It is to laugh.

It is to cry.

Would it have killed Rojas to indicate whether the "source" was close to Manny or the A's or, even Jonah Hill? It is not as if this info is incredibly sensitive.

If it's for the minimum with lots of incentives, why the heck not?

If it's for the minimum with lots of incentives, why the heck not?

exactly. Might just turn out to be the first good move Beane has made in three years. And of course it would also be a move that has absolutely zero to do with the next competitive A's team.

Ha! If he can teach any one of the team's young bums anything to halt their decline into badness, why not?

And: Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Joe Morgan, Mike Piazza, Nomar Garciaparra ...

Might just turn out to be the first good move Beane has made in three years.

This is I agree with. It's not Beane's moves this offseason that bug me, it's the moves since 2008 until now that do.

[4] Oh, I don't know, that Frank Thomas thing turned out pretty well the first time around.

Its not that he hasn't made good moves. Just that the good moves haven't been significant enough.

I think the Gio trade was a good move. It shouldn't be lumped in with his other dumps.

Oh, god, please no.

IF it worked it would be the first even OK thing billy has done since signing frank thomas. i can't even remember the last time he has made an effing A trade

Billy can do whatever he wants now. He's immortalized on film as a handsome, contrarian genius. There's not going to be a Moneyball 2: My Sh!t Doesn't Work in the Regular Season. Although, frankly, I'd pay to see it.

"We want you at designated hitter"
"I've only ever played the outfield"
"It's not that hard, Manny. Tell him, Wash"
"It's incredibly hard"

Picking up Thomas the second time was also perfectly fine. And ... ummmm ... I got nuthin'.

EDIT: oh, wait, Sizemore's worked out well so far.

#13 What was wrong with adding McCarthy? I'm far from confident he can keep that walk rate, but he hasn't exactly failed yet.

Piazza and Nomar were the first guys to come to mind for me...

Manny deserves to join the "had his last gasp as an Oakland A" list, along with Kevin Mitchell, Tim Raines, Ron Gant, David Justice, Mark McLemore, Frank Thomas, Mike Piazza, Nomar Garciaparra, Shannon Stewart, Ben Sheets, Eric Karros, Mike Stanley, Tom Candiotti, Bip Roberts, Joe Morgan, Dave Parker, Willie Randolph, Don Baylor, Dusty Baker, Ron Cey, Steve Sax, Willie Wilson, Don Sutton, Tommy John, Mike Torrez, Goose Gossage, Dave Righetti, Eric Show, Willie McCovey, Billy Williams, Dick Allen, Orlando Cepeda, and Ken Phelps.

Also Todd Walker, Denny McLain, Reggie Jackson part II and Keith Foulke part II.

And all three Alou brothers, albeit a couple years before they retired.`

Would it have killed Rojas to indicate whether the "source" was close to Manny or the A's or, even Jonah Hill? It is not as if this info is incredibly sensitive.

His source is a Craigslist post advertising a grill for sale in Oakland.

FIts right into the long A's tradition of having all the great players when they got nothing left. I look forward to his 200/380/300 line.

I read [16] and my first thought was "Didn't Raines end his career in Flordia?" And he did. Remove his name from that list.

20, a lot of those guys didn't actually finish in Oakland, they just had a late career stop when they were past their prime.

What's amazing is just how long it's been going on. I mean, Ty Cobb all the way through Mike Piazza and now prospectively Manny Ramirez? That's 100 years of beautiful culture.

Almost all those guys were there in their last season. If it was just guys who were washed up, you get everyone from the three Alou brothers and other ex-Dodgers and ex-Giants of the Finley era, up through Mike Sweeney. Dock Ellis, Jeff Burroughs, Dave Parker (38 but still an All-Star) ... everyone joins the A's when they're approaching 40.

Oh, Gary Lavelle is on the authentic Last Gasp team as well. And Ron Gant.

Where's Shooty? Need his .02 on this idea.

I look forward to his 200/380/300 line.

Don't you mean his 50/100/permanent line?

exactly. Might just turn out to be the first good move Beane has made in three years. And of course it would also be a move that has absolutely zero to do with the next competitive A's team.

It actually could be a nice help for the next As championship. If Beane can sell Manny to a contender he can convert some current payroll into prospects. If its important to spend a minimum level of payroll in order to placate the union while making a run at a top draft pick, spend it on a guy you have a good shot at flipping. The As are most logical destination, given they don't care that he'll be missing the first two months.

I really find it hard to believe that Manny Ramirez can be a flippable asset.I suppose anything's possible with Manny, but it the odds are probably strongly against it.

To be worth anything, he needs to rake , and Zips has him at a 101 OPS+ with not much power. Even if he does hit well, I can't imagine a team parting with a prospect who'd be 'a nice help for the next As championship' for two months of the Manny circus. Maybe a live arm/no command reliever, or a solid glove/no bat infielder, but he probably isn't worth more than a longshot lottery ticket.

That being said, as you say, it might be worth it for the As to try. They've got the money, Manny can't possibly be that expensive, and if he doesn't hit it's not like he will singlehandedly torpedo their playoff chances. bbut overall I don't think he's a better candidate for the sign-and-flip maneuver than (two pull two names out of the hat) Johnny Damon or Jim Thome.

If Beane can sell Manny to a contender he can convert some current payroll into prospects.

Maybe they could get Brandon Allen for him.

To be worth anything, he needs to rake , and Zips has him at a 101 OPS+ with not much power. Even if he does hit well, I can't imagine a team parting with a prospect who'd be 'a nice help for the next As championship' for two months of the Manny circus. Maybe a live arm/no command reliever, or a solid glove/no bat infielder, but he probably isn't worth more than a longshot lottery ticket.

Not sure why ZIPs is so down on him, he's never been below 126 in even a half season. I wonder if it's mis-categorizing the time he's missed as injury time.

But either way, he'll either be toast and unsalable, or he will hit close to like the Manny of old. They don't care about scenario one if they can afford eat his salary. That's the cost of the gamble..

Because of those 50 games, it's hard for a contender to gamble the money and roster spot on Manny, but for contenders at mid season needing more offense or to replace key injured players, he would be the ultimate DH upgrade, and maybe more.

The key is to not overpay. The more affordable the contract, the more they can get for him. He needs the As too, or someone like them willing to tie up a roster spot for 50 games on the gamble he isn't toast.

Maybe they could get Brandon Allen for him.

I'm sure they can do better than a 80 OPS+ first baseman.

Jose Canseco:

Just saw the movie money ball .it was awesome congrats billy I especially loved the part about you and your daughter.ps I would have played for you back then for free.I was one of those misfits who needed a second chance

Billy is probably as good looking as brad pitt

I am going to play this year

Billy beane call me would love to dh for you just give me a tryout that's all I ask

Billy beane email me Jc7264@yahoo.com

I am hitting at on deck baseball academy in Vegas ask Andy about me