Remembering Houston with a small market payroll; a tip of hat to the A's

[Snuffy]

After the 11-1 "statement" game  with the Astros, a local local paper declared

"Houston is now 8-1 against Oakland this season, with a run differential of 53-21. The A's have made plenty of strides the last two years, but clearly, they're not yet in the same class as the Astros...."

But the very next game, the "out classed" team stunned our Astros with a amazing come from behind 4-3 extra inning win.

That's what I love about baseball: no matter the payroll or the number of all stars on a team, it can fall to a mixed bag of lesser gifted or well known players in any game.

I did not realize the disparity between the Team Payrolls: the Astros, $161.6 mil (#8) & the A's $91.4 mil (#26)!  Tampa Bay is competing with $62.8 mil (#30)!!!  (Just saw "Money Ball" on TV) According to my calculations, this means each win costs the Astros $1.58 mil, while it costs the A's $1.0 mil and the Rays $0.7 mil. 

It's easy to forget our humble origins, being one of the "have not" teams snipping at the the great teams.  Remember when a close series w/ a "good" team felt like a playoff game to beleaguered Astros fans?  After enjoying seeing the dream come true - the Astros win the WS, becoming one of the best - a WS contender - I still find myself enjoying seeing teams win with "Money Ball".  Even when it stings the Astros.

That's one of many reasons to love baseball. 

IMHO.

[JimR]

After the 11-1 "statement" game  with the Astros, a local local paper declared But the very next game, the "out classed" team stunned our Astros with a amazing come from behind 4-3 extra inning win.

That's what I love about baseball: no matter the payroll or the number of all stars on a team, it can fall to a mixed bag of lesser gifted or well known players in any game.

I did not realize the disparity between the Team Payrolls: the Astros, $161.6 mil (#8) & the A's $91.4 mil (#26)!  Tampa Bay is competing with $62.8 mil (#30)!!!  (Just saw "Money Ball" on TV) According to my calculations, this means each win costs the Astros $1.58 mil, while it costs the A's $1.0 mil and the Rays $0.7 mil. 

It's easy to forget our humble origins, being one of the "have not" teams snipping at the the great teams.  Remember when a close series w/ a "good" team felt like a playoff game to beleaguered Astros fans?  After enjoying seeing the dream come true - the Astros win the WS, becoming one of the best - a WS contender - I still find myself enjoying seeing teams win with "Money Ball".  Even when it stings the Astros.

That's one of many reasons to love baseball. 

IMHO.

No.

[Snuffy]

No.

The loss stings, no doubt, especially when we were w/i two outs of a win - plenty of room for second guessing.  But there's another game today. 
I also remember talk of the Oiler's draft position, often by mid-season.

[JimR]

The loss stings, no doubt, especially when we were w/i two outs of a win - plenty of room for second guessing.  But there's another game today. 
I also remember talk of the Oiler's draft position, often by mid-season.

As I said, no. Gut-wrenching loss to the team chasing us. Nothing even remotely philosophical consolation for me.

[Snuffy]

Sorry, Jim,
Had been preparing a post about disparities of payrolls in the ML and should not have combined it with the A's win last night, while the pain of the loss was so fresh.

Here's a 2nd try:

....I did not realize the disparity between the Team Payrolls: particularly, the Astros, $161.6 mil (#8), compared to the A's $91.4 mil (#26) and Tampa Bay $62.8 mil (#30)!!!  (Just saw "Money Ball" on TV) According to my calculations, this means each win costs the Astros $1.58 mil, while it costs the A's $1.0 mil and the Rays $0.7 mil. 

It's easy to forget our humble origins, being one of the "have not" teams snipping at the the great teams.  Remember when a close series w/ a "good" team felt like a playoff game to beleaguered Astros fans?  That's one of many reasons to love baseball. 

 It is addicting, seeing the dream come true, seeing the Astros win the WS, while becoming one of the best w/ an enviable farm system. 

[subnuclear]

The East Bay area is not a small market at all and has a very strong fan base. The payroll is small because the owners want it that way. No sympathy or admiration there.

[Mike S.]

The East Bay area is not a small market at all and has a very strong fan base. The payroll is small because the owners want it that way. No sympathy or admiration there.

This.  While the Giants dominate the Bay Area, there are numerous A's fans out here and many of them are extremely vocal about their support. 

[BlownRanger]

This.  While the Giants dominate the Bay Area, there are numerous A's fans out here and many of them are extremely vocal about their support.

Is that stadium deal moving along, or was that a pipe dream?

[Mike S.]

Good question.  I tend to think it's the latter.  The last I heard was the plan is stuck somewhere with the Oakland City Council.  The Port Authority also has some serious concerns with the proposed plan (they own the land and are worried about limiting possible future expansion of the port).

I love living in California, but I've also lived here long enough to see this process derailed a few times before.  I'm also Gen X and therefore cynical by nature.

[Snuffy]

The East Bay area is not a small market at all and has a very strong fan base. The payroll is small because the owners want it that way. No sympathy or admiration there.

Thank you, subnuclear, for the clarification!
I thot small PR = small market; forgot the limitation might be an owner's decision as to how much $$$ they want to pay for wins.
Much appreciated!

[Snuffy]

The East Bay area is not a small market at all and has a very strong fan base. The payroll is small because the owners want it that way. No sympathy or admiration there.

Correction noted regarding the A's. (Should have remembered that from the movie.)

Perhaps TY IN TAMPA could address whether the Rays PR is limited by market size, owner intentional, or some combination?

[Mr. Happy]

Correction noted regarding the A's. (Should have remembered that from the movie.)

Perhaps TY IN TAMPA could address whether the Rays PR is limited by market size, owner intentional, or some combination?

Stadium is in the wrong place, I think.

[juliogotay]

Stadium is in the wrong place, I think.

Bingo. Plenty of people and $$ in the Bay Area to support two teams. Seems to me they really should grab the San Jose area.

[MusicMan]

Bingo. Plenty of people and $$ in the Bay Area to support two teams. Seems to me they really should grab the San Jose area.

I believe the San Jose move has prohibitive legal entanglements with the Giants


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[juliogotay]

I believe the San Jose move has prohibitive legal entanglements with the Giants


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Hmmm. Then how about following the Raiders to Vegas?