Athletics Nation - Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel trade coverageAn SB Nation blog for Oakland Athletics fanshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47025/an-fave.png2014-07-22T09:44:58-07:00http://www.athleticsnation.com/rss/stream/56361062014-07-22T09:44:58-07:002014-07-22T09:44:58-07:00Let's not freak out about Jason Hammel
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<figcaption>Hammel? More like Grand Slammel! Nailed it. | Brian Bahr</figcaption>
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<p>The other pitcher the Athletics got in the Shark trade is off to an inauspicious start in Oakland.</p> <p>The Oakland Athletics spent big to get Jason Hammel. Sure, he was just tagging along behind the larger haul of Jeff Samardzija, but he did not come cheaply. So, it comes as no surprise that A's fans expect a lot from him. Unfortunately, he has stumbled out of the gate in his first two starts in green and gold; he was behind Oakland's only loss to the Giants, and he got smoked in his subsequent effort against the Orioles. That shaky first impression has a lot of folks second-guessing Beane's decision to bring the right-hander aboard, especially since his presence is now creating a rift between the organization and deposed starter Tommy Milone.</p>
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<p>I'm here to tell you not to worry. I know it looks bad. Hammel has allowed seven runs in only seven innings of work over two starts -- that's a 9.00 ERA! He's walked five guys, given up three homers, <i>and he lost to the Giants</i>. Unforgivable. The stats look ugly, just like they do on April 8 when a guy gets off to a poor start to the season. But here's the thing -- it's only been two starts. Anything can happen in two starts.</p>
<p>It can be easy to forget at times, but baseball is not a sport that can be measured in small samples. Stats fluctuate, short hops or close calls don't go your way, you don't have your best stuff that day, you run into the wrong team at the wrong time, etc. Success is achieved when you average out more positive than negative; even Clayton Kershaw had a seven-run disaster start against the terrible Diamondbacks this year, but we know he's great because it proved to be an aberration.</p>
<p>Not only has it only been two starts, but they've been two weird ones. In the first, Hammel had just been traded to a new team, in a new league. The previous week, he'd been a ringer on a cellar dweller, and now he was suddenly thrust onto a title contender playing a highly emotional series against a heated geographic rival. Then he had to sit down for 10 days before pitching again, thanks to the All-Star break -- remember that starting pitchers are well-known for being creatures of routine who don't like being thrown off their five-day schedules. Neither of those outings can be described as anything resembling normal conditions. It doesn't change the fact that he lost both games, but it throws a confounding variable into the hypothesis that Hammel is a bad pitcher because he was bad in those games.</p>
<p><img alt="Jason_hammel_2_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/4795814/jason_hammel_2.jpg" width="100%"> <i><font size="1">It gets better. Probably. -- Photo credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports</font></i></p>
<p>In fact, was he even that bad in the first game? He only allowed three runs, and one of them was entirely due to an error by Yoenis Cespedes. Some shaky defense all around led to him throwing a lot of extra pitches, and he nearly had to leave when his glove hand started cramping up. And through all of that, he still made it through five innings and kept his team in the game. There are no excuses for his disaster against Baltimore, but it really sounds like we're talking about one bad start and one that was just "meh." And those three homers? Hunter Pence, working on his seventh straight 20-homer season; Adam Jones, who just competed in the Home Run Derby, is working on his third straight 30-homer campaign, and hit another pair of jacks against the Angels two days later; and J.J. Hardy, who seems to have broken out of his weird slump and who has five 20-homer seasons of his own. Not exactly Donnie Murphy and Rajai Davis.</p>
<p>Here's a fun exercise. These are the worst back-to-back starts by some other members of the A's staff.</p>
<p><b>Scott Kazmir, June 24 & 30:</b> 8⅓ innings, 8 runs, 4 homers, both losses<br><b>Sonny Gray, June 7 & 13:</b> 11⅓ innings, 8 runs, five walks, both losses<br><b>Jesse Chavez, June 27 & July 2:</b> 10 innings, 9 runs, 7 walks, one loss<br><b>Tommy Milone, April 27 & May 3:</b> 10⅔ innings, 10 runs, 6 walks, 3 homers, both losses<br><b>Tommy Milone, June 17 & 22 (after he got good):</b> 10⅔ innings, 8 runs, 3 homers<br><b>Drew Pomeranz, May 25 & 30:</b> 9⅓ innings, 7 runs, 7 walks, 3 homers (doesn't include chair punch game)</p>
<p>Wait, did I say "fun exercise"? I meant horrible, tortuous experiment. Let's never speak of that list again.</p>
<p>Well, except to make this point. Guys have bad days. Sometimes, they have them twice in a row. These things happen. If Hammel puts up a couple more stinkers, then things will obviously be different. They will no longer be isolated instances, but rather signs of a trend. But there's just no reason to <i>assume</i> that yet. Heck, Hammel himself gave up eight runs in 11 innings in a pair of consecutive starts in June, and then he reeled off three straight quality starts leading up to the trade. There are ebbs, and there are flows. That's what you get from a guy who is a mid-rotation starter rather than ace, and at no point did anyone suggest that Hammel is an ace.</p>
<p>The next question, then, is what he needs to do to turn things around. Looking at his career numbers, there is one glaring difference between his good years and his bad years: strikeouts. Specifically, that they go up and the hits go down (which is partly thanks to reduced contact rates). Hammel has had two really good seasons -- 2012, and the first half of 2014. Those were also the only two years in which he struck out at least eight batters per nine innings. When he can do that, he's an above-average pitcher. When he's stuck around six-to-seven strikeouts per nine, he's a tick below average. And where did those extra whiffs come from? Prior to 2012, he was throwing his four-seam fastball the majority of the time and mixing in some sliders and changeups. In '12, he started switching over to a sinker and also upped the use of his slider. It worked! Then it didn't work in '13. Then it worked again this year! Hey, two outta three ain't bad, and he was having elbow trouble in that bad year. So far in Oakland? Five strikeouts in seven innings, or 6.4 per nine. Let's see if those K's come back once he gets comfortable in his new digs, especially since all of his success has come in his most recent seasons after a large change in his pitch repertoire.</p>
<p>One other suggestion I've heard is that Hammel may be suffering due to his switch from the NL to the AL, and from facing opposing pitchers to opposing DH's. I do believe there's something to that, if only because logic dictates it <i>must</i> be tougher to face an AL lineup, all other things equal. Heck, we just had the displeasure of watching some NL baseball during the A's recent interleague bouts, and we saw first-hand how the pitcher's spot can ruin rallies and suppress big innings. But I don't think we're talking about anything more than a half-run difference at the absolute most (say, 3.50 ERA instead of 3.00). And there's a dirty little secret to that, too -- Hammel's best season came in the AL. In fact, it came in the AL East, in a hitter's park (Camden Yards), in a year when both the Yankees and Red Sox ranked top-nine in MLB in scoring. And he also survived over 500 innings with the Rockies, posting a 4.63 ERA and an ERA+ of exactly 100 while keeping his average under 5.00 in Coors itself. I'm not worried about him being soft when it comes to tough environments.</p>
<p>Look, I'm not saying that Hammel is definitely going to be good. Nobody can say that about any player. Even Josh Donaldson goes 0-for-33 sometimes. But to write off Hammel already, after two games, only one of which was really that bad, is ludicrous. What we have here is a pitcher who got completely and utterly thrown off of his routine, served up a few dingers to legit power hitters, and had a couple bad days. The most likely scenario is that he rights the ship in his next couple outings and reverts back to the solid pitcher that he was three weeks ago, before his world got turned upside down.</p>
<p>When it comes to pitching, there is one important thing to keep in mind: Trust in Billy Beane. Always.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/22/5926495/athletics-jason-hammel-freak-out-aaaaaaAlex Hall2014-07-22T06:13:08-07:002014-07-22T06:13:08-07:00Could Oakland's Tommy Milone entice the Cubs?
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<figcaption>Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Could the A's turn back to a recent trade partner now that Tommy Milone has asked out of Oakland? They probably should.</p> <p>In a move that wasn't exactly surprising, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> pitcher <span>Tommy Milone</span> has asked that the club trade him. The request comes in light of his demotion to Triple-A, which can be attributed to the super trade that brought the A's Jeff Samardzija and <span>Jason Hammel</span> to add to the top of their starting rotation. The deal left them with a surplus of pitching, rather than a concern over the depth that was present in the early going thanks to the injuries to <span>Jarrod Parker</span> and <span>A.J. Griffin</span>.</p>
<p>The acquisition of the former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Chicago Cubs</a> starters left the A's with a rotation that features the pair in addition to <span>Sonny Gray</span>, <span>Scott Kazmir</span>, and <span>Jesse Chavez</span>, despite the career high in workload for the latter. With those five making up the rotation for Oakland, both Milone and the returning <span>Drew Pomeranz</span> have been relegated to Triple-A, awaiting their next opportunity to make a return to the big club.</p>
<p>But rather than wait for that opportunity, which may not come unless someone gets injured or implodes statistically, Tommy Milone has asked out and wants baseball's best team to trade him. That doesn't mean that they will, but teams will certainly come calling for a young, high upside pitcher like Milone. He has a 3.35 ERA at the big league level this season, but that figure is slightly deceiving when you look at his 4.43 FIP. However, he had been pitching well prior to his demotion.</p>
<p>The fact that Milone has requested a trade doesn't mean that he's going to be traded, of course. The A's would likely prefer to hold onto him in the event that they need someone up to give Jesse Chavez a blow, or in the more serious event that someone ends up on the disabled list. Nonetheless, one club that would make some sense if the A's were to pull the trigger on a deal is that of the team the A's are coming off of the season's biggest trade with: the Chicago Cubs.</p>
<p>The Cubs are in a spot where they need to acquire young pitching. This isn't a buy-low type of situation, but the A's have the ability to move a guy at a position where they now have some depth and acquire a piece where they could use some help. The Cubs have multiple pieces at the second base position that could intrigue Billy Beane. <span>Luis Valbuena</span> is in the middle of a fine season and has the versatility to play multiple positions on the infield. He's reaching base at a .331 clip and there's definitely some pop in the bat.</p>
<p>Another guy that could make sense is Emilio Bonifacio. He's currently on the disabled list, but is nearing his return from a strained oblique. In this instance, though, the A's would certainly like to see him prove he's healthy before making a move.</p>
<p>A move involving Milone for a second baseman would certainly indicate more of that win-now attitude that Oakland flashed with the Samardzija/Hammel/<span>Addison Russell</span> trade. However, this time it would likely have to be the Cubs parting with a prospect, as Valbuena or really any Cubs starter not named <span>Starlin Castro</span> or <span>Anthony Rizzo</span> wouldn't be enough for a high-upside pitcher with multiple years of control left, like Milone. The Cubs may have to part with some of their second tier prospects from a very good farm system.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, it's tough to see the A's really going out and honoring this request from Tommy Milone. He's the sixth starter on a very, very good baseball team. If he's not up before September, he'll likely see his name called a couple times when rosters expand to get the starters a bit of a rest heading into the postseason. Perhaps even a spot in the bullpen come playoff time if long relief becomes necessary.</p>
<p>If the A's do choose to explore a move of Milone, though, the Cubs make plenty of sense. They have a second baseman that would be a good fit with Oakland, in the form of Luis Valbuena, they have some young prospect depth to offer, and they have a desire for young, cost controlled pitching.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Here's the link to today's <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanduel.com%2Fleague%2Fmlb-squeeze%3Ft%3DSBN_MLBATHLETICS&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.athleticsnation.com%2F2014%2F7%2F22%2F5924589%2Fathletic-cubs-tommy-milone-trade-rumors" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">FanDuel fantasy baseball competition</a>. Give it a try today if you haven't already!</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/22/5924589/athletic-cubs-tommy-milone-trade-rumorsRandy_Holt2014-07-21T15:24:03-07:002014-07-21T15:24:03-07:00Tommy Milone requests trade
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<figcaption>Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p><a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oakland Athletics</a> left-handed pitcher <span>Tommy Milone</span> has <a href="http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/following-demotion-tommy-milone-wants-a-s-to-trade-him-072114">requested a trade, according to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal</a>.</p>
<p>Milone, 27, was optioned to the Sacramento River Cats on July 5 following the trade that brought <span>Jeff Samardzija</span> and <span>Jason Hammel</span> to the Athletics from the Chicao <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cubs</a>. Milone was 6-3, with a 3.55 ERA in 16 starts. In his 11 starts prior to his demotion, Milone was 6-0 with 2.62 ERA.</p>
<p>San Francisco Chronicle Athletics beat writer Susan Slusser believes this is out of character for Milone, but does not dispute the reporting from Rosenthal:</p>
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<p>That doesn't sound like Tommy Milone to me at all, maybe more an agent thing. But <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal">@Ken_Rosenthal</a> is among the best, so someone's saying it.</p>
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="https://twitter.com/susanslusser/statuses/491333914850381824">July 21, 2014</a>
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<p>Sounds as if <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal">@Ken_Rosenthal</a>'s report re: Tommy Milone requesting trade is accurate, but I'm not sure it will prompt <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Athletics?src=hash">#Athletics</a> to deal him.</p>
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="https://twitter.com/susanslusser/statuses/491338920689291264">July 21, 2014</a>
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<p>As <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/5/5873421/athletics-option-pitcher-tommy-milone-to-triple-a-jeff-samardzija/in/5636106#243801464">this author noted</a> on the day Milone was optioned to Sacramento, the decision to option him would have the serendipitous effect of delaying his eligibility for free agency an additional year (to after 2018) if he remained on optional assignment for at least 30 days. If there is a rotation happy to have him, a trade would make Milone more likely eligible for free agency after 2017. Beyond the current option year, Milone has one additional option year remaining; such flexibility can only enhance his trade value.</p>
<p>Milone <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2013/8/28/4669156/anderson-returns-milone-optioned">was optioned to the Stockton Ports for a brief period </a>on August 28, 2013, when <span>Brett Anderson</span> was activated from the 60-day disabled list for the purpose of allowing his re-activation during September call-ups without waiting the mandatory minimum 10 days, as the Ports season was coming to a close prior to the 10-day waiting period.</p>
<p>Between August 3 and August 17, 2013, Milone was on optional assignment with the Sacramento River Cats, the A's electing to recall <span>Evan Scribner</span> for that period. <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2013/8/17/4632302/colon-to-the-dl-anderson-maybe-returning-to-rotation">Milone was recalled</a> after <span>Bartolo Colon</span> was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a groin strain.</p>
<p>In <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/athletics/2014/07/21/tommy-milone-wouldnt-be-adverse-to-trade-from-as/">a text message to Slusser reported on the Chronicle's Drumbeat blog</a>, Milone said, "I don't have any comments on the issue at this time. Any talks about my future with the A's are between the club, my representatives and myself."</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/21/5924433/tommy-milone-requests-trade-athletics-mlb-trade-rumorsJeremy F. Koo2014-07-17T11:47:15-07:002014-07-17T11:47:15-07:00Brad Mills claimed by Jays; SP depth still good
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<img alt="2000000% profit, right there." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ecx3g-HcEkdFg1nFkwMiS-6dZ0o=/53x0:3945x2595/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/35735950/451581906.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>2000000% profit, right there. | Leon Halip</figcaption>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Athletics/status/489842069645438976">claimed left-handed starting pitcher</a> <span>Brad Mills</span> from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Oakland Athletics</a> today. Mills, 29, was <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/7/5878525/athletics-dfa-brad-mills-jason-hammel-claim-kenny-wilson">designated for assignment on July 8 </a>after <span>Jason Hammel</span> reported to the Athletics.</p>
<p>Mills made three starts for the Athletics after arriving in a trade from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Milwaukee Brewers</a> in exchange for one dollar. MLB's waiver fee is $20,000, so the A's made a tidy profit there. In his starts for Oakland, Mills was 1-1 in 16⅓ innings pitched, allowing eight earned runs, walking seven, and striking out 14. At the time of his arrival in Oakland, Mills was the Pacific Coast League's ERA leader.</p>
<p>While the loss of Mills is disappointing, the arrivals of <span>Jeff Samardzija</span> and Jason Hammel, as well as the return of <span>Drew Pomeranz</span> to full health, gives the A's significant depth at starting pitcher down to Sacramento:</p>
<ol>
<li><span><span>Scott Kazmir</span></span></li>
<li><span><span>Sonny Gray</span></span></li>
<li><span>Jeff Samardzija</span></li>
<li><span>Jason Hammel</span></li>
<li><span><span>Jesse Chavez</span></span></li>
<li><span><span>Tommy Milone</span> (Sacramento)</span></li>
<li><span>Drew Pomeranz (Sacramento)</span></li>
<li><span><span>Arnold Leon</span> (Sacramento)</span></li>
<li><span><strike><span>Josh Lindblom</span> (Sacramento) (minor league disabled list)</strike></span></li>
</ol>
<p>Arnold Leon, 25, was on the active roster as the 26th man for the May 7 doubleheader against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Seattle Mariners</a>, but did not appear. With the Sacramento River Cats, he is 9-3 with a 4.47 ERA in 96⅔ innings, striking out 80 and walking 32.</p>
<p>Josh Lindblom, 27, made a spot start as the 26th man for the A's April 2 doubleheader against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Cleveland Indians</a>, going 4⅔ innings, striking out two and walking two while giving up two earned runs. With the River Cats, Lindblom is 4-3 with a 5.86 ERA in 83 innings, striking out 59 and walking 26.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/17/5913129/athletics-brad-mills-claimed-by-toronto-blue-jays-mlb-hot-stoveJeremy F. Koo2014-07-09T16:40:28-07:002014-07-09T16:40:28-07:00Let's talk about Jason Hammel
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<figcaption>Hammel will seek to pitch his way out of Jeff Samardzija's shadow. | Greg Fiume</figcaption>
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<p>So everybody's talking about Jeff Samardzija. What about his rotation-mate we also acquired, Jason Hammel? </p> <p>Most of us have heard a lot about <span>Jeff Samardzija</span> in recent days. (And for good reason! He's great. I even wrote a <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/6/5873065/athletics-debut-jeff-samardzija/in/5636106" target="_blank">fanboy post</a> introducing him to Oakland fans.)</p>
<p>But ... but ... but ...</p>
<p>There's this other guy who was acquired in the same deal. His name is <b>Jason Hammel</b>, and he's making his debut tonight (Wed. July 9) at AT&T Park.</p>
<p>Last weekend, Bleed Cubbie Blue's Al Yellon wrote a full-blown <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/5/5873509/athletics-cubs-trade-jeff-samardzija-jason-hammel-al-yellon-bleed-cubbie-blue" target="_blank"><i>in memoriam</i> of Jeff Samardzija</a> for us, tracing his history with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> organization and his local connection to their fans.</p>
<p>Of Jason Hammel he wrote:</p>
<p>"Y<span>ou likely know almost as much about him as I do.</span>"</p>
<p>He went on to give us a brief summary of what he's done for the Cubs during his three-month tenure.</p>
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<p>"<span>He seems past whatever injuries have ruined previous seasons and he is having by far the best year of his career. One of the things he's done best this year is not walk people -- just 23 walks in 108⅔ innings, for a total WHIP of 1.021, which is eighth-best in the major leagues (and would rank fourth in the American League behind Chris Sale, Felix Hernandez and Masahiro Tanaka, pretty good company)."</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Hammel is destined to be the overlooked piece in this deal, and someone needed to do some digging, and that someone was me. Here's what I found.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>If you had to slap a hashtag on <span>Jason Hammel's</span> career it would have to be #evolution, or maybe #reinvention. I'm not writing a self-help column here, so suffice it to say that Hammel's career resembles a Bedouin mercenary roaming distant lands in search of work -- he's played for five teams in eight years now. The results have been mixed, but his successes outweigh his failures, especially in recent years. He's a much better pitcher than his career 4.62 ERA suggests.</p>
<p>In high school, he was the definition of a late-bloomer. He played JV baseball well into his junior year of HS, and when he showed up to Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, OR as a freshman -- he grew up in Washington state -- he was a self-admitted <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/feb/26/jason-hammel-145the-best-is-yet-to-come/#axzz2IrbgKN4F">"beanpole," who couldn't bench 135 lbs</a> and collected legos (which he still does).</p>
<p>Despite having an ERA over 5.00, he was drafted out TVCC in the 10th round by the Devil <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Rays</a> (his third time being drafted). In his first year, he struggled at Rookie-ball and Low-A, posting a cumulative 1-5 record with 4.74 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and a 43/14 strikeout-walk ratio. He wasn't handing out free passes, but his below-average strikeout-rate and 12.3 hits allowed per nine didn't scream "prospect!"</p>
<p>2004 was Hammel's minor league breakout. He posted a 2.66 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 166 innings between Single-A and High-A. He continued limiting walks, but his strikeout rate increased from 6.26 per nine to 8.3. He extended his success into the 2005 season, logging 136 innings of 3.24 ERA, 1.27 WHIP ball with nearly identical strikeout and walk rates as the year before -- except at Double-A and Triple-A. This campaign was promising enough to land him on Baseball America's Top-100 prospect list (No. 79 heading into 2006) for the first time.</p>
<p>In 2006, Hammel reached the majors with the Devil Rays, but the sheen he carried as a prospect quickly wore thin. In his three years shuttling between Tampa and Durham -- home of the Triple-A Durham Bulls -- he was ... underwhelming.</p>
<p>His final line with the Rays:</p>
<p> </p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="41">
<p>W-L</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
<p>GS</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="59">
<p>IP</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="61">
<p>ERA</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>FIP</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>H/9</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>HR/9</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>SO/9</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>BB/9</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="41">
<p>7-15</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="36">
<p>28</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="59">
<p>207 1/3</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="61">
<p>5.90</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>5.17</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>10.6</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>1.3</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>6.1</p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="49">
<p>4.2</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p>The calendar year turned to 2009, and Andrew Friedman and the newly-named Rays decided to trade their "broken" prospect for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a>' Aneury Rodriguez -- who now plays in Korea. Hammel eventually earned a spot in the Rockies' starting rotation -- they started him in the bullpen -- and in spite of recording ERA's over 4.00 in 2009 and 2010, he was worth 3.7 and 3.8 fWAR. He learned to limit the long-ball and nearly cut his walk-rate in half, not dissimilar from the step-forward he'd made in the minors. After the two solid performances, the Rockies decided to buy-out his first two arbitration years for $7.75 million.</p>
<p>In 2011, he morphed back into the guy the Rays shipped out for a single scrap. He lost the gains he'd made in terms of strikeouts and walks, and the gopher-balls resurfaced too. He was demoted to the bullpen again and traded to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a> as part of a package for Jeremy Guthrie. His "stuff" appeared the same, but the command he'd displayed in years past escaped him.</p>
<p>Fast forward to 2012 and Jason Hammel transformed himself into a pitcher no one had seen before. Specifically, he began leaning on his sinker more often than his four-seam fastball -- he went from using it 1.96 percent of the time in 2011 to 31.32 percent in 2012. (Also of note, sinkers don't sink in Colorado.) The other change he made was increasing his use of his best off-speed pitch, the slider. He increased its usage from 17.47 percent to 22.43.</p>
<p>These changes, coupled with an uptick in velocity, were the recipe for his major league breakout -- he was worth 2.6 fWAR in just 118 innings in 2012. He almost made the all-star team (lost the Final Vote), posted his first sub-4.00 ERA (3.43), threw his only career shutout (he one-hit the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a>), and started Games 1 and 5 of the ALDS. As mentioned above, his fantastic year was cut short. A knee injury that required surgery kept him sidelined for most of the second half.</p>
<p>He was named Baltimore's Opening Day starter heading into 2013. He disappointed in a major way, however, posting a well-deserved 4.97 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, giving back the gains he'd seemingly made the year before. He once again missed significant time due to injury (a strained elbow this time) and failed to reestablish any sort of value he had heading into free agency this past off-season. He settled with a one-year $6 million dollar contract with the Cubs.</p>
<p>Enter Chris Bosio (Cubs pitching coach). Hammel began work with Bosio this spring on, yet again, a new approach. Reclamation projects are the newest business in North Chicago. Hammel's re-re-surgence is linked to the re-proliferation of his slider. Remember earlier when I said he'd increased the slider usage five percent heading into 2012? Well, in 2014, he's throwing sliders nearly one-third of the time -- a career high by more than 10 percentage points -- and getting significantly more whiffs than he ever has. Why? It's not certain, but one potential reason is that it's become more of a slurve than a true slider. The pitch has significantly more vertical movement than ever before. He's also walking fewer than two batters per nine innings, which is amazing in itself, but even more amazing when you consider how often he's throwing breaking balls.</p>
<p>So, here we are in Oakland, after Hammel's long and (nauseatingly) winding road. The A's have obviously bought into Hammel Version 3.0 ... wait, 4.0. Do you?</p>
<p>I'll leave you with this video of Justin, I mean Jason ...</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/nGDMsIbAdXI" frameborder="0"></iframe> <br id="1404947433479"></p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/9/5885009/athletics-jason-hammel-debutSpencer Silva2014-07-07T14:15:17-07:002014-07-07T14:15:17-07:00A's DFA Brad Mills, other minor moves
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<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p><span>Brad Mills</span> has been designated for assignment to make room for <span>Jason Hammel</span> on the <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Athletics</a>' active roster, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports:</p>
<blockquote data-partner="tweetdeck" class="twitter-tweet">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Athletics?src=hash">#Athletics</a> designate LHP Brad Mills for assignment. Went six innings in two of his three starts, 4.41 ERA in 16 1/3 IP overall.</p>
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/statuses/486247468435132417">July 7, 2014</a>
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<p><span>Jim Johnson</span> remains on the active roster, presumably as long reliever, and perhaps to avoid him landing with another team (like the Angels) and suddenly pitching well against the Athletics with a change of scenery.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Athletics?src=hash">#Athletics</a> hope that Mills clears waivers, they'd love to have him at Sacramento. He might have been too useful with A's to clear tho.</p>
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="https://twitter.com/susanslusser/statuses/486252026959912961">July 7, 2014</a>
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<h3>Minor transactions and suspensions</h3>
<p>Earlier today, <a href="http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140707&content_id=83503188&vkey=pr_oak&c_id=oak">Nick Buss cleared waivers</a> and was outrighted to the Sacramento River Cats. Buss was removed from the 40-man roster on Saturday to clear 40-man space for <span>Jeff Samardzija</span> and Jason Hammel.</p>
<p>The decision to designate Mills for assignment allowed the A's to<a href="http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140707&content_id=83503188&vkey=pr_oak&c_id=oak"> claim outfielder Kenny Wilson</a> off waivers today from the <a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Toronto Blue Jays</a> and option him to Sacramento. His bat is horrible but his glove is supposedly good.</p>
<p>Herschel Powell, <a href="http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140707&content_id=83514274&vkey=pr_mlb&c_id=mlb">better known as "Boog,"</a> received a "50-game suspension without pay after testing positive for an Amphetamine in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program." The outfielder had recently been promoted to the Class-A Advanced Stockton Ports, where he was batting .396/.463/.500 in 54 plate appearances.</p>
<p>Finally, the Athletics traded international slot 57 (valued at $339,000) to the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Milwaukee Brewers</a> for Rodolfo Fernandez. Google tells me that Fernandez is a shooting guard/small forward for the Spanish professional basketball team Real Madrid Baloncesto. Further research informs that Fernandez is actually a 24-year-old Cuban right handed pitcher in his second American professional season. With the Class-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Midwest League, Fernandez sports a 2.53 ERA with 75 strikeouts and 25 walks in 92⅔ innings.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/7/5878525/athletics-dfa-brad-mills-jason-hammel-claim-kenny-wilsonJeremy F. Koo2014-07-07T06:05:12-07:002014-07-07T06:05:12-07:00Down on the farm: A's top prospects on the move
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VDeWQkF4QPEAyzoOxUD4_ftcBT8=/0x338:3492x2666/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/35279184/20131108_mjr_su5_082.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>With all the movement involving the A's top prospects this week, I'm dispensing with the stats and just getting straight to all the news. The trade of top prospects <span>Addison Russell</span> and Billy McKinney, along with Sacramento's top starter Dan Straily, has affected many other players and had ripple effects throughout the system, with more to come. Many things in the A's minor league system have still not quite settled into place since the deal. In addition to sorting out who will step into Russell's and McKinney's shoes, many members of the A's latest draft class are beginning to make their mark as well. And one of the team's top draft picks from last year, LHP Dillon Overton, has also been opening some eyes in the desert as he returns from Tommy John surgery. You can keep tabs on all the A's top prospects and minor league teams on my <a target="_blank" href="http://athleticsfarm.com/"><b><i>Athletics Farm</i></b></a><b><i> </i></b>site and get lots more details on all the latest down on the farm right here on <b><i>Athletics Nation</i></b>...</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>SACRAMENTO RIVER CATS:</b></p>
<p><b>Straily Out, Lindblom DL'd & A Bullpen In Flux </b></p>
<p>With RHP <span>Dan Straily's</span> departure in the deal with the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cubs</a>, the River Cats lost the team's best starter. In addition, RHP Josh Lindblom was added to the disabled list on Sunday. So Sacramento was forced to call on emergency starters on both Saturday and Sunday. RHP Tim Atherton was called up from Stockton to make Saturday's start, while RHP <span>Drew Granier</span> was flown in from Midland to make Sunday's start. Neither fared well. The pair combined to surrender 13 runs in just 5 combined innings of work, but both should be headed back to their previous teams as soon as LHP Tommy Milone and possibly someone else like <span>Jeff Francis</span>, <span>Brad Mills</span> or <span>Drew Pomeranz</span> are ready to go. Three other members of the River Cats rotation remain - RHPs Arnold Leon, <span>Matt Buschmann</span> and Zach Neal. Sacramento's bullpen has also been shaken up recently too. With LHP Eric O'Flaherty's elevation to Oakland and some bullpen-draining extra-innings action at Raley Field, RHP Austin House was brought up the road from Stockton. RHPs Tucker Healy and <span>Seth Frankoff</span> were also promoted from the RockHounds, while under-achieving RHPs Deryk Hooker and Jose Flores were shipped out to Midland, and LHP Jeff Urlaub recently underwent season-ending surgery for bone chips. One River Cats player who might not have expected to be affected by the Cubs trade was Sacramento outfielder <span>Nick Buss</span> but, as it turns out, he was. Buss was designated for assignment to make room on the A's 40-man roster for RHP Jeff Samardzija, leaving the River Cats with only two legitimate outfielders - <span>Shane Peterson</span> and recent arrival <span>Josh Whitaker</span>, who was promoted from Midland. Various infielders have been filling in in left field of late. But if Buss doesn't clear waivers and return, then it could possibly open the door for <span>Billy Burns</span>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>MIDLAND ROCKHOUNDS:</b></p>
<p><b>Russell's Departure Leaves Burns & Muncy as Top Prospects at Midland</b></p>
<p>The big loss for Midland this week was everyone's favorite 20-year-old shortstop, Addison Russell, leaving the team with few top prospects beyond outfielder Billy Burns and first baseman Max Muncy. With Russell's departure, <span>Dusty Coleman</span> has returned to playing shortstop every day, while Hiro Nakajima has remained as the team's primary second baseman. The question that remains though is whether or not the organization's new top shortstop prospect, <span>Daniel Robertson</span>, will be making an appearance at Midland before long. Outfielder Kent Matthes returned from the disabled list this week, while infielder <span>Miles Head</span> was removed from the RockHounds roster. Head isn't listed on any team's official roster at this point and no official announcement has been made regarding his status, but I've been told that he arrived at the A's camp in Arizona on Sunday. Midland RHP Drew Granier made his Triple-A debut for Sacramento on Sunday, but he's expected to return to the RockHounds rotation later this week, where he'll rejoin RHPs Chris Jensen, Shawn Haviland, <span>Nate Long</span> and <span>Sean Murphy</span> - who struck out 9 in 7 scoreless innings this week. And the Hounds lost two of the team's best relievers this week when RHPs Tucker Healy and Seth Frankoff were promoted to Sacramento.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>STOCKTON PORTS:</b></p>
<p><b>With McKinney Gone, Powell Steps In and Robertson Becomes Top SS Prospect</b></p>
<p>Stockton may be stocked with top prospects, but it lost one of its youngest this week when center fielder Billy McKinney was sent to the Cubs. Fortunately, the team had another hot, young center fielder in waiting, since Midwest League All-Star Game MVP Herschel "Boog" Powell had just recently joined the Ports. With McKinney's departure, Powell will step right into his spot in center field. And in his first 11 games with the Ports, Powell has already posted an impressive .396/.463/.500 slash line. Stockton shortstop Daniel Robertson is probably the biggest beneficiary of Russell's departure, as Robertson now becomes the organization's top shortstop prospect and all the talk of him having to move off of shortstop will now come to an abrupt end. And with Russell and McKinney now out of the equation, many Stockton players like Robertson, <span>Matt Olson</span>, <span>Renato Nunez</span>, Chad Pinder, <span>Bruce Maxwell</span> and Seth Streich all move up much closer to the top of the A's prospect list. Pinder was placed on the disabled list this week with a mild ankle sprain and, along with McKinney's departure, that's left the Ports playing with just 10 position players the past few days. If the A's decide to promote someone to take McKinney's spot on the Stockton roster, outfielder Jaycob Brugman has been Beloit's best hitter since Powell's promotion. The Ports pitching staff has also been a little short-handed with RHP Tim Atherton getting called up to Sacramento to make the start in place of Dan Straily and RHP Austin House also helping to flesh out the River Cats' depleted bullpen. Stockton's bullpen took another hit when <span>Jeremy Barfield</span> decided to abandon his experiment with pitching and headed to Arizona to start working on playing the outfield and swinging the bat again. RHP Andres Avila was promoted from Beloit this week to help fill out the Ports pen. RHP Seth Streich continues to be the one solid staple of the Ports pitching staff, while RHP Jake Sanchez has looked good in his first few starts with Stockton, and RHP Yeiper Castillo hasn't.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>BELOIT SNAPPERS:</b></p>
<p><b>Brugman Beloit's Best Bat as Snappers Snap 10-Game Losing Streak</b></p>
<p>With <span>Billy McKinney's</span> departure from the organization, outfielder Jaycob Brugman, who's been Beloit's best hitter since Herschel Powell's promotion, could be poised to benefit from an opening in Stockton's outfield. Unfortunately, B.J. Boyd so far has not been playing up to par for Beloit. And 1<sup>st</sup>-round draft pick Matt Chapman has posted a .205/.271/.318 slash line in his first 12 games in the Midwest League. The Snappers lost one of their best relievers this week when RHP Andres Avila was promoted to Stockton. But the team did get some fresh bullpen additions when RHP Bobby Wahl and LHP Matt Stalcup were shifted to the pen and 11<sup>th</sup>-round draft pick Joel Seddon and 22<sup>nd</sup>-rounder Brendan McCurry were both promoted to Beloit. RHP Dylan Covey returned from the disabled list this weekend, while the team's best starter, RHP Kyle Finnegan, has struggled a bit lately, allowing 9 runs on 16 hits over his last 10 innings. But the good news is that Beloit finally snapped a 10-game losing streak on Saturday!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS:</b></p>
<p><b>Top Draft Picks Arriving In Vermont</b><b></b></p>
<p>A number of this year's top draft picks are starting to make their mark at Vermont. RHP Daniel Gossett (#2) earned his first pro win for the Lake Monsters this week, as did RHP Corey Walter (#28), while RHP Corey Miller (#10) made his first start and RHP Koby Gauna (#20) made his first appearance for Vermont this weekend. Walter was particularly sharp, allowing just 1 baserunner in 3 scoreless innings. With their arrival, LHPs Victor Veliz and Kevin Ferreras were sent back to the warmer climes of Arizona. As for position players, 2B-3B Max Kuhn (#13) and 1B John Nogowski (#34) both joined Vermont this week, while 3B Jose Brizuela (#16) arrived the week before. Nogwoski's been the standout thus far, going 7 for 12 with a pair of walks and a pair of doubles in his first 4 games. But outfielder Justin Higley has been Vermont's big bat for most of the season, posting a .291/.340/.581 slash line in 23 games for the Lake Monsters.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>AZL A'S:</b></p>
<p><b>Overton Opening Eyes In Return From Tommy John Surgery </b><b></b></p>
<p>The big star this week in Arizona was the A's 2<sup>nd</sup>-round draft pick in 2013, LHP Dillon Overton, who seems to be making a successful recovery from Tommy John surgery. Overton allowed just 1 hit while walking none and striking out 8 over 3 innings of work on Sunday, and he's yet to issue a walk while striking out 17 in his first 9 innings back on the bump in Arizona. The 6-foot-2 left-hander has been throwing all his pitches, with a particularly impressive changeup, while his fastball has touched 90 mph on the gun. The other pitching standout has been 17-year old Venezuelan RHP Jesus Zambrano, who has now struck out 23 while walking just 4 over 21 innings. Also of note, this year's 29<sup>th</sup>-round draft pick, LHP Cody Stull, has allowed just 3 hits while striking out 13 in 7 innings of work. Korean catcher Seongmin Kim continues to be the team's top hitter, putting up a .476/.593/.905 slash line in the early going, while 18-year-old Puerto Rican shortstop Edwin Diaz has continued to hit well, posting a .353/.425/.529 line. And this year's 27<sup>th</sup>-round pick, center fielder J.P. Sportman, has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 11 for 23 this week.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>You can check out my blog - <a target="_blank" href="http://athleticsfarm.com/"><b><i>Athletics Farm</i></b></a> - for updates on the A's minor league teams and all the top prospects down on the farm.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/7/5876819/down-on-the-farm-as-top-prospects-on-the-moveBill Moriarity A's Farm2014-07-06T18:08:19-07:002014-07-06T18:08:19-07:00Jason Hammel reports Monday: who's gone?
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<figcaption>Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>On Monday, the <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oakland Athletics</a> will need to make one last 25-man roster move when <span>Jason Hammel</span> formally reports to the club ahead of his likely Wednesday debut at AT&T Park against the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Francisco Giants</a>. On Saturday, the A's made the difficult and perhaps only temporary choice to option <span>Tommy Milone</span> to Sacramento. Monday's move will have far greater ramifications for one member of the bullpen, each of which are out of options: <span>Brad Mills</span> or Jim Johnson.</p>
<h3>Brad Mills</h3>
<p>The acquisitions of <span>Jeff Samardzija</span> and Jason Hammel push both Tommy Milone and Brad Mills out of the starting rotation. What is Mills' role going forward?</p>
<h4>Mills so far</h4>
<p>Brad Mills, "Buck", "Dolla Dolla", "Dollar General", or whatever you want to call him, was famously <a href="http://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/6/17/5819046/as-acquire-brad-mills-from-brewers-for-one-whole-dollar">acquired last month for one dollar</a> so that the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Milwaukee Brewers</a> would not have to spend any time processing his opt-out paperwork. I believe the transaction went something like this (from three seconds on):</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UklHiym5yvk?t=3s" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>The Pacific Coast League's 2014 <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/leader.cgi?type=pitch&id=1b5c335f#league_pitching::9">ERA leader amongst pitchers with at least 75 innings pitched</a> was acquired as a replacement on June 17 for <span>Drew Pomeranz</span> after he incurred a boxer's fracture on his non-pitching hand punching a wooden chair after a bad start against the <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Texas Rangers</a> on June 16.</p>
<p>Mills has made three starts. His first line looks so-so: 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 4 SO, 0 HR, 1 HBP. However, it can be written off as excitement over being given a chance in the major leagues after not appearing there at all in 2013, even giving Japan's Orix Buffaloes a try last October before signing his opt-out deal with the Brewers.</p>
<p>His second start went much better against the <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mets</a> on June 25, though he was still rather hard hit. After tossing six innings of scoreless at'em balls, Mills gave up a one-out three-run home run to <span>Lucas Duda</span> to end his day. He ended up credited with the victory ultimately, and did not walk a batter.</p>
<p>Brad Mills showed major improvement in his third start for the Green and Gold. July 1 against the <a href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Tigers</a>, Mills struck out six though walked three and gave up three runs over six innings. Mills took the loss against Rick Porcello's second consecutive shutout. In his final inning, he conceded a two-run home run to <span>J.D. Martinez</span>.</p>
<h4>Mills going forward</h4>
<p>Brad Mills could remain on the roster in the long relief role recently vacated by <span>Jeff Francis</span>, who was designated for assignment to make room for reliever Eric O'Flaherty. It's a small sample to be sure, but Mills' entire MLB career has been a small sample size. Before joining the A's he had only 53⅓ innings at the Major League level, good for a 7.76 ERA and a 5.50 FIP scattered over four seasons. He has been creditable in his starts, and the main damage has come at the end of his starts. It seems he's ideal to mop-up for four or five innings or make emergency starts (think <span>Yusmeiro Petit</span> if you want a comp).</p>
<p>Another thing going for Mills is that his PCL performance this year is quite interesting. I don't know if he has figured something out but he might be another <span>Jesse Chavez</span>-type project player, someone that could blossom with enough Curt Young magic and time to mature in pitch selection and placement. He started the year with just 95 days of service time, and could be under team control through 2019 if the A's will have him.</p>
<h3>Jim Johnson</h3>
<p>Jim Johnson has shown signs of life at times, but it has been apparent for a long time that he has been the last "short reliever" in the bullpen. His only high leverage appearances since failing to record an out in his final chance to regain the closer role on May 12 have been born of necessity: He has either been the last man out of the bullpen in extra innings (vs. Miami on June 28) or the first man out of the bullpen when the pitcher performs adequately in a short outing (vs. Boston on June 20 in Brad Mills' Oakland debut).</p>
<p>Johnson was serving as the temporary mop-up man once Jeff Francis was designated for assignment, but he appears to be ill-suited for the role. He could not get through his third inning of relief against the <a href="https://www.fishstripes.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Marlins</a>, forcing Francis to enter to collect his first career save. The 45-pitch effort was a career-long relief effort for him.</p>
<h3>Who to designate for assignment?</h3>
<p><span>Jim Johnson's</span> salary is gone, over, finished, don't even think of it. There are too many better short relief pitchers in the current bullpen for Jim Johnson to have any place on this team. Even if he stays, he's only here for the rest of the year.</p>
<p>Mills, on the other hand, has the potential to be a lot of things. He might be terrible, in which case Drew Pomeranz is back as long reliever. He might be a diamond-in-the-rough starting rotation depth that makes him another Jesse Chavez story that the A's get to keep around until 2019.</p>
<p>Between those two, the answer is clear. Absent a decision to go with an eight-man pen (and I suppose optioning <span>Eric Sogard</span>), Jim Johnson's last day in an Oakland uniform was Sunday.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2014/7/6/5875067/jason-hammel-reports-monday-end-for-jim-johnson-brad-millsJeremy F. Koo