Billy Beane on LAA's Prospects

by Rev Halofan on Mar 22, 2006 12:35 AM PST

Today's L.A. TyMe$ Sporting Section has some amazing commentary on the Angels' vaunted minor league prospects...

...from of all people, OAKLAND Athletics GM Billy Beane!

This is like the Bee Gees showing up at CBGBs in 1977 to an early Ramones concert and being floored by what they saw and heard (and yes, I can totally picture Beane in brown polyester, gold chains and a Farrah-Man Wave-Do)... We'll let Barry Gibb-- I mean Billy Beane speak:

"if they had given up some of the guys (in the Angels minor leagues in a trade for Miguel Tejada or Manny Ramirez) in deals, I would have been OK with that

Billy Beane likes our minor leaguers so much, he wishes they would have been traded and the Angels would compete with Tejada and Manny.

High Praise, but there is more...

When the Angels failed to attract Paul Konerko with a ridiculous 5-year deal...
"Put it this way, I was disappointed they didn't go out and sign a bunch of older guys who would stand in the way of those [prospects] because those guys are legitimate. They have one of the best farm systems in the game. They're not just good players; they're going to be great players."

And the prognostication for the future by Mister Crystal Disco Ball himself...

""I've seen enough of those guys to wish they'd go away. Unfortunately, I'll see more of them over the next 10 years than I care to see. They're not going to be just good. They're going to be real good."

Cue THE WHO... g'bye sistah disco...

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Panther Times

seems like most of the LA fish wrap Sports section on line is devoted to the Halos today.

i wonder what is up with Beane - maybe he's just trying to give Neyer something new to write instead of slobbering all over his feet.

by rbrianc on Mar 22, 2006 1:43 AM PST reply actions

no question ...

the Halos have a great farm. The question is whether they can maximize the value of those players, which will be a challenge since they all play the same positions.

by devo on Mar 23, 2006 5:28 PM PST reply actions

i agree

i think scioscia (with Stonehenge) is going to have alot of scrutiny on him. we all went bonkers last year when scioscia kept running Steve Frosty out to CF, so i wonder how much leash he'll give some of his more questionable offensive producers if they start to blow chunks.

by yeswecan on Mar 23, 2006 5:34 PM PST up reply actions

Beane has often talked of his love for The Ramones

Which makes the BeeGees refs kind of ridiculous.

The guy is giving your team props. Is it so hard to simply acknowledge he knows what he's talking about and that he's not such a homer that he'd deny the truth?

by PreviouslyDeleted on Mar 23, 2006 6:15 PM PST reply actions

Ya think I don't

know the extent of Billy's record collection and am capable of engaging in irony?

Well you can tell by the way that he adds his stats
he's a Moneyball man no time for chats

by Rev Halofan on Mar 23, 2006 6:20 PM PST up reply actions

That's Funny

Because Billy Beane has chatted with Blez for the site a few times...how many Stoneman appearances have there been on Halos Heaven?

And are you so defensive that when a GM (a pretty good one at that) throws some praise your teams way - you must instantly mock him?

He didn't even have that kind of praise for Crosby, Dan Johnson, and Blanton when they were down in the minors - and they turned out to make an impact - the Angels should be so lucky (I know that I hope not).

by SD Erik on Mar 23, 2006 7:37 PM PST up reply actions

I will take that as a NO

as in NO YOU DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO COMPREHEND IRONY.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 23, 2006 7:57 PM PST up reply actions

"You keep using that word..."

"I do not think it means what you think it means."

When someone is a Ramones fan and you call him a BeeGees fan and ascribe someone else Ramones-oriented tendencies, that's not irony. I'm not quite sure what it is, but I know for damn sure it's not irony.

Irony: When a word or phrase has a surface meaning, but another contradictory meaning beneath the surface. A statement or plot which has an implicit meaning intended by the speaker which differs from that which the speaker ostensibly asserts. Two separate and contrasting levels of meaning embedded in one message.

I think what you were really going for was 'polar opposite', or perhaps 'antithesis'.

Or maybe 'homerism'.

by PreviouslyDeleted on Mar 23, 2006 10:48 PM PST up reply actions

AND IN THE

juxtaposition of opposites lay the irony, but I don't expect you to follow. You still think Darin Erstad never went to the playoffs.

CAN OAKLAND SEND OVER AN INTELLIGENT SPARRING TROLL OR TWO, THIS ONE IS TOO STONED...

by Rev Halofan on Mar 23, 2006 10:58 PM PST up reply actions

Stoneman's Decision

Here's espn.com's Jerry Crasnick on Stoneman's decision not to trade away the farm:

'Angels GM Bill Stoneman took some hits for refusing to trade prospects for immediate offensive help, but many of his peers think he made the right call. Casey Kotchman and Kendry Morales have crushed the ball this spring, and second baseman Howie Kendrick is going to be a monster.

'"Kendrick could go to the big leagues right now and hit .300," a National League GM said. "He's way beyond his years with his approach at the plate."'

Link:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=2378268&lpos=spotlig ht&lid=tab4pos2

by G Abbes on Mar 24, 2006 4:58 AM PST reply actions