I have to say, i'm in the middle of "absolutely" and the "macha's gone" answer. As much as I'd like to see the A's sign big-name free agents, being more aggressive means we're prone to overpaying for someone. I think Beane has at least one trick up his sleeve for this off-season that could seriously help our team., like Big Hurt last off-season.

So far this offseason, aggressive seems to mean vastly overpaying for mediocre performances. I'm quit happy to stay out of that.

My perspective is a bit skewed though, as I don't see the A's doing much in 2007, so I would rather hold onto our money and hope free agency returns to sanity in 2009 or so for the next division champ A's squad.

that Beane is waiting for the current feeding frenzy and "irrational exhuberance" currently in vogue on the player market to subside before he makes his moves.  

Then again, I don't see Chavez having such a poor year next year.  Hopefully he should be healthy and productive.  Of course, hope burns eternal for the same to be true of Crosby also.  Next year will be Swish's third year, so I look for big things from him too.  And then there is Milton.  I don't think we are all that bad off as currently constituted.  We will see.

Aubery Huff