Don't ask me why, but I'm developing a dislike of Oakland

[backwardsk]

I dislike Oakland as much as anyone after the debacle, and it really must suck for them to have an 8 WAR a year 3B making the league minimum. Donaldson is awful.

I would have said the same thing about Bonds when he couldn't throw out Sid Bream at home. You can be a good player and still come up small on the big stage with the game on the line.

Oh, and Beane will trade him within two years.

[Malike]

I would have said the same thing about Bonds when he couldn't throw out Sid Bream at home. You can be a good player and still come up small on the big stage with the game on the line.

Oh, and Beane will trade him within two years.

Of course he will. He's a superstar. He will get a king's ransom for him.

[backwardsk]

Of course he will. He's a superstar. He will get a king's ransom for him.

And still not win the AL pennant.

[Malike]

And still not win the AL pennant.

Neither are the Orioles. One player doesn't make a team, that's why its called, you know, a team. Donaldson would be the MVP on the O's and it wouldn't be close.

[backwardsk]

Neither are the Orioles. One player doesn't make a team, that's why its called, you know, a team. Donaldson would be the MVP on the O's and it wouldn't be close.

Oh, the Orioles aren't going to win? Thanks. I don't have to watch the playoffs now. I'll spend my October watching Donaldson highlights.

[Malike]

Oh, the Orioles aren't going to win? Thanks. I don't have to watch the playoffs now. I'll spend my October watching Donaldson highlights.

Oh, they are going to win? Thanks. I don't have to watch the playoffs now. I'll spend my October watching Horror movies.

[backwardsk]

Oh, they are going to win? Thanks. I don't have to watch the playoffs now. I'll spend my October watching Horror movies.

Um, I didn't say they were going to win, did I?

Me: the A's will trade the glorious Donaldson, the superior third baseman in all the land, within 2 years.

You: Agree. Beane will get a king's ransom.

Me: just like every other time Beane moves a good player, his team still won't win the AL.

You: the orioles won't win either. It's a team game not one player.

Which team has a better chance at winning in 2014, the Orioles or A's?

[Malike]

Um, I didn't say they were going to win, did I?

Me: the A's will trade the glorious Donaldson, the superior third baseman in all the land, within 2 years.

You: Agree. Beane will get a king's ransom.

Me: just like every other time Beane moves a good player, his team still won't win the AL.

You: the orioles won't win either. It's a team game not one player.

Which team has a better chance at winning in 2014, the Orioles or A's?

The team still it in, I'd guess. You can't say with any certainty "They still won't win the pennant". The Orioles are no lock to win the pennant this year or any year thereafter, no team is. I get the dislike for Oakland, and Donaldson, who did nothing wrong but swipe a tag on Machado, who fell down trying to get out of the way and got embarrassed, thus prompting him to get in Donaldson's face, and then get suspended for throwing a bat into the field of play. The bottom line is, Donaldson has been the more valuable 3B for the past 2 years, it's hard for Orioles fans to stomach that, I know. Will it stay that way going forward? Who knows, but I'm pretty impressed by an athlete who can go from Catcher to 3B and play the way he has.

[Redskins Rick]

I've never been an A's fan.

I thought Charlie Finely was a clown of an Owner. IMO.

Never brought into the Moneyball thing of Billy Beane, either.

[Reboulet'sStache]

I've never been an A's fan.

I thought Charlie Finely was a clown of an Owner. IMO.

Never brought into the Moneyball thing of Billy Beane, either.

What Moneyball thing? Every team practices Moneyball. You try to maximize the return on your investment. The opposite of Moneyball would be spending as much money as you can with the intention of getting as little return as you can. Beane's contribution is using other methods to maximize that return. But that isn't really a "thing" either as everybody does that, at least now.

[Frobby]

I'm not sure I can explain it, but I am developing a dislike of the A's. Maybe it's because I'm sick of hearing about what a great GM Billy Beane is, or because I'm still annoyed that Duquette got no votes for Executive of the Year in 2012 (which went to Beane) and that Bob Melvin beat out Buck for Manager of the Year that year. Or maybe I'm just sick of seeing their acquisitions work out, like Josh Donaldson and Jed Lowrie and Brandon Moss and Scott Kazmir. Maybe it's because they play in a weak division and get to play so many more games against bad teams than we do.

I don't know what it is, but I find myself rooting against them, even though they're a small market team who by all rights I should like.

Well, I am feeling pretty good today. I actually only saw a few minutes of the game and the last time I checked it was 7-3 Oakland and I pretty much wrote off KC's chances of winning. I was excited to wake up and find out the A's had blown it. I guess there won't be any Executive of the Year or Manager of the Year awards going to Oakland this fall! I think the baseball gods didn't like Billy the Genius trying to act like GM of the Yankees at the trade deadline.

[weams]

What Moneyball thing? Every team practices Moneyball. You try to maximize the return on your investment. The opposite of Moneyball would be spending as much money as you can with the intention of getting as little return as you can. Beane's contribution is using other methods to maximize that return. But that isn't really a "thing" either as everybody does that' date=' at least now.[/quote']Yankees Phillies Angels Blue Jays and Red Sox don't.

[Reboulet'sStache]

Yankees Phillies Angels Blue Jays and Red Sox don't.

They just do it poorly, although the Sox with Theo weren't bad at it.

And the Yankees did a good job employing it this trade deadline when they acquired McCarthy.

[Frobby]

I thoroughly enjoyed beating the snot out of Oakland this year, and in this series. It's amazing to see how far they have fallen, and particularly, how bad their defense is. Billy needs to go back to the drawing board.

[Reboulet'sStache]

I thoroughly enjoyed beating the snot out of Oakland this year, and in this series. It's amazing to see how far they have fallen, and particularly, how bad their defense is. Billy needs to go back to the drawing board.

He/they needs to start drafting better. There is so little talent on that team.