The Oakland A’s have acquired 24-year old lefty swinging outfielder Josh Reddick, 20-year old righty swinging 3B Miles Head and 19-year old righty starting pitcher Raul Alcantara from the Boston Red Sox for 27-year old righty closer Andrew Bailey and 26-year old lefty swinging outfielder Ryan Sweeney. Josh Reddick will likely take over as the A’s new starting RF in 2012. He played in 87 games for the Red Sox last year and he was 71 for 254 (.280 avg, .784 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 7 homers, 28 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Reddick has now played in 143 games in his first three years in the majors and he is 93 for 375 (.248 avg, .706 OPS) with 51 runs scored, 10 homers, 37 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Miles Head played in 129 games in A-ball for the Red Sox last year and he was 148 of 495 (.299 avg, .887 OPS) with 88 runs scored, 22 homers, 82 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Head has now played in 204 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 206 of 753 (.274 avg, .797 OPS) with 110 runs scored, 23 homers, 117 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. The A’s could put him on a fast track to Oakland. Raul Alcantara pitched in 13 games (all starts) in A-ball for the Red Sox last year and he was 1-4 with a 2.20 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. He has now pitched in 26 games (26 starts) in his first two years in the minors and he is 6-7 with a 2.72 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.

27-year old righty reliever Andrew Bailey is going to be missed. Bailey pitched in 42 games (0 starts) for the A’s last year and he was 0-4 with 24 saves, a 3.24 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He pitched in 157 games (0 starts) in his three years with the A’s and he was 7-10 with 75 saves, a 2.07 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Bailey is tied for 5th in A’s history with Jason Isringhausen with 75 saves. Ryan Sweeney played in 108 games for the A’s last year and he was 70 for 264 (.283 avg, .720 OPS) with 34 runs scored, 1 homer, 25 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Sweeney played in 439 games in his four years with the A’s and he was 411 of 1,435 (.286 avg, .730 OPS) with 196 runs scored, 13 homers, 159 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. This is just another salary dump move in a new epic Billy Beane firesale.

The Oakland A’s have designated 26-year old righty swinging outfielder Jai Miller for assignment. Miller played in 7 games for the A’s last year and he was 3 for 12 (.250 avg, .750 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 homer and 2 RBIs. He also played in 110 games in AAA-ball for the A’s and he was 113 of 410 (.276 avg, .956 OPS) with 81 runs scored, 32 homers, 88 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. I fully expect Miller to reject an outright assignment to the minors from the A’s if he clears waivers, which would make him a free agent.

UPDATE: (1/4/2011) - The A’s have dealt Jai Miller to the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations.

The A’s have designated 29-year old switch-hitting catcher Landon Powell for assignment. Powell played in 36 games for the A’s last year and he was 19 of 111 (.171 avg, .471 OPS) with 10 runs scored, 1 homer and 4 RBIs. He played in 123 games in his three years with the A’s and he is 75 for 363 (.207 avg, .612 OPS) with 42 runs scored, 10 homers, 45 RBIs and 1 stolen base. The A’s needed Powell’s roster spot for one of the pitchers acquired in the big Gio Gonzalez deal.

UPDATE: (3/9/2012) - The A’s have released Landon Powell.

The Oakland Athletics have dealt 26-year old lefty starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez to the Washington Nationals for 22-year old righty swinging catcher Derek Norris, 19-year old righty starting pitcher A.J. Cole, 23-year old righty starting pitcher Brad Peacock and 24-year old lefty starting pitcher Tom Milone. Norris came into last season as the Nationals’ #2 prospect according to Baseball America. Norris played in 104 games in AA-ball last year and he was 70 for 334 (.210 avg, .813 OPS) with 75 runs scored, 20 homers, 46 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. He has now played in 431 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 353 of 1,419 (.249 avg, .861 OPS) with 278 runs scored, 69 homers, 232 RBIs, 38 stolen bases and 344 walks. Norris will likely be the A’s starting catcher in the near future. A.J. Cole came into last year as the Nationals’ #4 prospect according to Baseball America. Cole pitched in 20 games (18 starts) in A-ball last year and he was 4-7 with a 4.04 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Cole whiffed 108 batters in 90 innings last year, while only walking 24 batters…as he showed poise beyond his years. He has now pitched in 21 games (18 starts) in his first two years in the minors and he is 4-7 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Brad Peacock came into last season as the Nationals’ #10 prospect according to Baseball America. He pitched in 25 games (23 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 15-3 with a 2.39 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. Peacock only gave up 98 hits in 146 2/3 innings while whiffing 177 batters and walking 47…..those are some impressive numbers. He also got his first taste of the majors last year, working in 3 games (2 starts) for the Nationals in which he was 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. Tom Milone came into last year as the Nationals’ #16 prospect according to Baseball America. Milone pitched in 24 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 12-6 with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Milone only gave up 137 hits and 16 walks in 148 1/3 innings in AAA last year while also whiffing 155 batters. He also made his major league debut last season, working in 5 games (all starts) for the Nationals in which he was 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.

Gio Gonzalez was hard to give up in this deal. He pitched in 32 games (all starts) for the A’s last year and he was 16-12 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. He pitched in 95 games (89 starts) in his four years with the A’s and he was 38-32 with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.

The A’s got a solid return for Gonzalez as Peacock and Milone could both be in the A’s starting rotation in 2012. A.J. Cole and Derek Norris will also likely be getting to Oakland soon.

UPDATE: (12/23/2011) - The A’s have also sent 24-year old righty starter/reliever Rob Gilliam to the Nationals as part of this deal. Gilliam pitched in 28 games (all starts) in A-ball for the A’s last year and he was 12-7 with a 5.04 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He pitched in 60 games (46 starts) in his three years in the minors for the A’s and he was 21-14 with a 4.55 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP.

The A’s have acquired 23-year old righty starting pitcher Jarrod Parker, 25-year old righty swinging outfielder Collin Cowgill and 24-year old righty reliever Ryan Cook from the Diamondbacks for 24-year old starting pitcher Trevor Cahill and 31-year old lefty reliever Craig Breslow. Jarrod Parker came into last year as the Diamondbacks’ #1 overall prospect according to Baseball America. He made his major league debut for the D-Backs last year. He pitched in 1 game (1 start) for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. He also pitched in 26 games (all starts) in AA-ball last year and he was 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Parker has pitched in 70 games (all starts) in his first three years in the minors and he was 28-19 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The A’s hope that Parker will be able to replace Trevor Cahill in the A’s rotation starting in 2012. Collin Cowgill came into last year as the Diamondbacks’ #18 prospect according to Baseball America. Cowgill got his first major league action last year, playing in 36 games for the Diamondbacks in which he was 22 for 92 (.239 avg, .604 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer, 9 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. He also played in 98 games in AAA-ball for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 140 for 395 (.354 avg, .984 OPS) with 95 runs scored, 13 homers, 70 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. Cowgill has now played in 360 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 418 for 1,397 (.299 avg, .873 OPS) with 275 runs scored, 47 homers, 234 RBIs and 72 stolen bases. Cowgill will have an excellent shot of winning a starting job in the A’s outfield this spring. Ryan Cook got into his first big league action last year for the D-Backs, and it didn’t go too well. Cook pitched in 12 games (0 starts) for the D-Backs last year and he was 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA and a 2.48 WHIP. He also pitched in 48 games in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 1-5 with 19 saves, a 2.21 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. He has now pitched in 104 games (56 starts) in his first four years in the minors and he is 19-26 with 19 saves, a 3.74 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Cook will have a shot to win a job in the bullpen for the A’s next spring.

Trevor Cahill has been a solid pitcher in his time with the A’s, and I’m pretty certain he will be even better moving to the N.L. He pitched in 34 games (all starts) for the A’s last year and he was 12-14 with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Cahill pitched in 96 games (all starts) in his three years with the A’s and he was 40-35 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Craig Breslow pitched in 67 games (0 starts) for the A’s last year and he was 0-2 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. He has now pitched in 295 games (0 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 12-17 with 6 saves, a 3.06 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.

This trade saves the A’s money and that’s the bottom line as sad as that is. Hopefully Parker, Cook and Cowgill all step up and help the A’s starting in 2012.

The A’s have signed 30-year old lefty reliever Erick Threets to a minor league deal. He missed all of last season due to Tommy John Surgery, but he will be ready for spring training. Threets last pitched in the majors back in 2010 with the White Sox. He has pitched in 21 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 0-1 with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. This is a good buy low move for the A’s.

The A’s have signed 28-year old lefty swinging outfielder Brandon Moss to a minor league deal. Moss played in 5 games for the Phillies last year and he was 0 for 6 (.000 avg, .000 OPS). He also played in 124 games in AAA-ball for the Phillies last year and he was 120 of 436 (.275 avg, .877 OPS) with 66 runs scored, 23 homers, 80 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Moss has played in 249 games in his first five years in the majors and he is 160 of 678 (.236 avg, .682 OPS) with 74 runs scored, 15 homers, 78 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Moss has been added to a vast collection of players on minor league deals, building up the competition for spring training.