Why Not This Year?

I never give up hope, just like I’m always expecting a perfect game until the first baserunner, and I always think we’re going to win until the game ends.

It’s a fun way of watching baseball, and I’m excited for the rest of the season.

which is Mark Ellis, who may be desired by clubs like the Phillies that need a 2B and are trying to make a run at another postseason. Ellis’ club option for 2011 is still in play so I dunno that he is even considered by Beane as available, but it is possible and the A’s have a serviceable replacement for him already on board in Rosales, who so many here want to see play every day anyway, if only for the energy and excitement he brings to an often moribund and excitement-challenged product so lacking in the entertainment value upon which pro sports relies for the casual fans that make the hay.

That said, I agree we do have a chance to win the division, still. Much of this hinges on the delicate left elbows of Braden and especially Anderson, who anyone would agree is integral at this point to the A’s emerging above the Mediocrity Line anytime soon. The trajectory of this rebuilding was planned for 2011-12 anyway — yes, we as fans have let our expectations and desires for what could be supercede the abilities of the talent we have on the field — but the window is still wide open to contention in 2010, if only because of the issues you mention re: the Rangers and the Angels.

I don’t see Beane doing much at the deadline, unless someone blows his mind with an offer for Crisp or Ellis… Sheets is likely to bring a low-level prospect at best, given his unspectacular performance and lack of ability to show the lights-out sort of results that made his reputation with Milwaukee before his arm fell off and had to be sewn back on. The question gets to be with all this pitching (and the big ifs of whether Braden and Anderson return to contribute consistently), and whether the plethora of young arms we have stockpiled will get us through the 162 at or near the top of the weak West… I think if that happens it will be because we rode with what we had and didn’t make any blockbuster, sell-the-farm-for-a-surer-shot-at-2010 moves on the part of our GM.

This has been a weird year already and seems to be a season, with all the no-hitters and near-no-hitters, to be all about pitching, so I wouldn’t count us out just yet for ‘10… although I’d be a lot more confident if I saw Brett Anderson taking the ball every fifth day for us.

but the chance is small.

Nevertheless, given that there is so little to be gained from NOT “going for it”, we may as well grasp that chance and go with it. Just as long as we don’t give up anyone we’re counting on for 2011.

I think that means either stand pat or do only marginal trades (I would include trading Sheets in that category), but don’t give up hope on 2010 yet either.

Will be the biggest improvement any team in our division makes in any position. Replacing Braden or Mazzaro with BA is like going from a new Toyota to a Ferrari. The new Toyota can get the job done, but the Ferrari is what REALLY will turn heads.

I don’t think the Mariners really care if they trade within the division. Lee’s contract is only through the end of this season. He’s a rental who will almost certainly end up with the Yankees in 2011 regardless. I don’t think Seattle really cares if they have to face him for the rest of this year.

That said, I don’t think Lee ends up with the Angels or Rangers anyway. I think the Twins offer of Ramos + Hicks is still the offer to beat.

If they get back in it, then yay, freeroll!

I have assurances from my personal faith healer that the 2011 A’s will have extraordinarily good luck next year, and freakishly few injuries. I hope the club maximizes that possibility with smart moves and a new manager before then.

certainly better this year than in the past couple of years.

The answer is 7. That’s how many HRs the OF of Sweeney, Davis, Crisp, Gross, Buck, and Jackson have hit…combined.

Consider the fact that their 2 best hitters, Guerrero and Hamilton didn’t play full seasons last year and both have tired in the past couple years come August and September, I don’t think they’re much more than a 85 win team.

Not only a lack of offence talent both at the major league and the AAA level, but, at least to my eyes, an almost complete lack of spark, or enthusiasm on the team. Of course it is lead by our deer-in-the-headlights best-man manager, who doesn’t inspire much enthusiam. Can you only imagine in your dreams what Wash would be doing now to keep the team’s mind in the game.

But my head says they’re not good enough. Even if they were tied with the Rangers right now, I’d give a pretty big edge to the Rangers the rest of the way. It’s a one team race.

I’m not sure if contention is in the cards this season, but this team should be pushed to finish the season at .500 or better. I know that in the end, .500 is just a number and would probably push this team out of a Top-10 draft pick next June, but I think that at some point this organization needs to show the fans and the younger core players need to show themselves that they can win more games than they lose throughout an entire season.

Losing seasons year after year is demoralizing to the fan base and has to be the same way for the players.

An 82-80 season would be considered “successful”, IMHO. Get Anderson and Braden back integrated into the rotation and I’d like to see Barton finish the season with an .800+ OPS line…maybe nice to see Carter come up in September and hit a few bombs as well.

That’s what I’m hoping and expecting from this team.

What are you drinking and more importantly… where can I steal some?

who looks like the clearest guy to trade at the deadline. Eat all his salary (we all see what mediocre players get in trade when the selling team eats enough salary—-just look at Mark Kotsay or Casey Blake trades), and let Mortensen/whomever take his spot until Anderson/Braden return.

And, the only guy on the trade market that would really vault the A’s status into contender range would be Cliff Lee, but even that doesn’t make us the favorites to win the division and he’s going to cost a lot (although a lot of the rhetoric is posturization).

I really hope the A’s are active on the waiver wire though, in terms of picking up folks who may have bad contracts, but are clearly poised to rebound. Or Jim Hendry gets stupid and releases Derrek Lee/Aramis Ramirez or dumps them in some other aspect. Very unlikely, but they’re both clear rebound candidates under contract through 2011.

a rotation of Sheets, Cahill, Anderson, Gio, Braden (or if Sheets is traded, sub him out for Mazzaro) will give us the best rotation in the division. Cahill’s emergence while Anderson has been gone has been a huge positive, and once the M’s trade Lee, will give us the best 1-2 punch in the AL West