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Around SBN: MLB Trade Deadline: Where each team stands right now

The beginning of a dynasty?


I was watching a broadcast of the 1974 World Series this weekend on the MLB channel-  a World Series that I remember well. I was twelve years old and had just begun to follow this crazy West Coast team called the Oakland Athletics. With their zany uniforms and unorthodox haircuts, I was hooked on this team and scrambled to get every scrap of information I could on this team  (not an easy task to do since I lived on the East Coast).  Here I am thirty plus years later with Satellite TV and non-stop coverage of every imaginable baseball tidbit a person could possibly want- and I'm still that twelve year old kid,  just as enthralled with this zany team called the Oakland A's.

Anyway, it got me to thinking about the similarities between that team in '74 and the current A's team.  Not that I would dare be bold enough to compare our exciting young pitchers to the arsenal of Hunter, Holtzman, Blue & Fingers-  I think we definitely have a pitching staff that is going to dominate for years to come.  I find more similarities in the style of baseball the 74 A's played and what the 2010 A's can potentially be with the types of players we have.  Even though the A's then were known as the "Swingin A's",  I remember them more for their aggressive base-running- Billy North, Camperneris and Claudell Washington seemed to own the American League base-paths.  I think a combination of Rajai Davis, Michael Taylor and Coco Crisp (if the deal flys) could do the same.   Defensively, that trio along with Sweeney is better than what the A's had in the outfield in 74.  Behind the plate, as much as I like Ray Fosse as a broadcaster and respect him for his toughness as a player, Suzuki is a better player. 

Just like a current A's, the 74 A's were a low average hitting team as well, hitting below .250 as a team and still winning it all.   It just goes to prove that if you dominate pitching and play good defensively,  you can get by with sub-par averages.   What we obviously don't have are the power hitters the A's had then- and with today's salaries it's not likely we'll ever be able to afford a Reggie Jackson type player.   Maybe we can grow one from within, but I don't see it yet.

Do we have another A's dynasty building before us- who knows?   But for the twelve year old within me that still comes alive everytime I see the A's play,  I hope we do.

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Sounds a lot more like the 2008 Rays than the 2010 A's to me

O'Hara: Detective Lassiter is literally on fire.
Spencer: What kind of fire are we talking about-- "Michael Jackson in the Pepsi commercial" fire, or "misusing the word literally" fire?

by PaulThomas on Dec 21, 2009 9:47 AM PST reply actions  

Starring Grant Balfour as Rollie Fingers?

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 Dec 21, 2009 10:12 AM PST up reply actions  

Do they have a upton, longoria, pena, or crawford?

It would be nice if they got lucky and a couple players exceeded expectation with a fluke yr or two luke rays got out of zobrist and bartlett

by MagicMike23 on Dec 21, 2009 10:21 AM PST up reply actions  

It sure would be nice if these current up and coming A's

come even close to the success of the 72-74 A’s. The pitching has the potential to be very special, the defense could be ++, and the speed-baserunning looks like it’s coming along. The hitting/power is the question at this point. If guys like Carter, Cardenas, Taylor, Weeks, Doolittle, Desme, & Co. mostly work out at the big league level then it could be looking pretty good for the next several years. If not, well…………..

There’s also the issue of being able to keep our good players and continuing to build thru home grown talent, signing the occasional free agent, which we know currently is rather difficult due to the limitations of the Oakland Coliseum & lack of high revenue. But I guess that’s a whole different conversation. Fun post, though. Go A’s!

Zeigler to Geren…."A-Rod? He’s my bitch." -alox

by mrod on Dec 21, 2009 10:48 AM PST reply actions  

I wouldn't be suprised...

I think we are building a good run. Not like dynasties of the 1970’s or late 80’s or early 90’s, but more like 2002 and the early part of this decade. Untill we get a new ballpark, we can’t sustain a run like before, but I think in 2011, the team is going to be extremely competitive and challenge the Angels, Yanks and Red Sox for AL supremecy.

by StewCrew on Dec 21, 2009 11:32 AM PST reply actions  

Wishful thinking

The starting pitching is only special if Cahill, Mazzaro or Gio makes the leap to another level. Right now, the team has a #1 (Anderson) and a #3 (Braden). And both have lost one year of the six.

Of the rest, Sweeney, Suzuki, and Barton are going into year #3. Taylor and Carter won’t hit their stride til 2011 or 2012 if they make it at all (see Gordon, Alex or Pie, Felix), Cardenas and Green are far from MLB-ready…they won’t make it til Sweeney, Suzuki and Barton are ready to depart for free agency or are traded early.

The only way the team pulls a Tampa Bay is if everyone comes together for one or two years, in 2012 or 2013. Then it’s over.

by richwol1 on Dec 21, 2009 11:40 AM PST reply actions  

I predict Suzuki will sign a contract extension

And if Taylor and Carter are both good, the A’s can keep winning even after Sweeney’s 6th season. Also, I don’t think Cardenas is as far away as you think. He’ll start 2010 in AAA, having already played there.

The nucleus is there, especially if the A’s keep adding pieces along the way, such as a Chapman or a Ynoa.

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 Dec 21, 2009 11:50 AM PST up reply actions  

I doubt they'd sign Suzuki past his arbitration years.

That would be another Kendall.

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Dec 21, 2009 4:38 PM PST up reply actions  

Suzuki will be 29,

and hasn’t fractured & dislocated his ankle, or already lost most of his power. That’s pretty different.

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 Dec 21, 2009 5:05 PM PST up reply actions  

Hey Greenmachine,

I’ve always wondered, how did we put together those championship teams in the 70s? Were most of them homegrown talent or did they come to us via trades, what?
If anyone can recommend a good book about those champioinship teams of the 1970’s, i’d greatly appreciate it. Thnx!

by sf drift king on Dec 21, 2009 2:13 PM PST reply actions  

signed as free agents

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 Dec 21, 2009 2:26 PM PST up reply actions  

Mostly homegrown

The draft started in 1965. Players like Reggie Jackson, Vida Blue, Rick Monday, Sal Bando, etc., were drafted and homegrown.

Some, i.e. pre-draft era, Dick Green, Joe Rudi, Catfish Hunter, Bert Campaneris, Dave Duncan, Blue Moon Odom, Rollie Fingers, Paul Lindblad, etc., were signed as amateur free agents and homegrown.

All of the players I listed above started their careers in the Kansas City A’s organization. They were not obtained in minor league deals.

A great book would be “Charlie O: Charles Oscar Finley vs. the Baseball Establishment”, by Herbert Michelson. It only goes up to 1974, but is a great read. It’s probably hard to find, though. I think it’s been out of print for 2-3 decades.

Claudell Washington was signed as an amateur free agent in the draft & Oakland eras, but was still homegrown.

Others, i.e. Ken Holtzman, Bill North, Ray Fosse, Mike Epstein, etc., were obtained in trade.

Every hitter likes fastballs, just like everybody likes ice cream. But you don't like it when someone's stuffing it into you by the gallon. That's what it feels like when Nolan Ryan's thrown balls by you. ~Reggie Jackson

by UncleLeo on Dec 21, 2009 4:06 PM PST up reply actions  

Awesome, thnx for the info!

I’ll look for the book on ebay.

I have Claudell Washington’s baseball card with the Braves.

by sf drift king on Dec 21, 2009 9:17 PM PST up reply actions  

Champions

By Glenn Dickey is really good.

Stomp,em, stomp the piss out of em.Then pound the budweiser after the game. Joe Schultz Seattle Piolts Mgr 1969

by billyball1981 on Dec 23, 2009 6:29 AM PST up reply actions  

Other good books on the A's of the early 70's

Champagne and Baloney : The Rise and Fall of Finley’s A’s by Tom Clark

Mustache Gang: The Swaggering Saga of the Oakland A’s by Ron Bergman

Baseball’s Last Dynasty : Charlie Finley’s Oakland A’s by Bruce Markusen

Charlie O. & The Angry A’s by Bill Libby

All good reads. Markusen’s book came out in 1998 so it may be on Amazon still

hope this helps.

by dougald1 on Dec 22, 2009 6:33 AM PST up reply actions  

Holtzman

The A’s got Holtzman for Rick Monday, who was the A’s #1 pick in the draft one year.

by dougald1 on Dec 22, 2009 6:40 AM PST up reply actions  

Btw,

does anyone think Grant Desme has a chance of making the team next season? I watched him in some AFL games, and the kid looked good.

by sf drift king on Dec 21, 2009 2:15 PM PST reply actions  

Virtually none.

Assuming he’ll even get to the bigs, it’ll be another full year at the least, but more than that is very likely.

Your day breaks, your mind aches.
You find that all her words of kindness linger on
when she no longer needs you.

by danmerqury on Dec 21, 2009 2:47 PM PST up reply actions  

Maybe in September, but even that's a longshot

If he did make it, it would mean he’s really awesome, so I’d be in favor of it.

It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver

by WaddellCanseco on Dec 21, 2009 4:39 PM PST up reply actions  

that, or everyone was on the DL.

but that’d never happen

I suspect that you think tilting at windmills means something other than what it does.

Goals on Film, coming to San Francisco in 2010

by bobnothing on Dec 21, 2009 5:05 PM PST up reply actions  

He is 24 entering the 2010 season

Clock is ticking for him to get to the big leagues.

If he starts out fast in AA, maybe the A’s call him up in case someone gets injured.

Or is Kendry perhaps the one who needs to sit?

by BBFan1 on Dec 21, 2009 9:02 PM PST up reply actions  

His clock was virtually stopped for most of '07 and '08

Because of injuries. I don’t think A’s should obsess about rushing because of his biological age clock ticking when he really has only one professional season behind him.

by Manstein on Dec 21, 2009 10:35 PM PST up reply actions  

And the same can be said of De Los Santos

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 Dec 22, 2009 8:55 AM PST up reply actions  

It would be great to be the 74 A's

The championship teams really had front line starters: Hunter, great big game pitcher; Holtzman, very clutch; Blue, hard thrower, no day at the beach for anyone.

by coachmule on Dec 22, 2009 7:43 AM PST reply actions  

Chavez and Ellis

Once their contracts run up after this season, they need to go. This would free up 17 mil for the 2011 season. Which can pick up at least a couple great players in trades or FA. Then the future of the A’s can begin.

by Mikey6rocker on Dec 23, 2009 5:52 PM PST reply actions  

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