Swingin' A's » first base

A’s Hope Brandon Allen Provides Some Power

Joseph Lopez — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 04:25:04 +0000

Fresh off his big-league call-up, A’s 1B Brandon Allen hopes to make a splash in Oakland’s everyday lineup. Allen, 25, was acquired in the trade that sent reliever Brad Ziegler to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he’s a player Oakland obviously values.

In the four games he’s played in for the Athletics, Allen has gone 7-for-13 (.538 average) with a double, triple, and an RBI. It’s an important first impression for Allen, who could ultimately wind up serving as Oakland’s future first baseman.

It’s not out of the question now that Daric Barton is seemingly out of the picture in Oakland, and especially given how Allen has performed.

The A’s have a ton of questions over at first base, and while Allen has been compared to A’s prospect Chris Carter, early indications seem to suggest that Allen isn’t too bad of an infielder. (more…)

Player Profile: 1B Brandon Allen

Joseph Lopez — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:42:37 +0000

he Oakland Athletics completed just one deal in the month of July, but they received two talented ballplayers from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for reliever Brad Ziegler. In this post, we’ll examine, or introduce for that matter, the second of two new Oakland Athletics: 1B Brandon Allen.

The Athletics were on the verge of landing 1B Lars Anderson in a deal that would’ve sent right-handed pitcher Rich Harden to the Boston Red Sox, but the deal fell through. The A’s could’ve used Anderson’s services over at first base, but Red Sox apparently were not ready to take the gamble on Harden, whose health is always in question.

After missing out on Anderson, the A’s did make one move this month before the Trade Deadline that sent Ziegler to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for LHP Jordan Norberto and 1B Brandon Allen. Considering Oakland sent just a reliever over to Arizona in the deal, the A’s did a pretty solid job in landing two talented players in Norberto and Allen. (more…)

Daric Barton’s Struggles Continue

Joseph Lopez — Tue, 31 May 2011 23:41:25 +0000

Remember when the A’s began dismantling their highly acclaimed “Big Three,” a rotation that included the likes of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito? If you do, then you’ll also remember that the trade the took Mulder away from the confines of the Coliseum and into St. Louis, was the one that brought Daric Barton and Dan Haren to Oakland.

The deal, much better than the one that sent Hudson to Atlanta, definitely had its perks for the A’s. Haren turned out to be a very solid starter during his time in Oakland, and Barton had a lot of hype surrounding him during his minor league career. Sadly, however, all of that is part of the past now.

Haren, who had three solid years while wearing the green-and-gold, is now a member of Oakland’s AL West rivals, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. And Barton, who was regarded as a prime hitting prospect in Oakland’s farm system, is struggling to produce in Oakland’s lineup.

The 25-year old Barton is in his fifth season with Oakland, dating back to when he was a September call-up back in 2007. Initially, Barton lived up to the hype that surrounded his minor league career during his September call-up, hitting .347/.429/.639 with 4 HR and 8 RBIs in 18 games with Oakland. (more…)