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!!!!

Mark Mulder Staging a Comeback!!

Mark Mulder was once one of the elite pitchers in the game. He was drafted number two by the Oakland Athletics in 1998 and thus began his stellar career yet short career. As part of Oakland's "Big Three" along with Barry Zito and Tim Hudson, he helped lead the Athletics to four straight playoff appearances from 2000 to 2004. And in 2001 at the young age of 23 he finished second to Roger Clemens in the CY Young balloting, going 21-8 with a 3.45 ERA.

In 2004 the Athletics moved Mulder to the St. Louis Cardinals in a four player trade that brought pitcher Dan Haren to Oakland. 2005, Mulder's first year in St Louis was almost as good as his 2001 season. He finished the year 16-8 with a 3.64 ERA.  But then things slowly began to fall apart for the southpaw. He under went surgeries on his left shoulder in both 2006 and 2007. Unfortunately Mulder reportedly said that his throwing arm "never worked right" after the surgeries.

With his hopes of continuing in the majors seemingly dashed, Mulder officially retired from baseball in 2009. In 2011 he became an analyst at ESPN and spent his spare time traveling with his wife and three children. Then in October of this year, just a few months ago everything changed.

Mulder, now 36, was watching the MLB playoffs from the comfort of his home near Scottsdale, AZ when he saw something in the delivery of Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Paco Rodriguez. It was something he was able to imitate without irritating his throwing arm and shoulder that had been an issue throughout his entire career with both Oakland and St. Louis.

To read the remainder of my article go to Sports Unbiased, your site for all Sports News, Polls and Predictions! (& my articles! lol)

MLB Hot Stove: A's Busy In Week Leading Up To Winter Meetings

The Oakland Athletics were having a quiet Major League Baseball Hot Stove Season up until early last week. Last Monday they signed free-agent pitcher Scott Kazmir to a two year, $22 million deal thus ending their pursuit of veteran pitcher Bartolo Colon.

They also traded minor league infielder Jemile Weeks and a player to be named later, for the Orioles’ closer Jim Johnson who will replace free agent closer Grant Balfour. Balfour is in talks with a handful of teams, including the New York Yankees. After coming off a career year in 2013, Balfour will command more money than the Athletics would be willing to spend. Coming off an All Star year in 2012, Johnson, the American League saves leader, went 3-8 with a 2.95 ERA and 50 saves with Baltimore last season.

Finally it seemed like general manager Billy Beane and the A’s were making some big deals this off season, yet Oakland’s movement did not end with the signing of one key player and the trade for another; the organization made quite a few other changes and decisions as well.

The A’s decided to tender contracts to each of their nine arbitration eligible players: outfielders Josh Reddick and Seth Smith, infielders Brandon Moss and Jed Lowrie, relievers Jesse Chavez, Jerry Blevins, and Fernando Rodriguez, catcher John Jaso, and to the surprise of many, their longest tendered player, backup first baseman, Daric Barton. The A’s then turned around and traded Smith to the San Diego Padres for set up man, Luke Greggerson.

Image courtesy of Getty Images

In keeping Barton the A’s kept with their strategy of recent years emphasizing a focus on team depth and player on base percentage. Barton will likely back up the A’s usual platoon duo Brandon Moss and Nate Freiman.

Read the rest of my article on Sports Unbiased, your website for all Sports News, Polls and Predictions! (and my articles! lol)

Huddy to the gnats?! I think I'm gonna be sick ....

... SO I'M DONE THINKING THAT THE MAN I THOUGHT I KNEW WAS A CLASS ACT ....

I don't care that he is a nice person with a great family, Kim and the kids were always sweethearts too! I don't care that he was nice enough to take time out of batting practice (of course he wasn't starting that day but still) when I was 22 (and working for KICU producing the live game broadcasts) to teach me about the different pitching grips. That was a great moment (and I still and probably will never be able to even hold the ball to throw a splitter! My hands are far too tiny! lol) for me and I still appreciate it ...

But to go to the "dark side" for $23M is NOT classy. I dont care what people say! What any of you may say. I HATE the gnats (always have and always will) and any player who WILLINGLY goes to play for them! Had he gone to ANY other team, he would still have my respect and support but not this. Black cleats? PLEASE! And orange? The world's ugliest color? Ewww ... Whatever. It's all about the GREEN AND GOLD and our WHITE CLEATS.  I've written SOOOO many comments and tweets and status updates on this horrible development that I am just gonna stop here ...

If you want anymore of my thoughts on this matter you can check My Facebook or My Twitter Account (Follow me @OakAsSocksGrl)! Because I just have no more energy to talk about this .... I think I am gonna go puke now!! (as one friend wrote me "they need to hand out green & yellow puke bags for situations like this" ... LMAO!)

RESPECT OAKLAND BASEBALL!

A's Playing at AT&T? Not Gonna Happen!

AND ALSO OAKLAND A's SOCKS GIRL IN THE NEWS (kinda!) 

So I'm in a bit of a hurry but here goes: the purpose of this blog is to address 1. the remote possibility of the A's playing at AT&T Park next season and 2. to point out that the pic that goes along with the article is a pick of me (Oakland A's Socks Girl), DMock, CocoFingers and OaklandGreenMan ... so I obviously found that to be pretty cool! Check it out by clicking the link below:

Possibility of A's having to play at AT&T next Season & OaklandAsSocksGirl's Pic in the article on ABC news

Well there's all this talk about the A's possibly playing at AT&T Park next season ... my first response is basically I just threw up a little bit (again just thinking about it!)! My other response it that it's not gonna happen. The A's will make a deal and be at the Coliseum for the next couple years and probably until a new stadium is built in Oakland - and it will be! - They've been talking about San Jose for over a decade and nothing's happened? Really? Something really gonna change? What will is Oakland and local investors (who are ready to buy the team - JUST SELL LEW!) will pick a site and we will have a new stadium ... there's too much more to go into for me to go into detail on my thoughts on the A's/SJ/AT&T/Oak ... which I may do at one point someday but that day isn't today! 

Also it's cool that they feature A's fans photo's on the article ... First one? One of my friends and me! Not a bad tweet to wake up to in the morning! LOL! (I included a pic of Oakland Vader bc he should have been represented too!)

 Melvin's Misfits and Oakland A's Socks Girl

(I'm kinda an honorary member of the Misfits!)

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

 ... Red Sox crowned World Series Champions

Make no mistake I am NOT a Red Sox fan .... but I am an AL girl and there were conflicting reasons to root for either team so I went with the Red Sox (you know if you read any of my blog before about the whole mess of the hierarchy of World Series Titles, etc). Plus, I like a few of the players in Boston like David Ortiz aka Big Papi! He so adorably happy all the time, he reminds me of Bartolo Colon a bit (#TeamBartolo) and also playing for the Red Sox were former Athletics, NorCal native Jonny Gomes and the "smartest man in baseball" Craig Breslow ... As I mentioned before as well I'm an American League girl at heart so my alliegence is to the AL. 

Ortiz was named the MVP of the World Series this year, his postseason record is so good it's awe inspiring! And he performed as well or better than he did almost a decade ago when the Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918. Ortiz's lifetime postseason batting average is .295 with 17 home runs. One might think he'd have big numbers playing for contenders like the Twins and now the Red Sox combining for a total of 82 post season games having gone to the ALDS eight times, the ALCS six times and the World Series three times! But it's hard to keep an almost .300 avg  having played what equals to a full half season's worth of post season games! Yes, Big Papi has had the good fortune of playing for competitive teams but every time he goes to the playoffs he is CLUTCH and this year was no different! He deserved that MVP award! Congrats Big Papi!!


Earlier today I wrote an entire blog post about all this and much more using my phone, turns out that even though I have app on my phone - it was all lost because it wouldn't publish! Apparently my phone isn't compatible with Blogger. It's a Galaxy S3 I can't imagine why it wouldn't work. I need a new phone anyway so I think I will make sure my new one is compatible. Now I feel like I am just completely rambling but earlier I felt like I had more content and meat to the whole thing. Ugh! Frustrating much?! So here are some pics of my Red SockSwag! I will write and add more to this tomorrow most likely but for now this is all I got in me ... keep getting distracted by wanting to watch Pitch Perfect! LOL! 

I was definitely ready to watch some baseball with my SockSwag, JD, Bud Light, Diet Coke and my #OaklandKoozieSwag .... only thing missing was the pizza but it was about to arrive! hehehe!

"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**

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 ... 

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 LINK: My 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!