Ce n'Est Pas une Ken Macha Deathwatch

Well, as they say, never write angry -- ok, we're gonna break that rule right off the bat.

Responsibility for tonight's embarrassing loss to Toronto should be laid squarely at Oakland manager Ken Macha's lethal feet.

Yes, once again the bullpen blew an outstanding effort from the starter (in this case, Rich Harden, who went 7 innings and only gave up 1 run).

Yes, yet again the offense shed white blood cells at an alarming rate.

However, once things get tight in the late innings, actual tacical decisions can indeed make the difference.

And Macha made some serious errors in judgment in the late going, especially in the 8th inning.

Let's set the table: the aforementioned Harden pitched extremely well through 7, showing excellent command of his pitches and mixing speeds and eye levels very well. He did throw 103 pitches, though, and being that he's 22, Macha made the sensible move and brought Bradford in to start the 8th to face two right-handed Toronto batters, with LH Hinske in the hole. Score is tied 1-1.

Bradford made short work of the righties, establishing his cutter and change low in the zone. Two outs, Hinske to the plate. Bradford gets ahead 1-2 -- and then Hinske starts fouling pitches off. Bradford's pitches are moving laterally fairly well, but he's missing Miller's target up on every single foul ball -- 5 in all by Hinske, maintaining the count.

Here's where the errors in judgment start.

Bradford is highly effective against righties -- and much less so against lefties. And when he elevates his pitches, he gives up gophers from both sides of the plate. So: we've got a power-hitting leftie at the plate, and Bradford is having trouble keeping the ball down, consistently making his catcher reach up 6-12 inches from his set target to catch the ball. And Hinske is right on every elevated pitch, swatting foul the pitches on the black.

And no visit to the mound by Miller. Not even one of those Pudge Rodriguez "settle down there, mister" two-handed palms-down gestures.

No visit to the mound by pitching coach Curt Young, who should plainly see that Bradford is rushing his pitches, not finishing them off, and floating them above Miller's target.

No visit to the mound by Macha -- who, to be fair, would have to lapse into rarefied Jimy Williams territory to yank a pitcher with 2 out and 2 strikes, even in the 8th inning of a tie game.

Sigh. So what happens? The Confidence Man says to himself, "5 foul balls? Next pitch is going yard."

Quid erat demonstrandum. Hinske yanks the next pitch on a line 5 rows deep in the right-field bleachers. 2-1, Jays.

After that, Bradford predictably gives up a couple more insurance runs. 4-1, Jays, heading to the bottom of the 8th.

Up for the A's, slots 4-6: Dye (RH), Durazo (LH), and Miller (RH). Pitching for Toronto, Vinnie "The Vincredible" Chulk (RH).

Dye enfeebles himself, K'ing on 3 pitches. Durazo smashes a grounder past 1B for a single. 1 out, man on 1st, and coming to the plate we have right-handed catcher Damian Miller, who is still smarting from a week-old HBP to the left elbow, which has rendered his swing Neifiesque (tonight's Coors-aided HR notwithstanding). So, you figure, rightie-rightie matchup, Miller hardly able to swing the bat, slow runner on first, slower runner at the plate -- time to call on one of our LH pinch-hitters, right? McMillon and Kielty both available.

Wrong. Miller "hits" for himself -- striking out, and looking like his hands are going to fall off and he's going to start crying with every swing. Crosby makes out to end the "threat."

Top 9, Toronto gets yet another couple runs, these off of Hammond, abetted by rookie 3B Esteban "Steve Deutsch" German's egregious throwing error. 6-1, Jays, down to the final at-bats.

Due up, we've got ... German (RH), Scutaro (RH), and Kotsay (LH). Chulk (RH) still pitching.

Now, German has enjoyed some success hitting at Sacramento (AAA) the last couple years, but he's been overmatched with every cup of coffee he's had. Plus, he just made an embarrassing error in the top of the inning. And, of course, he bats right-handed. Paging Billy or Bobby -- no. German bats for himself. And goes down quickly.

So now Scutaro -- no, wait, he's pulled back for ... a left-handed pinch-hitter. With 1 out already. And batting is McMillon -- who, we must point out, has not been given enough spot playing time by Macha to stay fresh. 2 outs.

Kotsay gets a meaningless single, Byrnes works a slightly less meaningless walk -- and Hatteberg makes the final out. (All three final hitters, by the way, working with 2-strike counts.)

Exceedingly poor personnel management tonight. I'll be the first to grant that Macha has to make do with a dodgy bullpen and feeble offense (hey, even with Chavez in the lineup, we still were in need of an extra bat) provided by Billy Beane. But tonight was exemplary of why Macha costs the A's wins they can not afford to lose.

All that being said, it's a given that Macha will not be fired -- less because he's "Billy's guy" (hand-picked to take over after Art was Howe-sted), than because firing the manager is an old-school, light-a-fire-under-'em, non-Moneyball motivational tactic.

And also, perhaps, because Beane is loath to concede any mistakes (cf, Terrence Long, Arthur Rhodes). Firing Macha would be a tacit admission that Beane chose wrongly.

Look, we're A's fans. We want to see the team do well -- and we actually like Ken Macha, we really do. But he's costing his team wins, and we can't have that.