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Billy Beane Wants You To Be Patient

Tom FornelliPosted Aug 22nd 2008 11:43AM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Athletics, AL West

Before the 2008 season started it was a well known fact that the Oakland Athletics were in a full-blown rebuilding process. They'd traded away both Dan Haren and Nick Swisher for prospects as general manager Billy Beane felt it was necessary to restock the shelves of Oakland's farm system. Then the season started, and a team that was supposed to struggle was playing surprisingly well, and even in the playoff hunt.

Still, this did not sway Beane from his vision, and he traded away Rich Harden, Joe Blanton, and Chad Gaudin at the deadline. Since then, Oakland has not been winning much. In fact, they've lost 21 of their last 27 games, and it doesn't look like things will get too much better over the final weeks.

Beane knows this, and though he realizes it's tough to watch at times, he doesn't want Athletics fans to abandon ship just yet. Land will be ho some day, he promises.
"Listen, the performance lately has been a little rougher than anyone would like to go through," Beane said by phone before the A's 2-0 victory over the Mariners on Thursday. "But we didn't make any bones about what we were going to do when we said we were going to go through a rebuilding.
Continue Reading Billy Beane Wants You To Be Patient

Nick Swisher for Huston Street? So Crazy It Just Might Work

Eamonn BrennanPosted Jul 31st 2008 10:56AM by Eamonn Brennan (author feed)
Filed under: Athletics, White Sox, MLB Transactions

The most common follow-up to this morning's Ken Griffey Jr. bombshell is, I think, surprise. Not surprise that the Reds would trade Griffey away, but surprise that the Sox would acquire someone of The Kid's stature without so much as a position for him to play. Jim Thome's the DH, Paul Konerko the sort-of DH sort-of first baseman, and Nick Swisher and Jermaine Dye patrol the two relevant outfield spots. Where will Griffey play?

If crazy speculation -- and White Sox radio analyst Steve Stone -- have their say, Griffey might be heading to center. Just after ... drum roll ... Billy Beane trades Huston Street for Swish.

Insane, right? According to the guys at BTF, that rumor is merely a product of Stone's imagination, so take it with a grain of salt. But it does make sense: Beane is looking forward to next year, and knows he can't re-sign Street in the offseason; the Sox are going for broke this season and need to add arms; and they trade five years of Swisher for a half-year of Street.

See? It sort of, kind of, maybe makes a little bit of sense. Plus, the Sox already traded for Griffey; how crazier could things get?

Rumor Mill Roundup: July 23

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 23rd 2008 9:00PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Athletics, Padres, Pirates, Red Sox, Reds, Rockies, Yankees, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- So what are those pesky Yankees up to anyway? First things first: they are absolutely in the AL East race, just three games behind the Red Sox and 3 1/2 behind division-leading Tampa Bay. They've also got clear needs -- namely pitching depth and offensive help, either at catcher, now that Jorge Posada's season is in doubt, or at one of the corners.


New York's top brass will meet tomorrow in Tampa to discuss what, if any, moves they should make before the deadline, but indications are that the team is willing to deal prospects and make a run. The name with the most heat is Mariners left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who wouldn't be a flashy pickup, but would give the Yankees a reliable innings-eater to put at the back of their rotation. He'd certainly be an upgrade over Darrell Rasner or Sidney Ponson. Seattle is not impressed with center fielder Melky Cabrera, but has been scouting New York's Double-A affiliate Trenton. That's where the Yankees' top hitting prospect, Austin Jackson, has been playing all year.

- Concerns about Huston Street's performance and stuff don't seem to be scaring off teams. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Reds have shown some interest in the Oakland closer. Cincinnati GM Walt Jocketty certainly can't consider his team a contender, but there is reason to think it can make a run as soon as next season, and Street isn't eligible to be a free agent for another three years. He also has two players with uncertain futures -- Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. Dunn is the type of player you'd figure A's GM Billy Beane would covet, but he might have to send more than Street to land the slugger.
Continue Reading Rumor Mill Roundup: July 23

Rumor Mill Roundup: July 22

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 22nd 2008 6:45PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Angels, Athletics, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Orioles, Rockies, Tigers, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- Sometimes with trade rumors, it's just a matter of connecting the dots. The Dodgers have a scout in Tampa Bay for this week's Rays-A's series, and with Los Angeles tied with Arizona atop the NL West, you can bet he isn't there to check out Evan Longoria. Back in Tinseltown, manager Joe Torre announced his intentions to showcase give Andy LaRoche plenty of time at third base over the next few weeks.

Even considering Ned Colletti's apparent antipathy for young players, LaRoche is the one prospect who seems to have been jerked around the most. Oakland GM Billy Beane appears willing to deal just about any of his established big leaguers, and the Dodgers could use help just about everywhere. Reliever Huston Street is the obvious target, but shortstop Bobby Crosby and starting pitcher Justin Duchscherer could also end up on the move. LaRoche would be a more than handsome return for any one of those players.

- Brian Fuentes continues to be the hot commodity on the relief market. According to Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News, scouts from seven different teams have watched Fuentes pitch over the last few days, including almost all of the big boys from the American League. Fuentes gave up five runs in a loss on June 30 and since then has been utterly dominant, striking out 13 and walking none in his last seven appearances. Elsewhere, the Cardinals are reportedly stepping up their interest in Baltimore closer George Sherrill.
Continue Reading Rumor Mill Roundup: July 22

Josh Fields Could Be Traded

Tom FornelliPosted Jul 22nd 2008 1:08PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: White Sox, AL Central, MLB Rumors

Before the 2008 season began, there were plenty of White Sox fans who thought the team would be better off having Josh Fields as their third baseman and trading Joe Crede. Considering how close Crede was to being traded to the Giants and Dodgers last winter, it's pretty apparent that White Sox GM Kenny Williams was thinking the same way.

Then the season started and Crede was at third for the Sox while Josh Fields was manning the position down in Charlotte. Well, even though Crede's defense has suffered in 2008 (he's already committed a career-high 19 errors which is likely due to his back), he still made the All-Star team for the first time in his career, and there's talk that the Sox may re-sign him this winter.

All of which makes Fields a little more expendable should the White Sox feel the need to add another starting pitcher to their rotation.
A source has indicated the Sox have been in discussions with ''more than one'' team about adding pitching help, either in the rotation or bullpen -- or possibly both -- and the major discussion is whether they dare part ways with minor-league third baseman Josh Fields.

According to the source, unless they are willing to part ways with Fields, there is no deal to be made. Basically, do they forfeit the future at third base to chase October glory this season?
The two pitchers whose names keep popping up lately in trade talks involving the White Sox are Toronto's A.J. Burnett and Oakland's Justin Duchscherer. If the Sox are to make a move, I'm guessing they'd prefer Duchscherer seeing as how Kenny Williams has a long trade history with Billy Beane, and Burnett is an overpaid injury risk that can opt out of his contract at season's end.

Welcome to Chicago, Mr. Harden

Tom FornelliPosted Jul 22nd 2008 12:07PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Cubs, NL Central



While the Oakland Athletics were only six games behind the Los Angeles Angels when they traded Rich Harden to the Chicago Cubs, I don't think many people were expecting the A's to actually catch and pass the Angels. Obviously, Billy Beane didn't think it mattered, or else he wouldn't have made the deal.

So when Harden came to Chicago, he was entering a whole new world as he became one of the newest knights of Cubdom's round table. Not only was he thrust into the middle of what could be baseball's most exciting division race, but he suddenly found himself pitching in front of 40,000 people, and they were all cheering for him.

That kind of stuff just never happened in Oakland.

Still, after two starts with the Cubs, Harden has also learned that not everything in Cubdom is always what it seems. In those two starts, Rich has been his typical (when healthy) dominant self. He's pitched 12 1/3 innings, allowed six hits, one run, and struck out 20.

He's also 0-1 after the Cubs were shutout by Randy Johnson in his start last night, and his new bullpen blew a seven-run lead in his first start against the Giants. So Rich already knows all too well what life is like when you're wearing a Chicago Cubs jersey.

The good news for both Harden and the Cubs is that he has pitched so well and is showing none of the signs of breaking down that were being reported after the trade. There is no drop in velocity and he is overpowering hitters. It's only a matter of time before his teammates start helping him out, and the sooner the better, as the Cubs lead in the Central has shrunk to only two games.

Huston's Street Value Is Dropping

Tom FornelliPosted Jul 21st 2008 2:18PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Athletics, AL West, MLB Gossip

Now that the Oakland Athletics have traded Rich Harden, Chad Gaudin, and Joe Blanton I don't think there's much doubt left that Billy Beane is probably going to try to ship his closer, Huston Street, to a contending team as well. At this point, it seems as though anything not nailed down and over the age of 23 in Oakland is a serious contender to be traded this July.

The problem is, that while there are plenty of teams out there right now looking for some bullpen help, it seems the market for Street isn't what the Athletics thought it would be. Aside from the fact that Huston blew his second consecutive save on Sunday afternoon, some scouts are saying his velocity has dipped, and his dropped arm angle is causing his pitches to flatten out.

I'm not sure if this is keeping teams like the Brewers, White Sox, Mets, and Red Sox from looking at Street as a possibility, but it's probably going to diminish the return Oakland gets for him. Another problem for Beane and the Athletics is the fact that Colorado's Brian Fuentes has been pretty untouchable of late, and that hurts Street's value as well.

Still, of all the teams that need bullpen help, only one is going to land Fuentes, and after that Street will be the most desired reliever on the market. If I had to guess where he'd end up, I'd say Milwaukee (if they don't land Fuentes or another reliever first) just because they have such an abundance of prospects, definitely need help in the pen, and they've showed this season they're willing to pull the trigger on a deal.

Buy or Sell: Los Angeles Dodgers

Will BrinsonPosted Jul 16th 2008 3:45PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Dodgers, NL West, MLB Gossip, MLB Rumors



July 31 is rapidly approaching. Buy or Sell lets each team know where they stand.

Ahhhh, Ned Colletti. He's famous around these parts, you know. Many believe he's a lame duck GM at this point, what with, oh, signing Andruw Jones to a multi-year, multi-million dollar deal. And the Dodgers stinking. Relatively.

But the thing Ole' Steady Neddy's got going for him is that the Dodgers are in a division that matches Ned in overall mediocrity, the wild, wild NL West, where .500 will take you to the postseason. So what should Ned do, in his potentially final trading deadline hurrah as Dodgers GM?

Buy, of course! Matt Holliday, Mark Teixeira, you name it. Joe Blanton, sure. Overpriced, nearly free agent veterans for potential superstars whose only fault is that they can't listen? That's Ned's wheelhouse, kids.
Continue Reading Buy or Sell: Los Angeles Dodgers

What Does Billy Beane Know That We Don't?

Tom FornelliPosted Jul 9th 2008 12:43PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Oakland, Athletics, AL West, MLB Transactions

When I first found out yesterday that the Oakland Athletics had traded Rich Harden to the Cubs, my first reaction was "Why?" I didn't even know who Oakland had gotten in return from the Cubs, and already the deal didn't make that much sense to me. Then I heard who the A's got, and the deal made even less sense to me.

Don't get me wrong, I think Matt Murton has the potential to flourish in Oakland as he's finally found an organization that can appreciate what he's capable of (Matt has struggled this season, but does still have a career OPS of .810 without ever getting regular playing time), and Sean Gallagher could end up being a very effective pitcher for the Athletics. Eric Patterson is probably just an insurance plan should Mark Ellis not re-sign with the team after the season, as the A's are pretty thin at second base in the minors, and I don't know anything about John Donaldson.

But why now, Billy Beane? Why pull the trigger on this deal when your team is only five games out of first place in the AL West, and only 3.5 behind Boston for the wild card? There is no way that Beane can honestly think his team has a better shot at making the playoffs this season without Rich Harden.

Yet, while on the surface this deal makes absolutely no sense to me, I also realize that Beane knows what he's doing and I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he's just tired of being held hostage by Harden's injury history and is tired of having to build a team around a pitcher who may or may not be available at any given time. If you look at Beane's history of letting his pitchers go, he seems to have great timing, as Mark Mulder and Barry Zito have never been the same since leaving the bay area.

It's still way too early to tell if this was a mistake or not, but I have to say, at the moment I don't think this was one of Beane's finest moment.

Fantasy Spin: Harden to the Cubbies

Will BrinsonPosted Jul 8th 2008 9:00PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Chicago, Oakland, Athletics, Cubs, MLB Transactions, MLB Bust a Move, Fantasy MLB


As Watson noted earlier, there has been a fairly decent seismic shift in the National League Arms Race, what with the Cubs acquiring Rich Harden only 24 hours after the Brewers picked up CC Sabathia. And just like it affects real baseball, the trade does some things for fantasy owners as well. So, why not look at the four biggest names in the trade?

Rich Harden, SP -- I've said it once, and I'll say it again: sell high on Harden. Billy Beane rarely gets suckered and this deal kind of looks like one of those times, no? Which makes me think "ruh-roh" with regard to Harden's health. Especially when you remember that during his next to last start in an Oakland uni, he was barely topping 90 mph. But his move to one of the most offensively potent teams and a World Series contender should boost his value in theory, making him a prime sell.
Continue Reading Fantasy Spin: Harden to the Cubbies
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