No Mulligans
by Nico on Apr 16, 2008 9:43 PM PDT
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PrintSeattle scored 3 runs in the top of the 1st inning against Joe Blanton and never looked back, riding a complete game by Felix Hernandez to a 4-2 victory over the A's. Final Score: Seattle 4, Oakland 2
Wipe out the top of the first inning and...No, sorry, you can't. If before you bat, your pitcher gives up more runs than you're going to score all evening, you're going to lose. Still, hats must be tipped to Joe Blanton for finding a way to pitch 8 innings, and to keep the A's in the game, on a night where he surrendered 12 hits and did not even record a strikeout for the first six innings.
More hats have to be tipped to Felix Hernandez, whose 97 MPH fastball has late movement, and who can drop a breaking ball in for a strike seemingly at will (though in fact it was usually at Mark, or Jack). The fact is, just because you have been maddenly futile at the hands of Cliff Lee and John Danks doesn't mean you were the problem tonight. There is no shame in scoring only a couple runs off of Felix or in looking like a team that can't hit. We learned nothing tonight about how well the A's can hit. What we learned is what we feared: The kid can pitch.
What is an ongoing concern is the A's lack of crispness on defense. This team, already bereft of power and short on starting pitching experience, can ill afford to play poor defense, yet today the A's made an error in their 9th consecutive game.
So other than the pitching, the hitting, and the defense, the last 48 hours have gone pretty well. Now we have 20 hours to figure out how to beat Carlos Silva.
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Still, I do love how he pitched late into the game well
and how I am typing to myself now just to be the first on this thread.
Green Hulk Fists
just got back from the game
over 21,000 for free blankets (nice ones), $2 plaza outfield and $1 hot dogs (the all you can eat section wasn’t full for a change). Lines were ridiculous long at concessions because not enough of them were open. Fewer bartenders were working in the westside club than normal, so the ones that were there were running ragged. you’d think they were only expecting 10,000 tonight.
Saw Poppy and “Brian from 317”. Didn’t see much A’s on offense (ok, Felix was great!) or on defense (not ok, this is bothering me worse than the offense).
Tomorrow is another game…and I’ll be there!
I think Korach mentioned during the broadcast
that their walk-up sale tonight was “several thousand”, so I think you are on the money on the expected attendance. A 6-2 road trip combined with a beautiful weather day will do that.
Also just back
Yes, lines were bad; even if you were not going for the dollar dogs, fighting one’s way through the crowds waiting for them on the lower concourse was difficult. I stayed in my $2 seat because I could see the bleachers were crowded and it seemed like a nice change of pace. I was mildly surprised to see a “Keep Our A’s In Oakland” banner from the OAFC in the left field bleachers; I suppose it would be worse publicity for the team to tell them to take it down than to leave it up, but still. Maybe it’s been there before, but since I am usually IN the left field bleachers I missed it.
Not a great game. But I has a blanket.
The candy and the baseball all night long: )
by Englishmajor on Apr 16, 2008 10:17 PM PDT up reply actions
Lines were terrible.
Ticket lines too. I got to the stadium at 4:15. There were ~200 people in line, and one ticket window open. Come on! (I did get a blanket, though.)
Also irritating: paying $3.50 for veggie dogs on dollar dog night. Can the veg*ns at least get a dollar pretzel or dollar peanuts or a section where we don’t have to watch people eating 10 hot dogs each? It was a little unnerving for my fragile little plant-fueled brain.
Otherwise, my main takeaway from the game is that Mike Sweeney swings slow and runs slow. I fear his every plate appearance.
MLBlackout.wordpress.com - Help put an end to MLB.tv blackouts
word I heard was that they shifted 60 concession employees...
to the Warrior game. $50 bonus to those that went. So, three (or however ridiculously small number it was) concession stands open for A’s fans wanting dollar dogs. Couldn’t get a beer, couldn’t get a hot dog, couldn’t smoke, didn’t get a blanket. I just think I’ll go to fewer A’s games.
Foolsh, the most insane regular poster on AN since oaktoon left - salb
by FoolshGame22 on Apr 16, 2008 11:54 PM PDT up reply actions
QOTM
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
It's pretty annoying to lose to the other manager's short-term thinking
Hernandez has thrown like 110 pitches, and you put him out there for the 9th inning?
OK.
I hope he blows out his elbow. The Mariners don’t deserve to have players that talented.
Proof # 937023 that karma is a bulls**t concept.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
I hope he doesn't blow out his elbow
He, Harden, and Liriano are supremely talented – can one of them stay healthy? Please? I’ll walk him every day, I promise.
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
I think Hernandez started the 9th at 104 pitches...
and, it was only a 2-run lead. Felix at 104 pitches is better than any of their relievers, even if we did give him a scare in the 8th. I wasn’t surprised in the least to see him out there in the 9th.
Foolsh, the most insane regular poster on AN since oaktoon left - salb
by FoolshGame22 on Apr 16, 2008 11:47 PM PDT up reply actions
"I hope he blows out his elbow."
come on…
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
Well, if I blow out my own elbow
doing… well, actually, I have no idea what I would do that could possibly cause that, but whatever… I’ll be sure to report back on the possible existence of karma after all.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
pitch count isn't an absolute
From my limited understanding of the issue, it’s the combination of fatigue, high-stress situations, rapid increases in IP from one season to the next, and massive IP accumulation early in the season that seem to combine to do damage.
Now, the last could certainly be in play, but the others weren’t. Felix was still dealing, his velocity hadn’t dropped, the A’s couldn’t really touch him, and even though it was technically a “save situation,” that belied the total lack of stress the A’s batters were putting on Felix. Plus, he was the best option to finish the game for the M’s.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
Bleck
I’m no expert, but I think you may have indulged in a (massive, obtuse, churlish) oversimplification of karma there.
Also, wishing injuries on players is lame.
Other than that, great post!
*except Angels players
Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.
by BrettJMiller on Apr 17, 2008 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions
He was at 108 and cruising...
He finished with 115. That’s a lot, but that’s not terrible as long as it’s not a recurring thing. I’m 100% sure that’s the first time we’ve pushed anyone over 110 pitches this year.
Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.
by BrettJMiller on Apr 17, 2008 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions
This Just In:
We’re still tied for 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
Sometimes the pitcher is just too good
Felix looked downright filthy tonight. Those pitches were moving all over the place and he was mixes speeds tremendously. Not a whole lot you can do and I just have to say he is really starting to put his whole arsenal together…VERY scary…
"Just looking at Lackey's face, you just want to beat him" -Ray Fosse
Lackey, Harden, Bedard:
Whoever’s ace can actually get out on the mound might take this division. In fact I suspect that will be the case. Because it figures to be Lackey. :-(
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
Texas's ace isn't injured
Of course, that’s because they don’t have one.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
Harden has never been an ace
an ace is the starter who is most likely to (and often counted on to) reverse a losing streak or series of non-quality starts. While it’s usually the starter with the best “stuff”, that staff leader quality is always mentioned when teams talk about their ace.
When the Big 3 was still intact, Harden was acknowledged by all of them puclibly as the A’s pitcher with the best stuff (once he came up to the big club). Yet there was never any doubt that Tim Hudson was the staff ace..
Harden has never pitched enough since Huddy left, to ever be the A’s ace. By contrast, even with injury problems pitchers such as Roy Halliday are referred to as staff aces—besides their stuff they have actually pitched enough to have earn that title..
two different concepts of "ace," never to be resolved
I’m in the proven-performance-level camp. Yes, his … whatever-the-hell-is-wrong-with-him has limited the amount of starts he’s been able to make, but when he has, he’s been dominant.
By the leadership/IP standard, Zito (who, FWIW, remains one of my favorite players) is SF’s “ace.” Which he ain’t.
Harden, with his dichotomous stuff/health, is a hard case, though.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
was his hand injury the result of his...
temper tantrum?
Foolsh, the most insane regular poster on AN since oaktoon left - salb
by FoolshGame22 on Apr 16, 2008 11:56 PM PDT up reply actions
A's defense was atrocious:
Zooks for a base, Thing2 and the JCOA for two runs, Hannahan for another—we didn’t need to lose this game.
Theirs was pretty good, esp Beltre, but we did oblige them by almost everything “where they is.”
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
So were you trying to be ironic
by publishing a story titled “No Mulligans” twice? ;-)
Seriously though, the A’s just looked off balance all night and Felix got a bit lucky a few times with several shots off A’s bats going right into Mariners’ gloves.
by Tyler Bleszinski on Apr 16, 2008 10:36 PM PDT reply actions
This will sound a little odd...
But I really like Joe Blanton. I find that he is consistent with my expectations of him and that makes me feel fond of him. A sure sign that he will be traded by the end of the season. I enjoy him too much.
I don't know if this was supposed to be humorous
but, “If before you bat, your pitcher gives up more runs than you’re going to score all evening, you’re going to lose” absolutely cracked me up.
Coming from Nico I expect it was some angry humor. If TIm McCarver had posted it, he probably would’ve thought he was giving genuine baseball insight.
http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/
by thejd44 on Apr 17, 2008 1:15 AM PDT reply actions
LOL - It wasn't "angry," but it was attempted humor,
irony/captain obvious division. And you are correct that coming from McCarver, it would have been an exciting new discovery he just made that he had to share with his listeners!
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
some morning-after having-been-there impressions
1. I agree with HigherPie—MSweeney’s bat and legs are reallllly slow. With the A’s lack of power and unimpressive walk totals (outside of MSweeney, Barton, and Cust), and Buck’s cluelessness at the plate, I think MSweeney should be moved into the 1 (or 9) slot when he plays (which shouldn’t be every day unless he starts hitting for at least some power).
2. From my cheap-but-getting-progressively-Upgraded-as-the-game-went-on seats, I couldn’t really see the action on Felix’s pitches, but he was really consistent with the curve, dropping it in for a strike whenever he wanted to
3. Cust had a couple really nice PAs, and he and Hannahan (of all people) made nice adjustments on the fastball away their 2nd/3rd time seeing Felix
4. I know Blanton’s got a short stride, but it seemed really short in the 1st inning, and that he was short-arming the ball a bit as a result. Seemed as though he lengthened his stride by a couple necessary inches after the 1st. (Yes, I was out in LF/3B the whole game. Of course, it could have all been an optical illusion, with his stride seeming longer only as I moved closer and closer to the field …)
5. From a process standpoint, Zook has really good PAs.
6. Buck has really bad PAs.
7. Crosby’s still getting good results with a not-so-good approach.
8. Ellis’s GIDP was utterly deflating. No one left immediately after it … but the stage manager gave the crickets and tumbleweeds their cue.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
I'm still trying to figure out where this notion
that Mike Sweeney is or should be an everyday player came from. A couple of good games in early spring training? Come on. He should not be starting against lefthanders unless Barton or Cust needs a day off.
Buck needs to start taking some pitches. This “aggressive-swing-at-everything” Buck not only isn’t getting any hits, he’s not getting any walks, either.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
I agree on the everyday issue ...
... though I’m in more of the “I think he’s done, wasn’t a great signing to begin with, and should pretty much be in the right-handed DJ role” camp.
Although I think you mean he shouldn’t play against RHSPs, right?
To be fair, Sweeney has an odd track record with L/R splits - in his career, he’s actually been slightly better against righties (a little better AVG, a little more isoSLG - basically, he’s hit the ball harder), with some odd one-year oscillations one way or the other (WTF happened in 2004 and 2007?) that I guess could probably be attributed to his back problems.
I think we’re both just not seeing the value in a DH who hits like Shannon Stewart.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
Sorry, yeah. Duh.
The advantage of him vs. lefthanders has less to do with HIS platoon split, or lack thereof, and more to do with the platoon splits of the guys he’s replacing.
That said, if the PITCHER is one (eg Zito) who doesn’t have a noticeable platoon split, I wouldn’t start him there either.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
since I'm lazy and uninformed ...
... are you (or anyone else up on the literature) aware of any studies of split/nonsplit matchups? I.e., nonsplit batters vs significant-split pitchers, and vice versa.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
No...
but the existence of them is reasonably well established (more so for pitchers than for hitters). I’d figure it’s reasonably safe to just average the respective platoon splits, maybe weighting the pitcher’s a little heavier, and then apply that to the hitter’s OPS to get his projected OPS against a given pitcher. A more scientific mechanism would regress each of them to the mean before averaging them.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
but why perform those calculations ...
... when it’d be a lot simpler and more accurate (though more time/labor-consuming) to just break out the numbers?
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
Probably because I'm not sure what you mean
by “break out the numbers”...
:p
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
Beat by a good pitcher.
This guy is good sometimes great. This offense isn’t going to beat that kind of pitching very often.
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