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With the loss of Mark Mulder, the importance of Tim Hudson to the A's playoff hopes can't be overstated. The Oakland management, players and fans will be watching carefully this afternoon as the star right-hander returns from an eight day layoff. Hudson was dominating the Jays with a two-hitter in the seventh inning last Saturday when a Dave Berg line drive hit him in the right hand, near the wrist. He was forced to leave the game, and though X-rays showed no fracture, he was held out of his next scheduled start against Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox. If he's 100%, it could be a long day for Toronto hitters. If he's not -- Jays fans know all too well that players often fib about their pain thresholds -- it will have a huge impact on the AL pennant race.

Kelvim Escobar missed the A's on the west coast swing, so this will be their first look at him this season. He faced the Mariners in his last two starts, and they weren't fooled the second time, especially Bret Boone and Edgar Martinez. Maybe it was the venue -- on the road, Kelvim is 6-1 with a 2.24 ERA; at the SkyDome he's 3-6, 5.64 with an opponent's average of .309, 88 points higher than he allows everywhere else.

There's likely to be some gnashing of teeth over the Jays' lineup, which features Dave Berg in right field and leading off. He's 3-for-9 with a homer off Hudson. Frank Catalanotto, whose back has been tender recently, returns in left. Kevin Cash is behind the plate, with Greg Myers at DH. On the crowded bench are Kielty, Johnson, Woodward, Wilson and Phelps. Of note: Carlos Delgado is 8-for-22 against Hudson, with five walks, a 1.455 OPS and four homers.
Game 130: How's Hudson? | 23 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Coach - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 01:07 PM EDT (#93727) #
If you have plenty of time and money on your hands, and hardly any sense, here's just the thing -- you can pay Tom Candiotti $19.95 (US) to read you an inspirational message over the phone. For a mere $29.95, you could have him call a significant other with a customized 30-second Candi-gram.

I know what Mrs. Coach is getting for Christmas...
Coach - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 01:23 PM EDT (#93728) #
Those home stats won't be getting any better. After getting two groundouts, Escobar's given up two singles, a walk and a grand slam. 4-0 in the top of the first.
_Graham Hudson - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 01:23 PM EDT (#93729) #
It looks like the bad Kelvim showed up today.
Grand salami to Hernandez.
I think I'm going to go shopping now instead of later...
_Graham Hudson - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 01:25 PM EDT (#93730) #
On the crowded bench are Kielty, Johnson, Woodward, Wilson and Phelps.

Jeez...that's a hell of a bench. This would be the perfect time to do a lot of pinch-hitting and mess with Oakland's bullpen.
_torontonorth47 - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 02:11 PM EDT (#93731) #
Sorry to change the subject but I really hope we can ship Lidle off to Oakland for a bag or two of sun flower seeds.

Back to our regular topic.

Escobar just ruined my Blue Jay and Roto day , sigh , maybe with a bad outing it will be easier to sign him ( This poster is a dreamer ).
Coach - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 02:22 PM EDT (#93732) #
Ooooooh! Kevin Cash missed a grand slam -- off the 400 level! -- by pulling a fastball about two feet foul. Then he grounded out to end the fourth; it's 5-2 Oakland.
_Homer Jay - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 02:44 PM EDT (#93733) #
I may be too cynical ( and noticing now too self consciuos ) but i see this jays stalled.
My two cents: ship away the cat, any frankencatcher part palatable to others, Little Liddle and do drop sturtze.
Pepper Moffatt - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 03:07 PM EDT (#93734) #
http://economics.about.com
I'm surprised that there isn't more rumors involving Myers and Bordick. If I'm a team like the Yankees, I want these guys on my bench for the post-season. The Astros certainly could use them as well.

The Giants lost the World Series last year because they didn't have a bench. It seems to me that a lot of teams are making the same mistake this year.

Mike
Mike D - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 03:22 PM EDT (#93735) #
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/gammons/story?id=1601990
Interesting news: Peter Gammons says that Frank Catalanotto was blocked on waivers, but that Escobar, Hudson and Bordick all got through.

Click on my name for details.
_Homer Jay - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 03:39 PM EDT (#93736) #
To keep f cat and bordick is beyond me, whats the use
Pepper Moffatt - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 03:41 PM EDT (#93737) #
http://economics.about.com


They're good players that help the team win and they don't cost much.

Mike
_Homer Jay - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 03:47 PM EDT (#93738) #
First, the team is not winning.
second, they are in our powerful bench.
third, Mike could be our in the field super coach, but cat is not hitting, not fielding, kind of lame and not so cheap by any standard.
fourth, we can use some aaa or aa position players with some upside or some pen bound armas...
_Jacko - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 03:53 PM EDT (#93739) #
Italics be gone!


That was hilaroious when Sturzte picked up a K in the 9th inning to score some pizza slices for everyone -- the entire crowd erupted like the Jays had won the game :)

I'm sure the umps and Athletics were baffled...

jc
Gitz - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 05:06 PM EDT (#93740) #
Woohoo!

Now, here is where the cynicism of being an A's fan comes in: I guarantee you they'll score one run or less tomorrow. It seems that when they're going, they're really going. I'd rather they consistently scored 5-7 runs a game than have these 11/17-run explosions followed by a week of drudgery.

At any rate, this is a petty complaint; I'm thrilled to see them hit the ball for a change. I'm just sorry the Blue Jays were the targets off the A's missing offense.

How'd Hudson look today?
_turn off the it - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 05:19 PM EDT (#93741) #


there.
_try again - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 05:19 PM EDT (#93742) #
foo
_test - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 05:20 PM EDT (#93743) #
test
_Shane - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 06:26 PM EDT (#93744) #
I'm surprised that there isn't more rumors involving Myers and Bordick.

No rumours for Myers has been curious, sure. Ricciardi was on the Fan590 earlier this week, and he again said how much Bordick and Myers have added veteran presence to his younger club. He'd like to bring them back in '04. Maybe there's an answer in that.
_Shane - Sunday, August 24 2003 @ 06:45 PM EDT (#93745) #
Cynicism? With the A's offence? Sure, all you can muster in my opinion. They've played 100plus games, and you score twenty-eight runs off of some Triple-A level Blue Jays pitching, but you still have an offence that ranks just above the Detroit Tigers? You've got all the same problems you did before you kicked the snot out of half-ass Blue Jays pitching. Billy Beane will be blowing a kiss to J.P. before his head hits the pillow tonight.

Any Dan Shaughnessy fans here? I noticed this morning in his column as he was holding back his desire to rip on the Moneyball-A's, he commented that John Burkett was a better pitcher than Ted Lilly. Really? I wouldn't have thought that.
_Jacko - Monday, August 25 2003 @ 01:07 AM EDT (#93746) #

No rumours for Myers has been curious, sure. Ricciardi was on the Fan590 earlier this week, and he again said how much Bordick and Myers have added veteran presence to his younger club. He'd like to bring them back in '04. Maybe there's an answer in that.


Yeah, but why not trade them now for prospects, and then sign then back again as free agents in 2004?

I'm sure neither of them would balk at the chance at getting into the playoffs with another team...

jc
_David Armitage - Monday, August 25 2003 @ 01:14 AM EDT (#93747) #
I wonder if Candiotti gets invited to those wild Gary Coleman/Fred "Rerun" Berry parties now that he works for the same compnay as them...next thing you know he'll be running for Governor of Florida.
Pistol - Monday, August 25 2003 @ 09:05 AM EDT (#93748) #
Well that game wasn't good for the ol Pythagoras.
_Chuck Van Den C - Monday, August 25 2003 @ 10:08 AM EDT (#93749) #
Well that game wasn't good for the ol Pythagoras.

While it did lower the team's Pythagorean W/L, it did bring it slightly more in line with their actual RF/RA.

Now:

Actual W/L: 64-66
Pythagorean W/L: 66.7-63.3
Discrepancy: 2.7

Before 17-2 loss:

Actual W/L: 64-65
Pythagorean W/L: 67.5-61.5
Discrepancy: 3.5
Game 130: How's Hudson? | 23 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.