View Full Version : How do the A's keep winning?
street_thug
09-18-2006, 03:57 PM
Last or next to last in many offensive categories, including batting avg, hitting into DP, batting w/ RISP, don't steal bases, etc... We even lose star player after star player every yr and yet, this team continues to roll.
What is it?
mlazar
09-18-2006, 09:52 PM
Last or next to last in many offensive categories, including batting avg, hitting into DP, batting w/ RISP, don't steal bases, etc... We even lose star player after star player every yr and yet, this team continues to roll.
What is it?
it is strange but we have good starting pitching, very good middle relief and a good closer ....
Zito75
09-20-2006, 09:22 PM
Frank Thomas has come in huge, and little Marco Scutaro has had key hits when needed. Guys like Jay Payton and Bobby Kielty have produced. I know the offense looks shady, but they get the job done. When we get to the world series, the casual fan will be sitting there sipping on their Starbucks and will be saying, "There's a team in Oakland still?"
EvanAparra
09-20-2006, 10:01 PM
Frank Thomas has come in huge, and little Marco Scutaro has had key hits when needed. Guys like Jay Payton and Bobby Kielty have produced. I know the offense looks shady, but they get the job done. When we get to the world series, the casual fan will be sitting there sipping on their Starbucks and will be saying, "There's a team in Oakland still?"
World Series unlikely, but it would be nice to see a group like this make it. Please beat the yankees, a team like this, beating a team full of superstars would make baseball go right again.
Zito75
09-20-2006, 10:27 PM
World Series unlikely, but it would be nice to see a group like this make it. Please beat the yankees, a team like this, beating a team full of superstars would make baseball go right again.
Not sound biased, but I don't think the World Series is out of the realm of possibility. People also said that about the Angels, White Sox and Marlins over the past few years. (about getting in, that is)
EvanAparra
09-20-2006, 10:56 PM
No, its definately not out of the realm, just unlikely. I think the goal needs to be to get out of the first round, then think about the series. Im rooting for you guys though.
EdmondsFan#1
09-21-2006, 04:21 PM
Good pitching.
Who knows what will happen next year though since you guys will lose barry zito.
street_thug
09-26-2006, 08:04 PM
Good pitching.
Who knows what will happen next year though since you guys will lose barry zito.
Losing Zito, but gaining Rich Harden, if healthy that is..
mlazar
09-26-2006, 09:02 PM
Edmonds Fan #1 spewed : Who knows what will happen next year though since you guys will lose barry zito.
don't count on it...Barry loves the Bay Area:)
EvanAparra
09-26-2006, 09:10 PM
Edmonds Fan #1 spewed :
don't count on it...Barry loves the Bay Area:)
Everyone is counting on it. He doesnt love it enough for the $$$
Catfish27
09-30-2006, 10:37 PM
don't count on it...Barry loves the Bay Area:)
So did Miguel Tejada. I have a feeling the A's won't even attempt to negotiate with Zito because they know he's out of their price range. That's especially true with $cott Bora$ as Zito's agent.
ichiro262
09-30-2006, 11:24 PM
The lesson baseball should learn from the A's this year is simple: Starting pitching is really important. Everybody knows it, but nobody seems to know how important it is. I'm a big fan of Beane, but his sabermetric formula failed this year. They are in the playoffs for several reasons (inconsistent division, "clutch" hitting, LUCK!!!!!!!!!!) but mainly SP. This could spell success in the playoffs.
Sidenote: No offense Oakland, but if you have to play the Yanks you will lose terribly. This also probably applies for the Twins. The best hope is to play Detroit and get great starting pitching (also, don't throw strikes -- the Tigers blow at hitting when you don't throw strikes). Basically, they won't make it out of the second round, or probably the first.
Dodgerfan1
10-01-2006, 04:29 AM
The lesson baseball should learn from the A's this year is simple: Starting pitching is really important. Everybody knows it, but nobody seems to know how important it is. I'm a big fan of Beane, but his sabermetric formula failed this year. They are in the playoffs for several reasons (inconsistent division, "clutch" hitting, LUCK!!!!!!!!!!) but mainly SP. This could spell success in the playoffs.
Sidenote: No offense Oakland, but if you have to play the Yanks you will lose terribly. This also probably applies for the Twins. The best hope is to play Detroit and get great starting pitching (also, don't throw strikes -- the Tigers blow at hitting when you don't throw strikes). Basically, they won't make it out of the second round, or probably the first.
You left out one of the main reasons the A's are in the playoffs. They were fortunate that the Mariners were in their division! They OWNED the M's this year. It's too bad they couldn't have played them every game, they would have won 150 games this year!!
AthleticsFanFromPacifica
10-01-2006, 12:23 PM
(inconsistent division, "clutch" hitting, LUCK!!!!!!!!!!).
The Athletics are in the play-offs because very good pitching ( strong middle relief and closers) great "D" and a strong showing from there offence in the second half. Do you even look at the stats? The Athletics have been one of the better offensive teams in the AL since the All-Star break. Inconsistent division? Do you know the AL West has a better over-all winning percentage then any other division in the AL? It would be nice if the Athletics could play Tampa Bay and the Royals like the Central and East do. Talk about inconsistent divisions. 34 and 36 games out of first place? :laugh
AthleticsFanFromPacifica
10-01-2006, 12:42 PM
You left out one of the main reasons the A's are in the playoffs. They were fortunate that the Mariners were in their division! They OWNED the M's this year. It's too bad they couldn't have played them every game, they would have won 150 games this year!!
Dont blame the Athletics for beating up on the Mariners while the Angels could not. And if I remember correctly are not the Mariners in the Angels divison too?
Angels 10-9 -vrs- Mariners
Texas 11-7 -vrs- Mariners with one game left to play.
The main reason why the Athletics are in the play-offs? THEY WON MORE GAMES OVER A 162 GAME SPAN (PERIOD) :waving
ps: some of you guys sound like you belong on espn.
AthleticsFanFromPacifica
10-01-2006, 12:59 PM
Sidenote: No offense Oakland, but if you have to play the Yanks you will lose terribly. This also probably applies for the Twins.
Really?
So the Twins who have better pitching and hitting then the Yankees are somehow going to get kicked from the play-offs by the Yankees?
Twins team batting average ..287
Yankees team batting average.285
Pitching era Twins 3.97
Yankees 4.40
Yankees will have to face Santana (2.77 era) in 2 games most likely. And I don't see Yankee pitching handling these Twins.
If your a betting man take the Twins in 4 games.
As far as Oakland? There pitching and "D" along with a a offence that is only getting better should handle the tigers just fine. Its the twins that im worried about .
Oh by the way. If anyone wants to claim " the Athletics choke in the play-offs/first round". Lets all remember that there are only about 5 guys on the 40 man roster that were even on the Athletics back in 2003. This is a brand new team people.
EDIT: It appears the Tigers cant beat the Royals even with a 6 run lead. So it is the Athletics that will have to face that nasty Twins team . OH KR@P :)
ichiro262
10-01-2006, 10:10 PM
The Athletics are in the play-offs because very good pitching ( strong middle relief and closers) great "D" and a strong showing from there offence in the second half. Do you even look at the stats? The Athletics have been one of the better offensive teams in the AL since the All-Star break. Inconsistent division? Do you know the AL West has a better over-all winning percentage then any other division in the AL? It would be nice if the Athletics could play Tampa Bay and the Royals like the Central and East do. Talk about inconsistent divisions. 34 and 36 games out of first place? :laugh
First of all, I said the Athletics are in the playoffs mainly because of pitching. Read it. It's what I said.
Second of all, when I used the word "inconsistent," I guess I expected you to understand I meant the other teams were not consistent. The Angels blew at the beginning of the year, Texas slowly faded throughout and the M's were in it before an 11-game losing streak. All the teams were OK over the course of the year -- the reason none of them are in the playoffs is because they couldn't keep it up all year. To be honest, I don't think the A's are that much better than any one of the other teams in the division.
Like someone else said, they had the M's number this year and that's why they beat the Angels down the stretch.
And, again, this team will not make it out of the first round if they don't play out of their minds. This is especially true if they rely on Harden for much of anything. He proved today he's not ready to pitch right now (3.2 innings and 6 ERs against the Angels WITHOUT Vlad, Cabrera or Figgins).
AthleticsFanFromPacifica
10-06-2006, 08:31 PM
To be honest, I don't think the A's are that much better than any one of the other teams in the division.
And, again, this team will not make it out of the first round if they don't play out of their minds.
Well it appears that the Athletics must be flippin crazy then. :laugh