In Search For An Outfielder – Oakland Athletics

In Search For An Outfielder – Oakland Athletics

So far, we have identified the following outfielders as possible targets for the Mets:

                Atlanta – Reed Johnson

                Arizona – A.J. Pollock

Baltimore – Nolan Reimold

                Boston – Jerry Sands

                Chicago Cubs – Brett Jackson

Chicago White Sox - Dayan Viciedo

Cincinnati – Chris Heisey

                Cleveland – Thomas Neal -

                Colorado – Dexter Fowler

Detroit – none

Kansas City – none

Los Angeles Angels – Mark Trumbo

Los Angeles Dodgers – Alex Castellanos

Miami Marlins – Gorkys Hernandez

Milwaukee Brewers – Khris Davis

Minnesota Twins – None

New York Yankees - None

Pittsburgh – Jose Tabata

We now move on to the Oakland Athletics who currently have eight (8) outfielders on their 40-man squad:

                Yoenis Cespedes – righty – $10.5mil thru 2015 – MLB, 487-AB, .292, 23-82

                Coco Crisp – switch – $7mil for 2013 – FA-2014 – MLB:  455-AB, .259

                Grant Green – righty –   AAA: 524-AB, .296, 15-HR, 75-RBI

                Shane Peterson – lefty – pre-ARB  -   AAA:  .389

                Josh Reddick – lefty –   ARB-1/2014 -  MLB:  611-AB, 32-HR, 85-RBI, .242, RF

                Seth Smith – lefty –  ARB-2 -  MLB:  383-AB, .240, 14-HR, 52-RBI

                Michael Taylor – righty –   pre-ARB -  MLB: 21-AB, AAA:  12-HR, 67-RBI, .287

                Chris Young – righty - $8.7mil through 2013 – FA-2014 – CF –

Free agent losses this off-season include Jonny Gomes Boston) and Collin Cowgill (Mets). Obviously, if someone was available who was more talented than Cowgill, he probably would have already been traded, but this is a team in transition.

2013 looks set with Cespedes, Reddick, Young, and Crisp. Their problem is Crisp  is in the last year of his contract and Young’s deal is just for 2013.

Green, Peterson, and Taylor seem all ready to make the next step.

Mets target:  Grant Green -  Green has made the conversion from SS to CF… right behind him in the system is top prospect Michael Choice. Taylor projects out as either a DH or 1Bman. If I can’t get Green, I pass on both Crisp and Young.