Open Game Thread: Game 7 - A's vs. Indians
by monkeyball
on Apr 6, 2008 1:42 PM PDT
Cleveland @ Oakland
Well, I ain't gonna do either.
The A's go for their third consecutive win against the Indians, before flying out for a series in Toronto starting Tuesday.
Joe Blanton starts for the A's, and Cliff Lee for the Indians.
Expect to see Mike Sweeney and Emil Brown in the lineup again (both righties, both with a lot of exposure to Lee having played in the AL Central for most of their careers). I'd hope that Geren holds Buck out of the lineup one more day, facing a (not-so-tough) lefty. Other than that (especially still this early in the season and with an off-day tomorrow), I'd anticipate basically the same lineup as yesterday.
Funny the way memory plays tricks on you: I could have sworn that Lee had faced the A's more than 7 times in his career. After Sweeney and Brown, the only active Athletic with double-digit ABs vs. Lee is ... Bobby Crosby. Granted, there's been some serious roster turnover.
Blanton, on the other hand, has had a bit more exposure to the Indians' lineup. As per Blanton's pitching style, he's given up a fair amount of hits, but been able to (mostly) minimize their damage by not walking too many.
While Icin' Joe doesn't have many appreciable platoon splits, he does have an interesting penchant for giving up longballs to righties: over his career, he's surrendered 39 HRs to right-handed hitters in 332 innings, vs. 18 in 313 innings to lefties. And righty Ryan Garko has 2 HRs in 6 career ABs against Joe (including going back-to-back with Jhonny Peralta last September). I'd expect Blanton to pitch aggressively in the zone against the Tribe and to continue his success in keeping his walks down, but to pitch very carefully to Garko with men on base.
Off-the-cuff Rev Halofan-style prediction: Blanton does, indeed, keep his walks and pitches down, but also does surrender another solo HR to Garko (approaching Garko more aggressively with a lead and no one on base in front of him). Seven innings, 6 hits, 1 BB, 1 R. Cust and Crosby continue to hit the ball hard, the sun peeks through around noon to warm up the air, and the A's score 5. Street comes in for some work ... and gives up another solo HR. 5-2, A's.
Lineups
Cleveland
Sizemore CF
Cabrera 2B
Hafner DH
Garko 1B
Peralta SS
Dellucci LF
Michaels RF
Marte 3B
Shoppach C
A's
Buck RF
Ellis 2B
Barton 1B
M Sweeney DH
E Brown LF
Crosby SS
Hannahan 3B
Suzuki C
R Sweeney
In M*A*S*H news, Duke is set for an MRI today, and Richie Robnett, well ...
Robnett is going to play through Sunday with the Ports before undergoing surgery on Monday in San Francisco to remove a benign tumor from his stomach. He expects to miss seven to 10 days and then return to the River Cats.
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M's blow a 2-1 lead in
the 9th and lose 3-2. Thx to Putz being on the DL.
When will then be now? Soon.
by Syphon on Apr 6, 2008 1:01 PM PDT 0 recs
On a hit by Luis Hernandez, one of the worst hitters in the majors...
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on
Apr 6, 2008 1:05 PM PDT
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After Felix goes 8 innings and doesn't give up a run
Big Papi Eats Big Boogers
by Keze on
Apr 6, 2008 1:17 PM PDT
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Is this game televised?
The A's website says KICU, but out KICU affiliate is playing some movie with Sandra Bullock and Matt Damon...
by RenoTy on Apr 6, 2008 1:03 PM PDT 0 recs
Well shoot...
Looks like we Renoites might not be getting the KICU games anymore. Hopefully this is just one game that we're not carrying, for some reason.
by RenoTy on
Apr 6, 2008 1:16 PM PDT
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MLB.tv
is being lame again. :(
Juan Pierre: 44 Million Dollars, Juan Pierre's 3.2 WARP3: Priceless
by Travis Buck Nuckin on Apr 6, 2008 1:12 PM PDT 0 recs
Thank god for Free week of MLB Extra Innings!
When will then be now? Soon.
by Syphon on Apr 6, 2008 1:14 PM PDT 0 recs
I hear you man, what day does the free games stop?
by asfaninpismobeach on
Apr 6, 2008 1:16 PM PDT
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Torrow I think...
not 100% sure.
When will then be now? Soon.
by Syphon on
Apr 6, 2008 1:17 PM PDT
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big hurt!
TBS just showed some highlights of Frank Thomas puttin' a Big Hurt on the Red Sox this weekend. I love it!
by long lost bash brother on Apr 6, 2008 1:14 PM PDT 0 recs
But we gotta face him next!
perhaps we're going to get him on the down-slide?
by MobiusKlein on
Apr 6, 2008 1:16 PM PDT
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Am I the only one who thinks Geren isn't quite sure how platoons are supposed to work?
http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/
by thejd44 on Apr 6, 2008 1:16 PM PDT 0 recs
every time we've seen Beane, Geren, or any players involved quoted ...
... they all say there's no platoons going on.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on
Apr 6, 2008 1:24 PM PDT
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Quitea an AB from Buck...
Maybe this gets him going...
"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did." -Yogi Berra
by brenarlo on Apr 6, 2008 1:20 PM PDT 0 recs
Kinder's BBQ
actually is pretty good. Picked up a Ball Tip sandwich for the gf and a BBQ Beef sandwich for me @ the Fremont location. Pretttyyy darn good
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
by BigTuna on Apr 6, 2008 1:25 PM PDT 0 recs
Gio Gonzalez
pitching for Sacramento today.
When will then be now? Soon.
by Syphon on Apr 6, 2008 1:26 PM PDT 0 recs
Right now...
ts in the 2nd inning.
When will then be now? Soon.
by Syphon on
Apr 6, 2008 1:28 PM PDT
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yowch!
Was that Victor M's injury they just showed on the teevee? Looked like he was taken out by sniper fire.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 6, 2008 1:29 PM PDT 0 recs
ha
I think the sniper was hiding in the RF bleachers
by drink409 on
Apr 6, 2008 1:30 PM PDT
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OK, so I flubbed the Cliff Lee vs lefties angle ...
... but I pretty much called Blanton's first inning.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 6, 2008 1:30 PM PDT 0 recs
Ugh
Cros still overswinging at those low pitches down and away (at least it was ... well, near the plate).
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 6, 2008 1:35 PM PDT 0 recs
I was looking at the Rivercats home page.
It says that Jeff Fiorentino suffered a face injury? Anyone have info on that?
by asfaninpismobeach on Apr 6, 2008 1:35 PM PDT 0 recs
Wow! Great play by Barton!
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
by baseballgirl on Apr 6, 2008 1:38 PM PDT 0 recs
chavvyyyy
:-(
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
by BigTuna on Apr 6, 2008 1:39 PM PDT 0 recs
Blackout
I live in Sacramento where the game is not televised. Are there any sites that stream the game online. MLBtv won't work for me becasue I am not out of market.
by miggyk2 on Apr 6, 2008 1:39 PM PDT 0 recs
It was a tough play
but he's a pro, I think that's got to be scored an error. It seems like the scorers were a bit generous.
by DiegoAsFan on
Apr 6, 2008 1:41 PM PDT
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Lineups are for the weak, but we have plenty of them here so...
G Sizemore CF T Buck RF
A Cabrera 2B M Ellis 2B
T Hafner DH D Barton 1B
R Garko 1B M Sweeney DH
J Peralta SS E Brown LF
D Dellucci LF B Crosby SS
J Michaels RF J Hannahan 3B
A Marte 3B K Suzuki C
K Shoppach C R Sweeney CF
Big Papi Eats Big Boogers
by Keze on Apr 6, 2008 1:42 PM PDT 0 recs
gadzooks!
Nice swing on that single up the middle.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on Apr 6, 2008 1:45 PM PDT 0 recs
still looks to me like...
Geren should bat this lineup in reverse order. ;-)
Go A's!
by FoolshGame22 on Apr 6, 2008 1:45 PM PDT 0 recs
haha
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
by baseballgirl on
Apr 6, 2008 1:46 PM PDT
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as I said in the post, I'd rather have sat Buck ...
... but that was an awfully nice AB he had leading off.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on
Apr 6, 2008 1:47 PM PDT
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Starting Buck is bad for this game
but they have to get him in there. Let's see what happens here......
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on
Apr 6, 2008 1:48 PM PDT
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at least he's eliminated the half-tap from the 1.5-toe-tap
He really should dig in and give himself a more stable base. Needing a timing mechanism like that is usually a bad sign (e.g., Crosby).
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on
Apr 6, 2008 1:51 PM PDT
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Buck Sac Fly RBI
to left. Baby steps.
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
by BigTuna on Apr 6, 2008 1:49 PM PDT 0 recs
Give him a hit, scorekeeper!
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on Apr 6, 2008 1:49 PM PDT 0 recs
mikeA:
I think you're the Bay Alarm home run inning contestant.
by 74mk on Apr 6, 2008 2:03 PM PDT 0 recs
whoa, but last inning?
The A's colors are green and gold.
by mikeA on
Apr 6, 2008 2:08 PM PDT
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So frickin' tired of mlb.tv
...which would be working great for me today if what I was looking for was the word "buffering" appearing on my screen the maximum conceivable number of times.
Putting the "N" in "NRAF" from Leipzig, Germany!
by GreenNGoldSooner on Apr 6, 2008 2:04 PM PDT 0 recs
This is the situation you want Crosby up
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
by baseballgirl on Apr 6, 2008 2:06 PM PDT 0 recs
No possibility of a DP?
"Looks like you brought two too many."
by BWH on
Apr 6, 2008 2:07 PM PDT
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Not if you're mikeA
trying to win that trip to A's Fantasy Camp.
by Soaker on
Apr 6, 2008 2:08 PM PDT
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What's with Joe Blanton?
He is really buying into this "ace" thing.
by ChadGod on Apr 6, 2008 2:10 PM PDT 0 recs
All of our starters have looked great thus far.
Now im hoping Duke is going to be ok and that Guadin comes back solid.
by asfaninpismobeach on Apr 6, 2008 2:12 PM PDT 0 recs
Speaking of starters. Why was harden only limited to 80 pitches in his second outing. Was he on a strict pitch count?
by miggyk2 on Apr 6, 2008 2:14 PM PDT 0 recs
According to rotoworld:
"The A's didn't baby him at all during spring training, but they removed him after 86 pitches today. Enough of them were from the stretch that it was probably the right move."
Makes sense.
by ChadGod on
Apr 6, 2008 2:17 PM PDT
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C'MON BUCK!!!
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
by baseballgirl on Apr 6, 2008 2:18 PM PDT 0 recs
Man, Buck's swing looks SO slow!
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
by baseballgirl on Apr 6, 2008 2:19 PM PDT 0 recs
he's gotta ditch that toe tap
It looks as if he's thinking "OK, I'm g-g-g-gonna ... t-t-t-t-tap my t-t-t-t-toe ... n-n-n-n- ... NOW! Wait, where'd the pitch go?"
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on
Apr 6, 2008 2:20 PM PDT
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how many options does a bobblehead get?
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on
Apr 6, 2008 2:23 PM PDT
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7-4 Texas over the Angels
not exactly a pitchers' duel.
Go A's!
by FoolshGame22 on Apr 6, 2008 2:21 PM PDT 0 recs
Its All
definitely getting into Buck head, I'm sure he's trying not to get out, instead of just hitting
www.baseballmachine.blogspot.com
by SwishMyNish33 on Apr 6, 2008 2:22 PM PDT 0 recs