TRADE ANALYSIS

Before we get to the Jose Guillen trade, why is it that everyone now describes RHP prospects as a "Tim Hudson clone" or "comapres to Tim Hudson" and "think Tim Hudson" and then blab on and on at how great they are...yet, nobody says a damn word about Tim Hudson BEING Tim Hudson?



Anyway.

After about the third inning of Rich Harden’s debut, Aaron Harang started packing up his apartment. There really was not a damn thing Harang could do about it. He pitched very well in AAA for the A’s. But, the A’s had no place for him in Oakland. The bullpen is already under-worked at times (and mismanaged). Harang gets a chance to start for Cincinnati and maybe become a closer later in his career. We’ll miss Eeyore, but we won’t miss the A’s jerking Harang around – back and forth from Oakland and Sacramento.

When the A’s ripped off Kenny Williams, er, made a fine, honorable trade that made Kenny Williams an sparkling example of a self-confident individual (most recently), the A’s covered a lot of ground. The A’s sent a time bomb with very few ticks left to the White Sox along with a minor league catcher who likes to steal bases for one of the best relief pitchers in baseball, his salary, a back-up catcher and the minor league pitcher of the year. The A’s got a needed closer that can pitch more than an inning and outing and a back-up catcher who could spell Ramon Hernandez from catching more games than hair colors he’s tried.

Koch is close to John Rocker/Mitch Williams territory and falling off the face of the earth. Keith Foulke got the save in the All-Star game.

Mark Johnson is stuck in Sacramento, now, unable to get the stick off his shoulder. Johnson is struggling to keep above the Mendoza line in the Pacific Coast League, but has a .360+ on-base percentage.

The last player involved is Joe Valentine (which is why we got off on this tangent in the first place). Valentine was the Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2002 while in AA. In AAA this year, Valentine was a minor league pitcher. He was not even the set-up guy in Sacramento. Valentine was averaging a strikeout an inning, but walking 37 in 52 1/3 innings. He only allowed a HR every 10 innings, but had and ERS of 4.82.

Historically, minor league closers rarely make the jump to the major leagues with any amount of success. For the most part, MLB is full of former starters and relievers in the big leagues becoming closers. So, Valentine’s future was suspect and if you want to look at the bright side, the A’s have at least a half dozen right-handers ready to be the closer of the future.

The last remaining feature of that trade…cash. Cash is king.

So they A’s get Jose Guillen, a player having a break out season and will be a free agent at the end of the year. Guillen comes over with 23 HR, 63 RBI, .337 batting average and a .629 slugging percentage – all of which would be more than any Oaklander this year. His on-base percentage of .385 is second only to Erubiel Durazo. Billy Beane noted that Guillen’s high on-base percentage was largely thanks to his high batting average. Beane’s reponse; “we don’t care how you do it, just do it.”

Jeffrey Bruksch, the throw-in involved in the deal, has struggled this year in Modesto (class A). Hey, if sending a non-prospect to a team gets the end player needed, so be it.

The A’s make out good on this deal. Of course when Jermaine Dye comes off the DL, there will need to be some serious decisions made. The team can’t keep Terrence Long. The team also can’t keep seven outfielders on the 25 man roster. Plus, the A’s can’t keep Terrence Long. Even if Dye comes back during the September call-ups, the team can’t keep Terrence Long. We should also mention, the team can’t keep Terrence Long.

With Adam Piatt, Terrence Long, Chris Singleton, Terrence Long, Eric Byrnes, Terrence Long, Billy McMillon, Terrence Long, Jermiane Dye, Terrence Long, Jose Guillen, Terrence Long and Terrence Long there’s just not enough room in the outfield. Getting rid of all that Terrence Long makes the most sense.