Keeping it light and fun in honor of a little vacation time here you go, and if you have yet to see Moneyball the Movie, now is the time! In fact, the book a pretty good read as well. Depending on your math interest, you may want to skim through the chapter on stats however.
Moneyball not only lives, Moneyball rules! The A's are now 20 and amazing twenty games over 500., at 63-43. The A's currently share the best record in the American League with the Tampa Rays. The A's have the 5th lowest payroll in the bigs, while the Rays have the 3rd lowest payroll. The Red Sox, still fuming from the blown call at the plate in Fenway last night, have the 4th highest payroll at just over $158 Million. The A's and Rays have a combined payroll of $125 Million. The Pirates, aiming for their first winning season in 20 years, have the 4th lowest. The top two, the Evil Empires East and West, the Yankees and the Dodgers. The Phillies by the way, roll in at #3.
In fact since July 1, the A's are more than 50 games over five hundred. Man they are raking, but like the line from the movie goes, unless you win the last game of the season.....well maybe, just maybe this will be the year!
At post time, the White Sox's Jake Peavy has yet to be traded, even though he was pulled from his start tonight. The latest rumor has the Diamondbacks in the lead. The A's apparently do not want to trade prospects Addison Russell or Sonny Gray. Farm hands outfielder Michael Choice and pitchers Michael Inoa and Raul Alcantara would seem like the most likely possible trade chips. If Peavy is obtained by the A's, his first game could be against Matt Garza and the Rangers, when the A's host Texas this weekend. By the way, if you like fireworks, like my family sure does, then you may want to catch the A's at home this Friday.
Spending more than my fair share today listening to sports and radio and checking on ESPN, made wonder, is there indeed an East Coast bias or is it simply that the West Coast doesn't have the same thirst for sports? For example, today, how many sports minded Califorians are dialed into the first baseball trading deadline, or even NFL training camps? I think we Californians love our teams, and we watch games, but I don't know that we necessarily live and die with our teams? I wanted as many Peavy updates as possible today, but most of the baseball talk I heard today was around A-Rod? A-Rod is so yesterday, so what gives? Let me be clear, I am not knocking Californians, but I am asking. With beaches everywhere, amusement parks, Tahoe, Carmel, the Delta, San Diego, I mean the list just goes on and on and on, maybe our passion here in the West just not the same? Heck, I am not suggesting it is a bad thing, but I do wonder?
The one baseball nugget today, Brian Wilson has signed with the Dodgers. Not that is good drama. He will start in the minors, but he will in the blue sometime soon. Wilson against the Panda or Buster, now that would be interesting. Wilson literally gave his arm for the Black and Orange, but he sure seems to me like the forgotten man in the Giants world.
How about a "Gray" or Silver update. Early indications are that Matt Flynn will be the Raiders starting QB. With the A's rolling, and the W's making the second round of the playoffs, it would sure would be nice to see another team that plays in the O.Co make a playoff run!
Finally, "Trouble With the Curve" a great little vacation type movie, you know, keeping with the sports theme and all. Like a good two seamer, it kind of surprises you with its zip. On the video game front, my 8-year son bought one of those old school plug in retro video game units that plug into the TV. All I can say it was the best $25 he has ever spent! Son, I raise my glass to you today!
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