Moneyball II

[Hendu Style]

Chapter 25
Covert Operation

It's been the winter of discontent in Oakland. The city is about to lose its beloved Raiders to Los Angeles, and the A's to San Jose, by way of San Francisco. To top it off, the few die-hard fans in the East Bay who have decided to stay on board have seen their team's roster gutted first by the Giants, and most recently a controversial trade of Yoenis Cespedes and Matt Wieters to Tampa Bay.

Yes, the same team they lost to in the AL Wild Card.

None of this bothers David Forst. The A's general manager claims he has a plan that will win back the fans, and more importantly win games.

I am finally about to get a glimpse of "the plan" when I'm invited for a very suspicious midnight drive by Billy Beane. David is driving Billy's black luxury SUV. Destination? Unknown.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, having him come along for this?" David asks Billy, our SUV cruising south on Highway 880 at well over 90 miles an hour.

"Oh, we can trust him," Billy says, looking out the passenger window as exits for Fremont whoosh by in a blur. "Can't we, Michael?"

Where are we going? What are we doing? I have no idea. All I know is, they're going to have to toss me out the door for me to miss whatever this is.

"He doesn't even know what this is about," David says with a chuckle. "I mean, it's only the future of the franchise, right?"

It's meant as a joke, but no one is laughing.

We arrive at San Jose International Airport just after 12:00 am. Our SUV is ushered to a private portion of the airfield. They've been expecting us. Just as we pull up, so does an airplane. Not just any airplane.

It's Larry Ellison's $41 million Gulfstream V.

The billionaire playboy struts off his plane -- the plane he flew, by the way -- as he meets Billy and David on the private airstrip.

"Safe flight?" Billy asks his fellow co-owner.

"You know what they say, any landing you can walk away from..." Larry remarks as he catches me staring, my jaw practically hitting the tarmac as I see a strapping young man follow him down the staircase from the Gulfstream.

Justin Upton, the most coveted free agent of Winter 2015, has just landed in San Jose. Alongside him is his newly-hired agent, rap mogul Jay-Z.

In what can only be described as a surreal scene, Billy chauffeurs Justin around in Larry's McLaren F1. The world's fifth-richest man is following in tow, driving the SUV with Jay-Z riding shotgun. Me and David are in the backseat. Larry had his time with Justin on the flight to San Jose. Now it's Billy's time for a one-on-one with the free agent.

Justin is ushered on a quick tour of San Jose, before we arrive in downtown, near the Sharks' SAP Center. It is here where Justin is told the A's new stadium will be built, in time for the 2019 season.

"There's going to be a nice little porch for you in left field," Billy says to Justin, pointing to the vacant lot. "It's not going to be the Coliseum. You're going to be hitting lots of homeruns in this ballpark. Hopefully for us."

The late night tour ends with a drive north on a foggy Highway 101. Our final destination is Larry Ellison's home in Woodside, about 30 minutes away from downtown San Jose.

Not to name drop, but this isn't my first visit to a celebrity's home. "Moneyball" gave me the opportunity to meet some interesting celebrities with even more interesting homes. But nothing -- and I mean nothing -- compares to what I'm about to see.

I swear, harps were playing and angels were singing as the wrought iron gates opened for our little caravan. Before us stood a 23-acre compound, in an imperial Japanese palace motif. I swear, you can't make this stuff up. But this story isn't about Larry's home (or is it?), it's about Justin Upton.

Even Justin can't hide his awe-struck expression. If the mission was to amaze, mission accomplished.

"Come on inside and let's talk," Larry tells Justin and Jay-Z.

Over the course of the next hour, Billy lays it out for Justin. He tells him how there are big plans for the A's in San Jose, and how Justin will be the centerpiece. The A's are ready to make the jump from competitive small market team, to dynasty big market club.

David takes the handoff from Billy, explaining how Justin will be sandwiched between #2 hitter Travis d'Arnaud's .305 average and 30 homeruns, and cleanup man Mike Moustakas and his .331 clip. He will rove the outfield in left alongside veteran Michael Saunders in center, and rifle-armed Josh Reddick out in right.

Terms of the deal are loosely discussed. The deal will be front-loaded in the first year, to capitalize on the A's relatively low payroll for 2016. The middle of the contract will be leaner in money, with more money in the back-end when the A's move to San Jose.

"Where do I sign?" Justin asks with a sly smile.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Talks draw out from November into late December. The Yankees, White Sox, and even the Royals are all pursuing Justin, hot and heavy. But the A's have been the silent ones in the negotiations. And on December 28th, Justin Upton signs with the team no one ever would have thought had a chance. The A's have long been a team that loses free agents and mega-watt talents... Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, Johnny Damon, Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, Yoenis Cespedes.

But this time, the A's finally got their man. Justin Upton is an Athletic.

[Hendu Style]

2016 A's Preview

Do we call them the Oakland A's? The San Francisco A's? The San Jose A's? Their name still technically belongs to Oakland. They're playing in San Francisco. Their future home is San Jose.

Let's just call them the A's. And they're not the A's we know from years past.

The acquisition of Justin Upton has left the team vulnerable at other positions heading into the upcoming season. If you're going to pay $20 million a year for one player, you're going to have to take some shortcuts. It is reflected in the 25-man roster coming out of Spring Training, with glaring holes at second base, centerfield, and at designated hitter.

Credit David Forst for trying to be creative in filling those gaps. He traded young first baseman Max Muncy to Minnesota for Ryan Gennett. "Scooter," as they call him, is a flawed middle infielder with almost no range, though he could end up being a .280 hitter in the bigs. We'll soon find out.

KEY POSITION BATTLES:

22 year-old Matt Olson will finally get his big league break with Muncy out of town, and should see time at first base behind Mark Trumbo, or even at DH. Michael Saunders held off prospects David Dahl and James Ramsay for the starting centerfield job, and journeyman Craig Gentry surprisingly earned the fourth outfield role despite a whale of a spring by Ramsay, the presumed centerfielder of the future. Rumor has it Dahl will head back to AAA and move over to left field from his natural center.

Sonny Gray won a tight battle for the fifth spot in the A's rotation, edging out Jeurys Familia and Jenrry Mejia. Mejia has struggled mightily in AAA and may be running out of time with the A's at age 26. Familia, though, may have earned a stay of execution as he's reportedly working on a much-needed changeup to complement his devastating fastball and slider. It could be the difference between being a starting pitcher and a middle reliever.

OUTLOOK:

The A's have never really projected all that well going into the season, but always end up exceeding expectations. That's a good thing, since they look to be a middling .500 team with some upside this season. The arrival of Upton signals a shift in philosophy for the A's, for better or for worse. It will be interesting to see how the team adapts to play its home games at San Francisco's AT&T Park, a far cry from the vast expanses of O.co Coliseum. The A's may have the marquee name they've always wanted in Upton, but it has come at the expense of what makes the A's, well, the A's.

[fromtheline]

I assume you do not bother with the schedules, and that theoretically the A's and Giants could both be playing home games at the same time? Or are there special arrangements of note that would affect the A's for these two years.

[Hendu Style]

Chapter 26
Surprise, Surprise

2016 had disaster written all over it. A cross bay move into an awkward rooming predicament with the Giants. A controversial trade of outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. A big-time signing of free agent Justin Upton that reeked of desperation. On its face, it was a bad situation. But as we well know, the A's rarely do what's expected.

After a brutal 5-9 start, the A's went on a remarkable 14-2 run into May. Before they knew it, they had the best record in baseball at the All-Star Break at 59-35. Jarrod Parker headlines a list of six A's to make the All-Star team, including three starting pitchers. Parker was simply dazzling, earning an All-Star starting nod, and going 19-0 with a 1.82 ERA in his first 26 starts.

Sticking to the same formula that got them into the postseason in the three years prior, the A's leaned on a pitching staff that led the league in ERA, and a speedy outfield that helped the A's rank second in the AL in defensive efficiency.

The big difference this season, though, was the offense. Though Yoenis had a career year for the Rays (33 HR, 111 RBI), the A's boasted a batting order that hit .261 in the regular season (2nd in the AL), hit 191 homeruns (3rd), and scored 729 runs (5th). Justin Upton lived up to his free agent hype, hitting .298 with 28 homeruns and 97 RBI, while catcher Travis d'Arnaud set new career highs with 32 homeruns and 95 RBI while hitting an even .300 on the year.

James Ramsay, the outfielder netted in the Yoenis-Wieters trade, was impressive in his rookie season, hitting .296 and scoring 45 runs in 81 games. David Dahl, who had a disastrous 14-game call-up in 2015, hit .294 in 63 games, giving the A's two young up-and-comers to surround Upton in the outfield.

The A's would go on to win the AL West with a mark of 93-69, featuring a hodgepodge of All-Stars like Upton and d'Arnaud, and youngsters like Dahl, Ramsay, and infielders Addison Russell and Cavan Biggio.

Led by their ace Parker (5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 6 postseason starts), the A's blew right past the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Divisional Series, 3 games to 1. They had a similar 3-1 series lead on Detroit, before finally putting the Tigers away, 4-3, to win the ALCS. After dropping Game 1 of the World Series against the Cubs (yes, the Cubs), the A's took the next two, including another masterful performance by Parker in Game 3 (8 innings, 3 hits, 3 runs). But Parker would never get his chance to throw a second game in the series, when Oakland's bullpen surrendered four 9th inning runs in a 7-4 loss in Game 6. The Cubs had won the World Series, as the A's once again watched the on-field championship celebration from the dugout.

The finish was certainly disappointing, but the direction is exactly right where the A's want to be headed. But even with a new stadium on the horizon in San Jose, the A's will have to bide their time and make some of their typical savvy moves to remain competitive against the likes of the Dodgers and the Yankees. Especially with another strong free agent class on the way this winter.

[Hendu Style]

Originally Posted by fromtheline

I assume you do not bother with the schedules, and that theoretically the A's and Giants could both be playing home games at the same time? Or are there special arrangements of note that would affect the A's for these two years.

Great question. I thought about it tweaking it, but I thought the risk would outweigh the reward. So, yes, there are probably a couple of series where the A's and Giants are both playing at AT&T. Also, I didn't touch the A's market size or anything other than the stadium itself. The A's will have the added bonus of a slightly larger ballpark, but any market size, fan interest and loyalty will have to be earned by the A's.

[fromtheline]

It was a bit strange for me that suddenly the whole 2016 season went by so quickly.

Oh well, the Cubs finally won the World Series. Pigs have flown, so it must be your turn soon enough. Maybe the first season in San Jose.

By the way, Toronto with the top three home run leaders... WOW

[Hendu Style]

Originally Posted by fromtheline

It was a bit strange for me that suddenly the whole 2016 season went by so quickly.

Oh well, the Cubs finally won the World Series. Pigs have flown, so it must be your turn soon enough. Maybe the first season in San Jose.

By the way, Toronto with the top three home run leaders... WOW

I was stunned to see that too. Not surprisingly, Toronto led the league in HR's as a team. They also had David Price as their ace, but I think he was injured for the first round or two, which really cost them. But I'll gladly take on a team like Toronto in the postseason... I like my chances with Jarrod Parker, Dan Straily, and Taijuan Walker against their Murderers Row.

[Hendu Style]

Chapter 27
Simple Math

The A's raked in the postseason awards in the wake of their surprising World Series run. Jarrod Parker, AL Cy Young. Bob Melvin, AL Manager of the Year (his second in three years). Matt Olson, AL Rookie of the Year (the A's 4th since 2004).

But the A's are far from content or willing to sit on their laurels during the offseason. Keeping with their theme of trading pitchers in their prime (and at their peak trade value), Dan Straily was sent packing to St. Louis in a multi-player swap that netted the A's young pitcher Cliff Jensen. A hard throwing right-hander, Jensen went 14-4 with a 2.49 ERA for the Cardinals' AA affiliate in Springfield before getting a cup of coffee to end the 2016 season. Straily won 26 games over the course of the last two years, but was going to cost the A's somewhere between $7 and $8 million in arbitration for the 2017 season.

It is a trade that is eerily similar to that of Mark Mulder. Coming off of a 17-8 campaign in 2004, the left-hander was poised for a big payday down the line. A payday the A's could not afford. So they traded Mulder to the St. Louis Cardinals on December 18th of that year for Daric Barton, Kiko Calero, and Danny Haren. After three strong seasons from 2005-2007, Haren was shipped off to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a haul of prospects, most notably P Brett Anderson, OF Aaron Cunningham, 1B Chris Carter, and OF Carlos Gonzalez.

The effects of the Mulder trade are still being felt through the A's organization to this day. Many an Athletic is still in someway tied to that trade. Call it "Six Degrees of Mark Mulder."

The A's are banking on the Straily trade panning out in similar fashion, saving a cool $12.5 million in payroll by trading their starting pitcher along with leftfielder David Dahl, catcher Bruce Maxwell, centerfielder Riley Unroe, and first baseman Pedro Palacios to St. Louis for Jensen and $5 million in cash considerations. Of course, it's a big risk giving up not only Straily, but also two coveted prospects in Dahl and Maxwell.

"It's simple math," A's GM David Forst explains. "We save money, and we trade players where we already have a considerable surplus. We never really had room for Dahl or Maxwell, or Unroe for that matter. We do, however, need a pitcher under team control with tremendous upside. Jensen is that guy."

With just two players (infielders Eric Sogard and Ryan Gennett) set to go to arbitration, the A's will have a surplus of money to spend on free agents in the winter of 2016. Tops on the A's wish list will be finding a veteran middle infielder, an outfielder to replace Michael Saunders, and a reliever to help the impending loss of closer Carlos Marmol.

"We were lucky to get a guy like Marmol three years ago," David blissfully remembers, having landed the closer for a song as he recuperated from a devastating elbow injury. Marmol signed a 3-year deal worth a total of $6.8 million with the A's. His rumored asking price this offseason is $17 million. Per season.

There appears to be no such bargains on the market this winter. The A's were able to beef up their bullpen with the acquisition of Armando Rivero (2.35 ERA in 59 appearances last season) from the Cubs, though the 28 year old can't possibly replace the likes of Marmol as the closer. The A's may end up going with a closer by committee if no clear winner emerges in Spring Training.

The A's find their middle infielder when they dangle starting pitcher Zach Britton just as eligible players file for free agency. Though David has not a single left handed starter he can plug into the rotation to replace Britton, the demand for the lefty is just too good to pass up. With marquee free agents commanding salaries of more than $12 million, Britton's annual salary of $4.1 million is a bargain. Plus, he's under contract for another three seasons.

"We really didn't give up much for Zach as I recall," David says. And he's right. The Orioles traded Britton, an effective reliever in 2014, to Oakland for journeyman first baseman Brandon Moss. As it turns out, Britton turned into a solid starting pitcher, winning 35 games over the course of the last three seasons in 95 starts, posting a career-best 3.38 ERA and 171 strikeouts this past season.

Arizona offers up second baseman Didi Gregorius in return, plus cash. The Diamondbacks are certain Gregorius's value will never be higher, hitting .342 in 500 at-bats last season, on his way to the NL batting title, after hitting just .236 the prior season. Gregorius is under club control for another three years and is dead-set on cashing in as a free agent, meaning he is essentially a three-year rental for any team for the next three years. The A's are only to happy to oblige the D'Backs for a trade.

They hope they've found a replacement for Britton in the rotation in the form of Eric Brooks, a Rule 5 draftee formerly of the Rangers and Rays who went 9-4 in 27 AAA starts for the Durham Bulls in 2016. Brooks is the typical A's "diamond in the rough" find. A middling starter in his late 20's with little velocity, but a solid command of the strike zone.

"Will he make our rotation?" David asks rhetorically. "I kind of hope not. But he's a great 'Plan B'."

Ah, yes... Plan B. Once again, the A's have set their sights on a mammoth free agent. Two years ago, Oakland backed off of its pursuit of Masahiro Tanaka, a phenomenal international pitcher. The Japan right-hander won 13 games in his first season stateside, and followed that up with a Cy Young campaign in 2016, winning 17 games and striking out 243 batters, all while posting a 2.74 ERA. The Milwaukee Brewers may have gotten a relative bargain, paying Tanaka an average of $17 million per season.

"He'll always be the one that got away," David concedes. He had pushed Billy Beane to sign Tanaka back in 2014, but Beane cooled off talks when he grew concerned over the enormous salary. "Can you imagine if Tanaka was in our rotation slotted next to Jarrod Parker? That combo in a best-of-5 would be nearly unbeatable. Right up there with (Randy) Johnson and (Curt) Schilling for the Diamondbacks."

David is determined to right this wrong, though, by focusing his free agent shopping money on the prize of Winter 2016. A pitcher who's amazing talent dwarfs that of even Masahiro Tanaka. The "Plan A."

Stephen Strasburg.

[Hendu Style]

Chapter 28
Geography Lesson

If Justin Upton was the grand prize of the 2015 free agent class, Stephen Strasburg was the golden ticket for 2016.

In his first seven seasons with the Washington Nationals, Strasburg had gone 69-32 with a 2.76 ERA, while fanning 1,178 and walking just 188 batters in 920 innings pitched. He was a 3-time National League All-Star pitcher, a Cy Young winner, a Gold Glove pitcher, and a World Series champion. Oh, and he threw a no-hitter somewhere in between all of that. At the age of 28, Strasburg had nothing left to prove.

So when baseball's biggest free agent pitcher since Nolan Ryan hit the market, the A's were ready. They had freed up significant payroll to make sure they could make a push for Strasburg, even if his demands exceeded $20 million per season.

Almost a year to the day that Upton stepped off of Larry Ellison's Gulfstream V at San Jose International, Strasburg arrived in the Bay Area, this time flying commercial at his own request. He was wooed with the pomp and circumstance befitting a Hall-of-Famer in the making, checking out the construction site for the A's new ballpark in downtown, meeting potential future teammates Jarrod Parker and Travis d'Arnaud, and hearing the same ol' song and dance from Billy Beane, David Forst, and manager Bob Melvin.

What's not to like? The A's have become a legitimate World Series contender, ready to move into a new ballpark, with an owner that isn't afraid to spend for top free agents.

When Strausburg left the Bay Area, Forst nudged Billy with an elbow, saying, "We got him."

Ten days later, on December 17th, the bombshell hit the A's front office. Strasburg's agent informed them that he had accepted an offer to play for the Padres. The A's pleaded with the agent, telling him they'll raise their offer... just give them a chance to sign him. But Strasburg had already made up his mind. He was heading back to San Diego, where he was born and raised, and eventually played college baseball at San Diego State for Tony Gwynn. All for just $16 million a year, far below his market value.

The A's never had a chance.

David dealt with the crushing blow the best way he knew how. By making a trade. Second baseman Ryan Gennett was dealt to Arizona for outfielder AJ Pollock during the Winter Meetings.

"That deal really got me out of my funk," David admits. "Billy and I had a heart to heart. He basically told me, get my s*** together and move on down the list."

And David certainly did. He got back on the free agent train when he inked Colorado reliever Marc Rzepczynski to a 3-year, $2 million deal, giving the A's a much-needed lefty to complement Sean Doolittle in the bullpen.

"I'll tell you, that's a Billy Beane-type move right there," says one AL scout. "You're talking about a guy who was lights out in St. Louis a couple years ago (1.53 ERA in 52 appearances), but got lit up in the altitude with the Rockies last season (4.82 ERA). Nobody had much interest in a guy like Rzepczynski. But you put him in a pitcher's ballpark, and you'll like what you see."

While David was making small-time moves that would make Billy proud, he still lusted after a high-impact starting rotation to give the A's a "Big 3" come playoff time. But the marquee names were coming off the board: Daniel Hudson (5 years/$78 million to Texas) and Brett Anderson (6 years, $87.6 million) wound up in the AL West to two of the A's biggest rivals. Glen Perkins (2 years/$39.6 million) signed with the Yankees. But David couldn't help notice one-time phenom Michael Pineda still on the market.

"Pineda's upside is just tremendous," says A's scouting director Eric Kubota. "People have kind of soured on him since his ERA's been north of 4.00 in the last few seasons, but he's still got Cy Young-type stuff. And he's still only 28."

That's all David needs to take a chance on Pineda. The asking price on the Dominican is roughly $13 million per season, and he's been in talks with the Yankees, Angels, and Dodgers. David knows he can't win a bidding war with any of those teams, so he does something ingenious and frontloads the contract.

"Typically, you pay a player progressively more as the contract goes on," David explains. "But we had so much money freed up to go after Strasburg, I figured I could just use that first-year money to wow Pineda, and then pay him much less over the life of the contract."

The deal calls for Pineda (13-11, 4.26 ERA, 217 IP, 161 K in 2016) to make an astounding $28.6 million in the first year of the contract. That means he'll be the second-highest paid player during the 2017 season, trailing only Josh Hamilton. But after that, his salary plummets to $6.6 million in year 2, and $7.9 million in years 3 and 4.

Pineda signs the contract with the A's when his other suitors exit talks almost immediately.

The national pundits roast the A's for paying Pineda more than pitching counterparts Justin Verlander ($28 million), Felix Hernandez ($26 million), and Zach Grienke ($23 million). But the fact of the matter is the A's will end up paying the right-hander a respectable $12.6 million annually in the 4-year contract. That's half that of Verlander and Hernandez, and less than Perkins, Hudson, and Anderson signed in their respective deals this winter.

"I'm not going to deny that I would still much rather have Strasburg than Pineda," David concedes. "But I can't change geography. The Padres got a hometown discount because they happen to play in San Diego. There's maybe a $3 million a year difference between Strasburg and Pineda, so the Padres got the better end of that. But maybe we end up using that extra money towards that one guy who pushes us over the top. You never know."

The A's wind up using some of that extra payroll to sign two of their own pitchers to long-term extensions. Jeurys Familia signs a $1 million a year deal that will keep in the Bay Area through 2022. Closer-in-waiting Mark Montgomery signs for a hair more through 2023. That's two relievers for a grand total of $11.4 million over a combined 11 years.

Meanwhile, shockwaves are sent throughout Major League Baseball when the Cleveland Indians sign closer Carlos Marmol to a 3-year deal that will pay him an average of $20.6 million a year. For a guy who will pitch around 60-75 innings. To further the point, the A's sign the guy who once held down Cleveland's closer role, Eric O'Flaherty, to a 3-year deal for $6.39 million... total. It's further illustration of just how ahead of the curve the A's are compared to the competition.

[Hendu Style]

A look at the A's projected 2017 lineups, rotation, and bullpen, plus the salary sheet for the next few years. The A's total payroll has jumped to $108 million (12th in all of baseball), though that number figures to tumble after Pineda's first year is off the books.

[Hendu Style]

2017 Predictions...

[Hendu Style]

Reeling A's Consider Big Shakeup

May 31, 2017

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Losers of five of their last seven games, 4.5 games out of first place, the Oakland A's are considering a shakeup to snap them out of their early season funk. High-priced free agent acquisition Michael Pineda was roughed up for five first inning runs in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Padres, ending a miserable 10-16 month of May.

"Thank God that month is over," said a beleaguered David Forst after the game. The A's general manager acknowledged that he is considering shaking things up, but is holding off on a trade for the time being.

"I think the pieces are in place for us to be a very, very good team," said Forst. "I feel that it's just a matter of properly using those pieces, and right now I don't think we're doing that."

Chief among Forst's concerns right now is a lineup that ranks 12th out of 15 American League teams in runs scored. Journeyman Eric Sogard has been pressed into duty with middle infielders Addison Russell and Arismendy Alcantara both on the disabled list with injuries. Cavan Biggio, thought to be a long-term solution at second base, has struggled at a .227 batting clip and has been relegated to DH duties so he can focus on his hitting. The A's are also pondering bringing up 19 year-old outfield prospect Sancho Fajardo, who is batting .310 with 24 stolen bases in AAA Sacramento.

"That is absolutely on the list of options," said Forst.

The A's have been holding off on calling up Fajardo until he cut down his strikeout numbers. In his first full season in AAA last year, he struck out 164 times in 134 games. This year, those numbers are down to 34 in 50 games. He would also bring a much needed element of speed (24 steals in 28 attempts this season) to a lineup that has stolen a total of just 24 bases all season.

The A's bullpen has also struggled out of the gate, with newly-inserted closer Michael Montgomery leading the AL with 16 saves, but getting hammered for a 5.24 ERA so far this season.

"Montgomery's going to be just fine," said Forst. "But in the short-term, we may have to start looking at someone else in that role."

Jeurys Familia, a recently converted reliever, has been a revelation, posting a 1.48 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 24.1 innings pitched. He would seem to be the most likely candidate to take over at closer.

At 27-26, the A's are far from out of the pennant chase. But the month of June could be a very telling one for a team that is looking to reach the postseason for a sixth year in a row, something even the 1970's A's failed to accomplish.

[Hendu Style]

What a Relief! A's Make All-Star Break Swap

July 19, 2017

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Two teams looking to make a second half push brokered a trade during the All-Star Break on Wednesday, as the Oakland A's (52-43) sent right fielder Josh Reddick, pitcher Eric Brooks, and a minor leaguer to the St. Louis Cardinals (47-47) for relievers John Gast and Trevor Rosenthal.

Reddick had recently lost his starting job in right field to rookie Sancho Fajardo, prompting the A's to shop the veteran around the league. Reddick had spent the past six seasons in Oakland, hitting a career-high 32 homeruns in 2012, but never hitting better than his current .271 clip.

"We wish Josh nothing but the best," said A's general manager David Forst. "He is a class act and played a big part in turning us into a perennial playoff contender. He will be missed."

Brooks had earned a spot in the A's starting rotation, posting a 4.58 ERA in 16 starts, while compiling a record of 4-6.

In return, the A's get two relievers who should help bolster the team's bullpen. Gast and Rosenthal are expected to join the A's 25-man roster immediately, with Armando Rivero (5.18 ERA in 19 appearances) being demoted to AAA Sacramento.

[Hendu Style]

Chapter 29
Playing a Hunch

The prognosticators had called for a tight race in the American League West in 2017. And for once, the so-called experts were actually right.

The Angels were loaded with Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Josh Hamilton in the middle of the order, plus the free agent acquisition of former A's pitcher Brett Anderson. The Rangers had added first baseman Freddie Freeman from Atlanta through free agency, as well as Arizona pitcher Daniel Hudson. Seattle's young core of pitchers -- Kyle Hunter, Vance Worley, and Brett Oberholtzer -- had developed into strong complements to ace Felix Hernandez.

All three teams, plus the A's, would win at least 86 games during the regular season. All but one would reach the postseason.

The A's seemed like a team just biding their time. Sharing the Giants' AT&T Park in San Francisco, the A's were waiting for their new $500 million stadium in the South Bay to be constructed. Reigning Cy Young winner Jarrod Parker went 15-12, posting an uncharacteristically high 3.93 ERA. Taijuan Walker's 4.75 ERA was the worst of his Major League career. The A's starting rotation, considered the best in baseball over the last decade, had a collective ERA of 4.20.

The bullpen wasn't much better. Mark Montgomery, Jeurys Familia, and Ryan Cook all held the closer's role at different points in the season. Montgomery and Familia failed spectacularly in their stints, while Cook finally gave the A's some consistency towards the end of the season.

Despite the unimpressive campaign by the pitching staff, the A's remained competitive in 2017 for one reason: Justin Upton.

Though he had come to the Bay Area as a highly sought-after free agent, Upton never really considered himself a franchise player. He had become one when he hit .334 with 31 homers in his walk year in 2015 in Atlanta. And in 2017, he showed the A's they were right to commit so many million dollars to the Norfolk, Virginia native.

On June 1st, Upton went 0-for-6 with 4 strikeouts in a frustrating 14-inning loss to the Padres. His batting average dipped to .291, with 11 homeruns and 31 RBI. Not bad numbers... he was actually doing well. But Upton wanted to do better. He had a lengthy after game discussion with A's hitting coach Marino Santana.

Santana's star has been on the rise in the A's organization, first as the manager of Oakland's class-A affiliate in Beloit, and then as a mid-season replacement as the A's hitting coach in 2015. The following year, the A's bumped their collective batting average from .249 to .261. Santana was earning trust within the A's clubhouse.

The conversation between Upton and Santana centered on the hitter's wrists, rolling over too late in the swing. It was an amazingly simple observation by the hitting coach; one that seemed so obvious to him but never registered with Upton. Santana took Upton through a BP session after the talk, and it immediately clicked.

Not coincidentally, the A's were 27-27 after the San Diego loss, tied for 3rd place in the AL West. After that game, he went on a 7-game hitting streak, recording multi-hit games in all but one of those contests. By the end of the month, his batting average had climbed to .320. At the end of July, his average was up to .345. He finished the regular season with a Major League-best .342 average while belting a career-best 41 homeruns. If not for Corey Seager's 127 RBI, Upton could very well have had himself a Triple Crown.

The A's entered the final weekend of the season at 89-70, just 2 games behind the first place Los Angeles Angels, and two games ahead of third place Texas. A sweep of the Angels would give the A's the AL West title. Anything else would send them to the AL Wildcard against the Rangers.

Unfortunately for the A's, there would be no drama in the final series of the regular season. Parker was shelled for 6 runs and got the hook after retiring just one batter in the second inning. An 8-5 loss doomed the A's to another season of having to play their way in to a playoff series.

Instead of going with his ace, or even second-best starter, manager Bob Melvin decided to buck the odds and go with Michael Pineda for the one-game Wildcard. The way he figured it, if the A's won, they would have a fresh rotation for the division playoffs. Plus, why not put the ball in the hand of the guy earning $28 million this season?

"I look forward to proving I am worth the money the A's have given me," Pineda said at the end of the regular season. "I will not disappoint them."

He certainly did not. Pineda surrendered just one run and struck out eight in a gutsy 7-plus inning effort in which he gave up eleven hits. Cavan Biggio, who had taken over starting second baseman duties with Didi Gregorius out for the year with a concussion, hit a 3-run homer in the second to lift the A's to a 3-1 victory.

Beating the Rangers in a one-game Wildcard was one thing. Now they had to get past a Baltimore Oriole squad that led the majors with a 98-64 mark in the regular season. Dylan Bundy, the prohibitive favorite to win the 2017 Cy Young, shut down the A's lineup in Game 1, striking out 12 in an 8-1 victory.

"We took one on the chin tonight," A's starter Jarrod Parker said after the game. "If we're going to win this series, we've got to find a way to grind out a win tomorrow night."

Cliff Jensen answered the call. Limited to just 15 starts during the regular season (12 with the A's, 3 in AAA Sacramento), Jensen gave the A's a much-needed fresh arm after missing half the season with a ruptured finger tendon. The A's had given up so much to get Jensen, sending Dan Straily, BJ Maxwell, David Dahl, and a pair of minor leaguers to St. Louis for him. While Straily struggled to an 8-win/4.86 ERA campaign with the Cardinals, Maxwell (.294, 17 HR) blossomed into a starting catcher, and Dahl hit a respectable .251 as a backup outfielder. A's general manager David Forst had hitched his wagon to Jensen, and now so were the A's.

Jensen was clutch. A 7 inning, 7 strikeout effort helped the A's take Game 2 of the ALDS, and they eventually won the series, 3 games to 2. Now only the Cleveland Indians stood between the A's and a return trip to the World Series.

Jensen was strong in Game 1, supported by homeruns from Mark Trumbo and Matt Olson in a 4-3 victory. Taijuan Walker's 7 shutout innings in Game 2 and Michael Pineda's masterful complete game, 11 strikeout gem in Game 3 gave the A's a 3-0 series lead.

Following a "hunch" in Game 4, Melvin decided to give the nod to Sonny Gray for the potential sweep and clincher. Considering Gray had pitched in nothing but relief appearances since the end of June, this was indeed a hunch. And while hunches had gone well for the two-time manager of the year in the past, there were some doubts, especially after a similar gamble in the previous season's postseason. It was then that Melvin decided to hand over the closer's job to Mark McDonald after Carlos Marmol had faltered late in the season. McDonald famously blew a late inning lead in the 2016 playoffs to end the season.

Again, this time, Melvin's hunch didn't pan out. Gray was tattooed for five runs on nine hits and didn't make it out of the 5th inning, as the Indians avoided the sweep with a 13-9 win. Even more doubt began to creep in when Cleveland won Game 5, 9-7, to force a Game 6 in Cleveland at Progressive Field.

Any doubts, though, were put to rest in a commanding performance by the neophyte Jensen. He limited Cleveland's feared 3-4 hitters Corey Seager and Jason Heyward (.278, 39 HR, 127 RBI; .263, 28 HR, 100 RBI respectively) to a collective 2-for-8 with no extra basehits in a 5-0 shutout victory.

The A's were headed to the World Series for a second year in a row.

Meanwhile, there was another Bay Area team with championship hopes of its own. The San Francisco Giants, a Wildcard qualifier thanks to a 90-72 regular season, had dispatched the Mets in the NL Wildcard, and the Miami Marlins in the NL Division Series. AT&T Park was awash in playoff fever as the A's and Giants alternated days during the League Championship Series. One day after the A's had clinched the ALCS in Cleveland, the Giant won Game 7 of the NLCS against the Cardinals back home in San Francisco.

The A's and Giants were set to square off against each other in a World Series like no other.

[Hendu Style]

Chapter 30
Phone Booth Series

The Oakland A's. "Oakland," in name only. 2017 marked the second year in a three year stretch where the A's would call Oakland home, but play in San Francisco. The logo said "Oakland." The company letterhead said "Oakland." But that ship had sailed long ago when the A's had to cozy up with the Giants at AT&T Park in an awkward rooming arrangement while their new ballpark was being constructed in nearby San Jose.

Now here the A's were, dorming with the Giants yet again, this time in the World Series. Nobody could've possibly imagined this. Both the A's and Giants were considered longshots at best to reach the World Series. Both were Wildcards in their respective leagues, running on fumes heading into the playoffs.

Who would be the "home" team and who would be "away"? That was easy. The National League had homefield by virtue of its win in the All-Star Game. What was strange, though, was watching the Giants arrive in the visitor's lockerroom for the so-called "away" games when the A's were the so-called home team.

Mercifully, that was the only hang up in the Series. It was back in 1989, in Oakland's last World Championship season, that the Bay Bridge Series was halted due to the Loma Prieta Earthquake. If the Giants had to use the visitor's lockers, so be it.

Dubbed "The Phone Booth Series," in regard to AT&T Park, the 2017 World Series had no shortage of storylines. Besides sharing the ballpark, the A's and Giants also shared players when Josh Rutledge, Dayan Viciedo, and BJ Boyd were sent to San Francisco as part of a compensation package. Rutledge had transformed into an All-Star second baseman, and hit .292 during the '17 regular season. Boyd was the Giants' starting centerfielder, setting career highs in homeruns (14), RBI (67), runs scored (94), and stolen bases (54). Viciedo was the Giants starting rightfielder, but had a disappointing season with a .257 average and just 10 homeruns (far from the career-high 25 he hit in a split season with the White Sox and A's in 2015). That was three former A's helping the Giants as everyday starters reach the World Series.

Game 1 went to the A's, 9-6, eventhough Oakland couldn't get out of its own way. Cavan Biggio, Mark Trumbo, and Addison Russell all committed errors, but the pitching was strong. Jarrod Parker picked up the win, going 6.2 solid innings (despite giving up a 2nd inning homerun to Rutledge), and Ryan Cook pitched a scoreless 9th (his 8th consecutive postseason appearance without allowing a run) for his 5th save of the playoffs.

Another ex-Athletic homered for the Giants the following night, but BJ Boyd's 9th inning homerun came too late in a 9-5 A's victory. "Oakland" had seized a 2-0 World Series lead by taking the first two "road" games.

Game 3 felt like a must-win for the Giants, and they treated it as such. Cliff Jensen was roughed up for 5 runs on 6 hits in just 2.1 innings, as San Francisco got back into the Phone Booth Series with a 6-3 victory.

Things were going along swimmingly for the Giants in when Pablo Sandoval swatted an RBI double to open up the scoring in the first inning of Game 4. But the "Panda" was caught on FOX cameras pumping his chest, and lip-readers could clearly see Sandoval declaring "This is our f---ing house" to pitcher Michael Pineda and pretty much anyone else within shouting distance.

"That kind of lit a fire under all of us," said A's first baseman Mark Trumbo after the game. "We know this is their house, but my gosh... you don't show up our pitcher like that."

Every Athletic in the batting order registered a hit, and Trumbo belted a 2-run homer in the 7th to give Oakland a 4-3 lead. After Sandoval hit a second RBI double to tie it up in the 8th, the A's took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double from Mark Moustakas. The A's had taken the series by the throat with a 6-4 victory.

Game 5 started almost the same as the previous night, when Viciedo came through with a run-scoring double in the top of the 2nd inning. But then the A's #8 and #9 hitters answered in emphatic fashion in the bottom of the frame.

Addison Russell took Giants pitcher John Denks deep to left with a 2-run homer, giving the A's a 2-1 lead. Matt Olson followed suit with another homerun... back-to-back jacks and a 3-1 Oakland lead.

"I just felt like I had to seize the moment," Russell told reporters after the game. He was the one, after all, that the A's had decided to protect in their compensation draft with the Giants, letting Rutledge go across the Bay to San Francisco. Many questioned the decision, as Russell still hadn't realized his enormous potential as a shortstop, while Rutledge had turned into an All-Star second baseman.

Yet another Panda RBI double pulled the Giants within 1 run in the 8th, and the G-Men tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the 9th on a Jarrett Parker (no relation to Jarrod) sacrifice fly. Cook, who had been lights out in the postseason, had just allowed his first run, and it couldn't have come at a worse time.

"Was I worried?" Cook said afterward, repeating a reporter's question. "Nah. We're the f---ing A's!"

The team that had let multiple championship opportunities slip away in previous years wasn't about to let this one go. Moustakas led off the bottom of the 9th with a single. Russell bunted him over to second. Moustakas reached third on an Olson ground out. Sancho Fajardo, who recently celebrated his 20th birthday, stepped up to the plate with a chance to be the hero.

"I dreamed of this moment since I was a child," the Dominican said through an interpreter in the postgame press conference. "The A's took a chance on me when I was 16, and I did not want to let them down."

"The Bullet" certainly did not. The heir to Josh Reddick's spot in right field fell behind 1-2 in the count on two called strikes against Giants closer Stephen Johnson. His fastball typically clocked in at 95 mph, but was humming along just south of 100 in an adrenaline fueled at-bat. After pumping a fastball high and tight on Fajardo, the stage was set for the kind of moment that comes by all too rarely in pro sports. A walk-off win.

Fajardo jammed his batting helmet tight on to his head, twirled his bat between his hands, and stepped back into the batter's box, digging himself in to the AT&T clay. Stephens glared at Fajardo, trying to intimidate the 20 year-old. Fajardo said afterward he never noticed, though something could've been lost in translation.

Fastball... pure gas... outside corner...

You have to understand, the A's have not won a World Series since 1989. They've had seasons where they were surely destined to win again. 1990, they had the far superior team to the Cincinnati Reds, but were cut down in short order by "The Nasty Boys" and Eric Davis's lacerated kidney.

But on this night... the ghosts of Rob Dibble, Norm Charlton, Randy Myers, and the Reds would be confronted head on.

Fajardo swings... off the end of the bat...

The A's had the Yankees on the ropes in the 2001 Divisional Series, until Derek Jeter erased those championship hopes with his iconic backhand flip to home plate. Many felt that was the tipping point for the A's franchise... the moment they were on the verge of greatness, but would come up short, time and time again when matched up with the high payroll teams.

But this time there would be no miracle play to bail out the Giants. Nothing was getting in the A's this time.

Flared over the glove of Rutledge! Moustakas sprints towards home plate... A's win! A's win! A'S WIN!!!!

With one swing of the bat, the A's erased 28 years of playoff misery. Fittingly enough, it came against the very same team the won their last World Championship against. The San Francisco Giants.

For the tenth time in franchise history, and for the first time since 1989, the A's were World Series champions.

[Hendu Style]

Your 2017 World Series Champion Oakland A's...

[fromtheline]

Congratulations!!

[rpriske]

Who is the World Series MVP? If I had to guess, it looks like Addison Russell.

[Hendu Style]

Originally Posted by rpriske

Who is the World Series MVP? If I had to guess, it looks like Addison Russell.

I'd say Russell, too. Homered in Game 1 and clinching Game 5. Addison it is!

[Hendu Style]

A's Celebrate 10th Championship In Style

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- The A's victory parade appropriately started in Oakland, continuing across the Bay Bridge, wrapping up at San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square on Monday. They hope to do the same thing a couple of years from now in San Jose.

"This is what's it all about, baby!" shouted A's outfielder Justin Upton in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 at Oakland's Jack London Square. "We couldn't have done it without Oaktown!"

It's been less than two weeks since the A's clinched the tenth World Championship in franchise history, beating the rival San Francisco Giants in Game 5 of the World Series on November 28th. There is already talk of a dynasty, much like the A's of the early 1970's and late 1980's. This marked the A's sixth consecutive foray into the postseason, a new franchise record.

"Repeat?" A's outfielder Sancho Fajardo said to a gathering in San Francisco. "How about dos-peat?"

The A's have a strong nucleus of All-Star talent in Upton, catcher Travis d'Arnaud, and pitcher Jarrod Parker. The A's also have a solid supporting cast of veterans Mark Trumbo and Mike Moustakas, along with youngsters Fajardo, Cavan Biggio, and Addison Russell that should keep the franchise competitive for years to come.

Monday's celebration comes amid reports that the A's are already aggressively pursuing trades to restock for a 2018 championship run. Managing Partner Billy Beane and General Manager David Forst both declined comment.

"Today is about this championship," said Beane. "We can worry about next year tomorrow."