Our 15-Run, 20-Hit Roller Coaster Ride
by louismg on May 1, 2008 10:33 PM PDT
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PrintWhen you ask a would-be DH who has never taken a real liking to the field to put on a glove and make plays, sometimes things can get a bit out of hand. With the A's adding Frank Thomas to the roster, last year's surprise star, Jack Cust, will be seeing a lot more time in the field, and every once in a while, he's going to drop a ball now and then. We saw it in person last season, and we saw it in Anaheim tonight.
But the reason the A's stick with a guy like Jack Cust is not because he's going to win us over in the field. He's here to swing the bat and get on base. And today, he did nothing but get on base... stroking four hits, including his long-awaited second home run of the year, and adding two walks, while scoring three runs, more than atoning for a costly second inning error that had some of us here on AN asking for his head on a plate.
Errors are bad. The A's have had more than their fair share this year, and yet, here we are on the first of May, tied for first place with the LA Angels, who everyone said was going to run away with the division this season. For every botched play by a Cust, or a Hannahan or a Barton, the A's hitters and pitching are doing their part to keep us in the win column. Tonight, we saw how the team can bounce back from frustration and not look back, drumming out 20 hits and 15 runs, making Sunday's 4 dollar Plaza level tickets look quite inviting.
Not to ignore the rest of the game, Duchscherer bounced back from his own 2nd inning woes, and Brown and Casilla continued their scoreless innings streak. Dallas Braden? Not so much. But that's why he was mopping up with a nine-run lead at the end of the game.
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Celebrate good times, c'mon!
There’s a party going on right here!
Good job getting the win thread up quickly Louis!
Fremont is basically a parking lot with a mayor
hits or hit
one of those
Things could be worse. Suppose your errors were counted and published every day, like those of a baseball player.
me 2
Dilemma, might have to make an impulse purchase, and do the drive on Sun
by asfansince1989 on May 1, 2008 10:39 PM PDT up reply actions
okay, so who all are going to the $4 game on sunday?
and is the site functional yet?
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
I am and it isn't
The candy and the baseball all night long :)
by Englishmajor on May 1, 2008 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Anyone else want a ticket, if I get in?
The candy and the baseball all night long :)
by Englishmajor on May 1, 2008 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions
I suggest you scalp them
Sell up for $15 and pocket $11 a pop!
Fremont is basically a parking lot with a mayor
"High transaction volume"
I think we crashed the A’s ticket server.
Which, given the amount of volume it typically handles, is probably an Apple II.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
I thought it was a woman named Thelma
emailing each fan back personally.
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’ll be there, but my roommate already got our tickets. So no $4 tickets for me. =(
"I don't know where my pants are but I know where the A's are."
by justarebelheart on May 1, 2008 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions
wonder if...
you can get day of tickts and say “HITS” at the ticket window….website doesnt’ say anything about online only…
Or perhaps an anagram of HITS
The candy and the baseball all night long :)
by Englishmajor on May 1, 2008 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions
as i predicted...
Error
We’re sorry, we were unable to process your request due to high transaction volumes. Please try to submit your request again.
by GooooAs on May 1, 2008 10:41 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I'm not even getting that -- just the "Check back here after the game!" screen
The candy and the baseball all night long :)
by Englishmajor on May 1, 2008 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions
It doesn't sound very refreshing
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
hahaha
The entered coupon code is invalid. Please enter a new coupon code or select from the regular priced tickets below.
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
Nico
What is your expert take on the A’s offence?
Will it ever score off decent pitching?
Fremont is basically a parking lot with a mayor
Here's my take...
- Suzuki, Ellis, Barton, (when he gets back) Buck, and Thomas will be fine.
- Hannahan will walk and Crosby will be better than last year, but combined they will be a pretty mediocre hitting left-side of the infield.
- Cust will be streaky but his OBP will make him a good leadoff contributor no matter what – albeit sometimes more as a leadoff hitter than as a #5 hitter.
- Emil Brown will regress big time and Ryan Sweeney is not a major league hitter at this time.
Overall, they seem to have a much better approach (I think van Burkeleo should get due credit) but aren’t a hugely talented group as a collective, which will lead them to be low-middle (maybe 8th in the league?) in scoring.
Or I could be totally wrong.
Final thought: Replacing Sweenorfia with CGon in CF could make a huge difference, once CGon is major league ready.
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
Thanks!
Last year to this year is like nite and day.
I agree with giving mad props to Van Burkeleo!
Fremont is basically a parking lot with a mayor
I really do feel like this year, suddenly,
they have more than just a “see a lot of pitches” approach, like they are doing two crucial things:
1. “zone hitting” (waiting/looking for “their pitch” and then swinging at it)
2. hitting to all fields – emphasizing “hitting it hard” over pulling the ball
Me likey.
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
Pretty much agree, especially with this...
Overall, they seem to have a much better approach (I think van Burkeleo should get due credit) but aren’t a hugely talented group as a collective, which will lead them to be low-middle (maybe 8th in the league?) in scoring.
It’s downright refreshing to see this team taking advantage of opportunities more often than they used to. Especially hits with RISP early in the game. I don;t know if it’s van Burkleo, or if the young guys don;t know they’re supposed to suck, or a combination of the two, but this is the most excited I’ve been about the A’s offense in years.
Having said that, they are inconsistent. 30 runs in 4 games is great, but 29 of the 30 were in only two of the games. Gotta smooth out the peaks and valleys. For this reason, I’d still pick the Angels to eventually win the division at this point, but see the A’s on a solid upward track… with the potential to surprise.
My only quibble with your assessment is that Ryan Sweeney is not a major league hitter. Granted, his OBP is low, and he could learn to take a walk, but other than that he’s right in there with everybody else, stat-wise, and has had a couple key hits.
Agree that EBrown wil regress, but he’s doing well now so I say ride it while you can.
Some read stats. Fans actually watch the games.
I didn't realise van Burekleo was the Angels minor league hitting instructor.
They’re obviously doing something right down there, and our offence is producing at the moment. So right now I’m going to credit him.
Darn the lack of edit button.
I’m with Nico (I assume) in that I think Sweeney will develop into a major league hitter – and whilst the going is good I don’t see the need to demote him if we can get him enough at bats. Right now though he’s a sub par hitter. The problem is he doesn’t walk or hit extra base hits enough – especially for somebody with his frame.
My concern about R. Sweeney is that
he not only doesn’t have a good OBP, but he also has shown little to no power (3 XBH). The same (no slugging) can be said of Denorfia, but Denorfia’s BA is solid and his OBP is solid.
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
Sure, the one thing is Emil Brown
is producing right around hi career numbers right now anyways, so if by regressing you mean not getting tons of RBIs then sure. but his offensive numbers other than RBI are well within reason (inline with 2 out of his last 3 years). they just aren’t that much to write home about to begin with.
Jeremy was safe. He jumped over the tag.
It's hard to quantify on a stat sheet...
...but it isn’t so much how many hits/xbhs/rbis he gets, but rather when he gets them that has impressed me so far.
Some read stats. Fans actually watch the games.
Now....
We’re sorry, we were unable to process your request due to high transaction volumes. Please try to submit your request again.
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
After trying for 2 tickets
“Tickets are not available together in the quantity you requested in this section at this time. Please choose one of the other options below:”
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
good to know
i was trying for 5 and thought they might be all gone. sounds like just an error message
Can't I just take a postcard
with the word “HITS” to the box office at the Coliseum on Sunday?
A postcard or a reasonable facsimile is supposedly valid!!
"I never predict anything, and I never will." Paul Gascoigne, English footballer
by One won lost won on May 1, 2008 10:46 PM PDT reply actions
uh-oh
I just talked with the A’s ticket office. They said Jack Cust is fielding all $4 ticket requests.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
by monkeyball on May 1, 2008 10:47 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Looks like they have really dropped the ball
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 the person who thought up this promoting
is ordering up all the tickets!
Cheaper than losing your job!
"I never predict anything, and I never will." Paul Gascoigne, English footballer
by One won lost won on May 1, 2008 10:49 PM PDT reply actions
Must have been some long faces in the Magic Kingdom
tonite!
Fremont is basically a parking lot with a mayor
Except for Bootchuck
He lowered his ERA from 31.50 to 14.40!
Fremont is basically a parking lot with a mayor
I got in
but it’s telling me there are no tickets together in the quantity I requested. Even when the quantity is 1.
The candy and the baseball all night long :)
That was fun.
And stressful. Then fun again.
And yes, I’m getting blocked out of $4 tix. Seems like there were very few available.
pam5981: Patience is a virtue that I do not possess.
ohtobe21likehuston: But you're good at drinking and cussing. Two out of three ain't bad.
I Bought them all
They are on eBay for $6 apiece.
More than just ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/
By 12:45 PM
they will be $2 on the BART bridge.
The candy and the baseball all night long :)
by Englishmajor on May 1, 2008 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Keep trying
I kept clicking “continue” with 2 in my queue and magically got 2.
I’m going to keep trying for 2. if i get through, lemme know if you want dibs
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
has anyone got tickets?
what sucks is I was going Sunday any way. This is just making it that much harder
Jeez, processing for tickets
costs almost as much as the ticket itself
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
I'm sure you were telling me
but I was too busy clicking continue like a big weird guy
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
ugh, i give up...
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
That's what they were counting on
A’s marketing – woo hoo!!!
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
keep clicking
i just got one.
pam5981: Patience is a virtue that I do not possess.
ohtobe21likehuston: But you're good at drinking and cussing. Two out of three ain't bad.
Print @ Home + Convenience fee
is more than the ticket. Hah.
pam5981: Patience is a virtue that I do not possess.
ohtobe21likehuston: But you're good at drinking and cussing. Two out of three ain't bad.
Discount tix limited to 2500
per Susan Slusser: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/01/SP9L10F90Q.DTL
but ESPN and the Angels
tell me we don’t even have that many fans…
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
...and CSN...
...and KNBR…and The Giants…and The Giants Fans….and the Giants “Fans”.....and….and…and…
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
That's because
no one goes to the games. It’s pretty simple.
"It's not how people vote that matters, it's who counts the votes" -Stalin
you forgot
mark mulder
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
She actually wrote
“There are 2500 seats in that section.”
They’re not limiting the promotion to 2500, that’s just how many seats there are there.
"I'm going to take a camera crew and march into Billy Beane's office and demand to know why instituting his newfangled cost-saving measures means that the run manufacturing plant had to get shut down." FJM
Cust
I’d still rather see Ryan Sweeney or Chris Denoria in the outfield.
"It's not how people vote that matters, it's who counts the votes" -Stalin
sweet
it said my debit card was declined. i checked everything like 4 times, and pressed submit. every time declined. then my 5 minutes was up.
this was like on my 8 millionth try because none of the times it said it had tickets available, or i got some other error.
best part, i log into my bank account to see what was up, sure enough there are 4 charges from ticketmaster on there, but no tickets for me. I
Jeremy was safe. He jumped over the tag.
its a good thing we pay processing fees for this type of service.
i assume they will just clear out as pre-authorizations in 24 hours. but ticketmaster really sux.
Jeremy was safe. He jumped over the tag.
Wooot nice!
first A’s game of 2008, and it couldnt be a better time. got myself a pair of tickets =)
It took me 20 minutes...
But I got through and got 2 tickets, not too bad Sec 209 row 2
Formerly "misfit toy" - Different name, same great lurking...
I'm 207 row 7.
pam5981: Patience is a virtue that I do not possess.
ohtobe21likehuston: But you're good at drinking and cussing. Two out of three ain't bad.
whoops, 209.
pam5981: Patience is a virtue that I do not possess.
ohtobe21likehuston: But you're good at drinking and cussing. Two out of three ain't bad.
I'm 0 for 3 at the Coliseum this year.
So I’ll skip this one. For you guys.
But I am going Wednesday for my birthday, so beware.
Yeah may 7th b days!
Happy B day to us, lets hope for a win.
"Macha hates you"- Tacoma fans heckling Kielty
Sold out?
You have not selected a valid price level. Please resubmit your request again after selecting which price level you would like to purchase.
I just tried to get seats, for fun.
It says, “The quantity of seats in the price level you requested is unavailable. The following are the best seats available for the game you requested. You can either buy these seats, request different seats, or select a different game.”
SOLD OUT!
Section 226
Row 16, Seat 20-21
Going with the girlfriend. First game of the season, day after my birthday.
You can't fire me...I don't work in this van!
That was a great game to be at, MUCH better than the past 2 nights I must say. I’d much rather win games like tonights and Mondays than lose them. At least losing the close games you feel like you have a chance to come back.
This game was crazy… before our 8 run inning I thought the A’s would never be ahead, the Angels just kept tying it up or going ahead. Frustrating. I am sooo glad Cust made up for his E with some offense. It was kind of funny, the out before his E we were like WHEW thank GOD he caught that, you never know with him. And sure enough, next at bat, a routine fly ball if there ever is one and he can’t get it. Trading in defense for some offense worries me with a team like the A’s, but it ended up OK in the end so I guess I can’t complain too much.
I am thankful that I am not a curse… or at least baseballgirl’s luck outweighed my curse enough for us to win the game :)
Let’s go A’s!!!
harden in AAA tonight:
Harden 3.2ip 3h 1r 0bb 4k 0hr 2.45era
50 pitches 38 strikes
ziggy with the save, another scoreless inning.
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
Batting average aside,
Landon Powell is frigging killing the ball.
The last time I checked he had an isolated OBP of about .150 and an isolated SLG of about .250.
We saw what Mike Napoli can do tonight. Take that, add in switch-hitting and significantly better D, and you’ve got what Powell is capable of.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
i'm excited about powell
hopefully he stays healthy all year and we get to see what he can do.
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
You guys have to get behind ME on the Powell bandwagon
I’ve been excited since we drafted him dammit. He’s been my “sleeper” prospect since shredding his knee, I still think he can be an above average catcher in the big leagues
I'll take Suzuki
I just don’t trust a 26 year old who can’t stay healthy and who has never played one inning in the majors.
Powell might end up having a decent major league career, but at this point he might be more useful to the A’s if they trade him.
http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/
by thejd44 on May 2, 2008 8:31 AM PDT up reply actions
I love what Suzuki brings to the table. The only issue being the lack of
power this year, but I think that’ll come. I’d love to have the option of both though – especially considering Suzuki’s behind the plate far too much at the moment.
It's not like he's Travis Buck.
He’s blown out ligaments in he knee twice, but seems to have rehabbed and come back just fine.
He’s not getting “nickle and dimed” to death with minor sprains, shin splints, wrist problems, whatever. He doesn’t seem injury prone, he just had a couple of really unlucky (and major, season ending) injuries.
It might really be sold out
Now there is not even an option for Plaza when you try to get those $4 tickets. There were some 15 minutes ago when I checked.
Just got back from the game.
For those of you keeping track, I’ve been to 2 games so far, and the A’s are 2-0 and scored 29 runs. The two games I missed, the A’s were gifted exactly one run in the 18 innings. Coincidence? Stay tuned.
I went from wanting to kill Jack Cust to really thinking he made up for his error, and then some. Partial blame has to go to Duchscherer, who actually did let five runs score after the error; that wasn’t all Cust.
A bit of a roller-coaster ride for sure; was wondering if Ellis was going to get in the action…he hasn’t looked very good at the plate lately.
BUT…I’ll take the split, and I’ll take half of first place. Bring on the Rangers!
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
ellis needs a DAY OFF.
isn’t that why donnie murphy is on the team?
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
Free Jesus Guzman!
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
shouldn't he remain in the minors
and figure out how to walk and whatnot?
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, it's a well-run campaign
Midget and broom and whatnot.
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
He can go back to the minors
once Chavez is back…
(Really I just want him to be added to the 40-man. He looks like he has good talent and it would suck if he left as a MiLB free agent. Plenty of time for that, though.)
Although to be fair, Hannahan looked way, way better in this series. His bat didn’t look like he was swinging it through a molasses waterfall.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
Who is that?
"Hasn’t the foggiest inclination toward winning ‘tall. Hates to win. Likes to be buggered."
Can he play defense?
His offensive numbers are very good, but I don’t know much about him. How is he with the glove?
http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/
by thejd44 on May 2, 2008 8:42 AM PDT up reply actions
He's not great
but he’s versatile; he can play any infield position. Think Chone Figgins, defensively.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
He needs to do a lot more than have a great month
in his third try in AA to get me more than a little interested. I’m not sure he’s any better than Melillo.
The A's colors are green and gold.
He's 23
The fact that it’s his 3rd time in AA says a lot more about the Mariners’ policies than it does about his abilities. He is not overage for the league he’s playing in.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
He would probably be a below average MLB defender
possible exception being third base.
Basically Scutaro with more offensive upside.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
unearned runs
yeah, its bad of cust to drop the ball, but we don’t have to get all steve bartman on him. if you can’t get one of the next five guys out, its no longer the fielders problem.
That happened to haren last year in Seattle, and I think one other time. It bugs me that all those runs are called “unearned.” I understand the scoring point, but, like many pitching stats, its wrong and unenlightening.
Calling the 5th run unearned
was just egregious.
The bases were empty at that point after the Aybar home run. It is in no sense Cust’s fault that Duke gave up a hit, a steal and another hit.
Whatever, I’m not arguing. It makes Duke’s ERA look shinier to potential trade partners. And it’s not like they take it out of Cust’s batting average.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
Damn, and I wanted to see a stat geek argue with himself
Oh wait, I’ll just go read the rest of the site for that.
by CarneyStewHendu on May 2, 2008 3:54 AM PDT up reply actions
The reason, would be that the pitcher
has to get an extra out.
ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524
yes, yes
we all understand what the scoring rules are. They are dumb in this instance. Much like a “win” is a dumb stat.
a pitchers job is to get outs. SOmetimes there is an error mixed in there. When the pitcher can’t get the next five (5!) guys out he is somehow absolved of blame (earned runs) because of the error. That doesn’t make sense.
I think a good compromise would be for the rule to say
that any runs solely created after the error and with no outs in between, could be earned. For example, 2 outs followed by an error followed by a 2-run HR could be one earned run. An out, an error, another out, and then three consecutive singles could yield two runs, one earned.
Duke last night is a classic example – yes the inning should have been over, but yes he had closer to 4 ER of culpability than he had 0 ER of culpability. Because had Quinlan led off the next inning with one of 5 consecutive hits, chances are Duke would not have spun a shutout.
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 the rule is just fine as it is
It’s his job to get 3 outs. Any “extra” outs shouldn’t be attributed to him, no matter what he does.
No need to overcomplicate things here. If Cust catches the ball, Duke gives up zero runs. That really should be the only measure used.
That said, he still probably should’ve gotten one of those guys out at some point. He could’ve made the error hurt a lot less by picking up Cust.
http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/
by thejd44 on May 2, 2008 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions
If Cust catches the ball, Duke gives up zero runs
True, but the way they were hitting, the runs would have scored in the third instead of the second.
Duke has to be mentally tougher than that. The person sitting next to me said that Duke was making mental mistakes more than anything else, and I agree. No reason to freak-out; the A’s are going to make errors. Try to get at LEAST one of the next six batter out.
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
it's a scoring rule
and one that inflates (deflates) the pitchers ERA. it gives the fals impression that on this particular day this particular pitcher is responsible for only one run.
consider this, Cust makes the error. still 2 outs. Duke is replaced. Next pitcher allows four of the next guys to score. That pitcher is charged with the earned runs. bucause he doesn’t get the benefit of the pre-existing error. Why is it different for the pitcher that was in the game when the error occured?
Just got back myself (two hours ago but Time Warner Cable outage for hours)
Great to win and score all those runs. Bandwagon Angel fans leaving in the 6th as half the place cleared out. That was pathetic. I never leave a game early no matter the score.
Cust, as we know does not belong anywhere in the outfield and he could have been excused for folding up like a cheap suit after the error but didn’t.
Like Baseballgirl says, Duchsherer was throwing absolute garbage in that inning as evidenced because if Aybar can go deep, well enough said. He settled down though and got the job done.
At least Cust redeemed himself and it was a good thing in a way as instead of his usual take too many pitch at bats, he was more aggressive and made good contact all night. He might try this more often like Emil Brown does. I myself can put up with one pitch outs here and there and often the aggressive style leads to productive offense.
Ellis looks terrible and Crosby not much better. I am sure they will come around.
I am sure as A’s fans, we will take the two drubbings of Anaheim to their two dreary boring wins even though they all count the same.
Dallas Braden (IMO) should not be on this team and is a minor league pitcher. I don’t think I have seen harder hit balls than the five or six he underhanded up there. I have been saying this since last season that if he cannot throw his screwball then he should not be up here. Leave him in the minors and bring someone up who can get outs and mop up without serving meatballs to the opposition.
The A’s are now 8 for their last 8 in games that I go to Anaheim.
Isn't it interesting you can get right through for other sections
If the server is overloaded shouldn’t that be the case for all ticket orders?
I call bullshit
Keep trying
Just got my 3. I had to get typing in HITS, but every once in a while some more of them seemed to be available. From there, hope you can type in a security code quickly.
What the hell is happening
on May 22?
pam5981: Patience is a virtue that I do not possess.
ohtobe21likehuston: But you're good at drinking and cussing. Two out of three ain't bad.
Looks like a tie in...
with the new Indiana Jones movie.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
The Community Fund Golf Classic is that day
but I don’t know why that would be related…
pam5981: Patience is a virtue that I do not possess.
ohtobe21likehuston: But you're good at drinking and cussing. Two out of three ain't bad.
are we playing the Diamondbacks that day?
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
Jack Cust and the Fielding Glove of Doom
I am Ray Fosse's man crushes for Clay Wood and Jason Kendall.
I had an easier time getting world series tickets in 2006
If only we could have beat the Tigers I’d have been set
Man everybody is complaining
about the tix situation on Extra Innings tonite! The server must be all f*%#ed up????
Sounds to me like the A's promo office
is on to something. “If you give them $4.00 tickets, they will come. Oh yes Ray, they will come.”
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
from slusser
Every member of the Oakland lineup had at least one hit, and the A’s total was their most since a 24-hit game against the Giants on June 26, 2005.
was that the 16-0 game at the coliseum?
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
Duke
looked great outside of the 2nd inning tonite. He is a different pitcher when “he” is in control of the game. I don’t entirely blame Cust for the 5 run inning in the 2nd but man I totally called it! In fact , I had just told my girlfriend, “I don’t trust Cust out there in the outfield etc…...” And would’nt you know it?: He totally blows the next play and she immediately looks at me and says, “What the fu*#? You have some sort of window into the future or someting?”
And of course I said, “No….I simply am going on past experience from watching him drop two flyballs exactly like that last year!” Oyyyyy!
Ok, I might be in a minority here
but was anyone else other than me disturbed that he was sent out there for the 5th inning?
Here’s a guy who’s kinda fragile, just came off a DL stint, is on a pitch count, etc. and he’s been sitting for like 40 minutes. On top of which, he hasn’t been particularly effective this game.
I know getting a “win” is nice and all for the statistical gimmickry side of things, but how on earth is that worth the risk? It’s like having a guy go back out after a rain delay.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
I had no problem
with Duke going back out for the 5th…..he had one “bad” innning that was not all his fault and he probably could have pitched into the 6th as well but I’ll take it. He lloked great fro all appearances PT.
Just relax mate…....
Could NOT agree more actually
Of course he wanted the win, but man….I held my breath a little.
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
by baseballgirl on May 2, 2008 12:03 AM PDT up reply actions
A starting pitcher getting a W..especially Duke tonight...
Is more than nice for “statistical gimmickry” – - whatever the hell that is. If you can’t figure out why on your own, there’s really no sense in trying to explain the game to you.
by CarneyStewHendu on May 2, 2008 4:00 AM PDT up reply actions
No, you need to explain it
Because the TEAM getting the win is all that actually matters. Keeping Duke healthy (in theory) will give the A’s team more wins in the future. Geren should be managing with that in mind, not whether the starter picks up the win because that’s somehow more important than Andrew Brown getting it.
Statistical gimmickry (I love the term, PT) would be, I’d guess, some kind of fairly useless stat that looks nice and special.
http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/
by thejd44 on May 2, 2008 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Funny you say that
I have him in a $$ fantasy league and the win was huge, but I turned to the person I was with and said I wouldnt bring him back out for the 5th. I imagine the upside is that you dont totally piss off your pitcher too, but the health shoudl be more important. I imagine Duke would have flipped if pulled there though. Wins = $$.
Bring back Hammer.
by OaktownPower on May 2, 2008 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions
Dude, much like Cust...
you just blew an easy chance!
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
Joke...
The comment from the g/f….you could have used that for evil.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
That's the spirit.
Nefariousness is always a good thing….
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
The good spirits....
always are. That’s how you tell them apart.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
What a game....
I’m kicking back in the garage with a good stogie and basking in the after glow. Nice thing is, boyfriend of daughter number 3 bought me an A. Fuente, my favorite cigar. Goes really nice with a mellow buzz. To top it off, the little bastard is an Angels fan. Oh yeah, he cut the grass too. Shameless little suck up. I’ll truly be sad when it’s time for him to go. Those girls always cut loose the suckers.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
this A's team can go a long way
this 2008 squad is the deepest A’s team in terms of bullpen and bench i have seen in years
Amazing.
We’re second in the AL in runs allowed (White Sox), and we’re tied for the AL lead in runs scored with Detroit.
I love our +40 run differential. 105 pythagorean wins.
Off-topic question about Option status
Does anyone know if Hannahan and Rajai Davis still have an option year remaining? I’m curious if they can be sent down without clearing waivers if/when Chavy and Buck come back.
My first choice would be R. Sweeney, but it’d be nice to know if we have the potential flexibility to send down Hannahan and Davis if need be.
by notsellingjeans on May 1, 2008 11:52 PM PDT reply actions
The A's got Davis because he was out of options
The Giants were trying to get him through waivers so he could get more ABs in AAA
Well we claimed Davis off of waivers
So is there another type of DFA that he would avoid waivers? PT you out rhere?
I seriously don;t know but I would think if we claimed him, then somebody else can claim him from us
witty remark
You can send him down,
by putting him on the 15 day DL, and then sending him on a rehab assignment, lasting 20 days. He won’t count against the 25 man roster, will count against the 40 man. But that is only a temporary solution.
Once a player has run out of options, he has to clear waivers to be permanently removed from the roster.
ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524
Hannahan, as far as I can tell, has used one option
Contract purchased in 2006, played a few games for Detroit in May, then optioned down and subsequently outrighted to AAA, so he used one option that year. The next year the A’s traded for him and immediately purchased his contract; he has not been sent down since. So I believe he still has 2 option years remaining.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
I'm never going to a game that Santana starts again...
I went last night and was bored/pissed out of my mind by the A’s lack of offense against Santana.
I had class tonight that I could not miss but I had a feeling Adenhart was going to get hit…
witty remark
By the way...
...having a rookie make his major league debut on 3 days rest was among the dumbest decisions I’ve EVER seen.
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that was crazy
Despite all the problems with trainers and injuries we’ve had over the past few years, at least we have a sane manager and GM.
Prince: This bores me. Is anyone up for a game of basketball?
That was totally bizarre
Makes no sense at all. Whose idea was it, and what was he thinking?
formerly known as mdl
Whose idea? Mike Scioscia
What was he thinking? “Boy am I pissed off tonight.”
Putting the "N" in "NRAF" from Leipzig, Germany!
by GreenNGoldSooner on May 2, 2008 1:58 AM PDT up reply actions
Do we know it was Scioscia?
Seems unlikely to me that he’d be making the decision of who comes up from the minors. I would think it comes from somewhere in the front office.
Is there any reporting on this?
formerly known as mdl
It may not have been Scioscia's decision to bring him up
....but surely he chooses the starting pitcher!
Putting the "N" in "NRAF" from Leipzig, Germany!
by GreenNGoldSooner on May 2, 2008 2:07 AM PDT up reply actions
but... but...
Adenhart has a great makeup! The kid’s a gamer!
Anyone could have called it. A young pitcher, on short rest, who walks
a lot of players in the minors, against one of the most patient, highest walk total teams. Sounds like a match made in heaven.
by theblackpearl on May 2, 2008 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions
a match made in...halos heaven?
pam5981: Patience is a virtue that I do not possess.
ohtobe21likehuston: But you're good at drinking and cussing. Two out of three ain't bad.
not the Rev:
pregame article on why it was a stupid decision:
5. Halofan Posted: May 01, 2008 at 04:49 PM (#2765786)
THIS IS WIN/WIN:
He cannot be any worse than Moseley and Moseley will be ready in the pen if Ade-Rock falters … If Ade-Rock does terrible then they blame it on 3 days rest and tutor him a bit for his next start in KC on normal rest. IF he does okay, hey, he did okay in his major league debut!
And then once-in-awhile ANer Danny chimed in after the game…
10. Danny Posted: May 01, 2008 at 10:34 PM (#2766080)
I can’t tell: is this WIN or WIN?
The A's colors are green and gold.
They literally spotted us a game in the standings
Hey, I’ll take it.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
he never really looked comfortable
looked spooked especially in the 2nd inning…........kinda like Custard in the OF….
Jack Cust
has a OBP close to a 100 points over his Slug. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.
Oh, and I miss AN game threads. My computer is so slow it can’t handle 3.0. Sob
Let's have our Piazza and eat the Cust too - SPWC
I have a fast computer and the latest browser
but it’s still hard handling AN 3.0, especially the game threads
You haven't been watching Luis Castillo much, have you
(OK, even he probably doesn’t have OBP 100 points over SLG—probably routinely 60 or 70 points over, though.)
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
Kendall, last year?
At least at some point in the season, it had to have been the case.
To reach here
gliding into old age
the decades gone
without ever meeting one person
truly evil
without ever meeting one person
truly exceptional
without ever meeting one person
truly good
gliding into old age
the decades gone
the mornings are the worst.
by Cutthemullet on May 2, 2008 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions
but...
for a guy coming off a 26 HR-season (and without a full season’s worth of plate appearances), that is pretty remarkable, even if it’s only May 2nd.
To reach here
gliding into old age
the decades gone
without ever meeting one person
truly evil
without ever meeting one person
truly exceptional
without ever meeting one person
truly good
gliding into old age
the decades gone
the mornings are the worst.
by Cutthemullet on May 2, 2008 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions
I trust we wont
have to wait too long to read about a long awaited third home run from Cust.
alaska A
Cust OBP
As of this morning Cust is now suddenly number 2 in On Base Percentage in the American League…and with only a .222 batting average.
I'm glad he could get untracked
against mediocre pitching…hopefully that will carry over and he’ll make those adjustments agaisnt better pitching that would justify putting him in the outfield.
Let’s not kid ourselves, the dropped catch - as ugly as that was - is not an isolated incident. We have seen numerous problems between him and Sweeney in the outfield as well, although not all have cost runs. While one could argue that R Sweeney is not much of a centerfielder, we don’t see anythign like those problems between him and E Brown, or between him and Denorfia.
Cust will never justify his spot on the major league roster with his glove, only with his bat.
I'd say he's as much a centre fielder in the way that Hamilton's a centre fielder.
He’s never going to be a gold glove winner at the position, but he’s got enough speed and instincts to be passable at the position. Obviously if his power develops he’d be much, much more useful in one of the corners.
On track
Get on track.
As in, a train. You want trains to get on track, not off of it. The latter tends to produce fiery death and, worse, lawsuits.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
A truly necessary correction and explanation right there
To reach here
gliding into old age
the decades gone
without ever meeting one person
truly evil
without ever meeting one person
truly exceptional
without ever meeting one person
truly good
gliding into old age
the decades gone
the mornings are the worst.
by Cutthemullet on May 2, 2008 10:28 AM PDT up reply actions
And finally an explanation as to why
I was fired from my first gig as a train conductor. Now that you mention it, though, “on track” makes way more sense.
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
Maybe he's saying that Cust is, in fact, a Crazy Train
and he needs to go off the rails… or something…
http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/
by thejd44 on May 2, 2008 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions
did Commissioner Gordon light up the Monkey-Signal?
(Thesis subsequently likely disproven by Chavvy’s surgeries.)
And what did we do once we discovered a rift in the fourth dimension? We launched a monkey into it. @('.')@
Mediocre win, bitches!!!
"Hasn’t the foggiest inclination toward winning ‘tall. Hates to win. Likes to be buggered."
Aw, I miss Tony.
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball." -- Connie Mack
About the Angels running away with the division
Those predictions were made before all their injuries, i think they are a deeper team that we thought. Anybody knows when Forrest Gump will be back?
If you're talking about John Lackey.
If you’re talking about Tom Hanks, I think he plays for the Rays.
So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one
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