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DLD 071108: Can I see some ID, kid?

Stompwrench4_tiny by FreeSeatUpgrade on

I commend you to this fine tale of one man’s refusal to accept the end of his dream, to play professional baseball, and the outlandish steps he took to sustain it. In short: lie about age, briefly join A’s organization, get cut, move to Australia, lie about name age with a newly created Aussie persona, don goofy wig, suffuse skin with anti-aging cream and thrice-daily shaves, and finally make it onto a professional ballfield at age 36…only to be undone at the last by a hidden ball trick. Worth a read. Also reminds us that some things never change:

Star-divide

Pohle reported to the A's "Diamond City" complex, a multifield facility they shared with the Pittsburgh Pirates. There were hundreds of players in camp, major leaguers and minor leaguers from both organizations…

After a month of workouts, Pohle assumed he'd made the team and was ready to begin his pro career for real. But then Daytona Beach manager Bobby Hoffman called him into his tiny office one day…Hofman told Pohle that "he could play" but that the organization had more money invested in other players, guys who had to make the team. He handed Pohle an envelope and wished him luck.

By the time Pohle packed his bags and looked inside the envelope, he realized the A's hadn't even afforded him the dignity of a flight home. "I had to ride a train all the way from Florida to Los Angeles," he remembers. "I arrived at the station at 3 a.m. and I didn't want to wake up my sister, so I walked the six miles to her place. When I got there, I found parking tickets all over my car. I spent my first day back in California holed up in the police station."

In other news: Emil credits Ty Van Burkleo for yesterday’s walk-off. ‘"Everything (Van Burkleo) said (Jimenez) could possibly do, he did," Brown said. "He gave me the game plan, and I kept it in the back of my head."’

Greg Smith has tied the A’s single-season pickoff record and is just one away from expunging the most odious name in the Oakland record books: Kenny Rogers. (Also here: Sweeney day-to-day with pinky, Bowen to play more in next few weeks, and Sean Gallagher will wear lucky number 36.)

Terry Steinbach won the 1998 All-Star Game MVP award…too bad they spelled his name wrong on the trophy.

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'sall good

"The Athletics at Fremont" is pretty bad

by ArakSOT on Jul 11, 2008 9:39 AM PDT   0 recs

You are a gentleman and a scholar

though I was fixin’ to delete this DLD in deference to your fine offering, which beat me to the post by a good four minutes.

How do the angels get to sleep when the devil leaves the porchlight on?

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jul 11, 2008 9:45 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

please, you're too kind

it was completely pedestrian

"The Athletics at Fremont" is pretty bad

by ArakSOT on Jul 11, 2008 9:53 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

dude, I swear there was another DLD somewhere....

I was trying to post this, and it wouldn’t let me. I thought I had killed the site, but apparently just that DLD….good thing I found another to ruin….

A cute little Q&A with Huston. He shares his thoughts on learning, politics, and spelling. Oh, and lots of other stuff….

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Jul 11, 2008 9:43 AM PDT   0 recs

That was awesome.

I needed that.

Mark Ellis: sent down from Heaven to rob Evil of hits and hand out rainbows

by Jennifer on Jul 11, 2008 9:56 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

what Jennifer said

Plus: Andrew Brown is awesome. And Huston is pals with Richard Linklater! (No, Jennifer, not this guy.) And:

That’s just how lazy we’ve gotten in this country. I want to hand-deliver everything.

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 10:08 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah

but the interviewer has Aidin Vaziri syndrome.

"May a nit suck Cajun geese?" wonders Red. No, we see gnu Jack Cust in a yam.

by andeux on Jul 11, 2008 10:26 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

don't be H8in' on AV

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 11:03 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

unless it's Aileen Voisin

I generally bemoan the profusion of Mr Sabermetric Sporks in the Scrabble ranks who don't know the meaning or usage of 50% of the words they use. -monkeyball

by JediLeroy on Jul 11, 2008 1:58 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

+1

I was just going to hop over and post that quote

by nevermoor on Jul 11, 2008 11:22 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

"Hey," Street says. "I got to take care of my boys."

♥

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 Jul 11, 2008 10:12 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

best part
Q: You’ve double-bagged a plastic grocery bag full of water bottles on the road; but you have a backpack at home?

HS: Yeah, they had a giveaway at the ballpark where they put my name and number on a backpack, so I figured, why not just use that as my carrying case?

(and the motorized cooler used by the cards)

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 Jul 11, 2008 10:14 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think that must be where they store their nacho runs

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 10:26 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Awesome.

Super-sonic Huston underwater tunnel to Australia. Sweet.

— What’s your speed limit?

HS: I don’t have one.

— How much is the toll?

HS: There is no toll. You ride for free, as long as you ride safe.

— How do we pay for this amazing tunnel without a toll?

HS: How do we pay for this [sighs]? Goodness. I was going to say … Do we? I didn’t know I had to pay for it.

— I’m not saying you, but someone’s going to have to.

HS: Oh! Well, people are pretty generous. We’ll just take a dollar from every person in the world.

by whiteshoes40 on Jul 11, 2008 10:32 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

"Because some people out there in our nation don't have maps..."

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2008 3:12 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Such as

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2008 3:14 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Why is Huston sipping Pepto while playing chess?

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Jul 11, 2008 10:45 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe

he’s analyzing a zugzwang that involves promoting a pawn to a knight.

"May a nit suck Cajun geese?" wonders Red. No, we see gnu Jack Cust in a yam.

by andeux on Jul 11, 2008 10:53 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'd like to see that move performed when we play the Yankees ...

Zigwang

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 11:04 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

nice post

that is a seriously great interview. I love Andrew Brown.

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Jul 11, 2008 10:47 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

does anyone have the ESPN mag

article mentioned in the comments there?

"Ryan [Sweeney] has got the perfect baseball body..." -Mike Sweeney

by Christine on Jul 11, 2008 11:28 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

FOUND IT!

Mark Ellis: sent down from Heaven to rob Evil of hits and hand out rainbows

by Jennifer on Jul 11, 2008 11:51 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

thank you so much :)

"Ryan [Sweeney] has got the perfect baseball body..." -Mike Sweeney

by Christine on Jul 11, 2008 12:03 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think this is it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3426289

Mark Ellis: sent down from Heaven to rob Evil of hits and hand out rainbows

by Jennifer on Jul 11, 2008 11:51 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe it's Wiley

In reference to his clever identity change schemes.

How do the angels get to sleep when the devil leaves the porchlight on?

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jul 11, 2008 2:57 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Well, Tommy Lasorda once pointed out, about all of the big-time autographs — Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan — and he told all of us when I was on Team USA. He goes, look at this: not one of you has come close to matching any of the accomplishments of any one of these guys, yet every one of them takes the time to spell out their entire name. Until you are better than any of these guys, then you need to do the same. So, I continue to spell out my entire name.

Justin Duchscherer does that, too.

There's no textbook for how to treat a geriatric tapir.

by Poppy on Jul 11, 2008 12:04 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

thereby making his autograph extremely valuable ...

... because he’s only ever been able to finish 4 of them.

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 12:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 1:14 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I was thinking,

Mr. Hand, since you’re here and I’m here, doesn’t that make this our time?

Hey, today ain’t Sunday. Get em off of your fanny.

That’s right folks, you could say this meat has been on the disabled list for 21 days.--Marty Lurie

by Leopold Bloom on Jul 11, 2008 4:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Santas plunged into civil war
Organisers of the annual convention in Kansas of the Amalgamated Order of Real-Bearded Santas, fear it will be disrupted by splitters from rival groups such as the Fraternal Order and the Red Suit Society.

Splitters!

"The Athletics at Fremont" is pretty bad

by ArakSOT on Jul 11, 2008 10:01 AM PDT   0 recs

man, jurisdictional disputes are murder

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 10:09 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The trouble started last year with a row on the board of the Amalgamated Santas…

That makes me think of the Crimson Permanent Assurance, but with Santa suits.

There's no textbook for how to treat a geriatric tapir.

by Poppy on Jul 11, 2008 12:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Santa drive-bys

Presents that explode left under the tree.

Big fat Santa with no shirt on, tattoo across his big fat belly, in old english script, reads “Jolly”

That’s right folks, you could say this meat has been on the disabled list for 21 days.--Marty Lurie

by Leopold Bloom on Jul 11, 2008 4:32 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The best part about watching Smith pitch

is listening to the opposing announcers complain about him not being called for balks.

Most pickoffs by a first-year player (since 1956):

Garvin (‘77): 23
Shirley (‘77): 13
Pettitte (‘95): 12
Smith (‘08): 10
Erickson (‘78):10

by Danny on Jul 11, 2008 10:01 AM PDT   0 recs

His move might be a balk

Honestly, I don’t even know what the hell constitutes a balk. I mean, I know the obvious ones where a pitcher clearly flinches or drops the ball or does something silly. But on pickoff moves? It’s about as tough to tell as the check swing appeal.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2008 3:15 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The balk rule

is one of those incomprehensible rules in sports that should be eliminated (or radically altered) because it’s more trouble than it’s worth.

Ditto with the offside rule in soccer. If the officials who are trained to call it are blowing it half the time, it’s clear that it’s a bad rule.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jul 11, 2008 3:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

following that logic, should we eliminate the strike zone?

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 3:24 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

better watch it...

you may end up being more trouble than you’re worth.

by rebus on Jul 11, 2008 3:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I pride myself on having an unacceptably high risk:reward ratio

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 4:24 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

And there is where we meet

in the Vinn Diagrams of our lives.

And why I love the monkey.

That’s right folks, you could say this meat has been on the disabled list for 21 days.--Marty Lurie

by Leopold Bloom on Jul 11, 2008 4:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

As called by humans? Yes

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Jul 11, 2008 5:04 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

As I've understood it, the balk for lefties is basically if the front foot crosses the back leg.

If it does, you have to go to the plate. If it doesn’t, you can go to home or first.

I’ve never looked it up to verify or not, but if that’s true then the ones who keep their foot from ever crossing the back leg have a distinct advantage even if the body looks like it’s going forward.

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site
jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Jul 11, 2008 7:59 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

In his case the issue is going forward too far, not back

the rule for going forward is that your leg can’t exceed a 45 degree angle towards the plate.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Jul 12, 2008 1:46 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Harden and

There’s an article on ESPN.com (by John Shea) today about Harden’s health issues. A lot of credit is given to Ron Romanick for his health so far this year.

Harden credited his recent sturdiness in part to Ron Romanick, who’s in his first season as the A’s bullpen coach after serving as the minor-league roving pitching instructor for nine years…

“He really knows his stuff, and he really knows the way I throw and my mechanics,” Harden said. “He came up with my throwing program, which limits the throws between starts and limits the stress on my arm. He made me realize you don’t need to throw a ton of pitches to be ready.”
I believe I also read that Duke had given some credit to Ron for his health, not to mention he helped Ziggy redevelop his delivery when he was working in the minors. Seems like a real asset to the A’s.

by McMillinBr on Jul 11, 2008 10:04 AM PDT   0 recs

tv shows

i need something new to watch, how is john adams? john from cincinnati?

i just finished season one of mad men. i rented it because i liked the dvd box:

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 Jul 11, 2008 10:09 AM PDT   0 recs

have you seen The Riches?

It’s certainly not groundbreaking, and the writing is really uneven, but Eddie Izzard is fantastic in it (and Minnie ain’t bad). And DePalma regular Gregg Henry goes all Lithgow in it.

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 10:11 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Two words: Big Love

You’re welcome in advance

A little plumbing! Got to plumb! Plumb the depths! The depths of hell! - Larry David, CYE

by Swooney's Left Foot on Jul 11, 2008 10:17 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

i enjoyed both john adams and john from cincinnati

john from cincinnati starts out very slow and wtf-ish and gets better over the course of the season…unfortunately they lost their viewers early because of this. i was mildly surprised that it got an early ax after only one season, i would have thought HBO would continue the product as the intended, but apparently there just wasn’t enough to keep the show going.

Jeremy was safe. He jumped over the tag.

by mrrickyg on Jul 11, 2008 10:42 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Try Burn Notice

I tried the 2nd season premiere last night on USA based on this review by Tim Goodman.

Found it very entertaining, kind of like a cross between Magnum P.I and Rockford Files.

Mocha Almond Fudge

by Ice Cream on Jul 11, 2008 11:07 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

That show is HILARIOUS

I started watching it because of Dule Hill – he was Charlie on The West Wing and is Gus on Psych. He and James Roday have unbelievable chemistry on Psych. Even their commercials hyping the new season crack me up.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2008 3:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Speaking of “Burn Notice”

Mark Ellis: sent down from Heaven to rob Evil of hits and hand out rainbows

by Jennifer on Jul 11, 2008 11:16 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh wow.

That box is awesome. How’s the show?

There's no textbook for how to treat a geriatric tapir.

by Poppy on Jul 11, 2008 12:20 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

i enjoyed the first season. not the best show, but worth watching.

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 Jul 11, 2008 3:05 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Dead Like Me

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Jul 11, 2008 12:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Wish that show would've gotten a full run

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2008 3:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

oh me too

They’ve been replaying them on channel 2 every Saturday-I put it in my Tivo pass just to re-live how great it was. I’ve been reading a kitchen remodel online forum and there’s a poster over there with the handle “Daisy Adair”-at least someone else out there liked it.

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Jul 11, 2008 3:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't really know anybody who dislikes it

The problem is that most people don’t know about it.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on Jul 11, 2008 3:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

oh, and if you're looking for movies

I totally recommend “The King of Kong.” I just watched it last night—really funny documentary.

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Jul 11, 2008 1:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Plus, Billy Mitchell looks just like Danny Haren

A little plumbing! Got to plumb! Plumb the depths! The depths of hell! - Larry David, CYE

by Swooney's Left Foot on Jul 11, 2008 1:24 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

eww don't say that

That guy has such a dated doofus look, plus, what a douche!

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Jul 11, 2008 2:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I hated Billy Mitchell so much. But...

A little plumbing! Got to plumb! Plumb the depths! The depths of hell! - Larry David, CYE

by Swooney's Left Foot on Jul 11, 2008 2:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OK, in that haren shot you've got a point

but I think that photo is the exception (I hope)

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Jul 11, 2008 3:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't really see it

Sure, they’re both white guys with dark hair and beards … hey, I guess I look like Dan Haren too.

"May a nit suck Cajun geese?" wonders Red. No, we see gnu Jack Cust in a yam.

by andeux on Jul 11, 2008 3:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Great doc

Even if you’re not into video games. That Weibe guy is terminally nice.

Ryan Sweeney: I probably irrationally embraced him before you did.

by Joey C. on Jul 11, 2008 2:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

love that movie

we discussed it a few times last year, and of course billy mitchell looking like haren came 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

by xbhaskarx on Jul 11, 2008 3:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

"You've got to respect the pajama"

Goodman sez Generation Kill is worth watching.

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 1:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

i’m already planning on watching that one.

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 Jul 11, 2008 3:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

my expectations hover

... arousing men to burst the chains under which monkeyish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves ... @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 11, 2008 3:25 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs