Giants and A’s

Look for good, solid matchups this weekend. If the A’s can get seven innings from Aaron Harang tonight, it would make things easier for Saturday and Sunday. The Bullpen (Chad Bradford and Keith Foulke) was used a lot in the last three games and could use another night off.

We expect 45,000 at each game, so, get there early and maintain some dignity no matter which team you are rooting for.

Here’s a quick checklist for fans:

WEAR GREEN

When the A’s are in the field, don’t chant, “Let’s - Go - Oak - Land (clap)”. They can’t go anywhere, they are in the field and the chant is a rip-off from the Yankee cheer. You only chant for your team when they are at bat.

Further, the correct A’s chant is,

“Let’s Go A’s (pause) Let’s Go A’s”.

Don’t try and save seats in general seating areas. It’s going to lead to ill will and fights.

Don’t drink.

The Oakland Police are going to be all over the Net tonight so any thoughts of having a few beers are a bad idea. Grab some bottled water and take it into the game. The fans around you will appreciate it. Save the beer for when you are alone at home working out your inner demons.

Don’t bring kids under the age of, say, 5 years to the games this weekend. You’re going to annoy people around you and it’s going to be a high UV rating weekend. Get a baby sitter and bring home an A’s trinket. When they get older, they will be able to appreciate the game more, but at this point you’re going to miss most of the game tending to their needs and with 45,000 people they are going to be knocked around in the close quarters.

Do make sure your carry in bags meet MLB standards. We don’t want to be in line waiting an extra twenty minutes because your makeup bag can hold 40 gallons of water.

Don’t make a jackass out of yourself by yelling at the outfielders. For once. Please. For the love of McGwire. They tune you out anyway and security is just itching to make an example out of someone. It might as well be you.

Do watch your mouth and be good-natured about any “foreigners from the other side of the Bay Bridge” who happen to be wearing some orange concoction. A simple glare will do the trick. Then slap them on the back and welcome them to their worst nightmare.

PICK UP YOUR MESS YOU SLOBS!

There’s nothing more revolting than watching the debris floating into the outfield by the 7th inning. Clean up your mess. You’re going to be sitting in the same spot the next day, so why not make things tidy?

The Whoop-Woos

If you have not heard of the Whoop Woos, take notes. It’s kind of fun in a camp sort of way and is quite good natured

When the visiting bullpen starts to get active, you as fans start a friendly banter with the relief pitcher and bullpen catcher. As the pitcher throws, you emit a “WHOOOooop!” along with the flight of the ball. When the catcher returns the throw, you emit a “WOOOooo” also along the flight of the ball. When you get 40,000 people Whooping and Wooing to the bullpen it’s quite distracting. Quite often bullpen catchers will double and triple pump their throw back to the relief pitcher to stop the noise. It doesn’t work.