Would You Rather? Defense/Offense, Chavez/Fox and 1B/DH/OF Playing Time
by baseballgirl on Feb 5, 2010 8:00 AM PST
111 comments
Last Friday, we took a look at the PECOTA projections for the 2010 season. These have now been corrected (and almost reversed); the A's are tied for second with the Angels (both under .500), with Texas in the top spot in the AL West and Seattle in the cellar. There is still only a 10-game gap between first to last, so from all accounts, it's going to be a close race. As many users pointed out last week, there can be up to a +/- 10 game swing with regards to Runs Scored vs. Runs Allowed, so it is possible that the AL West truly is up for grabs.
The A's certainly have the pitching to compete, with their stacked bullpen and two potential ace starters, and Spring Training is set to showcase the race for the fifth starting slot between Mazzaro, Cahill, and Gonzalez. But the big questions look like: How will (and how can) the A's offense compete? How in the world can the A's fit the best offensive and defensive options on the 25 man roster?
I think the key to creating the best offensive lineup lies in the combination of three positions. Barring an injury or a trade, these players are locked into their starting jobs, at least to begin the season:
Kurt Suzuki: C
Kevin Kouzmanoff : 3B
Cliff Pennington: SS
Mark Ellis: 2B
Rajai Davis: OF
Ryan Sweeney: OF
Basically, that leaves potential offensive substitutions to be made at 1B, DH, or the outfield. And considering how many players are competing for playing time at those positions, it is a very real possibility that one of the three A's power threats may not even make the 25 man roster.
You may also have noticed that I left someone off the list above.The updated PECOTA projections have Daric Barton with 90% of the 2010 playing time (70% at first base, and 20% at DH), and he is obviously the A's probable starter at first base. And indeed, if I was creating the A's all-defensive team, Daric Barton would play first, Coco Crisp would be in center field and I'd put the biggest power threat at DH (Cust for RHP, Fox for LHP). However, since the outfield combination of Crisp/Davis/Sweeney hit a total of 12 homeruns last year, I'm not all that excited about having to make up power numbers with Daric Barton.
But Barton will make the team and start at first base.He is projected for 673 plate appearances; hitting 15 homeruns and driving in 66, while batting .260. (Just for comparison's sake, Jake Fox is projected at .250/18/59 in 439 PA.) But the gap in defense between Barton and Fox is considerable, and is why Barton will win the job.But I think that 90% playing time is too high of a projection for the good of the team.
The outfield is a little more interesting. Assuming Davis and Sweeney start the year, that leaves one starting job for a number of players. I assume that Coco Crisp was signed to play, since he was paid the $5.5 million, but it doesn't make sense to sign Gabe Gross only to cut him, and he fits well as the 4th outfielder. Remembering a couple of interesting (read: awful) plays last year, I'd like Jack Cust to get the lion's share of his starts at DH, but I know that he will likely play somewhere around his projected 35% in left field for the sole reason that the A's can't afford to have his bat out of the lineup. And if those are the five outfielders that the A's keep, where does that leave Eric Patterson (out of options) and Travis Buck (out of patience)?
The third piece of this triangle is at DH. The catch-22 of this situation is that the A's have two power threats who are absolutely abysmal in the field; yet if they are both to play in a game, one of them has to field. The A's will score more runs with Cust and Fox both in the game, but we would have to see Cust in LF or Fox at first base. The question will become: Can the combination of Cust/Fox score more runs on offense to make up for one of them playing in the field? And I think the answer is yes. If it were up to me, I would decrease Barton's playing time at first to get Fox some more AB's (particularly against tough lefties), and find a way to rotate Cust into the outfield on a limited basis to allow Fox to DH. (And certainly Fox would be DH-ing against all the lefties Cust can't hit.)
Simple, right? Except, not. There is one more wild card out there, that probably won't become a factor, but it still needs to be considered: What about Eric Chavez?
If Chavez is really and truly healthy, one would assume he would spell Kouzmanoff at third, Barton at first, and would also DH, which would add one more bat to be juggled into an already crowded combination of positions. And if Chavez makes the 25-man, it is likely that Fox doesn't.
Let me explain. No...there is too much. Let me sum up:
A's Tentative 25-Man Roster
Pitching
1) Justin Duchscherer
2) Ben Sheets
3) Dallas Braden
4) Brett Anderson
5) Fifth Starter
6) Long Reliever
7) Brad Ziegler
8) Andrew Bailey
9) Craig Breslow
10) Jerry Blevins
11) Michael Wuertz
12) Joey Devine
Position Players
13) Kurt Suzuki: C
14) Kevin Kouzmanoff : 3B
15) Cliff Pennington: SS
16) Mark Ellis: 2B
17) Rajai Davis: OF
18) Ryan Sweeney: OF
19) Daric Barton: 1B
20) Jack Cust: OF/DH
21) Coco Crisp: OF
22) Gabe Gross: OF
23) Utility/Backup IF (Rosales, since E. Patterson can't play SS?)
24) Landon Powell: Backup C
25) Eric Chavez/Jake Fox
Chavez and Fox are competing for the last 1B/3B/DH spot on the team, and as much as I love Eric Chavez, and want him to be healthy and productive, I'm worried about the offense without Fox in it. Yet, who else can be shuffled around to make room for Fox? Would the A's really not start Eric Chavez? Will Spring Training numbers be looked at when narrowing down this roster? Who will take the last starting outfield position? How long of a leash do Rajai and Sweeney have if they struggle? Should the A's have signed Fox to DH and not paid Cust?
Discuss.
0 recs |
111 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
25th man - who is on the DL?
Considering the A’s proclivity to use the DL, perhaps we have an opportunity to have a virtual 28 man lineup with the last few (13th pitcher?, 5th 1B/OF/DH? 2nd SS) rotating off and on the DL like the carousel we have seen the last few years
Injured Players: They're Not a But, They're a Feature! n/t
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Feb 5, 2010 1:18 PM PST up reply actions
Post FAIL
That’s Injured Players: They’re Not a Bug, They’re a Feature!
There is no "i" in Teamocil. At least not where you'd think.
by GreenNGoldSooner on Feb 5, 2010 1:19 PM PST up reply actions
put chavez at short
if he is really and truly healthy
^^^^^
I wish. A healthy Chavez at SS with Kouz at third and Cust/Fox taking the DH role would add some power (assuming healthy 2010 Chavy is anything like healthy…um…200?…when was the last time he played? :-))
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
until the first time someone takes him out at 2B while he's turning a double play...
Chavez at SS is wishful thinking. He’s played a grand total of 6 innings at SS (none since 2001) and only touched the ball once while playing short (moved to SS when Menechino relieved (!) TJ Matthews when the A’s were losing 12-3 in the 8th in Colorado.)
It enough to ask for a healthy Chavez. Asking him to move to a more demanding position seems unwise. In fact, I’d rather see if Kouzmanoff can handle SS before testing Chavez.
Also, why not LF for Chavez? I know, Chavez hasn’t played there since 2004, but at least it’s a less demanding position, and a move down the defensive spectrum. Not to mention the A’s would almost always have two other OFs who can cover plenty of ground if Chavez were in LF. At the very least, we’ve all probably seen him shagging flies in left during BP.
Yea thats what I was thinking.
What if Chavez is healthy and could play some LF, that would be great!
by Seb on Feb 5, 2010 9:50 PM PST up reply actions
Well the problem is that Chavez in left field is almost certainly worthless to the A's
since there’s almost certainly going to be someone who’s better.
Chavez at shortstop at least offers the plausible possibility that he would be better than whoever Pennington’s backup is. Although really, I don’t even think that’s true now that the team picked up Rosales.
Shawn Spencer: "I’m receiving a transmission from your husband. Really more of a voicemail, if I'm being honest. A status update. Perhaps a twitter."
Burton Guster: "I believe it’s called a tweet."
Shawn Spencer: "There’s no way I’m saying that."
Cust/Fox???
Don’t know why we signed both. Seems like they would fulfill the same role on any team. Do we really need both? Perhaps because of the power drought that is the modern A’s. But as neither plays the field well… My preference would be for one of them to go. We’re geared towards defense, speed and pitching…don’t our back-ups need to reflect that?
Of course we’re assuming that Chavez won’t completely crumble… which could be likely. That solves a chunk of the problem right there. Beane & Co. are just providing the team with a lot of options going into camp, given the fact that injuries will enter the mix (sooner rather than later, if trends continue). Chavez, Ellis, and Crisp are not givens (not to mention Duke, Sheets, Devine….) Who’s healthy? That’s the biggest piece of the puzzle.
That is exactly my question
Why both Cust/Fox? Awful defense, more power than the rest of the lineup, would be pretty good DH choices?
I like all the options we have; don’t get me wrong. I’d rather worry about who to leave off the roster than not have enough players to fill it.
And I have no doubt that the injuries will resolve the roster at some point.
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
It's possible that Fox was acquired partly as 3B insurance
That is, Beane might well not have known when that trade went down that he’d have a chance to get Kouzmanoff, and might well have figured that Beltre and Scutaro weren’t sure-thing signings, either.
Maybe he figured he’d probably need either a 3B (as he almost did) or a DH (if Cust signed elsewhere) and Fox could play in either place. As it turns out, he got Cust back, and traded for Kouz. But his trump card with Fox might be that he still has an option left.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
They are cheap
So if it doesn’t work out, its not a big deal. Fox has an option left so there is that. There really isn’t much downside to either guy even if they completely tank or don’t make the team.
Barton needs to be in the lineup everyday
He’s the A’s second best hitter right now. Fox is the third best. I’m a huge Fox fan and maybe he should get a few starts at 1b over Barton but Daric needs to get a lot of them. 90% of PT at 1b going to Barton does not surprise or worry me. I figure Fox will play his way into the lineup. The A’s are bound to have someone struggle. The only players who are guaranteed spots by midseason are Sweeney, Suzuki, Kouz, and maybe Barton. If Cust, Raj, Crisp, Pennington, or Ellis are struggling or traded the A’s can replace someone with Fox or a prospect.
As for Chavez, forget about him. If he’s on the roster for a few days between DL stints, a few days in AAA for someone don’t matter. I think the biggest fight going into ST is in the bullpen. Wuertz, Bailey, and Ziegler are guaranteed spots. Devine is as well if he’s healthy. The lefty spot is between Breslow, Kilby, and Blevins. The remaining spot is the losers for the lefty spot and Meloan, Demel, and a long reliever.
The next biggest question is the rotation, although I think it should be Gio’s spot to lose.
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
"Barton is the A's second best hitter"
Oh man, are we in trouble.
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
I agree about Barton
Also, I question the philosophy of trying to spread at-bats around. Shouldn’t the starting lineup always consist of our best 9 players?
There are several caveats to this, of course, which will result in more at-bats for the bench:
- People get injured
- Platoon splits are real, so you could imagine Fox starting more games against LHP. (Except that Fox doesn’t seem to have much of a platoon split. Actually, he has a reverse split in the Majors, but SSS. For his minor league career, his OPS is .921 vs LHP, but .906 vs RHP.)
- Defensive substitutions or pinch hitters — probably more of the latter, since the A’s starters are better defenders than the bench players (possible exception for Chavez), but pinch hitters suffer a huge penalty.
But I really hope that Barton gets those 673 plate appearances this year. Preferably near the top of the order, with people like Sweeney, Cust, and Suzuki hitting behind him.
RE platoon splits
IIRC Barton actually has had a reverse platoon split as a major-leaguer. SSS and other caveats should apply.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
it's a pretty large split actually
vs. LHP: .285/.403/.464 in 580 PAs (.331 BABIP)
vs. RHP: .236/.328/.369 in 219 PAs (.271 BABIP)
You've got the PA's reversed there
Link.
Still, it’s such an unusual result that I think SSS applies. It could be a blip based on quality of competition, or based on BABIP or something else that’s not repeatable. But in any case, there’s no particular reason to sit Barton against LH at this point.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
dumbass
Thanks. For whatever reason I started with the LHP numbers first, so at least that was all I messed up. But, as you say, the point is still that Barton seems to hit lefties just fine.
The "glass half full" version of it
Is that normal platoon splits go the other way, and if you imagine that Barton’s performance against LH is closer to his “true ability” than his performance against RH is, then you can project him as a pretty damn good hitter.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Patterson
Not that I really expect everyone to be healthy all at once (this is the A’s, afterall), but if they really were healthy, are the A’s really going to release Patterson? I tend to think he’s on the team — I just can’t figure out how, yet.
Someone smarter than me can explain the "out of options"?
Isn’t it that if the A’s don’t put Patterson on the 25-man, that they can lose him?
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
long story short
Out of options means that he has to clear waivers before he can be sent down to the minors.
Which means the team runs the risk of losing him for nothing.
They call their best player "Kung Fu Panda" and they complain that people aren’t taking them or the game seriously enough? -Nick
Thanks!
So the A’s CAN lose Patterson if they don’t put him on the roster out of ST?
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
by baseballgirl on Feb 5, 2010 10:05 AM PST up reply actions
Sorry...that was a statement :-)
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
by baseballgirl on Feb 5, 2010 10:10 AM PST up reply actions
I think you have the 25 man roster right...
Rosales is almost a lock unless he really stinks it up in the spring.
Chavez gets first crack at that last spot until he inevitably gets injured.
If one of our other 1B/3B/DH/OF types is injured or terrible, Fox gets the first chance to fill that role, but as it stands there is a good chance he goes to AAA.
Patterson is the one who should be worried. He deserves a major league roster spot and he can’t go back to AAA… but he would seem to not have a place unless 2 people get hurt, which is probably more likely than it seems right now.
Another good question is who is the long reliever? I hope its not one of the losers of the 5th starter battle as I don’t want one of those guys wasting away in the bullpen. I’d say DiNardo has a good shot at it. Alternatively they could take someone like Kilby and stretch them out a bit… not to 6 or 7 innings but maybe 2-3 at a time.
long reliever
Mortensen or Meloan? I think Kilby will be a good Major League reliever in 2010. I’m really loving the bullpen depth.
Even after losing Gray and Eveland, there are still like 10 different players who could fill bullpen spots this year
and plenty of prospects, too. Carignan and Thomas are coming off injuries, so if they recover fully they could move quickly. Then there are more unconventional guys like Mickey Storey and Paul Smyth.
The A’s could probably literally deal away their entire first seven relief pitchers and still piece together a better bullpen than several major league franchises.
Shawn Spencer: "I’m receiving a transmission from your husband. Really more of a voicemail, if I'm being honest. A status update. Perhaps a twitter."
Burton Guster: "I believe it’s called a tweet."
Shawn Spencer: "There’s no way I’m saying that."
For some reason
Carignan reminds me of Jason Motte of the Cardinals
Agree...I hope Mazzaro/Gio/Cahill stay WELL away from it
(and they should; why wouldn’t they be in the AAA rotation?)
My guess would have been Eveland, but I always had DiNardo in the back of my mind as the long guy.
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
by baseballgirl on Feb 5, 2010 10:07 AM PST up reply actions
And yeah, Patterson's in trouble
You can’t really use him as a utility guy because of SS, and there simply isn’t the OF room for him. The A’s might lose him.
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
by baseballgirl on Feb 5, 2010 10:08 AM PST up reply actions
Well, there goes the World Series ...
Can’t understand why anyone would want EP on the team — punch and judy hitter and an arm that …. well, let’s just say I would fine any player that didn’t go first to third on him whenever possible. Standing on second base with EP picking up the ball in short left field? 50/50 shot to make it.
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.
But he's gritty!
Seriously though… Hopefully they can trade him if it comes to that. Based on his 2009 results, he has to have value to someone. Compare his AAA stats to Eric Young Jr. who is a very respected prospect (admittedly younger and better, but just pointing out similarities in numbers)
I think he could be solid in the NL.
Rosales has an option right?
So a healthy Chavez options ROsales giving FOx a spot.
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - danmerqury
I think the Fox/Chavez/Cust cunnundrum
is Beane & Co. preparing for the inevitable March/April/May Chavez expiration date…
Obviously, E’s salary and history with the team warrants yet another chance given, but I highly anticipate Fox and Cust to be sharing the DH duties, and shufflng in and out of 1B/OF respectively, by May or June at the latest.
"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be." -- Peter Gibbons
Chavez should get the 25th spot until he gets hurt and retires. Then Fox can be called up from the minors.
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
agreed
it seems to be the obvious choice. If Chavez can bend over to pick up a ball and swing a bat he will be on the roster.
You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}
Go with 11 pitchers and make room for both Chavvy and Fox(y)
Especially since we have Everyday Breslow
Yup
I agree with that statement. The A’s can always call up another arm in case of emergency. I am pulling for Chavvy to be healthy and start the year at 3rd base Opening Day!
Zeigler to Geren…."A-Rod? He’s my bitch." -alox
Nope.
That last guy in the bullpen who can pitch 3-5 crappy innings is necessary when one of our pitchers gets hurt or knocked out of the game. Otherwise you have to end up using all of your relief pitchers in that game and then have to hope like hell the bullpen isn’t needed the next.
I assume that you want an expanded bench because there are good players have you actually want to play. If that’s the case, then you’re just adding another player to water down everyone’s total PAs. If you’re going to do that, you might as well just send Fox down and rip up AAA pitching.
"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did." -Yogi Berra
I was thinking Pennington's spot might not be a given
because of getting Rosales
Thank you Al Davis for Michael Crabtree!!!!!
I agree with this.
This blurb came from an article on Fangraphs yesterday.
As a 26-year-old in the International League last year, Rosales posted an MLE either of .297/.347/.505 (Minor League Splits) or .309/.373/.573 (Baseball Prospectus), depending on who you believe.
Small sample size applies, but Chone projects a league average bat from Rosales (98 wRC+) and below-average from Pennington (83 wRC+). Both Rosales and Pennington’s defense are question marks. Pennington may have a head start since A’s brass have watched him develop as a player, but if Rosales plays well in ST, then Pennington is by no means a lock for starting SS on opening day.
by Opus Youngblood on Feb 5, 2010 1:23 PM PST up reply actions
Pennington's defense should be better
From what I have read Rosales can play SS, but its not an ideal fit due to limited range. But the point is still valid… Cliffy has to perform.
That was offically my 3,800 comment on AN
sweet!
You have to include smiley faces - Poppy
;- ) :- ) :-O : -> : -] : -}
I kinda wanna see
Buck make the 25-man roster come Opening Day even though there’s not really a space for him after the Gross signing
Buck
He’s a left-handed bat just like Gross, so yeah, he isn’t really needed as a backup. I’d rather him get at-bats in Sacramento instead of being the fifth outfielder.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Feb 5, 2010 11:32 AM PST up reply actions
I don't think it's out of the question that Buck makes the 25-man roster....
He just has to force the issue by having a GREAT spring training.
"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did." -Yogi Berra
or have an injury relapse by one of our OFers
Coco has some serious injury history and Sweeney has had a couple dings over the last two years.
If one of our starters lands on the DL before spring training ends, I could see Buck getting a final shot to show he’s for real during the first few weeks of the season.
If Pennington manages 17 HRs, I’ll vow to consume an article of clothing to achieve a humorous effect --Joey C.
Fox
He can play first base, third base, left field or right field. He wouldn’t be the immediate backup in the outfield. I don’t suspect we’ll need him to play third base unless it’s a real emergency since Kouzmanoff has averaged over 146 games played over the last three seasons.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Feb 5, 2010 11:31 AM PST reply actions
I think the A's could actually option Eric Chavez to AAA if he consented to it
which he probably would, since he’s been pretty accomodating about trying to avoid disrupting the team.
As far as I know, he’s never used an option in his entire career.
Shawn Spencer: "I’m receiving a transmission from your husband. Really more of a voicemail, if I'm being honest. A status update. Perhaps a twitter."
Burton Guster: "I believe it’s called a tweet."
Shawn Spencer: "There’s no way I’m saying that."
I'm not sure Chavez would give his consent
He expects 2010 to be his last season and he wants to go out in a blaze of glory. He wants to go out playing in the Show. Maybe that happens in April, maybe he makes it through the whole season. But if he’s healthy enough to play he wants to do it in Oakland.
I think he retires before he accepts a demotion to AAA.
The monster at the end of this blog.
by grover on Feb 5, 2010 12:21 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Probably doesn't matter
The only circumstance in which he would give consent would be if he’s too injured to play yet. And if that’s the case, he’ll be on the DL and it’ll just be a rehab stint in the minors. He’ll either be on the A’s or on the DL.
He has not said that he expects 2010 to be his last season; in fact, he's specifically talked about what might happen if he gets through it uninjured
Also, the choice is not “accept demotion or play in Oakland,” but rather “accept demotion or get released.”
Shawn Spencer: "I’m receiving a transmission from your husband. Really more of a voicemail, if I'm being honest. A status update. Perhaps a twitter."
Burton Guster: "I believe it’s called a tweet."
Shawn Spencer: "There’s no way I’m saying that."
Anyone remember..
Eric Fox…when he came up with the A’s back in 92’? He was the Byrnes, before there was a Byrnes…
Everytime I hear Jake Fox’s name, i get reminded of Fox…. =/
"Twenty minutes," says Jack Sr. "Thank god for Billy Beane."
"Any fan that wants us to do that is going to be disappointed because that just isn’t us." - Wolff
Yes, didn't he hit a GS on opening night that year?
A guy who used to sit in the RF bleachers had the Eric Fox Fan Club sign, too
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Rickey
by cuppingmaster on Feb 5, 2010 1:37 PM PST up reply actions
I loved that sign
The guy was very persistent (the sign holder, not Eric Fox).
@worldblee on Twitter.
ME TOO!
I knew we had a Fox at some point…seems SO familiar…and I know I had a hard time typing “Jake”!
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
One of my all-time favorite moments in A's History
I rarely got to see the A’s on TV back then, but the game was on ESPN. My Mom allowed me to stay up late to watch the end of that game, which I couldn’t thank her enough for. In my opinion that HR decided the AL West race that year.
by elephantbaseball on Feb 5, 2010 2:12 PM PST up reply actions
How many times must we go through this?
STOMPER IS DEAD.
Evil Don ate him late last season. I have visual proof, you know.
Don’t believe the lies the A’s officials continue to spread. That’s not really Stomper. That’s just a man in a Stomper outfit.
Sock puppets have never been able to successfully attack castles. -NM
(waiting for evidence)
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Rickey
by cuppingmaster on Feb 5, 2010 1:56 PM PST up reply actions
pics or it didn't happen
If Pennington manages 17 HRs, I’ll vow to consume an article of clothing to achieve a humorous effect --Joey C.
k.
exhibit one.
Sock puppets have never been able to successfully attack castles. -NM
by Leopold Bloom on Feb 5, 2010 2:44 PM PST up reply actions
Judging by that
It appears stomper might have eaten Don instead.
"Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?" - Rickey
by cuppingmaster on Feb 5, 2010 4:12 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Having an A's fan put his hand in your mouth
is an ancient Oakland sign of death. And if you play the “Way Out West” jingle backwards, it sounds like Ken Korach saying, “Stomper is dead — miss him, miss him, miss him.”
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
oooo, I like you.
Sock puppets have never been able to successfully attack castles. -NM
by Leopold Bloom on Feb 5, 2010 8:57 PM PST up reply actions
Braden
Will be the fourth starter not the third. Chavy will more than likely be ending up as the 25th man on the roster.
Too bad it’s going to be another dreadful year offensively. Coco Crisp was a waste of money as well.
He could be 2nd
If they want to split righties and lefties. I think he would be ahead of Anderson just because of experience. Then again, I’m not sure if the list was intending to project the order.
I just listed those randomely...I figured they were 1-4 in any order
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
Braden at 3 would protect Anderson from sophmore slump
I like that rotation, and I really like that relief, and that defense has the potential to be stifling. That line-up is weak but might be effective during cold nights in the Coliseum when few opponents can hit (against that staff) with doubles promising to become the new green and gold signature. For the first time in years I let myself wonder if the A’s might actually be good?
by Ran on Feb 6, 2010 1:38 AM PST up reply actions
Heh.
Braden at 3 would protect Anderson from sophmore slump
How?
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
Because he will face lesser profile match-ups
And have less pressure placed on him to pitch to win.
by Ran on Feb 7, 2010 9:05 PM PST up reply actions
This is not really true
After a few weeks, pitching matchups are completely unhinged from any kind of organized #1-vs-#1/#2-vs-#2 order.
Shawn Spencer: "I’m receiving a transmission from your husband. Really more of a voicemail, if I'm being honest. A status update. Perhaps a twitter."
Burton Guster: "I believe it’s called a tweet."
Shawn Spencer: "There’s no way I’m saying that."
Does it even take weeks?
The A’s start off with what, 14 straight games without a day off this year? Against teams which no doubt, don’t. So I guess it comes down to the interpretation of “a few weeks” here, seeing as how 14 days is only two weeks…but two years in a dog’s life, if we were talking years.
Eh, I wouldn't really worry about giving Fox at bats.
He’s my prime bust candidate.
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
Interesting. My prime bust candidate is Jose Lima.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
's wife?
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
Yeah, or I guess it could be DiNardo
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
Really?
With Barton and Cust at 1B and DH, I wouldn’t mind having Fox, a guy who really mashes LHP on my bench (Barton’s reverse split is too small a sample to rely on). If Chavez is healthy—and I don’t mean “not-on-the-DL-healthy,” I mean above average defender at 3B, excellent at 1B, and capable of playing more than three consecutive days, then I suppose he gets the 25th spot by default. I’d still like a right handed power bat off the bench.
Also, CTRL+F: P-H-E-R yielded zero results, so are we all just writing McPherson as a future DL resident? If so, I think it’s silly to talk about Chavvy and not McPherson.
by Opus Youngblood on Feb 5, 2010 6:00 PM PST up reply actions
Sure, have him on the bench or in AAA if/when the Chavez injury occurs.
But my point is that finding at bats for Fox shouldn’t be an obligation for the A’s. He’s really not that good.
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
i voted other
as albert pujols would be the best 25th man for the a’s.
wait what? realistically? oh that sucks….
Awesome.
"Bobby Crosby at third is a bit of an adventure. And not like, here’s some hidden treasure, what fun. More like, gah! poison ants!" --alea iacta est
Voted other a 'none of the above'
I assumed it would be somebody not on the radar yet, knowing Beane.
Fox and Chavez
I don’t see how Fox does not make the team – he’s a legit power threat, even if he has considerable splits. The A’s can’t afford to send down power. But that doesn’t mean Chavez is a goner (assuming he’s healthy, etc.). The possible odd man out is Gross. I don’t think he’s a sure thing. If David, Sweeney, and Crisp are healthy and look good out of ST, then maybe they just go with Fox and Cust (and Chavez) as their spare OF’s.
I also don’t see the need for a long reliever (eg., DiNardo) if they’re carrying 7. I’d go with the 7 best, even if they’re all short/middle guys. It’s hard to wear down a 7-man pen, and if they do, just ship someone out and bring up the next in line from Sacto.
While this has made for an interesting discussion
if Chavez or Fox are relied on to make a significant contribution, the team is in big trouble this year. if things go as planned -Cust is the regular DH, Barton is keeping 1st base warm for Carter, and Taylor will replace one outfielders mid-season.
Such pessimism is unwarranted.
The As are working hard to field professionals at every position, no AAAA players or Crosbys or Hannahans. I think this is correct, and will be worth a few runs a game. And they don’t need to hammer home 6 runs per game to win most of ’em. Get 2 or 3 in the first 6 innings, and then hand it over to the pen. Chavez and/or Fox are, in this account, no more or less important to the overall season than any of the other players. There are no “necessary” pieces of this puzzle, but there is a lot of professional depth. Not brilliant depth, but real players.
I agree that's what the A's are going for
They have very little choice; they can’t afford stars unless they develop from prospects, and we don’t have anyone close enough to become a new star in 2010.
@worldblee on Twitter.
The A's need to pull a "Dubz".......
and ask the league for a hardship exemption.
I vote for Patterson, due to the fact that Chavy is gone after the season, so is one of Fox or Cust, and possibly both. Patterson is the only one I feel has a real future with the team, IE will/could be an A for years to come. Since competing in 2010 is still a reach, I lean harder on the guys that can help the team in 2011 and beyond.
"I mean, come on, man. I'm a vet. Don't talk to me like that. If they do, I'll just smile." Nnamdi Asomugha
I just want to say
that I have very much enjoyed seeing classic Chavvy photos on the front page the past couple of days. That is all.
what about Don's picture with Stomper?
Didn’t you enjoy that?
Sock puppets have never been able to successfully attack castles. -NM
by Leopold Bloom on Feb 5, 2010 10:30 PM PST up reply actions
I'm taking Chavy at face value
When he says he’s bringing a first baseman’s mitt and an OF mitt. If healthy, I could see him getting spot starts at 3rd, first, and LF, as well as emergency SS duty. Of course, the odds of injury/unable to perform are high, but if he can move around and throw, I bet he can be competent at any of those positions. He takes his defense seriously.
@worldblee on Twitter.
The idea of Chavez @ 1st part-time sounds good w/ me.
Any way his bat can be in the order the better.
I just don't understand this notion at all
The last time Chavez’s bat would have been tolerably decent coming out of a first baseman was 2005.
If he was named Hank Blalock no one would even think about advocating for him to get a roster spot. He should be treated like a minor-league invitee to spring training. If he comes in and shows the team he’s back to top form, that’s one thing. But otherwise, he should be released or in AAA. Having a crippled, useless player filling up a roster spot at the expense of better talent is, in addition to being a real downer (and setting a bad example for young players, if anyone cares about that), very damaging to the team’s chances.
Shawn Spencer: "I’m receiving a transmission from your husband. Really more of a voicemail, if I'm being honest. A status update. Perhaps a twitter."
Burton Guster: "I believe it’s called a tweet."
Shawn Spencer: "There’s no way I’m saying that."
Do We Really Need A Long Reliever??
It seems to me that with the depth we have currently with relievers do we reall need to be carrying a specialized long reliever?
Geren dealt with that specific question;
He feels the BP depth is primarily for 1 or 2 innings of work, and doesn’t want to work them overhard. (Like we’ve never seen our BP abused, right?)
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Athletics Nation
Related FanShots on Athletics Nation
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
