This time of year most losing teams are looking around in an effort to hire the right manager for next season.

All of a sudden, the A’s, Giants, Mariners, and Cubs have become entwined in a tug of war over potential managers that is worthy of a Hollywood script.

The A’s won 103 games, the Mariners in the 90’s, the Giants may win the World Series, and the Cubs have the best up and coming rotation in baseball.

Why are these teams connected in their search, click “read more” [Read more →]

1962 New York Yankees beat

San Francisco Giants in 7 games

****

1974 Oakland Athletics defeated

the Los Angeles Dodgers in 5 games

****

1988 Los Angeles Dodgers beat

the Oakland Athletics in 5 games

****

1989 Oakland Athletics swept the

Giants in 4

************** [Read more →]

Two California teams, two

wild card teams,

two teams that have

never won a World

Series for their cities

are going to face

each other in the

fourth All California

Fall Classic.

Something has to give…

By Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]

Growing up a die hard Orioles fan, I thoroughly rememebr each and every world series appearance the O’s made.

The first was in 1966, I was in my senior year at the University of Florida.

I was in Gainesville that October watching game four in the housemother’s room of my fraternity because it was a weekend and the only TV in the main room was tuned to Florida football.

The Orioles were 8-5 underdogs to the Dodgers, and I bet $10.00 to win $16.00 from dorm rat Richard Melker.

After the Orioles swept the Dodgers that day in four, I celebrated by hugging the septugenarian Mrs. Stern, who didn’t know why I was so ecsatic seeing a baseball team win the series.

It was a moment I’ll never forget.

The Angels are in for the first time in their 42 seasons. For me, I was an Orioles fan from 1954 (I liked the Bird on the hat) so waiting to see my team in the Fall classic was not as torturous.

Angels fans from 1961 thru the present now have gotten the ultimate thrill seeing their team get into the the World Series, there is nothing like it for a fan.

The Giants have won two pennants on the West Coast, 1962 and 1989. A third will be special since the team always seems to fall short of the series. The Giants teams in the 60’s were excellent baseball teams, but they could never get past the Dodgers.

The 2002 Giants have the greatest player of the last 50 years on their team. Barry Bonds and friends are enough to bring this team to the Series

Will they do it tonight?

[Read more →]

I was asked by the Turn2 Sports Page Editor of the Oakland Tribune to argue why the Giants will beat the Cards in the NLCS. The article appears in all of Friday’s ANG newspapers in the Bay Area.

I don’t know who took the other side of the Sports Spat.

Interestingly, I had to write the article on Wednesday night, immediately following the Giants game one victory due to newspaper deadlines.

We now know that the Giants are up two games to none in the series. Lucky for me.

Click “Read More” for my unedited work, the one I submitted to the paper Wednesday night. The reasons still apply.

[Read more →]

The baseball season is unique in that it is split into two distinct seasons.

First, the 162 game schedule balances out the vagaries of slumps, winning streaks, and other variables that are lost over the course of six months.

The second season is a cut throat tournament. One injury, one win, one two game losing streak and a team is on the brink of elimination.

During the regular season these items go unnoticed on the march to October.

Five games proves very little in matching up the strengths of two teams, seven games gives a better idea of the worth of the combatants.

Some teams play better in the tournament because of match ups, speed, power, mangerial acumen, or player experience.

With that in mind let’s look at the tournament.

[Read more →]

So after six months and days, we

are down to four teams

fighting for the World

Championship.

Pick the four that are

still alive below:

Twins: “Contract this”

Athletics: “There is no “A” in choking”

Braves: “Eleven Division Titles only one ring”

Yankees: “Go back east for the winter”

Giants: “What is this called… NLCS?”

Angels: ‘What is a World Series”? [Read more →]

All the comments are appreciated. Here’s some more thoughts on what must be done.

Get a regular centerfielder. Trade Terrence Long. Forget his potential I don’t think he works hard enough at his game. Sign Ray Durham he gives flexibility at second base if Ellis needs help in his second season plus he is your DH for three years. Get rid of Tam and Mecir for anything anyone will give you. Get one more established hitter to hit fifth, I mean a regular not a Dave Justice/John Jaha prayer. Preferably a left fielder. Trade Piatt, Byrnes, and Lidle for the hitter. The team doesn’t have enough confidence in them to make it work in Oakland. Get a legit backup who can catch twice per week without compromising the pitching staff. Sign a fourth starter, send Lilly to AAA to learn how to start, sign a 94 MPH righty to set up for the pen. Not a lot to ask and all within reach of this market and especially with the revenue sharing coming next year. Marty Lurie

[Read more →]

I’d like to see the A’s move toward playing more small ball. Not that I want them to completely abandon their current approach to the game but why not put some focus on aggressive base running? We’ve heard over and over about how the A’s stress patience at the plate and many of the guys seem to have done well in that regard. It’s what happens after they get on base I’d like to change. The Angels and Twins gave me fits with their ability to pressure our defense with smart base running.

The obvious question is who has the speed to help out here? Durham, but he’s a question mark for next year, Ellis? Byrnes? Any ideas? [Read more →]

As game five of the ALDS approached, a careful optimism swept through the A’s clubhouse. The A’s had a chance to advance to the ALCS for the first time in three years, without the mystique of the Yankee machine in their way and the supposedly unseasoned Minnesota Twins as their opponent–right?

[Read more →]