A's Fan Radio

The clip of Scott Hatteberg's walk off HR during Game 20 of "The Streak" from the film "Moneyball"

The Bleachers Bums gathered on 9/23/2011 for a quick dinner at Everett & Jones BBQ at Jack London Square in Oakland before heading over to the Jack London 9 to kick off the Fan Held “Moneyball” Premiere. The group, which ran almost 40+ deep, took over screen 6 for the 7:10 pm showing. A lot of the gang was deck out is A’s Gear. A’s Fan Radio Host/Producer Keith “Cpl RF Asshole” Salminen came to the event dressed in a suit.

“Its my turn to be Dobbins tonight!”, he stated. “Its been a long time since I have been able to dress up for an event like this. This story, this film, most of us here for this showing lived the events that take place in this movie. To see things like Hatty’s Game 20 walk off now forever captured in a movie is gut wrenching and brings a tear to your eye because this is not just Billy Beane’s story or the team’s story. This is OUR story.”

The film, directed by Bennett Miller, centers around Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), a failed baseball prospect with the New York Mets who rises to fame after becoming the A’s GM in 1997. The movie begins while the events of Game 5 of 2001 ALDS between the A’s & the Yankees play out. After losing stars Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon & Jason Isringhausen to free agency, Beane begins to come up with a plan to acquire players at the fraction of the cost other teams pay them for.

After buying Peter Brand (aka former A’s Asst. GM Paul DePodesta, played by Jonah Hill) from the Cleveland Indians after failing to land left-handed pitcher Ricardo Rincon (Miguel Mendoza), the two begin to start scouting players using sabermetrics, which flies in the face of what the scouts have always use to determine how a player will perform over time. The A’s at first struggle early in the season, making people doubt what Beane is trying to do. Beane also begins to get frustrated as Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman) fields Carlos Peña (Adrian Bellani) over Scott Hatteberg (Chris Pratt) at 1st and uses Mike Magnante (Derrin Ebert) out of the pen over submarine pitcher Chad Bradford (Casey Bond).

As the season drags on and after a few trades, the A’s begin to turn things around and take control of the AL West. The film climaxes with Scott Hatteberg’s Game 20 walk off HR. Sadly though, the A’s make it to the post season only to once again be knocked out of the ALDS, this time by the Twins. The movie ends with Beane being offered the chance to becoming the Red Sox GM and the highest payed GM in all sports, but turns it down stay as the A’s GM as he continues to “win the final game of the season.”

All in all, great movie. Minus a few errors, like Carlos being in Oakland when he was traded to the Tigers when in real life he was down in the minors, the way Howe is portrayed in the film is completely WRONG and the fact that what is being used as the Port of Oakland looks more like Long Beach, this film is worth seeing. Like me, if you were at the Coliseum the night Game 20 took place, a tear WILL come to your eye when Hatteberg goes long. There is no way you can stop yourself from doing it. A great film that for the most part really does bring back to life the 2002 Oakland A’s season.

If you have not done so already, head over to the Oakland RF Bleachers Section 149 Facebook page where you can tag yourself in a photo of the above movie in the seats you had the night of Game 20. You can also check out photos from the Fan Held Premiere as they become available by clicking here.

It was a very hot day yesterday as myself, fellow hosts Jorge Leon and Chris Dobbins and a lot of our fellow Bleacher Bums posted up across the street from the famous Paramount Theater in Downtown Oakland for the world premiere of “Moneyball”.

The day kicked off at Noon as our group began our tailgate session at Jorge’s car. As always, due to the on going battle to keep the team in Oakland, Jorge had the car decked out:

Not very often do you get away with drinking in Downtown Oakland, but OPD seemed more concern with making sure Brad Pitt wasn’t bummed rushed by fans than us acting like it’s just another day in the O.co Coliseum parking lot before a game.

As our day progress, we were joined by actors Marvin Horn and Art Ortiz. Horn plays the role of Terrence Long in the film, while Ortiz plays the role of (and, btw, looks a lot like) Eric Chavez. Horn also filmed an interview with us for his blog that he will post via YouTube so we can share it with you on here as well as the Facebook page, plus Horn has also shown interest in doing an interview with us once we are back on the air.

The gang with actor Marvin Horn, who plays A’s fan favorite T-Long. Pictured from L to R are: A’s Fan Radio host Jorge Leon, Anson Casanares, Tony Two-Tone & A’s Fan Radio host/producer Keith “Cpl RF Asshole” Salminen

Around 4 pm was when things began to heat up as cast members, the media, other A’s fans and autograph seekers started to show up, along with: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Phillip Seymour Hoffman,  Men’s Wearhouse founder (and who should be the current A’s owner) George Zimmer, former Oakland A’s players David Justice and Scott Hatteberg, former Oakland A’s 3rd Base Coach Ron Washington and current Oakland A’s players Brandon McCarthy, Hideki Mastui, David DeJesus, Jemile Weeks and Brandon “The Beast” Allen. Hell, even punk ass Bob Geren showed up.

The one person of course that received nothing but boos and middle fingers from us and all A’s fans around us when he showed up was good old Lew Wolff. Wolff may have been the one who pushed for and got the world premiere to be in Oakland, but he will remain a heartless bastard in all our eyes till he and John Fisher ether commit to keeping the A’s in Oakland or sell to someone who will (Zimmer!).

Afterwards, everyone that forked up ether $100 or $500 for both this and the after party at the Fox headed in. Yours truly will have to wait till Friday to see it with the rest of the A’s Fan Radio cast and the Bleacher Bums link up at Jack London Square for the 7:10 pm showing as I did not have $100 to fork over as I just got done moving recently. Jorge and Dobbins did go in, so I will edit and add their comments on what went down inside into this at a later time.

So there you have it folks, one hell of a day in Downtown Oakland. Be sure to head over to the Facebook page to check out photos from the event as well as to stay posted on our event at Jack London Square. That and as always more on your #1 source for everything and anything on your OAKLAND Athletics, A’S FAN RADIO.

– Keith “Cpl RF Asshole” Salminen, Producer, A’s Fan Radio

*Added 9/22/2011: Photo of the day goes to Tony. This was shot when Lew Wolff rolled up:

Photos from yesterday’s premiere/tailgate have been uploaded to the Facebook page. Click here to view them. More photos will be posted over time as they become available.

– Keith “Cpl RF Asshole” Salminen, Producer, A’s Fan Radio