Zobrist/Escobar to the A's close to happening per Slusser

[fuhrdog]

https://twitter.com/susanslusser/status/553975526210035712

[fuhrdog]

Sounds like Jaso and two prospects.

https://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/553978242173251584

[revo]

All the A's need to do is ship Crisp and Reddick off, and they could have new starters at every spot in the lineup!

[fuhrdog]

Daniel Robertson in deal

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/553979416859389952

[revo]

Done deal. Seems like a light return. Maybe they'll like Boog's BBQ.

Athletics acquired INF/OF Ben Zobrist and INF Yunel Escobar from the Rays for INF Daniel Robertson, C John Jaso and OF Boog Powell.

[Moonlight J]

Rays have done a terrible job of drafting & developing shortstops. Robertson goes to the top of their prospect list now. If they find a taker for DeJesus, then Jaso slides in at DH. Powell is a reserve OF type. Fits the immediate need of another catcher, saves $9M, and helps the future.

Thus is the lot in life when you play in a shitty stadium deal without much corporate sponsorship

[virgonomic]

2014 IF: Moss / Sogard / Lowrie / Donaldson
2015 IF: Butler / Zobrist / Escobar / Lawrie

It's different...

[Don Quixote]

I'm not saying that Beane doesn't have a plan, but does anyone out there see what it may be?

[fuhrdog]

according to Ken Rosenthal...1.5M going from A's to Rays allowed them to include a lesser prospect (Powell).

[Moonlight J]

Beane has now traded his last 3 top draft picks in different deals.

[Moonlight J]

Frankly, getting rid of Escobar is a win for the Rays. Moments after they gave him 3/15, he lost a step and a half in the field. Plays he was making with ease in 2013 he was suddenly waiving at in 2014.

[Don Quixote]

I think we've pretty much reached the point where we just assume that Beane not only knows what he's doing but has somehow done something that will put his small market team in the playoff hunt yet again. The guy is absolutely amazing, imo.

The Bengals of MLB. Billy does some excellent things to get the team to the playoffs, but never enough to get to the next level. Gets better press, though.

[Bodhizefa]

I have absolutely no idea what Beane is doing, but I'm loving it. I thought he sold himself short by getting rid of Donaldson, but adding Zobrist and Escobar is a game changer for their 2015 roster. They're right back in the thick of things, although I think they're hurting at starting pitcher a bit more than usual (they generally have a shit ton of 3rd-5th starters waiting in Triple-A, and their depth just isn't there this year like it has been in the past). It's going to be a fun year in the AL West with the Angels downgrading a bit (losing Kendrick hurts), with the A's and their total roster upheaval/turnover, and with the M's improving a bit while not getting rid of any of their youth (possibly saving it for trades at mid-season or, more hopefully, awaiting one of the kids to bust out finally).

[chancellor]

A small market team doing what Beane has led the A's to do is absolutely remarkable. You're selling him way short. (By the way, the NFL has a salary cap.)

He's certainly earned the benefit of the doubt, but I sure don't see these As as an upgraded team. Major downgrades at the corners, good upgrade at 2b, and a wash at SS. They're below average in the OF, too.

[chancellor]

Here's an article arguing that the A's moves have finally come together and now make sense.

I like the Zobrist deal, for sure. But I still think Beane dealt Donaldson more due to ego-bruising than value, and the Moss deal still makes no sense to me. Heck, let's just postulate that that Donaldson was so toxic they had to deal him, but I'd like the A's lineup a lot more with Moss in the middle of the order than Vogt.