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Future is now for prospect Carson
Oakland (69-78) vs. Cleveland (61-86), 1:05 p.m. PT
"I love it," said callup Matt Carson at the prospect of seeing immediate playing time. (AP)
By Mychael Urban / MLB.com
09/19/09 1:54 AM ET
OAKLAND -- The A's promoted outfielder Matt Carson from Triple-A Sacramento on Friday to take the roster spot of right-hander Vin Mazzaro, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. Manager Bob Geren didn't waste any time getting the new guy in the lineup. It's one of Geren's philosophies that goes over particularly well with players: Rather than have a youngster sit and watch for a day or two after being called up, he wants them in the thick of things immediately whenever possible. Less time to freak out about being in The Show. "I love it," said Carson, who made his big league debut as Oakland's right fielder on Friday. "You're used to playing every day anyway, so it makes sense to just get on the field and keep doing what you've been doing. "Otherwise you're sitting there going, 'Oh man, I'm in the big leagues.'" Carson went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Friday's 2-1 win over the Indians. It helped Carson's cause that the Tribe sent out a left-handed starter on Friday. They're scheduled do so again Saturday, so Carson, a right-handed hitter who ripped 25 homers for the River Cats in 118 regular-season games this year, is expected to start in the third game of the four-game series. "It's pretty exciting," Carson, who is wearing No. 25, said during batting practice. "I didn't expect to play right away, but I'm glad I am." A fifth-round pick of the Yankees in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft who spent seven seasons in the New York organization before signing with Oakland as a Minor League free agent last November, Carson batted .264 with 29 doubles, three triples and drove in 77 runs during the regular season with Sacramento. He was particularly hot down the stretch. Carson, 28, batted .354 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs over his final 28 regular-season games and was 7-for-27 with a home run and three RBIs in six playoff games. "He's had an exceptional year," Geren said."He's played very well defensively, too; he plays all three [outfield] positions. ... He's been very consistent. Probably the best, most consistent outfielder [at Sacramento]." He also does a little pitching -- but he might want to hang onto that day job. In addition to appearing in 81 games for Sacramento in center field, 18 in right and seven in left, Carson posted a 10.50 ERA in six outings on the mound. A former All-Mountain West Conference selection while starring at BYU, Carson, listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, played in 18 games during Spring Training, mostly as a late-game substitution. He went 8-for-22 (.364) with a triple, a home run, four RBIs and a .464 on-base percentage in Cactus League action. "He had a great spring," Geren said. "The first time you saw him, you're like, 'What a good-looking baseball body.'" Mazzaro, 22, was 4-9 with a 5.32 ERA in 17 starts before he was scratched from a scheduled start on Sept. 3. He went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA over the first two starts of his career, 0-8 with a 7.22 ERA over his next 10 starts, and was 2-1 with a 4.26 ERA over his last five starts. Pitching matchupOAK: LHP Gio Gonzalez (5-6, 6.31 ERA)
Gonzalez gave up seven runs on eight hits in a losing effort Sunday against the Twins. Prior to that, his only other outing against Minnesota yielded an 11-run, 10-hit night, although he didn't factor into the decision. The loss Sunday for Gonzalez was his first since Aug. 26 against Seattle. He's 1-0 this season against the Indians, earning a win early July when he pitched six innings and struck out eight. CLE: LHP Jeremy Sowers (6-9, 4.49 ERA)
Facing the Twins on Sept. 14, Sowers worked seven scoreless innings. It was another strong step forward for Sowers, who has produced quality starts in six of his past nine outings after developing a reputation as a guy who falls apart the second or third time through an opponent's lineup. He gave up just six hits with two walks and two strikeouts to the Twins, stranding a pair of runners in the first, third and seventh innings. Dribblers ...
Outfielder Ryan Sweeney, whose legs are often packed in ice after games, sat Friday and likely will sit again Saturday, although his injuries aren't considered serious. Geren said Sweeney, a left-handed hitter, has "achy knees." ... Third baseman Adam Kennedy, a left-handed hitter, got the night off and was replaced by righty swinger Bobby Crosby, leaving the leadoff spot in the batting order to be filled by center fielder Rajai Davis -- who has been batting second. "He's batted leadoff his whole career," Geren said of Davis. "You could easily switch the order and [Kennedy and Davis] would be fine in the reverse order, too." ... Righty Brett Tomko, sidelined with a pinched nerve in his shoulder that causes problems throughout his arm, has not been with the team for three days, but he's had an awfully strong excuse. His wife, Julia, gave birth to twin boys, Jack and Ty, in San Diego on Friday morning. ... Asked what the chances are of Tomko pitching again this season, Geren said, "Probably less than 50-50." ... Sacramento trails Memphis 2-0 in the five-game Pacific Coast League Championship Series, which continues Saturday with a 7:05 p.m. start at the River Cats' Raley Field. Righty Jerome Williams, who is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in the playoffs, is Sacramento's scheduled starter. Tickets
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• Sunday: Athletics (Dana Eveland, 1-3, 7.26) vs. Indians (Fausto Carmona, 3-11, 6.58), 1:05 p.m. PT
• Monday: Athletics (Dana Eveland, 1-3, 7.26) vs. Rangers (Kevin Millwood, 10-10, 3.94), 7:05 p.m. PT
• Tuesday: Athletics (Edgar Gonzalez, 0-2, 4.74) vs. Rangers (Brandon McCarthy, 7-3, 4.97), 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.
