Down But Not Out
Don't get me wrong, I don't like going down 2-0 at home. The A's are now officially the underdogs in the series no matter how you slice it, having simply been outpitched, outhit, and outfielded in two home games, off to face their nemesis, Kenny Rogers, in less friendly confines.
But tonight's game was a microcosm of why there is hope for the series as a whole. Tonight, the A's looked like they were cooked only to rise up and get Milton Bradley to the plate representing the tying run, only to go a step further and get Frank Thomas to the plate representing the winning run. Perhaps the series will follow the same script and the A's have some rising yet to do.
Tonight, it was April and May, with Frank Thomas juuuuuust missing pitches he knows and you know he can drive, stranding runners who could have been tying runs and winning runs. Perhaps the series will follow the same script and the June-September portion of the series is still ahead.
Right now, I feel like 10 really smart guys sat in a room over the weekend and outsmarted themselves, chickening out on throwing Harden twice and then planning to do it anyway, opting to relegate a "big-game pitcher" to only one guaranteed start, and going with the "known quantity" in Esteban Loaiza, who is mostly known for two things over his career: a lack of consistency and a lack of comfort under pressure or in the spotlight.
The bad news is that 10 really smart guys may have outsmarted themselves and helped to put the A's in a 2-0 hole (they had plenty of help, as the players did their part). The good news is that Rich Harden and Danny Haren pitch the next two games, and I feel good about that duo in any park.
The A's are down, but they're far from out. Frank Thomas hasn't hit his last high fly ball yet. Let's hope his last one has the distance.
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Clap, Clap, Clap....
by capper3 on Oct 11, 2006 8:43 PM PDT 0 recs
NEVER GIVE UP
by interior decor on Oct 11, 2006 8:45 PM PDT 0 recs
maybe the first AN reference...
"Please, Frank Thomas, YOUUUUUUU ARE OUR LAAAST HOPE!"
We've got what we need to win. We've seen it all season. We just need it now.
by roysteelefan on
Oct 11, 2006 10:23 PM PDT
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This will be an exciting series.
Harden is the key.
Frank Thomas will get a key hit sooner or later and Milton will continue to be an ideal #3 hitter
by Erik being Erik on Oct 11, 2006 8:45 PM PDT 0 recs
Agreed
by Smartball on Oct 11, 2006 8:46 PM PDT 0 recs
PS......
by capper3 on Oct 11, 2006 8:46 PM PDT 0 recs
Get ready for a beatdown, Roaster.
by jeepers on Oct 11, 2006 8:48 PM PDT 0 recs
That'd be a sweep
by achiappanza on
Oct 11, 2006 9:54 PM PDT
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great post Nico
by pickinmachine on Oct 11, 2006 8:49 PM PDT 0 recs
Ditto...
Goodnight all, it starts Friday....
by OaklandInvader on
Oct 11, 2006 8:53 PM PDT
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I know baseball
by Salvatore on Oct 11, 2006 8:49 PM PDT 0 recs
I have no idea
by senork on
Oct 11, 2006 8:51 PM PDT
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I agree with Nico's sentiment.
I can't believe my optimism right now...
by capper3 on Oct 11, 2006 8:49 PM PDT 0 recs
1/4 of an inch
-2 outs
-Bottom of the ninth
-Home team down by three
-Bases loaded
-The team's big slugger at bat
Thomas had the chance to end the game in a way that (I am quite positive) everyone has dreamed of. He also had the chance to do his best Casey impression. You all know which happened.
I won't be watching the game on Friday. I've seen or listened to the last eight A's games and I've seen all the playoff games that have been on Fox, and I need a little bit of a break. Also, the teams that I've been rooting for are on a five-game skid, so maybe a change of pace will help.
by senork on Oct 11, 2006 8:50 PM PDT 0 recs
Disagree -- Pujols vs. Lidge last year
by Nick on
Oct 11, 2006 10:11 PM PDT
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Can't believe nobody is blaming D'Angelo Jimenez
by Sashulia on Oct 11, 2006 8:50 PM PDT 0 recs
I could not agree more
by Vegas Bettor James on Oct 11, 2006 8:50 PM PDT 0 recs
By god,
by bluelightrain84 on
Oct 11, 2006 9:04 PM PDT
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The A's always have to do it the hard way
A couple quick thoughts...
- Mr. Harden, Friday night would be a good time to become the pitcher so many of us hope you will become.
- Not to start a fight with you Nico, but you for got to add "out-managed" to your "out" played litany.
by grover on Oct 11, 2006 8:50 PM PDT 0 recs
Seconded on point 2.
by capper3 on
Oct 11, 2006 8:52 PM PDT
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blah
Come on Oakland. Don't go out this easy.
by drmmerchk on Oct 11, 2006 8:51 PM PDT 0 recs
Yeah
by bluelightrain84 on
Oct 11, 2006 9:07 PM PDT
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Oh God, I can't believe..
A's better start playing a "better brand of baseball" if you know what I mean or we will be watching the Tigers in October if you know what I mean...
"The sea will crowd us with lovers at night".
by Sheldon72 on
Oct 11, 2006 10:04 PM PDT
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Nice Post
KEEP THE FAITH!
by swisherroks33 on Oct 11, 2006 8:52 PM PDT 0 recs
It IS a great season...
..."A New Hope".
by roysteelefan on
Oct 11, 2006 10:35 PM PDT
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Please
by CyberFT on
Oct 12, 2006 1:58 AM PDT
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Game 3 is the series
and big frank going 0-5 with 3 K's is VERY alarming, its too bad he is becoming the goat of the series but no real fans will dog on him, he had a helluva year and it aint over yet
also swisher and scutaro looking awful isnt too good either, time to man up and show the sorry haters whos boss
go A's
by AsFanTexas on Oct 11, 2006 8:56 PM PDT 0 recs
As posted by NorthDakotaSomethingOrOther...
It really is obsurd and absolutely highlights the ineptitude of Macha. Does Macha do ok sometimes? Yes, but Macha is terrible. Flatout. How does your starter give up 7 runs in a almost 'must win' game? Please help me.
With that being said, let's take this thing on Friday despite our pussy of a manager.
by capper3 on Oct 11, 2006 8:57 PM PDT 0 recs
I thought...
by OaklandInvader on
Oct 11, 2006 9:00 PM PDT
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Trying to catch my second wind after that ninth!
by capper3 on
Oct 11, 2006 9:01 PM PDT
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that still stuns me...
I'll also note that Leyland made multiple trips to the mound over the last two games, while Macha sat on the bench chomping gum. Great motivator.
by coffee roaster on
Oct 11, 2006 9:01 PM PDT
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I'm convinced that
by Salvatore on Oct 11, 2006 9:03 PM PDT 0 recs
Will somebody please tell Macha
For the Love of God, this is a best of 7 series, not a freakin 160 game season!
Ok, rant over, I'm off to bed.
by polytician on Oct 11, 2006 9:03 PM PDT 0 recs
Now I Understand
Brilliant!!
by ChucklesSD on Oct 11, 2006 9:03 PM PDT 0 recs
I heart AN
by Erik being Erik on Oct 11, 2006 9:04 PM PDT 0 recs
street
haha i have faith believe it or not...
by Nickathleticsfan on Oct 11, 2006 9:05 PM PDT 0 recs
Macha and BaseballGirl....
by capper3 on Oct 11, 2006 9:07 PM PDT 0 recs
I'm here!!!
by baseballgirl on
Oct 12, 2006 9:34 AM PDT
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re
by 31Boots on Oct 11, 2006 9:08 PM PDT 0 recs
Down 2-0 Sucks
by natsirt on Oct 11, 2006 9:13 PM PDT 0 recs
nice!
by Nickathleticsfan on
Oct 11, 2006 9:18 PM PDT
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I agree Nico
by bart on Oct 11, 2006 9:17 PM PDT 0 recs
okay, that was a game
I remember in 2004 I was convinced that Boston was going to win the whole ball o' wax, then New York got up 3-0 and yet I still had the same feeling though my head was asking what was up with that calm feeling? WTF?
But just getting Big Frank up to the plate with the bases loaded was a great baseball scene. Tiger fans must have been sweating, we were delirious with stolen hope. Baseball, alas, breaks your heart. And as Bart Gaimatti said, it's designed to break your heart. But I don't have that heartache yet...
Go A's
by jakarta on Oct 11, 2006 9:18 PM PDT 0 recs
I'M STILL PRETTY BUMMED THOUGH
by bart on Oct 11, 2006 9:18 PM PDT 0 recs
grover, I didn't forget to rag on Macha,
The decisions that have hurt the A's the most were the decisions about the rotation (not Macha's). The on-field actions that have hurt the A's the most were Zito and Loaiza not having good starts--and no, you don't just yank a guy automatically after 3 runs--Chavy not making plays he usually makes, and all the hitters combining to be Antonio Perez with RISP.
Blaming the manager is easy, but not accurate. Leyland has done a great job; that doesn't mean Macha has done a bad job. And if I were a Tigers fan, I would have been screaming for Jamie Walker to face Chavy to lead off the 8th, followed by Zumaya to face Bradley and Thomas. What did Rodney do? He struck out the side. Great performances make for "great" managers. The players have to own the first two losses.
by Nico on Oct 11, 2006 9:27 PM PDT 0 recs
Nico...
Further, will someone answer me this: Why pinch hit Melhuse in the post season, but only put him in that situation throughout the season, what, 5 times?
by capper3 on
Oct 11, 2006 9:34 PM PDT
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My feeling tonight is that
And if someone wanted to see Duke in the 4th or something, then we're just not on the same page because I don't know any manager, myself included, who would do that. Sometimes as a manager, you just have to hope that your guys perform--and when they don't you have to accept that they just didn't perform.
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 9:40 PM PDT
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Nope
by mikeA on
Oct 11, 2006 9:45 PM PDT
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Interesting point, MikeA--
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 9:48 PM PDT
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I have transported myself to yesterday
by ak_A on
Oct 11, 2006 10:04 PM PDT
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Also, as I replay everything
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 9:45 PM PDT
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Because
Additionally, Haren's MO of throwing lots of straight fastballs in the zone seems ill-suited against the Tigers.
by mikeA on
Oct 11, 2006 9:47 PM PDT
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That's not really true, though--
In other words, yes, Loaiza has pitched better than Haren over the last two months, but I trust Haren more in a big game.
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 9:51 PM PDT
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I'm not saying
Color me unimpressed with your "big game" and "spotlight" analysis. That stuff only applies to Jeter.A few sucessful appearances out of the bullpen is hardly a "track-record" of LCS/WS success. Also, I thought Loaiza looked better against Minnesota.
by mikeA on
Oct 11, 2006 10:03 PM PDT
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well
by johnspaz7 on
Oct 12, 2006 8:25 AM PDT
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Not the 4th....
by capper3 on
Oct 11, 2006 9:55 PM PDT
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I don't agree; I think it was lost
In the 6th we trailed by 2. If we keep the deficit to 2, and the game progresses as it did, there's no reason to think we ever would have taken the lead. We would have had a better chance, but that's it.
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 10:01 PM PDT
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But that's the point....
by capper3 on
Oct 11, 2006 10:06 PM PDT
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Sure,
And people were making fun of Leyland before the series started for going Roberston-Verlander-Rogers-Bonderman. He's so dumb.
by rfloh on
Oct 11, 2006 9:57 PM PDT
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I still think, and I'll continue to think,
If Robertson had gotten shelled--as he well could have--and if Zito and Loaiza had been on their game--as they were in the ALDS--who would look good and who would look bad?
The A's pitched and fielded like crap in the 4th inning. That's one of the main reasons they lost. And the manager's job in the first 4 innings of a game is generally to sit on his hands, because unless you want to overmanage (like much of AN), the right move is usually to make sure you're sitting in your "lucky seat" as you hope for the best.
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 10:05 PM PDT
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I don't disagree about your 4th inning analysis.
by capper3 on
Oct 11, 2006 10:09 PM PDT
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My personal opinion is that
And anyway, had Kennedy come in to face Gomez, apparently what would have happened is that Gomez would have hit a routine chopper to second that Jimenez booted.
For which, of course, Macha would be blamed. :-}
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 10:14 PM PDT
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Logic when it's convenient....
by capper3 on
Oct 11, 2006 10:18 PM PDT
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Playing devil's advocate:
- ELo was only at 84 pitches and had settled down prior to the Monroe double.
- Guys like Gaudin, Kennedy, Blanton, and Saarloos are not really an upgrade.
- Even in a 7-game series, if you use Calero, Duke, and Street in the 6th inning of games you're trailing, you are likely to find them unavailable in the 7th, 8th, or 9th inning of games you're leading.
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 10:23 PM PDT
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Remember ...
by Eck on
Oct 11, 2006 10:25 PM PDT
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Those are regular season reasons. -Tupac.
by capper3 on
Oct 11, 2006 10:31 PM PDT
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Are you saying
by Salvatore on
Oct 11, 2006 10:10 PM PDT
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That's not what I'm saying,
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 10:16 PM PDT
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I can think of 2 reasons
Would you consider Leyland to have overmanaged? Not just in this series, but also in the Yankees series, and throughout the season? Because Leyland has shown throughout the season a willingness to do the things that Macha doesn't like / want to do.
Macha has made a habit of trying to squeeze the most possible out of his starters. This might be understandable, if he's been given Boston's bullpen. He also has been reluctant to platoon players when they should be platooned. Furthermore, he's reluctant to move players around in the rotation, even when they arguably should be moved.
by rfloh on
Oct 11, 2006 10:20 PM PDT
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"Dance with what brung you"--
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 10:28 PM PDT
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I didn't say that was the only
And that was just a minor point in my post.
by rfloh on
Oct 11, 2006 10:35 PM PDT
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And you're taking
by rfloh on
Oct 11, 2006 10:39 PM PDT
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I get that. My reply is that
by Nico on
Oct 11, 2006 10:44 PM PDT
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