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This, I believe, gets at the largest obstacle toward making a move for Dunn, (or someone like him).  It's not just the $8 million for Joh, or the $12 million for Silva in 2010 that is fouling the sails.  It's that those salaries continue into 2011. 
Clubs can, (and often do), accept a ONE-year budget increase to remedy a situation and pay for (literally), previous mistakes.  But, this club has $20 million tied up in previous gaffes.  With that $20 million, then you could be a bit braver on the FA market.  Jack came in looking not only at 2009, but also 2010 and 2011.  I bet you he's already looking at 2012 as we speak.  2012 is almost certainly a much lower priority -- but when you're signing multi-year, multi-million dollar deals, you BETTER be looking further than 18 months.
I don't think Z has much choice in regards to Silva.  Unless he can offload "some" of that salary, I think Silva is certainly 2010 ballast -- and like Sexson, won't likely be completed tossed overboard until mid-2011, when it becomes clear that it is literally impossible to salvage anything from him.  So, I think there's a good chance Silva will become the Batista of the past two seasons, a swing-man veteran arm out of the bullpen, you'd just as soon replace with a league minimum 23-year-old, but you can't.
The only question there is ... given the league leading defense ... if Silva REALLY is hurt, then it is possible that he could return and be effective.  He HAS had success in the past (when backed up by a stellar defense).  While I'd rather pay $12 million to Bedard than Silva, it's simply not an option. 
One of the subtleties of the Beane successes in Oakland was that he retained "some" budgetary flexibility for use at the deadline.  The As were constantly buyers at the deadline, and they could AFFORD to be, because they had a little room left over monetarily when they needed it.  Divesting itself of the Johjima contract would go a long way toward creating that roster agility you need to fix your Ronny Cedeno situations without HAVING to throw Yahtzee on guys like Hannahan or Langerhans.