Bartolo Colon is looking like the steal of the season with yet another stellar outing for the Oakland Athletics. He was extraordinary on the mound against the L.A. Angels on Wednesday night, April 18, throwing 38 strikes in a row and taking the A's to a 6-0 shutout over their Southern California rival.
In his last time out in Seattle on April 13, Colon threw a 4-0 shutout against the Mariners, giving up just three hits, walking one, and retiring all 10 of his final batters. It looks like Billy Beane made another brilliant decision when he signed the 38-year-old to a one-year deal worth $2 million in the offseason.
According to Big League Stew writer Kevin Kaduk, his streak is "believed to be the longest since at least 1988. "
While I think fans can expect to see a lot of ups and downs in 2012 with the A's this year, Colon is certainly one of the highlights. The thought of upsetting the New York Yankees fans who are scratching their heads as to why their team let him get away gives us just another reason to smile. How many players have the A's sent across the country only to see them bring fame and more fortune to the team with the big bucks?
Colon was extraordinary against the Angels. He threw a total of 108 pitches over eight innings, with 82 of them strikes. He didn't allow one walk, and, so far, he's only allowed two batters to reach first base on walks this season.
The A's offense has been off and on so far this season, but they were on fire Wednesday night. Yoenis Cespedes hit his fourth one out of the park this year with a three-run homer in the first inning to get the game off to a great start.
Cespedes leads the team with 12 RBIs in 12 games, giving fans another reason to applaud Billy Beane for his decision in bringing the Cuban defector to the major leagues. In the team's home opener on April 6, the highlight of the game was his two-run homer that was estimated by Hit Tracker Online to be 462 feet. Cespedes became the first Oakland player to hit three home runs in his first three games in the major leagues that night.
As fans of the Green and Gold, we also have to be pleased that the Angels continue to stay at the bottom of the American League West with a record of 4-8. The A's are now third in the division at 6-7, and even if they were to lose the fourth game of the series tonight, the Angels will remain in last place.
K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, following the Oakland Athletics since the days of Billy Ball, and attending hundreds of games over the past three decades. Follow her at www.facebook.com/KCDermodyWriter, Twitter @kcdermody, or www.kcdermodywriter.com.
More from this contributor:
Oakland A's Lose Series to Seattle Mariners 2-1: Fan Reaction
Oakland Athletics' Tom Milone Pitches 8-inning Shutout Against Kansas City: Fan Reaction
Oakland Athletics' Yoenis Cespedes Steals the Show in the Series Against the Mariners: an Reaction
Jose Canseco Still Waiting or that Call from Billy Beane
