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Open Thread: Game 5 - A's vs. Mariners (cont.)

5-3 A's, top of the 8th, and Crosby finally did something. E5.

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Stupid Crosby
The fail on the mound too

The rest of the crew has to take up the slack.

What is this mound fail you speak of?
where's the cupcake?
we ate them
nearly one of my favorite lines from

repo man!!!

Perhaps we should have saved that one
Ziggy warming up
Should be Blevins for Branyan, then Ziggy, IMO

Don’t f around.

Ray cracking me up again

still chafing over the “no play” call on Johjima’s should’ve-been-error, Ray calls Crosby’s error a “no play.”

Follows it up by saying, “Looks like it took a funny hop…changed direction suddenly…after it hit off of him…”

Pujols (the real one)

3-run homerun. 2 HRs 7 RBIs on the day.. Good lord.

Can I haz Pujols plz?
Can we have English please?
Then it'd be Pooh Holes
Not a fan of the lolcatz?
Ziggy coming in

Bases loaded no outs

It's never easy.

Let’s get a Ziggy DP.

Involving home plate
yikes!

NEW MOJO PLEASE!

I wish Croz was a Mariner- Triple Play!!!
F-ing Crosby

Release him now

Agreed

He is worthless

A detriment as we saw this inning

a detriment as we saw this inning the last 5 seasons.

Let's go Ziggy

DP please

Zigs can handle this

::gulps::

Oh good grief...good luck Ziggy!

C’mon Super

Dear Brad

Thanks for having a great year. As a reward, give us a six out save, coming in with the bases loaded and no one out.
Tx,
The management

Jesus Christ... Way was Casilla in for more than an inning anyways?
Because they used all of the bullpen early for small amounts
He pitched 2 innings in his first game, did well
wow, afk for 5 min and look what happens....
It's your fault.
Korach keepin' me calm. No TV today.
>>>>>>no<<<<<<<
whoops

game tying shiza

Well dammit.

Ziggy had him 0-2 and I was getting excited.

This game is not my favorite
Tied game

And the runner’s are on 2nd. and 3rd.

Screwed

CROSBY!!!!
No doubt. I hate to be cruel but I want him gone.
Lopez

The real RBI machine

game over

release crosby
ziegler is not a closer

Chavy and Nomar get that ball
Mr. negative

This afternoon!

This guy...

was like this yesterday.

crosby should be thrown to the wolves.
At least the wolves would probably catch him
Aight well good game... this is awful im glad i didnt watch
Hey!

No fairweather stuff…Stick it out to the end!

Indeed.

Game’s 9 innings minimum, bro.

/Rain?

I miss Devine. sniff
putting Croby at 3rd in the 8th inning of a 2 run game

Was probably not the best decision.

+1

Defensive replacements are supposed to help.

Aaaaaaaaand the bullpen impoldes.
$5,000,000 of manure

and Ziggy getting pounded.

To be fair

Ziggy came into the worst possible situation.

wow just wow

now I’m a sad seal

not cool

Worst. New. Thread. Mojo. ever.
who's got TV?

are the pitches looking like Zig’s usual? is something wrong?

He looks fine

Good movement, low locations.

It's not all Crosby's fault

Haven’t gotten a single out since them.

It would have played out differently
We are going to really miss Devine

ZIggy had a great year last year but he has the problem with lefties and today, being up in the zone

Why do Ziggy and Jairo hate the A's?
Crosby starts a DP....... on Defense!!!
Nice but a bit tardy dont ya think?
Why couldn't we have had that 4 batters ago?
powell injured...whats new lol
Nice job Crosby. Small inaudible claps.
I like all his snide remarks about his lack of playing time

Somewhat he said when he came in as a right fielder during the Angels series.

I used to feel bad for him, but I'm just pissed we're stuck w/ him now...
its not good

but I still dont have that sinking feeling like its over cuz our offense has a lot of potential

i felt the same way yesterday

until aardsma shut it down…embarassing

Ziggy is pitching fine

A single to left and two grounders to third.

It was a double.

which was blistered
thx for Correction
The sound of the bat on the radio sounded scary.
Anybody know if Holliday misplayed the double?

Or not? I’m beginning to think he’s really, really mediocre defensively.

he played it perfectly fine.
He is regarded as good in LF
Thanks ...

I’m not listening to the radio … he didn’t look so great out there last night.

WHAT?!

You must’ve missed the throw he made to cut a double into a single. He didn’t play anything that badly IMO.

Let's not get too crazy here.

It was Mike Sweeney who can barely beat Frank Thomas around the bases.

It was still a strong play
Debatable
Well yeah.. we're debating about it right now..
and I disagree that it was a great play.
I thought he looked REAL shaky on the double "over his head"

went back on it like crap. And I was there.

Yeah, he turned the wrong way
I was also there.

And ripping on Matt Holliday in his 4th game of the season.. give him some time.

Dude, I'm not rippin' on him ...seriously

I’m just sayin’ he’s looked mediocre defensively … now if I said, “Gawd, that guy sucks!!!!” That’d be “rippin’ on him.” Know what I mean?

Personally, I'm not ripping on him

I just concur that he hasn’t looked as strong defensively so far as I expected.

Agreed. I made a comment about it last night.

I’m not impressed with his fielding yet but the season is less than a week old.

Someone answer these two questions for me:

Why was Outman pulled so early and why the hekli s Crosby at third? I haven’t been able to watch intently today so I’ve missed something, clearly.

Yeah, why the hell was Outman pulled so early

and why did Garen leave him in so long???

Outman gave up about 6 rockets for outs

and more rockets that drove runs in

At least now people should see why he wasn't pulled

This is what happens when you try to get 5 innings out of your bullpen.

I get that you want Crosby to get experience at other positions

But do it when there’s a 6 or so run difference between the teams!

Geren, Geren, Geren.

Crosby is SUPER-utility!

Emphasis on the word SUPER is optional, I suppose

I prefer to call him 'special' utility.
Outman pulled because he was starting to get pounded

Crosby in to pull Giambi for better defense and to rest Jason, I assume.

Cedeno is a scrub...

why didn’t he come up to bat with bases loaded and no outs…

The nightmare ends...finally
Prediction for Bottom of 8th?

Runs.

Really? Who?

I could see Powell being out with Nacho Runs

Load the bases with less than two outs

No timely hits

Sounds too familiar.
Ok ...three runs in two innings...our guys can do that.
Yeah, we do it in batting practice every day

Surely we can do it in games as well?

Seriously how many times are we going to be losing going into the 8th inning and expect us to come back?
Hard to say but at least we can hit nowadays.
I've been a fan of baseball for 45 years...

and coming back from a deficiet isn’t rare.

so what is Powell's injury?
When the hitter tossed his bat...

… it hit Powell in the helmet. He’s fine.

no injury, a broken bat came around and hit him in the face but his mask was on
Rally started

Cust single to right.

Cust single

not a true outcome

but an honest one
The last couple years

we sure have made lousy Seattle teams look like world-beaters. Pay-backs, I guess.

Cust is off to a great start
cust is really hitting well
Wow, Cust is en fuego to start the season

Let’s hear it for Jim Skaaaaaalen!

He has a .619 OBP so far

and even better, minimal strikouts

Strick that, reverse it.

Can Buck do something productive?

can't believe he missed that first pitch

it should’ve been launched over the wall

and he missed another one right down the middle
Has anyone seen the a's bat boy this year?

he looks like a Cust Jr.

sign him up!
A Cust with the height of Eddie Gaedel?

{drowns in own drool}

Where's Selma?

It’s rally time.

east of fresno
Let's go boys!

Walk like you’ve never walked before!

Good eyes, boys! Let's go meow!
ellis bunt please
yes

agreed all for this

Unicorn Power..... let's do it.
Keep it going Mark!
If all we want is a Defensive Replacement who can play SS, 3B and 2B, lets just DFA Crosby now and call up Pennington/Petit
Where do I sign?
I am down with that idea.
We're gonna need Crosby soon

Nomar is getting too much PT and will be injured soon (he should not have been playing today) with Bedard tomorrow.

BACON RALLY!

+1 for Bacon made on the Foreman Grill
Thanks

You made me laugh. Out Loud.

RALLY TIME

i agree – ellis should bunt

Works for me
until 2 strikes. Grr...
I would try to hit it to the right side and hope to squeeze it thru

I would bunt own by one but not two

down by one

not own

I think Ellis should fake bunt, then slap it over the 3B head
I think he should fake bunt and then launch a titanic HR.
Forget faking

Just bunt a titanic home run.

I think he should homer twice in one at bat
Why can't Geren think of strategy like that?
oh come on, he's not David Eckstien!
this is the AB of the game
Remember Byrnesie's?
You better think that he should

get a DP instead. :-(

no bunt!

down by 2, need more agressive tactics

yeah I dont agree w/ the small ball in the 8th.
How bout now?
bunt puts two runners in scoring position

Aggresive tactics dont make sense when you could make a productive out…doesnt matter whne in the game it is

Unicorn double play
Fun-da-mentals, guys

Gotta get that bunt down.

and that's why you need the bunt in that situation
if you're an MLB batter

you =must= be able to bunt,,,,must!!

damn dp

at least have runner on 3rd

Hit needed desperately.

hunter HR off pap

5-4

Man, why why

ahead in the count 2-0, and foul two bunts off?
That’s just bad.

Year after year

we’re one of the worst at doing things you learn in Little League.

You gonna tell some millionaire

that he has to practice??!!

Hunter solo shot

5-4 Sux.

Is anyone on base?
Cust on 3rd

Doesn’t matter though

This makes me a Saaaaad Panda

I say we cut ellis and start crosby at 2nd base....whose with me???
Nobody, I hope.
You are joking right?
Don't even joke like that.

I’ll throw up and I mean it!

Torii Hunter HR against Sux

5-4 Boston, bottom 9

Ellis tied on that

why don’t they ever give the tie to the runner like they’re supposed to?

Meh.

Powell just hit a Fred McGriff fundamentals double play ball.

Inning Over
wow

that is so infuriating

Why are we so interested in Boston - Angels at this point in the season?
Only game on tv
Cuz it's on TV and the A's aren't.
for me

it’s because i have to watch that game instead of this one

because

The games at the start of the season are worth the same amount of wins as the ones at the end of the season.

because Texas and Seattle will not be winning the AL West.
From almost sure win, to sure loss.

Thats our A’s

2009 Oakland LOB's

Well, we’ll have the top of the order due up in the bottom of the ninth even though Giambi won’t be there.

Guess who's due up third in the 9th?

Craus-BEE!!!!

He owes us one run
Maybe he'll strike out on an outside slider to end the game?

Or hit a walk-off home run to make up for the error?

I'm pretty sure Chavvy's going to pinch-hit.
Ken said "day off" means "full day off" for Chavy
Can we PH Chavy even though he has a "true" day off?
Apparently we can pinch-hit Holliday when he's sick..so why not?
how many fucking games do we have to blow this year?

Yesterday and today should have easily been wins…

Yeah this is bullshit
Papelbon sucks

Tying run on second, no outs

Man, it's upsetting to lose to the Mariners

Hopefully the 9th will be the panacea.

Especially losing 2 out of 3.

Yes! We are winning tomorrow!

Paps is imploding
Will 2009 be like 2008

With the M’s owning us again?

"Owning" is what we did to them in 2006
Those were good times
If we don't dominate them we'll have no chance at the AL West crown
Gallagher is in
Woot hopefully he does well and is int he rotation soon.
Hopefully Geren learns...

that any late inning defensive replacement involving Crosby is risky and counter-productive

and stupid...
Can somebody please tell Geren to send the f*&^%%$#g runners next time?
No - with Cabrera batting maybe, not with Ellis vs. a RHP
I don't care. you gotta stay out of the dp in that situation at all costs.
That doesn't stay out of the DP

It just strikes out into one instead of bouncing into one.

a major league ballplayer

should be able to make f’ing contact with runners in motion

MLB ballplayer

should be able to lay down a bunt and move the runners to second and third

but he didn't strike out, Nico.

DP…I rest my case…..now my head on the couch.

Oy’

Even you don't believe that's an argument!
You want Jack Cust to steal 3rd?
no.

read above…

Crosby made an error, YES, but it was the first damn batter of the inning, the

pitchers need to get out of that inning.

Should but late errors and walks usually come back to haunt
why?

what did we not bunt this just erks me when we fail to make an easy bunt to get two guys in scoring position…instead of a productive out we get a double play…wonderful fundamentals

Ellis tried twice, unsuccesfully\
exactly

If you can’t bunt, don’t bother trying, pleaze!

have to try

its the play in that situation…You cant say oh we cant do it…You make your players learn…dont give this a free pass it is the play right there cuz then you get two chances to potentially tie the game

The A's have never been able to bunt.

Do they forget to teach this at spring training EVERY F***ING YEAR?

Yea that really killed us. I cant imagine why we can't get down a bunt...The a's need to call a bunting practice...
Oh i had no clue he tried

that makes it even worse…went from bad coaching to horrible fundamentals by elly…great

correction

Hopefully Geren learns…
that any late inning defensive replacement thing involving Crosby is risky and counter-productive

You can stop after learns
Gallagher's watermelon fastballs
Wow. They bunt even when not trying
8-5

Sweeney out at 2nd

See, this is why we keep Gallagher out of games.
Gallagher....
WTF is up with Gallagher's picture?

When was this taken?

We have Crosby for 5.5 million

For 6.5 million we could have had Branyan instead (sign him, cut Crosby).

Yeah, but we're stuck with Crosby's salary either way

Since no one wants him.

hence the 6.5
We'll start a Endowment
I beleive he's including that in the 6.5
Yeah, get the point now
For 5.5 million dollars we could pay Crosby to go away
only problem with signing Branyan is that he's a lefty liek Chavez.

Which is why Nomar fits this team so well.

I have come to the conclusion that the A's hate us.
If the A's keep playing like this all year I'm becoming a mets fan
and we all hate Crosby.
Let's march to his to multi-million dollar mansion with pitchforks and torches!
ESPN gamecast: chances of scoring 2+ runs this inning... 13%.

chances of scoring 3+ runs this inning… too low to display. crossing my fingers though!

If only we could turn the hitting A's into the scoring A's
E Chavez in for Crock-of-shits-by

one can dream right?

At the moment, I'd take Endy
Why?

Unless it’s close to winning at that point.

I guess Crosby is reliable

in letting us down.
We’ve had some good 2 out rally’s in the past.

Did he REALLY just swing on 3-1???

With a pitcher who walks a TON of people!?!?!?

Exactly what I was thinking.

You need to take a strike there.

We were not a strong mental team last year

and I was hoping that would improve this season. Very frustrating.

At least nobody's doing the f*cking wave.
The XXX wave

I’d pay to see that.

Unless it’s fat baseball fans. Ugh

why are the A's grounding out on 3-1 counts?

aarrrggghh

take a f-in pitch

fundamentals!!!!

Still better than taking strike 3
on a 3-1 count?

True.

I'm very unimpressed by our boys at the moment.
To have a lead on Felix with Josh Outman pitching...Thats a win that you have to complete

Horrible loss

Not over yet

have some optimism

look who is hitting...lol
omg he's letting Crosby bat.
....

offensive indifference

OC walks.

Here comes the boo birds.

now is where we need Cust batting 5th...
Come on Crosby

ROLLY EYES!

Hey

His batting stance doesn’t look so goofy! Looks like he might ground out to 2nd on an outside slider, rather than missing it!

Crosby time?

Rhetorical question.

haha

DP on its way?

smart move, o-cab
Cabrera takes 2nd on FI

So, at least Crosby can’t GIDP.

I love Foss dogging on everyone

He’s talking about Paps’ long ritual between pitches

Bobby Booooooooooooooo

Hey did you all notice all of the fans yesterday? He got a big cheer when they announced his name.

So is this the Tease?
Welcome To The Tease.
Crosby GIDP in 5...4...3...2....1..
if he manages a DP now hes amazing
nothing is impossible when it comes to double plays for Crosby

except on defense, of course.

Per Gamecast:

‘Orlando Cabrera advances to second on defensive indifference.’

Har.

O Cab on 2nd on defensive indifference
Angels have bases loaded, two out, 5-4 B9

for Kendrick.

If he GIDP now

That would take some skills.

Fly out for Croz
Now would be a good time for Matt to stop sucking.
+546721547625876325762157217
probably

b/c a big fly won’t win the game.

Crosby flys out

(big supprise)

(No I mean it, I thought he would make sure he got 2 outs)

i thought he hit the ball pretty good, opposite field.

just went right to someone

Or at least flail away at a slider away
Let's go Holliday.

We need good things to happen.

crosby

is definition of FAIL

Down to our last strike
Damn, back to my taxes

Can’t be any worse?

C'maaahn!

Holliday!

Oh wow!

E4!

And we're done--but reprieved by an error!
Matt Holliday:

2007=batting champ
2009= sub .230 for the season….after all , who will take up the slack for Hanahan and Barton???

E4, 2 on, 2 out for Nomar
Gettin' my hopes up.

:(

Nonah!!!!!!!!!!!
Nomah!!!!!!!!!!

rather

And Cust is up....oh wait no
Will the error come back to haunt?

Puh-puh-please!

We'll take it!
Nomah! whoops..
Strength vs. strength with Nomah vs. the fastball
angels down to last strike

down 5-4 w/ bags full vs. Red Sox

Kendrick 7 pitch AB 0-2 bases loaded against Papel
Which has taken 37 minutes
9 pitches - 7 straight 0-2 foul balls
0-2

Still hoping for a Homar.

Nomar K's. A's lose.

Fuck.

nope. frustrating game.
quite a battle over with the Sox and Halos.
Pappelbon can't seem to get Kendrick out.
Well been fun guys...
Geren moves not paying off today
Especially skipping Bailey and trying to stretch Casilla and Ziggy out

6 out save with no outs and bases loaded = fail

This is the 2nd game this year in which Bailey has NOT pitched

His arm will fall off by May if he pitches in 80% of our games.

No bacon

no rally

This one will be in the running for most frustrating loss of '09.
Argh. This team is frustrating me and it's too early for that.
11 LOBs
Our most consistant stat
if you combine all the batter fails

it is 20

Horrible fucking loss....we had a lead against felix and blew it. Hope that doesnt become a habit...
Any correlation btw Crosby entering the game and things going to sh**?

We’re 2-3 just like the Angels are.

And Seattle is 4-2.

weird

they also have a influx rotation

time to take advantage, but not happening

Papelbomb finally gets save against Angels
I wouldn't mind the Angels wearing out Papelbon

before he gets here Monday.

Angels lose

woo

Angels lose 5-4

Red Sox are dangerous.

Papelbon had 39 pitches in that game...
that was some at bat by Kendrick though.

thank goodness for that at least

How the f&%#$ does Papelbon not bury a splitter on one of 8 0-2 pitches?

a hitter is fouling off? Great battle, though. The Red Sox got very lucky.

Typical A's baseball in April.
Yep, good to remember
Geren needs to stop being a dumbass...
should I just send him a text?
Yeah...

Lineup is bad…Bullpen use today was worse.

+1

bat Cust lower in the lineup!

I agree

The decision to bring in Crosby and move Nomar to 1B was bad. And then we have Crosby booting a sure groundball out, which is far too much reality for the fragile psyche of Willy Santiago Jairo Garcia Casilla

Holliday has left so many runners on base

Its sickening

As has Nomar
Nomar should not be hitting in the 3-5 spots
Scott Boras is upset that Matt is no longer in Colorado
hey beane

can we get a refund on the harden, blanton, and holliday deals?

Refund....

I just "watched" the entire game on gameday

what a waste of 3 hours. I can’t stand losing when I’m watching on tv or on the internet. at least at the game I have fun.

multi tasking!!!
or at a game like today you would be drunk, sunburnt, and bummed out.

so look at the bright side my friend…
:)

maybe, minus the drinking part for me
All of em' are basically leaving guys on base.

Cust is at least getting some of the work done.

this might be an extended losing streak

bedard
lester
dice k
wakefield

so far the opposing starters haven't been the biggest problem.
I think Billy Beane needs to come down from the throne

and bust out a gigantic can of “Whoop Ass!”

Peace Out A's fans

time to distract myself with life ;-)

theres no upside in keeping crosby around

cabrera has played 150 games + in 7 of last 8 yrs.
crosby is being forced to play unfamiliar positions.
he still cant hit.
cut your losses, call up hannahan/petit/pennington

agreed. I think Billy needs to admit failure with Crosby and move on.

Just cut him loose already.

While not a big fan of him...

Hannahan, I miss you!

Hannahan

Hit a homer in Sac tonight and had 4 rbis

And Cust finishes on the on deck circle

Isn’t it a great idea for him to be batting so low? And TBuck, please start hitting again. I have faith in you. Where is the guy Nico proclaimed (and I agreed) “the best doubles hitter I’ve ever seen”?

Tbuck...redux of 2008 unfortunately

If Nomar and Matt Ho were stroking in a lot of runs, then TBuck would relax. Seeing Gee, Nomar and esp. MattHol fail, Buck starts feelin’ it…..and failing.

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