SB Nation User Blog: FormerHuntsvilleStar

AN March Madness group on Yahoo!

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:16:21 -0000

It's been asked a couple of times (by me on one occasion) whether we're having another Yahoo! NCAA Tournament bracket group again.

Since I haven't heard from anyone else, I decided to go ahead and create the group this year:

http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1

Click on "Join a Group"...

The Group ID# is 129574
The password to join is WeMissSwish

Even if you don't miss Swish, humor me anyway. :)

Thanks for joining!

WLD 7/14/07 - If only...

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 14:05:51 -0000

Don't you just love it when an error in your newspaper makes you dream and wish it were reality? Take my copy this morning's News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.), for example:

Sigh. Reality is overrated.

Other A's news:

Rickey has joined the Mets as their first base coach. Does that mean he's officially retired and the Hall of Fame clock has started?

In other baseball news, Ichiro Suzuki signed a 5-year contract extension that will pay him $90 million. Not surprising.

The Giants signed GM Brian Sabean to a 2-year extension. Slightly less not surprising.

I'd love to talk about Becks and Posh and whatnot, but my 12-month old son is trying to wrestle the keyboard away and at 23t2 .;g'raegehnaent/trrasnmtrne.rn.aer.n...nnn

DLD 4/2: Tick, tick, tick...

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:16:28 -0000

Happy Opening Day! Baseball is really back, and it rocks.

I took the day off for this. Now I just need to know how to watch all the games (outside of the smorgasboard ESPN and ESPN2 has for today), namely OAKLAND at SEATTLE at 12:35 p.m. PDT/3:35 p.m. EDT.

Negotiations between In Demand and MLB regarding the Extra Innings package went into Sunday, but with three hours until the first pitches of today's action (as of the time I'm writing this, still no word if a deal was made.

I have cable, so obviously I want a deal done. But at any rate it looks like I'll at least try the 5-day trial of MLB.tv.

But the games will go on anyway, so I hopefully there will be an A's opening day victory for us to enjoy.

A's linkage:

SF Chronicle: A's open against a team with payback on its mind

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: A's had the Mariners' number in 2006; it was 17

Marietta (Ohio) Times: Swisher is a very caring celebrity ballplayer

Last spring action: A's finish with win

Also...

Opening Night: Mets 6, Cardinals 1

Chicago Sun-Times: Angels look like team to beat in weak division

Let's get it started (ha), let's get it started in here...

UPDATE: A's fire Macha

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 11:46:04 -0000

It's official: The Oakland Athletics have fired Ken Macha.

Here's the latest from Sussan Slusser and the San Francisco Chronicle.

The primary reason is reportedly "Macha's problems communicating with players, along with what injured players have described as a callous attitude toward them."

This story does not name possible replacements.

Daily Link Dump 8/19: Update on Huston

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Sat, 19 Aug 2006 13:10:19 -0000

Yeah, yesterday stunk to high heaven. And for those of you wanting Huston Street injury information, it's a right groin strain and he's considered day-to-day.

It's almost enough to send us to the DL.

In the Chronicle's notebook, the last time the A's played that many innings in one day, they looked flat the next series. Does last mean last night the A's weren't even flat yet?!?! Gah!

Bobby Crosby was activated from the DL. We'll see if he actually helps.

Well, at least it our doubleheader was relatively quick...

Giants catcher Mike Matheny is done for the season after too many blows to the head. Jason Kendall, who estimates he's had seven concussions in 11 major league seasons, weighs in on this related article on baseball concussions.

The Kansas City Star has a feature on Big Hurt.

My nearly 8-week-old son is now sitting on my lap watching me type this. I feel better already. :)

Link Dump 6/3: Wakey, wakey!

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 13:08:38 -0000

It's my monthly Daily Link Dump, straight from Cup crazy North Carolina, where I can post this thing probably before many of you have woken up. So WAKE UP already!

Yep. The A's lost to the Twins in a great pitchers' duel. Sometimes you just throw up your arms and be glad you don't face a pitcher with the caliber of Johan Santana every single day.

Milton Bradley plays for Sacramento tonight in a one-game rehab. Yay! The A's confirmed Rich Harden will pitch Sunday for Oakland. Double yay!

The city of Fremont wants the A's, and they don't seem to be shy about it, either.

Women learned more about baseball earlier this week in a benefit for John Muir Healths Cardiac Care Services. They got to hear from Ken Macha, Ron Washington, Bryn Alderson and Farhan Zaidi, and fun seemed to be had by all. Also, if you like articles without those pesky apostrophes and quotation marks, that story is for you!

And for those you following the NCAA Tournament, here's a full recap -- all on one page! What a deal! (Roll Tide, by the way...)

It's official. Chico is a very nice town. Pat Sajak says so.

Link Dump 4/22: Zito asked about future -- again

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 14:22:18 -0000

Mornin', folks! Beautiful day, isn't it?

Of course it is! The A's beat the Angels -- hooray!

We know Bobby Crosby got hurt -- boooo! Mychael Urban (in the link above) reported that he's day-to-day. Anyone with links to updates, post 'em if you got 'em below.

Guadin up, Kielty down (discuss) -- and Huston Street could pitch today if there's no pain while playing catch before today's game. Was his pectoral strain WBC related (discuss)?

Barry Zito likes SoCal. And he likes Arte Moreno. But really, he's not thinking about a possible future not in Oakland. I wish reporters would quit asking him questions about his future. I also wish Zito would quit answering them.

Forbes lists the A's as the fourth-least valuable franchise, worth only $234 million. I'm sure the A's would go for more on eBay. Meanwhile, MLB calls Forbes' analysis of its clubs a crock.

In the minors: Catcher Mike Massaro, hitting well at Class A Kane County, will be out 4-6 weeks after fracturing a bone in his left thumb while stealing a base Wednesday.

Discuss...and post more linky-link goodness below...

Link Dump 3/8: Bonds, South Africa and Kendall's wife

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 15:42:25 -0000

I'm at my parents' house in Alabama this week. I'm bored. I'll try one of these Daily Link Dump Diaries. What the heck. Oh yes...and Happy Birthday, Sharon!

Yesterday, the lost to the White Sox in spring training action. Personally, spring training games do nothing for me unless I'm actually there. Kind of like minor league games.

As we have since his passing, the A's remembered Kirby Puckett.

Also in that AP notes article, Justin Duchscherer was hit on his throwing shoulder by a line drive from Charles Thomas while pitching a simulated game, but he appears to be a-OK.

Keith Ginter is more relaxed this year. He could also be heading to Miami to take Pokey Reese's spot in the infield.

Other than that, it's been pretty quiet in camp.

Obviously the big story non-A's related is the excerpt printed in this week's Sports Illustrated of the book Game of Shadows, which details Barry Bonds' steroid use.

Ray Ratto says this revelation will change nothing. Mark Purdy says it's time for Bonds to go. And although secret ASian man had an interesting argument with some Bonds apologists, Tim Kawakami says those in Bonds' corner are getting quieter.

Here's a piece on South Africa's WBC team, led by longtime A's scout and new Vancouver Canadians manager Rick Magnante. Guess it isn't surprising they won't be doing that smallball thing.

The United States beat Mexico 2-0. Watching that game, it was cool to see Team USA taking this as seriously as the Latin American fans, even if American fans might not as much.

What if you woke up one day, stepped outside to get the newspaper, and saw Jason Kendall's wife? What would you do?

Come to think of it, what would I do? And how did I do with this Link Dump? <smiles, gives puppy dog eyes>

Back in N.C.: Thanks and some below-average photos

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:31:31 -0000

Hi y'all! My wife and I got back to North Carolina last night, immediately greeted by the nasty humidity that we were so not missing in our four-day stay in the Bay Area.

We went sightseeing tour around San Francisco and took a bay cruise from Pier 39 to the Golden Gate Bridge on Friday. Then we went to Oakland Saturday and Sunday for my first A's games at the Coliseum.

On Saturday, I met Hang Man and his friend and new ANer cpa2law while walking up the BART ramp to the Coliseum, and we chatted while walking through the snaking line up the ramp to the gate. It was about 11:10 or so, and considering the line, we knew Eck jerseys were not in our immediate future.

I got to meet baseballgirl -- she's very charming. I met Nico in the men's bathroom of all places. It was great talking about the planned stadium with secreat Asian man and the A's playoff spot competitors with CheckswingHR. It was simply a pleasure to meet and greet a number of you. And I had to thank Blez for scheduling my vacation. We had been considering visiting the Bay Area and checking out the A's since the spring, but the date of AN Day made figuring out when a breeze. And my wife and I are so glad we came. Thank you all for making this Southern boy (albeit without a true Southern accent) and his wife feel very welcome and at home!

We also went to Sunday's game, and we got a great view of Rich Harden striking out nine Twins. Unfortunately Minnesota scored in the ninth to take the game. Well, at least I got to see an A's victory while I was in town. And I did manage to score the Eric Chavez figurine, even though I'm having a hard time thinking it looks like Chavvy. His face is too long and his ears are too big.

I do have some photos from Sunday. I never got around to taking many photos Saturday, which is just as well -- because I'm not very good with a camera. All of these photos are from prior to the game, as my in-game shots are blurry. I better read that manual about closeups...and digital photo taking in general. :P

It apparently was Kids' Club day at the Coliseum on Sunday, so I got some shots of some of the pitchers signing autographs for the youngins'.

Barry Zito

Huston Street

Danny Haren during a TV interview

My only decent in-game shot is of Stomper. Says it all about by photo-taking ability, doesn't it? :P

Evaluating trades: In-season vs. off-season

FormerHuntsvilleStar — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 19:59:45 -0000

During the horrific month of May, there were some ramblings from a number of baseball analysts and columnists who declared the Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder deals to be busts, many because the folks we got were stinking it up and Huddy and Mulder were doing A-OK.

As I recall, the response here at AN was, for a good part, critical of these public opinion makers. The reasoning: You can't judge those off-season trades as good or bad based on a month or two. Billy Beane made these deals for the long term success prospects of the Oakland Athletics. And as it turns out, so far at least, Danny Haren and Kiko Calero aren't too shabby, and the A's have Daric Barton in the back of everyone's mind. And some are willing to give Haren and Calero (plus Juan Cruz and Charles Thomas) time -- months or even years -- to really make the two off-season trades look like gold.

Now comes the two mid-season trades, with the A's getting Jay Payton, Joe Kennedy and Jay Witasick. The general feeling about deadline trades is that for contenders, they're for the short term -- getting that piece a team needs for the stretch run. If I understand correctly (and I'm sure someone can correct me), all three are signed through this year, with a club option for Payton in 2006. The only way to know if any of the three are long term is if they get signed beyond this season.

But Beane always likes to look long-term, so any of the three could be in the A's long term plans. On the other hand, John Mabry and Ray Durham, who helped spark the 2002 run, was only in Oakland for that season. Jose Guillen, another July acquisition, stuck around until the end of 2003. Octavio Dotel actually stuck around after the '04 season.

As fans, are we less likely to give Payton, Kennedy and Witasick the break we're giving Haren and Calero, because we expect them to perform now? Payton's been this year's Durham and Guillen, and Kennedy and Witasick have pitched pretty well. It seems Beane's knack for the July deal is still very strong.

But it seems odd that we can judge these deals over the same amount of time, but we should shy away from judging the Hudson and Mulder deals over essentially the same amount of time (two months).

Personally, I think it's OK to place a little double standard. Deadline deals are essentially, as if by definition, for players you need to produce now. Offseason deals are for building the base of your club for the long term. So sure, give the thumbs up for the Payton trade now -- because he might not be around for judging later. But Haren will be.

What do you think? How do you judge offseason trades as opposed to in-season trades?

Poll

How do you evaluate trades?

I want all deals to produce immediate results.

0 votes

Offseason trades are long-term; deadline trades are for now.

25 votes

All trades should have long-term ramifications.

21 votes

46 votes | Poll has closed