Eric Chavez has cost the A's four runs already tonight and we aren't out of the 1st inning.

Chavez is so special. I just love watching him bat.

I just love the effort and the 'heart' Chavez plays with. Like in the 2nd when he jogged down to first when Sexson misplayed the ball.

Rather than run even at 80% of full speed he jogged so the 2nd baseman could eventually pick up the ball and throw him out.

What a leader.

What I don't understand is these games are meaningless!!!.

Why in the hell doesn't Macha play the young kids?

But yet Kendall, Kotsay, Chavez, Hatteburg continue to play.

Zach,

Interesting piece on chavy. Could you happen to tell me the name of your orthopedic doc? I've had a bum elbow for 8 years now. Finally gave up after 3 arthroscopies (the last in 1999). Been getting worse recently so was thinking of going back to the doc again for a fresh look.

Thanks for this post. Lots of good information from someone who knows of which he speaks.

Chavvy has not looked right throwing from third base all season.

I'm wondering -- why would Chavvy have a downgrade in his throwing arm after such a procedure?

Did anyone else just love macha's quote in Slusser's Zito article, "I really like what happened with Barry this year,'' Macha said. "He's always the third guy (of the Big Three); Hudson started Opening Day, Mulder started Opening Day. Zito was that guy this year, the lead guy. He's graduated to that next level.''

Did Macha forget about his cy young season?

if barry zito had gotten any run support this season he might have had a cy young like campaign......Joe Blanton is @ this moment 11-12 with a 3.50 era. Danny Haren is like 14-11 with a 4.10 era. Im not saying joe is that much better than danny im saying danny got some more run support.

Zito had never started an opening day before this year.

mp3 suggestion: Dylan and the Band's version of "Nothing Was Delivered."

"Nothing is better/Nothing is best/
Take care of your health and get plenty of rest"

btw zach......i hate susan slusser more than ever..i was @ dennys & almost threw up reading that macha might be getting an extension.......oh man that is the single worst news of the day...btw did the a's even play?

Quite telling.

I wonder if all of the people who have A's websites and blogs are actually season ticket holders?

Funny, but I bet some aren't. And I bet they keep trying to sell me T-Shirts and how the 2005 were 'magical'.

Hell, if they didn't win a championshp they didn't do a damn thing.

Right on the money, Zach.

The extent to which the same old genius GM/scrappy young team/patient manager/low payroll underdog GARBAGE gets trotted out in the local media again and again and again...

Dear Bay Area Media: There is a real, actual story here. The story is that the opposing team has celebrated on the A's home field 5 out of the last 6 years now. The story is that the Billy Beane-era Oakland Athletics have choked like dogs every year. A's fans know how this shit is going to end!

Billy Beane really does need someone to tell him, to his face, that his teams choke like dogs and that passionate fans of his team want no part of it- and that's why there's no one in the stands.

Enjoy the game Zach.

I was there last night and watched the Angels celebrate.

I was there the second to last game of last season when the Angels celebrated.

And I'll be there near the end of next season, hopefully watching the A's celebrate.

These posts are some of the best reading in a long time. Much appreciated.

Zach, you touched on it in the last post: Why was Macha allowed to manage this season in the first place? I can't believe 2005 was actually a worse job than 2004, but I really think it was.

Not that Beane would do it, but what would a feasible return on trading Chavez be at this point? I can think of SD, but the only player of value they have is Peavy. Towers is no idiot. Right? Now, Dan O'Brien, that's another story.

Why'd they resign Kotsay? Was this another case of Beane going the route of self-validating? He traded for him, he's going to re-up him? Beane talks about statistics and objectivity, but if anything, he has his fervent favorites: Chavez (b/c he broke all of Beane's HS records?), Kotsay (look, we value defense!), Kendall, Swisher (the infatuation in Moneyball), Durazo (the acclaimed holy grail).

When Beane talks about leadership and veteran presence re: Kendall, I can't tell if he's being sarcastic. I thought I used to be able to tell. I just don't want to see Payton's option get picked up, but I think this may be another one of those self-affirming cases. Beane traded for him, ergo... he resigns him.

Zito is the big-name guy the Athletics could trade that would affect them the least on the field.

Chavez isn't the hitter they thought he would be, and probably never will be. The Athletics still need him.

If the Atletics could get a genuine power hitting outfielder in return for Zito, they should do it.

By the way, Kirk Saarloos's peripheral stats this year are perfect indicators of a lucky pitcher who can only decline. Trade him now!

ever since kotsay re-signed he's been crappy. Wonder how they didnt realize his crappy back..How abt rookies for next year..any good ones down the pipeline?. Angels seem to be loaded in that department

I've got lots and lots of good info on the off season and 2006.

The problem is, if I post it now, what will kepp you coming back in December and January?

THANK YOU!

I'm glad Zach's not afraid to speak the truth on the A's 2005. This whole "we should just be happy for the season they gave us" claptrap is killing me. Are you telling me all the optimists have accepted losing? What's their excuse going to be next year and the year after that?

Suffering through the first six weeks and last three weeks of this season was painful enough, but the thought that the Susan Slusser/Billy Beane spin doctor machine will be in full force in the next few days might be more than I can take.

Thankfully, I can come here and have the giggling schoolgirl crap ("CROSBY'S HOT!!!") and rampant homerism filtered for me.

Someone's gotta do it, Zach.

Just wait, someone is going to write a gushing book about the 2005 Oakland Athletics.

The Beane-era Athletics desperately need more books written about them.

Eventually we will have one book for every year's choke job.

OK, it sounds like I'II draw fire from all comers here by saying I enjoyed the season. Did the A's choke in September-no, I don't think so. The A's had a relatively young team, some terrible injuries, some bad luck and were coached by a lame-duck manager. They couldv'e rolled over and played dead in June but they competed...what else do you want? Do I wish they had made the play-offs? - hell ya. Was I disappointed and frustrated when they got their asses handed to them in August/September? Sure. But holy shit, some of you guys are sounding like you watched Tampa Bay play this year. Christ, some of you guys can't manage your checking account-never mind a MLB team. Give it a break and go grab yourself a ticket and enjoy the last 2 games and cheer them on in Seattle.

what big elephant said... & btw i dont know if the a's need jay payton nextyear..but i do know they need another right handed bat...a paul konerko type or something for that middle of the order....i also know matt watson has gotta play to see if this year was a fluke

Can we bump the Macha Meter to 0 now?

I've got a different Macha Meter ready for the off season. Watch as soon as the A's 27th out is recorded on Sunday.

I'II be watching and waiting to read your comments Zach. I think this will be a pivotal off-season and I'm interested on your take of things.

BE

For Christ's sake:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/09/29/SPGN7EUTVS1.DTL&type=as

omg i almost threw up. Granted i was eating @ dennys (dont judge ok i know some of you eat @ shitholes worse than that)...either way i was reading slusser's notes & there is a 'discussion' about extending macha....omg if i keep talking about it i might throw up....yea i think i might in protest or something....

I told you in the spring that Macha would cost us a half-dozen games in the standings with his stupidity, as opposed to standard guessing wrong.
Even my defense of him after the 40-10 spurt didn't mitigate that. Oh well, huh?
Keep up the good work, Zach.

If anyone is interested in 4 inexpensive tickets (sect 316 or 317) to tomorrow (Wednesday) night's game, let me know (sdshelby[at]ucd...s.edu).

zach with all the talk about how bad macha is & his playing of certain regulars....what about the good. There gotta be alotta good for team that may come close to 90 wins again. Considering there is but a few teams out there doing that (i would love to point out eric wedge is a 3 yr manager smart enuf to group his best hitters together...a fact pointed out a few weeks ago when the tribe played the a's....) i still think this team accomplished something maybe in spite of ken macha. Either way what i do know is that the a's have the best 2 rookies in the AL (clearly blanton & street) & perhaps in all of baseball. I would like @ some point to see who EIO thinx should get rookie of the year. Either way zach thx for the info its always appreciated

Elephants in Oakland is a jerk.

Really, we've been eliminated for days now. The plus of tonight's game is that Crosby and Harden won't be used anymore this year, meaning that our two best young players won't be any more badly injured going into next year.

freakin anonymous stole my bit

Anybody going to the game tonight?