Bay Bridge Series Notes: Cooled Byrnes optioned to Cats
By Jim Van Vliet -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Sunday, March 31, 2002
OAKLAND -- Eric Byrnes, the master of excitement and enthusiasm in his two seasons in Sacramento, tried to keep a smile on his face. But it was a losing battle.
In what manager Art Howe called his "toughest decision of the spring," the A's optioned Byrnes to the Triple-A River Cats on Saturday. Byrnes was one of six players shipped out as the A's trimmed their Opening Day roster to 25.
Normally friendly and ebullient, Byrnes was bitter when he left Howe's office.
"It makes me sick," Byrnes said. "I'm disgusted. As long as Art Howe and (general manager) Billy Beane are here, I'll respect their decision. But that doesn't mean I agree with them."
After a hot spring start, Byrnes batted .213. With an eye on defense, the A's kept free agent Mike Colangelo as their fourth outfielder instead. Still, Byrnes may have made the team had the A's decided not to open the season with 12 pitchers.
"It was the toughest call," Howe said. "There's one each spring, and this year Byrnes was it. It's not like he didn't do enough to make the team. It's just that he doesn't fit right now."
With (seven) games in a row to open the season, we wanted to go with an extra pitcher. He could very easily have made this team if we'd gone with 11 pitchers. ... He gives us something we don't have. Speed."
He just needs to go back down, get locked in and continue to improve on his defense.
"As expected, the A's placed outfielder Jermaine Dye (left tibia) and first baseman Mario Valdéz (strained calf) on the 15-day disabled list, both retroactive to March 22.
Also shipped back to Sacramento were infielders Mark Ellis and Luis López, outfielder Adam Piatt, catcher Cody McKay and pitcher Matt Miller.
But nobody took the news harder than Byrnes.
"I've got 72 hours, and I'm going to take those days," he said. "If they don't think I'm ready to play here, that's their opinion. All I can do is go back (to Sacramento) and prove them wrong.
"I've been through this six times now, and they are all hard. All I can do is keep my head up, keep a smile on my face and wait for another chance."
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