FanNation - The Republic of Sport

The Oakland Atheletics traded away there second starting pitcher last night, sending Joe Blanton to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for, what do you know, 3 minor leaguers. I could of told you that one was coming. Beaneball is going on once again in Oak-town.

A's General Manager Billy Beane sent Blanton packing only a week after letting Rich Harden go (traded to Cubs). He must be unaware that his team is (going into Friday) 51-44, still in the playoff race, only 4.5 games out of the wildcard with a better record than the New York Yankees, Detroit, Atlanta, etc.

So Beane, with team still in it, has sent two of his top three starting pitchers packing and, in return, the best player he has got out of both trades in Sean Gallagher. The players he received in the Blanton trade consisted of: Josh Outman, Adrian Cardenas, and Matt Spencer. Josh Outman being the only one that is player higher than Single-A ball (Double-A).

The 27-year-old Blanton, won 14 games last season, was 5-12 with a 4.90 ERA in 20 starts for the Atheletics this year. This has easily been his worst year as a big-leaguer after being the opening-day starter against the Boston Red Sox in Tokyo.

Last year, Beane dealt Oakland ace Dan Haren to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Only three years after trading Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder to the Braves and Cardinals in a 3-day span in 2004.

Beane said last offseason that they are now focusing on building the A's farm system from the "bottom up" starting this season. These trades confirm that they arent messing around. Beane has, since the Blanton and Harden trades, said that he isnt writing off 2008 saying that there is still time to have a good year. Well trading your top two starting pitchers does not help staying in the wildcard race.

On the other hand, maybe the A's know something that everyone else does not know. Oakland traded Mark Mulder in 2004 to the Cardinals and, since then, Mulder has made only 50 starts for St. Louis and has a ERA just a notch below 6.00 for the Redbirds. With Joe Blanton having a bad year, and we all know Harden's injury problem, maybe they know something is wrong with either one or both of them. I mean, they did with Mulder and that is why they traded him. Sure, Danny and Tim Hudson are still throwing great, but who knows?

Looking at both ends of the trade and both teams situation, I strongly disagree with the Atheletics decisions. It does not make sense to me to trade both of your top starters when you are very much still in the playoff hunt. I am a Cardinals fan, born and raised in STL and if John Mozeliak went out and traded Carpenter or Lohse.. I would be p!ssed. Not to mention trading both of them.

Love me or hate me, that's sports through the eyes of Jay. I am out.

- Jay
(StLDieHard)
Sports Though the Eyes of Jay
http://www.fannation.com/blogs/show/94237
http://www.fannation.com/users/view_user_profile/92968