FAtAlity

1. The field looked really clean-cut and polished.  I hate the Raiders. RIP Field till' '07.
2. Padilla would come to the set position really quickly, only to pause for an eternity before delivering the ball.  I noticed 3 or 4 instances (to  Ellis and Scoot) where they called time and it wasn't granted, but they stepped out anyway.  
3. 14-0 losses are worse watching on TV.
4. The way the A's handled DeRosa was pitiful.  I thought in the 5th, with 2nd and 3rd and one out they should have walked him.  They could set up the DP and DeRosa hit a HR yesterday.  Then, in the next inning, the A's walked Lee in a similar situation (he had hit a HR earlier), but then pitched to Derosa when he came up in the EXACT SAME SITUATION.  And then he hit the ball off of the EXACT same sign in left.  I just didn't understand the reason to walk Lee, btu not DeRosa either time.
5. The A's seemed tired, didn't see much energy out of anyone from the start.
6. I love the A's.

The only people run differential matters to is the guys at Baseball Prospectus. They use it and all those other numbers to compute our real record. With their numbers, Cleveland should have a better record than Minnesota. I'll bet that's real comforting to the Indians and their fans.

I am sick of the tyranny of run differential. People were using it a few weeks ago to justify blowing up the team. But the only record that matters is the won-loss record.

   It's funny how a couple of statistics can lead many down a logical but not necessarily accurate path. The two this year that are thrown out there are this teams overall batting average which is discussed on a more national level for comparison with the A's competition and on the local blogosphere, the run differential.

   All I will comment on, is that I will take the victory by 1 run performed repeatedly over the occasional 0-14 blow-out any week. Are these stats good indicators of trends? Possibly, but we still have to deal with the reality that when team BA is discussed (and usually the season's numbers are used) the average fan will not get the story of what has happened since the All-Star break. This is also true for run differential. The early season's numbers and today's result don't give an accurate picture as to how good our team has been since the All-Star break.

 In our case, our 2nd half surge is as consistent as year's past. If the trend remains, then we shall probably see our team in the postseason playing the AL East contender in the first round.  

Kruk also mentioned that they continue to lose because they have no pitching; DUH!! Maybe Carlos Lee can come in and pitch a few relief innings.

It was a little warm today, but still a beautiful day for baseball. The crowd was over 30,000 strong, with a ton of kids there. I got to see a C-130 fly over the stadium, and there was no crowd when I drove out of the parking lot in the 7th inning. Considering the score, I'm still in a good mood right now.

The A's have a REAL off day tomorrow (instead of a travel day). I say they should roll out of bed around 11:00, go straight to the golf course, and forget about today. Kotsay should be back (no pun intended), and Joe Kennedy should be ready any time now.

P.S.: Anyone notice on Lookout Landing and Lone Star Ball that after Sunday's win and yesterday's win, the A's just caused TWO fanbases to throw in the towel in the span of 3 days? In early August, no less. I'd call that a successful start to the month.

And the A's haven't been getting blown out or winning by a little against the teams they're likely to face in the playoffs. They've been doing fine.

Look, whether it's New York or Detroit, we'll be an underdog. Run differential won't tell us how big of one. And regardless of run differential, we'll have a very good shot if we pitch well and hit well. We're certainly capable of beating any of these teams. Today's 14-0 loss didn't change that one iota.

It's very simple.

It's a meaningless stat in terms of what in terms of "tangability," but it clearly is an indicator that that the A's have an inefficient offence and have been very fortunate to be 10 games above .500, even though they give up more runs than they themselves score.

With the exception of last year's padres,  there hasn't been a team since 2002 (as far back as I looked) with a negative run differential on today's date that has made the playoffs.  

We had a bad day, it's over, it sucked...but the weather was great (at least in L.A.)
and we're still in 1st place by 3 games.
I LOVE THE MUTHAF#$%IN' OAKLAND A'S, BEYOTCH!!

btw...If I can take a 7 out of 9 but lose the 9th game by 10-15 runs via the shutout, where do I sign up