Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan…this team is not.
The pitching has been pretty decent so far this year, but the offense, ugh. .217/.295/.402 ranks them near the bottom in the NL across the board. Yasiel Puig hasn’t been much help at .208/.254/.367. Joey Votto has led the NL in OBP seven of the last nine seasons but he’s off to an icy start as well with just a .341 OBP…which nevertheless is just about at the top of the ballclub among the regulars. He has been hitting leadoff the last three weeks or so and is in that spot again tonight.
The ex-A’s report features only one old friend. Sonny Gray has pitched decently, though not deep into games (like everybody else in baseball) but that unsupportive offense has left him with an 0-4 record.
The Reds have an all-righthanded rotation, but do have three lefties in the bullpen.
Tonight at 7:05: Mike Fiers vs. Tyler Mahle
Wednesday at 7:05: Brett Anderson vs. Sonny Gray
Thursday at 12:35: Chris Bassitt vs. Tanner Roark (no NBCS-CA; Reds telecast on MLB Network)
Hairs versus squares?
Little red courgette.
Oh good grief. One of the games I saw in Vegas the lights in left field weren’t working and they played anyway, and obviously the rest of the lights weren’t the equal of what any MLB park (even the Coliseum) has.
The lights that aren’t working aren’t behind home plate so it seems to me they could have come to the conclusion I came to at 7:04 and avoided the delay.
Since the light bank is still dead and Fiers is warming up it appears that’s exactly their conclusion…90 minutes later
They are recognizing Dick Callahan on his 1,000th A’s game. Fittingly the are about 1,000 fans here to laud him.
Game delayed due to lighting malfunction. Bank above Mt Davis in LF is out. Players not even in dugouts yet.
Starting pitchers need to go through their full routine and they usually come out about 30 minutes before first pitch. Presumably they know what the problem is and just need a part or something, but it’s going to be a late night in any case.
Yes, I foresee listening to Vince’s 7rh inning call while driving home.
Hell at this point I might hear Vince’s 4th inning call
You’re gonna leave when Fiers is pitching so well?
I do like watching a guy use the whole park.
Ken said “no-hitter” in that last inning so FSU can safely leave if he has to.
Do we know if Treinen is available? Slusser always gets days off after a long road trip so I feel less informed than usual.
Someone said yes earlier.
The whole park indeed.
Maybe even plus a couple inches.
My seat companion is unaware of the full scope of the situation; I honor the code.
I can imagine the conversation:
Let’s go.
We can’t.
Why not?
…
…
We’re waiting for Gaudin.
Oh.
that was my conversation on mothersday 2009 at home:
SLF (not a baseball fan, packs up infant and three year old): “lets go for a walk on mothersday
ME: I can’t
SFL: WTF? Why?
Me: Listening to the radio
SLF you haven’t moved from that spot in an hour
Me: I can’t go
SLF Why?
Me: Can’t say
SLF: Dick [leaves]
Hah! I had a similar conversation when Nurse and her mother came back home that day around the 8th inning and I demanded they get out of the way of the TV.
She figured it out last night shortly after my above comment.
She clearly doesn’t love you enough to understand.
I remember a game with the eldest Ace where I wanted so much to explain the code but couldnt. Height of frustration
Follow up. Eldest Ace came home around the 8th inning last night. Told him to come sit with me for the 9th. With one out he says “so he has a no-hitter?” After I yelled at him he was like “well how was I supposed to know that?” Proceeded to show him this comment.
I thought Korach saying it on the air gave me cover but reading these comments says no. Maybe you have to personally hear him say it.
The context of the first mention (there were many) was that Fiers’ pitch count was in the low 80s in the 5th inning. Korach said “If there’s a no-hitter here tonight it won’t be a complete game because of the pitch count.” Whereupon Ray said, “Fiers only threw 64 pitches in his last game, and if you figure he can average 100 over two starts he has a long way to go.” I laughed at Ray for that at the time but it turned out to be spot on.
The traditional part of not mentioning no-hitters applies to the players on the bench, not fans or announcers. But these days we’re supposed to be respectful of other people’s sincerely held religious beliefs.
i think it adds to the fun
While I keep to the code and tell the Aces to do likewise I dont really begrudge others from doing what they want.
On the TV side they were all over the place-said it sometimes, did the roundabout language at other times. And had a graphic up for maybe the lat 2 innings.
The origins of the “say nothing” rule are in the dugout, where players aren’t supposed to speak to the starter with a no-no in progress. I feel like the extension of this to the fans, in the park or at home, is a fairly modern convention. My interpretation is that I am not supposed to state what is happening out loud so long as it’s still active, whether or not anyone else has.
I also exempt announcers from the rule. It’s literally their job to tell us what’s happening.
That reminds me that I dont think I see the shot anymore of the whole bench sitting far away from a starter that is deep into a no-no. Maybe I just missed it but I always enjoyed seeing that.
I prefer announcers convey it without saying it. Which is possible and fairly easy to do.
There are 2 guys actually working on a platform on the light standard itself. Not filling me with confidence for an imminent start.
Sounds like the lights have not taken full effect.
Neither weather nor travel is an issue as the A’s stay home this weekend while the Reds are in San Francisco so I’m guessing Thursday afternoon doubleheader if they can’t get it fixed tonight.
Fortunately ESPN2 has the World Axe Throwing League from Halifax NS
Icing the middle school brass band for 90 minutes had a predictable effect.
Radio’s timing was off so we heard that. I thought it was the Rossmoor Leisure World Kazoo Band.
Needs more
cowbellairhornUsed the delay to walk the entire concourse circumference, both levels. The new kid zone is nice. The new food bowl cart is…lacking.
This axe throwing doesn’t look that hard.
More lights coming on! Still not taking full effect
A routine 4-3! Way to go Jurk Store!
Clever strategy to wait until it got colder so Fiers would give up fewer dingers.
If he can’t be effective pitching ib the Coliseum then he’s really about out of chances.
Honestly this probably did affect that Votto drive to center.
Dave on telling us how the stadium will allow us to make huge payroll increases.
I was born at night folks, but not last night.
Kaval and Braden at the same time is waaaaaaaay too much for me.
Thanks, and go As.
I miss nationally televised Braden. Where he toned it way the fuck down. A’s televised Braden is downright awful.
Dallas needs a better career counselor
I was taking a leak and caught a bit of Kaval. I appreciate how he imparts value into each building block. Sure he’s a cheerleader, but after many years of legit “what are the A’s doing” worries, Kaval shows he’s learned from the past.
Agreed. I like that each step being discussed and after I liked Dallas talking about how even the players had to learn to temper expectations. But the salary stuff will always bug me (or it will until I see Chapman with a giant check in hand)
Kaval is good for the team. Wish they still made smarter decisions, but you can’t blame the guy who’s job it is to rally the community to be rah rahing.
Yawn…Ramon didnt even get to double someone off of 1st.
I started getting excited when: Profar made a perfect throw to start a double play instead of heaving the ball 10 feet over Semien’s head into left field.
I’m still worried that we’ll somehow lose this game.
This is exciting!
FSU is shocked by all the Jurk store goodness tonight.
Great defense and hitting from Profar.
Sombrero for Chapman.
The other thing.
It’s bizarro night at the coliseum.
Nice
Ken should have told Ray to shut up at the start of the ninth inning but he did a decent (not always successful) job of cutting him off when it was necessary.
Dallas backed off the schtick as the game went on. So at least he gets that.
First A’s no-hitter I’ve ever attended. Worth every minúte.
I’m glad you were there for the whole thing, and I got to see you beforehand. Being tired from my quick Denver trip and after hearing a security guy announce that the game was going to be cancelled (following lots of rumors to that effect), we left before they got the light bank fixed. Grrr…
Just like heaven
Fiers has thrown the last two interleague no-hitters.
Love that he threw the last one against Brett and Brett is commenting on Twitter about it now.
now we have another game
HOLY SHHHHHHHHHHH
I got called back to court. last I saw on my phone was at 91 minutes
BTW, SLF had previously gotten david sedaris tickets for today so I gave my seats to a friend from Cincinnati
So Profar doesn’t suck any more?
Even if his Steve Sax Disease is in sudden and complete remission it’s going to be a while before I’m past my own PTSD to the point where my stomach doesn’t jump every time a routine grounder is hit to him.
Anderson’s velocity seems normal (91-92 fastball) but he just doesn’t look sharp at all.
This ump is especially terrible too.
Cinci catcher has been moving the ball like 8 inches and getting the calls. To his credit, Hundley is now doing it too.
It sounds like they’re going to have to cannibalize an old light tower in East Africa or someplace to get the part they need to get those lights fully functional. Most of the ballparks I’ve been to recently have gone to LEDs but not this one.
“See if Hundley can come through.”
Sure Glen.
@andeux hey, he didnt hit into a DP!
That’s a little harsh, pulling the winless Sonny at that point.
Profaresque
Harsh and ineffective.
It’s mostly my soft spot for Sonny, but the Reds aren’t going anywhere this year, the veteran pitcher who’s 0-4 has a chance to be eligible for a win on a mound he’s familiar with, give him a chance to get out of that inning with the lead.
Edwin Jackson 7 runs in 5 IP at LV.
Nick Martini 1-3.
What happened to Khris?
KD injuries on both sides of the complex
Is Chad Pinder still alive?
With Khris hurt he’s basically the position player equivalent of the backup catcher. This is where a three-man bench is tough on the manager.
Reds bring in Iglesias, who has blown a few games and then bitched about being used in non-save situations.
We’re going to get Rodneyed in the 15th inning ugh
It is down to Hendriks and him. Ugh.
So much mediocre pitching vs mediocre hitting.
One fking more A’s run please.
Remember scoring runs? That was fun.
Sweet almond walk off!
Spared from the Rodneying…thank you Piscotty.
Spare the Rodneying, spoil the Soaker
FK the Red Sox
Boston Racist
i’ll buy that wrist band
Some A’s runs would be nice
nAcho
The Reds just made the “Skyline Chili Call to the Bullpen” so that’s the way it’s looking.
Poop
More than you ever thought you wanted to know about the best built car from the best car builders, the Toyota Century.
I didn’t know Anthony Recker had joined the TV pregame team. I’m sure at least one fan is beyond elated. Security should keep an eye on the crowd in the Treehouse.
Recker?
hardly knew her!
still funny
Thanks, and go As.
what are you, anjelica huston?
#timesup, man. #timesup.
:(
Thanks, and go As.