Beane counting on more kids

On the outside looking in, it might look like a tedious year for Mr. "Moneyball," Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane.

The best-selling baseball book by Michael Lewis that showed Beane’s philosophy – placing high value on on-base percentage and other statistical views of scouting – made a lot of waves in baseball and inspired some copycats, too. But five years later, the “stars” of the book, such as Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox) and Nick Swisher (White Sox), are both gone, leaving Beane to start over and try again. Traded away this offseason were ace pitcher Dan Haren, Swisher and Mark Kotsay, and veterans such as Mike Piazza and Shannon Stewart weren’t resigned.

"We needed to start rebuilding," Beane told the Sacramento Bee. "We had a great decade's run, but it was time to get started."

What’s left for 2008 will not be a good team. There is little power, not much experience, and a pitching staff that could be good in a couple of years.

"We've gone through this before," Beane said. "We weren't going to be particularly good if we didn't do anything. We could win 75, 80 games. That's not OK with me. The goal is to have something special. To pawn off mediocrity is not something we should be doing."

That said, I think 75 wins is actually overly optimistic.

Other storylines in A’s camp:

• Looking for an early candidate for AL Rookie of the Year? First baseman Daric Barton, who hit .347 with four homers in 17 games last season, could make a run at it.
• The next veteran who could be headed elsewhere is second baseman Mark Ellis. There might not be a more unsung middle infielder in the majors. He hit .276 with 19 homers and 76 RBI last season, and had a 102-game error-free streak. He’s a free agent after the season. Could he be moved before the trade deadline?
• Mike Sweeney, playing his first season outside of Kansas City after 13 years, seems to be healthy again. He’s hitting .364 and appears to have made the team for the A’s after signing a minor-league deal. The A's open in Japan against the Red Sox on March 25.

Photo: Mark Ellis of the Oakland Athletics hit 19 homers in 2007. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

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