Jeff Samardzija, Josh Reddick on the Move?

This offseason for A’s fans is likely to be a hard one. Josh Donaldson has already been traded, and there are more moves that will undoubtedly occur, prying our favorites away from us. In an article by Karl Buscheck (Bleacher Report, Bay Sports Net), he states that Peter Gammons (MLB Network) thinks that both Jeff Samardzija and Josh Reddick could be on the move this winter.

While Samardzija won’t come as much of a surprise to any non-rock-dwellers, the Josh Reddick trade is another move that Billy Beane could execute that could tug at fan’s heartstrings. The big question is what would the return be? Samardzija could bring back a shortstop, say, Alexei Ramirez, or a slew of major league ready talent. It depends on what Beane is after. Likely, some combination of the two.

For Reddick, I wrote a piece over the summer after Chase Headley was traded, comparing the two, and saying that the A’s could get a similar return. After that piece was published (19 weeks ago) Reddick went on a tear, specifically in the second half. His .299 batting average, coupled with 8 homers and 30 rbi were all superior to Headley’s second-half stats. Headley hit .265 with 6 home runs and 20 rbi.

Trading Reddick could be a good play from an offensive standpoint. The vault in the right fielder’s production coincided with the addition of Jonny Gomes at the trade deadline, much like his numbers were inflated in 2012, when Gomes was his teammate in Oakland. Right now could be the time to sell high on Reddick.

In the article, Gammons also mentions the A’s possibly trading John Jaso, due to the need for left-handed hitting catchers this offseason. Again, that would not be a shocker, and could help bolster the A’s minor league depth. As always, we await official confirmation on any moves that will happen, but as A’s fans, we aren’t necessarily eagerly anticipating the news anymore.

Next: A's Could Get a Similar Return for Reddick