2005/2006 A's offseason thread

[Providence A's]

Supposedly, the Saux are interested in Forst (our assistant GM), but he turned down the AZ GM job before Byrnes got it and likely isn't going anywhere. Also says he could be the A's GM if Beane moves upstairs...which I don't quite get as he is a part owner, so do they mean that he would just go to being part owner and nothing else? Whatever, it's the Globe we're talking about here.

Link

[Providence A's]

A's hire new hitting coach, decline Hatteberg's option, and resign Witasick.

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NAS...=.jsp&c_id=oak

Coming is Gerald Perry, who was hired to replace Dave Hudgens as hitting coach.

Going is veteran first baseman/designated hitter Scott Hatteberg, whose $2.7 million club option was declined.

Staying put are righty reliever Jay Witasick, who signed a two-year deal with a club option for 2008, and coaches Brad Fischer, Bob Geren, Rene Lachemann, Ron Washington and Curt Young.

A's catcher Jason Kendall heartily endorsed the hiring of Perry, who was the hitting coach in Pittsburgh during Kendall's last two years with the Pirates (2003-04).

"I think it's a great move," Kendall said. "For one thing, [Perry is] a former player and he's got a great track record as a big-league hitting coach, and he's just a really smart baseball guy. He's a workaholic who treats everyone the same, from the rookie tying to make it to the more established guys."

Perry, 45, served as the Pirates hitting coach for three seasons after serving in the same capacity with the Mariners (2000-02).

In his first season with Pittsburgh, the team batting average improved 23 points from .244 to .267, which was the third-best team mark in the National League in 2003. During his three-year stay in Seattle, the Mariners led the big leagues in on-base percentage (.357) and walks (2,018) and topped the American League in batting (.278), runs (2,648) and ranked third in batting average with runners in scoring position (.285) and were second in hits (4,649).

Good day I'd say

[A'sDiehard]

Good day I'd say

Agreed.

[love_that_reefer]

Do you think the A's will try and bring back Hatteberg for less money or go for a big bat?

[Providence A's]

I hope he would only return as part of the front office or something like that. We don't really have a place or need for him IMHO. If we obtain a big, right-handed bat like everyone says we need, then it would be via trade at this point I'd think. There's really not much out there on the free agent market.

[love_that_reefer]

Yeah I am trying to find an updated version of the available free agents but having trouble. All I keep finding si video game shit.

[Providence A's]

Potential Free Agents (updated)

It says updated today, but it still has Payton (option picked up) and Witasick (2 year contract w/ option for 2008) listed as free agents for the A's, which they are not.

Of those listed, I'd be interested in maybe Reggie Sanders (37 years old though), Brian Giles (too expensive and left-handed batter), and no one else really interests me...trade is the way to go w/ the farm system we have being better than most.

[Providence A's]

O.D. to the Mets?

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...p-308206c.html

[love_that_reefer]

Yeah I saw that. Dotel won't even pitch in 2006 so why would the Mets want this guy? So who do you want to play first? Zito for _____?

[Providence A's]

Dotel plans on being ready for 2006. I believe it's Druazo that won't be ready at the start. Either way, they're both gone and I'm cool with that.

Dan Johnson will play 1st base just as he did in the 2nd half. The need a DH now with Durazo and Hatteberg gone. Barton may be the DH by the end of next year, but I hope they give him more time as he'll only be 20...though scouts say his hitting is MLB ready; he just needs a position...but DH would solve that. He's played 1B, DH, and OF this year...he was a catcher, too.

[love_that_reefer]

What about Mike Piazza on a $5/6 mil/year deal? He is a big right handed bat and would be perfect DH material filling in at first and catcher whenever someone needs a break. Its good to hear Dotel will be ready for 2006. Reports were that he would miss 2006 like two months ago.

[Providence A's]

I think maybe O.D. was going to miss the first half of the year, not the whole year. I don't think the A's are going to sign many free agents if any...any movement will be via trade I think.

[Providence A's]

Every A's fan's favorite manager finished 4th in the voting for AL manager of the year:

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NAS...=.jsp&c_id=oak

OAKLAND -- Ken Macha, who guided the A's from 15 games under .500 in late May to first place in the American League West as late as Sept. 15, finished fourth in voting for the 2005 American League Manager of the Year award.
Results of the Baseball Writers' Association of America's voting were released Wednesday, with Chicago White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen the runaway winner.

Guillen picked up 17 of the 28 first-place votes, five seconds and five thirds for a total of 105 points in the 5-3-1 points system, followed by Eric Wedge of Cleveland, who got six first-place votes and 71 points.

Joe Torre of the Yankees finished third, with four first-place votes and 43 points, while Macha picked up one first-place vote, three seconds and seven thirds for 21 points.

"I thought Kenny did a terrific job," A's general manager Billy Beane said in early October. "We had a young team that dealt with some major injuries, and he helped us stay in it right to the end."

In all seriousness, this team more than exceeded my wildest expectations from even before the season started nevermind once Dotel, Durazo, Harden, Crosby, and Kotsay all missed time due to injuries. Macha deserves some credit even though I still don't really like him and was calling for his ass to be canned back in mid-May.

[Providence A's]

Also, I read somewhere that if Forst does leave (which he supposedly wasn't since he turned down the AZ GM job) that may open the door for DePo coming back reclaiming the position he left with the A's.

[Providence A's]

Nothing new, but...

http://www.newsday.com/sports/printe...y-sports-print

Extra bases

Athletics general manager Billy Beane is gauging the market for ace Barry Zito.