In May, when the A's were busy losing twenty of twenty-four games, and trotting out starting pitchers that even A's bloggers didn't know were affiliated with the organization, we here at A's Brand Baseball were considering a change in strategery. Not "giving up on the season," exactly--more like emphasizing reasons to care about the A's that didn't involve hoping they would actually win baseball games.

We'd have instituted a Rickey Watch (.302/.494/.397, 1 HR, 7 SB), rated food at the Coliseum (cotton candy bad, Carnation malted ice cream-reminiscent frozen chocolate desserts good, sushi 100% unacceptable ballpark fare, $2 hot dogs $2), or started learning about the Sacramento Rivercats and writing about 2006 to keep hope alive. Maybe thrown down a gauntlet and declared a more open feud with Ray Ratto (see: John Kruk). We'd have tried to distract ourselves, and our readers, from the game on the field, is the point.