BASEBALL : End for Giants Just the Beginning for A’s

The unfortunate aspect of this Battle of the Bay is that it must bridge two more games. You can talk about the beauty of the suspension spans here, but not the suspense of the 86th World Series.

The Oakland Athletics have clearly demonstrated that they are the deeper, dominant team. They have returned from last year’s collapse against the Dodgers with a missionary zeal. Intense but controlled.

Their theme blares over the PA system at the Oakland Coliseum. You expect “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch but get “Takin’ Care of Business” instead.

And how!

A 10-1 advantage in runs. A .277 to .150 advantage in batting average. A 0.50 to 5.06 advantage in earned-run average. A 2-0 Series lead that makes Games 3 and 4 appear to be formalities.

Even Terry Kennedy, the San Francisco Giants’ catcher, displayed a trace of resignation as he reflected on the A’s and said: “You can almost see how they’ve learned their lesson from last year. I don’t know what their mind set is, but it seems obvious the experience taught them something.”

Cautiously, A’s manager Tony LaRussa, stoking the fire still, says, “We’ve smelled this for a long time and played ourselves into a good position, but this is no time to back off.”

History shows that 10 of the 39 teams that took a 2-0 Series lead failed to protect it, including the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals and 1986 Boston Red Sox.

In addition, the A’s loss of Dave Parker under the postseason’s ridiculous designated hitter restrictions will hurt more than the Giants’ loss of Ernest Riles.

Then, too, there’s a possibility that the Candlestick Park winds will destroy the A’s professionalism, that all those airborne hot dog wrappers will have more impact than the hotdog himself, Rickey Henderson.

Forget it. Even with those considerations in mind--even at the risk of ignoring those 2-0 precedents--this Series seems to be history, and the only real questions deal with how history will rank these A’s.

Do we finally have another dynasty here?

Is a dynasty even possible amid the free-agent parity and economic considerations now prevalent in the sport?

Said Sandy Alderson, the A’s general manager:

“By and large, our club is relatively young at most positions, if not all.

“We have the kind of experience we want both in the rotation and the role of bullpen closer.

“I won’t use the word dynasty, but I’m confident we’ll remain competitive during the near future.

“Of course, our division (American League West) gets stronger every year. Being competitive may mean you finish fourth.”

In the context of the last decade, the A’s have already established something of a dynasty. They are the first to have won consecutive pennants since the New York Yankees of 1977 and ’78. Their 203 regular-season victories--99 this year while beset by injuries--are the most by any American League team in consecutive seasons since the Baltimore Orioles won 209 in 1970 and ’71.

The New York Mets won 206 games in 1985 and ‘86, but their total of 213, including postseason play, has already been eclipsed by the A’s, who have won 214.

This brief dominance pales compared to the consistency of two teams of the ‘70s. The Cincinnati Reds won six division titles, four National League pennants and two World Series between 1970 and ’79. The Oakland A’s won five straight division titles starting in 1970 and three straight American League pennants and World Series starting in 1972.

What has happened since?

Why has the dynasty gone the way of the mood ring?

Alderson cited two factors.

--The amateur draft, he said, has had a leveling effect. A club gets only one out of every 26 players selected. Thus, the talent is more evenly divided. And a club that consistently finishes near the top, consistently drafts near the bottom, making it difficult to sustain an input of quality talent.

--With today’s economics, he said, the top teams can only keep their personnel together by paying large salaries through arbitration and free agency, and all eventually reach a limit or have players depart no matter how much they pay.

In addition, Alderson said, the multiyear contract has affected the motivational level of many players.

“That’s human nature and I accept it,” he said. “But the system now becomes so expensive that a club’s success can’t be maintained. There’s a constant turnover that you didn’t have 20 years ago.

“Everyone goes through the same cycle. You start over in the farm system and piece it back together.”

Can it be avoided? Can the A’s avoid it?

Budding dynasties have stood pat and died. A commitment to build--and spend--seems essential. Progressive management is pivotal, and that the A’s have.

In the wake of their 81-81 record in 1987, having finished four games behind the Minnesota Twins in the AL West, the A’s added eight players through trade or free agency: Storm Davis, in August of ‘87; Bob Welch, Don Baylor, Parker, Ron Hassey, Dave Henderson, Rick Honeycutt and Glenn Hubbard.

In the wake of their 104 victories last year, the A’s signed free agent pitcher Mike Moore for three years at $3.95 million and traded in midseason for Rickey Henderson, knowing he will be eligible for free agency when this season ends and that it might take $3 million a year to retain him.

Along the way, the A’s have been lucky with a number of reclamation projects. There was no predicting that Dave Stewart or Dennis Eckersley or Dave Henderson or Davis or Honeycutt or Gene Nelson would have responded as they have.

But, Alderson said, they were potential pieces in the puzzle.

“We were confident we had the type manager and coaches who could help them,” he added.

Now, with Moore and Rickey Henderson representing missing links, the A’s have a club of solidly consistent pitching, defense and hitting--deep in versatility, reliable in execution and comparatively young overall.

Stewart and Welch, each 32, are the oldest members of the rotation. Relief ace Eckersley is 35 and appreciative of the care LaRussa has given his use.

Third baseman Carney Lansford is the oldest position player at 32. Designated hitter Parker is 38.

Asked to look ahead, Alderson said the A’s won’t have openings next spring for more than one or two pitchers--farm product Jim Corsi is a good bet--and a No. 2 catcher.

The puzzle doesn’t need as many pieces now. The A’s are almost certain to re-sign Rickey Henderson, who will move to the top of their salary ladder.

Parker, also eligible for free agency, led the A’s in runs batted in, has enjoyed productive postseason play, represents the team’s only left-handed power threat and is also likely to be re-signed.

Mark Langston? The free agent pitcher who would seem to represent the insurance policy on a dynasty?

The A’s have been giving mixed signals, publicly indicating they do not have the resources to sign both Henderson and Langston--and forcing, in turn, a deserved renegotiation of Stewart’s contract--while privately leaving the door ajar.

“I like our foundation, but that doesn’t mean we won’t keep trying new things, changing the parts,” Alderson said, refusing to discuss Langston in specifics.

“We’ve got a good situation here. The club and environment have become reasonably attractive, but that doesn’t mean we can sign every player who wants to play for us.

“We don’t have the revenue that teams in the big markets do, our resources aren’t limitless. The need for change and improvement doesn’t just mean supplementing what you have. Sometimes it’s a choice between what you have and what you would like to have.”

As Alderson noted, what the A’s have is a respected manager who can be counted on to keep his players hungry as he did this year and a team that should remain competitive in the near future.

Maybe that’s all that can be expected of any team now. Maybe that’s the new definition of dynasty given the sport’s current format.