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		Michael Duca's A's and Giants Q&A By Michael Duca August 9, 2007

	A's questions: 1. How much did the Milton Bradley-Billy Beane debacle impact the A's? Since going to San Diego Bradley has said, he's better than anyone on the A's, that Billy Beane has mismanaged the team and has made disparaging remarks to team mates and him, he hung around the clubhouse too much and that the lack of African Americans is not just a coincidence on the team. Who's right here -- Milton Bradley about Beane or Beane dealing Bradley away? The correct answer is: both are right. Beane is right in dealing Bradley. Bradley has not demonstrated an ability to "stick" in a clubhouse yet, and the A's clubhouse is regarded as a happy frat house, retro video game console and all. Bradley didn't really fit that mold, once the team stopped winning (he was just fine last year when he was the inspiration for the A's to finally shake the label of first round losers under Beane). Also, Billy has an ownership position now, so he pretty much gets to do what he wants, when he wants, where he wants. Milton Bradley was one of the field hands, and when he got injured repeatedly this year and was unable to work, he became rather quite expendable, so he was expended. Bradley is right about a lot of things. too. I can't say whether any other players think Beane is hovering over their shoulders in the clubhouse or not -- Billy can't stand to watch games, so it's kind of amusing to think of him as hanging in the clubhouse a lot. I can say from personal experience that, during that time of year when Bradley was there and playing, I spent a good deal of time in the clubhouse working on pieces for A's Magazine, and never saw Beane. But if players are uncomfortable with a general manager who tries to be "one of the guys", they probably ought to get over it -- they won't be able to change that. As to the notable lack of African American faces in Oakland -- that might be a problem. Then again, it might not -- the lack of African American players in baseball makes it tougher for a team to stock up on them -- black kids aren't playing ball nearly as much as they used to. Everyone wants to be the next LeBron, not the next Rickey. And the A's had a prominent black face for years, until Ron Washington got the job to manage in Texas. The jury is out on whether that was Billy's second big mistake (keeping Bobby Crosby and Eric Chavez instead of Miguel Tejada was his first). 2. Is Mike Piazza a needed figure with the A's? There were no takers before the trade deadline and so the A's will make do with what he can provide. Do you see Piazza finishing off the season in Oakland and will his role be primarily at designated hitter? I expect Piazza to be dealt before the August 31 waiver trade deadline. The races have tightened significantly in the past 10 days, and more teams are going to be looking for an edge, as they believe they have a chance for the brass ring. He can still rake, and he has cleared waivers. 3.Back to Billy Beane Ken Macha said it and so did Milton Bradley that Billy can micro manage, he hangs around the clubhouse before each game and after each game. He can say things at times to players that if you read between the lines that would make them concerned about their future with the team. The morale has not been the hottest in the A's clubhouse and since last year, the A's have had a huge transformation. Do you see Billy as too hands on this year? See above. Billy is a part owner of the team, so if he wants to be like Jerry Johnson, he can be. Anyone would seem to be hands-on compared to Steve Schott or Lew Wolfe. Morale is usually tied to winning. So is chemistry. Their wins are down, and so are their daubers. Giants questions: 1.Senator George Mitchell will be issuing a report concerning his findings on the steroid probe and questions have focused on what role Barry Bonds has played in the probe. Do you expect much on this from a Mitchell investigation? No. I expect that, as usual, baseball has blown its feet to smithereens trying to make a good spin. Jason Giambi committed the cardinal sins of honesty and humility when he said, "all of us -- players, owners, management -- should say we are sorry and fix it." For that, he was told that he would either have to submit to the Seligish Inquisition or be branded an infidel and be excommunicated from baseball for a time. Coerced testimony has limited value. Barry, on the other hand, hasn't said "boo" about the whole subject. His attorney, the highly respected Michael Rains, has advised him to shut his pie hole -- advice that's not hard for Barry to follow, given his natural mistrust of writers, broadcasters, and investigations. In fact, I don't expect much of anything from Mitchell's investigation beyond what is already known. 2. Bud Selig's congratulatory speech included the statement that while the issue of steroids swirls around Bonds and until something further comes along to uphold these charges he sends his congratulations to Bonds what do you think of the Selig disclaimer in the congratulatory speech that the Commissioner made. From the mouths of weasels come weasel-words. What did you expect? The Commissioner embarrassed himself and all of baseball with his shameful display in San Diego -- he looked like he was fondling himself when he stood up and put his hands in his pockets. If he had just looked up to the sky and started whistling, he would have looked like a character from The Little Rascals. Thank God for Mike Bacsik, who promptly went out and rescued baseball on Tuesday night with his good humor and humility in the face of what could have been a rather trying moment, being thrust by an accident of fate into a worldwide spotlight. Dignity, grace and "common" courtesy are in short supply these days -- I fear there is a finite amount of them in the Universe, and the population keeps growing. Bacsik got more than his fair share of them, and knew exactly how to use them. I think he should be the next Commissioner of Baseball. 3. Pete Rose has said that he is sure that Bonds is going to be caught for steroids and that an indictment is coming down. Rose said that if he could not make the hall of fame for 18 years that when the time comes for Babo he should suffer the same consequences. What do you think of what Rose had to say? Nobody ever mistook Pete Rose for a thoughtful man; why start now? He is a great storyteller, and a wealthy of knowledge on baseball. Period. Now, if Pete had said that Bonds would be indicted for tax evasion, then we'd have something to talk about, because that's a subject with which Pete is intimately acquainted. Bitter man (possibly with some good reason), he's a childish person having a childish reaction -- if it's not me, it's nobody getting in. Nyah, nyah, change my diaper.