Marty’s evaluation of the A’s and Yankees, with his conclusion that the A’s are the better club right now and the likely winner if they meet in the postgame season gives rise to some thoughts respecting not only the A’s but
the Giants as well.

Since the start of the season I have been comparing the Giants with the Yankees, being provoked by the fact that each was running away with their division. The comparison was not an evaluation of the two teams on a man by man basis. It simply assumed that the Yankees were the best team in the American League, that the Giants continued to maintain virtually identical won-lost record as the Yankees, altho the Giants appeared to have significant weaknesses.

The point of the comparison was to question what the Giants had, in addition to the obvious, that enabled them to continue to win at the same rate as the Yankees.

Click Below for Ed’s analysis. Is a Bay Area World Series a possibility? Ed looks at that also.

Marty LurieThere were others who were struck by the Giants early success and couldn’t quite figure out what it was that brought it about. Amaury, for instance, came up with the elusive concept of “heart”. Ultimately, since “heart” seemed too elusive he decided that it must be talent. He may very well be right on both counts, heart and talent, but talent is easier to identify. It was very early in the year to talk about “weaknesses”, early predictions being notoriously open to later correction. It hasn’t taken very long for this writer to begin having some second thoughts. It is true that included among the early Giant predictions it was mentioned that despite the asserted weaknesses the Giants were predicted to win the division. That was as much a tongue in cheek prediction from a confirmed Giant fan as it was a reasoned attempt to reach a conclusion with respect to the relative merits of the various clubs in the division. As it turns out, the opposition seems to be fading by the wayside as the season progresses. The Giants simply keep on winning and further reflection leads to the conclusion that it may be as uncomplicated as a realization that the Giants do not have the supposed weaknesses that were pointed out a few weeks ago, that they are a very good ball club. For instance, yesterday Foppert left the game in the sixth inning with a 3 to 2 lead over Maddux, having pitched a strong game to that point. If he is the 5th pitcher in the rotation, the Giants starting pitching is in pretty good shape. Moss is 5 and 0 and gives them left handed strength to go along with Reutter. Moss incidentally, has a burden to bear. Ortiz looks as tho he has a good chance to win 20 games this year. In his last start he pitched eight plus innings, threw over 130 pitches, and won the game, having given up only two runs. It brings to mind the unpleasant memory of Dusty, having decided that Ortiz was running out of steam, taking the ball away from him and handing it over to the bullpen which proceeded to lose the series. Apparently. Ortiz is more than a 6 inning pitcher and is being given the opprtunity to prove it this year. Moss will be compared to him, inevitably, and it’s a tough spot for a young pitcher to be in. So far, he has come thru. A supposed weakness, perceived a few weeks ago, namely, the left side of the infield, is beginning to come thru. Alfonzo is driving in runs, which he didn’t do for the Mets these past two years, and Aurilia may be putting eye problems behind him, problems which were causing him hitting difficulties. Cruz and Durham are continuing to play as tho they belong on a first place team. Bonds still haunts opposing teams, causing them to act irrationally, to their ultimate undoing. Worrell may be a better closer than Nen, Nathan is certainly better in his role than anyone they used there last year. They could use some bench strength in place of their two reserve outfielders but Sabean should be able to come upwith something better before very long. What it comes down to, is that they are a very good ball club with a very good manager. They haven’t suffered in that respect. They undoubtedly will slow down. They are going to lose a few games along the way, but they are probobly a shoe-in for the playoffs. A Bay Area series is not beyond anticipation. One of these days, if Marty is correct, the comparison will begin to be between the two teams playing in sight of the SF Bay. It is somewhat too soon to start doing that, not because there is undue concern about the Giants appearance post season, but because it is is tough to rule out the Yankees so quickly. They are, without question, a very good team. When Marty says that the A’s are better.he is paying the A’s a high compliment. Time will tell and that time will not occur until late in the season. In the meantime, one can only hope for the Giants to continue their phenominal run and for the A’s to continue to play as well as they have, recently, against the Yankees.