Frank Booth: You wanna go for a ride?

Jeffrey Beaumont: No thanks.

Frank Booth: No thanks. What does that mean?

Jeffrey Beaumont: I don't want to go.

Frank Booth: Go where?

Jeffrey Beaumont: On a ride.

Frank Booth: A ride? Hell, that's a good idea. Okay, let's go. Hey, let's go.

One of the intriguing things about being an A's fan, apart from the challenge of mixing the team colors with your everyday wardrobe, is trying to anticipate what is going on in GM Billy Beane's head. And to do that, we used to have to try and get into Paul DePodesta's head first. And since Paul didn't talk a lot we had to rely on fringe information which was no better than the collection of spew from area reporters and Peter Gammons.

With Paul in Los Angeles GM'ing some team that pennied and hay-pennied the 1988 A's in the World Series, things have gotten a little more complicated. Though, we have gotten a year older and have spotted some of the warning signs when player movement is immanent and when the wind is simply blowing.

The A's have long since past a time when they would bounce possible player acquisition off of the general public for feedback. Nor do the A's consider silent polling to find out if trading g a current Oakland A or farmhand would dramatically undercut the number of flag waivers and face-painters in left field.

Billy Beane and no longer new assistant GM, and he was there before, so really just David Forst...anyway, the front office has a stranglehold on doubt and it's a closed shop. So no benefits therein. Billy Beane has oft been quoted as stating that the "inside sources" were he and Paul. You really don't have to strike Paul out of the conversation, because Billy is still talking with him, but just move David Forst that much closer.

There are several rumors out there for players going and coming and going again involving the A's. Kansas City GM Allard Baird was in Sacramento last weekend (and other places) viewing A's prospects. Some of the names popping up include Mark Teahan in AAA and John Baker (the Homerun maker ) in AA Midland. One deal that Peter Gammons was floating involved The A's sending prospects to Kansas City for Carlos Beltran and the A's sending Beltran to Los Angeles for Guillermo Mota. The deal doesn't make sense for several reasons, but mainly, the Dodger's bullpen is their one strength and pulling Mota without an apparent replacement makes zero sense - from within the Dodger's organization and you know how horrible the A's relief corps have performed. Not to mention that Mota is not an established closer. Which makes the Arthur Rhodes (not a closer before 2004) situation even more tenuous.

You can read about the Boston deal that really doesn't make sense involving Kevin Youkilis and Scott Williamson. As much as Boston and the A's could accomplish in a trade, why arm your enemy so soon to battle?

Kirk Saarloos is an option the A's may well consider, rather than trading for a true closer. Though Danny Graves will be available the second week of July. It will depend on how much the Reds will take in salary or dumped salary via players.

Beltran? As much as the A's would benefit from keeping Beltran, what the A's could gain in cash considerations alone make certain things twitch. The problem comes if Billy Beane deals for Beltran too soon or too late and can not flip him in time before the deadline to shore up weaknesses.

The Byrnes and Kielty situation is a crime. We have some further stat work to do on Byrnes, but rest assured Dave Hudgens will be a culprit in the situation. Where Kielty has been is a mystery. But his presence on the bench does nothing. He should be shuttling in and out at the very least three times a week. Eric Byrnes is in trouble again and we have to forecast to prove it, stay tuned...

Mark Kotsay has dug himself out of a huge hole, only to begin burying himself, again. His .289 batting average is not the stat to look at. His .345 On Base Percentage and .396 slugging make for a .741 OPS and Ken Macha has him in the 3rd spot in the batting order! Kotsay is strictly a singles hitter with two extra base hits a week. He should be in the 7th or 8th spot. His defense has been outstanding, save a misplay against Pittsburgh last week trying to preserve a perfect game for Mark Mulder.

The A's have signed a few more draft picks, we're waiting on confirmation of one before we list the others.