The A's Win a Series Against the Angels, Reduce My Lifespan in the Process

by louismg on Aug 27, 2008 10:51 PM PDT

Being a 2008 Oakland A's fan is really weird. We get really nervous when our hitters bat with runners on base. And we tend to distrust those pitchers and hitters who are just about the only hope we have. Wherever we look, we know disaster is right around the corner. And it's this nagging fear, dreading the horrific way in which we will somehow lose the game, that manages to prevent our enjoying the occasional win. Today's game, which saw the A's win 2 out of 3 from their hated rival, the LA Angels of Anaheim, was no different.

After getting ahead early in the game, by a 6-0 margin, the A's, and pitcher Gio González, went from hot to cold in a mere inning. González, who had little control, but had managed to thus far make batters miss, had his wildness catch up to him, and he left the game with none out in the fourth, with two already coming across the plate. Embree allowed his two inherited runners to score, and all of a sudden, it was 6-4, and the Angels had all the seeming momentum.

Instead of going to a long reliever, Bob Geren emptied his bullpen, leading to Brad Ziegler getting the chance to close out the series with one out in the eighth after Huston Street had gotten five outs and looked better than he has in quite some time. A ninth-inning Crosby error and a walk to Rob Quinlan had the Angels' tying run in scoring position, but a much-needed double play wiped out the opportunity, the inning, and the game for the Angels. But we were stressed. We knew were toast, and still weren't sure even after the last out was recorded.

The A's, winners of a series for the first time in a long time, head back to Oakland to take on the Minnesota Twins. I'll be at tomorrow's game so if you see any neglected twin two-month old infants in the BBQ terrace... those will be ours.

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Another one of those games where they actually score a lot early then go into the tank again

At least they held on this time.

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

by Flashfire on Aug 27, 2008 10:54 PM PDT reply actions

Believe it or not, we can still win the season series against the Angels.

Granted, we need to sweep the last three-game set to escape 10-9, but it’s still doable.

by danmerqury on Aug 27, 2008 10:55 PM PDT reply actions

Let's do it

and decrease their surplus population!

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Aug 27, 2008 10:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Hee hee hee.

That was fun. Granted, our power went out when the score was 6-0 and didn’t come back on till it was 6-5, so I missed much of the WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE moments, but I saw the good parts. I’m okay with that.

Haha Saunders, you gave up 6 runs to the ~~A’s~~ Rivercats’ offense. Sucker.

by whiteshoes40 on Aug 27, 2008 10:57 PM PDT reply actions

I liked this one from Halos Heaven after the game-ending GIDP

YOU STUPID FAT SLOW FUCK
by Caseys Kiss of Death on Aug 27, 2008 10:40 PM PDT

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

by Flashfire on Aug 27, 2008 11:00 PM PDT reply actions

Idc

This was nice. I liked it. I think when the pressure is off, we get to see the future. The youngsters can play.

by lynnzgal on Aug 27, 2008 11:01 PM PDT reply actions

I hope the Angel fans know

they better win it all this year because the future is brighter in Oakland

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Aug 27, 2008 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions

I think

one more year for them, and then we kick some ass!

by lynnzgal on Aug 27, 2008 11:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Texiera is a rental and F-raud is bolting LAA

Yup, better get it in now or it’s all for nothing.

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Aug 27, 2008 11:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Totally

And I just don’t think Tex is that good. Take away that launching pad that he played half of his games at for years and the “magic mints” that seem to be disappearing from the game of baseball and he is just a better than average player.

Overrated in my opinion is what I’m trying to say.

And K-Hole is a piece of fu*#%ng shi*! Who cares what happens to him. I hope someone punches that ass in the piehole before the year is over…….;}

by mrod on Aug 28, 2008 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions

Actually

All eight of their minor league teams are set to make the playoffs this year. According to the LAA broadcast, it may be the first time in Angels history for that to happen – they have a tremendous farm system, that is a strong as any in the game, etc.etc.etc.. They raved about it for a good 10-15 minutes.

by SwisherThresher on Aug 28, 2008 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Judging a farm system by teams in the playoffs

is like judging a pitcher by wins and losses. It’s sort of vaguely correlated but there’s so much noise that it isn’t worth bothering with.

One easy way of getting a lot of minor league teams in the playoffs is by promoting really conservatively.

By any measure that makes sense, the Angels have the worst farm system in the division, and it’s not close.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Aug 28, 2008 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Right.

Some teams stock up on AAAA players that will never have an impact in the majors, thus giving the illusion of depth. Not saying the Angels are doing that specifically in this case, but it’s not uncommon.

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

by UncleLeo on Aug 28, 2008 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions

AAAA players can be useful

You don’t want to waste Major League talent on the extra backup infielder, parked in AAA.
So you get someone cheap, decent on defense, and who bats better than a pitcher.

by MobiusKlein on Aug 28, 2008 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions

regarding depth

By any measure that makes sense, the Angels have the worst farm system in the division, and it’s not close.

How so? I’m just curious since I’m not too familiar with the current state of the AL West prospect pool.

by SwisherThresher on Aug 28, 2008 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, it's pretty common for anybody who does rankings to put the A's and Rangers in the top 3

in all of baseball along with the Rays. I’m not sure where Seattle ranks though.

by thejd44 on Aug 28, 2008 4:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Holy Shitballs!

We actually pulled this one out folks! And Huston Street finally pitched liked he was closing again………just beautiful!

by mrod on Aug 27, 2008 11:04 PM PDT reply actions

Go Street!!!!!!!

by mrod on Aug 27, 2008 11:04 PM PDT reply actions

Yup

Nice to see him get back to his old streetiness

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Aug 27, 2008 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions

He did look sharp.

The whole team did. Nice job by the pen. Love beating the Angels! Go A’s! Let’s beat the Twinkies! The Rays won too! Yay!

by A'sfansince1970 on Aug 27, 2008 11:12 PM PDT reply actions

We seem to be good

at winning the first games of series, so maybe it’ll be back-to-back wins tomorrow.

(Formerly Nobody Girl)
"We are a complete freak show." -- Billy Beane

by day-to-day on Aug 27, 2008 11:18 PM PDT reply actions

Hold on for dear life... reducing my life span...

…truer words have never been spoken. Sheesh, what a game!

It was like when you lean back in a chair, and almost fall backward but catch yourself at the last possible moment… for almost 4 hours.

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

by UncleLeo on Aug 27, 2008 11:19 PM PDT reply actions

I have a bet

with my friend from before the season that the A’s would finish with a better record than the Giants and for a while it looked like I would win said bet easily but now its getting closer and closer. Go A’s!

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin

by Helloooo 1st on Aug 27, 2008 11:32 PM PDT reply actions

i was at the giants game

(not a fan, i swear, just a friend had killer seats and invited me.) and though lincecum threw 132 pitches (is this the 1950s?) in nearly 8 innings and was supported by by back to back homers and back to back successful bunts in a truly fantastic game, i could barely watch the action. i had my eyes glued to the out of town scoreboard with my heart in my throat the whole time wondering “what’s going on in orange county?” great game A’s (i surmise)! i should have stayed at home to watch. stupid giants. who cares if they win. they’re so out of the race! it’s nothing but batting averages and pitching stats for them now. i mean, um…

don't care if i ever get back.

by AV on Aug 27, 2008 11:39 PM PDT reply actions

Wha? 132 pitches?!

That’s gotta be great for a young arm.

by danmerqury on Aug 27, 2008 11:46 PM PDT up reply actions

freakish mechanics

I heard he doesn’t have any bones in his throwing arm

Green Hulk Fists

by oaklandSMASH on Aug 27, 2008 11:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Bochy is, quite frankly, an absolute idiot

And if Brian Sabean wasn’t just as big an idiot, Bochy would’ve been fired after he did the same thing with Matt Cain a week or so ago (I think that was 125 pitches).

There is absolutely no reason to blow out your promising young arms in a lost season. I don’t care how rubbery the arms or how perfect the mechanics, abusing these guys like this is ridiculous. I have no idea how Bochy survived in San Diego for so many years if he did this regularly. Maybe he’s trying to get fired because the Giants job is gonna be a losing one for the next few years.

by thejd44 on Aug 28, 2008 12:20 AM PDT up reply actions

but the Giant's fans are worse

Earlier this year, when he did the right thing and pulled Lincecum after 7IP and like 111 pitches, he got to hear about a month solid of complaints that he should have had him go longer. While I know that a manager/FO should pay about 0 attention to what joe six pack and the Razor have to say about one particular game decision, you have to wonder if that does not play into the decision a bit.

"Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it?"-Steve McCatty

by 5Aces on Aug 28, 2008 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions

If it does, that's more reason why he shouldn't be managing

I odn’t really talk to Giants fans. I’ve said here before that I follow and root for the team just because I’ve always been a big Aaron Rowand fan (and I’m not from the Bay Area so I don’t share in the A’s/Giants rivalry), but I don’t do Giants fan things like post on their message boards. I have no idea how smart the overall fan base is.

by thejd44 on Aug 28, 2008 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions

McCovey Chronicles is pretty smart

Of course, McCovey Chronicles was also pissed as f*#$ at Bochy yesterday.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Aug 28, 2008 12:13 PM PDT up reply actions

But I bet Ralph Barbieri was thrilled

by theblackpearl on Aug 28, 2008 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions

Street

I didn’t see tonight’s game, but from the sound of it, Huston Street is back to his old self. If this is the case, I really hope that he regains the closer role next season. I like Ziggy as much as everybody here, but with his ridiculous ability to get a ground ball pretty much on command, the A’s should use him in the 7th/8th inning in those situations when you need the double play (not just those situations, but as a closer he’s being wasted sometimes because you’re saving him). If Street isn’t around next year, I’d advocate letting Devine close. I just think Ziegler is more valuable in a non-closing role.

by thejd44 on Aug 28, 2008 12:22 AM PDT reply actions

I actually got to watch the game for the first time in a while

And Street was definitely on, with a devastating slider and good command. It wasn’t exactly a low-pressure environment either, with the Angels always a threat late in the game, and he didn’t give up a base-runner, I believe.

It was nice to see he still can tap his raw talent and skill to be that good, he just needs to regain his consistency and he’ll be back in a closer role. For Oakland it remains to be seen.

I was beginning to doubt him after his 3-4 straight blown saves, but he hopefully worked things out.

witty remark

by dtownmbrown on Aug 28, 2008 12:35 AM PDT up reply actions

Confidence

..Goes a long way in this game.

by Colorado Fan on Aug 28, 2008 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions

So does being healthy.

by thejd44 on Aug 28, 2008 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions

I think that..

the hot dogs I ate tonight were reasonably good. The buns were a little cold; I should not place them in the refrigerator. They were ballpark jumbo franks, which are pretty high quality stuff. Michael Jordan used to do commercials for them. Michael Jordan was a pretty amazing basketball player, but he played baseball too. He sucked at baseball. You know who else sucked at baseball? Juan Encarnacion. I always hated that guy. It took him forever and a day to run down a ball in the corner. He got hit in the eye last year. His career is probably over. Maybe I shouldn’t talk about how much he sucks. You know what else sucks? Tolls. It slows down traffic for a worthless 75 cents or something. Why don’t you just add it to my state sales tax or something? The end.

by VORP is too nerdy on Aug 28, 2008 2:27 AM PDT reply actions