Buck The Fronx Fombers!
by Nico on Apr 13, 2007 11:22 PM PDT
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PrintGive it up for the kid. Travis Buck with an electric triple, and this time he went the final 90 feet.
How fitting for the game to end with Mienkiewicz desperately firing an offline three-hopper from the seat of his pants, the likes of which we hadn’t seen in a major league game since—well, since Duchscherer did it, with a little more success, in the 8th.
Just before Eric Chavez played hacky-sack with a foul popup before securing it with his bare hand.
Which was long after Danny Haren slipped on another banana peel while delivering a simple pitch.
You’d think it was Friday the 13th or something. This was a fascinating and bizarre game of twists and turns—literally and figuratively—that ended with Brian Bruney grooving an 0-2 pitch to Bobby Kielty right after making him look foolish the pitch before.
Something to watch, apropos of my morning post: Alan Embree struggled tonight for the first time, and it’s worth noting this was Embree’s 7th appearance in a season that is only 12 days old. Not that Geren had a lot of options because his starter reached 100 pitches in the 5th inning. In the end, far from saving his relievers Geren had to use Embree, Marshall, Duchscherer, Calero, and Street to navigate a winnable 11 inning affair. And what a win!
Public Service Announcement: If anyone finds the strike zone, could they please return it to Ed Rapuano? Thank you.
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exclusive video of the t-buck triple
Is it too early to form a TBuck fan club?
And is it unseemly for me to do it, since I'm about 18 years older than him?
Power Rankings
I would like to point out ESPN's Power Rankings. They have the Yankees as number two with a 4-4 record and the comment:
"Alex Rodriguez has more home runs (six) than the Mariners and A's entire teams have combined (five)."
F ESPN and the Yankees.
But, I would also like to propose dumping Crosby and one of our extra pitchers (Loiza/Kennedy/Gaudin) for someone that can play the infield and acually hit. Somebody's got to start hitting. Our pitching isn't going to get any better when E-Lo gets back, but we desperately need to start getting some hits.
by ChucklesSD on Apr 13, 2007 11:27 PM PDT reply actions
Well, what to do when injuries subside?
How long before DJ is returning?
Kotsay?
And do have some pity- KlownPower had knee surgery, right?
Crosby, however . . . I think our lack of hitting may be focused more in the catcher position. Just maybe.
by MobiusKlein on Apr 13, 2007 11:33 PM PDT up reply actions
yankees now 4 and 5
thanks to the A's. How often do the Yankees have a sub .500 record?
by Brian in 317 on Apr 14, 2007 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions
Only very early in the season ..
.. will you find the yankees below .500 ..
by Randy Bell on Apr 14, 2007 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions
Crosby
Crosby is still out-OPSing Kendall by over 100 points.
And that's saying a lot, isn't it? The benchmark
is pretty low for Crosby to make some people happy. Sad......
i still don't understand
why the hell kielty got 2AB against a righty in a critical situation
by J Rod @ Athletics Nation on Apr 13, 2007 11:32 PM PDT reply actions
probably because
Geren did not want to use Bradley tonite and Stewart is right handed anyways...just my guess. I mean at some point he is gonna have to get the chance to hit in those situations even if we as A's fans don't like it.
Nice win baby!!!
Also a factor, I suspect,
is that Stewart was the A's last OFer/1Bman in case either Kielty, Swisher, Buck, or Walker got hurt or you wanted the option to consider a pinch-hitter/pinch-runner later.
And even though kielty hits worse from left side
.. it is still playing the percentages .. a left-handed hitter sees the ball better from a right-handed pitcher and is less likely to strikeout - Kielty didn't do much with his last at-bat but he avoided K'ing and put the ball in play which is pretty much what was needed ..
by Randy Bell on Apr 14, 2007 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions
I shouldn't start
but you can't make a blanket statement like that. So you'd send a left-handed hitting pitcher up there instead of a right-handed hitting Stewart? It is not playing the percentages, IMO, because Kielty is terrible left-handed hitter. He was a foot from grounded into a double play. There was plenty of luck involved in that last play, and while the A's are due for a bit of good luck, they won't win many times with Kielty hitting left-handed in a pressure situation.
by IndianaAsfan on Apr 14, 2007 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions
for crying out loud ..
.. we won the game, and I won't argue with you ..
by Randy Bell on Apr 14, 2007 3:33 PM PDT up reply actions
OK apologize I over-reacted but ..
.. I do think that was Geren's reasoning in letting Kielty get the at-bat rather than Stew, along with what Nico said - that if the A's had to go back out into the field for more innings, Stew was the only backup defensive player available .. sorry for my previous post. ;-) We did win the ballgame and we're all A's fans so let's not quarrel .. my apologies.
by Randy Bell on Apr 14, 2007 3:40 PM PDT up reply actions
And under other circumstances your choice of Stew
.. might be the better one .. I have no problems with that, Stew is a quality hitter .. sorry again for my over-reactive post there - I wish I could delete it! :(
by Randy Bell on Apr 14, 2007 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Been there
done that as well. No worries - we're ultimately on the same side, so all is good. Besides, reasonable minds can differ, but in my experience the whole lefty/righty thing is over played. It just gives the announcers something to talk about.
Enjoy the game tonight - hopefully we can disagree again tomorrow after an A's victory!
by IndianaAsfan on Apr 14, 2007 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Amen about TBuck!
What a balls to the wall play by the young stud! Tonite was about as exciting of a game as you can see.
I agree about Crosby sucking eggs....although the team as a whole needs to start stepping it up. Nice to see Chavvy and Swish go ya-ya tonite and what a job by Duke getting out of that heart attack eight inning!!!
Just really stoked that we pulled it out and go Warriors baby!!!!!!!
Check out the reason for Loiaza being on the DL
Ouch! Awesome game tonight!! Great win! Love TBUCK! SO reminds me of a smarter more talented Byrnsie! Go A's! Beat the Stankees!
by A'sfansince1970 on Apr 13, 2007 11:32 PM PDT reply actions
That's harsh
Loaiza, on the disabled list with a bulging dick in his neck, still hasn't been cleared to throw,
Don't they know its really hard not to gag with a dick in your throat ?
by green star oakland on Apr 13, 2007 11:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Thanks a lot
I just spit water on my keyboard.
by luvsthecurveball on Apr 14, 2007 1:01 AM PDT up reply actions
well heck, going to be ...have been
waiting on sports center to show something but nothing so far....you can't win with espn if you are an a's fan....even on a night they play the yanks.
Saw it...
If you blinked you missed it. If the Yanks won, then it be running nonstop.
by letsgoas on Apr 13, 2007 11:45 PM PDT reply actions
espn
they just showed it.
each espn highlight must now have a "story" and this story was "tough day for mientkiewicz." yes, the crappy 1b who happens to play for the yankees. they didn't even show the t-buck triple.
but chavy #2 on the top plays.
#2??
What the heck was #1???
by gigglingone on Apr 14, 2007 12:17 AM PDT up reply actions
Huh...
If homers were the theme for the night, I'm surprised they didn't have Carlos Lee's three homers at No. 2...
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 14, 2007 6:58 AM PDT up reply actions
except that ..
C Lee isn't vying for the all-time HR record .. heh ..
by Randy Bell on Apr 14, 2007 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions
just got home from the game
wonderful to see the A's offense make an appearance -- of course the Yankees' pitching isn't quite up to what the A's have been facing so far this young season. We were yelling at Chavez to get Piazza home, and he did -- twice!!
good win
This was a nice win to pull out....but I am very concerned with our lack of offense...bullpen is awesome, starting pitching is good, jason kendall needs to go, bobby crosby needs to go, kielty needs to go...anyone with me.... it's like an automatic out every time they are up.... adam melhuse, marco, bring up barton now to play first while swish is in center, bradley is not going to be his self until his hamstring, side, get better...... O ya Cheryl Burke from Dancing with the Stars is going to throw the first pitch @ tommorrows game with Ian 90210 boy...Cheryl is soooooo hotttttt.....she is 22 from menlo park! Sweep of the Yankees is near.....big Joe, then Harden...bring the brooms on Sunday!!!!!!!!
by jaacee007 on Apr 14, 2007 12:21 AM PDT reply actions
Heck of a game
I had a really good time at the game tonight. It's always great to see the A's beat the Yanks. I had LOW expectations tonight, considering the dichotomy between the two teams' offenses, even though we have better pitching. It seemed as though Haren was actually our worst pitcher of the night (besides Embree), and I thought he did a really good job going through the Yankees lineup two and a half times; that's a really tough lineup. It does get much easier after Giambi though.
Anyway, if we can hit two home runs a game from now on, we have a chance! Come on A's, you can do it.
Darrell Rasner:
Rarer Landlers (what's a landler?)
All Rarer Nerds
Learn Lards Err
Re: Lard Snarler (I like it!)
Go A's!
by Philip Christy on Apr 14, 2007 12:29 AM PDT reply actions
Ländler
It's a sort of folk dance from Austria and thereabouts. Ländler melodies are very common in classical music, particularly from composers with Austrian background -- Mozart, Schubert, etc.
Note the dots over the a. Pronunciation sounds like "lendler".
Just got back from the game myself
Overheard in the left-field bleachers:
(As a plastic bag blew onto the field) Hey, there's a Yankee fan on the field! (pause) White trash....
(To a peroxide blonde trash-talking Yankee fan) Say, aren't you from Lodi?
(To Melky Cabrera) Melky, how much is a bus ticket to Columbus these days? I bet you know....(and Melky flinched a little)
We did, however, have one Yankee fan in our section who was somewhat of a good sport and applauded when Swish hit the home run.
It was good to hear the T-Long chant resurrected for T-Buck.
Geesh, that Melky Cabrera one...
...was out of line. It's Scranton now! ;)
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 14, 2007 7:03 AM PDT up reply actions
How ballsy is T-Buck?
From his KIFR interview after the game:
Right when I hit it, I saw it went into the gap and, you know, Damon doesn’t have that strong of an arm, so I figured, you know, why not test him? It was 11th inning, we needed something to get going, and fortunately enough I just had enough speed to beat the throw. (link)
Rookie hits ball, decides to test all-star outfielder by barreling into 3rd in the 11th inning with the game on the line.
Mondo ballacious.
yankee fan?
"Ever since I was little my dad was a big Yankees fan and it kinda rubbed off on me. We loved the Yankees growin’ up"
that's funny
by J Rod @ Athletics Nation on Apr 14, 2007 12:54 AM PDT up reply actions
October in April?
I went tonight with my roommate to scream cathartically and our boys did not disappoint... this was one of the greatest baseball games I have ever seen, with an electric atmosphere that seemed more like the ALCS than the 11th game in the season. The LF bleachers were unreal tonight, with every conceivable percussion instrument making it sound like a cross between Irakere and a sporting event... at one point causing the Yankee fan behind us to exclaim, "They have.... TIMBALES!?!"
The game was, well, sick., just ill. Twists and turns like Lombard Street on 2 hits of Monterey Purple acid. Pay-rod freezing at 3rd, enabling Duke to wiggle out of a death jam like Houdini with a baseball glove. One of the most ridiculous catches you will ever see, Chavez's expression as he flipped the ball into the crowd said it all. Had this been a playoff game it would have been on ESPN Classic by Saturday morning cartoon time. Had the Yankees won it would have been an endless loop on Sportscenter for the whole weekend.
I don't know what to say, you saw what happened. My team gave me the catharsis I so craved tonight... all that was missing was a Friday the 13th black cat in the visiting on-deck circle. What else can you ask for, we won and Chop hit a HR in the middle of a "Yankees Suck!!" chant. That's $44 well spent any day.
Thank you Athletics, for a marvelous evening. Gosh I'd love to put the broom on these clowns, let's see what Country Joe has tomorrow night and take it a step at a time.
by emperor nobody on Apr 14, 2007 12:49 AM PDT reply actions
great post. thanks
What a Great Night
I can hardly talk - just about lost my voice alternately cheering on the A's, yelling at the Skankees, and of course, calling for MARCO - SCUTARO! whenever Crosby came to bat. Others were chanting for Marco as well whenever Bobby came up.... (One girl behind me. Prove me wrong, Bobby! Show us you know how to hit! Then he struck out for the second consecutive time...)
Buck-Mania! No, it is not too early to start the T-Buck fan club. The only thing better than a Buck triple in that situation would have been a quadruple.
Swish homered. Chavez hit a two-run shot. We were waiting for those shots to come from an A's team that couldn't seem to get more than 2 runs on the board. And we beat the mother-yucking Fankees.
Danny Haren pitched well. A LOT of pitches, but he battled. Embree? Not so much. He gave up hits to the first two batters and then a 4 pitch walk. I've seen better.
On to tomorrow. We hope to be using sign language by Sunday night. Go A's!
If you really think Haren pitched well
then your standards are too low. He battled, I'll give you that, but that doesn't constitute pitching well. He'll need to be much better than that. 100 pitches through 5 innings and close to 50/50 ball/strike is below average and gives me the concern that the hip is bothering him more than he is letting on.
by IndianaAsfan on Apr 14, 2007 8:26 AM PDT up reply actions
I too am very concerned
that Haren's hip is bothering him, and that by "pitching through it" he risks injuring other parts. Typical if the A's aren't worrying about that until it happens, only to act as if "Well, couldn't have seen that one coming."
This is officially the game that shall be known..
as: "The One Where the Buck did NOT Stop."
I guess things would have gone much differently if Travis had stopped at second.
Also, emotions were running way too high for an April game. There was some drunken scuffle behind me in section 110 and lots of people were throwing stuff and the security peeps were running around trying to keep people from going crazy. Also, the first caller on Extra Innings reported a lady being hit in the face by an A's fan in the parking lot. I really don't see the need to be fighting over a game! C'mon people, this is a public venue and everyone has the right to say whatever they want. Who cares if Yankees fans or Boston fans come in and yell and holler? You got to be the bigger fan and ignore them and support your own team!
Also, drink responsibly people. Someone barfed on BART and it was not pleasant.
I also noticed
a LOT of drunk people out there tonight. Over in section 233 I could see some near-scuffles, and when I went to the bathroom in the 7th or 8th inning I was practically dodging drunkards. It seemed a bit much.
As someone who used to love to get wasted at baseball games...I am glad I don't anymore. I have many pleasant memories of tonight's game without being drunk.
by Philip Christy on Apr 14, 2007 1:05 AM PDT up reply actions
Man, if Dan Haren and Huston Street...
couldn't get many calls from Ed Rapuano tonite, what will Kentucky Joe Blanton get tomorrow?
Yeesh!
A new umpire?
I heard a rumor they all rotate spots after each game.
Really?
What a novel concept.
by luvsthecurveball on Apr 14, 2007 1:05 AM PDT up reply actions
What would be even better...
Is if our infielders did the same.
Tomorrow: Kendall at 1st, Walker at 2nd, Ellis at short, Crosby at 3rd and Chavez catching.
Can Bobby Crosby
pitch?
by luvsthecurveball on Apr 14, 2007 1:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Absolutely.
But he only throws fastballs. It worked for him in A-ball, and he's not about to start tinkering with his repertoire now.
He already hits like a pitcher,
so why not?
That's one way to get around the bases...
by FormerHuntsvilleStar on Apr 14, 2007 7:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Are you saying...
that Ed Rapu-guano is the only ump who favors the Yanks?
by OaktownRajah on Apr 14, 2007 1:34 AM PDT up reply actions
Just got back
Friday night atmosphere, great win after a tough loss, bombs from employees #3 & 33 erasing a 3 run deficit, Piazza legging it to third on a ball that should have been out (looked like a double and error mister hometown scorer), Buck, Ellis and Kendall not moving an inch until Haren threw it away (even Stairs would hustle in from right on that play), textbook defense doubling up Posada, negativity all around for every Crosby AB, Embree proving why Grady Little didn't pull Pedro, Duke's Houdini, too many Yankee blowhards who aren't exactly knowledgeable, Reggie in a beret(?), concessions still painfully slow, Ken and Vince in the john, knowing that there is no way blue wins the dot race, Wakefield baffling the Angels the day before Schilling's first home start and no Alexis Gomez sightings.
by southofcruiseamerica on Apr 14, 2007 3:20 AM PDT reply actions
Abreu flat out missed the ball ..
.. error all the way .. not a hit .. the ball clanked off his glove ,,
by Randy Bell on Apr 14, 2007 5:33 AM PDT up reply actions
One of the all-time great games
The A's found their bats, the Bronx Bummers were humiliated, and the Bummer fans left in the seventh inning unsure of the outcome.
The A's found their bats, and we learned that the Yankees have their most one-dimensional team in years. They hit singles, and not for power. The struggle with easy defensive plays, and flounder with tough ones. Their outfielders either can't run, can't catch, or can't throw. Their pitching is a joke, and the only strength they have is A-Rod at the plate and the Jeter's defense.
This was the most fun I've had at the Coli since the last ALDS game against the Twinkies.
No way Travis Buck gets sent down now, right?
There isn't any danger of Travis getting sent down once DJ or any other injured player comes back is there?
Please, Billy, can we keep him? CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE???? PLEEEZE we'll take care of him and feed him and we promise he'll be good!
I've seen a few comments so I gotta ask...
How bad was the strike zone last night?
I just say this
the outside corner seemed to exist in the bottom half of innings and would disappear in the top half.
by IndianaAsfan on Apr 14, 2007 8:30 AM PDT up reply actions
i think it was
equally bad for both teams. he didn't really favor the bombers, but he just wasn't consistent. a pitcher might hit a spot with a heater and get the call, then the next pitch is offspeed but right in the same spot and is called a ball. haren did struggle, but there were some pitches that are usually called strikes. all and all he did a good job against a lineup that has to be hard to pitch too. the yankee hitters simply won't swing at corner pitches until the have too, and then they foul about 4 or 5 off. if only the a's could hit like that as well.
I agree--I didn't think the strike zone
was biased so much as utterly confusing and inconsistent. Usually small but occasionally kind of randomly generous.
Travis Buck Haiku
come forth prodigy
emerged nestling swings big sword
the future looks strong
Yank fans whining on ESPN.com blog
Check out all the Yankee fans whining about Doug M and Arod on ESPN.com blog following the story about last night's game.
Damon says Buck is going to learn? Damon hasn't had an arm at anytime in his career. Buck was outstanding and maybe it can rub off..
Time for Suzuki and Scutaro to play.
Go A's
by Morada Mudshark on Apr 14, 2007 8:47 AM PDT reply actions
long ball
At least the A's hit some home runs. Did this game double the team mark on the season?
Remember 6 years ago when it seemed like the A's hit home runs all the time?
yes it did, we have four HRs now ..
Did this game double the team mark on the season?
by Randy Bell on Apr 14, 2007 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions
Same as the Yankees less A-Rod
10 - 6 = 4
And ours are spread out {grin} ..
.. amongst four guys: Piazza, Bradley, Chavez, Swisher
by Randy Bell on Apr 14, 2007 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions
So are theirs
Except for A-Rod, no Yankee has more than 1 HR this year.
close but not quite
MientkiewiCz
Oops, thanks (fixed)
I was as rushed as I was exhausted (ok exhausted/excited). There's a reason I like to call him "Minky".
I said, "Minky,"
not "YOU SUCK!!!!!!"
i think he meant
"close but not quite", but i doubt it'll even be close.
No, he was pointing out
that in the wrap-up I misspelled Minky's name by putting a "t" instead of a "c" before the "z" (forgot the old adage, "t before z, except after 11:00pm").
if i got this straight, FOX is
showing Texas at Seattle today. i can't win.
Why, are you Seattle?
I wish I could be Seattle
Yours truly,
Tampa Bay
by Ray of Lite on Apr 14, 2007 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions
I thought he probably meant
he was hoping to see LAA-BOS. As for tonight, it's a "weather permitting" deal. The OF must already be soaked, as it rained hard this morning (and is still raining, though not as hard). I say if there's a game today, sit Bradley no matter what.
I was just thinking that about
Bradley when I went outside. weather.com says the rain will subside around game time, and it already is a little bit.
well with our late game i
can view it on mlbtv....i thought we had a day game. false alarm.
It's understandable--
if "day" referred to "April-August" where I lived, I'd have made the same mistake.
Hey, don't be cranky.
I realize you just got up from sleeping last night (September-March), but still--we beat the Yankees last night!
the may come when i move
south. and you will look out your window everyday to see my battered campervan parked xross the street and me waving at you.
I thought you were just advertising
the month you'd spend stalking him.
Just in case you guys haven't heard
Pavano scratched today. Darrell Rasner starting
I love Buck.
We need to think of a chant for him.
by iloveoakland on Apr 14, 2007 11:29 AM PDT reply actions
T Buck's triple can be seen
on a link from the A's homepage as well as Chavez's catch and other gems of the night. Buck was clearly safe, but the reaction from ARod was priceless.
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/ind...
by letsgoas on Apr 14, 2007 12:53 PM PDT reply actions
I spat upon Damon's girlie arm
by LawDaddy on Apr 14, 2007 1:10 PM PDT reply actions
If Milton keeps getting injured...
there is no way Travis gets sent down.
Speaking of Ed Rapuano
The home plate umpire in last night's game was the guy who over-ruled Doug Eddings in the infamous A. J. Pierzynski call in the 2005 playoff game between the Angels and White Sox. Home plate ump Eddings signaled an out after Pierzynski whiffed a third strike, and the catcher then rolled the ball back toward the mound. Then Pierzynski took off running for first and Rapuano ruled him safe, saying the catcher didn't catch the ball cleanly.
I'd like to see his bank records.
That guy
has no business umpiring playoff baseball at ANY level, let alone a league championship series.
by IndianaAsfan on Apr 14, 2007 1:31 PM PDT up reply actions
I hope Buck's jaunt reminds people
that whenever Johnny Damon gets ready to field a hit in any part of the outfield, it is absolutely mandatory to take the extra base every time.
Quite possibly the worst throwing OF'er in the history of the game (our own Mr. Stewart high on the list.)
It should be "first to third" on any hit Damon fields, or a mandatory fine!
A blind squirrel
finds a nut every now and then ... not to mention Damon could've handed the ball to third, and Guillen was almost safe anyway.
A blind squirrel found my nuts
two years ago and I'm STILL sore.
analyzing yankee suckage
the pitching is mediocre and uninspired. that's really why they flamed out last year, though people liked to obsess on a-rod's collapse.
anyhow, think about it - yesterday's classic duel with halladay shows who the top-shelf pitchers are. bonderman, oswalt, halladay, santana, dontrelle, king felix, datsuke, what do they all have in common? THEY'RE NOT YANKEES.
Kid'll learn?
Have to love these quotes:
"Nothing was slowing me down, I was going all the way," Buck said. "Damon doesn't really have that good of a throwing arm."
Damon said: "I think he was kind of lucky the ball did bounce off the wall. "He would have been out. He's a young kid. He'll learn."
Face it, Damon, he already has learned ... that you suck at throwing the ball.
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