The A's current MLB roster is a mess because it can't compete for the playoffs in their division and league and they have no good way of fixing it. They have a bunch of OBP guys who don't get on base all that well and virtually no impact power.

As for trades, you are overvaluing Ellis and Johnson, and you're in the same boat with Gaudin as with Blanton.  If you trade even one plitcher, it leaves your rotation short with nobody to replace them.  The day you see Blanton or Gaudin traded is the day you will know The Genius has run up the white flag on the next 2-3 years.

As for the farm system, BA has ranked it #17, 22, 19 and 27 the last 4 years.  Think help is coming from the 2007 draft?  Here's what BA had to say about it:  "Oakland went back to what it does well- drafting college players-and did well from that pool.  The organization needs an infusion of impact talent, though, and this draft class didn't provide that."

frandsen/davis/lewis/schierholtz/ortmeier

just my opinion but that would make a great bench for most teams, for the giants thats their future

do giants have anyone else ready anytime soon?

maybe bowker/timpner/burris/villalona/07 draft class

by the way i like schierholtz as a hitter, but his walk rate is very pedro feliz like, he better keep up that .300 avg because an .800 + OPS will be hard to maintain in the majors

here's the A's

buck/suzuki/barton/swisher

where the A's lack is they potentially have lots of major leguers in their system, but not the huge upside. but their success rate of producing position prospects is way ahead of the giants. it might change 3 yrs or so yrs from now, if and when those 18/19 yrs old are ready to produce for the giants

their 07 drafts show a big difference in philosophy, sabean went for upside, beane went college heavy picks

like i said before giants dont have many marketable players outside of their pitching to fill those offensive needs. so either they pay a ton of money out or wait several yrs for those other prospects to develop. i believe this can be considered yr 3 of their rebuilding currently. so either sabean can trade a lowry/sanchez or wait it out.

A's can still trade their 2nd tier players like an ellis/DJ/gaudin, get useful players out of those deals to add to their current core

I do like the Giants' pitching, primarily the young starters, but at the moment their hitting is the worst in the major leagues.