Two reasons to love Zach Britton

[Nevermore]

When Zach was interviewed tonight, he said that he used to be a starter. So going more than 1 inning hasn't been that big of a deal. Though of course, when he was a starter, he only pitched once every 5 days. As a closer, he has to be available far more often. But he was absolutely awesome!:clap3:

[Phantom]

Mama there goes that man!

[OFFNY]

o

(vs. MARINERS, 8/10)

A 5-out save tonight, although he essentially had to get 7 outs because of Hardy's error and the dropped 3rd strike.

0 walks, 4 strikeouts.

36 Pitches (28 Strikes, 8 Balls.)

It got scary in the 9th inning after the double, the wild pitch, and the dropped 3rd strike made the score 3-2 with the potential tying run on base, but Zachary hung in there and finished it off.

[scOtt]

99 with like a foot of sink. Issac Newton rolls over in his grave when he pitches.

[scOtt]

[video=youtube;gOMibx876A4]

[DrungoHazewood]

99 with like a foot of sink. Issac Newton rolls over in his grave when he pitches.

Newton would love Zach Britton. The sinker is a beautiful example of gravity accelerating an object downward at 9.8 m/s/s, countered with just a touch of lift from the Magnus force from a mostly-uniformly-rough rotating sphere.

[DJHJR86]

That pitch that ended the game last night was sick.

[Three Run Homer]

Last night's ninth inning could have easily turned into a season-defining, kick-in-the-stomach loss, like the Arizona games from 2013. Hardy makes an error, Gutierrez fights off pitch after pitch, Caleb can't catch strike three and allows the winning run to come to the plate, and Britton's pitch count climbs into the thirties.

There were a lot of ways and a lot of ready-made excuses for Britton to lose that game, but he didn't.

[Frobby]

Last night's ninth inning could have easily turned into a season-defining, kick-in-the-stomach loss, like the Arizona games from 2013. Hardy makes an error, Gutierrez fights off pitch after pitch, Caleb can't catch strike three and allows the winning run to come to the plate, and Britton's pitch count climbs into the thirties.

There were a lot of ways and a lot of ready-made excuses for Britton to lose that game, but he didn't.

Absolutely. He's turned into quite the bulldog.

[OFFNY]

Last night's ninth inning could have easily turned into a season-defining, kick-in-the-stomach loss, like the Arizona games from 2013. Hardy makes an error, Gutierrez fights off pitch after pitch, Caleb can't catch strike three and allows the winning run to come to the plate, and Britton's pitch count climbs into the thirties.

There were a lot of ways and a lot of ready-made excuses for Britton to lose that game, but he didn't.

In general, that's life for a team (and their fans) that is just a tad over .500 two-thirds of the way into the season, and desperately trying to break through to the next level.

As a fan it is very nerve-wracking, because so much is riding on every game. Every win is big, but every loss is at least as big, and sometimes seemingly bigger.

[OFFNY]

o

(vs. ATHLETICS, 8/14)

On many occasions this season, Britton has bailed the team out.

Tonight, Zach had a rare blown save, and an off night (combined with some bad luck.)

Tonight, the team (his bullpen mates in particular) was able to pay Zach back a little bit for everything that he has given them over the course of the season.

[SteveO]

o

(vs. ATHLETICS, 8/14)

On many occasions this season, Britton has bailed the team out.

Tonight, Zach had a rare blown save, and an off night (combined with some bad luck.)

Tonight, the team (his bullpen mates in particular) was able to pay Zach back a little bit for everything that he has given them over the course of the season.

Honestly I thought he pitched almost as well as he usually does. Cheap hits and bad luck did him in tonight. Glad the team had his back though!

[BMann]

The 8/14 game was very similar to ZB's other blown save this season, in which a couple of very cheap hits led to a tie game. And the O's ended up winning both games, so when Britton has entered a game in a save situation, the Birds have yet to lose.

Blowing a save isn't the worst thing in the world - letting the opposition take the lead is. Zach hasn't done that all season, at least in a save situation.

[mdbdotcom]

Sell high. Trade him this off-season, coming off an All Star season and before he becomes too expensive to keep. Fill a major league need or replenish the farm

[wildcard]

Zach is a wonderful closer but he is not a robot. He left that pitch up to Valencia enough that he could shot it to right field. It wasn't one of his best pitches.

http://m.athletics.mlb.com/oak/video/v369171883/oakbal-valencia-rips-a-gametying-single-in-the-9th/?affiliateId=clubMEGAMENU