Notes: Byrnes in leadoff spot
Dye's replacement has made most of opportunity
By Todd Lorenz / MLB.com
CLEVELAND -- After sitting on the bench for the better part of two seasons, A's outfielder Eric Byrnes has been making a serious bid to stay in the Oakland lineup for the long haul.
Byrnes got his first opportunity to play everyday in the Majors when Jermaine Dye was forced to the DL with torn cartilage in his right knee on April 25 -- and he's made the most of it. In 19 games since taking over for Dye, Byrnes is hitting .368 (25-for-68) with six doubles, four triples, two home runs, 14 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
"He's putting his name in the lineup every day," A's skipper Ken Macha said. "Not only is he making it hard not to put his name in there, but he's finding a way to influence the game every day."
So in an attempt to kick-start his struggling offense, the A's skipper decided to give the 27-year-old a chance to make an even bigger impact Saturday by hitting him in the leadoff spot usually reserved for slumping second baseman Mark Ellis.
"The impact (Byrnes has) had from where he was hitting has been pretty big," Macha said. "To move him out of there was hard to do, but you don't necessarily just need a fast guy hitting leadoff. You just look at his performance -- his on-base percentage is above .400 (.404) and you try to get the guys who are on as many at-bats as you can."
Byrnes has been taking full advantage of every at-bat this season, so hitting from the top spot -- as he did in the minor leagues and in the Dominican Republic this winter -- is a welcomed move.
"I feel good about it," he said. "I'm excited about the opportunity, but I've always said that whether hit one or nine, I'll keep the same approach."
And it's that approach which has endeared him most to his manager -- as well as his teammates and the Oakland faithful.
"This is the first time I've really got to see him play on an everyday basis, and right now he's not missing his pitches," Dye said of his replacement in the lineup. "He's been doing a great job. He's fun to watch and he goes all out. He's gonna be a great player."
Whether it be coming through with a clutch base hit, breaking up a double play or slamming into the wall while running down a foul ball, Byrnes isn't playing to impress. It's just the only way he knows how to go about the business of baseball.
"I've always played that way," Byrnes said. "Ask anyone who has watched me play in Little League, the minor leagues or winter ball in the Dominican Republic. There's no difference. I go all-out on the field the same way I do in life. I've always played that way, whether it was football, baseball or basketball. Even karate -- I was really into karate until I was about 12 -- but I'd always get disqualified for hitting people in the head. I guess I was a little too aggressive about that."
While his overaggressive nature might have cost him some KOs in the dojo, it's been more than paying off on the diamond.
Brynes, a career .246 hitter entering the season, credits a lot of his recent success to knowing that he'll be in the lineup on a consistent basis.
"It makes a huge difference," Byrnes said of having a regular routine. "It's really like playing a whole different game. I'm absolutely enjoying every part of it, day-in and day-out. I'm having a lot of fun right now and playing every day makes hitting a lot easier.
"I've been pretty much sitting on the bench for the last two years and when I did get in the game it was usually against a lefty. Most likely, you weren't going to see another left-hander for at least another week. So you felt like you better have the game of your life."
So what happens when Dye, who took early batting practice against live pitching for the first time on Saturday, returns?
"That'll be very interesting, won't it?" Macha said. "We're just gonna have to wait until we get there."
Riding that train: Sunday morning Macha's son, Eric, will graduate with a degree in computer engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, and the A's manager plans on taking a Rapid Transit Authority train to the ceremony.
"It's great," Macha said. "It takes 20 minutes. It picks you up right at the hotel and drops you off right there."
Macha plans to be back at Jacobs Field in plenty of time for the 1:05 p.m. ET finale.
"(The ceremony) starts at 9:30 a.m.," he said. "I should be back here by noon -- I hope."
Macha will miss an A's game next month in Philadelphia when his daughter Kristin graduates from high school.
Quotable: "He came out and took extra batting practice today. I talked to him and told him to gather his thoughts. We talked about how he's being pitched and he knows what's happening. He's a bright kid and he'll figure it out." -- Macha on sitting Ellis, who is hitting .164 (10-for-61) over the last 15 games
Coming up: The A's will finish their three-game series with the Indians at 10:05 a.m. PT Sunday. Left-hander Ted Lilly (3-2, 3.67 ERA) will take the hill against Cleveland southpaw Brian Anderson (2-4, 5.40 ERA).
Todd Lorenz is an editorial producer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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