Beware of the A's

DemDog · Post by **DemDog** » Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:13 pm

Hey, there fans. This team has to beware of this team and a sweep of the series by the Bucs.

Shelty has to keep the Bucs in what they have been doing the last 2 weeks. This team has to stay focused on winning a game each day and not taking the lowly A's for granted.

I hope that Cutch, Santana, Reynolds, and even Hedges can take charge and help the team keep their focus.

IABucFan · Post by **IABucFan** » Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:13 pm

Glad someone said this. They might be bad, but they're a professional team. All 26 of their players are among the best baseball players in the world. J.P. Sears who goes tonight is a decent pitcher. If the Bucs think that they can just show up and check off three W's, they've got another thing coming.

MaineBucs · Post by **MaineBucs** » Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:17 pm

The offense needs to pick it up. No Bednar for a day or two and some of the other better relievers could use a bit of a break. DeJong, Perdomo, and the 'Z' guy, collectively, resembles the A's pitching staff.

The A's are not a good team, but they, like some of the lowly Pirate teams over the past 30 years still manage to win 60 games over the course of a season.

SteadyFreddy · Post by **SteadyFreddy** » Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:56 pm

They have won 2 series all year long and have lost 14 games in a row on the road going into tonight. Don’t want to ever say winning 2 out of 3 would be a disappointment but as bad as the A’s are losing even 1 game to them would be.

Surgnbuck · Post by **Surgnbuck** » Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:59 pm

It was interesting listening on the radio for a bit talking about the upcoming series against Oakland. They felt it showed tremendous leadership and confidence in the team by Shelton, using Bednar for a third straight day, knowing full well he wouldn't be available more than likely till Wednesday.

They reported also that Bednar went to Shelton and said if it was close, he wanted to work.

Shelton got the kudos because he was managing to win the game today, against a division opponent. It's a huge difference against a divisional team sweeping them instead of just winning 2 of 3. He went for the jugular.

It's also a vote of confidence in his team that he expects them to do well enough to make the use of a closer pointless. It's also a vote of confidence to the bullpen in general, that's my thoughts, not what they said.

Some teams have another team's number regardless how much difference there is in the two teams year after year.

The A's are 12-6 against the Pirates all time. And let's face it, in that Oakland dugout, you know they feel they can legit beat the Pirates all three games. I'm certain they don't view the Bucs as some juggernaut that they'd be happy to steal a game from.

I predict a sweep, then 2 of three from the Mets.

I am going to the games Wednesday and Saturday.

bucs607179 · Post by **bucs607179** » Mon Jun 05, 2023 5:53 pm

Not saying it will happen but I fully expect to win at least 2 of 3.

SammyKhalifa · Post by **SammyKhalifa** » Mon Jun 05, 2023 6:51 pm

Well, they're bad but I doubt they'll continue to lose at the rate they are now. I mean, that's an almost impossible "accomplishment."

IABucFan · Post by **IABucFan** » Mon Jun 05, 2023 8:14 pm

According to this website, there were 455,300 high school baseball players in the US. Not sure on the year for this data. Baseball is also popular in Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, much of Latin America, Japan, Korea, China, and increasingly in Europe and Australia. Let's conservatively say there are 2 million amateur players around the world. There are 780 players in MLB. I realize there are some better players in the minors than currently on MLB rosters (*cough* Henry Davis *cough, cough*), but let's just say these are the best 780 players in the world.

That means that every player on the A's is in the top .04% of baseball players in the world. The Pirates are better, and should win at least 2/3, especially with Keller pitching one game. But let's not act like they're playing a bunch of Little Leaguers.

http://media.hometeamsonline.com/photos ... onally.pdf

Bobster21 · Post by **Bobster21** » Mon Jun 05, 2023 8:35 pm

1C1417203613343B550 wrote: According to this website, there were 455,300 high school baseball players in the US. Not sure on the year for this data. Baseball is also popular in Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, much of Latin America, Japan, Korea, China, and increasingly in Europe and Australia. Let's conservatively say there are 2 million amateur players around the world. There are 780 players in MLB. I realize there are some better players in the minors than currently on MLB rosters (*cough* Henry Davis *cough, cough*), but let's just say these are the best 780 players in the world.

That means that every player on the A's is in the top .04% of baseball players in the world. The Pirates are better, and should win at least 2/3, especially with Keller pitching one game. But let's not act like they're playing a bunch of Little Leaguers.

http://media.hometeamsonline.com/photos ... onally.pdf
Why have the Pirates had such a tough time constructing a good team out of those 2 million players? ;D