Official 2010 Oakland A's Thread

We win tonight, and we're 6 games back of Texas. I had no clue as to why they have yet to put us away. Especially if u consider the way that we've been hitting lately.

Brett Anderson is such a stud.

This offense is holding this team back.

What is it now? 15 or 16 straight games where the SP threw a quality outing? And many probably the majority of those outings have been better than a quality outing.

This month alone, they haven't given up more than 5 runs. In 18 of the 20, they've given up 4 runs or less. Even with the great pitching all month, they're only 9-11.

If this team had any kind of offense, they'd probably be 15-5 or even 16-4 this month.

Reason why I've said all season long this team isnt' a legit contender because of the offense.

#1 in ERA in all of the AL and this team will struggle to be a .500 team. Said before last season when Beane made those moves getting hitters in Holliday, Giambi, Cabrera, Nomar...he did this a year too early. Why he thought a team starting in 2009 with that young of a staff could contend by bringing in these vets. If he did this last offseason with a year under their belts with Cahill, Anderson, and Gio...then this team probably would be leading the AL West right now.

Well he's gonna have to do what he did two offseasons ago this offseason.

Sheets, Chavez, Ellis, Duke, and maybe Crisp...that's close to 30 million dollars off the books. The A's will have some pay raises with Suzuki and Kouz but not many I think are getting significant pay raises next season.

Although I read late last week that the A's were gonna pick up Crisp's option for 2011. The option is worth 5.75 million. Course if he can actually stay healthy it'd be a decent move, but judging by his season this year and in previous seasons, it's unlikely he can stay healthy and play 150+ games a year.

A's need to get two legit bats. Not saying they need to get superstars. No superstar will sign with this team. Again look at the two previous offseasons the A's offered more money to the likes of Furcal, Beltre, Scuataro and they all turned the A's down.

Frankly one of those bats probably will have to come thru a trade. Now I'd deal anybody not named Cahill or Anderson to land a "good bat" thru a trade this offseason. Gio, Mazz, Braden, Mort and maybe Ross/Outman...A's IMO can get a solid 3-5 from that group sans one or even two if the A's have to deal them to land a bat.

But the A's need to sign IMO one bat. Names thrown around are Crawford and Dunn. Doubt either will want to sign here. Crawford is the type of bat that would fit well at the coliseum and in potentially the new offensive mindset for the A's which is relying on more speed and not so much on having a lineup of 3 or 4 guys who'll hit you 30+ HRs. Now Dunn would give the A's that but again, if he's coming to the AL and turned into a DH, I don't see how a team like the NYY or BOS who could use a DH who hits you 30-40 HRs that Dunn would provide you wouldn't go strong after him.

The new name that A's fans are dreaming about is Kemp from the LAD. With him being a client of former A's legend Stew and as I've mentioned a few times already, Beane and Coletti having a working relationship in the past...why couldn't they get something worked out if Kemp and his side decides to go for the "nuclear option" and demand a deal and put out there in the media.

Originally posted by ninerpride:
The new name that A's fans are dreaming about is Kemp from the LAD. With him being a client of former A's legend Stew and as I've mentioned a few times already, Beane and Coletti having a working relationship in the past...why couldn't they get something worked out if Kemp and his side decides to go for the "nuclear option" and demand a deal and put out there in the media.

Rihanna fans, such as myself, wouldn't mind having "Rude Boy" out here in the Town.

Travis freaking Buck.

Dude went from being the "face of the franchise" at the beginning of last season to irrelevant (even in Sacramento) this season.

Originally posted by Jigga:
Travis freaking Buck.

Dude went from being the "face of the franchise" at the beginning of last season to irrelevant (even in Sacramento) this season.

Really, was he ever the face of the franchise?

Originally posted by crzy:

Originally posted by Jigga:
Travis freaking Buck.

Dude went from being the "face of the franchise" at the beginning of last season to irrelevant (even in Sacramento) this season.

Really, was he ever the face of the franchise?

A couple years ago he was hyped up a s**t ton... and jus fell apart... I bought his jersey

About Michael Taylor... I went to school with him

He really "looks" like a physical specimen up close and s**t, but statistically he doesn't have the power you'd want from a guy that's friggin 6'6, 260 pounds (and mostly all muscle)

Just a huge athlete who dwarves football players. I thought he was a basketball player first time I saw him. I heard him say once that he never lifted weights, just did pushups and running.

.385 career OBP at Stanford .338 career OBP in the minors .497 career SLG at Stanford, .480 career SLG in minors,

He's just not that good. One of those guys who looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane.

I've basically given up on Buck, you couldn't find any stronger Buck supporter his first few years in the bigs as me but looks as he's just about done with this org.

Yeah Buck was seen as a guy who was one who the A's were gonna build around.

He was the A's #1 prospect before the 07 season and a top 50-60 prospect in baseball if I remember right. Had lines of .346/.429/.491 at A-/A in 05 and .320/.385/.521 at A+/AA. Posted a .850 OPS in his rookie season in 07 albeit in about half a season's worth of ABs due to injuries which was gonna be a precursor of things to come.

He shown some spurts like at the end of 08 in SEP but he's either been dogged by injuries and hasn't produced in the bigs when given time. Looks as he maybe one of those AAAA players where he can hit very well at AAA but just can't get it done in the bigs, at least as a starter.

As for Taylor, yeah you'd think a guy his size at 6'6" 250+ would be one who could hit 30+ HRs easily but he isn't.

Think if he is legit, he could e a 20 HR guy. SLG in the minors, he's actually had a very good SLG % the past two years in PHI's system. .557 SLG % in 08 and .549 SLG % in 09.

A's really need to hit on least one of Taylor or Carter. They don't have to be superstars but at least be very good hitters. Having both be very good hitters I still think can happen but I think for the immediate future, the next 2-3 years, the A's are gonna need both of them to succeed because as I've said before, not a ton of power in the other prospects who are a year or two away like a Weeks(if he can stay healthy), Green,

Least Choice is showing when he makes contact he's hitting the ball well.

.321/.409/.714 with 6 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 4 HRs, 16 RBIs 4/5 on SBs at VAN.

The drawback is the 22 Ks/7 BBs in 56 ABs. Ks are gonna be an issue regardless but the BBs? Where are they. He had 4 in his first two games but since he's had only 3 in the last 12 games.

Again the A's probably are gonna work on that toe tapping issue he probably is using now that he used in college.


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Damn that looks nice.

I can see why the Giants want to keep the A's out of San Jose. New ballpark like that would draw plenty of fair-weather South Bay Giants fans (and I know quite a few of those).....people who go the weekend ball games with their kids but have no idea who plays shortstop for the Giants.

I've said it before but the A's even getting any kind of equal footing to SF here locally in the baseball market scares the living s**t out their org.

Really for the past 15 or so years SF has done everything right and the A's have done everything wrong almost in everything other than on the field success albeit SF went to a world series while the A's only have made it to the ALCS.

But financially it's not even close. A's don't have of a ton of corporate sponsors. Going to SJ where you have some of the largest companies not only in the bay area but the country and if the SVLG poll is right, a good amount of them would support an A's park and buy up luxury suites, that's gonna piss off SF. Even if these so called sponsors are not even associated with them right now or never will be because they'll only support a SJ based team, it'll put the A's pretty close on equal footing in terms of big time money, maybe even could surpass them.

SF "worst case" would just rather see everything same as is. A's to continue to play in a dump in front of some of the smallest crowds in baseball, to garner the lowest TV/radio ratings due to this ownership driving away the fans that actually was supporting the team relatively well when they played in a dump in the early 2000s which means low revenue and the A's in this flux of whether or not the fans believe they'll actually keep their players IE this next wave of talent in a Anderson, Cahill, Gio, Mazzaro and hope soon a Carter, Taylor, Weeks, Green, and Choice.

The A's have done a great job in arguing that their inability to retain their talent or draw a significant free agent is completely due to their stadium problem.

But if the A's were to build this ballpark in San Jose, would the owners be more likely to dish out more money.....or would they continue to pocket revenue sharing for profit.


I mean, the Marlins built a new stadium and continue to maintain a low payroll

I think if they get a new park, that they'll spend more money.

Now they won't be entering territory of the NYY, BOS, NYM, and those who spend well over 100+ million in payroll every season. But could easily see them spending at least in the 80-90 million range on average which would put them around middle of the pack and would be almost doubled what they've spent this year which is just over 50 million and in previous seasons.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/salaries/teams

The A's highest ever payroll for a single season was just under 80 million in 07, the year after they made it to the ALCS but no way could they keep spending that amount per season on a continuous basis in their eyes at the coliseum.

Basically they're not gonna be what PIT has been which is having IMO the best brand new park built in the past two decades but not spending any money to keep their young talent or really ANY talent to speak of once they become too expensive. Who is the last player we've seen PIT in particular sign to a long term deal that was fairly sizable?

Least the A's have dished out some pretty big deals with a Chavez(6/66), Dye(3/30), Swisher(5/35), Loaiza(3/24) this past decade. Heck include Anderson now who signed a 5 year extension.

A's won't even with a new park handing out numerous 9 figure deals to give away for FAs but instead of maybe keeping only a Chavez beyond his arb years back in the mid 2000s, Beane with a new park could've kept a Chavez, Tejada, and one of the big three for a decade rather than just one "key player".

Also having a new park would help attract FAs. One huge reason why the A's lost out on a Furcal, Beltre, Scutaro in the past few offseasons is because of the lack of player amenities at the coliseum.

The coliseum has one of the smallest clubhouses in MLB, basically no training/weight room to speak of, medical and video rooms are basically closet sized.