Punch and Judy Garland

This would be the type of proactive move that team like the Yankees, Cardinals, and Red Sox make because they'll take on $2 million. I would love the move and would still look for another starter. He'd be an exceelent insurance policy. I don't think he'd take elite prospects so this could be an avenure to explore.

His stuff is filthy. Outside Chavez-Ravine and with his $16 million he's not good enough but if they are willing to eat most of that deal, he's tremendous. It is en vogue to rip Brown but he's still a good big-game pitcher.

Given the Cards free agents and flirtation with the RJ's and Pavano's it would be false to assume that they want to take on Arhtur RHodes $3 million plus $4. This would be a gross interpretation of their finacial status. They still have to plug holes at SS, 2B, SU, SP, SP. Even if you ssume they use Ankiel or Haren, they will e spending money elsewhere.

That's a good point about the peaking of ages. I'm not sure how it will effect a player with less experience. Either way, his k's are at the least liveable.

Sometimes younger players will improve theri K #'s. THis was his first completely full year so there could be improvement in that area. He'd be an instant fan favorite here, which also means it will be hard for Oakland to trade a popular guy like that, gien his low salary.

right but the other 3 years he's made over 30 starts. I would sotp short of saying he's automatic as far as health but injury=prone may be a harsh label. He's a 200 inning guy really. It would sort of be like calling John Smoltz injury prone. They have injuries and troubles but they still take the ball. Very much the gamers.

Wasn't Castillo just 20 of 37 or soemthing 2 years ago? Was that just an anomaly?

I couldn't really agree with the injury prone. He;s been healthy and productive the last three years out of four.

Ordinarily I would assume a Jose Reyes for Zito swap as the Mets would be willing to give up the farm for Zito to reunite him with Peterson, but I don't think the Met prospects/young players necesariyl fit with the A's style of all walking and no running. Ricciardi covets Zito and you have to think that the Beane/J.P. relationship gives the Jays the inside track for now.

This affects some of the rumors mentioned earlier: The A's are reported to be interested in trading Arthur Rhodes for Chalres Johnson. This from yahoo fantasy sports.

I looked at Woody's splits and he pitched much better after April and that was because he had to have srping training in big league games. He did give up 20 homers though. However, a remarkable 10 were against the Reds and I have no idea what to make of that (over 37 innings). I think he's in line to win 14-17 with a 4.25 era and a 1.30 whip or thereabouts.

Yeah I was saying 6 a year but that is pessimistic I hope. I don;t know if I believe that pitchers are "grinders" like everyone says about Buehrle but if you believe in that, Woody is a definite grinder.

I think that if all of our trades fall through and the money isn't there, Woody Williams deserves a look from us. He's 38 but has postseason experience and is the type of veteran that you can depend on every 5th day. I think he will be around 2 years/12 million. I'm not saying this would be our #1 choice but I think he's an intriguing backup plan. Plus, he won't break the bank annually and won't require anything longer than 2 years. It is believed he is looking for more than a one year deal. Woody Williams as a 4-5th starter? Sounds good to me, how about you?

Do yourself a favor and look at Radke's era over the last 6-7 years with that very good defense behind him. I would like to have him but I feel the premium placed on him will make him a bad sign for a moderate-budget team like us.

I have no statistical basis for this but I would imagine that modern teams (not like the 87 cards) who get outhomrerd at home are not successful. I'll have to do some reserach and come back to this one.

We can't afford to lose more seats I'd imagine. I think that right now we have one of the better parks in the game (for a fan anyways). I would keep the park how it currently is and just tweak personnel. I however worry about our "grinder" fixation which I fear could lead to teams out-homering us at home which would be unacceptable.

The Red Sox have a barren system. Mush like the Yankees, the problem is not with potential it's that there is absolutely ZERO major league-ready talent. Shoppach and Ramirez just aren't ready and they aren't considered the among the best prospects in the game by any stretch. Billy is not going to trade for for a couple of guys with 07 ETA's

I cannot fathom why anyone would want Paulie over Hudson. I don't think the A's will trade him for Hairston or Julio because Beane probably doesn't have what is now being referred to as the "Hairston Hard-on" that many on this board have. They have Mark Ellis returning from injury and will be playing 2nd and leading off. If the A's were going to keep a Sox player, it would be Lee. If they want to spin someone to say the O's, Jays, or Seattle, it would be Paulie. Anybody who's spent 5 minutes watching the waiver wire in past eyars knows that Billy Boy likes to make deals larger so I anticipate a 3rd team. I don't think they will be very interested in Julio as they will have Garcia, Dotel, Street, Bradford, and Arthur Rhodes all in the pen next year. I just don't think there will be a single trade for the A's pitching, but it will be rather intricate.

Everything I have read has suggested Durazo will definitely not be back next year. I like this trade and would have no problem including one of our big three prospects under the condition that KW will try to make an effort to extend Hudson's deal.

I don't think he ran as much because his role changed. 2 years ago he was hitting 2nd or down in the order wheras this year he hit a good amount of 3-4-5. He can run more if he needs to.

I think from what you hear is that there is much more beneath the surface with Guillen. He went to a team dominated by Latins and that didn't help either. He's a great talent but look at how many teams he's been with. A guy that young and that good shouldn't have moved the way he has.

There's guys like Jermaine Dye, Kapler, Burnitz, and Bautista all available that would be serviceable. Not many of them are excitable but there are going to be plenty of bargains with OF's as there usually are.

I would take Zito over Buehrle but I'd love to take them both. As far as the question of who would play outfield in a Rowand deal, I think there are plenty of options out there. We may as well resign ourselves to Jurassic playing mostly in right and I think there are plenty of relatively affordabel outfield options that we have discussed here ad nauseum.

Well obviously you are more than entitled to your opinion but I think Zito would be great here because he's a great pitcher. People said that Clemens and Pettite would get hammered at Minute Maid and that didn't happen. I'm not trying to change your mind, just saying how I wouldn't miss Rowand if it meant we got Zito (not that it probably would anyways).

I don't think that g/f automatically means anything. You play for fly balls in Oakland due to the spacious outfield and the roomy foul territory. SOmetimes you change your ptiching for the park. I do think Zito would be very good here. I think Mulder went to Thornwood (or one of the Thorns anyways). What was with Zito's down 03? He went something like 14-14 with a 3.30 era. That's not a bad year, he just was unlucky. I watched him a lot this year and I think he can worked with to return to 20-game form. Zito for Rowand? Come on people, it's not even close.