Did anybody else see the comments from Chavez in the ESPN Insider regarding Bonds? Chavey said he would love to see Bonds in the Green and Gold as a DH next season. WTF? Are you kidding me? My personal feelings for Bonds aside, why would we want him in our lineup? Draws walks yes, anything else, no. Even as a DH he would probably play less that Thomas and I think the Big Hurt might be faster at this point. Plus, let us not over look the clubhouse chemistry this teams always has. Can you see Bonds joking around with Swish or giving him one of those handshakes after somebody hits a long one? How could Chavey be pushing for this? Is he just looking for some protection in the order behind him? Maybe I am blinded by my feelings, but walks or not, I do not want Bonds anywhere near our lineup.

Pitching?
Here!

Jay Payton?
Here!

Offense?
(crickets chirping)

Offense?

Anybody? . . . . Bueller?

Chavey, I will give you $1000 everytime you do not swing at the first pitch of an at bat. If I see you come up and swing at the first pitch again I am going to scream. Tonight there was nobody on in front of you, but over the past week I can't count how many time you have had somebody on and swung at the first pitch only to pop out. I have come to not expect a whole lot of clutch hits out of you, but I expect you to at least make the pitcher work to get you out. I know we can count on you to hit the ball with nobody on and two outs, but I would like to see you have a little freakin' patience at the plate. You get three strikes.
I want to give kudos to Joe Kennedy. He had some hitters looking very foolish up there tonight. He deserved much better.
I don't want to take anything away from the Angels starting pitchers, but there is no way this team should have been held to 3 runs over a three game series. The Angles, even though they were struggling coming into this big series, stepped up. The A's stepped back. I know we are banged up, it's part of the game. If having a couple of guys hurt, no matter how key they are, brings this ride to a grinding halt, it is not a good sign. It doesn't get any easier with the Skankees coming to town. At least we miss Unit.
We need a statement series with the Yankees after this performance.

So I have already posted a bit last night after that incredible game. But I wanted to hit on a couple of things again.
First, I had no problem with DJ being pinch run for. This was a big game. They wanted to score that run in the tenth. DJ is awsome we all know this. DJ is slow, we all know this too. I would have liked to see Bynum tag on the pop foul though. If you have speed use it. Otherwise, I agree with memebers of the "bad move" club who didn't want a pinch runner in that situation. What upsets me about the play was Bynum was half way down the line on the pop. What the hell is he doing? If they play isn't made it's dead. If he makes the play it's live, why not be on the bag ready for the tag? I don't know who fell asleep there (Bynum or Washington, I doubt it was Wash).
Next, K-Rod celebrating like he won the World Series in the tenth. Dude, it's tied and need we remind you of what happened when last you were on the mound against the green and gold? Glad you ended up taking the loss even though you're on my fantasy team you bum!
Garrett Anderson commited a horrible error (though not a chargable error) in the tenth. With a tie score late in the game and nobody to back you up you play it safe and conceed the single. You have already turned 4 DP's in the game. Instead you put a runner in scoring position with nobody out. They got lucky this game wasn't over in the tenth.
Zito looked great. When he is on it is so pretty to watch. Colon, though sooooo fat, was just as good. I'm a old fashion guy and loved seeing a starter come out for the tenth.
I notced Street took off his bracelet before he came in. Friggin' Scoiscia always makes him take it off trying to play games. Go try and lose weight with Colon you loser. I had to watch the Angels broadcast and listen to Hudler proclaim the Angels were getting squeezed on every pitch while the A's were getting all the calls. He might whine as much as Scoiscia. Please let me get the A's broadcast tonight. They might as well put Joe Morgan on the Angels broadcast if they really want it to be annoyng and unwatchable.
Okay, I need to stop. I could talk about lastnight's game all day but I do actually need to work before today's game starts.

First, it has been a while since I have posted. Why you ask? Freakin' Dish Network. What the hell am I paying for when only one of the four games against the O's is on? 25% of the games I get to see for $150! I don't get to see games in Toronto when they are there. I don't get to see them play the Yankees unless they are on Fox. I should demand my money back.
Well, that being said, I have not seen a whole lot of the boys the last week so it is hard to comment so much on them. The long ball seems to be rearing it's head, or is it just Camden? Let's hope it's not just the Yard. Ellis seems like he wants to pick up the bottom of the line up or where ever he may be.
I am just a bit worried as we seem to be getting knicked up going into the biggest series of the year. Kotsay, Crosby, Harden. We need these guys. Not against the O's apparently, but against the LAACALANA's we do.
Anyway, let's hope these three games on are on the dish. I would assume ESPN might even pick a couple of them up being as important as they are. Oh wait, they're not in the National Laegue nor are they the Yankees or Red Sox. So I guess Iwill have to rely on the dish. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Wow, after one game back the winning percentage of the A's winning with Swish in the lineup still looks like a good one. I know we have all been blown away with Dan Johnson's performance over the past month and have put him in the ROY race along with Swish and Street, but I think we might be seeing just how much Swish means to this lineup.
Ok, I know it was only the first game back and it was against the Royals who have not won a game since the Angels were located in the same city for more than one year. But he really seems to be the straw the stirs the bottom of the order drink. Sorry I couldn't resist that one. Without him there it seems to be a bit stagnent at the ass end of the order. Ellis is hitting well, but without Kendall moving him along or Kielty getting on ahead of him it is at a stand still.
I was a bit scared the first time I saw Swish last night with the high socks. He looked so skinny I was wondering if he had eaten at all while he was gone. Then I was worried it might take him a couple of days to get his timing back after not seeing a pitch for almost a week. But he was right on everything all night. Good sign.
I wonder if Jay Payton has to pay tax on Lima, because he owns him something fierce! Lima should just hit him when he faces him, because he can't do anything with him.
Anyways, let's hope the Royals continue to be the get well card for the A's this weekend.
I also want to say thanks to everybody who responded to the Rickey Henderson number retirement thought. I know it will happen, I just don't know when. Rest assured though, I will be there!
Go A's!!!

Remeber just last week when nothing could go wrong? Everyball ball found it's way through the infield. A runner on third would score with or without the benefit of a hit. Umpires blew all the calls in the favor of the Green and Gold. Wow, those days were fun. I guess what goes around comes around.
It is hard to complain about losing a game because of a blown call, but damn it hurts. I think Guicionni (sp?) is one of those umps who never makes a mistake in his own mind. I doubt he would admit it today that he blew the call. I watched a replay of him reacting the inning before when he called a strike on Luis Matos I believe. Matos tried to check his swing and was given a strike on the appeal to first. Roberts reacted and Guicionni threw his hands up at Roberts like "How do you have the gaul to question me?"
Does anybody fly by the seat of their pants more than Joe Blanton? Who walks more lead off men and then some how gets an inning ending double play more? Nobody I tell you!
Let's hope Kotsay is starting to get some strength back. Kendall needs to get going as well. I might think about moving Ellis to the lead off spot right now, or at least the number two hole. He's putting the bat on everything and taking the gaps. With Chavey hitting we need somebody to be on base when he comes to the plate.
Maybe with Kendall starting to slow down it is tme to get Melhuse some more time. I wonder if Kendall being in a pennant race for the first time this late in the season is starting to take it's toll. Never in his career has he had so much pressure on him at this time in the season. It's big game after big game for him right now. Playing the Expos in August was not exactley a pressure situation for him in prior seasons.
I am pleased that the defense has been holding up for the most part during this lull. As the old cliche goes, speed and defense never slump. Well, we have no speed, so let's consentrate on the "D."
I have been gone for a couple of days so Tuesday night's game was the first I have seen since Friday so you will have to excuse my thought, but Byrnsey looks wrong in the high black socks. I never saw him in a Rockies kit but it is just wrong. I think it looks more out of place than when I first saw Hudson, Mulder, Tejada or Giambi in their new digs.
One more quick thought, I love the Eck jersey retirement. He deserves it and I was glad a lot of his old teammates were there as well. But who is next? It's got to be Rickey!!! You could probably terll from my name that he would be my choise, but come on. They already had a Rickey Henderson Day a couple of years ago when he was with the Pads and they were in town. It's cool if they grandfather Danny Haren in with the number. But let's get Rickey's name on the wall!!!!
Let's salvage this game this afternoon and get ready for for the Royals. We can not be expecting the end any streak against the Royals. That attitude never works.

Go A's!!!!!

Take away the first game in the Angels series and that could be the best series ever. I have to admit I was a bit down trailing 4-0. I get very frustrated when the A's get the ledoff batter on base each of the first 6 innings and never have them cross the plate.
Then boom! Jay Payton with another long ball. I have never liked the guy but damn, keep knocking those bombs.
Then Chavey with a big, big poke. Not a cheap one either. It was over the out of town scoreboard by a good distance.
The Duke with his usual performance. I can't help but remember watching the A's play the White Sox last month and having to listen to Hawk and DJ tell us how there were so many guys in their bullpen that should be All-Stars instead of the Duke.
Then came the second biggest play of the season (the first being Kendall's dive in Texas). I was jumping around like a mad man making sure my Yankee-loving girlfriend knew who was in first place all by themselves!
Let's not get too excited about finally reaching the moutain top. There is a lot of baseball left to play including plenty of games still left againt the Angels, Rangers, Yankees and Red Sux. But damn it has been a fun ride thus far. Let's hope there is no let down seeing the Angels leave town. Despite winning three of four in Minnesota the Twinks plays us tough.

What a great game. Sans the fact I had to watch the first couple innings on The World Wide Leader and listen to Joe Morgan. I haven't been as excited during a game for a while. I guess that is a good thing since the A's seem to be involved in many blowouts (most on the other end than Tuesday's debacle).
All Morgan could talk about was how Dan Johnson has to be able to hit the curveball now that he is seeing stuff that bends. It looked to me like he was waiting out the breaking balls for a fast ball. He looks like T Long watching curveballs drop right down the middle. I think he will be fine though.
Does Swish think he is Kevin Millar with that Fu? That might have flown with the A's a couple of years ago but he needs to lose the mop and the stache now. Ronnie Mac is the only one that can get away with the look.
Who else was on their feet for Payton's trip? When the ball was bobbled I was screaming "Take three! Take three!" I was worried when Kielty didn't get the run in with the infield in. But it was all good in the hood.
I had a feeling after Molina made that nice/lucky backhand stop on the pitch in the dirt that there was going to be another chance to score with putting a bat on the ball.
I love Street's confidence after giving up the long one to Finley. Not shaken at all! Just get the guys he needs to.
I love the up and in work to Vlad. He did not look comfortable all night after the first pitch from Zito.
Let's get a another good win Thursday and head into the weekend in first!