what exactly was Beane thinking?

[j_d_mcnugent]

I think you guys are forgetting that Hudson is from Georgia and i'm sure his input was considered as well which in my book really puts Beane and the A's organization on a higher pedestal.

may i ask why you feel the a's considered hudson's preference? i think the braves considered that but i dont really think beane considered that. why would he care where hudson ended up? his concern should be getting the best package for the a's.

[perlick29]

It's a pretty classic Beane deal if you ask me. Get under the radar, haven't used full potential guys, and turn them into quality players. I think he could have substituted Giles for Thomas and Cruz personally, but the deal isnt horrible.

[Amazinz]

I think people are overlooking the fact that no team was going to get any guarantees when they traded for Hudson. The Braves are taking a gamble, so how much would they be expected to pay?

[Nuclear29]

Make no mistake that after next year when Hudson becomes a free agent, he's going to go where the money is. I doubt it will be with the Braves although I do agree that Oakland could have gotten more for him. Beane is being cost conscious. Again. This signing really pisses on the Mets parade.

[grammysboy]

It's a pretty classic Beane deal if you ask me. Get under the radar, haven't used full potential guys, and turn them into quality players. I think he could have substituted Giles for Thomas and Cruz personally, but the deal isnt horrible.

You must have read the book! Exactly, get three cheapies for one that's going to be real expensive to keep - pretty classic Beane. Remains to be seen if he got value for value for Hudson. That's something we'll be able to talk about after Hudson signs a big contract next winter.

[trevisc]

may i ask why you feel the a's considered hudson's preference? i think the braves considered that but i dont really think beane considered that. why would he care where hudson ended up? his concern should be getting the best package for the a's.

Baseball may be a business but good GM's take care of their players because you never know who might come around again as a Free Agent. It's just a gut feeling and nothing more then that. Beane is a smart GM and a smart business man. Obviously he knows he could have gotten more for Hudson but he chose to do that deal. We may never know the real reasons but in my gut I feel that he considered Hudson's preferences in the deal. Call it rare but that's why He and Schuerholz are the top 2 GMs in baseball.

Hudson is also a lifelong Braves fan if that wasn't already obvious. good article from AJC:

http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/share ... Trade.html

[perlick29]

It's a pretty classic Beane deal if you ask me. Get under the radar, haven't used full potential guys, and turn them into quality players. I think he could have substituted Giles for Thomas and Cruz personally, but the deal isnt horrible.

You must have read the book! Exactly, get three cheapies for one that's going to be real expensive to keep - pretty classic Beane. Remains to be seen if he got value for value for Hudson. That's something we'll be able to talk about after Hudson signs a big contract next winter.

Of course I read the book. Though I dont like Charles Thomas much, or at least as much as the cafe members from Atlanta did. He pretty much came out of absolutely no where last year which I usually take to mean that last year was a fluke. He hit .265 in Spetember by the way.

[The Cow]

Charles Thomas is this years Jody Gerut.
Juan Cruz Solid reliever
Meyer- a prospect

Say this trade was to happen at the start of last year, this trade would be like:

Jody Gerut(at the start of last year he was every bit the talent of Thomas)
Ryan Wagner a solid reliever with big upside
and
Edwin Jackson last years hot prospect

All that for Huddy

Analyzing that deal you get:
Gerut- horrid year
Wagner- hurt bad year
Jackson- terrible last year

for Hudson- another strong year even though he was banged up

This would have been a terrible trade for the A's and this latest deal could be equally terrible. But that is the boat the A's are in they feel they have to deal players because they can not afford them. Whereas the Yanks can afford whoever they want.

Where would the A's be with Tejada, Foulke, Izzy and Hudson? I bet Oakland A fans would like to know, but they never will. Start writing your goodbye letters to Zito and Mulder now they have at most 1 more year with you guys.

COW

[grammysboy]

Jody Gerut(at the start of last year he was every bit the talent of Thomas)
Ryan Wagner a solid reliever with big upside
and
Edwin Jackson last years hot prospect

All that for Huddy

Analyzing that deal you get:
Gerut- horrid year
Wagner- hurt bad year
Jackson- terrible last year

for Hudson- another strong year even though he was banged up

This would have been a terrible trade for the A's and this latest deal could be equally terrible. But that is the boat the A's are in they feel they have to deal players because they can not afford them. Whereas the Yanks can afford whoever they want.

Start writing your goodbye letters to Zito and Mulder now they have at most 1 more year with you guys.

COW

No disagreement here, I would have thought B.Beane was pretty sharp to have pulled out that trade last season, but by year's end would have been ready to break his legs. Unknown what these three will do for the A's, beyond give them cheap players for several years. As I said, we'll know more as the year unfolds. We may be singing Billy's praises next October for having pulled off the best trade of the off-season.

I agree, this trade indicates that the A's are probably not going to pony up for both Zito and Mulder. My guess is they go after on or the other, but neither may be offered enough to stay and they will def get some inviting offers elsewhere.

[El Jefe]

Meyer is going to be a stud.

I think that this is the most important statement made about this trade. I think that Meyer was the key player that Beane wanted.

From The Sporting News:

Dec. 15, 2004 - 1:06 p.m.
If the Braves get Tim Hudson, it will be because of the A's interest in Meyer. He started out in Double-A this year, going 6-3 with a 2.22 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) with a sick 86:12 K/BB ratio in 65 innings. Moved up to Triple-A, Meyer did nothing to disappoint. In 12 games, he was 3-3 with a 2.79 ERA, striking out 60 while walking 25 in 61.1 innings.
Fantasy Source spin: Although he might not crack the Braves’ rotation out of spring training, a trade would certainly make his path to the majors quicker. He’s definitely ready for the shot. Even without a trade, he’ll force his way into the bigs soon enough. (Mark Allen Haverty for TSN)