DocTee

I find myself more interested in pre-season games than this exhibition. I enjoyed them as a kid-- now, not so much.

Sez MLB.com: "Because Fuentes was elected via the player ballot, Webb was named as his replacement because he drew the highest amount of player ballot votes (93) of any National League pitcher who was not already on the NL All-Star roster"

Thought for sure that Jose would get another game to think over his actions.

Love it-- great work guys!

OO is correct: Kendall's OBP is .264, not .364 Ira is also correct-- Boston-Milwaukee--Atlanta Braves Again, sorry for the early post but I didn't want to see this KTE go unattended as I head out on "vacation" (ten days with my in-laws)

KTE—Athletics I will be out-of-town with limited internet access so wanted to post this now—all stats are current through Sunday, 17 June... The A’s continue their trip down memory lane, coming to Shea to take on their 1973 World Series counterparts after having just met their rivals from the Fall Classic in 1972, the Cincinnati Reds. The A’s (whose award-winning ad campaigns of recent years have given way to “they’re not just athletes…they’re Athletics!) roll into town with a record of 37-32, good enough for second place in the AL West, six games behind division leading Anaheim, and a step ahead of the surprising Mariners. This record is somewhat surprising, given the rash of injuries that have hit rookie manager Bob Geren’s club. Currently, the A’s are without: Bobby Kielty (60 day), Esteban Loiaza (60), Milton Bradley (15), Mike Piazza(15), Huston Street (15), Rich Harden(15) and Justin Duchsherer (15). Expect a typical mid-summer run from this club once they get some of these guys back. Offensively, the A’s are led by on-base machine Nick Swisher (if he homers, watch his post-trot ritual with Milton Bradley) and Jack Cust, professional hitter. Defensively, they are no great shakes, but Eric Chavez is a multiple gold glove award winner, and possesses a cannon for an arm. The same cannot be said for the A’s backstop, the perpetually stubble-faced Jason Kendall. Expect the Mets to run wild on this iron man catcher (his backups rarely see the light of day) and captain of the all-overpaid team ($10.5 million) Jason Kendall, who has the lowest percentage of base-stealers caught in the bigs this season, having nabbed but 11 of 58 would-be thieves.. The Bats: HR RBI AVG OBP SLG 1B Dan Johnson 6 25 .253 .371 .431 2B Mark Ellis 6 34 .256 .336 .404 3B Eric Chavez 12 33 .247 .313. .470 SS Bobby Crosby 6 28 .242 .291 .365 LF Shannon Stewart 2 19 .271 .352 .333 CF Mark Kotsay 1 6 .254 .313 .356 RF Nick Swisher 10 39 .287 .415 .489 C Jason Kendall 1 20 .224 .364 .269 The Bench IF Marco Scutaro 4 10 .238 .292 .381 OF Travis Buck 6 20 .286 .381 .509 OF Jack Cust 9 25 .274 .423 .584 The Athletics have been getting stellar pitching from Danny Haren—do you think the Cardinals want to re-do the Mark Mulder for Haren and Calero trade?--, and better than expected from the back end of the rotation. Alan Embree has been closing games (7 of 8) in the absence of Huston Street. The Arms: W L ERA IP K/BB WHIP AVG Dan Haren 8-2 1.64 104 84/24 .88 .183 Joe Blanton 6-4 3.62 87 66/21 1.12 .238 Chad Gaudin 6-1 2.85 82 53/36 1.41 .255 Joe Kennedy 2-4 3.62 79.7 35/31 1.42 .264 Lenny DiNardo 2-3 2.21 40.7 21/16 1.18 .225 The ‘Pen G IP ERA K/BB WHIP AVG Alan Embree 33 31.3 2.87 23/6 1.21 .264 Jay Marshall 33 26 5.19 9/11 1.54 .282 Kiko Calero 31 25.3 6.39 21/9 1.38 .263 Ex-Factor: Marco Scutaro is the only player currently on either roster who has played for both squads. Trivia The Athletics franchise has called three cities home (Phialdelphia, 1901-1954, Kansas City, 1955-1967, Oakland, 1968-Present), and is one of only two current Major League teams to play in as many cities without changing nicknames. The other?? What’s with the pachyderms? The A’s lovable mascot, Stomper, is not as cute as Mr. Met (but, hey, who is?) but he has his charms. A sunglass-clad Stomper even adorns the Athletics spring training cap… But what does an elephant have to do with baseball? Well, in 1902, NY Giants manager John McGraw derisively referred to the Philadelphia Athletics of Connie Mack as “white elephants”, suggesting that Mack had assembled his talent by raiding other teams rosters, or by assembling a team of retreads. McGraw and Mack, two of the most notable figures of early MLB, were fierce rivals who often engaged in press-baiting and the like. Mack defiantly took the term and adopted it as the team’s mascot—to this day, the A’s uniform features a white elephant on their jersey sleeve. A sunglass-clad Stomper even adorns the Athletics spring training cap… The Swingin’ A’s of Charley Finely were among the most uni-distressed franchises in all of MLB history, adopting outrageous color schemes in the early days of color TV (to match the colorful personalities of Vida Blue, Reggie Jackson, and others on that team, it was said)…but they ALWAYS wear “wedding gown white” on home Sundays. Always.

Probably, but their GM traded two of his starting eight (Felipe lopez and Austine Kearns) for a set-up man last year. An intriguing name from ESPN: Kevin Millwood. He's in the second year of a five year deal ($60 M)

I'd rather have a power corner OF bat like Adam Dunn. (and I'd trade Heilman for him straight up)

Isn't this how George Costanza landed his job with the Yankees? "chicken salad on white bread with a cup of tea!!" rather than tuna on toast with coffee, (although everyone knows that salmon is the opposite of tuna)

]someone remind Peter Gammons that Billy Wagner is not the GM I missed this one, anything interesting? PG also opined on a Milledge for Buehrle trade--

someone remind Peter Gammons that Billy Wagner is not the GM

Pete Rose would've beaten that out.

and here comes Blowenweis to add fuel to the fire

Nah-- my recollection was of a game in the early 80s (late 70s) at Fulton County Stadium.

I remember a good Mets-Braves fight with Mazzilli rushing the mound (Bedrosian? Hrabosky?) after he had homered. Maybe "remember" isn't the right word.

0-for-6 with 9 left on the pond. FUGLY

Game Day says "Luis Vizcaino replaces Luis Vizcaino". Does that mean he's relieving himself on the mound? Gross.

Hat trick for Delgado-- and not the good kind. Heading for sombrero territory

Go-Go Gomez!

throw strikes, Ollie

]Let's open with a bunt. Get Roger to do some cardio. That's the exact thing Chris Duffy of the Pirates did on Saturday, but he was thrown out by a step

Gene Larkin! May he be well! May peace be upon him!

Get Adam Dunn. Now.

yes. to my mind, the brewers are still an AL team

I watched that game-- Feliz did great, backhanding a low pitch in the dirt.