The A's picked up a 12-4 win in Detroit today to move 3.5 games behind Texas for first place in the AL West, a deficit that could be further cut to three games should the Rangers lose to the Angels tonight. The A's and Rangers still have seven games remaining against each other, so the division race may not be decided until the very last day of the season. Here's some news from around the AL West…
- Angels chairman Dennis Kuhl denied reports that the team is negotiating with the City of Industry about a new ballpark, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Daily News reported that the Angels had been in "preliminary talks" with Industry officials about moving the team after the 2016 season, when the Angels can opt out of their lease at Angel Stadium. In addition to Kuhl, officials from Industry and the proposed building site also denied the report.
- Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine told Bryan Dolgin of ESPNDallas.com that he has been impressed by the "seamless transition" catcher Geovany Soto made after Texas acquired him from the Cubs midseason. Soto is a non-tender candidate heading into the 2012-13 offseason.
- Could the Mariners trade Jesus Montero? Dave Cameron of the U.S.S. Mariner blog thinks the M's should consider the possibility, given that the team has John Jaso and Mike Zunino at catcher and Montero's bat projects as a long-term project, according to Cameron's metrics.
- Remarkably, Athletics starters Dan Straily and A.J. Griffin were selling running shoes around this time last year, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports. The rookie pitchers have helped their team to an 85-64 record and excellent playoff position.
MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post
Who says no- Jesus Montero for Alex Cobb and Sean Rodriguez?
Mariners
I really think there will be no doubt that Montero will be a special hitter, maybe a reunion as Martin does not appear to be the Yanks solution of the future?
Good read on Montero.
Why wouldn’t they move Jesus to 1B and trade Smoak instead? GMs might give up something good for him considering his numbers have to get better not being in Safeco…even though he is just a .240 hitter on the road in his career.
Are you talking about Smoak or Montero? Smoak is Casey Kotchman without the average. His value is found in his glove, which at 1st, doesn’t bode well. Montero still projects.
Regardless of whether or not he pans out, Smoak is NOT Casey Kotchman. Kotchman was never touted as a power bat. Even though Smoak swings and misses a lot, he hits that ball a long way when he makes contact. Smoak was supposed to be a 3/4 hitter with 30 homers for a young Mariners team. Now he’s useless.
I wasn’t talking about how highly touted he once was, I’m talking about his value as an asset right now. Fact is Kotchman has a higher career OPS than Smoak. Justin’s coming on 26 years old with a career .218 BA, .299 OBP, a paltry 44 home runs in over 1200 AB’s, and a career OPS 100 points lower than Eric Hinske. He’s a non-contributor at a premium offensive position on a team that’s starving for run production.