I'm a Sox fan 1st but living in SF i'm a local fan too, A's & Giants(49ers too) and the A's remind me of our 2004 Sox.  The A's were down 5 games with 9 to go & for first time in history came back to win division. I do not consider this tantamount to Sox 0-3 comeback to beat Yankees & then go undefeated in the Series but it's still remarkable.

Nice to see former Sox alumni, Reddick, Crisp, Moss & Kottarus all do well & I'd liked them in our Sox lineup this year---Oh well, Monday morning QB I know. And Bailey whom we got for Reddick(32HRs) and gave up the 2 run homer last night for Yanks to tie the game in the 9th is mediocre. We really couldn't tell until the end of the year how bad he was because he was injured and then there were very few times we were ahead for him to protect the lead.

Need the A's to beat the Yankees in Div playoffs. A's pitching & relievers much better but Yankees, not the murderers' row of Babe Ruth & Lou Gherig but still a powerhouse lineup and I can't think of a better starting nine today.

The Rangers lose seven of their last nine and 17 of their last 33 to blow the division.

This game was BIG and EXCITING.  I'm sure both teams were going all out to win because neither team wanted to play in the one-game wild card series.  However, this game would have been much  BIGGER and  more EXCITING if both teams knew that one team advanced and one team goes home.  May be it is good for business but the wild card takes away the black and white in winning and losing the division more times than not.  The Rangers still know they could win the World Series.  I liked it a thousand times better when a team knew that if they lost a  BIG game on the last day if the season, they would be going home until next spring training.

A's were 500 at the break, go on to win the Division.  Money ball at is best. They should make a movie about it......oh, wait. ;)

In response to J-BAY's comment:
[QUOTE]

A's were 500 at the break, go on to win the Division.  Money ball at is best. They should make a movie about it......oh, wait. ;)

I wanted the Rangers to play in the World Series again this year.  I would be surprised if this happened, although, they may turn things around in the playoffs.  Last year is a perfect example of a team that peaked at the right time.   

In response to SFBostonFan's comment:

Yes, good to see but I am a SF Giants fan long before I root for the As.  Same as 49ers vs Raiders.  Now if the Red Sox could just play a little money ball with some hungry rookies and cast offs they just might have a team that plays to win instead of a pay check.   I was so disgusted this year with the huge albatros salaries and poor attitude.  Well the salaries have been dumped and it is time to move on.  Go Giants and go As beat the Yank-me's

In response to RedSoxvsGiants' comment:

Yes, when I say local teams, as I live in Marin County, I mean 49ers 1st and SF Giants. I don't care about the Raiders & I like the A's because it's easy to get tickets when Sox are in town. And, hating the Yankees, I want A's to knock them off &, if not, for Giants to beat them in World Series. I like Warriors only because I hate the Lakers(as much as Yankees) as I am a Celtic fan and can get tickets when Boston comes to town.

Ridiculous. Amazing confluence of lights out bullpen, great rookie starters (top three pitchers are disabled), clutch hitting and divine intervention. See no reason why it can't continue in a weak AL

Where are the Beane bashers tonight?

This is such an interesting story for the year.  I can still remember when they owned the Sox in July, and that was their turning point.  Sox declined, A's ascended.  They deserve praise and kudos for PLAYING baseball without any expectations but to win.

 

Few could've imagined this outcome in June!

 

Go A's!  I live near Dallas, and have come to respect the Rangers and the energy they have created, but love this outcome!

 

Congratulations to the Oakland A's. 

Despite losing key starting pitchers to injuries, a payroll of only $55 million, being 13 games back in late June, 5 games back a week and a half ago, they sweep the Rangers to win the AL West.

Shame on me for predicting that the A's would finish in last place this year. 

This is Moneyball at its finest. 

Billy Beane is a genius.  One of the best , if not the best, judge of talent in the business. Great job of putting together a terrific team on a low budget.  I don't really expect them to go far in the playoffs , but they have had a great season.  Have to tip our caps to them.

One big part of Moneyball is the de-emphasis of the paying large for a closer. They showed this year that you can get by with no big-named closer on the roster.

Grant Balfour 24 saves

Ryan Cook 14 saves

 

In 2002, the A's still had the Big Three, Tejada, etc.

This year is what I call Moneyball.  I lost count how many rookies they used this year. 

This team was five back with nine games to go.  

What a story. 

Good point Ice. They had 19 guys with over 99 ABs and 17 pitchers with over 35 IP (23 who pitched 3+ IP).

In contrast, the team with all the injuries and players traded away, we had only 16 players with 99+ ABs and 16 pitchers with 35+ IP (20 pitchers total).

 

 

The A's will lose Brandon McCarthey ($4.3M in 2012) to free agency, but the also shed $5.5M from poor-producing Brandon Inge ($0.5M buyout), $2M for Bartolo Colon, and $1M for Gomes. Total: just over $10M.

They will likely not take Stephen Drew's $10M option (but no real savings).

The following set raises are set to take place:

Anderson: +$2.5M

Cespedes: +$2M

Crisp: +$1M

Balfour: +$0.5M (assuming they take his $4.5M option)

Total: $6M not counting arb or pre-arb raises which shouldn't be too much.

 

They look to have about the same player budget if they make no signings or contract additions. They will miss McCarthey and Colon & Gomes to some extent, but could probably replace some of them if they wish to raise the budget.

In response to moonslav59's comment:

Moon, with Brandon Inge the Athletics were on the hook for only the prorated portion of the league minimun salary (and presumbly the 2013 buyout) with the Tigers picking up the remainder of Inge's 2012 salary:

Brandon Inge 3b
2 years/$11.5M (2011-12), plus 2013 club option

• 2 years/$11.5M (2011-12), plus 2013 club option
• signed extension with Detroit 10/21/10
• 11:$5.5M, 12:$5.5M, 13:$6M club option ($0.5M buyout)
• DFA by Detroit 7/20/11, sent outright to Triple-A 7/26/11
• contract purchased by Detroit 8/20/11
• released by Detroit 4/26/12
• signed by Oakland as a free agent 4/30/12 (A’s pay pro-rated portion of Major League minimum, or about $414,066, with Tigers responsible for balance of 2012 salary)

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/?page_id=98

The A's have already shed the $5 million salary of Kurt Suzuki from the Opening Day payroll and will shed the $5 million salary of Brian Fuentes and the $2 million salary of Bartolo Colon.

In other words, Oakland should be in good shape financially (especially with its share of the recent lucrative league-wide television contracts).

 

When Billy Beane signed Cespedes to a 4-year, $36 million contract, I thought Beane was human and stupid afterall.  

Boy was I wrong.  lol