At What Point Do I Get To Be An Ex-Fan?

According to the AP, my Oakland A's are "open" to signing Manny Ramirez.

No, seriously.

The owner, Lew Wolff, had suggested the move. The assistant general manager, David Forst, said they were open to it. "I think it would be fun." said Wolff.

Hey, Lew? You know what would be fun? Having a team that gave a damn. Rooting for guys that aren't on the roster with velcro strips on the backs of their uniforms. Having a sense of where the goddamned franchise was going to be next year. Having a general manager who wasn't living off the accomplishments of a decade ago, and a book about it. (Admittedly an excellent book, but still.) Having a single offensive player that you could draft with a straight face in the first 15 rounds of a fantasy league draft. Having the feeling that the team actually had a plan, rather than just muddling around, hoping to catch a decent two months from some no hope veteran, then flipping him to a contender for Quad-A guys.

You know what would not be fun? Watching the final circus stop in ManRam's career, where he probably weighs 50 pounds more than he should, and is at least five years past when he could do a thing offensively, let alone in your offense-crushing park. That would not be fun. Almost as much not fun as watching your current "roster", which is designed to lose as many games as possible while paying as little as possible for the privilege.

Oh, and the other thing that won't be fun? Watching Johnny Gomes, aka the homeless man's version of Manny, getting at-bats that could go to Michael Taylor or Chris Carter. Not that those guys are going to hit worth a damn either, but at least they've got the illusion of youth on their side.

The A's are the single biggest argument for relegation in MLB right now. They are also the single thing about baseball -- that I root for them --that's keeping my enjoyment of the game down.

Seriously, Manny Ramirez. 40 years old, suspended for 50 games due to repeat roid abuse, to a franchise that's going to lose 100-110 games, in front of crowds of 5,000 or less.

Can't we just put this organization in Triple-A already, and promote Newark or Durham or Las Vegas or Portland or Buffalo or any other city where the stadium isn't terrible and the organization is actually interested in winning baseball games?