Posts Tagged ‘Nick Swisher’
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Buyers and SellersJuly 20th, 2008
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Well, it is officially that time of year. With the trade deadline just around the corner, teams are either going to start their pushes for the playoffs or prep for next season. While some teams are always in the same selling mode, there are always a few surprising teams out to buy.
This year’s the surprise buying team is the Tampa Bay Rays. They have seem to come out of nowhere and are contending. They started the second half the season one half game out of first place (behind the Boston Red Sox).
The Oakland Athletics however, look to be in a sellers market. This is a different feeling for the A’s fan. For the past few years the A’s have contended each year.
With all the injuries last year, the A’s were not contenders but they didn’t sell out their player’s mid-season either. But that changed during the off-season.
During the previous off-season, the A’s became sellers. The team was involved in four trades that affected the team this year right away. Read more
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The Problem with MatthewsMay 26th, 2008
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Because I spend countless hours between driving to work and driving to school and driving to the gym and driving home (and with gas prices over four dollars, God help me), I listen to a fair amount of talk radio. Recently I’ve become an addict of AM 830, which has gotten me involved in discussions of the economy, politics, and of course, baseball. Both the morning broadcasts and the two hours prior to an Angels’ game are devoted to sports and baseball talk, and so I’ve heard a little bit about this topic between listening and reading.
It’s no news that Gary Matthews Jr. has had a slow start. It’s no news that MANY players have had a slow start. Between Vlad Guererro’s .254 batting average after 48 games, the lowest of his career in that amount of time and Torii Hunter’s bit of a recent slump, the Angels have had to rely on different players for productivity, including a very hot Casey Kotchman and Mike Napoli. It also doesn’t help that their consistency man is out day to day, Chone Figgins, and the middle infield is basically in shambles, as Sean Rodriguez has taken to Howie Kendrick’s position, Maicer Izturis back to short while Erick Aybar nurses a dislocated pinky finger.
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Married to baseballMay 21st, 2008
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Wow, has it ever been a long time. I can’t believe I just survived three weeks without watching or listening to a single A’s baseball game. That has to be a new record for me. Of course, just because I wasn’t watching or listening, doesn’t mean I wasn’t being kept in the loop. That entire time I was having the A’s final game scores and notes texted to my cell phone.
We had no internet while we were away. And my wife was very gracious in allowing me to keep my cell phone with me to keep tabs on the A’s. I tell you, I married the best possible woman for me.
What was the point of this you might wonder? Well, I just got married and then went on our honeymoon to Hawaii. My wife is a great person. If things had gotten done quicker the day after our wedding, we would have gone to the A’s game in Oakland.
Doing so would have been perfect for us as well. I actually asked her to marry me at the A’s/Giants game last year. It was great, too; the A’s stomped a mud hole into Barry Zito and the Giants that game to a tune of 15-3. It was a great game for my family and friends who attended (knowing what was going to happen). Even my wife loved what happened (getting engaged) at the game…even though she is a Giants fan.
What did I notice while I was gone? Well, for starters Duchscherer and Harden came back. Both have been just what the A’s needed as well. But, at the same time the offense that has been getting this team through has suddenly come up short.
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Walking woundedApril 23rd, 2008
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What do Eric Chavez, Justin Duchscherer, Rich Harden, Kieth Foulk, Kiko Calero and Chad Gaudin all have in common? With the exception of Guadin who came off when Duchscherer went on, they all are on the disabled list (DL) for the Oakland A’s.
Last year, the A’s were hit very hard by injuries. Some even believe the recent injuries were why GM Billy Beane made the trades he did this off season. Since health was not guaranteed, why risk trying to make the playoffs, only to lose that shot and then lose the players? By selling Swisher, Haren, and even Scutaro high, the A’s got some quality prospects to build with.
Now, the season is almost a month old and the A’s have already used the DL six times; there are five players sitting on the DL right now. Last season, the A’s used the DL 20 times, including five times in April.
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Mark Mulder to Danny Haren to Greg Smith?April 10th, 2008
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I’ll give you a Wade Boggs and a Mike Greenwell for you Curt Young and Dave Stewart!
Remember when you were a kid and you would trade baseball cards? You would trade for your favorite players and hope they were with the team for a long time.
Well, we are long past the days of George Brett, Tony Gwynn, and Cal Ripken Jr. There is no loyalty in baseball anymore. Players are dealt or leave teams all the time. Today’s ball players have become way too greedy and the owners are just as bad. Forget about playing a child’s game for fun and out of love. Today it’s about making as much money (millions upon millions) as possible.
For a fan of the Oakland Athletics, we have become accustomed to seeing players come up, develop into stars and either shipped out before having to be paid an astronomical some or leaving via free agency.
This past off-season alone saw the A’s trade away two of their biggest stars and one of the bigger fan favorites; Macro Scutaro, Nick Swisher, and Danny Haren. Who the A’s did NOT trade however, was Joe Blanton, even though there were several rumors going on about him.
Starting for the A’s on Tuesday night against the Blue Jays is Greg Smith, one of the players acquired in the Danny Haren deal. Smith will be making his major league debut tonight. Also in the starting lineup will be rookie Daric Barton.
Barton came to the A’s (along with Danny Haren and Kiko Calero) in the trade with the Cardinals for Mark Mulder. As you already know, Haren brought the A’s Smith (and five other players) this past off season. Barton and Calero are still with the A’s….for now.
When the A’s traded Mark Mulder, they traded away a 20 game winner. What they got in return was not only an All Star, but an All Star game starting pitcher. Now the A’s have traded away the All Star and got a ton of prospects back in return. Only time will tell if they can develop and show the promise that they hold.
Tonight, Smith will be trying to give the A’s their second win of the series against the Blue Jays. He has a chance to show some of that promise. While Barton will look to keep adding to his team leading six runs scored.
Smith was brought up from AAA Sacramento when Justin Duchscherer was placed on the DL. If Smith does well, he could possibly earn a spot in the rotation. If not, he could be sent back down after the start.
Bring on the Blue Jays for game two and let’s see what the rookies can do.