Oakland A's Offseason Thread

Originally posted by AllTimeGreat:
A's trade for Jake Fox and Aaron Miles for Gray, Spencer and Morla.

I don't know what to think about this trade. I like Spencer.

Jake Fox is pretty good... I have seen a fair share of cubs games and it seems like he jus is too buried in the depth chart... I think we got the better of the seal honestly.

Meh, nothing to get excited about.

Fox? Late 20s year old 3B/DH type of talent. I don't know if he's a better option least short term at 3B for this org, at least until Wallace is ready, then over somebody like McPherson albeit Fox has had a lot more MLB success than McPherson has had with them being about the same age. Last year he put decent #s albeit in a division where there are a lot of hitter friendly parks especially Wrigley and in the NL and we've seen many times over the past years A's bringing in NL hitters who struggle going to the AL and especially hitting now at the coliseum. Fox really tailed off late last season too. Some are thinking he'll be a replacement for Cust eventually and hopefully Beane thinks he can have a Cust type breakout in his MLB career, I'm not betting on it.

Miles, basically a lot more expensive version of a Patterson? I guess this means Kennedy isn't coming back as a potential utility IF.


As for what the A's gave up? Gray pitched well last season, local kid which makes it sad to see him go although the A's pen depth is as good as anybody's in baseball IMO both in the bigs and those who are ready to come up with the likes of HRod, Demel, Carignan maybe being ready to come up sometime mid season...course I've been saying that about Demel and Carignan the past few years and they haven't pitched a game yet in the bigs.

Spencer is a decent prospect, probably borderline top 20. 23 year put up solid offensive #s at A+/AA last season but at this time he's probably well behind OF prospects in Carter, Doolittle, Brown, and Desme. Am sad to see him go because the guy has some nice pop potential.

The other, never heard of him and didn't do much last season in the lower minors.

Quote:

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, Marco Scutaro turned down a more lucrative offer from the A's when he signed with the Red Sox.

Scutaro inked a two-year deal with Boston on Friday that contains $12.5 million in guaranteed money and another $3-6 million in option money for 2012. Oakland offered him "slightly" more, according to Rosenthal's sources, but the 34-year-old shortstop liked the idea of playing in Boston and for a contender.

Surprised the A's would be looking to add another IF piece after signing McPherson and trading for Fox, don't know if this was before, during, or after they traded for Fox Thursday.

Scutaro will always hold a huge part of many A's fans hearts with this many many clutch hits, think during his time here with the A's, he was second only to Big Papi for walk off hits in the bigs.

I don't know where the A's would've played Scutaro if he had signed. Maybe SS if they aren't sold on Pennington who had a solid last few months after taking over for the traded Cabrera. Had the A's signed him they would've had to given up their 2nd rounder since their first rounder is protected being it is in the first half of the 1st round of selections.

Some A's FAs linked to teams.

Duke-COL...makes sense. They'll probably lose Marquis and Duke would add a nice veteran to a potentially stacked rotation of Jimenez, DLR, Cook, Hammel, and a returning Francis. Not to mention their young two studs in Friedrich and Chacin who could be pitching full time in the bigs sometime in 2010.

Crosby-DET...have no idea why he'll interests them. I guess with their financial troubles, they could use a cheap option that Crosby will be as I doubt he'll be getting any big time contracts this offseason. Certainly IMO won't make up for losing Polanco who resigned with his former team PHI.

Kennedy-he's been "linked" to as many as half a dozen teams. With Miles here, doubtful Kennedy stays as a utility IF, not to mention the A's have Patterson still who'll probably fight it out with Miles to be that utility player the A's usually keeps around.


Also Crasnick from ESPN has linked the A's to a team that has some interests in FA SP Lowry. I wouldn't mind that. If healthy and back when he was 2-3 years ago he was a solid middle rotation arm, sort of like how Blanton was for the A's when he was here. A's at this time need a veteran IMO. Anderson-Cahill-Braden-Gio IMO are four locks to make the rotation starting next season. That'll leave the last spot and I'm not sure the A's are willing to give that to Mazzaro who struggled after starting off so well in 09 and him getting hurt and missing the rest of the season didn't help his cause either. Tomko who pitched well in his short stint as a spot starter could be an option IF he's healthy. Very unlikely the A's bring back Duke as he's gonna want a 2-3 year deal probably and the A's would like to get that supp pick for him in the 2010 draft once he does sign with another team this offseason.

Don't know if those who were in AAA for most of last season like an Eveland or even a J.Williams has any future as a big league SP anymore with this org.

Quote:
Jack Cust - OAK

The San Jose Mercury News believes the A's are leaning towards non-tendering Jack Cust prior to the deadline next Saturday.

It seemed like Cust's second-half rebound would save him, but the A's are uncertain he's worth the $4 million or more he'd command in arbitration. It could come down to his willingness to accept less prior to next week's deadline. If he's willing to take something like a 10 percent raise from his $2.8 million salary in 2009, then the A's would be more likely to bring him back.

Source: San Jose Mercury News

Not surprised if the A's do non tender Cust. A lot of "small-mid market" teams are doing that with vets who are entering their ARB years.

Although don't know who the A's would replace Cust's production with. Even if Cust is on a downward spiral as his first three years would indicate, he still is the only projected hitter in the A's 2010 lineup who could hit you 25+ HR/80+ RBIs.

Unless they think Fox who they acquired from the Cubs earlier this week is the next Cust-Durazo-Stairs-Jaha reclamation project, the A's won't have much HR pop in next year's line up without Cust.

C-Suzuki
1B-Barton
2B-Ellis
SS-Pennington
3B-Fox/McPherson
LF-
CF-Davis
RF-Sweeney
DH-

...who knows what will become of Chavez whos in the last year of his 6 year deal he signed back before 05, Hairston is also somebody where there are reports that the A's may not bring him back either. With the news that the A's offered Scutaro a 3 year deal, which was more than what BOS offered, A's fans speculating that along with that possible move and the reports back in recent weeks that the A's asking about KC IF Callaspo, that Pennington at SS maybe not as safe as I thought he'd be after a solid showing the last two months of the season after taking over for Cabrera when he was dealt to MIN at the deadline.

Suzuki I could see being a 10-15 HR, same with Barton and Ellis if they can play a full season which isn't a gimme as they both have had injury problems during their careers especially Ellis in the bigs. Fox/McPherson at 3B if either or both are manning that position, who knows really. Davis isn't gonna give you much pop and Sweeney if he somehow finally develops a power stroke I guess could be a 10-15 HR at best type of bat...that leaves a really gaping hole in terms of a HR hitter in the A's lineup if they don't bring back Cust for 2010, heck even Hairston has shown some pop too.

There was talk last season about Powell who showed an impressive bat in short stints as a possible replacement at DH for Cust although don't know if the A's want an unproven and a player who hasn't shown he could remain consistently healthy to have a role as one of the big bats in 09 for the A's.

Course both Wallace and Carter who I think both project to be 20-30 HR type hitters in the future may arrive sometime in the season but doubtful as rookies they'll be the type of middle of the order bats this lineup could be in desperate need of to start the season if Cust here and the A's don't add a legit veteran "power bat" to replace him.

Arguelles signs with KC.

Basically the one "name" talent that was linked to the A's this offseason doesn't sign and other than a signing like that, this offsesaon i gonna be very uneventful the rest of the way.

Cust is better than Fox.

True, but Cust will cost maybe 3 times the amount that Fox will and most are saying that Cust won't be 3X the player that Fox could be if he got 500 ABs with the A's.

Although I have questions even with that due to him not even being a average at best hitter in the NL and in a very friendly division in terms of venues for hitters.

Him coming to the AL and coliseum, we have seen so many NL hitters struggle when they've been brought over ala a Kotsay, Kendall, Piazza, and just last year with Holliday.

Are we really that cash strapped that we have to rationalize it by cost effectiveness,

Cost should not be an issue with our low payroll in this case. We need to keep the better player in this case.

The only way I could see the A's justifying it is if they somehow add a semi big name to replace Cust.

As we saw last offseason, a lot of good hitters came cheap in terms of the one year deals they signed. Cabrera and Abreu to name just two in the AL West. We already seen the A's be aggressive I guess you could say when they went out of their way to sign Scutaro to a more expensive deal than the one the one he signed with BOS.

If they somehow could find a better hitter for 4-5 million than they would if they paid that amount to bring back Cust, I could see it because Cust even though he did have a good second half, his #s have been at a downward trend.

Course I had hoped the A's would use that "surplus" they had to sign a Arguelles, Sano, or heck even a Mateo one of the best teenage international hitting prospects this past summer who was cut from his 3+ million dollar signing bonus deal by STL due to poor eye sight...but it doesn't look like the A's will be players in any of those youngsters.

Your 2010 A's starting lineup...

Davis-CF
Sweeney-RF
Hairston-LF
Suzuki-C
Fox-DH
Chavez/McPherson-3B/DH
Ellis-2B
Barton-1B
Pennington-SS

If they use the savings to sign someone like Beltre (assuming a reasonable contract) I will be okay with this move. Other than that I'm not too fond of the move.

From the Merc...

Quote:

The A's are expected to meet with the camp for outfielder Marlon Byrd. Byrd, 32, hit .283 with 20 homers and 89 RBI last season for the Texas Rangers.

There is speculation about whether free agent Hideki Matsui might be a match for the A's. Knee problems limited him to DH duty for the New York Yankees in 2009. Matsui, 35, is said to want the chance to play outfield, though it's unknown if his health will allow it.

Interesting about Byrd, I'd take a chance in signing him to be a "vet" OF with some RH pop. Now don't know how he will do once he's out of that hitter friendly park in Arlington but for what I remember of him last season, seems as he killed the A's at every crucial time.

Was last year at age 32, a career year for him and it's all downhill?

Matsui, doubt it. I don't think he'll want to come to small market team that play in front of the smallest crowds in the league like the A's after playing in the "mecca" of baseball NYC with the NYY.

Lets say Cust is non tendered and the A's signed Byrd.

Davis-CF
Sweeney-RF
Byrd-LF
Suzuki-C
Ellis-2B
Barton-1B
Chavez/Fox/McPherson-3B
Chavez/Fox/McPherson-DH
Pennington-SS

...don't know what happens with Hairston? Maybe platoon with Sweeney?

Oh yeah Duke declined ARB so the A's will def get a sandwich pick when he signs with a major league team for a MAJOR LEAGUE contract, which wouldn't be a repeat of the BS a few offseasons ago with Stewart.

That pick after the 1st should be pretty high since a lot of teams didn't offered ARB to players that were eligible.