A'S NOTEBOOK
Byrnes Sent Down; Ratliffe Finally Gets His Call
Susan Slusser Monday, August 28, 2000
Woodside's Eric Byrnes spent just five days in the big leagues, but he wasn't at all upset about getting sent back down to Triple-A Sacramento.
``Short but sweet -- this was a great experience,'' the 24-year-old outfielder said yesterday.
Byrnes was moved to make room for right-handed pitcher Jon Ratliffe, who was brought in to bolster the relief corps a day after long man Omar Olivares had to throw five innings against the Yankees. The A's also were short in the bullpen because reliever Jeff Tam has been unavailable with a sprained knee; trainer Larry Davis said that Tam is day-to- day and might be OK to go tonight against Chicago.
Ratliffe, one of general manager Billy Beane's six-year minor-league free-agent discoveries, was 8-3 with a 3.02 ERA at Sacramento, and now is expected to spend the duration of the season with Oakland. Beane said that the A's nearly drafted Ratliffe in 1993, but they took John Wasdin, instead, and Ratliffe went to the Cubs with the 24th pick, as compensation from Atlanta for free-agent pitcher Greg Maddux. Then Chicago traded him to the Braves, a team stacked with pitching.
This season, Ratliffe was considered for several other spots when the team needed pitching, but each time, he was hurt. ``Finally, some good timing in your life,'' Beane said when greeting Ratliffe.
Manager Art Howe said the A's will consider Byrnes for a September call-up. ``He has the speed to help us win some games,'' Howe said.
To make room for Ratliffe on the 40-man roster, the A's designated left-handed reliever Rich Sauveur for assignment.
FAN FALLS: A drunken 31-year-old fan fell from the second deck to the first level of the Coliseum after Saturday's game against the Yankees, and he was taken to Highland Hospital with broken ribs and severe head lacerations, said David Rinetti, the senior director of stadium operations.
``First of all, he was intoxicated,'' Rinetti said. `'He was climbing on the railings near the foul pole on the first-base side, and staff members told him to get off, but instead, he went over to the other side and started leaning backward. Then he went down on his knees and was holding the lower rail, but his legs slipped. He was just hanging by the rail, and he's a very big guy, and he couldn't hold his weight and fell to the lower level.''
Rinetti said that the fan was knocked unconscious by the 15- to 20-foot fall but was revived at the scene.
MISCELLANY: Beane said the team is not in the market for any players before Thursday's deadline to finalize playoff rosters. ``Any September help will come internally,'' he said. . . . Infielder Olmedo Saenz, who has missed more than three weeks with a hamstring strain, is scheduled to will start a rehabiltation assignment in Sacramento on Wednesday and might join the team in Toronto this weekend. . . . Reliever T.J. Mathews (elbow tendinitis) made his first rehab appearance with Triple-A Sacramento last night. . .. ESPN ran a feature on rookie Barry Zito yesterday mentioning the fact that the pitcher used to travel with stuffed animals, so right fielder Matt Stairs presented Zito with a huge teddy bear before the game and, to a chorus of laughter, instructed him that he has to carry it with him at all times the rest of the season. . . . Class A pitcher Chris Enochs, who was designated for assignment to get Byrnes onto the 40- man roster, was outrighted back to Visalia.
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