On the Block.

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Author: Verducci, TomA. C.

Baseball

Although the A's were only three games out of first place in the underwhelming American League West at week's end, the chances of general manager Billy Beane's trading away his ace, lefthander Barry Zito, are increasing. With virtually no hope of re-signing the 2002 Cy Young winner after he becomes a free agent this fall, the club will consider all the offers that are sure to come in as the July 31 trade deadline approaches. After performing inconsistently over the last two years, Zito is now pitching at a level that would net Oakland the kind of value befitting a No. 1 starter; last month he went 3--1 with a 1.32 ERA. "His curveball looks as good as ever, but it's his changeup that is the difference," says an AL team executive. Zito's likeliest suitors are, naturally, the contenders with fat wallets, such as the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets--all teams that could afford to re-sign him this winter.

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By Tom Verducci and A. C.