Let the mudslinging begin!

Macha finally speaks up:

Macha cited two postseason incidents involving what he perceived as a
dispute with Beane.

-- According to Macha, Beane wanted Bobby Kielty to start against
left-handers, as had been the case in the final weeks of the regular season. But
Macha started Kotsay against Johan Santana of Minnesota and Nate Robertson and
Kenny Rogers of Detroit.

Come on Macha. That's just dumb. Everyone and their brother were scratching their heads wondering why Kielty didn't get EVEN ONE START against those left handed pitchers. Everyone knows Kielty mashes lefties, and yet you let Kotsay start all those games because.....well because if you didn't Kotsay would whine about playing time. When the ALCS is on the line you don't worry about hurting players' feelings regarding playing time. You do everything you can to win. Period. But at least we know this was one more straw on the camel's back in Beane's book.

-- Macha said he wanted 14-game winner Dan Haren to start Game 3 against
the Tigers in the American League Championship Series and be available for a
possible Game 7. But Rich Harden, who was injured most of the season, was picked
to start Game 3. It was Beane's call, said Macha, who went along with the
decision.

In retrospect it didn't matter because they both lost. But either way Harden was going to pitch. This one just isn't that huge of a deal to me, but as you can see Macha didn't like taking orders from Beane. Message to all future A's managers: you want to manage, better listen to Beane.

Macha was fired because of what Beane described as a "disconnect on several
levels," and five players -- Kotsay, Haren, Jason Kendall, Eric Chavez and Barry
Zito -- made unfavorable comments about Macha in Tuesday's Chronicle. Kotsay
said he felt "disrespected" that Macha seemingly questioned why he wasn't
playing a road game when the team was off the day before.
Kotsay, who
battled a bad back during the season, also said the A's "didn't play" for Macha
and rallied among themselves, adding Macha "didn't have my back."

"Billy wanted Kielty in the postseason, and I play Kotsay, and then Kotsay
comes out and says bad things about me while I basically got fired because I
played him," Macha said. "It's kind of sad."

"That's one instance," Macha added, "but it happened a lot."

No, you didn't get fired because you played him, that was just one of several bone headed decisions. You got fired because you and your boss didn't get along. Period. And that's not to say it was all your fault either. It's obvious Beane can be pretty heavy-handed about what he wants and obviously didn't care much for Macha.