A’s Agree to Terms with Outfielder Jonny Gomes on One-Year Contract
OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland A’s agreed to terms with outfielder Jonny Gomes on a one-year contract for the 2012 season, the club announced today. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated infielder Adrian Cardenas for assignment.
Gomes combined to hit .209 with 14 home runs and 43 RBI in 120 games with Cincinnati and Washington last year. After hitting .211 with 11 home runs in 77 games with the Reds, he was dealt to the Nationals for two minor leaguers July 26. Gomes hit .204 with three home runs in 43 games with the Nationals. Overall, he batted .311 against left-handed pitching, compared to .167 against right-handers. He has career splits of .281 against lefties and .224 against righties. The Petaluma, Calif. native started 68 games in left field and five in right field.
Gomes attended Casa Grande High School in Petaluma and was selected by Tampa Bay in the 18th round of the 2001 draft out of Santa Rosa Junior College. He made his Major League debut with Rays in 2003, appearing in eight games, and played five more games in 2004. Gomes hit .282 with 21 home runs and 54 RBI in 101 games as a rookie in 2005 and has also reached the 20-home run plateau in 2006 (20) and 2009 (20). He drove in a career-high 86 runs in 2010. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter has played for Tampa Bay (2003-08), Cincinnati (2009-11) and Washington (2011) in his nine seasons in the majors and is a .242 career hitter with 118 home runs and 364 RBI in 781 games.
Cardenas spent the entire 2011 season at Triple-A Sacramento and batted .314 with five home runs and 51 RBI in 127 games. He added 47 walks for a .374 on-base percentage and also had a career-high 154 hits. The 24-year old was originally acquired by the A’s from Philadelphia along with Josh Outman and Matt Spencer for Joe Blanton, July 17, 2008.