Bored

I think the general consensus is back to what it was going into the season, he's completely rebuilding the franchise in hopes of the being a serious contender again by 2010 and beyond to when/if they move into Cisco Field. The first few months of this season I think gave many A's fans a false hope that maybe we wouldn't be waiting that long but reality has set in that this is a terrible team that is no where close to contending. I really have no clue at this point if it's going to workout but for his sake it better as I think pretty much his whole legacy hinges on what happens in the next two to three years. They have a scary amount of pitching talent but there still doesn't seem to be a whole lot of help on the way when it comes to the offense. We thought Daric Barton was going to be something special but his rookie season has been a disaster.

Don Kessinger committed 334 errors in 1,995 games played and Hal Lanier committed 140 errors in 1,221 games played. I know we are all better for knowing this now. I just realized the A's have a pretty good shot at finishing with a worse record than the Pirates for the first time since 1997. I'm off to drink a bottle of Drano now.

Aww I didn't mean it. It ended up working out that way because South Carolina plays N.C. State in it's real life opener and every year I like to get the Bored Bowl rematch out of the way early. It would have been Week 1 if it wasn't for the N.C. State game. Besides you should be more worried about your Week 4 opponent. OH YEAH, IT'S ON!

Awesome.

Brad Ziegler's scoreless inning streak ended today at 39 innings. There is now officially no reason to pay attention to the A's for the rest of the year.

Here's the full schedule. Again in case you missed my earlier post, I had to add a 13th game as the college football season lasts a week longer this year. The Week 1 thread will be up Saturday, August 23rd. Week 1 (8/28 – 8/30) South Carolina vs. N.C. State LSU vs. Texas Nebraska vs. Florida Virginia vs. USC Boise State vs. Ball State Stanford vs. Tulsa Kent State vs. Boston College UCLA vs. Tennessee Syracuse vs. Florida State Rutgers vs. Fresno State Miami of Ohio vs. San Diego State Georgia Tech vs. Michigan Buffalo vs. UTEP Arizona vs. Minnesota Miami vs. Arizona State Alabama vs. Ohio State Washington vs. Indiana Notre Dame vs. Washington State Kentucky vs. Illinois Navy vs. Georgia Week 2 (9/4 – 9/6) Illinois vs. Washington State Indiana vs. Florida State Michigan vs. Miami of Ohio Minnesota vs. Tennessee Ohio State vs. Buffalo Rutgers vs. Boise State San Diego State vs. Notre Dame Syracuse vs. Georgia Ball State vs. Navy Kent State vs. Arizona Nebraska vs. South Carolina Texas vs. UTEP Tulsa vs. Fresno State Arizona State vs. Stanford UCLA vs. Virginia USC vs. Alabama Washington vs. LSU Florida vs. Miami Kentucky vs. N.C. State Boston College vs. Georgia Tech Week 3 (9/11 – 9/13) Ball State vs. Rutgers Buffalo vs. San Diego State Kent State vs. UCLA Miami of Ohio vs. Florida State Nebraska vs. Syracuse Texas vs. Arizona State Tulsa vs. Arizona UTEP vs. Virginia Notre Dame vs. Michigan Stanford vs. N.C. State USC vs. Ohio State Washington vs. Alabama Washington State vs. Fresno State Florida vs. Indiana Georgia vs. South Carolina Kentucky vs. Georgia Tech LSU vs. Boise State Navy vs. Illinois Tennessee vs. Miami Boston College vs. Minnesota Week 4 (9/18 – 9/20) Arizona vs. UCLA Arizona State vs. Georgia Notre Dame vs. USC Stanford vs. South Carolina Washington vs. Georgia Tech Washington State vs. Nebraska Alabama vs. Fresno State Florida vs. Tennessee Kentucky vs. UTEP LSU vs. Michigan Navy vs. Rutgers Boise State vs. Florida State Boston College vs. Illinois Miami vs. Texas N.C. State vs. Miami of Ohio Virginia vs. Ohio State Indiana vs. Ball State Minnesota vs. Kent State San Diego State vs. Syracuse Buffalo vs. Tulsa Week 5 (9/25 – 9/27) Alabama vs. Georgia Florida vs. Navy Kentucky vs. Arizona LSU vs. Tennessee South Carolina vs. Buffalo Boise State vs. Washington State Boston College vs. Miami Florida State vs. Virginia Fresno State vs. UCLA Georgia Tech vs. N.C. State Illinois vs. Syracuse Indiana vs. Michigan Minnesota vs. Ohio State Rutgers vs. San Diego State Ball State vs. Kent State Miami of Ohio vs. Tulsa Nebraska vs. Texas UTEP vs. USC Arizona State vs. Notre Dame Stanford vs. Washington Week 6 (10/2 – 10/4) Boise State vs. Virginia Boston College vs. N.C. State Florida State vs. Miami Fresno State vs. Georgia Tech Illinois vs. Michigan Indiana vs. Minnesota Ohio State vs. Arizona State Rutgers vs. Texas San Diego State vs. Florida Syracuse vs. UTEP Ball State vs. Buffalo Kent State vs. Nebraska Miami of Ohio vs. Georgia Tulsa vs. LSU Arizona vs. Washington Notre Dame vs. Stanford UCLA vs. Washington State USC vs. Tennessee Alabama vs. Kentucky Navy vs. South Carolina Week 7 (10/9 – 10/11) Syracuse vs. Ohio State San Diego State vs. Georgia Tech Rutgers vs. Washington Minnesota vs. Illinois Michigan vs. UCLA Indiana vs. Texas UTEP vs. Kent State Tulsa vs. Ball State Nebraska vs. Miami of Ohio Buffalo vs. N.C. State Washington State vs. Miami USC vs. Arizona State Stanford vs. Arizona Notre Dame vs. Florida State Tennessee vs. Georgia South Carolina vs. Kentucky Navy vs. Boise State LSU vs. Florida Alabama vs. Boston College Virginia vs. Fresno State Week 8 (10/16 – 10/18) Ball State vs. Tennessee Buffalo vs. Arizona State Kent State vs. Washington Miami of Ohio vs. Texas Nebraska vs. Georgia Tech UTEP vs. Tulsa Arizona vs. Notre Dame Stanford vs. UCLA USC vs. Washington State Alabama vs. Florida Georgia vs. Virginia Kentucky vs. Navy LSU vs. South Carolina Boise State vs. Miami Boston College vs. Fresno State Florida State vs. N.C. State Illinois vs. Indiana Michigan vs. Syracuse Minnesota vs. Rutgers Ohio State vs. San Diego State Week 9 (10/23 – 10/25) Arizona vs. USC Arizona State vs. UCLA Notre Dame vs. Washington Stanford vs. Boston College Washington State vs. South Carolina Alabama vs. Tennessee Florida vs. Kentucky Georgia vs. LSU Navy vs. UTEP Boise State vs. N.C. State Florida State vs. Fresno State Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Miami vs. Michigan Illinois vs. Tulsa Indiana vs. Syracuse Minnesota vs. San Diego State Ohio State vs. Rutgers Ball State vs. Nebraska Buffalo vs. Texas Kent State vs. Miami of Ohio Week 10 (10/30 – 11/1) Alabama vs. Navy Florida vs. Georgia Kentucky vs. Syracuse LSU vs. Fresno State South Carolina vs. Tennessee Boise State vs. Boston College Florida State vs. Georgia Tech Miami vs. Virginia N.C. State vs. Indiana Illinois vs. San Diego State Michigan vs. Rutgers Minnesota vs. Tulsa Ohio State vs. Arizona Ball State vs. UTEP Buffalo vs. Nebraska Kent State vs. Texas Miami of Ohio vs. Arizona State Notre Dame vs. UCLA Stanford vs. Washington State USC vs. Washington Week 11 (11/6 – 11/8) Boise State vs. Georgia Tech Boston College vs. Notre Dame Florida State vs. UTEP Fresno State vs. Miami N.C. State vs. Virginia Illinois vs. Nebraska Indiana vs. Ohio State Michigan vs. Minnesota Rutgers vs. Syracuse San Diego State vs. South Carolina Ball State vs. Stanford Buffalo vs. Miami of Ohio Kent State vs. Tulsa Texas vs. USC Arizona vs. Washington State Arizona State vs. Washington UCLA vs. Florida Alabama vs. LSU Georgia vs. Kentucky Navy vs. Tennessee Week 12 (11/13 – 11/15) Illinois vs. Ohio State Indiana vs. Rutgers Michigan vs. San Diego State Minnesota vs. Syracuse Ball State vs. Miami of Ohio Buffalo vs. Georgia Kent State vs. Alabama Nebraska vs. UTEP Texas vs. Tulsa Arizona vs. Boise State Arizona State vs. Washington State Notre Dame vs. Navy Stanford vs. USC UCLA vs. Washington Florida vs. South Carolina Kentucky vs. LSU Notre Dame vs. Navy Boston College vs. Florida State Fresno State vs. N.C. State Georgia Tech vs. Miami Week 13 (11/20 – 11/22) Illinois vs. Rutgers Indiana vs. San Diego State Michigan vs. Ohio State Minnesota vs. Stanford Syracuse vs. Notre Dame Ball State vs. Texas Buffalo vs. Kent State Miami of Ohio vs. UTEP Nebraska vs. Tulsa Arizona vs. Arizona State UCLA vs. USC Washington vs. Washington State Alabama vs. South Carolina Florida vs. Florida State Georgia vs. Georgia Tech Kentucky vs. Tennessee LSU vs. Navy Boise State vs. Fresno State Boston College vs. Virginia Miami vs. N.C. State Week 14 (11/27 – 11/29 & 12/4 – 12/6) Conference Championships Bowl Games (12/20 - 1/8) Bored Bowl: BCS #1 vs. BCS #2 Sugar Cereal Bowl presented by Count Chocula: Pac-8 #1/BCS vs. Big Eight #1/BCS Don't Taze Me Bowl!: BCS vs. BCS Gamestop.com Early Reservation Bowl: SE7 #2 vs. Big MAC #2 Covers.com Degenerate Bowl: WAC #2 vs. Big Eight #2 KFC PETA Bowl: Pac-8 #2 vs. Big MAC #3 I Used To Fuck Guys Like You In Prison Football Classic: SE7 #3 vs. WAC #3 Main Loon Restaurant China Bowl: Big Eight #3 vs. Pac-8 #3 K-Mart Blue Light Special Bowl: At-large vs. At-large

I'm officially interested in the women's javelin event.

I'm still putting the final touches on the schedule but here's Week 1. South Carolina vs. N.C. State LSU vs. Texas Nebraska vs. Florida Virginia vs. USC Boise State vs. Ball State Stanford vs. Tulsa Kent State vs. Boston College UCLA vs. Tennessee Syracuse vs. Florida State Rutgers vs. Fresno State Miami of Ohio vs. San Diego State Georgia Tech vs. Michigan Buffalo vs. UTEP Arizona vs. Minnesota Miami vs. Arizona State Alabama vs. Ohio State Washington vs. Indiana Notre Dame vs. Washington State Kentucky vs. Illinois Navy vs. Georgia

This man could do a lot of things but he'll be my return specialist. Ollie Matson, Kick Returner Chicago Cardinals 1952-1958 Los Angeles Rams 1959-1962 Detroit Lions 1963 Philadelphia Eagles 1964-1966 Hall of Fame - 1972 6-time Pro Bowl Selection 5-time 1st Team All-Pro 9 Return TDs (6 Kicks, 3 Punts)

It's scary how much Gert and I think alike on our picks as I had Gray pegged for this round.

Adam Dunn has been traded to the D-Backs for three minor leaguers.

Unfortunately yes as I've already started working on the schedule. But the history of this contest says there will always be a one or two early dropouts so feel free to poke around when the season starts to see if a spot opens. Speaking of the schedule, I hadn't realized until today that the college football regular season is a week longer this year so that will necessitate adding a 13th game to the regular season of the contest.

ESPN/FOX/TBS Games to Poison Our Youth MONDAY Phillies (Kyle Kendrick) at Dodgers (Derek Lowe), 10:00/7:00 PM, ESPN2 WEDNESDAY Rangers (Luis Mendoza) at Red Sox (Jon Lester), 7:00/4:00 PM, ESPN SATURDAY Angels at Indians, 3:55/12:55 PM, FOX Mariners at Twins, 3:55/12:55 PM, FOX White Sox at A's, 3:55/12:55 PM, FOX SUNDAY Brewers at Dodgers, 4:00/1:00 PM, TBS Phillies at Padres, 8:00/5:00, ESPN

Jeff Van Note, Center Atlanta Falcons 1968-1986 5-time Pro Bowl Selection Missed only four games in his 19 year career

And here's the meaningless Preseason Top 10. As always these rankings are there purely for the sake of having rankings for Week 1. These are based on last year with the results of the bowl games taken into account. 1. South Carolina - Cuban Linx 2. N.C. State - AboveAverage484 3. Nebraska - Mecca 4. LSU - teke184 5. Virginia - Edwin MacPhisto 6. Texas - UTBroward 7. Boise State - Vitamin X 8. Stanford - Bored 9. Kent State - JHawk 10. UCLA - phoenixrising Now I have to work on the schedule, which I think I'll have up by Wednesday.

No changes in the names of conference this year but as always we do have changes in the alignments and here they are. Big Eight Illinois - The Ghost of Harold Ballard Indiana - Tzar Lysergic Michigan - MFerXtreme87 Minnesota - Vern Gagne Ohio State - Gert T Rutgers - the pinjockey San Diego State - Next USC #55 Syracuse - CanadianChris Seems every year I have to move the two Big East teams and this time I grouped with the Big Ten. I couldn't find another spot for San Diego State so they get thrown in here to fill out the conference. Big MAC Ball State - Vampiro69 Buffalo - Carnival Kent State - JHawk Miami of Ohio - Hawk 34 Nebraska - Mecca Texas - Broward83 Tulsa - Will Scarlet UTEP - Angel Grace Blue MAC and Big XII are grouped together this time around and I added the two Conference USA teams due to UTEP playing Texas and Buffalo in real life. Pac-8 Arizona - UZI Suicide Arizona State - still fly Notre Dame - KingPK Stanford - Bored UCLA - phoenixirising USC - Cartman Washington - Smues Washington State - MrRant This is similar to the set up of the conference from two years ago as we have seven Pac-10 teams and I add in Notre Dame as the eighth team due to the fact that they play Washington, USC, and Stanford in real life. Southeastern Seven Alabama - AlwaysPissedOff Florida - Urban Warfare Georgia - Obi Chris Kenobi Kentucky - Danville Wrestling LSU - teke184 Navy - MarvinisaLunatic South Carolina - Cuban Linx Tennessee - Canadian Brandon Third straight year we end up with seven SEC teams but this time around I threw Navy in there simply because I had no where else to put them. Western Atlantic Conference Boise State - Vitamin X Boston College - HarleyQuinn Florida State - 909 Fresno State - Agent Bond34 Georgia Tech - iggymcfly Miami - Spaceman Spiff N.C. State - AboveAverage484 Virginia - Edwin MacPhisto The conference is almost identical to last year with only change being Fresno State replacing Hawaii.

Sign ups are closed. Secret Agent, nogoodnick, and Nate are out. Obi Chris Kenobi, still fly, and Canadian Brandon are in. Conference alignments and the preseason Top 10 will be up shortly.

Per Baseball Prospectus' Postseason Odds report, going into today the Orioles had a 0.08587% chance of making the postseason with only the Indians and Mariners (who are at 0%) having lower odds in the A.L.

Now finally finishing off these Worst lists with designated hitters. Since the DH has only been around since 1973 these are the worst DH seasons of all-time. Unlike every other position, there is no additional value to be provided by DH beyond what they do with their bat. They aren't even expected to be threats on the basepaths either as most DH's are aging veterans or guys who are so slow they couldn't even handle first base. The top of the list falls into the aging veteran category as he was a great hitting catcher, who you can make a legit argument for him being a Hall of Famer, but he fell of a cliff offensively in this season at age 34 and goes down as the worst DH season by a wide margin. Not surprising there are a few all-time greats on this list who were the twilight of their careers. Top 25 Worst Designated Hitter Seasons of All-Time (per OPS+) 1. Ted Simmons, 1984 - Milwaukee Brewers 61 OPS+ (.221/.269/.300) 2. Ruben Sierra, 1996 - New York Yankees/Detroit Tigers 75 3t. Alvin Davis, 1991 - Seattle Mariners 76 3t. Tommy Harper, 1974 - Boston Red Sox 76 5. Joe Carter, 1997 - Toronto Blue Jays 77 6t. Scott Hatteberg, 2005 - Oakland A's 81 6t. Dave Parker, 1991 - California Angels/Toronto Blue Jays 81 8t. Larry Sheets, 1988 - Baltimore Orioles 83 8t. Mitchell Page, 1979 - Oakland A's 83 10. Greg Vaughn, 1995 - Milwaukee Brewers 85 11t. Paul Molitor, 1998 - Minnesota Twins 86 11t. Eddie Murray, 1994 - Cleveland Indians 86 13. Eddie Murray, 1996 - Cleveland Indians/Baltimore Orioles 86 14t. Gerald Perry, 1990 - Kansas City Royals 90 14t. Dave Kingman, 1986 - Oakland A's 90 16. Julio Franco, 1997 - Cleveland Indians/Milwaukee Brewers 91 17t. Edgar Martinez, 2004 - Seattle Mariners 92 17t. Rico Carty, 1979 - Toronto Blue Jays 92 17t. Deron Johnson, 1975 - Chicago White Sox/Boston Red Sox 92 20t. Carl Everett, 2005 - Chicago White Sox 94 20t. George Brett, 1993 - Kansas City Royals 94 20t. Andre Thornton, 1985 - Cleveland Indians 94 20t. Reggie Jackson, 1984 - California Angels 94 24t. Carl Yastrzemski, 1981 - Boston Red Sox 95 24t. Hank Aaron, 1975 - Milwaukee Brewers 95

Okay now I understand, four rounds after this round.

Three rounds? I still have two spots on offense left to fill and then still need a kicker, punter, and returner. I don't think I ever got skipped.

Funny on my programming guide, Comcast moved all the cable channels that will carry Olympics coverage right next to the porn channels.

OMG A'S WIN!!!! And Huston Street might have just lost his closer job as Brad Ziegler closed out the final two innings and extended his scoreless innings streak to 37.

Yes, Derek Bell did pull "Operation Shutdown" in 2002 by refusing to play when the Pirates told him he'd have compete for a job in Spring Training and he did this after hitting .173/.287/.288 in 46 games in 2001. Hey even the Pirates have standards. And yes, Francoeur needs to go on a tear down the stretch to avoid this list.

A's losing streak reaches ten games, their longest since 1995. Really all I have left is to hope they hold off the Mariners.