SB Nation User Blog: Elvez

Analysis Request: Andrew Bailey

Elvez — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:11:15 -0000

I'd love to see your breakdown of Bailey's delivery and especially his "follow-through". I don't know how to post a link, but on the A's MLB.com site, under More Videos, there's one called "Andrew Bailey Reel". He pulls his pitching hand back so far, it looks like he's catching a fish or something. He's spotting his fastball well so far this year, and might be the closer for the A's this year (not that they look to have a lot of save situations...)

This would be pretty incredible for pitcher and hitter analysis. Until then, it's still pretty...

Elvez — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:41:44 -0000

I-Movix SprintCam v3 NAB 2009 showreel from David Coiffier on Vimeo.

This would be pretty incredible for pitcher and hitter analysis. Until then, it's still pretty incredible for cheerleader and jello analysis, unfortunately not at the same time though.

I am anxiously awaiting even the slightest, most insignificant A's-related news.

Elvez — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:35:26 -0000

I am anxiously awaiting even the slightest, most insignificant A's-related news.

I just don't want to see Garret Anderson's name anywhere near the top of the RotoWorld list any longer!

Harden pitched well against the BoSux last week. Boston has decided that he is therefor...

Elvez — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:01:23 -0000

Harden pitched well against the BoSux last week. Boston has decided that he is therefor "available".

"Apr 1 The Boston Herald's Tony Massarotti reports Oakland Athletics SP Rich Harden may become available in a couple of months. Harden is signed through this season at $4.5 million with a $7 million club option for 2009, after which he will be eligible for free agency."

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7180/news

DLD 8-27-06: Hire Macha Now!!! (And Frank, too.)

Elvez — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 23:52:55 -0000

Didn't see a link dump for today and I stumbled upon a weird link that seemed worth sharing, just for entertainment's sake...

baseballrace.com is a site where you can pick the year and the division and watch a visual representation of the race to the post season. (It's fun watching OAK catch and pass SEA towards the end of '03)

Also, Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News has a big crush on Macha: " Oakland started the trip that ends today by dropping a doubleheader at lowly Kansas City, but Macha remained unflappable. The Athletics, following the tone set by their manager, are 6-1 since being swept.

"Remaining calm is a Macha strength. He keeps a looser [loser?] hold on his team than Showalter does.

"Oakland general manager Billy Beane does not put a high premium on the manager. His job, Beane believes, is to implement the front office's plan. Macha has distinguished himself by creating an atmosphere in which the club improves during the season."

Also also, the A's have begun negotiations with Frank Thomas' agent.

"We've talked to the A's," said Thomas, adding that agent Arn Tellem has been negotiating with the team for about a week.

"Hopefully we'll get something going soon. We're not close yet. I would love to come back here. Like I said, I'm just going to be patient. I would like to get a couple of years, but I don't know what their interests are in that."

Your turn to dump.

Interesting thread from U.S.S. Mariner...

Elvez — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 20:48:30 -0000

A Mariner's fan and sometime friend of mine here at work sent me this link from the USS Mariner blog: http://ussmariner.com/2006/06/30/why-the-as-arent-that-good/.

It's an interesting take, and pretty spot-on in some of its points, but nothing we haven't ourselves pointed out from time to time. Though it would be of interest here at AN, and didn't see it on the DLD.

I didn't hear. Did Bonds hit a homer yet?

Elvez — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 16:56:46 -0000

It's just insane how much attention the media is paying to this "story". I don't have tv, but I was over at a friend's place last night watching ESPN NEWS, hoping to catch Swisher's grand salami. Over the course of a couple hours, they played the same loop of stories a number of times. No Swish, but I must have seen Bonds' homer 15 times in that span. What a joke. TV sucks. ESPN moreso.

I'm looking for some reading recommendations...

Elvez — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 01:06:00 -0000

I've been an insane A's fan and fan of baseball in general since 1995 when a buddy of mine looked over and out of the blue said, "Hey, you wanna be A's fans?". I've learned a lot about the game and the specific way the A's play it since then. I've read Moneyball, but I'm looking for something that goes a little deeper into strategy than that book. I'm particularly interested in the pitching/hitting strategy, and how to understand the theories that good hitters and pitchers are focused on when playing. Are there any recommended books that I could pick up to get a good understanding of this aspect of the game? Something like "Baseball for Dummies", but maybe a little more intermediate than that...

Did anyone else catch this rumor about Zito to the Mariners?...

Elvez — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 23:50:28 -0000

It's all in the past now, but I never heard about it when all the stuff was flying around earlier this week.
"Had Seattle acquired Pierre, an official of one club, who had knowledge of the Mariners' plans, said they would have offered center fielder Jeremy Reed and left-handed reliever Matt Thornton to the Oakland Athletics for left-hander Barry Zito. Billy Beane, the Oakland GM, is fond of Reed. But that would have been a stretch without additional prospects -- a scarce commodity for the Mariners."
(from http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/251438_mari09.html)

Here's the link to the Lookout Landing diary about this. My favorite quote is the first one: "Thornton is like a much harder throwing version of Zito with one twist, he sucks."