ever showed interest in DJ, but the rays got to claim him before NL teams had a chance, right? does slusser have more recent evidence that the giants were still not interested in DJ?
Giants to me is in the same tough spot as the A’s were in before all their trades. Their major league team is not very good and going down hill, with not much help coming immediately from their farm system. The way to get out of it is trade and and all pieces of your ML team away to try to restock the farm system. If DJ is not good enough to be part of A’s future, then even though he’s an upgrade over what the Giants have now, he won’t be a viable piece for Giant’s future either. Why repaint the house now if you are going to have to rebuild very soon anyway?
Because, not every player on a good team needs to be a star
As long as a guy like Dan Johnson is cheap, he has value. He’s no worse than the Sean Casey’s, Doug Mientkiewicz’s of MLB. The money you are not paying DJ can be spent on someone else.
It’s when you have better options than DJ, that you dump him.
then it wouldn’t matter if the Giants were interested. The Rays have priority in the waiver claims. Hell, it might just say that DJ was claimed by the first team that could claim him.
unless fans want to give him a standing O for coming down with one freak injury after another.
i’m not blaming the guy, but -forget about double vision and whatever he came down with this spring- if he doesn’t get freaking vertigo in 2004 (when hatte was on fumes by the end of the season), the a’s make the playoffs.
He started his 2nd year 0 for 31, then with the eye problem, then he turned out to be just an average player. Is that all there is that put him in the Doghouse in Oakland, not just not getting playing time, but becoming the goat for the Fremont deal?
Buck started 0 for 22 (IIRC), and we still love him right? What if he remain oft injured like his 1st year, and never turn into a good player, will he be our next DJ? I’d like to think not.
It’s the way he always holds the SHIFT key for a 2-count for the first letter of every sentence. It’s like, “C’mon dude! Just type the rest of the word already!”
I lol'd at the first comment on drumbeat.
“It gets hot in tampa, be careful with the sunscreen.”
mikev - April 18, 2008
That would be much funnier
if Tampa didn’t play in a dome…
PaulThomas - April 18, 2008
Wasn't SunScreenGate an off-field incident?
mikev - April 18, 2008
Cos he never has to walk outside?
OldhamA - April 18, 2008
you would be wittier
if the Tampa Bay Rays played in Tampa & not St Pete
Crapper Jon - April 18, 2008
I think a new team and city will do him well
I think he will do better then alot of A’s fans think. Then A’s fans will bitch about him being released,lol.
asfaninpismobeach - April 18, 2008
Quite possible and would not surprise me either way.
but either way, I would also not be surprised if he hit for the cycle against us one game.
ak_A - April 18, 2008
DJ hitting a triple would take longer than the Padres-Rockies game
monkeyball - April 18, 2008
sure there's no indication the giants
ever showed interest in DJ, but the rays got to claim him before NL teams had a chance, right?
does slusser have more recent evidence that the giants were still not interested in DJ?
xbhaskarx - April 18, 2008
If they wanted him, they would have traded a low level prospect, is the theory she is going
on.
theblackpearl - April 18, 2008
ah, i see. that makes sense.
xbhaskarx - April 18, 2008
plus, she asked them several times, always got denials
monkeyball - April 18, 2008
Don't doubt it, but...
...”plausible deniability” is standard operating procedure in MLB when questions are asked about potential interest and roster moves.
UncleLeo - April 18, 2008
Thing is, most of their best prospects
are low level prospects. The only 2 guys with any real value in the upper levels of their system are Schierholtz and Bowker.
rfloh - April 18, 2008
somethin' beats nothin'
I don’t think Beane was looking for any sort of prospect with “any real value” in exchange for DJ.
monkeyball - April 18, 2008
I'm not defending Sabean here
just saying that the Giants are in a position where a low level prospect could well be, and is likely, more valuable than an upper level prospect.
rfloh - April 18, 2008
Sometimes
nothin’s a pretty good hand.
Leopold Bloom - April 18, 2008
There are some pitchers lying around
Pat Misch, eg.
Not that the A’s need more generic arms, but whatever.
PaulThomas - April 18, 2008
Ginats don't want A's ex-problem
Giants to me is in the same tough spot as the A’s were in before all their trades. Their major league team is not very good and going down hill, with not much help coming immediately from their farm system. The way to get out of it is trade and and all pieces of your ML team away to try to restock the farm system. If DJ is not good enough to be part of A’s future, then even though he’s an upgrade over what the Giants have now, he won’t be a viable piece for Giant’s future either. Why repaint the house now if you are going to have to rebuild very soon anyway?
asfansince1989 - April 18, 2008
Well, almost every former Athletic seems to do real well when they go to the NL,
he could have a very good career over there. He has hit extremely well in interleague play, I believe, but am too lazy to look at stats to confirm.
theblackpearl - April 18, 2008
he's not in the NL...
flipgatey3 - April 18, 2008
Because, not every player on a good team needs to be a star
As long as a guy like Dan Johnson is cheap, he has value. He’s no worse than the Sean Casey’s, Doug Mientkiewicz’s of MLB. The money you are not paying DJ can be spent on someone else.
It’s when you have better options than DJ, that you dump him.
rfloh - April 18, 2008
I think
ortmeyeer got a game winning hit the day DJ was released. Sabean must have decided Ortmeyer was too good in the clutch to replace.
Future Ed - April 18, 2008
If the Rays claimed Johnson
then it wouldn’t matter if the Giants were interested. The Rays have priority in the waiver claims. Hell, it might just say that DJ was claimed by the first team that could claim him.
Zonis - April 18, 2008
very
good point.
sf drift king - April 18, 2008
if they had any interest
they could have traded for him first for a bad of peanuts though
closetasfan - April 18, 2008
Best
For all parties involved. Good luck DJ…
river_cat28 - April 18, 2008
Best of luck to Dan!
Englishmajor - April 18, 2008
Good luck DJ
Dan Johnson?
Dan Johnson.
May have to go ghostriding tonight in honor.
5Aces - April 18, 2008
+1
Poppy - April 18, 2008
+5
flipgatey3 - April 18, 2008
Good luck DJ!
I hope the crowd gives him a good ovation when he comes to town in May
gigglingone - April 18, 2008
For what, exactly?
I mean, I’m not going to boo the guy or heckle him, but what did he do in Oakland to deserve an ovation?
mikev - April 18, 2008
nothing.
unless fans want to give him a standing O for coming down with one freak injury after another.
i’m not blaming the guy, but -forget about double vision and whatever he came down with this spring- if he doesn’t get freaking vertigo in 2004 (when hatte was on fumes by the end of the season), the a’s make the playoffs.
xbhaskarx - April 18, 2008
Are you blaming DJ for no playoffs in 2004
When the entire rotation decided to throw like 8 year olds for the final month of the season?
thejd44 - April 18, 2008
yes:
“i’m not blaming the guy“
xbhaskarx - April 18, 2008
ovation as opposed to booing
there are a few former-A’s who should be booed. I don’t think DJ is one of them.
gigglingone - April 18, 2008
Silence is what we should greet him with.
OldhamA - April 18, 2008
indifference
xbhaskarx - April 18, 2008
Well, I guess you & I can give him a 2-person ovation.
Poppy - April 18, 2008
Well at least the Heckler will be rooting for him now,
until his first slump of course
theblackpearl - April 18, 2008
Does this mean the A's will *not* be moving to Fremont?
Ice Cream - April 18, 2008
So will DJ, now be Carlos Pena redux, go to
TB, and tear it up.
theblackpearl - April 18, 2008
Nah, 2 other teams didn't give up on him yet.
mikev - April 18, 2008
I wonder where the Rays wil play him?
Maybe they’re going to move Johnny Gomes to the OF, and have DJ DH.
rfloh - April 18, 2008
Cliff Floyd is injured
DJ will, indeed, DH.
monkeyball - April 18, 2008
he should love that, i mean really what
an opportunity to make hay. we will see what DJ is made of.
ak_A - April 18, 2008
hay?
monkeyball - April 18, 2008
Oh thats right. Farms? in Berkeley?
ak_A - April 18, 2008
DJ No Go to Giants
It is snarky, but I agree with Slusser. It is a mystery that the Giants had no interest in him. Aurelia is done.
solotar - April 18, 2008
I wish him well
OaklandSi - April 18, 2008
So long my Band Camp....
Jennifer - April 18, 2008
good luck DJ
remember when i had such high hopes for you… forever “on the verge.” hopefully you find better luck in tampa.
ConditionOakland - April 18, 2008
Never understood how DJ got into the dog house
He started his 2nd year 0 for 31, then with the eye problem, then he turned out to be just an average player. Is that all there is that put him in the Doghouse in Oakland, not just not getting playing time, but becoming the goat for the Fremont deal?
Buck started 0 for 22 (IIRC), and we still love him right? What if he remain oft injured like his 1st year, and never turn into a good player, will he be our next DJ? I’d like to think not.
asfansince1989 - April 18, 2008
Oh yeah, definitely wish DJ does well in Tampa
Hope he hits 40+ HR in a season, all against the RedSox and Yankees of course.
asfansince1989 - April 18, 2008
I blame Buck for the move of the A's to Las Vegas in 2025
monkeyball - April 18, 2008
Buck's annoying me right now.
I can overlook the fact he’s in a slump right now. It’s the constant stream of niggly injuries that I can’t stand.
OldhamA - April 18, 2008
Buck's swing annoys me
It’s that little bat circle flip he does as a timing mechanism, I think.
That, and the fact that he doesn’t take a stride, he just lifts his heel and rotates.
mikev - April 18, 2008
Wow, you guys are picky
If your co-worker types loudly, does he/she annoy you?
Ever consider being a yankees fan? I think a zero-tolerance policy is a must in NYC.
asfansince1989 - April 18, 2008
It's not the typing loudly that bothers me.
It’s the way he always holds the SHIFT key for a 2-count for the first letter of every sentence. It’s like, “C’mon dude! Just type the rest of the word already!”
ChrisCEIT - April 19, 2008
Tampa Bay-Ray sounds wrong
Future Ed - April 18, 2008
And Future Ed, let me introduce
you to a few of my pals there’s the Sundance Kid, Chicago Slim and Tampa-Bay-Ray,
ak_A - April 18, 2008
Too easy: "You can call me Ray ...
The Dogfather - April 18, 2008
Good luck to DJ
He seemed like a good guy.
IM4Oakgal - April 19, 2008
so, would we have any interest in getting Gomes from Tampa?
He seems to be the odd man out in the TB OF/DH/1B carousel.
Good power, excellent plate discipline, RH bat, capable of playing a corner OF or 1B …
monkeyball - April 19, 2008
Excellent plate discipline?
I wouldn’t go that far….
Any offspeed pitch that is below is knees or on the outside corner, he flails at.
He hasn’t showed patience since his rookie campaign, he just gets nailed by pitches alot…
Jacob Larsen - April 22, 2008
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