Oakland Athletics Offseason Tracker: Hottest Free Agency News, Trade Rumors
Oakland's remarkable (and disheartening) second-half collapse in 2014 culminated with a heartbreaking loss to Kansas City in the AL Wild Card Game. In some ways, it was a fitting end to the season, one that saw the A's look unbeatable for a few months before the wheels fell off and it all came crashing down.
With a number of key players heading for free agency and even more due substantial raises through arbitration this winter, general manager Billy Beane may not have much free cash to spend on improvements through free agency.
Then again, Beane could surprise the baseball world as he's done in the past and do just that—or perhaps he'll look to wheel-and-deal his way toward an improved roster for his club.
Keep it here for the most up-to-the-minute rumblings about the A's along with analysis and everything else that comes with it. While the post date will always show as Oct. 31, simply click to the next slide to see the latest on the A's as they put together their roster for the 2015 season.
Oakland's Free Agents and Done Deals
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All the juicy rumors and analysis follow, but consider this your one-stop shop for all the comings and goings in Oakland this winter, including the status of the team's free agents.
Done Deals
Nov. 18: Signed 1B/DH Billy Butler to a three-year, $30 million deal (Analysis)
Nov. 23: Acquired 1B Ike Davis from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for international slot money (Analysis)
Nov. 28: Traded 3B Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for SS Franklin Barreto, RHP Kendall Graveman, 2B/3B Brett Lawrie and LHP Sean Nolin (Analysis)
Dec. 8: Traded 1B/OF Brandon Moss to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for 2B/3B Joe Wendle
Dec. 9: Traded RHP Jeff Samardzija and RHP Michael Ynoa to the Chicago White Sox for RHP Chris Bassitt, IF Marcus Semien, C Josh Phegley and 1B/DH Rangel Ravelo (Analysis)
Dec. 18: Acquired LHP Eury De La Rosa from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations
Dec. 18: Traded C Derek Norris, RHP Seth Streich and an international signing slot to the San Diego Padres in exchange for RHPs R.J. Alvarez and Jesse Hahn
A's Free Agents
1B/DH Daric Barton (Dec. 16: Signed a minor-league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays)
1B/DH Kyle Blanks (Dec. 2: Non-tendered)
1B/OF Andrew Brown (Dec. 2: Non-tendered)
IF Alberto Callaspo (Dec. 9: Signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Atlanta Braves)
OF Jonny Gomes
RP Luke Gregerson (Dec. 10: Signed a three-year, $18.5 million deal with the Houston Astros)
SP Jason Hammel (Dec. 8: Signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Chicago Cubs)
SP Jon Lester (Dec. 10: Signed a six-year, $155 million deal with the Chicago Cubs)
SS Jed Lowrie (Dec. 15: Signed a three-year, $23 million deal with the Houston Astros)
IF Nick Punto (Dec. 19: Released)
C Geovany Soto
Dec. 9:: A's Trade RHP Jeff Samardzija to the Chicago White Sox
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The four-player package that Oakland got for Samardzija—RHP Chris Bassitt, IF Marcus Semien, C Josh Phegley and 1B/DH Rangel Ravelo—may not seem great on the surface, but for what amounts to a one-year rental, the A's did pretty well.
Josh Phegley isn't much more than organizational depth behind the plate, and Chris Bassitt is a fringe back-of-the-rotation arm that ultimately might be best served by moving back to the bullpen, where he began his professional career.
But Marcus Semien and Rangel Ravelo could be keepers.
Semien, 24, immediately becomes Oakland's starting shortstop and has the potential to become a solid contributor. He strikes out far too much, but he's got some pop in his bat and his minor league numbers indicate that there's far more upside in his than the .240/.293/.380 slash line that he's posted over parts of two major league seasons.
Ravelo is an interesting prospect in that he's only 22, has right-handed pop and tore up Double-A to the tune of a .309/.386/.473 slash line in 2014. He could be Oakland's first baseman of the future.
Justin Upton and Evan Gattis on A's Radar
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Sunday, Nov. 29 at 10:47 a.m. ET
While the A's have had discussions about Evan Gattis and Justin Upton with the Atlanta Braves, as noted by John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that the teams haven't spoken about a potential deal in recent days.
A deal involving either slugger wouldn't include Oakland ace Jeff Samardzija, Hickey adds.
Realistically, neither player makes much sense for the A's. Upton is a free agent after the 2015 season that they cannot afford to re-sign, while Gattis, for all his power, brings questionable defense and is best utilized as a designated hitter.
The same position at which the A's presently have more bodies than they know what to do with.
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Nov. 28: Acquired Brett Lawrie (and Others) from the Toronto Blue Jays
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2B/3B Brett Lawrie
Age: 24
Bats: R
2014 Stats: 70 G, .247/.301/.421, 21 XBH (12 HR), 38 RBI
RHP Kendall Graveman
Age: 23
2014 Stats (Single-A to Triple-A): 27 GS, 14-6, 1.83 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 167.1 IP, 142 H, 1.7 BB/9, 6.2 K/9
LHP Sean Nolin
Age: 24
2014 Stats (Triple-A): 17 GS, 4-6, 3.50 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 87.1 IP, 74 H, 3.6 BB/9, 7.6 K/9
SS Franklin Barreto
Age: 18
Bats: R
2014 Stats (Low-A): 73 G, .311/.384/.481, 33 XBH (6 HR), 61 RBI, 29-for-34 SB
In exchange for a perennial MVP candidate in Josh Donaldson, Oakland brings back a foursome of youngsters that could be cornerstone pieces for the next era of A's baseball—at least until they become too expensive for the club to hang onto.
The centerpiece of the deal is Lawrie, a versatile, talented player that has battled injury since his first full MLB season in 2012, never playing in more than 125 games. Lawrie's got tremendous power, despite never hitting more than 12 home runs in a season and has the ability to hit for average as well.
He's flashed Gold Glove-caliber defense at the hot corner but is versatile enough to hold his own at second base as well. Assuming the A's are going to keep him at third base, there shouldn't be much of a drop-off with the glove from Donaldson to Lawrie.
Graveman, Toronto's eighth round pick in the 2013 draft, flew through the team's minor league system last year, tossing 4.2 innings of relief at the end of the season in Toronto, allowing two earned runs and four hits while fanning four.
Nolin, who was ranked as Toronto's No. 10 prospect heading into 2014 by Baseball America, was limited by injury in 2014, making only 17 starts at Triple-A. He projects as a mid-rotation starter, using a four-pitch mix with above average command, capable of locating the ball to all parts of the strike zone.
Barreto, named Toronto's No. 5 prospect heading into 2015 by Baseball America, is perhaps the most exciting of the minor leaguers that Oakland received. He's got all the tools to be an above-average hitter, with quick hands, excellent bat speed and a line-drive stroke that has enough strength behind it to generate double-digit home run totals.
His arm, speed and natural athleticism will keep him up the middle, but whether he remains at shortstop or winds up at second base or in center field remains to be seen. He's still a few years away from contributing.
Nov. 23: Acquired 1B Ike Davis from the Pirates
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The A's have acquired first baseman Ike Davis from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for international slot money, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Slusser noted that this move was about adding depth, which could allow the club to move another first baseman if it gets blown away by an offer.
Davis was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh, which allowed Oakland to work out a deal to add depth.
The 27-year-old slashed .233/.344/.378 between the New York Mets and the Pirates in 2014. He slugged 11 home runs and added 19 doubles.
The left-handed hitting Davis won't provide much offense against southpaws. This past season, he hit .094 against southpaws and .247 against right-handers. All 11 of his home runs came against right-handers.
Davis will give the A's some depth at position. When he does get a chance to play, he does some pop with the bat.
Nov. 18: Signed DH/1B Billy Butler
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Age on Opening Day 2015: 28
Bats: R
2014 Stats: .271/.323/.379, 41 XBH (9 HR), 66 RBI
Contract Status: Three years, $30 million
It says a lot about the kind of hitter that Billy Butler is that his 2014 numbers—respectable numbers—are the worst of his eight-year career. A lifetime .295/.359/.445 hitter, Butler enjoyed a six-year stretch from 2008 to 2013 that saw him, on average, hit .299 with 18 home runs, 85 RBI and a .826 OPS.
If that's the player that arrives at spring training for the A's, it won't take long for this deal to look like a stroke of genius by general manager Billy Beane. If, however, the 2014 version of Butler arrives, then it'll be fair to ask what, exactly the A's were thinking.
The club already has a plethora of players that profile as first base/designated hitter types—Kyle Blanks, John Jaso, Brandon Moss and Stephen Vogt among them—and Butler's arrival likely means that at least one of them won't be wearing an A's uniform in 2015.
That said, Butler, while he doesn't have the power of Blanks or Moss, is unquestionably a better overall hitter than any of those players.
While he lacks any discernible speed, Butler has the ability to make solid contact often enough that, even if the ball doesn't get over the outfield wall at O.co Coliseum, it'll fall into the outfield gaps and find the man formerly known as "Country Breakfast" standing on second base.
All things considered, this is a low-risk, high-reward addition for the A's.
Would the A's Roll with Asdrubal Cabrera at Shortstop?
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Update: Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 11:20 a.m. ET
While team sources downplayed their interest in Cabrera (and Stephen Drew) to MLB.com's Jane Lee, Heyman says that Oakland is still in on both players and wonders if the team might try and sign both of them, using Drew at shortstop and Cabrera at second base.
--End of Update--
Monday, Nov. 10 at 8:15 p.m. ET
Oakland has reached out to two-time All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera about potentially filling a void on the left side of the team's infield in 2015, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
Cabrera, who hit a combined .241 with 14 home runs, 61 RBI and a .694 OPS for the Indians and Nationals, is one of the better run-producing shortstops available (aside from Hanley Ramirez, who is clearly out of Oakland's price range).
But there are legitimate questions about his ability to field the position, with poor glovework and limited range making him something of a defensive liability.
Stephen Drew Is on Oakland's Radar
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Monday, Nov. 10 at 8:01 p.m. ET
The A's are casting a wide net in search for their next shortstop and have reached out to Stephen Drew, among others, according to a report from CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
Drew, 31, had a down year on both sides of the ball after holding out for the first month of the regular season, managing to hit a combined .162 with a .536 OPS between time spent in Boston and New York.
It wouldn't be the first time that Drew put on an A's uniform, having spent part of the 2012 season in Oakland after being acquired in August from Arizona in exchange for minor league shortstop Sean Jamieson, hitting .250 with a .707 OPS.
Drew isn't expected to command a massive payday this winter and certainly has a track record of success that would lead you to believe that he's capable of bouncing back in a big way next year. Potentially, he could be one of the biggest bargains available.
Oakland Would Consider Trading Scott Kazmir
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Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 7:06 p.m. ET
While Scott Kazmir was everything the A's hoped he'd be in year one of the two-year, $22 million deal that the team signed the southpaw to last winter, Oakland would listen to offers for the 30-year-old if teams were to call, says Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
Kazmir went 15-9 with a 3.55 ERA and 1.16 WHIP for the A's, making his first All-Star appearance since 2008. His 32 starts and 190.1 innings of work stand as the second-highest totals of his career, trailing only the 34 starts and 206.2 innings that he put in for Tampa Bay in '08.
His 2014 workload should ease some concerns about his durability, which coupled with his production and remaining contract (one year, $11 million) could make Kazmir one of the more sought-after pitchers on the trade market this winter.
Are the A's Moving on from Jed Lowrie?
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Sunday, Nov. 2 at 9:20 p.m. ET
Despite the lack of an internal option to replace him, the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reports that the A's are unlikely to extend a qualifying offer to Jed Lowrie.
While he's coming off of a disappointing season at the plate, hitting .249 with a .676 OPS, he was a far more reliable defender than he was in his first year in Oakland, when he hit .290 with a .791 OPS.
Slusser notes that Lowrie has indicated that he's not interested in giving the club much of a "hometown discount," and is likely looking for a three-or-four-year deal. The A's aren't interested in making such a long-term commitment, and with a number of teams looking for an upgrade at shortstop, there's a pretty good chance that another team will be willing to offer such a multi-year deal.
That Lowrie won't be tied to draft pick compensation only makes him a more attractive target for those clubs.
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