Sweeney's Game Ending Catch Saves A's From Rays Comeback
by baseballgirl on May 20, 2009 7:17 PM PDT
183 comments
This game recap could be summed up in three words:
WHAT. A. CATCH!
And it was. Ryan Sweeney's amazing catch to end the game helped the A’s hold off the Rays' late inning comeback, and the A's take a wild one; 7-6. They almost looked like a baseball team out there!
The A’s got on the board early against a wild Kazmir, putting up solo runs in the first and second on a two-out single by Giambi and a two-out single by Suzuki, and two in the third, on a double by Kennedy and a sac fly by Crosby. They would knock Kazmir out in the fifth on a double by Cunningham and a single by Cabrera. They wouldn’t score again. But it would be enough (just barely).
All things considered, Brett Anderson had a great start, allowing two earned runs (but did give up a home run after an error by Kennedy for an additional two runs), but the most impressive stat was his five strikeouts against zero walks. He looked like the pitcher he was billed to be. Anderson notched his first Major League win in the outing which has to feel good for the hyped prospect.
In bullpen news, Wuertz replaced Anderson in the seventh and gave up a run, the combination of Springer/Casilla gave up a run in the eighth; the inning when the Rays loaded the bases and Casilla uncorked a wild pitch, and it took a nice play from Hannahan (who came in at third for defense) to retire the Rays, leaving the tying run on third and the go-ahead on second. The drama continued in the ninth.
A seldom-seen Ziggy came in to close the game. He got the first out, but walked the next batter, and with two outs, the Rays made a bid to tie the game on a sure-double, but Sweeney came out of NOWHERE (I was sure it was dropping) to catch the ball and save the game.
GREAT WIN. GREAT ENDING. Go get the video clip!
In things to ponder, how in the world has no one taught Rajai Davis how to be a professional bunter by the time he has gotten to this stage? It is mind-boggling that someone as fast as he is cannot lay down a simple bunt for a base hit when the defense is practically begging him to.
The A's and Rays are back at it tomorrow for the day game; Braden vs. Garza. Let's take this series.
LET'S GO OAKLAND!!!!!
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another Byrnes-like webgem from Swooney...
he might break Byrnes’ record for A’s webgems.
"I’m actually a disgrace to myself right now." - Sean Gallagher (quoting me after a night out on the town)
by FoolshGame22 on May 20, 2009 11:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Instead of Marco Magic
I propose: Sweeney the Genie!
by cityplANner on May 20, 2009 11:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Houdini?
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on May 21, 2009 7:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love the new TV add
Nickname him “Vitamin” for once a day.
a ground rule double followed by three unproductive outs, sounds like my sex life - dayzd toe
by adragon on May 21, 2009 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ugh, that "vitamin" idea was the worst nickname ever.
Please tell me they didn’t use it on a TV ad.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
by iglew on May 21, 2009 11:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It took was too close for comfort, but we’ll take it and it’s even better coupled with the Rangers’ loss to the Tigers. I’ll have to race home from school tomorrow to catch the game. I’ll miss the first hour.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on May 20, 2009 7:24 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey, weren't you the one who was complaining about teams encouraging players to skip college?
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 7:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Three in a row?
Dare I say it’s within their grasp? Now would be a good time to get that first three game winning streak.
by Pucking Insane on May 20, 2009 7:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
VictorA's
huzzah!
I'm a happy seal
by SwisherThresher on May 20, 2009 7:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Boss.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on May 20, 2009 7:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Reminds me a little
of Terrance Long’s catch to save the game in Boston on 2002. Different type of catch, mind you, but just as awesome.
by dtnick on May 20, 2009 8:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great catch but NOTHING compares to T-Long's.
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He looked like he was in pain after he came up with the ball
like he’d hurt his ribs or something. Postgame didn’t say anything, though.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 8:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I saw that too, but I think it was just the fact that he ground himself over that crappy turf.
by LoneStranger on May 20, 2009 8:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can't help but think that he should get Kotsay to train him.
His catches scare me.
by lynnzgal on May 20, 2009 8:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like how he stayed ended up standing from the momentum of the catch
like it ain’t no thang
Green and Gold Lantern Corps
by oaklandSMASH on May 20, 2009 10:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yea, but then he leaned over like he was hurt
and went for his shoelace to hide it.
by LoneStranger on May 20, 2009 11:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Another thing to ponder about Rajai
Is how on Earth he is allowed to stand next to home plate with a bat in his hands.
I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too.
by ORthey on May 20, 2009 7:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Rajai doesn't bug me so much.
It’s the guys who are paid 10x what he is who don’t play, or take the field and waste our time who bug me more. Rajai plays to his pay scale.
More than just ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/
by louismg on May 20, 2009 7:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
By some measures
Rajai Davis is worth negative a million dollars so far this year.
by scromulus on May 20, 2009 9:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good point about Rajai and bunting
He can’t hit for shit so why wouldn’t he practice the one thing that could be a semi-equalizer with his speed?
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 7:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey! You don't bunt your way out of Norwich, CT!
by GreenNGoldSooner on May 20, 2009 7:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Excuuuuuuuuse Me!!!!! But Rajai is form MY Hometown, New London, Connecticut.
WE hvae had several conversations about this, his returning there during the off season and exactly whrer his family lives.
Norwich is aboutr 20-30 minutes away from New London.n.
"We get two outs, and I was sure, and I had a plan, and I shook Tek off," Schilling said. "And I get a big 'What if?' for the rest of my life."
by Imaseasonticketholder on May 20, 2009 9:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I find it strange that Will Ferrell is still playing the cowbell
in the previous thread. It blows my mind.
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 7:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
That catch ruled!
And the inanimate objects in my house thank Sweeney, because if that ball had dropped (which I was sure it was going to), I would have broken something.
will crosby spread his legs so far apart at bat that the games will have to be rated nc-17 -- emperor nobody
by day-to-day on May 20, 2009 7:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Anyone have the video of the catch?
by missssteryash on May 20, 2009 7:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
it's on MLB.com
go to the Oakland A;s team site on MLB.com and the “Wrap” for the game. You can see it there.
"Wag More
Bark Less"
bumpersticker sighted in Berkeley, CA
by One won lost won on May 20, 2009 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wish they had a clip of the A's announcers calling it
they have the Rays TV announcers in that clip. Ken Korach’s call made it a lot more exciting, I heard it while crossing the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge.
You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}
by micdog2001 on May 20, 2009 10:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wood was unbelievably bad last night
Two home runs made it 5-4, then they lost, 6-5, to KC. I was watching it all unfold on “Gameday”. Truly staggering.
"Wag More
Bark Less"
bumpersticker sighted in Berkeley, CA
by One won lost won on May 20, 2009 9:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My guess with Rajai and bunting
Is that he learned to hit with aluminum bats, and he was a good enough hitter that bunting didn’t make sense — plus, it might be a little harder to deaden the ball with an aluminum bat.
Now, it shouldn’t take him more than a few weeks to become a good sac bunter. But some guys just don’t have a knack for bunting for hits — it’s actually hard to do, and if he never practiced as a kid, I suppose he just can’t do it.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 7:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I never thought it was that difficult
but I’ve only faced one ML’er in lifetime and don’t think I could bunt against him. You might be right but it seems that we should expect him to figure it out.
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 7:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
There are fast guys who aren't particularly good at bunting for hits
Rickey was horrible at it, for instance (not that he should have been bunting ever).
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 7:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well let's be honest. Is BP going to make him a good hitter?
Probably not so I’m just saying he should work tirelessly to perfect the craft. Maybe he already has but I just don’t see what value he brings to the team.
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 7:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think any major leaguer can become a good sac bunter
Too many pitchers who can’t hit whatsoever are good bunters. But if everybody could bunt like Brett Butler, everybody would. I think it’s a genuinely difficult craft to master.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 7:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
OK, I'll bite.
Who is the one ML’er you’ve faced, and when?
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
by iglew on May 20, 2009 11:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Darren Dreifort
The “Lee Majors” of baseball.
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 21, 2009 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I remember that guy!
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
by alox on May 21, 2009 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I once took a class
taught by his dad. (Darren Dreifort’s, not Lee Majors’. )
will crosby spread his legs so far apart at bat that the games will have to be rated nc-17 -- emperor nobody
by day-to-day on May 21, 2009 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
except that in the minor leagues he'd be using wooden bats
someone with his speed should have been taught to emphasize the bunt and the slap hit to the left side. Even though as a right handed hitter he loses a step toward first base, he’s fast enough to beat out alot of ground balls to the left.
by OaklandSi on May 21, 2009 2:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
There really is no logical reason to keep Rajai on the roster anymore.
maybe he would do better back in the NL but he just plain has sucked this year….especially now that Cunningham is up.
Zeigler to Geren…."A-Rod? He’s my bitch." -alox
by mrod on May 21, 2009 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Was there ever?
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 21, 2009 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
since he seemed to improve last season with regular play
and did well in winter ball and spring training, it was reasonablel to assume that he’d be the better back up option….of course, he hasn’t performed so he’s probably not long for the roster.
They are going to need at least one more outfielder who can play CF, thought.
by OaklandSi on May 21, 2009 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Take THAT Sweeney bashers!
Lookin’ at you, Nico!
by IM4Oakgal on May 20, 2009 7:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Is he capable of 20 homers?
That will be Nico’s argument.
Nice to see a post from you, IM4 ;-)
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 7:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
TY ... I have houseguests coming so I won't be posting much again for awhile.
It’s good to see you back posting, too.
by IM4Oakgal on May 20, 2009 7:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
he's a singles hitter...
pure and simple. Course, he’s tied with Jason Giambi for XBH for 4th on the team, but… small sample. We’ll see if Jason can keep up as the season wears on. ;-)
"I’m actually a disgrace to myself right now." - Sean Gallagher (quoting me after a night out on the town)
by FoolshGame22 on May 20, 2009 11:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
both of his homers were dead-pull swings
maybe he’s starting to develop his game
by cityplANner on May 21, 2009 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Raj the Bunting Hunter
alaska A residing in colorado. (soon in Idaho)
by ak_A on May 20, 2009 7:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Totally OT -- if the ads on the MLB Network are to be believed, Domino's is now selling pasta...in a bread bowl.
Welcome to fatass nation.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 7:42 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I read an article that said it's one of the most calorie laden fast foods.
by IM4Oakgal on May 20, 2009 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
No offense to registered dieticians...
but it doesn’t exactly take an expert to figure out that pasta, covered in some kind of fatty sauce (looked cream-based on the ad), surrounded by…a really thick “bowl” made of bread, is going to have a lot of calories.
I guess the Atkins fad is over, huh?
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 7:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My husband used to do the atkins diet and lose and gain weight like crazy...
but my good friend did it lost 75 pounds 4 years ago and never gained it back. All diets work if you stick to them I guess. That’s my problem….staying with them after I lose weight.
by IM4Oakgal on May 20, 2009 7:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Next from Domino's....
pasta in a bread bowl…deep fat fried!!!!
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 7:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love their thin crust veggie, but My GOD!
That is gross!
by lynnzgal on May 20, 2009 8:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I made up the part about the fried bread bowl full of pasta
but if no one has pitched that idea yet, someone should be fired.
Incidentally, in the Philly area it’s pretty common for pizza places to sell fried calzones (which I think they call panzarotti, although that might be something else, I’ve never had it).
Seriously, who the hell looks at a big lump of dough full of cheese (like a huge pirog made with pizza dough instead of filo), and thinks, “I really ought to drop this sucker in the deep-fat fryer!”?
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 8:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The same people who came up with fried Oreos?
and fried ice cream?
"And you just don't get it, you keep it copacetic..."
by Blicks on May 20, 2009 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
America!
The incandescent light! The mass-production line! The bread-bowl full of pasta!
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on May 20, 2009 8:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Once I watched that one crazy chef guy on the Food network.
He showed everyone how to make macaroni and cheese. The good kind, that clogs your arteries. Then he showed everyone how to take the leftovers and deep fry them.
by LoneStranger on May 20, 2009 9:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Alton Brown.
He had his nephew on that show, and pissed off his sister, until she tasted it.
by lynnzgal on May 20, 2009 9:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
tasted what exactly?????? ;q
Zeigler to Geren…."A-Rod? He’s my bitch." -alox
by mrod on May 20, 2009 9:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The deep fried mac n' cheese.
Naughty boy!
by lynnzgal on May 20, 2009 9:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And NPH was on Dinner Impossible tonight.
Awesome!
by lynnzgal on May 20, 2009 11:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The carbs isn't the problem there
If it were just plain pasta with nothing on it and plain bread with nothing on it, it wouldn’t be “fatass nation”.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
by iglew on May 20, 2009 11:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
what a game
That was like an epic novel, complete with the heartattack ending.
What won that game was not the Sweeney catch (which surely has to be the #1 web gem given that if he misses it, it’s possibly a walkoff inside-the-parker for Uptown) or even the two-out hit from O-Cab… much as yesterday came down to Holliday (who really does care what happens out there, regardless of the blank facial expressions) having looked at film and noticed that Navarro can’t drive the ball the other way hitting lefty (and hence positioning himself to catch the opposite field bloop that would have broken the scoreless tie had it dropped in front of him), today was about the momentum-crushing play from Kennedy (Jesus what a pro pickup, can’t say enough about his performance thusfar), who really deked Iwamura into trying to score on that shallow pop by fielding it (what seemed intentionally) somewhat back on his heels and giving the runner the false impression that he would not be in an optimal position to throw home. Again, these are things that don’t appear in a boxscore but are really where the rubber hits the road in terms of determining which team wins the close game.
Tangentially, I feel the biggest loss for the A’s in terms of coaches may not have even been Wash (who is, obviously, awesome) but Rene Lachemann, who kept binder books on every MLB hitter’s predilections for hitting to which fields based on the count…. since he left our outfield positioning in particular has not been as exact as it was and I think that has hurt us, really for a few seasons now… I’d like to see a return to the statistical approach to that because when Lach was here it seemed it made a huge difference in other teams hitting it right to us in pressure situations.
Anyway, sorry for the geeky tangent, great win today, the second professional baseball game from these guys in a row. I think tomorrow is kind of a statement game from us, with a good pitcher up (Braden) and a chance to take 3 of 4 from the reigning AL champion (and ridiculously stacked with jealousy-inducing talent, including someone like Pena whom we once had what seems like 30 years ago) Rays… at some point we need to win a third straight or we are just spinning our wheels.
Hey, I just bought the team from Lew Wolff... who wants to play third?
by emperor nobody on May 20, 2009 7:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Great post
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 7:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
can we nominate you the designated Game Wrap Writer?
ken korach's voice is like peanut butter on velvet, not joe buck's.
by mrbendy on May 20, 2009 7:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good point about Lach...
the team is really missing him.
by IM4Oakgal on May 20, 2009 7:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lao Tszu could not have siad it better.
Zeigler to Geren…."A-Rod? He’s my bitch." -alox
by mrod on May 20, 2009 9:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know why Kennedy isn't getting more hype in this thread.
He’s one of the few guys on the team who is outperforming expectations. Amid a lot of (often justified) grousing about Beane, I gotta admit that he made a very nice move to get him.
by GreenNGoldSooner on May 20, 2009 10:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kennedy was a good acquisition...
no doubt about it. Better than ex-Halo Cabrera, that’s for sure.
"I’m actually a disgrace to myself right now." - Sean Gallagher (quoting me after a night out on the town)
by FoolshGame22 on May 20, 2009 11:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
this move reminds me of the Mabry acquisition a few yrs back
The Not-So-Casual Fan
by rktse on May 21, 2009 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
but without the HR's
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 21, 2009 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is the second time this year that Sweeney
who is supposed to not be a good center fielder, has saved a game for the A’s with a defensive play.
It’s shocking to me that every year the A’s talk about executing fundamentals like bunting, moving runners over by hitting the right side and every year they’re poor at it. I don’t know whether it’s because the A’s have poor coaches or they just have players who are fundamentally unsound.
Regardless, I’m glad Brett Anderson finally got off the goose egg and earned a win. Let’s go get the series win tomorrow.
by Tyler Bleszinski on May 20, 2009 7:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I heard they are trying something different with conditioning too.
Looks like we have 120 days on the DL announced today that says otherwise.
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 7:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmmmmmmmm
Could it just be a Youth vs. Veteran thing? And since we rarely have veterans on this team, the little things don’t get done as often as they should. You just can’t rely on 1st and 2nd year players to come to the plate with a solid gameplan. Veterans who have been in that position hundreds of times, knowing how the pitcher is going to attack him, etc… are able to hit balls to the right side of the IF when a runner is on 2nd base, no outs.
by Colorado Fan on May 20, 2009 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sweeney is, at worst, a good center fielder.
One person’s opinion that he is not a good center fielder doesn’t make it true.
by jdub69 on May 20, 2009 8:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
just as two game saving catches
don’t make him a good centerfielder. I have only seen one game this year. Saturday in detroit, it looked like he misplayed a couple of balls there. If that’s all I had to go on I would call him below average.
by Future Ed on May 21, 2009 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He's been really solid the other 35 or so games
so I would say judging him on one game is not the right thing to do.
by jdub69 on May 22, 2009 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol
but since one person believes he is a good centerfielder, it’s true?
"True fact: In a global thermonuclear war, the only human who would survive would be David Eckstein" -PT
by travdog6 on May 21, 2009 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, as stated earlier
he covers a lot of ground out there, has an above average arm for a centerfielder, doesn’t make errors, does a lot of positive things defensively and not many negative things. Draw your own conclusion.
by jdub69 on May 22, 2009 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
All of that
(cept the errors part) is up for debate. Defense is a completely subjective issue, and I don’t agree with your view of him. Doesn’t mean that I’m right and your wrong or vice versa, but it’s not fair to draw conclusions and pass them as facts.
"True fact: In a global thermonuclear war, the only human who would survive would be David Eckstein" -PT
by travdog6 on May 23, 2009 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
did anybody else catch the attitude Springer seemed to give Geren when he yanked him
"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane
by athleticsBB4life on May 20, 2009 8:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Springer has no right to cop an attitude
He has been horrible
by Trainman on May 20, 2009 8:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I actually thought that was funny....Springer is probably not Geren's biggest fan
Zeigler to Geren…."A-Rod? He’s my bitch." -alox
by mrod on May 20, 2009 9:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wanna see the catch but i know sportscenter wont show it till it's about to end.
UGH
by missssteryash on May 20, 2009 8:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
it's on mlb.com
There's no crying in baseball!
by gigglingone on May 20, 2009 8:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
wait, wrong link
There's no crying in baseball!
by gigglingone on May 20, 2009 8:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Am I the only one who finds MLB.com clips unwatchable?
I have never ever watched any clip from MLB.com that didn’t jump from frame to frame at a pace of about 1.25 frames per second. In this clip, for example, Sweeney never “dives”. First he’s running, then he’s on the ground, then he’s up again.
I can watch video on YouTube, Hulu, etc, just fine. It’s just MLB.com that’s always horrible like that. What am I doing wrong?
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
by iglew on May 20, 2009 11:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
dunno
I usually pause it until the whole video loads, and then watch it. And then I watch it a few more times…
There's no crying in baseball!
by gigglingone on May 21, 2009 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
that works.
and holy crap that was an epic dive.
by ElQuesoCapitan on May 20, 2009 8:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sweeney looks hurt after that catch..
by missssteryash on May 20, 2009 8:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
FP said on the pregame
that the A’s won this game because of their great defense. I’ll give Sweeney a ton of credit for the catch but two errors is nothing to praise.
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 8:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Pregame baby?
Are we going back in time?
by lynnzgal on May 20, 2009 8:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Worst. Headache. Ever.
Postgame perhaps it was…
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 8:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If anyone here has ESPN Insider, please help
I just saw this link on the ESPN scoreboard page – Olney: The next manager of the A’s could be - (gasp!)
It lead me to this article. It says nothing about the A’s in the pre-insider part so if anyone here has ESPN insider he/she should check it out.
High Priest in the Church of Jack Cust
by Erasr on May 20, 2009 8:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
the insider stuff
was all links to porn sites.
"...in baseball you wear a cap." -- george carlin
by Hot Cup Joe on May 20, 2009 8:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fuck you
no it isn’t.
High Priest in the Church of Jack Cust
by Erasr on May 20, 2009 9:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really?
That’s not necessary.
by Tyler Bleszinski on May 20, 2009 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Doesnt talk about A's manager
only about Cahill with his nasty sinker.
Wang’s ERA is the same as the balance in my checkbook - Jennifer
by closetasfan on May 21, 2009 6:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's almost funny how bad Rajai is at bunting
I remembered that he spent a lot of time practicing bunting during spring training, like daily practice. Here is the link that I found.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20090330/ai_n31494622/
Your 2009 Oakland Athetics: This time, it's personal.
by Kallus on May 20, 2009 8:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Great game, I see.
I stepped out in the middle of the 5th, glad to see we won!
by ElQuesoCapitan on May 20, 2009 8:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Was beginning to wonder
where your fireworks show had gone. Thanks, EQC, your post is the silver balls on the cake icing for me [British contingent will recall those silver balls].
by LibrariAN on May 20, 2009 9:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
WE ARE NOT ALONE
Wood (8.10 ERA) almost blew another save tonite— Tribe has lost 12 of 18;
Twins have lost 6 in a row and 12 of 18;
Mariners have 12 of 15;
Orioles are playing .400 ball
White Sox have, even after winning the last two, lost 12 of last 17.
Tigers, Yankees and Red Sox might just go play hide-and-seek this year, and the only race might be our own division.
by jasonthea on May 20, 2009 8:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
and even more amazing is that we are still behind the M's :-(
These ain't your father's A's.
by ohtobe21likehuston on May 20, 2009 8:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fosse" how great was it for you to check on the final of the game
during a break in your activity tonight?"
Me: “Yeah it was really great Ray.”
by OaklandSi on May 20, 2009 9:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I missed Sweeney's catch (could only watch the first 4.5 innings today)
and haven’t seen it, but of course I’m glad he made it!
But folks, Terrence Long had a week where he made a couple phenomenal plays, including a clutch game-saver, but was in fact a very average CFer overall.
Brett Anderson looked great the 4 innings I saw. Other than the hanging slider to Peña; oops.
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 May 20, 2009 10:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
+1
I love that Sweeney does the most with his limited ability but two spectacular catches do not make him a good center fielder. He’s got below average range and a weak arm.
Derek Jeter. Gary Matthews Jr.
by Rocktopus on May 20, 2009 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
More power to him...
…if he can turn his personal highlight reel into a Gary Matthews Jr-size contract sometime down the line.
I just hope it’s not with us.
(Any interest, slegnA?)
by GreenNGoldSooner on May 20, 2009 10:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Shoot, I hope he gets a Derek Jeter type contract!
I’m certainly rooting for him, but the fact is that he just doesn’t cover enough ground to be better than the average centerfielder. I hope he can improve with time (getting better reads, learning hitter’s patterns) but if he doesn’t, I hope we see someone else in CF.
by Rocktopus on May 20, 2009 11:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're a bit off.
He covers plenty of ground out there and has, at least, an average arm for a center fielder, probably a little better than average. The question is will he become the consistent .280 hitter with 15 home run power that he is clearly capable of being – starting this year? I think he’s capable – we’ll see.
by jdub69 on May 21, 2009 1:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Peña hits every hanging slider out...
are you implying that Billy should’ve kept him? Or, that Anderson is not that good? Personally, I’d lean toward the former. But, I’d definitely say “I’m right, you’re wrong” on the Cahill debate. Cahill has looked much better, in spite of the fact that “he’s much less polished and ready” than Anderson.
"I’m actually a disgrace to myself right now." - Sean Gallagher (quoting me after a night out on the town)
by FoolshGame22 on May 21, 2009 12:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Sweeney is a better CF now than when he joined the A's but I still
kinda doubt he’s ever gonna be much better than average. To be sure, his catch tonight was a thing of beauty, and I’ve watched it several times, but saying someone’s a great defender because they make a circus catch is a bit of an oxy moron – Mark Kotsay might never make a play like Sweeney’s tonight, but he’s still a better defender. If you’re gonna rely on theatrics to get things done defensively, you’re gonna get burned a good part of the time.
On the other side of the diamond, there’s a lot of talk about Sweeney taking that next step offensively, but I actually wonder if he could have been playing over his head last year:
His .286/.350/.383/.733 suggested a reasonable bat for a CF, but he did this with a ridiculous BABIP of .337.
This year his BABIP is a normalish .287 and he’s OPSing .640. Its early yet and I haven’t given up on him but I do wonder which is the real Ryan Sweeney?
He’s still three years from his peak, so I think the A’s should hang on to him, but he should really be a fourth outfielder until he proves otherwise. Given the lack of alternatives, I’m fine with giving him ‘09 to show what he can do, but it seems unlikely he’ll bust out in his age 24 year with his slap approach. And choking up on the bat is only going to hurt his power. I think Brown could pass him sometime next year.
by scromulus on May 21, 2009 1:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Fourth outfielder until he proves otherwise"
I think Travis Buck, Rajai Davis, and Aaron Cunningham is what proves otherwise.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
by iglew on May 21, 2009 2:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
"I’m fine with giving him ‘09 to show what he can do...
I think Brown could pass him sometime next year."
by scromulus on May 21, 2009 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know if you can do that....
Yes a BABIP of .337 is high, but a BABIP of .287 is also low. MLB Average BAPIP is about .300.
In play, run(s)! Talk dirty to me gamecast, talk dirty. - Nevermoor on FK
by designatedforassignment on May 21, 2009 9:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
.337 is more abnormal than .287
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
by mikev on May 21, 2009 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
outliers are outliers, no matter how outlying they are
The Not-So-Casual Fan
by rktse on May 21, 2009 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
One data point is .03-.1 points from the norm. The other is about .4.
Its too early in the year for Sweeney’s numbers to mean much of anything. I was merely wondering what type of hitter he is without a Tony Gwynn BABIP.
by scromulus on May 21, 2009 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Someone said the A's are looking at Mark DeRosa
Makes 3rd base a whole lot better from an offensive standpoint. They want pitching ad we have it and it won’t be any of the 3 of course.
He’s 5.5 mil so it would be like 4 of that and it would make the A’s a little more watchable than Hannahan and Crosby manning that position.
by Trainman on May 20, 2009 10:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
"Someone" told me Mark DeRosa was an alien spy.
by Rocktopus on May 20, 2009 10:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
From Susan Slusser
A’S SEEKING DEROSA? Oakland is likely to talk to the Indians about Mark DeRosa, who is on the block. The A’s had some interest in the infielder after the 2006 season.
The Indians are believed to be looking for pitching, but the A’s won’t trade any of their hotshot young pitchers. DeRosa will be a free agent after the season, and Oakland is looking for third-base and infield help for this year and beyond given the team’s injuries, especially Eric Chavez’s increasingly worrisome back problem.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/20/SP2V17O1B1.DTL
by Trainman on May 20, 2009 10:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Give 'em Springer.
I know he’s a workhorse and we’ll all miss him, but sometimes one has to make sacrifices ;-)
by GreenNGoldSooner on May 20, 2009 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would give them Springer just for making the phone call
forget if there’s a trade or not.
by Trainman on May 20, 2009 10:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If you act in the next 10 minutes
get a Russ Springer with NO OBLIGATION. hurry supplies are limited
by Future Ed on May 21, 2009 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
...one at this price...
"Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, doctor, and I'm happy to state that I've finally won out over it." -- Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart), "Harvey"
by Derwood13 on May 21, 2009 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think it's a good thing Sweeney didn't follow ol' Fossil's advice ...
… about not leaving your feet to catch a fly ball. It was wrong on the earlier play, and would’ve been disastrous on the final out.
Not a(nother) bad catch for a “fourth outfielder.”
Rockto — it was two catches TO-Night — and several others this season. I dunno what Sweeney’s gonna finally have to do to convert the dubious, but I’m sold.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on May 20, 2009 10:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't want to be a Debbie Downer.
I like Ryan Sweeney (even if I don’t think he’s that good) because generally I like anyone in an A’s uniform. I just think these sort of knee-jerk assessments are the very reason Mark Ellis doesn’t have a gold glove and guys like Derek Jeter and Nate McLouth do have them.
by Rocktopus on May 21, 2009 12:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh.
And seeing you shorten my name to Rockto made me remember how much I hate this user name. I made it on a whim never thinking I would contribute much here. I think I’m going to go back to my old name from now on, LongLiveLangerhans.
by Rocktopus on May 21, 2009 12:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
yet, I never regret these FoolshGames...
Triple L… now, that’d be cooler.
"I’m actually a disgrace to myself right now." - Sean Gallagher (quoting me after a night out on the town)
by FoolshGame22 on May 21, 2009 12:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can call me The if you want.
Just please kindly refrain from calling me The Knee Jerk. I thought using your prefix would be more acceptable than the suffix.
But I agree with the switch — L3 works even better.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on May 21, 2009 6:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sweeney is definately making a case for himself.
Eh, who knows, guys have been known to step up their “D” in the past. Maybe young Mr. Sweeney is just such a guy. It sure would be nice to see 09 produce a plus CF who can hit for average and maybe just a tad bit-o-pop.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
by alox on May 20, 2009 10:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Way to go, OAK-LAND!
Got the win on my birthday! Thanks for the present grin…I was gone tonight and unable to follow the threa, so what a nice surprise – and against Kazmir, too…
Now I have to go find that video clip of Sweeney’s catch…
"Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, doctor, and I'm happy to state that I've finally won out over it." -- Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart), "Harvey"
by Derwood13 on May 20, 2009 10:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Scroll up, and
Happy Birthday to you And the steve!
by lynnzgal on May 20, 2009 10:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
by baseballgirl on May 20, 2009 11:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thank you, lynnzgal and BBG! :)
And I went to oaklandathletics.com after I typed that, but found the link above to mlb.com to watch it again today (thanks, gigglingone)…
"Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, doctor, and I'm happy to state that I've finally won out over it." -- Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart), "Harvey"
by Derwood13 on May 21, 2009 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was a pretty catch.
Nico: Okay. We have twelve hours to make a really big pickle.
by pam5981 on May 20, 2009 11:05 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't understand.
I thought Nico said Sweeney had terrible defense? Surely what happened tonight couldn’t be real…
by chri5 on May 20, 2009 11:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
He did take an interesting route to the ball
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
by baseballgirl on May 20, 2009 11:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And there's the rub
My concerns about Sweeney are:
1. poor reads, especially on balls in front of him
2. arc-y routes to balls in the alley
3. doesn’t have CFer speed
Nothing about that one play (talk about a small sample!) assuaged any of those concerns – in fact the play kind of supported them, as with a better read, better route, or better speed an all out dive may not have been needed. Glad he caught it; still have all the concerns.
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 May 21, 2009 7:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yikes
That seems a little harsh. I’ll be honest, when I saw that ball heading towards the gap, I thought there was no way Sweeney was catching that ball. Sweeney’s long strides got to that ball… and he got a decent jump. And he took a pretty decent route to the ball. He did everything right on that play. IMO
by Colorado Fan on May 21, 2009 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
not sure how many games you see in person...but the differences between him and kotsay are astounding...even
to a lay person like myself
by inbillywetrust on May 21, 2009 10:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
To clarify something, I don't have much of an opinion
one way or the other on yesterday’s catch because I’ve only seen one replay that just shows the dive. I did check the game thread, and saw this description:
“Late break on a ball going into the left-center gap. It looked like he had no chance whatsoever, but the ball didn’t slice too much, he got on his horse, and he took a very low dive at the very last second to snag the ball about 2 inches from the ground.”
But I really don’t know what kind of a jump he got. I just know the three things I mention above have been recurring problems.
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 May 21, 2009 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you have "Mutt" Sweeney confused with "Jeff" DFAvis ...
… yes, including the “effective” speed thing. Sweeney started out last year playing too deep, but I think that’s been corrected. And I think his speed is deceptive because of his smoothness and long stride. Rajai either isn’t as fast as folks seem to think he is, or he has piss-poor instincts for OF and base running. Or both.
Sweeney, though, is the Demon Fielder with Fleet Feet.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on May 21, 2009 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wow... The Dogfather! Long time no see.
Nico: Okay. We have twelve hours to make a really big pickle.
by pam5981 on May 21, 2009 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I blame Bush space cake.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on May 21, 2009 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Sweeney is doing one hell of a job
considering this is his first full year starting in center field in the bigs……if I’m not mistaken. Roll with it baby!
Zeigler to Geren…."A-Rod? He’s my bitch." -alox
by mrod on May 21, 2009 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He has piss poor instincts for OF and base running.
Davis is lightning quick.
by OldhamA on May 21, 2009 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I watched Rajai and Stirrups in ST --
— I dunno who wins at a hundred meters, or fifty, but I know I want Corey-the-Wimb pinch-running.
The meaning of life is not so much 'found,' as it is 'made.' --Opus
by The Dogfather on May 21, 2009 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You've just answered your own question:
Sox is super quick too and if you couldn’t pick a winner then Davis must be lightning.
With the way we’re chewing through a our bullpen I’d rather Davis was DFA’d for a bullpen arm and Cunningham/Buck were given more at bats.
by OldhamA on May 21, 2009 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I read a story on Ryan's catch
and Ryan said he was shaded toward right center.
"Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, doctor, and I'm happy to state that I've finally won out over it." -- Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart), "Harvey"
by Derwood13 on May 21, 2009 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Being a generally average defender, especially in CF, doesn't mean a guy will never make an amazing play
Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog
by Flashfire on May 20, 2009 11:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
of course, being an exceptionally above-average defender in CF...
doesn’t mean a guy will never make a mistake, either. Just a thought.
"I’m actually a disgrace to myself right now." - Sean Gallagher (quoting me after a night out on the town)
by FoolshGame22 on May 20, 2009 11:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So did I miss anything tonight?
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
by mikev on May 20, 2009 11:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Somebody
must be threatening those guys with batting practice.
Good win.
GO A’S!!!
by SFBAsportsfan on May 21, 2009 12:23 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Sweeney is the real deal
So far, Suzuki and Sweeney are our best position players. Which isnt saying a lot.
by mgmmansion on May 22, 2009 1:18 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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