Sunday, October 27, 2013

"THINGS" brought to you today by the letter B & the number 13 (also, the color RED)

So I've figure a couple of things out ... actually after re-reading this I realize I have absolutely NOTHING figured out but that I am completely ok with that. Quick exampIe! I was going to start out this blog talking about RED #SockSwag for the World Series and I am completely ok with that ... now onto the nonsense ....

First off, I don't really care who wins this World Series. Nothing really against either team except that the Cardinals have two more World Series Titles than the Athletics (I'd like OAK to @ least re-tie STL for second all time)  and the Red Sux have the most obnoxious and annoying fans - they show up the way A's fan know how to show up - A's fans however just do it with a bit more class .... ok, they can be 'wickedly' (or just 'wicked'?? 'HELLA' makes much more sense!) obnoxious! (I still hate you girl who tried to fight me by chasing me and grabbing me by the back of the head at Game 5 of the 2003 ALDS  - yea, ten years and I am still pissed off - which quickly leads me to digress even farther off topic but it puts the damn Kirk Gibson HR in perspective a little.) It's been a decade and I still hate the way we played games 3-4 in Boston, I still hate losing that particular game five more than some of our other playoff failures and yes, I still hate that girl and most all Boston fans (I did before that day but esp after) so I guess I could say I can hold onto a grudge too! I should probably hate the Dodgers but I don't really. It doesn't hurt that rooting for the Dodgers when they win it just pisses off the gnats fans so kinda works for me! So I was only seven when I watched Gibson hit the walk off against Dennis Eckersley that many still believe changed the course of that world series 25 years ago. I guess I get it, I always said to "get over it, it was only game one." Yes, it was only game one. But it was my first ever World Series experience that included my favorite team and more than likely I didn't fully see the 1988's HR's significance the way that I look at the significance of those two games in Boston in '03 for instance. Still I may always think that that whole Boston debacle was more of a series momentum changer than game one in 1988 or I may find Joe Carter's walk off vs the Philadephia Phillies' closer Mitch Williams to win it for the Toronto Blue Jays in game 6 of the 1993 World Series more iconic. As I mentioned I was only a kid in the midst of my "first real World Series" (b/c I mean how could it count without the A's in it?) and for some reason the wins from back then are more vivid than the loses (the same goes for football) while the older I get the more the losses hurt and stick with me... like a plague. Good times the post season!! LOL! Naw really, I do LOVE the MLB Post Season which, thank goodness brings me back to my original thought .... 

LOOK HOW FAR OFF TOPIC I GOT?? OMG!!!

I was supposed to be talking about how for the FIRST time I am going to wear and debut pictures of my new RED and white #SockSwag during game six of the 2013 World Series! (See any team can have SockSwag?!) Just to preface or disclaim or What I mean is .... ok, sure, I haven't ACTUALLY MADE my own pair of socks YET but the way that I go with designs, layering, lengths and colors right now for the A's is what I envision for my own line sports teams/colors themed socks ... but again I am getting off topic here. I am NOT wearing the socks as particularly RED "SOX" (although I lean more towards Red Sox and American League victory as I believe I have made abundantly clear. If I haven't I am clearly not doing a blogger/writer's job of effectively exchanging information with other parties ... hmmm....) - more like neutral #SockSwag - especially since one, I noticed today that the Cardinals had some pretty kick ass #StLouisSockSwag on today! Either way it's gonna continue to be a very Red October indeed and this year's World Series Champion team will absolutely be wearing red ... 


St. Louis Cardinals

**COMING SOON: 2013 World Series Game Six: A TRUE STORY: The Day I Wore Red #SockSwag**


Saturday, October 26, 2013

UnPlanned Blog - Oakland A's News - Good and Bad ... There should be 4 names on the short list for 3B GG!

Wasn't planning on even using the internet today but I as any addict would, logged on just once ... this once made me discover a couple of things! One that was beneficial for me and the other that just made me f*ckin' pissed off so here I go writing my strong opinions once again ... 

Number 1 - The Good News

The good new is that I was unexpectedly featured AGAIN in this week's Fan Friday edition of The Crown Sports! It's not a special on A's fans this time but I was included!! Very Cool! Thanks for the #OaklandSockSwag Love Crown Sports! Much appreciated!

Here's the link:  http://thecrownsports.com/2013/10/25/fan-friday-4/

Check the pics out if you like! You've probably seen them before but I am always excited when another person or the media recognize me! It's an honor! :-)

Number 2 - The Annoying News ....

Well the Athletics have been honored with 2 Gold Glove Nominees for 2013!! That's great right? But it's not as ideal, even for a team that often gets overlooked. Once again Josh Donaldson's the A's AmAzing 3rd Baseman (you can follow him on Twitter @BringerOfRain20) was snubbed, just as he was for the 2013 All-Star Game. Now I understand (as most of you would begin to stop me here) - I know that 3rd base is as packed a position as shortstop was in the early-mid 00's with Miguel Tejada, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra! I understand all this and what a tough choice it must be. But I have to stick up for the fact that Donaldson is not as good or better than the three who made the shortlist, Longoria, Machado and Beltre. All of those names belong on the short list but doesn't Donaldson's as well? I mean how bad would it be to give a little recognition where it's due by putting 4 names on the short list, for example. I mean is that really making it a LONG LIST? lol. But in all seriousness, Donaldson't one catch alone, where he dove head first over the left field tarps only to still hold up that ball in victory should put him on that list and we aren't even counting other aspect's of his play this season  Batting over .300 with 24 HR's, .301 BA and 93 RBI's. But those stats don't effect the Gold Glove that Donaldson at the very least deserves to be on that short list - his hustle and success on the field should say enough why there should be 4 names on the short list for 3B Gold Glove for this 2013 MLB Season that is going to be decided by the week's end! I sincerely hope he is on the list for MVP (even if it is in the top 10, Josh Donaldson deserves to be given some well deserved and well fought for recognition! 

Here's the article .... http://www.mlb.com/news/article/oak/as-josh-reddick-and-yoenis-cespedes-are-gold-glove-finalists?ymd=20131025&content_id=63350004&vkey=news_oak


So anyways, that's as about as much as I feel like talking about today ... And I am sure I could have pontificated more but I'm tired ... just two quick things that needed to be addressed today .... #LetsGoOakland!!!!!

#RESPECTOAKLANDBASEBALL!!


**SPECIAL SHOUT OUT to MARK ELLIS of the Los Angeles Dodgers on his 2013 GOLD GLOVE nomination!! We Love You in Oaktown Elli!**

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Oakland Athletics: 2013 Recap and 2014 Predictions

This season was truly a sensational season for the Oakland Athletics, albeit a quiet one compared to the also spectacular season they had in 2012, winning the AL West on the final day of the season. Hopes were higher for the Athletics in 2013, returning with their team pretty much intact the odds of a repeat in the AL West were good. The Athletics won two more games in 2013 (96-66) than in 2012 (94-68) and they did it in a much more subdued fashion. The A's fought through injuries, Josh Reddick's wrist being one of the biggest, yet had enough depth to remain consistent. They won at least 16 games in each month of the season except July where they experienced a slight slump but that didn't put a hiccup in their step as they ended the season with their second consecutive American League West Title, making them a good candidate for World Series victory.
www.facebook.com/JenRainH20
www.facebook.com/JenRainH20
Unfortunately for the Athletics the 2013 American League Division Series ended in the exact same fashion as the 2012 ALDS, being shut out by Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers in game five. What went right for the A's in 2013 to get them back to the postseason? And what went wrong for them to lose again to the same team and the same pitcher in game five of the ALDS?
The Athletics were dominant all season, more than once stringing together mini streaks of 8 or 9 games. They had dominate pitching in CY Young candidate 40 year old Bartolo Colon and later on with mid season call up Sonny Gray. Closer Grant Balfour broke Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley's consecutive save streak with 41 straight saves. The two other notable names of the A's bullpen were set up men Sean Doolittle and Ryan Cook along with long relievers Jesse Chavez (who pitched an amazing 7 innings in the 18 inning marathon against the New York Yankees in July) Pat Neshek and Jerry Blevins. The A's bats were on the majority of the time but more often than not they relied on the big hit or the big home run from one of their players, like 1B Brandon Moss, 3B Josh Donaldson, CF Coco Crisp and in the case of the aforementioned 18 inning game, rookie Nate Freiman hitting a walk off single against the great Mariano Rivera.
Sonny5
www.instagram.com/oaklandassocksgirl
Relying on the big hit became a problem for the A's in the playoffs when they were required to hit against the Tigers three aces, 21 game winner Max Scherzer, ERA leader Anibal Sanchez, and the always incredible Justin Verlander. The A's won the second game of the series with young call up Sonny Gray out pitching Verlander and the third game in Detroit again depending on the long ball. Come game five the Athletics were forced to face their nemesis, Justin Verlander, an almost unhittable pitcher, who took a no hitter into the 7th inning until Yoenis Cespedes's base hit in the bot of the 7th inning broke up the no-no. The problem is that Detroit got their one long 2 run shot off of Sonny Gray courtesy of Miguel Cabrera and ended up winning the game 3-0 while the A's were waiting for that one big long ball that never came.
In short the A's need a big, dependable and possibly even well known bat in 2014. It's the consensus of many that they must bring someone in to help the lineup a little bit. However, there are definite chances that those big hits could come from guys like Reddick who played all season with a wrist injury and finished with only 12 homeruns while the year before he hit 32 homeruns and won a Gold Glove. Brandon Moss hit 30 homeruns this season so there is a good chance that he could emerge into the spolightlight the way another of the A's, Josh Donaldson, did this season. Cespedes is another candidate to be a great homerun hitter next season hoping that he stays healthy, he won the Home Run derby in 2013 but did not produce as well in regular season games. Finally when it comes to clutch hits one cannot forget to mention team leader and all around clutch guy, Coco Crisp.
www.csnbbayarea.com
www.csnbbayarea.com
All of these players, barring a crazy unforseen trade should be on the A's roster come opening day 2014. Even though all of these players have proven themselves offensively, the question remains: will the A's try to acquire a big bat?
There are rumors that the A's will trade players like started turned long reliever, Brett Anderson and there have been rumors that they may be interested in acuiring David Price. Still this doesn't seem likely as the A's are in talks with Bartolo Colon about pitching another season. Colon, at the age of 40 and having spent a stint on the disabled list, still finished second overall in the American League in both ERA and Wins! He had one of his lifetime best seasons and the A's believe that he has a few more years in him. They have already resigned team leader, 33 year old, Coco Crisp who is coming off of a career year. Overall it is not likely that they A's will be making too many changes to their already talented roster. At this point closer Grant Balfour isn't in that picture. At 35 and having had the best year of his career, Balfour can command more money than the A's would be able and/or willing to pay. But there have been talks about mid season call up Dan Otero stepping up in the closer's role, Doolittle and Cooke (who did struggle at the end of the season) are also in contention. for the closer roll.
Grant Balfour
www.mlbforlife,com











It is likely that the A's will find a strong bat to add to their roster. More than likely an aging player who is happy to DH and hit home runs, ala the sucess they had in 2002 with David Justice and in 2006 with Frank "The Big Hurt" Thomas. The Athletics will not be renewing contracts or picking up options for neither OF Chris Young nor catcher Kurt Suzuki, leaving Derek Norris and John Jaso to platoon at catcher. Besides them and Balfour there are questions about rookie Nate Freiman and if he will be involved in the club's plans for next season. In the off season both Sonny Gray (left thumb) and Josh Reddick (wrist) will be having surgery but both are projected to be ready to go when pitchers and catchers report to spring training in the middle of February.
From the perspective of this writer I believe that the 2014 Oakland Athletics line up will look something like this:
Coco Crisp, CF
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Jed Lowrie, SS
Brandon Moss, 1B
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Josh Reddick, RF
Seth Smith, DH
John Jaso and Derek Norris platooning at C
Eric Sogard / Alberto Callaspo platooning at 2B

But this line up does need to look out for up and coming players such as the AAA afiliate Sacramento River Cats Michael Choice who's shown potential and hit .302 last season with 14 home runs. And this pick may seem premature but after his performances in spring training, with the A's single A affliate the Stockton Ports and his so far impressive numbers in the Arizona fall league, Addison Russell has the potential to do big things in the Majors and it is entirely possible he could work his way to AAA Sacramento and into the show by the end of the 2014 seasons. It's also a good idea to keep an on relief pitchers Seth Frankoff and Bruce Billings who both pitched brilliantly in 2013 for the Ports and should soon be called up to AAA and possibly to the show by the end of the season! But predictions for the Atheltics pitching in 2014 are as follows
Starting Rotaton:
Bartolo Colon
Sonny Gray
Jarrod Parker
Dan Straily
AJ Griffen

The Bullpen:
Jerry Blevins
Sean Doolittle
Ryan Cooke
Jesse Chavez
Pat Neshek
Dan Otero
Doo4
www.zimbio.com
Overall with a very similar team as in 2013 and with the continued leadership of 2012 Manager of the Year, Bob Melvin, the Athletics will have a chance to win the American League West for the third straight time. It will as with all teams depend on staying healthy and in the Athletics case keeping their bats alive. The A's pitching will be solid with the resigning of Colon and the talent in their farm system. The addition of a proven hitter might be the key to them finally getting past the American Division series for the first time since 2006.







*This posting can also be seen on Sports Unbiased (actually proof-read and edited! lol)* at http://sportsunbiased.com/mlb/18258/oakland-athletics-2013-recap-and-2014-predictions/

Thursday, October 17, 2013

The 24th Anniversary of the Loma Prieta Quake & the Bay Bridge World Series!

Since everyone is sharing their story on this 24th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake here's mine:

I was 8 years old and laying on the floor of our living room (decked out in my A's gear) watching the pregame festivities/beginning of the game for the Bay Bridge World Series (most AmAzing series EVER!) and the phone rang, it was my grandmother in TX  calling to see if we were ok and my mom was like "what do you mean?" Then the tv went out so I started yelling at my mom to come fix it quick (couldnt imagine not seeing the entire game!) Just as all this was happening we began to feel the quake, my mom put down the phone and told me to get in the doorway NOW! I did but it was quite a long earthquake so she eventually had me hid under the kitchen desk! Afterwards we ended up being lucky! We didn't have much damage besides broken dishes and things like that! An we were extraordinarily luck that my dad, who usually worked in the City, was working at the Concord office that day!  The only other casualty was that I was bummed bc they couldn't play the game! Which was obviously the least of everyone else's concerns but what can I say? I just LOVE baseball! lol

I find a couple things interesting ... first that my grandma knew about the quake before we did! Quakes really do roll out in waves because we hadn't felt it yet out east in Walnut Creek. The second thing that really baffles me is that some people's stories don't include being about to watch the World Series! I know, I know, I'm a baseball crAzy and my fave team was in the series but I just can't comprehend not watching it because you were out playing or something lame like that ... but that's just me and my crAzy obsession! So to each their own! I just find it comical! LOL! 

So that's my Loma Prieta story - what's yours???



*Since I have no pics on my computer from 1989, I figured this authentic BB poster that still hangs on my green living room wall would suffice! LOL*

Oakland A's Socks Girl Featured on The Crown Sports' Fan Friday!

Last week I was featured on a new website, TheCrownSports.com. So I want to give a huge thank you to The Crown Sports for featuring me aka The Oakland A's Socks Girl, The Oakland A's Pie Guy and The Greatest Sign Maker for their latest edition of Fan Friday! 

Oakland A's Socks Girl Featured on The Crown Sports

Check out my bio and slide show using the link above! And TheCrownSports.com is not just for A's fans only! Submit your own photos too no matter what your favorite sport or team!! It's a site for all sports fans! :)

Here's a preview:

"Jen Rainwater, aka Oakland A’s Socks Girl, is the trendiest socks-wearing sports fan in the country right now. Her love for the Oakland A’s has created a new found love of green and yellow tube socks to support her favorite team. She has since become one of the many popular “characters” that can be seen in the stands at the Oakland Coliseum at an A’s game. Her fashionable dedication to the A’s is a MUST see! To learn more about Jen ..." cont. on site ... 






Wednesday, October 16, 2013

New SU Article! Yasiel Puig's Superfractor Rookie Card Reportedly Worth $25,000

Shortly after Bowman released their 2013 Bowman Chrome series, a listing on EBay announced to the world what the biggest pull of the collection would be, a Yasiel Puig Prospect Autographs Superfractor card numbered 1 of 1. Listed on Ebay at a mere $25, 000 the card didn’t immediately sell but 13 bids were placed before the listing was pulled. Later it  was found to have been purchased by South Bay Baseball Cards. 




It has since been reported that South Bay Baseball Cards intends to repackage and include the card in their Super Box product line and the Puig card is predicted to be the most coveted card in South Bay Baseball Cards’ upcoming 2013 “Super Box Rookie and Phenoms Baseball,” collection that is slated for release on Oct. 23 of this year. 
This limited edition buyback product will center rookie cards of phenoms throughout baseball history from players like Joe DiMaggio and Hank Aaron to guys like Manny Machado and Bryce Harper and of course one lucky Super Box will contain the lusted after Yasiel Puig card!  
What makes a Superfractor card so special? Superfractors are Chrome Mini cards that are considered by collectors to be the cream of the crop of all rookie cards. Each player’s card is the only one of its kind numbered on the back 1/1 and are shiny and embellished on the front. In the past Superfractor cards for Stephen Stasburg and Bryce Harper in 2010 and Clayton Kershaw in 2006 have commanded anywhere between seventeen and twenty one thousand dollars. Already publicly priced at $25,000 there is no knowing how high the price on Yasiel Puig’s Superfractor Rookie Card will go but it is already clear that it will be well into the 5 figure range. There is no doubt that this card ranks as the number pull of 2013 and will be one of the most highly priced cards in history.
This article can also be found at http://sportsunbiased.com/mlb/18260/mlb-yasiel-puig-2013-superfractor-rookie-card-reportedly-worth-25000/

First attempt at a Video Blog .... Why I want the Dodgers to Win it All in 2013 & Other Random Ramblings!

Well this probably is gonna be one of the more ridiculous things you will see today! I was home alone bored and annoyed with some of the things people were saying on facebook. Then I began snap chatting with friends, sending mini videos and such - a couple people snapped back that they like my little rants so I decided to rant to my phone and capture it on video! This is the result ... it's probably embarrassing and  through the video most you - the few of you who actually care about my blog (so basically no one)  - will be like "what's wrong with this chick?" and it may be partially because of the unusual ways I choose my  MLB postseason picks.  Most people don't understand my reasoning and I have been trying to figure out how to upload this damn video for long enough that I can barely explain them anymore! So I guess if you care then you will have to bear with me through the video! lol!


VIDEO LINKMy First Attempt at a Video Blog



JUST KIDDING! I wouldn't subject you all to my insanity until I get some feedback (seriously I want to know if it's really bad like you'd rather kill yourself than watch another video or if it's alright enough for me to give it a try when I have a planned topic and some help) and  so if you do watch the video keep in mind that it was recorded on the fly but again if you do watch PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT! THANK YOU!!

My reasons for my postseason allegiances are quirky, some are detailed and others need no explanation there but they are what they are so here goes!  I want the Dodgers to win it all and here's why: First, the St. Louis Cardinals have the 2nd most amount of World Series Titles in baseball history (11). The New York Yankees of course are number one on that list with 27 titles but with their history of having more money than most teams being in 2nd place is just about the same as being on top! My A's have won 9 World Series in franchise history putting them 3rd all time.  While 3rd is a great place to be considering there are 30 teams in Major League Baseball but there was a time just within the past decade where the Cardinals decided it was time to pull away from the tie for second! Well I want that tie back and that means the Cards NOT winning the series and hopefully not even getting the chance to! Unfortunately it looks as though they are going to have a chance at lucky number 13 this year being up in the NLCS 3-1 over the Dodgers! But as we all know in this game anything is possible! Second I hate the Detroit Tigers ... can't stand 'em. Boom, enough said! lol! And finally are the Boston Red Sox. This team has been extremely hard to justify rooting for. They are playing Detroit of whom I am still completely bitter, reason one! But I have always hated the Red Sox second to the San Francisco Giants so just being angry with the Tigers isn't enough so the approach I had to take was to ignore the fact that Boston fans are completely obnoxious, look instead at the individual players (something that also helped me pick the Dodgers to root for to win it all ... Mark Ellis! Hello? Everyone and their mom loves Mark Ellis!! He'll always have a piece of my heart, unless of course he willingly signs with the dark side of the Bay Area!) and remember that it's been a decade since 2003, the year no one really wants to talk about. That was probably one of the worst post season performance by the A's that I have ever seen. Going into Boston up 2 games only to make mistake after mistake and end up back in Oakland losing game 5 ... I shudder even now thinking about it! UGH! But the Red Sox have guys like Johnny Gomes who was a complete joy to have in Oakland last year and Craig Breslow who was great with the A's and is the so called "Smartest Man In Baseball." Also who can hate a guy like Big Poppy (David Ortiz) or a guy with a kick ass name like Jarrod Saltalamacchia who also hit a walkoff in game 2 of this years ALCS against the Tigers? Yeah, hard to hate those guys ... good people, good ballplayers! Still don't like the Red Sox as an organization or their fans but the team I can get behind. So I guess they are my AL choice and the Dodgers are my NL hopeful and if it comes down to the two of them let the Dodgers win it all. Oh and I almost forgot ...1988 and Kirk Gibson. Yes, that home run in game one was a walk off, it was against my all time favorite player, The Eck and the A's did lose that World Series. I was 7 then, 8 when we annihilated the Giants in the WS. I still hate the Giants but the Dodgers and their fans also hate the Giants so I've learned over the years to let go of the '88 hate and embrace the Dodgers in that they are also rivals of two teams that the A's are rivals with - The Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim and the Giants. So I see more of an alliance in the last 20 years than a long standing grudge. A lot of people would disagree but these are the reasons I'm rooting for the Dodgers to get a ring this season! Good luck to them this post season!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

THIS IS OAKLAND! THIS IS OUR HOUSE! THIS IS OUR TOWN!



THIS IS OAKLAND! THIS IS OUR HOME! SO NOT IN OUR HOUSE DETROIT! NOT IN OUR HOUSE!!

Let's be LOUD & PROUD tomorrow everyone!! LET'S GET THE COLI RAGIN' and send Detroit packing!! Woohoo! Let's Go Oakland!!!!! This is our time, our year, our OAKtober! 



I HELLA LOVE OAKLAND! OAKTOWN FOREVER! ALL A's ALL DAY EVERYDAY!!! WE GOT THIS!!! :-)

SO GET FIRED UP AND GET TO THE COLI AT 5pm or earlier and LET'S CELEBRATE OUR TEAM AND OUR TOWN!!! AND WIN THIS BALLGAME! ALDS Game 5! See ya later kitty cats!


Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Just Want to Share a Couple Random Things Today! lol :)

What is a part of what makes O.Co Coliseum so special?? +Michael Morgan  and @Oakland_Vader put this together so they know! The CHARACTERS!  And coming soon: Sketchball: Drawings From Oakland's Cheap Seats!!



I am humbled and honored to have been considered for this comic and be included with some of the Coliseum's most iconic characters! Saw quite a few of us on Instagram this morning collected and put together by Oakland Vader and drawn by Michael Morgan and just felt it needed to be shared! WE WILL ROCK AND RAGE AT THE COLI ON THURSDAY AND THE A'S WILL PREVAIL over the tigers! Let's Go Oakland! And thanks for everything over the years my Oakland fAnily! :-)

Also, yesterday one of my tweets was featured in Casey Pratt's article! Which again I am honored by and basically just think its cool enough to talk about! LOL!


Enjoy my friends! See you at the Coli tomorrow at 5pm! We Still Got This Oaktown!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Terrible Baseball Writing at its Finest!

Yup! I found one of the absolute WORST pieces of baseball writing I've ever seen in my last 8 years working in and around the media and my last 28 years of reading baseball books, articles, watching games and documentaries but I have never seen anything this appalling! He calls Balfour "classless" but knows nothing about the A's nor the Balfour Rage! 

This so called "author" Connor Muldowney obviously has no knowledge of the team he is writing about! Do some RESEARCH! I don't know everything about the Tigers but I do research and write about other teams fairly! Balfour swearing on the mound as most of us know is his way of firing himself up and Martinez also should have known that being that we are in the POSTSEASON - shouldn't you know everything about your enemy? So how do they not understand where we get the #BalfourRage and the music and everything? Is everyone blind? Apparently they are when it comes to #Oakland who despite having the league's 3rd lowest payroll contends year after year! But really, just try a little research before you unleash this kinda crap to the world. It's classless of the author not to give #Oaktown the time ... he's not even watching his obviously, by the complete bias, beloved Tigers because had he watched the game this article wouldn't exist ...


Terribly researched and written Balfour article on RantSports! READ IT HERE!

RAGE ON GRANT! YOU ROCK!  






Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!

One of my fave pics of Grant Balfour, taken from my seat at the Coliseum during the 2013 ALDS Game 1 vs the Detroit Tigers! <3 10/4/13


Friday, October 4, 2013

MLB 2013 Playoffs: Oakland Athletics Prediction

REGULAR SEASON FINISH:
1st Place in AL West
RECORD:
96-66
AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES OPPONENT:
Detroit Tigers
Oakland Athletics Fans
www.facebook.com/oaklandathletics
The Oakland Athletics came out of the 2013 regular season in the same place they miraculously finished in, in 2012, atop the American League (AL) West. The back to back AL West Champions had 96 wins this season and only 66 losses, tying Atlanta with the third best record in the Majors.
The A's will have home field advantage hosting the Detroit Tigers at O.Co Coliseum in Oakland, CA in a rematch of the 2012 American League Division Series (ALDS). Last season the Tigers players told the press it was the “loudest” stadium they'd ever played in. This year with the removal of the tarps from the Coliseum's third deck will add another 12,000 fans into the mix. About returning to Oakland the Tigers players have been paying the outlandish fanatics in the East Bay some compliments telling The Detriot News:
“It was the loudest and craziest venue I’ve ever played in as far as baseball. It was an absolute madhouse; it was pretty fun to play in,” catcher Alex Avila said. “It was definitely one of the loudest stadiums I’ve ever been in and one of the rowdiest and craziest.”

“Last year, I remember it being loud — and they didn’t even have the third deck then so I’m sure it’ll be louder this year,” relief pitcher Drew Smyly said. “I felt the atmosphere. It was the loudest of the playoffs, all three stops (Oakland, New York and San Francisco) we made.”

“Being loud — that’s what really sticks out in my head,” center fielder Austin Jackson said, “It’s the atmosphere being unreal and playing against a really tough team that didn’t want to give up.
So will the hometown crowd help the A's? The Oakland Athletics “fAnily” as the regulars call each other are prepared to rattle the bones of even the most stoic pitcher (good luck playing the A's tonight Mr. Scherzer). Says one Season Ticket Holder (STH) from 128:
“We ARE practically family. We like to say 'fAnily' and with the advent of social media we've connected STH and die hard fans from all areas of the stadium. We take trips and have get together and one thing we do very well is organize. With what we have planned for the Tigers this year, well, loud is going to be an understatement!”
So the Oakland fans could be a key component in an Oakland series victory. 
Bartolo Colon
www.instagram.com/oaklandassocksgirl
An obvious key will be Bartolo Colon. At 40 years old, Colon is listed as 265lbs but appears to be well over 300lbs. Also at 40 years old Colon finished the season with 2.65 ERA (second in the AL), 8 wins (also second in the AL), the league's fewest walks and a legitimate case to be considered for the CY Young Award. And Colon's done it all with a smile on his face. A strong start in game one and his presence in the clubhouse will help guys like rookie starting pitcher Sonny Gray stay confident.
All season long the A's bullpen has been one of the team's greatest assets. With Jerry Blevins, Brett Anderson and Jesse Chavez the A's are well covered if in need of long relief but the A's real weapon is the one, two, three punch of Ryan Cook, Sean Dolittle and the famously fouled mouthed Aussie and A's all time consecutive saves leader Grant Balfour. Although Cook and Balfour have had a few recent struggles but if all three of these guys bring their A game along with five or six solid innings from an Oakland starter the A's could be all but un hittable.
Because of such stellar pitching the A's have the ability to win on the long ball alone. On some days they can only muster one three run shot but most of the time it's enough. Another key to the A's postseason success is that guys who have really stepped up offensively this season need to stay hot. Coco Crisp has the most home runs of his career, Brandon Moss became the first Athletic since Eric Chavez in 2002 to hit 30 home runs in a single season and Josh Donaldson managed to end the season with a batting average of .301 and 24 bombs.
On the A's there are many platoon positions so they are experienced just coming off the bench offensively and defensively. Catchers Derek Norris and Stephen Vogt are both know for their pinch hitting heroics and Eric Sogard,now know not just for his glasses but for his quick glove and outstanding defense in playing both short stop and second bass often platoons with Alberto Callaspo and Jed Lowrie at those positions. All three of those guys are experienced in coming off the bench at any time in the game. The Athletics have have extraordinary depth for a team with the league's third lowest payroll and will be hard to beat.
For the A's to be able to lock down the whole show here in 2013 players like Rookie Yoenis Cespedes and 2012 Gold Glover Josh Reddick need to step up and bring their A games to the yard this weekend. Both have been plagued by injuries during the season and never really got on an offensive track, yet both are very capable of going deep or getting a key hit. Cespedes is the reigning Home Run Derby Champion but all that power hasn't quiet translated to the field this season. But this is now the postseason time to see a little more of the “Cuban Missile” if the A's want to win it all. Both Cespedes and Reddick need to take their games to the next level, regardless Tigers will no doubt find out why the slogan is “Don't Run On Reddick.” These two guys have what it takes they just need to remain healthy and play more consistently in the postseason.
Although the A's are known for their stellar defense they have been plagued by errors in 2013. The errors seem to come in clusters making the Athletics look flat out sloppy, even lazy at times. Though they are far above sloppy and lazy, one sloppy game could cost them an entire series and it would be “see ya next season” something almost every member on this team has heard before and doesn't want to hear again. Just ask the Angels' Josh Hamilton about errors in important games and he surely note his debacle in Oakland in the season's final game, giving Oakland the insurance runs they needed to solidify their place at the 2012 AL Western Division Champions.
This year the Athletics are a more mature group of experienced players, not an entire team of rookies though there always are a few new guys. They have the depth, power and pitching to potentially go all the way to the World Series but they can't let any little errors get in their way.
MLB 2013 PLAYOFF PREDICTION:
Oakland Athletics – 11 Wins; 2013 World Series Champions

**A more polished version of this blog post is available at http://sportsunbiased.com/mlb/16607/mlb-2013-playoffs-oakland-athletics-prediction/

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

hAppy #OAKtober Athletics fAnAtics! RALLY AT CITY HALL TODAY AT 5pm!!

WE GOT THIS! LET'S GO OAKLAND!!!!! 


**REMEMBER 5pm TODAY at Oakland City Hall there is going to be an ATHLETICS RALLY to support our boys this post season! Be there to show your love for our team! We are a fAnily after al!! Kara and Stomper will be there and 95.7 The Game will be there broadcasting live! SUPPORT OAKLAND BASEBALL!! Show up today!** I'm gonna do my best to be there! LET'S GO OAKLAND!!!!!

**Also we are trying to get #OAKtober trending by the first ALDS game THIS Friday! Please use the hashtag and tell your friends!**

*We know who's real #fAnily and who is not so at this point I guess bandwagoners welcome! LOL! Let's get the #Coli ROCKIN' this weekend!!**


Fun hashtags to use! Yay!

#OAKtober
#LetsGoOakland
#fAnily (but only if you're a part of it for real ... come one peeps be honest now! lol)
#stAy
#AsFansRule
#IHellaLoveOakland
#RespectOaklandBaseball

*Up next on my blog ... making the case for Bartolo Colon as this season's AL CY Young*