WLD 7/14/07 - If only... - Athletics Nation

WLD 7/14/07 - If only...

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Jul 14, 2007 7:05 AM PDT Comment 27 comments

Don't you just love it when an error in your newspaper makes you dream and wish it were reality? Take my copy this morning's News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.), for example:

Sigh. Reality is overrated.

Other A's news:

Rickey has joined the Mets as their first base coach. Does that mean he's officially retired and the Hall of Fame clock has started?

In other baseball news, Ichiro Suzuki signed a 5-year contract extension that will pay him $90 million. Not surprising.

The Giants signed GM Brian Sabean to a 2-year extension. Slightly less not surprising.

I'd love to talk about Becks and Posh and whatnot, but my 12-month old son is trying to wrestle the keyboard away and at 23t2 .;g'raegehnaent/trrasnmtrne.rn.aer.n...nnn

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Everyone's A Copyeditor Department

The rumors are inevitable.
Dan Johnson is from Coon Rapids, Minn., just 15 minutes down the road from the Metrodome. The Minnesota Twins are looking for some offense as the trade deadline nears.

Obviously "down the road" is a figure of speech. But usually when we use "up" and "down" when discussing moving between two locations, "down" implies south -- down on a map -- or down in elevation. At least that's how I think of it -- am I wrong? Anyhow, Coon Rapids is north of the Metrodome and unless you were driving at 80 miles an hour at 3 AM on Easter Sunday, you can't get there in 15 minutes. Let's revise:

Dan Johnson is from Coon Rapids, Minn., a quiet suburb on the Mississippi River just 15 miles north of the Metrodome. The Minnesota Twins are looking for some offense as the trade deadline nears

That's better. I went to the site of the Saint Paul Pioneer Press-Dispatch, a rag locally known as the Saint Paul Gas and Minor Distress which is now owned by the same unpleasant conglomerate that owns the Oakland Tribune, to see what they were reporting about the trade rumors. Zip. But on the front page they do have some great video of the latest promotion by the Saint Paul Saints, the Northern League Mike Veeck-owned team. A lucky fan is attached to the outfield wall by Velcro. If she can stay there for the whole game she wins $100. The fan has the most perfect Minnesota accent I've heard in...well, since I moved to California, Check it out.

No, what the Twins beat writer is concerned about is that because Ichiro signed his big contract, Torii Hunter will be "forced" to seek a similar level of pay when he becomes a free agent at the end of this year. Get used to it, Twins fans. But hmmmm.....Torii Hunter. We already love him in the left field bleachers, although he would probably prefer to forget why.

Your sig line is still boring. -- Poppy

by Englishmajor on Jul 14, 2007 8:52 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Isn't "Down the road" forward?

as in, covering an area where you have yet to go. Where as "Up the road" mean backwards, where you just were... as well as all the fun little stuff you covered. But I can see Johnson making that trip in 15 minutes. He is afterall a speed demon and his ability to break down the barriers of the space/time continum, the man can make the impossible, improbable.

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Jul 14, 2007 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Torii Hunter

No way does this guy deserve anything close to Ichiro Suzuki money. Compare their stat lines:

Hunter

Suzuki

Hunter's career OBP is about 50 points lower than Suzuki's, and Hunter's defense, ESPN highlights notwithstanding, has been below average to average at best for the last five seasons. It would not surprise me, however, if Hunter ends up in across the bay in Phonecompanyofthemonth Park with Suzuki money next season.

"Essentially, in the last four games we've only had one good swing and it was from Blanton." - Nico

by doctorK on Jul 14, 2007 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

More noteworthy

Kotsay taking grounders at 1st (b/c, you know, he can't live up the offensive numbers expected of a centerfielder, but he can as a 1st baseman). And Braden starting monday.

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Jul 14, 2007 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've seen

Kotsay play 1st before. Hearing that he was using Curt Young's lefthanded catcher's mitt and warm up pitchers is kinda scary though.

death to myspace!

by malikot on Jul 14, 2007 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kotsay at 1B has to rank as the DUMBEST ...

... single move during Beane's tenure. There simply isn't (nor wasn't) any justification for it whatsoever.

Lookout Landing is easily the best SBN blog. ~ mikeA @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 14, 2007 2:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm 100% against the idea of bring Barton up

this year. But if I had to choose between Kotsay at 1st and Barton up, it's Barton all the way. Last I recall, he spent only a couple of innings at 1st before he was rightfully moved.

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Jul 14, 2007 6:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Just down the road"

This is confusing. Luckily, I speak hick.

Down the road: "Did you hear where they're building the new Piggly Wiggly?"

"Yeah, it's down the road from DQ."

Meaning: South of Dairy Queen.

'Just' down the road: "Big crash. D'you hear where?"

"Sure did. Just down the road from Tommy Smith's hog farm."

Meaning: General proximity. Close by. Not far from. This can be north or south.

This is also the case with neighbor. In the sticks, someone can live five miles away from you by road, but they are still your neighbor. General proximity.

I think Joe Stiglich menat that Coon Rapids is close to the Metro Dome.

I want my money back.

by Jennifer on Jul 14, 2007 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

more helpful (not really) answers

1. Answer meant to get a song stuck in your head: "You mean the expression forever immortalized in the great ballad 'Down the Road Again'"

2. Nerdy answer courtesy of the high school geography departments: south and down are different directions entirely. Up and down are changes in altitude, and as such are not described by any of the side-to-side directions indicated on your compass.

3. Answer giving me a link to post: I wonder if Coons Rapid is just down the road from The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota.

"WTF is wrong with you people TASTELESS COMMENTS. I'm disgusted. Mocking a 10 year old's horrible painful death." --eshock

by rubin sierra on Jul 15, 2007 8:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Travis Buck at CF

According to the IBA link, that's where Buck played at Sacramento yesterday.

I know the A's have played umpteen guys at CF, but I don't recall seeing Travis there yet. Will it soon be umpteen plus one?

"...but we're also always open to hearing about other sandwiches if it can make our lunch better." -- Nico, channeling Billy Beane

by iglew on Jul 14, 2007 9:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

obligatory

"Essentially, in the last four games we've only had one good swing and it was from Blanton." - Nico

by doctorK on Jul 14, 2007 9:40 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Isn't it easier to do one armed push ups

without the baseball bat?

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Jul 14, 2007 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oops.

Hrad Balsey update:

Little has been heard from lefty Brad Halsey since he slammed the A's for not properly diagnosing an arm problem he had this spring and for not calling him up for a potential start at Baltimore. On Tuesday, noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews performed surgery to repair a torn labrum in Halsey's left shoulder. Halsey said he can begin throwing again in four months and be ready for spring training.

Halsey said he has filed a grievance against the A's with the players association over the handling of his injury. He said he was told the problem was biceps tendinitis and he was not given an MRI exam when he requested one. Halsey contends the matter wasn't attended to properly until he was no longer on the big-league roster, which cost him both his big-league salary and major-league service time.

I want my money back.

by Jennifer on Jul 14, 2007 9:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't recall the last time

Halsey was on the big-league roster, but if he waited that long to go out and get it treated on his own, then he sure as hell doesn't have much of grievance. The "call me up and put me on the 40 so I can go on the DL" angle doesn't really work unless you're Conner Robertson.

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by DMOAS on Jul 14, 2007 10:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The A's medical staff botching something?

No Way!

by Zonis on Jul 14, 2007 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Unpossible!

"Essentially, in the last four games we've only had one good swing and it was from Blanton." - Nico

by doctorK on Jul 14, 2007 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shoulda bought him the damn thumb guard

Your sig line is still boring. -- Poppy

by Englishmajor on Jul 14, 2007 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sounds to me as if he has some good points.

by IM4Oakgal on Jul 14, 2007 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome Julio to Sac

From the Bee:

Note: In yet another roster move, pushing the team's transaction total past 130, the River Cats will be getting another pitcher after a minor-league trade between the A's and Cincinnati Reds on Friday.
Scheduled to report to Sacramento is 34-year-old right-hander Julio Manon, who was 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in six relief appearances for the Reds' Triple-A Louisville club. Going from the A's organization to the Reds' system is right-hander Daniel Denham, 24, who was 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in 16 relief outings for Double-A Midland and Class-A Stockton and was assigned to the Class-A Florida State League.

Flatten Your Thirds.

by LawDaddy on Jul 14, 2007 10:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

we gained 10 years of experience in the deal

oh wait, that's bad

Signatures? We don't need no stinking signatures.

by jubjub on Jul 14, 2007 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Storm the Bastille!

No, wait...gondola Lake Merritt!

I'm picturing Stomper as Jake Gittes, being pleasantly polled (ahem) across the lake, taking incriminating pictures.

"Jesus and the rest ain't got nothing on Ganesha." --mikeA

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jul 14, 2007 3:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmmmm...this is interesting...

Ash trees are being eaten. Players turn to maple.

I don't know why, but this line made me laugh:

"Maple is all the rage with the young players coming up now," said Tom Hellman, the clubhouse manager for the Chicago Cubs, whose responsibilities include ordering bats and keeping track of them. "But the older players still want their ash."

"When they start the game, they don't yell, 'Work ball.' They say, 'Play ball.'" ~Willie Stargell

by alamedagirl on Jul 15, 2007 12:06 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

this team needs a

Lastings Milledge. Who do we have that the Mets still want?

I think religion is a neurological disorder that prevents people from thinking on their own.--B. Maher

by sf drift king on Jul 15, 2007 12:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Haren

by Zonis on Jul 15, 2007 8:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Blanton.

I think we need to open up the purse strings and sign a bona-fide superstar free agent, however. If we try to fix the offense via trade, we're just going to get rid of our pitching assets, and replace one problem with another.

I would, however, like to see how desperate the Orioles are to give up Miguel Tejada. Obviously, they can have Crosby if they want him; I wonder what else it would take to get it done...

So it goes.

by jeepers on Jul 15, 2007 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs