2009 Oakland A's thread

Desme should've been called up a few weeks ago when Brown was still on the DL basically and before the Holliday deal was made.

Although the A's talent at AA you named is doing pretty good right now...

-Peterson is at a .343 clip the past ten games and has a line at AA of .317/.389/.492.

-Brown has a line of .302/.375/.535.

-Spencer starting with the start of June has killed the ball at AA, .310/.351/.453 with 16 2Bs/3B/4 HRs/31 RBIs in 33 games.

...the only one who at this point doesn't deserve ABs over Desme is Sulentic whos having a solid year but right now shouldn't be taking any ABs over a prospect like Desme.

Quote:
Let's all do this again 4next big A's game! Oh wait. RT @JeffFletcherAOL @timkawakami @annkillion @CamInman and I are all Tweeting this game

about 3 hours ago from web

It's unprovoked potshots like these from the media here that makes me never EVER gonna root for the other team across the bay.

I already know how the their fans feel about the A's in general which clinched it for me a while back ago, but the media just over I don't know the past decade just can't love to kick the A's org and especially fans when they're down.

Well screw em.

Go Dodgers, Rockies, Cubs, Marlins, Braves...

Wallace 2/5 tonight. 4/12 in his last three games after a 0/9 two game mini slump. Although where's the power, only 3 XHBs with 2 2Bs and a HR in the month of AUG. I know there was talk about the A's calling him up for SEP, but where do you play him at this point? Kennedy IMO has a done a solid job at 3B both with the bat and glove. Now will he able to produce as well this season for next year, I hope so and do think the A's should resign him even as a backup/emergency guy at 3B which we all know probably will be needed with Chavez having one more left on his six year deal that has pretty much hamstrung the franchise the day he signed it it seems.

Still thinking Wallace should start the year at AAA in 2010 and call him up in June ala how the ChiSox did with Beckham so they can save a year of service.

Maybe let Wallace have a full year or so at AAA before reaching the bigs and taking it slowly with him as he's been pretty much rushed thru out his minor league career the moment STL drafted even though he was thought to be a fast track candidate.

Dixon after struggling bad for June and mostly all of July has turned it on lately. Past ten games, .324/.368/.324. No XHBs which puts a damper into things but at least he's getting some hits be them singles at this point.

Originally posted by ninerpride:

Quote:
Let's all do this again 4next big A's game! Oh wait. RT @JeffFletcherAOL @timkawakami @annkillion @CamInman and I are all Tweeting this game

about 3 hours ago from web

It's unprovoked potshots like these from the media here that makes me never EVER gonna root for the other team across the bay.

I already know how the their fans feel about the A's in general which clinched it for me a while back ago, but the media just over I don't know the past decade just can't love to kick the A's org and especially fans when they're down.

Well screw em.

Go Dodgers, Rockies, Cubs, Marlins, Braves...

That's my take on it.

I used to be both a Giants and an A's fan. I went to Giants summer youth baseball camps. I was crushed when the Giants lost in the 2002 World Series. I already told the story about how I cried in my mom's car as the last few innings came to a close and the Giants lost. (And ninerjohn can use this to make fun of me again I could really care less).

But it was only when I became a little older and understood the shameless bias towards the Giants and the complete disrespect towards the A's by the fans and media that I started to love the A's even more and hate the Giants with a passion.

Screw the Giants.

Gotta say Gio is really impressing the hell out of me.

Really since his return in late June, he's has two bad starts against SF and against MIN.

Not counting one relief appearance, he's been excellent for the most part in his other six starts...

-6 GS, 4-1, 35.2 IP, 30 hits, 9 ERs, 14 BBs, 39 Ks, 2.28 ERA, 1.24 WHIP

...again like with Anderson, he's not pitching against many patsies either. DET, BOS, NYY, TEX...heck even BAL is ranked 6th in offense before today's start.

Think that watershed start maybe in Gio's career was the start right after that MIN blowup against the red hot NYY in that in park where it's a joke as he threw 2 hit gem for 6.2 innings and shutdown that offense in that park, pretty remarkable and I think that confidence has been growing ever since.

Too bad Outman got hurt and probably won't see anywhere near a 100% Outman until 2011 because the A's could have as three young talented of LHSP with Anderson, Gio and Outman.

Just hope Cahill and Mazzaro can turn it around although probably gonna see Cahill shutdown within the next few weeks to save his arm although Mazzaro probably will be allowed to pitch till the end of the season because the IP he logged in 08, well he's on pace to pitch more but not be over pitched.

To correct myself in a previous post.

Wallace has a 2B and two HRs this month.

Some guy at Sickels' site had his top 100, 6 A's prospects made the list...

Quote:
#34: Adrian Cardenas, IF, OAK

Since receiving tons of hype a couple years ago, Cardenas has been the subject of a lot of criticism. While he may have initially been overrated, he is still a legitimately good prospect. Maybe he can't stick at shortstop, and maybe he will never hit for power. However, Cardenas can still be an offensive-minded second baseman, and I tend to believe that his bat will play at third base, too. I like his high-contact approach, and I do believe that as he gets older, those doubles will turn into home runs (I'm thinking 15-20 annually). Remember, Cardenas is still just 21 years old, and already at AAA.



#39: Chris Carter, DH, OAK

Remember that "Offense first" section I mentioned a while ago? Among that group, Carter undoubtedly has the worst glove. I can't see him as anything but a DH at this point, but his bat is incredible. Finally working to cut down on his strikeouts, Carter has had one of his most impressive seasons yet. He has tons and tons of plate discipline to go along with his plus to plus-plus power, and the drop in strikeouts has actually allowed him to sustain an average above .300. There are still holes in Carter's swing (after all, he still strikes out nearly once a game), but it's hard not to be impressed with his offensive ceiling.



#47: Brett Wallace, 3B, OAK

There are some questions as to whether or not Wallace can remain at third base, but a more pressing concern is where his power has gone. Despite spending about 70% of his season in one of the most hitter-friendly leagues in baseball, Wallace has a .418 SLG this season. Even worse, his plate discipline has slipped dramatically since being promoted to AAA. Strikeouts have always been a concern for Wallace, but now, he's stopped walking as well. There are a lot of questions for him to answer as this season comes to a close, although he could still open 2010 in Oakland with a good Spring Training.



#48: Aaron Cunningham, OF, OAK

As I've said in the past, Cunningham does a lot of things well, but nothing exceptionally well. He can hit for average, has some power, can take a walk, and has some speed, but he's not going to wow you with any of those skills. Still, though, a consistently above-average outfielder has value, and I think that the sum of Cunningham's parts are valuable.



#67: Josh Donaldson, C, OAK

When Donaldson was traded from the Cubs to the Athletics last summer, he was touted as Oakland's catcher for the future. Upon his arrival in the system, he delivered, putting up an OPS well over .900 (granted, as a 22 year old in the CAL League). This season, Donaldson has continued his transformation into a mature hitter at AA. While he is still not really young for his league, the catcher has a BB/K ratio of just under 1. While he hasn't shown much power so far this year, the really impressive thing is just how much Donaldson has transformed his approach. Again, in 2008, he had a 70 strikeouts and 34 walks. This season? His 73 strikeouts are accompanied by an impressive 70 walks. Defensively, Donaldson is still learning, but he has a good arm, and enough athleticism to believe that he can stick behind the plate.



#89: Jemile Weeks, 2B, OAK

The small sample size worries me a bit, but it doesn't change the fact that Weeks has shown very advanced plate discipline since being drafted 12th overall last year. His career BB/K is now 41/54, and Weeks has shown surprising power (though much of it came as a 22 year old at CAL). I suppose I could equate him with Forsythe at this point, but the latter was simply more impressive for a longer period of time this year.

Cahill can't catch a break.

Pitches a solid game tonight yet the A's can't score for him.

Mazzaro who got the win last time out but didn't pitch all that well pitches the finale tomorrow.

A's win game and series.

Mazzaro looked good for the first 5 or so innings but really struggled in the 6th before Breslow came in and shut it down. Mazzaro did get the win though.

Breslow has been nails since he was dealt here from MIN. I think it'll be a good battle for the LHRPs heading into next season with Breslow, Blevins whos on a roll right now in AAA, Marshall whos a "loogy" LHRP, and Kilby who has a few innings of MLB experience.

Powell with a HR. If only he could stay healthy because the guy has been a solid backup C bat and IMO he and Suzuki could make a damn find C combo for the next 3-4 years.

Good series for the A's. We always do well against the O's.

BA did a poll by league managers down in the minors on who they think were the best players in certain categories...

AAA-PCL...

Best Batting Prospect-Wallace



AA-TEX...

Best Batting/Power Prospect-Carter


...be nice over the next few years to see the likes of a Wallace, Carter, Cardenas, Donaldson, Brown, Doolittle and others arriving.

Also seems as Stassi's side is "leaning" towards signing with the A's.

I've always believed both Green and Stassi will sign but probably cutting it too close to the deadline for my taste.

I'd love to see Krol signed too.

If those three signed by MON night, think it'll be a very good draft for the A's.

And just like that, Carter hits his 22nd HR.

A's 7th rounder Krol decides to opt for college.

Stinks as I really wanted to add a good young arm out of this draft.

Signing Green and Stassi are a MUST now.

Well it maybe isn't 100% that Krol is heading to college.

May have misread the title of an article where it had it posted "Krol headed to ARZ".

He hasn't officially made a decision.