Red Mosquito

Can you really call it a rivalry when one team is sweeping the other every time they play?

I SHOULD hate Oakland but it's really hard for me to do so. I just like the way they run their franchise and it's hard not to love Beane.

Top 5
1. Rangers
2. Braves
3. Cubs
4. Pirates
5. Royals

Bottom 5
1. Cardinals
2. Yankees
3. Angels
4. Nationals
5. Phillies

I don't hate the Tigers by any means, but I think it's hilarious watching them blow it every year.

BigRedLedbetter wrote:I SHOULD hate Oakland but it's really hard for me to do so. I just like the way they run their franchise and it's hard not to love Beane.

Top 5
1. Rangers
2. Braves
3. Cubs
4. Pirates
5. Royals

Bottom 5
1. Cardinals
2. Yankees
3. Angels
4. Nationals
5. Phillies

See, I hate the way they run their franchise.

billy bean is kind of an idiot when it comes to winning in october

He has been able to win what has been one of the weakest divisions in baseball for the majority of his tenure, and then lose in the DS every year. I don't see why he gets so much praise.

cutuphalfdead wrote:billy bean is kind of an idiot when it comes to winning in october

Well, thats true.

I do root for the underdog/small market team(s) a little bit.

numbers wrote:He has been able to win what has been one of the weakest divisions in baseball for the majority of his tenure, and then lose in the DS every year. I don't see why he gets so much praise.

With the payroll they have though it's kind of remarkable what they have done at times.

Yeah, but look at the inept front offices he has been competing against for most of his time there.

He was retarded for trading for Lester.

I kinda like that he actually tried going for it for once, but the Lester trade wasn't what they needed. They took away from a weakness to add to a strength.

cutuphalfdead wrote:He was retarded for trading for Lester.

I'm not sure if he was mentally challenged. I think all this really meant was there was no way they were going to resign Cespedes and might as well go for it with a good front line rotation. I probably wouldn't have made the trade though.

numbers wrote:I kinda like that he actually tried going for it for once, but the Lester trade wasn't what they needed. They took away from a weakness to add to a strength.

Exactly. Pitching wasn't their problem, they had already added in the Cubs trade (which made perfect sense since they only gave up a prospect and didn't hurt their current lineup). Oakland's playoff problem has always been their bats were never good enough to hit October pitchers. So why the fuck would you trade away Cespedes to add to an already strong pitching staff?

BigRedLedbetter wrote:

cutuphalfdead wrote:He was retarded for trading for Lester.

I'm not sure if he was mentally challenged. I think all this really meant was there was no way they were going to resign Cespedes and might as well go for it with a good front line rotation. I probably wouldn't have made the trade though.

Cespedes is signed for next year though, trade him in the offseason. Then you get the draft pick back for him, which Beane is usually all about.

cutuphalfdead wrote:

numbers wrote:I kinda like that he actually tried going for it for once, but the Lester trade wasn't what they needed. They took away from a weakness to add to a strength.

Exactly. Pitching wasn't their problem, they had already added in the Cubs trade (which made perfect sense since they only gave up a prospect and didn't hurt their current lineup). Oakland's playoff problem has always been their bats were never good enough to hit October pitchers. So why the fuck would you trade away Cespedes to add to an already strong pitching staff?

Maybe they were not confident rolling Gray, Kazmir and Shark out there in October? Lester really solidified that rotation on paper. Again, I wouldn't have made that trade but I see why they did. Especially if they didn't think they could resign YC which they wouldn't have been able to. Crazy thing is we still have a month left. September baseball will be fun. A small part of me is happy the Rangers are bad so I can just relax and enjoy games.

How has YC looked for you guys? I don't even know.

Even if Cespedes was a FA after this season, he was a bat they needed for this October.

They have Samardzija too!

He's been alright, he's lengthened the lineup so Ortiz and Napoli are having a lot better at bats now.

numbers wrote:

BigRedLedbetter wrote:

cutuphalfdead wrote:He was retarded for trading for Lester.

I'm not sure if he was mentally challenged. I think all this really meant was there was no way they were going to resign Cespedes and might as well go for it with a good front line rotation. I probably wouldn't have made the trade though.

Cespedes is signed for next year though, trade him in the offseason. Then you get the draft pick back for him, which Beane is usually all about.

Usually that is true. I'm not sure how their farm looks right now. I haven't followed their farm since they had a few Huskers in it. Maybe he felt like they had a good enough farm to make this trade? I think they will regret trading Addison Russell though.

Trading Russell was worse in the long term, but fine if the goal is to win this year, which is what the goal should be considering how they've played. Trading Cespedes was retarded.