SB Nation User Blog: since72

Mark Ellis to have kidney removed

since72 — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:53:27 -0000

As if it couldn't get any worse, the injury bug just will not leave the A's alone. Early reports this morning by Susan Slusser reports that MaEl, our beloved unicorn, may have to have his kidney removed.

This of course will open up a slot for Bobby Crosby, who is set to have a break out year. After all his hard work and "dietary" tips from Mark McGwire, Bobby is expected to hit for power and find success laying off the outside breaking ball. I think it is safe to say we all expect Bobby to have an awesome season this year.

Ellis will be laid up for awhile, so Todd Linden will be invited to camp as a non-roster invitee and given a chance to compete for a spot on the roster. How that is related to Mark's kidney, I have no idea. But in the meantime, enjoy your April 1st.

Your opinion of this spring...in Haiku

since72 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:11:17 -0000

I know, I know: "small sample size"..."it's only spring"...yada yada yada.

Slice it any way you want, I am damn impressed with our boys; Eveland looks very good (you have to admit Chadgod), "Email" Brown is showing signs of life, Mike's Wieny is a legit threat in the lineup, BoCro is looking like he is whole, Harden made it through an entire start, HannRahan is filling in nicely for Chavvy...

I would just like to say that I think we look really good going into the season (aka back into the season), a lot better than I expected. And now that the 2008 Oakland Athletics spring is officially over, what better way to commemorate it's passing with a little haiku....you can vote for your favorite haiku or add your own! It's fun and easy.

Spring holds such promise
Can this team really compete?
we're looking damn good

or,

this diary sucks
much like that Joe Morgan does
please don't post again

Poll

Vote for your favorite haiku here

a.

11 votes

b.

2 votes

I thought you were banned still?

11 votes

24 votes | Poll has closed

From Batman to DH

since72 — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 06:29:38 -0000

From Batman to DH

Pitchers of today vs. Pitchers of yesterday....

since72 — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:48:32 -0000

There is a sound that has become familiar to us A's faithful around this time of year, it is the sound of a collective gasp everytime Rich Harden takes the mound...heck, even stoops to tie his shoe!

I played ball growing up, and my aunt took a great interest in my development as a player. She was a baseball fan, and she was also the keeper of the Alexander family geneology. She regaled me with stories of older baseball lore, such as Marquez67's great posting. One player in particular that she told me about was my great great uncle, Grover Cleveland Alexander

The stories of Alexander, and the pitchers of that era, all seem to revolve around longevity. Here are some of the highlights of Alexander's accomplishments...

CAREER
Pitched for 20 years in the majors, including two stints with the Phillies, 1911-17 and 1930 . . . Also pitched for the Chicago Cubs (1918-26) and St. Louis Cardinals (1926-29) before retiring after nine appearances with the Phillies in 1930.

WINS
Won 28-19-22-27-31-33-30 in his first seven seasons with the Phillies . . . During those seasons, he averaged 27.1 wins and 355 innings pitched . . . His 28 wins in 1911 remain the modern rookie record . . . 16 of his 33 wins in 1916 were shutouts, still a major league record . . . His 190 Phillies career wins were a record until broken by Robin Roberts . . . Won Phillies' first-ever World Series game, 3-1, over Boston, October 8, 1915.

MISC
His ERA was 1.22, 1.55 and 1.83, 1915-17 . . . Won the NL Triple Crown (W, IP, SO) during same seasons . . .Threw four one-hitters in 1915, another record . . . Won a doubleheader at Ebbets Field in September 1917, 5-0 and 7-3, over Brooklyn . . . During his Phillies career he led the league in innings pitched, six times; wins, shutouts, and strikeouts, five times and ERA, three times . . . Holds club record with 61 career shutouts; Steve Carlton is second with 39 . . . Won a Triple Crown with the Cubs in 1920 . . . Six years later, picked up two wins and a save as the Cardinals won the World Series . . . 373 wins are tied for third all-time . . . 90 shutouts are second to Walter Johnson's 110.

These numbers are astonishing in compare to today's pitchers. And that got me to thinking...."Why are today's pitchers seemingly so fragile?" It is just expected that managers will go to the pen for a reliever after his starter has pitched 6 strong innings. opting for the middle reliever.

So that is my question; has today's athlete gotten less durable or has the game created a less durable athlete?

Time to pay the piper

since72 — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:01:12 -0000

Read all about it here

Barry Bonds remains unsigned, a pariah. A pathetic monument on the baseball landscape. Are you surprised that NO ONE has even had him into camp? Lots of other guys have been accused and/or admitted to using HGH and Steroids, and he would make a great DH for someone. Is he THAT tainted that no one will even touch him?

Poll

If you could sign Bonds for $1 million, would you sign him?

No

7 votes

No

5 votes

Hell no!

38 votes

50 votes | Poll has closed

Linden Cut

since72 — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:16:21 -0000

Linden Article

Todd Linden found out he was not going to make the team today. Are you shocked?

I am not.

You don't cut Ichiro because he had a crummy spring due to his career numbers. You don't scrap your young developing players to take a guy who is having a hot spring with crummy career numbers. I would have been shocked if they had kept Linden.

Sweeney on the other hand is like Ichiro, in that he has great career numbers and basically looks like a great catch for the A's.

Bye Todd, thank you for the contribution this spring. You did a great job. Next time though, try not complaining in the press. As an employer myself, if you have a problem you talk to me about it, not tell everyone else you have a problem. Bad form and I think it contributed, in a small way, to his departure

Poll

Do you agree with the Linden move?

Yes it was the right move

103 votes

No, bad decision!

94 votes

197 votes | Poll has closed

We salute you Mr. Too Lazy To Do Any Actual Real Research Before I Write An Article Man

since72 — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:34:27 -0000

Scott Ostler, reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote this article in today's paper...Ostler's Article in the SF Chronicle.

The headline reads, "Bats Go Limp"

Under the "Misery Loves Company" file, the Giants Nation are not content to suck on their own, rather they feel the need to throw their drunken arm around their buddy across the bay and proclaim, "Hey, gamers, the A's suck too, it's ok that we suck!"

Pardon me Mr. Ostler, is it not a bit premature to make that prediction? Yes, we traded away one big bat, but the last time I checked we lead the American league this spring with a .311 batting average and have more home runs in the Spring than the Yankees, the Angels and yes, our drunken pal across the bay, the sad sack Giants. Not only that, we are rockin' with one of the lowest ERA's this spring as well. So, how did you arrive at this "gone limp" premise? Wishful thinking?

So Mr. Too Lazy To Do Any Actual Real Research Before I Write An Article Man, this Bud's for you.

And in the meantime, we will just keep being the little team that could.

Unfetterred enthusiasm...are you a gamer?

since72 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:10:09 -0000

Ok, you know what, I don't care anymore. It is less than two weeks left, and I am going to do what I have done since I was a little kid....

I am tossing logic and predictions to the wind and stepping back into the role of a 12 year old. YAY for baseball!!!! I am so ridiculously excited about this team, about A's baseball this season, about Harden having a healthy, dominant season. I cannot wait to see him go this whole way, injury-free, and rule! To watch Harden, Blanton, Gaudin and Duke mow down the opposition, to watch Daric Barton become a star, and just watch our "Little Team that Could" rise above expectations and play their hearts out, steal bases, manufacture runs and have a bullpen that preserves leads. Sit in the bleachers on a freezing cold bay area night and watch BASEBALL! What a privilege. I love this country and I love the freedom of being able to watch my team PLAY!

Call me naive, optimistic, silly....I prefer the term "fan" or recently..."gamer"

Go A's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What I find funny , living in the bay, is listening to the Giants radio station, KNBR 680, and hearing the Giants ad campaigns for the season. "Are you a gamer?" They are seriously trying to GUILT people into going to the games, basically saying "yes, we know we are going to suck, but if you are REALLY a fan, you will go anyway." I do laugh at the ridiculous premise of how pathetic the approach, but then I got to thinking. They are right. Is it about winning or is it about having fun, getting out and enjoying the game.

Well, at least our team will be 10000% more entertaining than the anemic Giants and their washed up $500 million dollar pitcher. So here is to a fun 2008. Let's Go Oak-Land!

This year's squad compared to last year's. A reason to hope?

since72 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:00:13 -0000

Just one fan's projections going into the 2008 season. Feel free to sound off!

The 2008 season for the Oakland Athletics has been widely touted as a rebuilding year, and as thus, not many are looking at the A‘s as being a contender. With most of the recognizable names gone through free agency or trade, on the surface this looks to be the case. But as the spring training season takes shape, many of the faithful are not buying into that popular thought. There is a growing feeling amongst those who follow the team that this in fact will be a team that can contend, that Lew was not crazy when he made his proclamation, "I'm expecting much better than a .500 season."

Here is a position by position comparison of last year’s starting roster as compared to a probable starting roster this season:

2007 Oakland Athletics Starting Lineup

15 Dan Haren, RHP
20 Huston Street, RHP
37 Joe Kennedy, LHP
40 Rich Harden, RHP
41 Alan Embree, LHP
45 Jay Witasick, RHP
50 Kiko Calero, RHP
52 Jay Marshall, LHP
55 Joe Blanton, RHP
56 Lenny DiNardo, LHP
57 Chad Gaudin, RHP
58 Justin Duchscherer, RHP

CATCHERS
17 Adam Melhuse, C
18 Jason Kendall, C

INFIELDERS
3 Eric Chavez, 3B
7 Bobby Crosby, SS
12 Todd Walker, IF
14 Mark Ellis, 2B
19 Marco Scutaro, IF
31 Mike Piazza, DH

29 Dan Johnson, 1B

OUTFIELDERS
6 Travis Buck, OF
22 Milton Bradley, OF
23 Bobby Kielty, OF
24 Shannon Stewart, OF
33 Nick Swisher, 1B/OF

2008 Oakland Athletics Starting Lineup (guessing...)

PROJECTED STARTERS:

1. RHP Joe Blanton

2. RHP Rich Harden

3. RHP Justin Duchscherer

4. RHP Chad Gaudin

5. LHP Dana Eveland

Gone is Haren, Kennedy and Loaiza, in is Duchscherer, Eveland and Gaudin.

Obviously none of those three is a Haren, but Gaudin and Duchscherer are upgrades over Loaiza and Kennedy. Starting rotation 2008 is slightly better overall than 2007.

PROJECTED BULLPEN:

RHP Huston Street

LHP Alan Embree

RHP Santiago Casilla

RHP Andrew Brown

RHP Kiko Calero

RHP Joey Devine

RHP Keith Foulke

LHP Lenny DiNardo

RHP Henry Rodriguez

LHP Greg Smith

It is widely reported that the strength of the 2008 A’s is their bullpen. Gone are names such as Jay Marshall and Ruddy Lugo, but with the addition of Brown, Foulke, Rodriguez and a healthy Street, this should give the starters more rest and keep the A’s in more close games than last year. And with a crop of young hungry arms waiting in the minors, relief pitching this year, I think, we can all agree is better than last year.

PROJECTED LINEUP:

1. LF Travis Buck

2. 2B Mark Ellis

3. 3B Eric Chavez

4. DH Jack Cust

5. RF Emil Brown

6. 1B Daric Barton

7. SS Bobby Crosby

8. CF Chris Denorfia

9. C Kurt Suzuki

The first change to this year’s lineup over last year’s is Jack Cust in the DH role replacing the inept and aged Mike Piazza. Obvious upgrade. Cust is a legitimate threat offensively and gives you some pop in an otherwise offensively challenged outfield. Daric Barton replaces a languishing Dan Johnson at first, which, if he is able to repeat his performance of last season, is also an upgrade. Mike Sweeney replacing Todd Walker is also a huge boost for the A’s this season over last, with Sweeney providing rest for Cust and Barton. Kurt Suzuki replaces the anemic Jason Kendall behind the plate, although Kendall’s handling of the pitching staff more than made up for his lack of offense, so that could be a wash. Melhuse’s bat will be missed off the bench, but Bowen looks serviceable. Donnie Murphy for Marco Scutaro…how can you replace Scutaro? Murphy can do most of what Marco did, except inspire 35k fans.

The outfield. Ouch. Buck for Bradley. Going purely by the numbers, Bradley is a better power hitter and forced runners to think twice about the extra base. Emil Brown for Swisher. No comparison. Denorfia for Shannon Stewart. No comparison. Kotsay's leadership will be missed, but not his fragile back. 2007 outfield definitely stronger than this years. But, they are younger, faster and should miss less games due to injury. And with the possible emergence of CarGon, the A's could have another 5 tool player with a cannon, a young Bradley without the mouth and morale-eroding antics.

PROJECTED RESERVES:

C Rob Bowen

1B/DH Dan Johnson or 1B/DH Mike Sweeney

INF Donnie Murphy

INF Jack Hannahan

OF Carlos Gonzalez or Ryan Sweeney

Overall prognosis?

This year's team has better pitching overall. With the upgrades at first base, catcher and DH, along with a potentially healthy Crosby, this could make up for a lack of pop in the outfield. This team also is faster on the base paths, and a change in team philosophy should lead to a more aggressive approach and lead to less double plays, more stolen bases and more manufactured runs. Younger arms and younger backs should also add up to less injuries (fingers crossed).

Better than last year? To this fan, I think it is not a logical stretch to say that the prospect for contention is not wholly out of the question in 2008. At the least this team should be better, more entertaining than last season.

2008 Oakland Athletics Starting Lineup (guessing)

The A's have cancer....maybe

since72 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:51:47 -0000

The A's are carrying a story out of spring training today that Todd Linden is speculating that he is not going to make the team and is vocalizing his displeasure with playing time.

Is it just me, or does this kind of behavior, the openly questioning management in the press, pretty much seal Linden's fate?

If the guy is already complaining in the press and the season has not even started, hell, he is not even on the team, and he is already second guessing the powers that be. It would seem to me that the guy potentially is a cancer. Maybe I am just old-school, but don't players do this behind closed doors and smile and dance in the press?

I don't know, this just seems like a classless move on Lindy's part. I like the guy and he is having a great spring. But geez, keep it out of the press.