2008 MLB Season

[The_Admiral]

But despite just how much I hate management, I'm still gonna remain a fan. At least I can try to take solace in the thought that when we do win, times like these will just make it that much sweeter....... I just hope I'm not 90 by the time that happens

And this is the A's fan in the Cubs-A's deal.

[FiddySicks]

But despite just how much I hate management, I'm still gonna remain a fan. At least I can try to take solace in the thought that when we do win, times like these will just make it that much sweeter....... I just hope I'm not 90 by the time that happens

And this is the A's fan in the Cubs-A's deal.

Oakland definitely has it set up to be the next organization with the Cubs problem. But unlike the Cubs now, or everyone's favorite team of doom, the Mets, they simply don't have the cash needed to hang on to anything that turns into real quality. The thing about the A's, and I say it every time I'm at a ball game, is that it's truly second rate baseball at it's finest. And I don't even mean that as an insult. Low quality park thats lacking any real flair, low income fans who can barely afford the cheap tickets as it is, and a thrown together club with a few hidden jems who have no guarantee of being on the field in an Oakland uniform come a year later. It is what it is, and nothing more. And I really don't think a new ballpark, which is still the impossible dream, will do anything in terms of on field financial flexibility. Really, I'm beginning to realize now that if the A's do snag a title any time soon, it'll be the greatest example of dumb luck to ever hit the baseball world.

Now watch, because I said this the A's are going to swing a deal that brings in Matt Holliday for a batting cage and a half empty bag of stale Cracker Jacks, and he'll team up with league MVP Matt Murton and Cy Young winner Sean Gallagher to become the next dynasty. Dare to dream

[KevinMcD]

The collapse has begun for the O's. I just hope that they can show up Thursday and Saturday. I will be at both games, Toronto and Boston.

EDIT: Well at least the O's made it a good game tonight. 9-8 final. Hopefully they show up tomorrow.

[Cujo]

The thing about the A's, and I say it every time I'm at a ball game, is that it's truly second rate baseball at it's finest ... a thrown together club with a few hidden jems who have no guarantee of being on the field in an Oakland uniform come a year later.

'

You got me thinking, let's say your A's hadn't gone all cheap in recent years, here's what their roster might have looked like today...

2008 Oakland Athletics

C - Jason Kendall

1B - Nick Swisher

2B - Ray Durham

SS - Miguel Tejada

3B - Eric Chavez

OF - Milton Bradley

OF - Johnny Damon

OF - Jermaine Dye

DH - Jason Giambi

BN - Eric Brynes

SP - Dan Haren

SP - Tim Hudson

SP - Rich Harden

SP - Barry Zito

SP - Ted Lilly

RP - Justin Duchscherer

RP - Juan Cruz

RP - Jason Isringhausen

CL - Huston Street

DL - Mark Mulder

[See Red]

The thing about the A's, and I say it every time I'm at a ball game, is that it's truly second rate baseball at it's finest ... a thrown together club with a few hidden jems who have no guarantee of being on the field in an Oakland uniform come a year later.

'

You got me thinking, let's say your A's hadn't gone all cheap in recent years, here's what their roster might have looked like today...

2008 Oakland Athletics

C - Jason Kendall

1B - Nick Swisher

2B - Ray Durham

SS - Miguel Tejada

3B - Eric Chavez

OF - Milton Bradley

OF - Johnny Damon

OF - Jermaine Dye

DH - Jason Giambi

BN - Eric Brynes

SP - Dan Haren

SP - Tim Hudson

SP - Rich Harden

SP - Barry Zito

SP - Ted Lilly

RP - Justin Duchscherer

RP - Juan Cruz

RP - Jason Isringhausen

CL - Huston Street

DL - Mark Mulder

Well, Dan Haren was acquired as part of the Mark Mulder deal -- that may be the case for some other players as well, but you still make a good point, especially considering that Mark Mulder is done for.

[Jigga]

And what would that payroll look like? Considering that was the reason they jettisoned all these peeps in the first place.

[See Red]

Just guessing based on current salaries, and without Mulder, I'd say the payroll for that team would be about $140-150,000 million, probably higher... I'd say definitely not lower. I'm fairly confident it'd be at least 3 times their current payroll and would be the second highest in the League. And that's only a 19 man roster.

[BaltimoreFan]

The collapse has begun for the O's. I just hope that they can show up Thursday and Saturday. I will be at both games, Toronto and Boston.

EDIT: Well at least the O's made it a good game tonight. 9-8 final. Hopefully they show up tomorrow.

This may actually be a good thing. We've definitely been playing over our heads. MacPhail made comments about not pulling the rug out from under the team. Which IMO, would be a huge mistake. This is really a good situation. Alot of guys like Huff and Sherrill are having career years that should up their value. We could probably get at least one legit prospect for each of them (when it was iffy preseason). Bradford and DCab are also having pretty good years, but not sure if their value is as high (and you might want to keep Cabrera to help rest the bullpen). I'd like to see Huff, Sherrill, and Payton gone. I could care less what we get for Payton, just get a spot open for Nolan Reimold.

[marlinfan]

It's going to be a verrrry long time until we see another title in Oakland. Sadly, it's become more than clear now that the Athletics are only in existence to sell tickets and rake a profit because they sure as hell aren't putting together a championship team any time soon.

Unlike teams such as Kansas City or Pittsburgh, the A's have had quite a few MVPs and Cy Young contenders in recent years and could have easily build a team around any of those players if they wanted to build a winner. Yet, Billy Beane has been more-than-willing to trade away any player who has seen any form of success in Oakland over the past ten years for a handful of prospects in hopes that one or two of them will pan out. And then once any of those prospects finally become All-Stars, they are shown the door for even more minor leaguers. The cycle doesn't end.

I really do fell for the loyal A's fans out there who continue to get screwed. I understand the loyalty, but if you care anything about winning, there has to come a point where you just gotta bail on the 'Oakland Triple-A's'.

Wins by season since 2000: 91, 102, 103, 96, 91, 88, 93, 76

Four division titles, one wild card

Trading MVPs and Cy Young winners is a necessity for Oakland's survival. It is a fact of life in many of the medium and small markets as well. The A's are the model small market organization. How they continue to efficiently exploit the inefficiencies in the market amazes me.

The numbers seem to debunk your theory about the A's being in it to just sell tickets and rake profits. They are doing exactly what every fan should want from their team: fielding a consistently good to above average team on the field.

How many teams in the bottom eighth of ML payrolls in the past decade can say they've a) won 100 games twice, B ) won 90 or more six times and c) gone to the play-offs five times? How many teams in the entire league can wave such banner?

[CC97]

Roy Halladay with one of the better pitching performances I've ever seen tonight... finished up with a complete game 2-hit shutout against the Yankees... Roy's 7th complete game of the season, which is more than any other TEAM has in all of Major League Baseball http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/aggreg...ng&type=reg

[Brass]

Don't count on Harden to have such a great career in Chicago. I'm sure the other big names of Zito and Mulder's careers might predict something....

Annnnnnd Delcarmen gives the game to the Orioles. Seriously. He's terrible. Anybody mind telling me what Theo & Co. see in Mr. Delcarmen?

[Cujo]

Just guessing based on current salaries, and without Mulder, I'd say the payroll for that team would be about $140-150,000 million, probably higher.

Yeah, I'd say that's a pretty accurate estimate.

Don't count on Harden to have such a great career in Chicago. I'm sure the other big names of Zito and Mulder's careers might predict something....

...or Harden could turn out like former Oakland SPs Tim Hudson and Dan Haren, who continue to have brilliant careers.

Speaking of Mr. Harden, he makes his Cubs debut tomorrow versus the Giants ... a team he is 2-0 against, with an ERA of 0.84 in four career starts.

[Joshawaggie]

Just guessing based on current salaries, and without Mulder, I'd say the payroll for that team would be about $140-150,000 million, probably higher.

Yeah, I'd say that's a pretty accurate estimate.

Don't count on Harden to have such a great career in Chicago. I'm sure the other big names of Zito and Mulder's careers might predict something....

...or Harden could turn out like former Oakland SPs Tim Hudson and Dan Haren, who continue to have brilliant careers.

Speaking of Mr. Harden, he makes his Cubs debut tomorrow versus the Giants ... a team he is 2-0 against, with an ERA of 0.84 in four career starts.

So 2.1 IP 7ER 4BB 2K 2HR

[Cujo]

Speaking of Mr. Harden, he makes his Cubs debut tomorrow versus the Giants ... a team he is 2-0 against, with an ERA of 0.84 in four career starts.

So 2.1 IP 7ER 4BB 2K 2HR

What?

Try 21.1 IP, 2 ER, 8 BB, 18 K, 0 HR.

[Joshawaggie]

Speaking of Mr. Harden, he makes his Cubs debut tomorrow versus the Giants ... a team he is 2-0 against, with an ERA of 0.84 in four career starts.

So 2.1 IP 7ER 4BB 2K 2HR

What?

Try 21.1 IP, 2 ER, 8 BB, 18 K, 0 HR.

you got lucky... I thought you had jinxed him. That was me trying to predict an epic fail. Nice game for Harden though!

[Cujo]

Speaking of Mr. Harden, he makes his Cubs debut tomorrow versus the Giants ... a team he is 2-0 against, with an ERA of 0.84 in four career starts.

So 2.1 IP 7ER 4BB 2K 2HR

What?

Try 21.1 IP, 2 ER, 8 BB, 18 K, 0 HR.

you got lucky... I thought you had jinxed him. That was me trying to predict an epic fail. Nice game for Harden though!

It was a stellar start for Harden as he K'd 10 over 5.1 scoreless innings in his debut at Wrigley. Too bad the Cubs 'pen has to drop the ball in the 8th and 9th.

Memo to Lou: YOU CAN PULL MARMOL ANYDAY NOW!!

[njmeadowlanders]

The Mets are the first team EVER to go 5 straight games holding their opponents to 3 or less hits...

8 straight with the potential to have sole possession of first with a win and Philly loss tomorrow. Pinch me. If you told me that was possible 10 days ago, I would've started yelling obscenities at you.

Todays game was the most fun I've had at Shea in quite some time...

[Maz]

Finally, a win from the pirates worthy of heading off the ultimate anti-small-market-or-not-insanely-good-team show of sports center, and I MISS IT.

[See Red]

Rays have looked more like the Rays of old heading into the All-Star break, having lost 7 straight courtesy of the Yankees and the Indians. If the Red Sox lead over the Orioles holds, Boston will head into the break with a .5 game lead, having trailed by as many as 5 games within the last week or so, I believe.

edit: First place at the break!

[HedleyLamarr]

Tim Hudson's making his first ever relief appearance for the Braves this afternoon.

Nothing to fret about, he's pitching just to stay on his regular pitching pattern.....