Billy Beane is Smarter Than You

I wanted to come out of my little work-induced break with an Atlanta article, but I just had to comment on the Holliday trade. In case you were asleep yesterday, the Oakland A's are acquiring the Rockies' Matt Holliday for starter Greg Smith, closer Huston Street, and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.

That's right, for one of the top five hitters is baseball, Beane is giving up a starter who had a 4.16 ERA (even though he was pitching in Oakland), a rookie outfielder who hit .242 in 302 at-bats, and a good pitcher in the most over-rated position, who is also injury prone, closer. I would call that a heist.

You can argue that it's not that great of a deal since Holliday is on the last year of his contract and the A's will have no chance of signing him since he's a Boras client who will be asking for a contract in the neighborhood of A-Rod's. But if the A's aren't contending by June or July, what kind of prospects do you think people are going to be willing to shell out for a legitimate middle of the order bat? And if they are contending, they gave up not much for a run at the AL west, and when he leaves for free agency they will get two compensatory picks.

And that's why Beane is smarter than you...