Jon Daniels Robs Billy Beane in Broad Daylight and Gets Away Clean

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Today the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics hooked up on a deal that sent Craig Gentry and Josh Lindblom to Oakland, and Michael Choice and Chris Bostick to Texas. Oakland is unlikely to play Gentry full time because their outfield is already full with Yoenis Cespedes, Josh Reddick, and Coco Crisp. Oakland is also said to be planning on making Josh Lindblom a starter. Texas gets Oakland’s number three prospect in Michael Choice and number 17 prospect in Chris Bostick. I have been an unabashed Craig Gentry apologist since the beginning of the year. I begged Ron Washington to play Gentry when David Murphy was scuffling and once Nelson Cruz was suspended. Gentry’s defense and baserunning are some of the best in the league and he hits enough to be a starting caliber outfielder. Gentry would be a serviceable starting outfielder if given the chance. None the less, this seems like a lopsided trade. Texas acquired two of Oakland’s top 20 prospects for an average outfielder and a bad long reliever. Michael Choice is already 24 and has been playing in AAA, hopefully meaning he is near major league ready. Choice was strong in 132 minor league games last year, hitting .302 and having an OBP of .390. He also hits for power with 29 doubles and 14 homeruns. Choice could be a big right handed bat for Texas in the near future. Choice is a University of Texas Arlington (UTA) product so this is a homecoming for him. Chris Bostick was the 17^th best prospect in the Oakland system. Bostick is a power hitting second baseman. He played in single A last year and is only 20 years old. Bostick has a chance to offer a lot of power at second. This trade is more Jon Daniels magic. Acquiring two good prospects for Gentry and Lindblom is an astounding trade. If Choice becomes the kind of above average hitter for Texas that he can be, this deal may look like a complete robbery sooner rather than later.