I've been fairly inactive most of this year. Occasional lurking, but not really participating as much. I've been kicking most of these thoughts around in my head for a few days now. Some are A's specific, some are baseball generic. Feel free to comment on any one or all of them. So, without any further ado...

1. First and foremost: I have been an A's fan for 40 years now. Regardless what happens in the post-season, I have to say that I am more proud of this team than any other. As emotionally satisfying as beating the Giants in the World Series was, this season is even better to me. I've been pretty cynical for a few years now, and this season has been a pleasant surprise.
   
   
2. Relating to #1, whenever the A's win something Bud Selig cries... and it makes me happy when Bud Selig cries.
   
   
3. As much as I loathe and detest Bud Selig, I grudgingly admit that his wildcard playoff moves, first and this year, are good moves and have served to increase intensity in the stretch run.
   
   
4. Where he totally blew it this year is changing the home/away format for the LDS. Instead of 2-2-1, it's 2-3, which effectively renders moot any home field advantage that the higher seed has legitimately earned and rightfully deserves. A couple nights before the end of the season the commentators on MLB Network were saying that the best position was to be the #3 seed... which we seem to be seeing played out now with the Tigers.
   
   I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses for the A's in losing the first two, but it cannot be denied that the Tigers are in the driver's seat regardless where the last three games are played, and them playing at home certainly didn't hurt.
   
   
5. re: Tigers: Since before the final seeding was determined, I feared the Tigers more than any of the other potential opponents. The Tigers have two very good pitchers, and as has been shown so many times, sometimes that's all you need to win a short series. It's why so often a team can't win as many games in a long regular season, but do well in the short series.
   
   
6. Why do teams fire managers with only a handful of games left in a season? The Indians fired Manny Acta with only six games to go, while the Red Sox waited until the season ended to fire Bobby Valentine. Seriously, sometimes (albeit seldom) the new guy continues the next year, but what is gained by having a six-game interim manager?
   
   
7. I wonder what Bob Geren is doing right now. lol
   
   
8. Watching the Texas Rangers' facial expressions during the last game of the regular season was interesting. They were all thinking, "It's not supposed to happen like this."
   
   
9. It has been refreshing to hear the A's get positive press this year, though there is still some east coast/ESPN bias, and that is why I think Buck Showalter will be Manager of the Year, even though Bob Melvin did more with less.
   
10. Go A's!