"A" JUXTAPOSITION: A's versus rays top 10 SP prospects

Given that the Rays were probably considered the organization with the best minor league pitching prospects, I wanted to the compare both teams top 10's.

RAYS TOP 10:
1. DAVID PRICE
2. JEREMY HELLICKSON
3. JACOB MCGEE
4. WADE DAVIS
5. JEFF NIEMANN
6. ALEX COBB
7. CHRIS MASON
8. KYLE LOBSTEIN
9. MITCH TALBOT
10. GLEN GIBSON

Update: Top 10 A's pitching prospects

In the wake of reports that the A's have signed 16 yr old pitching phenom Michael Inoa- I wanted to do an updated top 10 starting pitching prospects in the A's system:

TOP 10:
1. TREVOR CAHILL
2. BRETT ANDERSON
3. MICHEL INOA
4. GIO GONZALEZ
5. SEAN GALLAGHER
6. JAMES SIMMONS
7. HENRY RODRIGUEZ
8. VINCE MAZZARO
9. CRAIG ITALIANO
10. FAUTINO DE LOS SANTOS

Complete Organizational Chart

CATCHER:
MLB:
1. Kurt Suzuki 24
2. Rob Bowen 27

AAA:
1. Landon Powell 26
2. Justin Knoedler 27

AA:
1. Anthony Recker 24
2. Jed Morris 28
3. Casey Meyers 29

HA:
1. Raul Padron 23
2. Gustavo Rosendo 22

LA:
1. Matt Smith
2. Johnathan Johnston 24
3. Juan Nunez 20
4. Jake Smith 25

SA:
1. Dusty Napoleon 22
2. Julio Rivera 20
3. Dante Love 21

R:

FIRST BASE:
MLB:
1. Daric Barton 22
2. Mike Sweeney 34

AAA:
1. Wes Bankston 24
2. Casey Rogowski 27

AA:
1. Tom Everidge 25

HA:
1. Sean Doolittle 21
2. Chris Carter 21
3. Darryl Lawhorn 25

LA:
1. Greg Dowling 24
2. Daniel Hamblin 23

SA:
1. NONE

R:

SECOND BASE:
MLB:
1. Mark Ellis 31
2. Donnie Murphy 25

AAA:
1. Brooks Conrad 28

AA:
1. Michael Affornti 24

HA:
1. NONE

LA:
1. Larry Cobb 22

SA:
1. Ryne Jernigan 23

R:

THIRD BASE:
MLB:
1. Eric Chavez 30
2. Jack Hannahan 28

AAA:
1. Jeff Baisley 25
2. Jesus Guzman 23

AA:
1. Brian Snyder 26

HA:
1. Frank Martinez 22

LA:
1. Christian Vitters 23
2. Justin Frash 24

SA:
1. NONE

R:

SHORTSTOP:
MLB:
1. Bobby Crosby 28

AAA:
1. Gregorio Petit 23
2. Cliff Pennington 24

AA:
1. Justin Sellers 22

HA:
1. Josh Horton 22

LA:
1. Michael Richard 23
2. Matt Ray 24

SA:
1. Jason Christian 21
2. Walter Correa 21
3. Francisco Tirado 20
4. Marcus Luis 22

R:

OUTFIELD:
MLB:
1. Jack Cust 29
2. Carlos Gonzalez 22
3. Ryan Sweeney 23
4. Frank Thomas 40
5. Emil Brown 33
6. Raja Davis 27
7. Chris Denorfia 27

AAA:
1. Travis Buck 24
2. Joe Gaetti 26
3. Danny Putnam 25
4. Richie Robnett 26
5. Michael Massaro 24

AA:
1. Aaron Cunningham 22
2. Jon Zeringue 25
3. Javier Herrera 23
4. Myron Leslie 26
5. Tom Donovan 29

HA:
1. Matt Sulentic 20
2. Archie Gilbert 24
3. Jermaine Mitchell 23

LA:
1. Corey Brown 22
2. Todd Johnson 23
3. Michael Lissman 23
4. Shane Keough 21
5. Adam Klein

SA:
1. Jeremy Barfield 19
2. Michael LeVier 20
3. J.D Pruitt 23
4. Jareck West 23
5. Lorenzo Macias 22
6. Daniel Wentzell 23
7. Rodney Rutherford 23
R:

STARTING PITCHERS:
MLB:
1. Rich Harden 26
2. Justin Duchscherer 30
3. Joe Blanton 27
4. Greg Smith 24
5. Dana Eveland 24
6. Chad Gaudin 25

AAA:
1. Gio Gonzalez 22
2. Dallas Braden 24
3. Dan Meyer 26
4. Kirk Saarloos 29
5. Lenny DiNardo 28
6. Brad Knox 26
7. Shane Komine
8. Chris Grissell 30

AA:
1. Trevor Cahill 20
2. Brett Anderson 20
3. Vince Mazzaro 21
4. James Simmons 21
5. Andrew Bailey 24
6. Ryan Webb 22
7. Danny Borrell 29

HA:
1. Henry Rodriguez 21
2. Craig Italiano 21
3. Fautino De Los Santos 22
4. Travis Banwart 22
5. James Heuser 24
6. Jason Fernandez 23
7. Graham Godfrey 23
8. Scott Moore 24

LA:
1. Tyson Ross 21
2. Jamie Richmond 22
3. Scott Mitchinson 23
4. Scott Deal 21
5. Scott Hodsdon 23
6. Charles Kerfoot

SA:
1. Ronny Morlan 20
2. Chad Lee 22
3. Pedro Figueroa 22
4. Shawn Haviland 22

R:

RELIEF PITCHERS:
MLB:
1. Huston Street 24
2. Santiago Casilla 27
3. Alan Embree 38
4. Joe Devine 24
5. Andrew Brown 27
6. Keith Foulke 35
7.Brad Ziegler 28

AAA:
1. Jerry Blevins 24
2. Ryan Wing 26
3. Brad Kilby 25
4. Jay Marshall 25
5. Jeff Gray 26
6. Bret Prinz 31

AA:
1. Andrew Carignan 21
2. David Shafer 26
3. Michael Madson 25
4. Glen Sharpe 26
5. Chris Farley 25
6. Andy Shipman 26
7. Pat Currin 24
8. Jesus Silva 25
9. Justin Dowdy 24

HA:
1. Sam Demel 22
2. Jared Lansford 21
3. Arnold Leon
4. Jason Glushon 23
5. Derrick Gordon 24
6. Kristian Bell 24
7. Jose A. Rojas 25
8. Jose Fragoso 23
9. Brandon Dewing 24

LA:
1. Justin Friend 22
2. Lance Sewell 22
3. Nick Walters 22
4. Brad Hertzel 22
5. Leonardo Espinal 24

SA:

R:

Rays under 25: Top 5 per position

Catcher:
1. Dioner Navarro
2. John Jaso
3. Jacob Jeffries
4. Matt Spring
5. Nevin Ashley

First Base:
1. Matthew Fields
2. Ryne Hughes
3. Gabriel Martinez
4. Michael Sheridan
5. Henry Wrigley

Second Base:
1. Elliot Johnson
2. Chase Fontaine
3. Cody Cipriano
4. Omar Luna
5. Josh Asanovich

Third Base:
1. Evan Longoria
2. Joel Guzman
3. Chris Nowak
4. Cesar Suarez
5. Gregory Sexton

Shortstop:
1. Tim Beckham
2. Reid Brignac
3. Jairo De La Rosa
4. Neil Walton
5. Shawn O'Malley

Outfield:
1. B.J. Upton
2. Desmond Jennings
3. Ryan Royster
4. Fernando Perez
5. Emeel Salem

Left-Handed Starting Pitchers:
1. Scott Kazmir
2. David Price
3. Jacob McGee
4. Kyle Lobstein
5. Glenn Gibson

Right-Handed Starting Pitchers:
1. Matt Garza
2. Jeremy Hellickson
3 Wade Davis
4. Edwin Jackson
5. Andy Sonnastine

Rangers under 25: Top 5 per position

Catcher:
1. Jarrod Saltalamacchia
2. Taylor Teagarden
3. Max Ramirez
4. Kevin Richardson
5. Manuel Pina

First Base:
1. Justin Smoak
2. Chris Davis
3. Ian Gac
4. JT Restko
5. Mauro Gomez

Second Base:
1. Jose Vallejo
2. Mathew Lawson
3. Thomas Berkery
4. Corey Ragsdale
5. James Kaase

Shortstop:
1. Elvis Andrus
2. Joaquin Arias
3. Marcus Lemon
4. Renny Osuna
5. Andres James

Third Base:
1. German Duran
2. John Whittleman
3. Travis Metcalf
4. Emerson Frostad
5. Edward Koncel

Outfield:
1. Julio Borbon
2. Engel Beltre
3. Brandon Boggs
4. John Mayberry
5. Steven Murphy

Starting Pitchers:
1. Neftali Feliz
2. Eric Hurley
3. Kasey Kiker
4. Blake Beaven
5. Michael Main

A's under 25: top 5 per position

Catcher:
1. Kurt Suzuki
2. Josh Donaldson
3. Anthony Recker
4. Petey Paramore
5. Raul Padron


First Base
1. Daric Barton
2. Sean Doolittle
3. Chris Carter
4. Wes Bankston
5. Matt Spencer

Second Base:
1. Adrian Cardenas
2. Jemile Weeks
3. Eric Patterson
4. Nino Leyja
5. Justin Sellers


Third Base:
1. Jeff Baisley
2. Jesus Guzman
3. Frank Martinez
4. Christian Vitters
5. Carlos Arrieche

Shortstop:
1. Dustin Coleman
2. Cliff Pennington
3. Gregorio Petit
4. Josh Horton
5. Jason Christian

Outfield:
1. Carlos Gonzalez
2. Ryan Sweeney
3. Aaron Cunningham
4. Travis Buck
5. Corey Brown

Left-Handed Starting Pitchers:
1. Greg Smith
2. Gio Gonzalez
3. Brett Anderson
4. Dana Eveland
5. Josh Outman

Right-Handed Starting Pitchers:
1. Trevor Cahill
2. Sean Gallagher
3. Michel Inoa
4. Vince Mazzaro
5. James Simmons

Relief Pitchers:
1. Huston Street
2. Joe Devine
3. Henry Rodriguez
4. Jerry Blevins
5. Sam Demel

Top 10 who didn't make a top 5:
1. Rashun Dixon
2. Fautino De Los Santos SP
3. Andrew Carignan
4. Matt Sulentic OF
5. Craig Italiano SP
6. Jared Lansford SP
7. Tyson Ross RP
8. Ronny Morla SP
9. Jeremy Barfield OF
10. Grant Desme OF

Brian Fuentes rumors

MLB Trade Rumors just listed the A's as 1 of 4 teams that could possibly be interested in Brian Fuentes who is a Closer/ Setup Man for the Colorado Rockies. The comes on the heels of recent news from Ken Rosenthal that the A's are shifting into buy mode and could be a surprising landing spot for one of the "big fish", i.e. Matt Holiday, Sabathia, Jason Bay.

This news is interesting for a couple of reasons: 1) Fuentes will be a free agent at the end of the season so in all likelihood he will be a 2 month rental for the A's and 2) The A's bullpen, which includes current closer Huston Street, is already one of the A's strengths. Beyond Street, the A's have RP Embree, Casilla, Devine DL, and Andrew Brown- who could all fill in as a capable closer in emergancy.

So why would we give up prospects to go after Fuentes if he doesn't provide any major upgrade? The answer is not easily clear and my thoughts on what this rumor could indicate is pure speculation. However, Beane is known for thinking out of the box so exploring this rumor might require analyzing scenarios beyond a simple swap of fuentes for prospects. It also is worth while to analyze the respective situations of the A's and the Rockies to understand what might motivate the A's and the rockies to pull off a trade regarding Fuentes.

First, lets look at the A's situation and what aquiring Fuentes could mean. If the A's were to acquire Fuentes, in my opinion, they would acquire him to be the closer. As I mentioned above, the A's have plenty of quality arms who could fill the setup role. So the question is if Fuentes comes in to be the closer, what happens to street? Does he become the primary setup man? Does the team not have faith in him to delivery in their hunt for a playoff berth? I am inclined to say no and no.

Instead, I think the interest in Fuentes is intertwined with the fact that Huston Street will require a contract extension sometime in the near future. Beane has never valued the closers role, at least not to the extent that other GM's do. His track record, of finding successful closer after successful closer, supports his theory. In Huston Street he has a 24 year old closer, with all-star potential, who could bring a bounty on the trade market. The organization also happens to be loaded with dominant young relief pitchers, (i.e. Joe Devine, Henry Rodriguez, Andrew Carignan, Sam Demel, Santiago Casilla, Jerry Blevins), who could be potential future closers. So with a decision on an extension for Street looming, Beane might look to see if anyone will be interested in prying Street away from the A's... Enter Colorado...

The Rockies are an interesting team because they have underperformed immensly. Despite that, they only find themselves 7 games out of first place in a division where no one seems to want to run away with the division. This could cause Colorado to be in buy mode instead of sell mode come the july 31st trade deadline.

Regardless of their intentions come the trade deadline, it appears that the Rockies will trade Fuentes rather than let him walk at the end of the year. If they are in contention come july 31st and trade Fuentes, they will need a closer to replace him, and Huston Street could be just what they are looking for. Yes through, through all my rambling, my argument is that the speculation of Fuentes to the A's could lead to a trade of Street for Fuentes. However, that is merely the center of the trade and it is the surrounding pieces and elements which would make the deal make sense for both teams. So here is my proposal which I will them attempt to explain:

A's Receive:
Brian Fuentes
Ian Stewart
Possible 2nd Prospect

Rockies Recieve:
Huston Street
Possible Prospect


Why it makes sense for the A's:
- While Huston Street's overall trade value is much higher than Fuentes, due to the fact that he is 24 and under control for a couple more years, Fuentes would actually constitute a minor upgrade at closer. This deal would essentially be a trade that helps us somewhat now but also further helps us to build for the future. Ian Stewart would provide us with a power hitting third base prospect- something we sorely lack in our minor league system- who is almost ready to contribute regularly and can play multiple different positions. As well, we would probably let Fuentes walk and gladly take the 2 picks that we would recieve as compensation for a type A free agent. So, after this season, trading Street would essentially bring us Stewart, a 1st rd pick, a supp. 1st rd pick, and possibly another prospect (maybe SS chris nelson). Next season and beyond, we would have plenty of options internally to fill the closers role.

Why it makes sense for the Rockies:
- They would essientially be giving up a closer, who they would rather trade then let walk at the end of the season, and a top prospect, Ian Stewart, who is blocked by Garrett Atkins. In return, they would receive a young all-star caliber closer who they can control. This would allow them to make a trade to help their future without hindering their shot at a run for the playoffs this year.

To Trade or Not To Trade: Joe Blanton

JOE BLANTON:
STATS:
2008- 3-10 4.81 ERA 103 IP 118H 47 SO/ 28BB
CAREER- 45-44 4.20 ERA 736.2IP 783H 416SO/ 195BB

Simply put- Blanton's stats as well as his peripherals are not very attractive. However, his value as an innings eater stems far beyond what the numbers indicate. The fact remains that he gives his team a chance to win every time he steps on the mound and is a lock to go at least 6 innings. The problem is he has been subject to some of the poorest run support of any starting pitcher in the major leagues. This has no doubt caused him to press as of late, resulting in some bad outings which have subsequently shot up his ERA from the 3.80 range to 4.81. Despite his last 3 outings, he has proven to be a steady #3 pitcher on a surprising playoff team.

In Michael Urban's latest mailbag on the A's Website, about a week ago, he said he believe's this is finally the summer that Joe Blanton gets traded. He also states that scouts who he has talked to are still very high on Blanton and believe that "he would be a 20 game winner if he were on the red sox or the yankees" who would give him more run support. That's a pretty bold statement, especially considering he is 3-10. I think he would be capable of winning 20 games on a team like the red sox or yankees. However, I would be more comfortable to just saying he would be a lock to win 15+ games on any team (phillies, sox, cubs, yanks) who have a consistantly potent offense. With that said, in my opinion, Blanton could be a great pitcher for the right team- but just an average pitcher for the wrong team. Lets examine some possible trade destinations:

BOSTON RED SOX:
CURRENT STAFF- Beckett, Lester, Wakefield, Masterson, Dice-K DL, Colon DL, Buckholtz.
OUTLOOK- While this would be a good landing spot for Blanton, the Red Sox don't have much need for his services. If the Sox make a play on a pitcher it will be for an Ace. If they do decide to give up quality prospects in a trade, it will likely be for a bat to fill the void left by the Ortiz injury.
PROJECTED PACKAGE: Jeb Lowrie SS, Michael Bowden SP
- Beane has always had a high asking price for Blanton and, despite his stuggles as of late, it is unlikely he has budged off it much given the fact that the A's are in contention for a playoff spot. Regardless of what Beane might ask for, I think this would be a reasonable asking price. It might seem a little steep given Blanton's 2008 numbers. However, Joe Blanton has a strong track record, and this keeps in line with Billy's philosophy which is "we would love to keep him for our playoff run but if you make a strong enough offer id be willing to listen".
PROBABILITY OF TRADE: highly unlikely given the Red Sox needs. I do like the potential prospects the Red Sox could offer though.


NEW YORK YANKEES:
CURRENT STAFF- Mike Mussina, Joba Chamberlain, Andy Pettitte, C. Wang DL, Rasner, Kennedy, Hughes
OUTLOOK- Another good landing spot. The Yankees have major problems with there rotation and will need to make a trade for a quality starting pitcher to have any chance of making the playoffs. Their are other options out their in the trade market who the Yankees would explore before Blanton i.e. Sabathia & Bedard. However, an asking price for both those pitchers would start with phil hughes.
PROJECTED PACKAGE: Austin Jackson, Alan Horne, Ross Olhendorf
- In my opinion, Austin Jackson is the best prospect we could ask for considering his considerable talent. Packaging a reliever, such as Alan Embree, with Blanton would help to strengthen a potential package. However, I just don't like the prospects the Yankees would have to offer the A's b/c the only premium players they have to offer are pitching, 1b, and OF- and those are already major strengths in the A's farm system.
PROBABILITY OF TRADE: Moderate b/c of the Yankees strong need for quality pitching. However, I don't see Beane and the Yankees coming to a reasonable deal.


CHICAGO CUBS:
CURRENT STAFF- Zambrano DL, Dempster, Marquis, Lilly, Gallagher
OUTLOOK- The injury to Zambrano could make this a much more important need. This could be a decent landing spot for Blanton if the Cubs can't offer a good enough package for Sabathia and are willing to give up Blanton for Vitters. If Vitters is not included the only other somewhat enticing package could be Sean Gallagher and Ronny Cedeno and I don't see that being enough to convince Beane to trade Blanton. The A's are going to be looking for their thirdbasemen of the future, and the timetable of Vitters to the majors could align perfectly with the time Eric Chavez' contract expires.... That is of course assuming Vitters doesn't play his way off thirdbase- which is a decent possibility.
PROJECTED PACKAGE: Josh Vitters, Ronny Cedeno or Sean Gallagher, Ronny Cedeno, Jose Ceda
Probability of Trade: I would say not good. Giving up Vitters would represent going all in for this year and I don't see them doing that to only get Blanton. I think the only way you see Vitters moving is for Sabathia.


PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES:
CURRENT STAFF- Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick, Adam Eaton
OUTLOOK- Blanton recently shut down the phillies to the tune of 7ip 1er 5so's- outdueling Jamie Moyer who also had a nice game striking out 9 through six while giving up 3 runs. This might be the kind of performance that peaks the phillies interest on Blanton. Their is no denying that the phillies need another quality starter who can fit in that number 2 spot in their rotation. Blanton might be the perfect remedy as a 2/3 quality innings eater who is always gonna give that great offense of the phillies a good chance to win.
PROJECTED PACKAGE- Adrian Cardenas, Antonio Bastardo, Josh Outman, Jason Donald or Carlos Carrasco, Adrian Cardenas
PROBABILITY OF TRADE- I doubt that the A's would be able to get Adrian Cardenas and Carlos Carrasco in a package but that might be the only package that entices Beane to trade Blanton. Personally I think a package of Cardenas, Bastardo, Outman, and Donald is a package that is exceptable for Blanton. The A's would recieve Cardenas who is arguably the best 2b prospect in the minors and should have the bat to even play 3b- if he has the arm strength to play there. Donald is a quality SS prospect who is currently in AA and would be in line to be our shortstop of the future. Josh Outman is a quality pitching prospect who projects to be a solid back of the rotation starter. Finally, Bastardo is a prospect who is having a nice season and could either be a quality starting pitcher or quality reliever. This is another team I would put in the top 3 of teams most likely to trade for Blanton. However, I could see no deal coming to fruition if Beane insists that Cardenas and Carrasco be included- which he probably will.


ATLANTA BRAVES: C
CURRENT STAFF- Tim Hudson, Jair Jurrjens, Campillo, Reyes, Glavine
OUTLOOK- Atlanta needs pitching in the worse way to get back into contention. Otherwise they should just call it quits and get what they can for Texiera before he inevitably signs with the Yankees in 2009. If they decide to shop for a pitcher, they don't have the farm system to comfortably go after Sabathia- unless they gut their system. Blanton represents the second tier pitcher would could help them to achieve their goal of making the playoffs without giving up all their elite prospects, i.e. Jason Heyward. It doesn't mean Beane won't initially ask for Heyward- judging by reports earlier this year, I believe he already did. However, Beane will probably come down a little bit off his demands to make the right deal work.
PROJECTED PACKAGE- Jordan Shafer, Cole Rohrbough, and Brent Lillibridge or Gorkys Hernandez, Tommy Hanson, and Cole Rohrbough
PROBABILITY OF TRADE- Atlanta is another good landing spot for Joe. It will be interesting to see if the A's or anybody else could possible pry Jordan Shafer away from the braves in a trade for a SP in lieu of his 50 game suspension for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. If he is still off limits, they would have to trade Gorkys Hernandez in order to get a deal done. At least one of Tommy Hanson or Rohrbough would have to be included in a deal, and maybe both, to have a deal in place to peak Beane's interest. Lillibridge does not offer much value at the moment, due to a dismal year in AAA. However, if Beane felt he got enough value from the top two prospects, Lillibridge might be a nice throw in to take a flier on in hopes that he turns things around and begins to realize some of his potential- of which he does have a lot.

NEW YORK METS:
CURRENT STAFF- Santana, Maine, Perez, Pelfrey, P. Martinez
OUTLOOK- The Mets could get desperate and unload any quality prospects they have left to get a quality pitcher or outfielder. The will not get any quality players back in return unless they decide to give up Fernando Martinez. They definatly had interest in Blanton before they pulled the trigger on Santana and they could revisit those talks come the trade deadline.
PROJECTED PACKAGE- Fernando Martinez, Jon Niese, Eddie Kunz
PROBABILITY OF TRADE- I really don't see this trade happening. The only prospect who could peak Beanes interest is Martinez and he is still very raw and could never develop. The A's are also loaded with Outfield prospects already. The chances for this being a Hudson type deal where their is almost no return would be relatively high. More likely, if F. Martinez is shopped it will be for an outfield bat.



ST LOUIS CARDINALS:
CURRENT STAFF- Kyle Lohse, Adam Wainwright DL, Todd Wellemeyer, Braden Looper, Joel Pinero, Mitchell Boggs
OUTLOOK- Despite current injuries to Wainwright and Carpenter- the cards pitching staff, like their entire team, has been surprisingly effective on route to a possible playoff berth. The cards are unlikely to go after one of the big pitchers, i.e. Sabathia, and elect instead to keep their top prospect Rasmus. However, it is clear that the cards will need to bolster their rotation in order to sustain a push for the playoffs. Trading for Blanton might be just the pitcher they are looking for. In my projected package, I believe it would take a package similar to Jamie Garcia, Anthony Reyes, and Bryan Anderson. I believe this package is a fair package for Blanton and one that the Cardinals would be willing to give in order to get a pitcher of Blanton's caliber. Jamie Garcia would be the prospect the Cards would have the hardest time giving up as he is currently doing nothing at AA to diminish his projection as a number 3 starter. However, you've got to give up something good to get something and I think they can certainly live with giving up Garcia to get a consistant 2/3 for a playoff push. The next player, Anthony Reyes, would be probably a given to be a thrown in as he has good potential and is still young, I believe 24, but is in desperate need of a change of scenery. The third, Bryan Anderson, is a good catching prospect who is a good bet to hit for a high average when he reaches the majors. However, he is blocked for the next 3 years by Yadier Molina, and he might not ever develop any power. The reason the A's would ask for Anderson, despite the fact that they already have Suzuki, is b/c he will be a good future trade chip as almost every team is looking for a young catcher who can hit. Another prospect they might ask for in place of one of those three is SS prospect Peter Kozma.
PROJECTED PACKAGE- Jamie Garcia, Anthony Reyes, Bryan Anderson
PROBABILITY OF TRADE- If Beane decides to trade Blanton I would say this is easily a top 3 landing spot for him. As well, this is a good match b/c the cards have the prospects, other than Rasmus, to satisfy Beanes demands.


MILWAKEE BREWERS:
CURRENT STAFF-Ben Sheets, Jeff Suppan, Manny Parra, Dave Bush, Seth Mclung
OUTLOOK- If the Brewers are serious about making a playoff push, they are going to need to trade for another starter, and the certainly have the prospects to pull a major deal off. It has been mentioned that they might be the suprise front-runners to land CC Sabathia. However, making a deal for Sabathia would probably require at least 2 of LaPorta, Gamel, and Jeffries plus others- maybe even all three. Blanton would probably require only 1 of the three plus others.
PROJECTED PACKAGE- Mat Gamel and Alcides Escobar or Matt LaPorta and Jeremy Jeffries
PROBABILITY OF TRADE- I would say their is a decent chance of this being a possible landing spot for Blanton. Any deal involving Blanton would require at least Gamel or LaPorta as the center piece. I would imagine SS prospect Escobar or Jefferies would have to be a secondary prospect thrown in the deal to get Beane interested. Then a standard third prospect, probably a pitching prospect, would round out the package. My personal preference would probably be a package with LaPorta as the centerpiece. If it was a forgone conclusion that Gamel will stick at thirdbase- my preference would clearly be him as someone who could hit 40 doubles and 20 hrs at 3b. However, most reports indicate that he is even worse at 3b than Ryan Braun who the brewers moved off the bag and I would cleary prefer LaPorta's over Gamel's.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS:
CURRENT STAFF- Penny DL, Billingsley, Kiroda DL, Kershaw, Lowe, Stults, Chan-Ho Park
OUTLOOK- The dodgers have had some injuries to their staff and need to bring in another quality pitcher if they want to have a shot a sustaining a playoff push in a winnable division. However, Dodgers GM Ned Colleti has shown a strong resistance to giving up future prospects at the trade deadline. Beane and Colleti have kicked the tires a couple of times on trading Blanton to the Dodgers. However, the reports have seemed to indicate they have never been close to making a deal. In spite of that their appears to be a couple of blocked prospects that could make this deal work.
PROJECTED PACKAGE- Andy LaRoche, James McDonald, and Ivan DeJesus or Ching-Lung Hu, James McDonald, and Jon Meloan
PROBABILITY OF TRADE-Colletti has resisted the urge to trade for Blanton in the past so speculating a possible trade to the dodgers might be just beating a dead horse. However, the fact remains that Blanton could help to push the dodgers over the top in a winnable division. He also would not have to give up some of his young established major league players, i.e. Kemp, Loney, Ethier, and could would only have to part with good prospects who are somewhat blocked. For some odd reason, the dodgers have shown a strong resistance to player LaRoche and with the emergance of DeWitt, LaRoche is rapidly being factored out of the dodgers future plans. He would be the center of the deal. James McDonald is a pitcher who projects as a future mid-rotation starter. He is a good prospect who the dodgers would probably rather not give up. However, they have a good assortment of young pitching and losing McDonald would not change that. Ivan DeJesus, the third prospect, is a solid SS prospect. However, Chin-Lung Hu is the dodgers shortstop of the future and even he is somewhat blocked by their current starting shortstop, Furcal. The dodgers would not agonize over giving him up.

Future Batting Order:

1. Jemile Weeks 2B
2. Adrian Cardenas SS
   
3. Carlos Gonzalez CF
4. Chris Carter- DH
5. Sean Doolittle RF
   
6. Daric Barton 1B
7. Josh Donaldson 3B
   
8. Aaron Cunningham LF
   
9. Kurt Suzuki C

Future Pitching Staff:

1. Michael Inoa
2. Trevor Cahill
3. Brett Anderson
4. Gio Gonzalez
5. James Simmons
   

The prospects of adding "A" prospect: Michael Inoa

A mandate has been set in the Oakland A's front office: WE NEED TO JUMP BACK INTO THE LATIN AMERICAN FA MARKET! The A's once found the Latin American FA market as a nice place to scoop up quality raw talent for cheap and develop then into major league ballplayers. However, over the past decade the landscape has changed the barriers of entry have become significantly greater. With Clubs such as the Yankees and Red Sox now willing to dish out million dollar signing bonuses to raw 16 yr old prospects, the A's decided they could no longer gain a competitive advantage and subsequently shifted their focus elsewhere. Now, the A's are ready to jump head first back in to the Latin American market and, unlike last time, they are bringing boatloads of cash. The first order of business for the A's in the Latin Market: SIGN MICHAEL INOA AT WHATEVER COST! Just who is Michael Inoa? well let's find out....

MICHAEL INOA:

SIZE: 6'7 210

AGE: 16

DESCRIPTION:

He offers a fastball that sits at 93 mph along with a curveball and a changeup. From what scout say- what sets him apart from other prospects his age is his ability to control his fastball so well considering his 6'7 frame. I am sure that given his size- most scout project him to add a few mph's to his fastball by the time he reaches the pros. The fact that he is only 16 makes it a risky proposition to pick him up becuase he is so many years away from the major leagues and could get injured or might develop in the way that scouts project him too. However, by all accounts, there is no denying that this kid is special and could very well be the type of pitching talent that only comes along once a decade.

SOUNDS GREAT- WHATS THE PRICE?:

How bout a record 4 million dollar signing bonus.... The reports are that at least 7 teams are willing to dish out a 3 million signing bonus for Inoa. However, at the moment the A's seem to be the suprising frontrunners with reports that they are willing to give Inoa a 4 million dollar signing bonus to get the future ace. For reference the previous record for a signing bonus given to a Latin American FA was 2.5 million to Willy Mo Pena.

WHAT DOES THIS INDICATE ABOUT THE A'S:

Well maybe Billy Beane finally has some money to toss around and the Okay from Ownership to be a little bit more of a free spender. However, what isn't gonna change is where he allocates that money. He still wants to build his team from the ground up (through the farm system), and more money just means he can go get those prospects that were previously priced out of the A's budget range.

The pursuit of Inoa also helps to make more sense of the A's draft. Some fans were initially upset by the first round selection of Jemile Weeks. The hope was that the whispers about the A's possibly going over slot and picking a player that might be a tough sign were true. However, the selection of Weeks, to the fans, represented instead the typical selection of a college player who will be easier to sign but wasn't worthy of the slot they were selected at. That perception may or may not be true. However, it is becoming clear that the A's probably didn't want to take a player that would want top 5 money- well unless Justin Smoak had fallen- so they would have the financial flexibility to go after Inoa full force.

The fact of the matter is- whether or not they sign Inoa- this is a very positive sign for the A's organization. The Latin American market is becoming increasingly essential for getting top quality talent and the A's recognize that and now seem to have the financial flexibility to take advantage.

Here's an ESPN Link to an Article on Michael Inoa:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3433834

Post-Draft: Modified organizational 25 or younger position by position outlook

My Projected Future Starters:
Catcher- Kurt Suzuki
First Base- Daric Barton
Second Base- Jemile Weeks
Third Base- ?
Shortstop- ?
Left Field- Ryan Sweeney
Center Field-Carlos Gonzalez
Right Field- Sean Doolittle
Designated Hitter- Chris Carter

Other Future Candidates:
Catcher- Petey Paramore, Anthony Recker, Landon Powell

First Base- Sean Doolittle, Chris Carter

Second Base- Donnie Murphy, Josh Horton, Cliff Pennington, Jesus Guzman

Third Base- Jeff Baisley, Jesus Guzman, Donnie Murphy

Shortstop- Gregorio Petit, Cliff Pennington, Josh Horton

Left Field- Travis Buck, Matt Sulentic

Center Field- Aaron Cunningham, Corey Brown, Archie Gilbert, Jemile Weeks

Right Field- C. Brown, Grant Desme, Richie Robnett

Designated Hitter- Barton, Powell, Robnett

Quick post draft analysis

After just missing out on having Justin Smoak fall into their lap, The A's took 2B Jemile Weeks out of Miami U. Some considered this pick somewhat of an overdraft due to the fact that most draft analysts pegged him to go in the 18-22 range. At first glance, he may not appear to be the sexy pick that most A's fans hoped for with the 12th pick, a la Smoak and his 40+ HR potential. However, despite his slight stature (5'9 165), Weeks has enormous potential and offers a different skill set that could be essential to the A's becoming a complete team in the future.

Jemile Weeks:

Classification: Lead-off hitter with speed and gap power

Strengths- He should develop into a good hitter who posts a BA in the .280 to .300 range with good patience. He isn't a slap hitter- he has quick wrists and should develop anywhere from 10-20 HR's. His speed, which could help produce 30-35 sb's annually, rounds out his offensive package. Defensively, He has great range and good hands.

Weaknesses- Still raw given the fact that he is a junior in college, could be good or bad. Defensively, while he possesses the range and hands to stick at 2B, he has yet to learn the nuances, i.e. positioning, of being a good defensive second basemen. His arm is also not very strong.

Overall- Some say Weeks might have to move off 2B to CF. However, I am of the opinion that the A's would not have drafted him if they weren't full confident he could stick at 2B. He just seems to athletic to not be able to handle second. Offensively, he could be an essential tablesetter at the top of our lineup who puts tremendous on the D with his speed and versatility. Also given the lack of quality middle infield prospects in the minors, Weeks should instantly be placed in the top 5 list of 2B prospects. His tools give him a good chance to be better than any of them.

BEYOND WEEKS:
The two picks I like the most were the selections of Tyson Ross SP Cal in the second round and Brett Hunter SP Pepperdine in the seventh round. Both selections were high risk/high reward given the fact that both have electric stuff coupled with extreme mechanical issues in their delivery which could lead to injury. Briefly:

Tyson Ross- He has the perfect pitchers body at 6'5 235. However, he does not use that size to his advantage displaying an extremely upright delivery in which he fails to properly use his lower body to generate the velocity that he is capable of. He has the potential to generate a mid 90's fastball but if he doesn't tweak his delivery he might only generate velocity in the 88-90 range with good secondary pitches. He could end up as just a reliever. However, the possibility that he makes a couple of adjustments and reaches his untapped potential as a frontline starting pitcher makes him a great round 2 pick.

Brett Hunter- might be my favorite pick of the draft. His stuff ranks among the best in the draft headlined by 95-97 fastball. The reason he fell to the 7th rd. is b/c he was injured for most of the season and, like Ross, has strong mechanical flaws which scouts were concerned would contribute to potential injuries in the future. With that said, if he can make some adjustments and stay healthy, he could become another potential frontline starter. And if he doesn't amount to anything- who cares- he was a 7th round pick anyways.

Finally, an interesting dynamic to the draft was the amount of athletes they drafted who have the potential to be basestealers in the future. This could indicate a shift in philosophy with Beane in which he is starting to believe in the value of having basestealers.

Projecting the First 12 Picks

1. Tampa Bay Rays- Buster Posey C
2. Pittsburg Pirates- Pedro Alvarez 3B
3. Kansas City Royals- Eric Hosmer 1B
4. Baltimore Orioles- Brian Matusz SP
5. San Fransisco Giants- Tim Beckham SS
6. Florida Marlins- Kyle Skipworth C
7. Cincinnati Reds- Gordon Beckham SS
8. Chicago WhiteSox- Justin Smoak 1B
9. Washington Nationals- Aaron Crow SP
10. Houston Astros- Yonder Alonzo 1B
11. Texas Rangers- Christian Friedrich SP
12. Oakland Athletics- Brett Lawrie 3B

Prospective A's 2008 first round draft targets

The Lack of certainty at the top of the draft makes it tough to project who will be there when the A's pick with the 12th overall selection. Of the possible names that might last til 12, their are a lot of players that would be good fits for the A's but none would be the guarenteed pick if available at 12. I will profile each of the possible names that will be there. Then I will rank them based on who I think the A's need the most:

Potential Targets:

1B:
1. Justin Smoak- He is the most unlikely of all the possible A's targets to fall due to the switch hitters potential to hit 35-40 hr's and possibly play GG defense at first. However, their are 4 other 1B prospects who profile similar to smoak, 5 if Alvarez can't stick at 3B, and possible signability issues leave the door open to a slide.

2. Yonder Alonzo- The A's should only consider Alonzo if they believe he's a lock to bat .300 and hit 30 hr's annually. Huge bonus demands make pick even less likely.

2B:
1. Jemile Weeks- would be the biggest foreseeable reach the A's could make. Weeks ceiling is believed to be a .280 hitter with 10-15hr's and 30-35 sb's. However, he is still suprisingly raw for a college prospect, and may not sniff that potential. might have to move off second base to which wouldn't help the A's given the gult of current OF prospects.

SS:
1. Gordon Beckham- While unlikely, their are more potential scenario's in which he could slide to the A's than you would think. The reasons for Drafting him are obvious for selecting him- he plays shortstop (infield huge organizational need), he will hit .280 with solid dicipline and 15-20 hr's annually with a chance for more. He would also be the best available player.

3B:
1. Brett Lawrie- A true wild card in the draft. He is also someone who absolutly no one has mentioned as being a possibility for the A's at 12. However, I can think of many reason why he makes perfect sense for the A's. First, his value has skyrocketed, even to the point where the reds would consider him at 7, after going on a rediculous power surge while touring with the canadian national team- even smacking hits off of the likes of royals pitchers Kyle Davies and Luke Hochevar. Scouts tab him as the best hitter to come out of Canada since Justin Morneau and some feel he could be better. He should hit at least .280 with 25+ hr potential and has the athletic ability to play a strong third defensively. As well, despite the fact that he is a high schooler, his bat is said to be far advanced and some feel he could major league pitching right now. Their certainly should be concern about how fast he's shot up draft boards. However, This could be the A's best chance to nab a potentially special player through the draft.

2. Brett Wallace- What can I say about Brett Wallace- that hasn't already been said. If he had any type of body resembling a third basemen the A's would be drooling at the possibility of putting a bat like his in the middle of their future lineup- and they still might be. Scouts say hes almost a lock to put up numbers of .300 .400 and 25+ hr's annually. As well, unlike the A's other top power prospects, he puts up power numbers while keeping down strikeouts. He even went 16-20 on SB's. Superman right?... uh yeah.... well if superman was 6-1 245 on a good day and nicknamed the Walrus by scouts. The harsh reality is that no thirdbasemen has been able to hold up at 3b with a similar body type to Wallace's. He committed 10 errors in about 60 games, which isn't terrible, but his ranges figures to be severely limited by an ungodly thick lower body. If the A's draft him they will certainly make him play his way off third. But if he does, they would have created a serious loggam at 1b/DH. The bat might be too good to pass up though.

SP
1. Aaron Hicks- Two way player who has first round talent as an Outfielder and Pitcher. A's believed to want him as a pitcher but he has expressed his desire to play OF instead. He has Ace potential with a mid- 90's fast ball and a good breaking pitch. Despite A's obsurd pitching depth he offers them the All-Star caliber upside as an ace that few if any of the A's pitchers possess. High Risk/ High Reward Pick.

2. Ethan Martin- Same story as Hicks 3B/SP. Throws mid-90's with potential for plus curve. He is also said to have potential plus power at the plate and could be a potential GG'er defensively at 3B- as he came into the season as a potential 1st round selection at third. However, everyone seems to peg him as a future pitcher.

3. Christian Friedrich- College pitcher who offers a good fastball and curveball mix. Profile's as a potential no. 3 pitcher and draws some comparisons to Zito (when he was an A of course). However, this is the one pick I would strongly dispise due to the fact that he offers very little chance of becoming a frontline starter (we already have enough 3-5 guys). I highly doubt the A's go this route.

1. Justin Smoak 1B
2. Gordon Beckham SS
3. Brett Lawrie 3B
4. Aaron Hicks SP
5. Brett Wallace 1B/3B
6 Ethan Martin SP
7. Yonder Alonzo 1B
8. Jemile Weeks 2B
9. Christian Friedrich SP

Final Analysis: Obviously, you take Smoak or Beckham if they fall. As well, Anytime you can add a potential Ace (Hicks, Martin) you tend jump at the opportunity. Finally, if the A's take Brett Wallace- I am in the minority but I think he will be able to hold up at third (at least for the first couple years once he reaches the majors) and he would make the A's future lineup scary good.

However, my pick is BRETT LAWRIE because of his versatility to play 3B & 2B, his advanced bat, plus power potential, and ability to move quickly through the minors despite being a highschooler.

Quick Position by Position Analysis

I plan on doing a more detailed analysis of the positional strengths and weaknesses of the organization later. However, The draft is in about 14 hours and I want to get in my two cents in about who the A's should strongly consider. Nevertheless, to properly explain my reasons for drafting a certain player, it is impotant to foreshadow my reasoning with a look at the organization first. So lets get on with it. I will highlight the projected future starter, as well as, another player at the same position who is capable of unseating or surpassing that projected starter.

Catcher:
Projected Starter: Kurt Suzuki

REASON-He is currently the incumbent at the major league level. Suzuki offers little power. However, His intangibles are excellent- demeanor for the position, calling a game-, He plays solid defense, and he should be able to hit .270-.280 with anywhere from 5-15 hrs. Something Also tells me that down the road he will be our Marco Scutaro who always seems to come through in the clutch.

Dark Horse: Landon Powell
REASON- Powell is already 25 and their is a decent likelyhood he will eat his way out of the position. However, despite his heftyness, he offers superior defense to Suzuki. He also offers the potential for 20-25 hr's and very good plate dicipline.

First Base:
Projected Starter- Daric Barton

Reason- His first full season has yielded mixed results. However, he's only 22, and Barton seems destined to sport a .300 average with a .420 OBP. The question remains, can he hit for power? While early indications aren't promising, he's projected to get 8-10 hr, Their is no reason he shouldn't produce 15-20 hr's with a decent chance for more than that. He also has shown improving defense.

Dark Horse- Sean Doolittle

Reason- Doolittle is well on his way to becoming the A's minor league offensive player of the year. He has even quieted some critics who questioned whether he would have the power to play first, albeit in a hitter-friendly league. Doolittle Offers Superior Defense to Barton, some feel he could be a future Gold Glover at first, and he should hit .300 with at least 20 hr's and good patience at the plate. However, the one chink in his armour is that he strikes out a lot. As well, I believe his future position with the A's will be in LF.

Second Base:
Projected Starter- Jemile Weeks

Reason

Darkhorse- Jesus Guzman

Reason

Shortstop
Projected Starter- Cliff Pennington

Reason

Dark Horse- Josh Horton

Reason

Third Base:
Projected Starter- Jeff Baisley

Reason

Dark Horse- Jesus Guzman

Reason

Left Field:
Projected Starter- Sean Doolittle

Reason-

Dark Horse- Travis Buck, Matt Sulentic


Center Field
Projected Starter- Carlos Gonzalez

Dark Horse- Aaron Cunningham, Rashun Dixon

Right Field:
Projected Starter- Ryan Sweeney

Dark Horse- Corey Brown, Grant Desme

DH
Projected Starter- Chris Carter

Dark Horse- Daric Barton

Projected Starting Staff
1. Trevor Cahill
2. Brett Anderson
3. Greg Smith
4. Gio Gonzalez
5. James Simmons

Setup:
Devine

Closer:
Street

Future A's Pitchers: 25 or younger

This List encompasses rankings of both starting and relief pitchers, in the A's organization, who are 25 years old or younger. Names may show up as both starters and relievers to indicate uncertainty of future role. Age and Level provided.

Lefthanded Starting Pitchers:
1. Brett Anderson- 20 high A
2. Greg Smith- 24 MLB
3. Gio Gonzalez- 22 AAA
4. Dana Eveland- 24 MLB

Righthanded Starting Pitchers:
1. Trevor Cahill- 20 high A
2. Craig Italiano- 21 Low A
3. James Simmons- 21 AA
4. Chad Gaudin- 25 MLB
5. Henry Gonzalez- 21 AA
6. Vincent Mazzaro- 21 AA
7. Jared Lansford- 21 High A
8. Dallas Braden- 24 MLB
9. Andrew Bailey- 24 AA
10. Travis Banwart-22 High A
11. Ryan Webb- 22 AA
12. Jamie Richmond- 22 Low A
13. Scott Mitchinson- 23 Low A
14. Jason Fernandez- 23 High A
15. Scott Deal- 21 Low A
16. Scott Hodsdon- 23 Low A

Relief Pitchers:
1. Huston Street- 24 MLB
2. Joe Devine- 24 MLB
3. Henry Rodriguez- 21 AA
4. James Simmons- 21 AA
5. Arnold Leon- 19 High A
6. Chad Gaudin- 25
7. Dallas Braden- 24 MLB
8. Jerry Blevins- 24 AAA
9. Andrew Carignan- 21 AA
10. Sam Demel- 22 High A
11. Jared Lansford- 21 High A
12. Justin Friend- 21 High A
13. Jason Fernandez- 23
14. Justin Friend- 21 Low A

Future A's Position Players: 25 years old or younger

The purpose of this post is intended to provide an outlook on the future of the Oakland Athletics as it relates to the number of quality prospects they have, Age 25 or younger, for each position. Some prospects might show up at 2 or more positions due to their ability to play 2 or more positions. Rankings are based on my opinion of where they rank in relation to the other A's player who play the same position. Age and current level are next to the player

Catchers:
1. Kurt Suzuki- 24 MLB
2. Landon Powell- 25 AAA
3. Anthony Recker- 24 AA

First Basemen:
1. Daric Barton- 22 MLB
2. Sean Doolittle- 21 HIGH-A
3. Chris Carter- 21
4. Landon Powell- 25
5. Wes Bankston- 25 AAA
6. Tom Everidge- 25 AA

Second Basemen:
1. Cliff Pennington- 23 AA/AAA
2. Jesus Guzman- 23 AA
3. Josh Horton- 22 HIGH-A
4. Donnie Murphy- 25 MLB

Shortstop:
1. Cliff Pennington
2. Josh Horton

Third Basemen:
1. Jesus Guzman
2. Jeff Baisley- 25 AAA
3. Donnie Murphy- 25

Corner Outfield:
1. Carlos Gonzalez- 22 AAA/ MLB
2. Sean Doolittle- 21
3. Ryan Sweeney- 23 MLB
4. Travis Buck- 24 MLB
5. Aaron Cunningham- 22 AA
6. Corey Brown- 22 LOW A
7. Matt Sulentic- 20 HIGH A
8. Grant Desme- 22 A SHORT-SEASON
9. Richie Robnett- 25 AAA
10. Jon Zeringue- 25 AA

Center Field:
1. Carlos Gonzalez- 22
2. Ryan Sweeney- 23
3. Aaron Cunningham- 22 AA
4. Corey Brown- 22 LOW A
5. Jermaine Mitchell- 23 HIGH A
6. Michael Massaro- 23 AAA

DH:
1. Chris Carter
2. Daric Barton
3. Landon Powell
4. Richie Robnett