Tag Archives: Oakland Athletics

Name Origins of all 30 Major League Baseball Teams

Posted on September 22, 2014 | Leave a comment

Cincinnati Red Stockings. 1st Professional Baseball Team

Cincinnati Red Stockings Photo Courtesy “www.todayifoundout.com” Daven Hiskey.

I “Stumbled” on this great post that lists the origins of all 30 Major League Baseball Teams. It appears the Boston Red Sox hold the oldest named team dating back to the 1860’s, popularized by the Cincinnati Red Stockings from 1867-1870 and used by Boston’s National League franchise from 1871-1876.

But the actual team name origin that’s with the same team is the San Francisco Giants, formerly the New York Giants, that dates back to 1885.

Read the original Post Stumbleupon.com, written by Scott Allen.

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Posted in A1 Baseball, A1 Baseball, General, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, General, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals

Tagged arizona diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, BALTIMORE ORIOLES, baseball name origins, Baseball origins, boston red sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, cincinnati red stockings, Cincinnati Reds, cleveland indians, Colorado Rockies, DETROIT TIGERS, florida marlins, Houston Astros, kansas city royals, los angeles angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, minnesota twins, New York Giants, new york mets, new york yankees, Oakland Athletics, philadelphia phillies, pittsburgh pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Scott Allen, seattle mariners, St Louis Cardinals, Stumble, Stumbleupon, tampa bay rays, Texas Rangers, toronto blue jays, washington nationals

It Pays to Win A World Series !! How Much Did they Make??

Posted on November 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

Reprinted from SI.COM.

NEW YORK (AP) – A full postseason share for the World Series champion San Francisco Giants was worth a record $377,003, breaking the mark that had stood since the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals.

In the first year of the expansion of the playoffs from eight teams to 10, the players’ pool was a record $65.36 million, Major League Baseball said Monday. The previous mark of $59.1 million came in 2009.

The Giants split $23.5 million, voting 50 full shares, partial shares equivalent to another 11.1, and 12 cash awards. All-Star outfielder Melky Cabrera, suspended for the final 45 games of the regular season and the division series, automatically received a full share without his teammates having to make a decision.

Under baseball’s joint drug agreement, he was eligible for his share because his suspension ended in time for him to be on the active roster for a majority of the Giants’ postseason games, even though San Francisco decided not to use him. Under Major League Rule 45, he gets a full share because he was with the team from June 1 on.

Cabrera, the All-Star game MVP, became a free agent last week and agreed to a $16 million, two-year contract with Toronto.

San Francisco’s full share was up from $323,170 for the 2011 champion Cardinals and $317,631 on the 2010 Giants.

A full share on the AL champion Tigers was worth $284,275, up from $251,516 for last year’s Texas Rangers.

The players’ pool included 50 percent of the gate receipts from the two wild card games, and 60 percent from the first three games of each division series and the first four games of each league championship series and the World Series.

Full shares were worth $122,558 for the Cardinals, $115,065 for the New York Yankees, $37,865 for the Cincinnati Reds, $37,045 for the Washington Nationals, $34,826 for the Baltimore Orioles, $34,325 for the Oakland Athletics, $19,609 for the Atlanta Braves and $16,999 for the Rangers.

Shares are split among the 10 postseason teams. In the past, they were divided among the eight playoff teams and the four second-place teams that failed to reach the postseason.

Giants Players Get Record $377,003 World Series Share (sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com)
Giants’ World Series Share A Record $377,003 (philadelphia.cbslocal.com)
6 Things You May Not Know About the World Series (history.com)
Giants’ World Series share a record $377,003 (espn.go.com)

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Posted in A1 Baseball, General, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals

Tagged Cincinnati Reds, Major League Baseball, Melky Cabrera, new york yankees, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco, Texas Rangers, World Series, World Series Salaries

Capitalism Alive and Well in Baseball!

Posted on May 15, 2012 | Leave a comment

“Courtesy of Money Ball”

Last week I was perusing the San Francisco Giants website looking for tickets. I settled on two $46 tickets in the Premium Lower Box section, went through the hoops and hit the button only to find that the $46 tickets were now miraculously $150! Here’s the Disclaimer that was shown on the page:

“Market pricing applies to all tickets.
Rates can fluctuate based on factors affecting supply and demand. Lock in your price and location today!”

What the heck is that all about? I mean if you list something for a certain price shouldn’t that be the price you pay for it? I’m just as much in favor of capitalism as the next guy, probably more so, and I’m not an attorney, but shouldn’t this be considered false advertising?

I understand having different prices for different games. For example, a June 4th game between the Giants and the Dodgers is priced at $56 for a lower box seat but a game on August 3 between the Giants and the Padres is only $32 for the same seat. I get it. Nothing wrong with that. But to buy a ticket advertised at a specific price and then find out “at checkout” that it’s three times the price you agreed to pay for it 10 seconds ago? I don’t think so. I wonder if other teams are doing this. Ticket prices should be published at the beginning of the season and remain the same throughout that season, or at least until you get a chance to click the purchase button.

“AT&T Park not the only game in town” Photo Courtesy of Gerald Carpenter

Needless to say, I cancelled the order I was working on and instead I’m flying down to San Diego in June to watch the Padres and Rangers at a price we agreed upon. Okay, I realize with the air fare, hotel, meals, etc., it’s going to cost me a fortune. But this is a protest purchase you know? And it’s the principal of the thing. I mean how many times do I have to keep paying for Zito’s salary? Enough already.

One bright spot in the week. We received an email from the Oakland A’s a few weeks ago offering $12 Field Level tickets on Mother’s Day. And that’s exactly what they cost. These were great front row seats, beautiful weather, friendly fans, and extremely friendly vendors and staff, and a beautiful pink rose to boot! Needless to say, we’ll be back.

And we’re flying to Seattle and attending a Mariners game week after next. If this is perceived as being disloyal, so be it. I love my San Francisco Giants but I love baseball even more and I’m going to the games one way or another.

Like I said, it’s the principle of the thing.

Sam Kennedy Refutes Notion That Red Sox Give Away Tickets to Keep Sellout Streak Alive (Video) (nesn.com)
Money Ball 2 (swebman.com)
San Francisco Giants: Top 10 Benefits of Being a Giants Fan (bleacherreport.com)

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Posted in A1 Baseball, General, A2 Ballparks, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners

Tagged AT&T Park, Barry Zito, baseball principles, Oakland Athletics, San Diego, San Diego Padres, San Francisco, San Francisco Giants, Seattle, seattle mariners, Tickets

Porking out at the Ballpark on Mother’s Day!

Posted on May 7, 2012 | 3 comments

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Some of the above pictures courtesy of Fox Sports MLB’s Best Food List.

I just found out I’m going to the Oakland A’s – Detroit Tigers game on Mother’s Day so I went online to find out what’s for dinner! My search found this great website with such tantalizing food pictures I think I’ll conjure up some ballpark food for dinner tonight!

One of my favorite ballpark foods is the Primanti Brothers Sandwich at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. When I was there the fans were lined up around the block for this one. The special sandwich (pictured above) includes not only the roast beef, but also the salad and french fries stacked high and part of the sandwich.

And someday I’m going to try those Rocky Mountain Oysters at Coors Stadium. Or maybe I’ll watch someone else try them but it’ll still be an experience.

And for dessert it’s a toss-up between those yummy looking cupcakes at Safeco Field in Seattle and the funnel cakes at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

If you don’t have plans for your mom, your kid’s mom or someone else that’s really special on Mother’s Day why not consider taking her to dinner at the Ballpark! You’ll get to enjoy the camaraderie of some the greatest fans in all of sports, hopefully a great game and some really terrific food.

Mother’s Day is coming fast. Get your c (chetjack.wordpress.com)
Mother’s Day For Everyone – Or For No-one (herbadmother.com)
Mother’s Day for moms in uniform (whptv.com)
Make Dinner Sunday For Your Mom (jovinacooksitalian.com)
Mother’s Day Brunch and Dinner Ideas (aleluli.wordpress.com)

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Posted in A1 Baseball, General, A3 Ballpark Food, Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals

Tagged AT&T Park, cupcakes at safeco, DETROIT TIGERS, funnel cakes AT&T park, GARLIC FRIES, Mothers Day, mothers day at ballpark, mothers day dinner, Oakland Athletics, PNC Park, primanti bros sandwich, Rocky Mountain Oysters, Safeco Field, San Francisco

Ichiro At the Bat in Tokyo!

Posted on March 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

Ichiro at the Bat in Tokyo, March, 2012. Courtesy this morning of Drew Silva, NBC Hardball.

“From Jeff Baker of the Seattle Times comes this shot of Mariners outfielder and native of Japan Ichiro Suzuki getting ready to bat in Saturday’s exhibition game against the Hanshin Tigers. The Mariners lost the game 5-0 in front of a raucous sold out crowd of 55,000 at the Tokyo Dome.” Drew Silva, NBC Hardball.

I love this picture, probably because it’s rumored and most likely true that 2012 will probably be Ichiro Suzuki’s last year not only as a Seattle Mariner, but also in Major League Baseball. I hear he’ll probably be returning to baseball in Japan and who could blame him? Evidently you can mail a letter to Ichiro in Japan, addressed only to “Ichiro” and he’ll get it. That’s how popular he is in Japan and he may be just as popular here, especially in the Seattle area.

The Seattle Mariners are in Japan for a two-day stand to open the 2012 regular season against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Wouldn’t you just love to be there? But hang tough. We’re almost there – to opening day I mean!

Ichiro a Hit in Seattle’s Loss to Hanshin Tigers (abcnews.go.com)
Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki Open To Possibility Of Not Batting Leadoff (tracking.si.com)
“Play Ball!” Seattle Mariners head to Japan (bizjournals.com)
Excited A’s depart for Opening Series in Japan (mlb.mlb.com)

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Posted in A1 Baseball, General, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners

Tagged 2012 baseball season, Hanshin Tigers, Ichiro Suzuki, Japan, Jeff Baker, Oakland Athletics, opening day, Seattle, Seattle Mariner, Tokyo Dome

The “D-Train” Has Left the Station. “We Hardly Knew ye D”

Posted on March 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

Dontrelle Willis

I’m really sad this morning to read about Dontrelle Willis being released from yet another team, this time the Philadelphia Phillies. I’ve been following this kid since his 2003 debut with the Florida Marlins. He was just so much fun to watch, with that wild and goofy wind-up he had and always a big smile. I’d never seen anything like it before and probably never will again.

He was dynamite back then! And I wasn’t the only one who was enthralled with the kid. He was named the 2003 National League Rookie of the Year. And that wasn’t all he did in 2003. In game 4 of the 2003 NL Division Series he hit 3 for 3 (one was a triple) and scored a run, this all being done as a “pitcher”, and then beat the socks off my home team, the San Francisco Giants. The Marlins won the 2003 World Series, and I’ll never forget Dontrelle Willis in that series.

Dontrelle Willis & Miguel Cabrera in Detroit

Dontrelle was born and raised in Oakland and raised by his very strong, tough and intelligent mother, Joyce. She was not only a commercial welder, working on such bridges as the Golden Gate and Bay Bridge, but she was also a softball catcher and avid Oakland A’s fan. This was the defining influence on Dontrelle that propelled him all the way to the Major Leagues. His dad bailed out when he was a toddler. I don’t know this, but I think they probably had a pretty tough time during those early years. We know one thing though. He loved his mama!

I’m sorry the “D-Train’s” career has been de-railed again. In December, 2011 the Phillies signed him to a one year million dollar deal with expectations that he’d be a bullpen pitcher. He was released yesterday after just three spring training appearances.

Not so long ago

It’s been a wild and rocky road. Will he be back? I don’t know. But I know one thing. Dontrelle Willis provided me with some of my most memorable baseball experiences and I hope he does come back, though at 40 years old it’s unlikely.

To Dontrelle Willis: Best Wishes. I wish we could have gotten to know you better kid!

Phillies Release Dontrelle Willis (tracking.si.com)
Dontrelle Willis is hurting and “horse(bleep)” (hardballtalk.nbcsports.com)
Dontrelle Willis signs one-year contract with Phillies (hardballtalk.nbcsports.com)

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Posted in A1 Baseball, General, Florida Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants

Tagged 2003 NL Rookie of the Year, 2003 World Series, D-Train, Dontrelle Willis, florida marlins, Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award, Marlins, Oakland Athletics, philadelphia phillies, Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Willis

Update: 2011 MLB Payrolls & Individual Salaries.

Posted on August 27, 2011 | 2 comments

Courtesy TTF Baseball

Here’s the 2011 update to our 2010 Major League Baseball listing published November 22, 2010. This comes to us compliments of USA Today. If you’ll click the individual teams, you can access the individual players salaries. It will be interesting to note the annual salaries of the teams that make the playoffs; in other words, did they get what they paid for?

TEAM TOTAL P/R AVG SALARY MEDIAN

New York Yankees	$ 202,689,028	$ 6,756,300	$ 2,100,000
Philadelphia Phillies	$ 172,976,379	$ 5,765,879	$ 2,625,000
Boston Red Sox	$ 161,762,475	$ 5,991,202	$ 5,500,000
Los Angeles Angels	$ 138,543,166	$ 4,469,134	$ 2,000,000
Chicago White Sox	$ 127,789,000	$ 4,732,925	$ 2,750,000
Chicago Cubs	$ 125,047,329	$ 5,001,893	$ 1,600,000
New York Mets	$ 118,847,309	$ 4,401,752	$ 900,000
San Francisco Giants	$ 118,198,333	$ 4,377,716	$ 2,200,000
Minnesota Twins	$ 112,737,000	$ 4,509,480	$ 3,000,000
Detroit Tigers	$ 105,700,231	$ 3,914,823	$ 1,300,000
St. Louis Cardinals	$ 105,433,572	$ 3,904,947	$ 1,000,000
Los Angeles Dodgers	$ 104,188,999	$ 3,472,966	$ 2,142,838
Texas Rangers	$ 92,299,264	$ 3,182,733	$ 1,251,000
Colorado Rockies	$ 88,148,071	$ 3,390,310	$ 2,318,750
Atlanta Braves	$ 87,002,692	$ 3,346,257	$ 1,275,000
Seattle Mariners	$ 86,524,600	$ 2,884,153	$ 825,000
Milwaukee Brewers	$ 85,497,333	$ 2,849,911	$ 1,050,000
Baltimore Orioles	$ 85,304,038	$ 3,280,924	$ 1,425,000
Cincinnati Reds	$ 75,947,134	$ 2,531,571	$ 825,000
Houston Astros	$ 70,694,000	$ 2,437,724	$ 467,000
Oakland Athletics	$ 66,536,500	$ 2,376,303	$ 1,400,000
Washington Nationals	$ 63,856,928	$ 2,201,963	$ 1,050,000
Toronto Blue Jays	$ 62,567,800	$ 2,018,316	$ 1,200,000
Florida Marlins	$ 56,944,000	$ 2,190,153	$ 545,000
Arizona Diamondbacks	$ 53,639,833	$ 1,986,660	$ 1,000,000
Cleveland Indians	$ 49,190,566	$ 1,639,685	$ 484,200
San Diego Padres	$ 45,869,140	$ 1,479,649	$ 468,800
Pittsburgh Pirates	$ 45,047,000	$ 1,553,344	$ 450,000
Tampa Bay Rays	$ 41,053,571	$ 1,578,983	$ 907,750
Kansas City Royals	$ 36,126,000	$ 1,338,000	$ 850,000

Guess Which MLB Team Has $65 Million In Salaries Sitting On Its DL Right Now (It’s Not Who You Think) (businessinsider.com)
MLB Team Rankings and Updated Standings – Week 22 (stealofhome.wordpress.com)

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Posted in A1 Baseball, General, A4 Uncategorized, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals

Tagged arizona diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, BALTIMORE ORIOLES, boston red sox, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, cleveland indians, Colorado Rockies, DETROIT TIGERS, Houston Astros, kansas city royals, los angeles angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, milwaukee breweers, minnesota twins, new york mets, new york yankees, Oakland Athletics, philadelphia philllies, pittsburgh pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, seattle mariners, St Louis Cardinals, tampa bay rays, Texas Rangers, toronto blue jays, washington nationals

2011 Postseason Predictions!

Posted on March 29, 2011 | 1 comment

The off-season flew by this year didn’t it? When you’re playing into November, it doesn’t take long for Spring Training to arrive, and now here we are counting down to the season opener in two days!

My friends over at “Diamondhoggers” have a little contest going to see who can come the closest to predicting the 2011 World Series winner! Here’s my contribution to the cause. Why not play along and see how you compare . For sure I’m not making any wagers on my predictions since last years turned out to be a bust! Maybe I’ll have better luck this year. Good luck on yours!

AMERICAN LEAGUE: