Beane Busy Entertaining Tony Blair as Trade Deadline Approaches?

by xbhaskarx on Jul 29, 2006 9:29 AM PDT

I really like our GM, I like that he's innovative, respected, high profile, and in demand as a speaker for a big event like this.

But with the trading dealine just days away, I really hope this doesn't interfere with his ability to get a deal done. Either we need to be buyers and get a hitter or maybe another starting pitcher, or we need to trade Zito.

Blair to join Galaxy of Stars at Pebble Beach
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/07/29/MNGD5K7V4U1.DTL

Prime Minister Tony Blair's first visit to California has a bit of everything: serious environmental discussions, business meetings, a foreign affairs speech -- and a star-powered, incredibly eclectic gathering of world thinkers, leaders and luminaries in posh Pebble Beach.

The tony, private event, a five-day management retreat for 250 executives of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., is set to bring together a VIP guest list for the ages to chat about issues like volunteerism, technology and politics. Among them: Blair, Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres, former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Oakland A's General Manager Billy Beane, former Harvard University President Lawrence Summers and even U2 lead singer and international do-gooder Bono.

On tap
Some of the seminars planned for the Pebble Beach event:

-- "Islam and the West," with Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres.

-- "The Power of One," by U2 lead singer Bono.

-- "Meet the MySpace Generation," a "live focus group" exploring attitudes of today's youth.

-- America's political divide, by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

-- Nontraditional business approaches, by Oakland A's General Manager Billy Beane.

Poll

The Deadline...

"Islam and the West," with Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres.

0 votes

"The Power of One," by U2 lead singer Bono.

2 votes

"Meet the MySpace Generation," a "live focus group" exploring attitudes of today's youth.

1 votes

America's political divide, by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

0 votes

Nontraditional business approaches, by Oakland A's General Manager Billy Beane.

4 votes

"But the menu said Galaxy of Prawns. Three prawns are hardly a galaxy!" by Gary Coleman.

10 votes

Buy - this is our year.

7 votes

Sell - trade Zito for some prospects.

11 votes

35 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 35 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

just what we need

Billy making deals with the english...maybe we will get a soccer player at the deadline. and just maybe he can kick the ball farther than carlos lee will jack it out of the park. i can dream cant i?

BRING BACK MIGGY!

by Ionnes on Jul 29, 2006 9:32 AM PDT reply actions

this means one thing...

big deal involving the A's today... I 'm callin' it!

"The are only two places in this league. First place and no place." -Tom Seaver

by greekpride08 @ Athletics Nation on Jul 29, 2006 9:35 AM PDT reply actions

So if we see

Macha yank Zito with one out in the second, we'll know why?

by Flyin As on Jul 29, 2006 9:42 AM PDT up reply actions

Why? Because his

pitch count has hit 100?

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 29, 2006 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions

This may turn out to be

sadly prophetic. It is 4-0 with 2 on and no one out in the top of the first right now.

"If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life" - Brooke Shields

by Philip Christy on Jul 29, 2006 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions

lol

great insight from Brooke Shields

I am no drunkard, I'm a hard-working man.

by Cutthemullet on Jul 29, 2006 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions

no deal is not an option

i don't know if we should be buyers or sellers, but i'll be very disappointed if we're neither.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jul 29, 2006 9:42 AM PDT reply actions

disappointed?

we're fucked if Beane doesn't make a move one way or the other.

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Jul 29, 2006 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions

which is why i'd be disappointed

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jul 29, 2006 11:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Sorry

Struck me as a bit of an understatement.

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Jul 30, 2006 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions

God bless the BlackBerry.

"The first night, we were right there," Bradley said. "All we needed was a couple of touchdowns, and we would have had them."

by jeepers on Jul 29, 2006 9:46 AM PDT reply actions

Oh Jesus

Are we really being referred to as the "MySpace Generation?" Is it really coming to that? Other generations are going to be known for their heroics in World Warm, in fighting for civil liberties and equality, and igniting social revolution, and we're going to be known for.......MySpace?

Anyway I think this is a sign Beane is prepared to stand firmly pat unless he happens to get a call this weekend from Omar Minaya confirming he wants to do the deal Billy has probably already proposed to him regarding Zito.

Gary's Furniture gon hook you up with discount priced furniture....UP, IN, HERE

by walk off bunt on Jul 29, 2006 9:49 AM PDT reply actions

Err

World Wars*. World Warm(ing) is another topic altogether.

Gary's Furniture gon hook you up with discount priced furniture....UP, IN, HERE

by walk off bunt on Jul 29, 2006 9:50 AM PDT up reply actions

Hey, at least you HAVE...

...a defined "generation," and you're not nondescriptly stuck between the "social revolutionaries" and the "MySpacers"... ;)

"He should have been out for blood, like a two-mouthed bear at a monkey eating contest!" ~ McFood

by Poppy on Jul 29, 2006 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions

it's just marketing

This retreat is for Murdoch's people, and he owns MySpace. It's just a shameless (and sickening) bit of self-promotion to stamp an entire generation with their brand. Don't feel bad, I was part of the Pepsi generation....<spit>

by coffee roaster on Jul 29, 2006 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions

Murdoch is proof

that governments serve big business, and not their constituents. As I recall, GW Bush, bin Ladens brother and a few other "luminaries" met at Murdochs Colorado ranch hours after the 9.11 bombings....make of it what you will.

tdwclark

by tdwclark on Jul 30, 2006 7:58 AM PDT up reply actions

really?

I thought he was bunker-hopping like a scared little bunny on 9/11. Wasn't it his father who was schmoozing with the bin Laden family that morning at a Carlyle Group meeting?

Why Kerry failed to connect the bin Laden family with the Bush family has always stumped me.

by coffee roaster on Jul 30, 2006 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions

FWIW, Billy isn't heading down until Monday

so whatever happens will be taking place today or tomorrow.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Jul 29, 2006 9:57 AM PDT reply actions

Whoops

I probably should've read the article. I took that to mean the five day event deal would be starting over the weekend.

Gary's Furniture gon hook you up with discount priced furniture....UP, IN, HERE

by walk off bunt on Jul 29, 2006 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions

that's good to know

i didn't see a date in the Chronicle article so i assumed it was a weekend thing.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Jul 29, 2006 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions

I wonder how Blez knows that...

I hope Beane has "other obligations" tomorrow :-).

"The first night, we were right there," Bradley said. "All we needed was a couple of touchdowns, and we would have had them."

by jeepers on Jul 29, 2006 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions

If he does have "other" obligations

do me a favor and tell him (for me) that standing pat would be a huge mistake that would hurt the team for years to come.

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Jul 29, 2006 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Billy, Blair, Peres, Gingrich, and Bono?

Sounds like the makings of a new installment of Peanutball, by Stomper.

"I don't want to 'Wear It.' It doesn't match my shoes." --Jennifer

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Jul 29, 2006 11:49 AM PDT reply actions

Wow! I would trade Zito....

just for a ticket to that event. Some very interesting cats.

"Don't you play the flute, Huddy?"

by capper3 on Jul 29, 2006 11:50 AM PDT reply actions

Seriously!

"Eclectic" is definitely the word!

"He should have been out for blood, like a two-mouthed bear at a monkey eating contest!" ~ McFood

by Poppy on Jul 29, 2006 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't know if it's THE word,

but it's definitely a word, because I checked! :--}

-Cindi.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 29, 2006 7:09 PM PDT up reply actions

look through your SAT prep flash cards, Cindi

I bet you'll find it there, right between ebullient and egregious

I am no drunkard, I'm a hard-working man.

by Cutthemullet on Jul 29, 2006 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions

I know that

"ebullient" means "full of soup," but I forget what egregious means... :-(

-Cindi.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 29, 2006 7:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Egregious

is when you encourage a talk-show host to be foolhardy.

"Even if you know the deck is stacked in your favor, you still have to have the discipline to trust the math and the cojones to go to the ATM." BB

by green star oakland on Jul 29, 2006 8:12 PM PDT up reply actions

I knew it was either that,

or a synonym for "Kathi Lee's hair"!

-Cindi.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 29, 2006 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions

I still dont know who Cindi is

is it Nico's alter ego?

"apparently my area had the choice between baseball and ninja turtles. They chose ninja turtles." -Rauber23

by Amnesiac727 on Jul 29, 2006 9:38 PM PDT up reply actions

Omigod,

as if!

-Cindi.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 29, 2006 10:12 PM PDT up reply actions

<crying> I feel so left out :-(

"apparently my area had the choice between baseball and ninja turtles. They chose ninja turtles." -Rauber23

by Amnesiac727 on Jul 29, 2006 10:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh no!

Why? Does everyone else in your family have nice hair? :-(

-Cindi.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Jul 29, 2006 10:55 PM PDT up reply actions

I should crash this

I live 10 minutes away. Maybe set up a meeting between Billy and Bono: Could we get Huston, Rich and Zito to play in U2 for a night? But don't let Z sing. Just keep throwing those curves for us!

"Maybe if I lay here in the dirt, nobody will notice I've forgotten how to hit" ~Crosby in ANtics

by streetfan on Jul 29, 2006 10:59 PM PDT reply actions