Results tagged ‘ Darwin Perez ’
Tuesday, May 7th: Late Heroics Help Hounds & Ports Win while 2 Solo Shots Aren’t Enough for Cats on Tuesday
A’s Farmhand Of The Day
Midland RockHounds’ 2B Darwin Perez (Home Run / 3 RBIs)
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Sacramento River Cats 2
Memphis Redbirds 3
LP – Werner 2-5 / 8.54
HR – Horton (2), Weeks (2)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Third Baseman Josh Horton
(2 for 3 / Home Run)
Starter Andrew Werner allowed 3 runs on 9 hits over 6 2/3 innings to take his 5th loss on Tuesday. The River Cats scored their only runs of the game thanks to back-to-back solo home runs in the 3rd inning off the bats of third baseman Josh Horton and second baseman Jemile Weeks. Horton also collected 2 of Sacramento’s 6 hits on the night, while shortstop Hiro Nakajima went 0 for 4 in his return to the River Cats’ lineup.
TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
Frisco RoughRiders 5
Midland RockHounds 8
WP – Newby 2-3 / 2.00
HR – Barfield (8), Perez (2)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Second Baseman Darwin Perez
(Home Run / 3 RBIs)
After a couple of shaky starts, RHP Arnold Leon got back on track for Midland on Tuesday, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 5 in 5 innings of work and exited with the lead, but RHP Mike DeMark came on to give up 3 runs in an inning of relief. And with the game tied in the bottom of the 8th inning, second baseman Darwin Perez drilled a 3-run homer to hand the RockHounds back the lead. And RHP Kyler Newby picked up the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE (High-A)
Stockton Ports 4
Modesto Nuts 2
WP – Macias 1-1 / 3.38
HR – Robinson (5)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Second Baseman Antonio Lamas
(Double / 2 RBIs)
Starter Jake Brown allowed just 1 run over 4 innings of work on Tuesday, while RHP Jose Macias picked up the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, and RHP Jonathan Joseph got the final 6 outs for his 2nd save. With Stockton down by a run in the 8th inning, second baseman Antonio Lamas doubled in a pair of runs to give the Ports the lead, and outfielder Dusty Robinson followed up with his 5th home run in the 9th inning to help seal the deal for the Ports.
MIDWEST LEAGUE (Class-A)
Beloit Snappers
(OFF DAY)
Wednesday’s Games:
Sacramento @ Memphis – 9:05am PT
Stockton @ Modesto – 3:30pm PT
Peoria @ Beloit – 4:30pm PT / 6:30pm CT
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
Thursday, April 25th: Strong Pitching Performances from Gray & Smith Lead Cats & Hounds to Victory
A’s Farmhand Of The Day
Midland RockHounds’ RHP Murphy Smith (6 IP / 6 H / 0 ER / 2 BB / 4 K / Win)
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Salt Lake Bees 5
Sacramento River Cats 6
WP – Gray 2-1 / 3.27
Farmhand Of The Game:
Pitcher Sonny Gray
(6 IP / 8 H / 1 ER / 2 BB / 5 K / Win)
Starter Sonny Gray had a strong outing for Sacramento on Thursday, allowing just 1 run and striking out 5 over 6 innings to earn his 2nd win, while RHP Dan Otero tossed a scoreless inning in the 9th to pick up his 5th save. Second baseman Grant Green and third baseman Josh Horton both had a pair of hits and drove in a run, while designated hitter Yoenis Cespedes, in his first rehab appearance with Sacramento, struck out twice, grounded into a double play and had an RBI single in 4 at bats.
TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
Corpus Christi Hooks 0
Midland RockHounds 6
WP – Smith 3-2 / 2.20
HR – Barfield (4)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Pitcher Murphy Smith
(6 IP / 6 H / 0 ER / 2 BB / 4 K / Win)
Starter Murphy Smith had another impressive outing for the RockHounds on Thursday, striking out 4 over 6 scoreless innings to earn his 3rd win and lower his ERA to 2.20. RHPs Paul Smyth and Kyler Newby combined for 3 scoreless innings of relief. Outfielder Jeremy Barfield smashed his 4th home run, and shortstop Darwin Perez collected 3 hits, including a double, and drove in a run in the win.
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE (High-A)
Stockton Ports 1
Visalia Rawhide 3
LP – Granier 2-2 / 3.24
HR – Vollmuth (4)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Pitcher Drew Granier
(5 IP / 5 H / 2 ER / 4 BB / 9 K)
Starter Drew Granier had another solid outing for Stockton on Thursday, allowing 2 runs while striking out 9 over 5 innings, but he still ended up taking the loss. Granier now leads all A’s minor leaguers with 35 strikeouts in 25 innings. RHP Pedro Vidal tossed 2 scoreless innings of relief in his return to Stockton after a brief stint with Sacramento, while designated hitter B.A. Vollmuth had a home run and a double in the loss.
MIDWEST LEAGUE (Class-A)
South Bend Silver Hawks 4
Beloit Snappers 7
WP – Bacus 2-0 / 3.32
HR – Nunez (4)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Third Baseman Renato Nunez
(Home Run / Double / 2 RBIs)
Third baseman Renato Nunez had a home run, a double and drove in 2 runs, while first baseman Matt Olson collected 3 hits, and catcher Bruce Maxwell and shortstop Sam Roberts both doubled and drove in a run. Starter Michael Ynoa struck out 3 and walked none over 3 scoreless innings of work, while RHP Dakota Bacus gave up 3 runs on 8 hits and struck out 6 over 4 innings to pick up his 2nd win. And RHP Ryan Dull got the final 3 outs to earn his 2nd save.
Friday’s Games:
Salt Lake @ Sacramento – 7:05pm
San Antonio @ Midland – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT
Stockton @ High Desert – 7:05pm PT
South Bend @ Beloit – 4:30pm PT / 6:30pm CT
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
Preview: Top Prospect Miles Head Set To Be Main Attraction at Midland in 2013
Miles Head is ready to make his mark at Midland!
The opening day roster for the Midland RockHounds, the A’s Double-A affiliate in the Texas League, was announced this week. The RockHounds’ lineup will be led by one of the A’s top hitting prospects, third baseman Miles Head, who led all A’s minor leaguers in hits, RBIs, batting average and slugging percentage last season.
Along with Head, the RockHounds’ infield will also include Jefry Marte, Tommy Mendonca, Anthony Aliotti, Dusty Coleman, Darwin Perez and Tyler Ladendorf. Jeremy Barfield, Chad Oberacker and D’Arby Myers will man the outfield, while Ryan Lipkin and Nick Rickles will be behind the plate.
The RockHounds’ starting rotation will likely include Murphy Smith, Josh Bowman, Josh Stinson, Zach Neal, Carlos Hernandez and Arnold Leon as soon as he’s been stretched out enough to start. Left-handers Jeff Urlaub and Frank Gailey will join right-handers Carlos Fisher, Sergio Perez, Kyler Newby, Darren Byrd and Paul Smyth in the RockHounds’ bullpen.
You’ll find the Midland RockHounds’ complete roster, along with profiles of some of the team’s top players, below…
MILES HEAD
Right-Handed Hitting Third Baseman
Age On Opening Day: 21
Drafted 2009 – 26th Round
Head was acquired, along with Josh Reddick and minor league pitcher Raul Alcantara, from Boston last year in the deal that sent Andrew Bailey and Ryan Sweeney to the Red Sox. The big third baseman had an unbelievable first half at High-A Stockton, bashing 23 doubles and 18 home runs in just 267 at-bats while posting a truly impressive slash line of .382/.433/.715. The Georgia native spent the second half at Double-A Midland, where he put up a much more mortal .272/.338/.404 slash line in 234 at-bats. Head will get the chance to master the Texas League again in 2013. He played all but a handful of games at third base last year, and the team hopes that Head will stick at third, but he’ll probably spend just as much time at first base this season.
JEFRY MARTE
Right-Handed Hitting Third Baseman
Age On Opening Day: 21
Undrafted – Signed as International Free Agent
The A’s acquired Marte this off-season from the Mets in the Collin Cowgill trade. The third baseman had a .251/.322/.366 slash line last season at Binghamton in the Double-A Eastern League. Those numbers might not seem overly impressive, but it’s important to remember that he started the year as just a 20-year-old playing full-time at Double-A. And Marte looked good this spring, hitting .400 with a pair of doubles in a brief look with the A’s. Along with Miles Head, he’ll be splitting time between third base and first base at Midland this year and hoping to make his mark in his second year at Double-A.
CHAD OBERACKER
Left-Handed Hitting Outfielder
Age On Opening Day: 24
Drafted 2011 – 25th Round
Oberacker was a bit of a sleeper in the A’s system who’s now on the rise. He was drafted in the 25th round in 2011, but he’s quickly moved up the ladder and was the only one of Stockton’s regular outfielders from last season to earn a promotion to Midland to start the year. There might not be any one aspect of Oberacker’s game that really stands out, but he seems to do everything just well enough to succeed. He hits for a decent average, has a little pop in his bat, has good speed and can play center field. He’ll start the season flanked by Jeremy Barfield and D’Arby Myers in the RockHounds’ outfield and will rise as far as his talent will take him.
ARNOLD LEON
Right-Handed Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 24
Undrafted – Signed as International Free Agent
Leon is probably best known for his role in helping to precipitate the brawl between the Mexican national and Canadian national teams at this year’s WBC tournament. Besides that dubious distinction, Leon is a talented Mexican hurler whom the A’s signed as an international free agent back in 2008. Unfortunately, serious arm injuries caused him to miss most of the 2010 and 2011 seasons. But he came back strong, pitching out of the bullpen, in 2012. The A’s plan to stretch him out and see if he can get back on track as a starter this year at Midland.
–MIDLAND ROCKHOUNDS 2013 ROSTER–
–HITTERS–
Anthony Aliotti 1B-DH
Tommy Mendonca 3B-DH
Miles Head 3B-1B
Jefry Marte 3B-1B
Darwin Perez 2B-SS
Tyler Ladendorf 2B-SS-OF
D’Arby Myers OF
–STARTING PITCHERS–
Murphy Smith RHP
Josh Bowman RHP
Zach Neal RHP
Carlos Hernandez LHP
Arnold Leon RHP
–RIGHT-HANDED RELIEVERS–
Carlos Fisher RHP
Sergio Perez RHP
Kyler Newby RHP
Darren Byrd RHP
Paul Smyth RHP
Josh Stinson RHP
–LEFT-HANDED RELIEVERS—
Jeff Urlaub LHP
Frank Gailey LHP
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
A’s, River Cats’ & RockHounds’ Roster Projections
Will Hiro still be smiling in Sacramento?
We’re now less than a week away from opening day, and Jemile Weeks has been optioned to Sacramento, Adam Rosales has been placed on the disabled list, and Hiro Nakajima has been struggling and is now dealing with a strained hamstring. And thanks to these recent developments, it looks like the A’s opening day roster may now be rounding into shape – and along with it, the Sacramento River Cats’ and Midland RockHounds’ rosters too. Of course, plenty can still change and nothing is etched in stone. There haven’t been any official announcements from the team yet and there probably won’t be until about 24 hours before opening day, but below are our projected opening day rosters for the A’s and their Triple-A and Double-A affiliates based on what we think we know at this point…
PROJECTED 2013 OAKLAND A’S ROSTER
Derek Norris
–CATCHERS–
–INFIELDERS–
Brandon Moss 1B
Nate Freiman 1B
Eric Sogard 2B
Jed Lowrie SS
–OUTFIELDERS–
Coco Crisp OF
Josh Reddick OF
Chris Young OF
Seth Smith OF
Brett Anderson
–STARTING PITCHERS–
Brett Anderson LHP
Jarrod Parker RHP
Tommy Milone LHP
A.J. Griffin RHP
Dan Straily RHP
–RIGHT-HANDED RELIEVERS–
Grant Balfour RHP
Ryan Cook RHP
Pat Neshek RHP
Chris Resop RHP
–LEFT-HANDED RELIEVERS–
Sean Doolittle LHP
Jerry Blevins LHP
Travis Blackley LHP
(Bartolo Colon – SUSPENDED)
(Fernando Rodriguez – DL)
(Adam Rosales – DL)
PROJECTED 2013 SACRAMENTO RIVER CATS ROSTER
Michael Choice
–HITTERS–
Jemile Weeks 2B
Andy Parrino SS-3B-OF
Grant Green 2B-3B-OF
Josh Horton 3B-SS-2B
Scott Moore 1B-3B-DH
Shane Peterson OF-1B
Conner Crumbliss OF-2B
Sonny Gray
–STARTING PITCHERS–
Sonny Gray RHP
Andrew Werner LHP
Jesse Chavez RHP
Bruce Billings RHP
Travis Banwart RHP
–RIGHT-HANDED RELIEVERS–
Evan Scribner RHP
Mike Ekstrom RHP
James Simmons RHP
Arnold Leon RHP
–LEFT-HANDED RELIEVERS–
Hideki Okajima LHP
Jordan Norberto LHP
Pedro Figueroa LHP
Justin Thomas LHP
PROJECTED 2013 MIDLAND ROCKHOUNDS ROSTER
Miles Head
–HITTERS–
Anthony Aliotti 1B-DH
Tommy Mendonca 3B-DH
Miles Head 3B-1B
Jefry Marte 3B-1B
Darwin Perez 2B-SS
Tyler Ladendorf 2B-SS-OF
D’Arby Myers OF
Sean Murphy
–STARTING PITCHERS–
Carlos Hernandez LHP
Murphy Smith RHP
Josh Bowman RHP
Sean Murphy RHP
Jacob Brown LHP
–RIGHT-HANDED RELIEVERS–
Brian Gordon RHP
Carlos Fisher RHP
Kyler Newby RHP
Darren Byrd RHP
Paul Smyth RHP
Nate Long RHP
Sergio Perez RHP
–LEFT-HANDED RELIEVERS–
Frank Gailey LHP
***UPDATE: In something of a surprise, the A’s have designated LHP Travis Blackley for assignment. This opens a spot in the A’s bullpen for either Evan Scribner, Pedro Figueroa, Mike Ekstrom or Hideki Okajima. Their spot in the River Cats bullpen will be filled by RHP Danny Otero, who was claimed off waivers.
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
Spring’s Young Over-Achievers!
Spring training leaves A’s manager Bob Melvin with a lot to contemplate
Well, we’re a little over three weeks into spring training now, and we’ve had the chance to get a good look at a number of the A’s most promising young hitters. There are 13 hitters who are likely to start the season in the A’s minor league system who’ve gotten into anywhere between 4 and 21 major league spring training games thus far – and most of them have performed pretty well!
However, only 3 of the 13 still remain in major league camp – outfielder Shane Peterson along with infielders Andy Parrino and Eric Sogard. They aren’t the only ones to make their mark though. Catcher David Freitas, infielders Jefry Marte, Grant Green and Darwin Perez as well as outfielder Michael Choice all hit the ball well during their time with the major league team.
Below is a list of the 13 players who we’re likely to see starting the year at Sacramento, Midland or Stockton who got at least 10 at-bats in major league games this spring, followed by a profile of a few particular over-achievers…
Shane Peterson (OF-1B) 18-for-42 / 6 2B / 1 HR / .429 AVG / .489 OBP / .690 SLG
Michael Choice (OF) 13-for-42 / 2 2B / 1 HR / .310 AVG / .333 OBP / .476 SLG
Eric Sogard (IF) 16-for-31 / 7 2B / 0 HR / .516 AVG / .559 OBP / .742 SLG
Andy Parrino (IF) 12-for-31 / 5 2B / 1 HR / .387 AVG / .457 OBP / .645 SLG
Michael Taylor (OF) 5-for-23 / 2 2B / 0 HR / .217 AVG / .250 OBP / .304 SLG
Grant Green (IF-OF) 9-for-22 / 5 2B / 0 HR / .409 AVG / .409 OBP / .636 SLG
Scott Moore (IF-OF) 4-for-20 / 0 2B / 1 HR / .200 AVG / .304 OBP / .350 SLG
David Freitas (C) 8-for-17 / 1 2B / 1 HR / .471 AVG / .471 OBP / .706 SLG
Luke Montz (C) 1-for-17 / 0 2B / 1 HR / .059 AVG / .105 OBP / .235 SLG
Addison Russell (SS) 4-for-16 / 1 2B / 0 HR / .250 AVG / .294 OBP / .313 SLG
Darwin Perez (IF) 5-for-15 / 1 2B / 0 HR / .333 AVG / .412 OBP / .400 SLG
Jefry Marte (3B) 4-for-10 / 2 2B / 0 HR / .400 AVG / .455 OBP / .600 SLG
Miles Head (3B) 1-for-10 / 0 2B / 0 HR / .100 AVG / .091 OBP / .100 SLG
ERIC SOGARD
With Hiro Nakajima and Jed Lowrie added to the roster in the off-season and Adam Rosales both out of options and carrying a guaranteed contract, Sogard’s likely to start the season bouncing around Sacramento’s infield. But his spring performance has certainly helped to keep his name in play anyway. In his first 31 at-bats, Sogard is hitting over .500 and leads the team with 7 doubles. He also has just 1 strikeout. And with that kind of performance at the plate, if another infielder is needed in Oakland at some point, Sogard’s name should be quick to come to mind.
SHANE PETERSON
At 25, Peterson has yet to see time in the majors. But let’s not forget that he was a 2nd-round draft pick for the Cardinals in 2008 before coming over to the A’s in the Matt Holliday deal. With five outfielders already on the A’s roster, there doesn’t appear to be much room for Peterson. But after posting an impressive .460 OBP last season between Sacramento and Midland, he’s definitely opened some eyes this spring by batting .429 in 42 at-bats while bashing 6 doubles. He’s likely to start the season in the Sacramento outfield, along with Michael Choice and Michael Taylor. But Peterson can also play first base, and he’ll undoubtedly see some time there as well, which could help offer him another route to the big leagues.
DAVID FREITAS
No one seemed to pay too much attention to Freitas when he came over from the Nationals last summer in the Kurt Suzuki deal. But they’re certainly noticing him now after he went 8-for-17 this spring, hitting .471 with a home run, a double and just 1 strikeout. Freitas has never played above Double-A though, and he’s likely to start the season at either Midland or Sacramento. But at this point, with the departure of Max Stassi, Freitas appears to be the most promising young catcher in the A’s minor league system.
ANDY PARRINO
Parrino came to the A’s this off-season along with LHP Andrew Werner in the Tyson Ross trade. And much like Sogard, Parrino is another infielder whose chances of making the roster are greatly hindered by the presence of Lowrie, Nakajima and Rosales. He’s likely to start the season playing shortstop at Sacramento, though the A’s have been giving him some time in the outfield this spring as well. But Parrino has put himself on the map with his consistent hot-hitting this spring, going 12-for-31 and hitting .387 with 5 doubles and a home run. And if the shortstop spot proves troublesome for the A’s this season, Parrino could end up earning a shot.
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
Spring Training Update – 3/18/13
A’s Major & Minor League Off-Season Transactions – Dec. 18 Update: A’s Find A Hiro To Play SS
Hiro: Better than Godzilla?
Well, the biggest story to break for A’s fans in the weeks before the holidays was the news that A’s free agent shortstop Stephen Drew had agreed to a $9.5 million/1-year deal with the Red Sox, followed quickly by the news that Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima had agreed to a $6.5 million/2-year deal (plus incentives and a $5.5 million 1-year option) with the A’s. The 30-year-old right-handed hitter has a career .310/.381/.474 slash line plus 104 home runs and 97 stolen bases over the last 6 seasons in Japan. His signing seems to settle the A’s starting shortstop question and makes arbitration-eligible Adam Rosales the likely backup at the position.
A’s free agent pitcher Brandon McCarthy also decided to leave the team for a $15.5 million/2-year deal with Arizona. It doesn’t look like the A’s are planning on signing a major league pitcher to replace McCarthy, but will instead count on a full season of availability from major-league ready RHP Dan Straily to make up for McCarthy’s loss.
On the minor league front, since our last update, the A’s traded RHP Graham Godfrey to the Red Sox as the player to be named in the deal to acquire RHP Sandy Rosario, who was later designated for assignment by the A’s and re-claimed by the Red Sox who then designated him for assignment again. So the A’s basically gave Godfrey to the Red Sox for the privilege of having Rosario on the roster for a few days. Minor league outfielder Jermaine Mitchell, who cleared waivers and elected free agency, ended up signing a minor league deal with the Phillies.
The most significant minor league addition the A’s made since our last update was the acquisition of 27-year-old minor league free agent catcher/first baseman Steven Hill, who’s played in 10 major league games for the Cardinals and spent most of last season at Triple-A Memphis, where he had a .266/.326/.488 slash line. The right-handed hitter figures to share the catching duties at Sacramento in 2013 with fellow minor league free agent signee Luke Montz.
You’ll find all new transactions since our last update noted below with italics and an asterisk. Any players who’ve recently been taking up space on the 40-man roster are listed below under Major League transactions, while all other players are listed under Minor League transactions. For all the minor league players, I’ve listed their primary positions as well as the level they spent the most time at in 2012. Just click on any player’s name to see their Baseball-Reference stats page…
MAJOR LEAGUE CHANGES
-Jonny Gomes OF / +Chris Young OF
-Pennington/Drew SS / +Hiroyuki Nakajima SS *
-Brandon Hicks IF / +Andy Parrino IF
-Brandon McCarthy RHP / +NONE *
-Jim Miller RHP / +Chris Resop RHP
-Tyson Ross RHP / +Andrew Werner LHP
Hiroyuki Nakajima
+ MAJOR LEAGUE ADDITIONS
Chris Young OF (traded from AZ)
Hiroyuki Nakajima SS (signed from Japan) *
Andy Parrino IF (traded from SD)
Chris Resop RHP (traded from PITT)
Andrew Werner LHP (traded from SD)
- MAJOR LEAGUE SUBTRACTIONS
Jonny Gomes OF (FA signed with BOS)
Stephen Drew SS (FA signed with BOS) *
Cliff Pennington SS (traded to AZ)
Brandon Hicks IF (traded to NYM)
Brandon McCarthy RHP (FA signed with AZ) *
Jim Miller RHP (claimed by NYY)
Tyson Ross RHP (traded to SD)
Steven Hill
+ MINOR LEAGUE ADDITIONS
Scott Moore 3B-1B AAA (minor league FA)
Luke Montz C-1B AAA (minor league FA)
Steven Hill C-1B AAA (minor league Rule 5 draftee) *
Tom Mendonca 3B AA (minor league rule 5 draftee) *
Darwin Perez SS-2B AA (minor league FA)
D’Arby Myers OF AA (minor league FA) *
Garrett Olson LHP AAA (minor league FA)
Justin Thomas LHP AAA (minor league FA)
Mike Ekstrom RHP AAA (minor league FA)
Kyler Newby RHP AA (minor league FA)
Yeiper Castillo RHP A (minor league FA) *
Jermaine Mitchell
- MINOR LEAGUE SUBTRACTIONS
Kila Ka’aihue 1B AAA (minor league FA signed with AZ)
Jermaine Mitchell OF AAA (minor league FA signed with PHI) *
Blake Lalli C AAA (minor league FA signed with MIL)
Jason Jaramillo C AAA (minor league FA)
Wes Timmons IF AAA (minor league FA)
Matt Rizzotti 1B AA (minor league FA)
Leonardo Gil 3B AA (minor league FA)
A.J. Kirby-Jones 1B A (traded to SD)
Yordy Cabrera SS A (traded to MIA)
Michael Gilmartin SS-2B A (minor league Rule 5 draftee by CIN) *
Eliezer Mesa OF A (minor league Rule 5 draftee by DET) *
Graham Godfrey RHP AAA (traded to BOS) *
Rich Thompson RHP AAA (minor league FA signed with TOR) *
Jeremy Accardo RHP AAA (minor league FA)
Merkin Valdez RHP AAA (minor league FA)
Justin Souza RHP AAA (minor league FA)
Fabio Castro LHP AA (minor league FA)
Beau Jones LHP AA (minor league FA)
Matt McSwain RHP AA (minor league FA)
Jonathan Ortiz RHP AA (minor league FA)
Jose Guzman RHP AA (minor league FA)
Zach Thornton RHP A (traded to PITT)
Adam Rosales
RETURNING FREE AGENTS/ARB ELIGIBLES/OPTIONS
Daric Barton 1B (Arb Eligible Re-Signed)
Adam Rosales IF (Arb Eligible Re-Signed)
Pat Neshek RHP (Arb Eligible Re-Signed)
Bartolo Colon RHP (Free Agent Re-Signed)
Grant Balfour RHP (Option Renewed)
RETURNING ARB ELIGIBLES
Seth Smith OF (Arb Eligible)
Brandon Moss 1B (Arb Eligible)
George Kottaras C (Arb Eligible)
Jerry Blevins LHP (Arb Eligible)
Chris Resop RHP (Arb Eligible)
UNSIGNED MLB FREE AGENTS
Brandon Inge 3B (MLB Free Agent)
Dallas Braden LHP (MLB Free Agent)
Joey Devine RHP (MLB Free Agent)
COMING & GOING
Sandy Rosario RHP (traded from BOS – designated for assignment)
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
A’s Major & Minor League Off-Season Transactions – Dec. 1 Update
Jonny Gomes: All dressed up, with somewhere to go.
With a flurry of activity on Friday just ahead of Major League Baseball’s non-tender deadline and with the Winter Meetings starting on Monday in Nashville, it seems like a good time to recap all the A’s major and minor league transactions from the end of the season through the non-tender deadline of November 30th. The most significant changes to affect the major league roster so far this off-season have been Jonny Gomes signing with Boston, the Chris Young/Cliff Pennington trade with Arizona, as well as the Tyson Ross trade with San Diego. These deals, along with a few other minor moves, have basically resulted in Chris Young replacing Jonny Gomes in the lineup and Chris Resop replacing Jim Miller in the bullpen, with Andy Parrino replacing Brandon Hicks and Andrew Werner replacing Tyson Ross as guys who’ll probably end up spending most of their time at Sacramento while filling in in Oakland as needed.
The biggest remaining question mark for the A’s is who will replace Cliff Pennington and Stephen Drew as the team’s starting shortstop in 2013. The two combined to start 129 games at shortstop for the A’s in 2012. Right now, with Pennington having been traded to Arizona and Drew a free agent, the position’s a bit of a black hole. But the assumption is that the A’s will either make a deal for a shortstop (possibly at the Winter Meetings), sign one on the free agent market (Marco Scutaro, Ronny Cedeno, Cesar Izturis, Jason Bartlett, Alex Gonzalez), or possibly even re-sign Drew if the market for him doesn’t end up getting too hot.
Of course, the team has already picked up closer Grant Balfour’s option, re-signed free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon, and re-signed arbitration eligible players Pat Neshek, Adam Rosales and Daric Barton. For those about to panic, don’t worry, Barton’s contract is not guaranteed, so he can be cut anytime and the A’s won’t owe him another dime. As of Friday night, there was no official word as to whether or not the team had offered contracts to their five remaining arbitration eligible players – outfielder Seth Smith, first baseman Brandon Moss, catcher George Kottaras, left-hander Jerry Blevins and recently-acquired right-hander Chris Resop – but the assumption is that no news is good news and the fact that we didn’t hear anything probably means that the A’s made offers to all these players and thus will retain the rights to them all.
Brandon McCarthy: To leave or not to leave, that is the question.
Of the team’s five remaining major league free agents, two – third baseman Brandon Inge and right-hander Joey Devine – can be expected to move on, while the jury is still out on the remaining three. As mentioned, shortstop Stephen Drew could return if he doesn’t find too many other tempting offers out there. There seems to be some mutual interest in a return engagement for Brandon McCarthy, but other teams are said to be sniffing around the right-hander as well. Oft-injured left-hander Dallas Braden is also on the market, and it’s possible that the northern California boy could sign an incentive-laden deal to stick around the old neighborhood.
As for the A’s minor league transactions, the most significant loss has probably been the signing of minor league free agent first baseman Kila Ka’aihue by Arizona. The most significant minor league addition by the A’s so far has probably been the signing of third baseman/first baseman Scott Moore who signed a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. The left-handed hitter made it into 72 games with the Astros in 2012, playing mainly at third base and first base, but he also got in some time at second base and in the outfield. The A’s are likely to make many more minor league signings as the off-season unfolds, though re-signing any of their own remaining minor league free agents is probably unlikely.
Any players who’ve recently been taking up space on the 40-man roster are listed below under Major League transactions, while all other players are listed under Minor League transactions. For all the minor league players, I’ve listed their primary positions as well as the level they spent the most time at in 2012. Just click on any player’s name to see their Baseball-Reference stats page…
Cliff Pennington
MAJOR LEAGUE CHANGES
-Jonny Gomes OF / +Chris Young OF
-Cliff Pennington SS / +TBD SS
-Brandon Hicks IF / +Andy Parrino IF
-Jim Miller RHP / +Chris Resop RHP
-Tyson Ross RHP / +Andrew Werner LHP
Chris Young
+ MAJOR LEAGUE ADDITIONS
Chris Young OF (traded from AZ)
Andy Parrino IF (traded from SD)
Chris Resop RHP (traded from PITT)
Andrew Werner LHP (traded from SD)
- MAJOR LEAGUE SUBTRACTIONS
Jonny Gomes
Jonny Gomes OF (FA signed with BOS)
Cliff Pennington SS (traded to AZ)
Brandon Hicks IF (traded to NYM)
Jim Miller RHP (claimed by NYY)
Tyson Ross RHP (traded to SD)
+ MINOR LEAGUE ADDITIONS
Scott Moore
Scott Moore 3B-1B AAA (minor league FA)
Luke Montz C-1B AAA (minor league FA)
Darwin Perez SS-2B AA (minor league FA)
Garrett Olson LHP AAA (minor league FA)
Justin Thomas LHP AAA (minor league FA)
Mike Ekstrom RHP AAA (minor league FA)
Kyler Newby RHP AA (minor league FA)
- MINOR LEAGUE SUBTRACTIONS
Kila Ka’aihue
Kila Ka’aihue 1B AAA (minor league FA signed with AZ)
Jermaine Mitchell OF AAA (minor league FA)
Wes Timmons IF AAA (minor league FA)
Jason Jaramillo C AAA (minor league FA)
Blake Lalli C AAA (minor league FA signed with MIL)
Matt Rizzotti 1B AA (minor league FA)
Leonardo Gil 3B AA (minor league FA)
A.J. Kirby-Jones 1B A (traded to SD)
Yordy Cabrera SS A (traded to MIA)
Yordy Cabrera
Jeremy Accardo RHP AAA (minor league FA)
Rich Thompson RHP AAA (minor league FA)
Merkin Valdez RHP AAA (minor league FA)
Justin Souza RHP AAA (minor league FA)
Fabio Castro LHP AA (minor league FA)
Beau Jones LHP AA (minor league FA)
Matt McSwain RHP AA (minor league FA)
Jonathan Ortiz RHP AA (minor league FA)
Jose Guzman RHP AA (minor league FA)
Zach Thornton RHP A (traded to PITT)
Grant Balfour
RETURNING FREE AGENTS/ARB ELIGIBLES/OPTIONS
Daric Barton 1B (Arb Eligible Re-Signed)
Adam Rosales IF (Arb Eligible Re-Signed)
Pat Neshek RHP (Arb Eligible Re-Signed)
Bartolo Colon RHP (Free Agent Re-Signed)
Grant Balfour RHP (Option Renewed)
Seth Smith
LIKELY RETURNING ARB ELIGIBLES
Seth Smith OF (Arb Eligible)
Brandon Moss 1B (Arb Eligible)
George Kottaras C (Arb Eligible)
Jerry Blevins LHP (Arb Eligible)
Chris Resop RHP (Arb Eligible)
UNSIGNED MLB FREE AGENTS
Stephen Drew
Stephen Drew SS (MLB Free Agent)
Brandon Inge 3B (MLB Free Agent)
Brandon McCarthy RHP (MLB Free Agent)
Dallas Braden LHP (MLB Free Agent)
Joey Devine RHP (MLB Free Agent)
COMING & GOING
Sandy Rosario RHP (traded from BOS – designated for assignment)
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