Josh Suchon, Oakland Tribune

Our guy on the ground in Oakland who has been with the -- a number of occasions in the past. From the Oakland trip is Josh so Sean I always have to hesitate because it might try to say your name quickly I screwed up every time. A little extra embryos that they were -- tell you -- I'm doing great. Wrote it. Oakland all a twitter about get this series started.

Oh yeah I mean think about -- operators stink the 49ers staying out policies and started it was a does lawyers always stinks so. The giants are out of it this is BA's window in the bay area sports market they did not very often that the gate of the market to themselves but they have -- that island. So it's an exciting that it they're in the question.

Josh we talked to many times about Billy -- the criticism before this playoff series is that the guy it does a decent job of putting a team together and getting them into the playoffs for what they make the playoffs they fizzle is Billy crowing right now as he gloating or as -- planet said.

No doubt at all he was -- remarkable how all of us war. The playoffs started and you know he's had in the past that the Webster crapshoot in any you read by actors like five in the blackjack and the best -- blackjack players in the illegally in the best. In fact he admitted but I would want to be in the division between they would working in they might be a better team. That the that the short series helped the mystery there are the it's helped them in in between that's been reading that even afterwards he was very all of you not part of the celebration of all very -- out away from that there was in my living crawling on the inside it there was -- the.

Very easy don't plan for a paycheck care.

They'll ever I told you guys now look I'm this year he will actively traded in China the -- very very good job but not many. How many millions of dollars you will not make active this year but anyway it is that victory in state and I think a lot of people. Impressions of Barry was that it -- workhorse in -- 280 going to be in not to get hurt this -- But he's not like a dominant number 18 is committed to shut down the other team. And for at least one agency incident and it electing the best pitcher on the planet right now -- out to rule them it is not a huge agent bury a climate of the very very typical. Why is -- that's going to. People are going to remember that all of these and it is still got at least you know one or start maybe or more stored in the starts in the post these were really -- legacy with the -- what you know about in the region.

Hey -- look at the tigers and and the -- both teams have good rotations both teams have good closers. If you wanted to match up or analyze the 80s and and the tigers in the middle relief category who would you give the --

Well let's that he because I think both teams has no release our. Indeed I think that there really get a different ways jewels of bias we note at Roland you know all the label -- read about an hour I mean spirited to the -- you know they have just in future probably -- about 806080 miles an hour. But he added a believable for all of -- rate cut -- four pitches in just the future could be just dominating anybody the eight -- like he took Lara and Joe Kennedy checked it and they need to be helpful -- on the east coast -- in the -- in the baseball teams but he has inherited runners allowed -- they have a believable percentages of more than the eight and you know I've always -- and especially. The ink is red -- back in the Red Sox team that but that really showed about the importance that the applicable in the division series you can get by with five or six pitchers -- did eat the deal yet. You're division your your middle relief really -- that was totally in shock I I think that all there are very -- I think that the the tigers have the more overpowering guys I think the eighth but -- the that -- that the.

You know what you were talking about middle relievers and closes here Keith -- I don't know what his status is going to do with the Red Sox in 2007 or you'll be here at all. You've had some experience covering -- folk in Oakland what was it like we know he was he was dominant on the field what this guy like in the clubhouse -- he's he's been little a little edgy here Boston.

Yet it -- a little that you would with Oakland I actually did have that much experience with them because his one year with the -- the country and very limited in action with him I heard the same -- did he the -- book about about in the in out there -- and I just know that people in Oakland the oldest think the world they think that he should -- in the NDP the regular season from what he did but he opted in the playoffs in about the need some youthful -- Walters from Austin. In union ever pitch again as a result but lately he took the ball number of the number out the eat -- me to market to bet people report.

He's right. You know you mentioned about the Detroit pitching staff I was going to ask yet how to the Oakland base hit fastballs because man they're going to see some in this series.

Yet they're going to feel whole lot I remember when and we had a demon in the fourth of July adjustable and went up in the area. Aaron all the lumber up any parents -- and you know 9394 with a believable when it -- and 99100 little ones in the Reagan invited these little -- to -- actually -- a in this area. The -- in in Rodney one. -- left at a rapid rate on the you know looked right you've been in the league Leo you ever faced two in the same game and a party no not at all it is said in Landers -- basic easy -- wanted to -- it.

I immediately and makes it easy one.

This is just so -- delivery -- you know what a -- two different eight players -- yesterday that it that would those it's not just that the reared back wrote it -- that they were related -- The ball that there Hitler's spots in addition -- art. It normally do we hit -- pretty yet but these are not normal people that can be adjusting to the what that they can catch up with them and whether or not again whether they do it there's the.

we talk with you earlier this year you said that Frank Thomas neither Frank Thomas -- Milton Bradley has been a problem. In Oakland was that the case the entire here -- these guys both good citizens from one to 162.

I would say that -- that wasn't a bottle that is in the entire year at a couple pull up as the umpires or whether as the bands and virtually in Austin -- he had think just after a Austin with -- all that is in the Aaron he had ejected twice in the evening he had the moments when your wondered what was -- on the ultimate the eight have always insisted that they don't mind that they like the edge that -- and brought in net at one point believe in -- it -- in an open you know that they'll be built. There's -- about a number of occasions -- deeply that with saying that we he'd been nice and Milo and that we have labored frank on the -- second -- everything that I dealt with complete models that we give -- an award at the end of the year of the cute -- at work we give -- player -- the best job of Austria -- good working relationship between the press and the players and we gave up on the lead Serb.

There was talk out of Oakland that going into the series against the twins the DA's were trying to get Thomas tied up to a contract. I couldn't picture the negotiating at that point where they really doing that

the Indian affiliate base of about exactly what they're doing yet he admitted that he has been talking with -- agents a little bit because of the agent in Europe right now -- in the used to a lot of unconventional thing they sank in here too we're -- expensive double the number last year they did in the remarkable record for years earlier so -- in the because -- you know -- worry about unchecked like that in April it. They negotiate contracts September in the old playoffs. Billy has admitted that he's been he's been taught -- element. He's optimistic that he can get them the I don't actually -- one to announce about an -- they were in need -- write about these qualities that Tokyo keep that in mind you never know maybe between games it would breeder in an appetite experts it would not surprise -- ability to that would either.

Josh to let the managers remaining in all of the series here and posters say we know a lot about Jim Leland we know a lot about Willie Randolph from the Yankee days we know a lot about Tony la Russa don't -- don't know much about Kim Mok and his managerial style how would you describe him compared with the three others

like -- that's probably can bottle like smoked at a Pittsburgh and he he knows that working for the -- Billy -- stars that the players -- it becomes very notable he's very very serious. Demeanor we in the I doubt very stoic connected -- a lot of emotion -- this guy who didn't play a lot of the major -- or Japan makes some money in the star over there. Ichiro Suzuki had a poster in Moscow this lawless use it -- that was as they require. If you learned in Japan. The importance of keep a level head he's not a guy -- in -- any -- He's the type of guy is going to let the gate beat themselves. But he's not that it all a lot of meeting not to do any kind of raw raw is not to look over a table. -- when things go bad he's just going to keep on the -- even keel and and the tribe eight in that that it -- emotion but I actually think that the perfect type of approach that you need the Yates specially because they have so many younger players and in the it's a combination of veteran guys you don't need to be told anything in the budget younger guys who. Don't need some legitimacy and and the veteran guys of the needs to -- that you know -- and lower rate they. It's the market pretty much to leave them alone in just focus on what he needs to do game -- game manager.

The late season swung by the tigers didn't hurt them in their playoff series against the Yankees but what it did do was cost them home field advantage. In this round how important -- lapping.

Honestly helping it immediately adult signaled -- would -- its people a lot of -- I think we've seen that again I think the only exception that it that'll take visiting -- is when -- that little World Series the pirates of the but -- that you looked back at. At all but at all the playoffs that this dedicated -- hasn't -- that much BT beat the Red Sox it's -- and vice versa and so you mean the only thing that it matters that it did not get a plane to fly a two thirds went across the country I don't they.

When Josh who do you like in the series.

I think can be really get you know I don't like to be awkward -- I hesitated he needed just that reason and let the tigers seven I think it would be very -- going to be very low scoring I think that just like posters of cynic about it in the make your mistakes in the it -- public or to a lot of really exciting and 2131 region in.

It's okay to be a homer -- mean if you think that haze are the better team if.

Alike helping mediate in the better about it. From there the better team throughout the course of. A 162 games that's a very well and they're very in the tigers won. I -- nine in what little I've read about it that he could very easily been Italy I think the tigers over all the better team that is 16 and and again between the better team than the -- over the long of the better team doesn't always waited so that -- the side you'd never know what looked at it happened taken tiger that it is because I think they -- overall better team that anything can happen.

And in your opinion that team that comes out of this series should they be the favorite the World Series.

Well based on what the American league is that in in All Star Games and it interleague play in the last two sweeps they should be the overwhelming you know all the -- the major problem for the starting rotation they do not help close the mystery it is but the -- and so yeah I think they should be.

No injuries situations or no health situations for the -- that in what -- concerned.

Actually get the other big wanted Mark -- injured his he got hit by Joni is pitching into the right and -- the playoffs that the Indians -- the -- started at second base and menaces played a lot lately that. -- that was cut by the Rangers early in the evening that the terriers in the minor -- the -- and BA depth chart you know because Antonio prizes also -- obvious the person who they called out to be back in fueled by the work iger was never about 40 -- started the year aaa into the -- double in the first beat in September he was -- eight ball went to India last week's all the multiple reports there's -- and make sure that he's ready the eight hope that he doesn't -- into the game marked -- nowhere couldn't open an American academy should Tuesday.

Josh we always appreciate the time into the baseball out there we'll talk again you take care. Josh solution