Classic Lineup Success

Billy didn't open up and let out all the juicy details concerning the departure of one Milton Bradley?

Shoot.

It was great to meet those of you I met!  Korach has a beautiful voice -- perhaps I'm stating the obvious, but I was kind of floored that it sounded like that just naturally, even without a carefully eq'd amplification system.  Beane was skinnier than I'd expected.  The game, honestly, was kind of boring there for a while, but in a way that was a good thing because it gave us more time to talk.  And the result was great, of course!

Many thanks to the AN leadership council for putting this together.

Good, very good.  Excellent baseball too, fun to watch.

Despite being little more than a lurker, arriving late and having to go to my option B compananion after another friend who lurks here had to go out of town, I had a wonderful time and felt very much included.

Leading up to the event, there was alot of uncertainty for me. I ultimately found myself inviting my father, a Boston born Red Sox fan, someone nearly oblivious to the internet and also someone who is rarely on time. Although I had planned to arrive around 11:30, my father was ill prepared when we were to leave and didn't understand the importance of arriving early. We ultimately showed up around 12:05, missed belt buckles and had to ask where everyone had gone(I did not want to miss the special guests). I never did get around to asking for a name tag after this, but its not as if I would have been recognized.

From there, I had a great time. Although standing in the back of the Q+A made it alittle difficult to hear and I had to answer "Who are these guys?" by someone who walked up(admittedly I kind of snapped out an answer of suprise to him), I was impressed by by the well phrased questions and entertaining answers.

When we made our way to the seats after grabbing some food at the tail end of the BBQ, I had to quickly convince my father to sit someplace other than where are seats were to allow the midwest contingent to sit together. From there on, in addition to the enjoyable game, I thoroughly enjoyed the banter of the upper corner of section 235. InBillyWeTrust, a gentleman who sounded as if he was quite the wiffleball stud, the Nebraksans and others made it feel as if it was like a live open game thread.

By the end of the day, I had one heck of a sunburn (I should have worn a shirt on my hand like the gentleman next to me) but it was worth it for the great game and great sense of community.

Thanks very much for putting this all together.

thanks to baseballgirl and anyone else who put it together, though my wife Jacquie was pretty surprised when what looked like the Italian sausages turned out to be the red-hots. Have to say, though, I didn't come away feeling warm and fuzzy about Billy Beane's evasions.
nice win on a day when they were dominated by the opposing pitcher, starting in the sixth at least they could work him for walks. Blanton was tough. the A's look like a good team again after an awful July, probably too late to get back in it but that's still a benefit. Maybe we do get the ninth straight year over .500.

You guys gotta remember, everything Beane does get dissected ad nauseum here, and by some very intelligent, good writers and thinkers.

Now, what would SueSlu, et al, think, if AN scribes were to scoop the beat writers, AP, ESPN, and MLB.com on Milton Bradley, or any other topic???

No, Beane knows that the pre-game AN pow wow was a very public forum, with possible consequences more deadly than any typical website.  However, he had the presumption that he could talk without talking specifics.  Is that ego?  In a sense, but you don't get to that level without a proficient ego.

after the game and some post-game beers with some RAFs and the Midwest-AN-crew and then dinner with a friend (who is signing up on AN TONIGHT!) and just have to say that I had a great time! Thanks baseballgirl and all the AN front page crew for organizing! I wish I could have met more of you but I guess we will leave that for future games!

I hate the Angels.

That really is the only way that I can describe today.  It was a wonderful day, no matter how you quantify it.

For starters, interacting with all of you was a true pleasure.  I probably shouldn't be surprised that so many ANers are just as warm and witty as you'd expect from reading their posts, but, well, I honestly kind of was.  (This was only my second AN Day, three years removed from my first.  Spending two consecutive summers back east will do that to ya.)  But any feelings of novelty quickly wore off and I grew to just love the atmosphere of our crowd.  It was great to hear  the questions lobbed at Billy and Ken (whoever it was that confronted Billy about the medical staff - you rock my socks!)  What's more, during the game itself, I was cracking up listening to people reminding Escobar that he was throwing a no-hitter.  I'm probably getting a bit too maudlin for the site, but the fact is that you're all pretty damn great people and, well, that's cool to see.  (Except for Pam's friend, Abby.  Seriously, what's up with her allegiances? ;-))

As for the game itself, well I have to say that it was a bit more enthralling than it may have looked on TV.  Oh sure I got up from time to time to take pictures of the coliseum's various nooks and cranies, but as the game wore on, I found myself increasingly drawn into its rhythm.  It was definitely nerve-wracking for the first four innings that the A's hadn't managed a hit, but Escobar was accomodating enough with the walks that it always felt as if we had a chance to break through.  Similarly, while he weebled and wobbled a lot in the first few innings, there's no doubt that Blanton found a groove.  I was glad to see him pick up the win because he definitely earned it, even if it would have been nice to have him be in less danger in those early innings.

I also have to say that I was damn impressed with Huston today.  I've always loved the guy's wind-up and follow-through (as I was happy to inform just about everyone seated around me) and his mechanics definitely seemed fine today.  But more than that, his pitches were consistently in the low nineties and his location seemed equally solid.  It could just be the Angels' hitters revealing their hacking ways, but I'll take the optimistic route and say that I think he's well on his way to regaining his groove.

And have I mentioned that AN's comprised of some seriously good folks?  You might not think that a guy who sat through the game with a shirt draped over his head (yeah, that was me) would have a good time chilling with a guy whose screen-name just screams "Huston's a young guy and dammit, that makes me feel like an old guy."  But you'd be wrong.

It was just a wonderful day.  For all of those of you who were there, my thanks in helping make that so.  For those of you of you unable to make it, I'll hope to see you next year.

Lew, if you're listening...  you made the right decision to come to Fremont.  I saw more A's gear at the Arts and Wine Festival today than there probably was at AN Day.

And, these people had no reason to be wearing the GnG, 'cept they love them A's.

You'd never see that anywhere in Oakland.  Sorry, FSU, you just wouldn't.

And in a blatant quote of the month attempt, I realized walking into the coliseum this morning that a few lines from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" could be transformed into a tribute to AN's newest hero.  (I blame this line of thoughts on my reading Monkeyball's latest sonnet mere minutes before catching BART to get to the game.    Not "the BART."  Just BART.)  After seeing this hero deliver victory yet again, I knew that what I had, in fact, experienced was a prophecy of the highest order.  I share it with all of you because...well, because I'm geeky that way.

I heard that you were feeling ill
Headache, fever, and a chill
I came to help restore your pluck
Because I...am Travis Buck!

Although I didn't start until part way through.  

Someone asked about injuries and whether the team was considering a change in direction as far as how to prevent and treat them.  Billy said it was a concern, but that injuries were up throughout the major leagues -- he'd talked to Brian Cashman about it earlier in the season.   He expressed respect and confidence in the medical team, said these guys were great doctors.  He did say that he had been talking to Clarence (Cockrell, strength and conditioning coordinator) about their off-season work program.  If I remember correctly, I don't believe that he actually mentioned Larry Davis by name....but I might be wrong and I might be reading too much into that.  

A question related to the 24/7 nature of today's sports media.  KenKo said it certainly had changed in recent years, and that Bill King in his last few years had really tried very hard to keep up with the news cycle, trying to read as much as possible, keep tabs on every development that the listeners might want to know.  Whereas he, Ken. felt it was also important to know when to stop reading and researching.

Someone asked what was best and worst about their jobs. Billy and Ken had similar answers: the best parts were getting to come to the park every day and working with their colleagues; the worst thing was all the travel.

Someone asked Billy a question to the effect that if the rationale for moving to Fremont was in part that increased revenues would make it possible for the team to re-sign guys who now become free agents and leave...would this really be a good idea, given that so many players like Giambi, Tejada, and Mulder have left as free agents and never regained the level of success they had with the A's.  Needless to say, Billy didn't agree with the premise of this question.  

Someone asked about the new signing procedure for draft picks.  Billy said it's new; hasn't happened yet; so ask me next year.  

Ken had a question about radio vs. TV.  He said radio is a more creative medium (which is indisputably true -- trust me, I'm a radio producer so I know:) ) and better suited to baseball, and that he's better at radio than he is at TV.  He had a question about improving the TV schedule, and said there really wasn't much to be done right now but that they thought next year when Comcast takes over FSBA there might be a chance for more A's games on TV.  Billy also said the increase in 6:05 Saturday games this year was partly since those could be televised and 1:05 games could not.

Someone had an exchange with Billy which I couldn't hear about a punk band.

And Billy said "I wish Milton well".

Blez also hinted that there are some exciting new features coming to the site around the end of the season.  (The end of the REGULAR season, I should say, since I haven't given up!)

It was a great game and I had a wonderful time seeing everyone.  As I mentioned to a few people, I'm contemplating becoming an NRAF -- I have a job interview on the East Coast next week -- and it's reassuring to meet so many people who have sustained their commitment to the team even thought they don't live here.  

Did no one ask BB about signing bonuses or payroll budgeting then?

Or is it only us wonky accountant types who care about that sort of thing?

Wow.  I basically hated all of you.  To each his own, I guess.