2007/2008 A's Off-Season Thread

[Providence A's]

everyone is available as in Beane will listen to offers for everyone...but he's not actively shopping people.

[Providence A's]

supposedly, the Indians and Reds are "turning their attention to Haren"...we'll see about that.

[Providence A's]

Well, Haren is gone and I'm sure a few others will follow (Blanton, Street)...and apparently Gaudin needs hip surgery the injuries never end.

ESPN - D-backs bolster pitching corps, acquire Haren; Send Valverde to Houston - MLB

While Beane said, "I don't think I'm ever going to concede anything," he knows 2008 could be a tough year. The A's recently learned that starting pitcher Chad Gaudin could need hip surgery, and the club still isn't sure whether oft-injured Rich Harden will ever return to full strength. Also, six-time Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez is recovering from three offseason operations.

[love_that_reefer]

Chad Gaudin will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his left hip.
He'll have right foot surgery on the same day. The A's are estimating that he'll be recovered in 8-12 weeks, which would give him a chance to be ready for Opening Day. With Dan Haren gone and Joe Blanton likely to follow, Gaudin is assured a rotation spot if healthy.

What an asshole!!! He has all the time in the world to get this done and waits until now? Pitcher and catcher meets in less than two months.

[Providence A's]

he pitched through it at the end of the season...not really knowing what it was. Maybe he thought it would heal? I don't know...I know the A's met in AZ at their ST facility to assess some of the health situations...oh well. We'll be making more trades I'm sure anyway.

[hot_corner_gurl]

They were saying the injury (Gaudin's) was probably sustained around the AS break. Which explains his awful second-half numbers.

[Providence A's]

Yea, and what I just read said he should be ready by opening day...I'm sure his arm strength might not be where it would have been had he not needed surgery, but it appears he'll be ready anyway.

[hot_corner_gurl]

I hope so...the article I read said rehab would take anywhere from 8-12 weeks...yeah that gets us to spring training. Like you said, I think he'll be ready by opening day but not the ready that he, the team, and I want him to be.

[Turn 2]

Brett, sorry to see Haren go. That is a tough loss to the pitching staff, but that just always seems the way the A's have to go with things.One the positive side they do have one of the best if not the best GM in the business and they somehow are always bringing up quality young players and pitchers.

[hot_corner_gurl]

I'm still a little bummed, having just bought season tickets w/friends about a month ago, but hopefully I'll get to see some of the young talent that we got for Haren. Should make for an interesting season (as always).

[realmofotalk]

That was weird of Beane to sell Haren now when he obviously didn't need to, and it wasn't as if Brett Anderson and Carlos Gonzalez were prospects that other teams were hot after.

[hot_corner_gurl]

Here's my take on it. Take a look at the big picture. The Angels are absolutely LOADED now, and even if we kept our team and stayed healthy we still would have been no match for the Halos. Plus our minor league system was a little thin after we totally depleted it this year due to injuries. Beane was thinking ahead and using his resources wisely (his resource being Haren). He knew that we needed more prospects, so he went ahead and got some. While they aren't the hottest guys like you said, they're still prospects, which was all Beane was after. Wow I hope that all makes sense...

[Providence A's]

c'mon Beane! You get us all excited with 1 trade and now nothing...trade Blanton already.

[Providence A's]

Supposedly, Kotsay is "close" to being traded to the Braves. It's dependent on how much the A's are willing to pay apparently. The Braves aren't willing to pay more than $3 mil of the his $8 mil salary according to the article on the A's site. I guess we'd get a mid-spec back.

[love_that_reefer]

Cleaning some more room it looks like. If the A's are eating all that dough, they should get a MLB ready player.