Green (and Gold) Acres

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Call us irresponsible, delusional, stupid, whatever you’d like.  We’re going out on a limb and, to borrow an Australian turn of phrase, having a go.  In this case, a go at wild speculation.  So bear with us.  It should be fun.

Our wild speculation involves former Angel Garret Anderson. 

For the last few seasons, “G.A.” has been a love-him-or-hate-him type of player.  Simply, as his power numbers declined, his anemic on base percentage began to irritate most Angel fans.  Since he long ago became the poster child for ridicule among SABRmetric loyalists, his statistical regression has neither endeared him to Angel fans nor kept him gainfully employed.

But we think that’s about to change (well, at least in regard to the latter).  And, yes, we have (strictly anecdotal) evidence.  While some columnists are willing to risk their reputation by quoting “anonymous” sources, we’re willing to risk ours with far less, admitting that we’re just blowing (educated) hot air for the mere sake of it.  So here goes:

Back in December, shortly after acquiring Matt Holliday, the Oakland A’s were rumored to be interested in Garret Anderson.  Since then, the story has failed to gain legs, leaving many to believe that Billy Beane has no interest in a player that is commonly considered antithetical  to A’s baseball.

But we here at 3DoC think that something strange is about to happen up north.  

We know that Garret Anderson and Mark McGwire are neighbors in Shady Canyon, the highly exclusive Irvine golf enclave, and we know that McGwire is a respected, but quiet, hitting coach.  We’ve also recently learned that McGwire is working with Matt Holliday and Bobby Crosby.  Now, a couple of days ago we shared with you a story that Garret Anderson is building a friendship, and working out, with new A’s slugger Matt Holliday (and others referred to by Garret only as “the guys”).  What’s going on here? 

Well, transitively, it would seem that Garret and a gaggle of A’s are convening to hit (insert HGH/steroid joke here). 

As if all of that weren’t damning enough, Garret is busy winning over A’s fans by sending autographs through the mail (okay, we admit it, we’re reaching there, but still…).   

We think that Garret’s price, as it falls, is becoming increasingly appealing to a small market team like the A’s.  An incentive-laden, one-year, free agent deal offered to Garret could be a great fit for both parties, especially if Garret’s being endorsed by both McGwire and Holliday. 

Garret gets a chance to prove himself relatively close to home.  The A’s take a cheap flier on a guy who’s always hit well in Oakland, who’s in the best shape of his career, and who would probably love nothing more at this point than to exact some revenge upon the team for which he might harbor some unspoken ill-will. 

So, yes, we are actively predicting that Garret Anderson will become an Oakland Athletic….and soon.  Now, who have we upset more here, Angel fans or A’s fans?

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Filed under The Angels

Tags: Billy Beane, Bobby Crosby, Garret Anderson, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Mark McGwire, Matt Holliday, Oakland A's