Billy traditionally the a's are not overly active at the winter meetings is that just your nature or is that the nature of what's going on in Nashville for the next couple days. I think a lot of it is the nature what goes on here I mean it's it's a great place to laid down the foundation for bigger moves. When we get out here but I don't think the environment necessarily. Great for. For making tracers a lot of media responsibilities and this is a great promotional week for baseball but. More often now we find -- a lot easier to work when you're in the office and you've got a small group together. And over the years we've used this is a way to set up traces as opposed to way of making big announcement. From the external view point Lotta people sand at shortstop is the biggest hole in your roster right now on this offseason. What is the market look like in terms of a player at that position. -- Well you -- there's a number of options. Weren't you know in a lot of you've seen written about. You know -- and so were were kind of prioritizing those so which ones are most of Belle Willis -- be trade you've also got some free agents. But that's real part of the reason other we're here this week we have all our staff and it's a good time for us. To have intense conversations so but there's no question I don't think it's any secret that shortstop the position that we're. Looking to fill before spring training in and measures that we got a lot of options were just right now trying to decide which ones for the vast. Couple weeks ago you had the transaction with San Diego Tyson Ross going down there as part of it also -- part of it and Victorino coming your way. He's -- Major League ready at this point or even some point in the upcoming season. You know we we think he is he's had some time in the big leagues last year he's he's a guy we've always liked and and so -- yeah I mean a lot of you know whether it's is an everyday guy errors utility guy every time will tell now but we we think he's ready to play in the major leagues and then he'll certainly has consider right now an option for. Across the diamond you got some competition going into spring training at second base. This everybody come in with an equal chance and is at a job that simply going to be one in the months of February and march and really no sooner than that. Well listen that they do that's we know between two mile -- and Scott Sizemore in Norfolk and Scott Sizemore back over this -- natural position. You know -- to -- you have a lot of conversation before spring training I've never been big on using. Spring training as a you know and competition. Just a lot of things go on down there it's a very different environment that you can be somewhat -- out there. But if ever there was a time -- week you know. Probably have some competition would be a deposition going in. When you listen we've got a lot of conversation both those guys have played there a lot there's some things have both of them probably need to work on before they're given me every day job. Let's you know it's most positions that so we'll have to exit. -- Brandon McCarthy still out there floating around is free agent we know you and Bob Melvin right by his side. Right after that injury this season and on a personal level I'm sure you bring them back in a heartbeat if it was as simple as sad but right now. Does it simply come down to just outfitting the rest of the other teams that want his services. Yeah well you're gonna you know usually comes down as a free agent this is -- right that players have burned and I think more than anything. You know world obviously everyone's very fond of Brandon Allen is a pitchman as a person you know both him and his wife Amanda there was great having him around and we think very -- -- I think -- anything from personal level. We we all hope Brandon is compensating he will be I mean he's very very talented and -- -- lot of well when I understandably surprised. Read the papers correctly there's a lot of interest as there should be. So at the end you know we do we get over or somebody else gets and we hope that Brandon compensated for his services as he deserves to be. The one thing from a team standpoint the one area -- Have some depth and this is pitching and starting pitching so. You know we have to be careful. Making sure there were allocate their resources in the areas of need and and and right now as part of our evaluation process is where they're not so we need to spend and on another starting pitcher. It really really appreciate the time on a personal and professional level enjoy the rest of the week in Nashville. -- -- --