A’S Mailbag
Today I was reading the Athletics Mailbag
and things do not look good. The Athletics were not an old
team this year by any means but they keep trading and
thinking of trading for more and more prospects. It
seems that Husron Street is on the chopping block and that
Ellis may not be with the team next year. Apparently
there are a lot of second base prospects so the Athletics
will most likely be frugal and choose not to resign him.
All of this makes me sad but it is a business at it’s
heart. I just wish there wsn’t such a cleaning out of
the house every year. When the current propects turn 25
and are geting really goos Beane will just trade them as
well. It seems to be a viscious cycle that I wish the team
could break out of. Sadly there is no breaking out I
fear. Off to bed. Good night baseball blogging
world.
Another one Bites the Dust
Beane has done it again. I guess at this
point no Oakland fan should be surprised yet every
time he wheels and deals I question his moves. The latest in
the Billy Beane house cleaning is Joe Blanton. My father and
I called him big Joe and even though he was not your typical
image of a ball player, we loved him. He really defined
the Athletics for me as being scruffy out of the ordinary
players that other teams might have passed on at first but
that when given a chance performed amazing. I know this
year was tough but I always referred to him as Bad Luck
Blanton. He never got any run support. This year
even if he had been given more run support he would have
still been shaky on the mound. But 6 innings from
Blanton are better than 6 innings from some prospect.
The Athletics now it seems must have every prospect in
the Majors because that is all we seem to keep getting in
these Beane trades. The Chronicle sports writer Bruce
Jenkins put it so well this morning” The beauty of this deal,
for Oakland, is that unlike the Haren, Jason Giambi, or the
Miguel Tejada decisions, this one won’t cost them any fans.
Wait- they don’t have any fans to begin with.
Maybe 10,000 die hards, tops. It’s a brutal world, but
it’s Billy Beane’s world. No other executive in baseball
could make it so livable.” I am proud to say I am one of the
10,000 die hards and I do not find Beanes world livable.
I do agree that Beanes world is brutal and that he fact
they have so few fans is largely due to him. If you
keep trading al of your big names and have a team of
prospects what will keep the fans coming? I do not want
to wear a jersey with a question mark on the back instead of
a name. I love the Athletics with all my heart but I have to
say I barely tolerate Beane with my pinky finger.
Blanton I will miss you! Best of luck on your new
team.
Working for MLB
I am going to work for Major League Baseball
one day! That is my dream and I just need to figure out a way
to make it work. I have loved baseball as long as I can
remember and I one day hope to work for any team in the
majors. Preferably of course the Athletics but you know
working for MLB I could work in any major city. The
thought of working in baseball excites me. I just need
to get out of school with a degree and stop listening
to nay-sayers. I can do whatever I put my mind to
and I just need to believe in myself. Sometimes that is
the hardest thing. Zito would know a think or two about
this. He is a prime example of loosing faith in your
self and loosing your ability. I just need to stay
focused like Harden and not let even
the slightest injury get in the way of my dreams.
ALL STAR Game and Food!
Tomorrow is the All Star game and I am
trying to plan an All Star party with all of my friends.
I am by far the most Baseball obsessed out of any one I
know so it is hard to coordinate this party because I care
more. I am planning to have baseball food like
vegetarian hot dogs, potato salad, french fries, beer, nachos
etc…. On year my grandmother and I planned an All Star
party and we even had baseball paper plates and napkins.
I love throwing parties and baseball themed ones are
even more fun. I wonder what other people would
consider quintessential baseball food. What food is
sold changes from park to park changes and the Athletics park
is not necessarily gourmet. My favorite food at the
park hands down has to be their baked potato with
cheese and broccoli. You can get many different
toppings but cheese and broccoli are mine. My father is
partial to the chicken wraps but I wonder what the best
selling item is aside from beer.
In Shock
I am in shock right now. I cannot believe that Harden has been traded. I know that first and foremost Baseball is a business but I am really sad. It means that Beane doesn’t think the Athletics have a chance of hope this season. It also shows that he doesn’t care about fan favorites. Beane waited ll these years of Harden on the DL and then traded him when he got good. So we as fans waited patiently, let Harden rehab, watched him get injured time and time again and now that we have gotten him healthy he is gone. I realize this happens every day in sports but I still hate when it happens. Gaudin was also traded and I really liked him as well. Here are some aricles on the trades:
All Stars and Injuries
So many things are happening in the Athletics camp right
now. There is one extremely good
thing I see and everything else is pretty murky. The good news first. Duke made the ALL STAR team! I realize
that every team needs at least one representative but he is truly deserving of
being there. Duke has the lowest
ERA at 1.96 and is one of only a handful of pitchers to make it as both a
closer and starter. Lincecum made
it on the roster for the Giants and much like Duke has a crazy low ERA. There was an extremely well written
piece on him in the Chronicle yesterday and I had no idea that his story is so
similar to Zitos. Brian Wilson
also joins Lincecum for the Giants and I am just a little jealous that the
Giants have more players than the Athletics on the team. The game should be
good because “This one counts” as the slogan said a few years ago. I don’t know how I feel about the game
giving home field advantage to the winner but I guess they needed something to
draw in viewers. Back in the day
before inter league play the ALL STAR game was important because it was your
only opportunity to se the best players face each other. Now they do that throughout the season
so the ALL STAR game has lost its initial appeal.
Right now the disabled list is worrying me. Chavez has been placed back on the DL
and now joining him are Crosby and Foulke. Donnie Muprhy who is Crosby’s back up has a sore elbow, and
so a back up for the back up had to be called up. The Athletics have almost had
to use the DL 2O times this year and last year they used it a total of 22
times. The season has just reached
the halfway mark so I fear for the rest of the season and the health of the
players. The Athletics have the worst injury luck of any team I know. I hope no one else major gets
hurt.
Both sides posses the Worst and the Best
Both the SF Giants and the Oakland Athletics
possess the worst and best pitchers. The Giants have
Lincecum with a 238 ERA and the Athletics have Duchscherer
with a 1.91 ERA. Both pitchers have dominated thus far
in the season, have extremely low ERA’s, almost
have 10 wins, and both look good to make the All Star team.
Each team also has the worst pitchers in Zito and
Blanton. Zito has a 5.91 ERA and three wins while
Blanton holds a 4.97 ERA with only 4 wins. I don’t know
if it has ever happened that two bay area teams have each had
such a spectrum of pitching with the best and the worst.
It seems funny that both teams would be going through
the exact same thing and that both sides best bets for All
Star contention would be in pitching. Even though we
fight fans on all sides of the Bay have things in common.
Pitching is the Ticket To Success
The past two days saw standout performances from two Bay
Area pitchers on opposite sides of the bay. Wednesday saw the Zito of old make an appearance, which was
a welcome change from the Zito of late.
He recorded his third win of the season and the Giants soared to a 4 – 1
victory. Zito it seemed was
finally able to get out of his head and pitch with out thinking. All to often he would get in his own
way, and I believe the Zito of old has been hiding under his muddled mind this
whole time. He had 6 2/3 dominant
innings before being taken out but he should be proud of finally getting out of
his own way. The Giants manager Bruce Bochy had this to say about his dominating
performance, “That’s the Zito we knew.
He had a good rhythm out there, pounded the zone and went after them.”
Zito was able to throw fastballs, sliders, curveballs, and changeups all for
strikes and ended the night at 109 pitches. Zito had previously lost velocity all year on his pitches
but on Wednesday he pitched in the high 80s for most of the night. When asked about his night Zito had
many comments and if you know Zito they will make you shake your head and say
“Oh Zito.” Really Zito is one of those few players that possess a loud
personality and are a true character of the game. “Just letting it fly and trusting yourself was the key. That’s the hardest thing to do in life,
the hardest thing to do in baseball.
When you do it, you usually see good results, which I haven’t been able
to do a lot this year. You’ve got to try something different. I’ve tried to do so many different
things, tweaking my mechanics.
Sometimes you’ve got to just let it go and stop trying to control things
and let things run their course.
It’s about self trust.” Yes
he is a bit on the eccentric side but his words can ring true for many of us. I hope he keeps his self-trust up and
doesn’t get bogged down in self-doubt any more. I am sure the Giants hope the same.
On the other side of the bay Harden threw another fantastic
game Thursday. I have no idea how
he is either 0% or 100% but when he is 100% he is a phenomenal pitcher. I pray to the baseball gods that
he doesn’t get hurt for the rest of the year. Behind his masterful pitching the Athletics won Thursday
5-0. It looked like Harden was
going to have a no hitter all the way into the fifth inning when the Phillies
got their first hit off of the Athletics 26 year old right hander. He struck out 11 batters a career high
and left in the eight inning after 85 pitches. Harden was able to last in to the eight inning because he
recorded quick outs and had not one bad inning. When talking about his game Harden said, “Maybe it was just
being able to locate pitches. I
wanted to stay away from getting in trouble – sometimes I rear back and throw
as hard as I can, but today it was more abut having a purpose behind every
pitch.” Rob Bowen the back up
catcher caught Harden’s game and did a really great job. I love it when players that are not
day-to-day get a chance and shine.
Harden is 5-0 with a 2.15 ERA while Duchscherer has a 1.99 ERA making
both All Star contenders and the Athletics only hope to make the team this year.
The saving grace of both Bay Area teams right now is their
pitching. I hope the amazing
starts continue on both sides and that the Athletics have some pitchers in the
All Star game.
A Day At the Ballpark
It has been a while since my last post. My computer hard drive died, finals
arrived, and then I went home for a week to decompress and relax. So these are the reasons there have
been no new posts recently. While
I was home I went to an Athletics/Yankees game and truly felt like I was
home. Walking into the stadium the
smells hit me like the waves at the beach. The
combination of sausages, beer, nachos, old cement, human sweat, pizza, and
french fries combine to make the greatest scent known to man (or woman in my
case). Sure many people probably
think the scent is disgusting and they have every right to think that but to
me, the ballpark smell is heaven on earth. I grew up with that smell and whenever I catch a whiff I
know I have come home. It being a
Yankee game the stadium was bustling with people practically clad in more
Yankee blue than Athletics green and gold. Being a true baseball fan I hate the Yankees and everything
they symbolize. Their logo has
come to stand as a national symbol for cool, hip, rich, success, status, and in
my mind corporate greed. While I
was in middle school Limp Bizkit rocked the red Yankee hat and ever since then
people across the nation have been rocking Yankee hats with no real allegiance
or rationale. The hats can be
bought in any sports store or even Oakland AM PM quick marts that oddly enough
often don’t sell Athletics gear.
So when the Yankees come to town I rock my green and gold and try to
drown out the Yankee cheers with my own.
Of course the Athletics lost as they often seem to do when I am in
attendance but it was a fun game to attend.
At games I am a creature of habit and they always begin with
a large lemonade and a baked potato with lots of fake cheese and broccoli. (Where would our life be with out fake
cheese?) If you know where to look the Coliseum has some interesting food. Personally I have yet to and want to
try the chili cheese fries, the tofu dog, and a beer in the pub. (I am a vegetarian who doesn’t drink so
ballparks are the perfect place for me! Right…) I always go in the team stores
to see if there are any sales or hot new items I want but can’t afford. (Poor college students should not be
purchasing $ 100 jackets or $ 30 Athletics tank tops as much as we may want
them.) My favorite part of any game I have to say is getting there early and
just sitting and soaking in the park.
I love watching the opposing team take batting practice, watching the
jumbotron, no lines at concessions, talking with my father and having the park
to myself before the hordes of people arrive. My father and I get to the park at least 1 or 2 hours early
and juts sit and talk baseball.
Honestly it is one of my favorite things to do in life. We talk injuries, who is hot and who it
not, the match ups for that day, our favorite games, favorite plays, and
favorite players. We could go on
for hours which drives the rest of my family crazy. I wish every day could be a day at the ballpark.
Fan’s injury should force bat policy change – MLB – Yahoo! Sports
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-bats052908&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
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