By raiderjohn (65.168.177.49) on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 - 01:31 pm:

http://www.rototimes.com/mlb/player.php?tqid=3992

towards bottom of page in the notes area. Lists Dodgers and Mets as well as A's. With news Goleski had a wrist operation on November 9 and Jay Pay off the market, A's in need of a good OF.

By oaktownfan (71.146.81.83) on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 - 01:36 pm:

I posted this in the Milledge thread.

I'll post what I typed there.


The Jays would probably be more interested in swapping Rios for a starting pitcher for less service time -- someone like Oakland's 26-year-old Joe Blanton, who racked up 395.2 innings and 28 victories in his first two seasons as a big-league starter. But Oakland needs Blanton, and conversations between the Athletics and Jays over a Rios-Blanton trade match ended quickly.

^according to Olney on ESPN.com


I wouldn't mind trading Blanton straight up for Rios. Don't know why the A's cut the meetings off when I guess TOR was asking for Blanton.

Rios has been a very high thought of prospect for years now with TOR, being their 1st round pick in 1999, and he finally showed that potential last season, well at least for the 1st half before he suffered that illness and when he came back he was never the same.

From APR-June or before all star break when he was healthy, he was lighting the league on fire hitting .330/15/53/.968 in 270 ABs,

He got the illness and finished up .261/2/29/.709 in 170 ABs. The power never returned by in SEPT and 1 game in OCT, he hit .357/16 RBIs/.980 in 70 ABs.


How was he a fluke...a lot have been waiting for Rios to make the jump into the all star player he could be, talent wise, he's a stud.

Rios was well on his way in having a .300+/30+/100/.900+ sesaon last year.

It wasn't his fault he got the illness and then was never the same again although I put up the #s he had in SEPT/OCT where he hit .357 with a .980 OPS. The power didn't come back but the guy showed the hitter he was earlier in the season.

Isn't Rios like 3 or 4 years away from ARB too? A good thing if your the A's and traded for him giving up only Blanton who is a good pitcher but I'd trade a a #3 which is Blanton's max IMO for a guy of Rios capability who could be a 25-30 HR and 90-100 RBI kind of RH bat, something we don't have currently or in the minors..does Herrera have that potential? I just don't know. The A's best hitting prospects are LHs in Barton and Buck...been a "stigma" they've had for years now dating back to Giambi, Grieve, Chavez and just recently in Swisher, DJ and Ethier. Now they've had Tejada and Hernandez thrown in but are Herrera or Suzuki that young RH bat we need to balance this lineup.

Beane said he wants to add a young RH bat, Rios fits that description and I think is as good potentially as Baldelli is, who he himself has huge issues with durability. I'd rather take Rios than I would Milledge.


I'd make the move straight Blanton-Rios but it sounds as if the A's declined the offer, though I don't know why. Rios will be 26 when next season arrives and I think will have a breakout season, the monster season he should've had last year before he went down with an injury.

By raiderjohn (65.168.177.49) on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 - 01:46 pm:

Geez, we declined it, oh man, what are we thinking, we can probably then trade DJ out for a #5 starter. Loaiza becomes #3, 4 and 5 would be Kennedy, Saarloos, Windsor, Halsey. Unless we feel shaky about Harden's healthy I don't see why we didn't make this deal or continue talking about it.

Fantasy wise age 27 is the key year. So he's on the left side of his bell curve still......man....I hope Billy knows what he's doing.

By oaktownfan (71.146.113.104) on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 - 08:22 pm:

Who knows if this was a done deal Blanton for Rios or if this was just a rumor. I mean the Milledge to the A's rumors were all over the place during the winter meetings and that probably isn't gonna happen and Beane has been wanting to land Milledge for maybe a year now.

Rios is gonna be a good one for a long time. Yes he is 26 next season and still hasn't had a "big year" though he was on pace last season before the illness...hate to see be another instance where the A's missed out on a young OF that could've been had from TOR, wasn't there a strong rumor a few years ago that the A's could've landed Wells for Harden?

By washfan38 (69.111.164.20) on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 - 11:42 pm:

What is the "illness"?

By oaktownfan (71.146.85.186) on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 08:28 am:

He had a staph infection.

I doubt he'll get traded, at least not to the A's.

By oaktownfan (71.146.85.186) on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 09:50 am:

NYM now a possible suitor for Rios?

They'd get Milledge and Heilman in the rumored deal. Hey maybe Beane trades Blanton for Milledge, since Milledge has been the young bat he's tried to land since the trade deadline last season.

Though would Beane trade Blanton for Milledge after I guess he declined trading him for Rios? I'd rather have Rios.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=MLB&id=3793

By oaktownfan (71.146.85.186) on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 09:50 am:

NYM now a possible suitor for Rios?

They'd get Milledge and Heilman in the rumored deal. Hey maybe Beane trades Blanton for Milledge, since Milledge has been the young bat he's tried to land since the trade deadline last season.

Though would Beane trade Blanton for Milledge after I guess he declined trading him for Rios? I'd rather have Rios.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=MLB&id=3793

By finleyunplugged (205.225.207.97) on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 10:43 am:

Beane won't trade Blanton. Cheap young starters are hard to come by. He's not very good, but he is cheap.

By jesse (38.99.6.214) on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 11:05 am:

I'd rather trade Blanton, get Rios then place Gaudin in the rotation. I like Gaudin's stuff better than Blantons

By raiderjohn (65.168.177.49) on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 12:04 pm:

Would Gaudin be a candidate for the rotation? For the 5th spot, thought it would come down to Kennedy, Saarloos, Halsey and Windsor.

By washfan38 (69.233.38.185) on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 01:10 pm:

Does Pitt need pitching? Maybe send Blanton & Barton for Jason Bay...I'm sure Pitt would want more though.

By oaktownfan (71.146.105.93) on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - 01:47 pm:

I'd love to land Bay, he's the type of RH bat this lineup needs with his .300/30/100/.900+ especially with Thomas gone.

He's turn 29 next SEPT so he's still in his prime and have 4-5 good years left at least..though I doubt PIT would trade their only position player of worth.

How SD ever traded this guy, who knows. Giles turned out to be a good player but Bay is an all star.


As for Gaudin moving back to the rotation? Why? This guy could be one of the better RPs in MLB...he's still young himself as he'll turn 24 next March so it's not like he's Duke at 29 when there was talk about him going back as a SP, but Gaudin wasn't that much of a SP but he was in his early 20s with TB/TOR when he was in the rotation as his hits per 9 innings were really bad.


I know many don't wanna trade Blanton, just stinks that the plan Beane most likely had isn't coming around.

-Harden is a question mark health wise, if healthy, the guy is elite #1 caliber SP. If Harden goes down, could get very ugly with Harden and then Loaiza moving up in the rotation and seeing 3 really unknowns manning 3/5 of the rotation.

-D.Meyer who was the centerpiece to the Hudson deal and at least could've been a decent #4, his career is up in the air. He could challenge for the 5th spot in ST next season, but who knows.


If the A's did trade Blanton...then you gotta hope Kennedy if he does win the 4th or 5th job reverts back to the Kennedy of 2004 when he went 9-7 with a 3.66 ERA in 27 starts...and that was when he was with COL, very impressive #s.

Windsor or J.Williams, two youngsters can actually do a decent job at the #5 spot. Or maybe Saarloos wins the job and does what he's done the past two seasons as the #5 in 2005 and a spot starter last season which is go 17-16 with just over a mid 4.00 ERA.

By oaktownfan (71.146.109.224) on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 10:25 am:

http://boards.espn.go.com/boards/mb/mb?sport=mlb&id=general&tid=331988


Rumor now is it's Harden for Rios/D.McGowen.

By jesse (38.99.6.162) on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 12:12 am:

That board says Rios and Chacin, however I can't that rumor anywhere else, including in any of Ken Rosenthal's articles.

By oaktownfan (71.146.101.255) on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 11:06 pm:

I read that it was a false rumor but at least there is still "rumors" that Beane is looking for that young OF bat, hopefully RH bat.

Kendall, Piazza, Crosby, Ellis are the only RHs in the lineup and really does anybody really scare you?

Kendall-love to see if he could duplicate his .323 BA post all star break but he gives you little power production.

Piazza-coming from the NL playing your entire 17 career seasons in the big leagues there will have you struggling early in your first AL season. Still think 20-25 HRs is him max.

Crosby-his max is also around 20-25 HRs along with maybe .260-.270 BA with 70+ RBIs but health is a HUGE concern and always will be.

Ellis-2nd half #s were good at .273/8/39/.787 but like with a lot of our players next season, health will be a huge concern.


Really want a RH bat still. Rios I'd love to land, don't know why Beane/A's rejected the Blanton deal for him when I think Rios has more star potential than Blanton will ever have.