A couple thoughts from Gammons...

by Kelly on Apr 12, 2005 1:36 PM PDT

From this afternoon's chat:

Steve (Bay Area): Peter, can I expect any quality starts out of Barry Zito this year? How does someone in their mid-20's lose velocity?

Peter Gammons: (4:30 PM ET ) Last year, Barry had lost a lot of weight and did not have good velocity. This spring, he threw as well as he did in 2000 and 2001, so I would think that he will come around and have a good season.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric (El Cerrito, CA): What do you expect from the A's in 2005?

Peter Gammons: (4:32 PM ET ) I think Oakland CAN contend. I think Haen, Harden and Zito will combine for better numbers than Hudson, Mulder and Zito did last year -- and their bullpen is MUCH improved. The question is their offense, they desparately need Bobby Clark back, because they have no alternative.

So he thinks we'll be fine, but I don't know how much we should listen to him after that "Bobby Clark" reference... :-P

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Comments

Hey Gammons

Suck it.

Network Associates Stadium: Former home of the 'Fear Mecir' sign.

by dboysick on Apr 12, 2005 1:59 PM PDT reply actions

What Do You Disagree With?

The part about the starters being good?

The part about the bullpen being much improved?

The part about the offense struggling?

Seems pretty accurate to me.

But the "Suck it" line is classy.

by Eck on Apr 12, 2005 10:20 PM PDT up reply actions

At Least

Gammons doesn't always look to rip the A's every chance he gets. ESPN leaves that for that tool Joe Morgan.

by RudiFan on Apr 12, 2005 2:06 PM PDT reply actions

We know what he means

and he knows what he means. We've all had brain farts where we wrote or spoke the wrong name. No big deal.

Methinks he knows who the AL ROY was last year.

"The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." -Catfish Hunter

by kaweahkaweah on Apr 12, 2005 2:17 PM PDT reply actions

who?

Bobby Clark?

by AlwaysSweatin on Apr 12, 2005 3:17 PM PDT up reply actions

Elmer Chavez

Won the Gold Glove Award at 3rd.

"The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." -Catfish Hunter

by kaweahkaweah on Apr 12, 2005 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions

Harden

Danny Harden is the guy who the A's got in the Mulder trade.

Rich Haren is the guy from Canada.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!!!" -Brick Tamland, Anchorman

by secret ASian man on Apr 12, 2005 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions

... and Mickey Mays is in the

HOF twice

by Billy Ball 2005 on Apr 12, 2005 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Thought I would add this in...

since it's a related ESPN topic. The new show "Teammates" starts tonight (along with "Battle of the Gridiron Stars" and one other show that I can't remember. Peyton Manning playing dodge ball? This should be fun!). Has anyone heard when Zito and Byrnes will be on? Will they be on? Am I hallucinating? :)

by Jennifer on Apr 12, 2005 2:19 PM PDT reply actions

I just did a search

and found the listings, but with no descriptions. I think I'll just be Tivoing it every time it's on until I find it!

Chicks dig Moneyball.

by Kelly on Apr 12, 2005 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions

and the man can jam!

I'm the guy with the Carney Lansford jersey

by gojohn10 on Apr 12, 2005 2:21 PM PDT reply actions

I don't know if he's jamming

It looks like he's playing you a little bit of his own brand of laid-back adult contemporary music, even if this isn't the best time for his unique brand of bittersweet folk rock.

devo's gf: "what is it that you write about all day when they don't even play any games?"

by devo on Apr 12, 2005 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions

it is alway peter gammons time!

p.s. I got the simpons reference loud and clear.

I'm the guy with the Carney Lansford jersey

by gojohn10 on Apr 12, 2005 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I'll just float here and like it.

You gotta love former president James Taylor.

by Vic @ Athletics Nation on Apr 12, 2005 3:15 PM PDT up reply actions

just what AN needs

more simpsons references...

by xbhaskarx on Apr 12, 2005 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions

let me add: from the best episode ever!

by xbhaskarx on Apr 12, 2005 5:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Really?

I am partial to the one where Barny goes into de-tox and Homer becomes Barny.....just me though.

"Not the fucking ducks again." Tony S.

by rook on Apr 12, 2005 5:41 PM PDT up reply actions

deep space homer is by far the best

it's absolutely perfect.
the only real dispute is over the second best episode: cape feare, last exit, king size homer, 22 short films, bart of darkness, homer the great, etc...

by xbhaskarx on Apr 12, 2005 6:02 PM PDT up reply actions

We see things differently..

1) Is Homer becoming Barny...a) for Mo showing the tape of the postal carrier/Lisa's b-day party b) for Barny "I am a new man today" then sliding down the fireman's pole into Mo's.

2) Has to be the chilli pepper contest that results in a 10 minute acid trip by homer.....classic.

Your list is solid, don't get me wrong, just would change the top two.

"Not the fucking ducks again." Tony S.

by rook on Apr 12, 2005 6:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Monorail

by kvn on Apr 12, 2005 7:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Best Simpsons

Homer the Union Boss, the Springfield Film Festival, the B-Sharps.

by kent1 on Apr 13, 2005 1:15 AM PDT up reply actions

union boss = "last exit to springfield"

i mentioned that one...

the episode name is a parody of last exit to brooklyn by the author of requiem for a dream.

by xbhaskarx on Apr 13, 2005 2:32 AM PDT up reply actions

I've gotta go with

22 Short Films
Last Exit to Springfield
Homer the Great
The one where Homer thinks Bart is gay ... blanking on the name
Much Apu About Nothing ... not so much for the episode as a whole, but because it typifies the brilliance of having a 3 minute intro that has nothing at all to do with the actual story blend seamlessly into the plot. The first few minutes are the best intro ever, though.

devo's gf: "what is it that you write about all day when they don't even play any games?"

by devo on Apr 13, 2005 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions

I seem to be a Homer fan and a fan

of general community episodes ...

devo's gf: "what is it that you write about all day when they don't even play any games?"

by devo on Apr 13, 2005 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Dang, he's handsome!

And I mean that in a purely "Hey I'm not blind: the guy's a looker, how could you not notice?" only-subconsciously-oedipal-homoerotic-please-approve-of-me-daddy way.

Nico

by Nico on Apr 12, 2005 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions

I think you just dig guys

with guitars ...

devo's gf: "what is it that you write about all day when they don't even play any games?"

by devo on Apr 12, 2005 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions

I know I do.... :)

You don't save a pitcher for tomorrow. Tomorrow, it may rain. ~Leo Durocher

by GreenNGoldGirl on Apr 12, 2005 10:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, you do ...

but, eww, Peter Gammons is definitely too old for you!

devo's gf: "what is it that you write about all day when they don't even play any games?"

by devo on Apr 12, 2005 11:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Giving John Tesh a run for his money!

Too bad you can't buy a voodoo globe so that you could make the earth spin real fast and freak everybody out. - Jack Handy

by Awesomus on Apr 12, 2005 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions

Les Paul

A nice looking Les Paul he's got there. However, a real man plays a Strat. :)

by RudiFan on Apr 12, 2005 2:39 PM PDT reply actions

Les Paul

Les Paul
A nice looking Les Paul he's got there. However, a real man plays a Strat. :)

by RudiFan on Tue Apr 12, 2005 at 02:39:07 PM PST

Oh, Yah???? Tell that to Jimmy Page...lol

by asfanfordays on Apr 12, 2005 5:46 PM PDT up reply actions

As Bugs Bunny Would Say

What a Maroon!!!!!!

~This is a simple game...You throw the ball, you hit the ball, you catch the ball. YOU GOT IT!?!

by BornInOakland @ Athletics Nation on Apr 12, 2005 2:59 PM PDT reply actions

I think that's more of a Daffy quote

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!!!" -Brick Tamland, Anchorman

by secret ASian man on Apr 12, 2005 6:55 PM PDT up reply actions

gammons with thorougood

anyone see gammons "jam" with george thorougood (however you spell his dang name) on espn a few years back. funny,but in a purely embarassing way. for both of them.

i have a strat and a les paul. and a tele. i swing both ways i guess.

by giambizombie on Apr 12, 2005 3:02 PM PDT reply actions

Bobby Clark

He's in AAA, correct? Anyways, I can respect that Gammons is thinking outside of the box a little bit. Harden/Haren/Zito being better than the BIG 3 in year #1???? That's more optimistic than I've seen here @ AN.

Plus, Gammons is a Huge Pearl Jam Fan...that's good enough for me!

Let's Go Oak-Land!

by Colorado Fan on Apr 12, 2005 3:07 PM PDT reply actions

Not really ...

I think most on AN expect Zito '05 to be better than Zito '04, even if only slightly. Few doubt that Harden '05 will be fairly significantly better than Harden '04 - who was only marginally worse than Huddy '04. That would mean Haren would only have to be close to Mulder '04's equal for this year's trio to out perform last year's trio. It sounds ridiculous, but they really aren't following that tough of an act.

devo's gf: "what is it that you write about all day when they don't even play any games?"

by devo on Apr 12, 2005 3:55 PM PDT up reply actions

Our 4s and 5s

are a bigger question to me, because I agree that our new top 3 will likely do about as well as the Big 3 or perhaps a little better.

Will Blanton be better than 2004 Harden? Doubtful. Will Saarloos/Meyer be better than Redman? Maybe, maybe not.

"The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." -Catfish Hunter

by kaweahkaweah on Apr 12, 2005 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Harden-Haren-Zito or Hudson-Mulder-Zito?

A's 2005 group should be better in ERA and wins.

Combined with the revamped bullpen and the 2005 ERA will be lower than 2004 ERA and in 2004 the A's were 2nd in the AL.

Elementary my dear CFan!

Tweak the A's D & Offense and you have a winner!

(BB & Wolff & co have a bit of work remaining though)

by Billy Ball 2005 on Apr 12, 2005 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Crasnick

In other ESPN columns today, I enjyoed Crasnick's reference to Chavy's 'pathologic inability to mince words'

by Doug on Apr 12, 2005 3:21 PM PDT reply actions

Um...who's Bobby Clark

Yes, I know who he means, but CLARK? I'd say he's a little off - maybe he was just typing really fast.

I agree that Bobby needs a quick recovery, but fractured ribs are pretty nasty. And wow, this guy is quite the optimist. Harden definitely has the stuff to be part of the next big 3, and if Barry turns it around then there's two. I guess the variable is Haren. I'm sure they are all good enough to be the Next Big Three....but better than Zito/Mulder/Hudson? Guess we'll have to see.

`cirque_girl

by Squeaky on Apr 12, 2005 3:44 PM PDT reply actions

FrankenSS

...a bit of this player, some of that, some ...

by Billy Ball 2005 on Apr 12, 2005 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Gammons is OK

Give him a (little) break, he consistently gives praise to the A's and the players. He gives props to Harden all the time, saying he will dominate the AL for years to come, and Chavez. He understands and defends "Moneyball", while his counterparts at ESPN like Joe "Stupid" (that was for Blez, keeping this site clean) Morgan will bash it at any chance he gets. He may be way too East Coast biased, but he doesnt forget about us.

by SoCal As Fan on Apr 12, 2005 4:18 PM PDT reply actions