run at shortstop to close last season after Orlando Cabrera was traded. But the A's have stopped short of anointing Pennington, 25, the unquestioned starter entering this season. They traded for utility infielder Adam Rosales partly for his ability to play shortstop. Pennington and Rosales each drew two starts through the first four Cactus League games, and both were needed Tuesday as the A's played split-squad games. A's manager Bob Geren was asked Monday if the shortstop job was up for grabs. "There's a competition everywhere," Geren said. "It's a big-league camp. Everybody has to earn it, either through past performance or what they're doing at the current time." The switch-hitting Pennington batted .279 with four homers and 21 RBIs last season after being called up July 31. He also had seven stolen bases, and the A's have him working on his bunting and baserunning this spring to take greater advantage of his speed. Pennington has received instruction from Rickey Henderson, who's been in camp as a baserunning tutor. "He has things in his game that are very exciting," Geren said. "He can handle the bat a little bit, he's got a cannon for an arm. He's still young and still improving. We've talked to him about a few things — being the best bunter he can be, the best fielder, the best base runner." Geren called Pennington the front-runner at shortstop. But with the A's placing an emphasis on better defense this season, Pennington's glove work ultimately might decide whether he sticks at the position. He didn't make an error over his first 32 games in 2009 but committed eight over his final 28. Yet A's infield coach Mike Gallego is looking beyond stats in gauging Pennington's development. "What I'm looking for from Cliff is the ability to take control, be the quarterback out there," Gallego said. "He has the talent. But I want him not to play so conservatively ... be aggressive. When he has confidence, he can play with anybody. When he doesn't, that's when he makes his mistakes." Pennington said he draws confidence from his extended stint in the A's lineup last season. He went home to the Houston area in the offseason and had a busier agenda than usual. His wife, Missy, gave birth to their first child — a son, Brady — in November. Rather than leave for Phoenix in January as in the past, Pennington found a facility near his home and maintained his usual regimen. Now he's trying to nail down his first Opening Day roster spot and starting job. "By no means am I taking anything for granted," he said. A's notebook: Oakland Athletics reliever Joey Devine experiencing tendinitis in right forearm By Joe Stiglich, Oakland Tribune The peaks and valleys continue for Joey Devine as he tries to work his way back to the A's bullpen. The reliever is experiencing tendinitis in his right forearm, which is likely to keep him off the mound for a short period and decrease the chances he'll be ready by Opening Day. Devine made it through a 30-pitch bullpen session Tuesday but couldn't muster his typical velocity when he tried cranking up his fastball. "When I tried throwing hard, it wasn't coming out the way I wanted it to come out," Devine said. Recent reports on Devine were good as he'd been throwing from the mound every three days. Ever the optimist, he said his latest setback is typical in the recovery from elbow ligament replacement surgery, and he'd rather get it out of the way in spring training. The news was better regarding starting pitcher Justin Duchscherer, who threw 33 pitches and reported his lower back felt good. It marked the first time he'd thrown from a mound since Feb. 19. Max Stassi, the 18-year old catcher from Yuba City High, homered in the bottom of the seventh as an A's split squad played the Texas Rangers to a 8-8 tie in Phoenix. In the top of the ninth, Stassi took a foul tip off his right knee and had to exit the game. He was diagnosed with a contusion and said he'd miss about a week. He also said he was being reassigned to minor league camp today, though that wasn't confirmed by A's officials. Stassi, a fourth-round draft pick in June, made quite an impression with the poise he showed in a big league atmosphere. "I had a great time," Stassi said. "I'll take all the stuff that Landon (Powell) and Kurt (Suzuki) taught me." Former Athletic Rich Harden started for Texas and allowed four runs in 22/3 innings. The A's other split squad lost 11-10 to the Kansas City Royals in Surprise. Jack Cust hit a two-run homer in the first and starting pitcher Vin Mazzaro went three innings and allowed just one hit. Travis Buck was scratched from right field before the game with dizziness, but no further information was available. When will Posey lead the next Giants generation, the A’s young sluggers, and other Spring Questions Tim Kawakami, San Jose Mercury News, 3/9/2010 * Didn’t put this in the column, but obviously the largest Spring Question in sports: When will Tiger Woods play again? I’ve blogged that I was guessing, due to complicated issues, he might not play at all in 2010. Sounds very much that I was dead wrong and maybe those issues untangled quickly right as I was typing those words. If he’s practicing like crazy in Florida now, which is the word, then maybe he’s aiming to get back for Bay Hill late this month and then for the Masters. We shall see. When I’m wrong, I’m W-R-O-N-G. -One added thought to the top note on the Giants and Posey: I’ve said this before but this is a good time to re-iterate that this really feels like a bridge year, despite the 16-victory leap last year. Bill Neukom kept the free-agent signings to two years and only gave Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy two-year extensions. They have that young pitching staff. Maybe Posey’s not ready, but he’s close. They have some more hitting talent coming through the system. So 2010 might be the period in between–the pitchers are here, the hitters are coming, and Mark DeRosa, Aubrey Huff, Freddy Sanchez and Bengie Molina are the way-station veterans filling in for now. I very much agree with this strategy, by the way. If everything breaks right, the Giants still might win the NL West. If, as usual, not everything goes right, the Giants are NOT on the hook for terrible long-term deals to mediocre old players. —the column/ Sooner or later, Tim Lincecum pitching to Buster Posey every fifth day will be more than a distant concept and far-off Giants marketing possibility. Lincecum to Posey will define the Giants — who they are and where they might end up. But for now, it’s just anticipation. Which gives this combination top billing in my list of big Spring Questions, as we emphasize the new and scrutinize the old… Spring Question No. 1: Is Posey anywhere close to proving he can handle catching Lincecum? Bengie Molina obviously is the Giants’ 2010 starting catcher, and Lincecum and manager Bruce Bochy are more than comfortable with that. But every bit of the Giants’ long-range plan focuses on Posey catching Lincecum (and Matt Cain) and providing a decade of thump and athleticism in the middle of the lineup alongside Pablo Sandoval. Posey’s scheduled Cactus League start to catch Lincecum on Sunday was rained out; Lincecum got his work in with another catcher. So the Lincecum-Posey combo will have to wait for a while. Meanwhile, Posey probably will see more time at first base in the spring. No doubt, Bochy is extra cautious about sending a neophyte to deal with the tricky stuff of Lincecum, Cain and Jonathan Sanchez. After signing for $6 million as the No 5 pick overall in 2008, then racing through the system in 2009, Posey was called up last September. Posey caught only 40 innings and got 17 at-bats with the Giants. (He caught Lincecum once, on Sept. 25, in a 3-0 loss to the Cubs. Lincecum went seven innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs.) Then came the surprise re-signing of Molina, Posey’s expected ticket to Fresno this April and the continued mystery about Posey’s ETA as the Giants’ catcher.