Cuckoo For Coco: The A's have reportedly signed Coco Crisp to a two-year deal worth $14 million (Photo Credit: AP)

According to recent report on the San Francisco Chronicle, the A’s are going to retain their outfielder Coco Crisp for two more seasons with a two-year deal worth $14 million. The deal, while not official, includes an option for 2014 worth $7.5 million with a $1 million buyout.

That’s a lot of money for the penny-pinching A’s, especially given their current goal of going younger and cheaper in 2012. This Crisp signing definitely goes against everything we’ve read in Moneyball.

Crisp returns as Oakland’s starting center-fielder, most likely, and it only cost the A’s a guaranteed $14 million. Oh, and if the A’s do end up trading Crisp at this year’s trade deadline like many believe could happen given the team’s lack of big-league talent, it’ll end up costing them financially.

According to Susan Slusser of the SF Chronicle, the A’s must pay Crisp an additional $250,000 if they decide to trade him. Given the team’s less than stellar expectations heading into this season, I wouldn’t be surprised if the team decides to flip Crisp at the deadline for a few prospects. (more…)

Bye Bye Willingham: The A's lost free agent OF Josh Willingham to the Twins (Photo Credit: AP)

Free agent outfielder Josh Willingham won’t be sporting green-and-gold colors next year. He signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Minnesota Twins on Thursday after passing on Oakland’s arbitration offer.

He leaves an A’s team that will likely enter 2012 with a completely different starting outfield and joins a Twins team coming off a down year. Willingham, 32, played just one season in Oakland, but he injected the A’s lineup this year with some much needed power.

He led the team with career highs in both home runs (29) and RBIs (98), and was easily the team’s best player offensively. He was reminiscent of the 2006 version of Frank Thomas, who helped guide the A’s to the playoffs that season.

The A’s will receive a supplemental pick as a result of losing Willingham during the first round of the amateur draft. The A’s will also get a pick in front of Minnesota during the second round of the draft. (more…)

Beane Ball: What Will Billy Beane Do This Winter? (Photo Credit: Ben Margot/AP)

With his team projected to lose a few players this winter, A’s general manager Billy Beane will definitely have his work cut out for him. Beane, who has spent the past few seasons rebuilding his franchise, is setting out to continue his rebuilding phase that has kept the A’s from the postseason contention since 2006.

Oakland’s “youth movement” officially began back in 2007 when the team decided to trade away pitcher Dan Haren and outfielder Nick Swisher in separate deals that brought Oakland a boatload of young talent in return. Unfortunately for Beane and the A’s, however, it appears that yet another rebuild will take place.

You could say that Beane has never stopped rebuilding and that this winter is just a continuation from the phase that started back in 2007. However, I’m not quite sure that’s correct. The A’s have put together a young core of starting pitching, but instead of building around that strong foundation, they’re eager to tear it down and start from scratch, again.

Gio Gonzalez, Andrew Bailey, and pretty much everyone on Oakland’s roster is deemed “available” for trade. Beane and the rest of Oakland’s front office, according to the latest rumors, will be listening to offers on all their players. (more…)