If the A's and the Giants were to morph into one team...

by Hegenberger Road on Feb 11, 2005 4:31 PM PST

...what would be my starting lineup?

I asked myself that question during the countless hours of boredom in school. And now, as a way of escaping from the ton of work I have to do, I'd like to revisit the question again.

Catcher (Kendall/Matheny): This is a no brainer. Kendall's OBP is at least .100 higher than Matheny's. Kendall

1st Base (Hatteberg/Snow): Tempted to put Snow in for defense, but it is first base. I love Hatter when he's hot, but as long as I don't care about defense at first (and I don't), I've got a better option. Durazo

2nd Base (Ellis/Ginter/Durham): Ellis has defense. Ginter has a bat. Durham has both. Durham

3rd Base (Chavez/Alfonzo): Not worth explaining. Chavez

Short Stop (Crosby/Vizquel): Hmm.. power or average? youth or experience? Given that this team will have plenty of power, I'll go for average. Vizquel

Left Field (Bonds/Byrnes): 'roids and my love for Capt. America aside, I just have to. Bonds

Center Field (Kotsay/Grissom): Kots hit .314 last year and is a stud on defense. 'nuff said. Kotsay

Right Field (Swisher/Alou): So Alou seems like an obvious choice, but I just hate the idea of having a huge defensive liability in the outfield. I could put up with it at first, but here I get nightmares about Candy Maldonado. So, what to do? Go with the rookie?? Eh, I'm hesitant. If I open this up to all other outfielders, I have some more options. Byrnes? Well, considering I scrapped Alou, I'd be putting in Byrnes for his defense. No, can't do that; it's just weird. Never been high on Grissom (who's gotta be pushing 40). What the heck? I want a good defensive outfield, and somebody on this team will have to hit last. Might as well make it obvious: Charles Thomas

DH: I decided to play this game, so I can have my cake and eat it too. Alou

Put those 5 A's and 4 Giants together and I get a batting order that'd look something like

Kotsay L
Kendall R
Bonds L
Alou R
Chavez L
Durazo L
Vizquel S
Durham S
Thomas L

So what do you think? In the past, when I was really bored, I added a bench and a pitching staff, but I don't have that in me right now.

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Comments

This game was real fun in 2001

When the lineup was

C-Hernandez
1B-Giambi
2B-Kent
SS-Tejada
3B-Chavez
LF-Bonds
CF-Damon
RF-Dye

That is a tight lineup.

by jmoney on Feb 11, 2005 4:52 PM PST reply actions

ah, those were the days

yeah, it was a fun game then.

I kept telling my buddy (who's a Giants fan) that he had to pick Tejada over Aurielia, and he didn't get it.

by Hegenberger Road on Feb 11, 2005 4:55 PM PST up reply actions

Here's mine...

I agree with Kendall, Chavez, Bonds, and Kotsay.

Ginter over Durham, barely. Durham is no Gold Glove either.
Crosby on the rise over Vizquel on the decline.
Snow over Hatteberg for his defense.
Alou in right.
Durazo back to the DH spot where he belongs.

The final product:

Kotsay L CF
Kendall R C
Chavez L 3B
Bonds L LF
Alou R RF
Durazo L DH
Crosby R SS
Snow L 1B
Ginter R 2B

Ju-ust a bit outside

by WayOutInLF14 on Feb 11, 2005 4:58 PM PST reply actions

I agree with wayoutinLF

Except I'd put Alou in Right. He hit 39 jacks last year: no one else can do that.

Starting Pitching

-Jason Schmidt
-Barry Zito
-Rich Harden
-Dan Haren
-Joe Blanton

"The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." -Catfish Hunter

by kaweahkaweah on Feb 11, 2005 5:09 PM PST reply actions

Which is actually what wayoutinLF did

Silly me. :-P

"The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time." -Catfish Hunter

by kaweahkaweah on Feb 11, 2005 5:10 PM PST up reply actions

no

jerome williams?

by kotsbots on Feb 12, 2005 12:21 AM PST up reply actions

Alou seems like such

a natural DH to me, hit 39 jacks, but is a liability on defense.

Maybe it's my selective memory that's forgetting Durazo's defensive lapses. Or maybe it's me just trying to be creative and have a surprising roster.

For the rotation, I'd use kaweah's, except sub in Tomko for Blanton and start him 4th. That guy was money in the 2nd half last year

by Hegenberger Road on Feb 11, 2005 5:21 PM PST reply actions

chucky thomas????

i agree with all your picks except for chucky t over swisher. you've got to pick the next ROY!!!

"And right now you could care less about me But soon enough you will care, by the time I'm done."- The White Stripes; Ball and Biscuit, Elephant (of course!!!)

by bigelephant on Feb 11, 2005 5:31 PM PST reply actions

it was a tough choice

but I figured I'd already had plenty of Swish's strength (OBP), but could use a solid defender in the OF.

by Hegenberger Road on Feb 11, 2005 6:17 PM PST up reply actions

i like

C - Kendall
1B - Snow
2B - Durham
SS - Crosby
3B - Chavez
LF - Byrnes
CF - Kotsay
RF - Alou
DH - Bonds

SP - Schmidt
SP - Zito
SP - Harden
SP - Haren
SP - Reuter

RP - Benitez
RP - Dotel
RP - Bradford
RP - Herges
RP - Calero

love, mike in canada

by oakland ehs on Feb 11, 2005 5:36 PM PST reply actions

If the A's and Giants merged

...Would they be called the A-nts (Ain'ts) or the G-A's (Gays)?

Taken from manimal, of official A's message board fame...

by OaktownTribesman on Feb 11, 2005 6:32 PM PST reply actions

I will go with....

C: Kendall
1B: Swisher
2B: Visquel
3B: Chavez
SS: Crosby
LF: Byrnes
RF: Alou
CF: Kotsay
DH: Bonds

BC: Matheny
B: Thomas
B: Snow
B: Durazo

SP: Schmidt
SP: Zito
SP: Harden
SP: Haren
SP: Lowry

RP: Calero
RP: Brower
RP: Cruz
RP: Dotel
RP: Benitez
RP: Rincon
RP: Street

"I still stand firm that Johnny Damon is really Jesus, The Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer..."

by Zonis on Feb 11, 2005 6:41 PM PST reply actions

Hmm... Yeah

I think they'd be the Aiant's?

I'd go with this roster:
C Kendall
1B Hatteberg
2B Ginter
3B Chavez
SS Crosbone
LF Byrnes
CF Kotsay
RF Swisher
DH Durazo

Fuck the Giants.

by Uncle Charlie on Feb 11, 2005 6:42 PM PST reply actions

I'm

liking this line up. :)

by oakasfan20 on Feb 11, 2005 6:54 PM PST up reply actions

great lineup

;-)

by ucla kid on Feb 12, 2005 1:34 AM PST up reply actions

A's-Giants merger?

ugh, what a concept. and even playing make-believe makes me nervous, since if they move the A's out of the Bay Area I'd have to attend Giants games in Balco Park.

by OaklandSi on Feb 12, 2005 2:48 AM PST up reply actions

Name

Wouldn't they become the Elephant Seals?

by RichardP on Feb 11, 2005 6:48 PM PST reply actions

That would be awesome

by jmoney on Feb 11, 2005 6:54 PM PST up reply actions

Does this mean...

...we have to wear those 1/2 A's 1/2 Giants caps?

I sure hope not.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!!!" -Brick Tamland, Anchorman

by secret ASian man on Feb 11, 2005 7:14 PM PST reply actions

oh dear lord no!

Just some idle daydreaming on a Friday.

I'd never want to unleash the horror of those hats on anyone.

I feel kinda sick just thinking about 'em.

by Hegenberger Road on Feb 11, 2005 7:40 PM PST up reply actions

those are so gay

by guy on Feb 11, 2005 7:39 PM PST reply actions

durham

He's got a great bat, but his defense is terrible. I disagree with durham having both batting prowess and defense.

by kookooforkotsay on Feb 11, 2005 10:30 PM PST reply actions

2nd base

The only time Durham and Ellis went head to head for the 2nd base job was in Oakland in 2003. Ellis played in the field and Durham DH'd. It is easy to forget just how good Ellis is in the field. He is awesome!

by racodd on Feb 12, 2005 9:53 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah,

I can't believe Dave selected Durham over Ellis?

by sf drift king on Feb 12, 2005 8:34 PM PST up reply actions

Maybe not the best choice

Part of it could be selective memory. I didn't remember Durham being a defensive liability. And, as noted above, Ellis' defensive prowess is easy to underrate.

I was going for someone with decent offense and defense. Think Durham has an edge over Ginter defensively, if for no other reason than he's played more games at 2nd base regularly.

How well Ellis recovers from his injury is also a big question mark. If he bounces back well, and produces like he did in '02 (not '03), then I'd want him over Durham.

by Hegenberger Road on Feb 12, 2005 10:26 PM PST up reply actions

propaganda

I hate the Giants. No Giant line-up will ever merge with a holy A's line-up, not in my day, not no day never...Boooooooo SF.....Hisss hissss

Look at the Gibson replay...his eyes are closed.

by CrazierthanYOU on Feb 12, 2005 12:22 AM PST reply actions

No brainer

Croz over Viz any day and twice on Sunday!

"Fear leads to hate, and hate......leads to the Darkside."-Yoda

by Force on Feb 12, 2005 3:13 PM PST reply actions

all a's

except for bonds. schmidt is a stud, first rate but not needed. i like the a's staff as is and i bet this team would cost less than 80m

C Kendall
1b Dan Johnson (not possible w/out bonds)
2b Ginter (Durham too old and overpaid)
3b Chavez
SS Crosby (Vizquel as a utility man)
LF Thomas
CF Kotsay
RF Swish

Zito
Harden
Haren
Yabu (untill meyer is green lit)
Blanton (Reuter is a salary dump as a 5th starter; might as well usee the five spot to develop the kid)

I don't know much about the giants pen but i'll just take the a's pen and be done with it.

batting order
kotsay
kendall
chavez
bonds (200 rbi?)
Ginter (with all the production in front of him, he'll do fine)
Dan Johnson (Ginter and Crosby to protect him)
Crosby
Swisher
Thomas (lots of speed and power at back of the lineup)

by mcbronsh on Feb 12, 2005 10:09 PM PST reply actions