Rotation Ace Patrick Corbin, Sonny, Luzardo & the A's Playoff's Run

(Arb Projections @ MLBTRADERUMORS.com)

• $22.0 Mil x 3 yrs + 4th yr option: Patrick Corbin https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/corbipa01.shtml
  
• $4-$5 Mil: Edwin Jackson 17 starts + Daniel Mengden: 17 starts
• $9.7 Mil/1 yr: Michael Fiers. 30 starts
  
• $4-$5 Mil: Trevor Cahill 20 starts + Jesus Luzardo (23 starts @ Minors). Luzardo begins the season at AAA.
  
• $9.1 Mil/1 yr: Sonny Gray. 23 starts (See link). NYY SS Didi Gregorius is out, ...having TJ surgery. Gleyber Torres can play 2B or SS. Yanks need value back and nothing beats a 2B all star except Muchado. ...but NYY only have a 1 year need. A's 2B depth sez no better time than the present. In basketball this type of trade is referred to as a "Sign & Trade". A contract of $15 mil over 2 years is the estimated cost of his next contract. Side Note: A's have a logjam at SS/2B: Lowrie, Semien, Barreto, Pinder, AAA: Jorge Mateo, White & Martin. If we bring back Lowrie it would be very clumsy by mid-season. ...blocking 2B prospects another year. If we truly need a vet at that time they will be available. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/10/yankees-trade-rumors-shop-sonny-gray.html

DEPTH: Montas, Cotton, Blackburn, Kaprielian, Naile, Howard, Dunshee.

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When possible it pays to start the season with the bullpen you have, ...then add healthy arms as needed when the playoffs are near. Barring the occasional unexpected surprise, there are pressing needs at this time.

RETURNING RELIEVERS: Bassitt, Brooks, Buchter, Dull, Gearrin, Graveman, Hatcher, Hendriks, Kiekhefer, Lucas, Pagan, Petit, Ramirez, Treinen, Triggs, Trivino, Wendelken

• $8 mil. Familia: Wants to close, ...horrible at set up.
• $5.5 mil. Sean Kelly: Retires or robs the bank?
• $4.5 Mil. Fernando Rodney: Ineffective in tryout. Trade or buy out his option @ $0.250.
• Let all 3 go. Bringing them in late in the season cost a fraction of their full salaries.

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POSITION PLAYERS (Includes Prospects with 2019 ETA)

• C: $6.5? Lucroy, Phegley. AAA: Maxwell-l, Taylor-l, Murphy.
• 1B: Olson-l, Canha. AAA: Neuse. Re-sign Lucroy or equivalent.
  
• 2B: $15? / 2 years: Lowrie: Sign & Trade for Sonny. Barreto, Pinder. AAA: White, Mateo,
• SS: Semien, Barreto. AAA: White, Martin, Mateo
  
• 3B: Chapman, Pinder. AAA: White, Neuse,
  
• RF: Piscotty, Canha, Martini-l AAA: Boog-l, Garcia, Smolinski, Neuse, Ramirez-l,
  
• CF: Laureano, Martini-l, Canha. AAA: Fowler-l, Boog-l, White, Mateo, Ramirez-l
  
• LF: Martini-l, Canha, Pinder, Joyce-l AAA: Fowler-l, Boog-l, Garcia, Smolinski, Neuse, Ramirez-l
• DH: $18.1? Khrush, $4.0? Joyce-l, Canha. AAA: Garcia, Smolinski

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To seriously target a Starting Ace such as Patrick Corbin for the rotation the A's have to free up $20+ million for 3/4 seasons plus enhancements. An up & coming CA team is probably appealing. (Guessing)

The A's highest 2019 salary is Khrush's anticipated $18.1 from arbitration. For Khrush to reach this point without an extension implies discussions were not productive. In other words: this is looking like Khrush's last year with the A's. If that is true, this $18 mil. will do more good by adding a proven ace for a 4 year run.

If Khrush is traded, Joyce should be relatively cheap after a weak 2018. (back)

Joyce could come close to his 2017 (healthier) production of 25 HR & 68 RBIs. Leaving outfield defense to others might be preferred by Joyce at this point in his career. Canha would be excellent as a platoon with Joyce: 17 HR / 52 RBIs. (Joyce & Canha combined: 42 HRs / 120 RBIs) and Canha helps the defense.

If Canha's defense is needed more this year, the A's may have another surprise at AAA: Anthony Garcia.

Garcia has little left to prove, ...he is mashing and can defend the OF corners: https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=garcia007ant

Anthony Garcia: 25 HR, 91 RBIs

Totals: .254 / 357 / 479 / 836.

Vs LHP: 293 / 424 / 595 / 1,018.