Over the past few weeks, there has been much debate on AN about the areas that the Athletics need to improve on the most to contend for the AL West crown in 2009, and I think that the overall consensus on has been that the weakest link in Oakland's chain of potential is its starting pitching. With a rotation that consists of 4 question marks and one set of fingers crossed as our ace, and with Billy Beane shooting down the idea of bringing in an established starter it might be time for the A’s to work some of their high risk/high reward mojo to bolster its rotation. A name I have seen thrown around AN on more than one occasion is Mark Mulder, which could be a strong signing if  Beane can get him on a minor league contract, and his velocity returns and can at least top that of Barry Zito. But a name that has not come up as often in conversation on AN, and one that might have real potential is Freddy Garcia. Now Freddy Garcia is definitely a risk as he is coming back from a serious shoulder injury; but in his 2 starts in Detroit’s minor league system last year he pitched 5 innings, gave up no runs, and struck out 5. Garcia ended the season striking out 12 batters through 15 innings pitched, while giving up 11 hits and 6 walks. In his Tigers debut on September 17, Garcia, with a limited pitch count, threw 5 scoreless innings to get the win, with his slider was looking as nasty as ever. Garcia has been a solid number 3 starter where ever he has been, pitching for Seattle during their hot run in the early 00’s, and the White Sox during their Championship 2005 season.  If the A’s can sign Freddy to an incentive heavy one year deal, he could be a strong veteran presence in a largely untested rotation (Duke included.)
Again this would definitely be a high risk/high reward signing, but with the options available to the Athletics this off season, he may be key to solidifying a strong rotation, to complement a starting lineup that may have a chance to win the AL West.

Since Carp posted the fan post a few days ago, about Dave Stewart calling out Roger Clemens, I have thought a lot about Stew and the impact he had on the Athletics during Oakland’s second "Championship" Run from 1986-1992. Dave Stewart was more than just the Ace of the starting rotation, he was the intimidating presence on the mound that struck fear into the hearts of all opposing hitters who dared step foot in the batters box, and along with Rickey Henderson he was a true home town hero pitching for the city he was born and raised in. But I don't have to preach the greatness of Stewart in this diary ( World series MVP, ALCS MVP, 4 consecutive 20 win seasons, a no hitter in 1990), what I do want to do is start a movement for the Oakland Athletics to retire the number 34 for Dave Stewart, as well as Rollie Fingers. I believe that there should be a 34 Stewart jersey hanging right next to Rollies 34 on the Athletics wall of fame. Why not? The number is already retired, and Dave Stewart is one of the only players from the great teams of the late 1980's and early 1990's that we can still be proud of. I think Stewart is such an important figure in the history of the Athletics franchise, that it’s a travesty that 34 is NOT retired for him already. So what do you say AN? Lets pull together and make our voices heard!!!!! Lets get a 34 Stewart jersey retired and celebrate the Oakland Athletics glorious past!

When it comes to baseball merchandise I guess that you could say, that I am somewhat of a purist. Nothing makes me cringe more than seeing a baby blue, an all black, or a (god forbid) red and white Athletics hat (It's part of that whole, I hate the Angels thing...). But what I saw today at a store in the mall, had to take the cake over all of the above listed examples. What I saw was a true to the bone, traditional Athletics hat ( The green hat, with a yellow brim that is worn with the home whites, or the road grays) but upon taking a closer look, I noticed that the hat did not have an A's logo on it, at all,  but instead it was replaced with a  Giants logo! Even worse, the hat next to it was of the same color, except that it had the logo of the L.A Dodgers!!!!!  WTF is this world coming to? Fashion is one thing, and ive heard many a young "gangsta" talk about "representing the bay", fine,  that may be their prerogative; but at what point does fashion cross the line of what is sacred??? Its been a huge pet peeve of mine for years to see people wearing Red A's hats, who upon talking to them I find out do not follow the A's at all, and in fact they know nothing about the game of baseball period. But to me, when you take a teams color's and bastardize them for the sake of fashion, then you are going to far.....

I didnt see this posted yet, so I had to throw it up. Im a youngin around these parts (I grew up with the Bash brothers, Rickey, and the split finger fast ball) but to some of the Oakland originals, they will remember Dick Williams as the skipper who guided the band of misfits known as the Swinging A's to 2 of their 3 championships in the early 70's. And its official, he is going to the hall with an A's hat!!!!

Williams, who won the World Series twice as manager of the A's and will go in wearing an Oakland cap, teamed up with Gossage in 1984, as the Padres won the first National League pennant in franchise history, but lost a five-game World Series to the Tigers.

Williams' wife, Norma, answering the phone on Tuesday at their Las Vegas home, said Williams had already spoken to Gossage, and that her husband "was just as giddy as the day he got into the Hall of Fame."

"They just acted like two crazy little people," she said.

Williams was one of five managers and executives elected last month by separate, newly formed Veterans Committees...

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Well I saw there was no weekend DLD up so I thought I would throw one up. I just uploaded some more videos, from my Backyard wrestling public access show, CWF DEVASTATION, which you can now see on youtube! well here is a clip from the Infamous Room of Doom match between Butcher Knife Vs Alcoholocaust. http://youtube.com/watch?v=drZqGznKL44

Here is the second part to the devastating match here:  http://youtube.com/watch?v=wZfhDb4nXDM

Yea I dont have any real links, so I thought id just throw these bad boys up here. You can use this DLD as an open thread about backyard wrestling if you want. Here is a cool outro to the television show with a nickleback theme.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=umE5orqRz...

Well D backs VS Rockies in the NLCS... what a postseason so far!

So the Oakland Athletics this year have had a record number 50 players, swing through their turnstiles this season. So I post a challenge to all of ye who are up to accept it. Who can name (without cheating!!!!!) Off the top of your head all 50 Athletics to play in this very interesting 2007 season???? The grand prize for the winner(again who really does it off of the top of their head) IS the right to boast to all of us AN know it alls, and also a little bit of personal boast... but its also a sign that you might need to get away from your LED devices a LITTLE bit more often.... ANyway yall rock on, and may the best fan post 50....

Well after yesterdays crazy game who knows what the rest of the weekend has to offer. I got more than a little drunk yesterday, and passed out by the 5th inning, so needless to say I was very confused when I awoke later on last night and turned on ESPN...

Well I don't have much as far as Links go, im just putting this bad boy up, because, well someone has to do it. Lets see what I can conjure up...

Here is a clip that someone made of the 1988 world series game one 9th inning match up between Eck and Gibson, but to a western theme. Its sort of creative I guess, and Frankly I've got nothing for the DLD so at least its something. http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=15282702

Here is the classic Miller light commerical with Billy Martin and the boss, if yu have been watching "The Bronx is Burning"(acutally better than I thought it would be) you will get a kick out of it... http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q9mNkEcUR3s

And speaking of Billy Ball, here is the man himself in a 1981 A's commerical, they had a "different brand of baseball" even back then..lol http://youtube.com/watch?v=DlcRC3TQj5c
Oh yea it you were drunk like me yesterday and watched the game with one eye open, there is a recap from MLB.com

I hope it works....lol. Well what can I say, another day, another dollar. Except for the dollar part...

Thought I would slip this bad boy in before anyone noticed its absence. Well I dont have very many baseball links, and im hung over as all hell so I guess im gonna throw up the usual wrestling stuff. This shit is gold, here is the Macho Man Randy Savage reading Green Eggs and Ham:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni9Ntq_r1z0. If you guys didnt know, back in the Vince Russo WCW days there was a shitty character called "The Demon" He painted himself like a member of kiss. Well anyway the guy that played that gimmick is named Dale Torrborg. He now is the pitching coach for the White Sox, which explains why lots of ballplayers have been showing up on TNA. Here is some footage of that here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjuAh... and some action here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pWEI... Ok and this is awesome, here is Ozzie Guillen smashing Simon Diamond with a Steel chair. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj50-...

ok I bought the spring training package from MLB.com and so far its kicked ass. I woke up today way way to hung over to really watch the A's VS Angels game live, but you can go back and watch a video clip of the game once its over. So that got me thinking, If I order it during the Regular season, then Even games that Im at work for, ill still get to see because of the archive. Now the whole point of my Diary is this. During the Regular season, since I live in Vallejo, how many games will be blacked out? Every home game? or every game not on television. And now say for instance the A's were playing the Royals. If the game was blacked out A's fans,  could I watch the Royals feed of the game? And once a game is played, say it was blacked out, can you watch the archive version of it, or is that game forever lost to local A's Fans? If any of yall could answer one or many of these questions I would much appreciate it. Thanks a million. Angels suck.

Well Sunday is 2/11 and in honor of such, I shall spend the day drinking tall cans of Steel Reserve. Again I do not have very many devastating links, but the Link Dump must be posted or the sun will never set, so without further ado, I bring to you, my DLD number two...

Well on NWA TNA(for those of you who don't follow wrestling, its a professional wrestling league, with a TV show called "The Impact Zone") David Eckstein is going to wrestle A.J pierzynski. Johnny Damon made an appearance on thursdays show you can see here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pWEI1m0VRM&NR.

Wow wrestling and baseball together at last!!!! yep so I dont have much, but at least its up.