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• A's look to upgrade at shortstop

  July 16, 2012 by KenRosenthal

  The Oakland Athletics are a surprising wild-card contender despite being last in the American League in OPS from shortstop, last at catcher and next-to-last at third base.

  They have tried to upgrade at third, where Brandon Inge is now in an 8-for-58 slump that includes 21 strikeouts and one walk.

  They probably won’t upgrade at catcher, given that Kurt Suzuki is signed for $6.45 million next season and Derek Norris is his eventual successor.

  But general manager Billy Beane would "love" to get a shortstop who could improve upon Cliff Pennington’s .203 batting average and .556 OPS, according to a major league source.

  The A's, who on Tuesday begin a six-game homestand that features the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, are not yet in serious trade discussions, sources say. But their potential targets include the Toronto Blue Jays’ Yunel Escobar and Diamondbacks’ Stephen Drew.

  Escobar, at first glance, would not appear to be much of an upgrade: His OPS has declined from .782 last season to .635 this year. He also comes with makeup questions, though Beane historically is undaunted by such issues.

  The Jays are willing to move Escobar, sources say, in part because of their belief that Triple A shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria is ready to play in the majors. Hechavarria, 23, is batting .314 with an .805 OPS in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

  Escobar, 29, is under contract for $5 million this season and $5 million next season, and his deal includes $5 million club options for both 2014 and ’15.

  Drew, who played for Athletics manager Bob Melvin during Melvin’s tenure with the Diamondbacks, likely would be a rental. He is earning $7.75 million this season, and his deal includes a $10 mutual option for 2013.

  The bigger question with Drew, 29, is his physical condition. He missed nearly 11 months after he broke his right ankle and is only 8 for 39 (.205) with two walks since returning.

  — Ken Rosenthal

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• A's will listen on almost everyone

  November 04, 2011 by KenRosenthal

   

  The Oakland Athletics are in a holding pattern as they await word from Major League Baseball on whether they can relocate to San Jose.

   

  But whatever happens, they again figure to go young.

   

  That likely means parting with 30-something free agents such as outfielders Coco Crisp, Josh Willingham and David DeJesus.

   

  It also means being open to trade offers for anyone on the roster with the exception of second baseman Jemile Weeks, according to major-league sources.

   

  The A’s aren’t shopping any of their players, sources say. But they will listen on pitchers such as left-hander Gio Gonzalez and righty Trevor Cahill, both of whom could be in demand in a thin market for starters. Catcher Kurt Suzuki also could be in play.

   

  Commissioner Bud Selig appointed a three-member panel to study the possibility of the A’s relocating to San Jose in March 2009. If baseball permits the move, the A’s would seek to build a contender to coincide with the opening of a new park. Construction probably would take three years.

   

  Gonzalez, entering his first year of arbitration, would be a free agent by then. Cahill is signed through 2015 with options for ’16 and ’17, but the A’s might prefer to maximize his value by trading him for several younger players who would peak when the new park opened.

   

  If baseball declines permission for the A’s to move – or continues to delay its decision – the team could a similar strip-down strategy, citing its poor revenues in Oakland, sources say.

   

  General manager Billy Beane was quite aggressive last off-season, losing out on bids for free agents Adrian Beltre and Lance Berkman, winning the rights (but failing to sign) Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, trading for Willingham and DeJesus.

   

  This off-season will be different.

   

  Once again, the A’s could be paring down.

   

  -Ken Rosenthal

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