A's Run Losing Streak to 8 in Usual Fashion

The vast majority of important scientific findings had their genesis in something someone observed. Bad research is refusing to accept that what you ultimately find may not match what you originally observed.

First, being an athlete (or in this case more specifically a baseball player) and being an intellectual is not mutually exclusive, regardless which of the following definitions for intellectual you find more appealing:

in·tel·lec·tu·al/ˌintlˈekCHo͞oəl/ – a smart person who enjoys serious study and thought

in·tel·lec·tu·al/ˌintlˈekCHo͞oəl/ – An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence (thought and reason) and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.

Intellectual is definitely not synonymous to someone whose daily routine does not involve any physical activity. In fact, I highly doubt that the average office fauna, including all their diplomas and degrees, shows any more intellect than professional athletes do.

Second, the idea that all the baseball players, or all the successful athletes in most any field, have lived sheltered athlete lives and been pampered since youth is rather preposterous.

Roughly one third of MLB players come from Latin American countries, most of which have a GDP per capita of one fifth of what USA has or lower. Can you really say with a straight face that Dominican youth is being pampered? I have seen kids in Cuba practice baseball without baseballs, because they couldn’t afford them. Even in their national baseball academy, the youth did the throwing motion drills with socks in their hands and had real baseballs only when throwing to the catcher.

But even if ignoring the players who come from poor countries, it is hard to see the logic how athletes have been pampered from their youth. I would even argue that the percentage of professional baseball players who have made it to the MLB because they have been pampered, helped by connections, family ties or personal wealth is lower than in most any other line of work.

Not every player is a bonus baby, first round draftee. In fact, only 6% of minor league players ever make it to the big leagues and life in minors is for sure at least as demanding as that what most of us do. Have a look at the PTBNL documentary if you haven’t already, it’s well worth the time.

There is surely an old boy network in baseball, as there is in most walks of life. To suggest that those who break through it for reasons other than their talent and drive is to insult them.

maybe Geren isn’t all to blame. but I am willing to give someone else a chance to make it better than it currently is. there really are managers that can do more with less, dfa. (and vice versa)

I think Geren being here or not being here doesn’t take a crappy team and make them good. However, at the same time, you have a lot of guys who seem to be playing upset. It seems like Fuentes (obviously), Matsui (his comments regarding lots of offdays) and Kouzmanoff (his comments regarding it is tough not knowing when youre going to play) demonstrate that a lot of people have a problem with playing for him. Or at least some problem, because I think that represents the tip of the iceberg.

Earlier in this thread somewhere you commented he could make a 5 game difference. I agree with that and think 5 games is quite significant in what I expected to be a close race.

But, I think Geren is a huge problem and that we can see an immediate change with his ouster. There is no fire on this team, I think a new manager could bring that. Look what Showalter did with Baltimore (granted they did have a bunch of guys come off the DL etc) or what Jim Tracy did with the Rox. Sometimes it can jumpstart something, infuse new passion or even in the opposite way show everyone that everyone is accountable top down.

Geren isn’t the cause as you’ve said, he is part of a larger systemic problem, but he is at the top of the food chain amongst those wearing the Green and Gold. A new field commander certainly couldn’t hurt and I think could swing us those five games even this late and while that doesn’t get us a winning season necessarily it makes for better baseball and sends a good message throughout the organization that we care about every game.

To those that are socially well adjusted.