Around Baseball 2023

[G-Snarls]

Beane hasn't been the GM since 2015...

 

OK true. He's been executive vice president of baseball operations since then until this past off season. I believe he had a significant impact on roster moves all along.

[Brownie19]

OK true. He's been executive vice president of baseball operations since then until this past off season. I believe he had a significant impact on roster moves all along.

 

OK - that's probably true.

 

But let's not forget their recent success...

 

2018: 97-65

2019: 97-65

2020: 36-24

2021: 86-76

 

Yeah they sucked last year and do again this year, but I don't think it's fair at all to assign any level of blame on Billy Beane. You can't give the GM $13.62 a year to spend on players an expect him to crank out 90+ win seasons every year. The guy has put a 90+ win team on the field in 10 of the past 24 years (and was on pace for another in the shortened 2020). Billy Beane changed the game of baseball and simply delayed the inevitably relocation of the Oakland A's for the last quarter century.

[G-Snarls]

OK - that's probably true.

 

But let's not forget their recent success...

 

2018: 97-65

2019: 97-65

2020: 36-24

2021: 86-76

 

Yeah they sucked last year and do again this year, but I don't think it's fair at all to assign any level of blame on Billy Beane. You can't give the GM $13.62 a year to spend on players an expect him to crank out 90+ win seasons every year. The guy has put a 90+ win team on the field in 10 of the past 24 years (and was on pace for another in the shortened 2020). Billy Beane changed the game of baseball and simply delayed the inevitably relocation of the Oakland A's for the last quarter century.

 

I do also think, for the record, that ownership is predominantly responsible for their plight

[jaysblue]

Who is more to blame?

 

City of Oakland for not getting a new stadium done?

Billy Beane for decimating the team with s***** trades for 7 years?

The owner for being a cheap ass and making it hard for the GM and city?

 

I blame Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.

[jaysblue]

OK - that's probably true.

 

But let's not forget their recent success...

 

2018: 97-65

2019: 97-65

2020: 36-24

2021: 86-76

 

Yeah they sucked last year and do again this year, but I don't think it's fair at all to assign any level of blame on Billy Beane. You can't give the GM $13.62 a year to spend on players an expect him to crank out 90+ win seasons every year. The guy has put a 90+ win team on the field in 10 of the past 24 years (and was on pace for another in the shortened 2020). Billy Beane changed the game of baseball and simply delayed the inevitably relocation of the Oakland A's for the last quarter century.

 

That's pretty impressive given their payroll and the Astros being a force those seasons.

 

Ownership is definitely to blame. Beane and company have had to work pretty much with their hands tied when it came to free agency and trades.

[G-Snarls]

I blame Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.

 

If you're going to blame then you have to blame Philip Seymour Hoffman the most man. Come on!

[jaysblue]

If you're going to blame then you have to blame Philip Seymour Hoffman the most man. Come on!

 

He always played Pena when Brad Pitt told him to play Hatty at 1B. Glad Brad Pitt walked into the office one day all angry and traded Pena all in the spur of the moment!

[jaysblue]

Would be cool if they made a movie about the Tampa Bay Rays 2008 season.

[G-Snarls]

Would be cool if they made a movie about the Tampa Bay Rays 2008 season.

 

Then Carlos Pena would also get to be in Moneyball II

 

Incredible story arc

[jaysblue]

Then Carlos Pena would also get to be in Moneyball II

 

[Omar]

I blame Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.

 

If you're going to blame then you have to blame Philip Seymour Hoffman the most man. Come on!

 

Clearly, both of you don't know who the real culprit is....

 

 

 

 

 

[G-Snarls]

Yankees the new cheaters??

[jaysblue]

[Pendleton]

[TheHurl]

Would be cool if they made a movie about the Tampa Bay Rays 2008 season.

 

Doesn't need to be the main story line but a side story about how the 2008 Rays ended my marriage.

[G-Snarls]

Domingo German had been warned for substance violation 3 weeks ago in a game vs the white Sox by the same umpiring crew that tossed him this week

 

Suspension seems likely

[Carlos Danger]

Who is more to blame?

 

City of Oakland for not getting a new stadium done?

Billy Beane for decimating the team with s***** trades for 7 years?

The owner for being a cheap ass and making it hard for the GM and city?

 

 

Well, riddle me this.. Why have three major sports teams moved from Oakland in the past few years. Oakland, despite having a huge fan base in the greater area has managed that city into the ground..

 

They lost the Warriors, Raiders and now the A’s, what is the common denominator?

[wilko]

Well, riddle me this.. Why have three major sports teams moved from Oakland in the past few years. Oakland, despite having a huge fan base in the greater area has managed that city into the ground..

 

They lost the Warriors, Raiders and now the A’s, what is the common denominator?

 

Oakland.

[Terminator]

Oakland has bigger problems than funding sports stadiums for billionaire owners.

[G-Snarls]

[John_Havok]

Domingo German had been warned for substance violation 3 weeks ago in a game vs the white Sox by the same umpiring crew that tossed him this week

 

Suspension seems likely

 

If you get ejected for a sticky violation its automatic 10 games suspension.

[Terminator]

 

The ump only missed one borderline strike call in the Rays-Mets game last night.

[Olerud363]

OK - that's probably true.

 

But let's not forget their recent success...

 

2018: 97-65

2019: 97-65

2020: 36-24

2021: 86-76

 

Yeah they sucked last year and do again this year, but I don't think it's fair at all to assign any level of blame on Billy Beane. You can't give the GM $13.62 a year to spend on players an expect him to crank out 90+ win seasons every year. The guy has put a 90+ win team on the field in 10 of the past 24 years (and was on pace for another in the shortened 2020). Billy Beane changed the game of baseball and simply delayed the inevitably relocation of the Oakland A's for the last quarter century.

 

Plus no one has any idea how exactly the latest set of moves by the As will work out. They are literally on month 8 of the down cycle. Their previous downcycles I think were 2007 to 2011, then 2015-2017 so down cycles are 3 to 5 years. So can't really evaluate until 2027. If by then they still don't have anything going conclude Beane and co. have lost it

[Olerud363]

Plus no one has any idea how exactly the latest set of moves by the As will work out. They are literally on month 8 of the down cycle. Their previous downcycles I think were 2007 to 2011, then 2015-2017 so down cycles are 3 to 5 years. So can't really evaluate until 2027. If by then they still don't have anything going conclude Beane and co. have lost it

 

Thus far TBR also has had a 5 year down cycle after their real good 2008-2012 run, now up and again though this upcycle might last decades (along with Baltimore) given they still have a great young core. However these down cycles happen for the good small market teams.

 

Can't really blame Beane for team leaving, more like now that they are leaving they want to win 40 games a year for 23, 24 and 25 and then move immediately to 105 a year moment they hit Las Vegas.

[jaysblue]

Well, riddle me this.. Why have three major sports teams moved from Oakland in the past few years. Oakland, despite having a huge fan base in the greater area has managed that city into the ground..

 

They lost the Warriors, Raiders and now the A’s, what is the common denominator?

 

Don't get political here haha.

[jaysblue]

They should have never let Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen leave after the 2001 season. Fans didn't want to see Jason's younger brother Jeremy or an aging David Justice or a side arm freak in Chad Bradford.

[Terminator]

They should have never let Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen leave after the 2001 season. Fans didn't want to see Jason's younger brother Jeremy or an aging David Justice or a side arm freak in Chad Bradford.

 

Pardon me but have you ever actually seen the movie Moneyball? Or happened to look at Jason Giambi's career after signing that massive contract and leaving the A's?

[jaysblue]

Pardon me but have you ever actually seen the movie Moneyball? Or happened to look at Jason Giambi's career after signing that massive contract and leaving the A's?

 

Haha I'm just joking.

 

I watch Moneyball every Friday night. It's a classic.

 

Giambi's WAR with the Yankees:

 

2002: 6.6

2003: 5.0

2004: 0.0 (injured most of season)

2005: 4.2

2006: 3.0

2007: 0.7

2008: 2.4

 

Total: 21.1 WAR total over 7 years, so averaged 3 WAR per season. Signed a 7 year/$120M contract.

 

I mean we've seen worse longer term deals. Giambi definitely was declining with the Yankees but he was still pretty solid when healthy. Take away his injury plagued 2004 and 2007 seasons, he averages 4 WAR per season, so it wasn't at all a bad signing.

[jaysblue]

Alfonso Soriano: signed with Cubs 8 year/$136M contract - $17M AAV per season.

 

2007: 6.7 WAR

2008: 3.8 WAR

2009: -0.1 WAR

2010: 2.7 WAR

2011: 1.0 WAR

2012: 3.2 WAR

2013: 2.6 WAR

2014: -0.9 WAR

 

Total: 16.3 WAR over 8 seasons, so averaged 2 WAR per season.

[John_Havok]

And it's official, German suspended 10 games for having stickier hands than wilko after perusing the Sports Illustrated Martha Stewart spread.