A's Sign Russ Springer

The As are going to be a tough team this year with Giambi and Matt Holiday(sp)and Eric Chavez and Jack Cust, then add Cabrera who can hit. Russ Springer would be a good sign for the As as well..someone needs to compete with the Anaheim Bell Peppers

If it is really true that Sheets can be locked down for two years and for less than 20 million, then the A's should go after him next. Oakland needs to lock down the rotation with a "real" ace.

If Duke gets pushed back to #2, Gallagher to #3 would make the rotation look a lot better. I know that Oakland has solid, solid, young pitching coming up but, they need more veteran presence.

Does anybody know if Sheets is the mentoring type? It'd be nice to have all the young guys feel free to ask him questions.

I somehow doubt the A's have the flexibility to add the 8 - 10 MM that Sheets would command.

After Duke and Cust's arbi raises the A's will be sitting as is in the mid 50's I believe. Figures of $80 million were being thrown around earlier in the offseason as a possibility, but obviously that has changed some. I see no reason that the A's won't be able to go at least into the mid 60's with their payroll so another $10 million is likely available. That said, the A's won't sign Sheets. They have other priorities at this point, he's probably going to be too expensive, and throwing down 8 figures on an injury prone starting pitcher really isn't the best decision at this point. I expect the A's to sign Springer, Cabrera and probably Mark Mulder. All of those guys should fit in at under $10 million total and would go a long way towards rounding out a very solid offseason for the A's. If Mulder is healthy and can pitch he will fit nicely into the middle of the rotation to go along with a solid bullpen and offense.

springer, cabrera and a vet RH started and i'll be ecstatic. Just hope we don't give up barton for glass legs johnson

If we get Caberea and Springer that will be set.
But i wouldnt mind a pick up of Abreu or even Dunn?
and we do need a veteran starting pitcher

jpshark-

Between Sheets and Cabrera, Sheets is the larger improvement for '09, although Cabrera would probably be the bigger improvement for 2010, especially if Eveland, Braden, and Outman are all forced out of the rotation in 2010 like they should be.

After the 2009 season, Duke is a free agent, so he will probably walk, as will Holliday. That will net the A's 3-4 draft picks (depending on Duke's health). So hopefully we get at least one in the first round (Giants, if you sign Holliday, make sure your pick actually is unprotected, same for other teams). Hopefully BB can rack up a blue chip SS spect with these guys.

Let's assume both come on 2 year deals of about 20MM or less (or 1 year with an option), so payroll isn't the big issue.

Face it, BB has NOTHING in the SS department laying in the wings. Coleman/Christian/Leyja are slated for 2011, but even they are fringe prospects until they show some establishment in the minors. Cardenas is a 3B/2B, not a SS, although I could see him at SS for a year --- 2010---(he'd probably butcher the position defensively) as a stopgap and then moved somewhere else. So, you can assume that SS will be at replacement level for the 2010 season unless someone else is signed and/or a trade is consummated.

Where's the love for Eveland Rex?

He was good after he came back from the minors. All he had to do was not put the ball over his head in his delivery. After that he was pretty solid. I expect a big year from him.

I really like the Springer signing. Good veteran leadership in the bullpen for the young guys.

Good signing. I do think that the A's could use O. Cabrera, but it also seems like they could use a veteran presence in the rotation. If they're really tight on $, I would almost think a pitcher would be more important. Couldn't Patterson cover at SS if Crosby continues to flounder?

"Where's the love for Eveland Rex?

He was good after he came back from the minors. All he had to do was not put the ball over his head in his delivery. After that he was pretty solid. I expect a big year from him."

I agree that the delivery change really helped. He'll be a huge asset in 2009, and maybe 2010 (either as a pitcher or a trade chip).

I'm not saying Eveland is bad. He doesn't have the ceiling of a frontline starter though. The Coliseum will really, really help him and continue to. BOR starters are valuable, and IMO, Dana's ceiling is that of a solid #4 starter who will give you innings at league average. And in this game, that is very valuable.

I'm saying that if enough of Anderson, Cahill, Mazarro, Simmons, Gallagher, and Gio outpitch Eveland, which is a very strong possibility, he could lose his rotation spot simply because the A's have better options for the rotation and be traded. All six of those guys have higher ceilings than Eveland.

I'm more psyched about Gallagher than Eveland though. All of Gallagher's Oakland tenure was plagued by that injury which he tried to pitch through (hello Oakland medical staff, lolz); his numbers with the Cubs show a TON of potential and a very solid season to boot.

"All of those guys have a higher ceiling than Eveland and you didn't even include Inoa. I do think that he'll be better than most people project, but he needs some run support. "

I didn't include Inoa because his ETA is so variable at this time.

And agreed on the run support. It should build confidence when you don't have to pitch a shutout to give the team a chance to win. Giambi and Holliday will have a few swings of encouragement for those pitchers though. And hopefully a few others chime in.

Andrew Brown released?

Are his shoulder issues really THAT bad and irreparable?

I assume he takes a minor league deal with the A's though.

A's fans everywhere would like to thank John Mozeliak and the St. Louis Cardinals for the keeping of the second round draft pick.