2014 Offseason

[RevSader]

Is Hammel still there, or is he a FA? Pomeranz and Lindblom I guess is their depth if you can call it that

He's a FA. And the DFA'd Lindblom to make room on the 40 for the new guys.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Typical Oakland trade... wait until a player gets good and/or gains notoriety and then flip him for prospects and/or a reclamation high upside veteran.

Lawrie can't hit for average, but he's got a dangerous combination of power and decent speed. He's just injured all the time. You watch though, one of those prospects will be their next Sonny Gray. They seem to pluck a future star out of every salary dump deal they make.

 

[Bmurph]

He's a FA. And the DFA'd Lindblom to make room on the 40 for the new guys.

Thought Hammel was, glad to see their misfortunes

 

[RevSader]

Typical Oakland trade... wait until a player gets good and/or gains notoriety and then flip him for prospects and/or a reclamation high upside veteran.

Lawrie can't hit for average, but he's got a dangerous combination of power and decent speed. He's just injured all the time. You watch though, one of those prospects will be their next Sonny Gray. They seem to pluck a future star out of every salary dump deal they make.

He's like the Canadian Josh Hamilton. By that I mean, a lesser just as injured version.

 

[ESPN Refugee]

 

[Bmurph]

Typical Oakland trade... wait until a player gets good and/or gains notoriety and then flip him for prospects and/or a reclamation high upside veteran.

Lawrie can't hit for average, but he's got a dangerous combination of power and decent speed. He's just injured all the time. You watch though, one of those prospects will be their next Sonny Gray. They seem to pluck a future star out of every salary dump deal they make.

They weren't gonna pay Donaldson ultimately, so flip him while getting a teams future stars. lawrie is only 24 too, maybe he overcomes his health issues and with the the ped's in Oakland he finds a way to stay on the field

 

[WilltheThrill]

He's like the Canadian Josh Hamilton. By that I mean, a lesser just as injured version.

Good comparison.

 

[RevSader]

Here is a load of bullshit from Beane...

 

[Justinkm83]

I said the A's would finish in 4th next year. This certainly helps my prediction.

 

[Bmurph]

I said the A's would finish in 4th next year. This certainly helps my prediction.

Hope the Rangers get healthy and upgrade and we finish ahead of them for sure

 

[darrylgann]

Hope the Rangers get healthy and upgrade and we finish ahead of them for sure

 

[ESPN Refugee]

I'll admit that I truly feel sorry for the true Oakland faithful. I mean they constantly get a nut kicked by their team's management.

 

[Justinkm83]

Hope the Rangers get healthy and upgrade and we finish ahead of them for sure

I think we could stand pat and finish ahead of them. The M's and the Angels are who worry me. The M's say they're determined to get Upton, Gattis, or Cespedes. There might have been 1 more but I can't remember who it was. I could see the M's really competing for the division next year.

 

[Bmurph]

I'll admit that I truly feel sorry for the true Oakland faithful. I mean they constantly get a nut kicked by their team's management.

I could never continue allegiance to an organization thats management will never keep its best players

 

[Bmurph]

I think we could stand pat and finish ahead of them. The M's and the Angels are who worry me. The M's say they're determined to get Upton, Gattis, or Cespedes. There might have been 1 more but I can't remember who it was. I could see the M's really competing for the division next year.

Cruz and they would rule scare me with any of those additions and healthy Paxton and their pitching options

 

[darrylgann]

I don't know what to believe anymore:

@mlbtraderumors: Athletics, Braves Discussing Justin Upton, Evan*Gattis Athletics, Braves Discussing Justin Upton, Evan Gattis ? MLB Trade Rumors

 

[Bmurph]

I don't know what to believe anymore:

@mlbtraderumors: Athletics, Braves Discussing Justin Upton, Evan*Gattis Athletics, Braves Discussing Justin Upton, Evan Gattis ? MLB Trade Rumors

Atlanta is seeking pitching, though I doubt the A's have anyone the Braves could use to upgrade immediately. Everything at this point during the year is a rumor until a move is made. Most of the stories are just that until something happens. Every club is likely checking in on all players to gauge the other clubs value and see what it might take to land a player. I still think the A's are sellers at this point and doubt they would take on someone like Upton's contract. Who knows though?

 

[donaldson79]

Here's what Mike Petriello of ESPN says about Cepedes. For anyone who had interest in seeing him in a Ranger uniform.

Cespedes' value

Over the course of his three-year career, Cespedes has a 115 wRC+, making him 15 percent better than the average hitter in that span. It's also true that much of that came in his debut season with the A's in 2012, because after a 136 wRC+ that year, he has put up only a 106 mark, with a .298 on-base percentage, in two seasons since. In other words, he has been slightly better than an average hitter over the past two years.

This is the problem, really. For all the positives that Cespedes brings -- we'll get to those in a second -- there's more than a few downsides that come, as well. Despite the fact he has played only three years in the big leagues, he's older than you likely think of him as being, with his 30th birthday less than 11 months away. In addition, his contract states that he cannot be extended a qualifying offer when his deal ends, which limits his value for teams hoping to recoup a draft pick when he leaves.

There's also the fact despite the shiny highlights he often produces, his overall performance has been headed in the wrong direction. As you can see in the charts below, since that first year, Cespedes has walked less often each season.

 

[Hambombs]

A's might trade shark for upton according to my one friend who is a a's fan

 

[Hambombs]

I said the A's would finish in 4th next year. This certainly helps my prediction.

Rangers right now are still in 3rd or 4th in the division IMO. A's still leapfrog them even with the Donaldson trade