Upcoming NorCal and SoCal AN Events And Baseball Charity Thoughts
by baseballgirl on Mar 31, 2010 5:00 AM PDT
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PrintThe A's are convinced that neither Fox nor Patterson would clear waivers, so indications are that catcher Landon Powell and utility infield candidate Adam Rosales will be sent out because they have options left. Powell and Rosales are still expected to contribute to the club during the season - Rosales, in particular, if the team decides that a real backup shortstop is a necessity.
Right now, second baseman Mark Ellis would be the emergency backup to Cliff Pennington because Eric Chavez has yet to play shortstop in a game.
If this is true, I disagree. I would rather take Nico's suggestion of sending Powell down, letting Patterson go, and keeping Rosales. I think more than an "emergency" backup is needed at short, and I would rather not take the chance of Ellis playing out of position. Plus Patterson? Really?
Are you a NRAF (Non-Resident A's Fan)? I'd love to know if any other cities (New York, Midwest?) are planning on hosting an AN event this season. Reply in this thread and email me and I'll see if I can secure some giveaways. You can also offer your opinion on our charity donations.
In case you haven't been reading the FanPosts lately, there is a lot going on with the AN community. To make it easier on all of our calendars, I have decided to collect events and dates, and let you know what is being planned for this upcoming season. In additional to the two tailgates that are already on the books; we are hosting not one, but two AN Days at the Coliseum, and I'm not lying when I tell you that the Angels have called me three times to find out why the Southern California ANers aren't visiting Anaheim next weekend.
Let's start with this week for my Northern California ANers and visitors.
AN Tailgate, A's v. Giants 4/3/10
This will be followed by a tailgate next month:
The two AN Days are being planned right now; one will be a BBQ tailgate like we have had the last few years, and one will be an official A's BBQ Terrace event, hopefully with some A's guests.
AN Day VII - The Tailgate 7/10/10
This request was made back in January by a Portland NRAF, and since it's a night game, it should work out perfectly for a good AN tailgate.
We are looking for a Saturday for the second AN Day; it likely will depend on the schedules of any speakers that we might have. Ticket information will be available as soon as I have it. Do we have any date preferences?
Now, my Southern California ANers. The A's are in Anaheim next weekend; I will probably be there on Sunday, but it's a crazy weekend for me; hence the lack of planning, but luckily, the A's are back in May. I told the Angels we would consider Saturday, May 15th in Anaheim; can we get a SoCal group together for that day? (The A's aren't back until September after that.) Post below if you are interested; tickets will be about $20.
And finally...I have been given some A's 1989 memorabilia and I need to find a philanthropic way to get it into the hands of A's fans. What do you think?
First of all, did you know that on this year's California tax return, you can make a donation to ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)?
Second of all, I received a box all the way from Idaho from someone who ended up with a lot of 1989 A's pennants (with the roster printed on them) as well as A's and Padres player postcards (they look like they are from a Smokey the Bear fire prevention giveaway).
The pennants look like this and are in great shape:
The only requirement to getting these into the hands of A's fans is that they are to be used for a philanthropic cause, at which AN is exceptionally good. I have about 150 of these pennants and tons of postcards, and I want to give them all away.
The only idea I came up with immediately is a cause personal to me, which would put me at a Dodgers game with kids who have never seen a baseball game.
Some of you know that I volunteer downtown at the Rescue Mission in Los Angeles' Skid Row. The mission sleeps 1,000 people every night right now; and at any time, there are between 70-90 kids who live there with one or both of their parents. These kids can play basketball and jump-rope like rock stars, but despite living three miles away from Dodger Stadium, they have never seen a live baseball game.
However; baseball is still a dream for these kids. Sunday, in fact, a high school baseball team came to visit them, told them a little about baseball, and left them old gloves, and some signed baseballs. The kids thought it was the greatest thing ever, and couldn't stop talking about it or playing with the gloves. I know this is not an A's game (logistically, a Dodgers game is much more feasible than the Angels for these kids), and it's not an Oakland event, but it is a chance to expose some potential future baseball players to the sport at a young age. I'd love to help these kids get to a game.
The mission may be located on the "wrong" side of the L.A. skyline, but this is the view from the roof.
When I took this picture, I'm standing on another entire story up on the roof ( which is a huge square area with a five foot high surrounding wall) that the mission is trying to turn into usable space; for picnics, for showing movies, for playing outside games; the kids' very own "park", if you will. Right now, the floor is covered in concrete, but their dream is to cover it in AstroTurf. In an economic climate where every spare dime is going to feed and house people, as you can imagine, there isn't a lot of money for flooring. Or for baseball.
Because I know how politically, socially, and religiously diverse AN is (which is my most favorite thing about it), I am not promoting a specific organization; I just want to take kids to a ballgame. No third party would be involved except to borrow the kids for the day; this would be all on me. We could do something like make a donation, receive an A's pennant?
So that's what I've been thinking, but I know that there are tons of worthy causes out there, and I'd love to hear input, thoughts, other ideas, or if anyone would like to help.
Thanks SO much for the AMAZING donation of A's pennants (you know who you are), and thanks for the thoughts/input!
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Don is essentially our archivist.
it should go to him.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles. -nm
Not with me it doesn't
Then again, everyone experiences erectile dysfunction differently.
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
Hmm, you must be doing it wrong.
Come to the office tomorrow. Noon-ish.
I'm here to talk about the past.
So you're leaving at 11am then?
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 glad their are keeping both Patterson and Fox...
We can always DFA either one if they can’t get their bats go, and then bring back Powell or A. Rosales.
The only thing I’m worried about is that if Pennington goes down we are screwed unless Rosales can play SS everyday?
Does anyone think Rajai Davis will struggle and revert back to hitting .236 BA?
I think Buck will be the first call up if Davis sputters out….
I sure hope Sweeney finds the power stroke this year and hits double digits homeruns!
I still like him or either Suzuki on the 3 hole to allow Crisp or Davis to steal a base and see extra pitches to allow them the best opportunity to steal the bag!
Gio for 5th starter!!!!!
That's a really cool story about the kids you volunteer with, BBG
Good on you for doing that. Seriously. I think the idea of taking them to a major-league game is great. You do need to explain to them that they’re not allowed to root for the Dodgers or slegnA, however ;)
My knowledge of LA geography is bad, but is that mission anywhere near where UCLA or USC play baseball? College baseball isn’t the majors by a long shot, but especially with those teams it’s still very good, and at least up at Cal the games are cheap and you can sit in seats that would cost you $200 in Dodger Stadium, for less than 1/10 the price, I’d bet. And it might be easier to arrange for the kids to meet the players, too.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
usc is reasonably close, UCLA is well across the city (~15 miles)
I don’t know if/how SC arranges game visits for youth groups, but UCLA would likely let the kids attend a game for free (they do so for little league/HS teams, I am told). With either case, I imagine the transportation logistics would be the biggest cost and headache.
formerly bruinhoo
Good points...I hadn't thought of USC, althought it IS close
I was just hoping to go for gold…the Dodgers have offered some tickets for $8, and I’m SURE I can get a Dodger Dog thrown in too. I just thought Dodger Stadium would be such an awesome way to introduce baseball. :-)
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
by baseballgirl on Mar 31, 2010 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions
I was thinking more of the college thing in addition to the Dodgers
Maybe even as a long-term relationship. Obviously, it’s easy for me to suggest stuff from 3,000 miles away, but the Los Angeles R.B.I. program might be a good contact.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
You are fantastic...thanks so much!
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
by baseballgirl on Mar 31, 2010 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions
Whose ass is Patterson kissing down there?
He just sucks.
"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did." -Yogi Berra
me too.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Mar 31, 2010 7:46 AM PDT up reply actions
yup.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Apr 1, 2010 3:14 AM PDT up reply actions
I am in for two
I sent you the $16 via paypal
It was particularly funny to hear Bailey asking the director, "You want me to say ‘nipple clipper’ as a question?" Susan Slusser via The Drumbeat 03/20/2010
NICO;
Finall Ryan Garko is available…
The M’s just waived him, so are we going to get him? I don’t see any room for him on the rooster! :)
Yes!
We need to sign him for $11M and then sit Daric Barton!
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
Fox at catcher
I see that Fox was essentially a catcher from 2003 through 2006, and then stopped playing it much in 2007. Anyone have any background information on why the he was moved off catcher? Injury? Ineffectiveness?
He sucks.
I AM VERY MUCH ENJOYING THE HITTING OF BASEBALLS AND SCORING OF RUNS. -mikev
only an ZOMG CENSORED WORD FAMILY SITE quotes himself. -mikev
I'm not big on mincing words.
I AM VERY MUCH ENJOYING THE HITTING OF BASEBALLS AND SCORING OF RUNS. -mikev
only an ZOMG CENSORED WORD FAMILY SITE quotes himself. -mikev
Yes you are
“sucks” would have sufficed but you had to add a gratuitous pronoun.
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
Well...
I had intended to right…
“Anyone have any background information on why the he was moved off catcher beyond simply saying “he sucks.”
….but I figured doing so was unnecessary. I guess not.
I'd imagine Geovany Soto had something to do with it
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Hey guys
I am a NRAF living in Akron, which is a very short drive from Cleveland. I would love to meet up with any other ANers in the area when the A’s come to Cleveland to take on the Tribe. Let me know if anyone is interested, as I’ll be in major need of some A’s-type shenanigans once law school finals are over!
Another NRAF here
I live in southern Michigan, so I usually just see the A’s when they come to Chi or Detroit, but if we get enough of us together I could make Cleveland for a NRAF AN Day.
Not just athletes, Athletics.
Indiana?
I left when I found I could.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Apr 1, 2010 3:14 AM PDT up reply actions
I live in the Bay Area but I am making a road trip to see the A's play Cleveland in August!
There is no A in OFFENSE!!
by wacchampions on Mar 31, 2010 11:35 AM PDT up reply actions
ME TOO!!!!
the may 15th day works best for me, its also my birthday weekend. And I can think of no better way to celebrate than going to an A’s game
BBG
I’d be down for a couple tickets for the SoCal AN Day on May 15.
I’d also be down to help out in some capacity for your idea re: the kids and going to a game.
I live about 55 mi south (in Dana Point) but spend a decent amount of time in LA on weekends and such.
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
BBG you can count on me!
I am definitely up for So Cal AN reunion and would love to help in anyway possible in getting those kids to a game! Lets get those kids a Dodger dog as well!
An NRAF in Austin, TX
I usually make it up to Arlington for a game each year. Unfortunately, I bring Ranger fans with me. But it would be great if somebody wanted to catch a game and talk some A’s baseball.
by Henduland in Texas on Mar 31, 2010 8:06 AM PDT reply actions
I think keeping Patterson and Fox is the right call
They have too much value to just let them go. I know everyone hates Patterson, but aside from Carter, no one put up numbers like Patterson did last year. He was our best player in AAA. Add to this Patterson’s stint in the majors last year and his spring so far and I think its a fair assumption to say he can hit at this level. In fact he has hit pretty much everywhere he has been. His defense isn’t great but at least he can play more than a corner outfield spot.
Patterson’s greatest weakness seems to be a tendency to make boneheaded plays. I think this is more what is wrong with his defense than an actual lack of skill.
We paid too much for Fox to just let him go. I think there is a good chance that Cust doesn’t see a lot of lefties this year as Fox would likely take those at-bats.
Dumping a valuable player just so we have a solid backup SS in the off chance something happens doesn’t seem like good long-term decision making. If we were shooting for the world series this year I could see it. But having the best 40-man roster possible is more important right now. If Cliff gets hurt and we lose a game due to Ellis playing SS, I don’t think anyone will lose any sleep over it. If we drop someone and they go play elsewhere and do well, I think we all would be kicking ourselves.
All this said, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fox or Patterson traded this season. They are not in our long term plans and I think both would hit if given everyday at bats… which they won’t get here.
There is so much wrong with what you say, IMO
First of all, how much we paid for a guy does not make him better or worse. It is now irrelevant, here on March 31st, 2010.
But regarding Patterson, his poor defense at 2B is not due to bone-headed plays. He has bad hands, poor fundamentals, and a terrible arm. He is a liability in the field to where he would be a bad starter even if he hit well.
As a pinch hitter he is useless — he won’t hit for Pennington, because we aren’t keeping a backup SS just so we can keep Patterson, and no way is he going to hit for Suzuki, Ellis, Sweeney, Crisp, Davis. When would that ever happen?
He’s a pinch runner. Wheeeee. My fear about sending him down isn’t that he won’t clear waivers. My fear is that he might. Eric Patterson is the devil. He eats babies and kicks puppies just for being cute. He’s also bad at nearly every aspect of baseball, which is problematic in his chosen field.
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 agree, but one thing that I keep coming back to is
WHY don’t the A’s see what we do? Are we really so beholden to option status and frugality (neither of which make sense for the composition of this team) that we can’t bear to let warm bodies go?
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Rickey
Everything is better with bacon.
by cuppingmaster on Mar 31, 2010 9:26 AM PDT up reply actions
Looking at the statements,
I think the A’s are really concerned with depth and feel it’s important to worry about the 33rd best player on the team. Which Patterson isn’t, when you park-adjust for the kicking of puppies.
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
That's a great question, cupping
I think Nico is right – both in his evaluation of Patterson’s talent (which Dr. Doom GREATLY exaggerates) and the reasons the team keeps him.
I thought the funniest thing Doom wrote is “I think it’s a fair assumption that he can hit at this level. In fact, he has hit pretty much everywhere he’s been.”
I’m sure someone has the numbers handy, but I’d be very surprised if they showed he’s “hit” at the major-league level. The guy is horrible – both offensively and defensively.
I needed a team so I wouldn’t turn into one of the eighty million pink hat-wearing Bud Light-drinking mulleted idiots at Fenway.
I don't think Patterson is a terrible player.
I just think he’s limited…and so to keep him on the roster as a “utlility” player is oxymoronic, in my opinion. He’s basically a platoon player without defensive value. He’s got some speed, but probably won’t get on-base enough in a back-up role to really exploit that and the speed certainly doesn’t make-up for the fact that he’s just an inherently poor defensive player.
Fox is not all that much more versatile than PAtterson, but at least has power, no career platoon split and can theoretically back-up two positions (C and 3B) where depth is needed much more than 2B, LF or CF.
Just pass him through waivers…see what happens. He’d be a lot more useful in the NL, in my opinion.
I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!
What Patterson has proven is that
as long as half the balls he hits fall for hits, he can hit well at the big league level for a month.
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
Horrible?
The guy is horrible – both offensively and defensively.
Offensively, I see no reason to believe Patterson can’t outhit at 3 or 4 of the projected starters.
(2009 numbers – all in fairly limited samples)
Name -——— wOBA -——— OPS+
Patterson -—— .350 -————- 104
Pennington -—- .332 -————- 101
Crisp -———— .328 -————- 90
Ellis -————- .310 -————- 86
Throw in the fact that he’s hit in the minors, and I fail to see how we can definitively say he is a bad hitter. I’d bet he outhits both Crisp and Davis if given the playing time.
Well he can't pinch hit for Pennington,
because thanks to Patterson himself there is no backup SS. He’s not going to be pinch hitting for Crisp or Davis — Gross is a totally viable pinch-hitter against RHP and actually plays good OF defense rather than bad OF defense. Ellis is a great 2Bman instead of a wretched one, and has a better track record as a hitter than Patterson, so you wouldn’t pinch-hit Patterson for Ellis.
Next?
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
The last four weeks of the season, Patterson had a BABIP of nearly .500
Yes, he’s fucking terrible and had one of the luckiest months of baseball I can remember. He has to have nearly half the balls he puts in play land for a hit to even be slightly above average.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Mar 31, 2010 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions
No, we think he's a terrific AAAA hitter.
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
Because he hasn't hit in 246 MLB at bats over 3 seasons?
Are we still falling back on the imaginary AAAA tag when a player who has hit everywhere he has ever played fails over a small sample size? I guess I didn’t get the memo.
I do agree that he has been good
I think he can perform adequately in the majors. The real question is: is he the best fit for the A’s right now. I think the answer is no.
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - danmerqury
Decent offensive player
Did everyone stop paying attention to the A’s at the end of last year? Patterson hit .344/.453/.475 in September last year, with 5 SB and 13BB/14K. In AAA last year, he hit .307/.376/.494 with 43 SB/6 CS. In AAA in 2008, he hit .324/.366/.529 with 19 SB/2 CS between Iowa and Sacramento. He’s no superstar, but he’s a pretty useful offensive player to have on the bench, and that’s why the A’s don’t want to lose him.
So give me a specific example where you would use him as a pinch hitter
For whom?
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
This is a team...
…keeping Mark Ellis and Eric Chavez on the roster. Are you really expecting them to never need to come out of a game?
Also, this is the American League. Pinch hitting is basically pointless, right? He’s there for an occasional start and in case of emergencies.
See my post above re pinch-hitting.
And starting Patterson is a net minus because his terrible defense outweighs his “possibly good” hitting. Nothing you say indicates Patterson over Rosales.
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 only terrible defense, but HORRIBLE baserunning!
How is is even possible to make that many baserunning mistakes when you’re supposed to be showcasing it!
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
by baseballgirl on Mar 31, 2010 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions
This is why Rosales exists
Pointless as it is, Chavez would be the logical PHer when he doesn’t start. He’s the prototypical “aging/injured former star with some pop left in his bat” that would fit the role.
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Rickey
Everything is better with bacon.
by cuppingmaster on Mar 31, 2010 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Davis or Ellis
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Davis revert to his career batting rates, so a LHB like Patterson could occasionally be called to hit for him. I think Patterson is also a better offensive player than Mark Ellis.
And again, it’s more than just pinch-hitting or pinch-running. He’s a good enough offensive player to get an occasional start in the infield or outfield.
Here are his wOBAs over the last few years:
2006 (AA – Cubs): .345
2007 (AAA – Cubs): .359
2008 (AAA – Cubs): .387
2008 (AAA- A’s): .402
2009 (AAA – A’s): .393
2009 (AL – A’s): .350
For me, he’s proven a lot more than your statement “as long as half the balls he hits fall for hits, he can hit well at the big league level for a month”. He’s been a solid offensive player for 4 straight years.
Still, Patterson's BABIP with the A's last year was .371
There’s no way for him to sustain that — just for some perspective, Ichiro’s had a BABIP that high 4 times in 9 seasons, and his career mark is .357.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Davis revert to his career batting rates either
I’d also be pleased: .280/.336/.387. Combine that with excellent OF defense and 50 SBs and you have a valuable player.
Patterson just isn’t good enough a hitter to be worth giving a spot to so he can hit for Ellis or Davis. The “pinch-hitting penalty” offsets the marginal improvement you might otherwise see.
Go with Gross against RHP if you need a pinch hitter. And let Gross and Rosales play the field, since they actually do it well.
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
Career Rates through 2008
Sorry, I meant to say Rajai’s rates before last season, which were .256/.314/.354. That’s closer to what I am expecting for him in 2010.
Because you should just arbitrarily throw out the most recent season?
But include the one where he only got scattered playing time?
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'll go ahead and say it
Rajai Davis isn’t gonna have a .361 BABIP in 2010 like he did in 2009. I think he’s much more likely to hover around the .320 mark that he had in 2008. He is not a good enough hitter to sustain an Ichiro-esque BABIP like that.
His Bill James projection from fangraphs is .284/.339/.379 with a .330 BABIP, and his CHONE projection is .270/.329/.375 with a .318 BABIP
I think the CHONE is much more likely. He’ll probably be about a .700 OPS player with good CF defense. Eh.
I AM VERY MUCH ENJOYING THE HITTING OF BASEBALLS AND SCORING OF RUNS. -mikev
only an ZOMG CENSORED WORD FAMILY SITE quotes himself. -mikev
I think you're underrating his defense
It’s much better than “good.” I don’t think there are 5 CFs in baseball better than Davis with the glove.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Mar 31, 2010 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions
Funny thing is that I totally agree with the Bill James projection
And put that together with above average CF defense plus 50 SBs and I think you have a very good player.
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 would like him to prove it a lot longer than four months
before I anoint him “cured” of his past ills.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Apr 1, 2010 3:16 AM PDT up reply actions
Hey BBG, do you want to post some more info on the Skid Row thing?
Or you can email me. I think the GF and I have both been meaning to volunteer for a worthy cause, and this seems as good as any (and an excuse to watch a game!)
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Rickey
Everything is better with bacon.
I will definetly post a followup on the tickets...thanks SO much! :-)
I would love to have you guys come with! One of the other girls who volunteers there is really good friends with Jane Lee, small world, huh?
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
by baseballgirl on Mar 31, 2010 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions
I will be happy to make a donation - with or without the pennant!!!
It could be done through paypal??
i agree with letting patterson go
I’d say chances of him clearing waivers is like, 30%, but since Ellis and Rosales can play 2B, and Cardenas is in the minors if injury apocalypse hits….
And, there’ll be a similar player going on waivers soon enough.
"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it" ~ Mae West
I'm uneasy with Ellis as the backup SS,
Patterson as the backup 2B, and Fox as the backup catcher.
Maybe one would be OK briefly, but all three?
Whereas Rosales gives you a good backup SS and a good backup 2Bman,
and a pinch runner with decent speed.
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
Couldn't agree more
Seriously, so now we’re hurting Ellis? And overworking Pennington? Awful decision.
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
by baseballgirl on Mar 31, 2010 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Socal AN Day
I’m in Diego and would def drive up to Anaheim for a weekend game.
Train
How is the Amtrak from/to SD anyway? Unfortunately, I’ll be at a conference there from 3/13-3/15 so I won’t make the AN Day, but I’m thinking of taking the scenic route.
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Rickey
Everything is better with bacon.
by cuppingmaster on Mar 31, 2010 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions
I've not taken it myself
But I’ve had several friends in LA whom I made take the train down to come visit me and they all commented on how pretty it is. It basically hugs the coast till you hit Orange County I think.
It’s not the cheapest option( ~$30 each way ), but then I can drink on the train, and not have to worry about being completely sober for the trip back :D.
SD-ANA
It’s about a 2 hour train ride from San Diego to Anaheim, and costs $22. It is a pretty scenic route until around San Juan Capistrano, and then it goes inland through Orange County.
I went from Solana Beach to Union
it was nice and like 30 round trip, but that was with a student discount. I had fun took about 80 mins. I was headed to game 3 of the NLCS the people in front of me were also going to the game. So we chatted about baseball and had a few beers
get a load of today's starting lineup
as tweeted by Slusser:
Patterson CF, Barton 1B, Chavez 3B, Cust DH, Suzuki C, Ellis 2B, Buck LF, Gross RF, Pennington SS
GROSS! (sorry Gabe)!!!
Why is Patterson in CF? And hi Buck!
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
by baseballgirl on Mar 31, 2010 9:50 AM PDT up reply actions
is Patterson being showcased for a trade?
just curious: how close to decision day (the day that 25 man rosters are set) did the A’s trade Chad Hargrave to Texas for Duchscherer? As I recall Hargrave was out of options but Duke wasn’t.
Harville, and about now I think.
Yes, please, to trading Patterson.
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 got the players wrong
Harville was traded to the Rangers on April 17, 2004, for Kurt Saarloos. Duke was acquired in 2002 (during spring training) for Luis Vizcaino.
It’s the thought that counts…
Slusser just tweeted that Rosales will not make the 25 man roster
and " don’t be surprised to see Chavez at third AND short today"
yikes
Nico just tweeted "Ugh"
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
baseballgirl thinks this is awful
Seriously, are they TRYING to break Chavez? Why the hell is Rosales just not making the team?
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
by baseballgirl on Mar 31, 2010 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions
Those two questions might be related
I mean, if Chavez does break, Rosales is the first one up, right?
This is like a stress test, then - it'll break him or make him
I suspect that you think tilting at windmills means something other than what it does.
The ninth fastest thirty year old in San Francisco
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger"
Unfortunately, playing baseball does kill Chavy.
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 don't exactly have a problem with running Chavez out there as much as you can right now
Since his failure rate is so high, you would rather know now if he’s going to fall apart. It’s like when you get a new hard drive, you run it hard since you know that if your hard drive IS going to fail due to manufacturing defect, it will fail sooner by running it hard. Thus, it will also fail with less data on it.
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Rickey
Everything is better with bacon.
by cuppingmaster on Mar 31, 2010 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions
No, then we sign Corey Patterson and plop him at 3B.
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
Chavez at 3B and SS, Patterson at CF...
Cincy’s hitting approach today: “Hit ’em where they are.”
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
LOL
Look out, BABIP!
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
Is Babip the name of the Reds' first base coach?
If so, that’s what they’d be yelling with Kouzmanoff at 3B. He’s safe with Chavy over there.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
so, AN Europe, anyone?
I suspect that you think tilting at windmills means something other than what it does.
The ninth fastest thirty year old in San Francisco
Hey, here's an idea:
Let’s sacrifice defense at SS and 2B, and force Eric Chavez to make throws from the left side of the diamond, all so we can make sure to keep Eric Patterson in the organization.
My other idea is to invest $53million in “mandolin-playing albino yaks” — they just could be the next big thing.
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
The A's plan today is to...
get Chavez injured when his zombie arm detaches while still clutching the ball during a throw from deep short. This should hopefully lead to his retirement.
And I can say this because, in the end, Eric Chavez laughs at me from his mountaintop of one hundred dollar bills.
I am Ray Fosse's infatuations with Clay Wood and high-definition television.
by franks a lot on Mar 31, 2010 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions
How about this idea...
Force Chavez to make throws from the left side of the diamond because he provides almost no value as a 1B/DH because his hitting has deteriorated to the point that he is clearly worse than the A’s other options at those positions.
Just because a player has options, doesn't mean you need to use them.
Just because Rosales, especially, has an option year remaining, doesn’t mean it’s such a great idea to use it this year. He’s clearly a better utility option than Patterson at this point, but because he has that option year, the A’s just want to use it by-default.
I really dislike this mentality…Rosales has nothing to prove in AAA. If the team were to use the option just for the sake of making room on the 25-man roster for a player, I would much rather have them save it for next year or 2011when the team could be looking to trade for someone like JJ Hardy or Jason Bartlett…whom would make Rosales legitimately redundant…
Eric Patterson does not make Rosales redundant. The team is basically sacrificing an option year on Rosales – which could result in the team losing Adam prematurely in a more serious roster crunch in the coming year or two – just to get a “longer look” at Eric PAtterson…who has been in the organization for 2.5 years now and has yet to prove anything more than being a tad-better than the average AAAA player.
I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!
And our defense at backup SS and 2B
just went from “solid” to “putrid.” The A’s confuse me sometimes.
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
Agreed.
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
by baseballgirl on Mar 31, 2010 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions
check out Slusser's latest on the Opening Day roster decisions
she is definitely responding to the discussion on AN, especially about Patterson.
Here’s just one paragraph from her article:
The Opening Day roster gets an inordinate amount of attention, but the A’s are trying to maximize their roster possibilities for the next few months, even the whole year, by sending out guys with options and keeping those without them. There are few teams that know better than Oakland how quickly a big-league roster spot can open up, and the A’s want to manage a 33-34 man roster, in reality. “Setting an Opening Day roster” isn’t like naming a postseason roster. Things can change, and fast, and the A’s don’t want to be without as many options as possible.
Now if only the A's realized that Patterson isn't their 34th best player!
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
AN Day on 7/10??? Booo!!!!
I’ll be in LA that weekend for the All Star Game festivities, so no AN Day for me I guess. Oh, who am I kidding, I know we’ll have lots of other tailgates this season, right? ;) And hey, soon we can invite Chavy to join us, since he’ll soon be broken.
There's no crying in baseball!
Game thread up...I'm recapping under protest ;-)
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
i'm making 2 trips to cali this summer to see friends
and the A’s. we got tickets for May 15 @ angels and July 5 home against the yankees.
and let me tell you it was a supreme pleasure purchasing tickets for games not at yankee stadium. field level along the 1B line against the angels for under $40 and field level right behind 3B at home for the yankees for under $60? those together is enough for 1 game with almost decent seats at yankee stadium.
anybody in the NYC area going to Pacific Standard monday night?
BK: This guy is on fire, he is really smokin'.
KenKo: Oh yeah, Bill? What's he smokin'?
Save Chavy!
Seriously. I’m in to help with tix to take the kids to Dodger Stadium…It would be fun to come down and go with you all..maybe someone here at AN who has an EV might want to drive down, too?
Astroturf
Not sure how much the turfing will cost, but why not take donations for a square foot or yard of turf?
I think we might be having an adhoc Opening Night non-organized tailgate kick-back. More like a gathering before the game.
We’re gonna talk about it on SAT at the more organized TG. Stay tuned.
If you'd like to donate, here's how...THANKS EVERYONE! :-)
http://www.athleticsnation.com/2010/4/1/1400766/as-pennants-for-charity-baseball
"Oh who am I kidding? The A's and Giants could stage a pillow fight, and I'd still care who wins." -67Marquez
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