A's 9, Jays 8 Ryan Sweeney's RBI triple in the 9th broke an 8-8 tie, as the A's survived a see-saw battle to outlast Toronto, 9-8. The A's led 6-3 early only to be tied 6-6, and saw an 8-6 lead evaporate on Frank Thomas' 2-run HR in the bottom of the 8th.
On Opening Night in Tokyo, the A's snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and when that happens you just try to remember that there will be other days where you could lose - but don't. There were so many positives to tonight's win - the season's most exciting game to date - that I can almost forgive Bob Geren for trotting out Alan Embree (that would be "winning pitcher Alan Embree") to start the 8th inning, when arguably any other choice, from leaving in Foulke for two more hitters, to bringing in Casilla, to using Street for the heart of the order in the 8th and asking Embree to handle the 9th, would have made more sense. What it takes to help me let go of that is when:
* Kurt Suzuki continues to look like the most accomplished hitter in the league this side of...Ryan Sweeney. Nice to have two rookies provide five hits in the 8-9 holes, with quality at bat after quality at bat.
* Travis Buck gets a hit!!!!!! (And then he gets another one!)
* Huston Street looks like his old self, hitting 92-93 MPH on the gun with life on it, and showcasing the signature slider with good location and late bite.
But once again, the story is Ryan Sweeney. My mom and I have a running joke, because initially she had trouble keeping the two Sweeneys straight. So I explained that "the good Sweeney" was right-handed and stockily built, and "the bad Sweeney" was left-handed and thin. So it was funny when Ryan went 4/4 the other day:
"Wait, which Sweeney was that?"
"Bad Sweeney again!"
"I thought so! Woo hoo, Bad Sweeney!"
Love me some Bad Sweeney!
0 recs | 182 comments
do you live in your Mom's basement?
FoolshGame22 - April 8, 2008
He's a blogger
Obviously he does.
PaulThomas - April 8, 2008
I wish - she rarely lets me up there. :-(
Nico - April 8, 2008
Yay for the green jerseys!
Jennifer - April 8, 2008
Thank you Nico
I've been looking for a Ryan Sweeney nickname, and it's the best thing to cap off an exciting win:
Bad Sweeney it is.
Hegenberger Road - April 8, 2008
i've been calling 'em Baby Sweeney and Papa Sweeney...
ans Baby Sweeney is looking good!!
diaryofmac10 - April 8, 2008
one of them really needs to be ...
The Demon Batter of Hegenberger Road.
monkeyball - April 9, 2008
I'm thinking Sweeng 1 and Sweeng 2
The Dogfather - April 9, 2008
Someone needs to break into Geren's office
Find the page that says "We lead, 7th inning Foulke, 8th inning Embree, 9th inning Street", and burn it.
doctorK - April 8, 2008
I would bet that comes from the front office
I remember talking to several people in the front office and Geren himself who said that Embree isn't a true LOOGY and that he's almost as good against righties as he is against lefties.
Tyler Bleszinski - April 8, 2008
Given that he has established he can close,
you can bring Street in to handle the righty heart of the order and then give Embree the 9th. Or you can let Foulke throw more than 6 pitches and put in Embree for Overbay. Or you can go to Casilla. The only really bad move, when you have two power-hitting righties who eat up LHPs, fastballs, and especially both, is to do what Geren did. It was really the only bad move to be made out of many options.
Nico - April 8, 2008
He's not, though
and they know that. He's good enough to not be a loogy, but he has a slightly higher than average split for his career, and higher than that the past few years, and they know that....
mikeA - April 8, 2008
I was cheering for Zooks in rhe 9th
Before he got his hit. Then I called a double for Sweeney, who stretched it out.
It really is a sweet game. Let's Go A's!
paradox - April 8, 2008
Classic astroturf triple
Once that ball got past Rios they have no chance.
doctorK - April 8, 2008
But a closer play than it needed to be.
I hope someone took advantage of the "coachable moment:" Run first, let up later."
The Dogfather - April 9, 2008
Sweeney doesn't run ...
... he lopes. Man, that kid has long legs.
monkeyball - April 9, 2008
Geren=genius
He knew the offense would break out this game, so that's why they pushed back Harden's start.
mikeA - April 8, 2008
is your mom in a rocking chair
in the basement?
skutch - April 8, 2008
All this "Mom's basement" stuff is so wrong
Nico's obviously much more the mom-in-the-attic type.
FreeSeatUpgrade - April 8, 2008
that's right, mom's in the attic
must be Paul Thomas in the basement
skutch - April 8, 2008
I've met Nico's mom
And she looks nothing like Cindi.
louismg - April 8, 2008
I've met louismg's dad, and
the resemblance to Cindi is uncanny.
Nico - April 8, 2008
Greg Smith goes tomorrow
Oakland purchased Smith's contract from Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday. The 24-year-old was scheduled to arrive in Toronto late on Tuesday night and is expected to be named the starter for Wednesday night's affair against the Jays. Smith, one of the players acquired in the Dan Haren trade during the offseason, allowed two runs on six hits in his first Minor League start of '08.
Colorado Fan - April 8, 2008
so who is off the roster?
Johnson?
Athletics fan and runner - April 8, 2008
X
(that is my crossed fingers)
mikeA - April 8, 2008
Chavvy to the 60-day
is my guess.
I mean, does anyone seriously think he's back before May 20 or whenever the 60-day mark is? He can't even bend over right now.
PaulThomas - April 8, 2008
that's my guess also
OaklandSi - April 8, 2008
Come on, guys -
You honestly don't think there will be a new injury between now and tomorrow afternoon? These guys all have to get out of bed - possibly turning off an alarm clock in the process - walk to the lobby, eat a meal (which could include grapes, known to be hazardous), not get deported, and take batting practice.
The move will make itself.
Nico - April 8, 2008
come on now
new year. The injury bug is the Angels gig....
HRH - April 8, 2008
Tell it to Duke and Harden!
Nico - April 8, 2008
the players write the DL, huh?
OaklandSi - April 8, 2008
'specially Duke-shire
Nico - April 8, 2008
you forgot
take a shower (eveland), put on sunblock (DJ), use an elastic exercise band (yabu, oh wait he's with the giants now)....
i'm surprised beane didn't trade for john smoltz after he tried to iron a shirt while still wearing it.
xbhaskarx - April 8, 2008
How guilty are we all gonna feel when
Ziggy goes down with carpal tunnel syndrome?
Nico - April 8, 2008
Yeah I heard this
HRH - April 8, 2008
Top of the recap
A's lead 6-3 not 6-1. Just a minor thing.
Helloooo 1st - April 8, 2008
Oops. Yeah, huh.
Thanks.
Nico - April 8, 2008
Also you mean "led" not "lead"
(third word second sentence)
FreeSeatUpgrade - April 8, 2008
Sorry, I'm drinked
I mean, insober. That is, when I wrote that I was clearly inder the unfluence.
Oh crap - well, you mean what I know.
Nico - April 8, 2008
That was neat.
salb918 - April 8, 2008
I thought it was keen.
Nick - April 8, 2008
I thought it was boss.
FoolshGame22 - April 8, 2008
I thought it was mint.
Englishmajor - April 8, 2008
I thought it was capital.
Elvez - April 8, 2008
I thought it was choice.
flipgatey3 - April 8, 2008
I thought it was tender.
Zabat - April 9, 2008
You're all wrong.
What you "thought" it was has no bearing on reality. My statement was one of fact: that was neat.
salb918 - April 8, 2008
Your next Staturday assignment
is to prove that it was neat statistically.
Tyler Bleszinski - April 8, 2008
So we can all go "Cool."
Poppy - April 8, 2008
You know what they said when Blez was a kid?
"Forsooth, that doth be concurrently neat and keen!"
Nico - April 8, 2008
Patrol Craft got spooked by Sweeney's performance,
responded with a HR tonight.
mikeA - April 8, 2008
I could be projecting, but
Huston looked to have as little confidence in himself tonight as I had in him. It must be tough to intimidate opposing hitters when you're cowering like a bunny.
skutch - April 8, 2008
Didn't look that way to me
Nico - April 8, 2008
I hope you're right...
in any event, a solid outing like this one should help his mood.
skutch - April 8, 2008
Street only made one bad pitch
and that was a floating slider that I think Rios just missed.
Tyler Bleszinski - April 8, 2008
Strike two to Wells was a fastball I wouldn't recommend
throwing down the middle to him again - but Wells was either looking slider, or else the pitch had enough life on it, that Wells took it. But that was the pitch that could have gotten hit out (had Street been doing the "daily HR" thing).
Nico - April 8, 2008
I thought that was nice pitch-calling by ZOOK!
Wells was looking slider-slider-fastball, and Suzuki/Street went fastball-fastball-slider.
monkeyball - April 8, 2008
sure, but when you throw your (90 mph) fastball,
you might not want to throw it where Huston did.
skutch - April 8, 2008
I liked the fastball call on the second pitch
but he threw it in the HR part of the zone.
mikeA - April 8, 2008
Exactly - good pitch, bad location, good life on it
Best of all: Vernon took it.
Nico - April 8, 2008
there was that thigh-high
fastball that V. Wells took at 0-1
skutch - April 8, 2008
Does RSweeney Stay in the Line-up?
Jays have a RHP going tomorrow, so RS will likely start. If he continues to hit do you then sit him the next time a LHP starts?
If he keeps it going, perhaps sit Buck (for the short term) against LHP and let Den get some at bats while playing RF.
When Den and RS have been in the field at the same time as of late, RS has been in CF with Den on the corner.
I'd hate to see a hot bat wasted because of a palatoon that was put together when both guys were hitting in the .200-.230 range.
Things have changed.....in this latest SMALL SAMPLE SIZE :)
BleacherGuy - April 8, 2008
I think you sit Email Brown - or should I say you "delete" him?
An OF of Ryan Sweeney, Denorfia, and Buck, is excellent defensively, and they are (potentially) the future, Email not-so-much.
Nico - April 8, 2008
+1
xbhaskarx - April 8, 2008
Leaving out MSweeney with that arrangement.
BWH - April 8, 2008
mike sweeney: backup dh/1b
xbhaskarx - April 9, 2008
Duke
Went on the 15-day DL. Oddest thing: Slusser said it was a lat with Harden, now AP says it's a strain in his upper arm.
richwol1 - April 8, 2008
A's misrepresenting and/or misreporting injuries?
NO WAY!
mikev - April 8, 2008
it's a subscapularious strain
however, the media has been defining that variously as either the back, the shoulder, or the side.
Evidently anatomy is not a requirement for sports reporting.
OaklandSi - April 8, 2008
the ability to identify a horse's ass
might come in handy
skutch - April 8, 2008
No problem
Just give most sportswriters a mirror.
(I, of course, am not including our dear SuSlu in this.)
doctorK - April 8, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subscapularis_muscle
mikeA - April 8, 2008
A's in Domes
I like the A's when they play in Domes, seems to wake up the bats.
Hit4TheCycle - April 8, 2008
The medical Staff
Needs to be replaced. From top to bottom. It has to be the problem, these guy's are pro athletes, they shouldn't even have to worry about things like tendinitis.
drumber - April 8, 2008
wow it feels like 2007 on AN
flipgatey3 - April 8, 2008
anything more painful
in sports today than watching the giants bullpen try to waste another great cain/lincecum start?
Hot Cup Joe - April 8, 2008
Having to watch them AND listen to the announcers?
Nico - April 8, 2008
actually I have the TV on the Giants game
but the sound off...and the radio on the Warriors game...and blogging on AN
OaklandSi - April 8, 2008
I wish they'd quit showing that one fan
Although, he is a GAMER!
doctorK - April 8, 2008
Do you think they should take their white pen and
cross out the fan's face - because that would be funny and original.
Nico - April 8, 2008
Or perhaps
they can show close-ups of guys wiping their kids' noses on their sleeves.
doctorK - April 8, 2008
I can't stop thinking of the caller to KNBR
who used to work in the coroner's office. He commented that the workers would refer to cadavers who had been there a while as "gamers"....
OaklandSi - April 8, 2008
Rowand looks like a cadaver tonight
0-4, three K's
doctorK - April 8, 2008
LOL
Poppy - April 8, 2008
Callix Crabbe
is such a great name.
pam5981 - April 8, 2008
Maybe for a venereal disesae
Nico - April 8, 2008
or for Carlos Calcium's wacky Omega-3 rich sidekick
skutch - April 8, 2008
Ay buddie - Carlos Calcium don't need no sidekick!
Carlos works alone, man.
Nico - April 8, 2008
Someone on MCC said yesterday
they should trade for him and make him be nicknamed Crazy.
Englishmajor - April 8, 2008
painful?
I kinda enjoy it.
FoolshGame22 - April 8, 2008
You're really going to dig it
when one of those guys takes an axe to the locker room
Hot Cup Joe - April 8, 2008
Pronk!!!!
Hafner just hit a 2 run HR to give the Indians a 1 run lead in the top of the ninth over the Halos.
Gameday
HigherPie - April 8, 2008
are they going to give the ball to Borowski
in the bottom of the ninth?
OaklandSi - April 8, 2008
Yes, but only after Westbrook gets three outs!
Nico - April 8, 2008
Pronk homers in the top of the 9th...
Tribe takes the lead.... 4-3.
FoolshGame22 - April 8, 2008
I'm posting this here becase, well, it's never too early to socreboard watch
PRONK~! hits a 2 run homer with 2 outs in the 9th off Justin Speier, Indians lead 4-3 now. Gooooo Tribe!
thejd44 - April 8, 2008
Wow, two comments get in before mine goes through. Hmpf
thejd44 - April 8, 2008
Ours were clearly better.
HigherPie - April 8, 2008
Is it too early to "Borowski watch"?
Otherwise known as suicide watch for me.
Nico - April 8, 2008
So apparently Jake Westbrook
will be his own closer tonight.
Soaker - April 8, 2008
Thought this was a loss.
When Tor. tied it at 8 I thought for sure this game was a loss. Good to get a win.
Can't wait to see all the former A's on May 27th.
fansince1980 - April 8, 2008
That Hafner HR was huge
I admit it. I'm up at a quarter to 1 in Orlando, FL watching the game on MLB.TV and hanging with my AN buds. Is this an obsession, or healthy?
louismg - April 8, 2008
Yes
Nico - April 8, 2008
These two Indians-Angels games
have been the best of the season so far...regardless of outcome.
Soaker - April 8, 2008
haha... the hapless Giants...
give it up in the 9th.
FoolshGame22 - April 8, 2008
Are the giants still in MLB?
(He said, paraphrasing the Dodgers of old)
louismg - April 8, 2008
I honestly think the River Cats would do just as well as the Giants this year
And there's probably a handful of other AAA teams that fit that bill.
thejd44 - April 8, 2008
The biggest reason for a RAF
to buy either MLB.TV or Extra Innings is that you're not stuck watching San Francisco when the A's aren't on.
Soaker - April 8, 2008
Matthews Jr. singled, Vlad GIDP
2 outs, Westbrook still in, only 92 pitches
HigherPie - April 8, 2008
Guerrero DP
Angels down to last out. Disneyland quiet.
louismg - April 8, 2008
Wow...Cleveland pulled it out!
Vlad's DP was huge. Hey...we're tied for first!
baseballgirl - April 8, 2008
Don't do that!
I'm still on MLB.tv and delayed. You're no fun.
louismg - April 8, 2008
They're 5 and 4
HigherPie - April 8, 2008
We're a half game behind!
baseballgirl - April 8, 2008
(I'm enjoying while it lasts)
baseballgirl - April 8, 2008
A's, Red Sox, Yanks: all 4-4
One of these payrolls doesn't belong here...
Again - enjoying it while it lasts...
Nico - April 8, 2008
The A's record can last
It's the Red Sox and Yanks who are cellar-bound.
louismg - April 8, 2008
A's are better than both of them...
XW-L
A's 5-3
Yanks 3-5
Sox 3-5
FoolshGame22 - April 8, 2008
Just made my weekly visit to HH
they're too dumb to even be interesting for schadenfreude purposes.
Helpful hint. If you care about spelling, but don't know how to spell schadenfreude, just google your best guess and you'll get the answer, which you can then copy and paste!
mikeA - April 8, 2008
I don't know
There's something about watching other people misspell stuff that's just fun....
Hot Cup Joe - April 8, 2008
Ah, that's called "Shaddinfroide"
Nico - April 8, 2008
Hmmm
I always thought it had something to do with Marge Schott and Freud.
louismg - April 8, 2008
Even Freud ain't that desperate
And he's not that young anymore.
Nico - April 8, 2008
The last time I posted something about schadenfreude
I thought for sure someone would post the picture of A. J. Pierzynski. I couldn't find it anywhere.
Englishmajor - April 8, 2008
can't find it
because sbnation's search function is still completely broken!
^sbnation search function.....^me
xbhaskarx - April 8, 2008
Good times
That angle isn't as perfect as the other one, but it makes A. J. look worse, which is a bonus.
Englishmajor - April 8, 2008
same goes for weltanschauung
xbhaskarx - April 8, 2008
and gesamtkunstwerk
monkeyball - April 9, 2008
Halos lose!
HigherPie - April 8, 2008
Ahhh, now that is sweet
Had it on gameday, checked in the middle of the game when Cleveland was up 2-0, then checked again at the start of the ninth and I was pissed. Thank you Wedge for leaving Westbrook in!
mikeA - April 8, 2008
Angels fans are probably saying,
"Geez, shoulda walked Hafner and pitched to Garko!"
Nico - April 8, 2008
lol
FoolshGame22 - April 8, 2008
{annika sorenstam venereal disease}
monkeyball - April 9, 2008
Yahoo! A's page lists tomorrow's starter
being Lenny DiNardo. Of course, since Greg Smith hasn't been added to the 25 and 40 man roster yet he can't be listed. Still, I thought it was worth mentioning, since you never know...
OaklandSi - April 8, 2008
Let's Go, Pecs
Englishmajor - April 8, 2008
If DiNardo starts tomorrow, seems like no Harden on Saturday....
mikeA - April 8, 2008
but yahoo generally doesn't scoop mlb.com on the pitching matchups
mikeA - April 8, 2008
Moneyball, According to Joe M.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJD8k2hgRmU&feature=related
Colorado Fan - April 8, 2008
Harden isn't cut out for starting...
He would be a sick Papel-esque closer though. With Street as the 8th inning man.
dtownmbrown - April 8, 2008
Giants fans appear to be chanting
"Bo!" "Cock!"
"Bo!" "Cock!"
"Bo!" "Cock!"
Englishmajor - April 8, 2008
Man, it's fun watching the Giants
"Bocock with a chance to be a hero!"
Not good.
mikeA - April 8, 2008
Bocock
He actually has a better hitting approach that most everyone else in that lineup.
doctorK - April 8, 2008
He also had a .656 OPS in A-ball last year,
but I agree! This is what makes the Giants so fun to watch.
mikeA - April 8, 2008
Im pretty happy so far with this team..
I mean we are 4-4 while Playing vs the World Series Champs and a team that was on the ALCS. As well as a very good team in Toronot. Cant complain so far. And with a little luck we coulda been 6-2.
Syphon - April 8, 2008
Not sure if allowing a game tying HR in the 9th
is "bad luck" but yeah - definitely not much would have to have been different for us to be 6-2.
Nico - April 8, 2008
Poor Ryan.
"Bad Sweeney"... :(
I call him Baby Sweeney.
Poppy - April 8, 2008
Is Mike
Papa Sweeney?
pam5981 - April 8, 2008
No, Mike is MyNewBoyfriend Sweeney.
Poppy - April 8, 2008
That IS a much better name.
pam5981 - April 8, 2008
Which reminds me...
I think you may have been in Arizona when I posted this.
Ice Cream - April 9, 2008
LOL
Poppy - April 9, 2008
British boarding schools
would have them be Sweeney Major and Sweeney Minor.
Englishmajor - April 8, 2008
hahahahahahahaha
Giants actually playing well. Hit, SB, 2-0 count, then a GB to first, throw to third DP.
mikeA - April 8, 2008
Stupid Giants.
I love it. And MLB TV rocks this year.
louismg - April 8, 2008
I actually feel sorry for them tonight
When was the last time you ever saw a 3(unassisted)-5 GIDP?
doctorK - April 8, 2008
That was bad.
But they have more wins than .. .
Detroit!
MobiusKlein - April 8, 2008
I wanted to see the overactive Giants fan they've been panning to
right after the Giants blew the save
oh wait, there he is!
oaklandSMASH - April 8, 2008
Giants win!
Adios, pelota, I guess. Oh well, Angels lose and A's win! Works for me.
louismg - April 8, 2008
Molina with the walk-off
He's lucky he didn't peg one of those seagulls waiting to descend into the LF bleachers.
doctorK - April 8, 2008
that's too bad... Giants win.
Krukow: "That's one we'll always remember." In a 120-loss season. No doubt.
FoolshGame22 - April 8, 2008
I had the same thought
mikeA - April 8, 2008
It was a tasty morsel in the famine
Savor the flavor.
oaklandSMASH - April 8, 2008
Well, I guess the Giants
are proving the broken clock theory by squeezing out a win.
BTW, why is Raj Mathai wearing Franklin batting gloves?
oaklandSMASH - April 8, 2008
Uhhhhh
Some channel whatever correspondent was interviewing Molina after the HR, and he was wearing gloves because it was cold I guess. But they were batting gloves!
mikeA - April 8, 2008
I like Raj Mathai
but batting gloves for an interview mic is a party foul!
oaklandSMASH - April 8, 2008
HARDEN SHOULD KNOW BETTER!!!
from the tsn.ca story (big news being that the B. Jays are the only baseball team up there)
He expects to take the mound Saturday against Cleveland.
''I got through last game with it, I was wanting to pitch today but they wanted me to take an extra couple of days,'' Harden said.
''I was feeling it quite a bit. I was throwing fastballs at 85, then I'd throw one at 93 and it was basically just trying to push myself through it. It was kind of max effort on every pitch but it wasn't coming out consistent. It may have worked to my advantage, they didn't know what was coming.''
dtownmbrown - April 8, 2008
HE should not be pitching through injuries and soreness...
unless he actually enjoys the time off
dtownmbrown - April 8, 2008
I wonder
How many pitchers feel 100% healthy when they take the mound? Over the past 3 years, Harden has had 10+ opinions on his Shoulder / Elbow / etc. Every "injury" comes back negative. Harden has a full team of Trainers / Chiropractors / Witches, etc... He has been declared healthy by everyone.
At this point in his career, I want Rich Harden has to pitch through the "Soreness", and so do his teammates. Every pitcher pitches through some kind of soreness. Take some advil. Take a painkiller. Get on the mound for your teammates.
I'm sure Harden's Agent is advising him to take every precaution, especially this season. There are "7-Million Rea$ons" why he should not push through the soreness during a Rebuilding Year.... Not to mention the add'l Millions he'll get after the 2009 Season. Some sucker/team will see him as the next Kerry Wood (Closer). This is ridiculous.
(vent over)
Colorado Fan - April 9, 2008
Harden ain't getting "add'l millions" after '09. Even the Giants aren't that stupid
to pay a pitcher more than $3.5mm per start.
Bacon - April 9, 2008
Mulder
... and few othershave rec'd "Add'l Millions" w/ Torn Rotater Cuffs. Harden hasn't even had surgery. He will get Millions if he makes it through this year and next w/o surgery. Some team will take the bait.
Colorado Fan - April 9, 2008
uh...
i think that's a terrible idea. my personal belief is that harden and the a's tried to have him pitch through pain instead of taking a start off here and there over the past few years, and that this made minor tweaks much worse, resulting in all his injuries. obviously, we'll have to see what happens, but if he's able to go saturday and is fine, then i think him missing this start is exactly what the a's should have done the whole time with rich. its one thing to pitch through pain, its another to pitch through pain that causes injuries that are much worse, which is exactly what i think happened to harden the past few seasons.
guy incognito - April 9, 2008
Taking a start off here and there?
The guy made 15 starts in the last 2 seasons!
Many of those 15 were on substantially more than 4 days rest.
He injured himself and missed three months in his FIRST START BACK in 2006. The same thing happened in 2007.
PaulThomas - April 9, 2008
no...what i'm saying is
he might have had some shoulder/arm issues that may have been okay if he missed a start or two. instead, the a's (and given the perception of him being injury-prone, i bet harden did, too) pushed him back sooner than they should have, resulting in a minor injury becoming a major one. i'm not saying this is what happened with rich the past few seasons, but i definitely suspect it's a possibility. again, we'll see what happens as the season moves along.
guy incognito - April 9, 2008
I understand what you're saying
and it's preposterous. Harden has hardly strung two starts together since 2005. It's hard to injure something in one start and then aggravate it in the next if there is no "next."
All three of his most recent issues (April '06, June '06, April '07) have been suddenly arising issues. Harden reaches for a comebacker last season. Before that, he's fine. After it, he's out for, essentially, the season.
The point of this whole exercise is not to keep Rich Harden healthy in the abstract. The point is to have him pitch games for the Oakland A's.
PaulThomas - April 9, 2008
By your logic, he should be good for about one appearence per year (instead of
the two the A's have been forcing on him).
Bacon - April 9, 2008
Geren is a f***ing idiot!
Enough with stabilizing Embree in the 8th! Foulke threw six pitches in the 7th and he was looking brilliant. Why not use him again? Plus, Casilla was in the bullpen - whose specialty is getting right handers out! Oh my effing god!! Geren was doing everything in his power to lose this game. Unbelievably poor strategy.
Oaktownflav - April 8, 2008
I am becoming concerned with our late relievers' frequent and intimate associations with:
The Dogfather - April 9, 2008
Subscapularis strain?
FIRE YOSHI NOW!!!
Oaktownflav - April 8, 2008
Yeah, please tell me that is actually a really simple common ailment with no serious implications...
please?
ChadGod - April 8, 2008
i am not so sure about that
flipgatey3 - April 8, 2008
For an overhead athlete, ie athlete who's sport
involves lots of raising their arm above their shoulder, that is a very bad injury. Not as bad a supraspinatus or labrum injury, but not too far off.
rfloh - April 9, 2008
Hate to say this but...
Suzuki is not swinging the bat very well. His singles are mostly of the seeing-eye ground ball variety, and that's not sustainable. Likewise, Ryan Sweeney has been very lucky.
Here are is the current list of A's hitters, based on their peripherals thus far:
http://www.hardballtimes.com/thtstats/main/index.php?view=props&linesToDisplay=50&orderBy=props&direction=DESC&qual_filter=ignore&season_filter%5B%5D=2008&league_filter%5B%5D=1&team_filter%5B%5D=OAK&pos_filter%5B%5D=All&Submit=Submit
Notice that Ellis and Hannahan are in fact smoking the ball so far. Ellis has hit a huge number of balls hard that simply were right at defenders.Hannahan seems to be similarly victimized.
MrIncognito - April 9, 2008
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