DLD 9/5/06--BOOOOOOO, Miss Cleo!

All she did was ask him to clarify something he just said, and ask a very valid question about why Willie Randolph should be a shoo-in Manager of the year for a team that has Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Tom Glavine, Billy Wagner, and Pedro Martinez.

To me, it's 100% obvious that he only did it because she's a woman.

I voted for "I bought a ticket--that's my right as a fan."  I don't really like the way that sounds though, since that rationale could be errantly used to justify all sorts of obnoxious fan behavior.  I would just say that boo-ing is pretty harmless way for fans to let off some steam, especially when it's directed at the millionairre athletes whose pockets we're stuffing with the money we use to pay for our admission.  

Finally, as far as the notion goes that we're classier than the East Coast boo-birds, I take two exceptions.  First of all, I think these stereotypes are too-easily made-up based on little evidence:  on both coasts the majority of fans are probably causing no problems, with the drunken-and-obnoxious minority giving the rest a bad name.  Second, even if I did believe that we A's fans were a bunch of virtuous Ned Flanders-types, that isn't something I'd be completely proud of.  Because while being scrupulously non-negative has the advantage of avoiding classlessness and meanness, it has the disadvantage of being kind of lacking in the keep-it-real department.  If part of being a good friend is telling your buddy the truth, even when it's not good, then why can't that be part of being a good fan?  

0-3, 8.85 ERA, 2.37 WHIP in 20 1/3 IP.

David Lloyd: The Rangers and the West-leading A's, tonight in Oakland. We bring in A's OFer Bobby Kielty. Bobby, give us a feel for what you guys were thinking at the AS break, just a couple of games over .500, sort of trying to find your way a little bit.

Bobby Kielty: You know, the biggest thing, we weren't hitting the ball like we can as a team. Since the AS break we've really turned it on as far as hitting with RISP and over-all average. Our pitchers have been doing it all year, since the offense is picking up, the win column has been picking up, too.

DL: The thing is you seem to do this every year. I mean, at the AS Break you seem to get ignited. When it's June and you guys aren't going so well, do you guys think, hey, we'll kick it in gear when July rolls around?

BK: That's kind of the feeling. I don't know why. There's no explanation for it. For some reason, the Oakland A's, the last three years, we've been really good after the AS break. It just seems like that's the going trend. No explanation. I can't really put a finger on it at all. It's just the way things are going.

DL: No one has any theories in the clubhouse?

BK: Uh, no theories. Maybe the weather's heating up and our offense picks up when it heats up. But, I mean, that's all we can put a finger on. It's crazy, man. We just keep -- year after year keep playing good in the second half.

DL: It seems like you guys have fun. Zito, Swisher, yourself, a few others. What is the vibe like in the clubhouse?

BK: It's awesome. The best clubhouse I've been a part of. Just so much emotion and the energy. You know, some of the games we've had, uh, we've had a couple of games where we were acting like college players in the World Series when the CWS was going on. Uh, just screaming, yelling, and hollering, and hugs and hug-fives, and you know, all kinds of things. Uh, the heezey treezeys (Note: CC said heezey freezeys.) -

DL: [interrupting] What's a heezey treezey?

BK: [laughing] It's the Nick Swisher/Milton Bradley handshake. They jump on the heezey treezey for a little, uh, train ride, I guess.

DL: Can you do that?

BK: Uh, I don't got it down yet. I'm trying to learn it.

DL: [laughing] You're working on it, huh?

BK: Yeah, yeah.

DL: You guys are out front, as I mentioned. Yesterday was kind of a rough game for Jay Payton. Had a little trouble in left, the fans got on him a little bit. Now you were over in right field, what were you thinking watching all that?

BK: Well, actually I wasn't playing--

DL: Right.

BK: --I saw it all. I mean, Jay's been playing great all year. I think he was upset the fans were acting the way they were because he's been playing hard the whole year. He felt like he didn't deserve that at that point. All the plays that he had were though plays. It's not like they were routine plays by all means. All of them would've been great plays if he made the catch. You know, it just seemed like he got ragged on and he shouldn't have.

DL: Is that a sun field over in left?

BK: It's, I think, the worst sun in the American League. It can be really bad during the day, and we have so many day games here that the opportunity playing in that sun is a lot. (Note: WTF?)

DL: Hey Bobby, I wanted to get to this. Some people say you bear more than a passing resemblance to Ronald McDonald.

BK: [laughing]

DL: Can you see that?

BK: Man, if I knew cutting my hair was going to create the havoc that I've had... I've had so many fans ask why I cut my hair, why'd I cut my hair. When I'm in left field sometimes they'll start chanting, 'RON-NIE MAC! We want the `fro back!' It's pretty crazy. It's coming back, though. It's starting to get a little length, and I think it'll be ready for late September.

DL: Now how do you get the lift on that hair? Is it natural? Do you add any product in it to get it to go up like that?

BK: [laughing] It's, uh, a little bit product enhanced, I guess. But, for the most part, that what it looks like. It's pretty much a `fro when it gets long like that.

DL: Now I know you've got a sense of humor. You dressed up as Ronald McDonald last season. What was the reaction?

BK: Oh, man. Everyone loved it. The deal was, Kendall asked me if he bought me a Ronald McDonald suit, would I wear it around the clubhouse.

DL: Is that Jason Kendall?

BK: I said, yeah, I'll wear it. So one day I came in and the Ronald McDonald suit was in there. He had makeup and everything. He got the honors of putting the makeup on my face, him and Swisher got to put my makeup on.

DL: [laughing]

BK: Me and Bobby Crosby went down on the field and started throwing the ball around, messing around, goofing off. I think it was after kind of a bad loss to Anaheim, and we went out and ended up winning that game, so it was a good deal.

DL: Did you get any free Big Macs of anything from McDonald's? Anything?

BK: [laughing] No Big Macs. Still waiting.

DL: Maybe they'll watch this and send you a little coupon or something.

BK: That sounds good.

DL: Bobby, best of luck to you guys the rest of the way. The Oakland A's are on top of the AL West. Bobby Kielty joining us here on The Pregame.

BK: Thanks a lot.