A step in the right direction for Gio

OAKLAND, June 30, 2009
Gio Gonzalez wasn't great tonight, but the way he responded to being down 2-0 before most of the (ahem) 12,126 fans had settled into their seats might be the tonic for what's ailed him at the big league level.

Admit it: When A's killer Placido Polanco's homer cleared the wall, you thought, "Here we go again. Gio's implosion has begun." And you had every reason to feel that way. Gonzalez can be a bit of a spazz -- love that word; Macha dropped it on Byrnes some years back -- on the mound, and he hasn't shown much poise under pressure.

But somehow, with considerable help from the brain-cramping Tigers on the bases, Gio managed to get through five innings and left with his team very much in the game.

That will, at the very least, get him another start. And that should make him a little less jumpy before his next outing. It's not easy pitching and looking over your shoulder at the same time.

And now, time for just a few quick wind sprints around The Coli ...

... Hurry, Travis, hurry! Get here as soon as you can! There's a righty pitching for the Tigers on Tuesday, and we're having (ahem) a few problems in the outfield these days. Wait a second, though, it's Tuesday afternoon and Gilda Radner just showed up. What's that she's saying? I can't make it out. Oh, now I can hear. She's saying, "Never mind." Brutal.

... Jason Giambi is in a no-win situation vis-a-vis facial hair. He can't go with the clean-shaven look -- way too Yankees. Same deal with the 'stache. But the full beard or goat won't work, either, because they make him look way too old. And I'm sorry, but seeing him give the goat the Just For Men treatment makes me a little bit sad. The only way out, as far as I'm concerned, is the ZZ Top look.

... Please kick me in the neck if I ever drop another "vis-a-vis" on you.

... A friend of mine passed along the two most recent scripts for "Moneyball," and while I haven't finished either of them, I've seen enough of both to know why Sony bailed on the re-write. The first version was less true to the bok, but that's a good thing. The book would have made a terrible movie -- and that's exactly what Sony would have had if they'd gone with the re-write, which was more true to the book.

... I don't want to give anything away for those of you who haven't read the script, but the first one sure does nail the dark side of William B.'s personality. That cat can scratch like nobody's business.

... I love me some Shooty Babbitt. He sits down at my lonely Internet end of the pressbox most nights and can flip the switch from hard-score baseball talk to flat goofiness in a heartbeat. And how can you NOT love someone whose real name is "Mack"? Good times, yo. He's the Great Dane.

That's all for now, gang. Peace, brown rice and BBD's "B.B.D." to all ...

--Mychael Urban