The A’s need go for it now, because next year they won’t have Tejada and they won’t have Foulke. The missing link now is Brian Giles.

Here’s what they do: the Pirates can have Bobby Crosby and any other two prospects they want except Harden. That means Joe Blanton, Nick Swisher, Bill Murphy. Anyone. I’d maybe even give em a fourth prospect, if they will also send along some cash to pay Giles.

Now, this leaves the A’s with no heir apparent at shortstop next year. No problem. At the end of the season they get Khalil Greene from the Padres. He’s in Triple A and has numbers very much like Crosby. The A’s wanted to draft Greene last year in the first round, but the Pads took him. The Padres, opening their new ballpark, are probably going to go after a big name shortstop (Tejada or Aurilia?), so Greene will be expendible. The A’s could also sign some journeyman shortstop to be a fallback if Greene doesn’t work, but they would have had to do that with Crosby anyway.

The A’s also have the option of trading Giles over the winter to get their shortstop. Giles makes $9 mil a year for 04 and 05. Obviously they’d be better off keeping Giles and trading Jermaine Dye, but it would harder to trade Dye.

This also leaves the A’s farm system a little bereft. No problem again. When Tejada and Foulke leave, the A’s will get four more comp draft picks in the first two rounds. That’ll refill the cupboard.

I recognize this proposal from a very astute baseball analyst who shall remain anonymous.
Thanks,
Marty