Shawn Jansen: If Beane comes calling don t answer
Caller ID was invented because of people like Billy Beane.
There aren't many people in baseball who will outsmart the Oakland A's general manager.
His "Moneyball" ways have kept the low-budget franchise competitive for the past decade.
The question is: How does he keep doing it?
When Beane calls, why do other general managers keep picking it up the phone?
It's like sitting down with your entire bankroll at a poker table with Doyle Bronson and Johnny Chan.
Just ask the Cardinals, who traded Dan Haren and Daric Barton for Mark Mulder.
Haren is one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Mulder's career may be over after his comeback bid from a shoulder injury ended in the first inning last week.
Beane has an uncanny ability to know when it's time to let a player go.
Example A -- Barry Zito.
The Twins are the only other financially-strapped team to put a competitive team on the field year after year like the A's.
That doesn't mean it's easy being an A's fan.
I still get sick to my stomach when I see Kirk Gibson's home run off Dennis Eckersley.
Like most A's fans, I have become numb to losing our big-time players.
The long list includes two former MVPs, Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada, and a Cy Young winner in Zito.
Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Tim Hudson, Mulder, Nick Swisher and Haren all have left Oakland in the their rear-view mirror.
Last week, Rich Harden joined the list.
You can't say Beane has ever been afraid of making a blockbuster trade.
While it's frustrating for Oakland fans to see player after player leave, there's a method to Beane's madness.
In Billy Beane, we trust.
Some of Beane's best moves have come this year.
With just a few trades, Beane has totally rebuilt the A's farm system.
Like most of Beane's deals, the Haren trade in December caught most people by surprise.
Haren seemed perfect for the A's -- a young pitcher, locked up at an affordable price for the next couple years.
However, after a disappointing 76-86 record last season, Beane felt it was time to change things up.
In a few years, people will wonder what the Diamondbacks were thinking.
The A's got six players for Haren and right-hander Connor Robertson.
Left-handers Dana Eveland (7-6, 3.49 ERA) and Greg Smith (5-7, 3.43 ERA) are already part of the A's rotation.
Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has made his way into the starting lineup in the outfield.
The best of the deal is still yet to come.
Twenty-year-old pitchers Trevor Cahill and Brett Anderson were both on display in Sunday's Futures Game, which is an all-star game featuring the top prospects in baseball.
Both players have been lights out in their climb to Double-A this season.
If that's not enough, the A's have another future ace in Gio Gonzalez, whom they received from the White Sox in the Swisher trade.
Which brings us to the Harden deal last week.
Beane had Cubs general manager Jim Hendry right where he wanted him.
The Brewers had just traded for CC Sabathia.
Hendry had to counter.
Reportedly, Sean Gallagher was off the table when Hendry had inquired about Harden a few weeks ago.
After the Brewers landed Sabathia, Gallagher became available and the deal was done.
Harden may have better stuff than any pitcher in baseball. He may be the best pitcher in baseball.
However, he can't stay healthy.
He's made more trips to the DL than Alex Rodriguez has made to Madonna's apartment.
I'm guessing Beane was just hoping Harden could stay healthy for two straight months so he could finally get something of value before his next injury.
ESPN's Peter Gammons said, "I'd be shocked if Gallagher doesn't win more games than Harden in the next five years."
Meanwhile, the Cubs are hoping the chicken-wire keeping Harden's shoulder together can hold up for a long postseason run.
Don't bet on it.
Shawn Jansen is a Sun-Star sports reporter. He can be reached at 385-2462 or via e-mail at sjansen@mercedsun-star.com
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