The last Grill was getting pretty full and it’s looking like a busy day here in Baseball World. For those who’ve been hiding under a rock the A’s sent Yoenis Cespedes and a competitive balance pick to the Red Sox for Jon Lester, Jonny Gomes, and straight cash homey. Beane wasn’t done as he sent AAA pitcher Tommy Milone to the Twins AAA team for a guy we already cut in Sam Fuld. Is Beane done? Time will tell.
639 thoughts on “The Grill where Billy Beane is all in”
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Jon.
Jonny.
Fixed…thanks.
There’s nothing real in the world anymore!
When are we getting Price and Zobrist?
Thanks, and go As.
The Red Sox having a competitive balance draft pick is amusing.
OH GOD PLEASE YES LET THIS HAPPEN
Thanks, and go As.
He’s the 5th starter at best and a FA at the end of the season. If you can get anything decent for him go for it.
We should see if we can get Sam Fuld for him!
I like where your head is at 5Aces…MAKE THE DEAL!
This makes so little sense I dont even know what to think. Unless the calls are all “you traded for HIm? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!” Click
Indians need a pitcher after the Masterson trade…
Hammel for Cabrera. Do it.
Thanks, and go As.
Hammel and who the fk else is in the kitchen sink we can throw in? Is Colin Walsh worth a wooden nickel?
Asdrubal, not Miguel :)
Thanks, and go As.
Both!
Get that 2B.
They’re probably mostly prank calls like “haha great move Billy, whatta brilliant trade!”
“HEY BILLY CAN I HAVE JASON HAMMEL IN EXCHANGE FOR YASIEL PUIG J/K BYE”
Um. FUCK YES! I DON’T CARE WHAT FOR!!!! DO IT!! INFIELD!!! PLEASE!!!
Nick Franklin.
I’m SO down for Nick Franklin. I’d rather have him than Cabrera.
2 cases of Natty light and a bag of baseballs. MAKE IT HAPPEN!
I volunteer to drink the Natty Light.
#teamplayer
One of our friends is about 5 yrs younger than the rest of the group that used to hang out. As such we had to always by the beer. When he finally turned 21 I arrived at our place one night and he seemed very proud. “hey man, I finally can get the beer so I got you a whole case”. Went to the fridge-Lucky Lager.
reverse story, when i was in college and all of us were turning 21 that year, we had one roommate who was in grad school and experienced… one friday night we come home with a 12er of some kinda crap cans, just ready to paaaaar-tay. he looks at us and says something like, one day when you grow up, you’ll stand in the beer section trying to figure out what to get… and not even look at the prices.
so true. so true…
I was exact opposite. When I was 18 and 19, I’d always have my older friends buy me the good stuff. Then I got tired of spending money on an acquired taste that filled me up too early in the night. Stopped drinking beer for a year or so, and when I came back to beer, it was all cheap stuff. Today I consider myself a connoisseur of shitty beer, and I’ll never pay for the good stuff again.
i can drink a bud if it’s there. two fridays ago didn’t turn my nose up at a natural ice light someone handed me. but if i’m paying, i’d much rather drink beer that i actually like the taste of rather than can stand it.
Agreed. Cheap beer has a place for drinking games. That’s about it
I volunteer to drink the Lucky Lager.
Did I win?
Well if you pretend the last month didn’t happen…
I’m just wondering about the human element a bit. Was Cespedes popular with his teammates? I’m not a big believer in chemistry but I’m just curious what the feeling in the clubhouse might be with this trade.
Actually there were a couple tweets saying that part of bringing Gomes back (and Fuld) was that they were so well liked that it alleviates some of the shock of Cespedes moving.
Thanks, and go As.
Hmm…interesting.
This still makes me feel like the clubhouse is a bit…fragile mentally, but…
This is when having a guy like Bob Melvin helps. He seems to be universally liked and respected by the players.
Jason Kipnis is having a down year in Cleveland…
Thanks, and go As.
Didn’t they sign him to an extension earlier in the year? I don’t know what the money hit would be.
Yeah I guess they did. Hammel and Cabrera are both in conract years
Thanks, and go As.
Of course we’ll need a 2B next year too so maybe you look for someone that isn’t just a rental.
Sogard, duh.
Thanks, and go As.
At this point, even if they can only get someone for the rest of this year for Hammel, I’d go for it. Figure out the extended 2B situation when needed.
Oh, I agree I was just saying even if you had to get someone who did have some years left on their contract that might not be a bad thing.
Yabut maybe the Mariners are dumb enough to give us Franklin for Hammel and a foam peanut or two?
Jack Z has never struck me as being too bright…make the call!
So, I wasn’t alone in the John/Jon mistake.
I hope the Red Sox don’t have a washed up reliever named John Lester…
I think the Phillies just traded for him.
Lester starting Saturday night.
Or..listed as a 1:05 game, actually.
Okay, so they’re pushing Sonny back a day. Like folks were saying I guess you want to get as many innings possible out of Lester that you can.
Wasn’t Sonny in line for Friday’s start?
Oops…you’re right. I have it my head that today is Friday for some reason.
Cespedes shirt day. Perfect.
It’s so Oakland A’s…if you want to be a fan you can’t get attached to the names on the back of the shirt.
Or the front, in this case.
same can be said for the red sox. (at least at home)
On days like this being a baseball GM must be one of the most fun jobs in the world.
Only for a certain kind of person. I think I would be too scared to do anything.
If I was a GM I’d be Trader Bed…I love this stuff.
I’d be scared I’d do too much.
Methinks I’m a GM in the Frank Lane or Jack McKeon or Charley Finley mode.
This is why I’d be a terrible owner…I’d be wanting to make all the moves and I’d fire managers like Steinbrenner in his prime.
I’d be even worse as an NFL owner since I’m egotistical about my football knowledge…I’d be firing coaches at half time.
So basically Al Davis.
Yeah, but much dumber. I’d get nowhere near the Hall of Fame.
Also, you’re (presumably) alive.
Even dead…Al knows more about football than I do.
I’m sure you’re much more likable than Charlie Finley.
When I’m not frothing at the mouth like a crazy person, pretty much!
Yeah, only if you don’t mind making horrible mistakes and having everyone in the world mock you.
Even today, there’s the realization that the A’s just traded a cheap and serviceable back-of-the-rotation starter/insurance policy for a guy they released a few months ago.
Yeah, but it’s not life or death kind of mistakes and getting mocked has never bothered me.
For some reason this exchange put me in mind of Inspector Javert on the Les Miserable Original Broadway Cast Recording belting out “I AM THE LAW AND THE LAW IS NOT MOCKED”
Two more hours to go.
I really just need to tell my boss right now that I am not working for the next couple hrs and deal with it.
And thank god for ESPN radio. Was driving back from the Dr and got to hear all about…reactions to a football player having a press conference.
(in the style of The Ramones)
hunna hunna hundred n’ five minutes to go- o- o-
I wanna get Nick Franklin
Jackie Z is dumb as yellow sno- o- o-
I wanna get Nick Franklin
he’s a better nicky than the one they call .
hurry hurry hurry before the deadline goes
he can’t control his sliding, he can’t control his throw
. o– o– o– o– oooooooooo!
OL, had a ticket in 110 for Saturday’s game in the StubHub cart for about $60, then was told it was no longer available. It was row 3, so I’m guessing now that Lester’s expected to start Saturday people are quickly trying to raise their prices. I ended up getting one in row 15 of 110 for about $60 anyway.
LOL, that was. Copy/paste fail.
So let me think about this some more…
Fuld plays center (and Billy may be a lot more worried about Coco than he’s been letting on) at least as much as left. While I’m not a fan of that trade, Fuld is an excellent defender.
If so, the trade does open up more spots for Maximum Catcher.
What can we get for Hammel? By dumping Milone, the A’s are now relying on Pomeranz again. That worked out well before, but does it comfort me?
I still don’t trust Reddick, but that would be a nice boost.
A second baseman would be nice, but is it really that essential? (And Nerd Power has been hitting better after getting a few at-bats.)
Needing one of Chavez/Pomeranz as the 5th starter is very different than having Chavez/Milone/Pomeranz as our 3/4/5 as we did earlier in the season.
Denorfia -> Mariners
DAMMIT WE’RE FKED NOW
ANOTHER FORMER ATHLETIC IN THE DIVISION.
See, the Mariners can make big trades too!
Rosenthal says for Almonte and a minor league pitcher. That sounds way cheaper than what we traded for Fuld who’s a worse player.
Chemistry tho
Yeah, very good trade for the Mariners.
Anytime you can pick up an Italian international you have to do it.
I demand Zobrist.
Sounds like the Rays aren’t dealing, though. And his OF versatility just became useless to us.
Not really. All versatility is useful whether we need it or not.
If they trade Price, I don’t see why they wouldn’t deal Zobrist. I’m just not sure we really have the pieces to get him.
If I’m the Rays I stand pat…they could win that division. The Evils are older than dirt, the Orioles haven’t proven anything and the Jays play in Canada.
I cannot believe they traded Price. Like you say, they could win that division. That trade pretty much says to the team, “Hey y’all, the front office has decided for you that you aren’t going to keep playing well. Byeeeee”
His Reddick-suck insurance is certainly not useless.
In a universe where Sogard/Punto + Zobrist is better than Zobrist+Reddick I’m not sure how to evaluate anything.
Sure, but as it stands right now, it’s Sogard/Punto + Reddick with no insurance.
Not really. We have lots of Reddick insurance in that about half our non-pitchers can stand in RF.
Obviously good-Reddick is a huge asset now that we are without Cespedes, but any day that Zobrist isn’t playing 2B for this roster is a shit day.
The guys formerly counted on to just “stand in RF” now need to fill the other corner outfield spot. With Coco, Gentry, and Blanks injured and not having much of a timetable, someone who could play RF certainly isn’t useless. Reddick himself is playing with the chronic knee issue.
Also, it’s not completely clear cut for me that Reddick is that much greater than the guys filling the second base platoon. This year yes, but they were pretty even last year.
Anyways the general point is that having two areas of potential suck is pretty obviously worse than having one potential area of suck, but with a guy who could fill in more than adequately depending on what area is sucking more at any given point.
Seems like the Blanks timetable is “out for the season” even if no one is saying so. I can’t see him back before September.
I don’t even remember what injury he has.
Fill-in.
This is the thing I’m most nervous about. I just have a hard time believing in Reddick and we need him to hit for this to work.
Jonny Gomes does bring the best out of him.
I’m hopping for the best. We haven’t won the Championship in 25 years and really because of the earthquake it was hard to get too much enjoyment out of that title. Winning the World Series is something I want all younger A’s fan to experience.
Wasn’t hard for me to enjoy that title, because I was three when it happened. World Series win > earthquake to a three-year-old.
I’m waiting here with baited breath wondering what the San Diego Padres are going to do.
Who’s baiting your breath?
A San Diego Padre…I’d name one but I have no clue who plays for that team.
Being a Padres fan must really suck outside of the good chance that you live in San Diego.
I saw that last night. I like funny Keith more than angry Keith.
Angry Keith can sometimes be a bit much, but he had some right-on shit to say about the Rice suspension.
I like the idea of Price being traded and not facing the A’s next week. I don’t like the idea of Price being traded to the Tigers or Mariners.
I would love for the Mariners to gut their system for him. I fear the Tigers because I know with every fiber of my being that Verlander would beat us twice
We need to send Sogard in to steal Kate Upton from Verlander.
Verlander ain’t beating shit.
He’s not himself anymore.
Price is kinda scary, tho.
I like the idea of Price being trade to the A’s with Zobrist. I don’t like the idea that that’s pretty much impossible.
Punto+Hammel+Chavez
Get it done Billy!
Nightengale says Asdrubal Cabrera is being traded.
IT BETTER NOT BE TO SF
To the Nationals, per Jordan Bastian.
Damnit
Pfft. We’d have given then PUNTO! They’re missing out, man.
Nonsense!
Can we at least get a free Espinosa?
This is all Ryan Zimmerman’s fault
Yes, I’ll take “Things you seldom hear” for $200.
I find it hard to believe that the A’s have another viable option for MIF now.
CODY! RANSOM.
When the season began, I was very, very concerned about the starting rotation. I’m concerned no longer.
Now the only concern is the infield and the outfield.
I still think the offense is solid, even if it’s been weakened a bit.
Since I doubt we get a MIF, here’s today in GOP-fail.
Do the Marlins have anything the A’s want? They’re looking for a starting pitcher, not sure they want Hammel. But maybe they’re one of the “flood” of calls asking about him.
If I hear Billy say something tonight about how we can still make moves with waivers I may have to punch something.
But that would be true.
Punto! Punch Punto!
It’s to us, we are getting Ray Durham.
How about Hammel to the Marlins for specs to the Rays with more specs for Price to the A’s. There! I’ve done it!
and zobrist!
Thanks, and go As.
rays tigers m’s
Drew to Yankees…
what?
Stephen or JD?
Thanks, and go As.
Stephen.
I don’t think I want the Tigers getting Price.
goddamnit
Quick! Send Hammel to the M’s for Franklin.
I don’t either…
Rosenthal said they just did.
I do not like the sound of that
Tigers get Price
we have SMASH gomes.
so? Orioles problem
The playoffs are going to be ‘first to score a run wins”.
Apparently Cespedes cannot be offered arb after next year.
Correct.
That was always the case since the signing of the original contract.
Price to the Tigers…well shit.
Scherzer, Price, Sanchez, Verlander
Lester, Gray, Kazmir, Samardzija
Kershaw, Greinke, Ryu, Beckett
Which one?
Still A’s.
higher 3/4s lower
Possibly higher 2
Dodgers are best at the top. I think we’re best overall, depending on whether Verlander bounces back.
Depending on whether Verlander gets his usual bullshit strike zone in the postseason, I think is what you mean.
I was actually thinking that one of the perks of having Lester is he is likely to get a bullshit strike zone in a deciding game. Even if it cancels out on for a Verlander or Price I would be ok with it.
Verlander and Price will get better bullshit strike zones. They play for the Tigers, after all.
Tigers/A’s/Dodgers. Porcello is also really good now. I would order their rotation Price, Sanchez, Scherzer, Porcello, Verlander, but of course Verlander could move up to #1…
Also, Austin Jackson sucks.
This might be one of the craziest trade deadline days ever.
It’s funny. I turned on some ESPN radio guy last night. He was talking about how boring the deadline was because no one big was moving. (he was talking about how Lester was not a big name which made me finally change the station.)
Tigers move Jackson/Smyly.
Mariners get Jackson, send Franklin to the Rays.
Franklin to the Rays? WE STILL HAVE 4 MINUTES!!!
How have so many MI moved at this deadline without any ending up on the A’s?
Drew, Johnson, Cabrera, Franklin, Walters. I would have taken any of them.
The ghost of Scott Sizemore is available – unconditionally released by Yankees.
Brian Roberts DFA’d too
Oh pick him the fuck up right now Billy. I still like that guy.
I like the idea of sizemore
Drew has been even more anemic than .
Seriously!
smyly and franklin better than russell?
#79 BA pre-season + a guy with a 4.1 FIP in MLB. I would take Russell + lottery tickets.
why would the mariners let detroit get Price so they could get a mediocre CF?
Nick Franklin to Rays.
FUCKING DAMN.
Thanks, and go As.
Hidden winners of today: BAL, TOR.
And the biggest loser:
I thought I saw the Phillies felt insulted with packages too. Well if they were looking for Seager AND Pederson AND Urias for Hamels, of course they were.
It should be really hard to be insulted by any offer for Marlon Byrd.
Where there’s a Ruben, there’s a way!
Well there certainly was a rube in the way.
hey o!
LOL
DOUBLE LOL
If you still don’t know who the patsy is…
HELLO THIS IS RUBEN AMARO TRADE ME ONE OF TAIJUAN WALKER OR JAMES PAXTON FOR MARLON BYRD STEP UP AND BE AGGRESSIVE
God, that guy. He is so Philadelphia he’s New York.
Both those teams are going to eat up the Red Sox when they play them down the stretch. Boston might have the worst rotation in baseball right now.
Damnit.
Zobrist to the Pirates.
Source?
ESPN
Apparently it was a fake trade someone tweeted.
That Gomes vs. Price matchup would be interesting in the postseason, yes?
So much win.
Seriously.
He’s my favorite. For today.
✩✩✩✩✩
Wait, what the hell did the Mariners do?
Basically Franklin for Jackson
Austin Jackson???
yes
So a hundred-dollar bill for a twenty.
asvd
Reminds me of that scene in Maverick where he exchanges his crisp $20 bill for something like $100 or so.
be fair, two twenties. 2 is more than one
That’s all the Rays get for Price? Irritating.
The only redeeming thing is that a stellar 5-man rotation doesn’t help in the postseason.
Price is going to get paid very hard in arbitration next season. I’m sure that ruled us out.
But they supposedly declined a deal for Price earlier and that’s why we got Submargarine.
Thanks, and go As.
I don’t know if I believe that.
We still could have asked again. I mean they didn’t really get much for him. We could have offered more. As in every prospect of any value.
Maddening. Price instead of Samardzija would have been the best rotation out of the three mentioned above
If this is all the Rays wanted for Price I wonder what we offered them?
Prado -> Yankees
Would have taken him too.
he went downhill fast, though
Today is a rough day, and not just because of the trades. My personal favorite percussionist — and, arguably, the alpha and omega of the music we call The Funk — passed away yesterday at the age of 74. Legend tells us that James Brown only dropped his Brand New Bag on an unsuspecting world because he caught Idris Muhammad backing up Lou Donaldson and decided Earth was ready for the New Orleans Second Line to move into pop music. Regardless of the many myths, very few musos of any kind can play one note on their instrument and you know it’s them. So blog up today with a 10-track, classic jazz-funk verification of some of the truest words ever spoken: You Can’t Miss with ‘Dris.
what a mess. it’s like players in a blender with the lid off… can these tradees please wear their old jerseys while in their new teams until i get the hang of it?
Saw a kid just now in a Samardzija A’s shirsey. Bold move, parent.
It’s made out of a fabric that frays away in 12 months.
I love the NFL but it’s stupid that ESPN cut away to their NFL show right at the end of the trade deadline.
But I must know more about Ray Rice. Does he feel sorry Bed? DOES HE FEEL SORRY!
ESPN lives for controversy these days. I really hate where sports journalism has gone.
are you fucking kidding?
Thanks, and go As.
Ridiculously good trade for the Tigers.
It’s a total steal for the Tigers…an okay OF and LH reliever for one of the best pitchers in baseball who still has another year on his contract.
Rays fans are….not happy.
I can’t blame them. When you’re always playing for tomorrow it’s hard to get excited about today.
They won the trading deadline. It doesn’t mean they win the pennant, but I sure like giving up Jackson and a starter they would only use out of the bullpen in the postseason for David Price.
Someone miscalculated here. I don’t know if it is the Rays or Beane.
The Tigers have too many starters and weakened their roster a bit. The A’s weakened their roster a lot more, but at least they had more of a need.
First the Rays miscalculated by not giving us Price when we offered Russell. Then Billy miscalculated by not calling them back later in the month to offer them the rest of the farm. Then the Rays miscalculated AGAIN by not calling US back to see if we were still interested before trading Price for bullshit.
Food for thought. If we heard the Tigers were getting Price for Franklin, Jackson, and the 18 yo and the Rays said we would take Robertson, Olson, and Chavez instead, do the A’s make the trade?
It would prevent the Tigers from getting that ace. The A’s would certainly have become a better team for the next two years…
I don’t like the idea of moving Robertson at all. We’re so screwed in the MI.
The post-2015 outlook for this team are pretty FKing bleak anyway.
Thanks, and go As.
Yup. And losing 100+ games is the quickest way to rebuild.
You can trade Price for a new one in the off season.
I suspect at best you’d get 75 cents on the dollar.
Maybe. But you’d have more buyers available.
I would.
Yes, I would do it. I think Billy would too.
Tangentially related: Does anyone think Billy made the Lester/Gomes acquisition BECAUSE he heard Price was going to the Tigers? Felt he had to match them with another elite starter and make a move to stack the lineup against all the Tigers’ other pitchers, who are righties?
No.
I think Beane said this deal was done the night before and just didn’t leak
I read that Cherington said it came together at 3 am eastern time.
Yeah, I heard they had been talking for the last 2-3 days and that it finally got together that night. In fact Billy said he was surprised something hadnt gotten out.
I saw a mention that the talks about Lester started about a week ago, and really picked up at the end there.
Well apparently Kayla Vucinich mentioned that something huge was about to go down, but no players mentioned.
pfftt.
how do things leak? what is the source?
I cant tell you about my inside sources Ed. You will just have to trust me.
I think the Mariners are super dumb. Gave a direct competitor a better chance to beat them in the ALCS/DS and didn’t get better and gave up their best trade piece.
If the Mariners thought they were making it out of the first round, they’re super dumb.
They might not make it TO the first round.
Eh, they’ll beat the Angels in the play-in game, I suspect. Then lose to us in the ALDS.
They’ll have to catch up to Toronto first.
Oh wow, I guess they will. Huh. I’ve just been ignoring that whole division, but I guess they’ve turned it around.
What the hell are the Rays doing? They could have gotten at least that in the winter and had Price for the stretch run…if I’m Joe Maddon I’m looking around in the off-season.
Thanks, and go As.
From the Tigers, obviously.
Oh, well at least they didn’t give up on 2014 then.
What the A’s really need to do is market shirseys with removable names and numbers, include letter/number sets for fans to use.
now batting for the oakland velcro-backs…
The AL playoffs are going to be a blood bath.
Just watch. After all of this, neither the A’s nor the Tigers will make the ALCS.
Shut your mouth!
Um.. WHAT
Thanks, and go As.
Oh, n/m. *James* Russell, the pitcher.
Thanks, and go As.
Wouldn’t that be cubs.
So when all is said and done:
P – Got Lester, Samardzija, Hammel. Lost Milone and Straily.
The A’s had the best ERA in baseball before the trades, but there was a widespread feeling here that risks of injury, hitting innings walls, or just regression to past performance from Milone/Pomeranz/Chavez, we needed to upgrade. Plus the past couple of years have reminded us of the added value of top of rotation starters in the playoffs. Clearly the front office felt the same way, and (even with Hammel sucking) they upgraded in a huge way.
OF – Got Gomes, Fuld. Lost Cespedes.
Disappointing as Cespedes was maybe the most exciting player on the team. The theory is that between Gomes’ lefty-mashing and Fuld’s defense, we don’t lose much value overall here. The numbers say that’s true, my gut reminds me that we just lost our best playoff hitter.
Prospects – Lost Russell and McKinney.
We were all pretty excited about Russell, but prospects, even highly-rated ones, are always a crapshoot. I’m OK passing the dice when we’re in win now mode.
MI – Nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
This is the baffling part. All that wheeling and dealing and the most obvious hole remains. Upgrading the rotation may have ultimately been more important, but this one was the low-hanging fruit.
Hard to imagine we didn’t get ANY of the MI pieces going around.
… ERA is not really the best way to measure the pitching staff (as I know you know, btw) and they were 14th in MLB in xFIP
yup. Not upgrading Sogard/Punto is a failure on a massive level.
On a team SO obviously going all-in right now, we still have a goddamn replacement level 2B
Thanks, and go As.
BELOW replacement level 2B.
. is pretty much replacement level
and so is Sogard, btw.
Astros trade Cosart, Austin Wates, and A’s killer Kike Hernandez for Marisnick, Moran, and a comp pick.
My initial impressions is that this is a horrible deal for the Astros. They really are a joke.
If we hadn’t just played the Astros, I’d have no idea who any of those was, save Cosart.
I kinda like it for them. Marisnick and Moran are likely better than their stats show this year, and I was never really that high on Cosart
Burns optioned, Elmore DFA’d
You know you’re not cutting it when the A’s drop you from their pool of middle infielders.
Well, if I didn’t get the 2B I wanted, at least I got validation that La Taqueria >>> El Farolito.
Such wrongness.
Cancun >>> both of them.
Dirty lies!
this
faralitto >>>cacun>>>lla taqueria
La Vics > *
Thanks, and go As.
going to santa cruz today and damn if we’re not stopping at vallarta for lunch.
(here comes the just as polarizing and endless taqueria santa cruz / vallarta debate.)
Aaron Hill may clear waivers, but I doubt the A’s would be interested. Other than though, pray to Ba’al that at least one of Soberto gets hot or something.
Sogard’s staying power is incredible.
He obviously acquired the old blackmail photos Jeff Grey (I think that’s who it was) had that let him stay in the system forever.
Callaspo should not be standing within 30 feet of second base when the A’s are pitching.
I’m pretty sure most second baseman stand more than 30 feet from second base, so that’s okay.
Brian Roberts?
Yes.
If we can sign 2005 along with him, I’m in
I know hindsight is 20-20, but I’m still baffled the A’s didn’t get a middle infielder from the Cubs instead of Hammel and keep Milone as the 5th starter.
I’m baffled that they were “flooded with calls” for Hammel and didn’t move him for one of the 850 middle infielders that were just dealt at the deadline.
Thanks, and go As.
Yes, even putting emotion aside and realizing that he will probably be better than the steaming pile of shit that he has been in his 4 Oakland starts, he’s still at best our fifth-best starter, and should have been traded for anything remotely worthwhile.
You don’t need a 5th starter in the postseason.
You DO need a decent middle infield.
Thanks, and go As.
My crazy opinion is that we sort of have a decent middle infield. I have a reverse Bed-like preference for defense from my second basemen, and Sogard and Punto both give you that. And I expect positive regression to the mean from Sogard.
I have yet to feel comfortable abpout their infield D. Sogard in particular this year always seems to be trying to do that little extra and then poof-the ball is in the dugout. But he has seemed to be hitting better. Let’s hope his one hot month a season comes at the right time.
Sogie only has two errors this year. I think he’s solid as hell and has above average range. I feel very good about him defensively. Less so Punto, but he’s still above average out there.
I dislike his throw from the side flips. It is begging to not get the DP or be late at first
Punto’s defense hasn’t actually been good though.
More generally, I’m of the “run saved is a run earned” stathead school – I’m ok with defense-first players or offense-first players at any position, as long as their total value is high enough. But even taken defense into account, the numbers say Punto and Sogard have both been lousy overall.
I could also understand sticking with a struggling player if they’re young and there’s some hope for real upside – like Gyorko for SD or Brad Miller in Seattle, who have both been terrible after very promising rookie years last year. But that doesn’t apply to Sogard, who’s 28 and has never even had a full year of being average. Nor does it apply to ., of course.
Sogard was worth 1.3 WAR last year. Part of that is defense, sure, but it’s not unsustainable defense. His defensive metrics have been basically consistent throughout his career. Part of it was also BABIP inflation, but he’s also had massive BABIP deflation this year. I think he’s better than his 2014 and not as good as his 2013.
And I fucking loathe Nick Punto. I feel like the only reason he’s in baseball is because he’s a short white guy who dives into first base and has TWTW.
And Punto was worth 1.8 WAR last year. (And 15 WAR in 3712 PA for his career, which is actually quite good for a utility guy.) Most of that is defense, but his defensive numbers have been consistently high throughout his career. He’s probably better than his 2014, but not as good as his 2013.
(OK, Punto is also OLD, so his defensive decline is more likely to be real and permanent. Point is, they are both bad, and any argument for one over the other is pretty tenuous.)
Yeah, but Punto is evil. Evil right down to his cold black heart, which pumps not blood like yours and mine, but rather a thick, vomitous oil that oozes through his rotten veins and clots in his pea-sized brain which becomes the cause of his terrible hitting. Do you understand?
My heart pumps sugar. Because I’m sweet and caring AND WILL THAT ASSHOLE STOP EATING I WANT HIM TO DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE and lovable and innocent and also terrible at hitting. But it’s okay, I understand.
I think I’m starting to.
Maybe it was all offering a C- prospect just in case kind of calls? That’s the only thing I can think of.
Pull the trigger on that deal, Billy.
Yup. Cubs are overflowing with MIFs. Someone like Valbuena would’ve perfectly adequate. And the Cubs aren’t going to scuttle a deal including Russell over Luis Valbuena.
Of course back then, I doubt the A’s knew they’d be able to get Lester so definitely hindsight is 20/20.
But even without Lester, getting Bonifacio instead of Hammel and keeping Milone in the rotation still seems like a substantial win.
But then who will we trade for Sam Fuld?!???
The idea was that Hammel would be good. Bonifacio sucks. Barney sucks. Valbuena might be good, but he’s also a 3B. We have plenty of not very good 2B options. A good SP is better than a meh MIF no matter what the situation with your roster is.
So creative solutions to 2b time now. Murphy and Zobrist obviously don’t clear waivers. Utley might. Maybe. Since Robertson, Olson, Nunez have never been on a 40 man roster, technically they do not have to pass through waivers IIRC. You never see big prospects traded in August, so maybe I’m mistaken. Rickie Weeks, maybe?
Not creative enough, huh? Rusney Castillo is rumored to sign in the next 2 weeks and could conceivably move to the IF. I can’t imagine he’s in game-ready shape but a couple weeks in the minors and up Aug 31?
If we want to get creative I still say get all of the extra pieces (Fuld, Vogt, Gentry when his hand is better) and have them start taking grounders.
OH CRAP-now I cant imagine Cespedes to SS anymore.
Ok, I’ve resigned myself to it. I’ll take one Cliff Pennington back. I hated the guy but he proved he could be league average. And he was actually amazing at 2b. Although maybe we move Lowrie.
Oh yeah, I’d take Cliff back.
Yay!
Distributed where?
In a van… down by the river.
Does anybody know if D’Angelo Jimenez is available?
Keith Ginter and Mark Kiger are sitting by the phone as we speak.
Ok, Kiger isn’t by the phone, its actually his girlfriend. She doesnt let him talk on the phone.
MLB 2005… where Ginter hits .600 against lefties…
Antonio Perez says hello.
Not if we close the blinds and don’t answer the phone or doorbell.
And Ed Crosby would like a word with all of us.
Does anybody know who D’Angelo Jimenez is?
I think he’s the 90s R&B singer who never had a shirt on.
famous for asking ¿dónde está wallacio? in the mexican remake of “el alambre.”
Does this affect our ability to compete next year? The assumption after the Samardzija trade is that the A’s have a shot next year as well before things go to hell. I’m not so sure now.
I think that sort of depends on when Parker and Griffin make it back and if they are any good when they do.
Even if Parker/Griffin have problems, the 2015 pitching staff will still have Gray, Kazmir, Samardjiza, Chavez, Pomeranz. That actually looks pretty good to me.
We’ll have money to spend in the FA market at the end of the year. All things being static, it hurts us next year. But we have a little more room to maneuver in the off season. And Billy has seldom stood pat in the off season.
Yes, but not standing pat in this instance might mean flipping Samardzija and/or Kazmir to whoever misses the Scherzer/Lester train.
Maybe. But with them, we have a solid, though not great, base and money to spend. I think 2016 is when he packs it in and rebuilds. I *could* see him flipping one of them to bolster the 2015 team with an eye towards giving someone unproven a shot though.
You’re looking at a rotation of Kazmir, Gray, Samardzija, Chavez and Pomeranz, with Griffin and Parker in the mix at some point. Still pretty good, actually.
In the field, though…very strong at catcher, third base, and first base. Big holes at short, second and the outfield. That team can compete, but it’s not great.
Well, we just traded two guys under control for next year for two guys who aren’t (plus Fuld, who I guess could be offered arb), so compared to 24 hours ago our 2015 prospects have definitely gone down.
The bigger picture is that of key players now, I think we’re only losing Lester and Lowrie (who’s been just ok this year anyway). That still leaves a pretty good core, including 6 players who made the ASG this year.
This is the problem I have with all this. I felt like Beane was trying to take two shots at a title, and now he’s lowered the team’s chances of competing next year.
I’ve been the first to pound the table about the starting pitching being unsustainable, and the need for elite starters in the postseason, so I understand the logic up to a point. And Lester’s availability came up late.
But the whole thing reeks of desperation, of sensing that the team had one shot – this year – and mortgaging everything for it. Meanwhile, the Tigers get Price for not much, less than what the A’s offered in both trades. That just vexes me.
I think it weakens our 2015 team, but not as much as people are thinking. And there’s something to be said about focusing all on winning this year and worry about next season in the off season. Especially when you’re fielding your best team in years.
yup.
Agreed. A lot can change in an offseason, both for the A’s and the competition. Right here, right now, the A’s are in a great position. That’s worth pursuing
We don’t know what their chances of winning it all would be next year. It’s now known they would have tried to deal Cespedes in the offseason anyway, and we have no idea what that would have brought back. We also don’t know what other teams in contention will do.
So, while they may have lowered their chances of winning it all next year (for the time being), I think they’ve increased their chances this year. I’ll go with that and hope for the best while figuring there’s still room to do things to try winning it all next year.
Beane tends to focus on the present, not the future, and that’s what I’m going to do as well.
I feel like even if we win it, the next 5 seasons are just last place.
The only way this works is if they plan on winning every game 1-0. I’m not feeling it.
And I have had a thought the past couple of hours but didnt want to put it out there.
Even if we win, this will now change the narrative. It won’t be that Billy did it, what a team the A’s had, Moneyball works, etc. It will be that “they got a mercenary and won” “its just like the Marlins champs’ “are they already dismantling the A’s”. And it doesn’t matter if it’s true, they can stick with this story and still say til we all puke.
I wont care, and we will know better.
I given’t a fuck.
The A’s are in Just Win Baby Mode.
That hasn’t been a very successful mode for quite awhile now.
I know what you mean from a narrative standpoint. Plus, from a personal standpoint, it would just be more fun to win with Cespedes than with a rental in the rotation. For the record, though, I’m still expecting the latest version of “my shit don’t work in the playoffs” speech sometime in October.
The team is leading the majors in runs, and gave up a guy with a .767 OPS.
Yes!
Cespedes is ENTERTAINING, but is he a superstar? No way.
PROVEN GAME 5 PERFORMER!!!!
Jonah Keri on the big trade
He overrates the quality of Cespedes’ defense
And he underrates Billy’s willingness to leave his giant balls unprotected.
Comparing the Sux outfield’s HR total with Cespedes’ HR derby total is batshit crazy dumb.
That tweet made no sense, he repeated ad nauseum
The thing I like about Keri is he explains what he means in a clear way and he’s pleasant about it. No snark, which is refreshing.
As shocking as the Cespedes trade was, trading a cost-controlled, league average starter for a guy we cut three months ago is even wilder.
The Milone trade on paper seems stupid but if Milone bounces around between the Twins AAA team and MLB club and Fuld helps us win this year it will be remembered fondly.
I’m actually perfectly OK with it. It’s so crazy it just might work.
I still don’t like it but I’d be perfectly happy to be wrong.
CODY ROSS!
Yup.
To me that means Crisp and Kittenface are worse off that the team is letting on (THERE’S A SHOCK)
Thanks, and go As.
I think Gentry will be fine in a couple of weeks. I’m very worried about Coco.
If Coco isn’t available for the stretch and the playoffs…I don’t like our chances.
no Coco, you can forget it
Beane on the radio said that Gentry was out 3 weeks. That puts us to about august 20. ten days until september call ups. I suppose that gives us a month with gentry blanks and fuld to figure out what to do
Good point, if Blanks and Gentry aren’t back until Sept. 1 anyway, they don’t have to worry about waiving Fuld. And even if it’s a little earlier, they can just send them on a rehab assignment for a few days.
Did he say anything about Blanks?
no. Just that they are optomistic about coco and gentry is out for a while. cf melvin saying gentry was a pain management situation
So Blanks is probably out for the season then.
Put it this way. If you’re near the trade deadline. You have no center fielders. And you need to hunt for one via trade somehow. It would be incredibly DUMB to point out that an injury is worse than it people think. If people don’t need to know, don’t give up that info for free. It weakens your position.
The Tigers getting Price for bupkis just reminds me that they got Kinsler for less than bupkis. Negative bupkis even. Hate them.
Well they did give up their #1 prospect shortstop, too.
But yea, Austin Jackson, Drew Smyly, and a #1 spec is crazy.
Thanks, and go As.
Austin Jackson was terrible against us in the playoffs last year too. In fact, he’s been terrible against the entire AL West (except the Rangers) in his career. So at least he’s going to the Mariners?
He was terrible against us expect for that one broken bat hit that still haunts my dreams.
And Doolittle still couldn’t fucking K him in the 7th.
Wasn’t nothing. The prospect they gave up matters (and was initially unreported)
If we go by fWAR, Jackson is actually pretty good. 4, 2.5, 5, 3 WAR, and 1.2 WAR so far this year. In contrast to Cespedes who’s never broken 3 WAR. Jackson plays centerfield and provides baserunning value which more than makes up for his below Cespedes bat. Both have 1.5 years of control left (Jackson is several million dollars cheaper). Of course, Ces is the sexy name and has more “potential”.
The fact that the Tigers traded Smyly and the shortstop prospect as well makes up for the extra year of very expensive Price whereas we just traded Cespedes for Lester and another player. The equivalent for us would probably be Cespedes, Pomeranz, and Robertson for Price. Should we have done that instead of what we actually did? I don’t know.
I’d do that trade. I’d even add Milone if it netted us Zobrist.
Of course on the second one (because Zobrist >>>> Milone).
On the former, I prefer the deal we made.
Hey, so Rajai Davis is now the Tigers’ #1 centerfielder? What a country!
Wild to have to pull Jackson mid-game.
Like Canseco.
Didn’t think he was allowed to in the dugout during a game.
I still want to shit on Nick Punto’s windshield.
I still want to wa-. No I don’t want to watch. But I still want you to do it.
kinky.
The more I think about it, it’s just a trade to cover for the failure of getting the worthless Hammel. And Fuld for Milone is pure ritualistic insanity.
This is as disappointed as I can remember feeling since getting into this mess 14 years ago. I feel like if by some miracle we win 2014, 2015 and beyond are just 2009 on repeat forever.
I’m just bummed, and I’m thinking of Trout and them dominating the division for the rest of the decade. This makes me edge closer towards “done with sports” status the more I think about it.
Don’t worry. They may have Trout but they also have Pujols’ contract.
And Hamilton’s. And no more farm system.
If I recall, were you not pretty upset at the lack of activity at the 2012 deadline?
that was a long time ago
In a galaxy far far away…
We’re not ever going to get the pure Moneyball moral victory, so let’s bury it and plant some grass on it.
I’m okay with winning a championship with mercenaries.
I just want the A’s to win a championship. If adding a mercenary or two is needed to do that, I’m in. The bulk of the team is still the same cast-off misfits it’s always been.
This. If that’s what it takes to win it all, that’s what it takes.
Billy on 95.7 right now.
Poor Billy.
“Hi Billy, what do you think is wrong with TimmeH???????”
OK then.
I still don’t get it.
It’s very weird. I don’t see him making the playoff roster, and it’s hard to see him as a better fifth-starter bet than Chavez or Pomeranz at this point. I guess the offers were really terrible, to the point where Beane would rather have him around in case he bounces back even if he ultimately has to just release him.
OK, that’s pretty badass of Dombrowski.
yup
Heh, nice
Tyler Skaggs forearm ouchie.
Would Hammel clear waivers?
Sadly, the unfortunate spawning of Shoemaker makes that injury much more bearable for them.
Hmm – so I’ve been thinking today about the game I went to in Boston on July 5th. Lester started the game – he should’ve had a shutout, but the Sux defense gave the Orioles two extra outs in the third inning. Gomes came up to PH in the 9th inning, got an infield single (GRITTY!!!!), was bunted to 2B, then scored the game-winner on a single.
Maybe I should’ve continued my trip to Tampa for a Price start with Zobrist scoring a key run.
I don’t know why that happened.
I can outfield.
Good luck with that.
It would be dumb to play him in LF in Fenway.
I don’t know. 7 – 3 putouts would be fun.
Yeah, great arm, and despite sometimes lack of instincts and/or concentration, he can actually cover a lot of ground. LF at Fenway is reserved for someone like Rice or Manny. Or Gomes.
Cespedes’ arm in Fenway’s left field is a waste of an asset.
Jose Canseco And The Quest For Forgiveness — by Susan Fornoff
I’m still “meh” on Cansecobut he seems to be genuine with all this stuff these days. I still see him as a massive attention hound.
This was the tweet she referred to late in the piece:
That’s a pretty douchy thing to twit by Pratt.
He is a douchebag, ergo…
In the comment thread that followed he said Canseco is still his favorite player, so I don’t know what to make of it. Bad joke?
I know what it’s like to be let down by your favorite player. Mine was Mark McGwire, once upon a time. (He let me down with the injuries, not the PEDs.) So I understand how one might be led to bitterness and snark.
I think he’s just a big dumb guy who wants people to like him and doesn’t quite know how to make it happen. Like a stupid, socially inept version of Rajai Davis.
Meh to Canseco, but Yay to Ms. Fornoff!
I like her. She was a trailblazer.
I really hope all this shit about the importance of re-acquiring both Gomes and Fuld due to their awesome clubhouse presences is just Beane giving Slusser some nice quotes for her Twitter feed.
I do get the sense that the A’s actually put some stock in chemistry and those sorts of consideration. Not so much as to sacrifice baseball quality for hopefully
Really impressed with O’s pitching thus far. I hope they can take care of the Tigers for us…
I hope their offense can score a run today.
God dammit Manny.
Fuck.
OK,I climbed a 100 ft rock structure above our car campsite at Arches to get an Internet signal, but it’s too fucking beautiful here for me to read what everyone thinks about the trades. I can see for 100 miles in all for directions, which had given me the perspective to know, as I rock my A’s hat for all the desert to see, that the World Series is ours this year. If only we believe and/or drink hard enough. I’m working on both just to be safe. Also the red rocks are warm on my ass from the day’s inferno.
Go us.
Beautiful, man.
About the only thing I can think of to say in reply is:
“It’s 106 miles to Oakland, we’ve got a full tank, half pack of cigarettes, it’s dark out, and we’re wearing sunglasses. Hit it.”
I can’t believe the trade deadline passed and we failed to acquire any catchers.
kottaras is still available
Heh
thanks for sucking chris davis
Excellent slegnA bullpen is really irritating.
It’s going to be a problem.
Advice to A’s for upcoming games: Get early leads.
Tommy Hunter starting game four of the World Series is difficult to fathom.
Having typed that, that was a nasty pitch he just threw to Freese.
Hunter throwing 98 mph makes no sense to me. That’s like if Griffin was moved to the bullpen and suddenly started throwing upper 90s.
The Orioles are are 12-3 in extras this year?
PSA:
have a fun flight to houston guys!
Quick search results:
Last SNB game at Coliseum: 9/25/2005 (Texas at Oakland)
Last SNB game involving A’s: 5/28/2006 (Oakland at Texas)
Looks like we’re on the week before in Atlanta too.
See what happens when you trade for Red Sox players?
“Tune in to watch Lester and Gomes take on the Braves!”
I’d bet a dollar or 2 that at some point they put up a graphic of all the former Red Sox we have. (I feel like they actually did it already last year or year before.)
Lester, Gomes, Crisp, Reddick, Lowrie, Moss, Punto…
We have a lot of former Rays too. Kazmir, Jaso, Vogt, Hammel, Gomes, Fuld…
I think the next are SD, AZ, and CHC with 4. (Updates courtesy of Dial C)
By division:
BOS- mentioned
TB- mentioned
NYY- Nobody although Otero claimed on waivers
BAL- Hammel
TOR- Chavez
CWS- Nobody
MIN- Fuld, Punto
KC- Chavez, Coco, Callaspo
DET- Nobody
CLE- Kazmir, Coco
TEX- Gentry, Chavez (minors)
LAA- Callaspo
SEA- Jaso, O’Flat
HOU- Lowrie, Abad
ATL- O’Flat
WAS- Abad, sorta-Jaso
MIA- Nobody
PHI- Punto, Moss
NYM- Kazmir (minors)
CIN- Gomes
STL- Punto
PIT- Chavez, Moss
CHC- Hammel, Smar, JD, Fuld
MIL- Nobody
SFG – Otero
COL- Nobody (Pomeranz)
SD- Gregerson, Sogard, Scribner, Blanks
LAD- Punto
AZ- Scribner, Parker, Cook, Callaspo
25/30 teams. Still need NYY, DET, COL, MIL, and MIA. No idea how that ranks in MLB. Punto gets 2 teams we wouldn’t otherwise have.
Kazmir was drafted by the Mets. Callaspo played for KC and Arizona. Parrino was SD too. Coco played for Cleveland and KC. Moss technically played for PHI too. O’Flaherty played for Seattle. Gentry played for Texas
Parrino I didn’t include since he isn’t active 25. Gentry was a brain fart. The others I did by memory and didn’t remember. Darn.
Also, updated.
OH NO! three actual former Cubs…we’re doomed
Crap. Thats backpack day and I am taking lil Miss Aces. She has school in the morning. I guess Im glad she can sleep in the car on the way back home.
Wow
did street already pitch?
nope
and scioscia chose to bring Hector Santiago in?
jones is gonna get caught stealing, huh?
HA!
It’s almost like you’re in the future.
it seems to me, that in plays like this the reviewing umps should have an open dialog with the on the field umps. There shouold be a discussion if the ump called the shoulder tag or contact on the hand.
If the field ump says “shoulder tag, the call is reversed and if he says “hand” the call stands
What, there’s no open dialog?
I don’t think so, soaker could know more
Pretty sure there is. It’s just the the replay ump makes the call.
Not really. At the beginning of the season Ken and Vince said they would be able to listen in on the conversations and they actually did hear at least one side of it a couple times, but I haven’t heard anything about what might be available to the broadcasters on the headsets in some time now.
Orioles should win here. Their bullpen is not going to hold out for the top of the order again.
This is going to be interesting.
I still can’t believe people shit on him for saying he was the greatest. He was and is Rickey Henderson. He was and is the greatest.
I thought it was embarrassing, especially with Lou Brock standing right there. That’s been close to 25 years and with all the chest-thumping you see in sports now, I suppose Rickey was just a little ahead of his time.
If Rickey had broken the record at the end of the decline phase of his long career, that would have been one thing.
Doing it in the MIDDLE of his career, however… I can forgive the boasting. He really was the greatest of all time.
that’s great
Heh.
:(
Not seeing Cespedes in the green and gold again really fking stings.
So we’re sending Gray, Lester, & Kazmir are pitching this weekend. That’s… pretty nice. And Hammel’s next start is against Smyly’s first for the Rays. We kicked his ass last time so I’m predicting a low scoring game.
The Slegna have a team wRC+ of 125 against LHP this year.
yabut, all LHP is not lester an Kazmir
That last part doesn’t make sense. They would have gotten something trading him in the offseason.
More of that weird logic in the article: they were planning on trading him, so, really, it was pretty much like he was already gone.
Maybe we got that nice return for Gio, and really only gave up like half a year of him!
Someone should point out that we traded 2 months of Cespedes + WHATEVER WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN FOR HIM IN THE OFF SEASON. For 2 months of Lester + Gomes.
MLB.com’s pitching probables has Vargas coming off the DL (appendectomy) to face Lester on Saturday.
Re2pect
From Wendy Thurm (@hangingsliders):
http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/87391492/oakland-makes-a-gutsy-trade-in-the-hopes-of-world-series-jon-lester-yoenis-cespedes#!bs3JCI
For what it’s worth:
Trade Deadline – Yesterday In Changing Playoff Odds
I think what hurts is that Cespedes is the kind of player we never get to have (like CarGon would have been). And we replaced him with exactly the kind of hitter we always have (very good at one thing, shitty at the rest).
Now Lester is a super-duper star in the same way Holliday was, but he also isn’t really part of the team. Hope to god we win this thing.
The one thing that bothers me is the same thing that bothered me when we made the Cubs trade. We keep focusing on the pitching part. We need a rotation for the playoffs, we need that frontline ace, we need to have arms to match Detroit, blah blah blah.
I dont think that is wrong, but when I go back to the last 2 game 5’s the first thing I notice is a big 0 in our run columns. The issue has been the offense getting shut down. And at some point we have to score runs. Now the arms make it so we need to score less, and I really do hope that having a “name” like Lester gives us extra strike zone in a deciding game, but if we get shut out even 5 Koufax’s can’t get us to the series.
what bugs me is if we’re going to give away cespedes for a rental, and we need an IF more than a pitcher, why we didn’t just get jeter.
I guess it would’ve been nice of the A’s to give him the chance to finish his career with a World Series ring.
If finishing up in an A’s uniform and selling coffeemakers was good enough for DiMaggio, it’s good enough for Jeter!
so, actually, i derailed my own question for the sake of a cheap joke. when i started writing that sentence i was honestly wondering: if we all thought there was little chance to get a decent 2nd base upgrade because there was nothing left in the cupboard to trade with, all the while, unknown to us, the A’s had a big piece in the cupboard they were willing to trade, is it a function of the 2nd base market (which i don’t have a pulse on at all) (because it would make sense if no 2nd baseman was good enough to trade for old 52) that the A’s didn’t do that?
I know they need to score to win, but they gave up 6 in Game 5 of 2012 and 3 in Game 5 of 2013.
What hurt the most last year was scoring 6 in game 4 last year and giving up 8. As much as anything else, adding Lester lessens the probability of going 5 games in the first place, even if losing Cespedes might increase that probability.
It’s all about pitching (starters AND bullpen) and key hits.
Give him a couple of weeks of goofiness and bathrobes and pie and he’ll be part of the team.
I think Reddick should let him do the honors next time pie is called for. Like an initiation ritual or something…
Haven’t seen a good DFWAS story in awhile, but holy FKing shit:
Despair, for we are stupid.
someone should ask that director, and his answer must exclude the concept of homophones, why his school is so sexist that they allow nomen.
Snerk.
Love the first comment.
I broke the news of the trade this morning to my son. His first response: “I’m glad it was for Jon Lester not John Lackey!”
I’m a pretty good parent.
If the A’s had traded Cespedes for Lackey, I may have just stopped following the team.
I’d have had a hard time with that myself. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous.
*Shudder*
I guess I can be a bit overdramatic. When I went in to tell Lil Miss Aces that something big happened she said “do you have cancer?” So after that even a trade of Cespedes didnt seem quite as bad.
“No, A.J. is still on the Cardinals.”
ZING
last night Theo asked for a jon lester shirt (he has a cespedes). they were pretty nonplussed. there was a bigger reation when I told them that gio was tradfed for younger players/
Milo said “is it us?”
Ok, FKers. Now that we are through the deadline I need your help once again.
On Tuesday I am taking the eldest Ace up to Cal for a campus tour. It is a total hit-and-run; we are leaving at the crack of dawn, get up there by 10 for a tour until 1130 and looking to be back home early evening. But I want him to also get to see a little bit of the immediate area so we will probably grab lunch right after in Berkeley and maybe walk around/go to 1-2 cool shops or things to see.
So what would you recommend?
depends on whether you want to see/explain bongs:
no bongs: eat at cancun on allston (not the same cancun brand as debated elsewhere), and keep walking down allston to shuttuck go up and down shuttuck a few blocks either direction.
bongs OK: walk down telegraph to dwight and eat at like bongo burger and walk up telegraph on the other side.
a less college-specific but still very berkeley experience might be to walk through the neighborhood to the gourmet grotto and eat at gregoire.
I wouldn’t argue with this approach. If he’s interested in doing science or engineering you could give him a taste of Northside, which is where a lot of his classes would likely be. There’s a stretch of student food places on Euclid, and then you could continue through the neighborhood (where I live) down to the gourmet ghetto as AV mentioned. From a living point of view after freshman dorms, coops are on the Northside, frats to the south, lots of other housing on both ends. Northside tends to be the quieter side. If you want to get in touch I could possibly meet you and show you around the walkable areas outside of campus.
All good advice.
Gregoire is the best food of those, but as noted a bit away from the usual student areas.
And if you take that first route, wave at me above the Walgreens at Allston and Shattuck. Or maybe I’ll be eating at Cancun or Great China, which is at Bancroft and Oxford, near the Cal baseball stadium.
Bongo Burger has locations in all directions from campus: the one mentioned S near Dwight/Telegraph, W at Center and Oxford (a block north of Cancun), and N on Euclid (in the area sslinger mentioned).
For shops I don’t know what kind of thing you’re looking for. Amoeba and Rasputin on Telegraph are both good music stores, but I gather college students don’t buy music on physical media anymore.
yeah, it’s hard to rec shops without knowing eldest ace’s interests.
Yeah, I know. And honestly I dont know exactly what I am looking for. I just want him to know what he can expect. For instance the bong vs no bong approach I would definitely do bongs. He is 100% anti smoking and drinking, but a kid needs to know what is happening there.
good approach.
and in those areas, there’re so many different things, you’ll surely find something interesting and go in.
A visit to Cal without at least some exposure to the grimy wonder that is Telegraph Ave would be highly misleading.
I always wreck shop, regardless of the difficulty.
Just walk him out the the big gate to telegraph and stop in somewhere that looks enticing (I have fond memories of Blondies).
That has always struck me as the quintessential “Berkley immediate area”. EB FKers might have a different view.
I can offer lunch at the lab – great view over the Bay Area, but not really quintessential.
That may seriously blow his mind.
If that’s a good thing, let’s do it!
What does he think he’ll major in?
He said “I’ve always wanted to see a lab” so I think thats good. Right now he is at “something medical” but I still think he is open to seeing what is out there.
I will shoot you an email.
And if he meant “labrador,” shoot me an email.
I’ve never eaten there (not very veg-friendly) but what about that Brazil Cafe kiosk-y looking place in that bike parking lot on University? Is it any good? It’s always hoppin’ when I drive by.
i like their beef sandwiches.
Tasty sandwiches for sure.
Now you don’t need a scorecard to tell who’s who.
So did Gomes pick 15 so his # could be right next to Reddick’s 16? ahhhhhhh….
Once again, flying high…
Now someone will pick him up without having to compensate the A’s.
The compensation is that he no longer is on the team.
I expect him to get a minor-league deal for a contending team.
Please let it be the Giants.
I’m too afraid that they’d pick him up and he’d suddenly be good.
Skaggs -> DL with forearm strain
Hmmmm…
If he took Shark/Hammel over Price/Zobrist (for similar packages) he’s cwazy.
I don’t know whether Zobrist was ever on the table. What I’m sure of is that Beane was not going to be able to put himself in a position where he might have to pay Price $20m+ next season. If he was trading for him, he had to be able to flip him in the winter. Samardzija being much, much cheaper lets Beane either keep him or flip him for real value.
Yeah, it was probably Price or Samardzija/Hammel. And Price is going to be making a lot next year
Correct.
Thanks, and go As.
Does this imply he looks to flip Shark?
That’s what I get for taking the time to spell his name
The reason he would have flipped Price is that he is apparently going to make $20 million next year.
Does that suggest that Beane is thinking of moving Samardzija in the offseason?
Of course it does. However, it’s optional. The A’s have all the leverage- keep the good cheap pitcher or trade him for a nice prospect or three…
Uhm…what happened to “Win now, fuck next year till next year”?
That was about players. This is about money.
Wait, Scribbles was DFA? I don’t get it, there wasn’t a need for another 40 man spot was there?
Thanks, and go As.
No, he was optioned to Sac.
Thanks, and go As.
Must be that Blevins thing that never made sense to any of us.
Blevins is one of the first hits for optional waivers.
The DFA part also has to do with the time of the week, which I didn’t remember.
I’m thinking that’s a mis-tweet. It would make utterly no sense whatsoever to do it. We have the 40 man roster space already and only need 25 man space. Plus there are less important people to drop if need be.
Here’s why it would make sense: Every time Scribner saves the bullpen’s ass, the A’s reward him with a big fat turd in the face. This would just be the turdiest turd.
He’s the 26th man on a 25 man roster. It comes with the territory. And the only reason he’s there is because he has options. Pretty much every team does it and it’s part of the business side of the game regardless of how much it sucks.
Same as Milone.
Yup.
I think our beat writers are tune-deaf, or at least insufficiently familiar with brass band repertoire.
Or maybe all three songs were playing because they couldn’t decide which one to play?
Maybe each person walked in to a different song.
And at least/unfortunatedly no one tweeted “dudes came in to the sounds of the Monty Python theme”.
(I know nobody mentioned the Liberty Bell, but once I start going into Sousa I always end up there.)
Great, now I’m envisioning Lester going on the DL after being crushed by a giant foot.
None of them has Shazam on their phones? (Does Shazam recognize Sousa?)
I guess you could make an arguement that Hickey and Stiglich could be saying the same thing. I am pretty sure Sousa composed the Washington Post March while he was with the Marine Corp Marching Band. But he also spelled it as Souza so I have no idea…
read the thread ed
well stiglich and hickey could be talking about the same song and not knowing specifically what it is.
Hail to the chief should be instantly recognizable. I expect suslu is just wrong.
SuSLu
Man this is a poor article. Other than the illogical reasoning of the whole “Cespedes would’ve been traded anyways this offseason so we’re just trading two months of him” that’s already been mentioned in the other thread, I don’t get why all the beat writers keep insisting that Vogt is replacing Cespedes:
That sounds great except for the simple fact that Vogt was already playing against righties even with Cespedes in the lineup. It’s not like Cespedes was blocking Vogt from playing when he was here so we’re not really “gaining” Vogt’s production. Against righties, what’s really happening is that Norris, Fuld, and Callaspo gets those vacant Cespedes at bats. I’m iffy about Norris being able to replace Cespedes’s production against righties. The other two are clearly worse.
Ken Arneson posted some analysis of what it means for the lineups, including both the current state with Crisp/Gentry/Blanks out and what thinks might look like if/when they’re all back.
It supports what you’re saying here about who’s replacing Cespedes, but he still finds that the loss on the offensive side is not really all that big. Another point is that given the current injuries, having Fuld really does help things quite a bit.
Wrong link? I think this is it though.
I fixed the link, it originally seemed to link to this FK post.
I agree with most of it, but he uses probably our best offensive lineup (Norris catching, Callaspo at 2nd) with the current roster to fill that spot. The reality is that it’s going to be different day to day (sometimes Norris, sometimes Callaspo like today which means Sogard also plays) whereas Cespedes pretty much always played in the Cespedes spot. Probably still not a drastic downgrade but not negligible.
Basically, the more times we go maximum catcher, the better.
MAXIMUM CATCHER!
Thanks.
Good point about Norris not being able to catch every day.
Also he (explicitly) is not considering defense, so has Callaspo as the everyday 2B. I took my own look at projections including splits (using ec’s method), and against right-handers the offensive projections are close enough that Sogard should probably be starting, which is another small downgrade for the offense. And (rightly or not) we know . will be starting on some of the other days. But all that’s independent of the recent trades.
Asking for Willingham along with Fuld would’ve made some sense. Packaging Milone with another low level prospect to get them both would’ve spared us from Callaspo at DH on those days Norris can’t play. Very annoying that through all the these roster moves, the terrible troika still remains.
Would have been nice.
Not to mention that Moss is likely to be in the outfield in left on those days anyway. In some respects Reddick is the one replacing Cespedes since we’d having both Moss & Vogt in the lineup while Reddick is out and now we almost have to pick and choose depending on the DH situation.
I think you’ll notice what wasn’t left out:
What I find interesting is no beer but 6 different types of smokes.
Popcorn and megaphone
Hambergers
I’m a smoker, but I think I would HATE trying to watch a baseball game where everyone was smoking cigs the way folks today drink beer. Yeesh. Maybe that’s why so many photos and videos from back in the day are so damn foggy looking.
i remember when smoking was allowed in movie theaters…
“The Captain has turned off the No Smoking sign. Those of you seated in Rows 5 through 18 are now free to smoke. No smoking in the lavatories, please.”
I’m gonna need you to stop sucking, Hellickson.
Why the weird start time?
Shiny explody things night.
:(
Superhero fireworks. And thanks to KC TV, I probably won’t even get to see the game.
afternoon delight?
Thank you Minnesota and Washington transportation officials. You are heroes.
Yup. The only case I disagree is when it’s a highway entry in near stopped traffic. Then you’re a douchebag for trying to use the extra wide lane to skip around it. Even worse is if you’re not even entering but using it anyway. Then you’re a fucking asshole.
LA knows this.
the interchange going from 980 north onto 80/580 does not.
and another thing. don’t start the slowdown while on the freeway. offramp lengths are engineered to get you from hwy speed to 20. it’s perfectly OK to use the blinker without stepping on the brake first!
Oh god yes. That’s one of the worst things. That and the reverse. I’m going to go 25mph down the off ramp and then wait until I’ve merged to hit the gas.
I hate when there are on-ramps followed immediately by off-ramps within 50 yards of each other. WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE
Marin has a few of those fun little nuggets of joy.
The one in Corte Madera scared me so much when I was learning to drive. I’m pretty sure I had to exit there during my driving test.
Yup. That’s easily the worst. I get to deal with the one in Novato twice daily. But usually when I get through there traffic isn’t too bad.
Jesus take the wheel.
oh yeah. a virtual X of death.
These must be even worse in Missouri, the “Show Me How To Drive” state.
Also, the H-1 freeway in Honolulu had some of the worst cases of this, especially the one at University Avenue, where you had to make a 270-degree blind turn followed by a very short on-ramp.
tup
I like that the Minnesota drivers required an extensive reeducation campaign to “be rude” and wait until the last minute. One of the driving behaviors that I had to relearn when I moved to California was the left turn in the path of oncoming traffic when there is no left-turn arrow. In Minnesota, the unwritten rule is that you put on your turn signal, then wait for an oncoming driver to either wave at you or visibly slow down, giving you permission to turn in their path. Of course in California you would grow old and die waiting for this; the unwritten rule here is if the oncoming car is physically able to avoid running into you without being rear-ended by the car behind them, go for it.
Non snark.
I really appreciate you guys. After talking in person to A’s fans today and yesterday about the trades, hearing smart educated people so not understanding the Lester/cespedes deal and the Milone situation, I think I would not be as much of a fan if I couldn’t read stuff here.
from wapo on okcupid A/B testing, this is kinda fascinating. not sure where in the stereotype cycle this falls (proves the bias? is a result of the bias?) and it’s a pretty narrow difference anyway, but some rows/columns are kinda… ouch.
The converse (men responding to women) is even starker:
So black women reply most and get replied to least, while white men reply least but get replied to most … bummer. And what’s the deal with Indian men and Pacific Island women?
Odd. White men are most likely to replay to middle eastern women.
yes, but do they overturn the call?
that is actually Homeland security agents
Also another key takeaway: Men respond waaaaaaaaaaaay more than women. I mean I think we already could have assumed that, but yeah.
It’s reasonable to guess that the overall total sent by men exceeds that sent by women by a rather high margin. If it were even, it’s probable that those percentages would eventually balance out.
a lil historical treat from mrs AV’s latest estate sale. these are from a girl who was in 7th grade in ’74, as best as we can figure from a fill-in-the-line skeleton quiz on ditto paper. and wow was she a sports fan. A’s, raiders, and seals fan clubs. and maybe her favorite player, the sal bando fan club. (and rick springfield.) anyway, photos and stickers and stuff… but best of all, lots of
handwritten notes by her to remember the times.
first of all, the seventies were all about what love is…
trip to the airport.
how great do you feel? (probably not very, top right corner says merrit hospital.)
not exactly autographs… probably just who she could see from where she was.
the following are all from a 1975 wall-hanging calendar.
april (love the 17th).
and sorry to do this, but… october: 4th, 5th, 6th, and the shocking 8th.
* 7th. (i can’t even count.)
April 9th – Campy is a true Athletic.
“injuried.” love it.
April 8th – a sighting of the elusive and painful Chicago Blue-Wood
That is great stuff. How awesome would it be if she was still around and an A’s fan?
From not autographs: Kissed by dick williams?
That is creepy.
OH NO! I have an hour to edit? I am not fixing most things guys. toss off. I am just as god made me.
OMG hilarious!