A's Notes: With a ticket out, Byrnes is all smiles
By Jim Van Vliet -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Monday, March 31, 2003
Being back at Raley Field was like old times for Eric Byrnes on Sunday.
Then again, it was very different.
"It was awesome," he said. "As long as I'm not staying."
A fan favorite in Sacramento over the past three Pacific Coast League seasons, Byrnes went 0 for 2 in his brief return as the A's swatted the River Cats 12-1 before a sun-baked crowd of 14,611.
Byrnes batted .350 this spring, leading the A's in total bases and RBI. Still, even after earning a spot on his first Opening Day roster, he says he has mixed emotions.
"Sure, I'm excited -- for now," he said. "It's the first time I've made it out of spring. But at the same time, I want to play."
Mixed reviews -- In the A's final exhibition, it was one of those good-news, bad-news things.
While Ted Lilly cruised, John Halama was simply awful -- again.
Pitching for the A's, Lilly struck out eight during five shutout innings. The Cats' lone hit was an infield single by Billy McMillon.
Pitching for the River Cats, Halama, who was handed the final spot in the A's rotation despite a springtime ERA of 11.49, was battered for 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings, including four home runs.
Fearing he might hit somebody, Halama said he wasn't comfortable pitching against teammates. But the A's, who ended the spring by belting 21 homers in their last five games, didn't seem to mind.
Scott Hatteberg crushed a two-run shot in the first. An error by Cats first baseman Graham Koonce extended the second inning, and Miguel Tejada took advantage by belting a grand slam on top of the left-field clubhouse.
Catcher Ramon Hernández, who had three hits, hit a two-run shot in the third, and Jermaine Dye finished Halama off with a three-run drive onto the left-field lawn in the fourth.
Et cetera -- River Cats catcher Mike Rose, a former Jesuit High School star, learned his lesson about trying to be a good husband. He's on the injured list after needing nine stitches to close a wound on his left hand, suffered when he sliced it on a broken glass while reaching into the dishwasher. "I'll never go into the kitchen again," Rose said.
* After the River Cats managed just three hits, manager Tony DeFrancesco said not to fret. "We had a lot of guys have good springs," he said. "But (Lilly) is their No. 4 starter for a reason. We're going to hit."
Click here for original article