The psychology of the A's

by Force on May 16, 2005 1:25 PM PDT

This is mostly a post I made in the Lewis interview thread, but it's something I've been thinking about for a few days.

What must be going on in the heads of these players? They have put on a great face while looking mostly like a AA ballclub on the field, and it must be something mental taking it's toll.

Here is the majority of the post:

"I can certainly rationalize the trades as Blez and Michael outlined, but Graybeard brings up a good point about the psycological effects they had on the current team.

They are all "professionals", but it's only human to have some fear or a blow to your confidence when losing so much of the glue year after year. Us fans are not the only ones who need "instant gratification", the players do to. Especially guys like Chavez.

How would it feel to be one of the best players in the game and watch your current team diminsh in such rich ML talent? It has to be hard to look ahead when the past has been filled with some pretty darn good times. He is still young, but I'd bet he can't help but feel that he's been dealt some tough cards in the prime of his career. He'll get past it, but who knows how long it will take and where it will happen (see A-Rod for example)?

If I was Chavez, or any other ballplayer, and I was continually dealt those kind of blows, I don't know how I would handle it.

I can garauntee that I would put on a good face, but deep inside, the powers of the darkside would be stirring."

What do you think?

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Chavez...

Please change the verb from passive to active-- OK??

"continually dealt"

He's been dealing a large amount of the blows. if the guy had hit 280 out of the box with 7-8 HRS by now, the team might have won two or three more games and the straits wouldn't be so dire. he was dealt 11 million smackeroos.

I understand your basic point, but at some point people making millions to play a little kid's game have to step up and be counted. Hardly anyone on this team is doing it.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on May 16, 2005 1:37 PM PDT reply actions

grammar police

-geez

by Alien @ Athletics Nation on May 16, 2005 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Sorry oaktoon

I guess I'm just a little kid playing a big kid's internet game.

Lord Vader... ...yesss massster? ...RISE!!!

by Force on May 16, 2005 2:09 PM PDT up reply actions

1st and 15th

I can garauntee that I would put on a good face, but deep inside, the powers of the darkside would be stirring.

What do you think?

---------------------------------------

I'm sure the current losing streak for Chavvy, Kendall, Kotsay, and others was eased by May 15th. They collected about 1.5 Million on that paricular day (combined), and I don't think they earned it.

The Dark Side = Greed

Let's Go Oak-Land!

by Colorado Fan on May 16, 2005 2:35 PM PDT reply actions

It's just too uncertain

to try and take into account. Yeah, Eric Chavez may have felt the pressure from the team losing Hudson and Mulder (as it appears he has) but at the same time he could have seen the challenge and "stepped up" to it, becoming an even better player. When you're making these deals, it's simply impossible to try and take into account how the players will react psychologically.

by walk off bunt on May 16, 2005 2:36 PM PDT reply actions

expectations

It seems like one reason the the teams of the early big 3, giambi, tejada, chavez, etc. played so well was that in addition to being quite talented, they also played loose and had tons of fun. All you read about is how it was one big party and everyone fed off of each other. Confidence can be contagious, and I'm sure that added to the talent. No one really expected them to win (at least early on), so there wasn't all of the huge pressure of living up to the repeat playoff appearances, not to mention the Moneyball hype. Now, all of those expectations are firmly in place, so no matter how many young players the A's work in, they are trying to live up to much higher expectations than the 2000-2003 crew had to deal with.

Do you think that expectations have closed the window on this "young" team (or the 2006, 2007 version that will be even younger) playing like a happy go lucky "young" team?

by batgirl on May 16, 2005 2:53 PM PDT reply actions

ABSOLUTELY!

There is no doubt about it. The expectations have grown, while the experience has diminished.

Lord Vader... ...yesss massster? ...RISE!!!

by Force on May 16, 2005 2:55 PM PDT up reply actions

Good earners

Good points about earning your money, but that lends to another theory that could create just as much a problem.

At what point does the game you love to play become a job instead? Tangibly, we all know it is, but psychologically? How does it change your approach subconciously?

As a golfer, I often equate things like this as with the mental approach in golf. I once met with a golf psychologist who taught me many things that helped my game tremendously. Things like "the subconcious doesn't recognize the word don't". So if you step up on the tee and say to yourself "don't hit it in the tress or don't hit it in the water", your subconcious hears "hit it in the trees, etc".

You could have all the physical talents in the world, and these ARE Major Leaguers, but if your heads not right, forget it.

Does anyone know if the A's have a sports psychologist on their payroll? If not, they need one.

Lord Vader... ...yesss massster? ...RISE!!!

by Force on May 16, 2005 2:53 PM PDT reply actions

My Phychy

I'm so depressed with the A's I think I'll go wait in line to see Thursday's opening of the new Starwars movie. Its got to have a better ending.

Jim

by jarforcefatherofforce on May 16, 2005 3:41 PM PDT reply actions

It's an A's ending

Anakin (read Jason Giambi) goes over to the Dark Side. The twins are separated (kind of like the Big 3). I'm sure once we've seen it we'll find all sorts of A's anologies.

The Gadfly

by Just Me on May 16, 2005 4:43 PM PDT up reply actions