The Duke & Ellis. In addition to Scutaro's MVP performance, these two oustanding players excelled on the field in the A's sweep of the Twins. Let's not blame subs like Jiminez. There are multiple factors why the A's are being swamped by the Tigers who are out pitching, out hitting and out fielding them but in addition to the "Missing in Action" performance of Chavez, Swisher and Thomas, the unavailability of these two stellar performers, Ellis & the Duke, highlights their value to the team's prior winning ways. IMHO, the Duke has been the only real Ace of the team's pitching staff this year. Street, Zito, Loaiza, Haren, Blanton and almost every other pitcher on the staff has had "ups and downs" during the year. The Duke has been the dependable "stopper". Hopefully, a healthy Harden will return to being the starting pitching ace next year. The Duke has earned the right to compete for a starting slot next year and, if given the chance, he might just turn out to be one of the top starting pitchers in the league to give the A's an upgraded 1, 2, 3 rotation of Harden, the Duke and Haren. We have seen firsthand the devastating impact of vulnerable starting pitching against a team like the Tigers and the Duke could become even more valuable in the starting rotation. It is great to have a strong bullpen but if a weak hitting team like the A's gets behind before their relievers enter the game against another team with a strong bullpen, the comeback odds are unfavorable.

As for hitting, as valuable as Thomas as been this year as the designated hitter, I am not convinced that the A's should bust their budget to resign such a one dimensional player unless he is willing to offer the team a reasonable deal in recognition of the opportunity that Beane offered him a year ago.

Let's face it: Zito is ace in name only
By LOWELL COHN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061011/NEWS/61011011/1055/SPORT10

"...Even though Zito will make a pile of money when he becomes a free agent after this season, he is not an ace. Never will be. He is a No.2 pitcher, maybe a No.3...."

Continue reading this post »

the play-offs???  

Continue reading this post »

He is not the "solution" for the play-offs.

Continue reading this post »

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050727/NEWS/50727003/1062/SPORTS09

I was pleased to see Bob Padecky's column in the Press Democrat issuing a gracious "Mea Culpa" and giving Beane and the A's credit for proving most people wrong about their season. I especially please because I have been persistently the May columns of Padecky and Cohn. Cohn refused to reply and acknoledge the error of his ways. On the flipside, Bob replied graciously and agreed with me and agreed to do this kind of column at the appropriate time. I thanked him and said I only hoped his column did not jinx the A's. He replied that the only thing that could do that would be making the cover of SI.

Continue reading this post »

Saturday, June 18, 2005
By LOWELL COHN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
"Which is next to worst? A lot of competition here. But even though every team is a contender for next to the worst the A's surely deserve this distinction. They had a good thing going and they tore it apart. A team loses points for that kind of carelessness. You can talk about Moneyball all you want, about getting position players on the cheap, but the A's were good because they had three terrific pitchers, and now they have only one - and he was the weakest. Boo on the A's.

The Giants sit a rung above the A's, one measly rung. With a little slippage they could be at the A's level. That means the Giants are awful in their own right. They are an old team, and what's worse they are highly boring. Boring is not good...."
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050618/NEWS/506180348/1057/SPORTS0920

Continue reading this post »

Today's article from the New York Times on the current plight of the Yankees. Will the arrival of the Oakland A's be just the tonic to solve the Yankees losing trend?

Continue reading this post »

Press Democrat article by Lowell Cohn on Macha's finally turning to the bunt in an attempt to win games with a team that is short on power and clutch hits and long on hitting into double plays.  Is Macha finally seeing the light about creative ways to "manufacture runs" or is this just a temporary "desperation move"?

Continue reading this post »

An interesting column from Sonoma County's Press Democrat: "Wolff knows, right now, exactly what he wants to do with the Oakland A's. It's to move the team to Las Vegas unless the Bay Area trips over itself to keep the team...."

I share his conclusion that if Wolff cannot make an attractive deal for a stadium in the Bay Area, Las Vegas would be an excellent choice for their next home. Personally, since I spend time in both the Bay Area and Vegas, I would be happy either way.

Continue reading this post »