By dgaddy1 (24.33.251.215) on Friday, March 21, 2008 - 02:43 pm:

If we didn't know any better, you would think that the Bosox are in Japan to play with themselves (pun itended). ESPN showed PLENTY of footage of Boston's arrival and NOTHING about the arrival of the A's.

Even MLB.com is putting a heavy slant on the series towards Boston.

Yeah, I know, they're the defending champs, but this is still a pile of B.S.

OK, I'm done venting.

Go A's, screw the Sox!

By ws9 (66.245.142.91) on Friday, March 21, 2008 - 04:38 pm:

If you want some A's info from ESPN go to the MLB page, their is a Q&A with David Forst

By pachyderm (207.177.237.4) on Saturday, March 22, 2008 - 04:53 pm:

MLB.com and ABC 7 had some footage of the A'S in Japan. Even Bobby Crosby's home run.

By raiderjohn (65.168.177.49) on Monday, March 24, 2008 - 10:01 am:

Read somewhere that Japanese are hating Boston fans. Red Sox offered a 5,000 vacation package to the games and it was sold out.

Also MLB offered the Red Sox a 25,000 stipend for the games, the Red Sos players wanted 40,000, thus MLB said the coach's would not be paid. I guess this was the part no one knew about. A's fans upset with the 2nd game time change plus no TV. I guess Lew Wolff is really Bud's bitch....because Boston has Thursday off.

By eyleenn (38.99.44.122) on Monday, March 24, 2008 - 03:15 pm:

The full story from Susan Slusser:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/24/SPGJVP781.DTL

By diamond_lil (201.19.82.75) on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 05:07 am:

Butthead was interviewed during the Sux/A's game on ESPN early this AM (watched it here in Rio).

Anyway, he said that he will make the internationalization of the game a top priority of his next 4 years. "Whether there's a team or two to be moved somewhere is yet questionable"... but with the "modernization of air traveling" this is a goal I plan to achieve. (paraphrasing)

Later into the interview, he mentioned the grand opening of the Washington park he ate his words and mumbled something about the "A's people working on it" when making reference to new parks, the popularity and increased attendance of the game with several teams already sold out for the season.

When he left the booth the announcers wished him a safe travel....hummmmm... hope his plane hits lots of turbulence but lands safely.

As for the game....the A's are blowing their 2 zip lead and the announcers are slobbering all over themselves. Blanton pitched well but the
A's defense let him down. I can't keep watching because this is bad for my health

Good luck for the long season ahead folks.

By eyleenn (38.99.44.122) on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 10:09 am:

I was up at 6 a.m. as usual. Turned the radio on just in time to hear Street give up the game-tying HR. And then, of course, Manny administered the "Death Blow."

By ws9 (76.126.115.174) on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 10:23 am:

I started watching at 4:00 while the A's had the two run lead. I went back to bed after Street coughed it up and the A's went down in the bottom of the ninth. By the way, I was half asleep but I sill remembered it was a bad idea to put Street in for a second inning.

By wbell (70.243.51.221) on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 10:28 am:

I forgot to turn the TV on until the bottom of the 7th, but the goat horns for today's game clearly rest with Street and Brown. I can't figure out what Brown was thinking when he made that baserunning blunder. Why would a veteran make a mistake like that? As for Street, the replay of the game-tying HR showed Suzuki setting up outside yet the pitch ran inside. Unless their signals were crossed, that was a heck of a miss.

By pachyderm (207.177.237.4) on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 11:27 am:

I got up around ten minutes before first pitch. I caught some of the Baseball Tonight's Fantasy League preview. I saw 2 1/2 innings of the game, Mark Ellis's HR was great and Blanton was shutting out the big bad Red Sox was fun.

By oaklandsi (24.138.221.131) on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 08:21 pm:

I'm in the Caribbean right now, so got up at 6 am and watched the whole game.

I had to control the urge to vomit when Selig was being fawned over by the ESPN announcers. In fact, the TV cameras just barely covered the action on the field instead of that creep.

By ssblip (208.54.95.85) on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 - 09:38 pm:

MLB and the Red Sox were made for each other.

Someday the A's will have their moment in the sun. It may take a few more years. But just you wait.

Wear your A's caps now because it'll be worth it then.

By eyleenn (38.99.44.122) on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 09:17 am:

Sweet Caroline?? At an "A's home game"??? Nauseating.

Glad the A's stuck it to the Sux today. I'm OK with a split.

By ws9 (76.126.115.174) on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 09:41 am:

Yeah, I'm happy with the split and the guys must feel confident knowing they should have taken two from the sux. If they can handle the sux they can handle anyone.

By wbell (70.243.51.221) on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 12:05 pm:

Sweet Caroline?? At an "A's home game"??? Nauseating.

I agree, the stadium sound team must have gotten their cues mixed up.

However, they redeemed themselves when they played "Celebration" after the game was over.

By eyleenn (38.99.44.122) on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 12:50 pm:

I didn't hear Celebration. However, I read they played Sweet Caroline yesterday also, so I don't think it was a mix-up.

By wbell (70.243.51.221) on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 02:31 pm:

I didn't hear Celebration.

Yes, at least they got that right.

...I read they played Sweet Caroline yesterday also, so I don't think it was a mix-up.

More pandering to Red Sox fans.

By wbell (70.243.51.221) on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 04:26 pm:

"For those keeping track of the various indignities heaped on the A's this week during this massively pro-Boston event, the Oakland flag in center field fell from the stadium ceiling during the game and had to be picked up and carried away." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/26/SP0NVQOB5.DTL

By eyleenn (71.131.34.43) on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - 09:18 pm:

"Game MVP honors, however, were reserved for Brown, an award that includes a $10,000 prize and a copy machine."

A copy machine!?!? No doubt supplied by Ricoh, who apparently persuaded Butthead to allow advertising on the batting helmets.

Butthead was no doubt pleased by the many insults to the A's.

By ws9 (76.126.115.174) on Thursday, March 27, 2008 - 10:02 am:

Yes, but did they do dot racing in the 4th inning?

By wbell (70.243.51.221) on Thursday, March 27, 2008 - 12:08 pm:

No doubt supplied by Ricoh, who apparently persuaded Butthead to allow advertising on the batting helmets.

I'm sure that cost Ricoh quite a few bucks.

Butthead was no doubt pleased by the many insults to the A's.

I doubt he cares about the A's enough to follow such things.