In It To Win It?

Well, well, well well well.  As we sit here on July 25, the Athleticos of Oakland are sitting in a pretty good position.  They lead Texas by 3 games, and would be in the postseason if the playoffs today.  So know the A's have a take a look inward and determine the prize they are after.  The team constructed as it is is good enough to get the dance, but I don't envision this group being good enough to claim the prize.  Yes it is a tad early, but let's dare to dream BIG!

Enter Jake Peavy of the Chicago White Sox, the "Peave" so to speak.  Peave and his White Sox will be going head to head today with the Verbeast and the Tigers.  Teams looking to upgrade their pitching will be watching this game very carefully.  It Peavy defeats the Tigers, the asking price will spike upwards.  Peave is under contract for a cool $15 million for this year and the next.  Typically this may be a little too rich for thye A's blood, however, with the payroll currently around $58 million, chump change on the MLB landscape, maybe just maybe Wolf, Beane and co. will pull the trigger.

There also has been a lot of chatter regarding the A's and Phillies second basemen Chase Utley.  Utley too would be a great addition, but I am not sure the A's would throw the hat in for the old 2 month rental.

There is nothing like the postseason in any sport, but if you go dancing enough, eventually you want to have a smoking hot date.  I think of the Atlanta Braves who had so many good seasons in the 1990's, but only tood home one trophy.   In It To Win A's, In It To Win It!

Flipping the Remote:

*Looking at the A's stats on the ESPN web site was very interesting.  The A's are middle of the road, or less, in most hitting categories.  They are however, 9th in home runs and 10th runs scored. (The one stat I could not find was for Runners in Scoring Position (RISP).)  On the pitching side of the numbers however, A's were near the top in almost every category.  They are number one in my favorite category in WHIP, walks plus hits divided by innings pitched.

*Here are a couple of other trade nuggets.  Marco Scutaro would be a great fit--he would sure help the A's at the plate!  Not sure if Sabe Sabes and the Kill Joy Giants would deal with the Good Guys.  Another ex-Athletic who would be a great fit is the Jays Raj Davis.  Davis can steal bases and he rakes against left handed pitching.  Davis would be a nice addition come postseason time.

*If Greinke hadn't gone all He-Man on the Padres man child Carlos Quentin early in the season, would the Dodgers be cruising in the NL West?

*Kate and Big Will, really-you named the future King GAL?  George Alexander Louis.  I am cool with George, but really, G-A-L?  They should have called me.

*The last two games with the Astros, u-g-l-y.  The A's were able to get out of Houston yesterday taking 2 of 3.  At the end of the season, all that matters, are the W's!