A's Acquire Conor Jackson... Where were we?

[lostinlife28]

You would be an upgrade, but I don't see many threads asking why you aren't in uniform

Give it another month. If Atkins is still here, I'm going to start my own pointless petition.

Greg for 1st base!!!

[El Gordo]

Gordo... we were comparing him to Atkins... do you agree that Jackson would be an upgrade over Atkins? A simple yes or no will suffice.

I am all for getting rid of Atkins, but I am not for minor upgrades just to be doing something. I don't think we missed out on much with Jackson. If Kila gets traded, I'll be pissed, or Blankes or Chris Davis to name a few.

[The Rick]

Tony - Reading the collective tone of your recent posts leads me to think that you have AM as central to much of the organizational issues that you referenced earlier. If so, I have little hope for our future as I don't expect PA to bring in a guy to run things the right way.

Yup. If Tony's depressed, then there's no reason for me not to be. Tony's in the know, and although I don't know specifics, his tone and demeanor lately has me feeling like there isn't any light at the end of the tunnel.

Hey, training camp's in 42 days. Then we'll get to see a real organization go to work.

[Greg Pappas]

You would be an upgrade, but I don't see many threads asking why you aren't in uniform

Good one.

[Greg Pappas]

I am all for getting rid of Atkins, but I am not for minor upgrades just to be doing something. I don't think we missed out on much with Jackson. If Kila gets traded, I'll be pissed, or Blankes or Chris Davis to name a few.

I agree that Kila and Davis are preferable to Jackson... no doubt. Blanks -in MHO- is not available.

[SteveA]

I don't know about "much" better, but it's better.

But, the rationale for getting him is the same rationale for getting Atkins in the first place: he could be a better option than what we would otherwise have there, and may be able to turn things around. I don't think replacing Atkins with essentially the same guy is some big deal, though I would have done the deal had it been possible.

Jackson's OPS is 100 points higher this year than Atkins'. He's 3 years younger. He missed all last year with an exotic illness. In the three full seasons in the majors he never failed to put up an OPS+ over 100, without ever having his stats inflated by Coors Field. He can play more positions than Atkins.

Your definition of "essentially the same guy" is far, far different than mine.

[SteveA]

Not significantly no. A .657 OPS? :rofl: I'd rather see them go after someone like Kila. Or just bring Reimold back up, he can do that well, and he's 26.:rolleyestf:

Me too.

Now the question is, do you think he is going after someone like Kila? Almost every deal MacPhail has made in the past, with the exception of the Tejada deal, was preceded by rumors that something was rumbling. Even Bradford for nothing, if I recall correctly.

Perhaps MacPhail is out there beating down doors talking to KC about Kila and who knows what else. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt. But as time passes and the team gets worse and worse, approaching historic levels, and MacPhail still appears to be doing everything slowly and deliberately and "weighing optins" and showing no sense that this abortion of a team needs a kick in the pants... I have to wonder.

Let's put it this way... if you put a gun to my head and my life depended on answering the question correctly:

Has Andy MacPhail made a legitimate trade offer in the past two months for Blanks, Kila, or any other legitimate first base prospect?

I think I would answer no.

[Sports Guy]

If he traded for him people would've complained that he is another project and isn't any good and would've made up more reasons to bash MacPhail.

I don't know about some but I have been wanting us to acquire Jackson for at least a year...Even if all he could give us was a 750 OPS, he would be a huge upgrade..and if he sucked, so be it..you cut him and move on to the next option.

At least make it look like you are trying to improve the club.

I wonder if the same scout who thought Atkins would rebound is the same one who said don't go get Jackson.

[eddie83]

I don't know about some but I have been wanting us to acquire Jackson for at least a year...Even if all he could give us was a 750 OPS, he would be a huge upgrade..and if he sucked, so be it..you cut him and move on to the next option.

At least make it look like you are trying to improve the club.

I wonder if the same scout who thought Atkins would rebound is the same one who said don't go get Jackson.

We need players to compete with Boston,NY and Tampa. Jackson isn't that guy. I want upgrades that will make a difference not players who won't help us do that. Saying he is better than Atkins doesn't mean he is a good player.

[Sports Guy]

We need players to compete with Boston,NY and Tampa. Jackson isn't that guy. I want upgrades that will make a difference not players who won't help us do that. Saying he is better than Atkins doesn't mean he is a good player.

Your intial sentence is right on.

However, for right now, this team just needs to start winning..period.

Not worry about contending with Boston and NY...We need to start winning games, change the attitude in the clubhouse and get these young guys going.

So, any kind of upgrades to help that out need to be made.

[lostinlife28]

We need players to compete with Boston,NY and Tampa. Jackson isn't that guy. I want upgrades that will make a difference not players who won't help us do that. Saying he is better than Atkins doesn't mean he is a good player.

So what position are you advocating?

The team should just throw up it's hands, and quit?

We should just stand pat, and continue to lose?

That'll really help us sign 'impact' FA's and a new manager.

[eddie83]

Your intial sentence is right on.

However, for right now, this team just needs to start winning..period.

Not worry about contending with Boston and NY...We need to start winning games, change the attitude in the clubhouse and get these young guys going.

So, any kind of upgrades to help that out need to be made.

I don't think Jackson does that. He isn't a power bat that pitchers will worry about. He isn't going to impact a pitchers thought process.

[Sports Guy]

Jackson has an awful OPS thus far this year.

However, if you look at his numbers, he looks like he should be better.

First of all, he has a LD of 27.6% but yet his BABIP is just 263.

Only 2.2% of his flyballs have left the yard...Looking at his career numbers, he should have 3-4 homers, not 1.

He is walking 11.6% of his at bats...and K'ing the second least of his career and its a K rate that is way down from the last few years.

From 2006-2008, he had 3 straight 800+ OPS seasons and his career OBP is almost 360.

He may not have a ton of power but his higher OBP and plate discipline would be a welcome addition to this lineup.

[Sports Guy]

BTW, you have to love Beane.

He goes out and gets Jake Fox and after he struggles, he cuts him and gets his replacement a few day later.

Then you have the Orioles...They give Atkins a stupid contract, hang onto him even though he sucks and does nothing to improve themselves.

Unreal...and we are supposed to cut AM some slack? Are you serious?

[eddie83]

So what position are you advocating?

The team should just throw up it's hands, and quit?

We should just stand pat, and continue to lose?

That'll really help us sign 'impact' FA's and a new manager.

Conor Jackson or other talents like him aren't going to impact a free agents or managers thinking.

You have to sell the manager on our young talent and future.

The teams attitude right now is a joke. The players need to look in the mirror. The players themselves need to get better.