Ellis, Crisp Will Be Back

[love_that_reefer]

The A's exercised option on Mark Ellis and Coco Crisp and declined the option on the ever so fragile Eric Chavez. Ellis will make $6 million and Crisp will make $5.75 million. Ellis had a good year hitting 291/.358/.381 with five home runs and 49 RBI while playing good defense. He's 33 and probably not a $6 million player anymore but I think it was a smart move. Crisp hit .279/.342/.438 with eight home runs, 38 RBI, 51 runs scored and 32 stolen bases in just 75 games!! He too played good defense so this too was the smart play. With that good pitching they have, you've got to have good defense up the middle and they have that locked up for one more year with Ellis, Crisp and Pennington. That's two positions Beane doesn't have to worry about this offense and now they can concentrate on getting a big bat to DH or play the OF. Kouzmanoff hit 16 HRs to lead the team last year in that department. That's not going to cut it. Plus Kouz is a non-tender candidate.

[Providence A's]

Hopefully, Crisp can stay healthy (Ellis, too). Kouz may be gone. I guess it really depends on what the A's can do to upgrade at 3B.