I’d say that they show up at my home every fourth week of September but that’s not true. First off, they’ve only showed up five of the last eight Septembers. And second, they actually don’t just show up. Rather, a FedEx-branded post-it on my door bears a barcode and a goose chase to follow to get the prize. Some tracking checks, phone calls, and drives to the FedEx office later, I have them: A perforated sheet of every possible postseason game the A’s might play this year. They sparkle with possibility, they tantalize with hope…they torment.
Many years, many unused tickets. Do I set them aflame in the kettle grill I won’t be packing up again? Dangle them in a kinetic mobile, catching the wind and nothing else? Slide them unceremoniously into the recycling bin? Keep them, half Santayana, half Sisyphus? It doesn’t matter. Long after the pulp slurry of so many unused and unusable tickets is gone, the dashed hopes burn on like a tire fire.
But one of these years. Oh, yes. One of these years we’ll progress…WC begats DS, DS begats LCS, LCS begats WS! In an alternate universe some A’s fan has already used the improbable World Series Home Game 4 ticket.
Maybe this universe. Maybe this year. Where some see glossy cardstock I see hope. And I ain’t just whistling past the graveyard neither. I do believe it will happen again someday. Someday soon! Hell, it’s happened four times in my life so far, and 30 years since the last one, so we are hella overdue. The postman will deliver. The Hayward fault will rupture. Beards will fall back out of style. And our cardstock dreams will come true.
Could be a quiet game thread on FK tonight, with many of us among the 50,000+ redeeming our ticket for the chance to redeem more tickets, and ourselves, and our town. Let’s do this A’s. Let’s Go, Oakland.
"Kraut will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no kraut."
I will hopefully keep it active even if I am ranting into an echo chamber.
I got my bad luck out of the way early today by leaving my laptop at home and not realizing it until I got to work. So rather than subject myself to 2 morning commutes I am working from home today. Maybe I subconsciously did this to prepare.
In a game like this I usually prefer to sit down with scoresheet, rosters, the whole armchair manager thing and not get distracted much by the Internet. If it gets one-sided then the clipboard and pen can be set aside in favor of celebrating or ranting.
Now I’m sad I didn’t pack my scorebook. I picked up a HalfLiner from Eephus League this year to teach my offspring the way of the sheet, and it has been a lot of fun.
Have a great time at the game tonight folks. I’ll be here as well, 5Aces.
I’m on my way now. FK sucks on mobile, so people attending please call/text
Nine 2 five – 525 – six 3 eight 5
Thanks, and go As.
Some wildcard facts for today, some sad, some interesting.
After today, the A’s will be tied for the most wild card game appearances since its inception. NYY and PIT also have 3 appearances. The A’s currently are the only team with multiple appearances and no wins.
I didn’t fully appreciate this but since wildcards were introduced (not just 2 wild cards), the best AL WC records:
2001 A’s (102 wins)
2018 NYY (100 wins)
2002 Angels (99 wins)
2004 Red Sox (98 wins)
2019 A’s (97 wins)
2018 A’s (97 wins)
The ALWC game winner or ALWC from 1995-2011 has been AL Central team exactly twice. The 2006 Tigers and 2014 Royals. Both beat the A’s.
Let’s start adding some positive stats tonight. I won’t be at the game, but I’m not sure I’ll be posting.
Really nice essay, FSU.
As a temporary NRAF tonight, I will probably comment if once or twice so as not to just be yelling at strangers in the hotel hallway.
Half Santayana half Sisyphus, half Sideshow Bob. But maybe it ends tonight!
Let’s hope Clay Wood doesn’t leave any rakes lying around the outfield.
Die Rays, Die.
Found this in the AN archives…..Care to update MikeV?
Playoff losses measured in rage units:
23. 2000 Game 2 74
22. 2006 Game 3 75
21. 2006 Game 4 77
20. 2006 Game 1 78
19. 2000 Game 3 79
18. 2006 Game 2 83 Thought Frank was gonna do it
17. 2012 Game 1 86 Moss’s near HR made it better somehow
16. 2013 Game 1 87
15. 2002 Game 4 90
14. 2001 Game 4 91
13. 2002 Game 1 91.5 They blew a 5-1 lead, yet only 13th…
12. 2012 Game 5 92
11. 2000 Game 5 93
10. 2001 Game 5. 94.8
9. 2001 Game 3. 95
8. 2013 Game 5. 96
7. 2014 WC game 97.8 (should be #1 based only on how the game went)
6. 2002 Game 5. 98
5. 2012 Game 2. 99.1
4. 2013 Game 4. 99.6
3. 2003 Game 3. 99.7
2. 2003 Game 4. 99.8
1. 2003 Game 5. 100
This one personally would be #24. It’s annoying, but I wasn’t terribly invested as I would like to be. And the one and done format somehow makes it easier for me to handle. There’s no driving hope after a win or maybe they’ll win tomorrow after a lose sort of thing. It’s just sort of done. Last year was harder though. But then 2014 would be my #2 and then fucking Miggy/Byrnes game my #1.
Honestly, pretty much ‘meh’ on this one similar reasoning to dmoas. Last year was worse cause of the stupid choice to use an opener and FK the Yankees.
I also thought it was incredibly fucking stupid how they celebrated making the WC game after choking away a win on the road.
Thanks, and go As.
General Parking D lot. Couple rows closer than the big catwalk tower thing
Thanks, and go As.
Parked in D lot, row 20, very near the huge scaffolding. D lot is on Oracle side.
Sogard left off the Rays’ roster, so there’s one obvious bit of torture that won’t be happening. That part will be up to Joey Wendle.
And Pagan.
Rumor in the D lot is this is ONLY place they allow tailgating. Supposedly they’re telling A lot (prepaid) parkers no gear allowed. Per wacchampions who is with MikeV two rows from me.
I’m not shocked that I am getting 0 done today. t minus 3 hours. I think I am going to pick up some BBQ that I have been wanting to try before 1st pitch.
If you are in D lot have one or more for me!
Good luck everyone. I will be in and out need to leave for the airport during game. need to preparer and run around all day otherwise
Manaea enters the field to raucous applause, rocking great sox
Delightful surprise salb sighting on the way in.
“It’s a unique crowd…with the way they approach a baseball game.”
Damn right, Karl.
Let’s FKing do this.
Ahreed with LC
LET’S
FKING
GO
ESPN’s hypersensitive mics picked up Chapman saying just this was high fiving during the lineup introductions.
Who the fk is Yandy Diaz?
Seriously.
Still better than last year’s start.
I guess I’m going with the “statcast” broadcast on espn2. The sound mix seems a little less hyperactive, and there is no A-Rod.
Unfortunately they have way too high of a geek factor that got way too distracting. When can we have just a sounds of the game version?
Just one is doable. Let’s get this
So the ESPN stream is at least 2 pitches behind. So much for trying to sync with KK
Get that pitch count up
Jurk store needs to take the HBP
DFA is right about the pitch count but we need to capitalize.
Considering how nasty their pen is, is that really a better alternative than Morton?
The more arms they use, the more likely one won’t be on today and you can break them. Otherwise you’re still going to have to beat him.
They need to get Luzardo up right now.
Or just keep letting him give up homers.
Fuck
If we cant get a hit with RISP it doesn’t matter how many we give up so let’s get some offense!
Fiers has gotta be thinking “the FK I need to do to get the playoff start?”
Nightmare
Every fking October. We are a bunch of Charlie Browns sure we will kick that ball this time.
I don’t fault the process at all. I would have started Manaea too. But to lose badly in the wild card game two years in a row is supremely frustrating.
I’m not really a fan of this game. Can we turn it off and restart it?
I didnt want to think it but every time I heard someone talk about how good Manea has been “in every start since he came back” I thought about how all good rh8ngs come to an end. Like Vignette though I would have done the same thing.
I thought the only real argument for Fiers in the WC game was that looking ahead it would be better to have two Manaea starts against Houston than two Fiers start. No one expected this.
The problem was just how predictable he became in where he was trying to throw the ball.
I don’t understand why Luzardo was never an option.
Not a fan of the ladies in the front row with the masks and goofy sunglasses chatting away the whole game.
I’ve opened an “Oatland Ace” IPA to turn our luck around.
Open 3 more
A Semien!
A little league Semien
That’s not a four-man outfield. That’s a five-man outfield.
The statcast broadcast has observed that this ump gives tons of strikes off the plate outside against right handed hitters.
Yes, the reverse Verlander zone.
This lineup is so top-heavy. Someone at the bottom is going to have to do something unexpected.
Ugh. Not a fan of Brown here. Worse defense and not a better hitter.
The RISP issues are just insane at this point. They’re approaching 2-50.
and the 2 were Chapman’s HR and a non run scoring single
Luzardo will now do the Lou and throw 3 brilliant innings I hope.
Khris’s wRC+ against righties this year: 56
I went 5 1/2 but I have to mute these announcers. They never stop. I want to hear Ray at this point.
Why is Kris in this lineup?
Bob will always go down with his guys.
And go down we shall.
He was hopeless. Sad to see.
I really hope he’s just playing hurt and needs the rest. Because my god has he been useless this season and down the stretch.
The only bright spot for this game is that Luzardo os going to be fire next year
Just once I want the team playing us to shit the bed.
We tried that. We just out shat them.
Thirty years without a title. I don’t know why I allow myself to get sucked in.
Don’t worry Leroy we got 4 runs coming
Ive managed to work through the stages super fast this year. Ready for fun over the last innings and cant wait for 2020 either way. Lets get some runs NOW!
The Mariners games were an omen
The scorecard has been pitched aside.
I’ve never had any hope this team would get past Verlander in Game 5 of the Division Series…but man is this disappointing. I wanted them to get over this hump. They could go full 2001 Mariners in 2020, 116 wins, but as soon as they get to October this “postseason choke” label is going to be right back where it is now.
This is so infuriating
Not if one is completely numb.
We know how this ends–why do we do this to ourselves?
Oh this is the stab to the heart. Pagan to close it out.
2019 was a hell of a ride. This team didnt feel like a playoff team a lot, but when it clicked it was amazing.
We all know how quick it can go sideways and nothing is guaranteed. But I cant wait for 2020. The pueces are falling into place. I hope to God you all keep showing up here to gab joke and curse.
A (hopefully full season) of Puk, Luzardo, and Murphy is definitely something to be hopeful about. Given the big pieces coming back, there aren’t huge holes to fill.
Well next year’s team should be the strongest of this iteration. The position player core is strong, established, and still cheap – you could top it off with an elite 2B or OF, preferably someone left handed. The starting pitching has arrived and the depth is there too. The bullpen requires a couple of changes, but it shouldn’t need a drastic overhaul.
And yet it’s just so hard to feel like any of that matters when this franchise continues to fail in these games, and no matter who wears the uniform, they can’t get that big hit or the clutch pitching performance or even just run the bases properly. At a certain point, and 0-9 in these games is probably close to that point, even a diehard just doesn’t believe anymore.
Yeah. I’ve said it before, only to get pulled back in… but moments like these make me question my sports fandom. Especially when the team across the bay got 3 titles in 5 years.
That’s well stated but what I have always enjoyed most about baseball is something 5Aces mentioned yesterday, the routine and ups and downs over the 6 months. The A’s won the World Series when I was in 6th, 7th and 8th grade and at the time I thought that was something permanent but quickly realized, uh, no. I ain’t leaving and there are firm plans in place to see some games in Arizona starting Friday, March 6.
I’ve bought into just enjoying a great regular season (e.g. 2012) before, but it’s just not enough at this point. Especially having never seen a championship.
The A’s have had probably the most exciting regular seasons overall of any team since 2000, and that’s not nothing. Baseball is a regular season sport more than any other. Pretty discouraging though, obviously… Having a great team the last two years and going forward, but being stuck in this Astros situation is very aggravating.
Finally starting to come to grips with the trauma . . . but at least my October schedule was freed up.
Rememberances past trauma
I would rate them by “biggest punch in the gut.” My top ten.
10. 2002 Game 1. I remember staring into space, asking “What the hell just happened?”
9. 2000 Game 5. At the game. Ironically, I thought it might be their one shot at it.
8. 2001 Game 3. Blocked out details…
7. 2002 Game 5. Ignominious.
6. 2014 Wild Card. Jon Lester: don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.
5. 2012 Game 2. Coco’s repugnant juggling act during this game flashed to mind in the 12th inning two years later when the ball was rolling in the outfield after Fuld and Gomes missed Hosmer’s triple.
4. 2003 Game 4. Jermaine Dye’s three run homer in the sixth should have assumed legendary status in Oakland history. Instead, Keith Foulke blew the save in the eighth, then proceeded to save the World Series clincher for the BoSox the following year. Asshole.
3. 2003 Game 5. I was almost in tears with Melhuse at the dish, potential winning run in scoring position with one out in the ninth, expecting vindication. No dice.
2. 2013 Game 4. Textbook definition of Murphy’s Law.
1. 2003 Game 3. This still hurts. That sixth inning has to be the most unbelievable, unfortunate confluence of baserunning gaffes in the history of baseball. My everlasting loathing of the Red Sox was cemented that night.
Anyway…here is to the Oakland Athletics — 2020 World Champions.
Welcome. First comments get caught in a pending file until someone notices. Should all post straight through now.
Ugh. Your #1. The investment I made in that team and that season. I don’t remember a lot of my restless night’s sleep. But I distinctly remember waking up about a half a dozen times and each time facing a completely different part of the bed for the side, the foot, the head, the other side, the corner. And completely random at that. Just the sheer level of stupid is beyond gulling. I still don’t even understand it. And their youth simply doesn’t forgive it either as it’s the kind of thing that should piss you off even if they’re in spring training or even a god damn high school game.
These last two years of sort of normal, suspenseless losses are almost a relief compared to the normal way they’ve gone out.
Agreed. Although there is also the “benefit” of all the built up scar tissue. Once we are scored upon it was time to immediately move into offseason mode.
This year they made a lot of noticeably small, more understandable mistakes. From Profar not taking the HBP, pitch hitting on mediocre hitter for platoon advantage but removing the better catcher in the process, to not being more varied in pitch location. All on the surface annoying, but defensible and not mindnumbingly stupid. None of them individually lost the game, they were just contributions to a team loss as any other team loss during the season.
I’m starting to forget specific 2000-03 games but I can chart my emotional journey as a fan through them:
2000-01: Everything was happy and fun. Didn’t care too much about the series losses because I thought the gravy train would last a long time. Was too young to understand contracts, or service time, or the self imposed small market window bullshit.
2002: First instance of heartbreak. Thought the post 20 win streak team was for sure winning it all.
2003: Really bad heartbreak. Knowing it was Tejada’s last season made it feel 10x worse.
2004: First instance of rage. The collapse down the stretch and the last series against the slegnA was hard to take. And then the breakup of the core happened.
2006: Yay finally over the ALDS hump! We got that monkey off our back so we shouldn’t have any issues with series clinching going forward (oh you sweet summer child).
2012: FK yeah everything is amazing again! I love this team no matter what.
2013: Third instance of heartbreak. I will see Reddick swinging at that changeup over and over again.
2014: Nothing but rage and sadness
2018: Melancholy cynicism
2019: Melancholy cynicism
2000 was just happiness I mean we were fun and cool and the all the players were young and Jason Giambi was a rockstar
2001 Bummer but I mean bad things happen sometimes.
2002 I was at the last playoff game when MaEl homered after the Billy Koch disaster and they were going to get that last run, but man fucking Billy Koch
2003 I loved Tejada. I wore #4 because I just loved him and there was a sense that you just watched him grow up and that he cared as much as you did. BUT YOU NEVER STOP RUNNING AND YOU TOUCH THE FUCKING PLATE
2004 I moved to college so I missed the personal feeling of the collapse. Plus John Kerry’s collapse was way worse.
2006 I always loved Big Frank and it just felt good
2012 Was the best baseball season of my life and I have never been so happy wiht the game.
2013 I almost got fired for suggesting that we move a meeting to a sportsbar and after getting denied, watching the game during the meeting
2014 The trades sucked, and there was nothing but a feeling of impending doom. This one felt bad for months before because I knew it was going to happen. The Donaldson trade after this wrecked baseball for me.
2018 I mean they are young and scrappy so they will lose. Its just how it will work.
2019 I mean they have to at least win the play in before they are crushed in the ALDS? No… I wish thinking they will be better next year would make this feel better.
2014. That one broke me. Body, Spirit, and all. It will be very hard for me to reach a point of caring about this team the way I did before KC. The gut punch of having a world beating team start strong then the slow motion wheels of the bus coming off. Then having to watch it in fast forward in that Wild Card game. While the game itself wasn’t my #1 worst, the season itself and it’s outcome has made caring about this team incredibly difficult and very different.
is max muncy available?
2020 is the season of A’s baseball I’ve been most excited for since I can remember.
Tonight has been fucking depressing tho
yuo. 2019 was gravy
Yeah. I was already rosterbating as I went to sleep last night.
Me too, but I couldn’t finish.
I wish our shit worked in the playoffs.
i watched my soccer and also lost.
still, at my house, billy bumps was the most disappoint.
When the A’s lose in games like last night, its like a relationship that has an end that you see coming, but with a lot of bargaining about how it really can be fixed, before its inevitable end. In the end, you ask why you spent all that time bargaining with yourself and didn’t accept the dull sad.
Nah, I see it more like mikeA and others said above, baseball is s regular season game, it’s daily rhythms help pace me for much of the year. I still love her and want to be with her so I’ll accept being chaste until February. I won’t criticize any young hipsters who need for an October side piece but I’ll just watch playoff porn
The regular season is the first amazing two years of a relationship where you are just really happy. Sure there are bumps and what not, but man, that I know this is falling apart of the post season is a shit way to end after those two great years.
Next year is a whole new relationship.
What clueless dipshit (or malevolent troll) put a picture of a black cat on the playoff month in the A’s 2019 per calendar?
ah, we found the culprit!
Are you FKing kidding? My God. Hey, next year find a goat named Gibson that has been someone’s pet since 1988 for Christ’s sake.
Fun postscript about this calendar. I just flipped the page to December as I prepare to leave work. They spelled the name of the holiday on 12/25 “Christamas”.
At least they spelled “Rickey” correctly on that same date.
Running about getting ready for travel was made a lot easier after the bottome of the first and top of the 2nd.
Thanks?
I no longer have to worry about my overseas trip and theater tickets I want to get this month. So right there with you pal.
Despite setting out at 3pm I didn’t make it to my seat till midway through the 2nd inning, by which time the game was done.
They didn’t seem to start letting people in through security till 4:30 (at least at the 3 entrances I saw), and then the single server/cashier/bar-back at the Drakes bar was as lethargic as the A’s offense.
east coast is so dumb. games start at 4
My impression after 2.5 of their playoff games is that the NL sucks.
As Fernando Rodney enters.
And does what he does so well.
does fernando rodney suck, or is he getting two playoff checks?
Why is this an either/or question?
Postscript: I woke up this morning and realized I actually never did anything with the would-be 2019 playoff tickets. So I returned them to the earth as compost, washed my hands with sacred East Bay water, and consecrated the act with a strong local potion and the burning of sacred herbs.