2014 Oakland Athletics Thread

Originally posted by Niners99:

The part of baseball that casual fans think is "slow" is called "suspense" to real fans. Its about building the suspense as the game moves along.

BTW, its funny when people say football and basketball are "faster", when theyre the only two sports in which the last 2 minutes of the games are usually the most boring part.

The majority of NFL games end with kneeling and running clock, and the majority NBA games end with playing keep away with the ball and taking fouls.

Not only that but in football like 10 of the actual 60 minutes are being played. And you spend 3 hours watching it too. I laugh when people that watch 3 hours of one sport complain that another sport is too slow. Same s**t. Unless you're watching soccer where the actual 90 minutes are being played it's a dumb argument

Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by socalfan21:

I think I'm giving up baseball.... For good this time. I can't deal with this s**t. Football and basketball aren't nearly as slow and it's just another area of stress.

The part of baseball that casual fans think is "slow" is called "suspense" to real fans. Its about building the suspense as the game moves along.

BTW, its funny when people say football and basketball are "faster", when theyre the only two sports in which the last 2 minutes of the games are usually the most boring part.

The majority of NFL games end with kneeling and running clock, and the majority NBA games end with playing keep away with the ball and taking fouls.

Yep the "Real" fans

Originally posted by IT21:

Originally posted by Niners99:
The part of baseball that casual fans think is "slow" is called "suspense" to real fans. Its about building the suspense as the game moves along.

BTW, its funny when people say football and basketball are "faster", when theyre the only two sports in which the last 2 minutes of the games are usually the most boring part.

The majority of NFL games end with kneeling and running clock, and the majority NBA games end with playing keep away with the ball and taking fouls.

Not only that but in football like 10 of the actual 60 minutes are being played. And you spend 3 hours watching it too. I laugh when people that watch 3 hours of one sport complain that another sport is too slow. Same s**t. Unless you're watching soccer where the actual 90 minutes are being played it's a dumb argument

The "nonstop 'action' of soccer" is such BS...there is plenty of walking, light jogging, and pain old standing around in that game. And as far as football, so lame how people are on this kick of the actual real-time the ball is in play, as if the game is supposed to maybe be better if it were more just random "action" instead of set plays...including STs there's probably anywhere from 130-150 separate plays in football that feature the bursts of speed, power, athletic ability, and strategy that I would think are the things football fans love and compel us to watch. Yeah the penalties and the rules are a pain, and if that's going to make people stop watching then so be it...but for those who complain about commercials, it hasn't changed in the 40+ years I've been watching football, games have always been 3 hours...you're going have 3 commercials after most change of possessions and before kickoffs. Not to mention without commercials there is no NFL.

Typical A's. Choke job and complete collapse in an epic fashion. I should be used to this by now but I have no words, other than 'wow' to describe last night. Thank God basketball season (Dubs!) is around the corner because between this A's collapse and the way these Niners are looking, s**ts stressful RN.

Originally posted by NeonNiner:
Typical A's. Choke job and complete collapse in an epic fashion. I should be used to this by now but I have no words, other than 'wow' to describe last night. Thank God basketball season (Dubs!) is around the corner because between this A's collapse and the way these Niners are looking, s**ts stressful RN.

Good grief, between the A's, Warriors, and 49ers over the past few years you can look at it one way and be happy about how good and competitive they've been, but then on the other hand seasons have ended in gut-wrenching fashion. But yeah, totally pumped about the Warriors, although as a longtime-suffering fan it is the Dubs, so there's sure to be some kind of hearbreak at the end.

So why exactly couldnt Bob Melvin get Adam Dunn into his first career playoff game (and last career game), when it went 12 innings?

EPIC MELTDOWN

CURSE OF CESPEDES

Originally posted by Niners99:
So why exactly couldnt Bob Melvin get Adam Dunn into his first career playoff game (and last career game), when it went 12 innings?

Yeah, that was just stupid...if nothing else at least throw the guy a bone in his FIRST ever playoff game and LAST game of his career, not to mention the reason you got him was to hit bombs and he just might do it. But I guess Jed Lowrie is just so vital to keep in the lineup.

Originally posted by DelCed2486:

Good grief, between the A's, Warriors, and 49ers over the past few years you can look at it one way and be happy about how good and competitive they've been, but then on the other hand seasons have ended in gut-wrenching fashion. But yeah, totally pumped about the Warriors, although as a longtime-suffering fan it is the Dubs, so there's sure to be some kind of hearbreak at the end.

warriors will just lose in the first round to a better, more stacked team
A's will always choke horrendously
Giants will probably win the World Series
The niners will lose in the nfccg/super bowl again
The raiders are the raiders

LOL at Billy Beane trying to justify his trade:

"Simply put, if we don't have Jon Lester, I don't think we make the playoffs," the A's general manager said Wednesday as players packed up their belongings in a quiet clubhouse.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
LOL at Billy Beane trying to justify his trade:

"Simply put, if we don't have Jon Lester, I don't think we make the playoffs," the A's general manager said Wednesday as players packed up their belongings in a quiet clubhouse.

I just saw the article...I'd have some respect if he just came out and said he went for it but it ended up being a bad trade, but no, he's doubling down on his COLOSSALLY bad judgement of what Cespedes meant to that lineup and team in general...in the same article players admit the effect it had not just on the batting order but also team chemistry.

Yeah, not saying Lester didn't pitch well for the A's but what, like Chavez/Pomeranz/whoever couldn't also have accounted for what, the 6 wins Lester had? And even with Cespedes the Angels very well may have caught and passed the A's, but that still doesn't excuse a terrible trade. And don't think he said it in the article but many times he's noted how they couldn't keep Cespedes anyway, but guess he assumes everyone is stupid and doesn't know he could've got a lot more this offseason, i.e. quality MLB player(s) and/or top-shelf prospect(s) than 2-month rental on a pitcher...a pitcher who by the way was a dud in the exact type of game he was brought here to win.

Plus a trade in the offseason doesn't yank your best player--your cleanup hitter, your heart and soul--out of your lineup with 2 months to go in the heat of a penant race. And besides all that, as I've said the "we can't afford it" card is so tired...bidding war with the Yankees or Red Sox? No, they probably couldn't afford it, but the A's make money and they could've made a run at extending the first thisclose to being a superstar player they've had in a decade. Again, it bugs me Minority Owner Beane has a vested interest in always crying poor.

I've posted the stats before, yes there was a downward trend offensively in July, but the numbers weren't horrible plus Cespedes had finally broken out of his long slump...but everything nosedived in August. Sorry, ain't just a coincidence. I'll say it again, spreadsheets don't play baseball. His f***up would get most GMs fired, but with his ownership stake that ain't gonna happen, and I'm not saying it should...but it gives him the luxury continuing to not admit his mistake and keep trotting out his BS and talking down to people like they're just too stupid to appreciate his obvious genius with that trade.

Originally posted by IT21:

Originally posted by DelCed2486:
Good grief, between the A's, Warriors, and 49ers over the past few years you can look at it one way and be happy about how good and competitive they've been, but then on the other hand seasons have ended in gut-wrenching fashion. But yeah, totally pumped about the Warriors, although as a longtime-suffering fan it is the Dubs, so there's sure to be some kind of hearbreak at the end.

warriors will just lose in the first round to a better, more stacked team
A's will always choke horrendously
Giants will probably win the World Series
The niners will lose in the nfccg/super bowl again
The raiders are the raiders

I hope so.

Originally posted by DelCed2486:
The "nonstop 'action' of soccer" is such BS...there is plenty of walking, light jogging, and pain old standing around in that game.

You forgot the academy award worthy fake injuries and phantom fouls. Soccer is awful on so many levels.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

LOL at Billy Beane trying to justify his trade:

"Simply put, if we don't have Jon Lester, I don't think we make the playoffs," the A's general manager said Wednesday as players packed up their belongings in a quiet clubhouse.

I can't stand Beane
I loved him so much like 2 months ago. But right now I despise him

Originally posted by IT21:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

LOL at Billy Beane trying to justify his trade:

"Simply put, if we don't have Jon Lester, I don't think we make the playoffs," the A's general manager said Wednesday as players packed up their belongings in a quiet clubhouse.

I can't stand Beane
I loved him so much like 2 months ago. But right now I despise him

I think the moves he made will cost him his job.

Any time you over-manage a teams roster like that, and mess with the chemistry of a team thay was playing really well, you have to be ready for the consequences.

The Samardzija/Hammel trade bumped a very capable Tommy Milone out of the rotation, and then he trades arguably the heart of the team, Cespedes, for ANOTHER pitcher. Then he trades Milone away for Sam Fuld...

I think if he had either left the team as-is, or saved Russell for the Lester trade instead of Cespedes, the A's would still be playing right now, and in great shape.

But thats just what I gathered from a Giants fans' perspective.