2014 Oakland Athletics
- Thread starter DubbC415
- Start date
Without trading for Lester they would have been stuck running Chavez, Pomeranz or Milone out there every fifth day and the Wild Card game would have been between the Mariners and Royals. No combination of those guys was going to come close to putting up the 2.20 ERA over 70 innings in 10 starts that Lester did.
Cespedes' .257 AVG, .290 OBP and 5 home runs (probably all higher in Boston than Oakland because of the park they play in) would have made no difference with injuries to Norris, Jaso, Vogt, Blanks and Crisp affecting their production or Moss' slump, and they certainly wouldn't have improved Sonny Gray's 4.64 ERA or Scott Kazmir's 6.29 ERA that they put up in their 19 starts after the trade.
Cespedes' .257 AVG, .290 OBP and 5 home runs (probably all higher in Boston than Oakland because of the park they play in) would have made no difference with injuries to Norris, Jaso, Vogt, Blanks and Crisp affecting their production or Moss' slump, and they certainly wouldn't have improved Sonny Gray's 4.64 ERA or Scott Kazmir's 6.29 ERA that they put up in their 19 starts after the trade.
Props:
T-Rip and T-Rip
I actually rather play KC. Not sure why some people think KC can beat the Angel's. Nothing deep in the line up. Just blew a little on the pen with that 12 inning game. Shields can't start twice. No home field advantage. Against the team with the best record. Weaver set to to pitch game one, Shoemaker will make a start, Hamilton off the DL, deep line up.
Angels in 4.
Baltimore is scary though.
Angels in 4.
Baltimore is scary though.
the whole team lost my friend...
and Moss was the only player in my eyes that was killing it..
but Norris, Callaspo and Crisp helped out..
on the defense side..they fell out when the Royals stole 4 bags in the 8th..
I still think they should have let Lester pitch longer than the 8th..
but oh well... it's done and over with ..
and if you think Cespede's would not had helped the team in the wild card game..you guys are wrong.. fuck stats, every player puts more into it for these types of games in the postseason..
I been a giants fan longer than u u got Damn 90s baby
Just saying. Lol we have ishikawa in left field and no Timmy on roster either
Just saying. Lol we have ishikawa in left field and no Timmy on roster either
Props:
BIGSBY and BIGSBY
Pretty shitty actually.
We cant win scoring a run or two. So regardless who we are playing...we cant manufacture
runs right now and the heart or our line up is non existant. Still not over yet!
We cant win scoring a run or two. So regardless who we are playing...we cant manufacture
runs right now and the heart or our line up is non existant. Still not over yet!
Props:
JLMACN and JLMACN
Your big 3 hitters look overmatched. Hamilton especially looks disinterested. Trout is playing like it's his first time in the playoffs (I know it is) but he just seems like deer in the head lights.
You got to give credit to Royals pitching though.
Ventura was throwing flames last night.
I'll be at the game Sunday.
I want to see a sweep. And with Big Game James on the mound ....I think we can do it.
You got to give credit to Royals pitching though.
Ventura was throwing flames last night.
I'll be at the game Sunday.
I want to see a sweep. And with Big Game James on the mound ....I think we can do it.
Ya, Hamilton looks like he straight doesn't care to even be up there. It's pretty disrespectful to everyone to play like that. No hustle, wild swings, timing is just horrible. Both pitching staffs are incredible right now, but ya your guy was throwing 100mph in the 6th still. Crazy.
I know CJ Wilson can pitch well. We need to bang out 4-5-6 runs to even have a good chance though. Sweep? Sure looks possible the way it's been going but we both have very good road records.
I know CJ Wilson can pitch well. We need to bang out 4-5-6 runs to even have a good chance though. Sweep? Sure looks possible the way it's been going but we both have very good road records.
Billy Butler, A's agree to 3-year deal
November 18, 2014, 10:28 PM ET
Free agent Billy Butler has agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Oakland Athletics, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
The Kansas City Royals previously paid Butler a $1 million buyout rather than exercise their $12.5 million option on his contract for the 2015 season, making him a free agent.
Butler, 28, hit .271 with nine home runs and 66 RBIs this past season, his seventh with the Royals.
Butler, an All-Star in 2012, helped Kansas City reach the postseason for the first time since 1985. He hit .262 with 8 RBIs in the Royals' 13 postseason games.
Butler played first base in 37 games this past season, but was predominantly a designated hitter (108 games).
The career .295 hitter also won a Silver Slugger Award in 2012.
November 18, 2014, 10:28 PM ET
Free agent Billy Butler has agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Oakland Athletics, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
The Kansas City Royals previously paid Butler a $1 million buyout rather than exercise their $12.5 million option on his contract for the 2015 season, making him a free agent.
Butler, 28, hit .271 with nine home runs and 66 RBIs this past season, his seventh with the Royals.
Butler, an All-Star in 2012, helped Kansas City reach the postseason for the first time since 1985. He hit .262 with 8 RBIs in the Royals' 13 postseason games.
Butler played first base in 37 games this past season, but was predominantly a designated hitter (108 games).
The career .295 hitter also won a Silver Slugger Award in 2012.
Terrible signing. Too many years and too much money for a DH with no power.
The Royals were smart to buy out Butler's contract, he's been in a steady decline since 2012:
2012: .313 AVG, .373 OBP, .510 SLG, 29 HR
2013: .289 AVG, .374 OBP, .412 SLG, 15 HR
2014: .271 AVG, .323 OBP, .379 SLG, 9 HR
I'd be very surprised if he put up the same numbers he did last season... I think his line in 2015 will more likely be .255/.305/.350 with 6-8 home runs and before his contract is up the A's will be paying a majority of his salary for him to play somewhere else (if they can find someone willing to take him off their hands.)
Just to put this into perspective, $10M is what Jim Johnson got as a sub-3.00 ERA, 50 save closer last season... That obviously didn't work out, but that was the expectation. This season, $10M is getting a DH with Coco Crisp power that they'll be stuck with for two more years, each one likely being worse than the last.
The Royals were smart to buy out Butler's contract, he's been in a steady decline since 2012:
2012: .313 AVG, .373 OBP, .510 SLG, 29 HR
2013: .289 AVG, .374 OBP, .412 SLG, 15 HR
2014: .271 AVG, .323 OBP, .379 SLG, 9 HR
I'd be very surprised if he put up the same numbers he did last season... I think his line in 2015 will more likely be .255/.305/.350 with 6-8 home runs and before his contract is up the A's will be paying a majority of his salary for him to play somewhere else (if they can find someone willing to take him off their hands.)
Just to put this into perspective, $10M is what Jim Johnson got as a sub-3.00 ERA, 50 save closer last season... That obviously didn't work out, but that was the expectation. This season, $10M is getting a DH with Coco Crisp power that they'll be stuck with for two more years, each one likely being worse than the last.
A's trade Josh Donaldson to Jays
Updated: November 28, 2014, 10:18 PM ET
The Oakland Athletics have agreed to trade third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays, a baseball source confirmed to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.
The A's will receive Brett Lawrie, Kendall Graveman, Franklin Barreto and Sean Nolin, a source confirmed to Crasnick.
Donaldson batted .255 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs this past season.
Updated: November 28, 2014, 10:18 PM ET
The Oakland Athletics have agreed to trade third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays, a baseball source confirmed to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick.
The A's will receive Brett Lawrie, Kendall Graveman, Franklin Barreto and Sean Nolin, a source confirmed to Crasnick.
Donaldson batted .255 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs this past season.