By Joe Stiglich, Contra Costa Times –
OAKLAND, Calif. — A flurry of A’s roster activity over a 24-hour period managed to push Brett Anderson’s season debut out of the spotlight entering Tuesday night.
Anderson commanded it right back with a terrific outing in a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins, a game that featured Stephen Drew’s Oakland debut at shortstop and the A’s first triple play since 2000.
Making his first major league start since June 5, 2011, Anderson allowed just one run and four hits over seven innings, showing no effects from the reconstructive elbow surgery that sidelined Anderson for more than 13 months.
It was an encouraging all-around night for the A’s, who welcomed Drew after acquiring the veteran shortstop Monday night from Arizona in exchange for minor league infielder Sean Jamieson.
Drew hit second and went 0 for 4 and made the few routine plays that came his way defensively. But they’re hoping he adds an offensive spark at a position that has produced woefully little this season.
Drew arrived at the Coliseum shortly before batting practice and said he was hoping the trade helps him turn the page on what’s been a disappointing season interrupted by injury to this point.
While Drew is just getting to know many of his new teammates, he is quite familiar with manager Bob Melvin, having played under him from 2006-09 while Melvin managed the Diamondbacks.
“I know BoMel really well, getting to play for him a couple years when I was young,” said Drew, 29. “It’s a good fresh start for me. I’m happy to be here, and hopefully I can help this team win.”
While the A’s hope Drew adds punch with the bat, Anderson is being counted on to buoy a starting rotation that has been stellar all season but could use some reinforcement during the stretch drive.
Anderson showed the effective breaking ball that was his best pitch upon breaking into the majors in 2009. His fastball hit 92 mph as late as the seventh inning. He struck out six and walked none.
The only run Anderson allowed came in the first. Ben Revere singled to lead off the game, stole second and eventually scored when Anderson threw a curve in the dirt that skipped away from catcher Derek Norris for a wild pitch.
Anderson, Sean Doolittle and Grant Balfour combined to face just one batter over the minimum.
As for Drew, his 2011 season was cut short with a fractured ankle suffered in July on a slide into home plate. That sidelined him all the way until June of this season, and Drew has been slow to round into form.
He entered Tuesday hitting just .193 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 40 games. Drew said he feels like he’s hit the ball better than his numbers show. And he said his ankle is 100 percent healthy.
“With that injury, I didn’t know where I was going to be,” Drew said. “I was working really hard in the offseason, getting that thing healthy. I feel really good (with) the range I’ve gotten back to where it needs to be playing at short.”
Melvin said he and bench coach Chip Hale, who coached under Melvin in Arizona and also managed Drew in Triple-A, both talked Drew up during front office discussions before and after the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
Hale even handed over his No. 5 jersey to Drew and switched to No. 8.
“He can defend, he swings the bat well, he drives the ball, he knocks in runs,” Melvin said. “He’s a guy that can move around the lineup. He’s one of the shortstops around the league that everybody looks at and says, ‘This guy can be an impact guy.’ ”
The A’s optioned Jemile Weeks to Triple-A Sacramento to clear a roster spot for Drew, and pitcher Graham Godfrey was designated for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot.
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With Drew taking over shortstop, Melvin said Cliff Pennington would shift to second base and platoon with Adam Rosales. Rosales got the start Tuesday and did a terrific job making the turn and completing the eighth triple play in Oakland history in the fifth inning.
The Twins’ Trevor Plouffe bounced a ball to third baseman Josh Donaldson, who stepped on the bag and fired a high throw to second. Rosales caught the throw, then leapt to avoid Ryan Doumit’s slide and threw all in the same motion to first.
Pennington has appeared in 16 games at second in the majors and 56 in the minors. He’d been the A’s primary shortstop since the start of 2010 but entered Tuesday hitting just .198, prompting the A’s to pursue Drew.
Melvin was asked whether he saw Pennington’s future at second or short.
“I couldn’t tell you that right now,” Melvin said. “He would probably tell you that he’s a shortstop and I would want him to think that way. But right now his opportunity is at second base.”
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Seth Smith started at D.H. and had two singles in his first three at-bats, after being activated from the disabled list earlier in the day. Smith missed 16 games with a strained left hamstring.
To clear a spot for him, reliever Jordan Norberto was placed on the D.L. with tendinitis in his left shoulder. Norberto served time on the injured list with a similar injury earlier in the season, and Melvin said he’s been battling soreness for the past several days.
