State of the Nation for December 3rd, 2006.

[General Management]

• Managing Partner - Lewis Wolff
  
• President - Michael Crowley
  
• General Manager - Billy Beane
  
• Assistant General Manager - David Forst
  
• Director of Scouting - Eric Kubota
  
• VP, Sales and Marketing - Jim Leahey
• December 1st - Athletics name Jim Leahey vice president, sales and marketing. Leahey joins the A's after spending 14 years with Sony Entertainment. This could be a sign that the Athletics have decided to change their approach to the Bay Area market. As many on Athletics Nation have pointed out, the current track the Athletics are on does not seem to work, and a new approach is needed to take attention and revanue away from the Giants, as KICU's Mark Wolfson found out when he opened the pandora's box that is the fan's "honest" opinion. November 29th - A's release Spring Training 2007 Schedule. November 14th - A's announce plans to build 30,000-35,000 capacity stadium in Fremont California, in co-operation with Cisco and the City of Fremont. The field will be named Cisco Field as part of the land agreement between the Athletics and Cisco. The field will be accompanied by a ballpark village with condos and shopping centers. The name of the post-move team has not been decided yet, but Managing Partner Lewis Wolff revealed that "of Fremont" will be included in the name. Key items revealed in the press conference:
  
• Double sided scoreboard that allows fans to watch away games outside stadium.
  
• No transportation situations were explicitly covered.
  
• Stadium will feature many technological features and toys from Cisco, such as buying or upgrading tickets via smart phones, and posting replays on sites such as Youtube.com
  
• Stadium is expected to open around 2011
  
• Stadium is expected to cost approximately $400 to $500 Million Dollars.
• October 30th - Oakland Athletics and KIFR announce partnership to make 106.9 FREE FM the Flagship Radio station of the Oakland Athletics till 2009. The CBS owned station broadcasts at a 80,000 Watt signal and will reach all over the Bay Area, with better clarity then 1550 AM and 1220 AM. This makes the A's one of three teams to have stations in their home town on both AM and FM.

[Field Management]

• Manager - Bob Geren
  
• Bench Coach - Bob Schaefer
  
• First Base Coach - Rene Lachemann
  
• Third Base Coach - OPEN
  
• Pitching Coach - Curt Young
  
• Hitting Coach - OPEN
  
• Bullpen Coach - Brad Fischer
• November 29th - A's name Bob Schaefer bench coach. Schaefer joins the A's one year removed as the Kansas City Royals Bench Coach from 2002-2005, having spent the 2006 campaign as a Special Assistant with the Atlanta Braves. It remains to be seen if the current pattern the A's seem to have established will hold true though; if Schaefer will end up in three to four years being announced the manager of the Athletics, as former Bench Coaches Bob Geren, Ken Macha. November 16th - Bob Geren is promoted from Bench Coach and named Manager of the Oakland Athletics. Geren, who managed for 8 years in the minors before being promoted to the big league club in 2003, has been with the A's for 8 years. Controversy surrounded the month long interview process, as many A's fans saw it as an excuse to stall until other candidates, including fan favorite and now former 3rd Base Coach Ron Washington, had left for other managerial opportunities, and that Geren was chosen right from the beginning. Other candidates for the job included Ron Washington (hired by Texas), Bud Black (former Angels Pitching Coach, hired by San Diego), Manny Atca (Former Mets coach, hired by Washington), Trey Hillman (Manager of the Nipon Ham Fighters in the Nippon Professional Baseball league), Orel Hershiser (Analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight) and Jamie Quirk (Coach for the Colorado Rockies). November 18th - Sacramento Rivercats manager Tony DeFrancesco expresses his desire to be promoted to the Major League club as a coach. The Major League club has three openings for coaching positions, including; Bench Coach (Vacated by Bob Geren's promotion), Hitting Coach (vacated by Gerald Perry) and Third Base Coach (vacated by Ron Washington).

[Transactions]

December 1st - Athletics offer Arbitration to LHP Barry Zito (Type A Free Agent), decline Arbitration to OF Jay Payton (Type B Free Agent). Payton might be able to get a multi year deal elsewhere, but the A's appear to not want to risk Payton accepting and getting more money then they think he is worth. November 28th - Athletics acquire Donnie Murphy from the Kansas City Royals for Cash Considerations. Murhphy, who had a terrible 2006 campaign following a good 2005, will take the place of departed A's farmhands Mike Rouse and D'Angelo Jimenez as the A's AAA Middle infield replacement. November 20th - Athletics purchase contract of Reliever Marcus McBeth. Mcbeth suddenly has value as a very good reliever, having successfully made the transition from unspectacular outfielder with a good arm to solid power pitcher. The move was needed to protect McBeth from the Rule 5 Draft. November 20th - Athletics sign Reliever Erasmo Ramirez to a minor league contract. Minor League Pitching Depth. November 20th - Athletics sign Second Baseman JJ Furmaniak to a minor league contract. Furmaniak will fill in for Sacramento's depleated infield depth. November 20th - Athletics sign outfielder Vince Falson to a minor league contract. Falson will be yet more fill in fodder for AAA Sacramento. November 15th - The Toronto Blue Jays signed DH Frank Thomas to a two year, $18 million dollar contract with a club option for 2009. So much for Thomas's desire to stay in Oakland. The question is if this will hurt the Blue Jays, having an aged slugger with bad feet on Turf or the A's, who lose their main power threat.

[Active Roster]
1.    C1 Jason Kendall
2.    C2 Adam Melhuse
3.    1B Nick Swisher
4.    1B Dan Johnson
5.    2B Marco Scutaro
6.    3B Eric Chavez
7.    SS Bobby Crosby
8.    SS SS Mark Kiger
9.    OF Milton Bradley
10.    OF Mark Kotsay
11.    OF Bobby Kielty
12.    OF Hiram Bocachica
13.    RHP Rich Harden
14.    RHP Dan Haren
15.    RHP Esteban Loaiza
16.    RHP Joe Blanton
17.    RHP Justin Duchscherer
18.    RHP Kiko Calero
19.    RHP Chad Gaudin
20.    LHP Joe Kennedy
21.    RHP Huston Street
22.    RHP Kirk Saarloos
23.    2B Mark Ellis
24.    3B Antonio Perez
25.    RHP Jay Witasick

[40 Man Roster]
26.    C3 Jeremy Brown
27.    LHP Dan Meyer
28.    LHP Brad Halsey
29.    OF Javier Herrera
30.    RHP Santiago Casilla
31.    RHP Juan Dominguez
32.    RHP Shane Komine
33.    RHP Jason Windsor
34.    RHP Jerome Williams
35.    LHP Ron Flores
36.    RHP Scott Dunn
37.    RHP Marcus McBeth
38.    2B Donnie Murphy
39.    OPEN
40.    OPEN

[Projected Lineups]

    vs. RHP
1.    C1 Jason Kendall
2.    CF Mark Kotsay
3.    RF Milton Bradley
4.    1B Nick Swisher
5.    3B Eric Chavez
6.    DH Adam Melhuse
7.    SS Bobby Crosby
8.    2B Mark Ellis
9.    LF Bobby Kielty

vs. LHP
1.    C1 Jason Kendall
2.    CF Mark Kotsay
3.    RF Milton Bradley
4.    1B Nick Swisher
5.    3B Eric Chavez
6.    LF Bobby Kielty
7.    SS Bobby Crosby
8.    2B Mark Ellis
9.    DH Adam Melhuse

[A's Rumors and Speculation]

• The Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers seem to be clashing lately. Not only have the Texas Rangers approached former Athletics star Barry Zito, as well as putting feelers out for FranK Thomas before he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, but they are now vying for Free Agent Mike Piazza, whom the A's are targeting for their Designated Hitter slot. Piazza has been rumored to have narrowed down his list to two teams, the Athletics and the Phillies, with the A's as the frontrunners. If Piazza is signed, he would take over as the A's Designated Hitter, and could as well take over the role of Backup Catcher. If that is the case, it could mean the end of Adam Melhuse's career in Oakland. If Melhuse is dealt or non tendered, and the A's still wish to carry another catcher, former Moneyball pick Jeremey Brown is expected to get the call, filling in as Third String Catcher, a backup for 1st Base and a possible Designated Hitter candidate. Piazza was not offered Arbirtation.
• The Athletics are interested in outfielder Cliff Flloyd for a one year, incentive laiden deal. If Flloyd is signed, he could take over as the Athletics DH if no one else is acquired. If someone, such as Mike Piazza or Barry Bonds, is signed for DH duties, Flloyd would take over in Left Field, as well as the secondary Designated Hitter. The Orioles are also rumored to be interested in Flloyd. Flloyd and Bonds were not offered Arbirtation.
• Frank Thomas's arrival in Toronto leaves rookie Adam Lind (1st Base, Left Field, Designated Hitter) out of a job, and will result in Lind starting the year in AAA. Because he is now blocked by Thomas, the A's could try to acquire him to fill their Left Field/Designated Hitter void. The Blue Jays are expected to ask for pitching help.
• Alfanso Soriano's signing in Chicago leaves a glut in the Cubby outfield. Speculation is that outfielder Matt Murton might be dealt as a result.
• In Washington, a glut of outfielders might make the situation right to make a grab for Outfielder Ryan Church. Church is rumored to be out of favor with management, and was forced to start the 2006 season in AAA as a result, until finally called up.
  
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