FanPost

Admit it Billy Beane, you were wrong about the Surge

I think it is time for BB to fess up, not only was he wrong about signing Eric Chavez to the long term contract that he did, but also (that one is for you Nico) Chavvy's shoulders, back, hamstrings, groins, ankles, wrists, fingers and head are not going to recover to play 3B at an All Star level during the contract.

That's okay, mistakes happen, but until this gets acknowledged, the FALSE HOPE THAT CHAVVY IS GOING TO GET WELL COULD COST THE A'S AT LEAST ONE EXTRA YEAR OF REBUILDING.

 

I think Chavvy needs to be treated as follows:

1. Long Term DL, get completely healthy

2. Hit only at DH with the goal of getting Chavvy's old bat back as a DH every day.

3. After two months of hitting every day, if Chavvy feels like playing 1B, give it a shot.

The advantage of this approach is that we then no longer settle for guys like Jack Hannahan as our 3B, we hold open tryouts at 3B.

From our system: Baisley, Barton, Crosby (maybe the position switch and demotion from SS will jolt his stick)

Cheap outside options: Dallas MacPherson. Russel Branyan both free agents

Wildcards: Edgardo Alfonso (finally healthy?) some guy from Japan,  Hank Blalock (if he checks out medically)

My main point is that Beane's inability to say he was wrong about the Chavez contract in the first place has prevented him from cutting losses at 3b.  there is a saying among stock traders: "never let a trade become an investment". Beane's inability to acknowledge the poor outcome of the Chavez contract, coupled with his bad luck in the health department, has crippled the A's far more than the contract itself.

 

UPDATE: one other wildcard, trade back for Swisher, if possible, and throw him at 3B. He's athletic enough.

 2nd UPDATE: Add Jesus Guzman to the list, and while we are at it, whoever the backup 3B in Pittsburgh is now, since they picked up LaRoche.