Anyway, I’d rate the trades as follows:

Haren deal: A+ It’s going to end up a terrific, terrific deal for Oakland, one that significantly elevates the organization both in on-field help and farm depth.

Swisher deal: A-: It was a great trade at the time, given Fautino’s ceiling, but one that will likely not produce a full-fledged star (5-tool player or #1-#2 starter) as Gio and Sweeney appear to have their limitations. Still a very good move in that Swisher actually isn’t that good – Sweeney could even end up being better and you get Gio and a rehabbing DLS for free.

Blanton trade: A-: Getting Cardenas was the key and the other pieces were pretty smart risks for add-ins.

Harden trade: B+: I think it will turn out better than 90% of AN thinks, but it is the least sure of all the hauls and Harden is certainly a unique talent. But following his next injury and Gallagher’s progress, that alone will probably vindicate Beane’s thinking – and if thinks truly break right, Donaldson could be the surprise of the bunch.

The A’s marketing is a joke: I’d give it a D- for complete ineptitiude. “Hey, Kurt Suzuki went into a crouch to catch the morning paper – let’s go to an A’s game!!!!” Said the casual fan, and he checked the ticket prices and decided he could afford a third deck seat.

NOOOOOOOOOOoooooOooOOoooOoOOoOOooooo…

A team whose GM didn’t see the writing on the wall, spent a big chunk of their future talent to compete this year and still suck?

Haren- A Haren is amazing. However, two BOR starters in Eveland/Smith. One frontline SP prospect in Anderson, and great prospects in Cargon, Cunningham, and Carter. Cargon didn’t show much in the bigs this year, but he’s 22. Cunningham did well in what little time he had up in the bigs along with absolutely mashing in the minors. Carter absolutely mashed in the minors. Too early to give the deal an A+, but if all six guys pan out, this deal will be an A+, although it did end up even on both sides (DBacks extended Haren, have a top starter locked up for a while. If they lock up Webb, things will be looking awesome in the Snakepit).

Swisher- B+ Sweeney’s OPS is .010 less than that of Swisher and Sweeney was the White Sox’ #1 position prospect. Of course, Swisher’s having a down year and could easily rebound next year. I’ll miss Swish, but this deal probably will end up in the A’s favor in the long run. Worst case scenario is that Gio is a LOOGY, but I see him developing into a competent starter.

Blanton- A- Cardenas is the big dealbreaker. Blanton has given the Phillies 5 quality starts in 13 overall starts (well, 12, since one of them was cut short by rain). He has kept the Phillies in the games which he has pitched. I just don’t see him as a major improvement over what Happ would have done(but then, I might be misled by the gem Happ pitched v. the Cardinals). But I should stop ranting about the Phillies. Outman has converted well into a starter; he has a ways to go, but he’s done decently so far. If Outman ends up equaling Blanton, then the deal will be good regardless of Cardenas.

Harden- C+. I have to see more from Gallagher and Donaldson. If Beane were trading both Harden and Gaudin, he could/should have targetted Vitters. I LOVE Gallagher and think he’ll do well, but sorry Sean, Vitters is so much more useful in the A’s organization.

Marketing- Do we even need to go there?

We (the people of AN) could put together some sort of a “guerilla marketing” campaign that would be better.

Haren (A) — I don’t see how Beane could have done any better

Swisher (B) — I liked it at the time, and still think Gio and Fautino should produce at least one, if not two, rotation members. Sweeney as a 4th OF is useful.

Kotsay (A) — Devine’s really good, and I didn’t think Kotsay would fetch much of anything

Harden (B-) — I wouldn’t have minded getting this package if it was at the deadline. Doing it weeks before was only defensible if they thought Harden was about to fall apart, and even then I’d have taken the chance to wait two weeks and see what was available. Patterson and Murton are a lot worse than I thought they’d be.

Blanton (A-) — Cardenas is really highly regarded (although I don’t see the power yet), and Outman looks like he’ll be a decent starter. That’s a lot for someone like Blanton. Not sure whether even more could have been had in the offseason. It sounded like their demands were too high then.

Marketing has been about the worst it could possibly be till now, but if Wolff and Crowley can swing the CSN West thing and get it on stations throughout the SF Bay Area, Central Valley, Central Coast, and Nevada that would be a coup. That would help them become more attractive to radio stations everywhere in their mlb region. A new stadium on top of that would make Wolff’s tenure a rousing success….which it so far has not been.