5 needed changes for a better second half

by Arcman on Jul 13, 2011 9:31 AM PDT

1. fire some coaches. Melvin needs his own guys in there. The only coach that should stay is pitching and bullpen coach. all others have failed badly at their job. Perry is the first guy that needs to go. Good example is the only players hitting are mainly new players Weeks and Sizemore. Wolfe needs to spend money on a real hitting coach not just another retread that has done nothing. You get what you pay for.

2. Make some trades to bring up the young players. Playing time is required for rookies and since the team has about no chance of winning its time to bring up the rookies and see what they can do. DeJesus, Crisp, Weurtz, Willingham, and McCarthy would be on the trading block. I doubt DeJesus has any value but just getting his spot replaced with Taylor would be a improvement. Players brought up should include Taylor, Sogard, Recker, and Miller.

3. Announce the A's are staying in Oakland for the next 3 years. Selig is dragging his feet and you know why? Its because he doesn't want to make a decision until the next commissioner is in power. The chicken has no guts to make a tough decision and is just passing the buck to the next guy.

4. No more Matsui. Another space being used up by a guy who is done. This is Carter's spot and its now or never for us to see if he belongs up here. The A's nned to test the players now that they are out of it not letting them sit on the bench and wait.

5. Cut the price on tickets. Who want to pay major prices to watch a bad team. Nobody. Half off or 2 for 1 deals should be everyday. Make A's fans. Who wants to pay to watch a bad movie. Nobody. The owner needs to wake up and smell the coffee and know it not only looks bad it smells bad. The team is only good for the first 5 innings and then we know they will find some way to lose the game.

If you know some more things to fix feel free to post 6, 7, and ect... The list can go on and on.

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Comments

1) Melvin is an interim manager. I doubt they'll let him hire his own coaches

2) Why trade McCarthy when he probably has no value and is under control for 2012?

5) What do you tell the prospective 2012 season ticket holders when they ask “Why can’t I just wait till you cut the prices in half next year”?

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

by WaddellCanseco on Jul 13, 2011 10:16 AM PDT reply actions

Melvin will most likely be rehired

1. Don’t see Beane doing a search for a new guy and so far he has done what Beane wants.
2. McCarthy has trade value and more likely closer to trade deadline if he puts up 3 good games in a row. Not much of trade value on the team so trading a player like McCarthy would be the best bet to get a team desperate for a starter.
3. Next year full of hope so discounts this year just to get someone into the stadium.

by Arcman on Jul 13, 2011 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

1) I don't see Melvin being allowed to hire new coaches till he's officially the permanent manager

2) I doubt 3 games will do much for McCarthy’s trade value
3) No business person would sabotage future season ticket sales for short team blips in attendance

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

by WaddellCanseco on Jul 13, 2011 11:35 AM PDT up reply actions

You will see more deals

The A’s need fans to show up and with another losing season doesn’t give much care to show up. As for McCarthy he would be valuable to a team needing a starter and with how little the A’s have to trade he will be on the market.

by Arcman on Jul 13, 2011 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't get why you'd trade McCarthy

McCarthy is our best pitcher going into the break at 2.0 WAR (despite playing fewer games than Gio or Cahill). I’d want to hold onto him given he is under club control for 2012.

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by dwishinsky on Jul 13, 2011 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Also, since the rationale for the other trades

is to provide playing time for prospects who need to be brought up, who exactly is the SP prospect that we need to free up time for?

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.

by iglew on Jul 13, 2011 3:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Only player with trade value

None of the other player will get anything close to a prospect unless you trade CaHill or Gio. Unfortunately only 4 players worth building the team around all the rest could be easily replaced.

by Arcman on Jul 13, 2011 9:35 PM PDT up reply actions

But why does McCarthy have trade value

when his entire body of work worth anything has come in half a year, in which he’s missed a month on the DL?

"Minutes from the last save opportunity...Balfour got 3 outs..."- Nico

by stranahanahan on Jul 13, 2011 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions

He doesn't.

Which is exactly why we should keep him. At $1MM, he’s an absolute steal.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Jul 14, 2011 8:57 AM PDT up reply actions

Not sure why we bother using WAR for pitchers.

Seems to place a lot of value on the fact that he hasn’t given up homers. He’s still given up runs. Not to say he’s been bad—he hasn’t—and I would like to keep him as well. Just sayin’. Why not just use FIP or something?

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Jul 14, 2011 8:57 AM PDT up reply actions

This is funny because WAR is based on FIP which is based in large part on not giving up homers

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

by WaddellCanseco on Jul 14, 2011 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Right, I had forgotten

So they both make McCarthy look better than he is. He’s still giving up a lot of hits.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Jul 14, 2011 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions

He's throwing so many strikes

It’s almost inevitable he’ll give up more hits and higher BABIP than average pitcher. Still he’s a good pitcher, under team control, and anyone who thinks A’s should trade him so they can start Graham Godfrey or AJ Griffin next year is insane.

by Manstein on Jul 14, 2011 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions

No argument on keeping him.

I think he’s great, and more importantly, it will be some time before his trade value is commensurate with how good he is, which makes keeping him a no-brainer.

I had no idea how smart he was until he got here, either. The injury risk is troubling, but the dramatic changes he’s been able to make to his mechanics in an attempt to address them is impressive.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Jul 14, 2011 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions

Then how about xFIP?

Normalizes the HR/FB rate. And his is 3.43. If you’re walking only 1.41 per 9, you’re doing something right.

by danmerqury on Jul 14, 2011 7:21 PM PDT up reply actions

That is better.

I don’t mean to imply he hasn’t been very good—he has. But WAR and FIP make him seem like the next coming of Roy Halladay, and that’s going too far.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Jul 15, 2011 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions

Huh?

McCarthy: 2.1 WAR
Halladay: 5 WAR

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DURRRR THEY’RE TOO OLD, BABIP IS TOO HIGH, TOO MANY Ks, DURRRRRR

by mikev on Jul 15, 2011 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Halladay is a hasbeen. He'll never amount to anything.

Reminds me of Tony Oliva

i've never tried to rank them to be honest. i guess i like beer.- stm72

by Tutu-late on Jul 15, 2011 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Ehh

I’m sure there will be changes, but not these.

by oakland9 on Jul 13, 2011 11:20 AM PDT reply actions

Here are mine

1) Start hitting
2) Stop playing crappy defense
3) Start winning

by RudiFan on Jul 13, 2011 12:08 PM PDT reply actions

Ooh...I like your ideas and wish to subscribe to your newsletter!

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

by Nico on Jul 13, 2011 1:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Moar RUNZ!!!!!

i've never tried to rank them to be honest. i guess i like beer.- stm72

by Tutu-late on Jul 13, 2011 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions

You forgot

4) Stop getting picked off the bases/steal bases like we did last year.

by PL78 on Jul 13, 2011 2:55 PM PDT up reply actions

id like

to see Anthony Recker starting some games. Catcher or first.
Send down Carter, give him a chance to find his groove before September callups.
Hold onto Coco for the rest of the year and possibly resign him for 2012-13.

by nationalB on Jul 13, 2011 12:19 PM PDT reply actions

Coco is a godawful CF

Are you saying you want him and his slap-hitting .300 OBP in LF or RF? I wouldnt mind having an OF that looked like Crisp-Bourn-Rasmus. We’d steal so many bases and the OF range would be unstoppable.

by PL78 on Jul 13, 2011 2:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Wha.

No seriously, I have to make sure you actually said this. “Coco is a godawful CF”? You mean defensively?

by danmerqury on Jul 13, 2011 3:09 PM PDT up reply actions

No arm. Belongs in LF. Would be a fine corner if he could get on base more than .300. Also hyperbole due to potential age-related issues.

by PL78 on Jul 13, 2011 3:59 PM PDT up reply actions

Wow. You were serious.

You do realize that the arm is a small fraction of playing CF, right? And that he has a career +10.7 Range/150 by UZR?

by danmerqury on Jul 13, 2011 4:05 PM PDT up reply actions

That career is on the slide bro.

by PL78 on Jul 13, 2011 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, last year's +7.7 UZR is a TOTAL giveaway.

by danmerqury on Jul 13, 2011 7:08 PM PDT up reply actions

hows this years looking?

its going to be more like that going forward, rather than last years performance.

he’d make a terrific LFif he got on base, but he’s got more pop and range than Juan Pierre, so I’d have no problems with him there if he had Bourn next to him and Rasmus on the other side.

by PL78 on Jul 13, 2011 8:24 PM PDT up reply actions

And you know this...how?

Let me get this straight. You’re insisting that going forward, his defense is going to resemble this half season UZR sample, rather than the larger sample of three years prior?

Besides, this year? UZR has him as an average CF. Not by OF standards…by CF standards.

by danmerqury on Jul 13, 2011 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Age. Regression.

by PL78 on Jul 13, 2011 10:09 PM PDT up reply actions

And yet he's still on pace to put up around a 3 WAR this year

He’s about the only guy who’d be worth re-signing at this point…

"Minutes from the last save opportunity...Balfour got 3 outs..."- Nico

by stranahanahan on Jul 13, 2011 10:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Sigh.

1. He’s a whopping…31 this year. Not ancient. And it’s not like he’s getting slow, by any means. He could play for another 4-5 years.
2. Since UZR has him as only average, rather than his usual exemplary numbers…regression would mean regressing up to his normal.

by danmerqury on Jul 13, 2011 10:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Seriously

Is there a more overrated aspect of baseball than outfielder throwing arm strength? It makes a difference in so few plays, but fans remember them and not hundreds of other plays.

by Manstein on Jul 14, 2011 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

"playing the game the right way"

by mikev on Jul 14, 2011 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions

"knows how to win"

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.

by iglew on Jul 14, 2011 11:21 PM PDT up reply actions

"gritty player"

i've never tried to rank them to be honest. i guess i like beer.- stm72

by Tutu-late on Jul 15, 2011 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions

I fail to see how #3 is going to affect anything on the field of play.

by mikev on Jul 13, 2011 2:01 PM PDT reply actions

We're 12 games out.

Having a better second half is meaningless.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Jul 13, 2011 2:17 PM PDT reply actions

Depends how much better.

Besides, I’d still rather finish 81-81 than 71-91.

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.

by iglew on Jul 13, 2011 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions

I would happily lose 810 straight games (5 whole years) if we get a World Championship the 6th year.

"I heard the reason Geren never played Powell was so he could have someone around to fetch him a cushion."- UrgentMirth

by Gaijin_Suketto on Jul 13, 2011 5:07 PM PDT up reply actions

not me

Even allowing that it’s impossible, all the fans would be long gone. Look at the Marlins— they had awful teams, won two World Series, and have no fan base.

by vk on Jul 13, 2011 5:30 PM PDT up reply actions

gotta make sure we keep our remaining 3000 fans.

by Tripp on Jul 13, 2011 5:51 PM PDT up reply actions

I have to admit there would be a certain art

to a 810-game losing streak. I’d probably enjoy that more than going 62-100 for five years in a row.

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.

by iglew on Jul 14, 2011 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions

No way

I’d rather suck and get the better draft pick. 81-81 or 71-91 both mean golfing in October.

by throwmonkey on Jul 14, 2011 8:42 AM PDT up reply actions

But that's ten more games where

you don’t get to enjoy the fun of winning the game.

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.

by iglew on Jul 14, 2011 11:24 PM PDT up reply actions

CAN WE ALL PLEASE STOP SAYING JAI MILLER HAS UPSIDE

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by dwishinsky on Jul 13, 2011 2:24 PM PDT reply actions

Can we all agree that JLo has backside then?

A Kouzmanoff for the rest of us!

by OptimistPrime on Jul 13, 2011 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm alright with that

Visit my blog the Todd Van Poppel Rookie Card Retirement Plan!!

by dwishinsky on Jul 13, 2011 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Jose Lopez?

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.

by iglew on Jul 13, 2011 4:01 PM PDT up reply actions

I thought it was Anthony Recker that has backside?

Should he be ARo?

by Cassi on Jul 13, 2011 5:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Taylor has done absolutely nothing to warrant being called up either.

Recker’s the only guy that deserves a shot. Mitchell in September too. Choice needs to be at AA now as well.

by PL78 on Jul 13, 2011 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions

Upside? No.

Earned an opportunity? Yes.

"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico

by jeepers on Jul 14, 2011 9:10 AM PDT up reply actions

i agree with #2 and #4

i recall the GM saying as he was amidst his most recent rebuild-on-the-fly that he understood the futility of mediocrity- not good enough to sniff the postseason and yet not poor enough to score in the draft.
The frustration from my end are the moves that seem to guarantee exactly that mediocrity.

i tried like an Erstad to be optimistic about the A’s this year & believe all the bullshit about how the giants did it last year with great pitching and a field of scrubs.

Nothing in the farm system- and somehow this year it felt like we were actually “going for it”- we spent just enough to buy a stock 2004 Civic with 20 000 miles and now we’re entering the Grand Prix- but our TIRES are awesome, capable of handling speeds up to 450mph.

The grim realities slapping Athletics fans in the face this year are becoming irritating.

"The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste" -Al Jourgensen

by easyrichboy on Jul 13, 2011 3:17 PM PDT reply actions

Re: ticket deals

A’s games are already pretty inexpensive, and they run specials regularly. Two buck Wednesday’s, free parking tuesdays, $12 value deck, they had half off field level last homestand, they’re always working to get butts in the seats. I don’t think cheaper tix wld do a damn thing.

Btw, for the last few years I’ve purchased ticket coupon books for $20 from marketing dudes who make the rounds in the east bay. Each book has 4 coupons for free tix, and 6 coupons for buy one get one free. Some restrictions apply but just saying, can’t get much cheaper!

by my_cat_max on Jul 13, 2011 6:04 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Sigh

I probably shouldn’t bother, but here goes:

1. So everyone blamed Geren for everything, he got fired, and the team’s record got worse. LET’S BLAME THE COACHES!!!!1

3. The odds they could get out of Oakland in 3 years with a deal tomorrow is low anyway. I don’t see what the point is, other than to insult Selig.

5. Seriously?!? A’s tickets are already essentially free ($2 wednesdays, value deck for a net of $6). The fact that you wrote this proves that there is no ticket price point low enough that fans won’t complain.

As to 2 and 4, playing rookies is a good idea assuming we get some value in trade both because we’ll probably lose more this year and because we’ll probably win more in the future.

"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson

by nevermoor on Jul 13, 2011 9:47 PM PDT reply actions

1. I'm still glad Geren is gone.

It would have been nice if the W-L record improved, but my desire to be rid of him was not continget upon it.

5. Agreed. Anyone who thinks A’s tickets are expensive hasn’t paid for a ticket anywhere else. Hell, I pay as much for tickets in Everett (short-season single-A) as I did in Oakland.

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings; / Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:— / We murder to dissect.

by iglew on Jul 14, 2011 11:27 PM PDT up reply actions