Chad Gaudin was outstanding in the first half of the 2007 season as he was 8-3 with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 18 starts before the All-Star Break. The second half of the season has been a disaster however as Gaudin has started 14 games and he is 3-9 with a 6.81 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP. The A’s better look for someone to replace Gaudin in the rotation for next season because he has proven that he can’t start for a whole season. He’s better used as a long reliever/spot starter. The A’s hope they can hold off the Texas Rangers for third place in the American League West. They are now 74-79 which has them 16 games behind the Angels and only 3 games ahead of the Rangers.

The poor Oakland A’s have suffered so many injuries this season that it’s amazing that they have played as well as they have. The A’s are currntly 71-75 which has them in 3rd place in the American League West, 15 games behind the Angels. Old friend Ron Washington has rallied his young Texas Rangers team and they are only 1 game behind the A’s. The A’s need to dig down deep if they don’t want to finish in last place in the American League West.

I’m beginning to think that the A’s are going to either trade Dan Johnson or let him walk after this season. They have top prospect Daric Barton in the big leagues right now which has pushed Johnson to the bench. Johnson deserved to sit there a long time ago but the A’s couldn’t pull the trigger because of all of the injuries they suffered in the field. Johnson has played in 39 games in the second half of the season for the A’s and he is 26 for 144 (.181 avg, .612 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 5 homers and 18 RBIs. For the season, Johnson has played in 106 games and he’s hitting .230 with 47 runs scored, 15 homers and 55 RBIs. Johnson just doesn’t have a good enough bat to be a starting first baseman in major league baseball, period.

The Oakland A’s have added another outfielder for an open tryout this season. Thompson led off an played CF for the A’s yesterday and he went 1 for 5 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI in his debut with the team. He has now played in 14 games with the A’s and Yankees this season and he is 5 for 26 (.192 avg, .584 OPS) with 3 runs scored and 3 RBIs.

The A’s have shut down reliever Kiko Calero for the rest of the 2007 season with a shoulder injury. He pitched in 46 games this season for the A’s and he was 1-5 with 1 save and a 5.75 ERA. In 40.2 innings this season he allowed 46 hits, walked 21 batters and whiffed 31.

Actually with all of the injuries the A’s have endured this season it’s remarkable that they are even around .500 this season. The A’s are in third place in the American League West, 14 games behind the Angels. You know you are in trouble when career minor-leaguer Jack Cust is by far the best hitter on your team. But that’s exactly what Cust has been as he is hitting .264 with 23 homers and 72 RBIs in only 102 games this season. Dan Haren (14-6, 2.87 ERA) and Joe Blanton (11-9, 3.88 ERA) have both been pretty sharp all season long. The only bright spot about this season is the fact that the A’s are getting a good look at a bunch of young players to see where they fit in for the future.

Rookie outfielder Travis Buck will undergo surgery on his elbow on September 10th which will end his season. He played well when healthy for the A’s which wasn’t often. He played in 82 games for the A’s this year and he was 82 for 285 (.288 avg, .851 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 7 homers and 34 RBIs. Buck will likely enter the 2008 season with a starting job in the A’s outfield if he can just stay healthy.