Email a copy of 'Offseason Outlook: Oakland Athletics' to a friend
Loading ...
By Ben Nicholson-Smith | at
Email a copy of 'Offseason Outlook: Oakland Athletics' to a friend
MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com
hide arrows scroll to top
Jonny Dollar
Johnny Gomes has earned the right for a full year somewhere starting. I really hope he gets it and I have felt he should start for a long time. Still wishing the Cubs would have went harder after Yoenis……….
The Inscriber
Gomes can’t start because he doesn’t hit right handed pitching
Murderers' Row Boat
If Cespedes keeps progressing you’d think by 2014 or 2015 he’d be traded for prospects, because that will be a monster free agent contract.
Frankvego
doubt he is going anywhere. I see a contract extension coming
Ben Brown
Not likely. The main reason Oakland was able to sign him in the first place is they went four years….so Cespedes would conceivably hit free agency at 30 and be in line for a huge multiyear contract. He has no reason to sell himself short following a very successful year.
withpower
Does he become a free agent when the four year contract expires or is still beholden to the 6 years of service time rule?
Snoochies8
he becomes a free agent, no arbitration
Matt B.
No way the A’s extend cespedes, Ben brown is right, he only came here because we gave him top money for less years. He’s looking for that big payday, and given the way he’s played so far, he’ll likely deserve it. No way we give somebody 18+ million a year, but that’s what he’ll be asking if he produces over the next 3 years.
DerekJeterDan
If Eric Chavez doesn’t retire, Oakland should consider bringing him in at third. He wouldn’t require a big contract at all, he isn’t always healthy so you can still try young guys at the position if he gets hurt, he would bring some early excitement to fans going to the stadium, and he proved with the Yankees this year that he can get his hits when used effectively. I think Oakland would benefit having Chavez back. (.281 Avg with 16 Homers)
stl_cards16
I like Eric Chavez and all but I don’t think he’s the type of player that “would bring fans back to the stadium”.
DerekJeterDan
I don’t mean it as fans by the boatload I just mean it would give fans excitement on their way to the stadium that they’re getting the chance to see Chavez back. They can promote his return and everything. His brother still works in the A’s organization. Oakland has a need and Chavy would fit.
Iconoclast17
Forget Chavez. He essentially stole money from the A’s for years and last season he dissed the team. Stay in NY Eric.
Frankvego
No need for him. Donaldson/ Sizemore platoon at 3b and 1b is crowded as well. Where would he play?
DerekJeterDan
The article written above says the A’s could consider going outside the Organization for another option at third base. This year they filled that role with Brandon Inge, having someone like Chavez come in would be even better. Sizemore also figures to get time at second base.
Over the course of a 162 game season, you always need depth. Sizemore was just injured all year you shouldn’t 100 percent rely on him. Explore all possibilities. Chavez is a sound option (.845 OPS) for Oakland.
Snoochies8
The A’s have Donaldson/Sizemore, and if he plays himself up, Grant Green to man 3B, it’d have to a fairly big upgrade for them to go outside of the organization
@CaliforniaJag
Yep, I think Donaldson will be just fine.
Iconoclast17
Agree.
I think Crisp is on the block and that might help bring in a major league SS.
Iconoclast17
You have two posts calling for Chavez? No dice. They A’s have gotten along just fine without the always-injured Eric.
Matt B.
You don’t platoon guys that bat from the same side of the plate…
letsgogiants
I don’t see Chavez returning. In fact, he criticized Oakland this year for celebrating too much after hitting home runs and he wasn’t pleased when the A’s booed him this year at the Coliseum. As for the fans, I think there would be mixed results if he did come back. True he was one of the top players for the A’s in the early 2000’s in what was one of their best stretches in team history, but after he signed the big contract with the A’s after the 2004 season, he was a disappointment as he only had one stellar year after signing it, followed by a bunch of injury plagued years that derailed his career. His lack of playing time between 2007-10 was one of the reasons why the A’s didn’t contend during that time, as they lacked the big bat in the middle of their lineup that would have helped their strong pitching staff. As for Chavey, I’m sure he wouldn’t want to go from hitting in one of the hitter friendly ballparks in Yankee Stadium to one of the worst in Oakland.
JaysGLawrie
I think you may have linked the wrong Chris Young
stl_cards16
Carpenter would be an interesting fit for the A’s. Only problem is both teams basically have the same strengths. I guess a little more pitching depth never hurts.
Bryce a
Cards have no other current backup for Freese at 3rd. Plus Carp has proved to be a valuable player who can hit for average and play multiple positions. Cards would have to be blown away to trade him now unless part of a package for a top notch ss.
Joeypower
Sure put colon as arbitration too
Chris Smallwood
Eduardo Nunez and adam Warren for Reddick??? Nunez could fix their SS issues. Nunez is good defensively if he STAYS at one position and doesnt get moved all over the place. and he has a decent bat. it could fix oaklands SS issue and fix the yankees RF issue especially since the yankees are thinking on using gardner as a 4th OF if they bring back Ichiro.
@CaliforniaJag
That trade favors the Yankees by a ridiculously wide margin
Snoochies8
That MAYBE gets you Smith…maybe
corey23
The A’s just got rid of a defensive SS that couldn’t hit, what makes you think we want another one of those?
not_brooks
Nuñez put up a .679 OPS in almost 3000 minor league plate appearances.
He’s a glove man, and that’s it.
T James Maloney
Defensive SS? Glove man? Nunez was demoted to the minors last year because he was struggling so much in the field. Part of that was because he was asked to split time between SS and 3B, a position he was never comfortable at, and the errors seemed to get in his head. But he wasn’t a defensive wiz in the minors either.
The hope in the Yankees org is that his defense improves because he has all the tools to be good, and he also has the tools to develop into a decent hitter for the position. Add to that elite level baserunning and he has the makings of a nice young player.
It’s tough for him because he’s at an age where he should get a chance to be an everyday MLB player, but that isn’t going to happen in New York. He’d do well by a change of scenery, but probably to a non-contending NL team that could give him a few years to develop. Pittsburgh seems like a good fit to me.
Snoochies8
The A’s are fairly set because Grant Green is also in the mix for 2B and 3B, and Scott Sizemore could also man 3B if Josh Donaldson doesn’t carry over from the 2012 2nd half. Basically, if they don’t get an upgrade for someone of David Wright or Chase Headley’s caliber for third, they shouldn’t make a deal because of the depth they have there and the high upside depth with Green and Donaldson.
As for Josh Rutledge….no thank you! no pitch recognition and the power is probably very helped out by the fact he’s been playing in mostly hitter friendly leagues/ballparks (even in low-A) and Coors, pass on him. Asdrubal, I could see Beane going for, Jose Reyes would be awesome if Miami was willing to pick up a bunch of the tab. The #1 target though is obviously Drew since he won’t be signed for a long time (over 3 years) , won’t cost players/prospects, and he blended well with the team while producing well, as well as making it so that there’s no need to rush Russell, who should start the season in Low-A and perform himself out of there.
The pitching is pretty set IMO, with Peacock pretty much ready, Gray not too far behind, Blackley as an emergency starter, and now with Colon, Straily and Griffin will be the ones vying for the 5 spot. Maybe sign a couple starters to minor league contracts.
I think Moss makes Smith expendable since he is pretty much Smith with the ability to play 1st base, and Seth could be interesting on the trade market
@CaliforniaJag
Ben, I think you are underrating Josh Donaldson. He was not only outstanding defensively 14.5 UZR/150, 9.2 RngR), but was a different player with the bat following his recall from the minors in August. From the date of his recall to the end of the season he hit .290/.356/.489 with 11 2B and 8 HR in 176 AB.
We don’t know how much of those numbers are statistical noise and how much of them are talent, but I don’t see any reason Donaldson hasn’t proven himself good enough to have earned the starting job going into 2013. As an A’s fan, I’m not worried at all about third base.
Ben Brown
I have to admit he was fun to watch at the hot corner….made me forget he was a catcher. The guy is simply a gamer.
Snoochies8
Loved Slusser’s quote about having a catcher playing third, an outfielder playing 1st, a 1st baseman pitching, and a shortstop playing second
melonis_rex
And three center fielders! (Or three guys who can play CF).
drumzalicious
The Braves could be a suitor for Crisp. He fits their need for a CF/lead-off hitter.
burnboll
I think Beane will either look to convert a player from another position into SS, or possibly go to Japan, just out of the box. The SS market isn’t exactly booming, and looks to be overpriced.
Brendan Purcell
“Beane maintains that he’s not looking to make a trade.”
Lol you got Beaned.
tigersfan27
detroit should bring in brandon inge as a bench bat on a minor league contract if oakland doesnt want him back.
Mystery Man
So who is Chris Young because this site links to a NY Mets pitcher and when I search ESPN I also get the same results. How does a guy that gets paid 10.2 MM not have a player page?
Or has he been a pitcher the last 5 years and all of a sudden will be an outfielder?
Fishman27
Beane starts moneyball all over again:
Cepspedes and cook for Ruf colvin may valle and greene