A's Get DeJesus

[love_that_reefer]

The A’s acquired David DeJesus from the Royals for right-hander Vin Mazzaro and left-hander Justin Marks, the teams announced today. Royals GM Dayton Moore says Mazzaro will join the team’s rotation and Marks will start the season at high Class A Wilmington.

Mazzaro, 24, posted a 4.27 ERA in 122 1/3 innings for the A's this year with 5.8 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9. He became expendable when Oakland won the bidding for Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma earlier in the week. If the A's reach a deal with Iwakuma, he'll join Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Dallas Braden in the team's rotation.

DeJesus batted .318/.384/.443 in 394 plate appearances this year, but he missed the final two months of the season because he required surgery on his right thumb. The 30-year-old, who has spent all of his eight-year career with the Royals, has experience in left, center and right. He joins Rajai Davis, Coco Crisp, Ryan Sweeney, Conor Jackson and Jack Cust in a crowded Oakland outfield that could clear up if Jackson and Cust are traded or non-tendered.

Marks, 22, posted a 4.87 ERA as a starter in the lower minors in 2010. The 2009 third rounder posted 9.5 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 as he picked up his first significant experience as a pro.

DeJesus will earn $6MM in 2011 and qualify for free agency after the season. Mazzaro may qualify for arbitration as a Super Two next winter, but he cheap for now and won't hit free agency until after the 2015 campaign.

Looks like a fair trade for both teams. The A's get a good defensive OFer with a nice bat and the Royals get a young starter who should only get better plus another starter who is just getting his feet wet. The A's will most likely non-tender Jackson and Cust and DeJesus is better than Sweeney. Good move from both teams as they kick off the offseason with the first big trade.

[K-Zone]

With the amount of young pitchers and the need for some offense for the A's this looks like a good deal for them.

[Foster]

And with the earlier news of Bannister being a bust. It all makes sense.

[Providence A's]

I think you need to provide a link if you're going to quote something no matter how obvious it is where you got it from.

Good move for the A's. Jackson will definitely be gone. Cust probably, too (Carter at DH?). Sweeney in left, Crisp in Center, and De Jesus in right sounds good...or swap Sweeney and De Jesus. Davis off the bench.

[realmofotalk]

Going for the All-Punch-and-Judy outfield, I see.

[Providence A's]

Oh. Well, that 2nd thing I posted mentioned that. I thought you were referring to that.

Anyway, the A's have already made 2 big moves this off-season. When are other teams going to get involved?

[Kingdom]

Christmas

[K-Zone]

Anyway, the A's have already made 2 big moves this off-season. When are other teams going to get involved?

The A's are going to be serious contenders in the A.L. West in 2011. I still think they need to add a big bat, but unless they do this by a trade with one of there pitchers I don't see it happening. The A's could be the Giants of the near future. Build around the quality 3 or 4 starters and add the bats with veterans.

[Kingdom]

Going for the All-Punch-and-Judy outfield, I see.

Mostly Judy.

[love_that_reefer]

A's also picked up the top international prospect as a 16 year old.