MACHA-CHA SPIN

The fallout over Ken Macha seems to be a bit less polarizing than the incidents surrounding George Allen 'macaca' situation. But it is nonetheless bizarre. There are, suddenly, stories coming from the woodwork that the A's players weren't exactly fond of Ken Macha and that him being rehired at this time last year was L E S S strange than him being fired this week. It also appears that Macha had favorites and that rubbed players the wrong way. It also seems (gasp!) Ken Macha had communication issues. Listening to his post game press conferences - who would have guessed?


What angers me most about the situation is the continuation of the traditional media to be shocked at any news story they finally decide to unveil. The Tool, Susan Slusser, let the cat out of the bag by finally printing remarks by A's players regarding their dislike of Ken Macha. Within 36 hours Ken Macha was out on his ass. Did Slusser finally print something because there was a window and the 'scoop' would go to her? Or did she print something because she finally had some guts? Or did she print something because Billy Beane used her like he always uses her; to get ahead of the story?


Are we really to believe that all other clubhouses are breeding grounds of discontent and animosity and well, typical clubhouses, whereas the A's clubhouse is a "frat house" and "fun place to be"? Has there been anything negative to come out of the Oakland A's clubhouse since Billy Beane was in place as General Manager? Maybe the Kenny Rogers incident with Jason McDonald - but even that occurred on a plane.


The A's didn't have to go far to get ahead of the story, anyway. The West Coast sports media is tame compared to the frothy mouthed sports media everywhere else in the known universe. And if by tame you read - 'next to death' then you have an accurate definition. Most clubhouses east of the Rockies have pipelines that lead directly into editorial columns and sound bites that end up on sports talk radio. Not on the left coast. That is just too much work and it disrupts the status quo. Particularly in baseball.


The National media takes its cues from the local media. When you listen to the Fox games on Saturdays during the regular season you hear just how little they know of the A's and the Mariners and the Padres. When the playoffs roll around, they have nothing to build off so they focus on coffee and revert to calling out the A's ineptitude at stealing bases and sacrifice bunts for their losses. When Joe Mauer and Ivan Rodriguez are behind the dish - the '85 Cardinals are not taking off on the first move either.


It took years for the sports world to find out that Billy Beane was "up to something" in Oakland, and they only figured that out when Michael Lewis published a book. That pissed the West Coast media off. How dare they be awaken from their slumber! Bud Selig had taken to calling the A's an aberration in light of their success.


When Paul DePodesta was hired as the General Manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers Bill Plashke made it a point that he would not last on his watch. They didn't have time for new acronyms and concepts. Never mind that DePodesta got the Dodgers to the post season in his first year as GM due to deft moves and his overhaul of the farm system allowed them to make the playoffs this season. One of the stories that came out of L.A. during DePodesta's turn was that obviously had not control - just look at Milton Bradley's behavior. In Oakland, Bradley is "under control" but thanks in part to nobody in particular.


Billy Beane clearly controls the press in Oakland. But he is not a Svengali when it comes to spin. Either out of disinterest or reluctance he does not use a death grip on the media and rankle out and force all to trumpet the party line. But he should. It has come to the point that many A's fans do not believe most of what is reported and the sound bites are less believable than anything Joe Morgan and Rick Sutcliffe can enunciate. Or Steve Lyons translate.