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DLD 2/1: 14 Days 'till pitchers and catchers report

Headshot_tiny by secret ASian man on

Yeah, I'm finally doing a DLD.

Oakland Ballet disbanding (SF Chronicle)

So what does this have to do with the A's?

Simple, remember this? (I don't do those fancy blockquotes)

Also gone with the closure is the All-Star Nutcracker, the one-night gala that kicked off the holiday season from 1986 to 2003 and featured such sports celebrities as Tony La Russa and Dave Stewart.

The esteemed reporters over at the Chronicle forgot Barry Zito.  Yes it's that ballet that Zito danced in as mentioned in this link from ESPN Page2 column.  Here's some photographic proof:

They also forgot the late, great Bill King.  And I know somebody has a photo of him in the ballet.  After his passing I saw a picture of him rehearsing the ballet with Tony LaRussa as one of the soldiers.

So let's take this time to mourn the passing of a Bay Area cultural institution.

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Something interesting
Even though we're past the holiday season, someone did a tidbit on Jingle Bells, if you play it backwards (like those Beatles songs), it gives a message.
Knowledge is Power, Ignorance is Bliss. But I have Blissful Power, because I have a lot of knowledge, I just forgot it all!

by Zonis on Feb 1, 2006 12:54 AM PST   0 recs

wow
i've never heard that in jingle bells before...

(you know, maybe i'm too cynical about flash movies online anymore... i expected that. oh well.)

--The Pastime--

by Ryan Armbrust on Feb 1, 2006 1:12 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

thanks alot
you scared the crap out of me and woke up the whole house
"Damn kids" -Ron Flores

by secret ASian man on Feb 1, 2006 1:15 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Hahahahah
I spread that maze game to a bunch of my friends. Some of them, ehm, didn't appreciate it. Still, a couple classic moments.

by Alon on Feb 1, 2006 4:11 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Heh heh heh...
Not this time, Zonis. :)
"(Insert favorite AN quote here.)" -- Some ANer
AN Census

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Feb 1, 2006 8:11 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Hey Zonis...
Can you re-post or send me the link to that maze game?

Thanks.

"Keep the juices going by jangling around gently as you move." - Satchel Paige

by McFood on Feb 1, 2006 8:48 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

maze
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/zonis/swf/maze1.swf
Knowledge is Power, Ignorance is Bliss. But I have Blissful Power, because I have a lot of knowledge, I just forgot it all!

by Zonis on Feb 1, 2006 1:24 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

10Q very much.
"Keep the juices going by jangling around gently as you move." - Satchel Paige

by McFood on Feb 1, 2006 2:06 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

That's NOT funny
You should be ashamed of yourself.
I was nothing more than an almost innocent bystander.

by Squeaky on Feb 1, 2006 3:43 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Thanks =]
Knowledge is Power, Ignorance is Bliss. But I have Blissful Power, because I have a lot of knowledge, I just forgot it all!

by Zonis on Feb 1, 2006 8:36 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Hey Zonis!
Only the cool kids can figure this one out.

Oh um... baseball stuff...


Ruben Sierra signs a minor-league deal with the Twins.

"Every time (Curt Schilling) fails, somewhere a sick puppy gets just a little bit better." - Nico

by JLaff on Feb 1, 2006 7:40 AM PST   0 recs

I signed a what?
A minor-league deal with the Twins?  Crap, I don't even remember doing that.  Man, I must have been REALLY wasted yesterday.  

Dude ... where's my car?
(http://www.foxhome.com/dude/)

by rubin sierra on Feb 1, 2006 9:24 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

You can't spell your name either.
You are a mess. :-)
Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Feb 1, 2006 10:09 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Also...
Who decided to give Gilbert Godfried a Super Bowl media pass? Or better yet, who decided to let him out of whatever cage he's been in and release him into the public?
"Every time (Curt Schilling) fails, somewhere a sick puppy gets just a little bit better." - Nico

by JLaff on Feb 1, 2006 7:53 AM PST   0 recs

Did you see him in
"The Aristocrats?"  There's a comedian totally on top of his game.
Copernicus felt the same way about the geocentric crew.

by salb918 on Feb 1, 2006 7:58 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

No...
I really want to see it though. Is it any good?
"Every time (Curt Schilling) fails, somewhere a sick puppy gets just a little bit better." - Nico

by JLaff on Feb 1, 2006 8:03 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

<shrugs>
I thought it was really good, but she hated it.  So if you're like me, you'll enjoy it; but if you're like the future-mrs.-salb918, you won't.
Copernicus felt the same way about the geocentric crew.

by salb918 on Feb 1, 2006 8:10 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

no!
Who could hate The Aristocats? Huddy was in it! ;)
"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 8:13 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

That's
Lord Huddy to you.
"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Feb 1, 2006 8:15 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

LOL
{waits for monkeyball to arrive and inappropriately hyphenate the name "Pat Buttram"}
"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 8:17 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

<shakes umbrella off>
Sorry I'm late. Did we already discuss this morning's agenda? I'm hoping to close the Bumstead deal today.
"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 9:21 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Meanwhile...
Mr. Dithers: "BUMSTEAD! WAKE UP AND FINISH THAT MONKEYBALL CONTRACT, OR YOU'RE FIRED!"
"(Insert favorite AN quote here.)" -- Some ANer
AN Census

by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Feb 1, 2006 3:15 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

No more coffee! No more magazines!
Mussburger!!!
"Yay for drug adventures!" -- HollywoodOz @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 3:24 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

He bought it to avoid steerage
"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 8:17 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

when he looks down his nose at a commoner ...
... he engages in sneerage ...
"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 9:24 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

He auditioned for Broekback Mountain...
..but didn't like the rearage.

by Ozzz on Feb 1, 2006 2:14 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

props for figuring out how to ...
... avoid the offensive near-homonym!
"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 2:19 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

You mean...
...homo-him?

by Ozzz on Feb 1, 2006 2:33 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

"Roddy Maude-Roxby"?
"Thurl Ravenscroft"?

"Hermione Baddeley"?

And, yes, "Pat Buttram"?

Those are/were definitely pseudonyms.

(Alternate response: "Senator, I knew Pat Buttram; I was friends with Pat Buttram. And you, sir, are no Pat Buttram!")

"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 9:24 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

I absolutely LOVE stand-up comedy
And the Aristocrats has a bunch of my favorites: Carlin, Black, Jeni, Williams et al. Stupid question, but is it out on DVD?
"Every time (Curt Schilling) fails, somewhere a sick puppy gets just a little bit better." - Nico

by JLaff on Feb 1, 2006 8:17 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

seems to be...
http://www.netflix.com/MovieDisplay?trkid=73&movieid=70024091

('tis in my queue, too)

"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 8:21 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Yea, it is, got it on Netflix last week....
It definitely has its moments, but extremely vulgar.  Surprisingingly enough, it is worth watching just got Gilbert Bottfriend and Bob Saget....Who wouldnt thunk that?

Sarah Silverman kicks ass too.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Feb 1, 2006 8:34 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

who knew the day would come
when Gilbert G would be the moral anchor of a generation?  He is the unexpected star of the movie.

(Actually, I thought his first joke, which people booed, was even better than the Aristocrats joke he told...)

by Apricot on Feb 1, 2006 9:10 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Yea, that one certainly took balls...
Prob a tad too soon tho.
Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Feb 1, 2006 10:10 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

To be perfectly honest,
Bob Saget was completely unreal - I know him only as Danny Tanner, huggable dad on ABC.
Copernicus felt the same way about the geocentric crew.

by salb918 on Feb 1, 2006 10:12 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Bob Saget is a frequent quest
on a radio station here in KC. He is a nasty, nasty, nasty man.

by Jennifer on Feb 1, 2006 10:33 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Saget used to do HBO standup
so I already knew him as a smiley creepy funny standup. As in:

"When I was a little boy, I hated being in the locker room getting undressed in front of other boys. But now I kind of like it."

I missed the whole Full House thing.

by Apricot on Feb 1, 2006 1:08 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I saw the A'crats at a film fest...
...and spoke with the director, Paul Provenza. He told me a story about Saget that had me dry-heaving.

The man is genuinely and entertainingly sick. But then, you'd have to be to do Full House AND America's Funniest Home Videos.

Oh, and after the screening, I went to the home of the guy who voices Dale from King of the Hill and we all got nasty stoned. Emmys are heavy.

by Ozzz on Feb 1, 2006 2:16 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

new sig line!
"Emmys are heavy." -- HollywoodOz @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 2:21 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

The last time I seen Bob Saget was on Entourage
on HBO, and he was a lot more adult than you would have thought from his Full House days, and AFV.

by theblackpearl on Feb 1, 2006 2:48 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I heard
I heard he used to suck d!ck for coke. And that David from the Real World LA "seen him" do it.

by TempletonPeck on Feb 1, 2006 5:43 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Rob hearts Oakland
From Neye's chat today:

Brett (Minto, ND): Do you see the A's winning the AL West? How much help will the Big Hurt provide to a lineup that needs more power?

 rob neyer: (11:20 AM ET ) Yes, I do. Though I'm not convinced that Thomas will make a big contribution to the effort. I think the Thomas signing was a good one, because the A's are risking much. But between his injury problems and his relatively poor numbers away from home in recent years, I just don't see him making a real difference.

His answer confuses me. It seems to me he meant either to say he doesn't think the Thomas signing was a good one, or that the A's aren't risking much.

by ArakSOT on Feb 1, 2006 8:24 AM PST   0 recs

I vote for...
...he does think the Thomas signing was a good one because the A's aren't risking much.
"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 8:28 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Yeah me too
The thing is though, Thomas has done quite well in Oakland over his career.  Career at Oakland:

AB:    253
HR:     16 (tied with Fenway for most HR for a road stadium)
BA:    .304
OBP:  .433    
SLG:  .553

"Put a Milo on him." -Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Feb 1, 2006 8:39 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

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

by Sharon on Feb 1, 2006 8:40 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Best comment today...
was his initial post

"SportsNation rob neyer: (11:00 AM ET ) Unleash the hounds."

"Put a Milo on him." -Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Feb 1, 2006 8:43 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Rob hearts Huston
"For one thing, there was always more to Huston Street than just his stats."

:P

by ArakSOT on Feb 1, 2006 8:46 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

he HAS been reading AN!
"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 8:49 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Cubs fans hate Neyer.
At least they do now.
"How much room do I have to cover out here?" -- Kotsay

by Sharon on Feb 1, 2006 8:52 AM PST   0 recs

my idiotic question
uh... I haven't been paying attention in class... and I actually can't find Neyer's chat or transcripts online.  Is a link nestled somewhere in the excessively busy eyesore that is the ESPN Insider page?
"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 9:05 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

It's one of the links
under the main story on the baseball page (Nomar: First Things First). I f I understand it correctly, whilst the chat is live, anyone can get in, but after it's been archived, it becomes an Insider thing.

by ArakSOT on Feb 1, 2006 9:08 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

AHA!
There it is!  The little flashing red "LIVE" right next to it was a dead giveaway...

hmm... dead giveaway...

{checks A's promo schedule... when to get tickets for carrion...}

"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 9:29 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

After this comment
Goose (Chicago): Any truth to the rumors about Mark Cuban buying the Cubs?

 rob neyer: (11:49 AM ET ) Hadn't heard that one. But I think he should buy Cuba. Better players.

by theblackpearl on Feb 1, 2006 8:53 AM PST   0 recs

How's the shot of Zito

And the quote beneath:

"Barry Zito keeps a close eye on Leeann Tweeden's choreography."

"If you throw at someone's head, it's very dangerous, because in the head is the brain." -- Pudge Rodriguez

by niallmack on Feb 1, 2006 9:40 AM PST   0 recs

thats some serious
pocket pool going on!
"If you throw at someone's head, it's very dangerous, because in the head is the brain." -- Pudge Rodriguez

by niallmack on Feb 1, 2006 9:40 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

well.....it WAS the Nutcracker....
I guess I would wear tights too if Leanne Tweeden wanted me to.

by djcoreyferren on Feb 1, 2006 10:32 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

"choreography"
Mhmm... sure.

That is just an amazing picture

"Every time (Curt Schilling) fails, somewhere a sick puppy gets just a little bit better." - Nico

by JLaff on Feb 1, 2006 9:50 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Looks like
he finally found someone who shares his fashion sense.

by sslinger on Feb 1, 2006 10:10 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

I think that should be ...
... "Leeann Tweeden's soft-choreography" ...
"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 12:31 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Jeff Weaver to Cleveland?
A rumor sighs deeply, scratches it nuts, swings its legs off the bed, and contemplates arising regarding Jeff Weaver possibly signing with the Indians for a Westbrook-type deal.

Here's a whacky idea: how about if Beane signs Weaver to a heavily backloaded (say, $4M/$11M) two-year deal, with the specific intent of flipping Weaver at the trade deadline. It'd be risky (yes, I know, and Cleveland's Crisp trade was "riske") -- because Weaver could still y'know, suck -- but could net us a good haul in trade.

Here's my reasopning for the two years, as opposed to the one that is allegedly on the table: it'd be a "sweetener" to entice him to take our deal over the one-year deals being offered, it'd lower our actual cost this year vs a one-year $8M-$10M deal, and it could potentially increase Weaver's tradeability this year by essentially making him a 3-month rental for the next acquiring team to plan on moving him next off-season.

"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 10:15 AM PST   0 recs

Two problems
  1. Who gets bumped from the roatation?
  2. Is the potential payoff really worth the risk?
"We've come a long way, and I'm not talking about Virginia Slims, either." - Art Howe

by EastCoastA on Feb 1, 2006 10:23 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

as with Sal ...
... two badass questions.
  1. 6-man rotation (see below)
  2. Probably not. Probably not even close. We could be saddled with a really expensive, really sucky guy for '07.
"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 10:50 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

EDIT
I'm sure you mean "Millwood-type," instead of "Westbrook-type."  In a Westbrook-type deal, you are traded for David Justice, or maybe Hideki Irabu.

I wouldn't be in favor of such a deal, mostly due to roster-crowding problems.  Our 25-man roster likely looks like this:

Position players: Chavez, Crosby, Ellis, DJ, Perez, Scoot, Hurt, Bradley, Kielty, Kotsay, Payton, Swisher, Kendall, Melhuse. (14)
Pitchers: Blanton, Calero, Duke, Harden, Haren, Kennedy, Loaiza, Saars, Street, 'Sick, Z (11)

That's 25 right there.  Maybe we can option Scoot and call up Cruz, but we're more or less set.  When Hurt hits the DL, we have both Cruz and Scoot up.  I don't see how Weaver fits in.

Even if Weaver does fit in, that pushes Blanton out of a starting role and into the 'pen.  Then, if we flip Weaver, we push Blanton back into a starting role for the stretch run.  Unless we're willing option Big Joe to keep him stretched out as a starter, I don't see how Weaver fits in.

But kudos to the monkeyman for pooping outside of the chair.

Copernicus felt the same way about the geocentric crew.

by salb918 on Feb 1, 2006 10:31 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

You are correct, sir
A number of extraneous typos in there that you mercifully neglected as well. Obviously, I haven't quite completed the routine I outlined in the first sentence myself yet.

Yes, the logistics of the rotation and the roster would present difficulties.

The way I would make it work for the roster would be to either send Scoot to Sacto (and bring him up whenever Crosby detaches his ass or Chavez sprains his self-confidence), or trade Kielty or Payton.

As for the starting pitchers, I'd just go with a 6-man rotation for the first third/half of the season. Reduces workload on our horses and keeps everyone fresh for the second half.

Yeah, overall, probably not worth the hassle and risk, but an intriguing idea if I do say so myself.

"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 10:48 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

re:
an intriguing idea if I do say so myself

Well, you do say so yourself.

Copernicus felt the same way about the geocentric crew.

by salb918 on Feb 1, 2006 10:50 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

if, then!
"Intriguing," it is!
"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 10:51 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

"It...would present difficulties"
KISS
"Keep the juices going by jangling around gently as you move." - Satchel Paige

by McFood on Feb 1, 2006 11:46 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

I have previously
advocated a 6 man rotation. I would just prefer to do it with Saarloos as the #6. We would then just skip him whenever a day off allowed.

Even if you assume that Weaver will work out and that there will be a market for his services, there's a decent chance that the return we'd get in trade wouldn't be worth the $2m we'd have to shell out to keep Weaver for half a season leading up to it.

There's also the fact that Weaver for $11m in '07 would be a huge hangup for any team looking to acquire him and would add significantly to the risk such a deal would entail.

That said, I love the 6-man rotation idea.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 1, 2006 11:35 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Here's a question...
..averaging out the two years, it's $7.5m per season. If Weaver, let's say, got back to his best form (like, pre-Yankees form), is he worth it?

I say no.

And let's say if we just look at the $4m for one season - is a Jeff Weaver, in his best form of the last three seasons, worth that?

I say no.

Though I'd be interested to hear the thoughts of others.

by Ozzz on Feb 1, 2006 2:22 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

6-man rotation
Does anybody do that?  (that's an actual question, not like a rhetorical "Who the hell does that?")

Isn't "too much time between starts" as counterproductive as not enough?  I think Saarloos did okay last year when rotation-planning dictated that he have extra time off (although I'm sure there are some easily-accessible numbers that might show me he actually sucked), but would we want our entire staff having too much time off on a regular basis?  Or would the pitchers be able to adjust if it was an ongoing routine?

"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 11:38 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Chicken Jennifer?
A link (albeit a BaNNaBLe one)!

Jennifer, you didn't tell us you were heading to DC.

Bullfeathers!

"They are in very, very small pieces, but we are determined to put them back together." @('.')@

by monkeyball on Feb 1, 2006 11:45 AM PST   0 recs

Why can't we do this?
CSPAN would be so much cooler if we stuff lik this going on.  http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/02/01/council.brawl.ap/index.html
Copernicus felt the same way about the geocentric crew.

by salb918 on Feb 1, 2006 11:55 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

tsk
I'm surprised Khrushchev tolerates that kind of behavior...
"You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut." ~ Stephen Colbert

by Poppy on Feb 1, 2006 12:06 PM PST to parent up