but give me some time and a few more games.  I am not ready to do that yet.  I am irrational when it comes to this team and I am simply not ready yet.  But it is an appealing way to approach this year with minimal frustration.  

The offense wasn't going to run all over anyone but the lack of production could not have been predicted. Even Ray Ratto (with his 60 win call)didn't think Chavez would be devolving into a streaky role player. If the bats were having mediocre years the A's would be 3 or 4 games over.500. Swisher and Crosby are a lot of developing run generation to take away from a team in a deep funk. The problem is, they are much better than the record indicates.
Perhaps some sports psychology and a couple of call ups to give the starters something to think about? I like the way Bobby Cox will play with a line-up to push and pull various players into producing. Macha?

I'm not so sure about that.  Sure, some players are in slumps that are very unlikely to persist (Chavez is the most obvious example).  But this is a team with little power or ability to string together hits.  The pitching has been better than expected, but we're seeing cracks in that foundation (Haren's erratic performance, Calero's injury).

Several of the A's wins have been gifts from the opposing team (Friday's Yankee game, both wins over the White Sox, to name a few recent examples).  The A's record could easily be a lot worse.

I don't want to give up hope on the season, because that's no fun.  But I do think ConcordFan's approach would save us a lot of grief and anguish.

The same applies to what-ifs about managemnt decisions.  It's safe to say that signing Chavez instead of Tejada was a terrible mistake.  But there's no use in complaining too much about it now.  Chavez isn't likely to develop into the player Billy Beane and many of us thought he would be.  But he will be a solid player, most of the time.  He just can't be the cornerstone of the team.

... on the 'Over' of 79 victories for the 2005 A's.

as the season began, I thought, there's no way this team will be under .500.

Sometimes the best trades are the ones you DON'T make.

Sometimes the best bets are the ones you DON'T make !!

The A's aren't very good this year, which is fine.  I mean, they weren't very good in 1998 and 1999, but at least you had reason to hope.  That's all I want: some talent to look forward to.  I would enjoy watching Haren, Blanton, Street, Swisher, Johnson and Crosby develop into a good nucleus.  I'm willing to be patient through starts like Haren's last night.  But I'm only patient because I have confidence that these guys will develop.

But watching over-the-hill sackless losers like Hatteberg, Byrnes and Chavez (The Franchise Killer) play is boring, tedious and painful.

I have lost all faith in these horrendous players.  I want them off the team and we can start over with a good group of guys pitching and in the bullpen.  Hopefully in a few years we can start competing.  Until then, wake me when they dismantle.