OK, first it was Giambi, then Howe, now Beane?! The first two could be lived without, but Billy Beane is a genius. The only reason that the A's have done as well as they have is because of him. It's hard to see the future, but if attendance was low for the A's with a winning team, then how will it be if the A's start losing?

With all the troubles that the A's have going on with stadium issues, etc. it may be time to set our radar on the A's as the prime canidate for relocation. - TBGR

Source: A's consider Beane's departure 'foregone'

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ESPN.com news services

After relenting in recent days and allowing general manager Billy Beane to speak to the Red Sox about their job opening, the Oakland Athletics might have to start a GM search of their own.

Beane, who masterminded Oakland's playoff teams of the past three seasons, is expected to become Boston's GM this week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday.

An Oakland team source told the Chronicle that top A's officials believe Beane's departure to be "a foregone conclusion."

"We consider him to have moved on," the source told the newspaper.

The A's would get a package of minor league players and/or financial considerations in exchange for Beane, 40, considered to be among baseball's best executives. In addition, the Red Sox may agree to acquire one or more Athletics players with long-term guaranteed contracts, which would give the A's additional payroll flexibility.

"If a deal can be struck (between Beane and the Red Sox) and if compensation can be worked out, Billy might wind up in Boston," A's president Mike Crowley told the Chronicle on Saturday. "If they are willing to work out a deal -- and I think they would be -- I think we'll be able to work out compensation."

Losing Beane would be a major blow to the A's, who have seen many key figures depart in the past year -- chief among them 2000 AL MVP Jason Giambi -- and two other members of the front office, plus manager Art Howe. Howe left to become manager of the New York Mets with one year to go on his Oakland contract.

"If we keep stripping down to the bare essentials, how far can we go?" Cy Young award winner Barry Zito was quoting as saying in the Chronicle's story. "How many guys can we lose before we suffer the effects?

"I certainly hope the mood of the team doesn't change, but how far can we go before we get sick of it? If we don't see confidence to stick around and kick butt, well, things are starting to dismantle a little bit. It's frustrating."

Beane did not return numerous calls by the Chronicle on Saturday. In the past, he has been vocal about his desire to remain on the West Coast, close to his daughter who lives in Southern California. He cited that reason above all others in March when he signed a three-year contract extension through 2008.

A's owner Steve Schott had been reluctant to let Beane leave in recent years. According to media reports, Schott wouldn't even return phone calls from Red Sox owner John Henry for some time.

But that changed at some point last week when Schott agreed to at least explore the possibility of releasing Beane from his contract.

"Anybody who has been in an organization as long as Billy, I'm sure his curiosity was piqued," A's president Michael Crowley told The Associated Press on Saturday night. "Boston is an attractive team with a lot of tradition."

Beane was forced to be very creative to compete with a low payroll in Oakland. The opportunity to move from the team with the 25th highest payroll last year to baseball's second-biggest spender will be hard to turn down.

"We wanted to take the high road and give Billy the opportunity if he wanted to pursue that," Crowley said. "This is one of those instances that presents a real opportunity both professionally and financially, and he wanted to take a look at it."

If Beane leaves Oakland, it's likely that Paul DePodesta, the team's assistant GM since 1998, will take over as general manager. At 29, DePodesta would thus become the youngest general manager in major-league history (beating out Randy Smith, who was also 29 when he took over as GM of the Padres in 1993, by a few weeks).

The Red Sox already have interviewed Orioles adviser Mike Flanagan, Philadelphia assistant GM Mike Arbuckle, New York Mets assistant GM Jim Duquette, Cincinnati director of player personnel Leland Maddox, former Chicago White Sox general manager Ron Schueler, and Port's special assistant, Lee Thomas. Duquette is Dan Duquette's cousin.

But while the Red Sox may be getting closer to a new GM, any aspirations that Dusty Baker could come to Beantown as the new manager seemed to be dashed Saturday.

Responding to reports that the former Giants manager might head to Boston to free up current manager Grady Little for the Mariners' opening, the Boston Globe reported that the Red Sox are for now sticking with Little.

"As far as I know, there's no truth to it whatsoever," Red Sox assistant general manager Theo Epstein said. "We have a manager we like who won 93 games last year and is under contract for next year."

After Seattle officially pulled out of the Baker hunt, Mariners GM Pat Gillick stirred the rumor mill be saying a mystery team was interested in Baker, a team whose manager Seattle would pursue if he was available.

Various newspapers suggested that team was the Red Sox, but Gillick told the Globe that "there's no validity to that, at least to my knowledge."

Little worked for Gillick when he managed Toronto's Single A team in 1985 when Gillick was GM of the Blue Jays.

A man has to have goals- for a day, for a lifetime- that was mine, to have people say, "There goes Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived." - Ted Williams

[This message was edited by TeddyBallgameRules on Nov 10, 02 at 01:45 PM.]

I posted that in BBQ yesterday just move the comments over to this thread...

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Anaheim Angels 2002 WORLD CHAMPIONS!!
Back in the Saddle again!
That was for the Cowboy!

Beane made things work in Oakland when no one else would have tried, given the financial circumstances surrounding the club. With Beane gone, and the club reducing payroll even more, the A's could be a contender again next year - for worst attendance. How will they expect to get support for a new park?

A's, Expos, Marlins - they may all be in a "grab bag" for Portland in 2004.

San Francisco Giants - 2002 National League Champions!

Bring the A's to Portland!!!!!!!!!!


Kansas City Royals - 1985 World Series Champions

Yeah, Beane is going to stay. Even saying that he would have received alot more in Boston.

It really sucks watching these guys leave year after year: Reggie Jackson, Canseco, McGwire, Sandy Alderson, Giambi, and maybe Tejada next year.

He just can't leave Oakland. Can the same be said about the team? From Peter Gammons on ESPN.com:

TUCSON, Ariz. -- In the end, Billy Beane just couldn't do it.


He looked back on what he'd agreed upon 12-to-14 hours earlier, a deal with the Red Sox that would have made him far and away the highest-paid general manager in baseball, that would have allowed him to spend as much of the year as he wanted close to his daughter in Newport Beach, Calif., that would have given him the resources to build a team that could last years.


But within hours of the agreement came the remorse. "I kept thinking about how the decision may impact so many people," Beane said. "This was great for me in terms of more money than I ever could have dreamed of, being with perhaps the best franchise in the game and working for a man in (Red Sox president) John Henry who is one of the finest people I've ever met, but it struck me that it isn't just about me.


"The most important thing for me is my wife Tara and my daughter Casey, and to put what I need to put into that franchise -- and what they should expect -- might impact my marriage and my family. And I can't let that happen. The Red Sox deserve more than my being in Newport Beach part time. I can't do anything halfway, and the Red Sox deserve more. Casey was great with my going to Boston, but she is 13, and here she's an hour away. For whatever happens, there's something to be said for that.


"I love Boston. It's a unique franchise, and that's where I told (Oakland owner) Steve Schott there was the one place I would leave to go to. But I love the A's. My fingerprint is everywhere here, and Steve has been so great in the process allowing me the opportunity to talk to Boston, I realize I'm fortunate here.


"I'm not about money. The only decision on I ever made based on money was when I signed with the Mets in 1980 (as a No. 1 pick) rather than go to Stanford, and I've always realized since then decisions based on money aren't often right.


"I've learned a lot in this process. John Henry is as great an owner as there is, and I wish I could work with him. Theo Epstein (assistant Red Sox GM) is a pillar, and in all the time we've spent together in this process, I'm convinced he should take the job and find good people around him."


That might happen. If Sandy Alderson is not available, the only person who fits the Henry/Larry Lucchino criteria may be Epstein, who could be surrounded by strong, sage heads around him. But that comes another day.


"I owe it to the fans in New England who made this job so attractive to explain everything," said Beane, who is willing to fly from Oakland to Tucson to meet with whatever Boston media is covering the GM meetings.

San Francisco Giants - 2002 National League Champions!

I think Beane is willing to leave, but it needs to be a West Coast team. Dodgers or Angels maybe??

Numbers don't lie. People do.
Beware of the Silver & Black attack

Even the Dodgers are in good shape in the GM dept. with Dan Evans. If injuries hadn't have hit them it would have been the Dodgers most likely winning the division, let alone the Wild Card.

As for the Angels... there is no way. Everyone in the Angels organization looks like a prophet at the moment. How does one look at David Eckstein and see an impact player? The Angels did and have the trophy now in large part to decisions like that. Bill Stoneman did an excellent job this season. They aren't going to kill the guy off after going all the way.

Beane was/is needed in places like Boston, or Texas, or with the Mets.

A man has to have goals- for a day, for a lifetime- that was mine, to have people say, "There goes Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived." - Ted Williams