Oakland A's 2007 Version

rkrgoat · 12-08-2006, 06:24 PM

Well, usually on message boards I just lurk. For the interest of restarting this board and getting people going again, I'm gonna post what the team looks like so far and we can try and figure out what is in store for us.

So far, guessing, without adding any Free Agents beyond Piazza/Embree:

Lineup

C Kendall (R)
CF Kotsay (S)
3b Chavez (L)
RF Bradley (S)
DH Piazza (R)
1b Swisher (S)
SS Crosby (R)
LF Kielty (S)
2b Ellis (R)

Bench:
C Melhuse
2b/SS Scutaro
3b/SS Perez
OF Bocachica

Pitching Staff
Harden RHP
Haren RHP
Loaiza RHP
Blanton RHP
Whoever wins: Halsey LHP/Kennedy LHP/Saarloos RHP/Williams RHP

Closer: Street RHP
Setup: Duchscherer RHP, Calero RHP
Rest of Bullpen:
Embree LHP
Gaudin RHP
Williams RHP
Witasick RHP

Question Marks:
1b Dan Johnson (If he can return to any meaningful form and shift Swish back into left)
OF Charles Thomas (How the backups for outfeild are going to look)
How the bullpen shapes up after someone wins the 5th starter spot
The Great mystery of where Antonio Perez's disappearing batting average, and if he gets sent packing.
Keilty against RHP and if there is a decent plantoon option
Harden not exploding when he is holding a baseball and light hits him

Why does Loaiza have a ferrari to drive 120mph

Your Thoughts?

DoctaWojo · 12-08-2006, 07:38 PM

(a) Kotsay only bats left.

(b) I don't see Williams beating out the loser of Halsey / Kennedy / Saarloos for the bullpen spot, especially considering that those three all pitched in the 'pen for the A's last year.

(c) While you're probably right that it'll happen, I hate the 7-man pen. I'd much rather see the pen be Street, Duke, Calero, Embree, Gaudin, and the second-best of the four guys shooting for the fifth spot in the rotation, with Witasick exiled and the other two fifth-spot guys hitting Sac-town.

(d) Batting orders aren't that important, but I'd like to see:

Against lefties: Kendall, Kielty, Bradley, Piazza, Chavez, Swisher, Kotsay, Crosby, Ellis

Against righties: Kendall, Bradley, Piazza, Chavez, Swisher, Kotsay, Kielty, Crosby, Ellis

Jimmy Jam · 12-09-2006, 12:04 AM

In the Merc today Beane said that the plan is to start Swisher in LF and Johnson at 1B. There's a blurb about it towards the bottom of the article...

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...s/16191912.htm

Jim

Sniff009 · 12-09-2006, 12:45 AM

I just hope that DJ was only in a sophomore slump and is going to have a break out year. I cant see the A's going with 5 RHP starters, so I would put Capt. Kirk as the Long man and Halsey/JK battling for number 5.

Minstrel · 12-09-2006, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctaWojo

(b) I don't see Williams beating out the loser of Halsey / Kennedy / Saarloos for the bullpen spot, especially considering that those three all pitched in the 'pen for the A's last year.

Why not? Williams has the best (park- and league-adjusted) major league peripherals of the group. He has almost exactly league average strikeout, walk and homer rates, while Halsey, Saarloos and Kennedy have varyingly sub-standard strikeout rates, while holding near-average walk and homer rates.

OAKMAN · 12-09-2006, 06:51 PM

Add Ryan Goleski or Cliff Floyd to the OF mix. I still think there's a possiblity that the A's will make a deal with the Mets and grab Heilman and Milledge..

DoctaWojo · 12-12-2006, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minstrel

Why not? Williams has the best (park- and league-adjusted) major league peripherals of the group. He has almost exactly league average strikeout, walk and homer rates, while Halsey, Saarloos and Kennedy have varyingly sub-standard strikeout rates, while holding near-average walk and homer rates.

Mainly because I think that, even on the A's, these decisions aren't based entirely on who has an objective best chance for success. Geren's current familiarity with a certain set of guys seems to make it more likely that those guys will make the team.

DoctaWojo · 12-12-2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OAKMAN

Add Ryan Goleski or Cliff Floyd to the OF mix. I still think there's a possiblity that the A's will make a deal with the Mets and grab Heilman and Milledge..

While it'd be interesting if Goleski stuck around, I could certainly see a situation in which he doesn't see game action unless one team or the other is ahead by at least seven runs. If he's around, then all these roster machinations and figuring out matchups and whatever basically just have to be conducted with a 24-man roster.

Now, the positive side of that from my perspective is that it'd make it more likely that they'd go with a six-man pen instead of seven.

PosterNutbag44 · 12-20-2006, 06:46 PM

Kendall - C
Melhuse - Backup C (I'd like to see Brown here and Melhuse moved)
Johnson - 1B
Swisher - 1B, LF When Johnson Starts
Ellis - 2B
Crosby - SS
Chavez - 3B
Scutaro - Backup 2B, SS, 3B
Perez - Backup 2B, SS, 3B
Bradley - RF, Backup for CF when Kots rests
Kotsay - CF
Kielty - LF, Backup RF & LF when Johnson starts
Piazza - DH, Emergency 3rd C
Goleski - 5th OF (Injured, maybe we can work a deal and send him down)

Harden - #1 SP (when healthy)
Haren - #2 SP
Loaiza - #3 SP
Blanton #4 SP
Kennedy - #5 SP
Street - Closer
Duchscherer - Setup
Calero - RP
Embree - RP
Gaudin - RP
Halsey - RP

I think that is what we might be looking at if the season started today. Perhaps an adjustment of Bocachica over Perez or Goleski, and perhaps a few of the other bullpen options in there (Marshall, McBeth, Witasick, etc.) As is, there are a ton of bullpen/5th starter options. I truly see Beane dealing some pitching for some offense. Perhaps a package of Blanton, Calero and (Melhuse or Perez) could get something of value. Even if you assume Harden gets injured, you've got enough pitching to carry on. Blanton's numbers should easily be replaced. Granted, I realize Blanton's value, but he just may be significantly more valueable to us in a trade right now. However, this is how I personally see the A's as of right now.

ak4na2 · 01-11-2007, 08:36 PM

so anyone know of gaudin is going to be a part of the mix to win a starting job..??

DoctaWojo · 01-13-2007, 10:08 AM

It seems that Jerome Williams, by the by, signed a deal with the Nationals.

TheDreadedFoosa · 01-14-2007, 04:59 PM

With the strong possibility that the A's are going to sign Erstad, I see Swish at 1B alot, hosing DJ. I like Dj and hope he gets traded somewhere he can get a full-time shot

job · 01-16-2007, 11:38 AM

I think we will probably see Erstad in LF.

I personally hope DJ gets traded somewhere we can get somebody decent out of in return.

MikeV · 01-16-2007, 11:43 AM

I hope we see Erstad in LF... for the Halos.

I don't want him anywhere near the Oakland lineup.

job · 01-16-2007, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeV

I hope we see Erstad in LF... for the Halos.

I don't want him anywhere near the Oakland lineup.

I agree, but I think it's gonna happen.

EDIT: The buzz today is that an Erstad signing in Oakland will not happen. I stand corrected.

12-08-2006, 06:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
rkrgoat New Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Blacksburg, Virginia Posts: 4	Oakland A's 2007 Version Well, usually on message boards I just lurk. For the interest of restarting this board and getting people going again, I'm gonna post what the team looks like so far and we can try and figure out what is in store for us. So far, guessing, without adding any Free Agents beyond Piazza/Embree: Lineup C Kendall (R) CF Kotsay (S) 3b Chavez (L) RF Bradley (S) DH Piazza (R) 1b Swisher (S) SS Crosby (R) LF Kielty (S) 2b Ellis (R) Bench: C Melhuse 2b/SS Scutaro 3b/SS Perez OF Bocachica Pitching Staff Harden RHP Haren RHP Loaiza RHP Blanton RHP Whoever wins: Halsey LHP/Kennedy LHP/Saarloos RHP/Williams RHP Closer: Street RHP Setup: Duchscherer RHP, Calero RHP Rest of Bullpen: Embree LHP Gaudin RHP Williams RHP Witasick RHP Question Marks: 1b Dan Johnson (If he can return to any meaningful form and shift Swish back into left) OF Charles Thomas (How the backups for outfeild are going to look) How the bullpen shapes up after someone wins the 5th starter spot The Great mystery of where Antonio Perez's disappearing batting average, and if he gets sent packing. Keilty against RHP and if there is a decent plantoon option Harden not exploding when he is holding a baseball and light hits him Why does Loaiza have a ferrari to drive 120mph Your Thoughts?

12-20-2006, 06:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
PosterNutbag44 New Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Fresno, Ca Posts: 2	The way I see it... Kendall - C Melhuse - Backup C (I'd like to see Brown here and Melhuse moved) Johnson - 1B Swisher - 1B, LF When Johnson Starts Ellis - 2B Crosby - SS Chavez - 3B Scutaro - Backup 2B, SS, 3B Perez - Backup 2B, SS, 3B Bradley - RF, Backup for CF when Kots rests Kotsay - CF Kielty - LF, Backup RF & LF when Johnson starts Piazza - DH, Emergency 3rd C Goleski - 5th OF (Injured, maybe we can work a deal and send him down) Harden - #1 SP (when healthy) Haren - #2 SP Loaiza - #3 SP Blanton #4 SP Kennedy - #5 SP Street - Closer Duchscherer - Setup Calero - RP Embree - RP Gaudin - RP Halsey - RP I think that is what we might be looking at if the season started today. Perhaps an adjustment of Bocachica over Perez or Goleski, and perhaps a few of the other bullpen options in there (Marshall, McBeth, Witasick, etc.) As is, there are a ton of bullpen/5th starter options. I truly see Beane dealing some pitching for some offense. Perhaps a package of Blanton, Calero and (Melhuse or Perez) could get something of value. Even if you assume Harden gets injured, you've got enough pitching to carry on. Blanton's numbers should easily be replaced. Granted, I realize Blanton's value, but he just may be significantly more valueable to us in a trade right now. However, this is how I personally see the A's as of right now.

12-08-2006, 07:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
DoctaWojo New Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 7	(a) Kotsay only bats left. (b) I don't see Williams beating out the loser of Halsey / Kennedy / Saarloos for the bullpen spot, especially considering that those three all pitched in the 'pen for the A's last year. (c) While you're probably right that it'll happen, I hate the 7-man pen. I'd much rather see the pen be Street, Duke, Calero, Embree, Gaudin, and the second-best of the four guys shooting for the fifth spot in the rotation, with Witasick exiled and the other two fifth-spot guys hitting Sac-town. (d) Batting orders aren't that important, but I'd like to see: Against lefties: Kendall, Kielty, Bradley, Piazza, Chavez, Swisher, Kotsay, Crosby, Ellis Against righties: Kendall, Bradley, Piazza, Chavez, Swisher, Kotsay, Kielty, Crosby, Ellis

12-09-2006, 12:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
Jimmy Jam New Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 4	In the Merc today Beane said that the plan is to start Swisher in LF and Johnson at 1B. There's a blurb about it towards the bottom of the article... http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...s/16191912.htm Jim

12-09-2006, 12:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
Sniff009 New Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 3	I just hope that DJ was only in a sophomore slump and is going to have a break out year. I cant see the A's going with 5 RHP starters, so I would put Capt. Kirk as the Long man and Halsey/JK battling for number 5.

12-09-2006, 06:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
OAKMAN Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 27	Add Ryan Goleski or Cliff Floyd to the OF mix. I still think there's a possiblity that the A's will make a deal with the Mets and grab Heilman and Milledge..

01-11-2007, 08:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
ak4na2 Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 103	so anyone know of gaudin is going to be a part of the mix to win a starting job..??

01-13-2007, 10:08 AM	#11 (permalink)
DoctaWojo New Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 7	It seems that Jerome Williams, by the by, signed a deal with the Nationals.

01-14-2007, 04:59 PM	#12 (permalink)
TheDreadedFoosa Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 155	With the strong possibility that the A's are going to sign Erstad, I see Swish at 1B alot, hosing DJ. I like Dj and hope he gets traded somewhere he can get a full-time shot

01-16-2007, 11:38 AM	#13 (permalink)
job Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort Mohave, AZ Posts: 26	I think we will probably see Erstad in LF. I personally hope DJ gets traded somewhere we can get somebody decent out of in return.

01-16-2007, 11:43 AM	#14 (permalink)
MikeV Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 25	I hope we see Erstad in LF... for the Halos. I don't want him anywhere near the Oakland lineup.