A group weblog for Oakland A's fans
Friday, July 07, 2006
The BIG Hurt
In the Big Inning...Nick Swisher took a 2 out walk and Frank Thomas said hello then goodbye to a 3-0 Fat pitch. Game over.
The A's are in first place. There is a long way to go, but things are looking good.
In the Big Inning...Nick Swisher took a 2 out walk and Frank Thomas said hello then goodbye to a 3-0 Fat pitch. Game over.
Wash to the Big Hurt: When are you going to do something to help this team win a ball game?
Big Hurt to Wash: Do you like apples?
Wash: sure
Big Hurt: HOW BOUT THEM APPLES! (Then comes the walk in the park, the massive slapping at the plate, the Milton jumping, the helmet slamming, the high fiving of fans, the jog to the clubhouse and the win in the first game of a big 4 gamer with the halos right before the all star break)
The A's are in first place. There is a long way to go, but things are looking good.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Playoff Quality Baseball
On Monday, the A's opened a 3 game series with the team with the best record in baseball, the Detroit Tigers. I have had tickets to the first 2 games of this series since about April. A friend from Tucson is a big Tigers fan, and his brother, father and him went to the 2 games with my wife and I. It was playoff quality baseball, with both games hinging on single plays. On monday that single play was Jay Payton's 3 run homer. Yesterday, that play was Jay Payton's 2 out single and Bobby Crosby's collision at the plate to win the game. Yesterday's game ended 2-1, and was ever so tight throughout. The Tigers sent 3 pitchers to the mound, who all threw a lot harder than any of the A's pitchers. Zumaya hit 102 on the gun. There were some things the A's were doing better out there though. The Tigers fattest player, Shelton, got thrown out trying to steal 2nd, and then their backup catcher, Vance Wilson, got picked off first by Kiko Calero. Two outs on the bases for the Tigers, none for the A's.
Vance Wilson did not have a stellar game out there on the Fourth of July. This game was so tight, that any mistake was going to be big. The Tigers starter, Verlander, walked 2, Haren walked none. Their final pitcher, Rodney, walked 2 to get the winning run into scoring position, and then Payton's big hit scored the winning run. To end the game, it was Vance Wilson getting bowled over by Crosby.
That last play of the game, I would have rather had pudge in there, I saw Pudge hold the ball on a colision in the last playoff game Giants vs Marlins in 2003, and JT Snow whose dad Jack played for the Rams, was rounding third with the tying run in the 9th inning. JT went into Pudge hard and Pudge flew on his back, but after he landed he thrust the ball in the air, and the Marlins had won the game and the series. I can't say for sure, but I have a feeling pudge would have made that play. But what are you going to do? Catchers need rest. They were good games, I hope to see you up here in the playoffs. If the season ended today, it would be Tigers/A's in the first round. There were no errors in either game, but the A's just played a little better. My friends were crushed that they came to see their favorite team, with the best record in baseball, lose 2 in a row to the A's. But they are not A's fans. They didn't know how great this team can be. The A's record is not the best in baseball right now, but we know they have had many injuries and for at least these 2 games, they were better.
On Monday, the A's opened a 3 game series with the team with the best record in baseball, the Detroit Tigers. I have had tickets to the first 2 games of this series since about April. A friend from Tucson is a big Tigers fan, and his brother, father and him went to the 2 games with my wife and I. It was playoff quality baseball, with both games hinging on single plays. On monday that single play was Jay Payton's 3 run homer. Yesterday, that play was Jay Payton's 2 out single and Bobby Crosby's collision at the plate to win the game. Yesterday's game ended 2-1, and was ever so tight throughout. The Tigers sent 3 pitchers to the mound, who all threw a lot harder than any of the A's pitchers. Zumaya hit 102 on the gun. There were some things the A's were doing better out there though. The Tigers fattest player, Shelton, got thrown out trying to steal 2nd, and then their backup catcher, Vance Wilson, got picked off first by Kiko Calero. Two outs on the bases for the Tigers, none for the A's.
Vance Wilson did not have a stellar game out there on the Fourth of July. This game was so tight, that any mistake was going to be big. The Tigers starter, Verlander, walked 2, Haren walked none. Their final pitcher, Rodney, walked 2 to get the winning run into scoring position, and then Payton's big hit scored the winning run. To end the game, it was Vance Wilson getting bowled over by Crosby.
That last play of the game, I would have rather had pudge in there, I saw Pudge hold the ball on a colision in the last playoff game Giants vs Marlins in 2003, and JT Snow whose dad Jack played for the Rams, was rounding third with the tying run in the 9th inning. JT went into Pudge hard and Pudge flew on his back, but after he landed he thrust the ball in the air, and the Marlins had won the game and the series. I can't say for sure, but I have a feeling pudge would have made that play. But what are you going to do? Catchers need rest. They were good games, I hope to see you up here in the playoffs. If the season ended today, it would be Tigers/A's in the first round. There were no errors in either game, but the A's just played a little better. My friends were crushed that they came to see their favorite team, with the best record in baseball, lose 2 in a row to the A's. But they are not A's fans. They didn't know how great this team can be. The A's record is not the best in baseball right now, but we know they have had many injuries and for at least these 2 games, they were better.
