Daily Link Dump 8/9/05

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 5:14 AM PDT Comment 95 comments

First, a link to the last DLDD just in case someone wants to see what we were reading yesterday:

One of my favorite things to see in the A's dugout is a smiling Jason Kendall. He doesn't do it often...he's just so intense...it's a real treat to see him crack one every once in a while.

Kendall's having the time of his life in Oakland

"This is the most fun I've ever had -- ever,'' Kendall said. "This is pretty incredible. I've never played on a team that was over .500 after the All-Star break before (except for the '97 Pirates, who were 67-65 on Aug. 25). All I wanted was to be in a pennant race, and I've been able to do it here. That's what it's all about.
"It's a big change of pace. I had no idea. Every at-bat, every play, everyone is locked in, and everyone is having fun. We're laughing the whole game. There's a long way to go, but we're enjoying ourselves.''

And I loved this. Kotsay is awesome.

"It's great for Jason,'' Kotsay said. "I had the same feelings last year. I vividly remember being in Toronto last year when we won our 81st game and I knew that for the first time in my professional career I'd be on a team that wouldn't finish under .500. I was so happy, I stood up in the clubhouse and announced it.''

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Oops. Posted another DLD page. will delete

but here's what I had...

With an off day yesterday, most of the news articles this morning will be fluff pieces about a particular player or the upcoming series with the Angels. All the quotes I've seen from both teams are downplaying how important these 3 games are (still lot of baseball left, etc) but we all know that it's the most important series of the year to date.

SF Chron: Odds in A's favor
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/08/09/SPGBPE53TD1.DTL

SF Chron: Kendall's having the time of his life in Oakland
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/08/09/SPGRQE3UB81.DTL

Merc News: comparision between teams
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/baseball/mlb/oakland_athletics/12337913.htm

Contra Costa Times: Fluff on Dan Johnson
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/sports/12338029.htm

Parkersberg WV News and Sentinel: Fluff on Swisher, Parkersberg Native:
http://www.newsandsentinel.com/sports/story/089202005_spt01_swisher080905.asp

LA Times: Angels Strive to Get All A's
http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/la-sp-angels9aug09,1,4294655.story?coll=la-headlin es-sports

Oakland Tribune: A's, Angels finally develop rivalry
http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_2925476

OC Register: Production problems bothering Anderson
http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/08/09/sections/sports/sports_columns/article_627721.php

by Ray in Chicago on Aug 9, 2005 5:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

From the LA Times article:

the best part: Having their third baseman (Dallas McPherson), designated hitter (Tim Salmon) and two-thirds of the rotation (right-hander Kelvim Escobar and left-hander Jarrod Washburn) on the disabled list, slumping center fielder Steve Finley benched and first baseman Darin Erstad nursing a sore right hip has not helped matters for the Angels, though Finley and Erstad are expected to play against Oakland.

Phew! Finley and Erstad are expected to play? I was afraid we'd have to face real hitters like Juan Rivera and Casey Kotchman.

Fearing Mecir since 2000.

by salb918 on Aug 9, 2005 7:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I predict that everyone will love this comment.

"All I know is our fans are nuts, they're crazy," said catcher Jason Kendall, who is in his first season in Oakland. "It's fun to play in front of them. They're kind of like us, they're out there. We relate to them well. They might not be the biggest crowds, but you can't fill up a football stadium. They're loud, and that's how it should be. I think this is a great sports town. "

Odds in A's favor

Okay, who loves Jason Kendall?

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 5:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Street does

from the USA Today article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/athletics/2005-08-09-oakland-cover_x.htm

Street says his biggest challenge will be getting mentally and physically ready for the final two months. What to do? Street says he asks lots of questions: "I play follow-the-leader, and my leader is Jason Kendall. He's helped me a lot."

that could be a good .sig line

"I play follow-the-leader, and my leader is Jason Kendall." - Huston Street

by Ray in Chicago on Aug 9, 2005 6:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I saw that last night

and thought the same thing :)

Great quote!

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 6:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love Jason Kendall!

Awww. That's the warm-fuzzy quote that I love to see.

"While I was there, it didn't always seem perfect, but when I look back on it I just might think it was perfect." --Eric Byrnes

by Kyli on Aug 9, 2005 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

But Wait! There's More!

OC Register: Leaders get down to business
http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/08/09/sections/sports/sports/article_627990.php

LA Daily News: Getting all A's again
http://www2.dailynews.com/sports/ci_2925267

Lincoln NB Journal Star Huskerextra: Ex-Husker Johnson undergoes major makeover (Another DJ fluff)
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2005/08/09/huskerextra/doc42f83910e76af928981998.txt

USA Today: A's looking almost letter-perfect
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/athletics/2005-08-09-oakland-cover_x.htm

Some West Coast Papers haven't posted today's articles yet (yeah, I'm talking to you, Sac Bee!) so look for that later today.

by Ray in Chicago on Aug 9, 2005 5:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Byrnes picks the Angels??

How about that, Byrnsie fans??

OK-- he has a right to be bitter, but that was a cheap shot: "haven't been consistent". He sounds like the Nervous Nellies on AN!!

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Aug 9, 2005 7:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, Byrnes knows a thing or two

about inconsistency.

I sipped the Kool-Aid, and it tastes gooooooooood!!!

by kaweahkaweah on Aug 9, 2005 7:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Et tu, Byrnesie?

by blueconversechucks on Aug 9, 2005 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that you, Mr. Whipple

He sounds like the Nervous Nellies on AN!!

Granted it has been a while, I'll give you that but do you really want to 'go there'? Posts are archived, are they not?

by LowcountryJoe on Aug 9, 2005 5:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

oh come now

in the same quote he also said the A's are "the best team in the AL right now" and said they can definitely hang with the angels. that really didn't come off as sour grapes.

and frankly he's right, the angels have been playing pretty decently well all year, while the A's were at first playing well below their capacity and are now playing above their heads a little. i still think oakland is a better-constructed team, but for sure the angels aren't going to just throw in the towel; the A's will have to beat them in all these head-to-head matchups. and i think they will. however, the A's are not an .800 team as they have been the last month or two; no team is that good. i just hope they can stay hot enough to win in the playoffs.

by vishal on Aug 10, 2005 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

A great line by Mark Whicker

from one of the articles Ray in Chicago linked to(thank you, Ray!).

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/08/09/sections/sports/sports_columns/article_627721.php

Thus the A's are deeper, younger and better defensively than anyone thought possible. The Angels can win this series. They'll still face monstrous hassles, next month, next year, the year after that.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 5:57 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't understand this line:

But while Beane's feet are washed by sycophants who revel in his intellect, he actually wins despite it. He knew he wasn't smart enough to figure out why such dominant collegiate players as Zito, Bobby Crosby, Huston Street, Kirk Saarloos, Nick Swisher, Joe Blanton and Mark Kotsay couldn't prosper in the big leagues. So he either drafted or traded for them all.

He either DRAFTED them or TRADED for them? How the hell else are you supposed to build a team?

Am I missing something here? What is he trying to say?

Fearing Mecir since 2000.

by salb918 on Aug 9, 2005 6:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

not sure

That second sentence is weird.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 6:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think he's saying...

..that conventional wisdom said those guys couldn't be studs, and because he wasn't as 'conventionally smart' as guys like Joe Morgan, he grabbed them all anyway.

Then again, it could just be that the guy is an idiot and can't write.

by Ozzz on Aug 9, 2005 9:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you're right.

by orange2299 on Aug 9, 2005 3:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Either

the writer is really confused or he just blew my mind. I'm going to go with the former.

"Don't be an ass!" --Bill King

by batgirl on Aug 9, 2005 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mark!

"I vividly remember being in Toronto last year when we won our 81st game and I knew that for the first time in my professional career I'd be on a team that wouldn't finish under .500. I was so happy, I stood up in the clubhouse and announced it."

I love this team. Seriously.

Thanks for the quote and the link.

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 6:17 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Second favorite quotes from the USA Today

article "A's looking almost letter-perfect" linked in one of the above.

Departure for the airport was delayed 15 minutes while Chavez vented with hard-hitting observations and four-letter words. He singled out his .236 average and spoke of how losing hurts. He brought up last year, when the A's missed the postseason by a game after a miserable start. He even scolded them on their appearance, saying sandals and ragged shirts didn't look big-league.

"It was a call-out. He leads by example and takes the rest of us with him," says Johnson, 26 on Wednesday.

From Chavy, "I just hope I never have to give one of those speeches again."

Chavy sucks. He has no heart.

When does the game start?

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 6:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chavy is starting to bug me...

I hate him. He's crap.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 6:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

What a moron! He's supposed to be breaking bats over his thighs and beating his wife! HE SUCKS! BOOO! SHOW SOME EMOTION!

BILLY BEANE IS A LOSER! FIRE HIM!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 6:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't even get me started on Billy!

If Blez doesn't stop interviewing him, I'M GOING TO LEAVE AN!

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 6:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Totally!

Don't make me quit! We have to have someone talk about ass on here!

Billy signs CHAVEZ?!? BOOO! What kind of player is Eric if he won't even eat children for breakfast?

Billy obviously knows nothing about being a GM. HANG IT UP!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 6:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Someone should make a FIRE BILLY sign.

I think it's pretty obvious he should have signed Mo Vaughn to a 6 year, $66 million contract. Now THAT'S money well spent.

And what kind of leader gives a speech?! Chavez is a JOKE! Mo Vaughn would have eaten the entire team of losers! Now THAT'S a leader.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 7:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You are a genius!

Bring in Blinky Phillips! Mo Vaugh is what this team needs!

Seriously, what kind of GM trades away THE Eric Byrnes?

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 7:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And don't get me started on T-Long!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 7:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

OMG

Did you see him in KC this weekend?

I miss that guy so much! He's the kind of guy I want leading these young players.

And his batting eye is incredible. It frustrates me to see someone like DJ playing for the A's when we could have T-LONG and his magnificent offensive skills.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 7:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Beane didn't like him... he's gone.

Just like Guillen and Byrnes. It's all about Billy's monstrous ego.

by ArakSOT on Aug 9, 2005 7:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I got to see T-Long.

AWESOME!

Do we really want Jason Kendall leading our rookies? Kendall runs out fly balls!?!? Who does that? Everyone knows you're supposed to slam your helmet down and walk back to the dugout to throw a tantrum!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 7:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

<sigh>

T-Long is just so lovable. I just want squeeze him and hug him and kiss him.

Kendall sucks! He just like that Chavez guy. USELESS!

T-Long was ROBBED of playig time.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 7:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We need Joe Morgan

as an owner! I bet he'd get this organization going in the right direction!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 8:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And what does Jay Payton add to this team?

Witasick and Kennedy?

BLEGH!

If only Billy had been smart enough to get someone like Kevin Millar at the deadline. Damn, Billy is stupid.

Blinky would have benched Kotsay, put Mo in center(his natural position), and traded DJ for Chan Ho Park.

We totally missed out on this trade deadline! Grrrr!

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 7:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

DJ sucks!

Clone MO VAUGHN!

I think we should've traded Street, DJ, Rincon, Duke, Crosby, and Zito to the Reds for Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. THEN traded Harden, Kotsay, and Swish to the Yankees for Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Jason Giambi, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera! Now THAT'S A MOVE!

You know, Bret Boone is available. If Billy was any sort of GM he would've sighed Bret to a 543 year contract by now. L-O-S-E-R!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 7:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mike Scioscia

Why can't he catch for the A's?

Why hasn't Billy picked him up yet?!

And I totally agree about Bret Boone. He's a freaking stallion! Get him on the team, Billy!

You know what pisses me off the most about this situation? The A's gave up Miguel Olivo when they taded for Chad Bradford. Miguel Olivo! So now, we have to have stupid, heartless Jason Kendall leading the pitchers straight down the drain.

WORST. TRADE. EVER.

Can you believe it? THE Miguel Olivo!

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 7:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not only Olivo,

but Ramon Hernandez for Kotsay! Billy, Billy. Hernandez was what made this team WIN! Did you see how he blocked the plate? WOW!

Billy is killing this team!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 7:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kotsay is a bad father!

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 8:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kotsay is crazy.

Celebrating his first season over .500? He needs to just get his paychecks, love losing, and go home to [EDITED].

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 8:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

After Chavy's rant

Not only has the team played better, but "Manager Ken Macha jokes that his players are dressing better, too."

by ArakSOT on Aug 9, 2005 8:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They should just play naked.

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

...or just in high socks.

by ArakSOT on Aug 9, 2005 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Now that's an idea!

Is it hot in here?

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 9:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh My!

Sounds like a Plan to me!!

"We play our best ball when we're goofing around and having a good time" ~Bobby Crosby

by BobbyCrosbysGirl on Aug 9, 2005 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can anyone add the ESPN INSIDER story on

Dan Johnson being the next Jason Giambi??

or parts of it???

Thanks!

Kiko Streetscherer...is where it ends!!!

by jrwolf on Aug 9, 2005 6:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That was in yesterday's DLD

here it is:
http://www.athleticsnation.com/comments/2005/8/8/73734/88041/51#51

by Ray in Chicago on Aug 9, 2005 6:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good points

Players who have good plate discipline are a lot better when they go through slumps because at least they're getting on base.

Andre Ethier: The One.

by tblazrdude on Aug 9, 2005 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And the beat goes on...

The West Coast Papers are starting to get their stuff posted this fine morning, so here's some more rich, gooey linkage.

SF Chron: A's reversal of fortune matched at box office
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/09/BAGHEE53AV1.DTL

Inside Bay Area: Ready or not, it's showdown time
http://www.insidebayarea.com/athletics/ci_2925780

Sac Bee: A's surge makes Angels series a must
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13381630p-14223200c.html

by Ray in Chicago on Aug 9, 2005 7:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Way to step up with your wallet, A's fans

I bet Wednesday goes over 40 with walkups.

A Beane in the hand is worth $60M in payroll

by jeepers on Aug 9, 2005 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS SERIES!

i think i'm more excited about this series with the angels than with any other series so far this season!!

by gotgreen on Aug 9, 2005 8:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Mark Saxon continues....

to take his shots at A's attendance in the OC Register. I think there are going to be big numbers this series and I'll be e-mailing them to Mark.

by BleacherDave on Aug 9, 2005 8:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

he must have a short memory

I've went to a few Angels games throughout the years, and the attendence was comperable to the A's up until the latter part of 2002

Celebrate good times, come on!

by gojohn10 on Aug 9, 2005 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Theres nothing better

than a journalist who can't think of anything mean to say about the team so he focuses on the fans.

Mark Ellis---"this is the funnest team we've ever been on -- Little League, high school, whatever. This is great."

by Alien on Aug 9, 2005 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Before 02..I went to Angels games all the time

And paid less than facer and sat 10 rows of the on deck circle. Every single time I went, same dudes out front tryign to get rid of seats under face.

Angel fans constitute the biggest current bandwagon in sports....besides the "Red Sox Nation"

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Aug 9, 2005 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In fairness...

Red Sox games have always been a big draw at the Coliseum, so while the bandwagon that is The RedSox Nation is definitely larger these days, there are a lot of Sox fans who put up with year after year of futility.

by sfodoug on Aug 9, 2005 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Indeed

I think some of them even thrived on the years of futility. They've got to be thinking, "Now What?"

A Beane in the hand is worth $60M in payroll

by jeepers on Aug 9, 2005 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

BP Hit list

has the A's ranked #3:

http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=4313

I sipped the Kool-Aid, and it tastes gooooooooood!!!

by kaweahkaweah on Aug 9, 2005 9:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

a bit from Prospectus Matchups

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=4314

CLOSEST MATCHUP (opponents with best combined Prospectus Hit List rankings): Oakland Athletics of First Place (3rd) @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (7th)
Why stop here? Why not win 20 in a row again like they did in 2002?

This would be a good opportunity to review my preseason picks in the American League West, or, in the cases of the ones I blew, a bad opportunity.

Like most everybody else--including a number of my friends who put a lot of money on the A's to go over their projected over/under for the season (which was around 81 games)--I was becoming convinced that Team Houdini had wrapped the chains, the straightjacket and the locked box a little too tightly before getting thrown in the freezing river this time. Before the season started, I predicted them to win 89 games, which they are now likely to do with some room to spare. I had them winning the division and these Angels finishing second with 87 wins. Now it's looking like a good pick--even a conservative one. If you'll recall the preseason, though, there was a lot of talk about the demise of the Big Three and the lack of punch in the lineup. That line of 81 was made to look ambitious in many corners and, when the bell rang, the anti-Beane crowd had its day in the sun.

In a business with very little accountability, though, the A's haters live on in their professional sinecures, even as the team cuts a swath through their schedule. My middle name happens to be Accountability, however, so I will admit to writing a tongue-in-cheek bit about how the playing-dead gag had gone a bit too far this time. This was back in the A's Dark Ages of late May when they were paired with the Devil Rays in the Worst Matchup category.

Mark Ellis---"this is the funnest team we've ever been on -- Little League, high school, whatever. This is great."

by Alien on Aug 9, 2005 9:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

HA HA!

The "Oakland Athletics of First Place vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" line is classic!

"Leaders don't sit in the clubhouse eating Snickers bars and running their mouth."

by bvank on Aug 9, 2005 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Minors news

Juan Cruz gets a win in AAA:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13381685p-14223237c.html

Stockton Ports on a roll:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050809/SPORTS/508090339/1004

Demoted Luis Perez doing well in Low Class A:
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/sports/AU09_COUGS_S1.htm

by wedge on Aug 9, 2005 9:31 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not sure if posted already

http://www.insidebayarea.com/athletics/ci_2921456

But cool article on Roy Steele, Voice of God.

Matt, who goes to law school with THE Daniel Lipkin.

Best Barry In The Bay Area.

by TwistNHook on Aug 9, 2005 9:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

WOW, great article

We should really have a Roy Steele Day. Get him his own bobblehead....oh, and if he isn't already in the Hall of Fame, he should be. He's lasted longer than some of our logo's

Now THIS is Billy Ball

by Masaryk on Aug 9, 2005 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

less than 9 hours!

Nothing better than to surf for A's articles. Here's a few more:

AP wire preview of the game
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=250809111

ESPN.com - Johnson gets hometown reception
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=miller_gary&id=2125912

ESPN.com - Angels need to get offensive
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=2129071

SI.com is re-hashing older A's articles from the last week. Nothing new for today.

Sportingnews.com - A's All Around (posted yesterday)
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=7426

Sportsline.com has some new stuff but keeps crashing my browser (firefox) so I'm going to skip trying to read it.

The A's in general and this game in particular are mentioned in a paragraph or two in a few wire stories, like the following....

'A' WINNING ATTITUDE IN OAKLAND

The Oakland Athletics haven't been alone in first place all season, but that could change this week as they host the Angels in a three-game series. Both teams enter Tuesday night's contest even in the AL West, but the way the A's have been playing, no team wants to face their starting pitchers at this point.

Forget the Big Three of Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder. It's Dan Haren, Rich Harden and Zito who make up the new terrific trio in Oakland. The three pitchers have won a combined 21 consecutive decisions.

For anyone who doubted Billy Beane for the trades he made in the offseason, you should have known better than to write off one of the best general managers in the game. Even when the A's were a season-high 12 1/2 games behind the Angels after play on May 29, Mr. Moneyball had the reason to believe his team could still contend for the division title.

The A's were 8 1/2 contests behind Los Angeles entering play on July 19, but defeated the Angels that day to start a stretch where they have gone 18-2.

Hudson (Atlanta) and Mulder (St. Louis) seem destined to be on division winning clubs this year, so why not Zito? The lefthander went 6-0 in July and has won each of his last eight starts, returning to the form that saw him win the 2002 AL Cy Young Award.

Haren, who was almost an afterthought after being traded from the Cardinals in the offseason, is 9-0 over his last 14 starts. The A's have won each of the last 14 games in which Haren has started to tie an Oakland record set by Chuck Dobson (May 12-July 20, 1971).

How about Harden? He's won seven of his last eight decisions since returning from the disabled list in late June.

If the Angels can't overcome Oakland's new Big Three, the A's could be celebrating their third division title in four years.

by Ray in Virginia on Aug 9, 2005 10:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

d'oh! forgot to mention

yes, I did change my username. The problem of having a geographical login is that when you move, you have to change it. So I'm in Central Virgina looking forward to tonight.

by Ray in Virginia on Aug 9, 2005 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

from "Johnson gets hometown reception"

Macha also appreciates Kendall's aggressiveness with some of his young pitchers. On a team littered with players suffering back ailments, Joe Blanton was laboring through a recent start, and holding his back at times. Kendall went to the mound to see if everything was all right. When Blanton said his back was fine, Kendall barked at him, "Then why don't you start throwing the ball like it then?" And he did.

Um.

Jason Kendall is my leader.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm surprised he didn't tell Blanton to drop and

give me 20.

by theblackpearl on Aug 9, 2005 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can you imagine being this guy's kid?

"Hey, son, I saw your report card. Everything alright in algebra?"

"Yeah, Dad, everything's going fine."

"Then why don't you f***ing solve for x like it?"

Fearing Mecir since 2000.

by salb918 on Aug 9, 2005 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

hahahaha

too funny....

Kendall is my hero!!!!

"You gotta be a man to play baseball for a living, but you gotta have a lot of little boy in you." - Roy Campanella

by rocketgirl on Aug 9, 2005 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha...

great line.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Aug 9, 2005 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

damn that is hardcore

If I weren't playing baseball, I'd be... "in the Ultimate Fighting Championship." -Rich Harden

by xbhaskarx on Aug 11, 2005 2:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

A's in Neyer Chat

Here are a couple of Neyer comments on Oakland.

Dave B (Lansing, NY): i jist want 2cu hammer someone for grammer errurs :-) seriously, I love your stuff. Billy Beane: 1st MoneyStat was OBP, now it's Def. Eff and contact hitting, what's the next undervalued stat? Quality starts?

Rob Neyer: (1:10 PM ET ) I don't think it's a stat. I think it's a type of player: young starting pitchers who don't quite have impeccable credentials. Danny Haren, for instance.

Mick (San Jose): The A's have scored more runs the last two-plus months than any team in the majors. What in the world explains this?

Rob Neyer: (1:24 PM ET ) Some luck, of course. But also Eric Chavez playing like Eric Chavez and Bobby Crosby getting back into the lineup. Oh, and after a slow start, Nick Swisher's picked things up. Do I think the A's have the best hitting in the league? No. But they're good enough.

Mike (Philadelphia): Rob, can you see Mike Piazza as the A's DH next season? Is that a good fit? Kendell likes to play everyday, so Piazza would only have to catch a few times a month.

Rob Neyer: (1:43 PM ET ) Sure. If he's willing to take a 90-percent pay cut. And is there any reason to think Dan Johnson isn't just about as good a hitter, at this point in their respective careers?

by theblackpearl on Aug 9, 2005 10:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Left field bleacher crew gets love from Scout.com

Ask any Oakland A's fan or any person who has been to a game at McAfee Coliseum who are the most fun, entertaining and colorful fans and I am sure they will answer the crew of the left field bleachers. They are hard not to notice. They have their flags, which the use to do choreographed routines to certain songs, they have the signs, some wear colorful outfits and they are at EVERY game. I had the pleasure of spending an evening with some of these dedicated fans learning more about the history and camaraderie of the left field fans and there is no doubt that sitting in the left field bleachers is the most fun you will have at a baseball game, period.

Big fat link - and it's non-subscription.

by Ozzz on Aug 9, 2005 11:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Awesome

Great read. Thanks!

Fearing Mecir since 2000.

by salb918 on Aug 9, 2005 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Stupid question time!

What does the "pound" look like? I think I know what it is, but just didn't know there was a specific name for it. Could someone please describe it to me?

And does anyone know where I could see the old A's commerical (from 2001 or 2002, I think) with the drummers in it? They used to be on the A's site but now they only have 2004 and 2005.

Thanks!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 12:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

the pound?

dirty

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

bAnNeD

P.S. Is Huston doing the pound? If so, sign me up!

bAnNeD mYsElF!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 12:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

you're asking ME?

Huston is in your basement.

You tell me if he's doing the pound.

I think I earned a double ban.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Doing the pound.

LOL

We are so bAnNed.

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Someone needs to tell us

what it really looks like or our minds are going to stay in the gutter.

Unless, of course, doing the pound actually looks like doing the pound.

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I enjoy my gutter mind.

Reality is so boring sometimes. Our doing the pound seems way more interesting than the other doing the pound.

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think anyone...

actually knows what "the pound" looks like. They just like to say doing the pound.

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you're right.

There's no way the real doing the pound lives up to our doing the pound. Are we better off not knowing?

"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Aug 9, 2005 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think we're better off.

What can top ours? The entire team doing the pound at once?

bAnNed!

by Jennifer on Aug 9, 2005 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

the pound

There's really not much to it. Just the left fielder giving the outs. You know like when there's one out, they'll turn to us and put up one finger. Kielty does the best pound in my opinion. Next time your at a game and he's in LF, watch him.

"All I know is our fans are nuts, they're crazy." ~Jason Kendall~

by Cassandra on Aug 10, 2005 1:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ticket Sales

for Angels series goes through the roof. 37K for the two evening games, 25K for the afternoon game. I'm betting the evening games exceed 40K, especially Wed night.

Article details fans jumping on and off bandwagons, rising ticket sales and demand, and overall giddiness in the city of Oakland.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/09/BAGHEE53AV1.DTL

Fearing Mecir since 2000.

by salb918 on Aug 9, 2005 12:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Excellent!

I'm so happy for the A's! It's good to see them get some attention. Looks like my worries about a usual weekday evening crowd were unfounded. Must go buy tickets!

Ron Washington: Thinking outside of the three-sided box since 1977

by tankerraid on Aug 9, 2005 2:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Daily Link Dump RSS Feed?

We should talk to Blez about making this thread an RSS feed so that we can just link to a ton of different sources.

Is that a possibility?

Yes, it would take a little work, but I think it'd be a huge feature to AN.

Imagine: All of these media sources pouring into a single RSS feed under the discretion of ANers.

Just a thought.

Andre Ethier: The One.

by tblazrdude on Aug 9, 2005 12:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Why the obsession with Mo Vaughn?

Albert Belle would be a much better pick-up.

"Every time he opens his mouth he makes a fool of himself," La Russa said. "He's a village idiot."

by rubin sierra on Aug 9, 2005 12:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

What about Dean Palmer?

A Beane in the hand is worth $60M in payroll

by jeepers on Aug 9, 2005 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd take

Juan Gone any day.

by sslinger on Aug 9, 2005 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not sure if this has been posted, but...

...this is a must read on ESPN.com...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?id=2129071

by kaiser on Aug 9, 2005 2:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

this is /basically/ an open thread...

so, anyone know if the fireworks show on the 20th was moved to the 12th for sure?

let's go oakland [clapclap clapclapclap]

the a's fan lj community.

by Jjjsixsix on Aug 9, 2005 2:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

so it says

on the a's website... i didn't know they were every going to have fireworks on that saturday... isn't that wine fest?

Ron Washington: Thinking outside of the three-sided box since 1977

by tankerraid on Aug 9, 2005 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wine fest....

we are going to wine fest on the 20th.... does anyone know if the A's players are involved like Root beer float day???
oh yeah... I am not going to be around the radio to hear about any meet and greet festivities happening soon, Does anyone have the scoop for the next week or so???

"You gotta be a man to play baseball for a living, but you gotta have a lot of little boy in you." - Roy Campanella Swisher ROY 2005!!!!

by rocketgirl on Aug 9, 2005 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs