Yesterday afternoon the thrid trade of a seemingly complete trilogy took place as two time all star closer and rookie of the year in 2009, Andrew Bailey, and utility outfielder, Ryan Sweeney, were dealt to Boston. The A's received everyday outfielder, Josh Reddick, and two low A prospects: Miles Head and Raul Alcantara. The trade gave the A's their weakest return of the offseason. While the Cahill trade delivered Parker, Cowgill, and Cook, and the Gio trade gave Oakland Norris, Peacock, Milone, and Cole, this preticular swap seemed somewhat forced and reassured Beane and Wolff's intention of a San Jose migration. However, the trade does help Oakland to a degree. With Ryan Sweeney dealt, this frees up an outfield spot for Taylor, Cowgill, or Mitchell. Besides, Sweeney was never in the long term plans. While we could have gotten a far better haul for Mr Bailey, closers are expendable. De Los Santos is currently in line to succeed Bailey and has an electric upper 90's fastball. He can step in and replace Bailey to a certain extent. We don't know if DLS can shutdown the opposition night in and night out, but he had some incredible moments in his rookie season. In the outfield, Josh Reddick has been told by Beane and Melvin that he will be an everyday starter and that he prefers to play CF.
What disturbs me the most is A's fans on twitter are once again over reacting to a trade. Yes, we got a return that could've been far better, however, that doesn't mean you can switch teams or not follow Oakland in 2012. That's called bandwagoning. This could just be spoken out of frustration due to SJ talks and fan favorites departing. But for those complaining about us not conpteting for 2-3 years, we wouldn't be contending with the guys we had anyways. At least these prospects will give us the chance to create a contender in years to come.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
San Jose Athletics?
News broke today via @BNightengale (MLB Writer for USA Today) on twitter that the Oakland Athletics would be announcing a move to San Jose as early as February 2012. The news, while expected due to negotiations and talks of San Jose dating back months ago, has left faithful of the green and gold in a state of disenchantment with the franchise. The trade of fan favorite for Gio Gonzalez on December 22nd coupled with the Trade of Trevor Cahill left many confused about the dictection of the organization. Now, with plans of a move to Jack London square seemingly dissolved, and talks of two time all star closer, Andrew Bailey, being traded the fans seem all to overwhelmed with the progressive changes to the team. The feeling of 44 years of history being uprooted all because of one decision has resulted in preverbal fissures and shockwaves that have toppled the loyalty of east bay residents. But what does mean for the team and the city of Oakland?
O.co Coliseum has never been a venue for those searching for an aesthetic experience. The stadium has been the shared residency of the A's and Raiders for multiple years. The venue offers cheap seats, great views, wonderful tailgating and the palpable sense of local connectivity. The structure is not only an east bay icon, but a symbol of the loyalty of the community. A key criticism of the ballpark has been the lack of attendance, which was the lowest in the majors in the year 2011, but allow me to present a rebuttal. Would you rather be inside of a sold out stadium full of uninterested bandwagoners or have lots of leg room, surround yourself with loyal and passionate residents and take in the scenic views. I would chose the latter. But it is up to personal preference...
The move to San Jose would drastically increase ticket prices and add unwanted amenities. Beane and Wolff want to be a part of San Jose's market and increase their revenue, which is why they have stressed the relocation. However, the Raiders would then receive an NFL Stadium in Oakland, which is a positive out of this upheaval. A's fans have cited that they will not follow the team to SJ, stating the team belongs in Oakland, but the team could go anywhere for all I'd care, and they'd always be the Oakland Athletics to me.
O.co Coliseum has never been a venue for those searching for an aesthetic experience. The stadium has been the shared residency of the A's and Raiders for multiple years. The venue offers cheap seats, great views, wonderful tailgating and the palpable sense of local connectivity. The structure is not only an east bay icon, but a symbol of the loyalty of the community. A key criticism of the ballpark has been the lack of attendance, which was the lowest in the majors in the year 2011, but allow me to present a rebuttal. Would you rather be inside of a sold out stadium full of uninterested bandwagoners or have lots of leg room, surround yourself with loyal and passionate residents and take in the scenic views. I would chose the latter. But it is up to personal preference...
The move to San Jose would drastically increase ticket prices and add unwanted amenities. Beane and Wolff want to be a part of San Jose's market and increase their revenue, which is why they have stressed the relocation. However, the Raiders would then receive an NFL Stadium in Oakland, which is a positive out of this upheaval. A's fans have cited that they will not follow the team to SJ, stating the team belongs in Oakland, but the team could go anywhere for all I'd care, and they'd always be the Oakland Athletics to me.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
The Big Split
The fallout from the Gio Gonzalez trade has made us witnesses to two separate factions of A's fans that have formed, the "now" fans and the "future" fans. The "now" fans are aware of the fact that we won't be a playoff team in 2012 and have essentially given up on the franchise. They want to win at this very moment due to the fact that Oakland has underperformed in the past few seasons and with the trading of fan favorites Cahill and now Gio, they have adopted a "doom and gloom" outlook on 2012.
The "future" fan, which I chose to be, accepts the fact that Gio and Cahill were traded and looks toward sucsess in the future. Cole, Parker, Peacock, Milone, and Gray can progress and develop into MLB stars in a few years. Not to mention that the A's will not dissolve into the laughing stock of the league at the loss of two starting pitchers. Jemile and Sizemore get a full season to evolve, Barton and Kurt have chances to greatly improve, and Carter, Allen, Miller, and Taylor get a starting chance in the majors. Plus, our pitching will not be terrible. We get a host of fantastic pitching to add to a deep staff. The expectations will be far lower than the previous season, however, we have a chance to surprise. Are we a WS team in 2012? No. Are we a playoff team in 2012. Probably not. Are we even above .500? Most likely no. But regardless, there is still a full baseball season ahead for the green and gold. They could be projected to win 105 games or 55 games, but as a fan, you still watch and enjoy viewing your team.
The comments on twitter from disgruntled A's fans are disturbing. Saying they'll "burn their jerseys" and "boycott games". The team didn't send Gio away, Beane did. Why punish them? And we won this Gio deal hands down, stealing 4 of the top prospects from DC. And at the end of the day, I still will love this team no matter what. It's sort of like a dysfunctional family. Beane could be the distant step dad and Wolff is the crazy grandpa suffering from Alzheimer's. This team is mine because of it's idiosyncrasies. Through good and sometimes bad. Gio is a fantastic person and wonderful player, but no one player could shake my love for Oakland.
The "future" fan, which I chose to be, accepts the fact that Gio and Cahill were traded and looks toward sucsess in the future. Cole, Parker, Peacock, Milone, and Gray can progress and develop into MLB stars in a few years. Not to mention that the A's will not dissolve into the laughing stock of the league at the loss of two starting pitchers. Jemile and Sizemore get a full season to evolve, Barton and Kurt have chances to greatly improve, and Carter, Allen, Miller, and Taylor get a starting chance in the majors. Plus, our pitching will not be terrible. We get a host of fantastic pitching to add to a deep staff. The expectations will be far lower than the previous season, however, we have a chance to surprise. Are we a WS team in 2012? No. Are we a playoff team in 2012. Probably not. Are we even above .500? Most likely no. But regardless, there is still a full baseball season ahead for the green and gold. They could be projected to win 105 games or 55 games, but as a fan, you still watch and enjoy viewing your team.
The comments on twitter from disgruntled A's fans are disturbing. Saying they'll "burn their jerseys" and "boycott games". The team didn't send Gio away, Beane did. Why punish them? And we won this Gio deal hands down, stealing 4 of the top prospects from DC. And at the end of the day, I still will love this team no matter what. It's sort of like a dysfunctional family. Beane could be the distant step dad and Wolff is the crazy grandpa suffering from Alzheimer's. This team is mine because of it's idiosyncrasies. Through good and sometimes bad. Gio is a fantastic person and wonderful player, but no one player could shake my love for Oakland.
Official
Gio Gonzalez has been traded to the nationals for Derek Norris, Tom Milone, AJ Cole, and Brad Peacock. That's 4 of DC's top 10 prospects.
Gio update
According to Buster Onley at ESPN the bidding for Gio is down to two teams. One of which is the nationals, the other is a mystery. Either the Marlins, Red Sox, or Blue Jays are believed to be the final team. The Rangers, with Yu Darvish, are now officially out of the race and Onley reported the Yankees were "Really never in the race". The Gio trade has just moved closer to becoming a reality
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
What could DC give us?
I am sure you are aware of new Gio trade talks between the A's and the Washington Nationals. The story was broken last night and stated the nationals were "pushing hard" for a 4-1 Gio trade. The question we A's fans want to know is: What the hell would we receive for our 2011 all star? Here are some possibilities:
1. Derek Norris: The young catcher falls right into Beane's "San Jose plan". He hit .210 with 20 HRs, 46 RBIs, and a .367 OBP in 104 for Harrisburg last season. He has the potential to blossom into a power hitting MLB catcher.
2. Destin Hood: The Class A standout hit .276 with 13 HRs, 83 RBIs, and 21 SBs. He can become a future starting MLB OF before the SJ move.
3. Daniel Rosenbaum: A future relief pitcher, he went 9-6 in 26 games with a 2.52 ERA in 171.1 IP.
4. Espinosa/Desmond: The starting middle infield for DC last year. Desmond hit .253 with 8 HRs and 49 RBIs and Espinosa hit .236 with 21 HRs and 66 RBIs. This gives the A's fantastic infield depth.
5. Brad Peacock: A high ranked prospect. The minor league ace went 15-3 in the minors with a 2.39 ERA in 146.2 IP and even got time in the bigs going 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in 12 IP.
6. AJ Cole: This might be too much for Gio. The nationals drafted the HS standout and might not give him up. He went 4-7 with a 4.04 ERA in 89.0 IP (It was his first ever season however)
All seem to interest Beane and Washington wants Gio badly. But Beane will most likely entertain offers from
Toronto and Miami before he makes the choice. I'd be content with Gio staying, but I'm not the GM. Only time will tell. So be patient A's fans, because this offseason from hell is almost halfway over
1. Derek Norris: The young catcher falls right into Beane's "San Jose plan". He hit .210 with 20 HRs, 46 RBIs, and a .367 OBP in 104 for Harrisburg last season. He has the potential to blossom into a power hitting MLB catcher.
2. Destin Hood: The Class A standout hit .276 with 13 HRs, 83 RBIs, and 21 SBs. He can become a future starting MLB OF before the SJ move.
3. Daniel Rosenbaum: A future relief pitcher, he went 9-6 in 26 games with a 2.52 ERA in 171.1 IP.
4. Espinosa/Desmond: The starting middle infield for DC last year. Desmond hit .253 with 8 HRs and 49 RBIs and Espinosa hit .236 with 21 HRs and 66 RBIs. This gives the A's fantastic infield depth.
5. Brad Peacock: A high ranked prospect. The minor league ace went 15-3 in the minors with a 2.39 ERA in 146.2 IP and even got time in the bigs going 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in 12 IP.
6. AJ Cole: This might be too much for Gio. The nationals drafted the HS standout and might not give him up. He went 4-7 with a 4.04 ERA in 89.0 IP (It was his first ever season however)
All seem to interest Beane and Washington wants Gio badly. But Beane will most likely entertain offers from
Toronto and Miami before he makes the choice. I'd be content with Gio staying, but I'm not the GM. Only time will tell. So be patient A's fans, because this offseason from hell is almost halfway over
Monday, December 19, 2011
Open Letter to A's Front Office
Dear Billy Beane, Lew Wolff and all members of the A's Front Office,
I am writing this letter as a frustrated East Bay A's fan. Now I'm sure you've heard this story before but I suggest you hear me out because my thoughts are the same of several East Bay A's fans.
It's been well documented that you want no part of building a new stadium in Oakland or in the East Bay and that's fine there's no sense in trying to convince you all.
Instead I would like to talk about the frustrations that have been hanging over my head the last several years and that is the way the personnel has been handled.
I understand you all badly want a positive decision about the San Jose stadium come January but after that decision comes I expect you all to actually make an effort to trying to make the last few years in Oakland a special time.
You may not have any interest in giving us any joy which is suggested with all the trades you have made these last few years but at least reward the fans like myself who have stuck with this team these last few tough years. I've bought your merchandise, I even went to 15+ games despite being a high school student who had to have jaw surgery.
And if you have no interest in doing that then at least make the effort to contribute to the proud baseball tradition that has been in Oakland since Casey Stengel managed the Oakland Oaks during the late 1940s. Whether you all want to admit it or not we have a proud tradition of great baseball in Oakland and I would appreciate it if you all would make the effort to giving us a few happy moments before you guys pack up and leave for the South Bay.
As for my fan loyalty, I will let that ride on whether or not you try and build a winner after you get the "green light" from Mr. Bud Selig. If you continue to put a mediocre product on the field and let our fans suffer like the last 4 years, I will jump ship and become an LA Dodgers fan (you'd be crazy to think I'd ever put on orange and black) or stop watching baseball altogether.
If you make the effort, I will stay with the team through their move to the South Bay and I'll do my best to try and convince the people I sit with at games to join me.
Thank you,
Wes Mills
I am writing this letter as a frustrated East Bay A's fan. Now I'm sure you've heard this story before but I suggest you hear me out because my thoughts are the same of several East Bay A's fans.
It's been well documented that you want no part of building a new stadium in Oakland or in the East Bay and that's fine there's no sense in trying to convince you all.
Instead I would like to talk about the frustrations that have been hanging over my head the last several years and that is the way the personnel has been handled.
I understand you all badly want a positive decision about the San Jose stadium come January but after that decision comes I expect you all to actually make an effort to trying to make the last few years in Oakland a special time.
You may not have any interest in giving us any joy which is suggested with all the trades you have made these last few years but at least reward the fans like myself who have stuck with this team these last few tough years. I've bought your merchandise, I even went to 15+ games despite being a high school student who had to have jaw surgery.
And if you have no interest in doing that then at least make the effort to contribute to the proud baseball tradition that has been in Oakland since Casey Stengel managed the Oakland Oaks during the late 1940s. Whether you all want to admit it or not we have a proud tradition of great baseball in Oakland and I would appreciate it if you all would make the effort to giving us a few happy moments before you guys pack up and leave for the South Bay.
As for my fan loyalty, I will let that ride on whether or not you try and build a winner after you get the "green light" from Mr. Bud Selig. If you continue to put a mediocre product on the field and let our fans suffer like the last 4 years, I will jump ship and become an LA Dodgers fan (you'd be crazy to think I'd ever put on orange and black) or stop watching baseball altogether.
If you make the effort, I will stay with the team through their move to the South Bay and I'll do my best to try and convince the people I sit with at games to join me.
Thank you,
Wes Mills
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Billy Beane Fails
Just a few days after I sounded off on Billy Beane calling him "A Puppet", new developments in the Free Agency process have increased my frustration with "Mr. MoneyBall".
These developments include the news that the Minnesota Twins have signed Josh Willingham to a multi-year deal. Now I didn't think the A's were gonna be able to bring back the Alabama native but the fact that the Twins (A fellow small market team) were able to sign him proves that if we made an offer to Josh we might've had a shot to re-sign him.
I would've cut Billy some slack if it was the Red Sox or Yankees (or any other big market team) who ended up reeling in Willingham but the fact that the Twinkies signed him suggests that Billy Beane and the A's Front Office simply sat on their hands and watched their best hitter from 2011 walk away from our proud franchise.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! Offering arbitration for a guy like J Willi is simply not a good enough way of attempting to sign a man who actually figured out a way to consistently hit home runs in the Coliseum.
The other follies I didn't take to kindly to was the re-signing of Daric Barton who was simply awful last season with a terrible Mendoza line average and poor defense which was supposed to be a strength of his. I do realize that Barton was injured during much of last season but we've given him plenty of time to develop and he has simply turned into a clone of Dan Johnson. It's time to move on Billy, you were wrong on Barton so why bring him back?
Lastly, I would like to touch on the rumors that the A's will not bring back Hideki Matsui marking the end of Matsuiland out in the Right Field Bleachers. Now I agree that Matsui was no better than average last season but with the A's opening 2012 at the Tokyo Dome it could've been a wonderful marketing re-signing if Matsui was willing to come back for a smaller salary. Not to mention that manager Bob Melvin was adamant about wanting Matsui back for 2012. It is Billy Beane's job to provide Melvin with what he needs and he simply hasn't done that.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
A fresh Start for the A's in 2012?
Next year the green and Gold are for sure going to see some new faces but the thing is we dont know who we will see. I'll be talking about Pitching, OF, and INF players who could be making a stop in oakland this 2012 Season. Now most of these players are AAA players but one or two of them might be in AA
Pitching:
Sonny Gray- Last year he had a brief time in AA Midland after being drafted in the 2011 Draft. He threw in 5 games a 0.45 ERA with 1 Run 6 walks and 18 K's. Thats pretty good if i would say. Now personally i see him starting the season in AA But after a month maybe two if he pitches the same. By may he'll be in Sac. Now in 2012 for the A's. I see him being called up mid August or Sep. Depending by the way he pitches. He's one of those players you dont want to rush things to early and speed up the process cause he's so young. But if he's doing good in Sac i say call him up but not as a starter. Let him get use to the MLB And how there batters are. '13 i see him starting since we are losing players as it is
Tyson Ross - He had a short time with the A's in 2011 but was mostly in AAA in Sac. Ive seem him pitch a couple times down there and he is pretty good just needs some work here and there. Had a 2.75 ERA with a 3-2 Record. Gave away 52 hits and 31 Runs and had a 34/22 K/BB. Now thats okay. But i see him starting the season in Sac along with others and to work on his command. Cause when i would watch him pitch i would see that all. The. Time. And thats the last thing a pitcher wants is not knowing where the ball will go. But i'll admit he has a great Breaking Ball that i havent seen in awhile. So if he works on his command i can see him pitching for the A's Say before the All Star break. Maybe as a relief Pitcher. Or starter if someone gets Injuried.
INF
Steve parker. Now he hasnt had that much time in Sac because of only being called up for the playoffs last year so i'll talk to you about his time in Midland which were pretty good. With an Avg. Of .286 10 Hr's 72 Runs and 74 Rbi's. He has some future but he reminds me of one of those players who are trade meat. Basically the A's wont care if we trade him or not like last year with Steve Tollenson. But his D and O reminds me of Kouz but a very better version of him.
Another player who plays 3B now for the Cats is Josh Donaldson. He reminds me of Eric Chavez all around with an Avg of .261 , 79 runs, 116 rbi's and 17 Hr's all in 444 at bats last year when he has been in Sac. His D is good too.
OF's
Micheal Choice- Last year playing for my Hometown Stockton ports he proved to everyone why he was a first round draft pick. Batting .285, 79 runs, 133 Hits, and 30 Hr's all in 118's At bats. Everytime i would see him at bat. You would hardly see im K. I see him playing in Sac this year. Skipping AA. By sep. Call ups. I see him maybe. Maybe being called up to the A's. But in '13 i see him starting in CF.
Grant Green - Now from going to a SS Player to CF is a big leap for this USC Prospect from the '09 draft. Seen him play for the ports and drove all the way to Sac to see him play for the cats in the playoffs cause he is a great batter. He has to be one of my favorite Prospects to watch. Hes know more for his batting than his D. Has many errors when he was a SS. Thats what made him move over to the OF and when he moved you'd see less Errors which all of us wanted to see. He batted a .291 avg with 76 runs and 154 Hits. Had 62 Rbi's And 9 Hr's. This year he is projected to make either the Starting line up for the A's in the start of the season or in AAA. Depending how spring workouts go. Him and Cowgill i see having alittle competition on who gets the job. But who knows. Maybe Green will get it.
Pitching:
Sonny Gray- Last year he had a brief time in AA Midland after being drafted in the 2011 Draft. He threw in 5 games a 0.45 ERA with 1 Run 6 walks and 18 K's. Thats pretty good if i would say. Now personally i see him starting the season in AA But after a month maybe two if he pitches the same. By may he'll be in Sac. Now in 2012 for the A's. I see him being called up mid August or Sep. Depending by the way he pitches. He's one of those players you dont want to rush things to early and speed up the process cause he's so young. But if he's doing good in Sac i say call him up but not as a starter. Let him get use to the MLB And how there batters are. '13 i see him starting since we are losing players as it is
Tyson Ross - He had a short time with the A's in 2011 but was mostly in AAA in Sac. Ive seem him pitch a couple times down there and he is pretty good just needs some work here and there. Had a 2.75 ERA with a 3-2 Record. Gave away 52 hits and 31 Runs and had a 34/22 K/BB. Now thats okay. But i see him starting the season in Sac along with others and to work on his command. Cause when i would watch him pitch i would see that all. The. Time. And thats the last thing a pitcher wants is not knowing where the ball will go. But i'll admit he has a great Breaking Ball that i havent seen in awhile. So if he works on his command i can see him pitching for the A's Say before the All Star break. Maybe as a relief Pitcher. Or starter if someone gets Injuried.
INF
Steve parker. Now he hasnt had that much time in Sac because of only being called up for the playoffs last year so i'll talk to you about his time in Midland which were pretty good. With an Avg. Of .286 10 Hr's 72 Runs and 74 Rbi's. He has some future but he reminds me of one of those players who are trade meat. Basically the A's wont care if we trade him or not like last year with Steve Tollenson. But his D and O reminds me of Kouz but a very better version of him.
Another player who plays 3B now for the Cats is Josh Donaldson. He reminds me of Eric Chavez all around with an Avg of .261 , 79 runs, 116 rbi's and 17 Hr's all in 444 at bats last year when he has been in Sac. His D is good too.
OF's
Micheal Choice- Last year playing for my Hometown Stockton ports he proved to everyone why he was a first round draft pick. Batting .285, 79 runs, 133 Hits, and 30 Hr's all in 118's At bats. Everytime i would see him at bat. You would hardly see im K. I see him playing in Sac this year. Skipping AA. By sep. Call ups. I see him maybe. Maybe being called up to the A's. But in '13 i see him starting in CF.
Grant Green - Now from going to a SS Player to CF is a big leap for this USC Prospect from the '09 draft. Seen him play for the ports and drove all the way to Sac to see him play for the cats in the playoffs cause he is a great batter. He has to be one of my favorite Prospects to watch. Hes know more for his batting than his D. Has many errors when he was a SS. Thats what made him move over to the OF and when he moved you'd see less Errors which all of us wanted to see. He batted a .291 avg with 76 runs and 154 Hits. Had 62 Rbi's And 9 Hr's. This year he is projected to make either the Starting line up for the A's in the start of the season or in AAA. Depending how spring workouts go. Him and Cowgill i see having alittle competition on who gets the job. But who knows. Maybe Green will get it.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Where's The Power?
As the A's prepare for the 2012 season one question remains for Oakland. Where is our power going to come from?
Oakland lost Matsui, DeJesus, and of course Josh Willingham, who had career highs in RBIs and HRs inside of Oakland's pitcher friendly confines. And the team very well could lose Coco Crisp this offseason as well. That's 256 out of the team's 645 runs, 59 out of the team's 114 homers, and 496 out of the team's 1330 hits... GONE. Most fans have already condemned the team and expect them to fail, but for someone like myself who's overly optimistic, I can't except that. So I looked at who Oakland fans need to look for next year for some homers and hits.
1. Jemile Weeks: I know the star rookie from The U isn't who'd you'd expect to smash it out of the park, but he has by far our best hitter in 2011 and showed us his long ball power in the last home game and against Jered Weaver in the following game. He led all 2nd basemen in batting average in his rookie year (.303) so expect the A's to go to J Weezy in the clutch.
2. Scott Sizemore: The replacement 3rd basemen was 2nd on the team in SLG% and was the most clutch player for the green and gold last season. His ability to convert to 3rd base was almost as remarkable as his big hits. He ended Oakland's 9 game losing streak and our losing streak to Texas with bases clearing shots. Look for Sizemore as a key in 2012
3. Kurt Suzuki: He was 2nd on the team in homers (14). If he ups his average, he could be a legitimate weapon.
4. Brandon Allen: He has the most raw power on the team. He started the year 11-30, but ended 19-116. His BABIP was .303, but his K rate was 34.8%. If he can connect like in his first 15 games with Oakland, he'll be the best bet to replace Willingham.
Oakland will have to rely on pitching, but the offense needs to gel to compete against the competition.
Oakland lost Matsui, DeJesus, and of course Josh Willingham, who had career highs in RBIs and HRs inside of Oakland's pitcher friendly confines. And the team very well could lose Coco Crisp this offseason as well. That's 256 out of the team's 645 runs, 59 out of the team's 114 homers, and 496 out of the team's 1330 hits... GONE. Most fans have already condemned the team and expect them to fail, but for someone like myself who's overly optimistic, I can't except that. So I looked at who Oakland fans need to look for next year for some homers and hits.
1. Jemile Weeks: I know the star rookie from The U isn't who'd you'd expect to smash it out of the park, but he has by far our best hitter in 2011 and showed us his long ball power in the last home game and against Jered Weaver in the following game. He led all 2nd basemen in batting average in his rookie year (.303) so expect the A's to go to J Weezy in the clutch.
2. Scott Sizemore: The replacement 3rd basemen was 2nd on the team in SLG% and was the most clutch player for the green and gold last season. His ability to convert to 3rd base was almost as remarkable as his big hits. He ended Oakland's 9 game losing streak and our losing streak to Texas with bases clearing shots. Look for Sizemore as a key in 2012
3. Kurt Suzuki: He was 2nd on the team in homers (14). If he ups his average, he could be a legitimate weapon.
4. Brandon Allen: He has the most raw power on the team. He started the year 11-30, but ended 19-116. His BABIP was .303, but his K rate was 34.8%. If he can connect like in his first 15 games with Oakland, he'll be the best bet to replace Willingham.
Oakland will have to rely on pitching, but the offense needs to gel to compete against the competition.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Was it worth it? The trevor cahill trade
On Dec. 9th 2011 The oakland Athletics traded away two key pitchers to there roster. RHP Trevor Cahill and LHP Craig Breslow were sent to Arizona for 3 prospects. Ryan Cook, Jarrod Parker, and collin cowgill. To me. This is almost a bad trade. But if you look at what the A's need and what they aim for. Its perfect. We are aiming for the future and we need outfielders. Collin cowgill fits perfect with that. But was it worth Giving away youre All star pitcher in '10 who had one of his best seasons in his career and a key Relief pitcher who can come in and close out a game? No. Flat out no. Now. There is some positives to this.
Cowgill was a great player in AAA during the '11 season batting for a .354 avg, 13 homers, 51 walks, and 30 steals for reno (the AAA Team for Arizona). Now when he got called up to the majors. He wasnt as great batting .239 with 28 K's in 92 at bats. But its a start. If we get him through Spring Workouts and get him to what we see in AAA. We will have a great CF. Loves to draw walks and is very good on D. I say picking him up is a great deal. For Now. But now For the pitching prospects.
RHP Ryan Cook is 24 years old is a 08 draft pick from USC. He was very good in the minors this year. Having a 2.21 ERA and a 62/22 K/BB stat in 61 innings. Only giving up 41 hits with AA Mobile and AAA Reno with 19 saves. But he had the same result as Cowgill when he hit the majors. Getting killed in 7.2 innings giving up 11 hits 8 walks and 6 runs. Now i havent seen him pitch yet but from what ive seen on youtube and online he has a great Splitter and Slider but when he hits the majors. His command isnt as great. I see him starting off as a Relief pitcher but if he becomes good. I see him in the 5th or 4th spot in the rotation sometime soon.
RHP Jarrod Parker is the main concern for me. In 2010 he missed the season from recovering from tommy john surgery. But in '11 he went 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA and a 112/55 K/BB Stat in 131 at bats with only 112 hits allowed. Pretty good stats. I say he'll end up in AA for the A's maybe AAA if lucky to work on his secondary pitches that still need some work
Overall. I think this trade might help the A's. But is it worth losing Cahill and Breslow. We'll see. I can only say i hope for the best for cahill and Craig and hopefully. We'll get the better end of the trade. (Pics. Collin Cowgill. Jarrod Parker.)
Cowgill was a great player in AAA during the '11 season batting for a .354 avg, 13 homers, 51 walks, and 30 steals for reno (the AAA Team for Arizona). Now when he got called up to the majors. He wasnt as great batting .239 with 28 K's in 92 at bats. But its a start. If we get him through Spring Workouts and get him to what we see in AAA. We will have a great CF. Loves to draw walks and is very good on D. I say picking him up is a great deal. For Now. But now For the pitching prospects.
RHP Ryan Cook is 24 years old is a 08 draft pick from USC. He was very good in the minors this year. Having a 2.21 ERA and a 62/22 K/BB stat in 61 innings. Only giving up 41 hits with AA Mobile and AAA Reno with 19 saves. But he had the same result as Cowgill when he hit the majors. Getting killed in 7.2 innings giving up 11 hits 8 walks and 6 runs. Now i havent seen him pitch yet but from what ive seen on youtube and online he has a great Splitter and Slider but when he hits the majors. His command isnt as great. I see him starting off as a Relief pitcher but if he becomes good. I see him in the 5th or 4th spot in the rotation sometime soon.
RHP Jarrod Parker is the main concern for me. In 2010 he missed the season from recovering from tommy john surgery. But in '11 he went 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA and a 112/55 K/BB Stat in 131 at bats with only 112 hits allowed. Pretty good stats. I say he'll end up in AA for the A's maybe AAA if lucky to work on his secondary pitches that still need some work
Overall. I think this trade might help the A's. But is it worth losing Cahill and Breslow. We'll see. I can only say i hope for the best for cahill and Craig and hopefully. We'll get the better end of the trade. (Pics. Collin Cowgill. Jarrod Parker.)
My Frustrations: Billy Beane's Ignorance
Mr. Moneyball has become a household name to sports fan across the globe but lately he really has been far from the great GM he was in the early part of the century and to many diehard "Oakland" A's fans (not San Jose) he has become a villain.
Why has that changed?
Easy, instead of trying to mold a great team together he has torn them apart. Trades like the Nick Swisher trade of 2007 which brought Gio Gonzalez to the Bay and the recent Trevor Cahill trade is more proof that Beane has no intention of creating a "bully" in Oakland. He brings in prospect after prospect but those prospects turn into flops instead of studs.
As a fan base, we deserve better. And it's time to hold Beane for his wreckless trading of quality young players. As Chris touched on earlier Beane is putting up Gio Gonzalez for sale well we cannot let him be traded. Every possible Gio Gonzalez trade has sounded like garbage and Gio has what it takes to win the Cy Young. It seems to me like Lew Wolff has made Billy his puppet just like in the movie "Major League" where owner Rachel Phelps makes the GM of the Indians Lou Brown her puppet in trying to make the team worse so the team can move to Miami.
Until, I can see evidence that shows Billy Beane making "real moves" to make this team better I will continue to have this opinion of him. I have no respect for anyone who tears down teams so they can relocate and "Mr. Moneyball" is no exception.
Should I stay or should I Gio?
The issue of Gio Gonzalez during the 2011 offseason has been a key disconnect between A's fans and the organization. Fans of course would love to see the defending A's all star return to build apon his fantastic 2011 campaign. But Beane and Co. Are shopping Gio around major league baseball in order to see if they can recieve an offer to strengthen their farm system for the supposed move to San Jose following the 2014 season. But Gio is not the only player who is recieving this treatment. Forst, the assistant GM, has come out and said "Every player but Jemile" is avalible. We've seen this act out first hand with extensive talks about Andrew Bailey and a trade that occured on December 9th that sent Trevor Cahill, 2010 all star, and Criag Breslow to Arizona for Jarrod Parker, Collin Cowgill, and Ryan Cook. The trade seemed to demonstrate Oakland's worst fears, a San Jose move looks almost certain. And even following the trade Forst came out and explained that their offseason philosophy remained unchanged. Everyone's still on the market. But will Gio get dealt? The A's seem to be asking for a very high price for the "Hialeah Hammer", however multiple teams including the Marlins, Yankees, Tigers, Nationals, Rangers, Indians, Blue Jays, Royals and even others have lined up to have a shot at the 4th year stud. What impact would a Gio trade have on Oakland?
Gio is coming off his most impressive year with a 3.12 ERA and a career high 16 wins, including winning 7 out of his last 8 starts to end 2011. And he'd surely be the #1 starter with Cahill gone. Besides being a fan favorite, he has improved every season and gives A's fans something to look forward to. Will the Coliseum lose "Fist Pump Fridays" or the echos of Chris Brown's "Beautiful People"? Only time will tell. But if he does go, A's fans nationwide will share in the overwhelming frustration.
Gio is coming off his most impressive year with a 3.12 ERA and a career high 16 wins, including winning 7 out of his last 8 starts to end 2011. And he'd surely be the #1 starter with Cahill gone. Besides being a fan favorite, he has improved every season and gives A's fans something to look forward to. Will the Coliseum lose "Fist Pump Fridays" or the echos of Chris Brown's "Beautiful People"? Only time will tell. But if he does go, A's fans nationwide will share in the overwhelming frustration.
What's up?
Hey, I'm Chris (@Bay_AllDay on twitter) and I'll be blogging about the A's (Obviously). I've been a fan for about 6 years and have attended 40+ games at the coliseum. I'm fiercely loyal to my teams and have been called an expert on situational stats. My favorite players are Jemile Weeks (J Weezy), Gio Gonzalez, and Grant Balfour (Angry Aussie). Well, that's a very short synopsis of myself, but I look forward to blogging about the green and gold!
Hello!!!
Hey there everyone. Name is Cody Rodriguez or Confusedcodes20 (which you can find me as on twitter). I will be the second contributor to this A's blog. I'll be taking care of the farm system for the A's. From single A all the way to AAA. But heres alittle about me. I've been a die hard a's fan since birth thanks to my dad and mom. Went to my first A's game on September 1st, 2002 against the twins and if you know about the A's history you will know that was during their 20 game win streak. That game will forever be to me the best game i have ever went to. I travel to SF to watch the A's lately and went to arizona to watch the lone all star for the A's Gio Gonzalez pitch. I support the A's wherever they go. But recently i have been going to alot more farm system games for the a's then anything else. For the ports and the rivercats and i like to focus on the top prospects. So thats why i have been given this duty. So i hope you guys enjoy this blog and hope to see some of you guys at a game one day.
Welcome, and Descriptions
Hello everyone! Welcome to GoldJerseyDynasty.com! The home of hard hitting opinions from very passionate and young A's fans like myself. My name is Wes Mills aka RFWes as I am known to A's fans. I decided to create this A's site to give young A's fans a place to post their opinions and I have big plans for this site.
I will be joined by two other bloggers who will give their introductions shortly.
Stay tuned for many exciting features from this site including opinionated analysis on trades, games, and matchups as well as the stadium situation that many Oakland natives dread talking about.
We will also be doing work on youtube and blogtalkradio.
My family has been an A's family ever since they moved here in 1968. My mom actually skipped classes when she was at UC Berkeley so she could watch the A's of the 1970s win three World Series titles. That same passion has been passed on to me and just recently I became aquainted with the men and women of the RF Bleachers (aka Matsuiland) I've not stopped sitting there since my first game.
That's just a quick rant I wanted get out of the way... ENJOY!
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