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Open Thread: Game 130 - A's vs. Mariners

Countdown_tiny by Taj Adib on

Oakland Athletics @ Seattle Mariners


After assuring themselves of not losing a series for the first time since Joe Blanton and Rich Harden were still with the squad, the A's will look to clinch the 4-game set this afternoon. On paper, the matchup doesn't look particularly favorable to the Green and Gold. Dan "Failing to Inspire" Meyer will take the hill for the A's. Dan previously faced Seattle late last season and gave his customary run-an-inning effort in 4 2/3 innings to take the loss. Dan is the oldest, least promising and least-roster-friendly hurler currently in the A's all-lefty rotation, so at this point in his career he's probably auditioning for a spot on some other team's roster. Hopefully, Dan can just chew some innings today and for the rest of this season, give the A's a chance to win some games and show enough of his former top-prospect talent in the process so that someone might give him a chance next year.

Countering Meyer will be longtime Oakland nemesis Felix Hernandez. King Felix has been kryptonite to A's bats ever since breaking into the majors as a teenager in 2005. He has a 6-3 record and a 2.43 career ERA against the A's. It's not just that Felix is a good pitcher against every lineup (which he is) but also that he's particularly well-suited to dominating the A's since he throws lots of strikes, limits the walks and is very efficient. Every year I approach these matchups with the same thread of optimism, thinking to myself, "Well, most of the Oakland hitters Felix will be facing this time are rookies and maybe this group will finally figure him out." I've been wrong every single time before, and I don't expect to be right this time, although there are a few reasons to be reasonably optimistic today:

- Ziggy is well-rested and should be good to go for another 2-inning save, should the opportunity arise.

- Cust actually had some success against Felix last season, going 2-for-7 with a homer and two walks against him...however that was back when Jack had two good eyes at his disposal.

- Ellis might have singularly signaled a new era in A's injury management after saying (about his shoulder), "When it feels good, I'll be out there"...wow, that sounds nice and simple...I would have like to have heard that from Gallagher and Duke a few weeks ago and Chavez and Harden a few years ago.

- Cliff Pennington gets his first start at shortstop for the A's! Maybe he can make Crosby irrelevant sooner rather than later...

Lineup

Oakland Athletics @ Seattle Mariners

08/24/08 1:10 PM PDT

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


 

0 recs | Comment 168 comments

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hmmm...Hannahan batting second?

I’m not familiar with his record against Hernandez, just with his hitting this season…

whatever…Let’s Go Oakland

by OaklandSi on Aug 24, 2008 1:03 PM PDT   0 recs

Meyer!

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:05 PM PDT   0 recs

Meyer

http://www.arnadal.no/film/actors/images/reilly_john_c.jpg

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Aug 24, 2008 1:06 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Mire

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Two brothers... One speaks no English, the other learned English from watching "The Wide World of Sports."

So you tell me… Which is better, speaking no English at all, or speaking Howard Cosell?

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:07 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Well, honk my hooter!

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:11 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

At least Patterson sees a lot of pitches...

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:11 PM PDT   0 recs

Ughh...

Please allow me just a smidge of hope for Patterson before he gets Hannahanned or Bartoned…

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I actually really like Hannahan's approach at the plate ...

… he just doesn’t have the bat speed/timing/coordination to hit MLB fastballs. He’s like Bizarro Scutaro.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't really disagree with this

And that’s why it’s sad. He has everything to be a decent, if not spectacular, player except the physical ability to hit.

And a lot of times, he can’t even catch up to mid-80s fastballs. I’m not even sure why Felix threw him anything but fastballs (I assume the homer was on a breaking ball).

by thejd44 on Aug 24, 2008 1:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think it was a hanging, eyeball-height changeup

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:27 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Ah, ok. I was having some mlb.tv difficulties and the feed was jumpy for a while

Why on earth would you throw Hannahan a changeup? That’s just bad pitch-calling there.

by thejd44 on Aug 24, 2008 1:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

agree

I’m not 100% that it was a change — but it was slow, eye-height, and didn’t break. Yeah, bad call by Johjima either way.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:31 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It was a 93mph fastball

gameday and mariners fsn gun both said 93.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Aug 24, 2008 1:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

really?

Wow. I need to see Cust’s ophthalmologist.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:33 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

He's 93-96 today, which I think is normal

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Aug 24, 2008 1:36 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

maybe that qualifies as a changeup :)

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:37 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeswecannahan!

He was just bidin’ his time …

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:11 PM PDT   0 recs

You must mean...

he was just Biden his time!

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:14 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

as crappy as he's been hitting, maybe he'd been bideting his time

And way to spoil my subtlety there, Taj :)

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh man, poor form on my part!

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't want you posting on AN at 3 a.m.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Either do I...

too many Appletinis last time!

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:20 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

did you plagiarize that from one of the UK AN'ers?

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:22 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh yeah? Well, which of your seven IP addresses are you going to post from?

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Cargon

interesting stat from last night’s game…before 2 strikes Cargon has a batting average of .379 and with 2 strikes he’s batting .080.

i see room for improvement

by inbillywetrust on Aug 24, 2008 1:13 PM PDT   0 recs

ugh, please

That AVG-w/2-Ks thing is like citing a team’s W/L record when trailing after 8 innings.

Yes, Patrol Craft is in a slump. But there are better measurements.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:15 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yep

I don’t know the actual league-wide numbers in those situations, but I don’t think Carlos is too far off the norm. Maybe he’s worse with 2 strikes/better without 2 strikes than most, but it’s not like those numbers are way out of whack.

by thejd44 on Aug 24, 2008 1:17 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

i'm long term bullish on cargon

i just thought it was a larger than average divergence.

by inbillywetrust on Aug 24, 2008 1:34 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

could be, could be

He’s just looked lost in general against offspeed stuff (heck, against most stuff) lately.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:39 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I wouldn't disagree with that

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

OK, even though Cust had a 5trickout ...

… that was kinda fun seeing Felix and Jack both dial it up there.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:14 PM PDT   0 recs

Wow

That look at the A’s defence did not inspire a great amount of confidence, good luck Dan!

by DiegoAsFan on Aug 24, 2008 1:19 PM PDT   0 recs

Nice Clifford!

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:19 PM PDT   0 recs

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Hey! I was looking for that graphic!

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I have mad google image skilz

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Are you kidding me?

Maybe I should demean A’s players more often…

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:23 PM PDT   0 recs

today is futzing around in the kitchen day

I’ve got two batches of pork shoulder slow-cooking @225: rosemary w/fingerling potatoes and onions and garlic, and a batch of carnitas that I think is going to come out really well.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:25 PM PDT   0 recs

I'm grilling some steaks, to cut up and use

in fresh soft tortilla tacos, along with hand-made guacamole and pico de gallo

by OaklandSi on Aug 24, 2008 1:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

nice!

I need to get a grill. Mrs Monkeyball and the cats are sick and tired of me setting off the smoke detectors in the apartment.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Harden's line: 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 11 K, 0 BB

granted it was against the Nats

by NateHST on Aug 24, 2008 1:26 PM PDT   0 recs

I am frankly astonished that he's stayed healthy

Props to him and the Cubs training staff.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Barton climbing out of the cellar...

as we approach September.

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:28 PM PDT   0 recs

Sometimes Daric Barton does everything exactly right

And I just don’t understand why he can’t do it more often this year.

by thejd44 on Aug 24, 2008 1:28 PM PDT   0 recs

Rob Bowen K...shocking.

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:29 PM PDT   0 recs

Go for the series win A's!

Have to run errands, but when I come back, I expect hope pray to see us on top. It’s been so long since we’ve won a series

by asfansince1989 on Aug 24, 2008 1:38 PM PDT   0 recs

What are the chances that Crosby is moved this winter?

The free agent market for shortstops is barren and Pennington sure looks like he can handle the position, at least defensively…could Crosby be packaged with Duke and/or street to acquire a legit corner bat?

I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!

by Taj Adib on Aug 24, 2008 1:38 PM PDT   0 recs

Duke will have ZERO value in the offseason

Street, maybe.

I guess Beane could market Cros as the younger, cheaper version of Jack Wilson, who’s also going to be shopped.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:40 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Why wouldn't Duke have any value? Wasn't it a leg injury, not an arm injury?

And I don’t think the A’s should make any big moves unless it’s bringing in a legit third baseman. We’re stacked at 1st base options.

by NateHST on Aug 24, 2008 1:44 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

hip injury on the "surgery hip"

zero value is pretty hyperbolic though…

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Aug 24, 2008 1:44 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I wonder if Crosby's value would increase

if he was signed to an extension – the fact that he only has one year left on his contract could be a negative (though for me, it’s the biggest positive).

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 24, 2008 1:46 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I bet it would be a negative

any potentially interested team would be trying to ride out his wild and crazy run of non-completely-terribleness.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Aug 24, 2008 1:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

literally zero value

OK, yeah, not zero … but if Beane wasn’t offered his asking price for Duke at the trade deadline (with Duke apparently healthy, not suffering from his inning increase, and leading the world in ERA with nearly equivalent peripherals), he’s sure as heck not gonna get what he wants for Duke coming off that injury.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Best changeup I've seen from Meyer

in any of his stints with Oakland.

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 24, 2008 1:39 PM PDT   0 recs

Um. Wow.

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

by monkeyball on Aug 24, 2008 1:43 PM PDT   0 recs

Hannahan's second HR of the game

I guess he likes King Felix

by OaklandSi on Aug 24, 2008 1:43 PM PDT   0 recs

it's all fairly small sample size

but jack is a much hitter during day games than night games. i wouldn’t ordinarily point it out but the divergence is so large that there must be something to it.

day slash stats…292/404/451 (135 PA)
night slast stats…189/256/273 (271 PA)

by inbillywetrust on Aug 24, 2008 1:50 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs