Fuk(udome)!
by 67MARQUEZ on Jun 17, 2010 2:27 PM PDT
Email
PrintI knew I should have called in sick today.
When your already struggling team is down 1-0 just two batters in, and your already struggling starter is allowed to use only half his arsenal, it is easy as a fan to find something else to do with your afternoon. Like, I don't know, work maybe?
And let's say you do stick around- strictly out of morbid curiosity- no one could blame you for turning the pessimist-o-meter on blast, when said struggling pitcher loads the bases shortly after the aforementioned run had scored.
Even when he escapes from further damage in that first frame, and wiggles out of man-on-second-no-out peril in the second, you figure it's only a matter of time before the dam breaks.
Keeping your face on permanent sour is the Anemic Nine, also known as the A's lineup, who waste a leadoff double in the first, and manage barely a whimper through four innings against the unstoppable force that is Randy Wells.
Yet through it all there remained one lonely voice of hope, one tiny optimist among the faithful, who actually remained, well, faithful.
They call her Shoes.
Everything's going to be alright, she told her blogging brethren, even as they had her fit for a straitjacket.
But Braden, dear Braden, settled down nicely, and faced the minimum amount of batters in innings three-through-six. Only one man was allowed to reach base safely among them, and he was quickly evaporated on a 3-6-3 twin killing.
As if inspired by their defensive prowess, the A's- aided further by the bunting talents of one Daric William Barton- pushed across a single run in the fourth to tie the ball game.
Came the seventh and Mark Ellis, South Dakota's most prodigious power hitter, muscled up and homered to deep left, lifting the Athletics to a 2-1 advantage.
Ah yes, vindication for Shoes and all the others she convinced to stay. The elation would be short-lived.
Andrew Bailey- Oakland's fourth reliever on the day- entered a base-full, one-out jam. He confronted two batters, and retired them both. Sadly, the first of the two- the extraordinary Xavier Nady- hit a ball deep enough to knot the game at 2-apiece.
Then Bailey was gone, lifted for a pinch-hitter, because apparently his manager is not up to speed on National League regulations (well, to be fair, neither is the person behind the keyboard).
Somehow the A's snatched extra innings from the jaws of a go-ahead score in the ninth, leaving Ryan Sweeney to rot at third base with not one, but two chances to get him home.
So an A's fan's reward for not giving up, even when it would have been the sane call some three hours prior? Disappointment with a side of despair. Jerry Blevins proved no match for Wrigley's residents, committing baseball's cardinal sin of issuing a leadoff walk to Geovany Soto, who would come around to score off the bat of the gentleman mentioned in today's headline.
Boo, I say.
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A remarkably measured response, 67!
Did you smash some satisfyingly large object before writing that….just to get the anger out?
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Jun 17, 2010 2:31 PM PDT reply actions
Try an A's 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 think the A's players know how fucking stupid Geren is too
Powell looked like he didn’t even care in the dugout. Powell should have started today’s game, BTW.
Seriously though.
Wasnt one the of the reasons for firing Macha that he “lost the players”?
At least Macha took the A's to the playoffs
Geren can’t even take the A’s to .500
by TBRMKane on Jun 17, 2010 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
wow
I was literally just saying this to a friend earlier. Geren gave us our first losing season in 10 years back in 07 too.
I love this game
and every year since
I know its not all Geren’s fault, but we haven’t had a +.500 season since he best-manned the job.
It was only a matter of time. He's been jerked around this year. I wouldn't care either.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Hey! It was a "plan."
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Jun 17, 2010 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Suckitude!
Frustrating loss. Oh well! On to St. Louis! Broadened pitched well! Let’s hope for offense and more good pitching from Vin and Sheets and Cahill.
"I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way." -Jessica Rabbit
by A'sfansince1970 on Jun 17, 2010 2:33 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Geren should have just admitted his mistake and let Bailey hit in the 9th
Even Glen was questioning Geren’s moves. So much fail, so much fail.
why not Bailey in the 9th?
GEREN!
"I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way." -Jessica Rabbit
by A'sfansince1970 on Jun 17, 2010 2:35 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
See, they make the pitchers bat in the NL....
Who knew?
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Jun 17, 2010 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Seeing as Geren lost the DH in a game at Texas
and had the pitchers spot batting 4th or 5th….this isnt too surprising.
And yet we're told he's not a bad manager and it's the player's fault.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
welcome to my hell
point out the obvious about Geren and get blasted by posters here…
It is all about coming together as a team. At the end of the day, the team is all we have. - T. Branch 10-14-09
by Raymond St. Martin (Saint) on Jun 17, 2010 6:12 PM PDT up reply actions
I think we're starting to turn the collective page my friend
"By the end of the year, I'll have Dallas throwing right-handed'' -Ben Sheets
I haven't been this upset with a loss in a looooooooooong time
I don’t know what else to say.
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
You could sing Geren....
…a song.
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Jun 17, 2010 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions
My thought exactly...
I tried to explain to my roommate what happened, couldn’t do it, had to come here to live in the frustration.
by A'sBowlingLeague on Jun 17, 2010 2:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Me either....
I was listening to almost the whole game…this should have been a W for the A’s. I am sooooooo ticked at the bullpen performance!
"Are those new tarps? Or did they paint 'em?" Mark Ellis
Geren
can be Stomper in his next gig.. that way he’s still with the organization.
by sf drift king on Jun 17, 2010 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Double Switch Double Switch Double Switch Double fucking Switch!!!
Damn it, Bob.
Wisconsin's #1 A's fan!
http://athleticsforlife.net/
I like how you toss the fucking in there on a whim
SIG SPACE AVAILABLE FOR SPONSORSHIP. INQUIRE WITHIN.
I usually toss my fuckings in on a whim
I don’t know what that sounds like but it can’t be good.
Wisconsin's #1 A's fan!
http://athleticsforlife.net/
I didnt think I could hate the Yankees anymore.
But I think putting Geren on the all star staff is just a suck joke by Girardi.
Like I said in the previous thread
Losses like today’s can have a ripple effect on the rest of the season. Geren looks like he has no idea how to manage, especially in a NL game and I know for a fact that many of the players DO NOT LIKE OR RESPECT GEREN! Can’t say how I know because I want to respect privacy but let’s just say god ol’ Bobby G. doesn’t have too many fans in that clubhouse.
Not to put it all on him because the players ultimately need to perform but it is absolutely time for Bob Geren to hit the road Jack!
"By the end of the year, I'll have Dallas throwing right-handed'' -Ben Sheets
Guadin somehow ended up with the Yankees
Worked out well for him.
Here's what I wonder - CT holds the players accountable but what about the performance and decisions of our "manager"
"Are those new tarps? Or did they paint 'em?" Mark Ellis
like i said on anther site
this is the game that will force Beane’s hand to really think about firing Geren, his best friend. We’re in a tight div race, and your manager flops like this on a big stage, you gotta pull the trigger and can his ass.
by sf drift king on Jun 17, 2010 3:08 PM PDT up reply actions
Will it?
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Billy is busy watching soccer anyways
You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}
Ya he will check the score
and say “Damn close game” and then head to Ellis Park and have a jolly time.
HILLIS...where are you???
Just curious, how do you know "for a fact" that players do not like or respect Geren?
by LoneStranger on Jun 17, 2010 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I thought he made it pretty clear.
mrod is telling us he knows someone in the clubhouse. For him to divulge who it is would be inappropriate, therefore he has to leave it at that. And therefore from our point of view it’s just hearsay and we can’t consider it conclusive, but that’s just how it is.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
I wonder if it's a pitcher or position player
Either way, it’s not surprising many players don’t respect Geren, especially after today.
Does it matter?
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
I'm not necessarily assuming it's a player.
Could be some staff person in contact with the players, or maybe a player’s girlfriend, close friend, or parent.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Just to clarify my friends.....
It’s a player…and the sentiment is shared by others but no way would I divulge who. Just is not a cool thing to do. I have respect for someone’s privacy and it’s just understood, ya know?
But just look back in the game today…when Braden was yanked from the game he was completely beside himself. It wasn’t him that said something, but his reaction to being pulled said it all in my eyes. I’m just using Dallas as an example here……For crying out loud, even Carney Lansford was calling out Geren today for his ineptitude!
The writing is on the wall! Go A’s!
"By the end of the year, I'll have Dallas throwing right-handed'' -Ben Sheets
I didn't read or see that.
Initially, though, he looked pretty angry for being pulled. He may have just been saying that, towing the company line ya know, perhaps to save face for Geren. All I know is Geren is not the person for the job as manager, and the sentiment is shared there in the clubhouse on a certain level. Good enough?
"By the end of the year, I'll have Dallas throwing right-handed'' -Ben Sheets
It's time to stop saving face for Geren.
It’s time to throw him under the bus.
New mind-warping, stomach-churning Pilots songs are now online... follow the link if you dare (don't say you weren't warned!) NSFW!!!
by Gaijin_Suketto on Jun 17, 2010 11:20 PM PDT up reply actions
He was the general manager's best man.
The same general manager who has a pretty extensive track record of taking such things very personally.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 11:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Ok, I somehow missed the inside connection.
I don’t really need to know who it is (who is it?!?!?!), nor was that my intent with my question (really, who is it!?!?!?!). I thought it might be something else, some other signal or article or something, and I was curious about what it was.
by LoneStranger on Jun 17, 2010 8:00 PM PDT up reply actions
No worries there Lone Stranger
I was just trying to clarify my friend…Cheers!
"By the end of the year, I'll have Dallas throwing right-handed'' -Ben Sheets
Braden asked out
It was pretty clear in the postgame interview that Braden asked to come out after the 6th inning.
No matter what you think of Geren, even he has never pulled a hot pitcher after 83 pitches, unless there was an injury.
He pulled Gio Gonzalez after about 90+ against the Giants
after 8 innings when he was pitching an absolute gem. Bailey came in to get the save which worked out, but at that time I was very pissed, as were many other A’s fans, that Geren yanked Gio at that point, because I felt it was Gio’s game and a chance for him to pitch a complete game shutout. So, sure, Braden may have been “asking to come out” if that’s what really happened, and if that’s really the case, but I still take issue overall how Bob Geren managed this and many other games thus far in his fourth year as skipper. Nuff’ said…
"By the end of the year, I'll have Dallas throwing right-handed'' -Ben Sheets
Yeah, but that was 95 pitches
Going to your closer in the 9th is something most managers will do, unless the starter is real workhorse like a Halladay or Lincecum. Gio isn’t at that level yet, and that’s the only game all year where Gio has even managed to go more than 7 IP. Going to Bailey there is a lot more defensible.
I just said that bringing in bailey worked out
and yes, it was a smart move. What I was responding to was your question about when Geren pulled out a hot pitcher with a low pitch count. At the time, I thought Gio was dazzling the Giants and deserved a shot to finish the game, even though you still have Bailey in the pen to finish the game. It’s about the principle, my man…….
"By the end of the year, I'll have Dallas throwing right-handed'' -Ben Sheets
Section 209
just placed an order for 100.
by sf drift king on Jun 17, 2010 3:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Is there seriously a place I can buy that shirt?
I want to wear it to the next game I go to.
by JonathanNathan on Jun 17, 2010 11:07 PM PDT up reply actions
On the plus side
There are plenty of bars around Wrigley :-/
will crosby spread his legs so far apart at bat that the games will have to be rated nc-17 -- emperor nobody
by day-to-day on Jun 17, 2010 2:43 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
I KNOW!!!! YOU CAN WALK RIGHT INTO COSTCO AND GET A HANDY 1.76 LITER BOTTLE!
SIG SPACE AVAILABLE FOR SPONSORSHIP. INQUIRE WITHIN.
super handy
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
They should come with straws on the back like juice boxes.
SIG SPACE AVAILABLE FOR SPONSORSHIP. INQUIRE WITHIN.
OOOohh.
Genius.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
I think we could make this happen.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
Like I said last year
Geren should have been gone last year. I have a hard time watching this team with him at the helm. If he puts Cust in the outfield again, I’m gonna puke.
Any other team in baseball
would have fired him a long time ago.
Wisconsin's #1 A's fan!
http://athleticsforlife.net/
Any other team would have hired Ron Washington instead.
Oh wait. They did.
Wisconsin's #1 A's fan!
http://athleticsforlife.net/
Well for me, I was on the fence about firing him
but after today, I want his head on a green and gold platter.
by sf drift king on Jun 17, 2010 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions
to be fair
Cust made a nice diving catch today.
You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}
I think this game had the two biggest managing blunders of the year
maybe Beane was texting him the WC results.
With stout hearts, and with enthusiasm for the contest, let us go forward to victory. ----Hero Defector Montgomery
Completely predictable ending....
…..I mean really, call me a pessimist but this is exactly what I expected from our team. I think the truth of the matter is that the team has been playing well above expectations for the early part of the season and they have simply regressd to their mean. How many times have we seen a RISP with zero to one outs and watched the team botch the scoring opportunity. I’d be curious to see where we stand against the league with a RISP and zero to one outs. I bet we’re dead last. If not, it sure feels like we should be. Pathetic!!! Looks like we’ll be sellers at the trade deadline.
All I wanted was a Pepsi
Who is there really to sell though?
Sheets has no value, Crisp has been hurt. There really is not much trade value.
Sigh...indeed
maybe we could trade the entire team for Pujols?! I dunno what the answer is. Pennington reminds me too much of Crosby. I think we’ve had a light hitting SS for far too long. I think they should send Cliff back to AAA and give Rosales the full time SS job. Yes, I know that he may not hit much better long term but at least it’s fun to watch him play. Where’s the power in this lineup? Is Crisp really going to come back an magically solve all of our offensive problems? Is there any value in Barton/Rajai/Sweeney? I could stand to part with any of the aforementioned.
All I wanted was a Pepsi
Whoa!
you’re comparing Penny to the Cros? I don’t see it, at least not yet.
by sf drift king on Jun 17, 2010 3:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Good D....
….perpetually bats .200-.230…..see it now? LOL…I dunno…I think I’m just exceedingly frustrated with the lack of offense and I’m looking for a scapegoat. Fox is no longer on the team so who should I pick on? If I have to listen to Ray and Glenn talk about food every other damn inning, then I wanna see some runs scored by the good guys. But really though, do you think we could trade the whole 25 man roster for Pujols? Might be a worthwhile investment : )
All I wanted was a Pepsi
Well Pennington hit .279 last season and he won't finish this hitting .213.
Plus he plays way better D than Crosby.
Seriously Pennington isn’t the problem. I can count the teams that have an offensive juggernaut at SS on one hand.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
well....small sample size
he batted .279 in 60 games and 220 PA’s in 2009. He’s batting .218 in 63 games and 250 PA’s this year. So I suppose he could land somewhere in between the two marks. Hardly numbers to write home about though. I think both of our arguments suffer from smallsamplesizitis actually so I guess it boils down to glass half full or half empty?
All I wanted was a Pepsi
Answer to your question:
No, trading baseball players is not like cash where you can trade 25 pennies for a quarter. Adding extra guys to a trade only makes it better if those extra guys are significantly better than what the other team already has. If everyone on our 25 man roster were significantly better than the rest of the Cardinals roster, we wouldn’t be below 500 right now.
(Also, blecch on “the good guys”.)
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
well, of course
…but I meant it mostly tongue in cheek. If you’d like to get technical though, Do you really think the Cards would pass up our entire 25 man roster for Pujols straightup? That’s not a an indictment, I’m asking actually. I’d think they’d take it and laugh.
All I wanted was a Pepsi
I know you're asking actually.
I was answering actually.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Besides
even if we did trade for Pujols, he’d just get hurt
Zooey Deschanel!
by ChickenStanley on Jun 17, 2010 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm not that familiar with NL baseball, but I'm a fan
But I also don’t think this is a logical explanation from Carney Langsford explaining Bob Geren’s decision making, saying that maybe it’s quite not his fault because Geren isn’t that familiar with the NL game, huh??
Are you freakin kidding me…? I’m not sure what a double switch is, cause I haven’t followed NL baseball since I was kid, but Geren is paid to know this stuff.
That excuse is weaksauce
Come on, Carney, really?
Wisconsin's #1 A's fan!
http://athleticsforlife.net/
a caller on CT show
is talking about this right now.
by sf drift king on Jun 17, 2010 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions
weaksauce.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 8:40 PM PDT up reply actions
lamest excuse ever
I don’t expect Bob Geren to know about Virtual Machines, or CDNs, or the difference between 302 and 303 http results codes.
That’s my job. He gets to know about double switches.
Every AL manage. I've watched in a NL park
Has known how to double switch
by OaklandSi on Jun 17, 2010 3:50 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
precisely
which is why I can’t wait to wear my “FIRE GEREN NOW” t-shirt.
by sf drift king on Jun 17, 2010 4:22 PM PDT up reply actions
A lot of manager's moves get overly critisized with the benefit of hindsight,
but damn, most of us here were screaming “No!” as the moves were happening. Generally i trust in Billy Beane, but right now i need a little reassurance that he is watching this and just as baffled by his friend as we are.
by A'sBowlingLeague on Jun 17, 2010 2:53 PM PDT reply actions
I concur
especially after hearing that Braden was mad about being pulled, so we know that he wasn’t injured.
I only wished I could have heard what the Chicago announcers were saying about this.
by sf drift king on Jun 17, 2010 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions
That's not true.
Braden is always mad when he gets pulled. Last time he was hurt, he didn’t want to come out.
She lives by the wall, and waits by the door.
She walks in the sun, to me.
Ok
but still, his pitch count was 83 and he retired 14 of the last 15 batters, so unless he was hurt, he should have stayed in the game.
by sf drift king on Jun 17, 2010 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions
Can't say much for there post game comments, mlb.tv cuts the feed pretty quick...
but if Fukudome’s hit hadn’t happened so quick (first pitch?) i think they might have questioned why the middle infielders scooted up. They sounded hesitant when announcing the defensive alignment, like they didn’t expect it. At that point i would actually rather have the Cubs announcers been managing, haha, isn’t Bob Brenley up there in the booth?
by A'sBowlingLeague on Jun 17, 2010 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm not sure if it was evident on TV, but Ellis (and especially Pennington) seemed absolutely STUNNED that they were being pulled in
After Ellis finally started to move in, he was motioning to Pennington who was really only kinda-sorta halfway coming in.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 17, 2010 4:34 PM PDT up reply actions
They probably wanted the option of coming home
on a ball that wasn’t hit hard. If you commit to going for the DP, if you don’t get it you lose. Playing halfway is not a horrible idea whether or not you agree with it. All the decisions regarding the bullpen? Horrible.
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
+1
If this is the case, he should be fired on the spot. He’s paid to know these things.
I don't see any reason...
…. why we don’t stick with Rajai
He will be in there every day once were back in AL parks
Wisconsin's #1 A's fan!
http://athleticsforlife.net/
Not sure people realize Rajai and Coco's career BA & OBA are almost identical
which is why i was confused when the A’s signed Crisp … We already had the same player on the roster.
If 2nd half Rajai returns, we have Jackson/Sweeney/Crisp/ Davis competing for three spots.
Well at least until Crisp hurts himself eating Skittles.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Five with Gross filling in too.
It’s just Rajai is useless off the bench.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Do we really need 5 though?
If Crisp does get hurt again- I dont see Carson or Buck as that big of a drop off from Gross.
Also there is Sweeney who can play all over the place, and Davis in CF or LF, so I dont think 5 are needed.
Buck's dead. Carson can sit in AAA - he's not the future.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Rajai is pretty much the perfect bench player
Great pinch runner, great defense, and is just good enough with the bat that you can justify giving him at bats if worst comes to worst.
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
Rajai's proven time and again he can't hit if he doesn't get at bats.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Consistent at bats that is.
And yes he also has the tools to be a fantastic pinch runner/late defensive replacement, but that’s wasting his skills I think.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
I don’t think Crisp should be playing over Davis. Davis has been pretty good in the last 20-25 games, so I think he’s playing closer to second half 2009 Davis as opposed to first half 2009 Davis. With that said, I think we’re going to continue to see Davis post an OBP of at least .350 moving forward like he has been in the last 20-25 games. As we know, with his speed, that’s pretty valuable. His OPS is over .800 in that span.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 7:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Geren really didn't pull a double-switch?
Only one thing to say:
FIRE
GEREN
NOW
BEER IS GOOD. BEER IS GOOD. BEER IS GOOD, AND STUFF.
Wasn't able to follow the game
Just now checking in and it appears it’s a good thing – as I likely would have wrought havoc on inanimate objects.
As a Sharks/A’s fan….I hate Chicago, so very very much right now. It’s inching ever closer to Detroit on my sports city detestability scale.
Also, it’s so hard to be an A’s fan right now. It’s like being in a dysfunctional relationship and trying to make it work. We need counseling.
"Sorry guys, I’m not going to try and hit (Douglas) Murray anymore. It doesn’t work." - Steve Ott, Dallas Stars.
by SwisherThresher on Jun 17, 2010 4:01 PM PDT reply actions
Almost as bad was walking a 238 hitter to get to the top of the Cubs order
Fukudome may have never even came up that inning
Plead the 5th.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
Meh, I'm really not seeing al lthe Gonzalez love.
He’s really not much better than he was with the A’s once you adjust for park and league. It’s not like he’s developed into a star.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 17, 2010 4:40 PM PDT up reply actions
Well Taylor looks awful in Sac right now
Not saying he can’t turn it around but I don’t know many people that don’t think Car Gon is at least a solid major league right now …. and don’t even get me started on andre ethier
Yeah, don't. Andre Ethier isn't even close to as good as some people here think
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 17, 2010 4:55 PM PDT up reply actions
He averages 2.5-3 WAR a season.
The A’s don’t have an outfielder that comes to that kind of production.
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on Jun 17, 2010 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Sweeney?
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
I am finished...
devoting time and energy to this team, and to this manager, and for that matter, to this general manager!!!! We at AN, and Oakland fans around the country deserve better mental and physical efforts . I am tired of terms and phrases like:
“small market team”
“you have got to tip your hat to their pitcher on hill”, [who usually started the day with no wins in two months and a 7.33 ERA, and ended up shutting down the A’s]
“I really like how the team battled back, although we came up a bit short”, usually spouted by Bob “Deer-in-the-headlights” Geren.
the radio A’s TV play by play team that can only describe an A’s player as “struggling”, rather than saying that he has been playing poorly or lousy; why can’t they call a spade a spade?
“small ball”, when in fact it should rightly be described as bad ball [compounded by bad managing], although the phrase bad managing is way too kind, more like incomprehensible managing is more descriptive of what we have been watching on a day in and day out basis.
I gave up on my 8 years as a season ticket holder last year; and have been hanging on thinking that some day BB is going to wake up in the night in a cold sweat and realize his sins, but alas, it will never happen [at least not during the World Cup].
You guys at AN are really amazing, and truly deserving of a better effort by the players, the manager (which is his title not the position that he is fulfilling day in and day out) and better general managing.
See ya!!
by robertmelvin on Jun 17, 2010 4:23 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
What irks me
is that we did not get to see the post game interview with Geren in his office. So there was no one to poke a mic in his face to question his in game decisions.
I'll tell you what he would've said
“We faced a good pitcher today.”
“We fought hard and came up short.”
“Fukudome is a good hitter.”
“Double switches are for losers.”
“I’m a fucking idiot.”
Just making sure you were paying attention on that last one.
Double Switches
Geren actually did use the double switch twice in the game, with both Gross and Sweeney. So he obviously knows how to use it. But apparently he didn’t want to use Bailey for multiple innings, and decided that the 8th inning jam was the time to use him.
If the case is that Bailey was not available for multiple innings
then there’s no argument from me on that sequence of decisions. Absolutely use Bailey in the 8th inning, high leverage situation, and hand the 9th to someone else.
I wasn’t listening very carefully earlier in the game; did the Gross DS come while the A’s were batting, or in the field? Some might speculate that pulling the DS while the A’s are in the field takes more forethought, which Geren may have lacked.
Ross would've been a better option than Blevins in the 9th anyway since the Cubs had lots and lots of righties up (2 righties, PH, righty, lefty, 2 more righties)
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 17, 2010 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions
If I were manager, Bailey would have been available for two innings
New mind-warping, stomach-churning Pilots songs are now online... follow the link if you dare (don't say you weren't warned!) NSFW!!!
by Gaijin_Suketto on Jun 17, 2010 4:55 PM PDT up reply actions
That's because..
He decided to use his most consistent set-up guy for a runner on first/two out situation in the seventh. Having already used both Ziegler and Breslow, all Geren had left was his closer, plus a bunch of inconsistent guys. Had Geren taken the chance that either Wuertz or Blevins could get ONE frigging out in the seventh, he’d have had Breslow for the eighth.
This team has been remarkably mismanaged in 2010. I think it started with the fact that the team didn’t figure out that Fox couldn’t be optioned until it was too late, and it was downhill from there. Beane/Forst spent two months juggling the line-up in order to keep two players, Fox and Patterson, with the team when it was obvious their presence was forcing moves that made no sense (the Powell escalator; the bench shortage).
I remember one of my main complaints with Macha is that he stuck with hot hands long after they got cold. It would usually take two weeks for him to remove a set-up guy from key situations even though the guy was getting bombed; he’d keep slumping players in games where they could be removed for pinch-hitters. The thing about Macha, though, is that eventually he’d get the point, and make the change.
Geren - gee. He pulls hot players out of the line-up the day after they go 3-4; he puts unreliable relievers into key situations haphazardly. He lets Barton bunt in the first inning, then doesn’t call for a bunt in the late innings (which may be okay, because that particular fundamental skill is obviously not getting taught or practiced). He plays against-the-odds hunches that don’t work (if you have hunches like that, you better make damn sure they work; professional psychics without psychic power rarely stay in business very long), and sticks to righty-lefty splits even when the actual statistics of the players don’t show the split at all. If he’s lost the clubhouse, he needs to go.
You don’t have to fire him, Billy. Kick him upstairs, send him to soccer games, call him a Vice President. But please, take him out of the dugout.
but then he'll just fu*k up decisions on a higher level.
New mind-warping, stomach-churning Pilots songs are now online... follow the link if you dare (don't say you weren't warned!) NSFW!!!
by Gaijin_Suketto on Jun 17, 2010 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe being there made this game worse
But I just can’t take Bob Geren’s complete and utter ineptitude as a baseball manager anymore. I just can’t.
I can’t take him not executing a simple, basic, obvious double switch (this crap about limiting Bailey to one inning is nonsense. He DIDN’T throw an inning. He threw 2/3 and TEN pitches). I can’t take him intentionally walking one of the worst hitters on the opposing team when there was already 1 out (setting up the double play is fairly pointless. Just get two ground ball/flyball/whatever outs). I can’t take bringing in the middle infielders when even they didn’t want to do it.
This team will not win anything meaningful with that moron managing the team. At this point, the best thing for the A’s might be Beane resigning from GM duties so somebody who doesn’t have superduperlovelove feelings for Geren can take the job and then fire him.
Bob Geren makes Dusty Baker look like a damn MENSA member, and it makes me sick that he still has a job as the A’s manager.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 17, 2010 4:38 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
At last jd44...........
We totally see eye to eye and agree on something 100 fucking percent!
Hallelujiah!
"By the end of the year, I'll have Dallas throwing right-handed'' -Ben Sheets
For those of us who didn't follow the game
can someone spell out the alleged double-switch blunder?
I know how a double-switch works, but I don’t know what the game situation was. From the comments here I gather Bailey was brought in in the 8th inning, and he was due to hit in the bottom of the inning. So I assume you’re saying the double-switch should have been in the 8th when Bailey came in, to put him in a different slot so that he could pitch the ninth without batting in the 8th.
Is that right? If so, what was the correct move that Geren should have done. Who did you want switched out?
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
You have the gist of it
The pitcher’s spot was 6th (due to a previous double switch). That was due to lead off the 9th. The easy thing to do would be to replace Kouzmanoff (hitting 5th) with Rosales in the double switch that wasn’t.
I was at the game and not here for the discussion, but that would’ve been the most logical move.
I still don’t get this stuff about limiting Bailey to one inning. He didn’t pitch an inning, and he only threw 10 pitches. It’s pretty sad if the closer can’t throw more than 10 pitches.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 17, 2010 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Didn't know that at the time
But when Geren brought Bailey into the game, he didn’t know Bailey would get out of the bases-loaded, 1 out jam with only 10 pitches. He would have needed to make the double-switch before Bailey threw a pitch.
He also could have let Bailey hit for himself in the 9th, if he wanted him to go another inning.
He should have made the switch anyway. I thought it was a pretty simple decision. Don’t have the pitcher leading off the inning when he’s brought in to get two outs. Put in Rosales or Sweeney with the double switch.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 6:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Sweeney
That’s the thing, though. The A’s wanted to have Sweeney bat in the 9th. But if you want to double-switch with Sweeney, Bailey would have had to go into the #1 (Davis) or #2 (Jackson) slot, and he might have had to bat in a crucial spot in the 9th. The usual double-switch would be the players who just batted (Suzuki, Kouz), but then you have to use a worse hitter than Sweeney to bat.
Put Rosales in the outfield and then have Sweeney bat for Pennington if Sweeney just had to hit in the ninth. Then, Rosales can go to shortstop. Pennington was up in the ninth.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 7:21 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't understand this.
The whole point of Rosales is to put Bailey in for Kouz to have him last up to bat. How does Rosales in the outfield help?
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Why would Bailey go in for Kouzmanoff? He wasn’t up in the ninth.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions
That's why
When you double-switch, you want the pitcher to go into a spot that is NOT going to bat. Due up in the 9th were the pitcher’s slot, Ellis, and Pennington. If you want Bailey to stay for two innings, you don’t put him in any of those slots. So what slot do you put him in?
The ones that make the most sense are either Kouzmanoff or Suzuki, since they will not probably not come up to bat, with either Rosales or Powell coming into the pitcher’s (#6) slot.
I probably would have moved the pitcher’s spot to third, so I would have put Rosales in at shortstop and then he would have led off the ninth. If there’s two outs and it’s a 2-2 game, let Bailey hit and then pitch the ninth. If there’s somebody in scoring position or maybe even on base, hit Sweeney for Bailey.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 8:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Not much difference
So you’re arguing about the difference between Bailey (Sweeney), Ellis, Pennington vs. Rosales, Ellis, Bailey (Sweeney) ? Certainly not enough to be killing Geren.
It doesn’t really matter anyway, since Geren said he didn’t want to use Bailey for 1.2 IP.
Rosales/Kouz
The only move that would have made sense was to put Rosales in the pitcher’s spot, and put Bailey in Kouz’s spot. But that only happens if Geren is willing to let Bailey go for 1.2 IP.
This happened after the first double switch. When Braden come out after the 6th, Gross went into the #9 slot, and the pitcher went into Cust’s spot (#6) in the order.
When Bailey entered the game, he came in at the #6 spot, which was due to bat first in the 9th. Then, Geren had Sweeney PH for Bailey, and Sweeney actually got to 3rd with one out. But then Gross and Davis stranded him there. Sweeney WAS part of a second double switch, as he stayed in the game in RF, and Blevins went back to the #9 spot.
Thanks, guys.
The Rosales/Kouz switch makes sense to me.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
I checked out the final score at work and groaned.
Little did I know the gory details until now.
alaska A residing in northern Idaho.
I'm a little surprised no one has mentioned this but...
did Bob Geren really intentionally walk Koyie Hill? As in the awful-hitting, 31-year-old back-up catcher with a career 51 OPS+ Koyie f-ing Hill? And with just a runner on second and one out, so it’s not even like there was a runner on third and one out so we needed to set up the double play to prevent the runner from scoring? With Jerry Blevins on the mound, who has walked an astounding TEN PERCENT of righties he’s faced in his career? Did Blevins then predictably walk the next hitter to, quite literally, walk the bases loaded? Are people really not more upset about this?
we did mention it
just not often enough, so post away!
Texas now takes the lead
Marlins with error by the pitcher on a bunt and now it is 4-3 Texas and still batting
Is it just me
or do A’s pitchers always look pissed off every time Geren comes out.
Don’t get me wrong, pitchers on others teams look pissed when their managers come out too, but it seems like every single pitcher looks seriously pissed when Geren steps out of the dugout.
I haven’t noticed that.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 8:12 PM PDT up reply actions
projecting much?
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
heh
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on Jun 17, 2010 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Is anyone going to the NASCAR race at Infineon this weekend?
I just got my Father’s Day present early. I’ll be riding in one of the trucks for driver introductions before the race. I’ll be in the one with my favorite driver, Mark Martin. I’m excited, and nervous.
My sister and her boyfriend are going
Gifted tickets by our dad the Nascar fan (and mom, the Kasey Kahne fan).
I went a few years back, to catch what turned out to be #3’s last go ’round. Brings lots of sunscreen and ear plugs! Hope you have fun!
"Sorry guys, I’m not going to try and hit (Douglas) Murray anymore. It doesn’t work." - Steve Ott, Dallas Stars.
by SwisherThresher on Jun 17, 2010 8:40 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm so excited! I'm so scared!
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
6 games out.
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
Go Rangers
The A’s aren’t winning anything this year — let’s be honest here — and I don’t want the Angels to win it. So hats off to the organization smart enough not to hire its friendy-pie, and go Rangers!
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
yah. and I've been thinking, wondering if this is our lot this season for real
alaska A residing in northern Idaho.
Yep, Go Rangers
I hate the slegnA with a passion.
Which ANer started this site?
http://highsocksftw.tumblr.com/
"Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." - Satchel Paige
Doesn't sound like anyone I know...
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
Oh, it may not be an ANer
I was joking… I just know we have a strong pro-high sock constituency here.
"Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." - Satchel Paige
(I was being facetious)
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
(Sometimes that's lost on me... haha)
"Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." - Satchel Paige
That's awesome.
I had forgotten about this:
by whiteshoes40 on Jun 17, 2010 9:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Those things should be standard issue.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Oh you're just trying to get on her good side.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
Nope, I love those things.
On ‘MLB 09: The Show’ the A’s stirrups are green and white, which disappoints me greatly.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Absolutely they should.
…hey, we agree on something! This is weird.
by whiteshoes40 on Jun 17, 2010 9:05 PM PDT up reply actions
THIS IS WHAT THIS TEAM NEEDS
More high socks! More stirrups! We need Outman!
If you wear them, wins will come….
"Sorry guys, I’m not going to try and hit (Douglas) Murray anymore. It doesn’t work." - Steve Ott, Dallas Stars.
by SwisherThresher on Jun 17, 2010 9:46 PM PDT up reply actions
greetings from Kingman, Arizona.
I’m in your time zone, AN. I’m watching you, through the window…
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
You're not in my time zone.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
no one's in your time zone.
GMT boy.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Exactly GMT +8 man. I'm speshul.
And google maps tells me you’re awfully close……to Anaheim!!
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Hmmm. Really?
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 8:51 PM PDT up reply actions
You're that end of California at any rate.
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
hi.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions
I think the Lakers have this.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions
You’re right and I’ll be $20 richer.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions
smart little bookie.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions
A Celtics fan took me on. I hope he pays me.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 8:49 PM PDT up reply actions
he might try to cut you.
Little Croatian just came through for you.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Vujacic is Slovenian and I think he’s dating Sharapova.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Is it still ON?
The last four minutes are taking a long damn time
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
It just finished. The Lakers have officially won, 83-79.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 17, 2010 8:54 PM PDT up reply actions
I that that was the Cap'n?
"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."
Crazy Arizonans
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
I know. I felt bad giving them my money,
but the alternative was to continue and I would have just driven the rest of the way.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Oh, well that
and their time zone craziness.
The funny thing about baseball is that people will believe what they want to believe. -Joe Posnanski 8/29/09
oh.
I grew up with that. Indiana was like that until a couple years ago.
sock puppets have never successfully defended castles, except when working with squirrels, which would never happen because squirrels know better than to trust sock puppets. -nm
by Leopold Bloom on Jun 17, 2010 8:51 PM PDT up reply actions
NEW THREAD UP
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
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