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Billy Beane: Oakland A's needed to be realistic about the standings

Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

With Scott Kazmir's trade to the Houston Astros came the understanding that the Oakland Athletics had a long way to go to even have a chance at a Wild Card spot, where they trail the Minnesota Twins by seven games and are in ninth in the Wild Card race despite improved play since May 23.

The division is even further out of reach as the Angels have gone perfect to start the second half to go, moving 11 games ahead of Oakland. A's general manager Billy Beane addressed Oakland's beat reporters this afternoon:

If Beane has concluded that it's more valuable to bet on 2016 and 2017 than the slim hope of returning to the postseason in 2015, then getting the youngest and best-hitting catcher in the California League with a back-end starter prospect in exchange for two months of an All-Star pitcher that is more useful to a team closer to postseason contention than the A's is a pretty nice haul.