A group weblog for Oakland A's fans
Friday, December 02, 2005
Does the Marlins Fire Sale effect the A's?
It appears the Marlins are cutting payroll fast. The one guy on their team I would like to see on the A's next year is Miguel Cabrerra. Is there any possible way that can happen involving a trade with Barry Zito? I don't want to move Barry, but if we do, I would like Miguel Cabrerra. The problem is, he is young productive and cheap, he's probably the last guy the Marlins want to move. Also, the Marlins aren't going to want Zito's salary to pay, so I suppose the best scenario would be a 3 way deal. As long as we are fantasy dealing, I'd take Juan Pierre for Kotsay in the deal.
It appears the Marlins are cutting payroll fast. The one guy on their team I would like to see on the A's next year is Miguel Cabrerra. Is there any possible way that can happen involving a trade with Barry Zito? I don't want to move Barry, but if we do, I would like Miguel Cabrerra. The problem is, he is young productive and cheap, he's probably the last guy the Marlins want to move. Also, the Marlins aren't going to want Zito's salary to pay, so I suppose the best scenario would be a 3 way deal. As long as we are fantasy dealing, I'd take Juan Pierre for Kotsay in the deal.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Barry Zito on the way out?
The pickup of Loaiza does make it look like Zito might be on the way out. I love Barry Zito. I'll still root for the A's if Zito is traded. But I dont want to do it. Barry Zito has never been on the DL. Barry Zito is better than his numbers. Barry Zito is a leader. Barry Zito is my favorite player, and it seems like it should be Barry Zito jumping up and down celebrating when the A's win the WS next October. I was with a buddy from Seattle this weekend telling him 2006 is the year the A's win the World Series. He said, "You've been saying that every year for the last 5 or 6 years." Yeah but this is the YEAR!
If we do trade him, I want a big bat, like a Pujols-sized bat. A Paul Bunyan sized bat. A superhero bat. The Bat God would use to clobber the devil's slider. A relitivistic size bat which warps time and space with it's mass. I'm not sure the universe can hold the size bat I would demand in trade for Barry Zito.
The pickup of Loaiza does make it look like Zito might be on the way out. I love Barry Zito. I'll still root for the A's if Zito is traded. But I dont want to do it. Barry Zito has never been on the DL. Barry Zito is better than his numbers. Barry Zito is a leader. Barry Zito is my favorite player, and it seems like it should be Barry Zito jumping up and down celebrating when the A's win the WS next October. I was with a buddy from Seattle this weekend telling him 2006 is the year the A's win the World Series. He said, "You've been saying that every year for the last 5 or 6 years." Yeah but this is the YEAR!
If we do trade him, I want a big bat, like a Pujols-sized bat. A Paul Bunyan sized bat. A superhero bat. The Bat God would use to clobber the devil's slider. A relitivistic size bat which warps time and space with it's mass. I'm not sure the universe can hold the size bat I would demand in trade for Barry Zito.
Esteban Loaiza?
Well, the rumors are flying that the A's have signed free-agent pitcher Esteban Loaiza to a three-year contract worth $21 million. This is, quite frankly, a bizarre move. Not only are the A's not usually players in the mid-level free agent market (a fact for which I've often been grateful in the past, given the way teams throw money at mediocre veterans), but this does nothing to address the team's only real need, that of a right-handed power bat. The team already had six or seven starters (Barry Zito, Rich Harden, Danny Haren, Joe Blanton, Kirk Saarloos, Joe Kennedy, and Juan Cruz) under contract for 2006.
Anyway, about Loaiza: he's not bad, but he's also not particularly great, nor is he young (33). He had that huge year in 2003 for the White Sox, but was pretty bad in 2004. In 2005 he stayed healthy and put up a nice-looking 3.77 ERA, but his splits were revealing: 2.86 in the pitcher's haven of RFK stadium, 4.71 on the road. So that's worrisome. But his peripherals were quite sound (both at home and on the road), so there's reason for optimism.
All in all, Loaiza is probably an upgrade over Kennedy or Saarloos, but I can't understand why the A's would shell out the big bucks for a fifth starter. I can only speculate that Billy Beane is going to make a splash at the winter meetings (or even before then) by trading Zito, or something even more drastic. Perhaps this is only the beginning of a major overhaul?
Well, the rumors are flying that the A's have signed free-agent pitcher Esteban Loaiza to a three-year contract worth $21 million. This is, quite frankly, a bizarre move. Not only are the A's not usually players in the mid-level free agent market (a fact for which I've often been grateful in the past, given the way teams throw money at mediocre veterans), but this does nothing to address the team's only real need, that of a right-handed power bat. The team already had six or seven starters (Barry Zito, Rich Harden, Danny Haren, Joe Blanton, Kirk Saarloos, Joe Kennedy, and Juan Cruz) under contract for 2006.
Anyway, about Loaiza: he's not bad, but he's also not particularly great, nor is he young (33). He had that huge year in 2003 for the White Sox, but was pretty bad in 2004. In 2005 he stayed healthy and put up a nice-looking 3.77 ERA, but his splits were revealing: 2.86 in the pitcher's haven of RFK stadium, 4.71 on the road. So that's worrisome. But his peripherals were quite sound (both at home and on the road), so there's reason for optimism.
All in all, Loaiza is probably an upgrade over Kennedy or Saarloos, but I can't understand why the A's would shell out the big bucks for a fifth starter. I can only speculate that Billy Beane is going to make a splash at the winter meetings (or even before then) by trading Zito, or something even more drastic. Perhaps this is only the beginning of a major overhaul?
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Who could the A's get this offseason?
In various places I have been seeing speculation on who the A's could get for next year. I've seen Mike Piazza mentioned, Sammy Sosa, the whole outfield of the Cincinnati Reds. But this may be the quietest offseason of the last 5 years. Mainly the A's just need to get older and stay healthy. Crosby or Johnson may just turn into that big bat they need. If Harden can pitch a full season, there is no limit to what kind of numbers he can put up. The A's still seem to have what every other team needs, young quality pitching. Things could be worse.
In various places I have been seeing speculation on who the A's could get for next year. I've seen Mike Piazza mentioned, Sammy Sosa, the whole outfield of the Cincinnati Reds. But this may be the quietest offseason of the last 5 years. Mainly the A's just need to get older and stay healthy. Crosby or Johnson may just turn into that big bat they need. If Harden can pitch a full season, there is no limit to what kind of numbers he can put up. The A's still seem to have what every other team needs, young quality pitching. Things could be worse.
