Starting Over

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jul 3, 2006 9:50 PM PDT in News

Phew, did you panic a little when Crosby committed that error in the ninth? I know I did. Granted, Street looked like he was dealing, but I was afraid that with the door cracked, a team that's been winning as often as the Tigers was going to kick it in.

Good job by Huston for coming back and slamming it shut.

Course, the Kuiper and Fosse were saying that the Crosby hit with two outs to take the 2-1 lead was a momentum builder for the A's. I personally think the game was won on defense tonight. Mark Ellis made the key stab on Guillen, and it was absolutely crucial. The Tigers would've only been down 5-4 if that gets through and there is only one out. Chavez then follows up on a nice play to get Marcus Thames out. Duchscherer faced the meat of the order as well in that eighth, so it was what you would call the high leverage inning tonight. It's nice to have Duke back. That's how the bullpen is supposed to work...hopefully Duke will be able to go back-to-back very, very soon.

Jay Pay deserves all the credit in the world for that three-run shot as well. When the Tigers took the lead at 3-2, I figured the A's were done with the way the offense has been going lately. But Chavy wound up with a key single and Frank Thomas pulled a Thomas and walked to set up Jay Pay's heroics.

Blanton was really solid tonight against a team that abused him earlier this year, which is always good to see. It means that he made adjustments in realizing how to better pitch to the hitters. Our Little Joe is growing up.

It was especially important to get this game tonight with the A's facing Verlander tomorrow and he is one of the rising young stars in baseball. The A's were able to tag him for one of his four losses in April this year (he has 10 wins), but his last time out he three-hit the Astros over eight innings.

So this was a perfect recipe for starting over as the first game in the second half of the season. Game 82 was a win, only 80 more like these to go.

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Great game tonight.

HUGE AB by Crosby with the bases loaded and 2 outs, too. So many times he panics, but he took a great pitch, and did some damage.

Tony LaRussa:"If you have the horses, you'll win. If you don't, you'll lose." Me: "We're missing some ponies!"

by baseballgirl on Jul 3, 2006 9:52 PM PDT reply actions

This just in: Sky not falling

See what winning does. A's will be in first place for at least two more days.

And, I'll say it again. They just need to get healthy. Harden, Chavez, and Bradley are the keys. They need to get and stay healthy. Thomas will miss some more time; that's certain. But others can't. No more "six weeks with a broken thumb" or "elbow tendonitis."

by RLangford on Jul 3, 2006 9:53 PM PDT reply actions

I have to agree with

G. Kuiper and Fosse. The way the A's offense has been going, we so desperately needed an RBI hit--even better it be a two-run job with two outs.

Didn't we all instinctively go "too big a hill to climb" when we got down 1-0? Without that hit, we're into the middle innings getting shutout...again...Totally different energy.

The pitch that saved Blanton tonight was the changeup--very effective. Might be time to feature it more, as it will make the fastball more effective. Good job mitigating damage tonight by JB.

And Street looked good tonight. He also pitched quite well.

I like Cindi. A.She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 3, 2006 9:54 PM PDT reply actions

Hey, isn't that Mark Lodi?

Can intangibles exist? Only the ones you can touch.

by salb918 on Jul 3, 2006 9:57 PM PDT reply actions

So someone did see us!

That was my son and I down on the field right before the fireworks, and the camera crew came right up to us and said "You're on!"

I put my arm around The Kid and just started cheering. Yes, I realize "Go Oakland! Woo! Go A's!" is a bit lacking in the creativity department, but hey - I couldn't edit for content like I can here. ;)

I had the wife record us on the ole' Tivo, so I wasn't sure whether they actually had us on or not. But we watched it this morning, and there we were! My 15 seconds of fame!

The night was simply amazing. Yes, I will have a full-blown diary in the next day or two, I promise.

And Sal, thanks for noticing! :)

I wanna Californiagirl bobblehead!

by marklodi on Jul 4, 2006 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions

good and bad

good:
our pitchers gave up no walks tonight.

bad:
i'm not convinced that the offense is back, 7 hits (in 30 at bats = .233) isn't that impressive.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jul 3, 2006 10:04 PM PDT reply actions

The good news is that

they don't need that many runs with the way the A's pitchers have been pitching. Five should get them a win on most nights.

Course, scoring five runs against Verlander and Coliseum Kenny will be quite the challenge.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jul 3, 2006 10:05 PM PDT up reply actions

but you can't really depend on

scoring five runs with seven hits.

the a's only threatened to score twice in the whole game. fortunately they managed to do so both times.
this time.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jul 4, 2006 12:04 AM PDT up reply actions

It WAS against

a guy with the 5th best ERA in the league, though. Agree that the offense wasn't awesome, but for a change the big and timely hits were there.

I like Cindi. A.She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 3, 2006 10:05 PM PDT up reply actions

great grinder win

Blanton wasnt great but still managed to keep the Tigers off the board for the most part. Defense bailed him out a couple times.

These are the games that the A's need to win. Clearly the inferior team but somehow manage to win.

Keep limping to the AS break and we'll run away with the division once healthy.

Bill Stoneman is about to be offered three seasons of a right-handed version of Vladimir Guerrero - Rev Halofan

by pickinmachine on Jul 3, 2006 10:14 PM PDT reply actions

We won't run away with it--

We might win it by 15 games, but we will, at best, limp away with it. And be listed as day-to-day, of course.

I like Cindi. A.She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 3, 2006 10:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Would that be

the A's equivalent of a near death experience?

by DMOAS on Jul 3, 2006 10:28 PM PDT up reply actions

gimp it

seriously I thought Thomas was dead tonight after that foul ball. I expect Larry Davis to say hes DTD tommorrow and Payton to the DL for simply watching it from the on deck circle.

Bill Stoneman is about to be offered three seasons of a right-handed version of Vladimir Guerrero - Rev Halofan

by pickinmachine on Jul 3, 2006 10:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Ditto

That was my first thought... "There goes the blasted ankle!!"

by anomaly_kat on Jul 4, 2006 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Lucky... not good

Before I add a little (and only a little) negativity, I'd like to qualify it. This team can win this division (not saying much). And with this team's pitching, we can win the WS with a timely hot streak that this offense can put together (saying a lot). So while I'm worried about this team, I still have a lot of hope.

That being said, this win was all about luck. Yes, Croz came through with a single to get us going with no one following it up for more. But the big thing is that if Payton doesn't hit that one out, we likely lose this game. What was said above about hitting .233 as a team today should leave us worried about the next two games and even the Angel's series. The last thing we want is to go into the break having been swept by them AND waking them up.

But it is better to be lucky than good and tonight we're lucky and hopefully we'll tread water until the team's health returns and we can get back to good.

by DMOAS on Jul 3, 2006 10:26 PM PDT reply actions

If Payton doesn't HR,

and we don't score in that inning another way, sure we likely lose (though we still have 3 innings left in a one-run game). But how is it lucky to get the big hit, when the opportunity is there, instead of not getting it? Crosby got the big hit and Payton got the big hit.

Against a good pitcher, we didn't get a lot of hits, but we did get 4 BBs to go with 7 hits, and we took advantage of the opportunities we had. I don't see the "luck" part.

I like Cindi. A.She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 3, 2006 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions

The luck...

comes in that we had two opportunities to bring in runs and we succeeded. I call it luck, you can call it timely execution, someone else can call it clutch hitting. Based on the past week or so, that's where that sits with me. I'm sure glad it happened and would like for more "luck" if that was what it was.

by DMOAS on Jul 3, 2006 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions

I thought that's where

the skill part entered in, but at least we're both happy. :-}

I like Cindi. A.She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 3, 2006 10:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Very true...

Maybe in my twisted little mind I equate skill to success while going good and luck to success while going bad. All about perspective I guess. Results are, ironically the same. And happiness can be found by all.

by DMOAS on Jul 3, 2006 10:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, I suppose one could say

the A's were lucky...to be sooooo goooood!

Y'know, winning is more fun than losing.

I like Cindi. A.She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 3, 2006 10:46 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree...

I think the point you were making was "one at-bat changed the game" which does not make for a good offense.

Any time the game could have gone either way, you also could have lost it, which is still less than inspiring.

HOWEVER, we beat a legitimately great pitcher tonight, and scored 5 runs.

Tony LaRussa:"If you have the horses, you'll win. If you don't, you'll lose." Me: "We're missing some ponies!"

by baseballgirl on Jul 3, 2006 10:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Sure... make sound so much more

succinct than me. Guess that's why you get the front page. But yeah, that's pretty much what I was going for. But regardless of how it was done, it's still a good win.

by DMOAS on Jul 3, 2006 10:58 PM PDT up reply actions

So when are we going to trade for Kenny Rogers?

With how well he's done in the Coliseum against us, I have a feeling he'd be able to pitch effectively into his 80's

by RenoTy on Jul 3, 2006 10:28 PM PDT reply actions

The A's are planning

to sign him on his 77th birthday, when he's undervalued.

I like Cindi. A.She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 3, 2006 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle

I come to house, fire up the mac, dilly dally a while before peeking at any scores...finally get the gumption...and was pleasently surprised. YES.

the great playoff miss of 2004 followed by the good try of 2005...in 2006?...prove it.

by ak_A on Jul 3, 2006 10:41 PM PDT reply actions

I only skimmed your post,

but you dilly-dallied a monkey named Gumption?

Eeeww.

I like Cindi. A.She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 3, 2006 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions

In a good mood tonight

and i won't let your inane posts effect me like they usually do (with rage fits...crow-hopping xross the room and shadow boxing while shreiking at the top of my lungs).

the great playoff miss of 2004 followed by the good try of 2005...in 2006?...prove it.

by ak_A on Jul 3, 2006 10:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Your posts have

no effect on me, which makes my crow-hopping across the room and shadow boxing while shreiking at the top of my lungs hard to explain.

I like Cindi. A.She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 3, 2006 10:52 PM PDT up reply actions

oh yeah, Ethier hitting .345 right now

meanwhile Bradley is a great cheerleader and stooge for Swisher after every hit withtheir special handshake. but it hasnt been happening much lately.

i had hopes for bradley since he was supposed to be a middle of the order bat while Ethier would've still been in AAA in the A's system. but A"s will be lucky if Bradley even gets a full month of AB's this season, just very disappointing since his return seems get to be pushed back week after week

by CaliAsFan on Jul 3, 2006 11:25 PM PDT reply actions

i wish people would get over ethier. billy beane

made the trade to help the offense. it's not his fault that bradley got hurt. ethier is on the dodgers. we should be happy for him that he's doing so well. the trade was made and we can't take it back. there's no need to dwell over it because of his numbers.

by the way this isn't directed at you this is something that has been bugging me for awhile.

"I thought it was cute," Oakland's Nick Swisher said of Kotsay's blast with the petal-colored bat

by larrysgurl on Jul 3, 2006 11:52 PM PDT up reply actions

<runs to bedroom and slams door>

the great playoff miss of 2004 followed by the good try of 2005...in 2006?...prove it.

by ak_A on Jul 3, 2006 11:54 PM PDT up reply actions

thank you

by OaklandSi on Jul 4, 2006 8:00 AM PDT up reply actions

"It's not his fault Bradley got hurt"

No... but he is paid to analyze the following:

Games Played since 2001:

Milton Bradley:

77
98
101
141
75

Only once in the past 5 years has Bradley played anywhere near a full season. Make that once in 6 years. Beane gambled he'd be mainly healthy... and, so far, he has lost.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Jul 4, 2006 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions

In his defense, if you look at the trend, he

played in more games each year, until last year, so he gambled that it was the fluke year. If he would have played 140, we'd be happy

by theblackpearl on Jul 4, 2006 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions

bradley

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jul 4, 2006 12:01 AM PDT up reply actions

Sweet

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Jul 4, 2006 1:07 AM PDT up reply actions

It comes in a cycle

Solid game, enough runs to win the game, strong defense on the right side but this is good momentum and Chavez was out there so that is encouraging.

"Talk about impressive. My point is this: Break's over."- Josiah Bartlet

by doublehustle22 on Jul 3, 2006 11:33 PM PDT reply actions

I am so happy Ellis is back

He has played some tremendous defense the past couple of days (I have been to the last 3 including tonight) and he has been one of few bright spots.

The team as a whole seemed to have more spunk tonight. Last night they looked flat . . tonight more bounce in their step. Good win against a darn good team.

If someone will give instructions (again) on how to post pictures, I have some to upload. Can the instructions be put in the FAQs? I have a mind like a steel trap (rusted and permanently closed) so I cannot remember this morning any more much less how-to's that I use sporadically.

Baseball is life. . . at least that is what my sweatshirt says.

by 0R0H0E on Jul 3, 2006 11:57 PM PDT reply actions

According to the AP game notes

Rich Harden responded badly to a throwing session and will be shut down for a week. Ouch :-(

"Even if you know the deck is stacked in your favor, you still have to have the discipline to trust the math and the cojones to go to the ATM." BB

by green star oakland on Jul 4, 2006 12:00 AM PDT reply actions

harden and gagne

don't work out together in canada over the winters, do they?

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jul 4, 2006 12:06 AM PDT up reply actions

A's Win A's Win!

All you haters, please stand up. This team may not be the best team in the league just yet, but I refuse to count them out on any given night.

BASEBALL! I love it!

"Dad? Where's this 'Toledo' and why is it Holy?"

by Mike Gallego is my Hero on Jul 4, 2006 12:07 AM PDT reply actions

It Was Great to Be There

This doesn't warrant a diary - but maybe some long-assed comment instead...

My parents drove in from Sacramento, and we got 4 tickets for them, my wife and myself in the second deck to enjoy the festivities. It's always great to see the A's win, and always better to do so in front of a sellout crowd. I love the fireworks games, and they're best in Oakland. Trust me - I saw the Memorial Day festivities at AT&T Park, and even their fireworks suck more.

It's great that the A's know how to look a first-place team in the eye. Blanton pitched well. Duchscherer did his job, and Street closed it out, despite Bobby's attempt to make sure he didn't have to pay his bookie. (Not that I'm suggesting... really... that he had money on the game... that would be wrong.)

Payton did very well, and Thomas was justifiably intimidating - he got his hits and his walks, and the A's won. I love baseball.

Oh yeah - and the family loved it too. As my mother said, "It was even better than I had hoped it would be." Go A's!

More ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/ | Archive

by louismg on Jul 4, 2006 12:21 AM PDT reply actions

Re: fireworks

I never understood why everyone mentions the players rushing out early after on fireworks shows until last night. I always assumed they did things like every other team. I guess not. In KC they don't let you down on the field, and even hauling ass to the parking lot after the game, I usually don't make it to my car before the end of the show. But KC also has fireworks every Friday....

Oakland puts on a great show. I couldn't believe EI actually aired the broadcast until it was completely over. FSNBA was awesome last night.

by Jennifer on Jul 4, 2006 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions

that was the best

fireworks game i've ever gone to!!!... because we won... i dont think i've ever gone to a fireworks game where we won... but it was awesome... tailgate, hits, runs, winning, fireworks, being there with my favorite people...

by CrosbysGirl510 on Jul 4, 2006 12:24 AM PDT reply actions

I found this amusing...

From: Yahoo! Sports Photos

Oakland Athletics' Frank Thomas lies on the ground after fouling a pitch from Detroit Tigers' Nate Robertson off his shin in the second inning of a baseball game Monday, July 3, 2006, in Oakland, Calif. An unidentified Athletics trainer, center right, Tigers' catcher Ivan Rodriguez, right, and Athletics manager Ken Macha look on.

Ha ha! Poor Larry Davis...

More ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/ | Archive

by louismg on Jul 4, 2006 1:14 AM PDT reply actions

Maybe they thought he was a flag?

Tony LaRussa:"If you have the horses, you'll win. If you don't, you'll lose." Me: "We're missing some ponies!"

by baseballgirl on Jul 4, 2006 1:28 AM PDT up reply actions

perhaps both larry davis and jay mariotti

are [expletive] flags...

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jul 4, 2006 1:31 AM PDT up reply actions

<blows whistle>

You! <points> Yes you.

That's sensitivity training for you, mister.

Oh, and totally unrelated, but how has no one just flat-out punched Ozzie yet?

It didn't take long for Ozzie Guillen's phone to ring Sunday. Then again, the White Sox manager knew it was only the first wave of a potential weeklong tsunami.

"I already had a couple of phone calls, not nice ones," Guillen said. "A couple of teams called, but I could care less what they think. Whoever is not on this team, they have my number. They have my PR department's number. Whoever doesn't like it, play better next year."

Yeaaaaah. Anytime Kenny Rogers is the leading candidate to start the ASG and Liriano isn't even on the team, I don't think 'playing better' is going to help anyone be a part of this crappy farce that is really all about a popularity contest instead of a showcase of talent.

Tony LaRussa:"If you have the horses, you'll win. If you don't, you'll lose." Me: "We're missing some ponies!"

by baseballgirl on Jul 4, 2006 1:41 AM PDT up reply actions

Larry's unrecognizable when not in tie-dye!

"WHAT IS LARRY DAVIS WEARING?!?!?! It's not tie-dyed!!!!" ~ gigglingone

by Poppy on Jul 4, 2006 8:01 AM PDT up reply actions

man

that shirt is a disgrace to america

by SeanR on Jul 4, 2006 8:12 AM PDT up reply actions

It's refreshing to see

The Thomas' and Ellis' and Crosby's and Payton's step it up when the Kotsay's and Swisher's and Chavez's are mired in slumps. That's the kind of stuff we need to happen to turn the offense around.

by walk off bunt on Jul 4, 2006 2:32 AM PDT reply actions

I thought in April, and still think

that the A's match up well against the Tigers. Their hitters are aggressive, which helps the A's pitchers plan to get them behind early in the count.

Sometimes teams that aren't "the league's best" have more success against the A's, simply because the A's aren't as familiar with them, or their pitchers throw lots of sinkerballs, or for whatever reason.

I thought if the A's played a good tight game and had most of their players available that they could perhaps take 2 or 3 games against the Tigers. (Note all the qualifiers, to avoid the JINX factor.)

by OaklandSi on Jul 4, 2006 10:52 AM PDT reply actions

anatomy lesson in order?

Here's a snippet from the A's notes:

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060703&content_id=1537820& ;vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak

Kielty missed time with a biceps tendinitis in his right shoulder and Chavez was out with tendinitis in both forearms.

Quite a trick to have "biceps tendinitis" in the shoulder, right? Also, I've read elsewhere that it's Kielty's left shoulder that's bothering him. But since he had been quoted earlier as saying he couldn't throw without pain, it makes more sense that the right shoulder would be bothering him.

by OaklandSi on Jul 4, 2006 11:06 AM PDT reply actions

The biceps muscle...

...runs the length of the upper arm and is attached (by tendons) to the shoulder structures at one end, and the elbow at the other end. So if the upper tendon is the one that's inflamed, that would be causing pain in the shoulder area.

Don't know how it's jumping from his left to right shoulder or vice-versa, though... ;)

"WHAT IS LARRY DAVIS WEARING?!?!?! It's not tie-dyed!!!!" ~ gigglingone

by Poppy on Jul 4, 2006 12:17 PM PDT up reply actions