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Billy Beane on offseason shake-up: 'I'm too old to be on a five-year rebuild'

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Billy Beane says there's a method for his offseason madness.

The Oakland Athletics general manager created quite a stir this winter after dealing away several All-Stars, including Josh Donaldson, Derek Norris and Jeff Samardzija, following the club's heart-breaking wild-card loss to the Kansas City Royals.

Beane's reshuffling also saw Brandon Moss traded to Cleveland and free agent Jon Lester walk for nothing – not to mention last year's in-season loss of Yoenis Cespedes.

For a while, it was looking like Beane was ready to tear his entire 88-win roster apart. Even Beane's acquisitions left his critics scratching their heads, particularly Billy Butler's three-year, $30-million free-agent contract.

Alas, after a flurry of underrated moves, Beane's offseason plan is finally coming into focus. Hate mail notwithstanding.

"I can promise you," Beane told Jane Lee of MLB.com on Sunday, "I don't wake up in the morning and go, 'how can I make everyone mad today?'"

Beane's nine-trade offseason involving 27 players, plus free-agent signings, has outfitted the club with a new infield, more pitching depth and a restocked farm system. It's all by design, says the longtime executive.

"I'm too old to be on a five-year rebuild," he said. "Every game is precious in the major leagues, and we treat it that way. Sometimes we do it at the risk of trading some younger players, but I can tell you, we want to win every single game. I get cranky in spring training when we don't win games. So, the term 'rebuild,' we don't try to use that around here often."

# Pos. Projected Lineup
1 CF Coco Crisp (S)
2 2B Ben Zobrist (S)
3 RF Josh Reddick (L)
4 DH Billy Butler
5 1B Ike Davis (L)
6 3B Brett Lawrie
7 C Stephen Vogt (L)
8 SS Marcus Semien
9 LF Sam Fuld (L)

(Courtesy: RosterResource)

Beane's wheeling and dealing, which included the acquisitions of Brett Lawrie, Ben Zobrist and Tyler Clippard, has even won over his harshest critics. 

Veteran outfielder Josh Reddick, who voiced initial displeasure with the Donaldson trade, said Beane has since regained his trust.

"Everybody is overlooking us again, with what the (Los Angeles) Angels and (Seattle) Mariners have done," he said, "but we've got some great pieces in return for what we lost. (Beane) knows exactly what he's doing every year."

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