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What is this "losing" that you speak of?

The A's offense kind of disappeared tonight, thanks in large part to Carlos Silva and the umpire's absolutely baffling strike zone.

It was advantageous to both sides, but I've seen the replay at least 10 times now, thanks to my friend TiVo and Morneau was out.

Regardless, how about Dan Johnson and how remarkable has this guy's rise been?  His name has got to start to enter voter's minds for rookie of the year.  He goes home, in front of 200 of his closest friends and family, and he just goes nuts at the Metrodome.  You can call him a rookie all you want, but there is no rookie in DJ.

Let's take the series tomorrow with the July pitcher of the month on the mound.

LET'S GO Z!!!

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Comments

Yeah Lets Go Z
I know a lot of people are upset, but seriously, the  A's couldn't win every game the rest of the year.

Think about this.

Since they lost 2/3 in Toronto, the A's have:

Won five in a row
lost one
won one
lost one
won seven
lost one
won six
lost one

Thats unbelievable, especially considering the teams they have played. No worries, you know the A's will shake this one off.

what? Losing?
It doesn't happen. Tonight was a blip.
Wait... you mean...
other teams actually, you know, don't win every game they play? Hmm. That's an interesting concept.

Might take me a while to wrap my mind around that one.

It feels like the good old days again...
The A's lose a game they maybe should have won with an "ace" pitching and just when I'm about to get depressed I remember that we've got another Cy Young quality guy going again tomorrow.  Damn, I love the A's!  (But still miss Mr. Byrnes.)
roughroughrough...
Tonight's loss was rough b/c it seriously looked like we would win all the way though.  But, alas, the stupid Twins found a way to come back against our gods on the field.  

Luckily for us, tomorrow is a new day, and with the Big Z on the mound, things are looking bright!  

We have to lose sometimes...I'll take one loss every 7th game any season.  Lets keep that up! :)

Got beaten, but didn't beat themselves
The Athletics got beat, but because the other team earned it.

The Twins got the two timely hits (2nd HR by Cuddeyer, and the triple).  

The Athletics didn't throw the ball into RF on a sure DP or something like that.

Go Zito.

So incredibly spoiled
I keep telling myself that they had to lose eventually, but I was hoping it was after a 25 game win streak or something!

It's not really the loss, it's HOW they lost. You always hope a game like this doesnt affect the team's psyche. I think this team has too much going for it right now to really get down about the game, but I can't help being a worry-wart.

I think it's actually a great thing that they play tomorrow afternoon. Less time to dwell.

Can You Spell Y-O-K-E-L
Let's see now: On Monday night, Macha brought in Calero after Blanton had thrown 80 pitches and people praised Calero for retiring the Twins 1-2-3 in the 8th.

Tonight, Harden has already thrown 102 pitches and is facing a guy who smashed a HR off of him as well as a scorching infield out. Macha brings in Calero, as Cuddyer is a dead fastball hitter. Calero throws Cuddyer one too many sliders, leaving the last pitch right over the plate and Cuddyer hits it out.

Some of the same posters who praised Calero on Monday night villify Macha for bringing in Kiko tonight. There is a name for those so lacking in logic; see the subject line...  

Who villified Macha?
I think the firing of macha is overblown as well as those convincting those who are critical of our manager.  Theres not many of neither.
From AN Community Standards, 10/26/04:
"I'm going to say this once.  The personal attacks on people such as, 'You're an idiot', etc. need to stop.  Now.

If they don't, I'm going to start banning people.  I've rarely banned people and I hesitate to do it because you're all A's fans (except the obvious troll here and there), but it looks like I'm going to have to be more attentive to it. Here are the ground rules for banning:

    * Personal attacks:  This means you can refute ideas that people have, but keep the 'you're a moron' line out of it."

You know...
secretly, I wish for a 20-gamer everytime theres a streak going on.  Just secretly.
This game
reminds me of the "Jeremy, slide!" game in that it feels like "if we had only gotten the call that it takes 20 looks at to judge, we would have won."

In fact, in both cases, "if only ..." we would have been tied. The silver lining, to me, is that Street got the day off rather than Macha being tempted to use him if we had scored in the top of an extra inning. He was maybe available, maybe not--I'm happy for him not to go 3 days in a row. Best time to lose: the night game before a day game--less time to dwell on it. (I'm talking about for us, not the players!)

Agreed
about the losing the night game before the day game... last week during the Indians series, when we lost Tuesday night, I got home and was happy at least that there was a quick turnaround the next day, so I would be headed right back to the Coliseum to watch the next game. Same thing tomorrow-- I won't even have to think about the loss all during work, because by the time I go to lunch, the game will already be in progress. :D
Baltimore's offense lives!
2-1 Orioles in the 5th
That Mora fly out
sure looked like it was going to be gone.  The game is on ESPN2.  

Its nice to see Byrnsie contribute to the Green and Gold cause.  Miguel "K'ed with two on and 1 out" Tejada however must have had his green and gold drained out of him a while ago.

Tejada with 3 strike outs already tonight
You are right, the green and gold is no longer within...
I can't believe they have
pop-goes-the-Byrnsie in the 2-hole.  I thought that lineup was sick at the beginning of the year.  Who woulda thought about Sosa...Mora cooling off...Javy injured.  If they all had the year they had last year(including byrnes), that lineup would be Texas-esque.  
Don't you know you're talking about Miggy,
The Heart and Soul of the Orioles--The Last Place Baltimore Orioles! ;-)> Boy, we really miss that guy!
Now a 2-2 game
If they played in Oakland, Orlando C. would've been out on the foul popup
3-2
Bases loaded for Garrett Anderson. uggghhh!!!
Not bashing Macha
As sure he had good reason for pulling Harden but I would like to here his explination. 102 pitches seemed at bit early.
Hope one of our crack local reporters asks the question.
Jinx
Some of you, I'm not accusing anyone in particular, said Cuddeyer needs to be quiet when saying that all A's fans do is yell at you and then said that he is not good at all, well look at what he does hits 3 HR's ina stretch of 2 games, maybe he read AN but nonetheless, I'd be happy if the A's would go out and play a quality game in this next game.
I totally forgot his comments.
Now I hate him even more.
Same here!
I forgot about those comments. I'm with you WhiteElephantGuy, I hate him more now!
To save you
the effort of typing my entire screenname, they call me Weg around here.  Or Weggy.  Actually I made that last one up.
lol
I don't really mind, but thanx for the tip! :)
And some of us
just call him the big fat white guy. but WEG works, too. Whatever. :P
Quiet, Huston.
Or DJ, or whoever you are.
Oh, Weggy.
I'd rather be Huston, I hear he has a nicer ass. So we'll go with that.
I'd rather you
be Huston too! drool He does have a nice ass too! Rich's is nicer tho! ;)
OOOHH!
Agreed. It's a tough call but I will have to give my vote for best ass to Rich, as well. Close second goes to Huston.
I don't know...
some girls like something they can hold on to.  Sir-Mix-A-Lot says it all...just pretend he's speaking for the ladies as well.
I love that song!
Huston has plenty to hold on to. I'm just saying...
hehe
I wouldn't mind holding on to his...
Me either.
Unfortunately, he hasn't asked me to just yet. I guess I need to work on that.
lol
I wish he would ask me. I wouldn't even hesitate! I wouldn't mind holding on to Rich's either. ;)
It's unfortunate
Rich and Huston do not randomly approach girls and ask them to hold their asses, yes?
Oh..one more thing.
I'm going to start giving Huston Blanton's cupcakes because you called me that!   Watch out, I'll make him a Weggy too.
I think Huston has had his fair share
of Blanton's cupcakes. Or at least granola bars.

You know I was joking, right? I lost my "just kidding" font, again. :( Remember I am a sensitive girl. tear

Is weggy pronounced wedgie?

hmmm
I'm guessing it'll be pronounced Wegg-gee.  With the "gee" not sounding like "jee" but more like "guh-ee".  

Of course I knew you were joking!!  It seems like half of our conversations over the board seems lost through jokes and sarcasm, if I recall it has happened before.  Huston's still going to get fat, if I can help it though.

I'm going to give you a wedgie if you start crying, cuz it'll make me feel bad.  =P

Aw man
Pronouncing it wedgie was so much funnier in my head, but I get how you're saying it. Boooooo.

Okay, good. I swear I never know! I don't really know how to communicate outside sarcasm. :( Poor communications skills learned from having a big brother, I fear.

No tears, no tears.

awww man!
It should be pronounced "wedgie" It's way more fun!
<rolls eyes>
Okay.  Wedgie it is.  
yay!
<does a dance>
uhh
we're calling him wedgie now?

I think I'll stick with WhiteElephantGuy... or WEG.

WEGGY WEDGIE CHANT!!!
LET'S GO WEG-GY! CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP
Its going to be a sad day...
when I make the Oakland Roster and hear that chant somewhere in the LF bleachers when I come up to bat (or pitch, seeing that thats the only position i have played)
Weg-gy!
I'd be out there chanting it is loudly as I could!!!
It's going to be good times
WEGGY out representin' for AN. Don't forget to hook me up with Rich... I don't want all my bullying to have been for nothing.
whoa, whoa, whoa!
I want to be hooked up with Rich! After all, he's my future husband! :)
Too late!
You snooze, you lose.

I already married Rich... here on AN. It was beautiful. But better luck next time! ;)

I don't think so!
Did I say future husband?! I meant he is my husband! We got married way back when! I remember driving away in his pretty Vette! :p
On AN...
Chick talk I've seen.
Cat fights on the other hand...
I have AN witnesses.
And really big claws. Don't bring the vette into this... that's low. :P
I have
LF bleacher witnesses! so ha! it was in person not online! :p
LIES!!! All lies.
Your one to talk!
this is really going to the right
very right
haha
I like your nickname better! ;)
And you can call me...
Fhs. Or Fhsy. Fizzy? Ick.

Never mind. Forget it. :P

So, yeah, this losing thing?
I can't say I like it. Man. I suppose it's nicer to be upset about the losses since they're so rare and freakish, rather than that weird numb, hopeless feeling called 'May'.

I can't blame Mach for bringing in Calero. I wasn't too huge on it at the time, but I understood it, it's a rough decision because you can easily be a loser either way.

Just sucked to watch poor Rich's expression on the bench. Well. Watching the home run sucked too. I just freakin' hate Cuddyer, why couldn't it be someone OTHER than the asshat who dissed our heckling? I mean, geez. Gimme Mauer or Morneau, at least I can tip my hat to a kid like those two.

Damn ump. Damn, damn ump. Hopefully, they won't let the heartbreaker aspect get 'em down, they'll get some nice sleep and bring it out tomorrow. Zito's the guy I want on the mound after a night like this. I trust him to BRING IT.

Yanks lost, and there's still a chance the Angels will lose and leave it a bit of a wash, other than Cleveland and Minnesota gaining a little ground.

Time to start a new six game win streak!

Ohhh
You said the M-word! ;)

Rich's expression broke my fragile little heart. I wish it had been Mauer or something... anyone but Cuddyer, ugh.

Calero
has been lights out lately, making everyone look stupid at the plate. But I was kind of puzzled why Macha pulled Harden at that time.

Even though this was a tough loss, all streaks must come to and end. I think we've gotten a bit spoiled by the incredible run that the A's have made lately. Tomorrow is another day to start another winning streak. ZI-TO!!!

Lew Ford looks like....
that kid from The Toy and A Christmas Story...I believe he later became an adult film star.
Stupid O's
3-2 Angels, 2 on for the Impaler 1 out.  Just stupid.
If there are any signs
that we are going to falter in the Division race <knock on wood>, this would be it.  The A's are sorta comfortable with winning, and just lost a tough one.  A small slump might happen.

The angels have been losing but are now playing baltimore trying to find their stroke.  They're fired up over two losses that could have been W's at New York.  They could go on a run.

gulp.

The thing is
if Macha had left Harden in and Harden gives up a HR to Cuddyer, everyone would be screaming about him leaving Rich in too long, Calero was warmed up, Cuddyer had his number, his pitch count was too high, etc.

So he takes him out and Calero comes in and the opposite happens.

My personal opinion was let Rich lose for himself--- but I'm not a major league manager so I'm not going to criticize too much.

Still hurts, though. :(

did you hear?
i found sabriel on lj!

you know, on one of those comments which freaked out half the community?

No!
I didn't hear that.

I am so amused you didn't find me! But I am impressed you found sabriel- good job!

Go A's
I'm new here but I have been reading AN for a few months and I love it. A little bit upset that the A's lost tonite, its okay, we'll get them tomorrow. Go ZITO, Go A's.
Welcome!!
Also, I always wondered why a lot of people that join just read it for a while before they start posting.  When I found this site, I made an account the day of and started posting the very next day.

Perhaps you can enlighten me on your thinking.

Hey, WEGGY,
I lurked for months, too. I hemmed and hawed over whether or not to make an account. How must I hide my idenity? Oh noes!! Haha.
haha
The nickname is going to stick! Weggy! lol.
What are we calling you now,
the fat white guy? Anyway, I didn't lurk on AN for too long before joining up, but that's because I think I got all my lurking out of my system before I joined the MLB board a couple years ago. Then, I was a little nervous about posting and sharing opinions and whatnot... but on AN I just jumped right in to annoy people. :p
Uhh...
If its a choice between that and Weggy, i'll go with the latter...

Actually...I lurked on the MLB board as well for a long time and never joined it.  That place isn't nearly as cool as AN.  

If you're wondering about the history of the big fate white guy, in the Nico diary explaining account names, I said that I wanted a name that would forever represent the A's, unlike KotsayIsCool or HustonsButt, cuz players are temporary.  But then soon after, I got hints that people thought I was a Caucasion (white) Big (Elephant) male (guy)...even though I'm only 1 of 3 of those.  So I said also that I'm not a big fat white guy...and ROY had to just jump in and get all over me about it.

Because OMG ROY is such a bully :(
Sad faces!!

Thanks for explaining it, though. Now maybe people won't think I'm quite as mean.

I think Weggy might stick, though.

What are you going to do next?
Take my lunch money?  Make me do your homework?  Meanie poohead.

I like Weggy.  Its good.

ROY's not mean.  for the record.

Yeah
And when I'm done with that I am like, SOOO making fun of your Mom!

Thanks. I am like such a sweatheart when I am not beating the other kids up. ;)

ha...
yeah I actually remember reading that thread about the origin of your name, so it made sense to me. Weggy's fine too, though.

As for the MLB board, it used to be a lot better than it is now, when there was actually color, and signatures, and options, and pictures... and less trolls. Haven't posted there for a while. I had actually sort of cured myself of the A's-message-board addiction, until I found AN. Doh!

Lurker
I was, and still am, mostly a lurker.  Not exactly sure why.  I just never really felt the need to say anything but figured I might as well join in.  
Bcoz ....
well in my case, I just enjoy reading the posts since you guys are so entertaining and knowledgeable in baseball esp. about the A's. Plus 'blush' I'm shy .. aaarggghhhh ...  
Oh...we're not knowledgeable.
We just pretend to be.  You can too:
  1. Google A's.
  2. Post link in Link Dump thread.
  3. Write "interesting, isn't it?  I agree" without reading it.
  4. Long thread will start about said article.  
  5. You seem smart.
cool
good tips weggie! will do that. I'm new to Baseball, before coming to the States I was strictly a soccer fan but when I watched the A's live for the first time I was hooked. It was the first round of the play-offs game 5 against RedSox, Martinez vs. Zito.
i remember that game
ah, all too well.  too bad we are going to make it past that round one kinda curse this year.
I was pretty shy, too...
...but, as in real life, over time I warm up to folks who show courtesy, kindness and humor. AN has a plethora of courteous, kind and funny people who love the A's.
I think it was about six months
before I posted in one game threads.

But back then there were only six other people posting. :P

I only started posting...
because Jennifer and Zonk were so funny, I couldn't resist.
i did too!
I got sick of Boston fans invading the Gameday chat, so I signed up during the Boston series.

And commented the next day. :D

Welcome!
I'm pretty new here too. I've been on here for about a week or so. I'm glad I joined too, lots of cool people!
5-2
dang it! why do the O's have to suck so bad right now?!
O's
They've sucked for a while now.  Can't depend on them to help us out.  We just have to take care of business next week when the Angels come to our house.
the o's are inexplicably bad
in odd ways too.
God, the O's can't pitch
For once I'm actively watching another game and pulling for another team besides the A's...why must I be disappointed!?
Lose, shmooze
At least there's always:  booze.

*waves to the AN club at the Triple Rock tonight*

I always dread
playing the Twins.  They just seem to have our number.  Yesterday's game was great, though.  And this one was close.  I think we've finally broken their seeming death-grip on us.
7-2
Man! What is up with the O's pitching?! grrrr
The O's pitching
is the O's pitching.  They've been horrible.  Can you name their all their starting pitchers without looking?  I can't, and I play fantasy. They're losing cuz now their offense sucks for some reason.
Their
pitching is horrible! And no I can't even name all of their starters. This sucks! Looks like were going to fall 2 games back.
ponson d.carb rodrigolopez...
???
exactly
and who?
Eric Bedard started strong...
...but he's fallen apart too.
oh well
let's hope the A's prevent a losing streak from developing. i don't see anything wrong with bringing in Calero. sure, the result was bad, but i argued against bringing him in for Blanton in game 1, and he retired the side in order before i finished my comment.

the bright side is that the Yankees are struggling right now. we're lucky to have a cushion but there's still a lot of season left.

i predicted 40 runs would be scored in this series......OOOOOOOOOOPS!

7-4 Angels!!
Baltimore mounting a come back!!! not.
Umm...
Whoever borrowed the voodoo doll of Vladamir Guerrero I was using earlier this month, can you please return it?  He needs to be hexed again.
Byrnsie's at bat!
.. and grounds out on the second pitch
Come on O's!
Miggy's up
He better not strike out again!

Dang it, almost a homerun!

Base hit!
Come on get something started here!
Johnson for ROY?
Maybe he should finish in the top five, but there are already two other candidates on his own team with better credentials.  The world is yet to catch up with how awesome Swisher has been the past two months (numbers which project to .275, 36HR, 120RBI for a full season), and 21-year olds (or 22, I guess I should now say) who post 1.38 ERAs are pretty hard to come by.
Sorry if I missed something
but what was the logic behind Macha taking out Harden after 6.2?  Harden's pitch count wasn't that high, was it?  Cadaver had homered off him, I get it, but are Calero's numbers THAT great against him?  
And Kiko had him down 0-2.  UGH.  And we were ONE out away from extras.  The "ball four" should have been STRIKE THREE.  

I know, I know, we can't win every game, but it still sucks.  (I am a drama queen, aren't I?  LOL)

Hopefully Zito and the A's bring out their "A" games tomorrow.  Anything less than 3/4 in this series now and I will be really disappointed.  

Good thing Yankmees lost today.  What's up with the (bleeping) O's?  Geez, how 'bout some help?

drama queen, no
spoiled, yes. I think we're all spoiled with all these A's wins! :)
Agreed.
If what you said was dramatic, you should read the end of the gameday thread.  Also you missed that Lew Ford was out, that swisher could have caught the ball and that macha should have been fired.  

Harden was at 102 pitch count.

and can't the Mariners play the Angels everyday?  Who thinks Miggy misses the A's?

FIRE WEGGY NOW
I did see the hi (or low) light, unfortunately,
but I watched it once, and with one eye closed, so I can't really tell if Ford was out or safe.  Obviously he was ruled safe and that's all that matters, but he shouldn't have been on base in the first place!!!  
But that ball did look catchable.  

And no way am I going back and reading the game day thread.  I have a superstition about that.  :P  

No offense to Kiko, he's been lights out when healthy, but anyone else thinks Harden should have faced Cadaver?  

Losing sucks, so do the O's.

The O's are the anti-A's apparently...
Baltimore's season is a mirror opposite to Oakland.

We could classify the Nationals that too. Or since they're NL, they're the anti-Astros.

Miggy missing the A's
I think just about every player we've let go because of our revenue issues wishes they were still here.
8-3 already?
Whatever happened to Miggy??
He use to be an elephant
Now he's a bird.
wow
he really shrunk...
AN Day
I don't have tickets to AN Day, but I might be going to the game that day. I wish there was some way to crash the party, but I'd need a ticket for the BBQ Terrace and all that jazz. I guess I could track down the whole AN section and see if security will let me come say hi at least...
I don't
have tickets to that either, but I'll most likely be at that game in the bleachers like always. I want to come over and say hi too! Which bbq terrace is it?! LF or RF?! If it's LF then you all can see me waving my flag proudly! :)
Wait...
You're a flag waver?  Which one are you?  I usually sit in the LF bleachers, a little behind saint.
ummm...
I sit in section 136, row 1, seat 12.... I say "Hi Bobby!" with my mom every game when he comes out to warm-up before the game....
Yeah
every game she is there yelling, "Hi Bobbyyyyyyyy!"
Crosby or Kielty?
Crosby! :)
Ahh Should have known ;)
I wish my family
were A's fans.  I usually go by myself.
going it alone
We should all form a meeting place for singular A's fans (peeps who have to go alone to the game)! My BF doesn't care about A's baseball (he's a YANKEE fan) and I've been tempted to go by myself too.
I've been REALLY
wanting to do that.  Not necessarily planning something every time but have an AN spot in the stadium as well as the parking lot.  A place I could hang out, watch the game, or drop by and see other AN'ers if I had different seats.  Sort of how my fraternity had a spot at the student union coffee house that there were just always members there.  

Of course, I always figured I was the only one hardcore enough to not know anyone and not go with anyone to games.

I'll be going alone in the future, most likely
I'm not too fond of the idea because I'm used to going with my family, but a fans got to do what a fans got to do. This idea sounds cool.
The question is...
where?  Because it is technically assigned seating, except bleachers, which will be filled with the whackos anyways.  Jk, I love the LF Bleachers.
maybe
outside that irish pub place? I can't remember what it's called.
Get Plaza Bleachers
If you get plaza level bleachers you will be able to sit in the section right to the side of the BBQ section.  Although there is a way to get in without a ticket, but it is a super secret!  Lucky for you, I suck at keeping secrets so I will spill it.  Go grab your note pads students.  Here is how it works, two people with tickets enter the desired section.  Once inside one person takes both tickets and leaves.  Once outside that person gives one ticket to someone who doesn't have a ticket and they both go in.  This can be done over and over again.  I have never done it before but have done the same procedure when going to concerts.  Good times!
So who at AN day is going to hook me up
with a ticket? :D
Yeah
Me too!  I won't eat any of the food.
Me either.
I don't want the food. Just a quick hello. No one will know who I am, anyway. :)
Aren't you the one...
hiding from all public appearances?  Are going to pose as someone else?  like ME?  psh.
Yes
Like I said, no one will know who I am! There will be a lot of ANers there.
I dunno.
I have a hunch they're going to nametag everyone with their account name.  That'll be funny.
Oh wow
That sucks!

I'm sure my "cover" will be blown at some point, anyway. I was planning on meeting GnGG sometime at a game or something or attending something HSC related so I can't hide forever :) AN day sounds so fun and what are the odds I'm in the bay area that day?

I've
done that lots of times! lol. :)
Ratto
Not to change the subject, but what was Ratto's prediction of Wins the A's would have this year?
60
NO. JINX.
How can...
...someone jinx against something that's already happened?
Who is Michael Cuddyer
and why is he tormenting us so?

He's got 8 jacks on the season and THREE of them are against the A's.

He's the guy
who was talking bad about A's fans.
What did he say and when did he say it?
He said something to the effect of:
A's fans are horrible because they don't know anything about the game and only yell stupid stuff at the players.

He does have a point about yelling stupid stuff at the players. I stand accused and guilty of all kinds of stupid stuff, like, "Tie your Shouse", I mean while it is appropriate and made Shouse actually inspect his shoes 3 times, it was silly/stupid.

I am also sure that when he hears me yell out, "Impish Care Bear You **" he'll think that is stupid as well and will have no clue how much research was put into those five words...heh ;)

Cudd-Dryer
Is a bum!
He is this year's
Tim Salmon.  
You mean
Cuddybear? Boooooooooo
What a crappy night
A's lost and ROY got married to Rich.  Bummer.
I married him a long time ago
I guess some people weren't here that night. But thanks for the well wishes! I'll pass your blessing onto my hubby.
What well wishes?
:-)
I made them up for you
they were very nice, I promise.
Haha
That reminds me of a story from the last homestand that I completely forgot about. I was wearing my Harden T-shirt on Root Beer Float day, and my sister and I were waiting in line to get into the Coliseum. One of the Coliseum ushers/workers walks by on his way back from telling everyone to have their bags open and whatnot, and says to me (I paraphrase because my memory sucks): "Good to see you, Mrs. Harden." (I laugh) Then something about how Rich is doing so well, almost perfect game, etc. Then "keep him happy" or something like that. It was pretty funny. And wow that was only a week ago, and it's really really fuzzy in my brain. I shouldn't be losing my memory this fast :X
nope!
She couldn't have cuz I married him a while ago! :p
Hmm...
Maybe Harden's Morman.  Two wives?...
Wrong answer, Weggy.
haha
someone was mormon in the club house forget who.  Maybe he started converting.
It WAS Bobby (Crosby)
but from what girls have told me, he's not so much a Mormon anymore.
NO
I hate sharing! :(
I never offered to share
We can duke it out in person at our fake-AN day while the real AN day party goes on.
Deal!
lol. :p
I'm going to have to
make a few extra trips to the gym before AN day, get my claws sharpened, etc.
That's not
a bad idea.

Your going down!

We have to wait TWELVE hours before
the next game.
<SIGH>
I know!
Now I have to keep myself entertained on AN for 12 hours. Maybe sleep a little in there somewhere.
seriously.
Can't sleep.
Kielty will eat me.
Same here.
Angel Fans
"Miguel Tejada hits a ground-rule double (38) on a line drive to left field, on fan interference. "

What a joke.  And they critisize Oakland and other cities for having clueless fans that interfere with the game.

It's official
2back in the division.

Its been a LONG time since I remember losing ground.  How sad.

anything's better than
15 games back. we'll catch up.
I don't have a problem with Calero
but do have a major problem with 7 bullpen pitchers and we only use 4, why?  If Rincon, Yabu and Kennedy cannot get major league hitters out then they shouldn't be on the roster.  Duke was not in in a save situation, and if it did go to extra innings, then someone at some time would have had to save the game, who then?  Street?
Thanks for nothing, Baltimore.
Bedard used to be lights out.
Did Kendall tag Morneau?
If somebody feels like blowing up a photo showing Kendall's tag or attempted tag on Morneau, that would be great.

Me masochistic? No!

Include a shot of his ass if you need that kind of motivation.

Photo
I've found this photo although you can't really tell if Kendall got the tag down before Morneau touched the plate.

If you see a shot,
take a look at his left leg (might need to be a video to see this)--it seemed to me that if Kendall had been more mobile and had moved (even turned) his left leg/foot, he could essentially have forced Morneau away from the plate and tagged him more squarely before he could get to the plate. Of course, it's all easier to see from a fan's POV than for Kendall, who is worrying about the throw, his position relative to the plate, and the runner simultaneously.
here's a bigger pic
(click to enlarge)
He had a chance to tag him on the head
But the throw was a little too high... by the time he got his glove on/near Morneu's body, he had already touched the plate
I like K. Korach's approach
on evaluated good/bad umpiring calls. If it's so close that you need several angles to decide, or you think, but aren't sure, you know the right call, Korach will say, "I don't think you could say it was a 'bad call' either way" (meaning whether the call was safe or out).

I think this call falls in that category. The ump had one shot, live, to see it and call it. "Safe" or "Out," and either way I don't think you could reasonably say that it was a "bad call".

plus
i kinda think he was safe.  but we played a hellofa good game and that was a great throw, relay and attempt at a tag.  we can't win them all, but we can win most of them.
that photo is good
the hand is on the plate.  looks like the glove....maybe not, maybe...tie does go to the runner.   tough, tough...
I agree...
...to me, Morneau was safe. So close though. Ellis brings that throw six inches lower, and I think he's out.

When that play started, I thought Swisher was going to come up with it. So many things could've happened which would've forced extra innings, but that's no guarantee that the A's would've won anyway. It's just one of those things.

Let's go Oakland!

I watched it back on Tivo
too and I thought he was safe......Tough call either way, but clearly not one the ump blew by any means.
He Shoulda left Harden in!!!!
Fire Macha!
That was only one in a maultitude of Macha-cacas:
Times where he has laid a huge smelly fart and clears the whole room.

His bazooka last night left Harden on the bench, motionless, staring at how he was going to pitch the Impish Care Bear.

102 pitches, 7K's, 3H's, 1ER, two outs in the seventh, he's one of your two aces, "Wella, Kiko has been really getting them out lately and uh it worked with Blanton (Actually, even Blanton went 7 innings), so I-uh pulled Rich and uh the bulppen just didn't get it right tonight!!!

It was so large it was Maultous!!!
Consisting of great Maultitudes of Macha-Cacas.
I think fans assume
there is always a "right" move and "wrong moves". To me, if Macha had left Harden in to face Cuddyer, I would have said, "makes sense". When he brought Calero in, I said "makes sense" (righties haven't touched Calero lately, or really all year). If he had gone to Duke (probably for the next 4-6 outs), I would have said, "makes sense". Anyway, the move didn't cost us the game; lack of execution on the parts of Calero, Swish, Ellis, and excellent pitching by Silva and Nathan, cost us the game.
To the Calero point:
How long was he warming up before he came in?

There is no way that his slider looked any bit as nasty as it has in recent weeks.

You don't pull your ace in the 7th when he is on. Period. Especially if he has only thrown 102 pitches and has an extra day off anyway on Monday.

Swish, Calero & Duke (Not Duke from LF), cost the team team the game on the field with what they did.

Macha is also in the mix with those fellows for the same reason he is still a goat for pulling Dye in 2003. He never should have pulled his ace in that situation.

Roger Clemens would be riding Macha around the clubhouse bareback in stirs & stirrups if he had to go through what harden did last night.

There is a ton of possitive to get from last night, but this is my response to the title of Macha should be Fired.

The Move Made Sense
And I'm no Macha basher.. I'm aware Cuddyer took Harden deep... I'm just saying what I woulda done.. also.. if it was Barry Zito... you KNOW he woulda gotten his chance at that last hitter.
Of Course Barry would:
In fact I was starting to like Macha more for his leaving in of Barry Zito. Twice he has come out, talked to him and returned to the dugout. He even left Saarloos in after Maglio took him deep.

This just made no sense. I thought Macha had realized this rule.

saint, you didn't complain on Monday when Macha
lifted Blanton after 80 pitches and replaced him with Calero, did you? Yet now you bitch when Harden, having thrown 102 pitches and starting to get his pitches up, must face the guy who earlier HR'ed off of him.

Now wWhy do I think you would have slammed Macha if he had kept Harden in and Cuddyer gotten a hit off of him?

BTW, I suggest that everyone on AN look at today's excellent front page story in the Chron by John Shea on the A's turnaround. The baseball personnel cited in the story give Macha much of the credit...

Because Kendall told Macha that Blanton was:
Losing it.
And how do you know Kendall didn't say the
same about Harden.  I've read catchers can make a signal to the dugout when the pitcher has lost it.
From what I've read:
"He walked Jones and was up in the zone on the next hitter" - Macha on why he pulled him

I don't know Ken, why not go out and talk to him. maybe he'd say something like this:

"I was still feeling strong, I could have thrown 120 pitches" - Rich Harden

Both of these quotes are from the SJ Merc.

Because very few
pitchers will say otherwise, especially young pitchers. That's why Zito gets special consideration--Macha trusts his judgment about himself. It would be a mistake to do that with Harden.
I forgot, Zito's old... ;)
I have taken the special memory cleanser
electrodes off my head from last night sleep.  Hmm, reading this, thread, it seems we lost a close one last night.  Curious.
nope
Sorry buddy, but this is the dream. You're actually sleeping through your high school chemistry final. Hope you like summer school...
Chemistry final...?
...But, but I took Biology this term. And where are my pants? And why is my teacher Ernest Borgnine?

NO-O-O-o-ooooooo!!!

relax
that's just a dream... you're actually scrambling to escape an inverted, sinking Stadiumzilla armed only with your wits, a Bunsen burner and your child-bride monkeyball who is whacked out on opium.
Don't bring any opium...
...unless you plan to share it with everybody.

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