The Dog Days of Spring ← FREE KRAUT!

The Dog Days of Spring 217

Only 10 days until the big double-header with the Nippon Ham Fighters!

217 thoughts on “The Dog Days of Spring

  1. Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 4:42 pm
  2. Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 4:44 pm

    $399 family of four pass to all 81 79 home games in the new A’s Stomping Ground.

    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 7,2019 5:41 pm || Up

      I’ll always remember the Stomper Fun Zone fondly, nestled in the arms of the brutalist Coliseum entryway. I like to think Brezhnev would have built just such a proletarian children’s play area.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
      • Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 5:55 pm || Up

        Small child. You hug elephant now.

        • ptbnl Mar 7,2019 10:51 pm || Up

          In former Stompor Funzone, elephant hugs you.

          If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
          • AV Mar 8,2019 6:08 am || Up

            …will there be a netflix documentary?

            *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
  3. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 7,2019 6:05 pm

    This is the part of the spring where I realize I have no idea who Robbie Grossman is.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 7,2019 6:09 pm || Up

      7 years into his big league career.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • Future Ed Mar 7,2019 7:57 pm || Up

      neither do the chyron workers for the giants

      I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • MikeV Mar 7,2019 9:51 pm || Up

      He’s the guy we got instead of Harper.

      And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

      Thanks, and go As.

  4. Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 6:36 pm

    Discovered (because of Effectively Wild!) an interesting baseball podcast called The Infinite Inning. Seems to be lots of baseball history and whatever else comes up. The latest episode starts with a rant about Bowie Kuhn and features my man David Roth of Deadspin as a guest.

  5. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 7,2019 6:44 pm

    Farhan in the Giants TV booth gently explains that their fans will need to embrace guys they never heard of before.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 6:46 pm || Up

      That list of names he has acquired this offseason was like who, what, huh?, Vogt, some guy, don’t know, whatshis face, Venditte, that one dude, um

  6. andeux Mar 7,2019 6:45 pm

    Farhan Zaidi on the broadcast. I can’t bring myself to dislike him.
    Fortunately, Bumgarner is on the mound.

    TINSTAAFK
    • andeux Mar 7,2019 6:49 pm || Up

      Speaking of Billy Beane’s sidekicks, we are watching this show “Maniac” on Netflix and Jonah Hill is just not a very good actor.

      TINSTAAFK
  7. Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 7:05 pm

    Stop calling Laureano “Liriano” Krukuiper.

  8. andeux Mar 7,2019 7:08 pm

    Catcher triple!

    TINSTAAFK
  9. Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 7:14 pm

    Profar is flashing all the tools tonight.

  10. Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 7:20 pm

    Acceptable performance by Montas.

  11. Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 7:24 pm

    OK, Melancon sucks ass, but that was some power.

  12. Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 7:28 pm

    A Semien!

  13. Glorious Mundy Mar 7,2019 7:37 pm

    Lou looks ready.

  14. andeux Mar 7,2019 7:40 pm

    Lots of opposite field power on display.

    TINSTAAFK
    • Future Ed Mar 7,2019 8:00 pm || Up

      yeah but that isn’t even to the warning tract at the oracle arena field park

      I have $5. No I don\'t.
  15. Future Ed Mar 7,2019 8:18 pm

    i need spring training. I forgot I was game threading.

    hope I will be ready for opening morning.

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 7,2019 8:43 pm || Up

      Yeah this old man at least needs spring training to work off the rust. I may practice tailgate in my driveway.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  16. Future Ed Mar 7,2019 8:36 pm

    evan, you are talking on teevee, don’t put a seed in your mouth while the red light is on

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • andeux Mar 7,2019 8:37 pm || Up

      I turned it off when they put sexual assault panda on.

      TINSTAAFK
      • Future Ed Mar 7,2019 8:44 pm || Up

        i am a few minutes behind

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
  17. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 8,2019 8:52 am

    Got my talking Dave Kaval box today!

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • sslinger Mar 8,2019 9:14 am || Up

      Yes, that was fun right? Interesting how the badge is for treehouse entry – can’t we take open seats for games that we don’t have specific seating for?

      • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 8,2019 9:31 am || Up

        Not, at least not officially. I’m think having a previous game ticket on hand should pass the quick glance test though.

        "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • andeux Mar 8,2019 7:24 pm || Up

      Mine is Chris Giles.
      The FedEx guy asked how I thought the A’s would do this year. I was wondering how he knew what was in the box, until I realized I had on my A’s sweatshirt.

      TINSTAAFK
  18. andeux Mar 8,2019 7:26 pm

    Korach is very careful to say “Nippon Ham … Fighters” as if he’s talking about Seth. Smith.
    FK that. Ham Fighters!

    TINSTAAFK
  19. Future Ed Mar 9,2019 9:57 pm

    martin maldenado to royals for 1 year 2.5-3.9M

    Seems like something that should have been tried?

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
  20. Glorious Mundy Mar 10,2019 1:42 pm

    A lot of talk about Montas maybe not making the team. I don’t get it.

    • andeux Mar 10,2019 3:43 pm || Up

      Seems like they decided in advance that Fiers, Estrada, Mengden and B.Anderson were in the rotation, leaving only one spot for Luzardo or Montas. They have both been excellent this spring, though, and it seems like it would be a massive mistake to give up on Montas in favor of however many starts they’ll get out of Anderson before he gets hurt. (And it’s kind of ironic that suddenly too many starters is a problem. Somehow they’ll be “bullpenning” by May.)

      TINSTAAFK
      • lenscrafters Mar 10,2019 4:15 pm || Up

        Also there’s a non zero chance that we’ll want to DFA Estrada by May.

      • andeux Mar 11,2019 11:22 am || Up


        I guess Mengden was just under the 90 days on an active roster threshold in 2017, giving him a 4th option year.

        TINSTAAFK
        • Glorious Mundy Mar 11,2019 8:07 pm || Up

          OK, relatedly, surely they are not going to keep Aaron Brooks around just because Bassitt has an option too. Right?? Either give Luzardo his 40-man spot on opening day or just let the Hound do his thing in the meantime.

          • Glorious Mundy Mar 12,2019 10:35 am || Up

            I am now informed that Bassitt was bad yesterday.

            The only person I would accept taking Luzardo’s spot at this point is Dallas Keuchel.

    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 10,2019 6:06 pm || Up

      Maybe they can retain Luzardo and Montas during the 28-man roster period they’re afforded around the Japan trip. Anderson’s tenure could be over before they leave Pac Bell AT&T Oracle.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
      • Glorious Mundy Mar 10,2019 6:15 pm || Up

        Could over by the time he’s done ham fighting.

        • Future Ed Mar 10,2019 9:53 pm || Up

          “Yeah, a jesus, this is dave, we are gonna need you to hop over to Tokyo. if you get here by the 7th inning we may use you”

          I have $5. No I don\'t.
  21. Glorious Mundy Mar 10,2019 1:49 pm

    Luzardo is kind of what Brett Anderson was supposed to be, yes?

  22. Glorious Mundy Mar 10,2019 1:50 pm

    That last play would have killed Brett Anderson.

  23. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 11,2019 12:42 pm

    Anyone got a review of Coco’s radio debut yesterday?

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • AV Mar 11,2019 1:15 pm || Up

      i’m guessing: he was great fielding questions in all sorts of areas. but needed an interloper to bring the point home.

      *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 11,2019 1:36 pm || Up

      I only caught the bottom of the ninth. Coco wanted Pinder to bunt but he decided to bang one off the wall for a double instead.

  24. Glorious Mundy Mar 11,2019 3:06 pm

    Dom Cotroneo is pretty good. I wouldn’t hate to hear him work with Korach once or twice just to see….what that might be like.

  25. ptbnl Mar 11,2019 3:08 pm

    Front Row Seats 2019 post is up.

    If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
  26. Glorious Mundy Mar 12,2019 10:38 am
  27. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 12,2019 1:37 pm

    Somehow Brett Anderson got the putout on the back end of a 3-6-1 double play yesterday and lived to tell the tale. This seems incredibly unlikely.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  28. Glorious Mundy Mar 12,2019 2:05 pm

    Cristiano Ronaldo is pretty decent in the air.

    • Glorious Mundy Mar 12,2019 2:44 pm || Up

      Caps off the tie-winning hat trick with a perfect penalty. He is a machine.

  29. Glorious Mundy Mar 12,2019 3:26 pm

    Former second-overall pick doesn’t even get his own tweet.

    • andeux Mar 12,2019 4:20 pm || Up

      He’d already been released once and non-tendered twice.
      I didn’t even realize he had spent the last two years in the Angels system.
      Career looks very similar to Bobby Crosby: looked like he as going to be a star at age 23-24, career effectively over by 30.

      TINSTAAFK
  30. andeux Mar 12,2019 4:13 pm

    Slusser reports Fowler has been optioned, which is not a surprise.
    Time for some rosterbation:

    Nine starting position players (Olson, Profar, Semien, Chapman, Grossman?, Laureano, Piscotty, Davis, starting C (Hundley)) plus backup C (Phegley), Pinder, Canha, Barreto is 13. We’ve gone with only 12 position players a lot in recent years, but I don’t see who you get rid of there. Barreto deserves not only a roster spot, but some significant playing time, while Canha and Pinder have both proved their worth.

    Starting pitching we’ve already talked about: Fiers, Estrada, Anderson plus two of Montas, Luzardo, Bassitt and Brooks. Bassitt has an option left, and Brooks seems totally expendable, though it wouldn’t be a surprise if one of them started the season in the rotation instead of Luzardo.

    Bullpen:
    Treinen, Trivino, Soria, Hendriks were already definite or probable and (FWIW) have had good springs.
    Dull is coming off a couple mediocre years, but has also had a good spring.
    Petit, Buchter, Rodney, Wendelken, and Blevins (who is not on the 40-man roster, but was considered likely to make the team at some point) have all been bad (ERA > 10 bad) this spring. Based on past performance/contract I would think the first two are likely to make the team. Wendelken can be optioned. Rodney sucks but they may want to keep him for unknown reasons. I think Blevins has an out in his contract, but would not be a great loss (though he and Buchter are the only lefties).

    There are extra roster spots for Japan, plus they may not need to add 4th/5th starters until needed, so some of these decisions might not need to be made until the beginning of April.

    TINSTAAFK
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 12,2019 4:38 pm || Up

      Barreto is too good to be playing in AAA at this point, and they should reward him for a good spring by letting him stand on the baseline for Opening Day(s). I just don’t know how they are going to get him in many games unless they are planning to get Semien, Chapman, and Profar more rest than usual.

      The Grossman signing is still odd to me. He’s a switch hitter, but all of his production comes against lefties, so there’s no real platoon with Canha or Pinder. Melvin is blessed with a roster full of above-average position players (catcher aside), but he has his work cut out for him getting them all playing time.

      By the way, does Dull have an option left?

    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 12,2019 5:59 pm || Up

      I’ve heard at least four times on spring broadcasts the assumption that the A’s would have a three man bench. Dealing Barreto would seem to fit, though maybe there’s not much of a market.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 19,2019 5:58 pm || Up

      Re: Blevins’ contract out

  31. andeux Mar 12,2019 5:03 pm

    Agree about Barreto. Getting Semien and Profar (and maybe even Chapman) extra rest seems like a benefit, though for some reason we seem to either go with strict platoons, or play guys every day. Barreto has been playing OF too, though that’s just another log jam right now.

    Agree about Grossman. Maybe just an attempt to get OBP for the top of the lineup? That makes sense by itself, but I’m not sure his overall value is more than the guys from whom he’ll be taking playing time.

    Another possibility I haven’t mentioned would be Canha being the odd man out.

    Yes, I think Dull has options left, and though I think he deserves a roster spot, sending him down is one possibility for flexibility if they want to keep some of the others around.

    TINSTAAFK
  32. Glorious Mundy Mar 12,2019 7:00 pm

    Nothing against Aaron Brooks personally, but I am fine with him getting rocked here to wake Beaneforst up to the fact that he sucks.

    • Glorious Mundy Mar 12,2019 7:17 pm || Up

      • Glorious Mundy Mar 14,2019 11:38 am || Up


        • andeux Mar 14,2019 11:39 am || Up

          Graham Godfrey.

          TINSTAAFK
          • Glorious Mundy Mar 14,2019 11:48 am || Up

            I think he may be even worse than Godfrey?

            The idea that his being out of options is a meaningful factor is just insulting. He’s the definition of a scrap heap guy. The A’s literally got him off the scrap heap last September when a playoff team wanted nothing to do with him.

  33. Glorious Mundy Mar 12,2019 7:51 pm

    Nice win for St. Mary’s over #1 Gonzaga.

    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 12,2019 9:14 pm || Up

      That’s huge, they were absolutely set up for yet another Selection Sunday disappointment without that win.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  34. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 12,2019 9:17 pm

    Speaking of huge wins, the Sharks beat Winnipeg on the road on a Pavelski goal with 3.6 seconds left. Best record in the West now, 2nd best in the NHL

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  35. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 13,2019 12:32 pm

    Next chance to take Jeopardy test is April 9-10-11, register now.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • Jennifer Mar 22,2019 3:04 am || Up

      Alex won’t make it till summer.

    • andeux Apr 10,2019 8:43 pm || Up

      I FKed it up this year. Couldn’t think of several words/names I know.

      TINSTAAFK
      • colin Apr 11,2019 4:51 am || Up

        I took the Tuesday quiz. It felt harder than previous ones but I also got lucky on some guesses. Still think my score wasn’t great though.

      • FreeSeatUpgrade Apr 11,2019 8:35 pm || Up

        Same here tonight. Couldn’t even remember the name of the Tom Hanks “I’m the Captain now” movie.

        "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
        • Future Ed Apr 11,2019 9:36 pm || Up

          what is joe versus the volcano

          I have $5. No I don\'t.
  36. Glorious Mundy Mar 14,2019 11:14 am

  37. Glorious Mundy Mar 14,2019 11:42 am

    Some charming tidbits in this Slusser story on the Japan trip.

    KD looking to get into some bowls of ramen.
    Beau Taylor gets to see his girlfriend who is over there teaching English.
    Ryan Dull wants to meet up with Hiro Nakajima

    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 14,2019 6:41 pm || Up

      I’m told Japanese ballparks offer every form of ramen, noddle and fish concession you can imagine, plus beer vendors with keg backpacks never more than 10 seconds away.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
      • colin Mar 16,2019 6:42 am || Up

        I went to a game at the Tokyo Dome, probably around 2008. I can vouch for the beer vendors. I didn’t get ramen, but did have some takoyaki.

      • sslinger Mar 17,2019 5:08 pm || Up

        I will report on food and beverage offerings later today. Ducked into a hole in the wall with great fish last night and had a laugh with a local about Keichi Yabu.

        • sslinger Mar 18,2019 4:59 pm || Up

          Walking around the main concourse we were surprised at the relative shortage of noodles. Many balls or fried things on sticks, hot dogs, and burgers, but no noodles to be seen. Then someone sitting near us came back to his seat with some, so we went to a lower level and got some. Not good. Then, in the late innings, we found the bonanza in a different lower level. We plan to explore there more tomorrow afternoon. Many different Asian foods – Thai, Korean, etc. plus cRaZeE hot dog concoctions, okonomi-yaki, and more noodles. But yes, beer ladies wandering around is a thing.

          One unexpected aspect of the game: it was maybe less than half full, and when the Fighters fans in the LF bleachers weren’t chanting it was amazingly quiet. There were times when it was just dead silent, and a lone person yelling Go A’s or something could be heard very clearly. Finally, wasn’t prepared for the Twinkie-dome like pressure ejection from the ballpark, it was pretty intense.

          • Soaker Mar 18,2019 10:33 pm || Up

            I listened to a few innings of Ken and Vince and actually liked the quiet, in the sense that there wasn’t PA noise between each pitch (DAAA daaa DAAA daaa or Clap, Clap, ClapClapClap, etc.). The batter was announced, occasionally some walkup music (Like a Rolling Stone!) and that was it. The band is fine, as are the drummers at the Coliseum (though I don’t sit next to them); that’s organic rather than electronic. I’d like it if the A’s tried Silent Saturdays.

            Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
  38. dmoas Mar 15,2019 4:32 pm

    Wow. Isn’t this against the rules? Angel Hernandez AND CB Bucknor in the same game?! They probably did Hinch a favor not having to watch their shit show.

    • Future Ed Mar 15,2019 10:33 pm || Up

      I read a story last year about someone that tried to get kicked out of a spring game but the umpires wouldnt do it

      I have $5. No I don\'t.
  39. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 17,2019 8:58 am

    One win over the Ham Fighters! Sounds like a fun time was had by all. Including Rickey.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • Soaker Mar 17,2019 11:52 am || Up

      As I was taking my 3:30 a.m. pee it occurred to me that Ken and Vince were on the air live. Despite the uniqueness (well not quite, the A’s have been there before) I was not inspired to dial them in.

      Nor for the Mariners games. I think I watched live the first time they were in Tokyo playing the Red Sox but it was hard to maintain any concentration and I decided at that time that’s what the DVR or the MLB.tv archive were for.

      Re the DVR, now that I’ve had Youtube TV for over a month the DVR playback functionality seems to be the one drawback to it. Sometimes if you do something like pause the program and restart it throws you to some other random point in the program and then won’t let you go back to the pause point, at least not easily. Sometimes this can be addressed by restarting the phone and then reopening the Youtube TV app but then you still have to figure out where in the program you were. Some of it is probably my own cluelessness but I think there are some kinks in their app as well. Anyway, whatever that inconvenience amounts to is unquestionably worth the savings compared to the DirecTV bill.

      Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
      • Future Ed Mar 17,2019 7:53 pm || Up

        I really don’t understand HULU dvr. a’s games are the worst or were last year, if i didn’t start it live, there would be a lot of fighting to get to live. usually I gave up and listened

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
  40. sslinger Mar 17,2019 5:12 pm

    Any guesses (or knowledge) about the team hotel? We talked to a Giants fan who now lives here at the fish market the other day and we both thought the Ritz-Carlton would be a good bet. Any other intel?

    • Glorious Mundy Mar 17,2019 5:18 pm || Up

      This place, I assume.

      • sslinger Mar 17,2019 5:33 pm || Up

        Cool, thanks!

        • sslinger Mar 18,2019 4:49 pm || Up

          Confirmed! Went to the sky bar after dinner and Chapman & Semien were there with a couple other team people we didn’t recognize, involved in what seemed like a very serious conversation so we did not bother them. Brief cameo from Canha entering the hotel as we left.

  41. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 17,2019 5:21 pm

    RIP Dick Dale, the best of them all.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • Future Ed Mar 17,2019 8:37 pm || Up

      That’s too bad.

      I had him autograph a cd in the 90s it said “to ed, surfs up! Dick dale”

      My brother had him autograph a record in the 80s. it said “to steve, surfs up! Dick Dale”

      I have $5. No I don\'t.
      • AV Mar 18,2019 5:23 am || Up

        yeah, i had him autograph an mp3 in the 00s…

        *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
  42. Glorious Mundy Mar 17,2019 7:27 pm

    I keep wanting to say haaamfighter! in this guy’s voice

  43. Glorious Mundy Mar 17,2019 7:30 pm

    I stand by this being a double-header, by the way. It’s a double-header with a long break for naps.

  44. Future Ed Mar 17,2019 9:08 pm

    Vince and Ken think semien is throwing badly again

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
  45. Future Ed Mar 17,2019 9:40 pm

    suicide squeeze!

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
  46. Future Ed Mar 18,2019 10:03 am

    now, I am not excusing mr Baer. I believe this incident is simply he was having an affair, his wife grabbed his phone to look for evidence and he acted like an 8 year old to get it back.

    But here is the thing, Ms. Breed, you have at your disposal an agency that can investigate a public crime. You don’t need to go after the guys trade group that was not implicated in the initial incident to begin with.

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • dmoas Mar 18,2019 4:59 pm || Up

      And is only domestic violence against women unacceptable?

  47. elcroata Mar 18,2019 1:25 pm

    I just discovered the cultural gem that is Perry Como’s Delaware. I get most of the puns, but not “She sipped a Minne sota”. Anyone care to help a gaijin?

    Because survival is insufficient
    • 5Aces Mar 18,2019 1:40 pm || Up

      Mini Soda-a little drink.

      Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
    • 5Aces Mar 18,2019 1:42 pm || Up

      I was not aware of this until now. I’m not sure I am thanking you for this awareness…

      Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
      • Soaker Mar 18,2019 10:41 pm || Up

        Having listened to “A Perry Como Christmas” or whatever the hell it was a million times as a wee young Soaker that name makes me run. Although listening to that album certainly wasn’t nearly as bad as being forced to sit and watch The Lawrence Welk Show when we were sentenced to Nana and Grandpa’s house for a weekend.

        Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
  48. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 18,2019 7:58 pm

    colin, should I believe in the CIncinnati of last weekend or the one of the last two months? Would like to put them through past Tennessee (and the odious Rick Barnes).

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • colin Mar 19,2019 8:29 am || Up

      I think they have a shot, especially with nearly-home field advantage in Columbus.

      The UC offense lives and dies by Jarron Cumberland. Towards the end of the season, teams in the AAC figured out a game plan to bump and grab him off every screen so that he could never get open. The off-ball fouls rarely got called and it definitely got into Jarron’s head as the game went on. The hope is that NCAA reffing will keep the games a little bit cleaner.

      I haven’t watched Tennessee much, but my main concern is three-point shooting. Cincinnati switches constantly on defense but this season they have had trouble getting the last rotation against teams with multiple shooting threats. I expect UC to get the job done on rebounding.

      But we have to get past Iowa first… My wife and I have tickets for the first round game on Friday!

      • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 19,2019 9:40 am || Up

        Thank you! That Iowa Cincy game should be good, kenpom has them very close. If Cincy can keep Iowa off the foul line they should be ok. I like Cincy’s chances to get by Iowa and then Tennessee, at least in the pool I’m in which incentives upsets.

        "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
        • colin Mar 22,2019 6:31 pm || Up

          That didn’t go great…

          • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 22,2019 9:06 pm || Up

            Those Big 10 teams can play, turns out.

            "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
            • colin Mar 24,2019 9:56 am || Up

              Frustrating to watch UC get completely stumped by a zone defense

  49. Glorious Mundy Mar 19,2019 7:40 am

    • colin Mar 19,2019 8:48 am || Up

      I know I shouldn’t push my luck, but I will continue to enjoy seeing LAA fail to make the playoffs despite having the best player in the universe.

    • dmoas Mar 19,2019 9:12 am || Up

      At least in terms of insanely bloated contracts, he might actually exceed it’s value.

  50. andeux Mar 19,2019 9:42 am

    TINSTAAFK
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 19,2019 10:09 am || Up

      Would like to know how he plans to prove the statement that he has “herp-face” is false.

      • dmoas Mar 20,2019 11:31 am || Up

        I’d like to see how he plans to prove he isn’t eating Don’s shit.

  51. Glorious Mundy Mar 19,2019 10:10 am

    I’m sure there’s something terrible that I’m missing, but the 2020 rule changes seem….good?

    • Future Ed Mar 19,2019 11:06 am || Up

      I don’t like the 28 person roster limit. I love cups of coffee. I would compromise on teh 3 batter rule, making it 2 and deleting the idea that you had to face the batters, simply needed to be in the game for 2 batters. but no mound visits can occur after you enter

      I have $5. No I don\'t.
      • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 19,2019 12:36 pm || Up

        I’m opposite. The 40 man Sept callups have become farcical at times. Still sucks even in a post-Scioscia era. 28 is plenty.

        And any minimum outing length just seems too divergent from the basic framework of the sport. I’m going full old man / cloud on this one

        "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
        • Future Ed Mar 19,2019 12:43 pm || Up

          I wasn’t clear, my preference is the current one batter rule, I don’t like 3. But if it is more than 1, I would not make it a requirement that the pitcher FACE 3 batters, just that the pitcher be in the game for 3. But no mound visits or warm up tosses would be allowed before the third batter has been faced.

          Also, I would count a pinch hitter as a second batter faced.

          I have $5. No I don\'t.
        • dmoas Mar 20,2019 11:34 am || Up

          I despise the batter rule. I don’t mind roster rule changes for the most part. I like cleaniness of the 25 man roster but whatever. Anything that changes the overall structure of the strategy of the game is generally a bad idea. And especially one that unfairly benefits the offense like that. Short of allowing a change with less than 3 batters if there’s a pinch hitter, I don’t see how that’s possibly fair at all.

      • elcroata Mar 21,2019 12:12 am || Up

        I’d still have 40, but you have to declare which 28 are active for any given game couple of hours before the game

        Because survival is insufficient
        • dmoas Mar 21,2019 10:38 am || Up

          I’d be down for that. Though I’d make option rules apply, so instead of ten days, it would be zero. But you wouldn’t just be able to move anyone off the active roster.

  52. Glorious Mundy Mar 19,2019 12:07 pm

    Egypt also gets some international slot money and a ptbnl.

    • Future Ed Mar 19,2019 12:27 pm || Up

      Land? In Saudi Arabia?

      there aren’t really boarders there to begin with

      I have $5. No I don\'t.
  53. andeux Mar 19,2019 3:16 pm

    Less than twelve hours until the opening game between two jetlagged teams while most of us are asleep.
    Are you as excited as I am?

    TINSTAAFK
    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 19,2019 4:20 pm || Up

      My level of excitement is below wake-up-and-watch-full-game-live, but high enough that is likely I’ll wake up around 3am for other reasons and at least turn it on for a few batters. At which point I’ll check FK to see if anyone else is watching/posting.

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
      • Glorious Mundy Mar 19,2019 4:26 pm || Up

        Same!

      • sslinger Mar 19,2019 4:28 pm || Up

        We are up and ready to hit the Tsukiji outer market for some breakfast sushi and coffee before another day exploring another different part of Tokyo. Big city. Met some Mariners fans yesterday, actually a flight crew that planned their overnight stay so they could go to the game tonight. Yes, we’re excited. And it’s a beautiful day for a ballgame – too bad it will be at night and in a dome.

        • sslinger Mar 19,2019 5:18 pm || Up

          Oh, and David Justice’s god-daughter is working here, and is a huge baseball fan. Her adopted team is the Fighters.

      • Glorious Mundy Mar 20,2019 8:41 am || Up

        My accidental wake up didn’t happen until 5. I flipped on the TV to see Chapman trotting around the bases, and then saw we had 7 runs, so got pretty excited for a minute. Slept through the rest with the TV on.

    • Soaker Mar 19,2019 5:22 pm || Up

      The one-week gap before the next regular season game makes it feel too much a part of spring training. Weather here tomorrow looks like a lousy rain/snow mix so no problem watching it on delay; I’ll stay off the Internet until I get around to putting in on, late morning or so.

      Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
      • ptbnl Mar 19,2019 10:37 pm || Up

        Monday was a spectacular day to be in the mountains.

        If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
      • Soaker Mar 19,2019 10:48 pm || Up

        Would like to add, before I start sawing logs and avoid the Interwebs until I have finished watching the game tomorrow afternoon, that I strongly support putting these games in Japan despite the inconvenience for us Western Hemisphere folks. We’ve lost the black American kids to football and basketball (see Kyler Murray for example) and we need to harvest talent from Japan, Korea and other Asian countries. Loving that Ichiro is concluding his American career in these two games, that’s a sweet show for Japanese kids, especially since he figures to go 0-for-6 or so over the two days.

        Enjoy the games, sslingers, and enjoy the 0-0 .500 record the A’s have now because obviously we won’t see .500 again until Opening Day 2020. :-P

        Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 19,2019 5:56 pm || Up
  54. Glorious Mundy Mar 19,2019 5:49 pm

    Wow

    • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 19,2019 6:15 pm || Up

      Not too late for us to start Anderson!

      "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • Soaker Mar 19,2019 6:38 pm || Up

      Looking around the AL West outside of Houston, I wonder if the starters, or “followers” if Hendriks starts, will even manage a 5-inning average.

      Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
    • colin Mar 20,2019 6:37 am || Up

      They are really building a formidable team around Trout

      • Glorious Mundy Mar 20,2019 7:52 am || Up

        I’d take Cahill over Fiers right about now.

  55. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 19,2019 9:44 pm

    Vontaze Birfict, washed up and back in the East Bay. Sounds about right.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  56. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 20,2019 3:46 am

    Happy 2019 FKers!

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  57. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 20,2019 3:50 am

    Liam Hendricks picking up right where he left off

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  58. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 20,2019 3:56 am

    It occurs to me it’s not even spring yet.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
  59. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 20,2019 4:05 am

    Damnit Hundley!

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • Soaker Mar 20,2019 5:26 pm || Up

      Hundley, Phegley and Herrmann getting 600 PA sounds like a combined OPS of .600 with 40 GIDP. If there’s a runner on first base with one out they might as well try to steal second because there’s no real cost of getting thrown out.

      Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
  60. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 20,2019 4:07 am

    Ok, an Ichiro appearance an an A’s hit will have to hold me. G’nite.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • Future Ed Mar 20,2019 6:38 am || Up

      my plan failed as much as Melvin’s

      I have $5. No I don\'t.
  61. harensheir15 Mar 20,2019 5:46 am

    Happy Baseball, everyone. Something fitting about Opening Day falling on Spring Equinox. Let’s do this.

  62. colin Mar 20,2019 6:39 am

    Perks of the eastern time zone is that my cat woke me up around 6:30 and I got to watch from the 4th inning on.

    • AV Mar 20,2019 8:07 am || Up

      CATS!

      i love cats.

      *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
  63. sslinger Mar 20,2019 8:42 am

    Welp, that was a disappointment but still a fun time. Fiers started out looking good but it seemed he got rattled with a little shaky D, slowed his pace way down and lost it with the walk to Encarnacion. I don’t think playing on the turf at the T Dome has helped any. Some really nice power shown by Piscotty, Khrush, and Chapman so far. Wendelken has impressed me more than in the past, and Trivino had a nice inning.

    On the food front, I had an okonomi-yaki ball that was quite good, and a weirdly bad-ballpark food delicious katsu strip in a hotdog bun smothered with curry. And not only is beer plentifully distributed in the stands, but you can get highballs too, basically whiskey & soda. Full crowd, mostly Japanese, I’m guessing a lot of season ticket holders to YG team, plus those there to see Ichiro. Best fun surprise – grounds crew out to rake the dirt patches around the bases in the 7th suddenly breaking into a dance/gymnastics routine. And while they didn’t play TMOTTBG at the 7th inning stretch in the exhibition games, they did for this one.

  64. andeux Mar 20,2019 10:28 am

    From looking at the box score:
    Interesting that Pinder got the start in LF instead of Grossman. May have just been a matchup thing.
    That also put Laureano in the leadoff spot, and it looks like he had a rough night. I am still optimistic.
    My hope for Dull to make the 25-man roster over Rodney is not looking good.
    Some of it may have been the park, but this team will hit and allow a ton of dingers again.
    Six BBs and 1 HBP allowed. Four of them scored. Throw fking strikes.

    TINSTAAFK
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 20,2019 10:47 am || Up

      I want Wendelken over both Dull and Rodney.

      • Future Ed Mar 20,2019 11:20 am || Up

        I like rodney more than most around here, but I agree on dull.

        I saw an ugly wndelken game in person and have never trusted him

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • Glorious Mundy Mar 20,2019 11:26 am || Up

      Dingers: The cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.

  65. Soaker Mar 20,2019 4:02 pm

    OK, I watched it, and congratulations to anybody who actually stayed awake through all the three-ball counts. That was tough to watch even in daytime. Oh well, the A’s prove they can uphold the tradition of the messy clunker of an opener in any hemisphere.

    Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
    • Future Ed Mar 20,2019 4:05 pm || Up

      hulu didn’t record it for me despite me ask it to

      I have $5. No I don\'t.
    • andeux Mar 20,2019 4:07 pm || Up

      The recap said that before today the Mariners had allowed 3 or fewer runs in 12 straight season openers. The last 10 of those were Felix and (I’m not looking it up) I’d guess at least half were against the A’s. So at least this was a new way to lose.

      TINSTAAFK
  66. andeux Mar 20,2019 10:45 pm

    #*$&^%#(%&^*(&*%^#

    TINSTAAFK
  67. elcroata Mar 21,2019 3:28 am

    World upside down. I’m awake and watching the games and you are all sleeping, most of you int he world where Luzardo is not hurt, and the A’s are not 3 runs down. Sweet dreams, FK brethren…

    Because survival is insufficient
  68. elcroata Mar 21,2019 4:23 am

    All hail Jay, The Lead Glove Bruce

    Because survival is insufficient
  69. sslinger Mar 21,2019 4:31 am

    Much tighter game tonight. Packed house with everyone hanging on every move Ichiro makes as he is apparently officially announcing retirement after tonight’s game.

  70. sslinger Mar 21,2019 4:51 am

    Gone a lookin’ – Ichiro’s last at bat?

  71. sslinger Mar 21,2019 5:49 am

    Nope, a ground out, then substituted for in the bottom of the 8th for an emotional farewell. Pretty sweet. Now let’s win it.

  72. elcroata Mar 21,2019 6:17 am

    I wrote a small script to see when is the earliest point Khris Davis can bat .247. It is (assuming his late-career average of ~3.6 AB/G and ~150 G/Yr) the home series vs Astros April 16th and 17th, where he can get to 18/73. The earliest he can bat .247 and maintain it until the end of the season is home series vs. Indians in early May.

    Because survival is insufficient
    • andeux Mar 21,2019 6:25 am || Up

      Did you use continued fractions, or brute force it?

      TINSTAAFK
      • elcroata Mar 21,2019 6:49 am || Up

        Brute force. Not pretty, but in my defense, I was in a meeting pretending I’m taking notes, and watching the game at the same time.

        Because survival is insufficient
  73. Future Ed Mar 21,2019 6:19 am

    HENDRICKS!

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
  74. Future Ed Mar 21,2019 6:21 am

    thanks ryon

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
  75. Glorious Mundy Mar 21,2019 6:54 am

    I don’t know why these announcers are blaming Semien for that. Profar had plenty of time for that turn and he didn’t have to reach for the ball or anything.

  76. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 21,2019 7:54 am

    Somehow the A’s were still playing when I woke up this morning.

    Then they lost, which, ok, 160 left etc etc.

    Then I saw Syracuse’s point guard got suspended and had to change my first round bracket pick.

    Then I saw the Luzardo news and now everything just sucks.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • andeux Mar 21,2019 8:03 am || Up

      I won’t tell you about Matt Olson then.

      TINSTAAFK
      • 5Aces Mar 21,2019 8:58 am || Up

        If we lose Olson and Luzardo for a significant amount of time I will be less upset at us possibly trying to get Jackson back instead of Keuchel.

        Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
        • Future Ed Mar 21,2019 9:14 am || Up

          I think luzardo news means kuechel should be signed

          I have $5. No I don\'t.
          • 5Aces Mar 21,2019 9:57 am || Up

            I dont disagree, but I would be less concerned if this quickly turns into a lost season.

            Admittedly I am being a bit of an Eeyore here.

            Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
            • Future Ed Mar 21,2019 10:40 am || Up

              yesterday notwithstanding, the bullpen looks good. the offense looks good, with or without olson. I believe in chad pinder and would love to see more at bats for him.

              I wouldn’t be sad if keuchel doesn’t sign in oakland, but I think any credible push for the playoffs can include him.

              I have $5. No I don\'t.
              • 5Aces Mar 21,2019 11:12 am || Up

                And you can probably get a 2-3 yr deal for him so everyone else can heal and be ready in 2020 and beyond.

                Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it? -Steve McCatty
      • Future Ed Mar 22,2019 9:34 pm || Up

        I have $5. No I don\'t.
        • Soaker Mar 22,2019 9:52 pm || Up

          I was impressed that they landed in Oakland around 8 pm last night and he had the surgery in LA today. They got through customs and immediately, see ya guys, I’m headed over to the Southwest terminal and going to LA for the operation.

          I associate the hamate surgery with Jose Canseco, back when he was actually good. He had the surgery in spring training in 1989 and made his season debut the first game after the All Star break. The medical technology has improved, but still, logically, Memorial Day or so.

          Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
          • MikeV Mar 22,2019 9:57 pm || Up

            Didn’t Jose Guillen do something similar

            And I have to say: mikev is one of my favorite people on here -slusser.

            Thanks, and go As.

            • FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 23,2019 11:35 am || Up

              He played through the pain to help clinch the 2003 AL West after we traded for him.

              "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
    • ptbnl Mar 21,2019 8:26 am || Up

      There there. There there.

      If this is His will, He's a son of a bitch.
  77. Soaker Mar 21,2019 5:08 pm

    Well, boo, he said on a 10-hour delay.

    To the sslingers, I’m sure you had a great experience and will barely remember the box score facts. Don’t forget,

    ?????????????

    Edit: Grrr, FK can’t handle the Japanese grabbed from Google Translate. “Watch out for foul balls!”

    Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
  78. Soaker Mar 22,2019 12:21 pm

    Not sure I would be featuring something called “Bud Light Orange”.

    Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
    • Jennifer Mar 22,2019 9:12 pm || Up

      It probably smells and tastes like that stuff they sprinkle on the floor after someone barfs.

  79. Future Ed Mar 22,2019 9:38 pm

    late to this party but Kevin Magee would be smiling for the UCIs big win.

    I have $5. No I don\'t.
  80. andeux Mar 24,2019 1:55 pm

    Giants hitters making Brett Anderson look pretty good.
    And Pisco and Profar have both his absolute bombs.

    TINSTAAFK
  81. Glorious Mundy Mar 24,2019 2:02 pm

    When Profar is playing first base (i.e. against RHPs), will it be Barreto or Pinder playing 2B?

  82. AV Mar 24,2019 2:43 pm

    huh. i know this feeling. this feeling is very much: your national team can’t seem to score during the world cup final. they lose. you’ll replay some close calls in your head. wonder how this one or that one didn’t get it across the line. but inexplicably, given the circumstances, that’s just not how it turned out. and tomorrow you’ll pour all that disappointment into rooting real hard for your local team.

    CLAP CLAP, CLAP CLAP CLAP. LET’S GO SDNY!

    *i’m* AV. alex vause. put this loon in psych before she hurts someone.
  83. Glorious Mundy Mar 24,2019 2:55 pm

    Barreto in center, Beck in right at the moment

  84. Glorious Mundy Mar 24,2019 2:59 pm

    I like that new half-zip with the number on the front that BoMel is rocking.

  85. Soaker Mar 24,2019 3:57 pm

    Ken and Vince reminded me to schedule my first Aviators trip (April 24 and 25, Aviators vs. Chihuahuas).

    Treacherous chasms of half-truth and despair. -- Ken Korach
  86. Glorious Mundy Mar 24,2019 4:33 pm

    So close Vince

  87. FreeSeatUpgrade Mar 25,2019 9:15 am

    Opening Day in just three days! It’s unfortunate that rain is forecast, and that MLB is making us start with an 0-2 record for some reason, but Opening Day is nigh! W00t!

    I’ll be tailgating rain or shine, holla back if you want to come by.

    "Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."

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