Inexplicable Lack of Information From the Organization
by Taj Adib on Aug 4, 2009 5:13 PM PDT
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The latest blog post from Susan Slusser really highlights a worrying off-the-field trend I'm seeing with this organization...namely the inexplicable lack of available information related to player news and the general lack of transperancy in general with this club. The Slusser article seems almost laughable:
Top news from here: Dallas Braden is iffy for tomorrow's start with a rash that became inflamed on his left ankle. I asked the option if Braden can't go and manager Bob Geren said they're considering the options. I mentioned Edgar Gonzalez and didn't get much idea if Gonzalez is in the mix. "We'd have to get someone else," Geren said.
Braden's rash was the result of a neoprene guard he wears to protect his big toe, which drags during his delivery. Braden is wearing a big wrap on his foot today.
Jason Giambi didn't come off the DL today and when asked about it, Geren said, "Nothing has changed." I pressed him to be more specific and he said nothing more than that, that nothing has changed. I asked since when, and he said since yesterday. I asked what it is specifically that is keeping the team from activating Giambi and he said, again, "Nothing has changed."
So.....I'm baffled.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/athletics/detail?&entry_id=44909#ixzz0NGHGXVQ7
Slusser goes on to mention Justic Duchscherer, who was mysteriously scratched from his rehab start last Friday for undisclosed reasons...reasons that remain undisclosed well into the following week AFTER he was initially scratched from the start. Previous reports indicated that Duchscherer pitched well and felt fine after his first rehab start in Stockton, so this mysterious lack of information is even more troubling.
So, Geren seems completely ignorant of the team's thinking and just ends up looking moronic with his bland and vague answers to completely legitmate media questions, while the higher-ups certainly seem especially nefarious as they hoarde any and all information that the paying fan is entitled to, in my humble opinion. Not only is the team keeping information from us, but they now seem to be actively providing us with MIS-information at the same time - "Duchscherer felt fine after his last outing and is on track to be activated in August/Travis Buck still has a bright future with this team/Eric Chavez felt great after his latest surgery and is on-track to be ready for Spring Training".
I feel bad to be bringing this up after a great win last night and hate to be Debby Downer, but is anyone else concerned about this? It's really frustrating for me, but I can't imagine how it must seem to Slusser and others actually trying to make a living out of getting accurate and interesting information from within the Concrete Curtain of the Oakland/Alameda Coliseum.
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Doesn't really bother me
I don’t feel that the fan has a right to know everything that’s going on with regards to players. Maybe Duke has asked the team not to reveal the reason why he was scratched, maybe Giambi did something stupid during his rehab that aggravated the injury and the team doesn’t want everyone to know that. The point is that we have no idea what’s going (which I guess is your whole point) and until we find out for sure and until that happens all we can do is speculate as to the real reasons. Nature of the beast I suppose.
Plus, anything that makes the media frustrated is okay in my book.
Speaking of media, I saw Mychael Urban on Giants Pregame Live today. That’s right, Giants Pregame Live. He was interviewing Barry Zito and used the phrase, “…all the time I spend in the Giants’ clubhouse…” This may just be my poor interpretation, but isn’t dear old Mychael supposed to be the A’s beat reporter?
"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin
See, I'd argue that in baseball it is inherent that
fans — who are part of the game by way of being the paying customers — will be interested in injuries, replacements, etc., and that it’s not a matter of people being nosy who should just butt out.
The team could respect privacy without being vague, e.g.: “Duchscherer has asked us not to elaborate on the reasons behind his scratched start, so we’re going to respect that and just clarify that it is non-baseball related.” Fine. “We’re playing it conservatively with Giambi and think he could use a couple more days, plus Everidge is playing great so we don’t feel the need to rush Jason right now.” Fair enough. “Travis Buck ran over David Forst’s puppy and we are dedicated to making his life miserable for the next several years.” OK, that’s exactly what we thought.
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
I disagree.
Gigantic dorks like us who post on blogs about baseball teams all day? Sure, we care about this stuff.
The average family that just wants to take little Johnny to a ballgame? They don’t give a rip.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
Well
there’s plenty of fans who fall between those 2 categories and I’m sure at least some of them want to know
Exactly. Plus, aren't we addressing the issue of those fans?
It’s like discussing how well information about vaccines is disbursed and concluding, “There’s a lot of people in the community who are impacted but who don’t really care about the information.” Well yeah…
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
Vaccines....
Dr.‘s offices can really scare the crap out of a parent with vaccine information. They give you the odds and then ask you to roll up your kids sleeve and looked perplexed when you balk. Now I know, in an intellectual sense, that the risk and odds are far worse with the disease being inoculated against, but still, it’s not as though I’m deliberately exposing my kid to dengue fever at the moment.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
The other thing about vaccines is that the real benefit
is to the community, not to the individual. Yes, you do get some direct benefit from being vaccinated, but what really is beneficial to you is that everyone else’s kid gets vaccinated. If you could get lucky and be the one who doesn’t while everyone else does, you’d actually come out ahead that way (caveat: varies depending on specific disease), but of course if everyone thought that way then no one would get vaccinated, which would definitely be bad. So it’s like a community effort where we all agree to chip in and assume our little piece of the risk in order to contribute to the net gain in the overall good.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
I feel the same way about invading
Duchscherer’s personal life. We all need to chip in and do it for the good of society as a whole.
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
This is true to a certain extent
but before I go to the game I would like to know who the starting pitcher is and if half of the players I want to see are on the DL/being banished for awesome hair.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 4, 2009 9:02 PM PDT up reply actions
I think it must have something to do with the awesome hair...
maybe Beane’s daughter thinks he has awesome hair too if you know what I mean. Could explain why he is in so much trouble.
exactly which hair are you referring to?
and why do goat images come to mind?
Do you know the way to San Jose?
by eastcoasta'sfan on Aug 5, 2009 7:46 AM PDT up reply actions
You sound just like my therapist.
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
Mostly. The cravings never do fully go away.
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
I know you're joking, but
just for the record, one of Billy’s daughters is a baby who surely has no awareness of Travis at all. The other one is a grown woman who can make her own choices about what guys she wants to see.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
If you have checked the attendance lately....
you’ll notice that the family and Johnny aren’t coming to the games any more. Maybe they do give a rip (or is ir R.I.P.).
by Keystone State on Aug 5, 2009 6:51 AM PDT up reply actions
That may be true
And if it was some major info that they were keeping secret for no apparent reason then I’d start to question whether the team was doing something wrong. But this stuff really doesn’t matter that much so I’m not going to get worked up over it. Duchscherer isn’t any closer to returning? Oh well, not going to make any difference this season. Giambi wasn’t activated? I wouldn’t bother asking why in case it was something they forgot to do. By all means keep both on the DL the rest of the season so that we can’t tempt Geren into actually playing them.
"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin
Here was my thought
Travis Buckran overshit in David Forst’spuppyshoes and we are dedicated to making his life miserable for the next several years.
PREPAREDNESS_Because those goddamn zombies aren’t going to kill themselves
Urban works for both teams
He usually does the post-game I think (maybe its the pre-game) and subs on 680 when guys take vacations.
Urban does not work for the teams
He works for two separate organizations that report on either team.
I'll have a sandwich and a draft(sic). - Bill King (RIP)
Mychael Urban is a professional journalist trying to make a living
If you want to complain about his pieces, that’s reasonable. But this idea that he’s “going over to the enemy” or some such nonsense? No. He’s a professional sports reporter, mostly focusing on baseball. Period.
He reports on whatever team he's asked to by whoever is willing to pay him for it
Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog
I wish I had a beat writing job for any team. Even the Slegna, Yankees, or Red Soxs.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 5, 2009 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions
No but I would be a beat writer for any team no matter how much I hated them.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 5, 2009 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions
The lack of information isn't what's disturbing.
It’s the outright misinformation that’s disturbing.
Shit like calling up Eric Patterson and then Geren saying that he is going to get every chance to play everyday and see what he can do the day before he is benched is what’s frustrating. Not that I’m a fan of Patterson, but why bother making Geren the Puppet say anything at all?
Bouncing Travis Buck up and down between Sacramento and Oakland, calling him up for 2 weeks without getting him more than a small handful of inconsistant at bats, then sending him back down.
Insisting that Nomar and Giambi continue to play every chance they can, meanwhile young guys who actually might have a future with the team are stuck on the bench or in the minors.
THAT is what’s frustrating and disturbing. I don’t really care about a lack of communication, but I DO care about a perceived lack of direction.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
by mikev on Aug 4, 2009 5:26 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Definitely. I definitely tried to hint at the misinformation aspect in the post, and even used the word itself.
You might disagree, but I think the lack of information and MISinformation go hand in hand in terms of this issue. The organization has made a habit this season of providing the media – and through them the fans – with downright false information about players and their roles on this team, both long term and short term. Since they seem to have gotten away with it for the most part, it seems like they’re setting new standards each day of just how far they can push the “way of the vague” and the misinformation envelope…it seems like two sides of the same coin to me…
I'm never gonna do it without the fez on!
Yeah, but just not wanting to give out information? Fine, whatever, it sucks but it's their organization.
Flat out giving wrong information? Inexcusable.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
Why should we assume
that they’re giving misinformation? It’s altogether plausible that they themselves don’t know which direction they’re going to take. Perhaps they’re waiting on players like Everidge to make the decision for them? Let’s face it, that kids stick is what is giving the FO fits about what to do with Giambi….which is the way it should be.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
also...
I would consider the Buck, Giambi, Nomar – lack of direction, as something completely different than misinformation.
Lack of direction could be caused by poor leadership.
Misinformation is bordering on lying to create some sort of advantage or better standing.
+1
Compare the A’s to the Patriots {laughs hysterically}. The way you know Belichick is lying is that his lips are moving. He cares nothing for truth, only to send the messages he wants to send. So, in this sense, the Patriots’ media strategy could be said to be the same as the A’s.
The difference is on the field. Since the Pats win, just about everyone in New England things Belichick is a god. I’ve heard the Lord’s name used in describing Geren, of course, but not in the same way.
Do you know the way to San Jose?
by eastcoasta'sfan on Aug 5, 2009 7:51 AM PDT up reply actions
are you questioning Billy Breszhnev again?
To the Green-and-Gold Re-Education Camps with all of you, I say!
No, you’re right, it is disturbing, and it shows a kind of paranoid, circle-the-wagons instinct I don’t feel is in keeping with the good, long-term business goals we want to see coming from management. In fact, it shows a kind of subtle contempt, when they say stuff about particular injuries or roster moves that turns out to have been not-credible.
Of course I understand that you don’t play your hand outright to the other clubs and so forth, but some of what goes on with our organization seems gratuitous or like secrecy and deception for the sake of secrecy and deception… I am just saying, one man’s opinion.
Hey, I just bought the team from Lew Wolff... who wants to play third?
I blame Al Davis.
I'm here to talk about the past.
by 67MARQUEZ on Aug 4, 2009 5:43 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
noooooooo. I'm meeelllltttttinnngggggg. please warn me next time before you pull the old warlock death stare picture again.
"Gratuitous gesticulating together sounds even better"
Didn't the players and the owners agree in the latest CBA not to give out injury details without the player's permission?
I seem to recall hearing that. Of course, if that agreement was reached they’ve studiously ignored it since then, but still…
I’d also say that being tight-lipped about injuries seems to be getting more and more common with lots of teams, not just the A’s. Andy Reid just embarrassed himself (and the Iggles) by lashing out at the Philadelphia media for…accurately reporting that the team’s starting middle LB had torn his ACL.
The Mets, meanwhile are saying the same kind of vague, sort of contradictory things about their injured players as the A’s, leading to similar bafflement and frustration among their fans.
I wouldn’t put Duke’s situation in this category, BTW. If he’s having a “non-baseball related” off-field situation, and he’s told the A’s he’d like to keep it out of the media, it’s reasonable for them to respect that. If SuSlu wants to find out what’s going on with Duke she can get in touch with him directly and see if he’ll talk.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
I guess it could be worse
For example, I preferred the Mets being too vague and tight-lipped to when they announced that Kaz Matsui was out with an anal fissure.
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
The Mes really shouldn't be a model we attempt to emulate.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 4, 2009 9:11 PM PDT up reply actions
It does bug me a lot. I lost points on the GOG because of misinformation!
but seriously, maybe they have the right to withhold info but it isn’t very endearing to the fans to keep them in the dark.
You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}
Bob can't give out more information than he has....from his source
It's the fans that make the game fun. -- Rickey Henderson, July 26, 2009.
No the one that Al Davis uses to pick head coaches.
PREPAREDNESS_Because those goddamn zombies aren’t going to kill themselves
It gets passed around alot.
In 2008 I was watching a team that was rebuilding. In 2009 I feel like I'm watching a team that just sucks.
I've squandered a whole summer of my young life wondering, "what is the matter with Travis Buck?"
And at this point the Buck-as-alcoholic narrative seems by far the most plausible to me. This also helps me to explain Buck’s somewhat bewildering comments from last year about (paraphrasing) “trying too hard to be the new Nick Swisher.” That statement was bandied about on the pre/post game shows as a reason a young player was pressing for quite a while there, but I never really understood exactly how Buck was trying to be like Nick, especially considering the relative success Travis enjoyed in his rookie season.
My theory is that upon arriving with the A’s Buck took to Swisher right away, and wanted to emulate his brand of clubhouse popularity – lots of energy, highly interpersonal, and a fun guy to hang around with off the field. My guess is Buck went to some bars/clubs with Swisher, and saw Nick telling jokes, hanging out with girls, and still managing to collect a couple walks, and decided this is what he should be. Only it hasn’t worked out for Buck – some people are just built to party better than others.
A perceptible, perhaps worsening, problem with alcohol might also explain the A’s willingness to go with Buck at the beginning of the season (when they are unaware of his drinking, or are perhaps hoping he has matured) and quickness to give up on him just a couple months into the season, for two years running now. Maybe they have tried to send him a message, and he has responded by getting even more drunk in Sacto.
Yeah, this is probably a load of hyper-speculative, borderline libellous hot air, but it makes more sense to me than the other explanations – trying to work platoons, being prejudiced against long-hairs, or thinking Eric Patterson is a better player. I’m definitely interested in whatever other theories might be floating around.
Maybe if Beane/Geren won’t set the record straight, someday Travis will.
Bob Garen is incontinent
I think
By “being like Swisher” he meant the face of the club and I distinctly remember him using hair as one part of Swisher he was trying to emulate. Most of these guys are in their early 20’s so I’m sure Buck is not the only one throwing some down.
"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin
That is one of the most ridiculous posts I've ever read.
Oh, I get it it. It was Travis Buck with the candlestick in the study!
No, it's not
Even if it’s dead wrong.
People spend a lot of time making assumptions about different players, and they’re baseball or personality-based. This speculation is as good as any other, but more importantly, it points out WHY the organization should be more transparent. When an organization (or government, or corporation) spends its time hiding information, or lying, the result more often than not are rumors of drug abuse or sexual conduct, and of course, conspiracy theories.
We’ll probably never know the answer.
Let's imagine for a second that Buck has an alcohol problem
I don’t think his bosses should be blabbering about it to the public. If a business-office employee of the A’s goes to rehab and a vendor they work with calls and says, “I was hoping to speak with Dave. Where is he?” I wouldn’t want Dave’s boss to say, “Well, Dave’s in rehab trying to dry out.” That’s Dave’s business.
Travis Buck and Justin Duchscherer are professional baseball players, but despite that fact they have a right to a private life. I think Aufheben has it right:
Maybe if Beane/Geren won’t set the record straight, someday Travis will.
If nothing else, the A’s will have a better relationship with the players in their organization if they know that the bosses aren’t going to spill the beans on their personal lives to the public in an effort to defend themselves from fans who think they don’t know how to run the club.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
No complaint about Duchsherer here
..if it is indeed a personal issue. But the A’s have avoided transparency up and down the line for the past couple of years, so when odd things happen and there are no explanations, these sorts of questions and theories arise.
This has been going on since the Lew Wolff era began, and I think it reflects Wolff and his own contempt for fans and the public. There have been too many inexplicable decisions in this organization of late, and while some answers are private and shouldn’t be made public, others can be.
I basically agree WRT baseball issues
If Buck is constantly late, or refuses to work on his bunting or something, or if Gallagher refused to consider altering his mechanics to improve his command, then I agree that the team should give at least some idea that those problems are behind their decisions to send the player in question to the back of the line.
I certainly hope Geren told Crosby why they team was going with Pennington at SS after O-Cab’s trade; and, having told Croz, there’s no reason not to tell SuSlu and us (unless, again, it’s an off-the-field issue, which isn’t the case with Crosby).
It’s the off-the-field stuff that I think they can rightfully be evasive about. And if the reporters really want to know what’s going on with Duke’s private life, they can track Duke down and ask him directly.
And it might well come down to Wolff. It does seem to me, though, that the A’s aren’t necessarily outliers in this trend, so it could go beyond just Lew.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Beane used to be refreshingly honest
That seems to have stopped. Now more often than not, he sounds like a politician. And people like Slusser and Urban don’t seem to get the kind of information they used to receive.
Actually, I'd argue the opposite.
Beane never gave candid (as possible) interviews like the ones he gave to AN when he first became general manager. If anything, I remember the early 00s A’s being far more inclusive than the A’s right now.
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on Aug 5, 2009 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions
huh?
Are you saying Beane gave more candid interviews then, than now? Or that the interviews are more candid now?
If they were more candid then, you’re agreeing with me.
But Beane did come up in 1997, and the openness, as exemplified by the access Michael Lewis had in Moneyball, seems to be gone.
To clarify,
What I meant to say is that Beane has actually been one of the most open GMs in baseball, probably in all of sports. He has given annual in depth, mostly candid interviews about the state of the team to a blog, no less. He still does that today. How many other MLB GMs are willing to do that consistently? He has allowed a book to be researched and published that exposed much of the core strategy and thinking behind his team’s success (a major mistake IMO). And I think he’s earned enough of the benefit of the doubt so that the information he does withhold is in the best interest of the team.
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
The book was 2002
The in-depth interviews with Blez have been getting less in-depth as the years have continued. He used to be the most open GM in baseball, but not any more. Many of his moves have been fairly inexplicable of late, and certainly Geren’s safety as manager is completely inexplicable.
Monte Poole’s column in the Oakland Trib says it all:
Hmm.
If Buck is constantly late, or refuses to work on his bunting or something, or if Gallagher refused to consider altering his mechanics to improve his command, then I agree that the team should give at least some idea that those problems are behind their decisions to send the player in question to the back of the line.
See, I don’t even think that’s a good idea. Sure, it makes fans feel better to be “included” in the know. But other than that, publicly releasing information like that could be far more detrimental than good. For one, other teams would definitely take notice of that information (imagine trying to trade Gallagher to the Padres after a report publicly denouncing him as a head case). And of course, leaking something bad about a player to the public might even antagonize them. Really, is there any point in publicly hanging out a player to dry? If Travis Buck actually becomes a good player, would he be willing to consider resigning with Oakland when he remembers that time management villified him to the press? Or would any player be willing to sign with Oakland after Oakland gains a reputation for publicly denouncing their players?
Hey, who knows, maybe publicly releasing a player’s issues won’t affect matters like that at all. But why take the risk? There’s a reason why sports teams, not just the A’s, keep sketchy information to themselves.
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on Aug 5, 2009 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions
It was all downhill after the double-dip against the Rangers
That was when Buck pulled himself from the game and cried to the media about being placed on the DL. According to Urban at the time, this pissed off the A’s brass to no end. Granted, it’s probably not the only strike Buck has against him, but it does suggest the A’s beef with Buck is with his person, not his talents.
The organization doesn't owe the media or the fans...
an explanation on how they choose to run their franchise. I’m sure they have very good reasons to their roster/injury decisions in-house. They are not a government entity – there is no need for transparency.
"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane
by athleticsBB4life on Aug 4, 2009 6:23 PM PDT reply actions
reasons to keep their roster/injury decisions in-house
"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane
by athleticsBB4life on Aug 4, 2009 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Similarly, a hardware store doesn't exactly owe it to their customers
to tell them when the store opens and when it closes. However, if it wants customers to continue to shot there, and recognizes “posting hours” as part of what comes with owning a hardware store, it might want to reconsider its communication policies.
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
i'm sure you noticed that....
fans don’t go to A’s games anyway.
"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane
by athleticsBB4life on Aug 4, 2009 7:15 PM PDT up reply actions
your welcome...
seriously, I understand Nico’s point, but the A’s brass should be given the ability to do their jobs and make the decisions they feel are best without being pressured by the media for answers. Just because society has become instant-gratification personified with real-time info, doesn’t mean the organization has to bow down.
"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane
by athleticsBB4life on Aug 4, 2009 7:28 PM PDT up reply actions
they might not "owe" the fans anything
but this isn’t the army or the white house, where leaked secrets could cost lives and even then it’s dubiously moral to keep the public from knowing…
but i digress. this isn’t the army, it’s baseball. and what’s a baseball team here to do, ultimately? to make money off its fans. without owing us anything, do they really think it’s a wise business model to alienate us?
don't care if i ever get back.
by AV on Aug 4, 2009 6:49 PM PDT up reply actions
yeah, if you plan to move the team and want to
manufacture the additional disinterest and ill will to make that seem necessary, well then yeah.
ZOMG I did NOT just say that {{turns self into Green-and-Gold Secret Police Force for punishment}}
Hey, I just bought the team from Lew Wolff... who wants to play third?
by emperor nobody on Aug 4, 2009 6:59 PM PDT up reply actions
There is more information available to fans right now, by far, than at any time in the past.
It would take someone weeks of research even 10 years ago just to find out answers readily available in just one internet session today with the explosion of baseball/sports related web-sites and multiple team blogsites now available.
Go back 30/40+ years and about all you really had was the daily paper. Games on TV were few and far between, no Sportcenter or current sportsmags. Radio had alot of made up BS and the beat-reporters didn’t report anything close to being tabloid fodder or against the team’s interests. Of course we as fans want even more information, but its not like anyone is truly starving from the lack of it anymore.
I’m sure if the A’s were in New York there would be 10 times the information as multiple reporters would be fighting for scoops and harassing management till they gave it up. But we live in Northern California and many of our team reporters/announcers are using the A’s as a way to moonlight a second job.
"Gratuitous gesticulating together sounds even better"
Update from Slusser
**UPDATE**GM Billy Beane just confirmed that it’s a roster issue that’s keeping Jason Giambi on the DL tonight. The team’s still weighing its options, but Giambi is essentially good to go. So speculation below, in the original post, still stands – this could be very interesting if the A’s don’t just simply send Tommy Everidge down.
Another possibility: The team might go with 11 pitchers briefly if Dallas Braden has to go on the DL and if Edgar Gonzalez makes the start. Usually, the A’s could have counted on someone else being hurt by now and making the move for them. Braden is hurt, which fits, especially considering how random the problem is – that’s very Oakland A’s – but that doesn’t clear a first-base spot.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/athletics/detail?&entry_id=44909#ixzz0NGn3iFJE
You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}
If Everidge is sent down to make room for Giambi
I will not go to another game this season.
"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin
I don't understand all the man-love for Everidge.
"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." - Billy Beane
by athleticsBB4life on Aug 4, 2009 7:19 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't think
that it’s necessarily that Everidge is so great, it’s that this last-place team has no business playing a guy at the end of his career over someone who might be at the beginning.
It is the fans belief, that they know more than the A's, and Everidge, while 26 year old
and never dominated anything, will be the next Albert Pujols.
by theblackpearl on Aug 4, 2009 7:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Or possibly that Giambi
at age 38, will never dominate anything but a beer league softball game (or possibly a buffet) again.
Big deal, NEITHER one should be on the field next year,so who cares who plays
now. If Tommy Everidge is the starting 1B, for 2010, the A’s will not compete for the playoffs again
by theblackpearl on Aug 4, 2009 8:00 PM PDT up reply actions
As of the moment I'm posting this
Everidge has a line of .276/.353/.414
I’m not saying a .757 OPS at 1st is great, but it’s hardly “knock us out of the playoffs” bad.
thats pretty good for our team. top 5 ish.
and he’s one of the few hitters that have been called up the last few years and didn’t immediately suck.
Mt. Everidge !
"Gratuitous gesticulating together sounds even better"
That's why we audition Everidge
Because maybe he becomes a great player or maybe he tanks and is the AAAA player that many believe him to be. But with Giambi we know that he’s basically done as a player so there’s no point in playing him.
"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin
in my opinion
its the same thing for Patterson and a reason he is up right now. He needs an audition to see if he can stick and be a super-utility guy.
Well since nobody is claiming he plays any position well defensively,
or has any power, and since he appears to have poor strike zone judgment and a fundamental inability to catch up to a decent fastball, it seems like it would be more efficient, and more prudent, to audition him for PA announcer. He may well have a nice voice and good annunciation.
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
We better leave more food and wine out for Elijah at our next seder, then!
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
it is a fairly small sample size PLUS
inconsistent at bat frequency
This seems to be the same argument made for Buck’s struggles.
Look, I don’t know if Patterson is going to make it or not, but I think the A’s want to do their due diligence, giving the guy a shot, before they DFA him or consider him AAAA material.
I’m sure both Patterson and the FO see the writing on the wall. Patterson has less than a year to prove himself before the lower level minor league depth catches up to him and/or passes him. (i.e. Cardenas, Weeks at 2b; Buck, Cunningham, Brown, Desme,…)
Wimberly is another guy who could take a roster spot away from Patterson
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
So far so good, then
He’s not bad at all when it comes to getting an occasional start that sees little productivity, pinch-running here and there, and otherwise kicking back on the bench.
Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog
That's a bold claim.
Might be true. But also might be Nostradamus fodder next year.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
I would love to see Giambi dominate a beer league softball game
including the keg at 2b.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 4, 2009 9:15 PM PDT up reply actions
LMFAO DFA
thats a priceless mental Image. I can see him in a Solano county High School diamond, tapping a keg with the guys.
HAHAHA!!!!!
"I occasionally post and offer little to no insight here on AN except emotional ramblings. Do I remind you of someone? (Nomar maybe?)"
No that was not my point at all
Nate’s got the right idea. There is no reason why Giambi, Nomar, and Crosby should play over Everidge. The only player I would accept is Barton, and I’m not much of a Barton fan.
"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin
I don't understand the lack of love
The guy comes out of nowhere, looks like a professional major league hitter from the start, and half the folks here say he’s no good, or his swing is no good, or he can’t get the job done, or some such nonsense.
I’m seeing one fact over and over - this guy is 26, therefore he can’t make it. Well, NO. He’s 26, not 30. Cust came into his own at 29. Mike Easler, the great old Pirates outfielder, didn’t come up until he was around 30. It’s not like Everidge was dropped by other clubs, or had other chances. Nico has some point when he discusses Everidge’s swing, but maybe, as Everidge gets more comfortable and pitchers start to find his weaknesses, he’ll be able to adjust that.
Right now, he looks good. It’s possible he just figured it out a little later than other guys. You know, that happens.
SNTS
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on Aug 5, 2009 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions
IMO
He can still be productive with a long swing if he can recognize pitches and guess pitches correctly. If not he will become Bobby Crosby with out the baseball body.
You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}
He has already shown one rather important quality,
and that is the willingness to adjust. A “take what they give you” mindset is better than a “it’s worked for me since high school” mindset. Now whether he CAN adjust is a big question still ahead; but the attitude, mindset, and philosophy give me some hope that he can be better than the average non-heralded 26-year old prospect tasting the big leagues for the first time.
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
I was a Tommy skeptic at first,
but I’m starting to come around.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
Just curious, but what do some of you guys look for
when players are first called up? Was Everidge supposed to hit .500 with 10 doubles already?
Guy looks pretty good to me … aggressive at the plate, and not horrible in the field. The guy swings the bat. We need guys who swing the friggin bat once in awhile instead of prayin’ for a walk every at bat.
And right now? About 10x better than Giambi. Some of you guys crack me up … beg for Patterson to get regular playing time so “we can see what he can do” (which is suck regularly), but a young, aggressive hitter like Everidge oughta be sent down for Giambi. Wow.
I needed a team so I wouldn’t turn into one of the eighty million pink hat-wearing Bud Light-drinking mulleted idiots at Fenway.
Um is there anyone who is suggesting that Everidge oughta be sent down?
Also when does 26 as a rookie who started the year in AA qualify as young.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 4, 2009 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions
I meant "young" as in "hasn't seen any time in the bigs"
And although I realize your “um” means I didn’t choose my words carefully, there has definitely been some “don’t get too excited about Everidge, because he really isn’t that good” sentiment. It’s almost as if some of us want guys to fail, or take a glass-half-empty approach on Everidge because he’s heavy.
This team needs — desperately needs — guys who look like they want to hit the ball when they step in the box. We need aggressive hitters … and I understand that aggressive doesn’t always mean “good” — but damn, it’s nice to see a hitter look like he wants to hit the friggin’ ball.
You ever coach a little league team? The kids who are really scared to hit because they’re intimidated? That’s the kind of lineup we put out there far too often.
I don’t care if you’re 6 or 60, if you look for a walk, and you’re afraid to swing the bat, it’s because you suck. It doesn’t change.
I needed a team so I wouldn’t turn into one of the eighty million pink hat-wearing Bud Light-drinking mulleted idiots at Fenway.
My grandfather is 90 and has never spent time in the big leagues so by that logic he's "younger" than Everidge
I want Everidge to turn into Albert Pujols because I am an A’s fan. However, I realize the chances of that happening are next to 0. The chances that a 26 year old with Everidge’s pedigree turns into even an above average major leaguer are quite small. The desire to see our hitters succeed doesn’t have to be deluded with a ridiculous belief that they actually will succeed.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 5, 2009 2:19 AM PDT up reply actions
Giambi is younger than I am
but DFA’s grandpa is not
Do you know the way to San Jose?
by eastcoasta'sfan on Aug 5, 2009 8:02 AM PDT up reply actions
The chances that a 13th round pick turns into an above-average major leaguer are quite small,
but that is exactly what happened when the Cardinal’s picked el hombre in ’99.
Everidge was a 10th round pick by the A’s in ’04, and granted does not have “youth” on his side, but he does not have to be a once-in-a-lifetime freak like Pujols to be of any value. See late-bloomers Ludwick, Ryan; Pena, Carlos; Hatteberg, Scott; Cust, Jack…
To more directly address your point, yes – it would be foolhardy if the organization were to structure it’s rebuilding efforts and hopes around any and every late-bloomer in the upper-reaches of the system, but if you’ve currently got an armload of has-beens and failed-hot-prospect crap and are serendipitously given a hot hand that has shown some ability to adapt and learn, what’s the harm in playing it out?
There are significant differences between Everidge and those guys
By the time he was the age Everidge is now, Pena had 85 career homers — in the major leagues, with a career OPS+ of 110. Not that great for a hotshot 1B phenom, but way, way more than Everidge has accomplished.
Cust was a hot-shot AA and AAA prospect at 21 and 22 — when Everidge was still in A ball. He got hurt for a few years, stalled out a bit, got labeled as a AAAA player, got his one last chance and capitalized on it. But he’d been one of the top power-hitting prospects in the minors back in his early 20s.
Hatteberg is kind of the opposite — he never hit well in the minors, but he was a catcher and Boston called him up to catch. Eventually he learned how to work the count and became a very productive OBA hitter.
Ludwick is pretty similar, but he was hitting well with lots of power at the AAA level a few years earlier than Everidge. That’s significant because Ludwick spent about 4 or 5 years bouncing between AAA and the majors figuring out how to hit. He put it together just in time, had one great season at age 30, and might now start sliding back down the far end of the performance slope as he enters his 30s. If Everidge follows that path, he won’t figure it out til he’s 32 or so, and by then it’ll be too late.
All that said, there’s no reason on earth for Giambi to take ABs away from Everidge. There’s a good reason, however, to give Barton those ABs.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
True, but the common thread in all of the above cases is a 'what-the-hell' flier of an opportunity after a prolonged learning curve.
I wasn’t necessarily trying to draw a direct connection to those guys so much as illustrate that Everidge’s ‘pedigree’ does not preclude his potential for value as a 1B/Dh type, even if his ceiling is only as a short term ‘surprise’ bridge to Carter/Doolittle/Wallace.
Barton could use the competition/motivation.
Yeah, I don't think we should write him off at all
but we also should remind ourselves (again) not to assume his success, either. He’s a great story so far, but still a real long-shot. And if I had to choose between him and Barton, I’d choose Daric because he’s so much younger and also has a great track record in the minors. In reality, they could split ABs 75/25 or so for the rest of the season, and Everidge could DH to get extra ABs, as well.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Let's wait until Everidge's OPS goes below .800 before we get rid of him, alright?
granted, that may be after tonight’s game, but still…
"Flea Markets aren't just for blind dates anymore!"- The Reverend Billy Lard
by Gaijin_Suketto on Aug 5, 2009 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Barton has bombed two years in a row
I’m not saying he doesn’t have the potential to be good. But he’s been a major bust so far. He looked slightly better this last time, but only slightly. I didn’t see much in the way of bad luck contributing to his low batting average.
I’m not implying he’s Wally Pip either. But the idea of playing someone whose potential hasn’t been realized for two consecutive seasons, and who really hasn’t shown any ability to get over the hump, over someone who is actually producing and has a chance to be a good major league hitter - that’s crazy.
I was all in favor of Barton playing every day and finally getting a shot - but if Everidge can keep it going, he has a chance to be a solid ball player. And if his windoe of freshness is short, then the A’s have Doolittle, Carter and Wallace waiting in the wings. Unless Everidge stumbles badly in the next couple of months, I think Barton should get ABs at DH, but not 1B, except as a defensive replacement.
That makes no sense
Barton is a fantastic defensive 1B. Why would you keep him off the field?
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
How has Barton bombed?
He has an OPS+ of .844 in AAA after a terrible first month. He’s been hitting great since then. And he has only 43 plate appearances in limited time in the big leagues this year. Everidge has nearly as many plate appearances with the A’s as Barton this year.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Here's how
Barton was given an extended shot last year. Extended. He bombed.
When someone gets an extended shot, that person simply won’t get the same extended shot with the same team. Doesn’t happen unless there’s nobody else around - and in this case there’s Everidge. In those 43 plate appearances this year, Barton did not show much more than he showed in ‘08. Obviously, it would be great if any team had the resources or determination to give a position player unlimited chances. But that’s not how it works. Barton is a good defensive first baseman, and hits well in the minors. He should get another shot. But with a fresh team. It took Nelson Cruz forever to make it. Took Ludwick, Cust and Pena several teams to pull it together. Frankly, there are a LOT of players who get that ever-decreasing chance, and don’t pull it together. And there are new kids coming up every month.
Barton only makes it at this point under one of two conditions: He comes up and the first couple of weeks hits the ball like he did in September, ’07, OR he comes up as an injury replacement somewhere and sticks around long enough to figure it out.
The difference between Barton and Everidge this year is that Everidge has yet to be tested. Barton has, and thus far has come up short. Let’s see what Everidge does when the pitchers adjust.
Sounds like a version of the ol' saying,
“Better to be silent and thought ignorant than to speak and remove all doubt.”
Better never to have played and just been considered mediocre (Everidge) than to have played and removed all doubt (Dale!).
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
Will =/= should
When someone gets an extended shot, that person simply won’t get the same extended shot with the same team. Doesn’t happen unless there’s nobody else around – and in this case there’s Everidge.
I’m not as interested in trying to figure out what the A’s will do — I was discussing what I think they should do. I’m arguing that Barton is still a better prospect than Everidge, and that the A’s would be foolish to give up on him at this point.
And FWIW, teams do hold onto talented guys who fail to live up to expectations and who subsequently succeed. Sandy Koufax (who was genuinely lousy for 6 years) is a famous example. More recently, you can look at BJ Upton. Upton’s first 2 years (interrupted by a season in the minors): .251/.312/.347, OPS+ 73, K/BB of 86/28 in 266 PAs). He turned it around (rather, progressed as a hitter) without switching teams.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
The should/would fallacy... well identified.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 5, 2009 5:20 PM PDT up reply actions
Man richwol
What if the A’s thought this way about Tejada?
One bad rookie year and you’re done? Because, you know, every rookie has to turn into Albert Pujols or he’s worthless.
Solace: Law says he's a fourth OFer
PaulThomas: I think Keith Law is only a fourth analyst
Tejada showed something
His first year, he didn’t hit well, but he made some terrific plays as shortstop. And he was a shortstop - if you’re going to compare, you have to look at someone like Pennington, or even Cahill. I was there, I remember. Tejada was going to get more than just a one-year tryout. But here’s the thing…in his second year, there was some vast improvement. Tejada would never have gotten that kind of chance if he was a first baseman. Rob Nelson didn’t. Lots of guys didn’t. Carlos Pena certainly didn’t (and he didn’t get his shit together for several years).
Barton showed that he's the best defensive first baseman on the team.
And, like it or not, he’s 23 years old. He’s played 175 games in the big leagues. His total OPS+ is 98.
That’s not bad for a 23 year old. Call him what you want, but he’s not a bust.
Since you want to talk about Tejada, his OPS+ in his first “full” season (105 games) was 79. He was 24 years old… or a year older than Barton is right now, while you’re writing him off as a bust.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
I agree with your point but the difference in position negates a lot of that OPS deficit.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 7, 2009 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions
Agreed.
My Everidge prognosis could easily read as being to far on the sunny-side, but after a year plus of Barton Brand Major League-Pedigree Suck, I’m not exactly assuming his success, either.
I’m at least open to seeing what other varietals of suck the A’s sytem has been cultivating. :)
I endorse this statement
Signed,
DFA
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 5, 2009 2:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Who said anything about Pujols?
Everidge doesn’t have to be anywhere near Pujols’ level to make the A’s offense better. If he’s capable of hitting for an OPS somewhere around .780-.810, he provides the A’s with a good insurance policy against their youngsters struggling and Jack Cust declining, and prevents the A’s from having to go after another aging stop gap at a price tag in the millions. Do you think Everidge’s pedigree precludes this?
Bob Garen is incontinent
Does it preclude him, no. Does it make it unlikely? Yes.
Is he good for minor league depth like a Bozaid or a Bankston? Yes. Should he be given playing time over Barton? No.
Dating girls is like starting pitching depth, you think you have a good full rotation, even too many starters, then in an instant as soon as you trade your depth away injuries decimate your rotation and you are forced to start Sidney Ponson.
by designatedforassignment on Aug 5, 2009 5:17 PM PDT up reply actions
rotoworld hints at it in the Giambi thread on the mainpage.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
And several commenters have hinted that
Rotoworld is getting stupider and stupider.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
He has not struck out much so far
He puts the ball in play, drives the ball the other way and does’t swing at a slider like Crosby does.
He deserves a decent look.
My favorite team is a f***ing embarrassment to all true A's fans and they make me sick to my stomach on an almost daily f***ing basis. But being a true fan, I will ride this pathetic bunch of losers out and hope that they get better in 2010
Why do people here
Obsess over SSS’s?
Solace: Law says he's a fourth OFer
PaulThomas: I think Keith Law is only a fourth analyst
Because if you're going to look at numbers,
you want to make sure that they are not skewed by general randomness. I think it takes about 130 AB to get to a low enough margin of error to be able to rely on the numbers they’re putting up.
Except that sometimes process can tell you something along the way
Patterson isn’t just putting up poor stats, which should be viewed within the SSS caveat. He’s also failing in the exact same way every time he comes back up and gets a shot — poor strike zone judgment, a long swing that misses fastballs, not recognizing changeups that dip out of the strike zone, lots of swings and misses…basically all the things that predict failure longer term.
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
True,
but he should get a shot to work it out too. Look at Rajai a few months ago, and look at him now. I remember him looking absolutely helpless at the plate. Now that he has confidence and experience, he’s having good at bats and is making solid contact.
That being said I don’t think Patterson will amount to anything.
"True fact: In a global thermonuclear war, the only human who would survive would be David Eckstein" -PT
I just don't see how Patterson even COULD be useful,
given his defensive and power limitations, unless he hit .300. And I’m pretty confident that’s not going to happen.
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
True, a lot of it is on his bat.
But with the numbers he has put up in AAA, I think he deserves that chance to try and see if his bat could make him useful.
And once again, I don’t think he will be.
"True fact: In a global thermonuclear war, the only human who would survive would be David Eckstein" -PT
I guess my point is that
assuming that his hitting .350 in AAA doesn’t mean “he can hit .350 at any random level and let’s just hope the major leagues are one of them!” …
…would he be valuable if he could hit .280/.340/.380 in the big leagues? Not really.
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
Well, I can't argue with that.
I guess my point is that even if he only has a 2% chance (or something tiny) of becoming a productive big leaguer, we should try and get him some plate appearances to see what he can be. Especially considering that this is a lost season and that Jack effing Cust has been playing in the field.
"True fact: In a global thermonuclear war, the only human who would survive would be David Eckstein" -PT
The last piece of the puzzle
would be to watch a bunch of Rivercats games and see what Patterson looks like when he’s dominating. I’m really curious about what the difference is for him between AAA and the majors.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Exactly -- I know there are AAA pitchers
who throw hard. That’s not usually what’s lacking in AAA pitchers. I figure either:
1. In AAA, the pitchers, lacking command, get into a lot of 3-1 counts and then groove pitches for Patterson to rake, or
2. Patterson really hits retreads (like Chacon, Tomko, and Jerome Williams are for Sacramento) well, and is able to pump his numbers up on those guys, or
3. He is possessed and keeps getting called up during the same moon cycles.
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
My favorite thing about Everidge
Is that he has seemed to inject some life into the lineup. Without Cabrera and Holliday our lineup has actually been mildly impressive and that all coincided with Everidge’s arrival. Maybe it’s just a coincidence but at least the guy is fun to watch.
"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin
What I've liked is that he seems to have an intelligent approach
that takes advantage of his skills. That already puts him ahead of quite a few of the hitters we’ve watched recently.
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
I like that we have an allegedly secretive team...
You know when you are dealing/negotiating with us that we probably won’t be blabbermouthing things to the media all the time, hopefully that makes us more appealing to deal with.
If that is our reputation it can only help us in the long run.
Is this the real life-
Is this just fantasy-
Caught in a landslide-
No escape from reality-
Su Slu has been pretty open and forthcoming
with us in the past. Yes, she is a journalist who depends on access, so obviously she’s not going to run off her mouth or blurt out anything that will get her in trouble, but some time later when the season is over and we’re out of the spotlight, I’d love to see her general musings on the secretiveness of the organization this year, what it’s like for her, and how it compares to past seasons with the team. I’m sure it hasn’t been a fun year for her, and I think she’d probably share a little bit about the experience.
"Go ahead and overachieve, you scrappy Brett-Favre-colored walk-takers." —Rev Halofan
I'm with you on this one Taj...
This lack of info/misinfo is one of my biggest issues with this team recently and it drives me crazy. Geren looks like such a total stooge when all he can say is ‘nothing has changed from yesterday’ and he looks even more stupid when he says it 2 days in a row (not that he needed anymore help).
I’d rather they keep Giambi on the DL at this point and I never expected Duke to be back this year at all, but this is going to become even more interesting when Barton is due to come of the DL.
Perhaps this is the real issue we all have:
Why would a team hire Bob Geren and then do things that make him look MORE stupid?
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
yes, and his comments leave me beginning to wonder
how much of what Bob says (or doesn’t say actually) is from his own mind versus being mandated to him from above. It seems he is told “don’t tell the media this or that, but figure out on your own how to get around it,” and he is doing a horrible job at that IMO. Like I said above, it just makes him sound clueless.
To me he seems to dance around even the simplest of questions whether it is from KK on the radio pregame or Kate on the TV postgame or any of the beat writers in print. So these types of profound questions really lack any type of answer from him, even a made up answer that we could half believe.
But maybe its just me… I have become extremely jaded in my opinion of ’ol Bobo this season.
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