A's and Emmett

octavio dotel

2005-05-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

I will not capatalize octavio dotel's name for the rest of the year. He doesn't deserve it. 2 blown saves in a row. Un-frickin believeable.

dotel makes me spell bad.

dotel makes me angry.

dotel.

dotel.

dotel.

dotel SUCKS.

Remember when octavio dotel pitched for the Astros? I do. I had no opinion of dotel then.

Tuck that tongue in octavio. You might bite it off.

Random observations from the last 3 games

2005-04-22T22:08:00.000-07:00

-Huston Street is going to be VERY good.

-Rich Harden will be even better than that.

-If Eric Chavez played for another team, I'd think it would be hilarious about how far away he is from the plate when he bats.

-Bobby Kielty sucks. Even though he knocked in a run Friday.

-Charles Thomas makes me angry.

-Adam Melhuse needs more at-bats, however he can get them.

-'K-Rod', closer for the Angels looks ridiculous with sunglasses on at 10 o' clock at night.

This was a small post, but I'm elated after winning 2 out of 3 of the last games.

Oh yeah!

-Scott Hatteberg is my Hero!!!

.

What happened? Part 1: John Jaha

2005-04-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

1999- John Jaha had the following line: .276AVG .414OBP .970OPS 35HR 111RBI

The 1999 A's were quite possibly my favorite team. A fantastic offense with no leadoff hitter. Rich Becker and Ryan Christenson just never could cut it. I'm going off track slightly here, but John Jaha for one very fun summer was one of my favorite players.

He had two injury plauged seasons in 2000 and 2001 where he hit .175 and .089 in the back to back seasons. He was 34 and 35 during those seasons. Past the normal prime for the average player, obviously, but quite a few players have more solid seasons at that age and older. Especially players that hit 35 homeruns at the age of 33.

Injuries can only be so much of the problem. His injury's apparently weren't severe enough in 2000 to prevent him from playing in 2001, and I believe, and please correct me if I'm wrong, that he just flat out retired in 2001.

With Jason Giambi recently admitting the use of steroids, you hate to think (at least I do, being an A's fan) what other players were using steroids. John Jaha is perhaps a great example on how much steroids can help a baseball player. Of course you have to be in shape and injury free, which Jaha was in '99, to have a good season. But it does make you think.

A fantastic season for Jaha in 1999 was highlighted perhaps by his first and only All-star appearance. Jaha struck out in his only at-bat, and participated in the Home Run Derby, where he hit one homer. He also holds the distinction of being the only person I've seen swing and miss in a homerun contest.

But it was a great season.

2005

John Jaha is now 39.

The above picture is from a celebrity wiffle ball homerun derby from 2003. From the picture one can infer that he enjoyed his time with the A's, enough to wear an A's ballcap. You can also infer that he is enjoying his millions of dollars he earned from playing Major League Baseball, he's gained some pounds. But I've never met a retiree that hasn't let himself go a little bit.

What has brought Mr. Jaha to play in a celebrity wiffleball derby with such stars as Jeff Henning (who won), Bic Bickley, Casey Sylvester, Mike Walsh, and Josh Bartholomew, I have no idea. I'm sure I'm looking to far into this, but I have a tendency to do this.

Maybe I'm not up on pop culture as much as I think I am, but I've never heard of one of these people. To give an example of one's star power. Bic Bickley is the former Commissioner of the TWA (Trampoline Wrestling Association).

By the way 2003 was the second straight year he competed in the derby. He's finished 8th (out of 8) and 4th (out of 6th). Of course it is wiffleball, but still he was a major league hitter.

But, as good as he was during the regular season, he just never was very good at Home Run Derby's anyway.

Below are John Jaha's career stats.

.263AVG .369OBP .834OPS 141HR 490RBI's

How long can you stick with someone?

2005-04-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

Right now the A's have 3 players that are a combined 0-33. The 3 are reserve outfielders Charles Thomas and Bobby Kielty, and backup catcher Adam Melhuse. Melhuse only has 3 at-bats, so I'll give him a free pass. Now Kielty and Thomas are 0-13 and 0-18 respectively. I haven't played baseball for 4 years, but I could go 0-13, and I could go 0-18 too.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm as good as a major league player. Or even a single A player, or even a college player. But I, and everyone reading this could go 0-18. Hell, we might even get lucky and have an infielder stratching his butt, and one of our little weak ground balls (if we hit the ball in the first place) squeak through.

Thomas, I don't mind having on the roster, he's a superb defensive outfielder. He hit well last year with the Atlanta Braves, but if he goes 0 for his next 18, he might have a ticket to play for the River Cats.

Bobby Kielty. .

I'm not the best judge of defensive talent. Of course I, like several other more than casual fans know when they see a great defensive player (the afore mentioned Charles Thomas) and when we see a subpar defensive player (Terrence '*$*#*' Long) and when we see a horrid defensive player (Jeremy Giambi). Which one of these categories Bobby Kielty belongs in, I don't know. I'll guess somwhere in between Jeremy Giambi and Terrence Long.

I don't hold much defensive stock in the corner outfield positions, especially leftfield. Kielty doesn't have the defense to justify still being in the majors, and being 0-13, especially out of the leftfield position, certainly doesn't justify being in the majors.

Kielty's been in two lopsided trades in the last couple of years. First for Shannon Stewart, then for Ted Lilly. Both of the players he's been traded for, have produced more than him by quite a large margin.

So instead of a post asking about 'How long you can stick someone' this has actually turned into a Bobby Kielty bash post. So please Mr. Beane, pull another Jeremy Giambi for John Mabry move, and get rid of Bobby Kielty.