Sllaacs Baseball - 2008

The smell of the grass and the wet infield dirt. The sound of a ball slapping into a mitt. The calls of "Attaboy", "Cut Two!", and "Play Ball!" echoing around the field. This is spring training baseball, an almost magical prologue that happens only prior to the baseball season. Every team is a contender in the spring with the same surprises always around the corner: The kid that's going to hit .600 this spring and then get sent down anyway; the has-been's and never-was's making another try at getting a spot in the Show; the starting pitcher who dominates like he's Cy Young in March and then gets lit up like he's Willie Lump-Lump in April - and vice-versa, of course. How about the O.G's - the dudes like Frank Thomas and Alex Rodriguez - who will hit something like .143 and say something like: "Well, I'm just working on bat speed", or "I'm just trying to see the ball," and then the season starts and it's; "Hall of Fame Bound" being mentioned before, during and after each at-bat they have? Baseball is incomparable to any other sport. For one thing, baseball is harder than any of the big four sports, (Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey) and almost as frustrating as Soccer,(which is a very tough, athletic sport that very few Americans give a damn about, myself included.) Some of the most nonathletic looking "Athletes" have dominated baseball for stretches of time that makes an outsider think that anyone can play the game. Well, anyone who is physically able can play baseball, the question becomes more about playing the game with near-perfection - something you will only see consistently in the Major Leagues... Unless you are a Giants or A's fan. The Giants are what baseball aficionados call "Horseshit" as far as projected offense goes, and the A's are not much better. Both teams are actually going into the season touting their pitching staffs as a strength. These claims are only somewhat laughable in Giants case - they are bringing back some pretty good pitchers, (Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum) but they lost Noah Lowry to an arm injury, Barry Zito is getting smoked and their bullpen closer situation is at best unestablished, and at worst: Horseshit also. Now, Oakland's claim that pitching is their strength is laughable because; 1) the A's don't have any strengths - they traded them all away; B) The pitching probably will be the strength anyway; and III) Revenue sharing will still reward Bean for putting out a shit product. If you like young, raw and unproven talent to root for in your favorite teams' colors - and pretend that your squad will duplicate the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks successes of last year - then you are going to be excited and a-rarin' ta go, cuz' that's what Brian Sabean and Billy Bean are presenting us with in the Bay Area this year. The Giants new motto "All out, All the Time", is not only a swipe at Barry Bonds, but absolutely is the only formula that will allow them to compete for the post season in the National League West. The A's... Well, maybe next year.



Sllaacs 2008 Predicted order of Finish for the S.F. Giants and Oakland Athletics respective Divisions:


American League West: W-L

California Angels 104-58
Seattle Mariners 85-77
Texas Rangers 83-79
Oakland Athletics 76-86


National League West: W-L


Arizona Diamondbacks 92 - 70
Colorado Rockies 90 - 72
San Diego Padres 88 - 74
San Francisco Giants 71-91

The R Word

As John has pointed out, it's clear that the Raiders are rebuilding. On a daily basis, Kiffin now utters the telltale phrases rarely heard in past Alameda administrations, such as:

"We're still trying to figure out this team. It's our first year together, we've played (eight) games together, and we're still learning about players. That's what you do your first year."

So what are we learning, and do we have reason for optimism next year? A week ago I would have said yes. Now my answer is, "Ask me again on Sunday night." The Houston game was such a step back that I've been searching all week for reasons why we should throw it out as an anomaly. Each drive was so tenuous that it could be destroyed by one false start. Small mistakes led immediately to big ones as McCown struggled to throw down field and was intercepted repeatedly. The run defense flat-out never showed up, and stopping the Texans on third down seemed impossible. It was not fun to watch. But in the context of this rebuilding year, one play made me stand up and tap the "I'm in" sign: Janikowski's record-breaking FG attempt. Sure, it led to a short drive for Houston to extend their lead by 3 before half, but the upside was huge. Even watching the towering kick bang off the right upright was inspiring.

Is it sad that our bright spot is the kicking game? Yes, although to be fair the sport is called "foot" ball.

What is clear from Kiffin's handling of the rest of the roster is he was not at all impressed by the talent level he inherited. The receiving corps was gutted. The O-line was completely remade. At QB Kiffin started over, and now even Jordan has landed on the bench. The defense got a free pass on the basis that it was rarely challenged last year, but this year has exposed the deficiencies against the run that were feared. Rebuilding will take the draft, free agency, and signs of growth through the rest of the year.

Kiffin's first draft, as McDonald describes, gets an incomplete grade at best. Free agency (including trades) has not gone well: Dominic Rhodes, Terdell Sands, Donovin Darius, Mike Williams, Josh McCown, Travis Taylor - ouch. Those led to panic moves to sign Culpepper, Warren, and Dwight, with mixed results. Even Justin Griffith is losing some reps to Oren O'Neal. One might argue that the O-line moves brought success with Newberry, Carlisle, and Green - but while a significant improvement over last year, this group has had plenty of ups and downs.

So what do we look for in the wake of the Texans game? There are a lot of individuals auditioning for next year, but the Raiders have to make progress on the basics this week. Establish the run, stop the run, and cut out the mistakes. As for everything else? Ask me again on Sunday night.

The Trib is Brutal

I know that the writers who cover the Raiders for MediaNews (Oakland Tribune, CC Times, and Mercury News) aren't haters (well, except for maybe Ann "JaMarcus is a Fatty" Killion). We know the haters work at the Chronicle.

So when I read this column by Carl Steward, and read this column by Jerry McDonald, which includes the quote, "Kiffin tried as best he could to look for silver linings, but sounded a lot like Norv Turner and Art Shell in stressing how hard his team is playing," I get sick to my stomach.

To quote and old Hertz Commercial, "Brutal, Juice. Brutal." (If anyone has a link to that commercial, stick a url in the comments and I'll link it here!)

On second thought...maybe that sick-to-my-stomach feeling is from the two free breakfast samiches I ate this morning after the meeting. Who knows how long those bastards were sitting out.

Anyway, maybe what's going on here, what Kiffin is alluding to without saying because the word is FORBIDDEN by Al Davis, much like Lord Voldemort's name is taboo in the Harry Potter books, is...

Rebuilding.

That's why Jordan's being phased out and told Steward to talk to Kiff. That's why he doesn't want JaMarcus to get smashed and killed and "rebuilt" next year when he's used to losing.

I think he used that word on purpose, in that context, to send a message to us, without having to spell out "Hey, dumbasses, we're REBUILDING here." God knows we need it. All we've been "reloading" the last few years is a broken ass weapon.

So, I'm IN.

Sorry I doubted you, coach.