Oakland A's 2000-2009: All-Decade Team and Best Moments

which is my birthday.

Needless to say, my birthday in 2006 was WAAAAAY better than my birthday in 2003 (and 2002, for that matter, as the A’s lost game 5 on what day? October 6th)

and demolishments of the Yankees are always cherishable, but for me the Scutaro double that sealed the sweep vs. the Twins (and dispelled all the previous talk of inability to win playoff series) does the trick. I’ve never been in a sports facility as loud as the O.Coli was at that moment.

but I think the walkoff bunt was better, because fuck the Red Sox.

First of all, wow on the bad outfielders for a whole decade.

I gotta go walk-off bunt as my best moment of the decade with Chavez’s play down the line (doesn’t get mentioned enough, game is so over if he doesnt make a great play) in the top of the inning before combined with that moment. That whole inning was my favorite inning of the decade. It came at a team when the team meant a lot to me and we were all so frustrated by the 3 series losses the prior 3 years.

It’s funny, but I don’t think of any of the good times in the postseason. I don’t even think about the streak. And my two moments involve a player I have never been much of a fan of. But I think good mention should be made of:

-The sulk off.

-The face tag to end the Rangers game.

1B: Scott Hatteberg
2B: The Unicorn, of course!
SS: Marco Scutaro
3B: Eric Chavez
C: Kurt Suzuki (although I used to have a Ramon Hernandez voodoo doll that worked pretty well!)
DH: Jack Cust
OF: Rajai Davis, Nick Swisher, Eric Byrnes
BENCH: Randy Velarde, Mark Bellhorn, Frank Thomas, Nomar Garciaparra
STARTERS: Rich Harden, Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, Brett Anderson, Greg Smith
RELIEVERS: Brad Ziegler, Chad Gaudin, Huston Street (as a person, not a pitcher), Chad Bradford, Doug Jones
MANAGER: Art Howe
COACHES: Terry Francona, Don Wakamatsu, Ron Washington, Brad Fischer
OWNER: since Mr. Beane owns a piece of the club, he’s my favorite owner. F**k the rest of ’em!

as the worst of the decade, if only because we’re going to have it endlessly replayed to us for the next 20+ years. It’s already been a Gatorade commercial, and its legend is only going to build as time goes on.

It’s a younger generation of A’s fans’ Kirk Gibson shot, only instead of Vin Scully’s sweet voice softening the blow, we have to hear Joe freaking Buck announce the play.

I was at that Hernandez bunt, and used it as the inspiration for my AN handle, so I’ll go with that for best.

I’d give consideration to Keith Foulke for RP of the decade. In outfield, I’m definitely going with Swisher and Kotsay. I’d say the third is Byrnes. He hasn’t had a great go of it since leaving, but he was pretty decent for us.

 I also think you need to go with a full rotation, because I can’t imagine an all-decade A’s team without all of Hudson-Zito-Mulder on it, plus Haren warrants recognition too. I dunno who the fifth guy would be. Cory Lidle? Ted Lilly? Joe Blanton? I feel like I’m forgetting someone.

You got ’em right as far as I can see.

That Scutaro double is one thing I will never, ever forget. It was like dangling in a pool of divine molasses as I waited for it to hit ground, knowing there was no way Cuddyer could get to it but somehow certain he would. Talk about elation when it hit the ground and rolled right on by Cuddyer. 35,000 people erupting at one instant is not like anything else I have ever experienced.

But my favorite moment of that game happened earlier.

My brother worked for MLB Europe. He basically drove around Europe with a bunch of baseball equipment and put on displays in big cities. While he was doing this he met some guys who work fairly high up in MLB., One is the VP of MLB Europe, the other is the current Director of the World Baseball Classic. The point of all this, is that because these guys are friends of my brother, I sat one row behind the Twins dugout for that game (not to mention one row behind the A’s dugout for that stupid Jeter flip).

From that vantage point, it is amazing the stuff you can see. Brad Radke was in serious pain before the game even started. When he came in from the bullpen just before the start of the game I could see it in the way he was dangling his pitching arm. I thought for sure the A’s would just kick his butt right out of the gate. Watching his warm ups for the first inning he didn’t seem to have much of a variance between his fastball and other pitches, but when the game started his adrenaline kicked in and the fast ball wa sin the low 90’s. I was proud for him that he was gutting it out. It was really inspiring, I don’t mean that facetiously.

In the second inning he threw 5 pitches to Frank Thomas. There was a variance of about 3 miles an hour between his fastball and his change up in the at bat. The Hurt just missed one, flying out to Left. I thought back to the last time these two teams had squared off in an ALDS and remembered Chavez hit one like 900 feet, just below the facing of the second deck off Radke in 2002. I turned to my brother and said, do you see that sign that says “’72, ’73, ’74 and ’89.” It was on the facing of the upper deck in Right Field.

He shook his head yes.

“Eric Chavez is about to hit it.”

Radke threw a fastball, something off speed and another fastball. Nothing happened. He threw another fastball.

Before the crack of the bat was finished with it’s echo I was up with my arms in the air and my brother was too. The ball missed the sign I pointed at, so I wasn’t exactly Nostradamus. But not by much. I knew right then it was over.

First has to be the final game of the 2000 season to clinch the west. Finally ending our playoff drought, and having real hope for the future.

Second would be the Scutaro double.

Third would have to be the 18th win in the 20 game win streak. After Mulder gives up 3 homers in the ninth, looking like the streak would come to an end. Tejada cranks the homer off everyday Eddie, to keep it going.
 

I have a particularly sweet memory of Shannon Stewart rapping a ball through the right side of the infield to break up Curt Schilling’s no-hit bid with 2 out in the 9th.

Also Hudson’s throw to home in Game 3 of that series. And Hudson pitching with the oblique injury blowing a 5-0 lead in Game 1 of the 2002 series, and getting pounded in Game 4 in 2003 after the alleged barfight. Foulke giving up the double to Ortiz in that game sticks out too. Not to mention Byrnes and Tejada in Game 3.

The weirdness of the Giambi contract negotiations, and the general business incompetence gnaws at me. As does Mt Davis.

The 2001 team was one of the best I’ve ever followed. But a bittersweet decade to be sure. Probably no hall-of-famers with all the great wins. I’m not counting Thomas and Piazza who will go in with other caps.

I think that you should add a utility player to your picks. And I think that Scutaro is the obvious choice.
Dye or Byrnes over Cust.
Favorite moment: Miggy’s walk off double against Mariano, or Scutraro’s walk off jack against the same dude. I hate the Yankees.

Frank Thomas was with us for 1 and half seasons. (You’re right though because that return season a year and half later probably doesnt count.) I love the pick for him as DH though.

the streak in general and all of the walkoffs, especially the final one (I will never forget sitting down the line in left for hat’s rip)

hudson’s duel with pedro

mulder’s two-hour shutouts

haren starting the all-star game

giambi’s walkoff against mike stanton

byrnes’ cycle in ATT park

It was from the 2008 season against the White Sox, when Kurt Suzuki hit that walk off home run. It was my first time at an A’s game since 2002 and all during Asian Appreciation Night. Now every time I’m at the game, I’m hoping Kurt would do it for his Asian brothers and sisters!

but we do have to consider byrnes missing the plate in the ALCS against boston. i watched it on tv, but the feeling it gave me as it happened was so sickening, so “how can this be happening?”, that it overshadowed even the jeremy nonslide while deepening the feeling that the A’s would never be able to get past that point in the post, and not just because the other team “practices that play all the time” but because the A’s players themselves seem to walk into bad luck.

…but one of my favorites anyway:

“Stick that thing out there”

Was it the 2003 ALDS vs Red Sox game 5? A’s were down to their last inning, and I think it was Melhuse PH for Dye and he struck out looking, then Singleton Walked, then Long PH for Menechino, who struck out looking.

We had a better shot with Dye and Menechino batting…

No offense to Ken and Vince, but A’s baseball on the radio is just not the same to me.

Tejada’s bonehead baserunning in Boston. Even worse than Jeremy’s non-slide. Purposely stopping mid-basepath is worse than at least trying… albeit failing… to score.

…
…
….hang on, I’ve got something caught in my eye…

1B Giambi (2000-01 version)
2B Ellis (2006)
SS Tejada (2001-03)
3B Chavez (2003-06)
IF Scutaro
RF Dye (2001)
CF Kotsay (2004)
LF Payton (2006)
OF Bradley (second half 2006); Swisher (2006)
C Suzuki, backup Powell (both 2009)
DH Thomas (2006)

starting rotation:
Hudson-Mulder-Zito (early 2000’s versions); Haren (2007), fifth starter either Lilly (2003) or Lidle (2002)
bullpen:
Bailey, Wuertz, Breslow (all 2009); Ziegler (2008)
Foulke (2003), Calero (2006), Rincon (2002)

in a year full of dissapointments it was one of the few bright spots. That game alone had 3 memorable moments, the Holliday game tying Grand Slam, Cust’s go-ahead solo shot, and the final out at home plate. If I was actually at that game instead of watching it on TV it would be #1.

Offically The Streak is my #1 choice, followed by the walk off bunt, and the division clincher in 2000.

Worst Moment is a 3-Way tie because they were EASILY avoidable – Je. Giambi non-slide, Tejada stopping in the basepath, Macha pinch hitting Dye.

MY decade team (25 man roster, barring health concerns):

C – Hernandez
1B – Giambi
2B – Ellis
SS – Tejada
3B – Chavez
RF – Dye
CF – Kotsay
LF – Swisher (he could play any 3 outfield positions by Dye has the arm in RF and Kotsay in CF is a no-brainer)
DH – Thomas for his outstanding 2006

Bench –
Scutaro 2B/SS/3B/OF,
Randy Velarde 2B/3B/SS/OF/1B (need a 2nd infielder who can play anywhere),
Kurt Suzuki C,
Matt Stairs OF/DH/1B Pinch hitter extraordinaire,
Jack Cust DH/OF

Starting Rotation:
Hudson
Mulder
Zito
Dan Haren
Rich Harden

Bullpen:
The Duke (also the 6th starter)
Ricardo Rincon (only because you need at least 1 Lefty in the ’Pen)
Jim Mecir
Brad Zeigler
Chad Bradford
Keith Foulke (CL)

Coaching Staff – (M) Ken Macha (best of the worst? he did manage the only team to win a postseason series), Ron Washington, Terry Francona, Brad Fisher, Rene Lachman

THAT would be an awesome team.

when Chavez, Thomas and Bradley went back-to-back-to-back on April 16th
and when Chavez turned that 5-unassisted putout and then threw to first to beat the runner for and inning-ending double play.

He was less-tenured on the A’s than Street, but you can argue he was a more integral part of better teams

The worst moment for me is pretty much the game with the “Miguel Tejada stop running to complain about interference” and the “Byrnes non touch of home plate to push the catcher”…what a frusterating and heartbreaking game.

The best moment I’ll rank my top three.

1. The Scutaro double. That was the first playoff game I had ever attended, and needless to say, it left an impression on me.

2. The bunt-off. That came out of nowhere to win the game! It loses out only because we lost that series.

3. A tie between Scotty Hatteberg’s walk off homer to win #20 in a row, and the sulk-off, because it shows Francisco Rodriguez to be the whiny little baby he is…loved it!

The all-decade team seems pretty spot on. I’ll throw in my votes, which tweeks it a bit:

C – Kendall (yeah, he had a shitty season at the end, but he was a beast defensively, and handled the pitching staff amazingly. He also got on base decently in 2005 and even more so in 2006. So yeah, gotta go with Kendall)
1B – Giambi
2B – Ellis
SS – Cros…hahah, no, Tejada
3B – Chavez
LF – Swisher
CF – Kotsay
RF – Bradley (a controversial choice, to be sure…but he had an amazing season in 2006 and was a huge reason we got to the playoffs and went to the ALCS. Yes, his tenure here was short and ended badly. But I just cannot forget that 2006 season).
Backup RF if Bradley is DQ’d for being an ass – Dye.
DH – Thomas

Rotation: Hudson, Mulder, Zito, Haren, Lilly
Closer: Isringhausen (He had a great name. Closers are interchangable anyways).

Manager: Ron Washington. Well, he should have been anyways. For actual managers? Macha, I guess. Ugh.

It was a decade full of “so closes” and “what ifs”. Hopefully this next decade will bring us some joy as our rebuilding project starts to show some returns! Go A’s!

It is so cold outside as well as in my office that I am actually wearing gloves as I type this.

It almost makes the A’s that much more tragic. Makes it difficult enough to follow a team, especially when a one year player can make an all-decade team, and only 2 on the list played on the team for the entire decade.

Awesomeness

I was there, I miss Jason Kendall. But I must agree with your pick for Ramon.

To much turnover. anyone here for consecutive years automatically wins a spot

C- Hernandez. It still beguiles me that we gave him up. Surely we could have moved another name in the Kotsay deal. Ho-hum
1b- Hatteberg. I loved the way Roy Steele called his name.
2b- MARRRRRCOOOOOOOO
3b- Chavez – And Why Not?
SS- Miggs. Cuz hes ageless, apparently
LF- Byrnesey. All out is the way to play
CF- Kotsay. Ok so there was an upside to the Hernandez deal. We also gave away TLong. He lasted 2 more full seasons and is now starting in CF for oblivion.
RF- Dye when he was healthy he had the best arm in the OF
SP- Zito, Mulder, Hudson. Aka the big freezers
RP- Fowlke, Duchesurererer, anyone not named Mike.

Bench
Velarde- Oh woah…Velarde, woh-woh-oh-woh. He could play all 8 defensive positions couldnt he.

1. The Streak.
2. Walk-off bunt. My first (and only) playoff game.
3. 2006 — I’m still slightly bitter that I was out of the country during that postseason; I’ve been back in the country ever since, and lookee, no playoffs. (Obviously this means that I need to return to Europe. Okay. I can do that.)

Just kidding! And my favorite play has got to be T Long’s catch over the fence. Badd arse!

Really makes me realize how many fantastic moments the A’s had in the decade….Some special fantastic stuff, been great to read and remember each one.

it was more of a “avoided a terrible moment” when Shannon Stewart got a hit off of Curt Schilling to deny him the no-hitter.

Was Scott Hatteberg’s walk-off home run that extended Oakland’s winning streak to 20 back in September of 2002. Every A’s fan remembers seeing that huge “20” sign unravel. Excellence…

against the Rangers in back to back starts. I went to both of them. Even though they both got broken up, there was some serious magic in the air.

Isringhausing coming in with a 1 run lead in the 9th against the Yankees and giving up back to back HRs (maybe even consecutive pitches?) to lose the game. I think David Justice hit one of them.

This was the only one I could find on you tube besides the Crosby movie star one which sucked. Remember the old school ones from the golden years of the decade. I anticipated the release of those commercials almost as much as I anticipated the start of the season. If anyone has links to those old commercials, hook me up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSSEQyBQ27M&feature=related

the decade runs from 2001-2010 … there was no Year 0 …

This fact closes the gap a bit on Hernandez v Kendall — since he only played about 40 more games in the decade for the A’s. I think a strong argument can be made for Kendall at this point, but with one more year under his belt, after 2010, there’s a good chance Suzuki will be running away with it.

1. for me was clinching the division in 2000. 8 years of waiting to go back to the playoffs with many of those years being god-awful finally came to an end. Plus I was in attendance.

1. Scutaro! I wasn’t there but when he hit that bases clearing double I knew it was on to the second round for the first time since I was in High School!

1. 20 in a row! Are you kidding me when is that going to happen again? Plus blowing an 11-0 lead and still winning the game.

Both #2,3 I had tickets to and couldn’t go to either. Brutal!