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Is This The End?

Was that the last time we're going to see Barry Zito walk off the mound at the Coliseum wearing green and gold?  I'm not sure, but my gut is telling me it very well could've been.

Regardless, it's not the way you want to end a fantastic career as an Oakland Athletic.  The A's actually threatened to come back in this game several times, but were just that one hit away from doing it.  Then again, giving any team seven runs is tough to come back from.

The worst part is that the A's are wasting a remarkable stretch from their bullpen.  The team's pen has gone the last 20 2/3rd's innings and allowed exactly 0 earned runs over the past seven games.  That's some amazing pitching and it comes just in time for the A's starters to experience one of their poorest stretches in a while.  Granted, they're facing offenses like Detroit, Baltimore and Boston, but the bullpen has been able to shut them down.  Of course it has to make you wonder how much longer the pen can continue to perform like that when the starters have only been going five innings or less.

The A's are now tied with Anaheim for first place in the West, and the schedule isn't any friendlier tomorrow with Jason Windsor facing Curt Schilling while the Angels continue to face the Devil Rays.  It's a bit bumpy, ladies and gents, so make sure you're buckled in.

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Comments

The A's bullpen is FANTASTIC!!!
Now if only their starters could just be AVERAGE!!!
It's funny
the offense started waking up after four innings or so (typical after a long 10-game road trip), and it's been good of late.  The thing that's hurting now is starter performances.  The team can't seem to get the pen, the offense and starters going at the same time.
It's funny.
Isn't that the manager's job?
And to put salt in the wound...
Ethier hit 2 dingers tonight. Ugh.
4 for 5. Pity...
Not only are the Angels
playing an easy schedule right now, they miss Kazmir in both series against the D-Rays. Dhere oughtta be a law.

I wonder if the quality of Windsor's outing will have any bearing on the A's willingness to deal Zito. Probably not, but the "one affects the other" aspect is, at least, interesting.

Nothing would thrill me more than to beat Curt Schilling tomorrow--especially if his last pitch resulted in a Frank Thomas line drive directly off of Schilling's balls. I know, that wish is very specific. It has to be Thomas, it has to be a searing line drive, and it has to bisect the testicles like a beautiful 7/10 split.

Put a bloody sock over that, you freak.

HEEEEEE!
Tell us how you really feel!
They beat Kazmir earlier this season
IN Tampa Bay.

But agreed, it has been the softer part of the schedule for "Anaheim" as you call them.

As you probably know, Rev,
even when the Angels were buried 10 games under I said I thought it would be the A's and Angels fighting it out in the end. And I don't see either team pulling away the next 6 weeks, because frankly I don't think either team is good enough. The other two are just a bit worse.
I'm beginning to think
Seattle's just as good as the other three.
I think the biggest thing
impacting the dealing of Zito is who Minaya is willing to part with...or Colletti...or whoever else.  I'm pretty sure a starting pitcher has to be coming back in return.
how many tonight nico? come on be honest with me.
Hookers: 3,
Bourbons: 5, Paxils: 8, impressionable sheep: 2, Vodkas: lost track.
noted in my clinicians pad. very good
see you tomorrow, but be on time.
and we can start working on
your arrogance and presumptiousness too while we are at it. <heh-heh>
I just disclosed that I've
binged on three downers and you're worried I won't be on time for our daily 10:00am appointment? It will be a miracle if I wake up. See you at the crack of 1:30pm.
That's no way to talk about a girl
even if she is a prostitute.
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers
popped into my head when you mentioned that..
When Do We Wave the White Flag??
I think we all sense the same thing. This team cannot hit on a consistant basis. The starters are expected to keep the opposition down and hope their teammates can muster 3 runs. There is not huge trade in sight. Are we looking at the only team in baseball to trade off their parts while still (hopefully) in first place??
I guess it's accurate
to say that we "sense" that "the A's can't hit on a regular basis," as the eyes indeed provided one of the senses. Oh, and my nose tells me that the offense stinks, so that's two...

Seriously, though, whether to wave the white flag while in first place in late July, in order to "reload" (again) for the future, is management's conundrum to ponder. But for a fan to wave the white flag, they would have be a masochist, a complete idiot, or both. Our job is easy: root hope, and thank heaven that the division is weak.

Bull....
You are so arrogant and presumptuous and think you know better.

I want this team to be really good. It isn't. And has little prospect of being so with the current batch of players. So if that means "waving the white flag" is, IMHO, the best way to do so, don't belittle that view by saying it is the product of someone who is "Masochist, complete idiot, or both"

I think those terms are actually much more descriptive of someone who still clings to the notion that this team could somehow win the WS this season.

From the community guidelines:
The following are simply not acceptable on AN :
Relentless negativity will not be tolerated. What constitutes "relentless negativity"? It's simple: simply posting the A's suck 100 percent of the time without reasoning or proposing solutions. There is nothing helpful about someone who constantly says that their team "sucks" and complains. We're all fans and we all get frustrated when the team doesn't perform or has bad luck, but regurgitating the same venom over and over again doesn't help anything or anyone. AN is aiming to be better than that. If you continue to do nothing but post negativity, you will lose posting privileges without warning. There's a difference between someone who aims to point out flaws and be constructive and someone who is destructive. 10 diaries, or 10 comments, in a row about how the A's stink with no reasoning or proposals is basically trolling and that's how it will be treated. The goal is to make this community fun for everyone.

And not to mention:

Personal attacks on community members, directly or through sarcasm/belittling
I am proposing solutions
People don't want to hear it, but I now believe Zito should be moved and between now and the beginning of next season Beane should see what he can get in return for Chavez, harden, Crosby and possibly Swisher. Baseball girl, i have been saying this over and over. You may not want to hear it, but I'd say that's certainly not "no reasoning or proposals"-- I am in fact doing nothing but reasoning and making proposals.

Nico called me-- let's not mistake who he was talking about-- an "idiot" or "masochist"-- before I ever said boo about him. I reacted by calling him presumptuous and arrogant-- ad I think that's a fair criticism of someone who uses those terms with no cause. So white is black with you, tonight, baseball femme.

if this site has grown so narrow as to have somebody claim they are citing CG against me when in fact the reverse is true... wow, I don;t want to be here anymore.

Well, to be perfectly honest,
that's the best damn news I've heard all day.
and for you
one of the exalted ones who posts after the games in the "official" space, speaks volumes about what I guess the official view of this site is.

When the going gets tough-- take a hike.

Sorry-- not gonna go along with that one.

Lucky for you....there IS no 'official' view.
I am an A's fan, first and foremost, before anything else. I came to this site because I wanted a chance to hang out with other A's fans, through better and for worse; to follow my team with other people who love the A's, and no matter what, root for the team.

I LOVE the A's. I don't agree with the management a lot of the time (I am the original Macha-basher), but that doesn't make me love the A's any less. I will root for this team, whoever happens to be in green and gold at the time, as hard as I can until they are mathematically elimated.

People who have nothing but negative things to say about the A's get in the way of rooting sometimes. I'm tired of the venom, and the A's-bashing crap and this is not why I came to this site.

I'm TIRED of it, and I should be able to enjoy a fantastic A's win once in a while without being worried about how my writing is going to be attacked, because I'm not criticizing A's managment enough. I'm tired of my passion for the A's and for writing in general waning because of people like you. And I'd lay down some serious Vegas odds that I'm not the only one.

That's the last thing I'm going to post to you, and THAT is my official view.

God, I looooove catfights.
At this rate...you totally owe me a beer.
Well, I'm 14.
And Mormon.

But besides that, totally.

That is without a doubt....
...the funniest comment I've read tonight. Thanks.

And...um...we could split a lemonade?!

Well, and diabetic.
But a glass of water......in.
I'm....out of suggestions!!!!
And all I'll simply say in response is...
Do you not think I love this team, too?

Do you not think i root for them, too? That i deperately wanted Thomas to go yard when the score was 7-2 and there were two men on?

We each have different reactions to our passion, don't we? I'm sorry you get tired of the "venom", though I would submit that most of the true venom around here doesn;t emanante from those who deign to criticize management, but instead from those who criticize us. I get tired of the mediocrity-- and lately of the decision-making that created the mediocrity.

I'm sorry if that doesn't comport with your belief of what this site should be. But just because that's true doesn't mean those of us who are growing more critical don't have a right to say so. Your attempt to do CGV on me tonight was very sad-- when in fact I am doing everything possible to be constructive. Remember that I never felt Zito would or should be traded-- i could never imagine that the team was going to be this bad. I was the one insulted in a very mean and destructive fashion by someone who should know  better.

don't try to impose your view of what an A's fan should be on others, OK?? What have I done-- criticized you twice or maybe three times in your game wraps-- and now you're all "worried" that you aren;t being critical enough??? Just go with the flow, for crying out loud. These are difficult times for a franchise that did a lot of things right for many years-- and we're all goinjg to react to the adversity differently. Just don't try to claim that your way of rooting for the team is somehow better than mine.

Then you should also mention
"Harassing/Baiting of users, e.g., "How about that Chavez; isn't he great?" posted five consecutive times that Chavez makes an out, "The A's will never win this game" posted 10 times in 30 minutes, etc."

That's a CGV, too. I mean, he pretty much just said anyone who doesn't agree with his theory is an idiot. I'm a lifelong, diehard A's fan, but you know what? I think that getting some value for our parts that are leaving anyway is a bette roption for the health of this franchise than trying to chase fool's gold. I may be right, I may be wrong, but I don't really think that makes me an idiot. I may not agreee with Oaktoon that much, bu I've clearly seen him being egged on and baited repeatedly. And by a lot of the same people.

And on a side note
I'm bummed we lost.
Me too, Tony, me too.
I will be more bummed if we lose tomorrow.
I know it's Windsor against Schilling. But I detest Schilling!
I would like not only to beat Shilling...
...but to completely embarrass him.
Yeah
I would like that too. he is obnoxious and I am still angry about Nick getting hit in the back. So I hope Windsor pitches beautifully...Ellis hits TWO homeruns...and Antonio Perez goes 4 for 4.
And I hope Thomas takes him deep
Twice...and 'accidently' runs into him covering home another time.
Actually, I have more
ambitious hopes for Thomas...
Do tell.
He already did ;)
http://www.athleticsnation.com/comments/2006/7/25/179/97864/4/
OH I didn't read his comment thoroughly.
I do love the way Nico thinks.
You have to wonder
How much the trade talk affected Zito performance?    Zito lives inside of his head so much anyway,  it has to be difficult to focus.
The 6 Game Pack
doesn't start until Sun Jul 30.

I guess they market it when the team is hot and then  when it's time to pay dividends, the team gets a little sour.

Now I know what a Philadelphia sports fan must feel like!

I'm confused
The right lineup was out there but they forced hitters to be in positions they were not supposed to be in such as Payton having runners on but he is better having 2nd and third since he is prone to swing at the 1st pitch. As for Zito you can't trade him as they won't get anything for him unless a young arm comes in who is proven to shut it down.
has Payton batted second or third
in any games this season?
Twice
In games 61 and 66 Payton batted #3.

Hasn't batted #2 this year.

oh great macha on extra innings next.
"Well, eh, they got some
hits off our guy, a couple of 'em left the yard...We tried to come back, couldn't get the big hit, but, eh, had some good swings there in the later innings and our bullpen really shut the other guys down, so, eh, hope we can take some momentum into tomorrow's game, tomorrow's another day, hopefully get 'em tomorrow, we got Windsor going and, eh, hopefully he has his good stuff and go from there."

Am I close?

your right there.
"three games up in seattle these guys swung the bats really well, they were kind of hot" eh...when your swinging the ball well...etc.  

Really reaching back to the past there Ken.

So we lost.
The lead in this division will trade around a few times before it's over. I love our pen ...the offense has  come back from some deficets in recent games. The Halos have some serious problems..Texas historically folds in Aug..and the Mariners are pretty inconsistent. We can definitely take this division..and we have shown that we can beat good teams. I feel hopeful.
I'm pretty hopeful too
Because so many of the teams in the West are mediocre.  The one thing that could separate the Angels is that their already solid starting pitching got even better with Jered Weaver.  And people have always said starting pitching is the great divider between good and great teams.
And ours is mysteriously lost...
Terrible outings for Blanton, Loaiza, and Zito.

We need to come up big tomorrow.

Hopefully Windsor got the
jitters out last time and will be on tomorrow.  Throw that freaking Bugs Bunny changeup repeatedly, kid.  You'll be fine.
BUT NOT TO FIRST BASE,
JASON--Not to first base!!!
Windsor did really well
one earned run in 5 innings! This team always finds a way to do "just enough" and they will all the way through the rest of the season and the playoffs. The starting pitching will rebound and all will be great, starting tonight when we beat The Schill.
I agree, but some of that
gets balanced back the other way by the rather glaring discrepancy between the Angels' and A's defense. Neither team will score much, neither team will blow a lot of late leads, the A's will give up a few more earned runs, the Angels will give up a few more unearned/preventable runs, and nothing will be decided by September 22nd--when they go head to head for the first of 7.
God, I hope so
This stretch of the schedule has been really tough.
If Zito gets traded...
the differential between the abilty of the Angels starters and ours is a little daunting. But the Angels have proven that they have some significant defensive troubles so I am still HOPEFUL. I am not saying we have an overwhelmingly wonderful team but we have an excellent chance to take this division. and WS history has plenty of examples where the best team didn't win. This is another exciting year for A's fans. Patience is required in this sport.I wish that more people on this site would show their maturity as fans and practice that quality. We all get  frustrated and I do understand that but it seems like so many people are ready to give up and we truly are right in there. Let's all hope for the best in the next few weeks and hopefully we do better with the easy schedule in Aug.
Barf......red sox fans on extra innings
I wanted to just reach right through the radio...
...and smack the snotty, superior tone right off that bitch who Buan let on the air first.  Pardon my venom, but I've never before been so close to calling a radio station for the express purpose of calling a previous caller a few names that would get people scrambling for the delay button.
that was my intestitudinal
re-action too!   i was expecting paris hilton to call in next..."oh yeah, i am a redsox fans, soxs don't fall."
Wrong on Chavvy
I was wrong to think I wanted him to bat 8th.  He needs to sit, and sit and sit.  2 K's (I called), a bleeder into left, and a pop out on the infield.  I've never understood the I-hate-Macha crowd, but why was it, again, that Chavvy wasn't put on the DL?  Were they afraid they were going to win too many road games without him, like they did when he was on the DL 2 years ago?
It's funny, but when Chavy
slapped the single to left I thought it looked really familiar but I couldn't place it. And then I realized it reminded me of Jason Kendall. Our power-hitting franchise player has been reduced to trying bloop the occasional single somewhere amongst the myriad of fielders so he can go 1/3 with a walk on a good day.
Ethier Batting Clean Up
Single to left, single to right, homer to left, homer to right.

Ug.

Is he our Francisco Liriano, and is Bradley our Przzzz?

Maybe
But at least we didn't put Huston Street and Jason Windsor in the deal as well.
Right
That's the equivalent trade. If WE had traded for AJ in 03 or 04 or whenver it was, the equivalent trade would likely have been:

AJ for Street, Harden, and Windsor

Yikes.

I can't picture any fathomable string of events
that could make it that bad of a deal.....

Liriano is specialo, man. Ethier might make a solid pro, but Liriano is going to win Cy Youngs if he stays healthy.

since most pitchers haven't
had time to adjust to Ethier -- and he is in the National League, it's probably best to wait a bit to lament him on the scale of Nathan and Liriano for Pierzynski.
How Dare You
compare Billy Beane to Brian Sabean? We're not that lost are we?
...yet?
swisher making remarks
...disappointed at lack of support from crowd.   sure, but hit well and pitch well and they will cheer more.
Seriously!!
It's hard to cheer when you're down 5-0, 6-0, and 7-0 early to good clubs.
in other years, the third deck was open
the place was packed, and there were more A's fans there as well.
Gee, it's almost like
closing the third deck was a mistake.
Did anyone see the article
in today's Contra Costa Times about the third deck closing?
Are you sure you weren't
reading Behind The Times?
LOL
Ok ...discussed to death I guess.
HANGOVER GAMES & Barry Zito
- The A's are now 2-6 after road trips (including Spring Training).  They have been outscored 30-49.  Only two wins are against the Seattle Mariners (What else is new?)...

4/3 vs. NYY 2-15 (Loss)
4/14 vs. TEX 3-6 (Loss)
5/16 vs. SEA 12-6 (Win)
5/29 vs. KC 4-6 (Loss)
6/13 vs. SEA 2-0 (Win)
6/30 vs. ARI 4-6 (Loss)
7/24 vs. BOS 3-7 (Loss)

- Zito is not a big game pitcher.  Self admitidly, he still gets WAY to amped for "Big Games".  He throws differently - He hit 91 MPH with his fastball tonight, puts too much pressure on himself, and gets blasted...again.  

This was a BIG GAME for the A's and Zito.  That's the last time I'll have to write that sentence.

on the other hand
Zito was more of a big game pitcher in the playoffs than most of the other starters
And Donny was more talented than the rest
of the New Kids, but did it really matter in the end?
ManRam
2003:  A's vs. Boston - Game 5

Zito gives up 3-Run Bomb to Manny Ramirez.  A's lose game.  

Sound Familiar?

I knew that was coming
Thanks. Feeling a little nauseous, dude.
different situation
Zito working on short rest, still gave 5 good innings. It was clear he was losing it in the sixth and should have been taken out.

...and anyway, the series should have never gone to 5 games.

Statement Night
I was totally up for the rematch against Lackey, after the brawl.  And we know what happened.  The A's were horrible that night, getting a leadoff hit and then the next 27 went straight down.

After Swish gets nailed twice, the A's have another "statement" opportunity against Schilling tomorrow.  I'll be there...

right on...i am looking forward to it
another day and see if we can cement over tonights let down.
I'll be there
lucky you!
i am optimistic about it...thinking Windsor could = Golem.
I wish the trading deadline wasn't July.
It's bad enough that Billy always goes out of his way to wreck Christmas, if he trades BZ and wrecks my birthday too, there's gonna be hell to pay.
Amen Sister!
I have the same EXACT problem with the trade deadline!
On a more pleasant note...
I will be attending Tuesday and Wensday's games.  That means the A's will take at least one, and quite possibly both.  They have yet to loose a series which I have attended....and I have made it to at least five this year.  So take heart....and I do hope that the A's blow Schilling out of the water, and that our starter goes a strong seven, and is ejected for drilling his third batter.  Hopefully, at least one switch hitter on the red sox has a matching bruise on each ass cheek!  So if it's the end of the first place A's, I hope they take the old proverb to heart....."before you seek revenge, first dig two graves."  Can't wait....see ya at the game.  
Lastings Milledge
I just read that Mets GM put out the word that Lastings is untouchable....whatever that means.

I think that means that he is touchable, but if BB wants him it's going to be for Zito and we aren't getting anything but Lastings.

Texas Hold 'Em
Omar Minaya = Big Slick
Billy Beane = Pocket Aces (On the Button)
  • Omar raises (Pelfrey for Zito)
  • Billy calls (Pelfrey for Zito)
Flop = Jack, 7, 4 (Rainbow)
  • Omar Checks
  • Billy Raises (Zito for Pelfrey/Maine)
  • Omar Calls (Zito for Pelfrey/Maine)
Turn = Two of Hearts
  • Omar Checks
  • Billy Checks
River = Ace (Trade Deadline is Approaching)
  • Omar Raises (Zito/Payton for Pelfrey/Maine)
  • Billy Re-Raises - ALL IN (Zito for Pelfrey/Milledge)
  • Minaya is on the clock...
According to Rosenthal's latest
Millidge is on the table.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5803144

according to Rosenthal
who isn't on the table?
I hate ESPN.
<not a test>
I hear they fired Harold Reynolds
link

/ESPN yesterday fired analyst Harold Reynolds from Baseball Tonight, sources told The Post. The reason was not immediately known.

"We are not going to comment," ESPN VP Josh Krulewitz said.

When asked how they are going to explain that Reynolds will never be on the air again, Krulewitz still declined comment.

Reynolds did not return calls.

Reynolds, 45, had been with ESPN 11 years. He had been a fixture on the show, which is a gathering spot for baseball fans, players and team executives. /

Yeah...
That's what I was talking about. Bitches. He wasn't Gammons, but he was way <censored> better than that <censored> <censored> Kruk and <censored> Blinky Phillips.
Phillips
Phillips is sorta an idiot and I can't believe he was EVER a GM of a professional baseball team considering how little he seems to know about baseball but ...

I've actually been surprised how fairly he seems to treat Billy Beane on the air. Considering that Moneyball portrays Phillips as a stooge that Beane walked all over, you'd expect Phillips to hold a grudge. I guess it's good he probably never read the damn thing.

wow...
There goes the last reason to watch it at all...
No kidding.
This day sucks. The game last night, reading AN this morning, thinking about Curt Schilling tonight, and this. BOOOO!

Hey, someone just shot my puppy!

Weird.
I wonder what he did.
He nailed the producer's wife.
I don't know, but what the hell, it's a fun rumor.

In other news, the A's are now 0-8 when I wear my AN t-shirt... even in my living room.  I'm not going to wear it on game days any more.

Wow, Poppy,
you make adjustments as fast as A's management does!

<In other news, Eric Chavez, now 1 for his last 98 with a bloop single behind the mound, was dropped to 4.5th in the order after team doctors confirmed the A's 3rd baseman now also has inoperable gangrene on his penis>

AN statheads should be proud of me!
I just didn't want to make a wardrobe decision until I'd gathered as much data as I could stand!

And in other other news... What did the leper say as he paid the prostitute?

"You can keep the tip."

(I'm sorry. Boredom kills.)

So...
...you're going to watch topless then?  (I really hope, for the sake of your marriage, that Mr. Poppy doesn't read AN.)
I'm going to have my torso amputated.
My neck & arms will attach directly to my legs.  I'll look like a starfish, but I won't have to worry about what shirt is safe to wear.
Yeah!
What the hell are oaktoon and grover thinking?!?!

Blow up the team!??!

Blow up Poppy's AN shirt, that's THE answer!!!!

Preferably not while I'm wearing it...
actually... whatever works.
The End
This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes...again

Bye bye Barry

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