Are the A's going to get another remarkable season from a rent-a-player like they did from Frank Thomas last year? If Mike Piazza has anything to say about it, they will. What a better way to endear yourself to the green and gold faithful than a monstrous smash off one of the goggle pen members to win a ballgame? Funny thing is, he hit that home run off Rodriguez pretty much the same place Kielty hit his memorable home run off Rodriguez a couple of seasons ago. Only Piazza took that out opposite field. You gonna tell me that I'm too old to catch up to an upper 90s fastball? Shut your mouth.
But seriously, could this have been a better game? The A's and Angels is becoming one of the best series in baseball to watch. It felt like October watching this game tonight. Every pitch seemed to have meaning. When the A's took the 2-0 lead, you just seemed to know that the Angels were going to come back because that's what happens when these two teams play each other. They always seem to only be one run better than each other. It's like watching two thoroughbreds racing. The Yankees and Red Sox? Heck no, the best rivalry in baseball right now are these two. The games are almost always playoff quality (although that could change with Joe Kennedy pitching tomorrow).
Any way, a huge congratulations to Chad Gaudin who gave the A's a huge quality start tonight, only giving up two runs on back-to-back jacks to Vlad and Anderson. The best part of Gaudin's night? He threw 74 pitches and 52 of them were strikes and ZERO walks. It's always a huge lift when you can get a win out of someone who is basically your sixth starter going into the season.
And this game tonight showed exactly why Billy Beane believed in keeping Duchscherer in the bullpen and not making him a starter. He's sooooo valuable as a setup man and basically wound up cleaning up the mess Calero left and wound up getting a win out of it. It's extremely smart to do exactly that when you know that you're going to have a lot of close games throughout the year.
By the way, how many of you gasped when it looked like Ellis got hit on the hand? It wouldn't exactly be good to have your biggest early season offensive producer go down, but it also wouldn't have shocked me the way things have gone the last few seasons.
It was also quite sweet to see the game end on the A's throwing out the Aybar trying to steal second base. I only wish that Joe Morgan was there to call the game. It was a nice little cherry on top of a sweet, October-like sundae.
0 recs | 141 comments
13 Hits Most in the AL Tonight
Dare I say it looks like we've got a real threatening lineup this year?ChucklesSD - April 5, 2007
There were a bunch of bleeders, though, right?
hunter - April 6, 2007
matthews back
matthews at the wall... gone!!!! MIKE PIAZZA HOMERS!!! wooooh, way to go, heres to many more of those!
OAKobsession - April 5, 2007
Matthews didn't go back.
He turned, took a step or two, and just watched like most of us though the emotions were probably different.
jarforcefatherofforce - April 5, 2007
does he have emotions?
ive heard steroids can affect those sorts of things..OAKobsession - April 6, 2007
Trying to keep track of the times the A's have
come back off K-rod:
1. Kielty Blast
2. Sulk off
3. Scutaro clutch hit last Sept.
4. Hatte single, April 22, 2005
5. BoCro single, June 29, 2004
6. Piazza blast
Any others?
BruceBochte - April 5, 2007
It wasn't off K Rod
but two sweet ones were the Frank Thomas one off Shields last year and Chavez off Donnelly.
I am really concerned about Calero right now though. They need him to be better than he has been and if he's having arm troubles, he needs to speak up. Don't pull a Loaiza on us.
Tyler Bleszinski - April 5, 2007
I guess I wasn't the only one who thought
Calero looked really uncomfortable out there. Something's not right.
baseb3383 - April 5, 2007
Lovely. Without Calero or Gaudin
the bullpen would look a lot different. Still very good, but not nearly as deep.
Nico - April 5, 2007
None of us gasped when Ellis was hit on the hand
because we couldn't see it.
I hate you Comcast! I Hate you!
Zonis - April 5, 2007
It was bad enough not being able to watch the
game...but the radio was so fuzzy too. But still... I am elated that the A's took this one.
IM4Oakgal - April 5, 2007
It was on 410 or whatever the heck it is
I had been thinking about cancelling that tier of digital cable, it's mostly useful for Turner Classic Movies...but now I remember why it's worth it!
Englishmajor - April 5, 2007
I have digital cable but it wasn't on.
I am puzzled because I got FSN+ last year.
IM4Oakgal - April 5, 2007
Key to the game tonight:
Mathews and Cabrera go a combined 0-7 in front of Vlad.
BruceBochte - April 5, 2007
Yup--kudos to Piazza,
but my "player of the game" is Justin Duchscherer. You hit all the key points, Blez. The only thing I'll add is that in sharp contrast to most of the announcers around the country, Ken Korach's call of a game-winner HR is dignified--great job, Ken, great job Duke, great job Pizza, great job behind the plate Kendall, and great job managing the bullpen Geren.
Fasten your seat belts, folks, for the next 18 A's-Angels games. Wow.
Nico - April 5, 2007
Oops, forgot one:
Great job, Chad!
Nico - April 5, 2007
Wish I had heard Korach's call
I don't specifically remember what Glen Kuiper said. I'm not "boycotting" anything, but KIFR and KYCY have lost my business. :-(
Soaker - April 5, 2007
They'll probably have it as a clip
soon on the A's site--maybe you can catch it there. It was good.
Nico - April 5, 2007
So good...
...ESPN Radio's Bob Picozzi used it a couple of times during the SportsCenters this morning.
FormerHuntsvilleStar - April 6, 2007
MLB.TV is awful
Simulation of watching an A's game:
Buffering.... 0%.... Buffering.... 0%.... Buffering.... 0%
Bud Selig should donate his $14 million salary to making MLB.TV not suck.
baseb3383 - April 5, 2007
I had NO problem with MLBTV
Picture is a little fuzzy, but otherwise great.
A'sfansince1970 - April 5, 2007
Must be my East Coast location
I can get other games but the A's broadcasts are always bad.
baseb3383 - April 5, 2007
i rate my feed tonight at 85%
ak_A - April 5, 2007
That's About What It Was Here in Oklahoma
GreenNGoldSooner - April 5, 2007
What a SWEET win tonight!
I love when we beat the stupid Halos! Take that, Rev! Nice job Kielty, Piazza, Gaudin (HUGE) and all the other awesome boys in Green and Gold! Let's go killer Joe! This is SO fun! Thank you, my extended family!
A'sfansince1970 - April 5, 2007
PANTHER!
gaudin?
duke?
piazza?
every hitter but kendall contributed tonight. but he knows how to end games.
have you changed you mind about gaudin yet, bbg?
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2007
Crosby--
no E's, no K's. Solid performance.
Nico - April 5, 2007
if it wasn't for the last play
we could focus our discontent on our catcher
danh - April 6, 2007
F-Rod
mikeA - April 5, 2007
These days,
isn't it spelled f-raud?
Nico - April 5, 2007
Your always so damn clever Nico
F-raud, as in fraud as in the vagisil he keeps under his bill right?
norcalfan - April 6, 2007
Shall we sing it?
There's a party goin' on right here,
A celebration to last throughout the year,
So bring your good friends, and your laptop too,
We're gonna celebrate this party with you!
Englishmajor - April 5, 2007
Pum pum bum pum pum
da na na, YAHOO...
<just the altos, now>...
Nico - April 5, 2007
Nights like these are why I love AN.
For the past year, my first year out of college, I've been living with my mom again in the small town of Arcata. We have a radio at the house, but no cable channels or Internet, so I tend to follow the A's by listening to Ken and Vince. If I need to check my email or do some work online, I come down to my mom's office and use her computer there.
For the first five innings tonight, I was home, making dinner and getting various chores done while listening to Ken bring the game home. At a little before 9:00, though, I decided I needed to write some friends some emails so I came down to my mom's office. And while there is definitely something to be said for Korach's soothing tones, I must say, at the risk of sounding overly sentimental, I absolutely loved following the game with all of you. From Duke cleaning up Calero's mess to the glory of Piazza's bomb, it was a special joy to read what all of you were thinking and to share in that joy.
Yeah, I've been on this site for awhile (almost three years now by my count) and yeah, I know that what I've described is just what AN does. But still, I just wanted to say again how glad I am that this site is here and how great it is to see so many passionate A's fans out there.
My best to you all. Here's to another dismantling of the K Rod mystique, something (as Bruce Bochte has documented) we've become quite adept at it. It never stops being thrilling, though, and I'm glad it doesn't.
Wes7 - April 5, 2007
I'm so happy with this win...
...I'm actually listening to Buan.
mikeA - April 5, 2007
Same here -- and it's almost 2 am here.
(Don't mind me, I'm "working late".)
salb918 - April 5, 2007
he did not play the oc theme...i emailed him
ak_A - April 5, 2007
boy-howdy, is my life exciting
ak_A - April 5, 2007
Don't forget to brush the cat's teeth
When you finish your solitaire bridge game, that is.
Nico - April 5, 2007
just as soon as i get in
my naugahyde pajamas and and insert the sleep apnea mouthpiece.
ak_A - April 5, 2007
"Is becoming"
Blez -- come on, this HAS BEEN the tightest rivalry in baseball for the last few years. Unlike the Red Sox and Yankees, the A's and Angels have had some memorable pennant races with each time winning twice in the last four years.
We also have close games, great pitching, bizarre endings, all brand of come-from-behind, a brawl -- what more could you ask for?
salb918 - April 5, 2007
dont the sox/yanks meet all those criteria also?
they might not have swapped pennant titles, but they've had memorable playoff series, which is a heck of a lot more intense, in my opinion.
fadedash - April 5, 2007
Great pitching?
I appreciate that they have awesome hitters, but for my money there's a lot more excitement in low-scoring pitcher's affairs.
Certainly they've had great playoff series, but again for my money, there's nothing better than the day-in day-out of a pennant race in August and September.
Bizarre endings? A few memorable walkoffs, sure. But caught stealing, pitcher's interference, sulk offs?
salb918 - April 5, 2007
Well, there was the ARod-Bronson ball slap fight
We can't match that.
FreeSeatUpgrade - April 5, 2007
And the time Jeter did anything
That was incredible.
Nico - April 5, 2007
Not just incredible...
...it's intangible.
GreenNGoldSooner - April 6, 2007
more of our pitchers
need to develop nonexistent pitches with cool names.
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2007
That's certainly what caught ESPN's attention.
Admittedly I was tuning back and forth between Mike-and-Mike on ESPN2 and SportsCenter on ESPN so I might have missed something, but the baseball focus was almost entirely on Dice-K, with a smattering of Pettite and Barry Bonds tossed in.
Of course the really interesting sports news apparently involves the ethics of Billy Gillispie leaving aTm for Kentucky. Is coaching Wildcats basketball now like coaching Crimson Tide football? Can we perhaps wait until it's college basketball season again to answer this one????
GreenNGoldSooner - April 6, 2007
red sox finished in third place last year
when was the last time a's and angels didn't finish 1-2 in the west?
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2007
The trouble with the Yankees and Red Sox
The answer to your question, off the top of my head, is 2001 - when the Mariners won a million games and the A's got the Wild Card.
The real problem with the Yankees and Red Sox is that, for three years running, their regular season games meant nothing. Their fans cared, as did ESPN, but they didn't matter at all. Both teams made the playoffs in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Does anyone care that the Yankees won the division all of those times? Fat lot of good that did them in the postseason. I will concede that Yankees-Red Sox postseason games make for great theater, but it's hard to have a rooting interest because of their "overdog" status and my own personal dislike of them.
The A's and Angels both made the playoffs only once, in 2002. In the other years, the loser was out of luck. That makes for better drama.
bear88 - April 5, 2007
2003
Defending World Champion Angels finished in third, M's finished in second, A's took the AL West.
salb918 - April 5, 2007
when's the last time
two al west teams made the playoffs 3 straight years in a row?whens the last time two al west teams faced each other in the playoffs?
fadedash - April 6, 2007
Looking ahead, what's the "over-under"
on DiNardo's innings pitched tomorrow?
Nico - April 5, 2007
the line is 2 1/3 IP
and i'll take the over.
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2007
The rivalry
I came back from Back to School night and watched the last few innings of the game. And it struck me, while watching, that this felt like the real baseball season.
Playing the Angels is almost never dull. The games, as mentioned, are almost always one-run affairs. The teams usually play well. For example, the A's were threatening to take the lead in the eighth against Shields, and were in decent shape after the wild pitch that put runners on second and third with one out. Scutaro does exactly what he should do against a tough pitcher, but it goes right at Kendrick, who fields the ground ball cleanly and throws the runner out. Shields then retires Kendall.
Nobody did anything wrong in that half-inning. It was forgotten after the dramatics of the ninth inning. But it was just really good baseball.
The Angels are similar to the A's in many ways (strong pitching and bullpen, underwhelming offense) but different in interesting ways (Scoscia's emphasis on running vs. the A's cautious approach). Sometimes it works out for the Angels. Sometimes, like tonight, it works for us.
And then there is the history of the rivalry. Good rivalries unfold over time. We know their team, their strengths, their players to fear, their weaknesses. They know ours. They have been our main opponent for five years now. It's them or us, every season.
Tonight, we get a future Hall of Famer beating one of the best closers in the game with an opposite field, two-iron shot. And then Kendall throws out an Angel trying to steal to end it. That was a good decision by Scioscia, by the way. Kendall just nailed that throw. (Even then, I wasn't totally sure he was out.)
Losing to the Angels is the most aggravating thing of the regular season. Beating them, especially in dramatic fashion, is the most fun.
bear88 - April 5, 2007
I watched the replay in slo-mo a dozen times,
and there was one angle, shown only once, which clearly showed the runner was out. I bet those bitches over at HH won't believe it though.
Stewart's poor throw and Kendall's excellent tag at home plate was a closer play, but in the end another HUGE one!
McFood - April 6, 2007
oh look. duke pitched more than 1 inning. nt.
fadedash - April 5, 2007
Oh look, it was tied.
I thought Geren managed great tonight. I just call 'em as I see 'em.
Nico - April 5, 2007
it's not that far off how he was trying
to manage the other game, though.
kiko comes in a tight game during the 7th. he gets in to trouble and hands it over to duke. duke finishes the 7th and then the 8th. a's take the lead and street finishes it off.
very similar to how geren was trying to play it in seattle. a's tie the game in the 7th and hand it to kiko. wants to give it to duke in the 8th, but kiko gets into trouble.
fadedash - April 5, 2007
So what's up with Calero?
He looked great in Phoenix and now he's stinking out the joint.
Is he maybe hurt? He's not pitching like I know Kiko Calero can pitch.
Concord Fanz Dad - April 5, 2007
he's fine
defense hasn't been the best behind him in his two appearances
fadedash - April 5, 2007
Agree.
If Chavez makes the play on the chopper, we're talking about his scoreless inning.
salb918 - April 5, 2007
Really? You think we'd be talking about it?
Are we that dull?
Yeah, you're probably right.
Nico - April 5, 2007
no WBC
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
i was so used to focusing
on Macha...and he always seemed to on camera with that stoic face....getting under my skin. Geren blends in better.
ak_A - April 5, 2007
You know who really blends in?
Waldo. I can never find that dude.
Nico - April 5, 2007
you should not take home the waldo posters
that you plaster your walls with with magic marker circles around waldo..... those are for the kids.
ak_A - April 5, 2007
As drunk as I am when I'm teaching,
I can rarely even find the poster.
Nico - April 5, 2007
As most of you remember...
Frank Thomas had a similar game winning home run against the Angels last year. Marco Scutaro also had a game winning hit near the end of the year. These two games were the openers for four game series. Unfortunately, both times, the Angels won the next three games. This season is still early but the A's will be in a big hole if they come out of this 2-5 and 4 games back.
The A's have to stay focused for the next three games in hostile territory. This is only the beginning.
OaktownRajah - April 5, 2007
Don't worry.
We have Joe Kennedy going tomorrow. And DiNardo, and Witasick, and Marshall. And possibly Menechino.
Nico - April 5, 2007
In all seriousness
Good thing that Gaudin kept us in this game, or we might not have DiNardo, Witasick, etc to back up JFK.
AsFanInLA - April 5, 2007
Go A's!!!
LawDaddy - April 5, 2007
This worked out fine
Really a boost to A's fans, but once again the RISP can't move on and you know that means. Really good game and hopefully the upside playing can keep coming.
doublehustle22 - April 5, 2007
One very big early play that I have not seen
talked about much in this thread is the throw out at home plate of Kotchman by Stewart. Stuck here in LA with Rex and Steve it was crazy to hear them almost justify that they should send Kotchman as it was just "being aggressive". Even though they show that Stewart has the ball in his glove before Kotchman even gets to 3rd base. Thats not aggressive (even with Stewarts iffy arm) that's just stupid.
The best part is that Stewart made a bad offline throw and Kendall still had enough time to catch it dive back to the plate to get the out. That squashed an early Angel rally and again shows some of what Kendall can bring to the table even when is bat is not going. Boy he sure likes being involved in walk off plays against the Halo's (it just seems none of them ever involve hitting).
AsFanInLA - April 5, 2007
What's remarkable about the Angels
is that no matter how many times they make 2 of 27 outs on the bases, their "aggressiveness" is always "a good idea". Keep doing it!
Nico - April 5, 2007
Yeah, it wasn't even close
And frankly, I thought the third base coach was stupid to send him. It's not like Kotchman is one of the speedier Angels either. I'm guessing it had to do with Stewart's reputation for having a noodle arm.
Tyler Bleszinski - April 5, 2007
2 outs + noodle arm
= why not send him? it was closer than it should have been and could have a different outcome next time. not to mention the variability of umpires. they could have just as easily called him safe as they did out. we've seen worse calls made.
same thing with the ninth inning. one of the fastest kids in the organization against one of the worst guys throwing out runners. a bang bang play that took a perfect throw, a perfect tag, and it was still almost too close to call.
i don't mind either of those aggressive calls. force the other team to make the play. fortunately, the a's did.
fadedash - April 5, 2007
You really think that was a good play?
If it is "closer then it should have been" and he is still out, then that is what makes it a bad decision to send the runner. If you get a bad throw -- and Stewart's throw was well offline -- you should score. If you can't even score when the throw is bad, he should not have been going in the first place.
Like I said earlier, I can at least see why they would send Aybar -- you could argue either way on that one. But the other play, there was just no justification for. He would have had to literally throw the ball over Kendall's head to not get the out on that play (and we know that Stewart doesn't have the arm strength to do that... )
AsFanInLA - April 5, 2007
Yes, I do.
I know I wasn't sitting there thinking "Gee, I hope they send the runner."
Like I said, Stewart made a bad throw, which is what the Angels were hoping for. And like I said, the play was close enough that it could have gone either way. We've seen umpires blow worse calls than that, and right after the play you had no idea which way the umpire was going to call it. It could have gone either way, 50/50.
That's a chance that I thought was fine to take in that situation.
Your other option is to leave it up to someone who gets a hit 24% of the time in his career.
fadedash - April 6, 2007
Thats funny, because I was actually glad
they were sending the runner. There was a great camera angle and it showed where Kotchman was when Stewart gloved the ball, and I was going "send him, send him".Here is the part about your arguement that I really don't understand. You are saying it was a 50/50 deal, and I agree the ump could have called it the other way (although I am not sure it was really a 50/50 but for the sake of arguement sure). However, you entirely leave out the possibility that Stewart actually makes a good throw -- and if he does Kendall is waiting with the ball while Kotchman is out by 5-6 steps. I know Stewart does not have a great arm, but he is a major leaguer and can be counted on to make an accurate (if not strong) throw at least 50% of the time. So you not only need to win that coin flip (which the Angels did) but you need to win the next coin flip (you need the ump to make a bad call on a close play). Seems to me that is too many things to go "right" to make that even close to a smart play.
So if a good throw has you out by a mile, and a bad throw makes it a bang-bang play (with a chance of still being out) then that is way to many chances of making an out to run.
AsFanInLA - April 6, 2007
so a 50/50 chance
at a bang bang play, or a 25% chance that the next batter gets a hit.I'll take the 50/50 and leave it up to the umpires.
fadedash - April 6, 2007
also, using basic probability
if you're saying that stewart will make the throw 50% of the time and the umpire will make the bad call 50% of the time, the odds of it going in favor of the angels are:
1/2 x 1/2 = 1/4 = 25%
molina's career BA is just under 25%.
how is the first scenario worse than the 2nd one?
unless of course my old high school probability lessons failed me.
fadedash - April 6, 2007
Generous
I think he believes that he is being generous in both those probability assessments.
Personally, I think that opposing 3rd base coaches will take a lot of liberties with Stewart's arm. That was a horrible throw. However, in this case the 3rd base coach blew it. The ball was sharply hit, the runner was slow, Stewart charged the ball and fielded it cleanly, and was in ridiculously shallow left field by the time he threw it. He made a high arching throw which was well off target and Kendall still had time to tag the runner. Although, because of the bad throw, it was a close play, he was still clearly out. The umpire is going to make the correct call on that play at least 95% of the time.
I was aware of Stewart's reputation for having a poor throwing arm but I hope it isn't as bad as that play would indicate.
Larry E - April 6, 2007
high school football injury ..
.. is the reason for Stewart's poor arm .. or so they said on one of the marty lurie winter shows ..
Randy Bell - April 6, 2007
Thanks for saying what I was trying to say
more clearly then I could. I was using the coin flip analogy for simplicity, but yes I think that the probability is much greater then 50/50 both of Stewart making an accurate throw from shallow LF AND for an ump to make a correct call on a tag play at home.AsFanInLA - April 6, 2007
I couldn't agree more
There was at least some small justification for sending Aybar -- Willits not exactly a power guy to drive in the run from 1st w/ 2 outs and Aybar is fast-- but trying to send Kotchman when Stewart is holding the ball, in shallow left field and the runner has not even touched 3rd base yet? Yup, just keep up that agressiveness.
AsFanInLA - April 5, 2007
yeah, sending aybar is like 50/50
not a bad decision at all in that situation.
but what i love is that for the angels that's a total "no brainer" even if it fails 90% of the time, because hey at least they're aggressive and trying to win!
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2007
I always miss the fun games
Not on TV or I'm working :(
But great job A's! Maybe we can take LA of Anaheim like we did Seattle last year....
streetfan - April 5, 2007
Just got back from the game
thought I'd make some comments before I read all these... cuz you know I love to repeat everything that was probably already said. Sorry it's kinda long.
YAY PIAZZA!!!! Everyone was booing him all game and I don't really get why. I mean the Kendall thing and the Bradley thing (I guess) I sort of understand, but Piazza? Oh well... I was definitely standing and cheering when he hit the HR. Strangely enough I think there were more boos before he started his AB than after the HR.
And off of Rodriguez on his saves-record-t-shirt giveaway day too! It really made my night perfection.
Swish had a great game. I love his at bats because of how good of an eye he has. Awesome.
Huston looked great and his dominant self I hope to always see when he's out. The hit was bloopy to no man's land so I didn't blame him too much for that. And he came back fierce as ever so high fives all around for that.
The only complaint I really had (other than seeing fewer A's fans than I'm used to haha) was the lack of hits with RISP. It seemed like we had guys at 3rd with one out about 85 times tonight, and the only time I can think of a good hit was Ellis's sac fly. Though I'm sure there was at least one other that I'm missing.
and KENDALL!!! Way to end the game buddy! That was a SWEET throw. I hope he has a good year with that sort of thing.
This game was so exciting the whole time. Even all the Angel fans around me (my family included haha) agreed that the game was awesome (even though they obviously didn't like the outcome as much as I did :) )
drmmerchk - April 5, 2007
Piazza = Dodgers
Same thing last weekend in San Francisco.
Soaker - April 5, 2007
they boo piazza
because of his time with the dodgers. it'd be like an a's fan booing jeff kent.
fadedash - April 5, 2007
hahaha
well yes... but Jeff Kent is Jeff Kent. Everyone boos him. hahaha
But yeah I dunno I still think its dumb to boo the guy since he hasn't even done anything against THEIR team. He wasn't even in the same league until 3 days ago or whatever. Tomorrow, when they all boo louder than for everyone else on the team, I will understand why.
drmmerchk - April 5, 2007
totally unrelated to tonights game
there's a pitcher in NCAA that throws both left and right handed:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/06/sp...
so what happens when he faces a switch hitter? do they just keep switching on each other so that the at bat never begins?
bringbackgallego - April 5, 2007
haha
sign him up billy!
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2007
I think a batter has to take at least one pitch..
from whichever side of the batters box he enters.
McFood - April 6, 2007
I am pretty sure I saw an article on this once
and they were interviewing a pitcher that threw both ways. They made the pitcher declare which hand he would throw with for that at bat and then the batter would bat himself accordingly. Seems a bit unfair to the pitcher (in my opinion). I think it should be the opposite -- batter steps into whichever box he wants and then the pitcher pitches -- with whatever hand he wants to.
AsFanInLA - April 6, 2007
the pitcher would also need two gloves
if he could switch hands in an inning. The extra glove would be somewhere on or near the mound -- which I think is illegal. So probably the pitcher would have to stick to one hand for the whole inning.
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
He only uses one glove for both hands
b/c he has a specially designed golve that fits onto both hands. He actually switches the arms he pitches with from batter to batter.
F171615 - April 6, 2007
wow...I'd love to see that glove
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
check the link
they have a pic of it
F171615 - April 6, 2007
Dude.
Billy, can we have him? Please please please please?!
I have a serious weakness for "freak" pitchers, I find them fascinating -- I've always wanted to watch an ambidextrous pitcher like that. That would be amazing.
Kyli - April 6, 2007
Something that irritates me about
certain stats (and even if it is completely off topic I decided I would just mention it now). I know that the save is kind of a lame stat. But an even worse stat is the "blown save".
For instance, Duke comes into a game in the 7th inning, with the bases loaded 1 out and a 1 run lead. Gets both his guys out, but gives up a sac fly to tie the game. For that he gets a blown save? So many things wrong with that, but the one that really irritates me is how can you blow a save in the 7th? Do they really think that there was any chance that Duke would finish the game? And if not, how can you "blow" something that you were never going to get the chance to earn in the first place?
Even if it is a stupid stat, they should still fix it so that set up guys in the 6th and 7th don't get stuck with a bunch of blown saves when they give up a lead. Maybe a "blown hold"?
(Smack's self upside head for trying to invent a new stupid stat)
AsFanInLA - April 5, 2007
Could NOT agree more...
...but someone wise once told me that BS's for middle relivers is a stat hardly looked at, which I believe. Really it's closers that care about that stat.
baseballgirl - April 5, 2007
I would disagree with that just a bit
I recall when Billy signed Rhodes to be our closer many detractors in the media were constantly harping on the fact that he had only converted like half of his "save opportunities" and they were using his saves / saves + blown saves to calculate that "stat".
Just seemed silly to me at the time they were so concerned about blown saves from a set up guy -- seems they should have been more concerned about his effectiveness in general, but that is another thread entirely.
AsFanInLA - April 5, 2007
Agreed, but....
...you do realize that this point is the very heart of baseball geekery. To whit: you agree that it was clear that Rhodes would probably suck when BB signed him, but you're arguing that many of the folks who said that he'd suck said so for the wrong reason.
If arguments like that make a difference to you (and they do to me), you are a baseball geek.
GreenNGoldSooner - April 6, 2007
Guilty as charged
However, the reason it makes a difference is that people will try and use that logic again in cases where it truly does not apply.
Take the stud reliever from the hated rivals. Scot Shields in his career:
Saves - 14
Blown Saves - 15
Unlike Rhodes, I think that Shields would be fine as a closer even with this "horrible" conversion rate of less then half his "save opportunities".
AsFanInLA - April 6, 2007
base on...?
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
based on (missed the d)?
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
The fact that
he's a great pitcher with great stats?
mikeA - April 6, 2007
Rhodes was also very effective
as a set-up man before the A's signed him, yet bombed as a closer.
Not saying Shields wouldn't be a good closer, I just don't see how anyone could predict that solely based on stats. Some may want to argue emotional makeup, etc., but that's not the province of geekery.
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
The fact that he is a great pitcher
and that when KRod has missed time Shields has slid into the closers role (ala Duke when Street has missed time) and done very well.
He also does not have the other alarm bells that Rhodes should have set off -- was starting to get up there in age, 34, had a major dip in all his stats from '02 to '03 (WHIP, K/BB, K/9, etc) -- basically Rhodes was a Thomas like gamble that did not pay off. Shields is probably competing with Duke as the best reliever in baseball not closing out games (maybe throw in Zumaya as well, but he will be closing by next season if not sooner).
AsFanInLA - April 6, 2007
Totally agree
Duke retires the only 5 guys he faces and some people are calling him the hero of the game and all he officially gets is a blown save. You would think that Calero should bet the blown save because it was he was responsible for that run (it went against his ERA). But I guess the counter argument to that would be that if a closer came on with a runner on first and 0 outs in the 9th up one run that he would have an opportunity for a save but not a blown save (with the exception of a DP and then a run).
Larry E - April 6, 2007
Just got back from the game
And seriously, WHAT A GAME!!! Piazza's homerun, Kendall's tag at the plate AND the throw to second to end the game, Duchscherer's awesome pitching performance, Street's save, Gaudin's solid performance (x--I'd rather have him then JFK for SURE, especially since he didn't walk anyone, which has been his problem in the past), thirteen hits...wow.
The ONLY negative tonight (and I don't think anyone has mentioned it) was Kielty's terrible play in RF tonight. His 'slide' that turned a single into a double might have cost us the game.
Was surprised he stayed in after Saunders went out.
But...wow. Don't think I've cheered so hard for an early April game like that in a while. But the set-up was perfect. It was K-rod's big night, T-shirt giveaway...he was DEALING...after getting Stewart (who I REALLY am starting to like) and Bradley, he made Piazza look just silly with the slider, and then bam! He throws the fastball and it ends up over the fence. SO awesome.
baseballgirl - April 5, 2007
kielty
really needs to be taken out after lefty starting pitchers are removed.
the 8th inning could have been a big without kielty:
Top 8th: Oakland
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2007
did you get a k-rod shirt
blame of the game!
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2007
Yay!
I loved Piazzas at bat. He was thinking fastball (which was pretty much all that was being thrown the rest of the inning) and swung and missed terribly... everyone was laughing and making a big deal out of it. But oh, he shut everyone up when the pitch he was looking for finally showed up and he drilled it out to CF. LOVED IT!!
drmmerchk - April 5, 2007
I mentioned it in the game thread
and in Game 2 also. Kielty is an average fielder in left, but really not good in RF
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
Kielty seems to be getting worse
I recall him, in years past, being truly average: slow but fundamentally sound, average but accurate arm. Lately it seems more like "slow but seems to think he's fast, unathletic but seems not to know it."
Nico - April 6, 2007
So since Derek Zumsteg reported that K-Rod is
cheating, MLB is now investigating it. And with everybody watching him now, he proceeds to give up a go ahead homer to Piazza.
That's one hell of a coincidence, don't yeah think?
Goose - April 5, 2007
it's not surprising
k-rod is soooo not panther.
xbhaskarx - April 5, 2007
They're displaying
true class about that subject over at HH.
mikeA - April 5, 2007
When did K-Rod give up the glasses?
No more goggle pen?
OaktownRajah - April 5, 2007
Did anyone else
who was at the game notice that about 25% of the angels fans left after the angels tied it up in the 8th?
also, is it just me, or are the a's getting better this season about going from first to third on singles?
last but not least, is there a reason that piazza and not melhuse was warming up the pitcher after both times kendall ended the inning at the plate?
sypher1504 - April 6, 2007
Maybe Mikey_P misses catching so much that ..
.. they have to let him do something related to catching .. {g} ..
Randy Bell - April 6, 2007
I think Geren was serious about
starting the runners more to avoid double plays
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
Melhuse in the bullpen
In an interview right after the game on the Angels' broadcast Street mentioned that Melhuse was in the bullpen and that Piazza was scrambing to find his catcher's glove to warm him up.
Larry E - April 6, 2007
yeah
I noticed a lot of people leaving, but I'm just going to assume it's because it was a Thursday night and if there were kids they (maybe) had school and whatever. Plus people want to get out of the parking lot and not have to sit around for 40 minutes til you can move the car.
And yeah I noticed that the A's were running smarter all game. I wasn't happy with all the guys we left in scoring position... but at least they got there! Maybe tonight we'll do better with that.
drmmerchk - April 6, 2007
take that K-Rod
emperor nobody - April 6, 2007
Mike Piazza is...
...The Continental...
FormerHuntsvilleStar - April 6, 2007
Awesome Game !!!!
The old man Piazza came through... I agree the A's/Angels games are some of the best going. Always feel like a playoff game.
I just hope our pitching can hold up.
theswinginas - April 6, 2007
October-like? c'mon!
it was September-like! ;-)
Seriously, it's amazing to have a game like that only four games into the season. and like Piazza said, "These kind of games are hard on your stomach."
The A's are still leaving entirely too many runners on base -- I think there were around 13-14 last night. But perhaps their very nice balanced offense will begin to correct that chronic ill.
Gaudin showed that he indeed has the stuff to start. The A's themselves have said that, only that he wasn't ready. (Not saying he's ready now if there are better alternatives -- I'm just glad he's progressed perhaps faster than they expected, enough to be able to step in.)
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
{i think} RISP is a "crapshoot"
Just watch any game, national or american league, and you will see -- even Albert Pujols doesn't always come through with RISP. Even teams with more potent offense, like Cleveland or New York or Chicago, don't always come through with RISP in a given game. It is so easy to "just miss" a juicy pitch, pop it up or ground out rather than squaring up on it. And even when you square up on it you might do like Scutaro did and hit it right at somebody. I think you have the right idea when you said:
The trick is to keep pounding away, keep getting men on base and pressuring the opposition until you "break through" with a big hit, or until they "crack" with a crucial error, or some combination. If you keep knocking on the door, eventually you will get through the door. The same principle applies in post-season, too; - as Beane has said, it is a bit of a crapshoot. The idea is to keep getting to post-season and eventually you will do like the Cards last year and "breakthrough", go all the way ..
Randy Bell - April 6, 2007
all of baseball might be a 'crapshoot'
nobody hits all or even most of the time with RISP. But the A's have had a very obvious problem with this for some years. Geren spoke very specifically to this problem when he talked about working on situational hitting during spring training.
OaklandSi - April 6, 2007
agree, but neither the A's nor Angels have ..
.. potent offenses .. they both have to scratch out runs .. the A's have always been "grinders" as Marty Lurie puts it. They win by wearing down the opposition, and with pitching and defense. The Angels are similar except more of an NL-style with the aggressive baserunning etc. The A's typically score just enough runs to win - especially when playing the Angels, those games are always very close .. but, yeh, I would like to see more success with RISP, everybody would, hehe. Let's hope so .. go A's! :)
Randy Bell - April 6, 2007
{humor} Speaking of Chicago and Cleveland ..
.. yesterday's contest between those two AL-Central offensive juggernauts ended when Hernandez drilled A.J. with the bases loaded .. hehe ..
Randy Bell - April 6, 2007
I still think Geren should be fired. Now.
kaweahkaweah - April 6, 2007
He should've brought the lefty Durazo in
to face K-Rod.
salb918 - April 6, 2007
Yay Mike--1/1 down, only 38/113 to go!
;-)
The Dogfather - April 6, 2007
{is that} big hurt HR/RBI totals ?
Randy Bell - April 6, 2007
Yeah-actually Mike's waaay ahead on HRs this year
The Dogfather - April 6, 2007
Nice win, bitches!!!
Viva Italia, Viva Piazza!!!
I have to confess I feel guilty about telling the nice little 90 year old woman Angels worker what I was going to do with my K-Rod giveaway t-shirt...but then I gave it to a kid, so I restored my karma points.
That was a sleeper highlight of the night. When I got my t-shirt, I told my date there was 0% chance of me ever wearing that shirt. Almost immediately, I heard like 5 other A's fans behind me all saying the same thing. Pretty funny.
Angels stadium is actually pretty nice. Very clean, decent sightlines. Fans were too tame for me though. I was kind of looking forward to some healthy shit-talking, but nobody said anything so I didn't want to be a dick and start it myself. After the game, we got a little lost in the parking lot, and they even had a worker drive us to the car in a minivan....don't see that one happening at the Coli!
So overall, a great night and even though the Angels staff and their fans were pretty cool, then Angels can still suck it. PANTHER!!!
Tony - April 6, 2007
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