With the non-waiver trade deadline about a week away, I thought it would be cool to create a thread where everyone could post their thoughts and the trades they wish that Oakland would make.

My thoughts are that this deadline rather than just staying pat, we should try to get real creative.  Trading for players with the intent of trading them in other deals to make them work, really staying active and open to everything.  On top of that, trying to look at player's performances and trying to evaluate if this is their peak value and trusting your scouts to make that judgement call.

-My Plan-

Trade #1:

A few days before the deadline trade Matt Holliday, Adam Kennedy, Russ Springer, James Simmons, and Cash to the White Sox for Tyler Flowers, Jordan Danks, Dan Hudson, and Nevin Griffith.

Trade #2

Not too long after the first trade, hit up the Rockies and deal Michael Wuertz and Tyler Flowers for Jhoulys Chacin, Hector Gomez, and Darin Holcomb.

Trade #3

After seeing us pump up the Rockies, worried about their own Wild Card hopes, the Brewers come looking for some pitching help.  We deal them Dallas Braden, Andrew Carignan, and Hector Gomez for Alcides Escobar, Cody Scarpetta, and Brandon Ritchie.

These trades, hopefully, do two things:

1) Address positions and developmental levels of need.  We are pretty thin at top pitching prospects at our high levels (I guess you could count Tyson Ross...).  The acquisitions of Chacin and Hudson pretty much fix this.  I realize trading James Simmons negates this somewhat, but I'm banking on my feeling that he is just not that good. As for positions of need: Alcides Escobar addresses our dark dark hole at SS and Darin Holcomb is a decent 3B sleeper already playing in AA.  Danks is looking like he might turn into a decent CF option by 2011 and his defense has  been pretty good there as well.  Scarpetta, Ritchie, and Griffith are all sleepers that the A's should be happy to take on.

2) Set us up for 2011.  Chacin will probably be ready midseason 2010 and Hudson could easily be ready the beginning of 2011.  With the anticipated progression of Capra and Ross, and hopefully some unexpected breakouts, that sets us up for a very good rotation with Anderson, Cahill, Outman, Gio, and Chacin (with Hudson, Ross, Capra all sitting pretty to take over in case of injury or something like that. ).  As for offense, Danks could have a cup of coffee in 2010, and hopefully be ready by 2011.  I'd also like to add, that I think we should trade for Julio Borbon plus others, but we might have to move Ziegler in a deal like that.  But its something we should definitely explore.  Borbon plays sick defense in CF and has good speed, and I could deal with a 250 AVG hitting 9th (with the upside and youth to get even better) just as long as he swipes 25 and plays a +10 UZR.

Alright, so what kind of moves do you want made this deadline?  Or perhaps lack of moves.  Or do you just want to comment on how idiotic these sourstuff moves are?