Pirates Claim Kevin Thompson; Red Sox Claim Jay Marshall

by athleticsBB4life on Oct 15, 2007 1:03 PM PDT

The A's lose Marshall, Thompson to waivers.

The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced they have claimed outfielder Kevin Thompson off waivers from the Oakland Athletics.

Thompson was designated for assignment on September 1 and was claimed off waivers on September 7 by Oakland, where he made nine appearances during the final month of the season.

According to Rotoworld.com, the Boston Red Sox today announced they have claimed LHP Jay Marshall off waivers from the Oakland Athletics.

Marshall spent all of 2007 with the A's, compiling a 1-2 record and 6.43 ERA in 51 relief appearances in his major league debut. He had nine holds and allowed just six of 36 inherited runners to score (16.7%). He earned his first major league win on April 15 versus the Yankees and was 0-for-2 in save opportunities.

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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brainless Automaton #439

by rubin sierra on Oct 15, 2007 1:02 PM PDT reply actions

Argh!

"Look at the replay again... one of the A's players comes flying in, I coulda swore it was Adam Melhuse!"

by Jennifer on Oct 15, 2007 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions

Hah

I'd trade him for Garcia any day of the week. The A's don't need a glorified pinch-runner.

by PaulThomas on Oct 15, 2007 1:05 PM PDT reply actions

His 1 hit as an Athletic will never be forgotten!

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Oct 15, 2007 1:38 PM PDT reply actions

How'd he do it?

"I've been accused of using too many words...I suppose that's like accusing Mozart of using too many notes." Bill King

by Gerard on Oct 15, 2007 1:40 PM PDT reply actions

I was being facetious....single to left in Texas

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Oct 15, 2007 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions

According to the sidebar

the Red Sox have claimed Jay Marshall off waivers.
Good thing we kept him on the 25-man roster all season to avoid having to return him to the White Sox.

Maybe the dark is from your eyes.

by andeux on Oct 15, 2007 1:43 PM PDT reply actions

It could charitably be described as "a flop." He had his moments, but generally speaking his velocity and control were a severe disappointment. With Meyer, DiNardo, Blevins and Braden all competing for the #2 lefty slot (behind Embree), Marshall became unnecessary.

by PaulThomas on Oct 15, 2007 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Then he should have been returned in July

And maybe the A's could have found the roster space for someone else. Milton Bradley anyone?

This is the second time Beane has used a roster spot for an entire season on a reliever who didn't do the job. At least Mike Neu got someone in return. Here, the A's got nothing.

What a waste.

I really hope that if Beane wants a Rule-5 guy next year, he picks someone who turns out to be good --- or he returns the guy.

by richwol on Oct 15, 2007 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions

You don't need a roster spot for Milton Bradley.

Duh. You need a DL spot for him.

We should play Jack Cust at shortstop for a week, just so we can feel good about Crosby again.

by Ozzz on Oct 16, 2007 12:33 AM PDT up reply actions

Milton Bradley?!?

Can people give this up already? It's now clear-- 100%, absolutely, no-doubt-about-it clear-- that the A's were better off to trade Bradley when they did. He could have added 10 wins in 80 games (this is an absurdly optimistic number, BTW) and the team still wouldn't have made the playoffs. Instead, the A's now have a guy who was their second-best reliever over the last half of the season. I'd say that's a lot better than, at best, a compensatory draft pick.

by PaulThomas on Oct 16, 2007 9:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Let's compare Brown to Bradley:

Milton:
42 games, 144 abs, 31 runs, 45 hits, 5 2bs, 1 3b, 11 hrs, 30 rbis, 23 bbs, 27 sos, 3 sbs, 1 cs, .313 avg., .414 obp, .590 slg and 1.004 ops.

Brown:
33 games, 41.2 ip, 38 hits, 21 r, 21 er, 1 hr, 17 bb, 43 so, 3 wins, 3 losses, 0 svs, 3 hlds, 2 blsv and 4.54 era.

First of all, let's call the wins, losses, hlds and blsv a wash.

There is no question that Brown has an excellent so to bb ratio. However, IMO, ops and era are the most significant stats: Bradley is 16th in the NL in OPS (including pitchers). Brown is 141st among AL pitchers.

Please don't tell me you would rather have Brown than Bradley. Marshall is another mistake because if we keep him on our roster the whole year, he should at least be given a chance in our minor league system.

by bringbackmiggy on Oct 16, 2007 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

I'd rather have Brown than nothing

which is what the A's would have at this point if they hadn't traded Bradley. He's a free agent now. Brown is an A for another 6 years.

Comparison of their stats is literally irrelevant, and I'm not even going to get into that. I will say, though, that Brown's FIP (fielding independant pitching), which is closer to his "true" ERA, is something like 2.65, second on the A's this year to Street's. He was victimized by some bad luck and a lot of bad defense.

by PaulThomas on Oct 16, 2007 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions

Nothing is

not quite true. Bradley is either worth a draft pick to SD (do you know, because honestly I don't) or can be resigned for next to nothing because of his tirade and his injury.

I know he's not coming back to Oakland because he burned his bridge to here, but I remain a MB fan and think he will have a big year for whatever time scoops him up at a bargin price. I actually think SD will resign him.

by bringbackmiggy on Oct 17, 2007 7:56 AM PDT up reply actions

Marshall wasn't doing much better in Arizona....

Fall League.

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Oct 15, 2007 1:54 PM PDT reply actions

When were they put on waivers?

Where have I been?

by jpl on Oct 15, 2007 2:21 PM PDT reply actions

Pasadena, based on your screen name.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Oct 15, 2007 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Now I'm totally confused.....

by jpl on Oct 15, 2007 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions

The NASA Jet Propulsion Labs

or JPL are in Pasadena.

"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback

by devo on Oct 15, 2007 4:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Ahhhh

I'm not up on the NASA lingo

by jpl on Oct 15, 2007 5:09 PM PDT up reply actions

was i right?

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Oct 15, 2007 5:30 PM PDT up reply actions

newton falls, ohio?

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Oct 15, 2007 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Thompson OK, but Marshall?

Why the heck did we keep him on the roster all season if we aren't going to keep him? I didn't expect him to make the big league team in 2008, but I assumed this was a move for the future, and the plan was to keep him on the 40-man roster in order to have him available in 2009 and beyond.

"Ten times thy self were better than ten Hattebergs" -- Monkeyball, channeling Shakespeare

by iglew on Oct 15, 2007 11:49 PM PDT reply actions

The plan WAS to keep him.

Then he got tattooed. Then he got re-tattooed in the AFL.

So what, we got a guy who managed a 6 ERA for next to nothing, then he went bye bye. At least we didn't pay him $7m a year for him to suck.

All in all, considering some of the deals we found ourselves in this year, I call this a wash. Little ventured, little gained.

We should play Jack Cust at shortstop for a week, just so we can feel good about Crosby again.

by Ozzz on Oct 16, 2007 12:35 AM PDT up reply actions

I guess BB hoped to sneak him through waivers...

outright him to the minors and clear a spot on the 40-man roster. I don't think he is a major loss in talent, but to waste a spot on the 25-man roster all season just doesn't make sense. Add this to all the other transaction made by the A's this season that are quite perplexing.

"just a beating heart ... plasma that we'll put into our uniform." Billy Beane

by athleticsBB4life on Oct 16, 2007 8:22 AM PDT reply actions