The Company Man

Here's Adam Melhuse, a 33-year old backup catcher who has played that role his entire career. The A's signed Melhuse to a one-year contract after he became a six-year free agent. When the A's let Damian Miller go last year, Melhuse was thinking "hey, this is my shot for a full-time gig." However, Beane said not so fast and acquired Jason Kendall. Once he received word, Melhuse asked to be traded but was denied by Beane.

Melhuse appeared in 69 games last year, and his agent hoped for a situation where Melhuse could compete for the everyday job or share it.

The agent will ask the A's if he can shop his client to a team that would give Melhuse more playing time.

...

"Adam was the backup the last two years and did a great job," Beane said. "We're very happy with him in that role."

Seeing as how the A's have yet to add Melhuse into the lineup, I am surprised that Melhuse didn't look at what Jay Payton did, fighting with Boston manager Terry Francona, as an answer. So why didn't Melhuse go off in August about not playing enough and forcing the A's to move him because of disruptive failure? Well it could have something to do with that he played in 7 full games, the highest amount in any month prior to that. But it is because Melhuse has been a real company man and has come to ease with being a seldom-used backup.

So where do you play Melhuse? How about for the slumping DH? I know, I know, I should ease up on Hatteberg. Ok, no problem; I acknowledge that Hatteberg has been run down. He has played in 23 straight games and for a player of his age, that is just asking for disaster. Not only that, but Johnson hasn't had a day off since July 21st, and Chavez hasn't had a day off since August 23rd. So if the A's don't want to disrupt Mr. Kendall, why hasn't Melhuse played a few games at DH, and for a game move Hatteberg to 1st and possible move Melhuse to third for a game? Melhuse came up as a third baseman and while playing him there, you can get his bat into the lineup unlike playing a lesser bat like Ginter. Melhuse is a switch hitter after all and he hasn't had enough AB's to really say that he does not perform well from that side. In fact, he has a mirror-image stance while he bats right handed.

So what could be the reason as to why the A's are so reluctant to play Melhuse? Well, after looking at his arbitration status, Melhuse is arbitration eligible after this season. By not playing Melhuse, they are able to save money when it comes to agreeing to a contract for 2006. There is no other explanation for not playing him when you have Kendall catching more games than necessary and thereby risk him becoming a dead contract.But you are probably saying to yourself: "self, that just sounds like a big ol' conspiracy." Well, chew on this: When Melhuse was going off with the bat in July and August, Macha was talking about getting a third catcher, but Beane said no:

The situation, however, might change down the stretch. General manager Billy Beane has said there are no plans to add a third catcher, which would free up Macha to put Melhuse and Kendall in the lineup on the same day without worry. But Macha admitted that he's given some thought to playing them at the same time, anyway.

Even though Macha still thought about using him at the same time, the decision was made for him by the front office.

In Ellen Goodman's short-story, "The Company Man", a tale is woven about the death of a "company man..."

"At the funeral, the sixty-year-old company president told the forty-eight-year-old widow that the fifty-one-year-old deceased had meant much to the company and wouild be missed and would be har to replace.

...

By 5:00 P.M. the afternoon of the funeral, the company president had begun, discreetly of course, with care and taste, to make inquiries about his replacement."

Melhuse has had one year of his life, wasted because he is a "company man." Hopefully for the A's and Melhuse, he goes the route of Greg Zaun and finds a resurgence in his career by becoming a full-time catcher.