SB Nation User Blog: OaklandA23

Official Cabrera/Garciaparra Press Release

OaklandA23 — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:44:52 -0000

A’s Agree to Terms with Cabrera and

Garciaparra on One-Year Contracts

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Oakland A’s agreed to terms with infielders Orlando Cabrera and Nomar Garciaparra on one-year contracts, the club announced today. To clear space on the 40-man roster, the A’s outrighted infielder Yung-Chi Chen to Triple-A Sacramento. Chen will remain in camp as a non-roster invitee.

Cabrera batted .281 with eight home runs and 57 RBI in 161 games with the Chicago White Sox last year. He also stole 19 bases and had career highs in walks (56) and strikeouts (71). The 34-year old ranked second in the American League in singles (144), sixth in plate appearances per strikeout (10.28) and tied for sixth in hits (186). Cabrera had a .978 fielding percentage, which ranked fourth among AL shortstops.

Cabrera made his ML debut with Montreal in 1997 and played for the Expos until he was dealt to Boston at the trading deadline in 2004 in a four-team, eight-player deal that also saw Garciaparra go from the Red Sox to the Cubs. He played for the Los Angeles Angels from 2005-07 and spent last season with the White Sox. The native of Colombia is a .274 career hitter with 105 home runs, 684 RBI and 184 stolen bases in 1572 games over 12 seasons. Cabrera won Gold Gloves with Montreal in 2001 and Los Angeles in 2007 and his .981 fielding percentage since 2005 is the best among AL shortstops. He has appeared in postseason play in four of the past five seasons, including 2004 as a member of the World Champion Red Sox.

Garciaparra is a .314 career hitter in 13 big league seasons and his batting average ranks seventh among active players. He also has 226 home runs and 920 RBI in 1369 games. The 35-year old made his Major League debut with Boston in 1996 and was named AL Rookie of the Year in 1997. He finished second in AL MVP voting in 1998 and then won back-to-back AL batting titles in 1999 and 2000. A six-time All-Star, Garciaparra remained with Boston through the trading deadline in 2004 when he was dealt to the Cubs. He returned to Chicago in 2005 and has spent the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, earning NL Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2006 after batting .303 with 20 home runs and 93 RBI. Garciaparra appeared in postseason play last year for the fifth time and is a .321 hitter with seven home runs and 24 RBI in 32 career postseason games.

Garciaparra hit .264 with eight home runs and 28 RBI in 55 games with the Dodgers last year in a season interrupted by three stints on the disabled list. He has eight stints on the DL over the last five years, but has a .292 average, 53 home runs and 251 RBI in 441 games over that span. Last year, he appeared in 31 games at shortstop, 11 at third base and eight at first base. Garciaparra played primarily shortstop over the first nine seasons of his career, but over the last four years he has appeared in 194 games at first base, 88 at third base and 57 at shortstop.

In addition to Cabrera and Garciaparra, the A’s have also acquired Matt Holliday from the Colorado Rockies and signed Jason Giambi as a free agent since the end of the 2008 season. Those four additions have combined for 14 All-Star games, six Silver Slugger Awards, three batting titles, two Gold Gloves, a MVP and a Rookie of the Year. They have a .294 career average, 855 home runs, 3366 RBI and 361 stolen bases in 5489 major league games and also have 116 games of postseason experience.

Official Giambi Press Release

OaklandA23 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:17:15 -0000

A’s Reach One-Year Agreement With Jason Giambi

Five-Time All-Star First Baseman/DH Returns to Oakland, Where He Won 2000 MVP

OAKLAND, Calif. – Jason Giambi, the five-time American League All-Star and 2000 AL Most Valuable Player who rose to stardom during his seven seasons (1995-2001) with the Oakland Athletics, has reached an agreement to return for a second stint with the club, A’s Vice President and General Manager Billy Beane announced today. Terms of the agreement include a one-year contract for the 2009 season, plus a club option for 2010. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated Joe Dillon for assignment.

Giambi batted .247 with 32 home runs and 96 RBI in 145 games with New York last year, reaching the 30-homer plateau for the eighth time in his career. He tied for eighth in the American League in home runs and was second in at bats per home run (14.3) and at bats per RBI (4.8). The left-handed hitter, who turns 38 tomorrow, led the AL in hit by pitches (22) and added 76 walks for a .373 on-base percentage. He made 112 starts at first base, his most as a Yankee.

Giambi spent seven seasons with New York, where he was a .260 hitter with 209 home runs and 604 RBI in 897 games. Previously, he batted .308 with 187 home runs and 675 RBI in 953 games in seven seasons with the A’s. Giambi leaves New York ranked 10th on the Yankees all-time home run list and returns to the Athletics where he also ranks 10th in home runs, including sixth in Oakland history.

The 6-3, 240-pound West Covina, Calif. native is one of seven players in Major League history with 180 or more home runs with two different teams, a list that also includes two other Athletics: Jimmie Foxx and Mark McGwire. Among players active at the end of the 2008 season, Giambi ranks sixth in on-base percentage (.408), seventh in walks (1205), ninth in home runs (396) and 13th in RBI (1279). He needs four more home runs to become the 44th player in Major League history to reach the 400 plateau.

Giambi was originally drafted by the A’s in the second round of the June, 1992 draft, and made his ML debut with Oakland in 1995. He was named American League MVP in 2000 after batting .333 with career highs in home runs (43), RBI (137) and walks (137), and then finished second in MVP balloting in 2001 when he set an Oakland record with a career high .342 batting average, while adding 38 home runs and 120 RBI. Giambi holds the Oakland career marks for batting average (.308) and on-base percentage (.412), and also ranks second on the Oakland career list in slugging (.545), fourth in doubles (228), sixth in RBI (675) and walks (586), tied for sixth in extra base hits (422), seventh in total bases (1851), 10th in runs (601) and tied for 10th in hits (1048).

Following his seven seasons with the A’s, Giambi signed a seven-year contract with New York on Dec. 13, 2001. The deal also included a club option for 2009, which the Yankees declined to exercise on Nov. 4 of last year, making him a free agent. He slugged 41 home runs in each of his first two seasons, adding 122 RBI in 2002 and 107 in 2003, giving him five consecutive 30-home run seasons and six consecutive years with 100 RBI. Two stints on the disabled list limited him to just 80 games in 2004 but he came back to hit .271 with 31 home runs and 87 RBI in 2005 and was named AL Comeback Player of the Year.

Official Blanton Press Release

OaklandA23 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:32:30 -0000

A’s Trade RHP Joe Blanton To Philadelphia For Three Players

A’s Acquire 2B Adrian Cardenas, LHP Josh Outman, OF Matt Spencer

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland A’s today traded right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for second baseman Adrian Cardenas, left-handed pitcher Josh Outman and outfielder Matt Spencer.
Cardenas was batting .309 in 67 games with Single-A Clearwater and ranks seventh in the Florida State League in batting average. He was leading the Threshers in batting and triples (6), ranked second in runs (44) and was tied for second in stolen bases (16). The 20-year old second baseman was named the Phillies’ number two prospect by Baseball America prior to the 2008 season. Cardenas (pronounced car-DEE-ness) was originally drafted by Philadelphia as a supplemental pick following the first round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of Monsignor Pace HS in Florida. He played for the United States team in the Futures Game in San Francisco in 2007.
Outman was 5-4 with a save and a 3.20 ERA in 33 games, five starts, at Double-A Reading. He allowed a .257 opponents batting average and just two home runs in 70.1 innings. The 23-year old left-hander was named the Phillies’ number four prospect by Baseball America prior to the 2008 season. Outman was originally a 10th round draft pick of Philadelphia in the 2005 draft and has 409 strikeouts in 414.1 minor league innings.
Spencer was hitting .249 with six home runs and 41 RBI in 84 games at Clearwater in his first full professional season. The 22-year old outfielder was drafted by the Phillies in the third round of the 2007 draft and hit .263 with nine home runs and 26 RBI in 51 games with Williamsport in his professional debut last year.
Blanton was 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA in 20 starts for Oakland. He tied an Oakland record for most losses before the All-Star Break and is tied for the Major League lead in losses. The 27-year old right-hander also ranked third in the American League in hits allowed (145) and tied for third in runs (74), but he was tied for the league lead in games started and tied for sixth in innings pitched (127.0). Blanton was originally drafted by the A’s in the first round of the 2002 draft and compiled a 47-46 record with a 4.25 ERA in 122 games, 118 starts, in his Oakland career.

Harden to DL

OaklandA23 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:56:41 -0000

A's Recall Devine From Sacramento; Place Harden on Disabled List

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland A's today recalled right-handed pitcher Joey Devine from Triple-A Sacramento and placed right-handed pitcher Rich Harden on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 3 with a strained right shoulder.

Devine has pitched in two games for Sacramento this year and has allowed no runs on one hit and one walk while striking out four in 2.0 innings. He also went 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in four spring training appearances with the A's this year. The 24-year old right-hander was acquired from Atlanta earlier this year on January 14 in the Mark Kotsay trade. He made his Major League debut with the Braves in 2005 after he was selected by Atlanta in the first round (27th selection overall) of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft. Devine has spent parts of each of the previous three seasons in the majors and is 1-1 with a 6.86 ERA in 25 career relief appearances.

Harden was 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA in two starts for the A's this year and ranks second in the American League with 15 strikeouts. He was scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday in Toronto. This is Harden's sixth career stint on the disabled list and all have come in the last four years. He had two stints on the DL in each of the previous two seasons and one in 2005. Harden is 6-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 18 games, 15 starts, over the last three years and 16-7 with a 2.81 ERA in 40 games, 34 starts, over the last four seasons.

This marks the fifth time this year the A's have used the disabled list and Oakland currently has four players on the DL. Last year, the A's used the disabled list an Oakland record tying 22 times.

SWISHER TRADED

OaklandA23 — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:33:35 -0000

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The house cleaning continues with Billy Beane trading one his supposed "favorites". This does make sense in the fact that Swisher is 27 years old and Beane is apparently instituting a rule that no one over 24 can play for the team this year. - Blez]

Swisher to the Chicago White Sox

A’s Trade OF Nick Swisher to Chicago White Sox

Acquire LHP Gio Gonzalez, RHP Fautino De Los Santos and OF Ryan Sweeney

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland A’s today traded outfielder Nick Swisher to the Chicago White Sox for left-handed pitcher Gio Gonzalez, right-handed pitcher Fautino De Los Santos and outfielder Ryan Sweeney.

Gonzalez led all of minor league baseball with 185 strikeouts while pitching for Double-A Birmingham last year. He was 9-7 with a 3.18 ERA in 27 games, all starts, for the Barons and was named to the Southern League midseason and postseason All-Star teams. The 22-year old left-hander also ranked fourth in the SL in ERA and led SL starters with a .216 opponents batting average. Gonzalez was originally drafted by the White Sox as a compensation pick (38th selection overall) between the first and second rounds of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft. He is 31-28 with a 3.49 ERA in 91 career minor league appearances, 89 starts, and has 577 strikeouts in 492.1 innings.

De Los Santos was named the South Atlantic League’s Most Outstanding Major League Prospect and was also named to the SAL midseason and postseason All-Star teams in 2007 after going 9-4 with a 2.40 ERA and .148 opponents batting average in 21 games, 15 starts at Single-A Kannapolis. He also made five starts for Single-A Winston-Salem and combined at both stops for a 10-5 record and a 2.65 ERA in 26 games, 20 starts. The 21-year old Dominican native ranked second in the White Sox farm system in ERA, third in strikeouts (153) and fourth in wins. De Los Santos pitched for the World Team in the 2007 Futures Game in San Francisco in just his second professional season. He has 214 strikeouts in 170.2 career innings.

Sweeney was named the White Sox number one prospect by Baseball America entering the 2007 season and hit .270 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI in 105 games at Triple-A Charlotte. He also hit .200 with a home run and five RBI in 15 games with Chicago and is a .213 career hitter in 33 games over two seasons with the White Sox. The 22-year old left-handed hitting outfielder played for the Arizona Fall League Champion Phoenix Desert Dogs following the season and hit .286 with a home run and 13 RBI in 23 games. Sweeney was originally drafted by the White Sox in the second round of the 2003 draft and will be added to the A’s 40-man roster, which now stands at 40.

Swisher batted .262 with 22 home runs and 78 RBI in 150 games with the A’s last year in his third full season in the Majors. He added 100 walks for a .381 on-base percentage and he had career highs in batting, on-base percentage, walks and doubles (36). The 27-year old switch-hitter ranked sixth in the American league in walks and was 10th in strikeouts (131). Swisher is a .251 career hitter with 80 home runs and 255 RBI in 458 games. His 80 home runs are a franchise record for a switch-hitter and his .361 on-base percentage ranks ninth in Oakland history.

Haren Traded - Official Press Release

OaklandA23 — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:42:29 -0000

[UPDATE by baseballgirl]

Danny Haren has been traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

For those that were looking for complete details....

A’s Trade RHP Dan Haren to Arizona in Eight-Player Deal

RHP Connor Robertson Also Included In Deal; A’s Receive Six Players from Diamondbacks

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland A’s today traded right-handed pitchers Dan Haren and Connor Robertson to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for left-handed pitchers Brett Anderson, Dana Eveland and Greg Smith, infielder Chris Carter and outfielders Aaron Cunningham and Carlos Gonzalez.

Haren was 15-9 with a 3.07 ERA in 34 starts for the A’s last year. He had career highs in wins and strikeouts (192) and his ERA was the lowest of his career and third lowest in the American League. The 27-year old right-hander was originally acquired by the A’s from St. Louis following the 2004 season and compiled a 43-34 record and a 3.64 ERA in 102 starts in three seasons with Oakland. Haren is 49-44 with a 3.82 ERA in 130 career appearances, 121 starts.

Robertson made his Major League debut with Oakland last year and posted an 18.00 ERA in three relief appearances before breaking his thumb. He spent the balance of the season at Triple-A Sacramento where he went 4-1 with two saves and a 4.35 ERA in 31 relief appearances. The 26-year old Robertson was originally drafted by the A’s in the 31st round of the June, 2004 draft.

Anderson was the Diamondbacks 2nd round selection in the 2006 First Year Player Draft but did not sign until September 1 of that year. He made his professional debut in 2007 and combined for an 11-7 record and a 3.07 ERA in 23 starts for Single-A South Bend and Single-A Visalia. The 19-year old right-hander struck out 125 and walked just 21 in 120.1 innings.

Carter spent the 2007 season at Single-A Kannapolis in the Chicago White Sox organization and hit .291 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI in 126 games. He was named to the South Atlantic League postseason All-Star team after finishing third in the league in home runs and tied for third in RBI. Originally drafted by the White Sox in the 15th round of the 2005 draft, the 20-year old right-handed hitting infielder was traded to Arizona for Carlos Quentin on December 3, 2007.

Cunningham began the 2007 season in the White Sox organization before he was traded to the Diamondbacks on June 16. He combined to hit .308 with 16 home runs and 77 RBI in 127 games with Single-A Winston-Salem, Single-A Visalia and Double-A Mobile. The 21-year old right-handed hitting outfielder was drafted by the White Sox in the 6th round of the 2005 draft and has a .304 career batting average in three seasons in the minors.

Eveland spent nearly three months of last season on the disabled list at Triple-A Tucson with a strained left middle finger but did make five appearances, including one start, over two stints with Arizona. He was 1-0 with a 14.40 ERA with the Diamondbacks and 1-0 with a 1.65 ERA in nine games, seven starts, with Tucson and Single-A Visalia. The 24-year old left-hander pitched for Milwaukee in 2005 and 2006 and is 2-4 with a 7.55 ERA in 41 career appearances, six starts, in his Major League career.

Gonzalez spent most of the 2007 season at Double-A Mobile where he batted .286 with 16 home runs and 75 RBI in 120 games. He tied for the Southern League lead in doubles (33) and extra base hits (52) and earned a late season promotion to Triple-A Tucson where he batted .310 with a home run and 11 RBI in 10 games. The 22-year old native of Venezuela is a .286 career hitter with 74 home runs and 354 RBI in 540 games in five seasons in the minor leagues.

Smith split last season between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Tucson and combined at both stops for a 9-5 record and a 3.54 ERA in 22 games, all starts. He was 14-4 with a 2.55 ERA in 24 starts in 2006, including a perfect 9-0 record and a 1.63 ERA in 13 starts with Single-A Lancaster. The 23-year old left-hander was originally drafted by Arizona in the 6th round of the 2005 draft and has a career record of 31-14 with a 3.27 ERA in 62 appearances, 60 starts, over three professional seasons.

Eveland and Gonzalez were added to the A’s 40-man roster, which now stands at 40.

Bill King Included Among Nominees for 2008 Ford C. Frick Award

OaklandA23 — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:26:02 -0000

On-Line Balloting Begins Tomorrow and Continues Through November

OAKLAND, Calif. - Online voting for fan selections for the 2008 Ford C. Frick Award ballot begins Thursday, November 1, as fans will choose three of the 10 names on the final ballot, to be announced on December 5. Fans can cast votes once per day throughout November for up to three baseball broadcasters, exclusively at baseballhall.org.
Once again, the late Bill King, who broadcast Oakland A’s games for 25 seasons, is included on a large list of annoucers who have spent "a minimum of 10 years of continuous major league broadcast service with a ball club, network or combination of the two." Past honorees include the Bay Area’s own Lon Simmons, Mel Allen, Red Barber, Jack Buck, Harry Caray, Jerry Coleman, Curt Gowdy, Ernie Harwell, Russ Hodges, Harry Kalas and Vin Scully, to name a few.
King has finished first on the on-line balloting each of the last two years.
The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." The award, named after the late broadcaster and National League President, is presented annually at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, NY.
Voters are asked to base their selections on the following criteria: longevity; continuity with a club; honors, including national assignments such as the World Series and All-Star Games; and popularity with fans. Paper ballots will be cast by voting members in January and the final results will be announced at the Hall of Fame’s Web site in February.
Each voter will cast ballots and the broadcaster with the strongest support will be named as that year’s award-winner, and be honored the following summer at the annual induction ceremony in Cooperstown.
Fans will have the opportunity to select three of the 199 broadcasters eligible for consideration for the 2008 Ford C. Frick Award. Bios of each candidate appear at the site. Fans are allowed to vote once daily. Results will be announced when voting concludes, though updates will not be provided during the voting.
The final ballot will be comprised of three fan selections, along with seven other candidates, determined by a Hall of Fame research team. The Ford C. Frick electorate includes all living award winners and six historians appointed by the Hall of Fame.

A's name new third base coach

OaklandA23 — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 20:57:13 -0000

A’s Name Tony DeFrancesco Third Base Coach

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics today named Tony DeFrancesco as their third base coach for the 2008 season.
DeFrancesco will join Ty Van Burkleo (hitting), Ron Romanick (bullpen), Don Wakamatsu (bench), Tye Waller (first base) and Curt Young (pitching) on Manager Bob Geren’s coaching staff next season.

DeFrancesco, 44, has spent the last 14 seasons managing in the A’s minor league system, including the past five seasons at the helm of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. During his five years at Sacramento, the River Cats compiled a 413-307 record and won four Pacific Coast League Southern Division titles and three PCL titles (2003-04; 2007). This past season, the River Cats posted an 84-60 record and captured the PCL and Triple-A championships. He was named the 2003 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year and also earned The Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year award after guiding the River Cats to a 92-52 regular season mark.

DeFrancesco’s 14-year minor league managerial record, which includes stops with the A’s Arizona Rookie League team (1994), Short-A Southern Oregon (1995-96), Single-A Visalia (1997-98), Double-A Midland (1999-2002) and Sacramento stands at 935-831.

A former catcher, DeFrancesco was a ninth round selection of the Boston Red Sox in the 1984 June Draft and spent eight seasons in the minor leagues with the Boston and Cincinnati organizations.

A graduate of Suffern (NY) High School, DeFrancesco played three seasons at Seton Hall University.

Snelling Claimed off Waivers by Tampa Bay; Robertson Outrighted

OaklandA23 — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 20:51:31 -0000

A few items to report...

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland A’s today announced that outfielder Chris Snelling was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The A’s also sent right-handed pitcher Connor Robertson outright to Triple-A Sacramento.

Snelling was acquired by the A’s from the Washington Nationals on May 2 in exchange for Ryan Langerhans and appeared in just six games before going on the disabled list and missing the remainder of the season. He batted a combined .246 with one home run and seven RBI in 30 games with the A’s and Nationals, including .350 with Oakland. Snelling was placed on the disabled list retroactive to May 11, his eighth career stint on the DL.

Robertson made his Major League debut with Oakland in May and posted an 18.00 ERA in three relief appearances before breaking his right thumb. He was selected from Triple-A Sacramento on May 15 and went on the disabled list retroactive to May 22. Robertson was 4-1 with two saves, three blown saves and a 4.35 ERA in 31 relief appearances with the River Cats.

A's name new bench coach

OaklandA23 — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:17:59 -0000

A’s Name Don Wakamatsu Bench Coach

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics today named Don Wakamatsu as their bench coach for the 2008 season. Wakamatsu agreed to terms on a two-year contract through the 2009 season.
Wakamatsu, 44, has spent the last five seasons on the coaching staff of the Texas Rangers. He served as the Rangers bench coach for four seasons (2003-06) before taking over the third base coaching duties last season. He also assisted with the organization of spring training and worked closely with the Rangers catchers.
Prior to joining the Rangers staff, Wakamatsu spent three seasons in the Los Angeles Angels organization, serving as the Angels minor league coordinator and roving catching instructor in 2000 and 2001. He also has managerial experience on the minor league level, heading up the Double-A Erie (2000), Double-A El Paso (1999), Single-A High Desert (1998) and Peoria of the Arizona League (1997). Wakamatsu’s managerial record stands at 215-248.
A former catcher, Wakamatsu’s professional playing career spanned 12 seasons (1985-96) with seven organizations. He played in 18 major league games with the Chicago White Sox in 1991 and batted .226.
A native of Hayward, Calif., Wakamatsu graduated from Hayward High School in 1981, where he lettered in baseball, basketball and football. He lettered four seasons at Arizona State and earned All-Pacific 10 Conference honors in each of his final three seasons.