Eric Byrnes and ESPN

by RLangford on Oct 5, 2006 5:48 PM PDT

Shouldn't we have a diary chronicling or at least commenting on our erstwhile leftfielder? Anybody who saw his debut performance before and after Game 2 of A's-Twins had to be just blown away by the ironies and, sorry Eric, the lame analysis.

Two standout moments:

Eric picking against the A's. Dude, isn't this the team that raised you?
Eric saying something like, "You know, I say just go for it" about Torii Hunter's suicidal play. Uh, Eric, that was the most costly defensive decision in baseball so far this year. In hindsight we know the options and the consequences. We have the benefit of reflection. Torii shouldn't have gone for it.

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I disagree on both counts.

If I were a ballplayer that essentially was told by my team that I wasn't good enough to play for them, I wouldn't like them much, either.

And, I don't think Hunter's miscue was the worst defensive miscue of the year. He made an aggressive play, the ball sliced on him, and it didn't work out. As Byrnes pointed out, Cuddyer and White have a lot of blame to share for the play too, because they did an awful job of backing him up.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Oct 5, 2006 5:50 PM PDT reply actions

By worst, I mean

Most consequential. There's very likely no single defensive decision any player's made this year that made it more likely his team would not win the World Series. There's likely no other play that's even close so far.

And Cuddyer and White don't deserve much blame at all. Unless they were exerting some kind of mind control on Torii.

(Footnote: Hunter is one of my favorite major league players. More so after how he spoke about the play after the game.)

by RLangford on Oct 5, 2006 5:57 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree with most consequential.

That's an important difference.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Oct 5, 2006 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Consequential

in a horribly bad way. Thus, worst.

by RLangford on Oct 5, 2006 6:03 PM PDT up reply actions

you're right on

about Cuddyer and White.

Kotsay did his job in backing up Bradley when he lost the ball in the lights..

by sf drift king on Oct 6, 2006 1:15 AM PDT up reply actions

I just cringed

when Byrnes talked about the A's postseason woes. I think he has no right to talk about it when he had the infamous "no-touch" of home plate in Game 4.

"it's like an alarm clock, WOOT WOOT!" -Bubb Rubb

by secret ASian man on Oct 5, 2006 6:23 PM PDT reply actions

very true

and he did mention himself not touching the plate.

by sf drift king on Oct 6, 2006 1:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Love hearing him say we're no lock up 2-0

and says that history proves it. Uh, yeah... thanks in large part to you, fuckface.

I'll try not to swear.

by Tony on Oct 5, 2006 6:38 PM PDT reply actions

really

by OaklandSi on Oct 5, 2006 7:27 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm laughing my ass off

re: your fuckface comment!

That was great!

by Cal 2001 on Oct 5, 2006 7:57 PM PDT up reply actions

A guy messes up one play

and all of a sudden, we think he's some sort of Bill Buckner. What happened to our civilized discourse around here?

(lame attempt at humor, I know.)

by MobiusKlein on Oct 5, 2006 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Eric Byrnes

should not in any way, shape, or form be analyzing the postseason. Like ASian man said, how can he possibly discuss our post season woes when he was so helpful in CAUSING a good portion of them?

there's simply no club like the white elephant club

by walk off bunt on Oct 5, 2006 6:45 PM PDT reply actions

He specifically said

and I heard this, that he picked the twins because the A's traded him. He made a point of saying it.

Frank Thomas is big.

by robber23 on Oct 5, 2006 7:04 PM PDT reply actions

byrnes was saying...

that he picked against the a's because of having been traded and being upset because of that. other than that he seemed very positive about the a's chances.

by jasonlbe on Oct 5, 2006 7:29 PM PDT reply actions

byrnes is just bitter

I remember an interview on sacramento station KHTK shortly after he was traded to colorado. he was slamming the a's org, the fans, and the coliseum. He also praised the rockies and said ownership told him he was going to be an instrumental piece to their club. shortly after that he was sent off to baltimore ....

Ever since then, I have not really been to impressed with him. I know he was a hustler and an agressive player, but I will always remember him for his bonehead play in game 3 of the 2003 playoffs against boston for not touching home plate. that coupled with tejada's goof cost the A's an opportunity to play the yankees for a chance to get to the series.

by DaveinRoseville on Oct 5, 2006 8:31 PM PDT reply actions

Hey now.

According to Oaktoon, we should prefer to have a team full of Eric Byrnes' over a team full of Mark Kotsay's.

Of course, Oaktoon said a lot of things that turned out to be stupid... EG:

"It's time to blow this team up." - Oaktoon, July 2006

by Ozzz on Oct 5, 2006 10:56 PM PDT up reply actions

grover was right there with him

by RLangford on Oct 5, 2006 11:19 PM PDT up reply actions

byrnes is a jackass

but to his credit, he doesnt claim to be anything different. I was hoping that they would show the "play".

The one thing I really liked was when Karl Ravech said that Johan Santana didnt bring his "A" game. Byrnes blasted him, saying what more do you want him to do. Ravech implied that well it wasnt "good enough". Please like its Santana's FAULT. GIVE CREDIT where its due.

Santana was awesome in game 1. I mean 8IP, 2 ER. I think ANY team would take that.

"...we don't score six, seven runs. We score three, four runs and play defense and pitch." - Eric Chavez

by pickinmachine on Oct 5, 2006 9:37 PM PDT reply actions

Ha ! Exactly !

Ravech said that Santana didn't bring his 'A' game.

Byrnes said what more do you want him to do? He pitched 8 innings and only gave up 2 runs.

Ravech replied - 'how about no runs?'

...to which Byrnes said 'yeah, and I'll just hist .450 next season' - to which all the other studio people laughed hard at, realizing the absurdity of what Ravech and Byrnes had just said.

Ravech ended up with egg on his face, in a big way.

Byrnes wasn't downing the A's.

by NewPosterMojo on Oct 5, 2006 11:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh, stop it

You all know you still love Byrnesie.

by Philip Christy on Oct 5, 2006 10:03 PM PDT reply actions

Maybe

Well, I'm still waiting for him to crash into the wall on SportsCenter. Then, I'll concede my love for him.

by kirbyk on Oct 6, 2006 8:53 AM PDT up reply actions

whenever we fire a guy....

... he immediately becomes our worst enemy, giving speeches about how bad we are, etc. hell, if I get fired, I'll feel the same way. so I'm not going to blame Byrnesy for being bitter. it's even worse because he's from the Bay Area. Eventually he'll get over it.

by vk on Oct 5, 2006 10:24 PM PDT reply actions

fired?

I don't think Byrnsie ever made it to the unemployment line.

by sf drift king on Oct 6, 2006 1:20 AM PDT up reply actions

"Skippy"

is what we call Byrnes at my house, his unique running style having earned him the nickname. I was ecstatic when Greg Papa, subbing on the Giant's broadcasting team during an interleague series a couple of years ago, called a Byrnes home run with an astonished "he's literally skipping around the bases!!"

I enjoyed watching him play for the A's, but I'm sure glad he's playing for somebody else.

by fritzgrooves on Oct 5, 2006 10:48 PM PDT reply actions

Eric Byrnes is like...

...that really crazy chick you dated in high school - the one who was nothing but trouble, was always dicking you around, messing with your head, and lied to your repeatedly... yet, strangely, you REALLY wanted to date her and were totally pissed when she left.

But then, once she was gone, you suddenly thought to yourself, "What the hell was I thinking? She was crap!"

"It's time to blow this team up." - Oaktoon, July 2006

by Ozzz on Oct 5, 2006 10:58 PM PDT reply actions

Hmmm...

I took the whole thing as tongue-in-cheek, that he was actually pulling for the A's to win, and only picking against them to join the absurdity that they had 'no chance' - similar to the regular ESPN crew.

I could have been wrong, but that's how I took it. And I watched him numerous times that night.

As for him saying he picked the Twins because the A's traded him - and yeah, he did make it a point to say that - I honestly thought that was him joshing around too.

by NewPosterMojo on Oct 5, 2006 11:35 PM PDT reply actions