Can't tell if he was being sarcastic, but . . .

by RayRay59 on Feb 7, 2006 10:06 AM PST

In Rob Neyer's chat today, he ended it with this question and answer:

Kevin, Arkansas: Are the Oakland A's a legitimate contender in the American League?

Rob Neyer: (12:57 PM ET ) Right now, on paper, the A's are the third-best team on the planet (after the U.S.A. and the D.R.).

If he was being serious, it seems like a huge compliment from a Rob, and good news for those of us at AN.

This is my first diary post, so please be gentle, but I thought it was interesting. Here's the link: http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=10761

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Comments

I saw that too

It made me laugh out loud.

He does love the A's, so he might be serious.

P.S. Welcome. Out of curiousity how did you find AN?

RIP Bill King "By the Beard of Zeus!" "I don't know if you heard me counting. I did over a thousand"

by ohad on Feb 7, 2006 10:22 AM PST reply actions

...and can we call you Ray?

by ArakSOT on Feb 7, 2006 10:32 AM PST up reply actions

and we could call him "Jay."

But we doesn't have to call him "Johnson."

"Put a Milo on him." -Billy Beane

by kaweahkaweah on Feb 7, 2006 10:34 AM PST up reply actions

You can call me Al

haha a little paul simon there...

Bring back the Bash! Bring back the Mustache! Go A's in 2006!!!

Death To The Angels!!

by Shippee33 on Feb 7, 2006 6:14 PM PST up reply actions

I can't accuse you of a short span of attention

4 8 15 16 23 42

by LowcountryJoe on Feb 8, 2006 11:55 AM PST up reply actions

I've been visiting the site for quite some time,

but this was my first foray into positng a diary. I spend way too much time on this site and John Sickel's site during the day. Can't get enough baseball!

Neyer's great, he's always got love for the A's, even though he didn't seem like the biggest fan of the Loaiza signing.

by RayRay59 on Feb 7, 2006 10:34 AM PST up reply actions

Yea, I laughed about that too...

I also really liked his "536" outs claim for Reyes. Is that a serious stastic now?

by CyZito on Feb 7, 2006 10:28 AM PST reply actions

I think the A's are the 4th team

on the planet, Venezuela is amazing too...

by Olijerez77 on Feb 7, 2006 11:45 AM PST reply actions

BTW....

No offense to the American players, but to me it's sad that some of them don't give a $hit about the WBC...

I respect his decisions but I think play for your country is always an honor, I can't speak for other Latin American's countries but here in Venezuela every single player is excited about playing this tournament...

Vizquel was really exciting when Sojo named him the team captain, Melvin Mora said he would play any position for Venezuela and yesterady Carlos Zambrano said in an Interview "QUIERO A DOMINICANA" (I WANT DOMINICAN REP.) I would prefer Santana but I won't complain about Zambrano, ja ja. I think this tournament would be really fun...

by Olijerez77 on Feb 7, 2006 11:57 AM PST up reply actions

I think one aspect might be

that they assume the US will win. If/when the US loses, I think they will be eager for a rematch.

Knowledge is Power, Ignorance is Bliss. But I have Blissful Power, because I have a lot of knowledge, I just forgot it all!

by Zonis on Feb 7, 2006 12:10 PM PST up reply actions

same for the PR and DR teams

by OaklandSi on Feb 7, 2006 5:51 PM PST up reply actions

You can call him Susan if it makes you feel better

Simming Offseason.....

by robber23 on Feb 7, 2006 12:36 PM PST reply actions

But, please don't call me . . .

Shirley!

by RayRay59 on Feb 7, 2006 12:48 PM PST up reply actions

Venezuela is better ...

but, other than that, if you think the A's are the best team in MLB ... which is certainly a reasonable thing to think ... then, yeah, I'd say he was being serious, if a bit playful.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 7, 2006 1:13 PM PST reply actions

I might be crazy but...

didn't the White Sox get better this off season? I think they did, and they easily won it all last year. They added Javier Vasquez and Jim Thome and resigned Paul Konerko. I'm just as big an A's fan as most of you and a bigger fan than some of you, but I'm not so quick to say that the A's are the best team in baseball yet. I think the White Sox get the nod on this until we knock them off this year. That being said, I think that the A's and Sox (White type) will be playing for the AL title. I think it will be a hell of a match too, with the A's winning, because, let's face it, we own the Southsiders.

Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today, I am the greatest! - Rickey Henderson

by haren4prez on Feb 7, 2006 2:06 PM PST reply actions

Well, there's plenty to suggest

that the ChiSox weren't really that good last year. Most notably that they won way more games than their rs-ra indicated that they were likely to.

I actually agree that they have gotten better, but it is far from a guarantee that Thome > Rowand and, after Mark Buehrle, no one in their rotation has shown any ability to produce consistently effective seasons.

I think the AL Central is the best division, 1-4, in the game and it will be a dog fight to pull it out.

I see the Angels as being worse than last year's over achieving squad. I think the Rangers have pretty much treaded water and that the Mariners have improved but are still pretty bad. The A's should run away with the division.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 7, 2006 2:24 PM PST up reply actions

1-3

sorry, I can't see the Tigers.

fact is, though, that Chicago could be better this year... and miss the playoffs.

give the A's the Sox health last year and there's no contest as to which was the better team in the regular season. Give the Sox credit for a terrific playoff run-- would that we could do the same one of these years. But that is not a great or dominating team on the South Side-- just a good, perhaps very good, one.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Feb 7, 2006 3:05 PM PST up reply actions

Detroit won't contend ...

but what division has a better #4? I say, in the AL, They're better than the Orioles and the Mariners. They're probably better than anyone in the NL West. They're comfortably better than the Nationals and will lap the Astros (assuming no Clemens) ... who will be lucky to finish as high as 4th in the division. But we certainly have no reason to take the Reds or 'Rats seriously, so that division is out.

Check out some awesome music ...

by devo on Feb 7, 2006 3:15 PM PST up reply actions

I'm not sure

Detroit is better than the Mariners, but I'm also not sure the Mariners will finish 4th in the AL West.

I agree that the White Sox will have stiff competition for the AL Central. Everything broke right for them in 2005; chances are some things will not in 2006--just the unforseeable stuff like injuries to, or down years from, key players. Might be the Indians' year. If I weren't so loyal to Kotsay, I'd have a major man-crush on Grady Sizemore, but that's another thread.

by Nico on Feb 7, 2006 6:52 PM PST up reply actions