The A’s have designated 27-year old lefty swinging 1B Daric Barton for assignment to make room on the roster for outfielder Chris Young, who has been activated off the D.L.  Barton played in 8 games for the A’s this year and he was 3 for 21 (.143 avg, .503 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 1 homer and 3 RBIs.  Barton played in 492 games in his seven years with the A’s and he is 397 of 1,604 (.248 avg, .729 OPS) with 223 runs scored, 28 homers, 166 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.  The A’s should try to deal Barton so they don’t lose him on waivers for nothing.

The A’s have called up 37-year old lefty reliever Hideki Okajima.  Okajima pitched in 14 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball for the A’s this year and he was 0-1 with 1 save, a 2.16 ERA and a 0.78 WHIP.  Okajima last pitched in the majors for the Red Sox back in 2011.  He has pitched in 261 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 17-8 with 6 saves, a 3.11 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.

The A’s have designated 30-year old righty reliever Chris Resop for assignment.  Resop pitched in 18 games (0 starts) for the A’s this year and he was 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP.  Resop has pitched in 235 games (0 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 10-12 with 2 saves, a 4.62 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP.  The A’s should try to deal Resop, as he might not make it through waivers.

The A’s have released 26-year old lefty reliever Jordan Norberto.  He pitched in 3 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball this year and he was 0-1 with a 40.50 ERA and a 9.00 WHIP.  He is currently dealing with a strained left elbow.  Norberto pitched in 39 games (0 starts) for the A’s last year and he was 4-1 with 1 save, a 2.77 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.  Norberto pitched in 45 games (0 starts) in his two years with the A’s and he was 4-1 with 1 save, a 3.38 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.  Norberto won’t be out of work long as some team will snap him up when his left elbow is ready to go.  Norberto lost his roster spot to 1B Daric Barton, who was called up by the A’s today.

The A’s have acquired 28-year old righty swinging outfielder Casper Wells from the Blue Jays for cash considerations.  Wells played in 93 games for the Mariners last year and he was 65 for 285 (.228 avg, .698 OPS) with 42 runs scored, 10 homers, 36 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.  He has now played in 224 games in his first three years in the majors and he is 146 of 593 (.246 avg, .752 OPS) with 86 runs scored, 25 homers, 80 RBIs and 6 stolen bases.  This was a good pickup for the A’s as Wells should be able to help them at some point off the bench in 2013.

UPDATE:  (4/28/2013) - The A’s have designated Casper Wells for assignment.  Wells played in 3 games for the A’s this year and he was 0 for 5 (.000 avg, .000 OPS).

UPDATE II:  (4/30/2013) - The A’s have dealt Casper Wells to the Chicago White Sox for cash considerations.

The A’s have re-instated 39-year old righty starting pitcher Bartolo Colon from the suspended list and he will start today against the Astros in Houston.  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.  The A’s have sent 24-year old righty starting pitcher Dan Straily to AAA-ball to make room on the roster for Colon.  Straily looked good last night against the Astros.  He goes to the minors with a 1-0 record, a 2.70 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP.  Straily has now pitched in 8 games (all starts) in his first two years with the A’s and he is 3-1 with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.  Straily will be back with the A’s at some point in 2013.

The Oakland A’s have acquired 28-year old lefty swinging C/OF Stephen Vogt from the Tampa Bay Rays for either a player to be named later or cash considerations.  Vogt played in 94 games in AAA-ball for the Rays last year and he was 95 for 349 (.272 avg, .774 OPS) with 48 runs scored, 9 homers, 43 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  He also got his first taste of the majors for the Rays last year and it didn’t go too well.  Vogt played in 18 games for the Rays last year and he was 0 for 25 (.000 avg, .074 OPS) with 2 walks and 2 whiffs.

UPDATE:  (4/23/2013) - The A’s have sent cash to the Rays to complete this deal.

The A’s have claimed 28-year old righty reliever Will Harris off waivers from the Rockies.  He pitched in 20 games (0 starts) in his first taste of the majors for the Rockies last year and he was 1-1 with a 8.15 ERA and a 1.87 WHIP.  Harris also pitched in 44 games (0 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year in which he was 4-1 with 1 save, a 2.08 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP.  Harris has now pitched in 187 games (0 starts) in his first six years in the minors and he is 13-13 with 11 saves, a 2.66 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP.  Harris will start his career with the A’s in AAA-ball.

UPDATE:  (4/6/2013) - The A’s have lost Will Harris on waivers to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The A’s have designated 30-year old lefty starter/reliever Travis Blackley for assignment.  Blackley pitched in 24 games (15 starts) for the A’s last year and he was 6-4 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.  He has now pitched in 36 games (23 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 7-7 with a 5.37 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.  The A’s should be o.k. in 2013 without Blackley, but he’s not going to be out of work too long!

UPDATE:  (4/4/2013) - The A’s have dealt Travis Blackley to the Houston Astros for 25-year old lefty swinging outfielder Jake Goebbert.  Goebbert played in 130 games in AA+AAA-ball for the Astros last year and he was 116 of 398 (.291 avg, .838 OPS) with 73 runs scored, 9 homers, 54 RBIs and 5 stolen bases.  He has now played in 456 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 452 of 1,588 (.285 avg, .793 OPS) with 247 runs scored, 31 homers, 237 RBIs and 26 stolen bases.

The A’s have designated 27-year old lefty swinging 1B Daric Barton for assignment.  Barton played in 46 games for the A’s last year and he was 23 for 113 (.204 avg, .630 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer, 6 RBIs and 1 stolen base.  Barton played in 484 games in his six years with the A’s and he was 394 of 1,583 (.249 avg, .732 OPS) with 220 runs scored, 27 homers, 163 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.  This is not much of a loss for the A’s as Barton never lived up to the hype in Oakland.

UPDATE:  (4/4/2013) - Daric Barton has cleared waivers and he has been outrighted to AAA-ball by the A’s.