Non-Tenders

by Uncle Charlie on Dec 21, 2004 9:41 AM PST

I know we just dealt Hudson and Mulder to lower our payroll and make us more competitive from 2006-2010. But, we still want to be competitive this year, right?

Here are two signings we should make: (i) Wade Miller; (ii) Josh Phelps. Both of those guys just got non-tendered by their respective teams.

Miller
Miller's season ended last year in June because he had a frayed rotator cuff. He opted not to get surgery, instead deciding to rehab it beginning in December. This makes him a risk, because the injury could relapse; but, it may be a risk we can afford to take.

Miller probably is not ready to go at the beginning of Spring Training. I say we give him the type of contract the Yankees gave Jon Lieber. To wit: come pitch for us for one year, re-establish yourself as a good pitcher in a pitcher's park, and then go sign your big free agent deal at the beginning of 2006.

Miller was projected to make about $4M in arbitration this year, so I say we offer him: 1-year, $3-4M; and, we give him the same promise the Marlins gave to Pudge (not to tender him a contract at the end of 2005 so that interested teams won't have to compensate us if they sign him).

Miller gets: A pitcher-friendly park to re-establish himself in, and in December 2005, he gets to sign a three-year, $24-30M deal (depending on how well he does with us) with some other team.

A's get: A good #3-pitcher to bolster the rotation, another veteran pitcher to allow one of these three youngsters (Haren, Meyer or Blanton) a little extra time in the minors, money comes off the books in 2006.

Phelps
Made $320K in 2003, $340K in 2004; probably would have made about $800K this year if he had been tendered a contract. Why not give this kid a 2-year, $2M deal (or something in that range)?

There is no doubt he can hit a ton. His problem is, he strikes out too much and he's too inconsistent. I know, I know... we've got Dan Johnson, we don't need no Josh Phelps. Well, I'm just throwing it out there. This guy averages 28 HRs per 550 ABs; he would provide good pop off the bench. It's just a question of how much he wants and how much Billy can drop on him.

Roster with these two --
C Kendall, Melhuse
1B Hatteberg, Phelps
2B Ginter, Ellis
SS Crosby
3B Chavez
LF Byrnes, Kielty
CF Kotsay
RF Swisher, Thomas
DH Durazo

SP Harden, Zito, Miller, Meyer, Blanton
RP Dotel, Cruz, Calero, Bradford, Duke, Rincon

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Another Option

We could give Wade Miller an incentive-based contract: if he pitches 100 IP in the majors, he gets X amount of money, if he pitchers 150 IP, he gets Y amount of money, and so on... that way he knows he's not being rushed back, and we know we're not paying for a guy to sit on the DL all year.

Just a thought I had after I posted this diary.

by Uncle Charlie on Dec 21, 2004 9:45 AM PST reply actions

I'd prefer this option

with Miller, since his health is still in question.

by OaklandSi on Dec 21, 2004 9:49 AM PST up reply actions

fleas fleas fleas fleas

...miller is a "60 day dl" candidate waiting to happen-never mind "offering him 3-4 mil"!!!!

and i've had to sit through way too many josh phelps at bats to subject myself to that again. when phelps 1st came up i swear to god he was the second coming of mcgwire. but he's proven to be a meathead.

it's OK to steal-just don't let billy see ya.

by bigelephant on Dec 21, 2004 9:53 AM PST reply actions

Miller // Phelps

I had the same thoght on miller but reading some articles on him appears there is vey littel chance he will be back at 100 percent this year at all.

As for Phelps you are forgeting about Dan Johnson. This guy could be a stud!!!! AAA MVP last year.

We already haev a log jam at first but if we can find a way to trade hatteberg then I would consider Phelps a good pick up. Other wise we are too crowded at DH.

by novaoakland on Dec 21, 2004 9:58 AM PST reply actions

yeah

we have three good players at 1b/dh.

a cheap but reliable (and injury free) veteran starting pitcher might not be a bad idea though. not saying miller is that guy.

by xbhaskarx on Dec 21, 2004 10:07 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah

I know we have Johnson at 1B, and I know we have a logjam at that position, but I see Phelps as a low-cost risk worth taking. I'm probably wrong, so I'm not going to spend any time on it.

As for Miller -- what I have read says he's beginning his rehab on January 3 and he's "trying" to be ready to go by Spring Training. This probably means he won't be ready by Spring Training, which is why I suggested a one-year, incentive-laden contract. Miller's got a 3.87 career ERA, so I think he's worth it even if he can only pitch from May through October.

Say something like this: Base salary of $2.5M. If he reaches 120 IP (bumps up to $3M); 140 IP ($3.5M); 160 IP ($4.25M); 180 IP ($5M); 200 IP ($6M). He'll probably end up around 160-180 IP, which means he'd cost us around $4.25M.

What's his incentive? He gets to re-establish his market value for one year in Oakland, and then sign his big-money deal as a 29-year-old starting pitcher who just put up good numbers in pitcher-friendly Oakland.

Of course, some other team (the Dodgers, the Red Sox, the Mariners, the Yakult Swallows) might swoop in and give the guy a longer-term deal or more money, but why not take a shot at him?

The rest of the free agent SPs out there are: Miguel Ascensio, Andy Ashby, Pedro Astacio, Roger Clemens, Omar Daal, Orlando Hernandez, Jose Lima, Esteban Loaiza, Derek Lowe, Kevin Millwood, Eric Milton, Hideo Nomo, Darren Oliver, Odalis Perez, Todd Ritchie, Chris Saenz, Scott Schoenweis, Aaron Sele, Steve Sparks, Billy Traber, Ismael Valdez, Jamey Wright (along with Miller).

Of these guys, I'd say these are the guys we'd want and that we could afford: Orlando Hernandez, Jose Lima Time, Billy Traber, Ismael Valdez and Wade Miller (who we can only afford because of his injury). Clemens, Lowe, Millwood, Milton, Nomo, Perez and Sele are all out of our price range. The other guys are all garbage.

by Uncle Charlie on Dec 21, 2004 10:37 AM PST reply actions