Even if you’re not looking for that pitch in that place, you’ve got to at least be able to try to make contact and foul it off if you can’t get around on it.

To just stand there and watch it…I know he was just called up but we’ve seen too many players take called strike threes in key spots.

trying to “not strike out” because he was down 0-2. He didn’t want to “chase”, but the problem was, IMO (I was not there, just speculating) he was afraid of a “bad result”…and the result?? A bad result.

Happens no matter who, just the mindset.

That’s why I hate seeing Crosby with the bases loaded. Until he hits a Grand Slam, he will always be miserable and under-achieving with the bases loaded.

Okay, I accept Nico’s explanation of Crosby not taking second. The game should have been won many many innings ago…like, after Barton doubled. They were stuck on 4 for way too long..that’s what bad teams do…fail to step on the neck.

the part that makes me mad though is that instead of just saying in the ads or in articles, etc. etc. that steroids are illegal for the use of how you said (i don’t feel it’s “abuse”, but that’s neither here nor there) and are tested for (which is absolutely true), the anti-drug companies use b.s. propaganda like “steroids will kill you” or “steroids will shrink your testicles and your member (if male) will fall off” etc. etc. instead of just giving the bottom line that you won’t be allowed to use them if you are competing and will be suspended, they spread lies and propaganda. that’s what bugs me. yes, your testicles will atrophy somewhat…and then when your cycle is complete, they come right back to original size. hmm. i bet that’s never been mentioned before.

sorry for the rant. it just gets old. i’ve studied steroids a lot and i feel like if people gain enough legitimate knowledge to use them properly, with liver/colon/joint/anti-estrogenic/etc. support, they should be able to. just a personal opinion.

go cust. go a’s.

if he could just become proficient at playing pepper with the SS spot – which is not that difficult a skill to cultivate because you don’t have to be all that precise. Case in point yesterday, when he bounced out into the shift with the winning run at second: Aybar was about 25 feet off the line at 3B and Bartlett was about 15 feet to the right of second base. That left about an 80 foot hole beween the 3Bman and SS.

Basically, if Cust had just been able to bounce – arguably even tap – the ball to the left of the mound, if he gets it past the pitcher the A’s win the game. Cust doesn’t need to bunt to beat the shift, he needs to develop a gentle “easy batting practice” swing that allows him to hit a routine grounder around where a SS usually plays.

Look at what he has accomplished as a LFer from April to August. One week of extra batting practice work and he could be good enough at this to discourage a shift, and that would be a step in the right direction – this game is about making adjustments and the A’s need to get better at it.

a couple ex-teammates of mine have used. they have told me that when “on”, you feel like you can do anything in the world. ever think that, muscle gain aside, that being on steroids can give you that placebo effect? that it’s not the steroids at all that are making them hit, that it’s their talent and that extra confidence?

i’m under the impression that most players use for a couple reasons:

a) to gain muscle to get more…inertia i think would be the word…behind either their swing or their pitch
b) to heal aches and pains quickly from working out, or just playing the game in general

i feel like in a case such as an eric gagne, a guy who doesn’t appear to be in good shape at all, was using for the healing powers, and did the cycles incorrectly, thus the bloat and the nagging injuries afterward, resulting in his arm surgery. this is speculation, but i’m sure you can see where i’m coming from.

the point is, a player like that will have his career decline if done improperly, because yes, if steroids are done improperly, can break down joints.

i’m not sure how much of this actually addressed Arcman’s post, but it’s something to think about.

March/April – 0.00 ERA
May – 3.00 ERA
June – 18.00 ERA (4 ER in 2 IP – he was hurt)
July – 3.86 ERA
August 4.50 ERA (but it was under 3 before his outing yesterday).

The truth is that he had 1 bad “month” of 3 appearances when he wasn’t healthy.

I thought at first you guys were talking about what a nice guy Hawk is…

2 of the “hits” were routine grounders to SS that Jason Donald botched. A third “hit” was LaPorta making a Custian play on a flyball-it even went all the way into his glove before coming out. They really weren’t hitting him much. I would not say he struggled by any means.