2005/2006 A's offseason thread

[Providence A's]

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

The A's know they need a right-handed-hitting run producer, and they know that such a player is not in their Minor League system.
They also know that their financial limitations prevent them from hunting big game in the free agent market, so the assumption is that A's general manager Billy Beane's only course of action in pursuing that big bat is through a trade.

Barry Zito agrees, and he knows that his $8.5 million salary for 2006, combined with Oakland's wealth of young pitchers, make him a reasonable candidate to be traded.

"I could see why people would think that," he said. "And they probably say, 'Billy traded [Tim] Hudson and [Mark] Mulder, why wouldn't he trade Zito?' But I don't think that's going to happen. No way. I expect to be back here next year, 100 percent."

He also wants to be back, even if it's just to play out his contract, which expires after the 2006 season. There have been no talks between Zito's agent, Arn Tellem, and Beane about an extension.

"Billy's got a lot more pressing things to deal with right now," Zito said, alluding to manager Ken Macha's unresolved status for next year and decisions that need to be made regarding options on players such as Jay Payton and Scott Hatteberg. "If they want to extend me, that probably won't come up for a while. If they don't, I'd understand that, too. This is a business, and Billy runs it well.

"But I'd really like to see what this team can do next year. I think we've laid a great foundation for '06, and we could do some special things that I'd love to be a part of."

Well, as I said before...I wouldn't be surprised one way or the other, but I could easily see Beane trading Zito because he re-proved himself this year.

[A's Baby Girl]

Well with the emergence of Harden as an ace, he probably is trade bait. I'd still like to see Zito play out his contract tho.

[A's Baby Girl]

Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...v=st&type=lgns

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - The Oakland Athletics on Monday announced that Dave Hudgens will not return as the club's batting coach in 2006.

Hudgens has spent the last 16 years with the Oakland organization, the last four as hitting coach.

Oakland ranked sixth in the American League in runs (764) this season, but was a distant 12th in batting (.264) and 10th in slugging (.407).


Hudgens, who has served the Athletics in a variety of positions, may stay with the organization in another capacity.

[Kingdom]

Hey, it's not his fault Jason Kendall is an overpaid piece of..

[A'sDiehard]

Buh bye, don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya. How about Carney Lansford? It's ok to dream, right?

[Providence A's]

Buh bye, don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya. How about Carney Lansford? It's ok to dream, right?

why not? We just drafted and signed his son.

[Providence A's]

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

ANAHEIM -- A's manager Ken Macha had a two-hour chat with general manager Billy Beane on Monday. It was a serious talk about serious business, including the three-year, $2.6 million contract proposal that Beane has presented to Macha's agent, Alan Nero.
When the chat with Beane was over, Macha went golfing.

"Two hours was enough," Macha told MLB.com by phone Tuesday. "I had to get out of there, so I went and played golf at a Special Olympics event and tried not to think about anything but hitting the ball straight."

The next few days don't figure to be so simple. Nero, Macha said, was going to present a counter-proposal to Beane at some point Tuesday.

"This is a starting point in the negotiations," Macha said. "Billy laid out what he thinks is fair, and now Alan's going to lay out what he thinks is fair."

Broken down to an annual average, the deal Beane presented represents more than a $200,000 increase over what Macha made in the final year of the three-year contact with the club that expired Sunday night. Macha, though, probably could command an ever larger raise on the open market.

What do you guys think? Keep him or let him walk? I dunno...if he left we could have Washington be the manager as the Devil Dogs are interested in him. Von Hayes was the manager of the year for the Rockhounds, but I don't think we'd "promote" him...

[love_that_reefer]

He should take it as he is not gonna get a better deal and with this young pitching, I would want to stick around.

[Providence A's]

he may get a better deal from his home town Pirates...

[Bob Sacamento]

he may get a better deal from his home town Pirates...

The Pirates and Littlefield are going hard after Jim Tracy. Turns out Littlefield and Tracy go way back.

[A'sDiehard]

I don't know. If he leaves I won't be upset or anything, especially if it meant giving Washington a shot. The players love Washington and I'm sure he would do just fine.

[Providence A's]

He's gone

ANAHEIM -- Ken Macha, whose three-year contract with the A's expired Sunday, will not return as manager in 2006.
"I'm disappointed, certainly," Macha told MLB.com on Wednesday. "Mainly because of the players. I've made it pretty clear how special I think those guys are, and my hope all along was that we could work something out so I'd be back."

The club issued a statement moments before general manager Billy Beane was to make the announcement during a conference call with reporters.

"We were unable to reach an agreement with Ken regarding a contract extension that was satisfactory for both parties," Beane said in the statement. "We would like to thank Ken for his seven years of service to the A's organization, in particular his last three seasons as our big league manager. We wish him well in all of his future endeavors."

That was quick...seems like Beane didn't want him. Somewhere, Terrance Long is smiling

[love_that_reefer]

He won't get a better deal from the Pirates, that a certainty

[A'sDiehard]

[Providence A's]

If Washington doesn't replace him, then I'm not sure who will...