http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/07/08/SPGSVDJVP31.DTL

I think we clearly need to trade an outfielder if we do indeed trade for JV Payton, but I don't think that we will need to move payroll just to sign Kotsay.  If you look at the recent Beane interview (which was awesome!) he says:

"When the right baseball decision comes along and it fits short-term and long-term, then I have no doubt (the budget will increase) as he said it to me."

So, my guess is that Beane et al thinks its worth signing Kotsay for a 2 (maybe 3 with mutual contract extension) year deal to have an anchor in CF for the next couple years.  I really hope we can resign him, and I can't wait for these next couple seasons!

GO A's!!!

   The east coast tabloids would be all over it. The fact the Yankees brought up a guy from AA shows that they are already going another direction. I take all this as resigning Kots is imminent.
   Re: Byrnes, Hatteberg, Cruz, Hatteberg, Ginter. I don't see much trade value based on their seasons thus far. Trading Bradford appears to be more based upon what he's done in the past than anything else.
   We will have to get a lot in order to give up Rincon. Everyone knows of his value-prob. not going anywhere.
   Ellis and Scooty are interesting. They've been serviceable but are by no means the complete package. Together they offer options and Macha likes options. My guess is that they stay, beside they're cheap (and easy).

The Payton deal is just one piece of a larger trade. Maybe Payton will be moving on? Remember Michael Barrett?

Doesn't bother me at all for the right return. We have plenty of bullpen arms and i think Garcia should get a shot at a spot soon. Moving Kotsay on the other hand would be a huge blunder. Centerfielders of his caliber are like needles in a haystack. And Payton can't carrry the guy's jock. Our youung pitchers are that much better with Kots roaming centerfield. Let's hope Billy takes care of Kotsay soon.

I do not think she's "beating the drum" as some sort of advocate of signing him.  That's not her job.  I think she's got sources on this one (Kotsay being one of them) and has good reason to think he will probably sign an extension.  That doesn't mean he will, as Beane will want to keep his options open, but her repeated reports that Kotsay will probably sign/doesn't want too much are comforting to me.

As for Payton, I don't know how he fits in.  I assume Beane would deal an outfielder (Byrnes, most likely) or flip Payton to some other team that wants him more.  There could be one of those Beane 3-team specials in the works.  

I have always liked Bradford, but he has had back trouble for a while now, and it's hard to know whether he will ever be a consistently effective pitcher again.  Still, it could be a very smart acquisition for the bullpen-thin Red Sox.

Because if Kotsay's staying, there's no way in hell he'd be playing, even if we moved Byrnes.

I'm just curious who the hell wants him that Theo wouldn't deal with directly. Guess we're packaging him -- maybe moving Ginter or Byrnes, too, then?

Ugh. I hate July. Too stressful.

He mentioned it in his chat earlier.

Hairston? please

we trade brynes. i like him but could do with out him