Bang For The Buck

by ru155 on Apr 29, 2008 10:14 AM PDT Comment 7 comments

Heading into Tuesday's matchups the A's faithful are feasting on a blowout victory over their division rival. Perusing the MLB pages today I noted an interesting tid bit about the odd standings the analysts failed to predict:

The bottom three (3) club payrolls all are tops in their divisions.

28. Oakland Athletics $47,167,126

29. Tampa Bay Rays $43,422,997

30. Florida Marlins $22,650,000

The Marilns have a 1.5 game lead over the Mets, the Rays are in a 3 way tie for 1st in the AL East, and our won Athletics hold a 1 game lead over the Angels. There's something that just really feels like 2001 with our club. New pitching arrives and performs well coupled together with clutch hitting to push against conventional wisdom of big money = big wins. Granted we are missing a true power hitter like Giambi but the combo of Sweeney + Cust + Thomas should hold us down. Also absent is an April swoon to be followed by a late May onslaught, but I like this better.

Yes, the end of April is upon us and A's fans haven't gone into hiding like the ESPN experts predicted. Instead we have 5 starters with 4 posting ERAs of 3.00 or better (sorry Joe - 4.07), a bullpen that hosts 2 ER virgins in Andrew Brown and Santiago Casilla, and overall has given up the fewest runs by any club.

ALL HAIL BILLY BEANE!

Sure it may be only one month in, but I'm going to enjoy the ride. GO A'S!

1 recs | Comment 7 comments

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Darn, I thought this was a fanpost on getting Travis

a slumpbuster.

by theblackpearl on Apr 29, 2008 10:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well...

This one’s taken. Maybe.

WTF is up with the puffy paint shirt?

Last of the Ninth - Photography Site
jamesvenes.com - Blog

by Flashfire on Apr 29, 2008 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought it was referring to Beane mercifully putting Travis down.

by OldhamA on Apr 29, 2008 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought it was referring to getting Travis's head straight

by, um, relieving him of his buildup of the yellow bile.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Apr 29, 2008 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of the three teams at the bottom

I really only think the A’s have a shot at being in the race into September. I will be shocked if any of the three are in the playoffs.

The Red Sox are a far superior team as compared to the Rays. I think the Rays might have their first .500 season, but the Red Sox will win over 90 games.

The Marlins are decent but, again .500 is realistic and there are two teams in their division who will be around 90 wins in the Mets and Phillies.

I think the A’s will be slightly above .500. If they can make it to 88 wins, they could pull it off because the Angels are not as good as everyone in the national media thinks. I expect the Angels to be an 88 win team with the A’s coming in second at 84.

Which would appear to be a moral victory for the A’s.

by jeffro on Apr 29, 2008 10:41 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

That patented April swoon...

could’ve cost the A’s any shot for this year as Beane would have probably traded Blanton and/or a healthy Harden (possibly Street?) if the A’s were sub-.500 and 5+ games back towards the end of May. Great to get off to a good start for a change. This team will surely spark a large following in the Bay with the Giants barely able to scrap out wins for pitchers with ERA’s under 2, not to mention the Zito fiasco. In any case, the A’s are making some waves throughout the league, and have re-emerged as the fun place to play with Thomas wanting to come back after watching what was billed as a AAA team sweep the Jays up in Canada earlier this month.

by MaineAthletic on Apr 29, 2008 12:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs