Link Dump 9-29 plus Diego 11

by Apricot on Sep 28, 2005 10:50 PM PDT Comment 50 comments

So when is Rickey playing? Are they going to start Cruz?

Crosby took one for team / A's shortstop tried to play through pain down stretch
In many ways, Bobby Crosby is the embodiment of the A's season. His return in late May helped spark their midsummer roll, and his August injury signaled the tough times they were going to have the rest of the way.

Athletics 6, Angels 1 (AP)
Dan Haren ended his first season in Oakland on a winning note even if the Athletics will be staying home for the playoffs again. Haren won his last start of the season to guarantee himself a winning record...

The Dream Fades Away (Scout.com) Nothing new, but an upbeat season in review.

So Billy, What DOES Work in the Playoffs?. From last year, but still interesting.

We've almost made it to the end of the ride in Diegoland! Thanks for all the positive feedback.

(The story so far:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10)

Next episode: The Grand Tragic Finale. I made a DVD extra that is Diego related but not that baseball related. If you want, I'll include it with the finale tomorrow.

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Comments

uhh..

i kinda forgot what's going on.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Sep 28, 2005 11:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

hahaha

I was thinking the same thing

by pickinmachine on Sep 29, 2005 1:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Smartass

Danny made a funny.

"Before the game I was yelling, 'Biggest game of the year!' at everyone," he[Haren] said with a huge smile. "That didn't go over too well."

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

by Sharon on Sep 29, 2005 4:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I <3 Scruffy!

Jennifer! Turn on the electrodes! NOW! -- AsGirl

by monkeyball on Sep 29, 2005 9:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL. I love Danny.

That's awesome.

"Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic." -Robert S. Wieder

by Kyli on Sep 29, 2005 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kotsay+burning rage=me<turning to mush >

You can see fire in his eyes!

Notice how the ump is avoiding eye contact. Clearly, he's frightened.

To Kyli and her quivering ovaries: LMAO! I wish I hadn't missed the game thread.

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

by Sharon on Sep 29, 2005 5:09 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The game thread was great.

We missed you!

I am still laughing about the "quivering ovaries".

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2005 6:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What's Fischer got in his hand?

Looks like either beef jerkey or a Chinese Finger Trap, both of which can be very useful when dealing with an idiot pretending to be an umpire.

Why does everybody stand up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when they're already there? ~Larry Anderson

by lansfords1 on Sep 29, 2005 7:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

looks like ...

... a rawhide lanyard at the end of a shillelagh -- he's about to cold-cock the ump.

Jennifer! Turn on the electrodes! NOW! -- AsGirl

by monkeyball on Sep 29, 2005 9:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

conkers!

Crazy British Empire schoolkid game. http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/conkers.html

by Apricot on Sep 29, 2005 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Holy smokes Apricot!

Where'd you learn about Conkers? My parents are English and my aunt used to live in Northampton. I went to see the Championships once when I was kid. Flippin' strange game.

Why does everybody stand up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when they're already there? ~Larry Anderson

by lansfords1 on Sep 29, 2005 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

heh heh

I love weird championships like that. I confess I find it bizarre... like having Olympic Cats Cradle.

by Apricot on Sep 29, 2005 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't turn my eyes

away from championship Scrabble and Olympic curling. And don't even get me started on the spelling bee.

Fearing Mecir since 2000.

by salb918 on Sep 29, 2005 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ever seen Rolle Bolle?

Kind of like bowling and playing horsehoes all at once.

Why does everybody stand up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when they're already there? ~Larry Anderson

by lansfords1 on Sep 29, 2005 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

new sig line!

The best conkers to play with are uncracked, firm and symmetrical. Make a hole through the middle of of your chosen conker.

by monkeyball on Sep 29, 2005 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

More quotes:

Hints on how to make your conkers harder.
You could try one of the following:

Soak your conker in vinegar.
Bake your conker in the oven.
Use an old conker from previous years.

"HRs by second basemen are sexy. They're rare and exotic." -Kyli

by McFood on Sep 29, 2005 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

#3

Does that explain Hatteberg's contract and playing time?

The best conkers to play with are uncracked, firm and symmetrical. Make a hole through the middle of of your chosen conker.

by monkeyball on Sep 29, 2005 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Conkers -- a literary reference

There's a series of fabulous books (Molesworth Back In The Jug Agane, Down with Skool, How to be Topp, Molesworth's Guide to the Atommic Age) about British public school boys by Geoffrey Willans. Think South Park goes to a less exclusive version of Eton in 1958. The books are supposedly written by one of the boys, Nigel Molesworth, who can't spell for toffee. Anyway, somewhere in one of them, they get into the subject of conkers. The school upper-class twit, Basil fotherington-tomas, who is beautifully described as "uterly wet and a weed", is excoriated by his more sophisticated classmates for singing a little song before he launches each conker, which as I recall goes something like:

Obbley obbley onker, my first conker
Hey ho nonny no etc.

by Englishmajor on Oct 3, 2005 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

my college roomie sophomore year ...

... played vibraphone in a band called "Quivering Ovaries." They sounded like a cross between late Mission of Burma, early Savage Republic, and mid-period Tortoise. The band broke up after 6 weeks over a debate whether they were "The Quivering Ovaries," or just "Quivering Ovaries."

Jennifer! Turn on the electrodes! NOW! -- AsGirl

by monkeyball on Sep 29, 2005 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

BBBZZZZZZTTTT!!!!

bAnNed!

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2005 9:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

bwa-ha-ha-ha!

I slipped out of the electrodes and put them on Kyli!

Jennifer! Turn on the electrodes! NOW! -- AsGirl

by monkeyball on Sep 29, 2005 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that why

her ovaries quivered? Maybe I should turn it down a little.

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2005 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

bANneD!

kRaZEe elECtRoDe aCTiOn!

The best conkers to play with are uncracked, firm and symmetrical. Make a hole through the middle of of your chosen conker.

by monkeyball on Sep 29, 2005 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I had it turned

to the "AHHHH! <censored>!" mode because I thought you were still wearing the electrodes. I was trying to singe your monkeyballs off.

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2005 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought you were trying to ...

... make a hole through the middle of of your chosen conker ...

The best conkers to play with are uncracked, firm and symmetrical. Make a hole through the middle of of your chosen conker.

by monkeyball on Sep 29, 2005 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

you are a disturbed entity

May have to start calling you conkeyball.

by Apricot on Sep 29, 2005 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Like they say ...

The best conkers to play with are uncracked, firm and symmetrical.

The best conkers to play with are uncracked, firm and symmetrical. Make a hole through the middle of of your chosen conker.

by monkeyball on Sep 29, 2005 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Damn!

I was wondering what these things were... you said they were just the new fashion! You liiied!

"Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic." -Robert S. Wieder

by Kyli on Sep 29, 2005 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

hey it even scans...

I'm not not not not not your quiv'ring ovary. (Academy Fight Song)

Also:

A'S REPORT / 'Preliminary talks' begin on keeping Macha in Oakland
Any suspense surrounding manager Ken Macha's contract status might be short-lived: The A's have begun what Macha's agent, Alan Nero, called "very, very preliminary'' talks about bringing back Macha...

by Apricot on Sep 29, 2005 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"very, very preliminary'' talks

BB: Ok, Kenny, here's the deal. You get to manage next year and you can have all the sunflower seeds you can eat...during the game, of course. Also, you need to walk Chavy's dog and cut Danny's hair. Take it or leave it. If you don't like the terms, you can go put the Pit in Pittsburgh.

KM: Owwkayy, but I also want a hambooger, and it's got to be a Nation's.

"HRs by second basemen are sexy. They're rare and exotic." -Kyli

by McFood on Sep 29, 2005 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

or throw me a curve ball

with a great pie or a chili cheeseburger!! But serve it up hot, and use the whole plate!

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

by batgirl on Sep 29, 2005 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

HOT.

Damn. Kotsay looks like he's going to start shooting laser beams at the ump. I love Kotsay.

My quivering ovaries and I say, Aww, thanks. :-)

"Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic." -Robert S. Wieder

by Kyli on Sep 29, 2005 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The WSJ checks in

on the A's "bad luck" at home recently.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/0,,SB112785645539353679-e_6MW6Vo17ng3nuPu7XmNx5CTFs_20060928,00 .html?mod=public_home_us

by As Man on Sep 29, 2005 10:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Btw, Apricotsay,

this may be the funniest one yet! The whole Princess Bride concept to begin with is pure genious.

"HRs by second basemen are sexy. They're rare and exotic." -Kyli

by McFood on Sep 29, 2005 10:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Positively Simpsons-esque!

Humor masquerading as social commentary, or vice versa. Whatever, fun stuff.

by rubin sierra on Sep 29, 2005 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

where did Diego learn to talk trash?

'cause I don't think he learned it from his dad. Must have been from Alex.

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

by batgirl on Sep 29, 2005 10:38 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Dear Kenny Rogers (aka A's killer),

The NL is your friend.

Love,
Jennifer

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2005 11:38 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sweet!

I wonder if Beane would be willing to slide a million or two his way in order to go to the NL.

Ha. It'd be funny if the Giants got him. I'd laugh. And then be pissed during interleague.

"Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic." -Robert S. Wieder

by Kyli on Sep 29, 2005 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here ya go

by limecat on Sep 29, 2005 11:47 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The princess is not aging well.

by ArakSOT on Sep 29, 2005 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Zito really needs a haircut

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

by jeepers on Sep 29, 2005 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wookie of the Year?

by Jennifer on Sep 29, 2005 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wish he would stop "chewin' bacca"

That's not a good example to set for the kids.

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

by jeepers on Sep 29, 2005 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

NOOOOOOOO

That does not make sense!

by Apricot on Sep 29, 2005 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, the writers don't like Wookies

They think they are too expirianced. But then again, you can always use the Chewbakka Defence

First time is Hapenstance. Second time is Circumstance. Third time is Enemy Action.

by Zonis on Sep 29, 2005 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's awesome.

I love Diego!!

"Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic." -Robert S. Wieder

by Kyli on Sep 29, 2005 3:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Just read a great stat

OPS of Andruw Jones, possible NL MVP: .927
OPS of batters vs. Jose Lima in 2005: .931

When it's Lima Time, everyone's an MVP!

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

by dylantravis on Sep 29, 2005 4:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't think this is here yet...

A's season a surprising success

The Ronald McDonald costumes and life-size Alyssa Milano cutouts had most likely been stashed in storage for the winter.

For the winter??? They should be thrown away!!!

"We could have folded up the tent after May, but we didn't," Kotsay said. "We've got incredible character in this clubhouse."

Kotsay admitted that he was disappointed and that the sting probably would last for a few months. He also said he wouldn't mind if the notoriously active Beane stood pat in the offseason.

Have I mentioned how much I love Kotsay? No? I luhhh Kotsay. :)

Heck, maybe they'll even teach Alyssa Milano to play some guitar.

Umm... eww?

"So Zito calls me. Man, his hair is unbelievable. He's like Shaggy!" Tim Hudson

by GreenNGoldGirl on Sep 29, 2005 5:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Nooo!

They can't toss the Ronald McDonald costume!! Now the other thing... that's fine to toss. Or burn. :-)

"Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic." -Robert S. Wieder

by Kyli on Sep 29, 2005 5:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

chavvy to have surgery next week

"This was the first year I had no idea where throws were going sometimes,'' the four-time Gold Glove winner said. "The pain was the same as before, but it started to affect my performance. It was mental, too -- it really altered the way I went after balls. I wasn't being relaxed, I was thinking, 'I have to get there really fast,' because I had to think about making the throw.''

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/09/30/ASNOTES.TMP

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

by gotgreen on Sep 29, 2005 7:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs