What Comes First, a bad A’s Trainer or Bad Luck?
Hey, here’s a shocker out of Arizona: RIch Harden has been……drum roll….shut down again! I have never seen an individual anywhere in the world (sports or otherwise) have so many lat problems in their life. I said it when it happened, it’s like clockwork. Harden “feels some discomfort” and they decide to give him “a few days off, maybe a week. There is no problem”. Then he hits the 15 day DL. Then the 60 Day. If there was an Olympic event in “Sitting on the DL”, RIch Harden would be a gold medal winner……
And their stud closer Bailey is out again with an elbow problem. Again.
The A’s get injured by the dozens every single year. How can this happen to a team EVERY….SINGLE….YEAR. To me, this has to be related to some kind of conditioning philosophy flaw that Beane has when he hires the trainer and the conditioner. They’ve gone through several so it’s not like it’s one guy’s problem…..
Either that or the A’s just hire a bunch of pain-intolerant sissies (actually, I’ve heard for years that Harden is EXACTLY this). But that wouldn’t explain the rest of them…….
I guess it could also just be chalked up to bad luck……
Sorry, ANOTHER A’s thread! But when your team is The Champion of the World with the best record in Spring Training and no holes to fill anywhere on the roster, you have to start reaching for topics……
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Well, just lets hope the reach is not too far and jinxes the Jints with the injury bug. That doesn’t happen and my 100 victory prediction made in January stands. Way i see it is that there are few things that could derail the Halloween Machine from a hot date with Atlanta in October and maybe another hotter one to follow.
Shit, it was a slow Giants Morning on KNBR also, Kuipe came on and they started talking about reality show, specifically The Bachelor and Dancing with the stars. I actually parked on the street in front of my office waiting to see what the subject was going to be about the Giants. But nooooooo 10 mins later I have to pull into my parking garage, no reception in there, so I don’t know what the subject was for Giants talk!!
Oh and that BB piercing is going to give the other BB a run for her money as the best piercing!
I think she has to qualify as Best BB Rack Ever
now THAT’S a pair to draw to!
Beane has said that he chooses injury prone players to save money…
On the other hand ( no numbers on this) it seems that the Giants have had an extraordinary record in keeping their guys on the field, especially considering the age of their roster.
Giants made their first cuts, Flavor favorite fireballer Kroon, is still here:
“Eight players were optioned out: pitchers Jose Casilla, Alex Hinshaw, Henry Sosa and Clayton Tanner; infielders Ehire Adrianza and Conor Gillaspie; and outfielders Thomas Neal and Francisco Peguero.
Thirteen players were reassigned: pitchers Waldis Joaquin, Wilmin Rodriguez, Jason Stoffel, Ryan Verdugo and Matt Yourkin; catchers Tommy Joseph and Hector Sanchez; infielders Brandon Crawford, Charlie Culberson and Nick Noonan; and outfielders Gary Brown, Juan Perez and Terry Evans.”
No news is good news on Matty, I guess.
It’s the oddest thing Flav. I look at today’s BB and think of pillows and bedding. Not sure why.
BLEEP the A’s. I wish they moved away. Name me one interesting A’s player.
I actually think the A’s have several interesting players. Coco Crisp is a terror when he gets on base. Matsui is an international star. I love Josh Willingham, that was a great pick up by them. And they have arguably the best pitching staff in the AL. If it weren’t for all those injuries, they might just be on to something in Oakland/Insert Other City Name…..
Funny… all those guys you named are injury prone dudes…..
For me, I just don’t like the A’s, it all start with their teams in the 70’s, those handlebar mustaches and their arrogance!! When the Dodgers and the A’s met in the world Series, I could not root for either team!! They are the AL version of the Dodgers for me.
I concur.
best…pierced…busty…bb…ever
I met some people last weekend who live in Pacifica. They love baseball, but they run a tight budget, and can’t afford good seats in SF. So they buy low-row season tickets behind the screen in Oakland for about the price they’d pay for tickets above the top of the LF foul pole at China Basin. From a fan’s perspective, that seems strange to me. I’ve watched games from behind that Oakland screen, however, and it’s cool being that close to the plate. The fans who were in their regular seats were friendly and knowledgeable and anything but rich. I could see the motionless seams on a Wakefield knuckleball that Frank Thomas neatly smacked on a line over the distant LF wall. I can understand why someone would choose that spot to watch games.
The only person I know who sits right behind the screen at China Basin is a middle school teacher worthy of a BB day here at the flap. I’m not sure who she was banging at the time.
Why are everyone else’s middle school teachers hot?
Mine all looked like a parade of Alec Guiness in drag
I don’t know how old you are Ted but I concur with the fact that the Teachers of the late 60’s and early 70’s when I went to school were all old and dogish!! Didn’t have one wet dream about any of my teachers during puberty!! Where as I have seen some of my kids teachers and wow!!
While your kid’s teachers may be hotter than yours were (I had some dynamite teachers. Wherever you are, God Bless you Mrs. Hartvikson) maybe your definition of “old” and “doggish” have changed? I know my standards have slipped to the point where the crack of dawn isn’t safe.
Maybe the better schools have a policy reason. My son, who was 14 at the time, didn’t seem to learn much about US History in her class.
I’m probably about the same age as you Kevin, late ’60’s to early ’80’s. I don’t have any kids. I have a goddaghter and her little sister that is about as close to my own kids as I can get.
And they both went to Catholic school. Nuns. Feh.
Nuns?? My Kids went to/go to Catholic schools, no Nuns. My daughter is in HS right now, no nuns
A’s are more talented this yr, but they still seem bland, especially compared to likes of Wilson, Huff, Lincecum, Sandoval and Torres.
But then, I don’t follow them. Maybe a die hard A’s fan just has to see every Gio Gonzales start or Coco Crisp ab.
The A’s? Really? The thing about Oakland goes back to Gertrude Stein. “There’s no there, there.” A more apt quote you’ll never find.
The baseball team follows suit. I went to a game back in the bash bros heyday, vs Boston, and I’ve never seen a more apathetic crowd in my life. 35,000 people all just hanging out. The game was good. Back and forth lead changes, a couple big homers, but the crowd sat there like it was a screening of ‘Room with a View’. The biggest roar, by far, was for the dot racing. Boston won, but to the crowd, it really didn’t matter. Surreal.
Back then, 7,500 Giants fans would out cheer 35,000 A’s fans . . .
Overall across the stadium, you’re probably right, chuck. But the one A’s game I went to, we had seats near Canseco and there was a lot of female squealing going on
Stick to Zappa, Chuck. You’re misinterpreting Stein. But if you happen to find yourself near the Oakland Coliseum, be sure to stop by the museum at 98th & Int’l Blvd. Ask the people there why there’s no there there. They’re sure to give you their warmest response.
Blow it out your ass, Xootie. At least I didn’t atribute it to Herb Caen, like 98% of the bay area population does. How many NWA shows you been to?
That’s true, Chuckles. You’re Mr. Malaprop, not Mr. AND Mrs.
And isn’t NWA long gone — like 20 years gone? All those guys are on prime time tv now, aren’t they?
So?
Well, shit. Maybe you are capable of compounding this into a monumental series of mistakes. You don’t work in the control room of a nuclear reactor, do you?
That quote has been abused more than friggin Randy Elliott. 😉
My point, and sorry I have to spell it out for you guys, is how that quote relates to the A’s. The fans there didn’t seem to really care about the game they were attending. They were there, but they weren’t there.
Yeah, poor Gertrude couldn’t find her house. Boo hoo . . .
There, there, Chuckles. It was an honest mistake. But the fucking quote doesn’t relate to the fucking A’s no matter how you spell it. That’s that.
Touchy there, skippy. Did I strike a nerve?
Are you Gertrude’s bastard son?
Are you now the analogy police?
I’d say you’re the one gettin jest a bit testy there there, chuckles. Ignorance isn’t really bliss, is it?
Barry Zito pitched against Giants minor leaguers at the club’s Indian School facility. Even though he gave up eight hits and four runs, he said it was another promising outing.
“The ball felt good coming out,” he said. “Fastball, curve, change were for the most part working, and the curve was a lot better today. Just more strikes and
a lot better break to it. I was having a hard time getting a feel of that the last two outings.”
Huh?
It is well past time to just ignore what Zito says. He makes a little more sense than Bill Walton, but at least the big redhead’s nonsense is somewhat amusing…
With Barry Snarkk, the quote about perception and reality always comes to mind . . . “In the absence of truth, perception becomes reality.”
. . . and in Zit’s mind, his perception is frequently delusional.
“The ball felt good coming out,”
————————————————-
SO, Barry, the second one finally dropped, eh?
More Bubble Boy speak.
“It is well past time to just ignore what Zito says”… No shit…
Speaking of noise, what’s more annoying than unwanted audio? I’m reminded of why I usuallly mute the speakers..
Oakland: Stockton with water?
and sun, and hills, and redwoods, and half naked young women jogging around Lake Merritt all day long. Hell, I see one down there right now!
“But the fucking quote doesn’t relate to the fucking A’s no matter how you spell it. That’s that.”
Ahhh, I guess Trudie’s quote should be changed to, “Oakland. Xoot’s there . . .”
wtf, are you still smartin over that there? Well, maybe smartin’s not the right word. Still whining? Chance to redeem yourself, chuckles: What did “Trudy” say to Ernie about his his his generation?
Wow, you come unglued rather easy there, skippy.
Can’t figure it out? Sorry. Look, forget about 98th & Int’l Blvd. Come on over and have dinner at Plum and then catch a show at the Paramount. Bay Area Black Comedy Competition Finals 2011 is coming up. Or maybe you’d prefer music around the corner at the Fox? Paul Simon? No. Bright Eyes! there you go. Take your daughter. Elvis C. is coming in, too, but I don’t take you for an Elvis kinda guy.
Yikes. Are you asking me out? Uh, I’m married, Xoot. And I’m not gay.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that . . .
No, Chuckles. I’m just recommending some of the nice things in this city you seem to know so little about.
Stockton with water, LMAO. Easy with that, Sacramento is just a hop, skip and a jump north!!
Don’t forget your cowbell . . .
Damn right!! Anything to piss off the Lakers and thier fans
Oh,I like Oakland. The town, that is. Haven’t been in a long time. Worth the trip just for Flint’s barbecue back then. Lots of upscale BBQ these days, not Flint’s. The real deal. Always polished off a side in the car…
Flint’s was the best. ALWAYS a mandatory stop when headed to a game.
Tried to talk him into bringing a store to sac town when I lived there. he said he’d think about it cause he had a gal there he visits. Later one time he did come up and we had some drinks in old town where the mentalist hangs out now. No BBQ was ever opened, though.
I think I can still taste my favorite, brisket, yumm.
try and explain that food to a Brit.
Well, disregarding my own advice, here’s Zitoid’s quote after today’s lackluster session against minor leaguers. My translation of the gibberish is that he’s prepared to be shelled regularly and booed heavily at ATT…
“My goal this year is to play my own game out there on the mound regardless of what’s going on around me. Every pitch is an opportunity to try to do that. Ideally, I’m just in my own world doing my thing out there. Names and crowds aren’t going to matter. I’m really set on doing that this year.”
I see that Bubbles is working hard this offseason to get his excuses into game shape.
He’s getting to mid-season defensive mode already.
LQTM regarding this Zito quote and the one I cited earlier . . . I never knew that Barry had a micro and macro world view on pitching.
Well,as far as his tenure here,thank God he hasn’t been results oriented..
I guess we wait to see if Cain has any elbow pain after yesterday’s 3. I still don’t see how they can justify both Nate and Travis on the 25. I would go with Travis, unless they can trade him first for a backup catcher better than No Whitey Stewart.
I see Travis staying until Belt comes up. Ford goes to learn to hit over .250. The call is Rowand or Nate. Bochy said Ross and Nate are his RFer’s. Meanwhile, everyone is being played in LF.
And, if Travis is going for Belt, then they need some LH pop off the bench. Burrell, DeRosa makes Rowand redundant. I believe they are ready to accommodate Aaron but GM’s are going to wait and see what else falls from the tree.
Wait hold everything. It was just announced G’s have traded Travis and Eli for Ted Perskewlooski, backup catcher.
Are you sure about that last name? google doesn’t seem to recognize it. ;0
Nice homer from Nate the other day. He’s had a good Spring overall, in cementing his spot as a back-up outfielder. I’m guessing Rowand will be the other back-up OF. Burrell will start the season in left, and Belt will likely start the season in AAA. So when Belt gets called up, that would be the time to let Rowand go, unless he’s had some kind of surprising turnaround in his hitting. Maybe Travis is the one let go in that situation.
Probably a dumb question here….but….some of the players were optioned out and some of the players were reassigned. I have no idea what the difference is. I just asssumed that both meant the players were going to the minors. Can someone help me out with that one?
The guys that were “optioned” back down are on the 40 man — once they’re optioned down to the minors, their option clock starts to tick for this season. If they aren’t on the 40 man, essentially the really young minor leaguers, they’re just assigned back to the minors on a minor league contract –and there is no potential burning of an option with them. Guys like Nate and Ishi are out of options, so they either have to stick on the big club, get traded, or DFA’d (and be subject to being picked up by somebody else on waivers) since they can’t be optioned back down to AAA…
Thanks! Now that you explained it, I remember hearing that before. I just couldn’t remember the difference.
I just got through reading more on the Net about this nuclear situation in Japan, it seems to be getting worse, with yet another fire. And the spokesmen for Tokyo Electric — they must be taking tips from Zito on how to say a lot with absolutely no informational value ….
Some updates on ex-Giants, ST hitting:
Rajai .343
Freddy .182
Velez .091
Uribe .238
Happy Pete .133
Frandsen .120
Guzman .333
Matt Downs .250
Bowker .318
Winn .240
Holm .333
Renteria .333
Rajai and Guzman in particular are hitting very well.
Bowker hit a homerun in a Pirates game I was watching the other day. I guess Bowker gets a World Series ring. He played a few games for the Giants last year.
I just looked it up- he played in 41 games, had 90 plate appearances, and batted .207.
I’m still surprised with Rajai’s success. He would swing and miss at a ball and not come within 2 feet of it. I would have given him NO CHANCE of long term success at the MLB level. And he’s gone on to really find his role. He’s a bit of a one-trick pony, especially from a fantasy perspective, but he’s got value there’s no doubt about it.
Great list Twin
Kawakami is quoting Sabean as strongly hinting that Belt could break camp with the big club.
Oaktown was not a bad place to see a game til Mt. Davis arrived. Chinatown has some nice restaurants too, and Yoshis is a world class intimate place for top flight jazz artists, a number of whom still reside in Bay Area. When I go there i usually park a few blocks away and walk it, never any problems. Waterfront is nice stroll too on a sunny day.
Wolff is a total fraud and Beane I can’t stand. This guy had Cargo, and then Matt Holliday, and Ron Washington, and now he has Coco Crisp and Bob Geren, and employs ray fosse. Every year lately he is upgrading his offense, which still has Kouzmanoff in the middle of his LU. I would have taken Ellis in a heartbeat over FSanchez, but otherwise….
A there is a there is a there.
Interesting list. Like to see Winn get a ring.
Some others now gone; Dan Ortmeier, Todd Linden and Lance Niekro.
Looks like all three hung in up in 09. Niekro even tried pitching, Linden a yr in Japan.
Puts Torres perseverance in perspective.
Looks like Bumgarner has some first inning problems, but then settled down. Nothing seems to rattle that kid.
Game 162 on Comcast. I forgot about Casilla being such a wild man on the bump. Dude gets pumped up.
If there is no there what was there and if there is no there that is there is a NO Whitey there and if not NO Whitey there is there really a there what is there meaning there is no there.
And there so…being tiresome and redundant…
It’s a travesty of a sham of a redundancy of a signing of a contract of a sham of a travesty of a contract of a signing of a double sham of a contract multiplied by the mockery of the sham that is a tiresome sham of a mockery.
Nipper? Your thoughts
There’s their there there they’re proud enough of, you bet; but then there’s their theres there they’re not gonna cop to, ever. No way.
And how did I end up arguing with two different very different guys on two separate blogs concurrently? You’d think I’d have something better to do.