Idiots Write About Sports

I still don’t know what to make of Jay Payton. I’m not sure he’s that great a pickup except in the context of who he replaces. I don’t agree with the notion that Billy Beane was had, but I certainly have my doubts about a guy who was so obsessed with playing time that he forced his way off the defending World Champs.

I do know this however: since he arrived in Oakland, the dude’s been hitting — 9-for-23 with two homers and five RBIs in the five games he’s appeared in. In Thursday’s game, he had the go-ahead RBI and made a clutch catch to keep the A’s within shouting distance when it looked like it may not be Oakland’s night. In fact, in John Shea’s write-up of said game, Ken Macha was moved to say this:

The guy wants to go out and play and be competitive, and he didn’t get that opportunity in Boston. We’re an equal opportunity employer here. You get hits, you’ll play.

Which is why, when Friday night’s game rolls around, Jay Payton is nowhere to be found in the starting lineup.

I’m not saying Payton needs to be starting from now until our inevitable World Series parade. I’m certainly not of the belief that five games provides any sort of meaningful sample size. But when a guy is hitting well, maybe you keep him in the lineup until he proves otherwise. Even Art Howe grasped this not-at-all complex concept (See Mabry, John — otherworldly perfomance of, immediately following Giambi trade).

Elsewhere in Friday’s Chronicle:

Marco Scutaro, who hasn’t had a hit since the All-Star break (eight at-bats), is overanxious at the plate, according to manager Ken Macha, who plans to put the second baseman back in the lineup today.

It’s not at all surprising that Scutaro isn’t starting tonight, is it? And it’s certainly not maddeningly that the guy who is playing second, Mark Ellis, made an error in the first that led to a three-run Texas outburst. Not the least bit maddening. Who would be irritated by that?

Ken Macha, I do not get you at all. And frankly, it would frighten me if I ever started to.

Carminati has a theory -- and that theory is that Beane jumped the shark by trading Mulder and Hudson. I was cautiously inclined to agree with him at the time those trades went down, but I think subsequent events have more or less shown him to be wrong. Beane unloaded two guys who couldn't get it done four straight years in the postseason, and one year down the stretch, for some spare parts that would make positive contributions in the weakest area his team had: the bullpen. He also got a good-hitting first base prospect (Daric Barton). It'll be interesting to see how long it takes for Carminati to change his mind.

jay payton is thinking longterm for himself. he wants to prove that he can play decent baseball if he gets the chance . i think the team going from 15 games under to 15 over can be attributed to some of his play.he'd probably be traded anyhow by bosten next year when his contract is up. at least now he can show to the other teams that he is still worth the 3.5 million he gets this year.hopefully he gets to go to a decent team for a 3-4 year contract, because i imagine he'll be traded again and i think he knows that also. yes, he did want away from bosten,like i said he'd probably be gone anyhow. look what the yankees did to bret boone. didn't he have a winning moment with the yankees, then he got the boot? or even bosten when they unloaded a couple of their pitchers after winning it all. if you don't believe that he was looking out for himself you can research it in our local newspaper thezanesvilletimesrecorder.com
i don't think he meant to come off as being disrespectful because he's not that way. that's his hometown newspaper and they interview from time to time.

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