Oakland @ Toronto GameThread, Aug 6, 2008 4:07 PM PDT

Open Thread: Game 113 - A's at Blue Jays

by baseballgirl on Aug 6, 2008 3:32 PM PDT

Oakland @ Toronto

Well, for the first time in a really long time, A's fans have something to look forward to in tonight's game; the major league debut of LHP Gio Gonzalez, who will be facing the Blue Jays in his start tonight. Everyone connected to the A's is high on Gonzalez, not so much for his starting numbers (a pedestrian 8-7, 4.24 ERA at Triple-A), but rather for his 128 K's in 123 innings.

I hope someone warned him that he needs to give up two runs or fewer in the game to have a chance at a major league win, because, you know, the A's offense. They will be facing Shaun Marcum.

I'm excited to see Gio pitch. Well, actually, I'm excited for something new and different in an A's game, and we get it tonight. Let's hope that a new pitcher equals a different outcome for the game. Maybe he'll throw nine.

Lineup

Oakland Athletics @ Toronto Blue Jays

08/06/08 4:07 PM PDT

Oakland Athletics	Toronto Blue Jays
Ryan Sweeney - RF	Marco Scutaro - 2B
Kurt Suzuki - C	David Eckstein - DH
Frank Thomas - DH	Alex Rios - CF
Carlos Gonzalez - CF	Lyle Overbay - 1B
Jack Cust - LF	Rod Barajas - C
Mark Ellis - 2B	Adam Lind - LF
Jack Hannahan - 3B	Scott Rolen - 3B
Bobby Crosby - SS	Kevin Mench - RF
Daric Barton - 1B	John McDonald - SS

LET'S GO OAKLAND!

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Please give Gio run support

Please give Gio run support
Please give Gio run support
Please give Gio run support
Please give Gio run support
Please give Gio run support
Please give Gio run support

by mikev on Aug 6, 2008 3:41 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

"His Name is Gio and he Pitches oh so Grand"

I call shotgun on using that line before anyone else does.

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Aug 6, 2008 3:41 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

Go Gio Gonzalez

GGG

Best of luck to him and whatever he does, we are happy to have his talent here.

Now let’s give him a couple of runs (somehow) in the first and let him do his thing.

Go A’s

I hate unproductive outs and the A's are producing them at record production

by Trainman on Aug 6, 2008 3:41 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

GGG?

I really don’t want to know Gio that well.

GGG.

They want to steal the land papers which is why they have tried to break in. But they had to give up after being bitten by Chhotu.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Aug 6, 2008 4:03 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

That's interesting.

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

by Jennifer on Aug 6, 2008 4:05 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

boy, am I not speculating on any username ...

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

by monkeyball on Aug 6, 2008 4:39 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

I'm predicting 5 IP, 4 ER for Gio

by thejd44 on Aug 6, 2008 3:43 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

9 pitch CGSO.

by mikev on Aug 6, 2008 3:45 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

wouldn't it have to be at least 27 pitches?

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

by 5Aces on Aug 6, 2008 4:13 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

No, it could be done on just 9.

Interesting stupid trivia, actually.

by mikev on Aug 6, 2008 4:14 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Hmm..

Does it have to do with batting out of order?

by Eggman on Aug 6, 2008 4:35 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

I imagine

Can’t you just balk 8 times and then get a triple play, for a one-pitch inning?

...and the future is now!

by gio_is_the_future on Aug 6, 2008 4:37 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

I guess that'd be a possiblity, but not the one I was envisioning.

by mikev on Aug 6, 2008 4:37 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Can't balk w/ nobody on base?

Or the kind that gives a Ball to the hitter?

by MobiusKlein on Aug 6, 2008 4:38 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Yes, that kind.

Not sure if it’s technically a balk. Delay of game certainly works though (In fact, I think Rafael Betancourt works SO slowly on the mound that he occasionally gets a ball called on him because he takes so long).

...and the future is now!

by gio_is_the_future on Aug 6, 2008 4:41 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Then 0 pitches is the minimum

Balk them onto base, then pick them off!

by MobiusKlein on Aug 6, 2008 4:42 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

ok, I give up

I am imagining it has to do with a rain shortened game.

My one thought is you could go to your mouth on the mound 4 times, get a walk, and then pick guys off. But that doesn’t do it.

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

by 5Aces on Aug 6, 2008 4:37 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

First batter, first pitch triple.

Next batter, the runner at 3rd steals home, but batter’s interference causes the batter to be out and the runner to return to 3rd.

Rinse and repeat.

by mikev on Aug 6, 2008 4:39 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

That gives me a better idea.

Get 4 balls on delay of game calls/balks, then pick off the runner. Repeat 27 times. A perfect game with ZERO pitches thrown!

...and the future is now!

by gio_is_the_future on Aug 6, 2008 4:42 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

6IP 6H 2BB 6Ks 2ERs

"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com

by Syphon on Aug 6, 2008 3:43 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

I hope I get home in time to see him pitch

so much pre-game hype

Enjoy the game

by DCinWC on Aug 6, 2008 3:44 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

Gio's Line Tonight: 9 ip 27 k's 0 bb's 0 hits 0 baserunners 0 runs

but the A’s lose 1-0 when street comes in in the 10th inning and blows it

you heard it here first.

Cust is the new Jaha.

by johnjahafanclub on Aug 6, 2008 3:45 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

I think a 9 pitch CGSO is much more likely.

by mikev on Aug 6, 2008 3:48 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Is he Bugs Bunny?

[Crosby] "Guy that has driven in some big runs for the A's over the years" - Vince Cotroneo

by WaddellCanseco on Aug 6, 2008 3:49 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

+1, sadly

Would this not be indicative of the season? Holding such promise only to find a soft chewy center of poop

"the A's need more quality preembreetive pitching" ~monkeyball

by OptimistPrime on Aug 6, 2008 3:55 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

keep the ball away from Huston Embree

and we have a shot!

Go Go Gio!

"the A's need more quality preembreetive pitching" ~monkeyball

by OptimistPrime on Aug 6, 2008 3:50 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

We've missed you, bbg -

there has been much hang-wringing and brow-beating and blame-casting – and no bbg? That’s too much to bear.

Go Gio Go A’s!

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 6, 2008 3:52 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

Second

[Crosby] "Guy that has driven in some big runs for the A's over the years" - Vince Cotroneo

by WaddellCanseco on Aug 6, 2008 3:52 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

BBG = Bugs Bunny Gio?

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Aug 6, 2008 3:53 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

or Big Baby Giozus?

rebuildingseason.blogspot.com

by Rebuilding Season on Aug 6, 2008 3:54 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

I was visiting the Evil Empire...New York in Boston

and my job doesn’t let me do anything these days…but I have some good articles for AN as soon as I write them, and get the pictures!!!

So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one

by baseballgirl on Aug 6, 2008 4:01 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

It feels like Opening Day...of the Arizona Fall League

The need to throw objects across the living room or participate in Vent Threads has abated. I want to see Barton find his game and I want to see Sweeney and C. Gonzalez finish strong. I’d like Crosby to go on a tear and increase his trade value. The young starters should keep pitching every fifth day but probably with hard pitch count limits. And I want to make a list of which mediocrities deserve to be e-mailed into oblivion and never seen again after September 28.

So it’s not so much “Let’s Go A’s!”, as “Let’s Have Fun, and Enjoy the Game!”

by Soaker on Aug 6, 2008 3:52 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

Beware of Crosby going on a tear

Unicorns & Clowns tend to get hurt.

In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!

by DMOAS on Aug 6, 2008 3:54 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Depending on what kind of "tear" you mean,

I can see one with Crosby.

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 6, 2008 3:55 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

I will have tears

if Crosby is the A’s starting shortstop on Opening Day 2009.

by Soaker on Aug 6, 2008 3:57 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

I will have a hankie ready

Enjoy the game

by DCinWC on Aug 6, 2008 4:01 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Preferably not tonight since the team doesn't have any other infielders

by thejd44 on Aug 6, 2008 4:05 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

OH GOD

I am so excited.

...and the future is now!

by gio_is_the_future on Aug 6, 2008 3:54 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

You know, for the first five hitters

the lineup doesn’t look too bad. Then everyone’s batting too high up.

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 6, 2008 3:55 PM PDT reply reply 0 recs

I do like the first 5 hitters.

So, bring on Bonds! Or, not... then, bring back Langerhans!! -One won lost one

by baseballgirl on Aug 6, 2008 4:01 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

Meaning

We have to push some pieces off the playing table?

Enjoy the game

by DCinWC on Aug 6, 2008 4:02 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs

I think Barton and Hannahan should castle

I don’t even know what that means, but I wanted to say 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 6, 2008 4:03 PM PDT up reply reply 0 recs