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Playing Pepper 2010: Oakland Athletics

Posted on March 11, 2010 at 10:44 PM
Filed Under: Oakland A's | Playing Pepper
Last year before the season began, I posed five questions to a blogger for each team, so as to get to know the rest of baseball.  I focus so heavily on the Cardinals that sometimes the rest of MLB can pass me by.  That went very well, so much so that it spawned not only a postseason edition but was part of the impetus for the formation of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance.

So this year, I've brought Playing Pepper back, with a little bit of a twist.  Instead of five questions, I posed 10 questions, and this year every team got the same set.  Plus, tapping into those BBA connections, I sent them to every blogger representing that team in the BBA.

We'll try to do two a day in a general alphabetical order---ah, who are we kidding, we'll get them up when we get them up.

Oakland Athletics
2009 Finish: 75-87, fourth in the AL West

Interestingly enough, Oakland is the only team not represented in the Baseball Bloggers Alliance.  Over 140 blogs and not one of them has a focus on the green and gold.

Oakland's blogger landscape is dominated by Athletics Nation, so I sent along the Playing Pepper Ten to them, asking them to take a look.  Christy was kind enough to send back some short and sweet answers, which gives you a break from reading some of the treatises that I've been posting!


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Also on the Network:

√ Doing It The Hard Way [C70 At The Bat]
√ Bobby Jenks Saves Sox's Win Over Seattle [Tremendous Upside Potential]
√ Deadline moves [Feeling Dodger Blue]
√ Manny's impact [Feeling Dodger Blue]
√ Frustration Revisted [C70 At The Bat]
√ Not So Fast, T-Mac [Tremendous Upside Potential]
√ Payroll breakdown [Feeling Dodger Blue]


C70: How was the off-season?  What kind of grade would you give it?

AN: I would give the off-season a B. We picked up a high-risk, high-reward pitcher in Sheets; another outfield asset in Coco Crisp, and a third baseman in Kevin Kouzmanoff, who could provide some much-needed power in the lineup. 

C70: What is the key to success for 2010?
 
AN: Pitching health

C70: What will be the team's strength? 

AN: Bullpen and speed

C70: What could be their Achilles' heel? 

AN: Injuries and horrific offense

C70: Who will be the team's MVP? 

AN: Andrew Bailey

C70: Will a rookie make a significant impact on the team in 2010, and if so, who? 

AN: It depends on when Chris Carter and/or Michael Taylor make the big club. Either could make quite an impact. 

C70: Who will be the breakout player for the team? 

AN: Ryan Sweeney

C70: Which player will drop off the most from 2009? 

AN: Rajai Davis

C70: Who is the most likely player to be dangled as trade bait? 

AN: Ben Sheets, if healthy

C70: What will be the team's final record and divisional standing? 

AN: 83-79, 2nd place

My thanks to Christy for her insights.  The AL West has become a more competitive division this year, but it remains to be seen if Oakland can take advantage of that.


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Heroes
Matt Holliday (13)
Albert Pujols (11)
Adam Wainwright (11)
Jaime Garcia (9)
Ryan Ludwick (9)
Chris Carpenter (6)
Colby Rasmus (6)
Skip Schumaker (6)
Yadier Molina (6)
Brendan Ryan (4)
David Freese (3)
Brad Penny (3)
Blake Hawksworth (2)
Jon Jay (2)
Jason LaRue (2)
Felipe Lopez (2)
Nick Stavinoha (2)
Allen Craig (1)
Kyle McClellan (1)
Jason Motte (1)
Fernando Salas (1)

2009 Top Hero: Albert Pujols (28)
2008 Top Hero: Albert Pujols (25)

Goats
Yadier Molina (10)
Matt Holliday (8)
Brendan Ryan (8)
Albert Pujols (7)
Dennys Reyes (7)
Skip Schumaker (7)
Colby Rasmus (6)
Ryan Franklin (5)
Chris Carpenter (4)
David Freese (4)
Blake Hawksworth (4)
Kyle Lohse (4)
Ryan Ludwick (4)
Felipe Lopez (3)
Adam Wainwright (3)
Mitchell Boggs (2)
Trever Miller (2)
Jason Motte (2)
Allen Craig (1)
Jaime Garcia (1)
Tyler Greene (1)
Joe Mather (1)
Kyle McClellan (1)
Adam Ottavino (1)
Brad Penny (1)
Nick Stavinoha (1)
Jeff Suppan (1)
PJ Walters (1)
Randy Winn (1)

2009 Top Goats: Rick Ankiel and Todd Wellemeyer (13)
2008 Top Goat: Troy Glaus (13)

    Cardinal Nation Approval Ratings (March 2010)
    Albert Pujols 98.7% (up 0.8%)
    Adam Wainwright 95.6%
    Chris Carpenter 93.6%
    Yadier Molina 92.0% (down 1.4%)
    Dave Duncan 87.0% (up 2.8%)
    John Mozeliak 86.1%
    Matt Holliday 84.5%
    Bill DeWitt 83.0% (up 2.8%)
    Skip Schumaker 81.1%
    Tony La Russa 80.6% (up 1.5%)
    Mike Shannon 80.3% (down 11.3%)
    Colby Rasmus 76.8% (up 10.8%)
    John Rooney 76.2% (down 4.7%)
    Mark McGwire 73.2%
    Ryan Franklin 69.7%
    Kyle Lohse 66.8% (down 10.5%)
    Al Hrbrosky 46.2% (down 7.7%)

    2009
    Rick Ankiel 83.9%
    Chris Duncan 69.1%


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