Why Can't A's Get Players Like That ...

by Moonshiner on Sep 10, 2008 8:58 AM PDT Comment 30 comments

I haven't seen anyone note the Ray's comeback win last night against the (hated) Bosox. DJ's ph homerun, to tie it up in the 9th, hours after arriving from the minors.

Good on DJ, he deserves some success. And it's with a team in the playoffs!

I also saw he's now a LF with some skills developed at 3B too.

Nah, we don't have any place for a player like that.

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Or...

Andre Ethier.

The swinging (and missing) A's of 2008!!

by OakFaninFL on Sep 10, 2008 9:04 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

As much I would liked to have seen Ethiers bat in the lineup now and for years to come, I can’t really complain about the trade. The A’s traded long term for short term, getting Bradley was an important part of how the teams performed in those exciting days of long ago.

Enjoy the game

by DCinWC on Sep 10, 2008 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We have Andre Ethier

his name is Travs Buck…. or was it Aaron Cunningham.

facepalm.jpg

by Zonis on Sep 10, 2008 9:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, you are correct.

The swinging (and missing) A's of 2008!!

by OakFaninFL on Sep 10, 2008 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Meaning both DCinWC and Zonis...

The swinging (and missing) A's of 2008!!

by OakFaninFL on Sep 10, 2008 10:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Umm ...

DJ isn’t actually any good …

He’s been in the minors all season — he’s had one good at bat … whoop-dee-doo!

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Sep 10, 2008 10:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, you and your reality

Bosh.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Sep 10, 2008 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Chris Bosh could help the A's....

by thejd44 on Sep 10, 2008 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He could definately help with marketing

His all star game video was a fit of genius.

Will there ever be a boy born who can swim faster than a shark?

by JLeverenz on Sep 10, 2008 6:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It absolutely was

by thejd44 on Sep 10, 2008 7:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

One of the funniest things I've seen

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

by Flashfire on Sep 10, 2008 7:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What are you talking about.

He has been having a great season in the minors, would’ve gotten called up on any other team.

by mattman on Sep 10, 2008 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He always has a great season in the minors ...

he’s a AAAA player — too good for AAA, not good enough for the Bigs.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Sep 10, 2008 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

being in the minors all season doesn't mean a player isn't any good

especially when you put up the numbers Dan Johnson did (I believe something like .300/.400/.600) — that’s the IL, not PCL.

Dan Johnson is what he’s always been except for a couple slumps — a slightly above-average league hitter with little defensive value/ability. For the Rays, I like him better than Hinske

Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.

by Sky Kalkman on Sep 10, 2008 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

by mattman on Sep 10, 2008 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

.307/.424/.556

Yeah, Dan Johnson terrorizes AAA pitching … he’s always terrorized AAA pitching. The worst season he ever posted in AAA was a .934 OPS.

A slightly above average DH/gloveless 1bman is a poor player … He may not actually be any worse than Eric Hinske and, sure, there are teams out there that might be improved by playing him — but there’s no reason to believe he’d be any better than Hinske and, given that Hinske has some defensive value I don’t think there’s even much of an argument for their being on par …

Dan Johnson is the very definition of a AAAA player. I wish him the best of luck with the Rays, but they can keep him.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Sep 10, 2008 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They won't.

Trade or release. Book it.

Notes From The Nat has a new home: http://www.natnotes.com

by Ozzz on Sep 10, 2008 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

there's just also not really any place for him on the A's this year

He can’t play 3rd (I don’t know where that came from), Barton is getting the ABs at 1st, he can’t play the OF, and we’ve already got Cust. He would be doing the exact same thing for us as he’s done for the Rays all year – sitting in the minors and then coming up in September to pinch hit.

by jdr on Sep 10, 2008 1:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Rays were playing him at third and in the outfield in the minors

I don’t know if he can do it adequately, but I’m pretty sure they were playing him there.

by thejd44 on Sep 10, 2008 7:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sure he can physically stand at third

It is as you note a question of adequacy.

by jdr on Sep 10, 2008 10:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm shocked that no one has recommended a celebration for the HR

We should all go out ad ghostride a Volvo.

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

by 5Aces on Sep 10, 2008 12:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

DAN JOHNSON.

by danmerqury on Sep 11, 2008 12:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

hmmm

Didn’t even realize there were 2 post about the same thing pretty much so I shall take my comment here..I was at the game and couldn’t have been more excited to see Johnson of all people to be the person to hit that game tying homerun and then for the Rays to win it…made for a fun game. I love when the Sox looooooose! Hopefully that happens again when I am there tonight :)

by ilovegregsmith on Sep 10, 2008 12:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

2 reasons he is not on the A's

Reason #1 – In 2005 when on the A’s, he sucked donkey balls

Reason #2 – In 2006 when on the A’s, he sucked donkey balls

by Peeping Tom on Sep 10, 2008 1:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i think you mean 2007

he wasnt bad at all in 2005

by chipper1001 on Sep 10, 2008 1:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Johnson

I’m pretty sure Johnson’s stats must have been better than Barton’s this year. Baseball Prospectus just ranked Barton the worst first baseman in the American League in 2008. That doesn’t mean Barton won’t get better, I’m sure he will and has enjoyed a good September. But while Johnson wasn’t the long-term answer for the A’s he wasn’t that bad.

From BP (I’m just listing 3):

Bottom 5 2008 AL First Basemen, by VORP

Player, Team, EqA, VORP

Daric Barton, OAK, .242, -9.4
Ben Broussard, TEX, .168, -8.1
Ross Gload, KCA, .235, -7.3

by SA on Sep 10, 2008 8:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah ... if he they trotted DJ out there every day, the team probably wins about 2 extra games over the course of the season ...

Like you said, DJ is not the future at the position … Barton may or may not be … and that we are this much closer to figuring that out has more value than those 2 wins …

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Sep 10, 2008 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In retrospect, it probably would have been better to keep DJ around, keep Barton in AAA, and not use up his service time

but that was hardly obvious at the time.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Sep 10, 2008 8:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

good post

if people knew the outcome before they made a choice…people wouldn’t do a lot of things.

/generalities

"If you hit .440 with 20 bombs, you don't have to do s---. You don't have to bring a glove to practice, just hit and leave whenever you want. You can bring a 40 and smoke a cigarette and call me from the parking lot asking me what time the game is, and I'll tell you. You can even say 'F--- you, Steve!' Actually, don't say that, that wouldn't be very nice." -Steve Friend, Head Coach, Chabot College Gladiators Baseball

by flipgatey3 on Sep 11, 2008 12:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dan Johnson

I don’t feel any regret of us letting that guy go, we gave him plenty of chances to prove himself, to no avail. Good on him for beating the Bosox though.

by pcoco on Sep 11, 2008 9:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs