Amidst all the analysis of whether Giambi's defense will offset his hitting, and whether you have found it in your heart to forgive Jason for not always loving you most, one development has gotten precious little attention: in reporting the Giambi signing, the S.F. Chronicle reported that "Giambi primarily will be a designated hitter for the A's, at least initially, with Daric Barton remaining at first base and Jack Cust playing in the outfield." Now perhaps that is only speculation or a bad assumption, or perhaps it comes from inside sources who have in fact indicated that this is the plan.
At the very least, one has to consider at least the possibility that we may have assumed incorrectly that Giambi was being signed to play 1B. If the plan is in fact to DH Giambi and play Cust in the OF, then Giambi is displacing not Daric Barton but rather Buck and Cunningham. What are the implications of the A's displacing their young OFers, not their young 1Bman?
Cunningham is more easily explained, as he is only turning 23 in April and could arguably use more time in AAA. Buck could be explained by the theory that you really need four starting OFers because invariably one is often going to be injured, ineffective/platooned, etc. A's 4th OFers have wound up getting plenty of playing time in recent years, but they have been veterans, like Jay Payton and Emil Brown, not young players who need to be everyday starters somewhere.
The signing of Giambi, combined with the talks with other OFers (Abreu, Anderson), the Rule 5 selection of Ben Copeland, and the A's continued lack of depth at SS and the current rotation, makes me wonder if Beane has been having conversations, throughout the off-season, that would improve the team at a vital position but would require Oakland to part with one of its talented young OFers (Buck, Cunningham, Sweeney). How many OFers can a team add or consider adding while not having a single desired option at SS or a #2 starter? You just wonder.
Whatever is, or isn't, going on behind the scenes and under the radar, let's consider the possibility that the Chronicle is reporting accurately and that Giambi's signing will push Cust to the OF and leave Barton at 1B. Your thoughts?
0 recs | 256 comments
The short contract for Giambi
would make the Cunningham-to-Sacto plan realistic. It’s also possible that Beane has decided not to have a set plan yet, but to see who seems to be more ready in Spring Training, and who’s drawing more interest in trade talks.
Nick - January 7, 2009
very plausible. lots more wiggle room there.
ak_A - January 7, 2009
Sorry but I just don't buy the "see who's ready in Spring Training" argument
Todd Linden taught us otherwise.
mikev - January 7, 2009
Buck won a job in ST. That turned out OK.
Cunningham seems more comparable to 2007 Buck than to 2008 Linden.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Buck "won" the job when everyone in front of him suffered injuries, no?
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
Street won it more on his own merit, so maybe a better example
Nico - January 7, 2009
IIRC
Street got his chance when Chadford went down.
Mark H - January 7, 2009
Yes but he also impressed enough so that the idea of starting him didn't horrify people.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
yeah, shame on the A's
for looking at his previous four seasons in the majors rather than 26 spring training at-bats.
dude is a 4A player.
scatterbrian - January 11, 2009
A's in 2009
This is how I’d design 2009 A’s Lineup:
1. CF – R. Sweeney
2. C – K. Suzuki
3. LF – M. Holliday
4. 1B – J. Giambi
5. DH – J. Cust
6. 3B – E. Chavez
7. 2B – M. Ellis
8. SS – B. Crosby
9. RF – T. Buck
I do not want Cust playing in the outfield, or if he does, not too often. I guess you could alternate between Barton and Buck, then have Giambi go play DH with Cust taking over Buck’s spot in the outfield while Barton plays first base.
Rated-R Superstar - January 7, 2009
I'm confused as to why you would bat a better hitter 9th than 1st
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
Better Hitter?
You think that Sweeney is better than Buck or am I just missing something here?
Rated-R Superstar - January 7, 2009
Other way - he thinks Buck is better than Sweeney
Nico - January 7, 2009
Yep
Travis Buck has a careeer OPS+ of 118. Sweeney, 90.
It’s really not close.
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
You really need to
get your eyes offa the computer and sit your behind in the stands and watch some A’s baseball.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
+8, only sideways
Nico - January 7, 2009
Buck looks like a pretty good hitter to me.
Unfortunately I watch most of my A’s games on the computer.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Where did you somehow acquire the impression that I don't watch the team play?
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
You have mentioned before that
you prefer the Giants and that you rarely attend games. I really don’t know how much you watch at home but your posts often seem to me as if you haven’t been watching but have been following closely on stats. I know I might be wrong but that’s the impression I do get.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
I think the reason Paul and others post stats-related posts is not because
they don’t watch games, but rather because stats are facts, and not mere opinions.
Saying Buck’s OPS+ is 28 points higher than Sweeney’s supposedly has more credibility than saying “Buck rocks! and Sweeney can’t hit his way out of a paper bag!”. It’s actual evidence.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
I know you feel that way Waddell...
and I love Paul’s(and all of the other stat guys posts) but there is more to baseball than that. I’ve watched for over 40 years …and some of the talent and the truth about it cannot be measured in stats. I know that for stat people …they think that’s a stupid observation. However I know it to be a truth.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
Well sure, that's why we have scouting reports.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
It's not a stupid observation.
However, your eyes are deceiving you because Sweeney looks like a good hitter — he’s tall, he’s powerful looking, and his swing looks pretty good.
Buck, on the other hand, looks like a surfer, has a kinda funky stance, doesn’t take a conventional stride, and has that weird ass bat twirl thing as a timing mechanism right before the pitcher releases the ball.
This is why stats are good things. They tell you what happened, and are usually a pretty good indicator of future performance.
mikev - January 7, 2009
Sweeney doesn't look like a better hitter to me. His inside-out
swing looks strange on a guy that big. He swings like Ozzie Smith.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Ironically
Sweeney profiles as a high-ceiling hitter as well. Using visual cues is what scouting is all about. When you look at Sweeney you dont look at results, but rather trends and ceiling – I know, obvious.
But its not unreasonable to say Sweeney will be better than Buck. Although personally I would say Buck looks like a good hitter too. His swing is great.
ChadGod - January 7, 2009
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results!
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
I actually think that Buck
has one of the most level, beautiful swings around. I talked with Beane about it once and he compared Buck’s hitting style to Wally Joyner in how level and back he remains in the zone.
Tyler Bleszinski - January 7, 2009
Right, I'm talking about the unconventional stride and the timing mechanism
not the swing itself, which seems to work pretty darn well.
mikev - January 8, 2009
What I have found about stats and observation
is that it’s foolish to disregard the validity and importance of either. And what I have found about baseball prognostication is that anyone who thinks they have mastered it doesn’t understand baseball very well – because the first rule of understanding baseball is to realize that you can only understand it better, not best.
Nico - January 7, 2009
Speaking for myself
I’m well aware that stats can’t / don’t capture / model certain things.
I don’t post much “scouting” stuff because I lack the background to do so, not because I don’t watch games. I lack the background to evaluate swing mechanics, or pitching mechanics. Now, I can evaluate running / sprint mechanics, but that’s pretty much the “scouting” part of evaluating baseball mechanics that I can do.
rfloh - January 7, 2009
You rock
67MARQUEZ - January 8, 2009
Facts about me:
1. My favorite baseball team is the Oakland A’s.
2. I rarely attend games IN PERSON.
3. The reason I rarely attend games are as follows:
a. that they are a pain to get to,
b. they cost more than they’re worth, especially given that I do not currently have a job and, once I graduate, will have a huge loan debt to service,
c. At the seats in my price range, I can learn more about the team from watching on TV anyway.
4. During the season, I typically watch 2-3 games a week on TV, depending among other things on: when the game times are, who’s pitching, and whether someone else in my family wants to watch something.
I’ll be honest with you— I find your comments on this thread insulting.
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
Paul...
I honestly thought that I remembered you telling us on a thread awhile back that the A’s weren’t your favorite team. That the Giants were. I must remember it wrong and of course if you say the A’s are your favorite it’s true. You are in the position to know. I am sorry that you feel insulted by my remarks. You always speak very plainly about your views and so I didn’t think you’d mind it if I did the same.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
I recall Paul saying he didn't hate the Giants and likes it when they
do well, but I never heard him say he was anything but an A’s fan, either here or on Sickels’ site.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Just looking at my respective post counts here and at McC
kind of says where my primary loyalties lie…
I do root for the Giants, because I actually live/grew up in San Francisco, but I like the A’s better under most circumstances. I might root for the Giants in H2H games if they were obviously strong contenders and the A’s were horrible, but that hasn’t been true in recent memory.
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
I also recall you saying you didn't watch a lot of games
but I can’t remember how long ago you might have made that comment. My memory of it was that you were not living in the area, whereas now I know you are.
Nico - January 7, 2009
I think we need a special PaulThomas section
I, for one, need to know the truth about Paul. Yes, I know I met him at AN Day last summer, but how much can you really learn about a person by yourself in a few minutes of conversation.
We need a compilation of everything that anyone remembers Paul saying that we can use against him when he starts getting obnoxious. Everyone can participate.
With the job market slow, many of you may have some time on your hands. You can fill those empty hours by researching Paul, his past statements, affiliations and controversial commenbts. Some of you can be lazy and just look up old blog posts. Others can get out into the field.
Paul, you don’t have to feel left out of this. You can chime in with your own contributions and rebuttals. Be sure to use as many numbers as possible, though.
bear88 - January 7, 2009
My research has uncovered a link
between PT and both Erwin Rommel (a letter exchange, offering statistical analysis of “Panzertruppe”, whatever the hell that is) and the Pillsbury Doughboy (some kind of crazy “dough to neckerchief” ratio formula—sadly, PD did not respond). Clearly, PT is a man with which not to trifle.
Leopold Bloom - January 7, 2009
When I do a pushup,
I don’t push me up, I push the Earth down.
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
But how do you look doing it?
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
It is the least gritty pushup on AN
And its WAR is only 0.5.
Nico - January 8, 2009
Paul's hand
is the only hand that can beat a Royal Flush.
5Aces - January 9, 2009
“with which”?
I guess that settles it — PT is a robot after all.
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
was there a doubt?
You know, for not knowing you at all, you really are one of my favorite people, MB.
Leopold Bloom - January 8, 2009
One of your favorite
peoplemonkeysrobotssquirrels.monkeyball - January 8, 2009
I would have to second that
although you are climbing the list yourself.
Please don’t misconstrue the above comment as creepy, internet, man-crushes.
67MARQUEZ - January 8, 2009
"I guess that settles it — PT is a robot after all."
Is that lime a porn-bot but without the debt?
mrod - January 8, 2009
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
whoops!
I wasn’t trying to insinuate that Paul was a Lime or a Limey! Just asking if that was “like”.
mrod - January 8, 2009
You put the lime in the porn-bot
and you shake them both up.
5Aces - January 9, 2009
ouch!
mrod - January 8, 2009
What we really need
is PaulThomasNation.com
Brillz - January 8, 2009
frozensquirreldaiquirination.com
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
seconded
Leopold Bloom - January 8, 2009
Moose n squirrel!
iglew - January 8, 2009
yeah, they are insulting
Clearly because you understand numbers, research your comments and are an active poster you are afraid of the sun.
Seems reasonable to me.
ChadGod - January 7, 2009
Sure Paul can be annoying,
but this forum needs more posters like him. He’s great, he is. His posts are generally more entraining and insightful than the vast majority of posters, myself included.
I do find it curious that he seems to have quite a soft skin when taking flack from other posters, yet has no issue belittling other posters. The latter part does not really bother me as much as the former.
Pucking Insane - January 8, 2009
Obviously, it's hypocrisy
Apart from that, though… you’ll find that the things that offend me (as opposed to simply drawing some sort of disdain) are almost always (alright, I can think of one exception to this) variants on the theme of dishonesty. As a person who is, by my own admission, often honest to the point of rudeness, it really bothers me when someone accuses me of not being truthful.
PaulThomas - January 8, 2009
Come now Paul...
your penchant for hypocrisy is surely dwarfed by your arrogance. You shouldn’t allow modesty to influence our collective analysis of your character flaws.
But on the other hand, you are pretty damn good…..
alox - January 8, 2009
Ah, well, I don't really consider arrogance to be a character flaw
PaulThomas - January 8, 2009
Now we're getting somewhere! :-)
Nico - January 8, 2009
It's not a flaw per se, but
it can be an obstacle to self-awareness and/or self-improvement.
iglew - January 8, 2009
I'm not especially aware of ways
arrogance can be a strength.
Nico - January 8, 2009
It seems to have some correlation with confidence.
iglew - January 8, 2009
Confidence is often a good thing, but not always
I think arrogance is where it becomes not a good thing.
Nico - January 8, 2009
Arrogance ...
is thinking you are superior and exuding it in an overbearing manner. That isn’t usually considered a desirable personality trait.
IM4Oakgal - January 8, 2009
Liar!!
also, what is this exception you speak of?!?! please tell me!!! I need closure to this PT-love-hate-thumbbiting-fest!
oakinboston - January 8, 2009
The exception is when vacafan slagged me for still living at home
and the reason THAT irritated me so much is that it hit a particular socio-political issue nerve with me.
PaulThomas - January 9, 2009
My remarks offended you...
and they had nothing to do with your honesty. The remark I made that upset you implied that you don’t watch many games. I said I might be WRONG but that was the impression that Ihad.
IM4Oakgal - January 8, 2009
Oh and for the record...
I am sorry that you are now being teased for a remark that started with my comment. I am glad that you told me that you felt insulted by my remarks. You handled it in a very direct and civil way.
IM4Oakgal - January 8, 2009
This really should be in the PaulThomas thread
All PaulThomas all the time, except for traffic and weather together on the 8s.
Nico - January 8, 2009
PaulThomasNation.com
mikev - January 9, 2009
I thought it was .edu
Nico - January 9, 2009
Regardless of preferance...
Buck slipped up and had a terrible year, compromising his approach at the plate, and his long term value as a credible contributor while manning the outfield.
Sweeney’s swing is effective, although completely without pop, and as of now, without the promise of power long term.
If lightning strikes, they’ll both crack out of their youthful coccon and begin producing at the MLB level. My money is on Buck, who has shown flashes of quality corner outfield play and perhaps will finally relax after avoiding the noisy press conference annoucing him as Oakland’s next big offensive contributor. Sweeney is a quality OF, and he can hit, but I don’t see him as a potential stud in the OF, due to his lack of power. He really reminds me of (hopefully) Randy WInn.
I enjoy in-depth analysis from player to player, but think often people forget or block out about the quantitative value of a team working together and the value of motivation and inspiration.
If the projections were always correct, there would be no benefit of playing the game.
Svidrigailov - January 8, 2009
to paraphrase a certain guy who runs the A's
do not allow yourself to be decieved by what you can see. I think Buck is definitely the better hitter, stats-wise, and scouting wise.
harendaman365 - January 8, 2009
Actually it doesn't really matter
Last year the rumor was that Cust was going to play in the OF. and he did. So not after signing Giambi the rumor (from Slusser) is that he will play RF so I am tempted to believe that. If that is the case then only one of Sweeney or Buck will be in the lineup most of the time unless Cust is the DH sometimes and Buck is back at RF.
In this case I would bat Sweeney, Buck one and two, in whatever order you feel is right.
Eastbayjim - January 7, 2009
Whatever.
Buck wasn’t even good enough to be on the team last year(even when healthy)…and Sweeney when healthy was one of the top hitters.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
Yeah, I think you can say Buck has been better when he's been any good at all,
and that he has the better skill set, but it’s Sweeney who has been consistently decent and never awful.
If you have one guy who probably WILL hit .280/.350 and another guy who might hit .300/.400 and might hit .200/.300, I don’t think it’s such a terrible idea to hit the first guy leadoff and the other guy 9th at the start of the season.
Nico - January 7, 2009
If Buck comes back
and proves he can hit…they can move him up in the order but he was not doing it last season.,,now if he has a gangbuster Spring training then …put him in the leadoff spot anyday!
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
He had a gangbuster September...
if you believe in small sample sizes, which I of course don’t. On the other hand, large sample sizes favor Buck too.
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
You would have to say, I think,
that the range of what you can expect from Buck is pretty large (kind of like the range of “games played” for Chavez), whereas the range of what you can expect from Sweeney is narrower.
Looking at Buck’s stats is kind of like looking at a student who has received an A in one area and a C in another, and averaging it out to conclude that they’re a B-student, when in fact that’s the one thing they clearly aren’t.
Nico - January 7, 2009
Let's just hope that...
he stays healthy enough this year…to show us if he’s going to be an A student or the C student. He’s like the kid that could be an A student but he misses so much school that he only earns C’s.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
Before the Holliday signing, before Giambi,
when my expectations were lower, I was really looking forward to seeing both Buck and Sweeney develop. I really like both of these guys— line drive doubles hitters who can run the bags and get dirty in the outfield. I’m still hoping to see both of them this season, really hoping neither is traded.
oaklidiot - January 7, 2009
I don't want to see them traded either...
unless Beane gets something really terrific for them.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
I was really looking forward to an outfield of Cunningham, Sweeney and Buck
Or actually, before Holliday, I was excited about Buck, Cargon, Sweeney with Cunningham as the 4th (possibly also warming up in AAA)
Eastbayjim - January 7, 2009
Curse you, Matt Holliday,
for ruining our Cunningham, Sweeney, and Buck outfield!
Nico - January 7, 2009
How did my son get in this conversation?
67MARQUEZ - January 8, 2009
The trade-off between risk and return.
Pucking Insane - January 8, 2009
Buck's struggles are also a small sample size
so point is moot. Buck has the better stats in his career than Sweeney, and projects better. I do not think Buck’s struggles were a result of his fault as a baseball player, they were a combination of injury and a young player in a funk. To assume from that small sample size Buck cant be relied upon is simply untrue
harendaman365 - January 8, 2009
Buck has more power and I think more raw potential, butt no arm
Sweeney has a more fluid looking swing and a nice throwing arm but no power shown so far.
I like ‘em both and would keep both of them. Not sure what Billy’s got planned in his head but something tells me somebody, whether it’s Buck, Sweeney, Cunningham, or Barton, is going to be playing on another team not named the A’s in 2009. If that is the case, fine, but I sure as hell hope it brings us back a SS or 3rd baseman prospect.
mrod - January 8, 2009
"but no arm"
Man, my spelling is for shit today.
mrod - January 8, 2009
and there's another typo!
That should read “Man, my spelling is for Crosby today.”
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
but how many times a game does an OF's arm matter
If Buck is better offensively and comparable defensively (minus the arm), do those 2 or 3 plays where his arm is tested matter? Who would you rather have manning centerfield….Johnny Damon circa 2004 or or a worse offensive player with a rocket arm?
harendaman365 - January 9, 2009
ouch!
mrod - January 8, 2009
It's too bad one of Buck/Barton doesn't happen to be
a right-handed hitter who mashes lefties. Then you could essentially platoon them through Cust and Giambi.
Nico - January 7, 2009
Matt Murton!
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
For that matter, Chris Denorfia
But he should be sharing time with Sweeney, not in the RF/1B mix.
Nico - January 7, 2009
L R R L L L R R L
I think the A’s might try to break up the back to back lefties… Fuentes agains Giambi, Cust, Chavez is not good
dougald1 - January 8, 2009
ooooh, a drum rudiment!
9/8 time signature
popcornjames - January 8, 2009
{registers "Blue Hendu Armas Dark" username}
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
Nice
andeux - January 8, 2009
I was wondering who would get that
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
It's a bit on the obscure side
even by your standards.
(Perhaps an explanation is in order for those who are less hip.)
andeux - January 8, 2009
I have to confess ...
… I only came up with it via Teh Google
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
{obligatory alma mater pimping}
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
Matt Murton is a better hitter than Buck. I’d pencil him into RF and let Buck be OFer #4.
aaronb - January 8, 2009
Buck to the Dodgers for DeJesus seems like a very plausible trade scenario
Their outfield is fine with Kemp/Buck/Ethier— there’s no great defensive CF but it’s about average defensively overall, and well above average offensively. He’s also cheap enough to allow them to upgrade elsewhere if they need to.
In this scenario, Copeland and Denorfia or Davis make the roster as backups behind Cust/Holliday/Sweeney.
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
This makes sense to me.
The recent rumblings about Zaun, combined with Boston signing Penny and Smoltz make me think a Suzuki could be moved, possibly for Buchholz.
Barton doesn’t seem safe from trade either, with 1B springing up all over the place now.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
I'm not following - which Suzuki?
And what are the rumblings about Zaun?
Nico - January 7, 2009
Kurt Suzuki for Clay Buchholz -- instead of signing Sheets or whomever for $$$.
Rosenthal reported the A’s interest in Zaun.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Isn't Greg Zaun kind of, you know, bad?
The A’s are interested in him as a backup, not as a starter.
Incidentally, CHONE now has defensive projections for catchers too (based on controlling runners and blocking pitches). Suzuki rates as 7 runs above average, or almost 20 RAA in total defense (catchers get a big boost for positional adjustment), meaning he’s a 4-win player if he can hit at league average levels. Which is about what I expect him to hit at.
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
Right, but they could then sign Varitek or some such thing.
I find it strange to think they care all that much about improving over Bowen when 1) the backup C hardly plays; 2) they just re-signed Bowen; and 3) they’ve got Powell and Galarraga in the minors who could be backup C
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Suzuki isn't going anywhere
Zaun would not be an option as a starting catcher, and a young, good, “cost-controlled for years” catcher is the last thing the A’s want to trade on a team whose hopes rest with young pitching and more young pitching on the way.
Nico - January 7, 2009
Not even if they got a really good deal in return?
You could argue that right now is Suzuki’s peak value. He’s young but he’s got a lotta miles on him.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
My point is that the A's are not actively looking to move him -
they are actively looking to keep him.
Nico - January 7, 2009
Yes, but this gives them options.
That’s what I like about getting Giambi too….options.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Oh and thanks for the info on CHONE. I didn't know that.
I have no information. I’m just thinking aloud (on the computer) trying to make sense of all the drips of information and rumor.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Just found them a couple of days ago.
Also of some interest (keep in mind some of these suffer from SSS):
Mike Napoli, -4
Kenji Johjima, +7
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, -7
Jeff Clement, -7
Taylor Teagarden, +1
Greg Zaun, -4
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
good stuff
Suck it Napoli
ChadGod - January 7, 2009
Does CHONE include minor league numbers in defense projections for C?
If so, that should mitigate some of the SSS issues.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Not sure
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
How does Jason Kendall rate?
Lovejoy - January 8, 2009
Zero
Link
WaddellCanseco - January 8, 2009
Thanks
Lovejoy - January 8, 2009
Zaun, i think is underrated
solid defense, great approach at the plate, a little power. Hes a great backup catcher and an adequate starter, and thats pretty hard to find
harendaman365 - January 8, 2009
Just when I thought it was safe to
turn out the lights, relax on the couch, watch a little mindless tv whilst satisfied with the big news of the Giambi signing and reading all the posts…..I see Nico has once again got me scratching
ak_A - January 7, 2009
my head in wonder.
ak_A - January 7, 2009
you do crack me up
The journey from Alaska to Colorado has not dulled your sense of humor. It has, however, severely reduced the number of wolves you skillfully gun down from a helicopter.
Nico - January 7, 2009
I'm glad you clarified that!
ZigFan31 - January 7, 2009
meh
i think everything will be figured out in ST. the best combination of players will play. lots of us have been assuming that barton will be in AAA, but there is the chance he figured everything out and is ready for the bigs. if that’s the case, bring him up. the situation just makes for lots of room to change the lineup and possibly trade guys.
travdog6 - January 7, 2009
in the email that the A's sent out today, it says
’Jason Giambi has agreed to a one-year deal to return to Oakland. He is expected to resume his position at first base, where he played for seven years before signing as a free agent with the Yankees following the 2001 season. ’
I have no idea how clued in thems who write the email shots are, but I guess…. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
alea iacta est - January 7, 2009
That's interesting - it sounds like maybe mixed messages are getting out there
Wherever “there” is.
Nico - January 7, 2009
yeah, i mean, it's a very vague message
For part of my corn, I write emails like this (not for the A’s, obviously), and sometimes you don’t know the whole story, but want to get news out; the phrase ’it’s expected..’ doesn’t actually say who it’s expected by – i mean, it was expected by AN, no? that’d still be accurate.
I can only think that either the A’s are not so sold on Buck / Cunningham, and think that Cust’s new eyesight techniques (i call this one “looking at the ball”) will mean he can do things in the outfield like run in the right direction, and catch, and stuff, OR they think that Giamboid’s range of standing around first base is very small.
Or they haven’t totally made up their minds yet, and both Cust and Giambi will get turns DHing and playing the field.
If i recall correctly, wasn’t there a meme last year that if Jack Cust plays the field too much the poor dear loses weight and can’t hit as well as he can when he’s eating lots of pies etc?
alea iacta est - January 7, 2009
It's the opposite -
Cust hit .207 when DHing and .252 when playing LF. And that’s important, because batting average tells you everything.
Nico - January 7, 2009
yeah no it's not so much that his average drops on the days he plays in the field
but i think what someone on the A’s training staff (vague and ill remembered, i know) was saying was that him playing in the field for too long would lead to too much weight loss as the season progressed.
I’m not saying I believe this, more that there’s a chance that the A’s believe this.
alea iacta est - January 7, 2009
That is a silly argument
Unless your heart-rate is over 125-135, which never happens in baseball except for short bursts of time like running out a triple, then exercise is burning almost entirely fat deposits, which really don’t help baseball players. I suppose its possible that a little fat can help a hitter generate more torque, but seriously a trim Cust would be a good thing. If anything he’d probably increase his bat speed, and become a better defender.
ChadGod - January 7, 2009
hey, i didn't say it made sense
There is one thing to bear in mind, however – a baseball swing is about rhythm and timing. When that’s off, you won’t hit the ball as well or as consistently. Things such as that can be effected by loss of body weight – including fat deposits. take, for example, when colin montgomery lost a whole bunch of weight – his golf swing got all screwed up.
Of course, i might have been drunk when i heard the original statement (my lack of a clear memory of it would point to that being a possibility). I’m just throwing it out there as a reason that the A’s won’t play Cust in the outfield (other fielding capabilities aside).
alea iacta est - January 7, 2009
I have to disagree -
If a baseball swing was about rhythm and timing then our starting infield would be Kool & The Gang. Kool would be at SS, constituting a rather significant upgrade.
Nico - January 7, 2009
hm?
i’m not sure i understand your post.
by rhythm, i mean, it’s a personal rhythm, ie, having a swing which can be replicated again and again. which is why so many hitters have trigger motions to set off their batting motion, no?
alea iacta est - January 7, 2009
Ah - I was thinking more about
funk, soul, beats in a measure, and whatnot.
OK, it was mostly whatnot.
Nico - January 7, 2009
oh
sorry.
long day,
alea iacta est - January 8, 2009
It's not in Oakland
Well, not if you ask Gertrude.
67MARQUEZ - January 8, 2009
Slusser also stakes in her article that there is a rumor about trading Barton to the Nats.
So maybe there is a possibility that Giambi will play 1st and Cust DH.
Eastbayjim - January 7, 2009
The trouble is who do the Nats have that the A's want?
I’d take Jordan Zimmerman but I doubt he’s available.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
I can see a Barton for Zimmerman swap
I also used to drink alot
Eastbayjim - January 7, 2009
I can see a two Bartons for two Zimmermans swap
I’m drinking a lot right now.
Nico - January 7, 2009
You mean if we clone Barton...
We can get Jordan AND Ryan Zimmerman?
vignette17 - January 7, 2009
And Robert
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Dylan.
LoneStranger - January 7, 2009
Thomas.
iglew - January 7, 2009
I love Zimmerman.
He helped me a lot two years ago in fantasy baseball. He’d be a big help for the A’s.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
I have no idea who the Nats need but how about a Buck and Barton swap for Zimmerman?
Two B’s has got to be better than one Z.
Eastbayjim - January 7, 2009
Then why would you make that trade?
Scottbass - January 7, 2009
Silly goose - it's only better if you're on the East Coast
If you’re out West, a “Z” is worth more. The same is true also if you’re on a triple letter score.
Nico - January 7, 2009
Except if..
you root for the Giants. I don’t think they like their Z player much.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
I like the letter Z
Eastbayjim - January 7, 2009
I'm not sure
(you’ll have to check with Nico), but I think this post is brought to you by the letter, “Z.”
Leopold Bloom - January 7, 2009
And by the number 6!
Nico - January 8, 2009
whatever happened to Todd Ziele?
harendaman365 - January 8, 2009
Barton for George Zimmer!
JediLeroy - January 7, 2009
You won't like the way that looks
I guarantee it.
Nico - January 8, 2009
WC's talking about the other Zimmerman
The pitching one not the 3b one. At least, I think he is.
vignette17 - January 7, 2009
I was, but I'd take Ryan as well. I assumed he was off the table though.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Jordan?
JediLeroy - January 7, 2009
I assumed he meant Ryan.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
No...Jordan Zimmerman is a RHP prospect for the Nats
OaktownPower - January 8, 2009
I hope that Giambi plays 1st base.
I always feel so jittery when Cust takes the field.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
Agreed. Giambi might be equally bad, but I feel less uncomfortable with him in the field.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
His brand of bad ...is so expected.
Cust’s brand makes me feel deflated…you expect the easy out and then …no.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
Yes and Giambi the statue gives up more singles. Cust the buffoon gives up 2B and 3B.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Except he didn't botch any easy outs in 2008. All those big gaffes were in 2007, as far as I can remember.
thejd44 - January 7, 2009
I remember a couple of dropped balls in 2008.
On fly balls hit to Cust I mean.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
I honestly don't at all.
The only one I can think of was the line drive over his head that a good OF would’ve caught, but he didn’t. All the easy dropped fly balls were 2 years ago.
thejd44 - January 7, 2009
Maybe. My memory is what I remember it being.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
in adenhart's debut
may 1, against the angels final score 15-8 cust completely missed a flyball. from my observation tho, that point was right before he began to show improvements in his fielding
travdog6 - January 7, 2009
And, not that it matters regarding his fielding ability,
but I seem to remember knocked the hell out of the ball the rest of the game and went on a 1-2 week tear right after
5Aces - January 9, 2009
I recall a pretty bad one leading to five unearned runs on Justin Duchscherer
not that most of those were his fault, of course, since the Angels got like 5 hits in a row after the error.
I think that was that weird game where the A’s knocked the price of a Sunday game ticket down to $4 by getting 20 hits. See, I do watch games— not only did I watch that one, I bought a ticket to the Sunday game because it got so cheap…
PaulThomas - January 7, 2009
that would have been the third out, though
if i remember correctly?
i was at that game for the same reason, actually…
alea iacta est - January 7, 2009
wasnt it in LAAAAAAAAA
thats pretty sweet if you got to see that
travdog6 - January 7, 2009
Yes, the error prolonged the inning
which is why all the runs were unearned. However, Cust did not actually cause Duchscherer to have a 5-6 hitter stretch in which he completely forgot how to pitch and get hitters out. That was Duke.
Nico - January 7, 2009
granted
i think that’s why it stuck in my mind, though; Duchscherer wouldn’t have even had to throw them pitches. obviously.
maybe he was distracted by thinking of ways he could dispose of Jack. Poor old Jack
alea iacta est - January 7, 2009
PT, Isn't Cust working on his fielding and his eyes this offseason?
Eastbayjim - January 7, 2009
Specifically, he's working on fielding his eyes
Nico - January 7, 2009
Perhaps eyeing his fielding?
Scottbass - January 7, 2009
Ah, looking at horny goats who are looking at his baseballs
Eastbayjim - January 7, 2009
Congratulations - you just pushed me down to
hits 2-10 on the front page of Google’s “horny + goats + balls”
Nico - January 7, 2009
Top of the fifth
from hell
Svidrigailov - January 8, 2009
May 1 in Anaheim
iglew - January 8, 2009
I was at that game with my wife while on vacation. College night, so lots of people standing around drinking.
We were stoked that the A’s got a 4 run lead in the second. We were starving, so I went to get a couple of footlong sausages in the bottom (wait, did I just say that?). The line was long, but that didn’t deter me. As I’m waiting, I hear the Anaheim crowd getting louder and cheering. I was wearing my A’s sweatshirt and hat, and was a target for every Angels guy that walked by to pat me on the back and mention something about “my boy Cust” who dropped a fly and the rally that followed. I came back to my seat just in time to see the rally end.
Needless to say, the stadium started to empty after the A’s 8-run 5th inning. It was a nice walk back to the hotel, except for the part when we got harassed by drunk Angels fans driving by. Oh, and “my boy Cust” went 4-4 with a HR.
LoneStranger - January 8, 2009
Two more hilarious gaffes by Cust
Were on May 14th ’08 in Cleveland and just 5 days later in K.C.
Nick - January 8, 2009
there was a game he dropped the first out of the game
in LF. I’m pretty sure it was against KC. Pretty embarassing……
mrod - January 8, 2009
Don't forget the epic double fail of Aug 16, 2003
iglew - January 8, 2009
John Smoltz is about to sign with the Red Sox.
Now I hope his arm falls off. Again.
mikev - January 7, 2009
Unless people are traded for major league upgrades elsewhere
I actually think the signing is worse if Giambi is DHing.
thejd44 - January 7, 2009
Ya, the SS shoe has yet to drop...hopefully.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
At this point...
I am starting to get resigned to watching Crosby again.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
NOOOOOO! Don't give up now!
We need to stick together on this.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
LOL WC...
OK… I guess I will hope for…who can we reasonably wish for at SS?
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
Petit! Cabrera! Neifi Perez! Alex Sanchez! Anyone!!!
OK, Petit was a bit much.
Nico - January 7, 2009
Neifi Perez was much more than a bit much!
Mark H - January 7, 2009
Where's Royce Clayton when you need him?
Joey C. - January 8, 2009
It's a trick question - you never need Royce Clayton!
Nico - January 8, 2009
And the gentleman accompanied by the goat has it!
Joey C. - January 8, 2009
Right now DeJesus is my favorite since we could trade Buck for him potentially.
Alcides might be gettable for a starting pitcher (Gallagher? Cahill?). I’m not convinced the Brewers are trading Hardy or the Braves Yunel. I also can’t see Cleveland trading Peralta or Asdrubal.
Suzuki for Lowrie and other stuff might be a productive discussion.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
I hope it comes to pass that they do sign someone else.
It would surprise me now,however.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
I could see the Indians trading Peralta under the right circumstances,
such as bringing in a starting pitcher. Their rotation still needs a lot of help – even after the signing of Cy Pavano.
Nico - January 7, 2009
True, then they could sign Orlando Hudson
They could then promote LaPorta to boost the offense.
WaddellCanseco - January 7, 2009
Outman for Peralta!
mikev - January 8, 2009
I think I may be the first one to have posted something on this.....
(pats self on back). However, I think it figures itself all out in ST unless Beane can get something of value for Barton.
33SwisherSweet - January 7, 2009
Agree with you, Sweet.
ST is going to be very interesting this year and will answer a lot of our questions.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
cant wait!
ChadGod - January 7, 2009
lets say barton is a goner
is the dropoff from barton to temporary fill in’s like a basley/everidge that much of a difference?
Asfan4ever723 - January 7, 2009
It depends how good Barton is
Baisley and Everidge are fully capable of hitting the way Barton did in 2008, but with poorer defense.
Nico - January 7, 2009
+1
How Barton responds without the expectations he had last season as the #1 prospect will be key. He might have a good year if he doesn’t have the burden of living up to his status now that his expectations have been lowered. Splitting time with Giambi could actually help the kid out.
kbtoyz - January 7, 2009
But seriously, let's talk about something important.
What’s the over/under on how long it takes before Giambi is growing the hair out?
I bet already.
Scottbass - January 7, 2009
Which hair?
And please don’t answer that.
Nico - January 7, 2009
don't ask and you shall receive
flipgatey3 - January 7, 2009
He's already got the goatee out
When do the comments about rock star status come in? Or has he aged too much for that?
kbtoyz - January 7, 2009
He just needs to hang out with Keith Richards more.
mikev - January 8, 2009
Well, if you *must* know...
Scottbass - January 7, 2009
He had most a goatee at the press conference today
and said that the stache was only for a hitting streak.
mikeA - January 7, 2009
Well, not to spoil the surprise, but...
You know, the more time I spend on AN the less time I even bother to check out actual, like, legit sports pages. I used to have the A’s MLB site as my homepage. I haven’t looked at that site more than once or twice in a long time.
Scottbass - January 7, 2009
I liked his scruffy look...
Same way with Buck.. I liked his looks better when he had long hair.
IM4Oakgal - January 7, 2009
Who's "Scruffy-looking?"
Leopold Bloom - January 7, 2009
Nico's goat?
ZigFan31 - January 7, 2009
<herds nerfs>
iglew - January 8, 2009
shouldn't the plural be "nerves"?
monkeyball - January 8, 2009
I believe the plural to nerf is just... nerf.
LoneStranger - January 8, 2009
This brings up an interesting,
albeit geeky, question. Do these said nerfs/nerf resemble what I think of when I think of nerf (mainly football as a ten year-old and playing drunk basketball on my knees in high school/college)? I’m thinking like sponge-y cows.
Leopold Bloom - January 8, 2009
I was wrong, plural of nerf is nerfs.
http://www.starwars.com/databank/creature/nerf/index.html
LoneStranger - January 8, 2009
Oh. My.
I don’t even come close to qualifying as a geek. That’s downright frightening.
Leopold Bloom - January 8, 2009
My. Oh. My.
We all got totally geek-pwned by LoneStranger.
iglew - January 8, 2009
Only in Middle Earth
Nick - January 8, 2009
I don't like this signing much...
although there is no doubt that it is an incredible financial value. There isn’t any way to integrate him into the team that doesn’t make the defense significantly worse. He’s also old, and far from a sure bet to stay healthy if asked to play the field all the time.
I’m also not in any way ready to give up on Daric Barton (although I could live with getting a talented young shortstop for him). I just don’t want to see him rot on the bench here or in Sacramento.
jeepers - January 7, 2009
better to rot on the bench than stink up the box
Buck Turgidson - January 7, 2009
+1
Daric is 23. He’s got plenty of time to prove he’s good. I’d submit, if he proves he’s better than Giambi at 1B this year, he’ll play there. And, Giambi will DH and Cust will play LF. If, on the other hand, he doesn’t prove he’s better (which I don’t think he will), he’ll be at Sacto or on the bench. And, Jason will be at 1B and Cust will be where he belongs… at DH.
FoolshGame22 - January 8, 2009
Like Carlos Peña had plenty of time to prove he's good?
iglew - January 8, 2009
Yeah, like 7 years.
mikev - January 9, 2009
Please don't make me watch Cust in the outfield.
It hurts inside. :-(
Kyli - January 7, 2009
thats what she said?
that might be a stretch. which she also might have said…
travdog6 - January 7, 2009
haha thats pretty vulgar, I like it
lincypoo i wuv u - January 8, 2009
Honestly,
I don’t think Slusser’s got any more insight as to what the Opening Day lineup will be than any of us do. She may be a mouthpiece for the FO when they want to put a statement out, but I don’t think Beane’s filling out any lineup cards for her.
This has been addressed elsewhere, but the outfield situation becomes difficult if we try to cram Barton onto the roster. We don’t have a Tokyo trip or a day off that allows us to start the season with four starters. We’ve got ten games in a row before the first day off, our rotation is going to be composed of four guys who won’t have much more than a season of major league starting experience, and the injury-prone Duchscherer, which means that in addition to the five starters, the bullpen’s going to need to be full.
12 pitchers + 2 catchers + 5 non-1B infielders = 19. Of the six spots left, I think it’s safe to say that five are going to Holliday, Giambi, Cust, Sweeney and Buck. Making Barton the 25th man means that we’ve only got 3.5 OFs. I just don’t think it works.
Nate - January 7, 2009
I think Beane is totally comfortable with Cust in left field...
even if you and most of AN is not. I’ll go with Beane on this one. So, keeping Barton on the 25 is not a problem.
FoolshGame22 - January 8, 2009
Cant be any worse that Manny in LF
and the Sox won a ring with him out there. Im just saying.
A'sfaninNC - January 8, 2009
Why would the A's need two backup infielders?
PaulThomas - January 8, 2009
If one of them is Hannahan or Dillon and the other is a SS backup.
Not saying that they actually need this, but it could happen.
WaddellCanseco - January 8, 2009
bring back Scutaro!
ducks
popcornjames - January 8, 2009
In today's chron, Geren was quoted as saying that Barton
is the team’s starting first basemen for at least the start of the season. No pressure on Barton at all ;)
33SwisherSweet - January 8, 2009
Committee!
A trade involving OF is certainly possible and a good theory. Even if it does go down I see the A’s doing the old committee approach – they’re not going to be trotting the same lineup out there every day. Giambi can start at 1st while Barton sits and Cust DHs, for example. Between injuries and trips to the minors and days off there will be plenty of different lineups presented over the season.
Jernskogen - January 8, 2009
Agreed
It will all come out in the wash
A'sfaninNC - January 8, 2009
With injuries, guys getting days off, and such
Even the guy who starts opening day on the bench (from Buck-Sweeney-Cust-Giambi-Barton) will probably still start 120 games.
Josh Deletchi - January 8, 2009
I don't mind Cust in LF all that much
What bothers me is, who the hell is going to play RF? Holliday? Isn’t that really bad news in terms of defense? My understanding is the guy’s arm rates at about Shannon Stewart: The Early Years.
Joey C. - January 8, 2009
i think cust has a pretty decent arm
its just that he takes terrible routes to the ball
travdog6 - January 8, 2009
i actually agree with this
It does seem strange that Beane is stockpiling outfielders and DH types. I don’t think he’s given up on Barton…I think Sweeney goes, his scouting reports are better than what he is and Beane takes advantadge of market inefficencies like that. Sweeney’s trade value is higher than Buck’s, and Cunningham is a guy Beane really likes.
harendaman365 - January 8, 2009
shared time at DH
Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Cust and Giambi split time at DH, which means neither would be a true DH.
I like this strategy because it keeps their defense skills from completely dropping off (important during interleague play), and it allows Geren to swap in Rajai Davis (I hope!) in OF and Barton at 1B late in the game for defense when we have the lead.
Also, the “Giambi shift” post from a few days ago convinced me that our infield defense can still be strong, assuming we have Ellis out there. I’ve seen games when our 1B went after a groundball between 1B and 2B that pulled him so far off the bag that he couldn’t make the out – whereas if he’d let Ellis range to his left, the out would have been made. So give Giambi-the-statue at shot at 1B. He might be better defensively than people expect after his Yankee days, I think he’s coming into Oakland playing with more heart.
charm3x - January 8, 2009
giambi gives us insurance for both Buck and Barton
If Barton starts off poorly: then giambi will play 1st, cust dh,buck in RF
If Buck struggles: Cust to Left, Holliday to Right, Giambi at dh
9Custs - January 8, 2009
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