I haven't had much time to watch the A's this year, because of my job and some other personal ventures. Is that Willingham guy still there? No? You mean Scott Sizemore has been carrying the offense? Hopefully he's providing enough run support for Gi.. oh...

Instead of another post about why I hate the Athletics' current opponents (and with the Yankees, there's a lot of hate to go around), I thought I'd ask you a question.

If you were a Major League batter or pitcher, what would your intro music be?

I got the idea from a NY Times blog, actually.

Personally, if I'm a hitter, I'd go with Tupac's All Eyez on Me (clean link). Closer? Jay-Z's U Don't Know (some explicit lyrics). Starting pitcher? Garth Brooks' Ain't Goin' Down (Til The Sun Comes Up). Yeah, I'm weird like that.

What would you pick? I found a list (not sure how accurate it is, though) of the A's players' choices. I'll post it after the jump.

The Athletics send Bartolo Colon to the hill to face CC Sabathia of the Yankees. 1:05 p.m. start.

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• Giants owners are treating territorial rights over San Jose like they were bestowed to them at birth. The truth is, former A's owner Walter Haas gave the Giants ownership rights of Santa Clara County when it appeared that the team might move to Florida. He felt it was in the best interests of baseball (not his wallet) to have two teams in the Bay Area. Imagine that.
• The worship of Buster Posey
• Giants fans who kept asking me why I wasn't rooting for their team in the 2010 World Series. They said, "It's all Bay Area, brah!" No, no it's not. One of my best friends even said this. I told him that if the Rangers won the World Series, I wouldn't have to hear about it every day. It would be over in Texas.
• Brian Wilson's beard
• Aubrey Huff's thong
• Panda hats. Pablo Sandoval's nickname has sullied orange chicken for me.
• The Crazy Crab. I can't get behind a team with a VD for a mascot.
• Barry Bonds*

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The A's are on the verge of adding one of the greatest hitters of all time to their lineup.*

*OK, OK, he's 40. What else would you expect from the A's? Look for Bryce Harper to sign here in 20 years.

Manny Ramirez, who signed a $500,000 contract in the offseason, will come off his 50-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs on May 30, vs. the Twins. Billy Beane told a radio show that Ramirez will likely join the AAA Sacramento RiverCats after May 15 and play there for a couple weeks.

"We want him to get the best competition he can get before we decide to activate him," Beane said. "That's come up quick. He's spent a lot of time down at Arizona, I'm sure he's probably getting a little stir-crazy but we are anxious to have him go out and at least play in these minor league games and see if he can pick up where he left off in spring."

The Athletics take on the Tigers tonight at 5:05 p.m. Brandon McCarthy opposes Doug Fister. After the game, fans will watch "The Sandlot." Tomorrow, the A's face the MLB version of The Beast — Justin Verlander.

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In a year where there have been multiple interesting storylines for the A's — the education of Yoenis Cespedes, the emergence of Ryan Cook — the one that makes me scratch my head the most is the rejuvenation of Bartolo Colon.

After regularly posting mid-to-high 4 fWAR seasons in his youth, Father Time started to intervene. In 2005, at the age of 32, he won the Cy Young award with the Anaheim Angels. It was his eighth consecutive season of starting more than 30 games, a milestone he never touched again. Colon suffered a partially torn rotator cuff injury in the playoffs, and was never the same pitcher, constantly battling injuries and ineffectiveness. His fastball velocity went from 93.2 mph in 2002 to 89.1 in 2009. It may not seem like much, but it's a pitch he's thrown 78.7% of his career. So far this season, 86.9% of Colon's pitches have been (two-seam/sinking) fastballs.

(Colon's Fangraphs page)

• 2006 (age 33): 10 GS, 5.11 ERA, 5.33 FIP, 0.3 fWAR
• 2007 (34): 18 GS, 6.34 ERA, 4.70 FIP, 1.2 fWAR
• 2008 (35): 7 GS, 3.92 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 0.6 fWAR
• 2009 (36): 12 GS, 4.19 ERA, 5.70 FIP, 0.2 WAR

He didn't pitch at all in 2010, recovering from injuries suffered in 2009. But he did do something that could (possibly) change the way pitchers recover from injuries. It's just not quite possible in this country.

Colon and the Athletics take on Jeremy Hellickson and the Rays tonight at 4:10 p.m.

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• When the Athletics defeated the Orioles last night, they went over .500 for the first time since May 18, 2011.
• May 17, 2011 was a very good day.
• The A's have had two of the 20 best pitching performances of the year, according to ESPN. Tom Milone on 4/24 vs. the White Sox and Bartolo Colon on 4/18 vs. the Angels.
• In that gem by Colon over Anaheim, he threw 38 consecutive strikes. According to A's human encyclopedia David Feldman, the longest streak before that was knuckleballer Tim Wakefield's 30 consecutive strikes in 1998. I'll have more on Colon next week, I just haven't had time to write much.
• Sad but true: Philadelphia, St. Louis and San Francisco have drawn more attendance in 7 home games than the A's have in 13.
• When Ryan Cook fanned four Orioles in one inning yesterday, he became the third Oakland A since Blake Stein and Erik Hiljus to accomplish the feat.
• Ryan Cook has given up one hit this season: April 19 against Anaheim.

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Since the season isn't even a month old yet, naturally, it's time for the All-Star and Home Run Derby ballots to come out.

Wouldn't be pretty awesome to see Yoenis Cespedes make the Home Run Derby? He's not on the ballot (which seems like it was drawn up before the year started), but he's available as a write in candidate.

AL candidates:

• Jose Bautista
• Miguel Cabrera
• Robinson Cano
• Prince Fielder
• Josh Hamilton
• Paul Konerko
• Evan Longoria
• David Ortiz
• Albert Pujols
• Mark Reynolds (I want to see him go, if only to see how many times he'd whiff on BP fastballs)

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The Athletics are on their first road trip of the year, well, domestic road trip. By the time you read this, I'll be on an airplane headed for the Emerald City. This is my first time in Seattle and first time visiting Safeco Field. I've heard from many A's fans that Safeco is one of, if not the best, stadium experiences in Major League Baseball. I look forward to having a great time.

So now I'm wondering... what is your favorite non-Coliseum MLB stadium? Like me, do you hate the Giants but enjoy AT&T Park? Or is the old classic of Dodger Stadium, complete with the tones of Vin Scully on your radio, more your speed? Maybe you've been to one of the true cathedrals — Wrigley Field or Fenway Park? Perhaps you're into cutting edge parks, and prefer Target Field, Nationals Park, Citi Field or the new Yankee Stadium? Hey, you could be color blind and be able to stomach Marlins Park. Comment below!

Tom Milone and the A's face the Mariners' Hector Noesi tonight at 6:10 p.m. Go A's!

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Last night, Athletics fans got to see two of Yoenis Cespedes' tools - power and arm. He had a monster blast to put up a crooked number on the scoreboard, and then nearly threw out Ichiro later that night with an absolute laser from center field to home plate.

Cespedes, as we figured throughout the offseason, is Oakland's biggest question mark, namely because he could be the team's biggest exclamation mark.

So I'd like to ask the AN community... what do you expect out of Oakland's demigod center fielder? Will he struggle this year as he adjusts to the quality of pitching in the AL - Felix Hernandez, Jered Weaver, Justin Verlander et alius - which is several steps above what's in Cuba? Will he have a middle-of-the-road year, showing occasional flashes of brilliance? Or will he win Rookie of the Year, MVP and a seat on the Oakland City Council?

Discuss below.

Tonight, the A's send Bartolo Colon to the hill to face the Mariners' Felix Hernandez.

I'm not a scout, nor do I play one on TV, but here are some random observations from last night's game. Photos after the jump.

The Oakland Athletics defeated the Sacramento RiverCats 9-0 in a rain-shortened 7-inning game.

• The A's would do really well in the Pacific Coast League.
• Tom Milone doesn't have a 95-mph fastball, a nose-to-toes curveball or a devastating slider, but he finds some way to get strikeouts. He fanned six RiverCats in six innings and did not allow a baserunner. I think he's going to be a real joy to watch as the No. 3 starter.
• Major League bats appear to be kryptonite for Chris Carter. He was a complete non-entity last night, striking out in two of his three at-bats. He and Michael Taylor, another AAA/AAAA guy hoping to prove that he belongs in the show, looked more Minor League. It was kind of sad to see. Taylor's a smart guy, and I was hoping that he'd make the roster when the outfield comprised of Ryan Sweeney, Ryan Sweeney and Ryan Sweeney. I could see one of them being traded to a team that gives them a legitimate chance, and they might do well.
• Grant Green still has some work to do in center field. Granted, he was in the sun early in the game, but a first-inning error allowed runs to score and a later fly ball to center caused him to take a Byrnesian route to the ball. It looked like he was acting out the Contra code before making the catch.
• Jarrod Parker will be a solid Major League pitcher. Not right now, maybe not this season, but he's definitely got the stuff. He just needs a little more polish.
• Andrew Carignan (you pronounce the first n) will be very interesting to watch this season, I think. In the few times I've seen him so far this year, he's pitched with purpose.
• Stomper also has some conditioning to do. During a pre-game dance off with RiverCats mascot Dinger, he was completely outdone. Dinger was definitely competing for the Major League job. If Stomper doesn't get into shape, and quickly, he could find himself designated for assignment.

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The A's, with help from a sleep specialist, have arrived in Japan for exhibition games with the Yomiuri Giants (anyone know the Japanese translation for f--k the Giants?) and Hanshin Tigers, and then their opening series with the Seattle Mariners.

The Chronicle posted a slideshow of the players' arrival that's definitely worth a look-see.

Yoenis Cespedes announced his presence with authority during batting practice at the Tokyo Dome.

Via Joe Stiglich:

The center fielder sent numerous balls sailing deep over the fence during the A's first workout at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, including two that landed several rows behind the center field wall. His display drew noticeable reaction from the crowd of onlookers.

A's manager Bob Melvin, who was pitching, was asked his impressions of Cespedes.

"(The same thing) I always think when I throw batting practice to him," Melvin said. "I duck behind the screen so I don't get hurt."

The A's face Yomiuri on Sunday (7:06 p.m. in Japan/3:06 a.m. in Oakland) with Tom Milone taking the hill against the Giants. The next day, Oakland faces Hanshin (12:06 p.m. Monday in Japan/8:06 pm Sunday in Oakland). Opening Night is Wednesday against Seattle (7:10 p.m. in Japan/3:10 a.m. in Oakland). These games will not be televised live, but shown on tape delay on MLB Network.* I've heard that Ricky's in San Leandro will carry the games live.

*Am I alone in believing that if that team from San Francisco was playing, Comcast Sports Net or MLB Network would televise all games live?

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You know what's awesome about being an A's fan today? We never have to worry about being pinched.

St. Patrick's Day is actually not about driving the snakes out of Ireland — that's more legend than fact. It's more of a celebration of St. Patrick, known as Ireland's Patron Saint.

It is also not about momentary A's catcher Michael Patrick Barrett, though he should be canonized for this.

Here are some other famous Patricks who have worn green (and well, sometimes blue) over the years.

The Athletics take on the Cubs and Giants in split-squad action today. Both games start at 1:05 p.m. Do us a favor and pinch a Giants fan today.

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A's lineup vs. Chicago: (1:05 p.m.)

1. Jemile Weeks, 2B
2. Cliff Pennington, SS
3. Yoenis Cespedes, CF
4. Manny Ramirez, DH
5. Jonny Gomes, LF
6. Seth Smith, RF
7. Anthony Recker, C
8. Brandon Allen, 1B
9. Adam Rosales, 3B

A's lineup vs. San Francisco: (Televised on CSN Bay Area, 1:05 p.m.)

1. Collin Cowgill, LF
2. Eric Sogard, SS
3. Coco Crisp, CF
4. Josh Reddick, RF
5. Kila Ka'aihue, DH
6. Josh Donaldson, 3B
7. Daric Barton, 1B
8. Derek Norris, C
9. Wes Timmons, 2B

Opposing lineups after the jump.

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MLB Network was nice enough to show the A's/Dodgers Spring Training tilt on Thursday.

However, I'm sure I wasn't the only one, as the lesser-known players made their appearances, saying things such as, "Wait, who is he?" ... "I thought he was on the Royals." ... "He's still in the league?" ... "I swear that guy bagged my groceries last week."

Since you're probably familiar with (most of) the 40-man roster, let's get to know some of the non-roster invitees.

A's face the Reds today at 12:05 p.m. PST. It will be on CSN California and (later) MLB Network.

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Lineups, via SuSlu:

1. Jemile Weeks 2B
2. Collin Cowgill CF
3. Seth Smith LF
4. Jonny Gomes, DH
5. Kila Ka'aihue 1B
6. Josh Donaldson 3B
7. Michael Taylor RF
8. Anthony Recker C
9. Eric Sogard SS
   

Tyson Ross will start on the mound, with Jarrod Parker making his green-and-gold debut after that.

For Seattle:

1. Chone Figgins 3B
2. Dustin Ackley 2B
3. Ichiro RF
4. Justin Smoak 1B
5. Mike Carp LF
6. Miguel Olivo C
7. Carlos Peguero DH
8. Michael Saunders CF
9. Brendan Ryan SS

Starting pitcher: Hector Noesi

Click here for the MLB Gameday Audio link.

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As the A's started to fill out their roster this offseason with a million outfielders and first base/DH hybrids, Billy Beane felt that third base was aptly filled by Scott Sizemore.

Scott Sizemore's knee felt otherwise.

In a couple weeks, Sizemore will have knee surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He'll be out for the season.

"First and foremost, for him, I feel awful," Melvin said. "The first day he was here I told him I was thinking 90 RBIs and 85 runs. He said, 'I think you are a little short, Skip. Twenty and 100.' It was one of those years where we felt like we thought it would be a breakout year for him."

"I never had any knee issues, so that makes it that much worse that is was a freak accident," Sizemore said. "If I tried to do the same thing a million times, it would never happen again. For whatever reason it happened and you just have to deal with it."

So where do the A's go from here?

The A's face the Mariners (again) at 12:05 p.m. I'll post a game thread for you in a bit.

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A lot has been written about the A's recently, including an interesting piece in USA Today gathering players' thoughts on the constant turnover in Oakland's clubhouse and the stadium situation.

Cahill signed a five-year, $30.5 million extension in April 2011. Eight months later, he was sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"Everybody always said, 'You could be gone, you could be traded,' " Cahill says. "And I was like, 'Yeah, I've seen it, but it won't happen to me.' And it did."

Cahill had three years of service time when he was dealt, Gonzalez slightly less than that. A decade ago, the A's let young stars such as Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada play their six years in Oakland and then leave as free agents.

In subsequent years, star pitchers Tim Hudson- one year shy of free agency -Mark Mulder and Dan Haren (each with two years of club control remaining) were dealt for prospects.

But even Haren, traded in December 2007 from Oakland to the Diamondbacks, is stunned at the state of affairs.

"It's amazing that two or three years later after I left, I couldn't name two or three guys that I played with that were still on the team. The turnover is so quick."

I think it's interesting and kind of sad, both from a fan perspective and from that of a free agent or any rising prospect in the A's minor league system. Do you feel that potential free agents are scared away from signing with Oakland (well, for a variety of reasons), but one being that there's really not much job security?

It also has to be a bit unsettling for players such as Michael Choice and Sonny Gray, who might only see a couple of years in an Oakland uniform (unless this stadium decision gets majorly sped up, but who knows?).

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BIG NEWS! PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT TO SPRING TRAINING TODAY! BASEBALL IS BACK!... I just had no time to write this week. But yay for baseball finally returning.

By now, you probably know Yoenis Cespedes, the newest Oakland A.

You know the power. You know the arm. You know the mystique.

But do you know the video? In case you haven't, here's another look at Yoenis Cespedes: The Showcase.

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus breaks it down, if you don't have 20 minutes on hand (but trust me, It's worth it).

Part II: Let's Watch Yoenis Play Baseball!
At the 2:19 mark, following a wipe from an aerial photo of the earth highlighting Cespedes's hometown of Granma, Cuba, we finally see the player, in an ultra-slow-mo shot of a home run hit in the World Baseball Classic against Japan. Then it's a mammoth opposite field bomb against Australia, with multiple replays, followed by shaky shots of blasts from games in his homeland, including one we need a Tater Trot Tracker on, as he admires the blast for what feels like a week. It's impressive stuff to be sure, but that's just what catches your eye. It's what catches your ear that is amazing. Playing in the background of every violent smash and during each tape measure home run is Christopher Cross's 1980 Grammy Record of the Year, "Sailing." We see Cespedes's record-setting home run swing not once, not twice, but three times, and slowed down in time with Cross's memorizing piano solo. The bizarre juxtaposition of trying to excite potential teams with a player's incredible bat speed and leverage with the musical equivalent of sleepy time tea is the first of what will be a series of bizarre editorial choices made by Mercedes's production team.

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This just looks all kinds of wrong:

via a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net

From BANG's Joe Stiglich:

If the team does indeed move to San Jose, they will be called the "San Jose A’s," which has been assumed. Wolff pointed out how the franchise has moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City to Oakland, always keeping the "Athletics" label. There was a stuffed Stomper on hand at Wednesday’s event, with the A’s mascot wearing a "San Jose Athletics" uniform.

I know I've heard it, typed it, thought it... but until I saw the Stomper doll with "San Jose" where "Oakland" should be, it didn't really sink in.

It doesn't look right. Doesn't feel right. Doesn't seem right.

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I'll confess. When I'm not rooting for the A's, I'm a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan. It's a funny feeling. One franchise is known for being cheap, the other notoriously extravagant.* One franchise is left in limbo in an antiquated stadium, the other plays in a palace of Texas-sized excess.

When I thought about writing a post about baseball players with football backgrounds (and the reverse), my first thought was Drew Henson, who backed up some Tom Brady guy at Michigan, but was going to be the Yankees star third baseman before they traded for Alex Rodriguez. Then it was Chad Hutchinson, a former Cardinals farmhand. Then it was Quincy Carter. Then things got a little dizzy and I had to sit down. Henson and Carter were lauded as Dallas' quarterbacks of the future. The Mayans weren't that cruel with their predictions.

The A's recently traded for an outfielder with a football background: Seth Smith. The acquisition, and hearing that he backed up Eli Manning at Ole Miss, made me wonder who else tried football before sticking with baseball.

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So I'm back from Fanfest and the amazing tailgate afterward.

All the photos, if you don't feel like clicking through, are right here.

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So Billy Beane finally got frustrated and decided to manage an English Premier League team.*

He left you in charge. Good luck.

Do well, and George Clooney will portray you in Moneyball II.

Do poorly and you'll have to explain to your kids why you're working at Dick's Sporting Goods.

You can do anything you want, really, except for reverse trades or add more than $3 million in payroll this season. No, I don't think Prince Fielder will sign a $3 million contract. Feel that Brian Fuentes is more useful serving garlic fries than pitching in the bullpen? You can make that decision, just be mindful of options.

Put together a 25-man Opening Day roster, and since Billy Beane would've done it anyway, lineups.

*No, not really. Just go along with it.

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It seems as if ANers are split when they think about the 2012 season.

Some want the Athletics to completely, 100 percent stink and go for that No. 1 draft pick.

Some still want the A's to remain competitive, maybe making a reach toward .500.

Some of you can only picture the season ending one way: with Brandon McCarthy, fueled by the tears of Giants fans, dancing an Irish jig on top of a panda hat after securing the final out of the 2012 World Series at AT&T Park.

So I brainstormed some possible scenarios, thinking of what this season could look like.

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Motivated by Ciderbeck's funny fanpost: Hall of Really Neat Players Named Jack, I started wondering... who are the best A's players by each first initial? Some letters will be kinda obvious, like R and J. I used Fangraphs career Wins Above Replacement-level (WAR) and my own personal whims for these decisions. The fWAR statistic goes back to 1901. Billy Beane could've made this a little easier had he traded for Yonder Alonso, but I digress.

A: Al Simmons — fWAR 78.5

Let's start off with a Hall of Famer, huh? Simmons, an outfielder nicknamed "Bucketfoot Al," started off his career in Philadelphia and had most of his finest seasons in an Athletics uniform. He was a member of the 1929 and 1930 World Series champion teams, and also a three-time All-Star. Simmons rapped out 2,000 hits in just 1,390 games — still a record for fastest to 2,000 hits in MLB history. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1953.

Honorable mention: Amos Strunk, Alfredo Griffin, Andrew Bailey

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What are your New Year's Resolutions?

Mine, thanks to Hungry Hungry Homer, is to kick at least 5 percent more butt in 2012.

As a sidebar, I thought about doing a post about California's recent decision to allow Sacramento to hold redevelopment agencies as ransom and what it meant for the future of the A's in San Jose or Oakland, but I wasn't 100% sure if that would fall into CGV-worthy territory (not sure how to describe the state's actions in neutral terms). So... I'll link you to vertig0/marinelayer's amazing New Ballpark blog for that kind of analysis. Redevelopment talk here and a little more here.

So, on the last day of 2011, I figured we'd take a look back on a year of A's baseball. There were some bad times, there were some ugly times, then there were some more bad times.

Yeah, this year kind of sucked, not going to lie. Grab a bottle of something strong and click the jump...

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Slusser's latest report: Giants may block A's move

The feeling in the Giants' camp is that the A's think if they just keep saying they're optimistic about a new stadium, it will happen.

"I think it's wishful thinking," said Peter Magowan, the Giants' former managing general partner. "I don't think they'll get anywhere with it. I'd be surprised if a different result were to come about."

Major League Baseball is apparently in no hurry to alter the Bay Area's baseball landscape, either. According to multiple sources, including A's owner Lew Wolff, the A's stadium issue is not on the agenda for the owners meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., in two weeks.

"That's my understanding," Wolff said.

Also interesting...

"We had a drink at the Fairmont hotel, and Lew assured me ... that he was never going to San Jose," Magowan said. "I kept notes of the conversation and made a memo for my files while it was fresh in my mind: He said they had interest in Las Vegas but they had no interest in San Jose. Bud knows all of this."

Wolff said that he doesn't remember such a conversation, but, he said, "At that time, we did not consider San Jose. This verifies that we weren't thinking that because we thought we'd get a new stadium in Oakland."

via farm7.static.flickr.com

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Avoid your relatives here.

Merry Christmas (Eve), everyone! Happy Hanukkah, Festivus, Saturnalia and every other holiday you celebrate.

Figured we'd take a break for a bit from the Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals hoopla, and take on more of a lighthearted topic.

Who are your favorite A's players of all-time? It doesn't matter if he was the best, the worst, the hottest, the ugliest, etc. Just players who you enjoyed watching in the green and gold (or blue and white).

Some of mine:

Dallas Braden

Dallas Braden's perfect game came when I was living in Stockton, so I felt a connection. I admire his love for the 209 and Stockton, which often ranks among one of America's most miserable cities — seriously. I understood. I totally understood. It's kind of like A's fans love for the Coliseum. Yeah, Stockton's a dump, but doggone it, it's his dump. He was also awesome enough to come through the minor leagues with a screwball, and he's able to get batters out without a 95-mph fastball or a nose-to-toes curveball.

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CONFIRMED BY SUSLU: @susanslusser I have confirmation from the #Nationals side that the deal is done. Gio to Washington. #Athletics 1:19 PM - 22 Dec 11 via web

Via Keith Law on Twitter:

Gio to Nats for Cole, Norris, Peacock, and Milone. Love this for Oakland.

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The Padres have just made a deal with the Reds.

To Cincinnati: RHP Mat Latos

To San Diego: RHP Edinson Volquez, 1B/LF Yonder Alonso, C Yasmani Grandal, RHP Brad Boxberger

How does this affect the A's chances of trading Gio Gonzalez this offseason?

The A's have posted their schedule for promotions and giveaways, with more to be added in the future, I'm sure.

There are some pretty cool ones, such as the 1972 A's celebration and Rollie Fingers bobblehead on Apr. 21, kids baseball socks (hopefully they come with stirrups too) on June 16, a curious Gio Gonzalez bobblehead on June 17 and a Scott Hatteberg bobblehead on Aug. 18

Here are a few ideas that were somehow left on the cutting room floor:

Apr. 6 vs. Seattle — Groundhog Day

Bill Murray throws out the ceremonial first pitch to "Punxsutawny" Phil Garner, A's players come onto the field to the tunes of Sonny & Cher's "I've Got You, Babe," and once again are thoroughly dominated by face Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.

Apr. 22 vs. Cleveland — 30th anniversary of the 1982 Oakland A's

One day after the 1972 team is fêted, Rickey Henderson, Joe Rudi and the best Dan Meyer in Oakland history (no, not that one, the other one) come back to the Coliseum for a remembrance of a team that time forgot — the 1982 Oakland A's. With a record of 68-94, these players will remind the current squad that, hey, it can always get worse.

More after the jump.

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