QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Apr 15, 2006 -> 11:43 PM)
1) Freddy Garcia, Carlos Guillen, and John Halama got Houston into the playoffs one year indirectly. RJ then bolted for Arizona. You take the playoff birth over the specs every time with 1 exception, that being if your in the Cleveland Indians state as of 2004, where you are in a growing/maturing mode, where the players getting experience is more important long term than getting to the playoffs.
2) Miguel Olivo, Jeremy Reed, and Mike Morse netted the Sox a 2nd place finish in 2004, and the World Series clinching starter in 2005. Sometimes you can resign those guys...sometimes you can't. Sometimes it's worth the roll of the dice, sometimes it's not. If I think I'm a stud starter away from winning the whole thing, I'm selling my future for a winner...if I think I can resign him, etc...
Regardless, both Thomas and Oakland are notoriously slow starters. I want to see what both look like in July...I think I have a pretty good idea of what I will see right now already.
Ya, I should have added that I highly, highly doubt Oakland is out of the playoff race come the deadline. Their pitching is just too good for that to happen.