Korach calls A's play 'terrible', 'unacceptable'
by iglew on Jun 27, 2009 5:45 PM PDT
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PrintI've managed to extract from the MLB audio archive the moment where A's radio announcer Ken Korach expresses his disgust with the A's performance. The play that triggers the response is the one last night where a high fly ball dropped between Cust and Kennedy, but listening to the whole broadcast you can tell that's just the culminating event after an evening full of poor play.
To those who don't know Korach, it won't sound very impressive. His words are far less extreme than what we hear in game threads every day. But those who listen to the radio broadcast regularly know that Ken is almost never critical of the A's — not because he's an aggressive homer, but just because he's such a mellow and good-natured guy that he never has a harsh word for anyone at all.
Leaving out Vince's comments and Ken's calling of the subsequent play, here's what Ken said:
Boy, this has been a terrible performance by the A's tonight. That ball has got to be caught. And well-deserved boos cascading down on the field from the fans. ...This is just unacceptable. ...
People are paying good money to come to the ballpark, Vince.
For those who want to listen, I've uploaded it as a WAV file. Since I'm only quoting a short passage as an illustration, I trust this won't violate MLB's "any rebroadcast" restriction.
(If anyone wants to keep it for posterity, you'll need to download the file and store it somewhere else, since I expect to remove it from my server after about a week. I've got a MP3 version, too, but I ran out of space on my limited Earthlink account and couldn't fit both of them.)
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Thanks, iglew
That exchange was a highlight for me, because Ken is so professional, so uninclined to speak this strongly, that it really felt authentic. And utterly fair.
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
His professionalism
is what made him say, “Boy, this has been a terrible performance by the A’s tonight,” instead of, “What the fuck is this bullshit? RAAAAAGHGHGHHGHG!!”
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
He could recover by saying,
“RAAAAAGHGHGHHGHG!! …Davis under it…makes the catch.”
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
Vince chimed in along with Ken's comments, too
That was also nice to hear.
Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog
Yes, but with his usual articulateness.
If you don’t win that’s one thing, but, uh, to see this type of, uh, game being played far too many times, it’s not a good movie.
Not as quotable.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
I was 90% asleep
listening to the game in bed, and I actually woke up when Ken said this, it was so much of a departure for him.
Thanks!
Uploaded the file as FLAC (lossless): http://www.sendspace.com/file/pfl9l6
& mp3: http://www.sendspace.com/file/zwfwq7
Thanks Iglew.
I have a 50 inch flat screen. I love watching the games in HD. However, I also have the delay play gizmo whereby I can sinc up the radio with the video on the television – thereby bypassing the idiocy that is Kuiper.
I listen to every game this way – I love Korach. I don’t like Vince and Marty Lurie is just OK in my opinion. You can tell that over the course of the season they have been biting their tongues and trying to maintain some professionalism. However, I’ve felt it’s only been a matter of time before they call a spade a spade. It is about damn time. If KK is calling these players out, you know it’s bad. Contrast KK’s assessment of the situation with Geren’s: “Offensively and defensively, we didn’t get it done,” A’s manager Bob Geren said. “It’s just an overall need to score more runs to get this game to go in our favor.”
Billy Beane needs to stop this shit show that is Geren “managing” the team. This is just unbearable.
by 33SwisherSweet on Jun 27, 2009 9:54 PM PDT reply actions
There needs to be a new sign in the bleachers
“There’s no ‘A’ in effort. And it shows.”
CuttheMullet, from "The Thread":
"Whenever I’m about to do something, I think "would an idiot do that?" and if they would, I do not do that thing."
How about "Fire Geren"
Pass them out to everyone and they can’t possibly kick everybody out, can they?
by 33SwisherSweet on Jun 27, 2009 10:01 PM PDT up reply actions
Geren has got to go
We really need to get a petition or some compromising pictures of him. Give us someone without a smug ice-water smirk.
Baja been here
Now you know why I get pissed of at Beane
For him to allow this sub-standard crap with players who should be in AA is beyond me. But especially with his buddy Geren. Billy is supposed to be intelligent but he is not showing it by having Geren run a team where I bet not even half the players respect him.
You can upgrade this team with players which I hope he does but an upgrade just as big would be firing this clown and putting someone in there who is going to yell and act like Lou Piniella does.
These players are earning big money and need to start playing like it. They know Geren is going to cuddle them and tell them, “We be better tomorrow”
I have a problem with this thought.
Are you saying that Geren is the reason these players are not playing well?
Are you saying that the players aren’t MLB players and the A’s need to replace them?
Are you saying that Beane should not have hired his friend to be the Manager?
I think all are somewhat true. The players aren’t playing but there are reasons. Baseball players play better when the stands are full and the A"s don’t get a full house, basically they only get a few thousand most of the time. That is very demoralizing for the players.
Also, this is a rebuild year and i think Beane screwed up by trading for Holliday and signing Cabrera and Giambi. They have to let their young players play, like they are their young pitchers.
Also when you trade away exciting players like Swisher and Miggy you lose something. They need excitement in the clubhouse.
Most teams don’t play a substandard defensive RF just to play him and CUST does not belong in the outfield.
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"
Tejada was not traded
"if gio would of ptched,he would of pitched shoot outs." - MR.OAKLAND
"Anyone who calls themselves the Angels Angels should have to start over and ride the short bus." -timmeh from McCovey Chronicles
Yes
You can’t fire the players but Geren needs to go. Uninspiring, seems indifferent, no fire or passion. At least you should see a manager pissed by the sloppy defense, poor situational hitting, etc. But Bob just sits there. I though Giambi could be a sort of player-coach but if he cannot lead by example it won’t work.
Baja been here
Does a manager need to be a Tommy LaSorda clone to show others they have passion?
Back then, my idol was Bugs Bunny, because I saw a cartoon of him playing ball - you know, the one where he plays every position himself with nobody else on the field but him? Now that I think of it, Bugs is still my idol. You have to love a ballplayer like that.
~Nomar Garciaparra
From the RF bleachers I can tell you...
that ball could have been caught by either Cust or Kennedy. Neither one took charge but Cust had a better read on it. He just didn’t take command and hustle for it. I don’t think Cust has a lot of confidence right now and that may have had an effect.
well he's a major leaguer, he should know that the outfielder needs
to call off the infielder … and if he doesn’t then the infielder needs to assume that the outfielder doesn’t think he can catch it.
No excuse whatsoever.
I couldn’t agree more with Korach, Vince, and the fans.
Bill King
would have thrown something.
Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti. "I treat Timmy differently from most pitchers: I leave him alone."
There's 3 ways to do something: the right way, the wrong way, and the Max Power/ Ginats Way...
I wonder what Fosse was saying. Probably,
“Unfortunately, neither Cust nor Kennedy communicated and the ball just dropped.”
Observations
Giambi looks disgusted with himself. Suzuki looks embarassed to be part of the crap. Cust swings and misses over another pitch and looks like the other zillion strikeouts. Crosby looks intent and ready to break out; just as he has for 3 years and probably will from a rocker when he is 80. Sweeney looks warning track strong. Hannahan looks like he knows he doesn’t belong but hopes nobody else notices while he rakes in the MB meal money. Cabrera looks lost, invisible, impotent. Kennedy looks like an all-star in comparison to almost everyone around him. Every pitcher the A’s face looks like Cy Young.
Baja been here
Kennedy has a .600 ops in June
He joined the club a while ago…
"if gio would of ptched,he would of pitched shoot outs." - MR.OAKLAND
"Anyone who calls themselves the Angels Angels should have to start over and ride the short bus." -timmeh from McCovey Chronicles
Not to be nazi, but why is this a fan-post?
by Pucking Insane on Jun 28, 2009 12:36 PM PDT reply actions
Because it's interesting and helpful,
as it provides the audio file for people to hear if they missed 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
I originally intended FanShot, but
then my intro text ended up being pretty long. I thought it was a close call, could have gone either way.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
it's actually longer than some fanposts
and since so many people have complained that they miss the fan shots, I don’t mind this being a fanpost.
I'm happy it's a fanpost.
I still forget the fanshots even exist.
Prithee, be not perturbed by yon third bagger.
I was listening during this call.
This was one of many damning statements by the usually reserved Ken Korach. From what I can remember through the drunken, sun-stroked haze that was me during Saturday’s game, Friday night Ken said (paraphrased):
- “You have to wonder what the A’s are thinking… eight games out of the AL West isn’t bad, but you’ve got play better ball. You can’t get up if you aren’t playing well.”
- “You’ve got to make the routine plays.” (I think this was on a Cabrera bumble).
and so on and so on.
It’s just disgusting. Lifeless, mediocre-at-best, boring baseball, by MY team. Bleah!
Bob Geren, on 8/2/07, on the success of Alan Embree as new interim closer: "What can I say,... he's been our Steady Tremendous Bullpen Man"
Attitude and play is reflected of Leadership
When will you fire Geren, Billy? Is it when you are in flames? Does it hurt you to know both Washington and Wakamatsu are actively making their teams better while you’re A’s are progressively getting worse with no recourse? Does it affect you when your crosstown rivals were one game away from sweeping our team? Are you yet unimpressed enough to do something about the multiple error games? Can you keep us in the seats when you know the product you help produce is utter garbage?
I can ask many more questions, but I feel like we’ll be hanging on for the answer.
Green and Gold Lantern Corps
Enough of the "Whinnig fans"
Look folks stop complaining and hoping that this team is going to start giving a shit about playing baseball. This team is what it is “a captainless team that is going nowhere”. Lets start a the top folks and go back to the begining of the year when making the trade for “Holliday and signing the veteran players were going to put this team over the top”. It has done nothing for this team and if done anything this team has “regressed” and not moved forward. Holiday is a player who’s number were a reflection of playing in the National lg and Coors field and his defense has been pathetic. As for the rest of them they are just hired players collecting a steady paycheck and hoping that they play well and get the hell out of here.
Now lets look at the younger players who some may play well and actually have talent and then some who you question why they are on a mlb roster. The A’s are probably carrying 4/5 players that you have to wonder what they have on Beane/Geren to still be playing. Most of these players would have to clear waivers and why don’t the A’s release them nobodys going to claim them.Then at this point in the season throw in the towel and lets the kids from AAA get a chance to play consistantly and give them a shot. This was you can actually see what players you might have to hold on. The other issue here is that the younger players are only here to accumalate MLB service time and then get the hell out of here. The A’s aren’t going to lock any of these players to long term deals cause as soon as they develop and build some interest they will be traded’
You just had two of the A’s players Street and Cargon slam the A’s about Geren, if you read between the lines in their comments thats what they were stating. I’m sure that had to put a smile on Beane and Gerens face to hear that but luckily for those two they aren’t part of the circus any more.
Then you have to say what they hell does Beane see in Geren that gives you a hope that he knows what he is doing. Then as GM you have to ask does he have the best players on this squad and as I stated earlier there are a number of players that you shake your head and wonder what they are doing in the bigs. Then to make matters worse you have to scratch your head and wonder why in the world Beane would ever throw another contract at him? Its a shame to see that because of a close friendship that this is the reason why Geren is still around. Then this confusing quote by Beane, that until he feels he gives Geren a team that can compete then Gerens his man. Here’s a question for you Mr Beane just when do you think that might be?
Look folks if you have had enough then stop attending games and buying into this shame. This isn’t a mlb team just look at they way they have played lately its a joke and about time “somebody be held accountable”!!
I’m sorry I forgot that Billy and Bob are best friends and Bobs not going anywhere……
I don’t post here too often, but I am a frequent reader. I, too, am a season ticket holder. (My family has held season tickets since the A’s came to Oakland.) Anyway, I don’t have much to add…other than it breaks my heart to see what the A’s organization seems to have become. And quite honestly, I am feeling a bit betrayed, although I’m not exactly sure by whom…Wolff? Beane? Geren? The players? All of the above? I don’t know. What I do know is that the A’s organization seems to be completely dysfunctional right now.
And, correct me if I am wrong, but have we heard anything from Beane lately?!? You know like anything which might inspire confidence in a fan like me — who attends 60+ home games a season, travels to see the A’s play in other cities (and countries, even!) attends spring training, comes to every fan fest (aka, fan appreciation day) contributes to the A’s community fund, and has more A’s gear & memorabilia collected over the last 41 years than I care to confess to owning.
BTW, it irks me no end to receive repeated soccer ticket info from the A’s. If I was interested in Wolff & Beane’s soccer endeavor, then I’d sign up to receive email updates. I am interested in the A’s. And I would very much like to hear something, anything from Beane, which might lead me to believe he hasn’t completely lost interest in the A’s.
Nuff said.
"You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball and in the end it
turns out that it was the other way around all the time." ~~~ Jim Bouton
by Sweet Spot on Jun 29, 2009 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
This comment needs to be forwaded
to Beane and co post haste.
Well said.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
Simply put, I complain because I care about the team and want better of them
What’s happening now is simply inexcusable and there needs to be some accountability somewhere.
Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog
Thanks for posting the audio
It was honestly refreshing – and a little vindicating – to hear Korach, and even Vince, lay down some serious Real Talk on the A’s like that. Stuff like that NEEDS to be said, and we’ve about said it to death here – it’s gotta be said on the radio, in print, and on TV. Geren needs to call out his players. Players need to call out themselves. Beane needs to stand the fuck up and say something about the abortion he calls a team, fire Geren, and devise a plan to get us out of this fine mess.
I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too.
I'm a season ticket holder, and have been an A's fan longer
than Beane or Geren or any of the players have been associated with the A’s.
I expect to use my tickets and attend the games (though this may be the year that I can’t convince my season ticket buddy to do the same).
I’ve been a baseball fan all my life, and understand that teams go through cycles of winning and losing. But as part of the paying public that is buying this product – and the A’s do regularly communicate with me that they want my business — I do expect to see real effort on the part of the players to give 100%, on the manager and coaches to work effectively, and for the front office to do its job as well – and I expect the owner(s) to properly promote this team.
A’s fans certainly wouldn’t be the first in MLB history to attend games but be very visible and vocal about how they want to see the entire A’s organization go about its business.
It's certainly better hearing this than it is callers on Extra Innings
and then Buan dancing around the subject.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
Thank you, Ken
for saying publicly what we are all feeling.
I, too, am a season ticketholder, and when I find that watching people swat at swarms of gnats on Saturday night is more interesting than the game, something needs to happen—and soon.
Fire Geren. (Hire Manny Acta when he gets fired).
Sit Giambi and bring back Barton to play everyday.
No more Cust in the field. DH only. Travis Buck in right.
Sweeney in center and Davis to the bench.
Let’s see if there is anyone to build the A’s future around. It is a waste of time to march the vets out there when they stink.
And Holliday—what a bust he has been. Trade for lots in return—unlikely—or hold and get draft choices. Maybe a new manager can get this guy’s head on straight. What a disappointment he has been—not even trying now. Does he think this will help his free agency value? When was his last homer?
Too long ago to remember.
Fans will come if they see some hope. Right now there is none.
I've got an idea for a sign I might bring tonight...
P THETIC
by TerrySteinbach on Jun 29, 2009 12:06 PM PDT reply actions
Can I make a suggestion?
That sign suggests “There’s no A in pathetic,” which is not true.
How about: “LE DERSHIP”?
Or if you like clever semantics, “CH RGE” — because apparently, there is no A in charge.
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
There's no "A", period
That add campaign always looked to have an unintended negative alternate connotation. While the ownership is in the middle of attempts to move the team, adds pop up all over Oakland where the “A” is missing. No "A"s on the signs, no A’s on the field.
by cityplANner on Jun 29, 2009 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Other possibilities include
ON B SE PERCENT GE
FIRST B SEMAN
ORL NDO C BRER
B TTING VER GE
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
S D
that’s all I can think about this year so far.
PL YOFFS
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
SSH TS
This is just unacceptable. People are paying good money to go to the ball park. -Ken Korach
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 29, 2009 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions
RDV RK!!!
-Cindi
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
BOBBY CROSBY
"If Bowden was a general contractor, he'd build houses with nine bedrooms, six garages, no bathrooms, and half a roof."
by DyeLongJustice on Jun 30, 2009 3:47 PM PDT up reply actions
I like this
How about “World Series” no A’s in there. Too harsh?
I still prefer "Effort"
CuttheMullet, from "The Thread":
"Whenever I’m about to do something, I think "would an idiot do that?" and if they would, I do not do that thing."
CCOUNT BILITY?
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
OMG...that's my favorite part
Any time he got upset was a great episode.
"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 Jun 29, 2009 8:01 PM PDT up reply actions
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