Today while my Office reruns were at commercial, I watched two outs of the As game (I'm a diehard fan that reads every post exactly like this but never comments on them, really) and I watched Jason Giambi not hit 10 home runs during those two outs.  I think its time to admit that Moneyball doesn't work and that we should trade Bobby Crosby for Hanley Ramirez.  Also, we need to tell Chavez, Nomar, Stomper, Banjo Dude, and Giambi to give us back the money (that's how contracts work guys, we can just stop paying them when we want to.)  Furthermore, I understand that the young guys are young, but I think they need to be older so that they can start producing.  As far as the old guys, they're too old and need to be younger like the young guys.  I think we need to be like the Giants--Brian Sabean knows what he's doing.  If only we had a total dice roll of an ace that happened to pan out instead of being injured every year and a little panda that is the only reason we score runs, we also would be a contending team.

In summation, STRICKOUTS!!!!11

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=AmM._6dzGaI3bbt8DN_pA8KFCLcF?gid=290330119&prov=ap

He says he's ready, which makes him our Opening Day 3B, which leaves somebody off.  Is it Pennington? Crosby? Nomah?!

My guess is that they send Crosby down to AAA by waiving him (let's see if anybody bites this time) to maybe work on a little 2B and 3B, because in all likelihood Chavez will get hurt again and Crosby may come back and platoon with Nomah at third.  What do you all think?

I've never done this before, so I apologize if I'm stepping on anyone's toes, but we haven't had a good DLD in a while, and Urban's recent release that the A's are close to signing Giambi to a one year (possibly two) deal with Giambi felt like a good enough impetus:

Everyone's favorite Jay Mariotti is now writing for AOL Sports:

Baby Mangino looks to pull over Buzz Bissinger for Deadspin's "Sports Human of the Year Award."

Joe Sheehan of BaseballProspectus still hates the Marlins:

And finally, ESPN is reporting that Milton Bradley has agreed to a 3 year deal with the Cubs.  I still wish we had Ethier.

Dump, Discuss, Do it!

Around this time last year I realized that the Bobby Crosby shirt I bought at Fanfest 2004 was near the end of its life, and I wanted to buy a new jersey or shirt.  When I perused the roster and trades we had made, I was the most excited about Daric Barton and Carlos Gonzalez.  I thought I would buy a shirt of one of them, but just never got around to it since they both underwhelmed, as well as my wallet.  Once again I am faced with the dilemma, but now it's even more nebulous.  Here are a few things I want in my jersey player:

1) The player will at least put up solid numbers on average, or be known to come through when it counts (Marco Scutaro) even if that stat can't be verified.

2) The player has a reasonable chance to be with the A's for at least the whole year, and preferably two or more.

3) The player can be expected to play most of their days in an ideal lineup, or pitch when their spot in the rotation came up (I'm reluctant to buy off injured players.)

Where does that leave me?  Daric Barton may not even start at 1st if we pick up a slugger, I don't know who's playing SS, Eric Chavez probably will get injured again, Travis Buck and Aaron Cunningham are battling for right, Holliday may very well be gone after this year.  As far as pitching, Duchscherer is oft injured and may very well not be an A after this year, Gio/Gallagher may bust like Barton, and any of the younger players I can't buy jerseys of because they haven't been in the majors not long enough or at all.

That leaves Jack Cust (2008 VORP 31.1) Kurt Suzuki (16.2) Ryan Sweeney (10.9) Mark Ellis (5.9) Brad Ziegler (30.0) Dana Eveland (24.6) Joey Devine (22.1).  I'm most inclined to go with Zook or Ziegler at this point, but I'm curious as to what other fans think.  Do you buy jerseys?  If so, do you put much thought into it, or do you just buy the one with the guy who had the clutch home run the one time you got to go with that one hot guy/gal from work?

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081120&content_id=3687188&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp

mlb.com is reporting that the White Sox have reached a reported 4 year, $11 million deal with Dayan Viciedo, the cuban defect super-prospect that many ANers had their eye on.  The White Sox have always been the front runners in that race, but that didn't stop a lot of us from wishing in light of the deal the A's gave Michel Inoa.

In light of this, what's the A's best plan for 3rd base?  Should they go with the Chavez/Hannahan plan like last year considering that Chavez seems so optimistic about his rehab?  Perhaps make a play for Joe Crede, or more attractively, Josh Fields?  Should the A's begin grooming Adrian Cardenas to play 3rd base?  Discuss!

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080810&content_id=3286166&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

The Astros have ruled out signing Bonds, but...."A lack of interest in Bonds doesn't mean the Astros aren't looking for outside help. They can still make a waiver wire deal between now and Aug. 31, and in the next few days, Wade and manager Cecil Cooper will discuss their options."

Emil Brown seems like he could very well make it through waivers to be traded, and perhaps we could get a few prospects out of him.  I doubt the Astros would deal JR Towles or anything, but a couple two star prospects like Mitch Einertson and Eli Iorg doesn't sound unreasonable.  Thoughts?