HRs? CGs? Get 'Em Here!

by louismg on May 21, 2008 3:30 PM PDT Comment 61 comments

The A's shook off their recent offensive woes, scoring 9, on the back of two home runs by Jack Cust, another home run by leadoff man Jack Hannahan, and Dana Eveland went the full nine innings, en route to a 9-1 victory, thwarting the Rays' chances for a sweep, and keeping the A's record safely above .500, at 25-23.

When I saw this afternoon's lineup, featuring Hannahan in the leadoff position and Crosby batting second, I didn't know what to expect. It certainly didn't seem like a 1-9 I would have drawn up. But the pair combined for a 4-9 mark, with a double, Hannahan's home run, a walk and 3 RBIs, all in front of today's masher, Cust, who finished the game with 4 RBI. With that kind of production at the top of the order, Thomas and Barton's combined 0-6 showing could be easily excused. The A's struck for runs in five consecutive innings, coasting to a 9-0 lead, with Eveland tossing a 3-hit gem.

Eveland's mastery of the Rays cannot be overstated. Despite his pedestrian 4-3 mark, Eveland has been a godsend for the A's rotation, and now sports a 2.90 ERA, ridiculous in this time of high scoring games. Eveland added 5 K's against only 1 walk, and wrapped up the contest without even breaking the 100 pitch barrier. Are we taking notes, fellow A's pitchers? This is how you get it done.

I like home runs for sure, but I love complete games!

Also: an update on The ANtics... where are they?

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I agree, I want wins

and love offense

but complete game, under 100 pitch domination really rocks my socks!

by OaklandSi on May 21, 2008 3:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I can't believe how bad this team is

We’re never going to win another game as long as Cust is in LF. We need to call up Buck and CarGon now and DFA Cust and R Sweeney. Barton needs to be sent down to AAA and M Sweeney needs to start all games at 1B. We need to play Brown all the time because he is our top RBI man. FIRE GEREN NOW. He leaves the starters in waaaayyyyy too long and doesn’t know how to manage the bullpen. We need to manufacture runs by bunting and stealing bases instead of working the count, getting on base, and waiting for the 3-run homer. We need to …

(reads the recap again)

Oh, never mind. I just got back to my desk, and, seeing a game recap was up, reacted instinctively.

"Evidently, a large number of people said, 'We really need more vermin at the ballpark, Artie.'" - Nick (AN), 10/7/07

by doctorK on May 21, 2008 3:40 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

lol

Foolsh, the most insane regular poster on AN since oaktoon left - salb

by FoolshGame22 on May 21, 2008 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here's how good our frickin' rotation is:

Who are the 2 best lefties on any AL rotation?

last hyear’s CY winner and this year’s current favorite—Sabathia and Lee

They have thrown a combined 120.2 innings—ERA of 3.28; WHIP of 1.14

Eveland and Smith? 118.3 innings—ERA of 3.03, WHIP of 1.17

Who are the two best righties where injury has held one back?

I would think Lackey and santana

They have thrown a combined 74.2 innings—ERA of 2.65, WHIP of 1.04

Duke and harden have thrown 55.1 innings—ERA of 2.77, WHIP of 1.29

Which is the other really good team with two heavily hyped/still relatively new RH starters?

Dice-K and beckett, for sure.

They have thrown 108.1 innings—ERA of 3.41; WHIP of 1.16

Blanton and Gaudin are at 117.1 innings—ERA of 3.76, WHIP 1.29, Not as good, but not horribly bad.

Yes we play in a pitcher’s park; yes it’s still awful early, but don’t kid yourself—this is one very strong group of starting pitchers. Even the “mediocre’ Cupcakes!!

by madmongoose on May 21, 2008 3:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah but those other guys don't pitch half their games at the coliseum.

but of course our guys don’t get to face the a’s offense…

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 May 21, 2008 8:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good point

Even Texas became respectable at the expense of the A’s in the Coliseum.. and at Texas!

"I never predict anything, and I never will." Paul Gascoigne, English footballer

by One won lost won on May 21, 2008 9:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who knew that when Kurt Cobain wrote the lyrics "with the lights out it's less dangerous" almost 20 years ago

he was talking about the Oakland Coliseum outfield

by drink409 on May 21, 2008 3:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

one correction, louis

“in this time of high-scoring games”—umm, offense is way down this year. That statement may not apply anymore.

by madmongoose on May 21, 2008 3:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Historically speaking...

I was going to say juiced players and juiced balls, but thought better of it.

More than just ANtics: http://www.louisgray.com/live/

by louismg on May 21, 2008 4:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking that, too.

AL ERA before today: 3.79. Of course, Eveland’s ERA is still almost a full run lower than that, so the point still stands. He’s been very, very good.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 22, 2008 1:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is getting increasingly maddening

The A’s have now been outscored by a combined total of 4 runs over the last 13 games. In that time period, they are 3-10.

Apparently run differential applies to everyone but the A’s and the Angels… who are, naturally, the lucksack beneficiaries of the opposite side of this coin.

They’ve literally been spotted a 7-game swing in the standings by the baseball gods. As if they needed the help.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 21, 2008 4:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

grounds for optimism going forward!

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 21, 2008 4:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm crossing my fingers that the Angels keep playing GMJ

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 21, 2008 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

As are they with us playing Emil.

by mikev on May 21, 2008 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Once Buck and or Gonzalez

are ready Email wont be playing much.

When will then be now? Soon.

by Syphon on May 21, 2008 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thing is

Its kinda nice that Emil has had such a bad go of it lately. It will make it easier for those who like the Shiny RBI numbers he put up in april to accept the reduction in playing time.

by Future Ed on May 21, 2008 4:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd really prefer flies for optimism

You’re not Rajai Davis, you know

We're going to knock balls out of the country's park, for the home team, which is America. @('.')@

by monkeyball on May 21, 2008 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

that's my takeaway too!

seeing as how the A’s are still two games over .500 after going 3-10, with Chavvy looking to step up, Harden a regular in the rotation (jinx!...no, the gods have taken their pound of flesh this week) I think the A’s are aligned for a great June/July.

"I never predict anything, and I never will." Paul Gascoigne, English footballer

by One won lost won on May 21, 2008 9:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

About 3 weeks ago the A's were winning a lot of 1-run games

Now they’re losing them. That’s how it’s supposed to work. We all knew the lucky breaks would go away, and this is the result. If the A’s can maintain a .500 1-run record, I think they’ll end up winning a lot more than they lose because their pitching is so good they simply won’t have too many games where they’re down by a bunch of runs.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 22, 2008 1:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I suppose that's the problem

I don’t think the A’s pitching is this good, or even close. Offense is, as noted, way down this year and the A’s play in a pitcher’s park. Even once you account for that, they’re (I think; I’ll be doing another article on this soon) playing as far over their projections as the offense is playing under them. They’re going to regress to the mean.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 22, 2008 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, consider the can of worms open. I have read all the projections, and what the

believe the pitchers will do, but projections for young pitchers are about the most inaccurate, and with the A’s staff, 4 out of 5 are in a different situation then they have been in, so how can you project the unknown. I know you will say stats, say this history says that, but Eveland, and Smith, both have no real major league track record, Duke’s track record has been in the pen, and Harden has not pitched a full season. They may regress to some mean, but how is that mean set, other than an uneducated guess. Blanton, on the other hand, has several years of Major League experience, so we know what he has done against these major league batters. I know they won’t remain this good, but who is to say how good they can be for a full season if they haven’t done it yet.

by theblackpearl on May 22, 2008 8:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

There was a pretty big range of possible outcomes for those 3, especically Eveland and Smith, and those two should definitely be expected to outperform their preseason projections at this point, although obviously they’ll get worse (we don’t have 3 Harens.) There’s a lot of reason to be way more optimistic about the pitching than before the season.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 22, 2008 9:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We didn't have 1 Haren

when Beane originally traded for him. Haren went from “Houdini” to “Haren” while in Oakland.

"optimism 1 pessimism 0" ~Dirk

by 149 on May 22, 2008 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Couldn't you say that there's a lot of reason

to be way more pessimistic about the hitting?

All of the theoretically talented A’s youngsters have faceplanted to an unbelievable degree this year. No offense to them intended, but they’ve been godawful.

If you say that you aren’t giving up on the talent of those guys (and I’m not), isn’t it the other side of the coin to say that you aren’t totally buying into the fast starts of the pitchers?

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 22, 2008 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd say that

the performances of Eveland, Smith, and Duke ought to shift the baseline a lot more a lot more than the performances of the hitters, because it was much more uncertain at the outset, as pitching always is, and especially for these guys. Eveland and Smith could very well have been busts (still could be, but I think much less likely), and Duke could have been “no longer effective” after all the injuries. Gaudin also has rebounded very well from the injury. The four of those guys figure to be better than league average as a group, which was not a safe assumption before the season.

There’s a lot of reason to worry about Suzuki (who had very low projections anyway) and Buck (mostly due to injuries in his case), but I think not too much for Barton, and Ryan Sweeney has been good (though it’s still hard to detect any upside.) We should be more pessimistic to be sure, but I think much less so than we should be optimistic about the pitching.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 22, 2008 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You don't see an upside for Sweeney?

He’s already started to draw walks and he’s hitting for an average. He’s too strong to be a singles hitter. He might not ever have 25 HR power, but I don’t see why he can’t be a 40 doubles guy.

A 23-year old with a 115 OPS+ (fairly small sample size, whatever) certainly has some upside.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 22, 2008 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The upside is out there somewhere...

wandering lost in the prospect wilderness. We know from the scouting reports that Sweeney has plus raw power. But he has never demonstrated it in even a minor league season, much less a major league one.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 22, 2008 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And right on cue

the Chron comes out with a story which says the same thing (albeit in a much more optimistic fashion).

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 22, 2008 11:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

His upside

is good-Kotsay without the plus CF glove, which is ok, but nothing special at all.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 22, 2008 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's 23 and already producing pretty close to good-Kotsay numbers

You really don’t think he has much room for improvement AT ALL? I think, as PT just said, his plus raw power indicates he has a lot of power upside. It’s just a matter of whether he’ll ever meet those expectations. He may not, but he certainly has the potential to be a better offensive player than Kotsay. He’s already got the good-Kotsay OBP. He’s not far off on the power.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 23, 2008 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

1. He would have to make big changes

to his swing to have home run power. He needs substantial improvement to get to good-Kotsay levels of power. He has an excellent chance to do that, and that’s good, but again, unlike Kotsay he adds very little on D.

2. I’ll eat my hat if he finishes with a .364 OBP.

3. His numbers this year are inflated somewhat by being heavily platooned. He has 109 PAs vs. RHPs, against 13 vs. LHPs, which is about 8.5:1 vs. a league average of 4.5:1, and about 3:1 for every day starters.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 23, 2008 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

it's funny how quickly we as fans (myself included)

shift our mood towards our teams. The passed couple days have been frustrating and we felt like the A’s could never win and today they dominated and it seems they should win more often. weird yes, but thats sports I guess.

You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}

by micdog2001 on May 21, 2008 4:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I am in that club!

and it got more intense when I got into this communal thing with blogging. When I was the only A’s fans for miles in some island town up here…it was all kept in my head….contained.

alaska A

by ak_A on May 21, 2008 4:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

+ a whole bunch

before I could see a loss, sigh and move on. Now it pretty much puts me in a fould mood for a few hours.

But on the positive side, it makes each win that much better.

"Camelot sure fell apart, didn't it?"-Steve McCatty

by 5Aces on May 22, 2008 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I own up to that!

nature of fandom

"I never predict anything, and I never will." Paul Gascoigne, English footballer

by One won lost won on May 21, 2008 9:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice win bitches!

where is Tony these days anyways?

by mrod on May 21, 2008 5:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Trying not to swear.

"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL

by oblique on May 21, 2008 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It was a beautiful day

and a beautiful game. Except for the screeching children, I enjoyed watching the balls fly into the bleachers. I just want to add that when Cust doesn’t have time to * think * about it, he CAN actually catch.

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 21, 2008 6:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

and the dudes with the horns

in the section next to me. ughhh

"It's not my fault your team's so shitty." -Steve Friend, head coach, Chabot College, to Laney College's head coach, who asked why we scored so many runs after we beat Laney 30-3 in 2006

by flipgatey3 on May 21, 2008 7:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m sort of a Met “fan” but decided to post on here b/c I’ve liked the A’s for probably the last 5-6 years. Every year I’m impressed with the product on the field (at least statistically, unfortunately we don’t get many A’s games here and they rarely show A’s games on national broadcasts). You guys are fortunate to have Beane and probably the best, or one of the best, and most creative and intelligent front offices in the game.

The A’s are 25-23, have one of the best farms in baseball, and probably have a brighter future than the Mets (or Yankees) with payrolls 3 and 4.5 times the size of your team’s.

The fact that the Mets have a first baseman making $16 million w a slugging% of .348 is an interesting example of the inefficiencies plaguing big market teams. I think a straight-up trade for Thomas or Sweeney might add 5 wins to the Mets automatically.

Only that pile of magic beans you got for Hudson seems like an awful deal.

by MCcat on May 21, 2008 8:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for stopping in

I speak only for myself, but IMO most AN writers like to read outside, thoughtful remarks.

Good work, MCcat!

It’s a rare player IMO that doesn’t suffer some falloff when changing teams and getting a big contract.

Our big advantage with Beane is that he (1) was a highly-regarded Mets prospect, who never had much of a major league career, so he can “see” players from a development perspective better than any GM and (2) two WS rings. He’s been in the clubhouse, when the team has “won it all”. He knows winning players.

"I never predict anything, and I never will." Paul Gascoigne, English footballer

by One won lost won on May 21, 2008 9:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Speaking for the rest of us, I'm partial to

inside, thoughtless remarks. But thanks anyway, MCcat!

All seriousness aside, please keep posting and we’ll see you in the World Series. What?

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 May 21, 2008 9:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Econo-junkies, where are you?

Does the Met’s guy want Mike or Ryan..? We got Sweenys in stock. I’ll swap one for that Wright guy. I hear the chick dig him.

I’m always flabbergasted that people think of the Bay Area as a small market. As far as I can tell, it’s ONLY a “small” market in baseball. It’s in the top five (usually top 3) markets for everything else. Is this just “ESPN” thinking? Or is there a legitimate explanation for this?

The idea that because a team is in a “big” market, they somehow have to break out the pocket book strikes me as, well… to be nice, odd. In my (brief) view, there market leaders (das kapital) and there are market followers (aka “competitors”). If you just want to “compete” do business the way the “big” boys do. But if you want to lead, you have to innovate and influence. (Welcome to “silicon valley” brain!)

Speaking of “inefficiencies” I’d also like to see a comparison of the costs of running the A’s farm-system v. buying some proven talent. Are there different balances that could be struck? And, I wonder how “efficient” our farm-system and payroll would look if Beane wasn’t the (mostly) master trader he has been. I’m not saying the A’s should swing to the dark (or pinstriped) side, I’m just curious. Any econo-junkies want to comment? Com’on! I know you’re out there!!!

I’m more or less happy with the way things are. I don’t think for a second that I know more than Beane about the business of baseball, and I enjoy watching his moves pay off (or, once in a while, peter out). It’s slow going this year, but it’s going. I’m starting to bond with the new team… getting a feel for their mojo. I’m just an inquisitive cat.

BTW, I also like the Mets. They’re my favorite over-paid heart-break team.

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 21, 2008 10:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm pretty sure that there isn't a team in all of baseball

that would not be better off within 5 years if they took $10 million out of their MLB payroll and spent it every year on amateur signings. Prospects are that much better of deals than free agents are. You could easily double MLB’s slot money figures and it would still be more than worth it to the teams (yet one more reason why the slotting system is pernicious—its express purpose is to steal money from amateur players and give it to millionaires and billionaires).

My favorite overpaid heartbreak team is the Giants… not going so well right now. But at least they’re watchable one day out of 5.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 21, 2008 11:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're a better person than I

I can’t give the Gnats anything… except, maybe their park. Maybe. I truly can’t stand their management or G’s fans, UGH! There are individual players that I like a lot (to name two, Visquel and Winn—but one lives in SEA and the other is really an M.) I always say “Baseball is better than no-baseball” but it’s a tougher call for me with the G’s. Freakin overpaid butt-burn franchise.

Yes, I DO feel better now.

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 22, 2008 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I'm probably a special case

because I’m actually from San Francisco. The Giants are my “hometown team,” and as such, they still get (some) fanhood despite being managed by utter incompetents. I’m actually an “out of town” A’s fan, even though they’re close enough to where I can go to some games.

The reason why I am (more) a fan of the A’s is that I liked the color green as a small child.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 22, 2008 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

caught in hyperbole

I knew I’d snare myself in my own hyperbole. Will I ever learn? My entire family are G’s fans… well, they’re actually football/NASCAR-people, but OF baseball they’re G’s fans. In part because, like you, they’re from SF. I totally get supporting the home-town team, regardless of suckage. When I think of G’s fans, I think of those who show up in the 3rd and leave in the 7th; who don’t realize that Bonds is(was!!) not the only player on the team… I could go on, but it’s your hometown team, so you know who I mean.

My first baseball game ever was, I believe, August at Candlestick. That almost turned me off baseball altogether. My second game was an A’s game… one word: Ricky. I was hooked, even though it took a week for my bleacher-burned little legs to heal.

"optimism 1 pessimism 0" ~Dirk

by 149 on May 22, 2008 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, look at the Yankees and Mets

Do you really believe that their spending on their MLB payroll is preventing them from spending an extra $10M on the draft and international signings?

ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524

by rfloh on May 22, 2008 9:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree they're watchable 1 day out of 5,

but I think we have something different in mind…

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on May 22, 2008 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well I throw Zito into the 4 out of 5 I like to watch.

by theblackpearl on May 22, 2008 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Since you like the Mets,

look at the issue of payroll from the standpoint of the Mets or their fans. If the team cuts payroll to say about $89M, which was MLB average payroll on opening day, do you believe that the fanbase isn’t going to revolt? With a new RSN, increased ticket prices, a new stadium that is going to result in even more increased ticket prices and VERY high attendances?

The Mets have already got more than 1M in attendance this season. The A’s are at less than half that, 464K, for comparison. Last year, the Mets had 3.8M. In 2006, 3.3M.

The Yankees’ situation is similar. High attendances, new upcoming stadium with astronomical ticket prices, huge profits. If they cut payroll to say $100M, would the fanbase accept that?

And that is the issue. Is it more profitable for teams like the Yankees and Mets to have high payrolls, and high attendances, new RSNs that are raking in profits, or, to cut payroll and risk alienating their fanbases? Given how profitable the Yankees have become, do you believe that Big Stein and his little Steins are regretting the Yankees business model? This applies too, but to a lesser extent, for Fred Wilpon and little Jeffy Wilpon.

Total MLB payroll in 2008 on opening day, from Cots, was $2,686,538,458. Average MLB payroll was $89,551,281M. The teams that cut payroll in 2008, from 2007, are the A’s, Giants, Marlins, Orioles, RS, Royals, Twins. Every other team increased payroll.

ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524

by rfloh on May 22, 2008 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s an interesting question. I think that the average fan doesn’t know, and probably doesn’t care, what the payroll is. Even if they do, the only thing every fan does care about is wins. I don’t know the numbers on this, but I assume that winning % is better correlated with stadium attendance and all other sources of revenue than probably anything else (i.e. big ticket stars). So, if the big market teams are motivated to spend just to land big ticket stars, I don’t think that’s a very good strategy because even if you have A-Rod on your team, for example, no one will want to watch the games if the team is always losing.

The Mets could cut quite a lot of payroll, and replace some of their current starters with average minor leaguers and improve their team. Obvious example of this is Delgado. Another example of this is Pedro Martinez, who is probably making far more than he should be because (1) if his salary for the year is considered in light of his missed games due to injury, he is really making an astronomical sum of money; (2) this risk should’ve been apparent to the front office because he has had injuries in the past, he’s older, etc. So just in those two players you have about $30 million, which is pretty much useless, which if redeployed into the farm system could create probably 5 top draft picks, above average or way above average major league players in several years.

The job of a GM, in my eyes, is to deploy the team’s money in a way that will generate the most wins. If that means cutting the major league payroll in order to invest in the farm system, so be it. The A’s do this very, very well.

I don’t think Beane is so much a “genius,” although he’s probably a very smart guy, as just a guy with a lot of common sense and a deep understanding of the sort of statistics/characteristics in players that create wins. For instance, I don’t think it would take a genius to see that Eveland was a great prospect as Eveland always pitched very well in the minors. I don’t think it would take a genius to see the talent in Barton as this guy has always drawn more walks than strikeouts. His slugging has dropped off though and this is disappointing.

The big market teams make up for their lack of intelligence and creativity with their pocket books. Even then, they sometimes get the short end of the stick.

I think that the Red Sox might be the best run team in baseball, it’s hard to say, maybe about even with the A’s given their payroll, and the Red Sox are a great example of what a big market team with a very good front office can do. That team is just loaded, their farm system is loaded, and it’s hard to see how they won’t completely dominate baseball for the near future.

Thanks for the discourse.

by MCcat on May 22, 2008 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure I agree that the average fan

is not aware of a team’s payroll. Actually, I’d argue that average fans are more sensitive to team payroll, whereas “hard core” fans are less so. “Hard core” fans are more aware of the team’s farm system, of other team’s prospects, of the minors in general.

Also, I’m not sure that there is any indication that the MLB payroll is actually preventing the Mets from investing in the farm. They have thrown money around in Latin America. It is in the draft that they’ve stuck to slot recommendations from MLB.

Yes Pedro is injury prone, and Delgado is now sucking. But Delgado was good in 2006. Pedro was great in 2005, and he did play a big role in increasing attendances in 2005. In Pedro’s starts in 2005, attendances were much better than in non Pedro starts, and the atmosphere at Shea during Pedro starts was significantly different, even though the team was bad.

Also, while Carp and Evans are prospects worth following, I’m not sure that they are ready so step into MLB now, as replacements for Delgado. They’re sill both in AA.

ZIPS: Milledge: 466 HR, 485 2B, 2282 hits, 278-379-524

by rfloh on May 24, 2008 2:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pujols managed to take down the SP and the C

Padres Chris Young and Josh Bard had to leave because of Pujols hurting them. Man he is scary.

by Oaktownflav on May 21, 2008 10:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Let me just add...

next to the Braves… the A’s are, apparently, the unluckiest team in baseball. By X-W-L, we should be 28-20, with the best record in the American League. The BoSox would drop to 2nd. I don’t think the Braves are as good as their X-W-L indicates; I think the A’s are better than theirs; and, I think the Sox are better than I thought they’d be, but are still going ot finish 2nd in the AL East to the Rays.

Foolsh, the most insane regular poster on AN since oaktoon left - salb

by FoolshGame22 on May 21, 2008 10:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

and, by a strange coincidence...

the A’s should have the Angels record and the Angels should have the A’s record. The Angels luck won’t hold up throughout the season. Their bullpen absolutely stinks! 13th out of 14, just ahead of the Rangers and two back of the equally horrendous BoSux pen.

Foolsh, the most insane regular poster on AN since oaktoon left - salb

by FoolshGame22 on May 21, 2008 11:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is not luck with the Angels, it is our superior skilled defense that makes the difference in

winning games we play against teams that hit better than we do or when facing an opposing team’s ace pitcher. As far as our bullpen stinking, I agree with you there but keep your eye on our new rookie pitcher Jose Arredondo.

by 44FAN on May 22, 2008 12:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry to burst your bubble

but, a. the Angels defense is actually kind of terrible, and b. even if it wasn’t, exceeding your run differential is luck. Period. It’s not like good teams can save up runs from one day and then spend them on the next day.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on May 22, 2008 8:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s not like good teams can save up runs from one day and then spend them on the next day.

I would soooo go for that with the so-far-’08 A’s. * sigh * :-D

I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.

by 149 on May 22, 2008 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Quick rundown

Vlad, terrible. Hunter, ridiculousy overrated. Matthews, probably pretty good in left. Anderson, terrible. I hope the Angels are DHing Vlad or Anderson everyday.

Izturis is pretty good but not the best at second. Figgins shouldn’t be playing third. I have no idea how good Aybar is at short, but it really doesn’t matter. Their defense isn’t good.

Unless Kotchman is saving an extra 75 runs a year at first base. Don’t see that happening.

http://bocropleasestopswingingatbadpitches.blogspot.com/

by thejd44 on May 22, 2008 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Aybar is very solid, but he's been injured

I think they have about a comparable defense to ours, its just the errors have been coming for us full bore this year due to all the youngsters, and cust….and brown…..can’t wait for Chavez and Ellis to be running our infield together again.

witty remark

by dtownmbrown on May 22, 2008 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs