Because the world needs another blog

[sox-r-us]

My favorite piece of this article:

 

I find it funny that Kenny Williams gets no love for sticking his butt out and jettisoning Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Lee and Jose Valentin to bring in Iguchi, El Duque, Dustin Hermanson, Scott Podsednik, Jermaine Dye and A.J. Pierzynski for the same relative cost. If Billy Beane does that, we have to wipe the drool off the street.

 

-- Chris D., Madison, Wisc. (1:21 p.m.)

 

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writ...tter/index.html

[Flash Tizzle]

My favorite piece of this article:

 

I find it funny that Kenny Williams gets no love for sticking his butt out and jettisoning Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Lee and Jose Valentin to bring in Iguchi, El Duque, Dustin Hermanson, Scott Podsednik, Jermaine Dye and A.J. Pierzynski for the same relative cost. If Billy Beane does that, we have to wipe the drool off the street.

 

-- Chris D., Madison, Wisc. (1:21 p.m.)

 

   

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writ...tter/index.html

 

Absolutely. Beane trades Mulder and Hudson for SP/RP prospects and his supporters proclaimed him a genius. Again.

 

 

Speaking of Beaneball, let's reflect on their offense in comparison with MLB:

 

-AVG: 28th

-OBP: 26th

-SLUG: 30th

 

Anyone willing to admit Hawk may have been correct when he assumed, "You can do anything you want with three 20 game winners." I'm positive Oakland's offense will rebound (Chavez certaintly will have more than 7 XBH), but for the moment I'll eagerly point out their offensive inefficiencies.

[sox-r-us]

Yup, Beane is over-rated.

[Pauly8509CWS]

Yup, Beane is over-rated.

 

I wouldnt quite take it that far...

[Gene Honda Civic]

Anyone willing to admit Hawk may have been correct when he assumed, "You can do anything you want with three 20 game winners."

Sure...

 

Garland is on pace for 33 victories.

Buehrle is on pace for 25 victories.

Hernandez is on pace for about 24 victories.

Garcia is on pace for 18+ victories.

Contreras is on pace for just 6 victories, but an undefeated season.

 

I'd say it's the SOX not the A's that are proving his point.

[CWSGuy406]

Yup, Beane is over-rated.

 

I wish Kenny Williams was as over-rated as Billy Beane is...

 

I can't wait to see the logic behind this. If I can even call it 'logic'...

Edited May 10, 2005 by CWSGuy406

[Nokona]

I dont know how you can call a man who had one of the lowest payrolls in the league go to the playoffs from 2000 - 2004. Hell, if Depodesta had a magical equation in that comptuer they would have won the playoffs.

[Rowand44]

Well many people said this was the year we'd find out how good Billy Beane is and well Oakland just isn't that good. He did have the big 3 and that's what did carry that team and Depo was a big reason those guys ended up there. I can tell you one thing, until Beane changes his mind set a bit he won't ever win a world series, and I'm pretty damn confident in saying so.

[CWSGuy406]

Well many people said this was the year we'd find out how good Billy Beane is and well Oakland just isn't that good.  He did have the big 3 and that's what did carry that team and Depo was a big reason those guys ended up there.  I can tell you one thing, until Beane changes his mind set a bit he won't ever win a world series, and I'm pretty damn confident in saying so.

 

So, Oakland is good enough to get to the playoffs by not bunting, but the reason they lose in the playoffs is because they don't bunt? Simply put, they didn't play well in the playoffs. Usually it's the hotter teams that win, and Oakland didn't play well come playoff time. One doesn't win or lose a World Series because of bunting...

 

I dunno... They're three games under .500 and their offense has been absolutely disgustingly bad this year. When it gets on track, it's going to be pretty good. Not many one-two punches better than Kotsay-Kendall. Right now, Kendall is really terrible.

 

Win or lose, they're still in an awesome position for the next couple of years. Lots of young talent coming through that system, Crosby, Chavez, Swisher, Street, Haren, Meyer, Johnson, Barton (sp?), Powell. They're in a real good position...

 

And, it's funny how everyone ripped DePodesta a new one this offseason...

Edited May 10, 2005 by CWSGuy406

[Rowand44]

So, Oakland is good enough to get to the playoffs by not bunting, but the reason they lose in the playoffs is because they don't bunt?  Simply put, they didn't play well in the playoffs.  Usually it's the hotter teams that win, and Oakland didn't play well come playoff time.  One doesn't win or lose a World Series because of bunting...

 

I dunno...  They're three games under .500 and their offense has been absolutely disgustingly bad this year.  When it gets on track, it's going to be pretty good.  Not many one-two punches better than Kotsay-Kendall.  Right now, Kendall is really terrible.

 

Win or lose, they're still in an awesome position for the next couple of years.  Lots of young talent coming through that system, Crosby, Chavez, Swisher, Street, Haren, Meyer, Johnson, Barton (sp?), Powell.  They're in a real good position...

 

And, it's funny how everyone ripped DePodesta a new one this offseason...

It's not just the bunting. I firmly believe that you need a guy or two on your team that can atleast steal a base, honestly you're going to have to manufacture runs one way or another in the playoffs whether that's stealing bases or laying down a bunt. There's going to be a critical point in each series where you're going to have to steal a base or advance runners to score a runner which could be the difference. The way they don't let any of their runners do anything, I'm very confident they wont win a world series.

Edited May 10, 2005 by Rowand44

[CWSGuy406]

It's not just the bunting.  I firmly believe that you need a guy or two on your team that can atleast steal a base, honestly you're going to have to manufacture runs one way or another in the playoffs whether that's stealing bases or laying down a bunt.  There's going to be a critical point in each series where you're going to have to steal a base or advance runners to score a runner which could be the difference.  The way they don't let any of their runners do anything, I'm very confident they wont win a world series.

 

Maybe they won't -- but they're still in a great position, year in, year out, with an influx of new talent coming through the system. And they're always right there at the end -- on a payroll that is about two-thirds of ours (I think theirs is somewhere around $50-$55 million, though I could be mistaken).

 

It's still the hotter team that's going to win, regardless of a stolen base or not.

 

And, I'm still puzzled by the 'overrated' comment. Waiting for a response on that...? (and I realize you didn't make the comment, r44).

[Punch and Judy Garland]

I think he's overrated because he is considered by many to be the best gm in baseball which just isn't true. He's a very good gm but unfortunately he gets overrated due to hype that is beond his control.

[Rowand44]

Maybe they won't -- but they're still in a great position, year in, year out, with an influx of new talent coming through the system.  And they're always right there at the end  -- on a payroll that is about two-thirds of ours (I think theirs is somewhere around $50-$55 million, though I could be mistaken).

 

It's still the hotter team that's going to win, regardless of a stolen base or not.

 

And, I'm still puzzled by the 'overrated' comment.  Waiting for a response on that...? (and I realize you didn't make the comment, r44).

You know what keith, we can argue this to death, the thing is we both just view things in a different way and that's the beauty of this thing. I respect your views completely, I just differ in those things. I'll just leave this where it is cause neither of us are going to change the others opinion.

[Spiff]

That bastard Luft stole the slogan from my blog.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

You know what keith, we can argue this to death, the thing is we both just view things in a different way and that's the beauty of this thing.  I respect your views completely, I just differ in those things.  I'll just leave this where it is cause neither of us are going to change the others opinion.

 

I wish I'd see what you just wrote more often from a lot more people. Make your point ,admit there's 2 sides to every argument and quit beating a dead horse.

[Spiff]

I wish I'd see what you just wrote more often from a lot more people. Make your point ,admit there's 2 sides to every argument and quit beating a dead horse.

 

If people did that more often this place would die from lack of interest.

[witesoxfan]

I think he's overrated because he is considered by many to be the best gm in baseball which just isn't true. He's a very good gm but unfortunately he gets overrated due to hype that is beond his control.

 

Just curious, do you feel Beane is the best GM in baseball, but you feel he is not like a god who can do no wrong, which is what some of the media portray him to be, or do you not feel he is the best GM in baseball? And if the latter, who do you feel is the best?

 

Personally, I do feel he is the best GM in baseball...doing what he has done, and doing what the A's will do this year, is pretty incredible with such a tiny payroll. There are arguments out there for better GMs, but there are not many.

[qwerty]

Just curious, do you feel Beane is the best GM in baseball, but you feel he is not like a god who can do no wrong, which is what some of the media portray him to be, or do you not feel he is the best GM in baseball?  And if the latter, who do you feel is the best?

 

Personally, I do feel he is the best GM in baseball...doing what he has done, and doing what the A's will do this year, is pretty incredible with such a tiny payroll.  There are arguments out there for better GMs, but there are not many.

 

Jim bowden should win gm of the year... vinny castilla and all.

[Rowand44]

Jim bowden should win gm of the year... vinny castilla and all.

But I thought for sure Kenny would be a lock for you, considering the widge pickup.

Edited May 10, 2005 by Rowand44

[witesoxfan]

Jim bowden should win gm of the year... vinny castilla and all.

 

Cristian Guzman, and his awesome OBP, was stolen for only $4 mill a year.

 

What a steal

[Rowand44]

Cristian Guzman, and his awesome OBP, was stolen for only $4 mill a year.

 

What a steal

Only double the price of Iguchi.

[qwerty]

    But I thought for sure Kenny would be a lock for you, considering the widge pickup.

 

I will take credit for widger. I knew he was just playing softball in his hometown so i gave kw a call and said we need to give this guy a shot. Worked out well.

[witesoxfan]

I will take credit for widger. I knew he was just playing softball in his hometown so i gave kw a call and said we need to give this guy a shot. Worked out well.

 

Good thing KW listened

 

If he did not, what would you have done?

[Rowand44]

I will take credit for widger. I knew he was just playing softball in his hometown so i gave kw a call and said we need to give this guy a shot. Worked out well.

So you're going to win executive of the year then, congrats.

[southsider2k5]

If people did that more often this place would die from lack of interest.

 

This is the most true thing ever said in the history of Soxtalk, and internet message boards in general.