I think the A's should trade Ellis to the Rockies for Ian Stewart. Ellis is in his prime and may be in decline by the time we are ready to compete in 2009/2010. Ian Stewart can flat out mash... but he's blocked in Colorado by another young 3b - Garret Atkins. Perfect opportunity for us to swoop in and trade for him. The Rockies have been using Jayson Nix at 2b and he is terrible. They really need a 2b. They also need starting pitching so maybe Beane should offer one of our 12 or so young starters or Joe Blanton for Ian Stewart.

From yahoo:

"Stewart, the Rockies' No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America, is on a roll for Triple-A Colorado Springs, hitting .318 with three home runs, 12 RBIs, 10 runs and two steals through 11 games. His path to Denver is complicated by the fact that he plays the same position as Garrett Atkins. He auditioned at second base this spring, but Colorado opted for the better defensive option in Jayson Nix. If Nix continues his sub-Mendoza Line ways, perhaps the Rockies will decide that Stewart's bat could win them more games than his glove would lose. If not, he, or Atkins, will need to be dealt to open up playing time."

We need a 3b to replace Chavez. Hanahan and Murphy are not long term solutions at 3b. I say the time is ripe for Beane to jump into the trade market! Stewart is blocked similar to Carlos Gonzalez at Arizona. Great opportunity here.