Idiots Write About Sports

I can’t really add anything to the discussion over how Oakland fared in the Carlos Beltran deal that you won’t be able to read elsewhere from writers who put things more eloquently than I can. My take: the A’s filled a pressing need with a capable player while giving up two players whose only immediate value to Oakland was what they could bring to the franchise in a trade. Mark Teahan may be a fine third baseman in the a few seasons, but let’s face it — the A’s have that position filled for the next six years. As for Mike Wood, he was solid in a call-up last season and he’s leading the minors in wins, but if the A’s need to fill a spot in the rotation any time soon, it’s Joe Blanton, not Wood, who’s going to get the call.

Anyhow, not particularly unconventional thinking on my part. You can read the same thing at Baseball Prospectus, ESPN, or any one of a number of posts at A’s Y’all.

One thing I did notice in all the coverage, though: apparently, every team in the American League is happy that Carlos Beltran is trying on the Astro’s ugly uniform today.

From Buster Olney’s column:

Beltran is a star player, yes, but he would not have made the Yankees much better. They already are scoring runs, already have two center fielders in Bernie Williams and Kenny Lofton, and a deal for Beltran would have all but forced manager Joe Torre to use Jason Giambi as his first baseman every day. For the Yankees, the most compelling reason to acquire Beltran would be to ensure that he wouldn’t be in Boston or Oakland.

From a chat with Rob Neyer, also at ESPN.com:

I don’t know that Theo [Epstein] really wanted Beltran. Where would he play him? The Sox are pretty committed to Johnny Damon. In fact, I suspect that today Theo is thrilled … because the Yankees didn’t get Beltran.

From Joe Sheehan’s analysis at Baseball Prospectus (It’s a subscriber-only article. You don’t subscribe to BP? You really should. Deadbeat.):

By facilitating a Beltran trade to Houston, the A’s keep him away from the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels. That has a lot of value, given that all three of those teams had at least some interest. Keeping the opposition from improving shouldn’t be a primary goal, but if you can help yourself and remove a potential headache, it’s a reason to pull the trigger.

So there you have it — the Yankees are thrilled that Beltran isn’t in Boston or Oakland, the Sox are happy that Beltran isn’t in the Bronx, and the A’s are happy Beltran is off in a league where the pitchers bat. If only every trade could unite rival teams so completely.