Stacey King
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Oakland’s midseason sell-off continued Monday with the departure of closer Tyler Clippard, a move that was all but guaranteed once Scott Kazmir was dealt last week.
Less easily anticipated is the shift in the A’s thinking. General manager Billy Beane said on a conference call, after trading Clippard to the Mets for 20-year-old Class A pitcher Casey Meisner, that the team is obtaining younger, lower-level prospects with an eye toward longer-lasting rewards — potentially to play in a new stadium in Oakland.
“If we’re going to have hopefully some sustained success, it’s going to have to be done organically, with a large group of players coming through,” Beane said, citing the Astros as a model. “It may take a little bit longer, but hopefully we’ll be able to hold on to them longer. Understand, too, I think we're all hopeful and optimistic about the venue situation here changing sometime in the near future, and if it does, this is probably the best approach, anyway.”
The nine trades in the past offseason were made for this season and next, with the A’s receiving nine members of this year’s club, including Clippard.
Though it’s unlikely the highly competitive Oakland front office would put any less emphasis on next year, Beane said that questions about 2016 are best answered after this year, but he also said that there aren’t plans to move players under club control beyond this season. That means not outfielder Josh Reddick or catcher Stephen Vogt, and certainly not starting pitcher Sonny Gray.
“Trade talk is focusing on guys we didn’t anticipate being here next year,” Beane said. “Whatever guys those may be, we’re not discussing guys we count on for next year.”
As for his discussion of a new venue, Beane said perhaps he is being “Pollyannaish,” but he has a gut feeling about getting something done.
Utitlityman Ben Zobrist will be the next man to go, with numerous teams — almost every contender — showing interest. Kansas City and Washington could be front-runners, with the Cubs also in the mix, but the Yankees and Pirates have scouted Zobrist extensively, and the Giants could be a good fit.
The fact is that the A’s and Giants haven’t made a trade in 25 years, but Beane said there is no specific reason for that; the teams do have discussions. “It’s more matching up than anything else,” he said.
Two other Oakland relievers, Eric O’Flaherty and Edward Mujica, are free agents after this season, which makes the bullpen picture murky beyond this week. Either man could serve as closer, but if both are traded, the A’s could put left-hander Drew Pomeranz in the closer role should they decide to keep him working in relief. Right-hander Fernando Rodriguez has been solid in a number of roles, and because he can work more than one inning, he might stay in a more flexible role.
Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte (right shoulder) and closer Sean Doolittle (left shoulder) are likely to come off the disabled list in the next few weeks.
Beane said that the reports on Doolittle’s rehab have been good. “It would be great to get him out there and see what level he’s pitching at, but until he does that, none of us will really know,” Beane said.
Meisner is a 6-foot-7 right-hander who will be assigned to Class A Stockton, along with pitcher Daniel Mengden, 22, and catcher Jacob Nottingham, 20, who were acquired from Houston for Kazmir. At two Class A stops this year, Meisner was 10-4 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 starts. The A’s also sent $1 million to the Mets to help pay the remaining $3 million of Clippard’s salary.
Beane said that Monday’s deal was the first he’d negotiated with Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, Beane’s former boss with the A’s, since he signed his first GM contract with Alderson.
“There’s a lot of directness and trust that made it easier,” Beane said. “Sandy is someone I respect and grew up with. ... It was quite pleasant.”
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