DLD 10/16/07: Offseason Day 2 plus Diego 3.2

by Apricot on Oct 16, 2006 8:07 AM PDT

Another day without an A's game.

Sal dissects Game 4 for those pinko Enron-lovers The Hardball Times.

Those third-deck tarps suddenly have become irrelevant
The buzz from Game 4 of the American League Championship Series at Comerica Park: - A's owner Lew Wolff was desperately hopeful early Saturday and seemed determined for the series to continue. "If we get back to Oakland," he said with a smile, "I'll...

So is that all there is? Yes, and take comfort (Ratto column)
Milton Bradley, the MVP of the LVT (Less Valuable Team), wept quietly beneath a towel as he sat at his locker. He'd been the best thing about an overmatched Athletics team in the American League Championship Series, and the sting of expulsion ...

Jenkins, among others, have been blogging along with the playoffs. I have always enjoyed his writing even when I thought he was completely wrong. Unlike Plaschke and like Simmons The Sports Guy, he does seem to realize he's full of crap and has owned up to some of his mistakes. Among other things he thinks Zito is going to the Mets.

Link away!

-----

To get you through the first week of the offseason, I've prepared a short season of The Adventures of Diego Chavez, heavy on the yelling and light on the adventure. We began yesterday, and you can see what you've missed in the archive:

Season One
Season Two
Season Three So Far(with comments: 1, including Grover's promise to have sex with a tapir)

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Comments

The Adventures? The Dialogues?

Me? I'll stick with the Melancholy!

by Zonis on Oct 16, 2006 8:12 AM PDT reply actions

Great idea!

We'll replace all these tedious Daily link dumps with a GIANT YEAR-LONG DUMP!

Squeak!

by ArakSOT on Oct 16, 2006 8:28 AM PDT reply actions

Madre de dios.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 16, 2006 8:30 AM PDT up reply actions

BRILLIANT!

Taps Beer

by Zonis on Oct 16, 2006 8:32 AM PDT up reply actions

GIANT YEAR-LONG DUMP

Does that mean Grant's only going to have one open thread for all of '07?

but jesus--rhyming is a pain in the ass! -- Rubin Sierra @('.')@

by monkeyball on Oct 16, 2006 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions

A's want to bring Payton Back???

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/baseball/mlb/oakland_athletics/15769794.htm

``We're going to have some challenges; we always have questions,'' Beane said. ``The obvious -- Frank's a free agent. Barry's a free agent. Jay's a free agent. I don't think it's out of line by saying it's going to be pretty difficult to retain all of them. Certainly in Frank's case we'll make our best effort. Jay, we've had some preliminary conversations with.''

by Zonis on Oct 16, 2006 8:56 AM PDT reply actions

Payton makes sense

in only one way that I can tell: trade Kotsay, install Payton in center for 2 years/12 MM, and cross your fingers.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 16, 2006 8:59 AM PDT up reply actions

exactly what I was thinking

it ONLY makes sense to keep Payton if you are trading Kotsay.

by Zonis on Oct 16, 2006 9:17 AM PDT up reply actions

What???

Payton, Kotsay and Bradley make up one of if NOT the best defnsive OF's in baseball.

As Wash declared Swisher is WAY better at 1B than any of our other 1Bs.

Why do you get rid of Kotsay???

Barton is not ready and neither are ANY of our minor league OF's.

"I think we just feel that now is our time." - Nick Swisher

by saint @ Athletics Nation on Oct 16, 2006 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions

you get rid of Kotsay b/c ...

... he's really expensive (and overpaid; 2 separate issues) and the money could be spent with more leverage elsewhere; he'll never be entirely healthy; his defensive metrics slipped pretty consistently across the board this year; he's a whiner who is actively and publicly undermining the manager; Payton's acceptable (though not as good defensively as Kotsay when healthy) in CF and playing out of position in LF; and there are some decent affordable LF options on the market (Catalanotto, say, to platoon with Kielty).

BTW, again, great meeting you during game 2. You and Duke really do rock.

but jesus--rhyming is a pain in the ass! -- Rubin Sierra @('.')@

by monkeyball on Oct 16, 2006 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions

Yep

I like the idea of a Kielty or Payton / Catalanotto platoon in LF.

In fact, if we can sign Payton to a 2-Year extension, I could see the A's non-tendering Kielty.

Kielty needs to be sat down, and told to hit right handed only (similar to JT Snow).

Is Ted Lilly an option as our 5th Starter? He would probably come in at half the price of Zito, and seems to like pitching in the Bay Area. Then again, I don't think th Giants will lose a bidding war with us this time around (Loaiza).

COME ON, OAKLAND, COME ON!

by Colorado Fan on Oct 16, 2006 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions

Toronto is eager to keep Lilly

He may not even be an option for Oakland. However, Doug Davis of the Milwaukee Brewers may not be offered arbitration (5th year arby eligible) and is rumored to be looking for a 3 year deal. The number I've heard is $7-8 million annual... essentially another Loaiza-type contract for a guy who's peripheral number bare a fair resemblance to Zito's.

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Oct 16, 2006 4:24 PM PDT up reply actions

It was a blast:

Too bad our manager is a brain dead moron who could not see any of the things even we saw from section 235!!! :)

You'll have to make it out there more often next year!!!

Now, back to Kotsay. His defense takes more runs off the board than Payton't bat puts on the board.

If I were Barry Zito, I would guage where I go by what the OF defense looks like. It will be tough for him to survive without a Kotsay in CF.

"I think we just feel that now is our time." - Nick Swisher

by saint @ Athletics Nation on Oct 16, 2006 11:41 AM PDT up reply actions

In the 7 games in the post season Kotsay:

Took atleast 4 runs off the board...Minimum.

"I think we just feel that now is our time." - Nick Swisher

by saint @ Athletics Nation on Oct 16, 2006 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions

Do not give up Saint

You are dead right this time. Keep it up.

Thomas Walker

by Thomas Walker on Oct 16, 2006 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions

true, all true

But the extra $ for Kotsay could still upgrade the team elsewhere. I won't argue that Payton's not an overall step down from Kotsay, except in health. Keeping Kotsay on the roster means having to carry either a $2 Chuck type, or a Payton CF-playing-in-LF type.

Overall, not the biggest offseason roster issue -- but I don't think we can continue to carry both Kotsay and Payton. One of 'em probably has to go, and I'm basically agnostic on which it is.

but jesus--rhyming is a pain in the ass! -- Rubin Sierra @('.')@

by monkeyball on Oct 16, 2006 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions

The combined OF salary will be 15 million:

That is 5 million less than Manny!!! :)

"I think we just feel that now is our time." - Nick Swisher

by saint @ Athletics Nation on Oct 16, 2006 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions

if the a's keep both kotsay and payton

it'll be about the same number of home runs and RBIs per year as manny.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Oct 16, 2006 3:03 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm with saint on this.

I love, love, love our outfield.

To me, moving Kotsay makes sense if we can get a young Monroe-like, high upside replacement back for him, but Payton and Bradley make for the best corner outfield combo in the bigs, period.

"It's time to blow this team up." - Oaktoon, July 2006

by Ozzz on Oct 16, 2006 1:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Totally Agree

Spend the money to keep the outfielders who are great defensively and who are also pretty good hitters. Remember we still will have a bunch of young pitching who benefit from those great catches. All three should stay unless we can trade for an upgrade.

Thomas Walker

by Thomas Walker on Oct 16, 2006 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh no!

Bat Girls unlocks the secret behind the ALCS!

"I've got this stuff on me," said Thomas. "It's like a fungus. I keep scrubbing and scrubbing, but...Will these arms never be clean?"

"Oh," said Zito, backing away slowly. When he stepped into the clubhouse he took Chavez aside. "I think something's wrong with Darth," he whispered.

When he explained, Chavez's eyes grew wide and he ran into the showers. "Look," he proclaimed to Thomas, ripping off his left sleeve. "I have it too!"

"IT BURNS!" shouted Thomas.

It didn't take too long to discover that the fungus was all over the A's players. And when Bobby Kielty walked in after his regular postshower sticking his finger in a light socket, he found the clubhouse mood had gone from gloom to confusion and fear. And when the players showed him the cause, he grew pale.

"I know what that is," he whispered, eyes like moons. "I've seen it before."

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 16, 2006 9:07 AM PDT reply actions

Ratto

I haven't read all his A's columns lately, but the ones I have read haven't pissed me off like they used to, including this one. Am I just numb, or have they been better lately?

"[Frank's] a big battler. He's the mother of battleships."

-Nick Swisher

by kaweahkaweah on Oct 16, 2006 9:08 AM PDT reply actions

They've been better lately.

It's not just you.

"I miss taking showers with Kendall" ~ Brian Giles

by Poppy on Oct 16, 2006 9:19 AM PDT up reply actions

Well, maybe you've been better lately too.

But I was referring to Ratto...

"I miss taking showers with Kendall" ~ Brian Giles

by Poppy on Oct 16, 2006 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not better at all

I still suck.

Good to hear from you, Poppy.

"[Frank's] a big battler. He's the mother of battleships."

-Nick Swisher

by kaweahkaweah on Oct 16, 2006 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions

<throws confetti>

<hugs>

"...I say let's get the boys together again and take another shot."

by Jennifer on Oct 16, 2006 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions

Back atcha :)

"I miss taking showers with Kendall" ~ Brian Giles

by Poppy on Oct 16, 2006 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions

You missed

My real-time personal greeting.

Squeak!

by ArakSOT on Oct 16, 2006 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions

Saw it this morning, actually...

I emailed you :)

"I miss taking showers with Kendall" ~ Brian Giles

by Poppy on Oct 16, 2006 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions

That made me all warm and fuzzy, Thunderbutt.

Could've been the drinking, though.

"...I say let's get the boys together again and take another shot."

by Jennifer on Oct 16, 2006 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions

jennifer is a west coast ANer?

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Oct 16, 2006 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions

Just on Friday.

I moved back on Saturday.

"...I say let's get the boys together again and take another shot."

by Jennifer on Oct 16, 2006 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions

Yay!

HOpe you're doing ok!

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 16, 2006 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions

Did you just subliminally call me a HO?

That wasn't very subtle.

"I miss taking showers with Kendall" ~ Brian Giles

by Poppy on Oct 16, 2006 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions

Curses!

Poppy's ability to read between the liens strikes again!

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 16, 2006 9:38 AM PDT up reply actions

Well, with that many collection agents swarming

She clearly needs to be pretty sharp on the fine print of those liens.

Welcome back, Poppy!

Eternal Springs™: The official 2007 bottled water of your Oakland Athletics

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Oct 16, 2006 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm a minute late and a modifier short

but jesus--rhyming is a pain in the ass! -- Rubin Sierra @('.')@

by monkeyball on Oct 16, 2006 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions

I have a spare you can have.

It dangles, however.

"It's time to blow this team up." - Oaktoon, July 2006

by Ozzz on Oct 16, 2006 1:32 PM PDT up reply actions

I have a STUD modifier.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Oct 16, 2006 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions

poor poppy!

Both of her houses got repo'ed?

but jesus--rhyming is a pain in the ass! -- Rubin Sierra @('.')@

by monkeyball on Oct 16, 2006 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions

The change all started...

when Ratto wrote a story on the Hudson/Mulder deal, saying that they both sucked and that the A's would only win 60 games this year.

AN Began a HUGE E-mail campaign, Ratto seemed pretty shocked about it, and since that point, all his A's articles have been more sarcastic and self depricating rather then angry and hostile.

by Zonis on Oct 16, 2006 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions

Juan Uribe

Juan Uribe is under investigation for a shooting in the Dominican Republic. Something about the victim stepping a little bit too close to his jeep...

o boy...

by SeanR on Oct 16, 2006 9:32 AM PDT reply actions

He must have taken his wallet.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 16, 2006 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions

Ugueth Urbina

unavailable for comment

"so... I'll take that as 'none of your business'" ~ ArakSOT

by eamb on Oct 16, 2006 9:42 AM PDT up reply actions

Note to Ugueth:

Don't wear a hat with a ferocoius animal on it when trying to explain that you are not a murderer.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 16, 2006 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions

holy moly

urbina's still in jail?!

by gotgreen on Oct 16, 2006 9:50 AM PDT up reply actions

If only the Tigers

still had his ass instead of Placido "I will destroy your franchise" Polanco...

"so... I'll take that as 'none of your business'" ~ ArakSOT

by eamb on Oct 16, 2006 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions

BOOOOO!!!!

"...I say let's get the boys together again and take another shot."

by Jennifer on Oct 16, 2006 9:42 AM PDT up reply actions

Steve Lyons want his wallet back.

On Sunday, Minaya ticked off a list of candidates to join the rotation, and for once this season, none of them was Jose Lima.

by rfloh on Oct 16, 2006 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions

Bradley H8RZ

Bradley, who was the A's main offensive force in the ALCS and the most emotional after the team was eliminated, was tickled to see the fan-club banner transferred from the outfield wall to the parking-lot traffic barriers.

"These are the people who are out there every game,'' he said. "It's nice to have a little welcome back.''

Then, he added with a grin, "I noticed that it took until September to get a (Bradley) sign. I've never had a sign anywhere else I've played, though.''

link

Also included in the article: Todd Jones and Huston Street are friends. Memo to Street: you're young, beautiful, and rich. Make new friends.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 16, 2006 9:51 AM PDT reply actions

Aha! I knew Mark Mulder was wrong.

There are more than 20 fans! There are 35!

"I miss taking showers with Kendall" ~ Brian Giles

by Poppy on Oct 16, 2006 10:03 AM PDT up reply actions

Speaking of signs, by the way...

At ALDS #3, I was tickled to see a big "ELLIS" sign on the LF bleachers' rail. However, will someone please assure me that the number on the sign was a "14" with a kind of poorly-defined "4", and not actually a "19" (which is what it looked like from across the park)?

"I miss taking showers with Kendall" ~ Brian Giles

by Poppy on Oct 16, 2006 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions

I saw it on TV

And thought the same thing, but they showed it closer, and it is indeed a 14.

Asked where Zito's perfect fit would be, Hudson said, "Do they have a league on Mars?"

Off The Record

by JLaff on Oct 16, 2006 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions

Batgirl and Sporty hung it up

for the ALDS

by OaklandSi on Oct 16, 2006 7:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Cute

I think if I ever saw Bradley in the street, I would have a tremendous urge to give him a bear hug.

Kettlecorn! Swishercorn!

by TurnTwo on Oct 16, 2006 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions

Since we didn't have any...

San Diego Padres rookie hazing pictures

Hat tip - Gaslamp Ball

Asked where Zito's perfect fit would be, Hudson said, "Do they have a league on Mars?"

Off The Record

by JLaff on Oct 16, 2006 9:54 AM PDT reply actions

we need some rookies next season!

by gotgreen on Oct 16, 2006 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions

Why didn't they make Windsor dress up?

"...I say let's get the boys together again and take another shot."

by Jennifer on Oct 16, 2006 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions

That's what I was thinking...

Or Komine, or Brown?

Asked where Zito's perfect fit would be, Hudson said, "Do they have a league on Mars?"

Off The Record

by JLaff on Oct 16, 2006 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions

Well...

they usually do it on the last road trip of the year, so Komine wouldn't have been around then. I don't know about the others. Maybe they were too drunk coming back from Seattle to care?

"...I say let's get the boys together again and take another shot."

by Jennifer on Oct 16, 2006 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions

LOL

Thanks for the laugh. I couldn't figure out what Barfield was in the first picture. The one where he's turned in silhouette with the baby legs sticking out is hilarious!

by goldfish on Oct 16, 2006 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions

this one?

yeah, it made me laugh too! haha.

by gotgreen on Oct 16, 2006 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah!

LOL. And the way he's waving the pacifier. Good sport.

by goldfish on Oct 16, 2006 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions

I thought that was Bradley!!!

"I think we just feel that now is our time." - Nick Swisher

by saint @ Athletics Nation on Oct 16, 2006 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions

Lou Piniella is off the market.

Meet the new manager of...the Chicago Cubs.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Oct 16, 2006 10:58 AM PDT reply actions

wash interviewing with the rangers today

ESPN link

by gotgreen on Oct 16, 2006 11:05 AM PDT reply actions

That is SO not good.

Ho hum. Just another day for the OAKLAND ATHLETICS OF AWESOME! ~Kyli

by baseballgirl on Oct 16, 2006 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions

If the A's are serious about Macha

they need to move FAST.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Oct 16, 2006 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions

I remember something Vince Cotroneo said

on one of the broadcasts that Don Wakamatsu was probably the one Texas was going to hire to replace Showalter, and hopefully having worked for them recently he knows the Rangers org. enough to be right... <crosses fingers>

by miguel on Oct 16, 2006 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions

2007 Schedule is up, tentatively...

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a193/Blondi2550/Baseball/Schedule3.jpg

what is with the two game series? I never saw those before last year.
The first two months don't look too bad but the last two months are killer. We don't even see Detroit again until down the stretch.

Let's GO OAKLAND!!!

by OaktownRajah on Oct 16, 2006 12:47 PM PDT reply actions

It was also in the back of the ALDS book

"Listen, my attitude is a whole lot better when we win..." Our favorite GM

by LongTimeFan on Oct 16, 2006 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions

That is where I scanned it from! =D

"This is the best hug in the major leagues, right here!" - Swisher Pics

by BobbyCrosbysGirl on Oct 16, 2006 4:31 PM PDT up reply actions

2 days off during the last week could be a

blessing if there is a race going on at that point.

by SD Erik on Oct 16, 2006 5:10 PM PDT up reply actions

Poor Bastard

"Hello, human fly here! I stayed up all night dying my underwear!"

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/ne

A Russian man on Monday claimed to have set a new world record -- for fasting. A bearded and hollow-cheeked Agasi Vartanyan finished what he said was his 50th day without food, climbing out of plastic cube on the banks of the Neva River outside of St. Petersburg -- and promptly berating reporters.

"I feel offended because my efforts did not attract much attention," the 46-year-old said. "Only local media wrote about it."

He then hopped into a waiting car and drove away by himself.

I don't have the heart to tell hime, but somebody should say they saw it coming.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 16, 2006 1:12 PM PDT reply actions

i didn't read the 400 comments

but anyone else find it ironic that macha wasn't fired based on the managerial moves which are frequently criticized on here, but because of his macha-talka?

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Oct 16, 2006 3:54 PM PDT reply actions

Yeah

I liked Macha. I usually didn't have a problem with most of what he did, he was also hilarious, ... but he did seem like he threw some players under the bus, and not just lately. It was just little things he said to the media, and if he said them to reporters, how did he act behind closed doors?

"...I say let's get the boys together again and take another shot."

by Jennifer on Oct 16, 2006 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions

I will sorely miss

his pre-game interviews/press conferences/radio ads. That guy is just hilarious.

He seemed like an OK manager, but if the team hates him, makes sense to get rid of him.

by mikeA on Oct 16, 2006 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions

managers

need to get along with the players, front office, and media. based on the slusser article, macha seems to have failed at the first two, and perhaps at all three.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Oct 16, 2006 4:30 PM PDT up reply actions

I also think there

was probably more to the firing.

"...I say let's get the boys together again and take another shot."

by Jennifer on Oct 16, 2006 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions

maybe, but that's enough

to get him fired, if beane thinks macha overused relievers.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Oct 16, 2006 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Overused relievers

and underused his bench.

Gotta admit, the man had range.

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Oct 16, 2006 5:57 PM PDT up reply actions

i think the two are connected

if you're overusing some players, you're probably underusing others.
when macha doesn't have confidence in a player, he rarely uses them (yabu, perez, etc.), so they're rusty when the are used, which lowers macha's confidence.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Oct 16, 2006 8:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Not just the media--

He'd throw players under the bus in front of fans as well.

"This must be heaven," he says.
"No. It's Oakland."

by Kyli on Oct 16, 2006 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions

I did not promise to have sex with a tapir!

I said I'd have sex with anything that could give me a year long orgasm.

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Oct 16, 2006 4:26 PM PDT reply actions

speaking of firefighters under the influence

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,220983,00.html

by Apricot on Oct 16, 2006 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions

reminder to self

Hide in pot forest next time chased by Predator.

but jesus--rhyming is a pain in the ass! -- Rubin Sierra @('.')@

by monkeyball on Oct 16, 2006 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Read the story further down...

Don't Do the Dew, Dude!

"...sometimes I can't tell the difference between baseball and magic."- salb918 "Ellie plowed into him like an evil, pink unicorn."-ArakSOT

by McFood on Oct 17, 2006 7:54 AM PDT up reply actions

Let's Go Mets!

Does anyone else find Tony LaRussa very annoying? He seems like he has a baseball bat stuck up his... Butt, i'd also be ok with the Tigers winning.

TLR always struck me as being way too uptight, way too serious, self-important, etc. The thing i like about macha is that he's not like TLR. I hope that our next manager is not a TLR/Showalter type, and is more entertaining/funny than Kenny. We need luck and more entertainment value out of our manager.

by danh on Oct 16, 2006 4:34 PM PDT reply actions