MLB NEWS

Stunned A’s stumble into offseason

The Sports Xchange

October 01, 2014 at 12:06 am.

Jon Lester (31) and the A's are left to wonder what might have been if they would've held a late lead. (Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Everything set up perfectly for the Oakland Athletics.

They led the Kansas City Royals 7-3 going to the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday in the American League wild-card game. They had their ace, Jon Lester, on the mound, and he had retired 13 of the past 14 batters he faced.

However, things don’t always work out according to plan, and the A’s wound up losing 9-8 in 12 innings.

The finality of the situation stunned manager Bob Melvin.

“I don’t feel very good,” he said when asked his thoughts on the win-or-go-home approach to wild-card baseball. “It was a great game. Both teams played well and played hard, but the short answer to your question is not great.”

Melvin said that Lester tired in the eighth, but he didn’t make excuses.

“He left with the lead and gave us a chance to win,” Melvin said. “You don’t expect the score to be (that high) with those two guys (Lester and Kansas City’s James Shields) pitching, especially with the bullpens. That’s why you play the game.”

Melvin’s hand was played for him because of a couple of injuries. He chose Geovany Soto as his starting catcher because of Soto’s ability to curtail the Royals’ running game. However, Soto injured his thumb in a play at the plate in the first inning and was gone by the bottom of the third, replacing by Derek Norris.

Kansas City wound up tying the single-game postseason record with seven stolen bases.

“That’s why you have other guys,” Melvin said of his backup catchers. “(Soto) kind of pulled his thumb back on the play at the plate. It got worse and worse. As a catcher, you need your thumb, especially with Lester’s cutter.”

Melvin also had to pull center fielder Coco Crisp because of a tender right hamstring in extra innings.

“If he has to come out of the game it’s not good,” Melvin said. “For him to go out there and have to come back in means it’s bad.”

The offseason is here for Oakland. After trading slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to acquire Lester in July, the A’s likely will look for additional offense in the offseason. Lester probably will head elsewhere via free agency.

Oakland general manager Billy Beane is considered one of the best in the game. He now must prove it again.