SB Nation User Blog: ohtobe21likehuston

DLD 7/3- I am down in the dumps.

ohtobe21likehuston — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:56:07 -0000

"Half a league. Half a league. Cannons to the right of me. Cannons to the left of me. Cannons in front of me."

This excerpt made me think of our season in a nutshell. Every time we believe that we are starting to make progress in one area- BOOM!- we quickly find out that we are staring down the barrel of a gun.

Big Frank returned to the Coli last night and we all remembered why we loved him so much. Check out this beautiful quote, A's fans-

"Last year was my most enjoyable year in baseball ever," Thomas said Monday before playing his first game in Oakland since leaving for Toronto as a free agent. "Last year it was just extremely fun to play baseball again. It was a wild bunch of guys who liked to have fun on a daily basis. I really brought my game back to where it should be last year."

Love ya, Frank. Thanks for the memorable year and please go 0-fer the rest of the series.

Can't argue with Geren's assessment of last night-

"They got a lot of hits tonight," A's manager Bob Geren said. "They were mostly on balls left over the plate. It wasn't our night on the mound."

Not sure if DiNardo perceives the situation like Geren...

"I felt like I was on my game," DiNardo said. "I was pounding the strike zone down."

No. The hitters were pounding YOUR strike zone, Lenny. But wait he has another quote that makes a little more sense-

"It was night and day," DiNardo said. "Basically I was just leaving the ball up in the zone. I wasn't hitting my spots."

Nice recovery, LD.

Apple denies that Universal is pulling their catalog from itunes so we'll see how that shakes out-

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/03/BUGM5QPPLG1.DTL

What a precedent this may set?

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/World/2007/07/03/4308413-sun.html

Have ya tried an Arnold Palmer? They are delicious and most restaurants now recognize it by name.

http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2007/06/an_arnold_palme.html

I've never done a DLD before so forgive me. I have to keep my mind occupied on something else after last night's debacle. Please insert your depressing Rich Harden and Justin Duchscherer news as you see fit. Dump, dump, dump away!

Mariners vs. Angels- Game Thread

ohtobe21likehuston — Thu, 31 May 2007 03:27:35 -0000

Well as a celebration that May is now over combined with the win today, I thought it was okay to come out and post and in-game thread diary that affects the division. The Mariners are currently trying like hell to make up the deficit and have cut it to 4-3 as of now. Let's see if our end to May can end with a Mariner victory and get us a little closer, as Hawk would say, to the "bad guys."

DVR's, TV's & Laptops- Baseball Reasoning

ohtobe21likehuston — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 22:02:55 -0000

With all of the technology improvements in today's world... it takes the younger folks to help us middle-aged (30's style) people keep up with everything. I humbly request the aid of the most intelligent sports-bloggers around. It's new laptop time and I feel clueless even after educating myself over the last couple of weeks.

So many of you have posted live shots of TV on AN and if Directv monopolizes EI, I will promise to do the same once I figure it all out.

I purchased an HDTV last year but Directv didn't have any HD DVR's available so I had to make a choice- a. miss the playoffs in HD or b. go with their HD receiver minus DVR. Easy choice, eh. I really miss being able to rewind and pause live TV, but more than that, I hate the fact that I can't record things.

Here are my questions from the AN brain-trust-
What kind of processor do I need in order to watch and record HDTV? Dual Core? 2duo? Size?

Should I worry about a hard drive bigger than 120gb?

Is XP Media a good product?

Should I get EIDE or SATA memory?

Are there any tricky ports that I should make sure and purchase?

--Any help available would be greatly appreciated. I know that most of you are very smart people and I would love to borrow your brains before my 6-month love affair with baseball on TV starts. The laptop is going to be used almost 100% in relation to the A's!

I sincerely appreciate your help!

ohtobe

Pathetically Late Diary- ST photos

ohtobe21likehuston — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 00:23:28 -0000

I know it's crazy to post pictures from Spring Training now but I did put the time into taking them so I wanted to share them with the good people of AN. I hope you enjoy them.

To anyone who has not attended ST before you must find a way to do so in the near future. The people that attend these games are some of the best folks you'll ever meet. Baseball fans, as a whole, are like no other fans IMO. I was offered free tickets on two separate days while entering the A's facility and someone bought me a beer another day. I hung out with people who supported nearly every team in the Cactus League because it's such a great time of "hope" before all things go bad- i.e.- the Angels in 1995.

Get to Phoenix in 2007 and I promise you won't regret it! Here are the photos...

Arrival at the stadium

Let's go inside

Two hands just like Pee-Wee League

Rafael Palmeiro look-a-like throwing BP

Hey did you hear if UPS delivered my gold glove yet?

This little A's fan could really sing the 'anthem!

An Angels fan desperately trying for an autograph of a REAL 3rd baseman!

Steroid Test = Positive

Who could have predicted things going this badly for poor Booby?

Another one for Bobby Crosby's Girl

This gentleman may have defied physics!

Can you believe someone actually hired US to manage in the BIG LEAGUES?

A little eye candy for the guys one time

Forget the criticism because this guy's a "ballplayer"

Barry's last spring with the A's ;-(

Would this be the "dumbest" tradition if not for baseball?

The Arch Enemy

Hope to see more of these "K's" in our upcoming series...

MR. Kendall primed for a big season

Kotsay sporting his Arizona-quality shades

Pfewww... glad I got rid of that hair before Phoenix

Macha demands that the ball be returned to HIM

Oh how I love this man

Cupcakes shit-eatin' grin

"A tired act" to be...

My tribute to Blanton & Swisher- $150.00 bottle of Gran Centenario tequila with Gastone while in Mexico after ST.

<emulating Chazz's voice in Wedding Crashers> WHAT the "F" do YOU want?

A beautiful day in Phoenix!

Start saving your pennies and don't miss out on next year!!! Go A's and out with those D-Rays!!!!

Proposed All-Star Game Starters

ohtobe21likehuston — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:36:35 -0000

SI has published their version of proposed starters for this year's All-Star game and it continues to baffle me as to the blatant disregard of players who deserve to make the ballot.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/john_donovan/05/31/al.allstars/index.html

We have all become accustomed to the A's getting no love mainly because of the illegitimacy of "voting" players into the game based on population alone. The game should be tweaked to have a more honest approach to how players are selected. As a fan, I continually vote, and vote, and vote for A's players, while simultaneuosly realizing that none of my votes really matter.

The omission that has really upset me this year is Chavy. They have FIVE... YES FIVE players ahead of him and this guy has won FIVE... YES FIVE consecutive gold glove awards and, undoubtedly, is the "cream of the crop" when it comes to 3rd baseman. I'm almost to the point that I don't even feel like wasting my time on voting anymore because population or big markets will always stump whatever feet will all put forward.

On a positive note, they mentioned Nick Swisher as a STARTER this year. Yessuh Nick Swishah!!! I was extremely excited and surprised to read that particular information and then I realized that offense is the trump card for nearly every player they mentioned. At least we have one guy is garnering national attention these days and it appears Swish may bring a little focus back to Oakland soon.

Keep doing what you're doing, Swish!

Nevin Goes to Chicago

ohtobe21likehuston — Wed, 31 May 2006 22:49:02 -0000

Phil Nevin has been traded to Chicago for Jerry Hairston.

Click here....

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2464915

Unbelievable that this couldn't have happened a little earlier since we would probably be staring at another win, thereby allowing Street to have more confidence and, in turn, allow us to win last night's game too. I honestly thought Nevin was becoming the Angels' version of Finley this year until he hit that dinger off Street. I would say this trade could benefit the A's because it takes away another POWER hitter in a ballpark that even JASON KENDALL could hit a homer in!! <as of now officially becomes passe' to ride JK about homers>

Fan auctions off his loyalty

ohtobe21likehuston — Fri, 05 May 2006 00:01:45 -0000

As a person who has lived near the KC area and hung out with several of their fans... I find this completelely humorous yet very sad at the same time. I apologize if this may have been posted elsewhere.

"Chad Carroll auctioned off 25 years of loyalty to the Royals for only $278.47" which seems like a "roll back" price equivalent to what their owner, David Glass, spends on his entire roster.

Read story...
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/05/03/bc.bba.royals.allegiance.ap/index.html

I heard about this yesterday when I was eating lunch with a friend of mine, Sean, who is an avid Royals fan and he was actually laughing about this story. He has always lived and died with the Royals and carried the same hope each year that any Yankees or A's fan would, however, I saw this article and thought this might represent most Royals fan who have been reduced to rubble. While at the games over the weekend fans were blaming the problems of the team on all sorts of reasons... Zack Greinke for leaving ST and starting them off in such a hole was the most popular sentiment. Surely no one would realistically consider this "roster full of rejects" one that had a chance... but ONCE AGAIN... ownership was able to get fans excited about this season and since I live here I can attest that most of them may have "bought in" for one last time.

This is a story that any sports fan should read because it focuses on the true passion that most of us have EVEN when a horrible owner, such as Glass, continues to run a once-reputable (and very proud) franchise into oblivion. Glass is the cheapest man in baseball and seems to be content in holding onto his GM Allard Baird, although the team has regressed to MAYBE it's lowest point ever this year. 0-12 on the road to start a season and looking tonight to tie a dubious record that only two other teams have... ACCOMPLISHED? At what point should MLB intervene and make the David Glass-types put the free Yankees advertising dollars they were given into creating a competitive roster for their fan base who probably cares the most?

How blessed are A's fans! Even when things were going horribly last May, I doubt that any of you ever considered jumping ship. I remember the tough stretch in the 90's after LaRussa left and we started to rebuild the team. To me it was very exciting because we were seeing actual improvement each year and those years have become some of my FAVORITE memories of all. The Indians kind of remind me of those days and their fans should have plenty of excitement for the next 5 years. Hey... I'm 100% thrilled to have a team that understands their limitations yet REFUSES to feel sorry for themselves or their situation. Fail to PLAN. Plan to FAIL. Thank goodness the A's do have a plan.

Sports as a whole has become so much about money that it's very disturbing and you grow to hate teams like the Yankees that keep "outspending" the rest of the league. Then you see Boston have the gumption to actually bitch about how out of control the Yankees are because they got A-Rod. These fans have no idea how difficult and amazing the A's have been over a good portion of the last decade. Therefore, I think it's also important to pay attention to the other end of the spectrum too because all fans deserve a team that has a chance to contend in APRIL alone.

Enough about that... here's to our "Little A's That Could" and the hope that they remain in the same place.... with the best fan base.

Digital Camera and ST

ohtobe21likehuston — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 00:38:22 -0000

I have a lot to learn about digital cameras and not enough time before leaving for Phoenix. PLEASE HELP!

I am heading to Spring Training next week beginning on Thursday and can hardly wait to see the new-look A's. More importantly, my nephew, who is 14-years old is absolutely sick that he can't come along because of school and I think the best gift for him is good photos from Arizona to make him feel like he is there.

Since everyone on this website seems to take such exceptional photos, I was wondering if any of you could recommend which type of digital camera I should purchase? I'm not much of a photographer so I really don't need anything really complex but I would like something that is simple to operate. Any help is appreciated and I will definitely post my pics on AN after I return home on March 12th.

Go A's!!

Big Hurt still possible

ohtobe21likehuston — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 00:08:10 -0000

Just read this Susan Slusser article a few minutes ago and didn't see if anyone else posted it or not.

It looks like we are still a key suitor for Frank Thomas and Arn Tellum makes it sound as if we may be the favorite. Health is still the biggest issue and it doesn't sound too promising.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/01/06/SPGF7GIFJ11.DTL

A Tribute to Robb- All Apologies to Robb + Alias's of Robb

ohtobe21likehuston — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 23:00:19 -0000

Why does everyone hate Nick Swisher? He is a good player and should play all the time. Everyone is hating him and for what?

People need to quit hating Huston Street because of all the saves he blew this year. The guy is rookie of the year but why doesn't anyone like him? He is a good closer and doesn't throw as hard as Dotel but he's good.

How come nobody thinks Blanton did a good job? He probably doesn't know how to pitch yet but he's only a rookie and Redman probably would have done much better anyway, right? Blanton is a good pitcher. He pitches good. Nobody knows how good of a pitcher he is yet but I'm tellin you everyone will like him more next year.

Dan Johnson is a great player but he gets no respect from anyone around here. Does anyone really know that he is a good player for being a rookie? No one respects him but you'll see how wrong you were about him after another year of playing for the A's. He is going to be great.

The A's may not have any chance next year with the team they are fielding but people need to not dog them for the year they had this year. They could have been much worse and finishing second ain't all that bad really is it? At least they won the AL West and Texas hasn't lately and everyone's payroll is higher.