Holliday Rush

In an age when there are few wheeler-dealer types among major league general managers, Billy Beane is the closest thing we’ll ever find to an old throwback like Charlie Finley. Thankfully, Beane comes without the personality problems that made Finley reviled among the other owners and the rest of the baseball establishment. But just like Finley, Beane will make trades at any time, whether it’s dealing veterans for kids, like he did over the summer in trading Rich Harden and Joe Blanton to the Cubs and Phillies, respectively. Just a few months later, he’s on the verge of trading kids for veterans, with a swap of three players to the Rockies for Matt Holliday pending only the passing of physicals for the players involved.

In acquiring Holliday, a legitimate star, Beane is sending a clear message to the Angels and the rest of the American League West: The A’s can win a weak division in 2009. Beane understands that the Mariners are putrid, the Rangers are still rebuilding, and the Angels could be on the downhill slide once they lose free agents Mark Teixeira and Francisco Rodriguez. Holliday by himself won’t be enough to slice the gap between the A’s and Angels, but he is an excellent first step in that direction. Holliday is an all-purpose offensive player who hits for average and power, draws walks, and runs the bases well. For a team that desperately needs an offensive infusion, there are few players who can help as much as Holliday. There’s a perception that Holliday is a one-dimensional slugger, but he’s a smart baserunner who managed to steal 28 bases this season. He won’t steal that many again in 2009, but it’s reasonable to think he’ll steal 15 to 20 bases, making him a threat to go 30-20 in the power-speed department. As an outfielder, Holliday’s probably below average, but isn’t such a liability that he makes you cringe the way that Manny Ramirez and Bobby Abreu do. He’ll also find the outfield at McAfee Coliseum easier to play than that of Coors Field. 

If Beane can supplement his apparent pickup of Holliday with several other shrewd acquisitions, the A’s will have a chance to make a run at the Angels next summer. Beane still needs a new left side of the infield; along those lines, he will make a hard charge at free agent Rafael Furcal, who could double as Oakland’s new leadoff man. He would also be smart to stop counting on a comeback from the always-injured Eric Chavez, and instead consider free agent third basemen like Casey Blake and Joe Crede. In giving up Carlos Gonzalez as part of the return package for Holliday, he’ll need to find a new center fielder, perhaps someone like Melky Cabrera (trade) or Jim Edmonds (free agency). The A’s could then add Jason Giambi as a free agent, giving them a DH who walks and hits home runs the way that the A’s once did during the height of their Moneyball frenzy.  

So there’s still a lot of work to do if Beane is indeed hellbent on trying to make the playoffs in 2009. But with Holliday soon to be in place batting fourth and playing left field for the new-look A’s, Beane has managed to complete his first major hurdle of the off season.