Oakland Athletics Blog Posts

Fedor is a Yellow-Bellied Coward Once Known As The Rainbow Warriors How Can Hawaiis Coach Talk About The Irish Manny Papi Are Juiceheads Rickey Likely Is Canseco Is Truthful

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:35:29 EDT

Fedor is a Yellow-Bellied Coward

Strikeforce announced that World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA) Heavyweight Champion, Fedor Emelianenko, signed a multi-fight agreement to fight for their promotion Monday.

“Strikeforce is a top promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world,” said Emelianenko, 32, who will make his debut for the company sometime this fall. “I am prepared to fight any of them.”

Emelianenko (30-1), who had negotiated all last week with UFC to no avail, is considered by many analysts and fighters to be the greatest mixed martial artist in history.

Despite his lofty stature in the world of MMA, it is hard to understand Emelianenko’s decision to snub the UFC and it will be even more difficult for genuine fight fans to now recognize the Russian as anything except a yellow-bellied coward.

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Manny Papi Are Juiceheads Rickey Likely Is Canseco Is Truthful

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:59:08 EDT

The New York Times reported last week that Boston Red Sox World Series heroes of yesteryear, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, are two of a 104 players who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs when baseball conducted its "anonymous" testing survey in 2003.

Ramirez, 37, being fingered by the renowned publication as a charlatan is not a surprise considering that the slugging hemorrhoid resumed playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers just last month after he served a 50 game suspension for abusing women's fertility drugs.

On the flipside, most of New England was comically shocked and shattered when the beloved Ortiz, 33, was finally exposed as the cheating weasel that he has been for years.

Big Papi, a five-time All-Star selection and four-time Silver Slugger Award winner, had been a harsh and outspoken critic of juiceheads.

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Move over Boones Move over Molinas Get ready for the Hairstons

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:33:03 EDT

Baseball families have made history in pinstripes. The Boones are in their 3rd generation playing baseball. Aaron Boone, whose brother Bret, father Bob, and grandfather Ray all had 10+ year careers in the majors, cemented his name in Yankee history. Jose Molina, whose brother Yadier plays for the Colorado Rockies and other brother Bengie plays for San Francisco Giants, also cemented his name in Yankee history. Now that the Yankees have acquired Jerry Hairston, Jr., whose brother Scott is playing for the Oakland Athletics, and father Jerry, Sr., uncle Johnny, and grandfather Sam also had MLB baseball careers. Now Jerry Jr. has a chance to continue this trend of success for baseball families playing for the Bronx Bombers. Before we get into the Hairstons, let’s take a look at what the Boones and the Molinas have accomplished in pinstripes.

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How Joba Got His Groove Back

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:15:44 EDT

You may be wondering how Joba Chamberlain came off the All-Star Break with 2 consecutive victories: 1 against the Tigers and 1 against the A's. Before the break, it just seemed to be no-decision after no-decision. He holds the Major League Record for most No-D's in a season.

Reports say that Joba went home to Oklahoma during the All-Star Break. He didn't even think about baseball. He just spent quality time with his family. He only had a couple of throwing sessions and that's it! Nothing complicated. No pressure. No nothing. Just basic throwing. No Joba rules to worry about.

As a family man with 2 kids, I can relate with how Chamberlain can come back and have success on the mound his first 2 starts back . Joba was grinding it out in the first half. He was working hard with coaches trying to figure things out. This is a lot like a student grinding it out with his schoolwork; grinding it out with his schoolwork, getting pressure from his teachers to do better, getting pressure to keep their GPA up, but oh, when the semester is over, they go home, hang out with family and friend, and just breathe. When the new semester starts, they're fresh minded and ready to go.

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This Week in Baseball Notes

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:37:18 EDT

I know, I know. We’re all grieving over the way our boys have been playing. I hope everyone’s been keeping the faith though. Sure, it’s a cold streak. But they’ll be back. I know it.

In any case, here are some baseball tidbits from this week to take your mind off the Sox:

-Bartolo Colon will be pitching for the White Sox tonight. Remember this guy? How could you not. Who knows, if he pitches well enough we might see him pitch against the Red sox at the end of August. I’m sure he’ll get a warm welcome from the Fenway Fans – and by warm, I mean not warm at all.

-Mark Buehrle pitched a perfect game on Wednesday July 23rd. That part you probably knew already. But did you know he got a phone call from White Sox fan Barack Obama?? http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090723&conte

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Indians are a good Bad on MJ fireworks tribute night

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:12:17 EDT

July 3, 2009

I thought I would try to watch an Indians game again, well at least more than a couple innings even if it got to the usual 6-1 opponent lead by the third inning. So far as I’m writing this the Indians bats have come alive and they are leading 8-3, but it’s wayyyyyy early. There is still that thing called the bullpen waiting in the wings. I’m guessing win or lose the Indians and A’s players will want to escape from Progressive Field like smooth criminals before the MJ tribute fireworks show starts.

Here are some things that caught my script, and after this season, black and blue “I”:

-There is still some incentive to watch Indians games. STO is giving away Browns tickets during the Oakland series.

-It’s weird to see Jason Giambi on this A’s team. He’s not the star he once was but in my opinion he’s literally and figuratively too big for a small market team like Oakland, he looks out of place.

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Jose Canseco to bring full circus to court plans to sue MLB and MLBPA

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:38:20 EDT

Disgraced former MLB slugger Jose Canseco apparently has one more trick left up his sleeve to help keep himself in the limelight, well beyond his 15 minutes of fame. Canseco wants to get together with fellow disgraced steroid users Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro to file a lawsuit against Major League Baseball and the Players Association to seek compensation for loss of wages and defamation of character.

Canseco stated in a telephone interview that:

"Because I used steroids and I came out with a book, I was kicked out of the game, but I have not been inducted into the Hall of Fame. A lot of these players have not been inducted into the Hall of Fame: Mark McGwire and so forth. They're losing salaries, because obviously when you're inducted into the Hall of Fame, you get asked to do certain, you know, appearances and shows and so forth, which incorporates income. So there is a major income loss. Not even that, baseball blackballs you from their family, meaning you can't have a future proper reference from them, a job, no managerial jobs, no coaching jobs, nothing. They completely sever you."

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Rosenthals Picks to Improve Yankees Bullpen before the trade deadline

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:51:19 EDT

Hazel Mae interviewed Ken Rosenthal from Fox Sports the other night on MLB Network’s show Quick Pitch. Mae brought out the point that the Yankees needed to improve their bullpen. Ken mentioned that the Yankees are all set with Brian Bruney and that they expect improvement in their bullpen upon his return. He also brought out some possibilities considering that Brian has been on the DL twice this season. Here are his picks along with my personal reaction to each pick:

Jose Valverde (Houston Astros) – Valverde is the closer for the ‘Stros. Last year he had over 40 saves for them for the 2nd year in a row. Last I read, he’s only got 3 saves this year so far. He’s been hampered by an injured calf and an injured foot from a comebacker hitting off his leg against the Dodgers earlier this year. He tried his best to work through it but ended up on the disabled list and ex-Yankee LaTroy Hawkins filled in for him. Do you think Houston will give him up if they fall out of contention? At first I thought, “He is their man. He is their closer. He’s their version of Mariano Rivera. He’s had 40+ saves the previous 2 seasons. They’re keeping him.” Then I looked at their place in the standings and found that they were in the cellar 6 games behind the 1st place Cardinals in the NL Central. If they fall out of contention by the trade deadline, I believe they might trade him to a team looking for a reliever.

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The Sports Dons 2009 AL West Preview

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:43:19 EDT

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim won the American League West by 21 games in 2008, a margin 13 1/2 games wider than the next largest difference which was the Chicago Cubs’ 7 1/2 game lead over National League Wild Card winner Milwaukee. With the departures of some key Angels and the acquisitions of some big name players by the other teams in the West, the race will tighter, but don’t expect Texas, Oakland or Seattle to leapfrog Los Angeles who should capture their fifth division title in six years.

To read Monday’s AL East Preview, click here.

To read yesterday’s AL Central Preview, click here.

1. LOS ANGELES ANGELS (100-62, first place and lost in the ALDS in ‘08)

The golden prize of free agency left the West Coast when Mark Teixeira signed a megadeal with the New York Yankees rather than returning to the Angels which has left a gapping hole in the middle of Los Angeles’ lineup. Kendry Morales will step in at first base but will only put up half the power numbers Teixeira did. The Angels signed Bobby Abreu late in the offseason to aid the offense, and a lot of people think this will be the year Howie Kendrick will display his potential. Vladimir Guerrero produced the lowest numbers of his career last season and is perhaps showing his age despite hitting 27 homeruns and driving in 91.

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