What is OAK doing?

[MVTrout]

The fire sale continues (can it be called that?) Samarzdilla (or however it's spelled) was just shipped to the White Sox.

[Blarg]

Beane being a genious.

Edited December 9, 2014 by notti

[JAHV76]

Cutting payroll and stockpiling prospects. It's what they always do every three to four years.

[Blarg]

Then why sign Butler?

[JAHV76]

That's a good question and it make no sense considering what they are doing now.

[IEAngelsfan]

Beane being Beane.

[dimitrig]

I am not sure they know what they are doing.

 

Blowing up a pretty good team for no apparent reason.

 

Are they going to be sold?

[DW711]

Well, at least the Warriors are legit.

 

 

...and I don't know why they signed Butler, either?

 

Changed their plan mid-stream?

False hope?

'Leadership'?

 

Just be glad the Angels don't have to do this stuff.

Edited December 9, 2014 by DW711

[Agalloch]

[NachoPop]

They're doing the rest of the division a favour

[laagamer]

They'll still find a way to win a playoff spot. 

 

 

Just because. 

[Erstad Grit]

I have learned to not loudly mock the A's and Beane. Ever since they successfully replaced Giambi with a back up catcher they have shut me up. 

[nikkachez]

Did they plan on going for it, signed Butler, and then said "oh shit, what are we doing? We can't afford this." Crisp, Butler, Lawrie, Sogard/Wendle, Parrino/Semien, Norris, Vogt, Gentry, and Reddick doesn't exactly have me shaking in my boots. Donaldson, Samardzija, and Moss already gone for questionable returns. Lowrie and Gregerson leaving via free agency. We could still see Kazmir, Jaso, and/or Reddick moved! 

[Tyler]

This dude might have run out his luck. Not only is he moving his best players, but he is getting crappy returns and he is trading to other American League teams. 

[Docwaukee]

you have to wonder what Billy Butler is thinking at this point.   Signing a 3 yr deal to play on a team with Donaldson, Moss and Shark.  

 

no so much.  

[shellback]

look for the a's to be in first for most of the season- with the usual unknown sacramento river cats team. then crap out in the playoffs.

at least the pan shots of thier crowd will be entertaining.

[Troll Daddy]

The only trade that was surprising is Donaldson. Lester was a rental and Shark was going to be dealt sooner than later. I don't consider the Moss trade a big deal.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Troll Daddy

[T.G.]

http://m.athletics.mlb.com/news/article/103562258/as-reportedly-send-jeff-samardzija-to-white-sox-for-marcus-semien-chris-bassitt

 

"This is how it is here," said Beane. "Every time we've done it, we're trying to be proactive. You have to be realistic. It's not necessarily just a reflection on our team, but also recognizing who your competition is.

 

"Look, in the second half of the season, starting in June, we had one of the worst records in the game, and we lost some very critical players, guys who are going to get a lot of money. You lose those guys, you couple that with the trend line of the team performance, you talk about the division … you have to take all those things into account and realize when the time to do things is. If you wait too long, you cost yourself a number of years."

[Stradling]

So then why sign Butler? Makes zero sense.

[Troll Daddy]

So then why sign Butler? Makes zero sense.

What makes zero sense is why you believe that the A's are not 'in it to win it' . The Butler signing is your evidence. This is considered a large contract by Oakland standards.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Troll Daddy

[Troll Daddy]

Do you guys really believe 'billy boy' is going to fold up his shop and runaway and hide to rebuild after last season misses?

[T.G.]

So then why sign Butler? Makes zero sense.

 

You should read the article...

 

"We sort of took what were our best assets, collected young players, and, as a result, we were sort of able to redeploy the payroll," said Beane. "That was all in January and February. There is a lot of the offseason. The benefit is we could conceivably have some savings to reinvest. That's the balance we're trying to walk. What we're not going to do, trying to do, is reduce payroll. That's a product of some of the trades we may make. The flip side, if we see available guys who can help us in 2015 and 2016, we're going to do that.

 

"In some respect, that's what Butler was. It was just early. It wasn't that we sort of switched gears after that. We were always going to want a guy like this, a right-handed hitter who hits in the middle of the lineup for three years."

[Adam]

I don't think the A's are trying to lose. I think Beane has finally reached God status in his own mind. They are going to be terrible. 

[Stradling]

What makes zero sense is why you believe that the A's are not 'in it to win it' . The Butler signing is your evidence. This is considered a large contract by Oakland standards.

I'm not saying they aren't in it to win it, I'm saying if they truly were in it to win it this season they would have held onto Shark, he wasn't too expensive. Or you don't spend $10 million on Butler and then you could afford to keep Shark.

[Troll Daddy]

I'm not saying they aren't in it to win it, I'm saying if they truly were in it to win it this season they would have held onto Shark, he wasn't too expensive. Or you don't spend $10 million on Butler and then you could afford to keep Shark.

Obviously they feel comfortable with what they have at the moment. Teams change throughout the season. Beane is savvy enough to know this and has the resources to add pitching when needed.

They will be a interesting team to watch. Wondering what the odds on them winning the WS are now? 100 to 1? Lol