How can the Oakland A's claim they are a small market team?
599626
Although the A's are in a rather large market they are a small market team because of there low income. They have a lot of things working against them. There stadium sucks, they have to share the market with the Giants, and there is a general lack of interest in baseball in Oakland. Those things would all help a team make money if people went to the games but no one goes. They had the 12th worst attendance last year despite having one of the largest stadiums. They also have owners who arent willing to shell out there own money to help the team. Combine that with a crappy tv deal and the A's dont make much money at all. According to Forbes.com they had the 7th lowest revenue in baseball.
466790
the angels should win it, but they must find a way to get their youngsters (kotchman, ervin santana) producing and their veterans (erstad, anderson) healthy.  it's a good mix and scioscia always has then playing well come september, but the athletics could give them a run for their money.  the rangers and mariners have some good players, but i'd expect the angels and a's to battle it out, with the angels finishing on top by 3 or 4 games.\n\nwe'll see, won't we?
862018
My guess is that all the MLB stuff is licensed centrally.  You will need to deal with whomever does MLB Marketing.
1055211
A lot of it has to do with the starting pitching. They do have one good starter Bobby Keppel but aside him they don't have anyone else. Their hitting is not all that great either. However, there is hope they hired a new GM that has said he will build up the farm system. Building up the farm system is a good place to start because if KC relies on the free agency market they are only going to end up with the leftovers that other teams don't want. Also in order to lure a good free agent to play in KC they have to offer him more money because good free agents see the team as a non-contending team hence, they are less incline to sign with KC.
942165
They tried to find a place in Oakland but nothing worked out so they went 20 miles away.  The Raiders have just about taken over the Coliseum anyways with their fancy boxes. The poor groundskeepers have to go into a frenzy converting from baseball to football in August and September. This way they got a park of their own and no high cost landscaping conversions. \nI think its a good deal but it's not happening immediately. The Fremont powers to be still have to give approval even if Cisco is selling the land to the A's.It won't happen to like 2012 or something like that.
1139746
Williams has NO long term contract, and Andy Petite is no longer with the Yankees. He has been with the Astros for two seasons. Where have you been?\n\nAND, don't say the Yankees have developed their own players. Steinbrenner has bought Damon, Rodrigues, Johnson (Randy) and several others no longer with the team like Clemens. Most of the Yankee success has been in the distant past, so Sox fans have nothing to be jealous about the Yankees.\n\nHope this helps clear up your confusion.
253541
Yes, I would.  FINALLY someone who feels the same way I do.  Usually, it's the large market teams who hate the idea of this.  Currently teams such as the Red Sox, Yankees, and a handful of others, rule the league.  Why?  Because of their ownership's huge pocket-books.  The team I root for, and many others, aren't so fortunate.  We live in smaller markets, and simply can't shell out the big bucks for big-name players.  It's not because of our losing records that we don't draw huge crowds every game, allowing us to make more money.  It's the fact that we just live in smaller cities with smaller populations.  Beside that fact, we have lower ticket prices, because the market value in our area doesn't support higher ticket prices.  If we lived in an area where we could charge more, we'd have more capital to spend on the big name players.  However, the reality is that we don't.  Why should we be punished because of our geographical location?  These larger-market teams have payrolls 4 or more times that of the smaller-market clubs.  It simply isn't fair, and we just can't compete.  Face it.  It's simple.  If you don't have enough capital to spend, you won't even compare to the clubs who do...and your record at the end of the season will show it.  If you can't afford the big home-run sluggers, and ace pitching staff, you won't even be a match to these larger teams.  As it stands, look at the All-Star game every year.  All the starters you see play for large-market teams, and are making huge salaries that small-market teams couldn't even dream of affording.  Some people say this isn't true, because of the fact that you do see a small-market team make it to the post-season from time to time.  This does happen periodically, but it doesn't happen consistently from year to year...unlike the Yankees, who are in the post-season almost every single year.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to determine that as they way it stands, the MLB isn't even a fair contest.  So yes, a salary cap is definitely needed.
406467
I don't know much of baseball but Atletico is a much smaller club then Real and there is actually a big rivalry between those two clubs al though they are from the same town!
1040560
It's gonna be a toss up between the Oakland A's and the Texas Rangers. In the end, the A's will win.
371362
It's a small, independent marketing organization that focuses of a specific market.
425099
Nope. They don't have the pitching to get it done. They're score a boat load or runs, sure. And they're probably even going to make it into the post season. But once they get into the post season and are in a short series against guys like Schilling/Beckett or Harden/Zito then they're all done.
39376
although statistics would say the a/l, i think it's the n/l.  american leaguers seem too cauky... my best team in the n/l is the L.A. DODGERS!!!  it comes from being born into a dodger loving family...cuz, i know they CAN suck sumtimes!!!\nbut, i love 'em and i'm willing to admit it!!!
627549
They draw 2.5 million fans no matter what kinda team they have in the smallest park in the majors.What incentive do they have to improve their team? They also play in a division with 5 other teams not 4 like the rest of the divisions.Certainly injuries come into play as well.But the main reason the Cubbies suck is the the Tribune is cheap.
827093
Because there hasn't been any reports of any small market teams actually making a bid on the guy.  Lost in all of this is the fact that the Devil Rays (a small market team) made the winning bid on for the rights to negotiate with the one Japanese 3B.
532163
There are many theories here, and there are also many ways to do it but the best option is a balanced team. You need to both score and not allow runs so it is best to have a balance of pithcing fielding and defense. It is also to have a cohesive team. Since the season is very long the team needs to get along or else conflicts will arise and have a negative impact on how the team performs. The exact formula of how much pitching defense and fielding is a tricky question to which there isnt one good answer. The White Sox were a good example of how to build a team, they had some very good power hitters and some real speadsters. They had some good defenders and a very good starting pitching rotation. They really didnt have many stars but were solid at all positions.
757062
Buying a championship is a myth. Only a couple teams have done it in history. Even the Yanks in 77 & 78 had a core of home grown players or players that came over in trades.  Think about it. \nGuidry, Dent, Chamblis, Randolf, Nettles, Lyle, Munson, Rivers, Pinella, the relief core except for Gossage and most of the revolving door of starters were trades or from the Yankee farm system. \n\nThe Yankees dynasty epitimized and was the blueprint for many other teams to build WS teams in the 00s.  It was small ball team work. The few big name sluggers that were signed turned into disasters or very ho hum players. Chili Davis was not a major contributer. Strawberry at best was a distraction, Knablauch was troubled his entire stay with the Yanks.  El Duke could only pitch in the post season. Fielder never did much as a Yank. \n\nGuys like Wetteland, now he was important. But also not a free agent. \n\nMost of the key team came from the farm system or trades. Rivera, Pettite, O'Niel, Jeter, Possada, Martinez and Williams. The Yanks added Cone who helped fuel the team. From there they filled in holes with free agents like Boggs and Wells. Little guys came up big every year.  Shane Spencer one year came up big for the Yanks. Chad Curtis on multiple years came up big for the Yanks. Great play to fill in for injuries, broke slumps, carried the team when it was at it's lowest. Then went back to riding the bench without a complaint. Sojo, Leyritz, Brosus, Raines are some others that came off the bench and provided crucial performances. \n\nMendoza practically created his own role. His ability to be both mop up and short relief and take important starts was amazing. In some years Mendoza was the most important pitcher on the Yank's staff. It was like have three effective pitchers all rolled into one. Mendoza another Yankees farm prospect that came up big for the Yanks. \n\nThe Angels were one of many teams that created pretty much a duplicate of the Yankee's success and found their way into the WS.  \n\nOn the flip side look at the 80s Yankees,  The O's much of the 90s, the Diamondback's first attempts, the Rockies, the Cubs the Mets year after year. Teams that spent big and came up empty or worse. Sometimes sub .500.  Then you have teams like the Twins, Royals, Angels who have one of the lower payrolls in Baseball at the time winning a world series. \n\nWinning takes pitching, defense, timely hitting or a solid offense and most of all a team spirit. So many teams sabatage themselves by collecting flashy stats that do not produce wins.  Without the utley  kind of player a team like the Phillies can have all the Burrels and Howards they want but they are not going to win many games. The Braves made it to the series or league championship year after year after year while often not having more than a couple star hitters on their entire roster. Some years Chipper Jones WAS the Braves entire offense. They won with defense, pitching and team spirit. \n\nSo it is with great amusement I watch the Mets stock up on junk players. They have pulled a Stienbrenner and the mess that comes of it next year will be a zoo like the 70s and 80s Yankees were. The Redsox are another team that has mostly met with frustration trying to buy a world series. Year after year one of the top five payrolls. Year after year disapointment. When they did finally win a series the core team was home grown sox , pickups and trades not free agents.  \n\nSo buying a WS is almost impossible. You have have to have the core team to start with. One that's played together for a time, who give incoming players a foundation to fit into. You have to choose team players mostly not flashy selfish players. Teams can win despite the flashy players but very talented teams have been sunk by such players too. \n\nTo keep your core players you have to open up the pocketbook. The Astros have been wizards at keeping players for below market salaries. Biggio and Bagwell ga
637675
No, I don't think they are actually a bad hitting team they have some quality players. (Gomes, Huff, Lugo, Crawford). They do need help with the pitching though. They only have one good pitcher (Kazmir). I think it has to do with the league they are in in having to play the Blue Jays, Red Soxs and Yankees so often.