^^^^^^^ Approaching Flatline -----------

Sigh...

It's not over yet... weirder things have happened in this game of baseball...

Keep the faith! Go A's!

by baseballnut020 on Sep 23, 2005 10:17 PM PDT reply actions

Cannot believe you guys are panicking

Rogers on the mound, who has owned the A's throughout his career? Check.

Zito and Saarloos against Dickey and Dominguez? Check.

The A's ought to be able to pull two in the W column by Monday.

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

by scareduck on Sep 24, 2005 12:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Who said anyone was panicking?

by baseballnut020 on Sep 24, 2005 12:15 AM PDT up reply actions

I was pissed then and im even more pissed off becuase you know why? I Have watched them choke every damm year since!!!! Screw 1999 Screw 2003 Screw Jeremy giambi!!!!! WHY CAN WE NOT WIN WHEN IT MATTERS THE MOST?????? Screw that 20 game win streak... You know what that equaled???? A LOSS IN THE FIRST ROUND!!!!!! Ill tell you what being a Die hard A's fans hurts...IT HURTS!!!! I feel like punching a whole through my PC after tonight.... god can we just win ONE game that matters....

Bring Back The Bash! Bring Back The Stash! Bring back Ricky one more time!!! Go A'S!!!!

by Shippee33 on Sep 23, 2005 10:20 PM PDT reply actions

Actually,

we'v won plenty of games that "mattered". You're just not remembering them now.

by ArakSOT on Sep 23, 2005 10:25 PM PDT up reply actions

No they haven't!

The A's are on they're way to a 162-loss season! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

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

by Sharon on Sep 23, 2005 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions

Who kidnapped Sharon?

"I'm OK being the veteran, but I'm still just a kid" ~ Barry Zito

by AsGirl on Sep 23, 2005 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm lost without Jennifer.

:(

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

by Sharon on Sep 23, 2005 10:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Awww, it's ok

We're here for each other. I really don't know how I'd deal with this if I had not found AN. For every "We're doomed" thread, there's a "We believe" thread. You know? I love this place. And as difficult the dreaded offseason is, I know this place will help me get through it!

Can we please have Zito back? :(

"I'm OK being the veteran, but I'm still just a kid" ~ Barry Zito

by AsGirl on Sep 23, 2005 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions

I was, of course, kidding.

I was doing my best impersonation of a crazy person. But I do miss Jennifer.

I love AN too.

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

by Sharon on Sep 23, 2005 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Where's Jennifer?!

Who kidnapped her?! ;)
BTW, I knew you were impersonating a certain someone. <Cough>
:)

"I'm OK being the veteran, but I'm still just a kid" ~ Barry Zito

by AsGirl on Sep 23, 2005 10:46 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't know where she is.

She's not returning my email. I hate her.

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

by Sharon on Sep 23, 2005 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions

impersonation?

my head nearly exploded with ambivalence -- Poppy

by monkeyball on Sep 24, 2005 12:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Well, perhaps ...

But the results speak for themselves. If we don't fail in October, then we do it in September.

It is frustrating. We can sugarcoat it, but the fact is: we haven't won the big one in a while now.

It's not that we CAN'T, but that we just plain HAVEN'T.

by Crosbino on Sep 23, 2005 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions

I wonder how many people feel the same way?

And just stopped following A's baseball? Perhaps more than we think. It might explain our attendance problems.

Bay Area fans want a winner, percieved or otherwise.

by Rob @ Athletics Nation on Sep 23, 2005 10:36 PM PDT up reply actions

I agree to stick around..

But will/should Zito?

Will Harden throw 200+ innings next year, or does he have Prior/Wood written all over him?

Is Kendall through as an effective major league hitter and will his salary continue to be a bit of an albatross, despite the initial circumstances he arrived under-- i.e, the dispatching of Redman and Rhodes?

Will Beane trust Barton and play him right from the start next year, and retire the guy who shouldn't have played this year-- hatteberg?

Could there be anything left in Durazo's tank?

Why can't we draft a Hafner or Teixeira? Or may be with Barton we have one?

Chavez can't hit .268 with horrendous plate discipline and diminished power. He ain't worth the money. Is he really a long-term answer, or should he be moved now?

In 2000-- there were plenty of questions, and the pitching staff wasn;t grounded as well as this one seems to be-- but we had a team that could hit. Now it seems not to be the case-- and I know I felt differently six weeks ago, but these guys disappeared on us, excep Ellis and payton.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Sep 23, 2005 10:22 PM PDT reply actions

My opinions...

But will/should Zito?

Yes.

Will Harden throw 200+ innings next year...?

Yes.

Is Kendall through as an effective major league hitter and will his salary continue to be a bit of an albatross...?

Yes.

Will Beane trust Barton and play him right from the start next year, and retire the guy who shouldn't have played this year-- hatteberg?

Yes.

Could there be anything left in Durazo's tank?

No. (Not with the A's.)

Why can't we draft a Hafner or Teixeira? Or maybe with Barton we have one?

Yes.

Chavez can't hit .268 with horrendous plate discipline and diminished power. He ain't worth the money. Is he really a long-term answer, or should he be moved now?

No, and no.

The answer, IMO: One more big bat and a year of maturing by the lads already here.

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 10:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed, with two exceptions

I don't think Barton will start the year in the bigs unless he pulls a Street: dominates the AFL, dominates in spring training, and somebody gets hurt. Beane will not make his winter moves expecting Barton to be in the opening day lineup.

The A's need two improved bats: at LF and DH. The existing players should improve in aggregate, but undoubtedly there will be exceptions. Upgrading both of these spots is key.

Btw, post at the top of the link is outstanding. Well said. They are getting done; we are not (for the second year in a row, unfortunately). I still have blind optimism left, but that is about it.

"Young, cheap and talented is the best way to go through life, son." --Dean Beane

by dylantravis on Sep 23, 2005 10:50 PM PDT up reply actions

I liked Oaktoon's questions

But will/should Zito?

Yes/Yes

Will Harden throw 200+ innings next year, or does he have Prior/Wood written all over him?

No/Yes

Is Kendall through as an effective major league hitter and will his salary continue to be a bit of an albatross, despite the initial circumstances he arrived under-- i.e, the dispatching of Redman and Rhodes?

Yes and Yes (more than a bit)

Will Beane trust Barton and play him right from the start next year, and retire the guy who shouldn't have played this year-- hatteberg?

No

Could there be anything left in Durazo's tank?

Yes, but not for Oakland

Why can't we draft a Hafner or Teixeira? Or may be with Barton we have one?

A's drafted Giambi and McGwire. I think Johnson and maybe Swisher will be good hitters. Barton looks good too. Offense will improve.

Chavez can't hit .268 with horrendous plate discipline and diminished power. He ain't worth the money. Is he really a long-term answer, or should he be moved now?

Yes and no.

In 2000-- there were plenty of questions, and the pitching staff wasn;t grounded as well as this one seems to be-- but we had a team that could hit. Now it seems not to be the case-- and I know I felt differently six weeks ago, but these guys disappeared on us, excep Ellis and payton.

Giambi was better than anyone on this team.

by WaddellCanseco on Sep 24, 2005 8:24 AM PDT up reply actions

Yes/No

But will/should Zito?

Yes/Yes

Will Harden throw 200+ innings next year, or does he have Prior/Wood written all over him?

No/No

Is Kendall through as an effective major league hitter and will his salary continue to be a bit of an albatross, despite the initial circumstances he arrived under-- i.e, the dispatching of Redman and Rhodes?

His salary is an albatross but here's hoping he can entice his buddy Giles to join the A's

Will Beane trust Barton and play him right from the start next year, and retire the guy who shouldn't have played this year-- hatteberg?

No (Barton)/The Hatteberg chapter of Moneyball needs to be closed. I wish him well, he's a great guy. Thanks for the homerun in Game #20

Could there be anything left in Durazo's tank?

Yes, assuming his surgery/recovery is successful

Why can't we draft a Hafner or Teixeira? Or may be with Barton we have one?

A's have proved they can rebuild a pitching staff and put together a very good defense. The offensive needs work

Chavez can't hit .268 with horrendous plate discipline and diminished power. He ain't worth the money. Is he really a long-term answer, or should he be moved now?

That's a tough one. I'm tired of his demeanor but OTOH he's a good player

"Flying a plane is like riding a bicycle...it's just a lot harder to put baseball cards in the spokes." --Airplane!

by SalParadise on Sep 24, 2005 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions

This "Woe is me" crap is tiresome

"Why can't (the A's) draft a Hafner or Teixeira?"

Let's see... Hafner was drafted in the 31st round of the 1996 draft. Most guys taken that late never make it to the Show. Sometimes it pays for a team to get a little lucky. Kinda like when Oakland snagged Harden in the 17th round of the 2001 draft. At least the A's kept their long-shot.

Teixeira was taken 5th overall in 2001, and he only lasted that long because Scott Boras was his agent. The last time the A's selected anywhere near that high was in 1998 and 1999 when they selected Mulder (2nd) and Zito (9th). I can't really complain about those picks. And I can't imagine how you'd handle a season in which the A's would qualify for the 5th overall draft pick!

As for Chavez, well, HE'S GOT 5 MORE YEARS ON AN UNDERPRICED CONTRACT! WHO WOULD BE WILLING AND ABLE TO GIVE UP 3-4 TOP PROSPECTS AND RENEGOTIATE HIE DEAL?!?!?!?!

The rest of your questions are fairly pointless and can only be answered by new questions.

Zito: What is his asking price for an extension? What are other teams offering in trade?

Harden: Does anyone know a good Yoga instructor?

Barton: How is he going to do in the AFL?

Kendall: Is this the decline or just a bad year?

Durazo: Would he be willing to sign a minor league deal? Because that's the only way I could see Beane bringing him back. If he won't than who cares? He'll be elsewhere.

by grover on Sep 24, 2005 12:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Well tonight's game didn't really

matter...

Sure down another notch in the AL West.

But I think if the A's can muster a sweep of Los Angels, the crown is anyone's for the taking, no matter what happens this weekend.

by Hit4TheCycle on Sep 23, 2005 10:22 PM PDT reply actions

are you serious??

Please read Nico's post more carefully.

The best team is winning. they're winning tough game after tough game-- our boys are not.

A sweep is a fantasy. We'll be lucky to do better than split.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Sep 23, 2005 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions

before we lavishly heap praise on the Angels...

check out how they won. It was ugly. Byrd, yeah, he really stepped up, continued to be owned by the Devil Rays, 10 hits in 4 and a third, horrible performance. Angels' comeback is aided by three errors...remember when the Red Sox swept the D-Rays a couple weeks back? Well, in each of those games, the Devil Rays were probably a play away from winning. It's that they're finding ways to lose, not that the Angels or Red Sox found ways to win. In 2006 though, that team could, dare I say, contend, assuming Chuck LaMar doesn't trade away the nucleus for Vinny Castilla.

Rock over London, Rock on Oakland. Wheaties: It's the Breakfast of Champions.

by Cutthemullet on Sep 23, 2005 11:39 PM PDT up reply actions

and...

I wasn't following their games against the Rangers too closely, but having Vlad headhunt Kameron Loe was one lucky way to get an advantage in the one game...that team is so thoroughly unimpressive and possibly inferior to the A's that I will concede nothing to them.

Rock over London, Rock on Oakland. Wheaties: It's the Breakfast of Champions.

by Cutthemullet on Sep 23, 2005 11:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Its tough...

Its tough to 'zoom out' and see the big picture. But your right. Sure the A's arent dead yet, but I dont think this team deserves to go to the playoffs. What if they did make it just to get smacked or LOBbed to death in the first round. I dont know if I can take that again, not to mention the media spewing garbage about it.

Beane will have some dough to work with this offseason, and also he'll have lew wolff there should some purse strings need to be loosened.

"Dont count us out in 2005, but I like us even better in '06"

by pickinmachine on Sep 23, 2005 10:24 PM PDT reply actions

What are the chances the Tampa wins the

next two against the Angels?

by Testy1212 on Sep 23, 2005 10:26 PM PDT reply actions

probably not as bad as you think

if the Devil Rays can limit their errors to 2 per game rather than 3 their superior hitting (yes, they have better hitting than the Angels) could likely win them both.

Rock over London, Rock on Oakland. Wheaties: It's the Breakfast of Champions.

by Cutthemullet on Sep 23, 2005 11:43 PM PDT up reply actions

You know

We are complety spoiled and blessed when Blanton gave up 5+ runs in TB I wrote the season off I said I guess those writers are right but you know what Beane has put a winning team on the field for 7 straight years how many temas have been able to do that let's see about 5 I guess now correct if I'm wrong but what in the heck was Hatteberg doing DH'ing? He faded last year and this year again I'm very interested in this though, my friend just phoned me and he told me if I listened to King and Korach of course I didn't but he told me that the Yankees would be the first team the A's would play on opening day, that sounds like an awesome rumor, Go Zito strike out 10 batters.

You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club wont be worth a dime.-Babe Ruth

by doublehustle22 on Sep 23, 2005 10:26 PM PDT reply actions

yep

not to mention a series against the padres in San Diego! There are a bunch of A's fans down here so it should be fun. I'll be at all of them. Itd be awesome if some ANers from the bay or socal made a road trip.

by pickinmachine on Sep 23, 2005 10:29 PM PDT up reply actions

So that means that Arizona will be coming?

Gosh it would be so much fun to see the A's play in SD. Someone should SERIOUSLY plan an AN roadtrip. So if the A's are going to Petco and Coors, does that mean that Diamondbacks and the Dodgers are coming to town?

"I was the ugliest girl I've ever seen." - Noah Lowry

by Melody on Sep 23, 2005 10:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Well that sucks

I was hoping to check the A's out here in Arizona. Maybe I can make a road trip to SD though.

We can be considered David, David knocks out Goliath. -Eric Chavez PT-42

by norcaldevilasu on Sep 24, 2005 1:21 AM PDT up reply actions

2006

damm ive been sticking around for 153 games this year... 2005 just seems to be sliping away... jeeze im just soo sad about it...

Bring Back The Bash! Bring Back The Stash! Bring back Ricky one more time!!! Go A'S!!!!

by Shippee33 on Sep 23, 2005 10:26 PM PDT reply actions

We win the next two and Anaheim loses the next

two. That's the best case scenario. Please God make it happen.

by Testy1212 on Sep 23, 2005 10:26 PM PDT reply actions

Reality bites

by Hit4TheCycle on Sep 23, 2005 10:27 PM PDT reply actions

I'm really sad. So sad. I can't go out. I hate

going to work. So sad.

by Testy1212 on Sep 23, 2005 10:27 PM PDT reply actions

I can't concede this year yet

I hope that we can look at this post by Nico in a week or so and laugh about it, chalking it up to post-game depression. I can wish for a season-ending winning streak that would pull us ahead of the dreaded The Angels Angels of Anaheim. Someone needs to ignite this bats again and I bet you anything, it won't start with a K or H.

I am no longer easily distracted by those AVP advertisements

by franks a lot on Sep 23, 2005 10:27 PM PDT reply actions

I do too, of course,

and things can turn around fast. But when the A's were 17-32, I was adamant about saying it was NOT over. Now that we're fighting the Angels AND time, each missed opportunity looms exponentially larger and we have missed 5 (opportunities to win series) in the last month, plus this loss. There will be a straw that breaks the camel's back and tonight the camel says "Sniff, me no likey"...

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 10:33 PM PDT up reply actions

All we can muster is 1 run? Man.... Pathetic.

by Testy1212 on Sep 23, 2005 10:28 PM PDT reply actions

whats worse

is when you know that the A's arent going to come through with runners on. I just didnt have a good feeling after I turned the radio on after Kotsay had already homered. Yep that was it.

by pickinmachine on Sep 23, 2005 10:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Shutup everyone.

I mean really. Shut the fuck up. There is no hope. The angles keep winning and the A's keep losing so it's fucken over. Get over it.

by PitchingWins on Sep 23, 2005 10:30 PM PDT reply actions

I don't get this

Wouldn't you rather hope the A's win and be wrong, then hope the A's lose and be right?

Jeez, man. Chill the fuck out, yourself.

by Crosbino on Sep 23, 2005 10:31 PM PDT up reply actions

look how well you've gotten over it

I don't believe in role models. But you ain't mine.

by Apricot on Sep 23, 2005 10:33 PM PDT up reply actions

O RLY?

Barry Zito is my secret mancrush. There. I said it.

by interior decor on Sep 23, 2005 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions

I just haven't

liked the Angles since they changed their name from the Isoscoles Angles to the 45 Degree Angles of Two Same Sidedness.

Oh, and YOU shut up. Ooh, got you good there!

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions

Aren't you a little ray of sunshine!

@10:30 last night I was reeaallyy depressed as well. I did not see Star Jones singing at last nights game, so it's not over yet. Come on back, we need all the fans we can find for this last week and half.....WE CAN DO IT!!!!!

by tresselfan on Sep 24, 2005 7:20 AM PDT up reply actions

So, what's changed since opening day?

Remember when we worried that the A's would never get out of their hitting funk in April and May? It now appears that we were right, and that June and July was an aberration.

Even with maturity, no injuries and the breaks going our way, our offense is mediocre at best. It has to be addressed during the off-season even if it means letting Zito walk after '06

by Rob @ Athletics Nation on Sep 23, 2005 10:33 PM PDT reply actions

I'm not so sure....

Two months (June and July) make for one BIG abberation.

In other words, I think maturity (and no injuries) do and will help.

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by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Sep 24, 2005 6:30 AM PDT up reply actions

I feel like that

depressed little Zoloft circle...I just want to be a happy little circle!

I am no longer easily distracted by those AVP advertisements

by franks a lot on Sep 23, 2005 10:34 PM PDT reply actions

The A's Were In It For 150 Games!!!!!

That's a lot longer than I thought they could hang around in 2005. Yes, they're a little overmatched by the top teams. But, somehow, they hung in for 15/16 of the season.

I'm so proud of them. This has been an incredibly exciting season. So many ups and downs. Dead and burried ... and then back in contention. Unbeatable ... and then hapless. Playing out the string ... and then right back in it. We certainly got our money's worth this year.

I know it's crazy hyperbole ... and it doesn't look possible ... but maybe the A's will sweep the Angels because nobody thinks it can happen.

It's so easy to root for this team. As much as this hurts us, just think of how much it hurts them. Sad.

I'm flying across the country to catch the last two games in Oakland. Even if they don't mean anything, I'll be cheering my heart out for these guys.

by Eck on Sep 23, 2005 10:34 PM PDT reply actions

"were" in it?

They are in it. Things don't look good, but they don't look half as bad as they looked on May 29. Pick up a game this weekend; sweep the Angels. It could happen. I'm not betting my retirement fund on it, but it could.

With Eric Chavez batting, Jason Kendall scores on defensive indifference.

by matthias on Sep 23, 2005 10:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Maybe It Could Happen ...

... and I hope to goodness it does ... but my point is that it's been such a great ride that I won't feel cheated no matter what happens in the last week and a half.

by Eck on Sep 23, 2005 10:50 PM PDT up reply actions

You rock. Cheers!

This, people, is what it's all about. It's not over yet... And even if it does end in the next couple of days, well, just know that the A's have more or less held their own this season, and is still in the race after all this time. We really have the honor of enjoying one of the best teams in baseball. It's been one heck of a ride - ups and downs, but isn't that just all part of the fun? The A's have already exceeded all expectations, and they're only getting better. Not to mention we got to see the growth of this website over an entire season as well, and maybe capture a glimpse of the future of fandom.

Have fun in Oakland :)

"I was the ugliest girl I've ever seen." - Noah Lowry

by Melody on Sep 23, 2005 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Thanks Dude.

You're right Melody, being involved in AN has made this season unlike any other. Having grown up on the East Coast means I've never had any friends who were A's fans -- except my dad and my grandfather. It's been fun to be able to share this crazy season with so many other A's die-hards.

It was particularly amazing the night of Harden's near no-hitter. It really felt like we were all watching the game together and rooting like crazy for something we couldn't talk about.

by Eck on Sep 23, 2005 10:57 PM PDT up reply actions

You know what, Nico?

I'm at peace too. It would take a miracle for the A's to get in. And even if that happened...it wouldn't change my opinion on this team: it's just not good enough. Too many issues on that offense. Too many injuries on the year. It would have been special...hell, it's still special, what this team has done this season. Others may not see it as such. But as you point out, there are better times ahead. Imagine. Something more exciting than this season has been. Now that's something to look forward.

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

by Sharon on Sep 23, 2005 10:35 PM PDT reply actions

I heart you,Sharon.

I really do.

by ArakSOT on Sep 23, 2005 10:40 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm blushing.

Well, not really. I'm not the blushing type...but you don't know that. So, ha!

I heart you too.

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

by Sharon on Sep 23, 2005 10:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed, Sharooney--

The A's could pull one more "thought we were dead, eh?" and sweep the Angels, crash the playoff party--but it wouldn't change my opinion that they are too streaky to be a "playoff team". They are a good-but-not-great team with a greaterrific future. And that's ok.

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions

So few words and yet...

You said it all so well.

Thank you Sharon!

This team is special.

2nd favorite team: WHOEVER IS PLAYING THE GIANTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by ConcordFanSince1968 on Sep 24, 2005 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions

Nico is right. The right team is going to the

playoffs. The A's aren't healthy enough to do much as a playoff team. They have proven that they are going to be an awfully good team down the road, but it's not in the cards this year... besides getting this close will make them hungrier next year.

Crosby should be shut down and not play the rest of the year. He simply can't move and get into position.

I'd really like to see a .320, 30, 100 hitter in green and gold... at this point I don't care whether it's a righty or lefty.

by 3up3dn on Sep 23, 2005 10:35 PM PDT reply actions

I've always wondered

I brought this up to a huge sports fan and I've wanted to know: Why do we refer to our sports teams as 'we' we don't play for the team we don't rush out ground balls we don't catch the ball, yeah we can buy season tikcets but I've always had a problem saying we and also when our teams lose we say they lost but when they win we say we won, I'm bored just trying to take my mind off the game.

You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club wont be worth a dime.-Babe Ruth

by doublehustle22 on Sep 23, 2005 10:36 PM PDT reply actions

OMG!!!!

I swear, my sister and I were talking about the exact thing! We always refer to our favorite sports teams as "WE".
Except for we usually say "WE lost" after we lose.

Can someone explain why we do that? I think it's fascinating!

"I'm OK being the veteran, but I'm still just a kid" ~ Barry Zito

by AsGirl on Sep 23, 2005 10:39 PM PDT up reply actions

true

but 'we' live and die with this team

by pickinmachine on Sep 23, 2005 10:39 PM PDT up reply actions

The explaination is simple

We use "we" simply because of the fact that if we used "them" it would be assumed we were talking about the other team. You know, them. Maybe you say "we" only when the A's win, but I think most people tend to use "we" in all contexts.

For example:

A's Fan: HEY WE WON TODAY!

Obviously, most people would understand that the person was referring to 'their' team, the A's.

As opposed to:

A's Fan: HEY, THEY WON TODAY!

It would be easy to just reply, "Who's they?" since you may not be able to guess right away who "they" refers to. I guess you could just say "Hey, the A's won today!" but then that's just too easy.

This one time I was requesting an autograph from Huston and I said, "Hey, sorry we lost today..." And then I thought, "Crap, I can't believe I misspoke, I didn't lose, I didn't play!" So I quickly amended, "I mean... Sorry you guys lost today." But then it felt like I was accusing him and the A's of losing. Since we all live and die by the team and how they perform, and hopefully contribute to the wins by cheering them on, it's only appropriate to just go and say "we" when referring to the team.

"I was the ugliest girl I've ever seen." - Noah Lowry

by Melody on Sep 23, 2005 10:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Thanks for bringing this up...

in my opinion, it is only acceptable to say 'we' for your alma mater or if you work for the team in some capacity.

by southofcruiseamerica on Sep 23, 2005 10:58 PM PDT up reply actions

I do too...

Admittedly, however, many times while posting here I'll type "we," catch myself and type "the A's" or "they."

But, as I like to point out anything regarding me, that's just me. :)

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by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Sep 24, 2005 6:33 AM PDT up reply actions

Zito next year?

Well... I know BB would love to hang on to him. But GnGG's Urban diary made me think about how likely it is.

The problem is that, even if the A's sneak into the playoffs this year, we still have power issues. Chavy will probably do a little better than this crummy year, but that probably won't be enough.

So if we need a big bat, who do we have to trade? ... you fill in the blank.

by Apricot on Sep 23, 2005 10:36 PM PDT reply actions

One more time

The Angels have had several U-turns this year, going on winning streaks when they looked ready to crumble and having losing streaks when it seemed they would put the A's away. We need one more of these turns, it needs to be a big one, and it needs to start tomorrow.

"Young, cheap and talented is the best way to go through life, son." --Dean Beane

by dylantravis on Sep 23, 2005 10:38 PM PDT reply actions

Whatever happens, happens

this season has been a success; the A's are one of a handful of teams that have outperformed expectations this year.

Still... damn Angels.

Barry Zito is my secret mancrush. There. I said it.

by interior decor on Sep 23, 2005 10:39 PM PDT reply actions

Dammit. Now i have to fucken

watch another shitty ass team win the fucken world series and wait another fucken year until the A's play again. FUCK!!!!!

by PitchingWins on Sep 23, 2005 10:39 PM PDT reply actions

Go to bed

You're no good here.

by baseballnut020 on Sep 23, 2005 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions

excellent response

Much better than the one I was planning. I should have read my "How to Deal With a Sloppy Drunk Manual".

by Apricot on Sep 23, 2005 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Hmm...

I didn't even know a manual COULD be drunk. Well, come to think of it, there is that neighbor named Manuel...

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 10:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Que?

Oh, nice job on the ASCII graphics in the title, too.

by Apricot on Sep 23, 2005 10:59 PM PDT up reply actions

Early on...

...this year Blez asked that this kind crude people unable to express themselves decently that post here. There are ladies, and I'm sure young fans, yet you find it necessary to express your unhappiness in the most foulest way possible. This shows a serious lack of respect for others - and perhaps yourself.

by doubleplayer on Sep 24, 2005 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions

After tonight's loss...

I need another installment of the Diego Chavez chronicles to make me smile...

I am no longer easily distracted by those AVP advertisements

by franks a lot on Sep 23, 2005 10:41 PM PDT reply actions

I'm gonna stick around all be it

from a more detached perspective. I will admit that missing most of the game from the start, and blocking it out of my mind was kind of liberating. Until I tuned in for the RLOB's and Kots K-out...then it all came back to me.

Lets take care of business and make the playoffs.

by ak_A on Sep 23, 2005 10:44 PM PDT reply actions

In case people think

I'm waving the white flag entirely, let me say in no uncertain terms: the A's are alive until the Angels beat them. And the Angles haven't beaten one time yet. But it's tough to sweep a team when it's a 4-game series and they know they only have to win once.

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 10:49 PM PDT reply actions

Hey,

dyslexic AND incoherent. Cool! (And drunk, of course, just like this morning.)

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 10:50 PM PDT reply actions

My predictions...

The A's win next two, Angels lose next two...
A's win 3 out of 4 from the Angels series...
After that my crystal ball gets hazy, but I see something about the Alamo and its basement.

I am no longer easily distracted by those AVP advertisements

by franks a lot on Sep 23, 2005 10:51 PM PDT reply actions

Can somebody please

post the A's record in September/October of last season and so far this season? Thanks.

by southofcruiseamerica on Sep 23, 2005 11:01 PM PDT reply actions

9-12 so far

this September.

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 11:05 PM PDT reply actions

By the way, the A's still control their own

destiny, albeit by a thread. As it currently stands, if they win out the worse thing that can happen is a one game playoff for the division title. As long as you can say that there is still hope without having to rely on TB and TEX.

by southofcruiseamerica on Sep 23, 2005 11:07 PM PDT reply actions

actually...

the Angels control their own destiny (in terms of going to the playoffs).

Only the leader "controls his own destiny".

by Brian in 317 on Sep 24, 2005 8:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Not if you go head to head

with the one chasisng you for four games. Do the math. As of today, the A's can win out and be in without relying on help from anybody else.

by southofcruiseamerica on Sep 24, 2005 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions

right on

that would truly be phenomenal

by Brian in 317 on Sep 24, 2005 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Nico

brilliant analysis, my friend.

I've felt that way for a while now that this season would be a resounding success if they could compete for the title. If you'd told me Harden would wind up missing close to 10 weeks total and they'd still be in it until the final week, I'd claim you were hanging our with Rex Hudler and Jeremy Giambi too much.

At the same time it still hurts a lot that the team is this close and is losing key game after key game. It also sucks that the Rangers stuck us with Rogers at the Coliseum instead of having him face the Angels like he was supposed to. F'n Showalter.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Sep 23, 2005 11:07 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks, TB--

I hope to be made a fool of, but tonight is the first night all season (all of May included) that I have felt the race is all-but-over.

My "f***ing Showalter" moment was watching the Angels rally in the 7th on Wednesday with the Rangers 7 outs away from victory, knowing that Brocail and Cordero were fresh and could get those 7 outs. And he let the Angels get 5 hits in a row without going to his competent relievers.

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 11:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Damn those Rangels!

``I think the Angels are loving us right now,'' Teixeira said. ``We let them take three games from us in Anaheim, then we took care of Oakland.''

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=250923111

Go Athletiners...um...Athleriners?

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

by Sharon on Sep 23, 2005 11:10 PM PDT reply actions

What a prick

we 'let' them?!

by southofcruiseamerica on Sep 23, 2005 11:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Is He Saying They Threw the Games ...

... to the Angels?

Shouldn't the league investigate that?

What an assh0le.

by Eck on Sep 23, 2005 11:19 PM PDT up reply actions

I think that comment is slightly tongue-in-cheek

Because he knows that the Rangers are not as good as the A's. But yeah, I can't stand this whole "We're siding with the Angels" vibe, intentional or not.

"I was the ugliest girl I've ever seen." - Noah Lowry

by Melody on Sep 23, 2005 11:24 PM PDT up reply actions

I Know They Didn't REALLY

... throw the games, but isn't this a topic he shouldn't be joking about? Sort of like a teacher joking about dating the students?

by Eck on Sep 23, 2005 11:27 PM PDT up reply actions

I know, too

It's not like the A's haven't dug their own grave.

But that was a strange comment, even in jest, especially after the Rangers' refusal to use Kenny Rogers against the Angels (so he can pitch in Oakland), and their insistence on tossing out a bunch of lousy relievers with games on the line down South. Cordero was well-rested to face the A's.

And this comes after their players attack our fans last year.

Is there something more to this little jokey comment? Probably not, but you just can't say things like that.

by bear88 on Sep 23, 2005 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Hopefully that quote gets out on the airwaves...

Someone call up Robert Baun...

by baseballnut020 on Sep 23, 2005 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions

wow, tex used to be the pesky little brother

you couldn't help but like even though you loved kicking dirt in his face. Now I want them to burn in hell. I swear that makes me so made if any ranger was in front of me I'd stab him. grrrrrrrr.

"Don't you play the flute, Huddy?"

by capper3 on Sep 23, 2005 11:28 PM PDT up reply actions

I can't respect Zito if...

he doesn't throw at Texiera's shoulders tomorrow. I'm sorry but there comes a time when the gloves are off.

"Don't you play the flute, Huddy?"

by capper3 on Sep 23, 2005 11:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Seriously. And Soriano Too

by Eck on Sep 23, 2005 11:36 PM PDT up reply actions

And bring in Cruz too

so he can throw wild pitches directly at Showalter. Oh wait, Cruz would probably rather throw 98 MPH baseballs at Macha.

"I was the ugliest girl I've ever seen." - Noah Lowry

by Melody on Sep 23, 2005 11:41 PM PDT up reply actions

I know it's a horrible thing to say..

but damn, I'd like to see that.

Those are absolutely PUNK comments from Teixeira, any guy who gives the implication of throwing a series should be SMACKED DOWN by the public, Rangers fans, A's fans, MLB, and their parents.

"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings." -Earl Wilson

by Kyli on Sep 24, 2005 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions

We let them

I'm calling for Harden to get payback on that one next year when the A's face the Rangers next year what a prick, yeah sure the A's might as well roll over for the Angels I guess huh?

You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club wont be worth a dime.-Babe Ruth

by doublehustle22 on Sep 23, 2005 11:14 PM PDT reply actions

Really if we cant beat Minnesota and Texas at home

in back to back games with a day off in between......do we really deserve to make the playoffs. Playoff teams dont lose both games like these.

by maverick2112 on Sep 23, 2005 11:15 PM PDT reply actions

yeah, we do

the Angels have lost their last 7 games to the Mariners, do they really deserve to make the playoffs

Rock over London, Rock on Oakland. Wheaties: It's the Breakfast of Champions.

by Cutthemullet on Sep 23, 2005 11:48 PM PDT up reply actions

The Angels have won

7 straight, the Yankees have won 11 of 12 and 22 of 28, and the Indians have won something like 34 of their last 33. Enough said.

Nico

by Nico on Sep 23, 2005 11:18 PM PDT reply actions

Yankees: feel-good story of the year

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

by Sharon on Sep 23, 2005 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Better the Yankees than the Red Sox

If the Yankees win, then it's like going back to default. The Red Sox fans need to feel PAIN. PAIN, I TELL YOU.

"I was the ugliest girl I've ever seen." - Noah Lowry

by Melody on Sep 23, 2005 11:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah...

I miss seeing Red Sox fans miserable year after year after year.

by baseballnut020 on Sep 23, 2005 11:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Not as much is I miss...

...Yankee fans miserable year after year after year.

I guess it's just preference. I personally prefer to see the $200 million Yankees miss the playoffs. But the Red Sox missing the playoffs wouldn't be bad, either.

Go A's and White Sox and Indians!

AN Member Location Surveys: Results | Take part

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Sep 24, 2005 6:39 AM PDT up reply actions

the season

ain't over but the probability of us winning the division decreases. this is the time where the prepared and determined get going, put up or shut up. no time to blame certain individuals, no time to blame injuries, no time to blame anyone (except the lineup). out of the 3 major sports of america, baseball lies in the middle, between football: a foundation based upon confidence in the coaching, chemistry, and trust, where TEAM is more important and basketball, where a mack truck in the middle of the paint can free up shooters(too bad the heat don't have much shooters) or one man can score 13 points in 20 seconds. baseball is unique in that it has the dynamic individual of basketball but the must exist that trust and team atmosphere of football. but i digress, this is that big shot, the big game time, the mike bibby moment. the moment is now, if we can seize it, notch that to determination and the "shine" we all know the team can be. if not, although i'd still be mad until the WS is over, i wanna know that we left everything on the field, running with no gas in the tank because i despise quitters with a passion

Listen to Kanye~!

by ucla kid on Sep 23, 2005 11:39 PM PDT reply actions

Waaaahhhh

While many of us are feeling kind of low...it might be a good time for me to pile it on, so I can get it out of the way and move on.

I'm going to the game tomorrow---it might very well be the last time I get to see Zito pitch live in an A's uniform. Aaaaa, please no! (Crossing fingers all winter.)

Nature's first green is gold...

by prana160 on Sep 23, 2005 11:47 PM PDT reply actions

omg

just thinking about the possibility of tomorrow being the last day Z pitches in the green and gold in oakland made me really sad!!

"you know it's way cooler to be an A's fan" - billy beane to larry krueger

by gotgreen on Sep 23, 2005 11:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Thursday day game

might actually be his last home season start... I don't think I can go to that game, so I'm going to soak it all in tomorrow just in case.

It's not that I want to be totally negative about it. It's just that we didn't get that chance last year with Mulder and Huddy to say goodbye.

Regardless of whether Beane wants to sign him or trade him, I really get the impression Zito will want to move on to the spotlight of NY. I'm sure that will be a winter discussion.

Nature's first green is gold...

by prana160 on Sep 24, 2005 12:08 AM PDT up reply actions

Zito

I think Zito re-signing will be the major focus on Billy and the A's. He IS the ace of the staff.

Sniff, Sniff. "Who Fongpay?"

by Fongpay on Sep 23, 2005 11:53 PM PDT up reply actions

Nico, you mentioned

that last series in Anaheim - the A's won the first game to go up two in the division, Kielty was hamming it up for the cameras in the dugout after his homer, Fosse was fawning, etc. They lost the next two games and looking back it seems as if that was their 'Mission Accomplished' moment when there was still a lot of work to be done.

by southofcruiseamerica on Sep 23, 2005 11:50 PM PDT reply actions

That 5th inning was a killer!

As I sat in my seat tonight and saw the A's squander a 1st and 3rd, with no outs, and end up doing nothing, I knew we were doomed. Then, Michael Young sticks the dagger in our hearts by hitting that homer the next half inning! It was absolutely heart-breaking. If our boys cannot take advantage of every little momentum, especially against "Coliseum" Rogers, than they don't deserve to move on.

The opportunity was there for the taking, but the A's decided the shrivel up into a little ball and go hide in the corner until the end of the game...

This one hurts, and to top it off, the stinkin' Halos score 2 in the 7th and 2 in the 8th and take a 4 game lead. If we cannot go into the Angels series only down by 2 games, it's basically over. 3 games or more, would take a miracle collapse by the Halos, and basically a 9-game win streak to end the season (though that may not be enough either!)

But, I still have faith and I hope our boys fight all the way to Sunday ... Go A's!!!

Sniff, Sniff. "Who Fongpay?"

by Fongpay on Sep 23, 2005 11:51 PM PDT reply actions

reprinted from above, with additional protest

because I refuse to concede to an overmanaged mediocre big market team that can't quite decide what part of that market it wants to identify itself with:

before we lavishly heap praise on the Angels... (none / 0)
check out how they won. It was ugly. Byrd, yeah, he really stepped up, continued to be owned by the Devil Rays, 10 hits in 4 and a third, horrible performance. Angels' comeback is aided by three errors...remember when the Red Sox swept the D-Rays a couple weeks back? Well, in each of those games, the Devil Rays were probably a play away from winning. It's that they're finding ways to lose, not that the Angels or Red Sox found ways to win. In 2006 though, that team could, dare I say, contend, assuming Chuck LaMar doesn't trade away the nucleus for Vinny Castilla.

Maybe I'm guilty of failing to see the Angels' ability to minimize mistakes while also forcing other teams into making more mistakes than they normally make, or something like that. Could be the same stubborn refusal to see the Patriots as anything more than the team the Bills destroyed 31-0 in week 1 of 2003. But there's really no way you can say, when 4 games separate two baseball teams after 153, that the "right" team is getting in...what does that mean? You could easily argue that these are two equal teams, proven over the long haul, and the team that simply got hot at the end gets in...that doesn;t constitute being the "right" team. That constitutes being lucky enough to catch the same sort of lightning in the bottle that most of the recent World Series champions catch.

Rock over London, Rock on Oakland. Wheaties: It's the Breakfast of Champions.

by Cutthemullet on Sep 23, 2005 11:58 PM PDT reply actions

Well Said, Nico

Last year, I was really crushed at what happened to the A's at the end of the season.

While I'd love to see this team make the post season, I feel much more positive now than I did then. This year was about rebuilding, and despite a brutal number of injuries, we've rebuilt. I hope that somehow the A's pull out a miracle finish and beat out the Halos (we owe them one!). But if they don't, I'll feel satisfied with a pretty incredible run.

Is it too early to say I can't wait for spring training?

by GreenNGoldSooner on Sep 24, 2005 12:08 AM PDT reply actions

My feelings

It's almost 3 am here, but I can't sleep. I had a rough week and I was really looking forward to the A's pulling the division title out of their hats. It's not over yet, but every passing day makes the playoffs look more and more unlikely.

There's one thing that I am not looking forward to, yet the realist in me says that it is inevitable. Chances are, dollars to donuts, that the Angels clinch the division in Oakland, on our home turf, again. We can't let that happen. To see Darin Erstad and K-Rod celebrating on our mound would make me violently ill.

And now, I am already freaking out about next year. What if Crosby declines? What if DJ has to adjust? What if Swisher never fulfills his promise? What if Harden can't stay healthy? What if Zito turns into a pumpkin again? What if...

What if Durazo and Dotel had never been hurt? What if DJ was never given the call? What if Huston had fallen flat on his face?

On May 30, I was very sick and I had fallen asleep with a fever while watching the A's game. I woke up just in time to see the A's mount the rally that marked the beginning of a new season. Dear God, I thought, the lone bright spot of a pathetic season. I would have given anything for the A's to play meaningful games in September - to feel the thrill of a pennant race. Well, I'm getting my wish - and I'm remembering now to be careful what I wish for. It happens every year, to every team except one - the season ends, and it's a disappointment. I suppose that I am fortunate enough that the disappointment comes in September and October, and not with players being shut down in July and games practically forfeited in August

One last thing: the saddest part about this year has been, for me, the swift decline of Scott Hatteberg. His bat is a bit slower, and he swings and misses a little more often. He can't quite catch up to some of the better pitchers in the league, and his power - average at its best - is quickly declining. Oh, his legendary eye is still intact, and you can see umpires second-guessing themselves when Hatteberg disagrees with a call. But he's not the same Hatteberg we saw just a few years ago.

Hatteberg has been one of my favorite A's in the Beane Era: not a lot of natural talent, picked up off the scrap heap, a project, a desperate attempt to replace an MVP. A big hit here and there, a key walk, and a good OBP at the end of the season...but it looks like the Great Hatteberg Experiment is finally over. And it makes me sad, like watching a loved one's health deteriorate to the point that they can no longer do the things that define who they are. I'll miss you Hatteberg, and I'll always remember you rounding first base, throwing your fist into the air, and reminding me that sometimes I can't tell the difference between baseball and magic.

Fearing Mecir since 2000.

by salb918 on Sep 24, 2005 12:15 AM PDT reply actions

Very touching, Sal.

Scott Hatteberg will always have a place in my heart.

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

by Sharon on Sep 24, 2005 12:42 AM PDT up reply actions

so well said...

Hatteberg, such a vital cog in the Moneyball wheel these last 5 years, a great guy to boot. Sad to see him go into the inevitable decline.

This team has spoiled us all. We weren't supposed to be playing meaningful August games, let alone September ones, until at least next year if not 2007. Yet here we are, again. Although it seems like a letdown we must remember that this team has truly exceeded all realistic expectations this year. The youngsters' rapid ascent bodes so well for the future, especially the pitchers like Blanton and Street, the latter as worthy of the title "future Hall of Famer" as any 22 year old could claim to be. DJ will adjust, as will Swish with a full 162-game year under their belts. They will develop into feared hitters in the AL, and they have already made tremendous strides towards that status. Another feared bat in the lineup will bring them that much closer that much faster. I trust Mr. Wolff, who has in a mere few months already gotten us closer to a real hope of a new ballpark than all the previous regimes combined, is watching and listening and will act accordingly.

This is not a requiem, although it looks bleak, a really hard mountain to climb with the Halos playing so well right now. The flickering hope is that every time these boys have been written off to the morgue they have risen off the slab to fight their way back into it... it's a condition they seem to thrive upon, another fact which bodes fantastically well for the future, this week and beyond into the rest of this decade. We are all SO lucky to have this team, this little engine that somehow could, against the hard & ugly economic realities of the modern game, compete so valiantly and give us so many thrills.

Mr. Buehrle may yet get his wish, but it matters not, for his team has "three-and-out" written all over it if they do hang on and make it to October at all. We, however, have a legitimate claim to many amazing "next years" to come, perhaps more so than any other MLB team, even if it doesn't go our way these last 9 games.

A million thanks to the Athletics and to AN for one of the most memorable seasons ever, and here's hoping we have a few more miracles and a couple more exercises in improbability left in the tank.

"I sure hope this team doesn't make the playoffs..." ---Mark Buehrle, after being smoked on 2 consecutive weekends by the A's

by emperor nobody on Sep 24, 2005 12:47 AM PDT up reply actions

thanks

emperor and sal (not bad for a poopyhead).

Well, it's that moment of the season when we get philosophical. We're about to make our last stand and we want to tell our loved ones that we care about them.

(And you know what, yeah I said WE. Professional sports can only exist when the audience starts saying We and not They. And I don't think any player would resent it; on the contrary it would be weirdly clinical to say They. )

Anyway, so I'm here to tell you all that I love you. Well, not all of you, but a lot of you. This is my first full season with AN, and it has helped me recapture that feeling of magic that sports can give.

When I was young in the 70s, baseball was so amazing to me. I played Little League, I followed games religiously, I would look on Sundays to see the ERA of my hero, Steve Rogers of the Expos (who?). Then Rick Monday happened. My hero retired. Time passed and life became more complicated. The strike happened and I was fed up with the whole baseball thing. Sports can thrill you if you embrace the illusion of it. Otherwise, there's no point.

So, I'd like to thank AN for helping this cynic stay in touch with the magic and passion of this game. Without AN, could I have been so revved up about The Tag and The Sulk-Off? No. Reading a blurb in the morning paper is not the same as having a hundred people writing OMFG in their own personal way at 2am.

This whole season has been an unforgettable miracle. September obscures it, but it's there if you are willing to see it. And AN has helped me to watch it day by day with hundreds of fresh, smart, passionate friends.

Okay, season's not done yet. Any more gas in the Infinite Improbability Drive? Let's fire it up...

by Apricot on Sep 24, 2005 9:38 AM PDT up reply actions

<hugs>

by Jennifer on Sep 24, 2005 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions

Great post

and achingly true. I've, very obviously, been a big fan of Hatteberg and what he's meant to this team. Last season... last season, until the end, was a hell of a season for him. I really thought that he'd continue it, not that it'd be some sort of swan song for a good player and an extraordinary man.

There's something nice about seeing Hatteberg's 1B successor be... well, him. But there's something absolutely wrong about it. Seeing Hatty fade is something beyond depressing.

I didn't even think about the Angels clinching here -- the guys have to fight that. Ugh. I don't think anyone deserves to see that here, I don't think I sure as hell could stand to see that happen on Oakland soil.

I'll miss you Hatteberg, and I'll always remember you rounding first base, throwing your fist into the air, and reminding me that sometimes I can't tell the difference between baseball and magic.

That... is one of the greatest quotes I've seen here. It's definitely the end of the season, I literally teared up reading it.

"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings." -Earl Wilson

by Kyli on Sep 24, 2005 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions

That quote had me crying like a baby.

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

by Sharon on Sep 24, 2005 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions

If the season ended today ...

I would still be proud of the A's. A Cinderella team ...

but tonight, instead of a glass slipper, it was their bats that were made of glass.

Yes, it doesn't look very promising, but next year does.

But wait ... there are nine more games. And it's baseball. So who knows? Angels could self-destruct? We can win the next two, perhaps. Then go head to head with the Halos.

It will be entertaining ... and, maybe, just maybe, the most thrilling pennant race in many many a moon.

"It's easier to stay in last place than it is to stay in first." ... Bill James

by Edwinwinwin on Sep 24, 2005 12:27 AM PDT reply actions

I was there tonight

and felt the same frustration over lost opportunities. But this team has given me so much pleasure with the way they've played through big trades, crippling injuries, tons of rookies...through all of that coming to the last week of the season with a chance at the playoffs.

However it ends I feel very blessed!

by OaklandSi on Sep 24, 2005 12:37 AM PDT reply actions

Magic Number

If the Angels win 5 games the rest of the way, they'll be at 93 wins and it won't matter what we do. We have 4 games against them, so even if we sweep them, we could still lose the title.

PS - if we tie and we play a one-game playoff, I predict Harden will throw 5 shut out innings followed by a bullpen blowup because Macha starts Cruz in the 6th and relieves with Yabu after 3 runs score to end the season.

Signatures? We don't need no stinking signatures.

by jubjub on Sep 24, 2005 7:09 AM PDT reply actions

9-0

Sorry, I guess if we go 9-0, we'd tie them.

Signatures? We don't need no stinking signatures.

by jubjub on Sep 24, 2005 7:10 AM PDT up reply actions

Everything is going according to design

Baseball breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone.

~A. Bartlett Giamatti, "The Green Fields of the Mind," Yale Alumni Magazine, November 1977

2nd favorite team: WHOEVER IS PLAYING THE GIANTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by ConcordFanSince1968 on Sep 24, 2005 8:07 AM PDT reply actions

good one

so many fans on this site have only been A's fans in "the good years". Seriously, how many of you have endured a losing season? Baseball does break your heart, but the true fan "wears it", and comes back twice as much in love with the team as he/she was the year before. If you don't like it, you can jump to the Yankees (that's how they've collected so many chump fans over the years).

I'm going to enjoy the rest of the season in agony.

by Brian in 317 on Sep 24, 2005 8:50 AM PDT up reply actions

An A's fan since Rickey was there

the 1st time. I was living in Ohio in the late '80s, early '90s....Brutal year in 88, rolled in 89. A's win the AL in 1990, Reds win NL. I was very confident and perhaps a little too mouthy about the Reds being swept. We all know how that went. I caught shit from Reds fans for the next 4 years...anytime I wore an A's hat, some random stranger would pipe up "How 'bout them Reds" (w/ a sweeping motion). Verrry tough, remembering it now makes this last 2 weeks hurt a little bit less.

by tresselfan on Sep 24, 2005 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions

See you Wednesday?

I'll be in 317 row 7

A's cap, A's warm up jacket, scorecard, and all.

2nd favorite team: WHOEVER IS PLAYING THE GIANTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by ConcordFanSince1968 on Sep 24, 2005 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions

yeah man

I'm row 10 seat 8. Should be a mini AN day in 317 on Wed, with Alien, OaklandSi, and AlleninSF also likely suspects.

by Brian in 317 on Sep 24, 2005 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions

Nice quote. Macha has got to go.

He deserves credit for nurturing a team of rookies during their first season but once having gotten the team back in first he proved once again that he is not a play-off crunch time manager any more than Art Howe was. Any manager who sits passively in the dugout watching his team hit into 5 DPs in one game and a record number during the seasn, 12 shutouts,etc. and takes little aggressive action in managing to change the chemistry of the game is just not going to be competitive when it really counts. He and Art Howe did fine during the year when you can manage by statistics. Speaking of statisitics, it is interesting to note that as of September 19, the A's had a better team ERA than the Angels (3.62 vs. 3.70) and had produced more runs (717 vs. 691). Actually, the teams are very close statistically with each team having strong starting pitching, bullpens and defense but with weak, sporadic hitting. The difference my AN blogger friends "in denial" has something to do with the hard to quantify intangible yet important impact of "hands on" tactical game management vs. a more passive style. It is interesting to note all the bright people on this board with so many statistical methods of evaluating pitchers and position players and yet we see very little real hard analysis of the performance of managers like Macha, Sciosia, etc. other than the usual emotional comment like "I can't stand Sciosia" (I don't like him either but I respect his aggressive risk taking base running management style instead passively watching your team produce DP (double your fun outs) with no gain on the base paths. It would be very interesting to know what system Beane uses to evaluate his managers....being such a numbers driven guy, don't you think?

by Vegas Ace on Sep 24, 2005 8:54 AM PDT up reply actions

very unclear the role of a manager

In my gut I believe there are good managers and bad managers. It's probably a lot easier to identify a bad manager who subtracts value (a leader of team that has succeeded in the recent past which is terribly underperforming) than a particularly good one who adds value. Did the player do it or did the manager enable it?

Some people argue that lineup order essentially does not matter except that the two highest OBP should be in the top two slots.

It is very hard to quantify chemistry; it must exist... it just is hard to measure and hard to see its effects on actual performance on the field.

I used to think (without evidence) that a manager was really important. But seeing managers do great one year and badly the next, and seeing the seamless transition between Howe and Macha... I'm now more thinking the manager is just about morale and for anything else, you'll have to give me evidence beyond the anecdote.

by Apricot on Sep 24, 2005 9:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Great quote.

Too true. :-/

"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings." -Earl Wilson

by Kyli on Sep 24, 2005 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions

I may have to print this page...

and highlight so many of the positive comments here..and I love this:
"and reminding me that sometimes I can't tell the difference between baseball and magic..."
(can I use it for my sig?)
We've still got games...and I am looking forward to being there...Let's go A's!!

"That's pretty sweet, huh?" Kendall said. "Rookie of the Year candidate starts, Rookie of the Year candidate finishes. That's way sweet."

by LongTimeFan on Sep 24, 2005 9:06 AM PDT reply actions

Use for sig

be my guest.

Fearing Mecir since 2000.

by salb918 on Sep 24, 2005 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions

Done and thanks...

btw- It's a beautiful day for a ballgame!

"sometimes I can't tell the difference between baseball and magic..." SALB918 - for all of us!

by LongTimeFan on Sep 24, 2005 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions

I feel like a spolied brat saying this . . .

. . . but I don't think I'll be able to stand it if the Gnats go the playoffs and "we" don't. There, I said it. I'm going to my room.

by camperdog on Sep 24, 2005 9:20 AM PDT reply actions

just imagine if the Angels win the world series

That might just be the worst moment so far.

by hunter on Sep 24, 2005 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions

Sorry to interrupt the misery...

First, in a more immediate vein, let us take a step back and recognize Dan Haren for pitching two GREAT games for us in back-to-back starts. There's no way the kid should have gotten two L's for giving up solo home runs to the best hitters on the opposing teams.

Second, in 81 games from May 30 until basically the time that Rich and Bobby got injured again the A's went 56-25 (.691 winning percentage). During that period we averaged 5.6 runs per game and had a team ERA of 2.98. Projected over 162 games, that's 907 runs scored to 483 runs allowed (a run differential of 424). By Bill James' "Pythagorean" method, that kind of run differential should yeild a 78% winning percentage-- or 126 wins over an entire season. 81 games is not "an aberration".

Win or lose this year, any team in our division or in the league had better be afraid of a healthy A's squad in 2006. I'm predicting a run on A's voodoo dolls during the off-season.

by LoveDemAs on Sep 24, 2005 9:41 AM PDT reply actions

I'd estimate that

about 20% of managing is "in game decisions" (lineups, bullpen decisions, bunting, etc.) and the other 80% "management skills" (communication, leadership, bringing out the best in other coaches, creating ethos, etc.).

I'd estimate that fans, on average, consider the "in-game decisions" to be about 90%, not 20%. An interesting disconnect.

Nico

by Nico on Sep 24, 2005 9:45 AM PDT reply actions

don't forget 5% "chewing gum"

Compare this to, say, basketball. In that game it's pretty clear that coaches make a huge difference. Phil Jackson or Larry Brown going to your team = +20 wins. You just don't see that effect in baseball.

I think part of the issue is that baseball is pretty formalized by now. There is always a right place for every fielder to be on every play, cut-off men, back-ups; there is an orthodox smallball strategy (no one eve got fired for bunting the leadoff runner to 2nd); now with reliever roles, there are orthodox times to bring in relievers.

There just aren't that many decisions left to the manager! And given that lineup doesn't matter as much as people think, there just isn't that much a manager can affect on the field.

Finally, baseball is not a game that rewards sweeping emotion. It's based on split-second bursts of awareness and flow. So a basketball team can benefit from anger, but Wimp Rogers can get away with his little skip-the-Angels act. Thus, even if a manager contributes to great chemistry, it may not help a team's performance.

by Apricot on Sep 24, 2005 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Game Plan

What's frequently overlooked is the Game Plan. How they're going to pitch to each hitter etc. and the converse: how they're going to approach each pitcher etc

"Flying a plane is like riding a bicycle...it's just a lot harder to put baseball cards in the spokes." --Airplane!

by SalParadise on Sep 24, 2005 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions

Can't we just stipulate

that we're all A's fans and HOPE that they can pull it off, but probabilities suggest it's not going to happen? My hoping otherwise, by the way, will not affect the outcome.

I also believe that most of us will sit back after the season and say "wow, that turned out to be more exciting and competitive than I expected." But it doesn't stop us from watching today's game and getting pissed off when they blow another first and third, no out situation. Or wondering why a major league manager thought Kendall is a #3 hitter. I can't possibly watch a game live and think about how well the season has gone holistically compared to what I was thinking about 6 months ago. My brain just doesn't work that way.

by boilerdan on Sep 24, 2005 10:00 AM PDT reply actions

Season over

It was a great one for the 2005 Oakland A's. But getting ready to sit four games back with 9 to play it is all but over. When the A's needed crucial hits down the stretch they couldn't buy them. A clutch performance from a 6th starter didn't come either, and unfortunately neither will a playoff birth, but after 162 games there is always next year.

by CyberFT on Sep 24, 2005 10:26 AM PDT reply actions

Depressing.

A part of me now understands why the Giants kept insisting that they're still in the playoff race. Because a part of me refuses to give up, until I see tha 'E' on MLB.com, I won't believe it.

Baseball is too frustrating -- it makes you want to believe in miracles and signs. I really thought that there was magic in the air, rookies coming forward to create what hadn't been done in forever. That these were going to be the Miracle A's, playing the Braves in the WS to beat them in a strange reversal of what happened to the Philly A's. That they were going to perhaps play the Astros in order to destroy the brains of ESPN. That... something AMAZING was going on.

And really, something amazing IS going on, but damn. I hate looking back and remembering all the stupid losses, the winnable games, when this team has done SO FREAKIN' MUCH.

I just dread the offseason. I hate Billy Beane from the end of the WS until the beginning of ST because I love these damn men.

If this week is the last time Zito's in an Oakland uniform... that's a damn shame. I hated seeing it end like it did with Hudson and Mulder, and I'll hate the same with Zito.

It's not over. It's not. But damn. This is like sitting and waiting to be kicked in the teeth.

"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings." -Earl Wilson

by Kyli on Sep 24, 2005 10:37 AM PDT reply actions

Damn.

You and Sal are really bringing me down.

by Jennifer on Sep 24, 2005 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions

Sorry. :-(

I blame the team. And Billy.

Um... picture Huston striding out to the pitcher's mound going for save #45 next season, smirking in that sweet little Texan way?

"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings." -Earl Wilson

by Kyli on Sep 24, 2005 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions

Crosby is the leagues worst bases loaded hitter

hence Kenny walked payton to pitch to Mr jump out of his shoes with the bases loaded. Crosby is hittting .091 with the bases loaded- he was almost as bad last year.
Hatteberg isn't much better - .133
Chavez - our franchise player - .211
Scutaro hits .300 with the bases loaded.Our back up utility infielder.
By comparison Vlad is .667, Ortiz .400, A-rod .429, Michael Young .400
Billy needs to find an RBI guy.

by Carerra on Sep 24, 2005 11:21 AM PDT reply actions

Reality stings

But Nico put it well. This team simply is not built to win a title.

For all the good BB has done to put this team together, the failure to pick up one big SLG bat has doomed this team to constantly strand our high OBP guys.

My only concern is the impact that losing two of our biggest trading chips (Durazo and Dotel) in their last contractual year will have on the future development of this team.

by Josh @ Athletics Nation on Sep 24, 2005 11:24 AM PDT reply actions

Nico must be more charming than me

I've been saying all year that this team wasn't built to win a title in 2005...

by grover on Sep 24, 2005 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions

your ass is not nearly as round

and as Rhetoric scholars know, that is half the battle.

by Apricot on Sep 24, 2005 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions

You've never seen my ass

My wife swore she threw away the pictures...

by grover on Sep 24, 2005 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions

yeah right

When she said she "sent them away", I don't think that meant what you thought, Mr. 4837 on amihotornot.com.

And even if this team wasn't quite ready to make the playoffs on paper, it must be acknowledged that we were one or two flukes away from making it anyway. And we might still be that close yet...

by Apricot on Sep 24, 2005 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

In cahoots with my wife are you?

She must not have posted the shots of my bum in Nomex....

I guess all I can do do is admit that Nico is the better ass.

by grover on Sep 24, 2005 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions

On a baseball related note...

The A's were most impressive this year, and the fact that they still have a shot this late in the season is more than I hoped for.

by grover on Sep 24, 2005 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions

I believe Croz is now

5/48 career with the bases loaded, a .104 clip. Not his best quality, so far.

Nico

by Nico on Sep 24, 2005 11:25 AM PDT reply actions

And still the manager plays him injured instead of

Scutaro a real clutch hitter who sits on the bench. Ah, but then again, some on the blog say the manager doesn't matter. If so, then fire him, save the salary and run the team by committee of the players!!! Ha, Ha, Ha.

by Vegas Ace on Sep 24, 2005 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions