FREE KRAUT!

The question is simple.
Can the A’s afford to pay Carl Crawford, arguably the top FA in the upcoming offseason, what it would take to dress him in Green and Gold and still field a viable team around him? I can see at least 4 big budget teams interested in Crawford come November and it’s not [...]

Interesting Beane interview by Kawakami. (His column based on it is utterly useless, and another example of PF/AM in the trad journo trade; also, while the interview itself is worth reading because Beane seemed to be wearing his emotions and opinions on his sleeve a lot more than he typically does, Kawakami hardly engages Beane [...]

Lockard: RiverCats website has removed Clay Mortensen from tonight’s scheduled starter box. Called up to replace Braden?
Puny forearms/approaching meteor
Christ, what an ant crack
Hawt
Do I have $5?
Markos doesn’t come off as especially astute here
No, seriously: anyone in the Phils‘ farm system we want?
The tenant of the separation of church and state

No Cust again today, again vs a RHSP. Jackson at DH, Gross in RF, Rajai in LF. Crisp leading off. And Rosales gives Cliffy (at least?) one day off.
Byg Twyt speculates a roster shakeup a-comin’ — I agree. The Fox/Patterson DFAs were likely the initial volley. He thinks Cust is gone in a couple weeks [...]

And we are the proud new owners of this guy.
Better than nothing, but not by much. A career 3.81 ERA in AAA, plus too many walks.

I admit it.
I find it exceptionally easy to suggest that other people should spend their money on things that I want. I don’t think that makes me a bad person… just practical. And maybe a bit of a mooch… with a touch of whore mixed in for character development.

First off, here’s what Sickels thinks about our draft:
Very heavy offense, with an obvious focus on power and strike zone judgment. I like the way they mixed high school and college hitters. The pitching picks are unimpressive on first blush, and I wonder if they could have done better with that, though teen round picks [...]