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It's a long, cold, off-season, but don't think the A's players are hanging around and feeling sorry for themselves. It's Halloween, and how better to celebrate the holiday than to look at some of the A's players' costumes, and get in the Trick Or Treat mood?


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Also: Take the Poll: What Costume Were You Hoping To See?

2005 Comics | 2006 Comics |  All Comics | Poll

Macha's sudden dismissal after the ALCS sweep surprised a lot of people, but here at the ANtics, we should have seen the warning signs along the way - as he played favorites with players, feuded with the front office, kissed up to umpires and generally tried to go his own way on a club when that wasn't the plan for a manager - an interchangeable cog.

Below - 10 different examples, all brought to you by the ANtics, that display the disconnect as it happened.

1. 
   
1. He offered Adam Melhuse to be ejected instead of Bradley. (ANtics 2.32)
   
2. He said it was "Us against the world." (ANtics 2.27)
   
3. He threatened players with the "Vulcan Death Grip." (ANtics 2.23)
   
4. Rather than arguing with umps, he offered them jobs. (ANtics 2.21)
   
5. He openly called for "Kenny-ball" and threatened to subvert Billy Beane's plans (Antics 2.20)
   
6. He feuded with Melhuse over alleged gum theft. (ANtics 2.12)
   
7. He threatened to cut Saarloos if the pitcher didn't get a haircut. (ANtics 2.11)
   
8. Saying things were "nebulous", he offered no strategy to break the team's inconsistency. (ANtics 2.10)
   
9. In a Dusty Baker-esque move, he once challenged Zito to pitch from both sides of the mound. (ANtics 2.6)
   
10. And always... the lineups. As the season dawned, he promised to bat Kendall cleanup. (ANtics 2.1)
    

That's just ten examples of how we knew there were "Disconnects" with Macha this season - and we didn't even break into the 2005 ANtics. As you know, Macha's been let go, and every day brings new insight into the clubhouse tumult that apparently defined the A's year. We look into the struggles, in "As the Macha Turns".

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Also: Take the Poll: When Did You Know Macha Was A Goner?
2005 Comics | 2006 Comics |  All Comics | Poll

In a four-game series against Detroit where nearly all the A's struggled, right fielder Milton Bradley showed an intense desire to will the team on his back - hitting for power and average, making circus catches in the outfield and playing through pain. The ANtics looks in at his performance and what this means for his future on the club...


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Also: Take the Poll: Was 2006 Bradley's Peak, or Can We Expect More?
2005 Comics | 2006 Comics |  All Comics | Poll
Listening to ''Brighton Beach'', by TÈlÈpopmusik (Play Count: 6)

The 2006 regular season complete, the A's bags are packed, ready to do battle with the Minnesota Twins. Though the A's had a torrid second half, there were times in September when it seemed the team was ready to let it all slip away. The ANtics look back...


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Also: Take the Poll: When 2006 is complete, what will you most remember?

2005 Comics | 2006 Comics |  All Comics | Poll

Athletics Nation Game Recap Here: The Long Road Ends... And Another Begins

Listening to ''L.E.F'', by Ferry Corsten (Play Count: 5)

The topic of throwing bats, especially who did it and when, has been the subject of much discussion lately. But have you considered just how the bats are thrown? The A's have made this a new tradition, and it's spreading in the clubhouse. Some of the trendsetters show us how to throw lumber, A's style.


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Also: Take the Poll: Who had the most memorable toss this season?

2005 Comics | 2006 Comics |  All Comics | Poll

Deep into the September stretch run, something very big is different about this year's A's team. Something about 275 pounds big... with 38 homers and 105 RBIs big... which is why as the team and its fans get fired up in plans for October... "It Hurts So Good."


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Also: Take the Poll: What's your greatest fear as playoffs near?

2005 Comics | 2006 Comics |  All Comics | Poll

While firmly entrenched in the lead in the AL West, the A's have headed East to do battle with the Devil Rays and Twins. Both teams feature indoor stadiums, which we have seen can have some interesting effects on a ballgame. With that in mind, the ANtics present "Dome and Domer".


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Also: Take the Poll: Should the A's new stadium be a dome?

2005 Comics | 2006 Comics | Poll

Some days, the lineups are baffling, the pitching moves keep us guessing. Role players rot on the bench. Starters stay in too long - or not long enough. It's all part of being an armchair manager. But one guy, Ken Macha, gets to do it for real. This week, we investigate "The Mind of Ken Macha".


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Also: Take the Poll: Who should be 2006 AL Manager of the Year?

2005 Comics | 2006 Comics | Poll

I got a pleasant surprise late this evening, when I visited plasq.com, the creators of Comic Life, the software program I use to create the ANtics comics each week. After having traded e-mails with the company's marketing manager about a month or so ago, he had elected to promote the ANtics on the site's user gallery, as an example of how customers were benefitting from Comic Life.

http://plasq.com/comiclife/gallery/

The gallery features a "thumbnail" image of one comic, which when clicked, pops into the browser and shows the comic in full-screen mode, with a "Next" button to take you through 18 selected ANtics episodes. The final page links back to my own gallery on the louisgray.com site.

I'm pleased in a very nerdy way. (It's the only way I know)

Listening to ''Saints & Sinners - Pushin Too'', by Bedrock (Play Count: 4)

The A's are a young team - there's no doubt about it. But part of the team's allure to fans is their kiddish behavior, their smiles and laughter, and some have given the team's attitude and camaraderie a great deal of credit for their success. The pictures prove it - as we find our men in green and gold simply acting like kids. Explains why I feel so old when I see their birthdates on the DiamondVision.


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2005 Comics | 2006 Comics

The A's have come out of the All-Star break on a tear, maintaining their first-place spot. Many have pointed out the rise of A's off-season acquisition, Esteban Loaiza as one factor to the A's strong play. After what can only be described as a dreadful first half, the A's 4th starter is showing signs of the promise that led the team to sign him in the first place. The ANtics looks into his rise in "Looking for Loaiz-ove".

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Also: Take the Poll: What's behind Loaiza's resurgence?

2005 Comics | 2006 Comics | Poll

The A's defense rocks. It's that simple. Chavez is putting on a nightly clinic at 3rd, and the rest of the team is consistently awesome as well. The ANtics try to learn the secret sauce in a piece called, "A's Defense 101".


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Also: Take the Poll: What's the A's Ideal Infield Defense?
2005 Comics | 2006 Comics | Poll

In the heat of a playoff race in the middle of a 162-game season, wear and tear and fatigue can dramatically impact a team. Into the dog days of August, the ANtics takes a look at how the A's players keep up their intensity all season long.


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Also: Don't miss the "ANtics One Year Anniversary" thread.

2005 Comics | 2006 Comics | Poll

It's been a full year since the ANtics showed up and became a weekly feature on Athletics Nation. On July 24, 2005, Episode 1 of the ANtics: "Focus on Fundamentals" debuted, and the A's young stars tried to teach us a thing or two about the core elements of the game.

Since then, in the subsequent 30+ episodes of the ANtics, we've learned that Ken Macha knows Kung Fu, that Eric Byrnes so hates his old team that he's cursed them to sweeps against his current team not just once, but twice, that Stomper prefers warm-weather climates and wants to be assistant GM, that Ellis's shrink calls Crosby "Source of Pain", that Zito needs to keep his hair short in order to play well, that Barry Bonds has a certain attraction to our shortstop's rear, and that Swisher would seriously kill in order to defend his new buddy, Frank Thomas.

Of course, there's been a lot more than just those highlights. I thought you'd enjoy a trip down memory lane, celebrating one full year of the ANtics. You can even flip page by page, just like a real comic book!



ANtics 2005: A Flip-book for last year's comics.



ANtics 2006: A Flip-book for this year's comics.

Nearly 100 games into the season, three teams are within a game of the lead of the AL West, with the A's leading the pack. As things heat up (pretty much everywhere, including on the field), the ANtics has some words of advice for the green and gold.

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | Hi-Res PDF (20 MB)

All signs point to this being the last season we can expect Barry Zito to be playing the role of the A's ace in their pitching rotation. With the division race close, and his free agency on everyone's minds, the focus is to win now - even if it takes some creative thinking from those on and off the field. The ANtics investigates...

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | Hi-Res PDF (20 MB) | Poll

The All-Star Break typically marks the halfway point of the season, and for the first time since 1990, the A's are in first place at this mark. But don't get any ideas that all is well in Oaktown. The ANtics checked in with some of the players to see their own second half goals for 2006.


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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | Hi-Res PDF (20 MB) | Poll

When the A's traded Eric Byrnes to the Rockies last year, feelings on AN were mixed. Popular for his hustle and "grit", yet unpopular for his unconventional route to fly balls and propensity to pop up, Byrnes meant something to everyone. But, apparently the A's meant a lot more to Byrnes, a local Bay Area product. Returning to the Coliseum as a member of the Orioles in August, the Birds swept the A's in three games, which the ANtics first chronicled in "ANtics - Episode V: The Byrnes Curse".

A year later, Byrnes, now with the Diamondbacks, proved the guy can carry a serious grudge. Though not the focal point for any of the Diamondbacks' three wins, his curse lives on, and the A's again are on the losing end of a three-game sweep. The ANtics check in on the curse to see if anything can be done...


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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | Hi-Res PDF (20 MB) | Poll

When interleague play first burst onto the scene, it, like the designated hitter rule and expansion, saw much criticism from baseball traditionalists, who viewed the change as an affront to all things right with the game. As the A's continue their streak of playing National League opponents, the ANtics asks some of the team's players just what they would change to today's game to make it more exciting.

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF

After a so-so April and moribund May, the A's have turned on another gear in June, vaulting the club into first place. Just what is it about this team that makes them such a force in June, seemingly able to turn it on with the change in months? The ANtics investigates...

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF

It wasn't too long ago that Dan Johnson's slow start to the season had some talking about his revisiting AAA Sacramento. After today's 2 home run game against the Yankees, leading the A's to a sweep of New York, DJ has a whole new look at life - one some think might be a bit too large, and too premature. The ANtics investigates...

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF | Take The Poll

Last year, the A's didn't see much production out of their DH position, and in the offseason, a big acquisition was made to bring offense to the one position where you can completely stink at defense, and nobody cares. A very big acquisition that goes by the moniker, "The Big Hurt". Two months into the 2006 campaign, Frank Thomas ranks second on the team in home runs, with 13, is third in RBIs (30), and is second in walks (29). The ANtics looks in on his progress, in "A's Big Man On Campus".

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF | Take The Poll

Following last night's defeat, the second in a row, against the lowly Royals, drastic measures have been taken to ensure an A's fan's sanity.

Disclaimer: These are intended for fun only. Any harm, injury, or threats thereof are not sanctioned by Athletics Nation, the ANtics, or any similar governing body. Any desire for additional "headshots" can be taken by e-mail.

(Neighbors, girlfriends, and others unaffiliated with the A's organization and its related entities do not qualify)

To Download: PC and Mac: Right Click and select "Save Image As", "Save As", or "Save Image to Desktop", browser depending. For single-button Macs, click the image and drag to desktop. Happy throwing!

More here: Athletics Nation: Bullseye: Get Out Your Aggression - A's Style

Listening to ''Teen Angst'', by M83 (Play Count: 9)

On Saturday, the A's concluded a 7-game losing streak by defeating the division rival Texas Rangers, on the back of a pitching gem by lefty ace hurler Barry Zito. With that streak now complete, the ANtics investigates some of the lesser-known ongoing streaks you may not have heard about, in "Streak Outs for Troops".

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF

After today's wet, soggy defeat at the hands of our cross-bay rivals, the A's had dropped two of three to conclude what had otherwise been a strong week, and the team's still tied for first with Texas. But that's not what the baseball media has noticed. Instead it's been all Barry, all the time. We investigated these "3 Games of Shadows", and found the Giants players getting a little inappropriate with our players. No wonder they were afraid to get on base.

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF | Take the Poll

With full-time catcher Jason Kendall out for a four-game suspension following his memorable dust-up against the Angels in Anaheim, seldom-used backup Adam Melhuse put on the tools of ignorance, and to the surprise of those of us expecting much, much less offense from the catching position, Melhuse blasted home runs in back to back games versus the Blue Jays. This anomaly, and any future efforts for Adam to see more playing time, is investigated in this week's ANtics, "Melhusin' For a Bruisin'".

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF | Take the Poll

Barry Zito dominated the 2002 season with a 23-5 record, and garnering the American League Cy Young Award. In the ensuing seasons, he's had his ups and downs, including shocking 15-2 defeat at the hands of the New York Yankees on Opening Day where he gave up 7 runs in an inning and a third. Yet, in his last two starts, he's returned to the Barry Zito of old, pitching masterfully. The main difference? Well, it's his mane difference. With short hair, Barry cannot be defeated. When the hair takes over, he is the anti-Sampson, stripped of his power. This is investigated in this week's ANtics, "A Tale of Two Zitos".

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF | Take the Poll

The A's are 4-1 so far in the middle of what will have been a seven game road trip. (Eight if you count the rain-out) With the team away, they've had a chance to reevaluate what's working, and what's not. We check in to see their progress.

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF | Take the Poll

With the season just a little over one tenth of the way complete, the A's haven't exactly dominated the field so far - they've shown signs of brilliance, and often, quite a different story. While some, like Swisher and Chavez, have excelled, others haven't been pulling their weight. The ANtics looks in on 2006's early results.

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF | Take the Poll

Last year, the A's, on the backs of 4 rookies, Huston Street, Nick Swisher, Joe Blanton and Dan Johnson, surprised many by contending all the way through September. With two weeks complete in the 2006 campaign, Swisher is providing power at the plate and strong defense - laughing in the face of the dreaded sophomore slump. Today, we check in to see how he and the other three "smores" are doing.

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF | Take the Poll

This week's episode of the ANtics focuses on Ken Macha and the team's approach to shortstop Bobby Crosby's apparent fragility, in a piece titled "Crosby Wellness Clinic 101"! May we never have to create an upper division course with the same name...

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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF

It's prediction season for the baseball media, and many are predicting the A's to win it all this year, while Bobby Crosby and Eric Chavez have been named as MVP candidates, and Harden for the Cy Young. But what about the players themselves? In the latest in the series of comics that has drawn copycats from competing baseball clubs... the ANtics ask the players for their predictions. Just what do they see developing in the upcoming year for them and their team?



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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | PDF

Listening to ''Jumbo'', by Underworld (Play Count: 5)

The A's roster seems to be fairly solidified, with more cuts being made today. But with Mark Ellis healthy and coming off a strong 2005 season, and the acquisition of Antonio Perez, what does this mean for fan favorite Marco Scutaro, especially in light of Freddy Bynum's status? Some are seeing Scutaro, or Ginter, or Bynum, as being the last options to reduce roster spots in what's become a crowded infield. Today, we look closer at Marco Scutaro, in "Scutaro Skills!"


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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | Extras | Giveaway | PDF

Spring Training is about a lot more than just winning or losing. It's about AAA players trying to make their way to the big club, about veterans improving their skills, improving teammate camaraderie and for some, recovering from injury or avoiding hurting others (I'm looking at you, Bobby!). But there's no doubt that the Cactus League is full of "pins and needles" for all. Some of this year's themes are explored in this week's ANtics!

BTW - On my trip to spring training, I gave away printed copies of last year's ANtics to Barry Zito, Eric Chavez, Billy Beane, and the radio team of Ken Korach and Ray Fosse. You can download your copy of the handout in PDF.


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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | Extras | Giveaway | PDF

Now you can download the same file that was printed out and handed to the A's players last week at spring training in Arizona.