you wanna talk bringing in a hired gun? The outfield is in question, but not nearly as much as the bullpen. They're abysmal. (Borowski, today nonwithstanding, excluded)

The schedule Gods are against us. It would have been nice to have played St Louis and Milwaukee on the road before this deadline, just to see if we are still in it after playing them. I think because of the uncertainty, the best option is to stay pat. Why give up a future arm for a playoff spot that doesn't happen ?

Im glad we passed on Preston Wilson*

 

*I assume we passed on him... maybe he didnt want to come play here, but Ill go with my initial assumption

 

I am not...Preston Wilson would have rocked this town! Our lineup would also have been so much stronger

I rather take a much proven CF right now to help out that lineup more, seems to be the only thing that needs to get started and this lineup will be set.

 

Back end bullpen is needed though, at 7th or 8th inning guy either way so we can put Tank in there and JoBo for the 9th.

Here's a name no one's thought of. Jason Michaels. He recently got pushed out of the starting lineup in Cleveland, and I would think he'd be available. He's nothing special but certainly an upgrade on our current CF options.

Im glad we passed on Preston Wilson*

 

*I assume we passed on him... maybe he didnt want to come play here, but Ill go with my initial assumption

 

I am not...Preston Wilson would have rocked this town! Our lineup would also have been so much stronger

sarcasm

 

and I like that Jason Michaels call farmerfran.... but does he pass thru waivers?

Im glad we passed on Preston Wilson*

 

*I assume we passed on him... maybe he didnt want to come play here, but Ill go with my initial assumption

 

I am not...Preston Wilson would have rocked this town! Our lineup would also have been so much stronger

sarcasm

 

and I like that Jason Michaels call farmerfran.... but does he pass thru waivers?

That one I don't know, I would think so, but I can't be certain.

Corey Patterson represents another interesting possibility, although I doubt he cleared.

naw, hes been doing too well this year.

I'm with El Penguino, bullpen is the bigger need. I feel very uncomfortable with Messanger as the set up man. Example the game the other night. We should have won 9-4 but hang on to 9-7.

I'm with El Penguino, bullpen is the bigger need. I feel very uncomfortable with Messanger as the set up man. Example the game the other night. We should have won 9-4 but hang on to 9-7.

 

Messenger isnt even close to being the setup man right now

 

Mitre, Tank, Herges are the main guys before JoBo right now

 

Pinto is arguably ahead of Mess too

I'm with El Penguino, bullpen is the bigger need. I feel very uncomfortable with Messanger as the set up man. Example the game the other night. We should have won 9-4 but hang on to 9-7.

 

Messenger isnt even close to being the setup man right now

 

Mitre, Tank, Herges are the main guys before JoBo right now

 

Pinto is arguably ahead of Mess too

 

I sure hope so because I cringe everytime I see him warming up in the pen. I'm sure he's a nice kid, and he does have some good stuff, he just doesn't seem to have the best control of it. Now I have untrained eyes, I am just an ordinary fan, but you guys (like you Ramp) that have more experience, am I that far off ?

lol... Messenger throws straight fastball very much

96 ain't hard to hit if you know it's coming and it's not moving a lot on you.

 

 

Corey Patterson represents another interesting possibility, although I doubt he cleared.

 

No way the Orioles would move him.

 

 

Michaels wouldn't be a bad pickup. However, I still think a bullpen arm will be the most needed piece.

 

Is it that much more outlandish than the Andruw Jones talks a few weeks ago?

 

And, I agree, the 'pen is where we have to focus on improving before Friday.

Jay Payton cleared waivers.

 

They don't necessarily need him either considering they can call up Dan Johnson to take his roster spot, and then have a Johnson/Kielty platoon wherever Swisher doesn't play and that's not making or breaking Oakland's season. Of course, Billy would want a pretty good prospect to move one of his predominant starting players, but he'd do it because he's always looking at tomorrow. Just a thought. Really need a CF if they are going to make a run.

Jay Payton cleared waivers.

 

They don't necessarily need him either considering they can call up Dan Johnson to take his roster spot, and then have a Johnson/Kielty platoon wherever Swisher doesn't play and that's not making or breaking Oakland's season. Of course, Billy would want a pretty good prospect to move one of his predominant starting players, but he'd do it because he's always looking at tomorrow. Just a thought. Really need a CF if they are going to make a run.

 

 

He makes a nice part time player for the A's. For the price he'd cost for one month, I just don't think it's worth it as he's not a tremendous upgrade over Amezaga/Ross.

He makes a nice part time player for the A's. For the price he'd cost for one month, I just don't think it's worth it as he's not a tremendous upgrade over Amezaga/Ross.

 

I don't know who you've been watching in center field all year.

 

Marlins Centerfielders .227/.300/.352. Can barely play defense.

Jay Payton .292/.321/.425. Plays awesome defense.

 

I'd rather have Payton in CF then Pierre whose been floated of clearing waivers. Amezaga is a light hitting/low slugging/mediocre defense at best CF so getting JP would be redundant. Payton though, would be a tremendous upgrade. I do agree Beane would probably want a Volstad level single A pitcher to make the deal, so it's probably not worth it unless we are 100% confident we'd get that wild card berth and make losing the prospect count. But Payton is exactly the tough out (never K's), some pop, and defensive upgrade that could really benefit the club. I like Jason Michaels too if he cleared.

He makes a nice part time player for the A's. For the price he'd cost for one month, I just don't think it's worth it as he's not a tremendous upgrade over Amezaga/Ross.

 

I don't know who you've been watching in center field all year.

 

Marlins Centerfielders .227/.300/.352. Can barely play defense.

Jay Payton .292/.321/.425. Plays awesome defense.

 

I'd rather have Payton in CF then Pierre whose been floated of clearing waivers. Amezaga is a light hitting/low slugging/mediocre defense at best CF so getting JP would be redundant. Payton though, would be a tremendous upgrade. I do agree Beane would probably want a Volstad level single A pitcher to make the deal, so it's probably not worth it unless we are 100% confident we'd get that wild card berth and make losing the prospect count. But Payton is exactly the tough out (never K's), some pop, and defensive upgrade that could really benefit the club. I like Jason Michaels too if he cleared.

 

That's a loaded statistic, it largely reflects Reggie Abercrombie, part of Eric Reed and Chris Aguila.

 

We've now abandoned that experiment and seem to be sticking with Amezaga and Ross if necessary.

 

Not that it thrills me, but is it worth sending Petit for a month of Payton? If Payton were undercontract next season, it'd make a degree of sense, but there's a reason this guy, who's a FA at the end of the year, cleared waivers: teams that need a centerfield upgrade don't think the juice is worth the squeeze.

He makes a nice part time player for the A's. For the price he'd cost for one month, I just don't think it's worth it as he's not a tremendous upgrade over Amezaga/Ross.

 

I don't know who you've been watching in center field all year.

 

Marlins Centerfielders .227/.300/.352. Can barely play defense.

Jay Payton .292/.321/.425. Plays awesome defense.

 

I'd rather have Payton in CF then Pierre whose been floated of clearing waivers. Amezaga is a light hitting/low slugging/mediocre defense at best CF so getting JP would be redundant. Payton though, would be a tremendous upgrade. I do agree Beane would probably want a Volstad level single A pitcher to make the deal, so it's probably not worth it unless we are 100% confident we'd get that wild card berth and make losing the prospect count. But Payton is exactly the tough out (never K's), some pop, and defensive upgrade that could really benefit the club. I like Jason Michaels too if he cleared.

 

That's a loaded statistic, it largely reflects Reggie Abercrombie, part of Eric Reed and Chris Aguila.

 

We've now abandoned that experiment and seem to be sticking with Amezaga and Ross if necessary.

 

Not that it thrills me, but is it worth sending Petit for a month of Payton? If Payton were undercontract next season, it'd make a degree of sense, but there's a reason this guy, who's a FA at the end of the year, cleared waivers: teams that need a centerfield upgrade don't think the juice is worth the squeeze.

Payton would fit in nicely. I like our WC chances right now but with Payton I would like them that much more. Other than Josh and Alfredo all our OFs have struggled terribly in August. Payton would fill the team's biggest hole.

 

August numbers:

Josh: .325 .395 .545 .941

Alfredo: .263 .354 .316 .670

Joe: .182 .308 .273 .580

Jeremy: .164 .274 .219 .493

Reggie: .192 .222 .231 .453

Cody: .156 .224 .222 .447

Of course Payton would fit in nicely, but he also fits in nicely with the A's.

 

You have to understand, to make a trade, both teams have to want to do it.

 

To make the A's want to do it, you're going to have to part with someone along the lines of Petit, West, Volstad, Thompson or Sinkbeil. Do you want to do that for a one-month rent-a-player?

I still want Dave Roberts. He does radio commercials for a dealership in California, so I hear him all the time and think about him playing for the Marlins. I'm not sure he clears waivers though. His contract owes him $2,250,000 this season and he's more than earning it. The Padres would likely take some young arms for him.

Of course Payton would fit in nicely, but he also fits in nicely with the A's.

 

You have to understand, to make a trade, both teams have to want to do it.

 

To make the A's want to do it, you're going to have to part with someone along the lines of Petit, West, Volstad, Thompson or Sinkbeil. Do you want to do that for a one-month rent-a-player?

 

 

 

 

True but what if said hired gun is the difference between not making the playoffs and playing in the NLCS?

Of course Payton would fit in nicely, but he also fits in nicely with the A's.

 

You have to understand, to make a trade, both teams have to want to do it.

 

To make the A's want to do it, you're going to have to part with someone along the lines of Petit, West, Volstad, Thompson or Sinkbeil. Do you want to do that for a one-month rent-a-player?

 

 

 

 

True but what if said hired gun is the difference between not making the playoffs and playing in the NLCS?

 

Jay Payton is not that kind of difference maker relative to Amezaga/Borchard/Ross.

 

We've abandoned the Reggie experiment, that in itself is a big enough difference maker in the post-season hunt.

 

I want Payton, I like Payton, but I don't want to pay the price it's going to take to get him for the remainder of the season and nothing more.

so uh... yea... Preston Wilson

Of course Payton would fit in nicely, but he also fits in nicely with the A's.

 

You have to understand, to make a trade, both teams have to want to do it.

 

To make the A's want to do it, you're going to have to part with someone along the lines of Petit, West, Volstad, Thompson or Sinkbeil. Do you want to do that for a one-month rent-a-player?

 

I'm not a big Payton fan but I think he's better than our current CF options and could make a 1 or 2 game difference the rest of the way and that 1 or 2 games could very well be the difference between the playoffs and not.