Chavez over Cust? For now at least...
by oakland9 on May 31, 2010 7:02 PM PDT
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PrintI might be in the minority here. But I want Chavez DHing when he is back with us (if).
I never was that fond of Cust, someone who strikes out and does not hit for average but hits home runs. I don't mind power hitter at all, but I do mind when we give away outs because he can only go big or do nothing with the at bat.
Cust is now not hitting very much at all in the line-up and has yet to go yard for us. I would really love too see us go out and get a much better bat for the DH. Jermaine Dye is always available. We can make a trade for a Konerko or a power bat like that.
Point is for me. I don't want too see Cust taking away at-bats from people who a)can use the at-bats to become better, a young guy, for our bright future. b)taking away value from other players who may be worth something in a trade for a bigger hitter. or c) striking our and hitting a HR every other series which we get excited about because we never hit HR's.
What do you all want to see with our DH spot?
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I'm really more than okay with Cust as DH.
Really.
It’s fine.
Don’t make me watch Chavez swing again.
Please?
"I feel like we are sending Danny Haren for Mulder all over again." - Cardinal fan on the Matt Holliday trade
"But at this time of year, two plus two doesn't always add up to eight. Sometimes, it equals four." - Geoff Baker, Mariners beat writer.
I agree with you, oakland9
You will be in the minority.
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
Really Nico have you watched Chavez within the last 3 years?
Bad pick Peyton "Regular Season" Manning!!!
Nico was agreeing with oakland9 in that he'd be in the minority
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 2, 2010 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions
Really?
I thought Chavez was doing better than Cust.
I guess for me I just get so frustrated when I see him go up their and strike out all the time.
I guess I am the only one that bothers lol. I don’t want Chavez either, I would love to find a better bat in FA or maybe give Taylor or Carter a chance, though they will strike out a lot too, at least it gives them a chance to get used to hitting.
Chavez was doing about as bad as possible
And a big no on Carter or Taylor now. They. Are. Not. Ready.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
Agreed.
Flashie’s seen more of ‘em than I have, but I’ve seen enough, and I don’t want either one of them up until maybe August at the earliest…
Quality Jones is my kind of hero.
by Gaijin_Suketto on Jun 1, 2010 7:50 AM PDT up reply actions
Cust's OBP currently sits at .383 (after today)
Give him a 3 HR week and he’ll be good old Jack Cust. Chavy will never be able to do either (post a .383 OBP or hit a few HRs in a week) again.
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
It’s just he strikes out so darn much!!!
We might not be doing anything, but I just wish we would.
Carter and Taylor won’t hurt their growth with a short stint in the Majors.
The A’s do things like that all the time to put a charge into the offense or just to give them a sniff of the big leagues if they stop working as hard in the minors.
If you hate strickouts so much why do you want Carter up?
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on May 31, 2010 7:43 PM PDT up reply actions
'Cause oakland9 sits on the 1B side and would enjoy the breeze?
The monster at the end of this blog.
That is different
That would just be to get him some MLB time so he remembers why he is learning to not strike out more. And thank you, I do enjoy a nice summer breeze at the stadium :). Only if we are winning though, and Cust isn’t making the breeze.
Why wouldn't it?
Obviously he’s saying that we put him in the majors as a punishment in order to remind him what happens if you strike out too much. He hates playing baseball at a high level, and will do whatever he can to avoid it!
by yo on Jun 1, 2010 4:01 AM PDT up reply actions 4 recs
PROGRAMMERS URGE AN USERS
USE COMMENT REC FEATURE
"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson
Meh
Carter and Taylor would be eaten alive by MLB pitching right now. Absolutely eaten alive. That is NOT the best thing for them at this point in their development. I’ve said it numerous times – with the way it’s going right now you either call them up later in the year such as when rosters expand or you wait until next season. With them, you bring them up with the intention of them being immediate fixtures in the lineup, not platooning or getting a few ABs every handful of games. These are not guys to fool around with.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
I dunno
Taylor seems kind of cute.
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 more of a carter man, myself.
Maybe we can double?
What you fail to understand in your joyless myopia is that baseball is the key to life-- the Rosetta Stone, if you will. If you just understood baseball better all your other questions your, your... the, uh... the aliens, the conspiracies they would all, in their way be answered by the baseball gods.
How 'bout you and me go out
and we ditch the big guys?
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
Sounds good!
What you fail to understand in your joyless myopia is that baseball is the key to life-- the Rosetta Stone, if you will. If you just understood baseball better all your other questions your, your... the, uh... the aliens, the conspiracies they would all, in their way be answered by the baseball gods.
by winchester5 on May 31, 2010 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Exactly,
we can’t treat them like Fox/ Patterson.
by sf drift king on Jun 1, 2010 2:55 AM PDT up reply actions
We all have those little things we don’t like. I don’t like either, I would prefer a hit. I guess I just do’t like K’s that much.
Okay, but what you, personally, don't LIKE has NOTHING to do with winning baseball games.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on May 31, 2010 8:00 PM PDT up reply actions
and that is why it is MY opinion and MY fanpost. So i can state however I feel about the team. Obviously I don’t own the team or this might happen. Or most likely not.
Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!! {Runs screaming in other direction}
A Ballade [for the Angels Fan], by Eustache Deschamps: "We are cowardly, ill-formed and weak / Aged, envious and evil-spoken. / I see only fools and sots / Truly the end is nigh / All goes ill."
It depends on the strikeout.
Bobby Crosby strikeouts… continually flailing away low and outside… always pissed me off.
Pitching and defense wins pennants, but offense sells tickets.
Cust has been up for 12 Games, and has been worth 0.1 WAR - thats not that great
But you’re advocating a guy who played 33 Games and amassed a WAR of NEGATIVE 0.5
12. GAMES.
Listening to Townsend almost made me sick earlier today…at some point we have to give guys a longer leash than a handful of ABs.
"The A's have to be setting some record this year for simultaneously maximizing team quality and player anonymity. I guess that’s sort of their thing though." - Luke in MN
Er.
but I do mind when we give away outs because he can only go big or do nothing with the at bat.
Jack Cust currently leads the team in not making an out.
I'm walking out in a force ten gale.
Birds thrown around, bullets for hail.
by danmerqury on May 31, 2010 7:59 PM PDT reply actions 10 recs
Dan. How many times have I told you to stop using those damned facts in your arguments.
You gotta make things up and talk about how certain results make you feel.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on May 31, 2010 8:01 PM PDT up reply actions
my only problem with this post
is that it was not the first response in this thread. That is where this conversation needs to end.
Jack Cust: Nothing but true results…. Sac OPS: .964
by Athletics fan and runner on Jun 1, 2010 6:16 AM PDT up reply actions
It consistently amazes me that because Cust or Reynolds or Dunn or whoever have a low average,
everybody thinks that they’re boom/bust types who either hit HRs or make an out.
I'm walking out in a force ten gale.
Birds thrown around, bullets for hail.
by danmerqury on Jun 1, 2010 10:55 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Meh, I don't mind people making the mistake
I don’t expect people to just KNOW this stuff. What bothers me is when they’re combative and choosing to be ignorant. The desire to not receive useful information just bugs the crap out of me.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 11:40 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Oh yeah.
Completely agreed.
I'm walking out in a force ten gale.
Birds thrown around, bullets for hail.
what a discussion!!
chavey or cust?? sort of like the blind leading the blind if you ask me. if the baseball gods and the hustle of the A’s keep us in the hunt, for a month or so more, than BB needs to go get us a DH period.
+1
thank you, this is the point I was trying to make in the 30 seconds I had to state it lol.
In the future, I'd suggest if you only have 30 seconds to make a point...
…you should wait until you have more time to form it if you’re going to make a FanPost.
Honestly, your comments on Carter in particular are perplexing.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
Good advice, Flashfire --
I’ll try to do that with my front page analysis.
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
Or just call it into Speed-Brick?
Be passionate.
"Not in your wildest alcoholic nightmare would you ever imagine such events unfolding!" Bill King
by Buck Turgidson on May 31, 2010 9:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Funny thing: I was getting a "Cust hasn't been bad, but Chavez was brutal" post
Then I checked and…well…before today Cust had been an above average hitter so far this year. That’s with one extra base hit. Think about that for a minute. Cust hasn’t done what he’s best at doing, and he’s STILL been above average.
Oh, and Chavez was striking out in 28% of his at bats. That’s still a lot, though not quite as much as Cust.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on May 31, 2010 8:03 PM PDT reply actions
That's why I say, just wait until he has a nice 3-HR week
and the Cust love train will be back. Because he’s already getting on base and he WILL hit some HRs.
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
Of course he will. And even if he doesn't, he's clearly the best option the team has.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on May 31, 2010 8:28 PM PDT up reply actions
For a guy who's been the subject of, what, 10,000 posts and comments, this is a remarkably tepid endorsement.
I am angry, I am ill and I'm as ugly as sin/My irritability keeps me alive and kicking/I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit/I know beauty and I know a good thing when I see it -- Magazine, "A Song from Under the Floorboards"
by Ray of Lite on May 31, 2010 11:51 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't
agree with the first part:: “of course he will”; but am sadly forced to agree with the latter part:: " he clearly is the best option the team has".
So as I stated earlier, if we are still in it in July, then BB has got to get us a real honest to John, real life, 2010, American League version of a DESIGNATED HITTER….with emphasis on both words: DESIGNATED and HITTER!!!!!!
I don't understand the emphasis
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 2, 2010 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions
Cust
Can’t hit is the emphasis.
He wants a guy who hits .260+ at that spot in the order, from what I here that is the “prototypical DH”
Steve Phillips is an idiot.
Batting average.
It ain’t the greatest stat.
I'm walking out in a force ten gale.
Birds thrown around, bullets for hail.
How many other hitters on the team have a .383 OBP like Cust? People need to calm down.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on May 31, 2010 8:16 PM PDT reply actions
At the moment, Ellis.
But that’s at the moment.
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
At work
So some stuff I write will leave you puzzled. I don’t have tons of time. But basicallym I just want a solid hitter who has power and a little average and what not instead of Cust who strikes out or now even Chavez who hits tweener pop-ups and groudouts with the occassional bloop single.
Eric Patterson has power and a little average
Very little.
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've been told I'm a little average, but I don't have any power.
A Ballade [for the Angels Fan], by Eustache Deschamps: "We are cowardly, ill-formed and weak / Aged, envious and evil-spoken. / I see only fools and sots / Truly the end is nigh / All goes ill."
Saying you want a better hitter than Cust is NOT the same as saying you think Chavez would be a better fit
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 5:53 AM PDT up reply actions
MLB top 3 leaders in Ks
1. Mark Reynolds
2. Justin Upton
3. David Wright
Of those guys, how many would you like on the A’s? The answer should be three.
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
by vignette17 on May 31, 2010 8:25 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Really great article from Jeff Passan
Passan looks at increased strikeout rates and how that might have affected the increase in number of perfect games/no-hitters (fewer balls put in play if you look at a perfect game as the probability you get when you take BABIP and raise it to the number of balls put in play).
But the more interesting part of the article deals with increasing strikeout rates:
“38 hitters are striking out in 25 percent or more of their at-bats. The number in 2000 was 16, and in 1990 it was 10, and in 1980, Gorman Thomas was the only player who ended the season with such a dishonor. Today, it’s more like a baseline.”
I think teams are okay with these kinds of players now whereas before they maybe would have never given them the chance:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AlJMD6J4o.4SHDEG3eOWP2IRvLYF?slug=jp-tendegrees053010
dishonor?
no, there is no dishonor in the K, oh my brother.
"Not in your wildest alcoholic nightmare would you ever imagine such events unfolding!" Bill King
by Buck Turgidson on May 31, 2010 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions
This just shows that teams are realizing that the strikeout really isn't that bad if the player doing the striking out has other skills
(Which is why Chavez needs to go away. He struck out 28% of the time this year and he brought nothing else to the table)
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 5:54 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, because they also hit for a much better average and can play the field. That is not a productive example.
The point is you shouldn't hate Ks for Ks sake
I never said Cust was a better player than those three.
As an aside, Mark Reynolds hit .224 last year and was a -11 fielder in 2008 and 2009.
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
Chavez may not be done yet
I think he may be one of the 25 players that gives the team the best chance to win. I just think that Patterson or Fox are the players that could be replaced. Not Cust
.
by gambler on May 31, 2010 8:55 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
I think Chavy is giving the team its best chance to win right now
Playing, not so much.
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
Patterson & Fox can play the field at least
Even Cust can be in the field in a pinch.
Chavez, not.
When Chavez plays in the field
there is a pinch. That’s why he can’t.
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
Next time Chavy is in the field, we'll all need a pinch - to wake up!
A Ballade [for the Angels Fan], by Eustache Deschamps: "We are cowardly, ill-formed and weak / Aged, envious and evil-spoken. / I see only fools and sots / Truly the end is nigh / All goes ill."
If Chavez is playing the field, I'd prefer being unconscious
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 3:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Well, yes, but I was going for the whole "it'll only happen in a bad dream" kind of thing.
A Ballade [for the Angels Fan], by Eustache Deschamps: "We are cowardly, ill-formed and weak / Aged, envious and evil-spoken. / I see only fools and sots / Truly the end is nigh / All goes ill."
question: is there anyone for the A's to go after?
listening to CT after the game a bit – talk about brutal! – he was lamenting how awful the A’s DH has been so far. I’m not one to run the numbers so I’ll take him at his word along with my own unscientific eyes – not a lot of HR’s from the DH spot. OK, not ideal.
But what are our options? Who is available? We know Carter and Taylor aren’t ready. Dye remains unsigned and probably for a reason (he’s not as good a hitter as he thinks he is). So what options remain for this team to improve the middle of our order? I sure hope someone puts together a fanpost telling me – hint, hint.
In the meantime, I wonder who I would give up to get a legitimate middle of the order hitter and all I can say for sure is who I would NOT give up: Anderson, Barton, Gonzales, Suzuki, Carter. Probably not Cahill, Taylor or Sweeney either unless we got someone for more an this year. And then I wonder, seriously, who are we gonna get?
I suspect this is more or less our team for the year – maybe a minor trade or two at the deadline – and hey, it’s not so bad. Doubt we’ll win it all but it’s better than it’s been for the last few years. And it’s getting better.
Go A’s!
Some of the guys I'd like to see are the guys
I wanted to A’s to go after this off-season, but no luck. Troy Glaus (love him!). Eric Hinske.
But what do I know? I also wanted Nick Johnson. Oops.
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'd LOVE to have Hart,
but I probably wouldn’t love giving up what we’d have to in order to get him.
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 D-train can hit
and he can pitch in relief, kill 2 birds with 1 rock. ; )
by sf drift king on Jun 1, 2010 3:04 AM PDT up reply actions
No on Dye
I don’t really have anything else to say besides the fact that, yes, in a perfect world we would have a more productive bat in the DH slot, but we aren’t ready for that. Give it another month to see if we can make a good run at the division title.
Wade Hines
there are limited options in the A's price range
Jose Guilen is the best option. Other players like sweeney or Branyan aren’t much better than Cust. I doubt the A’s entertain a salary dump like Alex Rios.
by gambler on May 31, 2010 9:13 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Ty Wigginton?
I’m trying to think of decent-but-not-too-great, good power, reasonably priced players on teams already out of the race.
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
Austin Kearns or Jose Bautista?
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on May 31, 2010 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Ugh
Guillen, Wigginton, Kearns, and Bautista all pretty much disgust me. It shouldn’t be hard to find a LF who can hit. Luke Scott could be nice. Berkman would be a nice hitter but I’m not sure if he can play OF anymore. Andruw Jones could be nice. And I would take Alex Rios but with the year he’s having I doubt the White Sox part with him.
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
And Rios is signed for 3 or 4 more years
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 5:58 AM PDT up reply actions
I think some ANers wouldn't mind getting Wigginton to DH ?
RRS mentioned it and i was going to suggest him too!
Nico tell Billy to get er done!!! :)
Every man for himself...
i mind
He's not missing bats and still giving up HRs like they're party favors at Chuck-E-Cheese - mikev
by designatedforassignment on Jun 1, 2010 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions
That’s sort of like what Andruw Jones has done.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 1, 2010 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't think Jose Guillen is better than Cust. I don't think Sweeney or Branyan are better than Cust.
And the White Sox won’t give up Rios. Why would they?
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 5:56 AM PDT up reply actions
They need to change their price range.
Either take on someone who makes significant money for a couple of years (like Roy Oswalt, for example), or just don’t bother. The “throw mediocre suck out there and see if we catch lightning in a bottle” approach just doesn’t work.
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
Ever since the 90's
I have felt this team doing great things but never letting them all come together. I want too see them this decade take ahold of their players they bring through the system, make them great players, and give them the money they deserve.
We don’t have much, but we got to save some for these guys.
I remeber watching games with Tejada, Giambi, and Chavez kill pitching staffs.
Back then, the stands would be filled with fans watching the team win. I want that back.
That’s why Cust is my least favorite. He strikes out, and it reminds me that the team we used to have and the prideful winning organization is widdeling down to guys who jack out 30 homers but strike out 180 times a year.
So anyone who strikeout a lot is not on your list of favorite players..
So I would assume you wouldn’t like Ryan Howard (45HR – 186 SO) or Mark Reynolds (44HR – 223 SO) or Adam Dun(44HR – 196 SO) I don’t know about you but man I would love these kind of players in the middle of my lineup ;)
if Cust hit 45 HR I might re-consider. But in a full year I think 30 is about where he is. But his BA will be .230
These guys hit better than that for the most part. They also drive in 100 a year.
But Cust doesn't control people in front of him to get on base..
I think if the lineup has better hitter that get on base consistently Cust could drive 100+ also. But they don’t and its not his fault..
If that were the case
some team would have claimed him, and no team in the majors did.
Cust will never drive in 100+ runs; he’s not that type of player. He does have a keen eye for the strike zone that helps him draw a lot of walks, but more often than not, he’s left at the plate looking at a called STRIKE 3 or guessing incorrectly at a pitch ending the AB in a strikeout. And on 20/25+ times a year, he guesses correctly on a bad pitch and connects for a HR.
IMO, Cust is not a clutch hitter; he seems more concerned with drawing the BB rather than looking for a pitch to hit / drive. His ABs look as if he’s relying to heavily on his strengths, which see him take the “safe” and “dependable” route, which isn’t a bad thing. He’s led the team in OBP for the last 3 seasons. I just wish fans would appreciate Cust for who he is and not project him to be some type of difference maker or clutch hitter that we thought we had in that 2 week stretch in May of 2007. He will never be Big Poppi, someone Blez compared him to when Cust first arrived. Get use to it, he is who he is: an inexpensive, three outcome player.
by sf drift king on Jun 1, 2010 3:43 AM PDT up reply actions
So you're saying that if Jeter, ARod, and Teixeira hit in front of Cust, he still wouldn't drive in 100?
Even though he was has a career .880 OPS w/RISP in his career?
That’s crazy.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 5:59 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
never mind the fact that
with a bunch of .350+ OPB hitters in front of him, he’d have more at bats . . .
Your first place Oakland A's.
by eastcoasta'sfan on Jun 1, 2010 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions
I agree with what thejd44 states above
If Cust had better hitter in front of him he would drive in those runs.. I believe Cust is pretty good with RISP if you stop focusing on the few times he strikes out.
never use RBI's to judge a hitter
you can get 2 RBI’s with a single but only 1 RBI with a HR…
HILLIS...where are you???
you can only get 2 if 2 guys are on in front of you
so that means in the same scenario a HR is 3…I agree with your argument that RBI is a bad stat to judge by, but that logic doesn’t hold up
"I was right and you were wrong." - Ray Fosse
Yes it does
RBIs depend an enormous amount on something the hitter has no control over: how often he hits with lots of runners on base. Kurt Suzuki might have as many RBI’s hitting 3,4, or 5 for the Yankees as Mark Texeira would have hitting in the same place for the A’s, simply because of how many more runners the Yankees get on base (and, to some extent, how many more ABs Zooks would get as a result). That doesn’t in any way mean that Suzuki is as good a hitter as Teixeira.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
If you can get 2 rbi with a single...
(like, when there are runners on 2nd and 3rd), but hit a HR instead of a single, you’d get 3 rbi.
Robbo was comparing apples to oranges.
that's the point
people who compare how many runs this guy drove in vs that guy are making the same meaningless comparisons.
And that's also the point...
Robbo was saying that RBI is a bad stat for judging individual performance, which, as you have indicated, is true. But as KBToyz pointed out, Robbo’s example didn’t really make sense in the context of his own argument.
I think what he was trying to point out
Was that RBIs aren’t dependent as much on the results of an at-bat as much as whether you have others on in front of you.
Basically, everyone would agree that a HR is a better result than a single. But that distinction won’t necessarily reflect in the RBI column, and in fact could reward a less good at-bat more than a successful one.
right, because runs
are not important in baseball.
Your first place Oakland A's.
by eastcoasta'sfan on Jun 1, 2010 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions
Runs are important
But RBIs are dependent on far too many things to determine, whatsoever, how good a hitter is at creating those runs.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 11:41 AM PDT up reply actions
If Cust can hit .230 with 30 HRs, you don't want him?
That would solve the A’s need for a DH. Especially since it would come with a high OBP.
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
+1
I want quality hits and production. Not just spot HR’s
You don't know if he's not getting "quality hits" (what does that mean?) with a .230 average
And a guy who hits for a lot of power and gets on base a lot is providing production. Lots of it. I feel 100% confident in saying you have no fucking clue what production means, and you’re stubbornly refusing to learn.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 6:01 AM PDT up reply actions
You Want
The guy whose only job is to hit, to have that bad an average? We can get the same power and a better hitter via trade or FA.
Pat Burrell? Though he is signed with the Giants now =[. He would not be too bad, though he is having a bad year, but that is just an example.
you do understand what "on-base percentage" means right?
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
TWSS
A Ballade [for the Angels Fan], by Eustache Deschamps: "We are cowardly, ill-formed and weak / Aged, envious and evil-spoken. / I see only fools and sots / Truly the end is nigh / All goes ill."
Does body paint have primer?
I thought that was only for metal objects :)
Quality Jones is my kind of hero.
by Gaijin_Suketto on Jun 2, 2010 8:00 AM PDT up reply actions
Pat Burrell isn’t just having a bad year. He had a .682 OPS in 2009 with a .304 wOBA. He’s been even worse in 2010.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on May 31, 2010 11:28 PM PDT up reply actions
.258, .256, .250, 221, .202
Pat Burrell’s batting average the last 5 years.
This is the guy you want? Good call, dude.
SIG SPACE AVAILABLE FOR SPONSORSHIP. INQUIRE WITHIN.
He hit .250 before! He's awesome!
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 6:01 AM PDT up reply actions
Precisely,
yet, people want to focus on the strikeout. He gets on base and hits for power, that’s a good thing.
by sf drift king on Jun 1, 2010 3:47 AM PDT up reply actions
Did you have some really bad Little League coaches back in the day?
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on May 31, 2010 9:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Me too.
Quality Jones is my kind of hero.
by Gaijin_Suketto on Jun 1, 2010 7:55 AM PDT up reply actions
We may need to trade a pitcher
I am rooting for Taylor and Carter, but it looks like they won’t be able to hold Giambi or Tejedas jock strap. If they did a cycle they probably could.
by gambler on May 31, 2010 9:31 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
I don't know about this judgement
I would wait until Carter/Taylor go through their prime before saying if that. Plus which pitcher would you want to trade? I mean we just lost Duke for the whole year
The A's pitching depth is a lot less than it might seem
Arnold Leon just had TJ surgery. Simmons is cooked and was never high ceiling to begin with. Mortensen sucks. Figueroa, Hornbeck, and Capra are wild cards who aren’t that close anyway. The A’s would be wise not to trade young pitching for a bat.
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
And Ross and Mazzaro, the only two real starting prospects left, are being wasted in the bullpen.
Yay….
"We were shit, pathetic," Guillen growled early in spring training. "We hit too many home runs."
by lenscrafters on May 31, 2010 9:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't really care about that, since they're getting
a different kind of valuable experience (traveling with veteran pitchers, facing big league hitters). My concern is that they’re not that great. Mazzaro looks to me like a #4 starter to me and Ross’s control is about as reassuring as his mechanics. Though one can be hoepful in both cases, I wouldn’t hold my breath on either one.
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
But they should be
learning how to pitch by pitching not osmosis. Ross’ lack of a third pitch has been exposed, and Mazzaro’s not looked that great since the first couple of games last year.
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
I wouldn't mind Ross going down to Sac and starting
with Kilby coming up to relieve
Quality Jones is my kind of hero.
by Gaijin_Suketto on Jun 1, 2010 7:56 AM PDT up reply actions
Mazzaro should be in AAA as well
for like the rest of the season. IMO
Since he decided to wear his shoulder out last year. He currently looks like someone who should not be in the ML’s as his stuff looks ordinary.
This touches on a question I have always pondered...
Can a player get all the preparation they need at AAA? (Or any level in preparing for whatever the next level is)
or
Do players “finish” their seasoning for the next level at the next level?
Pitching and defense wins pennants, but offense sells tickets.
I think the short answer is: Depends on the player.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions
yes and no
This is just my take from having observed the game a bit. I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination.
I think that most baseball people will tell you that, while you can know a lot from what someone does in the minors, and you can certainly rule someone out based on what they do in the minors, you just don’t know if someone can hit major league pitching, or get major league hitters out, until they actually do it.
most teams keep their top prospects in AA for development and use AAA as a warehouse for the major league team. That way, the real prospects can play consistently without being bumped by a major leaguer on a rehab stint.
AAA provides a bit more of a glimpse because you have a lot of people who are either on rehab, being warehoused, or who at least have had major league experience.
Ultimately, players progress through the system based on a number of factors (team need being a big one). Usually, if you shine at one level, you’ll get a shot at the next level . . . until the next level is the bigs. At that point, they are really looking not only at your numbers but at mechanics and much more to assess whether you are likely to succeed.
But, at the end of the day, there is no way to simulate the major league game. That’s why player development takes so long and is so uncertain.
Your first place Oakland A's.
by eastcoasta'sfan on Jun 1, 2010 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions
For sake of argument
let’s talk about a pitcher we will call Cevor Tahill.Now Cevor struck out over 8 batters per nine innings pitched in AA., after posting over 10 K/9 in the lower minors. He had a good sinking fastball and a good curve that he struck people out with. He was on his way to being a great top of the order pitcher.
The very next year, because of bad injury luck and terrible management Cevor Broke camp with the big club. There after having his curve ball hit hard, he abandoned the pitch. His K rate plummeted. By some accounts he was the 2nd worst pitcher in the league.
Maybe if he was kept in AAA he would have learned how to use that pitch without having to GIVE IT UP ENTIRELY.
Much like ross, he needs to learn a third pitch and go every 5th day.
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
I'm arguing no to the first variation of your question
Can a player get all the preparation they need at AAA? (Or any level in preparing for whatever the next level is)
I say no. On average, the absolute best AAA hitters aren’t much better than your league average MLB hitters. If not, they’d probably be in MLB. You have your elite prospects, but you also have your fodder.
Pitchers dominate AAA and then get absolutely crushed in MLB all the time, sometimes for multiple seasons, and then begin the adaptation. Homer Bailey, Derek Holland, Phil Hughes, Clay Buchholz, etc., Even #1 overall pick David Price didn’t immediately adapt to being a starter in MLB.
And, players dominate AAA and still end up busts. Matt LaPorta’s still struggling, the Patterson brothers, plenty of folk.
This is why a season where the vast majority of your core has little-no MLB experience is almost a complete crapshoot. And, of course, TINSTAPP.
But then, ultimately, as thejd44 said above me, it depends on the player. Players come out and dominate straight out of the gate. It happens. See: Jason Heyward (SSS caveat).
"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it" ~ Mae West
and having them sit in the bullpen isn't going to do a damn thing to help them with either of those issues
They should both be starting every 5th day in AAA.
SIG SPACE AVAILABLE FOR SPONSORSHIP. INQUIRE WITHIN.
#4 pitcher? generous are we??
I would say he’s a #7; ie, keep him out of the starting lineup. No more injuries allowed until Outman returns in July.
by sf drift king on Jun 1, 2010 3:53 AM PDT up reply actions
Ross's use was justifiable, but Mazzaro's isn't.
The same way the Rangers’ usage of Neftali Feliz is justifiable, but the Mets’ usage of Mejia is absurd and dumb.
Ross’s use made sense until he started getting lit up. There’s no use to use a prospect in a low leverage bullpen role or in mop up duty. On the A’s, all the high leverage will be sucked up by Bailey, Wuertz, Ziegler, and Breslow, but Ross still played an important role due to the starting staff’s inability to get deep into games.
Mazzaro should NOT be the mop-up man. Call up Cedrick Bowers and use him in that role. Grab some guy off waivers and put him in mop up.
"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it" ~ Mae West
Isn't Mazzarro here now because we don't know what will happen with Anderson
When that is straitened out he will be gone?
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
If this is truly the reason, I'm fine with it
Though realistically, Ross could fill that same role. But if they’re keeping Mazzaro around as Anderson insurance, that’s alright.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions
This is what I'm saying --
I don’t see a big problem with Mazzaro being up for a couple weeks during this Duke/Anderson transition period. If he doesn’t go back down soon I have a problem with that.
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
Mark? I doubt it.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on May 31, 2010 9:40 PM PDT up reply actions
Debbie, on the other hand...
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
they were smoking it
when they gave burns that 3yr/ $30M contract..
by sf drift king on Jun 1, 2010 3:56 AM PDT up reply actions
This is his fourth season in the league. He slugged .543 last year with a .380 wOBA. The numbers are down so far a little bit this year, but he’s a really good hitter.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on May 31, 2010 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions
I'd compliment every time he HRed, if that helps.
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
What does "to compliment (or complement) him" mean?
Aside from league switch and park (which, by the way, should be taken into account), why wouldn’t he hit homers in Oakland?
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 6:07 AM PDT up reply actions
I am not saying he won't hit homers
I just don’t believe he’ll hit 44; if I was any pitcher knowing that Reynolds is the power hitter and the other 8 people in the lineup is not that great I would pitch around Reynolds in most situations.
If they don't think they're contending in the next 2 years
Assuming Upton and Haren aren’t getting traded anytime soon, it may make sense to trade Reynolds to get elite pitching talent, since they’ve lost most/all their elite SP talent (except for Haren, of course) in trades and injuries.
The team can hit, but they can’t pitch outside of Haren, Jackson, and Kennedy, and their farm is weak. Jackson’ s a FA after the 2011 season, so unless the team is contending in 2011, he needs to be traded now. Which, I can’t see as too likely to happen. The team’s better than its record, but not by much.
Trading Jackson, Johnson, and LaRoche, of course, would also be necessary, but none of those guys have the capability to bring back elite talent. Reynolds does. And, someone will be dumb and value him as a 3B, and not as a LF/1B/DH.
"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it" ~ Mae West
Trouble is, the A's really shouldn't trade young pitching for Reynolds
They’re not nearly as deep in young pitching as it once appeared — and the depth you do have tends to go fast.
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 100% agree with you.
All the reasons why it would make sense for the DBacks to trade Reynolds are all the reasons for the A’s not to trade for him.
You have to factor in park/league adjustment and the fact that Reynolds is horrendous at 3B and desperately needs to be moved off position.
It makes sense to trade for him, but not nearly at the prices the DBacks will inevitably ask due to his (high) perceived value as a “elite, slugging 3B,” which he, frankly, is not.
"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it" ~ Mae West
My problem with Reynolds is similar to yours
I honestly think he’s a product of park, league, and being good at the one thing that gets a player noticed (hitting the ball really damn far a whole bunch of times). Now, home runs are good. I wish the A’s hit more of them. But Reynolds just isn’t a great player. He’s a good player who I think is going to have a very short peak.
He doesn’t walk enough to have a high OBP, and he doesn’t hit enough line drives to sustain the BABIP he had last year (and that’s showing up in his numbers this year).
I think Reynolds going forward is probably a slightly above league average player. In a lot of ways, he’s a poor man’s Kouzmanoff with the glove, but Kouzmanoff is a poor man’s Reynolds with the bat. I’d prefer somebody better than both guys.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 2, 2010 9:05 AM PDT up reply actions
What do you guys think about a trade of Mazzaro/Ross/Capra, Cardenas, and Donaldson to the Diamondbacks for Chris Young?
Just a cuckoo trade idea, but I think he’s a guy that they should try and get especially with the D-Backs out of it, and already having some good young hitters on that team. Maybe they might want to capitalize on some of their guys right now since they aren’t going anywhere? They already have Upton, Reynolds, Johnson, LaRoche, and Drew hitting the ball really well, and no way they would trade Upton, but they might get the most in a trade for Young. It looks like they are pretty deep in outfield talent in their system. He could help out in the middle of the order for us and possibly be our cleanup guy.
That’s definitely way too much for Chris Young.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on May 31, 2010 11:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Besides, they'd appreciate (and we're in a better position to give) pitching.
Their bullpen is an absolute mess. Our bullpen is almost overflowing.
I'm walking out in a force ten gale.
Birds thrown around, bullets for hail.
Weurtz and Capra, maybe
But I don’t think they’d really be interested in a guy like Weurtz given that they’re in dead last and he’s not getting any younger.
SIG SPACE AVAILABLE FOR SPONSORSHIP. INQUIRE WITHIN.
I wouldn't trade any of those 5 guys straight up for Chris Young
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 6:07 AM PDT up reply actions
can we let chavvy rehab in AAA for a while?
i’ll buy the point that he’s incredibly rusty, even if he’s recovered (as much as can be expected) from the surgeries. we’re already paying him. could we just let him stay in AAA until he gets his timing back? because there’s no way we should call him up over cust (or basically anyone) on our team if he’s still hitting the way he was earlier. maybe if he stays in the minors for an extended rehab assignment, he might either get his timing back, or, if not, realize its over and hang ‘em up. i really hope it’s the former, but fear the latter is more likely.
Even if he gets his timing back
his body is in shambles. He wouldn’t be able to do anything with the ball.
that's my guess as well
but the question is, can we keep him on an extended rehab assignment in the minors? because if he gets a decent number of ABs, but is still off, then it’s a pretty clear sign he’s done.
by guy incognito on Jun 1, 2010 1:31 AM PDT up reply actions
20 days is the most you can be on a rehab assignment, I believe
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 6:08 AM PDT up reply actions
Well then I'd assume he'd go back on the Major League DL
Since a guy on a rehab assignment is, for roster purposes, not demoted or optioned or anything like that.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions
why are we talkin abt Chavy?
is he due back soon? I thot his injury was going to keep him out a while, no?
by sf drift king on Jun 1, 2010 3:59 AM PDT up reply actions
If he's smart he retires
If BB cares at all about the guy, he refuses to let him back in the lineup. The doctors have repeatedly told him he risks permanent paralysis by playing with those bulging disks
"I was right and you were wrong." - Ray Fosse
waste of a AAA roster spot
Your first place Oakland A's.
by eastcoasta'sfan on Jun 1, 2010 11:45 AM PDT up reply actions
I am not a Chavez fan, but I am tired of hearing about someone with a SLG of .282, being the best hitter. That
was the same thing is Sacramento. His OPS, was ok, but it was very OBP dependent. His SLG in Sacramento, was slightly above Jai Miller. Who was cut. Cust has the skills set of a Pat Burell, and can drop off the map at any time. We might have to accept Jack may have lost the power stroke. I hope he hasn’t, but you never know.
Someone joins AN on May 29th
and then two days later tries to stir the pot like this? And everybody takes him seriously?
I get more of a "13 year old who doesn't know better" vibe from this
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 6:09 AM PDT up reply actions
It's truly sad that this is a question being posed
I think back to just three years ago (2007 season) and what the reaction of people would have been if you had asked this question [I believe that they would have gone apeshit on you] yet it could have been a valid question back then. That was approximately 35 million pro-rated dollars ago.
OK, in a nut shell
Strike outs don’t matter, outs are outs.
Cust is very good at getting on base and hits a good number of homers.
Chavez is broken. As much as I love him as a fan he needs to retire and comeback once his kids are school age as a coach.
Cust is a better option that Chavez.
It is that simple.
Jack Cust: Nothing but true results…. Sac OPS: .964
by Athletics fan and runner on Jun 1, 2010 6:20 AM PDT reply actions
POWELL FOR DH!
Screw Chavez and Cust! Powell has been consistent when given the playing time..i think he should be given the chance to DH and go from there
by HeavyHitters510 on Jun 1, 2010 7:10 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
That is an interesting idea.
Comparing Powell to the other 3 players we’ve had at dh this year (Fox, Chavez, Cust), his obp is only a few points lower than Cust’s. (.383 to .375). His Slugging % is almost 40 points higher than Chavez (.370 to .333). His avg is a little higher than Cust’s (.261 to .256). His wOBA is much higher than Cust’s (.345 to .319) He has the same number of home runs as Fox and Chavez (1). Powell has something none of them have, 1 stolen base.
Looking at their stats I wouldn’t mind seeing him at dh more, Powell either leads that group in the important stat categories or is a very close 2nd. I think we should give Cust a little more time to see if his bat comes around. less than 50 plate appearances is not enough of a sample size.
Playing Powell every day, even at DH, would wreak havoc on his knees
And Cust has a much more impressive track record as a hitter.
If you think Billy Beane is a bad GM, I hate you and find you stupid.
I agree. His knees have been his downfall.
but if Cust continues to not have any pop, then something needs to be done to get some in the lineup.
re: Dye
He (or, was it his agent?) has admitted that he has not been working out in his “time off”. Even if we were to sign him… and I am NOT making the case that we do… but even if we did, it’d probably take him a month to get back to MLB-level playing condition.
Pitching and defense wins pennants, but offense sells tickets.
both suck right now
i would use powell so i never have to see him not cover the plate on a play at home again like the one against texas. i believe it was kinsler who was comin home.
I don’t think a .383 OBP means that you’re sucking. His slugging percentage is low, but it won’t be this low for long. Despite struggling in that department, he’s still getting on base at a really good rate.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 1, 2010 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions
Let's let Dallas Braden be the DH...
He sure looks like he could be more than capable of DHing for the A’s after that tarp hitting and sliding performance he put on during the rain delay!!!
Every man for himself...
Dontrelle Willis
He can hit, he’s from Oak/Alameda, make it happen. Or Carlos Delgado, where is that guy?
The A's are a fairly quiet team, and then there's Ben Sheets. Sheets, as a kid, must have been thrown out of every library in Baton Rouge. ~ Scott Ostler
Delgado still rehabing hop surgery
should be back in June according to Wiki, I hope we give this guy a shot because it would a low cost, low risk, possible high reward type of acquisition. His ’08 numbers were fantastic.
The A's are a fairly quiet team, and then there's Ben Sheets. Sheets, as a kid, must have been thrown out of every library in Baton Rouge. ~ Scott Ostler
If signing Delgado pushes Cust to the bench or LF
Then its not worth signing Delgado.
We really could use a mashing LFer though…
-The president of the "Sign Elijah Dukes" fan club.
That makes sense. The Diamondbacks are starved for pitching. They’re last in ERA in all of baseball last time I checked.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 1, 2010 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions
And it could get even worse now
But at least Willis will get to hit again.
Last of the Ninth - Photography
hip surgery, sorry
The A's are a fairly quiet team, and then there's Ben Sheets. Sheets, as a kid, must have been thrown out of every library in Baton Rouge. ~ Scott Ostler
This is not little league
where the worst kid on the team is the one who strikes out the most. MLB does not work that way.
You don’t seem like a “use data to make decisions” kind of person. But, FWIW, here are the all time strikeout leaders in MLB history:
Reggie Jackson
Jim Thome
Sammy Sosa
Andres Gallaraga
Jose Canseco
Willie Stargell
Mike Schmidt
Fred McGriff
Tony Perez
Dave Kingman
Active batters in the top 50 include Thome, Mike Cameron, Ken Griffey Jr, Manny Ramirez, Carlos Delgado, Arod, Andruw Jones, Bobby Abreu and Derek Jeter.
Are there any players on the current roster who you’d take over any of these guys? (I was going to add the qualifier “in their primes”, but on reflection that might not be necessary.)
There’s a saying in the army – when you realize you’re digging a hole in the wrong place, the first thing to do is . . . STOP DIGGING.
Get over it. Cust is the best or second best offensive player on the team.
Your first place Oakland A's.
by eastcoasta'sfan on Jun 1, 2010 11:36 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
BTW, Ray Fossee is on Rick Tittle right now
The A's are a fairly quiet team, and then there's Ben Sheets. Sheets, as a kid, must have been thrown out of every library in Baton Rouge. ~ Scott Ostler
Is
Dick Trickle making his presence known too? How ’bout good ol Rusty Kuntz? (i know some of you have more, come on) Richard Little may have something to add on too.
by supersugarCrisp on Jun 1, 2010 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Like George
Castanza from Seinfeld. (Never tried the sandwich thing though….mm, wouldn’t mind trying though…come (pause) to think of it.)
I mean, for Mr Little, what does he say during those social/professional moments when you are expected to introduce yourself last name followed by first? He either has to go through “that Little Richard conversation again,” or introduce himself as: “Hi. Nice to meet you. Little, Dick.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
(Wow, i know there’s no politics spoken here, but what about bedroom talk? Do i dare ask the ladies in the house a question this all brings up? I do. When a woman tells her man he’s “average” down there, it really means smaller than average, right? And you can move that up the scale, correct? If you say “a bit bigger than average,” that’s average (although you could use OBP here too,) right?)
Yowsa. Inappropriate? Too soon? I’m having fun. (And this could get educational up in here, who knows. Maybe the ladies like to keep such secrets, or maybe i need to grow up.)
by supersugarCrisp on Jun 1, 2010 3:14 PM PDT up reply actions
Kuntz?
(seriously, click the link if you’re not at work… it’s a great song)
Quality Jones is my kind of hero.
by Gaijin_Suketto on Jun 2, 2010 8:04 AM PDT up reply actions
Just
Don’t think Cust is the best option.
All I am saying is that I would like too see us try and get a better DH. Not looking at stats other than Batting Average and Strikeouts. I know he has power, I know he walks, and I know he hits for a low average and strikes out.
That is all that bothers me!!! Not the fact chavez can’t play the field. It is a personal preference on how I would like to have my DH be.
I feel I offended several people taking a lot of offense about a fan who wants too see something other than Cust striking out or hitting a Bomb.
You know what a better stat than strikeouts is?
Outs.
Go look that one up and get back to us.
"The A's get some action but they do not score..." -Glen Kuiper
"Anyone who calls themselves the Angels Angels should have to start over and ride the short bus." -timmeh from McCovey Chronicles
Okay, but what we're trying to explain to you is that the A's are in the interest of winning baseball games, not pleasing your aesthetic needs
And the things you hate, in this context, just aren’t the negatives you claim they are.
I guess the question is this: Would you actually rather have a worse player out there just because he doesn’t do something that bothers your sensibilities? Because that’s what you’re advocating.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 3:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Just a tip...
AN is a great site, I’ve been mostly reading/little posting for years. But people here are smart people. Really, really baseball smart. And they use facts in their arguments. If you put up a fanpost without solid facts (ie…stats other than BA and K’s) you will get destroyed.
Just a friendly warning.
"I was right and you were wrong." - Ray Fosse
not really
his moves are pretty well rooted in logic, that we, as fans have been paying attention to for a few years.
Plus, that doesn’t matter much because we can form our own opinions using the available data.
"The ego, the super-ego, and the Ed" - dannycakes
Always my favorite destination when cruising the Hillsdale Mall back in 5th grade...
Right next to Mervins, which was great when I had to be there with my mom, I could just slip around the corner and look at Legos instead. Also right down from that candy shop that had Gummi Bears and Coke Bottles.
Let's say you are correct in saying that Cust isn't a good hitter (hint: you are not correct)
The answer isn’t Chavez. He is done. How he even managed to string together 33 games at DH is impressive in itself.
This idea has been brought up here before but it has a lot of merit. The Royals currently have Alex Gordon in AAA playing outfield with a slash of .351/.516.658 in 33 games. They also have Kila Ka’aihue in AAA with a slash of .333/.500/.650 in 35 games. There is a possible DH/1B and a 3B, and neither appear to have a real future with KC.
Nobody really knows what kind of package it would take to get one or both of these guys because it’s the fucking Royals, but they have a history of trading okay players and receiving bad players in return.
If you think Billy Beane is a bad GM, I hate you and find you stupid.
I'd take both tyvm
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
Kila is one of my "holy grails"
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 don't think anybody would mind Gordon, either.
He’s probably past the point of being the perennial all-star like a lot of people thought he’d be when he was drafted, but he’s not an awful defender at 3B, and he’s a better hitter than Kouzmanoff is.
If you think Billy Beane is a bad GM, I hate you and find you stupid.
I wouldn't move Kouz, though.
I’d stick Gordon in LF.
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'd absolutely trade Gordon for Kouzmanoff straight up, every single day of the year
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Since I meant for the A's, I probably should've said Kouzmanoff for Gordon.
Point is, I still think Gordon can be a really good player.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 1, 2010 4:43 PM PDT up reply actions
I think Gordon could use the change of scenery
Kila too for that matter.
But Kouz for Gordon? Kouz had a .332/.395/.556/.951 minor league line. Gordon was .325/.432/.583/1.015. Gordon has one more year club control. In the majors, Gordon hit a bit worse when adjusting for park and also was 5-10 runs worse with the glove. Gordon obviously has the superior tools since he went 2 overall.
I’d need a bit more than Gordon for Kouz, but Gordon and Kila for Kouz? I do that in a heartbeat.
"Loyal? I'm the most loyal player money can buy." - Don Sutton
I always want to say, "The Royals would be stupid to do that."
But then I think, ‘The Royals traded for Yuniesky Betancourt.’ So I never like to say, "The Royals won’t do that.
If you think Billy Beane is a bad GM, I hate you and find you stupid.
Huh. I don't know that I have a response for that. It's a valid point.
SIG SPACE AVAILABLE FOR SPONSORSHIP. INQUIRE WITHIN.
Jose Guillen?
Apparently he is available
by Billy Frijoles on Jun 2, 2010 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions
We Can Drop It
My bad, there is no point at this time to really complain about any player with how well we are playing.
Change this to a positive thing. Cust had an RBI single v the Red Sox just now. Watching the game at work.
I guess I can start getting frustrated if we start losing.
How do you guys feel about our starting staff? Any surprise All-Stars this year?
I really like Gio Gonzalez, I didn’t think he would get it all together with us for awhile but he has really impressed me all year with his stuff. Same with Cahill in the few starts he has had.
The A's are not a perfect team, and as such, it's totally valid to discuss ways they can improve even if they're winning some games.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Jun 2, 2010 9:07 AM PDT up reply actions
This!
I think the big issue that people had was that the post didn’t have any facts/stats. A lot of people around here like to see numbers to back up opinions. It helps to explain why you have that opinion about a player.
So suppose....
The A’s could pick up Jose Guillen as a straight salary dump (maybe giving up an AA player going nowhere), would that be a viable alternative to Jack Cust?
Guillen is having one of his really good years, and he was great with the A’s during a short period a few years ago. My own thought is that if the A’s got Guillen, they can stick Cust in the outfield (cringe, cringe) every so often, and alternate Crisp, Sweeney, Rajai, Cust & Guillen between the three outfield slots and DH.
Ha Ha
Yeah, Chavez for Jose Guillen…right.
If you’re serious, even knowing this is a salary dump, the A’s would have to give up someone of value, maybe Josh Donaldson and Tyson Ross, minimum. I’d do it, even though they have potential, because right now the A’s are a .500 club or worse.
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