WellA's Blog

Friends who look like Movie Actors: MKatz

2009-05-03T23:52:00.000-07:00

Anthony James who plays Skinny, the owner of the bar and brothel in "Unforgiven", looks like my friend MKatz. This is the scene where Clint Eastwood blows Skinny away.

Friends who look like Movie Actors: Adam

2009-05-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

James Marshall, who plays one of the guys being defended by Tom Cruise in "A Few Good Men", looks like my friend Adam.

Friends who look like Movie Actors: Ami

2009-05-03T23:23:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Hall, who played the wife of Christian Bale in "The Prestige", looks like my friend Ami.

Game #46: A's 6, Rays 7 in 13 innings

2008-06-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

May 19, 2008 | A's vs. Tampa Bay

GeneralChiang took me to this game so we could try out the new All You Can Eat section on the third deck. The Coliseum's third deck has been tarp-ed over since last year, but some Marketing brains decided to re-open seats with some of the best views in the house.

We sat in Section 318. It wasn't crowded at all. We sat wherever we wanted. I tried to line myself up with home plate. It paid off. Frank Thomas hit a home run in the bottom of the first. The homer was a perfect shot up the middle to the 400-foot mark. Poetry!

But the big draw of this night's game, of course, was the food. "All You Can Eat!" cheered a guy in our section more than once during the game.

Here's how it works: All You Can Eat ticket holders have a separate entrance and their own concession stand. From this one food counter, you're allowed to select four food items at a time. To get additional servings, you must line up again.

Each time you line up, you can get up to four items in any combination of the following: a hot dog in a bun; a small tray of nachos with melted cheese plus peppers if desired; a medium-sized bag of popcorn; a small bag of peanuts; a small cup of your choice of soda; an ice cream sandwich about the size of a deck of cards.

Some of the folks in our section were a little disgruntled about the limited choices. A guy came to the conclusion that "All You Can Eat" really means, "This is all you can eat." Others were irritated by the long wait in the (albeit short) line.

"Do you want stale popcorn or stale nachos?" one guy asked his girlfriend. When they got to the head of the line, the stand was temporarily out of hot dogs.

As for me, I consumed:

2.5 hot dogs
2 Pepsi's
one-fourth of a bag of popcorn (it was stale)
1 nachos
3 ice cream sandwiches

I was trying to eat my GeneralChiang's money's worth, but concluded that, at $30 a ticket, it cannot be done. Even by someone with my appetite.

Nevertheless, I was just pleased just to be sitting again in the third deck behind home plate. I once saw a pitcher's duel -- Dan Haren vs. Johann Santana -- from this area. The A's lost 1-0, but it was a fantastic game to watch.

This night, the A's did lose to the Rays (due to some guy named Evan Longoria -- isn't that a cast member of Desperate Housewives?) in extra innings. I admit, though, that I couldn't stand the cold and the lateness of the hour. We left after the 10th inning.

(Game experience: Sec 318)

A's record: 24-22 | streak: L-2 | well-A-meter: 4

Your 2008 Oakland Athletics - A Visual History - Athletics Nation

2008-05-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

Your 2008 Oakland Athletics - A Visual History - Athletics Nation: "Your 2008 Oakland Athletics - A Visual History"

Just saw this via The Hardball Times. The coolest thing I've seen in a very long time.

Game #31: A's 3, Rangers 4

2008-05-19T01:38:00.000-07:00

May 2, 2008 | A's vs. Texas Rangers

They're selling Stomper hand puppets! That's what they used to make that Stomper-does-Riverdance video, I'm sure of it! This vendor hawking souvenirs -- including four of these Stomper hand puppets -- kept patrolling our area. The woman in the row behind me had a similar reaction I had whenever the vendor came by: we couldn't take our eyes off the mini-Stompers. "He's so cute," she said. I agreed.

Then the real Stomper came! Complete with entourage. Well, one assistant. (I guess to help him in case he falls over or gets attacked -- but who would dare attack beloved Stomper at the Coliseum?) And the camera crew.

Turns out the guy sitting behind me -- possibly the boyfriend of the girl who also admired the Stomper hand puppets -- won a prize! The perfect push-up gadget. It has such a As-seen-on-TV feel.

For a few moments, our section was on DiamondVision cheering wildly with Stomper in our midst as they announced the lucky winner.

Some official who came behind Stomper and the camera crew told the winner, "You have to go claim your prize."

"Now?!" the winner asked. Ah, a real fan. Why leave the game? Even if we were a run behind. Anyway, he dutifully left at the middle of the 4th inning. While he was gone the A's scored three runs, then promptly gave up the lead to the Rangers in the top of the 5th. In other words, the winner of the Perfect Push-ups missed the best action of the game.

He got back to his seat with a box of the Perfect Push-ups. "Looks like it costs ten bucks," I overheard him mutter to his girlfriend.

No more runs were scored till the game ended with an A's loss.

"At least you won something," I said to him.

Four errors in one game? This is "less than onehundredpercentbaseball.com" now, isn't it?

(Game experience: Sec 107 Row 25 Seat 13)

A's record: 18-13 | streak: L-1 | well-A-meter: 3

Game #17: A's 1, Mariners 8

2008-04-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

April 17, 2008 | A's vs. Seattle Mariners

My first game of the season! The A's have been playing for more than three weeks before I made it to the Coliseum. For shame!

The owner of the company I work for generously sprung for a couple of luxury suites and we all attended the game together. This is the second year in a row that the Big Cheese has done this. (Actually, I should call him the Bigfoot.) Silly me, I left my digital camera behind. No photos of my first 2008 game. For shame!

Good thing I was there with my co-workers who are all fun, interesting, fascinating folks. With a final score of 8-1, Mariners there wasn't much that was memorable about the game per se.

Oh, I can think of one thing. In the 7th inning, if I'm not mistaken, they showed a video featuring Stomper. On-screen graphics repeated the line, "If you make noise, he will come!" The video shows a Stomper puppet dance. But get this -- in the best part of the video, Stomper does the Riverdance!

I can't wait to go to my next game which, unfortunately, will be next month. Wait for me, Stomper! I will make lots of noise in the hopes of seeing you dance again.

(Game experience: Suites 67 and 68; also visited Steve & Suzy at Sec. 106)

A's record: 9-8 | streak: L-3 | well-A-meter: 2.5

The 2008 schedule is out!

2007-11-14T15:43:00.000-08:00

The A's will open the 2008 season in Japan! How exciting! Though if they weren't going to some foreign destination, I suppose the opening day game would've been played here at home. (Which as of next year remains Oakland.)

And who do the A's get to play? Only the World Champion Boston Red Sox. (Boo!)

The Official Site of Oakland Athletics: News: Oakland Athletics News: "Major League Baseball announced that Oakland will take on the World Series-champion Boston Red Sox in Tokyo on March 25 and 26..."

I'm checking next year's schedule to see what kinds of road trips are possible. Booking a plane flight to Japan might not be in the plan. Takai desu ne!

Game #162: A's 3, Angels 2

2007-10-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

September 30, 2007 | A's vs. Anaheim

No.19 had been trying to organize a group to go to the last game of the season, but only I would bite. Fortunately I scored a free pair of tickets from a vendor at work.

~~The batteries of my digital camera died so no pix.~~There was just enough juice in the batteries of my digital camera to take a photo.

But it was an exciting, low-scoring game with the Angels tying the game at the top of the 9th and the A's winning it with a Kurt Suzuki walk-off single that blooped to right field, away from the five infielders. That's the second time I've seen the Angels manager try that gambit and fail.

See you next year, Oakland A's!

(Game experience: Sec 219 Row 7 Seat 12)

A's record: 76-86 | streak: W-1 | well-A-meter: 1

Game #149: A's 11, Rangers 9

2007-10-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

September 14, 2007 | A's vs. Texas

Long story, but I had to babysit my niece. I dragged her to the game with me. We ate hotdogs and cotton candy. Since we've been playing Wii baseball, she's learned more about how the game is played. She understands hits and strikeouts, home runs and fouls.

She insisted on pronouncing it "Mike Pizza."

She said, "For this time only, I'll join the love club" and clapped for the A's with me. We played every game on DiamondVision and she won all three. Cap Caper was her favorite.

Sammy Sosa hit career home run #608 to tie the game, forcing the A's to take the lead back at the bottom of that 6th inning and hold on to it till the end.

(Game experience: Sec 119 Row 28 Seat 10 with my niece on my right)

A's record: 73-76 | streak: W-2 | well-A-meter: 1

Game #148: A's 6, Rangers 5

2007-10-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

September 13, 2007 | A's vs. Texas

Month of September and the A's are long out of the race so at this point, free tickets to the game are welcome.

(Game experience: Somewhere in Section 117 -- for the first time in a long time, I misplaced my ticket!)
Update: I did not misplace my ticket. Why would I do that, ha ha! I found it in the pocket of my jacket a couple of days after I wrote the blog post.

A's record: 72-76 | streak: W-1 | well-A-meter: 1

Game #139: A's 5, Angels 9

2007-09-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

September 3, 2007 | A's @ Anaheim

What the heck. Get on a plane in Oakland, fly to the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, rent a car and drive to Anaheim to see the A's play at Angel Stadium. Why did it take me this long to do this "road" trip? It's such a no-brainer!

Before I proceed any further, remember that I'm bitter about the A's not contending this season. Also, I'm not biased against Southern California, but whenever I'm there, I'm itching to leave it as quickly as possible. Can't really explain why. The shortest time I've ever spent there was three hours. Years ago, I arrived at LAX at 9 in the morning for a business meeting. I took a cab to my meeting, attended the meeting (it was on the Paramount lot), then took a cab back to the airport. I went on standby for the next flight back to Oakland and got on a plane that left at 12 noon. Three hours is the shortest time I've spent in L.A. It's my record.

And I couldn't break that record for this trip of course. But Anaheim isn't quite L.A. I understand why the Angels wanted to attach the allure and glamour of Los Angeles by lengthening their name to "the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim." But believe me, even though I have minimal exposure to Los Angeles, Anaheim is not L.A.

Parking at Angel Stadium is only $8! Isn't that amazing? At the Oakland Coliseum this year, you have to pay $15 for general parking and $20 for VIP parking.

I entered the parking lot on Orangewood from a private road that was named "World Champions Way." Oh, please.

Lest we forget, Anaheim is also the home of Disneyland. Methinks Disneyland has influenced the architectural features of Angel Stadium (Edison Field, I should call it, but I won't). You know how Disneyland has mouse ears everywhere? Well Angel Stadium's main entrance wants you to have no doubt that this is a place for baseball.

Several concrete baseballs with the Angels logo forms a half-ring at the entrance. I have to admit, one of them is cute. But a whole slew of them is overkill.

By the way, with the heat wave hitting SoCal, the temperature hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit during game time. I would've taken more pictures of the stadium exterior, but it was so hot I couldn't bear to spend more than a couple minutes out there.

Note: those are baseball bats and balls propping up the name Angela Stadium. Oops, I mean Angel Stadium.

These two "hat" structures flank the homeplate entrance. From far away you can only see the tops of the hats. I thought there were two large red balls.

I can't get over the fact that Angels manager Mike Scioscia has his photo on the walls both outside and inside the ballpark alongside the players. I'm an A's fan of the Billy Beane era and this is unfathomable to me.

Ah, the rally monkey. I have to admit, they make for a damn cute souvenir. But with a $20 price tag? Forget it!

Red is a good sports team color. Angels fans are a dedicated lot. They enjoy showing their colors.

SoCal is full of bilingual signage. Angel Stadium, I was tickled to see, was no exception.

I have to admit that Angel Stadium is pretty nice. I take exception, of course, to the rocks/waterfall/fountain formation behind center field (more Disneyland influence?). But compared to the Coliseum, the ingress and egress keeps hassle to a minimum, the escalators and ramps make it easy to roam up and down the five levels, the red-colored merchandise at the souvenir stores actually look attractive, and so forth.

And then there's Ruby's. There was a Ruby's all over the place. I was too full to have their tri-tip slider or garlic fries (ah, so garlic fries are now available outside Bay Area ballparks), but I did get a chocolate milkshake. It cost $6.75 but it was worth it.

Compared to the Coliseum, the playing field here seems pretty small. There's no large foul area. The warning tracks are narrow. But the fans were out in full force and they had a good time. Ervin Santana was dealing and the only Athletic who could get a hit off him was Mike Piazza (who was booed loudly by the Angels fans). Only when Santana was replaced did the A's start scoring some runs.

The A's lost, but there was a 10-minute fireworks show afterwards. And it was muggy and I love muggy evenings.

This season I finally made it out to Anaheim. Next year, by golly, it's time to go to Seattle's Safeco Field and to the Ballpark at Arlington.

(Game experience: My ticket was for Sec 519 Row R Seat 12, but we watched the game from the Sec 208 area instead.)

A's record: 68-71 | streak: L-1 | well-A-meter: 1

Game #120: A's 4, White Sox 3

2007-09-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

August 14, 2007 | A's vs. Chicago White Sox

Gus and Jessa were in the middle of a busy week so Gus gave me their pair of season tickets to this game.

And it was Taquito Tuesday! I picked up a couple, but more importantly the Philly cheesesteak stand was open.

(Game experience: Sec 227 Row 4 Seat 21)

A's record: 58-62 | streak: W-2 | well-A-meter: 1

Game #112: A's 3, Angels 4

2007-09-04T21:20:00.000-07:00

August 5, 2007 | A's vs. Anaheim

It RAINED at this game! Is this summer or what?

Bill and Alice wanted to take their young sons to the game and asked us A's fans to help them out. GeneralChiang organized the outing and picked this day to go. The promotional giveaway was a Chevron toy car complete with stickers to decorate it. No.19 brought her hubby.

I forgot my camera, unfortunately, so I don't have my "game view" photo for this post.

Before I left for the game, my friend Mary offered to lend me a blanket she had in the trunk of her car because it was so cold and I wasn't dressed warmly enough for sitting outdoors. Turns out she had a jacket in her trunk -- some giveaway from work that was too big for her. It fit me perfectly! Mary gave me the jacket and that's what I wore to the game. When the rain came down, Alice took her boys out of their seats to seek shelter. But I was able to stay warm and dry in my new jacket. Thanks, Mary!

Also at the game and stopping by our section for a visit: GeneralChiang's boss Rob. And Dave. The Coliseum can be such a small world...

(Game experience: My ticket says Sec 234 Row 6 Seat 8, but I kept moving around on that row.)

A's record: 53-59 | streak: L-1 | well-A-meter: 1

Game #107: A's 7, Tigers 3

2007-09-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

July 31, 2007 | A's vs. Detroit

I had a LOUSY day at work. It was so bad that I kept Robie waiting for me in the office parking lot for half an hour before she decided she had to go ahead without me to meet her friend at the Coliseum. A workday so bad that when it was almost 6:30 and way past time to leave the office, I yelled at Thanh, "I'm still working! I'm not ready to go yet!"

So bad that I almost didn't want to see the A's anymore. But Thanh made me go and let me vent for the first couple of innings (or I should say maybe the second and third innings because of course we were late). She and I haven't hung out in a while and we had some catching up to do as well. Add some 50-cent taquitos and my workday didn't seem so bad after all.

Robie and her friend joined us for the second half of the game. I was in a much better mood and the A's winning only helped.

My sister was also at the game with her friends who were visiting from Rhode Island. They were Boston fans (hah!) who had the gall to show up in Red Sox gear. I teased them about being in "enemy territory." My sister reminded me that we were supposed to pick up Mom and relatives who were back from a tour of China! The airport was only minutes away. How convenient.

Did you know that if you don't leave the Coliseum immediately after the game ends, you could find all the exits locked except for Gate D?

(Game experience: Sec 208 Row 11 Seat 1)

A's record: 50-57 | streak: W-1 | well-A-meter: 2

Game #96: A's 1, Orioles 6

2007-07-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

July 20, 2007 | A's vs. Baltimore

TWO BOBBY'S AND A BARON

Terri and I showed up early, but batting practice was wrapping up. There was a new guy on the field and everyone was making a fuss. "Who is that?" Terri asked me. I said, "I don't know." She said, "Isn't it Baron Davis?" And I said, "Baron Davis is a basketball player."

Terri was right. It was Baron Davis. He was on hand to throw the first pitch. Sorry, Baron! I didn't recognize you in a non-basketball uniform!

I had my last pair of tanner boyle's season ticket seats located behind the A's dugout. Minutes before game start, Bobby Kielty agreed to autograph baseballs for the kids. Little did we know that Kielty would be designated for assignment by the A's a few days later.

Thanks for all the good times, Kielty.

Also signing autographs right before the game started was Bobby Crosby. Note that the players usually don't sign baseballs when the game is going to start in a matter of minutes. This was out of the ordinary.

Again, little did we know that Bobby "Mr. Glass" Crosby would suffer multiple fractures in his hand after getting hit by a pitch a few days later. The projection? He would need six weeks to heal.

The A's lost and I felt like the season's over. So I switched my mind onto other (popular) culture events. Like the release of the last Harry Potter book. I left the Coliseum to hang out with hundred of other people of all ages at a Barnes & Noble. I got my copy about 10 minutes to 1 in the morning.

(Game experience: Two rows behind the A's dugout with Terri)

Game #93: A's 1, Rangers 4

2007-07-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

July 16, 2007 | A's vs. Texas

Kendall traded!

The Cubs acquired another catcher Monday when they sent Rob Bowen and a pitching prospect to Oakland for 33-year-old Jason Kendall and cash, finally filling the hole in the lineup that had resulted from the trade of Michael Barrett to San Diego.

Kendall, who earns $13 million in the final year of a disastrous six-year, $60 million deal with Pittsburgh, will be a free agent after the season. The Pirates were already paying $5.5 million of his 2007 salary, and the A's are expected to pay most of what's left on the deal.

Kendall is hitting only .226 with two home runs and 22 RBIs in 80 games, and .229 in July. His contract has been an albatross for Oakland the last couple of years, and the A's weren't going to re-sign him in November. [Chicago Tribune]

I loved Jason Kendall. I've defended Kendall before and I still say that because of The Tag and the Sulk-off, I'll always respect him.

I guess it was never clear to us (well, to my circle of friends) that the Pirates were picking up large portions of Kendall's salary. $5.5 million of his $13 million annual salary was already paid by Pittsburgh through mid-July? What a deal! Oh, Billy Beane, why did I let Steve ever doubt you?

How could you not love a catcher who blocks home plate with his unprotected face? So long, Jason. Thanks for the good times.

And in other news, the A's lost. Again.

"Is this the curse of Milton Bradley?" Rex asked me this morning by the color printer. Could be. Ever since we traded Bradley, we've lost 17 of 22 games.

(Game experience: saw the final two outs of the game on TV)

A's record: 44-49 | streak: L-8 | well-A-meter: 1.25

Game #92: A's 3, Twins 4

2007-07-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

July 15, 2007 | A's vs. Minnesota

SWEPT BY THE TWINS! In four games!

"We're in a tailspin," Haren says.

And over at Athletics Nation, MobiusKlein does a public service and opens up an "all negativity vent" thread. You're supposed to vent only, but not read it.

Of course I had to read it. So far Jennifer has the best stuff. I'm glad I read it. Catharsis, you know.

(Game experience: Some TV)

A's record: 44-48 | streak: L-7 | well-A-meter: 1.5

Game #91: A's 3, Twins 4

2007-07-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

July 14, 2007 | A's vs.Minnesota

The return of Travis Buck!!! T-Buck is back from the disabled list. Looks like he's shorn his goldie locks. T-Buck made a spectacular diving catch that was featured as the #1 Web Gem on the 7 PM PDT Sportscenter.

And yet the A's lost by a run today bringing us to six losses in a row.

I didn't follow the game (again, is that why we lost?) because I was at the Chocolate Salon in San Francisco. Basically I spent my afternoon sampling artisan and gourmet chocolates. Ben was there, too.

Above: Cosmic Chocolates. Some of the prettiest chocolate around!

Above: Coco-luxe Confections. These are candied peanuts covered with chocolate and a touch of cayenne. One morsel has layers of flavors. Savoring one is a succession of one taste after another!

Above: More Cosmic Chocolates. Almost too good to eat. Almost.

Above: Charles Chocolates is down the street from where I work. They're fabulous! They're so expensive chocolates I went back for several samples -- which is what you get for the $20 cover charge to the Chocolate Salon.

Above: Possibly my favorite piece of chocolate in the whole place, an organic Green Earl Grey-infused chocolate bar from The Tea Room. Also available in truffle form (photo below), but I'm partial to bars. Othar and Ellen, who I ran into, pointed me to this table. These chocolates are made in Napa County. Come September 2007 you can find them at supermarkets such as Whole Foods. I cannot wait!

Above: Gelato & Sorbetto. I sampled a smidgen of very creamy, very dreamy chocolate hazelnut Italian ice cream. I would've gone for more, but the guy working behind the table scared me.

And doesn't chocolate trigger dopamine responses? I need to alleviate my pain...

(Game experience: Recap on radio)

A's record: 44-47 | streak: L-6 | well-A-meter: 1.5

Game #90: A's 3, Twins 5

2007-07-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

July 13, 2007 | A's vs. Minnesota

Today is Friday the 13th and I'm inclined towards superstition. Such as, maybe the A's are on a losing streak because I'm not able to watch the games from first pitch through last out.

In the time in took me to commute home today, the Twins scored four runs.

But what does superstition have to do with it when you have Cy Young Award winner Johann Santana facing Lenny DiNardo? Johann Santana pitched seven shutout innings.

I saw Chavy's two-run homerun and the A's efforts to get a rally going in the 9th, but another game ends in a loss. Today's Friday the 13th is about horror.

(Game experience: Internet, TV)

A's record: 44-46 | streak: L-5 | well-A-meter: 1.5

Game #89: A's 2, Twins 6

2007-07-12T23:43:00.000-07:00

July 12, 2007 | A's vs. Minnesota

For the first time in years, I feel truly nervous. Two innings into the game and the Twins had already scored four runs.

Chad Gaudin eventually settled down, but I had that image in my head again of turnips. Gaudin has been doing more than what's been expected of him this season.

Bad sign:

The A's entered Thursday nine games behind the Angels in the AL West and eight behind the Indians in the wild card, their biggest deficit at the All-Star break since 1998. [AP]

1998! That was back when the A's were losing!

Another bad sign:

Seattle beat Detroit. Sportscenter devoted screen time to Ichiro!!! and the M's.

(Game experience: GameDay peek and Sportscenter)

A's record: 44-45 | streak: L-4 | well-A-meter: 1.5

The Twins are up by 4?!?

2007-07-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

Peeking at GameDay before I have to meet a friend for dinner. The A's are squat, the Twins have four runs. Is it because I'm not following the game?

June 30, 2007: A's 7, Yankees 0

2007-06-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

June 30, 2007 | A's vs. New York Yankees

Things have been looking bleak for the A's with the losses racking up.

I turned the TV on just in time to see Jason Kendall come up to bat in the top of the third. He proceeded to hit his second home run this year!

Wow! We're not yet at the All-Star Break and Kendall has already doubled his HR total from last year!

Shannon Stewart was up next and he hit one out of the park, too!

Superstitious fan that I am, I kept the TV on to send good vibes to the boys. Many sports fans are egotistical, too, and think it makes a difference if they're watching the game or not. That's me. Call me crazy, but we won today, didn't we?

Chad Gaudin gave up only one hit. Rich Harden got the final six outs.

(Game experience: TV)

well-A-meter: 3

June 28, 2007: A's 3, Indians 4

2007-06-28T13:08:00.001-07:00

I can't believe we lost!

Yesterday I went to work early so I could leave early so I could follow the game and send the boys my good vibes. And look -- yesterday we won! So it's like my fault that I've been so busy and the boys need me.

Today was one of those special days. I love it. Happens about once a season, but the team's away and the game starts at 9 AM. I brought my li'l transistor radio in to work and I was listening. Only co-workers with gray hair knew that the shiny red gadget on my desk was a radio and not a fancy MP3 player.

But of course I was at work. After several interruptions -- apparently you can't have a conversation and listen to the ballgame with headphones at the same time -- I finally turned the radio off and turned Gameday on. My work took over.

Lunch break and I finally check the score and the Indians won 4-3! How could this have happened?!

I'm distraught. I'm not even thinking logically anymore. Like, this losing skid started when Milton Bradley was put on the chopping block.

Come on, A's. I will follow tomorrow's game, I promise!

Bye-bye, Bradley

2007-06-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

Not that I'm an expert or anything. Heck, when No.19 and GeneralChiang are around I don't feel like I deserve the appellation "baseball fan."

But here's a letter I received today and it's about something that's on all our minds. Let's open the mailbag, shall we?

Hi Wella, I was wondering if you had any insight about the latest developements with the A's: why are they letting go of Milton Bradley the way they are? I've read all of the stuff I could find on SFGate, but I still have this unsatisfied feeling that there is more going on beneath the surface. Did MB and BB have a fight that preceded this? Why activate MB for 1 day and then dump him? Curiosity is getting the better of me. Hope all is well -- Dave

Again, I'm not an expert so all I can do is speculate based on Billy Beane's behavior in the past.

I'd say Milton Bradley was cut because he's got a $4 million salary with the A's for 2007. That's four million bucks for one season. As of today there are only five other players on the A's who get paid more than that. Players like Eric Chavez ($9.5 million) and Mike Piazza ($8.5 million). Jason Kendall tops the list at almost $13.5 million, but let's stay focused here. I've just lost some readers. So my first inclination is to think a $380,000/year rookie like Travis Buck can roam the outfield as well as a millionaire.

At this point I wish tanner boyle could step in with some stats to shed light on the situation. But so far this year, Bradley has only played 19 games. It's unfortunate that he's had the injuries, but since he's only on a one-year contract it probably seemed like it was time cut him loose. The Associated Press quoted Beane as saying, "This is really as much as anything proactive instead of reactive..."

Was there a fight behind the scenes? Unless something leaks out later, we don't know. Bradley's personality fits and doesn't fit Oakland. He's a guy with fire in his belly. He plays with passion and shows it in the dugout and on the field. His friendship with Nick Swisher and their homerun handshake was the stuff of buddy films. I practically fell in love with Bradley in the post-season last year. Bradley is so Oakland.

But at the same time he doesn't fit Beane's character mold for the A's. Beane likes ballplayers from good families with stable dispositions. There haven't been many troublemakers on the A's in the last few years. Jeremy Giambi caught in an airport with marijuana? He's gone. Esteban Loaiza with a DUI? No more alcohol in the clubhouse for everyone. So if Bradley has anger management issues, maybe he's not the perfect player. We've never had an incident reported involving Bradley. Has Bradley fought with anyone? The closest I can think of is Milton getting ejected from a late season game last year for arguing with an ump.

I don't know why we're losing Milton Bradley. I'm just another A's fan who watches the games on TV and goes to the Coliseum now and then. The A's already have like three dozen outfielders. At some point someone was going to be unhappy. That someone is Milton Bradley... and us, I guess.

June 19, 2007: A's 2, Reds 5

2007-06-21T23:55:00.000-07:00

June 19, 2007 | A's vs. Cincinnati

No.19 and I went to this game. We got there too late for the giveaway, an A's tumbler. We got up too late from our seats to buy the $1 taquitos; they were all out. And the A's lost to the Reds for the first time in eight regular season meetings.

On the bright side...

Ken Griffey Jr. hit a home run which tied him with Tony Perez for 18th place on the all-time list for career RBIs. And at least I can say I've seen a Ken Griffey Jr. home run.

Newly minted A's back-up catcher Kurt Suzuki, wearing #28, hit his first major league home run. And we were there!

And it's always great to walk up and buy a $9 ticket to see the A's after a day at the office.

(Game experience: Sec 238 Row 6 Seat 11 is what it says on my ticket, but that's not where I sat )

well-A-meter: 4

The Police concert at the Coliseum

2007-06-14T02:04:00.000-07:00

June 13, 2007 | The Police

It's my soul up there
Growing up in Manila, I knew the odds that I'd get to see The Police in concert were very slim. When they disbanded I was young enough that emotions were so new and felt much more dramatic than the situation called for. The realization that I would never see The Police in concert gave me a profound sense of loss. Even when I moved to California, there would be reports every few years that The Police would never reunite.

I grew up with a small hole in me.

Little did any of us know that by the turn of the century, reunion tours would be all the rage. As a birthday present, GeneralChiang took me to The Police concert held tonight at McAfee Coliseum.

At the beginning of the concert, Sting noted that it's been 24 years since the band had been together so introductions were necessary. "Andy, this is Stewart," he joked.

Sting played a bass guitar that had so much wear and tear, it could be 24 years old! Each time they put a close-up of the wooden guitar's scratched up surface on the big screen, it would remind me of how much time has gone by. Andy Summers's jowls cast shadows under the bright lights. These same lights also made Stewart Copeland's blonde hair look white. Sting's hairline has been receding for years. If this is what The Police look like, what of us in the audience?

De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
With five albums to choose from, The Police had hit after hit to perform. As soon as one song ended, they started up another one. They were a jukebox of favorites. Message in a Bottle. Can't Stand Losing You. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. Don't Stand So Close to Me. Invisible Sun. King of Pain. Roxanne. Every Breath You Take. (My favorite Police song, however, is Walking On The Moon.)

When they did Wrapped Around Your Finger and Sting sang the line, "Caught between the Scylla and Charybdis," it brought me back the memory of listening to Kasey Kasem's Top 40 back in 1984 when he explained the Greek mythology reference. Ah, Sting. Capitalizing on that English teacher background to write great lyrics!

For three guys on one stage, The Police know how to put on a good show with just a lead guitar, bass guitar, and drums/percussion. There were no overdone rearrangements. Sting encouraged audience participation and gave opportunities for call-and-response. The best part of the whole experience was singing along with the band. I know a lot of the lyrics! And as I sang along with Sting, it all felt so familiar from having spent the last couple of decades singing their songs in the shower, around the house, or while driving in the car.

I never thought it could happen, but I've seen The Police in concert. The hole is gone.

Location, location, location
Another memorable aspect to the evening was the concert's venue. I'd never been to the Oakland Coliseum for anything not related to a sporting event before. Our seats were on the field, about a few yards from the out-of-town scoreboard in left field. This was my first time to be on the Coliseum field. The stage was on center field and took up most of the Plaza Reserved area. Gate A was actually open! They do not open that gate for baseball games, how weird.

They covered the field with mats made of a springy material. To get to my seats, I passed the A's bullpen mound covered up and protected and off-limits to anyone. The third deck tarps were removed and the stadium was full, surely of more than 45,000. Every so often during the concert, I'd take in the sight of my ballpark converted to a concert arena. It was mind-boggling.

The irony of the evening
When I first found my assigned seat, I saw that there was a fresh speck of bird dropping on it. I'd already spent part of my work day standing on emu shit at the zoo (let's save that story for next time), I wasn't going to sit on fresh bird poop. I asked the concert security staff to get me someone to clean my seat. This was going to take a while, so I went to the ladies' room.

While I was gone, GeneralChiang said a couple of people did show up to clean my seat. They were armed with enough cleaning implements to scoop up vomit. When they saw the little bird dropping, they were all, "That's it?!"

The line to the ladies' room was longer than I've ever seen in more than 100 visits to the Coliseum. By the time I got back to the field, the concert was only a moment away from starting! And here is the irony. After all that, GeneralChiang and I stood up for the entire concert. He paid for our seats, but we never sat in them. I disrupted about 10 staff people to see about cleaning my chair, but I never sat in it.

(Experience: Fld 9 Row 18 Seat 26 with GeneralChiang to my right)

Ballpark Envy: Giants 3, Blue Jays 2

2007-06-14T00:27:00.000-07:00

June 12, 2007 | Giants vs. Toronto

Dear Wella: Hey, I have a pair of tickets for Tuesday night's game! Interested? The twist is that it's the Blue Jays vs. the Giants!
No. 19

Attending a Giants game was on my To-Do List for June. I can check that off thanks to No.19's co-worker, whose business trip let him give us his pair of season tickets to the Giants interleague game with Toronto. I would've wanted to see a Zito start, but when someone offers you those expensive Giants tickets for free, you do not look a gift horse in the mouth!

Besides, Noah Lowry was the starting pitcher against the Blue Jays' A.J. Burnett. I like Lowry -- he's a good friend of my favorite, Danny Haren.

Tuesday evening was the eve of this week's "heat wave," but I packed my A's fleece blanket, a muffler, and a wool sweater anyway. I took BART into the city and walked from the Embarcadero station to the park. The walk was very pleasant, with views of the water and the Bay Bridge, and plenty of public artwork to admire along the way. Yet I walked briskly and arrived early enough to walk all around (for my first time) the Giants ballpark including the back which abuts McCovey Cove.

One of the features of this retro ballpark are the free viewing areas in right field. I tried to take photos, but I was against the light so the pics aren't great. Here's a sample anyway.

In McCovey Cove, I saw a guy on a kayak quietly paddling into position a good quarter hour before first pitch.

Further down the length of the ballpark, I saw the dock for the ferries. No.19's ferry docked and she disembarked. She said she had a pleasant 45-minute ride across the bay.

The idea is irresistible: taking a ferry across the bay and getting dropped off at the Marina Entrance to the best ballpark in the major league.

Yes, I admit it. The Giants ballpark is the premier ballpark of MLB. That's why I have to watch at least one Giants game each season. It's a treat to be at this park.

As an A's fan, I have a chip on my shoulder about how much wealthier the San Francisco team is and how conspicuous that wealth is. Of course I LOVE Billy Beane for Moneyball and his whole ethic of making the most of what you've got. But it is nice to go to a ballgame where the jumbotron is huge and recently upgraded to high-definition. It's nice to have dozens upon dozens of concessions to choose from, including jerk chicken.

And then of course there's the beautiful location of the ballpark and the views it affords. As an A's fan, I couldn't concede that Pac Bell Park was pretty when it opened. I had to criticize it! I couldn't admit publicly that the Oakland Coliseum was ugly. I defended the Coliseum and argued against having a new ballpark in Oakland. "Let's put that money towards affordable housing and lowering the crime rate," I said.

And then a couple of years ago I saw Camden Yards for myself -- the first of the "retro ballparks" and also a ballpark by a bay -- which unleashed my pent-up ballpark envy. Because I don't have a beef with Baltimore, I could drop my defensive stance towards the Coliseum and see why the A's could use a new ballpark.

No.19 and I enjoyed ourselves at the Giants game the other night. Here are some observations:

I didn't have to applaud. I didn't care who would win or lose this game. I didn't have to root for anybody. Not having to clap for anyone at the ballpark is liberating somewhat, but it feels very strange! Like you're not really participating.
Because AT&T park is a square as opposed to the Coliseum's circle, walking to the other side of park doesn't take that long. And despite all the people milling about, there's plenty of walking room. No bottlenecks!
The ushers at the Giants ballpark enforce a couple of strict rules. They scrupulously check tickets to make sure you're in the correct seats and they don't allow people to walk back to their seats if there's a batter in the batter's box. I gotta say, I love these two rules.
Soon after the Giants game started, I turned on my transistor radio to listen to the A's vs. Astros game which went into extra innings. But between the live Giants game, the radio, conversation with No.19, and the hubbub from a foul ball hitting someone in the stands the next section over, I suffered from overstimulation. Better to shut off the radio and let No.19 watch the out-of-town scoreboard (the A's lost, 5-4, in the 11th).

There were always ex-A's to look out for, though.

Like Frank Thomas, who didn't start because he's a DH in an NL park, but he got a chance to pinch hit (he struck out). And Matt Stairs, who No.19 got all nostalgic about. But I never got a glimpse of Zito that night...

(Game experience: AT&T Park Section LB108 Row 31 Seat 2 -- though I sat at Seat 1 and No.19 was on my left on Seat 2)

Great baseball!

2007-06-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

What great baseball we've been having the past week or so!

I'm so proud of Mark Ellis for hitting for the cycle against Boston last week. It's such a rare feat in baseball, but not so rare that we haven't forgotten when Eric Byrnes hit for the cycle at Pac Bell Park in 2003.

I'm so proud of the A's for winning the four-game series against the Red Sox! The team that currently holds the best record in baseball... and the A's beat them! Ha ha! I had opportunities to attend at least two of those games, but it didn't work out with my schedule. Oh well.

I'm so proud of the A's for sweeping the Giants. I was amused for days afterward by the Friday game when the Giants ran out of position players and had Noah Lowry in right field, Randy Winn at third, and Pedro Feliz catching. My gosh that was the most entertainment in half an inning that I've had in a very long time!

Then to cap it, the A's shut them out for the remaining two games.

I was telling No.19 by email today, "The Giants are a pathetic semblance of a baseball team. If the Giants were a horse, it would be shot to put it out of its misery." Harsh, yes, so let me be gentler: I hope Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron's home run record so he can retire and the Giants can stop building their team around Bonds. Hmm... Wait a sec. No. I take it back. Let the Giants flounder.

June 3, 2007: A's 4, Twins 2

2007-06-03T23:19:00.000-07:00

June 3, 2007 | A's vs. Minnesota

The A's defeat Johan Santana and the Twins!

One of Nick Swisher's at-bats. I took Mom to this game as her birthday treat. I was very excited when I found out the Johan Santana was starting for the Twins. I highly respect the two-time Cy Young Award winner. And he was going to be up against our Chad Gaudin, who held the second lowest ERA in the A.L. Leading the league? Danny Haren!

We had tanner boyle's season ticket seats. They're one row behind Lew Wolff's seats. That's Lew in the blue sweater.

His sweater has an A's emblem on the cuff.

We're right behind the dugout. At one point, Mark Kotsay was complaining about the play in the bottom of the 2nd where the umpire called him out at first. We could hear him very clearly. I support you, Kotsay!

(Game experience: Sec. 121 Row 6 Seat 12)

well-A-meter: 5

May 29, 2007: A's 0, Rangers 4

2007-06-03T21:28:00.000-07:00

May 29, 2007 | A's vs. Texas

Milton Bradley Bobblehead Day!

GeneralChiang and I got to the game early enough to get a bobblehead. These bobbleheads never look anything like the actual players, but in this case the white sunglasses definitely say Milton Bradley.

The plastic A's hat on the left was the container fora serving of vanilla ice cream I had at the game. It was so cold that night, the ice cream barely melted.

Tuesday nights are a good time to go to an A's game. It's Taquito Tuesday and taquitos at the West Side Club are available for the wonderful price of $1 for two. They come with sour cream and salsa, too. The Coliseum isn't too crowded and the crowd has many die-hards who stay till the end of the game.

It took an inning or so to realize that Guymond and his girlfriend were sitting two rows directly in front of us! I love running into people I know at A's games. Makes us all feel like family.

I've now covered the dinner, dessert, freebies, familiar faces, and the weather. As for the game itself, well...

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
TEX (19-33)	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	4	6	0	Final
OAK (25-26)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	2	Final

Four runs for Texas in a single inning and that's the only scoring for the whole game! That top of the 6th was UGLY! Lenny DiNardo (I barely know who this guy is) gives up a walk, commits an error, throws a wild pitch... Then he has to intentionally walk Mark Teixeira and pitch to Sammy Sosa. And we get another error by Shannon Stewart in left field. Ugly.

Sosa is only two HRs away from 600, but who's counting anymore? Seriously, Sammy Sosa's star has faded. It's been years since he delighted the world with his charms back in the 1998 home run race with Mark McGwire. The whole memory is tainted now. I didn't boo Sosa like the others at the Coliseum, but at his every at-bat I had thoughts such as, "Isn't he retired yet?" or "He's still in baseball?" or "The Rangers took him in?"

But the guy did win the game for Texas this evening so let's be kind. I wouldn't mind if Sosa hit 600. Let him. Maybe there'll be an asterisk next to the number, but let him take his shot anyway. Let him have his milestone.

The bottom of the 9th was disappointing. Good ol' Scutaro singled to lead off the inning. (But a better omen, I suppose, would have Scutaro as the winning run at the plate.) Even Adam Melhuse, another Athletic who manages to make something happen when we need it, struck out. Shannon Stewart attempted to redeem himself by getting on base. Then Eric Gagne takes the mound. When T-Buck gets a hit off of him and bases are loaded, I'm tantalized by the idea that the A's might be able to win the game. If Swish could demonstrate his usual plate discipline and get a walk in a run, that'll set up Jack Cust for a grand slam!

I wish. And I don't get my wish. Swisher grounds into a double play. Game over.

(Game experience: Sec. 228)

~~well-A-meter: 5~~ well-A-meter: 3

Don't be this idiot

2007-05-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, back in the day fans swarmed the field after a baseball game. Fans were even allowed to mill about the sidelines. Remember that classic footage of Roger Maris breaking the Babe's home run record? Some guy ran along beside Maris as he reached home plate.

But it's the 21st century. Fans should stay off the field. Don't be this idiot.

Caption: A Chicago White Sox security officer, right, gets ready to tackle a fan who ran on the field after the Oakland Athletics beat the White Sox 4-0 during a baseball game Wednesday, May 23, 2007, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

ESPN.com: Oakland Athletics Clubhouse

Young Folks

2007-05-24T13:41:00.001-07:00

When I went to the Coliseum for the Yankees game, they played a song before the top of the 8th inning. It was a catchy tune with a lot of whistling.

When I went to the game again before Mother's Day, they played this same whistling song before the 8th.

I haven't been listening to "regular" radio for months now and with the continuing fracturing of entertainment channels, who's to say what's a "hit" these days?

I whistled the song to my sister. She said, "I don't know why you think I'll know what that song is!" But my sis drives a lot and has a working radio.

In a matter of days she gave me two clues. "I think it's Bjorn and the title is 'Young Folks.'"

A quick Google search and... there it is! (Plus Google has a new feature where they can post a YouTube video right on your SERP.)

The song is "Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn and John.

Photos from the A's vs. Giants May 19 game

2007-05-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

Click on each photo to see a larger version.

Bobby Crosby has been healthy so far this year and able to make contributions to the A's. Keep it up, Bobby!

T-Buck signed autographs before game start. He really does have great hair. Whenever he headed back to the dugout, he'd take off his hat and shake his hair out. Nick Swisher cut his hair off before the game start (I missed it because I was frantically looking for a parking spot that wasn't occupied by a tailgater). There's been a lot of conversation about hair lately and T-Buck revealed that he shampoos only every few days.

Scutaro was on the bench for this game. He took a peek from the dugout kinda balancing his hat on his head instead of wearing it.

My favorite A's pitcher, Danny Haren! This game became his first win for the month of May.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	PC-ST	ERA
D Haren (W, 4-2)	7.0	3	2	2	2	6	1	110-69	1.74

This is the view from the seats. I sat in Seat 11, which is usually tanner boyle's seat.

Barry Bonds was intentionally walked only once during the game. I'd give some credit to Jason Kendall for working with Haren and the other pitchers to get Bonds leading off an inning after the first. This allowed the A's to pitch to Bonds every time except his first at-bat after Randy Winn singled and stole second to get to scoring position.

I took this photo just to get Haren and Bonds in the same shot. I only have a small camera and no fancy lenses after all.

Jack Cust! Three-run homer in his first at-bat. The crowd went wild when that happened, by the way.

Cust gets interviewed in the post-game wrap-up. This guy is phenomenal. I can't believe he's already 28. Finally, with the A's he gets his chance to shine.

May 19, 2007: A's 4, Giants 2

2007-05-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

May 19, 2007 | A's vs. San Francisco

I miss tanner boyle. Since he moved to Seattle, I've been without the benefit of his baseball wisdom and his encouragement to keep plugging away on this blog. :-(

He did leave behind, however, a coupla pairs of his season tickets. :-)

These are the seats two rows behind the A's dugout! I must've asked a million people if they'd come with me to the game and none of them could. I heard many reasons, all of them good, for why someone couldn't go. Birthdays, travel, family obligations. And even "I'm running in Bay to Breakers on Sunday" -- I heard that reason TWICE.

And they wonder why baseball is losing its audience.

I must be the only person I know whose first instinct is to drop everything and go to an A's game.

I suppose I could've gone alone to this game. But did I mention these seats were two rows behind the A's dugout? I did the only respectable thing I could do. I found me a genuine A's fan on AN and gave her the ticket.

And for my generosity, Jack Cust hit a three-run home run in my presence. And Barry Bonds hit none.

I'll upload photos when I get around to it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, No.19!

(Game experience: Sec. 121 Row 6 Seat 11)

well-A-meter: 5

May 18, 2007: A's 15, Giants 3

2007-05-20T23:15:00.000-07:00

May 18, 2007 | A's vs. San Francisco

When they announced that Barry Zito was pitching on Friday, the first day of the Bay Bridge series, I was miffed. For a couple of weeks now I've had my tickets for the Saturday game. I hoped for some kind of reason for Zito's start to be moved, but no go.

You realize this means later on this season I will pay money to the Giants organization to see Zito pitch on a San Francisco mound.

I flip back and forth between the A's and the Giants' TV coverage to see what they had planned. To start the show, the Giants took the opening theme of the 1970's sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter" (which made John Travolta a household name) and some footage of the Oakland Coliseum made to look like grainy film. Following the conceit that this was a TV show opening, the graphics said, "Welcome Back, Barry. Starring Barry Zito and the Oakland Coliseum."

The lyrics of the "Welcome Back, Kotter" theme song were written by John Sebastian and they go like this:

Welcome back
Your dreams were your ticket out
Welcome back
To that same old place that you laughed about
Well the names have all changed since you hung around
But those dreams have remained and they're turned around
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya
(who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(here where we need ya)
Yeah, we tease him a lot
cause we've hot him on the spot
Welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back

The gag was done well and -- dare I say it? -- makes me sentimental. Renell and a couple of dudes speculate on whether anyone would boo Zito when he takes the mound for the game. What hogwash.

I flip over to Channel 6 and Joe Kennedy is being interviewed. Without a baseball cap on, he looks like my personal vision of a frat boy.

Flip back to the Giants pre-game show and it's something about teachers and probably some charity thing and in two seconds I'm back to the A's channel. Charity events are great and all that, but I'm more interested in watching a two-minute interview of catcher Jason Kendall and a segment called "Swisher Unscripted" where Nick is given his Emmy statue. For real.

Finally the game gets underway and eventually we see Barry Zito, looking very odd to me in the Giants uniform, have a nightmare first inning. And it's a dream come true, in a way. Bad Zito shows up and the A's are scoring! How did Steve put it? "He's getting paid $126 million and he's still helping the A's win!"

I think Zito's pants aren't as tight when he was with the A's. His butt looks fuller in the Giants uni. When they showed his face in close-up, he didn't look so hot. He's got more wrinkles around his eyes, his complexion isn't clear, he appeared older and tired. What's going on, Z?

By the time Mark Ellis hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 8th, my attention had already wandered. It was another interleague game against the Giants where the A's were piling on the runs. Another one in the bag.

By the way, if you ever want to look up the lyrics to a song, try my Custom Search Engine for lyrics.

(Game experience: Watched some of the Giants coverage on FSN Bay Area and some of the A's coverage on KICU Channel 6)

well-A-meter: 5

May 15, 2007: A's 5, Royal 4 in 11 innings

2007-05-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

May 15, 2007 | A's vs. Kansas City

GeneralChiang snagged a couple of tickets to this game and asked me to go on short notice. Twenty-eight hours' notice to be specific. Of course I went. [Take note of that!]

It was GeneralChiang's first time to see Jack Cust in person -- and my second -- but Cust didn't reward us with a home run. Instead, he walked twice. C'mon, Jack, chicks dig the long ball!

There were a couple of fly balls to center that were caught by Nick Swisher. But I have to tell ya -- Swish makes me nervous out there. It's definitely not like having Kotsay and you're sure that it's an out. I miss Kotsay.

I neglected to bring my camera with me to snap a photo of the view from our seats (rats!).

Neither did I bring my A's blanket for this game and as it got increasingly colder, I decided not to stick it out for the extra innings. I heard the bang-bang play at the plate to win the game on the radio on my way home.

(Game experience: Sec. 116 Row 24 Seat 3 and KYCY 1550 AM)

well-A-meter: 4

Special Edition: Celeste blogs from Tokyo

2007-05-16T23:44:00.000-07:00

[Wella's note: Celeste recently visited Tokyo, Japan. Like any true baseball fan, they checked out the local ballpark. I asked her for a field report and she obliged. If you have a baseball-related topic to expound on, email me. ]

Tokyo Grand Slam!
by Celeste

I had the great pleasure of attending a game at the Tokyo Dome on April 22, when the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks played against the home team Nippon Ham Fighters, last year's league champions.

We started the afternoon by having lunch at the Tokyo Dome Baseball Cafe, an overdecorated, 15 pieces of flair-style joint with a menu my friend describes as "what the Japanese think American food is like." This includes their interpretation of cheesesteak done as thinly sliced beef and melted cheese between white bread. Their single-serving pizza included corn and shrimp, but had no flavor.

Well, I particularly enjoyed the broadcast of the Red Sox - Yankees game... with statistical information in Japanese.

Into the Dome! After a cursory security check, we were offered the option to transfer any beverages into a stadium cup, with bottles carefully recycled. Yes, this means you can bring your own beer to the game and sip it at your leisure.

For some reason, the Simpsons theme was playing in the main concession area.

We had great seats, but the stadium felt a little strange. For one, the second tier of seats did not appear to be open. (I suppose this should feel familiar...)

They had closed the roof, so the sound was very tinny. But I think what was strange was that the infield consisted mainly of grass -- dirt was only used in close proximity to the bases and the pitcher's mound. I suspect this is an anomaly of the Dome, and not characteristic of Japanese baseball in general.

There was also no visible bullpen. Relievers magically manifested themselves out of the dugouts.

And to my frequent annoyance, the scoreboard listed strikes before balls. It sounds like a small thing, but think about it: the full count is 2 and 3? *shudder*

Most overwhelmingly, as the game progressed, was the constant sound. The left and right bleachers were segregated by fan groups. Each section had its respective drum section, horns, and flag-wavers. These people coordinated cheers for every batter and every play, including choreography and emphasis using various types of thunder sticks.

Standard team cheer: "Let's - Go : Let's - Go : Nip - pon - Ham!"

For the Hawks leadoff batter Ohmura: "Cam - pai : Cam - pai: O - mu - ra!"(Campai means "Go for it!")

For the conspicuous white guy DH Adam, the familiar: "Let's - go - A - dam!"
...and a lot of other cheers I had no chance of understanding.

They played Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual" before the game started and "Who Let The Dogs Out" no fewer than three times during the game. Later in the game, when they played "YMCA", not only did the mascot and cheerleaders (yes, the cheerleaders) get into the mix, the groundskeepers also joined in the choreography.

My favorite security precaution was that the stadium ushers all had whistles. When a foul ball would head towards the seats, ushers in the area would whistle loudly, giving fans in that area a chance to duck. Having spent a recent game at the Coliseum in Section 111 watching nearby fans get brained by at least three foul balls, I think this is an innovation we should definitely consider in the U.S.

The best thing was probably the concessions. A glorious variety of Japanese food, including bento boxes, sushi, and yakitori were all available. But when was the last time you wanted cuttlefish sold at your seat? Okay, the main attractions here are really the beer girls. They've got Ghostbuster-style tanks on their backs full of beer, and they will pour you a frosty cup on demand. The beer girls tour the stadium, pause at each section, bow, and hold up the branded cup of beer. They do not bark like our vendors -- no chance they'd be heard over the shouting, I assume. And, oddly, they don't wear their color-coordinated caps on their heads, but clip them to the front of their heads. This allows them to array their ponytails in any of a variety of rakish angles. And doesn't give them hat-head.

Towards the end of the game, stadium staff started coming around with garbage bags collecting trash -- not unlike at Raider tailgates -- only this was inside the park. Weird! Finally, as we left the stadium, there were cup processing stands -- you dump out the contents and then stack the cups, presumably to be taken away along with all the other obsessively-sorted Japanese recycling.

Oh, the game? Well, there were a few non-Japanese players in the lineups (Buchanon, Glynn, Michael, Adam, Nitkowski), and the Hawks' cleanup batter Matsunaka hit a grand slam that was the only score of the game. Victory Hawks!

Celeste's boyfriends have come and gone, but their sports franchises remain: she is an A's and Raider fan.

May 12, 2007: A's 3, Indians 6

2007-05-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

The day before Mother's Day my mom underscores to me one of the greatest benefits of being an A's fan in the Bay Area: acting on the spur-of-the-moment decision to see a ballgame.

"The game isn't going to be on TV this afternoon," Mom said to me last Saturday morning. "So I was thinking... maybe we can go to the game?"

It's Mother's Day weekend, how could I say no? Wait, we're all A's fans here, of course I wasn't going to say no. I rearranged all my plans for the day to include a trip to the Coliseum.

Once we decided to go, I packed my own food and drinks for the game.

We took BART to the Coliseum and I had no trouble buying day-of-game tickets. Mom was fine with the cheap seats in left field plaza reserved. We practically had the entire section 237 to ourselves.

We even got there early enough to get the day's promotional item: an A's calendar!

Ballparks in Boston or San Francisco sell out every day of the year. For better or worse, that hasn't happened in the Coliseum. Tickets to A's games are also incredibly affordable. You can see a game in Oakland for as little as $9.00!

The A's lost to the Indians, but the free calendar made up for it.

Start 'em young!

2007-05-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

These are pictures of Maddie's first A's game! She went with her parents, faithful readers of this blog. Maddie saw the Yankees get crushed by the A's with Scutaro's walk-off homer. She probably won't remember it, but what bragging rights to have for the rest of your life!

Babe and Bush (When legends collide...)

2007-04-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

No. 19 went to Washington, DC for the first time and I all got was... this incredible postcard!

The photo is of the Babe and Bush!

George Bush, captain of the Yale baseball team, receives Babe Ruth's manuscript of his autobiography which he was donating to Yale. This photo was taken in 1948 and is in the George Bush Library. You can also get it from the National Archives.

Game #24: A's 3, Devil Rays 5

2007-04-30T06:28:00.000-07:00

April 29, 2007 | A's vs. Tampa Bay

I thought the burning of the 580 freeway was going to make the game go in the A's favor somehow, but we lost the series.

I took these photos in Emeryville from Eastbound 580 after merging from 80 South.

(Game experience: None)

A's record: 10-10 | streak: L-1 | well-A-meter: 2.5

Game #21: A's 0, Mariners 2

2007-04-26T01:17:00.000-07:00

April 25, 2007 | A's vs. Seattle

Though we lost, I didn't feel as bad as I could've. Because the company went to the game and took up two luxury boxes.

SUITE!

I will post more when I eventually upload my photos.

Update 4/30/2007: Thanks for your patience. Here are the pics!

We tailgated before entering the Coliseum. Those are margaritas.

Ahh... there's a reason they're called luxury boxes.

The view from one of the suites.

And there was a spread! Including a deli tray...

...and hotdogs, of course. There were plenty of snacks and drinks and FREE copies of the latest issue of the Athletics Magazine.

From the outside looking in. This photo was taken by one of my co-workers who showed up at the game in a Yankees jersey. He dared to enter the left field bleachers by himself. He didn't get hurt, thank goodness. He is an easy-going fellow and took the abuse in stride.

Looking into our second luxury suite.

View of the field when the lights took full effect. Even though the A's lost this game, we all agreed that we had a really fun time.

(Game experience: Luxury box! Plaza 68 and 69, though I mostly hung out at 69.)

A's record: 9-8 | streak: L-1 | well-A-meter: 3

Game #20: A's 4, Orioles 2

2007-04-26T00:51:00.000-07:00

April 24, 2007 | A's @ Baltimore

Dallas Braden's major league debut and it's a win!

I caught a glimpse of him during yesterday's telecast. There's something about rookie pitchers that makes me feel... maternal.

Braden's line: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 0 HR, 1.5o ERA

By the way, this is another odd two-game series for the A's in the middle of the week for the second week in a row. Such a strange April schedule they have this year.

(Game experience: While crossing paths in the hallway, Rex told me the A's won.)

A's record: 9-7 | streak: W-2 | well-A-meter: 3

Game #19: A's 6, Orioles 5

2007-04-26T00:43:00.000-07:00

April 23, 2007 | A's @ Baltimore

Swish homers twice and our losing streak is broken.

The A's score five runs in one inning. It happens to be the fourth inning.

("Why is it always the fourth inning when something big happens?" my mom has asked more than once. I have a theory that has something to do with going through the line-up, but wiser minds may know better.)

Away game played at 4 in the afternoon our time. I tuned in at the 7th inning, but it was only a matter of time before I was pulled away for a work call. With our hectic schedule this year, there are many games I'm going to be missing.

(Game experience: Innings 7 and 8 on TV)

A's record: 8-7 | streak: W-1 | well-A-meter: 3

Game #18: A's 3, Rangers 4

2007-04-22T23:50:00.000-07:00

April 22, 2007 | A's @ Texas

Quick glance at the scoreboard and it's not a comforting picture. Eleven hits but only three runs for the A's?

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
OAK (9-9)	0	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	3	11	0	Final
TEX (8-10)	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	X	4	8	0	Final

I got my update from (of course) Mom who said that Chad Gaudin did fine and the A's were ahead, but it was Duchscherer who loaded the bases and gave up a run-scoring walk.

On an early edition of Baseball Tonight, they called attention to Mike Piazza's slump.

It's only April, I suppose.

(Game experience: Mom's report)

A's record: 9-9 | streak: L-2 | well-A-meter: 2

Game #17: A's 0, Rangers 7

2007-04-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

April 21, 2007 | A's @ Texas

Oh, what a promising start to this game. Our Joe Kennedy vs. Kameron Loe in a pitcher's duel. But the 4th inning proved to be a difference-maker: Loe's strikeouts of Swisher and Bradley were impressive and Chavy was caught in a rundown. (Incidentally Nelson Cruz was also caught in a rundown in the previous inning -- nice symmetry.) As for Kennedy in the 4th...

Hairston led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk, took off for second base as Ian Kinsler reached down for a low pitch and drove it past second baseman Mark Ellis, who was going to cover the base. Hairston hurdled the grounder and raced around to third. Teixeira's single against Joe Kennedy (0-2) then drove in Hairston. (AP)

My hopes faded fast in the bottom of the 8th when the Rangers added on six runs.

It's called the wheel of fortune: sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down. Yesterday Oakland outscored Texas by 12 runs, today Texas blanked the A's.

Wheel of fortune II: Ron Washington is manager for the Texas Rangers and Art Howe is his bench coach.

Well here was a ray of sunshine -- the Wet Pets San Pablo commercial aired during the 5th inning! A Bay Area classic and a favorite of mine.

(Game experience: FSN Bay Area)

A's record: 9-8 | streak: L-1 | well-A-meter: 3

Game #16: A's 16, Rangers 4

2007-04-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

April 20, 2007 | A's @ Texas

Between wrapping up a hectic work week and heading out to the SF Symphony, I tuned in to hear the score at 8-zip! In a way that was a good thing. There's nothing like going about your personal life knowing that your team is assured of a win.

Of course I thought, This is baseball and anything can happen. Good to see that the A's piled on some insurance runs just in case.

Travis Buck's first major league home run. I do regret I didn't see this on TV -- it's always exciting when a rookie gets his first HR. Apparently Buck had hit a homer off of Texas RHP Brandon McCarthy in the minors. It was Buck's only HR during spring training. He said he was finally seeing a pitcher he had seen before. Hey, this means Buck will only get better as the season progresses. (As an aside, I have a nickname for him. It's T-Buck.)
This game also marked Shannon Stewart's first HR as an Oakland A.
And Swisher also hit a HR.
I love Ron Washington like everyone else, but I'm glad the A's won. He appears to be leading the Rangers really well. I dread the day when Rangers management figures out they need to get good starting pitching. Oops! Let's not say that kind of stuff out loud. Might give them ideas.
Speaking of good starting pitching, Mom's favorite Joe Blanton is 2-0 with a 4.12 ERA. He had seven strikeouts in six innings last night. Last season poor Joe didn't always get run support. May this game be a sign of good things to come.

(Game experience: Listened for a little bit on KYCY 1550 AM)

A's record: 9-7 | streak: W-4 | well-A-meter: 4

Game #15: A's 3, Angels 0

2007-04-18T22:52:00.000-07:00

April 18, 2007 | A's vs. Los Angeles Angels

Crazy busy week at work for me. Taking a peek at Gameday? Not a chance. I stowed my radio into my backpack thinking I might be able to listen to the day game this afternoon. Hah! Like that could happen with this project at work.

Thankfully many of my colleagues are also Oakland fans. I passed Rex in the hallway and he said, "The A's won!"

Danny Haren (who I can't call "my boyfriend" any longer since he got married in the off season) shut out the Angels for seven innings. Swoon! Only four hits. His ERA is a lean 1.44.

And can I say one more time that I LOOOOOOOVE home games where the A's don't have to play the bottom of the ninth.

* * *

I brought back the well-A-meter. To refresh your memory, here's how it works:

The well-A-meter rating encapsulates my daily sentiments towards the A's where
1 = the season's over!
2 = c'mon guys you can do it!
3 = all good
4 = i love the A's!
5 = world series, here we come!

By "daily sentiments" I mean it's how I feel for that day. (No. 19, feel free to copyedit me as necessary.) Take it easy when I jump up or down a couple of points from one game to the next. Don't act like you've never gone through the same kind of emotional rollercoaster.

Decimals will appear as necessary. Usually as we get into September.

* * *

A very special Special Edition is coming soon. I won't say too much more so that there won't be undue pressure on the writer.

As always, if you're able to attend a ballgame and you want to write about it for this blog, email me. You're always welcome to pitch a Special Edition idea to me, especially when there's something baseball-related you want to get off your chest.

(Game experience: None)

A's record: 8-7 | streak: W-3 | well-A-meter: 4

Game #14: A's 4, Angels 1

2007-04-17T22:31:00.000-07:00

April 17, 2007 | A's vs. Los Angeles Angels

I'd been picking on Bobby Crosby for months now. Pretty harshly the last couple of weeks. Crosby, who was brought up in 2004 to fill the void left by Miguel Tejada, has missed enough playing time to get overshadowed last year by utility infielder Marco Scutaro.

To be fair, Scutaro has been the star of several A's wins. Scutaro even has his own fan chant in the Coliseum ("Marco!" "Scutaro!").

So it was satisfying to know Crosby hit a three-run homerun off of Angels pitcher Jered Weaver tonight.

The Official Site of The Oakland Athletics: News: Oakland Athletics News: "Backed by Bobby Crosby's first home run since July 18 of last season and working as briskly, Gaudin (1-0) held the Halos to four hits over 7 2/3 innings as Oakland won for the third time in four games, 4-1."

I actually own a Bobby Crosby t-shirt. Make me proud to wear it at the Coliseum, Bobby.

Update 4/19/2007:
Robie was at this game! She reports:

Funny thing was ... I was making a comment literally minutes before Crosby hit his homer. He was on deck, and I said, "Bobby Crosby hasn't hit a homer this year, since early last season or something, huh?" And then soon after that, he hits the in-the-park homer. Awesome! I wonder if I'm somewhat clairvoyant?

(Game experience: Caught the last two innings on Action 6 Cable 36 after I -- cough, cough -- finished watching American Idol's country music-themed episode)

A's record: 7-7 | streak: W-2

Zito's first win as a Giant

2007-04-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

Zito pitches 6 innings and gets 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 earned runs, 3 walks, 4 Ks and 0 HRs. He lowers his ERA to 5.29. He's now 1-2.

I need to remember how to write a pitching line. Especially when I want to do it in non-table form...For chuckles I include this February 2007 photo you've all seen of Zito leaving a club with Disney teen star Hilary Duff.

Game #13: A's 5, Yankees 4

2007-04-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

April 15, 2007 | A's vs. New York Yankees

I was out and about today and thought I had completely missed the game. When I finally got to a TV and tuned in to FSN, I saw it was 4-2 Yankees, bottom of the ninth, two outs, someone on 2nd, and Kendall at 3-2 against Mariano Rivera.

I have the best timing ever!

Kendall gets ball four and walks. The winning run comes to the plate and it's Marco Scutaro.

Despite the TV cameras showing the stoic faces of the A's in the dugout, I know we're going to win! After all, it's Marco Scutaro. If anyone can deliver a game-winning end, it's Scoot.

O-2 pitch and that ball goes all the way to the left field foul pole. Scutaro starts running towards first base, but rather tentatively.

The ball hits the portion of the yellow foul pole that looks like a screen. HOME RUN!

The ball drops to the ground. Scutaro has his arms up in the air and all he has to do is trot home to where the A's have gathered in a group to greet him. As they jump up and down in jubilation, so do I.

My mom, who just got back from the airport and is all jet lagged, was yelling at the TV, "Show the replay! Show the replay!"

This is my job for 2007: every time there's an A's game that I can't watch, all I have to do is go to the nearest TV at the bottom of the ninth. And we'll win! So far I'm 2-for-2 with that.

(Game experience: Saw the win on FSN)

Game #11: A's 5, Yankees 4 in 11 innings

2007-04-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

April 13, 2007 | A's vs. New York Yankees

My first game for the season! With many thanks to GeneralChiang who took me to the Friday night A's game against the Yankees. This was our view from the second deck.

Sitting in our section on the front row: Molly and Greg! I hadn't seen them in about three years. I went down to visit with them for a bit during the 6th inning. Molly and Greg are salt of the earth, but they're also diehard A's fans. While I was visiting, the Yankees scored three runs to bring the score to 4-1 over the A's. "Wella, maybe you should go back to your seat," they gently but firmly suggested. As soon as I did, the A's got the last two outs to end the inning.

Notable about this game:

There were two three-base errors.
Chavy's two-run HR was his first for the season.
Swisher has his first HR for 2007 as well.
Brian Bruney of the Yankees throws hard! This is my first time to see him. I was impressed.
A's fans continue to boo Jason Giambi. I'm beyond it. C'mon, guys, it's been five years!

(Game experience: Sec. 223 Row 4 Seat 18)

"The Rookie"

2007-04-11T22:33:00.000-07:00

They're showing "The Rookie" on TV again tonight. I can't help but watch it every time it comes on. It's the Dennis Quaid movie based on the true story of Jimmy Morris, the Texan chemistry teacher who became a major league relief pitcher.

I can watch this movie over and over not necessarily because it's a baseball movie -- though that has a lot to do with it -- but because it's about work. Yeah, yeah, I know it's really about pursuing your dreams blah blah blah, but there is that element of attaining your dream job.

My favorite part is when Jimmy Morris is struggling through the minor leagues and he's about to quit when he remembers that he's proving something to his high school students back home and that he loves baseball.

I always tear up in the scene where Morris learns he's being called up. He tells his wife over the phone and also their son who's something like 8 years old. His dad is going to become a major league baseball player!

The spell is broken for me when his son says, "What's a devil ray? Can you eat it?"

Moments after that, Morris goes to the ballpark at Arlington and enters a major league locker room for the first time. He looks at the jerseys hanging in the lockers, including one that says CANSECO.

I hope my spoilers don't keep you from watching the movie yourself, if you haven't already.

Was that a great 9th or what?

2007-04-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

I was busy this evening attending a meeting for one of my volunteer commitments, missing American Idol and the second home game for the season.

I didn't get a glimpse of Sanjaya's hairstyle for the week, but I caught the 9th inning of the A's vs. White Sox. With the score at 1-0 Chicago, I knew it was a great game that I missed. Chad Gaudin vs. Jon Garland in a pitcher's duel. But apparently I tuned in just in time.

In the bottom of the 9th, Milton Bradley singles, Mike Piazza gets on and is replaced by pinch runner Marco Scutaro, and "struggling" Chavy strikes out (sigh). Todd Walker singles to score Bradley.

Honestly, I don't even know who Todd Walker is.

Game tied and Bobby Jenks intentionally walks Travis Buck to face Mark Ellis with the bases loaded. Ellis whacks the ball to hit the scoreboard in left field and Scutaro scoots home to win the game, 2-1.

Seeing the A's surge out of the dugout to crowd around Ellis made my day.

Bad fan! Bad fan!

2007-04-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

The season started without me, it seems. I've been immersed in new projects at work, we just finished Lent and Easter, I've picked up some new volunteer work, and [insert other excuses here].

I'm still keeping an eye on our A's, but well... I'm not hanging on every pitch and each at-bat. :-\

It's been suggested that I've burned myself out by the intense game-by-game blogging last year. Another theory is that I'm miffed by the prospect of the (ugh!) "Fremont A's." Or that somehow Barry Zito, the last of the Big Three to depart the A's for a National League team, is involved in my deflated devotion.

Or maybe I'm just lazy.

The blog will continue in some form, I'm not sure what that is yet. Surely this badly blogging A's fan will get into some kind of rhythm that works for this season.

Meantime, here are some random thoughts...

Last winter, Barry Zito fell under the influence of avaricious agent Scott Boras and moved to the SF Giants to become the highest paid pitcher in history of the game. Two half-million-dollar starts into 2007, Zito is 0-2 with a 8.18 ERA. And yet his attraction is so strong, I'm not the only A's fan who's planning to visit PacBell (whatever) Park this year to see Zito on the mound in those Halloween colors.
Why isn't the A's lineup exciting this year? Is it because (gasp!) many of the players are old, familiar faces? Chavy, Kendall, Ellis... these guys have been around for years. It seems so long ago since Swisher and Crosby were in their rookie years. Milton Bradley, thank goodness, remains interesting.
Speaking of Crosby, what is up with Mr. Glass? Back spasms last Saturday? Only a week into the new season? The excitement is gone.
Swisher's hair is so long and thick, he probably doesn't need to wear a batting helmet anymore. I am SO over this baseball player-as-caveman look. Even if it is for charity or whatever.

Feel free to share your random A's thoughts.

Opening Day anyone?

2007-03-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a confession: I haven't been able to get my game face on. Opening Day is just little more than three weeks away and I'm not... excited. Not yet. I think it's because I've had some other things keeping me preoccupied the last few weeks. (Blogging about American Idol on Gabe's blog is, uh, one of those things. Writing reviews on Yelp is another.)

I suppose it'll kick in any day now and if I don't have a ticket to any game in the first week of the season, I'll end up kicking myself.

So shall we get tickets?

The price of a Barry Zito pitch

2007-02-26T11:17:00.001-08:00

All-news station KCBS is airing a story this morning by Mike Sugarman that gives you an idea of how much Barry Zito will earn this season as the player with the largest contract in baseball history.

At $126 million for seven years, Sugarman figures this is $18 million per year, and about half a million dollars per start, and about $5,000 per pitch.

Spring has sprung

2007-02-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

We've had such lovely weather this weekend, I could've been tricked into thinking we were deep into spring.

And pitchers and catchers reported on Sunday!

But this was the story that caught my eye... an update on Mark Mulder, the best-looking of what was the Big Three (in my opinion).

"Mulder traces troubles to '04 season with A's" - STLtoday - Sports - Cardinals: "Rehabilitating lefthander Mark Mulder believes shoulder problems that ultimately forced him to undergo rotator cuff surgery last September originated in June 2004, about six months before the Cardinals acquired him from the Oakland A's in a trade."

Here comes Shannon Stewart

2007-02-09T11:38:00.000-08:00

As you know the A's have signed Shannon Stewart.

FOX Sports - MLB - Stewart agrees to $1M, 1-year deal with Oakland: "OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Shannon Stewart and the Oakland Athletics agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract Thursday, giving the club the additional backup outfielder it sought before the start of spring training."

Reading the above AP article, some things jumped out at me:
• Stewart is a left fielder, but the A's will try him at several positions this spring. Just like the A's to give someone a go at a different position.
• Stewart was injured and didn't play much last year and he turns 33 this month. He's been the big leagues for nine years. Just like the A's to get someone at a discount due to injury or age.
• "It was a little strange for him to be seeking work, practically interviewing for jobs by showing off his skills for different clubs." Just like the A's to get the guy no one's excited about anymore.

Welcome, Shannon Stewart!

The rest of Blez's interview with Billy Beane

2007-02-07T11:52:00.000-08:00

Athletics Nation :: Billy Beane AN Interview January 07 Edition Part III:

Blez: The fans obviously seem to love you though.

Beane: (Laughs) Well that's the important thing, right? A real man of the people. This is a republic. They have new lists out every year, so it doesn't matter. But the truth is that it's never a bad thing when people appreciate what you do."

And I love Billy Beane. Still. Don't you?

More of Blez's interview with Billy Beane

2007-02-07T11:51:00.000-08:00

Athletics Nation :: Billy Beane AN Interview January 07 Edition Part II:

Blez: Were you surprised at how much money Barry Zito wound up getting?

Beane: I've been around long enough to not be surprised by anything. I'm really happy if he's not going to be here, and I mean this, I'm happy that he's in San Francisco. I know fans see him as a baseball player but I sort of see him as a guy who we've grown up with and I think the world of the guy. As far as the amount of money, that's what the market would bear. I think it's a great spot for him. I'll probably see him pitch more for the Giants now than I did for us because I watched a lot of Giants games. It'll be great and a lot of fun. I couldn't be happier for the guy. He's in a spot where people know him, so there really won't be any adjustment for him. He deserves it. He's really a unique individual."

Blez talks to Billy Beane

2007-01-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

Blez conducts his off-season interview with Billy Beane. As always, I respect and admire Blez for his ability to land these interviews, keep Billy Beane engaged with Athletics Nation, and give all of us this access. First of two parts of the interview is now on Athletics Nation.

Highlights:

Billy Beane doesn't look at winning the World Series as his greatest motivator.
Somehow a healthy Rich Harden will replace the production of a Barry Zito, and having Bobby Crosby, Eric Chavez, and Milton Bradley healthy plus a little of Mike Piazza will replace a 2006 Frank Thomas.
He talks about the process of hiring a new manager and, when going over his decision to hire Bob Geren, convinces even me that under Geren we could win the World Series!

Read it all here:
Athletics Nation :: An Oakland A's Blog: "Billy Beane AN Interview January 07 Edition Part I"

A's Fan Fest 2007

2007-01-28T18:14:00.000-08:00

Sure, I'm a lousy fan. The flu hit me hard and I'm out of commission for a week. Rolled up in blankets in bed, perspiring from a high fever and then shivering with chills. Coughing, congestion, extreme tiredness, and those mysterious body aches and pains. This time it was my right earlobe and my eyelids that hurt. I'm a lousy fan because I wasn't going to Fan Fest.

My correspondent, Steve, goes in my stead. Steve came down with the flu himself last Tuesday, but he didn't let that stop him. He went to Fan Fest with his girlfriend, his girlfriend's son and his nephew Jeff (the boys), and his mom. Here's his email report to me (edited by me to "protect identities"):

Hey Wella

I came down Tuesday night (had an average fever or 101 that didn't break until [Friday] night) and am still trying to get my strength back. The worst I've felt in a very long time.

Had to drag myself to Fan Fest of course. Suzanne says I'll demand it on my death bed. I'm not so sure about that, I mean, my death wheelchair, maybe...but bed? =)

It was good. A lot of things to do as always. I really think they should make it a two day event because there's so much to do--one day for kids and another for adults, maybe? Anyways, I bought the presale autograph tix to all four events so the boys could get 8 autographs (great story coming up) which didn't allow us to do much more.

As I reported earlier, Crosby (whose autograph we didn't get) hurt his wrist at the signing and will miss all of spring. Just kidding. Sounded good though, right? Actually we did get a chance to see some of the player's Q & A with him (he's got a full beard now), Ellis, Blanton and Swisher (who was sporting a WWE-style haircut himself). The crowd LOVES swisher and I think he's our best chance to market this team (again, great story coming up).

We signed the boys up for Kids Club and they got Blanton's signature for a second time. He showed Jeff how to hold a change up. There was a booth for the upcoming All-Star game that made personalized baseball cards on the spot! Oakland REALLY needs to get this stuff!

Okay, okay, I've strung you along enough. Each boy got eight autographs. Blanton and Ellis were the first ones. (Jeff told Ellis he should have got a Gold Glove and I had him sign a baseball card from the 20-win season; FYI Ellis and Chavy the only ones still from that team) .

Melhuse and Kotsay were the second ones. Kotsay looked bored, but did pose for a pic with the boys which was nice and so I will wish him a great, healthy year. I begged Jeff to tell Adam that we're all hoping Kendall is injured for the season, but he's a nicer kid than I.

Eck and Chad Gaudin were at the third one. I had Suzanne and my mom go to that one while I took the boys to the Kids Zone stuff. I know my mom used to have a crush on Eck and apparently he wasn't really talking to too many people before becoming Mr. Chatty with Suzanne. Luckily he hasn't aged well and played before even the great players were making ungodly amounts of money!

Which brings me to the last session. Mr. Nick Swisher and Danny Haren. I've seen Haren a few times and he apparently works out at Mike Colburns Gym in Walnut Creek and for whatever reason I get this lackluster feeling from him. The boys get his autograph and then make their way to Swish who Jeff asks, "You know that handsake you and Bradley do, can I do it with you?" Swisher asks if the end of the line is near and it is, so he tells Jeff to wait outside and he'll come out and do it with him.....

JEFF got to do the "Swisher/Bradley HR Dance" with NICK SWISHER!!!!!!!! How cool is that?!?!

Sadly, my camera died right before we got there and I didn't use my phone right to record it, but Suzanne did get a pic on her phone of it. So cool!

Well, Wella, I hope you feel better.

Steve

Text message I received

2007-01-28T17:44:00.001-08:00

From:Steve
Crosby injryd wrst sgnin autogrphs. out 4 sprng
12:09P Sat Jan27

Duchscherer coming back for 2007

2007-01-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

The A's and RHP Justin Duchscherer agreed on a contract for 2007 to the tune of $1,187,500.

I'm glad Duke is coming back. He's solid and reliable. Here are his stats . And I like Duchscherer because I can spell his name!

Whereas the other week, the A's backup catcher was also signed on for another year. You know. Whatshisname. Adam M.

Rumormongering

2007-01-19T11:57:00.000-08:00

In day-to-day life, I strive to eschew rumors. Indulging in gossip or relating stories without facts to back them up are, I believe, as bad as "bearing false witness against thy neighbor."

But when it comes to sports, where does it cross the line from rumor and speculation to actual prescience?

Mets fan Mike told me that Mike Piazza would go to the A's for a full six weeks before it actually happened. How did he do it? Mike reads Pro Sports Daily: MLB Rumors. It's an aggregator of rumors from (gasp!) the news media.

I give you the link with a caveat: these are fancies, not facts. But who knows which stories can actually come true?

Cisco Field

2007-01-18T18:18:00.000-08:00

This just seems wrong, all wrong.

While away the winter

2007-01-16T11:52:00.000-08:00

Another way I'm whiling away this winter is with GeneralChiang's beautiful Christmas present: "Baseball" by Ken Burns. A 10-DVD collection of the famous Burns documentary on the history of baseball for PBS.

It is played everywhere. In parks and playgrounds and prison yards. In back alleys and farmers' fields. By small children and old men. Raw amateurs and millionaire professionals. It is a leisurely game that demands blinding speed. The only game in which the defense has the ball. It follows the seasons, beginning each year with the fond expectancy of springtime, and ending with the hard facts of autumn. It is a haunted game, in which every player is measured against the ghosts of all who have gone before. Most of all, it is about time and timelessness. Speed and grace. Failure and loss. Imperishable hope. And coming home.
-"Baseball" (1994) directed by Ken Burns

Happy New Year!

2007-01-15T18:50:00.001-08:00

Sitting at a cafe on the MLK holiday and I'm freezing which makes me think: Argh! It's winter! It's mid-January! It's the bleakest of times during the off-season! Fan Fest isn't for another couple of weeks. Spring training not till next month. Warm weather still a long way off. How do we ever survive this time of year?

Well, we read about baseball.

Tanner Boyle got me a most excellent Christmas present: a one-year subscription to Baseball Prospectus!

And, if we dare, we write about baseball.

My thanks to everyone for your patience as my Oakland Athletics Journal got lost in limbo when Blogger moved out of beta. Though I hesitate to blame Google for anything; most of the time our (er, my) difficulties with software are due to user error.

But we're back online. With some changes:

I'm dropping the name Oakland Athletics Journal because, well, the A's may not be in Oakland by the end of this decade. My bitter feelings about this at another time. If you have a better idea for a blog name, let's hear it.
Obviously this journal will track the 2007 season of the A's when said season starts. To see last year's journal, visit the original Oakland Athletics Journal on what was the old Blogger.

Until the season starts, I'll write from time to time. Check in when you can and feel free to drop me a line if there's something new you want to see for the '07 blog.