Billy Beane is perfect

[HaloMagic]

It means more than regular season losers, which is what we were.

[Hollyw00d]

Beane had the luxury of punting away half a decade to get to this point so the payroll this year doesn't really tell the full story. Of course, he obviously did a better job than teams like Kansas City and Pittsburgh who punted away a quarter century so there's that. The trade with the Cubs seems to signal that they want to take this core and finally go for broke. I still think we'll beat them but then I'm not one to run scared from what looks like a lost cause.

well congratulations?

its funny how the super fans justify their fandom by how tough they talk on the internet

[Lou]

Ha if you think that is tough talk, you may want to stay indoors

[Hollyw00d]

I guess I.dont hang out in Inglewood like you, lou

[Blarg]

I don't know, Arch was pretty stern in his admonishment of lesser fans. I was starting to feel intimidated when he said he wasn't going to run scared. I mean, how do open a dialogue with that?

 

Ha if you think that is tough talk, you may want to stay indoors

[Blarg]

I guess I.dont hang out in Inglewood like you, lou

 

Lou lives in the IE. He doesn't wither in the scorching heat like some of you fools.

 

He goes inside with the air conditioning set at 68.

[Hollyw00d]

Lou lives in the IE. He doesn't wither in the scorching heat like some of you fools.

 

He goes inside with the air conditioning set at 68.

my power is out right now. No climate control.

gangsta.

[HaloMagic]

This doesn't affect me at all so I don't care. You should move somewhere where it isn't so hot.

[arch stanton]

I don't know, Arch was pretty stern in his admonishment of lesser fans. I was starting to feel intimidated when he said he wasn't going to run scared. I mean, how do open a dialogue with that?

Did I admonish someone? I"ll be sure to send a box of extra soft tissues to the next fanfest and seal it with a nice warm hug.

[sneaky_flute]

People cite Beane's payroll like it doesn't come at a price. He spent five years basically using his farm system as currency. Now that they boast the worst minor league system in the game, he's going to have to flip some of his current players in order to replenish it or he'll have to extend some of his players. In that case, the whole Beane mystique disappears once his payroll exceeds 100 million. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

They have one less series win than us in last 12 seasons. The A's have a .411 postseason winning percentage in that stretch. The Angels is .344.

wouldnt the argument then be that we are 'better'.

Just as the counter argument about how much better theyve been

[ten ocho recon scout]

People cite Beane's payroll like it doesn't come at a price. He spent five years basically using his farm system as currency. Now that they boast the worst minor league system in the game, he's going to have to flip some of his current players in order to replenish it or he'll have to extend some of his players. In that case, the whole Beane mystique disappears once his payroll exceeds 100 million.

This and arch stantons posts get overlooked I think (meaning the point they both made).

No one is debating beane is a top GM, or that he hasnt been one for the last decade plus. But people keep overlooking that he rook over an already very solid core in oakland (big 3, giambi, tejada etc) and then had a good chunk of bad years as they (probably smartly) focused on WAY down the road.

Forget the moneyball movie, im sure theres a lot on here who read the book. Go back and reread it. He missed badly on some of his projections. Meaning hes human (not flawed).

It would be like stoneman taking over in 2000, then circa 2005-9 constantly trading away guys like santana, aybar, kendrick etc for younger guys who start their run in 2010. Yeah, wed be better off right now....but there would be no doug eddings game....2007/8 dont happen at all (even though they were ugly), and the 2009 team never exists.....