Here’s something I’ve been a little puzzled about as I check in on AN:  Why isn’t anyone willing to mention signing Kenny Rogers?  The guy can’t lose at the McAfee and it’s not like we’d have to sign him for five years or pay him more than what Billy had originally set aside for Esteban Why-Didn’t-We-Get-Anyone-In-Return?

If we do end up trading Blanton to get younger and more talented offensively, we’d definitely need to fill a rotation hole. If we do end up keeping Big Joe, the idea of Justin and Chad starting 50 or more games can’t help but make even the most devout Athletic fan more than a little nervous.

It is really his age?  Because with our history (Milton, etc) it can’t be his attitude and last time I checked our rotation was a little lefty thin.

It will never happen, but after reading yesterday's defenses of A-Rod, I thought it’d be good to finally throw out a crazy idea that AN might actually help make an argument for, you know, even if it will NEVER happen.

Here’s my reasons why it’d be worth it (and by it, I mean 10 years @ $30M with an Ichiro-type pay out) for Wolff and co to give the baseball world a heart attack and sign one of baseball's all time best.

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As Hollywood enters the awards season, I just wanted to throw out some nominations for the WTF? Award, an award I am creating for AN this year and will become known for throughout AN over the next few years should I be able to stomach the way my favorite baseball team is managed off the field (I swear, whether we’re first or  worst, our customer service has always been horrible!)

Moving along, this year’s WTF? Award Nominees:

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You’ll have to forgive me because I started to write this at work last Friday when I thought we’d take 3 of 4 from Seattle and before we scored 10 runs (and STILL lost!).  Though I was pleased to see that the A’s did send out a somewhat more offensive minded line up (DJ, Cust, Swisher and Piazza all in one line up) and it paid off with some runs....

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I haven’t read of any Chavez-on-a-bus-speeches taking place, so I’m assuming that our current win streak (yes, for us, two games is a streak) is due to all the negativity that’s been coming from AN.  We’ve actually been sounding like Mariner fans from years past...granted, for good reason.  So, let’s all just keep bashing the A’s and see if this run at the right time can continue to make us buyers and not cellar dwellers.

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Before I start, I just wanted to mention that a little 20-game win streak would put us 14 games over five hundred and 11 of those 20 games would be against the Angels and Mariners.  I’m just, you know, smoking something!

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So, yeah, this is the first season I became an official season ticket holder (you know, cause buying 20-40 games a year at full or craigslist prices don’t count) and this was the first year since I found AN that I didn’t post a comment during the first half because, well, I was just waiting for that annual second half surge begin and I wanted to avoid as many foot-in-mouth statements as possible.  Maybe this season is MY FAULT!

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So my little league coaching season is about to begin and I think I might have the 2001 A's team!  I've got a lot of big kids taking big swings.

Anyways, as I always do after a first practice, I started thinking of my line up and how positioning each kid into a certain spot will help those around him.  This is something I think recent A's teams have forgotten about line ups--that each position in the order should be designed to help the next position.

I've seen a few people post their line up ideas and I thought I'd throw mine into the mix.  Also, it should be noted that I do not have Stewart starting (you can plug him into my line up where Bradley and Kotsay play as those are the players I'd have him spell from time to time).

So, based on the understanding that each hitting position should help the next and the players we have, this would be my line up for 2007:

S Bradley RF  276/370/447
L Johnson 1B  234/323/381
S Swisher LF  254/372/493
R Piazza DH   283/342/501
L Chavez 3B   241/351/435
R Crosby SS   229/298/338
L Kotsay CF   275/332/386
R Ellis 2B    249/319/385
R Kendall C   295/367/342

Bradley had the 3rd highest OBP last season. He's got speed, can hit for average and while he's got some power, he's not the 3-4-5 guy that we're trying to make him, which is why he bats lead off for me -- more AB's with the chance of doing more damage with his bat and legs.

Johnson can rip a fastball, but can't hit an off speed pitch to save his major league career.  EVERYONE KNOWS the two hole is your typical fastball at-bat (especially if Bradley can get on, we actually run a bit and Swisher, with his HR power, bats behind him).

Swisher is the best (switch) hitter we've got (OBP/SLG) and while he does strike out a lot, he'll be the perfect protection for Johnson to get fastballs, which if Johnson gets on base will lead to Nick getting pitches to hit, which means more chances for runs. And I feel a break out year from him coming.

Add a the right handed power bat in Piazza (the best protection we've got for Swish), who himself can get on base (AVG/OBP) and you've got some men on for

Chavez, who everyone should now know is a good second fiddle player.  Put some men on base and force a pitcher to throw him something to hit, and you should see a 30-100 season from him again.

Which brings Crosby to the plate, a right hander who if healthy you have to believe can get some gap shots in there to drive Chavez around, thus upping his RBI total and confidence.

Kotsay is, when healthy, a good average hitter who will put the ball in play, which is what you need in a number 7 hitter.

Ellis, who does well every other year (look it up) is another bottom of the line up hitter like Kotsay with some pop and the ability to put the ball in play.

Kendall ALWAYS bats last in my line up.  He's got no power, but will work a count and find a way to get on base, which is what you want from the bottom of your order and by batting last, one would think he'd be in less opportunities for his usual 4-6-3 double play.

This diary was going to be a statistical marvel as to why we should trade for LA's Brad Penny.  It was going to show you how we could him, why we need him and all that great stuff because I just learned that Penny is dating one Eliza Dushku and I wanted to opportunity to find myself sitting next to Ms. Dushku during a home game and thus giving her the opportunity to play Notting Hill with me.

However, I couldn't find any of that information as Penny is too expensive for our budget and will only get more expensive when free agency rolls around. Plus, honestly, he's not that good a pitcher (can someone pass that along to Ms. Dushku?)

So, my diary is now an inquiry of what my fellow ANers feel about sports and celebrity?

Do you think the two should mix?  Is to good for the game, the team?  We haven't really had any celebrity players since Canseco, which oddly was when we had one of the largest payrolls in baseball.  In fact, one could argue that is was his celebrity (and not just homeruns) that brought people into the stands, thus allowing that large payroll.

So, what's your take?  And if you're okay with it, who, if anyone from our team, has the best chance of reaching that cross over appeal?  Swisher?  Chavez?  Crosby?

Okay, so maybe I'm a little upset that he NEVER takes my questions for his mailbag or a little jealous that he gets PAID to follow my team around all season and all the other things that make his life (basebally speaking) better than mine!

But, I have noticed that, I only find myself agreeing with what he says, oh, I don't know, about 10% of the time!  

For example, in his latest MB over at www.oaklathathletics.com he's for Erstad ("I think he'd fit in beautifully") and I'm against him. Not a big deal, given how rarely we agree, but I bring it up because I find it funny that he would print a question in favor of Erstad when I'd say the loud majority of us A's fans are against Erstad coming to the club.

The other mailbag question that killed me is Urban's usage of Jason Kendall as a comparison to Kurt Suzuki!  Ouch!  That's just down right mean!  And he meant it to be a good thing!!!!  Again, a stance I would submit to be against the majority of A's fans.

Then there was the whole Ken Macha vs Kotsay mess he says he knew about and keep quite and the fact that that I don't think I've ever read an article/opinion from him that's not right in line with Wolff and co.  Hey, and now that I think about it, Mr. Urban's book, which I bought and read (things I rarely do both of) seemed a little too alright with the whole breaking up of the Big Three for my taste.  Hmmm...could Mr. Urban be Wolff's own Fox News?  I think so!

Therefore, without further adieu, I am calling for Michael Urban's firing.  And, my subsequent hiring.  All in favor, reply, those against...I think there's a great diary by a crackbaby you should read.

Seriously, is it just me or wouldn't every A's fan rather have a mlb source with a little more independent thought?  I know he's speaks with you guys fromt time to time, what's the deal?