So I was sitting in front of my blank computer screen wondering what to write about, while at the same time watching the Oakland A's beat the New York Yankees in Game One of the divisional series. I realized that I haven't written anything positive about anybody in a while, so I should probably do that. But what's positive in sports, I asked? Everywhere you look, players are demanding higher salaries from prison cells. But then it hit me like a Pedro Martinez fastball.
The Oakland A's.
If there's one team that the country can look at in this year's baseball playoffs and smile about, it's the A's. They may not be America's team, but they could be the working man's club. The A's have the lowest payroll of any playoff team, but have an opportunity to beat the Yankees, who have the highest payroll in baseball.
It's kind of like David versus Goliath, except David lives in Oakland and can crank homeruns at any point during the game.
I really, really want to see the A's beat the Yankees, and it's not just because I'm a devoted, lifelong Yankee hater, although that's definitely a part of it. It's fun to watch the A's outplay the Yankees. New York players have their fancy pinstripes and tight-fitting, perfect-looking uniforms. The A's have baggy clothes with guts hanging over their belts. They look like they belong in your community softball league, playing Local Lumberjacks 404.
The leader of this fun-loving bunch is Jason Giambi, who could start on any beer-guzzling, chain-smoking, home run hitting softball team, except that he may be the MVP of the American Leauge. Giambi batted .334, hit 43 home runs, and had 137 RBIs, a franchise record. He had more runs batted in than guys like Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco had during the era of the bash brothers.
Giambi was named AL player of the month in September. I don't know if he deserved it. All he did was hit .400, with 13 knocks and 32 ribbies. Did I mention that every game the A's played in September they basically had to win because they were in a three-way race for the postseason? It's no wonder why the A's carried Giambi off the field on their shoulders after they clinched the AL West pennant on the last day of the season, because he carried them all month.
Of course, carrying him off the field is no small feat either, as the first baseman could easily pass for a middle linebacker, coming in at 6'3", 235 lbs. Giambi has all the stats that make him a star, but he also has the personality. He's not just nice to the media. He tells the truth when he answers questions, and he's funny. He has shaggy hair, a bit of a gut, a swing longer than the Academy Awards, and a goatee.
In fact, it seems like almost every A's hitter looks like that. There are more goatees in the A's dugout than at a Harley Davidson convention. Other than Giambi, you have Matt Stairs, who has, surprise, a bit of a gut, long hair, and a goatee. Or Eric Chavez. Or Giambi's younger brother Jason. These aren't the classy ball players your parents paid 50 cents to watch at the ballpark.
These guys swing at anything, spit when they talk, and don't have that much speed, but make up for it with incredible power. In short, they're fun to watch play. Joe DiMaggio is spinning in his grave.
All the fun isn't exclusively in the batting order, though. Manager Art Howe, who used to manage the Houston Astros and coach the Colorado Rockies, may be in the American League, but he has a little bit of that senior-circuit attitude still in him. He actually had the gall to double steal against the Yanks. Can you imagine that, an American League manager calling a double steal? Usually, the only things American League managers call is their chauffeurs to tell them that the game's ending. I have never seen Joe Torre do anything in a game other than stare at the field, mumble a few words to bench coach Don Zimmer, or take the occasional nap (alright, so I've never actually caught him sleeping, but I swear he could take anyone in a staring contest).
And the A's pitchers like to have some fun, too. Barry Zito, a lefty starter, never goes anywhere without his specially made silk sheets and pillows, and he always travels with stuffed animals.
There's more about this team you may not know. For instance, it may have the best shortstop who will never go to an All-Star game. Miguel Tejada hit 30 homers this year, bats fifth in a powerful lineup, and has more range than Pavarotti, but has just one fatal flaw. He plays in the same league as the better-known Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Nomar Garciappara.
Or how about Tim Hudson, the second-year pitcher? A few years back, the A's decided to draft a bunch of pitchers to try to build a new rotation. The last guy they picked was some nobody named Hudson. Turns out, this nobody won 20 games this year and may be the best young pitcher in baseball.
So the A's may or may not be the team of the 2000's (I think they will be), but two things are for sure. One, they are very fun to watch, and two, I hope they beat the Yankees.
