Please line up directly behind Mr. Andersen.

Yes, apparently Garrett Andersen came up with this brilliant idea to have many different players of different ethnicities appear on TWIB to thank Jackie Robinson for bringing us different players that we have loved to watch through the years.  Good job Garrett.

But on to the real reason I'm writing...

Watching This Week In Baseball (TWIB)'s tribute to Jackie Robinson this morning reminded me of so many reasons why I love baseball.

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We had both today at in Oakland.  Thank Heaven.  I really couldn't handle being swept by the Red Sox right now.  

I am sick as a dog and, let me tell you, it is really frustrating to be at a game and not be able to cheer for your team.  Especially when they're winning.

Missed a bit of the Float Day festivities and didn't take a whole lot of pictures.  What a great day for baseball:

• the floats tasted yummy
  
• Danny and the pen pitched a helluva game
  
• it wasn't too hot
  
• The nonbaseballplayingalien that's been inhabiting Chavy's body was gone (at least for one day)
  
• $40,000 was raised for juvenile diabetes
  
• Frank Thomas was Frank Thomas
  
• and - oh yeah - the A's won baby!

Loved Danny's high socks! Hot. But I really don't get why he and Swisher think they have chicken legs. Perhaps we should start a letter campaign to lobby for the wearing of high socks.

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I think these are fairly accurate quotes although I was in and out of my cube.  Nick will be some sort of correspondant on JRIB this week.  I got the impression it was only for one day, but maybe not?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On what he's currently doing:  

"Sitting in the hotel watching Field of Dreams.  One of the greatest baseball movies of all time...I just don't have the heart to turn it off."

On the Schilling HBP:  

"It was kinda weird because the first couple pitches kinda set up the beanball pitch.  Whether it was purposeful or not, just kinda put it in the memory bank.  What's done is done."  

Rome asked if he expected it when he stepped in the box:  

"No, not really.  I wasn't thinking that.  I can see that the pitch to Jason Veritek didn't look so good, but it barely even hit him...That one definitely dotted me up. Lol"

Rome commented on Milton yelling, etc. :

"Well it's nice, ya know.  That's one of the things we've always taken pride on the Oakland A's is to have each other's back.  And Milton really had my back."

On Milton as a teammate:  

"He's awesome.  Regardless of what people said, unless you get to know the individual, you don't know.  We come from opposite ends of the spectrum and we get along great.  If you're asking me to say a bad word about Milton, I can't do it."

On he and Milton sitting:

"I've been dragged down with a touch of the mono lately. So it was just a time for me to try to get some rest."

Will Barry be with the team next year?

"When you think of Barry Zito, you think of the Oakland A's.  Me and the rest of the guys on the team would love to have him for the next three four years."
On the Slusser article:

"I couldn't believe it was written.  I never thought anyone would purposely hurt you or make you look bad in the public eye.  When it comes to media, I've always been accessible and nice.  And I'm learning that there are some people or situations you have to watch."

"In general I think it shouldn't have been written and it did not make me feel good that it was written."

"Was it personal?  Ya know, maybe.  I don't know.  If someone had something personal against me, I don't know why.  That was my first sort of run in with someone trying to bring me down when you're flying high."

"The veterans really stood behind me.  The fact that it was written and the way it was written..."

"I'm not going to be one of those guys who shuts off the media in general.  I'm one of those guys who has too much to say.  Lol  But now I know that there are some people that you have to watch."

"I don't think you can gain any better compliment than when the veterans are backing you up, especially for a young guy.  (Mentioned specifically Jay Payton, Mark Kotsay, Frank Thomas, Jason Kendall.)"

On the 5 punch out game:    

LOL  "What he said (re: Richie Sexton), he could've walked five times, well not me.  Guys were saying `you couldn't even hit the broad side of a barn'.  Guys put wood putty on my chair so I could fix the holes in my bat."

"After the first three stikeouts I got a hit and I thought okay, it's ending for today.  But then they just kept piling on.   I would have just been happy to get beaned."

On his dad's influence (I think I missed a bit of this):

"My dad was one of those grind em out catcher guys.  Obviously we're a lot different in some senses, but he's my hero, my idol."

I'm just getting around to posting from the Saturday game.  

Sat in the bleachers for the first time this year.  Forgot how brutal the sun can be, so now I am a lovely (and painful) shade of lobster red.

I love sitting at various spots around the park which is one reason I never buy season tickets.  But I have to say, the bleachers are the best for fan camraderie and interaction.  I love it.  And with Nick Swisher out there, there's just no reason to sit anywhere else.

So, in some ways, let this diary be my tribute to the awesomeness that is the Left Field Bleachers.  No matter where I sit in the park, you are appreciated.

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Susan Slusser was on KFBK Talk 1140 this morning with the Rise Guys.  F.P. Santangelo had asked her to come on to discuss the Nick Swisher/partying article.  Interestingly enough, in spite all of the public fallout from the article, Susan said that F.P. was the first person to actually contact her to talk about the article directly.  

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And here's the answer...I had told her that I found it on a "quote page".  But I just happened across the old (8/4/05) SI article which contains it.

I thought I'd post it up for those, like me, who didn't see it.

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by Luvsthecurveball

Scutaro:  "Damn Macha, no more burritos in the dugout!"

So, went to Tuesdays game, thanks so much to Matt!  The seats were awesome, the people were fantastic (with emphasis on fan), and needless to say, the game was premium.

I absolutely love close games.  So I guess it's a good thing I'm an A's fan, right?  Most of the green and gold polish was gone from my nails by the end of the 9th and I'm considering sending Blanton a bill for a new manicure.  But, nah.  He pitched a gem.  I forgive him.  Now let's KEEP that Mo, Joe!

WARNING:  Girlyness ahead

I confess to being a bit of a camera stalker.  I love pictures...I love dugouts...I love baseball...I love hot baseball players...and I even love Jason Kendall!  And by that, I confess that I think he's hott in a grizzled veteran kind of way.  

And can you possibly get any hotter than a Chavvy/Swish combo?  And you can take that any way you like...

by Luvsthecurveball

More photos from Tuesday's game are here:

http://community.webshots.com/user/Luvsthecurveball

Wow, my first diary...  

The occasion to prompt this daring on my part was the warm sound of Eric Chavez speaking to Jim Rome on the radio as I drove back to work this morning.  All of a sudden, I wasn't mad at my kid anymore for making me run back and forth!  

Soooo, Chavvy didn't talk about much of great importance...say injuries to himself or team members...so that was disappointing.  Not that Romie is a tough "journalist" or anything.  

But Chavvy is Chavvy and a joy to listen to anytime he opens that gorgeous...errrrr...talented mouth.  So, thoughts from Eric in no particular order.

Chavvy on Jason Kendall's Home Run:

Apparently this was a topic in the clubhouse for months...when would Jason ever hit another home run?  They planned to do the total "college world series" thing, where they mob him at home plate.  But after consideration, they backed off because they didn't want to offend the other team.

Rome mentioned that the other team be damned...if it offended them, Jason would just go after the whole team a la the Lackey incident.  Chavvy laughed and said that, yeah, Jason has some vinegar and it adds to the team.  

Chavvy on the Yankees Sweep:

It was great and a lot of fun...obviously.  He mentioned the Dan Johnson home run bribery and said it actually went a lot deeper than that.  Without mentioning any names, he said he now owes one guy a set of clubs (of the "guy's" specification) and several greens fees to other players.  Apparently DJ heard about the bets that were already placed and approached Chavvy and asked him what he'd get for a homer.  So Chavvy, being the kitty cat that he is, offered $500.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Chavvy on the team winning Five in a Row:

Well, basically you need at least two of three things to win consistently.  Pitching, defense, and hitting.    Eric said basically that right now, they have good defense, great pitching and hitting.  Not sure if he meant great pitching and great hitting; I'd have to beg to differ a bit if he did.  "Ya know, it's like clockwork.  We start slow in April, have a terrible May, and then June hits and we take off."  "Luckily, no one's run away in the division and we're all just playing .500 ball."

And finally, on the chances of Zito leaving:

Rome:  "So, what are the chances that Barry Zito will be around at the end of the year?"
Eric:  "Oh, I think he will be.  We've got new owners now who want to win.  They aren't afraid to drop some money to get good players, and hopefully have players stay.  They picked up Thomas and Bradley and Loaiza and that was huge.  So I think Barry will be here."

Hmmmm, he certainly sounded very happy and optimistic.  And now I will be too...for the rest of the day at least.  Let's Go Oakland!