. . . are pretty bad. You have a collection of ex-jocks and ex-coaches with absolutely no formal broadcast training clowning their way through a pregame show. The network teams up one legitimate pregame host like Rich Eisen with amateurs and forces him to "dumb-down" his game in order to fit in. It's painful to watch. I don't need to laugh. I don't need "Bold Predictions." I don't need ex-jocks dressed in suits trying to sound intelligent while looking for angles that grab attention. I just want intelligent analysis of the day's upcoming games.
Too much to ask for, I guess.
you won't get better analysis anywhere for a sport
a lot of BBI folks hate Beane. Dont really understand why, but whatever.
Certainly one game doesnt "cease a myth" - you already had an opinion based on 15 years of work, and last night didnt change anything. Maybe if they finish in last place next year and lose 95 games, that might change a mind or two, but getting a low budget team into the playoffs and coming up short? Umm, no.
... First Playoff or World Series game that a player from a losing team had 5 RBI's since my former high school teammate Milt Thompson did it for the Phillies in the 1993 World Series against Toronto. And if I recall correctly, Milt was lifted for a pinch hitter about halfway through that game.
Is he awful? Of course not. Is he top 10? Absolutely not. He tinkered with this year's team to the point where it made them a bad baseball team. He shouldn't have traded Cespades for a guy who is sure to walk. He traded for Hammel and smardjza who didn't even get a chance to pitch a playoff game. And Hammel wasn't really that good for the A's either.
Beanes biggest problem is he tinkers way too much with something that doesn't need to be tinkering. They have won 1 playoff series in 15 years? That's not good. Yeah, yeah they have a low budget. That's an owner problem. And guess who is part owner? You guessed it... beane. They are relying on a new stadium to help and it will. But this year's failures can be pointed at beane first.
Is he awful? Of course not. Is he top 10? Absolutely not. He tinkered with this year's team to the point where it made them a bad baseball team. He shouldn't have traded Cespades for a guy who is sure to walk. He traded for Hammel and smardjza who didn't even get a chance to pitch a playoff game. And Hammel wasn't really that good for the A's either.
Beanes biggest problem is he tinkers way too much with something that doesn't need to be tinkering. They have won 1 playoff series in 15 years? That's not good. Yeah, yeah they have a low budget. That's an owner problem. And guess who is part owner? You guessed it... beane. They are relying on a new stadium to help and it will. But this year's failures can be pointed at beane first.
Speaking of overrated - how about Cespedes? You're criticizing Beane for trading away a guy with a sub .300 OBP! An OPS of 720 for a corner OF is terrible.
And again - how is it Beane's fault that Smarzdja didn't get to pitch. Yes he traded for Lester who shit the bed last night, but given his playoff record that was definitely an anomaly, and making that trade was a great move on paper.
wouldn't have made the playoffs if they didn't trade for those pitchers. They netted an extra 3 or so WAR by swapping out Cespedes and adding in the pitchers and replacement OFs. They only made the playoffs by 1 game.
wouldn't have made the playoffs if they didn't trade for those pitchers. They netted an extra 3 or so WAR by swapping out Cespedes and adding in the pitchers and replacement OFs. They only made the playoffs by 1 game.
Ummm... the problem wasnt the pitching. It was the hitting. You can ask anyone within the organization that while Cespedes wasnt a great hitter, they lacked a power hitting RH batter. Moss became a dud in the 2nd half, and they couldnt hit LHP to save their life.
The rotation of Smardja, Kazmir, Chavez, Hammel, and I am forgetting the 5th guy was fine. They didnt need to tinker with the lineup and the rotation.
wouldn't have made the playoffs if they didn't trade for those pitchers. They netted an extra 3 or so WAR by swapping out Cespedes and adding in the pitchers and replacement OFs. They only made the playoffs by 1 game.
The A's were something like 16-30 over their last 48 games. One would assume they would have done that or better had they not traded Cespedes.
The A's were something like 16-30 over their last 48 games. One would assume they would have done that or better had they not traded Cespedes.
A closer look at the performances of the players that the A's (i) traded for, (ii) traded away, and (iii) replaced the traded away players with, suggests that they would've done worse if they didn't make the trade.
Too much to ask for, I guess.
Go KC.
Though I think the Angels beat them easily - 4 games tops - next round.
Not really sure how it's Beane's fault that Lester shit the bed. And then his closer - who has been phenomenal all season - also shit the bed.
Certainly one game doesnt "cease a myth" - you already had an opinion based on 15 years of work, and last night didnt change anything. Maybe if they finish in last place next year and lose 95 games, that might change a mind or two, but getting a low budget team into the playoffs and coming up short? Umm, no.
Beanes biggest problem is he tinkers way too much with something that doesn't need to be tinkering. They have won 1 playoff series in 15 years? That's not good. Yeah, yeah they have a low budget. That's an owner problem. And guess who is part owner? You guessed it... beane. They are relying on a new stadium to help and it will. But this year's failures can be pointed at beane first.
Beanes biggest problem is he tinkers way too much with something that doesn't need to be tinkering. They have won 1 playoff series in 15 years? That's not good. Yeah, yeah they have a low budget. That's an owner problem. And guess who is part owner? You guessed it... beane. They are relying on a new stadium to help and it will. But this year's failures can be pointed at beane first.
Speaking of overrated - how about Cespedes? You're criticizing Beane for trading away a guy with a sub .300 OBP! An OPS of 720 for a corner OF is terrible.
And again - how is it Beane's fault that Smarzdja didn't get to pitch. Yes he traded for Lester who shit the bed last night, but given his playoff record that was definitely an anomaly, and making that trade was a great move on paper.
Ummm... the problem wasnt the pitching. It was the hitting. You can ask anyone within the organization that while Cespedes wasnt a great hitter, they lacked a power hitting RH batter. Moss became a dud in the 2nd half, and they couldnt hit LHP to save their life.
The rotation of Smardja, Kazmir, Chavez, Hammel, and I am forgetting the 5th guy was fine. They didnt need to tinker with the lineup and the rotation.
The offense did struggle in 2nd half, but had shown signs of coming around. And clearly offense wasn't the issue last night.
The offense did struggle in 2nd half, but had shown signs of coming around. And clearly offense wasn't the issue last night.
Ask any Phillies fan what trading for pitching does to your franchise.
"I did not care for The Godfather..." - ( New Window )
The A's were something like 16-30 over their last 48 games. One would assume they would have done that or better had they not traded Cespedes.
The A's were something like 16-30 over their last 48 games. One would assume they would have done that or better had they not traded Cespedes.
A closer look at the performances of the players that the A's (i) traded for, (ii) traded away, and (iii) replaced the traded away players with, suggests that they would've done worse if they didn't make the trade.