This is no way to rebuild a railroad, Billy.
The A’s want to:
- Acquire as much talent for 2014-2015 as possible
- Spend as little cash doing so as possible
The A’s must:
- Meet certain salary floor
To further expand and put some specific goals for the franchise:
- Sign all the international talent available
- Don’t spend any money on free agents
- Finish 2012 with the worst record in MLB
- Make money on merchandise and promotion
You know who I would really like to have as a GM now? A mixture of Connie Mack and Bill Veeck.
They would know that you have to meet the salary floor at the beginning of the year, not at the end. They would know that the only good dollars spent in January are the ones that will either give some talent back in July or will more than pay for themselves through additional revenue. They would find a loophole or two. This is what They would have done this off-season:
- Keep Jai Miller
Hello?! The guy is cheep, he hits bombs that will please your typical “The A’s need HR!!!” crowd, he will single-handedly (pretty much like his swing on the outside curveball) improve the A’s draft position by at least two picks and he guarantees you some face time on ESPN come September and his historical quest for a 400 strikeouts season comes to a decisive phase. Then sign a promotion deal with a savings bank – “Oakland Athletics and [insert bank here] – where your 401K is guaranteed”. - Don’t sign Coco Crisp
There are fourteen million good reasons not to, but here are two more. One, if things go well for him, he might actually make the A’s a slightly better team. This is not a risk worth taking. Two, not many will want his noodle arm come July. Nobody did last July. Not many did this winter. And, lets face it, playing for the 2012 A’s is not really the prime choice for rebuilding your value as a hitter. Whatever of his apparent hitting value remains after Coliseum takes its part will quickly be eaten by the fact that his teammates are named Carter, Pennington and Suzuki. Repeat after me: 17 RBI, 22 R comes July.
<br> - Sign Edwin Jackson
You have to spend money on the free agents or watch Bud Selig form a brown ribbon committee to replace the blue-ribbon one for the next four years. Fine. Just don’t spend it on actual free agents – spend it on the potential to acquire talent come deadline. First, Oakland is a good place for pitchers, not so good for hitters. Everyone knows that and there have been park effects for decades now. Still, the pressure to add that one good arm that can take you to the play-offs will be higher if the guy is posting good traditional stats. For years, a knock on Jackson were walks – what better place to bring those down then the foul grounds of Oakland. Plus the guy commands regular demand on the trade market every fucking year, he has already netted his previous owners the likes of Matt Joyce, Max Scherzer, Daniel Hudson and Colby Rasmus. You pay him whatever he fucking wants and what you are really doing is acquiring talent for the price of Jackson’s four month salary and you get MLB off your back, too. Plus, with the offense you plan to field, you don’t have to worry about him actually winning any games for you. - Give Brandon McCarthy a deal
See 3. - Get a few really good lawyers
- Sign K-Rod
Tell him how awesome he is. How you really want to stick it to the Angels. How his mound celebrations provide the high energy that would spread all over the clubhouse and would make the A’s finally care. How you want him to mentor the young guys. Tell him whatever he wants to hear and give him whatever money he wants. Show the world you care about winning and you are not afraid to give good money for it. Then sneak in a fine-print clause that the whole deal is nixed if he ever gets into altercation with a fan. Then get his father-in-law season tickets, just behind the bullpen.
<br> - Sign Barry Bonds
Now that we have that salary floor covered and all the money the A’s spent on FA will either be nixed or turned into trade deadline talent, let’s go for marketing/entertainment value. If Bonds wants big money, repeat the steps from 6, only replacing the fighting clause with the PDA one and father in law with Stan Conte. If he is content to sign for the league minimum though, play the man! How else do you get a 100 loss team on a national TV? And let’s go a step further with his and… - Sign Jose Canseco
Dude is obviously desperate to play in the MLB again, so he just might accept playing in Oakland instead. Just imagine that outfield, Bonds-Miller-Canseco! Apart from setting the all-time record for a combined head volume, these dudes will fill some seats, at least among the senior-citizen target group of spectators, seeking that star-potential name recognition. - Sign Eri Yoshida
Forget Matsui, forget Ichiro!, forget Darvish – the media frenzy and the advertising money from Japanese companies as well as the fan interest in the Bay Area will shoot out of the roof. So, she might get her ass kicked. How exactly does that make her any different from the rest of the A’s roster. And it would be just fucking cool to be the first team to give a girl a chance. Plus, you have to figure out she would strikeout someone. And that would be, like, totally awesome in a na-na-na-na schadenfreude way. - Get us a white elephant
Parade it around Coliseum every time the A’s win. Gotta keep them costs down.
And, for clarification – a lot of this was written in jest, of course, but some things were meant seriously. I sincerely think the A’s, under the assumption that they have to spend a certain minimum on the players, should have signed Edwin Jackson instead of Coco Crisp, for example. He gives them a much higher probability of turning the invested money into talent that can help them in two or three years than Crisp does. And it is, frankly, irrelevant if either one of them gives them a better chance to win a few more games next year.
Jackson is reportedly looking for a longer deal, which is worse than being committed to Crisp for only two years. But Jackson is, also, only 28 and if he signs a, say, 1yr, $18m deal with the A’s he would have a AAV that he is looking for and would hit the market one more time in the age that will allow him a 5yr deal. The A’s could eat the $14m of that contract (to equal what they gave Crisp), effectively giving Jackson to a contender on a 0.5yr/$4m deal which is similar to what he was at at the last trade deadline and should net some talent. It could also be construed as 1 year, 1 mutual option deal if both sides agree.
Fuck, go for Oswalt, before you go for Connor Jackson and Cody Ross!
If you want someone to tutor the young base-stealers, sign Rickey as a coach, not Crisp as a player.
Some of the stuff DFA wrote about (picking up players mid-season who can net the picks) is not available anymore under the new CBA (fewer players compensated for and they have to spend the entire year with the club). Paying money for clear trade chips is not only circumventing the limits set on acquiring talent, it is the most intelligent way to spend the dollars that, probably, must be spent. Appease the MLB and MLBPA and then, when the time comes, throw your usual “We tried to compete, but we are out of the running”, get some more talent and wait for 2015.
Also, getting veteran pitchers would probably be helpful as to not start the arbitration clock on the real pitching talent we have too soon.
Jackson, Oswalt, Madson
Better then Crisp, Ross, Ludwick
I like Crisp though. He came out and met my 5 year old when I went onto the field with DFA, and signed a baseball for him and stuff.
Thanks, and go As.
Dude, I like Maria Grazia Cucinotta, too. Still, signing her to play for the A’s is not the greatest of the ideas if you want to be competitive in 2016. Although, when I think about it…
Yeah, I know. What I’m saying is that I realize it doesn’t really jive with the “compete in 2016” rebuild timeframe, and I’m still OK with it.
Thanks, and go As.
Signing Crisp/Ross/Ludwick makes sense if you can get them cheap enough that they don’t cut into Draft and/or IFA spending
AND
your trades are all designed to maximize the return of young talent earmarked for 2015 and beyond.
I’m not sure you can argue that the A’s are taking that course… but until we know what Ross and Ludwick we also can’t say for sure that that plan is even feasible.
Right. It’s the Cowgirl/Red Dick thing (plus the whole Taylor/Carter/Barton/Kila/iforgettheotherguywegot 25yo AAAA cOF/1B/DH logjam).
There’s another angle that I’ve purposely avoided thus far…
The A’s think some combination of Allen/Taylor/Carter (or perhaps all of them) can’t cut it in the Show. But if that were the case you’d think the A’s would try and ship them out for whatever marginal deal they could find. Yet that isn’t happening either.
If they think that some combination of them can’t cut it, but aren’t exactly sure which ones, it does make sense to acquire a few more OFs to take their place if/when they don’t make it.
Thanks, and go As.
You forgot the guy most think is the best, Allen.
I think you’re thinking of Brandon Moss?
If you’re looking for a cheap guy who can possibly net a nice return at the deadline, may I suggest Rich Harden? 5 starts from Harden in 2011 almost netted Anderson and Alcantara.
This.
yes.
I’d skip Oswalt. Madson or Jackson alone would cost enough to push the A’s above Olney’s rumored/suggested $40 million floor.
I can’t even get a job with the A’s FO in a FKing joke thread?!?!
You are not Mexican enough
ASVD
Heh. Autoreplace URL ftl.
Yeah, that was pretty funny
A’s sign 3 IFAs.
Pimentel’s bat is his best tool. Above-average arm. COF for now. Don’t know anything about the Catchers.
Haven’t we had enough discussion yet about Pemantle’s tool?
asvd
indeed
But we’ve hardly discussed FF
I get the Coco Crisp rational. But when my kids “play” baseball, one is Jemile weeks (I called him that when his helmet fell off) and the other is Cococrrisp (one word). That is worth $14M of someone else’s money
And having a fan favorite is, IMO, good business. Plus the guy can play CF a lil’ bit and i’m not sure Cowgill or Reddick can do the same.
Fielding a contending team is even better for business
And if wishes were horses we’d all be eating steak.
Depressing turnout is always good for Crywolffisher’s business goals.
11. Hire Al Swearengen as
managerterritorial-relocation negotiator.San Francisco cocksucker
I… kind of like #10. As much as it was meant to be funny, can we do that? We’d only need it for like 5 games this season.
I would like to see bonds for a while.
He narrowly missed signing with the California Penal League.
Yeah the House Arrest League is much much less competitive.
I officially express my support for the expanded Monkeyball contraction plan.
I just want to contract 28 more teams than he does, that’s all.
Isn’t the white elephant we already have at 66th Ave and Coliseum Way enough?
THASS RAYCISS!
Krod accepted arby.
Madson on a 1/15 deal would be great
Oswalt on a 1/15 deal would be great
Problem solved. Trade both eat their entire salary.
I know he did. Crisp was signed, too. It’s about what the alternative approach would have been, not only what is still on the table and K-Rod was completely in jest.
I’d do both of those things. Much rather invest the money in the potential for a great team in 3 years than upgrading the 2012 A’s from horrible to bearable.
Bareable is an 85 plus win season. were barely at 65 wins.
See, I would really, really enjoy a team doing something different. Sure, adding Crisp is nice and lots of fans like it. Adding Ludwick and/or Ross might improve the team if some of the youngsters fail to deliver.
But, to me it’s playing it like everyone else only with much less money. The chance of winning is really, really small. Sure, doing something crazy also gives you small chances of getting on top in the end, but I do believe such chances are higher. It’s like when you are really short-stacked you have to go all-in at a certain point or your chances of winning will slowly be drained out.
I would find it extremely exciting to follow and cheer for the team that is trying to something different, even though it ends with the failuer. The alternative, slmost certainly is a failure anyway.
This is where I think Beane sinks/rises to the level of charlatan. He will never do something genuinely different, particularly now that he’s a bonded/branded member of The Lodge.
Also: BIG FRONT-LOADED SHORT CONTRACTS!!!
‘ang on.
Beane has done something different… he’s prioritized Cowgill and Reddick, two guys that project by many to be 4th OF types and he seems intent on making them starters!
That’s not really doing something different. Poor teams playing “by the rules” will end up with 4th OF types being starters and with SP#3 types being aces.
And even if you could label this as doing something fundamentally different (and I would respectfully disagree), I don’t think you can say that this is a kind of move that if it works will bring a championship to Oakland.
I’d like to see something fundamentally different (I don’t know, completely different handling of pitch counts and pitching regimens, putting half of your budget into academies in Latin America, signing guys with only intention of trading them for prospects….), a sort of high risk, high reward thing. Cowgill ‘n’ Reddick ain’t that
Well theoretically they could both produce like 6 WAR a year and help with that no? (I agree with you Im just playing devils advocate)
Sure, but I’d argue that that’s not the reason behind them being acquired, but rather the hope that they might be a 1-3 WAR players for cheap. And it’s the intention that counts
I think you just fell into the sarchasm
In words of Rick Perry…oops
I hear ya. But there’s a catch to your “fundamently different” request.
How can you tell the difference between signing Crisp to play CF for 2-3 years vs. signing Crisp to trade him trade him in July or the 2012/2013 offseason?
I can’t. But I can argue that the chances of Crisp being flipped for something of value are lower than Oswalt or Jackson being flipped for something of value, if nothing else, because the chances of holding such high value are lower, as demonstrated in past trade interest and probable market value at this point.
And the other benefit of signing Oswalt is that there’s a high likelihood (even higher than Crisp) that he spend a big chunk of the season injured/ineffective, thereby improving draft position and further demonstrating how poor widdle A’s even when they spend big get shafted b/c so high a % of their payroll is tied up in one or two players.
Cynic.
I realize elcroata wants to see something new and different but signing players that can be expected to be detrimental to team success for big money ain;t exactly new.
See: Cubs, Chicago.
OK, so forget Oswalt. Get Jackson and Madson. Or either.
Signing most of the guys the A’s signed over last few years is detrimental to team success.
Sigh.
You were talking Edwin Jackson. My bad.
My neighbor!
He was born in Neu-Ulm, Germany, a team I played often against
I shan’t defend Jackson… then again, he hasn’t been signed (yet) either. So let’s not borrow trouble. Oswalt is an injury risk due to his back. I think after Sheets melted down about a month before the A’s could trade him Beane isn’t going to be too inclined to try, try again. Madson is a different discussion but I imagine for now he’s still looking for a 3-4 year deal. DFA’s 1 year play on Madson only flies if the A’s keep him through the 2012 season and offer him arby (which would actually earn him less than what he’d theoretically make in his deal with Oakland) in order to collect a draft pick(s). I think teams will hesitate to part with significant trade value for a bullpen arm they’d control for 2-3 months and have no chance at getting draft pick compensation.
That’s total speculation on my part, of course.
See above. Oswalt’s injury risk is a feature, not a bug.
YOU SEE ABOVE!!!
Grover better now.
I’d also give Madson a 2+ deal
If Balfour gets dealt and Soler goes elsewhere then that would be an acceptable Plan 9.
If all that’s left is outer space, I think we should just be contracted.
And even if Oswalt is a risk, I’m afraid that might be the risk the A’s need to take if they want to contend.
Crisp is perhaps a lesser risk of an injury, but almost a certainty that he will not improve A’s chances of contending in 2015/2016.
So, if I can choose between
A) Crisp – 70% chance of making A’s somewhat better in 2012/2013; ~0% chance of significantly contributing one iota to the A’s chances of fielding a contending team in 2015/2016
-or-
B) Oswalt – 60% chance of breaking down and not contributing to either 2012 team nor future success; 20% chance of netting a key piece for 2015/2016 contending team
I think I’d like to see the A’s put those $15m in Oswalt’s pocket, not Coco’s
Except… that $15 million to Oswalt all counts against the 2012 ledger. The A’s are interested in Soler and are (hopefully) pursuing him. Signing Oswalt puts Soler out of reach. He’s still in play with Crisp on the roster.
Good point. But what is the financial difference in signing, say, Oswalt and signing Crisp and Ross. Or Crisp, Ross and Ludwick?
Playing with $65 million…
The A’s need $12 million to fully exploit the draft and IFAs. Leaves us $53 million to play with.
~$35 million spent prior to Crisp signing; $18 million to play with.
Oswalt for $15 million; $3 million for odds & ends.
Ross is rumored at 2/$10 million, call it $5 million each year.
Crisp+Ross = $45 million 2012 payroll; $8 million left to pursue Soler or further upgrades… not enough for Madson (per DFA suggested retail price).
Ludwick made $6.775 in 2011. Guestimate a $4 million prove-it salary for 2012.
So theoretically the A’s couldv’e forgone Cowgill and Reddick for less experienced, higher upside prospects and signed Crisp+Ross+Ludwick for around $50 million. Add $12 million for draft and IFAs and you’re still under budget.
I would rather have Cowgill and Reddick than Ross and Ludwick.
Thanks, and go As.
If we’re under a Lodge-mandated salary-floor requirement, Id rather do what g proposed there
But if the A’s sign Soler, would you prefer the g plan or Cowgill+Reddick+Soler?
Id prefer Soler and Oswalt.
I SAID IT FIRST. BOOM, THAT JUST HAPPENED.
Thanks, and go As.
THESE KIND OF COMMENTS LEAD TO A DESTRUCTIVE TONE AROUND HERE WHEN THEY ARE DIRECTED AT ME AND WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED. ON BOTH SIDES ANYONE THAT IS MAKING FUN OF ME WILL BE BANNED AND I JUST WANTED TO SEND YOU AN EMAIL SO THAT YOU COULD ADJUST YOUR BEHAVIOR.
Don’t tase me,
****bro.The A’s can’t afford Soler and Oswalt and pay for a full draft plus IFAs.
Sure they can.
But not if they sign any FA outfielders. Oswalt costs ~ as much as Crisp+Ross+Ludwick
Soler + Oswalt (per my and DFA’s suggested values) cost $27.5 million in 2012. With ~$35 million committed to payroll before signing Crisp that puts the A’s at $62.5 million before the draft. Even if I’m $5 million high on the cost to land Soler you’d still be hard pressed to afford paying full slot in the 1st ten rounds and spend fully on IFAs.
OK, I misread your calculation above, sorry.
But the point stands, whatever the A’s can or can not afford if they sign Crisp+Ross+Ludwick is the same as they can afford if they sign Oswalt
That is true, however it is my hope that Cowgill and Reddick keep the A’s from seriously pursuing Ross and Ludwick.
Crisp is separate from those four because he’s a known quality in CF.
Deal Balfor and FUUUUUUU
And Suzukiiiiiiiiiiii
and Weeks
Balfour is in play, FUUUUU not so much.
But I’m not $5 million high on Soler’s 2012 cost. Crisp in on board… unless you can rig his medicals. Deal Balfour and the payroll = $37 million. Oswalt costs $15 million.
Total: $52 million. Skip all IFAs aside from Soler and reduce the 2012 hit to $10 million… $62 million pre-draft.
Bust. Unless you can find someone to take on FUUUU’s full contract.
And Stomper
You could probably get like 2m in salary relief for him.
Even with $2 million in salary relief for FUUUUU you’re looking at $60 million spent with $5 million for the draft.
Oswalt isn’t worth it.
you don’t think that they could get a B+ spec for him via trade or would be willing to offer him a 1y 12m deal the next year to get type A compensation?
I don’t think blowing the budget on Oswalt and not being able to max out spending on the draft would be a mistake or pursue Soler with full vigor is a mistake.
Spend it on Soler and Oswalt.
Thanks, and go As.
Pitchers ain’t shit but foes and picks.
… and Ryan Sweeney and Jay Payton and Emil Brown and T-Long …
Ok, so serious question to what I believe was meant to be lighthearted, is there a rule about signing women to play, because if not, I say go for it, get that attention that you are craving so badly and make sure the national media is all over the story and conveniently slip in as many new stadium references that you can.
spwc, are your wiffleball skilz transferable?
sign as a guy, play as a girl
There’s your something different.
Switch pitcher?
Venditte?
Yup.
I played against a Belgian pitcher who was ambidextrous, too, but he had two gloves and only changed hands when he got tired.
Top that, spwc
none that I am aware of.
Yoshida pitched in professional baseball, and I don’t think MLB has different gender rules than the minors.
Well then, sign her up!!
She’s still too young.
I know this might sound weird, but I’d rather see her legitimately play at a decent level in a lower league than see her in the bigs as a Veeck-ian farce.
MERKIN!
He’s not ‘murikan is he?
No, but he wasn’t always Merkin, per Wiki
The ruse must’ve included a fake hairpiece, surely.
Merkin Valdez was a pretty good prospect in the Giants system before he got hurt and wasn’t able to stop walking people. Castro was Rule Ved by Texas years ago and has been traded for former A’s stallwirths Matt Stairs and Esteban German.
Castro has started a fair amount in the last couple of years… I wonder if they let him in SAC.
I’ve heard his birth certificate is fake
Eh he has a nice curveball anyway.
I thought Curveball was an Iranian asset. You mean to say the entire Iraq War was a Cuban false flag operation?
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Say what you want, but at least someone picked us.
Thanks, and go As.
Hey, I love Coco, I honestly do. And MLB.tv does cost $120 a year, so it’s a plus to have someone to root for at 3 AM