May 4, 2012; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki (8) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

The time has come. The A’s and Kurt Suzuki need to finally part ways with each other. Oakland’s catcher hasn’t produced much this year and he’s had plenty of time to step up and produce offensively.

This season, Suzuki, 28, is hitting just .216/.256/.268 with no home runs and 16 RBIs in 61 games. Even more unimpressive is Suzuki’s BB%, which has dropped from 7.4% last year to 4.0% this year. He’s also striking out at a higher rate, as suggested by his 19.3% K% rate, which is an increased rate over his 12.4% last year.

The A’s haven’t really gotten much out of Suzuki this year and with prospect Derek Norris making his way up to the big leagues, Suzuki’s time in Oakland seems to be nearing its end. Much like Jason Kendall before him, Suzuki may well be the odd man out.

Since performing so well in 2009, when he drove in a team-high 88 runs and hit 15 HRs, Suzuki has fallen off the rails a bit. He followed up his big ’09 season with a decent 2010 outing with 13 HR and 77 RBI, but it was still drenched in disappointment. He followed that season with another down year last season, hitting just .237/.301/.385 with 14 HR and 54 RBI.

He hasn’t shown any signs of improvement this year, either. The A’s backstop has produced an ISO of .053 (down from last year’s .148) and has seen a huge drop off in the power department. For the offensively challenged Athletics, a powerless Suzuki is a Suzuki worth trading. The A’s have Derek Norris, who figures to help give Suzuki a break behind the plate from time to time, as a potential successor to Suzuki.

In 55 games with Triple-A Sacramento this year, Norris hit .273/.331/.474 with 8 HR and 36 RBI. He was regarded as a top-catching prospect in the Washington Nationals’ farm-system and has shown some promise since coming over to Oakland in the Gio Gonzalez trade. He’ll get plenty of opportunities, especially if Suzuki continues to struggle, to prove himself to Oakland’s top brass.

Suzuki, meanwhile, could be a potential trade chip for Billy Beane and Co. According to several rumors, including this one, the A’s could explore the possibility of trading Suzuki. According to Peter Gammons of MLB Network, Suzuki could make sense for a team like the Marlins or even the Rays.

While the possibility of a Suzuki trade seems ever more likely, it is sad to see how far Suzuki has fallen off the rails. His defense behind the plate goes unquestioned and his handling of the pitching staff is excellent, but his contributions on offense have become increasingly frustrating. That’s why it’s time to say goodbye.

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April 9, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki (8) at bat against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning at O.co Coliseum. Oakland defeated Kansas City 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

This season, no one is safe. Well, almost no one. The Athletics are a team not expected to compete in the American League West, so their general manager, Billy Beane, could pull off a number of trades during the season. Among the obvious trade candidates are Grant Balfour, Bartolo Colon, Coco Crisp, and pretty much everyone else not named Jemile Weeks or Yoenis Cespedes.

The one guy I think the A’s might trade this season is their catcher, Kurt Suzuki. The former product of Cal State Fullerton, Suzuki is currently signed through the 2013 season with a team option available for 2014. The A’s could, if Beane gets a good offer, decide to trade Suzuki at some point during the season.

Oakland has definitely gotten a lot of help from Suzuki over the years, but the team has younger talent in the minors waiting for their shot at stardom. Suzuki, 28, has been terrific in his handling of the young pitching staff Oakland has put together over the last few years, but his offense has been a bit of an eyesore.

The A’s have had some success in recent years with their pitching staff and while Suzuki doesn’t deserve all the credit for that success, I’d like to think he’s partially responsible for it. Guys like Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, and a few other current and past players have praised Suzuki’s presence behind the plate.

Oakland ranked 10th in baseball last year in ERA (3.71), and 7th in Quality Starts (94). Whether or not Suzuki receives some credit for those numbers is up to you. But it is difficult, at least to me, to disregard what Suzuki has meant for the A’s behind the plate. Essentially, he has proven himself as one of the few leaders in Oakland’s young clubhouse.

Suzuki has, however, had a few problem areas. Throwing runners out at second is definitely one of them. The A’s have also seen a drop-off in most of Suzuki’s offensive numbers. Since breaking out in 2009, when he hit 15 HR and led the team in RBIs with 88, he hasn’t experienced much success offensively.

Last year, Suzuki hit a paltry .237/.301/.385 with 14 HR and 44 RBIs. He remained one of Oakland’s top power sources last year, but the drop-off in batting average and on-base percentage were not encouraging sights. This year, Suzuki is batting just .229/.236/.314 with 8 RBIs in 19 games.

Should he continue to struggle offensively, the A’s could explore the idea of trading him to another team. The team does, after all, have a talented prospect in Derek Norris who could help fill in for Suzuki. Norris was acquired in the deal that sent Gio Gonzalez to the Nationals and has had success in his short time in Oakland’s minor system.

What do you think? Could the A’s (or should the A’s, rather) trade catcher Kurt Suzuki at some point this year? Sound off below in the comments after answering the poll question! 

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Follow me on twitter @oaklandace75 and for more A’s related analysis, stories, and opinions, follow us on twitter @FS_SwinginAs or like us on Facebook.

Out of Oakland? Would the A's Trade Kurt Suzuki? (Photo Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

After trading his three All-Star pitchers Trevor Cahill, Andrew Bailey, and Gio Gonzalez, A’s general manager Billy Beane could also end up trading the guy who helped in the development of those pitchers. Kurt Suzuki, the A’s solid backstop for the past five seasons, could find himself playing for another team at some point next season.

According to a recent rumor from Buster Olney, the A’s catcher could be dealt before next season’s trade deadline. Olney might not be in the wrong when saying that Oakland could move on from Suzuki sometime next season.

Trading Suzuki, 28, makes sense since the A’s are trying to go younger by the minute. Suzuki took over in 2007 after the team parted ways with Jason Kendall, but given the team’s recent push towards another rebuild, Suzuki could find himself in the same situation Kendall was in four years ago.

Oakland isn’t actively shopping Suzuki, but as we get further into the season, I’m sure they’ll listen in to any offers regarding Suzuki’s services. The team recently scored catching prospect Derek Norris in the Gio Gonzalez trade and have Max Stassi getting himself ready in the minors as potential successors to Suzuki. (more…)