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Happy Birthday To Me! Happy Birthday To Me!

Goat_tiny by Nico on

Jamie Moyer "fired" a one-hit shutout for six innings, but Emil Brown's 3-run HR turned the tide in the 7th and Jack Cust added a 2-run HR in the 8th, as the A's and Joe Blanton walked away with the win. Final Score: A's 5, Phillies 2.

How ironic that a potentially depressing birthday game turned positively exquisite thanks to none other than my 2008 whipping boy, Emil Brown. Brown was brought in to platoon against LHP, wound up overexposed and regressed to the really, really mean. But now that the A's have Ryan Sweeney and Carlos Gonzalez in the every day lineup, Emil is in the role to which he is best suited: swinging hard against left-handed pitching and surprising fans - and even himself, apparently - by hitting pitches off the top of the wall NO, IT BOUNCED OVER THE WALL!!!

The main point I want to put out there today, though, is in regards to a complaint oft heard on AN: The practice of leaving a pitcher out there "so he has a chance to get a win." Blanton threw 119 pitches tonight, and as masterful as he was for the first 6 innings, a four-pitch walk to open the 7th suggested he might be out of gas in a game Oakland trailed just 1-0. I believe Geren stuck with Blanton throughout the 7th inning to give him a chance to still get the win if the A's rallied in the bottom of the 7th, which they did.

It may not matter to you or me, but I'll bet you it matters a great deal to Joe Blanton, psychologically, to be 4-10 instead of 3-10. Team wins need to trump individual considerations, but individuals can be affected by morale and in a stats-based game, athletes do use numbers to motivate themselves - things like "I can still get my record to .500 by the end of the season," or "I got a win for us at home," or whatever the motivator might be that keeps a player able to look forward instead of dwelling on the past.

Great job, Blanton, great job Geren, and great job Huston Street. Thank you Emil Brown and Jack Cust. Finally, if you haven't heard this stand-up routine before, take a moment to enjoy the great George Carlin musing about the difference between baseball and football. Like most of Jeff Nelson's ball/strike calls, George Carlin will be oft missed.

 

 

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Urban....

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 9:57 PM PDT   0 recs

Terrible...

I’m rather surprised that he didn’t mention HIS BOOK THAT HE WROTE CUZ HE’S CLOSE PERSONAL FRIENDS WITH ALL THE PLAYERS

by mikev on Jun 24, 2008 10:16 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Huh?

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 24, 2008 10:27 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

old times.....

Grievances against Urban:
1. He is an idiot (please no one bother disputing this. It is just a fact.)
2. He rather pathethically called out Milton Bradley a few years ago.
3. He is a careerist (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and likes to make waves.
4. He claimed last year on his KNBR show that Bonds was not actually a good player and OPS is a stupid stat, subordinate to, say, BA with RISP and Myhchael Urban watching the game… He actually argued that Bonds hurt the Giants last year. ‘nuff said.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 10:37 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

...and this relates to this game how?

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 24, 2008 10:38 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah really, what the heck?

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Urban was doing the postgame on fsnba

.......toolishly…....

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 10:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Seemed kind of over the top

and out of nowhere to me too.

by Blez on Jun 24, 2008 10:59 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

What.....

no one was digging his left earring????????

by mrod on Jun 24, 2008 11:00 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

shocking....

coming from the deleter of perfectly good diaries….

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 11:04 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

blez

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 11:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah

Perfectly good diaries that went WAAAAY over the top.

by Blez on Jun 24, 2008 11:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Have you been to LL lately?

Perhaps you ought to delete it. It is a bit over the top. Oh, and they insult the management/media coverage of their team. But that is verboten. We really need Urban on board to relate to us some scout’s opinion as to how many wins Blanton might get in various situations…. We must not point out how dumb that is… that would be rude… over the top….

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 11:29 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Different communities approach

building communities differently. There’s not one way to do this which is the beauty of it. We let our communities develop their own voice and if that approach works for LL, than that’s good for them. I don’t like that approach for AN.

by Blez on Jun 24, 2008 11:39 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

urban being an idiot is relevant, at least until urban goes away.

(but i partially disagree with point #2 now, even though i agreed at the time)

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

by xbhaskarx on Jun 24, 2008 11:52 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

What about that dumbass toolbox?

"Not in your wildest alcoholic nightmare would you ever imagines such events unfolding!" Bill King

by Buck Turgidson on Jun 24, 2008 10:29 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

a Chron article about a week ago

mentioned that he was resting at his Las Vegas home, and wouldn’t be doing any baseball-related activities until the beginning of July at the earliest.

If so he’s not likely to be in the A’s lineup until after the all star break…how much later, who knows?

by OaklandSi on Jun 25, 2008 9:45 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think the tide might turn

in the AL West race by the All-Star game. 6 games against the Angels. I will need someone to look ahead to both schedules and see if you can project what I think I projected. In those two series, we won’t throw Blanton, Angels won’t throw Lackey, and Harden goes twice. Am I seeing things, or is that a pretty good scenario for us? Hopefully that is the case, but they have an extra off day to work with. Nice win tonight.

Might as well Jump! - Van Halen

by sprtsnwyn on Jun 24, 2008 10:01 PM PDT   0 recs

Happy Birthday!

and, Happy Run Support to Joe.

Foolsh, the most insane regular poster on AN since oaktoon left - salb

by FoolshGame22 on Jun 24, 2008 10:01 PM PDT   0 recs

Thanks. And yeah.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:02 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

today

is also my kid’s birthday. he turned 0.

by Future Ed on Jun 24, 2008 10:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Congratulations!

I remember 0 – good times.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Go Nico!

“It’s your birfday, we gonna party, like it’s your birfday!”

by mrod on Jun 24, 2008 10:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm out of Bacardi

can I sip Diet Pepsi instead?

Florida ain't no place for a self-respecting A's fan.

by Leopold Bloom on Jun 24, 2008 10:46 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

YYewwcan drinnnk whtever u wahnn

{hic}

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

happy birthday!

also good news: the A’s didn’t lost on my birthday…then again, they were off that day.

by OaklandSi on Jun 25, 2008 9:46 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Pedro Feliz

Swinging at sliders in the dirt like it’s 1999.

What a strange player. I can’t think of anyone else who could be counted on consistently for each of the following:

Gold Glove defense
20 HR a year
a sub-.300 OBP

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 24, 2008 10:05 PM PDT   0 recs

Every single AB he had a 3-0 count, IIRC,

but he never walked.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:06 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Feliz

It’s like a point of pride with him for something.

“I’m not walking, dammit.”

You really have to try hard to give him a free pass.

by bear88 on Jun 25, 2008 12:27 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

His American League counterpart: Joe Crede

Although they’re not exactly identical: Crede really isn’t a gold glover and he’s also better offensively.

They’re on each other’s similar batters lists on br.com, too.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on Jun 25, 2008 12:08 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Street

Tonight just made it clear to me that things are not right. His stuff was just unhittable tonight: good velocity, good command, great movement. But what worries me is that it was such a stark contrast to his appearances in the Florida series. He is not so valuable if half the time he is a hall of fame pitcher and half the time he sucks. I’ve never seen a pitcher fluctuate as much as he has.

The A’s need to figure out what’s going on with him, to hopefully use his awesome talent but avoid the meltdowns, which seem mujch more predictable than average.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 10:16 PM PDT   0 recs

you mean like K-Rod?

Foolsh, the most insane regular poster on AN since oaktoon left - salb

by FoolshGame22 on Jun 24, 2008 10:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

His delivery looked more fluid tome tonight,

where over the weekend it looked more herky-jerky to me. Saturday he had several pitches misfire (release point), such as ball four to Hanley Ramirez. Tonight it looked like he was releasing the ball free and easy. Whether that’s health-related, mechanics-related, or my imagination, I don’t know.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

But the point is...

he’s not doing anything different with his delivery or anything like that. He is just off a disturbing amount of the time.And when he’s off the velocity is down, and the movement is down and it’s just very bad. They need to figure out a way to get those “unhittable” performances out of him.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 10:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe it's bad luck?

Sorry, couldn’t resist. Yeah, keeping the good part and eliminating the sucky part would be fine.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:31 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

well...

do you not see much much much greater variation in his outings than the average pitcher? And if so, isit not a different situation than the average pitcher?

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 10:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

No doubt - what causes it, I have no idea

Cindi says “phases of the moon,” which is as good a theory as any.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:52 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I didn’t see Friday’s game, and just assumed his (starkly) diminished velocity Saturday was at least partially the result of throwing 20+ pitches the previous night. Was his fastball hovering in the 88-89 range on Friday as well?

by 74mk on Jun 24, 2008 10:44 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It was hovering all right. Don't remember the velocity, though.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Is it possible...

The groin injury had been bothering him over the weekend, and he felt better tonight? His velocity was up and he looked great. A very nice night at the ballpark, by the way, though the crowd for two contending teams (13,000+) was pretty sparse.

by richwol1 on Jun 24, 2008 11:15 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I can't help but wonder

when he takes the mound on any given night if he’s not exactly sure where his pitches are going to go. When calls are going against him he may be altering his delivery in order to get a called strike. When he takes enough off his pitches the hitters start to feast.

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on Jun 25, 2008 7:26 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Slusser's wrapup sez he adjusted his stride after watching video

Link

Street said he watched loads of videotape of those two appearances to see what he was doing, and he realized that his gait was off, he was coming up and down too fast with his leg.

“I was basically trying to slow up a little bit to keep the ball down,” said Street, who pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts. “Thankfully, Cust hit that out, so I was a little more comfortable out there making adjustments.”

Can an aging lemur suffer from dementia? @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jun 24, 2008 11:54 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

eh

I tend not believe these sorts of stories…Hopefully it’s true though.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jun 24, 2008 11:59 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I take 'em with a massive grain of salt

My interpretation is:

“The previous two games, I couldn’t lift my left leg more than an inch without it feeling like someone was trying to rip my nuts off through my ears. Billy threatened to let Larry Davis in the same room with me if I didn’t man up and pitch through it. Once I passed out from the pain after Sunday’s game, and I woke up with a mirror between my legs reflecting my right leg where my left leg should be, I got over the mental block of the excruciating pain. Then I went into the back to watch some videotape of the hotties along the third-base line asking for my autograph. I noticed that when I bashfully lowered my eyes, blood was spurting out of my appendages. We did some strength and flexibility work and then slathered some Bondo over it.

Can an aging lemur suffer from dementia? @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jun 25, 2008 12:12 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't believe this is real,

but only because there is no end-quote.

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 Jun 25, 2008 8:20 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

"...slathered some Bondo over it."

I was wondering what Barry was doing during his time out of baseball.

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Jun 25, 2008 4:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Birthday

Hey its my birthday too! June 24, 1978

by BalcoBomber on Jun 24, 2008 10:27 PM PDT   0 recs

Awesome! Except the part where

I’m not 30.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Well at least

your “thing” still works, right? Er…oh never mind!......

by mrod on Jun 24, 2008 10:32 PM PDT   0 recs

My shit doesn't work in the playoffs

"Dispatch knuckleheadedness with Bond-like aplomb." –74mk

by iglew on Jun 24, 2008 10:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Check your pipes

they might need fixed…..

by mrod on Jun 24, 2008 10:42 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Using the Hungarian phrasebook again?

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:44 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Those Hungarians

sure can sing, eh? Great pipes!

by mrod on Jun 24, 2008 10:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Beautiful plumage

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:50 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

How many glasses of

White Zin have you had tonight, Nico?

by mrod on Jun 24, 2008 10:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yes.

{hic}

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:53 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Okay

so you’re gulping bourbon, then?

by mrod on Jun 24, 2008 10:53 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

You make it sound irresponsible

Hang on, I have to make a left turn.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:55 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Remember

hands free starting on July 1st!

by mrod on Jun 24, 2008 10:55 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

How else would I hold the Zin and the bourbon?

Hang on, I have to go between two kids…

Huh, turns out there was only one kid.

{hic}

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:57 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Actual thoughts on the game:

If the A’s were trying to get Blanton a win, they sure weren’t trying very hard. I thought they were punting the game when I saw the lineup. No Chavez, Emil Brown starting, Suzuki leading off, no Ellis. Luckily baseball is a game where a clearly inferior team (and this A’s roster was a clearly inferior team) can still win 30% of the time.

How do you strike out 6 times in 5 innings against Jamie Moyer?

I thought Barton had turned things around, but he’s lapsed back into his prior bad habits. He’s got this rocked-back stance right now that’s causing him to pull off everything, even pitches that are way inside. His third at-bat was one of the worst at-bats I’ve ever seen at the major league level. He needs to go down to AAA for a while and figure out how to hit again. Unfortunately, right now there’s no viable replacement available.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jun 24, 2008 10:38 PM PDT   0 recs

For once

I actually agree with you, sir.

:)

by mrod on Jun 24, 2008 10:42 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

He's swinging over pitches a lot (especially down and in)

If he weren’t fielding so well at 1B, I’d say he needed an eye exam. But I don’t that’s actually the issue.

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:42 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

C'mon dude, it's my birthday - gimme SOMETHING

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 Jun 24, 2008 10:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Barton has a hammy problem

says it’s “getting better”.

Translation: still hurts a ton.

"I never predict anything, and I never will." Paul Gascoigne, English footballer

by One won lost won on Jun 24, 2008 11:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Huge Strike Zone

I was at the game. For the first seven innings or so, the strike zone was enormous, and a number of batters were giving the ump weird looks at the called strikes. I saw someone (I don’t remember who) take a pitch that was wayyyyy high for a called strike. The next pitch was nearly in the dirt and it was ALSO called a strike. It’s no wonder Moyer struck eight, what, eight, and Blanton struck out six. Not taking anything away from either guy, but until the later innings, the strike zone - at least as it appeared from section 115, was enormous.

by richwol1 on Jun 24, 2008 11:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs