Link Dump 9/12: I Heart Frank

"I thought that was horse -- ,'' Gardenhire said. "I just know that you go 3-0 throwing breaking ball, breaking ball, breaking ball and then you hit him in the back. What does that tell you? That tells me you're saying, 'I can't get him out. I better hit him.' ''

Slowly, the young man got out of the pool, beads of moisture clinging longingly to his chiseled chest. As he slowly approached, the world around Silva grew strangely silent, as if there was no longer anything in it but he and this young man. Carlos felt something then, something electric. It was the shock of destiny. In his mind's eye, he saw their future unfold--they would exchange a few pleasantries, then run into each other one morning and share breakfast on the hotel veranda. He would expect nothing to happen--their age difference would make it impossible--yet somehow, improbably, something would happen: They would fall in love. He would keep denying his feelings, but his feelings would not be denied. What can age do against a force like love?

"Hello," said the young man. "Are you Carlos Silva?"

"That's right," breathed Carlos.

The young man looked him up and down, then took a step closer. He reached his arm out and then slapped Silva hard on his right cheek, then his left. "GET IT THE HELL TOGETHER!"

Kendall County furniture store owner and "huge Bears fan" Randy Gonigam got tired of players bragging about their defense, so he decided to put his money where their mouths are. Over Labor Day weekend, Gonigam's World Furniture Mall in Plano offered customers free furniture -- up to $10,000 -- if the Bears shut out the Green Bay Packers in their season opener. Four quarters, 206 customers and about $300,000 later, Gonigam is still a little shell-shocked.

Since 2000, the A's have logged more victories than anyone except the Yankees (they are only 14 wins behind the so-called "über-team").

This is amazing.

But according to one National League executive, the key to Oakland's startling small-market success has little to do with stats or drafting college players, as Moneyball suggests.

I would argue that's not what Moneyball suggests at all. Maybe that's what Beane was doing five years ago. But there's an overall philosophy here that I think Heyman is missing.

"Billy Beane has got a way of finding winning players," the executive said. "The A's don't have anyone who stands out for talent, except maybe Frank Thomas. But they have a lot of winning players. Take Nick Swisher, for instance. He knows how to play to win."

So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Remember that subhead? Why A's Beane succeeds where others have failed? He "has got a way of finding winning players." There's your story! F&^ Moneyball! F&^% it all to hell!

Also, let's do "take Nick Swisher, for instance." He knows how to play to win? That's what you're going to give me? How about we do some stat nerdery instead? I know I just said that Moneyball's not about OBP, but you can't really ignore the simple fact that last year, Nick Swisher posted an OBP of .322, and this year his OBP is .373. He's also hit 10 more home runs. But would you still like to talk to me about knowing how to play to win? Too bad. I've thrown my phone into the nearest saltwater aquarium and it's been eaten by a shark.

Harden is on a starters schedule. He'll throw a bullpen Wednesday, another simulated game Friday or Saturday, then a decision will be made if he needs a third simulated game. At that schedule, Harden will start two games, at best, before the regular season is over.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is on record as saying he is a fan of Figgins. Before Monday's game, Guillen said the team will be on the market for speed, a sign that arbitration-eligible left fielder Scott Podsednik likely won't be tendered a contract this offseason.

Figgins could be part of a package to land White Sox third baseman Joe Crede, who is arbitration eligible after this season and is in the middle of a breakout season after a standout postseason. White Sox general manager Ken Williams has a tenuous relationship with Scott Boras, Crede's agent. Boras is an Angels season ticket holder and represents Jered Weaver and Chris Bootcheck.

Jansen said last week on HBO's "Costas Now" that "maybe 15, 20 percent" of the league's players use illegal performance-enhancers. He later backed down a bit, saying: "What I meant by it was a small number of players. Being a football player, I'm not real good at math. When you do the numbers, it sounds like a bigger percentage than it really is. I meant it was a small percentage of guys."

The San Francisco Chronicle reported on its Web site that Porter, who was inactive for the 27-0 beating the Raiders absorbed from the San Diego Chargers on Monday night, was seen laughing and pumping his fist on the sidelines when Raiders teammate Aaron Brooks was sacked for the seventh time.

However, Porter said he was pumping his fist for other reasons.

"The San Francisco Chronicle report was not true," Porter told ESPN's Colleen Dominguez. "I wasn't even paying attention to the game. The fist-pumping was in response to some fans that were talking to me when I was sitting on the sidelines."