A's FIRE SALE, RICH HARDEN AVAILABLE ?

[cmaff051]

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HE IS 22 YEARS OLD. You can see he has a nice level swing where is bat stays through the zone and his hands stay inside the baseball. He is very quick in the outfield. Center fielder range and glove. He has a very good arm. Just because someone has grown into their body doesn't mean there isnt any power to come. I think he will be a .300 hitter in this league.

I wonder how many 22 year olds have refused to adjust over time. If he came up last year and was 28 years old I could understand. This guy has too much potential for you to be saying that.

You think he'll be a .300 hitter based on what? Surely not his minor league career.

[34Celtic]

.294 career minor league hitter. Again, he is only 22 yrs old.

[Jitpal]

Melky isn't a longterm solution? He is 22

I'm sorry I didn't explain properly. What I meant was that Matsui and Damon are getting older. Damon is constantly banged up, I admire Damon for playing through pain but it will catch up with him. Matsui was never the greatest outfielder and the older he gets, the worse he will become. Melky has a role but let's be real, Melky isn't the Yankee starting OFer. His role is that 4th outfielder, filling in late for defense, playing for injured guys and giving guys breaks. In that role he would be one of the best. If the question was just a question of talent and production between Melky and Abreu then the answer would be to go with Abreu. However, it isn't that world. Melky is far more valuable in his 4th OFer role than as a starting role. It would be better to get someone like Kotsay who is on a shortened deal to keep the place warm for Tabata. -Jitpal

[NYKnSTILL!]

.294 career minor league hitter. Again, he is only 22 yrs old.

just to answer your question Tabata is 19 years old at 18 was being called the next Manny Ramirez, his patience , his hands, the swing , many in th Yankees farm system say his talent is going to make people forget about Derek Jeter.

[34Celtic]

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just to answer your question Tabata is 19 years old at 18 was being called the next Manny Ramirez, his patience , his hands, the swing , many in th Yankees farm system say his talent is going to make people forget about Derek Jeter.

Well let me be the first to say that nobody will ever forget about Derek Jeter

[34Celtic]

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There isn't a question that Abreu is better. I'm just thinking. Kotsay isn't bad, he is above average. Getting him for 2 years and then cutting ties to bring up Tabata is better than signing Abreu or Ichiro for 15-18 million and 4-5 years. Then holding on to them well past their prime or having to eat half the contract to bring up Tabata. Plus, taking Kotsay off the hands of the A's will help in a deal to bring in one of thier young arms be it Harden, Haren or even someone like Street. -Jitpal

There is no way the A's are going to trade a top notch closer who isn't a free agent until 2011. Just no way. forget about it. His contract info....

2007: Near Minimum, 2008-10: Arb. Eligible, 2011: Free Agent

[NYKnSTILL!]

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Well let me be the first to say that nobody will ever forget about Derek Jeter

you know what I mean

[34Celtic]

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you know what I mean

[Jitpal]

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There is no way the A's are going to trade a top notch closer who isn't a free agent until 2011. Just no way. forget about it. His contract info....

2007: Near Minimum, 2008-10: Arb. Eligible, 2011: Free Agent

Well Street is more of a pipe dream. Imagine Street setting up Mo until Mo decides to call it quits and then Street steps in. Wow, that would be amazing. Harden and Haren are bigger possibilities. However, you get my idea. -Jitpal

[ReggieFULLeffect]

Harden and Haren are bigger possibilities.

If the Yanks were to discuss talks for a guys like Haren or Harden, I would much rather get Haren being that we don't need another injury prone pitcher. Harden has lights out ability but he is constantly hurt. Haren is durable and it also takes away the fact that we won't have to face him(because he kills us).

In all honesty I'd rather use our farm system if the situation ever comes up where we would need another SP. Hughes will be back in about a month. Clemens is here to be the messiah for the remainder of the season. Then you have Wang, Pettite, and Moose. I don't see a need for a trade because we should be able to provide enough runs to get buckets of wins for that rotation.

In terms of offseason moves -- I would get Haren only if they don;t have a better option of bringing someone up and developing from the inside.

[Jitpal]

Harden and Haren are bigger possibilities.

If the Yanks were to discuss talks for a guys like Haren or Harden, I would much rather get Haren being that we don't need another injury prone pitcher. Harden has lights out ability but he is constantly hurt. Haren is durable and it also takes away the fact that we won't have to face him(because he kills us).

In all honesty I'd rather use our farm system if the situation ever comes up where we would need another SP. Hughes will be back in about a month. Clemens is here to be the messiah for the remainder of the season. Then you have Wang, Pettite, and Moose. I don't see a need for a trade because we should be able to provide enough runs to get buckets of wins for that rotation.

In terms of offseason moves -- I would get Haren only if they don;t have a better option of bringing someone up and developing from the inside.

Yeah, I agree and if you look back to the first page NYKnStill and I discussed this very thing. I wouldn't mind Harden at a .10 for the dollar type of deal but that in unlikley. I would imagine Haren would be cheaper than Harden considering Haren is a 2/3 and Harden is a true ace when healthy. -Jitpal

[FNQ]

Haren is not a possibility... I don't know where this 2/3 stuff started from, but Haren has a mid 90s fastball, a high 80s low 90s splitter, and a great slider and improving changeup... he's arguably as good a pitcher as Harden when both are healthy. In fact, the only knock on Haren is a mental one - he throws too many strikes, so much so that he often leaves a pitch over the plate and gives up a HR.

All that said... Haren I'm sure is much harder to get than Harden.... Haren's the one getting the fanfare here.

You guys don't want Kotsay (unless you like him as a 4th OF), and don't need Chavez... If the A's were to have a firesale, I'd imagine they'd be looking to deal Kiko Calero and Justin Duscherer, both above average relievers... Joe Kennedy, Esteban Loaiza, Brad Halsey... any of our vets could go essentially. Piazza I'd imagine would be a good target too...

[Jitpal]

Haren is not a possibility... I don't know where this 2/3 stuff started from, but Haren has a mid 90s fastball, a high 80s low 90s splitter, and a great slider and improving changeup... he's arguably as good a pitcher as Harden when both are healthy. In fact, the only knock on Haren is a mental one - he throws too many strikes, so much so that he often leaves a pitch over the plate and gives up a HR.

All that said... Haren I'm sure is much harder to get than Harden.... Haren's the one getting the fanfare here.

You guys don't want Kotsay (unless you like him as a 4th OF), and don't need Chavez... If the A's were to have a firesale, I'd imagine they'd be looking to deal Kiko Calero and Justin Duscherer, both above average relievers... Joe Kennedy, Esteban Loaiza, Brad Halsey... any of our vets could go essentially. Piazza I'd imagine would be a good target too...

I think I started the 2/3 thing with Haren. I was thinking where he would fit in a world series type rotation and my guess was a 2 or 3. It was also mentioned that Harden might be easier but he would only be worth it if we could fix him. Yup, we don't want Kotsay but I'm sure the A's would love to be rid of him and his deal and picking that up might save us a decent prospect or two in a deal for one of the Oakland young arms. Plus, with Abreu most likely gone after this year, Kotsay and Melky Cabrera would be our everyday RFers while Jose Tabata fine tunes his ball reading ability and figures out how to get the right jump to the ball. Isn't Kennedy is a free agent after this season? I don't see us going after Piazza or Chavez. We already had Loaiza and Halsey, doubt we would go down those roads again. -Jitpal

[FNQ]

Well, it seems Piazza was interested in ya'll (Wiretap about a couple weeks back)...

As for Haren, I'd consider him a #2 on a WS team... defenitely in the top 20 SPs in the league IMO, and quite possibly a lot higher than that (top 10 is in the realm of possibility)

Kennedy is a FA after this season, but he generates a lot of interest in that he could start, relieve, and is a lefty... but I think its a little early for the A's to start selling, I think in late June we'll have a much better idea of where Beane wants to go with us.

[Jitpal]

Well, it seems Piazza was interested in ya'll (Wiretap about a couple weeks back)...

As for Haren, I'd consider him a #2 on a WS team... defenitely in the top 20 SPs in the league IMO, and quite possibly a lot higher than that (top 10 is in the realm of possibility)

Kennedy is a FA after this season, but he generates a lot of interest in that he could start, relieve, and is a lefty... but I think its a little early for the A's to start selling, I think in late June we'll have a much better idea of where Beane wants to go with us.

No room for Piazza and I don't really want him.

Top 20 in the American League? Maybe because after the first dozen or so it becomes a little messy ranking them. Top 20 in MLB, no chance. Then again, I don't see him more than a couple of times a year and usually against the Yanks.

If I ran the Yankees, there would be no way I would take Kennedy now. I would just sign him in the offseason. -Jitpal

[NYKnSTILL!]

Piazza and Clemens in a locker room

hey remember when I .......

[FNQ]

Find 20 pitchers better than Haren.... I guarantee a lot of them will be overrated or products of media hype. His stuff is electric, and he's finally learning the mental aspect of the game (pitching around the strike zone).

Its too early to say this season will be the one where he finally gets his credit (still allowed 4 HR in April) but so far so good.... easily the most valuable pitcher on our staff and there'd only be a handful of SPs in the majors I'd deal Haren for. And this is coming from someone who depreciates the A's on a regular basis - Haren is $.

[Jitpal]

Find 20 pitchers better than Haren.... I guarantee a lot of them will be overrated or products of media hype. His stuff is electric, and he's finally learning the mental aspect of the game (pitching around the strike zone).

Its too early to say this season will be the one where he finally gets his credit (still allowed 4 HR in April) but so far so good.... easily the most valuable pitcher on our staff and there'd only be a handful of SPs in the majors I'd deal Haren for. And this is coming from someone who depreciates the A's on a regular basis - Haren is $.

These are the pitchers I would rather have over Haren at this point in their careers(in no particular order):
Matt Cain
Jake Peavy
Felix Hernandez
Rich Harden*
Brandon Webb
John Lackey*
Chris Carpenter
Ben Sheets
Chris Capuano*
Fransisco Liriano
Johan Santana
Justin Verlander*
Jeremy Bonderman*
CC Sabathia*
Carlos Zambrano
Cole Hamels
Dontrelle Willis*
Roy Halladay
AJ Burnett*
Chen Ming Wang
Josh Beckett*
Daisuke Matsuzaka*

Yeah, I think that would be my list. The guys with * are guys I would put at roughly the same level. Fantastic pitcher. So yeah, I mean if those guys I put at the same level, if any of them were swapped he would show up around there. Keep in mind, I didn't keep current injuries into consideration but I put career injury prone players like Rich Harden a notch below where they should be based on talent alone. -Jitpal

[oakfanintheeast]

wang? come on now.

[ReggieFULLeffect]

wang? come on now.

Waits for it.....