30 Day Baseball Card Challenge

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Down... but not out.

It's official:  Oakland Athletics baseball has been rejuvenated in the Bay Area.

Fans are starting to fill the seats.  They're starting to show of their team colors.  And they're even starting to buy their cardboard.

Yesterday, I set up at the flea market for the first time in a few months and was surprised at how many people were looking for A's memorabilia.  I had more people ask me for A's cards than any other local team, including the red hot San Francisco 49ers and Giants.

Unfortunately, they're already down two games to none against the Detroit Tigers.  However, as a diehard A's fan... I'm still excited they're even in the playoffs.  In fact, this may sound crazy.  But whether or not the A's bounce back against the Tigers, I'll be content.  In my eyes, everything from this point out is gravy.

If you asked me at the start of the season, what is more likely?  The A's losing 100 games or them making the playoffs... it's obvious what my answer would have been.  It's the same thing everyone else thought.

Now don't get the wrong idea, I haven't given up on them after two games.  I still believe they'll bounce back.  They just need a little inspiration.  And what's more inspiring than the Shot Heard 'round the World, which recently celebrated it's 61st Anniversary.

Here's my 8x10 photograph signed by both Ralph Branca and Bobby Thomson:




Thomson's home run is one of the greatest moments in MLB history.  It's proof that even the largest deficit can be overcome.

Okay Oakland Athletics... now it's your time to shine.  I've learned this year that anything can happen when you guys take the field... so rest assured that your fans "believe" and have your back.

The question is...

What does everyone else thing?  Do you think the A's will bounce back and take three at home against the Tigers?

Happy Sunday and sayonara!

12 comments:

Martyn said...

No not all 3, Verlander & Miguel Cabrera will prove to much!

Commishbob said...

Pretty unlikely. But they are playing with 'house money' at this point. Anything they do in the playoffs is gravy on a pretty remarkable season. Orioles in the same situation.

Zippy Zappy said...

I'm rooting for the A's to beat the Tigers. Partly because I still have a grudge against the Tigers for knocking the Yankees out of the post season last year but also because I still don't think the Tigers deserve to be in the post season considering that the Angels & Rays finished with better records than them and because I hate it when the same teams are in the post season every year (except for the Yankees of course hehe).
But most of all I just like seeing teams like the A's & O's that haven't had much success recently revive their cities and their fans. You could feel the energy the A's fans & players when they won against Texas in Game 162, that kind of energy is what I always want in baseball and this time it's maxamized since it's been such a long wait for all parties involved.
And to top it all off the courageousness of Neshek is simply amazing.

Baseball Nut said...

First of all LOVE the Thomson / Branca dual auto.

I wonder what that field in Oakland is going to be like now that the Raiders have been cutting it up. Have you noticed strange bounces in the past when football and baseball overlap?

The A's were pretty strong at home this year and the Tigers were less than stellar on the road. Considering the last two games were close, I think a little bit of a bounce, perhaps one game could happen. I do think that momentum, could be the A's down fall at this point, and as strong as the team has rallied behind Pat Neshek after the heart wrenchingly awful news of a few days ago, emotions do play a big factor during playoff time and it just might be too much. If that was me, while I might be able to come back for a night or two, it would catch up with me soon after. Once those emotions permeate a clubhouse, combined with being one game away from elimination, it might just be too much, And the Tigers are working on that adrenaline too, and remember losing to Texas last year, so I'm sure they are anxious to get things done without giving the A's any breathing room and move on to the next round.

Matt Flaten said...

The only thing that would make that photo better would be an added Andy Pafko autograph who was the outfielder who watched the ball go over the wall.

CaptKirk42 said...

I hope so, I'd rather see the A's and O's in the ALCS than a boring old Tigers and Yankees.

As a fan of both the Nats & Os my dream match-up for the WS is O's & Nats with Nats winning the Beltway Series. Another dream match-up would be A's & Nats - Gio and Kurt Suzuki against their old team.

A Reds vs Yankees or Reds vs Tigers WS would be old school boring. I'm normally an old school type of guy but for the WS I like to see a little change now and then. I was sooooooo disappointed in 78 when the WS was a repeat of the year before (Dodgers and Damn Yankees). I was really anti Yankees back then more so than I am today about those Damn Yankees. Of course if they beat the O's in this Division series I'll once again be sooooooooooo anti-those-Damn Yankees.

Fuji said...

You may be right... but I hope you're wrong!

Fuji said...

Yeah... if they lose, I'll be pulling for your birds!

Fuji said...

Yeah... Neshek is nothing short of a hero. Not many could come back after what he's been through, but if it helps him get through this rough period, he needs to do what he needs to do. Also looking forward to seeing Anderson make his comeback.

I totally agree with you on the "energy" thing. Oakland was a completely different city during last week's series against the Rangers.

Fuji said...

Thanks... Steiner had one of their sales and I picked it up for less than $30.00.

Luckily the Raiders were on a bye week, so the field should be pretty good for the homestand against the Tigers. Obviously, I hope these emotions shift the momentum in their direction. I guess we'll find out in the next few hours. Go A's!

Fuji said...

Lol... next time he's at a local card show, I'll have him add his signature ;-)

Fuji said...

I'd love to see the A's meet the Orioles in the ALCS... and a Kurt Suzuki reunion would be awesome too. But my dream WS, would be to see the A's meet the Giants like in 89.