29-year old lefty starting pitcher Dallas Braden has elected to leave the A’s as a free agent. Braden started 3 games for the A’s last year and he was 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Braden pitched in 94 games (79 starts) in his five years with the A’s and he was 26-36 with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Younger starting pitchers have passed Braden up in the pecking order and he was smart enough to see that.

The Oakland A’s have lost 29-year old righty reliever Joey Devine, as he has elected to become a free agent. Devine didn’t pitch in the majors last year due to injury. He pitched in 68 games (0 starts) in two years with the A’s and he was 7-2 with a 1.57 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He has now pitched in 93 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 8-3 with 1 save, a 2.75 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Devine just can’t seem to stay healthy, so the A’s won’t miss him going forward.

The A’s have signed 29-year old righty reliever Mike Ekstrom to a minor league deal. He pitched in 15 games (0 starts) for the Rockies last year and he was 0-0 with a 6.32 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Ekstrom has now pitched in 51 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 0-3 with a 5.61 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. I don’t see Ekstrom helping the A’s much in 2013.

The A’s have picked up 34-year old righty closer Grant Balfour’s option for 2013, valued at $4.5 million bucks. Balfour pitched in 75 games (0 starts) for the A’s last year and he was 3-2 with 24 saves, a 2.53 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. He has now pitched in 137 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the A’s and he is 8-4 with 26 saves, a 2.50 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. This was a smart move for the A’s as good closer’s usually cost a lot more than $4.5 bucks a season.

The Oakland A’s have declined their $10 million dollar option on 29-year old lefty swinging SS Stephen Drew. They have instead bought him out for $1.35 million bucks. Drew played in 79 games for the A’s and D-Backs last year and he was 64 of 287 (.223 avg, .657 OPS) with 38 runs scored, 7 homers, 28 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 812 games in his first seven years in the majors and he is 814 of 3,069 (.265 avg, .762 OPS) with 414 runs scored, 77 homers, 349 RBIs and 34 stolen bases. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the A’s maybe bring back Drew for a lot less than his option would have been for.

The A’s have six pending free agents heading into this winter. Here is a look at who I see staying and leaving:

Stephen Drew: The A’s have a $10 million dollar mutual option on 29-year old lefty swinging SS Stephen Drew for the 2013 season, or they can buy him out for $1.35 million bucks. Drew played in 39 games for the A’s last year and he was 38 of 152 (.250 avg, .707 OPS) with 21 runs scored, 5 homers, 16 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He played in 79 games overall last year for the A’s and D-Backs in which he was 64 of 287 (.223 avg, .657 OPS) with 38 runs scored, 7 homers, 28 RBIs and 1 stolen base. VERDICT: THE A’S DECLINE DREW’S OPTION AND RE-SIGN HIM FOR LESS.

Brandon Inge: 35-year old righty swinging 3B Brandon Inge gave the A’s a lot of pop before his season ended due to shoulder surgery. Inge played in 74 games for the A’s last year and he was 64 of 283 (.226 avg, .675 OPS) with 31 runs scored, 11 homers and 52 RBIs. Inge played in 83 games overall last year for the A’s and Tigers in which he was 66 of 303 (.218 avg, .658 OPS) with 33 runs scored, 12 homers and 54 RBIs. VERDICT: LEAVING

Jonny Gomes: 31-year old righty swinging OF/DH Jonny Gomes ripped the ball last year for the A’s. He played in 99 games for the A’s last year and he was 73 of 279 (.262 avg, .868 OPS) with 46 runs scored, 18 homers, 47 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. VERDICT: LEAVING

Bartolo Colon: 39-year old righty starting pitcher Bartolo Colon was rolling for the A’s, when he was suspended for 50 games due to testing positive for testosterone. Colon pitched in 24 games (all starts) for the A’s last year and he was 10-9 with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. VERDICT: LEAVING

Brandon McCarthy: 29-year old righty starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy’s season ended early when he was hit in the head with a line drive that fractured his skull. He had brain surgery due to the damage done by the ball. McCarthy pitched in 18 games (all starts) for the A’s last year and he was 8-6 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. VERDICT: STAYING ON AN INCENTIVE LADEN DEAL

Grant Balfour: 34-year old righty reliever Grant Balfour pitched in 75 games (0 starts) for the A’s last year and he was 3-2 with 24 saves, a 2.53 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. The A’s have a $4.5 million dollar club option on Balfour or they can buy him out for $750,000 bucks. VERDICT: STAYING

The Oakland A’s have acquired 29-year old righty swinging outfielder Chris Young and cash from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The A’s have sent 28-year old switch-hitting SS Cliff Pennington to the D-Backs and 22-year old righty swinging shortstop Yordy Cabrera as part of this deal. The Marlins have sent 35-year old righty reliever Heath Bell and cash to the D-Backs to complete this deal.

Chris Young has a good combination of speed and power, but he’s a hacker at the plate. Young played in 101 games for the D-Backs last year and he was 75 of 325 (.231 avg, .745 OPS) with 36 runs scored, 14 homers, 41 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. He has now played in 885 games in his first seven years in the majors and he is 758 of 3,173 (.239 avg, .755 OPS) with 453 runs scored, 132 homers, 408 RBIs and 112 stolen bases. Young is a lock to be a 20/20 man if he can stay healthy in 2012. He could even be a 30/30 man if he adjusts well to American League pitching and a change of scenery.

Cliff Pennington played in 125 games for the A’s last year and he was 90 of 418 (.215 avg, .589 OPS) with 50 runs scored, 6 homers, 28 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He played in 525 games in his five years with the A’s and he was 435 of 1,738 (249 avg, .669 OPS) with 212 runs scored, 24 homers, 162 RBIs and 69 stolen bases. Pennington pretty much got forced out of the lineup last season due to a yearlong slump. I don’t think the A’s are going to miss him much, if at all, in 2013 and beyond. Yordy Cabrera came into the 2012 season as the A’s #15 prospect, but he took a big step backwards. He played in 60 games in A-ball last year and he was 51 of 220 (.232 avg, .625 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 3 homers, 21 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Cabrera played in 166 games in three years in the minors for the A’s and he was 137 of 595 (.230 avg, .648 OPS) with 88 runs scored, 9 homers, 68 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. A’s GM Billy Beane has struck again as Chris Young has a nice upside and he didn’t give up much to get him.

The Oakland A’s will lose 30-year old righty reliever Jeremy Accardo to free agency as he has elected to leave. Accardo pitched in 27 games (0 starts) for the Indians and A’s last year and he was 0-0 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. He has now pitched in 262 games (0 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 10-20 with 38 saves, a 4.30 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Accardo shouldn’t have much of a problem finding a new gig for 2013, but the A’s won’t miss him too much moving forward.

The Oakland A’s surged late in the year to overtake the Texas Rangers and win the A.L. West in 2012. They were 94-68 (58%) during the regular season, winning the division by 1 game. They then lost in five games to the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the playoffs. Here are the players that made the biggest impacts for the A’s in 2012, in my opinion:

Team MVP: Yoenis Cespedes - 26-year old righty swinging LF Yoenis Cespedes had little trouble with major league pitching as a rookie in 2012 for the A’s. He played in 129 games for the A’s last year and he was 142 of 487 (.292 avg, .861 OPS) with 70 runs scored, 23 homers, 82 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.

Best Pitcher: Grant Balfour - 34-year old righty reliever Grant Balfour lost his closer’s job really early in the season, but he got it back when rookie Ryan Cook started to falter, and he never looked back. Balfour pitched in 75 games (0 starts) for the A’s last year and he was 3-2 with 24 saves, a 2.53 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. He gave up only 41 hits and 28 walks while whiffing 72 batters in 74 2/3 innings for the A’s in 2012.

Biggest Surprise: Josh Reddick - The A’s thought they were getting a decent player in Josh Reddick when they got him as part of the return in the Andrew Bailey deal with the Red Sox. But, they didn’t expect him to become a big time power hitter. Reddick played in 156 games for the A’s last year and he was 148 of 611 (.242 avg, .768 OPS) with 85 runs scored, 32 homers, 85 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.

Biggest Disappointment: Bartolo Colon - 39-year old righty starting pitcher Bartolo Colon was rolling along for the A’s, looking like he found the fountain of youth. That was until he got suspended for 50 games due to a positive test for Testosterone. Colon started 24 games for the A’s in 2012 and he was 10-9 with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.

The A’s never had much of a chance in this game as Justin Verlander shut them down in a vice. Yoenis Cespedes (1 for 4), Josh Donaldson (1 for 3), Brandon Moss (1 for 2 with a walk) and Cliff Pennington (1 for 3) led the way with the bats for the A’s in this game. The A’s were 4 for 30 (.133 avg) with 1 walk and 11 whiffs in this game. Jarrod Parker got the start and he had a rough time. He pitched 6 1/3 innings in which he allowed 7 hits, 4 runs (all earned), walked 1 batter and he whiffed 6 of them. He was the losing pitcher. Ryan Cook also had a rough time as he gave up 1 hit, 1 walk and 2 runs (both earned) without getting anyone out. Jeremy Blevins worked 2/3 of an inning allowing 1 hit and 0 runs. Evan Scribner finished up this game by working two scoreless innings in which he gave up no baserunners while whiffing 3 batters. The A’s lost this series 3-2 to the Tigers, but they went further than anyone expected them to go.