giant shadow

Somewhere between the 30 minute line for garlic fries and my $45 bleacher seat, i realized i was in a very different kind of ballpark. as weird as it sounds... these people were wearing their goofy orange and black Halloween colors with pride. they remained seated when their team made a play--more interested in their conversations than the game, nursing chilled Chardonnay in premium plastic cups. every one of these people could have been a season ticket holder. for me, games at AT&T are more a lesson in social class than compelling baseball.

I don't know why the relationship is so adversarial, but it just is. they have more money, a FAR nicer stadium (that they don't share with Al Davis) and a fanbase that doesn't get tired of seeing them lose. they also boast a fraudulent all-time-home-run legacy left behind by Barry Bonds, and questioned by just about everyone who is not a giants fan. in most respects, I'm almost a Giants hater.... call me envious.

But rather than rant about the haves and have nots of bay area baseball, I'd like to explore the budding rivalry between A's and Giants. Catalyzed by a World Series sweep in 1989, and immortalized by the earthquake, it's a cross town beef like no other. The blue collar A's represent a plucky, fighting, rebellious spirit to the rest of the nation, whereas the Giants have often struggled to define their identity. Despite winning the NL pennant in 2002, the Barry Bonds Bunch has embodied large market mediocrity throughout the last decade, with glimmers of excellence in standouts like Tim Lincecum and of course, Mister Asterisk himself.

so as 2009 settles in, and the new rosters (and identities) take shape, i once again see the bay area teams in competition--i can't help it. i compare their signings to ours, and our failures to theirs. pointless? probably.

Ray Ratto (SF Chronicle) feels like Billy Beane has been out GM'ed by Brian Sabean this offseason. I think that's absurd. Whereas both teams brought in big name free agents (for short term deals) and attempted to address their personnel issues, the A's have done it without cashing out. Both teams still have positions they'd like to upgrade, but Oakland's only glaring insufficiency is at shortstop... and they've identified a viable (read: affordable) target in Orlando Cabrera. The Giants do not have game day starters at either infield corner... and that means holes in the lineup as well. the free agent market has been pretty kind to the Giants so far, but their work is far from done.

The comparison is also unfair because of an inequity in available resources. working class A's fans will commonly use the limited payroll as a fallback in defending their team (i already have in this post) although we've seen successes beyond our budgets. The Giants aren't exactly spending money like the Red Sox, but their new stadium and deeper pockets do make contract negotiations a bit less challenging... just ask Barry Zito.

Plus their division is soft. The NL West title is a very achievable one, with the last 10 being split fairly evenly among its 5 teams (with the exception of Colorado, which has never won). The division is ripe for takeover every season, and every season there seems to be a snail's race to the finish. As far as image goes, the Dodgers have a rich and eventful history, dating back to their days in Brooklyn, and it helps that they usually contend. The Padres and Diamondbacks have each seen above average results, including Arizona's 2001 World Series win over the Yankees (thanks fellas!)... but are also not very unique squads. The lackluster Rockies wear the worst uniforms in professional sports... so there's that. The Giants are somewhere in the middle; not terrible, not good... and very much without a clear "character" to reference.

With regards to Oakland, the NL West denied us World Series wins in 1988 and 1990, and gave us one in 1989.... against the Giants. If that 3 year stretch wasn't enough to spark a rivalry, interleague made it official in 1997. Now we play the Gmen every year. Since then, the A's hold the advantage over SF 38-30... punctuated by a 12 strikeout domination by Tim Lincecum last season (the most recent meeting between the 2 teams). It was pretty much his coming-out party, and it eclipsed an outstanding 1 run performance by our own all-star Justin Duscherer.

this year proves to be more equitable in terms of how the Giants stack up against the A's. they have tried to address their issues, and so have we. they've lost some players, just like us. i have ongoing bet with a buddy that the A's finish with a better record. this year i feel it's less of a lock, but i still took the bet.