Has Kevin Kouzmanoff Worn Out His Welcome?

I like Kevin Kouzmanoff, I think he is a good guy and obviously hope he does way better than he did last year. Having lived in Buffalo, NY for a while I saw Kouz when he was with the Bisons and Tribe and he was a good consistent hitter, but at the level he’s at now where he is a MLB starter on a playoff contending team he can’t keep swinging at everything and walking so little. Jane Lee talked to Kouz about the deal on the A’s website and he felt like garbage about Oakland going after Beltre so hopefully that lights a fire under him. I still think though we should be looking for an upgrade (not sure who…)

He feels crappy about it but he knows that this is business and that he has very little negotiating leverage over the next two years. If he turns in two respectful seasons and no one in the Athletics farm system or in the free agent market can adequately replace him, he’s likely to give the organization the cold shoulder…and it will be just business.

Beltre is better than a lot of players. I don’t think it’s as much of a lack of confidence in Kouz, I think it’s a LOT of confidence in Beltre. Ultimately the fact that they didn’t overpay for Beltre was because they had confidence in Kouz.

And of course there were other 3rd basemen names through around, but I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. They offered him arbitration because they wanted him around. And I think they knew he was the back up option. But a back up option to some pretty good players.

Ultimately they attempted to replace him with one of the best. You can’t get offended. Move on and have a good year.

Would wisely be replaced by Beltre. So no need for any ego problems.

c’mon Kouz…you had to be disappointed with your performance in 2010

and maybe with better hitters in the lineup (Willingham, Dejesus), we’ll get some better numbers from Kouz. I like the guy.

2010 was definitely a down year for Kouz (pretty obvious), perhaps because he had to adjust to a whole new league.
However, he didn’t receive much lineup protection at all. I don’t think Kouz is a number 4 hitter, probably 5 or 6. This year, he should be in those spots in the lineup, with Matsui batting cleanup and Willingham batting either before or after him.
I think Kouz is a good hitter and a great fielder, and that 2010 was just a fluke.

Who goes on the 40-man? Figueroa? Moscoso?

Big deal Kouz said some things about watching the team he plays for try and get players that play his position. He knows his offensive numbers were not good, and never said “screw this team” (didnt Harden do that?). Seeing how lopsided the poll is, its clear AN doesnt agree with OP either.

Yes, I wanted Beltre for all the reasons mentioned above, but by no means do I think we’re at a black hole at 3B. Kouz can be counted on (at the very least) for above average defense and 15 home runs, and has the capability of doing better. It didn’t help him that we were relying on him to be our cleanup hitter for the first couple months before Jack Cust regained the team’s trust (and then lost it again.) With the Matsui/Willingham signings, Kouz will probably be our 5 or 6 hitter, which will soften the blow a bit. 6 hole might suit him quite well with his OBP deficiency.

And you will never meet a friendlier guy on the team. He’s probably the coolest guy I talked to last year, with Ziggy coming in a close second. I really hope this Beltre fiasco lights a fire under his ass as well so he can play with a chip on his shoulder. I’m rooting for the guy, personally, and am hoping for a much better season in 2011. Go A’s!

We paid him similar amount as we paid Crosby in his last 3 years with the A’s. If Crosby had put up Kouz’s number and played the number of games as Kouz had, Beane would be patting himself on the back for not having completely screwed up the Crosby contract.

I think Kouz is a good deal for the A’s if we didn’t expect better offense from him to start with. He also got screwed because Beltre was the most obvious “gettable” premier FA for the A’s, and the team has to at least try. At the end of the day, Beane is going to face the fact that what he got out of Kouz is pretty good for the money.

heck, they even threw a ton of money at Beltre last off-season.

In fact, all told, over the past two offseasons, they’ve reportedly offered Beltre a total of over $100 million in guaranteed money in the form of two separate contract offers ($24 million in 2009, and $75 million+ this past offseason). They obviously just really like(d) Beltre and Kouz should recognize that.

I mean, would anyone criticize the A’s for pursuing Albert Pujols if he was within their price range even though they still have Daric Barton around? I think not…

Besides that…the guy’s ISO has declined EVERY YEAR he’s been in the majors. He doesn’t take walks, so his offensive value is entirely tied into hitting for power, and since he’d doing that less and less every year, he has become a worse and worse offensive player every year as a result. He’s not fleet of foot, so his defensive value is entirely based on his positioning/instincts and arm, and with a nearly 30-year old guy with some recent back problems, I’m guessing he won’t be getting better defensively either.

He’s ok for now, but I would love to see one of two things happen at the midpoint this season if the A’s are seriously in the hunt for the division:

1) A’s trade for David Wright or another available 3B, or
2) Parker or Cardenas mash in the minors in the 1st half and prove they can handle 3B defensively at the highest level.

Worn out his welcome? No.

Team was looking for a better option? Yes.

Does he feel slighted by the search? Yes, and I cannot blame him. He’s human. Of course, he does. Yes, he knows… and has acknowledged… it’s business, but that’s the kind of thing that people need to constantly remind themselves of. It’s still not a good feeling.

Yes, the A’s did make an offer on Beltre both this year and last. But I think that’s been terribly exaggerated here on AN, where the ten billion Beltre posts have us acting like we already went and signed the guy twice and had him stolen away from us both times.

blame the A’s for not getting anything done for a new stadium. time and time again there is a plan but nothing is really getting done. there is no new stadium unless there is construction going on.

but likely will regress defensively. he’s fine for another year or maybe two, but i’m hoping cardenas can come up and outplay him for his spot or something like that.

i also really like the balfour deal. not that much of a cost, and theres no such thing as too many bullpen arms. I think Beane realized that was one thing that hurt the A’s down the stretch last season(that along with just not quite enough power were the two real reasons we didn’t make the playoffs, and beane adressed both of those this offseason) so he went out and got some high risk/high reward guys as well as someone whos a bit more dependable in Balfour. thumbs up from me

They were shooting for Beltre. Kouz should be like, “I get it. I try hard to produce at the plate every year, but that guy Beltre is a badass. I think I’m every bit as good as him on the field, but I also know the A’s are looking for chances to upgrade on offense. Not sure what the whole Encarnacion thing was about, but that’s all in the past. I’m stoked to be playing third for Oakland in the next two years.”

Or whatever. This armchair sure is comfortable.

If he’s still sporting a crappy OBP by the All Star break, that’ll be another story.

I think he will have a better season based first and foremost on the improved lineup. He needs to raise that batting average, no doubt….

But I’d be happy with .260-.270, 20-25 HRS, and 80-85 RBI… I think those are reachable expectations from Kevin.

Also, I WOULD just like to mention, I do recall a user making his appearance on A’S NATION when the A’s were playing their final series of the season up in Seattle….He mentioned his avid readership of this great forum over the past years, and his highest praise to its most knowledgeable posters. He then outlined his hopes and his vision for the A’s 2010-11 off-season. He seemed like a smart and passionate A’s fan, and made some insightful and realistic predictions for the A’s upcoming off-season…But then I recall him being taunted in a manner that seemed better suited for ‘The Good Phight’ (Phillie’s Nation) or as if he was taking part in some banter better fit for a Fox News Show.
 
I believe he championed an off-season that would include the signing of a Top DH, an OF, and some pitching depth. (And while none of those quite happened, strides were made).
I recall that guy thinking that Dan Uggla could be had for a realistic package of Mark Ellis, VIn Mazarro, Jemile Weeks, and Paul Smyth. Then, the Atlanta Braves got Uggla for the small price of Omar Infante (yes, the Omar Infante who has a total of 45 HR in his 9 year career) and Michael Dunn. HMMM

He then mentioned trade targets of David DeJesus, Nate McClouth, Alex Gordon, Colby Rasmus, and Josh Willingham….
Well, the A’s landed both DeJesus and Willingham.

He also went on to predict that the A’s had money to spend, and would shock people with the money that they’d be willing to spend on an aging and overrated Adrian Beltre and a pitcher…who ended up being Hisashi Iwakuma. The A’s didn’t end up spending the cash, but they attempted to. And thank Morgan (God) Freeman that they didn’t spend that money on Beltre..

And now, with the signing of Grant Bal(Two, Strike Three)four, for the services of two years at 8.1 Million, it is safe to say the A’s had a decent offseason.

Other welcomed additions of Rich Harden, Brandon McCarthy, and Hideki Matsui.
I like what that kid prophesied, his knowledge and vision wasn’t far off.

Yet, here we stand. A solid rotation, great bullpen depth, and an improved lineup.
I’m very excited for the 2011 Season! I wish we could have landed a bat with more realistic power expectations then Matsui, but besides that I’m happy.
I think that Barton and Suzuki will have great seasons, and that (IF HEALTHY) CoCo could repeat his stellar play from the end of last season, and our OF will play some great ball.

Can’t wait for the season!
Glad to be on A’s Nation.

RIP Brett Favre. RIP Yao Ming. RIP Trevor Hoffman. RIP LeBron’s Twitter Account.

The reason I ask, is I get the impression that Brandon is considered an “offense-based” 3rd baseman, with below average fielding skills. His 2010 hitting stats are almost identical to Kouz’, with Kouz having a MUCH better glove. And Kouz costs about 1/2 the payroll. In my limited understanding of stats, Kouz seems to be at the top of the second-tier 3rd basemen in the AL. There is a HUGE drop off from the 1st tier , to the second tier. Unless we make the huge jump in salary( which BB tried to do with Beltre), Kouz is the BEST option for the position. I really like going into 2011 with him anchoring the left side of the infield. I would be just as happy signing Kouz to the same salary,( about $5-6M), that the Tigers are paying Brandon, just for the better glove. And I’m not even including the advantage of his awesome chant. KOOOOOOUUUUUZ!

The only ones Id rather have are the obvious ones:

Evan Longoria
Alex Rodriguez
Ryan Zimmerman
David Wright
Michael Young
Jose Bautista
Aramis Ramirez
and maybe…………………………….Adrian Beltre

Nice job on the Nats blogger interview. Your summary of Chavez’s last few years was elegant.