A's, White Sox show how to win on a budget

bxny · 08-05-00, 04:08 AM

A's, White Sox show how to win on a budget
Teams' spending limits haven't limited success
BY HOWARD BRYANT
Mercury News

CHICAGO -- Before the fourth game of the season, Chicago White Sox Manager Jerry Manuel heaped so much praise on the A's that all that was missing was whipped cream and a cherry on top.

"Look at what they did last season. They were being outspent by so many teams in the league and almost made the playoffs," Manuel said. "What they did, you hope was not a one-time thing. But what I'm really hoping is that they will be an inspiration to our young club and that in time, we'll be one day where they are now."

The White Sox won two of three games against the A's that weekend, and that was the beginning of the surprise. In the weeks to come, Manuel and the White Sox raced right past not only their supposed standard-bearers but the rest of the major leagues as well.

The result is the kids sitting at the adults' table. The $31 million White Sox and the $32 million A's are in the midst of a special year. Chicago is 65-42, leads the American League Central by 10 games and has the best record in the league. The A's are 60-47, two games out of first place in the A.L. West.

And tonight, the White Sox and A's begin a three-game series that -- unthinkable four months ago -- might just be a preview of the A.L. championship series.

That development is remarkable during these times of Blue Ribbon Panels on Baseball Economics and the simple reality that only six A.L. teams -- New York, Boston, Baltimore, Cleveland, Seattle and Texas -- have taken the 20 playoff berths since the 1994 strike.

This year, the Yankees -- who have boosted their league-high payroll from $93 million to $107 million during the season -- lead the A.L. East. But Chicago appears headed for the playoffs for the first time since the Bo Jackson/Frank Thomas/Jack McDowell 1993 edition. The A's lot is a bit more complicated, as they are battling not just Seattle in the West but also Boston, Cleveland, Toronto and Anaheim for the wild card. There is a remote chance none of the six teams that have owned the postseason since the strike will make the playoffs this year.

"I think it's a nice scenario for baseball, a real breath of fresh air," A's Manager Art Howe said. "You've had nothing but the high-money teams getting into the postseason for years, and it looks like it's going to change this year."

Because of the A's volatility in the A.L. standings, General Manager Billy Beane frequently likens his team to a technology stock. Like the Nasdaq, the A's have enjoyed the rush of excess -- they won 20 of 24 games during a May-June stretch -- as well as the salty combination of confusion and defeat during a 5-13 skid.

But the White Sox have been -- oddly for a young team winning for the first time -- the league's most consistent team. No slide has been greater than four games, and they haven't stayed down for long. Their current 5-8 stretch is their worst of the season.

If the White Sox continue this magical season, they will respect it more because of where they've been. In 1997, they were within striking distance of Cleveland when management traded veteran pitchers Roberto Hernandez, Wilson Alvarez and Danny Darwin to the Giants at the trading deadline. The Giants made the playoffs. The White Sox held only the promise of the future.

"They are where they are by being daring," Beane said, adding that the White Sox let Albert Belle leave for Baltimore after the 1998 season. "And you have to do that. . . . They made the big deal in '97. They hired a manager who had never managed before. They did the things they thought were right."

That the White Sox won only 75 games last season is precisely what makes them special. The moment the A's were eliminated from playoff contention last year, they were chosen to be a force this year. The White Sox were supposed to be looking up at the Cleveland Indians again.

"I don't think anyone realized how good their arms are," Howe said of youngsters Jim Parque, Bob Howry, Keith Foulke, Mike Sirotka and left-handed reliever Kelly Wunsch, who leads the league with 57 appearances and owns a 2.68 ERA. Chicago is fourth in the league in ERA at 4.68, and the A's are fifth at 4.79.

"And they're durable," Howe said. "But the key is Big Frank."

"Big Frank," of course, is Thomas, who has rebounded from two subpar seasons to carry the team as he did as the American League MVP in 1993 and '94. He's hitting .330 with 29 homers and 91 RBIs -- fine totals for a complete season, All-Star numbers for the first week of August. Thomas hasn't just regained his status as the White Sox's best player, he also can take the young team somewhere he has been, the playoffs.

"It all starts with him," Howe said. "If he's having the same year he had last year, they don't do what they've done. Plus, he takes the pressure off of the younger guys. All they have to do is play. He handles the rest."

SanFrANSKY · 08-07-00, 12:50 PM

Living out here I watch a lot of A's games. One of their funniest television promos is a scene of Ben Grieve and the team mascot jumping up and down on a bed, with the tagline "they might be young, but they can play."

It's true. These guys are for real. Tim Hudson has defeated the likes of Pedro, Randy and David Wells. and Gil Heredia is devastating when he's on. Giambi is the best 1B in the AL they have talented young outfielders like Terrence Long, and power off the bench like Adam Piatt. Add to this the rebuilt bullpen which features a renewed Jason Isringhausen, and you've got a contender.

And finally, the Oakland fans are starting to take notice and come out to the ballpark (it was impossible to get decent seats for the series against the Yanks).

Watch closely this week when the A's come to the Stadium!

bxny · 08-07-00, 06:27 PM

Hi SanFrANSKY,

I agree, these A's are for REAL! Their front office has done a fantastic job putting together a team that is playing good ball. They made a nice pick up adding a veteran righty bat in Mike Stanley. Their last trip to the Bronx Matt Stairs had a big series, his overall numbers may have fallin' off this year, but he can still take you deep if you make a mistake, and the Yankees pitching has been making plenty of mistakes lately. The Yanks are going to have to play all around better ball than they did vs Seattle or it's going to be a long series. I'm looking forward to seeing them again, I'll be watching close.

08-07-00, 12:50 PM	#2
SanFrANSKY Now THERE is a Captain !! Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: The City By The Bay	Living out here I watch a lot of A's games. One of their funniest television promos is a scene of Ben Grieve and the team mascot jumping up and down on a bed, with the tagline "they might be young, but they can play." It's true. These guys are for real. Tim Hudson has defeated the likes of Pedro, Randy and David Wells. and Gil Heredia is devastating when he's on. Giambi is the best 1B in the AL they have talented young outfielders like Terrence Long, and power off the bench like Adam Piatt. Add to this the rebuilt bullpen which features a renewed Jason Isringhausen, and you've got a contender. And finally, the Oakland fans are starting to take notice and come out to the ballpark (it was impossible to get decent seats for the series against the Yanks). Watch closely this week when the A's come to the Stadium!
	__________________ SanFrANSKY We're Playaz. We're 9. We're Angry. Base: a certain kind of ball. Repair these losses...and be a blessing to us.

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08-05-00, 04:08 AM	#1
bxny NYYF MVP Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: MD	A's, White Sox show how to win on a budget Teams' spending limits haven't limited success BY HOWARD BRYANT Mercury News CHICAGO -- Before the fourth game of the season, Chicago White Sox Manager Jerry Manuel heaped so much praise on the A's that all that was missing was whipped cream and a cherry on top. "Look at what they did last season. They were being outspent by so many teams in the league and almost made the playoffs," Manuel said. "What they did, you hope was not a one-time thing. But what I'm really hoping is that they will be an inspiration to our young club and that in time, we'll be one day where they are now." The White Sox won two of three games against the A's that weekend, and that was the beginning of the surprise. In the weeks to come, Manuel and the White Sox raced right past not only their supposed standard-bearers but the rest of the major leagues as well. The result is the kids sitting at the adults' table. The $31 million White Sox and the $32 million A's are in the midst of a special year. Chicago is 65-42, leads the American League Central by 10 games and has the best record in the league. The A's are 60-47, two games out of first place in the A.L. West. And tonight, the White Sox and A's begin a three-game series that -- unthinkable four months ago -- might just be a preview of the A.L. championship series. That development is remarkable during these times of Blue Ribbon Panels on Baseball Economics and the simple reality that only six A.L. teams -- New York, Boston, Baltimore, Cleveland, Seattle and Texas -- have taken the 20 playoff berths since the 1994 strike. This year, the Yankees -- who have boosted their league-high payroll from $93 million to $107 million during the season -- lead the A.L. East. But Chicago appears headed for the playoffs for the first time since the Bo Jackson/Frank Thomas/Jack McDowell 1993 edition. The A's lot is a bit more complicated, as they are battling not just Seattle in the West but also Boston, Cleveland, Toronto and Anaheim for the wild card. There is a remote chance none of the six teams that have owned the postseason since the strike will make the playoffs this year. "I think it's a nice scenario for baseball, a real breath of fresh air," A's Manager Art Howe said. "You've had nothing but the high-money teams getting into the postseason for years, and it looks like it's going to change this year." Because of the A's volatility in the A.L. standings, General Manager Billy Beane frequently likens his team to a technology stock. Like the Nasdaq, the A's have enjoyed the rush of excess -- they won 20 of 24 games during a May-June stretch -- as well as the salty combination of confusion and defeat during a 5-13 skid. But the White Sox have been -- oddly for a young team winning for the first time -- the league's most consistent team. No slide has been greater than four games, and they haven't stayed down for long. Their current 5-8 stretch is their worst of the season. If the White Sox continue this magical season, they will respect it more because of where they've been. In 1997, they were within striking distance of Cleveland when management traded veteran pitchers Roberto Hernandez, Wilson Alvarez and Danny Darwin to the Giants at the trading deadline. The Giants made the playoffs. The White Sox held only the promise of the future. "They are where they are by being daring," Beane said, adding that the White Sox let Albert Belle leave for Baltimore after the 1998 season. "And you have to do that. . . . They made the big deal in '97. They hired a manager who had never managed before. They did the things they thought were right." That the White Sox won only 75 games last season is precisely what makes them special. The moment the A's were eliminated from playoff contention last year, they were chosen to be a force this year. The White Sox were supposed to be looking up at the Cleveland Indians again. "I don't think anyone realized how good their arms are," Howe said of youngsters Jim Parque, Bob Howry, Keith Foulke, Mike Sirotka and left-handed reliever Kelly Wunsch, who leads the league with 57 appearances and owns a 2.68 ERA. Chicago is fourth in the league in ERA at 4.68, and the A's are fifth at 4.79. "And they're durable," Howe said. "But the key is Big Frank." "Big Frank," of course, is Thomas, who has rebounded from two subpar seasons to carry the team as he did as the American League MVP in 1993 and '94. He's hitting .330 with 29 homers and 91 RBIs -- fine totals for a complete season, All-Star numbers for the first week of August. Thomas hasn't just regained his status as the White Sox's best player, he also can take the young team somewhere he has been, the playoffs. "It all starts with him," Howe said. "If he's having the same year he had last year, they don't do what they've done. Plus, he takes the pressure off of the younger guys. All they have to do is play. He handles the rest."

08-07-00, 06:27 PM	#3
bxny NYYF MVP Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: MD	Hi SanFrANSKY, I agree, these A's are for REAL! Their front office has done a fantastic job putting together a team that is playing good ball. They made a nice pick up adding a veteran righty bat in Mike Stanley. Their last trip to the Bronx Matt Stairs had a big series, his overall numbers may have fallin' off this year, but he can still take you deep if you make a mistake, and the Yankees pitching has been making plenty of mistakes lately. The Yanks are going to have to play all around better ball than they did vs Seattle or it's going to be a long series. I'm looking forward to seeing them again, I'll be watching close.


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