Athletics Nation: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:

New Blog: Five For Howling - for Coyotes fans Bar-right-arrows

Open Game Thread - Game 129: A's @ Mariners

Banana_album_041907_tiny by monkeyball on

Oakland Athletics @ Seattle Mariners


And the lineup just keeps getting weaker and weaker.

No Cust and Ellis tonight, though according to Slusser Cust is available to pinch-hit and Ellis is taking "at least one" if not several games off as a precaution. Eh, what the heck -- time to see what Patterson can do anyway. He didn't look half bad at second last night, even considering his short-armed throw in the dirt to Barton that opened the floodgates for the Mariner rally. He still needs to show some more life at the plate, though.

Dana Eveland returns to the A's starting rotation tonight after Limbo'ing in Sacto for a couple weeks. The A's depleted, Crosby/DFA-in-the-2/3-slots lineup gets to face Jarrod Washburn, against whom the A's hitters, even the righties, have some fugly numbers. Hannahan in the lineup against a lefty is a puzzler, though. Washburn's platoon split seems to have been increasing in recent years, so maybe Crosby and Emil can both make some solid contact. And maybe Steven Soderbergh will call my cell and offer an option on that screenplay that I haven't even sent him yet ...

Woo. Hoo. Go. A's.

Lineup

Oakland Athletics @ Seattle Mariners

08/23/08 7:10 PM PDT

Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners
Rajai Davis - CF Ichiro Suzuki - RF
Bobby Crosby - SS Yuniesky Betancourt - SS
Emil Brown - LF Adrian Beltre - DH
Frank Thomas - DH Raul Ibanez - LF
Kurt Suzuki - C Jose Lopez - 2B
Jack Hannahan - 3B Wladimir Balentien - CF
Daric Barton - 1B Kenji Johjima - C
Carlos Gonzalez - RF Bryan LaHair - 1B
Eric Patterson - 2B Miguel Cairo - 3B

0 recs | Comment 332 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Emil is hitting around .300 vs lefties

and Crosby doesn’t look that bad lately, so I’m not too concerned about them (given the options, anyway).

by OaklandSi on Aug 23, 2008 6:54 PM PDT   0 recs

Hannahan hitting sixth....

somewhere, the baseball gods are experiencing dry heaves.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 6:58 PM PDT   0 recs

I'm a baseball god?

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 Aug 23, 2008 7:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I dunno....

do you have some deep seated hatred for the A’s? Cause if you do…..you might be….

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:11 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh, I see how this is

Baseball Gods experience dry heaves
Nico experiences dry heaves
Therefore, Nico is a Baseball God

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

by Flashfire on Aug 23, 2008 7:12 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

AN has a whole pantheon goin' on

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on Aug 23, 2008 7:13 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

my pantheons are goin' off

There were a lot of stupid, long confusing words that I’m sure normal people don’t use. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 23, 2008 7:14 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Pantaloons.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:15 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Has anyone seen my pantheons?

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 Aug 23, 2008 7:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Let's see how long I can stay up tonight!

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

by Jennifer on Aug 23, 2008 7:02 PM PDT   0 recs

I've been canning tomato juice

and salsa all day. I’m a little tired. I haven’t had my medication yet, either. Today’s a good day.

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

by Jennifer on Aug 23, 2008 7:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

LOL

My brother came in while I was cutting up the tomatoes for salsa. Some of them were a little juicy and squirted when I stuck my knife in. The kitchen was a mess. His reaction:

“Was there a murder?”

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

by Jennifer on Aug 23, 2008 7:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

QOTM

There were a lot of stupid, long confusing words that I’m sure normal people don’t use. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 23, 2008 7:25 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Holy shit... this is a MLB lineup?

I just hope the A’s are actually willing to pay what a top 5 pick will want.

"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did." -Yogi Berra

by brenarlo on Aug 23, 2008 7:03 PM PDT   0 recs

He seems to me to be like a Zito/Javier Vazquez hybrid.

Lot’s of Ks… some years could have a 3.00 ERA…. some years 4.50.

He’s a bright spot in a dark season.

"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did." -Yogi Berra

by brenarlo on Aug 23, 2008 7:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I really like him - of course, I want results

from players and the team, but I also appreciate it when a player is likable, and Gio truly is.

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 Aug 23, 2008 7:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I've been struck by how wry Dallas Braden seems to be

There were a lot of stupid, long confusing words that I’m sure normal people don’t use. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 23, 2008 7:11 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I looked up "wry" and it doesn't mean "hitable"

so I’m not sure what you mean.

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 Aug 23, 2008 7:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Crosby's wasn't that hard

His (usual) big swing fooled Ibanez

There were a lot of stupid, long confusing words that I’m sure normal people don’t use. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 23, 2008 7:13 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OKAY LISTEN HATERS, THEY HIT THE FRIGGIN OUTFIELD WITHOUT THE BALL BOUNCING FIRST

On the 2008 Oakland AAAAs, that’s a goddamn hard hit ball.

by mikev on Aug 23, 2008 7:15 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OK, I'll buy that

There were a lot of stupid, long confusing words that I’m sure normal people don’t use. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 23, 2008 7:15 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Too true

And it didn’t have an NFL hangtime on the flight of the ball, either.

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

by Flashfire on Aug 23, 2008 7:15 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

boy, that should have been an out

There were a lot of stupid, long confusing words that I’m sure normal people don’t use. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 23, 2008 7:12 PM PDT   0 recs

RBI cleanup hitter....

All is well.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:13 PM PDT   0 recs

Frank can slide?

Who knew?

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:14 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

WTF?

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

by Jennifer on Aug 23, 2008 7:16 PM PDT   0 recs

We know how this ends.

Can we get a new script? Please?

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:17 PM PDT   0 recs

I think the writer is striking

by justarebelheart on Aug 23, 2008 7:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

That's what Eveland meant about where his hands are during the windup.

Looks as though when he went over his head he turned away from his target. Something like that.

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

by Flashfire on Aug 23, 2008 7:20 PM PDT   0 recs

Dammit!!

Next time Betacourt comes to the plate, I want to see Eveland drill him right between the shoulder blades.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:23 PM PDT   0 recs

Tell Suzuki to set up on the outside corner

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 Aug 23, 2008 7:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Of the batters box?

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:27 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

My one-inning scouting report:

More strikes = much improved!
Hanging changeup to Betancourt, 0-2 mistake to Beltre = still showing command problems.

Conclusion: At least the problems are in the strike zone, ahead in the count – I’ll take it.

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 Aug 23, 2008 7:27 PM PDT   0 recs

Daric tried his best to gidp....

now he’s failing at that too.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:30 PM PDT   0 recs

Ball four.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Carlos is pressing -

Which leads to sucking.

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 Aug 23, 2008 7:37 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I thought it was child birth.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Hannahan hitting 6th

I missed the top of the 1st inning, so when I saw Hannahan leading off the 2nd inning with no score I was like “huh??” Either we had three LOB in the 1st or whoever made the lineup is on crack.

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

by iglew on Aug 23, 2008 7:34 PM PDT   0 recs

talk hitting with van burkleo?

Wouldn’t it be more productive to talk quantum physics?

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:35 PM PDT   0 recs

The trains in the background at Safeco are so cool!

"If I've got baggage, he's got a whole set of Louis Vuitton." ~ Milton Bradley on Barry Bonds

by UncleLeo on Aug 23, 2008 7:42 PM PDT   0 recs

I understand Lew is planning a similar feature for the Fremont stadium

You’ll be able to hear the romantic sounds evocative of a bygone era when people driving by honk at yuppies in 500-series Beemers talking on their cellphones with no passengers in the cars.

There were a lot of stupid, long confusing words that I’m sure normal people don’t use. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 23, 2008 7:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Unless you're nearby, in which case,

they’re freaking annoying.

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

by iglew on Aug 23, 2008 7:59 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Patterson really looks ok at 2B

A little deliberate on his throws, but they’re (usually) strong and accurate.

There were a lot of stupid, long confusing words that I’m sure normal people don’t use. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Aug 23, 2008 7:43 PM PDT   0 recs

Bomb Shelter?!

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

by Jennifer on Aug 23, 2008 7:47 PM PDT   0 recs

Safeco looks packed compared to last night.

Are they giving something away?

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

by Jennifer on Aug 23, 2008 7:53 PM PDT   0 recs

No. They're just playing a team

that the can beat.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:53 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

the = they

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:53 PM PDT   0 recs

Is it just me....

or is Dana pitching a good game? Maybe it’s just the Mariners…..

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:56 PM PDT   0 recs

Dana Eveland looking like he's pitching against a horrible team.

Oh well… I like it very much. It’s gonna be tough to stay up for the gold medal bball game.

Looking forward to Spring Training and the hope of another World Series title.

by ohtobe21likehuston on Aug 23, 2008 7:56 PM PDT   0 recs

Eveland looked great that inning

I’m ready to give him a second chance at “having potential” – I like how late his slider breaks and the simplified delivery seems to have helped.

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 Aug 23, 2008 7:56 PM PDT   0 recs

It's nice to see an adjustment actually working so far

And I’m not talking about a protective cup, either.

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

by Flashfire on Aug 23, 2008 7:57 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Knowing this team

It’ll probably lead to an injury of some sort in two weeks.

RagingHarden: Yeah if you get 20 starts out of me I'll be shocked. Like, I'll wreck my drawers.

by walk off bunt on Aug 23, 2008 7:57 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Didn't even notice he had changed his delivery.

It does seem simpler. It’s like he went to AAA and figured out why he belonged in the majors.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 7:58 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Thanks for the hope, Wong Foo!

Sincerely,

Julie Newmar

Looking forward to Spring Training and the hope of another World Series title.

by ohtobe21likehuston on Aug 23, 2008 7:58 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Just checked in

Looks like Eveland with the altered delivery is at least a success so far.

RagingHarden: Yeah if you get 20 starts out of me I'll be shocked. Like, I'll wreck my drawers.

by walk off bunt on Aug 23, 2008 7:57 PM PDT   0 recs

Seattle TV announcer just said,

“Goooood pitching match-up so far.”

Translation: “Craaaaappy hitting so far.”

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

by iglew on Aug 23, 2008 8:00 PM PDT   0 recs

Interesting splits on Hannahan.

Are they telling me that Jack sucks worse at night?

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 8:02 PM PDT   0 recs

I tell ya when Hannahan makes "solid" contact

the ball really doesn’t go anywhere.

Looking forward to Spring Training and the hope of another World Series title.

by ohtobe21likehuston on Aug 23, 2008 8:03 PM PDT   0 recs

DARIC

BARTON!!!!

Looking forward to Spring Training and the hope of another World Series title.

by ohtobe21likehuston on Aug 23, 2008 8:04 PM PDT   0 recs

YAY BARTON!!!!!!!!

by justarebelheart on Aug 23, 2008 8:04 PM PDT   0 recs

Staplehead bomb!

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

by iglew on Aug 23, 2008 8:04 PM PDT   0 recs

Easy Button.

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

by alox on Aug 23, 2008 8:07 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs