CircleChange11 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 SLUMPING A's KICK IT OFF AGAINST POWER HOUSE REDSOX *OAKLAND TRAVELS TO EAST COAST, HOPING TO COME HOME IN ONE PIECE* Looking at Gio's stats, you start thinking "Hey maybe the A's have an edge in this game" ... then your eyes scroll to the right and your stomach drops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoRedSox34 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Since it's just a video game JR, I'll go ahead and root you on against the RedSox. Hope it helps, cause you're gonna need it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 Looking at Gio's stats, you start thinking "Hey maybe the A's have an edge in this game" ... then your eyes scroll to the right and your stomach drops. If I could live with myself by restarting the game when I'm losing, I'm sure I wouldn't feel that dreaded knot in the stomach. But knowing I won't do that definitely makes me wonder how deep this hole is going to be by the time this (and the Rays) series is finished. Trust me, I have a life , but when you know you're going to play 162 games manually no matter what, and you have a suck azz team, it defines how long and miserable it really can be. On the bright side, I'm 5.5 out of 1st in the worst division in baseball. If you can call that a bright side. :mellow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 Since it's just a video game JR, I'll go ahead and root you on against the RedSox. Hope it helps, cause you're gonna need it... Thanks? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleChange11 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Hey JR26 ... I was trying to get a feel for what type of trade the A's will make for Holliday and I did some searching and found this interesting page which features a downloadable excel spreadsheet of all of Billy Beane's trades. Going on reputation, I expected a lot of one sided trades, with Beane ripping some teams off. IMO, that's not what I found. Granted the A's are often trading talented players that they will not be able to resign due to budget contraints, but I also see that Beane's "talent evaluation" may not be as good as advertised. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/06/gm-trade-histor.html Some of the player Beane has traded away ... [1] Carlos Pena (never produced in OAK or DET). He's on my "Steroid Watch List". [2] Billy Koch (He used to be something, and he developed as an A, and was traded for nothing that panned out). [3] Aaron Harang [4] Ted Lilly [5] Tim Hudson [6] Mark Mulder for Calero, Haren, and Barton (Haren would blossom, Calero was effective, and Barton would never get a chance in StL). Mulder had one decent season, continued his playoff chokes (0-3 in elimination games) as a cardinal and injuries would ruin his career. [7] Eric Byrnes ... Has some decent performances, now tremendously over-paid and under-performing. [8] Andre Either (for Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez). [9] Dan Haren (for CGonzales, Eveland, GSmith, BAnderson, and CCarter). The A's received 3 potential starting pitchers .. if they pan out. [10] Nick Swisher (for GGonzales and RSweeney), 2 potential starters. The Mulder trade is the only one where Beane really stuck it to the team, eventually getting potentially 3 starting pitchers and a starting 1B, if they all blossom as intended. Most of the trades are just moving players around to avoid contracts, while never really moving the team forward. Aside from the years when they had young talent like Mulder, Zito, Tejada, Giambi, etc ... it's been mediocrity. Makes me wonder if teams are extra aware when dealing with Beane, whether it's warranted or not. Kinda interesting to look at since Beane is dubbed "a genius". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleChange11 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 If I could live with myself by restarting the game when I'm losing, I'm sure I wouldn't feel that dreaded knot in the stomach. But knowing I won't do that definitely makes me wonder how deep this hole is going to be by the time this (and the Rays) series is finished. That's what makes franchises like these followable ... knowing that you play it out and whatever happens, happens. No "rigging" or "mulligans". On the bright side, I'm 5.5 out of 1st in the worst division in baseball. If you can call that a bright side. There's the frustrating part. You know if you can just go on a 8-2 or 7-3 streak, your season will turn dramatically, it's just the 8-2 or 7-3 is so darn hard to come by. I'm playing the Giants and feel good because Webb is going ... then I check the matchups and I face an 0-2 7.16 ERA Tim Lincecum and KNOW that "Timmy's due". I was right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 Insteresting stuff, CC, thanks for the article. Since being a fan of Oakland for a long, long time, I remember most (if not all) of these transactions specifically. IMO, it's not really about winning in Oakland, Beane and the organization have been known for farming the good talent, but will dump contracts/salaries when it's obivious the (talented) player is going to peak, and ask for the big coin. It's happened too many times, with too many good players. If he/they wanted to win at all costs, they would have let The Big Three (Mulder, Hudson, Zito) develop, with Chavez, Giambi and Crosby, and solidify this core with some young talent around them. It just doesn't happen in Oakland. They sort of embraced the Cub's style of operation (in the past, sorry Cubs fans): Keep one or two stars on the roster to put the butts in seats, and clip the spending everywhere else. Other than a slight run in the early 2000's, I've not been too excited about the way things have been done for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 6, 2009 Author Share Posted July 6, 2009 A's HANG TOUGH FOR 7, ORTIZ DELIVERS KNOCK OUT PUNCH IN 8TH *OAKLAND STARES DOWN LESTER FOR 7 INNINGS, OWN PITCHING CAN'T HOLD UP* OAKLAND, NOWHERE TO HIDE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rookie_rick Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Wow, so close yet so far. Papi is doing just as well here than he is for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoRedSox34 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 A's HANG TOUGH FOR 7, ORTIZ DELIVERS KNOCK OUT PUNCH IN 8TH *OAKLAND STARES DOWN LESTER FOR 7 INNINGS, OWN PITCHING CAN'T HOLD UP* OAKLAND, NOWHERE TO HIDE Holliday picture is hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 lol, that's actually not even Holliday. I don't remember who it was, but I had put a pinch runner in for Travis Buck late in the game. Either way, it pretty much sums it up so far. :mellow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob44 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Wow, Nomar has 18 homers this year! Whats his batting average? I liked Nooo- Maaa a lot when he was on the Dodgers. Tough loss to the Sox <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleChange11 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 BRILLIANT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Wow, Nomar has 18 homers this year! Whats his batting average? I liked Nooo- Maaa a lot when he was on the Dodgers. Tough loss to the Sox WHA?? 18?? No, no, no, no, no... My bad, it should read 8. (Thanks for the headsup, bob, I changed it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob44 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 WHA?? 18?? No, no, no, no, no... My bad, it should read 8. (Thanks for the headsup, bob, I changed it) lol! Well 8's still pretty good for this stage in his career. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 This blue scoreboard (in the background) is one of the graphics I've been wanting to make for a long time. It's the overall standings with a certain game featured at the bottom. I've not been able to catch it yet, but does anyone know if they ever show this on the full screen?? Is it always feature only in the background? Maybe it's just bad luck on my part not to catch it. lol, check out Kruk, he looks pi**ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 JULY 6 - SCOTT HAIRSTON AQUIRED FROM SAN DIEGO FOR PITCHERS RYAN WEBB, CRAIG ITALIANO, AND A PTBNL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleChange11 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 JULY 6 - SCOTT HAIRSTON AQUIRED FROM SAN DIEGO FOR PITCHERS RYAN WEBB, CRAIG ITALIANO, AND A PTBNL Maybe it's just me, but I think it's hilarious that you included the line "and was a letterman in baseball" in regards to high school for a major league player. Just something I thought was funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleChange11 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Insteresting stuff, CC, thanks for the article. Since being a fan of Oakland for a long, long time, I remember most (if not all) of these transactions specifically. IMO, it's not really about winning in Oakland, Beane and the organization have been known for farming the good talent, but will dump contracts/salaries when it's obivious the (talented) player is going to peak, and ask for the big coin. It's happened too many times, with too many good players. If he/they wanted to win at all costs, they would have let The Big Three (Mulder, Hudson, Zito) develop, with Chavez, Giambi and Crosby, and solidify this core with some young talent around them. It just doesn't happen in Oakland. They sort of embraced the Cub's style of operation (in the past, sorry Cubs fans): Keep one or two stars on the roster to put the butts in seats, and clip the spending everywhere else. Other than a slight run in the early 2000's, I've not been too excited about the way things have been done for a long time. IMO, letting Tejada walk was the "throwing in of the towel". I cannot remember if they tried to resign him, but if they didn;t make a realistic attempt, then not trading him was a huge mistake. At the time, while receiving less press than other "over-hyped" AL shortstops, Tejada was the best of that group ... both at the plate and in the field. I wonder how often Eric Chavez regrets not going elsewhere. Around the time Tejada left, Chavez was a top 3 3B in MLB, good bat and (up to now) 6 gold gloves. You don't hear much about him now, and his past 3 years have been a mess due to injuries, when he should be peaking. Although at 11M/y, I don't feel "too bad" for him. His recent back surgery for a herniated disc and the constant swinging of a baseball bat don't go together very well. I hope he's able to return, but back injuries/issues don't typically "go away". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Maybe it's just me, but I think it's hilarious that you included the line "and was a letterman in baseball" in regards to high school for a major league player. Just something I thought was funny. It's always a good way to find out if anyone actually reads the fine print. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 OAKLAND'S BEST TAKES THE HILL, DEFENSE STILL UNCERTAIN *THE A's HAVE STRUGGLED ON ALL PARTS OF THE DIAMOND, COMMITTING 6 ERRORS IN LAST 3 GAMES* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rookie_rick Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 You HAVE to come away with a win. On paper it looks like you should win it. It seems like Penny could be the weaker one of the pitchers that Boston will send to the mound. Despite the 5 losses, Cahill has a great ERA and very minimal walks and so if he performs to the standards of his stats you should be able to control the Red Sox bats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 You HAVE to come away with a win. On paper it looks like you should win it. It seems like Penny could be the weaker one of the pitchers that Boston will send to the mound. Despite the 5 losses, Cahill has a great ERA and very minimal walks and so if he performs to the standards of his stats you should be able to control the Red Sox bats. I've pretty much succumbed to the fact that these last 6 games (vs Bos, vs TB) are a wash. Just simply holding Boston to 3 runs in the first game should be chalked up as a moral victory. Yay, I say.. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rookie_rick Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I've pretty much succumbed to the fact that these last 6 games (vs Bos, vs TB) are a wash. Just simply holding Boston to 3 runs in the first game should be chalked up as a moral victory. Yay, I say.. Moral victories aren't that valuable in the race for the division Use the real A's as inspiration. They can 2 hit the Red Sox, so can you! I believe in you! :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeRudi26 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 Losing the right handed bats of Bobby Crosby and Landon Powell are really starting to take it's toll against against left handed pitching, and especially in game 1 against Jon Lester at Fenway. Orlando Cabrera and Kurt Suzuki are just not producing at the same level. To make matters worse, lefties Chavez, Buck, and Barton just couldn't make decent contact. Very frustrating to hold one of the best teams in the Majors to 3 runs, and still not be able to pull out the win. I guess that would be a testament to good pitching. -------------------------------------------------------------------- To put it in perspective, here's how Boston stacks up in the Majors: Batting Average: .286 (1st) Slg Pct: .470 (1st) Home Runs: 114 (1st) Walks: 310 (1st) OBP: .376 (1st) OPS: .845 (1st) Hits: 776 (2nd) Runs: 414 (2nd) RBI's: 383 (3rd) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Boston pitching (3.96 ERA) is about the middle of the pack from top to bottom. So as you can see, I knew I had accomplished something by keeping their offense tamed, but failed to do anything with the bats. Not sure if my pitching can hold up like it did in game 1, so all I can do is continue to battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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