http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/01/dodgers-deal-wi.html

With LA and Jones parting ways and our history of cheap veteran pick ups, I was just wondering why no one's suggesting Jones to the A's. He'd be a Frank Thomas-type risk/reward with a cheap contract and would give us a right handed bat to plug into the line up behind Giambi (assuming we get him).

I myself wouldn't mind a 2-5 line up heart of Cust/Holiday/Giambi/, Jones (L-R-L-R). As for the "outfield is crowded" believers; with the the exception of Holiday I don't see Buck, Davis, Sweeney putting up 30-100 seasons next year (if ever) as Jones has averaged during his career even with last year's joke of a season.

As an A's fan I doubt this (and much of the ideas discussed here) will happen, but I'm just surprised no one was talking about.

IF I could convince you that you could buy at least one World Championship and possibly two more for $500M dollars what would you say?  Before you answer, consider that the Yankees, Mets, Angels, Cubs, Dodgers and Mariners have all spend more over the last five years without winning a single one.  Consider that the A’s have spent at least that over the last 20 years with only one title to show for it. And lastly, consider that last year the combined 30 MLB teams spent around $2.6 BILLION dollars in payroll; an average of $86M per team. 

So, for $500M would you buy a Championship with the opportunity to get two more?

Because, for less than $500M I think you could get this team for the next three seasons and afterwards you’d still have one of the league’s best pitching staffs and Teixeira to rebuild your offense around.

2009 -2011 Line Up

SS Furcal 5yrs/$75M (there’s no FA SS other than him in sight)

DH Cust 3yrs/10M

LF Holiday 1/14M (replaced by Cunningham/Buck for 10-11)

1B Teixeira 3/70M (7/165M total)

RF Ordonez (3yrs/48M), Dye (2yrs 23.5M) via trade or FAs Manny (3/70M) or Dunn (4/60M)

3B Chavez 2/22M (replace or resign A LOT CHEAPER  for ’11)

C Suzuki 3/5M

CF Sweeney 3/5M

2B Ellis 2/11M (resign or replace in ’11)

The best 2-5 combination of hitters in the league

Starters

CC 3/60M (6/130M total)

Peavy 5/78M under current contract (acquired for Gonzalez, Cahill or Anderson and whoever…I think SD would have to take that deal but since this would have to be your next move, I don’t know if Peavy would accept a trade here)

Duke 3/10M

Gallagher 3/5M

Eveland 3/5M

(with Cahill/Anderson taking the spot of the weakest link or replacing Duke if he goes)

The best 1-3 starters in the league

Now I know that you know that I know that this will never happen and I know that you think this team like all other overpriced teams aren’t guaranteed anything, but with the Holiday trade and internet talk of the A’s actually spending some green and gold this off season I thought it’d be fun to think outside the which-one-of-these-40-prospects-do-we-think-might-maybe-hopefullly-will-turn-into-an-above-average-mlb-player box.

Plus I’ve been trying to do some Christmas shopping on line and am in a buyers mood.  Now would be the perfect time to have money to spend on baseball with so many true championship quality players available. 

So, my question remains, how much is a World Title worth to you?

Here’s something I’ve been a little puzzled about as I check in on AN:  Why isn’t anyone willing to mention signing Kenny Rogers?  The guy can’t lose at the McAfee and it’s not like we’d have to sign him for five years or pay him more than what Billy had originally set aside for Esteban Why-Didn’t-We-Get-Anyone-In-Return?

If we do end up trading Blanton to get younger and more talented offensively, we’d definitely need to fill a rotation hole. If we do end up keeping Big Joe, the idea of Justin and Chad starting 50 or more games can’t help but make even the most devout Athletic fan more than a little nervous.

It is really his age?  Because with our history (Milton, etc) it can’t be his attitude and last time I checked our rotation was a little lefty thin.

It will never happen, but after reading yesterday's defenses of A-Rod, I thought it’d be good to finally throw out a crazy idea that AN might actually help make an argument for, you know, even if it will NEVER happen.

Here’s my reasons why it’d be worth it (and by it, I mean 10 years @ $30M with an Ichiro-type pay out) for Wolff and co to give the baseball world a heart attack and sign one of baseball's all time best.

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As Hollywood enters the awards season, I just wanted to throw out some nominations for the WTF? Award, an award I am creating for AN this year and will become known for throughout AN over the next few years should I be able to stomach the way my favorite baseball team is managed off the field (I swear, whether we’re first or  worst, our customer service has always been horrible!)

Moving along, this year’s WTF? Award Nominees:

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You’ll have to forgive me because I started to write this at work last Friday when I thought we’d take 3 of 4 from Seattle and before we scored 10 runs (and STILL lost!).  Though I was pleased to see that the A’s did send out a somewhat more offensive minded line up (DJ, Cust, Swisher and Piazza all in one line up) and it paid off with some runs....

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I haven’t read of any Chavez-on-a-bus-speeches taking place, so I’m assuming that our current win streak (yes, for us, two games is a streak) is due to all the negativity that’s been coming from AN.  We’ve actually been sounding like Mariner fans from years past...granted, for good reason.  So, let’s all just keep bashing the A’s and see if this run at the right time can continue to make us buyers and not cellar dwellers.

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Before I start, I just wanted to mention that a little 20-game win streak would put us 14 games over five hundred and 11 of those 20 games would be against the Angels and Mariners.  I’m just, you know, smoking something!

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So, yeah, this is the first season I became an official season ticket holder (you know, cause buying 20-40 games a year at full or craigslist prices don’t count) and this was the first year since I found AN that I didn’t post a comment during the first half because, well, I was just waiting for that annual second half surge begin and I wanted to avoid as many foot-in-mouth statements as possible.  Maybe this season is MY FAULT!

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So my little league coaching season is about to begin and I think I might have the 2001 A's team!  I've got a lot of big kids taking big swings.

Anyways, as I always do after a first practice, I started thinking of my line up and how positioning each kid into a certain spot will help those around him.  This is something I think recent A's teams have forgotten about line ups--that each position in the order should be designed to help the next position.

I've seen a few people post their line up ideas and I thought I'd throw mine into the mix.  Also, it should be noted that I do not have Stewart starting (you can plug him into my line up where Bradley and Kotsay play as those are the players I'd have him spell from time to time).

So, based on the understanding that each hitting position should help the next and the players we have, this would be my line up for 2007:

S Bradley RF  276/370/447
L Johnson 1B  234/323/381
S Swisher LF  254/372/493
R Piazza DH   283/342/501
L Chavez 3B   241/351/435
R Crosby SS   229/298/338
L Kotsay CF   275/332/386
R Ellis 2B    249/319/385
R Kendall C   295/367/342

Bradley had the 3rd highest OBP last season. He's got speed, can hit for average and while he's got some power, he's not the 3-4-5 guy that we're trying to make him, which is why he bats lead off for me -- more AB's with the chance of doing more damage with his bat and legs.

Johnson can rip a fastball, but can't hit an off speed pitch to save his major league career.  EVERYONE KNOWS the two hole is your typical fastball at-bat (especially if Bradley can get on, we actually run a bit and Swisher, with his HR power, bats behind him).

Swisher is the best (switch) hitter we've got (OBP/SLG) and while he does strike out a lot, he'll be the perfect protection for Johnson to get fastballs, which if Johnson gets on base will lead to Nick getting pitches to hit, which means more chances for runs. And I feel a break out year from him coming.

Add a the right handed power bat in Piazza (the best protection we've got for Swish), who himself can get on base (AVG/OBP) and you've got some men on for

Chavez, who everyone should now know is a good second fiddle player.  Put some men on base and force a pitcher to throw him something to hit, and you should see a 30-100 season from him again.

Which brings Crosby to the plate, a right hander who if healthy you have to believe can get some gap shots in there to drive Chavez around, thus upping his RBI total and confidence.

Kotsay is, when healthy, a good average hitter who will put the ball in play, which is what you need in a number 7 hitter.

Ellis, who does well every other year (look it up) is another bottom of the line up hitter like Kotsay with some pop and the ability to put the ball in play.

Kendall ALWAYS bats last in my line up.  He's got no power, but will work a count and find a way to get on base, which is what you want from the bottom of your order and by batting last, one would think he'd be in less opportunities for his usual 4-6-3 double play.