Hate to say it, but it was time to do something drastic like this!! How many chances can you give these guys to win a title? How many times did they choke when it counted!!? I was there and saw the whole thing year in and year out. Out of the three aces how many won a Cy Young?....that would be Zito and they kept him. He still has many good years in him and is a great pitcher. I hate to see Huddy and Mulder go, but a change was desperatly needed and sometimes you have to bite the bullet. Beane was probably thinking of this a year or two ago and said then he'll give these guys a bit more time and now the times up and NOTHING has changed. Win the division, CHOKE in the playoffs has been the routine for this team. I'm glad to see some new blood in their....Haren and Kaleko(sp) they got from STL are great prospects! Everytime I saw Kaleko get into a game LY as the middle relief he did an outstanding job EVERY time I saw him and held the leads for STL when they did have a tight game which was rare. I think Zito and Harden leading that staff will do fine. Of course, I don't expect them to be as dominant as in the past. It'll take some time to get back to the way they were, IF they ever do. Hudson, Mulder and Zito won MANY games for the A's during their time and you can't just replace that overnight, BUT they just didn't get it done when it counted the most. I'm sure money and cap issues have some to do with the changes as well, but I'm thinking most of all it's the "choking" factor in the playoffs year after year! I'll always be routing for my A's, but that's just my two cents. Gotta give props on the Kendal pick up though....that guy is a stud and a leader!!
