Athletics Nation

Fire Taj Now!!!

Errrr wait a minute....

Fire Taj after the game in case we need new threads.

Ahh I was so lonely that first half-inning with no game thread

It was scary.

Yay, a thread!

Eveland sure looks a lot like Outman tonight…

I'm still at work

Just me and Korach

Thanks!

They said before the game started

that there would be a lot of guests in the booth tonight… and I’m gonna miss most of the broadcast… sad. Someone wanna keep track if they say anything interesting?

I'm on FSNSW

SuSlu and Forst

should be interesting.

I was starting to worry if I'd have to watch the game alone tonight

FAIL.

Bowen is not an outman.

At all.

Oh Rob!

justarebelheart - September 23, 2008 reply

Rob!

Catchers should not use the basket catch in general

Flashfire - September 23, 2008 reply

Wow, Outman really does look like Mike Oquist

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

I was about to post the same thing... ya beat me!

Nice out, man.

I love the amount of Outman puns there have been already

I think that's the first thing everybody said about him when we traded for him

Sadly, I'm out of puns, man

They'll come

With Outman on the mound puns are bound to just come out.

You should have heard me when he made his first appearance at KC.

Nothing on closets though

TEX announcers have already come up with

“He’s the OUT man… who will be the BAT man?”. Groan.

That man should be thrown out.

if that was intentional, that was nicely done

amount and outman are anagrams

monkeyball - September 23, 2008 reply

I'll pretend that I knew that all along.

I really like Outman's stuff,

more so than Eveland, Smith,Braden, or Gio – I think he has a chance to be a “top 5” starter for this team in 2009 going forward. He has the best fastball of the group, and his slider is pretty damn solid.

Gio!

I agree.

I mean, Outman just begins every start with so much more room for error than the other guys. Last night, everytime Smith allowed a baserunner, I cringed. Outman doesn’t inspire that type of fear, in me, the fan, at least.

how does outman only have 14 pitches after having faced that many batters in the first?

anybody read the article about cust

saying that he was going to spend all off-season training his eyes?

Yep.

Flashbacks to Dan Johnson…

imagine if it works!

Josh Lewin just blew my mind.

Cust wears 32….

LOL

They called it. He’s either going to K, walk, or the other thing.

Haha!

That’s some expert commentary right there.

Besides being extremely creepy looking

Josh Lewin is annoying as hell

pbra17 - September 23, 2008 reply

i think nippert is going to throw the fastball against cust...he's thrown 8 so far

CUST!

I love that man sometimes.

Cust!

Huge!

WOW.

SpartaCust lives!!!

Yay Jack

31!

Now he MUST finish with 32

Nice, even number!

Wooo! Jack!

(OK, way late with that but I was fixing the printer)

Hahaha Ray just snorted while laughing.

That was awesome.

HE. IS. SPARTACUST!

I remember a couple months back when I got into a debate with somebody here who said he wouldn’t sniff 30 homers this year. Who was that?

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

the dude just threw 9 fastballs in a row...how could cust not time that right?

it was just a matter of time until he got one where he wanted it

ElQuesoCapitan - September 23, 2008 reply

SpartaCust!!!

I can't wait until announcers realize that Crosby being healthy is worse for the A's than when he's on the DL

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

I hope not. Maybe they'll trade for him as a Bridge to Elvis

Not quite, Bobby.

I'm glad to see the game thread hasn't devolved into a porn thread

(yet)

It started this way last night, just you wait.

Yeah. We didn't have a thread when Trav and RyRy were batting.

Was that on purpose

do you suppose?

Did you see that FSNSW closeup of him after he made the 3rd out?

Sooo glowy, he looked like an angel.

LOL

No.

It was priittttty.

I replayed it 3 times. FSNSW cameramen sure catch on to the good stuff quick.

Cust should be telling Bobby,

“Boy, stick with the two baggers. You ain’t all grown up yet.”

Good news!

The A’s got back to me about the music that plays in the back of the “Anthem” commercial.

Bad news: It was written especially for the commercial and I’ll have to contact at least two other people to find the name of it.

Fuck you, Rangers announcers.

What'd they say?

I’m watching the A’s broadcast on KICU

We suck.

Only the second team in MLB to strike out more than 1200 times and hit [really small amount] homeruns. The ‘68 Mets were the other team. I just don’t like listening to any other broadcast against the A’s.

great call on custs homer though...

“There’s that other thing you were talking about!…Everybody else on their team has homerun totals of four…two…zero…he’s got 31.”

Imagine what he might do with just an ounce of protection in the lineup!

He's pregnant?

With Clay Aiken's baby!

On the other hand

The Mets won the Series in ’69

Right on

Well, they're right

The A’s offense is the worst in the AL.

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

I know that. I just don't like to be reminded.

But they don't have to rub it in..

sucks for the Rangers that their team is in 3rd in the division behind the worst offensive team in the AL.

Why the hostility?

I miss Ray.

I adore his right eyebrow.

Eric Patterson's eyebrows scare the hell out of me.

Eric Patterson’s ~~eyebrows~~ play scares the hell out of me.

FTFY

Agreed.

+1

pbra17 - September 23, 2008 reply

damn, i missed cust's hr.

ak_A - September 23, 2008 reply

They'll show it again.

It was a mammoth shot. Truly Custian. An Epic.

The replay was caught in a fire

It will never be seen again.

It bothers me that announcers think the OBP philosophy is no longer applicable because the A's have a low team OBP

There’s a difference between a chance in philosophy and a group of guys who are bad at baseball. They’re 4th in the AL in walks.

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

Hannahan's the poster boy for this

Barton, too.

Although I certainly think Barton has a lot more ability than he’s shown. Barton and Hannahan have been pretty close to identical offensively this season.

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

Yay Jeff!

nice stop but ...lucky the throw was not wilder.

ak_A - September 23, 2008 reply

Now's the time for Lard to GIDP

OutMan can dial it up.

He’s hitting low to mid nineties fairly consistently.

Solid D by Barton.

Throw was strong but way off line.

Ya Carlos looks worse than Aaron at this point

Thanks to Jennifer now when I hear Arias

I get that stupid song stuck in my head.

What stupid song?

Age of Aquarius

but replaced with Arias

Oh no . . .

that was my guess. Now its going through MY head!

This is the dawning of the age of Arias.

That's the one.

AaaarrrrrrIIIIIIIAAAAAAASSSSSS!!!

Epic.

Old joke....

but every time I hear that song I think of Yosemite Sam saying, “Hippies. Ahhhh hates me some hippies.”

Fifth Dimension?

That was probably one of the first pop songs I remember. That and Brand New Key. Joy to the World. Let It Be.

My parents had that Fifth Dimension album

Everybody's parents did

Jerimiah was a Bullfrog.

dun dun DUN!!

He always had some mighty fine wine

Now I have Kevin Kline in my head

yummy!

At least it's not Orson Welles

I want to buy a grey Oakland jersey....

but don’t know who I should get.

We need a player named Fremont

for the intermission.

Just get it to say Swooney

It’ll be full of win.

Oh my god

that would be brilliant

My first thought was

STAPLEHEAD

Awesome!

Hey, I've got a Spartacust jersey tee

A Swooney jersey would be pretty cool.

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

Inoa might be a safe bet.

He should be around for a while. I mean, he might not pan out, but he should be in the system for a few years anyway….

Daric, you are KILLING me with that tag.

twins take the lead. ah, back to this game.

ak_A - September 23, 2008 reply

Yay Jeff!

Consensus on Baisley?

Doesn’t look half bad in the field, can actually go the opposite way with the bat, doesn’t project to strike out a ton. Might be useful player…

Olmedo Saenz

Yeah, somewhat useful.

justarebelheart - September 23, 2008 reply

I think he's just as good as Hannahan defensively

And a lot better offensively.

Is he the third base answer? Don’t know. But If he gets the same number of at bats next year as Miley did this year, the A’s will be alright.

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

First guest on the broacast...

David Forst

anomaly_kat - September 23, 2008 reply

Travis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUCK!

NICE SHOT!

Nice Buckshot!

Haha I thought of that

Because of the bar in SF called The Buckshot.

Aw. Buckshot Jones.

Anyone? Anyone? Buckshot Jones?

Woo!!

Go Travis!

anomaly_kat - September 23, 2008 reply

TRAVIS!!!

Mr. Buck is now leaving the yard.

Let's see if Buck can get his wood on the ball

I guess he got a major woody there

And here we go!

He ran around the bases OK though

Yay Travis!

TRAV!

That was huuuge. Whee!

I like watching his hair flop around when he jogs around the bases.

Did we figure out why Ryan looks extra young lately?

I think it must be the lack of hair.

Facials?

And here comes the porn!

Bukkake?

One won lost won - September 23, 2008 reply

QotM

andeux - September 23, 2008 reply

Speaking of QoTM and Ryan Sweeney

Ryan Sweeney did a perfect ‘10’ grammatical gyration/synthesis during his pre-game interview.

He was saying how he didn’t many left-handed pitchers early in the season, but now he does…

sporadically..
periodically…

I guess he wanted to make certain that he got both of those words in, so he says,

but now I’m seeing lefthanded pitching speeriodically so..

it was a “haha” moment, and Cotroneo let it slide “write threw”.

Oh my Ry!

Don’t hurt yourself!

That's ADORABLE

I’ll try not to think of him as Tyson-like for it.

I'm going to flag this comment as spam.

Are you trying tarnish my image of Ryan Fucking Sweeney? Get out of here.

Nooo, just trying to adorablize it

That's unpossible.

QotM

even more than the last one, seriously hilarious.

{salb918 seizes speeriods}

monkeyball - September 23, 2008 reply

Pennington had a HR swing there. Unfortunately....

Ryan WHY

Then again, his pants are fitting extra nice tonight, so I’ll give him a free pass.

Milton might hulk out here

careful now.

i hate you milton bradley

Outman isnt' so much anymore.

Could be a 17-16 game.

Imagine that....

the A’s scoring 17 runs.

His breaking ball is looking sexy

I like it.

Except he's giving up too many hits.

Ugh.

I'm glad that other teams make so many outs on the basepaths

Non-stupidity gives us a nice edge.

Apparently you haven't see the baserunning adventures of Brown, Patterson, and Gonzalez this year

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

Or the general refusal to leave 3B

No kidding.

Almost have to serve the A’s with eviction papers.

Which is very tough in California

they’ll learn. It’s not intentional.

+1

pam5981 - September 23, 2008 reply

ugh

Agreed. Don't really see why you play the infield in with the lead in the third inning

Geren is a silly man.

thejd44 - September 23, 2008 reply

This game will still be less frustrating

Than Sunday’s Raider’s game.

You had to bring that up.

At least we still have Lane.

Trying to make light of this game

by using another more frustrating situation

justarebelheart - September 23, 2008 reply

Grrr

He's nibbling now. I don't approve.

In his defense, challenging with the fastball didn’t work very well for the first 3 hitters.

Anybody ever seen "Blood Diamond"?

Some characters in that movie constantly used the term, “T.I.A.” – “This is Africa” to describe all the craziness that goes on in the Continent…well, same thing here…

T.I.A. – This Is Arlington…

Get ready for a 14-13 marathon…

Great movie . . .

horrible ballpark.

Yes and yes.

I saw the rains down in Africa....

Barfs!

No, I really did.

It freaking rains a lot.

I know ,

it was the Toto thingy.

I know.

I was just trying to put annoying songs in peoples heads. I’m cruel that way.

That's Jennifer's job

and she already did it.

Well,

you got the Arias song out of there at least, thanks!

It's back in mine, thanks!

One less . . .

bell to answer.

ArIIIIIAAAAAASSSSS!

Ass.

don't start

Haha I forgot about that.

Anyone remeber 10cc?

I think they use to sing some good old pantie dropper songs.

I never paid much attention to them. Of course if I had....

The things we do for lo-uh-ove!

Speaking of 10cc...

I thought I had one of their songs stuck in my head for a week. I could sing any of it, and the only lyric I could remember was the word ‘bitch’.

Turns out it wasn’t 10cc.

I can never remember who sings....

“All by Myself.” I thought it was 10cc for a very long time.

"Rich Girl" by Hall and Oats

was really the song.

Hopefully we will hear TIS later in the game

Cust screaming THIS IS SPARTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as he unloads on another cupcake fastball.

miggyk2 - September 23, 2008 reply

He's in Philadelphia

Nice

miggyk2 - September 23, 2008 reply

blanton had a fastball?

I've never been to Africa. I'd like to go and see if people really believe that.

Africa is a big place

I imagine it depends a lot on where you go. I was in Botswana and Zimbabwe in the early 90s (before the recent ugliness). Botswana was a functional country with reasonably good government. Zimbabwe was more like a gang territory, even then.

My cousins grew up in Botswana. They loved it and want to go back.

I’d like to visit Namibia as well.

http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/saberists_predict_better_than_insiders/#comments

Good article by Tom Tango

Thanks to Vegas Watch, we see that PECOTA and Neyer were off by 10 games, Vegas was off by 11, and Olney/Phillips were off by 13. Lovely.

Now, here’s the fun part. Ready? If you had forecasted every single team to finish as 81-81, the RMSE would have been 10.6. That is, of the 12 smartest and most experienced guys that Vegas Watch decided to track, here is the list, with the perfectly competitive balanced vote listed:
9.6 PECOTA
10.2 Neyer
10.5 Law
10.6 Perfectly Competitive Balanced (all teams predicted at 81-81)
10.8 Vegas
11.1 Passan
11.3 Sheehan
11.4 Brown
11.7 Kurkijan
12.1 Stark
12.1 Henson
12.4 Phillips
13.0 Olney

Says it all doesn’t it?

So PECOTA's OK, but not nearly as good as doing the opposite of what Olney and Phillips recommend?

http://vegaswatch.net/2008/09/evaluating-april-mlb-predictions-2008.html

It was the distance between predicted wins and actual wins, so it’s hard to see what the opposite would be.

The original Vegas Watch article here is good too:

The two names at the bottom also haven’t changed, although this year it’s Olney who fared unbelievably poorly, while last year it was Phillips. 13.05 is incredibly bad; if you just used 2007 records, without looking at RS/RA or regressing or accounting for any offseason moves or doing anything, you get 12.46. So Olney’s input actually detracted from the information given. Impressive.

and regarding Phillips:

It really has been an incredible ride. Cherish this moment; it’s possibly nobody will ever be this wrong again.

what i love is that phillips is HORRIBLE at predicting some of these teams

and i hate phillips

And yet he made a lot of money

as a GM.

so do lots of other terrible G.M.'s...but they still have their jobs currently

I'm underwhelmed by Minaya

Mets fans are also unimpressed by Minaya

(at this point, by and large)
Phillips SUCKED! I used to see his little white head a few rows in front of me at the Spring Training facility and want to laugh.

Colletti doesn't impress me either

nor do cashman or sabean

I like what Sabean's done with the Giants farm and like how he went for it all with Bonds

I’m not sure what to make of Cashman.

ok, i will admit that sabean has looked better as of late

the Giants do seem to have a direction/future. but some of the signings in the past (even the rowand one) make me scratch my head. and i’ll never forget his pierzinski deal.

Ethan's mom is on her way to the hospital

Looks like she is early (was due Oct 4)

It's not like the A's will be playing in October.

Omg!

Crosby flied out!

Is that good?

Haha! No.

just reiterating the obvious statement of the redundant.

"No AL rookie has more walks than Barton"

Aww. Staples!

I think the head injury has caused him to forget to swing from time to time.

Just my theory.

I think he still leads the league in staples.

At least the ones in the cranium.

That giant black sign in the OF could

very well be an open portal to hell.

And . . . QOTM!

I'm doing QOTM this month.

You have to point me in the right direction.

It was for yours right above, sorry.

I can't have any this month, but thanks.

Rofl

baserunning FTW.

That was stooopid, Aquarius.

Making the first out at third base

with Young, Hamilton, and Bradley due up? Sounds brilly to me!!!!

Hey, when you're playing for 2nd place

You pull out all the stops.

Or are they really playing for 3rd place?

the A's bring out some really bad base running in other teams.

Erin6 - September 23, 2008 reply

By pretending to be clueless in the field?

They are some stealthy bastards.

That changeup to M. Young is what is going to

make or break – hopefully make – Outman as a starter. If he can throw that consistently, he’s a major league starter.

He's finally getting some ground balls.

He could turn into something special.

Control will still be an issue, but I really like

his fastball, the Carlteonesque – ok, Lirianoesque – disappearing slider, and a solid changeup would make him potentially very, very tough. And he doesn’t appear to be afraid to go right after guys; he just doesn’t always have control yet.

When will see (hear) you back in a booth?

LOL - it's been 14 years now

I might be a tad rusty. (Though I call every game in my head until I consciously remind myself not to.)

I used to call innings while at the games.

Drove my sister nuts.

The 4 K's are good, but the 9 hits, and 1:5 GB:FB don't look good

Only a couple of the hits weren’t hard hit.

One won lost won - September 23, 2008 reply

That slider to Hamilton

Was also not bad.

IowaA'sFan - September 23, 2008 reply

If you said that Outman was

John Elway’s brother, I would not dispute that.

Lewin says he's the spitting image of Mike Oquist

Outman, Oquist, and Elway...

triplets????

IowaA'sFan - September 23, 2008 reply

Wait, aren't I supposed to be doing the game thread today?

Thanks, Taj!

Fired.

Not my decision, and who would do dirty deeds in my room while I’m not here?

Oh Nico!

No prob...just as long as you got the game wrap...

I can do that -

Seriously, I spaced it out until the moment I made that comment. Ah, senility.

Hi everyone!!!!

kapers - September 23, 2008 reply

Hi kapers!

Baisley got another hit when I wasn't looking

I likee him!

Has anyone else had a really unlucky day?

no. at least not yet.

kapers - September 23, 2008 reply

Just a lazy tired day

miggyk2 - September 23, 2008 reply

I only have unlucky days

My boss is gone for a month,

so no.

What happened?

This morning, I locked myself in the garage.

Then, on the exact date of my second year anniversary of my first cellphone-dropping-in-the-toilet, it happens again!

Uh, so would that be today then?

Stop texting while using the bathroom!

I’m always afraid I’ll drop my phone in the toilet

Texting in the loo comes with its hazards

In any case it appears that you’re safe now. Unless you’re posting from a Black Berry, in which case you’ve successfully fished it out of the toilet.

I once dropped my checkbook in a toilet...

it had “stuff” in it. My drivers license and CC was in there, so I had to go after it.

Recently, I washed my iPod Nano with my pants. I had an aneurysm.

The first time I dropped my phone in the toilet,

I screamed for my ex-boyfriend to fish it out for me. Today though, I snatched it before a lot of the water could damage it. It’s in the oven as I speak.

Did you set the timer?

I’m not sure I’d go that extra mile for and EX-girlfriend. He must be a really nice guy.

Someone needs a Pepsi

Not too bad.

I locked my keys in the house. I had to pop the screen off, move some lawn furniture and jump in a window.

I think that's a good day for you, Jennifer. And any day you don't have to go to the post office.

kapers - September 23, 2008 reply

I usually have to go to the post office every day.

But I get paid for it, so it’s sort of okay.

today has been pretty good. saturday sucked, but today? okay so far

what happened to your day?

gigglingone - September 23, 2008 reply

Hope the rest of your day goes well.

Stay away from ladders and don’t open up any umbrellas at home!

I don't think I'll be leaving the house again today.

Dinner in the oven, game on tv, why would I leave?

gigglingone - September 23, 2008 reply

I'm just dealing with an asshole co-worker right now...

but that’s not really “unlucky” just more of the same, sadly…

I recommend mooning him to point out his shortcomings

Sounds productive.

It's times like these I'm glad I'm unemployed

Here here!

Unemployment is awesome.. until the money runs out :(

I've managed it for three years.

I’m thinking I’ll need a job by January though.

Yeah

It’s about damn time I get my ass back to work.

Travy Trav has had a pretty good day.

Yay Travis!

Do you guys think Buck is pretty much guaranteed an outfield spot next year?

Erin6 - September 23, 2008 reply

No.

Maybe a spot on the active roster, but with Cargon in center, that only leaves two spots for Cunningham, Buck and Swooney. Someone is going to loose out and wind up a 4th outfielder…

Hasn't Geren all but said that Sweeney is guaranteed a spot?

Erin6 - September 23, 2008 reply

When?

Less than a week ago on the A's mlb site and SFGate.

That must have come as very good news for you.

He has pretty much earned it of course.

CarGon should start in AAA IMO

A decision needs to be made on Buck sooner than it has to be made on CarGon, and Buck hasn’t had a legit chance to prove himself in 2008 outside of right now.

Blicks - September 23, 2008 reply

He had a legit chance in April

He was just terrible.

There's still a decent chance Buck out-OPS's Gonzales by the end of the season

Gonzales has also been terrible. He’s just sustained his suckitude more evenly.

he should get one more shot at the gig

i’m not sold on cunningham being ready quite yet.

Honestly

Probaby not. Just because he’s producing during the last week, he has yet to prove that he can stay healthy and productive for the duration of a season.