Todd Walker is a Jackass

Winning can do a lot of things for a lot of people. Taking away common sense is one of them. After the Boston Red Sox clinched the AL Wild Card, Theo Epstein’s second baseman proclaimed, “we just gotta go into Oakland and whup some ass.”

As a wise man once said, “"Five to one, baby, one in five".

Okay, Jim Morrison was basically a drunken poet and not a wise man, but he did front a damn good blues band.

In any case, we should mention those hats that MLB decided all the teams were going to wear for making it to the post season are one step above decidedly lame. The last team we saw wear hats like that had Chico’s Bail Bonds on the back of their jerseys.

If you haven’t seen the hats, they couldn’t be more white trash. If they had the plastic mesh and plastic snap adjustable back, they would be on the Travel Centers of America shelves right now.

These things are hideous and each team got the same ‘official’ hat.



The inner logo simply changes for each team.

Nothing like MLB to try and convince everyone that the teams who make the playoffs are all the same. They all have the same chance as any other team to make it to the World Series. Even if the Red Sox and Yankees combined payroll for 2003 could buy the A’s organization and 65% ownership of the Twins organization. Hell, the Yankees payroll alone you could probably buy the A’s organization.

IS TONY LaRUSSA DONE?

As most people think Tony LaRussa is the most overrated manager in the game, we’re not going to argue that claim. With the tools LaRussa has been given in St. Louis the last ten years he has been unable to get to the World Series. How can you have Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds, Mark McGwire and Scott Rolen in your line ups and not win 95 games every year? Well, when Tony isn’t blowing out pitcher’s arms he’s thinking too much. Plus, Tony likes to talk a lot and wear stupid sunglasses and a 1970’s haircut. He’d probably get fired for the last three and not the former issues, though.

No, that isn't bitter talk. It's repressed memories surfacing of LaRussa pinch-hitting for Mike Bordick, asking Mark McGwire to bunt late in a game and letting Jeff Russell pitch in the 1992 ALCS.

OREL & BUCK SHOW

We will say this for the Texas Rangers coaching staff; they hustle. In each of the pitching conferences or pitching changes on Wednesday Orel Hershiser and Buck Showalter jogged out to the mound and jogged back. If MLB wants to cut down on time of games, there’s a killer right there. In contrast, Lou Pinella sometimes stops for a smoke and maybe some ice cram or a turkey wrap on his way back from the mound. Plus, Orel and Buck have a tendency to have to go out a lot and chat it up with the Ranger hurlers. They could probably keep off those extra pounds if they went and got John Burkett. Their first inning workouts alone would keep them a notch below the Soloflex guy fitness level.

CHAD AND THE QUICKPITCH HOOPLA

On Sunday’s thrashing of the Mariners home plate umpire Bill Miller decided that he simply had enough of Chad Bradford obstinately flaunting his ability to follow the rules. Miller waited until a 1-0 pitch crossed the heart of the plate for a strike to come out from behind the plate and instruct Bradford that he must come to a set position before coming to the plate.

This is ridiculous as Ken Macha, Billy Beane and Bradford all discussed with as many umpires as they could get their hands on during spring training on the rule specifying coming to a set without runners on base. Replays clearly showed that Bradford’s first pitch was the same as the second pitch, yet Miller waited until the second pitch to come out and make a spectacle of himself. Bradford has been pitching that way all year. Why make it an issue now? Who knows. Looking at Miller stats he is not exactly a pitcher’s umpire.
Oh, big yawning fun:

Official Rules: 8.00 The Pitcher
8.01
Legal pitching delivery. There are two legal pitching positions, the Windup Position and the Set Position, and either position may be used at any time. Pitchers shall take signs from the catcher while standing on the rubber. Pitchers may disengage the rubber after taking their signs but may not step quickly onto the rubber and pitch. This may be judged a quick pitch by the umpire. When the pitcher disengages the rubber, he must drop his hands to his sides. Pitchers will not be allowed to disengage the rubber after taking each sign. (a) The Windup Position. The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his entire pivot foot on, or in front of and touching and not off the end of the pitcher's plate, and the other foot free. From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot. When a pitcher holds the ball with both hands in front of his body, with his entire pivot foot on, or in front of and touching but not off the end of the pitcher's plate, and his other foot free, he will be considered in the Windup Position. The pitcher may have one foot, not the pivot foot, off the rubber and any distance he may desire back of a line which is an extension to the back edge of the pitcher's plate, but not at either side of the pitcher's plate. With his "free" foot the pitcher may take one step backward and one step forward, but under no circumstances, to either side, that is to either the first base or third base side of the pitcher's rubber. If a pitcher holds the ball with both hands in front of his body, with his entire pivot foot on or in front of and touching but not off the end of the pitcher's plate, and his other foot free, he will be considered in a windup position. From this position he may: (1) deliver the ball to the batter, or (2) step and throw to a base in an attempt to pick off a runner, or (3) disengage the rubber (if he does he must drop his hand to his sides). In disengaging the rubber the pitcher must step off with his pivot foot and not his free foot first. He may not go into a set or stretch position if he does it is a balk. (b) The Set Position. Set Position shall be indicated by the pitcher when he stands facing the batter with his entire pivot foot on, or in front of, and in contact with, and not off the end of the pitcher's plate, and his other foot in front of the pitcher's plate, holding the ball in both hands in front of his body and coming to a complete stop. From such Set Position he may deliver the ball to the batter, throw to a base or step backward off the pitcher's plate with his pivot foot. Before assuming Set Position, the pitcher may elect to make any natural preliminary motion such as that known as "the stretch." But if he so elects, he shall come to Set Position before delivering the ball to the batter. After assuming Set Position, any natural motion associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without alteration or interruption.Preparatory to coming to a set position, the pitcher shall have one hand on his side; from this position he shall go to his set position as defined in Rule 8.01 (b) without interruption and in one continuous motion. The whole width of the foot in contact with the rubber must be on the rubber. A pitcher cannot pitch from off the end of the rubber with just the side of his foot touching the rubber. The pitcher, following his stretch, must (a) hold the ball in both hands in front of his body and (b) come to a complete stop. This must be enforced. Umpires should watch this closely. Pitchers are constantly attempting to "beat the rule" in their efforts to hold runners on bases and in cases where the pitcher fails to make a complete "stop" called for in the rules, the umpire should immediately call a "Balk." (c) At any time during the pitcher's preliminary movements and until his natural pitching motion commits him to the pitch, he may throw to any base provided he steps directly toward such base before making the throw. The pitcher shall step "ahead of the throw." A snap throw followed by the step directly toward the base is a balk. (d) If the pitcher makes an illegal pitch with the bases unoccupied, it shall be called a ball unless the batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter or otherwise. A ball which slips out of a pitcher's hand and crosses the foul line shall be called a ball; otherwise it will be called no pitch. This would be a balk with men on base. (e) If the pitcher removes his pivot foot from contact with the pitcher's plate by stepping backward with that foot, he thereby becomes an infielder and if he makes a wild throw from that position, it shall be considered the same as a wild throw by any other infielder. The pitcher, while off the rubber, may throw to any base. If he makes a wild throw, such throw is the throw of an infielder and what follows is governed by the rules covering a ball thrown by a fielder.

By definition, Bradford pitches from the windup. Because he scrapes the ground as he throws the ball, his natural pitching association has to be adapted to the manner in which he ‘winds up’. Umpires, sans Bill Miller, realize this. Forcing Bradford to come to a set position without runners on base essentially puts him into a traditional pitcher’s wind up scenario as he goes from leaning over to take the signs, then straightening up, then leaning over again to deliver the pitch. From the Bradford wind up, he merely leans over, takes the signs, winds (reaching back) and delivers the pitch. If the batter is in the box from the time Bradford takes the signs to delivering the pitch and Bradford does not come off the rubber - then Bradford ahs not attempted to breach the rule or 'tradition'. Further, the haphazard effort by Miller to interpret the rules would warrant the umpire to issue a balk with the Bradford wind up. But, if there are no runner’s on base, how can you call a balk?

LILLY PUFF PIECE

Someone is working hard on the Ted Lilly campaign:From the Associated Press via ESPN
Thursday, September 25

Lilly learns from namesake Theodore Roosevelt's exampleAssociated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) _ Theodore Roosevelt Lilly III is making quite the name for himself in Oakland's talented pitching rotation.
And that's not surprising, considering his namesake.
The reticent left-hander is nothing like the brash, rough-riding 26th president of the United States _ but the Athletics sure like what he's done for them in the second half.
``My great-grandfather rode with Theodore Roosevelt, admired him and respected him, worked for him, pretty much,'' Lilly said. ``He was a Rough Rider, and named my grandfather Theodore Roosevelt. That's how I got that name, from the admiration of being around him. It means a lot more when you get older and you understand.''
Lilly proved this week that he's plenty tough.
When rookie right-hander Rich Harden began having back spasms, Lilly walked into manager Ken Macha's office and volunteered to fill in despite the fact he'd just thrown a bullpen session the day before. Lilly proceeded to pitch six impressive innings Sunday in an important 12-0 win over Seattle that avoided a three-game sweep against the second-place Mariners.
Lilly (12-9) retired 13 straight during one stretch on the way to winning his career-high sixth straight start.
``It would be very comfortable for him as an individual to just say 'I'll go on Tuesday,''' general manager Billy Beane said, referring to what would have been Lilly's day to start. ``To come in and put himself on the line took a lot of guts.
``He's gotten better and better, and it couldn't come at a better time. He's been the best in the league the last 12 or 13 starts.''
Lilly will be counted upon for a big role come the playoffs next week, too.
After a rough beginning in Oakland, he has been a key component in the A's second-half success. Oakland won the AL West for the second year in a row and has earned a playoff berth for the fourth straight season, but the A's have lost in the first round the past three seasons.
With their ``Big Three'' _ Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito _ depleted to the ``Big Two'' because Mulder is injured, Lilly likely will start Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs.
Hudson is confident every time Lilly takes the mound, especially after what he showed Sunday.
``This was the biggest game of the year by far, and he stepped up like a lot of people can't do,'' Hudson said. ``I know after throwing a bullpen, the last thing I want to do is pitch a game.''
Lilly has high expectations for this postseason after a disappointing showing last year.
He made two disastrous relief appearances in the AL division series against Minnesota, going 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA as the A's were eliminated in five games.
Lilly took the loss in Game 1, getting tagged for two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. He relieved Hudson with a 5-4 lead and no one on base before giving up the tying and go-ahead runs. He had a no-decision in Oakland's 11-2 loss in Game 4, when he also relieved Hudson.
Lilly was acquired in a trade with the Yankees last year and was slow to find a rhythm with his new team. He spent July 23 to Sept. 10 on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation, then returned to make three starts. He came out of the bullpen Sept. 28, a role he kept through the playoffs.
He changed his delivery in the offseason and has been effective most of this year.
``I haven't done what I wanted to do, but I've been able to contribute enough,'' he said. ``The main thing is we're in first place and have a chance to go to the World Series.''
Lilly feels a certain connection with Roosevelt, who signed the proclamation creating Yosemite as the nation's fifth national park.
``I grew up 40 miles underneath Yosemite,'' said Lilly, who lives in Bass Lake and attended Yosemite High School.
On the road this season, Lilly has been reading ``Theodore Rex,'' a 550-page book on Roosevelt's life by Edmund Morris.
``Something like this is kind of special to me,'' he said. ``I'm understanding why he had so much energy for life and to accomplish things. It can certainly be motivating.''
Lilly's 59-year-old father, Ted Lilly Jr., isn't sure how long his grandfather was a Rough Rider _ Roosevelt's crew of volunteers recruited from the hunters and cowboys of the West for the Spanish-American War.
``Ted is telling me his son is going to be the fourth,'' said the elder Lilly, who follows Oakland's games on the Internet from Florida. ``He's really gotten into it.''

We also got into with Ted Lilly's Dad via the MLB A's message boards as someone was nice enugh to let us know that someone had "called us out". The thread was titled: "Where are all of the Ted Lilly bashers?"

THE RESPONSE FROM AN EIOS STAFFER
Apparently you weren’t paying attention to the thread because others have been comparing Lilly to Mulder.
Yah, gee, sorry Pops, didn’t mean for any stats or actual proof to dismay your notions of Ted Lilly being in the upper echelon of MLB pitchers.
Ted has put some good efforts forth in his last few starts, but that doesn’t wash what he did earlier in the year. Further, none of the recent starts were quality starts. By the way, a quality start is a traditional stat representing a pitcher who pitches at least seven innings and allowing two or fewer runs. Fantasy leaguers have bastardized the stat for their own use to be 6 innings or more and 3 or fewer runs (which is ridiculous because a pitcher has a whopping ERA of 4.50 with 6 innings pitched and 3 earned runs).
But I digress.
Maybe you haven’t noticed but Oakland A’s fans are tied of giving players their ‘props’. They’ve been giving their ‘props’ for a long time and deserve to at least see their team get out of the ALDS, for a change. They still chant ‘T Long’ for some strange reason.
The A’s organization has resolved itself to allow the playoffs to be a crapshoot. And to an extent it is. The Twins got hot last year, Tim Hudson had a hip injury he fought through (he didn’t pitch that poorly, and Ted Lilly came on and was unable to get anyone out. It happens in baseball. It just so happens it was the playoffs. As witnessed by the Angels winning the World Series last year. Does anyone think that the Angels were a better team than the A’s, other than the broadcasters at Fox? Does anyone even think the Giants were a better team than the A’s last season?
Still, it’s a lot more fun to roll the dice when you know you’ve got the better team, that is focused and ready and you’re not playing with the house dice. A’s fans don’t see the playoffs as a crapshoot. The see the opportunity for an 11 game wining streak. Sadly, that hasn’t happened and, frankly we’re getting rather Buffalo Bill/Susan Lucci about it.
In 2000, the A’s had to juggle their rotation in the playoffs and Terrence Long lost a ball in the sun in game 5. 2001 saw Jermaine Dye go down and the Giambi who would not slide. 2002 was the juggling of the rotation, Ted Lilly’s relief work and Billy Koch as the main culprits. What does 2003 have in store?
Who knows? But, it would be nice to know that Ted Lilly has put his stubbornness aside and has accepted the fact he has a very good fastball and he needs to be aggressive as he has the last few starts. The problem is, Ted Lilly has not been able to hold a stretch together like this, yet in his career, which has a lot of fans waiting for the bottom to drop out.
Am I rooting against Ted Lilly? No, are you crazy? I’m just not the least bit surprised when I see his old patterns show up. Leaving soft stuff on the outside of the plate to right-handers, throwing too many pitches and getting behind batters. You saw that on Sunday when he walked two in the sixth inning.
I’m an A’s fan. That doesn’t mean I have to like every player on the team. I actually like Ted Lilly, but not the Ted Lilly that was showing up for 2/3 of the season. I want to see a Ted Lilly willing to kick some butt and not be afraid of his own ability. I’d like to see Ted Lilly move ahead and make his presence felt rather than fling the ball up there and hope batters get themselves out.
It’s not bashing, it’s being critical. That’s what concerned fans do. They analyze, yes with stats, and critique. They posture and ponder. Most fans expect the worst from some players after they have seen them do poorly in the past. Remember Johnny Damon? Jason Isringhausen? Billy Koch? The Giambi who would not slide? A lot of fans loved those players in the green and gold. But ask them now, and they wouldn’t want to see them go anywhere near an A’s jersey, again. At the same time there were a lot of detractors who hoped for the best from those players but knew they had glaring weaknesses; Damon, weak arm couldn’t hit in a big park, Isringhausen, wasn’t an efficient pitcher, scared the heck out of most A’s fans, Koch, not a pitcher, a thrower, couldn’t understand the concept of 1-2-3 inning, Giambi, a ton of talent, five cent head and a jealously streak of his older brother a mile wide.
It’s professional sports. You don’t get slack for poor performance; you have to answer for it. Listen to all the whispering about Rich Harden. It’s not just Lilly. A’s fans know they have a great pitching pedigree in Oakland and they don’t tolerate poor performances, no matter who it’s from. Ted Lilly is as talented as any of the better pitchers in the league and he’s been unable to show he can produce on a consistent basis. That makes his disappointment seem larger in comparison.
If your expectation of a player is low because of the player’s limited ability, the disappointment is marginalized. Take Mark Ellis. Fans don’t expect him to hit .330 or jack 35 HR’s. They expect him to hit around .250 and play excellent defense and have a decent OBP. He does, so when he goes 1 for 15, it’s not as bad as say Terrence Long who follows up a 1 for 15 with a 3 hit day and then goes on a 1 for 22 binge and constantly misplays balls in the outfield.
When you have a pitcher with tremendous ability who can’t seem to pitch into the 7th inning and scuttles around and gets knocked out in the third and fourth inning way too often, it makes the disappointment that much glaring. Ted Lilly could be a 20 game winner someday. But, he’s not right now. He’s a marginal pitcher with tremendous ability that is seeing an upsurge late in the season.
Here I am complimenting Ted Lilly and I will read is how I bashed him.
Whatever.
So back off. Fans sometimes can’t communicate their feelings beyond. He s-u-c-k-s. It’s all some can do.
Why is everyone so up in arms about defending a single player? Isn’t this a team game? Why don’t you put your efforts of defending Ted Lilly toward something substantial, like getting rid of Terrence Long or finding out where Scott Hatteberg’s ability to hit line drives has gone?