2006 / 2007 A's Off-Season Thread

[Providence A's]

bench coach Bob Geren was hired yesterday.

[A'sDiehard]

bench coach Bob Geren was hired yesterday.

Yippee fuggin yay.

[A'sDiehard]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...PGR8METSL1.DTL


Little-known manager begins stint with lots of built-in Beane baggage
Ray Ratto

Friday, November 17, 2006



This would have been a better idea if Bob Geren were introduced as a man with major-league managing experience. This would have been a better idea if people thought Ron Washington were Billy Beane's first choice. This would have been a better idea for a lot of reasons.

But Bob Geren is going to be the new manager of the Athletics, and he enters this job having to overcome so many preconceptions that he will be fighting uphill the entire time.

This will not be a pre-hiring condemnation of Geren, because beyond being essentially unfair, it also assumes so many facts not in evidence about Geren's abilities that it would also smack of willful ignorance.

But Beane likes to think that preconceptions don't matter, that other people's judgments amount to nothing in his mind, and that is a blind spot he has shown more than once, most recently when he rehired Ken Macha against the warnings of his baseball department.

By hiring Geren, Beane has:

-- Validated those who think Geren being the best man at Beane's first wedding gave Geren an advantage he hadn't otherwise earned.

-- Angered those (some of them important players) who thought the job should have been offered immediately to third-base coach Washington.

-- Baffled those who wonder why Beane waited so long to name someone already on the staff to replace Macha.

-- Showed that in his mind the manager's role is so secondary that it may as well be tertiary.

None of these ideas can be proven, of course. The problem, though, is that they also cannot be refuted, and because this is Geren's first major-league managing job, he has no way to fight off the accusations because he has no record to use as a shield.

In other words, Beane has given Geren the job, and with it a raft of doubters inside and outside the clubhouse who will put Geren on the defensive when most managers are given a honeymoon. It is a time Geren cannot get back, either, so he has to be a brilliant tactician, superb communicator, and able to dispel the notion that he got the job because he was the general manager's pal -- all at once.

Fair? Please, this is baseball. It can be said that Geren doesn't deserve this kind of prejudgment, but that's not only unrealistic, it attacks Geren before he can even pick out his office chair. And it is one of Beane's shortcomings that he dismisses that as unimportant.

Indeed, Beane's record as a general manager is not enhanced by his managerial choices. He hired Art Howe, who took a bad team and guided a stream of good players into a good team, all while taking daily buffetings from Beane. He hired Macha to replace Howe, and almost immediately discovered that Macha was unhappy in the job, in large part because he could never get past the notion of Beane as the all-encompassing everything of the franchise. He even re-hired Macha last year, and regretted it almost immediately. He was also savaged for firing Macha after this past season, even though that relationship had long ago exhausted itself.

In other words, Beane's next manager needed to be as close to unassailable as possible, for all the reasons enumerated above. He needed to be Ron Washington for his familiarity with the A's, knowledge of the game and general popularity. Or Bud Black, a well-regarded pitching coach from within the AL West with a history of super communication and handling a staff. Or Jamie Quirk, who has been a short-list candidate for years. Or Trey Hillman, for his minor-league and Japanese managing acumen and player development knowledge. Or Orel Hershiser, who was out-of-the-box intriguing.

Or a Bob Geren who already had been a major-league manager and shown himself fully qualified to handle the task.

Only that Bob Geren wasn't available. There was this Bob Geren, who might very well be everything a manager should be.

But to prove that, Geren will have to overcome far more baggage than a new manager should. He begins his dream job at a profound disadvantage because of it, and either Beane decided it didn't matter or that Geren can overcome it, which will be fascinating to see.

[Providence A's]

As I've said before, Beane should just go Connie Mack on the league and be the GM and Manager.

Nothing much going on right now. Seems "talk" of Bonds and Alou was nothing special; we've "talked" to a lot of agents. I wouldn't want either of them. A lot of articles seem to think Zito is going to sign with the Mets. I don't care as long as he goes to the NL.

[Providence A's]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...PG32MI15N1.DTL

Crosby's "back sprain" was actually a stress fracture.

Crosby told The Chronicle by phone Tuesday that the problem is not a sacroiliac-joint strain or a muscle strain but a fracture of the L-5 vertebra. He is working with a physical therapist in Southern California and, while he is still limited in his activity, Crosby said there is a "very, very good chance'' that he will be recovered by spring training.

And he's very upset.

"It's a mistake they made,'' Crosby said. "It's difficult, and I know they tried to figure it out, but I don't like being told it's definitely not a stress fracture and I can play -- and then come to find out it was a stress fracture and that if I'd played, I could be hurt big-time. That concerns me. That concerns my agent. It concerns my family. My family was very upset. I was upset.

A's contact Floyd and have interest in Piazza.

A's contact Floyd: Beane has been in contact with free-agent outfielder Cliff Floyd and his agent. Floyd is coming off Achilles tendon surgery and, in order to prove he is healthy, he is looking for a deal much like the one the A's did with Thomas before last season.

Floyd, who is also talking to the Cubs, met with the Mets' team doctor Tuesday and told Newsday that he will be ready to play by spring training.

The A's also are expected to have interest in free agent Mike Piazza as they look to replace Thomas.

[A'sDiehard]

Interesting and I've always been a big Floyd fan. Piazza still has some thump left in that bat and would be a good DH and could even spell Kendall once in awhile.

[Providence A's]

link

I forgot to mention that the A's traded for middle infielder Donnie Murphy from the Royals for cash on Tuesday...

"We like him," Forst said. "He's still young; not even 24 yet. He plays both positions in the middle of infield. He's an interesting guy and a possible utility guy down the road."

according to the article, the A's are considering moving Kennedy back to the rotation...

[A'sDiehard]

Not much here but I always like mailbag:

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NAS...=.jsp&c_id=oak

[Providence A's]

only thing I find is that we're still "interested" in Piazza...meh

[Providence A's]

"close" to signing Piazza...dumb rumors about Blanton and Harden being traded...I wouldn't mind Blanton, but Harden better not be going anywhere.

[Providence A's]

A's signed Alan Embree to a 2 year deal...Kennedy will move to the rotation.

[A'sDiehard]

Once again we're juggling our roster. Piazza would be cool IMO and if Bradley can stay healthy for a season dude CAN do some damage. Kennedy was sharp and I like the guy's attitude so we'll see.

Work your magic Billy.

[Dry1313]

"It's a mistake they made,'' Crosby said. "It's difficult, and I know they tried to figure it out, but I don't like being told it's definitely not a stress fracture and I can play -- and then come to find out it was a stress fracture and that if I'd played, I could be hurt big-time. That concerns me. That concerns my agent. It concerns my family. My family was very upset. I was upset.

Glad to see he has everything in the right order.

[Providence A's]

Apparently, Payton has signed with the O's.

[Providence A's]

ADH, do you honestly think Zito would sign with the Rangers or do you think Boras is just trying to drive up the price?