3 A's sent down

[Fullabull]

Carlos Pena, Frank Menecino, and Jeff Tam were sent to AAA Sacramento.
Art Howe threatened to shake up the line up last weekend if they didn't snap out of their funk.
The A's called up top 2nd base prospect Estaban German (pronounced Hermon), Adam Piat, and Larry Sutton.

[Fullabull]

Adam Piatt's triple-A numbers weren't spectacular (.281, 5 HR, 24 RBI in 38 games), but he had been playing better lately.

Piatt and Larry Sutton should split time between DH and first base for now (whichever one Scott Hatteberg isn't playing). Sutton might have a little more short-term value. He'll probably battle Adam Piatt for playing time right now. Whoever hits will remain in the majors when David Justice returns.

German should get a chance to take over as Oakland's starting second baseman. The speedster was batting .277 with a .393 OBP for Sacramento. He has very little power.


Athletics optioned RHP Jeff Tam to Triple-A Sacramento.
Tam has really struggled this season, giving up 33 hits in 19 1/3 innings. If he gets himself straightened out in Triple-A, he could again be an important part of the Oakland bullpen during the second half of the season.

Athletics optioned first baseman Carlos Pena to Triple-A Sacramento.
For absolutely no good reason, it appears that the A's have decided that it's panic time. Pena had a strong April, but he gets sent down on the basis of 37 bad at-bats this month. Ridiculous. Scott Hatteberg and Adam Piatt will split time at first base for the A's.

Athletics optioned second baseman Frank Menechino to Triple-A Sacramento.
After a decent April, Menechino was 3-for-25 this month. Sending him down isn't nearly as bad as the move to demote Carlos Pena. He hasn't done much besides draw walks since the first half of last year.

[PissedPrincess]

BOSTON LOVES U CARLOS! COME BACK BABE!

Hiya Fulla.:wavey2:


I'm fulla booze right now. Nite.

[Fullabull]

Estaban German went 0-6 with a walk, 4 strike outs, and an error while batting leadoff tonight. He had 9 stolen bases in 38 games for AAA Sacramento.
Could this be the A's leadoff hitter the rest of the way?

[Fullabull]

Larry Sutton went 0 for 3 with a walk and a strikeout.

Adam Piatt went 0 for 2

[Fullabull]

Carlos Pena departed Network Associates Coliseum with his head unbowed Tuesday afternoon.

"This doesn't make a dent in my confidence," Pena said after being sent down to Triple-A Sacramento. "Things like this happen. I'll keep my same approach. I believe in myself."

Pena's demotion was the most noteworthy of the three Oakland transacted Tuesday, because the A's traded four top prospects to get him and reliever Mike Venafro in January and because he had the thankless task of taking over first base from 2000 AL MVP Jason Giambi.

Pena started off well and was named the league's Rookie of the Month for April, but his numbers tumbled dramatically in May, coinciding with the A's steep dive in the standings. He was in a 4-for-40 slump and his average was down to .218.

"They said I'm going to go to Triple-A to get everything together," Pena said. "The team hasn't been performing, and this is one of the changes they felt they had to make. . . . I wish I could stay here, but it's not my decision to make.

"It's funny how baseball works. I felt outstanding after the first month, and then I was stuck in an unfortunate period where I was just not getting any hits."

General manager Billy Beane explained that if the club had been more successful, there would have been more latitude to let Pena work his way out of his slump. "You can get away with some things if you're winning," he said.

As it is, Beane said, "We felt it was better to send Carlos right now to get some at-bats and get on track."