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Athletics Rumors

Dan Johnson For Scott Proctor?

By Tim Dierkes | July 17, 2007 at 10:10am CDT

Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle believes that yesterday’s Jason Kendall trade could be the first in a series of forward-looking moves for the A’s.  Billy Beane doesn’t say it outright, but he seems ready to play for next year.  Simmons says rumors have swirled around Dan Johnson, Esteban Loaiza, and Mike Piazza.

Johnson has been linked to the Twins (DH) and Yankees (1B) previously.  The idea is to clear some room at first base for top prospect Daric Barton.  As a cheap league average 1B, Johnson has decent value.  Simmons says a Johnson for Scott Proctor trade is "all the buzz."  However, the teams have not talked in over a week.  The 30 year-old Proctor has been worked pretty hard by Joe Torre, but has performed decently over the last two seasons.  For a while during the offseason, the Yankees considered using him as a starter.  The A’s could go through with that plan in ’08.

Piazza is said to be a candidate for the same teams as Johnson, plus maybe the Angels.  He’d due back in about a week from a strained shoulder.  He’ll only be able to DH.

Loaiza has yet to make his season debut due to neck, shoulder, and knee injuries.  He recently threw a bullpen session and felt good, but won’t be big league ready until August.  He’s owed $7MM in ’08; not sure if that salary would pass through waivers in August without a claim.

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Athletics New York Yankees Dan Johnson Esteban Loaiza Mike Piazza Scott Proctor

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Cubs Acquire Jason Kendall

By Tim Dierkes | July 16, 2007 at 7:51pm CDT

The Cubs made a deal tonight, sending catcher Rob Bowen and pitcher Jerry Blevins to the Athletics for Jason Kendall and cash. (ESPN keeps saying it was Sean Marshall going to Oakland, which is silly and not true).

Kendall had a respectable .758 OPS in June, but his bat has been anemic otherwise.  But as signified by the questionable Michael Barrett trade, the Cubs are looking for defense at catcher. (Incidentally, Jim Hendry acquired Barrett from Beane in December of ’03 for Damian Miller).  Kendall can certainly handle the pitching staff.  And it wouldn’t be shocking to see him hit a little bit back in the NL; he rarely strikes out and knows how to draw a walk. 

The Cubs didn’t give up much here.  Bowen is a backup at best.  Blevins, a southpaw reliever, will turn 24 in September.  He’s been dominant in 53 innings between High A and Double A, but he’s not anyone’s idea of a top prospect.  I like the move for the Cubs.  As for Oakland, it gives them a chance to try Kurt Suzuki full-time for a few months as an audition for 2008.

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Athletics Chicago Cubs Jason Kendall Jerry Blevins Rob Bowen

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A’s May Trade Piazza Instead of Johnson

By Tim Dierkes | July 12, 2007 at 11:14am CDT

If Mike Piazza can’t catch – and it looks like he can’t – the A’s pretty much have to unload Piazza or Dan Johnson once the former is ready to play.

Susan Slusser notes that possibly interested teams, such as the Twins, Yankees, and Angels, may prefer to go after Piazza.  The cost would mainly be in salary, whereas the cheap and league average Johnson will require a decent player in return.  So the question for Billy Beane is which does he want more?  Relief from the remaining $3.88MM on Piazza’s contract or a solid prospect and an open spot for Daric Barton?

The A’s are not usually sellers at the trading deadline, so we don’t have much precedent.  I like a Johnson move a little bit more.

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Athletics Los Angeles Angels Minnesota Twins New York Yankees Dan Johnson Mike Piazza

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Twins, Yankees Like Dan Johnson

By Tim Dierkes | July 11, 2007 at 10:27am CDT

There’s a lot of buzz going around that the A’s may become sellers soon, nine games back in their division and eight out in the Wild Card.  Typical impending free agent parts like Mike Piazza and Shannon Stewart are candidates to be moved.

Another player Billy Beane could trade is first baseman Dan Johnson.  Johnson is nowhere near free agency, but top prospect Daric Barton is knocking on the door.  Having Johnson under contract through 2011 (if my math is correct) would make him especially valuable to a cost-conscious team like the Twins.  Makes a lot more sense than Ty Wigginton.

Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press says the A’s are intent on trading Johnson, and speculates that he’d be a fine fit at DH. Buster Olney adds the Yankees and Red Sox to the mix.  However, I think Buster may have accidentally misread the Walters article as far as the Boston part.

Johnson had an off year in 2006, but corrected double vision in the offseason and is hitting a solid .260/.369/.455 this year.  Granted that’s just a hair above average for a 1B/DH, but it’s a lot better than what the Twins have been running out there.  If Beane can pry away one of the Twins’ young pitchers – I keep bringing up Scott Baker – I imagine a deal can get done.

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Athletics Minnesota Twins New York Yankees Dan Johnson

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Rosenthal: Piazza Could Be Shopped

By Tim Dierkes | July 4, 2007 at 12:13am CDT

Ken Rosenthal has another column up tonight.  The lead: the emergence of Jack Cust may cause the A’s to shop Mike Piazza.  The problem is that Piazza may be limited to DH duties.  Rosenthal names the Mariners, Twins, and Angels as teams lacking at the position, though all those clubs could be in the playoff chase with Oakland. 

Billy Beane might find additional flexibility if Piazza is able to play first base.  He played 64 games there in 2004 for the Mets.  However, this might not sit well with Piazza.  It was thought that his defensive struggles at first in ’04 carried over to his offensive performance at times.  Moving Piazza to the NL probably wouldn’t work, even if he’s able to get behind the plate a couple of times each week.  Since only a contender would consider acquiring Piazza, Beane is probably stuck with him. 

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Athletics Mike Piazza

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Padres Acquire Milton Bradley

By Tim Dierkes | June 29, 2007 at 3:55pm CDT

According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Padres have acquired Milton Bradley from the A’s for 26 year-old reliever Andrew Brown.  Krasovic says Bradley would play left field for the Padres if healthy.  The Padres got Brown from the Indians in the Josh Barfield deal.  Oddly, the Indians got Brown from the Dodgers before that for Milton Bradley.  Brown throws in the mid-90s, even touching 99 at times.  He could make a useful reliever for Oakland. 

Bradley and Michael Barrett look like a couple of low-risk, decent reward acquisitions for Kevin Towers.  He’s really a smart GM.  He’s definitely added some fire to the clubhouse with these trades.  And don’t forget Paul DePodesta, who definitely had a hand in this.

Ken Rosenthal believes the Bradley acquisition takes the Padres off the market for big-name sluggers like Adam Dunn and Jermaine Dye.  Dye might be untradeable anyway, because he’s not healthy right now.  Bad timing on that for the White Sox.

There was quite an embroilment this week in the Oakland Tribune over the A’s DFA of Bradley.  Columnist Dave Del Grande started the tiff by claiming that the A’s cut Bradley because he’s black.  Billy Beane was not amused.

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Athletics San Diego Padres Milton Bradley

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Forgotten Trade Candidates

By Tim Dierkes | June 28, 2007 at 10:27pm CDT

Amidst all the Buehrle/Jacque rumors floating around this week, we’ve neglected to write about the many other players who could be traded in July.  Let’s give a little press to three forgotten players who could be on the move.

Kyle Lohse, SP, CIN – I was pretty high on Lohse after April, thinking he was about to go all Bronson Arroyo on the NL.  Good Bronson, that is.  But Lohse followed up his first four starts by going 2-10 with a 6.27 ERA and 4.4 K/9.  And that actually included a shutout against the Pirates.  It’s hard to see how Lohse can help a pennant contender this year, but as a Boras client and impending free agent earning $4.2MM, Wayne Krivsky should dump him off somewhere.  OK, so now that I think about it, he’s more of a DFA candidate than a trade candidate.

Joe Kennedy, SP, OAK – Billy Beane might be able to move the 28 year-old southpaw and free agent-to-be for something useful.  Kennedy makes only $2.8MM and has an ERA under 4.  That might not last with his microscopic strikeout rate though.  With Esteban Loaiza on the shelf and Rich Harden questionable, Beane might have to hold off and take the draft picks for Kennedy.  But given Kennedy’s strong groundball tendencies and the Phillies’ lousy starting pitching, maybe they could match up.

Jose Guillen, RF, SEA – Guillen is earning $4MM this year with a $9MM club option for ’08.  The Mariners are just 2.5 games out of the wild card, and their rotation could use a boost.  Guillen has posted a subpar line for a right fielder – .257/.330/.412.  I’m not sure how much trade value he has, but the Mariners already have a superior player ready to go at Triple A in Adam Jones.  Guillen is on pace for about 20 homers and 90 RBIs, so maybe some GM would bite on that.  Teams looking for an outfielder with some pop could include the Royals, Twins, Mets, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Padres.

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Athletics Cincinnati Reds Seattle Mariners Joe Kennedy Jose Guillen Kyle Lohse

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Teams Scouting Yankee Pitching Prospects

By Tim Dierkes | June 26, 2007 at 3:11pm CDT

According to Jim Baubach of Newsday, Yankee farmhands Ian Kennedy and Joba "The Hutt" Chamberlain have become quite popular.  The stands become packed with scouts each team either pitches for the Yanks’ Double A Trenton club.

The White Sox sent one of their top pro scouts to watch the Trenton Thunder recently, despite the Yankees’ insistence that Kennedy and Chamberlain are not available. 

All sorts of other teams have been scouting both pitchers, including the A’s, Rockies, and Orioles.  Chamberlain is the upside choice, while Kennedy is the back-rotation command guy.

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Athletics Baltimore Orioles Chicago White Sox Colorado Rockies New York Yankees Ian Kennedy Joba Chamberlain

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Jacque Jones Trade Near?

By Tim Dierkes | June 24, 2007 at 11:40am CDT

According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times yesterday, the Cubs are trying to trade another position player by Monday so they can add a 12th pitcher.

That position player probably is our good friend Jacque Jones.  Wittenmyer named the Padres, Rangers, and White Sox as interested parties.  Bruce Miles adds the Mets to the mix.  The Cubs would have to eat some of the $7.2MM or so remaining on Jones’ contract, which runs through 2008.  Another option would be to move shortstop Cesar Izturis, who has about $2.6MM left on his deal (assuming his ’08 option is bought out).

Buster Olney yesterday mentioned that the Cubs were one of the teams in one Milton Bradley, in addition to the Yankees and Padres.  Bradley is still fair game, and the Cubs may be looking to replace Jones with him.

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Athletics Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox New York Mets New York Yankees San Diego Padres Texas Rangers Cesar Izturis Jacque Jones Milton Bradley

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Royals’ Bradley Trade Cancelled

By Tim Dierkes | June 22, 2007 at 7:44pm CDT

UPDATE: The trade of Bradley to the Royals has already fallen through.  Turns out Bradley had an oblique injury that neither team was aware of.  Maybe the GMs can still work something out, since Bradley could’ve been expected to have an oblique injury within a week or two anyway.

According to ESPN, the Royals have acquired Milton Bradley from the A’s for reliever Leo Nunez.  It’s a surprising move for Kansas City.

Nunez is a 23 year-old righty reliever.  He’s been compared to Julian Tavarez.  He’s got a decent hitter but his secondary pitches need work.  Nunez has been knocked around in 67 big league innings.  He’s pitching well in Double A this year but A) he probably belongs in Triple A and B) his strikeout rate is poor.

Bradley will presumably be the Royals’ regular left fielder, at least until he finds his way back to the DL.  If Dayton Moore doesn’t spin him off for something better than Nunez before the deadline, I don’t get the move.

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Athletics Kansas City Royals Leo Nunez Milton Bradley

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