Oakland Athletics Dynasty (A Journey Into The Unknown) [Archive]

sean-patin

07-17-2006, 02:59 AM

Beane/Patin To Run Athletics As Co-GMs

Oakland, CA (March 20, 2006 - AP) -- Apparently, Oakland General Manager Billy Beane feels that his "braintrust" Sean Patin deserves to share his role as Athletics' GM. Patin was originally signed by the Athletics organization several years ago as a scout. He started out scouting high school and college prospects that were expected to be available in the upcoming amateur drafts. But, since Paul DePodesta's departure a few years back, Patin has taken over as Beane's personal assistant and has been the source of many of Beane's now-infamous "Moneyball" moves over the past couple of seasons. This marks the first time in the history of Major League Baseball that a team has had their General Manager role shared among two people. In a press conference earlier today, Patin had this to say: "Billy and I have been making decisions side-by-side for about three years now and I am honored that Mr. Beane is relinquishing part of his role to me. I think in some situations, people would worry about disagreements among Co-GMs, but we basically share the same thoughts and ideas, so I don't see that being a problem here in Oakland. I love this organization and hope that we can bring another World Series back to the East Side of the Bay."

Amazingly, this wasn't the only front office move made today. As a "shocking" surprise to many members of Oakland's current personnel, Oakland also re-hired "stat-geek" Paul DePodesta to fill Patin's vacated front office position. He will take over the role of Assistant General Manager. With the season just a few weeks away it will be interesting to see how this "new" Oakland front office works together.

http://blog.yam.com/69er/b9af5d9c_s.jpg
Billy Beane at the press conference earlier today.

sean-patin

07-18-2006, 07:39 PM

Baseball America - March 25, 2006

Athletics acquire Teahen from Royals

http://www.minorleaguewatch.com/AZFall/images/mteahen2.jpg

The Oakland Athletics acquired third baseman Mark Teahen from the Royals earlier today. In exchange for the 24-year old, the Athletics gave up utility infielder Keith Ginter and pitcher Kiko Calero. This is the first move that the Oakland franchise has made under it's new management.

Teahen, who hit .246 with 7 home runs and 55 RBIs last season, will be sent to Triple-A Sacramento to start the season. There is a possibility that he will get some time in the outfield as Oakland has Eric Chavez signed through 2010.

The Athletics dumped Keith Ginter, who was going to start the year in Triple-A, and was very unlikely to get much time at the big-league level in Oakland, but should fill in nicely in Kansas City as a utility infielder. The other part of the trade, Kiko Calero, will begin the season as the Royals set-up man for Ambiorix Burgos until Mike MacDougal comes off the DL.

sean-patin

07-18-2006, 08:01 PM

Baseball America - March 27, 2006

Jeremy Giambi Returns To Oakland

http://www.onlinesports.com/images/phf-aael023.gif

The 31-year old outfielder Jeremy Giambi was signed by the Oakland Athletics today. He agreed to the terms of a 3-year deal worth $600,000 per year. He will earn $1,800,000 over the next three seasons. Giambi hasn't seen any MLB action since 2003, when he was with the Red Sox.

Giambi is a career .263 hitter, but has a knack for getting on base. His career on-base percentage is .377. He will make his return to Oakland this season if he can beat out Bobby Kielty or Jay Payton for a backup outfield job. Otherwise, he will be sent to Triple-A Sacramento.

sean-patin

07-18-2006, 08:55 PM

Baseball America - March 31, 2006

Division Rivals Swap "Arms"

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h181/indi010305/donnelly-brendan-ca-1.jpg

The Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics completed a six-player deal involving all pitchers this afternoon. In the deal, The Los Angeles Angels sent reliever Brendan Donnelly, pitcher Matt Hensley and pitching prospect Thomas Mendoza to Oakland in exchange for starting pitcher Joe Kennedy and pitching prospects Santiago Casilla and Craig Italiano. The Athletics also will receive cash considerations as a part of the deal.

Athletics GM Sean Patin had this to say about the deal: "Donnelly is someone who we have been interested in for a while now. He is a dominating reliever. It was in our best interests to improve our bullpen and I think we have done an excellent job doing that with this deal. We are also pushing our payroll budget close to its limit, so it was important to the owners that we dump a little salary."

Joe Kennedy was expected to earn $2.4 million, while Donnelly will be receiving a paltry $950,000 to play this season. Both Kennedy and Donnelly will be a significant part of each team's bullpen this season as they battle for the AL West crown.

sean-patin

07-18-2006, 10:08 PM

Baseball America - April 2, 2006

Athletics Pay Steep Price For Troubled D-Ray

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20040319/hamilton_48043.jpg

Over the winter, outfielder Josh Hamilton was re-instated by Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig. But, more recently, the troubled Josh Hamilton was dealt to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for four players and cash considerations.

The Athletics continue to make moves as Opening Day approaches, dealing for outfielder Josh Hamilton. In exchange for the troubled outfielder, the Athletics parted ways with outfielder Jay Payton, infielder Antonio Perez, first baseman Scott McClain, pitching prospect Dallas Braden, and $1,000,000 cash.

Oakland Co-GM Billy Beane said that trade talks originally started so that the Athletics could dump Payton's salary. The Devil Rays were willing to take on Payton, who will likely get some time in the outfield this season. Only after tedious negotiations did the deal turn into such a blockbuster. Originally, the Athletics were negotiating for outfielder Damon Hollins, but after a couple hours of talking Beane turned the talks to Hamilton. If Hamilton can stay out of trouble, this could turn out to be another genius move by Patin and Beane.

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Athletics Sign Several Free Agents

The Athletics agreed to terms with four free agents to fill out their opening day roster and minor-league levels. The biggest acquisition was first baseman Erubiel Durazo, who played with the Athletics last season. The other free agents were outfielder Chris Magruder, starting pitcher Nick Neugebauer, and reliever Jeff Nelson. Although Durazo is the only one likely to make the Opening Day MLB roster, Nelson and Magruder could both play intricate roles if any of their major-league counterparts fall victim to injury.

sean-patin

07-18-2006, 11:42 PM

Oakland Announces Opening Day Roster

Lineup:
1. RF Milton Bradley
2. 2B Mark Ellis
3. LF Nick Swisher
4. 3B Eric Chavez
5. DH Frank Thomas
6. SS Bobby Crosby
7. 1B Dan Johnson
8. CF Mark Kotsay
9. C Jason Kendall

Bench:
Marco Scutaro
Bobby Kielty
Jeremy Giambi
Erubiel Durazo
Adam Melhuse

Starting Rotation:
1. Barry Zito
2. Rich Harden
3. Dan Haren
4. Joe Blanton
5. Esteban Loaiza

Bullpen:
Huston Street
Justin Duchscherer
Brendan Donnelly
Jay Witasick
Brad Halsey
Kirk Saarloos

Triple-A Notables:
C Landon Powell
1B Brant Colamarino
2B Kevin Melillo
3B Mark Teahen
OF Brian Stavisky
RP Jeff Nelson
RP Matt Hensley
RP Shane Komine

Double-A Notables:
C Jeremy Brown
1B Daric Barton
OF Travis Buck
OF Danny Putnam
OF Josh Hamilton
SP Jason Windsor
SP Chad Gaudin
SP Adam Johnson
SP Dan Meyer
RP Kazuhito Tadano

Single-A Notables:
C Kurt Suzuki
2B Gregorio Petit
SS Cliff Pennington
OF Javier Herrera
SP Jared Lansford
SP Thomas Mendoza
SP Vince Mazzaro

Team Payroll: $76.0M
Payroll Budget: $73.7M

Royals #1

07-19-2006, 12:12 AM

Just one thing, never use bright text... again. :p

HoustonGM

07-19-2006, 12:34 AM

Love this so far, although that text IS killing my eyes. :p

Royals #1

07-19-2006, 12:42 AM

I got one thing to say about Josh Hamilton. Go up to his picture and look at that massive tatoo on his arm. Man, now it makes sense why he'd have to be reinstated :D

sean-patin

07-19-2006, 12:52 AM

April 5-7
Oakland Athletics (0-0) at Seattle Mariners (0-0)

Projected Starters
April 5: Barry Zito (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Felix Hernandez (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
April 6: Rich Harden (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Jarrod Washburn (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
April 7: Dan Haren (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Joel Pineiro (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game Recaps
April 5: Felix Hernandez got knocked out after 5.1 innings, but Barry Zito went 6.2 innings to earn the win. Frank Thomas hit a 2-run HR and Bobby Crosby hit a solo HR. Huston Street earned the save, but didn't pitch very well. Oakland defeats Seattle 5-3

April 6: Jarrod Washburn pitched excellent for 8.0 innings, giving up just 5 hits and 2 walks, while allowing 0 runs. Rich Harden, on the other hand, was terrible and didn't make it past the 4th inning. Kirk Saarloos finished the game and pitched quite well for 5.0 innings. Seattle defeats Oakland 5-0

April 7: Dan Haren pitched well for 7.0 innings, but Brendan Donnelly gave up a run in the 8th to tie the game at 4. The game went 13 innings, where the Mariners won on an RBI-single by Jose Lopez. Huston Street picked up the loss. Dan Johnson hit his first HR of the year with a solo blast early on. Seattle defeats Oakland 5-4

Athletics News:
- Juan Dominguez (AAA) broke his collar bone and will be out for 30 days.
- Daric Barton (AA) suffered a separated shoulder and is expected to miss about 40 days.

Around the Majors:
- Boston released OF Juan Gonzalez
- Detroit signed RP Tommy Phelps
- Jim Edmonds got his 1000th RBI
- San Diego released IF Dave Matranga and RP Jon Adkins

sean-patin

07-19-2006, 01:18 AM

Baseball America - April 8, 2006

Athletics Improve Bullpen In Deal With Mets

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/images/2005/05/07/LaI5CcRm.jpg

The Athletics are still building for the playoffs. Today, they added two valuable arms to their bullpen in a trade with the New York Mets. Oakland added relievers Duaner Sanchez and Chad Bradford in exchange for starting pitchers Esteban Loaiza and Brad Halsey, reliever Felix Sancez, pitching prospect Jimmy Shull, and cash considerations.

Bradford will return to Oakland to be a key part of the team's bullpen. Sanchez will become the team's set-up man and carry leads over to the ninth for Huston Street. The vacated spot in the rotation will be filled by Kirk Saarloos, who has quite a bit of experience as a big-league starter. Last season for Oakland he started 27 games.

The Mets, in return, add Loaiza to a lackluster starting rotation and Halsey will continue to pitch out of the bullpen in New York. Esteban Loaiza looks to become the #3 man in the Mets rotation, right behind Tom Glavine. This will hopefully give the Mets enough starting pitching to carry them to the playoffs and unseat the Braves as NL East Champion.

sean-patin

07-19-2006, 01:48 AM

Top 5 Prospects (Oakland Organization)

1. OF Josh Hamilton
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/2001/spring_training/news/2001/03/07/hamilton/t1_hamilton_ap-01.jpg
Hamilton may be one of the biggest risks in baseball, but if he develops as the scouts projected him back when he was drafted in 1999, he could become an unprecedented star. The former number-one pick is one of the most highly-touted players ever to appear in an MLB draft, and he is well-deserving of those regards. His bat skills are absolutely amazing and his arm/defense are nothing to frown upon either.

2. 1B Daric Barton
http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/26/263987.jpg
Barton was originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals before he was traded to the Oakland Athletics as part of the trade for Mark Mulder. The A's have recently converted the former catcher to first base due to his below-average defense behind the plate. Daric is one of the best pure power hitters in minor-league baseball right now.

3. SP Jason Windsor
http://espn-att.starwave.com/media/ncaa/2004/0619/photo/a_windsor_vi.jpg
The 6'2", 220 lb. right-hander from Cal State-Fullerton has developed into a top pitching prospect. Windsor is a talented pitcher with a great mentality while on the mound. His physical tools and make-up will help him to battle through the cold spells that come with pitching. He possesses a fastball that tops out in the low-90s, a deadly curve, and an excellent change-up. This gives him three major-league caliber pitches.

4. C Kurt Suzuki
http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/26/267707.jpg
Windsor's college and minor league teammate. Suzuki has developed into an even better hitter than he was in college, where he hit over .400. Suzuki not only has some of the best bat skills to come along in the past decade, but his discipline seems reminiscent of a 10-year veteran. His defense behind the plate is more than adequate and he has an average-to-above average arm. Him and Windsor will more than likely be battery mates yet again in the big leagues.

5. SP Vince Mazzaro
http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/32/323083.jpg
The 19-year old from New Jersey looks to be a fine prospect. In his first start at Kane County, Mazzaro went 7.1 innings and struck out 9, allowing just 1 run. He possesses a fastball that tops out at 95 mph, with a sharp-breaking curveball, and a plus change-up.

sean-patin

07-19-2006, 02:46 AM

April 8-10
Oakland Athletics (1-2) at Los Angeles Angels (3-0)

Projected Starters
April 8: Joe Blanton (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Kelvim Escobar (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
April 9: Kirk Saarloos (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Ervin Santana (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
April 10: Barry Zito (1-0, 4.05 ERA) vs. John Lackey (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game Recaps
April 8: The A's took the early lead with HRs from Frank Thomas and Milton Bradley. Kelvim Escobar left the game in the 2nd inning. Blanton went into the 7th pitching well, but gave up a homerun to Jose Molina before being relieved. Huston Street picked up his second save. Oakland defeats Los Angeles 6-4

April 9: John Lackey got moved up a day and was shelled in his second start. He didn't make it out of the 4th inning. The offense was spectacular as Thomas went 3-for-4 with 1 HR and 3 RBIs. Kirk Saarloos went all 9.0 innings, giving up just 2 hits (one on a bunt by Chone Figgins) and walking 1. Oakland defeats Los Angeles 7-0

April 10: Bartolo Colon's turn in the rotation was moved up, but it sure looked like he wasn't well-rested. He gave up 6 runs before being removed in the 1st inning. Both teams combined for 33 hits. All nine starters for Oakland had at least one hit on the night. Bobby Kielty went 4-for-5 with a HR, Mark Ellis 3-for-6, Milton Bradley 3-for-6, and Frank Thomas hit his 3rd homerun of the season. Oakland defeats Los Angeles 15-7

Athletics News:
- SP Steve Sparks was signed to a minor-league deal.
- LF Nick Swisher has missed the past 4 games with a bruised knee. Bobby Kielty assumed his role in left field.

Around the Majors:
- Dodgers SP Odalis Perez will miss four weeks with an inflamed rotator cuff.
- On April 10, Orioles OF Corey Patterson hit for the cycle.
- Braves SP John Thomson will miss two weeks with a finger stress fracture.
- Baltimore released 1B Chris Gomez and 2B Eddy Garabito.
- Tampa Bay leads the AL East with a 5-1 record.

sean-patin

07-19-2006, 11:33 PM

April 11-13
Seattle Mariners (2-4) at Oakland Athletics (4-2)

Projected Starters
April 11: Rich Harden (0-1, 15.00 ERA) vs. Joel Pineiro (0-0, 6.75 ERA)
April 12: Dan Haren (0-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. Jamie Moyer (0-1, 12.00 ERA)
April 13: Joe Blanton (1-0, 5.68 ERA) vs. Gil Meche (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game Recaps
April 11: Another pitcher ends up leaving early as the Athletics start an early rally and score 12 runs by the end of the 5th. The Oakland lineup belted 5 homeruns. Two coming from Dan Johnson, one from Nick Swisher, one from Eric Chavez, and Frank Thomas continued hitting moonshots as well. Rich Harden pitched very well, going 7.1 innings while allowing just one run. He got into trouble a couple of times, but pitched out of it. Oakland defeats Seattle 16-1

April 12: The game was very quiet early on, until Milton Bradley led off the third inning with a homerun. The A's lead all game, up until the seventh when Adrian Beltre hit a homerun to tie the game at 2. The following inning, Bobby Crosby answered with his own solo HR to give the A's a 3-2 lead. Dan Haren pitched well into the ninth, giving up just seven hits. Oakland defeats Seattle 4-2

April 13: Milton Bradley started the game with a leadoff homerun. In the eighth inning, Carl Everett hit a 2-RBI homerun off of Jay Witasick to tie the game at 2. In the next at-bat, Raul Ibanez put the Mariners up by one. Eric Chavez put the game back to even in the eighth with his second homerun of the night. In the second 13-inning game with the Mariners this season, Frank Thomas came up with a walk-off RBI single to give Oakland it's sixth consecutive win. Oakland defeats Seattle 4-3

Athletics News:
- Shane Komine is 3-0 at Triple-A Sacramento. Kevin Melillo is hitting .426 against his Triple-A opponents.
- Chad Gaudin leads Double-A Midland with a 1.08 ERA. Josh Hamilton is currently fledgling at Midland with a .206 batting average.
- Vince Mazzaro has struck out 24 in 20.1 IP at Single-A Kane County. Kurt Suzuki is crushing Single-A pitching, as he is currently batting .410 with 3 homeruns and 10 RBIs.

Around the Majors:
- San Francisco outfielder Moises Alou hit his 300th HR.
- New York Mets outfielder Xavier Nady is out for two weeks with a pulled groin.
- Houston released shortstop Cody Ransom and utility infielder Joe McEwing.
- A lot of players were signed to contract extensions, including: Astros SP Roy Oswalt, Boston OF Coco Crisp, White Sox SP Jose Contreras, Dodgers RP Eric Gagne, Orioles 2B Brian Roberts, Yankees OF Gary Sheffield, Marlins SP Dontrelle Willis, Mets SS Jose Reyes, Marlins 3B Miguel Cabrera, Texas 1B Mark Teixeira, Giants SP Jason Schmidt, Astros 3B Morgan Ensberg, Yankees C Jorge Posada, Detroit SP Jeremy Bonderman, Boston SP Josh Beckett, Cardinals SP Mark Mulder, Cubs SP Carlos Zambrano, and Tampa Bay OF Aubrey Huff.
- Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez will miss four weeks with a wrist injury.

HoustonGM

07-19-2006, 11:56 PM

A lot of players were signed to contract extensions, including: Astros SP Roy Oswalt, Boston OF Coco Crisp, White Sox SP Jose Contreras, Dodgers RP Eric Gagne, Orioles 2B Brian Roberts, Yankees OF Gary Sheffield, Marlins SP Dontrelle Willis, Mets SS Jose Reyes, Marlins 3B Miguel Cabrera, Texas 1B Mark Teixeira, Giants SP Jason Schmidt, Astros 3B Morgan Ensberg, Yankees C Jorge Posada, Detroit SP Jeremy Bonderman, Boston SP Josh Beckett, Cardinals SP Mark Mulder, Cubs SP Carlos Zambrano, and Tampa Bay OF Aubrey Huff.
WAHT!!!? Did you do that, or is the AI resigning palyers during the season!?!

sean-patin

07-20-2006, 02:49 AM

That was all the computer.... I was amazed that it all happened within 2-3 days!

sean-patin

07-20-2006, 04:08 AM

April 14-17
Toronto Blue Jays (4-5) at Oakland Athletics (7-2)

Projected Starters
April 14: Kirk Saarloos (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. A.J. Burnett (1-1, 6.75 ERA)
April 15: Barry Zito (2-0, 4.85 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (0-2, 3.07 ERA)
April 16: Rich Harden (1-1, 5.23 ERA) vs. Gustavo Chacin (1-0, 4.61 ERA)
April 17: Dan Haren (1-0, 2.87 ERA) vs. Josh Towers (2-0, 1.88 ERA)

Game Recaps
April 14: Milton Bradley is out for the week with a twisted ankle so Bobby Kielty filled his role in the outfield. Kirk Saarloos started the game giving up 5 runs in the second inning. Despite that horrendous inning, he battled through it and managed to go six innings before being relieved. The A's never could come back from the deficit created by Saarloos. Bobby Crosby was 1-for-4 with a homerun and Eric Chavez went 2-for-4 on the night. Toronto defeats Oakland 7-3

April 15: Oakland took the lead in the first inning and never looked back. They put up another four runs in the fourth inning and Zito was lights-out until the eighth inning, when Russ Adams hit a two-run HR. Huston Street came in to pitch the ninth and didn't pitch very cleanly, but got the save. Zito picked up the win, pitching eight innings and striking out nine. Oakland defeats Toronto 6-4

April 16: Gustavo Chacin was nearly untouchable in the early goings, but Erubiel Durazo, in his first game this season, hit a two-run blast in the fourth inning to put Oakland on top. The Athletics led until Huston Street blew his first save in the ninth inning. With a tired bullpen, Street continued into the tenth, where he gave up a solo homerun to John McDonald. Duaner Sanchez then proceeded to give up another two-run blast to the bat of Troy Glaus. Toronto defeats Oakland 5-2

April 17: Ted Lilly was moved up to start in place of Josh Towers. He was horrendous. Bobby Kielty hit a three-run homerun in the third inning to expand the A's early lead. The only run for the Blue Jays came on a solo homerun by Alex Rios in the sixth inning. Dan Haren was excellent on the mound, allowing just one run in over eight innings pitched. Oakland defeats Toronto 10-1

Athletics News:
- Single-A outfielder Javier Herrera will miss 3-4 months with a broken ankle.
- Oakland now stands at 9-4, 2.5 games ahead in the AL West.

Around the Majors:
- St. Louis and San Francisco share the best record in baseball at 9-3.
- Royals outfielder Reggie Sanders stole his 300th base.
- Indians shortstop Jhonny Peralta will miss three weeks with a stress fracture.
- Dodgers 1B Nomar Garciaparra and Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds signed contract extensions.
- Washington released five players, including P Mike Bacsik.
- Angels RP Francisco Rodriguez, Yankees RP Mariano Rivera, and Diamondbacks RP Jose Valverde agreed to contract extensions.
- Multiple other big-league players agreed to contract extensions with their respective teams.

sean-patin

07-20-2006, 09:36 PM

Baseball America - April 18, 2006

Contract Extension Bonanza

http://www.latino-mlb-players.com/images/mariano%20Rivera/Mariano-Rivera-.jpg

This week, Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera was signed to an extension worth $18,000,000 over the next two seasons. Rivera wasn't the only big-name player to ink an extension with his team though. Here is a list of some of the players to sign deals over the past few days:

Astros SP Roy Oswalt (3 years)
Red Sox OF Coco Crisp (3 years)
White Sox SP Jose Contreras (2 years)
Pirates SP Oliver Perez (2 years)
Dodgers RP Eric Gagne (4 years)
Orioles 2B Brian Roberts (3 years)
Yankees OF Gary Sheffield (2 years)
Marlins SP Dontrelle Wills (2 years)
Mets SS Jose Reyes (2 years)
Marlins 3B Miguel Cabrera (3 years)
Rangers 1B Mark Teixeira (3 years)
Giants SP Jason Schmidt (3 years)
Astros 3B Morgan Ensberg (4 years)
Yankees C Jorge Posada (3 years)
Tigers SP Jeremy Bonderman (2 years)
Red Sox SP Josh Beckett (3 years)
Cardinals SP Mark Mulder (3 years)
Cubs SP Carlos Zambrano (3 years)
Devil Rays OF Aubrey Huff (4 years)
Cardinals OF Jim Edmonds (3 years)
Rangers OF Kevin Mench (3 years)
Mariners RP Rafael Soriano (2 years)
Mets OF Cliff Floyd (3 years)
Dodgers 1B Nomar Garciaparra (3 years)
Devil Rays SS Julio Lugo (4 years)
Diamondbacks RP Jose Valverde (2 years)
Orioles 3B Melvin Mora (3 years)
Angels RP Francisco Rodriguez (3 years)
Braves 2B Marcus Giles (3 years)
Yankees SP Mike Mussina (2 years)
Mets SP Tom Glavine (2 years)
Nationals RP Chad Cordero (2 years)
Indians SP Cliff Lee (2 years)
White Sox SP Mark Buehrle (3 years)
Astros RP Brad Lidge (3 years)

sean-patin

07-20-2006, 10:57 PM

Baseball America - April 18, 2006

A's/Tigers Swap Minor Leaguers

http://www.tigerscentral.com/players/s/sanchez_humberto.jpg

In a deal which is very unlikely to make an immediate impact for either the Tigers or the Athletics, Billy Beane and Oakland's front office sent first baseman Doug Clark, outfielders Matt Watson and Richie Robnett, catcher Raul Casanova, and pitcher Matt Roney to the Tigers in exchange for pitcher Chad Durbin, first baseman Jeff Larish, and pitching prospect Humberto Sanchez.

Doug Clark has been performing adequately at Double-A, but he is 30 years old and very unlikely to reach the majors in Oakland. Outfielder Matt Watson has had limited time in the Majors in 2003 and 2005, but Oakland is well stocked in the outfield with both veterans and prospects. Outfielder Richie Robnett is still young (22 years old) and could develop into a star player in the future, but with Swisher, Hamilton, and Herrera all in the Oakland system, there really aren't any spots soon to be open in the outfield. Catcher Raul Casanova and pitcher Matt Roney will make their second trip through the Detroit system.

On the Oakland side of the deal are some very intriguing, yet risky prospects. Pitcher Humberto Sanchez is the key component of the deal. He is an excellent pitching prospect who throws in mid-90s. He has command of an excellent fastball and two breaking pitches. First baseman Jeff Larish also has great potential, but is not on the same level as Sanchez. He has excellent power, but he is still very raw and unpolished. The final component, Chad Durbin, is a 28-year old pitcher who has had plenty of time in the big leagues.

It was also reported that Oakland Co-GM Sean Patin stated earlier today that even though the Athletics are in the playoff race, they still might try to dump some of their pricey veteran salaries. Some of the rumored names appear to be catcher Jason Kendall, outfielder Bobby Kielty, and second baseman Mark Ellis.

sean-patin

07-21-2006, 12:15 AM

April 18-19
Texas Rangers (4-8) at Oakland Athletics (9-4)

Projected Starters
April 18: Joe Blanton (1-0, 2.70 ERA) vs. Kameron Loe (0-1, 5.40 ERA)
April 19: Kirk Saarloos (1-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. Kevin Millwood (1-2, 10.97 ERA)

Game Recaps
April 18: The game went back and forth for six innings, then in the seventh, Laynce Nix hit a two-run HR to put Texas up 6-5. That was the final score, as Otsuka pitched his way out of a ninth inning jam. Texas defeats Oakland 6-5

April 19: The Athletics scrapped together 13 hits off of Millwood and Antonio Alfonseca. Both Bobby Crosby and Bobby Kielty hit homeruns. Crosby's was a solo blast, while Kielty's brought in two runs. Mark Kotsay was 2-for-3, as was Nick Swisher. Oakland defeats Texas 7-3

Athletics News:
- Milton Bradley is a day away from returning to the starting lineup.
- Pitcher Juan Dominguez is about two weeks away from returning to Triple-A Sacramento.
- Outfielder Danny Putnam was demoted to Single-A Kane County.
- Brian Myrow was signed to a minor-league contract. The former first baseman will be moving to the other corner infield position.

Around the Majors:
- On April 18, Carlos Guillen hit for the cycle.
- Washington released catcher Wiki Gonzalez.
- Dodgers signed RP Danys Baez to 3-year extension.
- Angels signed SP John Lackey to 3-year extension.
- Red Sox signed 1B/DH David Ortiz to 4-year extension.
- Pirates signed RP Mike Gonzalez to 2-year extension.
- White Sox signed OF Jermaine Dye to 3-year extension.
- Astros signed SP Andy Pettitte to 3-year extension.
- Diamonbacks outfielder Shawn Green scored his 1000th run.

sean-patin

07-22-2006, 03:00 AM

April 20-21
Oakland Athletics (10-5) at Tampa Bay Devil Rays (8-6)

Projected Starters
April 20: Barry Zito (3-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. Scott Kazmir (2-1, 5.49 ERA)
April 21: Rich Harden (1-1, 2.95 ERA) vs. Casey Fossum (1-1, 4.58 ERA)

Game Recaps
April 20: Oakland had led a close game all night, until Zito left the game going into the seventh inning. Jay Witasick and Brendan Donnelly got no one out, but managed to give up six runs and put the game out of reach for Oakland. Bobby Crosby and Frank Thomas both hit homeruns for Oakland. For the Devil Rays, Julio Lugo and Joey Gathright both went 3-for-5. Tampa Bay defeats Oakland 9-5

April 21: Oakland scored five runs in the eighth inning to secure the lead. Nick Swisher hit a homerun and Bobby Crosby hit two, as he continued his hot hitting. The bullpen was once again atrocious. Jay Witasick pitched another terrible inning, but was relieved and the A's hung on to win. Oakland defeats Tampa Bay 9-5

Athletics News:
- Milton Bradley will be back in the starting lineup at Boston.
- Half of the team's bullpen has an ERA over 7.00.
- Pitcher Humberto Sanchez pitched his first game with Oakland at Single-A Kane County. He gave up five earned runs in 5.1 innings, but did strikeout 7, while walking just one.

Around the Majors:
- Mets SP Pedro Martinez won his 200th game.
- Braves SP John Smoltz agreed to a 2-year extension.
- Marlins outfielder Josh Willingham will miss two weeks with a fractured hand.
- The Twins released Shawn Wooten and Ruben Sierra (Sierra retired after his release).

RUMOR MILL:
- ESPN's Buster Olney reported that the Cubs are interested in Royals starting pitcher Scott Elarton and Marlins pitcher Josh Johnson. They are desperate for starting pitching with Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, and Wade Miller on the disabled list.
- White Sox General Manager Ken Williams is looking to improve the World Series champions, who are currently 4-12. Their needs include relief pitching and outfield help. Although, the teams real glaring weakness may be it's lack of bench players who can perform at the Major League level. Williams didn't comment on any targets, but our sources tell us that Mariners reliever Rafael Soriano, Rangers reliever Akinori Otsuka, Indians outfielder Casey Blake, and Diamondbacks outfielder Eric Byrnes are some of their prime targets.
- The Athletics are shopping around reliever Jay Witasick and catcher Jason Kendall, although we are unaware of any current negotiations.
- The New York Mets, currently third in the NL East, are looking to improve their bullpen. Some current reports suggest outstanding negotiations with the Mariners for Rafael Soriano and with the Rockies for Jose Mesa.

HoustonGM

07-22-2006, 03:04 AM

Hm....this rumor mill thing. Is it just all made up?

If so, doesn't that mean that none of these trades are actually oging to happen, or are you going to make them yourself? :-p

sean-patin

07-22-2006, 03:07 AM

I was maybe going to make some myself if I feel that some contenders aren't going to as the deadline draws nearer or just if I think the league seems a little dead with movement. I probably won't make anything too big though, just some moves of quality players, but don't expect me to move All-Star caliber players or Franchise players.

HoustonGM

07-22-2006, 03:08 AM

Yeah, I think I might look into doing something like that in my next dynasty. The computer trades in mogul aren't anywhere near as thoughtout or playoff-race-shaking as the real life trades tend to be, and that might be too much to ask of from a computer AI. The game rarely makes blockbuster deals, or deals of impact players.

Interesting idea sean.

sean-patin

07-22-2006, 04:03 AM

April 22-24
Oakland Athletics (11-6) at Boston Red Sox (7-9)

Projected Starters
April 22: Dan Haren (2-0, 2.22 ERA) vs. Tim Wakefield (1-1, 5.06 ERA)
April 23: Joe Blanton (1-1, 2.95 ERA) vs. David Wells (0-1, 5.65 ERA)
April 24: Kirk Saarloos (2-1, 2.73 ERA) vs. Josh Beckett (2-2, 7.94 ERA)

Game Recaps
April 22: Dan Haren pitched an excellent ballgame, allowing just two runs on five hits over his eight innings. Huston Street picked up the save, an opportunity that has been very rare as of late. Nick Swisher was 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs. Milton Bradley, in his return to the field, went 2-for-4. Oakland defeats Boston 3-2

April 23: Both teams reached the ten-hit mark, but Oakland was more productive on the scoreboard. Frank Thomas and Mark Ellis were both 4-for-5 and Thomas' night included a three-run homerun. Oakland defeats Boston 9-5

April 24: Oakland battled from behind most of the game and in the seventh, Frank Thomas hit a solo homerun to tie the game at 7. Chad Bradford came in and pitched well for one inning, but gave up three runs in the next before being removed by Ken Macha. Jonathan Papelbon came in and shut down the Oakland offense in the ninth. Boston defeats Oakland 10-8

Athletics News:
- The Athletics are off on Sunday, April 25.
- Milton Bradley will once again miss a few games with a dislocated toe. Bobby Kielty will replace him in rightfield for the time being.
- Manager Ken Macha could miss Tuesday's game for personal reasons.
- Assistant General Manager Paul DePodesta agreed to the terms of an extension through the 2010 season.

Around the Majors:
- Angels outfielder Tim Salmon got his 1000th RBI.
- The Rockies released outfielder Pete Zoccolillo and infielder Dennis Hocking.
- Pirates outfielder Jeromy Burnitz hit his 300th HR.
- The Padres released infielder Manny Alexander.
- Washington agreed to terms with OF/2B Alfonso Soriano for a 4-year extension.

sean-patin

07-22-2006, 04:26 AM

Baseball America - April 25, 2006

Red Sox "Capitol"-ize Bullpen

http://www.eastcoastattractions.com/nationals%20joey%20eischen%20looks%20at%20schnieder%20after%20a%20pitch%20philli es.jpg

The Boston Red Sox made a move today which will hopefully help to get them out of the AL East cellar. They sit currently one game behind Toronto at 8-11. GM Theo Epstein added to his bullpen today in a deal with the Washington Nationals. In the deal, Boston will receive relievers Joey Eischen and Jon Rauch in exchange for pitcher Lenny DiNardo, catcher Tom Gregorio, and reliever Matt Mantei.

The Red Sox add to their bullpen a 27-year old right-hander in Jon Rauch. He has been underachieving in 8 games this season, with a 6.75 ERA and .341 opponent's batting average. The other new Sox reliever, Joey Eischen, is in his thirteenth season and possesses a career 3.46 ERA.

In exchange for Eischen and Rauch, the Red Sox sent away former closer Matt Mantei who has been wasting away at Triple-A Pawtucket most of this season. He will become a central part in the Nationals bullpen if he can return to pre-2004 form. Lenny DiNardo, a 26-year old left-hander, will return to Triple-A for his new team. DiNardo has had some big-league experience and could be a possible call-up later on this season. One of the weakest positions in the Washington system is the catcher position. The addition of Tom Gregorio doesn't fully address this issue, but does give Nationals GM Jim Bowden another possibility for the future. Gregorio will report to Double-A Harrisburg.

sean-patin

07-22-2006, 03:24 PM

April 26-28
Los Angeles Angels (10-9) at Oakland Athletics (13-7)

Projected Starters
April 26: Barry Zito (3-0, 3.46 ERA) vs. Bartolo Colon (2-2, 4.88 ERA)
April 27: Rich Harden (2-1, 2.59 ERA) vs. Jeff Weaver (2-1, 3.49 ERA)
April 28: Dan Haren (3-0, 2.23 ERA) vs. Kelvim Escobar (1-2, 5.63 ERA)

Game Recaps
April 26: Chone Figgins led off the game with a homerun and the Angels never let go of that lead. Barry Zito was chased from the game by the third inning, while Bartolo Colon continued and pitched finely into the seventh inning. Today, the struggling Athletics reliever was Chad Bradford as he was hit hard in the fifth inning. Chone Figgins went 4-for-5 with a HR. The Angels win put them 1.5 games back of Oakland. Los Angeles defeats Oakland 9-1

April 27: The A's scored in the second inning on an error by the Angels. Both Jeff Weaver and Rich Harden pitched extremely well. Harden went eight innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out nine. Jeff Weaver pitched 7.2 innings, allowing two hits and three walks. He carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Eric Chavez broke it up with a base-hit. Oakland defeats Los Angeles 1-0

April 28: Oakland got on top early with runs in the first, third, and fifth innings. It wasn't until the eighth that the Angels were able to get on the board, scoring two runs off Dan Haren in his final inning. He went eight innings, allowing just two runs on twelve hits. Huston Street picked up another save, closing out the ninth in spectacular fashion. Oakland defeats Los Angeles 4-2

Athletics News:
- Oakland is now 3.5 games ahead of Los Angeles in the AL West.
- Pitcher Juan Dominguez (AAA) should return to action later on this week.
- Triple-A first baseman Jeff Larish is currently hitting .354 with 7 HRs.
- Triple-A pitcher Shane Komine is tied for the league lead in Wins with 6.
- Catcher Kurt Suzuki is hitting .372 at Double-A Midland.

Around the Majors:
- Padres catcher Mike Piazza hit his 400th HR.
- Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder will miss two weeks with a pulled groin.
- Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay will miss three months with a broken tibia after falling awkwardly coming off the mound to field a ball.
- The Pirates released four players, including infielder Jose Hernandez.
- Pirates first baseman Sean Casey signed a 3-year contract extension.
- Phillies starting pitcher Brett Myers agreed to the terms of a 3-year contract extension worth over $15,000,000.
- Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee agreed to a 5-year extension worth $12.4 million per year.

sean-patin

07-22-2006, 04:42 PM

April 29-May 1
Baltimore Orioles (12-10) at Oakland Athletics (15-8)

Projected Starters
April 29: Joe Blanton (2-1, 3.62 ERA) vs. Erik Bedard (3-2, 4.96 ERA)
April 30: Kirk Saarloos (2-1, 4.31 ERA) vs. Kris Benson (2-1, 4.43 ERA)
May 1: Barry Zito (3-1, 4.66 ERA) vs. Rodrigo Lopez (0-0, 4.50 ERA)

Game Recaps
April 29: Joe Blanton pitched extremely well, throwing a complete game with just three hits allowed and one run. Erik Bedard also threw well for the Orioles. He went seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. A's outfielder Jeremy Giambi went 2-for-2 with a solo homerun. Oakland defeats Baltimore 3-1

April 30: Javy Lopez was a "Saarloos-killer" tdoay. In the first two innings, Lopez blasted two three-run shots off of Kirk Saarloos. Saarloos never made it out of the second inning, but the Oakland bullpen was able to slow the scoring a little bit. Mark Kotsay was 2-for-4 with a homerun and Frank Thomas went 2-for-4 with 2 homeruns. Kris Benson went eight strong innings for the Orioles. Baltimore defeats Oakland 12-3

May 1: The Oakland bats were stifled by Rodrigo Lopez. Lopez went seven innings, allowing just two runs on five hits. Mark Kotsay led the Oakland offense, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Baltimore defeats Oakland 4-2

Athletics News:
- Juan Dominguez is just two days from returning to Triple-A Sacramento.
- Starting pitcher Kirk Saarloos will miss the next week with a twisted ankle suffered on April 30.

Around the Majors:
- Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield got his 1500th RBI.
- Dodgers pitcher Brad Penny will miss five weeks with a separated shoulder.
- Giants controversial outfielder Barry Bonds will miss three months with a broken ankle.
- Rangers outfielder Brad Wilkerson signed a 3-year extension.

sean-patin

07-23-2006, 05:04 PM

Baseball America - April Review

AL East:
1. Baltimore (14-11)
2. New York (14-11)
3. Tampa Bay (13-12)
4. Toronto (13-13)
5. Boston (11-14)

AL Central:
1. Minnesota (16-9)
2. Detroit (15-10)
3. Cleveland (13-12)
4. Chicago (9-16)
5. Kansas City (9-16)

AL West:
1. Oakland (16-10)
2. Los Angeles (13-12)
3. Texas (11-14)
4. Seattle (9-16)

NL East:
1. Philadelphia (16-9)
2. New York (14-11)
3. Florida (13-12)
4. Atlanta (12-13)
5. Washington (9-16)

NL Central:
1. Houston (16-8)
2. Milwaukee (15-9)
3. Cincinnati (13-10)
4. St. Louis (12-13)
5. Pittsburgh (11-14)
6. Chicago (8-16)

NL West:
1. San Francisco (17-8)
2. San Diego (11-13)
3. Los Angeles (11-14)
4. Colorado (9-15)
5. Arizona (9-15)

sean-patin

07-23-2006, 05:16 PM

Baseball America - April Review

League Leaders
Batting Average: Pirates OF Jeromy Burnitz (.471)
Hits: Yankees OF Johnny Damon (45)
Home Runs: Reds OF Adam Dunn (15)
Stolen Bases: White Sox OF Scott Podsednik (12)
ERA: Twins SP Francisco Liriano (1.26)
Wins: Reds SP Bronson Arroyo - Mets SP Pedro Martinez - Blue Jays SP A.J. Burnett (5)
Strikeouts: Mets SP Pedro Martinez (46)
Saves: Mets RP Billy Wagner (9)

Oakland Leaders
Batting Average: Mark Ellis (.324)
Hits: Mark Ellis (34)
Home Runs: Frank Thomas (9)
Stolen Bases: Mark Ellis - Eric Chavez (3)
ERA: Rich Harden (1.95)
Wins: Dan Haren (4)
Strikeouts: Rich Harden (26)
Saves: Huston Street (6)

sean-patin

07-23-2006, 05:46 PM

Baseball America - May 2, 2006

Cubs Trade Novoa For Veteran Relievers

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/images/2006/02/19/qlLzPDo6.jpg

Desperately short on pitching, the Chicago Cubs made a move to acquire two veteran relievers from the Cleveland Indians. With Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, and Wade Miller set to spend at least the first-half of the season on the DL and Jerome Williams out for at least a week, Chicago's pitching is very weak right now. That goes without mentioning the atrocious performance of the bullpen thus far.

In an attempt to bolster the team's bullpen, Cubs GM Jim Hendry traded pitcher Roberto Novoa to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for veteran relievers Steve Karsay and Danny Graves. Hendry said the team is still looking to find an experienced starter to finalize the back-end of their rotation.

Roberto Novoa has been pitching out of the bullpen for part of the season and has posted a 10.13 ERA over 2 games. He is still just 26 years old and with some improvement of his command, could be an above-average pitcher in the near future. For now, he will settle into Triple-A Buffalo. The Cubs will receive Steve Karsay, a 13-year veteran with a career 3.98 ERA in over 600 innings. Along with Karsay comes reliever Danny Graves, who is a former closer with 182 career saves. Over the past two seasons, Graves' ERA has exceeded the 5.00 mark and he has yet to see time above Triple-A so far this season.

sean-patin

07-23-2006, 07:16 PM

May 2-4
Oakland Athletics (16-10) at Texas Rangers (11-14)

Projected Starters
May 2: Rich Harden (3-1, 1.95 ERA) vs. Kameron Loe (3-1, 4.50 ERA)
May 3: Dan Haren (4-0, 2.23 ERA) vs. John Rheinecker (0-0, 4.76 ERA)
May 4: Joe Blanton (3-1, 2.97 ERA) vs. Kevin Millwood (2-4, 9.45 ERA)

Game Recaps
May 2: The Texas offense hammered Rich Harden for eight runs in the first inning. Kameron Loe and Brian Shouse shut Oakland down until the ninth, when Nick Swisher and Mark Ellis both homered off of Joaquin Benoit. Texas defeats Oakland 11-4

May 3: Texas outfielder Laynce Nix hit an inside-the-park homerun in the fifth inning. Oakland put up big numbers in the sixth and ninth innings to put the game out of reach. Dan Haren went seven strong innings, allowing just three earned runs. Oakland defeats Texas 9-3

May 4: Kevin Millwood and Joe Blanton pitched shutouts through eight innings. In the top of the ninth, Akinori Otsuka gave up a two-run homerun to Eric Chavez. Then, in the bottom of the inning, Huston Street gave up a two-run homerun to Laynce Nix to tie the game with two outs and send it to extra innings. In the bottom of the seventeenth inning, Chad Bradford gave up a two-run walk-off homerun to Phil Nevin. Texas defeats Oakland 4-2

Athletics News:
- With Kirk Saarloos out for 3 more days with a twisted ankle, Chad Gaudin will be called up from Double-A Midland to start in his place.
- Juan Dominguez returned to Triple-A Sacramento this week. He had missed the past two weeks.
- Erubiel Durazo will be replacing Dan Johnson as the team's everyday first baseman for the time being. Johnson was hitting just .175 this season.

Around the Majors:
- St. Louis released outfielder Gary Johnson and catcher Alberto Castillo.
- Boston released third baseman Trent Durrington.
- Cleveland released five, including Wil Cordero.
- Mariners first baseman Richie Sexson will miss two weeks with a sprained ankle.
- Twins starting pitcher Francisco Liriano will miss two weeks with a hand stress fracture in his non-throwing hand.

RUMOR MILL:
- The Cubs are still rumored to be looking for another starting pitcher, even with the return of Jerome Williams on the horizon. Reports indicate that they are still interested in Royals starting pitcher Scott Elarton, but have recently begun talks with the Diamondbacks about Orlando Hernandez's availability.
- The Mariners and Athletics appear to be nearing finalization of a deal that would send Richie Sexson to Oakland and reliever Jay Witasick to Seattle. There is no word on other players who might be involved in this deal if it does go through.
- The White Sox haven't addressed their needs of relief pitching and outfield help. General Manager Ken Williams was unavailable for comment. Our sources tell us that Mariners reliever Rafael Soriano, Rangers reliever Akinori Otsuka, and Diamondbacks outfielder Eric Byrnes are some of their prime targets. They are also apparently talking with the Yankees about Ramiro Mendoza, who is currently in Triple-A.
- The New York Mets are still looking to improve their bullpen with another proven reliever. Reports still suggest they are involved in negotiations with the Mariners for Rafael Soriano and the Rockies for Jose Mesa.
- Rumor has surfaced that the Blue Jays and Giants are in negotiations dealing with second baseman Ray Durham. But, the Giants are in the middle of a playoff race and would need major-league ready material in return.

sean-patin

07-24-2006, 02:12 AM

May 6-8
Kansas City Royals (11-17) at Oakland Athletics (17-12)

Projected Starters
May 6: Barry Zito (3-2, 4.75 ERA) vs. Runelvys Hernandez (0-3, 10.13 ERA)
May 7: Rich Harden (3-2, 3.82 ERA) vs. Denny Bautista (1-2, 7.57 ERA)
May 8: Dan Haren (5-0, 2.47 ERA) vs. Joe Mays (1-1, 3.04 ERA)

Game Recaps
May 6: The Royals got on top early with three runs in the first inning, but Zito shut them down for the next six innings. In the seventh inning, Jay Witasick blew another game by allowing three runs in his 0.1 innings. Kansas City defeats Oakland 6-5

May 7: Eric Chavez hit a homerun in his second straight game. He finished the night going 4-for-4 with a walk and two homeruns. Milton Bradley also took one deep with a solo shot in the third inning. Rich Harden looked good for seven innings, striking out ten batters and allowing just two runs. Oakland defeats Kansas City 9-4

May 8: It was a well-pitched game by both sides. Huston Street nearly blew another save in the ninth, allowing three hits and one run to score before getting the final out of the game. Oakland defeats Kansas City 3-2

Athletics News:
- Reliever Duaner Sanchez will be placed on the 15-day disabled list with severe elbow tendonitis.
- Kirk Saarloos will return to the rotation and take Sanchez's roster spot. Chad Gaudin will be sent to the bullpen.
- Single-A first baseman Daric Barton will make his return from the disabled list in 3-5 days.

Around the Majors:
- Cincinnati outfielder Austin Kearns will miss seven weeks with a severe shoulder separation suffered on May 6.
- Detroit released catcher Raul Casanova and first baseman Mike Hessman
- Baltimore agreed to a one-year contract with second baseman Henry Mateo.

sean-patin

07-24-2006, 09:19 PM

May 9-11
Detroit Tigers (21-11) at Oakland Athletics (19-13)

Projected Starters
May 9: Joe Blanton (3-1, 2.44 ERA) vs. Mike Maroth (1-3, 7.02 ERA)
May 10: Kirk Saarloos (2-2, 6.00 ERA) vs. Kenny Rogers (2-1, 4.17 ERA)
May 11: Barry Zito (3-2, 4.71 ERA) vs. Justin Verlander (2-0, 8.31 ERA)

Game Recaps
May 9: Oakland fell behind early due to a Chris Shelton homerun, but answered with six runs in the third inning. But, the bullpen once again was horrific to watch. Justin Duchscherer allowed four runs in the eighth inning and was relieved by Chad Bradford, who allowed two in the ninth. Detroit defeats Oakland 12-7

May 10: Kenny Rogers carried a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning with his no-hitter still alive before Jason Kendall singled to left field. Rogers went eight innings, allowing just two hits and no runs. Detroit defeats Oakland 3-1

May 11: The Tigers scored six runs in three innings off Barry Zito and forced him out early. The bullpen didn't fare much better, but they haven't fared well for about a week or so now. Frank Thomas went 2-for-4 with two homeruns. Detroit defeats Oakland 8-4

Athletics News:
- Manager Ken Macha has promoted Mark Ellis to the leadoff spot. Also, Oakland will be trying Bobby Kielty at first base due to the lack of production from both Dan Johnson and Erubiel Durazo. Here is a list of the Revised Lineup:
1. 2B Mark Ellis
2. LF Nick Swisher
3. 3B Eric Chavez
4. DH Frank Thomas
5. RF Milton Bradley
6. SS Bobby Crosby
7. CF Mark Kotsay
8. 1B Bobby Kielty
9. C Jason Kendall

Around the Majors:
- Rockies reliever Brian Fuentes will miss two weeks with a hand stress fracture.
- White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski will miss two weeks with a hairline wrist break suffered during a colission at homeplate on May 9.
- Royals released outfielder Chad Allen.

sean-patin

07-24-2006, 10:21 PM

Baseball America - May 12, 2006

Three-Way Trade Between Tigers, A's, and Mariners

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In a large transaction involving at least one big name rumored to be available come the July 31 trade deadline, the Tigers, Athletics, and Mariners all addressed needs in their systems. The first team involved, the Detroit Tigers received reliever Jay Witasick from Oakland along with catching prospect Rob Johnson and first baseman Todd Sears from the Mariners. This doesn't necessarily address any team issues, as there seem to be very few if any, but does improve their bullpen in the eyes of manager Jim Leyland. The Tigers departed with pitching prospect Preston Larrison and reliever Franklyn German, but replaced German with a veteran reliever and added the catching depth that they sorely lacked throughout their minor-league system.

The second team involved is the Oakland Athletics. In this deal, Oakland will receive first baseman Richie Sexson from Seattle and reliever Franklyn German from Detroit. Co-GM Sean Patin was very disappointed in Witasick's performance and said that the team has to be able to rely upon their bullpen if they are going to succeed in the postseason or even the remainder of the regular season. German has been impressive so far, posting a 2.93 ERA through 15.1 innings pitched. He has also put up an impressive 20 strikeouts over those 15-plus innings. Oakland will also receive power-hitting first baseman Richie Sexson, who will replace the Durazo/Johnson platoon that Macha has been using over the past few weeks with little success. This will also put a halt to the transition that Bobby Kielty was going to make to play first base. Sexson has been hurt a lot this season, but returns in just a little under a week's time. Although, his performance so far hasn't been anything to write home about either.

The final team in this large three-way trade was the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners received a little bit of everything from Detroit and Oakland. They will receive pitching prospect Preston Larrison, who could excel with some consistency and improved command. They will also receive first baseman Erubiel Durazo who will attempt to lighten the load left by Sexson, but Roberto Petagine seems to be the likely candidate to fill his shoes. They received three other prospects from the Athletics. Catcher Jeremy Brown, best known from the book "Moneyball." General Manager's Billy Beane and Sean Patin were in love with the kid's ability, but he seemed to not like Oakland and with Kurt Suzuki and Landon Powell both hanging in the backdrop, it didn't seem so hard to part ways with Jeremy. They also received second base prospect Gregorio Petit, who has been excellent in Single-A so far this season, posting a .345 batting average. They also received outfielder Charles Thomas who could possibly be a five-tool player in the Major Leagues someday. On top of the veterans and prospects, Seattle also received just over $5,000,000 in cash from the deal.

sean-patin

07-24-2006, 10:41 PM

Baseball America - May 13, 2006

Athletics and D-Rays Swap Pitching Prospects

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The Oakland Athletics stay busy just a day after trading for Richie Sexson. Today, they made a deal with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays involving three minor-league pitchers.

The Devil Rays will receive pitching prospects Jason Karnuth and Shane Komine. Karnuth was 1-1 at Triple-A Sacramento with a 3.04 ERA. He had made just 3 starts in 11 appearances. Komine was considered to be one of Oakland's top pitching prospects. He was actually believed to be one of the next pitchers in line to get a shot at the big-league club. At Triple-A Sacramento he had gone 6-1 with a 3.94 ERA and 39 strikeouts.

The Athletics, in return, will be getting pitching prospect Wade Townsend. Townsend hasn't pitched since being drafted out of Rice due to a holdout the first year and then re-entering the draft, but was injured soon after. He was an excellent college pitcher and is a very gutsy starter who could develop into a solid #2 or #3 in Oakland someday.