Fernando Hernandez DFA, Cap'n Kirk recalled

by salb918 on Apr 14, 2008 4:06 PM PDT

As intimated by LogicRules intimated in his diary, Fernando Hernandez has been D'dFA and Kirk Saarloos has been recalled.

Slusser confirms over at The Drumbeat:

Hernandez had two rough outings on this trip, including allowing four runs at Cleveland on Sunday, and with the A's needing more depth in the bullpen, the right-hander was designated for assignment today and right-hander Kirk Saarloos was called up. Saarloos, a former 10-game winner for the A's and a clubhouse favorite, will be the long man for now.

Hernandez must go through waivers and if he clears, he must be offered back to the White Sox, and they can take him back for $25,000 if they choose. A's assistant GM David Forst said if Hernandez clears waivers, Oakland will have some talks with the White Sox, which means the team might be open to swinging a deal with Chicago to keep Hernandez.

Anyone have the pic of Kirk with the mouse?

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I have my

Saarloos autographed beer coaster from the Field Irish Pub on my Mac desk as I type....dreaming of the Ebay price it could fetch should Kirk have a big year.

alaska A

by ak_A on Apr 14, 2008 4:32 PM PDT reply actions

no surprise here

President of the Joey Devine fan club as of 1/15/08. Accepting applications for other positions. "He has no equivalent." -Paul DePodesta on Jeremy Brown

by flipgatey3 on Apr 14, 2008 4:36 PM PDT reply actions

So then

Why on Earth didn't we do this with Marshall last season?

Might as well Jump! - Van Halen

by sprtsnwyn on Apr 14, 2008 4:43 PM PDT reply actions

Less likely they would have been able to swing a deal for him?

I'm pretty sure Marshall got snatched up by the Red Sox off waivers (late in the season? post-season?), but they waived him, too, which allowed the A's to get him back. Maybe Theo was doing Billy a solid or something.

by Joey C. on Apr 14, 2008 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Who did the A's lose to the Rule 5 draft this year?

Anyone noteworthy?

by Joey C. on Apr 14, 2008 4:50 PM PDT reply actions

No one in the major league portion

although "Moneyball" worthies Ben Fritz and Brant Colamarino were taken in the AAA phase.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Apr 14, 2008 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Huh

I liked some of what I heard about Colamarino. Maybe it's just that I fear the organizational IF depth and have gone into hoard mode.

by Joey C. on Apr 14, 2008 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Suffering suckotash!

Holy low K rates, Batman!

I seriously don't see the point of this move at all. Saarloos isn't even getting AAA hitters out anymore. I'm fairly sure he hasn't struck anyone out in about 3 seasons. If you're just looking for a mop-up man, why not stick with the guy who's got some actual upside?

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Apr 14, 2008 4:50 PM PDT reply actions

I think the motivation is timing, Paul

They've decided that F. Hernandez isn't good enough to stay at the big league level this year...but they'd like to still have him in the organization.

That's where the timing comes in. I think the A's have decided that he has a better chance of passing through waivers now than he does later in the year.

Their logic makes sense for two reasons:
1. It's early in the year, so pitching league-wide hasn't suffered major injury attrition yet (this logic would suggest that a mediocre pitcher is more likely to pass through waivers in April than, say, July, when teams have a few guys transferred to the 60-day DL).
2. Kyle Snyder just passed through waivers, and Yorman Bazardo was just DFA'd. If Snyder passed through it shows that no one team is that desperate for pitching yet, and with Bazardo DFA'd, you could argue that even if one team is desperate, Bazardo's more likely to get snagged, while F Hernandez sneaks through.

In other words, if you flood the market with similar scraps at the exact same time, it's less likely that your scraps get picked up.

by notsellingjeans on Apr 14, 2008 6:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Fair

but they still have to get the guy from the White Sox, and the Sox have whip hand there.

I don't know, maybe Beane and Williams already have something worked out ahead of time.

Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.

by PaulThomas on Apr 14, 2008 10:12 PM PDT up reply actions

The pic of Kirk with the mouse.

AN2 knows where it is.

"Huston, you're hot!'' said first baseman Dan Johnson, dressed as a bottle of mustard.

by Poppy on Apr 14, 2008 9:49 PM PDT reply actions

I'm a little surprised...

that the A’s didn’t just put Hernandez on the DL with a mysterious injury like the Padres with Guevara this year, or the Reds last year with Burton.

Give him a month of watching games and see if he pitches a little bit better and more relaxed later on.

The current CBA is so mum about injury disclosure, it makes it possible for teams to use it to stash players. A Rule 5er would agree to it rather than get shipped back to their old team for an obvious reason: It’s the difference between making $400K on the DL in the bigs or making $45Kish in the minors for their former team.

I’m virtually certain the Reds stashed Burton this way last year. Look at the pattern of his appearances and his DL stints.

by notsellingjeans on Apr 15, 2008 10:28 AM PDT reply actions