FanPost

Niallmack's offseason plan get a real CF

My high level plan is to get a real long term solution in CF, improve the defense for the young staff and allow the best prospects to develop. Once you have a decent core established you fill in the rest of the roster (hopefully 2018).

Untouchables: Barreto, Chapman, Manaea, Puk

Highly Tradeable: Nunez, Olson

To begin my offseason plan I would trade Sonny Gray to Cleveland for a package that includes Bradley Zimmer. If they could add an extra piece or two to get Francisco Mejia too that would be awesome. I'm not sure who else the Indians would be interested in but I'm sure it would be guys who can contribute next year like Dull or maybe Vogt.

Cleveland is coming off a near WS championship season and has a very good farm system. With Michael Brantley coming back from injury the Indians will be getting some outfield help back but the injury concerns in their rotation would be minimized if they got a young pitcher like Sonny Gray.

Here's part of Zimmer's scouting report from mlb.com. Basically a lefty hitting CF who could be a 20-20 guy that could hit in the top of the order.

"his reads jumps and routes in center field have improved as a professional. Though Zimmer shows the makings of a dynamic top-of-the-order hitter, it's his potential for 20 homers and 20 steals in a given season that could make him one of the most valuable up-the-middle players in the game once fully developed."

It might make more sense to do a Sonny Gray trade at the deadline or next offseason if his value is too low right now.

I would tender Alonso and Valencia (hopefully trade Valencia, he would be non-tendered if nobody wants him)

I would also try and trade for Dyson if he comes cheap to hold down CF defensively while Zimmer plays in AAA.

Next season

C Phegley, Maxwell (Vogt if he's still here)

1B Healy, Canha, Alonso (or a cheap free agent pickup if you can get somebody better than Alonso who also hits lefty)

2B Wendle, Pinder (Barreto coming fast)

3B Lowrie, Pinder (Chapman coming fast)

SS Semien, Pinder

LF Davis, Canha

CF Dyson (or other stopgap defense first CF with Zimmer coming fast)

RF Free Agent or trade (kick the can down the road 1 more year with cheapish signing), Olson (maybe Brugman)

DH Canha, Davis (Nunez if he's hitting well and low trade value)

For the pitching side I would hope to sign somebody who can throw 200 innings, (Colon, Hammel, Hellickson or maybe Holland?) This is where I would spend the most money I think the bullpen can be filled with guys that don't break into the rotation and our existing relievers under contract.

SP

Manaea, Graveman, Free Agent or cheap trade, Cotton, Mengden, Alcantara

Defense improvements

CF - Dyson

3B - Not Valencia, (Hope Lowrie can be decent over there and Chapman later in the season)

2B - Not Lowrie (Wendle)

My main goal this offseason is to avoid long term contracts for declining players and bolster the farm system even further.

In my opinion the A's are still a year or two off unless a ton of things go right and have another high draft pick. Try to get a polished college player with high upside (Kris Bryant please!). Now is the time to find your 3+ WAR guys to build around. There are a lot of prospects in the system right now that could be that player so wait and see which step up their game like Healy last season.

Save the long term money for next offseason's free agent spending spree (Machado, Donaldson, Price, Harper etc.) since this year is fairly weak.