The all white A's

jamesw · January 20th, 2007, 11:35 PM

I know. Everybody hates this subject. But it's hard to ignore unless you turn your back. We've all seen the reasons why there are so few black ballplayers on the A's. The preference for college kids over high school kids, skills over tools, the general lack of black kids playing baseball etc., etc. They are all reasonable. But the fact is, that last year not withstanding (it was an outlier), the A's are looking at a team next year without any black ballplayers or staff. Zero, zip. And year after year this is the pattern. One or two black ballpayers a season. And one coach. And choices have been made. Repeatedly. This year it's Bob Geren over Ron Washington, adios Frank Thomas and Jay Payton and no long term deal for Milton Bradley. Is it an accident? Is it moneyball smarts just eliminating black ballpayers by chance? I don't know. But Billy didn't back off signing Mark Kotsay, bad back and all, to a long term deal. And he didn't hesitate to pick up Jason Kendall's absurd contract. The truth is the A's resemble the the 1960's Yankees in this one area. All we are missing is Elston Howard.

whobob · January 21st, 2007, 03:31 AM

In order to lose Frank Thomas and Jay Payton, Beane had to pick him up in the first place. The no long term deal for Bradley is probably more Bradley's choice than Beane's. After the kind of deals people have been getting this offseason, why should Bradley sign after a down year for him?
And is there anyone who can say that Antonio Perez deserves his roster spot after last year?
And the A's without any black ballplayers? Milton Bradley and Antiono Perez? If it was as you seem to suggest, why would the A's have had Ron Washington for all those years, or even have picked up Thomas and Payton? If the reasons are reasonable then I don't see what other evidence there is to suggest the A's don't like an entire race. It seems anti-moneyball even, to imply that the A's should discount part of a product for an absurd reason.

Doctor Morphine · January 21st, 2007, 07:03 AM

It is a little early for this 2008 non sense, isn't Lastings Milledge a player Billy Beane seems to really want and isn't that young man black? Lets stop this right now.

If Beane gets Lastings then your point is moot. Please let's not play the race card. Isn't Durazo non-white? Someone cue the Price is Right loser tuba music. Last time I checked Eric Chavez is non-white, so your all white A's theory is so far off base, do better research please and remember who exactly is on the team. Marco Scutaro is he white? Who knew that Kiko Calero was Puetro Rican? Estaban Loaiza is from Mexico, I never would have guessed with such an American sounding last name.

Here is a copy of the 40 man roster while we can't see races we can see where people were born, if we apply the same rule we have here in America, if you are born in Americia or your parents are citizens of this country and you are born abroad you are Americian. We can see there are a few people on this roster born in different countries

Roster Pitchers No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp
55Blanton, JoeSPRR6-324012/11/80Nashville, TN3
50Calero, KikoRPRR6-12021/9/75Santurce, Puerto Rico4
46Casilla, SantiagoRPRR6-02026/25/80Don Gregorio, Dominican RepublicR
58Duchscherer, JustinRPRR6-320211/19/77Aberdeen, SD6
56Dunn, ScottRPRR6-32005/23/78San Antonio, TXR
41Embree, AlanRPLL6-21901/23/70The Dalles, OR15
47Flores, RonRPLL5-111988/9/79Whittier, CA2
57Gaudin, ChadRPRR5-111653/24/83New Orleans, LA4
51Halsey, BradRP/SPLL6-11872/14/81Houston, TX3
40Harden, RichSPLR6-119311/30/81Victoria, BC4
24Haren, DanSPRR6-52229/17/80Monterey Park, CA4
37Kennedy, JoeRP/SPRL6-42455/24/79La Mesa, CA6
60Komine, ShaneSPRR5-917510/18/80Honolulu, HIR
25Loaiza, EstebanSPRR6-321512/31/71Tijuana, Mexico12
30Meyer, DanRPRL6-32207/3/81Woodbury, NJR
15Saarloos, KirkSP/RPRR6-01845/23/79Long Beach, CA5
20Street, HustonRPRR6-01908/2/83Austin, TX2
49Windsor, JasonSPRR6-22337/16/82San Bernardino, CAR
45Witasick, JayRPRR6-42388/28/72Baltimore, MD11

Catchers No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp

5Brown, JeremyCRR5-1022610/25/79Birmingham, ALR
18Kendall, JasonCRR6-02056/26/74San Diego, CA11 1
7Melhuse, AdamCSR6-22083/27/72Santa Clara, CA7

Infielders No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp

3Chávez, Eric3BLR6-121012/7/77Los Angeles, CA9
7Crosby, BobbySSRR6-32151/12/80Lakewood, CA4
14Ellis, Mark2BRR5-111936/6/77Rapid City, SD5
29Johnson, Dan1BLR6-22238/10/79Coon Rapids, MN2
13Murphy, Donnie2BRR5-101853/10/83Lakewood, CAR
4Pérez, Antonio3B/SSRR5-111751/26/80Bani, Dominican Republic4

19Scutaro, Marco2B/SSRR5-1019010/30/75San Felipe, Venezuela5

Outfielders No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp
44Bocachica, HiramCFRR5-111933/4/76Ponce, Puerto Rico7
22Bradley, MiltonRF/CFSR6-01904/15/78Harbor City, CA7
23Kielty, BobbyRF/LFSR6-12208/5/76Fontana, CA6
21Kotsay, MarkCFLL6-020512/2/75Whittier, CA10
33Swisher, NickLF/1BSL6-021411/25/80Columbus, OH3
26Thomas, CharlesLF/RFLL6-020312/26/78Fairfield, CA3

Other Hitters No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp
31Piazza, MikeDH/CRR6-32159/4/68Norristown, PA15

As a black man I frankly don't care who is on the roster, I thought someone closed down the Monty Poole school of Journalism.

Parlay2k · January 21st, 2007, 09:51 AM

This wreaks of controversy for controversy's sake...Billy's only "bias" is winning. Put it to bed.

TheDreadedFoosa · January 21st, 2007, 10:04 AM

This was by far and away the stupidest thing I've ever read. Sounds like someone posting out of sheer boredom.

jayhawkerasfan · January 21st, 2007, 10:13 AM

JamesW,
Guess it is time to quit reading your ideas. This one takes the cake... no black ballplayers. It is economics and the way the dice roll. I never thought about the subject with all the latinos etc on the roster. Certainly there is no bias but it is just the way the ball rolls.

oaklady · January 21st, 2007, 10:28 AM

I agree, this is a ridiculous thread. Been there, said this; quit trying to make racism out of something which is pure economics and shortage.

Sibelius · January 21st, 2007, 12:35 PM

Really, this reeks of quotas and judging people by the color of their skin - which really shouldn't be an issue any more, at all, except that some people just can't let old evils die.

Or, if this matters so much, maybe JamesW could also do an analysis of our players' hair colors. We wouldn't want to give the impression that we don't like players of a certain hair color.

ComicBookGeek · January 21st, 2007, 01:31 PM

Where is the ignore button when you need it?

John F · January 21st, 2007, 02:32 PM

Closing this thread so that the focus can be on, you know, baseball and not the color of skin, the color of hair and other issues... Or non-issues.

January 20th, 2007, 11:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
jamesw Rookie Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 4	The all white A's I know. Everybody hates this subject. But it's hard to ignore unless you turn your back. We've all seen the reasons why there are so few black ballplayers on the A's. The preference for college kids over high school kids, skills over tools, the general lack of black kids playing baseball etc., etc. They are all reasonable. But the fact is, that last year not withstanding (it was an outlier), the A's are looking at a team next year without any black ballplayers or staff. Zero, zip. And year after year this is the pattern. One or two black ballpayers a season. And one coach. And choices have been made. Repeatedly. This year it's Bob Geren over Ron Washington, adios Frank Thomas and Jay Payton and no long term deal for Milton Bradley. Is it an accident? Is it moneyball smarts just eliminating black ballpayers by chance? I don't know. But Billy didn't back off signing Mark Kotsay, bad back and all, to a long term deal. And he didn't hesitate to pick up Jason Kendall's absurd contract. The truth is the A's resemble the the 1960's Yankees in this one area. All we are missing is Elston Howard.

January 21st, 2007, 07:03 AM	#3 (permalink)
Doctor Morphine New Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 7	It is a little early for this 2008 non sense, isn't Lastings Milledge a player Billy Beane seems to really want and isn't that young man black? Lets stop this right now. If Beane gets Lastings then your point is moot. Please let's not play the race card. Isn't Durazo non-white? Someone cue the Price is Right loser tuba music. Last time I checked Eric Chavez is non-white, so your all white A's theory is so far off base, do better research please and remember who exactly is on the team. Marco Scutaro is he white? Who knew that Kiko Calero was Puetro Rican? Estaban Loaiza is from Mexico, I never would have guessed with such an American sounding last name. Here is a copy of the 40 man roster while we can't see races we can see where people were born, if we apply the same rule we have here in America, if you are born in Americia or your parents are citizens of this country and you are born abroad you are Americian. We can see there are a few people on this roster born in different countries Roster Pitchers No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp 55Blanton, JoeSPRR6-324012/11/80Nashville, TN3 50Calero, KikoRPRR6-12021/9/75Santurce, Puerto Rico4 46Casilla, SantiagoRPRR6-02026/25/80Don Gregorio, Dominican RepublicR 58Duchscherer, JustinRPRR6-320211/19/77Aberdeen, SD6 56Dunn, ScottRPRR6-32005/23/78San Antonio, TXR 41Embree, AlanRPLL6-21901/23/70The Dalles, OR15 47Flores, RonRPLL5-111988/9/79Whittier, CA2 57Gaudin, ChadRPRR5-111653/24/83New Orleans, LA4 51Halsey, BradRP/SPLL6-11872/14/81Houston, TX3 40Harden, RichSPLR6-119311/30/81Victoria, BC4 24Haren, DanSPRR6-52229/17/80Monterey Park, CA4 37Kennedy, JoeRP/SPRL6-42455/24/79La Mesa, CA6 60Komine, ShaneSPRR5-917510/18/80Honolulu, HIR 25Loaiza, EstebanSPRR6-321512/31/71Tijuana, Mexico12 30Meyer, DanRPRL6-32207/3/81Woodbury, NJR 15Saarloos, KirkSP/RPRR6-01845/23/79Long Beach, CA5 20Street, HustonRPRR6-01908/2/83Austin, TX2 49Windsor, JasonSPRR6-22337/16/82San Bernardino, CAR 45Witasick, JayRPRR6-42388/28/72Baltimore, MD11 Catchers No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp 5Brown, JeremyCRR5-1022610/25/79Birmingham, ALR 18Kendall, JasonCRR6-02056/26/74San Diego, CA11 1 7Melhuse, AdamCSR6-22083/27/72Santa Clara, CA7 Infielders No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp 3Chávez, Eric3BLR6-121012/7/77Los Angeles, CA9 7Crosby, BobbySSRR6-32151/12/80Lakewood, CA4 14Ellis, Mark2BRR5-111936/6/77Rapid City, SD5 29Johnson, Dan1BLR6-22238/10/79Coon Rapids, MN2 13Murphy, Donnie2BRR5-101853/10/83Lakewood, CAR 4Pérez, Antonio3B/SSRR5-111751/26/80Bani, Dominican Republic4 19Scutaro, Marco2B/SSRR5-1019010/30/75San Felipe, Venezuela5 Outfielders No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp 44Bocachica, HiramCFRR5-111933/4/76Ponce, Puerto Rico7 22Bradley, MiltonRF/CFSR6-01904/15/78Harbor City, CA7 23Kielty, BobbyRF/LFSR6-12208/5/76Fontana, CA6 21Kotsay, MarkCFLL6-020512/2/75Whittier, CA10 33Swisher, NickLF/1BSL6-021411/25/80Columbus, OH3 26Thomas, CharlesLF/RFLL6-020312/26/78Fairfield, CA3 Other Hitters No.PlayerPosBatThwHtWtDOBBirthplaceExp 31Piazza, MikeDH/CRR6-32159/4/68Norristown, PA15 As a black man I frankly don't care who is on the roster, I thought someone closed down the Monty Poole school of Journalism. Last edited by Doctor Morphine; January 21st, 2007 at 07:12 AM.

January 21st, 2007, 09:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
Parlay2k Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 17	Oh please. This wreaks of controversy for controversy's sake...Billy's only "bias" is winning. Put it to bed.

January 21st, 2007, 12:35 PM	#8 (permalink)
Sibelius New Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Red Bluff, CA Posts: 8	Really, this reeks of quotas and judging people by the color of their skin - which really shouldn't be an issue any more, at all, except that some people just can't let old evils die. Or, if this matters so much, maybe JamesW could also do an analysis of our players' hair colors. We wouldn't want to give the impression that we don't like players of a certain hair color. Last edited by Sibelius; January 21st, 2007 at 12:37 PM.

January 21st, 2007, 03:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
whobob Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 31	In order to lose Frank Thomas and Jay Payton, Beane had to pick him up in the first place. The no long term deal for Bradley is probably more Bradley's choice than Beane's. After the kind of deals people have been getting this offseason, why should Bradley sign after a down year for him? And is there anyone who can say that Antonio Perez deserves his roster spot after last year? And the A's without any black ballplayers? Milton Bradley and Antiono Perez? If it was as you seem to suggest, why would the A's have had Ron Washington for all those years, or even have picked up Thomas and Payton? If the reasons are reasonable then I don't see what other evidence there is to suggest the A's don't like an entire race. It seems anti-moneyball even, to imply that the A's should discount part of a product for an absurd reason.

January 21st, 2007, 10:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
TheDreadedFoosa Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 155	This was by far and away the stupidest thing I've ever read. Sounds like someone posting out of sheer boredom.

January 21st, 2007, 10:13 AM	#6 (permalink)
jayhawkerasfan Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pittsburg, Kansas Posts: 26	JamesW, Guess it is time to quit reading your ideas. This one takes the cake... no black ballplayers. It is economics and the way the dice roll. I never thought about the subject with all the latinos etc on the roster. Certainly there is no bias but it is just the way the ball rolls.

January 21st, 2007, 10:28 AM	#7 (permalink)
oaklady Rookie Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 11	I agree, this is a ridiculous thread. Been there, said this; quit trying to make racism out of something which is pure economics and shortage.

January 21st, 2007, 01:31 PM	#9 (permalink)
ComicBookGeek Rookie Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 9	Where is the ignore button when you need it?

January 21st, 2007, 02:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
John F Administrator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tampa Bay area, Florida Posts: 2,510	Closing this thread so that the focus can be on, you know, baseball and not the color of skin, the color of hair and other issues... Or non-issues.