Athletics Nation

You call it "offense"

Is that because it’s “offensive”?

Watching the A's

Is like watching a hockey team try and implement the trap, from the moment the puck drops till the final buzzer – zzzzz

SwisherThresher - August 20, 2008 reply

In other news

football season starts soon, which means we can excitedly follow the 49ers v. Raiders v. Barry Zito win count. With 7, I think Barry might be safe from the both of them.

walk off bunt - August 20, 2008 reply

Also fun football prop bets

Daric Barton home runs v. Alex Smith touchdown passes.

of A’s to hit disabled list v. number of Raiders touchdowns, total.

Can’t think of any more at the moment, but I’m sure they’re out there.

walk off bunt - August 20, 2008 reply

1.

should be “number of.”

walk off bunt - August 20, 2008 reply

sekrit list code?

item 1
item 2
item 3

It works!

Well considering Smith isn't the niners starter...

Dallas Braden = most reliable starter in the rotation at this point

Who would’ve guessed that in April?

More like...

how sad is that?

But in his defense, Braden’s always had outstanding minor league numbers, but the scouts have never really liked him. Maybe he can sustain this reasonably good pitching for the rest of this season and give us all a much-needed reason to continue watching this team play.

Taj Adib - August 20, 2008 reply

maybe they'll let him throw his friggin screwball.

I think someone should come up with a pitch called a "frigball"

my sources tell me

he sneaks a few in from time to time…

cvdoug - August 20, 2008 reply

Sigh.

Witnessing yet another lackluster A’s performance is depressing, but I guess it’s still better than working. Now I have to go back to working.

IowaA'sFan - August 20, 2008 reply

Such negativity

You’d think it was August and we were 20 games ou…never mind

Where did the season go?

Coulda sworn it was March, and the Sox and A’s were teeing off at 3am in Tokyo.
(golf reference = A’s ball right about now)

so the lowest score wins right?

right?

As our intrepid adventurers

Boldly refuse to succumb to the evil scoring opportunities.

Mississippi A's Fan - August 20, 2008 reply

Now the A's have the

same record for the season as the Pirates.

How close are we to the Giants? That's gonne be the saddest day ever.

cyke17 - August 20, 2008 reply

This is how close

Oakland Athletics 57 68
San Francisco Giants 53 72

DCinWC - August 20, 2008 reply

This is hard to admit but

I am also a Pirates fan. Its usually not a tough call on which teams game i check out this time of the year but with them both playing about the same it has been a tough call. Maybe I should find a team that 1. keeps its players around, 2. will spend a little money, not a lot but some, 3. wont trade everything for the next big thing, 4. idk what else and will probally stick with the A’s and Pirates

A'sfaninNC - August 20, 2008 reply

you mean like jason bay?

stm72 - August 20, 2008 reply

I'm also a dual Pirates/A's fan

Pirates since the 60s, A’s since the 70s. With our teams the good times are so good because the bad times are so bad. (though it’s getting harder and harder to remember the Bucs’ good times).

I choose option 4. for life.

Brian in 317 - August 21, 2008 reply

Things are looking so grim

I just might jump on the Washington Generals bandwagon.

Ray of Lite - August 20, 2008 reply

Does anyone have anything official on Duke/Gallagher?

I heard something on the broadcast, and in the game thread, but no linkage.

Just assume they're both done for the season.

That way, anything less will be a pleasant surprise.

actually, a proactive/preventive shutdown of both would be (would have been) a pleasant surprise

A “we’re shutting them down and they’ll both need surgery,” however …

oh well.. atleast i get to

see the rivercats tonight!
hopefully they win!

vooya40 - August 20, 2008 reply

We just saw them lose to Minnesota.

hahahaa!

damnit

vooya40 - August 20, 2008 reply

Embarassingly bad.

I still wore A’s gear to work today.

WEAR IT, AN!

I wonder if Lew or Bily are doing the same.

I wonder if Lew is ever going to get to the point where he says "Screw it, Billy! Here’s a blank check book, now go out and get me some @#$!&%#! hitters! If I have to watch another feeble showing by our offense, I’m gonna fire someone’s sorry ass! "

McFood - August 20, 2008 reply

Mr. Finley, is that you?

the firing part

not the blank check part

I Will Still Watch The A's over the Olympics

Call me a sadist. Bad A’s baseball still beats the Olymic games in my book. What is truly sad is that this is the 11th straight series they have lost.

You need to go all the way back to 1960 when they were in Kansas City to find this brutal stat being equaled.

I think it will be safe to say that this upcoming series with the Mariners will be the “Battle of the Bad”. I still think that the A’s are still trying. The Mariners cashed it in a long time ago.

KCa's - August 20, 2008 reply

They're trying, sure, but I don't think that's the problem ;-)

Oakville Athletic - August 20, 2008 reply

True

KCa's - August 20, 2008 reply

Sounds like...

you haven’t watched much beach volleyball

Keystone State - August 20, 2008 reply

Watching the A's IS like watching the Olympics...

Track and Field: The A’s were in the running until they hit a few hurdles.

Gymnastics: The A’s are tumbling in the standings.

Volleyball: The A’s keep serving it up, and it keeps getting smashed back in their face.

Diving: The A’s made a big splash to start the year, now they’re diving in the standings.

McFood - August 20, 2008 reply

'aint that the truth

Very good

Trainman - August 20, 2008 reply

Fewer amateurs

on the Olympic team.

shouldn't it be-

Diving: LOOK OUT DALE!!!

5Aces - August 20, 2008 reply

Don't

make a diving joke about the A’s. Too soon.

Helloooo 1st - August 20, 2008 reply

Help me..

i’ve struck out and can’t get up! Somebody hit into a double play – quickly.

Keystone State - August 20, 2008 reply

Today's Irony

Rich Harden as a Cub: 3-1, 1.50 ERA, 0.95 WHIP Healthy
Gaudin as a Cubs reliever: 19 innings, 2.75 ERA, 0.97 WHIP Healthy

Sean Gallagher as an Oakland A: 1-2 6.55 ERA, 1.98 WHIP Injured
Eric Patterson as an Oakland A: 0-2-.148, .429 OPS
Matt Murton as an Oakland A: 0-2-.100 .262 OPS In Minors

Josh Donaldson is having a fine year in Stockton. But as a minor leaguer in A ball, he could have been a throw-in in any deal.

Josh Donaldson

richwol1 - August 20, 2008 reply

addendum

Those are Murton’s MLB stats. He’s in the minors now.

richwol1 - August 20, 2008 reply

hmmm....

there should be a diary or 5 that rant about the same thing.

stm72 - August 20, 2008 reply

Yeah

But after yet another game in which the A’s can’t score runs. And a turn of events that makes Dallas Braden the A’s #1 starter, perhaps it’s worth repeating.

Mostly, I’m just disgusted right now.

richwol1 - August 20, 2008 reply

Yeah, I'm pretty ill myself.

that i respect...

and i’ve taken the recent a’s malaise hard too. but i’m not angry about it. it doesn’t define my life. i still watch or listen to each game and i’m excited about the future.

the a’s were never going to make the playoffs this year and winning the WS is my only goal.

stm72 - August 20, 2008 reply

I am with you on this

I just like the baseball. Its better than November, December and January.

The Mal-A's

I think we should all start wearing cardigan sweaters.

I've had to go to the doctor three times this week.

My damn kids won’t visit me, and the arthritic hip’s acting up again….is it cold in here? I feel a chill.

Leopold Bloom - August 20, 2008 reply

strickout!!!

for good reason

cvdoug - August 20, 2008 reply

Actually it's 50 games of 2 runs or less

I counted it. Of 126 games this year they have actually managed 2 runs or less in 50 – yes 50 – games. 4 of those the A’s won. That includes 9 shutouts (thought this would be higher but they have managed to eek out 1 run in alot of games that of course would otherwise been a shutout) 1 run 25 times (no wins) leaving 16 games of 2 run output. It gets even “better” if you add in all the times they scored only 3 times, but I’m sure not too many teams win alot when they score 3 or less- but still this 2008 A’s offense is the utter definition of futility.

This has got to be historically bad. Maybe someone here with more ability can check to see if this ranks up there with the all time “greats” through a similar number of games.

Sorry, I THINK it's fewer than 2 runs.

See if that’s 35

34 times of 1 or 0 runs

That's correct

2008:
9 shutouts
25 games with 1 run (no 1-0 wins)
34 games with 0 or 1 run/126 games = 27.0%

The Oakland record for shutouts was established in 1978:
19 shutouts
27 games with 1 run (remarkably, 5 1-0 wins)
46 games with 0 or 1 run/162 games = 28.4%

Soaker - August 20, 2008 reply

but

have not been shut out for a month. July 21 was the last one, before that June 28 (and 25th). 4 times in may and a couple in April.

I don’t know what it means, but that is a dilver lining I suppose.

blind squirrel meet nut

I actually think this is almost a defense of the Harden trade.

Every time I see his Cub’s stats, I get sick. But, then I remind myself that even if we had kept him and he pitched the exact same (which is probably unlikely given strength of AL, etc) we probably wouldn’t have won many more games than we have.

5Aces - August 20, 2008 reply

+1

Hmm - best case scenario

Ziegler made closer way back -
Harden / Gaudin still in -
Chavez healthy -

result:
A’s back ‘only’ 10 games.

Thin gruel

MobiusKlein - August 20, 2008 reply

I also heard KenKo say 35 of 2 or less....but he is wrong.

is this what you call rebuilding ???

See if we can become the worst team in the majors then next year win one more game! I have to say I have not listened to or watchd a full game in weeks used to listen/watch every game win or lose beacuse they used to be exciting to watch now they are just bad and preditcable had season tix now for 30 years but this may be the last !

ChrisB - August 20, 2008 reply

Don't give up now

If you actually sat through this season then there’s no point in throwing in your tickets considering how good this team will be in 2-3 years. They won’t be this bad for a long time.

Helloooo 1st - August 20, 2008 reply

do you mean

“how good they MIGHT be??”

cvdoug - August 20, 2008 reply

3 runs 20 times

A’s are a not totally horrible 9-11 in those contests, still to only score 3 times or less in 70 out of 126……(hangs head in shame)

I love the Athletics....forever....but this is very, very hard to watch.

For those of you keeping track, the A’s have been held to 2 runs or fewer in thirty-five games this year. That’s almost unimaginably bad. That even overshadows their eleventh consecutive series loss

This part of the game wrap should be edited because while 35 is unimaginably bad…it is actually much worse.

On a positive note...

…the A’s WON’T lose tonight!

Dr Pez - August 20, 2008 reply

Olympic Rules

would the A’s score if they were spotted two runners like they do for extra innings games in the Olympics?

DCinWC - August 20, 2008 reply

They can't even score when they load the bases.

Only 2 runners on? that’s damn near impossible.

The A's already lost?

So now I can go to work without having to wonder? Cool.

Hey, what happened to PT? I haven’t seen him post anything in quite some time.

alox - August 20, 2008 reply

I am guessing

pennoyer v neff

I prefer Dietrichson v. Neff

If

she was present in your residence would you consent?

I don’t go for femmes fatales … a singe fatale, maybe

They know more tricks than a carload of monkeys.

And if there’s a death mixed up in it, you haven’t got a prayer. They’ll hang you just as sure as ten dimes will buy a dollar.

Leopold Bloom - August 20, 2008 reply

found positivity as a new religion and had to renounce his membership

kbtoyz - August 20, 2008 reply

Remember the good ol' days...

…when the A’s used to score 2 runs a game?

gregorymark - August 20, 2008 reply

Look for Eveland to get re-called to the big club in the next two days

Not only does it coincide with Duke and Gallagher’s injuries, but if he’s recalled in the next two days, the team perserves his final option year for ’09.

(He will have spent less than 20 days in the minors if he’s recalled Aug. 22, I believe).

He will also be ready by the next scheduled Duke/Gallagher start

Regrettable News Dept.

Brett Wallace was promoted to Double-A today by the Cardinals and is 1-3 with a double while starting at third base. Pretty impressive first two months of his pro career.

Positive News Dept.

Oft-derided 40-man roster member Jeff Gray hasn’t been scored upon in his last nine appearances.

Yeah, but can he hit?

Positive News Part II

Baisley hit a bomb yesterday, and Petit has nine hits in the last three days.

I’ll bet Baisley gets a sprinkle of 3b time in September with Oakland.

Yeah, but can they hit?

For the record...

I’d like to point out just how pathetic the A’s offense has been.

Oakland currently has a record of 57-69. That’s 126 games played for those who don’t want to do the math.

In those 126 games the A’s scored 3 runs or fewer 70 times. They are 13-57 in those games, including a 9-11 mark in games they score 3 runs.

In the 56 games the A’s have managed to score a minimum of 4 runs they are 44-12.

In the 76 games in which they’ve managed to score at least 3 runs they are 53-23.

In my opinion, the arguements that claim the young A’s were psychologically damaged when Beane “threw in the towel” by trading Harden, Gaudin and Blanton are complete crap. They overlook one significant fact…

The AL uses the DH, so pitchers rarely get to hit.

The problem has been the lack of quality bats in the line-up… first, last and completely.

Right now, the A's couldn't even beat a dead horse

Especially if it was curled up in a spherical shape

Is it hot in here?

{fans self, while Cust simply fans}

The curling up would be too much late movement

Either it would break over the plate (and look like a ball) so we’d watch it, or break 2 feet off the plate (and look like a strike) so we’d swing futilely.

Maybe the Yankees will rebuild and dump A-Rod.

Let's offer them Carl Pavano and Kevin Brown

and see what they say. (Everyone named Brown is on our team, right?)

The 2008 edition of the A's

will almost certainly wind up with the fourth-lowest run total of any Oakland team in the DH era. Only the sad-sack “AAA’s” of 1977-1979 were worse.

1. 1978: 532 runs
2. 1979: 573 runs
3. 1977: 605 runs
4. 2008: 635 runs (projected, based on 3.92 runs/game through 126 games)
5. 1976 and 1980 (tie): 686 runs

In fact, the last time the club scored fewer than 700 runs was 1982, with 691 runs. The A’s would have to average 5.72 runs/game in the remaining 36 games to hit 700 this year, which is pretty close to impossible.

(1981 and 1994 were substantially shortened by strikes and are excluded, so this list covers the other 34 years from 1973-2008.)

Soaker - August 20, 2008 reply

Shorter version of the same comment:

We really suck.

If Rickey didn't get caught stealing 42 times

that year we might have scored 700 runs.

67MARQUEZ - August 21, 2008 reply

If Cust is the fan

Then Hannahan must be the swamp cooler of the bunch

Damn

Sorry Nico, that was supposed to head your direction.

That was a dumb move from a good manager

Joe Maddon allows Chad (Can’t get LHB’s out) Bradford and pitches to Garrett Anderson in a tied game with the bases loaded.

LHB are hitting .327 off Bradford.

I so wanted Anaheim to get swept but I think the Longoria/Crawford(less) TB Rays made a statement

Trainman - August 20, 2008 reply

I know Maddon had already used Trevor Miller,

and with Percival out he might be short on relievers overall. I’m not sure why he didn’t go to J.P. Howell, though, or why Howell wasn’t up (he hadn’t pitched since Saturday). And Iwamura should have made the play.