The facts of the season so far are, 2nd place in AL West, 1.5 games back of the Angels, 28:23 record. We’ve just swept the reigning World Series Champion Red Sox in a three game series and in the process relegated them to 2nd place in AL East, behind the surprising Rays; so what’s not to like? Well, for Billy Beane, there could be quite a bit. Having failed to fully dismantle the team before the start of the season he’s now left with a number of pieces he would have liked to have moved, Street, Blanton and Chavez. Street and Blanton are both contributing and Chavez is on the DL and his rehab is not going well so what does Beane wish for right now? The team is having success, but still not attracting great crowds, so can Beane justify moving Street and Blanton to ownership and the fans? I’m sure he’s still thinking of moving them but he might now be wondering if he needs to replace them with established major leaguers and not prospects and this would require a major rethink of what he appeared to have planned for the next 2-3 years. A run of 5:20 over the next month wouldn’t bring a smile to his face but in the run up to the trading deadline it would feel like his life had become a lot less complicated.