Just back from the grocery store and no game thread. I blame everyone but myself.
Crisp (CF), Jaso (C), Donaldson (DH), Moss (1B), Cespedes (LF), Callaspo (3B), Reddick (RF), Punto (SS), Sogard (2B), Kazmir (P)
Weird looking lineup for a getaway day game, but I like the pitching matchup. A’s got two hits off Chris Young in the top of the 1st, but couldn’t score.
Kazmir certainly had a nicer first inning than Bartolo (back to back to back HRs, then back to back doubles).
Ouch.
Everyone saw that gif of Colon shaking his belly fat, right?
Nice first inning from Kazmir. The Mariners lineup makes me a lot more nervous now that Cano is in there.
They should have a decent to good offense this year, but they’re going to struggle against LHPs.
Proud of Reddick for working a walk, but it’s a little sad that he couldn’t do anything more against a series of 87 mph fastballs.
I could do without Ken and Vince discussing the virtues of the Princeton offense.
farmer joe’s was full of people wearing A’s stuff. woo-hoo for early spirit!
sigh…do those ever stay fair for us?
That top of the 3rd was incredibly annoying.
Kazmir looks great.
CY looks terrible.
Too bad we don’t have any runs.
He really looks awful. Just one more chance to score off him now probably…
Didn’t we say that a lot last year?
CY25 in Fresno today. 4-4 with a 2B and 2 HRs. In related news, Im really glad I didnt go to the game today.
from certain angles, kazmir’s face reminds me of harden’s.
When Young pitched against the A’s back when he was with the Rangers, this is how I remember most of those starts going.
oh christ
A’s runs pls.
This is enraging…
how is a mid-80s fastball so hard to nail? they don’t look like there’s movement on them…
His height definitely affects it…looks like it’s really hard to get on top of those pitches. This park is perfect for him.
Rangers beat Astros 1-0 Friday on a Kz run.
And then 1-0 again today on a Donnie Murphy RBI.
Ok that makes me feel a little better.
Feeling a lot worse again…
forearm strain in 3…2…
That looked really bad…
you might have a funky cold…
If that had gone out, I would have thrown a chair.
Kaz coming out with less than 80 pitches? Hope he isn’t broken.
He is broken.
he looks kinda casual in the dugout for a broken guy.
He was looking glum earlier, Melvin looks very unhappy.
Definitely infuriating.
Score some fking runs…
Looks like a chose the wrong day to not give up on baseball forever.
But is it Avery bad?
I don’t like one batter appearances in a tie game.
oh cespy.
Lowrie has 14 BBs, 50 last year.
what is going on with these substitutions
So should I light candles for Kazmir’s left arm yet? They aren’t saying much :(
Ah Cespy.
finally
¡por fin!
cespy!!!!
ooooh yeah
Well that was good. I was just getting annoyed about him sucking…
wait. was he getting a talking to in the dugout?
Who’s the Cuban Missile Crisis that’s a Home Run Derby champ to all the chicks?
YO!
(right onnnnn)
Gregerson did well but I don’t like pulling Otero after 5 pitches…if things get ugly in the ninth for Doolittle, we’re left with JJ and Pomeranz.
And Cook.
Oh right, I keep forgetting about him.
So does Melvin.
wait’ll O’Flaherty shows up, what an embarrassment of riches the ‘pen is.
joshua! dang.
wow, looks like rain :D
Nice play by LNP.
And Barton! Callaspo’s attempt was pretty funny.
Cano is so annoyingly good.
he is the most Globetrotter-like baseball player, makes it look frighteningly easy
I think it would make sense to try Johnson as a starter if this is bad with Kazmir.
Huh, I was just thinking this the other day…
First two effective sliders of the year for Doolittle…
and THAT’S YOUR BALLGAME!!!!!!
Let’s see Prieto take a shot at interpreting a Fosse question.
He said “see the ball…hit the ball.”
Dear Flying Spaghetti Monster,
I know I haven’t been praying much lately (as in, the last 47 years) and I apologize for all the miniature shells and elbow macaroni I’ve been eating… it just goes well with capers and anchovies and you know how I do adore a good putanesca.
But all these transgressions notwithstanding, can you please let Scott Kazmir’s left arm stay attached until they hand Billy Beane the trophy at the end of October? I promise I’ll stop the gratuitous pasta consumption and only top my noodles with red sauce and sublime, parmesan-infused vinaigrettes and cream sauces… the lazy, lackluster soy sauce days are over, I swear.
Thanks in advance FSM,
Josh.
WE’RE ALL GOING TO LIVE?!
Still worried, but “triceps” definitely seems like one of the least terrible arm words.
they need to be super cautious and err on the side of limiting his innings, especially early here. The ‘pen is so filthy (JJ notwithstanding) anyway, just balance it so they aren’t gassed by September and we’re cool, I think.
They
canshould skip his next start against the Astros.Triceps is the same issue he had in the spring…I don’t think it’s as serious as a forearm issue but I agree with erring on the side of caution since it looks like a reoccuring thing.
As long as the BP isn’t overworked, I’d limit him to 80 pitches a game or so, only going to 90+ if the bullpen is burnt.
Also, Coco hamstring tightness.
Brett Anderson: broken finger, out for a month
“a month”. So he will be back in late July you think?
It’ll be just like picking up an ace at the deadline.
I think I actually have PTSD from that line. I am already picturing the rest of his season, including the shaky rehab start, the 10 days he gets shut down, and Rockies blogs deciding if they should put him in the pen…
and just when a tenth straight year of 200+ IP, his 300th win and the Gold Glove were in sight :(
OK, the taxes are done, when does the A’s game start?
they filed an extension till tomorrow.
beltre DL’d tll 4/25. A’s greet them 4/21–4/23.
I won’t miss him.
Barton with the game winning run.
I call, and raise:
2-4 when Barton starts
6-0 when Barton does not start.
so, we’ll go to the twins’ house, we’ll give them their anniversary gifts, and then we’ll apologize for trashing their house, and then we get our special treats.
dude…
ha!
where’s my comment??
(it wasn’t supposed to be a reply.)
Is Barton thought to be a better baserunner than Lowrie? Obviously Barton was coming into the game, but I didn’t understand the pinch-running move, unless Lowrie has an undisclosed ouchie.
even as a barton supporter I have to snorf at your question
the thinking there is that DB is coming into the game for defense (and I use that term loosely), so you’re not burning another bench player in a tight game pinch running for someone because Barton is coming in anyway in the next half inning.
I think Melvin wanted Punto at short for the 9th too, and dude did make a decent play in the bottom of the 9th.
well. lowrie was already burned, so unless barton is better at running the bases, why put him in then? Thus the question about his health from soaker.
and Moss is not a good firstbaseperson, no matter what you think about Barton, he is a better defender.
Likely just trying to give him the time off. He did take that shot to the knee last week.
My issue was, why remove Lowrie from the game before you have to if there’s no advantage gained? By leaving Lowrie in through the end of the inning he would be available to play defensively if another infielder happened to be injured during that half-inning while batting or running the bases. It seems trivial right up until the time it actually happens. Billy Burns pinch-running for Lowrie in a scoreless game, now that’s gaining an advantage, but Barton for Lowrie, that substitution can wait until the bottom half of the inning.
hopefully, this outing will convince the mariners to stick with chris young for longer
Ladies and Gentlemen, meet your new Little Debbie spokesman
(albany’s own) lil debbie has a treat for you.
That needs some kind of a warning, I’m just not sure what.
[youtube vid of girl rapper spittin’ ’bout da purp and gettin’ baked!] [also, NSF celiacs.]
So I guess the 06 rotation reunion lunch can happen during the baseball season
Two pieces of Blanton trivia from the BTF thread on this:
1) His World Series HR was the only extra-base hit of his career (256 regular season plate appearances).
2) For his career he has 18.9 fWAR but only 9.6 bWAR. Unlucky.
From the CBS Sportsline recap. Melvin mentions the same thing I brought up about double plays:
Imagine an infielder catches a line drive and then shoves it to a teammate for a double play, only the ball hits the ground. Is it a drop?
Time for a sequel – where’s your game thread II.
In this one Bernie’s already dead and they learn how to make his corpse dance.
They give him a cortisone shot but it doesn’t seem to make any difference.
While keeping Bernie available for surprise pinch-hitting assignment before putting him on the DL.
Good call on the pinch hitter.