tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56464292011-10-11T08:41:12.972-07:00Barry Zito ForeverA group weblog for Oakland A's fansMatt Brucenoreply@blogger.comBlogger6751100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-75951247817540907922008-08-02T21:36:00.000-07:002008-08-08T20:51:30.510-07:00Maybe you can go home againI was flipping around tonight, and I saw the Giants were on. Zito was pitching against the Padres. It was the 4th inning and he looked to have good stuff. He looked to have phenomenal stuff. I used to post to this site almost daily for years, when Zito left the A's I let it sit. I haven't posted in over a year and haven't posted about Barry since march 07. This Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-33946218782422391252007-06-21T19:59:00.000-07:002007-06-21T20:06:04.164-07:00A Punch in the GutI remember in the offseason after 2002, when Billy Koch was traded, it felt to me like a punch in the gut. I remember thinking, "Koch was so great last year, how could we trade him???" And then Keith Foulke followed with the year all closers will always dream of having. I think Keith Foulke had the best year a closer ever had that year. He was just perfect. Today I feel likeMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-89149291308436774182007-05-14T11:35:00.000-07:002007-05-14T11:38:03.347-07:00Barry Zito PhotographyThese photos may be of interest to anyone whose fandom of Barry Zito extends beyond being an A's fan.While I'm here, this is as good a chance as any to start a comment thread about seeing Zito on the other team Friday night. I'll be there, and will cheer him. (I cheered Tejada on his return, booed Giambi. Whether this is logically consistent is an exercise for the reader.)Matt Brucenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1176331439670038292007-04-11T11:21:00.000-07:002007-04-11T15:43:59.736-07:00A Comeback Win in the Bottom of the 9th!There is no bigger victory than one in the bottom of the 9th. With the A's down 1-0, the bottom went hit, hit, pop out, strike out, GAME TYING SINGLE BY TODD WALKER, Intentional walk to a rookie, GAME WINNING DOUBLE BY MAKE ELLIS.The pivotal plays both involved Posednik in LF for the White Sox. With the game tying run at 2b with 2 outs, Walker hit a Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1173581130938642752007-03-10T18:39:00.000-08:002007-03-10T18:45:30.956-08:00Barry has Barry's BackHere we go, first blog post of the new year. Barry Zito is on the Giants now. Maybe the people reading the blog will change from A's fans to Giants fans? I have found that I am still a huge Barry Zito fan. The newest news from Zito, is that he says he has Barry Bond's Back. Read here: http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070309&content_id=1835084&Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1167433001961095412006-12-29T14:53:00.000-08:002006-12-29T14:56:41.986-08:00The Morning AfterIn the Posideon Adventure, which scared the crap out of me as a 7 year old when I watched it, the people on this huge ship are trying to stay alive after it flipped. People are dying all over the place, but eventually a few make it out alive. Then they sing "the Morning After." There's got to be a morning after. Somehow things can get better.Today is the morning after my Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1162605535468903612006-11-03T17:43:00.000-08:002006-11-03T21:43:03.276-08:00This is the EndLast night my wife and I went to a Buddist meditation class. The teacher talked about "the Equality of Self", the idea that I think "me" is the real self, but to someone else I am "other" and they are self. He talked about how if we treat everyone as important and understand that everyone wants to be happy, we will learn to treat people better. I believe that. I get really mad Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1161112248630637892006-10-17T12:02:00.000-07:002006-10-17T12:10:48.760-07:00How are we going to keep Zito?This is the question I have been pondering for a few days now. Is there any chance at all? My hope was the A's would have won the WS this year and the excitement of it all would have made A's management and Zito and his agent decide they'd like to try again. But this year ended on a sour note, when the A's got swept.When you can pay Blanton and Haren less than a Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1160248825074976422006-10-07T12:05:00.000-07:002006-10-07T12:20:25.096-07:00The Curse is Over?This is the headline of today's sports section of the Chronicle. There's a curse? What unlucky thing did we do to start the curse? They talked about the Red Sox being cursed from 1918. 86 years. Our curse was very short by comparison, only 6 years. And our curse was what? Failing to win the clinching game of the first round of the playoffs. Again much smaller in Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1159854724161270882006-10-02T22:25:00.000-07:002006-10-02T22:52:04.206-07:00Barry Zito ForeverIt is the eve of perhaps the last start in Barry Zito's career for the A's. He is up against Johan Santana. Most of the experts pick the Twins in this series. I predict a big game from Barry tomorrow. And if there is a big game from Barry tomorrow, the whole complexion of the series changes. The A's really need just one of these first 2 games. Get us back to Oakland 1-1 Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1159684378648209072006-09-30T23:26:00.000-07:002006-09-30T23:32:58.666-07:00Saturday Night in Portland, MaineTonight I am in Portland, Maine, on a business trip. I went to downtown Portland looking for a sports bar with the A's game on. No luck. The only thing I could find was Buster Olney on Baseball Tonight. I could have gotten that at my hotel room. They kept flashing up A's scores, 7-6 Angels in the 7th it said. Then 7-6 Angels in the 9th, then 7-6 Angels Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1158897878385254972006-09-21T20:44:00.000-07:002006-09-21T21:04:38.450-07:00Could it get any better?Sometimes I wonder if I live in the best of all possible baseball worlds. Today Harden came off the DL and fanned 7 in 3 innings. If you look at the math, he faced 12 guys, got 9 of them out, walked one, 2 got hits. One of the hits was a homer, so he gave up a run. But more than half of them STRUCK OUT! 55 pitches and he was out of there. I would be in favor of Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1158769747399454612006-09-20T09:21:00.000-07:002006-09-20T09:39:02.206-07:00Carrot Top Hit a Grand SalamiLast night I watched the first 4 innings in the owners box, thanks to Santa Clara Rotary. It was great, but then one of the members asked my wife and I if we would like to go sit behind the dugout. Are you kidding me? I was watching from the 5th on with my hands on the A's dugout!! I was in Lew Wolff's row with his family! It was the greatest thing ever. As the Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1158538499576903122006-09-17T17:14:00.000-07:002006-09-17T17:14:59.596-07:00OATPARP!A friend and I have been arguing about the relative worth of Jason Kendall. Jason Kendall is a very unusual player. A catcher who bats leadoff, a player with very little home run potential, a player who gets hit a lot, the best player in baseball batting with 2 strikes, he calls a great game...But I argue what makes him GREAT is his OATPARP. "Outs at the Plate Above Replacement Player"Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1158178197496161952006-09-13T12:56:00.000-07:002006-09-13T13:09:57.523-07:00Ca-CHUNK!Just seconds ago, I watched on mlb.com's gameday, the Twins last batter hit a grounder to Scutaro to end the game. A's win 1-0. And just like that, their 2 game losing streak is over and they have won their first game this year in the Metrodome.Haren appeared to be dealing today, as I watched while eating my steak fajitas at Una Mas. Then they decided to go with Street in the 9th. I Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1158004560297656602006-09-11T12:51:00.000-07:002006-09-11T12:56:00.316-07:00Gettin the Hell outa TampaThe A's weekend series went 8-6, 6-9, 9-7. They won 2 and lost 1, but it was not a pretty series at all. Our seemingly awesome pitching staff ran into a bunch of Devil Rays swinging hard and hitting hard. It seemed like someone was scoring every inning all weekend. Huston Street got 2 saves but didn't look any better than any of the other A's pitchers out there. Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1157746782792477042006-09-08T13:07:00.000-07:002006-09-08T13:19:42.810-07:00The Pennant RaceThis is it. The pennant race is here. I don't know when the official pennant racing started but it is September and it is definitely here now. 5.5 up with 23 to go. Too tight for my tastes, I'd like to be 10 games up at this point. But maybe the tightness is what makes great baseball. 3 at Tampa starting in a few hours. The Angels play the Blue Jays. I am almost ready to Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1157049073388723322006-08-31T11:19:00.000-07:002006-09-08T13:07:48.206-07:00The Isle of Misfit ToysI know the A's could tank, but my point is assuming they dont tank, I dont want to hear about the playoffs being a crapshoot. I dont think it is a crapshoot, but there is luck involved. Maybe it is more like poker.So how we gonna win it all? I think the way to do it is figure out the weakness of the other teams. The management needs to take a big role in this, but guys Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1157000074916063732006-08-30T21:43:00.000-07:002006-08-30T21:54:34.933-07:00Tightrope Walking with No NetBarry Zito won his 15th game today as the A's finished a sweep of the Red Sox. Without Manny, Papa, Veritek and Nixon, this team doesn't have its usual bite, but the A's are steamrolling everyone. 6th time in 7 years they have won at least 20 in August. That is amazing. I was at the game last night and out of all the great plays and hits, maybe the greatest thing Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1156873570707039292006-08-29T10:34:00.000-07:002006-08-29T10:46:10.726-07:00Planning for the EndgameThere are 31 games to go for the A's. They are 6 and a half games up. It is not a big enough lead to be thinking about the playoffs yet, but I am. I am thinking, if the A's can just win 20 of 31, they will be just about assured of a playoff spot. So let's say they can do that, then what? A crap shoot? I don't think that's the way to win a playoff series, to act like Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1156455415503056842006-08-24T14:33:00.000-07:002006-08-24T14:36:55.540-07:00Loaiza!Last night Esteban Loaiza pitched a complete game shutout! That was the sort of thing the A's were looking for when they got him. Wow. So the A's get 2 of 3 in Toronto and get outa town. Monday they came back from an 8-0 deficit to win 12-10. I couldn't believe when I got home monday night, it was 8-7 Jays, and the starter, Haren was still in there. Even the game they lost, they Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1155841486825576992006-08-17T12:00:00.000-07:002006-08-17T12:04:46.840-07:00Scutaro!How about Marco Scutaro? This guy is just awesome. He doesn't get to play unless someone is hurt, and then he comes in and does his thing, and his thing rocks! They A's have rather quietly gone 16-3 in their last 19, with Crosby and Harden on the DL. Who would have thought the A's could go on such a run with these 2 out?Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1155749683165568322006-08-16T10:24:00.000-07:002006-08-16T10:34:43.223-07:00A's kept a Rollin'Last night the A's beat the Mariners for the 14th straight time. The A's are 9-1 in their last 10. The hot streak I was expecting in July was a little late, but here it is. 5 and a half up with a month and a half to play. Saarloos made a good case for being the #5 starter last night with a fine performance. I don't mind the A's plan for Halsey to get some #5 starts too. Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1155154913890676572006-08-09T13:12:00.000-07:002006-08-09T13:21:54.016-07:00When Magic Filled the AirMine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dearHow years ago in days of old when magic filled the airWhen the A's won 20 in a row in 2002, it was magical. In my last post I was contemplating the idea that maybe there is no magic with the Oakland A's. Well last night changed my mind. Magic filled the air. The A's got 2 insurance runs in the bottom of the 8th, Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1155061716749391272006-08-08T11:20:00.000-07:002006-08-08T11:28:38.110-07:00Looking for Magic when Maybe there is no MagicThe A's have been winning a lot lately. They are 10 games over .500 which I think is the best they have been this season. Yesterday they won a game that Loaiza started. He pitched well. If he can reel off a bunch of wins like that, the A's oughta be in good shape. In past years I was sure the A's were the best. This year I am only sure that theyMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1154408526709923322006-07-31T21:48:00.000-07:002006-07-31T22:02:06.793-07:00Lookie there! After an eternity of posting and thinking I am writing and reading my own writing only for my own amusement, Matt makes a post. It was good and fun to read, almost as entertaining as tonight's game. Tonight the A's won 3-1, and although it was only 1 win, it was big. Haren pitched a complete game, and Milton hit another big homer. Beat the Angels about 5 more times in a row andMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1154324802317030422006-07-30T22:44:00.000-07:002006-07-30T22:46:42.330-07:00Common Misconception of the DayMYTH: "[Milton] Bradley hit a three-run shot for his first career walkoff home run after Toronto rallied in the top of the ninth, lifting the A's to a 6-5 victory over the Blue Jays on Sunday." --game recapFACT: Bradley's walkoff grand slam won the 1999 Easern League championship for the Harrisburg Senators. Game 5 of a five-game series, two outs, bottom of the Matt Brucenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1153848311230230912006-07-25T10:14:00.000-07:002006-07-25T10:25:11.320-07:00Barry Zito for a Little While LongerThis year again, Barry Zito is the subject of trade rumors. I was always psyched about the blog name Barry Zito Forever, it has a mystical quality to it. But of course Barry won't play for the A's forever, won't play forever, won't even live forever. It is more of a metaphor than a reality. Still the idea of him pitching with someone else's uniform on fillsMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1153368857997598012006-07-19T21:03:00.000-07:002006-07-25T10:14:01.943-07:00New Format for the All Star GameI have an idea for a new format for the all star game. It could be all the players with Z in their last names vs all the Z-less players. Barry Zito would pitch for the Z's, Ramon Hernandez could catch, David Ortiz would play first for the Z's. Sanchez at short, ARod at 3rd. Maybe Pedro Feliz or Eric Chavez could get in there at 2b, Ichiro Suzuki could play Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1152640554240837302006-07-11T10:49:00.000-07:002006-07-11T10:55:54.376-07:00The Home Run DerbyLast night was the home run derby on the night before the all star game. It is a show. ESPN seems to think there is some legitimacy to it. They have kids in the outfield getting terrible reads on easy pop flies and overrunning them. I wish I could be out there running around, I could show those kids how to catch a fly ball. Who gets to be out there anyway? During one Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1152302690899968262006-07-07T13:00:00.000-07:002006-07-07T13:04:50.953-07:00The BIG HurtIn 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: sureBig Hurt: HOW BOUT THEM APPLES! (Then comes the walk in the park, the massive slapping at the plate, the Milton jumping, Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1152127200390239912006-07-05T11:45:00.000-07:002006-07-05T17:51:30.960-07:00Playoff Quality BaseballOn 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.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1151371106191960072006-06-26T18:14:00.000-07:002006-06-29T02:37:09.096-07:0013 out of the last 16I guess since the 10 in a row, the A's lost 2 of 3 to the Rockies, then took 2 of 3 from the Giants. They stole one from the Giants and then gave one back. That's ok though, even though Street blew the save on saturday, it doesn't dim the shine of his greatness very much. He throws nasty stuff all the time. Sometimes you just get beat. Duchscherer is back, and Ellis is Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1150737669557729452006-06-19T10:08:00.000-07:002006-06-19T10:21:09.646-07:0010 in a ROW!Well, the streak has reached double digits. 10 in a row, with Harden, Duchscherer Thomas, Kotsay, Bradley and Ellis all injured to some extent. 6 of the more important pieces of the 2006 A's squad down, and they win 10 in a row. I don't mind seeing Melhuse and Scutaro out there. It is a funny life for those guys, they sit for weeks or months getting very little playing time but Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1150478155069480052006-06-16T10:03:00.000-07:002006-06-19T10:08:16.130-07:008 Wins in a Row!The A's are back in first place. They have won 8 in a row. Flying high again. I thought to commemorate this acheivement we could return to the thrilling days of yesteryear.The Year was 2002, the date was September 4th. The A's were playing the KC Royals and it was a monday, and it was a sellout. The A's jumped off to an 11-0 lead, but the Royals came back and tied it at 11. Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1150241211967797452006-06-13T16:22:00.000-07:002006-06-13T22:21:20.186-07:00The Best Road Trip EVER???The A's just finished a road trip winning 2 of 3 in Cleveland and Sweeping NY in NY. I wonder if this could rank up there as the best road trip in A's history? When have they ever been THAT good in a stretch against teams which have for the last few years handed them painful defeat after defeat? It all started with the game Tuesday night where Zito wouldn't come out Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1149696490844576832006-06-07T09:07:00.000-07:002006-06-07T09:08:10.930-07:00In the Beginning?Or as it says in the Bible, "In the big inning." I have posted here countless times in the last few years about the magic of the Oakland A's. How in the second half of the season they just dominate. Last night's game coupled with saturday's game may be a glimpse of the greatness I know this team has. As I drove home from work last night, here is the scenario I was listening to Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1149383359565410692006-06-03T17:57:00.000-07:002006-06-03T18:09:19.576-07:00A Parade of ClownsI went to the game today. A's win in sun-drenched Oakland 2-1. It was a game that could have easily slipped away. Haren threw 122 pitches, the last one produced a grounder to chavvy to get him out of the 6th. Curt Young went out there in the 6th and I guess he told him something like, "we've got 5 pitchers on the dl, as soon as we take you out, we start putting in aaa guys, Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1149021201956631762006-05-30T13:31:00.000-07:002006-05-30T13:33:21.973-07:00Not Winning Right NowThe A's are not winning much lately. They have sunk to 5 games under .500. But it still may and last year they got to 15 games under before turning it on. They are a streaky team. I think the catalyst for getting the A's on track is Rich Harden. The whole team picks it up when that guy is pitching once every 5 days. Getting Duchscherer off the DL would help too.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1147907735197242152006-05-17T16:11:00.000-07:002006-05-17T16:15:35.210-07:00Adam Melhuse is Raking Right NowLast night we went to the game. When Melhuse got up, I thought, hmm, Melhuse is catching. But the next batter was Kendall!?!?! So then I figured it out, Melhuse is the DH. And he hit a grand slam and a ringing double while DH-ing. Then I thought about the issues with having both your catchers in the lineup, one as dh. The issue is, if your catcher who is Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1147467514054185952006-05-12T13:57:00.000-07:002006-05-12T13:58:34.073-07:00Cheechoo, meet SwisherMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1147195433498579012006-05-09T09:22:00.000-07:002006-05-09T10:23:53.706-07:00Retiring EarlyThe A's are so young that the idea of retirement might seem foreign to a lot of them. But certainly a guy like Jeff Fassero, who just got released by the Giants and is 40, is thinking about it. I am 40, and I am thinking about retiring from my mens league baseball team too. The injuries start to mount, you realize you have lost a step. The soreness after a game is more every Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1146516292005514042006-05-01T13:42:00.000-07:002006-05-01T13:44:52.396-07:00I Hate InjuriesI especially hate injurie to the A's. Rich Harden being out 4 to 8 weeks totally sucks. But I would go so far as to say I dont want even players I hate to be injured. I want to see the A's beat the Yankees with all their big guns in the lineup. I don't want to beat a team with a bunch of guys on the DL. I mean I'd rather beat a team with a bunch of guys on the DL than lose to Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1145936320972623222006-04-24T20:33:00.000-07:002006-04-24T20:38:40.986-07:00And then there was DukeWith Huston Street on the shelf, Justin Duchscherer picked up his first save of the year tonight. Although he blew one a couple days ago, he can do this job. Chavvy and Swisher went back to back. Both of them are amongst the league leaders in home runs. I can't believe I just wrote that but there it is. I get tired of trying to explain to everyone how great the A's areMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1145137422481100452006-04-15T14:36:00.000-07:002006-04-15T14:43:42.490-07:00A loss but a good Zito outingThe A's lost last night 6-3, Zito gave up 5. By looking at the box score you might not see the whole story though. Zito gave up 2 in the 2nd and 3 in the 4th, and was very close to being pulled early. But he found it. In the first 4 innings his fastball was up, his curve was almost sailing over Kendall..he was struggling mightily out there. But then something Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1144909974409874672006-04-12T23:30:00.000-07:002006-04-12T23:32:54.420-07:00Another Close Loss to the TwinsLast night the Twins had their opener at the Metrodome. They painted a big 34 in centerfield for Kirby Puckett. It was sad and sweet and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes. It was fitting that the Twins won the opener, but tonight I was rooting hard for the A's and Loaiza. But they lost another close one 6-5. Ray Fosse said you gotta win theMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1144357627805368722006-04-06T14:04:00.000-07:002006-04-06T14:07:07.823-07:00Flying High AgainLast night the A's put a 5-spot bitch slap on the Yankees in the bottom of the 8th. Milton Bradley led off with a triple, Cano kicked one, the flood gates opened and the the Big Hurt hurt big with a bases clearing double. Huston Street, who had been warming up, sat back down. In all the games I have seen Bradley and Thomas in, I have never seen them smiling as much as they Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1144269210398993172006-04-05T13:27:00.000-07:002006-04-05T13:33:30.416-07:00That's More Like It!The A's rebounded from a bad opening night to have a great 2nd game, beating the Yankees 4-3. Huston Street got the win. Scutaro (Mr Clutch) got the game winning hit in the bottom of the 9th! Is there a more valuable backup infielder than Scutaro?? Crosby goes down, and Scutaro goes in. Crosby is great, but Scutaro is a great fill-in too. It is hard to believe that was Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1144171978123253092006-04-04T10:30:00.000-07:002006-04-04T10:33:04.836-07:00A Bump on the Road to 120 WinsWell I went to last night's opening night. The crowd was buzzing, the skies had cleared, the field looked great, the Yankees were in town. It was electric. Then Zito couldn't get out of the 2nd inning. And I realized the A's haven't won anything yet in 2006, and all the hype in the world couldn't help me with the score which was 11-1 Yankees when we left. Of Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1143946002034065912006-04-01T18:34:00.000-08:002006-04-01T18:46:42.046-08:00A is for AddictLast night the A's/Giants game was on Bay Area TV. They had Wash on the mic. Wash on the mic is just a constant stream of brilliance. He was talking about the bunt play, and talked abouthow and why Haren showed bunt and then swung. I know there are other things to do in life and that watching baseball on TV isn't the most productive use of my precious time, but I just loved theMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1141753368692703682006-03-07T09:33:00.000-08:002006-03-07T09:42:48.756-08:00Kirby Puckett, the Most Popular Player in Minnesota Twins HistoryKirby Puckett was my favorite player from about 1984 when he came up until he retired. He was the most popular player in Twins history. No question. I started vending at the Metrodome in 1984. At the start of the season they had another starting center fielder, but by the all star break, the starting center fielder was Kirby Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1141420096709174832006-03-03T13:06:00.000-08:002006-03-03T13:08:16.720-08:00The A's First Game of Spring TrainingIn the A's first game of spring training, Mark Ellis and Bobby Crosby went yard. Ellis' was a grand salami and Crosby's was a tape measure shot, maybe 450 feet. The season is long and the results of spring training don't count, but when your team's starting ss and 2b hit bombs on the first day of spring baseball, you can't help but think it is a good sign.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1141149709957468832006-02-28T09:53:00.000-08:002006-02-28T10:01:50.020-08:00Should we still hate the Yankees?There is a great story at ESPN by Bob Klapisch about Johnny Damon joining the Yankees. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=klapisch_bob&id=2346510I have hated the Yankees so long it is hard for me to do anything else. My feeling towards them is probably like some feelings neighbors have for eachother in the Middle East. The Yankees have never Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1140454500955307342006-02-20T08:48:00.000-08:002006-02-20T08:55:01.370-08:00Jay Payton Wants More Playing Time!I have read a few places that Jay Payton isn't happy about being the A's 4th outfielder. I think he will get plenty of playing time, between Kotsay's back, and other injuries, he may get the most ABs of a 4th OF in baseball. Here's how I'd like to see the A's work it: Kotsay gets 2 games off per week. Thomas gets 3 games off per week, these days off are Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1139246397108757822006-02-06T09:16:00.000-08:002006-02-06T09:20:55.523-08:00Oakland A's player on Superbowl commercialThere was a flashy commercial for ESPN mobile during the Superbowl yesterday which had the premise of it being that if you had ESPN on your phone you'd be in sports heaven. There were athletes throughout the commercial walking around in a city. And one of them was a member of the A's. It shot by quickly though so it was pretty hard to tell who it was.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1138597836333536642006-01-29T21:01:00.000-08:002006-01-29T21:10:36.373-08:00A's Fever at an All Time HighEvery baseball fan I know has A's fever right now. I am trying to figure out how to get to Phoenix for some spring training cause I can't wait until April. If you are reading this, you probably already know baseball is great. But did you know it is greater than ever? I don't have a really great reason to be more excited than ever about this coming season. Or do Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1138510819337233132006-01-28T19:39:00.000-08:002006-01-28T21:00:19.436-08:00Ellis signed to two-year extensionSecond baseman Mark Ellis, the last of the A's arbitration-eligible players who had not yet been signed for 2006, agreed to a two-year extension with $6M. The contract will pay him $2.25M this year, $3.5M next year, and $5M if the team picks up an option on him for 2008, otherwise a $250,000 buyout. This seems like a good deal for the A's, considering Ellis was Joonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1138231726720870902006-01-25T15:25:00.000-08:002006-01-25T15:29:23.830-08:00Whup, there is it!The A's signed Frank Thomas today. Let the shooting of the moon commence. The Q of spades has been acquired. Except for this Q has a big bat. And he is an injury risk, which means he may turn out more like the Ron Gant or David Justice pickup than the final piece to the puzzle of this year. But we sure can hope. My hopes for other years have been high, but this team is Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1136501672996723162006-01-05T14:35:00.000-08:002006-01-05T14:54:33.066-08:00Happy New Year 2006Well, we made it to 2006. Barry Zito and me I mean. Together wearing our green and gold to the Coliseum. Only this time with neither of us sitting in the upper deck unless it is a really big game. And all my other green and gold buddies will be there too, except Bill King, who I will miss terribly. There has been talk of changing the name of this blog to Rich Harden Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1135223994821369962005-12-21T19:35:00.000-08:002005-12-28T22:40:14.766-08:00A couple of baseball quotes from 2005It seems like it is raining every day now. But spring will come and they will be playing baseball again soon. In this post I would like to dissect 2 quotes. Both of which I read in print, and can't guarantee the accuracy. If they are real, I think they have some interesting consequences. Here is a quote from Tony LaRussa concerning David Eckstein:"David Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1134769164006697982005-12-16T13:30:00.000-08:002005-12-20T09:45:53.083-08:00Shoot the Moon!In the card game called Hearts, the object is to not have any hearts at the end of the game. Players are dealt all the cards then lay down one card each in a round and the highest card takes the trick. When you don't have a certain suit, you can lay down a heart, getting rid of it. There is one trick you can pull though, if you get ALL the hearts and the Q of spades, everyone Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1134518512473935992005-12-13T16:00:00.000-08:002005-12-13T16:01:52.486-08:00Milton Bradley!Bradley and Perez for Ethier.I really really love this deal. I confess that this is largely because Bradley is one of my favorite players, dating back to his time in Cleveland, but the guy can play defense, gets on base, switch-hits, and has some power. I'm not sold on Ethier; guys who have a breakout year in the Texas league at age 24 are always suspect. And Perez is a great Mike Develinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02600406379883988812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1133898762743995352005-12-06T11:46:00.000-08:002005-12-06T14:11:11.363-08:00Who could the A's get?At mlb.com there is a nifty site which lets you look up all free agents by position. I looked up all outfielders, and tried to figure out which one the A's might like to have. Johnny Damon is there, but he is going to want a lot of money. And right now the A's have a cf. Not saying it can't be done, but Damon returning to Oakland looks unlikely.There are a whole bunch ofMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1133891861816231892005-12-06T09:39:00.000-08:002005-12-06T09:57:41.990-08:00Apparently, you can never have too much pitchingOn the first day of the winter meetings, the A's traded a PTBNL to Toronto for AAA right-handed Chad Gaudin. Gaudin seems like he's been around for a while (he was came up with the Devil Rays in 2003), but he's still just 22 and provides yet more insurance in the rotation. Depending on who the PTBNL is, this looks like a nifty pickup.Joonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1133569701951086922005-12-02T16:25:00.000-08:002005-12-02T16:28:21.963-08:00Does the Marlins Fire Sale effect the A's?It appears the Marlins are cutting payroll fast. The one guy on their team I would like to see on the A's next year is Miguel Cabrerra. Is there any possible way that can happen involving a trade with Barry Zito? I don't want to move Barry, but if we do, I would like Miguel Cabrerra. The problem is, he is young productive and cheap, he's probably the Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1133241789109739162005-11-28T21:15:00.000-08:002005-11-28T21:23:09.123-08:00Barry Zito on the way out?The pickup of Loaiza does make it look like Zito might be on the way out. I love Barry Zito. I'll still root for the A's if Zito is traded. But I dont want to do it. Barry Zito has never been on the DL. Barry Zito is better than his numbers. Barry Zito is a leader. Barry Zito is my favorite player, and it seems like it should be Barry Zito jumping up and down Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1133215282679612242005-11-28T13:45:00.000-08:002005-11-28T14:01:22.783-08:00Esteban Loaiza?Well, the rumors are flying that the A's have signed free-agent pitcher Esteban Loaiza to a three-year contract worth $21 million. This is, quite frankly, a bizarre move. Not only are the A's not usually players in the mid-level free agent market (a fact for which I've often been grateful in the past, given the way teams throw money at mediocre veterans), but this does nothing to Joonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1133147042868954432005-11-27T19:00:00.000-08:002005-11-27T19:04:02.880-08:00Who could the A's get this offseason?In various places I have been seeing speculation on who the A's could get for next year. I've seen Mike Piazza mentioned, Sammy Sosa, the whole outfield of the Cincinnati Reds. But this may be the quietest offseason of the last 5 years. Mainly the A's just need to get older and stay healthy. Crosby or Johnson may just turn into that big bat they need. If Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1132609609932176222005-11-21T13:33:00.000-08:002005-11-21T13:46:49.980-08:00Queens of the Stoneage and Nine Inch NailsSaturday night my wife and I went to the Oakland Arena to see Queens of the Stoneage and Nine Inch Nails. It was a rock show and it was good. The names of the bands even sound pretty rock. We parked the same place we always park to go to A's games. There were a few people there with A's stuff on, but a lot more of them looked goth. Lots of piercings Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1131397811758668302005-11-07T13:01:00.000-08:002005-11-07T13:10:11.796-08:00Huston Street: Rookie of the YearWe've known it since about July, but now it's official: Huston Street is the AL's top rookie for 2005. Street beat out Robinson Cano and Jonny Gomes to take ROY honors after a fabulous season in which he pitched 78 innings with a 1.72 ERA, second-best among relievers to Mariano Rivera. The award is the second straight for Oakland, after Bobby Crosby won in 2004 inJoonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1130931182804763042005-11-02T03:27:00.000-08:002005-11-02T03:33:02.820-08:00Witasick coming back; Perry in as hitting coachThe A's made their first real player move of the offseason today, re-signing Jay Witasick to a 2-year contract worth $2.75M, with a club option for the third year for $1.75M.Maybe it's the #45 on his jersey, but Witasick just reminds me too much of Jim Mecir -- maybe okay stats, but you don't want him in there in a close game. Last year I just never Mike Develinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02600406379883988812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1130799174657556922005-10-31T14:45:00.000-08:002005-10-31T15:02:00.056-08:00The Last Days of Ty CobbTy Cobb is a very interesting character of baseball history. He was the first inductee into the Hall of Fame and was voted by sportswriters as the greatest player of the first half of the 20th century. At the end of the twentieth century, Babe Ruth was voted the best player of the first half of the 20th century, although neither player played from 1950 to 1999. Ty Cobb Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1130435490080123782005-10-27T10:13:00.000-07:002005-10-28T23:28:36.153-07:00Long Live the American LeagueStarting this World Series, I figured I needed to pick a team to root for. I picked the White Sox, but not by very much. The Astros are a fun team, which hadn't played in the WS for a while. But deep down, I am a fan of the American League. I have lived in Minneapolis and Seattle and watched a lot more AL games than NL games. And of course I believe the A's are Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1129783848812747332005-10-19T21:31:00.000-07:002005-10-20T09:25:34.356-07:00Another Memory of Bill KingWith about a week left in the season, Bill King and Ken Korach were talking about the A's 2005 season. Bill said, "Who would have thought that the A's starting in 1999 would embark on 7 consecutive over .500 seasons?" They were summing up the A's season and this great A's run. What he didn't say is "7 consecutive over .500 seasons with a lower than average payroll, Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1129691370894254852005-10-18T20:04:00.000-07:002005-10-18T20:09:30.903-07:00Payton option picked upThe A's picked up Jay Payton's $4M option for 2006 today. This complicates the outfield situation somewhat, since they already had three outfielders in Kielty, Kotsay, and Swisher; this means that either (a) one of these guys will be a DH (a waste of their defensive talents), (b) one of these guys will not start, or (c) one of these guys will be traded. There's no good Mike Develinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02600406379883988812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1129674096084657182005-10-18T15:18:00.000-07:002005-10-18T15:21:36.093-07:00Farewell, Bill KingLongtime A's radio announcer Bill King passed away today from complications stemming from hip surgery. He was 78. It's a major loss for the team and for its fans; King was a wonderful addition to any A's game experienced over the radio. Road trips this season weren't quite the same without King there to partner Ken Korach.King is survived by his wife, Nancy Stephens.We'll miss Joonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1129553412822243252005-10-17T05:44:00.000-07:002005-10-17T05:50:14.553-07:00White Sox win the pennantThe Chicago White Sox are AL champions after dismissing the Angels 4-1 in the ALCS, and I for one am happy for them. I don't think there are tons of White Sox fans outside of Chicago, unlike the Cubs, but they've been subjected to a prolonged stretch of misery which has seen them not play in the World Series in almost 50 years, and not win one since before the infamous Joonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1129321045032306632005-10-14T13:08:00.000-07:002005-10-14T13:18:38.466-07:00Macha is Gone, Long Live Kenny Macha!I was getting ready to start the post Macha era, when I found out that Kenny is coming back! It has sort of a Steinbrenner/Martin feel to it. And that is kinda cool. Now we just gotta quit holding runners at 3b on singles with 2 outs. And get us one big fat bat and we'll be set for '06.I was in Tainan, Taiwan for the last 10 days for work. I went to see Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1129237394870113782005-10-13T13:50:00.000-07:002005-10-13T14:03:14.913-07:00Orel Hershiser? But I hardly even...Rangers pitching coach Orel Hershiser will meet with Billy Beane in a couple of days to discuss the A's managerial opening. This represents the first non-obvious candidate who has been interviewed, which shows some active interest rather than simply doing the easy thing. I think it's safe to conclude that Billy actually wants Hershiser and not merely a Mike Develinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02600406379883988812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1129075288666064912005-10-11T16:59:00.000-07:002005-10-11T17:01:28.676-07:00Another targetTwins DH Matthew LeCroy was nontendered today by Minnesota. LeCroy is a, uh, portly slugger who can only hit lefties, but he's very, very good at that. If, say, Chad Tracy were acquired, LeCroy would be a perfect complement. One of the benefits of having a good pitching staff is that carrying fewer pitchers leads to more space for platoons. Make it happen, Billy.Mike Develinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02600406379883988812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1128669917167151632005-10-06T23:52:00.000-07:002005-10-07T00:25:17.846-07:00Macha let go; offseason pickup?So, as we all know by now, Ken Macha was allowed to walk as a free agent (not exactly fired, but he won't be coming back.) The word on the street seems to be that Bob Geren, a close personal friend of Billy Beane who earned raves as Sacramento's manager before becoming bullpen coach on the big league team, is the frontrunner to get the job, with Ron Washington the Mike Develinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02600406379883988812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1127937647337530262005-09-28T12:56:00.000-07:002005-09-28T13:00:47.346-07:00Wait Til Next Year!Today I have a weird empty feeling. Ever since I became an A's fan in the middle of the 2000 season, almost every day of the regular season has been a day where I thought the game mattered. The A's were in contention until the 2nd to last day last year, and now they are out, but they still have 5 games to go. I guess they are the 6th best team in a league where only the bestMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1127705508104649962005-09-25T20:23:00.000-07:002005-09-26T10:42:29.146-07:004 games back, 7 to goThe Rangers coun't even beat the Angels once, but they beat the A's 2 of 3 this weekend. The Rays even helped the A's by beating the Angels this afternoon, but the A's couldn't inch any closer. If the A's won 3 of 4 from the Angels they'd be 2 games back and need help over the weekend, but they wouldn't be done. 2 of 4 and they are done. The best scenario is A's win all 4Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1127320803433071222005-09-21T09:36:00.000-07:002005-09-21T09:40:03.440-07:00Here we GO!11 games left. A's down in the division by 1 and half, down in the wild card by 4. It's a pennant race and I think 8-3 will do it, providing the A's can take 3 of 4 from the Angels. That's a big IF. It seems like the scenario was almost exactly reversed last year at this time, and the Angels ended up winning. Time to turn the tables. Since Harden has been out, the A's have not Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1127082215364230852005-09-18T15:17:00.000-07:002005-09-18T15:23:35.370-07:00S double-A R L double-O S !Who is the only pitcher in baseball history whose name features 2 S's, 2 A's and two O's? It oughta be Kirk Saarloos, who pitched a fine game today in Fenway, with the A's winning 12-3. What a job done by the A's 5th starter. Good roadtrip, 5-5. Coulda been a little better, coulda been worse. Their destiny is in their own hands, and it oughta be a fun ride. Bill Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1126840402209096452005-09-15T19:59:00.000-07:002005-09-15T20:13:22.226-07:00Joe Blanton, A's stopperIt was great to watch the A's kick off a crucial four-game series at Fenway Park with a win. The top of the order jumped all over Curt Schilling in the first inning, with an Ellis single, Kendall double, and Kotsay single plating two runs in the first five pitches. Then Blanton came in and shut down the Red Sox offense for 6 1/3 innings, a feat for which he deserves some Joonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1126376040691233042005-09-10T11:09:00.000-07:002005-09-10T11:14:00.696-07:00Make or break Road Trip??A few media outlets are calling this 10 game road trip to Texas, Cleveland and Boston a make or break road trip for the A's. Maybe it is maybe it isn't. If the A's go 3-7 but the Angels go 2-8 over the same span, was it make or break? Did 3-7 make it? But certainly if the A's went 0-10 and the Angels went 10-0, now they might have a hole too deep to get out of. WellMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1125980091595907492005-09-05T21:11:00.000-07:002005-09-05T21:14:51.603-07:00Blanton has another good outing, and the A's lose againThis is happening almost every time Blanton takes the mound lately. Good outing, and the A's lose. I hope he is keeping his spirits up though, because a good outing that ends in a loss is not a really bad thing. The team knows he is good and has faith in him, and the bullpen is not overworked, and once the bats come around, the A's will beMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1125332087863277482005-08-29T09:10:00.000-07:002005-08-30T10:27:47.870-07:00Ray Fosse Loves CatchersMaybe the above headline isn't really news to anyone reading this site, but Ray Fosse makes me laugh every time he points out some good play by a catcher. Yesterday after Haren made a good play on a bunt, running toward 1st, fielding it and tagging out the runner, Jason Kendall made a leisurely walk out to the mound. Fosse was all over it talking about how a smart Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1125210645256633172005-08-27T23:27:00.000-07:002005-08-27T23:30:45.263-07:00All of a Sudden the A's are Hot AgainThe A's are an inscrutable team. After a terribly dissapointed homestand, they go to Detroit and win 2 of 3, and then win the first 2 in Baltimore starting Blanton and Kennedy. I oughta be loving it, but I feel my love has been burned enough times that I am just hopeful and trying not to get to emotional about this team. But all of a sudden they are tied Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1124939901133898482005-08-24T20:12:00.000-07:002005-08-24T20:18:21.140-07:00Just when I was about over my A's Addiction...Just when I was thinking the A's were going to go quietly into the night, their 2 months of dominance a forgotten summer dream. Maybe they still will fold like a house of cards, but at least for tonight, they were crushing the ball all over the yard against the Tigers. They are a good young team, not a great young team. Maybe they will make the Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1124673655565635702005-08-21T18:20:00.000-07:002005-08-21T18:20:55.576-07:00Should this anger me?We were at this game, in Section 114 (just to the right of home plate), row 26. An aisle/railing separates the premium seats of rows 1-20 from row 21 and above.11 innings came and went. As the 11th inning ended, people who'd had enough started streaming out of the park. With our seats in the shade (and kind of cold), Julia and I moved up to try to fill seats in the sun... Matt Brucenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1124304171672732632005-08-17T11:34:00.000-07:002005-08-17T15:29:53.336-07:00Bad Game, UmpsLast night the ump at 1b made a bad call. It was shown over and over on tv, and Johnson clearly got the base with his heel. I can't believe the umps don't get help on something like that. But they also made a bad call on a sinking liner that Payton short-hopped. The home plate umpire appeared to have some trouble making correct calls on pitches at the knees, it was just a bad Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1124223818478238522005-08-16T13:21:00.000-07:002005-08-16T15:53:10.436-07:00Some Bumps in the RoadWell, the road to the postseason was bound to have some bumps. So far the A's are 3-4 on this homestand. But they lost a couple one-run games to the Twins 1-0 and 2-1. Yesterday they fell apart in the 7th. I don't think it is time to panic, but the days of domination may be over for at least until this weekend, when the Royals come to town.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1123814725890243732005-08-11T19:41:00.000-07:002005-08-11T19:48:28.126-07:00Crazy finishHas anybody ever seen a baseball game end like that? Wow. Everything is bouncing the A's way, and there they are, all alone in first place for the first time in 2005. It's a great, great time to be an Oakland fan. Not that you necessarily need to go out and buy up playoff tickets, but these guys are on a serious roll and it doesn't look like anything can stop them. What a series--two Joonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1123777714882956852005-08-11T09:20:00.000-07:002005-08-11T09:28:34.883-07:00Evening the Series and Starting my Own Radio StationAs Adam Melhuse correctly pointed out in the post-game show, this wasn't going to be a do-or-die series. There are still 49 games to play. Both teams are currently in playoff spots, there are many more chances to make up ground or lose ground. Still it was great to watch the A's win the game last night to even the series at 1-1. The game Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1123691102564331012005-08-10T09:16:00.000-07:002005-08-11T09:20:24.963-07:00You Can't Win them AllI went to the game last night. Forty thousand fans on a Tuesday with no promotions, it felt like the playoffs. By the time we found our seats it was 2-0 Angels. I noticed immediately that Vlad swung at EVERY PITCH all night. With the bases loaded and Vlad up in the second, Harden immediately got him to 0-2. Then a foul back, then I was yelling to bounce one off the Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1123513575485079792005-08-08T07:58:00.000-07:002005-08-08T08:06:15.496-07:00The Future Looks BrightThe A's just finished a road trip where they went 6-1. The Twins had to win in the bottom of the 9th to stop the A's from sweeping the road trip. Now they have a 12 game homestand. I fully expect them to go 8-4 or better on this homestand. Lately it seems like they only lose once a week. I can remember every loss since the All Star Break. One to Texas, One to Anaheim,Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1123202685170249332005-08-04T17:26:00.000-07:002005-08-05T13:13:10.810-07:00Another Win for Barry ZitoZito beat the Twins today in the Metrodome to win the series 3 games to 1. It wouldn't be fair this blog if we didn't have a Zito story. In fact, there should be a story every week about Barry Zito. He continues to dominate. He is on a run that rivals the best he has ever had. Bringing it with a vengence. A couple games ago he was in a in a jam in the 7th inning. Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5646429.post-1122955269009202212005-08-01T20:55:00.000-07:002005-08-02T10:06:43.583-07:00You Line 'em Up, We'll Knock 'em DownOr in the words of Englishman Phil Legett, when talking about Lance Armstrong leaving contenders going up a climb in the Alps, "You name them, we'll dispatch them." The A's won a real game tonight, 2-1, Blanton over Santana. Street got a tough save, and he was mowing with extreme prejudice. 2 athletic plays on comebackers. Tony Gwynn astutely pointed out Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12134518390889590944noreply@blogger.com