Well, I didn't want to make the title too long, but I wanted to write, "Zito, Hudson, Blanton, Harang, Harden, Jose Guillen, Santiago Casilla, Nick Swisher, Carlos Pena, Ramon Hernandez and Arthur Rhodes get ready for Postseason." 

Of that whole list, the only one of them not still an A's guy in my heart is Rhodes. 

I'm sure I missed a few, but my point is that is a lot of talent in the league the A's had and don't have anymore.  And my premise is although I love this year's team, I can't help but feel like we lose too many good players. When I see Esteban German playing on the Royals or Bobby Crosby on the Pirates it doesn't bother me so much, but when all this talent is going to the playoffs, I can't help but play what if?  What if there was some sort of salary cap?  What if we had a slightly different arrangement with the free agent rules?  I really can't be critical of Billy Beane, can I?  I truly believe he gathers all the data he can to put the best possible team he can on the field every year.  I moved to the Bay Area in 2000, and didn't really understand how superior the A's are to the Giants until about July.  It took me a while to understand their greatness.  And I understand that the A's are going to move players, that's what they do.  The team is not about sentimentality, it is about maximizing wins and minimizing cost and there really aren't any other metrics, and I appreciate that.  I just thought the A's would be above average in wins and below average in payroll forever, but it only lasted from 1999 to 2006.  Well this year they were average, and clearly only a bat or 2 from being a lot better.

Today was the most entertaining Giants game I have ever watched.  I thought, "I better start watching, maybe I'll get a chance to go to the World Series and I better know who these guys are."  In this game the Padres had Stairs, Tejada, and Denorfia.  3 more A's guys who were playing for something on the last day of the season.  And when I saw Casilla's record, and his fastball I thought, "how did we lose THIS guy?"  I was still flipping over to see Braden pitch and Ichiro bat, and my wife yelled at me when I missed the Giants pitcher hit a triple.  I AM getting a tiny bit excited about the Giants, but my heart is not really in it.  I'll watch and I'll root for them, but it won't be the same as A's playoff baseball.

The only playoff team without a former A's player I could find is the Twins.  That's not so surprising, the Twins are more of a home grown team like the A's are.  Ironically they might be my favorite postseason team.  But mostly I will just root for the Yankees to lose.

But the A's are done, and it is a sad day.  Wait til next year, the A's appear to be about 2 players from being completely rebuilt, and it will be BAD NEWS FOR THE AMERICAN LEAGUE.