10:56am: The Athletics are also responsible for the $1.35MM buyout on Drew's mutual option for 2013, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
TUESDAY, 7:30am: The Athletics will pay the rest of Drew's 2012 salary, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (on Twitter). Assistant GM David Forst says the A's haven't yet decided whether to pick up their side of Drew's 2013 mutual option. "Let's see how the next six weeks go," Forst told Casey Pratt of CSN Bay Area (on Twitter).
MONDAY: The Diamondbacks have traded Stephen Drew to the Athletics for minor league infielder Sean Jamieson, the team announced (on Twitter).
The Athletics were linked heavily to the 29-year-old Drew at this year's non-waiver trade deadline, but no deal was reached. Drew suffered a massive ankle injury last July that ended his season and cost him the first three months of this year's campaign. Batting just .193/.290/.311, Drew has yet to rediscover his stroke at the plate. That line is remarkably similar to the .191/.260/.304 batting line produced by Oakland shortstops as a whole this season, however. And, as a career .270/.330/.442 hitter entering this season, Drew presents considerably more upside.
It became apparent that Drew would be a trade candidate earlier this season when Diamondbacks managing partner Ken Kendrick openly expressed his disappointment with Drew's lengthy recovery time in the media. Drew has roughly $1.9MM of his $7.75MM salary remaining this season. His contract contains a $10MM mutual option for 2013, though Oakland will presumably opt for the $1.35MM buyout instead.
Jamieson, 23, was Oakland's 17th-round selection in the 2011 draft. The Ontario native is batting .234/.343/.379 in 540 plate appearances for Class-A Burlington this season, appearing almost exclusively at shortstop.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Now they need bullpen help.
A’s seem to have all above-average bullpen arms, but nobody dominant
Why?
Whaddaya mean “why?”
Whywould the dbacks make this trade
I guess it’s so they didn’t have to pay the BO but Jesus…
The $3.25M this move saves them is hardly chump change for a team with a $75M payroll. And unlike the A’s, they have options who are performing better than Drew currently.
If you can get better production, save $3M+ and not have to gamble that a once-star hitter can rediscover his swing… why not?
Plus they get a 23-year-old who may not be hitting much but is still very new to professional ball. If he’s a good defender at short, that’s a solid bonus to add to the farm system.
Why not earlier! Good trade upgrade over what we have now. Lets go Oakland!
It’s good to see ownership commit to adding additional payroll to bring a guy like this to the team. Even if only a few million.
The DBacks had no reason to let him go earlier, at least without getting a better prospect in return.
That came out of no where..nice pick up for a 17 round draft pick.
I love this Trade Drew was useless for my Dbacks anymore
Nice pick up for the A’s.
Crazy how much that injury killed the value. Had to know AZ wasn’t gonna go for his option anyway. At least we avoid the buyout and get “something” in return.
Good job Billy. What’s everyone’s guess on a corresponding roster move?
one of pennington, rosales, or (unlikely) weeks to aaa, and jim miller or someone else who’s roster filler DFA’d
I’d think it would have to be Rosales
small sample size but Rosales has hit the best out of the three. (akin to being the tallest midget, but still).
its weeks, just got an update sent to my phone
gotta wonder if grant green might get called up soon, they said they were going to work him out at second
i’m surprised, but that’s a great move imo.
Good call on Miller. I think you’re right.
Kinda Seems like Oakland got him at a steal doesn’t it?
….You haven’t seen him play since his injury, have you? He actually looked worse than his stats show.
I’d say someone who has the upside to hit .278/.352/.458, as he did in 2010 (his last healthy season), for the price of a 17th-round pick who’s slugging .379 in single-A ball constitutes a steal. The A’s gave up basically nothing to get a guy who could very well put it back together and be a great bat for them in September.
The deal is a good one for the A’s but I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the prospect. He’s old for his level @ 23 because he was drafted as a senior (if I remember) in 2011. But still he shows some pop (25 dbls and 10 hrs), some speed 25/31 SB this year and ability to draw a walk w/ 12% BB rate. If he can become even a decent hitter (.275 bat avg) and can stick at SS then he can be a solid SS for some team, especially if he becomes a better contact hitter and maintains his walk %. Not too many SS with an obp above .340 this year in the majors (5 to be exact).
he really doesnt have to play well to be better than the A’s current shortstop crop.
I like the trade of Stephen Drew To The A’s. Drew is only 29 years old and he need a change of scenery. A’s need a bull-pen guy and they look like a wild card team.
Finally!!! I wish we would have traded him at the deadline. Save 3.3 million for a possible off season signing.
Its about time the Dbacks got rid of him. No way he would have re-signed last year. He probably won’t be back with A’s next year either but maybe he can help them out this year.
So who starts at SS for the Dbacks now?
I would think Bloomquist
Drew was never the Dbacks’ starting shortstop anyway, he stopped starting after his injury. Any starts he made in 2012 were part of the fruitless attempt to build his trade value to hopefully get anything out of the salary dump that has occurred.
Did the A’s have the exclusive trading rights to Drew or did he clear trade waivers?
they put a waiver claim on him
So nobody put a claim on him in the NL. I’m for the Pirates all the way and I’m wondering why they wouldn’t put a claim on him, even if they weren’t going to get him in the end. I’ll take most short-stops over Barmes, including Drew.
he is only hitting .1 something, is coming off an injury and is owed a lot of money for how much time he has left under contract… i heard they put a claim on him, but that was just during the a’s game last night on tv so who knows.
Actually I think he cleared waivers and was therefore eligible to be traded to any team.
Now that makes more sense. I don’t see why the Pirates would pass on him.
well if he cleared waivers that means they did pass on him.
Sorry, I don’t see the upgrade. Drew’s numbers are very similar to both Pennington and Rosales. The A’s aren’t getting 2007 Drew, but a player who is a shell of his former self.
He will also cost an additional $1.35 million next year on the buy-out. It’s possible they buy Drew out and keep him at a much lower and more appropriate salary in 2013 and hope he can find new life in Oaktown. Worth a shot.
“Diamondbacks give Stephen Drew to A’s”
Drew’s numbers are almost identical to Pennington’s. Not saying the A’s didn’t need to upgrade they certainly did but Drew? Also, for all the grief Pennington’s taken Jemile Weeks gets every excuse in the book from A’s fans. Bring up Grant Green in September and let’s see if he can be a better option than the A’s dimunitive 2nd baseman. Until Jemile stops trying to hit home runs he’s gonna struggle.