9/29/08 DLD: It is over

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2008 7:17 AM PDT

No A's game today, folks. No A's game until... well, I can't think about that right now. To the links!

Outfielder Ryan Sweeney will have surgery at 7 a.m. today to reattach his left pinkie tendon to the bone. That has already happened. Good I hope everything went okay. I'll be in Iowa in a few days to take care of you!

------

From this weekend: Smith ends season with 16 pickoffs.

The rookie did tie the record for most pickoffs in a season, with 16, when he caught Yuniesky Betancourt off first in the second inning. The statistic has been kept since 1987.
Smith said he was disappointed upon hearing he'd tied rather than set the record.
"I got this far, now I want it," Smith said. He added with a smile, "Maybe I can talk them into putting me in the game" today.
Oakland has 36 pickoffs overall, tied for third most since 1987.

------

Embree makes me sad:

"I think it's possibly myself, Crosby, Street, Ellis, Duke - we could all be gone," Embree said. "There are a lot of variables but, I would expect that our card game (which often includes Street and Crosby) is broken up and that the chess match (Street and Andrew Brown) is over."

------

I love Jeff.

Then I'd try to picture my life without this place. And I never could. For better or worse, Lookout Landing has kind of become a major part of my identity, and I came to realize that this isn't the sort of thing that you just up and stop doing one day. LL means a lot of things to a lot of people, but it also means a lot of things to me, and every time I'd lay in bed thinking I can't do this anymore, I'd convince myself that it's worth the effort. Every time.

He does it almost entirely by himself. Jeff, I love you. LL alone is almost enough to make me a Mariners fan. Almost. Keep doing what you do.

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The Tigers and White Sox play today at 2:05 ET. Freddy Garcia vs Gavin Floyd. No pressure, fellas.

I tried to explain to my family the significance of this weekend. It didn't reach them, I guess.

Me: ONE GAME! The Twins held their fate in their own hands!
Dad: [blank stare]
Me: ONE GAME! It's going to be crazy!
Dad: [blank stare]

------

To some football:
Winless Rams fire coach Scott Linehan. That was quick.

------

Finally, the hopes of many young men came crashing down this weekend. Scarlett Johansson married Ryan Reynolds in Canada this weekend.

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The Red Sox-Angels matchup is a challenge for us

But I’ll root for Boston, temporarily. I’ll try to remember the slightly lovable Red Sox of days gone past. However, it is annoying that Beckett strained his oblique and Papelbon is such a complete tool as to kick things in the dugout because he lost a meaningless game.

Don't blame me, I voted for Bill King.

by Englishmajor on Sep 29, 2008 8:11 AM PDT 0 recs

If it's a

Twins-Brewers world series will they postpone ’til after the election for lack of interest or simply move the broadcast to local cable-access channel?

"...in baseball you wear a cap." -- george carlin

by Hot Cup Joe on Sep 29, 2008 9:06 AM PDT up 0 recs

At least with their domes, they won't have to play with ear flaps and worry about getting red balls.

/ahem

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Sep 29, 2008 10:22 AM PDT up 0 recs

Poo

It would be sad without the excess hype surrounding the Red Sox or Cubs and to have smaller markets playing, I guess only real baseball fans will watch. Oh darn.

People could say the same things about Oakland vs any-small-market team too I guess.

Gas to Chicago- $23.87 A's/White Sox Tix- $28 Watching the A's whipping the Sox in July 05'- Priceless

by WiscoFan on Sep 30, 2008 10:54 AM PDT up 0 recs

sorry, can't do it

by OaklandSi on Sep 29, 2008 9:09 AM PDT up 0 recs

Me neither.

I despise the Angels, but I really want “Red Sox Nation” to be taken down a peg or 15.

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Sep 29, 2008 7:16 PM PDT up 0 recs

Because he is pissed he pitched badly? I like that competitiveness even if it isnt game 7. He knows the game was important as a tune up for him to get ready for playoffs and he is frustrated he is struggling a bit lately. I dont think that makes him a tool in the least ust because the game was “meaningless” in the standings. Not to mention it was the Yankees and in Fenway, that’s never meaningless.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Sep 29, 2008 10:16 AM PDT up 0 recs

I don't blame him for being angry

I blame him because he hasn’t figured out some way of expressing his anger that doesn’t involve the risk of breaking parts of his body that might be useful to his team in the playoffs.

Don't blame me, I voted for Bill King.

by Englishmajor on Sep 29, 2008 11:37 AM PDT up 0 recs

OK, that I can see...

Not what you said the first time. I agree with you in not risking body parts.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Sep 29, 2008 11:56 AM PDT up 0 recs

I'm rooting for 7 game series

multiple extra innings…gassed bullpens…late night cross coutry flights…rain delays…brawls…ejections…suspensions…

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Sep 29, 2008 12:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

and while we're at it

let’s bring back the streakers.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Sep 29, 2008 12:59 PM PDT up 0 recs

I’m going to the game on Wednesday because my dad bought 4 tix and it’s my mom’s birthday. I don’t know who I’ll be rooting for (or against I guess) but I know I won’t be wearing red.

by drmmerchk on Sep 29, 2008 10:40 PM PDT up 0 recs

What do you mean it’s over??

Story of my life.

Oh, to forgive is human, to ERA is Devine.
Or something like that.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Sep 29, 2008 8:14 AM PDT 0 recs

Heh, that's cute.

"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball." -- Connie Mack

by GreenSocks on Sep 30, 2008 1:23 PM PDT up 0 recs

A few lists...

I don’t know why their data is different, but here’s Baseball Reference’s list of the top pickoff seasons of all time:



  Cnt Player            Pk Year Age

——————————-————-

    1 Jerry Garvin      23 1977  21 

    2 Steve Carlton     19 1977  32 

    3 Steve Carlton     16 1978  33 

    4 Greg Smith        15 2008  24 

    5 Terry Mulholland  15 1992  29 

    6 Steve Carlton     15 1983  38 

    7 Andy Pettitte     14 1997  25 

    8 Charlie Hough     14 1988  40 

    9 Jerry Koosman     14 1979  36 

   10 Steve Avery       13 1995  25

Lowest Single Season ERA, minimum 40 IP:



Cnt Player              ERA    IP  Year Age

——————————-—————-———-+

    1 Buck O’Brien        0.38  47.2 1911  29 

    2 Joey Devine         0.59  45.2 2008  24 

    3 Dennis Eckersley    0.61  73.1 1990  35 

    4 George McQuillan    0.66  41   1907  22 

    5 Rob Murphy          0.72  50.1 1986  26 

    6 Barry Latman        0.76  47.2 1958  22 

    7 Rich Gossage        0.77  46.2 1981  29 

    8 Earl Hamilton       0.83  54   1918  26 

    9 Nick Maddox         0.83  54   1907  20 

   10 Cisco Carlos        0.86  41.2 1967  26

Lowest Single Season ERA, minimum 55 IP:



  Cnt Player              ERA    IP  Year Age

——————————-—————-———-+

    1 Dennis Eckersley    0.61  73.1 1990  35 

    2 Tim Keefe           0.86 105   1880  23 

    3 Ferdie Schupp       0.90 140.1 1916  25 

    4 Jonathan Papelbon   0.92  68.1 2006  25 

    5 Chris Hammond       0.95  76   2002  36 

    6 Dutch Leonard       0.96 224.2 1914  22 

    7 Dale Murray         1.03  69.2 1974  24 

    8 Rollie Fingers      1.04  78   1981  34 

    9 Bob Veale           1.04  77.2 1963  27 

   10 Mordecai Brown      1.04 277.1 1906  29 

   11 Brad Ziegler        1.06  59.2 2008  28 

   12 Babe Adams          1.11 130   1909  27 

   13 John Smoltz         1.12  64.1 2003  36 

   14 Bob Gibson          1.12 304.2 1968  32

by Danny on Sep 29, 2008 9:05 AM PDT 0 recs

I thought Devine broke the record; obviously he didn't.

But he’s still made of awesome.

Now with 100% more Canuck.

by Blicks on Sep 29, 2008 9:37 AM PDT up 0 recs

At least for the pick offs, I dont think their data is different.

They didn’t officially keep track of the record until 1987, so any of the records before that “don’t matter”.

And how the heck did they not keep track of pick offs until 1987?!? They have made changes to all sorts of rules, livened, deadened, and livened the ball again, lowered the mound, and changed the sac fly rule about 5 times, but no one thought about counting the number of times someone had a pick off?

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

by 5Aces on Sep 29, 2008 9:56 AM PDT up 0 recs

I don't understand why we can't retroactively count stats like that

And saves (as dumb as it is, I sitll would like it kept).

How hard would it be and how much time would it take to have a couple people go through boxscores to record the saves? Pickoffs might be a bit tougher, and you’d need complete PBP data, but that could even be done.

by thejd44 on Sep 29, 2008 11:47 AM PDT up 0 recs

not with a bang but a whimper

"The Athletics at Fremont" is really bad

by ArakSOT on Sep 29, 2008 9:22 AM PDT 0 recs

We are the hollow men

(TS Elliot forecasting lineup problems)

I'm a street walkin cheetah with a heart full of napalm.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Sep 29, 2008 10:26 AM PDT up 0 recs

Pinkie tendons

My daughter also had pinkie tendon surgery recently. Of course, the circumstances were a little different. In her case it was a freak kindergarten scissors accident. Maybe she could offer some advice to Ryan about her recovery. I’ll have to bring her along on my stalkings.

A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular.

by IowaA'sFan on Sep 29, 2008 9:25 AM PDT 0 recs

I'll meet you at the Kum and Go.

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2008 9:32 AM PDT up 0 recs

How long until she was able to swing a bat?

by thejd44 on Sep 29, 2008 11:48 AM PDT up 0 recs

I just read the Chron

and I have messages for two of the players: Grandpa Embree, you’re supposed to be the funny man, not the serious one. Don’t say such sad, sad things. And RyRy: Surgery at 7 a.m.? You must be an early riser. I’m not a morning person. I don’t know if this is gonna work out.

by whiteshoes40 on Sep 29, 2008 9:37 AM PDT 0 recs

And you know they had a late plane ride in from Seattle.

BTW, anyone know the approx inning KenKo mentioned the Sweeney family road trip during Saturday’s game?

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2008 9:39 AM PDT up 0 recs

I doubt he talked about

their precise route/itinerary.

A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular.

by IowaA'sFan on Sep 29, 2008 9:43 AM PDT up 0 recs

Maybe not...

Went to Seattle, and saw a few of them wondering the airport around 6:30 last night as I was waiting for my flight.

by SwisherGirl33 on Sep 29, 2008 8:00 PM PDT up 0 recs

He probably just stayed up

Doctors have this nasty habit of wanting to do elective surgical procedures at the crack of dawn. I foolishly agreed to a similar schedule for something minor I’m having done next month, and now I realize this means I have to get myself across the Bay Bridge at 6 AM when I’ve been fasting for twelve hours. Not looking forward to it.

Don't blame me, I voted for Bill King.

by Englishmajor on Sep 29, 2008 10:12 AM PDT up 0 recs

My favorite:

1) Here, drink this. It’s going to taste like crap and make you wish you were dead,
2) Don’t eat anything but clear liquids for 24hours, and don’t drink anything for 12 hours,
3) Stick this up your butt,
4) Now let us try to stick you with a needle. Gee, why can’t a find a vein? Are you dehydrated?

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2008 10:17 AM PDT up 0 recs

Is this an elective surgical procedure.....

or a date?

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

by alox on Sep 29, 2008 10:20 AM PDT up 0 recs

QOTM

"We've come a long way, and I'm not talking about Virginia Slims, either." - Art Howe

by EastCoastA on Sep 29, 2008 3:20 PM PDT up 0 recs

LOL! Yes, that IS what I'm having done!

Don't blame me, I voted for Bill King.

by Englishmajor on Sep 29, 2008 11:38 AM PDT up 0 recs

hahaha

it is hard to find a vein when you’re dehydrated lol

i hate when people tell me they are hard sticks before i even see them. do they want me to mess up?

Andy Bernard does not lose contests. He wins them. Or he quits them. Because they're unfair.

by BigTuna on Sep 29, 2008 6:31 PM PDT up 0 recs

You can take advantage of this

Take out some frustration by poking those people a few times. They won’t think you’re doing anything wrong, since that’s how it’s “supposed” to go.

by thejd44 on Sep 30, 2008 12:12 AM PDT up 0 recs

If Gavin beats Freddy

The Phillies look even more like morons. But that was the past.

And, I love Jeff. Not a Mariners fan, but LL is always a nice read.

Now with 100% more Canuck.

by Blicks on Sep 29, 2008 9:39 AM PDT 0 recs

Jeff is awesome.

I’m not an M’s fan or a Giants fan, but I still love reading LL and McCovey Chronicles for the hilarity and complete awesomeness.

by whiteshoes40 on Sep 29, 2008 9:41 AM PDT up 0 recs

I have a link!

Urban’s season in review: not much new, but there are links to a bunch of highlights from the season, including a classic Dale-doing-the-splits moment; Ellis’ slam (Kuip’s call: “Ellis! Ellis! ELLIS!” — but that game’s sad because Rich and Chavy played in it); RyRy throwing out a runner; Nathan throwing away Ryan’s bunt attempt for the walk-off; Hannahan’s gymnastics; and, of course, the K-Rod’s walk-off error, which I could watch over and over and over and over and over…

And if you want clips from every game, here’s a link to the top plays archive from the entire season.

by whiteshoes40 on Sep 29, 2008 10:05 AM PDT 0 recs

That Ellis walkoff never gets old.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Sep 29, 2008 10:31 AM PDT up 0 recs

NEVER. EVER. EVER. (gets old, I mean)

Seriously, My favorite memory of the season. but it’s not really a memory, cuz I watch it all the time.

We're in a team-wide funk. ~Mark Ellis

by #14fan on Sep 29, 2008 10:54 PM PDT up 0 recs

January 24th? Crap, I think I'm out of town. :(

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Sep 29, 2008 10:33 AM PDT up 0 recs

That sucks.

I haven’t been to a FanFest since… 2004, I think. I’m pumped.

by whiteshoes40 on Sep 29, 2008 10:36 AM PDT up 0 recs

I should have went last year.

It was on my birthday. :(

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2008 10:37 AM PDT up 0 recs

Dang, I'm not going to be in the area either.

Children, until we have taught them better, will be perfectly happy with a seasonal round of games in which conkers succeeds hopscotch.

by salb918 on Sep 29, 2008 12:03 PM PDT up 0 recs

Same

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

by Helloooo 1st on Sep 29, 2008 12:31 PM PDT up 0 recs

Want me to pick up a Q&A for you?

What size?

Ray: "How fun is it to be up here playing in the Big Leagues?"
Gio: "It's *SUPER* fun!!!"

by Poppy on Sep 29, 2008 11:31 PM PDT up 0 recs

Can you pet Mark Ellis for me?

There's no crying in baseball!

by gigglingone on Sep 30, 2008 8:41 AM PDT up 0 recs

He'll more likely be at a Fan Fest in whatever city you'll be in.

Ray: "How fun is it to be up here playing in the Big Leagues?"
Gio: "It's *SUPER* fun!!!"

by Poppy on Oct 1, 2008 7:59 AM PDT up 0 recs

I'm putting it on my calendar now!

Gee, I hope they don’t need to postpone it if the Raiders need to get in some extra practice before their Super Bowl appearance.

Don't blame me, I voted for Bill King.

by Englishmajor on Sep 29, 2008 11:41 AM PDT up 0 recs

The Sweeney interview is actually with Mike not Ryan. the site made a mistake.

by Erin6 on Sep 29, 2008 4:18 PM PDT up 0 recs

"Over?!?"

“Did you say "over”?" “Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!”

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Sep 29, 2008 10:17 AM PDT 0 recs

Fat, drunk, and

stupid in no way to go through life young man.

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

by alox on Sep 29, 2008 10:21 AM PDT up 0 recs

Can you believe

that he’s been gone for 25 years? When you think of all the people we could have done without so easily….

"...in baseball you wear a cap." -- george carlin

by Hot Cup Joe on Sep 29, 2008 10:26 AM PDT up 0 recs

Bluto: My advice to you is to start drinking heavily.
Otter: Better listen to him, Hot Cup, he’s in pre-med.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Sep 29, 2008 10:34 AM PDT up 0 recs

I hate to admit it

but flounder is the only one who i really identified with….

"...in baseball you wear a cap." -- george carlin

by Hot Cup Joe on Sep 29, 2008 5:49 PM PDT up 0 recs

Amazing. That whole cast was fantastic.

Toga, Toga, Toga…..

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

by alox on Sep 29, 2008 10:36 AM PDT up 0 recs

Wolfgang Pinto Mozart begs to differ.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Sep 29, 2008 11:00 AM PDT up 0 recs

Apropos of nothing -- except that it is foosball season, two of my boys won a photo contest.

here.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Sep 29, 2008 10:42 AM PDT 0 recs

by The Dogfather on Sep 29, 2008 1:55 PM PDT up 0 recs

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2008 11:04 AM PDT up 0 recs

by The Dogfather on Sep 29, 2008 11:08 AM PDT up 0 recs

I'm doing QOTM on Wednesday...

I don’t want to overload AN with diaries this week.

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2008 11:12 AM PDT up 0 recs

I'll say yes, but I'd only rec it.

The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus

by The Dogfather on Sep 29, 2008 11:02 AM PDT up 0 recs

It's in a rain delay right now.

Which I find rather funny.

And yes, we should have a thread.

by whiteshoes40 on Sep 29, 2008 11:06 AM PDT up 0 recs

Load everybody on a few buses and drive to Milwaukee

They could be playing in a couple of hours.

by Soaker on Sep 29, 2008 11:07 AM PDT up 0 recs

How in the hell do you not notice this?

Woman finds bat in coffee filter

It wasn’t just the caffeine that gave an eastern Iowa woman an extra jolt when she had her morning cup of coffee.

It was the bat she found in the coffee filter.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Health say the woman reported seeing a bat in her house but wasn’t overly worried about it. They say she turned on her automatic coffee maker before she went to bed and had her coffee the next morning.

/snip

They say the bat was sent to a state lab for testing but its brain was too cooked by the heat of the brewing water to determine if it had rabies.

Yikes.

by JLaff on Sep 29, 2008 11:29 AM PDT 0 recs

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