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Athletics trade Saarloos to Cincinnati

Wednesday, January 24th, 2007

The Cincinnati Reds acquired the right-hander Tuesday in a trade that sent minor league reliever David Shafer to the Oakland Athletics. Each team will get a player to be named as well. The 27-year-old Saarloos went 7-7 with two saves and a 4.75 ERA last season for the AL West champions. After being Oakland’s No. 5 starter in 2005, he made 16 starts and 19 relief appearances last year, and figured he was headed for the bullpen again this season.

The Reds are trying to fill out their rotation and bolster a bullpen that was one of their biggest problems last season. Saarloos could fit in either spot.

The Reds also agreed to a minor league contract with infielder Mark Bellhorn and invited him to spring training.

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Perez, Merloni sign with A’s

Tuesday, January 9th, 2007

The Oakland Athletics re-signed infielder Antonio Perez to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. Perez, acquired in the trade that also brought outfielder Milton Bradley from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for outfielder Andre Ethier, appeared in 54 games with the AL West champion A’s last year, batting .102 with one home run and eight RBIs. The 26-year-old hit .297 in 98 games and stole 11 bases with the Dodgers in 2005.

The A’s also signed infielder Lou Merloni to a minor-league contract. He batted .211 in nine games for the Cleveland Indians last year, and spent most of the year at Triple-A Buffalo.
Merloni has a .271 career batting average and 67 doubles, seven triples, 14 home runs and 125 RBI in 423 major league games with the Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Indians and the Los Angeles Angels.

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Melhuse agrees to 1-year deal with A’s

Saturday, January 6th, 2007

The Oakland Athletics and backup catcher Adam Melhuse agreed to an $815,000, one-year contract on Friday. The 34-year-old Melhuse, a switch-hitter, has had a limited role the past two seasons. He batted .219 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 49 games for the AL West champions in 2006 and expressed frustration after the season that fired manager Ken Macha didn’t communicate enough with him.

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Mets want to trade for A’s Haren

Thursday, December 7th, 2006

The A’s pitcher coveted by the Mets is not right-hander Rich Harden, but right-hander Dan Haren, according to major-league sources. Several reports have indicated that the Mets want to trade for Harden, but the team considers Harden’s injury history a red flag, sources say.

Haren, a 14-game winner in each of the past two seasons, is more accomplished than Harden, and only one year older. He also is more durable, averaging 220 innings the past two seasons.
The A’s surely are reluctant to trade Harden, who is signed for a bargain-basement $11.7 million over the next three seasons, with a $6.75 million club option for 2010.

The A’s covet Mets outfielder Lastings Milledge and right-hander Aaron Heilman. The Mets declined to trade either of those players for left-hander Barry Zito, a potential free agent, last summer.

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Piazza close to deal with A’s, who add Embree

Wednesday, December 6th, 2006

The Oakland Athletics and left-handed reliever Alan Embree agreed to terms on a two-year contract Wednesday, and the club also was closing in on a deal with Mike Piazza to be designated hitter. Embree’s contract also includes a team option for the 2009 season. He will upgrade an already strong bullpen for the defending AL West champions and could replace Joe Kennedy, who might be in the starting rotation.

Piazza, who would replace Frank Thomas as the team’s DH, was deciding between an offer from the A’s and one from the Texas Rangers. Texas officials said Wednesday they were out of the mix.

Piazza, who would be the No. 3 catcher for the A’s behind starter Jason Kendall and backup Adam Melhuse, batted .283 with 22 home runs and 68 RBI in 126 games in 2006 for the NL West champion Padres, his lone season in San Diego.

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A’s showing interest in free agent Bonds

Friday, November 17th, 2006

The Oakland Athletics need a designated hitter, and they aren’t going far for one potential candidate to fill the spot: Barry Bonds. A’s general manager Billy Beane has had conversations with Bonds’ agent Jeff Borris about the 42-year-old slugger, who has played the past 14 seasons with San Francisco. Oakland lost Frank Thomas on Friday when he finalized an $18.12 million, two-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The seven-time NL MVP has said he would like to play his 22nd and perhaps final season for the Giants and finish his career in San Francisco.

If the A’s couldn’t keep Thomas, how would they possibly be able to afford to sign Bonds — which makes a move by Bonds across San Francisco Bay to the American League appear to be a longshot.

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Dodgers trade Bradley to A’s

Tuesday, December 13th, 2005

L..A. will send Bradley and infielder Antonio Perez to Oakland for outfield prospect Andre Ethier.

Bradley is coming off a season that saw him play in just 75 games and ended with knee surgery. But before being hurt, Bradley was hitting .290 with 13 homers and 38 RBIs.

Ethier, 23, had a .385 on-base percentage and .497 slugging percentage last season at Class AA Midland, finishing with 18 homers and 80 RBIs in 505 at-bats while being named the Texas League Player of the Year. He was promoted to Class AAA Sacramento at the end of the season and also posted strong numbers in the Arizona Fall League.

Oakland will likely use Bradley in one of the two corner outfield positions, with Mark Kotsay manning center and Nick Swisher likely going to first base.

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A’s Interested in Piazza to DH?

Saturday, December 3rd, 2005

That’s what it looks like, but I really don’t see this happening. Piazza will want multiple years and probably close to 8 per, and he would also probably want to catch on a regular basis. Neither of these seem possible for a low payroll team that already has a solid, everyday catcher(Kendall).

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Indians To Pursue Garciaparra As Possible RF

Saturday, December 3rd, 2005

This could be a solid addition to the Indians club. He would fit nicely in the middle of their lineup with Martinez, Hafner, and Sizemore. Right Field might actually be a good spot for Garciaparra defensively also….he definitely has the cannon for it.

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