How much does the Stanley Cup cost?

The original Bowl was purchased in 1892 for ten guineas, $48.67;
Tickets to a 2011 Stanley Cup Finals game, $1,500;
Hosting the home games, $1.3 million;
Having a Vezina Finalist as your goalie, $10 million;
Winning the Cup, priceless.

No Atheists in Stanley Cup Finals

As the saying goes, "there are no atheists on the battlefield". There are no atheists in the Stanley Cup Finals either. Haven't you noticed that Luongo always crosses himself before and after the games?

After the agonizing Game 3 and 4 losses, I saw a message on a church bulletin board in Vancouver that read, "God sees all. Even Hockey. Go Canucks Go" I thought to myself, "The way things have been going in this series. It would take divine intervention for the Canucks to win the Stanley Cup."

Who are the Canucks?

Smug and pompous when things are going our way. Check.
Tendency to panic and collapse when opponents get tough. Check.
Whiffing when the game is on our stick. Check.
Choking when it matters the most. Check.
Learn from our mistakes and get up where we fell. Check.

Yes. We are all Canucks.

Hockey and Gladiator

The sports commentators are like the blood-thirsty spectators in the Roman Colosseum, who goaded the gladiators to fight to the death for their own entertainment. But the sports fans are different. Truth be told, we are Canucks fans, because we live vicariously through them, reveling in every win and agonizing over every loss. Their hopes are our hopes and their dreams our dreams. We live and die with the gladiators in the rink. "It is those who are willing to die for the ultimate prize that will win it in the end."

Compare this clip from the movie "Gladiator" and the intro to SC Finals Game 5 below. Do you see the similarity there?

How to Defend Yourself Against the Critics?

Take a look at how Patrick Roy demolished Jeremy Reonick.

We Shall Fight On the Beaches

This morning I overheard a radio talk show host speaking in a foreign language (one of the Indian dialects). I couldn't understand a word, until I heard "Canucks" in the middle of a sentence, followed by "Go Canucks Go". And then, other seemingly unrelated words emerged, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity", "French Revolution" and "We shall fight on the beaches" (the famous quote form Winston Churchill's speech in WWII). The host apparently considered the 2011 Stanley Finals as significant as the battles for freedom and democracy in history, and the Canucks are the protectors of freedom.

"We shall go on to the end, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender"

Sami Salo Quote of the Playoffs

Salo said. "[Winning] would mean everything. All the blood and sweat and tears you poured over the years would obviously be paid off. If someone had said come June you’ll be playing … the Stanley Cup finals, I think I would have laughed. It has been a great journey."

I could envision when the Canucks finally wins, Captain Henrik Sedin would pass the Stanley Cup to Sami Salo first, the oldest member of the team who has yet to touch the Cup for the first time in his career. As Joe Sakic did 10 years ago, after beating the defending champions New Jersey in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

I have to admit first that I never thought or believed for a moment the Canucks would win the Stanley Cup this year or in the near future. I stated the reasons in a fanpost back in 2009 after they were eliminated by the Hawks in the 2nd round. I became a Canucks fan that year and was heartbroken after their nightmarish 2nd round playoff exit. The 2010 playoffs were almost a blur to me. In fact, I don't recall watching any of their games against the Hawks. I wasn't surprised they were eliminated, and didn't care that much, to be honest.

This year, I should know better, but I still CARE about the team and HOPE they get to the conference final, even though I know the Hawks are Canucks' nemesis, and they have Luongo's number. I cried, not once but twice, in the past week, after watching the Canucks panic, implode, disintegrate, and get embarrassed by the Hawks. The TV commentators said it was "men against boys".

When you lose 3 straight games after leading the series 3-0, and were outscored 16-5 in that span, it's not about the games or even the playoffs, it's about the team and the players themselves. It's about who they are as men, what they're made of. As Montreal Canadien's forward Michael Cammalleri said after their 7-0 regular season loss to the Bruins, "It's look-in-the-mirror time."

I'm reminded of the movie Chariots of Fire: "Where does the power come from? To see the race to its end. From within."

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"My ballclub is a totally different ballclub. We can win ballgames in many ways. I think the world is beginning to see the Texas Rangers."

--Ron Washington (ALCS Game 2 post-game)

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"You may think I don’t like you. You may think I’m on you because I don’t like you, That’s not it. I’m on you because I love you, because of what you can be."

--Ron Washington

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If I had cherished any hope that A's might still win the division this year, it would have been dashed after the 4-game sweep suffered at the hands of the Yankees. The truth is, I came to the conclusion two years ago that, as long as Bob Geren remains the manager, the A's will never make the playoffs. In fact, forget about the playoffs, I'm starting to think that the A's might not even have a winning season with Geren. 

But, it could be just me focusing on the negative. So I'd like to get some input from everyone. What's your outlook on the A's season and their future with Geren?

After winning the gold medal in Olympic men's hockey, Team Canada's goaltender Roberto Luongo said he was happy to have done it "for Canada, Vancouver and myself".

Thanks to Team Canada,  I've never been more proud to be a Canadian, a Vancouverite and a Canucks fan. What extraordinary Games! Thank you Team Canada for being an inspiration! Thank you for winning on home soil!

Godfather and Hockey

If you're a fan of the Godfather trilogy like me, you might remember a scene from Part II where gunmen penetrated into Michael Corleone's home and  almost shot him and his wife in their bedroom.

Don Michael Corleone:"You heard what happened in my home?" Frankie Pentangeli: "Mike, I almost died myself. It was all so..." Don Michael Corleone: "IN MY HOME! In my bedroom where my wife sleeps! Where my children come and play with their toys. In my home."

That's how I felt as a hockey fan after Canada lost to the US in the preliminary round and had to face elimination against Russia in the quarter-finals. Losing hockey, Canada's game, on home soil / ice to a rival nation is nothing short of a national crisis. As a Canadian, a Vancouverite and a Canucks fan, I prayed most earnestly for Canada to win. I don't know how I could carry on if Canada had lost, in our city and with Luongo as the goalie.

All credits to Team Canada. They rose to the challenge. A resounding 7-3 victory over Russia for the first time in 50 years restored hope for the entire country and made a gold medal rematch possible.

For Canada, For Vancouver

Prior to the men's hockey gold-medal match, perhaps people all over North America were arguing about one thing: US won the most medals and Canada won the most gold medals. Who Won the Olympics? How about we settle it with a hockey game?

Of all the medals awarded in the Winter Olympics, there is no question men's hockey gold medal is the most important for Canada. After a disappointing start, Team Canada had gained momentum. The women's hockey team had just won the gold-medal against the US, and the men's curling team had won gold after narrowly missing it 8 years ago. The stage was set perfectly for the final gold medal game.

Canada scored the important first goal and was leading by one goal into the final minute of the game. It seemed that Canada would win the game 2-1 without the sort of drama that had happened in their previous game against Slovakia. Then the unthinkable happened! With only 24 seconds left, the US team scored a game-tying goal! I could not believe what was happening! The players on the Canadian bench looked shocked and dazed. I had a flashback to the playoffs game last year between Canucks and Hawks, where Luongo allowed a goal in the last two minutes of the game and eventually lost it in OT.

I remember thinking: Can we really lose the gold medal with only 24 secs left, having led the entire game? On home soil? Right in front of our eyes? In front of the whole world? No, it's impossible! IT'S NOT RIGHT that Canada should be so humiliated!

As it turned out, the end of the game couldn't have been scripted better! What a game! What a finish!. Sidney Crosby, the face of Canadian hockey, a Stanley Cup champion, scored the winning goal with a gutsy assist from Jarome Iginla. Golden goal indeed! It's a great feeling to see the Canadian flag raised and sing the national anthem with millions of Canadians around the world. "God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee."

(Highlights and Replay of the gold-medal game available here)

If Forsberg makes NHL comeback, Canucks will be there.

Mike Gillis said that the Canucks are committed to "bringing the best players we can any time they become available". Peter has been unquestionably one of the all time greats in NHL. If, it's a big IF, he can recover from foot and ankle injury, why not sign him? Yes, he may be past his prime and injury-prone, but the level of skill, caliber of play and the drive to win that he brings to a team are just too invaluable to pass.

The Stats

Forsberg won two Stanley Cups, two World Championships and two Olympic hockey gold medals. He is one of only three players who have won the three competitions twice. As of the end of the 2008-09 NHL season, he is the third-highest all-time Swedish point scorer in the NHL (behind Mats Sundin and Nicklas Lidström); In each of his 12 NHL seasons, Forsberg has never had a negative plus-minus rating, totaling an overall career rating of plus 242; according to Wikipedia.

The Player On-Ice

Despite his enormous talents and achievements, he wants to be regarded as "a hard-working guy who did everything for his team to win." 

Forsberg is a complete player who plays the game with passion, grit and undaunted determination. He can dangle the puck, run over or deke around the D-men, make highlight-reel pases and score amazing goals when surrounded by the opposing team's D-men. It's unbelievable how often he makes the other team's players look completely clueless and helpless. He is perhaps one of few players who can beat Nicklas Lidström one-on-one, and sometimes makes arguably the best defense man in NHL look silly.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the 2009 World Series might be an all-California event this year. The last two times that happened  were when the A's defeated the Giants in 1989 and the Angels beat the Giants in 2002. (Thanks to bobnothing and jeffro for the correction).

The AL Pennant

The LA Angels will face the Yankees in the ALCS. The Angels have a winning regular-season record against New York in the past decade or so. The two teams met twice before in the postseason, and LA won both times, in 2002 ALDS (3-1) and in 2005 ALDS (3-2). In addition, Yankee's ace Sabathia has been a postseason disappointment (2007 ALCS and 2008 NLDS), so it's likely that LA will win the AL pennant.

The NL Pennant

Phillies are leading Rockies 2-1 in the NLDS  and Cliff Lee is lined up for Game 4. In Game 1, Lee had a complete game victory against the Rockies, even though things might be different the second time around, I still think the Phillies will pull off a win somehow. However, if the series goes the distance, it might turn in the Rockies favor, as the injuries to the Phillies pitching staff are piling up.

If the Phillies survive, the problem with their pitching staff will make them ineffective against the Dodgers. If the Rockies win, the Dodgers with solid pitching and a potent lineup will still have an advantage over them. So I would pick the Dodgers to win the NL pennant

UPDATE:

The Phillies eliminated the Rockies in a thriller. They held a one-run lead till the bottom of the 8th inning, when an error by Phillies shortstop Rollins led to a three-run inning for the Rockies. Huston Street came in the top of the 9th to close the game, but gave up three runs with two outs instead. Phillies used two pitchers to close the game in the bottom of the 9th. Kudos to Manuel for trusting the right men at the right time.

The World Series

If this indeed turns out to be an all-California affair, i.e.,"the Freeway Series", there is no question which team the AN will root for. But, if history repeats itself, the Angels will win it all. As the last team who swept the Red Sox in the postseason went on to win the World Series, the 2005 White Sox.

What's your pick?

Congratulations on the 300th WIN! Congratulations for battling back from back surgery! Congratulations for pursuing your career on your own terms and never giving up!

What an incredible career! What an indomitable spirit!

Because of Randy Johnson, I became an A's fan. I remember back in 2006, on Opening Day, Randy Johnson and the Yankees routed the A's 15-2, but the A's bounced right back and won the series 2-1. They showed a lot of heart in that series, and I've been rooting for the A's ever since.

The A's beat Johnson later that year. In fact, they did it twice in one week, and both times Dan Haren was the starting pitcher for the A's. Johnson's second loss was perhaps one of the lowest points of his career.  It was fun to watch for an A's fan, but also painful to see someone, who once had been so dominant, struggling so badly on the mound, giving up HR after HR and BB after BB. The commentators on YES were asking, "What's wrong with Randy Johnson?"

It was later discovered that Johnson had a herniated disc in his back. The Yankees traded him to the Dbacks in 2007 and he underwent back surgery that year. At age 44, having already had a brilliant Hall of Fame career, he could have retired. But he would not give in. He wanted to end his career on his own terms. With fire in his eyes, he kept on pitching and kept on competing.

Thank you, Randy Johnson, for being an inspiration!

Randy Johnson's Perfect Game

The Stanley Cup Finals are set, with the Pens' sweep of the Canes and the Wings' 4-1 series win over the Hawks. It will be a rematch of last year Finals. Will the result be different this time?

The Red Wings have been playing like champions in the playoffs. The have depth in their lineup, skill, speed and determination (Not convinced?  Check out the following "Play of the Game"  video). The Penguins are a team that's exciting to watch, with superstars Malkin and Crosby both playing at top level, and the others also contributing.

Judging by their 2008-2009 playoffs stats, the two teams seem pretty much equal in most categories. One thing I noticed is the difference in "+/-", where Wings are 104 and Penguins 56. More than one-third of the Penguins, in contrast to only one Wings, players are minus. It shows the enormous team strength of the Red Wings. Everyone of their players is helping the team in their own way. If nothing else, I would pick the Wings for that reason alone.

With that said, however, anything is possible in the playoffs. The Penguins may have caught the Wings at the right time. A few Wings key players, namely Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Draper, are injured, and Ericsson just had an appendectomy. The back-to-back Games 1 and 2 (scheduled for May 30 and May 31) may play in the Penguins favor. If Lidstrom can't recover in time to play, the Wings might have a hard time shutting down Crosby and Malkin. But then again, the Wings beat the Hawks in the series clincher without the aforementioned players.

While the outcome may not be predictable, one thing is certain. It will be a great series to watch.

Watching the Western Conference Finals, I often find myself lustily cheering for the Wings and wistfully thinking at the same time, "If only the Canucks had done that!"

Have to admit though, I started out not so much a Wings fan as a Hawks hater.

Why do I hate the Hawks?

Canucks were eliminated by them in the 2nd round, but that's not it. Sometimes you get beaten by a better team, but the Canucks beat themselves. The Hawks may have a lot of talent, but I don't see them as a team of character.

1. Dustin Byfuglien

I'm disgusted by the way Byfuglien intentionally hits/ crashes again and again into the opposing teams' goalies when they are on their knees. To me that's just gutless.

2. Joel Quenneville

I hate the smug sneer on Quenneville's face when they stole Game 4 from the Canucks. Like a vulture, he smelled blood and went in for the kill. Now facing a much better and stronger opponent, how he whined about "the worst call in the history of sports", saying the refs "ruined a good hockey game". He absolutely deserved the $10,000 fine!

What Can the Canucks Learn from the Wings?

If the Canucks still aspire to win the Stanley Cup, they should try to learn as much as possible from the defending champions.

1. The Depth

Both offense and defense. Case in point: in Game 4, they were missing their captain Lidstrom, one of the best defensemen in NHL, their top scorer in Datsyuk, and even their starter goalie in the 3rd period, and still routed the Hawks 6-1. How many games can the Canucks win without Luongo, one of the Sedins or Salo?

2. The Composure

Remember how the Hawks scored against Luongo and the Canucks in bunches and got the momentum? Not against the Wings. Case in point: In Game 3, the Hawks were up 3-0 into the second period because of multiple penalties against the Wings, but the Wings gave them a dose of their own medicine and scored 3 runs in less  than 5 minutes to tie the game. The Wings lost that game in OT after Lidstrom broke his stick. But that game might well be the defining game of the series. The Hawks know they have to play "perfect game" to beat the Wings, but of course, they can't.

3. The Coaching

Babcock has been to the Stanley Cup Finals twice, and won the Cup last year, aftter making the Conference Finals the year before, whereas Vigneault never made it past the second round. While they both acknowledged the Hawks' talent, Vigneault went into a defensive shell and lost the defining Game 4, whereas Babcock had his team match the Hawks speed for speed, skill for skill, and didn't give the Hawks any space. He set his best defenseman Lidstrom on Kane. The results? Kane had 6 goals and 8 points in 6 games against the Canucks, but no goal and only 1 point in 4 games against the Wings.

Will the Wings Win the Stanley Cup?

I'm looking forward to the Penguins-Wings Finals. The Wings have been through two physical series against the Ducks and the Hawks. Their star players have some lingering injuries. The Penguines have their star players all playing at their top level at the moment. It should be a fun series to watch. It's a tough choice. But if I have to choose, I'd go with the Wings.

After days of feeling sad, angry and depressed about the Canucks' 2nd round playoff exit, which is like a nightmare that you wish you would wake up from, I finally came to my senses today,

The epiphany came to me when I was watching Red Wings coach Mike Babcock's press conference after their Game 7 win over the Ducks. "People that have won know what it takes to win. They don't give in, they just keep coming. ...There're lots of teams that are home for the playoffs, they think they are close, but they don't know. Because until you measure players at this time of the year, you don't know if you are close at all."

During their end-of-season press conference, Mike Gillis said that the Canucks should have won the series and Vigneault said he felt the Canucks were the 'team of desitny". If only they had had a few breaks, they would have won.

No, not even close, gentlemen. As hard as it is to swallow, the Canucks do not yet have what it takes to win the Stanley Cup. Many of their weaknesses have been exposed in the playoffs. There is nowhere to hide. Everything is magnified. Their lack of discipline, lack of speed, skill and scoring touch, and more importantly, their lack of composure and determination at the most crucial times.

No doubt the Canucks are a good team, but they'll have to be much better to win the Cup. I'd even venture to say that if the core players remain the same next year, they won't get further into the playoffs.

What the Devils?

The Canucks' Game 4 loss to the Hawks was reminiscent of the Devils' Game 7 loss to the Hurricanes. With a one-goal lead into the third and an elite goalie manning the net, only two minutes left, they were so close to winning the series, and then disaster stroke. In the blink of an eye, the opposing team scored two unanswered goals and snatched the victory away. Martin Brodeur and the Devils were shocked. Two minutes turned their entire season upside down.

Luongo and the Canucks were two minutes away from winning the game and taking a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, with a chance to close the deal at home. But a couple of mistakes at the very end caused them the game and changed the whole complexion of the series. Now the Hawks have gained some momentum, and the pressure is on the Canucks to win on Saturday, otherwise they would face elimination in Chicago.

What Went Wrong?

1. The Faceoffs

In the two games the Canucks won, they have won more faceoffs. Tonight the Hawks won more faceoffs, which led to more puck possession and more scoring chances. Sundin, who used to win faceoffs, was ineffective tonight.

2. The Offense

The Canucks' top three lines didn't score a goal, and they were outshot 28-15. You don't win many games if you only score one-goal against a talented team. What happened to the offense? Throughout the entire game, there seemed to be no more than two Canucks players in the attacking zone at the same time, and nobody in front of the net. They were not creating scoring chances for themselves at all, and when they had a chance, they were either too nervous or too stone-handed to take advantage.

3. The Defensive Game

General Patton's insights into how battles are won apply amazingly well to hockey games. "When a man is lying in a shell hole, if he just stays there all day, an opponent will get to him eventually." The Canucks went into a 20-minute PK in the third period. Whenever they got the puck, they would just send it down the ice, instead of organizing an offense. They sat back and waited to be beat, and they were.

4. The Breakdowns

Kudos to the Hawks, who kept fighting no matter what. Throughout the series, they have shown more resilience than the Canucks, who seem to lack the killer instinct. The Hawks can come back from a 3-goal deficit in the third period, but the Canucks tend to collapse when they are behind or caught up late in the game. Do they have the mental toughness and physical stamina to really play 60-minute games without breakdowns?

What Now?

It's a best of 3 series now, and the Canucks still have home-ice advantage. But the Hawks have proven they can win at the GM Place, so it's not much of an advantage. Vigneault already conceded that the Hawks have more speed and skill (which was a self-defeatist statement, IMO), so the Canucks can't play "chance for chance", but when they played their defensive game, the Hawks still got more scoring chances than the Canucks. What now?

"Where have you gone, Bobby Lou
A nation turns its worrisome eyes to you.

What's that you do, Mr Vigneault
Salo left and the defense blew."

The Worrisome Pattern

The Hawks are not the only team to come back from 2-0 deficit against Luongo and the Canucks in the playoffs. St Louis scored two unanswered goals to erase a 2-0 deficit in the 2nd period in Game 4 of the 1st round series, and they would have taken the lead if their third goal in the period had not been disallowed. They also beat Luongo on another shot, which was blocked by Edler's skate at the goal-line.

The Canucks swept the Blues. But, that game shows how vulnerable Luongo and the defense without Salo are when the opposing team generates a big rush and crashes the net.

The worrisome pattern repeats itself in the 2nd round against the Hawks, whose offense has more depth than the Blues. The Canucks blew a 3-goal lead in Game 1 but escaped with a late game-winning goal by Salo. They built a 2-goal lead in Game 2, but after Salo left the game due to injury, they were "whipped" by the Hawks.

Where Have you Gone, Bobby Lou?

I'm worried that Luongo may be off his game at this point. The Hawks seem to have cracked him in the first two games. They're also trying to "get into his head'. Will he be able to find power from within and bounce back.?

What's that you do, Mr Vigneault?

The Canucks believe their defense is one of the best in the league. But with Salo missing, Vigneault juggled all the defense pairs and the results were dismal.  When the players are forced to play out of their comfort zone, they tend to make more mistakes. Perhaps Vigneault should let someone take Salo's spot and keep the other defense pairs intact.

I have faith in the Canucks, though that faith is being sorely tested right now. The Hawks have speed and skill, but there are ways to neutralize speed. The Canucks cannot let the Hawks dictate the game, they have to play their style of game, and play to their own strengths.

1. Penalties

The Canucks were the third  most penalized (PIM) team in the regular season, and it carried over into the 1st round playoffs. The head coach and the players all talked about "staying out of the box" before the series and between the games, but they failed to execute during the games.

Fortunately for the Canucks, the Blues power play couldn't take advantage. The series turned into a "rope-a-dope" play where the Blues were thwarted again and again on their power plays and the Canucks were able to seize their scoring chances and win the series.

2. Speed and Skill

The Canucks' failure to reduce penalties, to me, suggests perhaps that they were trying to compensate for their lack of speed and/or skill. This worries me more than the penalties. The Hawks have many players who have both speed and skills, and can play the puck well. Their offense has more depth, and their power play is also better in the playoffs than the Blues. They'll make the Canucks pay for their mistakes.

3. Secondary Scoring

Needless to say, Mike Gillis signed Mats Sundin to boost their offense in the playoffs. The team definitely needs him and his linemates to step up and produce. Their line only scored one goal in the 1st round. Ryan Keslar looked extremely frustrated, having 13 shots with no goal. Hopefully they will play much better in the 2nd round. All three, even four, lines and the defense need to chip in on scoring.

4. Grit and Determination

The Canucks proud themselves on being a team of character. They showed it in the 1st round, outworking the Blues team and "battling for every inch on the ice". Goaltending and defense are the strengths of the team. They'll need to prove it again in the 2nd round, facing waves of offense from the Hawks, and not lose their composure when under-siege or letup when they are ahead.

The Good

1. Jason Giambi is back with the A's.

The green and gold fits him much better than the pinstripes. It's exciting to see him make those signature scoops again at 1B at the Coliseum, his old playground. He's also been hitting well and driving in runs, as he has done for so many years. The young players can learn quite a bit from him.

2. Travis Buck seems to be coming into his own.

Billy Beane said Buck did nothing but hit when he came up. For some reason, he hasn't really done well at this level. From what I've seen, he's got power, speed, and plate discipline ("good eye"), and he plays great defense. There is no reason why he can't develop into a great player.

The Bad

1. Chavez is still hurt.

I'm afraid his career is over. Chavez has been a big part of the A's success in the early 2000s,  which is quickly becoming history. Unfortunately, the A's just don't have a strong candidate to fill in at 3B. With all the trades Beane made over the past three years, why hasn't he signed a good backup third baseman?

2. Fundamentals and Coaching

The A's have made quite a few base-running and defense errors last year, e.g., runners were doubled up/picked off or failed to tag, pitchers failed to cover first base, etc. Those mistakes cost them quite a few close games. The trend seems to be continuing this year. That, to me, suggests problems with the coaching staff or the minor league system, because the players have not been properly taught / trained.

3. Geren

Is it purely a coincidence that the A's have had two losing seasons in a row since Geren took over as manager? There have been injuries, but, all teams have injuries and slumps, the good managers can navigate through the problems and still lead their teams to win. Geren's "look on the positive side" approach is just not good enough.

Last year I wrote about Geren's use of the bullpen, and held him responsible for Devine's injury. Devine still hasn't recovered from the injury, and I still blame Geren for it.

And The Ugly

The veterans (Giambi, Garciaparra, Chavez) will have trouble staying healthy all year, and the young rotation will fade in the second half. I fear that the A's will have another losing season under Geren.

It's been a long free-fall for the A's since they lost the series against their division rival, the LA Angels, back on July 13. The A's lost 19 of their last 21 and 10th straight game today. Their offense scored 3 runs or less in 16 games, and when they did manage to score some runs, the pitching staff couldn't hold off the opposing team. During this abysmal stretch, the ERA leader, Justin Duchscherer, has gone 0-2 with a 4.9 ERA and the closer Huston Street 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA and three blown saves. The A's still have the best team ERA in the majors, however. Pitching has been the least of their problems so far.

Many would say that hitting is their biggest problem. The A's have the lowest batting average in the majors this year. But, looking back on the stats, with the possible exception of 2002 and 2004, the A's have been one of the worst, if not the worst, hitting teams in the AL for more than a decade. For example, they had the lowest batting average in 2003 and the second lowest in 2006, but they won both years.

Pitching has always been the A's winning formula. Many credited the A's success in the early 2000's to the Big Three, when they made the playoffs 4 consecutive years. But, pitching alone doesn't make a championship team, as their stats this year can attest to.

The winning teams also have had a nice blend of experienced veteran players, who provide consistency and guidance, and exciting young talents, who provide enthusiasm and energy. Besides the Big Three, the A's of the early 2000's also had Hernandez, Giambi, Tejada, Dye and Chavez.

When many of the core players were traded away or left the team for free agency, the A's lost the division to the LA Angels. The A's have missed the playoffs in 4 of the last 5 years (including this year). In a sense, the 2006 A's were an excellent patchwork by Billy Beane. He brought in a young talent in Haren, veterans Bradley and Thomas, who all played a major role in the A's winning the division.

Perhaps it was not a mere coincidence that the A's had their first losing season since 1998 in 2007, right after the last of the Big Three, Barry Zito, left the team in the offseason, and their gold-glove thirdbaseman Eric Chavez was shut down due to shoulder injuries. Zito and Chavez were the only remaining core players from those championship years. Now that Billy Beane has sent away Milton Bradley, traded away Haren and Harden, and Eric Chavez shoulder injuries have ended his season again (perhaps even effectively his career). I wonder whether this also marks the end of an era for the A's.

When will the A's develop into a winning team again? Who will be the core players on that team?

Almost half way through the season, the A's are 4.5 games back of the Angels in the division and 4 games back of the Rays in the Wild Card, with the Twins and Yankees close behind. It may be too early to speculate, but since people on AN have been talking about it, I just wanted to centralize the discussion, and it would certainly be fun to know in the end which ANer has the gift of prophecy.:)

Apart from the obvious concerns about the health and durability of Rich Harden and Justin Duchscherer, and almost everybody on the roster, for that matter, based on what we've seen so far, their pitching, defense and offense, are the A's a legitimate contender? Will they make the playoffs?

1. The Division.

The A's have losing records against all the other teams in the division, even the owner of the major league worst record, the Mariners,

The Angels are the obvious obstacle to the A's winning the division crown. Since 2003, the A's won the regular season series vs. the Angels only once, and that was last year. This year, the A's are 3-4 against them.

Defense : Advantage: Angels

The Angels are better than the A's in terms of defense stats (higher fielding percentage, fewer errors, fewer un-earned runs). However, as the young A's continue to gain experience, their defense will surely improve.

Pitching: Wash

Angels' team ERA is half a run higher than the A's, but I suspect that, because of their good defense, their pitching performance is more sustainable. The Angels pitching staff have proven major league record, whereas the A's have four starters (including 2 rookies) who have yet to pitch a full season.

Offense: Slight Edge: Angels

Angels' batting average is higher than the A's, although the A's have scored more runs (from blowouts). The Angels'  have more speed on the base paths and play the running game better.

Overall: Advantage Angels

2. Wild Card

Boston and Chi Sox are on top of their respective division, and with their solid pitching staff and potent lineup, barring any unforeseen circumstances, they will still be at season end. But as the old cliche goes, anything is possible in baseball. Who would've predicted that late season collapse of the 2006 Tigers or the 2007 Mets?

The team to beat for the Wild Card, IMO, is the Rays. For the simple reason that they have no apparent weaknesses. Their stats and style of play are very similar  to that of the Angels, with much improved pitching. The Yankees and Twins have good offense, but their pitching is their Achilles heel.

How do the A's compare to the Rays? The A's lost the only series they played this season 1-2, though it could easily have been a series win.

Then there are also the intangibles.

The Rays have been bottom feeders in the AL East for so many years, but now they are above .600 for the first time in team history. They have the hunger and drive to compete and win, like the Tigers of 2006. In contrast, the A's have been near or on top of the AL West for most of the past decade, and now they are in a supposed rebuilding mode, with a group of mild-mannered young players, who nobody expected to contend. Yet, there they are right in the midst of it all.

It's been such a pleasure watching Dan Haren pitch. How he mows down the opposing lineup with dominating stuff, and, when he doesn't have his best stuff, how he battles and still gets a win, especially when his team needs it the most.  He  truly is an ace.

Haren has also thrived on big stages. As a former A's ace, he pitched a complete game victory against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, and clinched the ALDS series sweep against the Twins in 2006. Now as the ace of the Dbacks, he out dueled Josh Beckett and beat the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He also made a great diving catch in the game. An outstanding pitcher who can also field and hit, what more can one ask?

The A's would have the best pitching staff in the majors this year if Dan Haren was still with them. The trio of Duchscherer, Harden and Haren would make any opposing team tremble in fear. Even Blanton would've performed a lot better perhaps had he not been forced into the ace role.

Sentimentality aside, I hope Haren continue to have success with his new team, and the A's young pitching staff realize their potential to be one of the best.

The Rays are playing good baseball. And if you saw yesterday's game between the Cubs and the Rays, you would say that it is simply incredible.

The A's were 3 games behind the Rays in the Wild Card. After the A's lost 2-1 to the Dbacks on a home run, I was secretly wishing that the Cubs would beat the Rays. The Cubs, who hold the best record in the majors, already lost the first two games, but they had never been swept this season. So the chances seemed good, but what happened in that game was something I never thought was possible.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Cubs scored 3 runs to take a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Lou Pinella sent in his trusted relief pitcher Carlos Marmols, who had been lights out this year, to shut down the Rays.

Marmols walked the first two Rays batters, and then, to my utter disbelief,  he hit the next one to load the bases, and hit another to force in a run! The next batter, Carl Crawford, stepped up to face Scott Eyre, who relieved Marmols, and hit a game-winning grandslam.

So there it is. On the same day, the A's lost by a homer, the Rays won by a homer. The Rays have played better than the A's, but I just couldn't figure out how and why.

Tonight's loss against the Dbacks and the A's former ace Dan Haren brought home the painful truth that the A's don't have an ace on their pitching staff. Not yet, at least.

An ace is someone who 1. leads the team in wins 2. stops the team's losing streaks 3. keeps his composure when in big jams and pitches out of them. 4. is durable throughout the season

Barry Zito was an ace. Dan Haren was an ace. Joe Blanton, despite repeated attempts by manager Geren to set him apart for that role, just doesn't have the stuff and makeup of an ace. With tonight's loss, Blanton leads the AL in losses at 10. He is visibly rattled when he gets into jams, knowing he doesn't have the out pitches to escape.

To give Blanton credit, he is an inning-eater, and he will work hard with pitching coach Curt Young to try to improve, but unless he turns it around quickly and pitches extremely well for the rest of the season, he'll have a losing record at the end.

The only two starting pitchers with winning records so far, Rich Harden and Justin Duchscherer, have not yet pitched 70 innings due to injuries. They both have great stuff, and the potential to develop into the ace of the staff,  but their durability is still a question mark.

The other two starting pitchers, rookies Greg Smith (4-5) and Dana Eveland (5-5), have shown some promises, but yet unproven on the major league level. How they will fare down the stretch remains to be seen.

After seeing Bob Geren use Huston Street in non-save situations the last two days and again today for a save, I can not help but question his bullpen usage.

We have a very good bullpen, which ranks among the best in the AL in ERA. As Rich Harden commented yesterday, "There's really no weak link on our pitching staff. We have a lot of different choices, and they're all good."

That's why I'm befuddled as to why Geren keeps using Street in non-save situations, knowing that he is nursing an injured groin. On May 11 against Texas with a 6-run lead, and again on May 23 against Boston with a 5-run lead. Yes, Texas and Boston are good hitting teams, and yes we needed the win, but if you use your closer in those situations, what message are you sending to the rest of the bullpen, that they are not good enough to hold a 5-run lead?

I understand that pitchers need regular work to remain sharp. But the A's play many, many close games during the season, perhaps more than most other teams in the league, because their good pitching staff often keep them in the game. There is certainly no shortage of work, and no need to create extra workload for the closer.

Generally speaking, I think Geren has done a great job deploying the bullpen, and that also contributed to their success so far this year. However, I do have another grievance against him in the case of Joey Devine. Geren should have taken more care protecting the young pitcher.

He used him in high-stress situation (bases loaded nobody out) back on May 20 against the Rays, after he had already pitched the previous day. Devine struck out three of the four batters he faced (Had Emil Brown fielded the ball cleanly, it would had been a lot better). Then three days later, Geren sent Devine out for 2 innings against Boston. Devine had never pitched 2 innings since he joined the A's, but he did a great job, pitching two scoreless innings while striking out 2. Ironically, Devine became a victim of his own success. Geren ran him out again two days later against Boston, and that was the last time he pitched before going on the DL.

We have a lot of talented young players, and I sincerely hope Geren and the coaching staff do a great job managing the team.

On May 1st, the A's  were tied with the Angels for first place in the division, after a 4-game series split with them. Since then, however, the A's have lost 9 of their last 12 series. They swept Baltimore, Boston and Detroit, but never took 2 out of 3 for a series win during that stretch.

Many of these losses were by 2 runs or less, and with the exception of a 12-0 blowout by Toronto on May 29, all losses were by 4 runs or less. They had a chance to win those series, but somehow, they just seemed incapable of winning close games on a regular basis. Whether it's sloppy defense, or poor base-running, or lack of hitting with RISP.

Let's hope that A's improve on those areas, and start winning series.

Before tonight's series between the A's and the Yankees, I thought back to 2006, when the A's won the season series (6-3) against them, including a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium (June 9-June11).

The 2006 season didn't start well for the A's, as they were clobbered by the Yankees on Opening Day, 15-2. A friend of mine, who was a Yankees fan, wrote, "I hope your A's play a little better than that". That's when I really started rooting for the A's. They showed a lot of pride and resilience bouncing back in the next two games and winning the series.

The 2006 A's excelled in pitching and defense (ranked 4th and 2nd in the league , respectively), but their offense was abysmal, especially hitting with RISP (last in the AL). It's indeed mind-boggling how they won the division.

I remember feeling hopeless for the A's in late May, when they lost 10 of 11 games (including a sweep by Chi Sox), and dropped to 6 games under .500. Their starting pitchers pitched well, but the injury-depleted bullpen couldn't hold the lead, and it seemed that they just couldn't get any breaks. The manager Ken Macha, however, expressed confidence in his team, "We played the World Series champs and I think we played nose-to-nose with them. There's nobody out there we can't play with, regardless of how many games we are under .500." Macha knew his team well. The A's turned it on in June, won 10 games straight, took first place and never looked back.

There were many of my favorite baseball moments in 2006, including Marco Scutaro's walk-off hits against the Yankees(04/04) and the Angels(09/22), Mark Ellis' diving catch(05/14), Eric Chavez's amazing DP(08/07), and Mark Kotsay's inside-the-park home run (10/04). But if there was one moment that defined the 2006 season for me, it was the Milton Bradley walk-off home run, after Mark Kotsay's 12-pitch walk, against the Blue Jays on July 30. That's when I knew for sure, and Nick Swisher said it best, "it is our time".