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Athletics Notes: Fuentes, Jackson, San Jose

On this day in 1931, the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League traded catcher Ernie Lombardi to the Brooklyn Robins (who later became the Dodgers).  Lombardi, an Oakland native, only played one season in Brooklyn, but he went on to enjoy a Hall of Fame career spent mostly with Cincinnati.

Here are some news items about the modern-day Oakland nine...

• Brian Fuentes' now-finalized two-year contract is worth a guaranteed $10.5MM with a $6.5MM club option for 2013, reports The Associated Press.  Fuentes will earn $5MM in both 2011 and 2012 and be paid a $500K buyout if the option isn't picked up.  The left-hander can also earn escalating six-figure bonuses relating to games finished and will be paid $200K if he's traded at any point during the life of the contract.
• In spite of the games-finished bonuses, Fuentes says he has no problem serving as a set-up man for incumbent A's closer Andrew Bailey, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.  "I was told he's the closer," Fuentes said. "There is no competition in my mind."
• Slusser also has details on the plate-appearance bonuses in Conor Jackson's new Oakland contract.  The A's avoided arbitration with Jackson on Tuesday.
• Slusser hears from assistant GM David Forst that the club might be in the market for a backup infielder, though the Athletics want to keep Steve Tolleson, who was designated for assignment today.
• Major League Baseball needs to faciliate the Athletics' desired move from Oakland to San Jose for both the sake of the franchise and the league as a whole, argues Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.   

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