The AL West is weak.  The Angels are not what they once were.  The Mariners are so-so which makes them a contender in this division.  Texas is Texas with pitching woes that go on forever.

We can compete, but we'll need to sign a player or two and there are some decent names still out there.  I would propose Washburn for the rotation.  He is a flyball pitcher who would lick his chops to toss in the expansive Oaktown.  Maybe even Pedro who is looking for a job.  Then for the field I may suggest - and I know this will be inviting much ire from many - J Dye.  He would come cheap at this point. He knows our outfield clearly though he is a defensive liability out there. Dye, Sweeney, Raj.  CoCo eventually.

Or we could make a trade. Look what Thome is doing from the PH position this season.  Full time DH for us? What other options are there that you all can think of.  The division is there for the taking.

Gross, Patterson and Rosales are complimentary players but not full timers. Mazzaro is suspect on the bump and still needs time in the minors.  Make a move or two!

I suggest that we look at our talent evaluators, scouts, decision makers.  I think our history since the late 90's shows, well, our trades have been horrible:

• Hudson for C. Thomas, D. Meyers (Thomas was a bust)
• Ludwick for Carlos Pena (good trade poor patience)
• Carlos Pena and Bonderman for Lilly (horrible)
• Harang for J. Guillen (horrible)
• Teahen for Dotel (Teahne still productive in KC)
• Ramon Hernandez for Kotsay (bad back, good player)
• Kotsay for Devine (one decent year)
• Eithier for Bradley (Horrible)
• Kendall for Blevins (a wash)
• Byrnes for J. Kennedy & Witasik ( mistake)
• Swisher for Sweeney & Geo Gonzalez (looks like a mistake)
• Blanton for Outman (Country Joe is missed)
• Scutero for K. Bell (why did we do this?)
• Haren for B. Anderson, G. Smith, Eveland and Carlos Gonzalez (up to Anderson)
• Hardin & Gaudin for Murton, E. Patterson and Gallagher (a wash maybe)

What do you all think?  I would love to have Swisher at 1B.  Scuturo at SS. Brynes as our 4th OFer. Teahen as our 3B would be huge upgrade. Eithier is a middle of the order stud. Haren would have priced himself out but what a pitcher to lose.

Comments?

I have as much green and gold running through my veins as anyone.  I won't go through the number of years I've been a diehard fan or for how long or what section my season tickets were in (I let them go this year).  I wish to simply throw out there that for me, for now, I am starting to lose faith in these things.

• The new Stadium. It would be great but until they are building I don't trust it will ever happen.
• The rebuilding of the team.  This time the cut may be too deep.  Swisher, Haren, Hardin, Blanton after losing Mulder, Hudson and Zito feels like way to much to soon. We got complimentary position players back in those deals.  I don't buy into the Gonzalez as a future star talking points.
• Health of Chavez.  I love the guy.  I wear his jersey but for godness sake if he comes back he is a 1B now at best.  We need a 3B to build around.
• Ellis.  The heart of the team and epipitomy of what the A's are all about and he is already partially out the door.  No way they pull in those other 2B if he wasn't.
• Crosby.  He has had his chance with a full healthy season and has done poorly.  I cannot see running him out for 150 games again next year but they will.

I admire all of you who continue to see the glass (of coolaid?) as half full, I really do.  I am just not buying into it again.  This has not been a rebuilding year.  Calling it that is about as good as putting lipstick on a pig.  This is a disgraceful year.  And for me - well I only represent one of those empty seats but I'm losing faith in the entire package.

and although he tried hard to find that middle ground on the Swisher trade and the A's rebuilding strategy...at one point saying, " if I'm a fan I'm asking Billy where does it stop and when do you dig in and build around your best players instead of trading them or letting them walk (Hudson, Mulder, Dye, Haren, Giambi, Swisher, Miggy - all mentioned), then if I'm Billy Beane I ask the fan why don't more of you show up at the Ballpark, and then again the fan should ask why haven't you built a real ballpark?"

But he was clearly anti-Billy's strategy.  Said that around baseball people wonder how the A's let so many top tier players go.  Byrnes is thoughtful and well spoken.  There was a lot of angry callers to the show and he handled them well and in some cases threw gas on the fire.  He seems to have a chip on his shoulder about his trade - we have zip to show for letting him go - but he has cashed in on going to a hitters ballpark so he may just be playing the crowd.

Didn't we just reload when we shipped off Hudson and Mulder and what do we have left from that?  Accepting that we will do this every few years is just part of an A's fans reality. I trust Billy and feel blessed we have a visible owner who actually cares and comes to the games so I can put up with this.  
I think Gonzo will make the 25 man.  They'll ship off Kotsay to make room (probably only get some pot's and pan's in return though); they'll give Crosby one last chance to live up to his oh so distant promis; they'll pray Buck and Barton develope into solid everyday players; they'll hope Swisher learns to hit to the opposite field when they throw him slop on the outer corner.  Anderson is pretty close to major league ready so he was as important as Gonzo in this deal. I'll be there (my seat is next to Sally the bell ringer) for all the bad and occasional good next year.  But - they do need to pull the trigger on Blanton now; maybe Street also - get a SS to push/wait for Crosby and more arms.  Chavy is still too broken down to get anything

Any feelings / opinions on where Buck projects; what his upside is? Is he a full time corner guy or a 4th OFer?  His minor league stats are slim because he is so young, was a college draftee and was brought up quick. I would be happy with .285/.360/.475 every year but was wondering what others thought about this and his ability to play every day.

Okay, so compared to the Yanks...with a $200 million payroll we still qualify for assisted living, but our payroll is $80 mil. Several teams that made the playoffs last year (see Rockies, etc.) had smaller payroll.
Are we spending wisely?  I am afflicted with the fall-in-love condition with our players that last more than a few years.  Chavy, Crosby, Scutaro (gone), Ellis, etc.  But I think it's time to cut the cord with some of the dudes we run out there each day.
The problem is that we cannot get anything for most of these guys - Kotsay - injury prone, Chavy - injury prone, Crosby - injury prone and suspect upside...so what do we do?