Let me remind everyone what this website's motto is... "In Billy We Trust".  If he thinks Bonds is the guy who can get us over the hump, then by God i will root for this steroid freak.  I will not dump the ONLY BASEBALL TEAM I HAVE EVER ROOTED FOR JUST BECAUSE OF ONE PLAYER.  I hate Bonds as much as the next person, but if he does get signed, i am now a Bonds rooter.  Not a supporter, mind you, but i will root for him to get on base and drive in runs.

Billy wants to win a World Series, and if you are like me, then you all do too.  If he feels this is the best option, then let's go for it!!  Do you think Yankee fans stopped rooting for them when they signed Damon?  I highly doubt it.  Sure it was odd at first, but actions speak louder than words.  

I am loyal to my TEAM, first and foremost, regardless of the player.  

One last thing, not relating to Bonds.  Since Wolffe has said that "of Fremont" is going to be in the name when the move happens, and they decide to keep Oakland in it also, and the name turns out to be "Oakland Athletics of Fremont", would our nickname be the "O.A.F.s"?  Just something to think about.

Calling all Southern Cali A's fans... My wife and I will be in section 130 row N, wearing my Chavez jersey and my wife wearing her Zito shirt. Who else will be around there?  Who else is going?  

I say we meet up somewhere around the 5th inning for a beer.  Any suggestions?  Would luv to meet some fellow ANers out there.

OK, so i took this from ESPN's Page 2, but it was still pretty funny. (diary police please let me off with a warning if this has been posted).  I knew Bobby looked like someone familiar, but until now i couldnt put my finger on it.

Heres Bobby K...



...his good alter ego...


...and his evil alter ego (thanks to blackpearl)

No wonder BB is so high on Mr. Incredi... whoops!!  Uh, er,... I mean, Mr. Kielty.

I was checkin out the free agent pool in my fantasy league, and who should show up (way down in the rankings btw) on the pitchers list... none other than Joe Kennedy.  I clicked on his notes and saw this;

The Colorado Rockies have decided to shift Kennedy to the bullpen when they resume play after the All-Star break. The lefthander was the team's Opening Day starter this season, but he has struggled most of the year, posting a 4-8 record and 7.04 ERA in 16 outings.

Now this is the same guy who had one foot in the door in Oakland, and was high on BB trade for list.  How happy are we that he didnt hit the panick button and let our young pitching staff work through their early season slumps?  

This was posted by Peter Gammons on his weekly update on ESPN

"The Yankees are trying to get Oakland's Mark Kotsay, who can be a free agent at the end of the year. But whether or not Brian Cashman will give up the prospects needed to get one of the game's premier center fielders, like right-hander Philip Hughes and perhaps third baseman Eric Duncan, remains to be seen. Cashman has talked to a number of general managers, but isn't offering to break up the team as some have suggested. Getting Kotsay would completely change their outfield defense and give them a solid leadoff hitter as they try to move Tony Womack."

I dont think getting rid of Kotsay would neccesarily be a bad thing, but not for what is mentioned above.  I would hope if BB is concidering this, we would get some big league talent in return.  

Its not like we were expecting much power out of Jason, but even Scutaro has a couple of jacks this year.  This is from cbs.sportsline.com:

One more problem in Oakland: The A's didn't expect any power out of catcher Jason Kendall, and they're not getting any. As in, none. Kendall owns the longest active streak for any position player in baseball without a home run -- a career-high 114 games and 447 at-bats.

Flat out, Kendall needs to get going, if not hitting homers, then hitting those doubles and triples into the gaps, especially now that he is leading off.

We all know that the A's and BB are hot on Joe Kennedy of the Rockies and that their scouts are scouring our farm system.  Well, on cbs.sportline, they mentioned one name in particular... Jairo Garcia

"With the A's said to be very interested in acquiring Rockies pitcher Joe Kennedy, Colorado is scouting Oakland's Triple-A for a close look at reliever Jairo Garcia, says the Denver Post. "

I would pull the trigger on this trade.  Garcia, while showing flashes of K-rod in the minors, he all saw him blow up last September.  Maybe he just needs some seasoning, but the A's could use another Lefty starter to compliment harden zito (especially need him if zito is traded...please dont though Billy!!)  

I heard a rumor that Chavez wants to go to the Marlins since Lowell is slummping... just kidding, i made that one up.  There will be on mention of trading him, since that is absolutely ridiculous.

However, what about this?  Getting involved in a 3-way trade(we know how Billy loves to do these) with the rockies and astros.  We send Byrnes, hatteberg/Durazo and Saarloos to the Rockies, they send Helton to the Astros, and astros give us Jason Lane and the rockies give us Joe Kennedy.

The Rockies are looking to dump Heltons contract and add some younger players (even tho hatte/durazo arent very young), the astros are looking for a big stick 1B since bagwell is gone, and we could use a good OF with power and some speed.

Whatcha think AN?  Too proposterous?  

Here is a nice little article about the AL and NL West Divisions and how so much is going on out here.  It makes you realize how much attention is given to the East Coast and not the West Coast.  Some good props are given to the A's players, like Harden, Haren, Calero.  A little too much about the Giants (in my biased opinion), but still good to know some writers havent forgot about the best division in baseball.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neel/050415&num=0

Is anyone else out there tired of everything Red Sox?  I want to hear about everyone, but it seems all ESPN and CBS can do is cover the Red Sox (or Yankees).  Well this guy over at ESPN Page 2, feels the same way.  Here is a funny article about how overexposed the Red Sox have become.  Here are 86 reasons to hate the Red Sox.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=schoenfield/050412

Numbers 9 and 11 bring back painful memories.