Look at your division rivals before signing on to organizational rebuild

by hokecole on Jul 1, 2011 10:20 AM PDT

Nico has an excellent look at what/where the organization should or could go to get better. He details no hitting, and decent pitching. He does not mention horrible fielding. Yesterday's loss to the Marlins the margin of defeat was, once again, an unearned run. I do not know how many times, but it seems as if it is quite often, that our marginal fielding comes into play and decisive run(s) are unearned.

The real reason for the post is my pessimistic view going forward of how the A's stack up against their division rivals. In Seattle the M's have a team that has been horrific, BUT they have a fan base that still comes out, they ownership with money to spend, and they have a good GM, and are a team on the rise. Just like the A's they have very good pitching, and horrible hitting, but they are getting better including a recent addition, Dustin Ackley, who looks like a star; and they have other position players in their farm system ready to move up. I can not see the A's passing the M's.

The Angels have a big money spending owner with a passion for winning. They have a good revenue stream, and they will always be competitive. The A's are definitely behind the Angels with little chance of passing them.

Texas plays in a band box, and they have always had the hitters to take advantage, but now have some talented pitchers. They won last year, and look to repeat again. I don't know much about their ownership, but they have talent. Unless they catch the Disabled List disease from the A's we won't catch them either.

In summary, the A's look to be the new Pittsburg Pirates with little chance of being anything else. The key going forward is to acquire young talent that the club can hang onto for many years before they get too expensive, and to develop a revenue stream that will fuel more talent. This is not going to happen in Oakland. The future, if the team has one, will be some where else, whether it be San Jose or Portland, but right now stick a fork in them...they are done.

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So what's your suggestion? Rebuild or not?

The past few years they’ve tried to avoid the rebuilding route because they thought they had a good chance to win in a weak division, and look where it’s got them.

Blow it up, I say. Too many problems to succeed with an attempt at a quick fix. Worry about all the rest (namely, fan turnout) later.

Last of the Ninth - Photography

by Flashfire on Jul 1, 2011 10:32 AM PDT reply actions

I'm probably nit-picking here, but...

…I disagree that they tried to avoid the rebuilding route. I think they did just that, only it was a partial tear-down, not a complete tear-down. One could argue that they tried to “win” too soon with the Holliday trade, but they were a victim of themselves setting our expectations that rebuilding would only take a few years.

Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again. ~Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

by UncleLeo on Jul 1, 2011 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions

It's probably half a dozen of this, six of that

I don’t think you can really do a partial tear-down with the way things are set up for them and pull it off. A real rebuild shouldn’t take a decade, no, but you have to be both smart and lucky to have a really fast turnaround.

Last of the Ninth - Photography

by Flashfire on Jul 1, 2011 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions

I think the poster is saying rebuild completely because the division isn't that weak

You have to have a really good organization to compete in this division

I vibrated with joy that join A's. -- Kim Seong-min

by WaddellCanseco on Jul 1, 2011 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions

I'd agree if that's the case being made

Last of the Ninth - Photography

by Flashfire on Jul 1, 2011 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Huh?

“In summary, the A’s look to be the new Pittsburg Pirates with little chance of being anything else.”

Um… what exactly does that mean, anyway?

by Brian in 317 on Jul 2, 2011 1:30 PM PDT reply actions

It means we're going to suck for a long time.

by UncleLeo on Jul 2, 2011 7:13 PM PDT up reply actions

This is a candid take on the state of the A's

and it should not be understated. The nostalgia we still have — and what keeps our hopes alive — for the early 2000s was somewhat of a freak occurance and cannot be counted on to occur again … EVER. Sure, the A’s were smart, but they were extremely lucky with both player evaluations and the fact that they all came up at relatively the same time. They also benefited from the steroid era, mind you, and the odds of producing two offensive MVPs is slim to none.

A nuclues of Mulder, Hudson, Zito, Tejada, Giambi, Dye etc., do not grow on trees and they do not come around every year, or every decade, or every generation. They all were in their prime at the same juncture, so the any team’s chances of stringing together successful seasons through this “building” fashion is almost nil, let alone come through with one breakout season.

As for this current A’s team, their young hitters (if they are any good) are going to come up around the time their starting pitchers start to become expensive. And then the cycle continues. I don’t like the idea that Wolfe and Beane can make money off their team LOSING, but I’ve long been a proponent that MLB is a mugs game. Some teams, despite never demonstrating the ability to be shrewd in their player management (because they don’t have to), can spend $200 million while everyone else can’t spend $100 million, and then have the audacity to tell the world they are the world champions — as if they weren’t playing against other minor league organizations, which they are doing, essentially. A new ball park will fill Wolfe’s pockets and perhaps allow the A’s to overpay some of their veterans, but the stratified landscape of MLB is a joke. Nothing short of salary cap, ala the NFL whose parity and equal opportunity landscape has led to the sport becoming the most popular in America, can fix the game or fix the A’s.

"I don't know a (expletive) Jew who would have the balls to say that. Let me just get this straight. You don't ever tip, huh?" -- Chris Penn, from Reservoir Dogs

by salary_cap on Jul 3, 2011 2:09 PM PDT reply actions