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By Joe Stiglich
STAFF WRITER
When spring training began nearly three months ago, A's manager Bob Geren faced several questions regarding his team.
How would the starting rotation come together? Where would the power come from in the lineup? Would this team believe in its chances when few others seemed to?
One area that Geren wasn't fretting over was his bullpen. For good reason, judging by the early results.
Despite Andrew Brown letting a two-run lead slip away in the eighth inning Wednesday against Baltimore, the A's relief corps has been one of the major leagues' stingiest. The bullpen ranks first in the American League in ERA (2.78), and its .209 opponents' batting average is tied with Arizona for tops in the big leagues.
As the A's open a nine-game road trip today at Texas, reinforcements are on the way. Setup man Keith Foulke has missed four weeks due to a neck injury but is expected to be activated from the disabled list today. Chad Gaudin, though it's hardly his preference, is shifting from a starting role to the bullpen to make room in the rotation for Rich Harden.
"We've got a lot of good arms down there," starting pitcher Justin Duchscherer said. "It's definitely a good problem to have for sure."
If relievers are accustomed to entering games in the tightest of situations, Brown says he and his bullpen mates keep things fun and low-key as they pass the innings.
For that, he credits first-year bullpen coach Ron Romanick
"He laughs with you and he has a good time," Brown said. "Sometimes he scolds us like we're kids if we're being a little bit too (rambunctious) out there."
It's been a revolving mix of relievers who have gotten the job done to this point.
The most eye-catching effort has been that of hard-throwing Santiago Casilla. Casilla spent parts of the past four years at the major-league level, but he's coming into his own this season at age 27.
He has yet to allow a run in 17-1/3 innings. That's tied for the second-longest season-opening scoreless streak by an Oakland reliever, just short of Jim Corsi's 18-1/3 innings to start the 1995 season.
As impressive as Casilla has been in 2008, Geren saw his potential when he managed Casilla in the Dominican Winter League after the 2005 season. The right-hander was pitching alongside other highly regarded relievers such as Franklyn German and Fernando Rodney and out-pitched them both, according to Geren.
"He's consistent this year," the manager said. "His stuff, when he's on, is as good as anybody's. ... He's kind of done every role since the season began. He was a fifth- or sixth-inning guy in (the season-opening series) in Tokyo, and he's moved up to where I feel comfortable putting him in any situation."
Brown, obtained from San Diego last June for outfielder Milton Bradley, was roughed up Wednesday but has still allowed earned runs in just two of his 16 appearances.
Geren continues to lean heavily on Alan Embree. The veteran left-hander hasn't allowed a run in his past 11 outings. Joey Devine boasts an 0.68 ERA in 11 appearances since being promoted from the minor leagues April 10.
Dallas Braden, who was sent back to Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday to clear a roster spot for Foulke, came up huge in Wednesday's comeback victory with 2-1/3 shutout innings.
They've all been effective in getting the ball to closer Huston Street, who had converted nine straight save opportunities until surrendering a one-run lead Monday against the Orioles.
"The great thing about the bullpen is I feel like they're interchangeable," Geren said. "I also feel like if Street was unavailable, I have two or three different options to close the game."
If the bullpen's work has made Geren's job easier, his starting pitchers also appreciate the effort.
"It gives you confidence as a starter knowing that if you get deep enough in a game and you have a lead, then you feel comfortable they're going to hold it," Duchscherer said.
Contact Joe Stiglich at jstiglic@bayareanewsgroup.com.
