The All-Star Break typically marks the halfway point of the season, and for the first time since 1990, the A's are in first place at this mark. But don't get any ideas that all is well in Oaktown. The ANtics checked in with some of the players to see their own second half goals for 2006.


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ANtics Archive: 2005/06 ANtics | Hi-Res PDF (20 MB) | Poll

If you are an avid electronic music fan, then there is no question you are familiar with The Crystal Method, the duo behind hits including "Born Too Slow", "Busy Child", and "Trip Like I Do". Their 1997 album, Vegas, put them on the map in a big way, and 2004's "Legion of Boom" kept the beats pumping.

As previously noted on the site, my wife and I attended a concert in San Francisco featuring The Crystal Method and Paul Oakenfold, and though the two of us weren't the standard hard core, thrashing fans common at their concerts, we came away very impressed, even more than we had been with Oakenfold's set, which followed. In the time since then, we continue to hear The Crystal Method's efforts, on the show CSI, on commercials, and elsewhere.

But most recently, The Crystal Method was recruited to provide Nike a 45-minute continuous mix for iTunes, intended as background music for a fleet of runners (wearing Nike apparel, allegedly), and they delivered. The piece, titled "Drive: Nike+ Original Run" aims to give energy to exercising and "goal-oriented activity that goes along with working out," according to the digital booklet which accompanies the download.

In fact, the 45-minute piece varies in intensity along the lines of an anticipated workout, building gradually, offering the runner time to "warm up and find a steady rhythm", before accelerating through peak, and eventually cooling. This is an interesting salvo from the Nike and Apple partnership, one that should find its way to iTunes libraries everywhere, even if your idea of exercising, like mine, involves moving the computer mouse or lugging a laptop.

Listening to ''Drive: Nike+ Original Run", by The Crystal Method (Play Count: 1)

Cross-posted at Athletics Nation

As the A's went down to defeat again tonight, following yesterday's disappointing one-hit shutout against the division rival Angels, it has become time I address the fact we may have a very serious problem about how I have impacted the team, and not in a good way.

I submit to you...

* The A's in 2006 have a record of 45-42 (.517)
* The A's in 2006 have a home record of 24-21 (.533)

Yet, in the 19 games I've attended, they are 8-11 (.421). Only three teams in all of baseball (Royals, Cubs & Pirates) have worse numbers.

* April 14, 15 vs. Texas  (Loss, Win)
* April 18 vs. Detroit (Win)
* April 21, 22 vs. LAA (Win, Loss)
* May 5,6 vs. Tampa Bay (Loss, Win)
* May 19, 20, 21 vs. San Francisco (Win, Loss, Loss)
* June 2 vs. Minnesota (Loss)
* June 16, 17 vs. LA Dodgers (Win, Win)
* June 30, July 1 vs. Arizona (Loss, Loss)
* July 3,5 vs. Detroit (Win, Loss)
* July 7,8 vs. LAA (Loss, Loss)

This means...

* The A's record without me in attendance is 37-31 (.544)
* The A's home record in 2006 without me is 16-10 (.615)

If you apply the .615 winning percentage to the 19 games I attended, assuming I were not there, and that they played to their potential, with my attendance being the sole factor, then the A's should have won 11.7 contests (rounded up to 12) so far of those 19, not 8. Thus, I personally may have already cost the team 4 games in the standings. I am very concerned about the remainder of the season, for I am only about halfway through my season tickets!

Listening to ''X & Y'', by Coldplay (Play Count: 10)

I have to admit this is likely biased due to my career having been dedicated to Silicon Valley and a series of private companies at various stages, but it's clear to me that the concept of getting in at 9 and being done at 5, Monday through Friday, is dead. Simply put, if you're not on an hourly wage in which you punch a clock to indicate when you started and completed your tasks, and you are instead salaried, you have an obligation to support the company - no matter the time or the day.

By agreeing to be a salaried employee, the company pays you a certain amount per year - with benefits - based on your expected output in that calendar year. Whether you put in 35 hours at the office, or 135, they are going to pay you the same. And in theory, you are making just as much money per hour while you sleep as you do in the hours spent in your cubicle, attached to a phone, in front of your computer monitor. This means that if you leave the office on a Friday, at 5:01 p.m., and your boss calls Saturday or Sunday, you should hop on that task, period. And just because it's Saturday or Sunday, or 9 p.m. on a weekday, you should be no less connected to your goals and the company's goals than any other time.

I've always operated under the assumption you should give your full efforts. The company, looking at your talent, your record, and your attitude, assumes a certain level of output, and they make a bet that this combination is worth a certain amount of investment on their part. They've selected you - at a certain price - over your peers at identical or lesser pricing. Subsequently, it's your job to prove to them that they either paid adequately for your services, they paid too much for your services, or that you should be paid more.

If your intent is to move up the corporate food chain, to achieve higher status, or to get paid more, you need to exceed expectations. You need to overdeliver on your tasks, gaining you notice by your peers and management, and honestly, the competition. One of the best things that you can do is learn that the competition knows you by name, and would overpay to have you work for them instead of your current employer. One of the more interesting things that happened to me just in this last month was when a VP at one of our competitors called me directly at my office to ask if I was interested in jumping ship and working for him. Though interested to learn more about his company structure, my biases toward our product and corporate inertia were too much to overcome.

But what this reinforced for me again was that if you do throw away the 9 to 5 label, and work to and beyond your salary, it is noticed. You owe the company your fullest efforts, and you owe yourself the opportunity to progress - not to meet the minimum expectations and coast, for then you are most certainly expendable.

Want to talk about work? Call or e-mail any time. After all, while on salary, I'm always thinking about it, and what we can do next to overachieve.

Listening to ''Lie to Me'', by Depeche Mode (Play Count: 6)