Dance Over - Furcal Goes Home with the Braves (Well, Dodgers I guess)

With Rafael Furcal turning down the A's and going to play for the Braves, the A's now have to look at other options of what to do with the money they had budgeted to signing Furcal.  Most of what I said last time it looked like the A's were out of the running still applies.  We still know the A's are willing to spend about $15 million extra in payroll for next season.  We know they are comfortable signing a player for up to 4 years.  We know, or at least I still believe, that the A's should try to compete in 2009, but do not yet have a roster that could make a serious run at the playoffs.  There are a few things that have changed, though, some good and some bad for the A's.

• The Yankees signed CC Sabatia and AJ Burnett.  Regardless of what you think of the signings' affect on the Yankees payroll in the future, there is little doubt that these pitchers will make the Yankees a much better team in 2009.  These moves basically ensures that the AL Wild Card winner will come from the East.  Two of the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays will make the playoffs.  The A's shot at a playoff spot liss solely in their ability to win the AL West.
• Mark Teixiera remains a free agent.  The optimist in me hopes that this is a sign that he won't re-sign with the Angels.  If he does, he immediately makes the Angels favorites to win the AL West and there'd be little the A's could do to change that.  Boston, Washington, and Baltimore also also pursuing him and the A's had better hope he signs with one of those teams (preferably Washington or Baltimore).
• Raul Ibanez signed a 3 year, $31 million deal with the Phillies, who apparently preferred Ibanez to Pat Burrell.  This signing may have set the market for the corner outfielder/first bast/DH types, as well as removed the Phils from teams in search of another bat.  This leaves Adam Dunn,Burrell, Milton Bradley, and Bobby Abreu as the non-Manny, non-Tex options at the position, with the A's, Rays, Cubs, and Angels the main suitors for these types of players.  Dunn and Burrell are the best fits for the A's as they need someone who can play first base more than an outfielder.  The longer these guys remain free agents, the longer the A's might be able to sign either of them to a bargain deal.  And by bargain I mean 1 or 2 years around $12 million per year.

Losing out on Furcal hurt a little as the A's are now stuck with playing Bobby Crosby (I hope they don't consider signing Orlando Cabrera).  In the end, though there are still some pretty decent options out there to imrpove the offense and the later it gets, the more likely a deal will fall into the A's laps.