A's 86ed By Byrd
by Nico on May 13, 2008 6:52 PM PDT
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PrintTravis Hafner's first inning RBI single was the game's only run until Ryan Garko broke the game open with a 3-run HR to lead Paul Byrd and two relievers to a shutout victory. Final Score: Indians 4, A's 0.
You had two starters who come at you with 86 MPH, battling 1-0 and at times making it look easy. Meanwhile, the A's two-out curse continued, as Cleveland scored the game's first run after Justin Duchscherer got the first two batters out in the 1st inning, and scored the other three runs after Alan Embree retired the first two batters in the 8th.
The closest the A's came to scoring? That would be when Frank Thomas, on second with two outs, managed not to score on a pop fly single to CF that Grady Sizemore fielded cleanly despite a weird hop and then fired a strike to the plate - the five-pointed thing that seemed to confuse Thomas a bit. The only beef I had with Thomas on that play, because I'm just relieved he didn't get injured in the slide--roll-collision-thingy, is that he really could have had a bigger lead off of second. That's the part he could most control, not the part about being slower than AN 2.0 or not quite knowing how to turn his reconstructed 6' a lot" frame into a gracefully sliding object.
But the real bottom line today is this: The Indians played as close to a perfect game as a baseball team can play. Byrd was masterful (which is the word beginning with "mast" that I am most comfortable associating with Byrd), and Cleveland's defense was nothing short of sensational. David Dellucci's leaping catch was very good, Sizemore's play on Thomas excellent, his diving catch phenomenal, and Asdrubal Cabrera's over-the-shoulder diving catch in short CF as good a play as you will see.
So after the "grrr we lost" wears off, we can look back at this game and just appreciate that we saw some exceptional baseball on display by the Indians. Maybe tomorrow it will be the A's day - we'll see see.
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Hate to agree but you may be right about CLE playing the perfect game.
It would be easier to take if the Friday and Saturday night games in Texas were different. We all know that the A’s have overachieved offensively but I’m hoping that our true identity is that we are average-ish on “O” with great pitching.
Does Bobby Crosby cRoss Dress for Less?
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 13, 2008 7:06 PM PDT reply actions
You don't like
How he chews? Oh, because he takes little byrd bites….
You don't win friends with salad.
love me
a Nico-hosted game/post-game thread
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
anyone else watching the LAA/CWS game?
Swisher with a nice defensive play… * sigh * I remember the days when we had leather in the OF.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
I love Swish but let's not get crazy. He was scary in the OF.
Does Bobby Crosby cRoss Dress for Less?
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 13, 2008 7:23 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree
He did some full out diving catches that were spectacular, but he also was scary at times.
"I never predict anything, and I never will." Paul Gascoigne, English footballer
by One won lost won on May 13, 2008 7:25 PM PDT up reply actions
just a comparative statement
re: Cust et al. Not an absolute statement about Nick’s perfection in the OF.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
That's cool. Swish is easily better than Cust in the OF. Who isn't?
Does Bobby Crosby cRoss Dress for Less?
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 13, 2008 7:33 PM PDT up reply actions
not Swish so much
but Kotsay… I really, really, really miss that guy. In addition to quality OF, this year so far AVG: .310, 3HR, 18RBI.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
Really don't miss the Kotsay we had.
Though I respect that he’s a good ball player – away from Oakland.
at the plate sure
hard to miss the 2007 Kotsay at the plate… but in CF?! He gets great reads and just camps out waiting for it—-all fundamentals-of-baseball-like. We called him “Camper.” We called him “Rolaids.” We called him “Gravity.” Which, for my money, was so completely amazing particularly after watching Heart-Byrnes in LF for years.
As for Nick, I’ll never forget when he got called up in ‘04… came running, flying, diving, across CF, between uh, Dye and someone… to make a spectacular catch. Not how I prefer to see the OF played but, for me, and unforgettable debut.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
Oh yeah he was/is (I've not seen him play this year) something special
in centrefield. How he hasn’t won a GG in his career is beyond me.
Sadly I’m throwing in the fact he couldn’t hit a lick in 07 with the defensive package, which is why I don’t miss him.
Wow, look at that
A positive comment.
I realize that Kots didn’t hit well for us, that Cust isn’t a great fielder (would he be better if we still had Wash?), but the negativity on this site is occasionally overwhelming.
Someone had a signature to the effect of “2/3 of the earth is covered by water. The other 1/3 is covered by Kotsay”. He is/was a great defensive presence in CF
by As Fan in the Bronx on May 14, 2008 7:14 AM PDT up reply actions
the tough thing about watching Angel/White Sox games on EI
is choosing between Hawk and Hud…that darned automute function isn’t working on my TV.
The Hudler sound-alike on Angels TV tonight
is actually Mark Gubicza. Rory Markas is very good on radio, but you don’t sense it when he’s on TV because he has to interact with “Gooby”.
good synopsis, Nico
I cannot add more to your observations.
A great team might go “102-60”, and this would be one of those “sixty” losses where you’d say, “We just got beat, we didn’t beat ourselves.”
"I never predict anything, and I never will." Paul Gascoigne, English footballer
by One won lost won on May 13, 2008 7:24 PM PDT reply actions
Is anybody watching the Rays game?
What a fun, exciting team. Good on them.
Post-game interviewer: “How’s life as a Tampa Bay Ray right now?”
Jonny Gomes: “It doesn’t suck.”
stat-addled alien overlord
I always see the Rays when they're in town
Me and 75 other people, for just that reason… fun, young, exciting team. Nice for them that it’s paying off in W’s right now. Hopefully, they will have shot their wad by Monday.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
Did the interviewer ask how much it doesn't suck?
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
16,000 for a game vs. the Yankees
Granted that Tropicana Field is horrendous, but I think the geography of the area argues against putting a new stadium in St. Petersburg. They’d be smarter to build over on the Tampa side of the bay, closer to the majority of the population.
Things I'm tired of:
- A singles hitting DH who can’t play anywhere on the field and clogs up the bases – Thomas is finished, and I’d rather see Sweeney in the lineup. Thomas’ SLG since joining the A’s? .350
- Kurt Suzuki as a leadoff hitter – he’s not one – even during his 9 game hitting streak he had a .311 OBP, and now he can’t hit at all – he needs a rest and he needs to not bat leadoff – note to Bob Geren: take a look at Hannahan’s OBP
We all knew the early season performance was based on one phenomenon that can last – strong starting pitching – and two that can’t – batting with runners in scoring position and the bullpen performance. Rather than sitting back and “sticking with what has worked”, I’d prefer to see Geren mix things up to fix what isn’t working, so that maybe those will work when the RISP and bullpen numbers approach reality. But he’ll keep running Suzuki out there as his leadoff hitter and Thomas as his cleanup hitter.
Admit it...
You don’t like Joe Morgan—you are Joe Morgan.
by As Fan in the Bronx on May 14, 2008 7:15 AM PDT up reply actions
or Dusty Baker
"Evidently, a large number of people said, 'We really need more vermin at the ballpark, Artie.'" - Nick (AN), 10/7/07
I got over the Thomas "slide"
about 2 innings after it happened … but let’s not be so quick to give him a pass on that. Lead (off second) or no lead … you’ve got to score on that play. He’s been in the league how many years??? He had three options … slide hard and score ... knock the catcher over and score ... or try some ridiculous hook slide thingy that got him tagged out. Stupid.
And spare me all that “yeah, but he coulda got hurt” nonsense … yes, he could’ve … and he could slip and fall in the shower, too …. he’s gonna get hurt more often than not by trying that “whatever it was” rather than playing the game right. No wonder he didn’t stick to football.
I needed a team so I wouldn’t turn into one of the eighty million pink hat-wearing Bud Light-drinking mulleted idiots at Fenway.
I wanna agree
especially about knocking over the catcher… but then I remember Piazza’s slide into 3rd last year, resulting in a shoulder injury that put him out… what was it? Two months? More? So no… preserve the physical integrity of The Big Guy and have two (potentially) big bats in the line-up, cuz we can’t let Cust attempt to do “power” on his own. I guess I just do NOT believe that Thomas is finished.
AND CLE played defense like a field-sized glove today… which earns them the win because until A.Brown pitched, their offense was dead. So let’s not pretend that Thomas’ “slide” cost us a W, K?
On a related note, Dankey-dank and CSW defense holding LAA to NADA (in 87 pitches). Oh, and Weaver the same v. CWS (and out of gas). Scoreless in the bottom of the 7th.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
I wrote too soon
Bases loaded, bottom of 7th (still), one out… DOTEL on his way to the mound.
F’n Halos.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
Wow.
Got out of that one. Stil 0-0 going into the 8th.
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.
awwwwwwwwww crap
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 HATE HALOS
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
Ridiculous hook slide thingy?
"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL
I was disappointed with the game.
Paul Byrd is so hittable and the A’s made him look like Cliff Lee.
Cliff Lee had an ERA of like 5.80 last year
I’m sort of amused by how he’s suddenly become synonymous with “ace”... not at your expense specifically, of course. It’s just weird how his career suddenly turned on a dime.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
Out performing expectations
Some times, it’s just a guy’s year. Or that whole mean-regression thing will kick in. He doesn’t have the history that would bestow the “ace” title. In the mean time, I’m enjoying having him on my fantasy team (and happy the A’s don’t have to face him * again * this series).
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
Speculation is
he’s just healthy this year.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
Stupid KRod and his stupid celebration!
I hate that guy! Glad I missed todays game due to work. Hope Joe B can bounce us back tomorrow and we hit Sabathia like we did before. Go A’s!
by A'sfansince1970 on May 13, 2008 9:50 PM PDT reply actions
Wow, just saw the highlight of Big Hurt getting thrown out.
Pretty much no excuse for not scoring right there.
If I remember correctly, didn’t Frank Thomas struggle in the first half of the season when he was with the A’s, then go on to carry them into the ALCS? You bring up some good points sir Blez, but lets hope that Frank can turn it around in the 2nd half, because then it will be worth the wiffle-ball hitting of Frank right now when he’s jacking more balls out of the park than a Hal Steinbrenner media meltown.
My religion is A'slamic.
by WhoNeedsReligionWhenYaGotBaseball on May 14, 2008 8:21 AM PDT reply actions
Hank*
My religion is A'slamic.
by WhoNeedsReligionWhenYaGotBaseball on May 14, 2008 8:24 AM PDT reply actions
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