DLD 10/10/06: ALCS-a Seltzer To The Rescue!
by oblique on Oct 10, 2006 7:51 AM PDT
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PrintHere we go, and as they say, the ALCS is more than just a mountain range in Switzerland!
No link in the world could possibly distract us from the first game of the ALCS. However: I was flipping radio stations last night in the car, and happened upon KNBR just as they said something about "the A's" so I stopped and listened. It was the Damon Bruce show (IIRC, I don't actually know anything about their programming) and he was going on about how A's fans are not passionate, and never "show up." "I'm getting no love from the A's fans tonight! Here I've opened up my radio show to talk about the A's, and...where are they? They don't show up, just like they don't show up in their own stadium!"
In the interest of education, I'd like to educate Mr. Bruce and his listeners who feel similarly on how this new-fangled contraption called "radio" actually works. See, while you are broadcasting your voice and various noises over the air, these noises can only be heard by people who tune a "radio receiver" to a particular frequency. A listener would thus have to be motivated, independently of your immediate content, to tune a "radio receiver" to your frequency in order to even be aware that you are talking about subject matter relevant to them. In other words, they cannot hear you unless they tune to your frequency first.
Earth to KNBR: A's FANS DO NOT LISTEN TO YOU!!
Anyway, random rant over, and the annoyance really only lasted about 12 seconds because THE ALCS STARTS TONIGHT!!
Oh, and I almost forgot: MARCO!!!
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SCUTARO!!
Macha, who once played in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons, guided the A's to the AL West title this season.
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Bronson Arroyo, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay and New York Yankees reliever Mike Myers are the newest additions to the team, which already includes David Wright and Jose Reyes of the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard.
The MLB team will play five games in Japan from Nov. 3-8 against players from Japanese baseball.
I am personally against this idea. After the long grind of the season, Ken Macha needs to rest during the offseason. Young guys like Eric Wedge may need Winter Ball, but why risk an injury to an established veteran like Macha?
Distractions
A proven veteran
<monotone>
Evelyn Waugh?
tremendous in Japanese = segoi
Steinbrenner keeps Torre
torre should quit
by larrysgurl on Oct 10, 2006 8:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Not a bad idea.
Just like Cartman...
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Oct 10, 2006 2:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Uhh?
"I've been here for three years, and I've never heard that from the crowd," Scutaro said. "That was real special."
I thought it was the MARCO! SCUTARO! chant... and I KNOW he's heard that before.
Yeah
And when I was watching some footage of the cheering, etc, for some reason the "Marco" part comes through loud and clear, but the "Scutaro"s got drowned out.... it was more like a cacophony of Marcos with a trembling bassline of Scutaros. Music to his little Venezuelan ears!
Thank you!!!
by BobbyCrosbysGirl on Oct 10, 2006 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Lucky you!
AAAAAAAAAAAHHH-CHOO
Guess what, creepy baby?
What's that? That's what I said, too!
We have a little dance we do after A's homers.
Where in Gods name
for the record
Yeah, baby!
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Oct 10, 2006 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions
Harden didn't do too well in Arizona
Rich Harden gave up six hits and five runs in 3 1/3 innings in an Instructional League game Monday.
Harden needed to stretch his arm out as he hadn't pitched since October 1. The A's are still mulling whether to start him in Game 3, which would mean he'd be available twice in the series if necessary, or to hold him back until Game 4 because they are concerned with his relative inactivity over the past three months.
Mark Kiger has been added to the A's roster for the ALCS.
Kiger will replace the injured Mark Ellis and only see action as an emergency backup, but the consensus seemed to be that he was the best defender available.
Keith Ginter, who the A's chose not to add to their roster as an injury replacement, was upset at the way he was treated during the process.
"They didn't tell me anything, not even thanks for coming down,'' said Ginter. "So this is just another slap in the face.'' Ginter was asked to try out as a possible replacement for Mark Ellis on the ALCS roster, but he lost the job to Mark Kiger.
Tit for tat.
Anyway, there's no way Ginter can pull the good soldier act. He had every opportunity to leave the organization when he was removed from the 40-man. He didn't, and the reason was so that he could collect on the last year of his contract. I won't blame him for collecting the money that is contractually his, but in my mind that takes away his ability to complain about the way the organization treated him. He could have left any time he wanted to, and the only thing it would have cost was money.
Zing!
I'd let God slap my face for a million dollars.
Colon of the Month.
If the organisation dislikes
As a relatively thin-skinned person
Ginter vs. Kiger
Whose name most closely approximates
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Oct 10, 2006 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions
Well, that was pretty bad.
http://vivaelbirdos.com/story/2006/8/21/205918/432
A Kool Omen
I was working on a DLD, so I'll just put the relevant info in this post:
Tim Kamakawi writes that it's time for Barry Zito to "let 'er rip," once again providing Eric Chavez an opportunity to show the total lack of filter he has that we all love:
Another brutally honest Chavy gem--his midseason comment that "This is the worst best team I've played on"--is the lead in for a nice, brief Dave Newhouse interview with Billy Beane. As I put on my Milton Bradley tee-shirt in preparation for the journey to Oakland this morning, I was thinking about some of the same things Beane expresses about him in the interview:
A. We've never been a stuffed-shirt organization. The environment here is conducive to allowing guys to be themselves. And there's a certain acceptance of different types of people in this area. People are rooting for Milton to make it. Even the media was willing to give him a chance.
Well, MOST of the media, anyway...
There's an ASTOUNDING amount of A's related content to link today--it's like we're the Yankees or something. Except less dysfunctional and still playing.
Susan Slusser discussed the outcome of Rich Harden's instructional league start inher A's Notebook this morning.
On Harden:
One factor could change things, though: An advantage to having Haren go in Game 4 would be that if he were needed in relief in a Game 7, he'd have the arm strength to come back on three days' rest, but the A's could not jeopardize Harden's health in the same situation. So Harden could start Game 3 and Game 7, and if he didn't have it in Game 7, Haren could step in that spot fairly easily.
Good luck today, everyone!
Haren has pitched some gems this year...
I agree.
Preview, you ask? What preview? Well, I'm glad you asked. THT ALCS Preview
Nice work.
.287/.348/.481/.829 in 341 ABs. And Frank Thomas and Jason Kendall own HIM.
Wow, 5 of our starters OPS over .900
Great write-up
Ditto the accolades
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Oct 10, 2006 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions
Wow, that would be Verlander's start though...
by OaktownPower on Oct 10, 2006 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions
excellent work, Sal
One small nit to pick, however: in G5, you say "Zito, on the other hand, does nothing if not work deep into games, or at least throw lots of pitches." I know you didn't mean it this way, but your sentence seems to imply that throwing lots of pitches in and of itself is a good thing. Prolly more precise to say that "Zito, on the other hand, does nothing if not throw lots of pitches, at least sometimes working deep into games."
i'm not a big fan of haren's, but i agree.
by larrysgurl on Oct 10, 2006 8:28 AM PDT up reply actions
It's a nice problem to have.
Chavy also said that Zito "hated the Big
Read it in the papers this morning
No question, though, that he's great friends with Huddy and (to a slightly lesser extent) Mulder.
Exactly. And I imagine Zito would know
Aww, that's sweet.
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
Gee, I can't wait until Babs is performing...
Wow
this is really, really, REALLY funny!
Lemuresque?
Conkeresque!
by Englishmajor on Oct 10, 2006 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions
I thought this was funny...
GTA meets MLB:
by OaklandInvader on Oct 10, 2006 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions
I've missed you guys.
SHE'S ALIVE!!!!!
AHHHHHHHHHstria!
Oakland A's baseball.
A cameo appearance.
I wondered the same
Baseball Prospectus Overload!
Prospectus Today, and Sheehan's votes for the Big Awards... and picks A's in seven
And everyone's favorite Will Caroll
Oakland Athletics
The A's found themselves in the playoffs despite several key injuries. They head into their first LCS of the Moneyball era with another player lost: Mark Ellis took an inside pitch off his hand in Game Two of the Division Series, breaking his finger and ending his postseason. It leaves the team extremely short-handed, having to dip down into the 40-man and beyond to complete its roster. While Christina will analyze the details of the roster moves and break down how they should affect the team, I'm left reminding people that Bobby Crosby had thought he would be available for the LCS, but there are no reports on his current status. Given the moves made, it appears that Crosby is not ready.
With Crosby still something of a mystery, there's also some intrigue surrounding Rich Harden. We all saw him throw two solid outings towards the end of the season, and he wasn't needed for the takeout of the Twins. Why is he again all the way down in the fourth slot? Is there a hidden injury here? The answer is no. The A's staff simply seems to think that Harden is the fourth-best pitcher on the roster. He's been sent to the fall instructional league in Arizona to get some work in, keeping him on turn with perhaps a chance to check in with his rehab coordinator. Harden is again due for a Game Four start and, this time at least, we know he'll be needed. There's an interesting parallel here to Mark Mulder a few years ago, but Harden's pre-playoff appearances show that this isn't a bluff.
There's also some interest surrounding Frank Thomas. His inability to run is only a limiting factor on the bases, as shown by Michael Cuddyer's attempt to go 9-3 on a Big Hurt single. Thomas isn't slowing down, according to one scout. "Same times on home to first as I had in spring training," I was told. "I can use an hourglass and not a stopwatch on first to third." Thomas' limitations are well-known and don't appear to be exacerbated by having played a couple games in Minnesota. The rest of the playoffs will be on grass, so it seems that Thomas' feet are no more a concern now than they have been all season.
Like the Mets, the A's have known injuries and have had the time to adjust their roster accordingly. The team overcame injuries throughout the season in large part due to flexibility and versatility. That s*#t works in the playoffs as well.
I like Sheehan a lot...
by OaktownPower on Oct 10, 2006 8:57 AM PDT up reply actions
zito updated his blog yesterday!
The A's require 15 pieces on BP jerseys
Milton's throw in Game 3
I think Sharpies are better myself
by Englishmajor on Oct 10, 2006 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions
Ha ha! Sounds like the punchline
I love the fact that
Only 8 more hours...
Damon Bruce
Hello,
I just wanted to let you know that as the baseball season began this year, I purchased XM Radio to listen to their brand of baseball coverage after years of listening to KNBR during the baseball season. Last night for the first time in a very long while I listened to KNBR as I was driving home from my slow pitch softball game. I am an A's fan, not really a Giants fan, so I understand I am not your audience per say. But I have to let you know that the reason I purchased XM Radio was caricature of show hosts like Damon Bruce who make up for their uneducated opinions with vitriol.
This jerk is on the radio chastising A's fans for not calling in to his program and not showing up to games and blah blah, blah. You think he would understand that A's fans don't listen to his program when all he does is rail on and on about how the team should move to Las Vegas (this much I have read on internet blogs, I haven't listened to him before last night) Like I said, I understand that A's fans are not really who you are broadcasting to and that is understandable considering you are the home of the Giants. I just wanted to let you know that Damon Bruce reinforced my decision, XM is where it is at for me. I don't get chastised by the radio hosts when I listen to baseball coverage there.
marco scutaro chant
Yep
Personally, I'm cool with the ladder.
by Colorado Fan on Oct 10, 2006 9:19 AM PDT up reply actions
Aw!
Mr. Leyland, too.
"I don't want to sound corny, but he's probably one of those guys that you'd like your daughter to marry."
<sob>
OK, calm down...
The real question is...
"No. It's Oakland."
World series ticket drawing
Is it today?
-Nick Swisher
thanks!
-Nick Swisher
by kaweahkaweah on Oct 10, 2006 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Yes.
I'm this close to dying.
Are you going to GO to the games?
You're going to fly out to Oakland!?!? SWEET!
STL just started their
and we thought Nacho Runs were bad
Christ, what an asshole!
Isn't that how BriteSmile works?
that explains why ...
Bleacher seats in the playoffs are assigned
But I can still play defense...Pilgrim
Is anyone into model trains or tabletop wargames?
It's a bit overpriced at $20
lol
It's not sludge!
And I wish people wouldn't say anything bad about the "most innovative collectible line in 1997."
by AlamedaAphid on Oct 10, 2006 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions
claMAYto, claMAHto
The big question is:
My Email to KNBR and Damon Bruce
According to the Athletics Nation fan site, Damon Bruce was saying all sorts of bad things about A's fans, and was complaining about how they weren't calling in to his show.
I have one question.
Who is Damon Bruce?
Best,
A passionate A's fan.
Go A'S!!!!!!!!!!!!
by SportySpice @ Athletics Nation on Oct 10, 2006 10:02 AM PDT reply actions
i was wondering the same thing!
I wasn't even *thinking* about
Now I'm looking for a place to hide.
<Covers eyes>
Daisuke Matsuzaka
I like the Mariners fans, but I hope they don't get him. But then, if they don't, it'll probably be the Yankees. Damn.
That posting system is messed up
They used to just put them up on eBay.
and before that ...
And all 30 owners had an unspoken agreement
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Oct 10, 2006 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions
That's collusion!
That's corrosion!
Arroyo Bronson's old hairstyle.
That's corn rowin'!
And the owners had to pay something like $300M
I'm not sure
But basically, every team submits a bid to the selling team (in this case, the Seibu Lions). The team with highest bid then gets to negotiate with Matsuzaka.
Note the posting system doesn't apply to free agents. Hence the Matsuis, Johjiman, Iguchi et al could negotiate with every team. Matsuzaka is NOT a free agent. He has 1 year left on his contract.
So if he played his last year in Japan
The point of having a draft is to prevent the richest teams from simply offering more money to convince a player to sign with that team. Instead, the situation here is that some MLB team with pay the Seibu Corporation some amount of money larger than any other team is willing to pay, and then they will have exclusive rights to negotiate with the player. Seems counter-intuitive to the ideals of the draft, doesn't it?
Some enterprising idiots could set up a system where any foreign player could claim to be under contract with a foreign team for some term that lasts into next season, at which point the player goes through the posting process instead of the draft or free agency, for fun and profit.
Some questions that I don't have the answers to:
-How would MLB prevent a player from claiming to play professionally on a foreign team, thus justifying a tribute to get out of the contract? Why shouldn't Portugal (or Kuwait, or something) set up a league to get players and administrators to split the money or something crazy like that?
-Is this only the case for the Japanese baseball leagues and not other countries' leagues, for example The Netherlands?
-What happens if the player and one team allowed to negotiate can't come up with a deal? Does the player get to negotiate with the next highest bidding team, or does he simply return and play out his contract? Can the player then be posted again the next season, or is more or less time required?
I'll answer your last question first
This concept of posting, AFAIK only applies to NPB, due to a special agreement between them and MLB.
There are really no other comparable leagues to MLB and NPB; that is, a lucrative professional league in a rich country.
If Matsuzaka stayed in Japan for his last year, he would be able to come over as a free agent, like Kenji Johjima, the Matsuis, Tadahito Iguchi, Akinori Otsuka.
All international players are NOT subject to the draft. Which is why you'll sometimes read that a team paid a couple million to sign a young Dominican talent. The Giants for example recently splashed out on IIRC, a 16 year old.
If Japanese players were subject to a draft, it's highly likely that most would not want to come to the US. They are already highly-paid stars in their (equally rich) homeland; they're not comparable to, say a 16 year old from the Dominican.
It's not a lucrative league.
And no. Posting doesn't happen until after the Japan Series. What's happened is that he talked to the Seibu Lions owner, who said something that's given the press the idea that he'll let Matsuzaka go, but absolutely nothing is official yet. I can't help but wonder if either the AP jumped the gun on this, or if they know something that hasn't come out in the Japanese papers yet, or if there's been a mistranslation, or if maybe I just haven't seen the appropriate articles yet (Wednesday's sports dailies should be up in another hour or two...)
Damn. My bad.
<hides in embarassment>
Damon Bruce?
I just about did a spit take when reading about this joker, because it is so close to a scen in the movie where there's a talk show host calling out the fans of the Flordia Gators. It ends with an exchange like:
Caller: Yeah, I'm a Gators fan
Host: Okay, so...
Caller: Well, you said no Gators fans would call in and I'm a Gators fan, and I'm calling in.
Host: So, what's your point.
Caller: Well, you said there aren't any Gators fans that would call in. I'm a Gators fan and I'm calling in.
Host: So...
Caller: I'm a Gators fan, and I'm calling in...
This is why I don't listen to sports talk radio. I'm pretty sure that every moment I do listen to it, my IQ drops a point or two. I figure the associated bleeding in my ears is a cry for help from my brain.
Good News For the ALCS on TV
I don't know if I should be offended that we got the #2 announcing team or just happy to avoid Joe Buck and Jeter's lap dog for one more series.
Nice break to avoid McCarver.
by OaktownPower on Oct 10, 2006 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions
<absorbs chair into expanding brain mass>
Between this and his trade Jeter piece the other day, I'm feeling some warm fuzzies for Jim Caple.
by FreeSeatUpgrade on Oct 10, 2006 11:35 AM PDT reply actions
Chavvy, not so much
Like Rich Harden, Tim Hudson, and Mark Mulder?
Hmmm
I give you Rich Harden, Arthur Rhodes, and Ben Grieve.
by green star oakland on Oct 10, 2006 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions
I win!
But with Bill King & Dorothy Dix
by green star oakland on Oct 10, 2006 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions
Finally, some sanity
Absolutely true. If only the media had such a thought process when talking about the Yankees and Red Sox.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURP!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Excuse you.
Christ, what a sachole!
Luke Robertson= Good
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/minorleagues/team_stats.jsp?c_id=oak&minor_id=ARIAZA
The other is the enemy tonight. Hopefully we can get the job done in Game 1.
by ohtobe21likehuston on Oct 10, 2006 12:03 PM PDT reply actions
Oral Robertson=Going to Hell
Cliff Robertson = genius, then not
Torii Hunter picked up by the Twins
or, perhaps the same header for both
Should be an easy night for him
but he still could end up with turf burn
and be in the middle of a bang-bang play
by green star oakland on Oct 10, 2006 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions
and yet end up on his knees ...
KNBR
Who knows what kind of questions will get asked, but could be interesting.
Who has better hands, TO or A-Rod?
Wow
by tblazrdude on Oct 10, 2006 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Ballpark news
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
by whiteshoes40 on Oct 10, 2006 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions
It was less disturbing to me
au contraire!
Tonight's lineup
-Nick Swisher
Game thread?
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