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OAKLAND -- In part by trading a number of established stars for prospects over the past calendar year, the A's entered the offseason with a reported $30 million in freed-up payroll, setting them up for a fairly rare opportunity to be players in free agency.
When the exclusive negotiating window in which clubs were allowed to negotiate with their own free agents closed at 9:01 p.m. PT on Thursday, it became clear that Oakland probably won't be playing the free-agent game with its own players.
Designated hitter Frank Thomas, outfielder Emil Brown, left-handed reliever Alan Embree and righty reliever Keith Foulke all filed for free agency shortly after the World Series ended, and the A's haven't had any substantive talks with their representatives for plans for any of them regarding 2009.
But despite the addition of All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday in a blockbuster trade that was finalized Wednesday, Oakland general manager Billy Beane still has plenty of financial flexibility to look at other free agents who might be able to help Holliday turn the A's into contenders.
"To say you're going to do better than [landing Holliday] the rest of the winter, it'd be tough to do that," Beane said. "To be able to get this done early in the winter, there's a certain comfort in that. ... [But] I wouldn't say this in itself will impact us going forward."
Thomas, 40, was one of the great bargains in baseball while helping lead the A's to the 2006 American League Championship Series, picking up some MVP votes along the way. He was picked up on the cheap for a second tour with Oakland this May after being released by the Blue Jays, but he struggled before ultimately ending the season with a length stay on the disabled list.
"Frank has expressed an interest in coming back," A's assistant GM David Forst said Thursday, but Holliday's presence in the outfield all but cements Jack Cust's status as Oakland's everyday DH next season.
Brown, who turns 34 next month, signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the A's last winter and was among the AL leaders in RBIs through the first two months of the season.
As Oakland faded from early contention, however, Brown's playing time was dramatically reduced as the club committed more deeply to the development of young players. By the end of the season, Brown was openly unhappy with his role and eager to move on.
Embree, 38, was a cornerstone of Oakland's bullpen in 2007, the first year of his two-year, $5.5 million contract, filling in admirably for injured closer Huston Street. But like Brown, Embree, who opened the 2008 season as the team's top setup man, saw his role change significantly in the second half on the way to a 4.96 ERA in 70 games.
Thus, it was no surprise when the A's declined their $3 million option on him for next season. One of the team's most respected voices in the clubhouse, Embree all but bit through his tongue in an effort to hide his displeasure with the way he was used late in the season, but Embree appears to be the one Oakland free agent on whom the door isn't entirely closed on a possible return.
"We've spoken to Alan a couple of times, but obviously he wants to see what's out there," Forst said.
Foulke, 36, ended a one-year retirement to sign with the A's for $700,000 early last spring and was viewed at the time as a right-handed complement to Embree. Foulke failed to recapture the magic that helped him save a career-high 43 games for Oakland in 2003 and spent much of the season on the DL, posting a 4.07 ERA in 31 games.
Cutting ties with their four Major League free agents would bring roughly $9.5 million off the A's books, and that's about what the team laid out in acquiring Holliday from the Rockies in exchange for top outfield prospect Carlos Gonzalez, lefty starter Greg Smith and Street.
Gonzalez and Smith made less than $800,000 combined in 2008. Street made $3.3 million and was in line for a modest raise through arbitration, so Oakland essentially took on about $9.5 million or so in the Holliday deal.
"I don't know if [the trade] has much of an impact how we approach free agents," Beane said. "Ultimately, free agency comes down to economics. There may be some guys we're interested in."
Beane doesn't discuss potential free-agent targets as a matter of policy, and shortstop Bobby Crosby is under contract with the A's for 2009 at $5.25 million, but Oakland is among several teams that have been in contact with the agent for shortstop Rafael Furcal.
If a bidding war for Furcal, 31 -- who made $13 million with the Dodgers last season and is said to be seeking a four-year deal -- prices out the A's, they might set their sights on more affordable, shorter-term options at shortstop. Orlando Cabrera, 34, and Edgar Renteria, 33, each made $9 million in 2008 but likely won't command that much this winter.
Also, the A's haven't ruled out bringing back first baseman Jason Giambi, who will be 38 next season and would have to agree to a massive paycut from the $21 million he made last year with the Yankees, who declined their $22 million option on the former Oakland slugger.
When the exclusive negotiating window in which clubs were allowed to negotiate with their own free agents closed at 9:01 p.m. PT on Thursday, it became clear that Oakland probably won't be playing the free-agent game with its own players.
Designated hitter Frank Thomas, outfielder Emil Brown, left-handed reliever Alan Embree and righty reliever Keith Foulke all filed for free agency shortly after the World Series ended, and the A's haven't had any substantive talks with their representatives for plans for any of them regarding 2009.
But despite the addition of All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday in a blockbuster trade that was finalized Wednesday, Oakland general manager Billy Beane still has plenty of financial flexibility to look at other free agents who might be able to help Holliday turn the A's into contenders.
"To say you're going to do better than [landing Holliday] the rest of the winter, it'd be tough to do that," Beane said. "To be able to get this done early in the winter, there's a certain comfort in that. ... [But] I wouldn't say this in itself will impact us going forward."
Thomas, 40, was one of the great bargains in baseball while helping lead the A's to the 2006 American League Championship Series, picking up some MVP votes along the way. He was picked up on the cheap for a second tour with Oakland this May after being released by the Blue Jays, but he struggled before ultimately ending the season with a length stay on the disabled list.
"Frank has expressed an interest in coming back," A's assistant GM David Forst said Thursday, but Holliday's presence in the outfield all but cements Jack Cust's status as Oakland's everyday DH next season.
Brown, who turns 34 next month, signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the A's last winter and was among the AL leaders in RBIs through the first two months of the season.
As Oakland faded from early contention, however, Brown's playing time was dramatically reduced as the club committed more deeply to the development of young players. By the end of the season, Brown was openly unhappy with his role and eager to move on.
Embree, 38, was a cornerstone of Oakland's bullpen in 2007, the first year of his two-year, $5.5 million contract, filling in admirably for injured closer Huston Street. But like Brown, Embree, who opened the 2008 season as the team's top setup man, saw his role change significantly in the second half on the way to a 4.96 ERA in 70 games.
Thus, it was no surprise when the A's declined their $3 million option on him for next season. One of the team's most respected voices in the clubhouse, Embree all but bit through his tongue in an effort to hide his displeasure with the way he was used late in the season, but Embree appears to be the one Oakland free agent on whom the door isn't entirely closed on a possible return.
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Foulke, 36, ended a one-year retirement to sign with the A's for $700,000 early last spring and was viewed at the time as a right-handed complement to Embree. Foulke failed to recapture the magic that helped him save a career-high 43 games for Oakland in 2003 and spent much of the season on the DL, posting a 4.07 ERA in 31 games.
Cutting ties with their four Major League free agents would bring roughly $9.5 million off the A's books, and that's about what the team laid out in acquiring Holliday from the Rockies in exchange for top outfield prospect Carlos Gonzalez, lefty starter Greg Smith and Street.
Gonzalez and Smith made less than $800,000 combined in 2008. Street made $3.3 million and was in line for a modest raise through arbitration, so Oakland essentially took on about $9.5 million or so in the Holliday deal.
"I don't know if [the trade] has much of an impact how we approach free agents," Beane said. "Ultimately, free agency comes down to economics. There may be some guys we're interested in."
Beane doesn't discuss potential free-agent targets as a matter of policy, and shortstop Bobby Crosby is under contract with the A's for 2009 at $5.25 million, but Oakland is among several teams that have been in contact with the agent for shortstop Rafael Furcal.
If a bidding war for Furcal, 31 -- who made $13 million with the Dodgers last season and is said to be seeking a four-year deal -- prices out the A's, they might set their sights on more affordable, shorter-term options at shortstop. Orlando Cabrera, 34, and Edgar Renteria, 33, each made $9 million in 2008 but likely won't command that much this winter.
Also, the A's haven't ruled out bringing back first baseman Jason Giambi, who will be 38 next season and would have to agree to a massive paycut from the $21 million he made last year with the Yankees, who declined their $22 million option on the former Oakland slugger.
