I know people like to snark on Billy Beane, and the "Billy-should-have-signed-Tejada-instead-of-Chavez" meme just won't die, but it really is worth stopping and considering Eric Chavez's great what-if career. Through his age-27 season, he had posted around 30 WAR (depending on whose WAR you use, between 28-32 WAR), about halfway to a borderline HoF case. Rally's fielding has him as 12, 15, and 18 runs in the three seasons prior, with a seasonal average WAR of about 5.5. He was nearing his peak and had settled into perennial star territory. And, he only missed significant time due to being hit on the hand by a pitch.

And if you watched him, he was sensational. For a slim guy, he had prodigious power, especially to the opposite field. And his second halves were things to behold - a lot of Oakland's reputation for being a second half team was due to Chavez sizzling in the summer (1046 second half OPS in 2001 was especially nice). He was a great team leader, and his Speech in Atlanta in 2005 coincided very well with the team turning things around. And his fielding was just off-the-charts spectacular, such a joy to watch. He was very rough defensively when he came up, and he worked hard to improve his defense from borderline unacceptable to fantastic.

So snark away on Chavez if you like, but he was a great player before the injuries kicked in and I'm lucky to have been able to watch him play for my team.

Chavvy looked like he'd be a great one. I thought he'd at least be Scott Rolen, especially after he started hitting lefties. Signing Chavez over Tejada was the right call. Only hindsighters would think differently and who gives a #### what they think. If he really retires, I think we may have the best player to ever spend his entire career with just the Oakland A's, probably supplanting Mike Norris.

Not that it means anything, but I have Eric Chavez around the 10th-12th best 3B of the past 20 years, around even with Matt Williams and Robin Ventura. Which is pretty amazing considering he only really got to play until he was 27 or so.

Two things struck me about Chavez:

1) He didn't walk during the postseason (7 walks in 115 PA)

2) He has never been to an all-star game (I mean, seriously). That's probably linked to what [1] was saying.

But Krusty, why now? Why not twenty years ago?

But Krusty, why now? Why not twenty years ago?

Well, this year coincides with being the last year of his contract. Or, as Krusty might say, the A's were driving a dumptruck of money to his house to give it the good college try and he's not made of stone. Can't really blame him--when all you have to do to collect 11 million bucks is show up and try, then what the hell, you show up and try.

Signing Chavez over Tejada was the right call.

The real right call would have been signing Tejada and Chavez and Giambi, and not letting the Crosby Hattebergs lose the fans, with attendance dropping from 6th in the AL in 2003 to 14th in 2009. You can't put all your eggs in the basket of one very good, but not inner circle HOF player and expect the people not to lose interest in a competitive two team market.

attendance dropping from 6th in the AL in 2003 to 14th in 2009.

But Moneyball is really a business book by a business writer!

I was actually really surprised the other day, on a highlight package for an Oakland game the sports guy said something to the effect of "And the A's did it vintage Moneyball small-ball style, 3 sacrafice flys, 2 ground out RBIs and some sacrafice bunts"

I guess Moneyball has gotten to the point where it really can stand for whatever you want it to stand for.

I guess Moneyball has gotten to the point where it really can stand for whatever you want it to stand for.

That is the new market inefficiency.

I guess Moneyball has gotten to the point where it really can stand for whatever you want it to stand for.

I think it always did.

As to the attendance...the A's desperately need a star. It's just too much of a baseball obsessive's team right now. No one on the roster is capturing any imaginations. The most marketable player is probably Kurt Suzuki or Dallas Braden or possibly now Trevor Cahill (another local guy like Braden). That is a decided absence of star power. The team is pretty good, though!

Carlos Gonzalez would have done the trick. Oooh, I get so steamed sometimes!

But Moneyball is really a business book by a business writer!

Clearly it wasn't a baseball person who decided that Kendall, Hatteberg, Kotsay, Loaiza and Piazza were a better use of money than Giambi and Tejada.

As to the attendance...the A's desperately need a star.

I vote for Carl Crawford

Carlos Gonzalez would have done the trick. Oooh, I get so steamed sometimes!

A really good article by elcroata on Athletics Nation on how Coors field has affected Carlos

Thanks for the link. I stopped reading AN a while ago, but elcroata was one of my favorites back in the day.

The thing I'll always remember about Chavez is that, more than any other player I've ever been wrong about, Chavez cratered at the exact moment I thought he was going going to become an enormous star. He'd had an injury season in which he'd led the league in walks, cured himself of his awful platoon split, and was ready to kick it up a notch. All he needed was to be healthy . . .

. . . and the next year, he played 160 games, but his platoon split reemerged, he quit walking, and that was it. He'd never recover the power he'd had in the previous two years, the patience he'd had in the previous one, or play a full season's worth of games. In fact, he's played 154 in the last four years combined.

Sigh.

No one on the roster is capturing any imaginations. The most marketable player is probably Kurt Suzuki or Dallas Braden or possibly now Trevor Cahill (another local guy like Braden). That is a decided absence of star power. The team is pretty good, though!

The most recent commercial they've come up with (promoting the Aug. 22 game, which I'll be at) featuring Gio Gonzalez is RDF.

EDIT: Also, 'mulling'? Contemplating, considering, pondering? Seriously?

The thing I'll always remember about Chavez is that, more than any other player I've ever been wrong about, Chavez cratered at the exact moment I thought he was going going to become an enormous star.

Totally agree. After his his walk rate jumped in his age 26 season it looked like he was about to break out and become a superstar.

In hindsight, even, which free agents should the A's have paid market-rate money/years to? Giambi, Tejada, Zito, Chavez? Which pitchers - not yet free agents - should the A's have not traded? Hudson, Mulder, Blanton, Harden, Haren?

It seems like they have made mostly pretty good decisions (in the context of not being willing to shell out for payroll). The team really got killed because the left side of the infield - expected to be the strength of the team - cratered. That path would have been avoided if they had signed Tejeda instead of Chavez, but - as Shooty notes - who could have known at the time? Chavez had been extremely consistent.

Yeah, five years ago Chavez had one foot in the HOF; ended up with about 60% of a HOF career.

Highest WAR, 800+ G at 3B, debut 1986+

In happier A's news...Trevor Cahill continues to make a mockery of FIP and Chris Carter is coming to the big club.

The A's have some marketable players. They probably should stay away from making any *one* player the "face of the franchise" since that player will almost inevitably depart. There is a good chance Suzuki, for example, won't finish his career in Oakland.

Chris Carter was called up?? Hot damn.

EDIT: Apparently this was Tweeted by Susan Slusser. Shooty you must know how to use Twitter... what did she say?

EDIT: Apparently this was Tweeted by Susan Slusser. Shooty you must know how to use Twitter... what did she say?

I just read the headline at AN. Carter and Jeff Larish of all people have been called up. Carter should play at first immediately with Barton banged up.

edit: BTW, I'm all for a "Making a mockery of FIP!" ad campaign for the A's.

Carter and Larish are on their way to Seattle; Larish as just insurance, presumably in case either Rosales or Barton look to be unavailable more than just tonight.

And all you really need to do to use Twitter is just go to the relevant person's page. You don't have to join just to look.

Slusser also says that Barton is expected back tonight, so Carter will probably replace Matt Watson in the outfield.

What's the story with Larish? He's an ex prospect with power? Why did... Detroit give up on him? So now the A's have a bit more powerful look with Cust, Carter, and Larish on the team.

Is making a mockery of FIP a good thing or does this imply Cahill has been lucky?

In hindsight, even, which free agents should the A's have paid market-rate money/years to? Giambi, Tejada, Zito, Chavez? Which pitchers - not yet free agents - should the A's have not traded? Hudson, Mulder, Blanton, Harden, Haren?

Giambi - No - I can't imagine the franchise could realistically have afforded him at those numbers.
Tejada - Yes - Stark contrast to Chavez' lack of durability
Zito - Oh hell no
Chavez - Obviously not but Shooty is right, that is a total hindsight opinion. I thought they made the right call when they did it.

I think they made the right call on all the pitchers save Hudson. My recollection is that when they made the deal Meyer/Cruz was considered a good package in return.

What happened to Bobby Crosby? Did the injuries just sap him of his talent or what? That's a pretty good age 25 season for a shortstop but then...thud. Boy, you project him and Chavez healthy over 2006-2009 and they look very different.

Is making a mockery of FIP a good thing or does this imply Cahill has been lucky?

I have no idea, I just enjoy statistical goofiness like this. I haven't been able to see Cahill pitch yet...is he throwing the hard sinker he wasn't able to last season?

Crosby could not control the strike zone at all. He consistently flailed at low and away breaking pitches (from RHP). It drove me nuts!

Hmmm I don't know Shooty. Why wasn't he able to throw it last season?

It's pretty funny how - every year now it seems - someone comes out of nowhere to represent the A's at the all-star game. Who will be A's all-star rep next season?

What happened to Bobby Crosby? Did the injuries just sap him of his talent or what? That's a pretty good age 25 season for a shortstop but then...thud. Boy, you project him and Chavez healthy over 2006-2009 and they look very different.

That is too true.

Imagine the Marlins without Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla over the last five years.

Hermida! Coghlan! Cantu! Andino! Cody Ross! The star power is palpable but forgettable.

I haven't been able to see Cahill pitch yet...is he throwing the hard sinker he wasn't able to last season?

Yes he looks awesome. He's like a chunky Tim Hudson (low K version). I think he has been a little lucky, but he's mostly been good (3.79 tERA on Fangraphs) with help from the infield defense (+22 UZR on Fangraphs) and park (95 LH/92 RH on statcorner). Obviously he's not a true 2.56 ERA pitcher, but then who is? BTW that +22 is the defense for the team for all games, not just when Cahill's pitching.

The best thing about Cahill is he's making me look like a genius in the Baseball Think Factory Diamond Mind League. A league so good, I refuse to abbreviate it.

A really good article by elcroata on Athletics Nation on how Coors field has affected Carlos

That was a really good piece. There's one conclusion in there that I've long thought is true:

Coors seem to benefit more on a pitch recognition level than on a "added power" level, thus favoring free swingers with power.

While most hitters do better at Coors, it's the medium-power, terrible K/W types, like Vinny Castilla and Dante Bichette, who disproportionately benefited from it. Those guys got a bigger Coors boost than someone like Larry Walker, who didn't put the ball in play as much. Matt Holliday's Coors boost declined just as his walks increased.

Carlos Gonzalez is roughly the same sort of hitter as Castilla or Bichette, although he's a lefty where those guys are righties, and I believe Coors favors righties more. His K/W ratio this year is significantly worse than last year, even as his other stats have improved.

The other thing I wanted to point out is that the Rockies are hitting .301/.373/.492 at home this year, and .235/.310/.371 on the road. But their pitchers have allowed a .253/.313/.393 at Coors, and .260/.338/.397 on the road. In other words, there appears to be a massive Coors effect on the hitters, and none at all on the pitchers (in fact, if anything, the pitchers do a little better at Coors).

The second best thing about Cahill is his nickname - The Silent Assassin. Fits him pretty well.

Cahill's BAbip is .207. No pitcher who qualified for the ERA title has been under .230 since 1988. Luck or not, that's certainly remarkable.

That is a very interesting column by elcroata. (Crosby actually ridiculed in it for inability to hit breaking ball away.) Intuitively it makes sense that a hitter with poor strike zone judgment would benefit from a home park that tends to straighten pitches out. Maybe Crosby could hit there too.

The thing I'll always remember about Chavez is that, more than any other player I've ever been wrong about, Chavez cratered at the exact moment I thought he was going going to become an enormous star.

I was thinking the same thing. I imagine Beane was, too.

And all you really need to do to use Twitter is just go to the relevant person's page. You don't have to join just to look.

My office has always blocked Twitter. As a result, I have pretty much no idea how it works. Even the most basic things, like do people post from their phones or their computers? Do people read it from the Twitter website or from an app? I have no idea.

Damn, that elcroata article is very interesting. Somebody should post that here.

Love Chavvy.

Somebody should post that here.

Go for it!

That is a very interesting column by elcroata. (Crosby actually ridiculed in it for inability to hit breaking ball away.) Intuitively it makes sense that a hitter with poor strike zone judgment would benefit from a home park that tends to straighten pitches out. Maybe Crosby could hit there too.

Yes, even Arizona might be too tough for him

As a Rangers fan let me just state: Trevor Cahill is awesome.