A's 2023

[Three Run Homer]

This team bears watching from afar, because they look like a historically bad team.  Consider:

--Their record through 40 games (9-31) is tied for the worst seen in MLB since the 1988 O's started 6-34.

--Their run differential through 40 games (-144) is the worst seen in MLB since 1900.

--Their staff ERA is 7.02.  The worst full-season team ERA in MLB history is 6.71 by the 1930 Phillies.  

--The 1930 Phillies played in the Baker Bowl, the most notorious hitters park in MLB history.  The Oakland Coliseum historically has been a pitcher's park.

--O's reject Jace Peterson is their regular 3B.  He's 33 years old hand has a 0.607 OPS.   Jesus Aguilar is also getting a lot of playing time. 

--Remember Ramon Laureano?  He looked like a great young player a few years ago, but he hasn't hit well since 2019 and he's now 28 years old.   

They have a couple of players having good seasons.  Brent Rooker has 11 HR and an OPS over 1.000.  He's a great story, but he's 28 years old and his best contribution to the A's future will be as a trade chip this summer.  Same goes for Zach Jackson, their 28-year old closer with a 2.60 ERA.   

Among their younger players, the best are starting pitcher Mason Miller (24, former 3rd round pick, 3.38 ERA in 4 starts), CF Estuery Ruiz (24, leading the league with 18 SB) and JJ Bleday, a former #4 overall pick who was terrible in the Miami organization but has been tearing it up at AAA and MLB all season and is still only 25.  

The A's terrible record is no accident, of course--they are fully committed to tanking, having traded away Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Sean Manaea, Chris Bassitt, Sean Murphy, Cole Irvin and Joel Payamps for prospects in the last 2 offseasons.   It's ironic, though, that the most obvious tank job in recent history should come after the MLB instituted a draft lottery.   

 

 

 

[CharmCityHokie]

30 minutes ago, Three Run Homer said:

This team bears watching from afar, because they look like a historically bad team.  Consider:

--Their record through 40 games (9-31) is tied for the worst seen in MLB since the 1988 O's started 6-34.

--Their run differential through 40 games (-144) is the worst seen in MLB since 1900.

--Their staff ERA is 7.02.  The worst full-season team ERA in MLB history is 6.71 by the 1930 Phillies.  

--The 1930 Phillies played in the Baker Bowl, the most notorious hitters park in MLB history.  The Oakland Coliseum historically has been a pitcher's park.

--O's reject Jace Peterson is their regular 3B.  He's 33 years old hand has a 0.607 OPS.   Jesus Aguilar is also getting a lot of playing time. 

--Remember Ramon Laureano?  He looked like a great young player a few years ago, but he hasn't hit well since 2019 and he's now 28 years old.   

They have a couple of players having good seasons.  Brent Rooker has 11 HR and an OPS over 1.000.  He's a great story, but he's 28 years old and his best contribution to the A's future will be as a trade chip this summer.  Same goes for Zach Jackson, their 28-year old closer with a 2.60 ERA.   

Among their younger players, the best are starting pitcher Mason Miller (24, former 3rd round pick, 3.38 ERA in 4 starts), CF Estuery Ruiz (24, leading the league with 18 SB) and JJ Bleday, a former #4 overall pick who was terrible in the Miami organization but has been tearing it up at AAA and MLB all season and is still only 25.  

The A's terrible record is no accident, of course--they are fully committed to tanking, having traded away Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Sean Manaea, Chris Bassitt, Sean Murphy, Cole Irvin and Joel Payamps for prospects in the last 2 offseasons.   It's ironic, though, that the most obvious tank job in recent history should come after the MLB instituted a draft lottery.   

 

 

 

I really don't think the A's are tanking with the intention of getting better through higher draft picks; they want to tank to shed salary and cut costs to the bone to help them move to Vegas (or possibly ransom Oakland to keep them around). I think this is 100% a business decision, not a baseball strategy

Edited May 14, 2023 by CharmCityHokie

[Three Run Homer]

21 minutes ago, CharmCityHokie said:

I really don't think the A's are tanking with the intention of getting better through higher draft picks; they want to tank to shed salary and cut costs to the bone to help them move to Vegas (or possibly ransom Oakland to keep them around). I think this is 100% a business decision, not a baseball strategy

I'm sure cost cutting is a consideration too.  I will say this:  putting this bad of a product on the field is something you do when you know you're leaving town and don't care about your fan base any more, not something you do when you are trying to get Oakland to build you a new stadium.   I think the A's are 100 percent going to Vegas.  

[Frobby]

On 5/14/2023 at 12:03 PM, Three Run Homer said:

It's ironic, though, that the most obvious tank job in recent history should come after the MLB instituted a draft lottery.   

[Frobby]

Is it ironic, or just stupid?

[Three Run Homer]

Update:  the A's went 10-40 through their first 50 games, the worst since the 1932 Red Sox started with the same record.  The only team with a worse record through 50 games since 1900 is the 1904 Senators, who went 9-41.   

They are now 10-41 with a run differential of -183.  They are on pace to have a run differential of -581 for the season, which would obliterate the current modern era record of -349 (1932 Red Sox again).  

[Chavez Ravine]

The A’s are just looking for their forever home:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/26/sports/baseball/oakland-athletics-las-vegas.html?smid=url-share

Edited May 28, 2023 by Chavez Ravine

[dystopia]

Anyone else pissed that they played us so tough? We should have swept them. 

[ArtVanDelay]

9 hours ago, dystopia said:

Anyone else pissed that they played us so tough? We should have swept them. 

It is a little annoying in hindsight.  It’s tough to sweep any major league team in a 4 game series but the A’s aren’t a major league team. 

[Fiver6565]

On 5/28/2023 at 11:57 PM, dystopia said:

Anyone else pissed that they played us so tough? We should have swept them. 

They just beat the Braves two straight. Even a really bad major league team is still a major league team that’s going to get a few wins here and there. 3/4 against any team is more than fine. 

[86this]

The A's on a 4-game winning streak and have won 2 against the Brewers so far.  And to think the Orioles could have gotten swept by the Brew Crew.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, 86this said:

The A's on a 4-game winning streak and have won 2 against the Brewers so far.  And to think the Orioles could have gotten swept by the Brew Crew.

It's baseball.

Short series.

I think we all knew that despite how bad Oakland was they weren't Cleveland Spiders bad.

[CharmCityHokie]

A's now tied for the longest winning streak in the MLB after sweeping the Brewers (streak tied with the Diamondbacks who for some reason feel like our upstart-young rivals in the NL, the O's and D-backs have kind of been on the same timeline for rebuild and development, though they have much better pitching and an owner more willing to spend)

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Really interested to see how the fans "reverse boycott" night goes, especially with the t-shirts they are giving away (the fans, not the team.)

[Chavez Ravine]

27,759 in attendance for the reverse boycott. It’s a raucous crowd. I’m listening on the radio and it sounds like a Premier League game.