Athletics Nation: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:

Around SBN: Reflections on the Best Blazers Month In Forever Bar-right-arrows

You See Something New Every Day: A's 3, Twins 2

Banana_album_041907_tiny by monkeyball on

OK, I lied.

I do care whether the A's win or not, here in the tail end of a 10-games-below-.500 season.

And win the A's did, on a unique way in the bottom of the ninth:

With Bobby Crosby on 2nd (single) and Emil Brown on 1st (HBP) with no outs and trailing in the bottom of the 9th 2-1, Ryan Sweeney dropped a first-pitch bunt against Joe Nathan.

Sweeney's bunt, while of the competent fair-and-on-the-ground variety, was hard and ill-placed: it bounced right back to Nathan, who wheeled and threw to 3rd, where the ball beat Crosby --

-- and tailed away from the Twins' third-baseman, glancing off his glove and bounding all the way down the left-field line and over the A's bullpen mound. Crosby scrambled to his feet at 3rd and scampered home, and Emil kept running all the way around from 1st to tally the winning run.

As I said, unique.

For most of the evening, it looked to be another Cust-or-bust game for the A's. Francisco Liriano shut the A's down with his filthy stuff, surrendering only another Custean moonshot. (Is it just me, or are Liriano's mechanics simply terrible? He's got both dor-K-style histrionic follow-throughs and Dan Meyer-style incomplete follow-throughs on every alternating pitch. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him blow his arm out again.)

Dallas Braden, thought not nearly as dominant as Liriano, matched him zero-for-zero until serving up a meatball that Denard Span launched into the seats in the 4th for a 2-run lead (Cust's solo HR keeping the A's close in the bottom half of that frame). Embree and Street closed the lid on the Twins' offense in the 7th and 8th-9th, respectively, with Street getting credit for the W.

I, for one, am not ready to sign on to the smallball "make the other team commit errors" school of thought. Yes, absolutely, having Sweeney bunt in that situation was the right call -- but let's keep in mind that the bunt, while competent, wasn't all that good and very nearly had the lead runner out.

But, damn, if that wasn't a fun ending.

The A's go for a ... second consecutive series win (?!?) tomorrow.

0 recs | Comment 86 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

As I said in the game thread, I thought having Sweeney bunt

was the WRONG call. I’d rather have Sweeney trying to get the winning hit, or advance Crosby with a fielder’s choice or fly ball, than set up a second and third, one out matchup of Cust vs. Nathan, with craptastic hitters (Barton, Hannahan, Patterson) to follow.

But I do like putting pressure on the defense and at least bunting did that.

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 30, 2008 9:05 PM PDT   0 recs

Agreed.

 The fact is that…if the A’s employ this tactic 10 times throughout the season in the same situation vs Nathan I find it hard to believe that they would win any more than 3 times if they employ these same tactics. I’d like to see the manager play the percentages which I believe were to let Sweeney swing away. Let’s step back and look at what we were doing in this situation and not think about the fact that we won for a second. We are playing small ball in effect by bunting our runners over to second and third. Hoping we tie the game and play on or best case scenario we win. In playing this small ball game, we require the hitters after the bunt to sacrifice home the tieing run with one out. Why would we go to all this trouble of giving up an out if we know that Cust is not a good candidate to get the job done. You also have to factor in that Cust not only is a strikeout victim a lot, but that isn’t against the likes of Joe Nathan. Nathan has nasty stuff and is the best closer in the game, you don’t give him outs, he gets to many of them as it is. Dumb move, yes we got lucky and I’m happy, but that doesn’t mean it was the smartest move to help our team win the game.

by mattman on Aug 30, 2008 9:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I thought Sweeney should've been swinging away

Since Cust strikes out a lot, having him bat with a runner at third and one out is not a high-percentage situation for the A’s. But hey, they won, so who am I to argue.

"However, at Elias, I think they keep track of the amount of sunflower seeds spit in a dugout each night." - Brad Ziegler, 8/7/08

by doctorK on Aug 30, 2008 9:06 PM PDT   0 recs

Bunting seemed to play right into the Twins' hands -

yet Nathan didn’t take the sure out. He barely had Crosby at third – it would have been very close but it looked like Crosby was going to be out – but it was a situation where Nathan didn’t NEED to force the issue because he had great matchups the rest of the way.

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 30, 2008 9:07 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Kinda nice seeing someone else fail at the fundamentals for once

"However, at Elias, I think they keep track of the amount of sunflower seeds spit in a dugout each night." - Brad Ziegler, 8/7/08

by doctorK on Aug 30, 2008 9:13 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm also in agreement with the "Sweeney should've swung away" thought...

…given who was due up behind him. Of all the things that could have happened on his bunt, we lucked out and got the best, least likely one, eliminating the concern over what might have happened next.

In a situation like that it’s very easy to say “You absolutely bunt there,” but when you have Cust due up behind him you’re not really expecting him to ground a ball through the hole, poke one into shallow center or something like that. It’s still probably going to be homer, strikeout or walk and at least if he gets it in the air maybe you get a sac fly.

If he strikes out, you have a 2-out situation with Barton stepping to the plate and if the Twins really want to they can walk him to face Ellis.

If Sweeney’s coming up with somebody like Suzuki on deck (hell, talk about limited preferences), I definitely go for the bunt. I just don’t have faith in Cust coming up in a situation like that.

Whatever the case, I’m glad the throwing error made it all moot.

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

by Flashfire on Aug 30, 2008 9:13 PM PDT   0 recs

And if he 'succeeded'

it would have been 2nd / 3rd with one out – Cust would have walked or Kd.

Both of those would be doom to the A’s. So therefore, the best choice was to bunt just hard enough to make Nathan try for third!

by MobiusKlein on Aug 30, 2008 9:41 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It's not as if Cust ALWAYS strikes out or walks,

but honestly, with runners at second and third and one out in a spot like that if I had Cust up and Ryan Sweeney on the bench I’d pinch hit Sweeney. It’s just a terrible matchup/situation for Cust, and meanwhile of the five hitters coming up (Sweeney, Cust, Barton, Hannahan, Patterson), Sweeney is the one I most want hitting when you need a sac fly OR a hit.

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 30, 2008 9:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh, that's right. Hannahan went in for defense after Ellis PH, didn't he?

I had Ellis as hitting after Barton. Either way, getting to Hannahan would’ve been even better for the Twins.

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

by Flashfire on Aug 30, 2008 9:54 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, if I'm Nathan and I have to face

Barton and Hannahan with the bases loaded and one/two out, I’m feeling pretty ok about my chances.

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 30, 2008 9:55 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

And he might have singled

The odds don’t always dictate the result.

Case in point: throwing error, game over.

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

by Flashfire on Aug 30, 2008 9:53 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I thought this was a great game!

And I really am starting to like Crosby. I used to love Scutaro and I thought Crosby was a terrible offensive player, but after this year, I feel he is truly the right guy to play short stop for the Oakland Athletics.

by butler19 on Aug 30, 2008 9:13 PM PDT   0 recs

[gouges eyes out with a hot poker]

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Aug 30, 2008 10:03 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Hey, now you and Croz have the same eyesight!

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 30, 2008 10:04 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Worthy of mention, too:

A great call by Ken Korach on the bunt/error.

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 30, 2008 9:22 PM PDT   0 recs

Stupid mlb.com

That would be worth listening to the archive of the radio broadcast. Last year when a game was archived, I could advance to any point in the audio file. This year, alas, I can’t get to the end unless I play the whole thing. I’d love to hear KenKo’s call, but I don’t have three hours to wait for the archive to get to the end of the game…. :-(

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

by iglew on Aug 31, 2008 2:10 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Suggestion - set it up before you go out for 3 hours

and it will be ready when you get back.

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 31, 2008 8:18 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I tried that once

when I was hoping to record Bill King’s famous “wildest alcoholic nightmare” for someone. I set the archive running, but then I forgot to come back in time and missed it.

It was much better in previous years. I would often listen to the archive of the game but frequently skip forward in the tape if the game wasn’t very interesting, or (more often) if I knew I wouldn’t stay awake long enough to hear the whole game. (Also, you have to listen to the entire pregame show now?? Ugh.)

Maybe I just don’t have the right software. I didn’t load that new “Silverlight” thingie it keeps asking me about. I’ve got enough Microsoft garbage on my computer; I don’t want more.

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

by iglew on Aug 31, 2008 3:42 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I had the radio on (in my ear) at the game

of course, Korach’s great call was kind of drowned out by me and thousands of others. It’s also kind of hard to hear the announcer when you’re jumping up and down.

by OaklandSi on Aug 31, 2008 8:33 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm not ready...

…to go the ‘small ball’ route all the time, either, but I do think it has it’s place at least occasionally. It sure was a fun and surprising win, though.

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

by UncleLeo on Aug 30, 2008 9:28 PM PDT   0 recs

I probably like "small ball" a little more than the average ANer,

but every situation has to be looked at specifically and I think everything – from the hitter up, to the hitter on deck and his matchup with the pitcher, to the hitters who followed – aligned to make bunting the wrong call.

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 30, 2008 9:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

so, a Sweeney GIDP leaving a runner on third for Cust w/2 outs is better how, exactly?

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

by monkeyball on Aug 30, 2008 9:49 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm not going to assume that Sweeney is destined to

bounce into a DP, hitting away with both infielders in at the corners. Which do you think is more likely:

1. Sweeney vs. Nathan: DP, or
2. Cust vs. Nathan: Strickout!!!111

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 30, 2008 9:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I was out, I didn't see any of the game

but were the corner infielders both all the way in? If so, bunting there was a really terrible move. With Sweeney’s slappy hitting style, his average would probably go up 30 points with the infielders in.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Aug 30, 2008 10:06 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It was the usual "bunting situation" defense

Up at third and first, both charging with the pitch.

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 30, 2008 10:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I was so amazed by the play,

I forgot to pay attention to who was covering third. Was it the SS?

"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 30, 2008 10:10 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

No, actually it was Brendan Harris, the 3Bman

who retreated to take the throw. It wasn’t a great throw but it was most certainly catchable.

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 30, 2008 10:11 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Serves them right for playing Brendan Harris

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Aug 30, 2008 10:12 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

This is true - in a lot of leagues

that’s an automatic forfeit. Here they actually make the team play the game and lose because Harris played badly.

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 30, 2008 10:13 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think I'm with you...

…on the more than average aspect, at least as far as ANers goes, though I’m fine with it not being a primary strategy. I think I have to disagree with you on this instance, though. I’ve always felt that occasionally doing things like this helps keep the opposition guessing and off-balance and helps in the long run. Of course it doesn’t always work, and some managers and coaches who subscribe to this theory overdo it.

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

by UncleLeo on Aug 30, 2008 10:00 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm not sure to whom you're replying, UncleLeo, but if it's to me

I’m all for variance and lack of predictability as a core principle in strategy. In other words, I’m not “for” or “against” bunting, hit-and-run, SB, hit 3-0, etc. I think it’s vital not to be predictable.

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 30, 2008 10:03 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yes, I was responding to you primarily...

…I think part of what makes me ok with it here is that even if Sweeney were told to swing away… which would not have been a bad strategy, btw… his chance of success would still be no more than 30%, so I kind of see the odds either way as a wash.

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

by UncleLeo on Aug 30, 2008 10:07 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The Rivercats' lineup looks awfully familiar...

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2008_08_30_freaaa_srcaaa_1
Denorfia, Buck, M Sweeney, Bankston, Conrad, Gonzalez, Murphy, Petit…

What a season this has been!

More than just ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/

by louismg on Aug 30, 2008 9:31 PM PDT   0 recs

LOL - oh my

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 30, 2008 9:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Take a look at the box score on that Rivercats game

Dinardo pitched 3 innings and gave up 14 hits and 15 runs (all earned), with 2 BB and 2 HRs. The poor guy. Why was he left in for such a beating? You have to figure by the time the other teams scored, say, 10 runs the manager might figure out this wasn’t his night…

by SA on Aug 30, 2008 9:50 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Certainly after the 14th run...

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 30, 2008 9:52 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Perhaps the manager was mesmerized by Lenny's pecs?

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 30, 2008 9:52 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think maybe the Cat's manager was sending a message....

Namely, I don’t want this bum either.

"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 30, 2008 9:56 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I mean, nobody likes a sacrificial lamb more than I do

but come on…The SPCA should look into this.

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 30, 2008 9:58 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Really! At least a sacrifice is quick and relatively painless....

this was more of a bloodletting. Slow and agonizing.

"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 30, 2008 10:00 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

RIP, Lenny DiNardo's ERA

It was a good ERA, a family ERA, and it will always be treasured.

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 30, 2008 10:15 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I know you're not supposed to speak ill of the dead

but his ERA wasn’t all that great to begin with.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Aug 30, 2008 10:16 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

But to acknowledge that would be tantamount to saying,

“Veronica Goatbody will always be remembered as a slightly self-centered sales clerk whose parenting skills were average at best.”

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 30, 2008 10:18 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I was there. It was pretty ugly.

by justarebelheart on Aug 31, 2008 12:30 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I wonder if any team has ever played a minor league game

where literally everyone in it had been in the majors at some point that season.

The ‘Cats came close tonight… only the oddly ubiquitous Raul Padron (I was sure he was going to be released when he got suspended for steroid use… but somehow he is still around and OPSing in the high .600s…) and some of the relievers hadn’t.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Aug 30, 2008 10:20 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

What the hell?

Call up Padron now. With a name like that, he’s certainly a player I can root for. Tell him to bring some “juice” 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 30, 2008 10:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

That would be an unpadronably bad move

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Aug 31, 2008 12:41 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I was just wondering if anyone had ever given up 15 runs before

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 30, 2008 10:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Geren was playing for a tie

with the decision to bunt. A runner at third gives the team a few more options for scoring the tying run. It wasn’t a bad decision, especially considering where the team is in the standings. Make the players commit to a strategy and see if they can execute. Winning is nice and all, but at this point it’s secondary to execution.

"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 30, 2008 9:59 PM PDT   0 recs

I just don't think it was the best way to play for a tie

Actually, he was playing for the win just as much because he was advancing the winning run to second in the process. I just don’t think “setting it up for Cust to make contact against Nathan” is a terrific strategy, compared to letting your best hitter hit when the defense is shortened for a possible bunt.

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 30, 2008 10:05 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Valid points.

I can easily see your reasoning, and it’s sound. But playing it the way he did makes the tie/win a team effort. The old, “Do your part” routine. I’m inclined to give Bob the credit for the win along with Nathan though. Geren took his chances and came up with a win. Hard to argue with the results.

"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 30, 2008 10:08 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

The NPB philosophy?

Subordinate your individual performance for the “good” of the team?

I have to say, that’s one aspect of Japanese baseball where I will be glad if it never makes it over to the states…

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Aug 30, 2008 10:11 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I prefer the strategy of

“put your foot in the bucket, lunge forward with your hands back, and poke a single to left.”

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 30, 2008 10:13 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Not to worry.....

good old fashioned American egotism will see to it that it never fully takes root. All though, when it’s a practice spontaneously taken by a good team…..good things can come of it.

"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 30, 2008 10:14 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

as long as the current compensation system remains in place.

with individual stats making up the base of salary compensation, the Scott Borases of the world will continue their heyday.

It’s only when team success metrics come into the salary compensation that you’ll see alot more of “take one for the team”. Recall the sort-lived XFL? The players has a $50k base, and then many bonuses for team wins, how far they make it into the playoffs, etc. such that the bonus total would eclipse the base by orders of magnitude. Though this ultimately didn’t work out so well for the XFL since all the good players could otherwise sign for a higher base in the NFL.

by rollierollieOxenfree on Aug 31, 2008 12:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Just got home,

That was a blast, literally! I see your point Nico, but I still enjoyed the ending.

by lynnzgal on Aug 30, 2008 10:01 PM PDT   0 recs

Oh I did too!

I just hope he lets Sweeney swing away next time.

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 30, 2008 10:09 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

just got back from the game

(and fireworks, so I’m hungrily scarfing down chicken and olives — the first two things I saw in the fridge).

How do you win a game with practically no offense? Pitching, defense, and a little bit of luck.

Braden was good enough – he kept it close. Street was dominant. Ellis got a standing O when he came up to pinch hit (he’s been missed).

I heard a little bit of Extra Innings just after the fireworks. Seems according to TonyDi that the A’s have set a goal of trying to overtake the Rangers in the standings.

by OaklandSi on Aug 30, 2008 10:25 PM PDT   0 recs

I thought Braden did a nice job -

he is learning to “add and subtract” with his fastball, he’s throwing a few more sliders to righties, and he buckles down with runners on. He needs work on executing two-strike pitches, but that’s fine. He was solid tonight.

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 30, 2008 10:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

by the way, as soon as the game was over

and fans crowding the area near the bullpen to go on the field for the fireworks, Keith Foulke pitched a bullpen session. I dont’ remember seeing those sessions right after the game, particularly not with teh crowd so close to the pitcher.

by OaklandSi on Aug 30, 2008 10:29 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yep,

I was sitting very close to the pen. Never saw that before.

by lynnzgal on Aug 30, 2008 10:34 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Braden has been doing well the last few starts.

I hope that he can keep it up . I am feeling a little more optimistic about him continuing to be a starter next season.

by IM4Oakgal on Aug 30, 2008 10:52 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Nice pic...

I thought that the fan reaction last night to Ziggy’s ceremony was a little weak.

by IM4Oakgal on Aug 30, 2008 10:53 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh, I was at the game.

The cheers didn’t seem very loud IMO.

by IM4Oakgal on Aug 30, 2008 11:04 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I was in the westside club just before the game

watching the Cal game. I forgot that Ziggy was to be honored before the game.

In the Westside club they had most tvs tuned to the Cal game, but a few of the coliseum field before the game. But fro what was on it was hard to tell exactly what was going on.

I’m sorry I missed Ziggy’s ceremony — if I’d remembered (and if it had beena bit more obvious from inside0 I would have gone out and cheered for him.

by OaklandSi on Aug 31, 2008 8:37 AM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Nice!

I was out shopping for groceries during the 6th-8th innings and got home just in time to watch the whole 9th inning. I had a good feeling about it and I swear, Bobby Crosby is starting to make me a fan of his again. If he doesn’t get that lead off single, I don’t think we win the game and my delicious dinner tastes like dried Elmer’s glue and sand paper.

Go A’s!!!!!!!

by mrod on Aug 30, 2008 10:45 PM PDT   0 recs