Time for drastic makeover

by BlueMoon on May 31, 2009 6:58 AM PDT Comment 17 comments

Trade for AAA prospects: Holliday, Cust, Cabrea, Ellis or Kennedy

Cut from roster: Nomar, Crosby, Hannahan, R.Davis, Chavez, E.Gonzalez, Springer

Clearly, the A's are not competitive this year. It's time to stop wasting at-bats on guys with no future in MLB. Time to trade the few veterans that have any value. Buy out the old injured guys.

I will turn on the TV to see Cahill pitch because he has a future -- I can accept poor outings. But, I can't watch Edgar Gonzalez. Can't watch Crosby play 1st base (couldn't hit well enough to hold onto ss, now gets playing time at power position?)

Maybe Cust has some trade value after hitting 30 HRs last year. This guy plays DH or learns to play 1b on any decent team. If I'm building a team for the future I'm dumping non-athletes.

Cunningham should play every day. Maybe give Baisley a shot at 3rd. Not worried about rushing guys. Maybe give Mazzarro, Gray, Cardenas, Dolittle legitimate playing time. The cream will rise to the top.

The A's really do need to develop/aquire power hitters at the infield and outfield corners to be any good.

Giambi's punishment for leaving the A's for the Yankees is is to hit .200 and be a cheerleader in 2009.

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Agree, they need to blow this team up

1. Who’s starting on Tuesday? any guess

Holliday – I am tired of watching the guy with his “I don’t give a F” attitude. I really liked getting Matt, but its clear, he does not want to be here, so get rid of him.

Cust – Tough call on this one, I doubt he has great value on the trade market, and with him somewhat struggling, my guess is he could be a cheap 2-4 year signing after the year.

O Cab – trade that CANCER. I am sure Beane is going to wait until he starts somewhat hitting again and when a team has a SS void

Springer – HORRIBLE…I doubt anyone is going to want him at his present day batting practice pitcher for opposing teams.

Your 100% right, I can’t stand seeing Crosby playing 1B, Jack Can’t hannan swing the bat, Edgar pitching.

BLOW THIS TEAM UP…we suck

by ryanmoser on May 31, 2009 8:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

What abot Bob?

And along with wholesale change at the player level, a good teaching, fundamentally sound manager is needed. This formula you propose works well for the Rays and Marlins; let the youngsters develop and THEN add a few key veterens, not bring them up to struggle and add the OG’s. When everybody is playing listlessly, it needs to start at the top. Cut off the head, dump the vets. This is ugliness.

This has nothing to do with not being positive or being a fan. I would rather watch my team develop and suck than watch guys who have seen better days suck and spread their cancer to the new kids.

concocting something witty....check back frequently

by OptimistPrime on May 31, 2009 9:10 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Billy fired Macha after leading the team to the ALCS

while a couple players complained about his “lack of communication” with the team. Good to see that Bob has a below .500 record and great communication with the team, thus warranting his contract extension this offseason.

I am Ray Fosse's infatuations with Clay Wood and high-definition television.

by franks a lot on May 31, 2009 9:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

Exactly

Bob must have something on his best buddy.

Remember Billy saying something like, If the manager is a close friend, he will be held to a higher standard. Something to that effect.

by Trainman on May 31, 2009 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice

Way to completely ignore the make-ups of the different teams and place all the blame on the managers. Very clever ignoring the most important factor like that.

by DiegoAsFan on Jun 1, 2009 12:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well aware of the facts

I was never a proponent of Billy hiring Geren as the manager. His hiring was a foregone conclusion despite multiple interviews with a number of candidates.

The problem I have is Billy’s willingness to extend Geren’s contract this offseason without allowing time to have Geren prove his mettle as a manager. If Geren lead the team to the World Series this year, do you actually think he would’ve signed on elsewhere? The hiring and extension smacks with “buddyism”, made especially frustrating when Geren continues to make fundamental managerial errors. Player errors/failures are going to happen, but I don’t want to see my team’s manager make boneheaded decisions (Rajai continuing to play against lefties, misuse of bullpen, mismanagement of Gio and Gallagher, decisions made during the Seattle series, walking Chris Davis, etc.). Manager decisions should be more foolproof than player onfield actions.

With all the vitriol directed at Geren on this site, most of its overblown. The team isn’t performing. But some of it is well-warranted.

I am Ray Fosse's infatuations with Clay Wood and high-definition television.

by franks a lot on Jun 1, 2009 6:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it's fine to dislike the Geren hiring

I just don’t think winning percentages of different teams with different rosters is a valid way to compare managers.

As far as the extension, that’s just the way sports work. If you don’t give a manager an extension before the last year of his deal he becomes what is known as a “lame duck.” Unless you want to deal with questions after every 2 game losing streak if the manager is done you have to give him the token extension. Also, players can tend to tune a manager out if they think he is going to be gone at the end of the year.

It’s not like Beane gave him a 5 year extension, Geren could still be fired at any time even with the extension. Unless you want to light a fire under the guy and have him manage every game like his job is on the line, you don’t let a coach go into the final year without an extension. That’s just how it works in sports.

by DiegoAsFan on Jun 1, 2009 9:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jays are seeking another thumper

JP and Billy close relationship might make something happen hear.
Jack Cust – JP really wanted him during the offseason, question is what is fair value back for Jack without tearing the core of the Bluejays up?
Holliday – I think they would consider it if they are in it down the stretch.

Would love to get a Cooper, synder, cecil

by ryanmoser on May 31, 2009 10:03 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd move Holliday but not Cust

Cust is the only slugger that figures to be with the team beyond 2009 – why would you deal the one guy who has the one thing you most lack?

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 31, 2009 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The thing we lack most is

WINS….

I like Cust and he is probably worth more to a team then his trade value on the open market, but if he could get a nice haul of players for him then I would at least listen to the offers.

by ryanmoser on May 31, 2009 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cust is ok

but, he jams up the DH slot and strikes out too much. Just thought he might be one of the few A’s with value to other teams. Organization still has major holes.

by BlueMoon on May 31, 2009 1:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Jack Cust is 17th in the AL in Ks

Go take a look at the league leaders list. Striking out a lot looks like a clear indicator of being a very, very, good hitter.

As to Cust’s other stats, leaving aside Adam “Babe” Kennedy, he’s leading the A’s in SLG and is 3rd in OBP.

So, if you want to get rid of one of the A’s best hitters — and the best hitter among the guys who are going to be here next year — go ahead and argue for that, but you might want to think more about who’d actually replace Cust, along with the 1B, SS, and 3B, and think about how you’d feel about rooting for the Tigers when they lost 117 games a few years ago. Because that’s what it would be like here if the A’s followed your plan.

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on May 31, 2009 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cust is better than OK

He’s been one of the best hitters in the AL over the past couple of seasons. Unfortunately, folks like you have gotten their wish and Cust has cut down on his K’s, at the expense of his overall production. My hope is that he returns to his former approach and production levels. The Orioles pulled this same crap with Cust several years ago and derailed his career for a few seasons.

by CapgrasDelusion on Jun 1, 2009 7:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

its one thing to dream it. another for it to be reality

when a team is playing as bad as the a’s are atm you just can’t throw one of their players into a trade offer and hope for the other team to give up their top prospects. its not gonna happen. players need to be performing well to have some sort of value and no player on the a’s roster who is/will available is worth even an AA roster slot. orlando cabrera to the twins for ben revere is a pipe dream and will not happen unless cabrera hits 9 hr’s and hits .595 this week.

by ArielPrieto on May 31, 2009 4:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Don't trade Kennedy!

Kennedy is a hidden gem that we’ve stumbled across, and he won’t cost us a lot of money to keep. It would be insane to toss him into any trade deal.

The greenmachine

by greenmachine on Jun 1, 2009 5:23 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

Kennedy is a vet in his 11th year who’s career line is .278/.331/.393 which is acceptable but not very good for a second basemen. He is just on a hot streak right now, I doubt he suddenly discovered something at the age of 33 that all of a sudden made him a stud.

We went through this last year with Emil Brown, sometimes agressive hitters run into hot streaks that make them look better than they actually are. My only hope is that this year we can capitalize on the hot streak and trade him before he regresses to the mean.

I just don’t think 11 year MLB veterans qualify as hidden gems. Kennedy is what he is, lets not get over excited about a 21 game hot streak.

by DiegoAsFan on Jun 1, 2009 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs