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A's for 2009 and Beyond

Batter Up October 5th, 2008

As the playoffs unfold it is a good time to look at the type of player it takes to be successful over the course of the 162 game-season.

A good starting point is to recall the players the A’s have had on the roster as they made the playoffs five times since 2000.

The A’s have built championship teams before and are trying to do so again.
The club has featured pitchers such as Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, Jason Isringhausen, Billy Koch, Keith Foulke (in his prime), and Cory Lidle.

On the offensive side Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, Miguel Tejada, Eric Chavez, Ramon Hernandez, and Jermaine Dye have all been in the playoffs as an Athletic.

Names we hear about in today’s playoffs include Manny Ramirez, Andre Ethier, Russell Martin, Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, Jim Thome, Evan Longoria, Prince Fielder, Mark Teixeira, and Vladimir Guerrero.

When October baseball rolls around, the “varsity” pitching staff dominates the playoffs. Not the 3-4-5 starters, but “real” pitchers win in October. Josh Beckett, Derek Lowe, James Shields, Carlos Zambrano, Mark Buehrle, CC Sabathia, John Lackey, and Cole Hamels will all be counted upon by their teams to star this fall.

How close are the A’s to regaining the type of player it takes to be one of the eight teams to make it to postseason play? What are the prospects for a successful 2009 season in Oakland? What players should the A’s target as potential free agents? Trades?

First the A’s have to determine how close they are to developing players who can be consistent winning performers over the long season.

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Sept. 28th, 2008

Right off the Bat with Marty Lurie

Segment one - Marty opens the show
Segment two - Interview: Mike Scioscia
Segment three - Interview with Former A's Manager Ken Macha
Segment four - Marty sets up Memories
Segment five - Memories of the Game Interview with Don Newcombe
Segment six - Rattle the Lumber with Ken Korach, the Captain

Forget the Stats...Angels-Cubs Should be in the Series

Batter Up Sept. 28th, 2008

October baseball is finally here.
Now the question becomes which of the eight survivors of baseball’s grueling 162 game schedule is best qualified to win eleven games in the post season and become the grand old game’s 2008 world champion.

Last week I looked at the numbers in the key offensive, defensive, and pitching categories and concluded that based on the statistics which I considered most relevant the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox would meet in this year’s World Series.

This week let’s go behind the numbers and analyze the teams and the key players who should make a difference once the division series get underway this Wednesday in Anaheim where the Angels host the Wild card winners, the Boston Red Sox.

To win a championship under the current format a team must have at least two legitimate starting pitchers, a closer who gets the job done with a minimum of stress, and hitters in the 3-4 spots in the batting order who make you sit up and take notice when they come to the plate.

Also it’s important to win on the road. Every team in the playoffs has had a terrific season winning games in their home park. It’s critical to have a manager that can run a club making key decisions as playoff momentum shifts from game to game and from inning to inning.

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Right Off the Bat & Inside Baseball Saturday Night - Sept 27th, 2008

Inside Baseball Saturday Night with Marty Lurie -

Segment one pt.1 - Marty opens the show with Vince Cotroneo part 1
Segment one pt.2 - Marty opens the show with Vince Cotroneo part 2
Segment two pt.1 - Marty & Rob Neyer
Segment three - Marty & Barry Bloom

Right off the Bat with Marty Lurie

Segment one - Marty opens the show
Segment two - Interview: Sam Mellinger (From the Kansas City Star)
Segment Three - Marty & Mark 'Gonzo' Gonzalez (Chicago Tribune Beat Writer for the White Sox)
Segment four - Memories of the Game Interview Jackie Brandt
Segment five Rattle the Lumber with "The Captain" Ken Korach

Athletics should have more celebrations

On the Sunday of the last game of the season at home (game 81) at the McAffee Coliseum the A’S honored their all-time team. In attendance were Monte Moore, who broadcasted A’S games during the Charlie O. Finley years and when the team won three consecutive World Series in 72-73-74. Rickey Henderson, who threw the ceremonial first pitch, Dagoberto Blanco, aka Campy Campaneris chosen by A’S fans the greatest shortstop in Oakland A’S history, catcher Terry Steinbach, outfielder Joe Rudi and pitcher Dave Stewart. As small as this celebration was, there should be more and much better planned and marketed.

The Numbers Predict the Series Foes

Batter Up Sept 21st, 2008 With one week to go in the regular season the teams that will be playing October baseball are coming into focus.

Tampa Bay will play baseball in the postseason. The 2008 Rays have made the most dramatic turnaround since the Boston Red Sox went from ninth place to first in the American League in 1967.

Boston has weathered losing Manny Ramirez and will advance to the playoffs with the chance to defend its 2007 World Series title.

The Angels, the most aggressive base running team in baseball won the AL West easily over the Rangers, A’s, and Mariners.

The White Sox and Twins begin a three game series Tuesday night in Minneapolis. The White Sox hold a reasonably comfortable advantage over the Twins heading into that series, but the Metrodome has not been kind to the Sox in recent history.

In the NL East, the Phillies and the Mets are both favorites to make the postseason field. The Brewers, Astros, and the Marlins still have designs on knocking out one of the NL East leaders and slipping in as the wild card team.

The Cubs are in the post season for consecutive seasons for the first time since 1908.

The Dodgers are solidly in command in the NL West, but still must play the Giants, their arch-rival four more times. Arizona is hoping to find their long lost winning ways and have a good last week against the Cardinals in St.Louis and the Rockies in Chase Field.

After the field is set for the playoffs the challenge will be to find the teams that are best constructed to make the World Series.

One way to approach this daunting task is to look at how the teams ranked statistically in the most important hitting, pitching, and fielding categories within their respective leagues.

When one looks at statistics over the course of a whole season they have more meaning than just analyzing the numbers during a single month.

The teams with the most top four finishes in the following areas are my favorites to open the series in the American League champion’s city on Oct. 22nd.

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Sept 19th, 2008

Right off the Bat with Marty Lurie

Segment one - Marty opens the show
Segment two - Interview: Chris Chambliss MLB DVD set and the closing of Yankee Stadium
Segment three - Interview: Chris Chambliss 1971 A.L. Rookie of the Year PART 2, 40th Interview with Lowell Cohn & Special Interview with Bill "The Boomer" Aboumrad from Legacy Real Estate & Associates
Segment four - Memories of the Game Interview with Ford C. Frick Award Winner Marty Brennaman
Segment five Rattle the Lumber with "The Captain" Ken Korach

Right Off the Bat & Inside Baseball Saturday Night - Sept 20th, 2008

Inside Baseball Saturday Night with Marty Lurie -

Segment one pt.1 - Marty opens the show with Ken Korach & Ray Ratto part 1
Segment one pt.2 - Marty opens the show with Ken Korach & Ray Ratto part 2
Segment two pt.1 - Marty & Tom McCarthy, Vince Cotroneo & Ray Ratto part 1
Segment two pt.2 - Marty & Tom McCarthy, Vince Cotroneo & Ray Ratto part 2
Segment three - Marty & Tommy Hutton

Right off the Bat with Marty Lurie

Segment one - Marty opens the show
Segment two - Interview: Mark 'Gonzo' Gonzalez(Chicago Tribune Beat Writer for the White Sox)
Segment Three - Marty & Terry Smith
Segment four - Interview with Broadcaster Monte Moore

Sept 16th, 2008

Right off the Bat with Marty Lurie

Segment one - Marty opens the show
Segment two - : Interview: Terry Steinbach
Segment three - 40th Interview with Bert Blyleven
Segment four -Interview: Steve Physioc & Memories of the Game Interview with Don Newcombe
Segment five Rattle the Lumber with Ken Korach

Inside Baseball Airs at 10:15 AM Next Two Saturdays

The next two Saturdays Sept. 20th and Sept 27th Inside Baseball will air at 10:15 AM in Northern California on 1550 AM. If you have the MLB.com baseball package you might hear the show there too. Also Raf will put the show on the site shortly after it airs.

Thanks,
Marty