DLD 8/8/06: I heart Chavy

Here's a link:  My favorite columnist keeps writing columns, albeit not A's-related.

salary vs. performance
http://benfry.com/salaryper/

Team will 'juice' fans when Canseco's in town
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2542749

The Flyers of Fullerton, Calif., an independent minor-league team, announced on Monday that they will host "Juice Box Night" when Jose Canseco and his Long Beach Armada come to town on Thursday.

"While the use of steroids, and other illegal drugs, is obviously a very serious matter," Flyers General Manager Ed Hart said in a statement, "we also recognize that there are ways to have fun with a serious situation. We also see this as a great way to educate our fans, especially children, on the negative repercussions of illegal substance abuse of any kind."

link
HT: BBTF

Whether the A's are ready for him, or may ask the middle reliever to stay in Triple A with an injury to be named later, is a greater uncertainty.

"That's something I'm not even going to think about," Witasick said. "We're soldiers for one cause. The bullpen has done a phenomenal job up there. ... Whatever is for the benefit of the team, that's the important thing. But as far as how I feel, I feel good."

link

Poppy's is cute too. :-)

Joe Girardi and Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria have some kind of vaguely described catfight that nearly (maybe) results in Girardi's (kind of) dismissal.

I hate New York writers or writers that suck the Yankees' balls.  This guy talks about the Yankee hitters' "ability" to see a lot of pitches each at bat in order to get the starter out of there and then get into the middle relief.  While the article does quote Beane, it's almost like an afterthought, and also includes a factual inaccuracy that the A's were at the height of their "fixation" with OBP in 2003.  Sorry dumbass, but OBP was preached in Oakland since Alderson's days [see Eric Walker].

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=klapisch_bob&id=2542722

The whole article has a tone about it as if the freakin' Yankees invented "pitches per plate appearance" and revolutionized the game.  Go suck some more balls Klapisch, and I do mean baseballs. ;)

After destroying hitters in Vancuver, 18 year old Matt Salentic is doing his best Daric Barton impression in Kane County by eating 21 year old college pitchers alive.  He currently has a .421obp in 15 at bats for the Kane County Cougers.  Now since he's so small (5'9") and that might affect his range in the outfield, do we convert him to second base and have him take over in 2008 when Ellis's contract is up?

"Drafted in the third round by the Oakland Athletics and signing for $395,000 in June, he's already earned his first professional promotion, and Saturday batted against major league pitcher Wade Miller in front of 14,000 people.

"It's been fun," Sulentic said Sunday after reaching base three times in the Cougars' 7-4 win over Peoria. "I've gotten here and gotten to know the team, they have been very good to me, and it's made the transition a lot easier.""

Also, our no hitter throwing ace in the making is earned himself a promotion to Stocton.  

"* Prior to the game, Jared Lansford was promoted to high-A Stockton. Lansford, who is tied for the Midwest League lead with 11 wins, made the most of his time in Kane County, tossing a no-hitter in May, earning a spot on the MWL East All-star team, and was twice the Cougars' Pitcher of the Month.

Lansford leaves with a record of 11-6, while recording a 2.86 ERA in 104.1 innings."

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Baby Panda (more)

Great stuff on the bullpen boys:

Player              IP   ERA   ARP   SALARY STATUS        ACQUIRED
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Huston Street      50.2  3.02  14.6  Pre-Arbitration      Via Draft
Chad Gaudin        41.7  3.24  13.1  Pre-Arbitration      Trade with Blue Jays
Kiko Calero        43.7  2.89  12.5  1st Year Arbitration Trade with Cardinals
Justin Duchscherer 32.7  2.76  10.1  Pre-Arbitration      Trade with Rangers
Brad Halsey        74.7  3.86   6.8  Pre-Arbitration      Trade with D'backs
Ron Flores         20.3  3.54   2.0  Pre-Arbitration      Via Draft
Kirk Saarloos      84.3  5.12   1.9  Pre-Arbitration      Trade with Astros

"Oakland's bullpen has been a textbook example of how a front office can assemble a good relief corps through smart, low-cost aquisitions, and they'll need their group of no-names to shut down AL West sluggers like Mark Teixeira and Vladimir Guerrero down the stretch in order to make the handful of runs the team's offense musters continue to stand up."

http://ussmariner.com/2006/08/06/it-was-fun/#comments

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/story/2006/8/6/232647/2137

texas has lost three in a row and are only one game ahead of the mariners, i wonder what rangers fans think of their chances...

Road safety, riiiiiiiiiiight.

Well, la-di-da for HIM!

LET'S GO OAK-LAND!