RealGM

Here is the official active roster as it stands:

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/team/r ... p?c_id=oak

I'm bored @ work... letsee who can come closest to our Opening Day roster.



C: Kurt Suzuki
1B: Daric Barton
2B: Mark Ellis
3B: Eric Chavez
SS: Bobby Crosby
LF: Travis Buck
CF: Chris Denorfia
RF: Ryan Sweeney
DH: Jack Cust

Backups:
Rob Bowen
Dan Johnson
Emil Brown
Donnie Murphy
Jack Hannahan

SP: Rich Harden
SP: Joe Blanton
SP: Chad Gaudin
SP: Dallas Braden
SP: Justin Duchscherer

Long Relief: Lenny DiNardo

Middle Relief: Santiago Casilla, Kiko Calero

Lefty: Alan Embree

Setup: Joey Devine

Closer: Huston Street

Wonder how close I'll be..

I'll add mine tomorrow,but I did see this tonight.

Blanton May Be Traded
1:32pm: Paul Daugherty and John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer report that the Reds and Dodgers are talking to the A's about Blanton. Seems to be a disagreement about whether the Dodgers are in on this.

10:31am: Check out this new Ken Rosenthal video (hat tip to MetsBlog). The video is all about Joe Blanton.

One Rosenthal source suggests a 50/50 chance Blanton is traded (presumably before the season starts).
Two teams are showing significant interest. Rosenthal believes the Reds are one, and the Twins or Rays could be another. He rules out the Dodgers, Yankees, Rockies, and Indians. The Reds have had preliminary discussions for Blanton already. How about the Phillies? They came calling in July.
Rosenthal notes that the bounty for Blanton will be less than that of Dan Haren, because Blanton is slightly more expensive and an inferior pitcher.
On January 14th, an A's source suggested to MLB.com's Jim Molony who expected Blanton to be the A's Opening Day starter.


http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Sweeney will platoon with Emil Brown.

DJ is a redundant back up 1b/dh. I think the team would be better suited acquiring a guy like Chris Shelton on a minor league contract and trying to acquire a B- level prospect from the Yankees for DJ.

Harden/Duke/Gaudin all come with huge question marks and injury risk. And Blanton is a good bet to be traded before opening day.

A rotation of Eveland, Meyer, Braden, Dinardo, Saarloos, and Greg Smith for most of the season seems likely.

Can you say 100 losses?

Saarloos wont sniff the rotation... this year has nothing to do with winning. If anything he'll be a long reliever.. the A's system is full of young arms that start.

Eveland is a tough call... hes just a younger Saarloos really. Don't forget that The Duke was brought in to be a starter this season either.

TSC25 wrote:I'll add mine tomorrow,but I did see this tonight.

Blanton May Be Traded
1:32pm: Paul Daugherty and John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer report that the Reds and Dodgers are talking to the A's about Blanton. Seems to be a disagreement about whether the Dodgers are in on this.

10:31am: Check out this new Ken Rosenthal video (hat tip to MetsBlog). The video is all about Joe Blanton.

One Rosenthal source suggests a 50/50 chance Blanton is traded (presumably before the season starts).
Two teams are showing significant interest. Rosenthal believes the Reds are one, and the Twins or Rays could be another. He rules out the Dodgers, Yankees, Rockies, and Indians. The Reds have had preliminary discussions for Blanton already. How about the Phillies? They came calling in July.
Rosenthal notes that the bounty for Blanton will be less than that of Dan Haren, because Blanton is slightly more expensive and an inferior pitcher.
On January 14th, an A's source suggested to MLB.com's Jim Molony who expected Blanton to be the A's Opening Day starter.


http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Homer Bailey in an A's uni would make my Athletics decade Kid throws rockets!

If Blanton is traded, Harden is injured, and Duke can't handle the starting rotation where are the A's going to find starters?

The following SP's are on the 40 man roster: Braden, Dinardo, Eveland, Smith, Saarloos, Meyer, Komine, Windsor

Report: Reds, A's discuss Blanton
Oakland seeking two top prospects in return for right-hander


CINCINNATI -- It appears the Reds are still trying to make improvements heading into the final week before Spring Training.
Foxsports.com first reported Thursday that the Reds are still interested in acquiring A's starting pitcher Joe Blanton, and the Cincinnati Enquirer reported on Friday that there had been talks with Oakland. However, a deal did not seem imminent.

According to the Enquirer, which did not cite a source for its story, the A's are seeking a package that could involve at least two top Reds prospects. That might mean first baseman Joey Votto or pitchers Homer Bailey and/or Johnny Cueto.

The Reds have had no interest in dealing top prospect Jay Bruce, which was a reported stopping point in talks with the Orioles about lefty Erik Bedard.

"I don't comment on any of the rumors," Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said on Friday.

Cincinnati's rotation lacks established starters after Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. Bailey, Cueto, Jeremy Affeldt, Matt Belisle, Edinson Volquez and Matt Maloney are vying for the final three spots in the rotation.

Blanton, who signed a one-year, $3.7 million contract with the A's on Jan. 18 to avoid arbitration, would be a boost in the No. 3 spot. The right-hander was 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA in 230 innings pitched last season. He walked just 40 batters and struck out 140 but one red flag was his 5.11 ERA on the road compared to 2.69 at home.

The Hot Stove season of moves is nearing the end and activity is nowhere like its zenith in December. Without discussing any specific players, Krivsky said efforts to upgrade don't really end -- even this late in the offseason.

"Just like the other 29 GMs, I don't think you ever stop trying," Krivsky said. "There's no trade deadline now. If something presents itself, it can happen at any time."


http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/a ... p&c_id=mlb

I also seen this tonight,and I think it might help Huston.

A's To Sign Keith Foulke
According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the A's are close to bringing Keith Foulke back on a one-year deal with incentives. Foulke, 35, saved 43 games for the '03 Athletics before leaving for Boston. The D'Backs made an offer this year, but I guess the A's offered more money or a better role. An impressive 20 teams watched Foulke work out in January, though he was throwing in the 81-84mph range.

Foulke apparently looks like his old self to the A's after pseudo-retiring and taking '07 off. One can definitely see him sliding back into his familiar closer role if Huston Street is dealt.

As the roster stands now.


C: Kurt Suzuki
1B: Daric Barton
2B: Mark Ellis
3B: Eric Chavez
SS: Bobby Crosby
LF: Travis Buck
CF: Chris Denorfia
RF: Emil Brown
DH: Jack Cust

Backups:
Rob Bowen
Dan Johnson
Ryan Sweeney
Donnie Murphy
Jack Hannahan

SP: Rich Harden
SP: Joe Blanton
SP: Chad Gaudin
SP: Lenny DiNardo
SP: Justin Duchscherer

Long Relief:Jerry Blevins

Middle Relief: Santiago Casilla, Kiko Calero

Lefty: Alan Embree

Setup: Joey Devine

Closer: Huston Street

A few things I would like to see happen,trade Dan Johnson,trade Joe Blanton if we can get one of the two young pitchers from the Reds,either Homer Bailey,and Johnny Cueto and if Votto can be added to the deal then I say we do it,he also seemed to handle his left field well for Cincy last season,I'd like to see us sign Mike Sweeney and platoon him with Cust.

TSC25 wrote:Has the roster stands now.


C: Kurt Suzuki
1B: Daric Barton
2B: Mark Ellis
3B: Eric Chavez
SS: Bobby Crosby
LF: Travis Buck
CF: Chris Denorfia
RF: Emil Brown
DH: Jack Cust

Backups:
Rob Bowen
Dan Johnson
Ryan Sweeney
Donnie Murphy
Jack Hannahan

SP: Rich Harden
SP: Joe Blanton
SP: Chad Gaudin
SP: Lenny DiNardo
SP: Justin Duchscherer

Long Relief:Jerry Blevins

Middle Relief: Santiago Casilla, Kiko Calero

Lefty: Alan Embree

Setup: Joey Devine

Closer: Huston Street

Bolded the future

Lots of mainstream media is reporting the Reds have made us a concrete offer...

Odds are it only contains one of the 3 players we covet, or else it would have gone down by now.

Cueto or Bailey is my hope... Votto.. eh...

"lots of mainstream media" ?

I've only heard speculation from a few beat writers at both the sf chronicle and cinci enquire.

ESPNNews picked it up.

FSNBA picked it up.

What other mainstream media is there for sports? Fox and ESPN...

Had seen this rumor also.


Don't forget that the A's are shopping Alan Embree. The 38 year-old lefty will earn $3MM in '08 and has a $3MM club option for '09.


http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/02/r ... -la-2.html

Tap says Blanton may be off the market since the Twins didnt get as much as people thought for Santana...

Seems like a last ditch effort to raise Blanton's value... will it work? Bailey? Cueto?