A's could be active on Day 2 of Meetings
Forst, Melvin to address club's offseason agenda Tuesday
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Oakland's front-office members had yet to touch down in Nashville by the time Day 1 of the Winter Meetings was coming to a close, instead prepared to enter the fray of wheeling and dealing on Tuesday with a trimmed to-do list.
The A's largely remained out of the news Monday as a result, but their potential involvement in trades and free-agent signings over the next few days -- Oakland's brass is expected to depart the Music City following the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday morning -- is worth revisiting.
Much of their offseason work is seemingly already done, following the additions of several arms, including Rich Hill, Liam Hendriks and soon Ryan Madson (his three-year, $22 million deal has yet to be announced). The A's also formalized a reunion with Jed Lowrie in recent weeks, adding a proven infielder to the mix, and traded for a defensive whiz at first base in Yonder Alonso.
Lowrie's presence creates a logjam in the infield, which should soon subside by way of a trade. Either Brett Lawrie, who saw time at both second and third base with the A's last season, or third baseman Danny Valencia is expected to be dealt, and it's Lawrie whom the A's appear most inclined to trade.
The Indians have continually expressed interest in Lawrie for weeks, and the Tigers, White Sox and division-rival Angels -- in need of a second baseman and third baseman -- have also been linked to his name in reports. Cleveland is believed to have available young pitchers on hand and could be looking for an upgrade at third base, where the unproven Giovanny Urshela is currently projected to start next year.
The A's have never shied away from dealing within their division, making the Angels a potentially intriguing trade partner. One of the Angels' relievers, Trevor Gott, is reportedly drawing interest at the Winter Meetings, and Oakland could still be in the hunt for such upside arms despite already reeling in Hendriks and Madson.
Oakland's bullpen compiled a 4.63 ERA, highest in the American League, and ranked third in blown saves (25) and fewest save opportunities (53) while allowing 74 home runs.
The 23-year-old Gott, who came to the Angels in the 2014 Huston Street trade with the Padres, posted a 3.02 ERA with 5.1 strikeouts and 3.0 walks per nine innings in 48 appearances as a rookie last season.
Oakland's ongoing search for pitching extends to the rotation, too. The A's have already been linked to a familiar face in lefty Scott Kazmir, though they could ultimately be priced out of his services, which are expected to cost more than the $45 million Hisashi Iwakuma reportedly will receive from the Dodgers on a three-year deal.
Among the potential fallback options: Bartolo Colon. A reunion between Oakland and the right-hander, who will be 43 in May, could make sense, given the mutual respect between the two parties and Colon's ability to pitch in multiple roles. Versatility is highly valued by the A's, who will explore all avenues to bolster the depth of their pitching staff this winter.
Athletics general manager David Forst and manager Bob Melvin are scheduled to meet the media Tuesday to address such topics.