The Oakland A's. Baseball's feel good story.

[Moses]

With a team payroll the second smallest in all of baseball and spending about 4 times less than the Yankees, the A's have clinched a playoff spot. Many experts predicted the A's would lose 100 games this year.

The A's have played 17 rookies this season. They are young, enthusiastic and playing really good baseball.

Even if they don't go deep into the playoffs, it's been an amazing season.

[126coupe]

Amen, I am a die hard Angel fan, but now I would to love to see Oakland put more fans in the stands. Billy Bean

[craigster59]

I was a big A's fan back in the days of Joe Rudi, Gene Tenace, Sal Bando, Campy, etc. Nice to see that they're back in the running, the good old Kelly Green, Wedding White and California Gold.

[ckissick]

I'd like to see another Bay Bridge Series. But without the earthquake.

[Icemaster]

I'm ok with a 1990 repeat.

[Tobra]

Have not been the same since Charlie O passed.

The mustache teams from the 70's was most excellent

They didn't call them the Amazin' A's for nothin'

[vash]

I love living in the Yay-area. People just seem super happy around here.

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by vash

I love living in the Yay-area. People just seem super happy around here.

What about Raider fans?

[Moses]

Tied for 1st!!!

[LeeH]

Nice! My next door neighbor is a recruiter for the A's.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Moses

With a team payroll the second smallest in all of baseball and spending about 4 times less than the Yankees, the A's have clinched a playoff spot. Many experts predicted the A's would lose 100 games this year.

The A's have played 17 rookies this season. They are young, enthusiastic and playing really good baseball.

And if you haven't seen it yet, now would be the perfect time to see "Moneyball," Moses.

Not kidding at all. Some here didn't like it, but I say if baseball is in your heart, see it.

[BReif61]

Hey now, let's not forget about the O's making it this year either!

[Laneco]

Moneyball is a very good movie.

Go A's!

angela

[NO LIFT]

Great to see Jonny Gomes doing well on a great team!

Was very disappointed when the Reds let him get away.

I'm a Reds fan by marriage...

[Drdogface]

Originally Posted by ckissick

I'd like to see another Bay Bridge Series. But without the earthquake.

Beat me to it.... I'd love that too

[Seahawk]

While I am a lifelong Giants fan, I have been to 10x's more A's games...when I was at Cal I'd ride my motorcycle to the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on the side streets and sit in the cheap seats for nearly nothing.

This was in the late 70's, between the great A's teams, when they had abysmal seasons:

1977 7th 63 98 .391
1978 6th 69 93 .426
1979 7th 54 108 .333

You could get a seat

Candlestick was just too far to get to many Giants games.

So, what a pleasure to see.

[Moses]

The A's have 5 rookie starting pitchers. Rookies have won 58 games for them this year. It's almost beyond belief that these kids could win the division today.

For me, today's game is as big as game 7 of the World Series.

2012 MLB Salaries by Team
TEAM TOTAL PAYROLL AVG SALARY MEDIAN STD DEV
New York Yankees $ 197,962,289 $ 6,186,321 $ 1,937,500 $ 7,938,987
Philadelphia Phillies $ 174,538,938 $ 5,817,964 $ 1,875,000 $ 6,833,158
Boston Red Sox $ 173,186,617 $ 5,093,724 $ 1,556,250 $ 6,311,421
Los Angeles Angels $ 154,485,166 $ 5,327,074 $ 3,150,000 $ 6,212,772
Detroit Tigers $ 132,300,000 $ 4,562,068 $ 1,100,000 $ 6,557,916
Texas Rangers $ 120,510,974 $ 4,635,037 $ 3,437,500 $ 4,728,330
Miami Marlins $ 118,078,000 $ 4,373,259 $ 1,500,000 $ 5,228,424
San Francisco Giants $ 117,620,683 $ 3,920,689 $ 1,275,000 $ 5,296,153
St. Louis Cardinals $ 110,300,862 $ 3,939,316 $ 800,000 $ 4,858,527
Milwaukee Brewers $ 97,653,944 $ 3,755,920 $ 1,981,250 $ 3,965,659
Chicago White Sox $ 96,919,500 $ 3,876,780 $ 530,000 $ 4,956,845
Los Angeles Dodgers $ 95,143,575 $ 3,171,452 $ 875,000 $ 3,673,217
Minnesota Twins $ 94,085,000 $ 3,484,629 $ 750,000 $ 5,207,450
New York Mets $ 93,353,983 $ 3,457,554 $ 875,000 $ 5,867,084
Chicago Cubs $ 88,197,033 $ 3,392,193 $ 1,262,500 $ 4,617,206
Atlanta Braves $ 83,309,942 $ 2,776,998 $ 577,500 $ 4,037,723
Cincinnati Reds $ 82,203,616 $ 2,935,843 $ 1,150,000 $ 3,462,247
Seattle Mariners $ 81,978,100 $ 2,927,789 $ 495,150 $ 4,998,379
Baltimore Orioles $ 81,428,999 $ 2,807,896 $ 1,300,000 $ 3,205,445
Washington Nationals $ 81,336,143 $ 2,623,746 $ 800,000 $ 3,618,322
Cleveland Indians $ 78,430,300 $ 2,704,493 $ 800,000 $ 3,661,123
Colorado Rockies $ 78,069,571 $ 2,692,054 $ 482,000 $ 3,272,886
Toronto Blue Jays $ 75,489,200 $ 2,696,042 $ 1,768,750 $ 2,881,414
Arizona Diamondbacks $ 74,284,833 $ 2,653,029 $ 1,625,000 $ 2,587,139
Tampa Bay Rays $ 64,173,500 $ 2,291,910 $ 1,425,000 $ 2,313,395
Pittsburgh Pirates $ 63,431,999 $ 2,187,310 $ 916,666 $ 3,109,669
Kansas City Royals $ 60,916,225 $ 2,030,540 $ 870,000 $ 2,282,159
Houston Astros $ 60,651,000 $ 2,332,730 $ 491,250 $ 4,543,506
Oakland Athletics $ 55,372,500 $ 1,845,750 $ 487,500 $ 2,179,703
San Diego Padres $ 55,244,700 $ 1,973,025 $ 1,207,500 $ 2,049,861

[Tobra]

Used to be you could buy the cheap seat tickets and flash a stub from one of the better sections you picked up at a previous game and pick out an empty seat behind the plate somewhere.


Not that I would ever do that.

[Drdogface]

I remember that too... My buddy and I went to 20 games/year at Candlestick back in the 80's...froze our azz's off I have about ten of those buttons you got for extra inning games... Also was at the '89 earthquake game....yes, the earth moved ! Had a great seat too...

[Seahawk]

I always sat (this is way before the stadium renovation) in the center field melange of people.

The seats faced mostly west so when the sun was out it was a great place to be