Athletics Nation

TWSS

you bastard

Doing my part.

TWSSBDoing.

You're 120% right

TWSS is pointless if it lacks a sly and cunning attitude. Otherwise it is just a dumb devalued internet meme. Monkeyball is the master of making you reread something and then bam! the innuendo gets you where you never saw it before.

I'm so glad you are here to tell me when I should or shouldn't post things.

Did he really though?

Would it matter if he did or not?

What day is it?

Friday.

Oh. Then no.

Thanks for clarifying.

Pleasure's yours.

Indeed.

Wait, were you wearing the French tickler, Don?

Don doesn't live here anymore, Mrs. Torrance

So are we.

Gosh, thanks. I dunno what I'd do without you Pam.

SWGYL

I don't know what that means.

South Windsor Girls Youth Lacrosse

doctorK - August 7, 2009 reply

That's what I got too.

sarcasm won’t get you laid.

Luckily that's not what I'm trying to do.

What will it get me?

(You would think I’d ask what would get me laid, right?)

A front page gig on AN, with all the attendant fame and riches thereby implied

Salud, padre de perro.

it does if you're trying to me in bed

stormtown - August 7, 2009 reply

Well it depends on your point in posting it

If its to engender a chuckle out of others and share something you think is funny, I just said what I think is funny, which should be helpful in that regard. If your desire is to make yourself laugh you can do that without cluttering up threads, just say TWSS aloud and laugh to your self.

BTW I wasn’t even talking about you so go be an ass somewhere else.

Again

I don’t need you to tell me when I should or shouldn’t post. Thanks though.

TWMIKEVS

No, no, you can't spell out the whole name.

TWMVS.

hey....

I don’t need you to tell me what I should or shouldn’t post. Thanks though.

Tou-shay

Monsieur Michel Vay.

TWHS

Aufheben - August 7, 2009 reply

Watch it, MikeV.

Don’t make us go way out west on you.

point.

game

adragon - August 7, 2009 reply

TWSS

bam! the innuendo gets you where you never saw it before

monkeyball - August 7, 2009 reply

this guy's gonna be pissed

when he gets back from vacation and sees I’ve been posting comments on his tab

where does a monkey go for vacation?

if you were a monkey, where would you go?

so....in order to catch a monkey....

….I must think like a monkey!

But maybe that's what he wants you to think.

I think.

he's a smart monkey.

I bet he’s even got those reversible-soled shoes, so the Russians can’t follow him.

(“I call ’em Sneakies!”)

In former Soviet Union, the sneaker soles ...

Aargh! I turn them around and they’re still the same! Noooo!!

Confound you, evil monkey genius!

Unless you've got a complicated mirror set-up

Or closed-circuit TV cameras.

Methinks we read too much into this...

TWSS biz from Monkey. It’s not innuendo. Just taking one of the many things we bitch about around here and flinging it like so much poo in our faces. Next he will start talking about his fantasy team.

TWSS is like Boggle

You only score points if you find one that nobody else saw.

are you just copying and pasting now?

Well, duh.

I like to think of it as artistic recapitulation.

what, like Warhol?

wasn’t he an artistic whore?

No, not like Warhol, you buffoon.

Like in a work of literature where something from early in the book is repeated later on in the story and it has added significance. Don’t they do that in modernism? It’s a staple in opera. I love it.

I got a bad feeling about this.

Yes. I love that.

"artistic whore"

That said, if ever I should happen to be looking for a whore, I do hope I find an artistic one.

A good chunk of my exes fall into that category.

I've always wanted to give that a try

being my ex?

It’s really not all that.

But think of our combined DVD collection

Well, anyway, I meant artistic women of ill repute sound like fun.

they are.

they’re fun to be with, tough to stay with, heart breakers.

My current fancy is indie girls

But the constant anxiety and nervousness is wearing thin.

Are they dream makers?

can be.

depends on the girl.

Wherever they're going, I'm going their way.

you and Lenny Kravitz.

Well, be careful, then

because in addition to being heartbreakers and dream makers, they’re also evidently love takers.

I would tell them not to mess around with me.

???

Are we talking about different songs? I’m on Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer’s “Moon River”. Where the hell are you guys?

I’d suspect generation gap, but I’m not THAT much older than either of you.

Yeah, that's what I figured

Pat Benatar, Heartbreaker.

Hmmph.

I blame the Beatles.

Well, he's deep in the eighties there,

so unless you’re 90+…

No. Except to the extent all artists are whores, in the business of selling commodities.

Except to the extent that all artists are whores,

in that they don’t make any money so they have to do something to pay the rent.

boom! goes the dynamite!

LAXile - August 7, 2009 reply

BGTD!

…never mind.

popcornjames - August 7, 2009 reply

this is white-knuckle stuff today, folks.

I understand the necessity of the move.

Still makes me sad.

str8tarrow - August 7, 2009 reply

Indeed. It would have been nice to have seen him play out his last year and wave his cap to us on the last day of the season.

Yeah, they needed to move on (and probably should have a while ago)

but it’s sad that it ended this way. My guess is that Giambi will not pull a Crosby in reacting to this.

I figure Billy probably talked with him beforehand, asked if this would be okay

the A's need to do the same thing with Crosby

Yeah

Not unexpected, but it’s definitely not the end we hoped for when he signed.

goldfish - August 7, 2009 reply

Agreed

He still has a place in my heart as a guy that bridged the tough late 90s to the exciting early aughts. He clearly didn’t have much left, but I’m sorry it had to end this way.

el generico - August 7, 2009 reply

Same here

Jason Coming back to the A’s was a pretty cathartic experience that helped to heal some old wounds I wish Jason well where ever he may go

Athletic - August 7, 2009 reply

Unfortunately,

this is one of the few moves that the FO has made this year that actually makes sense. The only thing they f-ed up on is that it should have been done sooner.

humdinger - August 7, 2009 reply

So...uh...

…Who’s going to Jason Giambi bobblehead day?

Marketing fail.

Double fail, since the first one was Duke.

At least he's "on the team"

For now.

Maybe they can turn it into a "Thanks, Jason" day.

I'm thirsty now.

I got something for you.

TWHS

Yeah, that's what I said.

And that’s how I meant it.

Bobblehead will be holding his walking papers

franks a lot - August 7, 2009 reply

And in the other hand, a walking stick.

If I were in A's marketing, I would drink. A lot.

and the unemployment line gets a lit longer...

Somehow, I think he’ll be alright though.
Thanks for the fun Jason! I’ll never forget that shot of Stanton.

jakebmill - August 7, 2009 reply

Wow

I’m not disappointed, but wow. I didn’t expect them to actually do this.

Yea same here, never thought they would actually do it.

Has to be more to the story.

Athletix Man - August 7, 2009 reply

I wonder why

they waited until today and let Geren get hammered with questions for the past few days. They should have figured this all out before he was set to come off the DL.

jakebmill - August 7, 2009 reply

Because Geren's so good with the "Gee, golly, ummm..." stuff?

Maybe they were trying to trade him

Because Beane was trying to work something out, obviously

I suspect Beane called every single team in major league baseball, trying to see if he could place Giambi and get something in return. He might have also been trying to get Giambi to retire.

When neither worked, the only thing left was to release him so that some team could pick him up for the major league minimum.

Rotoworld is nuts on this one: It’s so obvious what was happening and why Geren was hemming and hawing.

+1

Yeah, I understand all that, but

perhaps they could have done that a little sooner, while he was on the DL? I mean he technically was still on the DL when he was released, right?

jakebmill - August 7, 2009 reply

Because they were discussing it with Jason

to see if he would retire with dignity rather than forcing the “release” indignity. I am just guessing but…

bajablue - August 7, 2009 reply

Just for old time's sake

asfaninpismobeach - August 7, 2009 reply

When was that?

He looks thinner there then I have ever seen him.

I don't like his hair there.

asfaninpismobeach - August 7, 2009 reply

Looks like the stunt double for a certain Village Person

June, actually

you look so happy.

He's a lefty.

oh my.

win.

awesome

(only slightly diminished by the fact that Jason is actually a right-hander who bats left)

Um, duh, his left hand is his glove hand.

It’s used to having round objects in it.

well played, sir

Hey! No objectifying BBG!!

(that’s MY job).

I should be!

He was my favorite player for a looooooooooong time.

A sweet memory from visiting day at the prison

Sniff!

Hard to forget the NY years but the guy was one of the greatest Oakland A’s hitters of all time. I had several personal encounters with him and he was the coolest guy. I will miss him despite the .193 avg. and PED’s.

fansince1980 - August 7, 2009 reply

He is the nicest guy EVER!!!!!

WHEN WHY ISN'T HE EVEN SMILING IN THAT PICTURE?!?!?!!?

Because he struggling with himself on whether or not to

raise his pinky finger.

ew

goldfish - August 7, 2009 reply

Wow well played.

ty

cobb?

corn on the.

dog.

bounty hunter.

Jubal?

oblique - August 7, 2009 reply

Winner

Chicken Dinner.

G never smiles when he's throwing his gang sign

*must not make batting average joke**

resists…

"West side Mendozas, represent!"

that’s me, born and bred.

AV - August 7, 2009 reply

Wouldn't he be on the south side Mendozas?

AsFanInLA - August 7, 2009 reply

Good!

He’s been awful. And while Everidge hasn’t blown the doors off the place, he’s at least been hitting the ball somewhat consistantly and quite timely, actually.

Seems like a win-win to me. The A’s get to keep seeing what they have in Everidge, and Giambi can go try to catch on as a PH with a contender looking for a LH bat off the bench.

ZeroIndulgence - August 7, 2009 reply

That's really sad

When I interviewed G in spring training, I honestly thought he was going to be in for a great season. He always hit well at the Coliseum and I just thought being comfortable again in Oakland was going to make all the difference. But with less than two months to go in the season and 2010 looking like the fourth year of the five year plan, they need to go with the youth to help make decisions about what they need to do in the offseason.

Tyler Bleszinski - August 7, 2009 reply

Yeah, it's very sad.

It’s what they needed to do, but still really sad. :-(

It is sad

But at least we know he’s not juicing now. Seems like steroids have allowed other sluggers to hang on longer than big G did.

MobiusKlein - August 7, 2009 reply

High Fastballs

I’ve never seen so many swings any misses on average fastballs up in the zone. Good Luck, Giambi. See you in Vegas sometime.

Colorado Fan - August 7, 2009 reply

Time for Nomar to go too

Should have been Nomar today...Giambi after bobblehead day.

jjham15 - August 7, 2009 reply

+1

Indeed

Englishmajor - August 7, 2009 reply

A's Marketing Managar- head stuck in rectum.

100% Chavez is my fav. You have to have known that one would fail…

As well as Chavez sadly, and Springer.

Free up space for the 2010 tryouts.

Wow

Just… wow.

anomaly_kat - August 7, 2009 reply

Many memories of Jason.

Most of them good.

yup, altho i was very pissed when he signed with the yankees

i’m sad to see him go this way and wish him the best.

Deborah51 - August 7, 2009 reply

They did what they had to do

I expressed some reservations about the signing during the offseason because I wasn’t sure how productive he’d be. I would have loved to be proven wrong.

OaklandSi - August 7, 2009 via mobile reply

+1

I totally agree with SI. I am surprised that they waited so long to release him.

seems that $5 million would have been better spent on Abreu or GA

Neither of which really fit into their outfield plans heading into the season

Not that I thought Giambi should have been their top option at first, but hey.

Except GA sucks too

Abreu would have been nice, but nobody expected an .875 OPS out of him this year, and it still would mean that either he or Cust is playing outfield while the other is at DH.

Too much of a hindsight deal there.

Or on signing draft picks.

Or Miguel Sano.

rageon - August 7, 2009 reply

Totally agree.

Blicks - August 7, 2009 reply

Wow

a little shocked, but let’s get some young guys in there, see what they got.

Dub_TC - August 7, 2009 reply

Sorry it had to end like this

gojohn10 - August 7, 2009 reply

I loved Giambi, especially in his heyday, and this is sad

but its what was needed to do. So YAY, celebrate good times come on!

Blicks - August 7, 2009 reply

Pretty sad vindication for those of us who didn't want him back in the first place, though.

But let’s see now, since Frank Thomas the first edition, there have been quite a few failures at bringing back nearly washed up vets to try and catch lightning in a bottle. Piazza, Thomas redux, Giambi, Nomar, OrCa, Emil Brown, Todd Walker..

How about we stop signing guys who are washed up?

AK-47

And O-Cab was totally Jekyl and Hyde, but he ended up near his career norms.

But generally, yes, we can keep dropping the bucket down the well but there’s not a whole lot of water down there.

I'm missing that combo this week- Orca is still on a tear, 16 games I think.

Yeah, but when it worked, it worked

Frank Thomas first edition, and even Frank Thomas second edition before his injury. Mike Sweeney wasn’t a bust, which is why he’s still playing this year. It’s exciting to bring in these over the hill sluggers, hoping they have something left. I don’t have a problem with it. And this year in particular - there was a small chance the A’s might contend, before all the injuries (Chavez notwithstanding) piled up.

What does that even mean?

When it worked, it worked? Well… duh? The problem is that it only worked once, in 2006. I’m not going as far back as John Jaha, etc, I’m talking about the last couple years.

The ONLY guy in that whole list worth having was Frank Thomas in 2006. The rest of the guys were either injured or sucked. Sorry, Mike Sweeney was a bust, he was brought in as a hitter and managed a .728 OPS and slugged under .400

Small sample size

You’re limiting it to the past three years. But you have to look around a little…it worked last year for the Dodgers and Garciaparra. It’s kind of working now for the Mariners and Junior Griffey. Until the injury, it worked for the Giants and Randy Johnson. Wakefield keeps getting invited back to the Boston camp because it still works. Same with Moyer. Most famously in the Bay Area, it worked for McCovey and the Giants in ’78.

But most importantly, Frank Thomas carried the Oakland A’s to a postseason berth in 2006.

Griffey is awful...look at his stats

it’s amazing the M’s win with him and Mike Sweeney on the roster…not to mention… Jack Hannahan

The A's, Mariners and Rangers

…all looked at what appeared to be a weakened Angels team, and figured they’d have a shot. The A’s and Mariners both knew they needed to strengthen, but didn’t want to commit long term, and didn’t want to spend precious prospects on what was most likely a longshot.

The best way to do that is to sign aging veterans and keep your fingers crossed. So the Mariners signed Griffey and Sweeney. The A’s signed Giambi and Garciaparra (and had already picked up Holliday), and Texas picked up Andruw Jones. Starting the year as a completely suck team with no chance is no way to get fans into a ballpark. Contrary to many people’s thoughts here on AN, prospects do not draw crowds. I can’t speak for Seattle, and it turns out Texas did have the horses to compete, but the A’s had a lost year - the prospects weren’t ready, and an interim staff was in place. Why not take a shot?

As for Piazza, it wasn’t at all clear he was finished when the A’s signed him. Same with Sweeney. And frankly, same with Garciaparra. Giambi - well, I thought the downward slope was pretty steep, but that’s just me.

As for Cabrera - it’s clear now that not only did Beane want his bat, but he wanted to keep Pennington in AAA to learn how to field, and didn’t trust Petit as a back-up infielder. It was a smart move that in the end paid off.

the common theme: coming to Oakland it the last thing many aging stars do before forced retirement. It is truly a hitters graveyard

Buried in the huge tracts of ~~land~~ foul territory.

Solution: urban farms down the baselines.

Oakland A's 2010 batting avg raises .030 .

If by OrCa you mean Cabrera

I don’t think he belongs in that group, as he’s not a slugger, is still productive, and was certainly wanted by another team.

OaklandSi - August 7, 2009 via mobile reply

Erm, not really.

We kinda lucked out in that he had a scorching hot month of August and we were able to trade him for SOMETHING instead of completely wasting the couple million dollars that were given to him.

actually, he looks like he'll end up having

pretty much a typical season for him.

Typical with the bat

which is not very good.

However, whether you believe fangraphs UZR data or not, he’s been atrocious in the field, which is where his value to the team was supposed to be anyway.

I think Beane wanted an upgrade from Crosby

and he got that from Cabrera at a very reasonable price.

Not really.

It cost several million dollars and a second round pick.

Granted, he made up for the loss of the pick by trading Cabrera for… a guy who was a second round pick, but still.

Has his defense been atrocious the entire year?

I’d imagine that his poor defense was due to him being overweight/out of shape. I wonder if his D took a turn for the positive at around the same time his bat did.

I dunno, but fangraphs has him at (-11) UZR already.

Unfortunately you can't look at month by month UZR on Fangraphs

but in his tiny sample size with the Twins so far (43 innings on Fangraphs) he’s at 12.7. Something to keep an eye on for the rest of the year to tell what kind of player he really is.

Santa Cruz Surfer - August 7, 2009 reply

Piazza, Thomas redux, Giambi, Nomar, OrCa, Emil Brown, Todd Walker.

Don’t forget ERIC KARROS. Quite possibly the worst of them all.

I turned on the tv last night and saw Eric Karros at the plate...

and I screamed…

I thought I was having that nightmare again, where Giambi, Karros, Garciaparra, Thomas, and Ron Gant were all in the same lineup, except they were all OLD!

sigline funny you

Piazza and Thomas weren't busts either imho.

Piazza was busted

that shoulder injury pretty much finished him.

Really sad

I thought the signing was a crapshoot, and the second year option foolish. In pre-PED days, once a player got past 36, every quality year was a bonus. Giambi’s 2008 batting average should have given away the loss of bat speed. It was decent enough risk to sign him. So sad it didn’t work out.

At this point, I can see a team looking for some power down the stretch signing him to a minor league deal and bringing him up on September 1st (or releasing him at that point). The question is whether Giambi would be willing to sit in AAA for the next month on the off-chance he might get a September 1st call-up. I have a tough team believing any contender would actually put aside a roster spot for the guy.

Maybe the Mets would like to keep him around til Delgado gets back.

Why not crosby?

Bring up petit as the backup infielder and release Crosby.

Arcman - August 7, 2009 reply

At least we got to see and enjoy #400

Good luck, G.

vegAN ryAN - August 7, 2009 reply

Not sure he needs luck.

He’s got like 100 million dollars in the bank and isn’t even 40 years old yet.

Assuming he hasn't spent any of it.

See: Dykstra, Lenny. One should never assume they kept it and invested well.

I have no sympathy for someone who has that much money and blows through it all though.

We’re talking about being completely and totally set up for life. We’re talking about amounts of money that basically nobody on this site can even fathom. I mean, 10 percent of that amount and pretty much everybody here could live comfortably for the rest of their life.

that is sad to think about

I’m going to cry (Man, I’m an emotional basket case today)

I'm kind of waiting for him to open up his club in NY

called Giambi’s.

His brother can work the playground in the back. I hear they’ll have a great slide.

Nah, he'll try to open an In-N-Out on the east coast.

If he does that, that would truly be a legacy to be proud of.

Speaking as a proud Californian

That would be unnecessary, the larger issue is getting Five Guys out here.

This truly would be great.

chri5 - August 7, 2009 reply

Generally agree but what if they got Maddoffed? They would you be sympathetic?

I know Damon lost a lot of money by investing in Maddoff.

Um, no. No I wouldn't.

You have 120 million dollars.

Take HALF of that. Put it in something stupid, like a 4.5 percent CD. Spend 60 million on hookers and blow.

If you are going to tell me you can’t live off 60 million dollars… well, I can’t help you.

To paraphrase Patrick Ewing….Well, they make a lot of money, but they spend a lot of money too.

chri5 - August 7, 2009 reply

Im just saying that if you hired someone to manage your money and they swindled you I would feel bad.

Sure. I'd feel bad. Then I'd call him an idiot for giving ALL of his money to one person.

Shit, you could just put the money into a friggin SAVINGS account. I’m pretty sure you could live off 2.5% of 60 million without even touchign the principal.

you're um,

you’re kinda in a mood today, Mike.

I guess so.

If you touched my principal, I can see why you're in a mood.

I have some sympathy for the Madoff victims,

but I’m continually pissed off by the journalists who overstate the losses by including the fake gains.

People liked Madoff because he gave good return on the money and no one realized it was all made up of Ponzi fakery. So say you invest $2 million in Madoff’s fund. Then it “earns” another $500K so your account statement says $2.5 million. Then his pyramid collapses and you say, “Ack! I just lost $2.5 million!” No, you lost $2 million. The other $500 K never existed in the first place.

And its non-existence is exactly the problem because the $2 million that you just lost was somebody else’s “investment income”. That somebody else is probably considering it a loss, too, so you have a whole pyramid of people all recording the same loss. But the journalists love this, because it makes the numbers bigger. They don’t give a crap about proper accounting, they just want the numbers to be as sensational as possible.

+1

well

$2 Million lost, plus the opportunity cost you lost. You could have been doing something else with that $2 Million, like T-Bills, or investing in Bonds.

But true in bulk.

MobiusKlein - August 7, 2009 reply

I'll buy that.

But the fact that Madoff’s fund was beating the market was kind of the whole point.

I feel similarly, by the way, when some market plunges and the journalists all say “in one day, $x billion of wealth disappeared”. Well, no, not really. It wasn’t really there in the first place, that’s why it “disappeared”. It’s not like a hurricane flattened it all or anything. Ditto for the housing bubble, etc.

Plus $1.5M coming to him due to next year's team buyout

franks a lot - August 7, 2009 reply

$1.25M

I was thinking about this the other day.

How do you go to a former All Star who is getting the big bucks and tell them they are done? Can you force him to retire? Sad situation.

that would be hard. since Giambi was not getting big bucks it was easyer, and so should it be as easy with Crosby and Nomar.

So ... does this conclude OFF SEASON FAIL?

Who did the A’s get in the 2008-09 offseason?

Holliday: Gone
Cabrera: Gone
Giambi: Gone
Nomar: Hi Nomar!

You could make the argument that the A’s “expected to be better” and didn’t expect these players to “be so bad”… but oy. What a mess.

Wuertz wuerked out...so far

Wuertz has been a major win

and AK-47 was a great mid-season pickup.

Breslow's been a decent pick-up

though there was return on holliday...

yeah, the offseason moves seemed like a particular kind of gamble: putting half on red and half on black on roulette. they hedged the rebuild with possible 1-year sparks. the sparks went dud. the rebuild went on at half strength. and chavez won’t let go of the chips he wants to put on double-zeros.

AV - August 7, 2009 reply

here's hoping we hit it big on "third 12" and have a great August /Sept.

True... but.

Mid-season does not equal off-season.

Super epic major offseason FAIL

Giambi and Holliday were supposed to be the bright spots on this team, the 3-4 hitters keeping the young starters hopes up. I’m really bummed now, what a lousy day.

I thought the idea with Giamb, is that he was relatively inexpensive

Another low-risk, possibly high-upside sort of thing.

moneywise he was low risk

but emotionally it was high risk (for me). It was supposed to be a feel good moment from 2009 that continued throughout the season. Instead it became a feel bad moment IMO. Obviously other people aren’t as upset about this as me but again l’m emotional today.

You're right. He wasn't just any random player, there was a lot of symbolism, history, etc. attached to the signing

hitter's fail at the coliseum. We could have failed just as easly with four different players incluing the one's having a good season elsewhere.

Matt Holliday says hi. (1275 OPS since the trade)

difference is that Giambi WANTED to be in Oakland

I don’t think Holliday ever did, and I’m not sold on him putting out 100% effort while he was an A.

gigglingone - August 7, 2009 reply

facepalm,

followed by a second facepalm directed at the first facepalm,

followed by a picture of Brett Wallace’s ass,

followed by a TWSS

That makes no sense.

He didn’t want to be in Oakland, so therefore he went out and played like crap so that he wouldn’t be tradeable?

Aha - I KNEW that's what it was!

You know, I appreciate the fact that you guys think the notion

of players not putting out 100% is completely ridiculous. I also understand that it’s something that can’t be “known” for certain unless somebody comes right out and admits it.

That being said, I don’t think it’s all that ridiculous to think that Holliday played at less than maximum effort from time to time. I also don’t think that “it makes no sense”. Holliday knew that he’d be traded. After it became obvious that the A’s weren’t going to be in contention this season, Holliday knew his days in Oakland were numbered.
He also knew that if he hit .100 with 2 home runs and 3 RBI, he’d still be VERY tradeable. Everyone knows that he can play, lousy first half or not. So this notion that Holliday wouldn’t dare put out less than 100% because it might “cost him money” or mean he wouldn’t go to a contender is complete nonsense.

I don’t know — frankly, I don’t even care anymore. Sure is awful coincidental though, that he goes to St. Louis and proceeds to hit the s*** out of the ball night in and night out. Man, he sure did get hot all of a sudden, didn’t he? Hmmmmmm

Vacafan - August 7, 2009 reply

He did get hot all of a sudden,

and it happened in Oakland about a week before he was moved.

Also,

he’s clearly more comfortable in the NL than in the AL.

"Clearly" ... I'll say. Like night and day.

Vacafan - August 8, 2009 reply

Not that hot

Vacafan - August 8, 2009 reply

He was pretty freaking hot.

Don’t forget that this all coincided with him changing his swing back to normal after Mark (baseball expert) Mcgwire tampered with it. I think that was the real issue.

travdog6 - August 8, 2009 reply

If we don't give up Street, Carlos, and Smith for Holliday...

… we don’t get Brett Wallace (and others). So I call the off-season a just-under-fail.

that remains to be seen

Wallace could fail also, (Though I hope not). Plus Holliday underperformed (at least to most fans perspectives) until the last week or so. He was the best hitter on the team but that isn’t saying much.

Wallace is by no means a sure thing

But for the first time in… oh, I don’t know, 4 years… the organization actually has a possible long-term answer at 3rd base. I refuse to stop being excited about having a blue chip prospect at a position of need until he proves that I should feel otherwise.

That wasn't meant to be dickish, BTW

Good, because I was just thinking 'OMG! Joey C is SUCH a DICK!'

Seriously, that’s how I feel. Innocent until proven guilty.

Nooooooooooooooo

didn't think that at all

agreed

it gives hope. But I’m not really “excited” but cautiously optimistic (I’m not looking up spelling today).

Smith sucks, Carlos sucks...

Street? Well, we were dealing from strength.

mattabedi - August 7, 2009 reply

and we replaced Street with someone just as good this year for 4 million dollars less

plus the 6 million he will cost next year before leaving for FA

I was a big fan of Smith

But we sold high on him, he has had a glass arm this year, and Cargon, the organization gave up on his plate discipline. Plust F**k him, for those comments the other month about playing for Oakland is such a downer.

Correct. But let's see that Wallace doesn't turn into Barton. That guy was supposed to be amazing.

Just as long as he doesn't turn into Bodie.

Wait, Wallace is the one we don’t want him to be…Wire reference fail…sad panda.

Any reference to The Wire is pure win

Snoop salutes you.

Nah, you earned that buck like a motherf**k...

man say Cadillac, meant Lexus—he just don’t know it.

Man, f**k a charge...

… this here is gun powder activated, twenty seven caliber, full auto, no kick-back, nail throwing mayhem.

so you're in Portland?

I wish

I need to make a Portland run here sooner or later.

Love the tip.

< anticipates another Monkeyball appearance >

No, that one was obvious.

Good point. I stand corrected.

Wait for it -

Ah, hell.

crap.

Love the scene when she tips the salesman?

Not to sound like an ass-

But that TWSS stuff has been going round for about 5-7 yrs now.
It is still funny, but on AN its like the greatest thing since ‘sliced bread’.
How about some restraint to keep it funny?

I have an acquaintance here in Eugene, OR..

… that actually claims he invented TWSS.

That’s a pretty great claim to fame if true!

Dude's delusional

And he’s got a Prince Albert. I don’t have anything against people with Prince Alberts, but for some reason it affects my opinion of their reliability.

Or ability to relieve themselves standing up.

This I know to be false.

Well, no, actually I don’t. I don’t have a PA, I have an apadravya. But I can still pee standing up.

PA's can give a erm, dribbly sprinkly as opposed to stream.

(This also is second hand knowledge form a piercer who refused to do them because she thought it was stupid.)

Yes, I know this.

The apadravya is kinda like a PA, only instead of a hoop that starts on the bottom and comes out the front, it’s a barbell that completely goes from the top to the bottom.

Do not google apadravya if you are at work, is what I’m saying.

Today, I think I learned more about mikev than I ever wanted to know.

Is TWHS?

Tell him...

Don’t lie, Al Gore invented it!

Did you know that Thomas Jefferson invented the pylon?

Yeah, right.

And Grizzly Adams had a beard!

I still don't know what this means.

That's What She Said

Ah.

That was a lot simpler than I thought.

TW.....on nevermind.

heh

So addictive, but like the 3rd glass of champagne loses its luster.

best show ever!

OakA'sHoney - August 7, 2009 reply

You have excellent taste, m'lady

Did you see the recent epi of "No Reservations" with Snoop showing Anthony Bourdain her favorite West Balmer eateries?

NO!

Srsly?! MUST SEE.

Love Snoop. Love Bourdain.

Yes. You must.

Bourdain did a show on 3 dying American cities: Baltimore, Detroit, and Buffalo. He invited his translator from Russia to come along and experience the real America. Baltimore was the first stop — he and Snoop and the Rusians had lunch (beef sandwiches) with the real Jay Landsman (the one who played Bunny Colvin’s sergeant). Then she took him to a couple of other places.

Detroit and Buffalo were great, too.

That Detroit one was cool.

It made me actually want to go there.

Next Spring Training

Rickey needs to be in uniform as a baserunning and hitting coach.

Spring Training 2011, it would be nice for Giambi to have a coaching role with the team.

As Fan in the Bronx - August 7, 2009 reply

And Hatteberg!

Englishmajor - August 7, 2009 reply

++1

(Actually, =int(rand(10))1)

I don’t see Giambi as a hitting coach… too easy for him. Rickey’s track record with the Mets was not impressive (talk her was that he was great with the better players – not so much with the average chelmnik).

But Hatteberg seems like he could coach. In fact, lets see… catcher, good head, good bat – that’s manager in training material.

HATTY FOR MANAGER.

The A’s will win the WS with the Pickin’ Machine at the helm. True story.

No fun.

You already told me the end.

(pst...Rosebud was his sled)

Hey! hush up, I haven't seen that movie yet!

Darth Vader?

Is Billy’s father.

THAT's why Geren still has a job! ahhh

lets see… catcher, good head, good bat – that’s manager in training material.

Forget baserunning coach...

Make him manager. And owner and GM.

Make Rickey king of the A's.

I would gladly serve at his leisure.

Do we really want a "ricky king"

When I was a kid, I thought the guy was from the Dominican republic or something. I still can’t believe someone who can’t articulate the basic fundamental understanding of the english language based 1st grade. Shame on the Oakland school system for allowing someone to graduate as a functional illiterate. Isn’t part of the Ethos of the current A’s franchise, is the savy, educated, brand that BB and the geeky Moneyball statistics. Isn’t King Ricky antithetical to that?

Funny getting lectures on literacy

by someone who can’t even spell Rickey’s name.

I love the English language, and I love geeky stats, but I have no problem at all with how Rickey talks.

I was using the "ricky"

To phonetically quote Rickey. You don’t see a problem with a sports professional not able to wrap his head around how to say something ANYTHING, plural. His hall of fame speech was embarrassing to listen to.

Yes, the phonetic quoting was essential

It’s not that you lamely misspelled a HOFer’s name while trying to slam someone else’s literacy — you found it extraordinarily necessary to spell the name phonetically. Even though “Rickee” would actually be more phonetic, wouldn’t it?

Maybe I’m just being pickey.

Nico

are you hinting that when you have talked to “Rickee” privately: that he has a Cockneyed british accent, and that his inability to speak beyond a 2nd grade level is just an act??
I find it shameful that a man making Millions as a professional athlete speaks at the 2nd grade level.

I really don't understand why Nomar is still on this team...

if the A’s aren’t sentimental for Giambi, they shouldn’t be for Nomar

Nomar value

Nomar is going to get traded. The A’s are weighing his return. A minor leaguer but from who? My guess its the Angels.

Arcman - August 7, 2009 reply

If anything, he'll probably clear waivers and get dealt to Boston for his final couple weeks as a professional.

Not for anything of actual value.

I would love that.

I want to see Nomar go, but if he goes and gets to retire in style in Boston that’s even better.

And it would sell more Boston caps in CA!

I'm not against taking any players with even a slight chance of being good from the Angels.

Especially in exchange for a rental. But I think I’d rather just have him go to Boston to end his career. Even though I usually say ‘F’ Boston and their fans.

Nomar seems like a decent dude...unfortunately, he serves no purpose on this team...

Maybe they view him as a good clubhouse guy, in the mold of Mike Sweeney, but then again, the A’s cut Sweeney before the season was over last year.

Yea, and him being a decent dude is probably why I think he should go back there and retire in front of a crowd yelling

NOHHHHHHMAAAHHHHHHHHR!

Nomar is at least hitting a little.

He’s 10 for his last 33, even though he has more calf injuries than a McDonald’s plant.

it's taken him two-months to accumulate 33 ABs...

he plays onece evry 4 days

33 ABs over the last 18 days.

It’s no accident he’s seeing so much time at DH. A guy who can still kill lefties might be worth something down the stretch.

by hitting all those singles?

A fair point

Only 2 of those 10 hits were for extra bases (both doubles), but at least they’re not the worst batting average in the AL, paired with the fourth-worst slugging percentage.

Irrevalent.

He’s done after this year. This team is not going to the playoffs, Nomar is doing nothing for the team aside from forcing Cust to play the outfield instead of DH. In turn, that’s forcing Buck to not get time in the big leagues, or Sweeney to not play everyday next to Hairston and Davis.

The “right” thing to do for the organization would be to tell Nomar thanks for giving us what you could, we are going to send you to Boston to finish your career where it started, then DH Cust everyday and run out Hairston/Davis/Sweeney every day for the rest of the season.

Now that it is after July 31st Nomar has to clear waivers

Maybe Kansas City said, “Hey, we would love to have Nomar!!” and that is probably why he isn’t getting moved.

One won lost won - August 7, 2009 reply

I'm not saying Nomar should be on the team

I’m saying it would be foolish to give him away for nothing if we can get something—anything—for him.

Priorities

Personally, if it were a choice between getting some marginal single-A prospect or letting Nomar retire with class in Boston, I’d pick the second one.

Yeah, it’s nice to improve the team, but I’m not so greedy for every tiny little piece that I think it trumps doing something that’s great for the guy, great for the fans, and good for baseball.

Not paying him anymore would be something.

Not possible.

His money is guaranteed. We either pay him for doing something, or pay him for doing nothing.

Or we trade him and the other team assumes his salary.

Right.

That’s all I’m saying—why release him if you can trade him?

I never said to release him.

Even if he is traded for “cash considerations” and that ends up being Theo picking up the tab when he and Billy are doing rounds of Jameson and PBR at the winter meetings, that’s a gain for us because his salary is off the books the rest of the year.

I thought it was Makers' Mark and Chimay...

Tha'ts hard to find at a bar.

Together? Why would you do that to the Chimay?

No, no.

Whiskey shot, beer chaser.

Jameson/PBR, dammit. It’s a friggin staple at Bender’s in SF.

I don't think whiskey shot, Belgian trippel chaser is that traditional

Maybe have a shot of genever instead (although you’d really want to follow it up with Heineken, I suppose).

It's not.

That’s why I said no… It’s supposed to be Jameson and PBR.

Yeah, I know we agree here

I was just trying to elaborate. Sorry for any confusion.

As for me, I was just being absurd, as usual.

+1, ha ha ha

best line, thanks!

paris7 - August 7, 2009 reply

That is, the Calf injuries to MacDonald's ratio

paris7 - August 7, 2009 reply

Wow, I think this really sucks

I would much rather Nomar get dumped. Giambi has history with the A’s and at least we could still be nostolgic about him playing. I know this move makes sense but I still feel really sick to my stomach about it (maybe the last part is just the lack of a good breakfast)

I caught a foul ball of Jason's bat back in '97 or '98

in Kansas City. It was the days when the A’s sucked, and Jason hadn’t quite emerged as a superstar, but he was clearly our hope for the future. It was pretty cool at the time. Of course, I later lost the ball.

IowaA'sFan - August 7, 2009 reply

This story seems oddly appropriate in the context of today's news

Or even in the context of earlier news about steroids.

The good news about this

We won’t be dealing with Giambi taking away from playing time for Everidge/Barton the rest of the season.

Finally

Really glad to hear that one of the worst hitters in the American League is no longer wasting roster space on this team. I hope Everidge makes the most of his tryout (although it should really be Barton getting the tryout).

I like what Everidge has done so far much more than I want to see Barton get the tryout if its at Everidge's expense.

Great Move

Nice to see the A’s do the right thing here, rather than something that makes everybody feel good but the club worse.

I have mixed feelings about G. Man, those were some great days. But then he joined the death star and when we got him back he sucked.

Play the kids!

solotar - August 7, 2009 reply

Can we assume (or hope) that Nomar is next when Barton comes off the DL?

doctorK - August 7, 2009 reply

I doubt it.

There’s no reason to have Everidge and Barton on the same team, unless you relish Jack Cust in right field. I suppose they could give Everidge time at third if they move Kennedy, but they A’s probably (rightly) think he won’t work there.

So Long Giambino........

Now there is only one onld guy standing in the way of young talent. Time for Nomar to go………

0akFoSho - August 7, 2009 reply

Hallelujah!

They tried— it didn’t work.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but when they delayed making the move the other day, and Slusser and Co. were dumbfounded, it seemed obvious that they would release Giambi. Let Everidge, Barton, Wallace, and a whole lot of other flowers bloom.

jasonthea - August 7, 2009 reply

How 'bout this guy next....

who’s regressing every year

hint

OPS
2007 .912
2008 .851
2009 .740

Spartacust?

Moving him isn’t a terrible idea, because he’s going to start costing money, but his value is very depressed right now.

he really is awful....

a .740 OPS isn’t DH or corner OF worthy

he hasn’t driven in a run in 14 games and hasn’t HR in 17

His OPS is a little misleading

His OPS+ is 100, which is precisely league average—but not related to his position, of course. You’re being generous calling him a corner outfielder; the question is whether or not a 100 OPS+ is acceptable from a DH, and it probably shouldn’t be. At this point, he’s keeping a seat warm for Chris Carter (or even Everidge, if he mashes these last two months).

Nope, a 100 OPS+ from a DH is not okay

You know who should have a 100 OPS+?

Todd Average!

But what position does he play???

Missionary?

His three true outcomes have become ...

k, single, drop flyball

Don't forget the debacle that was his first 2 months of the year.

He’s changed his approach back to the old Cust, and his OPS is slowly climbing.

his OPS is dropping look at his game-to-game stats....

he’s been awful the last 3 weeks

Not true.

On June 6, Cust’s OPS was .764. Today, it stands at .740.

I generally don't advocate for keeping veterans purely on sentiment

And I won’t here, either. But I will say that it’s sad that this happened to someone who is reportedly a genuinely nice person.

Someone will take him for the league minimum as a pinch hitter, right?

Maybe the Rays will

Burrell has been a disaster at DH for them, and they were the competition for his services last offseason.

Rated-R Superstar - August 7, 2009 reply

I could see the Tigers possibly going after him.

Bye Jason

There are a lot of feelings going on right now. Resentment, sorrow, happiness, etc. I mean, I’m glad he came back, this just isn’t the way I felt he should go. Even though he sucked huge ass this year, it still saddens me to see a huge part of A’s history in the last two decades gone. Sigh. At least it means more Tommy Time, which is good.

Orodawg - August 7, 2009 reply

[Insert my repetitive "please stop mentioning Giambi, he makes no sense at all" post here]

Guess I called it.

POTBOTM

Good move but I'll miss Jason

He’s a good guy even if he couldn’t produce this year. It’s tough when you play clean and it exposes that age has caught up with you. The bat speed was no longer there.

It would be nice if he could have retired as an A, straight out. But we’ll see if he catches on somewhere else—and if not, if he retires as a Yankee I guess.

worldblee - August 7, 2009 reply

It's too bad that it couldn't have happened in a more dignified way,

but I’m very glad they made the move.

RotoWorld is stupid as usual. Their post reads like the move is super mysterious and there must be some funny business behind the scenes. You really have to go no further than the fact that Giambi just isn’t very good any more. Did they fail to notice that?

The answer is yes, they did. The Roto people have no clue what the real A’s are like. They just see on the news wire that Giambi was released, and they say, “duh, but Giambi is a great player,” and write a short “analysis” comment based on that.

Repeating my wish for Rotoworld to be removed from AN.

Doubt it will happen, but it’s not like there’s much value in their weak and often incorrect analysis.

Besides, I think Lookout Landing had something to say once about fantasy teams…

I have to agree with this

They don’t seem to even try to be factual. Here is what they wrote when Eric Patterson was sent down:

The 26-year-old was doing well at the Triple-A level, but will hand second base duties back over to Mark Ellis and Adam Kennedy.

Umm… it took like a minute to check and see that Patterson has not played an inning at second base this season since he was called back up (he did get a couple games there early in the season). It is a throwaway sentence, but it is so completely wrong that you wonder how carefully they check anything they throw up on their site.

AsFanInLA - August 7, 2009 reply

The common theme is that they're looking at old notes

and haven’t paid attention to the actual team in more than a year.

“It says here that Eric Patterson is a 2B.” “It says here that Giambi was an all-star.”

As Fan in the Bronx - August 7, 2009 reply

Later Giambi

I’ll kinda miss u and that killer ’stash

Lefty73 - August 7, 2009 reply

For the roster move technicians...

Why not DFA G to give the club some time to work out ANYTHING else (G to the Royals for a bag of used balls?) Move him to the 60 day DL and bring him back for the last day of the season?

Q the 2nd: Is there any way to get Nomar to Boston without waivers? Can Boston send him down to Pawtucket (and as for the bucket)?

I'm sure BB tried to move him...

and found nobody wants him. I read that a team can only have 5 players at one time on the 60-day DL (not sure if that’s true).

Nomar will clear waivers, nobody would block him from going to another team. I’m not sure the Bo Sox would want him anyway – he has NO VALUE!

He will...

…during the final two weeks of the season, simply as a crowd pleaser.

G-Man, thanks for the memories (with proper respect to Bob Hope).

JJ Martin - August 7, 2009 reply

Thanks for the good times, Jason

I’m glad we got the chance to rediscover our love, after the awful betrayal of the Letterman incident! Here’s hoping you can always party like a rock star and …so forth.

Englishmajor - August 7, 2009 reply

Well, the 'raking like an All-Star' is out...

doctorK - August 7, 2009 reply

'stache like a pornstar.

this was a bad time

i am swamped at work, stressed to the gills in some other aspects of life, and now i read this, and i gotta say i’m a little emotional. it is damn close to getting dusty in this cube…

thank you jason. i will continue to wear my #16 Yankees Suck shirt with pride. you were one of the coolest pro athletes ever. i hope i see you coaching with the A’s, or if you do become a strip club bouncer, be sure to let everybody know where…

me too

release giambi...fair enough

A’s trend for aging, out of prime sluggers needs to end. Outside of the Frank Thomas signing in 06, its been money wasted on Giambi, Piazza, Sweeney, etc

But i dont think the solution is everidge either. Great story for the local guy, but for people thinking he’s been doing great i hope we remember barton’s huge september from 2007. Big difference for a debut as a 21 yr old player vs a 26 yr old everidge. Once he’s healthy, this should be barton’s make or break chance to get his shot. If he fails, come on down Wallace and Carter.

Asfan4ever723 - August 7, 2009 reply

carter will be the savior

tommy and barton are just filling a spot in the limeup until CC is ready for the bigs.

So Everidge could continue to get on base in every game he plays

and he still wouldn’t deserve to play over Barton?

I’m not saying that Everidge is going to be a star, but he certainly deserves to be playing right now. He may not be able to keep it up, but we’ll never know that if he doesn’t get the chance.

jpl - August 7, 2009 reply

Sad

Giambi is like a girl you dated for a long time. You always thought she was hot, but somehow she just got even hotter with age. Suddenly she’s more desireable, and leaves you for some investment banker who drinks martinis and gets facials. Later, you find out she’d been wearing some sort of super make-up, and the investment banker leaves you. She comes back, begging for a second chance. You welcome her home, hoping to re-live that old magic. But it’s just never the same.

Today is the day when you accept that it will never be the same, and you end it. But this time it is on your terms. You’re still sad, but you have your closure.

Exhibit G - August 7, 2009 reply

…she, however, is waiting outside your door with that pearl handled derringer the banker bought her for self-defense.

Soon, she’ll have closure, too.

(looks at Steve McNair jokability countdown clock...)

come on… come on…

(looks at clock again)

Give it 24 more minutes, and I think you're solid

For only 10 euros

you can purchase a preferred user membership. Preferred members don’t have to wait.

...and they say I'm random.

Wow, I really am among my own here, aren’t I?

Trust me, that’s effing frightening.

I don't post much but I read up on AN daily...

This hurts big time for me. I was hoping to go on here and see Nomar being released not Giambi. I know that he wasn’t good this year. I know that they need to play the kids, but I am feeling really sad about this. At least if they would have released Nomar that would have made sense.
Giambi was the man on the A’s in the late 90’s through 2001. I was able to handle the McGwire trade since I knew that Giambi was still going to be there. It killled me when he signed with the Yankees, and I was really happy when he returned.
Now he is gone again. my mind knows that it makes sense long term. But my heart hurts right now. Bye G!

A's Fan KT - August 7, 2009 reply

Sorry....

But someone has to say it…..

I understand the rationale behind the move, however it was done without any class. Having him present the crystal trophy to Henderson on an historical Oakland event only to Be released 6 days later? Wtf is up with that!? I’ve been a firm believer in the Beane philosophy, but there are a lot worse candidates to release (ahem Mr. Wiff@slider). Leaving him in limbo the past few days was just icing on the cake. I would like to think Oakland, with its small market, small-yet-vocal and extremely loyal fanbase, would not stoop this low. Even in a lost season full of lows, this to me hits the abyss.

ST - August 7, 2009 via mobile reply

I completely agree.

A's Fan KT - August 7, 2009 reply

hear hear (here here?)

if they wanted to clear a roster spot, get rid of crosby. he is no more part of the long-term plan than giambi, and only marginally more useful as a utility IF

He's very useful as a utility IF

Unless you think Petit can do the job, which apparently the A’s don’t.

"Hear hear" is correct.

You’re encouraging others to hear it. Like “Yes, hear what that person is saying.”

"Hear hear"? But...where?

Here!

I wanted to say something along those lines but my emotions got the better of me.

A's Fan KT - August 7, 2009 reply

Can't argue that

They should’ve at least let him have one more game here.

What else should have been done, then?

Roster wise, it was absolutely the right move. Giambi, for lack of a better description, fucking sucks. He can’t play defense, he can’t hit, and he was taking playing time away from other guys who may or may not have a future with the team.

Let me ask you this: Do you think he was being kept in limbo on purpose, or do you think it was because Beane/Forst were trying to find a team.. ANY team.. that would be willing to take him after clearing waivers?

you just described Cust

fucking sucks. He can’t play defense, he can’t hit, and he was taking playing time away from other guys who may or may not have a future with the team.

blah blah blah

Except one guy is in his late 30s and fell off a cliff

and the other guy is 30 and got screwed because the team changed his approach.

oh...its not his fault he sucks, i get it

please start a new thread if you want to have the

“to cust, or not to cust” debate. it is tired, has been hashed and rehashed, nobody ever changes their minds or learns anything new, and this thread is about Jason Giambi.

i didn't realize this place was so formal

i'm just sayin

the cust debate has become really predictable:

x: cust sucks!

y: no, he has a great OPS even thought he has strickouts

x: yeah, but he’s regressing

y: yeah, but the coaches changed his approach this year

x: yeah, but he’s a terrible RF

y: so put him at DH

…

You should probably do something about that asshole that is holding a gun to your head making you read our awful, awful comments.

well said travdog6, well said

actually, when the new posts pop up

my screen gets shifted, so while i’m trying to read the other posts, i end up having to sift through the endless cust/no cust posts

Well I'm pretty sure everyone has that problem

correct

just trying to clarify that there is nobody pointing a gun to my head. i didn’t tell anybody to leave, or to fuck off, or anything like that. i thought i wasmaking a request with courtesy.

don't look behind you.

True,

my response was probably too terse and I apologize. Basically I just think that lots of threads get off topic, and unfortunately there’s a lot of content that doesn’t appeal to you, me, or lots of posters.

i agree

there is no formal allowable subject matter rules for threads, it’s just this particular subject that has been dragged through the mud over and over and over and over… and there are several posts in this thread from ABB4L that seem like they’re trying to draw people into the debate once again. so if somebody really wants to have the cust debate that badly, they should put 70 words together and start a thread.

all IMO, and i don’t expect everybody (or maybe even manybodies?) to agree.

Good point.

Maybe I’ll put those 70 words together.

Not sure I buy that.

First of all, Cust changed his approach just as much as the team changed it. Second, his OPS dropped significantly last year in comparison to the prior year. He may just be not that hard to get out if you don’t throw him fastballs.

Well,

regardless of who changed the approach, the fact is it changed. And the fact is he’s swinging more this year, at 42.9% (a number that is dropping, while his OBP is climbinb) and he’s seeing the same amount of strikes.

Sure isn't hitting anything hard with either approach.

Slugging is now down to a season-low .398.

Is our team that pathetic that people actually think Cust is a major leaguer

HE IS TERRIBLE IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE GAME

YEAH!

Not only does he get on base, which is bad enough, but he hits homeruns too!!!

when does he do these things

I watch every game and I never see this happening

Yea...

how dare he lead the team in HRs….wtf! That was Hollidays job dammit!

You're comparing him to one of the worst power hitting teams

ever. His numbers are terrible, his at bats are terrible and his fielding is terrible.

His 14 homers don’t make up for the fact that he strikes out 200 times and looks like a bafoon in the outfield.

Bafoons

Aren’t they an endangered species?

So "one of the worst hitting power teams ever" should get rid of the one player who actually, you know, provides some power?

If he's awful in every other area of the game

Yes

Since the All-star break the A’s have scored the second most runs in the AL

Jack Cust since the break 2 HR 6 RBI .338 SLG

He provides the ability to walk effectively, that’s about it

Hmm..

the only 2 players with higher OPS now is AK and Rajai (and 8th on the team in WAR)….maybe we should DFA the rest of the team, eh?

wOBA takes into account most if not all a player's offensive contributions.

And according to wOBA, Cust is second on the team only to Adam Kennedy (not counting Rajai’s 160 at bats). Try again.

During games.

True,

But I think that when he comes out of his slump it’ll start to rise.

I hope so.

I’m just thinking the answer isn’t as simple as meddling with his approach, or him regressing. It’s probably some of both. His numbers for the first six weeks of the year were quite good, then he just fell off a cliff. His OBP is indeed coming back a bit, but that’s all that seems to be coming back.

Ya

We’ll have to wait and see I guess.

It is indeed possible that Cust is on a (perhaps) steep decline.

But since the A’s really have no other options for the DH spot next year as things stand right now (unless Everidge proves everyone wrong), I think the A’s would probably be best off having one more year of Cust, but I fully expect Carter to take over in 2011.

Not without doing some explaining, anyway.

Can't say I can argue with that.

another option would be for the A's to use the DH

on a rotating basis, as do some other clubs. This way they could get some rest for some of their position players yet still keep a hot bat in the lineup.

Yeah, but who DHes when Kennedy and Suzuki aren't resting?

hopefully you've got a few more hot bats

which even on this team has happened from time to time

Hopefully.

Heck, right now you could have Rajai Davis, designated hitter. Never thought I’d say that without hurting myself laughing.

for those of you who haven't already done it

Here’s how you killfile.

Dunno why this comment triggered that thought…

And to resuscitate a thread from AN Classic, just 'cuz it's Friday:

Old skool!

HOw about...

1a) DFA Crosby…he already cleared waivers earlier in the season, so most likely can be outrighted to AAA (if he doesn’t refuse and if he does, who cares!)

or

1b) Place Nomar on waivers (see if a team will pick him up – hello Boston).

2) Since we have 1 less infielder, throw Gray back to Sacto, Call up Patterson since he can play a variety of positions

3) Wait until Sept. when rosters expand and you can get additional help.

4) Announce a Giambi appreciation day at the end of the year. Let him go out in style recognizing his time and history with Oakland.

I like the appreciation day idea

Just because we cut him doesn’t mean we can’t bring him back for a big round of “we love you, man”. Do it on his bobblehead day.

It would be a nice thing to do.

I think the fans would like to say goodbye too.

Chronicle story

link

gojohn10 - August 7, 2009 reply

is everyone happy...

that crosby still remains after all this roster movement…we are so lucky to see him finish is 7 yr career with the A’s.

Asfan4ever723 - August 7, 2009 reply

He's due for a breakout any minute!!

gojohn10 - August 7, 2009 reply

ProActiv can take care of that...

I still have a hard time figuring out why he's still on the team

He’s more versatile than Giambi, but the A’s have Petit. Giambi may have nothing left, but they might have kept him on as an elder statesman for the rest of the season.

in other baseball news....

Swisher’s got his old roomate back – Gaudin to Yankees

Pavano to the Twins

Zaun to the Rays

someone claimed Rios from Tor and the Jays may be workin on a deal

maybe Giants

lets see them add rios remaining deal along with zito and rowand…ugly!!

Rowand 2010: $12 million, 2011: $12 million, 2012: $12 million, 2013: Free Agent

Zito 2010: $18.5 million, 2011: $18.5 million, 2012: $19 million, 2013: $20 million, 2014: $18 million club option w/$7 million buyout (vests w/200 IP in 2013, 400 IP in 2012-13 or 600 IP in 2011-13) (voidable by player), 2015: Free Agent

RIos 2010: $9.7 million, 2011: $12 million, 2012: $12 million, 2013: $12.5 million, 2014: $12.5 million, 2015: $13.5 million club option w/$1 million buyout, 2016: Free Agent

Asfan4ever723 - August 7, 2009 reply

He was claimed by an AL team

MLB TV said he did not make it out of the AL.

adragon - August 7, 2009 reply

Gaudin

can only hurt the Yankees which is good.

There is someone who cannot pitch effectively any more.

Trainman - August 7, 2009 reply

I like it when you're calm.

Strangely, I do not.

yin yang.

some of BB quotes on Giambi's release:

Link

“This,” Beane said on a conference call Friday, “is not something any of us would have envisioned.”

“He struggled,” Beane said. “That was the main reason [for his release].”

“Professionally, this was the obvious way to go.”

“I talked to Jason quite a bit [before Friday’s move was made],” Beane said. “Everyone knows he’s a great guy. … It was difficult because of the person. Jason has a long, successful history here, and he’s someone everyone was very fond of — not just as a player but as a person.”

Beane said he’d been talking to Giambi about the possibility of a release as far back as the All-Star break.

“He acted like a professional,” Beane said.

Giambi and his agents did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Friday, but Beane said he expected Giambi to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere.

“I think he would like to,” Beane said. “Jason’s one of those guys who will play as long as he possibly can, and my impression was that he was going to try to continue.”

Interesting

and mildly hypnotic.

oblique - August 7, 2009 reply

I loved it.

It was much better than Cats. I will see it again and again.

Press Conference Audio

Link

i for one would love to see giambi back with us as a coach

the man understands hitting very well…too bad he couldn’t physically do it this year. but i think he’d be a great addition to our staff somewhere as a hitting coach. maybe start in the minors, or even with the big league club. i hated him leaving, but i’ll always think of him as an A and i hope, if he does retire, we can try to keep him around the organization.

guy incognito - August 7, 2009 reply

+10000000

I think he would make a great coach. I mean look at when our young pitchers were struggling, he was the first guy to run to the mound to talk to them and calm them down.

HeavyHitters510 - August 7, 2009 reply

I wonder whether it affects his potential as a hitting coach

to be in the “steroids group” — I’m not saying it should or shouldn’t affect his “street cred” or his political standing, just wondering if it might.

it might...but it shouldn't

giambi has understood hitting at a very high level for a long time. irrespective of the fact that some of his numbers during certain years may have been jacked up (well, who knows, if pitchers were juicing as well, i dunno about that), he had an incredible approach at the plate. in fact, as bad as he was this year, he still worked ABs very well. if he could only catch up to pitches, i’d imagine he’d be at around .400 for OBP. he and frank thomas are probably the two smartest hitters we’ve had around here over the last 20 years, two of the best at understanding the science of hitting, and i think the young kids could learn a ton from him.

guy incognito - August 7, 2009 reply

Agreed.

Plus then he wouldn’t have to leave. ;)

Before this happened, I was hoping they would release him.

But now that it’s done, I wish it was Crosby or Nomar.

We can't wish for all three?

When he's on the way out the door,

can someone staple Crosby to his back?

I don't know why that struck me as so funny, but LOL

Agree with the second part, disagree with the first

I know exactly why it’s so funny. Classic formula, delightfully weird imagery.

I asked Croz about it and he said "that would be a JOKE."

Crosby

The former A’s SS turned-occasional-utility-infielder was found dead in the clubhouse today. It was an apparent drowning. Speculation is that it was in a pool of his own tears. Billy Beane was unfazed by the news since he’s been trying to get a six pack of Shlitz and a dozen balls for Crosby all year. He made a reference to “whiner, not winner” then left the podium to watch a soccer game.

Was he taking..

diving lessons from Barton?

6 Shlitzes..

Ah, whatever’s free.

Oh PLS!

I never got to see Giambi when he was at his best in an A's uniform

because I became an A’s fan in 2003 but I remember how intimidating he was in a Yankee’s uniform. He seemed to never swing at something outside of the strike zone and even the balls he fouled off seemed to be absolutely scorched. He was certainly made an impact for that Yankee team even though they already had a ton of good hitters. I was kinda hoping that this year would be allow me to see what I had missed out on when he was on the A’s before. Alas that didn’t come to be but I’ll still miss the handlebar mustache and the jokes about his man thong. Seeya Big G!!!!

green tusks - August 7, 2009 reply

I think he was a better hitter before he went to NY

because he used the whole field. Shifts were useless against him. He was truly one of the most feared hitters in baseball at the time.

Smoltz

was DFA

The Boston Red Sox have designated John Smoltz for assignment, one day after the right-hander was tagged for eight runs and nine hits in a 13-6 loss to the Yankees.

Dub_TC - August 7, 2009 reply

Nomar...

go back home, please!

Snoltz =<img src=“http://blog.lib.umn.edu/stau0156/architecture/garbage%20can.jpg”/>

h

HeavyHitters510 - August 7, 2009 reply

^^^^^ that didnt work out as planned ^^^^^

^

HeavyHitters510 - August 7, 2009 reply

TWHPS

(That’s what his parents said)

ha!

bout time

stick a fork in him, he’s done.

2 questions...

1. Why wasn’t it Nomar?

2. Does this mean that Travis Buck can come back?

OakA'sHoney - August 7, 2009 reply

1. I don't know. He should be next

2. No. Giambi was basically released because the team had to do SOMETHING with him. They would have had to send somebody else down to the minors to create a spot on the 25 man roster for him, because he was ready to come off the DL. Buck SHOULD be back up, but it doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen.

i guess i figured the A’s could get something for Nomar but what do i know…i’m sad about Travis, i don’t think we’re going to see him again…

OakA'sHoney - August 7, 2009 reply

Travis left a note for you,

He says, “Don’t cry, baby. It was good while it lasted, but you know I’m just a ramblin’ man.”

2 answers

1. Because Nomar can still hit, at least a little.
2. No, Giambi wasn’t on the 25-man because he was on the DL.

1. No.

2. Because.

So the RS have released Smoltz.

Looks like Jason has company.

did they officially release him, or just DFA him?

Oh, you're right.

DFA not released. My bad.

Cool!

They can head to Vegas and train together. Smoltz can throw him “fastballs” that he Giambi’s bat can actually still catch up with.

hhmm

i wonder who would win in this battle of has-beens?

The all you can eat diner and bar down the street?

Sad, Not Disastrous

Many good players play until age robs them of necessary skills… it’s sad, but it’s not a disaster: it’s the aging process at work.

Little by little, Eck lost the ability to get left-handed batters out… because Tony LaRussa saw little value keeping Eck as a ROOGY, the Cardinals eventually let Eck go. John Smoltz seems to be digging a similar hole for himself with the Red Sox and will be out of baseball in short order if he doesn’t start getting left-handed hitters out.

If G really can’t get around on a major league fastball, his career is over. The signs are that he can’t and won’t ever be able to again.

muscatel - August 7, 2009 reply

It always saddens me when these guys who were so lauded...

and so good decline in skills and it’s especially sad when they can’t leave on their own terms. (If that happens to these two guys).

I just looked at Giambi #'s

advanced stats….yes his numbers were terrible across the board, especially the horrific avg./obp/slg. However, his plate discipline numbers are almost identical to what he has been doing the entire decade (see fangraphs), yet his babip is an incredibly low .220! Yikes! This tells me his eye is still dead on as before, but his ability to get a hit (as well as his luck) has dwindled a lot. I don’t have road splits compared to home, but i wonder playing at the Coliseum has accelerated the decline even more so (especially after having a short right field fence at Yankee Stadium to mask some of the problems)….sigh, I’m still upset over this move….

Think Popeye without spinach.

Oh, I kid.

Just a longshoreman with disfigured eyes and emphysema on the horizon

Sad. So sad.

penchant for women with little boy bodies

and repressed homosexual crush on his rival.

A soulmate maybe?

Bluto or Olive Oyl?

LOL

You and Popeye.

OH!

Well, maybe with my rival/lover (aka 67M), but I like my women curvy.

Well Don is both.

JK Don.

HE IS BOTH!

Don…now THERE’S a soulmate!

Now all I need is a soul.

Yay, shopping.

eBay?

your pig latin confuses me

your boyish good looks and surly demeanor

confuse me.

it's not you.

my raider blog went meta today.

I hate when that happens.

they're all a twitter over the kid.

they’re a mite bit more reactive.

Yeah, I saw.

He’s feeling unappreciated now. And he’s realizing its not quite the same as here.

You guys have...

a beautiful friendship. I enjoy reading your quips to each other.

you should see the ones you don't see.

someday we’ll publish the secret letters…

TMI?

Well, it would be.

Olive can be curvy

It’s just that her two curvy sides are parallel.

Plate discipline is often a skill that players maintain as they get older, even when their overall ability to hit steeply declines.

Also, Giambi’s BABIP has been around the .250-.260 level for the past few years, which indicates it’s become more of a reflection of skill than bad luck (all those balls he hits into the shift might be a reason why). When an old, 1B/DH with no defensive value can’t even OPS above .700, it’s time for him to go. Regardless it’s still sad.

I know, I know...

my left brain tells me he sucks, but my right brain has such an old man-crush on him from before, and with him returning as the “prodigal son” yet not producing, then getting released…..makes it all the worse. Sigh….

His BABIP has been low for quite some time now.

Personally, I think it’s a combination of hitting into the shift, trying to pull everything at Yankee stadium, and finally just plain not being able to catch up to pitches and hit them hard anymore.

Awesome.

OldhamA - August 7, 2009 reply

So much G-votion here

not surprising. I think it’s the best move, and Nomar & Crosby ought to be next.

The thing I pray for is that G doesn’t end up sliding into Lyle Alzado territory over the next few years, because I think of all of them (excluding maybe Bonds) he might’ve messed himself up the most with the PEDs.

More than Jose?

Because Jose is really messed up physically.

I'd worry more about him mentally..

but then again, it can’t slide that much worse…

Sliding worse...

Hmmmmmn, all I can think of is JEREMY Giambi.

lol

sure it could.

He could start wearing Kleenex boxes on his feet for shoes, chasing after the neighbors while naked and trying to pay for his groceries with bags of fecal matter.

There’s always worse bottoms.

…shoulda done it in Wisconsin…

that was a fun movie.

I liked it.

I am Shiva. God of death..

yo, very good movie

ak_A - August 7, 2009 reply

Bob Geren?

ok, maybe those three

I’d imagine that in addition to those that Sosa also did a whole mess of it and could be in danger of Caminiti/Alzado-ness as he approaches 50.

I know it’s not a popular opinion here and I surely want nothing like this to be true or to happen, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t express a concern that there are tragic times to come, down the line when these guys are long out of the game and their bodies just disintegrate to dust.

this paragraph in the press release:

Yahoo! seems to think the A's slammed Giambi with

“However, Giambi was placed on the 15-day DL July 20 with a strained right quad. At the time he went on the DL, he had the lowest batting average in the majors and fourth lowest slugging percentage in the American League (.364).”

I just read that

coupled with the link to the obese guy getting tased by the OPD at the game Tuesday night, our organization is pretty much a punching bag for the nat’l media right now.

Is this the lowest yet? Because it’s hard not to feel like we need to hit bottom soon here, it can’t get much worse… the more I think about these last 3 years, the sadder I get.

When the team moves to Hoboken

It’ll be worse.

I was just sitting here thinking

That this downward spiral might only end with the team moving far away, or being contracted by MLB as was threatened a decade ago.

Talk me down, friends! I am not feeling too good about all of this right now; it almost feels, in my more paranoid moments, that the Karma that’s coming to our team is not good, given that the SS Canseco was the focal point of so much cheating and drug abuse for a decade-plus and such activity, tacitly approved of by MLB brass to make $$, infested and diminished the whole sport and now we’re gonna pay.

I hope not but for 3 years now, this feeling has been growing and now it’s starting to feel inevitable, that a precipitous downfall is at hand, possibly tragic in nature given how many of these athletes effectively destroyed the future of their bodies by doing what they did (with one of our guys handing out the poison).

Sorry but this all has me very sad and I’m just trying to express my true feelings about what we see happening here..

Tasing

By the way, I was there, and I saw the tasing. The video doesn’t show that the guy was already falling down the stairs when the cop came from behind and tased him again. Nor do the reports discuss how security people were trying to grab phone cameras from spectactors and shoving people unmercifully. One rather heavy man, trying to get a picture was shoved so vicously by a security guy he went flying down the stairs. The only reason he didn’t fall was that someone else had the wherewithall to grab his shirt and hold him up. The reports also don’t say it was at the very time when Gio was trying to get out of his 7th inning mess. Having half the stadium suddenly ignore a compelling game in favor of a stands sideshow probably didn’t help the guy’s focus.

It is indeed a blot on the Coliseum and the City of Oakland. Even if the first taser use was necessary (and I can’t say one way or the other), the second was pure cowardice and that particular security person should be held accountable.

Sadly, there are lots of stories of needless tasing out there

Folks in their own houses getting tased, pregnant women, etc.

The notion that since it’s not fatal, it’s fine to use anytime is a problem.
But this quickly gets very political.

MobiusKlein - August 7, 2009 reply

And it sometimes is fatal

http://www.ktvu.com/news/20312688/detail.html

Supposedly the first tase was not a successful tase. The second prong did not make contact.

The second attempt was successful. He was supposedly drunk and yelling profanity and slurs at people going by.

As for the other guy, it looked from the video like he was being a ‘looky-loo’ and not listening to the security who was trying to get everyone to back away to a safe distance.

One of the comments is from someone who says they were on BART with the guy on the way to the game and he messed up then. I wouldn’t be surprised that he was ‘falling’ because he was drunk, not because of the first attempt at a tase.

Yahoo didn't say that. Kevin Kaduk did

“Big League Stew is an MLB blog edited by Kevin Kaduk”

How bout you stop making me look bad with your facts buddy!

I stand corrected. The fact that this made it on the front page however, astonished me.

I was about to mention the same thing. Yahoo! front page says:
~~Jason Giambi gets his walking papers and some harsh words from the Oakland A’s.~~

I don’t get it.

idunno723 - August 7, 2009 reply

poop

that was supposed to be quotes.

idunno723 - August 7, 2009 reply

oh, here, let me help:

“poop”