DLD 11.17.08: kRaZeE Hol(l)iday Fun

by whiteshoes40 on Nov 17, 2008 11:19 AM PST Comment 141 comments

Time for a new link dump!

The latest A's Fastball was quite interesting. Apparently the A's are doing this Holiday Caravan Tour thing, December 3-10. A week of stalking! Oooooh.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3
Noon-12:30 p.m. - Ryan Sweeney Live Online Chat at oaklandathletics.com

Start drafting your questions now! ... Hey, Ryan, do you have more modeling pictures hiding somewhere online?

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4

8:30-10:00 a.m. - Dana Eveland and Gio Gonzalez to assist SF Firefighter's Toy Drive
Old Station 30 at 3rd and Mission Rock (1300 4th Street), San Francisco

A's players will sign autographs or take pictures with anyone who donates an unwrapped new toy or book to the SF Firefighter's Toy Program from 8:30-10:00am.

6:00-9:00 p.m. - Vida Blue, Bert Campaneris and A's Mascot Stomper to attend Walnut Creek Holiday Parade of Lights and Tree Lighting
Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek

A's former players and the A's mascot Stomper will ride along in the Walnut Creek holiday parade down Broadway Plaza Street. After the parade, they will be at the A's sales table signing autographs and taking photos with fans.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6
4:00-6:00 p.m. - Ryan Sweeney, Travis Buck and A's Mascot Stomper meet with shoppers at Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton
2611 Stoneridge Mall, Pleasanton

A's players will pose for photographs and sign autographs at the Santa set in Grand Court for shoppers who make a $5 or more donation to the Simon Youth Foundation. A's mascot Stomper will also be on hand to pose for photos and hand out candy canes.

Hmm. Maybe Ryan and Travis will *be* Santa...

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7

7:00-8:30 a.m. - A's Mascot Stomper to make appearance at Mrs. Claus' Breakfast Nook Prior to San Jose Holiday Parade
The Tech Museum (Venture Hall) 201 South Market Street, San Jose

A's mascot Stomper will take photos with kids at a special meet and greet at the Mrs. Claus' Breakfast Nook, which kicks off the 27th Annual San Jose Holiday Parade.

8:30-11:00 a.m. - Ryan Sweeney, Travis Buck and A's Mascot Stomper will ride in the 27th Annual San Jose Holiday Parade
A's players and Stomper will ride along in this year's San Jose Holiday Parade. The parade will begin on Santa Clara Street and Delmas Avenue, near the HP Pavilion.

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. - Ryan Sweeney and Travis Buck autograph session at San Jose Holiday ParadeFest
Plaza de Cesar Chavez, San Jose

A's players will stop by the A's ticket booth for one hour to sign autographs for fans during the San Jose ParadeFest at Christmas in the Park.

Road trip to San Jose!

Other Holliday-related info:

Celebrate the signing of Matt Holliday by purchasing the Half Price Holiday Pack. Six games on the Field Level for only $13 per game! Order your Half Price Holiday Pack today while this offer is still available.

Aaaaand... spring training tickets are now on sale!

So, basically, the offseason is over: Thanksgiving, Holiday Caravan thingamajig, Christmas, FanFest, Spring Training, and then real A's baseball! Sweet.

Dump your links here, please!

3 recs | Comment 141 comments

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I hope they've checked their servers

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3
Noon-12:30 p.m. – Ryan Sweeney Live Online Chat at oaklandathletics.com

We may need an AN game thread to blog the live chat in case we can’t all get on the website….

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Nov 17, 2008 11:25 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Seriously. Secure the interwebs!

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

by pam5981 on Nov 17, 2008 11:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

My thought exactly.

by lynnzgal on Nov 17, 2008 7:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Japanese schoolgirl drafted by pro team

Love it!

Ms. Jesa

by Athletica on Nov 17, 2008 11:42 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I was skeptical when I first saw it

But if there’s one place in baseball where she could be a star it’s as a knuckleballing pitcher.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 17, 2008 12:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

sounds like the plot line of some weird porno.

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Nov 19, 2008 4:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Most pornos are weird

But I only watch for the articles anyway.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Nov 20, 2008 6:04 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

definite, or indefinite?

I also have a pretty high shame threshold. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Nov 20, 2008 1:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Indefinite, definitely.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Nov 20, 2008 1:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

define indefine

Or else I’ll fine you

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 20, 2008 1:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You're going to find me?

I hope not. You might not like what I’m wearing. Or not wearing.

Oh you said “fine”. Ignore the first part.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Nov 20, 2008 6:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I note with sadness

The locations of the events that A’s players will attend. San Jose, and the burbs on the wrong side of the tunnel…..

But I note with hope: Eri Yoshida

by Englishmajor on Nov 17, 2008 11:42 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

even the Toy Drive is in SF

I read Walnut Creek, Pleasanton, SF Fire Station, and San Jose.

Man, Oakland gets dissed by it’s own team.

Bob Geren, on 8/2/07, on the success of Alan Embree as new interim closer: "What can I say,... he's been our Steady Tremendous Bullpen Man"

by popcornjames on Nov 17, 2008 12:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

we're still the east bay...

"It's like déjà vu all over again." -yogi berra

by Cheezombie on Nov 17, 2008 12:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You don’t need a tunnel to get from Oakland to Pleasanton.

Root for the Giants? Not even if they're playing al-Qaeda!

by Monday Fan on Nov 18, 2008 9:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Holy how I wish I lived in the Bay Area!

whiteshoes40: Wanna carpool???

39 remarkable innings.

by ZigFan31 on Nov 17, 2008 11:43 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

AAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BINDER CLIP!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you overpay for those eggs? @('.')@

by monkeyball on Nov 17, 2008 11:49 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

“Not to get too partisan, but I’m convinced it was a Republican deer, because it happened right where we had our Obama sign. And all the deer could do was attack, attack, attack. So it had to be a Republican deer.”

"The Athletics at Fremont" is terribly bad

by ArakSOT on Nov 17, 2008 11:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think he's a Republican, too.

All he needed was a paperclip to mend his junk. sfw

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Nov 17, 2008 4:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow, the picture certainly confirms one of the injury locations....

Either that or it’s that time of the month….

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Nov 17, 2008 12:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow, that guy is an idiot.

That said, next time I need to hire someone like that…

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 17, 2008 12:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's ironic when a lobbyist RECEIVES the big bucks.

But seriously, somebody needs to find that deer — and set him up on the White House lawn.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Nov 17, 2008 4:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

gads

which is worse, missing the meeting, or having them notice halfway through that you’re bleeding from the crotch?!?

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Nov 17, 2008 7:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Uh...

Genn said his mind flashed to the tragic death of “Crock Hunter” Steve Irwin and he realized he had to prevent getting stabbed in a vital organ.

Isn’t it instinctive to try to prevent yourself from being stabbed in a vital organ? This guy had to think of Steve Irwin first?

And Steve Irwin… the “CROCK Hunter”???

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

by Poppy on Nov 18, 2008 4:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

My mind wouldn’t even have time to flash back. And surely not to some “Crock” Hunter.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Nov 18, 2008 5:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

WTOP's copy editor was stabbed in a nonvital organ: his brain

I also have a pretty high shame threshold. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Nov 18, 2008 5:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't forget

the WBC in the list of coming events leading to real A’s baseball.

by sslinger on Nov 17, 2008 11:51 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Attention students

A nice paid internship opportunity if you can take part of spring quarter in Arizona: A’s Spring Training Media Assistant

by Englishmajor on Nov 17, 2008 11:55 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I wanna be Stomper!

But apparently I don’t meet the requirements. :-(

39 remarkable innings.

by ZigFan31 on Nov 17, 2008 12:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

too short or can't dance?

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Nov 17, 2008 12:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Too short.

It didn’t say anything about dancing…

39 remarkable innings.

by ZigFan31 on Nov 17, 2008 12:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Stomper '08 couldn't dance.

His head fell off once, too.

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

by Poppy on Nov 18, 2008 5:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

that back flip guy was awesome, though!

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Nov 18, 2008 5:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

that would be awesome for anyone who wants to take all of spring semester off

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Nov 17, 2008 12:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

3 years / 18 million?

it was either that, or make a bobby crosby to be team mascot joke..

yes. the afternoons are long and boring.

BB should send scouts to watch cricket players.

by alea iacta est on Nov 17, 2008 3:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, DAMN.

I hope they offer that every year. I will need an internship, but I can’t take next semester off…

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

by Poppy on Nov 18, 2008 4:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Uhh

Celebrate the signing of Matt Holliday

He wasn’t signed…

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin

by Helloooo 1st on Nov 17, 2008 12:22 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I noticed that too.

Guess they don’t want to acknowledge that we actually had to give up some guys to get him.

by whiteshoes40 on Nov 17, 2008 12:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

maybe they're telling us something..

hmmm..

"It's like déjà vu all over again." -yogi berra

by Cheezombie on Nov 17, 2008 12:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That's a typo

They meant, “Celebrate the signing of Matt Holliday.”

He’s really into karaoke.

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on Nov 17, 2008 6:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The pagan gods Qwertyuiop and Etaoin Shrdlu chortle heartily at your presumption

Did you overpay for those eggs? @('.')@

by monkeyball on Nov 17, 2008 6:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Singing, signing

what’s the difference after a few glasses of wine?

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on Nov 17, 2008 6:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

you haven't heard my singing after a few glasses of wine....

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Nov 17, 2008 10:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Laugh and the world laughs with you

Sing and it’s cyanide flavored kool-aid all around!

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 18, 2008 1:11 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Or ASL

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Nov 17, 2008 7:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Future A

Pujols wins 2nd MVP

Thank god it wasn’t given to CC or Lidge!

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin

by Helloooo 1st on Nov 17, 2008 12:26 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

THEY GOT IT RIGHT!!!!

I know that's a pisser, baby.

by Blicks on Nov 17, 2008 12:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, there's some evidence it should have been Berkman

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 17, 2008 12:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah.

I would have been content with Pujols or Berkman though. Either of the two is fine.

I know that's a pisser, baby.

by Blicks on Nov 17, 2008 1:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh absolutely

I wouldn’t say at all that they got it wrong.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 17, 2008 1:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Ugh..

Berk Daddy’s second half was so gross, no way he deserved it with that line after the Break. Dude hit 7 bombs after the Break…..Awful.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 17, 2008 1:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like

he was on one of your fantasy teams.

by sslinger on Nov 17, 2008 1:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

No, I actually wish he was based on where he was drafted

as the overall year was excellent. Just don’t think he can be MVP with that poor a second half. .259/7/33 after the break….Pretty nasty.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 17, 2008 2:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Putting lots of arbitrary conditions

like “must have good second half” and “must be on playoff team” and “must be clutchy” is a great, great way to ensure that you consistently screw up the award.

Which explains a lot, really.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 17, 2008 3:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Agree with all of those except "must have good second half"

Numbers should be the top qualifier, of course. His “horrible second half” wasn’t really horrible, if you ask me.

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Nov 17, 2008 6:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

.259 with 7 bombs? Slugging .436?

For Lance Berkman and in a discussion about the MVP award? Horrible.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 17, 2008 6:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Even MVPs can have stretches of league average hitting if it’s offset by productive streaks. Keep in mind that Berkman didn’t actually finish the season with a .259 record, 7 bombs, or a .436 SLG avg. It’s not like he had a Dan Johnson-like 1-for-50 stretch. He was merely average for part of the season, and freaking incredible the rest of it.

He also led the league in win shares. If you ask me, a player can do nothing better than help his team win. While second-half wins seem more important, a first-half win is just as valuable.

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Nov 17, 2008 7:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Fair enough..

And very well said by the way.

I don’t dispute overall that Berk had a fatastic year, but if I am trying to find differences and separate 2 studs, a long spell like he had in the second half is enough for me to separate the two guys. That’s a pretty long stretch to slug .436 over and only hit 7 bombs when you are an elite level hitter. Definitely bad enough and over a long enough period to make me think Pujols was definitely the choice over Berk.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 17, 2008 7:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Pujols was definitely the right choice.

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Nov 17, 2008 7:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with you on the playoff team and clutch comments

but I didnt say he had to have a good second half., but how bout not tally tanking?….I think that his brutal second half would cause me a problem if he had won. .259/7/33 is bad enough that I think it is an important factor in not picking him to win it.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 17, 2008 6:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Slugging .436 would have put him second on this year's A's

It’s not “totally tanking.”

Christ, the guy had a 116 sOPS+ in the second half. His “brutal” hitting line was 16% above league average.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 17, 2008 8:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep, 116 sOPS+ is correct

After a first half of 193 sOPS+ looks like a pretty big “totally tank” to me. Sure, he didn’t become Adam Everett after the break, but he sure as hell tanked from his first half and was nowhere near typical Lance Berkman.

In fact, the 116 sOPS+ is the worst half-season he has had any any point in his entire career as a full-time player. For Lance Berkamn, he tanked and sucked in the second half, plain and simple….and certainly did not deserve an MVP with a half-season that was the worst of his career. It was a brutal half for him.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 18, 2008 12:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Theoretical question

Do you think that someone with an OPS+ of 193 for one half of the season and 116 for the other half is necessarily less valuable than someone who was 154 for both halves? 140 for both halves?

(Pujols was obviously better, but that’s beside the point for this discussion.)

Thanks for tomorrow 'cause I've had enough

by andeux on Nov 18, 2008 1:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not necessarily....

But in a discussion where the original comment I disagreed with was that maybe it should have been Berkman, a guy having a second half that was so bad (for him) that it was the worst half-season of his career would certainly be a consideration for me and a factor towards not picking him.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 18, 2008 2:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Why are you comparing a guy against himself?

It’s not the “Most Valuable Me” award.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 18, 2008 2:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I could totally win that award!!

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Nov 18, 2008 2:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not me.

I’d probably place no better than third even in that award.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Nov 18, 2008 2:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

don't feel bad

That’s only because of the East Coast media bias. You’re lucky to get what, 7 or 8 seconds of airtime a night? And that’s after they show Clippers highlights. Playing in this backwater burg you’ll be thrilled to place 3rd! Just ask Mark Ellis.

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Nov 19, 2008 10:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Because the comments I made

for “brutal” and “tank” were me comparing Berkman’s second half to how he usually hits, so it was important to the context of the discussion that I was comparing Berkman 2nd half to usual Berkman, not to the average player as you compared in the OPS+ comment.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 18, 2008 3:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He's not.

He’s comparing him against what he SHOULD be for the MVP. I hate “intangibles” in voting as much as the next person, but both halves of the season have to count together, and you can’t ignore those numbers. They’re astronomically bad.

"I know they're the defending World Champs, but they are the whiniest team in baseball" -Rays announcers

by baseballgirl on Nov 18, 2008 3:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, first, they aren't "bad" by any means

And, second, you’re right: They count together. As a whole. Arbitrarily splitting them up into halves really isn’t counting them together.

People aren’t saying to give him an MVP based on his first half, but on the entire season. People saying you shouldn’t give him the MVP are doing so based on one rough “half” of a season.

by thejd44 on Nov 18, 2008 5:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Are you kidding?

I ignore meaningless, worthless splits constantly. I don’t care whether a guy produced more during night games or day games.

Neither does anyone else, of course. The only difference between those two measurements is that someone has arbitrarily determined that “halves” are worth looking at and night/day splits aren’t, when in fact neither of them is worth looking at.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 18, 2008 5:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think this is a nonsense point

What if someone posted a 200 OPS+ season but went 0 for July? What if someone hit 60 HRs with a .300 average but had a long dry spell?

The MVP award looks at the entire season, so if someone had a good season with a bad stretch, it just means they were that much better for the rest of it.

To be clear, I don’t think Pujols was a mistake (hell, he deserves to have a lot more than 2) but I don’t care one iota how a player spreads out their performance.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 18, 2008 2:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow, nonsense?

Becuase I disagree with you? Cool. I respect your opinion and your point on spreadingout performance, I just happen to disagree. I think a full second half that bad is enough to distinguish between the 2 candidates pretty easily.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 18, 2008 3:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Why?

It seems just as likely to me that a player who is intermittently insanely good and average wins MORE games for his team than Mr. Consistency, as that he wins fewer games.

At the very least, you haven’t done a fig to disprove the null hypothesis— that it doesn’t make a damned bit of difference either way.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 18, 2008 3:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Would you even notice if the bad performance had been spread over a less obvious period?

If he’d had the same number of bad games spread around the all-star break you wouldn’t even be making this argument.

Unless there’s some great significance to the all-star break that I’m missing, your point is arbitrary. Yes, Berkman had a bad second half. He also had a better first half. Overall that made him (very marginally) better.

I don’t think the fact that you disagree with me about Pujols being the better candidate is nonsense at all. I just think you’ve picked a weak reason.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 18, 2008 4:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yo.

Hey, Ryan, do you have more modeling pictures hiding somewhere online?

I would laugh if someone actually asked that. It would be hilarious. Or if the chat was obviously stormed by AN girls.

Oh. Sabean makes a smart move.

I know that's a pisser, baby.

by Blicks on Nov 17, 2008 12:40 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Clearly the wrong sport

But a certain little Swiss girl turns 40 today.

Well, sort of. She’s actually in her 120’s, or just slightly older than Jamie Moyer.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Nov 17, 2008 12:50 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps she's Jamie's mother.

By the way, does that guy also draw an MLB pension in addition to his playing salary?

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Nov 17, 2008 12:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Memories!

by lynnzgal on Nov 17, 2008 7:36 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

All alone in the moonlights!

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Nov 17, 2008 7:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Pfffft!

Don’t remind me.

by lynnzgal on Nov 17, 2008 9:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I laughed, I cried..

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

by oblique on Nov 18, 2008 7:34 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

May be beautiful and yet . . .

by lynnzgal on Nov 19, 2008 10:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

What's to painful to reme-mber!

by lynnzgal on Nov 19, 2008 10:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Holiday Caravan Tour = Soooo much Ryan

and… Buck? WTF happened to Dale? Did RyDale break up? I am troubled over this turn of events.
A Ry/Buck couple would be hotter, but somehow less endearing.

A's Strategy 2009: "Whoever is not hurt plays" - Syphon, 11/10/08

by schmifty on Nov 17, 2008 3:34 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Dale hasn't completely recovered from his hip replacement surgery

(or whatever it was he had fixed). Meeting and greeting and riding in parades while on crutches probably wouldn’t be too fun. However, it wouldn’t stop him from joining Ryan’s live chat…

by whiteshoes40 on Nov 17, 2008 3:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Ooh, being rational - good idea

Haha, I’m sure he joins in on plenty of Ryan’s live chats…

A's Strategy 2009: "Whoever is not hurt plays" - Syphon, 11/10/08

by schmifty on Nov 17, 2008 5:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

"Meh" is in the dictionary!!!!

Thanks to Homer!!! link

Awww… Unicorn's optimistic. And a cheeseball. That’s cute. ~Whiteshoes40

by #14fan on Nov 17, 2008 4:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

:(

I wanna go!

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Nov 17, 2008 6:44 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'll take lots of pictures.

And I have a snazzy new camera so hopefully they’ll be better than usual…

by whiteshoes40 on Nov 17, 2008 9:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Did anyone post it?

ZIPS Projections for the A’s

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Nov 17, 2008 7:26 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Think you're the 1st

Someone will be along with your cookie shortly.

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 17, 2008 9:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I hope oatmeal chocolate chip is okay.

I just made them this afternoon…

by whiteshoes40 on Nov 17, 2008 9:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Ask Zonis

The monster at the end of this blog.

by grover on Nov 17, 2008 9:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

mail em to Chicago

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Nov 18, 2008 4:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

holliday

projected at .323/.387/.541, but they still have him in Colorado. I assume a bit of a dip in the projection due to the ballpark change. A 900 OPS would be nice though…

by dbeach13 on Nov 18, 2008 5:25 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Holliday projection

is here. They have him at .289/.367/.491 in Oakland.

Thanks for tomorrow 'cause I've had enough

by andeux on Nov 18, 2008 10:11 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That seems like an awfully big reduction to me

But even so, it looks like a very good line.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 18, 2008 10:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

-.034 batting average, -.016 IsoP, +.014 IsoD

Seems reasonable for moving from Coors to Oakland.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 18, 2008 11:40 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081117/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_new_word

I know A will appreciate this one. Cheers!

by mrod on Nov 18, 2008 8:12 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

meh

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 18, 2008 8:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Darnit! Looks like someone already beat me to it.

by mrod on Nov 18, 2008 8:13 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Pedroia MVP

They finally got one of the votes wrong.

by mikev on Nov 18, 2008 11:43 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

AL Batting Champ and Gold Glove Winner?

by methodrampage on Nov 18, 2008 1:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

There were at least three guys I think were more deserving

ARod, Mauer, and Sizemore. I could probably find more if I looked.

by thejd44 on Nov 18, 2008 1:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mauer? Don't really see it.

Sizemore and ARod? Sure. But historically haven’t players on non-play off teams had a tough time winning the award? I’m not saying it’s right but it’s pretty much an unspoken prereq.

by methodrampage on Nov 18, 2008 3:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

They have, but that doesn't speak to if they're deserving.

You don’t see it with Mauer? Well, aside from being significantly better than Pedroia and a defensive stud in his own right at a much more important position, why don’t you see it?

Has any MVP (hitters only, obviously) ever had an EQA (adjusted for season) under .300 before? Pedroia really just wasn’t special this year. Very good, yes. Not special.

by thejd44 on Nov 18, 2008 5:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Jimmy Rollins, 2007: .291

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 18, 2008 5:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, right

But I’ve been saying for a year that Rollins might be the worst MVP choice in the history of the award. That’s probably not actually true, but he sure as hell didn’t deserve it.

by thejd44 on Nov 19, 2008 10:14 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mauer wasn't even the MVP on his own team

I’m not saying that I approve of Pedroia getting the award, Carlos Quentin probably would have been my pick, I just kind understand why they might have picked Pedroia.

by methodrampage on Nov 19, 2008 10:32 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Uh, no, actually, Mauer was very clearly the MVP of his own team

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 19, 2008 11:03 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Uh, no, actually, Morneau is the consensus

by methodrampage on Nov 19, 2008 11:10 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Then the consensus is wrong

See, for example, this article.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 19, 2008 11:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That's one opinion

by methodrampage on Nov 19, 2008 11:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

and you've presented one (dramatically less eloquently presented) opinion

So congrats on that.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 19, 2008 11:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Here you go

From Rob Neyer’s blog

Actual opinions, from actual people who have the authority to vote. You numbers don’t really mean shit.

by methodrampage on Nov 19, 2008 2:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So you're saying the fact that Neyer linked to 3 people who voted for Morneau ahead of Mauer (and one lunatic)

Means Morneau is better than Mauer?

Morneau finished second in the voting (Mauer was 4th), obviously most ballots had him ahead of Mauer. That said, the voters got this one pretty wrong for (in part) the reasons discussed in the BtB article.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 19, 2008 2:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It doesn't mean that you are wrong...

it does mean that a lot of baseball minds think that your way of looking at it is wrong. Stop being so full of yourself all of the time. There are plenty of opinions out there with some very good people who are of the opinion that Morneau was not as valuable as Mauer…and they do seem to be in the majority from the articles I have read.

by IM4Oakgal on Nov 19, 2008 10:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

[adds "baseball minds" to AN oxymoron dictionary]

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 19, 2008 11:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That article

a) has charts, math, and confusing statistics
b) is long
c) was penned by someone named “Sky”
d) appears beneath a drawing of a four-armed naked guy spreadeagled on a baseball diamond

The imaginary consensus wins. Consider yourself refuted.

by 74mk on Nov 19, 2008 11:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well I had a good run

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 19, 2008 11:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I missed the part where nevermoor was futed in the first place

I also have a pretty high shame threshold. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Nov 19, 2008 11:49 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm perma-futed

But such is the cross I bear, and I’ve grown used to it…

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 19, 2008 12:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If you promise to seek help for your abbreviation lust, I’ll promise to (try to) tighten up my grammar.

I’m not sure if that trade achieves wins over replacement parity, but it seems fair to me.

by 74mk on Nov 19, 2008 12:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Joe Mauer: 40 BRAA, great defense, plays catcher

Justin Morneau: 39 BRAA, terrible defense, plays first base

It’s not even close.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 19, 2008 12:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

AVG is highly luck-dependent, and the GG is a mockery of a travesty of a sham

Did you overpay for those eggs? @('.')@

by monkeyball on Nov 18, 2008 1:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Doesn't really matter if AVG is highly luck-dependent (Mauer was the AL Batting Champ anyways)

Even Pedroia was highly lucky it doesn’t make him any less valuable. Is the MVP really any less of a travesty of a sham than the Gold Glove?

by methodrampage on Nov 18, 2008 2:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

no

Did you overpay for those eggs? @('.')@

by monkeyball on Nov 18, 2008 3:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with this actually

People often confuse two separate things: What happened and predicting what will happen. Even though I don’t think Pedroia deserved the award, it’s not because I think he was lucky in some way.

by thejd44 on Nov 18, 2008 5:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

It’s like the “Embree in 2007 wasn’t good” argument. Sure his peripherals weren’t good (and thus his regression was not a surprise), but his actual real-life stats were.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Nov 18, 2008 6:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, same for Foulke this year.

He was alright. Well worth the money they paid. Even though he was incredibly lucky and would not repeat that performance, the fact is he didn’t do that poorly at all.

by thejd44 on Nov 19, 2008 10:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

These guys approve.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Nov 18, 2008 2:57 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The gild gloves were full of fail.

I know that's a pisser, baby.

by Blicks on Nov 18, 2008 5:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So today I bought a blaster box (one of those boxes you find at Walmart/Target) of baseball cards

2008 Topps Allen and Ginter, to be exact. The first pack I opened had these cards, in order: Kelvim Escobar, John Lackey, Orlando Cabrera, Brandon Wood.

The Cabrera card is in a White Sox uni, but still. I found it pretty funny. This is why I don’t ever buy packs of baseball cards. Stupid Angels.

by thejd44 on Nov 18, 2008 1:03 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Brandon Wood's baseball card is in packs they sell?!?!?!

I know that's a pisser, baby.

by Blicks on Nov 18, 2008 5:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

LMFAO

I know that's a pisser, baby.

by Blicks on Nov 18, 2008 5:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Lol

Brandon Wood, Angels prospect, was released— by his winter league team.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Nov 19, 2008 7:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

holiday gift perhaps?

anybody want to buy my dark green A’s women zip up hoody for $35?

this one: http://shop.mlb.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1984383&cp=1452361.1452843.1485428

i’ve only worn it a few times and i realized that i only wear an A’s tee (when it’s warm) or an A’s sweatshirt (when it’s cold) during the games.

please email me at judychow (at) gmail (dot) com if you are interested!

""These guys are a different breed of ballclub." - Twins manager Ron Gardenhire on the A's

by gotgreen on Nov 19, 2008 7:32 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yoda Cat says hi

au contra ire

by JediLeroy on Nov 19, 2008 10:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Vote for Ziegler!!

This Year in baseball awards are open for fan voting.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/awards/y2008/tyib/index.jsp

If AN can post 2500 comments about a trade can’t we vote in Ziegler as rookie or setup man of the year? Hannahan is also up for play of the year for the catch he made while flipping into the dugout. There are also a couple former A’s nominated; Matt Stairs pinch hit go-ahead 2 run HR for postseason moment, Rich Harden for starter, Johny Damon for going 6 for 6 is up for performance as well as oddity for the play where a ball landed on top of the fence and stayed there.

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on Nov 20, 2008 12:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs