by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (5/19/2013) Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin was effective but did not factor into the decision Sunday afternoon against the Royals.
Griffin, who made his ninth start of the season, surrendered three runs and seven hits over six innings of work. He struck out five and walked three and had his ERA rise to 3.59 after Sunday's 4-3 win.
Griffin has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last four starts. He has allowed eight runs over 26 2/3 innings during that stretch. He is scheduled to make his next start Saturday at Houston. He gave up two runs and struck out eight over six innings in his last meeting against the Astros on April 16.
A.J. Griffin looks sharp vs. Rangers
by Adam Moore | CBSSports.com (5/14/2013) Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin notched his fourth win Monday night against the Rangers. Griffin, who made his eighth start, allowed just one run on six hits over seven innings in a 5-1 win.
The lone run he surrendered came in the second inning on a solo home run off the bat of Mitch Moreland. However, he limited the Rangers to just four hits over his final five innings of work and was pulled after throwing 108 pitches.
Griffin did not issue a walk for the first time this year and finished with eight strikeouts -- matching his season high.
The right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA over his last three starts. He is slated to face the Royals at home Sunday.
A.J. Griffin takes loss in quality start
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com (5/8/2013) Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin earned a quality start Wednesday when he held the Indians to four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings while striking out four. However, Griffin was charged with the loss, moving him to 3-3 on the year.
Griffin and his 3.83 ERA will face the Rangers at home Monday.
A.J. Griffin gets back on track
by Adam Moore | CBSSports.com (5/3/2013) After allowing 11 earned runs over his last two starts, Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin was able to right the ship against the Yankees Friday night. Griffin, who made his sixth start, limited New York to six hits over his seven innings of work.
The Yankees only had two runners reach base in the same inning once and the right-hander needed just nine pitches in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
He finished with four strikeouts and one walk, while improving to 3-2 with a 3.79 ERA.
Griffin is slated to face the Indians for the first time in his career Wednesday in Cleveland.
Too soon to bail on A.J. Griffin
by Al Melchior | Data Analyst (5/1/2013) After sustaining back-to-back losses and sub-quality starts, A.J. Griffin finds himself as one of the five most dropped starting pitchers in CBSSports.com Fantasy leagues. The Athletics' hurler has been victimized by the long ball in those starts, but while that could be an issue for Griffin, there are still good reasons to keep him rostered.
Griffin's nasty curveball gets plenty of whiffs, so even though he's not a hard thrower, he shouldn't be anything worse than an average strikeout pitcher. Because he has good control and a penchant for popups, he will be an asset to your team's WHIP. That makes Griffin a poor man's Jered Weaver, and as with the Angels' ace, you may have to live with a few too many homers allowed in road starts.
Griffin has actually only had one truly bad start this year, so think twice before letting him go to clear a roster spot.
A.J. Griffin burned by long balls
by Adam Moore | CBSSports.com (4/27/2013) Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin was pegged with his second-straight loss Saturday against the Orioles. Griffin, who made his fifth start, allowed four runs on five hits over seven innings in a 7-3 defeat.
All four runs he surrendered came in the fourth with most of the damage coming off back-to-back home runs by Nick Markakis and Adam Jones. He also served up a run-scoring single to J.J. Hardy before finally getting out of the frame.
Griffin was pulled after throwing 108 pitches -- 69 strikes -- and finished with seven strikeouts and two walks, while falling to 2-2 with a 4.65 ERA.
The right-hander, who has now allowed four home runs over his last two starts, will look to keep the ball in the park when he faces the Yankees next Friday at Yankee Stadium. He allowed four runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings in his lone career start in the Bronx, which came last year.
A.J. Griffin struggles in first loss
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (4/22/2013) It was not an inspiring start for Athletics pitcher A.J. Griffin on Monday night in Boston. Griffin was out of the game after just four innings.
Griffin, who took the loss to drop his first decision of the season, surrendered nine runs -- eight earned -- on eight hits and a walk over just four frames as Boston hit some rockets off him. Griffin (2-1) gave up a three-run homer to Will Middlebrooks in the fourth inning and gave up a grand slam to Mike Napoli before leaving the game in the fifth.
Griffin, who struck out three batters, threw 84 pitches and 57 went for strikes. The loss brought his ERA up to 4.88 after he'd not allowed more than two earned runs in any other start.
Griffin, who has 16 strikeouts over his first 24 innings pitched this season, will try to get back on track when he next takes the ball Saturday against Baltimore.
'Boost of confidence' helps A.J. Griffin
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (4/17/2013) Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin endured a rough start Tuesday against the Astros, walking a career-high four batters and reaching 70 pitches by the third inning. However, Griffin settled down, lasting six innings and retiring the last 11 hitters he faced.
"Early on, I was just really trying to keep the ball down and I was yanking the ball a little bit rather than being just nice and smooth with my lanes to the target," Griffin said, per the Contra Costa Times. "Bob (Melvin) came up after the third inning and said, 'You’re good, man, just do what makes you good and go after guys.' That little boost of confidence just helped me go out and attack the zone more. I just kind of turned the page right there."
A.J. Griffin misses some bats
by Chris Towers | CBSSports.com (4/17/2013) Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin showed progress Tuesday against the Astros, even if he did fail to earn his third win in a row and saw his ERA rise. He looked more like a possible Fantasy game-changer Tuesday, despite superficially posting his worst line yet.
After peddling fool's gold with a 1.93 ERA despite just five strikeouts in 14 innings of work, Griffin showed a more complete game in his first no-decision. Griffin struck out eight batters in six innings, raising his total for the season to 13 in 20 innings.
Griffin was succeeding in an unsustainable manner heading into Tuesday's start, with a .234 batting average on balls in play and a stranded-runner rate of nearly 90 percent. He was going to need to start missing bats to keep his solid ERA low, and thankfully, he showed he could do so in a big way Tuesday.
The 25-year-old righty has gone six innings or more in each of his three starts, but we still want to see peripherals match the pretty ERA. Fantasy owners need to see more than two strikeouts every three innings if he is going to keep runs off the board at this pace, but Tuesday was a start. Griffin posted solid strikeout totals in the minors that helped him succeed, and that will be the same recipe for success if Griffin is to have any in the majors. Happily, he took a step in the right direction Tuesday.
A.J. Griffin solid in no-decision
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (4/17/2013) Athletics starter A.J. Griffin struck out the side in his sixth and final inning Tuesday night but could only muster a no-decision against the Astros.
Griffin, who struck out eight over six innings, saw his bullpen blow his lead and allow the Astros to tie the score in the eighth. He allowed two earned runs on four hits and four walks.
Griffin (2-0) has pitched well this season with just five runs allowed over 20 innings for an ERA of 2.25 and a solid 1.15 WHIP.
The 25-year-old is scheduled to next take the mound Monday at Boston.
A.J. Griffin flying high for Oakland
by Bill Passonno | CBSSports.com (4/12/2013) Athletics pitcher A.J. Griffin (2-0) permitted only one run and five hits -- four of them singles -- over eight sharp innings during Oakland's 8-1 rout of the Angels on Thursday night. Griffin matched the longest outing of his brief career and had two strikeouts against just one walk during his 110-pitch performance (73 strikes).
The 25-year-old righty has completed at least six innings in each of his two starts this season -- a plateau he reached nine times in his 15 starts a year ago. Griffin is scheduled to face lowly Houston during his next projected start on Tuesday.
A.J. Griffin notches win in first start of season
by R.J. White | CBSSports.com (4/4/2013) Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin picked up a win in his first start of the season Thursday against the Mariners, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings while striking out three.
He exited after throwing 95 pitches, and the bullpen allowed just one hit over three scoreless innings to finish off the win.
Griffin is slated to face the Angels in Anaheim in his next start.
Don't overlook A.J. Griffin Week 1
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (3/31/2013) Before lineups lock for Week 1 (March 31-April 7), Fantasy owners should give strong consideration to starting Athletics pitcher A.J. Griffin (started 37 percent of leagues).
He will make his season debut Thursday vs. Seattle. Griffin was 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in two starts against the Mariners last season. He was also very good at home, going 3-0 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in eight starts.
Now, I realize this is a different Mariners lineup in 2013. It has more firepower thanks to the offseason additions of Kendrys Morales and Michael Morse. But I also like the fact Griffin will be opposed by Brandon Maurer, who will be making his MLB debut, so I think Griffin might be able to lock down a win Week 1.
A.J. Griffin Ks six in final tune-up
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (3/30/2013) Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin took the hill for his final start of the spring Friday against the Giants at AT&T Park.
Griffin, who made his fifth start of the spring, allowed two runs on five hits in five innings of work, but was charged with the loss. He also struck out six and walked one as he finished spring training with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.
The 25-year-old is expected to make his season debut Thursday against the Mariners. He went 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in two starts against Seattle last season.
A.J. Griffin can't keep ball in the park
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com (3/24/2013) Athletics starter A.J. Griffin could not keep the ball in the park during Sunday's Cactus League matchup against the Dodgers. Griffin, who made his fourth start of the spring, gave up a two-run home run to Andre Ethier in the opening frame and a solo home run to Carl Crawford in the third. He yielded four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings of work in a 7-4 victory. He also struck out eight and walked one as his ERA rose to 8.00 this spring.
Oakland's A.J. Griffin runs into trouble
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (3/18/2013) Athletics starting pitcher A.J. Griffin did not have his best stuff working on Monday in a Cactus League start against the Mariners. Griffin, the projected No. 4 starter for Oakland to begin the year, actually fired four straight scoreless frames before coming undone in the fifth.
Griffin allowed three earned runs in the fifth inning and Seattle's Michael Morse took him deep in the sixth as the starter gave up five earned on six hits and two walks over 5 1/3. He struck out three and his Cactus League ERA is now at 5.23.
This was Griffin's first Cactus League appearance since March 3 against the Rockies. He had given up just one run over five innings before Monday's outing.
The 25-year-old Griffin went 7-1 last year over 15 starts for the A's last year with a 3.06 ERA and 1.130 WHIP. He struck out 64 over 82 1/3 innings and definitely showed a world of promise.
Griffin stretches out in win
(3/3/2013) A's pitcher A.J. Griffin gave up his first run of the spring in Sunday's Cactus League game against the Rockies. He surrendered a solo homer to Nolan Arenado in the second inning for his lone damage in three frames of work. Griffin gave up three hits total and also struck out one while earning the win in the 7-2 victory. ''I could have been better at keeping the ball down, but overall I was aggressive and I didn't have a three-ball count all day,'' Griffin said. ''I felt like I was sharper in the last inning and threw more changeups and curveballs. Now it's about building innings.''
Griffin shines in spring debut
by Jeff Lippman | CBSSports.com (2/26/2013) Oakland starter A.J. Griffin put forth a solid performance in his first career spring outing on Tuesday against Arizona. Griffin got his Cactus League season jump-started with two innings of one-hit ball against the Diamondbacks. Griffin, who apparently came to camp with aching hips but has straightened that issue away, struck out three batters in the performance as he seemed sharp with all his pitches. "Today he was really, really good," manager Bob Melvin said. "When he's at his best, he's painting, and today he had his paintbrush out from the first."
Griffin calm vying for SP job
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com (2/19/2013) MLB.com reports A's pitcher A.J. Griffin doesn't feel any added pressure as he vies for a spot in the team's rotation. "[I'll just] focus on the stuff that's under my control, and try to do the best I can every time I go out there," Griffin said. "The pieces will fall where they fall."
