Who would you bring back?

by Shippee33 on Jul 17, 2006 10:03 PM PDT

On Extra innings tonight, Robert Wong asked the question, "which former athletic would you bring back to the team if you had the chance to improve the 2006 ball club." The most common answer was Tejada which was expected, especially since he got done killing us today. But that lead me to ponder another question. What if didn't limit it to current ballplayers. What if we could bring back ANY former Athletic Player living or dead. And not only just that player, but the player during a specific year in his career. For Example Dennis Eckersley 1992, would be a much more valuable player than the Eck in 1986. So here is my question if you could bring back any former Athletic, who would it be, and from what season? My choice though I know it is controversial is Jose Canseco 1988. That year was Canseco's famed season where he went 40/40 he batted .307 with a .569 Slg .959 OPS he hit 42 home runs and drove in 124 RBI's playing in 158 games. I'm sure you guys will come up with better choices, but that's my 2 cents.

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For me, it would have to be

Colonel "Bosco" Snover. Anyone whose real name is Colonel, but decides he needs a nickname of "Bosco," can play on my team any day.

Snover was 0-1 for his two-game career, which took place in 1919, but I believe he was undervalued.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 17, 2006 10:09 PM PDT reply actions

this is supposed to be serious. come on.

the great playoff miss of 2004 followed by the good try of 2005...in 2006?...prove it.

by ak_A on Jul 17, 2006 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Giambi is having a way better year Than Miggy

His defense sucks but a line up with Kotsay, Swisher, Giambi, Thomas, Chavez, Bradley, Crosby, Ellis, Kendall sounds pretty good to me.

The On base percentage of Swish, Giambi, Thomas is pretty good and I am sure Mr. Chavez would get some great pitches to hit with those guys in front of him.

by Bud Light on Jul 17, 2006 10:33 PM PDT reply actions

Hudson, definitely Hudson

"Who needs a significant other when you've got baseball highlights on ESPN?"

by Amnesiac727 on Jul 17, 2006 10:34 PM PDT reply actions

Lefty Grove

For the Win!

by Zonis on Jul 17, 2006 10:57 PM PDT reply actions

definately XX

Jimmie Foxx circa 1932 would be my choice. That year Foxx had a 1.218 OPS and hit 58 HR's! Of course, he did only steal 3 bags in 10 attempts, so his Scott Podsednik grit factor was pretty low. He probably only did so well because he juiced, and besides, he was too one dimensional.

Because of these facts, I'd probably choose Erstad '08 (BB will sign him that year). He will only play in 2 games and strike out 12 times but get this: he was a punter! In football! What a monster!

"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton

by vignette17 on Jul 17, 2006 11:51 PM PDT reply actions

The Foxx Roxx!

Jimmy Foxx was amazing. Way amazing. He would be the one I bring back in a heart beat.

Although, I would also love to have a young Rickey Henderson, for that matter.

Proudly celebrating my 20th year as an A's fan.

by bzn5150 on Jul 18, 2006 5:41 AM PDT up reply actions

I was just scrollin down to put on Foxx

Jimmy was the freakin' man. I'd pick him as the starting 1B on an All-Time Starting Team.

"I see Milton Bradley being the Oaktown player that breaks out this year." breaks out... breaks out of where? jail?

by gdub171 on Jul 19, 2006 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed!

Jimmy Foxx was the man!

Proudly celebrating my 20th year as an A's fan.

by bzn5150 on Jul 20, 2006 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions

Am I really the first one to mention ....

Rickey Henderson.

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

"...but we're also always open to hearing about other sandwiches if it can make our lunch better." -- Nico, channeling Billy Beane

by iglew on Jul 17, 2006 11:58 PM PDT reply actions

Rickey Henderson in his prime

was the most complete offensive weapon this game may have ever seen. Despite the praise that's lavished on him, I think he's still underrated. His 1990 year was like something out of a dream: 325/439/577 is something you get from a slow, defensively-limitied Jim Thome or Jason Giambi. For a guy who stole 65 bases at better than 85% success rate, it's unreal.

A 370 EqA and Rate2 of 114 for 13.6 WARP3. Yes, with Rickey Henderson replaced by an emergency AAAA-callup, the A's would have won 13 fewer games that year.

Good god, could we use that player.

Can intangibles exist? Only the ones you can touch.

by salb918 on Jul 18, 2006 7:27 AM PDT up reply actions

Okay, I have a couple more...

If I could bring back any former A, from when they were in their prime...

Steinbach.

No more of this weak hitting Kendall crap. A catcher that was great defensively, and hit well. Or for that matter, Mickey Tettleton had a few good seasons.

And I can't believe no one has mentioned:

Reggie Jackson
Carney Lansford (play him at second)
Vida Blue
Dave Stewart

Proudly celebrating my 20th year as an A's fan.

by bzn5150 on Jul 18, 2006 5:44 AM PDT reply actions

When I was young, my favorite number was 21

because of 2 players who used to run down the middle of The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, one was Cliff Branch, and the other Dwayne Pop-Top cap Murphy. I would love it when he would turn and run, and his glasses would keep his hat on his head, but the wind would flip it up.

by theblackpearl on Jul 18, 2006 9:32 AM PDT reply actions

I'd bring back Jesus

... but only if he rocked the high socks with his sandals.

Honey, this is not my first rodeo. I live in Missouri. -- Jennifer @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 18, 2006 9:56 AM PDT reply actions

Sorry, I don't want no

long-haired, sandal-wearing, peace-n-love-preaching, wine-swilling, all-forgiving hippie on my team. We need a player with a fire in his belly, like Jesus's dad. Now there was a real gamer.

Can intangibles exist? Only the ones you can touch.

by salb918 on Jul 18, 2006 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions

and don't forget the H.G. ...

... truly, a player with innumerable intangibles.

Honey, this is not my first rodeo. I live in Missouri. -- Jennifer @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 18, 2006 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions

Would Selig allow sandals?

by Jennifer on Jul 18, 2006 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions

Selig is terrified of sandals

No, wait -- he's terrified of scandals. Sorry.

Honey, this is not my first rodeo. I live in Missouri. -- Jennifer @('.')@

by monkeyball on Jul 18, 2006 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions

Too late

jesus already made his glorious return to the NBA.

http://www.theonion.com/content/index/4227/1

"I don't know if you know but France made it to the World Cup final. They all tested positive for being assholes" -Lance Armstrong

by sf drift king on Jul 18, 2006 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Max Bishop

My real answer would be Rickey, for obvious reasons some of which have been stated above. He is also my favorite all time baseball player so that helps also.

That said, this thread will be fun because people will try and metion the most obscure names. With that in mind I sugest Max "camera eye" Bishop. He drew as many as 128 walks in a season and he had a career .423 OBP even though his career AVG was only .271. This team needs another walker!

Just kidding, I want rickey.

Rickey Henderson: 35, 24, hall of fame!

by Athletics fan and runner on Jul 18, 2006 2:09 PM PDT reply actions

hmmm

Either Terrence Long for his clutch hitting or Arthur Rhodes for his consistent pitching...

Ok, seriously, it'd have to be Giambi. Jeremy Giambi.

by brownln on Jul 18, 2006 3:50 PM PDT reply actions

I would make room for Al Simmons;

Al had a pretty good career with the Philadelphia A's

I picked 1930 because the A's had 107 regular season wins and won the World Series, but Al posted numbers like these every year, with the same % carrying over into the series.

Al helped the A's to 3 consecutive World Series 1928-1930.

1930
.381 avg
.423 obp
.708 slg
1131 ops
152 runs
165 rbi
211 hits
41 2B
16 3B
36 HR
9 SB
39 BB
34 SO
1 HBP
17 SH
554 ab
28 years old