of Vlad.

That's why I'm saying taht they shyed away from him because they have a targeted player or plan.

For example, getting AJ was a nice move. But Yorvit could have started. Likewise, Feliz could have filled in at first for Snow. Etc, etc. And don't forget they made an offer for Maddux around 7.5 per. That indicates to me they were willing to outspend their stated budget if a targeted player was available. Again, they went for pitching knowing that pitching/defense is what matters in Pac Bell.

Enter Beltran. As I am a A's fan, I still think too highly of Sabean to think he doesn't have another move or player targeted that he thinks is a better value financially then Vlad would have been.

JMO