So, we are here yet again. Well, some of us are here. I imagine a bunch of us as usual are heading to the OACC and enjoying a proper watching of big flags and long introductions.
For us NRAFs and those averse to big crowds however we have a real Game thread. I have gone so far as to learn how to use media systems on my laptop to make up for my lack of cable.
Here is your lineup:
Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty#Athletics Opening Night lineup: pic.twitter.com/RM4LMuCqlN
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) April 4, 2016
was at work too late to tailgate.
this is the hill we die on
Hey..3 good starts in a row. You cant argue with that logic.
If you click over to fangraphs live scoreboard, they already show the White Sox with a 50.7% win probability. And that is with Sonny Gray still listed as the starter. I think I liked win probability better when it was less editorial.
Why aren’t they announcing the the custodial staff, the ushers, the ticket takers, the night security, etc.? Maybe a loyal fan or two?
are there two left?
Thanks, and go As.
Watching the Dodgers laugher in SD. Vin mentioned T-Mobile and said it like the city in Alabama. Is this normal?
if says it, its so
If any other broadcaster said it they would already have a post on awful announcing and Deadspin. Yet I heard him and was like “wow-i didnt know I was pronouncing it wrong all these years”.
ray? who exactly played well enough to make the club?
Donaldson
Couldn’t bring in a military jet so just have a plane from the airport fly over?
“Hi…yeah, is there any way you can delay the 605 to PDX by like 30 minutes? Sweet!”
#WIN
Actual chuckle at this.
Thanks, and go As.
Looked like a C-17. Should’ve dropped a company of paratroopers.
When was the last time a pitcher made his A’s debut with an opening night start? Ben Sheets? Has it happened before that?
I thought there would be a couple more. In addition to Sheets and Hill, three others in Oakland history.
1972: Ken Holtzman
1976: Mike Torrez
1998: Tom Candiotti
Oh god.
Indeed.
Wow. Nice start
and that’s the way our season begins
how far will abreu hit it in this ab?
In former Soviet Union, how far will it hit Abreu?
in former o.co networkassociates coliseum…
greggles!
Good defense?
how do you hit an oposite handed batter with a curve?
Yup.
Top of the first, just like we drew it up.
I think Dallas Braden could get behind the “hit by pitch, then pick them off” strategy.
better at at bats than i expected
Front row seats still available on Wednesday and Thursday, if anyone is interested.
Boobies
Lew said screw this, I only want to see Sonny.
I’d give Lawrie a big cheer. A Bronx one, but still.
I’m glad he made that first out, because if he went 4-for-4 in this game I would definitely scream.
0-0 4 walks
Uh-huh.
I’m not sure Hill has thrown a fastball in the strike zone yet.
On the other hand, his breaking pitches look pretty good.
He hasn’t thrown a pitch to 1st base in the strike zone, either.
i’m sorry. I think “in business money is also money” is a good gag, despite it coming from comcast. kudos to the manlybloke eho thought of it.
walking austin jackson.
that is a very athletics move
i haven’t seen it, but I am blaming canha
Don’t think I can rewind on here, but it looked more like on Hill to me. Can ha had to reach far to stab at it.
It was an egregiously terrible throw, especially with all the room down the foul lines.
nice
So hitting Eaton was the better idea.
Oh I was wondering when the bad defense would show up.
Why is Lambo on the team instead of a long reliever?
42 minutes in, vince has already given up. I hate listening to him
Maybe he will leave!
That third inning required 80 pitches, top + bottom. A Vince inning, unfortunately. I mostly skipped spring training, and I realized that I was not at all prepared to absorb that much Vince all at once.
Conspiracy theory: we wanted to split the first 2 & not waste a Sonny start.
I have to repeat this again, apparently.
CATCHTHEFKINGBALL
Pitchers and catchers report in just 320 days!
Do we know if this was the shortest opening day start in OAK history?
Carl Scheib faced 4 batters and got 0 outs (single, double, single, walk) in 1950.
Among Oakland A’s, Dave Stewart never made it out of the Blue Jays 11 run 2nd inning in 1995.
And for Oakland home openers, we only need to think back to Barry Zito’s 2006 4-out masterpiece against the Yankees.
that was one of the years that I got FSU’d.
Chose to watch that monstrosity instead of my school in the basketball game
Since you asked.
So Hill did pretty good. Gulp
Your 2016 Oakland A’s.
i mean, vince, it wasn’t the best throw, but canha has to catch it. and likely gets the out if he does
He got his glove on it. Needs to be caught.
Thanks, and go As.
At least it was not Lawrie.
No, Brett Lawrie doesn’t look like Chris FKing Sabo because he’s white and wears goggles. Stop it.
Thanks, and go As.
don’t let brett lawie know about energy domes, he will eat 3 per game
first hit of the year!
Vogt!
You can’t teach that kind of speed.
Thanks, and go As.
You know Fosse insisted they get married on his birthday so he wouldn’t forget his anniversary.
(Apologies if he has actually said this..)
how great would it be if we got married on my borthday!
My parents did this too…my mom said that was exactly what my dad said when he suggested it.
Jed!
the comeback! it glows!
Jed is the goofiest looking runner I’ve ever seen.
Thanks, and go As.
He’s cut! The White Sock is cut!
danny!
And shit…forgot the old shtick
MAN NAMED JED!!!
An A’s team that can hit but can’t pitch or field…I don’t understand this.
Ah geez, do we REALLY need a Buster Posey Gnats/Toyota ad on the A’s broadcast?
90 mph change on 3-2 is nasty, but I blame Butler being on deck.
Now we get Butler leading off.
gak
Now he’s clogging up the bases. Asshole.
We never doubted him!
shut down inning, drink
no vince, the tying run is not in scoring position
nice spoiler alert on the basketball game, vince
Glen did the same. Nowhere is safe.
BILLY BUTLER EXTRA BASE HIT. BILLY BUTLER EXTRA BASE HIT.
Thanks, and go As.
Sorry, FSU
Ok, so I get talking about closer by committee. But I swear I heard Fosse talking about bullpen by committee. Isn’t that how they all are?
Is this now #teamshutdown?
Ax ford sporting a McCarty stache.
Pretty typical Axford outing.
Pretty typical Billy Burns base-not-running.
He’s like Rajai but worse at everything.
Why the F did he stop?? That was FKing insane.
Exactly. I would hate for him to get thrown out at second, but you’ve already thrown your hat over the fence.
At least only two of the runs are unearned.
At least the Cubs are spanking the Angels.
At least we’re not the Padres.
At least it’s not raining.
At least it’s only food poisoning.
At least Bed’s not here.
At least we have a shot.
At least Doo’s changeup looks good.
Thanks, and go As.
that was nice
He looked great.
At least I’ve already masturbated.
At least Billy hasn’t signed Crisp to a 2/30 extension yet.
Thanks, and go As.
Coughlan is a great complainer I see.
All three of those pitches to Coghlan looked like strikes to me. Perhaps he should try swinging at one of them.
Agree.
And further, could he not deduce that the 2nd pitch, which was in an identical location to the 1st pitch was called a strike, ergo the 3rd pitch which was in the exact same location as the 2nd pitch, is also gonna be a called fking strike.
And that 3rd was above the knees.
And the way he was already whining he was going to get a strike 3 if the pitch didnt go to the backstop or in the dirt.
The A’s only win on Opening Night once per decade, they’ve already had their win for the 2010’s, so I’m glad they didn’t waste a Gray start on this one. Rich Hill sucks, but history shows he won’t make more than 5 starts before he goes on the DL and we’re already rid of one of them.
I don’t mind the hill pick up. then I remember we paid more than a $1 transaction and MLB minimum.
this was a lose in an unexpected way. so there is that
Do… do we suck?
Thanks, and go As.
Three runs off of Sale and 6+ shutout innings from the pen is more than I hoped for going in.
The terrible defense and baserunning boners though…
I came out of the game more optimistic than I went in. The offense should be decent, there is some talent on the pitching side, and no one in the AL west looks overwhelming. But I agree that this team won’t get anywhere unless they stop making stupid mistakes.
I don’t see the defense improving much. Apart from Reddick, Alonso when he is in, and maybe the catchers, this is just a bad fielding team.
Sam Fuld!
Yeah, and I think it’s going to be their downfall.
You can’t play a guy that bad at shortstop and claim to be trying to win. It just won’t work.
the play, wasn’t good, but wasn’t head in hands terrible
I agree, but that was the only ground ball hit to him in the game, and it turned out to be the difference in the game.
Let’s agree on this: you can’t play Canha at first if you are going to play Semien at short.
217/273/303 v left last year (tOPS+ 59)
alanso
.267 .349 .320
Oh my god, I was not previously aware of Canha’s absurd reverse split. He should never play first base this year.
Relatedly, Khris Davis also has slightly reverse splits. Canha may need to platoon with Butler in order to add value.
i do not understand his role. Unless butler gets released
Khris Davis appears to swing for the fences every time.
wait until he makes contact!!!
Thanks, and go As.
He was very amped up during the pregame intros. Maybe once he chills out a little bit he will be able to tone down his approach with the tying runner on second.
I sense a debate of Custian proportions impending on some other blog.
They are very busy with a “get to know us” post that seems to indicate they have about 30 people on the site. I know it’s more than us, but wow.
And I am doing my best to be mature and not comment.
Must..stop…laughing…
I just read through that thread and recognized maybe 10 of the posters.
Teach the controversy!
From sfgate:
That’s a great photo.
OK, so which one of you people was the guy in the green suit sitting above the White Sox tunnel with an Avenue Q-style blue puppet dressed in an A’s uniform on his lap?
Are you sure it wasnt a muppet?
It was less fuzzy.
Report from the PTBNL seats: Rickey appeared to be crying during the Hendu/TP ceremony. I love that man.
What’s the verdict on Burns’ jump/route on Eaton’s triple? Tough play but it seemed like Coco or Fuld might get there.
He didn’t look good on that one at all. Seemed like he kept slowing and looking for it. Definitely a bad read on it.
Froze on contact, then went back with his head up instead of running to the spot. Tough when it’s right over your head, but it was a catchable ball.
The part of the game I enjoyed most was Lawrie getting picked off, beating the throw to second, and then being out because he slid into the tag like an asshole because he can’t help trying to injure someone.
I am so glad he’s not on the team anymore.
He and the Royals get to face each other 19 times this season.
Busy day for Torres.
Not anymore it’s not.
Suarez should have joined him (and may yet).
Well he did get his second.
Thanks, and go As.
What, he got all ball!
singular?
It is now.
Good. He probably earned 3-4 yellows.
Also, FK Atleti. 10 in the box? I’m glad they conceded. I hope Barca drop 5 on them in the 2nd half
Thanks, and go As.
Messi and Neymar together is unfair, but with Suarez it’s just stupid.
i wan them to lose just enough that simeone starts looking for a national job.
without losing so much he sucks at it. right martino?
i leave you guys with barcelona for one day and THIS is what i come back to?
Crazy – and FKing ManUre.
i hadn’t caught up to that news yet. maddening too, but have to admit it’s more sensical.
You know on 1 hand you give Atletico credit for that defense, but holy FK is it stupid to watch a team bunker down with 11 in the box for 70 minutes.
Thanks, and go As.
makes for a logic 101 test question: if the defense is in the box and that handball is on the defense, is the handball in the box?
While true… when the ball played for the handball in the box was played by the guy who should have been sent off for his own handball in the box, did it really happen?
TBH the ref was crap on both sides most of the match, and like I said give Atletico credit, but damn as someone who plays as an attacker that’s just horrible to watch.
Thanks, and go As.
it’s like hearing a tree alone in the forest that didn’t fall.
Sorry about the basketball, FSU.
That shot to tie it was the craziest damn thing, wasn’t it?
Marcus Paige was a great Tar Heel.
I saw Nova’s buzzer beater go through the cords and immediately walked out of the Westside Club to my seats. If it’s up to me I’ll never see the replay.
unfortunately, no
The gold KC on the batting helmets is a nice touch.
So anyone interested in a Saturday afternoon tailgate/FK-up before an evening game? 7/23 against the Rays looks promising for me, and it has fireworks.
I think so. i may have a so cal trip that I can’t control the timing of.
Assuming there’s no footy overlap, yes.
Also that looks like a no-kid weekend for me, so probably in regardless.
Thanks, and go As.
It’s too bad Ninja Turtles was the best they could come up with, but it is still a great gag. I look forward to more riff raft in the next couple games.
they were gone or de shelled by the 5th
So it’s Hawk or nothing tonight?