Two Teams Have “Viable” Interest In Iwakuma
MONDAY: Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Athletics are "lukewarm" on Iwakuma, but there are two teams with "viable" interest in the right-hander. Oakland is not one of them, however.
SUNDAY: There are four teams talking to free agent Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, according to Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter). The Athletics, who won the bidding on Iwakuma last winter but couldn't work out a contract, are one of the four, says Stiglich.
The Rakuten Golden Eagles posted Iwakuma a year ago, but ultimately re-signed him after the righty was unable to agree to a deal with the A's. Oakland bid about $19.1MM for the right to exclusively negotiate with Iwakuma, but were reluctant to commit the type of salary the pitcher was seeking on top of the posting fee.
Iwakuma has now reached free agency, so the Sosnick-Cobbe client can sign a contract with any MLB club. Besides the A's, the Twins may be one of the four clubs involved. They placed second in the Iwakuma bidding last year, and were said to have him on their radar last month. Perhaps the Orioles are in as well — Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun wrote this week that Dan Duquette is "exceptionally well-versed in international players," and the O's have targeted arms such as Tsuyoshi Wada and Wei-Yin Chin since the new GM's arrival.
Athletics Could Soon Receive Permission For Move
The Athletics will be granted permission to move to San Jose by February, top Major League sources tell Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). A's GM Billy Beane declined comment on the report according to Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter). However, Nightengale tweets that the A's have received private assurances from MLB about the impending approval but cannot speak about it publicly.
The A's have been said to be basing their spending decisions on the fate of the new stadium. Getting a new ballpark would signal the club to go into an all-out rebuilding mode in order to field a competitive team for the new space. If the A's didn't feel that they could get the new stadium that they seek, they likely would have increased spending in the short-term in order to make the franchise more attractive to a prospective owner.
Yesterday, Beane admitted that the club's recent moves were made with an eye on a brand new ballpark being in their future. The club's recent trades involving Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez give the A's a fresh stock of prospects that should be able to help them win a few years down the road.
The Athletics will have to pay the Giants for territorial rights if they move to San Jose, but that amount has yet to be determined, Nightengale tweets.
AL West Links: Athletics, Suzuki, Trumbo, Mariners
Five years ago today, the Rangers traded John Danks, Nick Masset, and Jacob Rasner for the White Sox for Brandon McCarthy and David Paisano. Danks developed into a rock solid starter for Chicago (and recently agreed to a big extension), but McCarthy battled injuries and pitched to a 4.68 ERA during his four years with Texas. Here's the latest from the AL West…
- In today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney says the Athletics never got into deep talks with the Reds about Gio Gonzalez, but they would not have traded the lefty for the four-player package Cincinnati gave up for Mat Latos.
- Within the same piece, Olney wonders if the Athletics will eventually trade Kurt Suzuki after acquiring Derek Norris in the Gonzalez trade. Suzuki is under contract through 2013 for a total of $11.45MM, plus the team holds an $8.5MM club option for 2014. The 28-year-old backstop hit just .237/.301/.385 in 2011, though he's started at least 120 games behind the plate in each of the last four seasons.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports suggests that the Angels trade Mark Trumbo this offseason while his value is high (all Twitter links). Enough teams need a power bat that there will be a market for him, and Morosi speculates about a fit between the Halos and Indians. He notes that the Angels are looking for bullpen help, and the Tribe have some arms to spare.
- Some Athletics people were hoping the Rangers didn't win the bidding for Yu Darvish because they felt Texas could offer more for Gonzalez than what they got from the Nationals according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times hears that the Mariners will declare a $6.75MM operating loss in 2011, the second largest of the Safeco Field era behind 2008 (Twitter link). Baker says the team has past surplus revenue to cover the loss.
Beane On Stadium, Payroll, Draft, Trades, Free Agents
Athletics GM Billy Beane spoke to reporters after the Gio Gonzalez trade was made official earlier today. Here's a recap of the news…
- "We’re putting a team together as if we’re going to have a new stadium," said Beane according to MLB.com's Jane Lee (on Twitter). "I don’t think we have any other choice."
- Beane said that payroll will be reduced from last season because they're going to devote more money to the draft given all their high picks next year, says Joe Stiglich of The Bay Area News (Twitter links). Oakland currently holds the 11th, 34th, 45th, 54th, and 67th overall picks in 2012.
- Trade and free agent talks continue according Lee and Stiglich (Twitter links). The duo say it's safe to assume that Andrew Bailey is among those being discussed, and the A's are likely seeking outfielders.
Athletics Designate Jai Miller For Assignment
The Athletics have designated Jai Miller for assignment according to a team press release. This move and the earlier Landon Powell move get Oakland's 40-man roster back down to 40 players following the Gio Gonzalez trade.
Miller, 27 in January, hit .276/.368/.588 with 32 homers and 16 steals in 475 plate appearances for the Athletics' Triple-A affiliate this season. He's a .235/.288/.368 career hitter in 73 big league plate appearances spread across the last four years. Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle says (on Twitter) that Miller had mentioned as an outfield candidate next year, so the team must be hoping he clears waivers.
Athletics Designate Landon Powell For Assignment
The Athletics have designated catcher Landon Powell for assignment, reports Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter links). Oakland currently has 41 players on their 40-man roster following the Gio Gonzalez trade, so they still must make another roster move.
"Not fun to find out two days before Christmas," said Powell, who told Slusser he hopes to get picked up by another team or traded. The 29-year-old backstop is a .207/.284/.328 career hitter in 406 big league plate appearances. He has thrown out 29 of 73 attempted basestealers during his career, a stellar 39.7%.
Reaction To The Gio Gonzalez Trade
The Nationals were the winners of the Gio Gonzalez sweepstakes, acquiring the left-hander from the A's today for a package of four well-regarded prospects: A.J. Cole, Tom Milone, Derek Norris and Brad Peacock. Here's a look at some of the reaction and analysis of this blockbuster trade…
- The Nats didn't want to give up both Peacock and Milone but eventually acquiesced, reports Amanda Comak of the Washington Times. Comak points out that the Nats have found themselves with a left-handed starter who is younger and less expensive than their first target this offseason, Mark Buehrle.
- Washington's recent strong drafts gave the team enough prospect depth to make this deal possible, notes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The Nationals "improved their rotation to the point where they may be a contender," Heyman writes.
- "I don’t know how Oakland could have done better,” a scout tells Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. “They got the right set of names….Quality and depth.”
- A rival evaluator tells ESPN's Buster Olney (via Twitter) that Peacock reminds him of former Twins starter Brad Radke. "I'm not sure that in two years, Peacock will [be] better than Gio," the evaluator said.
- The A's have made two "brilliant hauls" in their trades of Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill, opines MLB.com's Tom Singer (Twitter link). The A's received Jarrod Parker, Collin Cowgill and Ryan Cook from the Diamondbacks in exchange for Cahill and Craig Breslow two weeks ago.
- ESPN's Keith Law (Insider subscription required) is not overly impressed with Gonzalez, believing his success to have been at least in part due to the pitcher-friendly Oakland ballpark and the Athletics' defense. It seems as if Law considers the trade a win for the A's, calling their return haul "a substantial reward" and praising Cole as the new top prospect in Oakland's system.
Nationals To Acquire Gio Gonzalez
The Athletics will trade Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals in a deal that further depletes Oakland's pitching staff and adds to Washington's potentially dominant rotation. The deal sends Gonzalez and minor league right-hander Robert Gilliam to Washington in exchange for four highly-regarded young players, including three of the Nationals' top ten prospects: right-handers A.J. Cole and Brad Peacock, left-hander Tom Milone and catcher Derek Norris. ESPN.com's Keith Law broke the news on Twitter, with Scott Miller of CBSSports.com reporting Gilliam's inclusion in the deal.
Gonzalez (pictured) will join Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann atop an impressive-looking Nationals' rotation that also figures to include Chien-Ming Wang and John Lannan. Gonzalez, 26, is under team control through 2015. He has reached the 200-inning plateau in each of the past two seasons without posting an ERA above 3.23.
However, no MLB pitcher has walked more opponents than Gonzalez in the past two seasons and he's about to get expensive through arbitration (projected 2012 salary of $4.2MM). While most teams –the Nationals included — can stomach a $4.2MM salary for an established, young left-handed starter, the A's haven't resolved their stadium situation and operate under a more limited payroll.
Without Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill, two of the 40 MLB pitchers to throw 200 innings this past season, Oakland's rotation will look considerably different in 2012. Brandon McCarthy, Guillermo Moscoso, Brett Anderson, Dallas Braden, Tyson Ross and Josh Outman are possible starters for the A's, who entered the offseason with a deeper rotation than most.
Gilliam, 24, was an eighth-round draft pick for the A's in the 2009 draft. The right-hander has a 4.55 ERA, a 3.07 K/BB ratio and has 270 strikeouts in 287 innings of pro ball, with his highest level of advancement being Class A Stockton last season.
Peacock (#3), Cole (#4) and Norris (#9) all rank among the Nationals' top ten prospects, according to Baseball America's latest rankings. Peacock emerged as "one of the most exciting power arms in the high minors" this year, BA reports. The 23-year-old posted a 2.39 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in the upper minors before getting called up to the Nationals and appearing in three games.
Cole posted a 4.04 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 89 innings at Class A this past season. The 2010 fourth rounder is just 19 years old and stands 6'4". Milone, 24, made his MLB debut this past season, posting a 3.81 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 in five starts with the Nationals. He spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he had a 3.22 ERA with 9.4 K/9 and 1.0 BB/9 in 148 1/3 innings.
Norris, 22, entered the 2011 season as the 72nd best prospect in the game, according to Baseball America. He responded by posting a .210/.367/.446 line in his first stint at Double-A, adding 20 homers and 77 walks.
Though Nationals GM Mike Rizzo would no doubt have preferred to acquire Gonzalez for lesser prospects, it was clear from the beginning of the offseason that Gonzalez would require a substantial return. The Red Sox, Rangers, Marlins, Yankees, Blue Jays, Tigers and Mariners were also linked to Gonzalez this winter. Earlier in the offseason, A's GM Billy Beane obtained minor leaguers Jarrod Parker, Collin Cowgill and Ryan Cook for Cahill and Craig Breslow.
Photo courtesy Icon SMI.
A’s Talking Gio Gonzalez, Andrew Bailey
3:02pm: Rival executives say the Nationals have the best chance at obtaining Gonzalez and some believe Danny Espinosa or Ian Desmond could be in play, according to Heyman.
2:44pm: The Red Sox are trying to get Gonzalez and Bailey in a "monster deal," tweets Rosenthal. The Rays are also in on Bailey and the Nationals are the team to beat on Gonzalez, Rosenthal reports.
2:20pm: The Red Sox are still discussing both Andrew Bailey and Gonzalez with the Athletics, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The Red Sox "obviously won't get both," Cafardo writes.
2:14pm: It looks like the Nationals and Red Sox are the finalists for Gonzalez, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Peter Gammons of MLB Network tweets that the Red Sox or Nationals will likely acquire Gonzalez today. Both Heyman and Gammons suggest the Nationals are the favorites to obtain the left-hander.
1:10pm: The A's are moving closer to a Gio Gonzalez trade, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (all links go to Twitter). The bidding is down to two teams, one of which is the Nationals. The Marlins and Red Sox may also be involved, but the Rangers are not. The Yankees and A's never built momentum toward a deal involving Gonzalez, Olney reports. The Mariners had discussed Gonzalez and it's not clear if they're involved in the current trade talks.
The Nationals are believed to be willing to include multiple top prospects for Gonzalez, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Prospects such as Brad Peacock, Destin Hood, Eury Perez and A.J. Cole could be available to the Athletics. Derek Norris is in the discussion, Olney writes.
Gonzalez is under team control through 2015 and has reached the 200-inning plateau in each of the past two seasons without posting an ERA above 3.23. However, no MLB pitcher has walked more opponents in the past two seasons than Gonzalez and he's about to get expensive through arbitration (projected 2012 salary of $4.2MM).
Nationals Pushing Hard For Gio Gonzalez
4:48pm: The Nationals are believed to be willing to include multiple top prospects for Gonzalez, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg are obviously off-limits, but prospects such as Brad Peacock, Derek Norris, Destin Hood, Eury Perez and A.J. Cole could be available.
WEDNESDAY, 11:57am: Trying to trade for Gonzalez is the Nationals' top priority, says MLB.com's Bill Ladson. According to Ladson, Brad Peacock and Derek Norris are two of the players the Athletics are looking at in a possible four-for-one deal. Nothing is imminent yet, as the Blue Jays and Red Sox are also "heavily in the mix."
MONDAY, 7:22pm: The Nationals are pushing hard for Gio Gonzalez, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The A's and Nationals are discussing a possible four-for-one deal involving the left-hander. The Marlins, Red Sox and Rangers are also showing strong interest in Gonzalez, according to Rosenthal.
The Nationals, who have Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, John Lannan and Chien-Ming Wang in their projected 2012 rotation, are poised to contend before long. The addition of Gonzalez would give manager Davey Johnson someone who has reached the 200 inning plateau in each of the past two season without posting an ERA over 3.23 in that time. However, obtaining him from the A's won't be easy. Gonzalez has many suitors and Oakland's asking price remains high.
MLBTR projects a $4.2MM salary for Gonzalez in 2012, the first of his four seasons as an arbitration eligible player. While most teams –the Nationals included — can stomach a $4.2MM salary for an established, young left-handed starter, the penny-pinching A's won't necessarily be able to afford Gonzalez through 2015 unless they resolve their stadium situation soon.