I love the way you come in and befuddle and chagrin the opposition. Keep up the (inSANEly) good work.

I think that would make us all happy!

that seeing you have the early success you’ve had in the majors has been one of the biggest highlights I’ve had in my years watching baseball. There should be more stories like yours.

I only wish you could pitch every relief inning the A’s needed.

that you’ve found the time to post even though now you’re up in The Show.While I follow all of the players it’s particularly exciting to follow the game when you are pitching.

Congratulations, Brad, and keep up the great work!!

To be on the rookie of the month ballot? I think you have a real chance with all the attention you have been getting

Are you nervous at all with what would happen when Devine comes back, although with you success it would be crazy to send you down

Do you see your role clarifying a bit more? With the success you have had, do you think you might be the “8th inning” guy, or someone who comes in for two innings in close and game breaking situations?

How have Embree, Foulke, Street and some of the other guys affected you in that they’ve dealt with a lot of success and some recent tough losses

How is it dealing with all the national attention

What kind of avatar do you envision yourself getting for some of the MLB based games next year?

Have you thought about a Brad Ziegler bobblehead at all?

How much nicer are the travel accomodations in the MLB?

Have you googled yourself lately and thought “wow”

Your not just an AN celebrity, you’re going big time now! That must be really cool!

When you come to NY, is there a place I could try to get your autograph somewhere besides the ballpark?

You’ve been LIGHTS OUT. What a story. Couldn’t happen to a better guy.

You are LOCKED IN!!! Keep up the great work. Good Luck the rest of the way!

... some of your stuff is looking downright nasty.

Stay nasty, my friend.

Very impressive, THANK YOU!

Make sure you don’t get Carpool Tunnel Syndrome typing for Athlete’s Nation, ha ha, no seriously, because we need you on the round against the White Cubs!!!!

XOXOXOXOXO

-Cindi

As a fan, this is just the most awesome thing ever. I’m an adult, but I still feel like a little kid when a big leaguer allows me into his world. You writing so candidly on this site is beyond cool, and obviously very well appreciated.

Plus, dude, what a start to your big league career! Congrats, couldn’t happen to a better guy.

I like your work out of the pen, keep up the good work, and you’ll replace Chad Bradford as my favorite submariner.

“We all live through a mellow submariner, a mellow submariner, a mellow submariner.”

(Now just the altos)

“We all live…”

I’ve been having a fantastic time watching your career evolve this year. I was gone the first three weeks of June, so I didn’t get a chance to see you pitch live until this past weekend against the Giants – what a treat!!

We have been rooting for you all the way, and I was just thrilled you got the chance to show what you can do. Of course, I never dreamed that you’d put up the numbers that you have, but um…can you keep doing that? ;-)

You were amazing in Anaheim; it was fun to watch you pitch…thanks as always for writing for AN and keeping us all in the loop. Here’s to continued success the rest of the season!!!!

All of us at AN are following your success closely and are pulling for ya!

As they keep setting them up you keep knocking them down. Thanks for the update and here’s to hoping you have much success the rest of the year as you have already.

Your work this year makes me smile. Keep up the great work.

the media attention in your diary above — modest while still gracious and appreciative. Very classy. Others could learn from you.

We’re all thrilled every time you get up in the pen to come into the game.

write these. You could have very easily stopped and no one would have blamed you for doing so. You rock.

Good luck!

...but it’s more fun now that you’re in Oakland.

I noticed you’re close to doing something particularly special but I’m not going to mention it unless and until it happens. If and when it does, everyone will know about it.

Thanks for the moment before the last Phillies game where we got to catch up again briefly, and I’ll be trying to get some prints done for you within the next few days. Too bad you didn’t get to pitch in that one (or against them at all) but with the way Rich was dealing that’s not such a bad thing.

Unfortunately I have some extra time on my hands because I just got laid off from work the other day, but I’m going to try to use that as an opportunity to get out to some more games and hopefully take some further steps ahead with my photography.

Congratulations on sticking around. You’re making it very tough for the team to do anything but keep you where you’re proving you belong. Right now you’re the best in the ‘pen.

You’ve been amazing, and with all your hard work, you deserve all the success you’ve achieved (and will continue to achieve). Congratulations!

By the by, there’s a high correlation of blogging on AN and ridiculously good performance in the Bigs. Maybe Daric should start blogging here soon…

And, if all goes right, I’ll get my favorite seats in right field right above the visitor’s bullpen. If I do, I’ll be sure to yell down and say hello. Might even bug you for an autograph.

This would be a fantastic time for a sweep. Just sayin’, couldn’t hurt. And it would make this A’s fan Chicagoan very, very happy.

Brad—you should know how apoplectic this site went when Embree lost win for ya the other night. We’re pulling for you (but not in the way that the British mean it, which would be gross).

You’re awesome! I am so happy you are still postin on AN after your call up to the big leagues because some of us here didn’t think you would have the time.

I, as well as the others on this site, remain blown away by how well you are pitching.

Keep it up, homey!

Of course we all follow your every pitch, being that you’re still and forever part of this “typing pool of writers”. Since we do ‘hang’ on every one of your pitches, you can imagine the continuing build-up of glee we are accumulating with each successful outing. Every time you get an out, it’s like playing roulette on the single numbers, and coming up a winner each spin, when the little ball drops in the number picked.

Exhilarating!!

Naturally, as soon as you give up the winning run, expect the usual “DFA!! the * SOB (*add appropriate f-bomb adjectives)!” comments from us wannabe Major Leaguers. That’s the nature of grandstanders….but you knew that since way back when..

Congratulations added here, to all the previously-posted acclaim. Ride the moment.

Glad to see you had enough time on “get-away day +first day in Chi-town” to give us the first-hand write up. Indeed, it is something special and not expected. It’s great to see.

If y’all keep gushing about Ziggy so much, you’re gonna jinx him!

Just kidding Ziggy, keep up the great work. I watched you pitch in last Sunday’s game with my dad, and he was shocked to hear that the guy on the mound also writes for a little fan blog that I read. We fans all appreciate you taking the time to (virtually) hang out with us like that.

you’re fast becoming one of my favorite players. Keep up the outstanding work. Finally, we have an @ss kicker in the bullpen.

I think people have been more in the “Congratulations!” mode than anything else, but I’m sure there are still some things people might be wondering about. Here are a few questions:

• Now that you’ve been in the Major Leagues for about a month, what’s the most exciting or favorite thing about it?

• What has surprised you the most, along the lines of “I had no idea it was like this” or “I wasn’t prepared for that!” and so on?

• How much more daily work goes in to studying scouting reports and other general preparation compared to the minors?

• With Ron Romanick right there to watch you, does he still find anything in your delivery to tweak here and there, or have you already reached a point where you’re used enough to the new motion that adjustments are minimal?

• I know it’s only a month, but are you still thinking of bringing back the eye black on the mound someday? Yes, I did some real digging for that one. ;-)

That ought to be enough for now.