Official AL West Champion Oakland A's discussion repository

[LONGBEACH24]

So, as I've been doing for the better part of 10 years, I'll more than likely be talking to myself in here. Consider it a fan journal. Before I talk about the team and the start of the season I'll preface it with this: This team will blow forever unless they get a stadium, whether in Oakland or not. They literally get 100 fans a night there, it's more than embarrassing. And don't give me the Oakland fan whine that 'why should they go if they're trying to leave?' I'd buy it if there were more than 200 of you there a night for the last 6 years.

Early season: Cespedes is the most exciting player for the A's since McGwire and Canseco. As sad as that sounds, it's reality. They've had plenty of all-star type players over the last decade + but the only guy that would bring a crowd would maybe be Jason Giambi. He'll strike out a ton but hit 30 homers. If they don't trade him, he and Jemile Weeks are a nice little nucleus. Yes, they have 2 decent young players....ugh.

Too many things have to go perfectly for them to win 81 games so I'm certainly not excited for the near future. But, I think the Sacramento River Cats may be the best AAA team EVAR! For the A's to have a chance for 2014, many of the following players have to at least reach potential if not beat it:

Michael Choice AA - Stud but needs plate selection. Extreme power and CF'er
Grant Green AAA - Moved from SS to OF so he needs to produce offensively
Brad Peacock AAA, Jarod Parker (SP's)- No way around it. If these two guys fizzle, they're screwed.
Stephen Parker AAA - A's have had dreadful play from 3rd base for half a decade
Michael Taylor AAA, Chris Carter AAA - I put them together because they've been the future power for the A's for the last couple years. This year they will prove to be either major leaguers or AAAA players. Carter is batting .368 with 5 doubles early and Taylor, .429

[LONGBEACH24]

Well, in 3 career starts, Jarrod Parker has given up 2 earned runs in 18 innings. Fortunately, Balfour didn't piss away another win for him last night. Offense did just enough and they held on for a big win against a very hot Redsox offense and a pitcher that had pitched very well this year in Felix Dubront. Cespedes and Weeks did the job as they have to being the only two players of note in the lineup, though Josh Reddick has been a pleasant surprise.

With the offense being so anemic, I can't see how Michael Taylor and/or Chris Carter are in AAA much longer. The A's DH position is batting about .200 with no power this season, though Manny will be back in the next few weeks so maybe they wait for him.

[LONGBEACH24]

And there we go: Michael Taylor is in Tampa for tonight's game.

[g60rabbit]

And there we go: Michael Taylor is in Tampa for tonight's game.

How does Cespedes [sp] look?

[MotownSVT]

Tell me a little bit about this Brandon Inge guy you guys just picked up...

[LONGBEACH24]

Hey, Inge is better than they've had since Eric Chavez was in his prime. Doesn't say a lot for Inge but maybe he'll get a kick-start with the new team. 3-run homer off Matt Moore the other day was nice to see.

Cespedes looks better than I think a lot of people expected. Most thought homer or bust, at least this season. He has many clutch hits to tie or win games in late innings and adjusts to pitching pretty fast. If Jemile Weeks was ever on base he'd be doing even better than his 20+ RBI. And he hits absolute bombs when he hits 'em. I hope he takes a run at the home run derby.

[Adam@CheckeredFlagVW]

Tell me a little bit about this Brandon Inge guy you guys just picked up...

walk off grand slam last night....ohh geez

[GS Audio]

Tell me a little bit about this Brandon Inge guy you guys just picked up...

walk off grand slam last night....ohh geez

Looks like someone is out to prove he is still a good player.

[beng]

I know who Jarrod Parker is now. Though the way he spells his first name reminds me of superman's Dad's name for some reason.

[LONGBEACH24]

The three big trades for the A's this off-season look good, certainly so far.

Andrew Bailey and Ryan Sweeney for Josh Reddick, Miles Head and Raul Alcantera

- Obviously looks like a complete rip-off for the A's with Bailey hurt but even if he wasn't the A's got the better of the deal. Sweeney is a good hitter and plus defender with ZERO power for an outfielder. For a guy 6'4" its maddening.

- Reddick has been amazing. .290 with 10 homers in that ballpark??? Last I checked he led the league in outfield assists too. Miles Head leads the A's organization in BA, homers, RBI and slugging from single A Stockton.

Trevor Cahill and Craig Breslow for Jarrod Parker, Ryan Cook and Colin Cowgill

- Another absolute steal for the A's. Cahill has been exactly what he was last season. Average, not great. He's a #3 starter on a good team.

- Parker is a stud, no doubt. He's a future #2 starter, which is great. Cook leads MLB in scoreless innings for a reliever, 19 2/3 last I checked. Left handers are 1-27 on the season!!!! Future closer for A's, sooner rather than later. Cowgill is a 4th outfielder but good player.

Gio Gonzalez for Brad Peacock, AJ Cole, Derek Norris and Tommy Milone

- Ok, this one is tough. Gio is a star. He's a #1 on most major league teams. He's still walking guys which has always been his problem, but instead of giving up a cheap run or two a game due to walks, he's getting guys out to the tune of a 2.22 era with 60K's. He's a CY Young contender.

- Peacock is a potential #2 starter and pitching well in AAA, Cole is a potential #2 starter with high ceiling but is a long way away. Derek Norris is the cathcer of the future and is playing well in AAA and Tommy Milone is a serviceable #4/#5 ML starter already which is nothing to sneeze at.

Three very good trades, if you ask me. Beane has always done well as a seller. He does not do well as a buyer, see Carlos Gonzalez for Matt Holliday and Andre Ethier for Milton Bradley. My god those are the two worst trades in history.

[LONGBEACH24]

The swingin' A's are hanging right in there with that new 2nd wild card in play this season. Injuries to Brandon McCarthy, Bartolo Colon, Dallas Braden and Brett Anderson have hurt but guys are stepping up when given the chance. The starting rotation currently consists of 3 rookies and 2 guys with 8 career starts each coming into this season, so for all intents and purposes, all five guys in the rotation are rookies. Not to mention the closer is a rookie, the best left-handed arm out of the bullpen is a rookie and a converted outfielder who was in A-ball a month ago (Doolittle), the cleanup hitter is a rookie and the guy hitting in front of him with 17 homers is in his first full major league season. How this team is only 3 games under .500 is beyond me. After they had dropped to 9 below, I assumed the slide would continue for the duration.

They lead the league in runs scored for JUNE!!!

[GS Audio]

Update.....

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/82...ng-drug-policy

[Justin]

Update.....

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/82...ng-drug-policy

For some reason I don't think losing Bartolo is so bad, I liked him but he's a fastball pitcher and 39 years old. Who knows what would happen in the playoffs. Plus with Anderson coming back he seems to be making it known that he is a strong pitcher.

End of the season is going to be an interesting run. With 2 series against Texas for 7 games. I don't want the damn wild card I want to take the division and watch Texas sit at home through the playoffs.

Cook has seemed to get his confidence back since he isn't closing, Balfour is playing well, Cespedes is still amazing me and moving Reddick has seemed to get his bat back in line.

Can't wait for my road trip to the bay this weekend. Taking in a few games with my cousins should be fun. Seriously who drive 1500 miles for a baseball game.

[Justin]

AL West Champion Oakland Athletics

[Justin]

btw, hope you don't mind I changed the thread title a bit to reflect the current news

[beng]

I see what you did there

Congrats LB and Justin... Great run by the As

[Justin]

I see what you did there

Congrats LB and Justin... Great run by the As

HAHA both of the A's fans on the Vortex. Kinda nervous now, I said I would go to a World Series game with my cousins if they make it but we will all be in Scotland for my sisters wedding. I told her we were sorry we couldn't come.

[Justin]

must be nice to be a superstar and get pitches all over the place get called strikes.

[Adam@CheckeredFlagVW]

must be nice to be a superstar and get pitches all over the place get called strikes.

The strike zone was huge all night...all you ask out of the umpire is consistency.


Sent from my iPhone....Go Blue

[Justin]

I'll say it here so to not troll the Tigers thread:

If I were to cast a vote for the AL MVP, it would still be Mike Trout. Triple Crown is amazing don't get me wrong but how many bases did Cabrera steal this season? How many runs did he cross the plate with compared to Trout? How was his defense compared to Trout.

I love baseball but my biggest problem is the fact that the horribly out of shape guys still do so well. It was sad to see Colon out there with his 14 chins. Professional athletes are supposed to be in shape when I see Prince Fielder I always wonder if he is going to have a heart attack on his way to first.

Basically, the way I figure MVP in my head is, if the A's had say $15 million to spend on a FA next year and it was for 1 year (to make age not a factor) would I rather have Trout or Cabrera (this would assume they were available which they aren't). I would take Trout every time I had the chance.

[beng]

Trout had like 100 less at bats too.