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Open Game Thread: Game 45 - A's at Atlanta

Oakland Athletics @ Atlanta Braves





I predict that this game is going to be entirely unpredictable.

We've just had two tight, relatively low-scoring contests, so of course today will turn out to be a slugfest. Or end up decided on penalty kicks.

The A's have their underused backup catcher and their newest rookie infielder starting (Petit making his MLB debut), so of course they'll be stale from sitting on the bench and have the yippity jitters, respectively. Or Bowen will knock two longballs and Petit will blossom into Rogers Hornsby before our eyes.

And the A's are facing a young lefty who projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter and gives up lots of baserunners, so of course they'll be no-hit for 5 innings. Or they'll work him for 4 walks in the first, and batter him off the mound before the end of the third.

From the A's perspective, I think the key to the game will be Duchscherer closing out innings--if he can avoid the one or two bad innings where the third out turns into a greased pig ... and keep the Braves from hitting any fly balls to left.

[Administrative note: I'll be heading to Warrantless Wiretap Park for the game today, so Taj Adib will be providing the game wrap and any late-inning new threads. I'll have a couple of fresh threads set to auto-post at 11:30 and 12:15: use 'em judiciously.]

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I think they're playing second and batting eighth

We're going to knock balls out of the country's park, for the home team, which is America. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 18, 2008 10:36 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Is it a formatting issue

or are the A’s missing a 2B today?

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:26 AM PDT   0 recs

LOL

We are in trouble. 8 starters

Gregorio Peitit

by Trainman on May 18, 2008 10:26 AM PDT   0 recs

Well... I guess

that’s one interesting thing to occur as a result of LS’s injury.

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:27 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

not really

didja see him yesterday?

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:28 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

NVG

exactly

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:29 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Sore right elbow

Otherwise, he’d be in against a lefty – where he’s actually VG.

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 May 18, 2008 10:30 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

oh you and your Information

bbbbpppplllllppppp!

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:30 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Hunh. Weird.

The lineup widget just doesn’t recognize Petit. I tried deleting it and re-posting it to see if it had been updated, but to no avail.

We're going to knock balls out of the country's park, for the home team, which is America. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 18, 2008 10:36 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

so is Petit batting 8th?

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 18, 2008 10:30 AM PDT   0 recs

What do our pitchers have to do to

earn the right to bat cleanup???

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 May 18, 2008 10:32 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Eveland and Harden already have.

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:32 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Eveland even got thrown out at the plate

on a ball that looked like the runner could score standing up – if that doesn’t say “A’s cleanup hitter” I don’t know what does.

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 May 18, 2008 10:34 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

you know

ATL’s catcher made a great play on that one.

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:35 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Thank G-d

Barton and his .223 BA are taking the day off so Mike Sweeney can deliver in the clutch. You can take that to the bank!!!!!!!!

A’s will win in a close tight ball game.

Beating LAA or wherever the fu*k they are, Priceless!

by MMunoz33 on May 18, 2008 10:35 AM PDT   0 recs

Have you seen "Clutch" Sweeney in some recent Clutch PH at bats?

Ugly.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 18, 2008 10:37 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Let's Go Oakland!

Welcome to the lineup Petit

by elephantbaseball on May 18, 2008 10:37 AM PDT   0 recs

Yay, Sea Bass gets another day off.

Geren went from never wanting to give him time off to twice in a week. Apparently he reads AN.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 18, 2008 10:37 AM PDT   0 recs

ChoCoBoCro!!

"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL

by oblique on May 18, 2008 10:38 AM PDT   0 recs

is anyone else having trouble with AN 3.0?

for the last couple of days this is one of the few times i’ve been able to get on the site without firefox freezing. i’ve sent email to sbnation tech support, but so far no news from them except acknowledging that they received my message. (I have the latest version of firefox, and have a mac powerbook g4 running panther.)

I can open this fine with safari…however the log-in there won’t recognize my user name and browser, which isn’t a problem on firefox. strange.

anyway, go A’s!

Go BoCro!!!

by OaklandSi on May 18, 2008 10:38 AM PDT   0 recs

Just today

the formatting got a little weird on some posts, and I couldn’t link in a comment. (I had to hand type the code, which almost wasn’t worth it.)

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:40 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Cros made that look easy.

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:39 AM PDT   0 recs

WHY???

B. Cros

That’s why

by drink409 on May 18, 2008 10:39 AM PDT   0 recs

Well that was pretty awesome.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 18, 2008 10:39 AM PDT   0 recs

nice

alaska A

by ak_A on May 18, 2008 10:39 AM PDT   0 recs

First pitch i saw

Crosby homer. Nice.

Might as well Jump! - Van Halen

by sprtsnwyn on May 18, 2008 10:40 AM PDT   0 recs

I had it up listening

just didn’t SEE it. I will watch much more closely now though.

Might as well Jump! - Van Halen

by sprtsnwyn on May 18, 2008 10:41 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I will say this about Crosby

Unlike most guys on the team, he can actually hit a HR on a mistake like that instead of a single.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 18, 2008 10:40 AM PDT   0 recs

See...

I always think we’re loaded in “talent” and shallow in “production.”

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:44 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Even on TV, Cotroneo can't call a homerun

Does he even watch the games? Does somebody have to poke him and tell him to look up?

by RLangford on May 18, 2008 10:40 AM PDT   0 recs

I hate him on radio

but I think he may be a little better than Kuiper on tv. It’s nice that you don’t need him to tell you what’s happening.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 18, 2008 10:42 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Cust hit a lefty!

I think the name “Jo-Jo” is the least intimidating name for a pitcher ever.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 18, 2008 10:42 AM PDT   0 recs

naw

“Homer” is the least intimidating name for a pitcher ever.

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:42 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

what about kiko?

Beating LAA or wherever the fu*k they are, Priceless!

by MMunoz33 on May 18, 2008 10:43 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I wanted to ask Jamie out

when I was sitting near the wives section, but I was intimidated.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 18, 2008 10:48 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

bottom of first

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:45 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

yeah, but atleast its also outside.

;-P

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:48 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't like having to drink coffee while watching my Sunday baseball.

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.

by pam5981 on May 18, 2008 10:49 AM PDT   0 recs

I'm already cranky, can't you tell?

No need to add to it.

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.

by pam5981 on May 18, 2008 10:52 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Hi Pam

me either, I went with iced-tea

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:49 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Gaudin?

We do have backup.

by MobiusKlein on May 18, 2008 10:49 AM PDT   0 recs

Good feet Petit

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 18, 2008 10:49 AM PDT   0 recs

Looked like some nice range, there

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 18, 2008 10:49 AM PDT   0 recs

Alright Georgio!

"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL

by oblique on May 18, 2008 10:49 AM PDT   0 recs