Bradley to Oakland

peter · December 13, 2005 at 5:46 pm · Filed Under General baseball 

I really don’t envy Bill Bavasi’s job this time of the year–really most any time of the year. When you think about it, his job is to outsmart a bunch of smart guys (smarter than me, anyway), one of whom is Billy Beane.

The A’s have acquired Milton Bradley and former Tacoma Rainier IF Antonio Perez from the Dodgers for Texas League player of the year Andre Ethier.

As you can read in the thread below on Jeremy Reed, quality centerfielders are particularly scarce this winter. Oakland now has two. If you listen really close, no that’s not Santa’s sleigh bells. That’s Billy Beane’s cellphone ringing. It’s probably the Yankees.

ESPN story here.

Perez is a month away from turning 26 and already in his young career he has been traded for Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Winn, Jason Romano and now Andre Ethier. And in his next transaction, he’ll be traded for the starting pitcher of your local high school team.

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Comments

61 Responses to “Bradley to Oakland”

  1. Dave on December 14th, 2005 6:17 am

    Don’t begin weeping until it actually is official. No deal has been signed.

  2. lvlariners! on December 14th, 2005 8:03 am

    Just read that ChiSox acquired Vasquez from D’backs for Orlando Hernandez, Luis Vizcaino and top CF prospect Chris Young. Not sure if any cash being changed, but am curious to read the USSM experts’ and bloggers’ take on this latest trade.

    Personally, I don’t think i’d trade Reed for Vasquez (ref Reed for Clement rumor) but boy is Vasquez intriguing! Remember when M’s played Expos and he just dominated the M’s!

  3. Rusty on December 14th, 2005 8:20 am

    In Moneyball, Billy Beane is portrayed as a trading savant, Kenny Williams not so much. Kenny sure looks a lot better these days after a World Series title and this Vasquez trade.

  4. waldo rojas on December 14th, 2005 8:55 am

    Yeah, remember the time when Doug Waechter dominated the M’s? Chan Ho Park? That dude on the Orioles who looks like the lead singer from Iron Maiden?

  5. nickpdx on December 14th, 2005 9:03 am

    Yeah, remember the time when that Ibanez guy hit a homerun off the M’s? Boy is he intriguing! We should get h…. oh.

  6. lefty on December 14th, 2005 9:27 am

    I think both Javier Vasquez and Jeff Weaver both drank from the Fountain of Mediocrity, which is hidden, for some unknown reason, in a broom closet under Yankee Stadium. Both guys looked to have great potential until they donned their pinstripes, and now stink.

    I think the water for this fountain is pumped from the drainage underneath left field at Safeco. Long pipe, very expensive to maintain, which is why the Mariners have to set the payroll where it is.

  7. Evan on December 14th, 2005 10:08 am

    There’s no evidence to suggest that Rhodes would have been effective as a closer when his entire career suggests otherwise.

    There was plenty of evidence that Rhodes was an excellent pitcher, able to face hitters from both sides of the plate in high-leverage situations and dominate them.

    Nothing else was projectable.

  8. Evan on December 14th, 2005 10:08 am

    There’s an Oriole who looks like Bruce Dickinson?

    Or Blaze Bayley?

    Or Paul DiAnno?

  9. mf87 on December 14th, 2005 4:05 pm

    [wrong author]

  10. John D. on December 14th, 2005 4:35 pm

    CHOO/ETHIER (#s 15, 17, 21) As much as I appreciate Dave’s assessments of minor league players, I realize that there are some other assessments out there. Baseball America’s, for instance. The 2006 BA Almanac (covering the ’05 season) should be in the bookstores in early January. Until then, we’ll have to rely on some earlier issues.
    After the 2004 season, CHOO was ranked as the 14th-best outfielder in minor league ball. (REED was 13th.) ETHIER did not appear among the top 25.
    After the 2004 season, BA named CHOO to the Class AA All-Star team. ETHIER was not named to the Class A All-Star team.
    After the 2004 season, BA cited CHOO for having the best throwing arm of all the AA outfielders. ETHIER was not cited as best in any category.
    Although their age diference is negligible (3 months and 3 days), it should be noted that CHOO is a classification ahead of ETHIER. (CHOO has just had a year of AAA; ETHIER has just begun one.)
    FWIW, ETHIER did have a good California League season–putting up an OPS of .825. (CHOO’s OPS was only .824.)
    BTW, I plan to post any relevant data that’s mentioned in the 2006 Almanac.

  11. ray on December 15th, 2005 2:29 am

    Ethier wasn’t even among the A’s top 20 prospects to begin the season..he wa actually considered a disappointment due to injuries and no power development.he did have a great yr and probably progressed the most of any A”s minor leaguer..but iwouldn’t consider him the A”s best OF prospect…maybe the OF prospect closest to the majors…i could see hererra, putnam, robnett, and buck probably have higher potnetial than ethier..he’ll be a solid OF, but it was worth the risk