Athletics GM Billy Beane and manager Bob Melvin met with reporters today to discuss Oakland’s remarkable 2012 season and look ahead toward the club’s offseason plans. Here are some highlights (all links go to Twitter):
- Melvin suggested the A’s are ready to discuss a new contract with Jonny Gomes, saying his situation is “a work in progress,” Jane Lee of MLB.com reports. Gomes' one-year, $1MM contract expires following the World Series, but it sounds as though the Bay Area native could return for another year.
- Beane said he likes this team and wants it back in 2013, Lee reports. The A’s are interested in retaining potential free agents like Gomes and Brandon McCarthy if possible.
- Beane hinted that the A’s will exercise Grant Balfour’s contract option, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. "Some things are no-brainers," Beane said. Balfour's contract includes a $4.5MM club option for 2013 with a $350K buyout.
- Beane said he would be "absolutely baffled" if Melvin isn't named the AL Manager of the Year, Lee reports.
Still can’t believe the A’s season is over. Out of all the teams left in the playoffs, I seriously thought the A’s had destiny on their side and they would walk off all the way to a ring, but that’s Baseball.
At this point in the season all the teams out here have solid squads. At this point in the season the better teams advance.
If both sides of the staffs had equal zones, this conversation would not be happening. The Tigers are NOT a better team.
When every series goes to 5, you’re talking one deciding game, which means a massive crapshoot.
Also the eliminated teams won 93, 94, 93, 94, 97, and 98 games respectively, while the teams still in the playoffs have won 94, 95, 88, and 88 games.
SCORE
I can see McCarthy coming back, as well as Gomes (although this is a meh move)
Inge and Colon are no doubt not coming back, unless Inge is willing to take a minor league contract or something.
Crazy that the A’s only have 4 players who aren’t under contract after this year and another 2 (Balfour, Drew) that have options which they’re probably going to pick up.
Really hope Drew picks up his end of the option, if not, I’d like to see the A’s make a run at Asdrubal, since they have the pitching depth as well as the outfield depth to make a trade. I know that’s at the high end of the spectrum of possible moves, but is in the realm of possibilities. I also don’t see the A’s being the highest bidder on Drew if he doesn’t excersize his end of the option.
I think Inge comes back. I don’t see any teams out there willing to give him a deal that would guarantee him a starting gig, and with Donaldson (hit well the last couple months of the season, but doesn’t have much of a track record) and Sizemore (who has to prove he can be fully healthy come spring training as well as build upon his strong 2011 with the A’s) not a sure thing, it would make sense for Inge to sign a minor league deal for depth and experience. Inge loved Oakland, and I imagine he’ll deeply consider re-signing with them. As for Drew, I don’t think the A’s will pick up his option. As good as Drew was when he first came up as well as with his short time with the A’s, injuries have hurt him a lot (no pun intended) the last few years and hasn’t been fully healthy in a long time. Though with that being said, I could definitely see Drew resign with the A’s on a lesser 1 year deal to build value. If Drew can restore his health and have a strong 2013, than he could be in for a big deal the following offseason.
He’s less likely to get the starting gig in Oakland than he is somewhere else since it would take both Sizemore and Donaldson failing to open up the starting 3B job for him (unless Sizemore is moved to 2B). He could probably get closer to a starting 3B job elsewhere.
Also the A’s should absolutely pick Drew’s option up. Of course, it probably makes the most sense for Drew to decline his half and sign a 1 year deal in a hitters’ park to build up those offensive numbers, but there’s really not a better SS option for the A’s barring a major trade of some kind.
Still think that 10m Drew is owed could be better spent elsewhere. Aviles would make mores sense and Drew probably realizes his market is not out there also after his injury marred previous 2 seasons, even Boras would realize that.
Oakland needs another table setter to accompany Crisp. That 10m could go a long way towards accomplishing that goal should Oakland/Boras void one end of that option.
Where should they add that tablesetter? I don’t see how the A’s can really upgrade over the platoons at 1B and DH without overpaying in years for a guy like Napoli or Youkilis.
They need to pick up a cheap one year deal catcher so Norris can start in AAA and make a few small signings to bolster the pitching staff.
SS is the absolute biggest hole the A’s need to fix, and I’d rather pick up Drew’s option than give up prospects for an Aviles or Lowrie. Also Drew’s bat picked up as the season progressed. And defense is doubly important for the A’s considering how pitch-to-contact heavy their staff is.
Let Donaldson and Sizemore handle 3B/2B, with Weeks and Green in AAA.
Not sold on the idea that Youk is going to be expensive at all next year and wasn’t even going to mention him, but that is not a bad idea either. he can probably be had at half his 10m 2012 salary. His power of course will take a severe hit at Oakland, but his leadership skills and tremendous defense at 1b, ability to fill in at 3b should the need arise would be nice.
My thoughts on an additional tablesetter is at SS, maybe where neither Weeks, nor Pennington impress me. Scutaro.. Maybe 4-5m max if he isn’t totally in love with SF by now and is open to returning to Oakland.
Mentioned Aviles mostly because he is not expensive and you get the same bat and glove as Drew. Just trying to save money at a position where they can afford an upgrade elsewhere that they need it more.
Oakland def. needs to keep this team together. I was rooting for them and glad to see a small market club have a great season.
Their season and story this season was beyond remarkable, but I have a feeling that this team overachieved, and really wouldn’t be surprised if they regressed next season to a team around the .500 mark. There is a lot of youth, and still are a work in progress with enough talent to make them a solid team in a couple years time. It would be a welcomed sight to see this team and Seattle battling it out for the title, heck throw in Houston as well…
Beane is going to be baffled then, because hands down its Buck Showalter that deserves AL Manager of the year, considering how well the Orioles did playing in the AL East division
The Rangers and Angels were just as tough as any team in the AL East and the Mariners weren’t on a bad level like the Red Sox….so the “AL East” argument is invalid.
Melvin will win it. He did more with less.
The AL West had a better combined record than the AL East, both overall and head-to-head. The A’s don’t have the luxury of playing the Red Sox and Toronto so often, although they’ll finally have some fodder when the Astros switch over.
Melvin did a good job but Shoewalter wins the award
I believe manager of the year should be a tie. They both deserve it.
On Manager of the Year, people may make a strong case for Buck Showalter, but the A’s did end up winning a division in which they were expected to finish third, with the Rangers and Angels being the playoff teams. That the A’s won the division may well be what puts Bob Melvin over the top…although I won’t complain if Showalter wins Manager of the Year.
Keeping the core A’s together long-term is a no-brainer, as they had the smallest payroll in the American League (only the San Diego Padres, whose prior owner had gone through a messy divorce, had a lower payroll).
Showalter or melvin.. I wouldn’t give either an advantage now since (unfortunately) both got eliminated prematurely from the PO.
No telling how the voting will go and judging how bad it has been of late, as in GG awards.. Some bone head writers will vote for Girardi simply because he is the NYY manager and “handled” Rodriquez by benching him yesterday.
I don’t see how Girardi wins this year. That is expected in New York (although the job he did in his one season with the Marlins was unexpected). I think it’s between Melvin and Showalter…but the voting is done on the basis of the regular season.
Except the voting took place before the playoffs.