There have been many pleasant surprises so far in La Dea’s early season escapades. No one would’ve thought that the boys would have registered cleansheets in 66% of its domestic league matches, Ederson would lead the squad in goals across all competitions, and Matteo Ruggeri would become one of Gasperini’s most reliable lieutenants (while also compiling four goal contributions of his own). Still none of that takes the cake when it comes to my favorite sports crossover I’ve seen in awhile.
For those who don’t know, baseball has been and will always be my favorite sport to follow. And with my Orioles finally performing so well, it has made the summer months far more enjoyable when Atalanta is take its summer break and baseball is in full swing. Which had me super curious (and excited) about that script “A” that Aleksei Miranchuk has been donning the last few weeks.
For the European crowd, the Oakland Athletics have been one of the worst teams in baseball the last few years. While a storied franchise, there’s little reason for anyone to begin following the team that lost 112 games last year (winning 50), and has owners so cheap and stingy they unwittingly ushered in an era of analytics so important to baseball it had Aaron Sorkin and Brad Pitt taking notice. I’m always extremely curious when I see non-Americans wearing baseball gear that is not associated with the New York Yankees – so you could imagine my astonishment when I saw Miranchuk rolling to the stadium in Oakland green. Will we ever know the reason why? Probably not – but that doesn’t mean we can’t put our best theories forward in the process!
1. Miranchuk’s Is a Closet Nerd – and Is Deeply Appreciative of Oakland’s Importance to Push Analytics in Sports
Moneyball is all too common a phrase across sports, and yet its as popular a term to use in sports when a team does something successful and different as tacking on “gate” to the end of the word to illustrate a scandal. Billy Beane, miraculously still with Oakland twenty years going, was the front-man behind the squad that made baseball analytics cool – stocking up his team with supposed castaways en-lieu of the baseball equivalent of the Dusan Vlahovic’s of the world. In my opinion the original analysis of Moneyball is flawed in that author Michael Lewis fails to mention the elite pitching staff and league MVP, Miguel Tejada, that were homegrown players on affordable contracts and the true reason the club was successful. However, it is still undeniable that ballplayers are viewed far differently now than they were 20 years ago, thanks to Billy Beane and Oakland.
Similarly, Atalanta has similarly been able to find surplus value across Europe. While it hasn’t helped Miranchuk reach his full potential (he always looks to be getting an earful from Gasperini), perhaps he appreciates the parallels and not a club hellbent on spending oil money. I doubt it, but let’s dream!
2. Miranchuk Is a Connie Mack Enjoyer
And you will be too once you learn about the game’s longest serving manager. I mentioned early on that the Athletics are a storied franchise. So much so that their roots actually begin back in Philadelphia, and they still hold more World Series titles in the city of Philadelphia than the team that never left the city, the Phillies. Much of that has to do with Connie Mack, who managed the squad for 50 years, winning championships in five of those seasons. No manager has won more, lost more, or managed more games than Mack – and he was the epitome of class always rocking a suit and a bowler hat in the dugout.
Of Irish descent, Mack has no connection to Russia or Italy, but perhaps Miranchuk appreciates the longevity parallels between Cornelius McGillicuddy and his own manager Gian Piero Gasperini who is Serie A’s longest tenured manager, and with continued success will continue to climb the ranks of a tenured manager list normally reserved for managers of yesteryear. Again, this is highly doubtful, especially given the way Gasperini loves to chirp at Miranchuk.
3. Distance Is Key
If I were to tell you that the furthest city with a major league baseball team from Miranchuk’s birthplace of Slavynask-na-Kubani was San Francisco, you would be as shocked as I was! By proximity this would make Oakland the second furthest city from Slavynask, and a not-so-fitting reason for someone to chose a favorite ballclub. Some people like to be so different they choose sports allegiance for the most random of reasons, maybe Miranchuk was just sick of all those pesky Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers fans in Slavynask!
4. Southpaws Stick Together
Being lefty, you always like to point out every time you see another lefty in person, on tv, or elsewhere. Miranchuk is as lefty as they come on the football pitch, and I would wholeheartedly imagine he’s an appreciator of other lefties perfecting their craft. Baseball is littered with famous lefties and the Athletics definitely have their fair share of famous ones.
- Lefty Grove – come on, that one is self explanatory!
- Reggie Jackson – his lefty bat was so dangerous in the playoffs, he got a full month as a nickname (Mr. October)
- Barry Zito – I’ve never seen a prettier curveball than his. One I always tried to emulate when taking the mound as a teenager.
- Rube Waddell – Oh a simpler time when nicknames told it like it was. Waddell had one of the wilder rides through life – I highly recommend learning more about him.
- Matt Olson – Before breaking out after joining the Atlanta Braves, Olson was one of the few hitters that made the cavernous Oakland Colesium look like a band box.
5. Miranchuk Is Paying Homage to the Rube Schauer
While born in Russia, Miranchuk’s surname has historical nods to Ukranian heritage – so it would only make sense that Miranchuk would want to pay homage to the Odessa born Rube Schauer who put together one of the most “impressive seasons” for a Russo/Ukranian born player in 1917 with the Philadelphia Athletics. 1917 was Schauer’s last in the majors, sporting an impressive 215 innings pitches – that was still below league average at the time. You can tell I had to stretch this one out – with only nine players from Russia ever playing in the big leagues!
6. He’s Jumping in on the Las Vegas Migration
A shout out to Atalanta Vegas on this one! Its a near certainty that the Oakland A’s will once again move again, this time to Las Vegas. A terrible stadium, cheap ownership, and a poor relationship with the city of Oakland and Alameda County will likely have the yellow and green jumping to the desert. There’s already deep ties with Atalanta and Vegas (hello Dan!) why not jump on board and foster the relationship further!
7. The Hat Just Looks Cool
This is lame, but probably the most realistic. The A’s have always been fashion forward, and very few men could make lemon lime actually look good. Aleksei just has to work on his moustache and he’d fit right in with the boys from a previous era.
Whatever the reason, let’s just say I’m glad to see this the strangest of sport crossovers. Baseball is losing its cool factor every season, so anything that keeps it fresh and alive, especially in Europe, I’ll take. Now if only we can get Miranchuk hooked up with Billy Beane and company, give him a key to the stadium, let him take batting practice, etc. I may, just may, switch my MLB allegiance. Until then, let’s just hope Miranchuk keeps rocking the best piece of fashion to come out of Atalanta dressing rooms – and as always Forza Dea!
