FanPost

Why you should root for the A's

I know we all hate our division rivals, but I think we should all be rooting softly for the A's (and to a lesser degree, the Angels) on any night they're not playing the Rangers. 

Most people (including me) expected the A's to be in rebuilding mode this year with little or no hope on contending.  Furthermore, they have some very attractive players they were expected to deal this summer to get another great haul of young players to build with, in addition to the hauls they got this winter in the Haren and Swisher deals.

But here they are just a few games out of the wild card, and 4.5 out of first place.   And we should root for them to win.  Why? I don't want to see what the A's can get for Harden if he stays healthy, and I don't want some desparate contender to offer up a cornucopia for Blanton.  I don't want the A's to be able to further reload their healthy minor league system with the kind of prospects Beane is so adept at getting.

I want the A's to be buyers.  I want them to be so close to first place that they must buy, even if it only means they buy small without dealing away much in the way of prospects.  Anything that keeps them from acquiring a lot more young talent is a good thing for 2009 and beyond, when the Rangers will be in a much better position to contend.

Of course, Beane might somehow swing a deal for a young stud that can help them greatly now and in 2009.  Dammit, forget I said anything.