Too Many Outfielders

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about Bobby Kielty. In the whole Coco v. Ellsbury who-gets-to-play-center-next-season saga, he's really gotten the raw end of the deal. Coco and Jacoby will be playing somewhere next season, they have no say in where that somewhere will be, but it is a certainty. Meanwhile, Kielty gets to sit at home, twiddling his thumbs, wondering if there will be a place for him on the team or if he should start looking elsewhere.

My concern for Bobby started when someone over at NYYfans (I really should stop going over there) was covetous of him. It made me quite indignant, not indignant enough to register at the site and register my indignation, but indignant nonetheless. The man has Boston area roots, apparently wants to come back (according to an article that appeared in the Herald. I can't link to it because it was more than a week ago and I'm cheap), and is seemingly content to be a fourth outfielder. Besides which, if they don't bring him back I wouldn't have an excuse to post that fabulous picture or a reason to hope that he grows his hair out again. (Seriously? His hair when he played for the A's? Pretty awesome.)

If they were going to sign him (which the Herald article did seem to indicate they were thinking about), then they should just do it already. The longer this whole thing drags on, the more likely it is that he'll find somewhere else to play. Perhaps they're worried about his knees and his calve muscles but he's got hea-a-a-art (and all you really need is hea-a-a-art). And any way you slice it, there will be a position for him next year.

If either Ellsbury or Crisp are moved, then he's all set. If neither one of them is traded then I would imagine that Crisp would (and probably should) demand a trade. I agree with Coco, or more possibly his agent, (again from the Herald. Damned Herald!) when he says that he isn't a fourth outfielder. He used to be able to hit and defensively, the man is a gem. There was talk that they surgery he had on his finger might have screwed up his ability to hit, but I really do believe that he will find his swing again. I suppose that the Front Office could refuse to trade him but it seems all kinds of stupid to bench him when you're paying all that money to have him play.

Lastly, the apostrophe in the Oakland A's name is completely and utterly wrong. I know it's wrong but that's the way it is written on their uniforms and on their website, so that's the way I wrote it. It doesn't signify a possessive nor does it denote a contraction. I suppose its purpose is to keep them from being the Oakland As but that is not one of the ways apostrophes function. Someone should sic the apostrophe police on their Front Office. I'll stop now.