A's To Talk Contract With Giambi Soon

Wow, I didn't even realize he was already that old.

"Two years with an option sounds good to me. The A's need guys who drive in runs, now if we can just send Crosby to the Astros for Tejada and somehow get Huddy back from the Braves."

You know Huddy's injured, right?

The Astros really really need to cut salary, am I right? Both Crosby and Tejada are in the last years of their deals, but Crosby makes less than half of what Tejada makes. If the A's tossed in say, Casilla, it could be a beneficial deal for both sides. The Astros have a warm body at SS and a reliever who's under team control for the next 4 years along with about 8MM in salary relief.

Remember, Tejada sucks, but he's better than Crosby. Although, this probably might not be a good idea for either side. Really, the more I think about it, it isn't. Blech. I think the A's are just going to have to release Crosby, or live with him at SS for one more year.

dont you wish it was that easy Thez316. But i dont know if anyone should try and get tejada..isnt the FBI back on his trail?

I was joking about Huddy, and I figured since the A's can't give away crosby and the Astros don't want Tejada maybe something can happen, but yeah I realize he's in trouble with the feds.
How about the A's sign Abrue and move him to first base, dump Cust, then sign Thome to a one year incentive contract. Abrue, Holliday, Thome as your 3,4,5 hitters will score some runs.
Then sign Mulder (i'm joking again)

"How about the A's sign Abrue and move him to first base, dump Cust, then sign Thome to a one year incentive contract. Abrue, Holliday, Thome as your 3,4,5 hitters will score some runs."
Thez316, Cust was the A's most valuable offensive asset last year, no contest. Why would they possibly want to dump him? He put up better stats than Giambi, is cheaper, and younger...

"How about the A's sign Abrue and move him to first base, dump Cust, then sign Thome to a one year incentive contract. Abrue, Holliday, Thome as your 3,4,5 hitters will score some runs."

I would love to see what would happen if you posted that exact quote at AN

Glad to see him go will miss the mustache. Giambi leaves and abreu leaves. Should be a great year. We turned those two contracts into cc's and aj's salary good job cashman. And we have money avaible from pavanos contract also nooses contract.

"Thez316, Cust was the A's most valuable offensive asset last year, no contest"

Jack Cust led the AL in strikeouts by a margin of 31, and hit .231. CROSBY hit better than that. Jack Cust is NOT the a's most valuable offensive asset and he should be dumped. Because he blows. And Giambi had basically the same OBP as Cust last year.

Giambi's going to be either an expensive pinch hitter or the A's will lose just as many runs on defense as they'll gain by adding his bat if Cust or Giambi have to play the field. Bad move Beane. Go grab a more versatile player for the bench like Wiggington or Hinske.

jmA'sfan:

C'mon... Cust was easily the A's best offensive player the last two seasons. He makes less outs at the plate than anyone else on the team, or in other words the A's have the highest chance of making something happen at the plate with Cust than anyone else.

He got zero to hit last year and still had a solid season. Let's see how he hits with Holliday and maybe Giambi around him instead of Crosby and Emil Brown.

jclay- Mark Reynolds isn't a high OBP guy, so I might've screwed up that lumping. But he's still better than his BA. And his defense isn't good. But my point still stands.

"Giambi's going to be either an expensive pinch hitter or the A's will lose just as many runs on defense as they'll gain by adding his bat if Cust or Giambi have to play the field. Bad move Beane. Go grab a more versatile player for the bench like Wiggington or Hinske."

I agree.

Too bad the Mariners got Branyan; he would've been perfect for the A's. I don't like that new M's GM. If Wiggington comes on a 1 year deal, I really like him for the A's. Start him at the bench (or 1B if Barton struggles), and when Chavez gets hurt, send him to start at 3B.

"Just to throw his name out there how about Garrett Anderson dhing for the A's."

No. Just no. Our rivals take our trash, not the other way around (see: Zito, Barry). Buck/Cunningham can probably provide most of Anderson's offense, AND play decent defense, AND make league min. No thanks.

I never said he blows, I just feel the A's need more than Holliday. As for me not knowing anything about baseball F you! I've been following the game for 35 years and the whole time I've been a diehard a's fan. If Cust averaged 6 to 7 runs created a game how come they only scored 2 to 3 runs a game last year?, BECAUSE HE STRUCK OUT WITH RUNNERS IN SCORING POSITION ALL THE TIME!!!
Look I like the guy, he seems like a good teammate I just believe they need more guys who drive in runs than they need guys who get walks. Runs batted in are better than men left on base, if the A's keep Cust at DH than fine I hope he protects Holliday and Chavez comes back healthy, no matter what I'm still rooting for the A's.
By the way I'm posting here because it's a free country A hole!!!!

Thez, perhaps you've been following the A's for 35 years, but its obvious that some of the information you're hearing is not registering correctly.

Runs created is not a literal statistic - it doesn't mean Jack Cust contributed to 6 or 7 runs per game last year, because that would be otherworldly.

The actual formula for evaluating runs created is extremely long and complicated, and would be very difficult to post here. Suffice to say its somewhat similar to OPS and Win Shares in evaluating a players' worth to his team.

Jack Cust's worth to the A's last year was more than any player on the team, and will probably be 2nd this year next to only Holliday.

Yeah look at all the walks and home runs. And look at the small amount of RBI's and Runs produced by both of them. Giambi didn't hit 100 RBI's in the Yankees lineup what do you think he would do when he doesn't have 4 career .400 OBP guys in front of him anymore, all of which have good speed (Damon, Jeter, Abreu Arod). When Giambi and Cust do get on all they do is clog the base paths because they are possibly some of the slowest runners in baseball, and not only slow, but also horrible base runners.

A's fans this is not the Giambi of old, he can't take the juice anymore and he will drive you insane. Trust me, you will be cursing at the TV when Cust K's 3 and they throw the lefty shift on Giambi every time he is up and they give him everything on the left side of the field (even the left fielder plays center field virtually). And what will he do when they give him half the field, yep he will ground out to right field 3 times a game. And yes I said that right, Giambi does ground out to right field, about a 100 times a season.

Wait... Batting average and RBI are not the best way to measure the value of an offensive player? But that is how they make the all-star team! I'm so confused!!

What's OPS?

Cust blows!

I would have to agree with Thez316. He by all means knows his baseball. I have debated with him more than a few times. It's quite simple, Cust is nothing more than a Dave Kingman with out power. If in which he is the A's "best hitter" The A's will be in for a long season unless they make some serious moves ...and quick. It's a shame they have a owner that is trying to sabo the team and get them out of Oakland ASAP. Beane imo, is a genius and should have full control of the money and power to say ye or ne. My take is if the Red Sox sign Tex, the A's should look into Lowell, lets face it Chavy is done and has been. Make a trade that will bring Bucholtz,Anderson and maybe a player to be named later for Duch. Sign shrek "abreu" short term, and maybe drop some cash on Pat Burrell. I mean what have Oaklands OF done for them lately? Or even if the FO had any chinga's they would sign Manny and put some butts in the seats. Oakland ...spend the money, I know you have it.