A's Sweep in Seattle, Finish at .500
by jeffro on Oct 3, 2010 4:21 PM PDT
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Print"Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light" -Dylan Thomas
I find it hard to write a recap about today's game. It was a good game. It's just that the season is gone and it feels a bit like a can of Pringles. Barbecue flavor. At the point when all that's left are the shards of barbecue powdered potato flakes and you "drink" them down. And then you are afraid to look into the canister because you know they are all gone, but you still want more of that sweet mesquite tang on your tongue.
The only difference is that I can't go down to Safeway and grab another can. Sure, there will be a few weeks of Sour Cream and Onion, or Original flavor, left to enjoy. But Barbecue is gone. And it is this fact that has me reading Dylan Thomas poetry.
Alas, there was a game today and the A's won, completing the sweep and finishing without a losing record for the first time since 2006. Dallas Braden was anything but spectacular, but as we have come to expect, he kept the team in the game through 5 innings. The Boofalo, Boof Bonser, Henry "Humo" Rodriguez and Craig "Braniac" Breslow did yeoman's work out of the pen to protect Braden's 11th win.
The offense was pretty good, too. Mark Ellis continued his late season surge with an RBI double, extending a career best tying 13 game hit streak. Kurt Suzuki hit his first bomb in over a month. Crush Carter burninated once more, with a key RBI single in the 6th, putting Braden ahead just before he exited. Kouzmanoff belted one to Bellingham, a blast that proved to be a needed run.
I can't help but think, as I write out those names, that I am really only certain that one of them will be in next years canister. And they raged against the dying of the light today. In a way that we can all be proud of. They fought against "playing out the string." They suffered a sweep in Anaheim, only to turn it around in Seattle, playing for something when they, seemingly, had nothing to play for.
This years can of Barbecue Pringles brought us many good things. The maturing of Gio and Dactyl. The struggle, and eventual triumph, of Trogdor. The Mother's Day Miracle. Unicorn Power: the Renaissance. Cliff Pennington's right arm. Coco's leaping thievery. Really, there were many, many highlights after four seasons of mainly lowlights. Progress is good.
Next year's can is going to be different. I can't wait to taste it.
Congratulations to all of my friends and family that root for the Giants. Good luck in the tournament.
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Sour Cream and Onion Pringles were so much better when they actually used sour cream and onion in them instead of flavored powder
Last of the Ninth - Photography
So is that a reasonable nickname for Gabe Gross?
“Flavored Powder”?
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
Tastes like grandma.
Take your silver mod tubescreamer, your dr. z, your nocaster, put them in a pile and burn them. if god gave you a thousand years, you still couldn't touch this. you can't f***ing keep time to this.
Bonus points for poetry.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
The A's are WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE
Frustrating as it was, most people had us pegged as a .500 team before the season, so in a way we succeeded! Right?
Right?
"The A's have to be setting some record this year for simultaneously maximizing team quality and player anonymity. I guess that’s sort of their thing though." - Luke in MN
by hero66 on Oct 3, 2010 4:23 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
And they were at .500 more times than any team in history
Poetic justice that they finish at .500.
Really?
That’s awesome.
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:14 PM PDT up reply actions
Yea, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth
But to be honest, when I looked at the roster before the season it looked like a .500 team. There were some surprises and some let downs but this was about where I thought the A’s would end up.
I thought we'd win 75 games.
"You're all like big, fat failure turtles." - Edge
by Rated-R Superstar on Oct 3, 2010 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions
I thought we'd be one or two games over.
(which we were, pythagorically).
Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.
There's a lot to be happy about with this season
and Carter’s play over the last two weeks makes me feel so much better going into the fall and winter.
I’m also really looking forward to a couple weeks of postseason gamethreading. Sad that the A’s won’t be involved, but the threads can actually be even more fun, in a weird way, when there’s nothing at stake for the Green and Gold.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Carter's stats:
First 33 AB: .000
Second 37 AB: .351
That's fun.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
What's his slash line over those 37 ABs?
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
Not that much!
It’s easy to do on baseball-reference.com. Go to a player’s gamelogs (list of stats from each game he plays), click on the line you want to start with, then shift-click on the line you want to end with, and you’ve got his totals for that period. Then you can save that selection as a permanent link.
Here are Carter’s stats starting with the game when he broke his o-fer:
.314/.390/.600, .990 OPS, 1 double, 3 HR, 5 BB and 7 K’s in 41 PAs.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Woo hoo --
Carefully selected small samples FTW!!!!
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
During his 0-fer
he had 1 BB and 13 Ks in 33 PAs. So it wasn’t a matter of random BABIP fluctuations or anything. Looks like he might have relaxed enough after that first hit to lay off bad pitches, swing easier and make better contact.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
He has definitely stopped chasing every slider away
That alone helps a ton. What’s extra exciting is that lately he has fouled several pitches straight back that he just missed, that I could see him mashing in the near future.
I really think Carter needs to make the team, and starting lineup, out of spring training next year. None of this, “Well we threw away some games and adjustment time with Horatio Goatbody, but now Carter’s up…” He’s ready. He’ll struggle some and mash some, and who knows in what order or frequency? Just give him the job and hope for the best.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Absolute, Will
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Yeah. It took Crosby 5 years to correct that...
…. ooops sorry – he never actually corrected it.
I'm reading 13 hits in 37 AB: .351 average
He went 2-3 today.
Oh, you're right
BR hasn’t updated their stats to include today’s games. So Carter’s even better than that line indicates. Surf over there later tonight, once they’ve got the full season, and do that select again!
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
This is why we wont even target Crawford.
Carl C is a LF for life. Chris C is our LF. We just need a proper RF in the form or Werth, Ordonez or trade to make our lineup pretty good.
What I'm wondering....
is if a non losing season makes us more appealing to F/A’s. There are guys out there who place value on a winning team.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
Thats true
But why would Crawford chose us over the Red Sox and Angels?
I cant come up with any reason other than us offering him $20MM a year for 7 years, that aint happening.
It isn't always money with these guys...
they’ll take less if they think a team has a long term chance of being competitive What’s more, they will add years if they think it’s a good gamble. With the A’s pitching, I think we have a shot at some of these guys.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
AL west is going to be less competitive than the AL east
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
Crawford is a Texas boy though
I could see him going to Houston or, and please don’t be the case, Texas.
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:17 PM PDT up reply actions
he can hit it to the crawford boxes
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
by Future Ed on Oct 3, 2010 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
LOL ED WADE
and since when did the Rangers need outfielders, isn’t that the one thing they don’t need (Hamilton, Cruz, and Borbon/Beltre).
Needs moar dingerz and moar Josh Donaldson.
Except that the Yankees/Red Sox are going to have more money and look much more likely to make the post season the next 5-7 years
We’re not getting ANY decent free agents.
by yo on Oct 3, 2010 8:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Cept they don't need outfielders
the Yanks’ OF is just fine as is, and they need things like pitchers and a DH, which Crawford is not.
Needs moar dingerz and moar Josh Donaldson.
That SSS UZR is ugly
Let’s hope that if he does in fact end up being our LFer, that he works his ass off on defense this offseason.
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:16 PM PDT up reply actions
he botched a couple plays that killed his SSS UZR
I’m thinking he’s like -5 to -10. Not great, obviously, but he’s not going to embarrass himself too badly out there.
!#%&$#@&%&% antioxidants! - pam
by cuppingmaster on Oct 4, 2010 7:02 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm guessing LF is his job to lose come Spring
Yeah, he’s probably going to be not good on defense, but I don’t think him playing LF for a year in AAA is going to help him. The alternative would be to teach Barton LF and move Carter to 1B, but I think I’d rather live with bad LF defense than bad 1B defense.
!#%&$#@&%&% antioxidants! - pam
by cuppingmaster on Oct 4, 2010 7:17 AM PDT up reply actions
I disagree with one thing
I think a year in left in AAA would help. I just think that year was 2010.
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
for his bat, sure
he played mostly at 1B in AAA. He needs more work in LF
I see no problem with his working on his LF defense this winter, then into spring and with the A’s next season. I think the A’s need his bat in the lineup.
The problem was the A's didn't know if Barton could be an anchor at 1B so they left Carter there in Sacramento most of the year
Barton had a very good 2010 but they waited until some time in July to start putting Carter in LF.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
This was the Carlos gonzales problem too
A 22 year old shows maturity problems and the A’s panic. I wish it weren’t so.
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
Not really
Leftfielders see more, and more critical, chances than 1B do. (Consider that leftfielders’ mistakes will lead more often than not to doubles, whereas 1B mistakes usually lead to singles.)
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
Barton's real value at 1B is his picks on infielders' throws
I just don’t see Carter being nimble enough to dig out low throws like Barton does, even if his reach is probably 8-9" more than Barton’s.
there’s a lot more to 1B than plays on smashes down the line…
"Feel so bad, feel like a ballgame on a rainy day"-Lightnin' Hopkins
by justANotherAsFan on Oct 4, 2010 2:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Moving Barton to LF would pretty much just double the problem, wouldn't it?
Then you have bad defense at both 1B and LF.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Oct 4, 2010 6:14 PM PDT up reply actions
I think you're really shortchanging Horatio Goatbody here.
He’s got a pretty high upside.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Oct 4, 2010 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions
It's one reason I enjoy watching and rooting for the Giants --
because I care, but even when they lose in crushing defeat I can just go on with my day, whereas with the A’s I have to go through at least 20 minutes of writhing and retching.
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
Totally agree with all of this.
Despite the absence of the A’s, I’m really looking forward to another edition of Anyone But the Yankees.
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Oct 3, 2010 8:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Yes!
You play it too!
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:17 PM PDT up reply actions
My standard playoff game is usually Anyone But The Angels
but that’s not a problem this year!
I figure I’ll root for inverse-order-of-drought. Which would be, if I’m not mistaken, Giants, Rangers, Reds, Twins, Braves, Rays, Phillies, Yankees. Except that the Rangers play in Texas, so screw Texas. I’ll put them in 6th.
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
The Rays have never won though
And more wins for them = More money to spend = More screwing the Yanks and Red Sox.
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
True
And I’ve always disliked the Twins for some reason or other. So I’ll flip those two. So now we’ve got Giants, Reds, Rays, Braves, Twins, Rangers, Phillies, Yankees.
That looks about right actually.
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
As long as the Phillies and Yankees don't win anything
we’re all good.
Rays
Reds
Twins
Braves
Rangers
Giants
Phils
Yanks
Needs moar dingerz and moar Josh Donaldson.
Congrats A's fans on a great season...I hope to see them even better next year!
And now, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GIANTS! :D
Go Sharks!
So, Dallas said in the postgame interview that he's planning to go to Thailand and Honduras this offseason
I figured he wasn’t the kind of guy to spend his winter on a golf course in Arizona.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Think he takes some big trip every offseason.
He’s awesome.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
The Giant or the Beach Boy?
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Doesn't matter
Good vibrations either way.
by richwol1 on Oct 3, 2010 4:37 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Amsterdam was this past offseason.
Ireland was 2 or 3 years ago
http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-02-24/sports/17139976_1_irish-america-irish-castle-brian-wilson
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Shall we start a pool on which rare, debilitating disease he contracts?
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
Im guessing...
Valley thigh tear hernia sprain TJ fever.
In the words of Ben Franklin....
it sounds to me like the young lad is going a whoring. Thailand is always appropriate for such ventures, caveat emptor nonwithstanding. Now as for Honduras, I gotta go with Venezuela or Columbia.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
A certain, um, aesthete I once knew told me that
the three capitals of the world are Amsterdam, Bangkok and San Francisco.
I don’t think Dallas has the same taste in ephebes as my friend, but the principle is probably the same.
Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.
"Aesthete." Heh.
Is that what the kids are calling it now.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Oct 4, 2010 3:45 PM PDT up reply actions
y preseason guestimate was third place, with second place as best case scenario
my congrats to the guys for an entertaining and in many ways positive season.
Lots of great highlights for the year...
Cahill’s breakout season.
Gio’s breakout season.
Braden’s perfect game early, and one-hitter later.
The coming of age of Daric Barton.
The amazing infield work by Cliff Pennington.
The super-closer Andrew Bailey.
Rajai Davis proving that 2009 wasn’t a fluke.
Mark Ellis finishing with a flourish.
Coco Crisp at the top of his game when healthy.
Jack Cust kinda hitting for average (!!!)
Chris Carter’s second half of his cup of coffee.
Bobby Cramer actually being decent.
Ryan Sweeney hitting for average.
Craig Breslow’s super-year.
How do you decide whats "breaking out" and whats "coming of age"?
Cahill’s breakout season. 1
Gio’s breakout season. +1
Braden’s perfect game early, and one-hitter later. +1
The coming of age of Daric Barton. -1 HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM BREAKING OUT?
The amazing infield work by Cliff Pennington. +1
The super-closer Andrew Bailey. +1 NEEDS TO NOT BE INJURED NEXT YEAR THOUGH.
Rajai Davis proving that 2009 wasn’t a fluke. -1 AND PT HATES YOU.
Mark Ellis finishing with a flourish. -1 THIS SUCKS BECAUSE NOW WE ARE GUNNA PICK UP HIS OVERPRICED OPTION.
Coco Crisp at the top of his game when healthy.1
Jack Cust kinda hitting for average (!!!) -1. WHO CARES? LOVE HIS HIGHEST OPS SINCE 07.
Chris Carter’s second half of his cup of coffee. 1
Bobby Cramer actually being decent.1
Ryan Sweeney hitting for average. -1. HE SUCKS AT HITTING.
Craig Breslow’s super-year. -1. 0.3 WAR MEANS HE WASNT VERY GOOD/WAS AS GOOD AS LAST YEAR.
I was trying to say something good about Sweeney...
…and really, like it or not, in those early few weeks, when Cust was still in the minors and Fox and Patterson were playing semi-regularly, Sweeney and Barton WERE the A’s offense.
I don't think Barton had a break-out season..
Because I think this was only the first step. I’m hoping we see a guy hitting .300 with 20 HR to go along with his keen understanding of the plate. To me, that’s the breakout season.
Apparently not Bailey though!
He goes 2+ again if he’s healthy this year.
Breslow wasnt that good, he was just the only one who’s arm didnt fall off (not for lack of trying though!)
He's elite.
The very, very best relievers get 2-3 WAR. That’s it. Relievers are where I like to use WPA, and Breslow passes that test quite easily.
Over .280 average, 50 SB, decent fielding
Respectable stats for a bottom of the order speed guy, which is more than most people here expected.
I don't think Davis is a fluke -- in fact he is utterly predictable
That also doesn’t mean he’s good.
He’ll hit for a good average but a bad OBP, low SLG but lots of steals and “Rajai runs,” and he’ll fail the eyeball test on defense but still give you above average results.
He did that in 2009, he did it in 2010, and he’ll probably do it again in 2011.
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
So, pretty acceptable fourth OF then?
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Oct 4, 2010 7:05 PM PDT up reply actions
Agree with most of this except
-Rajai Davis’ performance didn’t even come close to his 2009 campaign, proving it was a fluke.
-Bobby Cramer was actually not very good, but incredibly lucky.
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Re Cramer: Kept the ball on the ground, didn't walk batters
Low BABIP, but grossly inflated HR/FB.
He looked like you’d expect for a 5th starter, which is actually pretty good considering that he was signed out of the independent leagues.
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
I wouldn't say "not very good" for Cramer
He clearly knows what he’s doing out there with his pitches and showed pretty good command. That right there puts him ahead of most people who ever get called up for a cup of coffee for the first time.
The homers did bite him a bit but any luck around it was in most of them being solo shots. In that small sample, it at least speaks well to some ability to minimize damage.
It’s not like he was on the verge of being a gascan out there and kept getting bailed out. He was fine.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
I do think he could latch on as a good 5th starter
But it’s only so long before those homers start being given up with men on base. We saw it with Cahill. I like the control and he could be good, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves…
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 4, 2010 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions
maybe he'll be the innings-eater for long relief...
I’m not too thrilled with the Boof in that role, so far. Cramer seems to be pretty tough first time through the lineup.
"Feel so bad, feel like a ballgame on a rainy day"-Lightnin' Hopkins
by justANotherAsFan on Oct 4, 2010 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm hardly advocating a spot in the rotation for Cramer at this point
There are reasons this was his first appearance in the bigs, though some of them are injury-related. Right now it’s just a great story.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
Through the ups and the matts
this has been a great season. I can only imagine whats in store for us in 2011
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
As they say: What goes up, must come Matt!
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
LOL
and I thought it was fitting that Gabe Gross caught the last out. Because that will be the last ball he touches in an Oakland uniform.
Right?
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
He told the Chron he'd love to come back.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
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'm sure
Bobby Cramer can help him out and find him a nice corner outfield job in an indepentdent league
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
He'll be lucky to get a minor league contract this offseason
He was absolutely terrible in all facets of the game…
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:34 PM PDT up reply actions
That one
catch wear he laid out in foul territory will probably give Geren enough reason to try and keep him.
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
The one where he robbed the HR may have been the catch of the season for the A's
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
OHHHH
yes I remember that. Coco had two or three over the wall catches too which were amazing
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
UZR kind of likes him in right field.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Oct 4, 2010 7:13 PM PDT up reply actions
And his three-year OF UZR average is 3.8.
Three-year RF UZR average is 6.5.
So, not all facets of the game.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Oct 4, 2010 7:14 PM PDT up reply actions
Assuming he took his uni off before he showered after today's game, yes
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
by Nick on Oct 3, 2010 4:48 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Please let this be right
Assuming we do sign an OF, that makes Rajai 5th OF and Rosales the backup to all. No room for Gross.
!#%&$#@&%&% antioxidants! - pam
by cuppingmaster on Oct 4, 2010 7:07 AM PDT up reply actions
More of the same
Unless management makes the necessary adjustments.
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:33 PM PDT up reply actions
38 and Counting...
Congrats to the A’s for making it back to .500. Finishing my 38th year of watching the A’s, I can say it hasn’t been the most frustrating ever- that would be the 1984 season- but it has been a season where I felt there was a lot more potential than what was shown on the field. People say having a managerial change can’t make a difference, I say just look at Baltimore. Oh well, it is what it is, 2nd place is better than the last place finish we were pegged for, so I’ll be happy and look forward to next spring.
The greenmachine
Announcer on Gnats postgame said this was one of the most satisfying years in Bay Area baseball
Actually, I find 1989 very satisfying
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
I wish every year was like 1989.
A’s beat the Giants in the World Series. That’s satisfying to me as a Bay Area baseball fan.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Oct 3, 2010 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions
That would be a beautiful thing
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
For me the most satisfying would be the A's winning 100 games and the Giants losing 100 games.
Because, fuck the Giants. #1993.
by PL78 on Oct 3, 2010 6:46 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I still can't believe that we gave them territory rights for free and they're now pulling this shit
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:35 PM PDT up reply actions
hell yeah!Go Braves!!!
fuck the giants.
The dude abides
Be cool to animals but F#CK PETA!
"They didnt quiet a building,they quieted a nation!"--WJC January 2010
"Hah! Crom laughs at your four winds!"
And thanks to the Tigers winning today...
we don’t lose our draft pick in the unlikely event that someone like Carl Crawford can be fooled into coming here.
I loved the team this year, even with Matts and Gabe. I’m super sad, but at least basketball starts soon to keep me from spending the next two months pressing F5 on MLBTR. I can trade in my “Let’s go Oak-Land!” for “Lets go Blazers!” for at least a little while.
A full time A's fan in Portland who spends part of his time on AN.
Is Oden ever going to play?
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
At some point, yes, but no direct timeline yet.
I’m not ready to make any Eric Chavez comparisons, but I’m already starting with the “La la la I can’t hear you!” response when people ask me about him.
A full time A's fan in Portland who spends part of his time on AN.
Why mention EC when you can use the Sam Bowie comp?
Durant isn’t Jordan, but still…
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Simple:
If I mention Chavvy, I don’t have to acknowledge Durant’s awesomeness.
And Durant could become Jordan, which makes it even harder to swallow.
A full time A's fan in Portland who spends part of his time on AN.
Please do acknowledge Durant's awesomeness.
Go Thunder!
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Oct 3, 2010 8:08 PM PDT up reply actions
Bill Walton seems like the obvious one to me, but I admit knowing little about the NBA...
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
Well, Walton did actually win a title for the Blazers
so it’s not like they got nothing from him, whereas Bowie was just and Oden (so far has just been) injured. And I don’t think they passed up a Jordan/Durant equivalent when they drafted Walton.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Bold Prediction: He plays over 60 games and is one of the best Centers this year
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 3, 2010 8:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Damnit, already going thru withdrawls
went to auto-tune the game for tomorrow. And there’s nothing there :(
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
We'll do gamethreads during the postseason, along with the usual non-GT content
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
I am looking forward to it.
"You're all like big, fat failure turtles." - Edge
by Rated-R Superstar on Oct 3, 2010 5:01 PM PDT up reply actions
Good
because I’ll be a very bored little lady without you people lOl
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
Tomorrow's line-up
Davis, CF; Barton 1B, Ellis 2B; Suzuki C; Kouzmanoff, 3B; Cust, DH; Carter LF; Hermida RF; Pennington SS; Cramer P
Geren's going to try something new this offseason...
he’s going to try to see if he can keep Suzuki from having any days off during the offseason as well.
A full time A's fan in Portland who spends part of his time on AN.
I was thinking about Powell...
…and then I realized Geren wouldn’t be.
Thinking of Powell.
Thinking??
If that's the line up next year
I won’t be going to any games. At least a third of that line up needs to be replaced if they are going to go from 81 to 92 wins.
I'm actually thinking.....
Crisp CF; Barton 1B; Sweeney RF; Beltre 3B; -- DH; Carter LF; Suzuki C; Ellis 2B; Pennington SS
That's better I agree. It's maybe 88 wins
if Crisp stays healthy, Beltre continues to hit, and Carter develops as a .240/.320/.450 kind of hitter.
I like this one.
CF: Crisp
1B: Barton
RF: Werth
DH: Cust
LF: Carter
2B: Ellis
C: Suzuki
SS: Pennington
3B: Kouzmanoff
Hardly any change....
I’m fine with that, but I have a hunch Cust won’t be back.
werth instead of sweeney/matts is huge
and cust is going to be back.
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
I'll take this one
I’d try for another bat of course. Uggla or Kemp? But this lineup is the bare minimum for an OK offseason.
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
Count me as on the Matt Kemp bandwagon
I really hope we can swing it.
!#%&$#@&%&% antioxidants! - pam
by cuppingmaster on Oct 4, 2010 7:10 AM PDT up reply actions
Not another drama queen!
We brought in a somewhat decent player who was a total headcase,and I just think Kemp would be Milton Bradley pt.2.I’d be down with Uggla though.
The dude abides
Be cool to animals but F#CK PETA!
"They didnt quiet a building,they quieted a nation!"--WJC January 2010
"Hah! Crom laughs at your four winds!"
The question is where he would play
At 2B, he gives back so much on defense. At DH, he leaves no place for Cust. I like Uggla, but I’m not sure where he’d fit in.
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
Even with his defense, Uggla would be a huge upgrade over anything we could put at 2B now.
The problem is that all the pitchers would end up with worse numbers because he sucks at defense.
Still, it just means that we have more 7-4 games and less 2-1 games.
The other BIG problem with Uggla? He plays for Florida. Florida has literally no reason at all to trade him, and when they DO trade, they don’t make bad ones.
Pam liked my old sig better.
They have one reason to trade him:
They aren’t currently good enough as is, Uggla is one year from free agency and is a good trade chip, and if they can get a longer term upgrade elsewhere (e.g., starting pitching) it could improve them beyond 2011 as well as for 2011.
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
Congrats to the A's for an exciting year
Now for the long, cold, dreary period known as the offseason. Well, at least we have AN to keep us motivated!
by A's Fan in Virginia on Oct 3, 2010 5:19 PM PDT reply actions
My congrats to all you on AN
for all your steadfast intellectual and emotional support through a long tough year.
I gotta admit:
I did not think we could sweep this series. I know, I get it, .500 is arbitrary, but damn it sure does feel good (especially with that protected pick all sewn up, too).
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
Yeah, the guys pretty much stuck the landing on this one, didn't they?
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Good, decent season better than last
Will there be playoff open threads?
Will people post in open playoff threads?
The FairWeather Channel - Sports Comics and Bandwagon Forecast
Probably.
"You're all like big, fat failure turtles." - Edge
by Rated-R Superstar on Oct 3, 2010 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions
There have been front-page playoff open threads in the past.
Maybe not one for each separate game if there are multiple games going on, but at least a general open thread.
Yeah - probably general front page "playoffs" threads
not devoted to a given game but more for the day’s games.
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
Just a little offense...
just a little. Come on Billy, make it happen. 2011 will be our year! Just a little……
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
Thanks...
To y’all, the AN crew. This was my first season following AN on a daily basis. I mostly kept my mouth shut and gained many insights into the team and the game. CT was a great addition, too – one of the few things most everyone can agree on. 2010’s edition of MLB’s best franchise was a fun bunch, albeit historically mediocre. Hopefully good things will happen between now and March. Im looking forward to my first trip to Phoenix.
P.S. Can’t help wondering what coulda been if Carter had come up earlier with a chance to be Posey-esque, and we had grabbed up Burrell, Guillen, even Ross. Hard to watch the champagne flowing so close to home, yet so far away. To next year!
Welcome -- hope to hear from you in 2011! (Or this off-season.)
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
Dallas Braden never lets me down
Blockquoted paragraph “Last year, they were all ugly caterpillars. We knew they’d have pretty wings when they came out, and sure enough …”
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
oooops screwed the block up
lOl
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
To the quote?
Its the recap on the A’s homepage
(I dont know how to do all this link business lol)
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
thanks, this way we know where it came from
BTW it’s actually pretty easy to do. Just highlight a word or phrase such as “here’s the link”click on the chain icon, paste in the whole url in the space that comes up, and preview. if it looks good then post.
for example you could do it like this:
Braden speaking like a proud papa about the younger starting pitchers’ growth this season
"Last year, they were all ugly caterpillars. We knew they’d have pretty wings when they came out, and sure enough …"
WHICH SHOULD BE THE DAMNED DEFAULT
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
by Future Ed on Oct 3, 2010 8:01 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
heh.
also, youtubes should be banned.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
Is that agreeing with me or ridiculing me?
I can’t tell
Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.
mainly needling Ed.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
screw it
im just not gonna link anything Lqo
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
Lqo?
Sorry NyQuil doesnt want me typing
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
and while you're at it speak loudly to the newbies.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
On a serious note, it's like the switch flipped for Carter the moment he put on the home uniform
He looked as bad as you can look in August and though he appeared to be having some better ABs in KC and MIN this time around the results weren’t there. All of a sudden in Oakland, something started working and he finished better than I thought he would.
He’s making those adjustments already, learning to lay off certain pitches or reacting to others, and like it was said above (I think in here) some of the pitches he missed these last few games he JUST missed, fouling them back. Other than that I was seeing much better plate discipline and his contact has been pretty solid.
That may be the best thing about these last few weeks.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
So...that whole "free agents hate Oakland" thing?
For whatever it’s worth, Coco Crisp and Gabe Gross both said they’d love to be back.
Here
You’d think after minimal game action with the A’s that Gabe Gross would be itching to leave. Instead, the reserve outfielder said the team’s outlook is so good for next year, “If they want me, I’ll come back with bells on.”
he specifically mentioned the starting pitching
I’m sure he’s not the only pending free agent who has noticed that
I don't even want to see him...
I want him to go into hiding in Mongolia…
I want to see him ...
starting in LF for the Angels next season.
Now there's nothing left to say, so let's go drink beer.
THIS.
Our trash can be passed onto division rivals, ala Langerhans.
Needs moar dingerz and moar Josh Donaldson.
Sure, once you actually get 'em to put on the green & gold
getting them to that point tends to be a bit tougher.
The monster at the end of this blog.
Also, Carl Crawford could potentially
find himself with more options than Gabe Gross figures to have.
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
It's cause the unis are so pretty.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
I was just called a moron and "obviously not very baseball savy" by a Giants fan.
I wished him luck in the DS because the Braves are going to be a tough play (because of how evenly matched the two teams really are, at least statistically speaking) and that, if they get to the CS against the Reds of Phils, I wish them even more luck.
Then he told me that the MLB Network analysts agree with his opinion. Yeah. And oh yeah: one v in savvy.
Whatever. Go A’s, yay .500 ball, we’re gonna fuck some shit up next year.
You all rock.
"You're just jealous. You wish you had a rally animal..." -CardinalWraith
Oh no, I know.
He made fun of my savvy and misspelled it at the same time. Giants.
But I thank you for that photo anyway. Awesome, hahaha.
"You're just jealous. You wish you had a rally animal..." -CardinalWraith
dude I totally made a Pirates joke in the game thread today and you weren't there!
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
He was being a typical SF fan.
Funny how they all started on the Sharks bandwagon when they didnt give a shit until they started winning:)
The dude abides
Be cool to animals but F#CK PETA!
"They didnt quiet a building,they quieted a nation!"--WJC January 2010
"Hah! Crom laughs at your four winds!"
I think this year was an overall success
considering the lack of offense and the manager
by dashman33 on Oct 3, 2010 8:00 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
A very interesting season.
We ended up pretty much where I expected us to be at the start. But how we got there was stranger than I expected.
Definitely enjoyed this season more (and have better feelings about next year) than I did either of the two previous seasons.
I’ve been monster busy and absent from the gamethreads for the last few weeks, but I’ll be around during the post-season. Even without the A’s on the field (sniff), y’all are the best folks in the world to talk baseball with!
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Oct 3, 2010 8:14 PM PDT reply actions
Thanks!
I’m feeling particularly good about it in light of OU’s victory over the Whorns this weekend!
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Oct 3, 2010 9:08 PM PDT up reply actions
OH YES
that was the game of the year (so far)
"You ain't got nothin to say, it was perfect" -Dallas Braden, 05/09/10
Well, bring on the offseason!
As much as I hate the not being able to watch live baseball thing, we also get some awesome posts and great discussion on AN…
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
I know Cindi's planning some really unique
perspectives on recent hairstyle trends. And it’s not just to trash Lori’s new look, even if it kind of reads that way.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
CRAP IS IT SPRING TRAINING YET
A's Fan in Sweden
"Some of us know him as the a-hole who piled into Ray Fosse in an All-Star game (it's why Ray is the way he is folks)" - OptimistPrime
178 days until Opening Day!
(sigh)
will crosby spread his legs so far apart at bat that the games will have to be rated nc-17 -- emperor nobody
I hate cocky, uneducated Giants' fans.
I know this is a weird place to vent, but HOLY SHIT. The things these guys are sending me on Facebook…holy hell.
I made fun of their history, made a simple “trophy case” joke. They said the Giants have more history than the A’s do and the only thing we have are three consecutive World Series titles and Rickey Henderson.
Note how ’89 was missing there. JESUS.
I think they just inspired me to write a Fan Post.
"You're just jealous. You wish you had a rally animal..." -CardinalWraith
Well, technically they do have more history
by 18 years.
Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.
In my eyes
History is measured not by the length, but what was accomplished in that time.
Therefore, A’s History > Giants History
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Oct 4, 2010 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions
The Philadelphia Athletics, in various forms, go back to before there was a National League.
We won the first-ever national baseball championship. I consider that our history.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Oct 5, 2010 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions
And actually, the Philadelphia Athletics played in the first ever National League game before the Giants existed
The Athletics were kicked out of the league after the first season for failing to go on road trips(lack of funds).
"The A's get some action but they do not score..." -Glen Kuiper
"Anyone who calls themselves the Angels Angels should have to start over and ride the short bus." -timmeh from McCovey Chronicles
If it makes you feel better,just think they were probably wearing a dumb-ass panda hat!
The dude abides
Be cool to animals but F#CK PETA!
"They didnt quiet a building,they quieted a nation!"--WJC January 2010
"Hah! Crom laughs at your four winds!"
What the hell happened to Tolleson and Sogard?
Really wish they got more playing time at the end.
A's Fan in Sweden
"Some of us know him as the a-hole who piled into Ray Fosse in an All-Star game (it's why Ray is the way he is folks)" - OptimistPrime
they were seen saying hello to powell and donaldson
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
The Halloween Giants
As a black cat owner, I should be pro the Halloween team. Hey, my cat looks just as great next to a pumpkin as the next feline citizen (better than most, even). But I just can’t help but take pleasure in the pain of the porpoise petters, and pain in there cream-jerseyed triumphs.
Can’t wait for next season. I hope it’s much better. The A’s were a quintessential 500 team. Any other record would have mischaracterized them. I only pray that Gabe Gross isn’t on this team next season. There are two states a team can exist in: they can be legitimate contenders, or they can employ Gabe Gross. Not both. They are mutually exclusive conditions.
Thirdly paragraphly finally, thank trog-god for Carter. We haven’t seen such a legit threat since Frank Thomas 2.0 part a. Oh, that sweet, sweet bat speed. He brings electricity to every bat.
P.S. First post. Woohoo!
A's for 2011
Starters:
Cahill
Anderson
Gio
Braden
Mazzaro
Bullpen:
Bailey
Breslow
Devine
Outman
H-Rod
Zeigler
Wuertz
Lineup:
1. Crisp CF
2.Rajai RF
3. Free Agent DH
4. Carter LF
5. Kouz 3B
6. Suzuki C
7. Barton 1B
8. Ellis 2B
9. Pennington SS
Bench:
Sweeney plays RF a lot, play CF some, gets into 100 games
Taylor Back up RF/CF/LF/DH or Sogard/Weeks/Cardenas/Green
Powell/Donaldson(you never know) back up C
Rosales 1B/2B/SS/3B/LF
"Holy Toledo"-Bill King
by A's fan since birth on Oct 5, 2010 12:35 AM PDT reply actions
At what point do you see some of these things taking shape, especially the bench?
I’d say it’s almost a lock we will not be seeing Taylor/Sogard/Weeks/Cardenas/Green here to start the season, not unless one of them (Taylor or Cardenas, most likely) absolutely destroys in Spring Training.
I’ll let others tackle the free agent DH over Cust part if they want.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
It's taking all my willpower to not say that we need an OF and a 3B way more than we need a DH.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Oct 5, 2010 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions
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