Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics signed left-handed pitcher Brett Anderson and catcher Kurt Suzuki to long-term deals to ensure the organization’s youth would be around during their prime years. However, the A’s have an ever-growing list of young talent that needs to be signed before the teams with the larger check books can get to them.

The Contra Costa Times says that among those players starters Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez and closer Andrew Bailey should be on the short list of players to sign… now.

“You sort of take them one at a time,” general manager Billy Beane said, without mentioning specific players the A’s would consider. ” “… There are some young players here who are going to be in the big leagues a long time. To keep things going, we’ll have to consider (signing them long-term) for cost-control reasons.”

Cahill and Baily won’t be arbitration eligible until after the 2011 season, so the A’s have some time to work out a deal. It would be to the A’s advantage to sign them early in order to get a better deal.

“It’s a fine line,” said Beane. “You wait too long and you might not have the opportunity to get something done. Do it too early, and you might make a mistake.”