There has to be. The Holliday trade is fucking ridiculous if there is not one more move made. BB can’t bank on someone forking over a haul worth the same as the one we gave up for Holliday at the deadline, and there’s still a shitton of OF/DHs on the market that can be had for zero prospects.

Either
1. getting a SS (Hardy, Cabrera, etc.) via FA or trade
2. signing a SP (Ben Sheets plz!!!!)
3. flipping Holliday (to get players who would fit positional needs for the A’s better).

Renteria is nothing special, and Sabean absolutely HAD to sign a shortstop with Vizquel gone and nobody ready to take the spot from the minors.

I still say that Beane isn’t done yet, and I know it’s probably wishful thinking but I really hope he’s at least contacted Mark Shapiro about one of Peralta or Cabrera — like I speculated with Nico in another thread, perhaps something like Gio and Outman for Peralta, I dunno, but nonetheless that should be followed up by signing Peavy to fill the spot in the rotation.

The state of the teams is very different, both on the field and with the payroll. Sabean has done a fine job filling in holes without blocking anyone, and Beane has made his “Fucking A” trade.

The A’s haven’t gotten a shortstop, but I don’t think the need was as great as the Giants.

and still no more new moves from Billy. WTF? Pitchers and catchers report to spring training next month so whatever he’s planning on doing he better get it together and soon!

(and I’m not convinced that he is), he’s probably waiting for another team to make the first move. There’s a general feeling that with each signing the price goes down for whoever is left, so all the GMs are waiting for someone else to be the break the trail for the rest of the pack. It’s not just Beane. Starting pitchers are being signed much later this season. Except for the Yankees, almost everyone is waiting to see if the price will drop.

Lowe is generally seen as the best remaining, and the Mets are generally seen as willing to spend the most, so everyone is waiting to see whether they’ll come to terms or if one of them will give up and sign with someone else. Once that happens, I think all the remaining SPs follow quickly: Wolf, Sheets, Perez, Garland, Pettitte, etc.

If I had to guess, I’d say we end up with Garland.

Garland sucks……

Did anyone give Sabean a mulligan when he kept running Bonds out there and sacrificed his minor league system in the process?

No.

Sabean has identified his team’s critical needs and he has done a pretty good job of addressing those needs thus far. He had a hole in the rotation and he filled it with a HOF bound (and still pitching pretty damn effective) Randy Johnson. He needed a SS and he signed Renteria and before anyone scoffs too hard at that keep in mind that back in November Renteria was rumored to be the A’s Plan B should Furcal sign elsewhere. Sabean needed bullpen help and he seems to have chosen well… or as well as one can expect from such a volatile group. The Giants still need more offense but they’re rumored to be addressing that.

Meanwhile, Beane had a hole at SS and still does. If he didn’t need a SP before Greg Smith left town in the Holliday deal then he certainly needs one now. Beane improved the offense by trading for Holliday, but when you’re dead last in the AL in runs scored (as the A’s were when the 2008 season finished) you’re going to need more than 1 new bat. And to be perfectly blunt, the Giants’ improvement came at the sake of lost spent cash, the A’s improvement came at the expense of their pitching and defense.

Folks, its not even close. Sabean has done a much better job at addressing the Giants current weaknesses without sacrificing future gains than Beane has done with the A’s. Could that change in the coming weeks? Absolutely.

But until that possible future becomes a reality, tip your cap to Sabes.

The Giants attempted to solve SS and starting pitcher needs through free agency and so did the A’s. The Giants aimed a lot lower at SS with a declining player while the A’s aimed at a far more appealing target. Both teams aimed at exactly the same target for starting pitcher: Randy Johnson.

The difference is simply that Renteria and Johnson said yes to the Giants, while Furcal and Johnson said no to the A’s. Had Furcal and/or Johnson said yes, Beane would be looking mighty good right now, and had Renteria and/or Johnson said no, Sabean would not be looking as good.

If Beane and Wolff really wan to go for the brass balls, not just compete, but really go for it, and still keep their young talent…..and sell tickets! Then:

Go out and sign Manny Ramirez to a two year deal for 50 million, sign one of Ben Sheets or D. Lowe, And just for shits and giggles, if they really wanted to, sign Giambi.

Now, you’re talking A’s baseball people! Crosby or not that gives you a legit shot at a WS ring! Now, time for my second cup of coffee.

D. Lowe would be a signifigant upgrade to the rotation, as would a healthy Sheets (cross your fingers!). My worry is that if Billy waits too long then all the remaining “premium guys” are gonna be gone. Let’s go Billy! gitter dun!

He said he wanted to get offense and he has so far with Holliday and he is also a good defender.

I gave up on the glass half full or half empty thought and just went and got another glass. The A’s will do good in 2009 with a min of moves.

I do believe that Beane will sign either of the power hitters left on the market but doesn’t want to overpay or give too many years.

As for the SS, yes He would have paid alot for Furcal but there are no guarantees with Furcal. I think that Crosby, Petit and Pennington will provide what we need for 2009. Petit did pretty good when he was up last year and so did Pennington. Both can play multiple positions.

If the A’s were to sign Sheets it will cost them in draft picks.

I think something will happen in January and we will see some young pitchers and infielders come around in Spring Training.

would not be a f*%&ing A move? That wouldn’t put butts in seats or make the A’s a better team? Big market or not, if the A’s are willing to spend the money (not saying that they are mind you) the difference between playing in SF or Oakland is a 20 minute trip across the bay bridge my friend.

Sabean’s finally been forced to build a team, rather than put questionable veterans of renowned reputation around Barry Bonds. With Bonds gone, Sabean’s now forced to actually build a team. More power to him if he’s successful.

all this talk of chavvy being back, etc. puzzles me. i would like nothing better then to see chavvy back to his ceiling. however, he’s been hurt, hurt, hurt hurt. however, folks seem to think that he is a lock on coming back in top form. i really think saying halliday plus chavez will make the offense much better is to ignore history. halliday i think we can bet on, however, i wouldn’t bet on chavvy at this point.

He WAY overpaid for EVERYONE! Renteria at 9million is a joke. Randy Johnson is going to have back surgery before the season starts, and 8 million is alot for a 4-5 starter. I think Affelfdt and Howry weren’t bad additions but he jumped the market and had to overpay.

I think Beane is smart to let the market take shape (outside of the Yankees) Then make his moves.

I have heard nothing all off-season about Orlando Hudson, which seems odd considering he’s a very good player at a position that isn’t over-represented (like OF/DH are).

Any indications who is considering him and at what kind of deal? Obviously if he could play even an average SS I’d be drooling for him, but I’m not thinking of him in regards tot he A’s, just curious what’s up with his free agency.

I disagree with all who think he is too fat or whatever. I hope Beane gets him!

then heck yeah, Sabean out GMed Beane.

Maybe he should have seen the handwriting on the wall about Furcal and maybe Furcal’s agent was just too sly…either way at this point it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that we still need another bat and another starting pitcher. There are several good bats out there but he better not be too patient in signing a pitcher.

The fact that Edgar Renteria is an upgrade speaks volumes about Sabean.

revist this come day 1 of spring training. Once the off season is completely over THEN we can accurately look back at the moves each GM made and see who did a better job.

is part of running a club. whether that activity will lead to increased production, remains to be seen.

it is nice to have your team’s name in the press… especiually in regards to signing big name talent… but it’s the results that will truly measure Sabean’s GM Skills.

Affeldt is a good signing and all (for a reliever) and Sabean kind of lucked into Randy Johnson (he wanted to stay in the NL, and the Giants are close to his roots). But Bobby Howry and Edgar Renteria are the other examples? That’s crappy enough to immediately include what Sabean might do.

We got about 6 weeks until pitchers and catchers report. Can we at least wait until then before we decide which team had the better offseason? You know, like waiting until the end of the offseason?

has AN gotten much bigger than I remember it being?