Athletics Nation

Iglew, is French toast supposed to be stale?

Damned if I know.

I am ignorant of all things culinary.

it was the origins of French Toast, if I'm not mistaken.

You are correct, sir.

lynnzgal - July 26, 2009 reply

Wow, I feel so dumb for not knowing that French toast is supposed to be stale.

you're 17.

You’ll learn, son. You’ll learn.

The French term for French toast

is pain perdu — which is not a sensation common to chickens, but is in fact French for “lost bread”.

All the egg is supposed to make stale bread edible again. And IMHO, it works!

Nick - July 26, 2009 reply

Thanks, Dr. Nick!

Free nose jobs for everyone!

Oooh… you first.

For just $29.99?

Why not do both noses at once?!!!

My favorite part was when he paid me.

If the paper turns clear,

it’s your window to weight gain!

This is truth:

It’s amazing the lengths the world seems to go to in order to make Derek Jeter look good.

Dude has a guardian angel who is a PR wizard. I’m trying to think of any comparable person in any field. Keanu Reeves, maybe.

I don't like him.

No, not one bit.

If he were selling candy door-to-door for a reputable purpose,

and he came to my door, I would not buy any, strictly because I am not fond of him, on a personal level.

Wait, are you talking about Derek or Keanu?

....either, really.

But I might invite Keanu in to record my outgoing phone message.

"Woah"

Duuude,

I've already slammed the door once on Keanu.

The guy’s really hard up for work, and for good reason.

Daniel777 is agrravated by Nomah pinch-hitting for Patterson

Geren = mega-fail @ helping rookies learn/building.

Daniel777 - July 26, 2009 reply

Of all the things to complain about, THAT IS NOT ONE OF THEM.

theblackpearl - July 26, 2009 reply

That’s what she said.

Oh, yeah, my rally picture failed miserably. We didn’t even get a single guy on base in the ninth inning.

it's okay.

Should’ve gone Rickey, though.

Dang, why didn't I think of that?

Where were you, LB? You totally should have pushed for Rally Rickey!

Preferably in a white suit.

Tough break for Nina

Going up against Mariano Rivera.

From the Minnesota TV announcers in their 8-1 lead vs. Angels:

“The Twins with a comfortable…well, it’s never a comfortable lead…”

They are having flashbacks!

haha excellent

SwisherThresher - July 26, 2009 reply

If they had Cabrera it would be!

And all we want back are silly little prospects.

That's awesome, but

why the hell are you listening to a Twins-Angels game? Have you been hanging out with Trainman?

it's baseball.

I’m kinda used to watching/listening to A’s later in the day on Sunday. We’ve either been at home or on the west coast for quite a while now on Sundays…

Please trade Braden before trade deadline

It will be selling high at this point. We got Anderson, Cahill, Mazzaro, and Gio for next yr’s rotation. Braden is bascially our 5th starter. If we can get sonething of value for our 5th starter, Beane should do it.

batterbatter - July 26, 2009 reply

I'm pretty sure Braden's not our fifth starter...this year or next.

+0

I agree that Braden is not likely to match his first half, but two good reasons not to trade him:

(1) You have to consider what the trade does to the morale of the guys remaining. Trading veterans like Holliday or O-Cab is fine. They expect that, and the young guys have a sense that the team is rebuilding for their future. But when you start trading the young guys, too, the other young guys think “WTF?” and wonder if they’ll get dumped overboard, too.

(2) Braden is an awesomely cool dude. I just want him to be one of ours, even if he sucks.

plus, he's got flippy-floppies.

and a moustache tattoo on his index finger.

He's one of the few leaders the team has.

And he’s a pretty good pitcher. And he’s affordable. Good combo.

plus he's zany.

I like that, too!

lynnzgal - July 26, 2009 reply

yup.

He’s got his swim trunks and his flippy-floppies.
He’s flipping burgers.
You straight at Kinko’s, flipping copies.

ERA

I’m not suggesting we trade Braden for a bag of peanuts. Braden packaged with Wuertz and OCab could net us quite a lot. Seriously, does anyone really believe that Braden can keep his ERA below 4 next season?

batterbatter - July 26, 2009 reply

Yes.

mikev - July 26, 2009 reply

i think he's starting to figure it out

after about a year and a half of suckitude/learning. Wuertz and OCab, I don’t mind, but Braden is our kind of guy. Young, cheap, and mostly good.

And fiercely competitive

Something this particular nucleus needs more of, not less of. Also, I think you’re focusing too much on his ability to be a #1 or even #2 starter. Anderson and Cahill may get there in the next 1-2 years and it’s very important to have a solid — maybe even “luxury” #3. Look at Zito, or Lilly, or Saunders — that depth is huge.

Most teams have a good front-end starter and most teams don’t have a good #5 starter; it’s how good your guys in between are that can separate good teams from very good teams.

yes, i like the fire

Haven’t really had that in a pitcher since Hudson. Haren was very laid back, the lead by example kind of guy. Which is good, but we need more than that. If we can get Mazzaro, Anderson, Braden, and Cahill feeding off of each other…. wooooo look out slegnA!

I think trading Braden

would be bad for the morale of the team, in a way that trading the older veterans is not.

When Holliday or Cabrera is traded, everyone expects that and sees it as building for the future. If someone like Braden is traded, then it looks like we’re trading away the future as well, and it adds to a feeling of team uncertainty and instability for the younger guys.

Also, Braden is cool and I like him.

iglew - July 27, 2009 reply

-37

And that number reflects my showing some restraint. My thoughts could be better summed up as: F that. He’s young, he’s cost controlled, and he’s effective. Even after today’s “terrible” start, his ERA ballooned 3.74. I TRIED TO WRITE 3.74 IN CAPS BUT COULD NOT. No, but seriously, he’s good, and if that is our 5th starter, holy crap are the A’s doing well for themselves. Also, with the way this team and injuries are always going at it, pitching depth is of the necessity.

Try harder.

His ERA ballooned to #.&$!!!!!

This loss on the Manager, IMO

Geren should have pulled him after the A’s homered, going ahead. Obviously, it was not Braden’s day. Face the evidence, and win the game, Geren.

One won lost won - July 26, 2009 reply

That would make sense if the A's had more 2+ inning relievers,

as I think they should. To ask 4 IP out of your bullpen, you want to have a guy you feel good about sending out there for at least 2 of those innings, who aren’t your 8th and 9th inning guys.

But when you’re up 1 run to the Yankees and they have 4 innings left to hit, you’re not in “close out” mode — you WILL need to add on to win.

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks this bullpen makes no sense.

Given all are young starters, who might get rocked in any game, wouldn’t it be a good idea to have a bit more long relief on hand? Our bullpen is made up entirely of set-up men plus the closer-of-the-moment.

The further problem, as I see it, is that

because Edgar Gonzalez is the only long reliever, Geren is afraid to use him in case the A’s next-day starter might go short. Whereas if you had two guys, you could use one a lot more freely, such as to pitch the last 3-4 innings of a not-close game, knowing you still have the other as insurance.

My own opinion is that when Giese went on the DL, the A’s should have let Casilla go — send him to AAA if you can, but be willing to let him be claimed on waivers — and called up (or signed off the scrap heap) a reliever who can go 2-3 IP. I think Casilla is really a wasted spot for what the team needs.

I had forgotten about EGon

….who, as you say, is has been effectively made unavailable much of the time, especially during this 28-day death march.

Of course, any scenario that involves dumping Casilla makes sense….even if you brought up a bag of balls to replace on the bench. And it’s sad having to write that, ‘cause they guy showed real promise at one point. But he’s been just awful this year.

The problem is he's a hard-throwing one inning pitcher if he's GOOD

Which he isn’t. He’s certainly well behind Devine, Bailey, Ziggy, Wuertz on any upcoming depth chart, and even if Wuertz were to be traded, the A’s have plenty of RH short-relievers in the pipeline.

What they don’t have, and need, right now is someone ready to pitch multiple innings while Gio, Cahill et al go through the bumpy learning process that means sometimes throwing 6.2 IP and sometimes throwing 2.1 IP.

Regardless of whether MAC + Gio have a bad start and go 2.1 or 6.1 innings

These kids need their innings limited, and not having somebody that can come in after 5 innings and get to the 7th or 8th is a big mistake.

mikev - July 26, 2009 reply

Agreed.

The bullpen needs a second EGon, and in spite of Geren’s efforts it ain’t Bailey.

Duchscherer potentially fills that niche when he comes back. (Assuming he isn’t required to take over for someone in the rotation….)

I think the A's are seriously considering -- and I actually like the idea --

of going to a 6-man rotation when Duke is ready. You look at how much it has helped Anderson when he’s had an extra day of rest, and you look at the # of innings Cahill, Anderson, Braden are getting to, and a 6-man rotation makes a lot of sense. Of course it means you only have 6 relievers, or you go with a 13-man pitching staff.

And Baseball Prospectus thinks 4 starters are good enough

PHOOEY! I say we go with 7 starters ;-)

Technotofu - July 26, 2009 reply

Eight Starters!

And that’s my final offer.

I'm interested to know

when you say ‘the A’s are seriously considering’ – what evidence are you basing that claim on? I’ve not read anything about it, so it’d be interesting to hear

bobnothing - July 26, 2009 reply

oh, so now you want me to give up my sources?

Okay, “Mr. Gotta-Know-Everything”….

The Voices in my Head report that the A’s are considering moving to a six-man rotation.

Happy, Mr. Journalist?!

Geren mentioned 6 man rotation on radio friday

Future Ed - July 26, 2009 reply

I think it's been mentioned about 3 different times,

as “a possibility” and as something the A’s are “seriously considering.”

Nico - July 27, 2009 reply

+100

we have four rookies and a third year pitcher in our rotation. we need a seven man bullpen and two long relief guys instead of springer who is a one inning guy who can’t get the job done anyway.

green tusks - July 26, 2009 reply

It’s off-topic, but it’s worthy.

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Dodgers and Indians are in serious discussions about a trade that would send Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez to the Dodgers for a package including either Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley.

James Loney would also be involved, which makes sense because Martinez would play first base most of the time in Los Angeles. We imagine that the Indians would prefer Kershaw, who will be a lot cheaper than Billingsley over the next few years. It’s certainly be a fascinating trade if it gets done.

I commented on this "scenario" under a different entry ...

but it’s still unbelievably ridiculous for the Dodgers to do this. Why would you send a good, young pitcher to the Indians for a mediocre, old one coming off a career year which he will never see the likes of again?!
Martinez rakes, no doubt, but Loney ain’t bad, either. I just don’t see how this helps the Dodgers a whole lot. In fact, I don’t see how it helps them much, at all.

Vacafan - July 26, 2009 reply

But if it is true

it should show all how dumb the dodgers are.

Future Ed - July 26, 2009 reply

"Here, have the lead." "No thanks, guys! I don't need it!"

I want to like Braden, but apparently he doesn’t want me to.

Kyli - July 26, 2009 reply

Yes He does!

Now dig!

I mean, um, like him!

barton

Much better ABs today then I have seen all year from him. As for Cust he looks more like Bust lately. To all you Braden hters out there give the guy a break the RBI double in the first should have been caught. By the way why was he out bthere so long Geren?

Arcman - July 26, 2009 reply

The double in the 8th was great -- exactly what Barton's supposed to be able to do

Nick - July 26, 2009 reply

Well, that and "get injured" -- which he also did

Great job!

Isn't consistency grand?

Kyli - July 26, 2009 reply

Joe Morgan wuvs you.

If Joe Morgan had said it

He would have said “cosistency”

el generico - July 27, 2009 reply

Staplehead!

Technotofu - July 26, 2009 reply

let's not forget that Dallas Braden

is a young starter himself. He got a handful of starts late last season but didn’t nearly have a full season ( or even half ) of starts coming into this year. Sure he is pitched in spurts in the bullpen but has mostly been in triple-a for the past couple seasons. So the slack we give our baby big 3 should be shown to dallas as well. Maybe not to the same extent because they are all really fresh compared to Dallas but we still should give him some. They are not finished products and Dallas isn’t either.

green tusks - July 26, 2009 reply

Good point -- Braden hasn't had this kind of major league workload before

I’m guessing his recent struggles are at least partly due to the “dead arm” phase pitchers go throw as they are pushing limits for the first time. With Braden, it may show up as a lack of life on his pitches rather than as decreased velocity.

All I can say about another loss is at least the winning pitcher is from my home town, and I went to HS with him. Lol.

DyeLongJustice - July 26, 2009 reply

Rich Harden - 3 straight dominating starts

and the Cubs move into 1st place. The guy is ridiculously good — he won’t miss another start this season, and he won’t lose more than 3 games, either. Book it.

Vacafan - July 26, 2009 reply

If he were still with the A's, he would have been on the DL all season.

Or perhaps I’m just an optimist ;-)

Could care less.

I can’t remember the last time I cared less about an A’s game.
Today was all about Rickey.

fansince1980 - July 26, 2009 reply

Dallas Braden

Dallas Braden’s cutter actually has quite a lot of movement and always seems like a great pitch. You may not recognize it however, it’s the one he throws at about 81-82, and is often confused for his slider. Our announcers usually mistake it for the slider even. However, the slider is the pitch that’s around 78. In fact, it’s sometimes thought that he has a curveball too (about 72), but that’s just a variation on the changeup…

King Richard - July 26, 2009 reply

Oh, that's interesting -- maybe at times I've seen the cutter and thought it was

a harder breaking pitch. I worry that Braden’s fastball is pretty straight, but I’m not sure I’d advise seeking more movement since Braden locates it so well and location is the key to his success. It may be that he needs to succeed with exactly the tools he has, even though he may only have “#3 starter” tools — which hopefully, when you add in the “grit/Pepe” factor, can get him into #2 starter territory.

Overall, quite an encouraging game

Although Braden was rocked, our young hitters looked pretty good today. Patterson nearly ripped a homer down the right field line before singling. Barton faced Hughes with a terrific approach and ended up with a double. If our young guys start hitting, I’m going to be very, very excited about next year and beyond.

FrankCohen - July 26, 2009 reply

Not tryin' to be a jerk

but foul balls won’t impress anybody … glad to see Patterson finally got a hit, though.
He tears up AAA pitching, but he won’t hit a lick up here. Little Punch n’ Judy slap hitter who’ll make a team as a backup infielder … maybe.

Vacafan - July 26, 2009 reply

I don't even know why we waste our time with players like him

He cannot throw to save himself. He hits in AAA and that’s it.

AM I too harsh?

Maybe, but I don’t see him amounting to much.

Trainman - July 26, 2009 reply

I think you two should be best friends.

travdog6 - July 26, 2009 reply

No, Trainman should be Patterson's father

Everyone has a father who says, “You’ll never amount to much.”

Right?

I get the feeling that my father implies it.

Rated-R Superstar - July 27, 2009 reply

Maybe that's just because he doesn't know about your secret internet prowess with the ladies.

pam5981 - July 27, 2009 reply

He doesn’t!

Rated-R Superstar - July 27, 2009 reply

There are a lot of minds made up around here for a guy who only has about 170 career PAs

he looks a little overmatched both at the plate and in the field

I think that’s what the others are getting at. Not that it shouldn’t be expected for a guy with a dearth of experience in the bigs. Nevertheless, I saw the replay on the couple throws he made, and I could have done better with a tennis ball and a pool noodle for an arm.

Dallas Braden is a character

The first inning is kind of like trying to catch a catfish barehanded. You feel around for a little while and see what you come up with, and afterward, you go from there. I felt around and didn’t like what I felt."
— Dallas Braden

This was from Oaklandathletics.com game wrap

Trainman - July 26, 2009 reply

Sounds more like my times on a crowded subway, but his simile is good too.

Braden rocks.

I know some people who would find that very unfunny.

Hopefully none of them are reading here.

iglew, who would find that unfunny? and why?

I can't tell if that's a rhetorical question.

The answer is women who have been “accidentally” groped or otherwise inappropriately rubbed on the subway.

Check the “rants” section on CraigsList in any big city, and you can usually find a few of them there.

iglew - July 27, 2009 reply

country mouse, my friend.

Leopold Bloom - July 27, 2009 reply

i wonder if he's gonna be one of those guys

where the majority of his damage is 1st and 2nd inning.

Wow! A noodling metaphor!

Players like Braden make a bad team a lot more fun to follow!

Just popping on to say hi

and to say that Cooperstown today was filled with A’s fans. So awesome to see the green and gold making the trip out here.

Lots of ANers out here, and I’m sure there will be picture threads next week…

gigglingone - July 26, 2009 reply

Instead of 5 starters

We just use a bunch of relievers to go a few innings here and there every day, teams will just never know what we’re going to put out there the next day.

Hit4TheCycle - July 26, 2009 reply

Haven't we been doing that most of the year?

Did anyone else TiVo the HoF induction

and find that you can’t now move it off of your TiVo to burn it?

and if they did, can I have a copy?

We need to get Landon Powell more AB's...

I am starting to lose faith in Sweeney and feel Rajai is moving above him on the A’s totem pole!

MMunoz33 - July 26, 2009 reply

The thing about Rajai is that neither hits for power, neither gets on base enough,

but at least Rajai can steal, go 1st to ~~3rd~~ home, and so on. Basically a better brand of suck.

Is Ellis done?

How about Crosby? (seriously)

We have our answers about Chavy, Nomar, and Giambi already!

MMunoz33 - July 26, 2009 reply

Braden should've been pulled

…when he was given the lead. He got hit hard in the previous inning, and had thrown over 90 pitches. The excuse that “we don’t have another pitcher” is ridiculous. Rule of thumb is ALWAYS you play for today’s win. The A’s had the lead. If you have a problem tomorrow, you improvise.

From the first day of spring training, this has been a severely mismatched team. Beane had set up something like five guys who should’ve been DH’ing on a regular basis: Giambi, Nomar, Chavez, Powell and Cust - Giambi and Nomar because of age and injury issues, Chavez because of injury issues, Powell because he needs to play more than once or twice a week to get his bat in gear, and Cust because he’s Cust. Over in the bullpen, you’ve got a slew of one-inning guys and only one long reliever/spot starter guy.

Now don’t get me wrong: this isn’t an anti-Beane or a pro-Geren rant. But from day one, Geren has had his hands tied behind his back. Not enough fielders, certainly not enough decent fielders, not the right bullpen to work with young pitchers who could stumble and fall.

So, what do you do now: It’s kinda simple: dump Casilla and bring up Mortenson.

richwol1 - July 26, 2009 reply

right now at least, it's pretty bad with the 28 days straight

I agree that Geren is doing more triage than managing, but do we want to overextend some guys when we’ll probably need some of them tomorrow? About the DH’s, Chavez isn’t in the mix this year, and Cust and Powell have legit roles right now. It’s really Nomar and Giambi who, inexplicably, haven’t hit. Whether it’s for injury or slowing bats, who knows, but they have really complicated things not being able to play a reliable role on this team