DLD 10/10/08 - Unnecessary Edition

by JediLeroy on Oct 10, 2008 6:42 AM PDT Comment 45 comments

So, it's 3 in the afternoon on a Friday in California and AN's already dead for the weekend. Why create a new DLD? Good question. I'll tell you when I find out.

Speaking of unnecessary things, I made this sweet animated .gif. I know it's on old meme, but I had some extra time. Plus, it fit pretty well.

There's a cool article about Brett Anderson at Scout.com.

OC: Were you able to add to your pitching repertoire this year, or are you still throwing the same pitches as you were at the start of the season?

BA: A little bit. I threw a lot more change-ups this year as I advanced up into the higher levels. I threw quite a lot of them in Double-A and then I threw a bunch in Triple-A in my two starts there. I think that was very beneficial because I hadn’t thrown too many change-ups in the lower levels in my first year and then I didn’t throw that many in High-A again this year. I think as I progress, it will be another pitch that I can add and throw to right-handers and kind of keep them off-balance from my fastballs and breaking balls.

Dump! Or don't.

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Almost time to go home!

“3 in the afternoon”?
Is that code for something else? ;)

It may be unecessary, but we like unecessary.

And as Oscar Wilde once said:

"We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities."

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Oct 10, 2008 7:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's always 3 in the afternoon somewhere

"Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it?"-Steve McCatty

by 5Aces on Oct 10, 2008 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know, I was like, "Crap, it's 3 o'clock already? Where did the day go?"

But it’s only 11. Lots left to do… unfortunately.

by whiteshoes40 on Oct 10, 2008 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm really not meaning to brag...

But this is probably the best thing I’ve ever written. (Yeah, I know it’s not A’s/baseball related, so what?) I saw that it’s on the front page of the sports section and I’ve been on cloud nine ever since.

by JLaff on Oct 10, 2008 8:25 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Permission to brag granted.

I enjoyed it in abundance. The topic and the writing. Keep it up!

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Oct 10, 2008 8:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks!

by JLaff on Oct 10, 2008 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's definitely a great read.

I had tears in my eyes at the end. Good job!

"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball." -- Connie Mack

by GreenSocks on Oct 11, 2008 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

congratulations

bragging warranted

Let's have our Piazza and eat the Cust too - SPWC

by closetasfan on Oct 10, 2008 10:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Beane Featured in 2K Sports' MLB® Front Office Manager

Thought this was interesting….

I wasn’t a big fan of MLB 2K8 (too difficult to hit), but this looks interesting notably since Beane’s name is attached.

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/17807/2K-Sports-Announces-MLB-Front-Office-Manager/

“From negotiating trades to scouting new talent, MLB Front Office Manager has all the complexity and realism I could hope for in a game that is simulating what it means to be a Major League Baseball manager,” said Oakland Athletics’ General Manager Billy Beane. “I’m excited to be a part of a game that gives people a real world experience at what it’s like to be in my shoes and take on the responsibility of building a Major League Baseball team.”

by OdyMandrell on Oct 10, 2008 10:45 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sweet

I’m hoping it will spill over to a slightly more realistic model of player transactions in the standard MLB video games.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Oct 10, 2008 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Looks like there's a full interview with Mr. Beane about this

here.

"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL

by oblique on Oct 10, 2008 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This looks interesting, for sure

Has anyone played a game like this? I know there’s an NFL one, but it would be cool to have just a GM-based game. I got bored and picked up All-Star Baseball 04 a couple months ago and was surprised to find it has a more realistic franchise mode than the modern MLB: The Show series. You have to worry about drafting, options, the 40 man roster, the waiver wire, the Rule 5 draft, etc. I went through a few seasons (simulated to the start of 2009) with some interesting/funny results.

by JLaff on Oct 10, 2008 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Out of the Park is a good game if licenses and graphics don't matter to you

by thejd44 on Oct 10, 2008 7:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!

but just for the weekend.

"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL

by oblique on Oct 10, 2008 11:06 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I made it home in time for Game 2!

Small victory! WOO!

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Oct 10, 2008 11:08 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Now this is an awesome idea

Biking + Cupcakes

Sweet….

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Oct 10, 2008 11:18 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

For some reason I first thought this

said “This is awesome, bikini + cupcakes” I was thinking ewww I don’t want to see Blanton in a thong.

by The Golden One on Oct 10, 2008 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

are QOTM's still going on?

We're in a team-wide funk. ~Mark Ellis

by #14fan on Oct 10, 2008 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not again until next February-ish.

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Oct 10, 2008 4:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

:(

Does that mean I have to hunt down the individual funny comments by myself?? :(

We're in a team-wide funk. ~Mark Ellis

by #14fan on Oct 10, 2008 5:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No

It means no one is going to even bother to be funny until then.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Oct 10, 2008 5:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We only bother so we might be nominated for QOTM anyway.

It’s a vicious cycle.

If I don't comment on your comment how will you know you are completely wrong? -Rocktopus

by pam5981 on Oct 10, 2008 5:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you guys trying to make me even more depressed than I am?

If that was your goal, you’re succeeding.

We're in a team-wide funk. ~Mark Ellis

by #14fan on Oct 10, 2008 6:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

...MAYBE.

Ray: "How fun is it to be up here playing in the Big Leagues?"
Gio: "It's *SUPER* fun!!!"

by Poppy on Oct 12, 2008 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

ah, the wisdom of Solomon

"The Athletics at Fremont" is soooooooo bad

by ArakSOT on Oct 10, 2008 11:32 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Ahhh, I love the Onion

My horoscope this week:

Leo July 23 – August 22

There are, in fact, good and evil twins, but a greater range of moral choices is available to you as a sextuplet.

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Oct 10, 2008 11:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Another version

courtesy of Weird Al.

"However, at Elias, I think they keep track of the amount of sunflower seeds spit in a dugout each night." - Brad Ziegler, 8/7/08

by doctorK on Oct 10, 2008 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

AN = Ghost Town

So I’m not much for Simmons but I do read his mailbags. That is, when he actually posts one, because after all, how can I read one if he doesn’t post one?

I guess it’s obvious that he posted one today. I actually made his list once, but didn’t keep it. If anyone feels like sifting through his archives, great. If not, take my word for it.

Are you guys listening??

Anyways, this made me laugh:

Q: My friends and I were discussing the two-faced lady in the Southwest Airlines commercial that you are so fond of. Well, say one of her faces is eating a banana and the other is eating a corn dog. Would the corn dog and banana touch, or do the faces have two separate throats? They probably share a throat, right?
— Jarric, Lawrence, Kan.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Oct 10, 2008 1:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Ghost town is right.

Kinda feels like everyone else found a new place to hang out and forgot to (or didn’t want to) tell me about it.

And we don’t even have an open thread for the NLCS! I feel so neglected.

by whiteshoes40 on Oct 10, 2008 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It makes me sad.

We're in a team-wide funk. ~Mark Ellis

by #14fan on Oct 10, 2008 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

To illustrate what kind of day it's been,

I had no idea there was a game on right now.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Oct 10, 2008 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

But I guess my day could be worse.

This is sad.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Oct 10, 2008 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought I was depressed before.

After reading that… maybe not.
That’s so sad!!! :(

We're in a team-wide funk. ~Mark Ellis

by #14fan on Oct 10, 2008 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

booeeooeeooooo

wah wah wah…

"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL

by oblique on Oct 10, 2008 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's my party and I'll whine if I want to,

whine if I want to, whine if I want to…

by whiteshoes40 on Oct 10, 2008 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No, not boo hoo hoo....

think of someone singing it in falsetto…

"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL

by oblique on Oct 10, 2008 6:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's always pretty quiet around here at this time of year if the A's aren't still playing

There really isn’t any team news right now…

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Oct 10, 2008 3:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The one that made me laugh the most was the "2 Mannings, 1 Cup" mail

by thejd44 on Oct 10, 2008 7:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, so NOW it's about 3 in the afternoon

I’m in Japan, and my Foxclocks add-on in Firefox was malfunctioning last night. It was late for me, so I couldn’t do the math myself. So much for the 324 IQ that I have.

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Oct 10, 2008 3:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

JediLeroy!

I was asking about you in a thread a few weeks back but was mistaking you for another ANer. Glad you’re able to get access to the web! (I recall that was a possible issue before you left.) Have you chosen a Japanese team to support? And is this all old news, since I don’t check in on AN nearly as much as I should?!?

by PositionPlayerProd on Oct 10, 2008 9:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Internet's pretty dang slow here (max transfer speed of 15K/sec)

But at least we have it (even on our tiny little island). The local team is the Hiroshima Carp, but my student (I only have a couple) likes the Hanshin Tigers.

I’m not sure who to follow, though it definitely won’t be the Giants or the Fighters. Maybe the Dragons.

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Oct 10, 2008 11:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs