Oakland's Chavez in line for big deal

The Associated Press

 

Thursday, March 18, 2004

 

Eric Chavez had a big afternoon at the plate, a day ahead of his big day at the bank.

 

Chavez hit a two-run homer and Erubiel Durazo drove in three runs with two doubles in the Oakland Athletics' 10-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in Phoenix.

 

Chavez, the A's Gold Glove third baseman, is expected to finalize a contract extension -- thought to be worth $66 million over six years -- today. His long homer to right off Shingo Takatsu was his best hit yet in a slow spring.

 

Chavez had 29 homers and 101 RBIs last season -- his fourth straight year with at least 25 homers. Though Chavez wasn't available for comment and the A's wouldn't say anything official, the team plans to make what it says is an important announcement today.

 

In Surprise, Ariz., the Rangers' Chan Ho Park said he hasn't felt this healthy since he pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers three years ago.

 

"I'm kind of afraid to say how good I am feeling," he said after giving up three earned runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings for Texas in a "B" game.

Hes now a top 10 player in the league. A's make the right decision if they sign him LONG term.

There are more efficient ways the oakland As can distribute resources. With Koskie, a good on base guy, hitting the market and a general need for hitting (and a new outfielder) next year, and being a small market team, it is imperative to improve offense without wasting 11 million a year on a guy with a .350 OBP. He had an .864 ops last year while koskie had a .854 ops, .394 of it being obp. oakland has one of the worse OBPs in the majors.

 

I would rather get a guy like koskie for half the price and then invest money into one more big bat. Chavez is good, but for a small market team, his mediocre OBP makes him expendable.

In Surprise, Ariz., the Rangers' Chan Ho Park said he hasn't felt this healthy since he pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers three years ago.

 

"I'm kind of afraid to say how good I am feeling," he said after giving up three earned runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings for Texas in a "B" game.

Good to see Chan Ho is healthy, too bad he still sucks.

 

 

As for Chavez, the A's need to re-sign him. I'm sure their fans are tired of seeing all their guys leave town, even if they did bring in Koskie to replace him, which they wouldn't. Oakland can't keep letting their guys walk and expect their fans to keep coming (those that actually do anyway).

However, it is an expensive blunder a team like oakland cannot afford. They should of kept giambi at all cost with his OBP, not Chavez.

 

Furthermore Koskie's career OPS is .836, he's a slick fielder like Chavez, but with a career .379 obp. Chavez's career OPS is .848 with a career .346 obp. Essentially they are not very different players, but one helps answer the team's obp problem and is 50% cheaper if not possibly more. I cannot remember who the 2005 fA list is, but saving about 6 million and paying another 4 can get you a pretty damn good bat, better than Chavez.

Good to see the A's finally spending some money to keep players. Now if they only paid Tejada...

However, it is an expensive blunder a team like oakland cannot afford. They should of kept giambi at all cost with his OBP, not Chavez.

 

Furthermore Koskie's career OPS is .836, he's a slick fielder like Chavez, but with a career .379 obp. Chavez's career OPS is .848 with a career .346 obp. Essentially they are not very different players, but one helps answer the team's obp problem and is 50% cheaper if not possibly more. I cannot remember who the 2005 fA list is, but saving about 6 million and paying another 4 can get you a pretty damn good bat, better than Chavez.

I'd trade the 14 more walks Koskie gets for the 14 more home runs Chavez hits.

What good are counting stats?

 

Their OPS are EXTREMELY similar.

 

Chavez misses 20 games and Koskie plays 20 more the differences are less clear.

However, it is an expensive blunder a team like oakland cannot afford. They should of kept giambi at all cost with his OBP, not Chavez.

 

Furthermore Koskie's career OPS is .836, he's a slick fielder like Chavez, but with a career .379 obp. Chavez's career OPS is .848 with a career .346 obp. Essentially they are not very different players, but one helps answer the team's obp problem and is 50% cheaper if not possibly more. I cannot remember who the 2005 fA list is, but saving about 6 million and paying another 4 can get you a pretty damn good bat, better than Chavez.

blah blah blah , blah blah blah blah .... blah blah.

 

 

good move A's ... i loves me some Chavez.

It's not such a good move if your team will have the worse offense in your division and poor allocation of funds makes it impossible to retain your big 3 when they come looking for big contracts.

 

Guys, Chavez is good, but he's definitely not remarkably better than Koskie, end of story.

I agree with Soriano. They should have tried to keep Tejeda instead of Chavez.

Never realized Chavez was worth that much

good signing

 

just not for 11 million a year

I agree with Soriano. They should have tried to keep Tejeda instead of Chavez.

Well, I'm a huge Tejada hater. He's pretty good, just not awesome. Oakland should of at all costs kept giambi, even if ti meant a no trade clause. Oakland fans should stop crying about losing their stars, all that matters is making the postseason. As a fan, I iwsh for my team to get better (within reason) and signing chavez for 11 million is too much.

I agree with Soriano. They should have tried to keep Tejeda instead of Chavez.

Well, I'm a huge Tejada hater. He's pretty good, just not awesome. Oakland should of at all costs kept giambi, even if ti meant a no trade clause. Oakland fans should stop crying about losing their stars, all that matters is making the postseason. As a fan, I iwsh for my team to get better (within reason) and signing chavez for 11 million is too much. i agree, tejada is overrated. chavez is a safer investment if you ask me. all they need to do is keep the big 3 together and a managable offense (like the marlins..... hehehe) and i think they will eventually stop choking in the playoffs

eventually can become a very long time

 

in 1910, they said the cubs would eventually win a world series

Oakland has had a drought without a World Series Championship. 1989 was the last time they won. Since then four teams have joined baseball and two of those teams have won a combined 3 world series championships.

trivia question!!!! that would be the marlins (twice) and the diamondbacks.........

 

thankyou thankyou

Beane thinks Chavez is going to be the next alex rodriguez or something. I don't see that happening.

Chavez's semi-no-trade clause requires his consent to be traded to the Florida Marlins (among 7 other teams)...

 

I take that offensively for some reason.

I agree with Soriano. They should have tried to keep Tejeda instead of Chavez.

Well, I'm a huge Tejada hater. He's pretty good, just not awesome. Oakland should of at all costs kept giambi, even if ti meant a no trade clause. Oakland fans should stop crying about losing their stars, all that matters is making the postseason. As a fan, I iwsh for my team to get better (within reason) and signing chavez for 11 million is too much. i agree, tejada is overrated. chavez is a safer investment if you ask me. all they need to do is keep the big 3 together and a managable offense (like the marlins..... hehehe) and i think they will eventually stop choking in the playoffs I agree. Chavez is a much better investment than Tejada. Chavez is making $11 million a year to Tejada's $12 million a year for the same amount of years, and he is a better player. He posted an .864 OPS last season and holds a career OPS of .848, while Tejada posted an .807 OPS last season and has a career .791 mark. I personally think Tejada is the most overrated player in baseball. I don't think his production is even worth $9 million a year.

Tejada's horrible obp and postseason hijinx definitely didn't warrant a 12 million a year contract. the orioles were bidding against themselves.

I never really understood his deal with the Orioles either....

 

12 million a year for 30 HRs and a BA less than .300, correct?

 

I guess that is hard to find out of a SS though...

He doesn't bat .300 though and his obp stinks.

This is a great signing for a few reasons:

 

(1)

"Hudson was one A's player who said that they needed to resign Chavez, or he wouldn't even think about coming back. As much as they needed to let the fans know they could keep home grown talent every so often, they also needed to let other players know too."

 

I believe Hudson is the most valuable of the "Big 3" with Mulder coming in second. Zito is as good as gone with Harden/Blanton replacing him.

 

(2)

The A's needed to prove to their fanbase that they are willing to sign at least some of their fan favorite/elite players. The move also helps them in signing the "Big 3" as I said above

 

(3)

Proven healthy guy that is a glod glove 3rd bagger.

 

(4) Hes only 26 and couold possibly/probably get even better with the bat. You have him signed through all his "prime" years.

 

(5)

As far as wasting this money on a position player, who are more reliable when it comes to injuries and production, is not correct. Chavez is a much better bet to be productive than Mulder, Zito, Hudson.

 

(6)

The fact that he recieved less than Tejeda makes it a good deal alone.

 

 

 

Theres plenty of more reasons, but thats sufficient.