A's FIRE SALE, RICH HARDEN AVAILABLE ?

[NYKnSTILL!]

Five and Fly: A's shopping Harden?
By Tim Brown

Tuesday, May 1, 2007 1:30 pm EDT
The Oakland Athletics have made at least one phone call recently to gauge interest in right-hander Rich Harden, that being to the Boston Red Sox, according to one source. They have not, however, contacted some of the organizations with the top-end farm systems

[Jitpal]

Harden is great but this guy gets injured all the time. I'd rather go after Haren for that reason. However, if I was running the Yanks I'd do everything in my power to make sure Harden ended up in somewhere in the NL. -Jitpal

[ccvle]

CC Sabathia is said to be available if the indians are out of contention.

[PR07]

Sure, I'd love to have them too, but the question is, what do we have to give up?

[NYKnSTILL!]

I think Harden is the most likely guy , I wonder what they would have to give up for him atleast keep this kid out of Boston

[Jitpal]

Well Kotsay and Chavez seem to be their two big deals that extend past this season. I'd imagine any team would be forced to take at least one of them with either Harden or Haren. Maybe to make a deal happen we could take on Kotsay and plug him in until 2008. After Abreu is let go at the end of this year. Then at the end of that year maybe Tabata is ready? That's how I'd play it if I were the Yankees. Obviously any deal would have to include Joba or someone like that. However, a proven and young arm is worth one of those guys with limited experience. -Jitpal

[NYKnSTILL!]

Well Kotsay and Chavez seem to be their two big deals that extend past this season. I'd imagine any team would be forced to take at least one of them with either Harden or Haren. Maybe to make a deal happen we could take on Kotsay and plug him in until 2008. After Abreu is let go at the end of this year. Then at the end of that year maybe Tabata is ready? That's how I'd play it if I were the Yankees. Obviously any deal would have to include Joba or someone like that. However, a proven and young arm is worth one of those guys with limited experience. -Jitpal

for an injury risk ?

I'd do Clippard,Duncan and Ohlendorfh or Jackson throw in Abreu , I wish Jason didn't have a NTC I would so have traded his ass for chavez in return. We got to pay attention to those D***S from Fenway Pawk

[Jitpal]

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for an injury risk ?

I'd do Clippard,Duncan and Ohlendorfh or Jackson throw in Abreu , I wish Jason didn't have a NTC I would so have traded his ass for chavez in return. We got to pay attention to those D***S from Fenway Pawk

I believe Abreu has a NTC. I don't know if I'd do Clippard, Duncan and Ohlendorf but I would do Jackson. They can throw Alberto Gonzalez in there as well. We can sign someone like Scutaro to backup the infield. I'd rather get Kotsay over Chavez. Kotsay can play the OF, where Chavez is a 3B which is pretty much locked up. Arod did say he wanted to stay here. See I'm very torn on Harden. The kid is an undeniable ace but he is injured so damn often. However a Hughes, Harden and Wang as a 1,2,3 is just too scary to even think about. Which is why I would be very interested in Haren who isn't as good but he doesn't have the injury concerns Harden does. -Jitpal

[NYKnSTILL!]

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I believe Abreu has a NTC. I don't know if I'd do Clippard, Duncan and Ohlendorf but I would do Jackson. They can throw Alberto Gonzalez in there as well. We can sign someone like Scutaro to backup the infield. I'd rather get Kotsay over Chavez. Kotsay can play the OF, where Chavez is a 3B which is pretty much locked up. Arod did say he wanted to stay here. See I'm very torn on Harden. The kid is an undeniable ace but he is injured so damn often. However a Hughes, Harden and Wang as a 1,2,3 is just too scary to even think about. Which is why I would be very interested in Haren who isn't as good but he doesn't have the injury concerns Harden does. -Jitpal

Haren has the stuff but he reminds me of Jaret Wrong at times

[Jitpal]

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Haren has the stuff but he reminds me of Jaret Wrong at times

Haren isn't an ace. However, he is a 2/3. Jaret was a long man at best. He could never get out of the 5th inning. Haren has pitched at least 7 innings in 4 of his 6 starts so far this year. He would have to shave to tow the company line. If it was a healthy Harden compared to a healthy Haren there isn't a question you have to take Harden. However, 2004 was his only healthy year. 19 starts in '05, 9 starts in '06 and only 2 so far this year. -Jitpal

[NYKnSTILL!]

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Haren isn't an ace. However, he is a 2/3. Jaret was a long man at best. He could never get out of the 5th inning. Haren has pitched at least 7 innings in 4 of his 6 starts so far this year. He would have to shave to tow the company line. If it was a healthy Harden compared to a healthy Haren there isn't a question you have to take Harden. However, 2004 was his only healthy year. 19 starts in '05, 9 starts in '06 and only 2 so far this year. -Jitpal

that's why I think we might be the ones that realistically end up w/ him no GM would give up number one type propects like Hughes or Tabata, but our talent in the pitching dept. in the minors is better than alot of teams out there.

[Jitpal]

Rich Harden saw Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles on Monday for a second opinion on his right shoulder, and Yocum concurred with the initial diagnosis, that there is some irritation in the shoulder but nothing more. Yocum advised several days of rest to get rid of the discomfort, so Harden will remain in the Bay Area and will not throw for as much as 10 days. That means he's unlikely to start for Oakland until the middle of the month at the earliest. He last pitched on April 15 against New York. As he was over the winter, Harden has been the object of increasing trade speculation in the past week, but the A's are not having any discussions about the starter, according to a team source.

Found that on foxsports. Under Rumors and Notes.

He seems like he would turn out like Pavano has except he would pitch much better when he actually does pitch. However, he probably wouldn't pitch as much as we would all hope. Anyway, looks like he isn't on the market so this is all a moot point. -Jitpal

[34Celtic]

I would rather have Abreu than Kotsay guys, come on. Even after how bad Abreu has been

[Jitpal]

I would rather have Abreu than Kotsay guys, come on. Even after how bad Abreu has been

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

[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

I would rather sign someone for one year, or put Melky out there. Melky hasn't shown it this year but he might even be better than Kotsay. Remember what he did last year. The kid has a nice swing and his bat stays through the zone longer than most. He also is an above average outfielder with a Right Fielder strength arm.

Do you really think Tabata will be ready by age 20 to be our starting Right Fielder? Have y ou ever seen him play in person, if so what is he like?

[Jitpal]

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I would rather sign someone for one year, or put Melky out there. Melky hasn't shown it this year but he might even be better than Kotsay. Remember what he did last year. The kid has a nice swing and his bat stays through the zone longer than most. He also is an above average outfielder with a Right Fielder strength arm.

Do you really think Tabata will be ready by age 20 to be our starting Right Fielder? Have y ou ever seen him play in person, if so what is he like?

I saw him in spring training on YES. He doesn't have the power yet, but he was hitting a pretty good average and he was making major league pitchers look silly. I'm sure NYKGM has some stats or something that back this. He is also consistantly hitting all the guys in the minors. There have been some concerns over his pre-game routines and such but that will be sorted out within the next two years. I would also say he needs some work reading the ball in the outfield and getting some jumps but two years from now I doubt that will be a problem. The guy can hit today. He just needs to mature and understand some of the finer points of the game a little better.

Melky is awesome but he is not a longterm solution, I don't think. However, our outfield is pretty old. Matsui and Damon will need time off and I'd rather have Melky in there than some scrub or 10 year journey man. Getting Kotsay is more of a move to help get one of the Oakland young arms and plugging him in rather than saying Kotsay is the man to go after. If the A's decide to do a firesale, I would imagine any deal for a young arm would require us to pick up an expensive player and/or give up some quality minor leaguers. I was looking at their contract situation and the only two contracts that are big and extend past this season are Chavez and Kotsay. Chavez's deal is bigger but we already have a 3rd baseman and at the end of this year we won't have a RFer unless we sign someone or put Melky there everyday. -Jitpal

[34Celtic]

Melky isn't a longterm solution? He is 22

[cmaff051]

Melky isn't a longterm solution? He is 22

There are questions right now about whether last year was just a gigantic fluke. Last year, he showed very good patience. This year, that patience is non-existent. He never showed any patience in the minor leagues, so evidence would point to the fact that last year might have been a fluke year.

His swing isn't good at all... he doesn't drive any pitches anymore. He rarely ever did last year... he benefited from being very lucky on balls in play. He isn't getting that same luck this year. He is done growing into his body and any additional power is unlikely. At best, he is a 10-15 HR corner outfielder who isn't quick enough to play center field full time.

Melky has been downright pathetic this year.. I have heard of sophomore slumps, but this isn't a sophomore slump. The league has caught up to him, he refuses to adjust, and let's face it, he isn't the most gifted player anyways. He is never going to hit for the high average that is required for a corner outfielder who only hits 10-15 HRs a year.

He is a stopgap option in our outfield at best.

[PR07]

I know Abreu's in a slump, but he's a real good player to have in our lineup both offensively and defensively. He gets on base all the time, and he has a cannon for an arm. Why are we down on him?

[34Celtic]

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There are questions right now about whether last year was just a gigantic fluke. Last year, he showed very good patience. This year, that patience is non-existent. He never showed any patience in the minor leagues, so evidence would point to the fact that last year might have been a fluke year.

His swing isn't good at all... he doesn't drive any pitches anymore. He rarely ever did last year... he benefited from being very lucky on balls in play. He isn't getting that same luck this year. He is done growing into his body and any additional power is unlikely. At best, he is a 10-15 HR corner outfielder who isn't quick enough to play center field full time.

Melky has been downright pathetic this year.. I have heard of sophomore slumps, but this isn't a sophomore slump. The league has caught up to him, he refuses to adjust, and let's face it, he isn't the most gifted player anyways. He is never going to hit for the high average that is required for a corner outfielder who only hits 10-15 HRs a year.

He is a stopgap option in our outfield at best.

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.