OMG ASDRUBAL!!!

Fun times tonight! The home run was back with a vengance. Ubaldo was u-good-o. Jason Giambi did something good again. My weed trimmer started up on on pull after being dormant for 8 months. What a good night!

Of course the story of the night is Asdrubal Cabrera's two homers, to double his total at 4. Right?! I think this pretty much seals my theory that he did in fact see my sign yesterday, as well as acknowledge it. CLEARLY THIS PROVES IT'S TRUE! My brother intimates the reason must be that he benched Asdrubal from his fantasy roster tonight. That is often a harbinger of good luck...let's hope he forgets to start Masterson Wednesday!

I feel kind of guilty talking about Ubaldo when he's doing well, because I refused to say anything about him - good or bad - when he's doing bad. So let's just say I'm giving him a golf clap and I'll re-evaluate my stance in a game or two.

Nick Hagadone got to come back up because uhm...I think this time it's Vinnie going on the DL for his whacky elbow. So Nick finished up the 6th for Ubaldo with a strikeout, then came back for the 7th where he gave up a double and got the first out.

Bryan Shaw came in to finish out the inning with a strikeout and a ground out, then came back to throw the entire 8th. He wasn't too tight in the 8th but by then it was 7-2 so nobody noticed. He gave up a double then an RBI single, but that was the end of that.

Joe Smith, our new secret weapon, came in for the 9th and other than a double he was lights out. Other than a double - ha! But really, he was very Perez-like - strikeout, double, flyout, groundout, BALLGAME!

Cousin Michael was back to his old tricks, making up for not hitting yesterday by going 2 for 5 today. Starting the streak at one! Forget the streak, though - he's got 15 hits in his last 10 games.

What do you think - is Jason Kipnis back? I think he's heating the heck up! He's got 12 hits in his last 10 games, including 3 homers and 2 triples and NINE RBI!

Asdrubal went 2 for 4 today with a walk. He came around to score each time! TWO homers, man! He's got 14 hits in his last 10 games, has been on base in each of his last 14 games and is back swinging with a 3-game hitting streak. Is he loving the A's pitching? I hope so - cuz we're playing them 3 more times this week!

Wow that was a lot of exclamation marks!

Nick Swisher has not been his exciting old self since he was out for a bit with a little soreness. I mean he's still getting a little bit done - he's got 2 hits in 3 games - but he's not as reliable as he seemed earlier in the season. Cool pic, tho:

Mark Reynolds - DAMN!


He got ba-zeened in the first inning, like in the neck, by the pitcher who gave up back-to-back jacks to Kipnis and Cabrera. In the third inning, the kid threw a wild pitch and then walked Reynolds. His patience paid off and his next time up he hit the ball to John Adams at the top of the bleachers and then I think literally said "Yeah I just did that" to the pitcher as he walked in slow motion down the first base line.

PWNED!

He's got 10 homers now, and I guess this makes him on track for 55. Suck it, Tigers!

Carlos Santana merely walked today. He's been safely on base in each of his last 10 games, though. He's slipped down to the top 3-4 in the league in most of the categories he was leading BUT... he still leads in OBPS (on base percentage plus slugging). Gettin' it done!

Is thinking of Jambi when you hear Jason Giambi a real thing or is it just a me thing?

Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho

I mean he's been around for a million years, just like this genie. I'm sure it must be a thing, right?

Giambi was facing the team that drafted him today. He hasn't played for them in 12 years, though. But he did get his digs in going 2 for 4 with a ha-uuuuuge 2-out, bases-loaded, 2-RBI double in the 8th. Ok, we would have won without it (by one run) but what's not to like about winning by THREE runs? It was pretty cool that the other team walked the bases loaded to get to Giambi, because they were thinking what everyone was thinking, and he was all "Wish? Did somebody say wish?" and got the job done.

Ryan Raburn! He's so good!

He's so good that while the other guys are taking batting practice, he's practicing his ________.

Raburn went 1 for 3 with a walk tonight. He followed up Giambi's hit in the 7th with one of his own, just to remind the world that the MLB Player Of The Week can be good for more than one week! And let's not forget that he's making some plays out in the field too. He had a nice catch today, prompting Tom Hamilton to tell us that Raburn's been putting in extra time getting better in the field. Extra time! How cool is that?!

I'm always so sad when Drew Stubbs doesn't get a hit. But I think every time he puts the bat to the ball, he runs so fast that he ALMOST gets a hit. So, maybe next time!

So let's see here...I believe Meryl Masterson's streak is now at 8 night games. She is a hero!

I'm no Charles Ramsey!

Tomorrow we get to see the A's again! Hooray! It's an extremely even matchup between Zach McAllister and LHP 3.69. Zach's been very solid for us this season so if the team keeps up their bats then it's no problem-o.

It'll be at 7:05 - see you there!

Radio Chatter:
"Parker is making a lot of pitches and not many of them are strikes."
- Tom Hamilton

"By the end of this game, [umpire] Angel Hernandez will have a new first name."
- Tom Hamilton is not a fan of tonight's strike zone

"You hit 'em that far, you better be able to watch and enjoy it. Especially off a guy who drilled you."
- Tom Hamilton on Reynolds' homer

"I think most people would rather watch a strikezone like this instead of some of the thimble-sized strike zones we've seen with other umpires."
- Tom Hamilton

"Asdrubal Cabrera saw Brantley take off and said 'You know what? I'll stand here and take a fastball...' That's very un-selfish of Cabrera."
- Tom Hamilton