Billy Beane
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2.3K3What happened to the Oakland A’s rotation?
It’s been a long season in Oakland. Time flies when you’re having fun, but it definitely drags when you’re not. Fans, for the most part, realize not every season can be a successful one. The pixie dust that had been sprinkled over the Coliseum the previous three years was blown out the Golden Gate when […]
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2.3K1Bob Melvin extension: good news in a bad season
Yesterday morning I received an e-mail from the A’s which announced that a press conference would be taking place at 3:30 pm at the Coliseum. It made a point of saying that Billy Beane would attend. I initially thought it was going to be about Beane moving upstairs in the organization while Assistant GM David […]
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2.3K3Last place A’s: Mike Gallego first to walk the plank
I remember reading an article on SFGate last summer concerning the shared complexities, triumphs and failures of Mike Gallego and Tim Flannery, respectively the third base coaches for the A’s and Giants at the time. Gallego shared an anecdote where he had told Coco Crisp to “go, go, go!” and Crisp stopped at third because […]
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2.2K1Bullpen implosion caught A’s off guard
In professional sports, players sign contracts based on one of two factors: how they have performed in the past or the perceived potential on how they may perform in the future. This is why MLB All-Stars and high draft picks put pen to paper on lucrative deals. It’s also why .215 hitters make the big […]
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1.5K17Struggling A’s relentlessly searching for new depths
Yesterday the A’s were abused in ways heretofore unseen in their Oakland history. They surrendered 26 hits to the Baltimore Orioles in a humiliating 18-2 loss, their sixth in a row. That was the highest hit total allowed since 1955 for the A’s franchise. The defeat also dropped them to a season-low 17 games under […]
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2.4K4The Mark Canha experiment was a bust
When you’re a baseball team with a low payroll, you need to find talent any way you possibly can. It’s not always through the June Amateur Draft, trades, the waiver wire or free agency — a team may find a gem via the Rule 5 Draft every December. Look no further than Jose Bautista. “Joey […]
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2.6K2A’s and Astros: A contrast in ambition
Investing money in any venture or pursuit is always a risky proposition. And when it comes to professional sports, we constantly hear sad tales of athletes who have squandered all their money through poor investments or who have simply spent themselves into oblivion. Yet when it comes to owners of sports franchises, almost all of […]
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2.1KA perfect weekend in Oakland
There are two full months of regular season baseball remaining. Most teams have realistic or possible designs on procuring a postseason spot. Two wild cards in each league means there’s hope for almost every franchise, outside of a few pathetic teams. As we’ve seen over the last few weeks, the Oakland A’s are one of […]
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2.3K4Postcard from Dodger Stadium
I hate the Dodgers. It has nothing to do with any Giants connection because I’m not a Giants fan (what a shocker.) It has to do with what happened in 1988. I think it was a World Series or something … I’m trying to forget. Actually, that won’t ever happen — I will always remember […]
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2.2K11Scott Kazmir dealt within division – What is Billy Beane thinking?
Leave it up to Billy Beane to fire the first big shot (and display a large white flag with the words “2015 SEASON” in green and gold) before the non-waiver trade deadline, and the move is a rather surprising one. Not because he dealt Scott Kazmir — everyone knew he was on borrowed time in […]
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2.2K1Move Marcus Semien to left field now
Sometimes being stubborn pays off. Other times, being stubborn can be detrimental. The Oakland A’s insistence on making Marcus Semien the everyday shortstop has been an enormous flop. I don’t blame them for trying, but to continue on would be foolhardy. The experiment has concluded, and it has failed. The jury is in, and the […]
