In taking a 6.5 lead in the AL West, the A's put themselves in a position where they would be in great shape down the stretch--barring a losing streak, of course. So tonight's game was big in its own right, with the A's trying to avoid a third consecutive loss to the Royals. Nothing like a 4-spot in the 7th to make the Friday Horror Picture Show seem like a distant memory.
And nothing like an ace-performance from your ace. Zito gave the A's quality (2 runs) and he also gave them quantity (8 IP), all adding up to a tidy Zito-Gaudin fest on a night when that was pretty much all the options. Zito's 13th win of the season, and 99th win of his career, could not have come at a better time.
Meanwhile, welcome back Bobby Crosby. Much as we appreciate Scutaro, his limitations become evident when he has to play everyday, and one has to wonder whether a relay from anyone but Crosby could have kept the game tied 2-2 in a game the A's ultimately never trailed. Those two runs, of course, were driven in by Croz.
So from Zito's clutch performance, to Crosby's "5-tool" night, to Kendall's "interference play, sac fly" brand of veteran baseball, to Kotsay's RBI hit off a lefty, to the legitimate middle-of-the-order that is Bradley and Thomas, the A's got back to equilibrium tonight. Now maybe the Mariners can beat an AL West opponent for the first time in 19 tries...?
0 recs | 78 comments
"Nice win, bitches"
-- TonyAsGirl - August 19, 2006
you forgot to try and not sware
F171615 - August 19, 2006
great start by the Z man
he did what the staff ace needs to do.and Crosby? He is well rested, he needs to do what he did.
Scoot has made many an important play. I'm not going to lay yesterday's loss solely on him.
OaklandSi - August 19, 2006
Kirk Reuter day at AT&T =
Their losing 10-0.eamb - August 19, 2006
Zito
pitched really well, and he stopped a losing streak, saving the bullpen for tomorrow's game after they were gassed from a double header, great job.TexasAsfan - August 19, 2006
Now this is what we needed!
Kyli - August 19, 2006
An Open Letter to Jerrod Washburn
(because this worked last time with Randy Johnson)Hey Jerrod:
So you're facing your old team. Remember that time Vlad took your shampoo and didn't return it? And remember how Santana was always eating off your plate? How annoying is that! And Figgins -- he kept kicking the back of your seat on the plane. Jerk!
So go out there and show them who's boss. Oh, and you look really HOT tonight.
Best,
Sporty
SportySpice @ Athletics Nation - August 19, 2006
Can I get dressed now?
salb918 - August 19, 2006
you better wait until
late octoberF171615 - August 19, 2006
Can you hold out
for another week?SportySpice @ Athletics Nation - August 19, 2006
Okay.
But it's getting awfully cold.salb918 - August 19, 2006
You Can Wear an A's Cap
SportySpice @ Athletics Nation - August 19, 2006
what was that randy what his name song?
you can leave your hat on.ak_A - August 19, 2006
For the love of all that is good in the world...
PLEASE DO!!!FormerHuntsvilleStar - August 19, 2006
Mariners winning tonight ...
don't count on it.Larry E - August 19, 2006
Yeah, Washburn's been kicked around so far
3-0 after 2hunter - August 19, 2006
Watching BBTN right now
Their bumper said "Coming up, we will try to explain the A's success."This should be good :D
Flyin As - August 19, 2006
Great win but . . .
. . . the A's now lead the majors in 'grounding into double plays'.jarforcefatherofforce - August 19, 2006
WE'RE NUMBER ONE!
WE'RE NUMBER ONE! WE'RE NUMBER ONE!salb918 - August 19, 2006
WOO! <gets out the foam finger>
Kyli - August 19, 2006
jamie moyer...
traded to philadelphia...willem20 - August 19, 2006
I can't find that anywhere
Who is reporting it?TexasAsfan - August 19, 2006
Link is kinda weird
rotoworldI can't remember FSN West being the Ken Rosenthal of TV stations but Ken DOES work for Fox Sports... so who knows.
eamb - August 19, 2006
It's now on ESPN
TexasAsfan - August 19, 2006
Mariners take the lead.
5-4antigiants618 - August 19, 2006
Wow
Until I checked, I found that even less believable than "Jamie Moyer traded to Philadelphia.mikeA - August 19, 2006
Nice to see Crosby in good form tonight...
...and the M's just took the lead over the Angels in the 5th!OaklandExPatriot - August 19, 2006
YES!!
Seattle has just taken the lead 5-4!!Lackey on the ropes in the 5th.
Wooo!!!
SportySpice @ Athletics Nation - August 19, 2006
once again i missed the game because i was
babysitting, but it's always nice to come home and see the A's have won.larrysgurl - August 19, 2006
I sure don't get the Moyer trade
Which is more believeable: that the Phillies think they're in the race, or that they're building for the future?Nico - August 19, 2006
organizational dyslexia?
maybe they're rebuilding for the pastOaklandSi - August 19, 2006
Maybe it's sentimental:
They want to honor someone who co-signed the Declaration of Independence.Nico - August 19, 2006
i will always be greatful to moyer. either last
year or the year before, he vetoed a trade to the braves.larrysgurl - August 19, 2006
That they're in the race...
The Phillies are 2 1/2 games out in the NL wild card.Man, the NL sure is hard to look at this year...
FormerHuntsvilleStar - August 19, 2006
Wow--I honestly
didn't realize the Phillies were that close. What a "race".Nico - August 19, 2006
Yeah...kind of like...
...The Tortoise and...Another Tortoise.FormerHuntsvilleStar - August 19, 2006
Or maybe
the three-legged tortoise and the blind tortoise with asthma.Nico - August 19, 2006
try being a fan of a team in the NL. my only
consolation in the mets winning the division this year is knowing that if they make it to the world series the AL team will kill them.larrysgurl - August 19, 2006
the Mets are a good team this year
I wouldn't underestimate themOaklandSi - August 19, 2006
their pitching sucks. the only reason they have
the record they do is because they are beating up on the lowly NL teams. if they were in the AL they wouldn't be a first place team.larrysgurl - August 19, 2006
The Mets
Don't have the depth in their rotation to get really far in the playoffs.I actually really like the Dodgers for the playoffs
TexasAsfan - August 20, 2006
unless.
it's the 88 or 90 A'sErik being Erik - August 19, 2006
Mariners lead was fun...
while it lasted. Come on M's!OaklandExPatriot - August 19, 2006
WOOHOO! Chewbobby!
Jennifer - August 19, 2006
You're alive!
:)AsGirl - August 19, 2006
This weekend has been amazing.
Jennifer - August 19, 2006
Care to elaborate?
Or are you just trying to make us jealous?AsGirl - August 19, 2006
I think I'll have to make a diary
after I get home tomorrow or Monday.Sample:
Today, someone in the stands had a cutout of Macha's head on a stick. Swish and Bradley were playing with it during BP. Awesomeness.
Jennifer - August 19, 2006
<Gasp>
You'll make a diary?!! Really?!Woohoo!!! Looking forward to reading it!
AsGirl - August 19, 2006
That was us!!!
We made those. Wasn't Swish hilarious?sprtsnwyn - August 20, 2006
Booooo!!!
mikeA - August 19, 2006
Liar.
mikeA - August 19, 2006
Bitch.
AsGirl - August 19, 2006
I'm jealous.
Sharon - August 19, 2006
I'm writing you an email right now.
Jennifer - August 19, 2006
yay!
Sharon - August 19, 2006
I'm going to get some sleep.
I have to get up early. I'll read the email in the morning.Sharon - August 19, 2006
ESPN reports that Huston's pain is a 3
out of 10 -- anyone else hear that? I guess that's better than four... Pathetic M's strand men on 1st and 3rd in the 8th -- again.LAXile - August 19, 2006
KNBR says the A's and Giants
are in exactly the same position. the only difference is that the A's look a little prettier in the standings....(?????)OaklandSi - August 19, 2006
Hahahaha.
I'd love to know what they're smoking.AsGirl - August 19, 2006
KNBR
is the Fox News of sports.emperor nobody - August 19, 2006
ethier is a year away...
the a's say that they thought ethier was a year away. ahem. exactly how good is he gonna be next year? better than .385 obp and .548 slg? went to the giants game for a work event, he was spectacular tonight.stm72 - August 19, 2006
Los Angeles Angels of Los Alcarrizos win
shit, 9-7, final.haroldMD - August 19, 2006
Chavez
Really looked bad out there at the plate. I hopethis was just the after effects of the double
header and not a symptom of a worsening problem
for him.
oak1 - August 20, 2006
Street on DL
According to ESPN.Vegas A's Fan - August 20, 2006
And here's a link...
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060820&c ontent_id=1619837&vkey=pr_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oakFormerHuntsvilleStar - August 20, 2006
with all the injuries this year
and in first place, by this amount, at this time of year. ho-hum, like water off a ducks back. until i see balls flying out of the park and bullpen implosions on a regular basis....keep on keeping on.ak_A - August 20, 2006
If a "3" puts Street on the DL,
I'd hate to see a "7". At least the A's didn't wait the usual 10 days to figure it out. Here's hoping Duke's back and elbow behave for the next 2 weeks...Nico - August 20, 2006
so duke is the closer now?
larrysgurl - August 20, 2006
I would assume Duke closes,
Calero sets up, Gaudin becomes the 7th inning guy, the lefties (Kennedy, Sauerbeck, Flores) alternate being exceedingly average, and Witasick comes in when we throw up the white flag. (Hey, what do you know? "Witasick" and "throw up" in the same sentence. Again.)Nico - August 20, 2006
no surprise, unfortunately
OaklandSi - August 20, 2006
Harden=Closer
baseballbill - August 20, 2006
If only
Harden = closer to being ready to pitch.Nico - August 20, 2006
you know harden becoming the closer
or being in the bullpen might not be as great as everyone thinks it is. i know when John Smoltz was in the bullpen he said that it was actually harder on his arm then starting.larrysgurl - August 20, 2006
Toronto and Texas
Not that there is a good time but losing your closer before you head into Toronto and Texas (and then home vs Boston) is reaaaaally not a good time.Larry E - August 20, 2006
i think duke will do the job just fine.
larrysgurl - August 20, 2006
Nice win, bitches!!!
Nothing cures sun-burnt dry heaving like seeing a W. Keep this shit up.Adios.
Tony - August 20, 2006
Tony!!
Huston we have a problem, Tony colorized his usual post (was a day late also!), and was also plagiarized earlier by an imposter. These are not the signs of consistency that we need right now!!baseballbill - August 20, 2006
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