Game 19 Open Thread - Royals (9-9) at A's (11-8)
Kansas City @ Oakland
Happy Hochevar Day!
I didn't see this one coming, and it's a reminder that every time I think I have Dayton Moore figured out, he does something I never saw coming. Of course the lesson is not that he's some zany free spirit, but that I just don't really know what's going on.
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Let’s get this out of the way — Tim Lincecum. Forget about Lincecum. Tim Lincecum is probably the twelfth Cylon model. Here’s how humans of normal intelligence see him: Brian Sabean, who as we all know is not an idiot, wanted trade him for Alex Rios over the winter, because even the organization that drafted him thinks his back will start glowing like model #6 and then he’ll explode all over the infield.
Now, on to your 2008 Hochevar debut.
by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 2:36 PM EDT 0 recs
i'm rather have hocheaver than nomo
I mean, look at that buff hottness….

Happy Hocheaver Day indeed!
Boyfriend of the Year 2008: It's gonna be big!
by loyal2theroyals on Apr 20, 2008 2:39 PM EDT 0 recs
by i'm i meant i'd
oops?
Boyfriend of the Year 2008: It's gonna be big!
by loyal2theroyals on
Apr 20, 2008 2:40 PM EDT
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Look how motivated and determined he is!

I think he’s puffing up his cheeks to blow the ball into the glove, giving it that extra 5 MPH kick
by raefzilla on
Apr 20, 2008 2:46 PM EDT
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hochevar might be one of those rare guys that looks more attractive mid-pitch
in that shot you posted he sorta reminds me of Weird Al
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 2:50 PM EDT
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and by you, i meant loyal2
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 2:50 PM EDT
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Hooray for Hoochie!
If he does well in his next two starts, they can’t possibly send him back down once Bale comes off the DL, can they?
Will, why are you surprised? Seems like a pretty obvious move to me.
by raefzilla on Apr 20, 2008 2:41 PM EDT 0 recs
Really looking forward to this
I haven’t seen him pitch much, yet—just the end of last year.
Finally coming back to the 'K'!!!! I'm going to be there 7/11/08, vs the SEA Mariners, of course!
by RoyalsFanInMarinerTown on Apr 20, 2008 2:43 PM EDT 0 recs
I, for one
Welcome our new Hochevar Overlords.
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on Apr 20, 2008 2:49 PM EDT 0 recs
Bengie Molina just scored from 2nd on a single. All of Northern California is stunned.
If Skip Schumaker plays center when the Royals play the Cards, they might try to take 2 extra bases on hits to him out there.
by 2X2L on Apr 20, 2008 3:02 PM EDT 0 recs
isn’t Skip just the perfect Cardinal?
he just plays the game the right way
by royalsreview on
Apr 20, 2008 3:04 PM EDT
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White, hustles, doesn't seem to do anything particularly well
I’d love to see the Cards pick up Matt Tolbert, Clete Thomas, Eric Byrnes, and of course Ross Gload. Within a few years, there would be statues of all four outside Busch Stadium.
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on
Apr 20, 2008 3:08 PM EDT
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eric byrnes is pretty awesome, actually
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 3:16 PM EDT
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Does Garagiola Already
Have one?
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on
Apr 20, 2008 3:19 PM EDT
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I don’t know much about him except that before yesterday’s game his OBP against the Giants was .600 in their first 5 games this year, and then yesterday he went 2 for 4, so he was still way up there.
That sound you hear in the distance is him falling back to earth.
by 2X2L on
Apr 20, 2008 3:11 PM EDT
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Just K’ed for the second time in two at bats against Jonathan Sanchez today.
by 2X2L on
Apr 20, 2008 3:14 PM EDT
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Butler Still Will
Be out by three steps at 2B.
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on
Apr 20, 2008 3:14 PM EDT
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When it comes to baserunning, Billy Butler is no Bengie Molina.
by 2X2L on
Apr 20, 2008 3:15 PM EDT
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And, in Bengie’s next at bat, he pulled a Butler, trying to stretch a run-scoring single into a double.
But don’t let superficial similarities fool you. Butler cannot catch.
by 2X2L on
Apr 20, 2008 3:31 PM EDT
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and he'll have dove four steps prior to that
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 3:15 PM EDT
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Speaking of the Giants
I’m getting the feeling their GM is trying to get fired, like Peter in “Office Space”. He has Rich Aurilia playing 1B, Jose Castillo playing 3B. They signed Aaron Rowand to a huge contract even though they already had six guys capable of playing centerfield. They just called up a minor leaguer with a .600 OPS to DFA Rajai Davis, a guy they lauded last season. They’re contemplating going to a six man rotation. I don’t think a trained monkey could run that ballclub any worse.
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on
Apr 20, 2008 3:15 PM EDT
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There's Nothing Wrong
With that team that a Voodoo gear-burning ceremony in the locker room wouldn’t cure.
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on
Apr 20, 2008 3:18 PM EDT
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but... they removed all signs of Barry Bonds from the stadium
which was like soooooo awesome
and brave too
doing something like that when a guy is already hated and absent is just, courage
by royalsreview on
Apr 20, 2008 3:18 PM EDT
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You know what?
I’ll go out on a limb and say it. I hate Osama bin Laden.
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
by RoyalsRetro on
Apr 20, 2008 3:19 PM EDT
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Don’t know if you saw this, but even the organization’s most loyal supporters, such as FJM favorite Bruce Jenkins, smacked them around a little bit for that. And they wound up doing what Jenkins suggested, putting the home run counter back in rightfield with a list of Giants with 500 or more home runs in their careers, and they put a plaque up in the general vicinity of where #756 came down.
So, they’re brave enough to backpedal. Got to give them that.
by 2X2L on
Apr 20, 2008 3:27 PM EDT
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There has to be some weird behind-the-scenes going on. I actually think that Sabean really is as bad as his last 5 years of moves indicate (trades with David Littlefield don’t count), and organization renewed his contract last year because they wanted to keep him close while they dealt with the fallout from the Mitchell Report. This is of course a total guess, but there must be something like that, or else he would have been cashiered when his contract ran out last year.
by 2X2L on
Apr 20, 2008 3:19 PM EDT
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maybe the Giants really want the #1 pick next year
or maybe Sabean’s got a nickle down on the Giants taking last place
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 3:27 PM EDT
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He’d already done enough since 2002 to guarantee that, so there was no need to bring him back. They could have let him stay home and rest on his laurels.
by 2X2L on
Apr 20, 2008 3:29 PM EDT
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hmm... good point
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 3:31 PM EDT
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Adam Jones is photogenic, and happy to be an Oriole


by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 3:48 PM EDT 0 recs
i noticed that
best mlb portrait ever?
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 3:51 PM EDT
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and they couldn't be like...
“hey man, lets try this again”
by royalsreview on
Apr 20, 2008 3:54 PM EDT
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no
they nailed it
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 3:54 PM EDT
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actually
you sort of wonder if they had to heavily sedate him in order to get him to take a picture
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 3:56 PM EDT
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FYI - Frank Thomas is now available to DH
Would rather have him or Bonds? (I’d vote for neither but a bit surprised Frank was released considering he’s a perennial slow starter…)
by jsolo on Apr 20, 2008 3:51 PM EDT 0 recs
bonds
bonds wasnt as terrible in the field as he was portrayed to be, he could probably competently play first in a pinch, and is a better hitter
by royalsreview on
Apr 20, 2008 3:55 PM EDT
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Thomas carries a little less baggage....
but not by much. He’s not exactly Mike Sweeney in the clubhouse.
by jsolo on
Apr 20, 2008 3:56 PM EDT
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I don’t think Bonds can play first. There’s a lot of footwork around the bag involved that he has never learned, and even if he can think it he might not be able to do it, because he needs a lot of time to get moving with those knees. Kind of an anti-Brooks Robinson, who had a quick first reaction, could make a lateral move impressively fast. Bonds can actually still cover a lot of ground in left, if he’s having a high pain-threshold day.
by 2X2L on
Apr 20, 2008 3:58 PM EDT
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be careful, one of you is liable to wreck your car into a house
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 4:06 PM EDT
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I think I could be okay with that.
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on
Apr 20, 2008 4:07 PM EDT
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talking could be a problem
if you can carry on a conversation with a 19 yr old for more than 2 minutes, you may be mentally challenged
by royalsreview on
Apr 20, 2008 4:10 PM EDT
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...talking?
Why would I want to bother with that?
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on
Apr 20, 2008 4:11 PM EDT
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And You Won't
Die young.
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on
Apr 20, 2008 4:08 PM EDT
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apparently if the Royals had a movie made about them...
John Buck would want Alex Gordon to play him. My favorite quote…
john buck on alex gordon: “do you think anyone is really listening to what he’s saying when he’s got all those muscles walking around?”
Boyfriend of the Year 2008: It's gonna be big!
by loyal2theroyals on Apr 20, 2008 3:52 PM EDT 0 recs
Discussed, Not Posted
So I will.
Kansas City
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
J. Gathright cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .259
E. German 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143
M. Teahen lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269
B. Butler 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .328
J. Guillen rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .181
A. Gordon 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .329
M. Olivo dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280
J. Buck c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .245
A. Callaspo ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Oakland
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
M. Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247
D. Barton 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .271
E. Brown rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300
J. Cust dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167
B. Crosby ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .289
R. Sweeney cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .325
C. Denorfia lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .276
R. Bowen c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200
J. Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .184
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on Apr 20, 2008 3:56 PM EDT 0 recs
I'd have swapped Germy and Callaspo.
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on
Apr 20, 2008 3:58 PM EDT
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German Should Never
Be allowed to play SS; he’s hard enough to watch at 3B. Gritz did need a day off.
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on
Apr 20, 2008 4:01 PM EDT
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I meant in the batting order
not on the field.
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on
Apr 20, 2008 4:01 PM EDT
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D'Oh!!!
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on
Apr 20, 2008 4:03 PM EDT
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weird
Hillman’s like the anti-Bell (or Boone) when it comes to setting lineups. The odd thing is that he doesn’t seem to set it based on the individual but based on the position - his CF always leads off, 2B hits second, SS last
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by marbotty on
Apr 20, 2008 3:58 PM EDT
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You might be on to something.
That strategy makes zero sense.
by stuckinstl12 on
Apr 20, 2008 4:02 PM EDT
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Hurry up and finish Detroit, Toronto
And by “hurry up”, I don’t mean “let’s have a 391-pitch at-bat from John Freakin’ McDonald of all people.
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on Apr 20, 2008 3:57 PM EDT 0 recs
The tying Pudge at the plate...
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on
Apr 20, 2008 4:02 PM EDT
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DP, yay
And now, to Oakland.
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on
Apr 20, 2008 4:03 PM EDT
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smirk off: Gordon v. Hochevar

Who wins?
Boyfriend of the Year 2008: It's gonna be big!
by loyal2theroyals on Apr 20, 2008 3:57 PM EDT 0 recs
not to be judgmmental
but they both look like hideous goof balls in those pictures
by royalsreview on
Apr 20, 2008 4:06 PM EDT
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No, This Is
What Hideous looks like.
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on
Apr 20, 2008 4:19 PM EDT
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Anyone notice...
Gload is a career .340 hitter against lefties? .285 vs. righties. In 2007, .388 vs. lefties, .269 vs. righties.
Olivo mashes lefties though…but Buck hit lefties worse last year…
by Royal Revival on Apr 20, 2008 3:59 PM EDT 0 recs
I Figure He
Seldom has batted against quality LHP’s, as he has been primarily a platoon/PH guy in the past.
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on
Apr 20, 2008 4:02 PM EDT
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Not a bad bit of slappy from Joey there
Fake the bunt, try to swat one through the hole. Good play by Hanahan.
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on Apr 20, 2008 4:08 PM EDT 0 recs
jonfmorse - you getting ridiculous rain, lightning, and thunder today?
by Royal Revival on Apr 20, 2008 4:10 PM EDT 0 recs
Not so much here
Just been a steady dreary rainy windy thingy.
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on
Apr 20, 2008 4:11 PM EDT
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we've had a couple of bolts that had to be down the street...
by Royal Revival on
Apr 20, 2008 4:12 PM EDT
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Caveat:
I was asleep from 7am to 3:40pm, and it’s entirely possible I slept through thunda an’ lightnin’.
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on
Apr 20, 2008 4:13 PM EDT
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That Was A
Grounder to SS last year.
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on
Apr 20, 2008 4:13 PM EDT
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and now we have gordon coming up
oh wait… that’ll be in another half hour
by royalsreview on Apr 20, 2008 4:14 PM EDT 0 recs
The Kid In
The Cards gear must be confused.
Let's go, boys, to the toppermost of the poppermost!
by philofthenorth on Apr 20, 2008 4:16 PM EDT 0 recs
That Comcast Bay Area commerical was creepy
and disturbing.
Sarcasm™. It's the new gravy.
by jonfmorse on Apr 20, 2008 4:16 PM EDT 0 recs

