Episode 11 – R.I.P. Wiers

Finally! After two weeks and countless problems with technology (even a power outage!) the Tarp Talk gang is back with Episode 11 (or 11A, but in reality 13 … hence the problems?). Of course we have to talk about Scott Sizemore and the possible replacements and the storylines we are following during Spring Training. This week we are joined by Dan Szymborski of Baseball Think Factory ( @DSzymborski ). Dan comes on and talks about the ZiPS projections for the Athletics this season. Who he sees as a possible over/under achievers. He also lends his opinion on what that thing is in Miami. After that we do the DTOTW and say our goodbyes.

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Time: 49:08

• Introduction
• Sizemore is injured. What now?
• Adam Rosales or Eric Sogard – who is the better third baseman?
• What key spring training story lines are we all following?
• Does Yoenis Cespedes start right away?
• Dan Szymborski talks A’s and ZiPS
• Dumb Tweet of the Week
• Future writing plans for the Tarp Talk Crew

Links
How will Mariners replace injured center field Franklin Gutierrez? by Geoff Baker
The ZiPS Projections for the Oakland A’s

Episode 9 – Alan’s Cat Agrees

The Tarp Talk gang goes to the farm in this episode (literally and figuratively)! This week we are joined by Jason Parks ( @ProfessorParks ) to talk about the Rangers. Of course now when you talk about the Rangers you have to talk about Yu Darvish, which is what Jason so kindly does. What kind of pitcher can he be? How does the NPB stack up to MLB? Does he really have 12 pitches? All of these plus questions about the starting rotation, moving guys from bullpen to the starting rotation, and Mike Olt are talked about.

You can find Jason more at Baseball Prospectus, the Up And In Podcast, as well as Texas Farm Review.

The guys delve into what went on at Fan Fest this weekend, Gomes and Manny Ramirez, and Wishinsky gets unusally worked up about Edwin Jackson.

If you have any questions feel free to send them to us at tarptalkpodcast(at)gmail(dot)com. The hosts of the show can be found on Twitter at @davidwiers (self-explanatory), @cuppingmaster (Alan), @oakfaninva (Spencer), and @tvprcretireplan (Wishinsky)

As always, thank you for listening!

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• Introduction
• A’s FanFest, how was it, what happened?
• Jonny Gomes comes to Oakland, Adrian Cardenas is DFA’d which we provide big time analysis on
• Is Manny being Manny something we could tolerate in Oakland?
• Edwin Jackson: Is he a fit for the A’s?
• Jason Parks comes on to talk Texas Rangers baseball
• How good is Darvish? Is Colby Lewis really a #1? Rangers offensively are there any problems?
• Dumb Tweet of the Week

Episode 7 – If Jamie Moyer Is Still Pitching In 2015…

The Tarp Talk gang is back with Episode 7. The Athletics had a busy week on the trade front, free agent signing front, and the avoiding arbitration front. The gang talks about the Guillermo Moscoso and Josh Outman for Seth Smith trade and why most of them don’t like it. We also touch on the Bartolo Colon signing and how it will affect the starting rotation. We talk about the one-year deals the A’s gave Brandon McCarthy and Joey Devine to avoid arbitration and the much talked about Yankees – Mariners trade. As always we finish with the Dumb Tweet of The Week and say goodbye.

If you wish to follow the podcast on Twitter it can be found at @TarpTalk. If you have questions they can be sent to tarptalkpodcast(at)gmail(dot)com. The hosts can be found on Twitter at @cuppingmaster (Alan), @davidwiers (self-explanatory), @oakfaninva (Spencer) and @tvprcretireplan (Wishinsky).

As always, we hope you enjoy listening.

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Time: 52:18

• Introduction
• Moscoso and Outman are shipped to the Mile High City
• Smith Comes Back to Sea-Level
• Win-win? Win for Oakland? Win for Colorado? Or the ever rare Lose-lose?
• Does Kurt Suzuki become a better player with less time behind the plate?
• A’s sign Bartolo Colon
• Is the Colon signing or a potential signing of Oswalt a bigger risk?
• McCarthy and Devine avoid arbitration
• The Yankees and M’s make a deal
• Win-win? Win for Seattle? Win for New York? Or the ever rare Lose-lose?
• Dumb Tweet of the Week

Links
John Sickel’s Ratings of the Mariners’ Prospects
Pedro Martinez on Karim Garcia 

Episode 5 – There’s Always The Year After Next Year

The Tarp Talk gang is back for Episode 5! Since we last got togehter the Athletics made a couple big trades that swung the team into a full rebuild mode. After trading away Gio Gonzalez, Andrew Bailey, and Ryan Sweeney to the Nationals and Red Sox, respectively, the 2012 Athletics are looking like a very young, very different team. As always, we break down the trades, give you our thoughts on the returns, and what to look forward to in the upcoming season. We also got our first email question!

If you want to follow us on Twitter you can follow the podcast at @TarpTalk. You can follow our hosts at @oakfaninva (Spencer) , @cuppingmaster (Alan), @davidwiers (self-explanatory), and @tvprcretireplan (Wishinsky). You can send us emails to tarptalkpodcast(at)gmail(dot)com

If you are an iTunes person, we ask kindly that you rate and review us after you download the show. As always, we thank you for listening.

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Time: 54:32 

• Intro
• Gio Gonzalez was traded to the Nationals who came back?
• Like it or love it?
• Josh Outman, Tom Milone and the 2012 Rotation
• Bailey and Sweeney were traded to the Red Sox who came back?
• Is there daylight between Sweeney and Josh Reddick?
• Risks acquired by both Oakland and Boston
• Raul Alcantara as the linchpin
• We got an email! Are fans freaking out about all these trades?
• Dumb Tweet of the Week

Links

Carson Cistulli on Tom Milone
Grant Brisbee on the Consequence of the A’s Rebuild

Episode 4 – All I Want For Christmas Is Runs

The Tarp Talk gang is back for Episode 4. We originally were going to put together what we thought was going to be the best lineup for the A’s, but then realized that we all had the same thing. So instead we talked about trades. With Gio Gonzalez being the prized possession of most teams now that Yu Darvish is presumably off the table we talk about what we would like to get back for Gio. Seeing as the two big teams in the hunt for him are seemingly the Nationals and the Blue Jays, we keep our suggestions to those two teams. After that we talk about the possibility of a Andrew Bailey to the Red Sox trade and who we would like to get back in that trade as well. Before the break we do a very early pre-season prognostication as to what record we see the team finishing. We come back, as always, and finish with the Dumb Tweet of The Week, and David Wishinsky wins this week.

If you listen/download us on iTunes we ask that you rate and review us. If you are on Twitter you can follow the Offical Tarp Talk Twitter account, @TarpTalk. Our hosts @DavidWiers (self-explanatory), @cuppingmaster (Alan Torres), @tvprcretireplan (David Wishinsky), and @oakfaninva (David Spencer).

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 Time: 56:22

• Introduction
• Who do we want back from the Toronto Blue Jays or Washington Nationals for Gio Gonzalez?
• Go over the myriad of options available between those two teams.
• Who do we want back from the Boston Red Sox for Andrew Bailey?
• Are Will Middlebrooks and Jose Iglesias guys we even like?
• What will the A’s 2012 record be?
• Dumb Tweet of the Week

Episode 3 – “What’s the Park Factor there in Kalamazoo?”

We’re back with Episode 3! It was a busy week for the Athletics post-Winter Meetings. The day after the Winter Meetings ended saw the A’s trade Craig Breslow and Trevor Cahill to the Diamondbacks for Collin Cowgill, Ryan Cook, and Jarrod Parker. Also during the week the A’s tendered contracts to Adam Rosales, Daric Barton, Landon Powell, and Dallas Braden. All agreed to one-year contracts avoiding arbitration. We talk about the trades and contracts and get into why we do or do not like them. We, as always, close out with the Dumb Tweet of the Week.

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Time: 43:13

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• Introduction
• Josh Willingham is a Twin
• Four A’s tendered contracts: Barton, Braden, Powell, Rosales. Good/bad?
• Is Landon Powell worth a roster spot? How good is he?
• Showing some Dallas Braden love
• The Trevor Cahill for Jarrod Parker deal. Winners/losers?
• Was Cahill any good? Could he be any better?
• Collin Cowgill: Is he for real? Is he our starting CF in 2012?
• Fautino De Los Santos or Tyson Ross as a closer?
• Dumb Tweet of the Week

As always, thank you for listening. If you download us from iTunes, we ask that you rate and review us. You can follow the podcast on Twitter @TarpTalk. Thanks for listening!

Episode 2 – WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!!1!!111!!1

We’re back with Episode 2! Now named, we talk about the Winter Meetings after they have wrapped up. With no one expecting much on the last day the Angels swoop in (ha, that’s punny!) and change the face of the AL West and most of baseball with the signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson. We get into how that changes the way the A’s will go about the next couple seasons and how it affects trades this offseason. We then, as always, finish up with the Dumb Tweet of The Week. Hope you enjoy!

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Time: 46:56

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This Episode:

• Introduction
• Winter meetings are done Angels made some big moves
• No moves for Oakland – what should happen? Who should move?
• Is Gio Gonzalez the most valuable trade piece?
• Do the Angels new additions allow them to match up with the A’s?
• Have the A’s waited too long on some trades or is the market still wide open?
• Should the new look Angels scare A’s fans?
• Dumb Tweet of the Week