I'd like to take a minute or two from everyone's day to talk about nicknames. Or more specifically, nicknames of current A's players.

Everyone knows about how Chuck Finley was the ultimate showman and turned his team into almost the circus act of baseball with their garish uniforms, awesome facial hair, and great promotions. I think we, as the fans, should bring some of that attitude back.

We are in a unique place in baseball history where we can create nicknames for our team that can spread via the interwebs. Nicknames which AN, with its considerable influence, can spread to the A's and their broadcasters, and finally on to ESPN where the country at large can learn about how awesome some of our guys are.

The Mustache Gang, the Bash Brothers, Catfish, Eck, Hendu, Blue Moon, Rollie (Side note to Ray Fosse, just adding -ie or -y to the end of someone's name should not be the basis for EVERY nickname). Let's put our heads together and come up with some awesome nicknames that can spread throughout the baseball world and generate some interest in our boys in Green and Gold.

Let's have some fun with this. Some of my suggestions after The Jump...

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I don't know if anyone else saw this article regarding drafting young high school hitters.  Let me start you out by linking  you to the article in Baseball Prospectus (linked from Minor League Ball).

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2011/10/14/2490086/we-were-prospects-once-and-young#storyjump

The basic gist, for those of you with no time to read it all, is that the highest rates of return for hitters in the amateur draft come from the youngest draft picks.  This, obviously, means the youngest high school players.  Well I wanted to see how Oakland has drafted hitters over the past 10 years, and how our draft strategy aligns with this newly discovered "undervalued commodity".  In short, how many high school hitters have we drafted and which, if any, of our high school draftees was one of the top 5 youngest players drafted.

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Now that I've got your attention with that scary headline, let me clarify.

I believe nobody on this site makes any illusions about our "ace" actually being an ace.  I must say though, that for the first 5 or 6 innings of the games I've seen Kentucky Joe pitch, he's definitely looked very aceish, and it's in the later innings where we see him falter.  I don't know much about interpreting pitching stats, but to those of you who do, I pose this question:

Is Joe having trouble in the final 1/3 of the game because his stuff just isn't that good?  Or is it possible that the very trait that has earned him the nickname "Cupcakes" is causing him to get so tired that he can no longer control his pitches with the finesse he needs?

It just seems to me like Blanton has continued to improve as a pitcher and that it's possible that he may be or may be becoming a low-end #1 or #2 pitcher.  That weight though, seems like it's not helping him.

I've been reading AN for well over a year now and this would be my first entry, officially making myself a part of this online community.  All I really have to say is, I love this team.  I remember a post earlier in the year by someone whose name I can't remember and really isn't relevant right now who asked, basically, does anyone even really like our present squad of green and gold heroes?  

Well sir, I do.  I have all year.  In fact, I love the team with its changing face, every single year.  And I hope I'll have the balls to love the team after BB is gone and we start finishing last every year.

When Milton Bradley hit that walk-off against BJ Ryan, I called it.  I was sitting in my room alone, watching my team lose, and I said to myself "Milton's gonna do it."  And he did!  That's the thing with this team, I actually have faith!  Something I haven't had in a while.  The other night when Loaiza was pitching and we were down 2-0, I knew we were gonna win.  I love this team.

Sure I get frustrated with them a lot.  Sure I call Kendall a chump when he hits a weak chopper to third every game, but then he goes and gets 2 or 3 hits to finish 3 for 5.  You're bound to get upset with something (someone) you love, that comes with the territory.  I love this team.

Other items of note:
-I don't like the Giants because every single one of my friends does.  The giants are the spoiled kid and the A's are the poor redheaded stepchild.
-Please tell me you all have noticed the glorious mustaches being grown by Kirk "too many vowels" Saarloos, and Dan Haren.  Dear God I hope this team grows a collective mustache.  Just think of Big Frank.
-How come the official A's site has a large picture of Kendall and a small back shot of Chavvy?  Shouldn't our franchise player have a large headshot?
-ESPN sucks

That is all.  End communication.