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Dan Johnson Designated

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THURSDAY, 10:00am: The Giants have no interest in Johnson, according to Henry Schulman.

WEDNEDAY, 3:11pm: As expected, Johnson was designated for assignment today.

11:14am: Susan Slusser believes first baseman Dan Johnson’s Oakland career might be over, as the A’s need a roster spot for rookie starter Greg Smith.  Speculation is that Billy Beane could try to trade him to the Giants, where he’d be free to play regularly and bat in the middle of the order.

Johnson, 28, has a .249/.344/.419 career line in 318 games.  He was a late bloomer, earning a September call-up in ’04 as a 25 year-old.  He didn’t appear in any big league games because of vertigo, though.  Yes, vertigo.  Baseball America’s 2005 handbook had Johnson sixth among A’s prospects, between Joe Blanton and Huston Street.

Johnson got the call in May of ’05 when DH Erubiel Durazo hit the DL.  His rookie season resulted in a solid .806 OPS.  He didn’t snag any ROY votes, but Street won it while Nick Swisher and Blanton received votes.  It was downhill from there for Johnson.

When the A’s signed Frank Thomas in the offseason, Johnson became the everyday first baseman.  He was lousy in every month aside from June, and even started the season 0 for 27.  He was demoted to Triple A in July and came back in September.  Double vision was later cited as a factor in the poor season.

The Shannon Stewart acquisition before the ’07 season pushed Johnson into a bench role.  He then tore hip cartilage in March, missing most of April.  He had a very strong May but was otherwise unimpressive.

Johnson lost 15 pounds this past offseason due to an illness, and then the Mike Sweeney acquisition pretty much ended his time in Oakland.  A trade to San Francisco might represent his last shot at lasting as a big league regular.

Odds and Ends: Harden, Bonds, Ramon Hernandez

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Time to round up today’s linkage.

Olney’s Latest: Lidge, Shields, Eveland, Lahey

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Here are some trade-rumor-tidbits from Buster Olney this morning:

  • For the first time in his career, Scot Shields was activated from the DL and rookie pitcher Rich Thompson was sent down to Triple A.  The Angels had hoped to keep the kid around but last friday’s 1 inning, 5-run meltdown assured his ticket out.
  • A likely story:  Dana Eveland is making Billy Beane look smart.  He shut down the Indians for 7 innings yesterday, striking out 7.  When Dan Haren was sent to Arizona for 6 prospects, Tim thought the Dbacks won and suggested Eveland could be a back of the rotation starter of the David Wells-variety as was the common consensus around the league.  Eveland hadn’t shown anything at the major league level; however, it seems Eveland might be realizing his potential (413 minor league IP, 8.84 K/9).  Then again, it’s been one start and Olney notes Jhonny Peralta just thinks Eveland got lucky.  Time will tell, but Beane has a funny way of making time work in his favor.
  • As Brad Lidge comes back, reliever Tim Lahey is designated for assignment to make room.  Lahey’s path is a bit of a head-scratcher.  He was selected by the Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft from the Twins before being claimed off waivers by the Phillies.  He’s now back on waivers, and if he clears, he’ll have to be offered back to the Twins who apparently do want him back.  So an imminent Twins/Phillies deal could be in the works.

By Nat Boyle

Giants Interested In Nick Johnson?

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Henry Schulman at The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Giants GM Brian Sabean is seeking a left-handed hitting 1B to complement the aging Rich Aurilia, and lists Nick Johnson and the Braves’ Scott Thorman as points of interest.

Nick Johnson is off to a hot start hitting .368/.455/.688 in 19 ABs, and for this reason Schulman suggests he could be off the market; however, contrary to that rationale, the Nationals might want to take advantage of Johnson’s sudden upswing in value.  They do have Dmitri Young sitting idly by.  If the Giants want to spend $11MM over the next 2 years on Johnson, he would be a solid addition to a lackluster offense.  Johnson would almost certainly make a bench player of Aurilia.

Scott Thorman, who the Braves have been shopping for over a month, is 26, and hit 11 homeruns in 268 ABs last season.  With Mark Teixeira locked in at 1B this season, and plenty of guys who can be moved to 1B next year (Matt Diaz, Mark Kotsay, et al), Thorman no longer seems to be the heir apparent should Teixeira not re-sign.

While I’m always hesitant to suggest a team should deal with Billy Beane, Dan Johnson needs a new home.  Sure his value has collapsed over the past couple seasons, but he hits lefty, could provide power, and is only 28.  He’s on a one year contract for $410,000, so there’s not much risk, and Beane’s asking price can’t be high.  If the Giants don’t want to commit $11MM to a player as they try to rebuild, DJ could be a good alternative.

Any other 1B options you think would be a good fit?

By Nat Boyle
 

Decision On Johnson Could Come This Week

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There just doesn’t seem to be a spot in Oakland for Dan Johnson. Once seen as a solution at first base, ineffectiveness and injuries have slowed him down a bit. While the 28-year-old still has some promise, he’s blocked in Oakland at first base by Daric Barton and Mike Sweeney, and at DH by Sweeney and Jack Cust.

There’s been some speculation of a Johnson trade, and that might be coming soon. Chad Gaudin can come off the DL on April 12, and Johnson could be the casualty. It depends, really, on whether Billy Beane and Bob Geren want to continue carrying 11 pitchers, or they want to up it to 12.

Apparently, Giants GM Brian Sabean told a sports radio program that he’s looking for a left-hand-hitting first baseman. They seem like a good fit from one end, but do the Giants have the chips the A’s are looking for? Other than that, I can’t see too many other teams that would be interested in him as a starter. Maybe as a backup, but then I suppose most teams wouldn’t be willing to part with much value for a backup first baseman.

I’m thinking that the A’s stick with 11 pitchers for the foreseeable future, and wait for a better opportunity to trade Johnson — probably an injury.

Posted by Joe Pawlikowski. Please, email me rumors.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Pedro’s Injury

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Earlier this week Pedro Martinez pulled a hamstring in his first start of ’08 and is expected to be out until mid-May. The loss of Martinez will likely only cost the Mets seven to eight starts, which might only be a difference in two to three wins over that span. Of course, two or three more wins in ’07 and the Mets would have spent October in the playoffs. With the importance of every single start magnified this year for the Mets, it would not be surprising for Omar Minaya to seek outside help as a contingency plan for Martinez (who at this point in his career cannot be counted on to stay healthy for any length of time). One long shot is Rich Harden, whom the A’s may be auditioning for possible suitors. Let’s take a look at what is being said in the Blogophere…

  • The ’Ropolitans don’t see the Mets trading any more players in the near future, especially for an injury-riddled player such as Harden.
  • Mets Fever doesn’t think the Mets have the pieces to land Harden and would rather see the money go to Oliver Perez after the season.
  • Mets Merized thinks that Claudio Vargas would provide the Mets with some stability but if he isn’t willing to accept a minor league deal they feel the Mets have plenty of in-house options…Mets Merized also feels that the loss of Martinez will not have an effect on the Mets’ championship hopes.
  • MetsBlog comments on the Vargas rumors and says that a backup plan for Martinez should be Minaya’s number one priority…MetsBlog also notes that the Mets should stay away from Harden as he will certainly cost Fernando Martinez.
  • Faith and Fear in Flushing is reminded of Mets injuries from years past and won’t be expecting any contribution from Martinez in the near future.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

The Harden Situation

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Rich Harden is popular this morning – both Bruce Jenkins and Buster Olney discussed his trade value in the wake of his second excellent start of ’08.  Jenkins suggests it’ll take at least six starts for suitors to begin believing in Harden.  Olney believes he could be the top difference-maker to acquire via trade this summer.  It’s pointless to speculate on teams yet – any contender would benefit greatly from adding a healthy Harden (though I will mention that he was recently linked to the Yankees).

Harden is still just 26.  He earns $4.5MM this year and then has a $7MM club option for ’09 with no buyout attached.  Cot’s Baseball Contract’s also notes escalators based on innings pitched.  Harden’s ’09 option is a given as long as he makes a dozen starts this year without needing surgery.

Harden had unkind words in February about Oakland’s handling of him in ’07.  His shoulder issues apparently lingered until December.

Odds and Ends: Giles, Crisp, A-Rod

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Nothing huge cooking this morning, so here are some odds and ends.

  • Doesn’t look like the Dodgers will acquire Marcus Giles.
  • Rany Jazayerli writes about how Kansas City is home to many of the country’s best baseball journalists.  On a related note, the Star’s Sam Mellinger has a chat with Brian Bannister on his blog.
  • Coco Crisp rattles off the trade rumors he’s heard: Cubs, Sox, A’s, Padres.  No deal appears imminent, though Crisp was healthy enough to pinch-run this morning.
  • John Harper snags an exclusive with Alex Rodriguez.  A-Rod admitted he chose the Rangers over the Mets for money and feared he was going down that road again this past winter.
  • Roch Kubatko writes that Brian Roberts was pulled from the lineup today for back pain, hoping to nip trade speculation in the bud.
  • The Phillies have to make a decision on Kris Benson today.
  • Aaron Gleeman weighs in on the Joe Nathan extension.  Buster Olney talked to baseball execs who felt the Twins should’ve added Nathan’s money to their Johan offer.

Tigers Want Huston Street?

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According to Dan Graziano of the Newark Star-Ledger:

The Tigers, desperate for a pitcher at the back end of their bullpen, are trying to have serious discussions with Oakland about closer Huston Street. But so far, the A’s have not even decided if they want to trade Street. And if they do, they’re likely to ask more than the Tigers have to offer.

We talked about Street a couple days ago.  Jon Heyman believed the asking price would be huge; Susan Slusser suggested the A’s might wait until midseason.  The Tigers aren’t a great fit given their farm system.

Heyman Discusses Huston Street

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SI.com’s Jon Heyman says "some executives believe Huston Street is available for a steep price."  Last we’ve heard the A’s were talking extension with Street.  In January, the Chronicle’s Susan Slusser had this to say on him:

Street opens the season with the team but potentially could get moved by the deadline if a contender were to lose a closer, but overall, he’s less likely than Blanton to get dealt – he’s three years younger and, coming off an arm injury, he’s not going to bring back as much.

To help describe Street’s likely high price, Heyman tells us that the A’s asked the Yankees for Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes for Joe Blanton.  That’s odd, given the Yanks’ unwillingness to trade that much for Johan Santana. 

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