Notes From The Nat

C’s fans that came out to The Nat in season ‘04 will remember fondly the name of Mike McGirr [seen left], who lit up the Northwest League with a season that ended with a 5-0, 0.66 record after 7 starts. 

McGirr, an 8th round draftee for the Oakland A’s from 2003, was enjoying his second spell with the Vancouver Canadians organization, having pitched decently but not outstandingly a year earlier (5-4, 4.66), but during that ‘04 season, as he chewed up hitters and won game after game, it looked like his time had come. As he moved up to Kane County, it looked for all intents and purposes as if he was headed up the ladder in leaps and bounds.

And then, like Keyser Soze… [poof!] He was gone.

Rumour had it that McGirr had an epiphany at the end of his second season, and decided that he had a better chance of making a considerable amount of money with his business degree than he did throwing fastballs.

Personally, I thought the kid was loco. But then, I’d curbstomp grandma for the chance to make the Majors.

Well, it turns out that Mike McGirr wasn’t done with baseball after all. In fact, he’s just beginning his ‘professional sports’ career.

McGrrrrrrrrr is the majority investor and CEO of Real Sports Investments, a company that pays minor leaguers an up-front cash amount (let’s say $50,000), in return for a percentage of their future Major League earnings (let’s say 5%). If the minor leaguer doesn’t make the bigs, they pocket a nice bonus. But if they do, McGirr’s company makes a nice return.

It’s an interesting concept, investing in the future of a real life professional athlete on the rise, but what’s most interesting about the business plan is, McGirr is selling shares of each athlete to folks like you and me, for $20 each.

Co-founder and Cleveland Indians AA minor league sidearm pitcher, Randy Newsom, explained the genesis of the business recently to Baseball Prospectus:

Minor leaguers can make as little as seven or eight thousand dollars ayear. Some have families to take care of, some have to take jobs rightaway once the season is over to pay bills, and many of those that are alittle better off still can?t afford some of the things that could helpthem reach the big leagues, like hiring a nutritionist or going to someof those expensive training institutes. With that in mind, I wanted tocome up with a way that players could use their own upside earningpotential to try to help their financial situation in the present andkind of lock in some of that earning potential, like insurance.

Imentioned this to my friend and former teammate, Brian Pritz, and heput me in contact with another former minor leaguer, our CEO andmajority owner Mike McGirr, who actually wrote a business plan atCornell Business School along these same lines. We started talking,used his business plan as a model, worked some things out, and launchedRSI.

Right now, if you go to http://www.realsportsinvestments.com/, you can buy a share in Newsom, which is reportedly worth 0.0016% of his RSI contract.

If he makes the majors and earns over $1.25m over his career, you’re in profit. If he earns $20m in his life, you’ll increase your stake by 1500%. If he becomes a Barry Zito-like success story, you’ll be able to send the kids to college.

And if he doesn’t make the Majors? Well, it might be worth the $20 just to have the experience of ‘owning’ an athlete.

I’m in. 

From Sports Illustrated: 

What are all of Oakland’s dollar-conscious disciples to think of theA’s this year? What’s anyone to think? The franchise that made themodern blueprint for winning on a budget has spent the winter tradingaway what few marquee players it had and stocking up on unproven,untested, largely unknown kids. That is nobody’s formula for success.

In fact, if we didn’t know any better, we’d swear that the A’s are … are … rebuilding.

"We weren’t afraid of the word," says David Forst,the team’s assistant general manager. "There’s a negative connotationto it when it’s used by fans, who think they’re going to be watching ateam without any entertainment value. But if you look at it and what itleads to, it’s really exciting.

A likely story. But could it be that this rebuilding process, like just about everything the A’s do, will be less about what everyone else does, and more about thinking outside the box?

The new course of action was charted last October, shortly after theA’s had concluded their worst season since 1998. Beane sat down withForst and others and conducted a top-to-bottom organizational review,Oakland’s first in years. A new strength coach was brought in toexamine why players were having such a huge problem with injuries. TheA’s also hired five new area scouts, adding to a staff that had becomeone of the smallest in the league, and re-sectioned the country to getbetter coverage. They increased their scouting budget in Latin Americaand elsewhere internationally, and have earmarked more money forsigning bonuses.

In case you missed it: "earmarked more money for signing bonuses."

One of the big beefs with the A’s and their drafting philosophy has long been that they don’t pick the guy they want most with their early draft picks - they pick who they can easily afford.

Personally, I’m okay with that. The difference between a $3m 1st rounder and a $1.5m first rounder can often be nothing more than 1-2mph on a fastball, or one less injury in a senior year, or a school that’s in the national spotlight. I see nothing wrong with picks like Swisher, Blanton, Suzuki, Powell, Buck, Robnett, etc etc. For the most part, they do the job well.

But then there’s the Tim Lincecum’s [left] that, once in a while, pop up, destroy the local UBC Thunderbirds for a year or two, and make you think, "hmm… an extra mill in the draft signing budget would be a nice thing about now, so he could be wearing our colours and not steamrolling them…"

More scouts. More bonus money. No more ‘injury-prone’ gambles.

Looks like the C’s don’t just get new jerseys and logo this season… we’re also going to get a new level of talent on the playing field.

There’s been a lot of stuff written, and said, (and whined) about Oakland’s recent trades of former Vancouver Canadian Nick Swisher, and former ‘afterthought’ of the Mark Mulder trade, Dan Haren.

Some thinkers are liking the deal, understanding that the worst that will come of it is one player as good as Swisher coming through in the next season or so, while the upside could mean THREE Swishers dropping into the roster by 2009. Others think it stinks, and that it’s just a continuation of the Oakland habit of trading away stars for kids, being cheapskates, and looking towards a future that will never come.

One noted blog pundit, on Elephants in Oakland, thinks Oakland boss Billy Beane "has made so many bad moves that his ‘positive’ moves are really just scabs on the A’s organization wounds he himself inflicted," reasoning that  the two trades "are a stinging rebuke of Billy Beane’s management of the OaklandAthletics Baseball Club, and if you will - the populist Moneyballtheory."

Swisher was one of several first round draft picks for the A’s in 2002.While Lewis spent much of the book explaining (not very well) varyingstatistical analysis methods the A’s purportedly eschewed - NickSwisher was the player the scouting crowd and stat heads could ‘agree’on. The definable stats and the indefinable intangibles and the toolsin-betweens were all there with Nick Swisher.

What Swisherbecame for the A’s was a loudmouth, publicity-whore and/or the face ofthe A’s franchise. Swisher was not a disappointment if you read columnsby Susan Slusser and Mychael Urban. If you look at the projectionsbased on stats and the hopes based on talent and ability - Swisher hadfailed, to date, to live up to the expectations of both the stat headand scouting communities. Swisher’s ability and talent havedeteriorated into ‘old player skills’; power, walks, low average, lackof speed. In 2007 Jack Cust clearly showed that those old player skillsare not worthy of a 1st round draft choice - they could be had,twice-over, (the A’s had Cust in Sacramento for 2005) at the minorleague level.

Now, he makes a good point that the A’s got Cust for nothing, and ended up with someone as good, if not better, than first round draft pick Swisher when they did so. That, to me, would seem to indicate that there’s value in the A’s tendency to steer clear of big money draft picks, and find replacement parts on the market when the need arises.

But Mr EiO goes on to harp on the Octavio Dotel [seen right] and Arthur Rhodes trades (which nobody will deny sucked), decry Oakland’s scouts and draft team as being incompetent, and points out the obvious - that Eric Chavez is a giant hole of suck, in trying to demonstrate that Billy Beane is a very average GM.

In my opinion, he not only cherry picks his data, but he also misses some very important points.

(more…)

First, to John: I have no idea who will be named the GM, but my best guess would have to be Andy Dunn, who is the ‘consultant’ to the team.  On the C’s staff page it doesn’t list him, even though he’s been the man running the show over the last few months.  We shall see…

Now, onto why Billy Beane has lost his mind completely. 

Today the A’s announced they’d traded fan favourite OF Nick Swisher to the White Sox for three prospects.  I’ll give Beane this - they’re top prospects but in all honesty this trade is worth nothing. 

Oakland picks up LHP Gio Gonzalez, RHP Fautino De Los Santos and OF Ryan Sweeney.

Gonzalez lead Minor League Baseball in strikeouts this season, and the former Compensation Round pick was named to the Southern League All-Star team after playing for AA Birmingham in 2007.

Fautino De Los Santos was the South Atlantic League’s (A) Most Outstanding Major League Prospect and named to the midseason and post-season All-Star team while pitching for Kannapolis.  He pitched for the World Team at this season’s Futures Game, as a MILB sophomore and went 10-5 with an ERA of 2.65 all season.  Fautino also managed to strikeout 214 batters in just over 170 innings.

The OF Sweeney was the White Sox #1 prospect going into ‘07, and has played a total of 44 games in the major leagues, combining for an average of .213, while having 17 hits in 80 at-bats.  He has hit a dinger and two doubles in that time.  In thhe minors, he’s hit .289 over five seasons, sending 33 balls out of the park, and 239 RBI.

While the three guys have impressed in the Minors, can they really help Oakland in the Majors?  Oakland is giving up Swisher, who has hit .251 in the American League (in four years), sending 80 balls out of the park which is Oakland’s franchise record for most HR’s hit by a switch-hitter.  Swisher only spent two years in the minors before making the Majors, and started his minor league career with the Canadians in ‘02.  He lasted only 13 games and went up to Visalia to close out his first pro season.

The A’s are severely relying on their prospects for ‘08, with only five veterans starting out of the whole 9-man system (forgetting the pitchers).  Mark Ellis, Bobby Crosby, Eric Chavez, Jack Cust and Mark Kotsay being the five guys, and four out of those five have had major injuries over the last two seasons.  While Oakland will be loaded in AA and AAA this season, can their prospects’ success result in major league success?  Only time will tell.
 

Numerous Vancouver Canadians alumni are getting ready for Spring Training, which starts in just over two months, by playing in the Winter Leagues, south of the border.  Here’s a round-up of where some players are.

Venezuelan League: 

Leonardo Martinez, El Gordo himself, is playing with Aguilas del Zulia, alongside fellow A’s prospect Henry Alberto Rodriguez.  In one appearance so far this year, closing out a game, Leo gave up a walk in 1/3 of an inning.  Rodriguez has pitched 33 innings, and if my Spanish (babelfish) is correct, he’s 1-3 on the hill, in 8 starts.

Carlos Arrieche and Walter Correa are listed on Aguilas’ roster but haven’t played yet.

Gregorio Petit, Brad Knox and Ben Fritz are all spending their winter in Caracas, playing for the Leones.  Javier Herrera was originally supposed to play with them, but is injured.  Drew Macias, brother of Lorenzo (2006 Canadian) is patrolling the outfield in Caracas as well.

Petit is batting .225 in 29 games, while Fritz and Knox are each doing pretty well, with Knox’ ERA at 4.24, and Fritz’ at 4.40 respectively.

Stockton catcher Raul Padron and former Athletic and current Toronto Blue Jay Marco Scutaro are also playing in Caracas.

Dominican League:

Two-time Vancouver Canadian catcher Sandy Madera (’01 and ‘02) is struggling with Azucareros del Este batting .063 in 16 at-bats. 

A bunch of ex-C’s are holding ship in Cibao, like Nelson Cruz (’02), Eduardo Sierra (2002) and Keith Eusebio (2006 and 2007).

Eusebio hasn’t set foot on the mound, but Sierra did going 0-0 with a 2.57 ERA in 7 appearances.

Cruz held a big role with his Dominican club, batting .314 with 4 dingers, 17 RBI and 5 doubles in 29 games.

It was reported by Baseball America last week that 2002 Vancouver Canadian side-armer Shawn Kohn was released by the A’s, after six years in the system, bringing him to AAA Sacramento.  The University of Washington product had good seasons as a mamber of the organization, but with all the recent minor league signings (and trades aka the Dan Haren trade), his release was only a matter of time.

Today, the Oakland Clubhouse talked to Keith Lieppman, as he explained of four more minor leaguers getting the boot. 

Trent Peterson, 2003 Canadians southpaw, was let go, after playing most his A’s career in Stockton and Midland.  He’s had an average few years, but he should be picked up by another MILB team.

Michael Rogers, a 2004 top pick in the first-year draft, will have to find a new team to work for, after a very poor couple of seasons.  He was one of the most hyped players in Vancouver back three years ago, but didn’t really show off his skills, going 1-2 with a 4.87 ERA in Canada.

That was his second lowest ERA in the organization, which gives you a good reason why he was let go.  He was a starter-turned-reliever that never really blossomed into something big.

Two years ago TJ Franco came to Vancouver (in 2005), as a closer who ended up being sent to Kane County just days later, and that was just the beginning for the 30th round pick who turned more than a few heads with the A’s.  He split his time between Kane County and Stockton after that, as a starter, but the thing that ended his Oakland stint was the 5.73 ERA in the California League. 

The final player released was Ramiro ‘The Arm’ Mendez.  Ramiro was with Arizona in 2006, before being sent up to Vancouver at the end of the year, where he blasted six home-runs in just 28 games.  He started 2007 in Vancouver, but was immediately sent to the Midwest League, after opening his season with a .600 average in three games.  He struggled with the Cougars, batting .200 in 35 games.

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The C’s are changing up their seating chart for 2008, removing the General Admission, Premium Festival and Premium Festival Reserved sections, combing them all to make a ‘Reserved Grandstand’.  Here is what Ticket Manager Jason Takefman said in response to a question about the new chart.

You are correct; every seat at The Nat will be numbered this year, ensuring
each fan will get their very own numbered seat without fear of losing it to
get up to the concession stands, bathrooms, or to walk around and stretch
their legs.

This makes the most sense for Fireworks Nights, when the stadium is full and if you leave your seat, it’ll be gone by the time you get back.  The Box Seats will remain the same, as will the Service Master Diamondclub sections. 

The Arizona Diamondbacks made a pair of huge deals Friday, sending closing sensation Jose Valverde to Houston for Chad Qualls, Juan Gutierrez and former playoff hero Chris Burke, while also acquiring Dan Haren and Connor Robertson from Oakland, giving up six prospects.

Yes, the one-game Vancouver Canadian Robertson is on his way out from Oakland after making his MLB debut this season, with the All-Star pitcher Haren.  Oakland picks up pitchers Brett Anderson, Greg Smith, Dana Eveland and positional players Carlos Gonzalez (OF), Aaron Cunningham (OF) and Chris Carter (1B).

After being named Midwest mid-season all-star, LHP Brett Anderson was added to the Baseball America Low Class A All-Star team this off-season, complimenting his combined 11-7 win-loss record from stints in the Midwest League and Visalia of the California League.  He had a 3.07 ERA, as well as striking out over a batter an inning in 23 games as a starter.  The best part?  He turns 20 in early 2008.

If Oakland had acquired LHP Greg Smith last off-season, I’d be ecstatic.  Really, I would.  But now?  It seems like a case of turn-around now, more than prospect for the soon-to-be 24 year old. His Senior Year of University he was 9-0 with a 0.12 ERA, and struck out a Louisiana state record 20 batters in one game.

In his first professional season (all-be-it in short-season), he was named to the Pioneer League All-Star team, in addition to being the league’s pitcher of the year.  He was also named to the Baseball America Rookie All-Star team after that 2005 season.

He moved to the California league in 2006, and was a Post-Season All-Star in that Single-A league, plus he was a High Class A All-Star, per Baseball America.  Why was he so good?  Try going 9-0 with a 1.63 ERA in 13 games, with two comploete game shutouts, allowing just 16 earned runs in 88 innings.  Want the short form?  He was dominant.

This year he was a combined 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA between AA and AAA in the Diamondbacks organization.  He spent this fall in the Winter League with Scottsdale where he went 2-2 to go along with his 2.61 ERA in six appearances.  Still, he’s a good pick-up.

The final pitcher picked up in the trade was Dana Eveland, a 24-year-old currently pitching in the Mexican Winter League.  He stands at 6′1, 240 throwing as a southpaw, where he has a 2.33 ERA for Aguilas de Mexicali, in addition to his 3-1 win-loss-record.  He was 1-0, 1.65 in 9 games (7 started) in the minors this season (between Visalia and Tucson), but when he reached the majors he struggled, allowing 8 earned runs in five innings, despite picking up a win.

The Washington State native is no rookie to the majors, having played 9 times in 2006, going 0-3 with a 8.13 ERA.  He should start the year in Sacramento or Midland.

Moving onto the position players, Carlos Gonzalez is a good person to start with.  Once considered the next top prospect for Arizona, he is an outfielder who has more than a dozen accolades to go with his career.  This off-season in Venezuela, he batted .266 with 11 extra-base hits including two dingers.  In exactly 500 at-bats this season between AA Mobile and AAA Tucson, he had 144 hits, 38 doubles, 3 triples and 17 home-runs.  Maybe not the next Tori Hunter or Ichiro Suzuki, Gonzalez will probably be the next Nick Swisher, to an effect.

1B Chris Carter comes from California, and is what one might describe as a power-hitter.  He was sent from the White Sox to Arizona last week, and is now becoming a member of the A’s organization.  He batted .291 in almost 500 AB’s, sending 25 balls out of the park, and picking up an OPS of over .900.  He was named a Low Class A All-Star this year, and will probably open up 2008 in Stockton or Midland.

The final prospect picked up in the trade is Aaron Cunningham, an outfielder who is 21 and 5′11, 195 pounds.  Between three teams within Arizona’s minor league system this year, he batted .308 with 16 home-runs, 10 triples and 31 doubles, striking out just 89 times.  Cunningham was a teammate of Andre Piper-Jordan at Everett CC, and the Anchorage, Alaska native could be the outfielder of the future.  A well-rounded player, Aaron batted .282 with Scottsdale in the AFL this year, sending two balls out of the park. 

(Nat Bailey Stadium ? Vancouver, B.C.) ? The Vancouver Canadians are proud to announce that Manager Rick Magnante, Pitching Coach Craig Lefferts and Trainer Travis Tims have been assigned to Vancouver (A) for the 2008 Northwest League baseball season.

 Rick Magnante returns for his 3^rd season as Manager of the Canadians compiling a record of 76-75 (.503) guiding Vancouver to 2^ndin the NWL?s Western Division in 2007.  Rick is one win away frombecoming the Canadians Short-Season winningest coach as his 76 wins asManager trail Dennis Rogers 77 (2003-04).  This winter, Rick traveledto Taiwanas Manager of the South African National Team for the 2007 WorldBaseball Championships, and remains active with the South Africanprogram trying to develop their program.  Rick resides in Van Nuys, CA and has been with the Oakland Athletics organizations since 1997 both as a Manager and as a area scout.

Craig Leffertsmakes a triumphant return to Nat Bailey Stadium after missing theentire 2007 season due to health concerns.  Craig?s health is muchimproved and will now focus his efforts on helping Vancouver?spitching staff this coming season.  A major league career that spanned11 seasons, Lefferts pitched in 696 games over his career, placing him87^th all-time in MLB appearances.  ?Lefty? as Craig is knownaround the ballpark also has pitched in two World Series (84-Detroit,88-San Francisco) as well as a career 72-45 record with 101 saves. Craig resides in Arizona; this will be Craig?s 4^th season in Vancouver.

Travis Tims takes over the trainers room for Nate Brooks who this season takes over in Kane County (A).  Tims is a graduate of Western Kentucky University graduating with a B.A. in Sports Medicine.

The release from the Canadians goes on to mention how a hitting coach has not been announced as of today, but the name will be released as soon as it is official.

After talking with Rick Magnante at season’s end, he wanted to come back, and he will after all.  As for Lefferts, this is tremendous news.  After sitting out last season he is back in Vancouver for the 4th time, and of course having him as a coach is motivation enough for the players - considering his baseball past.

Jimmy Escalante is heading to where he was originally going last season, the Arizona A’s where he’ll be their pitching coach.  Fan favourite Benny Winslow - former player and hitting coach - will remain in Kane County after a good start in the Midwest League in 2007.

Just a few days over six months until the Canadians open the season, buy your tickets now!

So the biggest news in baseball, potentially since the Sosa/McGwire homerun record chase (possibly even since the Pete Rose betting scandal) has hit the headlines, and the damage to the game is likely to be massive.

The Mitchell Report, a 20-month investigation on the topic of drugs in baseball, has been released, and the list of names and evidence that it contains is damning.

Read through the report and you’ll find mentions of Roger Clemens, Chuck Knoblauch, Andy Pettitte, Sammy Sosa, David Justice, Paul LoDuca, David Segui, Rondell White, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Jose Guillen, Glenallen Hill, Wally Joyner, Lenny Dysktra, Eric Gagne… and that’s maybe 5% of the names. There are copies of checks cashed by suppliers, there are admissions from former players, and a few current ones, there are trainers fessing up to being dealers… it’s disgusting, top to bottom.

Of the Oakland Athletics organization, the following players are named (former Vancouver Canadians listed with year played):

 

• Randy Velarde (’97)
  
• Jason Giambi
• Miguel Tejada
• Jose Canseco
• FP Santangelo
• Adam Piatt (’99)
  
• Jose Guillen
• Jack Cust
• David Justice
• Cody McKay

Yes, Jack Cust (seen above) - current Oakland DH. His story, according to the report, goes as follows:

Jack Cust is an outfielder who began his major league career with the Arizona
Diamondbacks in 2001.  Since then, he has played for five teams in Major League Baseball, the Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres, and Oakland Athletics.

In 2007, he played with Oakland.At the beginning of the 2003 season, Cust and Larry Bigbie were both playing for Baltimore?s class AAA affiliate in Ottawa.  Bigbie?s locker was next to Cust?s.  Cust eventually asked Bigbie if he had ever tried steroids.  Bigbie acknowledged he had, and Cust said that he,too, had tried steroids.  Cust told Bigbie that he had a source who could procure anything he
wanted, but Bigbie informed him he already had a friend who could supply him.

How did Cust respond to the allegations?

In order to provide Cust with information about these allegations and to give him
an opportunity to respond, I asked him to meet with me; he declined.

Damning.

Even more damning, and far more detailed, is the story of 1999 AAA Vancouver Canadians outfielder, Adam Piatt (seen right). His career stalled in a major way, right at the zero hour as he was due to break through, and this may explain why:

Adam Piatt played as an outfielder with two teams in Major League Baseball forportions of four seasons between 2000 and 2003, the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay DevilRays. In 1999, he was the Oakland Athletics? Minor League Player of the Year.

After [Mets trainer and roid supplier Kurt] Radomski?s guilty plea was publicly announced, Piatt?s lawyer contacted us. We later interviewed Piatt, who voluntarily admitted his use of performance enhancingsubstances. He accepted full responsibility for his actions and said that he had learned animportant life lesson as a result. Piatt should be commended for his candor, for his willingnessto admit that he made a mistake, and for accepting responsibility for his actions.

Piatt was called up to Oakland from the minor leagues in 2000. He said that he
knew nothing at that time about steroids or amphetamines. In 2001, Piatt contracted a viralinfection and lost 24 pounds in ten days. This illness affected his strength and caused extreme200stress. He tried to come back to play baseball in August, but he was unsuccessful. Piatt said thathe worked hard during the off-season to be physically prepared for 2002.

During 2002, hestarted considering using human growth hormone. He researched the subject extensively thatyear.Piatt recalled that he learned of Kirk Radomski through F.P. Santangelo.Santangelo and Piatt were teammates on the Oakland Athletics and on Oakland?s minor leagueaffiliate in Sacramento.

Santangelo described Radomski to him as a personal trainer who was
knowledgeable about dietary issues and as a steroids supplier.Before obtaining any substances, Piatt had several conversations with Radomski.They discussed Piatt?s diet and what Piatt should do and take to get in optimal shape for theupcoming year. Radomski recommended that Piatt modify his diet and work on getting in shapebefore he started using human growth hormone. The conversations were all by telephone. Piattnever met Radomski in person.

Piatt believed he initially obtained human growth hormone and either testosteroneor Deca-Durabolin from Radomski. The substances sat unused for a long time, however, before he tried them. He was more concerned with the possible long-term health risks than with theethical issues.

He also thought about the problems he was having in baseball. A friend on theteam told Piatt that he lacked the bat speed he had enjoyed before his illness. Ultimately, Piattbegan using performance enhancing substances during the 2002-03 off-season. Piatt?s typicalregimen was to take one shot of testosterone per week for three to five weeks. He also injectedhimself with human growth hormone every day until he contracted carpal tunnel syndrome. Hetalked to Radomski about this side effect and then decreased the frequency of his use.

Survey drug testing was conducted in Major League Baseball in 2003. Piatt did
not change his regimen because of that testing. He was tested sometime during the summer.

Piatt retired from baseball in 2004 at the age of 28 because he had lost his love for
the game. He believes that he could have played longer. According to Piatt, the time he usedillegal substances was the only time he did not enjoy baseball. He thought he had "compromisedsomething."

Piatt made some payments to Radomski in 2004, but he said that those were tosatisfy old debts for 2003 shipments. He said he had no need for, and did not use, human growthhormone after he retired. Piatt noted that Radomski never encouraged Piatt to use moresubstances after Piatt said he wanted to stop. Radomski provided eight checks from Piatt, withdates ranging from 2002 to 2004, and totaling $11,550.

Used to be a time when talent was enough. Here’s the Randy Velarde story.

Randy Velarde admitted to us, through his lawyer, that he had used performanceenhancing substances he obtained from Greg Anderson. According to his lawyer, if interviewed,Velarde would have told us he received the "cream" and the "clear" from Anderson in atransaction that occurred in a parking lot during spring training in 2003. Velarde was playing forthe Oakland Athletics at the time, was near the end of his career and was attempting to play foranother year to support his family.

 

There are a whole load of players named in the report, and I’m sure more will be named in the days or weeks ahead, so I’m not sure whether any of the old Anaheim Angels-system Vancouver Canadians are mentioned, but either way, it’s a tough time to be a ball fan.

 

MLB teams had until yesterday to add players to their 40-man roster, before the players would be available to all the other MLB clubs in the upcoming Rule 5 draft.  Jay Marshall and Ryan Goleski were taken by the A’s last year (and are now out of the system) but a man was lost, and his name is Jared Burton, a member of the 2002 Vancouver Canadians.

Four former Canadians, and one future Athletic, were added to Oakland’s 40-man roster yesterday, keeping them in the system for the next few months.  RHP Jeff Gray, SS Gregorio Petit, C Landon Powell, and OF Richie Robnett were selected to the MLB roster, as was fireballer Henry Rodriguez, who was with Kane County this season.  Oakland now has two spots available on the 40-man roster.

Gray, a 2005 C’s alumnist, has had an excellent season, and is continuing his success in the Arizona Fall League, after spending 2007 with Sacramento in AAA.  Rodriguez is an up-and-coming prospect with the A’s, and his speeds are Bobby Jenks-like.  Petit spent ‘04 with the Red and Blue, and also played in AAA this season.  Powell was injured with the Rivercats, giving him two injuries that have hampered his professional career (he was sidelined a few years ago, missing a full season of ‘ball).  Robnett was a top pick in the 2004 draft (as was Powell) and reported to Vancouver in late July of that same year.

The additions aren’t too surprising, and with Powell being added you know it means he’ll be ready for the 2008 spring training, otherwise why bother?

The A’s also signed three minor-league free agents, including a name most C’s fans will recognize.  Troy Cate, Todd Donovan and Todd Linden are members of Oakland’s system after being signed over the last few days.  

Cate is a LHP who is in the Mexican Winter League as we speak, and played at Nat Bailey in 2002 as a member of the Everett Aquasox.  His time in the Mariners system brought him to Tacoma in 2003, where he pitched in one game picking up the win, but after four years he was stuck in the California League and went over to the St Louis system.  Side note, he was suspended for 15-games a few years ago for using steroids, hopefully that era of his life is over.

In 2006 he put up great numbers in Palm Beach (Single-A) and Springfield (AA, where he had an ERA of 0.57 in 10 games) but he couldn’t keep up that success in 2007, pitching out of Memphis in the PCL and St Louis in the Majors.  In the bigs, he appeared in 14 games with no decisions, and an ERA of 3.38 coming out of the ‘pen.  He started his career as a starter, but was a reliever in ‘07, and from what the stats say he’s one of those set-up men (ala Kiko Calero, Ricardo Rincon).

The mormon who is also a father, told Joe Weiss of Scout.com, that "I always knew I’d make it," in May of 2004 while still a member of the Mariners organization.

Turning 30 years old in August of 2008, Todd Donovan is not your typical outfielder.  He started his career at the age of 20 with Idaho Falls of the Pioneer League 8 years ago, and has progressed to AAA since.  A career .267 hitter, Donovan was picked up by the A’s last week after being let go by the Rangers.  His career has brought him to stops like Ottawa, Akron, Bowie, Las Vegas, Mobile, and Fort Wayne to name a few.  Most recently, he played for Frisco in the Texas League.

He’s played for six different organizations, with Oakland being the 7th, never making it to the show.  He’s had chances, in Spring Training (and two stints in AAA), and with the big boys during the March training, he has a home-run, three doubles and a total of 9 hits in 36 at-bats.  Batting .250 isn’t terrible but for spring training it could be much better.  Let’s hope he shows Oakland what he’s really got, in what may be his final years as a pro ball player.

Todd Linden may not be a house-hold name to baseball fans, but his brother is in Vancouver baseball houses.  Brother of 2007 Canadians colour-man Mark, Todd has been with the other Bay-Area team his whole career, in the minor leagues.  Todd is 27 and a power-hitting outfielder.  He has a total of 85 home-runs in six minor-league seasons, to go along with eight dingers with the San Francisco Giants, after 502 plate appearances. 

He’s been anything but sloppy in the minors, with a career average of .289 but in the big leagues (and this is in a combined five years in the majors) he has batted only .231.  AAA could be the next move for him (once again) and consider this - he started 2002 in AA and hasn’t been back there since that time with Shreveport (a now defunct AA team).  That’s a long time between four clubs (Fresno - San Francisco’s AAA affiliate, San Francisco and the Florida Marlins who picked him up in the 2007 season, along with Albuquerque with whom he spent time with this year).
 

A few weeks back, when discussing the likely new Sacramento Rivercats manager at Athletics Nation, I made the following comment: 

I’m guessing Todd Steverson goes to Sac-Town
He’s marched through the system like a prospect player, and he’s had good success along the way.And if the A’s keep Robnett around, all the more reason, since Steverson has managed him at every level and should be due a shift to AAA by now.

Nailed it.

River Cats Introduce Todd Steverson as New Manager; Announce ‘08 Coaching Staff - 11/08/07
West Sacramento, Calif. - The Sacramento River Cats and Oakland Athletics named Todd Steverson as the third manager in River Cats’ history, Oakland Athletics officials announced today. Steverson replaces Tony DeFrancesco, who was named the Athletics’ third base coach in October. Pitching Coach Rick Rodriguez and Hitting Coach Brian McArn will return for their 8th and 4th seasons respectively with the team to round out the coaching staff.

Steverson, Rodriguez and McArn will be joined by Athletic Trainer Brad LaRosa in his first season both with the A’s organization and at the Triple-A level.Steverson, who spent 2007 as manager of the Athletics’ Double-A affiliate Midland RockHounds and the previous two seasons (2005-06) at the helm of the Single-A affiliate Stockton Ports, has a lifetime managerial record of 214-203.

The 36-year-old Los Angeles, Calif. native joined the A’s organization in 2004 as the hitting coach for the short-season Single-A Vancouver Canadians. He spent the previous five seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system at Single-A Palm Beach (2003), Single-A Potomac (1999; 2001-02) and Single-A Peoria (2000).Steverson had a seven-year playing career that included major-league appearances with Detroit (1995) and San Diego (1996).

He finished his minor league career in 1998 with Triple-A Memphis of the Pacific Coast League. Steverson was originally drafted out of Culver City (Calif.) High School by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the June 1989 amateur draft but elected to attend Arizona State University. Three years later, in 1992, he was a first-round draft pick (25th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays.

I love this. I talked to Steverson back in 2004 when he was with the Vancouver Canadians, and asked him if he was bothered about getting promoted through the system, or if, like pitching coach Lefty Lefferts, whether he just enjoyed coming out every summer and being down with a little ball with the kids.

He replied, "Yeah, I wanna go to the Majors again, sure. But it’s not like when you’re playing, where you’re trying to make it up a level every season or your career is over. It might take a while, so I’m going to just have fun with it, make sure I get better at it every year, and what happens happens. Either way, whether it’s short season or AAA, it’s still the best job in the world to be with a ballclub."

Regardless of his patience, Steverson has been jumping up levels as fast as most of those he’s coached, and it’s been clear the A’s like what he brings.And as someone who sat behind him all season in 2004 and listened to what he was telling players, and laughed as he’d sneakily slide ten bucks through the fence to buy tickets for the 50-50 draw between innings, and saw kids climbing all over him after games, and host families counting him and his family as friends, I can say the A’s know what they’re doing by taking guys like this into the Family o’ Muppets.

As for the rest of the Sac-town coaching staff: (more…)

I want to answer a question by Stock, regarding Dan Kilgras.  He left or was removed as president of the team on the 18th of February, and has since helped BC sports legend Joe Kapp create a website regarding the former BC Lions’ career.

Kapp’s site is informative on the former QB who wore #22 at Empire Stadium, but doesn’t mention Kilgras’ name.  I do know he helped, because Greg Douglas ran a feature about it in the Sun a few months ago.

Back to the story.  Last week I passed on info from the Oakland Clubhouse on the A’s minor league free agents, and now I can tell you the other teams’ players who will be available to every MLB team.

There are five former single-A C’s, and a pair of AAA Canadians who weren’t re-signed, as well as a few notables.

From the ‘99 Canadians, Chad Harville (Arizona) and Frank Menechino (San Diego) are done with their respective teams.  Harville was pitching in AAA Tucson this season, going 6-4 with a 3.71 ERA in 47 appearances.

The Selmer, Tennessee native last reached the MLB in 2006, and was a PCL Mid-Season All-Star this year.

Menechino was a fan favourite back in his days with the team, but his age has to be a factor in whether he’ll play pro ball again.

The soon-to-be 37-year-old split the year between Colorado (AAA) and the Portland Beavers (also AAA).  His season ended early on August 5th, no word on if he retired or was injured.  He had a .375 average this season with 3 dingers and 16 doubles in just 38 games.

2007 was a rebound year for the 5′8 infielder, after batting .193 in what might be his shortest year ever - playing in 18 games.

Two original single-A Canadians are free agents, RHP Marcus Gwyn and IF Marshall McDougall.

Gwyn has bounced around between teams in his career, and played with the LA Angels this season (appearing 3 times, accumulating a 11.81 ERA).  He had 47 chances in AAA, and he capitalized going 2-1 with an ERA of 3.79.   

McDougall has appeared in the farm systems for the Texas Rangers, Oakland A’s and most recently the LA Dodgers.  He is currently in the Mexican Winter League, playing for Naranjeros de Hermosillo.  Sporting number 50, he is batting .316 after 19 games.  In the season, with AA Jacksonville and AAA Las Vegas, he batted .283 in almost 140 games.

Marshall is married and has a son Mason, so retiring might not be the last thing on his mind.

Matt Allegra is a minor league free agent for the 2nd time, this time after being let go by the Minnesota Twins.  He batted .241 in 106 games for the AA New Britain Rock Cats.  Allegra was a home-run hitting champ with the C’s, picking up all-star honours in 2001.  I’m sure Rob Fai, who was media relations manager here during Allegra’s tenure, would agree he was a top Canadian.

The final player who is ‘free’ is Eduardo Sierra.  Known for allowing a lot of hits and having a high ERA, Sierra is in the Dominican Winter League where after two games he hasn’t allowed an earned run.  He’s still young (25) but he’s been shuffled a few times which may be concerning for GM’s.

Jamal Strong, a former Everett Aquasox top prospect, and Erubiel Durazo who was released at the start of the year by the A’s, were released by the Bronx Bombers.  Durazo should stay on with another MLB team.

And now to my favourite part of the post - Mark Kiger baby!  Kiger was sent packing by the Mets, and this follows a huge ‘argument’ between NFTN and Kigers’ family a few months ago.

It was really fun to watch (I let Chris feed the story) and no offence to the Kigers - but this can’t be a surprise.  He was battling with John McCurdy and Brant Colamarino with the Canadians and I can’t say he stepped up to the challenge.   I’m going to make an assumption - within two days his wife will come over here and yell at us for talking about him getting released.

According to her, he left under his own terms from the A’s system last year and made it seem like our fault that we didn’t know.  When I see "Released: Mark Kiger" I don’t know why he was released or how but forgive me for not knowing, geez.