DLD 2/19/08 Nothing clever to say

by theblackpearl on Feb 19, 2008 9:06 AM PST Comment 86 comments

Well after everyone else loathed doing a DLD in the new AN, I will give it a shot, so now I can blame my screw ups on new AN, not my incompetency. Looks like Rich Harden has survived 2 straight workouts.

Harden threw 40 pitches at the A's Papago Park complex in what bullpen coach Ron Romanick described as a "modified simulated game." Harden faced switch-hitting catcher Landon Powell, but Powell was instructed not to swing.

Also from that article everyones favorite whipping boy arrived, and with a new and improved swing.

Crosby spent this offseason working on reducing the movement in his swing, and hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo liked what he saw Monday, saying, "He made some good adjustments and he's on track. He's eliminated the double tap and he's eliminated a lot of the rotational action. It looks good."

Well we may be able to thank Toronto for gift wrapping an extra draft pick, for a 5th outfielder.

Free agent Shannon Stewart said he has a firm offer from only the Blue Jays. Stewart's old club would probably be taking him on only as a fifth outfielder, and since the Jays play on turf, it's not an ideal situation for him. He'll continue to look at other possibilities.

Dan Johnson needs another ailment, like he needs a hole in his head..... well be careful what you wish for.

A recent bout of sinusitis turned so severe, Johnson revealed Monday, that he had to spend eight days in the hospital late last month - and he nearly had to have a hole drilled into his forehead.

7 recs | Comment 86 comments

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Well it looks like I failed AN 3.0 link

adding 101.

by theblackpearl on Feb 19, 2008 9:08 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

how did you try adding the links?

I'm one of the guys that built the new SB Nation

by Trei Brundrett on Feb 19, 2008 11:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

using the link button, and pasting the link

in it.

by theblackpearl on Feb 19, 2008 11:26 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i did the same as theblackpearl

but no go

"Oakland has now increased its payroll to the point that it now ranks third in the Bay Area among all McDonald's franchises.”

-Sandy Alderson, former A’s general manager.

by 67MARQUEZ on Feb 19, 2008 11:41 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

never mind

just remembered

"Oakland has now increased its payroll to the point that it now ranks third in the Bay Area among all McDonald's franchises.”

-Sandy Alderson, former A’s general manager.

by 67MARQUEZ on Feb 19, 2008 11:42 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Jeremy Brown retiring...

...a bit of Beane/moneyball naysayer article in nytimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/sports/baseball/19chass.html?ref=sports

by bringbackgallego on Feb 19, 2008 9:26 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Murray Chass

Staking his claim as the Andy Rooney of baseball...

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 10:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

{registers URL firemurraychass.com}

So many moronic and inconsistent arguments in there, so little time ...

He never comes right out and says it, but he's this close to saying that Beane wrote Moneyball.

Even if they're clever, they become stupid with repetition. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 10:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This looks

mean:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/offbeat/2008/02/19/am.pitcher.punked.cnn

A spring training prank leaves Philadelphia Philly Kyle Kendrick thinking he's been traded to Japan!

by lurkerD on Feb 19, 2008 9:36 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I saw the video yesterday

I thought it was hysterical. The guy's agent even played along.

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Feb 19, 2008 9:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh man

even his agent! I could only watch here at work, not listen, so my "mean" interpretation was based almost solely on the look at the poor guys face when he was in the office...

by lurkerD on Feb 19, 2008 10:42 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Some links

Old Nick Swisher interview: Chin Music

CM: So do you have any kind of musical talent yourself?
NS: No, but my Grandpa plays bluegrass. So when I go home, he brings over his buddies and we get on the back porch and it's awesome. When I go home, it's so nice. Where I'm from, there ain't much going on, and I love that. Then I come out here, and there's all this stuff going on!
CM: Do you remember the first concert you ever went to?
NS: Yeah, I've only been to two concerts. The first concert I ever went to was when I was in eighth grade and I went to see Janet Jackson when she was on the Velvet Rope tour. She would pick somebody from the audience and bring them onstage. I was like, "Pick me! Pick me!" And I used to be a huge Michael Jackson fan, then all this stuff started happening…

stat-addled alien overlord

by salb918 on Feb 19, 2008 9:43 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Apparently he was at the Billy Joel show

back in November or thereabouts. I would have gone myself except that it conflicted with a card tournament I was playing in.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 10:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Students have figured me out....

If any of you are the student who applied to an undergraduate major at Berkeley recently, referencing Moneyball, Billy Beane, and baseball in general in your personal statement, nicely done.....

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Feb 19, 2008 9:43 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Not necessarily saying I am said student....

....but I do fit that profile. In any case, I think said student should be rewarded.

"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton

by vignette17 on Feb 19, 2008 12:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Rob Neyer sees upside in young A's

maybe Nico is on to something.

Redding, CA: What's your prognosis for the A's this year? Any chance at a .500 season?
Rob Neyer: (12:54 PM ET ) Oddly enough, yeah. They look like an 80-win team, but there is some upside here, and we shouldn't be all that surprised if they're still in mild contention in August

by theblackpearl on Feb 19, 2008 10:03 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

DJ...

The guy is like a walking health catastrophe. Is he immunosuppressed or something? At this point, I half-expect him to die of consumption at 35.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 10:20 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

The really weird thing

is that he seems to have caught this most recent illness at FanFest. So 'fess up, AN; who sneezed on DJ?

by Englishmajor on Feb 19, 2008 11:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i expect DJ to be traded

after mike sweeney goose steps his way into the backup 1b/dh job...

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Feb 19, 2008 11:18 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

would your comment constitute an ANschluss?

And, are baseball-Nazi analogies subject to Tom Goodwin's Law?

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 11:27 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

seems likely to me that ...

... the vertigo a couple years ago was likely related to the same root cause of the recent sinusitis -- and, if so, that antibiotics probably ain't gonna address the root cause.

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 12:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This doesn't make a lot of sense

A bacterial infection is a bacterial infection. The "root cause" is the infecting bacteria.

Vertigo is normally caused by an inflammation of the semicircular canals, which are not especially close to the sinuses.

He could have some kind of chronic inner ear infection, I suppose. But again, those are usually bacterial.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 12:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

CALL HUGH LAURIE!

I'd link a picture of House if I could. He did drill a hole in Mira Sorvino's head after the Superbowl...DJ would make a great episode, however.

"wither fair monkeyball?" ~fsu

by LAXile on Feb 19, 2008 1:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Calling all parodists: Your mission, if you accept it,

is to write an episode of 'House' where DJ, Harden, and Crosby reveal a series of re-current and inexplicable symptoms, are subjected to a battery of experimental therapies, and almost die. It would be just like real life, but only last an hour.

"wither fair monkeyball?" ~fsu

by LAXile on Feb 20, 2008 6:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

so...

bitchers and kvetchers failed to report this year

I'm gravely dissapointed

"The Athletics at Fremont" is lame

by ArakSOT on Feb 19, 2008 10:22 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

B and K were out in full

force when new AN came online.

stat-addled alien overlord

by salb918 on Feb 19, 2008 11:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Dave Niehaus wins Frick award

Bill King denied, again

stat-addled alien overlord

by salb918 on Feb 19, 2008 11:45 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

-1

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Feb 19, 2008 11:46 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

what a joke

"Oakland has now increased its payroll to the point that it now ranks third in the Bay Area among all McDonald's franchises.”

-Sandy Alderson, former A’s general manager.

by 67MARQUEZ on Feb 19, 2008 11:46 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Complete Joke!

Boo!

by 33SwisherSweet on Feb 19, 2008 11:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So we support him again next year!

Story at Baseball Hall of Fame

"All you need in life are friends, family and a good bullpen" - spotted on a tshirt in Columbia, SC.

by LongTimeFan on Feb 19, 2008 11:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I was actually gonna support this, since I like Niehaus, then...

In November, Nuxhall (82,304 fan votes), King (7,659) and Morgan (6,065) finished as the top three vote-getters in the Museum's online fan poll for inclusion on the final 10-name ballot.

I read that. Joe Morgan? Really?

I think the obvious explanation here is that the general public hasn't heard Morgan broadcast recently, and can't comment on his ability. But Doc Gooden was better than Felix. They haven't seen many Morgan games this season. But Dusty will be good for the Reds.

"He says lots of stupid things on the television set. He seems lazy and foolish to me." -Michael Lewis, on Joe Morgan

by BWH on Feb 19, 2008 12:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The Frick committee

is losing credibility fast.

by Englishmajor on Feb 19, 2008 12:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

and our off season is finally at an end.

I was waiting for the Frick committee to kick me in the face before I really got revved up for spring training. Bring on Bauncasting!

oh, and BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

by batgirl on Feb 19, 2008 12:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Bummer

but, Neiehoaus has a great radio call. I lived in Seattle for a while, he was a snoozer on TV. ONe of those who let the Pictures tell the story, but on the radio he was good. Bill king was better.

by Future Ed on Feb 19, 2008 12:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Agree that Niehaus was great on radio

Notice I use past tense. He's declined quite a bit in the past few years. Still not bad, but definitely not as good as he used to be.

Bill King declined a bit in his last couple of years, too.

formerly known as mdl

by iglew on Feb 19, 2008 2:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

After the support Niehaus received ...

they really couldn't not give it to him ...

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Feb 19, 2008 12:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

halo fans...ugh

I know it's Spring Training, but come on, dude.

"Oakland has now increased its payroll to the point that it now ranks third in the Bay Area among all McDonald's franchises.”

-Sandy Alderson, former A’s general manager.

by 67MARQUEZ on Feb 19, 2008 11:45 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

that page doesn't work in my browser

at all. I guess I don't really want to know what some angels fan is going on about, but you've made me curious.

by colin on Feb 19, 2008 3:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

so with harden and gaudin both out for the year

the a's still win 83 games?

http://ussmariner.com/2008/02/15/re-running-the-seasons-with-oakland-hobbled/

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Feb 19, 2008 11:47 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I thought ZiPS was bullish on the A's offense

but I didn't realize it was THAT bullish.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 12:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm agreeing with Neyer

(see theblackpearl's comment above).

I don't think the 2008 A's are going to suck. I don't think we're going to make the playoff either. But I wouldn't be surprised if we hung around .500 for most of the season. Well, unless we trade Blanton and don't get an MLB pitcher in return.

by colin on Feb 19, 2008 3:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Crosby's eliminated the double tap?

I hope so. I hated that part of his swing.

If it's true, it may be that his revenge is only two clicks away...

Dark Chocolate Truffle

by Ice Cream on Feb 19, 2008 11:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I prefer

Dial M for Monkey

by Zonis on Feb 19, 2008 12:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

did someone say ...

... double tap?

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 12:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Jeter swallows?

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02172008/news/nationalnews/youve_got_to_be_kidding__98050.htm?page=0

I love it.

by 33SwisherSweet on Feb 19, 2008 12:42 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I woudn't have chosen that title

but the article is worth reading, for its classic contrasting of facts vs. Yankee lalalalalcan'thear you fans:

Fans said Jeter's greatness goes beyond the numbers he produces on the field.
"He has intangible qualities that can't be measured with statistics," said East Village bar owner Kevin Hooshangi, 28.

by Englishmajor on Feb 19, 2008 1:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

K-Rod is miffed

and says that this year will probably be his last with the Angels.

Prediction: he'll be closing for the Yankees, and knocking Rivera down to setup man, in 2009 for $15 million a season.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 12:43 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm rooting for Arte to mend fences and extend him

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 12:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Just so they burn up a lot of cash on him?

I mean, he is a good player. I'd rather they sign more Torii Hunter types.

Then again, I'd rather they sign him than Sabathia.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 12:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

burn up a lot of cash on a risky resource

1. It's generally not the wisest thing in the world to pay at the top of market value for a closer
2. Closers historically have narrow windows of excellence (heck, narrow windows of career viability)
3. K-Rod has a preposterously violent delivery, and seems to be a great candidate for a catastrophic breakdown
4. He's almost guaranteed to be in performance decline by the middle/end of an extension -- which coincides neatly with the A's strongest projected chance at contention

That said, yes, he is a very good player -- and the Angels do somehow manage to avoid catastrophic injuries to players who by all rights shouldn't be holding up as well as they do.

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 2:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

5. He's fun to H8

He's such a perfect fit for the Angels, I'd miss rooting against him.

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 2:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think him playing for the Yankees or Red Sox

would solve any lingering issues w/r/t rooting against him.

I agree that he seems to have an unusually violent delivery, but has he even ever been on the DL? (Hm. Cube says he went on it once, but doesn't specify an injury, and he came back almost immediately.) Some guys are just weird like that.

He'll be a free agent entering his age 27 season-- so assuming he signs a 4-year deal, there's little risk of serious decline during that period unless he does break down.

Let's face it, the guy may be an unbelievable prick, but he's probably the single best relief pitcher in the AL right now.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 4:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, my annual "this is the year all the fragile Angels break!" prediction never pans out

And the Sox and Yankees just bore/irritate me. The Angels are a true nemesis.

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 5:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

and I always forget how young K-Rod is

I still think he's TJ/rotator cuff surgery waiting to happen, but ...

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 5:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Vlad is mad too

He doesn't want to be a DH.

by Englishmajor on Feb 19, 2008 12:58 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

link's broken

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 1:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

too many http://s

"Glitter is the herpes of craft supplies."

by Jennifer on Feb 19, 2008 1:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

potential bug?

The automatic linky-lu dialog box automatically inserts the "http://" -- is that really necessary? If you right-click to copy a hyperlink, or if you select-all and copy a URL in an address bar, the "http://" is captured as part of the copy operation.

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 2:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

that's why I never use that thing

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Feb 19, 2008 2:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

You have to remember to delete it. It's a drag.

by lurkerD on Feb 19, 2008 2:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

well, to be fair ...

... at least in my experience so far, when the dialog box comes up, the "http://" is already selected, so that if you just paste in your URL, it pastes over the default text.

Which, of course, begs the question of why it's even there in the first place.

But I haven't found it to be a problem.

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 2:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Testing

OK, let me link.

You're right - I just have to stop myself from clicking into the box, which is what I was doing. If I don't do that, I just have to paste after clicking the linky button since, as you say, the focus is there and the "http://" is selected. Thanks.

Oh, and the linked to article says Chavez thinks all is swell after his 3~~43543~~ surgeries, and more importantly it says:

Chavez's wife is expecting a child, but since they have planned a Caesarean section for March 7, Chavez said the pregnancy shouldn't interfere with the Japan trip.

Diego's going to be a brother!

by lurkerD on Feb 19, 2008 4:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry

Perhaps if I could SEE THE FRICKIN' FONT on this thing without having my nose actually on the screen, and if I didn't need to sign back in every hour or so, I could get the links right the first time. I hate being a beta tester.

by Englishmajor on Feb 19, 2008 5:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I keep hearing people write that the font is small.

For me it is small in the comment box before posting but just as large as the old site was when posted . The only thing smaller are the sig lines which are tiny. They are much smaller. Is it really that small on your comp EM?

by IM4Oakgal on Feb 19, 2008 6:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It seems really small and hard to see

Someone else suggested it might be the font itself rather than the font size. Well, I should probably start using my computer glasses more often....

by Englishmajor on Feb 19, 2008 6:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

.

"No, no," Guerrero said, before switching to Spanish.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Feb 19, 2008 5:14 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Because "No" is an English word

"No, no," Guerrero said, before switching to Spanish.

by williadc on Feb 20, 2008 1:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

are my comments invisible?

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Feb 20, 2008 9:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

ha!

good catch.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Feb 20, 2008 1:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

AAAAAAAIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 2:53 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

We now hear from our final injured regular

Chavy says he expects to be healthy and effective.

Chavez said he's primed for a big season after dealing with a lot of injuries over the last two seasons.
"I think we figured it all out now," he said of how to get healthy. "I expect to have a great year, I really do."

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080219&content_id=2379977&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak

by theblackpearl on Feb 19, 2008 4:17 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

One thing that I've picked up

by semi-osmosis from the usual rush of early-spring-training pabulum is this:

Landon Powell is a. in Scottsdale, b. apparently able to stand up without crutches, and c. still a catcher.

All of these are very, very good things for Oakland. A healthy, catching Powell is a top 10 prospect for the team, maybe even top 5.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Feb 19, 2008 5:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

since swisher is gone, so is "country roads"

BUT!

Radio guests: Robert Buan, host of the A's "Extra Innings" postgame radio show on KFRC-FM (106.9) and KYCY-AM (1550), said that Street will be his regular Tuesday night guest this year, replacing the departed Nick Swisher. Additionally, Buan said that third-base coach Tony DeFrancesco will appear on weekends.

link

time to think of some names for the huston show!

by gotgreen on Feb 19, 2008 5:59 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

he should add a certain MLB writer and Huston's wife as regular guests

... and switch from "Country Roads" to "Urban Streets."

It has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 19, 2008 6:11 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs

Street? Should have chosen Buck or Barton

Why choose a guy who prob will get traded mid-season?

Then again, we all thought Swish was here to stay...

by Zonis on Feb 19, 2008 9:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Did this get missed yesterday, or did I just miss it?

In the A's article about Duke's excitement to be in the starting rotation:

Duchscherer lives in the Phoenix area in nearby Chandler...

...and his son is living in Pennsylvania

:( ?

"There's no real reason why a flight in which one flies naked should be more expensive than any other."

by Poppy on Feb 19, 2008 8:25 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Feb 19, 2008 10:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

well, the sentence itself is pretty clear

However, we are talking about a writer/editor who inserted the following in the story:

He started for the chocked, but ill-begotten Team USA in 2003

"Chocked"? And if the team was, indeed, um, "chocked," then wasn't it well-begotten, but perhaps "ill-fated," or, to wax Shakespearean, "ill-starred"?