The amazing A’s of 2002 are certainly getting their fair share of press this weekend as Oakland celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the 20-game winning streak that was, but there’s something about this celebration and all the hoopla that surrounds the “Moneyball” A’s that has me feeling a little shortchanged.
Don’t get me wrong, as an A’s fan it’s awesome to see this team get as many headlines and interviews as they have in recent weeks. I love that fans have had an opportunity to celebrate a once in a lifetime event like the streak. It just seems like something is missing from what we remember about that team and the teams of the early 2000’s.
When I look back to ten years ago, I don’t just see the players from “Moneyball” or the streak or even the big 3. I remember those teams as being on the doorstep of bringing a World Series appearance to the East Bay. The stadium was loud, the games were meaningful, and the players were more than just local stars – they were among some of the top players in all of baseball.
I think the thing that bothers me the most about this weekend’s celebration and the film “Moneyball” is that we tend to forget just how good those teams really were. Perhaps that’s because they never did manage to make it out of the first round of the playoffs, but those teams really were something to behold. The 2002 A’s weren’t a team filled with guys pulled up off the scrap heap or just a bunch of young guys trying to make a name for themselves. They were a team filled with superstars and role players that played their role to perfection. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the stats of some of these 2002 A’s; Tejada, Chavez, Dye, Hernandez, Hudson, Mulder, Zito, or Lidle. You might find that you have quite a bit of reading to do before you get down to Bradford, Justice, or Hatteberg – the poster children of “Moneyball” the movie.
All I’m saying is that you should remember that team and that year as one that was a combination of surprises and superstars, peaks and valleys, and not just a 20-game streak or a crew of unheralded players.
The amazing A’s of 2002 are certainly getting their fair share of press this weekend as Oakland celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the 20-game winning streak that was, but there’s something about this celebration and all the hoopla that surrounds the “Moneyball” A’s that has me feeling a little shortchanged.
Don’t get me wrong, as an A’s fan it’s awesome to see this team get as many headlines and interviews as they have in recent weeks. I love that people in the media and fans in the bay area have had an opportunity to celebrate a once in a lifetime event like the streak. It just seems like something is missing from what we remember about that team and the teams of the early 2000’s.
When I look back to ten years ago, I don’t just see the players from “Moneyball” or the streak or even the big 3. I remember those teams as being one giant party. The stadium was loud, the games were all meaningful, and the players were not just impactful around the bay – they were among some of the top players in all of the American League.
I think the thing that bothers me about this weekend’s celebration and the film “Moneyball” the most is that we tend to forget just how good those teams really were.
The amazing A’s of 2002 are certainly getting their fair share of press this weekend as Oakland celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the 20-game winning streak that was, but there’s something about this celebration and all the hoopla that surrounds the “Moneyball” A’s that has me feeling a little shortchanged.
Don’t get me wrong, as an A’s fan it’s awesome to see this team get as many headlines and interviews as they have in recent weeks. I love that people in the media and fans in the bay area have had an opportunity to celebrate a once in a lifetime event like the streak. It just seems like something is missing from what we remember about that team and the teams of the early 2000’s.
When I look back to ten years ago, I don’t just see the players from “Moneyball” or the streak or even the big 3. I remember those teams as being one giant party. The stadium was loud, the games were all meaningful, and the players were not just impactful around the bay – they were among some of the top players in all of the American League.
I think the thing that bothers me about this weekend’s celebration and the film “Moneyball” the most is that we tend to forget just how good those teams really were. Perhaps that’s because they never did manage to make it out of the first round of the playoffs, but those teams really were something to behold. The 2002 A’s weren’t a team filled with guys pulled up off the scrap heap or with just a bunch of young guys trying to make a name. They were a team filled with superstars and role players that played their role to perfection. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the stats of some of these 2002 A’s; Tejada, Chavez, Dye, Hernandez, Hudson, Mulder, Zito, or Lidle. You might find that you have quite a bit of reading to do before you get down to Bradford, Justice, or Hatteberg – the poster children of “Moneyball” the movie.
All I’m saying is that you should remember that team and year as one that was a combination of surprises and superstars, peaks and valleys, and not just a 20-game streak or a crew of unheralded players.
Perhaps that’s because they never did manage to make it out of the first round of the playoffs, but those teams really were something to behold. The 2002 A’s weren’t a team filled with guys pulled up off the scrap heap or with just a bunch of young guys trying to make a name. They were a team filled with superstars and role players that played their role to perfection. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the stats of some of these 2002 A’s; Tejada, Chavez, Dye, Hernandez, Hudson, Mulder, Zito, or Lidle. You might find that you have quite a bit of reading to do before you get down to Bradford, Justice, or Hatteberg – the poster children of “Moneyball” the movie.
All I’m saying is that you should remember that team and year as one that was a combination of surprises and superstars, peaks and valleys, and not just a 20-game streak or a crew of unheralded players.
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