Actually, he appears to be coming back to life a bit which could be ginormous for the A's down the stretch.

I want to kill him right now.  Just kill.  Dead.

What the FUCK.

Chavez DID have a good night, and to be honest, so did Saarloos.

But OH. MY. GOSH. the decision to let Kennedy stay in long enough to get rocked, AND lose the lead is enough to make me want to throw up.

I iwsh we had Andruw Jones or a different centerfielder.

• Flores probably should have been put in to face Morneau in the 6th, but it didn't matter because Calero got a DP on the next hitter.
• Calero should have stayed in to face Rondell White, but it didn't matter because surprisingly Kennedy got him out.
• Duke should either have started the 8th, or at the very least come in to face Cuddyer. That one cost us an entire hardfought game that we actually had a great chance to win.

However, remember this: It is possible for the A's to get swept in this series and still to win the division. In fact, I expect both may well happen. And let's just try to get to the playoffs and then worry about how good we are. There are no great teams this year; none.

And while I do expect the A's will very likely lose tomorrow, let's not deify Francisco Liriano. Whether he's rusty or sharp as ever, the Twins will need at least 2-3 innings from their middle to long relievers. And if the A's could just win one in this series, I'd feel the same way I felt before the series started: nothing less than thrilled.

No outs, top of fifth.  Crede on 2nd, Mackiowak on 1st, Uribe up.

Wait...Uribe just sac bunted.

In the middle of this inning was a heroic 13 pitch at bat by Crede (he eventually singled).

Kills. Me.

He is not as bad as he is portrayed tonight, but I've seen quite a few times, even this season, where he lets a pitcher go too long, and puts in a better one for mop up work.

Wasted appearance by Duke, IMO. Game was already lost.

Sorry all..go back to ranting against Macha. :-)

Why, when every game is critical right now, was that scenario allowed to happen?  I was absolutely stunned when he was allowed to start the eighth and pissed as hell that he was left out there to implode.

This, after last night running out the disgraceful combo of Sauerbeck/Witasick to take them completely out of the game.  Terrible bullpen decisions in this series.

But everyone's right, our pitching is sucking donkey dicks at just the most exquisitely worst time.  It's on the players but as the manager you just don't give away a game we were about to win at the most crucial time in the season.

As I write this the Pale Hose are helping us out, having taken a lead on the Halos with Dye and Thome due up.  Let us pray they score 43 runs in this inning.

I should also give proper respects to the Twins, who have a marvelous young & hungry team, a team I would rather eat wood than face in a short series.

1.  Kennedy looks like a way better pitcher when he faces 1 or 2 hitters versus four or more.  Doesn't this show he's a true Loogy even though sometimes he gets righties out?
2.  The entire pitching staff has made horrible pitches on 0 - 2 counts for more than a week now.  Seriously, do they think you have to get a batter out in 3 pitches?  Tonight's prime example was Cruddyer's double on an 0 - 2 pitch.
3.  Kendall needs to rest.  He is not blocking balls in the dirt nearly as good as he used to.  Kennedy and Duke both had wild pitches that should have been properly blocked but because Kendall has played 188 ggames in a row, he is tired and he didn't get down far enough to block,  thus costing at least a run.

Great news about ChiSox, too.

"if we lose the division
i think one of us needs to take macha out back and put a bullet in his head for every game we lost in september."

"FIRE MACHA NOW" -- "shoot him now"

"you're an idiot
everyone could see where that was headed once cuddyer came up"

"Dear jesus in heaven....
please strike ken macha dead tonight, thanks"

"Nathan coming up
I hope somebody hits a foul ball so so so hard, hits macha so so so hard that he cannot coach for the rest of the season."

"SOMEONE PLEASE, KILL MACHA, WE NEED A HERO, IT'S A SACRIFICE WE'LL HONOR FOREVER."

"Payton looks like he wants to kill Macha" -- "I kind of hope he does"

"i'd love to see beane suspend macha" -- "I'd rather he beat him senseless with a chair"

"I want to kill him right now.  Just kill.  Dead."

:-|

Unbelievable.

Shit

Crosby sucks.

You're betrayed Shiva!

1. If the A's can get a win today, this will be a 3-3 road trip. Lately, after the A's drop the first two in a series, they usually come back to win the third game. The last example would be last week against Texas.
2. I like the White Sox's chances today with Freddy Garcia against Saunders.
3. Even if the A's lose, and the Angels win putting the A's at 3 1/2 up, look to Thursday with the Angels in Texas for FOUR games! Magic numbers will go down and I am putting the A's up by 5 games in the West by end of Sunday.