A's Fan Fest "Personalities" Questionnaire (and my original crazy person answers )

 So the A's asked me and a few of my buddies to appear on stage tomorrow as "personalities" from around the Coli. To be honest I am freaked out a bit by the whole thing but I said yes because my buddies - CocoFingers, Oakland Vader and Oakland Greenman all said yes and if I have Melvin's Misfits by my side I should be ok ... but big crowds staring at me... good publicity for my writing maybe ... for my future sock company maybe but really? I'm just a big baby and I am quite honestly nervous! Anyways, here are my real answers to their interview questions and then I will post the short ones I actually sent in! LOL!

Answers I woulda sent in except I am not THAT Crazy!

Answer any or all

What is your official character or personality name or often used nickname? I'm the Oakland A's Socks Girl

When did you first dress as this character or adopt elements that you’re known for? I started wearing knee high socks to Spring Training last year ... everyone, employees, fans (even Billy Beane, not that he would remember and Bob Welch too) - started calling me "Socks Girl"

What was the inspiration behind it? I have always loved weird socks, I guess it comes from being obsessive compulsive (it's an asset when it comes to baseball superstitions) ... so I've worn colored/patterned socks since I was a kid. After I got my first A's pair (I took my friend's son so I could get them at giveaway day in 2012) it was all over ... got my second pair for Christmas and now it's all about finding any kind of sock I can in A's colors. I also have Sharks and Raiders as it was dubbed by my friend Jamey Van Dyke - #SockSwag ... or officially #OaklandSockSwag

What was the best comment from a player that you’ve received about your character or personality element? Does Bob Welch count being that he was one of my faves as a kid? He just said I had "great style" and oh Hendu even remembered me after I dyed my hair from blonde to brown that was cool ... and Billy Beane said I should go with the "socks girl thing" and well, who doesn't listen to Billy Beane. He wouldn't remember but it is something I will never forget!

And the best comment from a fellow fan? OMG! I think the best compliment I've gotten from a fellow fan is being accepted by the members of both the left and right field bleachers and especially being accept as a sort of honorary member of the Melvin's Misfits! I love those guys!

How long have you loved the A’s? I'd learned a bit about the game when I was a baby almost from my grandmother when I lived in Texas. I went to my first live game at the Coliseum at the age of 4 when we moved to California in 1985. I've been in love ever since!

What is your favorite moment from A’s history? Well I could go back to way before I was born but since I have been alive (1981) I have a couple. Obviously, Hatty's HR to win game 20, seeing Dallas' perfect game and here's a random one but I love it ... Marco Scutaro vs the Yankees in '07 - hit a walk off homer to left off of Mariano Rivera ... that was pretty freakin' cool.

Who’s your favorite current or former A’s player? Dennis Eckersley no doubt is my #1. Love Campy and Rollie and I adore Dave Henderson ... on the current team I gotta go with Coco because he has crazy good energy, just brings life to the team. Also, I'd go with Doo because he is not only a great pitcher but he is funny as hell on Twitter! 

A prediction on how the A’s will perform in 2014? We are taking the West for the third straight time no matter what people say! The Rangers? Please ... they will only have half a pitching staff for the first half and everyone knows they choke down the strecth everytime ... the Angels and Mariners ... Pujols and Hamilton both have to turn it around and their is only decent at best and the Mariner so they have Cano and Hart in the lineup now with Rodney closing but we have a more solid line up and while I haven't seen Johnson pitch yet we have one of the best bullpens in baseball and still people are underestimating us as usual! Makes me sick. So surprised every year that we rock! Lame. A's may take it all the way but we gotta get passed the damn TIgers ... the last two years AND the ALCS in '06? NO. They will not do it to us again, Verlander will get lit up by us at some point! He cant be perfect tho my sis in law and I have decided he may be super human! LOL!

OK, Those Were My Long Answers ... Here's what I actually sent in .... (still kinda sound nuts here too but not as much)

What is your official character or personality name or often used nickname?

Oakland A's Socks Girl or you can just yell "Jen" and I will answer!

When did you first dress as this character or adopt elements that you’re known for?

Just last season at Spring Training - ok I actually wore the socks to a couple games in 2012 but I got another knee high pair for Christmas that year and it was on from there .... 

What was the inspiration behind it? 

I've never liked wearing white socks, I blame my OCD. But I always wore weird socks as a kid, once I realized I could collect and combine socks to make A's ones I was beyond hooked.

What was the best comment from a player that you’ve received about your character or personality element? I'd say the fact that (and I KNOW he'd never remember) but Billy Beane noticed my socks at Spring Training. That was pretty insane. 

And the best comment from a fellow fan? Best comment? More like actions. I have made so many amazing friends (I credit all social media for this) and been accepted into different season ticket holder groups that it makes me really feel like part of a family.

How long have you loved the A’s? I watched baseball as a baby with my grandmother in Texas, moved to California in 1985, went to my first live game when I was 4 years old and have been in love ever since!

What is your favorite moment from A’s history? Since I have been alive - Hatty's HR to win game 20 (Miggy's walkoffs in 18 and 19 were great too), Dallas' perfect game, beating the giants in the World Series and Marco Scutaro in a game vs the Yankees hitting a walk off HR off Mariano RIvera - that was a hella sick moment in 2007. (Nate Freiman's walk off single off Mariano in last season's 18 inning game was hella sick too)

Who’s your favorite current or former A’s player? Former: The Eck, Rollie, Bob Welch and Hendu .... Current: Coco, Doo and Sogard

A prediction on how the A’s will perform in 2014? We will take the West for the third straight year! After that ... well, it;s up to them! But I always believe!

LET'S GO OAKLAND!!!!

What is the Rule 5 Draft?

A lot of even the most die hard baseball fans haven't even heard of the Rule Five draft or if they have they don't know a lot about it or the impact it can possibly have on their favorite team. Honestly, I learned a lot about it last season because of one ballplayer who did make a difference on the A's,  a tall guy named Nate Freiman.

But let's first look at what the Rule 5 Draft is and how it works. As stated by MLB.com a team can select any player who is not already on a 40 man roster who has played at least four years of professional baseball since signing at age 19 or who has played at least five years of professional baseball since signing at the age of 18. 

There are three phases of the draft Double-A, Triple-A and Major League. If a player is selected from the minors then the money does not exchange hands between the player's existing organization and their new one. This changes however in the Major league phase of the Rule Five draft.  A team must pay $50,000 to the team they choose a player from.  The selected player must be kept on their new team's 25-man roster for the entire season. The player may not be not be optioned or designated for assignment. 

If a selecting team feels the need they have the option to waive Rule Five player and if the player clears waivers but does not sign with another MLB team he must be optioned back to his original team for $25,000.

A Rule Five player must be active for 90 days which stops teams from placing a Rule Five draftee on the disabled list for the majority of the season. Even if the draftee is placed the DL for a number of days the remainder of the 90 days carries over to the next season. Once a Rule Five player has spent a full 90 days on a MLB team their status reverts to normal and they may be optioned or designated for assignment. 

Yes, this all sounds clinical and confusing at first. Now let's look at Nate Freiman. Freiman who was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2009, spent the first four years of his professional career making waves but was kept in the minors due to Padres regular first baseman Yonder Alonso. Now eligiable for the Rule Five draft he was selected in the second round by the Houston Astros but by March the Astros had to waive Freiman due to the signing of first basema/designated hitter Carlos Pena, the acquisition of 1B/DH Chris Cater from Oakland and their already everyday 1B Brett Wallace. There was just no room left for Freiman who cleared waivers and was picked up by the Oakland Athletics. 

At this point Freiman had not yet started to fulfill his 90 active days so the A's had to keep him on their roster those 90 days. Freiman stayed on the A's the entire year making some important contributions at first base and at the plate. On April 3, he had two hits in three at-bats in his major league debut and it seemed the A's had found the right handed hitting first baseman they had been looking for to complement their current staple at first base, left handed hitting Brandon Moss. Freiman was also named Rookie of the Month for the month of May after going 13-37 with a .351 batting average. 

The most notable moment of 2013 for Freiman and his real introduction to the rest of the major leagues was a walk off single against New York Yankees' iconic closer Mariano Rivera. Rivera, pitching in his final season and final game at Oakland's O.Co Coliseum, came in during the 18th inning of a marathon game to pitch to Freiman. Freiman hit a walk off single to left field scoring catcher John Jaso thus ending what was becoming (I can tell you because I was there) an almost unbearably hot July day that was beginning to turning into evening! Now Freiman has a job with the Athletics platooning regularly with Moss at first base. 

Find the rest of this article on Sports Unbiased your site for all Sports News, Polls and Predictions (and stuff written by yours truly! lol) ..... 

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!

Green Collar Baseball (Oakland Anthem)