"In Beane We Trust: Why I Have Faith in The Awful 2008 Oakland A's."

How can you tell when the team you root for is terrible? Well, I can just take a glimpse at a fansite and see the despair. Since the All-Star Break on July 15th, the Oakland A's have been a morbid 2-18. Two wins in your last twenty games? That could probably tell anyone how bad the team has been. You would expect this kind of play from a team who has been in the cellar all year. Yet, the A's pre-All-Star Game were a startling 51-42, shattering pre-season predictions for the teams last place finish, and hanging in just six games behind the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

What happened? Well, you see, 2008 was a year that wasn't supposed to be a year in which the A's contended. Before the season even started, the team took no reservations in saying that they were in rebuilding mode by dealing away Nick Swisher, Dan Haren, and Mark Kotsay for minor leaguers. So, why should the management of the team concede to contention while having one foot in the rebuilding process? That's exactly what Billy Beane and his front office thought when they traded three pitchers in two trades: Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin to Chicago, and Joe Blanton to Philadelphia. What did Oakland receive? Minor leaguers.

So you have to applaud Beane for having the chutzpah to say "I don't care what you think!" to the fans, and continuing to build for the future. I believe that both deals Oakland did this past month, showed the greater baseball community that Billy Beane still has the knack for making amazing trades. Trading a injury prone pitcher with ace like potential with a guy who hasn't been doing all that great lately for guys who can be plugged in and help immediately. The Joe Blanton trade, was a masterpiece. Trading a guy who should be in the back end of a rotation for the sole purpose of eating innings, for a teams top two rated prospects plus a guy with big potential is a steal.

We all know Billy Beane is a beast when it comes to making trades. Several teams refuse to even trade with him. He's a great General Manager, for a team with a record of success during his tenure. Even though he demoralized the team by trading three veterans of the pitching staff, its no excuse for the funk the team is in right now. When your three best hitters are rookies or have less than two years of service time, you know something is terribly wrong. The future is very bright for Oakland, the minor leagues are stacked with talent at most positions. In the meantime sit back, relax, and watch the bright young guys who will be with the team for years to come. Its only another 2 months of pain Oakland fans.