Oakland A's 2006-2007 Offseason Thread

[mikev]

Originally Posted by Green & Gold Heart

trola,

And what are the A's doing only offering Duchscherer $925K??? I'd give him a couple mill per year over 3 or 4 years in a heartbeat if this was OOTP.

yeah 4yr/8m seems good.

[Green & Gold Heart]

The A's traded Kirk Saarloos and PTN to the Reds for a Double-A relief pitcher.

I can just see the "WTF!!!" on AthleticsNation from all the people who think Saarloos is a "prospect" that should have been able to get that big bat.

Linkage: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NAS...=.jsp&c_id=oak

[Faroo6]

I wonder if this is the tip of something bigger to come or Beane just reloading the minors.

[mikev]

Reloading and moving a guy who was one of the 3 or 4 5th/6th starter types on the team.

Sarloos was out of options, as well, which didn't bode well for him. Too bad, really, I think he should have been given every chance to be the 5th starter. He was very good in that role in 2005.

[Green & Gold Heart]

Originally Posted by mikev

Reloading and moving a guy who was one of the 3 or 4 5th/6th starter types on the team.

Sarloos was out of options, as well, which didn't bode well for him. Too bad, really, I think he should have been given every chance to be the 5th starter. He was very good in that role in 2005.

He struck me as a very lucky pitcher in '05. I don't have the stats in front of me and I'm too lazy to figure it out, but I believe he was had the worst K/9 ratio of all SPs in baseball. Not a guy I'd want to depend on regularly.

I think Kennedy & Halsey automatically are valued more because they're lefties, so 'Loos gets the boot.

[mikev]

He did have a terrible K/9, but hes an extreme groundballer and doesn't walk a lot of guys.

Either way, Oakland *has* to be getting the better of the two PTBNLs, right? Right? Shafer is 25 and never pitched higher than AA!

[mirrf]

Originally Posted by mikev

Either way, Oakland *has* to be getting the better of the two PTBNLs, right? Right? Shafer is 25 and never pitched higher than AA!

""

I didn't think Saarloos was a great (or even above average), but he's gotta be better than a 25 year old AA player. Billy must have thought Saarloos wasn't in this years plans at all. It was probably *any* trade or waste him in the bullpen all year.

[cinredsfan2000]

So you guys were very big on Kirk Saarloos huh? Any idea about the P.T.B.N.L. ?

Originally Posted by mikev

He did have a terrible K/9, but hes an extreme groundballer and doesn't walk a lot of guys.

That should bold well for him in cincy i would think right ? Also if thats the case of him being a ground ball pitcher that should make him better than extreme flyball pitcher Eric "MAYDAY" Milton.

[mikev]

Originally Posted by cinredsfan2000

So you guys were very big on Kirk Saarloos huh? Any idea about the P.T.B.N.L. ?

Not so much "very big" on him, but he did a pretty bangup job as the 5th starter in 2005, then sorta got a raw deal last year and was never really given the chance to win a starting job. IMO, he needs to be a starter because he's most effective when his arm is a little tired, so he gets that much more sink on his pitches. He's even said that as well, so pitching out of the bullpen isn't a good idea for him unless he's throwing every day on the side.

That should bold well for him in cincy i would think right ? Also if thats the case of him being a ground ball pitcher that should make him better than extreme flyball pitcher Eric "MAYDAY" Milton.

I'd much rather have a groundball pitcher.

I'm wondering who the PTBNLs will be, also. At first look, Sarloos is a better pitcher than Shafer, so I'd assume the A's are getting the better PTBNL. Who knows, on a few A's boards some think this was a straight salary dump because we've got plenty of 4/5/6 caliber starters.

[mikev]

2.1M to Kielty to avoid arbitration.

Yowzer.

[edog23]

I'm going to A's FanFest tomorrow and I'll be there in line when the sun comes up so I can pick up all three of the Yankees games. I went last year and I figured why not do it again this year. Also, my girlfriend is a big Piazza fan and wants a autograph while we are there.

[Green & Gold Heart]

Originally Posted by edog23

I'm going to A's FanFest tomorrow and I'll be there in line when the sun comes up so I can pick up all three of the Yankees games. I went last year and I figured why not do it again this year. Also, my girlfriend is a big Piazza fan and wants a autograph while we are there.

I didn't see him on the list of attendees but you never know.

Have fun, d00d. I went to Fan Fest once and it was a good time.

[Green & Gold Heart]

Originally Posted by mikev

2.1M to Kielty to avoid arbitration.

Yowzer.

Yikes! I'm tempted to post the picture but I'll refrain.

[darkhorse]

Oakland A's top ten prospects. I believe this is the first list I've seen compiled by Kevin Goldstein this offseason that doesn't feature a prospect rated "excellent."

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...articleid=5831

[Green & Gold Heart]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

Oakland A's top ten prospects. I believe this is the first list I've seen compiled by Kevin Goldstein this offseason that doesn't feature a prospect rated "excellent."

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...articleid=5831

Yeah, I saw this yesterday. The A's farm system sure isn't what it used to be. But we've got a lot of homegrown guys in the majors now, and there are still future A's to look forward to.

I think I'm most excited about Buck and Suzuki. I've been a Suzuki fangirl since the '03 College World Series. I was thrilled my team picked him and he's really moved up the ranks in the minors to be one of the top A's prospects. He looks to be getting his shot in '08. Please Billy, don't listen to Jason Kendall. Don't restructure his contract!!! We want Kurt in '08!!!!

Buck is another one that has gotten a lot of good press and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do in AAA this year. I imagine him being like a white Milton Bradley if he stays healthy and reaches his potential. Another Milton Bradley (baseball skills-wise) would be nice to have.

Daric Barton's injuries are disappointing, but he's still listed as the top A's prosect. I don't think he's quite the god of baseball we thought he was when the Mulder trade went down. But he's still 21; there is plenty of time. I'm just not jumping up an down and peeing my pants to see him in green and gold.

[mirrf]

If you're a free agent at this time, chances are you're not highly valued. So if you were Billy, is there anybody out there that you would sign to a major league contract? Obviously, you'd have to assume you couldn't pick up someone like Clemens... But anyone else?

I think our weekness is OF. Where I'm assuming Bradly will go on the DL at least once, Kotsay will have some back problems, Kielty can't hit righthanders, and we rather have Swisher at first.

I would take a look at Shannon Stewart. -I think he can only play left, but if plays like a couple years ago, he'll be a starter again.

[Green & Gold Heart]

I've thought about the Stewart option as well, and it's been brought up on AthleticsNation too.

Rotoworld says he worked out for the A's, among other teams, Friday. If he's healthy, I would love to see the A's give him an one-year deal with some incentives.

The only problem is, if you bring Stewart aboard, you'd have to find an odd-man out among the following:

Perez
Scutaro (not bloody likely)
Goleski (Rule 5)
Keilty ($2.1M, also NBL)
Johnson (unfortunately it sounds like they're going with him no matter what)

I don't see them going with fewer than 11 pitchers, so this would be the situation. Still, you'd rather be in the position of having to subtract than having to add.

[mirrf]

Originally Posted by Green & Gold Heart

I've thought about the Stewart option as well, and it's been brought up on AthleticsNation too.

Rotoworld says he worked out for the A's, among other teams, Friday. If he's healthy, I would love to see the A's give him an one-year deal with some incentives.

The only problem is, if you bring Stewart aboard, you'd have to find an odd-man out among the following:

Perez
Scutaro (not bloody likely)
Goleski (Rule 5)
Keilty ($2.1M, also NBL)
Johnson (unfortunately it sounds like they're going with him no matter what)

I don't see them going with fewer than 11 pitchers, so this would be the situation. Still, you'd rather be in the position of having to subtract than having to add.

I really don't know anything about Goleski. If the A's are high on him this year, then adding Stewart doesn't make sense. Err, unless you subtract Keilty. But if Goleski is a 'typical' rule 5 draftee, I would say he's the odd man out.

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by mirrf

I really don't know anything about Goleski. If the A's are high on him this year, then adding Stewart doesn't make sense. Err, unless you subtract Keilty. But if Goleski is a 'typical' rule 5 draftee, I would say he's the odd man out.

Goleski made himself into a prospect last year with an excellent season, but he was old for his level, and his career minor league numbers are good but nothing special.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...-Goleski.shtml

[Green & Gold Heart]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

Goleski made himself into a prospect last year with an excellent season, but he was old for his level, and his career minor league numbers are good but nothing special.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...-Goleski.shtml

Well they traded up to get him in the Rule 5, so they'll give him every opportunity to grab a spot on the team. If he stinks it up and they give him the boot, it's not much of a loss (except for the $ they paid to get the pick).