"Right Idea" Blunders Are Livable
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 3:58 PM PDT
93 comments
There were blunders aplenty for the A's in their season opener, blunders that turned several chances at a win into a tough loss. But to me not all blunders are alike, and some aren't even so much blunders as "Debatable Decisions Gone Bad" (the sequel to "Nurses Gone Wild" but that's another blog).
"Blunder #1" Buck misplayed a long fly ball into a double, starting a 3-run Sox rally in the 6th, but that's a physical mistake - you can only rail so much into a player for one of those - on a somewhat tough chance in a completely unfamiliar stadium. On that one, to me it's a shrug of the shoulders and a "it happens".
"Blunder #2" Street out to pitch the 10th after blowing the save in the 9th. I just don't see that as a managerial mistake at all. When you hear about Street's problems pitching multiple innings, many of those are multiple inning save opportunities, specifically where he has entered the 8th in the middle of the inning and then gone back out to pitch the 9th. He has has plenty of effective outings where he pitched 2 (and in a couple cases more) innings, sometimes following a blown save and sometimes in a tie game. The basic rule of thumb when you're the home team (meaning you're 10,000 miles from home and all the fans and broadcasters are rooting for your opponent) is that you throw your best first, then your next best, and so on. Embree and Foulke were already spent and (now we know) A. Brown was not available. Take Street out and put in Casilla? No thank you, not in that overthrower's nightmare of a venue. DiNardo? You can't be serious. Street was fresh, he had made all of one bad pitch - and that's if you even feel the HR was a bad pitch. I liked the move of putting Street back out there. I hated the move of pitching to Manny.
"Blunder #3" Emil Brown's baserunning gaffe. Now that was a blunder. And yet...We (I) have complained and complained that the team is too passive on the bases. Now granted what we meant wasn't "run with abandon, no matter what's happening, like it's a game of pickle in the backyard!" but if the team is trying to make things happen, we have to be patient when they don't immediately and always do it with facility. So at least I will applaud the sentiment (while lynching the offender).
Conclusion: In a tough venue against the World Champs, the team that's rebuilding and should roll over for everyone upon request...played the Red Sox pitch for pitch before only some Opening Day jitters and try-too-hards gave the Sox a chance to escape with the win. I'll take it - not as much as I would have taken a win, but I like where the team is headed.
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First post on new AN
Have to say, all in all, I admire the fight in this team. Even after the baserunning blunder, the blown save, and the heartbreaking 2-run double in extras by Manny, the team did not mail it in.
Some other thoughts:
Crosby played well. People are always on him around here but I thought he had a good approach for the first game of the season in trying to take everything up the middle. It worked for 2 hits. Nothing pretty, but baseball isn't a fashion show.
We will be a better team with Chavez by midseason. And that's something to look forward to. Hannahan is good, but he's not a wizard with the glove.
Ditto with Carlos Gonzales in center.
Cust is inconsistent, we all know that. He'll go 0-4 with 4 Ks one day and then go 2-3 the next with a HR and a double and 2 walks. That's fine by me.
Suzuki looked lost at the plate.
Emil Brown looked lost in the field.
Mark Sweeney is not a good hitter.
Mike Sweeney is awesome. I remember him when he came through Eugene's minor league farm team; he was the best hitter I had seen in person up until then. He looks healthy and he will be a huge asset and bat.
It's one game. Some people are losing perspective here. The team will get better as the season goes along because we are so young.
Foulke scared me a little, but once I saw how badly his changeup was fooling people, I felt better. He's still got enough in the tank to get crucial outs. Our bullpen will be good this year.
I am the most frustrated when we have the most hits and lose. That didn't happen today; we were outhit and we almost stole a game from the Red Sox. It was a pretty good day.
Geren's moves were okay; I also disagreed with pitching to Manny there. He was the hot hand. Ortiz looked like he was pressing a bit; however, he's an elite hitter, so who's to say he wouldn't have knocked one off the wall too? The rest of the managerial moves were solid.
Finally, ESPN's coverage was embarrassing. They should be ashamed of themselves with the amateurish display of mispronouncing people's names (Hannrahan? Wow.) and not even remembering other people's names (Dale Barton????). It was blatant Red Sox homering by the awful crew and then MLB.com did the same to boot. Is there any good sports media anymore?
The answer is no.
Prince: This bores me. Is anyone up for a game of basketball?
by baseb3383 on Mar 25, 2008 4:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Good points
Carlos Gonzalez will come up mid-season and the A's will be the better for his presence as a guy who SHOULD be there, not just someone filling in for the guy who should be there. Meanwhile, perhaps your most important point? It's ONE GAME.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 4:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It is one game.
But it's one game everyone thought about for a week, and a win (which was sooo close) would've been a giant middle finger to the national media, I usually don't care about, but we've all come to despise ESPN over the past 5 days. And it was a loss that should never have happened, and it was caused in large part by a player A's fans are lukewarm about.
And it cost me a night of sleep. So this one's gonna sting for a while.
You know what's gonna be f***in' awesome? Watching highlights from the opener during tonight's broadcast. All night.
Formerly known as hward86.
by BWH on Mar 25, 2008 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What are we gonna do about it?
I haven't gone to the four letter networks website one time today. I usually go there about 10x a day. I've been sick of them for years, but this is the straw that breaks this camel's back.
Go A's
by 33SwisherSweet on Mar 25, 2008 6:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nice summary, but
I think you mean Ryan Sweeney?
(Although, Mark Sweeney is playing for the Dodgers now and he's pretty average too. ;)
Now, brother Mike, on the other hand...I hope he gets more ABs. He could be a comeback player for the A's a la Big Hurt, etc.
Aahh, Frick!... Don't tell me Bill King is going to be passed over again!
by PortlandPachyderm on Mar 25, 2008 4:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah.
My mistake. He's not a memorable Sweeney.
Prince: This bores me. Is anyone up for a game of basketball?
by baseb3383 on Mar 25, 2008 4:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've heard some folks say this one is...
Aahh, Frick!... Don't tell me Bill King is going to be passed over again!
by PortlandPachyderm on Mar 25, 2008 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You stole the words out of my mouth...
I was going to make those same points but you said them much better than I can. Great comment. If I could add one thing I'd say that I bet Ellis bats leadoff in more games this year than Buck.
Also, I think that a more aggressive hitter needs to be hitting after Barton and Cust. Those guys will be doing a lot of walking and we need someone besides Crosby who can drive them in. I'd say the lineup for tomorrow's game should be:
Ellis - 2B
Barton - 1B
Sweeney - DH
Cust - LF
Buck - RF
Hananhan - 3B
Crosby - SS
Suzuki - C
Denorfia/Sweeney - CF
"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did." -Yogi Berra
by brenarlo on Mar 25, 2008 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Normally, I'd agree 100%,
but in the dome I'd stay away from Cust in the OF - imagine Buck and Brown today, only worse. Not a good thing.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
took the words outa my mouth
Baseball is the best sport played in the world... Foobal, Soccer, Basketball, ect... Can fall off the face of the earth for all i care.
by nlas on Mar 25, 2008 6:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
First things first: Obviously, yesterday’s game recap was written in the heat of the moment, on very little sleep, following the organization of 2000+ game thread comments, five game threads, and living through an absolutely brutal A’s loss.
I stand by my original assessment that Emil Brown had a mental meltdown on the basepaths and very likely cost the A’s a win. I was angry about it then, and I’m still angry about it now. As an A’s fan, I’ve live through too many weird base-running blunders to forgive and forget another.
I could have lived with it had he been thrown out at a close play at third base. If he committed to trying for 3rd with Paps on the mound, knowing that the tying run was a lot more valuable on third base with one out (where it didn't take a basehit to score him), than second, I would have fully supported that move. It was 1,000 times more likely that Crosby would simply make contact for the RBI than a basehit by Cros or Hannahan was, and I would take those odds.
But that wasn’t the case! He just assumed that the ball was going home, and looked RIDICULOUS when it didn’t. And cost the A’s the game.
BUT BUT BUT BUT:
I will say it now; he hit the ball harder than anyone out there tonight, except Ellis and Hanny, and I will take that bat in the lineup. Emil, I’m sorry I tried to trade you after the first game, and I will give you a second chance.
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
by baseballgirl on Mar 25, 2008 4:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
My biggest beef is still that
I can't see pitching to ManRam in that situation. Ortiz, on your terms with first base open, ok. Lowell, ok. ManRam? No.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 4:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let's not forget...
ManRam got himself out 70.4% of the time last year. And Ortiz is a monster, especially late in games.
by Colorado Fan on Mar 25, 2008 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ortiz just didn't look locked in,
and when he's away from the Green Monster you can at least pitch him into the shift. Manny looked like Manny, there's no reliable way to pitch him, and he's plenty good with the game on the line. I'll take Lowell with the bases loaded, honestly - I don't care what the CW says.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Uh, no
Manny got himself out 61.2% of the time.
He had an OBP of .388. Whatever else you may say about him, "impatient" is not a moniker I would apply.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Mar 25, 2008 5:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's right
"one of the best right handed hitters in baseball history" and "the second best right handed hitter in the AL today" would apply to Manny, and not to Ortiz. Pitch to Papi. Besides, IWCTW, it's more fun to watch Papi hit a homer than Manny.
My earliest memory in life is of Campy Campaneris
by eastcoasta'sfan on Mar 25, 2008 7:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
"would apply to Manny, and not to Ortiz" ... that's for certain ...
at the very least because David Ortiz is left handed ...
"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback
by devo on Mar 25, 2008 8:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
.296 Average Last Year
So when Manny swings the bat and hits the ball, he gets himself out 70.4% of the time. You never want to walk the bases loaded, but it might be time to put Mike Lowell to the test... but, Lowell seemed to pass a lot of tests last year.
by Colorado Fan on Mar 25, 2008 10:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So you're proposing to use mind control techniques
to force Manny to swing the bat?
The statement "Manny got himself out 70.4% of the time last year" is a flatly incorrect statement.
You could try to "pitch around" him without actually IBBing him, but that never seems to work anyway.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Mar 26, 2008 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
the other thing to consider with Brown ...
In a certain sense, we're still only in the third week of spring training games. Brown's blunder seems pretty acceptable as a third-week-of-spring-training, first-year-with-new-team, manager-pushing-for-aggressive-approach mistake. Another week and a half of preparation, and Brown likely doesn't make that mistake.
So, yeah: I blame Bud Selig for Brown getting tagged out there.
way to speed humanities demise douche bags! @('.')@
by monkeyball on Mar 25, 2008 6:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Bud Selig had been the one tagged out
and I had been the one tagging, you can bet it would have been a skull tag - and I'd have toupee all over my glove. And I'd charge him a "home game" for the privilege of getting his skull tagged in.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 6:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I blame Billy Beane
Hey, there is a reason they call it re-building. Mistakes like this are going to happen all season.
by ChuckBudd on Mar 25, 2008 6:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good posting Sir
as per usual, the voice of reason...except the times you are unreasonable of course.
I actually came away from this game excited and hopeful. Remember, we were the rebuilding team that was supposed to finish last? We should have won that game, against the WC Sox on foreign soil. I think we have a small sample size of a gutsy, albeit developing, team.
"Doesn't play well with the other children." Ms. Darias, principal, Broad Ave School
by since72 on Mar 25, 2008 4:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Just get me out of this ridiculous trip
with a split - I'm looking at you, Rich Harden!
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm very concerned
about which of Harden's body parts you expect to split in tonight's/tomorrow morning's game.
by Soaker on Mar 25, 2008 5:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
To the ladies' delight:
Just the pants.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 5:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Foreign soil? Are you kidding? We were the HOME TEAM!
Oh... wait.
by mikev on Mar 25, 2008 4:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've been pretty supportive of the A's making this trip
but there was a point late in the game where KFRC came back from between-innings commercial and "Sweet Caroline" was blasting out of my stereo speakers, seemingly much louder than the rest of the Tokyo Dome PA stuff. That got under my skin a bit and Korach made an indignant comment about it as well.
by Soaker on Mar 25, 2008 5:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Susan Sushi reporting
Bastards can't even make us feel at home. Why were we named the home team? No garlic fries no music and Jack Hanrahan by the ESPN buffoons. I would say our boys are doing well considering...now if only Rich Hardren can pitch well, and Jack Crust can hit....
"Doesn't play well with the other children." Ms. Darias, principal, Broad Ave School
by since72 on Mar 25, 2008 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
M. Urban reported on the radio today
that the Red Sox got to the stadium before the A's and took the nicer "home" clubhouse.
"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King
by batgirl on Mar 25, 2008 7:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would have preferred hearing Korach gripe
to the blabber of the ESPN'ers
by OaklandSi on Mar 25, 2008 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Assuming there's soil...
...under that foreign turf, but that's another story.
"[Moneyball] is huge [in Japan], I guess, so I'm like a David Hasselhoff type or something..." -- Billy Beane
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Mar 25, 2008 4:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
your conclusion
= my exact sentiments
and let's face it, these A's are bound to lose some they "should have won", especially against relentless teams like, I don't know, the World Champs, for starters?
I'm here to talk about the past.
by 67MARQUEZ on Mar 25, 2008 4:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Every team will - and we'll win some we should lose
It was an incredibly frustrating loss, but closers do blow saves and you know why the Red Sox won? Because they have Ortiz and ManRam ahead of Lowell and we have...Barton and Cust ...and you'd never think about walking both of them to pitch to...Emil Brown.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
C'mon Fremont!
Aahh, Frick!... Don't tell me Bill King is going to be passed over again!
by PortlandPachyderm on Mar 25, 2008 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll take Car Gon first!
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And not have to lose him in four years, Amen, brother!
Aahh, Frick!... Don't tell me Bill King is going to be passed over again!
by PortlandPachyderm on Mar 25, 2008 4:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm thinking/hoping CarGon is our first
"franchise lockup" - I'm talking more like Miguel Cabrera / Carlos Beltran than Eric Chavez.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do you think we should let him become an all-star caliber MLB player first?
Or should we just go ahead and sign him long term no matter what?
:D
by mikev on Mar 25, 2008 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think that when he's only eligible to
make the major league minimum we should sign him to a $20 mil/year deal - then ship him off to Larry Davis and on to the coroner from there. Toe tag reads: "Day to day."
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 5:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, now can someone who lives near Fremont
please take a shovel down there to the site and start digging? I've heard BB and others quoted as saying "once ground is broken..." :)
Aahh, Frick!... Don't tell me Bill King is going to be passed over again!
by PortlandPachyderm on Mar 25, 2008 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You misunderstand -
Our first round draft pick, a can't miss superstar if he can just stay healthy, is named Ground.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 5:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right.
Whoever goes will need a voodoo doll of Larry Davis or something to bury there.
Aahh, Frick!... Don't tell me Bill King is going to be passed over again!
by PortlandPachyderm on Mar 25, 2008 5:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Can we bury Larry Davis?
Problem solved.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 5:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly how much digging were you planning on doing?
You think he'll fit under one of the parking structures?
by mikev on Mar 25, 2008 5:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't wanna get banned
by suggesting anything like human sacrifice, but it would seem a more effective way to appease the "Day to Day Gods" than a doll.
Aahh, Frick!... Don't tell me Bill King is going to be passed over again!
by PortlandPachyderm on Mar 25, 2008 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Could we use him as a supplement for the players?
Soylent Tie-dye.
Winner of the 2008 "find grover a new sig" contest.
by 5Aces on Mar 25, 2008 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
larry davis is the devil
"Doesn't play well with the other children." Ms. Darias, principal, Broad Ave School
by since72 on Mar 25, 2008 5:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
OK
so let's bury some Angels along with him just to cover all the bases.
Aahh, Frick!... Don't tell me Bill King is going to be passed over again!
by PortlandPachyderm on Mar 25, 2008 5:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What about Blunder #0?
Not putting away Matsuzaka when we had the chance (twice!).
It's easy to point the finger at Brown and Street (and they obviously deserve it), but what about Cust's 4Ks and Buck's 0 for 5? You can argue some of the called strikes against Cust, but at least Brown was driving the ball.
by dbuzi123 on Mar 25, 2008 5:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Seconded.
No excuse for not taking advantage of Matsuzaka's early struggles. The guy was totally lost for a while up there.
"There is an HR in Hanrahan." ~ mikeA
by Poppy on Mar 25, 2008 5:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
if the A's had been hacking more in the first 2 innings ...
... we'd all be bitching about the crap pitches way out of the zone the A's had been swinging at, and the GIDP to end each inning.
The few pitches the A's hit hard off Matsuzaka ... were the few pitches he threw anywhere near the strike zone. "Effectively wild" is far too generous a way to describe his work in the first 2-3 innings, but he wasn't throwing hittable pitches. Unless the 28-man roster rules somehow had allowed us to have Vlad in the lineup.
way to speed humanities demise douche bags! @('.')@
by monkeyball on Mar 25, 2008 6:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't care.
Being supercranky gives me the right to say there's no excuse. Since you've been sick, you should be too weak to do anything but smile and nod. ;)
"There is an HR in Hanrahan." ~ mikeA
by Poppy on Mar 25, 2008 7:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
ya
i totally agree with u
nice post
Happiness is only real when shared
by manny59 on Mar 25, 2008 6:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
This has potential
There were blunders aplenty for the A's in their season opener, blunders that turned several chances at a win into a tough loss. But to me not all blunders are alike, and some aren't even so much blunders as "Debatable Decisions Gone Bad"
A few edits, and inserts of different circumstances and I got a great rational, plausible, excuse making statement for any rare blunders I may make at work.
alaska A
by ak_A on Mar 25, 2008 6:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Disclaimer: Photocopying your ass
and accidentally faxing the xerox to your company's biggest client does not qualify as a "debatable decision".
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
by Nico on Mar 25, 2008 6:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Debatable Decisions"
is the buzzword at work starting tomorrow for the rest of the week!
alaska A
by ak_A on Mar 25, 2008 6:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I blame all my mistakes at work on Bud Selig
way to speed humanities demise douche bags! @('.')@
by monkeyball on Mar 25, 2008 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Come on man!
I understand the whole excitment and news media giving the A's a bad rep, but it still would have been nice to see that W. On with tonight, or should i say this morning... I just hope we win one of the two in the land so far away from home.
Baseball is the best sport played in the world... Foobal, Soccer, Basketball, ect... Can fall off the face of the earth for all i care.
by nlas on Mar 25, 2008 6:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Cut Emil Brown NOW
Cut Emil Brown now. The 33-year old, washed up, add-no-value outfielder runs bases worse than 6-year olds (and I don't mean to insult 6-year olds!). He should not have been more than 6 inches past 2nd base today.
A friend of mine who has inside sources at the Royals said to me, well BEFORE the season, that Emil Brown was one of the worst baserunners of all time.
On top of it, according to my source, he's a clubhouse cancer. Why Billy wants him, other than he's cheap, is beyond me. The Royals are happy to be rid of Emil Brown. Cut Emil Brown NOW, Billy. He's a total waste of a roster spot, and he proved it in game #1.
by MoragaMike on Mar 25, 2008 6:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
it was one game
President of the Joey Devine fan club as of 1/15/08. Accepting applications for other positions. "He has no equivalent." -Paul DePodesta on Jeremy Brown
by flipgatey3 on Mar 25, 2008 7:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If he's any type of baller
he'll make up for it tonight.
by sf drift king on Mar 25, 2008 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cut Emil Brown NOW, Part 2
Today's homer notwithstanding, Emil Brown adds nothing to the future of the A's. If he behaves anything like during his Royals tenure, he adds nothing to the clubhouse. Let a younger player WITH A FUTURE get playing time. Emil is washed up and just preventing experience for someone with promise.
by MoragaMike on Mar 26, 2008 9:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
2 things
that are completely unrelated to nico's post.
1) i love having the score at the top of the home page. not that i love seeing this game's score in particular, but the concept is much appreciated.
2) i'm actually looking forward to getting up in the morning, b/c if i'm lucky, harden will still be pitching at 6:30 am cdt, and i don't have a paper to write while watching the game. i had forgotten how much i missed baseball.
by whiteshoes40 on Mar 25, 2008 7:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
linescore at the top of the page
So, uh, Blez ... clockwerks ... anyone: why are the Sox shown as the home team in the linescore?
way to speed humanities demise douche bags! @('.')@
by monkeyball on Mar 26, 2008 12:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
" Blunder #2 "
there were 37 games in which Street has pitched more than an inning, he's allowed just 11 runs for an ERA under 2.00. (before today)
Man, thats some terrible numbers.
by ZfP75 on Mar 25, 2008 7:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Huston Street is my whipping board this year
He gets hit hard at least once an inning nearly every appearance since his elbow injury.
This is a very good young team and they don't need hard earned efforts getting imploded by Street who should never pitch multiple innings
by TimTimTimbo on Mar 25, 2008 8:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm flagging this post and others like it
Saying something that's flagrantly false is one thing.
Repeating something that's flagrantly false over and over again when it's been demonstrated to be so is entirely another.
I don't know if "lying through your teeth" is a CGV, but if it isn't, it should be.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Mar 25, 2008 9:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Flagrantly false?
There is no conclusive evidence that hasn't been horrible in multiple inning appearances. Its certainly possible that he allows a lot of hard hit balls in those situations and has been lucky in terms of ERA, no?
by ChadGod on Mar 26, 2008 12:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd lay 1000 to 1 odds
that our troll does not happen to have a chart describing batted ball velocities during Huston Street's second innings conveniently lying around for our perusal.
Saying you know something to be true, when in fact there's no evidence whatsoever backing you up, is lying. Period. There's really no reason why I or anyone else should have to wade through this offal en route to a serious conversation.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
by PaulThomas on Mar 26, 2008 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
it's worth flagging for the mondegreen "whipping board," anyway
way to speed humanities demise douche bags! @('.')@
by monkeyball on Mar 26, 2008 1:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not a homophone, but ...
... I sometimes sound like one.
There's no such thing as a "whipping board." The term is "whipping boy."
Frankly, given PT's inclinations, I'm surprised he didn't jump out of his skin at that one. Also, technically, a "whipping boy" is neither a favorite target for opprobrium nor a scapegoat per se, but one who ritually receives the punishment deserved by another culpable party. So, if we're charitable and give TimTimTimbo the benefit of the drought (a little dry humor there), then essentially he's saying that he's laying unwarranted blame on Street, when the real fault lies elsewhere.
way to speed humanities demise douche bags! @('.')@
by monkeyball on Mar 26, 2008 1:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My thoughts
As opposed to what one poster said earlier I thought Suzuki looked pretty good up there today. He hit the ball hard his first two times up today, but his last AB was one of those that can make me lose sleep. He and a couple other guys today, especially Buck, were ahead in the count and instead of crushing their pitch, grounded out weekly. In Suzuki's case it was 2-0, game on the line and he grounds out weakly to first. Yuck.
Buck and Cust looked lost... completely lost.
Crosby was about as un-Crosby as I've seen him in a looooooooooong time. 2 singles up the middle? No way.
Gary Thorne's best quote of the night: "Chavez who?" after Manahannahan homered. If Jack can keep this up we'll be more than set if Chavvy needs more time to come back.
Ryan Sweeney seems like he can be more than passable in CF, but his bat scares me in the bad way.
Games like today's show how invaluable Ellis is to this team. Makes a couple nice plays in the field and provides a solid bat in the lineup. Lock him up long-term now!
"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin
by Helloooo 1st on Mar 25, 2008 8:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
One Good Move Geren Made
When making present decisions about future outcomes, baseball managers, like stock traders (and everybody else, for that matter) are right about 50% of the time. So, it doesn't surprise me that Geren made a couple dubious moves. But one move I heartily approve of is his decision to put Dale (Chip 'N) Barton third in the batting order.
Bob, I don't care if the kid goes 0-for-April (he won't), keep him at the three-spot. Already, he is the best hitter on the roster. I'm convinced he may be the most gifted hitter the Oakland A's have ever had.
"I think that I think, therefore I think that I am." -Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"
by ptbarnum on Mar 25, 2008 9:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
agreed
I've been saying this since last season.
by sf drift king on Mar 25, 2008 10:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm sure this isn't the right place to ask this but it's the most recent posting so I'll put it here.
Why does the box score at the top of the AN home page list the Red Sox as the home team???
by indigo on Mar 25, 2008 9:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Well one last peek at this thread
and then off to a sound sleep with no wake up at un-godly alaska hour to fire up mlbtv. Got a physical tomorrow and don't want the doc to say..."hey, you look hang-dog tired, lets run some tests, and bend over."
alaska A
by ak_A on Mar 25, 2008 9:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It was the 1st game
I know it's all been said but, this was a weird game, in a weird stadium, and the guys are just warming up... Yeah, I know they're professionals and we should expect more.
So it was hard to watch "our" game lost by stupid mistakes, especially because we had stayed up since 3am, we were excited and tired.
Today I was dragging at work but I'm trying hard to stay up again, to see our boy Rich Harden, who reportedly is alive AND throwing a baseball! Yeah! Let's get those Red Sox tonight (morning?)!
PS: Important safety tip: Watch the broadcast on mute! No non-stop "Red Sox Rule the World" announcer crap!
by streetfan on Mar 25, 2008 9:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Off to sleep
before my 3:04 am wake up call...wait who's providing that service again?
"I've got a lot of wins waiting in these white shoes." -Dan Meyer
by pam5981 on Mar 25, 2008 9:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
that would be Nico.. register on his website
note...he may be slurring the "vake-up call fer you" at that hour.
alaska A
by ak_A on Mar 25, 2008 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The box score at the top of the front page
I'm pretty sure it was the Sox with 11 hits and the A's with 7
"It's like déjà vu all over again." -yogi berra
by Cheezombie on Mar 25, 2008 10:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The A's should have won that game
But honestly we all know that the A's are not going to make the playoffs this year (if you think they are then you are delusional and probably think every A's player is the best in the league). I kind of view this year as a long spring training. I would look at how the "core" (if it is possible for the A's to ever have a core) plays over wins and losses
by Athletic on Mar 25, 2008 10:40 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
"Street was fresh, he had made all of one bad pitch"
Except for the 10-15 pitches that were obviously missed spots, both in the 9th and 10th inning. That doesn't even include the cookie to Manny. It's not like Street was pitching great till Manny hit the double. He was shaky in the 9th and pretty awful in the 10th up until Manny came to the plate.
It's the first game of the season. What the hell was Geren saving anybody for? This really is a no-brianer bad decision.
And now Street is likely unavailable tonight because he pitched 2 innings. Except he'll be available and Geren will start to decimate the bullpen in the same horrible ways he did last season.
Even if Brown was unavailable, you had four relievers who could've come in after Street. 2 of them are starters (DiNardo and Braden), so you don't have a lot to worry about if the game goes really long.
http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/
by thejd44 on Mar 26, 2008 12:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
We beat the RedSox...
at gamethread posts. They only had 114. Yeah , I am pretty bored right now.
by IM4Oakgal on Mar 26, 2008 1:52 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Thread?
I am ready to do some early morning posting!
"I can't wait for tommorrow, cause I get so much cooler every day" - shirt worn by Swish
by Bigtoe on Mar 26, 2008 3:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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