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Number of Outfielders - Down By One

In case you haven't heard, Kotsay has elected to have back surgery. Predictions range from 8-12 weeks of missed action, but it's back surgery. My immediate reaction is why now instead of last November, but regardless, it's a loss for the A's.

Stay tuned for updates...

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Kotsay and Kielty

at least Bradley is proving that he can play center. As long as Dj can plat first and hit the a's will be fine

by OaklandADude on Mar 7, 2007 9:26 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Sure--as long as, say,
Bradley stays healthy, Dan Johnson hits...What else? Pigs fly and Reg says I'm funny?

So bbg, I can't wait to hear what the updates are going to be...I'm trying to imagine...Hmm...Will we hear when the anaesthesia is given, and so on? Or will we get "still out" updates until June? Or maybe you just mean we'll hear each time yet another outfielder goes down. Grrr.....

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 Mar 7, 2007 9:33 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Selfishness?

Did he not want to waste a minute of his offseason time away from his daughters in order to get back surgery in time for Spring Training?

Why did he not get this done earlier?
What is the team's response to this?

Let's GO OAKLAND!!!

by OaktownRajah on Mar 7, 2007 9:39 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Ask Eric Chavez.

Another off-season, and still no shoulder surgery.

Stay tuned for another mid-May "my shoulder is hurting, but maybe the all-star break will rest it up for the second half" routine from him.

Is it ego? Is it fear? What's with these guys not getting their injuries seen to?

"Kotsay is 31... Kotsay's back is 127." - Jeepers

by Ozzz on Mar 7, 2007 11:08 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well

surgery is still surgery and i'm not sure i would ever have one if all a doc could say is that it might help.

Beane's World!! Excellent!!! Rock On, Beane! Rock On, Geren!

by Satchmo22 on Mar 8, 2007 4:23 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Big Part of what makes an athlete or team good is

.. ability to stay healthy.  Based on the track record of this team and its athletes the last few years, I have to conclude, the A's are not really a very good team.  Don't mean that to sound harsh, written more to myself than others ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 7, 2007 9:45 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Damn, this works perfectly into the A's plan.

Instead of witnessing his team's usual/perennial/inevitable struggles in April and May, Kotsay is gonna sit until June when the A's want to start playing baseball again.

You sly fox, Kotsay!

Let's GO OAKLAND!!!

by OaktownRajah on Mar 7, 2007 9:46 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

However, Kotsay's sly plan is foiled
when the team actually plays better in the absence of his recent decline into suckitude, and by June the Indians are calling to see if the A's would take Grady Sizemore in exchange for Goleski.
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 Mar 7, 2007 9:49 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Grady Sizemore for Goleski .. hehe

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Guys and gals, I apologize for my pessimism and gloom, I am just so darn sick of all the A's injuries, they seem to never be able to get well .. at least, not all at the same time -- not even in post-season last year were the A's completely healthy ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 7, 2007 10:08 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

If the A's are more than ..

.. 15 or 20 games under .500 by the time Kots wants to return, he might as well wait 'til '08 .. shades of 2005 when we dug a deep deep hole in May and never climbed out before the Halos clinched on our field ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 7, 2007 9:52 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well they climbed out

and took the lead in August, but then climbed back in in September.

by mikeA on Mar 7, 2007 9:56 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

That's actually not how 2005 went
Sure all the losses in May hurt in the end, but the A's actually--and remarkably--dug their way all the way out of the hole, before the Angels simply outplayed them in September.
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 Mar 7, 2007 9:56 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Stand Corrected a bit ..

.. you're right, but I think that remarkable hot 48-10 run took its toll, much like a basketball team that runs out of gas in the second half trying to overcome a 22-point deficit.  The late-season injuries to Harden and Crosby put the final nail in the coffin to A's 2005 season. :)

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 7, 2007 10:03 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

runs out of gas??
your first comment was wrong and this one is just absurd.  
basketball and baseball are not the same sport.  do you really think it's somehow more draining to win a bunch of baseball games than to lose them?  
that definitely doesn't happen in baseball, and does that really even happen in basketball?  were the bulls drained from winning 72?  what about the mavs and suns this year?
A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Mar 8, 2007 2:09 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

his analogy is a little off

comparing winning games versus coming from behind in a single game.  but what i think is the gist he's trying to make is, the A's may have needed to play their starters every day to get back into the race in 2005, so by the end of the season they were all worn out.  
that's how going 48-10 can be a detriment to the team.

"Length matters, and if anyone tells you otherwise they're just trying to spare your feelings."-green star oakland

by F171615 on Mar 8, 2007 2:47 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Thanks to F171615 who said it better ..

.. My first comment was not wrong factually -- we definitely went 15 games UNDER .500 at the end of May '05.  The analogy I used was flawed but F171615 expressed what I really had in mind.

First, when you dig a deep hole like that, you have to get hot in order to climb out of it.  The A's did get hot, {hottest streak I can ever remember them having} -- they played .800 ball {48-10} for a large chunk of the summer.  Second, even if you do have a hot streak, YOU CANNOT SUSTAIN THAT -- you cannot keep playing .800 ball, there is no way -- and the A's DID come back down to earth eventually in '05 and lost the division.

Third, and this is F171615's good observation, you do have to "max out" your effort which means playing your starters day after day -- and the A's weren't as deep in '05, they had several very young guys either just out of the minors or very early in their careers -- Swisher, Blanton, Haren, DJ, ... the final "nail in the coffin" coming when Harden and Crosby went down in August ..  Anyways, I don't see what is so hard to conclude that, over a long season, it can be exhausting to try to dig out of a deep deep hole like that.  If the A's ever find themselves 15+ games under .500 from May onward, I will not be very sanguine about their chances no matter whom they put out on the field.

Sorry about the failed basketball analogy -- this is March madness time -- I probably should have said, oh, like trying to come back in the 2nd-half from some more absurd deficit, -- such as the opponent having a <ins>32</ins>-pt lead to begin the second half of a basketball game -- it isn't impossible to overcome, but more likely that, -- a team so far behind might "surge" and get close, maybe even briefly take the lead, only to fall short in the end ..  That seems exactly what happened to the A's season in '05, they "surged" during the remarkable 48-10 stretch, even briefly experiencing 1st-place, but fell short in the end ..

Anyway, my apologies xbhaskarx , you are good guy and I didn't mean to ruffle anyone's feathers -- I am feeling a little down by all the injuries because was hoping we could {FINALLY} get lucky this year injury-wise but I guess such is not to be ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 8, 2007 5:56 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Kotsay

Kotsay staying healthy the entire year is more than just "getting lucky".  It would have been a miracle.

by Colorado Fan on Mar 8, 2007 8:58 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

no need to apologize
i just think you're wrong.
yes, you're right about the a's being 15 games below .500, but "we dug a deep deep hole in May and never climbed out before the Halos clinched" is factually incorrect.
A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Mar 8, 2007 12:50 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

One point of agreement I'm sure ..

.. We don't want to go 15 under this May .. {g} ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 8, 2007 1:34 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

hindsight is 20/20

I don't blame the guy at all. Good luck to him.

by hunger on Mar 7, 2007 9:59 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

I do. How long has that back been bad? 4 yrs?

It ain't rocket science.

"Kotsay is 31... Kotsay's back is 127." - Jeepers

by Ozzz on Mar 7, 2007 11:09 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Nope, just neurosurgery

  I actually don't blame Kotsay for holding out on surgery. I think it's always prudent to avoid this type of surgery...until the frequency of adverse events increases or the pain intensifies. In the bigger picture his quality of life has diminished to the point surgical intervention is necessary. I have managed many patients and helped them avoid this type of surgery, yet for those that have had to be surgerized, the key was finding the right neurosurgeon. Let's hope and pray Kotsay has the right guy and that he's a fast healer.

"I've been accused of using too many words...I suppose that's like accusing Mozart of using too many notes." Bill King

by Gerard on Mar 8, 2007 9:37 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Like we didn't

all see this coming.

by IM4Oakgal on Mar 7, 2007 10:00 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

how come

there's no front page poll anymore?

"Every time he's in that position, he gets a hit." ~Justin Duchscherer

by scutaroknowstheway on Mar 7, 2007 10:00 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

On the bright side

Now we have the best starting centerfielder in the American League not named Grady Sizemore; maybe Ichiro, even though he's aging and doesn't walk.

"Look its either batman or batman and robin not robin w/o batman robin isn't sh@#."--cchefz71

by jeepers on Mar 7, 2007 10:28 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Wells might.

Damon shouldn't.

"Look its either batman or batman and robin not robin w/o batman robin isn't sh@#."--cchefz71

by jeepers on Mar 7, 2007 10:47 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Wells is better, but not Damon.

Their OPS (Damon/Bradley) might be comparable, but Damon's very overrated in the field with a wet noodle for an arm. Bradley's a more valuable player.

"The future's like, who cares?" ~Eric Chavez

by rebus on Mar 7, 2007 10:48 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

... and

... plays right field.

by dolemite on Mar 8, 2007 8:56 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

except...

that I'm wrong and he plays center now.  consider this a retraction.

by dolemite on Mar 8, 2007 9:31 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

ummmm....

Please see my blog of a few days ago. Did I not predict this? Sadly.....

"We got all kinds of leadership" Nick Swisher

by since72 on Mar 7, 2007 10:59 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Why now and not last November?

That was my first thought, too.  And my second.  And third... fourth...  No, wait, my 2nd or 3rd might have been "Why did he get a contract extension with a known disc herniation?"  Those don't just unherniate themselves, you know.

"Everyone knows about it, but nobody's heard of it. Oh, it exists." ~ Dan Johnson

by Poppy on Mar 7, 2007 11:01 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

the same reason Dye got a contract extension

Beane makes plenty of mistakes.

by fadedash on Mar 8, 2007 12:43 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Because that's one of the ways Oakland gets value

Trading on injured players/players with injury histories is one of the ways we get performance that exceeds the paycheck.  Sometimes it works, and unfortunately, sometimes it doesn't.

"Look its either batman or batman and robin not robin w/o batman robin isn't sh@#."--cchefz71

by jeepers on Mar 8, 2007 9:58 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Worked with the Big Hurt ..

.. we took Thomas when the WhiteSox {and most of rest of baseball I assume} had rejected him, and got GREAT value -- for one season anyway ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 8, 2007 10:27 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Bradley in center

I think we should temper our enthusiasm about Bradley in CF just a bit. Yes, Bradley is a good athlete with a plus arm. But CF also requires more hustle and better instincts than RF does.
Am I the only one who remembers Bradley casually allowing an inside-the-park HR against KC last year after taking a drunken sailor route on a sinking line drive and then nonchalantly jogging after it as it rolled to the wall?
Bradley, though a great athlete, has lapses in concentration. That's a problem in CF, where it's harder to get good jumps on balls because of your angle.
There IS such a thing as defensive consistency, and Kotsay had a lot of it, while Milton doesn't. Our defense just got a lot worse than some people think.

The blessing is that maybe DJ and Goleski will play better if they can breathe easy and believe their roster spots are a little more secure than they were yesterday.

"Fictional numbers are really effective for making your case." -Devo

by notsellingjeans on Mar 7, 2007 11:06 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

I agree

Bradley is disturbingly non-chalant in the field, and that worries me if he's playing CF.

by mikeA on Mar 7, 2007 11:11 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I also agree

But that sort of wanton experimental hyphenation is gonna summon monkeyball sure as sprinkling holy water, turning counter-clockwise with your eyes closed and saying "dung beetle juice" three times.

"He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." --Dr. Johnson

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Mar 7, 2007 11:19 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Well

my experimental hyphenation at least produced an amusing response. May-be that justi-fies it.

by mikeA on Mar 7, 2007 11:26 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Maybe

There were quite a few stories early on in Bradley's LA tenure about his desire to play CF, and there were reports that he was very miffed when Drew tried to take over CF in an effort to take pressure off his knee.  Perhaps Bradley will be more focused in CF, which is his natural and desired position.  I agree that Bradley had mental lapses at times last year (far less than Payton, who dogged it quite a few times last year), but I'm not convinced that will carry over to CF.  I also don't think he has to do all that much to replace Kotsay's 2006 defense, it just wasn't that good with Kotsay's limited mobility, and A's fans and team officials seem to be the only people in baseball that haven't really caught on to that yet.  I think we will be just fine in CF if Bradley is healthy, particularly if Kotsay is able to come back at some point this year with some improved mobility.

I'd like to eat my lunch, but Billy just kicked me out of my office.

by BlameChannel53 on Mar 7, 2007 11:21 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

are you kidding me?

kotsay has been merely average defensively in CF the past two years and has been as worthwhile as Marquis Grissom at the plate.  

There is no way anyone should temper their enthusiasm about Bradley.

You remember Bradley wrongfully diving at a ball and allowing an inside the park HR (which GG CF Torii Hunter did in the ALCS btw) but do you also remember Kotsay's multi error games, or the numerous times he's gone up hacking with runners in scoring position and no outs, only to come up with pop flies to the shallow OF?

If baseball wasn't so built on reputation, past performance, and tradition, guys like Kotsay (and Sosa, and Randy Wolf, etc etc) would be out of a starting job right about now.  If this was the NFL, Kotsay would have been cut before the season started. If this was the NBA, he'd be sitting on the bench until his expiring contract was the only value he had left.

by fadedash on Mar 8, 2007 12:52 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Not sure about the NBA

Mike Dunleavy and Adonal Foyle are still allowed on the court . . .

I'd like to eat my lunch, but Billy just kicked me out of my office.

by BlameChannel53 on Mar 8, 2007 7:22 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Kotsay

I agree Kotsay had a bad year both on de and in the field.  On the one hand it is hard to know how much of it was back problems etc.  

I think Bradley is a ok CF in the short run, but I do not think having him there day in and day out is going to be a good thing.  Not to mention if he could not stay healthy in right how is he going to stay healthy in CF, and now we have no fall back option that is acceptable.

ogallalabob

by ogallalabob on Mar 8, 2007 7:39 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I was waiting for the retirement announcement

actually, so now I'm trying to decide if this is good news or not in comparison... I thought he'd come back and say that all the experts agreed his back would never hold up under the strain of regular playing, and that he was packing it in.
If he comes back healthy and reinvigorated, great- if it doesn't work, then maybe it's time for him to consider that.
For the A's, this does give a chance to keep Goleski around for at least part of the season without having to make a decision on him yet, which may be a very good thing in the end.
But like everybody else here, I'm both disheartened by the early rash of injuries (and Cactus League-leading plunkings by opposing pitching isn't helping) and concerned about the durability of plenty of our regulars. And wondering how ready some of the others are going to be by opening day (Duke, Crosby...)
What happened to that whole "we're bound for a good year injury-wise sooner or later" concept? I guess it's "later" again.

by still bills kingdom on Mar 7, 2007 11:29 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

He had it coming

You can't hide injuries forever, and Swisher is now the team's top OF depending if you like the idea of him in RF anyway.

"Talk about impressive. My point is this: Break's over."- Josiah Bartlet

by doublehustle22 on Mar 7, 2007 11:35 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

I'm glad

he's having the surgery.  He didn't hit very well or play the field all that well last year.  I'll chalk a lot of that up to the pain he was in.  

Losing 2006 version of balky back Kotsay isn't a major blow.  Perhaps getting new surgically enhanced Kotsay back at the start of June will be a boon for the team.

The Kotsay extension, like the Hatteberg extension and the Rhodes contract, never looked very good at the time, and still don't.  

So Barton and/or Buck might be here real soon, eh?

by jakarta on Mar 7, 2007 11:42 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Ya, I feel that Bradley can't take the pressure..

something is gonna crack. Maybe even both his offense and his defense will be shoddy and the A's will be begging Jay Pay to come back.
Now that was a ridiculous move. Letting Payton go without even offering him a deal. These injuries are always bound to happen, and when was Jay Pay ever injured? I seriously can't remember.

Let's GO OAKLAND!!!

by OaktownRajah on Mar 8, 2007 12:15 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

EVERYONE! Say it with me.....

....blessing in disguise

by fadedash on Mar 8, 2007 12:41 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, but

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!!! still

"Length matters, and if anyone tells you otherwise they're just trying to spare your feelings."-green star oakland

by F171615 on Mar 8, 2007 12:42 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Bernie Williams

Would trying to sign Bernie Williams make sense now?

Hi, I am closetasfan, and I am a NRAF, and an ANA

by closetasfan on Mar 8, 2007 5:36 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

What would we do with Bernie when ..

.. Kotsay comes back, if he does come back ...

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 8, 2007 6:54 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

no
"I'd like to reference a brilliant post from Left Coast Lumber today" - notsellingjeans

by methodrampage on Mar 8, 2007 7:20 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

For the love of God no

Can't hit, can't field, possibly led the Israelites out of Egypt at one point.

by MrIncognito on Mar 8, 2007 9:02 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

He can still hit.

He put up some decent numbers last year (.281/.332/.436, 12 HR, 61 RBI in 420 AB).  But yes, he can't field, and I think we're better off letting Travis Buck have a chance at proving he can do it in the bigs.

"Look its either batman or batman and robin not robin w/o batman robin isn't sh@#."--cchefz71

by jeepers on Mar 8, 2007 10:02 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

hitting

He also hit .249/.321/.367 the year before.

His Zips for next year: .267/.343/.410

We would be much better off with a dozen other guys who can do that for league minimum. Bocachica for example.

by MrIncognito on Mar 8, 2007 11:41 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

ok maybe it's a small sample size

but what's all this talk about kotsay not being able to hit?

Last year after the ASB he had a line of  .326/.385/.436/.821 that's nothing to be ashamed of

multi error games?The only one I remember was when he was playing first base.

I am a merely a human being, not Google.

by J Rod on Mar 8, 2007 5:52 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

and...

everyone needs to chill out on goleski for a second.  Just cause billy rule Ved someone, and our team is horrifically weak from the right hand side in the minors, it doesnt mean that he is going to be an amazing player.  Kotz is a proven leader (I know, I know, that doesnt matter in alot of these calculations) and his Defense, though clearly regressing, is still above average.  

I think this makes the margin for error less for this team.  If Milty misses times the prospect of a +25 pound, tractor hauling swish, isn't that great.  But, I hope he gets better and can help this team.  And I hope T Buck takes his place on the 25 man for the time being.  His hair is way to absurd to not be.  

by CyZito on Mar 8, 2007 6:20 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Kotsay

Yeah but before the ASB he was dreadful.

The problem with Kotsay is this: You have to look at his career and see a classic decline phase in progress. He was a good defender with a decent bat. If he loses a step and some pop, he's a mediocre to poor defender without enough OBP to make up for declining power numbers. His age 29 season was really strong, but there's been a steady decline in health and production. There's no real reason to think that trend will reverse itsself.

You never know, there's a lot of variation possible, but the odds that Kotsay will come back and be an above average ML player are pretty low, even before the back surgery.

by MrIncognito on Mar 8, 2007 9:38 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I'm not worried about Bradley in CF

until he gets hurt.  Let's not forget that this is a guy who has rarely made it through a full season.  If Bradley goes down for more than a couple of games, things start to look a bit scary in CF.

by boilerdan on Mar 8, 2007 6:40 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Shannon Stewart deal looks big now ..

.. Stewart in left, Bradley in center, Swisher in right -- with Kielty {and poss. Buck or Goleski} as backup -- if they can stay healthy, not a bad outfield until/if Kotsay can get back.  Obvious problem is lost depth in the outfield so not as much room for injuries this year .. also will miss Kots' leadership out there ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 8, 2007 6:50 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I can see both sides

First, I think it's very selfish of Kotsay to wait until ST, when everyone knew this would be the end result.  But to take his side, and Chavvy's as well, if the A's training staff was telling you "You need surgery", would you trust them?  They seemingly have misdiagnosed every other injury in the last season or so, so why would anyone feel confident in what they say?  I've got to give Kotsay credit for playing through it at the end of the season and in the playoffs, but this was clearly not going away, and he should have had it taken care of.

by sprtsnwyn on Mar 8, 2007 6:46 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Second Guessing Medical Decisions

Of course this is aggravating, but it's presumptuous to think we're medical experts who have insights into the medical conditions of people we've never met. [paging Will Carroll]
We don't know what kind of medical advice Kotsay has been getting. We don't know if he was urged to have surgery last fall. And back surgery is hardly a guaranteed road to recovery. It's not like this was a no-brainer decision.
As a recreational athlete, I know that the treatment and management of injuries is anything but a tidy science. There's a lot of guesswork and finger crossing.
Yeah, this sucks, but I'm staying off the Doomsday Express for now.

"Oakland has a way of bringing out the joy in the game." NYT, 9/22/06

by SportySpice on Mar 8, 2007 8:21 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

I think it is telling...

That Kotsay had to go outside of the A's system to get this diagnosis.  Remember the complaints about the training staff last year.  I think perhaps the A's kept him from having this surgery and only allowed him to get a second opinion when it got worse this spring.  Just a guess, but every article I have read says that Kotsay went looking for these 2nd and 3rd opinions on his own.

That said, having a major back injury myself and living with the consequences, I think it will be amazing if he does come back.  And if he has healed properly, then he might be better than his stats suggest over the past 1.5 seasons - since this most recent bout with back problems started.

"Money is not so important but is as important as oxygen.-Zig Ziglar

by fridaynightfan on Mar 8, 2007 8:57 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Playing Hurt

I think we should all cut Kotsay a bit more slack.  He has played w/ back pain for about 5 years now.  I'm sure he's had his back checked out many, many times over those 5 years, and surgery has never been the best option.  Instead, strengthening excercises, stretching, yoga, and core strength excercises have been his "continuous rehab" in order to stay on the field in order to help the team.

BTW:  I'll never forget the inside-the-park homerun he hit last postseason.  Best 2006 Moment for me.
Good Luck Mark!  Get Healthy!  We'll see you after the All-Star Break when things get really interesting around here.

Cheers,

cf

by Colorado Fan on Mar 8, 2007 9:10 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Back surgery is always a last resort

Believe me when I tell everyone that I know two people who havw had surgery to repair a disc in their back.

Story # 1
My aunt had what was supposed to be routine surgery to repair a bulging disc, her surgeon panicked during the procedure, and she ended up losing her leg because the surgeon accidentally cut one of her main arteries. Now she is living with a prosthetic leg. This surgery was supposdely performed at the best hospital in the Seattle area................

Story # 2
My father in law just had surgery two months ago for almost the very same thing. He feels worse than before he had the surgery and now his left leg makes him limp with constant pain, he's on  a multitude of pain killers, and his appetite is about half of what it used to be. Oh! And now his doctors are suggesting another surgery.........yikes!

This surgery was performed at Stanford Medical Center............

What I want to know is did Mark Kotsay ever consult or seek treatment from a chiropractor? Whatever the case may be, my point is that anyone who thinks surgery is the automatic solution to an injury needs to consider all the factors and risks involved before making judgements. Hope Mark Kotsay comes out of this in one piece and is able to function like most of us. If he can still play efffectively play baseball on top of that then that is a bonus. I just want him to be alright, honestly. Now, c'mon Milton Bradley!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go A's!

by mrod on Mar 8, 2007 9:48 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

So the real question becomes what to do now

First, Kotsay, while defensively impaired last year, was still one of the best defensive CFers in baseball.  His impeccable routes to the ball, the way he sets up for a throw and accuracy of his arm go underappreciated exactly because he does them so well.  He plays such a perfect CF that there is very little flare or drama.  His bat, though good when he's on, is replaceable.
So that begs the question, where do we find a cheap backup or defensive CF, a very imprtant position on a team built on defense?  I would venture a guess that of all positions CF is one where you can find a good one (if you're willing to sacrifice the bat) for a reasonable price.
Here are a few ideas:
Jeremy Reed for Jay Witasick
Luis Terrero for a prospect or spare part
Steve Finley for Melhuse, Kurt Suzuki or Kielty (Finley is still a decent CFer)
Bobby Crosby make a position switch?  He's got the legs and the arm, might it help keep him healthy?
Jeremy Reed for cash.
BTW, I like Jeremy Reed!

by iceplant on Mar 8, 2007 10:15 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

how

is crosby moving to center better than milton with swisher in right and dj at 1st?

"I'd like to reference a brilliant post from Left Coast Lumber today" - notsellingjeans

by methodrampage on Mar 8, 2007 10:28 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Also why would Seattle ...

.. let us have Jeremy Reed ??  They went 2-17 against us last year, why would they want to do ANYTHING to help out the A's ???

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 8, 2007 10:36 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

If you look at Reed's stats

you'd see that he actually sucks (last season EqA = .226, FRAA in CF = -5) so the M's might figure that they are screwing the A's by sending us Reed.

"Incidentally, this sort of helps confirm my belief that Mark Kotsay is the perfect "average" player." - FJM

by doctorK on Mar 8, 2007 10:49 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

how good is he really

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt...
Baseball Prospectus has his FRAA for the last three seasons to be only +6, and was -9 last season. Given that his EqA has declined each of the last three seasons as well, I don't think the A's will have too much trouble replacing both his bat and glove.

"Incidentally, this sort of helps confirm my belief that Mark Kotsay is the perfect "average" player." - FJM

by doctorK on Mar 8, 2007 10:44 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

What about Torii Hunter?

Are his stats much better?

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt...

Pardon my ignorance, I am not familiar with the FRAA and EqA stats that you quoted ..

.. the Athletics may be small-market but they have BIG-heart! ..

by Randy Bell on Mar 8, 2007 11:07 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Unfortunately

The Wells contract should make Hunter worth at least 15 million a year and his offense is just not worth that much. And no amount of magical defense is really worth that much either.

by broaklyn on Mar 8, 2007 11:12 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

What it looks like to me

is that, perhaps, Mr Hunter isn't as good as people think he is. Maybe there is more to being a great player than the number of highlight-reel catches shown on Baseball Tonight (more reason to outlaw ESPN).

FRAA (RAA in the BP fielding stats) stands for Fielding Runs Above Average. This is an attempt to measure a fielder's run-saving production over the league average. Hunter was only at +1 each of the last two seasons and only +7 for the last six seasons (meaning is '05 and '06, he saved only one run above average for his team, etc).

EqA (Equivalent Average) is an attempt to quantify a hitter's total offensive output in a way that looks like the traditional batting average (by definition, .260 is the average EqA). EqA incorporates things like walks, total bases, stolen bases, caught stealing, etc, that the tradition batting average ignores. You can check out BP's description of this at http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...

/Sorry, I'm not all that good at the sabremetric stuff yet
//Very surprised to see that Torii Hunter is quite possibly very overrated.
///Well, not really.

"Incidentally, this sort of helps confirm my belief that Mark Kotsay is the perfect "average" player." - FJM

by doctorK on Mar 8, 2007 11:46 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

25 man logjam?

So, I guess that problem is solved:

We can keep Goleski easily until Kotsay gets back, if he does.

I don't think we should bother trading for CF depth. Just start Bradley there, give Goleski as much time as possible in right, Stewart in left, Swish at 1st-- but can cover anywhere in the OF when someone needs a day. If Ruby continues to look like he can hit for real, I say he can back up Swish at 1st and we can get something by trading DJ...maybe a AA SP to counter our lack there. Then we can even keep Marshall if we want and keep a locker open for Buck if/when the OF injury bugs begin to mount. I think if we want to hold on to Goleski AND give him at bats, then Swish has to play 1st and DJ needs to be traded.

Hey, I know a team in NY that routinely overpays for players that may want to take a chance on a young 1B with pop potential rather than start an older guy whose name is unspellable who will probably hit .250 with 10 HR. I wonder how high they are on Clippard. This is probably just me dreaming, but maybe...

Sounds better than giving up ANYTHING for the likes of Steve Finley.

by broaklyn on Mar 8, 2007 10:58 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Looks like everyone's about on the same page

I think we'll all miss the leadership and the D, but you probably have to see whoever steps in as an upgrade with the stick.  DJ sounds like he's still progressing with his eye rehab, but he can't be much worse than the start of last year.  Durazo also appears to be a better option in the lineup, although he couldn't keep his job with any minor-league squad last year, and I really shudder to think of him playing at first.  He's atrocious.  Really.

I think the smart idea is to keep Swish playing first, send Durazo to marinate in Sac-town (we don't need 2 DH's), utilize the opportunity to see what Goleski's got, and let Travis Buck do some more swing-refining in AAA.

And, hey, if Bradley does get hurt in center, maybe they'll call up Javier Herrera and see what he can do.  They're pretty high on 'im...

by Joey C. on Mar 8, 2007 12:06 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Back after 3 weeks

My co-worker had back surgery and she was back to work after about 3 weeks.
Of course, she's not a professional baseball player, expected to chase down fly balls, swing a bat, or throw with pinpoint accuracy in infielders ;)

But anything's possible with Kotsay (Right?)

by streetfan on Mar 8, 2007 1:55 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Jeter

would do the back surgery in an outpatient center in the morning, save a baby from a burning house in the afternoon, and hit the game winnning HR in the evening.

I'd like to eat my lunch, but Billy just kicked me out of my office.

by BlameChannel53 on Mar 8, 2007 2:03 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Bring back Byrnesie!!

Dude, I totally miss that guy.  Now more than ever.

http://www.byrnesie.com/

"Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser"

by HugeAthleticSupporter on Mar 8, 2007 3:33 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

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